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Identifying Your Fears & Frustrations Last week, we explored self-drive and how it is a trainable skill. This week, we started to scratch the surface of how fear and frustration affect how we think and how we take action. When we make decisions from a place of fear or frustration, those decisions are often poor. So, how do we get out of that mindset and allow ourselves to think more creatively and make better choices? It’s a skill that requires practice, but the first step is to take a step back and identify what our default tendencies are when we feel frustrated or fearful. In this week's LTAD sessions, we did some CDC (Cross-Domain Coaching). We created a simple game designed to generate low levels of frustration, and we tracked when and how that frustration emerged. This exercise helps build awareness of their default tendencies and hopefully helps them recognize similar behaviors in other areas of their lives. Here are some quotes that came up during the game: After getting 0 points on the first 2 turns: "I hate this game." After scoring 6 points on the next turn: "Only goal is not to come in last." After scoring 0 points on the first 3 turns: "I'm not trying." After scoring 7 points on the last turn: "If I did this every round, I would have won." These comments aren’t groundbreaking, but they show how, when faced with early struggles or failure, the kids can quickly shift into frustration and blame the environment. You might be wondering, how does all of this tie back into the self-drive work we did last week? One thing we’re seeing is that, in areas where we have self-drive, we tend to reduce fear and frustration more quickly. It doesn’t stop us from taking action, and we can make better decisions as a result. Understanding our tendencies when fear and frustration appear—and recognizing how they differ in areas where we feel driven—is key to making progress. In today’s class, we’re experimenting with adding video games into the workout to see how we can dial up competitiveness and observe how frustration affects performance.

Self-Drive is a Trainable Skill The first time I heard that self-drive is a trainable skill, I had to pause for a second. I had never really thought about it that way. I always assumed I had self-drive for the things I enjoyed or was naturally good at—it didn't seem like a skill, it just felt natural. But the more I thought about the areas in my life where I exhibit self-drive, the more I started to see the habits and rituals I built around improving at those things. Once I understood that, the next step was figuring out how to apply those same principles to areas in my life where I wanted to develop self-drive. This is what we’re working on with the LTAD group this week. The first step for them was to identify where they already have self-drive. Here are some of the areas the kids shared: Where I have Self-Drive "Going to the field to practice soccer on my own." "Working in the basement with the soccer ball." "Taking shots at home to improve my accuracy." "Practicing baseball, golf, and basketball." "Reading." These answers didn't come out immediately. Before we started the workout, I asked them to think about things they felt driven to do. At first, they listed tasks they felt they had to do, like homework or cleaning their room. This highlighted an important aspect of self-drive: it has to come from within. Self-drive isn’t about doing something just to please your parents or avoid getting in trouble—it’s about something you’re motivated to do for yourself. This doesn't mean they shouldn’t do tasks like homework, but understanding the root of their self-drive is key to replicating it across different areas of their lives. After we discussed this and went through the workout, the kids were able to identify the areas where they truly felt self-driven, and those are the examples they shared above. Before we started breaking down their habits and rituals around their self-driven skills, I asked them another question: "What is something you would like to have self-drive in?" Where I want to build Self-Drive “Study more to get better grades” “Doing more homework in study hall” “Reading more to improve E.L.A (A+)” “Being able to improve my time in the cold plunge and do it more often” “Pratice my volin” My belief is that by helping them see the gap between the areas where they have self-drive and where they don’t, it will become easier for them to identify the habits that drive them and apply those same habits to other skills they want to improve.

1.) Share your experience at Prototype Incredibly welcoming from day one. The coaches have been great and always make sure we are safe but have fun classes. There have been a lot of people introducing themselves. PTS is a team!! 2.) What is your favorite part about being at Prototype? The people make it fun. The workouts are challenging while the community and social support make it fun. I really enjoy that PTS is more than workout sessions. The recovery emphasis and workshops have us looking at total health and wellness. 3.) What are your hobbies and activities? I fish a lot, fresh and saltwater. I also teach beginner English to refugees that are temporarily in Westborough. Most importantly, spending time with my family. 4.) How has Prototype helped you or solved a problem for you? I’ve been doing different things to improve my health. Prioritizing recovery has reduced my joint pain and improved mobility. I’ve been working on being more positive. The social interaction has helped me in a lot of ways. 5.) What are you continuing fitness goals to this point? Keep pushing and doing hard things. Pushing to be the best version of me. 6.) Favorite Quote "Find a way or make one"

