#39 Think Like a Grandmaster: The Psychology of Success with Garry Kasparov

What separates the elite from the exceptional? Is greatness just talent — or something deeper, more deliberate?

In this episode of Performers, we explore the mind of Garry Kasparov — chess grandmaster, world champion, and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of all time. His book How Life Imitates Chess is more than a treatise on the game; it's a playbook for decision-making under pressure, self-awareness, and long-term performance.

Join Dr. Duncan Simpson and Dr. Greg Young as they decode Kasparov’s lessons — from growing up in the Soviet Union to battling IBM’s Deep Blue — and uncover what it truly means to lead, think, and perform at the highest level.

♟️ Why talent is nothing without environment

🧠 The true meaning of self-awareness in decision-making 🔥 How to build intuition through reps, reflection, and risk ⚔️ Why aggression, done right, creates psychological pressure 💡 What separates tactical thinkers from long-term strategists

🚧 How success breeds complacency — and how to avoid it 🎯 How to use failure, not fear it, as a pathway to mastery

Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, coach, or someone chasing high performance, this episode is your invitation to sharpen your strategy, master your mind, and play to win — in every arena.

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Buy the book: How life imitates Chess

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Chapters

00:00 The Foundation of Success: Talent vs. Hard Work

05:51 The Role of Environment in Performance

10:47 Discipline and Imagination in Strategy

14:58 The Importance of Self-Awareness

17:42 Adapting to Change: The Key to Success

21:21 The Power of Asking 'Why?' in Strategy

24:56 Tactics vs. Strategy: Understanding the Difference

29:07 Navigating Pressure: The Importance of Planning

31:07 The Power of Innovation

32:54 Embracing Failure for Success

34:15 The Importance of Decision-Making

36:25 The Role of Intuition in Performance

41:13 Aggression and Psychological Pressure

44:30 Complacency: The Silent Enemy

49:41 The Impact of Catastrophic Losses

54:40 Human Intuition vs. Machine Calculation

56:51 Lessons from Performance Reviews