“Be positive” – probably one of the most used sayings in performance in any setting. Preparing for a race? “Think positive!” Just lost a race? “Cheer up, be positive!” These phrases reinforce that we should aim to feel and think positively.  We are told, “don’t be scared”, “relax”, “be brave”, “cheer up”, “get over it”, etc. […]

Want to gain an extra edge over your competitors?  Want to perform better?  Then you need to get more sleep! Sleep is a powerful and often underestimated tool that can lead to noticeable changes in performance. Unfortunately, as a society we value not sleeping and celebrate those who can do a lot of work on […]

What is it? ‘A Game’ performance mindset is the state of mind you have when you perform at your best. Terms that you may have heard referring to this mindset include ‘bubble’, ‘zone’, ‘ideal performance state’, or even ‘flow’. It’s a set of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that promote you to consistently compete at your […]

Mental blocks are a phenomenon that happen when a performer appears to go blank and forget movements that they have consistently trained and mastered and should know how to complete.  The performer can appear to freeze or may instinctively change the movement they were planning to do.  Performers experiencing a mental block will often state […]

It’s grand final week here in Australia, a great opportunity to see if the best performers throughout the year can complete one last performance in what is an environment unlike anything else they have experienced during the regular season. There are no more second chances and no additional opportunities to redeem themselves the following week. Everyone […]

There is so much information about how to keep your body healthy, including fad diets, exercise trends, and the like. It is quite normal and acceptable, and even admired to follow these trends with the idea of looking after your body. What about your brain? There is an increasing awareness about mental health issues but […]

What makes you great? This is one of my favourite questions to ask athletes and teams because it directs their focus.  It shifts their focus from fixating on a problem to creating a solution, leading to reduced negativity and increased confidence. The Negativity Trap Often the first response I get when I ask this question […]

The brain plays an important and often overlooked role in pain and injury.  Here are five things you can do to train your brain when you are injured… 1. Visualise The same parts of your brain are activated when you imagine doing an activity as when you actually do the activity.  Studies show that athletes […]

In my experience, there are two types of people – those who want to succeed and those who hope to succeed.  Over the years, a lot of athletes have started our work together thinking they don’t need to work on the mental side of their game, hoping that it will happen, only to realise that they […]

To say that the last few weeks in Australian sport have been heartbreaking and tough would be a massive understatement.  Not only has the Gold Coast professional football community been the centre of serious drug allegations but cricket royalty has also come under fire. When things like this happen, the age-old role model debate comes […]