Resiliency Tools for Quarantine and Beyond

Pro tip (10 minute read): Before you begin reading this, take out your journal or a piece of paper and a pen. Or, if you have the ability to print it out, then do so and mark up the margins while you read. The following post is packed with actionable information that will help you, your family, and team maximize your time in the coming weeks and months.

As Americans, we’re many weeks (even months) into our unique and collective existence as a quarantined society. By now you and your family probably have found ways to get through the days, but are you making the most of your days?

Speaking at a Limitless Minds event

Maybe you haven’t given that much thought or you feel overwhelmed or stuck. Is every day starting to feel like Groundhog Day? I am in your corner. I understand all of those scenarios and have created a game plan to help you thrive instead of survive during this time. This method includes: defining “mental toughness,” explaining the Three Ps of Resiliency and Change Management, and writing a specific plan to thrive during this changing and challenging environment. Let’s dive in, shall we?

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

There are quotes and verses we hang onto throughout our lives. For me, it’s one my dad taught me when I was playing football for him in the fifth grade, and it resonates now as a reminder of both character and mental toughness.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our true character is going to reveal itself in this time of quarantine and social distancing, so how are you going to respond? What do you do when things get hard? Do you give up? Do you quit? Do you get small?

If you’re anything like scientist Tony Stark from the movie The Avengers, then you use your will and make a way. When terrorists capture Tony, they tell him to build a missile, and if he doesn’t do it within a week he will die. Instead of folding or succumbing to the pressure, Tony Stark instead creates Iron Man, a suit of armor that saves his own life and also serves humanity for the better. He takes a horrible scenario and turns it into something great.

Listen, we cannot control events and we cannot control outcomes, but we CAN control our response. My definition of mental toughness is how you respond to adversity, challenges, and success, and I like to turn that into the following equation:

E + R = O (Events + Response = Outcomes)

Do you have grit? The ability to pivot? Do you look for the open window when doors start closing around you? Singer-songwriter Tori Kelly is a living example of mental toughness. Even as a small girl, Tori wanted to make music. She performed on Star Search at age 10 and signed a record deal in 2007 that ended up falling through—she never had the chance to record an album because she and the label couldn’t agree on a sound.

Instead of giving up on her dream, she tried out for American Idol … but missed the top 25. Again she changed course and learned how to play the guitar. She started posting music to YouTube, and in 2013, Justin Bieber’s manager signed her. Her first album came out in 2015, and it did OK. Then in 2018, she decided to shift gears yet again and recorded a gospel album, which spoke to her passion for her faith. Guess what? That album won her not one, but two Grammys. All of this to say … there is no straight path to greatness. Tori just kept trying to figure out how to make her dream come true. Read through her story again and note all the ways she worked to improve herself while chasing her vision.

RESILIENCY & CHANGE MANAGEMENT

I guarantee if you use this time of quarantine and the ensuing months in the right way, you’ll be amazed at the results, whether great or small. You could invent something (not out of the question!) or you could create a family tradition that will last for generations to come. During the economic downturn around 2008 and 2009, many new businesses emerged. Uber started its ride-sharing model, Airbnb started renting rooms and homes, and Venmo developed a cashless way to exchange currency. It’s just like University of Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett once said:

“Adversity is life’s golden ticket if we choose to use it in the right way.”
—Tony Bennett

So let’s get specific and focus on three areas, or what I call the THREE Ps OF MASTERING RESILIENCY AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT: Perspective, Priorities, and Process.

1. PERSPECTIVE

Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Take a moment to let that set in. How are your thoughts these days? By nature, 80 percent of human thoughts are negative. What are you consuming that’s negative and what are you saying to yourself that’s negative? Can you remove or replace these influences? Can you think of a “reset” word to say to yourself when you start going down a hole of negativity?Having an attitude or perspective of gratitude might not happen overnight, but like any skill, it can be trained. Now is a wonderful time to begin. Start with noticing how you’re speaking to yourself and what types of information you’re focusing on each day. Recognize when you’re letting doubt, fear, or worry start to take hold.

Next, initiate a couple routines to cultivate optimism. Take a walk of gratitude and soak in the beauty of nature, which is abundant during springtime. At the dinner table, say one thing you’re happy about or something you’re thankful for from the day’s events. In my family we call these “happy dinners,” and we like to say we’re “hunting the good stuff.” There IS some good out there if you choose to shift your perspective away from the negative.

According to Dr. Porath’s research, negatively is 4-7x more powerful than positivity.

It’s not as simple as flipping a lightswitch, I know. But if you’re consuming or speaking something negative, it’s four to seven times more powerful than being positive. Or as author and research professor Christine Porath from Georgetown University said, “Bad is stronger than good.”

Controlling what you can control is an elite mental skill. Many people major in minor things, things outside of their control. Boats don’t sink from water outside the boat, they sink when water gets inside. Think about that for a second.

Here’s an exercise to try: Take a piece of paper and a pen. Draw a box in the middle. Around the box write down what’s outside of your control. Things like how long the pandemic lasts, whether or not you’ve been laid off, schools being closed, etc. Next, inside the box write the things you can control: how much sleep you’re getting, serving other people, being present, showing gratitude, etc.

Another version of this exercise is to try writing down the things that cause you stress. Just take a few minutes and make a list. Now go back and circle the things that are outside of your control. Stop and think about why you are giving these things energy? You cannot control them. Shift your perspective to focus on what’s in your control. That’s all you can do!

2. PRIORITIES

The second P of resiliency and change management is Priorities. When there’s a crisis scenario or challenging environment, the number one thing people need is effective leadership. But it’s critical to pinpoint what’s most vital for you and your family or business (if you’re leading an organization).

Ask yourself, What do I need to do? Instead of being a victim, have a bias for action, for the RIGHT action. Here’s a fun fact: In 1665, Isaac Newton got sent home from university to avoid contact during the Bubonic Plague. During this time of “quarantine” he is credited with many observations and theories, including calculus and gravity. Those are pretty amazing accomplishments!

During quarantine, Sir Isaac Newton definitely won the wait!

Maybe you know your priorities, but I challenge you to laser in on what I believe are five essential priorities to master. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the front lines of health care, if you’re a professional working from home, a stay-at-home parent, or a student. These apply to everyone and will help you Win the Wait:

RECOVERY: Are you up until 2 a.m. watching Netflix? Are you on your phone late at night? There’s just too much data on the power of sleep regarding thinking more clearly, lowering stress, having more energy, and the list goes on and on. What are short routines you can do before bed and right when you wake up? Think about your personal preferences and write down a wind-down plan, whether that’s putting your phone in another room, listening to a mindfulness app, or reading instead of watching a movie. And when you wake up, think about writing a short gratitude checklist, actually getting dressed, and fueling your body with good food. Just because you’re not going into work or school doesn’t mean you should uproot good sleep, recovery, and self-care habits.

MOVEMENT: Stay active. It’s as simple as that. If you get your heart rate to 120 or 130, it’s like taking an antidepressant drug. Fact! Even though you might not be able to go to the gym, you can go on walks or runs, you can do bodyweight workouts, and there are countless studios and trainers offering live and recorded workouts for a fee or even for free. All you have to do is figure out what might work for you and what you enjoy doing, and commit to it. If not daily, then a few times per week.

HONE YOUR CRAFT: Whatever your craft, job, or role, how can you improve your skills in that area during this time? How many times have you said, “There’s just not enough time in the day to do x, y, or z”? Well, many of the distractions that have zapped that time previously (think social obligations, commuting, running kids to practices, etc.) are just no longer a part of our daily schedules, which frees up plenty of time, if you use it correctly.

I know for some this is a challenge, especially for many parents who are solo and homeschooling on top of all the other household management responsibilities. But, I challenge you to think of something you’re passionate about and figure out a way to find a few moments of your day to fit it in. I love how many people are out there on Instagram making sourdough bread for the first time or creating unique art masterpieces to share. Necessity breeds invention, after all, so just dig into this idea a bit.

CONNECTION: We have basic human needs for survival including safety, food, and human connection. We’re hardwired to be a part of a tribe, and we are missing that last piece right now. We need something in our days to create the hormone oxytocin, which boosts relationships along with many other positive effects. What can you do to make sure you’re strengthening important connections with the people you love, friends, colleagues, business partners, neighbors, etc.? I have a buddy who is challenging himself to reach out to five people every day just to make sure he and others feel connected. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, but just don’t overlook the importance of human connection.

How are you staying connected?

INNOVATION: Whatever your role, you’re up against some type of challenge, so what can you do to implement solutions to those issues? How can you find an answer to some of the problems you’re facing as a leader, parent, employee, athlete, etc.? As someone whose business is built around live workshops and speaking engagements, I’ve had to innovate and rework my entire business. I’ve learned a lot in a very short amount of time. How can you learn a new skill, find a new product or service, or connect in a different way to bring value?This is the framework for your plan and priorities I believe to be essential. By all means, if you need to add another priority to the list, do it.

3. PROCESS

Now it’s time to come up with routines to file into each of these five buckets. This is the final P, Process. Having some sort of organized process helps avoid decision fatigue and keeps things simple. Maybe you took some notes while you were reading through priorities. Now it’s time to go back through and declare how you will address each.

Have you ever heard of Olympic swimmer Janet Evans? I heard her speak once, and her advice on the importance of process has always stuck with me. When she was twelve, the Olympics were in her home state of California, and she had the chance to watch many events and pieces of the ceremonies. She was so inspired she told her coach she wanted to be a swimmer for her country. He told her she needed to change her habits and start waking up at 4:30, swimming six miles in the morning and six at night, adding in a half-hour of push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups, and upgrading her eating habits (Doesn’t sound like much, huh? Ha!). He told her to do this six days a week for the next five years.

Well, Janet was so committed to her dream that she did exactly what her coach advised. When she reached the world championships at the age of seventeen, she saw her opponent who appeared to be out of her league physically, but Janet trusted her process, set a world record, and then went on to win three golds at the 1988 Olympics. She knew she put in the time and trusted her training.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “trust the process.” It’s not just for elite athletes or top professionals. It’s for everyone. Below are a couple tips to help in refining your process(es).

Do you know your MITs? Your Most Important Tasks each day? These are three important tasks that if you complete, you’ll win the day. Win YOUR day. Write them down and commit to them. My MITs are:

1. Go to bed by 10:30 and wake up at 5:30 every morning. I have to get up prior to anybody or I won’t win the morning. I need time for myself.

