Neuroscientist Dr. Heidi Hanna explains why stress isn’t something to eliminate – it’s a source of energy that, when managed effectively, can improve resilience, performance and long-term success.
For years, stress has been treated as something to avoid, eliminate or simply endure in both our personal and professional lives. But according to neuroscientist and performance strategist Dr. Heidi Hanna, that mindset may be holding people back. Instead of focusing on stress elimination, Dr. Hanna advocates for “stress optimization” – learning how to recognize stress, work with it and use its energy to improve performance and well-being.
That philosophy grew out of both personal experience and years of research. “From a very early age, I believed stress was the enemy,” Dr. Hanna said. After doctors linked many of her physical ailments to stress, she became determined to understand it rather than fear it. Her research eventually led her to a different conclusion: “The danger of stress lies in letting it be pushed away or pushed down.”
Dr. Hanna often compares stress to the waves of the ocean. “The waves will come,” she said. “If we push against them, they will exhaust us. But if we can see them as energy to propel us in a better direction, our entire nervous system and problem-solving ability is more effective.”
In the following interview with Repertoire Magazine, Dr. Hanna discusses why stress is unavoidable, how the brain is designed to respond to it, and how shifting our perspective can help us build resilience, sustain energy and perform at our best.
Repertoire: What is the biggest misconception people have about stress today?
Dr. Hanna: I think, as we understand more about the negative consequences of stress, it has become the enemy. However, most people don’t really unpack stress to understand what it’s trying to tell them.
The most important thing we can do is use stress as information and energy to facilitate change. When we see it as something external we are fighting against, the consequences become worse because now we feel helpless in the battle. I think the biggest misconception is that stress is either good or bad because good stress can sometimes lead to bad outcomes, and bad stress often leads to good outcomes. We need to think about it more as the relationship we have with the circumstances of our lives.
Repertoire: Why do you think so many high performers are simultaneously successful and exhausted?
Dr. Hanna: Most high performers thrive in stressful situations. Then they receive rewards, either internally or externally, for overcoming challenges. Although this is positive, it can lead to an addictive relationship with stress where it becomes almost impossible to relax. Then we create a story that there is not enough time to get it all done or that we will rest on vacation or in retirement.
It’s not about the rest at the end of the race, as we consider life more of a marathon with a short series of sprints. In between those sprints, if we are to be truly successful and sustainable, we need adequate recovery.
Repertoire: From a neuroscience perspective, what’s happening in the brain when stress becomes productive versus destructive?
Dr. Hanna: The biggest factors are our energy capacity and our mindset. Both are equally important. We can have a positive mindset but be physically drained, and the brain still perceives this as a lack of capacity and will compromise our ability to function.
On the other hand, we can have plenty of energy but perceive obstacles as out of our control or uncertain, which triggers the same survival-based mechanisms in the brain and body. Even when things are out of our control, if we can find one element where we do have the ability to make a positive impact, the brain moves more toward an approach versus avoid network.
Repertoire: Why is managing energy often more important than managing time?
Dr. Hanna: Time management is definitely important. But it is a limited resource, with all of us having only 24 hours in a day. Energy, on the other hand, is replenishable.
We know the human system functions best in a series of sprints rather than a flat line. If we take breaks to recharge, we can optimize our energy and then bring our best selves to the time that we do have. If you look around today, you will notice a lot of people spending their time without focused, positive energy. It’s when energy and time align that we are fully engaged and able to be our best.
Repertoire: What separates people who sustain high performance for decades from people who burn out early?
Dr. Hanna: Again, we need to look at energy capacity as well as mindset. The most successful performers who are able to sustain long careers are those who take care of their bodies with adequate exercise, nutrition, and sleep.
They also are able to stay realistically optimistic, especially during challenges. This doesn’t mean they ignore what could be negative, but they know they have the ability, resources, and social support to get through challenges and become stronger as a result.
Repertoire: What are some simple steps to better manage their energy?
Dr. Hanna: First, make sure your personal battery is recharged regularly through adequate sleep, nutrition, and movement.
Another key element that is often missed is social support. Not just having people around, but having the belief that you are connected with people who matter to you. This can be family, coworkers, community and/or spiritual practice.
Then, create a recharge plan and toolkit where you are consistently investing energy back into yourself on a regular basis.
Dr. Heidi Hanna is a neuroscientist, performance strategist and New York Times bestselling author who specializes in brain-based stress mastery, resilience and energy management. As Chief Energy Officer of Synergy Brain Fitness, she helps individuals and organizations improve performance by optimizing their relationship with stress rather than trying to eliminate it. A Fellow and Advisory Board Member of the American Institute of Stress, Hanna has worked with organizations including Google, Microsoft, Starbucks, the NFL and the PGA Tour, and is the author of several books, including The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic and Recharge. For more, visit heidihanna.com.
Key Takeaways
- Stress isn’t the enemy: Productive performance begins when you stop trying to eliminate stress and instead use it as information and energy to drive positive change.
- Recovery fuels resilience: High performers avoid burnout by pairing periods of intense effort with intentional recovery through sleep, movement, nutrition and meaningful breaks.
- Energy beats time: While everyone has the same 24 hours, managing your physical and mental energy determines how effectively you use that time.
- Mindset and support matter: Sustained success comes from maintaining a realistic optimism, focusing on what you can control, and building strong personal and professional support systems.