How we view stress can be the difference in it HELPING us grow or HURTING us grow. Over the past few weeks in our Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) program, we’ve been focusing on labeling your level of stress and understanding the different zones we all go through which we’ve defined as: The Comfort Zone The Growth Zone The Fear Zone As the world has changed, it’s easy to put a label on stress as something bad—something to avoid at all costs. While it’s true that stress can accumulate and lead to us feeling overwhelmed, make us want to avoid doing certain things, and can be down right debilitating… but we must also consider stress as a key ingredient for growth. Last week, we used one of our Prototype Performance and Recovery tools with the LTAD team to replicate how this shows up in everyday life. The group experienced their first cold plunge, which can be quite a stressful exercise. The buildup before entering the cold water and the initial shock is synonymous with how we overthink or project something may be worse than it actually is. However, as you sit in the cold, you battle not just the physical discomfort but also the mental challenges that arise. I was impressed to see all the kids participate, with some reaching the five-minute mark with a full dunk—shoutout to Aiden, Carter, and George! This experience was analogous to how we can pull ourselves out of the Fear Zone and into the Growth Zone. We’ve been discussing how quickly we can transition from fear to growth as a significant factor in building resilience.

How to identify when you are preparing for practice vs the game This week, we talked with the kids about performance anxiety—a normal and even helpful response when the stakes are high, like in a big game or competition. Anxiety helps us focus and prepare, but the problem arises when we feel it in everyday situations, like practice or small tasks. This creates unnecessary stress and stops us from taking risks, limiting growth. Giving ourselves space for growth One of the kids shared how they felt anxious every time they had to write, no matter how small the task. Another talked about how practice felt as stressful as a real game because they didn’t want to make mistakes. We discussed how this mindset affects their ability to improve. When we treat practice or small activities like the high-pressure moments, we don’t give ourselves space to learn and grow. Practice in the parking lot before hitting the highway Our analogy for this week was learning how to drive. When you first start driving, you learn in a parking lot, not on the highway. The parking lot is a place to make mistakes, take risks, and build confidence through little wins. As we continue to gather those wins, we eventually feel ready for the highway—the big moments that require all we’ve learned. It’s okay to take risks in the parking lot because that’s where you grow the most, you are driving slower and there really isn't anything to hit. Below are pictures of the Westborough 7th and 8th grade girls' soccer team, with whom we focused on strength, stabilization, agility mobility, along with a lesson on performance anxiety in our Young Leader Development series. Caroline Queenan helped lead the session and shared her own experiences, which provided valuable insights and made the lessons even more relatable and beneficial for the players.

Combating Entropy for a Healthier, Longer Life: A Holistic Approach to Aging Introduction: The Concept of Entropy in Health Entropy, a concept rooted in thermodynamics, describes the natural movement from order to disorder. In the context of human life and health, entropy represents the gradual decline in physical and mental vitality that occurs as we age. Much like how an untended house collects dust, our bodies and minds naturally degrade if not actively maintained. However, this decline is not inevitable—through intentional, sustained effort, we can combat entropy and extend our healthspan, the period in which we live free from chronic disease and with full vitality. Entropy and Aging: A Natural Process Just as systems in nature tend toward disorder, the human body experiences entropy in the form of aging. Without conscious effort, the aging process brings physical decline, cognitive deterioration, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. However, while we cannot stop aging, we have the power to influence how we age. The real challenge is not just to live longer but to live better by actively engaging in habits that maintain and improve our health. Healthspan vs. Lifespan: The Fight Against Entropy Lifespan refers to the number of years a person lives, while healthspan focuses on the years lived in good health. In many developed countries, the average lifespan is around 77-80 years, but healthspan is significantly shorter, often around 60-63 years. This gap is where entropy does its damage—many people spend the final decades of life battling chronic illnesses and a reduced quality of life. The goal is to compress morbidity, shortening the period of illness before death, allowing for a longer healthspan full of vitality. Intentional Effort: A Proactive Approach to Health The key to resisting entropy is intentional effort, which includes regular exercise, mental fitness, proper nutrition, and recovery practices. But beyond simply following a routine, it's essential to cultivate internal motivation—transforming these habits from obligations into meaningful, enjoyable practices. When health and wellness become part of an individual’s identity, the fight against entropy becomes sustainable. Physical Activity: Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to combat the physical aspects of entropy, improving cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and overall well-being. Mental Fitness: Engaging in challenges that test your comfort zone, learning new skills, or practicing mindfulness can stave off cognitive decline, fighting mental entropy. Nutrition and Recovery: Proper nutrition fuels the body, while recovery techniques, such as adequate sleep and stress management, ensure resilience against both physical and mental wear. The Role of Community: Battling Entropy Together Community is a powerful tool in the fight against entropy. Being part of a group with shared goals and challenges reinforces healthy behaviors and helps sustain motivation. Whether it’s participating in group workouts, sharing healthy meals, or supporting each other in mindfulness practices, a sense of belonging and collective effort can make it easier to maintain good health. Social interaction also has direct benefits for mental health, helping to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer's disease (Kuiper et al., 2015). Social Connections and Cognitive Health: Strong social networks lower the risk of dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. Research has shown that social isolation increases the risk of dementia by about 50%, underscoring the protective effect of community engagement (Kuiper et al., 2015). Conclusion: Embracing the Fight Against Entropy Entropy, while a natural process, challenges us to take proactive steps to maintain our health and vitality. By focusing on healthspan rather than just lifespan, we can embrace a lifestyle of growth and vitality. Through regular physical activity, mental engagement, supportive communities, and intentional effort, we can significantly slow down the entropy of aging, leading to a more fulfilling, healthier life well into our later years.

