Daniel Abrahams

Sport Psychologist (HCPC), consultant, author, and host of @sportpsychshow.

New book - Compete - out on 4th May 2026

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Sign up for a FREE 'Mental Toughness for Football' e book here: https://t.co/KUoChPDFbM Techniques used in the Premier League

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

On this week's episode of The Sport Psych Show I do a deep dive into my new book Compete: Developing a Mental Playbook for Performance Under Pressure in Sport and break down the contents chapter by chapter bringing to life some of the skills and techniques contained within https://t.co/o7vEMikGsd

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

‘Sir’ Gordon Banks…

Wonderful…Masterful…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

On this week's episode of The Sport Psych Show I'm joined by Mark Peters to discuss my new book 'Compete'. Mark & I discuss the book in depth and break down the contents chapter by chapter bringing to life some of the skills and techniques contained within https://t.co/xd3MrqU9CT

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

@PaulSpacey 👍🏻👍🏻

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Oh, this is oh so glorious…wonderful…

“I can’t put myself in the mentality of that person. I can’t put myself in that place. We’re playing Portugal that night and he’s out there in 30 degree heat playing head tennis. He’s excited! We’re playing Figo and Ronaldo…he can’t wait…and I’m nervous…”

Gary Neville on Wayne Rooney…2004 Euros…

Excitement…Enthusiasm…Enjoyment

In my new book, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I take a very similar approach to competitive motivation. I suggest that motivation is heightened by building personal excitement for the game ahead. I suggest searching for what enthuses you about competitive games under pressure. And I suggest enjoying every single second…

…every single second…

…of executing every action as you play.

Excitement…Enthusiasm…Enjoyment

Imagine now, if you will, a young Wayne Rooney…2004 Euros…competing against the world’s best with…

Excitement…Enthusiasm…Enjoyment

Such a competitive attitude…such competitive motivation loads onto the three mental skills I identify in the book as being the three most important…

Attention
Intensity
Intent

Imagine these…

Imagine yourself into that mindset…that body…that approach…that attitude…

What does that look like?
What does that feel like?
What will others see?

In my new book 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I teach you how to play with a High Attention, an Optimal Intensity, and a High Intent. And I use excitement, enthusiasm, and enjoyment as three forms of competitive motivation to help you get there.

A last point…

I’m not ignoring Gary Neville’s socio-cultural take on Wayne Rooney’s upbringing. He came from a place where he had to fight (perhaps literally some of the time). People from all manner of backgrounds can be successful…but Rooney enveloped skill with will. He combined warrior with artist. His mind and body aching to fight daily…

In 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I teach you how to take control and take charge. I teach you how to find a mindset that asserts yourself on yourself…so you can assert your game on the game. I teach you how to refuse to give-in. To go again and again and again and again. High Attention, Optimal Intensity, High Intent…

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𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

One of the world’s leading basketball players, Jalen Brunson thanks his commitment to the late, great Kobe Bryant’s concept of Mamba Mentality…

“To stay present and to be as mentally and as physically good as possible”

But let’s do the deep dive around the competitive mindset…because I find sport so scared of doing deep dives when it comes to mentality…

Attention
Intensity
Intent

Ambitious competitors would do well to be students of these. Because, to be the very best competitor they can be, they have to be able to take control and take charge of them.

High Attention - constantly focused and connected to the game. Scanning and searching in order to stay connected to the opposition, teammates, space, and ball…and the relationship between these.

Scan and search, scan and search, scan and search - detect the cues that appear and disappear in the playing environment in order to anticipate and make decisions.

Optimal Intensity - a strong engagement - alertness and readiness. Alert and ready, alert and ready. Alert to see the opportunities and ready to exploit them. Alert to see the danger and ready to deal with them. Alert to responsibilities and ready to execute them. Alert and ready…

High Attention and Optimal Intensity - focused and connected with strong engagement - alertness and readiness…

And then a High Intent…

High Intent - a mind-body state that influences action-execution. Energy-forward or energy-back. A High Intent energy-forward = purposeful, positive, proactive execution of actions. A Low Intent energy-back execution of actions = hesitant, inhibited, or passive.

