What does it take to be a Peak Performer? Part 2

Imagine standing at the pinnacle of your field, achieving mastery in your craft, and reaching heights of success previously thought impossible. What does it take to ascend to such heights? How do individuals like Bill Gates, Shohei Ohtani, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and The Beatles such masters in their respective domains? These questions intrigue us, challenging us to unlock the secrets to peak performance and uncover what sets these extraordinary individuals apart.

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One conclusion of today’s exploration is that greatness is not reserved for the few, but attainable for those who dare to dream and work on the elements presented to them today.

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In part 1 of “what does it take to peak perform”, we found that ‘Deliberate Practice’ is the way to go and that the transformative power of grit gets you there. Now, we are going to look what you need to become gritty: the ‘Jedi Mindset’. The Jedi Mindset are the foundations and the steppingstones of the Mindset Temple. Today’s focus is on the steppingstones.

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But, before looking at these steppingstones, let’s quickly recap Part 1 of "what does it take to Peak Performance?" https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/what-does-take-peak-perform-bastiaan-van-veelen-4rave/?trackingId=8gU1uWVUTXitA3MZ9smsDg%3D%3D

We concluded that:

-?????????????? Effort is more important than Talent

-?????????????? The road to Mastery requires many years of ‘Deliberate Practice’

-?????????????? ‘GRIT’ (Passion & Perseverance for long-term goals) is what you need commit and stay with Deliberate practice for the required period.

-?????????????? There are 6 levels of GRIT: Perseverance, Control Thoughts, Best @ Worst, Train Weakness, Master Fear & Recovery.

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You can think of the 6 levels of GRIT as 6 pillars of a Temple. They are all separate from each other, but do work together in carrying the roof structure. The roof structure has the form of a triangle, i.e. an arrow pointing up as that is what GRIT allows you to do: to raise your game, to go higher and go after your dreams and ambitions.

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Just as there is an arrow-formed roof on top of the (GRIT) pillars of a Temple, there is also something below the pillars. There is a level you might see if you look carefully (steppingstones), and a level underground you can’t see (foundation). ?Without these 2 levels below the GRIT-pillars, the Temple wouldn’t be able to weather any storm and stay firm and upright, let alone a decade (time to Mastery, Anders Ericsson) or even longer of periods with severe headwinds and challenges.

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In total there are 5 steppingstones underneath the 6 GRIT-pillars. These 5 pillars come in 2 levels, an upper level of 2 stones and a lower level of 3 stones. Let’s look at the upper level first. I am going to describe all 5 steppingstones, mention people who master these steppingstones, provide an example and a quote. I am not yet going too in-depth or offer offer practical applications yet. This will only be reserved for those who will participate in the Jedi Mindset Masterclass and Jedi Mindset Training program.

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We can identify 3 stones by asking ourselves:

‘What does it take to utilize Perseverance GRIT’ day-in-day-out for a decade long, To be this persistent?’

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To quote Steven Kotler (Art of Impossible, page 69):

“When researchers tease ‘persistence’ apart, they find three psychological traits: willpower, mindset, and passion. Again, there are no shortcuts. You need all three for sustained high performance”

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So, there you go, 3 steppingstones: Willpower, Mindset, and Passion.

All 3 are important to support the pillars. Willpower and passion form the upper level of the stairs, mindset is part of the lower level. Let me explain:

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SS 1. PASSION:

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do” – Steve Jobs

To persist for hours-and-hours year-in-year-out, you need to be passionate about it. You need to get obsessed and stay obsessed. You need a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something. So, GRIT start with Passion. Passion is great, but only most of the time. Unfortunately, passion isn’t always pleasant.

Although Passion isn’t always pleasant, we can identify, stimulate, protect, and leverage it (more in the Mindset Program).

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But what do you need to persist in your effort when things are getting less fun, when the ‘suffering part of Passion’ shows up? Then we need steppingstone 2.

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Examples of people with passion: Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Coach K, Simone Biles, Usain Bolt.

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Richard Branson is famous for his adventurous spirit and passion for entrepreneurship. His passion for business and innovation has fueled the success of the Virgin brand across various industries. He once said: “I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It is all living.”

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SS 2. WILLPOWER

?“Willpower is self-control. It’s the ability to resist distraction, stay focused, and delay gratification.” SK (AoI, p 69).

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Willpower is like a muscle in the sense that:

-?????????????? It is strongest in the morning when we are well rested and erodes as the day goes on.

-?????????????? You can make it stronger by training it.

-?????????????? It needs recovery after intense use.

-?????????????? You can restore and reset it.

I will touch on this during the ‘Jedi Mindset’ masterclass and go in-depth in my ‘Jedi Mindset’ training program.

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Together, Passion and Willpower form the upper level of the steppingstones. Passion gets you into the game and Willpower keeps you going when things get difficult. Together they help you to persist day-in-day out for years-and-years.

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Examples of people with willpower: Tom Brady, Serena Williams, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Belichick, Pat Summitt.

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Only through his relentless focus and determination was Jeff Bezos able to build one of the world largest and game-changing companies on this planet. The quote below demonstrates his willingness to take risks and pursue his ambitious goals with unwavering determination: “I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.””

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Below the upper level, there is lower level of steppingstones as well. The lower level consists of 3 steppingstones: Growth Mindset, Internal Reference, Internal Locus of Control.

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SS 3. GROWTH MINDSET

“I haven’t failed. I’ve only found 10.000 ways that won’t work” Thomas Edison

In 2006 Carol Dweck introduced the term ‘Growth Mindset’. In her research, she demonstrates that those with a Growth Mindset are more likely to Flourish in life and career. People with a Growth Mindset: -??????????????Believe skills can be developed. -??????????????Have a constructive approach to setbacks. -??????????????Are not obsessed with the perception the outside world has on them.

