Mumford’s book delves into meditative techniques, mastering self-awareness
by Chase Honaker
About the author: An experienced teacher who combines mindfulness and athletic performance, George Mumford is a highly sought-after speaker and mentor throughout the athletic world and beyond. He most famously worked with NBA head coach Phil Jackson and both the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson credits Mumford for his positive impact on both championship-winning teams.
Book Summary
The Mindful Athlete is Mumford’s guide to the practice of mindfulness and how best to apply the meditative practice to both athletics and life. He writes that, “there is no separating who you are on the court, field, or yoga mat from who you are in the world at large (62).” The book is divided into five main sections which Mumford designates as the “Five Spiritual Superpowers.” He describes the first spiritual power, mindfulness, as the ability to pay attention to yourself and your surroundings in a detached, non-judgemental manner. This detachment in sports helps to remove one’s ego from performance to reach a state of “flow.” Second is concentration or in Mumford’s words “focused awareness.” Concentration helps overcome distractions (both internal and external) and enables an athlete to focus on the present moment. The third, insight, is about deeply understanding oneself. Through this understanding, Mumford explains, we can recognize causes of our actions and once we do that we can adjust accordingly. Next comes right effort, which involves exerting effort to move towards goals; but not just effort but effort with the right intentions. Lastly is trust, which Mumford also refers to as faith or confidence. He calls it “having the courage to delve into the unknown and trust what is found there” (62).
While many of these concepts will be familiar to those practicing mindfulness, Mumford’s explanations make them accessible and applicable. He uses a combination of theoretical ideas and his practical experience, both from his own life and from his teaching career, to expose common obstacles and misunderstandings surrounding mindfulness. I would recommend the book to anyone looking to improve the mental aspect of their performance, both within and outside of athletics. The book’s structure and actionable practices presented at the end of each chapter create a simple and rewarding blueprint to follow. All that is needed is a reader’s effort.
Mumford, G. (2016). The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure performance. Parallax Press.
A 2024 TCL graduate, Chase Honaker played goalkeeper for the UCLA Bruins from 2019-2023. A Plano, Texas native, he was a two-time All-American at St. Mark’s School. He is a four-time ACWPC All-Academic Honoree and has been named to the UCLA Athletic Director’s Honor Roll 11 times.