COACHES, ARE YOU MASTERING THE MENTAL GAME FOR ATHLETIC SUCCESS? As athletes, we spend countless hours refining our physical skills—technique, endurance, and game strategy. But the truth is, the difference between a good player and a truly exceptional one isn’t just physical; it’s mental! Many athletes, even at the highest levels, battle with self-doubt, pressure, and internal dialogue that holds them back. It’s not enough to focus on technical skills alone—mental resilience must also be trained. Imagine a coach asking, "How do you feel when you miss?" or, "What makes you passionate about this sport?" These questions open the door to understanding an athlete’s mindset, helping them tap into their motivation and navigate the inevitable struggles that come with competition. However, most of the time, coaching stays on the surface, focusing solely on technique. As coaches, we need to challenge this approach. Technical training is important, but the mental game is where champions are made. Organizations should prioritize mindset training, equipping athletes with tools to manage stress, handle failure, and maintain focus. Without mental resilience, even the most skilled player can falter under pressure. Working on the mental aspect helps the head coach too. When coaches understand an athlete’s mindset, they can adjust strategies, positions, and training practices more effectively. Recognizing how athletes feel mentally can guide everything from tactical decisions to creating the right training environment. Sometimes, it’s just as important for a coach to acknowledge effort: "Well done! It was a great training session. You all did your best, and I’m proud of you! Keep pushing!" These moments build trust and reinforce a positive mental framework, driving performance and unity within the team. By integrating mental conditioning into daily practice, we support athletes not just physically but emotionally and psychologically. When athletes feel understood and equipped to tackle both the internal and external challenges of their sport, they become unstoppable. Let’s make the mental aspect a core part of every athlete’s development plan #mindset #youthsports #mentalskills #performance #mental #mentalhealth
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Here are the Five Pillars for the Champions Blueprint I created to coach student-athletes in the mental game of sports. 1. Awareness & Inner Dialogue Foundation: Helping athletes become aware of their inner narratives, recognize limiting beliefs, and understand the subconscious patterns that hold them back. This pillar builds self-awareness and reshapes inner dialogue to foster resilience and self-belief. 2. Mindset Mastery Core Skill: Teaching athletes mental tools like neutral thinking, purposeful visualization, and reframing techniques to manage emotions and thoughts under pressure. This pillar empowers them to maintain focus, composure, and clarity. 3. Resilience Building Growth: Equipping athletes with strategies to embrace challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and build internal resilience. This pillar emphasizes turning obstacles into opportunities for personal growth and long-term mental strength. 4. Confidence & Self-Belief Execution: This pillar guides athletes to cultivate authentic confidence rooted in their internal progress rather than external outcomes. It teaches them to play for their “audience of one” and take risks with purpose, pride, and trust in their abilities. 5. Purposeful Action & Consistency Application: Encouraging athletes to take consistent, focused action toward their goals. This pillar connects mindset work to real-world application, ensuring athletes stay engaged, motivated, and aligned with their purpose in sports and life.
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We often associate coaching with sport and physical engagement. Coaching certainly has a place in athletics, tapping into the incredible potential of the human body, pushing limits, optimizing technique, innovating skills, breaking records and creating new opportunities. Coaching in athletics is also focused on mindset, helping athletes to manage their thoughts and feelings in advance of and within challenging situations. Preparing for any scenario, envisioning outstanding achievements and adapting to ever-changing environments. It is no coincidence when we take coaching into the professional workspaces of medicine that physical health is positively impacted alongside mental health. Coaching for Institutions provides comprehensive, customized programs dedicated to Bringing Health to Medicine. Health happens in collective, health happens in concert, health happens in the integration of all parts of a person. Program participants experience improvements in well-being, professional engagement, career satisfaction, and strength of relationships. As this happens, physical health is enriched as they discover more time in their schedule to exercise, reconnect with favorite activities, experience freedom of choice with food and sleep, and make choices from a place of self awareness and appreciation. The experience of coaching supports the best health of all parts of a person - at work, at home, and beyond. If you're ready to be part of the revolution Bringing Health to Medicine, send me a message or commend "READY!" below and let's talk about the next steps! #Coaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalHealth #MindBodySpirit #PhysicianWellness #OrganizationalWellness #CorporateCulture #HealthInMedicine #PhysicianCoaching #CME
