Treat team members as human beings with families, stresses, and emotions, rather than just resources, as this approach measurably leads to higher performance and happiness within a team.
Commit to a consistent meditation practice, even if only for five minutes a day, five or six days a week, as this can have a significant effect on focus, performance, and overall well-being over time.
Foster a mindful culture within an organization, for example, by offering in-house guided meditation sessions three times a week, to build a high-functioning, human-centric environment characterized by calm, trust, and high performance.
Develop the ability to quickly move on from any outcome (good or bad) and refocus on the present moment, especially in performance-oriented situations, by training your mind to be present through meditation.
Cultivate the ability to be present in your daily life through meditation to reduce stress, sharpen your senses, and avoid dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about future events.
Engage in mental skills training, including meditation, visualization, and positive affirmation, to gain a competitive advantage in sports by improving focus, confidence, and resilience on the court or field.
In a team setting, acknowledge and process “tensions” – defined as the difference between what is and what could be – by bringing them to structured meetings where a next step is quickly identified, fostering trust, respect, and transparency.
Implement a strict meeting structure that allows everyone to be heard, moves quickly, and prioritizes resolving all identified issues (tensions) by defining a clear next step, optimizing for meeting output.
Use guided meditation apps like Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Buda 5, or Lucid to support your practice, especially when starting or needing structured sessions, as they can help you focus on breathing and return to the present.
Incorporate meditation, visualization (imagining performing well or poorly to become aware of feelings), and positive affirmation (countering negative self-talk) into a daily mental skills workout to build confidence and improve performance.
Actively seek out or accept uncomfortable experiences, as these situations can provide profound learning and growth opportunities that might not be gained through traditional education or comfortable routines.
During meditation, pay attention to the physical sensation of your breath coming in and going out, and when your mind wanders, gently return your focus to the breath, allowing thoughts to pass without engagement.
Practice positive affirmations, repeating phrases that build self-belief (e.g., “it’s okay to fail”), to counteract negative self-talk that can inhibit performance and confidence, especially for youth athletes.
Be open to trying meditation even if you have preconceived notions or skepticism about it, as initial experiences can reveal it to be non-religious, practical, and calming, leading to a sense of calm afterwards.
Identify and observe individuals who exhibit a calm, warm, gentle, and authentic demeanor, using their presence as inspiration to cultivate similar qualities in yourself.
Refrain from starting or owning a business in an industry where you lack fundamental knowledge, as this significantly increases the difficulty and likelihood of negative experiences and is a “horrible idea.”