Smile When You Drive

“Attitudes affect moods — and moods affect what you think — and what you think affects the 'how' of what you do! Feelings of excitement, happiness, and satisfaction improve the belief in one’s own capabilities to successfully make a change.” — Dr. Cecilia Brantley, Adjunct Professor at Argosy University

 That’s an interesting quote, isn’t it? We all know that our mood — our state of mind — directly influences how we perform. When you’re in a bad mood, your work suffers. But when you’re in a good mood, everything flows better. So, here’s a simple truth: Be in a good mood and you’ll drive better. Sounds like great advice, right? Yet telling someone to “be in a good mood” is about as effective as telling a first-time skydiver, “Don’t be afraid.” Telling someone how to feel doesn’t always translate into actually feeling that way. If it did, we wouldn’t need therapy or anti-depressants.

 Can You Control Your Mood?

Yes — and that’s the powerful insight here.

A study referenced in Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson revealed something remarkable: when marathon runners smiled, their running efficiency improved by two percent. That’s right — just by smiling. Even Eliud Kipchoge, 2016 Olympic marathon champion, deliberately smiles while running as part of the Nike Breaking2 project to break the two-hour marathon barrier. 

You may be thinking: “That’s easy — I’m always smiling when I’m on the track. It’s the most fun thing I could ever do!”

Maybe you are. But maybe you’re not. If you could improve your driving performance by even two percent just by deliberately smiling, wouldn’t that be worth doing?

 Breathe with a Smile

I’ve written before about the negative impact of holding your breath on performance. So, try this: breathe with a smile. Practice it before heading to the track. Practice it every day while driving on the street. During some track sessions, intentionally breathe and smile — and notice the impact it has on your performance.

 Replay a Past Success

Here’s a mental tool you can use to control your mood: replay a past success. This doesn’t have to be from driving. Think of a moment — any moment — when you felt great. When you performed at your best. When you succeeded. Visualize that memory with detail. Immerse yourself in the feelings and thoughts you had at the time. The more vividly you replay that experience, the more likely you are to smile. That memory can become your key to shifting your state of mind.

Your Turn

Take a few minutes.
Think of something from your life that made you feel fantastic.
Breathe.
Smile.
Enjoy.

Now, head out on track.
Breathe with a smile.

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Printed with permission from Ross Bentley: Speed Secrets | Performance Driving Techniques & Tips