Mindfulness, Sports & Performance | George Mumford, Rich Fernandez

Summary

In this insightful discussion, George Mumford shares his journey from addiction to becoming a mindfulness coach for elite athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He explains how mindfulness helps manage pain, stress, and the anxiety that comes with success. Mumford emphasizes the importance of aligning the whole person—mind, body, heart, and spirit—for peak performance and flow experiences. He also discusses the application of these principles beyond sports, advocating for inclusive and adaptable leadership.

Takeaways

• 🧘 Mindfulness is a tool used by elite athletes to manage pain and stress, and to enhance performance.
• 🏆 George Mumford's work with Phil Jackson and NBA teams like the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers led to multiple championships.
• 📚 Mumford's background includes a transformation from addiction to a life dedicated to mindfulness and meditation.
• 🤝 The 'one breath, one mind' philosophy emphasizes the importance of community and teamwork in mindfulness practice.
• 🔄 Mindfulness helps individuals create space between stimulus and response, allowing for more conscious decision-making.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Elite athletes understand the value of mindfulness because they have experienced 'flow' and being 'in the zone'.
• 💡 The practice of mindfulness is not just for athletes but can be applied to all areas of life, including business and personal growth.
• 🔄 The concept of 'beginner's mind' allows athletes to let go of past failures and approach each moment with fresh enthusiasm.
• 🤔 Anxiety is a natural part of high performance, and mindfulness teaches how to navigate it without being overwhelmed.
• 🌟 Greatness comes with great responsibility and anxiety, but mindfulness can help individuals embrace their potential.
• 🌱 Mindfulness is about aligning the whole person—mind, body, heart, and spirit—to reach one's full potential.

Q & A

What was George Mumford's initial struggle that led him to mindfulness?

George Mumford struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol due to a sports injury that led to chronic pain. Mindfulness became his method of coping with the pain and eventually thriving in it.

How did George Mumford transition from a corporate job to mindfulness practice?

After getting clean from addiction, George Mumford, who was working as a financial analyst, decided to make mindfulness his way of life. He lived in a meditation center, studied extensively, and eventually worked at the Center for Mindfulness.

Who introduced George Mumford to the world of elite sports performance?

John, from the Center for Mindfulness, who knew Phil Jackson, introduced George Mumford to the world of elite sports performance. Phil Jackson was looking for someone to help his team, the Chicago Bulls, deal with the stress of success.

What was the turning point for George Mumford in his work with the Chicago Bulls?

The turning point was when Michael Jordan's father was murdered, and the team was in crisis due to the absence of MJ. George Mumford helped them transform the crisis into an opportunity, which led to more championships.

What is the concept of 'the space between stimulus and response' as mentioned by George Mumford?

The space between stimulus and response refers to the moment of choice where one can act in a way that aligns with their values and desired identity, rather than reacting automatically to a situation.

How does George Mumford define 'flow' in the context of sports and performance?

George Mumford relates 'flow' to being in the zone or being a warrior, which elite athletes can understand as they have experienced it. He suggests that mindfulness can help individuals become 'flow ready' by creating mental space for more flow experiences.

What is the importance of integrating the whole being according to George Mumford?

According to George Mumford, integrating the whole being—mind, body, heart, and spirit—is crucial for aligning oneself fully and achieving peak performance. This holistic approach is more than just mental training; it's about personal development.

How does George Mumford apply the concept of 'one breath, one mind' in team dynamics?

The concept of 'one breath, one mind' is applied to develop both individuals and the community within a team. It signifies the collective mindset and unity that can be fostered through mindfulness practice.

What is the significance of the 'beginner's mind' in George Mumford's teachings?

The 'beginner's mind' is about letting go of past failures and starting anew with each play or task. It encourages maintaining enthusiasm and not carrying the weight of previous failures into current challenges.

How does George Mumford view the relationship between success and anxiety?

George Mumford views the relationship between success and anxiety as directly proportional, where increased success brings increased anxiety. He teaches the importance of getting comfortable with discomfort and walking through anxiety without letting it dictate one's actions.

What leadership qualities does George Mumford emphasize in his work?

