How Athletes Can Effectively Manage Uncertainty — Insights from Mental Skills Coach Shaun Goodsell

In the world of sports, uncertainty is a given. Whether it’s the unpredictability of an opponent’s game plan, the possibility of injury, or the looming unknowns of season performance, uncertainty can cast a long shadow over even the most confident athlete. As a Mental Skills Coach, I have spent years guiding athletes on how to navigate this challenge. My approach emphasizes cultivating mental resilience, staying grounded in controllable factors, and using uncertainty as a tool for growth rather than fear.

1. Accepting Uncertainty as a Constant

Athletes often face resistance to uncertainty because it brings discomfort and, sometimes, fear. I advise athletes to shift their mindset to accept uncertainty as an inherent part of competition and life. When athletes embrace uncertainty as normal, they reduce the urge to control every aspect of performance, which can lead to...

Learning to Earn Your Playing Time: A Mindset Shift in Competitive Sports

In competitive sports, there comes a time when simply showing up is no longer enough to guarantee playing time. Earning your playing time becomes the new reality, a concept that challenges athletes to take ownership of their growth, performance, and mental strength. Yet, for those accustomed to always being in the starting lineup, adjusting to this shift can be tough. Inspired by my teachings on mental toughness and resilience, let’s explore why learning to earn your playing time is a transformative experience that every athlete can benefit from.

The Comfort Zone of “Guaranteed” Playing Time

For many athletes, especially those who have always been among the best on their team, playing time may have felt like an unspoken right. This can create a “comfort zone” where the athlete expects their place on the ice/field/court regardless of their performance, effort, or attitude. However,...

The Hidden Damage of Always Winning: A Mental Skills Perspective

Winning is something we all strive for, whether in sports, business, or personal growth. After all, success brings accolades, recognition, and a sense of accomplishment. But what if the pursuit of winning becomes an unhealthy obsession? What if always winning does more harm than good, especially when viewed through the lens of mental skills development? Let’s explore the hidden damage of always winning.

The Illusion of Mastery

In life, we often equate success with mastery, assuming that consistent winning means we’ve reached the pinnacle of our abilities. However, I’d like to remind us that true mastery doesn’t come from easy wins. Instead, it comes from pushing through adversity, embracing failure, and enduring challenges that stretch our mental and emotional limits. Winning too often—or too easily—can create an illusion of mastery, leading us to believe we’ve arrived when, in...

Today, on the Hockey Journey Podcast we have a truly inspiring guest, Kelsey King, a former Division I hockey player turned Mental Performance Coach. Kelsey knows firsthand the challenges student athletes face on and off the ice—having played five years of college hockey, set records at Minnesota State, won a National Championship at Ohio State, and represented the USA Women's National Team. But it's her personal journey through struggles with confidence, mental health, and identity that sets her apart. Kelsey now uses these experiences to empower hockey players and athletes to break through their limitations, sharing powerful strategies for mental toughness and personal growth. One of the most enjoyable episode's I've ever recorded. Inspiring journey, lot's of learning nuggets and to top it off, she's an amazing human being. I know you're going to love this one :) Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this diamond in the rough episode!!

Listen Now:

Mental Skills: Unlocking Peak Performance through Shaun Goodsell’s Approach

In the world of competitive sports, athletes constantly search for ways to improve their physical skills, push their limits, and achieve peak performance. Yet, often, the invisible, internal battle taking place within the mind is the deciding factor between success and failure. I am Shaun Goodsell, a highly respected mental performance coach, and I have dedicated my career to helping athletes sharpen their mental skills, emphasizing the importance of emotional resilience, mental focus, and self-mastery in unlocking their true potential.

My approach is rooted in the belief that success in any sport is not merely the result of physical ability, but a product of the mind’s power to influence outcomes. Let’s explore the key themes that athletes can adopt to strengthen their mental game and thrive under pressure.

1. Emotional Resilience: Turning Setbacks into Growth

One of the...

What does it mean to believe in somebody?

There are many athletes pursuing some kind of dream. This dream could be to go to college and play their sport, move on to play professionally, and finally, get paid to do something they love.

For those of us that work with athletes on a regular basis, how do we communicate a credible, helpful belief in the people we work with without enabling a delusion that can be destructive for years to come?

There seems to be a prevalent idea that says,

“To believe in somebody you have to go along with THEIR ideas regardless of if there is any reliable, tangible, ongoing information to base that belief on.”

Who of us would place our trust in someone that has shown zero evidence of tangible information in the area of hope?

Have we become so disconnected from quality impact on those we love that we have resorted to blind trust? Why do we engage in this? We do it because we are afraid of crushing the spirits of those we love. In essence, we...

The Creative Athlete creates bridges to success and finds ways to play a productive role.

The Disciplined Athlete has the ability to control their thoughts in difficult circumstances.

Rigid vs. Flexible Thinking

Flexible thinking leads to empowered actions.

From our MentalLock series, this video explains the power of focus and includes daily disciplines and practices to improve this skill.