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Fail Better, Succeed Faster

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• Principles of Emotional Regulation

• Does Protein Timing Matter for Gains in Strength and Hypertrophy?

• How to Use Failure to Succeed

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Principles of Emotional Regulation
Maame Yaa Serwaa Bona-Mensa

Lights, Camera, ...
Emotional regulation is key to navigating life's ups and downs, from minor irritations to major anxieties. Aristotle emphasized feeling the right emotions at the right time, a principle echoed today by psychologist James Gross. Gross's 4-stage model—situation, attention, appraisal, and response—maps how emotions arise and offers intervention points to manage them. Strategies like cognitive reappraisal (changing thoughts about a situation) and expressive suppression (hiding emotional reactions) help regulate our feelings. Mastering these skills through self-awareness and mindful practice enhances emotional resilience, improves relationships, and transforms our overall well-being.

Action!

1. Choose the situation: Avoid triggers that lead to unwanted emotions by making proactive choices. Instead of spending the evening alone and doomscrolling, opt to hang out with a friend.

2. Modify the situation: Alter scenarios to improve your emotional experience. If meeting a friend, choose a lively setting with activities to stay engaged and reduce phone temptation.

3. Direct your attention: Manage your focus to enhance your mood. For example, engage fully in conversations and activities with your friend, asking questions and listening attentively to avoid social media distractions.

4. Reframe your thoughts: Shift your perspective to diffuse negative emotions. For example, you can combat FOMO on being up-to-date with social media by reminding yourself of the benefits of in-person interactions, which can be more fulfilling than online updates.

5. Control your responses: Manage your behaviors and expressions to reduce, not amplify emotional intensity. In a heated conversation, take deep breaths and lower your voice to keep the discussion calm, setting a positive pattern for future interactions.

Does Protein Timing Matter for Gains in Strength and Hypertrophy?
Brady Holmer

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The belief in an "anabolic window"—a critical period immediately after exercise for optimal protein intake—has long guided athletes to consume protein quickly post-workout to maximize muscle gains and recovery. However, a new study challenges this notion, showing no significant differences in muscle growth or strength gains between those who consumed protein immediately versus those who delayed intake by three hours. The real key lies in overall daily protein intake, ideally 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, spread over 4-5 meals. While eating soon after a workout isn't harmful and can aid in glycogen replenishment, especially for those training twice a day, the anxiety around the "anabolic window" is largely unfounded. Instead, focus on ensuring sufficient total protein throughout the day for the best results.

Action!

• Focus on consuming enough protein throughout the day, aiming for at least 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight spread over 4-5 meals, rather than stressing about the timing immediately after your workout. Spreading out meals throughout the day means that you will likely have had protein within 3 hours before or after your workout anyways.

How to Use Failure to Succeed
Sahil Bloom

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"I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

Embrace failure as a skill, not a setback. While schools don't teach us to handle failure, it's crucial for success. High achievers often struggle most when they first encounter failure because they've always known success. Just like Michael Jordan, who succeeded because he failed repeatedly, you too can turn setbacks into stepping stones. Learn to harness the power of failure, using it to gain knowledge and resilience. Remember, the world is led by those who fail and rise again, not by those who never stumble. So, view failure as a skill and learn to be good at it, using the stumble to advance your knowledge, improve your edge, and win the next battle.

Action!

1. Set a Failure Timer: Allow yourself 24 hours to process the failure. Use this time to pause, take a walk, and gather your thoughts. Avoid blowing the failure out of proportion. After the timer is up, move on to the next step.

2. Become a Scientist: Approach your failure analytically. Gather and analyze information about what happened and why. Identify factors within your control and focus on improving them for your next attempt. Maintain an objective, unemotional perspective.

3. Time Travel to the Future: Envision yourself a year from now, succeeding because of the failure you just experienced. Reflect on the actions, changes, behaviors, mindsets, and routines that led to your future success. Let these insights guide your present actions.

4. Take Action: Get back into the arena and take action. Overcome the temptation to stay on the sidelines. Remember, action doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to move you forward. Embrace the effort, and strive valiantly.

TOOL TIP

Reflection.App: A minimal online journaling app with daily prompts and powerful guides to help you grow into your best self.

FUN FACT

In a model of cooperation, the entire city of Tucson, Arizona, the nearest large municipality to the Kitt Peak National Observatory, has, by agreement with the local astrophysicists, converted all its streetlights to low-pressure sodium lamps to reduce light pollution.

These stories are presented thanks to beehiiv, an all-in-one newsletter suite built by the early Morning Brew team.

Fully equipped with built-in growth and monetization tools, no code website and newsletter builder, and best-in-class analytics that actually move the needle.

The top newsletters in the world are built on beehiiv, and yours can be too. It's the most affordable option in the market, and you can try it for free — no credit card required.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.