I was fortunate to connect with Dr. Alex Auerbach a few months ago. He is a highly trained mental health expert who works with professional athletes to help them reach peak performance in his role as Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors.
In this conversation, I dive into his expertise and thoughts on how people can develop an ideal mindset for optimal performance, what to do about performance anxiety and imposter syndrome, and an interesting new concept (that I wasn’t aware of) that’s called “harmonious passion versus obsessive passion”.
I hope you enjoy the conversation!
About Alex Auerbach
Dr. Alex Auerbach is the Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors. He joined the Toronto Raptors after serving as the Director of Clinical and Sport Psychology for the University of Arizona. He earned his doctoral degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in sports and performance psychology from the University of North Texas. Alex also received a Master’s in Business Administration from Salve Regina University and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Auerbach is a member of the American Psychological Association’s Division 47 (Exercise and Sport Psychology), Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), and the Association of Applied Sport Psychology. Dr. Auerbach is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, a Licensed Psychologist, and a member of the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.
Episode notes
Alex’s path from football coach to counseling psychologist - 1:07
Performance psychology as the next frontier and the role of specialization - 2:28
Celebrity athletes speaking up about mental health - 5:59
The combination of a growth mindset with a dash of a fixed mindset - 8:41
Focusing on your strengths as the fastest path to success - 12:34
Imposter syndrome within the workplace - 15:29
Dennis Rodman and playing to your strengths - 19:39
The paradox of obsession, high performance, and suffering - 20:15
Theories of harmonious passion and obsessive passion - 22:51
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and self-actualization - 29:03
The influence of early life experiences on top performers - 33:37
Aaron Rodgers on his use of Ayahuasca - 42:07
How to connect with Alex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexauerbach/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexAuerbachPhD
Online course: https://maven.com/school-of-high-performance/perform-like-an-elite-athlete (use the promo code ANDY to get 30% off the course)
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