How to Improve Your Well-Being with Music (feat. Barry Goldstein)

May 16, 2023

Music is more than a form of entertainment or artistic expression. It’s a powerful leadership tool and a resource for well-being.

Many of you know I’ve written a USA Today bestselling book on this very topic, The Leader’s Playlist: Unleash the Power of Music and Neuroscience to Transform Your Leadership and Your Life.

And it’s why I was absolutely thrilled to recently get connected to Barry Goldstein, who joined me today on The Enlightened Executive podcast. Barry is a musician who has composed and produced music for television, film, major record labels, and top ten recording artists. Being a fan of Dr. Joe Dispenza, I was also intrigued to learn that he has composed the meditation music for many of Dispenza’s retreats and meditation soundtracks.

His bestselling book, The Secret Language of the Heart, has become a “go-to” resource for utilizing music beyond art and entertainment. It provides over 50 groundbreaking studies that assist the reader in using music to improve their health and quality of life.

Music not only has the ability to connect people from different cultures and backgrounds, but it can also have a profound impact on our health and well-being. And as I share in my own book, leaders who use music strategically boost their mental health and revolutionize their leadership skills.

From reducing stress to hacking productivity, in this episode, Barry shares effective strategies for executives who are eager to incorporate music into their well-being repertoire.

Music Can Reduce Anxiety

The World Health Organization indicates that there has been a 25% rise in the prevalence of anxiety since the pandemic, and leaders are not exempt from this trend. Bottom-line, excessive anxiety limits leaders’ ability to maintain effectiveness.

To combat his own stress and anxiety, Barry began experimenting with music as a tool for relaxation. He discovered that by targeting his resting heart rate and composing music at a slower tempo, he was able to enter a meditative state and reduce his stress. Music composed for relaxation can stimulate the following physical responses:

Decreased heart rate
Reduced blood pressure
Improved sleep

Leaders can reduce the psychological and physiological effects of stress by routinely listening to music composed at a slower pace (roughly 50-60 beats per minute). Stress reduction lowers cortisol levels, which impact cognitive functioning, fatigue, and irritability. Managing these symptoms of high anxiety is essential when responding to the daily demands of leadership.

Hack Your Productivity

Music has the ability to shift our internal state. Barry explains that different types of music target specific areas of the brain, depending on what the individual is trying to achieve. For example, just as slower music can be used to promote relaxation and sleep, upbeat music can be used to increase energy and motivation.

Leaders who experience an energetic slump after lunch or have trouble focusing while completing certain tasks can effectively hack their motivation by listening to upbeat music. Music platforms like Spotify contain playlists geared towards achieving deep focus, a positive mood boost, and creative stimulation.

3 Ways to Integrate Music Into Your Day:

By experimenting with different types of music and incorporating them into a daily routine, leaders can channel the many therapeutic benefits music has to offer. Below are three strategies for using music effectively:

Start by engaging with different music genres and tempos. Pay attention to how these types of music make you feel. If you typically only listen to energetic music at the gym, try winding down at night to a selection of more relaxing songs. Notice how this impacts the feeling in your body and the level of your anxiety.
Seek out music that is specifically designed for relaxation and meditation, and incorporate it into a daily routine. Barry suggests songs with a pace of 60 beats per minute that flow from one track to the next. A Google or Spotify search can help you find music at this suggested tempo.
Take ten minutes to create or find playlists that are tailored to your needs and desired moods. Listen to these playlists while working, taking a break, or even during your commute. Notice if this impacts your mood and energy levels throughout the day.

These meditative and healing musical experiences often lead to added benefits of self-discovery and emotional connection, which improve self-awareness and emotional intelligence – core qualities of impactful leaders. By incorporating music into a daily routine, business executives can reduce stress, enhance mood, and promote their overall well-being. Music can also heal the deep-seated patterns and triggers that get in our way of being an effective leaders. For more information on how to do that, see The Leader’s Playlist.

Barry also shares…