Mental Training Lab

Train Your Mind Like an Olympian | Mental Skills for Peak Performance from the Skimo Gold Podcast

Pete Kadushin, PhD Season 1 Episode 71

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It’s officially the Olympics season, and I was stoked to join endurance athlete Travis Macy and Olympic ski mountaineer Cam Smith to talk about the mental skills behind peak performance. This episode is shared here on the Mental Training Lab feed as part of a crossover with Skimo Gold, and I’m excited to bring this conversation to you. 

We get into what it truly means to train your mind like an Olympian. And that means for any moment where pressure, uncertainty, or expectations are high. Not just on race day.

You’ll learn:

  • How elite athletes stay present when the stakes are high
  • What effective visualization actually looks like (and where it often goes wrong)
  • How to avoid spiraling into outcomes and future thinking
  • Ways to build confidence without tying it to results
  • How to coach yourself with a healthier, more supportive inner voice

While the examples come from endurance sport and ski mountaineering, the mental skills we discuss apply far beyond athletics. These are tools for leaders, parents, coaches, and anyone trying to show up more grounded and intentional under pressure.

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This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.