2 Approaches to Sport and Life
The CEP Mindset Podcast
What if worry, frustration, or feeling down are not the problem? Instead, they are symptoms based on your approach to sport and even life. In our society, the way we talk about emotions is backward. We label ourselves and others as anxious, sad, or frustrated. That is not who we are—it is what we are feeling, and the distinction matters. When you identify with an emotion, you've got a self-perpetuating problem. More importantly, it's not true. Emotions are a feedback tool, specifically about your approach to sport and life. If this resonates with you check out my breakdown of the 2...
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The 3 Phases to Transform Your Mindset
The CEP Mindset Podcast
Do you feel stuck in your own head, or is your mindset holding you back? It's normal and okay to get stuck. We can't avoid challenges, pressures, and distractions in sports or life. But we can learn how to use these events as growing opportunities. Specifically, this post will show you the 3 phases to transform your mindset. I've been using this concept with many of my one-on-one clients because of the simplicity, clarity, and power it gives them. The 3 Phases First - in phase one, things are great. Then, phase two - things get tough. Adversity, pressure, and expectations...
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Winning vs Enjoyment - What Matters More?
The CEP Mindset Podcast
Winning versus enjoyment: what matters more? The tension between the two is one that many high performers struggle with. I got this question recently, and the person said, “it's not just about winning - but it's ultimately all about winning.” This conundrum can create a lot of inner conflict without the mental model to resolve it. You can be left oscillating between an unhealthy win-at-all-costs mentality that leaves you frustrated and consumed with the results. Or on the other end, you lose the competitive fire needed to perform at your best. I share the mental models to resolve this...
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Stop Obsessing Over Results
The CEP Mindset Podcast
For most athletes, traditional goal setting is holding them back. Yes you read that right. Goal setting itself is not the problem. The problem is being obsessed with results. You can want and care about results, but the best athletes in the world are more obsessed with the process than results. This can be easier said than done. I learned how big of a problem this is first hand. As a junior hockey player, I obsessed about points and my spot in the lineup. The more I obsessed about results, the harder it was to achieve my goals. It was infuriating to want something so bad and work so...
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Transform Your Mental Game With an Alter Ego
The CEP Mindset Podcast
If you want a sure fire way to quickly transform your mental game - you need to develop a personalized Alter Ego. This strategy is not about putting fixed labels on who you are as a person. Rather it is about creating a narrative about how you want to show up on the field of play. The Power of Simplicity and Creativity Credit to my coach and mentor Todd Herman for writing the book: and helping bring more simplicity and creativity to the mental game. Unfortunately most sport psychology strategies are: Dry Boring Overcomplicated As an athlete you don’t want to be out on...
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Developing a ‘Me vs Me’ Mentality - Featuring Professional Soccer Player Noah Cavanaugh
The CEP Mindset Podcast
Noah Cavanaugh is a professional soccer player from Seattle, WA, who currently plays for Flower City Union in New York. Over the past year, he's worked with Dr. Cassidy Preston to help give him a mental edge on and off the pitch as he continues to push up the ranks of pro soccer in the US. In this interview Noah discusses how he has personalized his mental game to work for him. He touches on the challenges he has had to overcome as a professional soccer player - some of the key takeaways include: The reciprocal nature of focusing on the process and staying centered Developing a 'me vs me'...
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Block Out the Noise With Your Reset Routine
The CEP Mindset Podcast
The ability to block out the ‘noise’ is key to having a clear mind and playing free. But this is easier said than done - many athletes have trouble blocking out the ‘noise’ and end up: Overthinking Doubting their abilities Worrying about things out of their control When you lack alignment within your thoughts, feelings, and actions, you end up losing the ability to play in the flow state. The best strategy to clear and block out the noise is a Reset Routine. The magic is not in the routine itself, but in what the routine represents. Here are the ABC’s to creating an effective...
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How to Play With Confidence
The CEP Mindset Podcast
Confidence is arguably the most important ingredient in succeeding as an athlete, but athletes often struggle to find and keep this elusive trait. The problem lies in that they have a skewed understanding of what confidence actually is and where it comes from. Here are the 4 main reasons why athletes struggle with self-confidence: Yo-Yo Confidence: Tying their self-image to external results or praise Imposter Syndrome: Believing they are not worthy and/or don’t belong Victim Mentality: Blaming others and not taking responsibility Negativity Bias: Constantly beating...
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A New Way for Athletes to Mentally Prepare
The CEP Mindset Podcast
The outline of my first book is complete - check out the caption below to see the outline! I’ve gained some great insights while starting the writing process - you can find those in the summary below. The working title is - Play with Confidence: A New Way for Athletes to Mentally Prepare The purpose of the book is to challenge the status quo on mental preparation and question the ‘accepted’ ways of thinking about confidence. It will debunk the fluffy clichés, cookie-cutter strategies, and ‘old-school’ beliefs entrenched in the sport culture. If you dare to be different and embrace...
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How To Perform Under Pressure
The CEP Mindset Podcast
Performance anxiety is one the leading reasons athletes struggle to consistently perform at their capabilities. Learning how to channel your nerves is key to performing at your best when it matters most. Unfortunately most athletes focus on the threats of high-pressure situations. Pressure can Provoke a State of Fear As a result the pressure provokes a fear state that leaves the athlete tense, overthinking, and underperforming. Here are 3 other common reasons athletes don’t perform under pressure: Zoomed In on the Context Overly focused on the context and making the results seem more...
info_outlineGetting injured is one of the biggest challenges in sport.
So having the mental strategies to overcome this adversity will help you:
● Stay motivated despite not being able to play or train within the sport you love.
● Have the resilience & grit to persevere through the recovery process.
● Remain confident in your abilities and trust yourself as you return to play.
● Focus on being a great teammate and becoming a better leader as you look to contribute to the team in other ways.
Strategy 1: Reflect On Your Mindset Daily
It is so easy to get caught up on what you can’t do and all the things not going your way. So you want to focus on what you can do – mental training, being a leader, rehab, catch up on other areas of life. Then you need to reflect on how well you are focusing on what you can do and making the most out of it versus being negative – blaming, complaining, and focus on what I can’t do. This is not about being positive – that won’t work. Instead, it is about staying centred or neutral.
Step 2: ‘Scuba Dive’ to Make Progress
The hardest part of being injured is watching everyone else continue to train and compete. Playing your sport is like surfing, but when injured, you are not able to surf – so you are just stuck in the ocean taking waves to the face. It sucks and it is overwhelming. So the solution is not to swim away, but actually to put on your scuba gear, stay close by, and keep making progress under the water.
Strategy 3: Find New Ways to Contribute – aka Be a Leader
If you apply the first two strategies, you are already getting into a better mental state and will be primed to step into being a leader.
This strategy has two major benefits: Here are a few key ways you can continue to contribute to the team without being able to play:
Provide 1-on-1 Encouragement: Think about which teammates are struggling or could benefit from a helpful reminder to trust their capabilities or that they can get the next play.
Be a Beacon of Light: Bring upbeat energy, keep it light and have some fun – although you are not playing you are still affecting the culture of the team with both your body language, what you say, and how you say it.
Coach Individuals or the Team: I don’t mean to replace the coaching staff but instead focus on how you can give feedback that helps athletes keep learning and growing.
I encourage you to share this with anyone that is dealing with an injury – I’ve experienced the mental struggle myself as an athlete, and we see it daily with the athletes that come work with us at CEP Mindset – so if this video can help a few more athletes out there – then that is a win – so thanks for sharing.
If you are injured and/or want some 1-on-1 Mental Performance coaching then click link below to learn more.