Trevor Moawad was a renowned mental conditioning coach who worked with elite athletes like Russell Wilson, legendary coaches like Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, and top performers across various fields. His approach was famously pragmatic and behavior-based, rejecting overly optimistic "positive thinking" in favor of a more actionable, realistic mindset.

His philosophy is primarily captured in his bestselling book, It Takes What It Takes, and his posthumously released book, Getting to Neutral.

The Core Philosophy: Neutral Thinking

  1. "Neutral thinking is the foundation of my entire philosophy. It's not about being positive. It's about being present and focused on the next behavior."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
    • Learning: The goal isn't to force yourself to be happy or optimistic, which can be draining and unrealistic. The goal is to stay level-headed and focus on what you can actually do in the present moment.
  2. "Be where your feet are."
    • Source: A common mantra in his coaching, borrowed from other great coaches.
    • Learning: This is a simple, powerful cue to bring your focus back to the present moment and the immediate task at hand, ignoring past failures and future anxieties.
  3. "Neutral is the launching pad for success."
    • Source: Getting to Neutral
    • Learning: You don't need to feel "great" to perform well. A neutral, non-judgmental state of mind is the most effective platform from which to execute a plan.
  4. "Positive thinking is a luxury. Neutral thinking is a necessity."
  5. "Staying neutral allows you to access 100% of your ability, 100% of the time. Negativity can take a 10-talent and make him a 2. Positivity can take a 10 and make him a 12, but it's not sustainable."
  6. "The past is a memory. The future is a dream. The only reality is the present."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  7. "You don't have to believe. You just have to act."
    • Source: His teachings to athletes who were struggling with confidence.
    • Learning: Don't wait to "feel" confident. Behave confidently, and the feeling may follow. Action precedes belief.
  8. "It's not about ignoring reality. It's about accepting it without judgment and moving forward."
    • Source: Getting to Neutral

The Power of Language and Self-Talk

  1. "Your words have power. They create your reality."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
    • Learning: The language you use—both internally and externally—is not just a reflection of your mindset; it actively shapes it.
  2. "Stop saying 'I have to' and start saying 'I get to'."
    • Source: A common mindset shift he taught.
    • Learning: This simple change in language reframes obligations as opportunities, changing your entire perspective on the tasks you face.
  3. "Saying 'I don't' is more powerful than saying 'I can't'."
    • Source: His advice on building discipline.
    • Learning: "I can't" implies a restriction imposed on you. "I don't" implies a choice you are making, reinforcing your identity and self-control.
  4. "Negativity is 4 to 7 times more powerful than positivity."
    • Source: A statistic he often cited from researcher John Gottman.
    • Learning: This highlights why you must be vigilant about eliminating negative language. A single negative thought requires multiple positive ones just to break even.
  5. "Your subconscious mind is a powerful engine, but it's not very smart. It believes whatever you tell it."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
    • Learning: If you repeatedly tell yourself negative things, your subconscious will accept them as truth and act accordingly.
  6. "If you want to change your life, change your language."
    • Source: A core tenet of his philosophy.
  7. "Complaining is like vomiting. You might feel better for a moment, but everyone around you feels sick."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  8. "Never say anything about yourself that you don't want to be true."
    • Source: A fundamental rule for self-talk.

Behavior and "It Takes What It Takes"

  1. "It takes what it takes."
    • Source: The title of his book and his most famous mantra.
    • Learning: Success isn't negotiable. It has a non-negotiable price tag of effort, discipline, and sacrifice. You either pay the price, or you don't get the result. There are no shortcuts.
  2. "You are what you repeatedly do. Your behavior is your belief system in action."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  3. "Motivation is a myth. Discipline is a choice."
    • Source: His teachings on consistency.
    • Learning: Don't rely on feeling motivated to do the hard work. Cultivate the discipline to do it regardless of how you feel.
  4. "Success is a choice. Mediocrity is also a choice."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  5. "The best in the world do the basics better than anyone else."
    • Source: His observation from working with elite performers.
  6. "Pressure is a privilege. It means you've earned the right to be in a situation that matters."
    • Source: A widely used phrase he helped popularize.
  7. "Do the common things in an uncommon way."
    • Source: Quoting coach Chuck Noll, a favorite of Moawad's.
  8. "Your choices today will determine your options tomorrow."
    • Source: Getting to Neutral

The 80/20 Rule and Managing Negativity

  1. Learning: The 80/20 Rule. Moawad taught that most people are roughly 80% likely to achieve their goals if they stay neutral. However, vocalizing a negative thought drops that probability to 20%.
  2. "You can't afford the luxury of a negative thought."
    • Source: A phrase he borrowed from Dr. Peter H. Diamandis and frequently used.
  3. "Negativity is a choice. You don't have to participate."
    • Source: Getting to Neutral
  4. "You have about 60,000 thoughts a day. The key is not to let the negative ones rent space in your head for free."
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  5. "The problem isn't the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem."
    • Source: Quoting Captain Jack Sparrow, an example of using popular culture to teach a lesson.

Additional Key Learnings and Quotes

  1. "Control the controllables." - A classic sport psychology principle he heavily emphasized.
  2. "Your mind is a weapon. You can use it to build your dream or destroy it."
  3. "Greatness is a decision."
  4. "Average is a contagious disease."
  5. "Don't be a victim. Victims are powerless. Take responsibility for your actions and your mindset."
  6. "Hard work is a talent."
  7. Learning: The "Conformity Drip." Be wary of the slow, steady drip of average behavior and thinking from those around you. It can erode your high standards over time.
    • Source: It Takes What It Takes
  8. "Your body language screams. It tells the world, and more importantly, it tells your own brain how you're feeling."
  9. "The rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield for a reason. Where you're going is more important than where you've been."
  10. "A plan is only as good as your ability to execute it under pressure."
  11. "Be a fountain, not a drain." - On being a person who gives energy rather than takes it.
  12. "Truth first. Then trust." - On building relationships with his clients by being honest, not just telling them what they want to hear.
  13. "Embrace the suck. Some things are just hard. Accept it and get to work."
  14. "Champions are made when no one is watching."
  15. "The real battle is the one you fight with yourself."
  16. "What's important now? (WIN)." - A cue to bring focus to the present.
  17. "Visualization is not about seeing the future. It's about programming your brain for a future action."
  18. "You can't lead others until you can lead yourself."
  19. "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." - Quoting C.S. Lewis.
  20. "Live in your vision, not in your circumstances."
  21. "Your legacy is not what you leave for people, it's what you leave in people."