The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish
Top Performance Coach Jim Murphy reveals how to eliminate fear, master pressure, and unlock elite performance.
Jim spent 5 years writing Inner Excellence, the mental toughness manual that shot from obscurity to #1 New York Times bestseller overnight when star athlete A.J. Brown was caught reading it on the sidelines of a NFL playoff game.
A personal coach to professional baseball players and Olympic athletes, he teaches how extraordinary performance and a meaningful life follow the exact same path.
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Approximate Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:01) The Three Elements of Inner Excellence
(04:36) Before Fame
(05:42) Discovery: When A.J. Brown Read ‘Inner Excellence’ on TV
(12:01) Powering Your Life With Clean Fuel vs. Dirty Fuel
(16:26) Ad Break
(22:34) Why You Avoid Life by Keeping ‘Busy’
(25:39) Purpose in Life and How He Found Religion
(31:09) The Interaction of Ego, Self-Centeredness, and Self-Confidence
(33:59) How to Navigate Failure and Learn From It
(41:43) Dealing With Comparison in the Modern World
(47:34) Discovering Your Inner Excellence
(51:25) Does Success Equal Happiness?
(55:00) Feeling Guilt or FOMO About Life Choices
(01:01:21) Changing Your Focus to Get Through Challenging Goals
(01:05:40) Choices Are Hard to Act On, Rules Are Not
(01:10:40) Daily Mantras for Success
(01:12:15) Is the Best Possible Life Driven by Ambition or Love?
(01:14:52) Why Do We Train Our Bodies but Don’t Train Our Minds?
(01:15:38) What Is Success for You?
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/
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