Week 6: How to Build a Strong Foundation of habits as we take on more This week, our lesson focused on "Brilliance in the Basics" and how building a strong foundation sets the stage for tackling bigger challenges. We took a deep dive into the importance of mastering fundamental skills by testing each student’s One-Rep Max in key lifts: the back squat, deadlift, and bench press. The students have been working diligently on these movements for some time. They started with the basics, progressively advanced their technique, and recently tested their One-Rep Max. The big takeaway for them was that all the effort spent perfecting these foundational movements led to personal records and significant progress. However, the lesson extended beyond strength training. We emphasized that the principles of building a strong foundation apply to every area of life. Whether it’s in academics, sports, or other challenges, investing time in mastering basic skills creates a solid base for tackling more complex tasks. The dedication to perfecting these fundamentals equips them to handle greater challenges with confidence and success. Consistency : An important aspect of this lesson was understanding that consistency is key. You can't afford to let up or allow the basics to slip, as doing so can undermine your progress. If you start neglecting the fundamentals, the whole structure can crumble beneath you. Maintaining focus and continually practicing these basic skills is essential to sustaining growth and achieving long-term success. To illustrate this, one student shared how practicing the violin consistently is crucial for mastering more complex pieces. Another mentioned how, in soccer, footwork and ball control are fundamental. Without attention to these basics, he struggles with executing advanced moves and making precise passes. These examples show that whether in music, sports, or other areas, a strong foundation is vital for taking on more challenging tasks. We also shared a compelling video with the kids featuring Nick Saban and Georgia's head football coach. In the video, both coaches emphasize to their teams how critical the basics are for achieving team success. This powerful message reinforced our lesson on the importance of focusing on the fundamentals in all areas of life. Link to video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_HJw4wN9_H/?igsh=cjB2MnFmazl1d2po It was a fun week, with the kids hitting a bunch of personal records. It was really cool to see their progress come together, with lots of smiles, high fives, and fist bumps all around.

Stacking Momentum: How to double down on action to tackle bigger things Over the past two weeks in our Developing Youth Leaders lessons, we focused on building a bias to action and creating momentum. We then moved on to how to stack momentum and tackle bigger challenges. We began by asking the kids what tasks they needed to be told to do and which tasks they took on independently. We discovered that the kids were more willing to take on tasks like practicing their sports but struggled with things like schoolwork. One surprising response was practicing the violin. Through this lesson, we helped the kids identify areas where they were hesitant to take action and explored why. Building on last week's lesson, "Believing You Can Learn," we found that in areas where the kids were less confident or didn’t enjoy the activity as much, they were more hesitant to take action. While this isn’t surprising, making them aware of it helps them recognize where they might be stopping or slowing down, allowing them to tackle more challenging tasks. Leaning into Weakness We connected this to one of their workouts by allowing them to choose from 4 upper body movements and 4 lower-body movements. After picking their workouts, we discussed why they selected certain movements. All of them picked the movements they were stronger in, instead of leaning into weakness and improving. This approach helped them see how their decision-making could lead to hesitation and how leaning into their strengths can be a natural tendency. In the following week, we repeated the exercise, letting the kids design their own workouts. This time, we noticed that some kids chose different exercises that they knew they would struggle with. This exercise also provided an opportunity for them to receive more coaching and learn new movements. We then moved to the next week's lesson on "Stacking Momentum and Diving into Harder Challenges." We discussed the importance of maintaining momentum and pushing harder even after achieving a milestone. It’s a common tendency to want to take a break or celebrate after a significant accomplishment, but that’s precisely when it’s crucial to keep pushing forward. We explored how this applies in their lives and identified examples from sports where they felt confident and took on harder challenges. Our goal is to help them recognize that leaning into their strengths is natural, but it’s through tackling weaknesses and pushing past comfort zones that real growth happens. We’re proud of the progress they’re making and excited to see how they apply these lessons beyond the gym—in school, hobbies, and everyday life.