Michael Jordan and countless other NBA stars credit George Mumford with transforming their game. A widely respected public speaker and coach, Mumford shares his story and strategies in The Mindful Athlete.
Some of the qualities Mumford seeks to instill in athletes — self-confidence and a reduction in negative self-talk — are goals of traditional sports psychology. But Mumford’s approach is different. “There are sports psychologists, but they never participated in sports, and they don’t really get it, in my opinion,” says Al Skinner, the former BC basketball coach who was recently hired as coach at Kennesaw State University. “They’re book-read; they’re sitting on the perimeter asking questions . . . [and often] they’re not very good in the locker room.”
Read more from the Boston Globe Magazine's feature story on George's work online and in print this Sunday.
“Listening entails vulnerability because it means that we can be influenced.”
— George Mumford
Sports psychologist George Mumford tells an audience at the University of Arizona that sharper listening skills can "create space" in life, giving people the capacity to withstand the storms within.
Don't miss Sharon Salzberg, celebrated meditation teacher and best-selling author; George Mumford, Sports Psychologist, author, and mindfulness teacher for the New York Knicks; Gopi Kallayil, Google's Chief Evangelist for Brand Marketing; and Jeff Walker, philanthropist and co-author of The Generosity Network for "Being There: How Mindfulness is Shaping Modern Society."
Part of the #LifeInBalance Lecture Series from Yoga Journal New York, April 24 taking place in NYC.
“George helped me understand the art of mindfulness. To be neither distracted or focused, rigid or flexible, passive or aggressive. I learned just to be.”
— Kobe Bryant, 5-time NBA champion, Los Angeles Lakers
“George has ‘Mumfied’ the teams I’ve coached over the past 20 years. He has a style of mindfulness that goes beyond ‘just sitting/breathing’ to focusing while in action. For anyone needing to perform at the highest level, this book is for you.”
— Phil Jackson, 13-time NBA champion, President of the New York Knicks
“The one thing that Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant could agree upon was that George Mumford was their secret weapon, the trusted advisor who brought clarity to their competitive minds. I know this because they told me personally. Mumford’s The Mindful Athlete brings to the reader the special insight that the world’s greatest athletes—from Michael Jordan to Scottie Pippen, from Shaq to Kobe—came to treasure. I, too, agree with them. Listening to George Mumford made me a better writer, a better thinker. Mumford has a gift, and now, he’s sharing it in this special book. It’s a treasure.”
— Roland Lazenby, "Michael Jordan, The Life"
“Proper mental preparation can be the difference between average and good, or very good and great. George is able to help make that difference.”
— Al Skinner, Jr., former coach of Boston College Eagles men's basketball team, 1997-2010
“Working with George in my college years was a turning point in my career as an athlete and in my life. Our many discussions, his advice, and his support helped me become confident in myself. Because of him, I am the player and person that I am today.”
— Laura Georges, France women’s international soccer team
“George steadily kept me mentally ready for games; building my self-confidence and keeping me calm and relaxed via self-talk exercises and weekly meetings.”
— Reggie Jackson, point guard for the Detroit Pistons
“George has been able to help me think about the sport of basketball from a different perspective. He has shown me everything isn’t physical; a lot of it is mental, including self-talk. Being able to use self-talk as a self-motivation aid is something I put into practice everyday.”
— Wayne Selden, Kansas University sophomore and NBA prospect
“Full of wisdom and heart, both a moving story and powerful practices from a very fine teacher. George Mumford shows how to find freedom in a game fully played and a life well lived.”
— Jack Kornfield, "A Path with Heart"
“George Mumford has written a fantastic book—inspiring, funny, and insightful. I’m amongst the people who have urged George for years to write a book, and I couldn’t be happier for him, and all of us who get to read it and reread it. Qualities like mindfulness, concentration, trust, and the forging of a team spirit really come alive.”
— Sharon Salzberg, "Real Happiness and Real Happiness at Work"
“George Mumford’s insight into mindful performance has helped many world-class athletes reach their true and full potential. This engaging book will help you to lower your stress level and raise the bar in your own game and life.”
The Knicks are losing a lot, but they're still meditating thanks to their meditation teacher George Mumford, author of "The Mindful Athlete." George says that winning is about giving it your best shot, and that the sting of defeat can't take that away from a true champion.
“The record has nothing to do with [the meditation sessions.] The idea is develop a way to view yourself and how you need to prepare yourself to train and perform and play. I think that evolution has happened already. Basketball is a little behind the 8-ball on that. Phil’s been doing this for a long time, and it’s something we’ll continue to do.
I think you look at the highest-performing teams in sports, they have that [psychological] part they’re exploring, making sure it’s a priority. You can’t just lift weights and shoot baskets and not develop your mind.”
— Coach Derek Fisher
Read the New York Post's Marc Berman article here for more.
George Mumford was a featured speaker alongside Michael Gervais on the Wisdom 2.0 main stage over the weekend. A much lengthier Q&A session took place afterwards.
During the talk, George said that when he works with athletes, he focuses on "making them people first, and athletes second."
He also told the crowd that "Poise is just being yourself."
