Podcasts about mental performance coaching

Learn 5 characteristics of playing freely in sports, and what you can do to take steps to begin playing more freely in games, and get closer to reaching your full athletic potential.  Work with me!

Learn 5 characteristics of mentally tough athletes. Mental toughness in sports is a skill that can be developed by understanding what it takes to truly have a strong mindset. Work with me!

Learn what it means to be proactive with your mental game in sports, and what you can do to train your mind as a way to elevate your performance. Work with me!

As athletes, it is easy to label a day as either good or bad based on how you performed. But most days are not that simple. There is usually some good and some bad mixed together. And even when things do not go the way you wanted, there is still something you can learn from the experience. Work with me!

Visualization is one of the most powerful mental training tools available to athletes. In this episode, I walk you through four simple pre-game visualization exercises that can help you feel more confident, focused, prepared, and ready to perform when competition begins. Work with me!

In this episode, I break down why your performance can change depending on the situation, who's watching, the importance of the game, and the pressure you place on yourself. You'll learn why you may feel confident and free in one environment but tight, hesitant, and overthinking in another.More importantly, you'll learn what these differences reveal about your mental game and how to start becoming a more consistent competitor. Work with me!

Learn a routine you can begin applying today to strengthen your confidence as an athlete and build more trust in yourself and your skills.  Work with me!

Being present is a superpower in sports! Learn a two-part strategy you can use to be more present when you compete.Cyclical breathing article: https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2023/02/cyclic-sighing-can-help-breathe-away-anxiety.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com Work with me!

Do distractions cause you to underperform? Learn the main reasons distractions affect performance and a powerful strategy you can apply to your next game to manage distractions. Work with me!

Have you ever started a game playing great, only to become aware of how well you're doing and suddenly start overthinking? Many athletes fall into the trap of thinking, "I hope I can keep playing well," which creates pressure, tension, and a desire to force good results. In this episode, I explain why this happens and share three practical strategies to help you stay present, trust your abilities, and continue performing at your best without getting in your own way.  Work with me!

Does fear hold you back in games? Learn how to play without fear as an athlete and get yourself to the point where you can play aggressively and freely. Work with me!

Work with me!

Why does one mistake snowball into a horrible game? Learn what causes this, and what you can do to reset and stop letting one mistake ruin your performance. 

Do you get stressed in big games? Learn 4 tips to keep in mind to help you perform your best in big games!

Learn a simple yet powerful exercise you can go through after every practice and game to help you gain more control over your thinking as an athlete.

What is your mindset like on game day? We need to be careful not to take a practice mindset into games, where we overthink and try to fix everything. We need to just focus on letting ourselves play freely, be present, and trust the skills that we've built through training.

Learn how you can use your mindset to increase your performance in games. I break down a simple three-part structure you can begin applying today!

In this Contacts Coaching podcast episode, former guest Bre Smedley, co-founder of Elite Competitor and a championship high school volleyball coach, shares how her mental performance framework has evolved into plug-and-play tools for coaches and resources for parents. She explains key skills—failure recovery (the “snapback routine”), self-talk, and visualization—and describes how the snapback routine (breath, reset word, reset signal) helped her team stay composed in a state championship comeback. Reflecting on a season that ended in third after four straight titles, she discusses how pressure can reveal cracks in culture and the need to systemize values, communication, and accountability. Bre also covers parent influence, including avoiding badmouthing coaches/teammates, improving car-ride conversations, and supporting athlete autonomy, plus guidance on aligning college-sport goals with habits and recruiting effort.00:00 Welcome Back And Reintro01:10 Bre's Coaching Origin Story02:55 From Framework To Coach Program05:10 Snapback Routine Explained09:18 State Title Pressure Test13:02 After The Streak Lessons16:46 Culture Cracks And Systems19:49 Parents Coaches Athletes Triangle22:30 Parenting Mistakes To Avoid25:38 Postgame Parent Mindset26:07 LOVE Talk Framework27:05 Autonomy Over Pressure28:34 College Dream Reality Check31:17 Coach Truth Without Crushing34:40 Parents Driving The Dream37:45 Female Coach Double Standard43:39 Systems To Prevent Drama45:56 Delegation And Injury Lesson49:30 Resources And Wrap UpPrevious Episodes: Bre Smedley Pt. 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zipbClx90G2u2vOkkYt3c?si=72dca5bf8abb4f3cBre Smedley Pt. 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ba0v7bdGmrI28ziyZ7xjc?si=445b608c271e40f2

