When Bobby Fischer was preparing for his world-championship chess match against Boris Spassky, his daily training routine included a stretch of swimming underwater every day. He knew that as chess matches dragged on, the player whose brain received more oxygen gained a mental edge. So while he was strengthening his lungs, he was strengthening his mind as well.

When he beat Spassky, many critics credited the victory to his astonishing intelligence — and especially to his remarkable power of concentration in the late stages of long games, just when players grow tired and drained. But what truly let him concentrate better was neither caffeine nor amphetamines; it was simply good breathing.

The principle that you cannot have a working mind in a body that does not work became Bobby Fischer’s secret weapon in winning the World Chess Championship. Who would ever have guessed that swimming underwater could make you a better chess player? Certainly not the overweight, worn-out chess genius Boris Spassky.

Sometimes the only thing you need in order to motivate yourself is to breathe deeply. A run, a walk, or simply breathing deeply will give your brain the fuel it needs to feel fresh and creative once again.

— Steve Chandler, “100 Ways to Motivate Yourself”