Three years ago, I wrote a blog about the "inner mind game of athletes and executives"⁽¹⁾, portraying how coaching helped me improve my cognitive and emotional skills to enhance my past career performance. The current blog explains the "why, how, and what" of mental performance coaching.

First: a definition of mental performance coaching

Mental performance coaching involves helping individuals to enhance their cognitive, mental, emotional, and behavioral skills for improved performance in a specific area or domain, such as sports, academics, business, and personal life. It involves using evidence-based techniques from sports psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and positive psychology to help individuals improve their focus, motivation, confidence, resilience, and overall mental state.

Mental performance coaching is particularly relevant for athletes, performers, and individuals in high-pressure professions such as business, where mental toughness and resilience are critical for success. However, it can benefit anyone who wants to improve their mental skills and abilities and enhance their overall performance and well-being.

The "Why" of mental performance coaching.

The "why" of mental performance coaching focuses on the understanding that our mental state and mindset can significantly impact our performance in all aspects of life, including sports, work, relationships, and personal growth.

Mental performance coaching aims to help individuals develop mental skills such as goal-setting, self-confidence, focus, motivation, resilience, and emotional regulation. All of these are essential for success in any field. By working with a mental performance coach, individuals can learn how to manage stress, overcome mental barriers, and develop a positive and productive mindset that enables them to reach their full potential.

There are many potential benefits to someone working with a mental performance coach. Some of these are:

Improve self-awareness. Self-awareness has a direct positive impact on mental performance by gaining a deeper understanding of one's strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits. Self-aware individuals better understand their thoughts and feelings, which helps them identify areas of strengths and areas that need improvement. This new inner knowledge allows them to make better decisions, set appropriate goals, and achieve success in various areas of their lives.‍

Optimize performance. The coach assists the client in developing strategies to enhance focus, confidence, motivation, and resilience, enabling them to perform at their best consistently in various areas, including sports, academics, or business.

Overcome obstacles. Sometimes, we encounter barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential. A mental performance coach can help identify and overcome these obstacles, whether they're mental, emotional, or physical.

Manage stress. High-stress situations can significantly impact our mental and physical performance. A mental performance coach can teach techniques to manage stress and anxiety by helping to recognize triggers, develop coping mechanisms, and enhance a person's overall mental well-being.

Goal-Setting and Accountability through setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals and creating accountability for achieving them. The coach will help to adjust one's goals and plans as needed to ensure one continues to make progress.

Enhance Communication Skills: Mental performance coaches can teach communication skills, including active listening, effective feedback, and conflict resolution. These skills can help us build better relationships, collaborate effectively with others, and achieve our personal and professional goals.

Better Work-Life Balance by helping prioritize responsibilities and managing one's time more efficiently. The coach can teach you techniques to reduce stress and improve your mental and physical well-being, enabling you to lead a more fulfilling and balanced life.

The "How" of mental performance coaching‍

The "how" of mental performance coaching concerns the techniques and strategies used to improve performance. Mental performance coaching typically involves working one-on-one with a specialist trained in coaching, sports psychology, and mental performance. The coach will work with the individual to identify coping skills for dealing with stress, anxiety, and other mental challenges arising on the sports field or office arena.

Once the areas of mental and emotional weakness or barriers hindering performance have been identified, the coach works with the individual to create a personalized action plan that considers their unique needs and goals. The action plan includes providing them with tools, strategies, and techniques that help them develop the skills and cultivate healthy habits necessary for success. These techniques may involve visualization, positive self-talk, goal-setting, and mindfulness and recovery strategies.

The "What" of mental performance coaching

We mentioned earlier that the coaching activities would vary depending on the individual's specific needs and goals and the context in which they seek to improve their performance. The "what" refers to what the coaching process typically looks like:

1.   Assessment: The coaching assignment will start by evaluating the client's mental skills and identifying areas needing improvement. This may involve a combination of self-assessment tools, interviews, questionnaires, observations, and/or performance analysis.

2.   Goal-setting: Once areas for improvement have been identified, together with the client, the coach will set specific, measurable goals for improving mental performance.

3.   Mental skills training: The coach will teach the client specific skills relevant to their goals. These may include visualization, self-talk, mindfulness, and goal-setting techniques.

4.   Practice: The client will then practice these skills in real-life situations.

5.   Feedback: The coach will provide feedback on the client's performance, helping them to identify areas where they are making progress and areas where they still need to improve.

6.   Support: The coach will provide emotional support and guidance throughout the process, helping the client to stay motivated and focused on their goals.

7.   Monitoring progress: The coach will regularly assess the client's progress and adjust the approach as needed to ensure that the client is progressing towards their goals.

In summary

Mental performance coaching is an essential tool for individuals looking to improve their cognitive skills and abilities. Creating self-awareness will help individuals perform better in various aspects of their lives, including sports, education, business, and personal development. It coaching can also improve individuals' mental health, well-being, and relationship with others, develop resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and enhance their decision-making skills.

Mental performance coaching is about helping individuals understand the "why" behind their performance, develop the skills and habits needed to improve, and achieve their full potential through personalized coaching and support.

NOTE:

(1)  https://www.renesonneveld.com/post/the-inner-game