The Ballerina Mindset

How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence

By: Megan Fairchild

Narrated by: Megan Fairchild

Learn how to thrive in intense, competitive environments with these secrets from one of America's premiere ballerinas--and get a sneak peek at what her life is really like.

Ballet may look glamorous and effortless to audience members, but it requires grueling discipline. It's a competitive and physically and mentally demanding career that combines elite athleticism, artistry, and performance. Not only do dancers rehearse for six to eight hours a day before performing at night, but they also must make it all look easy!

As a principal ballerina with New York City Ballet and a one-time Broadway star--not to mention a mother of three and an MBA student--Megan Fairchild is all too familiar with these challenges. In The Ballerina Mindset, she shares all the wisdom she's learned from her nearly two-decade career, drawing upon her own experiences to show us how she learned to overcome challenges ranging from stage fright to negative feedback to a packed calendar to weight management--and how we can do the same. Inspiring, warm, and revelatory, The Ballerina Mindset is the perfect how-to guide for dancers, athletes, artists, and anyone struggling to stay sane in a high-pressure environment.

Critic reviews

“Encouraging and full of common-sense advice, Fairchild's book will help readers trying to fulfill their true potential. Even those who aren't pursuing ballet will find it helpful.”
—Library Journal

“A compendium of hard-won wisdom . . . Fairchild provides type A readers eminently practical and practiced advice for dancing ahead in life without the drama.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Fairchild has struggled with anxiety, self-doubt, and the crush of external criticism. She discusses all of this, and more, with wit, openness, and a bracing straightforwardness in this slim, well-written volume of essay-like chapters, in which she confronts both the challenges and the rewards of being a dancer at one of the world’s great ballet companies.”
—Fjord Review

Short book about the perks and pitfalls of being a perfectionist

A close insight into the mind of a perfectionist. Towards the end of the book, the author acknowledges her obsessive traits vis-a-vis what life has taught her. The book doesn’t enter in too much detail, which might be good overall (for me, the best part of this audiobook was the length). I believe the book conveys a cohesive message (kudos to the editors) and it is mostly interesting for those involved in the ballet world. The “universal” appeal was poorly explored, but each listener/reader can draw parallels. Megan Fairchild read the text in a compelling manner, and you could feel she was being honest telling her condensed story. Mediation (and hard work) was promoted to solve all her problems. I am also concerned that the book showcases a control-freak mindset as a role model for younger ballerinas and high-performance people.

Incredible insight on such a secret world!

As a parent of a ballet dancer who just attended her first summer at SAB and has a big goals, this gave my husband and I incredible insight and knowledge that we will put in our tool box for when we need to help her navigate this world! Thank you for sharing your experience, encouragement, realness and wisdom!

-CMJ
Elyn’s mom

Not just for Practicing Dancers

This are great self‐help points in this audible/book for life. I choose this book because I am an adult that is interested in dancing again. I wanted some perspective from an adult in the industry. I was given more than what I was looking for. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

I just love ballet books

I thought it was great and an easy listen; it makes me feel better inside? Like that if a perfectionist can feel and deal with failure and what level — when she spoke about her divorce and techniques for stage anxiety even applies to my life.

Grateful for Megan

I love the book because Megan's performance was incredible. Her narration made it feel very honest and straightforward, as if I was having a coffee with her. I've been enjoying her interviews on YT so this successful book doesn't come as a surprise for me. Very thoughtful and enlightening for ballerinas who are trying to breakdown the mindset of a human who happens to do art. Bravo Megan!!