The Man Who Coached Michael Jordan AND Kobe Bryant To WIN! Tim Grover

Introduction

The speaker introduces himself and invites the audience to follow or subscribe to his channel. He talks about how Kobe Bryant was obsessed with winning championships.

• Speaker introduces himself and asks the audience to follow/subscribe.

• Kobe Bryant's obsession with winning championships is mentioned.

Tim Grover on Winning and the Dark Side

Stephen Bartlett interviews Tim Grover, author of "Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness," about his concept of the dark side and where it came from.

Tim Grover's Dark Side

• Tim Grover talks about his unique story of how he witnessed his father dispose of dead bodies when he was four years old.

• His father was a doctor in India but had to take a job as a degreaser in the US because his education did not transfer.

• Tim saw his father dismantle cadavers by cutting off their legs, arms, and head before throwing them into a furnace.

• Despite the darkness of his father's job, he taught Tim never to let pride get in the way of providing for loved ones.

Using Darkness Positively

• Tim explains that witnessing such darkness helped him understand how to use it positively like his father did.

• He emphasizes that new beginnings start in the dark and encourages people not to be afraid of visiting that place because it can help them leave as better individuals.

Elevating Clients to Another Level

Tim Grover talks about what his clients would say he is good at and how winning affects an individual's mental health.

• Tim says that his clients would say he is good at elevating them to another level.

• Winning doesn't make you heartless, but it teaches you to use your heart less.

• Winning comes with a cost, but the price of regret is even higher.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes the interview by thanking the audience for listening and encouraging them to keep this conversation to themselves.

• Speaker thanks the audience for listening and encourages them to keep this conversation private.

The Dark Side and the Monster Within

In this section, the speaker talks about the negative effects of his "dark side" and how it manifested in his behavior. He also discusses the importance of embracing both the light and dark aspects of oneself.

The Negative Effects of the Dark Side

• The speaker says that his "dark side" hardened him to a point where he had difficulty communicating with others and understanding their struggles.

• When individuals become monsters, they often don't know how to control it, and it ends up controlling them.

• The speaker explains that when the monster took over, it wasn't for bad things. It allowed him to deal with bullying in school without lashing out at others.

Embracing Both Light and Dark Aspects

• The speaker emphasizes that one must bring both light and dark aspects of oneself to fulfill their dreams.

• Conversations with one's skeletons in the closet are necessary to stand out and fight.

• Every morning, individuals have to choose who gets a vote between fear, doubt, compassion, hatred, excellence, sorrowness, excuses. One has to make decisions with their mind rather than feelings.

Dealing With Inner Demons

In this section, the speaker talks about dealing with inner demons by choosing who gets a vote every day.

Choosing Who Gets a Vote

• Every morning there are different individuals lined up next to your bed such as fear or success. You get to choose every single day who gets a vote.

• Making decisions with your mind is important because if you listen only to your feelings, you may not choose to win.

• Different things will get a vote on different days, but it's important to be ready to deal with them.

Being Different

• The speaker emphasizes that being different scares people, but it attracts the right emotions, thoughts, and people.

Acknowledging the Dark Side

In this section, the speaker talks about how people tend to avoid talking about their dark side and how it can be both a driving force and a cause of pain. He also discusses how pain tolerance is necessary for success in life.

The Paradox of the Dark Side

• Our dark side can be both the driving force of our life and also the cause of so much pain.

• Understanding what's causing you pain and how you've dealt with it will determine your success in life.

• Pain tolerance is necessary for dealing with adversity.

Using Pain to Excel

• Some individuals put themselves through physical pain as a form of pleasure, such as athletes at the highest level of training.

• Individuals who come from broken families may use their pain to excel or deny their potential.

From Trauma to Success

In this section, the speaker talks about his traumatic upbringing and how he used his experiences to become a sports enhancement specialist. He explains that his niche was not only training athletes physically but also mentally.

Studying the Body

• The speaker studied the body closely after experiencing injuries himself.

• He understood what an individual goes through not only from a physical standpoint but also from a psychological standpoint.

Sports Enhancement Specialist

• The speaker did not want to label himself as just a trainer because he did more than that.

• The enhancement part of sports enhancement was the mental aspect, helping individuals overcome mental scars and play at their highest level.

Trauma and Adverse Response

In this section, the speaker discusses how trauma can cause an adverse response that leads to either greatness or despair.

