Grove Performance Psychology Hub

Such a powerful message from England captain Leah Williamson on the eve of the 2025 Euros final against Spain!

It speaks to a team that has done a lot of work in the background understanding their purpose, who they are as individuals and athletes, and making room for the discomfort that comes with high performance and pressure.

Any high performance involves risk - risking losing in order to win. Importantly, however, is the change in focus.

She goes onto to say “I think this team is so task focused…we focus on being the best people we can to each other, performing the best we can, and hopefully that gives you the result that you want”

There’s a clear sense of separating outcome to identity and understanding that if the players all perform to the best of their ability they are in the best opportunity to win but the outcome is not in their control. This mindset leads to repeated high performance efforts - Euro 2022 winners, FIFA WC runners up and Euro 2025 winners.

Fantastic to see athletes embodying a high performance mindset in addition to the hard work they do on and off the pitch



Photo courtesy of https.itv.com

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲?

If we think of sport as having 4 pillars - technical, tactical, physical and psychological, we tend to focus on the first 3 until there is a problem or a lack of progress.
Often, in progression to high performance we tend to focus on the technical and physical aspects, the “grind”.
Can I get better technically and can I get fitter/stronger?
The tactical part comes as we progress - exposure and experience in high performance helps.
But too often, the psychological aspect is forgotten or ignored. We become aware of it when there is a problem- getting caught up in our thoughts under pressure, hesitating in clutch moments and so on.

The psychological aspect, when applied 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 the 3 other pillars, can enhance and sustain your performance.

If you started simply with a Commitment to training with intention, imagine what your performance might look like in terms of the technical/tactical/physical outcomes.
If you combined that with mental performance skills of focused attention and psychological flexibility, imagine how well you would perform consistently and more sustainably than the boom/bust “grind” mentality.

Train your mind as well as your body

I'm extremely proud to have been invited back to Subiaco AFC, a forward thinking club, and deliver a topic to their academy players on being a champion teammate. The players engaged fantastically well, and I was well supported by the academy coaches and Technical Director Adi Juric. Taken from themes of my role as a coach as well as my knowledge as Clinical Psychologist, the core theme was to look at factors that contribute to success on and off the field that goes beyond talent, and how to help our teammates. Thank you again Subiaco AFC!

ʟᴇᴠᴇʀᴀɢᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅꜱᴇᴛ 🎮✨

𝑻𝒊𝒑 #2: Embrace What You Can Control - While outcomes are unpredictable, your actions and reactions are within your grasp. Concentrate on your strategies, your preparation, and your response to the situation.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: By focusing on the aspects you can influence, you can reduce the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty that fuels the Threat Mindset. You can’t control the conditions or the opposition, but you can foster a belief in your capacity to navigate challenges successfully.

Consider athletes who focus on their training, strategy, and effort rather than the scoreboard. This mindset not only improves performance but also resilience.

🌱 What aspects of your current challenge can you control? Shift your focus to these, and watch your mindset transform.

𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 💪🌟
When performing at our best, how we perceive stress can make all the difference. Let's dive into the power of focusing on your resources, especially when the pressure is on!

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒕 🚀
The way we interpret stress in performance can affect our actions. Instead of seeing stress as a threat, view it as a chance to rise to the occasion. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise.

🌟 𝑻𝒊𝒑 #1: 𝑭𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔 -
How many times have we seen teams that are leading change the way they play towards the end of the game to protect the lead, only to see that lead slip and the opposition win? They moved from a Challenge state that got them in front to a Threat state about protecting the lead. For some, the threat of losing a lead becomes the focus, rather than focusing and maintaining on what got you in front in the first place.

Here's how to shift your perspective:

𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘴: Take stock of your skills and experiences. What have you overcome before? Remind yourself of your capabilities.
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘍𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥: Instead of dwelling on problems, focus on solutions. Take a moment to refocus on solving the problem
𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩: Challenges are your chance to grow. The discomfort that comes from that is a sign that you're pushing boundaries and expanding your potential.
By focusing on your resources and sticking to your game plan, you're tapping into your inner strength and resilience. This allows you reframe the stress as something to be embraced as a challenge rather than a threat.

Share how you leverage your strengths during challenging times! 💪

𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙫𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 🧠⚡

Ever wonder why some athletes thrive under pressure while others crumble? It boils down to two mindsets:
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘃𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁

The concept here is that the situation itself does not change, but our interpretation of the situation can influence our performance.

Imagine you are sitting in the changeroom before an important game and you are noticing you are feeling anxious (which is normal), but your interpretation of those feelings and the game ahead is: "I'm going to work hard to get first to the ball ahead of my opponent".
Compare that to the thought:
"I can't make mistake today, if I do I'll be letting my team down".

The first thought helps with a Challenge Mindset. This mindset sees challenge as opportunity. Think of it as standing at the edge of greatness, ready to leap forward.

The second thought is Threat Mindset. In this state, stress is the enemy. You're focused on what you might lose, leading to a defensive stance where taking risks feels too dangerous.

Over the next week we will focus on 3 tips to help you develop a Challenge Mindset to improve your performance.
1. Focusing on Your Resources
2. Leveraging Control
3. Building a Support Network

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬
We’re continuing our series on managing negative self-talk and diving deeper into tip number 2: Observe your thoughts without judgement.

𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚
Once you’ve identified and named your inner voices (tip 1), the next step is to let them pass without being hooked by them.

