What is the best way to build a strong, repeatable pre-performance routine as an athlete?

In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains how to create a pre-game mental routine that helps you feel confident, focused, present, and ready to compete. A strong pre-performance routine does not guarantee perfect results, but it gives you a consistent mindset so you can perform at your best under pressure.

You will learn how to identify your ideal competitive mindset, choose the right mental training tools, and build a routine that works for your personality, sport, and level of play. Eli also shares a simple sample pre-performance routine that athletes can begin using immediately.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What a pre-performance routine is and why it improves consistency
• How to develop the right competitive mindset for your personality
• The three core goals of a strong pre-game routine: readiness, presence, and letting go
• Mental training tools you can use, including mindfulness, breathing, visualization, self-talk, journaling, and controllable goals
• A simple, proven pre-performance routine used by athletes across many sports

How routines build confidence, focus, and emotional control during competition

This episode is for athletes who struggle with nerves, inconsistency, pressure, or feeling mentally unprepared before competition and want to develop a reliable mental routine.

Work With Eli Straw (Mental Performance Coaching)

If you want help building your own personalized pre-performance routine and strengthening your mental game, learn more about Eli’s 12-week 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program below.
Inside the program:

• Mental game assessment
• Personalized mental training plan
• Weekly coaching sessions
• Mental skills training and exercises
• Ongoing support between sessions

Learn more here: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

➡️ Interested in 1-1 mental performance coaching? Schedule your free introductory call to learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching

🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course

📖 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 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 professional.

Why are you confident in practice but nervous in games?

Many athletes play freely and confidently during training — but once competition starts, they feel anxious, tight, and afraid of making mistakes. In this episode, I explain why this happens and the best approach for athletes who are confident in practice but nervous in games.

As a mental performance coach, this is one of the most common issues I see. The difference between practice and competition is not skill, it’s pressure, consequences, and how you respond to nervousness.

In this video, you’ll learn:

• Why games feel more intense than practice
• The real reason nervousness leads to tension and poor performance
• Why trying to “force confidence” makes things worse
• How to accept nerves without letting them control you
• How to shift from outcome-focused thinking to controllable goals
• A simple two-step approach to play more freely in competition

Key takeaway: Nervousness is not the problem. The way you respond to nervousness determines how you perform.

Instead of trying to eliminate nerves or create fake confidence, you’ll learn how to:

1. Acknowledge that games matter and accept nervousness
2. Focus on small, specific, controllable actions that lead to success

This process builds real confidence — the kind that shows up under pressure.

If you struggle with performance anxiety, game-day nerves, fear of mistakes, or playing worse in games than in practice, this episode will help you develop a stronger mental approach to competition.

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I also offer a 12-week 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program where we:

• Start with a full mental game assessment
• Build your custom mental game plan
• Meet weekly to train mental skills
• Use structured exercises and accountability
• Provide ongoing support between sessions

➡️ Interested in 1-1 mental performance coaching? Schedule your free introductory call to learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching

🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course

📖 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 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 professional.

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

➡️ Interested in 1-1 mental performance coaching? Schedule your free introductory call to learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching

🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course

📖 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 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 professional.