← The Peter Attia Drive

#82 - Mark Messier: Leadership, personal growth, and performing under pressure

Dec 2, 2019 2h 10m 39 insights
<p>In this episode, Mark Messier, six-time Stanley Cup champion, shares the most valuable lessons he picked up over 25+ years of professional hockey resulting in one of the longest and most decorated careers in hockey history. Mark shares what lead to his unique brand of humble leadership, how he was able to get talented individuals to effectively work as a team, the importance of maturing and evolving as a person, and how he was able to stay calm and perform at his best under enormous amounts of pressure. Additionally, we go through his favorite moments as a player, what it was like playing with and learning from The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, and much more.</p> <p><span style="color: #333333;">We discuss:<br /></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Overview of Mark's extraordinary 25+ year professional hockey career [7:15];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">The trend towards kids focusing on one sport earlier and earlier—A good or bad thing? [12:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Mark's early passion for hockey, and when he realized it could be his "job" [14:15];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Going pro at age 17 [19:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Mark's favorite experience playing professional hockey [25:45];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Playing with (and learning from) the great Wayne Gretzky [26:40];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">A hard lesson learned in his first year as a pro [32:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Lessons learned from losing his first Stanley Cup Finals [35:45];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Redemption—Winning his first Stanley Cup and the beginning of a dynasty in Edmonton [41:15];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Importance of team character [54:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">The shocking trade of Wayne Gretzky, and Mark stepping up as the new leader and team captain [59:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Playing for the New York Rangers—the lure of the city and the pressure to perform [1:07:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Ending the 54-year championship drought for the New York Rangers [1:13:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Becoming a great leader [1:16:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">How to win the mental war against your opponent [1:20:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Opposing players for which Mark had great respect [1:22:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Retiring after an unbelievably long and lustrous career [1:27:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">How to leverage stress and nervousness into a positive force [1:32:45];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">The most important quality—A willingness to learn, improve, and evolve [1:36:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">What does Mark do today for exercise to stay in great shape? [1:44:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Why playing sports is such a great thing for kids [1:49:30];</span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;">The Mark Messier Foundation [1:53:00];<br /></span></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">How has Mark avoided the "loss of identity" feeling which plagues many retired athletes? [1:56:15];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Does Mark think it's possible to reproduce a team as good as his Oilers teams of the 80s? [1:59:30];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Would Mark ever want to coach in the NHL? [2:03:00];<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">Will the Toronto Maple Leafs ever win the Stanley cup? [2:04:00]; and<br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;">More.<br /></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="color: #333333;">Learn more: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/">https://peterattiamd.com/</a><br /> <br /> Show notes page for this episode: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/markmessier"><span style="color: #800080;">https://peterattiamd.com/markmessier</span></a><br /> <br /> Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/">https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/</a><br /> <br /> Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/">https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/</a><br /> <br /> Connect with Peter on <a href="http://Facebook.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Faceboo</u></a><u>k</u> | <a href="http://Twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Twitter</u></a> | <a href="http://Instagram.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Instagram</u></a>.<br /></span></p>
Actionable Insights

1. Cultivate Deep Emotional Team Connection

For a team to achieve victory, it must reach a profound emotional connection and cohesion among its members, which is critical for success in competitive environments.

2. Prioritize Team Over Individual

In any team setting, understand that nothing is about you as an individual; prioritize what is best for the team, respect the team’s time, and embrace collective responsibility.

3. Lead by Example & Shared Struggle

To be an effective leader, you must be in the trenches with your team, sharing in their struggles and pain, rather than being a detached observer, to build equity and trust.

4. Monitor Team Confidence Daily

As a leader, continuously monitor and gauge your team’s confidence and emotional state every day, not just during critical moments, to provide appropriate support and motivation.

5. Channel Fear of Failure into Drive

Acknowledge the fear of failure, but transform it into a greater fear of underachieving, using this powerful internal motivator for consistent high performance.

6. Maintain Unwavering Self-Belief

When facing inevitable failures and mistakes, cultivate and maintain an unwavering self-belief, which is built through diligent preparation and commitment to your craft.

7. Embrace Continuous Self-Reflection

Engage in ongoing self-reflection throughout your career by asking fundamental questions about your purpose, intentions, how you are perceived, and your contributions to the community, as personal evolution enhances professional success.

8. Align Personal & Professional Maturity

Strive for your personal maturity to parallel your professional development, as this alignment can lead to redefining what’s possible in your field and achieving sustained, high-level performance.

9. Focus on Process, Not Just Winning

Concentrate on the specific actions and efficiencies required for high performance, understanding that winning is the result of this dedicated process and personal evolution.

