Max Out Mindset by Dr. Larry Widman (“Doc”) lays out 15 powers to help readers achieve an elite mindset. Doc describes the difference between New Year’s Resolution and the Max Out Mindset approach. By February 1, most resolutions have been abandoned. Doc recommends outcome goals that are accompanied with SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time period) and also with process goals that lay out the plan to get you there. Doc recommends flexibility and grace if you do not achieve your goal, by reviewing whether you’ve followed your process or whether you simply need to adjust your outcome or process in some way now that you have more information. He also advises us that following your "WHY” can help you follow through on your intentions. Linny appreciated the reflective questions at the end of each chapter, but can’t wait to get talking about positive psychology with Doc. He tells us that elite athletes often have some form of perfectionism and that can lead to getting pretty negative pretty quickly. So, we have to manage that perfectionism and positive psychology gives us the tools to do so. He says positive psychology is rooted in hope, optimism, and positive mental skills (such as positive self-talk). Doc outlined for us his personal journey from institutional psychiatrist, to working with Air Force pilots who fly planes with nuclear warheads, to working with elite athletes. Among the 50-60 teams he consults with, his niche is women’s small team sports, such as volleyball, gymnastics, and bowling. But he enjoys loves working with any team that want to improve. He describes the difference in his experience working with men’s and women’s teams. Of the 15 powers, Doc says high performance mental skills are among the most important building blocks: goal setting, self-talk, arousal control, and visualization/imagery. Doc says these skills are key to improving our commitment, confidence, composure, and concentration which we need when it counts. You need to know you can train those. On the team side, members who accept their roles on the team and teams that love each other (and are good at relationship, communication, resolving conflict) are the differentiators for elite performance. Surprisingly, it was working with military personnel who reinforced the “love” aspect of this equation – maybe not what you would think! It’s when the stress and conflict hits, and it will, that’s when we need the mental skills. It’s not that hard to stay composed when everything is going right. These are strategies to move forward when we are stressed. Nancy asks Doc if there is a time individuals need to recognize they are never going to be elite and just hang up a goal. Doc says “elite” is your best version of who you can be – Maxing Out, especially when it matters. Performers should work toward having no regrets and knowing they followed the process, regardless of the outcome. Focusing only on being the one “best” person who ends up holding the trophy is a miserable way to live. People with grit believe what is happening next will be great because they know they have put in the work and they have the support of their teammates and other supporters. Crucially, Linny gets to what really matters and that is improving her pickleball game. She thanks Doc for now being more cognizant about her own audible self-talk and how that may impact her teammates. She also talks about how the speed of the pickleball game is also a challenge. Doc says he likes to tell stories about elite athletes because they struggle with the same issues of self-talk, confidence, composure. What they tend to do better is that they have awareness and strategy. For example: awareness that my self-talk is hurting me, or my heart is beating too fast. Then, having the strategy to address that issue: substitution in self-talk or taking a deep breath. Doc complimented Linny on her awareness that her self-talk is hurting her. He also complimented her on her positive talk to her teammates and challenged her to talk to herself in the same way. Doc suggested that between points, there are opportunities for single word cues such as a technical skill like “feet ready,” or just a reset word like “next point” or “reset.” Doc also talks about how these skills translate off the court and to everyday life, as well. Doc says on a team (athletic or non-athletic), your responsibility is to get your own self-talk right, but sometimes our self-talk fails us and that’s where team members can step in. But we have to be good teammates and share with them what is effective for us. He tells us the story of how gold medal Olympian Jordan Larson became vulnerable with her teammates to share how they could best help her. Doc tells us about his consulting firm, Max Out Mindset, and the services he offers. He observes there has never been more psychological stress, whether a person is in the business world or is an athlete. He strives to help people learn how to improve their mindset and become higher performers in life and sport.