2. Exercise every single day. This is a huge stress reliever and level-setter for me.

3. Talk to my wife, Kendra, regarding the schedule of the day. Know who is managing the kids at what times. If I can do these three, I’m going to have a good day.

Here’s a pic of the Henderson squad

Once your MITs are locked-in, can you recognize your EPAs? Your Energy Pulling Activities? What are the things that are pulling your attention away? It could be certain types of people, your phone, computer, or the TV. Reflect and realize what’s taking your time and energy from your tasks.

Also, quick question for you: How often do you have your to-do list out and do all the easy stuff first? Maybe you just love to check off tasks. Well, the executive chairman and former CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, says to “do the hard thing first.” If you can train yourself to get after the tough things on your to-do list, the challenging tasks you know you must accomplish, then just add that up over the course of one or two months and think of the results! YOU GOT THIS!

Do you know how many hours are in one week? The answer is 168. I challenge you to really think about and assess what you are doing with your 168. Jeff Bezos and Beyonce have the same 168. Don’t waste a day. You won’t get this time back.

I hope you’ll put into action some or all of what you just read. Maybe you feel like your priorities are dialed but you’re just not solid on a process. Or maybe you are falling victim to a negative perspective more often than positive. Take the time to reflect and refocus on the positive things that can and will come out of this time. Every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition. As author Ryan Holiday says, “The obstacle is the way.”

Let’s go! Use these tools to win the wait and start today what you’ll wished you’d started months from now.

Collin Henderson is a 5x author, speaker and CEO of Master Your Mindset. Please visit thecollinhenderson.com for more of his content.

GPS: 3 Keys to Create Clarity & Direction in 2020

Instead of coming up with a New Year’s Resolution this year, I’d like to challenge you to try a different approach. Shift your perspective from having goals to having a guiding mission.

Best selling author Simon Sinek calls this playing the infinite game vs. the finite game. The finite game is fleeting and temporary, where the infinite game is forever… there is no finish line.

Legendary Harvard researcher and psychiatrist, Dr. John Ratey believes that connecting to a life mission is the most important element that drives performance. To help you become more of an infinite player, connection to a mission, and not quit a temporary New Year’s Resolution, I’m going to teach you a simple system to guide your vision and behaviors. I call it developing your GPS.

GPS

When GPS devices came out in the mid 2000’s, they changed the way we drove and traveled. Just type the coordinates into a machine and magically you have a voice and a path guiding you toward your destination. 

I believe that living life without a clear mission and personal philosophy is just like driving without a GPS system. Without a GPS, you will be more likely to feel stuck, lost, and confused. What about when you are faced with detours and bumpy roads? Having a framework to guide your actions is critical to optimize your performance. 

To help people on their path to mastery, I encourage them to create their own GPS system… and now you should too. Here’s what GPS stands for:

G – Guiding Principles

P – Purpose Statement 

S – Slogan 

Guiding Principles

With clear values, decisions are easy. Write down 3 – 4 words that are most important to you. How do you want to be remembered? What do you feel most strongly about? What traits do you value the most?  If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. Get clear in this crucial area of your life. 

Example: NBA champion player and coach, Steve Kerr’s guiding principles are: Joy, Compassion, Mindfulness, Competition

Below are the guiding pillars for the 2019 National Champions, Virginia Cavaliers Men’s Basketball Team, lead by Tony Bennett.

Purpose Statement 

Not feeling motivated?… then it’s time to find a new motive. Having a clear purpose will give you a deeper meaning to both your success and suffering. The goal is the pull, the “why” is the push. Why do you do what you do? Get clear on the reasons behind your actions.

Example: The founder of Toms Shoes, Blake Mycoskie’s purpose statement is “One for one.” For every pair of shoe his company sells, they give a pair to a child in need.

Need help uncovering your purpose? Read Man’s Search for Meaning and learn how Dr. Viktor Frankl survived the Nazi concentration camps and came to understand the most important driver for human survival is a deep meaning to something bigger than oneself. Book link here. 

Slogan

What’s your mission? What do you want on your gravestone? What’s a simple phrase that will remind you take action? Put together a 2 – 5 word sentence that can sum up your main core beliefs. This mantra will provide clarity and help guide you and those around you along the success road. 

Examples: Always compete (Pete Carroll). Make the bigtime where you are (Frosty Westering).

Think of moments when having your own internal GPS would have served you. 

The top leaders and performers in the world have extreme clarity and can say “yes” to all of these statements:

• I know who I am

• I know what I want

• I know what I stand for

Can you say the same? Developing your own GPS just might be the most important self-awareness exercise that helps you gain vision, meaning, and conviction. Below is my GPS for 2020 and beyond:

G - Gratitude, Giving, & Growing

P - Transform lives and normalize mental skills training

S - Let’s Go!

Stop playing the finite game and start playing the infinite game with your GPS as your guide.

Collin Henderson is the founder of Master Your Mindset. He is a keynote speaker, high-performance consultant, author, and podcast host. Contact him here to learn how you and your team can win the inner-game.

Need more clarity… get Collin’s books here (see below) and gain the tools to be the best version of you.

4-Minute Mental Workout: A Simple System to Prime Your Mindset

Athletes warm up their bodies before competition… shouldn’t you warm up your mind before you begin your day? We’ve been taught the importance of exercising at the gym, but what about innercising at the mind gym?

Instead of waking up and scrolling through social media first thing in the morning, I’ve developed a system that will give you much more ROI than comparing yourself to others on Instagram or reading/watching negative news stories. Several years ago I adopted this system after researching strategies to help lower my stress. These benefits have changed my life and these four steps that I’m going to teach you are all backed by science.

People talk all the time about the importance of being mentally tough, but most people don’t know what to do to improve in this critical area. Follow these proven steps to build up your mental fitness.

Step 1: Breathe

How do we become more calm and present in the moment?… By practicing it. Start each day by practicing taking several slow deep breaths. Focus on your inhale and exhale while observing your thoughts then come back to your breathe when you notice your mind wondering. This exercise is like doing bicep curls for your brain. A bonus activity during this step is to do a quick scan and unlock any tension or tightness in your body.

Research shows that there are a variety of benefits to deep breathing:

1. Lowers stress

2. Improves mood

3. Improves focus and attention

4. Increases energy

5. Reduces tension

6. Improves memory

7. Trains your mind to be present

Challenge: Stop what you are doing and take one slow deep breath right now.

Click here for more scientific benefits of deep breathing.

Step 2: Focus on Gratitude

I Have statements/thoughts focus on optimism and gratitude. Dr. Emmons from the University of California at Davis has researched that a daily gratitude practice significantly reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Optimism has been proven to increase grit, creativity, health, and performance.

Challenge: Reflect and/or write down five things that make you happy, things that you sometimes take for granted, something you’ve accomplished recently that you are proud of, or something that you are looking forward to (in moments of fear or stress, go back to this list to change your perspective).

Now reflect on this question: What is one adversity or hardship that you can reframe and shift your perspective to see it as a blessing, not a curse? How can you use this obstacle to help you learn and grow?

Step 3: Give Yourself Affirmations

I Am statements help influence your subconscious with confidence and clarity. Assessing a robust 44,000 patients, professor Andrew Lane and BBC Lab from the UK, found that self-talk was the most powerful tool to improve confidence. Daily affirmations are a confidence tool used by greats like Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, and Jim Carrey. 

Challenge: Write down five positive things about yourself right now.

Watch this 2 minute video from Coach Collin and learn more about the power of self-talk 

Step 4: Identify Your One Intention

An I Will statement will give you a purpose and clear goal for the day. This is what Florida State University psychologist Dr. Anders Eriksson calls deliberate practice and has been proven to enhance learning, focus, and growth far greater than individuals who do not set an objective for a specific task.

Challenge: Reflect and/or write down one thing you want to accomplish today, this month, and this year. Setting daily intentions is a phenomenal tool stay focus, progress in a positive way, and create motivation.

A powerful tool to enhance this experience is capture these thoughts in a journal. Once you’ve documented and completed these three areas of focus, (I Have, I Am, I Will… I also call this the H.A.W. Method) close your eyes, see, and feel these emotions. This mental activity is a form of mindfulness called visualization. This type of imagery helps create positive thoughts and emotions that lead to more happiness, clarity, and health. 

Priming Plan: When and where will you do this daily exercise? 

Research shows that selecting a time a place is a critical piece in developing a new habit. Whether you journal and meditate or simply think about gratitude (I Have), affirmations (I Am), and set one clear intention (I Will) for the day, having a consistent routine to take slow deliberate breaths and prime your mindset are powerful tools to set you up for success. 

In summary, get your mindset reps in using the 4-Minute Mental Workout. Journal and/or focus on these steps (the H.A.W. Method):

1. Breathe (take slow deep breaths for one minute)

2. I Have (focus on gratitude and what you are thankful for – for one minute)

3. I Am (give yourself some affirmations – positive self-talk for one minute)

4. I Will (set one intention or daily goal and visualize yourself executing that activity as well as your big dreams for the future for one minute)

Listen to a guided audio version of the 4-Minute Mental Workout from Collin’s Master Your Mindset Podcast below:

Apple Podcast link

Spotify link

This activity will elevate your self-image, improve clarity, and create neural pathways for your brain and body to attract greatness. Because in this noisy digital age… Managing your mind is the new currency of success.

WANT MORE MINDSET TRAINING FOR YOUR TEAM? Contact Coach Collin here. He has trained the top organizations in the world like Nike, Lululemon, Zillow, and Alaska Airlines.

WANT TO READ COACH COLLIN’S BOOKS? Click here to access his five different books and two journals on mindset, culture, and peak performance.

It’s an Inside Job

Do you ever feel like you’re working really hard… grinding it out in your business, while feeling like you can’t get ahead or like nothing really changes?

If that sounds like you, I have such a perfect resource for you - my dear friend Jessica Page invited me and 20 other incredible experts from around the world to be a part of her online show, The Inside Job: The Entrepreneur’s Voyage to a Soulfully Abundant Life. 

I’ve grown so much over the years and a huge element of my success as a peak performance coach is due to learning from mentors like Jessica.

 Jessica is an experienced entrepreneur and used to pride herself on being in the grind… working a bazillion hours and telling herself, “success is around the corner if I just work a little harder…”

 Like so many entrepreneurs, she relied solely on the external steps to get results. Then, a few years ago she began doing the inner work, which transformed her life and put her into alignment to receive more joy, fulfillment, love, and abundance. 

