Self-Improvement Science in the Real World Our ultimate goal for each of these newsletters is to leave you with a better understanding of a performance practice that can help you in your daily life. In service of that goal, we
Setting Your Mind
The Secret to Resilience? A Good Story.
Imagine something unexpected and negative just happened. Perhaps you performed poorly in an interview, blew up in a big athletic competition, lost a job, or worse yet, lost a loved one or suffered some other tragedy. Why do some individuals
Cult or Culture: What team are you creating?
On a recent trip to Seattle, if you asked my hosts, Steve Fassino and Phoebe Wright, what the major topic of conversation was for the weekend, they’d likely answer cults. It started with two documentaries. One, called Holy Hell, that
Thinking Too Much: Are You an Instinctual or Analytical Runner?
I’m fascinated by the inner workings of the mind and how we make decisions. As whether it’s in running or life, the decisions we make end up defining who we are and where we are going. I also love self-experimentation.
This Is Your Brain on Racing
Why do I do this? There are so many other sports I could do. Why couldn’t I be good at baseball? I’m about to be in a world of hurt – remind me again why I signed up for this?
Why Bad Races Hurt the Most?
“That felt miserable! That was so much harder than last time. And slower!” Selena remarked as she walked off the track disappointed in her performance. She’d run 15 seconds slower in the 3,000m steeple than she did a few weeks
The Roger Bannister Effect: The Myth of the Psychological Breakthrough
The story goes that Bannister crushed the 4 minute mile mark, and allowed runners to dream of the impossible. No longer held back by this psychological barrier, swarms of runners went under the barrier. It’s touted as a story of
The Reality and Psychology of the Racing Slump
Bad races are tough to witness as a coach, and even harder to experience as an athlete. The feelings of despair, hopelessness, and confusion are ever present. We do our best to put it behind, move onto the next one.
What You Say Matters: How The Post-Race Debrief Influences Performance
The race is over, the games done. You have a moment to collect your thoughts before you have a chance to make one instantaneous impression. Do you drop a word of wisdom, try to get in a quick correction, say
Doping, Lying, and How Your Brain Adapts to Everything
Our brain adapts to everything– regardless of whether it is good or bad. When something we say, hear, or do doesn’t fit with the reality we know, our brain lets us know. A subtle blip, a wave of electrical activity,