Dr. Vernice Richards is the Director of Mental Conditioning and Peak Performance at the Evert Tennis Academy. She is originally from Trinidad and Tobago. She is a certified by the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP-CC #505), received her Masters in Counseling specializing in Sports Psychology from Boston University and her PhD in Sport Psychology from Florida State University. In this interview, she discusses her pyramid of success, how she teaches breathing and mindfulness, and how we can "compete" to be the best we can be. Full shownotes are available at cindrakamphoff.com/vernice.  

Last weekend I went to an event called “Unleash the Power Within” with Tony Robbins. This episode is about 3 things I learned. High performers don’t believe their 2 million year brain. They choose to condition themselves to be happy and grateful. What is wrong is always there, and so it what is right. They focus on love, gratitude and appreciation when they are fearful. And they hang around with outstanding people to raise their game. Today's affirmation: "I raise my game. I step up. I master myself to create the future that I want."

Dr. Larry Lauer is the Director of Player Development for the US Tennis Association. In this role, he is also a mental skills specialist working with the most elite tennis players in the U.S. to help accelerate them from juniors to pros. He works with athletic coaches to help them support and develop their athletes. In this interview, he talks about how three things separate the best in the world: 1) an unbelievable work ethic focused on always getting better, 2) a commitment to the process that doesn’t bear fruit for some time, and 3) passion for what they do. We talk about how the best are almost solely focused on the process (about 95% of the time), but they check in with their outcome goals periodically throughout the season – perhaps every quarter, he suggests. Or, they use their outcome goals to stay motivated and pushing themselves during training. Other topics discussed: His “Breath and Believe” Strategy 3 Steps to Command the Moment 3 Things the Best Coaches Do Get a description and summary at cindrakamphoff.com/Larry. You find Larry on twitter at @LarryLauer or email him at [email protected].

High performers break free of mental barriers. They dream big. They play big. They continuously push themselves and their limits. They realize fear will always be there if they are growing and learning. They choose to stay present moment focused and make a decision to be confident. This week's affirmation: "I dream big. I play big. I continuously push myself past my limits to find a new level."

High performers don’t play small. They play big. They continuously push themselves and their limits. They go after their big dreams. And each day, the work to reach their best and their greatest potential. They ask themselves, “what would the best in the world do right now?” This week's affirmation: I play big. I move forward towards my dreams and goals with passion. I do what the world’s best do!

Gloria Balague is a sport psychologist who currently works with the elite athletes and teams including the Chicago Bears, USA Gymnastics and USA Track and Field. She taught at the University of Illinois, Chicago starting in 1988 and retired just a few short years ago. Gloria has attended several Olympic and World Championships helping athletes with the mental game.  She says that the world’s best have two distinguishing characteristics: 1) they have a clear picture of where they are right now and 2) have an unshakeable belief in themselves and belief they can get there. She describes the unique environment of the NFL and how this creates difficulties in helping athletes with the mental game. The NFL is the only environment where new athletes can be signed throughout the season. She also talks about her experiences as a female working in the NFL. You can find a full description and summary at Cindrakamphoff.com/gloria.

“All stress begins with one negative thought.” Rhonda Byme High performers take control of their thinking. They notice their ANTS and talk back to their ANTS (automatic negative thoughts) in a powerful and productive way. They drive their CAR by catching it, addressing it, and releasing it. This Week’s Affirmation: “Successful people don’t believe everything they think – so I don’t have to either.”

“Negative Thoughts stick around because we believe them, not because we want them or choose them.” Andrew Bernstein High performers recognize that their thoughts are the most important factor in reaching their greater potential. But they don’t believe everything they think! They decide to reduce their ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) and take command over their thinking. This Week’s Affirmation: I don’t believe everything I think. I talk to myself in a powerful and productive way.  

