From “No Talent” to 2X Olympian & Gold Medalist ... A Conversation with Leroy Dixon
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What’s one thing we all have in common with world-class performers?
We all experience fear and doubt. These are two emotions that are felt at every level of performance, from novice to world-class. Striving for the next level and performing in moments that matter is scary, for everyone. There are also a couple fundamental differences that separates the best from the rest.
I was fortunate enough to interview Leroy Dixon recently, and he shared two of the most important factors that helped him go from “no talent” to 2X Olympian, gold medalist and (did I mention?) the 7th fastest man ever recorded in his event. Yes, Mr. Dixon has beaten Usain Bolt in his career as well. Maybe we are not going to be Olympians, but we CAN be world-class at what’s important to us. As a matter of fact, I believe we MUST. The army of do-gooders must prevail, so the time for us to level up is now.
Here...
2018 Hack: Get Accountable Now!
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November is the new January! What I mean is, November is when to lay the foundation to have the best year ever. I am not talking about resolutions.
I am talking about forming world-class habits, so you can set yourself up for being your best in 2018. Whether it’s getting fit, earning a promotion or forming better relationships with your colleagues or family, there is one way that WILL help you move the needle now, so you can be off to the races by January:
Get Accountable!
Here are a few tips to get started that are backed by the research of Dr. Anders Ericsson, author of Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise:
- Find a Teacher/Coach to Be Accountable to:
Preferably one who is an expert in whatever you would like to do. Making significant progress beyond a certain level of competency requires knowledge beyond what we can provide to ourselves. To use this (very important!) person effectively, be sure to be ready...
One Secret to Next-Level What Matters Most
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Growing up, no one told me that life can be hard sometimes.
Raising kids, growing a business, running a marathon, and contributing to the community can be incredibly rewarding. And hard.
We can learn a lot from world-class performers. They dream big, do small often and consistently, and they fail (a lot). Are Olympians, accomplished musicians, senior leaders, and those who are starting movements to make the world a better place equipped with super powers, an abnormally high IQ (well, some are but not a prerequisite) or an extra "success" chromosome?
According to Angela Duckworth, the author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, the answer is "no." In order to be world-class at what’s most important to us, we must commit to attempting what’s hard for us. We must be intentional about pushing ourselves to do things that are difficult and then stick with it for a specific amount of time.
If you want to get better at...
Why You Need Fear (Not Just on Halloween)!
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From an evolutionary standpoint, fear is useful. If you are in danger, fear triggers your body to release hormones that prepare you for fight or flight to get out of harm's way.
Fear could save your life. When it comes to high performance in a critical moment though, fear can be problematic if not managed properly. Fear of failure may stand in the way of getting started or encourage you to quit. Fear is also distracting. It can take you from the present moment back to a past failure or into a future irrational thought (i.e. ‘This is never going to work out’). Fear is normal in many cases but needs to be managed properly to encourage you to perform your best especially when it matters most. It’s even common for world-class performers to experience fear as well. The difference is they have the (learned) skills to manage their fear and deal with it at a time that is appropriate, not when they need to shine.
Let’s take it...
How to Be More Purposeful
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Whether you consider yourself a world-class performer or not, you have a lot in common with those among the elite either professionally, academically or athletically.
You may sometimes fall off your purpose or lose it entirely. ‘Is this really what I am meant to do in the long-term?’ ‘What is my purpose or the best way for me to make progress today?’ ‘I need to switch gears , so how do find my (new) purpose?’ Athletes retire or get injured, senior leaders switch careers, academics change fields of interest, so they are not immune either! Lacking clarity on purpose can feel like the middle place, and it doesn’t tend to be too comfortable (at least not in my experience). Partly because we are not making progress towards something where we are making an impact for ourselves and/or for others.
The good news is that we can learn from what world-class performers do a little differently to be more...