If you’re committed to doing the inner work so you can live a soulfully abundant life… I invite you to register to listen to this show for FREE as my guest.  You can register by using this link: http://bit.ly/theinsidejob-collinhenderson

Every day, for 21 days, you’ll receive an email with a video interview from an expert that gives you stories, tips, and actionable strategies to build the business and life you love. 

Here’s what you’ll experience: 

● Short interviews - All the interviews are roughly 30-minutes, making it super easy to tune in.

REAL, RAW conversations – EVERYTHING is covered, from deep intimate, and rich personal relationships, to getting past the smallness of ego-minded fear, and stepping into your truth and greatness faster. I am not only a speaker on the show, but I will be attending as well and I can’t wait to listen to what the other speakers have to share!

● Speakers with Proven Success - Anyone can say they’re an 'expert', but these speakers are published authors, successful entrepreneurs, and influencers who are truly living a soulfullyabundant life. 

 P.S. Imagine if you could learn even ONE strategy to ignite your life just because you said YES to this show. Click on this link, it all starts here. Join us now… http://bit.ly/theinsidejob-collinhenderson

BE THE NEXT YOU

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?

Imagine meeting that person. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet and have a conversation with someone that I have looked up to for a long time.

Similar to how a young wide-receiver would study Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (the GOAT) or how Michael Jackson said he studied the dance moves of James Brown and Fred Astaire to hone his craft as an entertainer... I’ve researched and created a foundation of learning from several titans in the field of personal and team performance. 

Who are you studying and learning from?

So when the moment came to learn and pick the brain from one of my heroes, I walked away thinking, “That is not how I imagined that going.” Maybe this individual was having an off day, but their position on this industry seemed the opposite of mine. I’ve had a totally different experience and the cool thing is, we don’t have to agree. I respect everyone’s right to their opinion.

After that conversation, I had a moment of clarity. A bright light bulb went off inside. For several years I’ve been trying to be the next (fill-in the blank), but in that moment I realized I need to be the next Collin Henderson. 

Everyone else is already taken. To gain a competitive advantage, be yourself.  

We live in a day and age where comparing is at an all-time high... especially with social media and the internet. We see people living a “fake-real life” by comparing their highlights to our behind the scenes. We create generalizations of how we should look, dress, talk, and act. However, what I’ve learned is the best leaders, entrepreneurs, and performers have a clarity and conviction that keeps them focused and less consumed about what others think... and that is their greatest power.  

One of the most influential and attractive traits is authenticity. 

How you are different is your strength.

This reminds me of a story I heard about a young unknown rapper telling the iconic producer and music creator Pharrell Williams that he wanted to be the next Andre 3000 (from the legendary hip hop duo Outcast... shout out to the ATL!). Pharrell sat back, listened, then offered the best advice. He said, “The world already has an Andre. You should be the next you.”

Wow. Powerful. As I look back on what I’ve accomplished, what I strive to achieve, and the lives I want to impact, this recent experience has inspired me to triple down on myself and to just be me. Though I am similar in many ways to my hero that I recently met, I am completely different in more ways.

Instead of comparing, I need to remember to use what I have and play to my strengths. 

So now let’s talk about you.  How often do you find yourself comparing and thinking you need to be like someone else to be accepted and successful? Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that success leaves clues and we should model certain behaviors of the elite performers in our field, but to take your impact, happiness, and success to the next level... you have to find that sweet spot of authenticity now (in the present) and who you are striving to be (the best version of you in the future).

You can be and achieve anything.

Don’t find yourself, create yourself.  

The only limit you have is the ceiling you place on yourself. Celebrate how you are different. Stand out for the right reasons. Create a new lane never seen before.  First they will second-guess you, then they will demean you, then they will copy and want to be you. Think of Prince (RIP), the Williams sisters (Serena and Venus), Mother Teresa, MLK, Jeff Bazos, Gandhi, and Dwayne Johnson... thank goodness they didn’t copy others, but used what they had to innovate, impact those around them, and even change the world. 

Now it’s your turn.  

You don’t need validation from the person you admire the most or anyone for that matter. Take some time to think about what traits, experiences, and strengths that separate you. Instead of conforming, start creating and innovating. Don’t obsess over what you do not have, simply use what you have, and grow your skills every day. That’s what I plan to do. I hope you do too.

Collin Henderson is a leader in the personal development space. His books, online courses, podcast, and workshops teach individuals and teams how to have an elite mindset, create high-performance habits, and development a winning culture. Check out his virtual training here.

Get to Green: A 3 Step System to Control Your Nerves

Reflecting back when I struggled as a performer – whether in public speaking or as a two sport Division I athlete – one of the main reasons for this lack of execution was because I would loose control of my focus and  physiology.

Think about a time when you lost control of your internal state: elevated heart rate, sweating profusely, a million thoughts swirling at once, tight chest, shallow breathing, and feeling like everyone is watching you. What were your triggers that created this negative internal environment?

A huge tool to master your mindset is to take control over this internal activation and arousal levels. A system I learned a few years ago to take back control of our biochemistry is to know your signal lights... just like riding a car and seeing traffic lights. This is from the book Heads Up Baseball by Dr. Ken Ravizza.

A pioneer in sport and performance psychology, the late Dr. Ken Ravizza

When you are “green” that is the most optimal state you can be in. You’re in rhythm, confident, and locked-in. “Yellow” means proceed with caution. You may have failed or been exposed to an outside stimulus that is beginning to elevate your biochemistry. Red means “hot mess.” You are completely out of rhythm, out of focus, and your arousal levels have spiked to heights that impede your ability to be present and in control.

Listen to Master Your Mindset Podcast Ep 51 to learn how to Get to Green.  

Try this system to help take control of your signal lights. I call it AMC. Just like the movie theater company. Take control and be the director of your performance. This system has three steps. 

STEP 1: Awareness

“A” stands for Awareness. Before each rep or action, check in with yourself. When you sense yourself going to yellow, develop a routine to get back to green (ex: take a deep breath, have a focal point to recenter your focus, have a “reset” word, etc.).

STEP 2: Mission

“M” is for Mission. Simplify your thoughts and quiet your internal noise by clearly defining what action you will execute. Focus on your mission instead of things you cannot control (other peoples opinions, the competition, the environment that you are in, etc.).

STEP 3: Compete

“C” is for Compete. As Dr. Ravizza would say, “Are you so bad that you need your A-game every time to win?” Compete with 100% of what you have in that moment to execute and be your best. Change your body language to be big, positive, and with conviction. If you only have 70%, give 100% of that 70%.

If you can take control of your signal lights and have a plan to get to green, you will be more present in the moment, and you will see your focus and execution reach to new heights!

Watch this 1 minute video to help you get to green! 

Collin is a peak performance coach that works with performers in all fields: business, sport, academia, and leadership. Buy his books here.  

The 3 C’s of Sales Success

I just left our national sales meeting in Phoenix. Those of you in sales know what these meetings feel like: lots of guest speakers, strategizing, reflecting, and building your plan to crush the year ahead. My favorite part about these annual gatherings is the fact that I get to spend quality time with the amazing people on our team. People make a sales organization, numbers don’t. Spend more time investing and studying your people, and you will learn a hell of a lot more than spending hours dissecting Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations... oh and the numbers will grow more with this approach too.

SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES.

Due to the fact that I am a senior sales trainer who is obsessed with success, and loves to study the performance habits of high achievers, I sat down and interviewed the top performers in our company. Over five days, I picked the brains of what tactics, drivers, and influences shape these President Club sales professionals, managers, and executives. During these interviews I saw a common theme emerge. While everyone I spoke to has different strengths and styles, one fact stood out, all of these high performers shared three traits that led to their success in 2018.

I call these The 3 C’s of Sales Success: Care, Courage, & Consistency.

1. Care

Though I didn’t repeat my number one finish from last year (I did earn President’s Club trip to Tahiti and a Rolex watch this year... I’m grateful to work for an amazing company that takes care of our people), I was able to pick the brain of our 2018 number one rep Amy.

There are many reasons why Amy crushed the sales contest. She innovated new solutions for customers, developed a follow-up system that was adopted by many reps across the sales force, and she partnered with key decision makers to gain market share and ownership in her accounts. All of that is great, but the number one common denominator that set her apart from the competition is the fact that she sincerely CARES deeply for her customers. Amy shared with me story after story the actions she did that exuded gratitude, empathy, and service.

“My sales strategy was to care more for my customers than anybody else.” - Amy

Give your customers that Nordstrom personal shopper type service  

Servant leadership will get you into more doors than salesmanship. No one likes to be sold. Yet, so many sales professionals often brag about how all they do is close, while peacocking with an ego the size of Mt. Rainier.

Spare me. Save that approach for the cast of Jersey Shore. 

“I try to make everyone in that account feel important and special—no matter their title.” - Amy  

Learn from the richest dude in the world, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He shares the same view as Amy.

Amazon is crushing everyone. How are they doing it? Simple, their number one business strategy is to be obsessed (their words) with their customers and to make the user experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Sincere Service = More Value = More Trust = More Sales

When you sincerely care for your customers, you’ll naturally ask more questions. With more curiosity, you’ll be more focused on their needs and challenges. When you are more focused on their needs, you’ll be more likely to innovate a solution that solves a problem that they originally knew about or that you generated or revealed to them.

SELL THE HOLE NOT THE SHOVEL.

When you truly care, your actions will show and you’ll go above and beyond, which is the best sales strategy to grow your business. 

Call to Action: Do you sincerely care about your customers? How are you showing it? I know we have quotas, but we need to look at long term partnerships instead of short term cheap wins.

How can you better serve your customers this year? What words and actions will you display to show a clear differentiation of your level of commitment and care toward the customer and their needs vs the competition? Stand out for the right reasons.

Question: do your customers light up when you enter or leave the room?  Be the light. Find ways to show that you care.

...Side note, some of my customers tell me that they literally hide from certain reps because they are too pushy and all about themselves. Yuck! Is that you? Don’t be that person.

2. Courage

We all get nervous, but most people do not want to talk about it... except the true leaders. I believe that you can influence people more from sharing your struggles than from bragging about your strengths. Also, exceptional performers are able to lean into their fears versus run away when their self-doubt, past failures, and future fears pop up.

VICTORY GOES TO THE VULNERABLE.

