What are you focusing on right now in light of the corona-virus and suspension of sports?  I have noticed there are 3 categories of athletes and coaches: “Poor me!  My sport has been taken away from me”.  Then there are those thinking “Yeah me! Whew I get some time...

Confidence and focus are strongly tied together.  The better our focus, the more confident we become and vice versa.  Both are like our physical skills in that regular practice can increase our ability.  Below you will find some exercises that if performed regularly...

Confidence is not something we were born with or without.  It is an acquired skill just like our physical skills.  Working on what you do, say, and think daily can help you develop a stable foundation of confidence.   The monthly confidence calendar brings this to...

Injuries often take their toil on athletes mentally as well as physically.  The more we focus on what we are missing or what we can't do, the more that grows.  After all, what we focus on grows.  The key is to keep your mind busy with positive and/or productive...

In “The Confident Athlete”, I list 4 factors I believe can help everyone build and maintain confidence. Below are research numbers that support the importance of each one: Talk the Talk (Self-Talk) 11% Waseda University in Japan performed research that showed positive...

Waking up a champion is one of the greatest feelings an athlete or coach can experience but when its with this team on this journey, it's arguably the happiest and most rewarding moment I've had in sports. Only those close to this team (Belmont Women's Soccer) can...

By: Mark McKinney, 2019 An introspective look at the sport that is youth golf – and the emotional story that is painted from each tee box to each landing area where parents wait with bated breath to see their player’s ball land safely – in bounds, on dry land, in a...

The impact of this story has stayed with me since I read it years ago.  How often do we forget to thank the people that put us in place to succeed (packs our parachute)?  Whether it's in your personal life, professional life or sports career, use this story to inspire...

Most of us know that a group of bees are called a swarm, a herd of cattle, a pack of dogs, etc.   But did you know that a group of rhinoceros is called a crash.  The reason is fascinating and the mentality can be used to spark your team. A group of rhinos are called a...

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Tip #1: use your self-talk to overcome being hot or tired. When you say you’re hot, it gets 10 degrees hotter. When you say you’re tired, you become 10x more tired. Tip #2: Do 1 thing a day that sets you apart. Tip #3: Don't show up to practice/training just to get...

What if you were told you had to start playing a match or game without any type of warmup- just get out of the car or off the bus and start right away?  Would you feel prepared?  Would you be confident?  Very few people would.  Yet isn't that what we often do with our...

"What You Focus on Grows" We are born with a certain level of talent. However, skills are something we improve with consistent work. In addition, there are other intangibles that you have complete control over that can make the difference in making a team or not,...

One of the best ways for athletes (anyone for that matter) to improve is to journal.  A journal is an effective planning tool as well as reflective measure.   It helps you gain invaluable perspective.  Writing daily before and after practices or competitions helps...

Learning to focus on the present moment can be not only a game changer but life changer.  After all, the present moment is only one that matters.  Almost every negative emotion we have is due to clinging on to something that happened in the past or worrying about what...