The number one thing I've learnt from coaching athletes...

First of all, that whilst their feats might seem superhuman, they themselves are very much flesh and blood like the rest of us. 

So it's not that. 

Have you considered how many mistakes an elite sportsperson makes? In their training, diet, matches, recovery, time-management... It can be as simple as a misplaced pass, taking the wrong medication or a misjudged comment. 

Not only that, but the potential cost of these mistakes? Deselection, funding, relationships, status, the respect of others, self-confidence, sponsorships...

Imagine carrying around the knowledge of that, and still being asked to perform. How would you do it? Genuinely, ask yourselves for a moment, how would you do it? 

So what can we learn from what athletes actually do? In my experience, they use something we all have access to and is completely free. Their mindset and mentality. 

Ok Joe, but what does that mean and how do they build that? 

🏅 First visualisation - mentally rehearsing elite performance, in doing so building neural pathways and priming the body and mind for success. 

🗣️ Positive self-talk - affirmations of who they are and how they want to show up in specific situations. 

🌟 Process-orientated goals - sure we would all like to win Wimbledon or the World Cup, but we are not in control of that. Instead athletes focus on shorter-term, specific, controllable behaviours that collectively lead to high performance. 

🌋 Acknowledging pressure - understanding that they have the power to dismantle it through their mental strategies, such as controlled breathing, grounding techniques, and participating in simulated practice. 

These are things I work on with sportspeople and athletes of all levels, but also bring to the other forms of coaching that I do too. 

In the end, whether it’s sport, work, or life, the key to you being at your best, isn't talent or luck, it's mindset and having the tools to unlock it.