According to shame and vulnerability expert, Dr. Brené Brown, she says, “You cannot display courage without being vulnerable.” No other rep displayed this “courage over comfort” mantra more than our top 3 rep Allison. Allison revealed to me that she’s had to overcome many fears in order to finally land into President’s Club. Whether it was overcoming her fears speaking to physicians early in her pharmaceutical career, from switching industries to selling medical devices, or circling back to visit accounts that have shut her out multiple times, Allison made it a habit to attack her fears.

Her year transformed when she had a conversation with herself in her car. She was about to drive past a huge account where she had zero success in the past, but made a commitment to come hell or high water to convert them. She told herself, “I have to get over this fear... I’m going for it. I’m going to land this account.” With this mindset, she changed her approach and was able to strike up a conversation with a key contact and obtain an advance to address the entire physician group. This courage and focus paid off. After her presentation several weeks later, the group voted to go all-in on her service. This single account propelled her to climb up the leader board.

COURAGE > COMFORT

Call to Action: What account or activity have you been avoiding due to a past mistake or fear? What is one action you can do to be more like Allison and attack your fear? Remember, history rewards the bold, not the timid.

Do you have the courage to innovate and try new approaches that put the customer at the center? Are you using the same old messages and selling tactics? Be brave! Try something different. Have the courage to be creative and set your product, service, and most importantly... yourself apart from the rest. 

3. Consistency

While enjoying the festivities of awards night and watching all the winners get recognized on stage, I turned to one of our first year reps and told him, “Remember this feeling right now. Store this deep into your soul. Come five months from now, on a random Wednesday at 4:30pm, don’t forget this burning desire to hear your name get called and experience your moment.”

What do the best of the best do? They keep a high level of focus, intensity, and extreme commitment to being consistent.

No one on our team exudes these consistent approach more than our Catheter Queen, Rosie. Rosie is the only rep in our division’s history to finish in the top 4, five years in a row. That consistency of excellence is unheard of! Being from the New England area, she shares the same “Do your job” mantra as her beloved five time world champion Patriots.

Aristotle once famously said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” Is Rosie the most charismatic rep? No. Is she the loudest talker? No. Does she have a new message every week? No. Her secret sauce is that she shows up with the same energy and commitment the entire day, five days a week, twelve months a year. Her customers love her, because she cares about them and never settles for “I’m going to take it easy today.”

When I’m training new reps, I teach them the “Rosie Rule.” I encourage them to be like Rosie, compete to see at least six accounts each day, everyday, no matter what. This consistent commitment will eventually pay off.

See and be seen. Hear and be heard.

Through the law of physics, an object in motion, stays in motion. I know some days are longer and harder than others, but are you truly being productive for eight hours everyday? Research shows that people in the work force average less than five full hours (out of 8) of true productivity. What about outside sales people? Are you maximizing every hour?

Call to Action: How many calls are you wasting each week? How committed are you to excellence? Do you start fast, but fade when things get hard? Do you focus on the problem or the solution?

Develop a plan that involves a consistent call structure. Who are the accounts you need to maintain, grow, and penetrate? When and how many times must you see or call these accounts?

What are distractions that knock you off your consistency? Write them down and develop a plan to stay on track. Remember, design trumps will-power.

YOU GOT THIS

Start the year off with the end in mind. Don’t just right down your goals, but connect with your vision daily by having a clear approach for this year and seeing it in your mind daily... then execute it with passion and persistence.

If you can make caring, courage, and consistency a major part of your business plan, expect to hear your name being called at the end of your sales contest as well. Be the one celebrating on stage instead of wishing it was your year. You have that control. Decide and commit to being that person today. It all comes down to the 3 C’s of Sales Success.

In summary:

CARE (what is one tactic you can do consistently to show your accounts you care?)

COURAGE (what’s one account or customer you’ve been avoiding because of fear or passed failure? How can you approach them in a new innovative way?)

CONSISTENCY (what is one high performance habit you will adopt in 2019 and keep consistent?)

Share these three answers with a co-worker to hold yourself accountable and ask them to share their 3 C’s of Success plan with you. 

Collin Henderson is a High Performance Coach who works with sales professionals, leaders, and athletes to improve mindset, habits, and culture. Learn more tips to improve your mental skills, process, and execution here. 

You’re a Tree: People Aren’t Paying As Much Attention to You As You Think

I love me some Bob Goff. Mr. Goff is the author of the worldwide best seller, Love Does, and his most recent work, Everybody Always. I listened to the latter recently via audiobook and took a ton of pearls from this lawyer by day and voice of grace, faith, and love by night. Actually, he expresses these super powers 24/7.

BG, the legend. 

One of my favorite stories that Mr. Goff shared in Everybody Always was a time during his childhood, where he was auditioning for a role in a school play. He was going for the lead character, but was assigned the lackluster assignment of being a tree... no lines, no spotlight, but he was told to just stand in the same location on the stage and hold a green wooden prop.

The main takeaway he learned was that depending on the situation or outcome:

We often create a storyline of ourselves as either the protagonist or villain... which is often untrue.

Our perspective of the world has ourself at the center. If we perform well, everyone will notice and judge us in a positive light... or in other words, the hero. Conversly, if we perform poorly, everyone will judge us as a failure and unworthy of praise and adoration... or fulfilling the role of the villain (ex: I cost us the game, the sale, or our team’s win or loss).

The problem with this lens is that life (and art for that matter) is not black and white.

You might feel like you are the lead character in every setting, but in all actuality, you are a member of a bigger ensemble.

Smile! It’s cool being a tree.  

View yourself like Bob learned to do... like a tree. You have an important role in the scene, but it’s not all about you. People are not obsessing over your performance. You are not the hero or villain, but a collection of characters playing their part. Each individual part is vital for the success of the entire production.

This perspective is so freeing to me, because for most of my life, I viewed myself as either the protagonist or antagonist in every scene based off of my performance. If I won, I was worthy of love. If I failed, I was unworthy of love. Pretty messed up right? I’ve shifted my focus, like Bob, to see myself as a supporting actor instead of the headliner. My job is to be authentic, stand firm in my values, and grow daily... just like a tree. 

Along this topic, I learned a cool praise from National Championship college football coach, Dabo Swinney, from Clemson. He preaches to bloom where you are planted... as in, make the big time where you are, no matter the title or role. Do your best, serve others, and make the most out of every situation. Russell Wilson shares a similar sentiment, he says, “Make them notice.” ...for the right reasons of course. Through commitment, effort, and competing with no fear. 

How do you view yourself? Is it all about you? If you fail, do you feel everyone is watching and judging? Are you relying on success to receive validation? I’m here to encourage you that everyone is not judging you with that same critical eye that you are judging yourself. You might be the lead character in your own internal movie, but everyone else is staring in their own movie with themself as the star. 

Call to Action:

Shift your focus from being all about YOU, to all about US. Based off of your strengths, what is a specific role that you can excel at that is less about outcomes and more about authenticity, support, and growth?... three traits of a tree.

Remember to bloom where you are planted. With this mindset and approach, I’m confident that you will actually perform better and be a sought after character, no matter the scene, cast, or setting. 

Collin Henderson is an author and speaker who specializes in high performance, mindset, and culture training. Get his books and learn more tools to be the best version of you here.

The Most Powerful Voice Is Your Own: 3 Pitfalls of Negative Self-Talk

Don’t underestimate the power of self-talk. Think about it, nobody talks to you more than you do. What you say to yourself has a direct impact on how you feel, what you believe, and how you behave. 

In the past I have shared my fear and negative internal story centered around stuttering. I had ups and downs with my fluency for many years. Most of my worry was linked to public speaking, but a huge impediment I struggled with was answering and introducing myself on the phone. Over a decade ago working at the WSU Athletic Foundation, there was a month when I avoided answering the phone because I convinced myself I couldn’t say, “Hello, Athletic Foundation, this is Collin.” I literally couldn’t spit those words out. Due to anxiety, my vocal chords would just seize up. My voice literally felt locked or trapped somewhere inside my body. There was even a time in my past where I had a problem even saying my name. 

Sounds pretty crazy right, but it is true.

I messed up a few times one day on the phone at work. This failure generated negative self-talk and fear that sabotaged my psychology, which oozed into my physiology. Just the thought of answering or introducing myself on the phone would create an elevated heart rate, tightness in my neck and shoulders, and I’d borderline breakout into a sweat. I would envision some important donor on the other end thinking, “Who the hell is this guy and how did he get a job here?”

My only saving grace was when I could read the caller ID and recognize the person on the other end. “I’d give a quick “Yo,” or a “Hey.” However, if the number wasn’t one I knew, a lump in my throat would form and I would freeze up and I wouldn’t pick up.  

The turning point of this internal jail was when I had a conversation with myself. I was sitting at my desk and had just ignored two calls in a row. I was flat out fed up. The switch came when I allowed myself to be imperfect. Part of my problem was I gave myself zero grace. I magnified a little mistake that most likely no one thought twice about (does that sound familiar?). I remember the inner dialogue I had with myself in that moment. I said something like this, No one is perfect. I stumble or stutter sometimes, but so what. I’m still able to say what I need to say. Just be yourself and embrace how God made you.”

I would recite similar statements like this over and over again, which finally got me out of my funk. Though my fluency was not 100% perfect, I improved each time. By giving myself empathy and not majoring in minor things, I regained my confidence, and answering the phone ceased to be an anxiety trigger for me.

This change all came from how I spoke to myself. 

Now let’s focus on you. I want you to reflect for a moment on how your self-talk has been in three different timeframes: 

1. When you were performing well and/or in a positive state

2. When your performing poorly and/or feeling in a rut

3. Your self-talk in the last week

Analyze the words you were saying to yourself. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being very negative and 10 being very positive)  rate your self-talk. How was it? Good, negative, neutral? I’m confident that a huge influence in the state you were in (and are in right now) and the actions you were taking were a direct correlation from the words you were saying to yourself. 

Why is this important? It’s important because we often look for outside forces to create internal motivation. Listening to podcasts, reading books and blogs, and getting pumped up from a motivational speaker will help. However, they all pail in comparison to the influence you have on yourself by the words you say to yourself.

Russell Wilson’s mental conditioning coach, Trevor Moawad, says, “Positive thinking doesn’t always work, but negative thinking always works... for the negative.” If you are looking to get out of your own way, below are three pitfalls of negative self-talk.  

1. Rehearsing Worse Case Scenereos

Whatever you continually repeat to yourself, you will become.

