In this episode, Jon Lewis, Elite Fast Bowling Coach for England Cricket, discusses what it takes to make it as a top professional, the importance of patience, players coaching each other, continuous improvement in sports, trying new things and embracing change, confidence under pressure, and the safety of a CBD product for athletes.
The importance of patience and perseverance in a professional athlete's journey.
The value of having a growth mindset and continuously striving for improvement.
The need to manage expectations, embrace variability, and focus on consistent performance over time.
Deep dives
Understanding the Importance of Patience and Perseverance
John Lewis, elite fast bowling coach for England cricket, discusses the importance of patience and perseverance in a professional athlete's journey. He shares his own experiences of learning and growing as a player and coach, emphasizing the need to adapt and continually improve.
The Significance of a Growth Mindset in Sports
Lewis highlights the value of having a growth mindset as an athlete. He explains how being open to learning, embracing challenges, and continuously striving for improvement are essential for long-term success in the highly competitive world of professional cricket.
Balancing Team Performance and Individual Goals
Throughout his career, Lewis recognized the balance between team performance and individual goals. He shares his perspective on how players should prioritize the team's success while also striving to achieve personal milestones. He encourages players to find their role within the team and contribute selflessly.
Managing Expectations and Embracing Variability
Lewis shares a valuable lesson about managing expectations and embracing variability in performance. He recalls his own experiences and advises players to understand that not every day will be their best day. By focusing on consistent performance over time and controlling what they can, players can adapt and improve in the long run.
Building a Trusted Relationship with Players
The speaker discusses the importance of building a trusted relationship with players, particularly through living with them and providing support both on and off the field. By creating a familial environment, players are able to settle in and feel comfortable, ultimately enhancing their performance and improving their overall well-being.
The Impact of Social Media on Young Players
The speaker expresses concern about the influence of social media on young players, noting a shift from a hunger for learning and performance to a thirst for recognition. They highlight the distorted nature of social media, where extreme opinions and exaggerated perspectives dominate, leading to a lack of confidence and a focus on personal validation. The speaker emphasizes the need for young players to understand how to effectively manage social media and to prioritize learning, performance, and self-belief over external recognition.
In this episode, I speak with Jon Lewis, Elite Fast Bowling Coach for England Cricket. Jon also played cricket for England, Gloucestershire, Surrey and Sussex, where he was a teammate, roommate, mentor and coach of mine.
A career that spanned 20 years and taking over 1000 first-class wickets across all formats. I thought Jon would be a good guest on the show however I was blown away at how good the conversation was.
We talk about a range of awesome topics, from what it takes to make it as a top professional, how to be patient as an athlete, why coaches should be patient with their athletes and leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of making yourself the best you can be.
