By Brian Bigelow | Guest Writer
Gregg Steinberg’s book, “Full Throttle: 122 Strategies to Supercharge Your Performance at Work,” is based on the idea the secret to success is to master your emotions.
Steinberg is a sports psychologist, public speaker and associate professor of health and human performance at APSU and his new book was the sixth best-selling nonfiction book in the nation for the week ending Jan.17, according to The Washington Post.
Steinberg’s writing and public speaking focus on the idea that building “mental and emotional toughness” can lead to a happier, more successful life. The terms “mental and emotional toughness” refer to the ability to stay calm and focused under pressure, as well as being able to maintain confidence even when things don’t go as planned.
Steinberg connects his ideas — about mastering one’s own emotions — to increased self-awareness, facilitating the search for meaning and purpose in one’s own life and convey these ideas through stories and anecdotes in both writing and public speaking.
“When you tell a story people are more engaged,” Steinberg said. “I search for great stories about people who are successful and then explain why.”
Keith Willocks, the head golf professional at the Club at Fairvue Plantation, said the ideas he has learned from Steinberg have been useful in teaching and instructing golfers.
“He’ll cover all the mental aspects of golf,” Willocks said. “When I first met him … we discussed little things about how to improve your game. A lot of the aspects he brought up were useful.”
Willocks met Steinberg through lectures and seminars Steinberg gave for the Tennessee section of the PGA. “[Steinberg is] a very enthusiastic, passionate person … who aspires to be the best.”
“He doesn’t see failure as failure at all; he sees it as learning a way of not doing something,” said Omie Shepherd, assistant professor of health and human performance. “Gregg is the most confident and positive person I’ve ever known. He has a magnetic personality.”
Steinberg first became interested in sports psychology in his youth as a tennis player.
He wanted to know how athletes, and people in general, became successful. Steinberg said it was then he realized “the mental game was the key to their success.”
Steinberg followed this inspiration through school, earning a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in education psychology and a doctorate in human performance.
“The secret to happiness that I teach is: When you have meaning in your actions, purpose in what you do and pride in your accomplishments you’ll have authentic happiness,” Steinberg said. “The ultimate goal for students is to find a career and a calling that they never want to retire from.”
Steinberg has written for Golf Digest, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Leaf Chronicle and wrote a regular column for the Tennessean called “The Head Coach.” Steinberg hosted a radio show with Rudy Kalis called “Mind Games.”
He has also appeared on CNN, the Golf Channel and served as a sports psychology expert for Fox News during their coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Steinberg even appeared on an episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” where he assessed the contestants’ mental toughness and the ingredients they would need to succeed in the competition.
Steinberg has written two other non-fiction books, “Mental Rules for Golf” and “Flying Lessons.
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