Getting to Neutral: How to Conquer Negativity and Thrive in a Chaotic World

by Trevor Moawad, Andy Staples, Ciara (Foreword)

In this breakthrough book, the author of Wall Street Journal bestseller It Takes What It Takes provides life-changing, step-by-step guidance on how to successfully navigate adversity and defeat negativity by downshifting to neutral thinking.

It's easy to be positive when everything is coming up roses. But what happens when life goes sideways? Many of us lapse into a self-defeating negative spiral that makes it hard to accomplish anything. Getting to Neutral is a step-by-step guide that shows readers how to use mental conditioning coach Trevor Moawad's innovative motivational system to defeat negativity and thrive.

Neutral thinking is a judgment-free, process-oriented approach that helps us coolly assess situations in high-pressure moments. Moawad walks readers through how to downshift to neutral no matter how dire the situation. He shows us how to behave our way to success, how to determine and practice our values in a neutral framework, and how to surround ourselves with a team that helps us to stay neutral.

Filled with raw, inspiring stories of how Trevor navigated health challenges with neutral thinking as well as insights drawn from some of the world's best athletes, coaches, and leaders, Getting to Neutral will help readers learn to handle even the most complex and turbulent situations with calm, clarity, and resolve.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Leadership, Business, Sports, Audiobook

238 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 2022

Reviews

[Jennifer Weeks Ph.D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I added this book to my audible listening que based on seeing it in the WSJ. I fully acknowledge that I did not read the review. I looked at the title and a small blurb and thought it might be something that could be useful to my clients. In my ignorance and lack of reading the review, I had no idea that the author was a sports mental conditioning coach and this book was really going to be all about sports. You might have guessed that I am not a sports person.

The book is long on stories and rather short on tangible suggestions. What suggestions there are seem to be akin to mindfulness strategies, stoicisim and/or some buddhist philosophy. Personally, I did not find it very useful or helpful. There really was no new content for someone who has read about mindfulness, stoicism etc.

Where I could see this being of use is for clients who are sports fans and not really fans of self help books. This book would likely present some helpful tidbits to them in a manner that suits thier sports interests.

[Cav · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Starve your distractions and feed your focus..."

Getting to Neutral was an excellent book, but it was also a pretty heavy-duty emotional ride...
I first became aware of the author from his appearance on Tom Bilyeu's show "Impact Theory." What he said there resonated deeply with me.

Author Trevor Moawad was a renowned Mental Conditioning expert and strategic advisor to some of the world’s most elite performers. In 2017, Trevor was named the “Sports World’s Best Brain Trainer” by Sports Illustrated. From Ft. Bragg to Harvard Business School, from elite Quarterbacks to top-level CEOs. Moawad’s mission was clear – to motivate the motivated.

A serious memento mori for me, Trevor passed away on 15 Sept, 2021; aged 48. What an incredibly sad loss. RIP...
This is my second from the author, after his 2020 book: It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life, which was excellent. I loved it so much that I added it to my "favorites" shelf.

Russell Wilson and Trevor Moawad :


The book opens with a deeply moving intro by the singer Ciara. She is married to one of Moawad's most successful clients, as well as closest friend; football great Russell Wilson (pictured above).
Ciara drops this great quote:

"One of the best lines that the legendary Trevor Moawad gave me is that there’s never been a statue of a critic..."

The book also features a prologue by the co-author that was incredibly touching. He says:

"It turns out we did write Trevor’s last words, but I know they are the legacy Trevor wanted to leave. He wanted everyone to learn to think neutrally. He wanted us to celebrate that we’re vertical and on this side of the carpet. He wanted us to stop worrying about the final score and just try to dominate every precious second we get on this planet..."

Trevor developed a concept that he calls "neutral thinking." This is somewhat in contrast to the work his father, famous motivational speaker and author Bob Moawad did. Bob was focused on positive psychology and optimism.

Trevor outlines the power of "neutral" here. Positivity has value, he says, but it can become detached from reality at times. A primary aspect of neutral thinking is that it rejects negativity. In an effort to make his message resonate with the early 20-something athletes he coaches, he distilled it down to a simple mantra:
"Stop saying stupid shit out loud."