When you envision scenarios and identity statements using the words “don’t” and “can’t,” you are creating a neuropathy for your subconscious to follow these negative outcomes and internal stories. Example, “I can’t talk confidently on the phone.” That was a self-filling prophecy I created for myself. Instead, say to yourself your strengths and qualities (tip: write these down somewhere and look at them often). Even if you don’t totally believe it, you’ll be blocking out negative self-talk... which will at least, create a neutral state (this is much better than a negative state). 

Don't listen to the doubt that is going to naturally pop up. Instead, proactively talk to yourself using positive re-affirming statements like you would with your best friend. Replay times when you’ve had success before and trust that you can execute at a similar level again.

While working with the Pullman High School Volleyball team, their coach, former All-Pac 12 Conference setter Kali Gesser, said she would use this tactic when she was in a funk as a player. “When I noticed I was performing poorly or out of rhythm, I would go back and think about moments when I had success and was performing well. That usually helped me get my confidence back.”

Your past success is more real than catastrophasizing a future that hasn’t even happened yet.  

Exercise: Write down moments, experiences, or performances when you executed at a high-level. Use these as fuel to improve your self-talk and confidence during moments of doubt.

2. Not Having a Plan

As a performance coach, I try to help people have a plan for success AND when adversity strikes. Most people spend the majority of their preparation diagraming all the steps to win, yet lack a routine when they fail or feel nerves or stress take over their body (often caused by negative self-talk).

Focus on the function, not the future.

When you feel your body altering its state due to negative arousal (ex: elevated heart beat, butterflies, sweaty palms, thoughts swirling), try this three step approach offered by former St. Louis Cardinals Director of Mental Training and best selling author of 10-Minute Toughness, Dr. Jason Selk:

• Step 1 - BREATHE: Slow your biochemistry down by taking several deep breaths (inhale for 6, hold for 2, and exhale for 7 seconds). This will calm your heart rate, and give more oxygen and energy into your brain and relax your muscles.

• Step 2 - POWER STATEMENT: What is a phrase or word you can say to yourself to help eliminate the negative self-talk? This phrase could also be a positive movement or focus that you want to execute (my phone phobia power statement example: “I am perfectly imperfect”). This phrase will narrow your scope, and quiet you’re inner-judge.

• Step 3 - MENTAL MOVIE: With imagery, visualize the scene of you executing and making your goal happen. This will give your subconscious a roadmap to perform the tasks you want to achieve.

3. Comparing

Comparing yourself to others is robbing yourself of joy. No one is a master of everything. Stop comparing yourself to every person who has a skill you don’t have. That is unfair to yourself. Also, quit evaluating your shortcomings on someone else’s turf (as in, their skill or area of expertise). I guarantee, you have a skillset that they don’t have as well. No one is better or worse, just different. Embrace your strengths and double down on what brings you energy. Celebrate other people’s success, so they can celebrate yours. Give yourself permission (like I had to do) to be imperfect. 

Exercise: Write down three of your strengths and three characteristics that make you unique and different. Celebrate those!  

The most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. 

If someone at your work or team made a mistake, you would never go up to them and yell, “You suck!” So why would you do that to yourself? I know this sounds silly but, be nice to yourself. This approach doesn’t make you conceded or a narcissist. I like to say, be confident inside, but humble outside.

In summary: 

• Stop orchestrating worst case scenarios in your head. Give yourself permission to be imperfect, while reminding yourself of times when you’ve had success.

• Have a plan to recover from fear or doubt: Breathe, say a power statement, then visualize a best case scenario.

• Stop comparing. Just do you!

Speak to yourself the same way you where taught to speak to others. Protect your self-talk like your life depends on it... because in all reality, it actually does... whether it’s a simple tasks like speaking on the phone or pursuing your dreams. 

Collin Henderson is a High Performance Coach who specializes in Mindset, Leadership, and Culture Training. Buy his books here and learn more tools and strategies to become the best version of you.

0FG: 4 Ways to Stop Worrying About What Others Think

After conducting a workshop recently, a participant apparently didn’t like my shoes. During a break in the content she came up to me and said, “What’s up with the shoes? Those are ugly.”

Uh rude… manners anyone? Thanks for going out of your way and do what we teach our kids NOT to do, and that is yuck somebody’s yum.

The thing is, I’ve been a Nike guy my whole life, but I went crazy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale a few months ago and bought some funky red and blue Adidas that look like they are wrapped in fishnets. I know they aren’t for everyone, but here’s the point... as I’ve become older and wiser, I’ve learned this important life skill... I call it 0FG, as in:

Zero F‘s Given

Shoes in question above ☝🏼

These funky Adidas might be my favorite shoes I own and I don’t need validation from this energy vampire or anyone. This is one of the most powerful states one can be as a performer, which has eluded me for most of my life. I was born a pleaser. I’m a recovering perfectionist, and I used to live and die by the opinions of others.

After years of working on myself, I am so proud to write this article and say this with capital letters...

I DON’T NEED VALIDATION FROM YOU!

Think of Clint Eastwood, The Rock, or Serena Williams... that’s the mindset I’m talking about. We work hard and go for it, but give no F’s in the process.

Wow, it is so freeing to ditch the dead weight of trying to please everyone. I feel like I’ve shed 50 pounds of drama and gained 50 feet of height to reach my potential. 

So how did I get here and why is this topic so interesting? For some reason, not giving a F is in high demand. Mark Manson’s book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F•CK, sold over a million copies in less than a year (it’s a must read and one of my favs). Will Smith even asked Manson to help him write his book (can’t wait). My Facebook Live show The Power Of [Not Giving a Sh•t] featuring my wife Kendra (who is the queen of 0FGs), is by far one of my top viewed episodes. Link to this episode here.

With the growing presence of social media and underlying human desire to fit in, and be liked... times are especially tough right now in the realm of caring what people think. Instant gratification and constant validation are thrown at our face daily. It’s tough to not give a shit when you see everyone you know posting pics of an altered public life showcasing their highlights, while you sit there in your PJs eating cereal for dinner watching Diners Drive-In’s and Dives. Let’s stop that self sabotaging behavior and get down to business. 

I got to this place of being an 0FG by focusing on several main concepts. If you are looking to get on the 0FG train, I’m your captain and these are the 4 rules to live by:

1. Care/Don’t Care

This is what I call the Powerful Paradox. A paradox is two opposite forces coming together as one. In this case, I’ve learned to juggle both of the concepts of caring and not caring at the same time. Let’s breakdown the CARE side first. The mission is to love yourself, give yourself grace, and be your biggest fan (aside from your faith, the most important relationship is the one with yourself... no one talks to you more than you do). Next, care about other people (especially those in your inner-circle). Love them and sincerely care about their wellbeing. Then, establish your core values and what principles you want to guide your life… care about those (I’ll give you an exercise on how to do this below). Finally, care about your craft (whatever your profession, hobby, or passion that you pursue). Once that is established, then DON’T GIVE AN F what people think.

If you can master this juxtaposition statement (suggested by High Performance expert, Dr. Michael Gervais), “I love you, but I don’t care about what you think of me,” there is serious power in that. Now, it’s important to be open to feedback from those close to you and in your inner-circle, but random people on Instagram, old high school friends, random relatives, or strangers... who gives a flying F. Just do you! It’s exhausting trying to please everyone. LeBron, Tom Brady, and Taylor Swift have just as many haters as fans... you can’t please everyone, so stop trying. Not everyone has to like or agree with you. Again, if you are doing what you love and being authentic, F the rest! 

2. Know Your Identity  

Ok, now that we are on the topic of being authentic, it’s important to spend the time to get clear on who you are. Have you done the work to write down what you stand for? Many people take action based on feelings. The challenge with this approach is that our feelings often lie to us. You aren’t going to feel like doing that hard thing or be vulnerable, but if you have a clear grasp of a) who you are, b) what you want, and c) what values guide your behavior... taking action and making decisions are much easier.

Try this exercise:

Step 1 – Write down three words that most represent who you are and what actions or states of being that are most important to you... I call this your 3 Truths (shout out to Lewis Howes).

Step 2 – What are three core values that you’d like to guide your behavior? These words and concepts will be like your internal constitution and compass. See my diagram below. My truths are on the inside of the triangle and my values are on the outside. 

3. Discomfort is a Must  

Putting in this work to gain self-awareness takes great effort, self-reflection, and vulnerability. You must put yourself out there and get comfortable being uncomfortable. This means doing the things you once feared; saying no to people who suck energy out of your life; and finally doing the activities that give you energy... which means putting yourself first (self care anyone?). When you do this, you’ll have more energy to give, serve, and bring value to others. A personal example for me is public speaking. What once was my biggest fear, now gives me my deepest joy (while bringing value to others). Attack your fear and watch your 0GF meter go off the charts.

4. Shift Validation  

Finally, when you are part of the 0FG Club, you will shift how you receive validation. The main point of this mindset is to stop the need of receiving constant validation from others... especially coming from image, outcomes, and opinions. The aim is to gain validation from living as your true authentic self and by growing daily. Below is a breakdown on how I receive validation (based off of my 3 Truths and 3 Core Values):

• Was I authenticly myself in that situation?

• Was I fully present in the moment?

• Did I display courage by taking action and being vulnerable?

• Did this interaction, engagement, or project offer me an opportunity to display gratitude, service, and a chance to grow my skills?

If I can say yes to these questions... I’m staying true to my vision, identity, and mission to be a light to others. Thus... zero F’s will be given in the process (whether I hit the mark or not).  

Now It’s Your Turn

I had a coaching session with a client earlier this week and I went away from our normal performance plan and jumped right into this topic. I said F-it, I think you need to hear this. After explaining what I just shared with you, he replied, “This is exactly what I needed to hear today, thank you... this was the best session yet... we dug deep!”  F’ing Hell Yes, we dug deep! You owe it to yourself to do the necessary work to get to a place of internal understanding and peace.

I spoke on a college campus recently and I received the best compliment I’ve heard yet. After speaking, someone told me, “I wish I could not care what people think like you.” 

I thought to myself, Oh man, only if you knew how much I used to care, and still care, but in a different way. If you only knew how much work, time, failure, and effort this has taken me to get here (and I still have much growth to attain)... but it is well worth it.

Now back to you. Stop playing small and start playing big. Go for it! Go get yourself some funky Adidas (or whatever look you like that bucks the trend) and rock them with a smile, some swag, and zero Fs given... then watch your happiness and performance take off.

Collin Henderson is a Peak Performance Coach who works with business professionals, athletes, and leaders to help bring out their best as an individual and team. Buy his books here to improve your self awareness and execution.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE

Do you have a re-occurring dream? I do. The scene is usually the same. I’m back in college playing football and I’m completely stressed because either my legs feel so heavy I can hardly move them, I’m missing a piece of equipment needed to play, or I’m stuck on the bench because I was playing below my potential. 

