Josh Waitzkin

very difficult in modern society and in the life of a professional athlete or team in modern society is that, you know, you think about NBA players, they're always being interviewed by the media and the media is always trying to drum up drama and always trying to ask, the media always asks the question that is exactly what the performance psychologist of the player would not want the player to think about.

very difficult in modern society and in the life of a professional athlete or team in modern society is that, you know, you think about NBA players, they're always being interviewed by the media and the media is always trying to drum up drama and always trying to ask, the media always asks the question that is exactly what the performance psychologist of the player would not want the player to think about.

very difficult in modern society and in the life of a professional athlete or team in modern society is that, you know, you think about NBA players, they're always being interviewed by the media and the media is always trying to drum up drama and always trying to ask, the media always asks the question that is exactly what the performance psychologist of the player would not want the player to think about.

So for example, like they might ask something about like, how do you feel knowing the expectations of you are so large you can never live up to them? Right? Like, or is it shameful? Do you feel ashamed about your performance now because of the expectations on you? The questions like that will be framed.

So for example, like they might ask something about like, how do you feel knowing the expectations of you are so large you can never live up to them? Right? Like, or is it shameful? Do you feel ashamed about your performance now because of the expectations on you? The questions like that will be framed.

So for example, like they might ask something about like, how do you feel knowing the expectations of you are so large you can never live up to them? Right? Like, or is it shameful? Do you feel ashamed about your performance now because of the expectations on you? The questions like that will be framed.

Right. There's something, because like you want a player to be liberated from self-consciousness. You don't want a player to be playing with an awareness or a fixation on external emotions. expectations or the external eye.

Right. There's something, because like you want a player to be liberated from self-consciousness. You don't want a player to be playing with an awareness or a fixation on external emotions. expectations or the external eye.

Right. There's something, because like you want a player to be liberated from self-consciousness. You don't want a player to be playing with an awareness or a fixation on external emotions. expectations or the external eye.

Like I remember the feeling in my chess life when I transitioned from losing myself in thought to thinking about how I looked thinking to the cameras or the groupies or whatever on the outside. Like wildly different mindsets as a chess player, right? And so you have all these pressures that are trying to pull you out of an ideal performance state.

Like I remember the feeling in my chess life when I transitioned from losing myself in thought to thinking about how I looked thinking to the cameras or the groupies or whatever on the outside. Like wildly different mindsets as a chess player, right? And so you have all these pressures that are trying to pull you out of an ideal performance state.

Like I remember the feeling in my chess life when I transitioned from losing myself in thought to thinking about how I looked thinking to the cameras or the groupies or whatever on the outside. Like wildly different mindsets as a chess player, right? And so you have all these pressures that are trying to pull you out of an ideal performance state.

And so one needs to learn, develop thick skin or a way of integrating it or be playful with it. And I really believe in Embracing adversity. We have this theme, hunting adversity on the team, which is like these things that could be seen as detrimental or problems or things that could get in the way of our liberation. We welcome them, like cold water.

And so one needs to learn, develop thick skin or a way of integrating it or be playful with it. And I really believe in Embracing adversity. We have this theme, hunting adversity on the team, which is like these things that could be seen as detrimental or problems or things that could get in the way of our liberation. We welcome them, like cold water.

And so one needs to learn, develop thick skin or a way of integrating it or be playful with it. And I really believe in Embracing adversity. We have this theme, hunting adversity on the team, which is like these things that could be seen as detrimental or problems or things that could get in the way of our liberation. We welcome them, like cold water.

Getting in cold water every day is a very important, I think it's a beautiful opportunity to train it so much. But we don't want to get in cold water gritting our teeth and hating it. No, we want to love the fact that we're about to suffer in that cold water. I've been cold plunging for many, many years, maybe 15 years.

Getting in cold water every day is a very important, I think it's a beautiful opportunity to train it so much. But we don't want to get in cold water gritting our teeth and hating it. No, we want to love the fact that we're about to suffer in that cold water. I've been cold plunging for many, many years, maybe 15 years.

Getting in cold water every day is a very important, I think it's a beautiful opportunity to train it so much. But we don't want to get in cold water gritting our teeth and hating it. No, we want to love the fact that we're about to suffer in that cold water. I've been cold plunging for many, many years, maybe 15 years.

And it's not like when you get into 34 degree water, even if you've been training for a very long time, you're thrilled about this five minute or 10 minute plunge you're about to do.

And it's not like when you get into 34 degree water, even if you've been training for a very long time, you're thrilled about this five minute or 10 minute plunge you're about to do.