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### The Power of a Coach: Shaping an Athlete's Passion In the world of sports, the role of a coach extends far beyond the tactical and technical aspects of the game. A coach can be a mentor, a motivator, and sometimes, a life-changer. The influence a coach has on an athlete can either ignite a burning passion or extinguish a budding enthusiasm. A great coach understands that each athlete is unique, requiring a tailored approach to motivation and development. They foster a positive environment where athletes feel valued and understood, pushing them to reach their full potential. This kind of support not only enhances performance but also deepens the athlete's love for the sport. Conversely, a coach who fails to connect with their athletes or creates a negative, high-pressure environment can have a detrimental effect. They might inadvertently cause athletes to lose interest or even quit the sport altogether. The balance between pushing an athlete to excel and ensuring they enjoy the journey is delicate but crucial. The difference lies in the moments. Moments of encouragement during tough training sessions. Moments of belief when the athlete doubts their capabilities. Moments of understanding and support during challenging times. These instances can redefine an athlete’s experience, transforming hardship into passion and setbacks into comebacks. Reflecting on this 👇🏽 particular moment brings this to life: "Thank you for this moment right here. The moment that you pushed an athlete to the point of passion re-ignition. The moment that she said, 'Mom, I found my place, and my people!'" This is the essence of impactful coaching. It's about creating an environment where athletes not only strive for success but also find a sense of belonging and passion. It's about those defining moments that remind them why they fell in love with the sport in the first place. A coach who can inspire such revelations doesn't just teach skills; they transform lives. They make every practice, every challenge, and every victory meaningful. They help athletes discover not just their potential, but their passion and their place in the world.
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I ditched judgment a few years ago, and it made a huge difference in my wellbeing. I used to think it was impossible to shake off those critical thoughts, about others, about myself. It's natural, it's what we've seen, it makes us feel better about ourselves when criticising others. Or does it? One of the first things they teach you when you train as a professional coach is this: judging others drags you down. It clouds your mind and dims your spirit. It fuels you with catabolic energy, and nothing good or constructive can ever come from it. When you let go of judgment, you feel lighter. You see the world with clearer eyes. You're more objective, and you naturally lead with anabolic energy, fostering positive thinking and seeing opportunities that you couldn't see before. It's not always easy (believe me, I still struggle sometimes), but it's worth trying. So, next time you catch yourself judging, take a breath. Try to understand your thought instead. Lead with curiosity. Reframe. Empathy goes a long way in brightening your day and fostering positivity. It's not about winning some battle; it's about finding peace within ourselves and with others. And you know what? It's contagious. Try it for a day, catch yourself and your negative judgments, and put them aside... it could spark fresh ideas and new inspiration. #coaching #wellbeing #careerdevelopment #reframing #positiveenergy ---------- 👋 I’m Marie, a professional coach on a mission to help you align your performance and well-being through coaching, mental imagery and mentoring. 👤 Individuals: Career and transition coaching 🏢 Companies/Seminars/Fitness clubs: Ateliers Imagery 🏫 Schools: Student coaching & industry workshops
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Practice isn’t just for athletes. Another observation and opportunity I’ve noticed in my work is getting coaches to shift the mindset around training/practice sessions. There’s an often-unspoken desire to make sure that the session “goes well” – i.e., the coach doesn’t stuff things up. Not the athletes, the coach. Coaches feel a sense of expectation that they need to be delivering and performing (from the athletes, administrators, parents, other coaches) and that they don’t have the space to make mistakes. But if you’re not willing to make mistakes in practice, where are you going to get better? Letting go of expectations (which tend to be manufactured by the coach themself), opens up space for coaches to practice their craft. It also models the type of behaviour coaches expect of the athletes they work with. It’s a bit hypocritical to say it’s okay for athletes to make mistakes without being willing to make them on your own. While coaches tend to be apprehensive about shifting, it doesn’t take much effort. A simple framing statement at the start of a session – “I’m going to be trying a few new things today. It might not be perfect, but we’ll see how it goes and be ready to mix it up if we need to” – is all that it takes. You’ve given yourself permission to play around with ideas and changed the athlete’s expectations! Remember, practice isn’t just for athletes. #coaching #learning #playerdevelopment #skillacq
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Attention sports coaches! Are you ready to take your coaching to the next level and unlock your team's full potential? Then this post is for you!