High Attention
Optimal Intensity
High Intent

There’s your deep dives right there…and that’s what Chapter Two in my new book, Compete, offers. A deep dive into attention, intensity, intent…

…and then chapter after chapter after chapter with mental techniques helping players to execute with High Attention, Optimal Intensity, High Intent.

That’s the deep dive right there…

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𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐌𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

New episode of The Sport Psych Show! This week my good friend Mark Peters joins me to discuss my new book Compete: Developing a Mental Playbook for Performance Under Pressure in Sport.

Take a listen here https://t.co/xd3MrqU9CT

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Saying it like it is…
Pulling no punches…
Giving it straight…
Brutal honesty…
No holds barred…
Laying it on the line…
Mincing no words…

Choose your idiom…sometimes you just gotta be tough on yourself. And sometimes you need to hear tough words.

We live in an age of sport where mental health, well-being, human flourishing and optimal engagement are paramount. And as we should - no person in sport, irrespective of age and level, should suffer bullying, harassment, or any kind of pernicious -ism (sexism, racism etc). And all deserve to enjoy their experiences playing the game they love.

But strong words for the ambitious are necessary. Plain, unvarnished feedback a must.

Relentless positivity can be as ill-fitting, unhelpful, and as maladaptive as constant negative messages. Toxic positivity! A delusion that harms and hinders.

“We were rubbish. I was awful. That was disastrous”

Negative but honest appraisal - words and sentences that energise because they hit hard and true.

In my new book, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I refer to complacency as being one of the top six psycho-emotional states that tend to diminish performance. A good telling off (whether to self or others) can be the perfect antidote to complacency. A brutal assessment of bad a way to lull one out of security and comfort (twin bedfellows of complacency).

“The was awful. Ok, what are we going to do to be better next time…”

Solutions…solutions…

Complacency can be as big a killer as anxiety in high performance sport. So coaches are well-served armouring for such a destructive psycho-emotional state.

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𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞…

…𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭…𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞…𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐩. 𝐈𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟…”

The BBC have put ‘Dear England’ onto our TV screens. The stage play about Gareth Southgate’s cultural transformation of the England team is beaming into our homes on the eve of the 2026 World Cup…

And much to the delight of sport psychologists across the country the show highlights the work of the very great (and very lovely) Dr Pippa Grange (who I spoke with on The Sport Psych Show here: https://t.co/icVAcrnVot)

Anyway…

Over the coming days, I’ll take a few quotes and comment on them (likely relating them to my new book Compete)…

We start with the quote at the top from Gareth Southgate in the TV programme. Scroll up and re-read it…

“We must…”
“It will be a disaster if…”

You cannot force a great performance in sport. You cannot fear a loss in sport. These are twin terminators of high performance. They are attitudinal anathemas of freedom and focus. Everything about playing for the national team in English sport lends itself towards force and fear.

Force and fear…

I’ve never worked with the England football team, but I have worked with the England Rugby team and other national sporting teams…and can say for certainty the pressure in these environments can be crippling to players’ games…no matter the skill in their feet (or hands).

I’ve also closely worked with plenty of English players who play (and have played) international football. One former player said to me: “Dan, the problem was that I tried too hard and overplayed. I wanted to do well so much that I worked too hard and was exhausted 15/20 minutes into the first half.” Another said to me: “Dan, it’s just different. You get so scared to make the smallest of mistakes.”

You cannot force high performance…
You cannot fear low performance…

This offers a neat segue towards my new book, Compete.

In Compete, I introduce the reader to two scales - a Performance Scale (1-10) and a Mindset Scale (1-10). I ask players to become students of their Mindset Scale…and…I ask them to compete on that Mindset Scale. Let the Performance Scale take care of itself. Simple, but devilishly difficult to do.

“My job on the pitch is to take control and take charge. It’s to compete on my Mindset Scale - in High Performance Mindset. I don’t care who I’m playing, where I’m playing, when I’m playing, how I’m playing. My performance takes care of itself…”

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𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬.

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

This is just brilliant…(and quite moving)

“It’s a Tough Life” documentary from 1972 about being an apprentice at Liverpool.

Ecological dynamicists would freak at the training (as perhaps they should)…

I looked up Bob Johnston, the trainee at the end, he became a PE teacher and still works part-time.

Love how they pan into the supporter at the end. What’s he thinking?

