Welcome to episode 051 of Garage to Goliath—Leaders Building Legacies Podcast.

Today’s guest is Alan Stein Jr.

Alan is a nationally acclaimed sports performance coach who spent over 15 years working with the highest-performing basketball players on the planet. In the past 3 years, he has taken those lessons learned at the elite level of his sport and applied them to business, working as a business consultant and keynote speaker for major corporations. His recent book, Raise Your Game, was featured on CNBC’s list of top reads and shows readers exactly how to utilize the same strategies in business and life that elite athletes use to perform at a world-class level.

Along the way, Alan has worked with numerous NBA stars such as Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, and Steve Nash. “The foundation of sustained success as a player, from the high school level all the way to the NBA,” says Alan, “is self-awareness. Everything else is built upon it.” Alan reveals the secrets of self-awareness and a whole host of other valuable lessons in this amazing episode. These include:

  • Finding the intersection between what you love and what you’re good at [3:57]

  • Valuable leadership lessons including never getting bored with the basics [7:52] and developing grit [9:12]

  • The importance of teaching the entrepreneurial mindset [17:22]

  • Teamwork and cultivating genuine team cohesion [20:18]

  • Tips for motivating others [22:21]

  • Passing the true test of a great leader [24:49]

  • Lighting a fire and a passion for excellence in young people [32:51]

  • Avoiding major pitfalls as a sports parent [36:43]

  • The role of the mental game in elite athletics [41:00]

  • The best way to handle pressure [45:35]

  • Mental toughness and the value of being present [48:27]

  • Constantly striving to improve your trajectory in life [53:05]

  • Attention in the present moment as the #1 gift we can give another human being [57:02]

p.s. – Thanks for listening! Please rate, review, and subscribe to my leadership podcast on iTunesSpotify, and/or SoundCloud.