Its March Madness so we wanted to share some tips for coaches to help reduce the "madness." Coaches play a crucial role in not just shaping the physical abilities of their players but also their mental fortitude. Elevate your coaching game with these mental performance tips designed to bring out the best in your basketball team: -Integrate Mindfulness into Training: Incorporate mindfulness exercises into your practice sessions to help players stay present and focused. Teach techniques like deep breathing or visualization to enhance their mental clarity and composure during games. -Lead Visualization Sessions: Dedicate time for visualization exercises where players mentally rehearse successful plays, shots, and defensive maneuvers. As a coach, guide them through these sessions to instill confidence and reinforce positive outcomes. -Promote Positive Self-Talk: Foster a culture of positive self-talk within your team. Encourage players to replace self-doubt with affirmations and confidence-building statements. Model positive language and reinforce it throughout practices and games. -Emphasize Process-Oriented Goals: Shift the team's focus from solely fixating on winning to prioritizing the process. Set goals related to effort, execution, and teamwork rather than just the final score. Celebrate progress and effort, regardless of the outcome. -Cultivate Mental Toughness: Help players develop mental resilience by challenging them to embrace adversity and setbacks as opportunities for growth. Create a supportive environment where players feel empowered to learn from their mistakes and bounce back stronger. -Establish Pre-Game Rituals: Develop pre-game routines that help players mentally prepare for competition. Whether it's a team huddle, visualization session, or listening to motivational music, these rituals can help players enter games with focus and confidence. -Encourage Continuous Learning: Foster a growth mindset within your team by encouraging players to learn from every game and practice. Analyze game footage together, identify areas for improvement, and emphasize the importance of ongoing development. By incorporating these mental performance tips into your coaching approach, you'll not only enhance your players' mental skills but also create a more resilient and cohesive team. Remember, as a coach, your influence extends beyond the court—empower your players both physically and mentally, and watch them thrive. Need help with any of this? If so, you need mental performance coaching for your team. Contact us to schedule a consultation www.relatetoathletes.com
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Competence •Autonomy• Relatedness • All leaders can check down on these psychological needs to ensure they are fulfilled and that they are creating a positive motivational culture!
𝗧. 𝗘. 𝗔. 𝗠. 𝗦. - 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲, 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 **with the correct video** An interesting use of the TEAMS acronym, by former NCAA Northern State University head basketball coach Don Meyer. By generating and enhancing these qualities among team members, coaches will be developing good team mates and ultimately, good people. 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 Although coach Meyer does not use the phrase mental toughness, we now know that this can be developed. Interventions by Sheard and Golby (2006), Gucciardi et al. (2009), and Bell et al. (2013) revealed that mental toughness can be developed. Coaches can have a positive (e.g., Mahoney et al., 2014; Philippe et al., 2016; Weinberg et al., 2016) or negative impact upon athletes' mental toughness (e.g., Nicholls et al., 2016; Owusu-Sekyere and Gervis, 2016). both Mahoney et al. (2014) and Li et al. (2019) found that when coaches met the basic psychological needs of their athletes, mental toughness levels were higher among athletes. 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧 Praising and promoting effort levels is important, and is linked to task-motivational climates. A motivational climate refers the way in which coaches influence athletes’ motivation through their coaching practices (e.g. providing feedback, structuring practices, and providing recognition: Ames, 1992). 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗘 Researchers such as Nicholls et al. (2020) have demonstrated that attitudes can be changed among athletes, through education. As such, coaches can educate players about the importance of different behaviours (i.e., hard work, effort, teamwork etc) to promote positive attitudes. 𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 Coaches can promote intrinsic motivation by fulfilling the basic psychological needs of athletes (e.g., autonomy, competence, and relatedness; Ryan & Deci, 2007). I have posted previously about how coaches can fulfil these needs: ✅ Relatedness https://lnkd.in/ewFtwfyb ✅ Competence https://lnkd.in/eafgf5An ✅ Autonomy https://lnkd.in/eN7ZuJed 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦 A servant leader focuses on the needs of others, before considering their own needs. As Coach Meyer put it: "If you can develop servant leaders, you equip people for life." Coaches can provide training and support to develop these characteristics among athletes. R.I.P Donald Meyer (1944 - 2014).
