Author Daniel McGinn discusses the science behind mental preparation and how it can help us succeed. Daniel joins host Janeane June 12 at 9:00am pst to discuss his latest book, "Psyched Up."

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Closing the sale. Asking for a raise. Nailing the big presentation. The last few minutes before a major challenge can be terrifying. We often feel the most powerless just before we’re expected to act powerful. Practice might make perfect, but perfection is useless if you can’t summon it when it counts. Pulling off a great speech or the pivotal at-bat also requires the right kind of mental preparation. In his new book, PSYCHED UP, journalist Daniel McGinn dives into the latest psychological research and interviews athletes, soldiers, entertainers and others who, despite years of practice and enviable track records, will ultimately be judged on their ability to deliver a solid performance when it’s their turn to shine.


Daniel McGinn discusses:

• Why trying to calm backstage jitters can be worse for your performance than channeling it into excitement
• How meaningless rituals can do more to prepare you in the final moments than last-minute rehearsal
• How a prescription from your doctor could help you unleash your best skill
• How Jerry Seinfeld’s jacket and Stephen Colbert’s pen help them get laughs
• What General Stanley McChrystal said to Special Forces before they entered the battlefield
• Why the New England Patriots hired the DJ for the Red Sox to help them win
• How Muhammad Ali turned trash-talking into an art form.

Whether you’re a sportsperson or a salesperson, an actor or an entrepreneur, one bad hour can throw away months of hard work. There’s so much conflicting popular advice that we often end up doing the wrong things. McGinn separates the facts from the old wives’ tales and shares new, research driven strategies for activating your talent, optimizing your emotions, and getting psyched up to take the spotlight.


About the Author:DANIEL MCGINN is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review. His writing has appeared in Wired, Inc., the Boston Globe Magazine, and Newsweek. He lives in suburban Boston with his family.