AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
The Tim Ferriss Show
#490: Dr. Jim Loehr on Mental Toughness, Energy Management, the Power of Journaling, and Olympic Gold Medals
Dec 28, 2020
01:33:41
Episode guests
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Positive self-talk and rewiring the brain for success through reflecting and scripting self-coaching moments.
- Character strength holds greater significance than external accomplishments or material success.
- Drive, determination, and grit are crucial factors that contribute to success, along with aligning actions with virtues.
Deep dives
Developing a Positive Self-Talk
Start by becoming aware of your inner voice and the tone and content of your self-talk. Reflect on how you speak to yourself during challenging moments and write down the words or phrases that you would use to coach someone you deeply care about in those situations. Script out how you want to speak to yourself in those moments and read it repeatedly to rewire your brain for positive self-talk.
The Power of a Hidden Scorecard
Reflect on who you are at your best and write down the words or qualities that describe you in those moments. Then, imagine what you would want inscribed on your tombstone as a reflection of who you truly were. Compare the two lists and notice any similarities. This exercise reveals that the qualities related to character, such as kindness, compassion, integrity, and trustworthiness, hold greater significance and are more representative of your best self than external accomplishments or material success.
The Importance of Drive and Work Ethic
Drive and work ethic are crucial factors that contribute to success. Individuals who are highly driven and willing to put in the effort and persistence necessary to overcome setbacks and failures often become extraordinary performers. While talent and natural ability play a role, it is the determination and grit that ultimately separate and propel individuals towards achieving greatness.
Different Definitions of Success
Success can be defined in various ways. While some highly successful individuals may lack moral and ethical character, focusing solely on external markers of success like titles, money, and achievements, others find fulfillment by aligning their actions with virtues such as compassion, humility, honesty, and kindness towards others. It is important to consider not just what you achieve, but how you go about achieving it, as well as the impact of your actions on those around you.
The Importance of Balanced Success
Sustained success is more than just achieving high performance based on skills. It means finding fulfillment and balance in life, being proud of your accomplishments, and becoming a better person overall. Examples like Arnold Palmer and Roger Federer demonstrate that sustained success is not just a temporary achievement, but a result of both performance skills and a strong moral compass.
The Influence of Purpose and Character on High Performance
High performers like Michael Jordan and Roger Federer showcase different styles of achievement. While Jordan's intense drive and dedication to winning propelled him to great success, Federer's balance of family life and philanthropy have contributed to his sustained excellence. The importance of aligning one's purpose with their actions is highlighted, as it not only enhances performance but also brings fulfillment and enables one to impact the lives of others.
"The power broker in your life is the voice that no one hears. How well you revisit the tone and content of your private voice is what determines the quality of your life. It is the master storyteller, and the stories we tell ourselves are our reality." — Dr. Jim Loehr
Dr. Jim Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist and author of 17 books, including his most recent, Leading with Character, which also comes with “The Personal Credo Journal: A Companion to Leading with Character.”
He also co-authored the national bestseller The Power of Full Engagement.
From his more than 30 years of experience and applied research, Dr. Loehr believes the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfillment, and life satisfaction is the strength of one’s character. He strongly contends that character strength can be built in the same way that muscle strength is built through energy investment.
Dr. Loehr has worked with hundreds of world-class performers from the arenas of sport, business, medicine, and law enforcement, including Fortune 100 executives, FBI hostage rescue teams, and military special forces.
Please enjoy!
*
This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 best overall mattress pick of 2020 by GQ magazine, Wired, Apartment Therapy, and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress for each and everybody’s unique taste. Just take their quiz—only two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, to my dear listeners, Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders plus two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/Tim.
*
This episode is also brought to you by 99designs, the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together to create designs they love. Its creative process has become the go-to solution for businesses, agencies, and individuals, and I have used it for years to help with display advertising and illustrations and to rapid-prototype the cover for The Tao of Seneca. Whether your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99designs.
You can work with multiple designers at once to get a bunch of different ideas or hire the perfect designer for your project based on their style and industry specialization. It’s simple to review concepts and leave feedback so you’ll end up with a design that you’re happy with. Click this link and get $20 off plus a $99 upgrade.
*
This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.
Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.
*
If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!
For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.
Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.
For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.
Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.
Follow Tim:
Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss
Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss
Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss
YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss
Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode