GEEK PEEK: THE FEARLESS MIND

What’s the difference between Michael Jordan succeeding at his job, and you succeeding at yours?

There isn’t one. That’s what I learned from The Fearless Mind: 5 Essential Steps to Higher Performance by Craig Manning, PhD.

I played sports in high school. I wish I would have played in college, but that’s another story. Because of my own love of sports, I’ve always been fascinated with athletes who are a cut above the rest. What makes them so different?

When I was younger, I watched the Utah Jazz take on the Chicago Bulls in the NBA finals. When you’re from Idaho (like I am), it is NOT cool to be a fan of Utah sports, so of course I was cheering for the Bulls. During that series, I became a fan of the Utah Jazz. I was won over when I saw them compete. Why? They were a team. It was fun to watch them play together. They didn’t have just one superstar taking over; everyone played their part. I still love that about them.

Utah lost the series, but they could have won. What affected the Jazz wasn’t how amazing Michael Jordan was (he was amazing, of course), it was their mindset. Their mental game got the better of them and you could see it in their body language.

Michael Jordan’s mental game was at an all-time high. He learned as an athlete that the mental part of competing is a huge part of winning. He believed he would win, so he didn’t give up. His skills were impeccable, obviously, and that came with hard core practice. Even practice, however, can be a mental game. When you’re already a gifted player, what drives you to keep practicing? To really master your craft?

Author Craig Manning is a sports psychology consultant who also used to be a coach. His book taught me that, no matter what I want to achieve, I can train myself to have a fearless mind and be mentally tough so that I won’t lose my confidence or let insecurities get in the way.

As Michael Jordan once said, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” This book gives you the skills to work on your mental game, whatever your job may be.

You can find the book here: The Fearless Mind.
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