Can you be "world class" at more than one thing? In this episode, we explore the role of "balance" when it comes to choosing to be our best on the race track. 

Can you be "world class" at more than one thing? In this episode, we explore the role of "balance" when it comes to choosing to be our best on the race track.

Balance

Your attention is one of your most valuable assets. How do you protect and maximize it behind the wheel? 

Your attention is one of your most valuable assets. How do you protect and maximize it behind the wheel?

Attention

“'In terms of how people react to art or entertainment, you learn that it sometimes goes well and it sometimes doesn’t. It doesn’t mean that the cause and effect are connected.' That's a quote from renowned actor/director Ben Stiller. Obviously, he's talking about art and entertainment here, but I think there are some obvious (and perhaps, not so obvious) parallels to our own form of performance on the race track."

“'In terms of how people react to art or entertainment, you learn that it sometimes goes well and it sometimes doesn’t. It doesn’t mean that the cause and effect are connected.' That's a quote from renowned actor/director Ben Stiller. Obviously, he's talking about art and entertainment here, but I think there are some obvious (and perhaps, not so obvious) parallels to our own form of performance on the race track."

Cause and Effect

What separates Peter Biondo from Peter Piper? Mental toughness. In this episode, I discuss how some of the best racers in our sport deal with overcoming mistakes, and how it may be one of their greatest advantages. 

What separates Peter Biondo from Peter Piper? Mental toughness. In this episode, I discuss how some of the best racers in our sport deal with overcoming mistakes, and how it may be one of their greatest advantages.

A Crisis in Confidence 

Racing IQ

Flexibility, or "versatility" is one of the common traits among the greats in our sport. Does driving a variety of cars and competing in different classes make us better drivers? In this episode, I answer this question with some recent experience in my own vehicles. 

Flexibility, or "versatility" is one of the common traits among the greats in our sport. Does driving a variety of cars and competing in different classes make us better drivers? In this episode, I answer this question with some recent experience in my own vehicles.

Flexibility 

Lacking a compass, an old scouting trick is this... If you're lost in a forest, unsure of the way out, or even what direction to move, you locate three trees in a row. One close by, another a little ways away, and one farther off in the distance - all in line with each other. And you move from one tree to the next, picking another tree farther down the line each time that you progress.That's a literal interpretation: actually finding our way out of a forest. The generality applies to a variety of decisions. We may not know the right path, but there's only one way to make progress!

Lacking a compass, an old scouting trick is this... If you're lost in a forest, unsure of the way out, or even what direction to move, you locate three trees in a row. One close by, another a little ways away, and one farther off in the distance - all in line with each other. And you move from one tree to the next, picking another tree farther down the line each time that you progress.That's a literal interpretation: actually finding our way out of a forest. The generality applies to a variety of decisions. We may not know the right path, but there's only one way to make progress!

Trees in a Forest

Dealing with a long tree

In this age, it’s easier - more natural than ever - to judge ourselves and our racing in comparison to others. Between social media, live feeds, and frankly people like Jed and I, It’s so easy to put successful racers on a pedestal:Racer X wins, and is never worse than 010 on the tree for 9 straight rounds.Racer Y dominates, holding .06 or more.Racer Z’s matched the dial in 8 times in 9 rounds.And we think…Damn.I can’t do that!

In this age, it’s easier - more natural than ever - to judge ourselves and our racing in comparison to others. Between social media, live feeds, and frankly people like Jed and I, It’s so easy to put successful racers on a pedestal:Racer X wins, and is never worse than 010 on the tree for 9 straight rounds.Racer Y dominates, holding .06 or more.Racer Z’s matched the dial in 8 times in 9 rounds.And we think…Damn.I can’t do that!

Expectation

To stage or not to stage?

The Daily Driver podcast presented by ThisIsBracketRacing.com is a daily podcast dedicated to helping sportsman drag racers become the best version of themselves on the race track. Each day in season 2 (which stretches from November 1 through November 30), 3-time NHRA World Champion Luke Bogacki explores a topic of competition and shares the insights and experience that he’s gained as a racer, teacher, and perpetual student of the game.

Opportunity 

Very selfishly, part of this podcast is for my own benefit: as I work through some of these ideas in the process of my own day-to-day life.On our way here, not even halfway through our trip, our new (to us) motorhome broke down. It was certainly not the way that things were planned!The reason I share this, not to pat myself on the back, is because I'm actually really proud of the way that I handled this situation. 

Very selfishly, part of this podcast is for my own benefit: as I work through some of these ideas in the process of my own day-to-day life.On our way here, not even halfway through our trip, our new (to us) motorhome broke down. It was certainly not the way that things were planned!The reason I share this, not to pat myself on the back, is because I'm actually really proud of the way that I handled this situation.

Under Reacting and Presence 

In racing, I think we face this juxtaposition a lot, often in settings that can elicit high emotion.We’re passionate about what we're doing.We put a lot of time &amp; work into it.We’ve typically got aspirations surrounding competition.We’ve often got an expectations - both about our performance and how things will go in general.And, occasionally (perhaps more often than not), something doesn’t align w/ those expectations!How we deal with that, I'd argue impacts not only our peace of mind, but ultimately our ability to perform.

