The Benefits of Neutrality with Josh Lifrak
Very often, our minds are actively focused on different things—events that have already happened, have yet to happen, or something we judge as either positive or negative. We rarely find our minds neutral, and that, in turn, affects how we interact in the present.
A neutral mind leaves us fully in the moment, allowing us to accept what is, not wishing it were something else. Presence enables the mind to focus on what we can control. Our guest today is going to help you and your team find neutrality so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.
Josh Lifrak has been in the coaching field for 18 years. He has worked with elite athletes and corporate leaders in achieving peak performance and contributed to optimizing many organizational cultures for growth. He is the current Director of Performance and Coaching for Limitless Minds, a health and wellness technology company founded by Denver Broncos quarterback, Russell Wilson and the acclaimed Trevor Moawad, the author of “It Takes What It Takes.” Josh is also the president of Lift-Up Consulting from 2014 to 2019 and has worked in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets, helping both teams with mental performance—even helping the Cubs win a World Series.
Today’s episode delves into the importance of a neutral mind and understanding our internal narratives, providing strategies and habits used by elite athletes to excel. Join us!
Key Points:
- The importance of having a neutral mind
- There is no single factor that yields good performance. It is the accumulation of several things that you can notice by building self-awareness.
- Achieving a neutral mind through (1) distancing yourself from what is occurring, and (2) noticing your behavior, what contributed to it, and the things you are grateful for
Episode Highlights
- [00:00] Introduction to the episode
- [05:02] Josh’s work with Limited Minds and the power of a neutral mind
- [08:46] Why Josh got into sports psychology and why he decided to leave it
- [15:52] What drove Josh in his previous and current work
- [21:39] What contributes to high performance in both sports and business?
- [23:50] What are some behaviors that can help an individual reach a state of high performance?
- [26:47] What Josh learned while working in professional baseball
- [30:03] Why having work-life balance helps Josh mentally
- [35:37] How Josh helps his clients navigate the ups and downs of work by encouraging focus on the moment no matter the outcome, and why there is no singular factor that yields great performance
- [41:08] Arriving at neutral thinking through distance and noticing
- [46:54] Josh’s recommended readings
- [47:41] Conclusion
Resources Mentioned:
- “It Takes What It Takes” by Trevor Moawad
- Getting to Neutral: How to Conquer Negativity and Thrive in a Chaotic World“ by Trevor Moawad and Andy Staples
- “The Bomber Mafia” by Malcolm Gladwell
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