In this series that launched on January 19, hosts Cédric Dumont and Kate Courtney help lift the lid on how mental techniques used by top athletes, coaches and managers can unlock performance in day-to-day life.
Each episode features a new guest detailing the mental tactics behind their success and, not just content with hearing fascinating stories, Belgian Dumont and American Courtney also analyse the revealing insight and outline practical tips for listeners to take away into the real world.
In Episode Five, Dumont begins by talking about his inner voice and explaining how being mentally focused and surrounding himself with the right people and minimising risks is a question of survival.
Multiple World Champion of the WSL XXL Awards Dupont talks about how being connected to herself helps her stay in the moment. She said: “Right now I’m trying to do every day, two minutes, just putting my feet in the grass and being present. You win the battle with your mind.”
Dumont adds: “By being aware of how we think about and talk to ourselves, we can start to understand ourselves better, and change our mental narratives. And this has a real physical impact, studies show that practising positive self-talk activates the reward centres in your brain.”
In Episode Four, England cricket captain Stokes reveals how talking about his vulnerabilities has helped shape his career as a leader. He says, “I am what I am. I just be me. People will love me, people will hate me, but at least, I’m confident that I’m giving the best account of myself and not trying to live up to anybody’s expectations.”
Meanwhile in Episode Two, 2023 Australian Open finalist Tsitsipas describes how to find your flow state and perform at your best in episode one. He reveals: “Everything made sense. You’re not playing with your skill anymore, you’re playing with your soul.”
In Episode Three, Olympic pole vault champion and world record holder Duplantis outlines how he developed a growth mindset, while England’s Ironman 70.3 world champion Lucy Charles-Barclay reveals how she finds and maintains high levels of motivation in Episode One.
Californian co-host Courtney is perfect to talk on these issues after becoming the first American woman in almost two decades to win a cross-country (XCO) mountain bike World Championship title in 2018.
The 2019 UCI MTB World Cup champion and Olympian is also a Stanford graduate with a Human Biology degree and a speaker and writer featured in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.
BASE jumper and skydiver Dumont revealed: “Developing your mental attitude can be quite easy to understand, but very difficult to apply. Mind Set Win aims to help people gain the confidence and courage to take action. I believe everyone can get better at what they do.”
Earlier in his long, successful career, the 50-year-old was so fascinated with how to improve his own resilience and mental strength that he completed a degree in High-Performance Psychology.
He added: “We have a tendency to mystify high achievers and think they aren’t like us, but sometimes they also have self-doubt, hesitation, fear, stress, anxiety and lack self-confidence. They will take action, though, to get closer to their dreams, and that’s something we can learn.”
Listen to the new ‘Mind Set Win’ podcast HERE
Header image: Justine Dupont in Nazaré, Portugal. Credit: Xabi Barreneche / Red Bull Content Pool
