SportMind: Recent Episodes
SportMind
The SportMind podcast presents world class thinkers and leaders to discuss all aspects of the mind and how to craft mental strength and flexibility for all walks of life no matter the domain or setting. SportMind is the gym of the mind. The app of action that keeps you at the top of your game, thinking like a pro. At work, at home, or out and about. As a young professional, husband, wife, parent, or weekend warrior. SportMind is a mental strengthening conditioning app - honing, hammering, shaping, and sharpening. It’s your window into elite thinking and your toolbox for tackling the throes of life and being the best version of yourself. Your coach, mentor and motivator in your pocket. By your side, 24/7. Your voice of reason and calm when yours has abandoned you. To find out more visit www.SportMind.io
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Overcoming The Top-10 Mental Obstacles In Sport - https://go.sportmind.io/Mastery
The SportMind Hub - https://go.sportmind.io/The-Hub
Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to your next episode of the podcast series. In today's episode, we dive deep into the intricate world of mental health, especially as it pertains to sports and high-performance activities.
Today, I welcome Julie Korioth to the show. Julie is an inspiring figure in the realm of mental health and sports, with a profound personal journey that has shaped her professional endeavors.
Julie Korioth is a dynamic and influential mental health advocate and entrepreneur. She has carved a niche for herself in the field, focusing on the next generation of athletes and their mental well-being. Julie's passion for helping others stems from her own experiences with depression and anxiety, which she bravely navigated from a young age.
Her story is not just one of challenges but also of resilience and transformation. Julie’s academic journey led her to earn a master's degree in counseling, providing her with a deep understanding of mental health issues. This was further enriched by personal experiences, including discovering her own learning disabilities as an adult.
In today's episode, we explore Julie's fascinating backstory, her journey to where she is now, and the pivotal moments that defined her path. We delve into how her struggles during childhood and later in life fueled her determination to make a difference in the world of mental health, particularly for young athletes.
Julie shares her insights on the impact of mental health on athletes' performance, the significance of nurturing mental resilience, and the importance of developing an identity beyond sports. Her perspective is enlightening, offering a nuanced understanding of the challenges athletes face and how they can be supported.
We also discuss the innovative work Julie is doing with her company, NUI, which aims to provide comprehensive support for the mental health of young athletes. NUI's approach is multifaceted, encompassing mentorship, masterclasses, and an AI coach, all tailored to address the specific needs of the next generation.
Julie's journey is a testament to the power of overcoming personal battles and using those experiences to empower others. Her story is not just inspiring but also educational, offering valuable insights into the world of mental health in sports.
So, without further ado, let's get into the show to help elevate your mental game in sports and life and please welcome Julie Korioth.
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Overcoming The Top-10 Mental Obstacles In Sport - https://go.sportmind.io/Mastery
The SportMind Hub - https://go.sportmind.io/The-Hub
I'm super excited to share today's episode because we're going to explore some really fascinating topics with the amazing Masha Kay. Masha isn't just any guest – she's a powerhouse in the field of personal development and mental health. Her insights into how our nervous system shapes our experiences, especially under pressure, are nothing short of eye-opening. So, whether you're a high-flyer striving for the top or someone looking for that perfect balance in life, this episode is for you. Let's jump right in and get started with Masha Kay.
We began by discussing Amanda Sobhy, a world-class squash player known for her incredible mental toughness. Masha's insights here are a goldmine, giving us a peek into what makes high achievers like Amanda tick.
Did you know that your nervous system plays a huge role in your personal growth and how you handle vulnerability? Masha broke it down for us, and trust me, it's a game-changer.
We also talked about how to manage your nervous system in those nail-biting, high-pressure moments. It's all about understanding and working with your body, not against it. Really cool stuff!
Dynamic acceptance – ever heard of it? It's all about embracing the now while still moving forward. Masha's take on this was so insightful, especially for those of us who are always striving for more.
We all have ways our body tries to protect us, like shutting down in stressful times. Masha shed some light on why this happens and how understanding it can actually empower us.
Masha and I then got into the nitty-gritty of practices like breathwork and journaling, and how they can help keep our nervous system in check.
Striking that balance between pushing yourself to the limit and taking care of your well-being is tough. Masha shared some wisdom on how to navigate this, especially for high achievers.
We wrapped up with a deep dive into the mind-body connection, exploring how it can push us beyond what we think is possible. Masha's personal stories here are just inspiring.
We've covered everything from the inner workings of the nervous system to finding that sweet spot between pushing hard and self-care. This episode is packed with insights and laughter, and it's one you won't want to miss.
To get to know more about Masha, CLICK HERE to be taken to her Instagram profile.
So on that note please sit back and enjoy the wisdom of Masha Kay…
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Overcoming The Top-10 Mental Obstacles In Sport - https://go.sportmind.io/Mastery
The SportMind Hub - https://go.sportmind.io/The-Hub
On the show today I explore the fundamentals of health and peak performance. I'm Jesse Engelbrecht, and I am delighted to introduce a guest whose expertise bridges the gap between athletic performance and personal health, David 'Jacko' Jackson.
David is not only a former professional rugby player but also a Master Instructor with Oxygen Advantage, an accredited strength and conditioning coach with UKSCA, and a performance enhancement & corrective exercise specialist certified by NASM. After a brain injury ended his rugby career, he turned to breathwork, not just as a form of recovery, but as a new vocation to assist others.
Jacko's journey is one of adaptation and education. He understands the power of breath and its profound impact on our lives, from managing stress and anxiety to boosting athletic performance. His approach is informed by personal experience and a deep-seated desire to share the benefits of breathwork with a wider audience.
In our conversation today, we'll delve into how breathing can influence every aspect of our physiology and psychology. We'll discuss the principles of the Oxygen Advantage, and how Jacko has used these to help individuals from all walks of life to achieve their full potential.
We'll also get a chance to hear about 'ProBreathwork,' an app designed to bring the power of tailored breathing exercises to users everywhere, encapsulating Jacko's mission to normalise breathwork as a daily practice.
If you're eager to learn more about Jacko's work or wish to connect with him, you can find a wealth of resources and contact information on the Oxygen Advantage website. Simply CLICK HERE to explore his programs, upcoming workshops, and a deep dive into his breathwork methodologies.
For daily inspiration and a glimpse into his breathwork-focused lifestyle, follow David 'Jacko' Jackson on Instagram HERE. His feed is a rich tapestry of practical tips, client success stories, and the beautiful vistas of North Wales that backdrop his own breathwork practice."
So, whether you're a professional athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply someone looking to improve your wellbeing, today's episode is sure to provide valuable insights. Let's welcome David 'Jacko' Jackson.
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Overcoming The Top-10 Mental Obstacles In Sport - https://go.sportmind.io/Mastery
The SportMind Hub - https://go.sportmind.io/The-Hub
Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to your next episode of the podcast series. Today, I'm thrilled to introduce a guest who has seamlessly transitioned from the disciplined world of the British Army to the dynamic realm of civilian fitness: Coach Jason Curtis.
Jason's journey is one of resilience, innovation, and a deep understanding of the human psyche. After serving 6 years as an army physical training instructor, he ventured into the civilian fitness industry with a vision and sheer willpower. Despite initial financial challenges, he identified a unique niche: "Bringing Strength and Conditioning to the Masses." This approach not only transformed his training sessions but also led to the establishment of his own gym and the publication of 20+ best-selling book on Amazon.
In today's episode, we delve deep into Jason's innovative fitness race, the "Deadly Dozen." Set on an athletics track, this race is designed to challenge participants in a unique way. Jason envisions the Deadly Dozen as a standardised sport, aiming to take it to national and international levels, with the potential of licensing it out and even hosting competitions for the top 12 athletes in the world.