George Mumford emphasizes the importance of developing inclusive and adaptable leadership. He believes in leaders who develop other leaders, give ownership, and encourage individuals rather than confining them.

Outlines

00:00

🧘‍♂️ Mindfulness in Sports and Leadership

The speaker, George Mumford, discusses his journey from addiction to becoming a mindfulness coach for elite athletes. He explains how mindfulness helped him deal with chronic pain and how it became a way of life. Mumford shares his experience working with Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls, emphasizing the importance of dealing with the stress of success. He highlights the concept of the space between stimulus and response, where athletes can choose their reactions aligned with their values. Mumford also talks about the value of mindfulness in enhancing performance and how it translates to life skills, including dealing with failure and starting anew.

05:01

🤔 Aligning the Whole Person for Success

George Mumford delves into the concept of aligning the mind, body, heart, and spirit to achieve one's full potential. He discusses the idea of 'one breath, one mind' and how developing individuals also involves developing community. Mumford shares insights on how mindfulness allows individuals to be themselves while understanding the dynamic between the individual and the collective. He also touches on the importance of not dwelling on past failures and starting each new endeavor with the same enthusiasm, drawing parallels between sports and life.

10:04

🏀 Beyond Sports: Mindfulness in Leadership

Mumford extends the discussion to leadership, emphasizing the need for leaders to develop other leaders and not confine them to a box. He talks about the importance of inclusion and adaptability in leadership, suggesting that great leaders should be able to reinvent themselves even when things are going well. Mumford also addresses the anxiety that comes with success and the need to be comfortable with discomfort, teaching individuals to embrace anxiety without letting it dictate their actions.

15:05

🌟 Embracing the Present Moment

In the final paragraph, Mumford encourages the audience to practice mindfulness by simply checking in with their bodies throughout the day. He leads a quick exercise to demonstrate being present in one's body while standing and sitting. Mumford concludes by reminding everyone that they all have inner peace and that how they direct their attention will determine how much they connect with that peace.

Keywords

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the moment. It is a mental state of active, open attention to the present. In the video, mindfulness is discussed as a tool for elite performers to manage stress and enhance performance. George Mumford, the speaker, uses mindfulness to help athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant deal with the stress of success and to perform at their best even under pressure.

💡Elite Performance

Elite Performance refers to the exceptional level of performance exhibited by top athletes or individuals in their field. The video discusses how mindfulness can be instrumental in achieving and maintaining such high levels of performance. It is mentioned that elite performers were interested in mindfulness to handle the increased stress that comes with higher levels of success.

💡Flow

Flow is a mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. The concept is integral to the discussion as Mumford explains how mindfulness can help athletes achieve a state of 'flow', where they are fully present and performing optimally.

💡Stress of Success

Stress of Success refers to the challenges and pressures that come with achieving a high level of success. The video mentions how even successful teams like the Chicago Bulls, who had won multiple championships, faced stress and needed help to manage it. Mumford's role was to assist them in dealing with this stress using mindfulness techniques.

💡Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is a renowned basketball coach who won multiple NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. In the script, he is mentioned as someone who recognized the value of mindfulness and brought Mumford in to help his teams deal with the stress of their success.

💡Center for Mindfulness

The Center for Mindfulness is an institution that promotes mindfulness-based stress reduction. Mumford mentions working at the Center, which led to his collaboration with Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls, highlighting the intersection of mindfulness practices and elite sports performance.

💡Values

Values are principles or standards of behavior. In the context of the video, Mumford talks about the importance of aligning one's actions with their values as a way to make decisions that are authentic and in line with one's identity. This is particularly relevant for athletes who are under constant public scrutiny and need to maintain integrity.

💡Crisis

A crisis is a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. The video recounts how the Chicago Bulls faced a crisis when Michael Jordan's father was murdered, affecting Jordan's performance. Mumford helped the team transform this crisis into an opportunity by using mindfulness practices to manage their stress and悲痛.