The Paradox of Trauma

• Two individuals from the same broken family can have different outcomes based on how they use their pain.

• The speaker's traumatic upbringing led him to become great in his field.

Adverse Response

• The speaker was able to train athletes not only physically but also psychologically because he understood what they were going through.

• Overcoming mental scars is necessary for playing at the highest level.

Thinking Big and Mental Health

In this section, the speaker talks about the importance of thinking big and how success can affect an individual's mental health.

Importance of Thinking Big

• Individuals should think big enough that their dreams and thoughts scare them.

• Dreams and thoughts should be something that nobody else has thought about before or done before.

Success and Mental Health

• Winning and success can have a significant impact on an individual's mental health.

• The pressure to continue performing at the highest level can be overwhelming.

• Having a large following on social media brings a different level of pressure.

• Success brings a whole different level of mental health that many people don't understand.

From College Graduate to Trainer for Michael Jordan

In this section, the speaker talks about his journey from being a college graduate earning minimum wage to becoming the trainer for Michael Jordan.

Early Aspirations

• The speaker knew early on that he wanted to train professional athletes.

• He took up kinesiology in college, which sparked his interest in movement science.

Career Journey

• The speaker started working at a local health club after graduating with a master's degree in exercise science.

• He had to work his way up from cleaning equipment to becoming a trainer due to probationary requirements.

Becoming a Trainer

In this section, the speaker talks about how he became a trainer and the importance of learning how to think.

Learning How to Think

• The speaker reflects on his education and how it taught him what to think, but not how to think.

• He explains that training individuals helped him understand different ways of communicating and adapting to different people.

• The speaker realizes that he is only using 10% of what he learned in school.

Writing Letters to Michael Jordan

• The speaker writes letters to 14 players on a basketball team, excluding Michael Jordan because he is the best.

• One of the letters is opened by someone else and eventually reaches Michael Jordan, who gives it to his team physician and athletic trainer.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and rolling the dice, even if there's a chance of failure.

Marginal Gains

• The speaker talks about marginal gains and how Michael Phelps trained every day with the goal of shaving off 0.001 seconds from his time.

• He emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with people who can help achieve those marginal gains.

The Importance of Marginal Gains

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of paying attention to small details and making incremental improvements in order to achieve success.

Obsession with Details

• The one percenters obsess over every single detail because they know that if they let something slip, someone else will use it to their advantage.

• Paying attention to little things is important because it's often the small details that people think won't matter that end up making a big difference.

• Kobe Bryant was obsessed with maximizing his focus and paying attention to small details. This allowed him to have more time and be more successful.

Interested vs Obsessed

• You can't be interested and obsessed at the same time. Interested people watch while obsessed people change the world.

• Paying attention to small details is what sets successful individuals apart from others who are merely interested in achieving success.

Examples of Attention to Detail

• Kobe Bryant would walk around different arenas before games, bouncing a ball on different spots on the court so he could avoid dead spots where the ball wouldn't bounce as well.

• Kobe once noticed that a basketball hoop was an eighth of an inch off during warmups before a game. This level of attention to detail allowed him to perform at his best.

Using Data Analytics for Podcast Success

In this section, the speaker discusses how data analytics can be used to improve podcast success by identifying areas for improvement and making changes quickly.

Importance of Data Analytics

• The speaker's team is considering hiring someone full-time to analyze data and analytics for their podcast episodes.

• By analyzing data, the team can quickly identify areas for improvement, such as incorrect titles or thumbnails, and make changes to improve the success of each episode.

Benefits of Quick Changes

• Making quick changes based on data analysis allows the team to stay ahead of the competition and continue to improve their podcast's success.

• The speaker emphasizes that paying attention to small details and making incremental improvements is key to achieving success in any field.

The Importance of Details

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of paying attention to details in all aspects of life, including career, family, and personal health.

Paying Attention to Details

• The speaker believes that paying attention to details is crucial for success in all areas of life.

• It's not about where you went to school or what you wear; it's about the small things that make a difference.

• People often get comfortable with not managing the details, but it's important to do so.

Personal Health and Fitness

• The speaker discusses his own fitness routine and how he tracks his progress with a group of friends.

• He mentions using a protein shake from one of his sponsors to help him reduce calorie intake and improve nutrition.

Striving for Greatness and Achieving Balance

• The speaker reflects on Kobe Bryant's obsession with greatness and legacy.