But our conversation goes beyond just fitness. We explore the profound philosophy of Stoicism, a topic both Jason and I are deeply passionate about. Jason shares how Stoicism, often misunderstood as mere emotional suppression, is actually about understanding and embracing challenges, taking an intellectual approach to problems, and determining the best course of action. He credits his reading of Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations" and other Stoic teachings for providing him with the mental tools to navigate the stresses of business and life.
We touch upon the traits of high performers, where Jason emphasises that one of the key traits is Stoicism. He believes that high performers see their commitments as non-negotiable, making it a habit to consistently perform at their best. This mindset, combined with the Stoic principles of understanding what's within one's control and accepting what's not, sets high performers apart.
By the end of this episode, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the dedication it takes to transition from one world to another, the innovation behind the Deadly Dozen, and the transformative power of Stoicism in shaping one's mindset.
For those eager to delve deeper into Jason's work or connect with him, you can find him on Instagram at @strengthandconditioningcourse and the link is in the show notes.
So, grab your headphones, settle in, and let's get going on this awesome journey with Coach Jason Curtis!
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The SportMind Hub - https://go.sportmind.io/The-Hub
Discover the best of SportMind at The Hub. Begin training your mind immediately with our accessible tools—enjoy complimentary insights or dive deeper with our premium offerings. Your path to mental mastery starts here.
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Venture into the realm of elite team culture and leadership with Allistair McCaw, the go-to expert in sports psychology and performance enhancement. In this enlightening episode, we discuss Allistair’s journey working with top-tier sports teams, including his pivotal role in advising Paris St. Germain. Learn about the intricacies of fostering a cohesive team culture, the challenges faced by sports teams in maintaining leadership dynamics, and Allistair's innovative strategies to tackle them. This episode is a goldmine of insights for team managers, athletes, and leadership enthusiasts.
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Dive into a riveting conversation with sports performance specialist, Allistair McCaw. In this episode, we explore the nuances of a champion’s mindset and dissect the principles behind Allistair's renowned "Champion Minded." From his experiences training top tennis players to his insights from consulting with football giant Paris St. Germain, Allistair offers a masterclass in optimising performance and cultivating a winner's spirit. A not-to-be-missed session filled with actionable takeaways for athletes, coaches, and anyone striving for excellence.
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Today, I’ve got an incredibly special guest with me – Larissa Mills, the innovative mind behind 'The Mental Academy’, based in Ontario, Canada, Larissa has made it her life's mission to prevent mental health issues, notably those caused by the excessive use of phones, social media, and gaming. She has been instrumental with athletes, coaches, and parents providing crucial tools through her comprehensive website, which features articles, podcasts, webinars, Q&As, videos, courses, and practical tips.
Larissa's journey began about a decade ago, when, in her capacity as a teacher, parent, and coach, she noticed a troubling spike in negative and even violent behaviour among children, a trend she linked to increased cell phone use. This observation sparked her to research the subject further, which led her to a shared concern among educators about the adverse change in children's behaviour since the introduction of handheld devices both in the classroom and at home.
Today, we delve deep into this important topic. With Larissa's valuable insight, we uncover the science behind extended screen time and its effects on the minds of athletes. We also explore strategies for managing instant gratification, untethering from our phones, and how to utilise the beneficial tools that phones can offer athletes.
This conversation is jam-packed with information and insights – all aimed at helping parents, coaches, and athletes reclaim control from technology. My hope is that Larissa's work will guide us all, helping our children refocus on listening and learning so they can thrive and be happier as adults.
Larissa's passion and clear message about this prevailing crisis will inspire you. This conversation is just the beginning – we're planning to unpack so much more in future episodes and maybe even a live Masterclass session, so watch this space!
So, without further ado, let's dive right in. Please join me in welcoming the visionary, Larissa Mills!
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I'm delighted to introduce my special guest for today, Dr. Mitch Greene. A clinical and sports psychologist with over 20 years of experience, Dr. Greene has an impressive background working with athletes, coaches, and teams at every level, all seeking to improve their performance and mental health. He's the man behind Greenepsych, a mental health practice where he and his team apply researched interventions like CBT, mindfulness, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and injury recovery expertise, in order to create holistic treatment plans for high-performing athletes.
A prominent figure not only in the consulting room but also on the field, Dr. Greene is often spotted at triathlons and running events, where he's either competing or offering guidance as a 'psych on a bike.' And for those of you looking for a good read, he's publish a captivating book that delves into the fear and self-doubt, or 'mind chatter,' which plagues athletes and hinders their peak performance.
During our discussion, we've had a chance to dig into the fascinating insights from his book 'Courage Over Confidence.' Dr. Greene shared his 4-step process designed to help athletes manage their mind chatter. We discussed common mental hurdles athletes encounter, such as losing momentum after a small error, the stress of comparing oneself to competitors, the crippling fear of failure, and the anxiety around inconsistency in performances. We also explored how athletes could use Dr. Greene's model to navigate these challenges.
But that's not all. We also ventured into some practical strategies, like how athletes can begin practicing these techniques before they face the high-pressure situations of competition. We spoke briefly about the role of visualisation in mental training, and whether meditation and mindfulness tools can enhance athletic performance.
Stay tuned for an enlightening conversation that promises to change the way you think about sports psychology. However, I do want to apologise for any brief interruptions or signal drops we experienced during the recording. There may be a few places where the message got lost, but I assure you the insights shared by Dr. Greene are invaluable.
So without further ado, let's dive into the show with Dr. Mitch Greene.
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Today, I am absolutely thrilled to introduce my next guest, Dr. Nyree Dardarian. Dr. Dardarian is a renowned Sports Nutritionist, currently serving as the Sports Nutritionist for prestigious teams such as the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the Philadelphia Union (MLS), USA Field Hockey, and USA Squash, among others. She has also worked with Team USA at various international events, including the World University Games and the Pan American Games.
In addition to her impressive work with professional athletes, Dr. Dardarian is an Assistant Clinical Professor and the Director of the Center for Nutrition & Performance (CNP) at Drexel University. Her research projects focus on athlete knowledge and behaviour change, resting metabolic rate, and workplace wellness programs centered around nutrition. She has been recognised for her expertise and has been featured in publications such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, CBS Philly, Prevention Magazine, and Women's Health Magazine.
Dr. Dardarian's dedication to improving athletic performance through nutrition led her to develop Dragon Gels™, an In-Sport fuel exclusively used by the teams she supports. These gels are formulated, packaged, and distributed through the Metabolic Kitchen at Drexel University.
During our captivating conversation, we delved into a wide range of topics with Dr. Dardarian. She provided us with a compelling introduction to her work, emphasising the crucial role of nutrition in optimising sporting performances. We explored the fundamental starting points for beginners aiming to improve their sports nutrition while dispelling common misconceptions. We even delved into the influence of alcohol and the intricate mind-body connection.
Dr. Dardarian shared invaluable guidance on maintaining training and performance consistency through sound eating habits. She also enlightened us about the impactful Share A Meal initiative.
To conclude our enlightening discussion, Dr. Dardarian graciously imparted her top four tips and takeaways, empowering the listeners to implement practical insights that can elevate your nutrition and enhance your performance.
Prepare to absorb the abundance of knowledge Dr. Nyree Dardarian brings to the forefront.
Stay connected with her work across various media platforms and see them in the show notes attached. She is well worth following with all her incredible work and initiatives she is doing right now.
Without further ado, let us plunge into our conversation and extend a warm welcome to the exceptional Dr. Nyree Dardarian!
Dr. Nyree Dardarian on Instagram
Dr. Nyree Dardarian on LinkedIn
Dr. Nyree Dardarian Share A Meal podcast
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Enjoy the episode!
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Enjoy the episode!
