The Mindset Secrets Of Elite Athletes - Lauren Johnson | Modern Wisdom Podcast 325

Negative thoughts aren't the problem, believing them is. And sometimes we have to be our biggest fan, and we have to feed ourselves with the things that we need to hear to continue going. What is that phrase that you need to hear when you need it most? Think of it from, what would you want your mentor to tell you? What would you want your best friend to tell you? And then make sure that you become your own mentor and your own best friend in those moments when it matters most. (wind blowing)

What's it like working with the New York Yankees?

Um, well, it, it, so I don't know, I don't know if you knew this. Um, I actually broke off from the Yankees-

Wow, no I did not.

... in February.

I did not. What are you doing now?

Yeah. So I have my own consulting company now that I do, uh, I work with all sort, sorts of athletes and companies and executives and CEOs. Um, but I would love to tell you about my time there, because it was very formative. Those four years I was with the Yankees was extremely formative into the position that I am in now. And working with the Yankees is pretty incredible for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is the standards that they hold themselves to. And they hold themselves to an extremely high standard. And not in a way that's unrealistic, but in the way that if you think you can do this, we think you can go further. And if you, essentially success to the Yankees is if you win a World Series. So a couple years ago when we got close, you know, they were, people were like, "What a great season." And if you had said that to anyone in our organization, they would've told you, "No, it was a crap season." A good season is winning the World Series. So I think that because you're surrounded by the, that level of expectation, and by such brilliant minds in baseball and in all these other areas and realms that we, and resources we pull from, that, um, because you're in that environment, you have no other choice but to level up yourself.

How common is that degree of excellence chasing in baseball at large?

It, I would say it's pretty common in terms of, you know, levels of excellence. And I can't speak for really many any other clubs because I've not worked with them, but I can say that the level of expectation feels different at the Yankees, and I'll tell you why. Because of the name, there's a lot that comes with it. And so you have a lot of eyeballs on you. And like, come on, you either love or you hate the Yankees. There's really no in between. And so because of that, including your own fans, some days they love you when you're performing well, and when you're not, they hate you. So it's learning not to ride the roller coaster of the outside noise, and being able to define what excellence means, not only towards the mission but also for your own kind of internal scoreboard.