The First Step to Building an Influential Mindset
NEW! Join the "Live" Mental Toughness Mastery Round Table with Q & A this Saturday Morning
Take a break in your morning to attend the 2nd of 3 FREE round table discussions via Zoom.us this Saturday, October 7th at 9:30-10:00 a.m. PST. I will be sharing Mental Toughness tips, tools and habits on building an influential mindset, and then open it up for plenty of Q & A. Log in details are below, and I encourage you to share with any colleagues, friends or family members you think would be interested in attending.
- Mental Toughness Community Round Table #2: October 7, 2017 9:30 a.m. PST
- Topic: "The First Step to Building an Influential Mindset"
- Video conference log-in: http://zoom.us/j/6860194592
- Or Telephone dial-in：US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 876 9923
- Meeting ID: 686 019 4592
Now to today's topic: The First Step to Building an Influential Mindset
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There is a misconception about influence that it is reserved for the elite...
One World-Class Tip to Control Your Day
NEW! Join the Saturday Morning "Live" Round Table with Q & A
I wanted to let everyone know that I will be hosting FREE round table discussions via Zoom.us for the next 3 Saturdays at 8:30-9:00 a.m. PST (the first one will be September 30th). I will be sharing Mental Toughness tips, tools and habits, and then open it up for plenty of Q & A. Log in details are below, and I encourage you to share with any colleagues, friends or family members you think would be interested in attending.
- Mental Toughness Community Round Table #1: Sep 30, 2017 8:30 a.m. PST
- Topic: World-Class Tips to Control Your Day
- Video conference log-in: https://zoom.us/j/339398229
- Or Telephone dial-in：US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 876 9923
- Meeting ID: 339 398 229
Now to today's topic: One World-Class Tip to Control Your Day
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Have you ever had a week where the sh%@t hits the fan? If so, you are most definitely...
Confidence > 3 Steps to Boost Confidence
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World-class athletes are very deliberate in the way they practice and compete.
There are a couple things that we can do too to help boost confidence and encourage our best.
Here's how:
1). Start with Clearing the Mind:
Sounds simple, but not always easy! One way to begin the process is to do a couple ‘box breaths’ before high pressure or competitive events. It’s simply inhaling for 5 seconds through their nose into their diaphragm, extending their stomach, holding for 5 seconds, exhaling for 5 seconds through their mouth, and holding for 5 seconds. So, in for 5, hold 5, out for 5, hold 5. They should be sitting or standing up straight, be comfortable and in alignment.Here's why it works.
Research has proven that breathing exercises can change the pH of our blood, change blood pressure, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which is the one that calms us down. This type of breathing also activates the...
Emotional Control > Leverage Mental Toughness to Rock Disruption
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We all face the threat of someone or something disrupting our status quo.
The mere thought of disruption can be paralyzing or it can be a secret weapon. It’s all in your mindset and what you choose to do with it.
Here’s one tip to "Leverage Mental Toughness to Rock Disruption" so you can get aggressive today about planning how to rise above the rest tomorrow: Keep this in mind, and you’ll be on your way to using a tool you already have in a way that most people don’t know about.
Here’s how: Use fear to drive progress.
In order to foster creativity, productivity and courage it’s important to use this emotion to your benefit rather than to your detriment. Fear can be paralyzing or it can be a super power. It depends on your mindset, how you perceive it.
Here’s how to take the first step:
1.) Recognize a potential threat and its consequences.
2.) Release that fear by accepting it, and then thinking of...
Emotional Control > 1 Epic Formula to Manage Emotions When the Stakes Are High
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Being able to manage emotions is a tool that can come in handy during important events at work, at home or in competitive situations.
Since emotions drive behavior, this is an important skill to understand and master, so all your hard work can pay off. Once it’s game time, it is time to trust yourself. In other words, trust that your desired result will happen (even if you are not so sure!)
World-class athletes perform their best when they are calm, carefree (of the outcome) and focused (on the most important thing to do their best). In other words, they trust and believe in themselves. Not being able to manage emotions is distracting, and the consequences can be significant and frustrating.
Keep this formula in mind, and you too will be able to champion your best results:
Emotional Control + Trust = Success.
Here’s how to get started with managing your emotions, especially when the stakes are high:
1.) Recognize when...
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