EP08: Run With The Cheetahs – How High Achievers Think & The 5 C’s of Negative Thinking
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In this episode of Run With The Cheetahs, Russell welcomes back author Jerry Freishtat to explore one of the core pillars behind every high-performing life: mindset. They define mindset as the invisible operating system running in the background of your life, influencing how you think, act, lead, and recover from adversity.
Together they discuss:
* Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset, and why people with a growth mindset believe they have real input into their destiny while fixed-mindset thinkers feel controlled by outside forces.
* How we all carry multiple mindsets (about work, relationships, money, other people) and why this is actually good news—because mindsets are malleable.
* What Jerry learned from Carol Dweck’s research on children and the environments that either nurture creativity and initiative or stifle them.
Russell shares how Shad Helmstetter’s book What to Say When You Talk to Yourself reshaped his understanding of self-talk and the subconscious mind—and reads a deeply personal morning declaration he uses to reinforce the man he chooses to be every day. They contrast traditional affirmations with the idea that consistent, aligned actions may be the most powerful form of self-talk you can have.
A standout segment is their breakdown of Price Pritchett’s “5 C’s of Negative Thinking”:
* Complaining
* Criticizing
* Concern (worry)
* Commiserating
* Catastrophizing
They explain why, from a performance standpoint, your biggest gains often come not from adding more positive thinking, but from ruthlessly eliminating these five patterns from your daily life.
Other topics in this episode:
* The “cheetah mindset” and how elite performers think about bad days and failed attempts.
* Why talent is overrated without work ethic, resilience, and a growth-oriented frame of mind.
* How high achievers handle challenges, health issues, financial pressure, and family struggles—why the problems don’t disappear, but the response changes.
* Practical ways to start your day with intention (your “golden hour”) instead of defaulting to old mental habits.
* The importance of questioning your own thinking: “Why do I believe this? Why am I afraid of this risk? Where did this mindset come from?”
Jerry leaves listeners with this challenge: you can’t go back and create a new life, but you can start today to create a new ending. Your current mindset is not a life sentence.
Resources mentioned:
* Book: Run With The Cheetahs – the foundation for this podcast.
* Book: Mindset by Carol Dweck.
* Book: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter.
New episodes release every two weeks. Explore additional articles and tools at runwiththecheetas.com.
Jerry Freishtat
CEO of Wealth Climber | Serial Entrepreneur | Investor | Advisory for Startup Entrepreneurs | Speaker | Author | Committed to innovation, growth, and making a positive impact on the world.
Russell Anderson
Founder, President ACS Creative; Marketing & Design (30+ years of growing brands; global and local)
Serial Entrepreneur, Forever Student of Business - and Life
Buy the Book and Audiobook!
Amazon Audiobook
https://a.co/d/jbuW7Bh [https://a.co/d/jbuW7Bh]
Amazon Book Purchase
https://a.co/d/7Kq3MrG [https://a.co/d/7Kq3MrG]
Intro/Outro Music Credit
Big Thanks to Michael Fath for the use of The Emerald Isle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hva33IEU3SY&list=RDHva33IEU3SY&start_radio=1
