High performers know that how they interpret their failure greatly determines their success. They approach failure as an opportunity. They see failure as essential for them to grow, learn, get better, understand themselves. They see failure as helpful in reaching their full potential.

Week’s Affirmation:  I see failure and mistakes as opportunity to learn and grow. I know failure is a  learning tool so I embrace it instead of fight it.

Dr. Mark Anshel talks about his new book, In Praise of Failure: The Value of Overcoming Mistakes in Sports and Life, in this podcast interview. Dr. Anshel has written 12 other books, and over 145 research articles. He has applied his concepts with college athletes and coaches, law enforcement, exercisers, sports rehabilitation settings, performing artists and corporate leaders.

Mark came to study failure from his own experiences failing. He says we are taught to see failure as harmful, but failure should be viewed as feedback. Failure is a perception, meaning failure to one person is success to another.

As leaders, coaches, parents and teachers, Dr. Anshel suggests that we should criticize behavior, not character when discussing failure. When giving feedback, we should praise first, and then discuss what the person did wrong by focusing on only 1 or 2 things. The key is to give people hope – that is what we all need, he suggests. 

You can reach Dr. Anshel at Mark.Anshel@mtsu.edu.

* Tweet this: “Failure is a stepping stone to something better.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong

* Tweet this:  “You need to experience failure to appreciate success.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong

* Tweet this: “We don’t learn unless we fail. Failure is feedback.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong

* Tweet this: “We need failure to learn and continue to be self-motivated.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong

* Tweet this: “Give yourself a break once in a while. Don’t be so self-critical.” Mark Anshel via @Mentally_Strong

To order, Dr. Anshel’s book, In Praise of Failure you can visit Amazon HERE. He also mentions a few other books in this interview including Between Parent and Child by Haim Ginott and Teacher & Child by Haim Ginott. 

High performers are confident – they believe and trust in their ability. They wear their confidence armor so they don’t take comments and actions of others personally, but can still learn and grow. They appreciate their experiences that they have led them to where they are today. They choose confidence!

Affirmation this Week: I choose confidence. I choose to believe and trust in my ability to be at my best for myself and my team.

JF Menard, a performance psychology specialist, joined the internationally acclaimed entertainment company Cirque Du Soleil at the age of 25, fresh out of graduate school. “They didn’t hire me for my experience. They hired me for my passion.” In this interview, he talks about how being around the best athletes in the world helped him elevate his game. He provides several lessons learned (one from a clown) and how his work at Cirque lead him to start Kambio Performance in 2013.

Over the years, he is helped athletes win gold medals in the 3 biggest major sporting events:  Commonwealth, PanAms and Olympic Games. He discusses how he helps his athletes handle pressure, perform their best at the Games, and how he prepared himself as a sport psychologist to go to the Games in Rio. He also shares what he sees as the mental attributes of the World’s best one of those attributes being that  “World champions are not fearless – they just fear less.” 

You can reach JF Menard at kambioperformance.com as well as on Twitter @JFMenardKambiop and on Facebook. 

High Performers have clearly written goals that are slightly difficult to stay hungry and excited for their sport, business and life. They work hard every day to reach their goals and are deliberate with their daily activities. They go the extra mile to achieve their goals because they are gritty.

Week’s Affirmation: I know what I want and every day I work towards my goals. I go after my goals with passion and excitement. I stay focused and gritty.