3 THINGS COLLECTION
Achieving Peak Performance
LISTEN ANYWHERE YOU GET PODCASTS:
What does it take to achieve greatness? How do you maintain it, and how do you continually find ways to improve 鈥 in every area of your life?
In Ric鈥檚 words, 鈥淭o me, the great 鈥減eak performers鈥 out there are people who are driven by the notion that there鈥檚 always another gear. There鈥檚 always a way to get better.鈥
Over the course of this podcast, we鈥檝e been lucky to learn from multiple Olympic gold medalists, world-record holders, ultra-endurance athletes, and legends in their fields.
Here are just a few top takeaways from these guests, who have defined what it means to reach the peak.
- Soccer Legend
Don鈥檛 make decisions based on 鈥渇ear of.鈥 Make decisions based on 鈥渨hat if.鈥 The opposite of failure is not success 鈥 it鈥檚 not trying. Setbacks enable you to re-think the game and figure out who you are when things are going poorly. The mindset of a champion is to give it everything you鈥檝e got, every single time 鈥 and then to keep asking, what else is there?
Attach yourself to the times you feel most human. Abby has won two Olympic gold medals, but it鈥檚 the bronze one she keeps on display. Celebrate your wins, but honor the times you didn鈥檛. Our failures remind us that we are on a journey.
Peak performance is truly unique on an individual level. There are still many gaps in the science behind men and women鈥檚 sports 鈥 but we can鈥檛 forget about the human element, too. Men, women 鈥 even those with different physiques 鈥 everyone experiences the world differently. Those experiences shape our unique perspectives, expectations, and performance. If we all went through life with more awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the things that make us different 鈥 the world would be a better place.
Listen Now:
| |
- Ultra-Endurance
We are capable of more than we think we are. The key differentiator in life, business, sports 鈥 everything 鈥 is our willingness to be uncomfortable. Jesse set a goal to run 2 miles, and through sheer mental toughness he pushed it to 100. In his words, 鈥渃ounter-punch your self-doubt鈥 with positive self-talk. Telling yourself 鈥淚 can鈥檛鈥 gives power to negativity, but changing your mindset to 鈥淚 can鈥 and 鈥淚 will鈥 鈥 and saying it out loud 鈥 makes it real.
Thinking of time in terms of 鈥渕oments鈥 creates more urgency for the things that matter most. Say no to things that don鈥檛 move the needle forward in your life. Invest in experiences, and prioritize yourself. Jesse finds a great balance between mapping out his time and living in the moment. Planning ahead enables him to eliminate multi-tasking from his life, which means he can be completely present in all aspects of his life.
Paying it forward starts with being approachable. Jesse has never forgotten his humble couch-surfing beginnings, and he鈥檚 constantly looking for opportunities to pay it forward. He鈥檚 a friend to everyone. You never know who鈥檚 got the talent and the drive to become the next peak performer 鈥 but just needs one opportunity. It鈥檚 never about giving a hand-out. It鈥檚 about giving a hand up.
Listen Now:
| |
, #1 World-Ranked Tennis Star
Success isn鈥檛 about one make or break moment. It鈥檚 a culmination of thousands of tiny decisions. Many smart decisions and small actions over time will compound 鈥 and lead to big results.
Control the controllables. Instead of blaming external factors, always look inward first and ask what are you doing to contribute and what can you change. Apply this mindset to sports, business and personal relationships.
Use fear as fuel, and don鈥檛 be afraid to experiment. It is human to fear failure; it鈥檚 the most common motivator. Even those who have sustained greatness suffer from self-doubt. But peak performers are those who can harness their fear 鈥 and failures- to become the best. The worst thing you can say is 鈥淚 wish I鈥檇 tried that.鈥
Listen Now:
| |
Featured Episode:
, ESPN commentator
Short-term pain leads to long-term gains. It takes discipline and sacrifice, but when you take care of the things you have to do early on, you earn the ability to do the things you want to do later on.
When you have a chance to take a swing at the champ, you take it. Win or lose, it doesn鈥檛 matter. All that matters is that you step up to the plate.
Make your mindset all about the 鈥渘ext play.鈥 Don鈥檛 let success or failure distract you or define you. Not just in sports, but at work and at home.
Listen Now:
| |
- Olympic Gold Medalist
Failure means different things to different people. To me, it鈥檚 only a failure if you didn鈥檛 learn a lesson. For Dan, it鈥檚 only a failure if you give up.
Life is a lot more fun when you focus on the inputs. Not the awards, not the medals. If you get a little better every day, success will take care of itself 鈥 especially if you鈥檙e passionate about what you do.
The only way you become a pressure player is by practicing under pressure. Those who are most comfortable with discomfort are the ones who will succeed more often.
Listen Now:
| |
- NASCAR legend
We are stronger together than we are by ourselves. Rick attributes his success entirely to the people around him 鈥 鈥淚f we bring our energy into a broken deal, we can always turn it around.鈥 And the reason he was the first to win with multiple teams. 鈥淚t only works if you鈥檙e willing to share.鈥 (Similarities to 草榴社区鈥 portfolio鈥)
The race begins with mental toughness. NASCAR drivers are willing to get into cars that could melt their shoes, drive hundreds of miles an hour, 2 inches apart from other cars, losing 8 pounds in 4 hours. The mental conditioning that goes into staying calm under pressure and holding focus for hours on end is hard to see from the outside, but is 90% of a driver鈥檚 success.
Show up to win. There鈥檚 no point in competing if you don鈥檛 see chance to be the best. This explains so much about Rick 鈥 including how he鈥檚 never lost the grind, and how he鈥檚 been dominating a sport for decades.
Listen Now:
| |
- NFL star
With great success comes great responsibility. Larry understands that he鈥檚 a role model, and he uses humility to teach us all what it truly means to be successful.
The true greats don鈥檛 ever hear criticism. If it comes from the outside, they ignore it, and if it comes from the inside they listen to it as coaching. They understand what they鈥檙e good at, and what they need to improve. Even at 36, he鈥檚 looking to get better at everything in life.
Competition is really not an option. You鈥檙e either the one going after your competitor, or they鈥檙e coming after you. Why not lean into that? Be the one to set the tone of the fight.
Listen Now:
| |
Ric Elias. Now he鈥檚 sharing conversations with remarkable people, and 3 things we all can take away from each.