💡One Breath One Mind

One Breath One Mind is a concept mentioned by Mumford that signifies the unity of individuals within a team. It emphasizes collective mindfulness and the idea that developing individuals also involves developing the community or team as a whole.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. The video discusses how even elite athletes experience high levels of anxiety due to the pressures and uncertainties of their careers. Mumford teaches them to be comfortable with discomfort and to manage anxiety through mindfulness.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organization. The video touches on the idea that great leadership involves developing other leaders and creating an environment where everyone can grow and thrive. Mumford emphasizes the importance of inclusive and adaptable leadership in both sports and other domains.

Highlights

George Mumford discusses the intersection of mindfulness and elite performance.

Mumford shares his personal journey from addiction to mindfulness as a coping mechanism.

He explains how mindfulness was introduced to elite athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Mumford's work with Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls, leading to multiple NBA championships.

The concept that mindfulness can help deal with the stress of success.

The idea that between stimulus and response there is a space where we can choose our actions.

How mindfulness can transform a crisis into an opportunity.

The importance of aligning the whole person—mind, body, heart, and spirit—for peak performance.

Mumford's philosophy on embracing anxiety as part of the path to success.

The application of mindfulness beyond sports, including in corporate environments.

The concept of 'one breath, one mind' and developing community.

The idea that mindfulness allows individuals to be themselves while understanding the dynamic between the individual and the group.

Mumford's approach to helping athletes deal with failure and maintain enthusiasm.

The fine edge between anxiety and possibility, and how to navigate it.

The importance of being comfortable with discomfort.

Mumford's work on developing leadership that fosters the growth of others.

The need for leaders to embrace inclusion and adaptability.

A quick mindfulness exercise to demonstrate being in the moment.

The final message on the importance of mindfulness in daily life and connecting with inner peace.

Transcripts

[Laughter]

