Book Review: 'The Winner's Mindset' By Shane Watson Is A Game Changer, Provides A Roadmap To Success

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A motivational book is a powerful tool that can ignite the spirit and inspire individuals to pursue their dreams with renewed vigor and determination. It delves into the core principles of personal growth, and self-belief, offering readers practical advice and real-life stories of triumph over adversity.

By providing a roadmap to success, it helps readers identify their goals, overcome obstacles, and develop a positive mindset. Such a book acts as a catalyst for transformation, encouraging readers to take proactive steps toward achieving their aspirations and unlocking their full potential. Whether one seeks professional success, personal fulfillment, or a balanced life, a motivational book serves as a beacon of hope and a source of unwavering encouragement.

Shane Watson, one of cricket's greatest all-rounders, offers just such a resource in his book, The Winner's Mindset. This remarkable journey into the world of cricket, perseverance, and mental strength emphasises the importance of mindset in achieving success, even in the face of adversity. Through his personal experiences, Watson highlights the crucial role that mental fortitude plays in overcoming challenges and reaching one's goals.

Watson's book, The Winner's Mindset, serves as a motivational guide for athletes and individuals alike, offering practical advice on overcoming the fear of failure. It provides invaluable lessons for athletes, young minds, and professionals striving for excellence, while also offering universal wisdom for anyone facing obstacles in life and career.

He writes in the book 'It was during a Test match in the 2010-11 Ashes series in Perth. I was batting really well, and I was on 95. It was a beautiful wicket to bat on and the ball was coming on so nicely as it normally does at the WACA. At this very moment in time, I started to think, "Wow, this is going to be my first Ashes Test hundred, how am I going to celebrate? How amazing is this going to feel? What am I going to do?"

My mind moved to the outcome, to this expectation that I had always set for myself. "I'm going well. I'm nearly there. I am so close to achieving one of the dreams that I have had since I was a kid. How am I going to get to a hundred? With a six or a boundary or just get five singles?" Whereas up until this moment, I had not been thinking about how I was going to score runs. I was just in the moment, trusting my instincts with aggressive intent, ball after ball. This mindset was what had got me to 95.

He continues' I should have been thinking, "What do I need to do right now? And what do I need to keep doing to be able to give myself the best chance of getting there?" I didn't know how to grab hold of that mental script that had started to come in, thanks to that little bird on my shoulder, and say, "Be quiet!", and pull myself back into the exact same mindset that had worked so well up to that point.

I ended up getting out LBW to Chris Tremlett. The ball angled into middle stump and I just missed a straight one. My mind had moved forward to the future and the outcome, instead of just staying present in the execution mode and doing that over and over again, and what would be would be.

The book inspires readers, particularly young people battling the fear of failure, to cultivate a positive mindset and find joy in their endeavors.
In the chapter 'Low Confidence Means Excess Fear of Failure,' the author delves into the topic of overcoming the fear of failure, emphasizing the connection between low confidence and excessive fear. Drawing from his cricketing experiences, the Australian sportsman illustrates how high confidence enables players to perform well without fear. Conversely, when things aren't going well, self-doubt arises, impacting all areas of life and fostering a fear of failure.

He precisely writes in the book 'The Human Mind: The Iceberg', Watson draws a fascinating comparison between the human mind and an iceberg. He explains that the mind has two key dimensions: the conscious mind, likened to the skipper of a ship, and the unconscious mind, likened to the crew. Watson elaborates that while we have control over our conscious mind, we cannot directly control the unconscious mind. However, he emphasizes that we can still influence it.

In the same chapter Watson explores is the distinction between skillset and mindset. He introduces readers to techniques such as the ACT model, which encourages acceptance and commitment, enabling individuals to navigate through difficult emotions without succumbing to them.

In the chapter titled 'Lessons from Cricketing Greats,' Shane shares his reflections on the performance secrets of cricketing legends such as Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Kevin Pietersen, Brett Lee, Sir Viv Richards, Justin Langer, Rahul Dravid, AB de Villiers, Lisa Sthalekar, and Allan Border. He provides insights into Ricky Ponting's approach, among others, offering a deep dive into what makes these athletes exceptional.

He writes in the book 'I have played so much cricket with Ricky Ponting and was very grateful that he was both my captain and playing mentor for a large portion of my international career. But it was the only after my playing career had finished that I learnt the detail of his thought process when facing up to a bowler in a game.'

He further writes 'Ricky explained that he had a very deliberate routine every ball. He would say 'watch the ball' to himself three times. First, as the bowler started to his run up; second, as the bpwler was halfway in; and third, as the bowler was in his delivery stride. He knew that by putting that thought into his mind that the wrong couldn't intrude.'

The book defines a winner's mindset as believing in yourself, setting goals, and refusing to give up, even in the face of adversity. By maintaining a positive attitude, unwavering determination, and staying focused on your dreams, you can overcome obstacles and achieve greater success.

He candidly discusses his own struggles, including the fear instilled by a tragic incident involving Australian cricketer Phil Hughes. This incident left Watson grappling with anxiety, but through the guidance of mental skills coach Dr. Jacques Dallaire, he discovered the power of the mind in overcoming challenges.

He writes again in the book 'Yes, we all set goals. I had always dreamed of an Ashes hundred. In business, for example, everyone has set targets. Most of the time, everyone is setting targets or goals that they must achieve to get bonuses or a promotion, for example. Or to achieve high marks in exams or assignments.

But all this does is build up this anxiety and stress and focus on results. And particularly if you're not on target, then everyone starts to freak out. But there might be B factors at play. You might be bringing the best A game that you can and the whole group might be bringing the best A version of themselves.'

Through his insights, Watson inspires readers to cultivate a winner's mindset, encouraging them to embrace challenges with determination and resilience. By sharing personal anecdotes from his cricketing career, he illustrates how confidence and positive mindset can lead to success, while fear and self-doubt hinder progress.

'The Winner's Mindset' is a powerful illustration of belief, perseverance, and mental fortitude. With its lucid language and relatable anecdotes, this book is a must-read for those seeking to unlock their full potential and achieve their goals with unwavering confidence.

Name of the book: The Winner's Mindset by Shane Watson
Published by: HarperCollins
Price: Rs 499/

(Ashutosh Kumar Thakur is a Bengaluru-based Management Professional, Literary Critic, and Curator. He can be reached at ashutoshbthakur@gmail.com)