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Today, I'm joined by Dr. Meeta Singh, a board-certified physician and psychiatrist specialising in sleep science.
Our conversation navigates the world of sleep, starting with basics and Dr. Singh's journey into this field. We discuss sleep benefits, napping, and unique challenges for teenage athletes and students juggling school and sports. Dr. Singh offers advice on managing high-stress periods, the long-term effects of sleep deprivation, and the importance of sleep for performance.
We also cover strategies for staying alert during late-night events, explore the concept of "sleep debt", and discuss if oversleeping is a concern. Dr. Singh shares tips on falling asleep faster to maximize the benefits of sleep. This conversation is loaded with insights and practical advice for those aiming to enhance their performance and quality of life.
For more about Dr. Singh’s work, visit her website, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. Welcome, Dr. Meeta Singh!
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Today I have on the show Laura Rushworth.
I really enjoyed recording this episode as it was a departure from the norm for me and I was a keen and eager student listening to what Laura had to say and the amazing work she is doing in the field of selective mutism in young people. An anxiety disorder I only became familiar with very recently but felt as a coach and an influencers of young people, this was an important conversation to have. Our hope by recording this episode was to bring to light this anxiety disorder to a sporting audience both for parents and coaches and where to find help and support on the matter.
Laura has worked for Confident Children since 2019 as a Selective Mutism Practitioner, providing support for children with SM in schools and online. Laura previously worked in a primary school as a Specialist Speech, Language and Communication Practitioner. It was during her eight years in this role that she discovered her passion for helping children overcome their anxieties around talking. Laura is also mum to two girls.
In the show we talk about the physical debilitating factors around selective mutism, what it is, what it isn’t, and the misconceptions. As mentioned, Confident Children is the company Laura works for and we discuss the amazing work and the positive influence they are having on young peoples lives on a daily basis. How selective mutism presents itself and why. The fight, flight, freeze response. How certain character traits such as perfectionism, fear of mistakes, fear of judgment and being highly sensitive can all lend themselves to this anxiety disorder. Laura gives some great tips and tools to use right away as a parent or coach to help with this anxiety disorder.
This episode only scratches the surface and is not intended to be the antidote and for those who have been effected or know of anyone that may be showing signs of this anxiety disorder please do reach out and contact Confident Children on www.confidentchildren.co.uk. Please also forward this podcast episode and share it far and wide as it would be great to get this message out more to the masses and raise the awareness.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life with SportMind, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also download the SportMind App FREE on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
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Today I have on the show bright shining star Anne Parmenter.
We had such a wide ranging, deep, funny, and inspiring conversation today and I certainly came away with my energy cup brimming full. She was just a delight and had so many cool things to talk about it felt like we could have had a 5-parter. Her knowledge, humbleness, energy, interests, passions, and genuine authenticity come across beautifully on the show.
You can see why she has been the success she has been, and not just based on her wins and losses, but how she inspires people and finds the value and importance in life and relationships.
Anne is a highly respected and experienced field hockey coach who has been leading the Trinity College Bantams in Hartford, Connecticut, for numerous years. With a strong commitment to her athletes' development both on and off the field, Anne has become an influential figure in the field hockey community. Under her guidance, the Trinity College field hockey team has achieved significant milestones, consistently ranking among the top teams in their conference. Her dedication to the sport and her players has led to numerous wins and high levels of team performance. Throughout her tenure at Trinity College, Parmenter has led the Bantams to multiple conference championships, earning several NCAA tournament appearances.
It is evident that Anne’s impact on the field hockey program at Trinity College has been profound. Her leadership and passion for the sport have left a lasting mark on the countless student-athletes she has mentored, helping them grow both as players and as individuals.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Anne has taken on various roles at Trinity College, contributing to the overall development and enrichment of the institution. As a strong advocate for her players, she works tirelessly to ensure they receive the support and opportunities they need to excel both athletically and academically. Her lasting influence and achievements have established her as a respected and accomplished figure in the world of collegiate sports and in March 2023 she hung up her whistle.
On the show today we talked about her journey from youth athlete, to field hockey player, to legendary coach at Trinity College, where, as mentioned, she has only recently just retired from. From the word go you understand that coaching was in her DNA and was her destiny. She followed her passion and followed her dream. We talk a lot about coaching philosophies, what it takes to get the best out of athletes and her tips and advice for creating a strong team culture. She shares stories about the deep relationships she has formed over the years and how when it all gets stripped away, this is the most valuable thing in life.
She is a great outdoors person and we end the show with an incredible story from her about her climbs on Mount Everest. How her first climb was fraught with danger and peril and the despair of what happened. On her second climb she was able to summit and she takes us through all the detail of this and the profound moments she came face to face with death. A harrowing and captivating listen and I am sure you will be blown away as I was when I was listening to her.
So on that note, I am excited for you to hear this conversation with myself and Anne Parmenter.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life with SportMind, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
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Today on the show, I have the pleasure of welcoming Graham Keen, who will be sharing his expertise on the mind and how to optimize performance, especially under pressure. Graham offers valuable insights on how to cultivate the right mindset and emphasizes the importance of self-talk and mental conditioning in his work. His tips are truly remarkable and offer a fresh perspective on how to achieve peak performance.
Graham is a business psychologist, former CFO, and corporate finance advisor. He has been giving advice to more than 200 companies for more than 20 years on how to make lasting positive change. He now works with entrepreneurs and complex international organizations to deliver enlightened cultures and financial growth. In the past, he has worked with giant brands such as Barclays Bank, Disney, BMW, Sony, and IBM, to name but a few. Graham is also an author, and I am delving into his insightful book called Positive Leaders, Positive Change. It's well worth a read, and it gives plenty of practical tips and tools on how to train and optimize the mind.
Graham cut his teeth in sport psychology, where he honed his skills and expertise working with golf players, including multiple Ryder Cup teams and the top individual players in the game.
Graham has such a positive energy about him that you can see why he has been so successful in what he does and teaches. I came away full of energy and raring to go!
On the show today, we talk about how he was a vanguard of the Martin Selligman school of positive psychology. This means he was one of the first 1000 psychologists globally to get training and begin using Martin’s groundbreaking methods. We discuss this along with what positive psychology is and why it can often be misconstrued in modern psychology.
We talk a lot about the topic of resilience: what it is, how it forms, and how to maintain it under pressure. Linked closely to this, we talk about confidence, a lack of it, and some useful tools to use in order to grow it. Graham is big into visualization, so we of course hit it off a lot on this topic and spoke about different methods we both use. I certainly learned a lot myself.
We close the episode by talking about the key behaviors and habits of high performers and what separates them from the rest. He also, with my probing, reflects on his strengths and what has allowed him to make such a positive impact on all those he coaches.
To find out more about Graham, please visit his website, which is www.positiveprofitabilitycompany.co.uk, or search for him on LinkedIn.
I trust you’ll get the same amount of positive energy I did from this conversation, so please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Graham Keen.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimize your life, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also, download the FREE SportMind App on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Well, folks, let me tell you about my recent 5-day silent meditation retreat - it was a wild ride! I had heard so much about the transformative power of silent retreats and decided to give it a go. I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, but I figured, what the heck, might as well give it a try.
As soon as I arrived, I knew I was in for a challenge. The retreat was located in a remote area, and I had to trek through the wilderness to get there. Well, in my car at least! The smallest of country lanes, surrounded by farms and wilderness. It was bliss!
The retreat started with a series of instructions on how to meditate and the power of silence, and I found myself struggling to keep my mind from wandering. It was tough, folks, really tough. On average, 7-hours per day of meditation. But, slowly and surely, I started to get the hang of it. I began to feel more at peace, and I even found myself looking forward to my meditation sessions.