Learn a simple way you can generate a state of confidence and trust on game day. Confidence on game day is needed because it gives you the freedom you need to let go of the result and be present. When you are present, you play your best. 

Do your emotions get the best of you during practices and games? Learn what's at the core of your emotions getting the best of you, and an exercise you can go through to manage your emotions better when you play.

Learn the two types of goals you can set for games and how each one can be used to improve your performance. 

Does the game speed up on you? Learn a simple way you can slow the game down and play with more confidence and composure.

Do you overthink mistakes? Many athletes try to learn from their mistakes during games, but this only leads to overthinking, self-criticism, and distraction. Learn what you need to do instead, and when you should actually learn from your mistakes. 

Does coach pull you after you make one mistake? This can cause athletes to play scared and actually cause more mistakes to happen. Learn 3 tips you can apply to play freely, even if coach pulls you after you make a mistake.

Do you freeze up, hesitate, or play tight at the start of games even though you know how good you are? In this episode, I explain why athletes freeze under pressure and what you can do mentally to stop overthinking, trust yourself, and compete freely.

Does your child struggle with losing their composure? In this episode, I share a strategy I have used to help hundreds of athletes manage anger and frustration within sports.

Athletes often play their best when they feel free, confident, and not afraid of mistakes. In this episode, I explain why athletes often perform better when they know they're the best player on the team, when they aren't afraid of being benched, or when they stop trying to prove themselves. 

Do you struggle with trusting your training during games? Learn what blocks trust and three tips you can apply to trust your training more in competition. 

If you struggle with sports anxiety, moving on from mistakes, self-doubt, or any other mental game challenge, acceptance will help! In this video, I explain why acceptance matters, what it involves, and how to apply it to your game.

How do I stop being so hard on myself during games? In this episode, I provide three tips that answer that exact question. To help you go from criticizing yourself to supporting yourself and getting the best out of yourself during games.

How do I perform well when I feel anxious? If you've been dealing with sports performance anxiety, try these three tips to help yourself play well, even though you feel anxious during the game.

Are you the one putting pressure on yourself to be perfect? In this video, I share 4 tips you can apply to stop putting pressure on yourself during games. 

Do you play passively and defensively during games? Learn why this happens and a mindset shift you need to make to go from playing scared, to playing confidently!

Did you have an embarrassing game? These types of games are difficult to bounce back from and can quickly lead to fear and anxiety. Learn a powerful strategy to handle embarrassing games in a more productive way.

Do you get tight in big moments? Learn why you choke under pressure and a simple, but powerful, strategy you can apply to come up clutch in these big moments.

Do you get shaky and really anxious before games? Learn why this happens and a simple strategy you can apply to manage your pregame stress.

Do you overthink at the plate? Learn a strategy I teach to elite hitters to stop overthinking at the plate and hit with a calm and focused mind.

In this episode, I go into detail on how trying to prove yourself holds you back, and provide you with two tips you can apply to stop playing with fear when coaches or parent sare watching. 

In this episode, I break down how comparing yourself to other players hurts your game, and what you can do to stop this constant comparison.