He says that positive thinking can be beneficial, but is not effective in certain scenarios. For example; the COVID-19 pandemic tossed a gigantic monkey wrench into the gears of positive thinking. Positive thinkers were optimistic that somehow the virus would be "melted away" with the upcoming summer. They hoped to "flatten the curve" in 2 weeks.
If you focused on positive thinking, and believed these scenarios, you were setting yourself up for some massive disappointment, he says.
Instead, shift to neutral, and focus on what your next move needs to be:

"The next time your world feels like it’s collapsing around you, grab your mental gearshift and ask yourself something similar. Don’t worry about the big picture. Ask this: What is the next thing I need to do?
You’ll find yourself in neutral and ready to move in any direction."

A central theme of the book is Trevor telling the reader about his cancer diagnosis, and how he used the mindset techniques of neutral thinking to meet this challenge head-on. Hearing him go through this journey was incredibly heartfelt and touching. I won't lie; parts of this book brought a tear to my eye...

The book also talks about living in alignment with your values. Identify your key values, and then become accountable to yourself. Are your actions and habits in alignment with those values?

"Determining your values is talking the talk; your habits are how you walk the walk. They are what you do every day to ensure you get what you want. Or they’re what you do every day to ensure you don’t get what you want. They are the choices you make again and again that lead to success or failure..."

Trevor also recommends cutting distractions and sources of negativity. Social media platforms, depressing music and partisan inflammatory news sites are the chief drivers of the negativity in most people's lives. Cut them out, he says.
He even goes so far as to "kick someone out of the book" who will not heed that advice, in a vein similar to a coach kicking out a player who will not do the drills properly:

"...When I did my experiment in bombarding myself with negativity, I listened to a lot of country music. (Sorry, Sam Hunt.) Maybe country music doesn’t bother you one bit. But you know when something is making you mad, making you sad, making you anxious, making you depressed. When you’re consuming something that does one of those things and you’re consuming it voluntarily, the solution is clear.
Just stop.
Own the obvious. I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. To engage more in this book without accepting this requirement would piss me off!
“What?” you ask. “I’m getting kicked out of a book? What does that mean?” Yes. My goal here isn’t to make your book club. The goal is to help and support you. I’m kicking you out of the book if you can’t follow this basic direction, because I’m telling you this to help you. Because control matters."

***************************

Getting to Neutral was both a genuinely inspiring book, as well as an incredibly touching read. Russell Wilson writes the book's epilogue.
Trevor Moawad was a monumental force in the mindset industry. His presence will be missed by all those whose lives he touched; mine included...
5 stars.
Rest In Power, Trevor.

[Bryan Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less actionable than his first book, it takes what it takes but still filled with fantastic anecdotes.

I will be eternally sad that there won’t be a third book but grateful for the two amazing books that exist.

[Lynn Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes some good points about neutral thinking, the importance of acting in accordance with one’s values, and the downsides of social media, but I personally didn’t like the heavy focus on sports and anecdotal events. Overall it was a good/insightful book

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anotha 75 hard book I forgot to log 🙋‍♀️ but this book was life changing

[Anthony Cappoferri · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, it hit me so hard to hear when Trevor Moawad had died. I was surprised by how much of a reaction I had because I had no direct connection to him personally whatsoever. But upon reflection, I realize that his death hit me so hard because I realized just how powerfully his teachings, books, and videos (not least his interview with Tom Bilyeu!) have impacted me and that all of a sudden there became a finite amount of them available and the person responsible for them was no longer here.

I loved this book - Getting to Neutral not so much for the wealth of data driven approaches to sports psychology that was found in It Takes What It Takes, but more so because of the depth of honesty and authenticity that was found in Trevor talking about how he used his teachings of neutral thinking directly in his battle with “The Big C.” While there is ample information to help anyone at any level of competition (or simply in life) learn to succeed and thrive, it was his authenticity and practical approach to such a difficult real life experience that I enjoyed most about this book.