we're really fortunate today to have our

dear friend my dear friend George

Mumford with us because George has been

working at a really interesting point of

intersection between mindfulness elite

performance and of course in the context

of teams community and so I think today

we have the opportunity to really sort

of take the view from the inside and see

what that has been that journey has been

so my friend I know your story we've

been collaborating for almost a decade

now but I think it might be interesting

for folks to hear how you came to this

work why elite performers like Michael

Jordan Kobe Bryant Olymp Olympians

Premier League soccer players why they

were interested in the tools of

mindfulness and then how did it benefit

them yes so I'm gonna give you the short

version I've been around for a while so

I was addicted to drugs and alcohol

because I got injured in sports and and

had to deal with chronic pain and so

mindfulness was my way of dealing with

pain in a way where not only was I able

to survive the pain I was able to thrive

in it and as I've gotten more awake and

started doing this more and more I

decided to make this a way of life

because I worked in a corporate

environment for about 16 years as a

financial analyst a lot of people don't

know that about me and so when I got

clean and I started asking myself who do

I want to be when I grow up even though

I was 33 at the time 32 and so I got

into it and then I found myself you know

fast-forwarding I lived in meditation

Center and studied did a lot of retreat

practice and a lot of learning I've

averaged over book a week over the last

33 plus years and I ended up at the

Center for mindfulness working for John

and he knew Phil Jackson because you

know the Center for mindfulness does

this thing I don't make the Institute

and so Phil was just coming off as his

third championship in a row with the

Chicago Bulls and he talked to John

about bringing somebody in to help them

deal with the stress of success because

they had won three championships in a

row and a lot of people don't realize it

the more successful you get the more

challenging it is because people coming

at you and there's a lot of stress

involved and so I started working with

Phil back in 1993 and the rest is

history so I I work with him with the

Bulls for five years and then with the

Lakers for three so in that and that

frame and the seven-year period one like

six NBA championships you know and the

one year we didn't win was because Phil

took the time well but that's how I got

into it and and and so it's been real

powerful and so when I went can you

imagine me just going in and saying okay

so let me get this straight I'm gonna go

in and work with the team that already

won three NBA championships and I'm

going to talk to them about how to deal

with the stress of success in the

interim Michael Jordan got his his

father got murdered and so they were in

a full-blown crisis because there was no

MJ and so I went in there and then

that's when we began our relationship

and one of the things that I I imparted

with them is interesting because I

captured it in my book the mind for

athletes secrecy pure performance is

that between stimulus and response

there's a space and in that space that's

when we can choose in a way that

enhances you know that it's aligned with

our values and aligned with what we say

we want to be so we actually changed

that situation from a crisis to an

opportunity and the guy's evolved in dan

MJ came back in and then they won three

more championships so the whole key is

that their athletes get it because I

used to be an athlete myself and when

you talk about being in the zone of

being in flow and being a warrior they

could relate to that and so they got the

value of it because they've had flow

experiences and what I would say is this

process of mindfulness developing

mindfulness with the other

spiritual faculties like like diligence

and insight and steadiness of mind and

trust that when you develop that you you

you become flow ready so you create

space and you're able to have more flow

experiences but the but the paradox is

if you try to get in the flow you won't

get there so it's like the best way to

find yourself and forget yourself that's

kind of a conundrum but that's how I got

into it and and that and so they got the

value of that right away and there's a

little practical value so part of it is

how do you integrate the whole being

because I relate to people there's a

masterpiece in each of us and so we all

we do is chip away to get to that

masterpiece and that you have to use the

whole person the mind body heart and

spirit or soul they have to be aligned

and so that's what we work on so even

though we do the mental training it's

really more about aligning the whole

person and then Phil and I talked about

the one breath one mind so when we're

developing individuals were also develop

in the community as you said so the

value of this practice is so huge in the

sense that it allows you to be to be

yourself but at the same time understand

this dynamic tension between the me as

John was talking about the irony of mind

and the we and so so yeah so this has

been really powerful and it's my life

this is what I've experienced coming

through my recovery but also when I go

in and work with people because I worked

in situations from the a large ale from

locker room to boardrooms and when I go

in you just really don't know what's

gonna happen so you got to be the

practice you have to let the mindfulness

in the wisdom speak for you so the

players know that when they make

mistakes not if that they can let go and

begin again as we talked about

beginner's mind or this idea of not

taking the previous failures into the

next play so I'll give you an example so

I work with the big secret is people

think I just work with basketball

players I work with people all over and

working with people to play baseball or

softball let's say if they have ten that

batch and they get three hits this is

that's four three times out of ten

that's a great hitter so that other six

times how do you deal with those six

failures and so this practice in life is

the same way how do you begin again with

with the same amount of enthusiasm

because Churchill said success is going

from failure to failure without losing

enthusiasm so part of this practice of

mindfulness is how do you begin again

and not take those previous six at-bats

to to the current at-bat so Yogi Berra

had a good philosophy around that he

said when they said hey yogi you're in a

slump he said I ain't no slump I just

ain't hit me and so what he's saying is

all I got to do is get up and get a hit

so why take the previous six at-bats to

bat with me that's like having the you

know 60 pound weight on me just go in

and begin again you and what I know

yesterday we were talking and we were

talking about how there's that fine edge

between anxiety and just on the other

side of it possibility can you elaborate

on that a little bit because yes you

brought in as yes so the interesting

thing is the more possibility the more