• He questions whether striving for legacy is worth sacrificing other aspects of life such as relationships or friendships.

• The speaker acknowledges that balance is difficult to achieve when striving for greatness but suggests surrounding oneself with people who understand your drive can help get closer to balance.

• He advises deleting unessential tasks rather than adding more tasks when trying to achieve balance.

Finding Balance in Life

In this section, the speaker continues discussing the concept of balance in life and how it can be achieved.

Achieving Balance

• The speaker emphasizes that balance is different for every individual and cannot be found but must be created.

• He notes that there will always be times when the scales are weighed towards one side more than the other.

• Surrounding oneself with people who understand your drive and obsession can help get closer to balance.

Kobe Bryant's Life

• The speaker reflects on Kobe Bryant's career and how it evolved from being solely focused on winning to spending more time with family towards the end of his career.

• He emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with individuals who understand your drive and attention to detail, which can help achieve success in all areas of life.

Overall, this podcast episode discusses the importance of paying attention to details in all aspects of life, including personal health, career, and relationships. The speaker emphasizes that achieving balance is difficult but possible by surrounding oneself with people who understand your drive and deleting unessential tasks rather than adding more tasks.

The Importance of Prioritizing and Creating Happiness

In this section, the speaker discusses how successful people prioritize their time and focus on what is essential. He also talks about the importance of creating happiness rather than just seeking external validation.

Prioritizing Happiness

• People may compromise important things in their lives to become obsessed with success.

• Winning does not always equate to happiness.

• Obsession can lead to burnout, misery, and depression.

• It's important to prioritize what's essential at a particular moment.

Creating Happiness

• You have to create winning habits; you won't find winning.

• You need to write your story of happiness instead of letting someone else write it for you.

• Insecurity can be a great motivator but can turn into an obsession that doesn't lead to true happiness.

• Be conscious of whether external validation is controlling you or if you're controlling it.

Balancing Obsession and Control

• Mama mentality can destroy careers because it's too intense for some individuals.

• Michael Jordan never let basketball control him; he was still in charge of his life and brand.

• External things should not control your life; you should still be in charge of who you are.

Overall, the speaker emphasizes that prioritizing what's essential at a particular moment and creating happiness are crucial for success. He also warns against letting external validation control your life and the dangers of obsession.

Principles for Success

In this section, Tim Grover talks about the importance of having strong principles and foundation to create happiness and success in life. He also discusses how successful people have multiple endeavors that allow them to create different levels of happiness.

Importance of Strong Principles

• Having strong principles is important to create happiness and success in life.

• If your foundation and principles are extremely strong, you can still create happiness and success all over again even if something goes away.

Multiple Endeavors

• Successful people have gone on to do multiple things that have allowed them to create different levels of happiness within their confined circle.

• Michael Jordan had basketball, then he had the shoe brand, now he's involved in philanthropy things. The competitive nature doesn't stop.

• You can create happiness in multiple things in your life, and if it gets to the point where it is burning you out, that means it's time for you to become obsessed with something else.

Sacrifice for Success

• When working with Michael Jordan, Tim Grover was told "you better keep up" which meant being ready for anything that comes their way.

• To prepare Michael Jordan for his next workout, Tim would count his steps during games so he could plan his training accordingly based on differences between right and left sides of his body.

• Michael Jordan once said "I don't pay Tim to train me; I pay him not to train anybody else." This compliment showed how much he valued Tim's obsession with detail when it came to sports enhancement training.

Introduction to Kobe Bryant

In this section, Tim Grover talks about how he was introduced to Kobe Bryant by Michael Jordan after working with him for 15 years. He also explains why Jordan used the word "lovingly" when introducing him to Kobe.

The Introduction to Kobe

• Tim Grover was introduced to Kobe Bryant by Michael Jordan after working together for 15 years.

• Jordan lovingly introduced Grover to Kobe and said that he would no longer be using his services.

• Grover explains that as individuals become more successful, everyone around them becomes a "yes" person and nobody wants to say no to them.

Accountability and Staying on Top

In this section, Tim Grover discusses the importance of accountability in staying on top and achieving success. He shares examples of how he held Michael Jordan accountable during their time working together.

Accountability is Key

• Grover had many heated arguments with Michael Jordan because he held him accountable for his job at the highest level.

