Today, I’m sharing with you a conversation with Dr. Mitchell Greene, Ph.D.
In our chat, we dive deep into the psychology of goal-setting, attachment to goals, over-identification with one area of our life, peak performance, and mental resilience.
- When you’re taking a big exam, dealing with a work project, or participating in an important match, how do you manage your worries about your performance and your desire to perform to the best of your abilities?
- Are you supportive of yourself without adding pressure into your plate?
- How do you think of yourself without all the stuff you do in your day-to-day life?
While having goals is essential for your performance and motivation, they are just one piece of the puzzle. You also need to manage your mental chatter to perform at your best when it matters to you!
You will hear Mitchell and I sharing our take on Roger Federer, Rick Barry, Kobe Bryant, Andre Agassi, and other professional athletes’ approach to their performance, expectations, and goal-setting.
You can find meaning and joy by making small tweaks and savoring the good along the way!
Hope you enjoy this episode!
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Understanding fear-based reactions
- Setting goals for improved performance
- Managing mind chatter in sports
- The role of mental skills in athletic success
- Balancing life and sport: Lessons from Federer and Agassi
- The importance of parental support in youth sports
About Dr. Mitchell Greene, Ph.D.
Dr. Mitchell Greene is a nationally recognized licensed clinical and sport psychologist, whose success over the past 15-plus years is his ability to tailor personalized solutions to his client’s problems. Dr. Greene works primarily with athletes pursuing high performance goals, or coaches and athletic departments looking to educate their student-athletes on mental health and performance enhancement strategies.
In 2023, Dr. Greene published Courage over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game, a book based on his years of working with high-performing athletes who struggle with managing doubts and negative thinking. His book has spent time as a top 5 “Youth Sport” and “Sport Psychology” Book on Amazon.
Resources
- Courage over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game by Mitchell Greene
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s website: https://www.greenepsych.com/
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-greene-ph-d-8571aa14/
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenepsychSportPsychology
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s Instagram: @greenepsych
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s Twitter: @sportpsych
- Dr. Mitchell Greene’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGOTCckiAJNYZbyrEdC950A
- Mikaela Shiffrin
- Roger Federer
- Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
- Iga Świątek
- Ons Jabeur
- Confessions of a Basketball Gypsy: The Rick Barry Story by Rick Barry & Bill Libby
- The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant, Andrew D. Bernstein, Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol
- Michael Jordan
Resources from Dr. Z’s desk
- Podcast episode: How to perform to your best when it matters most
- Online class: ACT beyond Perfectionism
- Online class: ACT for indecisiveness
Show notes with time-stamps
01:01 The Importance of Goal Setting
01:08 The Problem with Tunnel Vision
01:44 Importance of Outcome Goals
02:45 The Role of Action Goals
03:43 Goal setting and mental chatter
04:34 Managing Chatter for Success
05:30 Developing a New Relationship with Your Mind
06:01 Lessons from Roger Federer
06:43 Advice for Struggling Athletes
07:22 Mental Game of Professional Athletes
08:58 Perfectionism in Sports
11:42 Small Increments of Improvement
13:15 Leadership Challenges in Sports
13:55 Balancing Life and Sport
16:10 The Impact of Injuries on a Person’s Mindset
16:52 Parental Influence on Young Athletes
18:02 Coaching the Coaches
