Articles :: Mark R McLaughlin MD

The Alchemy of Wrestling. A short video inspired by the work of Jordan Peterson. Who knew that you could connect the story of ancient alchemists to Harry Potter and ultimately wrestling? Dr. McLaughlin puts on his "Coach Mark" hat to inspire a group of wrestlers.

William & Mary Tribe Speaker Series

Dr. McLaughlin with the Womens' Soccer Team at William & Mary. An inspirational message about seizing the moment and retaking control. Because it's important to believe something good will happen.

Virtual Event With Dr. McLaughlin

How do we make sense of the senseless? On July 15th, 2020, people from as far afield as Russia and Canada came together to listen to Dr. McLaughlin help us make sense of it all.

Your Best Life - Spine, Brain, and Mind Health

A powerful presentation at the CentraState Healthcare Foundation Workshop in the spring of 2016. Living a full and rich life. Actionable intelligence from Dr. Mark McLaughlin.

COVID-19 Reflections

A strategy for thinking about COVID-19 and coping with these challenging times. Using the IRISE method to guide your thinking. Dr. McLaughlin applies Cognitive Dominance methods to the problem.

The 3 Secrets to Cognitive Dominance

Watch presentation to the Old Guard of Princeton. It's a stage previously occupied by Albee, Dyson, J Seward Johnson, Kahneman, Reinhardt, Tilghman, Anne-Marie Slaughter, and Albert Einstein!

The Power of Platforms Full Presentation

Video of The Power of Platforms - Complete Presentation. this is a powerful message for Executives, Athletes, Entrepreneurs, and anyone facing challenges and decisions. Here are the tools you need.

Highlight Reel: Power of Platforms

Highlight reel from Dr. McLaughlin's presentation "The Power of Platforms". Dr. McLaughlin is a noted author, coach, inspirational speaker, and neurosurgeon.

20 Years a Neurosurgeon

On this twentieth anniversary of my graduation from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurosurgery Residency program. What have I learned? What will I do differently in the years ahead?

3 Essential Skills for Elite Performance in Health Care

Review of Christopher Ahmad’s book SKILL: 40 Principles That Surgeons, Athletes, And Other Elite Performers Use to Achieve Mastery, along with my pick of the top three skills for neurosurgeons to adopt.

Dreams, Platforms, and Choices

Reaching the Platform means different things to different people, but for everyone, the journey requires the combination of a set of virtues and principles that range from dedication to hard work and faith.

Dorothy Klenke Nash, M.D. : Pioneer Woman and Neurosurgeon

Today, women neurosurgeons remain a rare species; they represent only about 5% of the total in the United States. But at the time Dr. Nash became one, they were even scarcer; there weren’t any at all! She was the very first neurosurgeon of her gender in the U.S.

Another Day In the Frontal Lobe: Book Review

Firlik covers the entire territory of being a neurosurgeon, the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The need for a surgeon to be a ray of hope, as well as the relater of harsh truth. Dealing with surgeons with big egos. Recognizing when a seemingly straightforward condition may indicate a potentially fatal brain infection.

Surfs Up: Trigeminal Neuralgia Surgery Makes the Difference

Ken was living the life most 70 year olds dream of until the pain struck. He was surfing the summer waves of Hawaii and skiing the winter slopes of Vail. He was getting everything he could out of retirement…until the day his life turned upside down. He began experiencing an intermittent stabbing, shock-like pain searing into his right cheek.

Parallels in Precision Video: West Point Football Coaches

It has been an incredible experience presenting my workshop on precision, concentration and execution to the West Point Football coaching staff, and then having the further opportunity to work with the young men of the Football team. Watch this video to see the West Point coaching team experience a new way of looking at stress.

Psyched Up by Daniel McGinn - Book Review

Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed, written by Harvard Business Review journalist Daniel McGinn, covers the entire landscape of mental prep for high achievement. I thought I knew the whole story on this topic, but Psyched Up taught me new techniques that I can use in my daily life.

Health Crisis On a Plane

A while back, my wife and I were on a transatlantic flight when a passenger fell into a coma. As a doctor, I rushed to her side. I soon learned she was diabetic and had overdosed on insulin. I’m a neurosurgeon and her situation was outside my specialty, but it was a pretty basic medical emergency: get glucose into her system STAT.