• Once accountability is broken between two people, it's time for them to find another individual.

• As individuals become more successful, they tend to pay less attention to details because they feel like they've achieved everything they need.

• Staying on top is not the same as reaching the top. Many individuals can reach the top but very few stay there because accountability starts deteriorating once they've reached their peak.

Deterioration in Accountability

In this section, Tim Grover explains what deterioration in accountability looks like and shares an example of how it can happen in business.

Signs of Deterioration

• When people perform at the highest level, sometimes their boss or the person above them may not hold them accountable for certain things because their numbers are good.

• This creates a little crack that gets bigger over time, leading to a deterioration in accountability.

• Michael Jordan never asked his teammates to do anything he wouldn't do himself. He was always pushing his players to perform at the highest level.

Mocking Teammates into Dedication

In this section, Tim Grover talks about how Michael Jordan would mock his teammates into dedication and why some might consider this approach toxic.

Mocking Teammates

• Michael Jordan's approach to motivating his teammates might be considered toxic by some, but it worked for him.

• He constantly pushed his players to perform at the highest level and wanted them to have a taste of winning numerous times over.

• There was intention behind the jokes he made at his teammates' expense. He wanted them to run faster or train harder.

Michael Jordan's Leadership Style

In this section, the speaker talks about Michael Jordan's leadership style and how he used thorns to filter out teammates he could trust in certain situations.

The Use of Thorns

• Michael Jordan used thorns as a filter to see which teammates he could trust in certain situations.

• There were very few people that Michael Jordan trusted to pass the ball to when the game was on the line.

• All those individuals that he trusted at some point in their career stood up to him and challenged him.

Importance of Tough Decisions

• Procrastinating on tough decisions can cost more in the long term.

• Winning doesn't make you heartless, but it teaches you to use your heart less.

• Putting mind over matter is something that successful CEOs develop.

Showing Up is None of the Battle

• Showing up is none of the battle. People want accolades and rewards for doing things they're supposed to do.

• To get anything in life and anywhere, you must show up. If you think showing up is winning, then you're already losing.

The Importance of Details

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of paying attention to details and how it can impact the outcome of a project or task.

Showing Up is Half the Battle

• The speakers talk about how showing up is important but not enough to guarantee success.

• They share a story about how they had to find a new location for their podcast recording because the original location did not meet their needs.

• Despite having only two days left before recording, they continued searching for a better location that would replicate the aesthetic they needed.

Obsession and Winning

• The speakers discuss how obsession and winning can come at a cost, including personal relationships.

• One speaker shares a personal story about his daughter asking him why he travels so much for work. He explains that winning comes at a cost and he knew what he was getting into when making certain decisions.

• He also shares another story where his daughter asked if she ate less, would he stay home more. He chose to keep packing instead of staying with her.

Sacrifices for Success

In this section, one speaker talks about the sacrifices he made in order to achieve success and provide for his family.

Making Sacrifices

• One speaker talks about how every decision he made came with an understanding of its consequences and costs.

• He shares a personal story where his daughter understood why he traveled so much for work and appreciated the sacrifices he made for their family.

Making Tough Decisions

In this section, the speaker talks about making tough decisions and the consequences of not making them. He also shares a personal story about missing important events in his family's life due to work commitments.

The Price of Winning is Too High

• The speaker warns that if you think the price of winning is too high, wait until you get the bill from regret.

• The bill from regret is generational and has been passed on from generation to generation. Someone in one of your generations has to pay that bill off for the next generation to move on.

Personal Story

• The only way to pay off the bill from regret is by being willing to make hard decisions.

• The speaker shares a personal story about flying back and forth between coasts for work while missing important events in his family's life.

• Everyone remembers the one event you don't show up for, even if you've been successful at many things over and over again.

Reconciling Mistakes

In this section, the speaker talks about reconciling mistakes and owning up to them.

Mistakes Made

• When asked what mistake he's made but was scared to address or reconcile, the speaker responds that every mistake he's made he's owned up to.

• There were times when he apologized for things he shouldn't have apologized for.

Sponsorship Message

In this section, the podcast sponsor My Energy is introduced as a brand that promotes sustainable living.

Sustainable Living

• The speaker introduces My Energy as a brand that promotes sustainable living and offers cost-effective ways to make sustainable switches in your life.

• The speaker encourages listeners to check out myenergy.com to learn more about the brand and their products.