As much as I mourn the loss of such a good guy and someone who brought so much value to others and in so doing made the world a much better place, I celebrate not only the fact that he came to know Jesus and so I’ll likely get a chance to thank him in person one day, but also that he lived such a full life of purpose and impact. Like Russell Wilson said so well in the postscript - “People always say when someone dies as young as you did that the person left too soon, that they died early. In terms of age, you did. But in terms of people you impacted and changed? You lived an incredibly long life. You were able to multiply everyone else by 20.” That is so well said.

Trevor Moawad, you lived life well brother. Thank you for the value you brought to so many in the world and to me personally. May we all seek to have the impact and influence you had during your short time here on earth. Thanks for all you did and taught during your time here and for leaving us with this last literary work to remember you by. The world is a much better place for you being here. Cheers to a life well lived!

Getting to Neutral? Highly recommended.

[Jung]

JUNE 19 = JUNETEENTH

Learn to thrive in life in neutral gear

You probably know all about the power of positive thinking – but is it really all it’s chalked up to be? Simply expecting the best without thinking the situation through may not lead to the results you want. And sometimes, it’s just exhausting to be happy all the time!

But what’s the alternative? Negative thinking certainly can’t be the answer. Being pessimistic and expecting the worst out of life can only leave you feeling depressed and morbid.

It’s time for a new approach: living life in neutral.

Living in neutral means examining the facts rationally to make decisions. It means giving what happened in the past importance, but only as a frame of reference and not as a predictor of the future. Living this way, aligned with your values and priorities, you will not only be able to make better decisions, but also live a fuller and more passionate life.

-

Why neutral thinking beats both negativity and positivity

In September of 2019, the author Trevor Moawad woke up in a great mood. He was looking forward to what was shaping up to be an exciting fall season in his career as a mental conditioning coach. Having put the difficulties of a recent divorce behind him, he was ready to throw himself into work again.

But when he passed his mirror, he was startled to see that his eyes suddenly looked yellow. Too busy to dwell, he popped on a pair of sunglasses and headed out into his day. Shortly afterwards, though, he was afflicted by severe itching.

Weeks later, he found out why: He had cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct cancer. The C-word. And to make things even worse, the world was just starting to face its own C-word: COVID-19.

As the COVID pandemic came into being, the dangers of too much negative thinking became clear. People panicked about not wiping down groceries properly. They tended to worry the worst would happen to loved ones. They spent their time seeking out gloomy statistics and predictions to brood about, focusing only on the stories about deaths and overlooking news about vaccine development or international cooperation.

Now, this level of negative thinking is unproductive, depressing and even harmful when it leads to pessimism and hopelessness – and it’s something most people are aware of at some level.

But did you know that positive thinking can also cause harm? Simply being optimistic without any basis can lead to becoming more negative and depressed when desired outcomes don’t come to pass.

So what’s the ideal alternative? The answer is neutral thinking. Rather than careening between doomsday thinking or toxic positivity, neutral thinking is a fact-focused way of thinking in a judgment-free zone. When you think neutrally, you don’t ignore the past, but you understand that the future does not have to mimic the past.

Neutral thinking doesn’t mean you should become devoid of passion or feeling. Instead, it requires stepping back from emotion at the time of decision-making, using facts and analysis of past experiences to make a decision about moving forward and then moving into that decision with enthusiasm and passion.

-

Let values guide you into shifting to neutral

The first step to shifting to neutral is simply this: Ask yourself, ‘what is the next thing I need to do?’ And one person who exemplifies this is Si France, owner and CEO of Welbe Health.

Welbe Health is a company that allows seniors to live at home with access to 24/7 care without having to move into a nursing home. When COVID-19 hit, Welbe’s clientele was one of the most vulnerable populations. France could easily have become overwhelmed trying to care for them. But he used the concept of neutral thinking, distilling instructions for his employees to a simple daily checklist: Read the day’s plan; do what you are assigned; care for your loved ones.

That was it. Dealing with each day in an organized, rational, informed and structured manner, Welbe employees used the events of the recent past to guide them without wallowing in them. France prepared for the future without catastrophizing, using the best information that was available each morning. Each day’s goal was just to do your best for that day.

And it worked. Probability and statistics show that 60 of France’s clients should have died during the pandemic. But only 10 did – meaning that 50 people survived against all odds.