Duncan Simpson, Assistant Head of Mental Conditioning at IMG Academy, is passionate about working with people to maximize their potential and help them accomplish what they haven’t. In this interview, he talks about how focus, not confidence, is the most important mental skill. The best focus on the right things at the right time. The key is to detect distractions and dial in for 1 minute. Duncan describes that confidence is a belief state. Confident is not an emotional state. It doesn’t matter how you feel. When we are performing, there is no reason to change how we feel. Instead, he suggests we move on and shift our focus. Towards the end of the interview, he describes that motivation is a lie. It is discipline that is key to high performance. Other gems that Duncan discussed include: His “Time Machine” exercise 4 parts of a routine: physical, technical, tactile, and mental. How to layer imagery His epic failure that helps him get to where he is today. Head over cindrakamphoff.com/Duncan for a description and summary. You can follow Duncan on Twitter @SportPsychDunc or email him at [email protected].

“Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” Mia Hamm High performers have a burning desire to be at their best. They have high standards for themselves and others around them. They are driven to succeed and get satisfaction from pursuing their goals. They take their mistakes in stride, however, remembering that not everyone is perfect. My High Performance Affirmation: I have a burning desire to be at my best. I am driven to succeed. I focus on why I love to do what I do.

“If you change the way you look at things, the thing you look at change.” Wayne Dyer High performers use reframing daily which is the process of recreating alternative frames or looking at their life, sport, or the world. They don’t ignore the injury, difficulty or pain, but instead see a different perspective and how the obstacle is helping me. This helps them feel unstoppable and jazzed about their life, sport, and job. My High Performance Affirmation: I use reframing regularly to keep me passionate and charged for my goals and my life. I see a setback as a comeback.

“If you think you can or think you can't, you're right.” Henry Ford. High performers choose powerful, possibility-oriented, process focused and positive thoughts regardless of the situation and what is happening around them. They know this type of thinking leads to success. High performers address weak, negative, restrictive and outcome-focused thinking which does not lead to reaching their greater potential. My High Performance Affirmation: I make a commitment to not believe everything I think! I talk to myself not listen.

High performers know that how they interpret their failure greatly determines their success. They approach failure as an opportunity. They see failure as essential for them to grow, learn, get better, understand themselves. They see failure as helpful in reaching their full potential. Week’s Affirmation:  I see failure and mistakes as opportunity to learn and grow. I know failure is a  learning tool so I embrace it instead of fight it.

Dr. Mark Anshel talks about his new book, In Praise of Failure: The Value of Overcoming Mistakes in Sports and Life, in this podcast interview. Dr. Anshel has written 12 other books, and over 145 research articles. He has applied his concepts with college athletes and coaches, law enforcement, exercisers, sports rehabilitation settings, performing artists and corporate leaders. Mark came to study failure from his own experiences failing. He says we are taught to see failure as harmful, but failure should be viewed as feedback. Failure is a perception, meaning failure to one person is success to another. As leaders, coaches, parents and teachers, Dr. Anshel suggests that we should criticize behavior, not character when discussing failure. When giving feedback, we should praise first, and then discuss what the person did wrong by focusing on only 1 or 2 things. The key is to give people hope – that is what we all need, he suggests.  You can reach Dr. Anshel at [email protected]. * Tweet this: “Failure is a stepping stone to something better.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong * Tweet this:  “You need to experience failure to appreciate success.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong * Tweet this: “We don’t learn unless we fail. Failure is feedback.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong * Tweet this: “We need failure to learn and continue to be self-motivated.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong * Tweet this: “Give yourself a break once in a while. Don’t be so self-critical.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong   To order, Dr. Anshel’s book, In Praise of Failure you can visit Amazon HERE. He also mentions a few other books in this interview including Between Parent and Child by Haim Ginott and Teacher & Child by Haim Ginott. 

High performers are confident – they believe and trust in their ability. They wear their confidence armor so they don’t take comments and actions of others personally, but can still learn and grow. They appreciate their experiences that they have led them to where they are today. They choose confidence! Affirmation this Week: I choose confidence. I choose to believe and trust in my ability to be at my best for myself and my team.

