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.
