Sports Psychology Coaching
The Sports Psychology Coaching Podcast by Eli Straw is a mental training podcast for athletes, competitors, coaches, and performers who want to improve confidence, focus, and performance under pressure. This podcast teaches practical sports psychology strategies to help athletes overcome fear of failure, performance anxiety, overthinking, and loss of confidence after mistakes so they can trust their training and compete freely.
Each episode covers key mental performance topics, including:
• Sports psychology and mental training for athletes
• How to build confidence in sports
• Overcoming performance anxiety and pressure
• Trusting your training and competing without fear
• Focus, composure, and mental toughness in competition
• Letting go of overthinking and perfectionism
• Visualization, mindfulness, and present-moment performance
• How to perform consistently in games, races, and competitions
Hosted by mental performance coach Eli Straw, this podcast provides simple, practical mental game coaching used with athletes from youth to elite levels. Learn how to stop playing scared, compete with freedom, and unlock your true performance.
If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach looking for sports psychology tips, mental toughness training, and performance mindset strategies, this podcast will help you build the mental skills needed to perform at your best when it matters most.
*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.
Sports Psychology Coaching
Why Trying too Hard Hurts Athletic Performance
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In this episode, I explain why trying too hard during games can actually hurt your performance. I break down how pressure leads to forcing outcomes, how that creates tension and slows reaction time, and the mindset shift you need to make to play freely and perform at your best in competition.
🧠Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes:
If you struggle with overthinking during games, feeling tense under pressure, or playing worse in competition than you do in practice, I work with athletes through my 12-week one-on-one mental performance coaching program.
Together, we build the mental skills needed to trust your instincts, stay present, and perform freely in high-pressure moments.
Learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/
🎯 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why trying to force results leads to worse performance
- How pressure creates tension and blocks your natural ability
- The difference between effort and force during competition
- Why focusing on outcomes takes you out of the present moment
- How tension slows reaction time across all sports
- The mindset shift that helps you play freely and trust your instincts
🧠If you want to strengthen your mental game and work directly with me, you can learn more about my personalized 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program here: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching
🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/
👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course
📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN
📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY
Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make
*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.