Just wonderful stuff…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“Pure emptiness…

…we’re athletes…there’s nothing in our heads…”

Straight from the Nike strap line - just do it! Backed by the Top Gun mantra - Don’t think, just do!

Alexander Zverev is of course exaggerating here. The best athletes in the world never compete with nothing in their heads. They may, when at their best, have fewer thoughts…but they always have (and need) attentional cues.

Attentional cues that help them focus on the information in their environment they need to act upon at speed.

Attentional cues that help them stick to their strategical game plan and to adjust tactics when needed.

Attentional cues that are holistic in nature that better enables them to compete in their High Performance Mindset no matter what.

On some days these cues are crisp and clear…with no thoughts, emotions, and feelings imposing themselves on conscious awareness. Effortless ensues.

On other days these cues are murky and distant…with thoughts, emotions, and feelings dominating and dictating conscious awareness. Effortful ensues.

Effortless…
Effortful…

Competitors can high perform and win in both states. They just need strong mental frameworks to help them.

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𝐌𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Intent is not a word that springs to mind when you think of the psychological aspects of sport…

I think it’s a critical essential.

What is intent from a mental perspective?

In my new book, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I suggest it’s a mind-body state that influences the style in which you execute your actions.

Now, that’s a bit of a mouthful. A long definition. I apologise for that, but at its heart lies a simple idea - energy-forward or energy-back. You are executing your actions with energy forward or you are executing them with energy back.

High Intent - energy-forward: purposeful, positive, proactive

Low Intent - energy-back: inhibited, hesitant, or passive

This is a simple heuristic I’ve created from the approach/avoidance literature. As human beings we move towards or we move away from. In 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, I teach competitors to execute actions with approach behaviour…towards rather than away from.

I want the players I work with to compete with energy-forward. Assertive. Aggressive. Brave. Courageous. Positive. Confident.

That’s what I want for them. It’s what I want them to practice in every activity every session. It’s what I want to see from them every action every second in every game.

In control
In charge
Energy-forward
Dominating mind and body
Owning mind and body

That’s what they yearn for…and that’s what I demand from them…

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𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞…

…𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬.

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Listen to me…

Come in close…lean in…

Your job when you compete is to take control and take charge. It’s to take control of your attention, intensity, intent…

It’s to execute with a High Attention - focused and connected to the game no matter what! Scan and search…scan and search…take control of your attention.

It’s to execute with an Optimal Intensity - alert and ready during the game no matter what! Alert and ready…alert and ready…take control of your intensity.

It’s to execute with a High Intent - purposeful, positive, proactive with every action no matter what! Energy forward…energy forward…take control of your intent.

That’s a High Performance Mindset right there. That’s HPM right there. That’s HPM!

What does this look like to you?
What does this feel like to you?
What do others see when you’re in HPM?

Build an exciting picture of this in your mind. Make it big and bold and bright. And when you go and compete, embody it. Embody it and enact it…

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𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“The path to success is not a straight line. Success is not possible without a firm foundation built on two things, belief and hard work, not talent. Definitely not luck. Belief and work”

Olympic skier, Lindsey Vonn addresses her audience and she wants the people in front of her to believe in belief. She wants them to attribute success to hard work.

This is a useful heuristic…work hard and believe in yourself and you will give yourself a great chance to succeed. Fair and not untrue!

But here’s the thing…

Work too hard and burnout can ensue. And an obsession with hard work can cause a blindness to the quality of that work. The combination of quantity and quality of work alongside appropriate rest and recuperation is likely optimal for most people.

And then belief. It’s difficult to argue against the importance of believing in oneself, but it’s important to note the power of purposeful un-belief. Honest self-awareness and critical reflection and appraisal twin to help people grow. Ignoring the underbelly of poor performance simply leads to more sub-standard performances.

Quantity and quality of work…
Belief and un-belief…

Now our ingredients for success are becoming a little more sophisticated. Intelligently sourced…mixed thoughtfully.

So what of talent and luck?

Of course they both count. But that’s ok. The world needs people who have an intuitive aptitude for things and who get good quickly at those things. The existence of talent (however one wants to define it) is a good thing - it helps people detect what professions and hobbies they might be best served ignoring and what they might be best served chasing. Go chase your talent - you have plenty of them.

