The CEP Mindset Podcast

On this episode of the Consistent Elite Performance podcast, Dr. Cassidy Preston is joined by Alexis Woloschuk. Alexis is part of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), formerly competing for Boston University in the NCAA.

Thumbnail via Boston University Athletics/goterriers.com

Fear can be paralyzing.

Fear of mistakes, fear of failure, fear of letting others down, or fear of not meeting expectations; Whatever it is, it holds us back from just trusting our capabilities and attacking what we want.

In most sports, and other areas of life, it pays to have an attacking mindset:

• In sports like hockey, soccer, and basketball, this often means taking the puck or ball and attacking the net
• While in tennis, golf, baseball, or softball, this means not being afraid to fail and fully committing to the shot
• In life, this means having that important conversation, putting yourself out there, or doing anything else related to going after your dreams.

Follow these 3 Steps to go from a Fear Mindset to an Attacking Mindset:

STEP 1: Differentiate Fear vs. Attack vs. Reckless

You want to move from a fear mindset to an attack mindset, but you don’t want to end up being reckless. Here is a breakdown of the key traits within each of the 3 mental states:

1. Fear Mental State: Afraid to make mistakes, doubting ability, worrying about results.

2. Attack Mental State: Willing to make mistakes, trusting capability, being in the moment.

3. Reckless Mental State: Carelessness, over-compensating.

We suggest you write out what each of these mental states looks like for you to make it clear how you want to show up.

STEP 2: Going from Fear to Attack

To go from the fear to attack mindset, you have to align your thoughts, feeling and actions. The following two concepts are key to helping you get that alignment:

1. Attack Mistakes > Fear Mistakes: You are going to make mistakes regardless of what mindset you are in, but the attack mindset will generally not be as harmful of a result, not look as bad, and it will serve as a learning opportunity.

2. Thinking Long-Term: The fear mindset could be better in the short-term, but the attack mindset is better in the long-term.

While reading this, you might cognitively understand these points, but you need to have the emotional feeling to match or the behaviours won’t come consistently. So don’t just read this and nod your head. Make sure you reflect and look at your game; Look at when you are playing in the attack mindset vs fear mindset. Truly reflect on which mindset serves you better.

The goal is to feel yourself break through the fear and fully arrive in the attack mindset.

STEP 3: Lock it In

To lock in the attack mental state consistently, you need to be aware, set a high standard for yourself, and have the tools to get into the state.

Awareness comes from reading this and reflecting – not just once, but consistently.

You should be aiming to be in the attack mindset 95% of the time or more. It’s not about perfection, but about doing your best and being fully committed to the attack mental state.

The tools to develop and use to help get you consistently into this state include:

• Unique Alter Ego
• 10 Sec Reset Routine
• Personalized Scorecard
• Detailed Imagery Script

If you have any questions, want 1-on-1 coaching to work on your mental tools, or you are interested in mental performance coaching program, contact us today.