Mind Gym
Read in 17 min.
Listen in 21 min.
Learn the key ideas of the book by Gary Mack

Mind Gym

Training the mind to achieve excellence

Our mind is the driving force behind our success, so we must train it, just as we train our muscles, in order to achieve strength and fitness. In Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Achieving Inner Excellence, Gary Mack explains the thinking behind this theory, and describes the factors we need to focus on, in order to train our minds effectively. His valuable advice, principles, and lessons can be applied to the world of sport and business, as well as to our private lives.

Mind Gym
Read in 17 min.
Listen in 21 min.
IDEA CHIAVE 1/13

Our mind is everything

Western society is externally oriented. We are increasingly looking to sources beyond ourselves to find validation, get inspiration from our heroes, and measure our achievements. In short, we look to the outside for what can only really be found on the inside.

In order to be successful, we have to work on ourselves from the inside, and only later on the outside. Inner excellence has nothing to do with status; it is the way we think and behave, it is the quality of our soul, a mindset whereby we accept responsibility for our thoughts, feelings, and actions, regardless of the difficulties we may encounter.

Numerous studies have shown that mental training improves not only performance and productivity, but also the enjoyment we get from performing the activity itself. We can learn to use our mind at any age, in order to achieve our dreams and objectives, and to stay focused during a performance, steadfast in the face of adversity, and motivated during moments of tedium.

Just like exercising a muscle, building a certain level of mental strength takes time and effort. Yet, the more we work on ourselves from the inside, the more we will see results on the outside. Mental strength is not innate; it is acquired through practice and commitment. If we want to develop our mental abilities, we must train and exercise our mind, just as we would work on any other skill, expertise or personal quality.

  

The key ideas of "Mind Gym"

01.
Our mind is everything
02.
We should focus on what we want to achieve, not on obstacles or problems
03.
Improving our self-confidence through preparation
04.
Visualisation is a powerful tool
05.
We should only work on what we are able to control, and avoid worrying about everything else
06.
In order to turn our dreams into reality, we must set specific, measurable, realistic, and achievable objectives that have a deadline
07.
Working hard and staying focused is essential to achieve our objective
08.
We need to take a good look at our beliefs, and develop a positive inner voice
09.
We need to trust our training and our body, and stay in the present moment as much as possible
10.
In order to cope with moments of crisis, we simply have to keep going, but we have to do it with a little less effort than before
11.
Being successful means that we have done our best
12.
Quotes
13.
Take-home message
 
 
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