On today's podcast we have Ben Askren.

Ben is legend in the world of combat sports. A two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, an undefeated 87-match streak holder, Ben redefined dominance on the mat before conquering the MMA world as a Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion. Known as 'Funky' for his unorthodox style, he's one of the most decorated grapplers in history, with an unforgettable run in the UFC. Ben has scrapped with some of the toughest guys on the planet: Jorge Masvidal, Robbie Lawler, Douglas Lima. And of course, he famously boxed YouTuber Jake Paul.

Whether he's slamming opponents or dropping knowledge as an analyst, coach, and author, Ben takes risks, finds a way to win and profits from the obstacles he encounters. He's authored multiple books including 'Funky: My Defiant Path Through Wrestling, MMA, and Life' and most recently co-authored 'Extreme Balance', with our mutual friend, Spartan founder and former guest Joe De Sena, and psychologist David Sacks. And this is where Ben and I click on our shared obsession with mindset, he's been studying it for as long as he can remember.

In this episode we discuss: The mindset of a combat athlete, nurturing talent, perfectionism, cowboys and what Ben means by extreme balance- and how it's a non-negotiable for reaching the pinnacle in your craft.

I hope you enjoy.

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Find Ben:

https://www.instagram.com/benaskren/

https://x.com/Benaskren

Find James:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesakingofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/jamesaking_/

https://jamesaking.com/

Watch the episode with Chris Billam-Smith here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wUqaqzHzIU

🔊 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5LJFspGl7b0e5YuxMfPLpx?si=e852f426c16b4f2d

🔊 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-accelerating-excellence-podcast/id1706636304