success you have the more anxiety that's

there because you're in the height you

got to be in a high state of arousal to

get to flow and so we have this idea

that like these these NBA players or

these professional players getting all

this money they don't have any anxiety

they live in anxiety just think about it

all you have to do is go out there and

you know you can have a knee injury or

have a back injury and your career is

over or you don't know when you're gonna

play you don't know how you're gonna

play when you're gonna be replaced so

anxiety is where they live

so I call it getting comfortable being

uncomfortable

so this comforted there's discomfort and

we play somewhere in the middle so they

have to understand how to walk through

the anxiety and not let the anxiety

dictate you know because the nervous

system you know when it sees danger it's

either fight flight or freeze and when

we create space between stimulus and

response and we're coming out of that

calm Center what I call our I of the

hurricane the

an ability to see things because you

slow things down and you can actually

see in that space what what the most

wise decision the most compassionate

decision that we can make so I teach

them to embrace that that you can't the

more talent you have the more anxiety

you're going to experience the more

possibility the possibility or freedom

you have the more anxiety you'll have

they call it the dizziness of freedom

sometimes but it's this idea of

understanding that that the anxiety is

there isn't it's like everything else

can you be there and allow it embrace it

in a way where you're not identified

with it and so I think that's why a lot

of people have talent they never develop

it because they're afraid of their their

greatness as our Ghana as avianna was

mentioning in theirs and their talk

early and also Williamson it talks about

our greatest fears our greatness and I

think the reason that is is because we

know that when we go there we have no

idea what's going to happen yeah and

it's I'm really struck by what you're

saying aren't just of course lessons on

the court or on the field but these are

really kind of life navigational right

skills yeah so you have to be a mindful

person to be in mind for athlete so if

you take the athlete out and you put

whatever that description is you got to

start with who you are and and I'd say

this process is about you getting in me

getting in touch with who I am that's

what I had to do and then be real being

me and whatever the task was to do it in

my own unique way and so yeah so it's

it's gold beyond sports because I've

worked done a lot of work with a lot of

folks for instance I kind of you know

I've been working with Kobe and MJ so

that's a benefit right but it's also

pushed me in a box ok so every time

somebody wants to do something with me I

got a basketball in front of me and most

of my work has been with female athletes

and females and with with executives and

so people keep putting me in this box

and the whole idea of mindfulness is not

to know you're in a box and to get out

of it

so and Rajanna I think and so that

that's why it takes a lot of faith and

courage because one of the reasons the

anxiety because there's a conflict just

like you notice that it's like okay I

want you to see me but not too much it's

like that it's this conflict because we

know once we get become who is supposed

to be then the people around us they're

gonna be threatened and we don't know if

they're gonna be up for that especially

if you're a little kid and then your mom

and dad might feel like okay can i

really trust them to be who they need to

be so when we we start talking about

elite leadership which I've been working

a lot on on leadership and developing

leadership because in sports you there's

a lot about leadership and it can be

transferred over into the regular domain

and so what leaders the leadership we

need just like the leadership that the

Bulls had is to have leadership where

leaders make people around them they

develop other leaders they make people

around them greater so to be a great

leader you got it you got to develop

leaders and you develop them in a way by

what by giving them ownership and by

encouraging them and not putting them in

a box yeah so you see that okay well

they're good that you know we have to be

able to have this vision a possibility

that as John was talking about this way

bigger than what we can think and so

when we can do that now we're coming

from a leadership that has more

inclusion so there's a lot of amazing

women here today

there's not a lot of amazing people

calling here today but there's something

okay I don't know how many Republicans

in here but I'm pretty sure they could

be amazing Republicans so our challenge

is our challenge is how do we open it up

and be having more inclusion because

leadership to me we have to have

inclusion and we have to have

adaptability to change so life is

constant changes it's changing and

understanding on some level we have no

idea what's gonna happen the next moment

but can we embrace it in that space

between stimulation responsible we get

to choose based on who we say we are who

John talked about and will we say we're

going because if you don't know who you

are you could end up being anybody if

you don't know where you're going you

could end up going anywhere so I'm of

the opinion why don't we choose who we

want to be and choose where we want to

go and so that's the kind of leadership

that I'm interested in developing is

this idea of inclusion but also

adaptability because the enemy of the

great is the good so we got to keep

reinventing ourselves even though things

are going really well we have to be able

to to say okay maybe maybe we need to

let go of this and and go to the next

thing thank you

we want to do the pocket sadly our time

is pretty much up we have a few seconds

I know we were saying we yes four hours

yeah so we got go ahead we have a quick

practice so I'm gonna give you a

demonstration of what I call being in a

mock body so here's what I'm gonna ask

you to do in less than 30 seconds I want

you to be willing to stand up and I want

you to pay attention to how your body

feels and how you feel just standing up

and come to the standing posture and

this just tuning into your body noticing

your feet and some of us will have to

find a balance so this feeling what that

feels like and then after I ask you to

stand up please sit down but when you

sit down I want you to feel your body as

you're sitting down just noticing the

process is sitting down not thinking

about it not having any opinion and

we're out of time so so I will say I

want to leave you with this idea that

you know we all have mass peace within

and how we relate to each other we

direct attention it's going to determine

how much we get in touch with that and

that throughout the day think of

mindfulness is beating your body every

once while just checking and breathing

in breathing out know you're sitting so

it's as simple as sitting and breathing

and knowing it I said no so thank you

thank you

[Applause]