A Companion for Your Journey

 Understanding the Mental Game

Sport performance is not all about the body. Any athlete knows that. But few truly understand the role of thought and how it shapes our mind-set, perceptions, and experience. Our thinking, and not our circumstances, drives our internal feelings. We experience the world from the inside-out. Deepening one’s understanding of this thought-feeling connection and all of its ramifications is how athletes maximize performance, win games, realize their own personal development, and enjoy life to the fullest. Are you:

• Struggling with fear of failure or intense anxiety?
• Lacking confidence?
• A perfectionist?
• In a slump?
• Easily distracted or having trouble focusing?
• Prone to temper tantrums, self-condemnation, or harsh self-talk?
• Trying too hard?
• Stopped enjoying the game?
• Seeking a “mental” edge?

Spend some time with Bruce learning the principles of thought and state of mind. It could change your game, your world, your life.

Bruce Stankavage

As founder of MindSports Consulting, Bruce has had many conversations with a variety of athletes and coaches about understanding the importance of the inner workings of the mind. His counter-cultural approach is changing the way his clients understand and interpret their experiences on and off the playing field. This understanding of the role of thought and how it shapes our mind-set, perceptions, and experience is leading more and more athletes to greater success and improved performance.

“Regardless of your performance, thinking, or feelings, you are OKAY and always will be. You have what you seek.”

We’ve all seen before-and-after photos. But have you ever seen one for the mind?

The image on the left depicts the level of clutter in the mind of most people, most of the time. Many mental coaches and sports psychologists add to this clutter in athletes’ minds with tips, tools, and techniques (behavior modification strategies).

That isn’t the way MindSports Consulting works. Bruce teaches the principles behind performance that are based on an understanding of how the mind works. When you understand these principles, the mind looks more like the image on the right—calm, clear, and ready to perform naturally.

Please do not be fooled, however: Living with 100% clarity is unreasonable and should never be a goal. We don’t chase clarity; clarity is a byproduct of understanding the innate psychological functioning of the human mind.

Part of the human condition is living on a roller coaster going from moments of clarity to moments of confusion without judging either dualistically as “good” or “bad.”  The difference at MindSports Consulting is that we help you understand that your highs (generated by less conscious thought—intuitive living) and your lows (the result of a cluttered mind—ruminating on the content of your thinking) are related to your thinking in the moment and NOT to your circumstances.

“Blue-sky” performance comes from within (from understanding), not from outside (from some head-filling strategy).