I run most days. Not fast or far usually. But I have been doing this long enough to know what happens on the days I skip.
My thinking is slower. I feel the friction earlier. Big problems that would normally feel approachable feel harder to start. By noon I can feel the difference in my productivity.
I used to think this was psychological. Doing something hard made doing other hard things easier. Turns out it is neurobiology at work instead. Moving your body improves cognition, memory, and executive function.
THE SCIENCE
In 2025, a team of researchers published what may be the most rigorous analysis of physical activity and brain function ever conducted.
Singh and colleagues ran an umbrella review. They synthesized 133 systematic reviews covering 2,724 randomized controlled trials and 258,279 participants. A quarter million people across more than two thousand carefully designed studies, summarized in one analysis.
The conclusion was direct. Exercise produces a substantial effect on general cognition (SMD = 0.42) and moderate effects on memory (SMD = 0.26) and executive function (SMD = 0.22). The effect held across all ages and populations tested. Healthy adults, clinical populations, children, and older adults. It held regardless of the type of exercise. Aerobic, resistance, mind-body practices like yoga, and combined programs all produced measurable cognitive benefits (Singh et al., 2025, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
This is not the usual "exercise is good for you" messaging. Executive function is the brain's capacity to plan, prioritize, shift attention, and inhibit impulsive responses. That's exactly what drives performance in demanding professional roles. Not a peripheral benefit. The core function that separates steady leadership from reactive, stressed-out management.
Move your body and improve your cognitive abilities.
THE TAKEAWAY
Exercise is the highest-evidence cognitive intervention available to you right now. It needs no prescription. It has no serious side effects at moderate doses. It improves the exact mental functions your role demands.
YOUR EDGE THIS WEEK
- Schedule tomorrow's workout. Put it on the calendar with a specific time, duration, and type. A 20-minute strength training counts. A 30-minute walk at moderate pace counts. Give it the same protected status as a customer meeting.
- Stack movement before a high-stakes hour. Have a tough meeting or creative problem this week? Schedule 15 to 30 minutes of movement in the hour before it. The acute cognitive effects of a single session show up within minutes. Use exercise as prep, not just a reward.
- If you haven't been consistent, start with context, not a goal. Pick a time that's already in your day when you could go for a walk. Pair it with something you already do, right after dropping the kids or right before your first call. Environment first, movement second.
Be well,
Eric
P.S. The Peak Performance Workshop is an interactive and fun session to train four peak performance superpowers in ninety minutes. Hire me for your next team meeting and realize the benefits the next day! Book a call here to learn more.
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