It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad with Andy Staples Summary

It Takes What It Takes explores neutral thinking, a mindset focused on objective, emotion-free problem-solving to overcome challenges. Co-authored by mental conditioning coach Trevor Moawad and Andy Staples, the book argues against excessive positivity or negativity, advocating instead for pragmatic strategies used by elite athletes and leaders. Key themes include self-talk control, disciplined planning, and resilience in high-pressure situations.

This book is ideal for professionals, athletes, and individuals seeking to improve decision-making under stress. Its principles apply to career transitions, personal growth, and competitive environments. Moawad’s examples from the NFL, military, and business make it valuable for leaders and anyone aiming to build mental toughness.

Yes, particularly for its actionable four-step neutral thinking framework (Identify, Label, Reframe, Repeat) and real-world examples from Moawad’s work with Super Bowl champions. It offers science-backed methods to reframe setbacks and maintain focus, making it a practical guide for overcoming adversity.

Neutral thinking involves assessing situations without emotional bias to make objective decisions. Moawad contrasts this with positive/negative thinking, showing how neutrality helps athletes like Russell Wilson perform under pressure. The process includes identifying unhelpful thoughts, reframing them, and repeating productive behaviors.

The book introduces the Verbal Governor concept, emphasizing how language shapes behavior. Moawad advises replacing defeatist phrases (“I can’t”) with neutral alternatives (“What’s next?”). This technique reduces anxiety and improves focus, as demonstrated in NFL training scenarios.

Moawad stresses detailed, flexible planning to navigate uncertainty. Examples include breaking goals into incremental steps and visualizing outcomes. A University of Miami study cited in the book shows how structured planning improves goal achievement by 40%.

• Neutral Thinking Process: Identify emotional triggers, label them objectively, reframe reactions, repeat until habitual.
• Visualization Techniques: Mentally rehearsing success to build confidence.
• The 24-Hour Rule: Allowing limited time to process wins/losses before refocusing.

• “Champions don’t think negatively or positively; they think neutrally.”
• “It takes discipline. It takes sacrifice. It takes what it takes.”

These underscore the book’s focus on effort-driven success over innate talent.

While not widely criticized, some readers may find its rejection of positivity too rigid. The book’s sports-heavy examples might feel less relatable to non-athletes, though Moawad bridges this with workplace and personal life applications.

Moawad’s book focuses on mental conditioning for high-stakes moments, while Atomic Habits emphasizes incremental habit-building. Both advocate self-awareness, but It Takes What It Takes prioritizes crisis management over daily routines.

Its strategies for managing uncertainty remain vital amid rapid technological and workplace changes. The neutral thinking framework helps navigate remote work challenges, career pivots, and global crises.

• Career: Use neutral thinking to handle rejection or promotions.
• Relationships: Replace emotional reactions with problem-solving.
• Health: Stick to fitness goals by reframing setbacks.

Moawad was a renowned mental coach for NFL teams (Seahawks, Alabama Crimson Tide), Fortune 500 executives, and military personnel. His methods, validated by cognitive psychology research, emphasize measurable mental conditioning over abstract motivation.