{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Extreme balance: UFC legend and Olympian Ben Askeren","description":"On today's podcast we have Ben Askren. &amp;nbsp; Ben is legend in the world of combat sports. A two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, an undefeated 87-match streak holder, Ben redefined dominance on the mat before conquering the MMA world as a Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion.&amp;nbsp;Known as 'Funky' for his unorthodox style, he's one of the most decorated grapplers in history, with an unforgettable run in the UFC.&amp;nbsp;Ben has scrapped with some of the toughest guys on the planet: Jorge Masvidal, Robbie Lawler, Douglas Lima.&amp;nbsp;And of course, he famously boxed YouTuber Jake Paul. &amp;nbsp; Whether he's slamming opponents or dropping knowledge as an analyst, coach, and author, Ben takes risks, finds a way to win and profits from the obstacles he encounters. He\u2019s authored multiple books including 'Funky: My Defiant Path Through Wrestling, MMA, and Life' and most recently co-authored 'Extreme Balance', with our mutual friend, Spartan founder and former guest Joe De Sena, and psychologist David Sacks. And this is where Ben and I click on our shared obsession with mindset, he\u2019s been studying it for as long as he can remember. &amp;nbsp; In this episode we discuss: The mindset of a combat athlete, nurturing talent, perfectionism, cowboys and what Ben means by extreme balance- and how it\u2019s a non-negotiable for reaching the pinnacle in your craft. &amp;nbsp; I hope you enjoy. &amp;nbsp;  ---------------------------------------------------------------- &amp;nbsp; Find Ben: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/benaskren\/&amp;nbsp; https:\/\/x.com\/Benaskren&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Find James: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jamesakingofficial\/ https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jamesaking_\/ https:\/\/jamesaking.com\/ &amp;nbsp; Watch the episode with Chris Billam-Smith here: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3wUqaqzHzIU&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; \ud83d\udd0a Listen on Spotify:  https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/5LJFspGl7b0e5YuxMfPLpx?si=e852f426c16b4f2d &amp;nbsp; \ud83d\udd0a Listen on Apple Podcasts: https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/gb\/podcast\/the-accelerating-excellence-podcast\/id1706636304 ","author_name":"Accelerating Excellence","author_url":"https:\/\/www.jamesaking.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/35352425\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/35352425"}