High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset

High performers focus on their improvement and reaching their standard of excellence instead of comparing themselves to others. They stay focused on their race. High performers know that people who focus on others struggle to reach greatness. Comparison is the quickest way to let your team's and your individual performance suffer. Instead, high performers celebrate others and their accomplishments and ask themselves, "What can I learn from this person?" Affirmation this Week: I pursue my standard of excellence. I stay focused on my lane and my progress. I work to be my best one step at a time.

Erika Carlson, CEO and Certified Mental Trainer at Mental Training Inc., discusses the importance of playing carefree and present. She describes that playing "carefree" means to not care about the outcome. The best train their mind to be present moment focused. When we overthink, we are focused on the past or future, not the present. She describes that many athletes have outcome goals but no process to achieve them. The key to reaching your BHAG's, Erika says, is to "focus on your process today." Erika also discusses the importance of failure, understanding "patterns" and the emotional wheel. "I have not met a person that cannot improve on their self-talk." @SportPsycher via @Mentally_Strong "There are always patterns pre-game, after mistakes, and post-game to help bring awareness." @SportPsycher via @Mentally_Strong "The quicker you can learn from a mistake, the more valuable it is. The mistake then is a blurb not a mountain." @ SportPsycher via @Mentally_Strong "A key to performance is to be calm from the neck up and relaxed from the next down." @ SportPsycher via @Mentally_Strong "When you focus on what's right, you acknowledge an additional source of confidence." @ SportPsycher via @Mentally_Strong To reach out to Erika, you can find her at erikacarlsonsports.com or on Twitter @SportPsycher.

"Comparison is the thief of joy." Theodore Roosevelt Comparison makes us feel like we are never enough. We are never good enough. Smart enough. Powerful enough. Thin enough. Athletic enough. Successful enough. Strong enough. Certain enough. Extraordinary enough. Perfect enough. Fast enough. Comparison is trap. Comparison can spin us into a tail-chasing frenzy of self-doubt. Comparison negatively impacts our motivation at work and in sport and decreases our passion and zest to go after our goals. Comparison interferes with our ability to be and stay gritty. In this episode, Cindra talks about what to do instead of comparing our self to someone else, and why it's so important to stay focused on "your lane." Affirmation this Week: I pursue my standard of excellence. I stay focused on my lane and my progress. I work to be my best one step at a time.

In this interview, Dr. Jim Taylor talks about what it means to think like a champion. He discusses that we need to strive for excellence instead of perfection, and how the need to be perfect can get in our way of peak performance. Perfection leads to an unwillingness to take risks, fear of failure, and pressure. It is never attainable. He describes how peak performance is complex. He also talks about how failure is like a mountain lion that can eat you! You can find Jim at @drjimtaylor or drjimtaylor.com where you can find information about his online courses and services. "A key is to fully realize your potential – that is where your mind comes in!" "There is no other option than to give it your all. Throw yourself into it." "If you take your shot, good things will happen." "Performance is a complex activity just like humans are complex creatures."

When it comes to commitment, 99% is hard, 100% is Easy. When you are 100% committed, you don't let excuses get in the way. The 100% commitment keeps you focused. It frees up energy so you don't have to decide in the moment. Your decision is already done. You reduce the stories, excuses, and don't allow the reasons you can't creep in your mind. You don't play mind games, and don't go half-way. You are all-in. In this episode, Cindra describes how to be 100% committed. Affirmation this Week: I am 100% committed and all-in. I don't make excuses. The next level is calling me and I hear it.

A Brain-Friendly Workplace with Dr. Erika Garms, Speaker, Consultant & Author Are you always looking for ways to better understand yourself and others? Would you like to hear what tremendous impact a few big ideas from brain science hold for you? If you answered 'yes' to either of these, you're going to be glad you're here. Dr. Erika Garms is a workplace effectiveness expert with a gift for translating powerful scientific theory to everyday workplace practice. She has been a consultant with management consulting firms -- local startups to global. She has also been a teacher, professor, internal OD consultant, unit manager, and now runs her own firm. In this interview, Erika describes a brain-friendly workplace and includes three components: calm, confidence, and doing what you are good at. She describes the outcomes of developing a brain-friendly workplace and her model that guides her work with clients. Erika also talks about her powerful experience that lead her to study and understand the topic which included a heart attack and post-traumatic stress. You can find more about Erika and her company, Working Smarts, at workingsmarts.com and connect with her on Twitter @Erika_Garms. Her book, The Brain-Friendly Workplace: 5 Big Ideas from Neuroscience that Address Organizational Challenge" is also available on workingsmarts.com.

In this interview, Tom Dillard, a retired Navy Seal shares with us the Seal mindset and how we can apply it to our lives. Tom spent 20 years in the Navy and the last 15 years as a Seal. He shares with us how Seals "earn their trident everyday" while maintaining a sense of brotherhood knowing it is a privilege and honor to represent the Seals. Tom describes the importance of controlling your emotions and how a Seal does that. In times of adversity, Seals find the opportunity to grow from it because "resilience gets you through." He shares with us how goal setting, mental rehearsal, and present moment focus helped him as a Seal and how we can use them too. You can reach Tom at tdillardiv@gmail.com.

High performers know that their mind can be in three places: the past, present or future. They also know their flow zone can only happen in the present moment. They can do anything they want to in the present moment. High performers make a moment-to-moment nonjudgmental commitment to be aware of their focus and then make the choice to change their focus in the present moment. The present moment is where a focus on the process occurs and high performance happens. Affirmation this Week: I live in the moment. I take one play at a time. I can do anything and be anything right here, right now.

"Live in the moment. Take one day at a time. One play at a time." That's great advice from the Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver who went from small town Detroit Lakes, Minnesota to Special Teams Player of the Year last year for the Minnesota Vikings. In this interview, Adam talks about the keys to his success including his experience trying out with the Vikings, then making the roster, and now being a key player for the team. He talks about mindset principles he learned during mental training in college and how he applies the principles. He talks about staying in the present moment, letting go of mistakes, and not dwelling on the past. He shares what he sees separate the best in the NFL from the rest, and the role of mindset in performance. A must-listen-to interview for anyone that wants to step up their game and understand how. You can follow Adam on twitter @athielen19 or on Istagram.

Patrick Cohn, Mental Game Coach, tells us that focusing on the process over the outcome leads to the results we desire. He explains his formula for success which is no exceptions + high confidence + manageable objectives. He shares 4 things that separate the best from the rest: they have a strong base of physical skills, high motivation, an incredible work ethic, and confidence/trust in themselves. The 3 things that most likely get in people's way of performing at their best is a fear of failure, perfectionism, and the fear of disappointing others. When athletes experience perfectionism, he encourages them to focus on embracing the imperfection and focusing on getting the job done instead. You can find Patrick on Twitter @ PeakSports. To get your free Ebook, visit peaksports.com, where he has a wealth of resources and products.