Tag: Mental Performance Coaching
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What’s Important Now? A gamer’s mindset.
My partner recently attended a writer’s conference, where I had the pleasure of attending a reception of many esteemed writers. I spoke briefly with a published author about the long process of submitting manuscripts to agents and publishers. Anyone familiar with that world knows how discouraging it can be. Writers send out query after query…
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Breaking Through: How Athletes Can Conquer the Fear of Failure
Every athlete, regardless of experience, knows the weight of failure. It can come in many forms: a missed shot in a key game, a disqualification at a meet, or not achieving a personal best. This fear often looms large, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier. Instead, what if we could transform that fear…
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Optimism and Mental Toughness: Give pain a purpose.
The Role of Optimism in Mental Toughness Mental toughness is often romanticized in sport. We picture the athlete who digs deep in the final moments, pushes through the pain of training, or comes back from injury stronger than before. But what actually makes that possible? At its core, mental toughness is the ability to initiate…
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Get the Information, Forgive Yourself, and Play On: Turning Mistakes into Fuel for Performance
Mistakes are not the enemy of athletic performance. They are the raw material of progress. If you want to grow in your sport, you must face the reality that mistakes are not only inevitable, they are essential. They tell you what needs work, they direct your training focus, and they prepare you for future adversity.…
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Your Thoughts Aren’t Facts: How to Reframe Negative Self-Talk
Imagine you’re walking down a busy hallway and someone shoulder-checks you as they rush by. No eye contact and no apology. Instantly, your mind jumps to a conclusion: “What a jerk.” You feel tension rising in your chest, frustration in your face, and you carry that irritation into the next few hours of your day.…
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How to Build a Pre-Performance Routine That Works!
You’ve probably seen it before: the basketball player who spins the ball in their hands the same way before each free throw. Michael Phelps slapping his back across his chest while getting ready to race. The lifter who takes the same number of breaths before every attempt. To the outside world, it might look like…
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At the Top, Mental Skills Make the Difference
I often begin working with a new team by asking the group ‘How much of your success as an athlete depends on your physical skills versus your mental skills?’ Depending on the age of the groups, I will receive answers anywhere from 50:50, 70:30, 30:70, and so on. A general trend that I have noticed…
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Taming the Tiger: Using competition to grow
Competitiveness is generally thought of as a positive trait for an athlete to have, and to a large extent it is. However, if left unchecked it can turn into a dark cloud that looms over an athlete and can dramatically impact their longevity. It is important for athletes to orient themselves correctly towards competition to…
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The Importance of Play in Sport
Sports have evolved from ancient play to organized competition, with intrinsic play fostering creativity and skill development. Coaches and athletes should prioritize play to maintain motivation and prevent burnout, enhancing enjoyment and performance. By incorporating gamification into training, they can rekindle passion and nurture athletic growth within structured frameworks.
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Mindset: The Hidden Tool to Better Performance
How do you think about yourself when performing? Whether that be on the athletic field, in the operating room, giving a presentation in front of your superiors, or right before taking an important exam. What are you thinking about? Are you excited for the opportunity to perform your best and show your skills and knowledge?…