Reflecting on my playing career, this re-occurring dream isn’t too far from my experience. Though I was a starter and contributor, my lack of confidence, consistent routines, and no recovery plan (I often over-worked myself), my true ability was not fully actualized.

Because of this experience, my passion is to help performers not feel the same way I did, but show them that there is a different way.

It all comes down to two factors: Behaviors and Belief. You need both for lasting success. 

Behaviors, as in habits, and belief, meaning confidence in your abilities. Based off of my research in high performance and reflecting on my old limiting mindset, below are 5 behaviors and mental strategies you can use to gain confidence and a deep sense of belief.  

1. ITS NOT ABOUT YOU

Rule number one is this: not everyone is looking at you or obsessing over your every move. People are more worried about how they look. There are other people on the court or field of competition too and all eyes are not solely on you. This reality is very freeing. No one goes to bed thinking about your mistakes. Remember it’s all about the team, and not you. If you are part of a collective unit, repeat this statement daily, “It’s not about me.” This gloabal perspective will help your performance...especially if you put your Instagram and Snapchat away too (reminder: social media is not real life). 

2. STOP JUDGING  

Being in a flow state means being completely present without judgement and in the zone. A hinderence of being completely in the moment is an over judgement of both good and bad outcomes. Remember to give yourself grace when you make a mistake...it’s part of the journey and inevitable. Also, if you have success, stop processing what people will think and how your future might change. Just keep competing and stay in the present moment.

Bad thoughts are bad. Good thoughts are good. No thought is best. 

Excellence is not in the past or future...excellence is in the now. If you are judging your every move, you are robbing yourself the chance of being in flow (the place where ballers live and happiness reside).

3. ADVERTISE 

Remember to talk to yourself, not listen to yourself. Make a list of your strengths, past successful performances, and how you have put in the work. Your brain can only process one thought at a time. If you allow it to just wonder, it will come up with many negative self fulfilling prophecies, past failures, and future fears. During down time, in-between plays, or competitive moments, advertise to yourself (through self-talk) that you have what it takes and that you belong.

Also, use imagery of the movements you’d like to execute. Create a movie of yourself in your brain and attach a positive emotion to it. Dress rehearse it mentally, then execute it physically. Quality thought = quality movement. Convince yourself and your subconscious that you have what it takes by getting your mental reps in daily. Question: How can you become what you don’t believe? Increase your belief by visualizing your execution before it happens. When that moment comes up in real life, your subconscious and body will already know what to do because you have been there before. If you use imagery (all your senses) your brain cannot tell the difference...just like a dream. Learn how to create a future memory.

4. ITS JUST A GAME

Each performance is not a matter of life or death. Your self-worth should not be directly tied to one thing (being an athlete, sales professional, or whatever it is that you do). You don’t need to do more to be more. Whether you go 10-10 or 0-10, your value to the world is the same... SO KEEP SHOOTING!

Excellence is found in authenticity and effort. Compete to be yourself...flaws, strengths, errors and all. Remember: person over performer. Treat people the right way, work hard, improve daily, and be a championship teammate, family member, friend, co-worker...in the end, that is all that matters.  

5. FOCUS ON THE ROOT NOT THE FRUIT

Reflecting back on most of my career, I would often focus on elements outside of my control: statistics, other people’s opinions, outcomes, etc. That is the fruit. Do not allow your attention to be seduced by the factors that are outside of your control. Instead focus on the root (which you can control): your habits, routines, fundamentals, and core values.

What you give your attention to, you give your energy to.

JUST DO YOU! It’s none of your business what other people think of you...you can’t control that or specific outcomes anyway. Stay true to yourself and your process and good things will come. 

You are your only competition...no one else. I hope you want your opponent’s best, because that will help bring out the best in you. Judge yourself on growth, effort, and authenticity (did I have the courage and vulnerability to truly go for it?) . The rest is just out of your control.

You got this! 

To learn and utilize other techniques to improve your confidence and performance, get a copy of the Flow Journal. This workbook will help give you the tool-kit (which I lacked) needed to turn your happy dreams (unlike my nightmares) into reality. 

Watch the 2 minute summary of the Flow Journal HERE. 

Collin Henderson is an author, speaker, and High Performance Coach. He helps athletes and business professionals have a winning mindset and championship habits to be their best.  

Get Your Mental Reps In

You hear all the time to get your reps in when dealing with physical fitness, but what about your mental fitness?  What are you doing to strengthen your brain? 

Let me Introduce you to a simple system that helps with cognitive conditioning. It’s called MVP - Meditate, Visualize, Positive self-talk. 

I learned this system from one of the founders of Lucid Mental Performance (which is an app endorsed by ballers like Brandon Marshall and Aaron Gordon). It was designed by Mental Skills Coach, Graham Betchart. Graham was mentored by Kobe and Michael Jordan’s Mental Coach, George Mumford. 

Coach Betchart and NBA superstar Aaron Gordon 

If the GOATs like MJ and the Mamba are getting their mental game on, I think you could benefit from 1-5 minutes a day of closing your eyes and getting your mind right. 

My buddy Tanner P and I recently recorded a podcast on the topic to help you learn this system. Listen to Master Your Mindset Podcast here. 

Lets go!!! The body has limits, but the mind is limitless. Don’t forget to get your mental reps in daily. 

Podcasts = Free College

With this crazy invention called the Internet, we have at our disposal an endless amount of information. Also, the smart phone as made access to this information so accessible, even an eight year old can do it. 

Whats your ROI (Return On Investment) on all of the apps you have? ...SnapChat, Netflix, endless social media scrolling... do these make you better? I’m pleading with you to tap into the free resource that Google and Apple have provided with the App Store and the already downloaded Podcast App on your iPhone. Interviews with thought leaders in your field are waiting for you. Are you utilizing this amazing platform that was nonexistent 15-20 years ago. People who sought knowledge used to have to pay to read it or attend a lecturer/seminar. 

Listen to one episode a week on your drive to and from school/work, exercising, doing chores, or whenever it’s convenient to listen to wisdom. 

Below is a podcast I recorded as a guest with The Mindstrong Project (Mart & the Fishbowl). Harv and Fish are mental skills coaches who are doing big things in the Minnesota area. Their passion, courage, and vision to help performers of all levels improve their breathing, mindfulness, and connection with self and others is inspiring. Listen to our episode here. 

The Mindstrong Project duo Mart (in the hat) and Fish

Lastly, my homie Tanner P. and I dropped Episide 9 on the power of goal setting from our podcast Master Your Mindset. Click here to listen, then follow us to get future episodes. 

 If the body has limits but the mind is limitless, what are you doing to feed your mind with positive information? Use Podcasts as a tool to not only when the inner-game, but be your best self as well.  

Q & A: WSU All-Time Hits Leader Jay Miller

Individuals who master a skill do not have to be people with freakish natural abilities. My college baseball teammate Jay Miller is a prime example. Miller is maybe five-foot-nine and weighed about 175 pounds during his playing days.

Yet, with a relentless commitment to hitting and working on his timing, he left WSU as the all-time leader in hits. No one took more batting practice with what we called “Iron Mike” (our mechanical pitching machine) than Miller. He could be found on nights, weekdays, and weekends hammering away on Iron Mike. This commitment paid off. He surpassed the career hit totals of MLB standouts like John Olerud, Ron Cey, and Scott Hatteberg.

Jay Miller

• Washington State University all-time hits leader
• WSU Hall of Fame Inductee  
• Four-time Pac-12 all-conference selection
• Freshman All-American
• Played professionally for the Philadelphia Phillies organization

CH: What is your proudest accomplishment as an athlete?

JM: Individual accomplishment would be setting the all-time hit record at WSU. This was never a goal of mine, but after all is said and done, that is something. Team accomplishment would be winning the state championship in high school. We were never projected to win state, but we really came together as a team at the right time. Quite honestly, the accomplishments don’t cross my mind that much, though. It’s the things I wanted to accomplish and I didn’t that I really think about (and it bugs me).

CH: What sacrifices did you make that contributed to your success?

JM: Time. I trained, a lot. I hit, a lot. I always told myself at the end of my career I never wanted to say it ended when it did because I didn’t work hard enough.

CH: What were your non-negotiable habits?

JM: Don’t make excuses. Never blame others. Train with a purpose.

CH: Who was your role model? What did they teach you?

JM: My father was my role model. Amongst many life lessons I have and continue to receive from him, the biggest lesson I learned was there are two things I can control: attitude and effort.

CH: Who was your favorite teammate and why?

JM: My brother, Jeff Miller. He pushed me harder than anyone and was someone I played with my entire life. He truly made me a better player because of how much he believed in me. I believe that a great teammate makes those around them better. My brother truly did that for me, and it probably had to do with how well he knew me. Not everyone is fortunate enough to play with someone as long as I did with him, but he knew me—knew how to push me and get the most out of me.  

Jay’s younger brother Jeff, was also a 4-year starter for the Cougs

CH: What was your favorite failure? What did you learn, and how did you overcome?

JM: As a freshman at WSU, I went 0-15 to start my first year in collegiate baseball. I ended up leading the team in hitting and earning all-conference, as well as Freshman All-American honors. There was a point I truly doubted my ability to play at the collegiate level. I overcame it by not giving up, moving forward, and continuing to improve my skills. What I learned was, 1-16 (or 1-1 the way I looked at it) gave me all the confidence I needed. Essentially, I was one hit away from getting my mental edge back. Sometimes you just need to throw out the stats and say, “This is a new start, I am 1-1.”

CH: Describe a moment when you were in a flow state (a.k.a., “in the zone”). What did it feel like?

JM: When I think about times I was in the zone, the one thing that stands out from a mental standpoint was I wasn’t thinking as much as I was reacting. Just trusting my instincts to take over, which I believe are developed through practice. More specifically, I wasn’t concerned about my swing or any outside factors. For example, the pitcher has a great curveball, or I am getting on my front foot too much. Trust the training, and let your instincts take over.

CH: What routines did you consistently perform during the day of competition to get yourself ready to play?

JM: There weren’t any physical routines that needed to be consistent, it was more about getting my head right—making sure my pre-game warm-up gave me confidence going into the game. Or better said, making sure I felt confident going into the game. I never found one way in particular to do this. It could be something different every time. If I wasn’t as focused as I needed to be, I needed to find a reason to convince myself I was playing in game seven of the World Series. Or if I wasn’t confident in myself, I would take a round of batting practice and envision every line drive or hit as a game-winning hit. Mentally, I would put myself in situations that could boost my confidence or increase my focus. 

