EXCLUSIVE: Shane Watson talks about his latest book that reveals his secrets to a strong mind

Watson with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. File Pics

Australians, through the ages, and across sports have always been described as tough. So, it comes as a surprise to hear former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson talk of having to work in order to build a tough mindset. It is precisely this experience that fills up the pages of Watson's latest book, The Winner's Mindset (HarperCollins India).

We sat down with the cricketer who is in India for a commentary stint with the ongoing IPL edition, to talk about his journey and the need to publish a book to help out other professionals in need.

Dr Jacques Dallaire and Shane Watson

Edited excerpts from the interview

You approach the reader by sharing your weaknesses, struggles and mistakes. What led to that revelation?
Shane Watson: The book began from a chance meeting with IndyCar champion, Will Powers during an awards show. This was one of those sliding doors moments of my life. Over the evening, I opened up to him about my own fears. These were things I had not spoken to anyone, not even my wife.

Powers connected me with Dr Jacques Dallaire. From that first phone call, I knew right away that this was the right person to help me out. Dallaire knew nothing about cricket, but he understood individuals driven by performance. Since it was my flaws that led me to the discovery of this knowledge, it only felt right that I share it from the same perspective.

How long did it take from working on yourself with the programme, and deciding to transform the experience into a book?
SW: It took me six to eight weeks to bring it all together. It was a simple process, and I started to write down every experience in my performance journal. If you observe, the structure of the book is very similar to that of the workshop. Dallaire has built this over 40 years of working with high performance individuals. I brought into it the experience and observations from my own career that added in as relatable examples.

The examples of the late great Shane Warne's self-confidence notwithstanding results, or Sir Vivian Richards using chewing gum to focus in a game, is insightful.

But doesn't every high-performance individual find their own solution?
SW: The best in every field have these mental skills. They build them by working incredibly hard over time. It is tied into their understanding of what works for them. Now, everyone does not go through the same experiences that enabled these legends to develop such mental skills.

Watson shares that Shane Warne would not let the result affect his self-belief while (right) Vivian Richards used chewing gum as a meditative process to centre himself

On the other hand, while many of them did discover a method, they did not know why it worked. When you do not know why, you can sometimes lose focus of a working solution when things get rough. The book helps to crystallise a path; not an easy one, but one that works.

What was the key shift you noticed after you started implementing the method?
SW: I learned how to redirect my negative thoughts and free myself. These thoughts can often come in the way of accessing skills that you have already built over years. The split second between hesitation and action can often define the result. I know from my own experience that it is a significant power to have control over your thoughts. It can give you control over your happiness in life.

With mental skills forming a key part of performance, why is this information not more accessible?
SW: I believe that mental skills are a critical life skill, especially if you have not learned it at a younger age. The challenge is to retrain your mind repeatedly. It is not a one-time fix. Even now, my default mode is to worry. But since I have built these skills, I can catch myself. I am nearly 43 years old now, and I have been working on these methods for over nine years.

Was that a driving force for this book - to educate the next generation on these skills?
SW: The main driver for the book was that this was the information I wish I had as a teenager; not just from a performance perspective, but also for someone who struggles to find a way to deal with stress.

Are you planning a follow-up to this book?
SW: The next iteration is aimed at younger audiences. This is why I hope to build it into an online course that outlines the methods to combat pressure and anxiety of results. We are working towards an interactive format that should be ready by the end of May.

Do you sometimes regret knowing what you know now a little late?
SW: I have no regrets. I felt fortunate to have this information while I was playing. Now, my mission is to get it out to as many people as I can.

Away from the book, what are your early thoughts on this IPL season?
SW: It has been a fantastic start. The matches have already been action-packed.
I recently saw Mayank Yadav's performance, and it was quite incredible. It has been a pleasure to be able to work on different levels in the tournament through these years.

Elementary, Watson
1 Don't let outside influences get in the way of your instinctive decision-making.
2 Confidence is integral to performance. So, build it around the right qualities.
3 The only factors to focus on are the things you can control. Prepare for external factors, but do not worry about them.
4 Goals are important, but fixating upon them can prove detrimental.
5 You have only a limited amount of mental energy. Find ways to conserve it like reading a book, learning music and limiting your social media usage.

Available at all bookstores and e-stores
Cost: Rs 499