Sports Psychology Coaching
The Sports Psychology Coaching Podcast by Eli Straw is a mental training podcast for athletes, competitors, coaches, and performers who want to improve confidence, focus, and performance under pressure. This podcast teaches practical sports psychology strategies to help athletes overcome fear of failure, performance anxiety, overthinking, and loss of confidence after mistakes so they can trust their training and compete freely.
Each episode covers key mental performance topics, including:
• Sports psychology and mental training for athletes
• How to build confidence in sports
• Overcoming performance anxiety and pressure
• Trusting your training and competing without fear
• Focus, composure, and mental toughness in competition
• Letting go of overthinking and perfectionism
• Visualization, mindfulness, and present-moment performance
• How to perform consistently in games, races, and competitions
Hosted by mental performance coach Eli Straw, this podcast provides simple, practical mental game coaching used with athletes from youth to elite levels. Learn how to stop playing scared, compete with freedom, and unlock your true performance.
If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach looking for sports psychology tips, mental toughness training, and performance mindset strategies, this podcast will help you build the mental skills needed to perform at your best when it matters most.
*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.
Sports Psychology Coaching
What’s the Best Way to Start Mental Training as an Athlete?
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What’s the best way for an athlete to start mental training if they’ve never worked with a sports psychologist or mental performance coach before?
The best way to begin mental training is to treat mental skills like physical skills and build a simple daily routine focused on four foundational areas: mindfulness, self-talk, self-awareness, and visualization. Mental skills such as confidence, focus, and composure are trainable, and with consistent practice, athletes can develop a stronger mindset and perform better under pressure.
In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains what mental training is, why mindset is trainable, and how athletes can begin building their mental game starting today.
Direct Answer
The best way for an athlete to start mental training is to build a simple daily routine that includes:
• Mindfulness meditation to improve focus and stay present
• Self-talk training to reprogram negative thinking
• Journaling to increase self-awareness and understand fears
• Visualization to build confidence and mentally rehearse success
Athletes do not need a coach to begin. They need consistency. A simple 20 minute daily mental training routine can significantly improve confidence, focus, and performance in competition.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- What mental training is and why it matters
- Why mental skills are trainable like physical skills
- The four foundational mental skills athletes need
- How mindfulness improves focus and composure
- How self-talk builds confidence and controls negative thinking
- How journaling improves awareness and emotional control
- How visualization strengthens confidence and performance under pressure
- How to build a simple daily mental training routine
- How to use mental training as part of your pre-game routine
Simple Daily Mental Training Routine (20 Minutes)
- Journal writing
- Self-talk statements
- Mindfulness meditation
- Visualization
If you want a structured and personalized mental training plan, Eli offers a 12 Week 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching Program that includes:
- Mental Game Assessment
- Custom Mental Game Plan
- Weekly Coaching Sessions
- Personalized Workbook and Exercises
- Ongoing Support Between Sessions
🧠 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: If you’re an athlete who struggles with fear, anxiety, overthinking, or confidence in games—or a parent of an athlete going through that—I work 1-on-1 with athletes to help them perform freely and confidently.
You can schedule a free introductory call using the link below, and we’ll talk through what’s going on and whether working together would be a good fit.
Schedule a free introductory call: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching/
🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/
📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN
📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY
Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make
*This podca...