Set in a private garden in Notting Hill on a hot summer day in London, I found myself immersed in a conversation about mindfulness, personal growth, life-changing experiences, and the challenges of handling stress in high-performance environments. The serene setting, accompanied by the gentle chirping of birds in the background provided an ideal backdrop for the interview with Jeff Coby – a Haitian-American Professional basketball player turned Mindfulness Author.
Jeff’s debut memoir, A Mindful Journey reveals the transformative power of meditation and self-development in his life. Filled with helpful tools used both on and off the court, he hopes this book can inspire more people to adopt mindfulness into their daily lives.
Taking a year off to focus on writing the book was a decision that marked a pivotal point in Jeff’s life. As a professional athlete with a demanding schedule, he knew that splitting his attention between two significant commitments wouldn’t allow him to give this project justice. He explained, “I realized that to do something one-hundred percent, I can’t do two things at the same time”
A Mindful Journey
It all began during a challenging period in his life when he desired to find a better way to cope with stress and uncertainty. He began by researching how successful people coped with stress, and that’s when he stumbled across meditation.
He soon embraced daily meditation and became so passionate about the practice that during the COVID-19 pandemic, he began leading a meditation group with around 41 people online. In these free sessions, he taught others the tools he describes as the cornerstone of his ascension in athletics. “After seeing the effect, I thought this is the time I should write a book” he said.
A Transformative Childhood
Growing up in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Jeff had a suburban childhood. Being the youngest of three brothers, he spoke of his upbringing fondly. But his childhood didn’t go without challenges as he confesses he used to get bullied.
“I got picked on a lot when I was younger by my older brothers, but it was out of love” he shared. He admitted he struggled with obesity as a child, which made him a target for teasing. Although this time period was tough, Jeff used this as motivation to change. By middle school, he had started working out, changed his diet, and had a growth spurt that transformed him into the athlete he is today.
These early experiences shaped Jeff’s sense of compassion for others. “I have a lot of compassion for people because I’ve seen both sides of the spectrum,” he reflected. This empathy helped him form deeper connections with others, as he, too, understands how it is to struggle with self-esteem and body image.
The Crash
In 2019, his life took an unexpected turn. On his way to training, riding in an Uber, a car came out of nowhere and struck the vehicle. The impact was devastating and left him critically injured. “I thought my life was over,” he recalled, the memory still hard to reflect on. The accident didn’t just leave physical scars but also changed his perspective on life.
He developed ‘crippling anxiety’ after the accident which left him in a period he described as ‘darkness’. A darkness he thought he would never get out of. With the help of therapy and his tribe of family and friends, he was able to recover.
Resilience was a consistent theme throughout this interview. The ability to pick oneself up after falling and continuing to try again. From his car accident to managing stress, childhood challenges and even dealing with confidence issues, he never allowed these obstacles to hold him back. For instance, Basketball wasn’t his first choice of sport growing up.
“My first sport was soccer, but then I had this growth spurt, and my parents threw me into basketball” he explained. As a result, he had to start from scratch, and admittedly, he wasn’t great at first. “There were a lot of clashes because I didn’t play super young, so there were a lot of things that I just wasn’t really good at, so it was tough, but over time, I kept working consistently, and I got my mind right, and now I’m here.”
Coby was drafted in 2017 straight out of college and has played professional basketball worldwide. In 2018, he famously played for the New York Knicks.
Our conversation lasted over an hour, and although Jeff admitted to struggling with confidence, I would have never guessed it. His personality was a dynamic blend of serious introspection, wisdom, and a vibrant, youthful energy. The interview was filled with insightful moments and plenty of laughter—a refreshing reminder of the strength that comes from allowing life’s challenges to be our teachers rather than our limitations. Ultimately, this leads to wisdom, resilience, and a strong belief in oneself.
For those interested in learning more, Jeff’s book A Mindful Journey is available on Amazon. To watch the full video interview, subscribe to the Ankha Azzura Magazine website, where you can access the full interview for free.
