Words of Wisdom & Inspiration from a U.S. Olympian
I’ve only met Alice Mckennis a few times, but I’ve always admired her love of ski racing and the tenacity she has applied to our sport to find the success she has demonstrated recently (5th in the Olympic DH; 3rd in the World Cup DH at Are, Sweden). But my respect and appreciation for Alice […]
Read MoreVlog: Fun is a Mental Tool
In my 11th of 12 vlog segments devoted to the psychology of sport for athletes and coaches, I explain why fun is a powerful mental tool that is under utilized by athletes and coaches alike. In fact, when I ask the athletes with whom I work what is the most important contributor to their success, […]
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Regret is the Worst Emotion in Sports
Over the last few decades, I have worked with many athletes, from juniors to Olympians and professionals. The most powerful work I do with athletes isn’t your typical mental training where I teach them about positive thinking, mental imagery, routines, and how to stay intense and focused (though these mental tools are important). Instead, the […]
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Vlog: The Power of Routines
In my tenth of 12 vlog segments devoted to mental preparation for athletes and coaches, I explain why every world-class and professional athlete I have ever worked with or known uses routines to maximally prepare themselves for success in both training and competitions. I also explain why routines are such a valuable tool: Totally prepare […]
Read MorePsychology of Tryouts: Part III-What Coaches Can Do
As I noted in Part I and Part II of this four-part series on the Psychology of Tryouts, my focus is on what athletes can do to make their tryout experiences as successful and enjoyable as possible. At the same time, the athletes themselves aren’t the only ones who impact their tryout efforts. This article, […]
Read MoreLessons Learned from Pyeongchang
The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea was a spectacle of athletic greatness. We watched remarkable feats of physical prowess from athletes as wide ranging as alpine and Nordic ski racers, figure skaters, snowboarders, sliders, and, yes, even curlers. We shared in the emotional highs of victory and the emotional lows of unexpected […]
Read MoreOlympians Know the Power of Imagery
The New York Times published an outstanding piece in which Olympians describe in video how they use imagery to prepare for their upcoming events and to rehearse their ideal performances. As many of you know, I believe that imagery is the most powerful mental tool there is and if you’re not using imagery regularly in […]
Read MorePsychology of Tryouts: Part II-What Athletes Can Do
In the first article in my four-part series exploring the psychology of tryouts, I discussed why tryouts can be so stressful for young athletes, and the mental areas that suffer the most when they put their athletic hopes and dreams on the line as they attempt to join a league, make a team, or qualify […]
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Mentally Preparing for Olympic Sports Success
I’m fortunate to be working with a handful of athletes from several countries preparing to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea this month. It is an honor and a privilege to work with such remarkable athletes and to do my part in helping them to achieve their sports dreams and […]
Read MoreMichael Phelps Knows the Power of Visualization-Short Video
I tell the athletes that I work with that visualization (imagery) is the most powerful mental tool there is for so many reasons. But when they hear that message from the world’s greatest athletes, it carries even more weight. I came across a great short video with Michael Phelps and his longtime coach, Bob Bowman, […]
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