Noticing and naming your thoughts, helps reduce their intensity. Observing your thoughts without judgement allows them to pass on by.
Telling yourself “this is an anxious thought” allows you to get some separation from your thoughts, and make decisions that take you towards performing at your best.

Instead of battling with your mind to have positive thoughts, you can embrace the art of letting those thoughts flow.

Stay tuned for tip number 3

🗣️ 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤: 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝!💡🧠

Ever found yourself in a mental battle, grappling with conflicting inner voices during challenging moments?
You're not alone.
Self-talk is a natural part of our mental landscape, and understanding its role is a key aspect of Mental Toughness. Let's explore three powerful tips to manage negative self-talk effectively:

1. 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑽𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 🗣️
Give your inner voices characters. Is it the "worrier," "GOAT mentality," or maybe "anxious me"? Identifying them provides clarity. Once you recognize which voice is speaking, you gain the power to decide whether to heed its advice.
2. 𝘼𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝘽𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙𝙨 ☁️
Once you've identified and named your inner voices, the next step is to let them pass by without getting entangled. By noticing and naming the thoughts, we reduce their intensity. Instead of battling to get rid of them, allow them to flow on.
3. 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 3𝙧𝙙 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 🗣️
Engage in self-talk using your own name. By using your own name, you can maintain focus and commitment to the task. "Jo, focus on this next point" is more powerful than "I can do this".

Look out for a deeper dive on these tips in the coming days.

🌟𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥!🌟
Erik ten Hag, the manager at Manchester United recently commented on the complexity of playing for such a big club and the unique pressures that come with that.
His comments highlight the pivotal role Confidence plays in facing the challenges of elite football. But we can take this further beyond just elite players and teams and apply to anyone wanting to perform at their best.

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
Mental Toughness is a blend of resilience and confidence. When challenges arise, mentally tough individuals with high Confidence believe they can get through challenging situations and have the interpersonal skills to find appropriate help and solutions.

𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮:
How do you manage the pressure and do you see in yourself the combination of resilience and confidence? Share your strategies and experience ⬇️
Whether it's overcoming setbacks, boldly facing challenges, or influencing others positively, confidence is the key that unlocks your untapped potential.

Want to work on your Confidence to level up your performance? Click on the link in our bio to find out more

🔑

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟒 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫
It's the final day, so it's time to reflect on the journey, celebrate milestones, and look forward to new horizons. 🌅✨

🚀 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥:
The 24-day advent calendar journey has been a tapestry of insights, challenges, and growth. Each day, a stepping stone toward unlocking your full potential and embracing the spirit of high performance.

🎁 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯:
Take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned, the resilience built, and the commitment that fueled your progress. In every challenge, an opportunity; in every setback, a lesson; and in every success, a testament to your dedication.

🌈 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩:
Remember, your journey is uniquely yours. The peaks and valleys, the victories and defeats—all woven into the fabric of your growth.

💫 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴:
As we bid farewell to this Advent calendar, carry the wisdom, resilience, and commitment into the future—where new challenges await and new victories beckon.
Celebrate your journey, embrace growth, and step into the future with the resilience and wisdom gained. We hope you got something out the past month that you can implement to help with your journey.
PsychologyHub

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟑 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫

𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦: 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦!

As we approach the penultimate day, let's delve into the profound impact of Gratitude on mental wellbeing and performance. 🚀

🌈 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥:
Gratitude emerges as a transformative tool, shaping the landscape of your mindset. It opens doors to a realm where challenges are viewed as opportunities, setbacks as lessons, and achievements as milestones of growth.

🚀 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥:
In the realm of high performance, a grateful heart is a resilient heart. Gratitude fuels positivity, resilience, and a profound appreciation for the journey. It propels you forward with a sense of purpose, turning each endeavor into a celebration of progress.

🌱 𝘕𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨:
The connection between gratitude and mental wellbeing is profound. Embracing gratitude fosters a positive outlook, reduces stress, and enhances emotional resilience—creating a fertile ground for sustained high performance.

💡 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯:
Integrate gratitude into your routine. Reflect on the aspects of your performance journey that you're thankful for—be it the lessons from challenges or the support of your team. Gratitude, when practiced consistently, becomes a guiding light in the pursuit of excellence.

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟐 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫:
Navigating Success with Commitment and Goal Mastery!

As we delve into Day 22, let's unravel the dynamic interplay between the Commitment factor of Mental Toughness and setting goals

🔗𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘺𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦:
At its core, Commitment embodies the unwavering dedication to set goals and see them through. It's not just about having goals; it's about the relentless pursuit of them, regardless of the hurdles that may arise.

🔄 𝘎𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 & 𝘈𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦:
Every journey to success involves twists and turns. Goal Review & Adjustment is the compass that guides your path. It's the art of assessing your progress, acknowledging the lessons from setbacks, and recalibrating your goals with newfound wisdom. Commitment keeps you focused on those goals.

💡 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯:
The Commitment factor propels you forward when challenges test your resolve. It's the engine that keeps you committed to your goals, fostering a mindset that views adjustments as strategic moves, not signs of defeat.

⚖️ 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦:
Balancing Commitment and Goal Review & Adjustment is an art. While Commitment fuels your perseverance, the ability to adapt your goals ensures they align with the evolving situation. Together, they forge a path to unparalleled achievement.