The mindset of a Champion
Whatever you want to accomplish, your mindset will help you get there faster and with better results.
At leftBrain Performance, we work with student athletes and have found that winning is 10% ability and 90% mental. We have developed the language of intangible mental skills that can help you unlock the potential to achieve extraordinary results in sports, education, work, and life. I want to reveal these skills to you.
You have probably heard your coach, teacher, or parents try to explain this by saying things like "toughen up," "dig deeper," "think hard," or "apply yourself." You know they are requiring some sort of mental strength related to whatever your goal is. But the instructions are always ambiguous, and you don’t have any tangible instructions or actionable guidance.
Achieving your dreams is as straightforward as ABC—attitude, behavior, and character.
● Attitude is what you bring to the game.
● Behavior is how you show up; it is what others see.
● Character is what you learn, apply, and share with others.
The great news is that these skills can be developed and applied to whatever you are doing. Unlike physical skills, which might peak in your 20s, we have found that you can get better and better at them throughout your adult life.
But here is the challenge. You can’t learn these things by watching your gadget, using social media, or playing games alone on the couch. You need to get out there in the real world and interact with people. You need to practice, and it is going to take some work. Sorry, there is no immediate recognition and instant gratification like when you gather a whole bunch of likes on a social media post. You will need to develop meaningful relationships and learn new skills.
Dream big. Go for the Gold Medal. Invent something, Create amazing music or art. Fight for a cause. Change the world!
I grew up before cell phones and the internet, which gave me a significant advantage. Media, information, and technology weren’t competing for my attention. My attention was focused on friends, sports, and cars. I wasn’t distracted by social media.
Yet here I am two generations later a successful inventor and tech entrepreneur, having started and sold several software businesses. And I am now the CEO of the most impactful tech business I have ever been part of. Our purpose at leftBrain Performance is to cultivate champions who will positively impact society. We do this by connecting you with your intangible mental skills.
What allowed me the opportunity to invent, build, and succeed was what I learned playing sports in high school. I was mentally prepared for the challenge. I first started writing software when I was 24. I was way behind the curve compared to my peers. Some wondered why I should even try. But I had a dream. And I had the mental skills to succeed.
Only now am I able to describe what I learned from playing sports. We didn’t have the language back then. We just called it the intangibles.
This is what I learned and practiced.
Conscientious Grit This is our moral compass.
This involves being disciplined, organized, and diligent. Knowing your level of conscientious grit can help athletes optimize their training schedules, adhere to nutrition plans, and maintain a consistent routine for peak performance.
Conscientious Grit blends behaviors and character traits, reflecting a strong work ethic, reliability, and persistence in pursuing challenging objectives. It encompasses traits of a responsible, independent person, including organization, motivation, thoroughness, hard work, and self-confidence.
Emotional Grit This is our resilience engine.
Managing and channeling emotions effectively is crucial in sports. Athletes must understand how well they handle stress, pressure, and setbacks to perform at their best.
Emotional Grit encompasses attitude and character, involving the ability to maintain a positive attitude in emotional challenges and resilience in setbacks. It includes emotional intelligence and self-regulation.
Relational Grit This is our positivity.
Team sports require effective communication, collaboration, and building positive relationships with coaches, teammates, and support staff. Relational grit can impact team dynamics and overall performance.
Relational Grit likely involves behavior and character traits, emphasizing commitment to positive relationships, effective communication, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empathy.
Social/Energy Grit This is our energy bank
Social interactions and energy management are vital for athletes. Knowing how well you navigate social situations and manage your energy levels can contribute to overall well-being and sustained performance.
Social/Energy Grit, relating to attitude and behavior, involves how individuals approach social interactions and sustain energy levels in social settings. It reflects enthusiasm, a positive mindset, and active participation.
Openness Grit This is our coachability
Being open to new ideas, strategies, and feedback is important for continuous improvement. Athletes who exhibit openness grit are more likely to adapt to changes in training methods and stay innovative in their approach to competition.
Openness Grit involves a willingness to try new things. It encompasses an attitude of curiosity, behaviors such as seeking new experiences, and character traits related to being open, flexible, and embracing change.
Not just sports
Hey, I am not saying you need to play sports to learn this stuff. I am saying that you should get out there and find something to do with a group, a club, or a team. Make sure that the organization has a coach or a mentor that you can learn from. Ask the coach a lot of questions about these five Grit areas above. Ask about their life experiences where this stuff made a difference.
Teachers, Coaches, and Parents
Yes, I remember grumbling about those things adults in my life wanted me to do. I didn’t get it. It was hard. I didn’t think it was relevant. It slowed me down.
I was wrong. I had it backward.
As I write this there are 16 people in my life that call me dad. It comes in different forms, like father, grandpa, stepdad, or father-in-law. I love it most when they track me down and ask my opinion. They want my perspective. And I try hard to be relevant.
All I really want is for them to live their best lives. Achieve their dreams. And help make the world a better place. I want them to pay it forward to the people they influence, like I am trying to pay if forward to you. I hope you are listening because this is some of my best stuff.
But the thing is - you learn the best and often the most from your failures. And that is why it feels like we push. We want you to find the edge. That place where you are no longer comfortable. That place where you feel off balance. Because it is in that place where you will discover that you have more grit than you thought you had.
I had an epic business failure. It was my second startup, and I was on the top of the world. My ego was inflated because of the success in selling my first startup. It seemed easy, so I was way too casual when entering round 2. I moved too fast and didn’t get the facts. I bossed people around rather than listen to their ideas. I made promises we couldn’t keep. And when things started to crumble, I was in denial. Eventually, it all came tumbling down. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was tell my investors I lost all their money.
But it all could have played out differently if I had a coach. In business, we often call this our Board of Directors. But I was arrogant enough to think I didn’t need one. I learned a lot of things from that failure. The main one is to surround myself with people who will speak into my life and then for me to be brave enough to listen to them.
If I were your Teacher, Coach, or Parent I would want to help you improve your attitude, hone your behavior, and strengthen you character in the following ways. I would let you experience some “safe” failures and then be there with you to help put all the pieces back together. We would talk about what we each learned from the situation and then get back out there and learn from the next setback.
Here are all the results I would want to see in you as you mature into your adult self.
Attitude
● Persistence while overcoming challenges through courage and a drive to be a winner.
● Strength in managing emotions and relationships and making necessary sacrifices when needed.
● Positive relationships with effective communication and collaboration. Accepts responsibility.
● Enthusiasm and encouragement. Being a model for success with a positive mindset.
● Curiosity and a willingness to learn, grow, and take risks.
Behavior
● Disciplined commitment, demonstrating thoroughness, focus, determination, and concentration.
● Facing challenges with composure while exhibiting exceptional sportsmanship.
● Extending trust & empathy through commitment, reliability, forgiveness, and humility.
● Actively engaging with others across different contexts. Being a good teammate.
● Embracing change and being adaptable to enhance performance. Interested, spontaneous.
Character
● Guiding decisions with integrity and upholding values within the competitive arena.
● Building resilience in victory and in handling defeat. The capacity to learn from and recover from setbacks.
● Being approachable and earning respect within sports and life.
● Contributing to motivation and positive energy on the team. Being a representative of the team.
● Being attentive, open, flexible, and coachable.
There may be a day in the not-too-distant future when I receive a note from you applying for a job at my company. What I will want to hear most of all is about your attitude, behavior, and character and the mindset you bring to the team that will fuel our success.
But I suppose that is what any boss, coach, or parent really wants.
Doug Magnuson
CEO
leftBrainPerformance.com
