George Mumford is a world-renowned mindfulness and performance expert who has worked with legendary athletes and teams, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers under coach Phil Jackson. His teachings blend Eastern contemplative traditions with Western psychology, focusing on helping individuals get out of their own way and perform at their peak.

The Five Superpowers: Core Learnings

Mumford's philosophy is built around cultivating five "Superpowers" through mindfulness. These are foundational to his teachings.

  1. Learning: The Five Superpowers. The core of Mumford's teaching is the cultivation of five key mental skills: Mindfulness, Concentration, Insight, Right Effort, and Trust.
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  2. Learning: Mindfulness. The ability to pay attention on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment. It's the foundation for all the other superpowers.
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  3. Learning: Concentration. The ability to focus on a single object or task and sustain that focus. In sports, this is being locked in on the present play.
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  4. Learning: Insight. Seeing things as they really are, not as you wish they were or fear they might be. It’s about clarity and understanding the nature of the moment.
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  5. Learning: Right Effort. The sweet spot between straining and passivity. It's skillful, balanced, and sustainable effort, often described as "less is more."
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  6. Learning: Trust. Faith in the process and in your own abilities. It’s about letting go of conscious control and allowing your trained skills to take over.
    • Source: The Mindful athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance

On Mindfulness and the Present Moment

  1. "Be where your feet are."
    • Source: A common mantra in his teachings.
    • Learning: This is a simple, powerful cue to bring your awareness back to your physical presence in the current moment, shutting out past mistakes and future anxieties.
  2. “Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. It’s a state of being fully present with what is.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  3. “The past is a memory. The future is a dream. The only reality is the present moment.”
    • Source: A recurring theme in his interviews and book.
  4. “Whatever is happening, is happening. You have to be with what is, and you can’t be with what isn’t.”
    • Source: 10% Happier Podcast with Dan Harris
    • Link: YouTube
  5. "When we are in the moment, we are not allowing our minds to be hijacked by the past or the future."
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  6. “Your thoughts are not facts. They are just thoughts. You don’t have to believe them.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
    • Learning: This creates separation from negative self-talk, allowing you to observe your thoughts without getting entangled in them.

On Performance and "The Zone"

  1. “The zone is a state of selfless awareness. It’s a state of being where you’re not thinking, you’re just doing.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  2. “When you’re in the zone, it’s almost as if the universe is conspiring to help you.”
    • Source: Interview with Rich Roll
    • Link: YouTube
  3. “Get out of your own way. The biggest obstacle to your success is usually yourself.”
    • Source: A central tenet of his coaching.
  4. “It’s not about trying harder. It’s about trying easier.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
    • Learning: This speaks to the principle of "Right Effort." Peak performance is often effortless and fluid, not forced.
  5. “Stress + Recovery = Growth. You can’t have one without the other.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
    • Learning: Growth happens not just from the stress of practice and competition, but from the deliberate recovery and rest that follows.
  6. “You play how you practice. If you practice with a distracted mind, you’ll play with a distracted mind.”
    • Source: His general coaching philosophy.

On Adversity and Resilience

  1. “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”
    • Source: A classic Buddhist teaching he frequently uses.
    • Learning: You can't always control the challenges you face (pain), but you can control your mental and emotional reaction to them (suffering).
  2. “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
    • Source: Quoting the poet Rumi, a favorite of Mumford's.
    • Learning: Our greatest challenges and vulnerabilities are often our greatest sources of strength and growth.
  3. “Everything that happens to you is for you, not to you.”
    • Source: A key mindset shift he teaches.
    • Learning: This reframes adversity from a personal attack into an opportunity for learning and development.
  4. “Breathe through it. Your breath is your anchor to the present moment, especially in times of stress.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  5. "We have to be able to dance with the chaos."
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
  6. “Don’t be a feather in the wind, blown about by every circumstance. Be the mountain—solid, stable, and unshakeable.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance

On Identity and Self-Awareness

  1. “You are not your thoughts. You are the observer of your thoughts.”
    • Source: A fundamental mindfulness concept he emphasizes.
  2. “Who you are is more important than what you do.”
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
    • Learning: Your character and inner state are the foundation from which your actions and achievements spring.
  3. “The game is not about becoming somebody. It’s about unbecoming who you are not.”
    • Source: His teachings on shedding the ego.
  4. “You have to know thyself. The unexamined life is not worth living.”
    • Source: Quoting Socrates, a cornerstone of his approach.
  5. "Our authentic self is our greatest gift."
    • Source: The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance

Additional Quotes and Learnings

  1. “Love the game, not the outcome.”
  2. “When in doubt, breathe out.”
  3. “The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.”
  4. Learning: The "A-to-B" Mindset. "Focus on getting from A (where you are) to B (your immediate next step), not all the way to Z." This breaks down overwhelming goals into manageable actions.
  5. “Let it go, let it be, let it flow.”
  6. “What you practice, you become.”
  7. “We are human beings, not human doings.” - A reminder to prioritize being present over constant, mindless action.
  8. “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
  9. “Your focus determines your reality.”
  10. Learning: The Inner Critic. "Make friends with your inner critic. Acknowledge it, but don't let it drive the bus."
  11. “The only moment we ever have is now.”
  12. “Be a warrior, not a worrier.”
  13. “Silence is the canvas upon which genius is painted.”
  14. Learning: One Breath, One Mind. A technique where a team breathes in unison to create a collective sense of calm and focus.
  15. “The journey is the reward.”
  16. “Stillness is the source of all action.”
  17. “Embrace the mystery. We don’t have to have all the answers.”
  18. “Respond, don’t react.” - A core mindfulness teaching about creating a space between stimulus and response.
  19. “We are all works in progress.”
  20. “Compassion is not a weakness, it's a strength.”
  21. “Just show up. That’s half the battle. Be present and engaged with whatever is in front of you.”