Performance anxiety, the enemy of so many athletes who are striving for greatness, takes the confidence, and ultimately, fun, out of anyone’s sport.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to chip away at this detrimental consequence of the mind.

Dr. Jim Taylor is here to provide an abundance of tangible ways to reduce performance anxiety. Before that, we discuss the ways in which the mind is susceptible to performance anxiety.

Dr. Jim Taylor is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on the psychology of sports performance. He holds a PhD in Psychology and works with professional, collegiate, junior, and age-group athletes in many sports. He is the author of 19 books, including Train Your Mind for Athletic Success, and his blog posts have been viewed by more than 10 million people.

To learn more, you can visit his website, www.drjimtaylor.com, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

You can also head to my website, www.zelicoperformance.com if you’re interested in mental performance consulting for individuals or teams.

Timestamps are below, enjoy!

(00:00) Introduction

(01:45) Introduction to Dr. Jim Taylor

(05:22) What is anxiety?

(10:03) The mind is not tangible

(13:40) Toolbox for the mind

(17:31) Mental training tools to relax; “psych-down” tools

(23:02) Unhealthy attitudes, perfectionism, and expectations; losing before you’ve begun

(36:09) Difficulty changing attitudes

(39:15) Coaches’ influence on performance anxiety

(41:05) Training/performance environment’s influence on performance anxiety

(47:29) Journaling

(51:55) Dr. Taylor’s non-negotiables in mental training

(53:30 Practicing imagery/visualization

(01:04:51) Self-talk best practices

(01:19:39) Awareness over mindfulness

(01:22:42) Routines

(01:30:39) Closing notes on performance anxiety

(01:31:57) Outro

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See highlights from every episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date by following The Sport Psychology Of on your podcast platform.

If you want to start working on your mental game, try out 1 on 1 sport psychology coaching with me, Gabe Zelico, by visiting my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.zelicoperformance.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule a free introductory call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we’ll discuss your goals, obstacles to success, and determine if we’d be a good fit to move forward.

You can also email me directly at gabriel@zelicoperformance.com regarding private coaching or the podcast.

Music by Ben Zelico.

Disclaimer: The Sport Psychology Of podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not represent mental health care services, including the giving of mental health care advice. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining mental health care for any condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has entered the world of many careers, but few understand its impact in sports, particularly, mental performance. With AI increasing efficiency all over the workplace, how can AI be leveraged to help athletes optimize their mental game?

Joining me today is the perfect guest for this topic, Dr. Ford Dyke, a Human Performance Optimization subject-matter expert.

Dr. Dyke collaborates globally with high-level performers such as corporate executives, elite athletes, physicians, first responders, and military personnel. His methodology integrates components of his Professorship, 7-year career as a Team USA Athlete, and experience as a Performance Coach for Auburn Wheelchair Basketball and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Dr. Dyke's education, professional experience, and personal journey led to the creation of perfor[Hu]mance.® | A multidimensional space for The Human Experience.

In this episode, You’ll hear about the pros and cons of AI mental performance coaching and how it specifically works.

To learn more about Dr. Ford Dyke and his contact information, visit https://www.forddyke.com/

Dr. Dyke's LinkedIn

Enjoy!

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See highlights from every episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date by following The Sport Psychology Of on your podcast platform.

If you want to start working on your mental game, try out 1 on 1 sport psychology coaching with me, Gabe Zelico, by visiting my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.zelicoperformance.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule a free introductory call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we’ll discuss your goals, obstacles to success, and determine if we’d be a good fit to move forward.

You can also email me directly at gabriel@zelicoperformance.com regarding private coaching or the podcast.

Music by Ben Zelico.

Disclaimer: The Sport Psychology Of podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not represent mental health care services, including the giving of mental health care advice. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining mental health care for any condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

Athletes, Coaches and scouts agree that being a gritty player bumps up their value as an athlete.

What remains then, is whether or not grit is something athletes are born with or is it a quality they can train, and if so, what specific techniques are effective?

Joining me today is Will Johnston, a former basketball player for Virginia Tech, a retired US Navy SEAL, and a mental performance coach. The perfect background in a guest to talk all things grit.

He’s passionate about using his background/personal experiences as an athlete & a military special operator, along with his Master’s degree in Sport & Performance Psychology, to equip athletes, working professionals, and performers across all domains with the mental tools and strategies that lead to success and fulfillment.In this episode, you’ll come to understand grit more clearly and learn concrete ways to enhance it.

Enjoy!

Connect with Will through his LinkedIn

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See highlights from every episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date by following The Sport Psychology Of on your podcast platform.

If you want to start working on your mental game, try out 1 on 1 sport psychology coaching with me, Gabe Zelico, by visiting my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.zelicoperformance.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule a free introductory call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we’ll discuss your goals, obstacles to success, and determine if we’d be a good fit to move forward.

You can also email me directly at gabriel@zelicoperformance.com regarding private coaching or the podcast.

Music by Ben Zelico.

Disclaimer: The Sport Psychology Of podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not represent mental health care services, including the giving of mental health care advice. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining mental health care for any condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.