Taking time to reflect and strategize is key to achieving sustainable and healthy high-performance. Practicing metacognition—thinking about how you think—helps shift the mind from reactive to strategic mode. Leveraging alpha brainwaves, which are created when we are learning and reflecting, is an effective way to activate metacognition, which helps to elevate our decision-making and planning abilities.

Last week we introduced Alpha brainwave states. Alpha brainwaves measure at 8 - 15 cycles per second (Hz), and tend to come about during acts of “metacognition” - or thinking about how you think. This state of reflection is crucial for learning, adapting, strategizing, and performing at the highest possible level. In order to enter into alpha brainwaves and strategic thinking, you need to relax your body while keeping your mind engaged so you can explore the things you want to achieve. One thing that can get in the way of this? Stress.

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve discussed the importance of entering into Beta brainwaves in order to enter into a state of deep focus and sustained concentration. Learning how to unlock beta brainwaves and enter into focused execution allows us to accomplish more, decrease stress, and direct our attention towards what is important.

Alpha waves are emitted when we learn, reflect, think strategically or engage in metacognition. In this mode, our brains achieve a blend of activation and relaxation. To get into this mode, we have to step out of focused execution, which limits our ability to pull the lens back and see the whole picture.

I learned about this effect firsthand on a trip to Africa for a friend's wedding.

One of the major side effects of the epidemic of unrelenting drive and constant hustle has been to limit our collective capacity for deep and broad thinking.

When it comes to reflection, learning, strategic thinking and metacognition, our brains need to slow down, focus and trigger alpha waves.

Optimizing the functioning and growth of your brain is essential to your performance and health. In particular, it’s important to understand the role of two kinds of tissues – white matter and grey matter – and how you can make them grow.