Mastering Mindfulness in Sports & Life: High Performance Psychologist Michael Gervais, PhD
Brought to us by Rich Roll from the Rich Roll Podcast. Or listen below:
As a trainer and athlete I am very intrigued on the topic of mastering mindfulness in sport as it’s an often overlooked, important component in helping an athlete or person succeed. Rich Roll and Michael Gervais do an excellent job in sharing their experiences and thoughts and give many examples on how to better train one’s brain in an almost, thoughtful way to help clear the path of clutter and calm the mind.
I often see some of my clients going into “the zone” and it’s an incredible event to
Cool down training with Maui pro SUP and Surfer Kody Kerbox photo Andrew Welker
witness. I often ask these particular athletes, “where did you just go?” Often it is a conscious effort as Kody Kerbox, pro Maui SUP paddler and surfer recently shared with me.
He was competing at Turtle Bay in Oahu this past year at a very prestigious SUP event. His shoulders were burning, he was toast and he wasn’t having the best day. And then when he thought he couldn’t compete in one more round, a mutual friend told him to get out there and get it done.
With a big smile he told me something clicked in his brain and he won the heat! From then on he’s been mentally practicing on how to “go there.” I really admire that about him because he get’s it and that will not only serve him in life but for sure in sport.
Even if you aren’t a professional athlete you’ll take away some amazing jewels that will help you perform better in life and in sport. Take a listen:
Rich Roll is an ultra athlete and one of the fittest men in the world. Dr. Michael Gervais is based in Los Angeles and serves director of DISC’s High Performance Psychology. “As a California licensed psychologist specializing in high performance, he works in the trenches of high-stakes environments, where there is no luxury for mistakes, hesitation, or failure to respond.”
Michael Gervais is an incredible asset to many high performance athletes from many organizations such as the Red Bull North America’s Team, to the NFL, the US Olympics, and the list goes on.
Mastering mindfulness in sports and life is really nothing new, but more emphasis is being place on the topic for those athletes seeking to perform at the highest levels. It takes great mental discipline to stop and recognize the things that may not be working in your sport or in life.
Inspiration comes in many forms and I have to say that mine was hyper enlightened when I tuned into this the other night. I hope you enjoy.
Do you think the art of mastering mindfulness in sport is important just for elite athletes? Or can everyone benefit from this practice? Please feel free to share your comments on how you found this helpful to your sports and life performance.
Suzie Cooney
Suzie Trains Maui, LLC