The days were long and filled with guided and non-guided meditation, but there were also long periods of silence where we could reflect on our experiences. These moments were especially powerful for me, as I realised just how much my mind had been running on autopilot. I had been so busy with the day-to-day hustle and bustle that I had forgotten to take a step back and really think about what was important to me.
As the days went on, I began to feel more and more connected to myself and the world around me. The silence had allowed me to tune out the noise and really listen to my inner voice. I realised that I had been neglecting my own needs and desires, and that I needed to make some changes in my life.
On the last day of the retreat, we were allowed to break the silence and share our experiences with one another. I was amazed at how much we had all grown and transformed in just five short days. We had all faced our fears and challenges head-on, and come out stronger on the other side.
In conclusion, folks, this silent meditation retreat was a truly life-changing experience for me. It taught me the power of stillness and reflection, and showed me that sometimes, we need to disconnect from the noise to truly connect with ourselves. I highly recommend giving meditation a try - who knows, it might just change your life too!
I have already blocked off my calendar for roughly the same time next year and plan on doing this annually (if not more) as it was so powerful and mind-opening.
Please do share and pass this on to anyone who may want to hear about the reflections of a 5-day silent meditation retreat.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also download the SportMind App FREE on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today on the show, I have Brian Germain, and boy, did we go down some really deep and interesting rabbit holes. I hope you are ready for some insights into some awesome areas of the mind, and I learned a huge amount in this conversation.
So where to begin with Brian and his CV? Let’s just say he’s lived a very full and thorough life. He is a world-renowned skydiver, but he is also much more than this. He is an author, inventor, and keynote speaker.
Brian made his first skydive in 1986 at the age of eighteen and today is known to absolutely everybody in the skydiving community around the planet; he was the inventor of the Airlock and Jedei parachute-canopy technologies. Today, with over 14,000 jumps and 25 years of instructional experience, Brian travels the world teaching basic, advanced, and instructor-level canopy courses, providing life coaching, keynote speaking, and workshops for corporate and organizational events. He has authored numerous critically acclaimed books, designs parachutes, and is a featured instructor and keynote speaker at Adventure Wisdom LLC.
Today we talk a lot about fear and the tools to try and face it head-on. In his line of work, the emotion of fear is at the forefront of what he does, so there is no one better placed to talk about it than Brian.
As always, we explore tools to help rationalize the fear and help overcome it. How to look fear right in the eye and get to the root of the problem Asking the question, "Why are you doing this?" or "Why are you putting yourself through this pain?" is a way to interrogate what fear brings. We also touch on subjects such as mindfulness, meditation, visualization, breathing, reflecting, reframing, building confidence, and perfectionism, to name but a few.
If you would like to hear and see more from Brian, then please check him out on LinkedIn or visit his website, www.adventurewisdom.com.
So on that note, please buckle in and enjoy my inspiring and fun conversation with Brain Germain.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimize your life, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also, download the FREE SportMind App on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today I have on the show a world-class mountain runner, Zak Hanna.
Zak is based in Ireland but competes all over the world. We recorded this episode while he was in his hotel room in Seville about to compete in a flat half-marathon to get in his speed training in order to compete better in the mountains.
We explore the origins of Zak’s mountain running and how he came to it later on in his life but has since never looked back and is excelling in his chosen field.
He came in fifth at the recent World Championships in Thailand, competing over an 8.5-kilometer course with an ascent of over 1,000 meters. Quite incredible and a brutally tough sport.
As always, we delve into the intricacies of the mind and uncover what makes Zak one of the most mentally resilient athletes out there. His mental strength isn't just limited to his chosen sport but is also evident in his daily and weekly routines, where he displays remarkable discipline and commitment by consistently putting in the hard work regardless of external factors like weather or personal feelings.
We look at how the concept of acceptance allows you to be in the moment and execute when the stakes are high. We look at motivation and where it comes from, and Zak gives some great tips for this tool of the mind. We also talk about accessing a flow state and what his version of this looks like.
He shares some great stories and brings to life what it feels like to be an elite-level mountain runner and how grateful he is for what he does. He gets a lot of joy and appreciation for the scenery that comes with what he does, and being grateful for this helps keep the motivation high. He also shares a very interesting story about nerves and anxiety, what happened to him before one race, and how he overcame it with the support network around him. Some fascinating stuff!
Please do sit back and enjoy Zak opening up about his tools for the mind in his chosen sport but also for all areas of life in general.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimize your life, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also, download the FREE SportMind App on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
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The Success Toolkit - Overall Summary
In the final episode of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart take a high level overview of all the 8 themes that were covered over the last few weeks. They dissect each theme and give the main tools for people to take away and use right away. The idea behind this final episode is for people to get a feel and a sense of the nature of what was recorded and to then go and dive into an individual theme that may be of interest.
If those listening would like to know more about certain topics that have not been covered, then please do reach out to us. If the demand is high enough, then special episodes will be recorded and added to the Success Toolkit.
Please do email support@sportmind.io
And finally, please do share The Success Toolkit far and wide and to anyone who you feel may benefit from the lessons discussed in it.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand how to improve their overall life.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 8: Mental Health
In Episode 8 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mental health. This is a large and complex topic and the aim of this episode is to distill the main areas of mental health into an accessible episode. On the show the conversations revolve around how we all have am ugly side and we should be ok exposing it. How and what true and deep happiness is. How the achievement of external rewards is fleeting at best. And how to help with anyone suffering with depression.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand how to improve their overall mental health for a strong and flexible mind.
Bart and Jesse are not trained specialists when it comes to the complex issues of deep rooted mental health concerns and we advise listeners to seek professional help in addition to what is discussed in this episode.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 7: Dealing With Injuries
In Episode 7 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of injuries and how to mentally cope better and healthier with this negative aspect on any athletes journey. On the show the discussions revolve around how seeing injuries as an opportunity to reflect with oneself and with the team around them. How to work on areas of mental fitness when the body will not allow athletes to train. How to make the use of the situation outside of the athletes chosen sport and to mentally refresh yourself in the process without having feelings of guilt.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand the concept of dealing with injuries and how to mentally cope with them better.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 6: Visualisation
In Episode 6 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of visualisation and how this is part of the success toolkit. On the show the discussions revolve around that the brain cannot tell the difference between the event and the visualisation of that event, how the law of attrition works and doesn’t work, and how listeners could look to incorporate visualisation into their lives on a regular basis.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand the concept of visualisation and how to apply it to their situation.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 5: Pressure
In Episode 5 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of pressure and the debilitating factors around this concept. In the show the discussions revolve around how pressure is in the mind and how to transfer it out to the body, tools and methods to do this, and player examples of how they use pressure to get the best out of themselves.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with pressure and how best to handle it in a rational and healthy way.
Click here to listen to the long-form podcast on the ego with Jesse and Bart
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 4: Motivation
In Episode 4 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of motivation and how the only motivation that really works is internal motivation. The key question that gets explored in this episode is the question of WHY. Why are we doing what we are doing? The episode also looks at the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and the important role both these factors play and how external goals can hep to some degree but it is not the be-all and end-all.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with motivation and how best to understand and ultimately develop more motivation in all you do
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 3: Mental Toughness
In Episode 3 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mental toughness, what this is and the varied definitions, how to attempt to grow it, how that setting a plan and sticking to it whatever the situation is a fundamental habit to build, how mental toughness is not necessarily “tough” but rather it’s more about mastering the art of showing up and how to stay a little more stubborn.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with mental toughness and how best to incorporate this essential tool into your mental training.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
In Episode 2 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mindfulness, what this is, how it lends itself to playing your best, how to train and practice mindfulness, how to strike the balance between mindfulness and having a cutting edge.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with mindfulness and how best to incorporate this essential tool into your mental training.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
In Episode 1 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of nerves and anxiety, what this is, where it comes from, how a healthy dose of nerves is a good thing, what are you afraid of, asking the 4 “why’s” and how this helps, and finally, sharing with others.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with nerves and anxiety and how best to handle and make them work for you and not against you.
