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Mental Preparation Secrets of Top Athletes

An interview with Daniel McGinn by Sarah Green Carmichael

Sarah Green Carmichael: Welcome to the HBR Idea Cast from Harvard Business Review. I’m Sarah Green Carmichael. To get psyched up for the big game, sports teammates give each other pep talks, listen to an exciting song during warm-ups, or follow a particular pregame routine. Then there’s a locker-room speech, often dramatized in popular movies, where the coach inspires individuals to greatness:

[Excerpt from Miracle]:

Herb Brooks: I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw them. This is your time. Now go out there and take it.

But what’s the business equivalent of the pep talk? When you have a big presentation, ...

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