In addition to my work in the sports world, I have also consulted extensively in the corporate setting over the years. This work has focused on exploring ways to maximize both individual and organizational performance. Because I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the heart of the tech world, a lot of my focus [...]
In Part I in my series, Fear of Failure, I introduced you to the epidemic presence of fear of failure in ski racing. The article describes what fear of failure is and its causes. I also describe three ways that racers attempt to avoid failure: they quit racing, they cause themselves to fail, but have [...]
This article, the third in a four-part series that is part of the conversation about development in U.S. ski racing initiated by Dan Leever and Ski Racing Media, will focus on how, based on my 35+ years of specializing in the psychology of ski racing, our sport can best leverage mental training as part of [...]
In my last post, Fear of Failure: Part I, I discussed the sad epidemic of fear of failure that I find to be rampant in America and that I see frequently in the young ski racers with whom I work. I have discovered a new wrinkle to the fear-of-failure phenomenon that brings greater clarity to the [...]
The downtime imposed on us by the COVID-19 crisis has certainly been frustrating whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent. As an athlete, you may feel that your development has been slowed or come to a screeching halt. But, with the fall upon us and sports at every level starting to re-emerge, you have a great [...]
It’s hard to believe that we will very likely be on snow in less two months and, fingers crossed, back in the start gate soon after. After the abrupt end of the last race season, everyone in the ski racing community is “jonesing” to get back on the hill to train and then race. The [...]
As I noted in my previous article as part of SRM’s important conversation about how to drive U.S. ski racing toward its mission of “Best in the World,” I believe that mental training can be an essential piece of the athlete-development puzzle in our country. Unfortunately, as I also noted, training the mind holds second-class [...]
I would first like to express my appreciation to Dan Leever and Ski Racing Media for initiating this essential conversation about how the U.S. Ski Team can live up to its vision: “Best in the World.” I would also like to thank Dan and SRM for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this exchange [...]
It’s hard to believe the summer, what I consider Phase I of the ski racing prep period, is over. This summer was especially difficult given the COVID-19 crisis. Hopefully, the summer was devoted to building the foundation for your success this coming winter, despite the challenges that the pandemic has presented including limited on-snow time, [...]
Trust is one of the most important “muscles” you need to develop during this prep period. All of your efforts related to conditioning, on-snow training, nutrition, equipment testing and preparation, and, of course, mental training is devoted to established a deep level of trust that you can ski your fastest and achieve your goals next [...]
