Leonel Franco’s dream was to become a professional soccer player. However, when he fell short of that goal he was forced to shift his focus on other athletic endeavors.
In fact, the day the door closed on his soccer career was the same day he first stepped foot into a CrossFit gym. The competitive atmosphere of the gym allowed him to tap into the best version of himself, and he quickly started preparing to compete in the CrossFit games.
In this week’s episode, Leonel joins Elliot to discuss the mindset that allowed him to channel disappointment into opportunity and his journey to winning the title of the Fittest Man In Nevada.
Time Stamped Show Notes
[01:42] Welcome To The Show…
- 02:02: Leonel’s dream of becoming a professional soccer player.
- 02:52: After the door shut on his soccer career, Leonel starts CrossFit to fill the competitive void.
- 03:31: The shift that allowed Leonel to love working out, when he previously dreaded the thought of it while playing soccer.
[07:09] Leonel advances from participating in Crossfit classes to training for competition.
- 08:23: How Crossfit widdles down over 200,000 competition entrants down to just a final 120.
- 11:39: How Leonel’s pre-competition mental preparation allowed him to hit personal bests when it mattered most.
- 14:52: After finally getting the opportunity to compete in front of a live crowd, what are Leonel’s next goals?
[16:56] Leonel’s best advice for those looking to pursue competitive aspirations.
- 18:38: How to close the gap on your competition even when they have a massive head start over you.
- 22:13: Leonel’s secret weapon for improving recovery while building mental toughness.
- 25:31: Why learning to slow down is often the biggest mental hurdle for athletes to overcome.
[31:10] Wrap-Up—Thanks For Checking Out This Episode Of The Primed Mind Podcast!
Key Learning Points
- A group of like-minded individuals can accomplish great things as a group: Why are fitness platforms such as Peleton and Crossfit so successful? It’s because they understand the power of community. It’s incredibly difficult to create long-term fitness habits, and many people find the key to doing so is by embracing a community. If you’re struggling to achieve any goal, find a group of people trying to achieve the same goal as you, and lean on them to help you get started.
- Use visualization to help you prepare for critical moments: How can you give yourself the best chance to perform your best in those critical moments that only happen on rare occasions. We’re talking about the finals of a huge competition, that make-or-break investor meeting, the dream job interview, or a massive sales call with an important client. These aren’t moments you get the opportunity to practice often in real life, but you can do the next best thing and practice them with visualization. Walking through these moments in your mind over and over again, primes you to perform your best when it matters most.
- If you want to rapidly level up your game, don’t be afraid to get your ass kicked: The biggest improvements come when you’re able to stretch just past your current level of skills and abilities. That means taking risks and allowing yourself the opportunity to learn from failure. If you only put yourself in situations where you’re guaranteed to win, you’re guaranteeing you’ll stunt your growth.
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