The Champion's Mind

How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

By: Jim Afremow

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sports participation - from the recreational to the collegiate Division I level - is at an all-time high. While the caliber of their game may differ, athletes at every level have one thing in common: they want to excel. In The Champion's Mind, sports psychologist Jim Afremow, PhD, LPC, now offers the same advice he uses with Olympians, Heisman Trophy winners, and professional athletes, including tips and techniques based on high-performance psychology research, such as how to get in a "zone", thrive on a team, and stay humble; how to progress within a sport and sustain excellence long-term, and customizable pre-performance routines to hit full power when the gun goes off or the puck is dropped. The Champion's Mind distills actionable advice into clear and concise steps for athletes looking to find confidence, concentration, and mental preparedness - the mental edge that sets champions apart.

©2013 Jim Afremow (P)2014 Tantor

Critic Reviews

" The Champion's Mind is loaded with great lessons, advice, and perspectives on how to be successful." (Dan Jansen)

Excellent content, mediocre narrator

Would you listen to The Champion's Mind again? Why?

Yes, I listen to it frequently. While not an athlete, I find the concepts in the book very effective at keeping me focused and motivated in my work and life.

What other book might you compare The Champion's Mind to and why?

Win Forever, by Pete Carroll. More motivation and concepts to achieving greatness.

Would you be willing to try another one of Eric Michael Summerer’s performances?

Yes, but I'd prefer other narrators. Eric's narration is clear and understandable, but often sounds a bit mechanical and unnatural. Sometimes it's as if my computer is narrating for me.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I get extremely pumped and motivated for my week

Any additional comments?

Would be 10/10 if the narration were a bit better, but it's not so bad. I still listen to it frequently.

Big On Performance Tricks, Small On Science

Have a sense of humour, cuz once there was this famous coach who made a joke before a big game, and they went on to win the championship.

That's the level of empirical research you will find in this book. If you're looking for some motivation, and hearsay anecdotal tricks will do it for you, then this will be great. If you can't buy into something just because a motivational speaker said it's a great mantra, there are a lot of other excellent books that present analysis and evidence of how good techniques actually work.

For me, without the science, it's just your best guess. What that superstitious pro did that one time with his underwear while on a winning streak is not a motivator for me.

Probably better as a book

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, The narrator's monotonous drone and lack of emotional involvement in what is totally an emotion based topic basically made the audible version boring and unmemorable. I DO think it would probably be a good read where the narrator is you.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jim Afremow again?

yes, IF narrated better. The book was highly recommended and I thought I'd be able to listen in the truck or during down time.

What didn’t you like about Eric Michael Summerer’s performance?

He lacked emotional involvement- or really any interest in the material. just a distant voice reading the material.

Was The Champion's Mind worth the listening time?

no and I found I tuned it out most of the time. I would consider buying the book.

Good Book - Would Prefer In Print, Perhaps

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It provides plenty of good ways to look at life. Very motivating not just for the athlete - but anyone looking to get ahead in whatever the endeavor.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

Think Gold, and settle for nothing less.

Any additional comments?

Because there are many exercises and things that make more sense if you review them several times in a row, I bought the book. I would suggest listening to a chapter in the book first. THEN, using the book as mental refreshers to do the exercises and re-read the quotes. But overall, a very good instructional book for life.

Valuable Skills for Sports, Life & Business

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Not only about the Mental Game or Sports Psychology, but one of the best books I've read in personal development. From the start it dives right into applicable skills, scenarios, affirmations, and awesome quotes. This book is not only a book on Championship thinking for Athletes but also for business professionals, leaders, and daily life.

Dr Afremow looks at every challenge as an opportunity for growth no matter the circumstance and staying present to achieve success on and off the field. I began applying some of the skills immediately as I was going through the book. Something simple as listening to a certain type music to get into the rhythm and flow of an activity can determine how well we focus especially during a difficult period of a day i.e. mid afternoon for me. And that rhythm and flow can be applied to our sports practice or performance. Even the pre-game prep is something many of us overlook in the importance of creating an environment that'll boost our performance rather than create resistance and stress.

Highly recommended reading and/or listening. See more below for additional review.

What about Eric Michael Summerer’s performance did you like?

Great reader. Voice and level of enthusiasm was just right for this book.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

One of my favorite quotes from the book is "The goal for any Athlete is to be Master of the injury rather than letting the injury master the Athlete. Bring your champion's mindset to the training room and make rehab your new sport until you get your game back, and you will get that game back." Reminds me of what I did during my recovery after spine surgery. If it wasn't for my mental game and making rehab my sport and part of my daily fitness activity, I wouldn't have recovered as quickly and as well as I did while discovering a new passion. If you think about it, your Physical Therapist during rehab becomes your Strength Coach. Their goal is to get you back in the condition you were at pre-injury through exercise.

Any additional comments?

I end this review on another quote that really stood out to me, "Focus on your performance not on unwanted outcomes. To perform at a champion's level, you must understand the importance of a long term memory for success and a short term memory, selective amnesia, for failure. Every Athlete fails but Champions do not dwell on their failures. Instead, they focus on the positive experiences and keep confidently moving forward." - Dr. Jim Afremow

must read

extremely motivating book. well narrated. excellent for anyone wanting to gain a better mindset. go for gold

Enjoyed

A lot of content and many great ideas. No get rich quick schemes and nor overwhelming. Em

Awesome

Great advice for coaches and athletes...I recommend it for anyone who is serious about improving ...a must for every coach

I just couldn’t get through this

I found very little of this helpful. It ended up being too irritating to finish. Enough stories about monks. If you’re looking for a book to to help performance, this is not it.

Great Read

What did you love best about The Champion's Mind?

The Olympian Stories

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I connected with the part about Michael Phelps and taking all the energy and using it to propel himself forward and advance his goals and dreams.

Any additional comments?

Read, Re-Read, and Read again...excellent book and information.