For sustained perseverance and to train your weaknesses a growth Mindset is indispensable.

You will only persevere and train your weakness if you believe that, by deliberately practicing it, you will make progress.

You will only have a constructive approach to setbacks, if you believe it can make you better.

So, a Growth Mindset is important. It is crucial, but it is nothing more than just a steppingstone for GRIT.

Here is a post on GRIT vs Growth Mindset from April: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/bastiaanvanveelen-career-peakperformance-flow-mindset-corebeliefs_mindset-flow-peakperformance-activity-7188530468420550657-bfU1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

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Examples of people with a strong Growth Mindset: Mark Jordan, Serena Williams, Elon Musk.

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Nothing motivated Michael Jordan more than being dropped from the High School Varsity team. As a freshman in University, he deliberate asked the best player on the team to play one-on-one with him. According to his teammates, he was destined to fail. According to him, he was destinated to learn. One of his best quotes: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

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As you can see, a Growth Mindset is great, but…it can’t be sustained by itself. It needs to be supported strong foundation (future article) and to link in with:

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SS 4. INTERNAL REFERENCE

“The only approval you need is your own” Unknown

People with a strong ‘Internal Reference’ typically rely more on their own beliefs, values and standards to guide their behavior and decisions rather than seeking validation or approval from others. So, basically, they are their own judge.

When people with a strong internal reference encounter opinion of others, they typically approach them in a balanced a thoughtful manner rather than that they let their emotions, judgement, actions, and beliefs be influenced by it. Instead, people with an internal reference approach opinions of others with open-mindedness and use the opinions of others to evaluate their own judgement and to seek feedback.

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A Growth Mindset needs the support from an Internal Reference. As Carol Dweck mentioned, people with a Growth Mindset are not obsessed with the outside world. This basically is what an Internal Reference is in itself: you are your own compass and judge without being reliant on the approval of the outside world.

And because you are unfazed on the opinions of others, you aren’t afraid to fail as you don’t fear the disapproval of others. Therefore, an Internal Reference helps you to have a constructive approach to setbacks. You can approach it with curiosity and open-mindedness, to learn from it and grow.

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Examples of people with a strong Internal Reference: LeBron James, Steve Jobs, Vince Lombardi, Sheryl Sanberg, Mark Tuitert.

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I wouldn’t have typed this article on my MacBook and you wouldn’t be reading this on your iPad or iPhone if it wasn’t for Steve Jobs’ Internal Reference. Jobs believed in following his own intuition and vision, rather than conforming to external expectations or conventional wisdom. He trusted his own judgement and wasn’t afraid to take risks in pursuit of his goals. He once said: “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

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So, Internal Reference is absolutely crucial. And it doesn’t only hold up steppingstone #3 Growth Mindset, but also steppingstone #5:

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SS 5. INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL:

“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” Ernest Henley (Nelson Mandela - Invictus)

An internal locus of control refers to the belief that an individual has in their own ability to influence events and outcomes in their life through their own actions and effort. In other words, individuals with an internal locus of control attribute their successes and failures to their own abilities, decisions, and actions, rather than external factors such as luck, fate, or other people (managers, bosses, referees, supreme court).

Some key characteristics of people with an internal locus of control: sense of responsibility, self-efficacy, (pro-) active problem-solving, resilience and internal attribution.

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Examples of people with a strong Internal Locus of Control: Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Walsh, John Wooden, Mark Tuitert.

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Bill Walsh transformed the SF 49-ers from a bottom of the league team to one of the most dominant teams in American sports history. He revolutionized the game of football with his innovative ‘West Coast offense’ and meticulous attention to detail. The transformation wasn’t driven by money, but by his leadership. He encouraged his players to focus on controlling what they could, such as effort, attitude, and preparation, rather than worrying about external factors beyond their control. A quote: “Focus on your actions and attitudes. Then the score takes care of itself.”

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OK, so let’s circle back to Mark Tuitert winning the Gold medal in 2010. Were these steppingstones in place for him?

1.???? Passion: he loved ice skating and also endured pain along the way, i.e. a tick for passion.

2.???? Willpower: he was fully committed to do what it takes, incl optimizing his training (instead of maximizing as he did in 2002). Check

3.???? Growth Mindset: he always looked for ways he could improve. He learned from previous setbacks. Check

4.???? Internal Reference: He was his own judge. No focus on proving himself to others. He was fully focused on what he believed in. Check.

5.???? Internal Locus of Control: He was fully focused on his own race. The quality of the ice, what Shauni Davis would do, he kept it outside. His Stoic approach help him build a powerful internal locus of control. Check.

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Mark was 5 out of 5 in Vancouver. This was massive leap forward from back in 2001. Back then, he couldn’t restrain himself and trained too much, i.e.? lack of willpower. He cared about the opinions of others, i.e. an external reference. Finally, he saw himself as a failure, which meant that his foundations weren’t strong enough yet.

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As we conclude our journey through the steppingstones of the peak performance temple, one truth becomes evident: greatness is attainable for those who choose to embrace the 5 steppingstones. From the entrepreneurial spirit of Richard Benson to the unyielding determination of Jeff Bezos, we have witnessed the power of these qualities in shaping extraordinary success.

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But our exploration doesn’t end here. The five steppingstones we have uncovered – passion, willpower, growth mindset, internal reference, and internal locus of control – are just the beginning. Stay tuned for our next installment, where we delve deeper into the foundation attributes that underpin peak performance and, together with the 5 steppingstones form the ‘Jedi Mindset’.

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What step will you take tomorrow to inch closer to your peak? It is all in your control. Trust in the force of the Jedi Mindset, and let it be a guide towards your fullest potential. All the best!

#peakperformance #mindset #flow #coaching #career