EPISODE 1 — THE NEW YEAR TRAP

Why Motivation Spikes Fail — and What High Performers Do Instead
Season 2 · Week 1 of the 10-Week Cognitive Athlete Training Cycle

Every January, motivation spikes.
And every February, it fades.

In the opening episode of Season 2, Clint Rahe explains why this isn’t a discipline problem — and why relying on motivation is one of the biggest traps high performers fall into at the start of the year.

Drawing on his experience as a Physical Training Instructor in the RAF and decades working with leaders under pressure, Clint introduces the foundation of this season:

👉 Motivation is a spike, not a strategy.

This episode marks Week 1 of a structured 10-week cognitive training cycle — and the focus isn’t pushing harder.
It’s stabilising your pace before the year runs away from you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why New Year motivation always fades (and why that’s biology, not weakness)

• The real New Year trap most leaders fall into: starting too fast

• Why high performers rely on rhythm and structure, not willpower

• How elite performers pace energy instead of sprinting into burnout

🎯 Week 1 Training Focus:
Stabilise your pace. Stop the energy bleed.

You’ll be guided through three simple, practical actions:

• Remove one unnecessary commitment

• Set one hard stop each day

• Write one sentence that accurately describes the year you’re entering

⚠️ Important rule for Week 1:
Do not plan the year yet.
This is about getting your bearings before deciding where to go.

This episode sets the foundation for the entire season — helping you slow down just enough to build sustainable momentum.

🎧 New episodes weekly.
Welcome to Season 2 of The Cognitive Athlete Podcast.

Order The Cognitive Athlete — in stores NOW👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4fVUHwZ⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠thecognitiveathlete.com.au ⁠for free tools and resources to help you improve your energy, focus, and performance.

The Cognitive Athlete Podcast — Season 2 Trailer

What if this year wasn’t about pushing harder…
but about training smarter?

Welcome to Season 2 of The Cognitive Athlete Podcast.

Hosted by Clint Rahe, coach, speaker, and author of The Cognitive Athlete, this season is built around one simple idea:

High performance isn’t accidental. It’s trained.

Season 2 follows a 10-week cognitive training cycle designed to help you reset after the holidays, rebuild focus, manage energy, and create sustainable momentum — without burning out by February.

Across the season, you’ll explore:

• Why New Year’s resolutions fail (and what actually works)

• How to plan your year like an elite athlete

• How to rebuild focus, manage stress, and protect your energy

• Why recovery, transition, and rhythm matter more than motivation

• How to make this year sustainable — not just impressive

This isn’t about hacks.
It’s not about hustle.
And it’s definitely not about doing more.

It’s about training your brain the same way athletes train their bodies — with intention, structure, and recovery.

If you’re a leader, thinker, or doer who wants to perform at your best without running yourself into the ground, this season is for you.

New episodes drop weekly.
Welcome to Season 2.

Priming for Big Moments: How Cognitive Athletes Switch On When It Matters Most

Big moments don’t reward last-minute adrenaline.
They reward preparation, composure, and state control.

In this episode of The Cognitive Athlete Podcast, Clint explores one of the most overlooked skills in high performance: priming — the ability to deliberately switch on, slow down, and show up ready when the pressure is on.

Drawing on experience from elite sport, the military, and neuroscience, Clint shares a powerful story from working with St Helens Rugby League — where championship performance wasn’t left to chance, superstition, or motivation, but built through intentional pre-performance rituals.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you can’t cram your way into clarity
• How your nervous system determines performance before skill kicks in
• What the RAF taught Clint about arriving early and state management
• The neuroscience behind breathwork, visualisation, and focus
• How the first 30 seconds in a room shape your entire performance
• A simple 5-minute priming ritual you can use before any high-pressure moment

Whether you’re walking into a presentation, a difficult conversation, a pitch, or a keynote, this episode will help you stop rushing, start priming, and perform with calm confidence.

Because you don’t rise to the level of the moment.
You rise to the level of your state.

Pre-order The Cognitive Athlete — in stores 29 December 2025 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4fVUHwZ⁠⁠

Visit thecognitiveathlete.com.au for free tools and resources to help you improve your energy, focus, and performance.