In racing, I think we face this juxtaposition a lot, often in settings that can elicit high emotion. We’re passionate about what we're doing. We put a lot of time &amp; work into it. We’ve typically got aspirations surrounding competition. We’ve often got an expectations - both about our performance and how things will go in general. And, occasionally (perhaps more often than not), something doesn’t align w/ those expectations! How we deal with that, I'd argue impacts not only our peace of mind, but ultimately our ability to perform.

Happiness is Available

How do you frame personal performance? Is your self talk directed toward being THE best, or toward being YOUR best?There's not necessarily a right or wrong answer; but it's interesting to dive into the connotation and the mental framework of each approach - not necessarily to think about what others are doing, but to think about which approach may best serve each of us.

How do you frame personal performance? Is your self talk directed toward being THE best, or toward being YOUR best? There's not necessarily a right or wrong answer; but it's interesting to dive into the connotation and the mental framework of each approach - not necessarily to think about what others are doing, but to think about which approach may best serve each of us.

The Best vs My Best

Are you a perfectionist? Have you convinced yourself that such perfectionism serves you?I've often held myself to incredible standards... And I've been very hard on myself when I've failed to uphold those standards. Often times, that constant drive - that incessant pursuit has helped make me better. Perhaps you feel the same way.And yet, what got us to where we are, isn't necessarily going to be what gets us to where we want to be.

Are you a perfectionist? Have you convinced yourself that such perfectionism serves you? I've often held myself to incredible standards... And I've been very hard on myself when I've failed to uphold those standards. Often times, that constant drive - that incessant pursuit has helped make me better. Perhaps you feel the same way. And yet, what got us to where we are, isn't necessarily going to be what gets us to where we want to be.

Perfection 

There is an element of patience in what we do - this HARD game that we choose to play; and how patiently staying the course (even when the destination isn’t completely clear) has a tendency to pay off (often when we least expect it). 

There is an element of patience in what we do - this HARD game that we choose to play; and how patiently staying the course (even when the destination isn’t completely clear) has a tendency to pay off (often when we least expect it).

Patience

Passion

A speech for the ages. Listen in on what reads like pre-game pump up message to those competing on the biggest stage of their careers. Taken from an exclusive ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE strategy session, this episode describes competing in the most electrifying atmosphere our sport has to offer: The Spring Fling Million. 

A speech for the ages. Listen in on what reads like pre-game pump up message to those competing on the biggest stage of their careers. Taken from an exclusive ThisIsBracketRacing ELITE strategy session, this episode describes competing in the most electrifying atmosphere our sport has to offer: The Spring Fling Million.

Morning of the Million

I believe that we tend to overestimate the presence of skill in our own positive outcomes. And that we tend to overestimate the presence of luck in our negative outcomes.When we view others, however, that gets flipped. We tend to overestimate the presence of luck in other's successes. And we overestimate the presence of skill (or lack thereof) in their negative outcomes.In short: we lose because we're unlucky. They lose because they suck.They win because they're lucky. We win because we're amazing.

I believe that we tend to overestimate the presence of skill in our own positive outcomes. And that we tend to overestimate the presence of luck in our negative outcomes.When we view others, however, that gets flipped. We tend to overestimate the presence of luck in other's successes. And we overestimate the presence of skill (or lack thereof) in their negative outcomes.In short: we lose because we're unlucky. They lose because they suck.They win because they're lucky. We win because we're amazing.

Analyzing Outcomes for Growth

While we typically use this podcast space to focus on the psychology of competition (partly because you've requested it, but mostly because that's totally my bag!), we occasionally get requests for more specific, technical, on-track insight. The most common of those requests often revolves around weather, and predicting the impact that changes in weather will have on our cars' performance.In this episode, we focus on the impacts weather can have, and the specific weather measurements that seem to impact combinations on gasoline, methanol, and E85.

While we typically use this podcast space to focus on the psychology of competition (partly because you've requested it, but mostly because that's totally my bag!), we occasionally get requests for more specific, technical, on-track insight. The most common of those requests often revolves around weather, and predicting the impact that changes in weather will have on our cars' performance.In this episode, we focus on the impacts weather can have, and the specific weather measurements that seem to impact combinations on gasoline, methanol, and E85.

Weather Factors

The Daily Driver podcast presented by <a href="http://ThisIsBracketRacing.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ThisIsBracketRacing.com</a> is a daily podcast dedicated to helping sportsman drag racers become the best version of themselves on the race track. Each day in season 2 (which stretches from November 1 through November 30), 3-time NHRA World Champion Luke Bogacki explores a topic of competition and shares the insights and experience that he’s gained as a racer, teacher, and perpetual student of the game.

Daily Driver 

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The best podcast episodes on Startups. For anyone working in a startup, or anyone interested in the incredible stories behind how people built companies like Instagram, and Facebook. Offering both practical advice and insights, as well as the stories for how many of the biggest startups got to where they are today. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!