The Ballerina Mindset

How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence

By: Megan Fairchild

Narrated by: Megan Fairchild

Length: 3 hrs

Publisher's summary

Learn how to thrive in intense, competitive environments with these secrets from one of America's premiere ballerinas - and get a sneak peek at what her life is really like.

Ballet may look glamorous and effortless to audience members, but it requires grueling discipline. It's a competitive and physically and mentally demanding career that combines elite athleticism, artistry, and performance. Not only do dancers rehearse for six to eight hours a day before performing at night, but they also must make it all look easy!

As a principal ballerina with New York City Ballet and a one-time Broadway star - not to mention a mother of three and an MBA student - Megan Fairchild is all too familiar with these challenges. In The Ballerina Mindset, she shares all the wisdom she's learned from her nearly two-decade career, drawing upon her own experiences to show us how she learned to overcome challenges ranging from stage fright to negative feedback to a packed calendar to weight management - and how we can do the same. Inspiring, warm, and revelatory, The Ballerina Mindset is the perfect how-to guide for dancers, athletes, artists, and anyone struggling to stay sane in a high-pressure environment.

©2021 Megan Fairchild (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Encouraging and full of common-sense advice, Fairchild's book will help readers trying to fulfill their true potential. Even those who aren't pursuing ballet will find it helpful.”—Library Journal

“A compendium of hard-won wisdom . . . Fairchild provides type A readers eminently practical and practiced advice for dancing ahead in life without the drama.”—Publishers Weekly

“Fairchild has struggled with anxiety, self-doubt, and the crush of external criticism. She discusses all of this, and more, with wit, openness, and a bracing straightforwardness in this slim, well-written volume of essay-like chapters, in which she confronts both the challenges and the rewards of being a dancer at one of the world’s great ballet companies.”—Fjord Review

Short book about the perks and pitfalls of being a perfectionist

A close insight into the mind of a perfectionist. Towards the end of the book, the author acknowledges her obsessive traits vis-a-vis what life has taught her. The book doesn’t enter in too much detail, which might be good overall (for me, the best part of this audiobook was the length). I believe the book conveys a cohesive message (kudos to the editors) and it is mostly interesting for those involved in the ballet world. The “universal” appeal was poorly explored, but each listener/reader can draw parallels. Megan Fairchild read the text in a compelling manner, and you could feel she was being honest telling her condensed story. Mediation (and hard work) was promoted to solve all her problems. I am also concerned that the book showcases a control-freak mindset as a role model for younger ballerinas and high-performance people.

Not just for Practicing Dancers

This are great self‐help points in this audible/book for life. I choose this book because I am an adult that is interested in dancing again. I wanted some perspective from an adult in the industry. I was given more than what I was looking for. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Grateful for Megan

I love the book because Megan's performance was incredible. Her narration made it feel very honest and straightforward, as if I was having a coffee with her. I've been enjoying her interviews on YT so this successful book doesn't come as a surprise for me. Very thoughtful and enlightening for ballerinas who are trying to breakdown the mindset of a human who happens to do art. Bravo Megan!!

No ballet experience necessary!

Despite having only a passing interest in ballet, I loved the book. I laughed with Megan, cried with Megan and enjoyed her life's story and wits of wisdom.