Former NFL linebacker, three-time American Ninja Warrior finalist, and professional speaker, Anthony Trucks joins Pro Mindset Podcast host Craig Domann. Craig’s goal is to dive into Anthony’s headspace in order to understand what his mindset was that helped him become the incredible athlete, warrior, and motivator he is today. Anthony attributes this Pro Mindset® to his ability to grow while embracing new and uncertain situations.
In this podcast, Anthony shares his thoughts on the Covid-19 pandemic and how people need to respond to the change that is taking place. During this time, he explains, people are still hanging on to "what was" and have not yet embraced the new. Many people are facing fear and anxiety because of all the unknowns in our world today. Anthony says that he has noticed that the most stressed people are the ones who have not yet detached from what the world used to be. On the other hand, the people who have embraced the new are in a much more positive headspace. They have already recognized the potential opportunities that this new landscape can bring. "They've embraced that newness. This is where the greatest days in life can come, new kids, new jobs, new house, and new everything, that's where the great stuff is." It's crucial to adapt to the changes taking place during challenging times and look for the good within each transition.
Anthony points out that right now, it is very common for people to experience an identity crisis. Knowing your identity is key. It is grounded in your belief in yourself, which is the foundation for the 7 Pro Mindset® Building Blocks. Anthony uses a metaphor of what he calls "Roots and Fruits" to explain what is taking place in many people's lives. We are a "tree" and we have "fruit" on our branches. The fruit represents a job, career, or relationship. However, sometimes we forget that we are the tree and not the fruit. When the fruit is stripped from us and withers away, we start to think that we are the fruit, and we forget that we are actually the tree. We lose a grasp on who we are as an individual. Anthony says that we need to realize that even though we have lost some of our "fruit" we can still produce more fruit and better fruit. To keep the fruit on our tree alive, we must provide the proper nutrients to help our tree flourish and grow. This could be associating yourself with the right people, making smart decisions, or taking advantage of an opportunity. Everyone can flourish in their own way as long as you try to help your tree grow into something better. You need to know who you are as an individual, be confident in your identity and know what you want to accomplish.
Anthony makes a point about personal growth. "For a lot of people, it's looking at their life and saying, where can I be better as a human? It's about personal growth.” It's important to reflect on your life and look critically at areas that may need improvement. This may mean eliminating certain environments, friends, and beliefs that do not allow your roots or fruits to grow. This mindset will allow for self-growth and personal development while maintaining a clear concept of who you are.
Anthony also used a metaphoric “mountain” to explain the idea of not settling once you have accomplished a goal. In life, it's important not to become stagnant once you have reached success. As Anthony described it, you need to look for another "mountain" to climb to keep growing as a person. People often look for a finish line, not knowing that this could be detrimental to their personal growth. People fall in love with the "peak" of the mountain instead of the journey to the top. Their pride and ego prevent them from wanting to leave the top. Instead of falling in love with the peak, people need to fall in love with the climb and the journey. If they love the journey, they won’t be focused on just the peak but rather how it felt to get to that peak. The elation of making it to the top and accomplishing something hard is like no other feeling in the world. "I love the journey of my life. I love the long days. I love the hard parts. I love the problems. I love the solutions. Love the success. When I get to the peak, I enjoy it. Then, I'm going to get back on another mountain."
This is the difference between a growth mindset and a stagnant mindset. No one should ever stop growing and trying to reach the next mountain. Each new mountain brings a new challenge and new opportunity allowing you to expand your perspective and mindset. Anthony teaches us that even if you have had success in the past, that does not mean that you will continue to have success just because you have had it before. You need to continue to feed your fruits and find new mountains to climb. Otherwise you might be stuck on the same mountain for the rest of your life. Having a strong grasp on your identity and your goals is a crucial part of your personal development and brings you a step closer to creating your own Pro Mindset®.
To listen to Craig’s interview of former NFL player, 3x Ninja Warrior Finalists, author, and speaker, Anthony Trucks, click here or search your favorite podcast platform, including Apple & Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and many more.