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Welcome to a BONUS edition of my monthly Science Digest.

As you know, my new book WIN THE INSIDE GAME just came out! The reception has been fantastic.
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At its heart the book is about how to free ourselves up to find and perform up to our potential. It combines my personal experience as an athlete, coach, and whistleblower with lots of cutting-edge science. As you are aware, I'm a science nerd at heart, so with every book I read hundreds of studies and talk to dozens of scientists. I figured I'd give you a behind the scenes look at some of my favorite research, some of which made the book and some that just missed making the cut.

And I decided to extend the bonuses until today. So...what are you waiting for. It's a no brainer (and helps me...as today's the last day for book sales to qualify for counting towards best seller lists!)

Order Today you'll get access to exclusive bonuses, including, my 100 page ebook on The Principles of Coaching. And I'm throwing in 20 hours of video content on The Magness Method of training.

Get Your Bonuses

1. Order the book today: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org​

2. Fill out THIS FORM.

-Steve​

​Success is Contagious. So is Testosterone.​

What they found: This study, conducted by Kathleen V. Casto and her colleagues, delves into the intricate relationship between social identification and testosterone (T) reactivity in the context of vicarious competition. The research specifically focuses on combat sport athletes, examining how their testosterone levels fluctuate when watching their teammates win or lose. The findings suggest that the degree to which these athletes identify with their team, especially if they believe team membership is central to their identity, significantly influences their T reactivity. Interestingly, the study found a strong positive relationship between cognitive centrality and T reactivity when their teammate won, indicating that the belief that team membership is a core part of one's identity might amplify the dominance-linked androgen responses associated with witnessing a teammate's victory.

In essence, the study highlights the interplay between social dynamics and hormonal responses in competitive scenarios. It underscores how the perception of oneself within a group can profoundly impact one's physiological reactions to victory and defeat. These findings offer valuable insights into the broader understanding of social identification, hormonal responses, and competitive behavior.

Actionable Insights:

1. Identity and Performance: How we see ourselves within a team matters. If we feel central to the group, our testosterone levels surge when our teammate wins, fueling our drive. It's not just about individual wins; it's about the team's victories driving our own performance.
2. Cognitive Centrality: Feeling like a core part of the team supercharges the hormonal response. It's as if their win is our win, and that shared victory amplifies our own internal drive. So cultivate that sense of belonging and watch the performance soar.
3. The Power of Shared Success: Success breeds success, but it's not just about personal wins. When teammates succeed, and we feel deeply connected to that success, it's like we're winning too. That's the power of shared goals and a strong team identity—it elevates everyone.

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​How the Information We Consume Makes Us Feel Threatened.​

What they found: If we are inundated with messages that the world is dangerous and that there’s a potential threat around every corner, we’re more likely to be primed to have a threat response. Research consistently shows that the more tragic or distressing TV we watch, the more acute stress we experience. Binge on hours of coverage after the latest disaster, and you’re even at risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress. Those who watched over six hours of TV coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing reported higher levels of stress than those who were in Boston and directly or indirectly impacted by the bombing itself.

Actionable Insights:

• Be deliberate and intentional with the news-like information you consume. The danger isn’t rap music or video games like my parents thought in the 1990s. We know that’s entertainment. The danger is entertainment disguised as information. That applies to cable news, but also much of social media. There’s a difference between being entertained and informed, don’t confuse the two.
• Choose slow media. Read books, watch documentaries, go for things that are timeless and slow, instead of bombarding your brain with what feels like timely, must grab our attention candy.
• When you feel certain or outraged or passionate about something, it’s a sign to pause, not act. It’s at those moments when the cascade of emotions pushing us towards a behavior is most dangerous.

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​Can Photos of Your Family Make You More Ethical?​

What they found: What's on our desk matters too! When we display photos of family, it influences whether or not we'll engage in unethical behavior.

Having a family photo on your desk reduced the likelihood of people engaging in financial transgressions, such as padding expense reports. The researchers found that the photos reduced our focus on having an economic mindset, where money or winning is all that matters. In the study, they called this having an "economic schema."

Actionable Insights:

• Bring Your Whole Self to Work: Don't feel like you have to check your personal life at the door. Bringing in photos of loved ones can actually create a more ethical and balanced work environment.
• Design Your Space for Honesty: The physical environment of your workspace matters. Create a space that supports your well-being and reminds you of your values to help guard against unethical choices.
• Challenge the "Economic Schema": Be aware of how the workplace can promote an overly economic mindset, which can lead to unethical behavior. Counteract this by personalizing your space and staying connected to your values outside of work.

​Want to Improve Productivity? Make Your Office space Empowered Instead of Lean.​

What they found: This study investigates how different workspace designs impact employee well-being and productivity. The authors conducted two experiments, one in a university setting and the other in a real-world office. In both experiments, participants were randomly assigned to one of four workspace conditions: lean, enriched, empowered, or disempowered.

The results of the experiments showed that participants in the enriched and empowered conditions had significantly higher levels of well-being and productivity than those in the lean and disempowered conditions. These findings suggest that it is important to consider both the design of office space and the level of control that employees have over their workspace.