JF Menard, a performance psychology specialist, joined the internationally acclaimed entertainment company Cirque Du Soleil at the age of 25, fresh out of graduate school. “They didn’t hire me for my experience. They hired me for my passion.” In this interview, he talks about how being around the best athletes in the world helped him elevate his game. He provides several lessons learned (one from a clown) and how his work at Cirque lead him to start Kambio Performance in 2013. Over the years, he is helped athletes win gold medals in the 3 biggest major sporting events:  Commonwealth, PanAms and Olympic Games. He discusses how he helps his athletes handle pressure, perform their best at the Games, and how he prepared himself as a sport psychologist to go to the Games in Rio. He also shares what he sees as the mental attributes of the World’s best one of those attributes being that  “World champions are not fearless – they just fear less.”  You can reach JF Menard at kambioperformance.com as well as on Twitter @JFMenardKambiop and on Facebook. 

High Performers have clearly written goals that are slightly difficult to stay hungry and excited for their sport, business and life. They work hard every day to reach their goals and are deliberate with their daily activities. They go the extra mile to achieve their goals because they are gritty.   Week’s Affirmation: I know what I want and every day I work towards my goals. I go after my goals with passion and excitement. I stay focused and gritty.

In this interview, researcher and lecturer, Dr. Mustafa Sarkar, describes his powerful and cutting-edge findings on resilience with high achievers and Olympic champions. He defines resilience as the “the ability to use personal qualities to withstand pressure.” He discusses 6 personal qualities that resilient people have which include: 1) positive and proactive personality, 2) experience and learning, 3) sense of control, 4) flexibility and adaptability, 5) balance and perspective and 6) perceived social support. Dr. Sarkar provides practical tips including “learning your ABCs” on how to build resilience in yourself, your clients, or your team.

Dr. Dave Yukelson, the Sport Psychologist at Penn State for 28 years, discusses how mental toughness is not something we are born with. Instead, it is an inner drive that we learn. He describes that the best athletes are mentally tough and have an ability to have a growth mindset and stay composed in the game. To do this, Yuke talks about letting go of the “mental gu” and “flipping the channel.” He also discusses the skill of focus which includes being “right here, right now,” positivity, composure and a choice to be confident. Other topics he discusses includes trying too hard, focal points, and the importance of the breath in performance.

High performers know consistent high performance happens when they reduce their judge. High performers can connect and lead more effectively when they reduce their judge. When they experience their judge, they notice it, talk to it, and ask themselves, “What is really real here?” Affirmation this Week: I see the good in myself, the situation, and in others. I talk to my judge and reduce it’s power.

Sean McCann, Senior Sport Psychologist for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), has traveled to the last 12 Olympics to work with the nation’s best athletes. In his work for the USOC, he works directly with teams and coaches, from mental skills seminars and workshops about Olympic pressure, to individual sessions with athletes.  In this interview, he talks about how the best mentally prepare for a competition that only happens every four years. Sean describes that one key factor is to overbuild mental skills so that the athlete can perform when the conditions are not perfect. He suggests to focus on behavior and to ask: 1) What does it mean to do my job well? and 2) What does it look like to not do my job well? Dr. McCann says that mental skills are the bedrock to performance which athletes use to self-regulate themselves, but there is an extra layer. This extra layer is the 3-step process: 1) Get your questions answered (i.e., logistics, strategy, doubts, etc.), 2) Find a focus of 3-4 things that are process focused (“To perform well, I will…”) and 3) Perform with certainty. You can reach Sean @sportpsychone and at [email protected].

High performers work to understand themselves. They work to be aware of their thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment. They use their ABCs to stay in control of their thoughts and emotions, and consider the ripples they want to make. My Affirmation this Week: “I check in with myself and breathe. I channel my inner CUB and master the deep breath. I take control of myself to reach a new level of performance.”    

High performers surround themselves with people that help them be great. They know that attitude and energy is contiguous. They surround themselves with the right people who support and encourage their vision. Because the people around you can either elevate your game or bring you down. Affirmation this Week: I choose carefully the people I spend time with. I surround myself with optimistic, confident people that are jazzed about their future. I choose people who elevate my game and life.