Now, like all great concepts, thinking neutral sounds simple until it’s time to put it into practice. In reality, a situation that calls for switching to neutral is one that probably has you shaken. It might be a diagnosis, a layoff, a loss or a perceived failure of some sort. Or perhaps it’s the anticipation of something big – a game, presentation or job interview.

So how can you switch to neutral? What can you use to guide you there?

The answer lies in values. Your value system is unique to you, and it should prevail regardless of any chaos in your life. Identify your values. Do you believe in family above all? Or do you value fitness? Adherence to truth? A love of beauty? Kindness? Teamwork? Hard work?

Identifying and stating your values helps you see what you cannot do without. You can use them to anchor you to your daily decisions.

Let’s say that you have a big presentation at work on Monday and you anticipate a stressful weekend coordinating the speech, graphics and other presenters. Rather than a panicked negative response or a false positive that could lead you to not preparing well, think of your values. Let’s say they are hard work and family. Knowing those two priorities can help you plan a morning of intense preparation, but an evening spent with the kids at the park.

Knowing that you have planned tasks that align with both your values, you can approach your day with the knowledge that your goals will be met without compromising your principles. And you can coast into Monday morning on neutral.

-

Link values to habits for ideal results

You may have heard of Navy Admiral William McRaven’s famous speech to the University of Texas graduating class of 2014. The speech, which has since become a viral sensation, teaches students ten lessons that McRaven learned during Navy SEAL training that can help them change the world.

The first one? “Make your bed.”

It may sound ludicrously simple, but doing this every morning means that no matter what happens the rest of the day, you will have accomplished at least one task. And if you can build on that, perhaps you can accomplish more.

Now, while values help guide your actions, habits are what help you perform these actions well, day after day. Ask yourself every day what habits help you live a life that aligns with your values, and make sure you stick to them.

Take it from someone at the top of their game: Serena Wiliams. While playing professionally, Williams wrote down notes for her game on scraps of paper and studied them between matches. This was not just to up her game but also to keep her focused on tennis and not everything else happening around her. In 2007, one word featured repeatedly in her notes: ‘Yetunde,’ the name of her half-sister who had recently been killed in a drive-by shooting. Reading her sister's name locked her into focus: She would play her best because it was to honor her sister.

As well as developing good habits, it’s important to understand which habits to break. One habit that can drag you into a vortex of negativity is doom scrolling. When you are on social media multiple times a day, scrolling through reels and photos and stories about political divides, shootings and the freefalling economy, it is virtually impossible to bring yourself up to neutral. It’s probably not a coincidence that rates of depression, anxiety and suicide have risen steadily during the years that social media has become prevalent.

So try to cut that cord. Stop – or at least try to reduce – the scroll. Put the phone down and step out of the zone of negativity.

There are other traps that seek to trip you up and shake your focus. This might be texting during an online class you are supposed to be concentrating on, surfing the internet while playing with your kids or just plain gossip. The list is endless.

To divert your attention to what matters, consider making your own lists – lists of what’s important to you. Study these lists to help you shift to neutral in your own, unique way.

-

The importance of pregaming - without cheerleaders

As the author progressed through his C-word diagnosis and treatment, he learned how to get through the process neutrally. His success had a lot to do with preparation.

Before a big procedure, he made sure to not overload himself with information. He took in only what he needed to know to get through this next step. Even while sitting in a doctor’s office, he purposely chose to sit in a specific chair so that he could avoid looking at computer screens that might overwhelm him with test results. Before a major surgery, he spent the evening watching Cinderella Man, the movie where Russell Crowe plays a boxer who fought his way back into a championship after being forced to spend years away. He chose this movie deliberately.

On the morning of surgery, he went to church, and then walked with his ex-wife down to the beach. When he walked into the hospital, he was ready.

Whatever you are up against – a presentation, an exam, an audition – preparation is important for getting into neutral. This also includes what not to take in. For example, the author deliberately didn’t read about the side effects of chemotherapy because he didn’t want to think about a lot of scary things that probably wouldn’t help him get through the process anyway. Instead, he talked to trusted friends who advised him on specific things, such as keeping himself well fed so that he could face his physical challenges better.