10. Cultivate Curiosity from Top Performers

Develop curiosity about top performers by observing their practice habits, techniques, and strategies to find answers and continuously improve your own physical, emotional, and tactical game.

11. Understand Peak Performance Factors

View peak performance states (’the zone’) not as random occurrences but as the result of underlying factors like deep concentration, thorough preparation, strong belief, and consistent skill repetition.

12. Minimize External Distractions

To achieve peak performance, strive to minimize external distractions and bring order to your personal life, allowing for deep concentration on your primary focus.

13. Foster Team Accountability & Value

Cultivate a team philosophy where everyone feels accountable, important, and understands their specific role, committing 100% to it, as success requires collective effort and shared recognition.

14. Adapt Your Role to Team Needs

Identify the specific needs of your team and adapt your role to fill those needs, even if it means shifting from your natural strengths, taking pride in contributing to the team’s overall success.

15. Prioritize Primary Professional Focus

To achieve peak performance and success, make your primary professional focus paramount, ensuring that off-ice distractions or personal life issues do not jeopardize your performance.

16. Learn from Opponent Strategies

To reach the next level of performance, analyze opponents to understand their strategies, learn to quickly counterbalance their actions with in-game adjustments, and develop stronger defensive play.

17. Recognize the Price of Winning

Understand that winning at the highest level requires paying a significant physical and mental price, as evidenced by the intense recovery and effort of champions.

18. Respond to Failure with Vigor

After a significant loss or failure, respond with increased vigor and determination to improve and reach the next level of performance.

19. Avoid Blaming Single Incidents

Avoid blaming single incidents for major losses; instead, reflect on team vulnerability, the importance of being present, putting in work, and building trust among teammates for championship success.

20. Foster Compassion for Teammates

Cultivate compassion for teammates during failures, as it can strengthen team bonds and help the team learn from tough lessons, reinforcing that nothing should be taken for granted.

21. Support Personal Growth in Teams

Build good organizations and teams that support individuals in absorbing criticism and growing as people, not just athletes, as strong character is essential for winning.

22. Encourage Multi-Sport for Kids

Encourage children to play multiple sports until around age 14 to develop broader athletic abilities and become a ’total better athlete,’ which science supports.

23. Engage in Regular Physical Activity

Continue to engage in some form of physical activity (e.g., 20-minute cardio, yoga, or trying new activities) regularly, even after intense training periods, because it improves physical and mental well-being, energy, and sharpness.

24. Incorporate Skating for Core & Legs

Incorporate skating exercises into your fitness routine for excellent core and leg development, as it provides a low-impact cardiovascular workout.

25. Guide Kids with Support

When guiding children in their pursuits, allow them to define their own journey and find their own way, providing support and answering questions without imposing your own expectations.

26. Encourage Sports for Self-Discovery

Encourage children to participate in sports as a means of self-discovery, fostering self-awareness, discipline, and the drive to maximize their potential, which benefits them in any future endeavor.

27. Cultivate Identity Beyond Profession

Cultivate a strong support system of family and good people who remind you that your identity extends beyond your professional role, helping you transition to new life phases.

28. Recognize Community Role

Recognize your role as an important part of any community you play or work in, conducting yourself well and actively giving back, as these actions contribute to a more fulfilling life.

29. Develop External Interests for Fulfillment

Develop interests and commitments outside of your primary profession (like a new family or ventures) that provide fulfillment and alleviate the need for external validation from your career.

30. Actively Support Community Charities

As a public figure or professional, actively engage with the community by choosing a charity to support and dedicating time to help.

31. Support Kids’ Access & Opportunity

Support or create initiatives that provide access and opportunity for children facing financial, infrastructural, or academic barriers, especially in areas like sports.

32. Hone Skills with Desire & Passion

Hone your skills and cultivate desire and passion to put in the necessary work to succeed in your chosen field.

33. Engage in Weight Training (Age 15+)

Engage in weight training (starting around 15 years old, following conventional wisdom regarding growth plates) to build strength and power, which can translate to improved performance in sports.

34. Seek Annual Galvanizing Factors

Continuously seek and find a motivating, galvanizing factor each year to sustain passion and drive over a long career.

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36. Participate in AMA Episodes

Become a member to participate in Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes by asking questions directly and listening to the podcasts when they are released.

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Support the podcast to get deals on products the host genuinely loves and recommends, as the host works with companies to pass savings directly to supporters.

38. Consider Monthly Subscription

If you learn from and find value in the podcast content, consider supporting it directly by signing up for a monthly subscription.

39. Visit Website for More Information

Visit peteratiyahmd.com for more information on episodes, show notes, readings, and links related to the podcast.