The Mindful Athlete
by George Mumford
Mumford taught mindfulness to Phil Jackson's Bulls and Lakers; the book is his five superpowers (mindfulness, concentration, insight, right effort, trust) wrapped in his own recovery from addiction. It is warmer and more personal than most sports psychology.
Read it if…
you want mindfulness for performance from the man who taught it to Jordan and Bryant.
Skip it if…
you want drills only; it is half memoir.
Three things you will actually use
- The space between stimulus and response is where performance lives.
- Concentration is trained in stillness.
- Trust the work when it counts.
Do this first
Do the breathing practice in chapter two for a week before anything else.
Our verdict
Mindfulness, via the Bulls.
Compare with other Focus books
The Mind Illuminated
Culadasa (John Yates) · Focus
Systematic and demanding; the advanced manual.
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The Champion's Mind
Jim Afremow · Focus
Comprehensive and practical; the mental-skills reference.
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