I wanted to build a meaningful social life, look after my health by protecting my sleep, eating well and moving my body through running and weight training. I also wanted to learn a sport (I chose boxing) and learn how to dance (I picked salsa) as much as I wanted to travel, explore new cultures and of course, dating. I did not want to just ‘function’ through the demands of my academic and professional life; I wanted to feel fulfilled across all fronts.

But behind my professional ambitions, the hobbies, travel, and my balanced healthy lifestyle was a deeper truth I did not fully understand. I believed my performance was mostly about mindset, discipline and focus. So, when I started coaching others with their professional profiles and career transitions, I was surprised that, although the mindset and ambition were there, something was missing.

That’s when I realised that among all the conversations about performance, we speak about ambition as our internal drive to achieve something; we speak about the mindset, resilience, stress and time management needed but we rarely ask the most critical question: What powers our ambition?

That’s when I understood that my ambition felt the strongest after a run, after meaningful connection, after eating food that truly nourished me. My ambition wasn’t just about mindset or discipline – it was about my energy.

It was my energy that fuelled my capacity to think strategically, regulate emotions, make decisions under pressure, and sustain momentum. Without sufficient physical energy, my body would feel tired and my focus and innovative mindset were gone. In fact, a recent research from Forbes (2024) shows that over 82% of leaders are at risk of performance decline due to energy depletion. When our biological systems are depleted, maintaining momentum behind any vision becomes extremely difficult.

Energy: the missing metric in current high-performance lifestyle

I believe that in our current performance culture, energy is the key performance indicator of ambition. Not in the motivational sense, but as the physiological ability to sustain physical endurance, mental clarity, emotional regulation, decision-making, and long-term vision.

Energy is created at the cellular level; specifically, in our mitochondria (the powerhouse inside nearly every cell in our body). Mitochondria generate ATP, the chemical energy that fuels everything from brain activity to muscle function and emotional control.

When our mitochondria are functioning optimally, everything in life feels easier. We have more stamina, clearer thinking, and a natural rhythm that keeps our body in sync. Mitochondria power every heartbeat, every breath, every step; when they are working well, we are not just surviving, we are thriving. Our body burns fuel more efficiently, blood sugar stays steady, and inflammation is kept in check. It's like upgrading from an inefficient engine to a smooth, high-performance hybrid: less waste, more output, and a lot more mileage from the same fuel. When mitochondria are underperforming due to stress, poor sleep or ultra-processed food we feel tired and our ambition fades. Our energy can be seen as the essential blueprint of our success.

Why energy is the new KPI for ambition

Current literature evidence shows that our lifestyle habits directly shape our motivation, goal directed behaviour and energy.

• Mitochondrial function influences motivation. Dysfunction in these small energy factories is associated with decreased drive and persistent fatigue, often seen in burnout. They can be inferred through markers like HRV (Heart Rate Variability) or VO₂ max
• Exercise enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and efficiency. Regular physical activity stimulates the production of new mitochondria and improves their function, boosting our cellular energy output
• Dopamine, the neurochemical of ambition, is energy-intensive. Healthy mitochondria are required to sustain dopamine production, which fuels motivation and reward pursuit. Wearable sweat biosensors are being developed to non-invasively measure dopamine levels in real-time, offering potential for continuous monitoring of neurological and metabolic conditions
• Sleep deprivation disrupts the prefrontal cortex, impairing the part of our brain that plans, focuses, and resists short-term distractions. Wearables like Oura Ring, WHOOP, and Apple Watch measure sleep duration, deep sleep, REM cycles, and sleep efficiency – key metrics tied to mental performance
• Processed, high-glycemic foods trigger inflammation and blood sugar crashes, impairing mitochondrial energy production and lowering cognitive control and mood stability – two essential pillars of sustained ambition. **Real-time glucose monitoring via CGMs shows how specific foods affect blood sugar and energy, enabling personalised dietary strategies

The evidence is clear: our energy capacity and consequently our ambition depend on the health of our biological systems.

So how do we increase our energetic storage to create the energy needed for a high-performance lifestyle?

Here are the three essential steps to supercharge your mitochondria:

1. Adopt a diet that support detoxification

Hidden parasites and toxins can drain your energy by stealing nutrients and disrupting your cells’ energy production. Some toxins even block mitochondria from making energy, leading to fatigue, inflammation, and brain fog.

2. Review your gut and microbiome

Your gut microbiome plays a key role in your energy and brain function. It supports your mitochondria and connects directly to your brain through the gut-brain axis. Stress and gut inflammation can lower your energy by disrupting this connection.

3. Balance your hormones and neurotransmitters

Mitochondria help your brain cells communicate by supporting neurotransmitter production. When mitochondria aren’t working well, or if there’s inflammation in the brain, this communication weakens leading to fatigue and brain fog.

These three steps are part of a seven steps human-centric and science backed programme. Incorporating all of them into a personalised plan aligned to specific requirements and restrictions is not always straight forward. With that in mind, in my coaching practice I help highly ambitious people to optimise their high performance lifestyle that supports their mitochondria health and their most ambitious goals. I offer a free BioEnergy profile that evaluates your energy production, regulation and output. To evaluate these three parts, I consider your nervous system, cellular repair, metabolic function, circadian rhythm as well as your social energy.