CH: What would you do to increase your confidence?

JM: Remind myself of times I was successful. Sometimes that would include reading old newspaper clips or watching old video.

CH: What was your why? What drove you to be a top performer?

JM: I always played with a chip on my shoulder. Like I had something to prove. I was constantly reminded of the people who didn’t think I was any good or didn’t recruit me. I was too small, no power, no speed (which was all true). Conversely, I wanted to prove right those people that did believe in me, and I wasn’t going to let them down.

CH: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

JM: So much. Here are a few [pieces of advice]:

Talent doesn’t make people successful in athletics. A lot of athletes can get by on talent alone early in their careers, but eventually that catches up to them as the level of competition catches up. Don’t get me wrong, talent can take you a long way, but of the truly great athletes I have been around, they haven’t made it to where they are on talent alone. Just because they can run fast, jump high, or throw hard, doesn’t mean they will be successful in athletics.  

Don’t focus so much on your weaknesses. Be the best at something whether it’s base running, bunting, fielding, route-running (football), etc. I often lost sight of what I was great at and only practiced things I struggled with, and inherently my strengths became less of an asset.

Don’t try and be someone else. Every athlete is different. There isn’t one way to hit a baseball.  Yes, there are techniques related to baseball (and hitting specifically) that are perceived to be more effective. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they work for you. Know your strengths and build off of that. 

Lastly, don’t worry about things you can’t control.

Thank you for reading! To gain more insights and tools to win the inner-game, check out my new book Master Your Mindset, and learn how to take your game and life to the next level.  ORDER HERE

Gabe Marks and I Go Deep on Fear and Anxiety

Amazing collaboration and article by my Coug brother and Pac-12 all-time leading receiver, Gabe Marks. It was an honor connecting and  pumped to have sparked a new friendship...and brother for life.  

Read CougFan.com article here. 

Q & A: WSU ALL-TIME REBOUND LEADER, KATE (BENZ) BETHELL

In this Master Your Mindset Q & A series, you’ll read interviews from top performers who have inspired me in various sports. I selected individuals who were able to maximize every ounce of talent to do the extraordinary. Their ability to overcome adversity, consistently compete at a high level, and be an outstanding teammate is why they were chosen. Use their answers and experiences to help take your game to a higher level, as well as to gain perspective.

Kate (Benz) Bethell

• All-time leader in rebounds for Washington State University Women’s Basketball

• All-conference Pac-12

• First Team Pac-12 All-Academic

• Lead editor of Master Your Mindset 

CH: What sacrifices did you make that contributed to your success?

KB: I never thought of my lifestyle as an athlete as a sacrifice toward success, but I am guessing many people would. Everything in my life revolved around athletics and academics, but I can't imagine it any other way. I had self-awareness early on and knew I wasn't comfortable in the party scene. I was very much interested in school and contributing to the community in which I lived, so I focused my attention in those areas.

CH: What were your non-negotiable habits?

KB: Beginning in high school, I set goals at the start of each season and before each game. I wrote these down and always concluded with: "Work hard. Have fun." I planned my days around classes and practices. The thought of skipping class, missing practice, or showing up late never crossed my mind. I knew I was a role model, and I wanted to live my life in a way that exuded my passion for the game and zest for life. I didn't—and still don't—want to disappoint others or myself, so I set the bar very high in all areas of my life.

CH: What's the most important lesson you learned as an athlete that you have carried over into life? Please explain.

KB: Team first. I experienced personal success as a college athlete, but I was on a losing team. Reporters always asked me questions about my success, but I'd typically deflect to the team and express my desire for more wins. It felt amazing when we won because everyone contributed. And how great would it have felt to make it to the NCAA tournament? You can't play a game of basketball without other team members, and almost all of the jobs I've had rely on team success. I've been a captain on the court and a team lead in the workplace, and when the wheels aren't spinning in unison, very little is accomplished. Success tastes so much sweeter when you have others to share it with. 

CH: Who was your role model? What did they teach you?

KB: My mom is my role model. She taught me to get up early, work harder than others, and listen to my heart. It's amazing what you can accomplish in a day when you are determined, you're willing to do the things others aren't, and you can function on less sleep than others (a genetic gift!). My mom was always that person. She—and my dad, of course—taught my siblings and me the importance of eating healthy meals, exercising every day, fulfilling commitments like school and sports, serving others, and accomplishing goals. We also went to church every week with no compromises, even in our sports uniforms and on vacation. Morals, values, character, integrity—all things I learned from my parents.

CH: Who was your favorite teammate and why?

KB: That's a tough one to answer. I had a different favorite teammate from every year I was in college. From my recruiting host to my Swedish best friend, the only other graduating senior, and my underclassman position partner, I connected with different teammates throughout the years. Each one of these ladies inspired me to be myself. We were never a very successful team, and losing really drained us physically and emotionally, but your teammates become your friends and your family, and leaning on each of these ladies at different times in my career proved to be essential.

CH: What was your favorite failure? What did you learn and how did you overcome?

KB: One reporter used to question my decision to choose WSU because other more successful schools recruited me. He wanted to know if I felt I made a mistake. I guess I can spin this question and answer by saying choosing WSU was my favorite failure because it 100 percent made me the person I am today. The friends I made and the experiences I encountered shaped me. We lost a lot of basketball games. We were failures on the court. But I learned life is so much more than sports. I learned how to be a well-rounded person, how to be positive when surrounded by negativity, and how to find joy in humbling situations. 

CH: Describe a moment when you were in a flow state (a.k.a., “in the zone”). What did it feel like?

KB: I will never forget a tournament game in Hawaii in which I kept grabbing rebound after rebound. I was in a flow state for sure. I could tell exactly where the ball was going to land every time in went up in the air, and I was on a mission. It felt like my energy was endless and my mind was laser-focused—almost like an out-of-body experience. I believe I matched the single-game rebound record in that game.

CH: What routines did you consistently perform during the day of competition to get yourself ready to play?

KB: I made sure I ate enough of the right kinds of food, I worked with our trainer to heat and stretch my body, and I prayed. I visualized a successful performance after reviewing the scouting report. I always visualized us winning, even when we were up against the best teams in the conference, and even when we hadn't won a game all season. The best thing about sports is the unpredictability, and I always felt optimistic and energized because I loved the game.

CH: Explain what your self-talk and internal dialogue was like after you made a mistake.

KB: I told myself to make it up on the other end of the court. If I wasn't performing well on the stat sheet, I knew I could always, always hustle. So my focus became out-hustling my opponents and sometimes even my teammates. Hustling for loose balls or taking a charge on defense would energize me and help me forget about mistakes.

CH: What would you do to increase your confidence?

KB: I focused on the little things instead of the big things. I loved watching players who would bring energy to their teammates, and I tried to be that player. I tried to be a volleyball player dressed in basketball clothing—that is, I wanted to celebrate and encourage all of the time. Lifting up my teammates became a priority of mine. I found that celebrating the success of others would help increase my own confidence in an interesting and very fulfilling way. And when you're on a losing team, you have to find a silver lining or your days become long and arduous.

CH: What was your why? What drove you to be a top performer?

KB: I don't think I ever stopped and thought about why I was playing sports or pushing myself to be the best in the classroom. I just think it's the way God made me. It's innate. I've always had so many interests and various passions, and I just felt like and still feel like I should do the best I can at whatever I set out to do. I've always followed my heart and taken risks that just "felt right."

CH: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

KB: Lighten up a bit! I've always put a lot of pressure on myself. I pushed myself so hard to get straight A's, even in college. My siblings used to tell me my employers weren't going to look at my report card. And my dad would say, "Sit back, relax, and watch life like a movie." I doubt I would listen to myself, but maybe I would have taken a few more electives or gotten into yoga or something. 

​Thank you for reading! To gain more insights and tools to win the inner-game, Master Your Mindset the book is launching on June 23. ORDER HERE

4 KEYS TO NOT GIVE A SH@%

Once I stopped giving a F@$%, people started giving a F@$%. - Eminem 

Wise words Slim Shady, but hard to execute.

Worrying about what other people think of me was one of the biggest roadblocks to perform at my best and enjoy the moment. Because I’m human, I’m still working on this struggle everyday.

What about you? Do you wrap all of your self-worth around fitting in, getting acceptance, how you look, and hearing praise? If this is your mindset, you will be trapped in performance jail by what I call Bad COPs: constantly Comparing yourself to others, obsessing over Opinions, and chasing the lie of Perfection.  

Most of the time, the biggest hindrance of peak performance is not how much we care about our performance...we all want to win, but the fact that we care too much. All too often, our self-worth is wrapped around our outcomes, and our perceived perception of what people think of us.

I love this quote from W. Timothy Gallwey, author of the ground breaking book the Inner Game of Tennis, “But who said that I am to be measured by how well I do things? In fact, who said that I should be measured at all? Who indeed? What is required to disengage oneself from this trap is a clear knowledge that the value of a human being cannot be measured by performance—or by any other arbitrary measurement.” 

Based on self reflection and my research in high performance, here are four keys to not give a shit (pardon my French). 

1.  People are thinking about themselves not you

This is rule number one in turning down the dial of overly caring about what other people think of you. It’s the realization that most often, people are obsessing over themselves, not you. While you are busy sizing the opponent up, they’re actually sizing themselves up and comparing themselves to you. You are not the only one thinking, “How do I look and how am I doing.” ...whether this is an athlete, official, coach, manager, sales professional, or parent, etc. We all play this game at the same time.

Also, when you are in a group setting, eyes are not just on you, but others as well. When you understand this, that it’s not just about you, it helps lower the stress of constantly judging yourself. 

2.  The world isn’t flat  

Whether it was a game or big sales presentation I was preparing for, I used to let the anticipation of that event completely consume me. I couldn’t see past it. I had the fixed mindset of allowing one performance shape my value and self-image. In other words, my world was flat...there was nothing beyond that event...especially if I failed...I’d fall off the end of the earth into a pit of insecurity.

I've come to learn that the world isn’t flat. It circles around the sun. There will be a tomorrow. When there is darkness, there will be a dawn. Success or failure are not people, but events. I’ve learned that I can grow and improve regardless of the outcome. My worthiness is not limited to one event or mistake. Win or lose, the sun will rise and I’m not the center of the universe, but a collection of other stars. 