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www.SportMind.io
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit
This series of lessons is the coming together of two minds, of two people who are passionate and dedicated about mental training and the power this holds.
Myself, Jesse Engelbrecht, SportMind founder, and Bart Wijhoven, the mental coach for among others Paul Coll, world no. 1 squash player and Nele Gilis, have pooled our resources and collaborated to bring you a series of lessons to train the mind and to develop mental strength and flexibility.
Whether you are sporty or not. An elite competitor, a young pro, a club player, or a weekend warrior. The mind is the gateway to everything we do when it comes to getting the best out of ourselves.
We wanted to give the users some of the science, evidence, and research on each of the topics, as well as the way to train and improve each topic we discuss. These lessons are meant to be used and practiced and not just listened to.
The success toolkit covers the following topics:
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Nerves And Anxiety
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Mindfulness
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Mental Toughness
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Motivation
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Pressure
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Visualisation
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Dealing With Injuries
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Mental Health
We both feel it a real privilege and honour to have been asked to create The Success Toolkit and to get our passion down in words to help a lot of people who listen and try out our suggestions.
This toolkit is meant to be shared and designed to help people out there willing to use it. So please do pass on and share this message with those that may be in need to hear this.
We do not proclaim to have all the answers or that every bit of advice would work for every person. But rather, that what we present in these lessons will help stimulate the mind and get people into action around topics they may be struggling with and not have an answer or solution to use in order to address them. This toolkit aims to provide some answers and solutions.
If you would like to know more about SportMind and the SportMind app and training syllabus then the best place would be to visit the SportMind.io website. www.SportMind.io.
If you would like to know more about Bart then please do visit his website which is www.championsfactory.net
Please do enjoy the lessons and feel free to get hold of myself if you would like to hear more from us around any topics or themes we may not have covered that would be of use and value to explore.
Please email support@sportmind.io
And on that note, let’s dive right into your first lesson.
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www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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Hugh is a Motivational Interview Trainer (MI) and a Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapist (REBT). He has more than a decade of providing sport psychology support for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, with their coaches and their multidisciplinary teams working at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics as well as currently working with the British IOC.
Today we really go deep with a few key topics and have an honest and open conversation around the mind and psychology. Hugh holds no punches and is a very big believer and practitioner when it comes to critical thinking. He dispels all the modern fluff around sports psychology and I think you will really love his honest and candid approach to topics and leaves no stone unturned. He has some free content on his YouTube channel when it comes to courses on critical thinking if anyone is interested please do go and check it out.
We discuss how to help athletes that may be self-sabotaging in the moment of competition and how to use certain tools in order to attempt to deal with this.
We also discuss what he views as the best habits of high performers and offers some wonderful advice towards the end of the show so be sure to listen right to the end.
We also go down a little rabbit hole with Stoicism and how the ancient thinkers can arm us with tools for the modern world and how visualisation plays a part in an athletes development, but not what you may think of as visualisation you have heard of before.
You can follow Hugh on Instagram and YouTube and he is putting some very interesting and thought provoking stuff out there.
Please do pass on and share this show with those that may be interested to hear about the topics discussed today and please enjoy.
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Today I have on the show Imogen Wolsey.
Imogen is a registered dietician with Symprove Ltd. and combines her interest in gut microbiome, her love for meeting new people, and her enthusiasm for educating others on gut health and the role of probiotics.
Imogen was an elite distance runner and we explore her story and journey and how she developed a chronic eating disorder that was linked to her gut health. This had tremendous negative effects on her as well as her emotional and mental wellbeing. She opens up and shares with us some really powerful stuff on this subject and any athlete out there suffering in this way should really listen to this.
We take many different and varied routes on the show and she shares how she is working on her balance in her life as well as her journey through her studies and her sport.
She is involved in research at the forefront of gut health, which is evolving all the time. A highlight we talk about today is the recent and ongoing research into the role of the gut microbiome and Parkinson’s disease. Some really groundbreaking and inspiring work being done here.
As always if you feel the show warrants it, please do share with those that may benefit from the topics we discussed today as my hope would be to get the message out as far and wide as possible to help people going through similar things.
Please do enjoy.
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Marius Barnard was a top level professional tennis player specialising in doubles mainly and beating names such as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Marat Satin and Goran Ivanišević to name but a few.
He won 6 tour titles and was an 8 time tour finalist. He reached the Quarter Finals at Wimbledon as well as The Australian Open. So a pretty punchy CV to say the least.
Marius is now an Executive Coach, EMCC Global, Senior Practitioner utilising a whole range of methodologies including Positive Intelligence. He supports CEOs directors and managers to improve their performance with tailored development programmes and managing their work pressures with self-belief, optimism and resilience.
So knowing all of this about Marius it only made sense we got together and recorded this in-depth podcast about the mental side of the game of life.
He is passionate about helping people and this comes across tremendously well on the show. We discuss his playing days and the big lessons he learnt. How he lost at match with 17 match points and how this match changed his course and trajectory.
Marius specialises in helping high performers in pressure situations and he gives some wonderful tools and tips in order to keep more grounded and present when the pressure may be at its highest. We discuss the mental well-being side of high performers and how it’s all about striking the right balance to produce the best performances. We also discuss the concept of flow and how to try and get closer to this state in all we do.
As always we take so many varied routes and pull on different threads in the show today and it feels like there is more to discuss so look out for a part 2 hopefully coming in the near future.
Thank you to Marius for his time today and I hope you enjoy what he has to say as much as I had interviewing him.
Please enjoy.
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Today I have on the show Barry Smith.
Barry is the founder of Symprove Ltd.
Over 30 years ago Barry noticing a significant difference in the health of his cattle when fed with grain treated with bacteria.
After leading vets suggested the product could have benefits for humans, Barry led a research and development programme to produce a formula suitable for human consumption.
The resulting food supplement became Symprove, which was launched as brand in 2010.
Clinical research by leading academic bodies, including University College London and King’s College Hospital, London, has proven that Symprove arrives, survives and thrives in the gut, improving the balance of the gut microbiome.
Barry is an expert in using food technology to manage wellbeing. He has previously run his own market garden business and was a medic in the British Army.
Today we talk about his journey, his story as well as the importance and the power that good gut health plays in our lives.
He shares studies done for IBS, Crohn’s disease, as well as some groundbreaking research in the field of Parkinson’s disease and how his product is showing some highly positive results to reducing the suffering of patients with this debilitating disease.
It sounds like he is right at the cutting edge of this research and is a leading light in the way of getting our microbiomes right in our gut for optimal performance.
Please do go and check out Symprove.com for further details and information and I am a personal user of the product and feel a huge benefit from it. I am not sponsored by the product and purchase it for my personal consumption.
Please do enjoy the show and also do share with those that may be suffering and who would benefit hearing from Barry and the power Symprove holds.
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Ok so buckle in people, this is a big one! And this episode has left me so happy, inspired and full of positive energy. I think it will do the same for you!
Paul is currently the Men’s Head Squash Coach at Trinity College entering his 29th year!
But Paul is way, way more than that.
He goes way beyond his titles, successes, and what his resume says. He is a deep thinking, caring, wise, and brilliant soul. I’ve observed Paul’s work from afar and admired it greatly but having the opportunity to talk to him for over an hour today about a range of mental topics was a huge treat.
You will be able to see why his players talk about him so fondly and how he has positively influenced the lives of so many athletes both inside and outside his athlete coaching.
And because of this; his manner, his lack of ego, his gentleness, his groundedness, his caring and compassion, lead to great things and great results from his athletes.