High performers work to understand themselves including their thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment. They work to be nonjudgmentally aware in the present moment. They know this mindful practice allows them to improve their performance, happiness, and reduce the stress they experience. My Gritty Affirmation this Week: I work to notice my thoughts, emotions and body in the present moment. I free myself of the habits that don't allow me to reach my greater potential. I quiet my monkey mind by staying in the present moment.

High performers are confident – they believe and trust in their ability. They have certainty that they will be successful. They are confidently humble – they have inner arrogance but don’t brag. They are constantly nurturing their confidence because they know confidence can be fragile. Affirmation this Week: I choose confidence. I choose to believe and trust in my ability. I constantly nurture my confidence with my daily decisions to be at my best for myself and my team.

High performers imagine past and future success regularly. They create in their mind first, and then they live it. They imagine coming back from setbacks stronger and imagine dealing with adversity while staying in control of their body and mind. They use imagery to prepare to perform and get in their flow zone. Affirmation this Week: I imagine success. I create success in my mind first, and then I make it happen. I follow the lead of elites and use the most powerful performance weapon I have – my mind.

In this interview, Kevin King, Owner of Premier Teambuilding Solutions, Lecturer, and Leadership Development Consultant, discusses culture, trust and leadership. He shares with us three levels of trust and what they could mean for you: competence, interpersonal and character. Kevin also describes what great leaders do and how they are students of their leadership – they are constantly learning about themselves and growing as a leader. He describes that the best leaders control the controllables and how controlling what you can control is an intentional practice. He also discusses how to create culture and how physics informs how to build culture.

High performers adopt a growth mindset. High performance happens because of hard work and dedication.  They we see challenges as exciting and the find optimistic ways of explaining adversity. They take failure as feedback and continuously seek to improve and help others do the same. They take a “yet” mentality and believe they will figure it out. Affirmation this Week: I see challenges as exciting. I see mistakes as helping me learn.  When I get frustrated with my progress, I will remind myself I just haven’t done it “yet.”

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 [email protected].            

  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.

High performers know that growth happens outside their Comfort Zone – in their Courage Zone. They act with courage and bravery. They play big. They do things that are uncomfortable. They are comfortable being uncomfortable. They take risks and try new things. They are okay standing out. They live a life with grit and continually pursing their dreams.  Affirmation this Week: I choose my Courage Zone over my Comfort Zone. I will play big, try new things, and act with courage and bravery. I get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Ben Newman, Performance Coach, has shared the stage with Ray Lewis, Jerry Rice, and assisted the record setting 5-straight Division I National Football Champion North Dakota State Bison. In this inspiring and energetic interview, he talks about what separates the best from the rest. He says the best do two things: 1) they have a deep connection to their purpose, and 2) they have the daily discipline to reach high performance. Ben explains that the best have the Power of the Reframe and are always focused on solutions not problems. They attack the process, even though we naturally focus on results, and take adversity in real-time. They stay humble and hungry always focused on what they can control – their attitude, effort, and belief. You can find Ben on Twitter @ContinuedFight. To get your free Mental Toughness Playbook, visit freeplaybook.net and learn more about Ben Newman at bennewman.net. You can also find information about his group coaching at iwantgroupcoaching.com.

High performers know they have more in their reserve tank. They keep in mind the 40% rule which means they have up to 60 percent more to give. They embrace the suck, but don’t live there. They think and act like pros by welcoming and embracing the discomfort. They realize they need to stay the course, put their heads in the sand and stay gritty. Find the shownotes at: cindrakamphoff.com/owning-40-rule

Jonathan Zierdt, President and CEO of Greater Mankato Growth, talks about his journey battling kidney and prostate cancer. At first he tried to “tame” cancer, but has realized to embrace cancer he must “take what the defense gives him.” In this inspiring interview, Jonathan talks about how he stays positive and how he sees cancer as a “tremendous blessing.” His mission is to change the way we see cancer and be open to the blessings that come from cancer. To stay positive, he encourages people to: 1) find what inspires you and grab ahold of it, and 2) remember that life is not a spectator sport – we must get in the game! To connect with Jonathan, you find him on twitter  @JonathanZierdt  or email him at [email protected].

