What does human performance even mean?

Does it represent how fast or far someone can run? Is it related to their stamina or endurance? Their strength or power? Is it related to sport specific skills? Dexterity, flexibility, or coordination?

Or could it represent mental abilities or fortitude?

Or is it simply the ability to tolerate stress, mental, physical and emotional, in order to achieve a lofty, desired outcome. Perhaps it represents the ability to avoid injury or recovery from one?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve really had an opportunity to think about the significance of those two words. I’m constantly surrounded by them. With every email I receive. With every phone call I take. The company logo and moniker. Human performance is everywhere…I’m enveloped by the words but haven’t spent any time putting down in words what they mean to me.

So here it is:

Human performance is more than a singular skill, trait or ability. To me, it’s the ability to do what you want, when you want, in the manner you want.

That’s a broad, encompassing statement, you say…

And so it is!

But that’s exactly what human performance is. It’s not one set of arbitrary designations or skills or abilities. It’s not just the physical attributes, nor is it just the mental or emotional ones. It’s the distinct balance between all three.

It is the ability for an individual to engage in the activities that he or she wishes to engage in, at the level of that he or she wishes to perform at given that the requisite effort, time and price has been paid.

That to me, is human performance.

And that’s something that we can all work on improving, if that’s what we choose to do.

Primal Human Performance