But it runs way deeper than this and we investigate this thoroughly in the show.
Paul is the winningest coach in College sports history! Let that sink in for a second! The winningest coach in College sport history.
But you would not know this if you were to get into a conversation with him due to his humility and humbleness.
Paul is an expert at teaching audiences to face fears, negotiate change, & build strong diverse teams.
He is the winner of 17 NCAA Championships titles in a 22-year span.
Paul was also the US National coach for several years bringing them high levels of success under his reign.
He is the author of Run To The Roar: Coaching To Overcome Fear. And he is currently working on his latest book called What’s The Point. We talk about what his new book entails and I would highly recommend anyone interested in high level sport and a grounded approach to it all to go out and read Run To the Roar.
Paul’s core belief is the need to embrace fear in order to remove obstacles blocking success. We talk extensively about this topic on the show and take so many dives into so many rabbits holes including the awesome power of now, how to maintain standards, the importance of being an empath, the win at all costs mentality, mental health of college athletes, habits and behaviours of mentally strong individuals, plus many more deep and interesting subjects.
This is definitely worth a few listens to so please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Paul Assaiante.
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Alexia Clonda is a breathing expert and mindset coach. She has a phenomenal personal story to tell about how when she discovered what correct breathing is in 1996 that this saved her life. She would not be alive today if it wasn’t for this and she is very confidence in saying that.
Because of the life-changing impact correct nasal breathing has had on her life, it has become her passion and lead to a 25-year study to understand the science behind correct breathing as well as to now also teach the methods to a global audience.
Alexia is a pure inspiration and I feel so lucky to have captured this content on the show today. She does a wonderful job of balancing the complex science of breathing as well as giving some really great and simple tools for you to practice and use right away. Alexia has also been kind enough to create a whole playlist for breathing in the SportMind app so please do go and check it out if you are keen to learn more and to begin to practically apply correct breathing to you life.
There is a huge link between correct berating and mental health. She references studies done in the last few years around this link and how it improves overall life satisfaction as well as performance in whatever domain you are in. We take a very deep dive on the show into a very undervalued and often incorrectly used tool for our body and our mind.
If you would like to get hold of Alexia and know more about her work and get some coaching please do email her on mindbreathingedge@gmail.com or her website www.themindbreathingedge.com.
Please sit back, get ready to learn a lot, follow along to the breathing techniques, and enjoy!
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Today on the show I have Bart Wijnhoven.
Bart wears many different hats and of particular interest is his mental coaching with elite level athletes across multiple sports. Bart works with Paul Coll, a World No. 1 squash player as well as a British Open champion. He also works with volley ball players, footballers, and corporate clients to name but a few.
Before we recorded Bart and I spoke a lot about how to be as impactful as possible on this episode and we decided to really hone into 2 main topics.
The ego and the superficial.
Two very interesting topics for how we can get the best out of ourselves for life as well as sport.
He does a great job helping to unpack and to understand at a deeper level what the ego is, how it operates, and how to develop the positive side of the ego. We also discuss the main habits and behaviours he notices with high performers as well as some great advice around being our true and authentic selves.
We also go on to discuss the superficial and how fleeting changes and upgrades to life are rarely life changing.
Bart was also very keen to express that if listeners wanted to get more practical tools he would be happy to do this. We go quite abstract in this conversation and I know tools are a good way to try and apply the knowledge you will hear today.
So on that note, if listeners are keen for us to record some more content around how to apply what you have heard today we need you to email: support@sportmind.org. If we get enough interest and traction we will make a playlist of practical tools for yourselves.
I hope you enjoy this episode as I throughly did and I came away learning a lot and being a lot more aware and ultimately reflecting about labels and how to work on self-awareness in my day-to-day experiences for the better.
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Today I welcome to the show Gary Nisbet
Gary has been involved at the elite level of sport for over 20-years now and certainly knows a thing or two about the mindset when working with elite athletes.
Gary has worked with the police force, football teams, and top professional squash players so far in his career.
Gary is the fitness director for the global online coaching platform SquashSkills.com as well as working individually with several of the worlds top men and women players in the game.
On the show today we go deep with 1 topic. Injuries. And in particular the mindset needed before and during injuries in a career.
We have all become pretty good with the knowledge and scientific understanding of injuries, but maybe not enough has been explored in regard to the importance the mental state plays with how to cope positively with injuries.
Gary does a fantasist job bringing this subject to life in this insightful and deep thinking episode. He eloquently describes tips and strategies athletes should employ about how best to get into the right state mentally when injuries inevitably happen in a career.
It’s not an easy thing for an athlete by any stretch of the imagination but I’d hope by the end of the conversation that listeners are better armed with tools how best to mentally get through injuries, short- or long-term, and to even be able to come through the other side stronger and better.
Gary talks about, how when seen through the right lens, injuries are opportunities for growth and discovery. But only when the athlete uses the right tools and has the right support network around them.
We also explore how and when an athlete should get back to playing and competing as well as how best to try and overcome the PTSD of injuries as well as the fear of re-injury.
Thanks once again to Gary for giving us his time and his knowledge on the show today and I look forward to some future episodes with him also.
Please enjoy.
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Due to the depth and the nature of our first conversation I am delighted to have back on the show Dr. Martin Turner for a second part.
We both felt there was a lot more to explore in our conversation and decided it was definitely worthwhile to continue the conversation and to discuss more practical tools for the mind and optimising our thoughts into a rational manner in order to get the best out of ourselves.
If you have yet to listen to part 1 of our conversation I would highly recommend you do so as we do pick up on topics from part 1 and in order to gain a deeper understanding of the topics and terminology it would be worth going through part 1. However, if you would like to join right here you will still get a lot of deep knowledge and awesome advice from Martin.
So in this episode we kick off with the huge and highly important topic of mental health in athletes and high achievers and how to strike a good balance here between the two states. We also discuss the most common themes he observes when it comes to successful people and how you should look to check if you have these within yourself. We also discuss the opposite to this which is what are the worst habits he sees in his clients that fall short of they goals.
I also put a couple of situations in front of Martin that athletes suffer with when it comes to not performing at their best and how to use REBT in these situations to manage the emotions and to still get the best out of themselves.
We close this wonderful conversation by investigating the depth of his book, The Rational Practitioner, available now at all good online book outlets, and the value this will hold if you get it. We also talk about the benefit of what walking a banana would have. Yes you heard me right! Banana walkers! This is well worth a listen just to find out the answer to this final question I have for him!
Thanks once again to Dr. Matin Turner for his passion and knowledge on the subject of REBT and the huge role this can play when it comes to living a fulfilled and contented life.
Please enjoy.
www.TheSmarterThinkingProject.com
The Rational Practitioner book
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Deep wisdom and sound advice from head of sport science and psychology at Chelsea Football Club Tim Harkness on the subject of Reframing Pressure and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from REBT expert and practitioner Dr. Martin Turner on the subject of Acceptance and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from REBT expert and practitioner Dr. Martin Turner on the subject of Must vs Want and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from head of sport science and psychology at Chelsea Football Club Tim Harkness on the subject of Compassion Around Mental Health and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Mark Burns has worked with a full range of world class athletes and I have been lucky enough to get to know some of his work because of his background helping some of the top squash players in the game become the physical beasts that they are.
Notably Joel Makin, world no.4, and Mohamed ElShorbagy, world no.1 and World Champion plus plenty of others high ranking professionals in the men's and woman's game.
Mark brings a really unique angle to the strength and conditioning side of training his athletes and is really bespoke and detailed in what he does. I loved this as a lot of the conversation began to centre around the mindset of the athlete and how this can be the gateway for all that follows.
