3 Powerful High-Performance Principles I Reflected on After Savasana

Lately, I’ve returned to weekly yoga practice. Yoga, for me, isn’t just exercise—it’s a privilege to be fully present with my body, mind, and spirit. In that space, there’s nothing to fix, nowhere to go, and nothing to cross off my to-do list. It’s a moment to drop into stillness and simply be.

Today, as I came out of Savasana, I reflected on three powerful principles of high-performance from my practice: 

The Space Between Tension and Ease 

In my first downward dog, I felt both tension and ease as I gently pressed my heels toward the mat. This simple movement reminded me of moments when I leaned into challenges, explored my personal and professional edges, and was fully committed. Every time, I was transformed—my perspective shifted, and my leadership grew.

As humans, we default to what’s comfortable, especially when we’ve achieved a certain level of success. But comfort can be a trap. We’ve seen time and time again that current success is often the biggest barrier to the next breakthrough.

A study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that executives who participated in resilience training experienced a 35% boost in stress management and a 20% increase in productivity by intentionally pushing their limits. 

Are you pressing into your edge? Maybe 2025 is your year to step beyond comfort.

Tree pose has always been a challenge—balancing with one foot pressed against the opposite leg often throws me off. Today, I tried a different approach. Instead of aiming for my inner thigh, I placed my foot on my calf and focused on alignment.

I stretched my arms high, leaned back, and pushed to my edge. I wobbled, lost my balance, and came out of the pose. But I wasn’t done. I re-engaged my core, pressed my foot to my leg, and stepped right back in—this time going deeper.

We all stumble away from our best strategies or personal well-being. The key isn’t perfection; it’s the idea of learning from perceived failures, and then the ability to re-engage in the face of challenge. 

A Forbes report found that resilient leaders are 1.5 times more likely to inspire productivity and engagement than those who dwell on failure.

The next time you feel off-balance, remember: Stepping out isn’t a failure. It’s an invitation to step back in with renewed strength.

In my fifth round of chair pose, I sank deeper, pushed my hips back, and felt my legs burn. But even as the tension grew, my foundation felt stronger.

This duality mirrors high-performance leadership. Many believe ease follows struggle, but peak performers know strength often coexists with a challenge. Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s concept of antifragility explains that systems—and people—grow stronger under pressure when they remain flexible.

A 2023 McKinsey report shows that leaders who embrace discomfort and ambiguity achieve 25% greater innovation and adaptability.

What’s your current chair pose moment? Where is your struggle making you stronger? Growth lives between effort and empowerment.

Here’s to pushing our edges—and remembering that whenever we fall out, we can always step back in.