In this interview, David Horsager, the world-leading expert on trust, talks about how a lack of trust is your biggest expense. He describes his 8-pillar framework (clarity, compassion, character, competency, commitment, connection, contribution and consistency). Developing trust takes time - there is no quick fix. The best think about trust bigger and take responsibility for developing trust. He describes his “90 day quick plan” and the importance of asking “How?” “How?” “How?” when thinking about trust. Towards the end of the interview, he describes that we cannot provide anything of long-term value without sources of strength and provide several examples in his own personal life.   You can find more about David’s work including his certifications atwww.trustedge.com or learn more about his speaking athttp://www.davidhorsager.com/.  Buy his products including his best-selling books The Daily Edge and The Trust Edge here: http://www.davidhorsager.com/store/

In his book The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz said, “Nothing people do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dreams.” When we take things personally, we let criticism and negativity eat at us. We can overreact, get offended, and hold grudges. We create conflicts that can impact relationships long-term. When you take things personally, you allow the words of others to poison you. You get further away from your goals and dreams. You cannot be a high performer – or reach your full potential – when you take things personally. In this episode, Dr. Kamphoff provides several strategies you can do instead of taking what others do or say personally. You can reach Cindra at [email protected] or on Twitter @Mentally_Strong.

In this interview, Dr. Michael Sachs starts by talking about the importance of countering excuses and his passion to help people become more active. He talks about the importance of making exercise a lifetime endeavor and finding an activity that you love to do. The keys to the #1 excuse people give to not exercising (which is time) is to: 1) prioritize exercise, and 2) multitask if needed. He also provides us with the 2% solution and question us: “Is your health worth the 2% needed each day for physical and mental health benefits?” Towards the middle of the interview, he shares other wisdom such as a story about Dr. Seuss failing, how success is a journey not a destination, and how high performers “Carpe diem or Seize the Day.” To connect with Michael, you can email him at [email protected]

“Don’t spend a lot of time imaging the worst-case scenario. It rarely goes down as you imagine it will, and if by some fluke it does, you will have lived it twice.” Michael J. Fox Neurologists have found that when your brain expects something to happen, it works to achieve it at a subconscious level. Your expectation creates it. Your brain takes over the job of accomplishing what you see – what you expect. If you expect the worst, you will get the worst. If you expect the best, you are more likely to get the best. In this podcast, we talk about what to do instead when you think about the worst-case scenario and how to turn your attention to the best-case scenario or what Cindra calls the my-case scenario. This week's affirmation: I focus on what I want to happen. I CREATE IT IN MY MIND FIRST, AND THEN I MAKE IT HAPPEN. I think like a high performer and believe the sky is the limit for me.  

Andy Murphy, the host of the popular podcast Mindset by Design, shares that the best of the best are great problem solvers and make decisions fast. They are searching for flow, happiness, trust and calmness. He talks about his training in NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) and the importance of how our conscious and unconscious mind impacts us every day. Andy talks about how we don’t have to believe everything we think, and when we fail, we should use it as feedback. Towards the end of the interview, he discusses how we should build the behaviors that we want to become already. He quotes Bruce Lee at the end of the interview: “I don’t fear the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times” emphasizing that the consistency and the basics work every time. To contact Andy and to learn about his work, visit: www.mindsetbydesign.co or send him a tweet at @AndyMurphyTV.

“Nothing is impossible…the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’” Audrey Hepburn Nothing legendary has ever happened without someone believing it was impossible at one time.  In this podcast, Cindra provides examples that impossible is temporary. Impossible is brief. Impossible is short-lived. Impossible is not permanent. As Muhammad Ali said, “Impossible is not a fact. It is an opinion. It is not a declaration. It is a dare!” She describes how high performers – or those to work to reach their greater potential – view the impossible. She shares a strategy for you to consider what you think is impossible for you to change the impossible to I’m possible. To reach Cindra, send her a tweet @Mentally_Strong or an email at [email protected] Affirmation this Week: I defy limitations. I move boundaries. I do the impossible because I’m possible!