You will find some real gems in here about how to view training. Examples of world class athletes and what they do mentally and physically. How he sees common themes that come from a range of sports. The attitudes and behaviours of what he views as talent. What mental toughness is. And some awesome advice for different players at different stages of their careers. We also touch on the mindset of injuries and his best mental tips for that.
Finally he shares where he feels the greatest gains are going to made in the physical side of elite squash players. I think you’ll be surprised at what he says on this matter so do stick around right to the end to hear that!
So without further ado, please welcome Mark Burns
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Gina Kennedy made history by becoming the first ever English woman to win the Gold at 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a phenomenal week of squash playing at the highest level and defeating some of the worlds best players along the way.
We unpack her preparation for the event and what she did to stay so focussed and in the zone during it when the pressure and stakes were at their highest.
We had a really insightful and deep conversation into all things mental and mindset and she really opens up and gives some fantastic tips and tools for everyone to learn and try out.
She also recently completed a Masters dissertation all about the placebo effect of wearable technology when it comes to training and mindset and we talked about her view and perception of this. Really interesting stuff and I think you will like what she has to say!
We also go down loads of rabbit holes including pressure and how this has changed for her. Learning under Mike Way at Harvard. Learning to reframe mentally. How she handles nerves and pressure pre-match. How to get to and try and achieve the flow state. The mentality around her fitness regimen. Perfectionism and the pros and cons of this mindset. And also the huge influence her coach Ben Ford has had on her life both on and off the court.
You’re in for a real deep dive into the mind of one of the worlds fastest rising stars and she does not disappoint. I loved how open and honest she was in all she talks about and just a humble, grounded and very fun person to spend the best part of an hour with.
So please enjoy my conversation with Gina Kennedy.
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Today I am delighted to have on the show arguably one of the greatest and most successful squash coaches of all time Rahamt Khan.
Rahmat has a superb story and journey to tell and he brings it to life wonderfully in this episode and I feel so lucky and grateful to have spent this time and to have this conversation with him.
Rahmat was the coach of legendary squash player Jahangir Khan. Who famously won an incredible 555 matches IN A ROW! The greatest winning steak in sporting history for any individual or team and has since had books and features made about this incredible feat. Rahmat had a large part to play in this record as well as the other titles Jahangir achieved most notably 10 British Open titles and 6 World Championship Titles.
Rahmat himself was a top professional player back in the late 70s and early 80s but had decided to end his playing career early in order to coach and mentor Jahangir due to the tragic and untimely deaths of Jahangir broth Torsam whilst playing a squash match. Rahmat and Torsam were incredibly close friends and this untimely death of Torsam took everyone by surprise and changed the course of squash history. He shares this story in great detail.
During our conversation we delve into the mind and mental state of what made Jahangir such an icon and achieve all the success he did. Rahmat shares some of the intense and brutal training that was performed and how the motivation of playing for Torsam was a guiding force in regard to them both turning up day in and day out and doing everything for a greater cause.
This is such a wonderfully beautiful description of a very special time in squash history and I am sure you are going to enjoy this conversation as much as I did recording it. Thank you kindly to Rahmat taking the time to sit with me and please do sit back and enjoy what we discuss today.
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Deep wisdom and sound advice from REBT expert and practitioner Dr. Martin Turner on the subject of Handling Pressure and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Today I welcome to the show Tim Harkness.
Tim is the head of Sports Science and Psychology at Chelsea Football Club and has been in his role since 2009 so he is well versed when it comes to all things mental and the mind and how to get the best out of players at the cutting edge of the elite level.
But this is not just a conversation for high performers. We talk so many different subjects in this wonderful and illuminating conversation and cover subjects such as mental health and how cultivating solid mental health leads to mentally tough people. He also touches on the inspiration he received from the work of Martin Seligman and how this forms a lot of his thinking and practical tools he uses with the players he coaches and works with. I learnt so much from what he had to share on this subject.
Tim wears many different hats and has worked with athletes in all domains ranging from Olympic archers, to pro golfers, to Indian Premiere League cricket players, to squash players, to rugby players, and of course to world class footballers.
Over the past 20 years or so Chelsea football club have become a powerhouse in the English Premier League and won multiple trophies in all competitions. Tim’s role has been pivotal when it comes to some of the success the football team has had and continues to have.
One of the big areas I am curious about is what are the common traits and habits of athletes who are successful in life and what they do. Tim shares what he notices and sees on this subject and how we can all look to cultivate these habits and behaviours in ourselves in order to be our utter best.
I was delighted to have this conversation with Tim and feel lucky to call him a friend and he certainly delivers on this show with his wisdom, experience, and sound advice.
So please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Tim Harkness.
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Today I am delighted to have on the show Dr. Martin Turner.
Martin is a bit of a rock star when it comes to his work in the field of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and in particular in his specialist field of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT).
Martin has won numerous awards for his incredible work and is currently a researcher at the Manchester Metropolitan University.
He achieved the Albert Ellis award for research in 2018 from the Albert Ellis Institute, New York, to recognise the impact of his Frontiers paper “Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), irrational and rational beliefs, and the mental health of athletes”.
This paper is in the top 1% of read articles in Frontiers (> 70,000 views) and has been cited over 30 times.
He also received the 2013 PhD of the year award from The BPS Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, and won best thesis and highest academic profile awards for his MSc studies.
Not only these amazing accolades but in 2019, he was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award by the Association for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (AREBT) for his work in the field, and bestowed upon him an Academic Fellowship of the AREBT.
Quite incredible and I feel you are all in for such a fantasising and mind opening conversation.
We dive deep into so many rabbit holes including REBT and the practical applications of this, Stoic philosophy and the power this holds in the athletic and life domains, how mindfulness lends itself to REBT, what disputing is when it comes to REBT, and how to access a state of emotional regulation when the pressure and stakes may be at their highest.
To see and hear more from Martin check out his website as well latest news on his upcoming books visit: www.TheSmarterThinkingProject.com
In the meantime, buckle in for a journey into the mind and how I think you may look at things slightly differently by the end of the show.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from Olympic Silver medalist in Rowing Cath Bishop on the subject of Identity and Self Worth and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from world renowned rock climber Hazel Findlay on the subject of Flow and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from world renowned rock climber Hazel Findlay on the subject of How To Develop Attentional Control and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Deep wisdom and sound advice from Olympic Silver medalist in Rowing Cath Bishop on the subject of Gratitude and the power this setting holds when it comes to being a high performer and getting the best out of ourselves.
For the full episode and to get more wisdom like this CLICK HERE.
Today I welcome to the show ex-cricket professional Luke Sutton.
Luke is currently the owner and running Activate Management which is a sport management company for some of the most elite athletes in the UK and the world.
This is one of the most important podcasts I might have done to date! We really explore athletes mental health. It's quite well documented that Luke struggled and suffer with excessive alcohol consumption during his playing career and explores with me in the podcast in a lot of detail and what this was like for him as a professional cricketer.
He was very kind to open up and be really honest with some difficult subjects and I'm grateful that he was able to share this with me as well as you listening today.
Luke has currently written three books and is in the process of writing his fourth book. On the show we focussed in on his book Back From The Edge: Mental Health And Addiction For Sports.
We explore topics such as triggers, the hedonic treadmill, and having a miss-balance in life when it comes to professional elite sport.
Towards the end of the podcast he shares some amazingly positive messages in regards some of the tools to use when athletes have this imbalance in their life. We also explore a lot of a lot about what currently keeps him in a good place mentally and emotionally and I also ask him how he is able to use his story to help the athletes that he currently manages.
I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Luke today and there was quite a lot of crossover around some of the habits and behaviours I think we both do and share together and I believe this is such an important conversation and one that I would hope would spread far and wide.
