The Mushin Way to Peak Performance: The Path to Productivity, Balance, and Success

Praise for THE MUSHIN WAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE

"Michael Veltri teaches entrepreneurs how to win the losing battle against distractions and attain clarity in their business and personal life. The Mushin Way to Peak Performance is a fun, fascinating read that will free you from being ′successfully miserable′ and get you back to loving what you do."
Josh Linkner, New York Times bestselling author, cofounder and chairman, Fuel Leadership; founding partner, Detroit Venture Partners

"In my life, there′s been nothing more clarifying than violence. Not random violence, but the focused, controlled study of martial arts. In martial arts, the truth finds you. Michael Veltri has been studying martial arts for decades, and distills its most important and crucial lessons into easy to understand exercises that can be applied to business and life. Read this book and you won′t have to get punched in the face to apply the lessons of martial arts to your life."
Tucker Max, #1 New York Times bestselling author, cofounder of Book in a Box

"In navigating through volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous environments, The Mushin Way to Peak Performance teaches readers to successfully balance competing priorities. Michael Veltri′s steps toward clarity offer a path to success in life and business."
Colonel Michael Callender, United States Air Force

"The Mushin Way to Peak Performance is a playbook on how to successfully apply the many benefits of the martial arts humility, self–confidence, and indomitable spirit to name a few to your business and personal life."
Jayson Gaignard, founder of MastermindTalks, author, and named by Forbes as one of the Top Networkers to Watch

"In this book, the martial arts principles that were used by the Samurai on the battlefield are applied to the daily challenges of modern life. The Mushin Way to Peak Performance is mandatory reading for any person in a high–pressure career where mental balance and decisiveness are critical for success. Michael Veltri walks us through the steps we can take to overcome the biggest hindrance to our achievements ourselves. After reading this book, the reader is empowered to apply these lessons toward a successful career and personal life where conflict is converted into growth and setbacks become an opportunity for achievement."
Dr. Edmund T. Karam, MD, FACC, FHRS, cardiologist

"In this remarkable book, Michael Veltri explains how the principles of the martial art of aikido help you move through life not physical combat but business interactions, emotional conflict, and managing the crush of a complex, hard–charging world on a busy individual. Veltri has packed a lot of wisdom into an engaging volume full of stories and anecdotes that make The Mushin Way to Peak Performance a pleasure to read as it teaches the art of living and doing business like a samurai."
Ben Wittes, Editor in Chief, Lawfare, Washington Journalist, and National Security Legal Analyst

Introduction The Aikido Way xi

The Modern Battlefield xii

What Is Aikido? xiii

My Path to Aikido xv

First Encounters xvi

Journey to Japan xvii

The Interruption xviii

How the Book Is Structured: Applying the Principles of Aikido xix

How to Use This Book xxiv

Chapter 1 Heiki: Equanimity 1

There Is Another Way 2

An Opportunity to Prevent Violence 3

A True Hero 4

Calm Courage in the Everyday 5

A Moment When I Needed Heiki 6

Calm Energy Leads to Action 9

There When You Need It 12

Embracing Heiki 13

When You re Known for Fighting Fires, You Get More Fires to Fight 14

Helping Others through Heiki 15

Chapter 2 Ki: Energy 21

Building a New Routine to Embrace Change 22

It s All about Energy 24

My Own Encounters with Ki 25

When It Feels Like Ki Deserts You 27

Ki Alone Is Not Enough 29

When Strength Seduces You 30

Understanding KiMeans Understanding Your Own Limits 31

Learning Self–Awareness As an Entrepreneur 33

Channel Your Ki to Succeed 34

Building Elegant Support Structures 35

The Payoff 36

Chapter 3 Musubi: Connection 41

Tying Things Together 42

It s All about Connection 43

Building Musubi: Start with Self–Interest 46

Deepening the Connection 47

Working without Musubi 49

You Can t Sell without Musubi 50

Turning a Company Around by Cultivating Connection 52

Putting Musubi into Action 53

Chapter 4 Nen: One–Point 59

Finding Your Center of Gravity 60

Staying Centered through Good Times and Bad 62

Finding Your One–Point by Stepping Away 65

Maintain Your One–Point and You ll Achieve Integrity 67

Sometimes You Have to Make a Change to

Remain Yourself 69

Michael Veltri, Super–Spy? 72

Chapter 5 Mushin: No–Mind/No–Distractions/No–Fear 75

Give the Grenades to the Zen Masters 76

No Expectations, No–Mind 77

Mindfulness and No–Mind 79

Emptying Your Mind Isn t Easy 82

Silencing the Monkey Mind 83

The Opposite of Mushin 84

A Better Way to Make Decisions 85

Chapter 6 Irimi: To Enter 93

Centripetal Force You Have to Get Close 95

Not Confronting a Problem Can Be Disastrous 98

The Real Cost of Avoiding a Problem 98

Procrastinators, Take Notice! 100

How to Tell the True Problem from a Distracting Tangent 101

Confronting the Smartphone Problem 102

Starting Small Is Still Starting 104

The Power of Irimi 105

Chapter 7 Kokyu: Breath–Power 109

Kokyu–Ho: Knocking Someone Over with Only a Breath 111

Time to Get Uncomfortable 113

One Way to Get Past Your Anxiety 114

Breathing While You Work 116

How to Take Control of Your Day 117

Risking Failure to Succeed 119

Real Risk, Real Rewards 121

Creating Emotional Exhale Moments 123

Try It Yourself Today 124

Chapter 8 C: Aiki: Unity 129

What I Should Have Known 130

Harmony in Action 130

Using Aiki in Daily Life 132

Try It Yourself 133

Use What You Have 134

The Road Less Traveled 135

Start with Self–Awareness 137

Embrace Your Weaknesses 140

Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome 142

Do Your Own Self–Assessment 143

Finding a Way 145

Chapter 9 Zanshin: Calm Awareness 151

Real–Life Daredevils 153

The Skill That Gives Spies Their Edge 154

An Exercise in Zanshin 155

Moments of Calm Awareness 157

Prepared for the Unexpected 158

Developing Zanshin 160

A Moment of Truth 162

The Power of Zanshin 164

Chapter 10 Wa: Harmony 169

Why the Finns Are Different 170

Fighting for Peace 171

Harmonious Hiring 174

The New Polaroid: Winning through Cooperation 176

Harmonious Progress 178

Understanding How Progress Really Works 179

The Honorable No 181

The Honorable No That Saved My Company and My Sanity 183

Conclusion Sumi–Kiri: Clarity of Mind and Body 187

Clarity of Mind and Body 188

The Road to Acceptance 189

Listening to the Inner Voice 190

Clearing the Way for Action 192

My Teacher 193

Duty and Obligation 195

Strength Forged in Pain 196

Tempered Steel 198

A World of Enlightened Warriors 199

Are You Ready to Transform Your World? 200

Notes 203

Acknowledgments 213

Hire Michael to Speak 217

Index 219

MICHAEL VELTRI is top–rated keynote speaker, serial entrepreneur, and leadership expert for elite organizations such as the Central Intelligence Agency and many Fortune 500 companies. As a professional athlete, two–time cancer survivor, and U.S. Marine veteran, Michael shares his unique message of business transformation and peak performances to leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals worldwide. Michael has worked with diverse public and private sector clients including Fortune magazine′s Global 500 standout, Samsung Electronics and the world′s foremost medical research center, the National Institutes of Health. Michael′s work has been featured by The Washington Post, Forbes, NBC News, and National Public Radio.

Find out more about Michael′s dynamic keynote speeches, corporate trainings, and comprehensive consulting services at www.michaelveltri.com.