Shift Your Mind
9 Mental Shifts to Thrive in Preparation and Performance
Greatness is a matter of timing.
Executive and mental performance coach Brian Levenson has spent years working with high performers in sports, business, and culture. And from the field to the boardroom, he noticed something surprising. Talented people were failing to reach their goals, not because they lacked the necessary skills, but because they didn’t understand the mental processes that fueled them.
When it comes to high performance, talent isn’t enough.
He began interviewing former CIA agents, world-class chefs, astronauts, athletes, CEOs, and more to find a solution, and soon realized that elite performers have one thing in common. They shift between complementary mindsets, one for preparing effectively and one for delivering when it counts. Only by practicing both mindsets do the best of the best—such as swimmer Diana Nyad, performer Taylor Swift, and legendary football coach Tom Coughlin—move seamlessly from drills to game-changing plays and back again.
In Shift Your Mind, you'll learn nine key mental shifts to help you think like a high performer:
- humble and arrogant
- work and play
- perfectionistic and adaptable
- analysis and instinct
- experimenting and trusting process
- uncomfortable and comfortable
- future and present
- fear and fearlessness
- selfish and selfless
With exercises, examples, and actionable tips, each chapter explores the power of the shift through skills like visualization, mindfulness, and self-talk.
Make the right moves at the right time with Shift Your Mind.
Brian Levenson is the founder of Strong Skills, which provides executive coaching and mental performance coaching, speaking, and consulting to elite organizations, performers, and leaders. He has been fortunate to work with CEOs, professional athletes, and with teams in the NBA, NHL, and MLS, Division 1 athletic departments, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Homeland Security, Hilton, Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and many other organizations. He also has a weekly podcast, Intentional Performers, where he interviews a diverse group of elite high performers. Brian currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife and two kids.