Being an athlete and especially so when achieving and striving for success, rankings, prize money, status, and all the driving forces they throw up can offer up a massive mismatch and imbalance of life. Luke and I explored this in great detail in today's podcast and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
On the show today I welcome Simon Mundie .
I am a huge fan of Simon and I feel so honoured and lucky to be able to actually have him on my show. He runs used to run the Don't Tell Me The Score podcast and has now been rebranded to Life Lessons: From Sport and Beyond.
It's easily my most listened to podcast and the guests he has on are just phenomenal. Guests such as Johnny Wilkinson, Gary Lineker, Sir Alistair Cook, Dame Kelly Holmes, Katherine Grainger, Damon Hill, Rick Flair, Boris Becker, the list goes on and on the who's who of sport has been on his show
But his podcast is way more than just sport. He looks at all areas of life and gets in people such Andy Puddicombe from Headspace who I resonated with and that show in particular.
We have a lot in common to talk about in regard to mindfulness and how we reflect on and with ourselves. We go deep with a whole bunch of things on the show. He talks about some anxiety issues and depression when he had really bad insomnia and really struggled to get to sleep and tools he used to help him overcome some of these mental states.
Simon is a massively deep thinker and very interesting guy. We go into a whole world of non-duality which fascinating and it opened up a whole different way of looking at things. I was interested in this anyway but he's really big on non-duality and he explains it so well.
I would highly recommend you go and listen to Life Lessons: From Sport and Beyond and what he extracts from his guests is top drawer. There are so many life lessons you will take from each one of his shows. It's my regular podcast for going running or working out to I just let it all wash over me.
So before I gush on Simon anymore I'll let you press play and get into the conversation we had and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
As a side-note we had another 1-hour off-line chat after we stopped recording and we will plan to do a follow up shortly as the conversion was so rich and varied and well worth capturing.
Please enjoy Simon Mundie.
Legendary squash coach Rob Owen sits down with me today to discuss all things squash.
Rob is the coach of World No. 1 player Paul Coll from New Zealand. He coached Paul to be the first ever Kiwi World No. 1 squash player.
Rob also works with a wide range of players such as Sarah-Jane Perry, Jasmine Hutton, and Dimitri Steinmann to name but a few and is one of the hottest properties in squash right now.
Rob has an awesome and unique way of looking at the game and we go deep into his philosophies around what makes a champion squash player as well as the mindset involved to get to the very top.
I’m delighted to have on the show today Hazel Findlay.
It’s safe to safe Hazel is a bit of a living legend and I feel so lucky to have had this chat with her today and some of the really deep and powerful insights she shares in regard to the mind and in particularly around the concept of FEAR.
We go deep into this subject of fear and she is perfectly placed to talk about it.
Since the talk I have been reflecting deeply about what she shared and her philosophies on life, status, failure, validation, and what success really means. We talk a lot about the inner voice and how reframing is a key tool to help overcome fear in the moment. We also discuss how to work on the mind before events and how this looks in normal day-to-day settings.
Hazel is a world class climber and as a junior she won the British title 6 times! Quite incredible!
She is a full-time climber and is able to pursue her passion of climbing in some of the most beautiful, exotica and dangerous locations the world has to offer.
Recently she partnered up with Alex Honnold from Free Solo fame to for a 6-week intensive climb around Greenland helping scientists track and collect data in some of the most remote and difficult places to access in the world. We talk about this towards the end of the podcast so be sure to stick around to hear her amazing stories about that.
Hazel is not only a world class climber but also a mental training coach running her business called Strong Mind.
She helps individuals and teams overcome adversity and gets people to become mentally stronger with the experiences she has had and the tools she uses in order to make this happen. You will come away today with some of these insights and I am excited for you!
I know there will be plenty of amazing content in this chat that will resonate with people in all walks of life, so I hope you enjoy and come away feeling a lot clearer and more knowledgable about the mind and also to have tools to help become the best version of yourself starting today, right here and right now.
So sit back, enjoy, open your mind, and please welcome Hazel Findlay….
On the show today I have Paralympic sprinter Souleyman Bah
Souleyman an incredibly guy and his story is well worth hearing and learning from.
He left his home country of Guinea as a 5-year old child largely down to the fact he has a rare condition called retinitis pigmentosa, an eye condition that causes a progressive loss of vision. He cannot see out of his right eye, and has partial vision in his left eye.
We take so many inspiring routes in this chat and he brings things to life with some beautiful, thoughtful and amazing analogies to really paint the picture of what he is trying to get across. I was sitting here getting goosebumps many times over and am so thankful we have had this chat and that you are listening to it now.
We talk about how at a young age with the initial talent he showed as a sprinter how it became a little too serious too early with the coaches and environment he was in. We discuss how to get the balance right with this attitude and mentality in modern sport.
We talk about his journey through the True Athlete Project and how this was a saviour for him at 19 years old. We also discuss some more specific tools for athletes such as nerves and anxiety, failure, what success actually is, habits to create high performance, reframing, plus many other deep and interesting topics.
I have come away left feeling so inspired from his words and the way he looks at life. With all the difficulties and struggles he has had in his life he could easily have been the victim and had the “why me?” Story in his head. But he tells us how he is able to use the struggles in life as an advantage and how to then have a platform to get his message across and inspire others.
I am sure you will be inspired by the conversation today so sit back and please welcome Souleyman Bah…
On the show today we have squash royalty in the form of Raneem El Weliley
Some career highlights including winning the World Junior Open twice as well as the reaching the world number 1 and also getting a World Title in the bag.
She won 24 PSA titles and was on the pro tour for an incredible 18 years!
She was the first Egyptian athlete to reach world no 1 in any sport
She is also the wife of Tarek Moment who also won a World Title in his career so no pressure on their young lad Shahir in the years to come!
We had such a fun chat and she really opened up about all aspects of her life and career and some real nuggets of gold sitting in what she reflected on.
In the show we discuss
Parents and the pivotal role they play in a young athletes development both positive and negative.
How that at the end of the day it was all driven by fun and a deep rooted love for the sport, especially when the lows were there and in dar times.
Nerves and how best to reframe them and handle them well.
How she prepares herself physically and mentally to access her flow state.
Handling pressure and expectations.
Dealing with bad losses.
How to focus the mind when things are going wrong within the match.
Reflecting on the drive that lead her to win the world open.
Plus many other interesting and fascinating subjects around the mind
So please welcome Raneem El Welily
Laurence is a two-time Olympic fencer, having competed for Team GB in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games. Upon hanging up his swords in 2016, he moved directly into a role as Performance Director of the Danish national federation, and at the start of 2022 he transitioned into a new career involving a combination of mentoring, coaching and consultancy.
Also around the time of the Rio Olympics he became engaged with the wonderful sports charity, The True Athlete Project. In his current role as Director of Mentoring he gets to explore the most valuable and meaningful aspects of a life in sport.
In 2021 he wrote and published his first book (Becoming A True Athlete), that describes The True Athlete philosophy for a more compassionate, holistic culture of sport.
He is a husband and father of two, living in Copenhagen, Denmark
I throughly enjoyed this chat with Laurence and feel we connected on a deep level with so many ideas and philosophies along the same lines. I feel very lucky to have had this chat with him and the awesome messages he puts across. Everyone should find something pretty deep and meaningful from this conversation.
For anyone wanting to work on a more holistic approach to sport and life this is a must listen! This then lends into playing better and achieving more, and along the way not for life and sport just to be about the titles and status it brings, but a deeper meaning all round.
Please sit back and enjoy my conversation with Laurence Halsted…
3 x Olympian, British rower, Olympic Silver medalist, author of The Long Win, and diplomat for conflict resolution, Cath Bishop, offers her advice for athletes holistic development as well as to challenge the "win at all costs" narrative of modern sport