Actionable Insights:

• Environment Matters: Just like athletes need the right training environment, so too do employees need a workspace that supports both their physical and mental needs. A well-designed space can do wonders for your productivity and well-being.
• Don't Underestimate Empowerment: Giving people some control over their workspace isn't just a feel-good perk; it can actually boost performance. Letting people personalize their space leads to better outcomes than having a completely bare-bones or overly controlled space.
• Challenge the Status Quo: The traditional "lean" office, where everything is standardized and controlled, might not be the best approach. Allowing for personalization and employee input can lead to better outcomes. ¹

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​Negativity (and Losses) Can Linger in Our Brain.​

What They Found: Losing sucks. But research tells us that if we let it linger, our brain latches on to that. This study bridges the gap between how our brains process emotions and how we experience them in our daily lives, with implications for our overall well-being. The researchers used fMRI to track brain activity while people viewed a series of images, then followed up by assessing their daily emotional experiences and well-being over time.

They found that how our brains react to negative images—specifically, how long the amygdala stays active after seeing the image—can predict how much negativity we experience in our daily lives. This means that if your amygdala tends to hold onto negativity, you might be more prone to experiencing negative emotions throughout your day. And, not surprisingly, experiencing more positive emotions daily was linked to greater overall well-being.

Actionable Insights:

• Don't Let Negativity Linger: Just like an athlete needs to let go of a bad race, we all need to find ways to process and move on from negative experiences. If you tend to dwell on negativity, try techniques like mindfulness, journaling, or talking it out to help your mind "reset."
• Prioritize Daily Positivity: This might seem obvious, but it's worth emphasizing. Make a conscious effort to cultivate positive experiences each day, no matter how small. This could be anything from spending time in nature to listening to your favorite music.
• Train Your Brain: While the study focused on the amygdala's response to negative images, we can potentially train our brains to be less reactive to negativity. Practices like meditation and gratitude exercises can help shift our brain's focus toward the positive.

​Post Game Feedback Changes Our Hormones and Performance​

What They Found: Research on professional rugby players found that watching what they did wrong after a game led to elevated cortisol and worse performance the next game. Watching what they did well had the opposite effect: a bump in testosterone and better performance in the games that followed. It's not that we want to avoid criticism forever. It's that after a tough match, we are in a sensitive period. Our brains are looking to validate our feeling that we are a bit useless. We are hypersensitive to any sign of a threat.

Actionable Insights:

• Feedback Matters: The kind of feedback you get after a performance can change how you do next time. Positive feedback can boost your hormones and make you perform better.
• The Power of Positive Self-Talk: If you are a coach or athlete, pay attention to the kind of feedback you give or receive. Positive feedback and encouragement can make a big difference.
• Hormones and Performance: Your hormones play a big part in how you perform. Positive feedback can boost hormones like testosterone, which can lead to better performance.

​How to Make Sure We Approach Instead of Avoid​

How do our goals shape our behavior? Researchers investigated how performance-approach goals (trying to outperform others) and performance-avoidance goals (trying to avoid performing worse than others) affect people's performance when they are uncertain about their abilities.

In the first experiment, they manipulated participants' goals by giving them instructions to either try to outperform others or avoid performing worse than others. They then had participants learn a text and answer questions about it, while also receiving feedback from a "partner" (actually a computer program) that either agreed or disagreed with their answers. The results showed that participants who were given performance-approach goals performed better than those given performance-avoidance goals, but only when their answers were agreed with. When their answers were disagreed with, both types of goals led to the same level of performance.

Actionable Insights:

• Embrace Uncertainty: Uncertainty is a natural part of any challenging endeavor. Don't let it paralyze you or make you doubt your abilities.
• Focus on Approach Goals: When facing uncertainty, try to focus on what you want to achieve, rather than what you want to avoid. This can help you stay motivated and engaged.
• Build a Supportive Environment: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and can offer constructive feedback. This can help reduce feelings of uncertainty and boost your confidence.

​How our Sense of Self is Influenced by Materialism​

We live in a materialistic society. And it's making us feel lost. Researchers found a link betwenn materialism and uncertainty about one's self. The researchers conducted two studies, one in Australia and one in the US, to see how feeling uncertain about oneself relates to materialistic tendencies.

They found that people who were less sure of their self-concept were more likely to be materialistic. This suggests that people may use material possessions to make up for feelings of uncertainty about themselves. Interestingly, this connection was stronger for women than for men.

Actionable Insights:

• Self-Awareness: Take time to reflect on your values, goals, and sense of self. A strong self-concept can help you navigate challenges and stay focused on what matters most.
• Intrinsic Motivation: Find motivation from within yourself, rather than relying on external validation or material possessions. This can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
• Challenge Materialism: Be aware of how materialistic values can creep into your life, especially in times of uncertainty. Focus on building a strong sense of self and finding fulfillment in non-material aspects of life.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my random musings on the latest science and research. Expect more of the same every month.

And as a reminder, don't forget to order WIN THE INSIDE GAME! It's out NOW.

1. Order the book today: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org​

2. Fill out THIS FORM.

All the best,

​Steve​

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