Mental performance coaching is changing how athletes and parents think about success in youth sports. In this bonus episode, John Corella and mental performance coach Lisa Mitzel discuss how a healthier youth sports mindset can help young athletes compete with confidence without losing their sense of self. The discussion draws inspiration from Olympic champion Alysa Liu, whose approach to competition highlights the power of present moment performance and emotional awareness.   Lisa explains how mental performance coaching helps athletes stay grounded during pressure moments instead of becoming trapped in results, expectations, or fear of mistakes. Alysa Liu's journey illustrates how athletes can perform at the highest level when they trust their instincts, respect their bodies, and remain present during competition. Present moment performance allows athletes to stay connected to what they are doing instead of obsessing over scores, placements, or approval from others.   Parents also influence how young athletes experience competition. John and Lisa discuss how family values shape the environment around training and performance. Parents often feel pressure to protect children from disappointment, yet mental performance coaching shows that resilience develops when kids learn to face setbacks with support instead of avoidance. This youth sports mindset encourages patience, accountability, and emotional strength.   The conversation also addresses body image and the messages young athletes receive about their bodies in dance and sports. Through sports parenting advice and real examples from training environments, John and Lisa encourage parents to create conversations that help children appreciate their bodies and build confidence from within.   Mental performance coaching appears throughout the episode as a framework for helping athletes manage pressure, respond to mistakes, and compete with greater awareness. Parents who want a healthier youth sports mindset will hear practical sports parenting advice that supports both performance and well-being.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction to Mental Performance Coaching and Youth Sports Mindset 01:27 Alysa Liu and the Power of Present Moment Performance 04:34 Sports Parenting Advice and Building Strong Family Values 08:57 Shifting From Results to a Healthy Youth Sports Mindset 13:00 Present Moment Performance vs Perfection in Competition 20:03 Mental Performance Coaching and Learning From Failure 29:44 Parents, Pressure, and Accountability in Youth Sports 33:05 Alysa Liu and Joy in Competition Connect with Lisa Mitzel: Visit Lisa's website   Connect with John Corella: Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram Follow John on Instagram Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon Visit John Corella's website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Why do you care so much about what other people think? In this episode of Men Talking Mindfulness, hosts Jon Macaskill and Will Schneider sit down with Army veteran, mental performance coach, and Skull Sessions podcast host Andy Riise to dismantle the most quietly destructive pattern in men's lives — the approval trap. There's a name for what's running in the background of your decisions, and it isn't a character flaw. It's biology. It's called Fear of Negative Evaluation, and it's one of the most studied psychological patterns in clinical research.The guys break down why your brain literally cannot tell the difference between social rejection and physical pain, why the audience judging you is half the size you think, and how approval seeking shows up in ways most men never connect to the root cause — over-committing at work, constant reassurance seeking in relationships, buying your kids' affection, and still chasing approval from people who haven't been in your life for decades. Understanding it is the first step to breaking free.In this episode, you'll learn:What Fear of Negative Evaluation is and why every man is dealing with it whether he knows it or notThe spotlight effect and the Cornell research that proves you're performing for half the audience you thinkHow approval seeking silently destroys your career, your relationships, and your sense of selfWhat "ghosts" are — and how to identify whose voice is still running in your headWhy it's not about not caring — it's about choosing deliberately what deserves your carePractical tools you can use this week to start breaking free from the approval trapFollow Andy:Website: https://andyriise.comTEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbNLu7JcZNAPodcast: https://www.skullsessionspodcast.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyriiseIf you've ever held back in a meeting, softened your opinion to keep the peace, or made a decision based on what someone else might think — this conversation will change the way you see yourself and the way you move through the world.Focus Now Training - helping leaders and teams build focus, resilience, and emotional control. Visit focusnowtraining.comSubscribe to Your Thursday Three Things — practical focus tools connected to each week's episode.Free and deep-dive versions available:https://newsletter.focusnowtraining.comOr text MTM to 33777 and we'll send the link straight to you.2026 Spartan Race Team:https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/spartan-race-2026More episodes & resources: https://mentalkingmindfulness.comIf this episode resonates, follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with one man who's trying to hold it all together.This episode was co-produced by Robert Lopez of www.cratesaudio.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.