Sports Psychology Coaching

Freezing up during games can leave athletes overthinking, hesitating, and struggling to perform as freely as they do in practice. In this episode, I explain why this happens and how to prepare your mindset to trust your skills, commit to your decisions, and play with more freedom.
👉 Want help with your mental game? Learn more about my 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/
I work one-on-one with athletes to help them overcome performance anxiety, fear of failure, overthinking, low confidence, and other mental blocks that keep them from performing their best in competition.
In this episode, you'll learn about two common patterns of freezing: overcontrol and overthinking, and hesitation. I'll explain how fear, doubt, anxiety, and perfectionism can contribute to both, along with the mindset shifts that help you trust your training and make committed decisions without needing certainty.
I'll also cover how to prepare before games by accepting mistakes and setting simple, controllable goals, so you can stay present and trust your athleticism when it's time to compete.
Not quite ready for 1-on-1 coaching? Learn more about my two self-paced online courses.
👉 The Confident Competitor Academy: https://www.successstartswithin.com/confident-competitor-academy/
👉 The Mentally Tough Kid: https://www.successstartswithin.com/the-mentally-tough-kid/
📖 Read my article on freezing up during games: https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/fear-of-failure-in-sports/why-do-i-freeze-up-during-my-performances/
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:20 Overcontrol & Overthinking
6:38 Hesitation due to indecision
15:11 Mindset shift to help with overcontrol & overthinking
18:25 Mindset shift to help with hesitation
21:55 Shared mindset shifts to make
29:33 1-1 Mental performance coaching to help stop freezing during games
Work with me!
🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Mental preparation helps athletes get into the right mindset, manage nerves, and feel ready to compete. In this episode, I explain how to mentally prepare for a game, with strategies you can use throughout the week and on game day to compete with more confidence, focus, and freedom.
👉 Want help with your mental game? Learn more about my 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/
In this episode, you'll learn what mental preparation is, how to identify the mindset that helps you perform your best, and how to use mental training throughout the week to build that mindset.
Not quite ready for 1-1 coaching? Learn more about my two self-paced online courses.
👉 The Confident Competitor Academy: https://www.successstartswithin.com/confident-competitor-academy/
👉 The Mentally Tough Kid: https://www.successstartswithin.com/the-mentally-tough-kid/
Work with me!
🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Work with me!
🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Mental training for athletes helps you build confidence, sharpen focus, manage pressure, and develop the mental toughness to perform at your best. In this episode, I explain how to train your mind as an athlete, strengthen your mental skills, and use practical mental training exercises to improve your performance.
👉 Want help with your mental game? Learn more about my 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/
I work one-on-one with athletes to help them overcome performance anxiety, fear of failure, overthinking, low confidence, and other mental blocks that keep them from performing their best in competition.
In this episode, you'll learn what mental training is, why it's important for athletes, and how to identify the mental skills you need to strengthen. I'll explain the difference between mental game challenges, mental skills, and mental training tools, along with why mental training should be both proactive and personalized.
I'll also walk you through four mental training exercises I use with athletes—self-talk, visualization, mindfulness, and performance objectives. You'll learn how to use these exercises to build confidence, improve focus, manage your thoughts, respond better to mistakes, and develop a simple mental training routine you can practice consistently.
Not quite ready for 1-on-1 coaching? Learn more about my two self-paced online courses.
👉 The Confident Competitor Academy: https://www.successstartswithin.com/confident-competitor-academy/
👉 The Mentally Tough Kid: https://www.successstartswithin.com/the-mentally-tough-kid/
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro: What Is Mental Training for Athletes?
0:49 Mental Challenges, Mental Skills, and Mental Training Tools
8:02 Why Mental Training Matters for Athletes
13:42 Reactive vs. Proactive Mental Training
16:14 How to Train Your Mind as an Athlete
26:22 Four Mental Training Exercises for Athletes
32:10 Other Mental Training Tools 
33:30 Building a Mental Training Routine
38:12 One-on-One Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes
📖 Read my complete guide to Mental Training for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/athlete-mental-toughness/athlete-mental-training-guide/
Work with me!
🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Overthinking during games can cause athletes to hesitate, second-guess decisions, question their mechanics, and struggle to perform as well as they do in practice. In this episode, I explain how to stop overthinking during games, trust your skills, and compete with more confidence and freedom.
👉 Want help with your mental game? Learn more about my 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/
In this episode, you'll learn what overthinking looks like in sports, why athletes overthink during games, and how fear of mistakes, perfectionism, outcome-focused thinking, and a lack of trust can lead to hesitation, tension, and underperforming.
I'll also explain the difference between a training mindset and a performing mindset, plus three practical strategies to stop overthinking: simplify your thoughts, use count breathing to calm your mind, and develop a simple in-game reset routine. You'll also learn how to trust yourself, commit to your decisions, and let your natural skills take over during competition.
Not quite ready for 1-1 coaching? Learn more about my two self-paced online courses.
👉 The Confident Competitor Academy: https://www.successstartswithin.com/confident-competitor-academy/
👉 The Mentally Tough Kid: https://www.successstartswithin.com/the-mentally-tough-kid/
CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

1:28 What Overthinking Looks Like in Sports

6:41 Why Athletes Overthink During Games

12:58 How Overthinking Causes You to Underperform

16:32 Stop Overthinking During Games

27:32 One-on-One Mental Performance Coaching
📖 Read my complete guide to How to Stop Overthinking During Games: https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/self-talk-for-sports/how-to-stop-overthinking-during-games/
Work with me!
🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.