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#90 Apolo Ohno: Process Versus Prize

Aug 18, 2020 1h 18m 30 insights
8x Olympic medalist and short-track speed skating legend, Apolo Ohno chats about his origin story, recovering from multiple failures, mental training, confidence, and leaving it all on the ice. -- Want even more? Members get early access, hand-edited transcripts, member-only episodes, and so much more. Learn more here: https://fs.blog/membership/   Every Sunday our Brain Food newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/   Follow Shane on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish
Actionable Insights

1. Take Control of Your Life’s Steering Wheel

Take back control of your life’s direction, owning your choices and perceptions, rather than passively letting life happen to you, as this active stance allows you to shape your personal experience.

2. Focus on What You Control

Improve your outcomes by believing you control them and focusing your energy on the aspects of your life and goals that are within your direct influence.

3. Relentlessly Unlock Dormant Potential

Recognize that the dormant power within you is yours to unlock; this requires relentlessly finding what works for you through your own experiences and applying it consistently, rather than seeking a single ‘golden ticket’ solution.

4. Recognize & Confront Internal Battles

Understand that your primary battles are internal; to achieve true change and fulfillment, take a radically transparent look at yourself, removing your ‘armor’ to examine your weaknesses and strengths as if competing against yourself.

5. Cultivate Unshakeable Belief

Cultivate an unshakeable belief in your unlimited potential, your ability to withstand pain, and your desire to win, as this deep conviction can yield powerful returns over time.

6. Focus on Process, Not Prize

Shift your focus from the prize or outcome to the process itself to find happiness and fulfillment, especially in volatile environments where winning isn’t guaranteed, thereby avoiding bitterness from unmet expectations.

7. Prioritize Fulfillment Over Success

In new endeavors, recalibrate your focus to concentrate on outcomes that yield the greatest fulfillment and happiness, rather than solely external measures of success.

8. Give Your All to Avoid Regret

Commit every ounce of your being to a pursuit, controlling all controllables, so that even if you lose, you will not be haunted by regrets, having done everything within your power.

9. Focus on Carrying the Struggle Further

Adopt the mindset that winning or losing is not your primary concern; instead, focus on your ability to carry the struggle further, as this dedication to persistence is what truly matters.

10. Continuously Get Back Up & Learn

Continuously get back up and keep attacking after setbacks, learning from mistakes, as this was a constant theme communicated by Apollo’s father.

11. Embrace Obsession for Extreme Success

Recognize that extreme success often requires obsession rather than a balanced life; while balance can yield happiness, sheer performance in sport or other tasks often stems from deep, singular focus.

12. Optimize Your Social Environment

Evaluate your social circle and consider limiting contact with friends who do not support or align with your ambitious goals, as your environment is a strong indicator of your potential outcome.

13. Become a Deep, Obsessive Student

To achieve extreme growth, become a deep, obsessive student of your chosen field, studying related subjects like biochemistry, nutrition, and psychology, and focus intensely on what you are doing in the moment.

14. Integrate Mental Training Practices

Actively integrate mental training practices such as meditation, visualization, and self-talk into your routine, as these can fundamentally change your career and life trajectory.

15. Practice Mental Reset & Recalibration

Recognize patterns of downward spirals after mistakes and actively practice resetting and recalibrating your focus to treat each new moment as a fresh opportunity, rather than dwelling on past errors.

16. Utilize Positive Self-Talk

Consciously use specific words, language, or statements in your self-talk that elicit a positive response or increase beneficial biochemical responses, as the mind is a powerful tool for performance.

17. Identify Propelling Self-Talk

Reflect on past peak performances to identify what specific self-talk or internal cues helped you achieve them, then consciously use those same patterns to propel yourself towards duplicating desired actions.

18. Know Your Potential

Shift from merely thinking you are capable to knowing your inherent potential, using it as a powerful reminder to tap into your inner capabilities.

19. “Jump Onto The Balcony” to Recalibrate

When in a downward spiral, metaphorically ‘jump onto the balcony’ to gain a quick, transparent view of your current situation, assess the importance of ongoing battles, identify your ultimate goal, then recalibrate focus and re-engage.

20. Disregard Past Irrelevant Information

After a mistake or setback, recalibrate by treating the current moment as a new opportunity, disregarding past events unless they offer a specific insight, learning lesson, or actionable information for moving forward.

21. Achieve Peak Performance Through Calm

Identify your optimal emotional state for peak performance, which for some, like Apollo, is being most relaxed and calm with a low heart rate, allowing for the removal of emotion from the task at hand.

22. Derive Confidence from Preparation

Build immense confidence and satisfaction by focusing on thorough training and preparation, as this process provides a reliable source of self-assurance, especially when outcomes are not guaranteed.

23. Transform Loss into Intense Training

When experiencing a deeply scarring loss, channel that psychological damage and personal feeling into training with such intensity that you push beyond previous limits.

24. Embrace Physical Pain as a Limit-Pusher

Become accustomed to physical pain, viewing it as a signal to dig deeper and push past perceived limits, finding gratification in reaching and extending your physical boundaries.

25. Incrementally Push Your Limits

Find gratification in identifying your physical and mental limits, then consistently and incrementally push those boundaries a little further each time you encounter them.

26. Master “Table Stakes” & Respond to Pressure

Recognize that being in peak physical or intellectual shape is merely the ’table stakes’ at elite levels; true differentiation comes from how you respond to immense pressure and rise to clutch challenges.

27. Design & Commit to Self-Training

Create a personalized, rigorous training program focused on specific skills, commit to it consistently, and minimize distractions from non-supportive social circles.

28. Train Your Work Ethic

Believe that work ethic can be trained, even if not naturally innate, as a combination of innate ability and training yields the greatest output.

29. Leverage Life Skills in New Paths

When transitioning from a primary passion, recognize that it’s natural if a direct replacement isn’t immediately found; instead, focus on leveraging the life skills and attributes gained from past experiences as powerful levers for new endeavors.

30. Maintain Front Position in Races

In multi-lap races, strive to be in first or second place with several laps remaining, as this significantly increases the likelihood of winning.