Jean François Ménard - Train (Your Brain) Like an Olympian

Train (Your Brain) Like an Olympian

Gold Medal Techniques to Unleash Your Potential at Work

Jean Franois Mnard with Marie Malchelosse

Translated by Linda Hilpold

Mnard is a leader in the field. His book teaches the importance of mental training and how it can help you step up your game when the heat is on.

PAT BRISSON NHLPA agent Co-Head of CAA Hockey

The mental training techniques used by JF in elite sport and the performing arts are equally transferable to many fields of human performance.

BERNARD PETIOT vice-president casting and performance Cirque du Soleil

Thanks to the mental training techniques shared in this book, we overcame our fears and gave it our best on the ice. Theres no greater gift for an athlete!

SCOTT MOIR and TESSA VIRTUE figure skaters three-time Olympic champions

This book provides managers with the tools to adopt a winning attitude and better coach their teams to reach a higher level.

PATRICK CHARBONNEAU vice president PepsiCo Beverages Canada

I always knew how to manage the pressure, but, with JF Menards advice, I was able to take things to the next level. He really helped me to avoid distractions and focus on the right things. When Im in the starting gate, theres no doubt in my mind! A big part of my success on the slopes comes from excellent mental performance coaching.

MIKAL KINGSBURY freestyle skier Olympic champion and four-time world champion

This is the ideal book for our times. Resiliency is the key asset as we navigate these unchartered waters. With the use of Jean Franois tips, tricks, and techniques, personal and professional growth is guaranteed. The real success of this book is how these practices are achievable for everyone. Not just the superstar athletes.

JEANNE-MARIE ROBILLARD National Speakers Bureau

JFs principles help me cope with stressful moments. Now, I am capable of managing my emotions when needed and I know how to become confident when it counts the most. Finding solutions to my challenges has become easier than ever! The teachings in this book are undoubtedly important contributors to my success.

MAX PARROT professional snowboarder Olympic medalist, eight-time X Games gold medalist, cancer survivor

Thanks to this book, youll understand how you can train your brain the way great athletes do to improve your performance.

ROBERTO MARROCCO vice-president, portfolio manager and member of Chairmans Council RBC Dominion Securities

The strength of this book lies in an approach based on experience, research, and observation, but mostly on the authors deep desire to motivate individuals to excel and achieve their goals.

NICOLAS GILL two-time Olympic medalist CEO and High-Performance Director Judo Canada

Thanks to an authentic and user-friendly approach, youll learn easy-to-use strategies to build your confidence, rebound after failure, and persevere when under pressure.

DOMINICK GAUTHIER co-founder of Bten Foundation, former Olympian and coach of Olympic medal-winning athletes

Foreword

At the beginning of my professional football career, I thought that I would continually improve my physical strength over the years. Given the countless number of hours spent on the football field and in the gym, I expected that improvement on the physical testing results that I obtained during the NFL Scouting Combine would happen naturally.

Despite my sustained efforts on the field and in the gym, the reality is that I would struggle to get the same results I got seven years ago. It was wishful thinking to believe that my body was going to get significantly stronger and faster. The physical demands of a contact sport like football make it nearly impossible to stay in tip-top shape for an entire season. A charley horse prevents you from doing squats one week, while a bruised shoulder prevents you from bench-pressing the next. Realistically, its only during the off-season that you can rebuild strength and explosiveness.

Still, most players find ways to polish their technique. During the season, we perfect different skills during practice. In my case, as an offensive lineman, blocking is my forte. Yet Ive realized throughout my career that the most decisive factor in becoming a better football player is the mental game.

During a game, I go through sixty to eighty plays. In theory, theres no link between one play and the next. The most important thing I have learned is to turn the page after each play so that I can focus on the next one. In essence, I mentally reset sixty times during a game. Resetting is easy when things are going well, but doing it when you just made a bad play in the fourth quarter and eighty thousand people are staring at you is not so easy!

Developing robust grittiness, self-confidence, and focusing abilities are what really challenges an athlete. These psychological factors differentiate an average player from a great player. Athletes spend so much time training to become physically fit; theres no reason not to do the same with mental skills.

Over the last seven years, Ive balanced being a professional football player with being a medical student at McGill University. Through several clinical clerkships, I noticed that the mental skills used on a football field are just as useful in a hospital environment. Whether its reviewing a differential diagnosis during a critical situation, correctly answering the questions asked by my medical supervisor, or writing a nerve-wracking final exam, having a trained mind allows you to perform in a logical and rational way.

From my first meeting with Jean Franois, I noticed right away that his extensive experience and notable expertise make him an undeniable leader in his field. Thanks to our discussions, I realized that training the mind is a key component in reaching my full potential. To become a winner on the football field, in the emergency room, or at the office, the same skills are needed to perform: having the right attitude, knowing how to eliminate distractions, demonstrating leadership, and overcoming your fears. His guidance has undoubtedly helped me play at my best and help my team win the Super Bowl.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif

Guard for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League,

Super Bowl LIV Champions

Acknowledgments

Jean Franois

I would like to begin by thanking Marie. Your writing is one of a kind. Writing down my ideas wasnt an easy task, yet you did just that, and better than I could ever have imagined. Our teamwork was gold medal worthy!

Thank you to the publisher, ECW, who believed in the project from the start.

Thank you to B2ten for allowing me to help Canadian athletes achieve their dreams.

Thank you as well to the athletes, artists, and others, whose stories Ive included in this book. I will always be grateful to you for agreeing to be a part of it. Without you, this book wouldnt be the same.

Thank you to all my clients. Because of you I get to do the greatest job in the world.

Lastly, thank you to my family for your support and patience. I love you, Manon, Niko, and Kieva.

Marie

I would like to thank Jean Franois. I had the pleasure to explore your thoughts and collect your wisdom for many months. Your desire to help others shines through all the theories, tips, and strategies. I hope that I was able to find the right words to demonstrate your passion for your work.

Many thanks to the amazing team at ECW.