SHIFT YOUR MIND

A debut guide offers a systematic program for realizing your potential.

“Maximizing our preparation requires one mindset,” writes Levenson in his book. “Performing at our peak potential requires a different one.” A deep analysis of this shift between preparation and performance thinking forms the heart of the manual, with the author concentrating on the inner game of achievement and the ways it can manifest to the outside world. He groups his insights around nine key mental gear shifts a person should practice when changing from a preparation-based attitude to a performance-based one. These include remembering that joy and a sense of fun are vital in casting off the “boulders of stress” and being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of perfectionism (“When you feel your discipline slipping, remind yourself that healthy perfectionism isn’t necessary for mediocrity, or even for being good, but if you want to be great, you have to tap into it in preparation”). The book is full of anecdotes and personality profiles used to illustrate his points, and Levenson draws many of these from the world of sports, both the players he has known and worked with and the greats of past and present. This is especially prominent in his discussion of the value of a certain kind of “arrogance” on the performance side, where he references legendary athletes like Serena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Satchel Paige, figures who weren’t shy about singing their own praises from time to time. “Having complete faith in your ability, holding on to the idea that you’re the best person for the job in the moment,” the author writes, “is an approach seen in successful boardrooms, sales presentations, and investment pitches all over the world.”

“One of my favorite questions to pose to clients at a time of conflict is: what advice would you give your best friend if he or she were in the same situation as you?” Levenson declares at one point in his energetic book. And in the bulk of his guide, this is exactly the role he takes for himself, offering his readers copious examples of his intriguing points and workbook-style sections where they can fill in comments, including areas for improvement. The author often embraces seeming contradictions in his material, from the benefits of a bit of arrogance (which he notes has traditionally been characterized in negative terms) to the helpfulness of fear and the strategic uses of selfishness (“We can’t help others if we’re incapacitated”). His rhetorical strategy of liberally mixing stories with strictures has several benefits for readers. Not only does it highlight Levenson’s personable nature as a narrator (while he isn’t always the hero, he’s always intensely relatable), it also works to illustrate many of his points in a way that more explanations couldn’t do as effectively. Some of these illustrations may go a bit too far (the author’s veneration of the New England Patriots, for instance, overlooks the rampant rumors of systematic team cheating). Still, in general, the combination of storytelling and clear thinking is a winning one.

A fast-paced, invigorating, and at times counterintuitive examination of the ingredients for success.