Summary
Joseph Ariel Town shares insights on overcoming fear, performing under pressure, and creating lasting change through small, intentional choices. Discover how to shift your mindset from seeking perfection to embracing continuous growth and joy.
SHOW NOTES
What if becoming your “best self” is not the real goal?
In this episode of the Sisterhood of S.W.E.A.T., Linda Mitchell sits down with high-performance coach, actor, director, podcast host, and author Joseph Ari’el Towne to discuss the powerful philosophy behind his new book, The Better Mindset.
For more than three decades, Joseph has worked inside the rooms where performance happens—on film sets, in studios, in rehearsal spaces, and alongside elite athletes, award-winning creatives, executives, and broadcasters. Through that experience, he discovered that the tools that help create a great athlete are often the same tools that help create a great performer and a more fulfilled human being.
Joseph explains why chasing perfection can keep us stuck and why becoming one percent better at what matters most creates more sustainable growth. He and Linda discuss how to turn fear and nervousness into useful energy, the difference between planning to win and playing not to lose, and why joy should be part of the journey rather than something we postpone until after we succeed.
They also explore the “giving state” versus the “getting state,” the relationship between our surroundings and our performance, and how honest self-examination can help us grow without slipping into shame or self-criticism.
If you have ever felt overwhelmed by how far you still have to go, this conversation will remind you that you do not have to change everything at once. You simply need to choose your direction and take the next intentional step.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:
• Why “better” can be more powerful and sustainable than “best”
• How the one-percent principle creates lasting change
• What elite athletes, actors, executives, and creatives have in common
• How to use fear and nervousness to improve your performance
• The difference between a giving state and a getting state
• Why planning to win is different from playing not to lose
• How your physical environment influences your mindset and well-being
• How to pursue growth without perfectionism or shame
• Why joy should be the vehicle rather than the reward
Joseph Ari’el Towne’s new book, The Better Mindset, releases globally on September 29. Season two of The Better Mindset podcast premieres this fall.
key topics - The concept of 'better' as a continuous journey rather than a destination
- The 1% principle and its application in daily life
- Reframing nerves and fear as fuel rather than obstacles
- The importance of speaking kindly to oneself and rewriting negative tapes
- Playing to win versus playing not to lose and its impact on performance
- The difference between a giving and a getting mindset in relationships and work
- Strategies for managing nerves and using them to enhance performance
- The role of joy in sustaining growth and maintaining motivation
Sound Bites - "Speak to yourself more kindly and rewrite those tapes"
- "Play to win, not just to not lose"
- "Nerves are fuel, not a sign of failure"
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Joseph Ariel Town and his work
02:04 Why the idea of being the best is limiting
04:05 The 1% principle and daily small shifts
05:37 Playing to win versus playing not to lose
06:52 The giving versus getting mindset in relationships
07:47 Overcoming nerves and performance anxiety
09:10 Reframing nerves as fuel and staying present
10:26 Experiencing joy during the process, not just the outcome
11:18 Where to find Joseph's book and podcast
12:13 Final thoughts: growth is a direction, not a destination
Check out this episode!