3. Own the moment 

Think about your thought life. How much mental energy do you spend worrying about what could go wrong in the future or replaying a past mistake? If this is you, you are only leaving around 20% of your focus in the present moment. Be where your feet are. When coaching business professionals or athletes, I like to remind them that:

There are no big moments. Every moment is important. 

Practice is just as important as a game or big presentation. When you can value every moment the same, you will be more present and less stressed.  

4. The four “I knows...” 

Athenticity is a super power. Here are two quotes I love about internal clarity: 

• With clear values, decisions are easy.  
• If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything.  

Take some time to self reflect on the four I Know Statements:

• I know I’m loved by God
• I know who I am
• I know what I want
• I know what I need to do to get there

Clarity is power. Let these prompts guide the vision and actions in your life.  

Its easier said then done, but the less you can care about what others think, you will flat out perform better. Just ask Eminem.

For more tips on improving your performance, get Collin’s new book: Master Your Mindset, and learn the tools needed to win the inner-game.  

Q & A: Track & Field Star Jeshua Anderson

In this Master Your Mindset Q & A series, you’ll read interviews from top performers who have inspired me in various sports. I selected individuals who were able to maximize every ounce of talent to do the extraordinary. Their ability to overcome adversity, consistently compete at a high level, and be an outstanding teammate are why they were chosen. Use their answers and experiences to help take your game to a higher level, as well as to gain perspective.

Jeshua Anderson

• Dual-sport collegiate athlete (football and track) at Washington State University

• NCAA National Champion, Track & Field

• Team USA, Track & Field

CH: What is your proudest accomplishment as an athlete?

JA: I think one of my proudest accomplishments as an athlete was getting selected as one of the Pac-12 Athletes of the Century.

CH: What were your non-negotiable habits?

JA: No fast food is one of my big non-negotiable habits. As an athlete your body is a high-powered machine and deserves high-powered fuel to get the best out of it. Another non-negotiable habit is my hard work ethic. In anything I love to do, I will work my butt off to be the very best. No exception! You have to put in the work.

CH: What's the most important lesson you learned as an athlete that you have carried over into life? Please explain.

JA: The most important lesson I’ve learned as an athlete that has carried over in my life as well, is having consistent faith in knowing that the work you put in for your respective sport is going to blossom into something amazing. Many times in my career I’ve allowed my mind or even other people dictate how far I could go in any sport or in life in general. I’ve learned that if you believe you have limits you’ll stop once you reach the surface. On the daily, I continue to trust God and have faith in the hard work I put in to accomplish successes that others are wowed by. Never limit your ability. You can always do better in your respective sport and life!

CH: Who was your role model? What did they teach you?

JA: My role models have always been my dad and mom. They taught me the importance of hard work and taking advantage of your opportunity because you’ve prepared for it. I still remember my childhood days running around the house, throwing the ball around with my dad and just loving being active and working to be a pro. My parents instilled a great tool called faith in me, trusting and believing God persistently while putting in the work that my dreams will be a reality.

CH: Who was your favorite teammate and why?

JA: This is a hard question to just pick one teammate. I’ve had multiple teammates that have played major roles in my career and life. One teammate who helped me early on was Jamere Holland. We went to Taft High School together and played football and ran track together. This guy was a high school All-American, ran 10.3 as a sophomore, and was a year older than me. He played a very big role in changing the way I approached football and track. He had so much success in both sports and had such great God-given talent that I wanted to try and keep up with him. That was a big turning point for me. I trained with the best to ultimately be the best. This helped me have numerous scholarship offers in football and track.

CH: Describe a moment when you were in a flow state (a.k.a., “in the zone”). What did it feel like?

JA: I have had a few moments I can remember where my flow state was off the charts and everything came easy. One memory I have was in my senior year of high school. I was playing a varsity football game against Gardena. I ended the game with a Los Angeles city record six receiving TDs and 304 yards. The feeling was almost like the game was in slow motion. Every catch was just routine and second nature that it felt easier than practice.

CH: What techniques did you use to lower your stress?

JA: To lower my stress I would look back to all the hard work I’ve put in, and let myself know that every game or race won't be perfect every time. I always reassure myself that the work I put in isn’t going in vain and just force myself to continue to grind.

CH: Explain what your self-talk and internal dialogue was like after you made a mistake.

JA: Just like my self-talk within a stressful situation, after making a mistake, I always watch what I did wrong and focus on figuring out a way to fix the mistake and do even better in the situation. No one is perfect so there is always room to improve for me.

CH: What would you do to increase your confidence?

JA: My confidence comes from my grind. When I’m working hard and doing things I know people aren’t doing, that helps solidify my foundation and reassures me that when it's time to compete, I know God will bring the best out of me.

CH: What was your why? What drove you to be a top performer?

JA: I’ve always wanted to be the best at what I do in my respective sport. I would submerge myself in studying film of the best athletes in my field and try to take different parts that they did great to add to my arsenal and put my own flavor to it. In doing that, I worked my butt off to be able to compete with people I admired and watched throughout my career. This is what I love to do.

CH: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

JA: If I could go back in time, I’d tell my younger self to enjoy and appreciate every moment God gives you. I think at times I was so busy trying to work hard and train that I never appreciated and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. God has definitely blessed me and continues to as I go forth in my career. You have to sometimes take a back seat and be thankful for what’s going on—it's truly a blessing!

Thank you for reading! To gain more insights and tools to win the inner-game, Master Your Mindset the book is launching on June 23. PRE-ORDER HERE and receive a free video on Self-Confidence 101 and an e-book for coaches and parents called Positive Parenting.

THE SLIGHT EDGE

Do the thing, and you shall have the power. - Ralph Waldo Emerson  

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with one of my friends Johnny DuRocher. He is the Director of Rise Football, which is a football development program for youth, middle school, and high school student-athletes. Johnny and I love to talk about culture and leadership. In his quest for knowledge, Johnny was so pumped to share with me that he had a meeting with the University of Washington Head Football Coach, Chris Peterson. He was able to pick the brain of one of the winningest active football coaches in the nation...I was a little jealous.

Like Johnny, I have a deep respect for what Coach Peterson stands for: his integrity, the way he treats people, his longevity of success, and I mostly admire his leadership style. This is controversial being a Coug lifer, but if I had to choose a leader to mentor my son Baylor, between Coach P or the Pirate (WSU Football Coach Mike Leach), I’d definitely lean toward Coach Peterson. While Coach Leach would be thrilled to discuss the patterns of cloud formations in the sky, Coach Peterson would be more apt to discuss offensive formations and the importance of having strong character. 

During my conversation with Johnny, he gave me a cool insight on Coach Peterson’s leadership philosophy. He said that Peterson uses the book The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success & Happiness, by Jeff Olson as a core foundation of his program. This sparked my interest. I have heard of this book before. I’d listened to its summary in my app Blinkist and loved the idea of small daily disciplines compounding over time. Simple enough concept, but I felt like I didn’t need to read the whole book. Johnny’s insight on Coach Peterson changed my tune. 

With Johnny’s and Coach Peterson’s recommendation, I downloaded it before my trip to Greece (which is where I’m at right now! The water, the history, and the sun are amazing by the way). On our 15 hours on an airplane, I devoured this personal development classic. Originally written in 2005, and updated in 2013, below is a summary of the key points that resenated with me.

Time is Your Ally

The central theme of The Slight Edge is doing simple basic tasks consistently over time. If you do, you'll generate a compounding effect of growth and improvement. This improvement is often not seen early, but by sticking with it and having patience, you’ll eventually see a return.

Whether it’s reading 10 pages of a personal development book each day, simply doing 15 minutes of cardio each morning, or saving $250 a month, the power of the Slight Edge is sticking to it for the long haul.

Olson talks about getting 1% better every day and uses the example of doubling a penny—which doesn’t seem like much. But, did you know that if you double a penny, by week 3 you will have over $21,000? By 30 days, over $5 million. By 31 days, an entire month, over $10 million.  For example, you might not see a big improvement in your weight or appearance after going to the gym for two weeks, but if you stick with it for a month, two months, six months, that’s the secret sauce that makes a successful entrepreneur, athlete, or leader...staying with it and committing to the process over long periods of time.

Do you have the patience to stick with it? What’s one thing you’ve quit (or maybe haven’t even started), because you expected a drastic change overnight?  

There’s No Magic Pill

Basically, it all comes down to choice. Olson writes, “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.” Success comes down to putting in the work...simple as that. Olson suggests that only 5% of people are disciplined enough to avoid the seduction of instant gratification and the path of least resistance. He says, “It’s just as easy to make a good decision, as it is a bad decision.” Do I eat the cheeseburger or the chicken salad? Do I drink water or Coke? Do I get up early, or hit the snooze button? Once you are able to make The Slight Edge decision enough times, doing the right thing becomes easy, because you’ll form a new rewarding habit. 

Master the Mundane  

Greatness is often found behind the scenes. Doing unsexy things like saving not spending; helping others instead of self promoting; journaling instead of browsing on social media. The secret to The Slight Edge is identifying what your critical actions are and sticking with it. These actions will not create Tweetable moments or fanfare, but are critical to advancing toward your goals. 

What are one or two simple actions you can start doing today consistently to help you be the best version of you? 

Create a Personal Philosophy 

According to Olson, the driving force for sticking with your commitments is having a purpose and vision behind your actions. Olson quotes the Think and Grow Rich author Napoleon Hill:

 “There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”

By having a personal philosophy, which can be as short as Nike’s “Just do it,” you’ll create the mindset that shapes your attitude, guides your behavior, and pushes you when you feel like taking the easy way. 

Can you come up with a slogan or personal philosophy of your own?

Do yourself a favor and read The Slight Edge. This simple concept and lifestyle choice works for high achievers like Coach Peterson, and has the power to help you make a few simple changes that can have a lasting affect in your life if you stick with them.  

...Then again, successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.  

Collin Henderson is an author, speaker, and high performance coach. Pre-order his new book Master Your Mindset now! 

Podcast Ep. 4: Your Inner-Voice

How is your inner-voice? Are you aware of the words you say to yourself? In this episode, we discuss two different voices we have that occupy our thoughts: Bad COPs (Comparing, Opinions, Perfection) and Good COPs (Care, Own it, Progress).

The greater your self-awareness and control of your inner-voice, the better you will perform. 

Click here to listen and subscribe to Master Your Mindset Podcast!!! 

The body has limits, but the mind is limitless!