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Its March Madness so we wanted to share some tips for coaches to help reduce the "madness." Coaches play a crucial role in not just shaping the physical abilities of their players but also their mental fortitude. Elevate your coaching game with these mental performance tips designed to bring out the best in your basketball team: -Integrate Mindfulness into Training: Incorporate mindfulness exercises into your practice sessions to help players stay present and focused. Teach techniques like deep breathing or visualization to enhance their mental clarity and composure during games. -Lead Visualization Sessions: Dedicate time for visualization exercises where players mentally rehearse successful plays, shots, and defensive maneuvers. As a coach, guide them through these sessions to instill confidence and reinforce positive outcomes. -Promote Positive Self-Talk: Foster a culture of positive self-talk within your team. Encourage players to replace self-doubt with affirmations and confidence-building statements. Model positive language and reinforce it throughout practices and games. -Emphasize Process-Oriented Goals: Shift the team's focus from solely fixating on winning to prioritizing the process. Set goals related to effort, execution, and teamwork rather than just the final score. Celebrate progress and effort, regardless of the outcome. -Cultivate Mental Toughness: Help players develop mental resilience by challenging them to embrace adversity and setbacks as opportunities for growth. Create a supportive environment where players feel empowered to learn from their mistakes and bounce back stronger. -Establish Pre-Game Rituals: Develop pre-game routines that help players mentally prepare for competition. Whether it's a team huddle, visualization session, or listening to motivational music, these rituals can help players enter games with focus and confidence. -Encourage Continuous Learning: Foster a growth mindset within your team by encouraging players to learn from every game and practice. Analyze game footage together, identify areas for improvement, and emphasize the importance of ongoing development. By incorporating these mental performance tips into your coaching approach, you'll not only enhance your players' mental skills but also create a more resilient and cohesive team. Remember, as a coach, your influence extends beyond the court—empower your players both physically and mentally, and watch them thrive. Need help with any of this? If so, you need mental performance coaching for your team. Contact us to schedule a consultation www.relatetoathletes.com
Relate to Athletes | Mental Performance Coaching | Tennessee, USA
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The Impact of Positive Coaching on Athlete Mental Health In the realm of sports, the influence of coaches extends far beyond the playing field. They serve as mentors, motivators, and guides, shaping not only athletic performance but also the mental well-being of their athletes. The impact of positive coaching on athlete mental health cannot be overstated. Positive coaching goes beyond tactical strategies and game plans; it involves creating a supportive and empowering environment where athletes feel valued, understood, and motivated to reach their full potential. Research has shown that athletes who experience positive coaching are more likely to exhibit higher levels of self-confidence, resilience, and overall well-being. At its core, positive coaching is about fostering strong coach-athlete relationships built on trust, respect, and open communication. Coaches who prioritize the mental health of their athletes create a culture where athletes feel safe to express their emotions, seek support when needed, and grow both as individuals and as athletes. But how can coaches cultivate a positive coaching environment that promotes athlete mental health? This question lies at the heart of my latest book, "The Athlete's Prepbook". In its pages, we delve deep into the principles of positive coaching, offering practical strategies, case studies, and exercises to help coaches nurture the mental resilience and well-being of their athletes. Are you ready to unlock the power of positive coaching and transform the lives of your athletes? Take the first step by booking a consultation with me! Let's work together to create a coaching environment where athletes thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically. By embracing positive coaching practices, we can cultivate a new generation of athletes who not only excel on the field but also lead fulfilling and healthy lives off the field. Join us in this transformative journey towards creating a brighter future for athletes everywhere #TheAthleteWhisperer #MentalHealth #SelfCare #SelfLove
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Over the years, I've gained invaluable wisdom from a mentor, Bassam Salem, who emphasizes the significance of the 4Hs in fostering a thriving company culture: Happy, Humble, Hungry, and Horsepower. Drawing from this insight, I've integrated these principles into my assessment of an athlete's capacity for success in their respective sport. Here they are: Athletic Ability refers to an athlete's innate athletic talent. I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that an athlete's inherited athletic ability can be an important factor in their athletic development. While "raw talent" is important, it is not a predictor of success. The additional traits outlined below need to be present for an athlete to excel. Intrinsic Drive refers to an athlete's hunger for success in their chosen sport(s), both their own and their team's. Athletes with intrinsic drive challenge themselves and those around them. Athletes with this trait truly love their chosen sport(s). These athletes don't need to be "pushed" to train and compete. Coachability refers to an athlete's attitude toward, and ability to, implement the coaching received. A coachable athlete is one who openly and humbly listens to honest feedback and willingly applies that feedback to improve their athletic development. This is often called a "growth mindset." Gratitude. Is an athlete happy, energetic, and respectful. Grateful athletes lift morale and promote healthy energy. They work their way through challenges and tough situations. They lift the team with their presence
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