Being neutral means essentially becoming your own team manager so that you can take care of yourself the way you would an elite athlete. But pick your team wisely. The author made sure he was only surrounded by those who could help him stay neutral – no negative people but also no cheerleaders exhausting him with positivity. You don’t want energy vampires or those who are too consumed with their own problems to support you. You also don’t want people who are outwardly supportive but who secretly resent putting in work for you.

With the right preparation and the right team, you can face any situation that comes your way. Whenever a challenge arises, allow yourself to feel whatever comes – be it anger, sadness, frustration or anything else. Once you let it out, you’ll be able to ease your way to neutral.

-

Leading from neutral

In 1989, American journalist Maria Shriver became pregnant with her oldest child. She wanted to take maternity leave, but was told that such a thing didn’t exist. If she took time off, she would probably lose her job. So she didn’t.

Although Shriver had no choice in the matter at the time – maternity leave became protected by law a few years later – now that she is a leader, she chooses to lead her employees very differently. One crucial component that she uses daily is emotional intelligence checks – in other words, how is everyone feeling?

Taking a more caring approach doesn’t mean Shriver is abandoning the rational aspect of neutral thinking. Rather, taking an "emotional temperature" gives Shriver – or any coach, teacher or even parent – valuable information that can guide them in how they treat the people they lead.

This is important in any field, and especially when dealing with the very different generational mindsets you find in today’s workplaces. Boomer and Gen X coaches and leaders, for example, can get irritated by what they perceive as their younger counterparts’ quote-unquote “softness.” But a good coach won’t try to change people in their team. Instead, they will meet their team members where they are.

One person in your team might need a more structured challenge while another might need a more fun approach. Accepting others’ differences, generational or otherwise, is crucial to leading with neutrality.

And one thing’s for sure: yelling or scaring people into excellence definitely isn’t the best approach to leading. Even Navy SEAL training has evolved to a point where candidates are given support and training before they try out. A neutral coach will look at the past to inform their leading decisions, but will understand that past techniques will not necessarily work going forwards.

Now, before you can be a good coach, you need to understand how to be a coach for yourself. In other words, you need to treat yourself the way you would the members of your team. So use your values to guide you, and rely on facts rather than opinions. Don’t ascribe false largeness to things. Nothing is so bad you can’t recover from it. Nothing is so good you can't improve.

When you’re living in neutral, you can face any challenge with poise and clarity.

-

Rather than harmful negativity or toxic positivity, the best and most productive mental state to inhabit is a neutral one. Neutrality means learning from the past but understanding that your next result can be different. It also means cultivating habits based on your core values, and preparing in the right way.

When you’re living in neutral yourself, you can also help those around you to reach neutrality. This way, you can all steer through life’s many challenges with calm and clarity.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn to thrive in life in neutral gear

Living in neutral means examining the facts rationally to make decisions. It means giving what happened in the past importance, but only as a frame of reference and not as a predictor of the future. Living this way, aligned with your values and priorities, you will not only be able to make better decisions, but also live a fuller and more passionate life. 

The answer is neutral thinking. Rather than careening between doomsday thinking or toxic positivity, neutral thinking is a fact-focused way of thinking in a judgment-free zone. When you think neutrally, you don’t ignore the past, but you understand that the future does not have to mimic the past. 

Neutral thinking doesn’t mean you should become devoid of passion or feeling. Instead, it requires stepping back from emotion at the time of decision-making, using facts and analysis of past experiences to make a decision about moving forward and then moving into that decision with enthusiasm and passion. 

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant work. Love this - easily top 5 business management.

[Tami · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like it. Just common sense tbh. I don't think it's particularly useful for a average person 🤷

[Kristoffer Skånøy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on strategies and examples of getting to neutral. No products or any other agenda, just insight from the late Trevor Moawad

[Emmanuel Ayeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I Get to Read a Book per Day...

I actually have a goal to be able to read an actual book per day, that will only happen once I get my reading speed and comprehension to jet speed levels.

However, this is one of the many ways I achieve something close, I listen to a book summary on an app like blinkist.

A few times I have enjoyed choosing mutiple topics or titles on the paid plan but the free plan still gives me access to a free pick for the day which I listen to almost every day thereby 'reading' a book per day.

You can always start with the free plan then try out different affordable plans so you can gain access to listen to more titles daily.