NWCA 2015 National Convention Keynote Ft Lauderdale

NWCA 2015 Keynote - Your performance in sport, in work and in life is the outcome of decisions and approaches that you take. Neurosurgery has taught me ways to control and shape a fraught environment. Cognitive Dominance is critical.

Saint Peter's Healthcare Video: Trigeminal Neuralgia

One of my great passions is the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia. It is a traumatizing and painful condition. This video was prepared for Saint Peters Healthcare. In it, I answer some common questions about TN.

The Traveler's Gift : Andy Andrews

I became a huge fan of Andy Andrews, a New York Times Best Seller author, seven years ago. If you haven’t read any of his books, I urge you to pick up a copy of The Traveler’s Gift. It won’t disappoint. An Entertaining and Inspiring read.

Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield - Review

My review of Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield. A worthwhile new book to add too your reading list. How can we glimpse the world of the gods with more frequency, even regularity?

Speechless

Liver surgeon Simon Bramhall marked his initials on patients during surgery. I'm at a loss for words.

Podcast NWCA All-Star Classic

To this day I see wrestling as one of the ways for me to give back to community and share the unique lessons and skills that the sport taught me. Coaching youth wrestling is a part of my life.

Death is Certain - Eventually

Who was Brittany Maynard? I was invited to contribute an article to LinkedIn discussing the question of "assisted death". She was a young California woman who was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in 2014.

Time, Carla, and Peak Performance

This presentation was made at the Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation Annual Lecture and tells the story of meeting Carla..., a young girl with a life ahead of her..., if she could only survive the next few minutes. Life is measured by momemts.

Thomas Jefferson's Brain

Book Review of Edmund Morris' Book "The Living Hand". Highly recommended by Dr. McLaughlin. Brain-like, it [The Library of Congress] silently throbs with knowledge, and invisible connections-fact to fact, thought to thought..

An Olympian Visits Trenton - Kyle Snyder

"What if…this program grew to its potential? What if these young girls and boys get the same great coaching, teaching, role models, and mentorship that I was blessed to have? What if Trenton Youth Wrestling produced an Olympian? Why not?"

Jannetta Symposium

Dr. Mark R. McLaughlin delivered opening remarks on the occasion of the Inaugural Peter Jannetta Symposium. A video created by the University of Pittsburg.

Penn State Wrestling Presentation

An amazing group of young men from the National Championship wrestling program at Penn State. They inspire me to be a better doctor, coach, and person. Also great to see hometown hero Anthony Cassar from Montgomery, NJ. Thanks Coach Sanderson for the opportunity.

Wedemeyer Lecture Series

The General Albert C. Wedemeyer Strategic Lecture Series Endowment is a part of West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance. This endowment honors the intellectual and strategic legacy of General Wedemeyer through a series of lectures, think tanks, or roundtable discussions.

From Do No Harm to Do Harm: A Neurosurgeon’s Path to Madness?

Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, was sentenced to life in prison for what headlines described as “botched’ surgery. I'm saddened to learn that patients suffered injury at the hands of a doctor they had trusted to help them, and by the pain and suffering of his patients, their families and friends.

West Point and Elite Performance

On February 27th, 2017 I was honored again by the opportunity to speak at West Point. People who know me are aware of my passion for finding the keys to unleashing maximum performance. Not surprisingly West Point is packed with people who are driven by the pursuit of excellence.

5 Lessons I Re-learned Courtesy of Ryan Lochte

I’m pretty sure that after the dust settles, Ryan Lochte will be fine. Sure, he tarnished his reputation in action and words, but ultimately he fessed up to his big fish story. I'm reminded of some key lessons about life.

Level V Leadership in Coaching and Life

Level V Leadership in Coaching and Life: Lessons Learned from Olympic Gold Medalist Wrestler Dan Gable

Olympic Anticipation

The first records of wrestling date back some 5000 years. Wrestling was introduced to the Ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC. I'm EXCITED about the upcoming Rio Olympics. Here's some information to help you watch the events.

Pat Summitt Basketball Coach Passes Away - A Tribute

Legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summit passed away on June 28th at the age of 64. Her final years were spent battling Alzheimer's Disease. It's difficult to grasp the the depth of her impact on women's basketball and sports in general.