Move and Groove 48 - Rituals

Hey movers and groovers! Ever wonder why athletes have pre-game rituals, or why your morning coffee routine feels essential?

I have a ritual checklist before walking out the door, knock on wood for luck, and have a routine for public speaking. They are automatic and make me feel good.

Some rituals are superstition because I believe that they will influence the outcome (knock on wood). Others are practical and prevent me from finding myself at the gas station without a wallet.

Why do we engage in ritual behavior and is it helpful beyond the practical?

Neuroscience Nugget

Research by Norton and Gino (2014) published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology revealed that rituals have remarkable effects on our brain and performance.

The researchers found that performing rituals before high-pressure tasks:

• Reduced anxiety by 35%
• Increased perceived control
• Improved performance under pressure

The fascinating part of this study is that rituals worked even when participants didn't believe in the ritual's effectiveness. Why is that? Because rituals trigger specific neural pathways that:

• Decrease activity in the limbic system (your brain's anxiety center)
• Increase activation in the prefrontal cortex (your brain's control center)
• Release performance-enhancing neurochemicals like dopamine

Rituals aren't just comforting habits, they seem to be psychological tools that help regulate your brain's stress response.

Pep Talk

Here are some ways that ritual can help you improve your stress response through ritual:

Start small – create a "power-up" morning sequence. Maybe it's three deep breaths, a glass of water, and setting your top three priorities. The specific actions matter less than the consistency. Your brain loves predictable patterns!

Before high-stakes situations, develop your personal "game face" ritual. Top athletes aren't not just being superstitious, they're regulating their nervous systems. What's your version of bouncing the ball three times before a free throw?

End your workday with a "shutdown complete" ritual (credit to Cal Newport). This helps your brain transition from work mode to rest mode, improving both your recovery and next-day performance. For me, this is physically closing my laptop lid before picking up my kid from school.

Rituals aren't about being rigid, they're about creating control in a chaotic world. They're an anchor we can rely on.

Now move, groove, and create some ritual magic!

Be well,

Eric

P.S. Enjoy these resources on your journey:

• Winning at Work - our signature course on doing your best work, while feeling great at the same time. Access the promotion and get $300 off, 1 hour coaching, and surprise bonuses.
• Be Well Mind - blogs on neuroscience, sports science, and performance.
• Schedule a free call - enjoy a powerful one hour coaching session for free.
• Group Flow Checklist - improve your team's ability to enter group flow for more productivity, innovation, and joy.
• Friday Afternoon Strategy Hack - when your competition is choosing where to go for happy hour, outmaneuver them with this strategic tool.
• Calendar Coding Exercise - use this to see where you are actually spending your time and adjust to where you should be spending your time, with visual indication of success.