Depending on how interesting the title is, I listen multiple times and some times I can take 10 minutes to read through the summary to be sure I didn't miss any detail. I have actually found out we mostly might not absorb up to 100% of new information while listening at once.

Sometimes, I find doing this or reading actual books educative, entertaining and mostly therapeutic.

There might be some connection also between general well being and reading or learning.

The last blink gave a good summary of the book, Getting to Neutral, a book which talks about how people can be more objective in their approach to life or work by maintaining a healthy balance between being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic.

It shares how having the right values, habits and adequate preparation can help boost performance and enhance acting from a place of neutrality that is not overly hindered by past performance.

It was a great read.

Keep Rising to Greatness,

I am Emmanuel Ayeni

PS. Send me a message to jump on a free call to learn about my Accountability framework.
#RiseToGreatness
#MentalHealth
#Growth
#WellnessWednesday
#HealthyWealthyandWealthy
#AccountabilityCoach
#EmmandusConsulting

[Siddhant Agarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a wonderful study into the power of the human psyche. Trevor’s idea of getting neutral when faced with a difficult situation is quite inspiring, specially on light of his personal struggles. Trevor uses various examples to exhibit how being neutral, rather than positive or negative in a situation can actually help you focus and realign. The book is written in a simple language and the tone is quite powerful, one that makes you think about the things that Trevor proposes. Another that is interesting is that Trevor takes up various personalities as cases to put his point forth and from Navy SEALS to sport stars, we see how important the idea of marginal improvement is and how it can lead to major changes in one’s life for the better. The primary message of the book is to think critically and to take emotion out of the decision-making process so as to make decisions that are smarter as well as lead to a change in one’s life.

[Denise Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting to Neutral is a very sports analogy heavy book on changing your thoughts to change your life. The author is very experienced and seems to have worked with almost every famous sports star currently playing; and shares the secrets of their mental work for success. The author also ties the work to what he has had to do to work through his diagnosis of cancer. Getting to Neutral is an important concept, how can you change your thinking to go from worst case and center yourself during stress. It is the antithesis of thinking positive which sometimes feels like lying, especially if you are not naturally an optimist. I enjoyed the book although at times the name dropping can be a bit much as well as repetitive.

[JL Salty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: pg-+ for some profanity
Recommend: self help seekers, pop psychology

This man takes Jesus’s admonition to not worry, for tomorrow has its own concerns to a practical and relatable level: take the next step. Have a goal, and take the next step. But the book falls in to the same trap as many others: the meat is in the first 1/3, the rest is just more of the same. Of course, if you are a sports fan, you’ll likely get more out of the book than I did, I just didn’t connect to so many of the people used as inspiration, because I’m not a sports fan.

If you have something big happening in your life, this on is helpful for breaking it down into manageable chunks, and getting to the next small thing with the goal of getting to the big thing

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moawad's first book is much, much better. I suspect the urgency of getting more of his stories and examples down before he died of cancer was the motivation for this quick, quick read. If you really want to know what he's talking about with neutrality and moving away from positivity (I think he might have objected to the focus on negativity in the publisher's title choice -- he seemed to emphasize positivity was more a problem since that's what all of the self-help crap is about) then buy and read and re-read his first book, It Takes What It Takes. That one is helpful. This one, not so much.

[Jackie Speed]

This book was gifted to me. While the point of it I like to think would be attainable and helpful, for me I don't think it is. A lot of things come up in life and having a normal response of fear and anxiety is just going to happen for me. No matter how much I tell myself to stay neutral, I am not a robot so I don't think I could. I do also accept the fact that my mental state does not change the outcome. That's just how I am personally. I'm anxious, worry, and stress and I do meditate to try to help calm my brain.
All the sport talk in this book made it so much less relatable for me personally also.
Like I said it was gifted to me therefore I read it. That is all.

[Dean Harrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this more about you NEEDING to conquer negativity than actually HOW. That's OK because that message alone is valuable. Moawad wrote this while facing a disease that would claim his life shortly after publication (maybe sooner). More than actual strategies, the author offers a resume of his clients while telling a few related story's; some hit the bullseye in assisting a reader to adopt what is being "taught", others were just background music.

