👋 Hey. Welcome to issue 💯 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Probably like every other young kid, the Olympics mesmerised me. Still does.
See, when it's the pinnacle of a sport, and that pinnacle only arrives every 4 years, the rareness of the event creates this insane aura.
A whole new element comes into play — dealing with pressure.
You might get two Olympics that align with your physiological peak age for your event. That event might only go for 10 seconds.
It's no longer just about being the best in the world. It's also about being able to execute in this special arena.
So, today we're looking back at some of the most relevant tools from 100 newsletters to drum up that Olympic fever (4 min read):
⚡️ Entering the matrix with Usain Bolt
I love listening to sports commentators who are/were in the matrix of their sport.
Ian Thorpe. Shane Warne. Andrew Johns.
When they talk shop, they leave little gold nuggets everywhere.
Usain Bolt is another, undoubtedly in the sprinting matrix.
And in Netflix’s latest sports doco “Sprint”, it’s a bloody gold rush.
What stuck out were his responses when asked about the potential of specific athletes.
He didn’t talk about their ability. He didn’t talk about their recent performances. Or their build, their background, or anything like that.
All he talked about... their belief.
“She needs more belief”, “he will be unstoppable, he has all the belief” etc. [paraphrased]
Which sounds like Bolt’s put his hippie hat on for a minute.
But then he’s on about it again in the next episode.
Interesting...
But what is belief? Are we born with it? Or can it be built?
Well, it's very similar to confidence.
And there might just be a formula for that...
💪 The performance confidence operating system (from newsletter #20)
Confidence is arguably one of the most important skills an athlete — or everyday athlete — can develop to perform successfully.
I say ‘skill’ because it can be learnt. It’s not a trait.
Confidence is built.
In fact, mental performance wizard Ben Crowe has a formula for it:
🔋 Performance confidence =
🤾♀️ Training (practice and preparation) +
🧠 Mindset (language and physical anchors)
“Performance confidence only comes to us after continued practice on our skillset, in whatever field that may be. That and the words you send to your mind during the moment of performing.” – Ben Crowe
Makes sense.
But what are physical anchors?
According to Crowe, anchors remind us of who we are when we’re at our best.
They can be words or physical actions that pull us into a performance-ready state.
The exercise Ben Crowe recommends doing to find yours:
- 🏆 Identify a time when you were at your best.
- 😀 How did you feel before and during that performance?
- ✍️ Can you describe those feelings in words? Calm? Strong? Confident?
- 👀 What did it look like? Chest out? Smiling?
Then create an anchor that reminds you of that feeling.
⚓ It could be repeating the words you’ve come up with: “I’m calm. I’m strong. I’m confident…”
⚓ It could be a deep breath, a powerful posture and a smile.
⚓ Aussie tennis gun Dylan Alcott performs best when he puts things in perspective and soaks up the moment. So his performance anchor is to remind himself: “F*ck it. How good is this.”
So there it is, the performance confidence formula:
- All the practice and preparation we've done gives us the belief that we can execute when we need to
- Then in the moment, we use anchors to pull us into a ready state
A reliable system for consistently delivering our best.
🪢 Framing nerves (from newsletter #22)
Job interview? Tough conversation? Big game? Clutch finska throw?
However you define high performance, nerves are unavoidable if you’re gonna step into the arena.
But that’s a good thing…
See there’s research that tested different high performers (athletes, musicians, actors…) before a performance.
Some said they were scared sh*tless. Some said they were pumped.
Here’s the cool thing:
They all had the exactly same physical response. Heart pumping, breath racing, hands clammy, etc.
The only difference was how they labelled the moment.
Crazy!
We essentially have a decision…
When the nerves arrive, is it: “Ah no, this is fear, that’s negative, I can’t do this”?
Or is it: “Good, I’m more alert, more focused, I’m ready”?
Big choice. Choose wisely.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.
Matt
📬 Did someone forward this to you? I send an email like this every week. Join free here.
💬 Enjoyed this one? Hit reply and let me know. It's motivating. I reply to every message.
👇 If these emails aren't for you anymore you can unsubscribe below. No stress, they're not for everyone.
Want more? Check out the Everday Athlete Toolbox and Elite Sleep Audit
💪 And if you wanna put jet fuel and your health and fitness goals in 6 weeks, check out my online training
The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service and is not a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information given in this email is general in nature, written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
0 comments