Intentional Mindset

About the Author

Dave Anderson, a renowned speaker, author, and leadership expert, has built a reputation for empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their highest potential. With a career spanning decades, Anderson has delivered countless seminars, authored multiple books, and provided executive coaching to leaders worldwide. His practical approach, combined with a deep understanding of human psychology and behavior, makes his insights both actionable and transformative. Anderson's passion for developing mental toughness and a killer instinct shines through in his works, especially in "Intentional Mindset: Developing Mental Toughness and a Killer Instinct," where he distills his vast experience into powerful lessons for personal and professional growth.

Main Idea

The main idea of "Intentional Mindset" revolves around the concept that achieving significant goals requires more than just talent and hard work; it necessitates a deliberate cultivation of mental toughness and a killer instinct. Anderson emphasizes that being intentional about how we think and act is crucial for overcoming complacency and realizing our full potential. By focusing on ten key success traits—attitude, competitiveness, character, rigor, effort, discipline, intelligence, tenacity, energy, and drive—individuals can build a mindset that not only initiates success but also sustains it through challenges and setbacks.

Table of Contents

1. Killer Instinct and Mental Toughness
2. Attitude: Build a Stronger ABLE
3. Competitiveness: Go from Common Participant to Commonly Dominant
4. Character: Cultivate a Rock-Solid Moral Code
5. Rigor: Design a Relentless Daily Regimen
6. Effort: Work Harder Smarter and Smarter Harder
7. Discipline: Become a No-Nonsense Master of "No'ing"
8. Intelligence: Grow Your Smarts Before Stupidity Starts
9. Tenacity: Hone a Rock Hardheadedness
10. Energy: Fuel a Fanatical Focus and Fight to the Finish
11. Drive: Become a Driven Driver, Not a Driver Who’s Driven
12. The ACCREDITED Course: Tailor Your Ten Weeks

Killer Instinct and Mental Toughness

Killer instinct and mental toughness are described as the dynamic duo that propels individuals toward their goals. Killer instinct is the initial push that gets you started, while mental toughness is what keeps you going despite challenges. Anderson asserts that a deficiency in these traits often leads to unfulfilled potential and persistent stagnation. He suggests that the root of many personal and professional shortcomings lies in a lack of these qualities, not external circumstances.

"Deficient killer instinct and mental toughness are the core causes of achievement shortfalls most often attributed to conditions such as bad breaks, bad upbringing, wrong job, wrong boss, and more." - Dave Anderson

Attitude: Build a Stronger ABLE

Attitude, body language, and energy form the ABLE acronym. Anderson explains that a positive attitude influences body language, which in turn affects energy levels. The key aspects of a strong attitude include responding well to negative situations, avoiding being easily offended, using positive speech, focusing on controllable factors, maintaining grace under stress, avoiding blame and excuses, and making others feel better about themselves.