I did enjoy reading about Moawad's faith journey and his battle with mortality. Very sad that such a promising young man suffered through this terrible disease and eventually passed away. Prayers for his family and friends.

[Adam Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opportunity cost and multivariate decisions face humans constantly, however our ability to rationally process these decisions and circumstances is not organically productive.

Emotions and negative thoughts can cloud our judgment even in times of success or happiness. Getting To Neutral illustrates a philosophy and process to rationally traverse through life without getting too high or too low.

A great read for young adults and athletes IMO (I’m 21), this book gave me a sense of confidence I never had before. By accepting the lack of control you have over outside factors and focusing on non-negative thoughts you free urself of attachment to outside factors.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trevor Moawad was clearly an inspirational person to be around, I have no doubt he was good at his job and a great friend. It definitely gave the book a different vibe, knowing that he sadly passed away last year.

As an alternative to "think positive!" I think embracing a neutral state of mind is an interesting concept. And maybe I need to go back to his first book (which I have not read), because this follow-up installment was so full of name dropping and sports anecdotes that I had trouble distilling the actual message he was trying to get across.

[Brad Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough read. It's not what I expected. Unfortunately, Moawad wrote this while fighting cancer, a disease he would eventually succumb to.

The first 10% of the book does read like a "How To" to get neutral so I took notes. But unfortunately the rest of it reads more like a swan song autobiography of Moawad, his works, the people he knows and loves, and the "C-word."

If you read his previous book, you probably don't need to read this one unless you are big fan of his.

RIP Trevor Moawad.

[Rona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Только 1я (где он объясняет neutral thinking) и последние (где он дает советы для всех подходящие и делает такую мини motivational speech) части более-менее были полезны. Одну часть тяжело читать п.ч. он долго рассказывает про свой рак. Другие - п.ч. книга усыпана спортивными отсылками, фактами и тд. Я понимаю, что тем людям, которые больны раком эта книга может быть маяком в ночи. Но из-за спорта мне было очень долго тк это мне вообще неинтересно. Перечитывать не буду.

[Shannon Callahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different concept

While this book isn’t perfect but it did teach me a different concept. From there, I learned how to reframe the situations as they thrust upon me. Being stay neutrality helps analyze the incoming information better than being reactive with emotions. I would love to see author’s some kind of homework where I could write down and practice it back to me. I would practice some of it tomorrow…I’m curious how it will helps me.

[Gayle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a Sports Fan

Not being a knowledgeable sports fan is a disadvantage when reading this book. I felt it was full of name dropping of folks I could not identify with. I found myself skimming…looking for more information on “Getting To Neutral” for a non-athlete, average human being.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing Trevor passed before this book made it into the world made every page seem more thought out. Truly cherished reading this book. It had great guidance, great supporting stories, and a great human touch. You could tell his cancer had given great perspective on his path and what he felt would help lead others to realizing their potential. Easy read that I would recommend to everyone.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the recommendations. There were a handful of moments where it felt like he’d written this as a collection of essays. I thought I’d accidentally skipped back a chapter or two. The repetition was minor and attempting to reorient on the context. Though I wonder if without those repeats, could it have been an extremely awesome HBR article instead of a whole book.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book overall even though I'm not a sports person. But I find it extremely odd that he refuses to say "cancer" and instead uses "the c-word"... And then he goes on to describe cancer treatments and side effects in depth, like that's all fine and neutral but saying the word cancer is not... What?? So strange.

[Sarah Schmutz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly story based with tidbits of actionable advice. The main theme sums up as, "when facing an overwhelming or emotional situation, instead of reacting based on what has happened, consider "what can I do?", or "what steps can I take" to resolve the situation. Change your emotional mindset from positive or negative to a fact based, neutral and rational position.

[Toshya Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one as much as Moawad's first one. While it's sad to think that Trev wrote this on his deathbed, it's truly inspiring to know that he stayed neutral during the worst of his cancer diagnosis. The forward from Ciara and the final word by Russell Wilson were both very touching.

[Jeff Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a sports fan, the stories were great. I enjoyed the principles from this book and being able to apply them to everyday life. Pros are pros for a reason……they have great process and master the simple.