And luck clearly exists and obviously makes a difference in life. Key is the acceptance of luck. Acceptance allows one to stay humble, focused, and action-oriented. I say action-oriented because if you want to skew luck in your direction then broadening your surface area of experiences and influence can tip it your way. Do more for more luck!

Talent helps you make decisions…
Luck keeps you humble and action-oriented…

Lindsey Vonn is an incredible skier. And like all successful people the heuristic they tell the world relating to their own success provides a glimpse into what made them successful. But success (whatever that means) is a destination that follows a complicated and complex journey. One that is never completely within anyone’s control.

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

I’d go further than this message from Derek Shelton of Minnesota Twins. I’d go further. I’d break it down even more…

Try to win the next second…try to win the next action…
Try to win the next second…try to win the next action…

…but redefine what it is to win.

To win is to execute in a High Performance Mindset (HPM) - with high attention, optimal intensity, high intent.

High Attention - focused and connected
Optimal Intensity - alert and ready
High Intent - purposeful, positive, proactive

Execute seconds and actions in HPM and you win. You win. You win. Nothing less, nothing more.

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𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬.

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

"Mentally I got into very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn't get back on track”

You lost 10 games in a row Aryna Sabalenka…it happens! It happens…but here’s the solution…

Play the Mindset Scale more so than the Performance Scale.

There are two scales going on out there on court. A Performance Scale from 1 to 10…a scale that represents the quality of your action execution (technically, tactically, physically). And then there’s the Mindset Scale (from High Performance Mindset - HPM down to Low Performance Mindset- LPM).

Play the Mindset Scale. Put mindset first. Put HPM first.

Sure, you may have tough moments and you may make mistakes…and you will lose points and games and sets…but keep playing the Mindset Scale. Keep executing in HPM.

What does this look like Aryna?

Attention
Intensity
Intent

This cycle of mental skills determine where you are on your Mindset Scale.

Keep a High Attention. Stay focused and connected to the game - to the ball, your opponent, the court, your strategy. Keep a High Attention no matter what.

Keep an Optimal Intensity. Stay alert and ready. Alert for the opportunities and ready to exploit them. Alert to the dangers and ready to deal with them. Alert to your strategy and ready to execute it. A psychological ferocity…an absorption and immersion. Keep an Optimal Intensity no matter what.

Keep a High Intent. Keep executing actions with energy-forward. Stay purposeful, positive, proactive. Assertive, aggressive, alive. Keep a High Intent no matter what.

Stay in your HPM Aryna. Put your Mindset Scale first. Refuse to drop down to LPM. High Attention. Optimal Intensity. High Intent.

Yes…you’ll experience the wrath of your bio-psychological yearning to win. Thoughts, emotions, and feelings will hit your conscious awareness hard. Angry ones. Frustrated ones. Even anxious ones…

Use or lose them…

Use them to fuel HPM - High Attention, Optimal
Intensity, High Intent.

Or lose them. Ignore them…they’re inside of you they’re not your actions. They’re not your strategy. They’re not your decisions. Stay HPM - High Attention, Optimal Intensity, High Intent.

Aryna…you’re world number one. An incredible player. You can do this. Put your Mindset Scale first. Yes, there will be tough moments but go again in HPM. Yes, you will make mistakes, but go again in HPM. Yes, you will lose points but go again in HPM.

Aryna…put your Mindset Scale first. Compete in HPM no matter what. Go again in HPM no matter what…

Go again
Go again
Go again
Go again and again and again and go again…

*******************************

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“My job when I play is to compete in my High Performance Mindset…my HPM…

High Attention
Optimal Intensity
High Intent

I’m in control…I’m in charge…

Nothing and no one takes me away from my HPM. Nothing and no one diminishes my attention, my intensity, my intent…

I’m in control…I’m in charge…”

******************************

I want this for every player who reads my new book, Compete.

Great competitors are those who execute every action, every second in HPM…no matter who they play, where they play, when they play. They execute every action, every second in HPM…no matter tough moments, no matter mistakes, no matter unhelpful thoughts and feelings.

They retain high attention - they stay focused and connected to the game.
They retain an optimal intensity - they stay alert and ready.
They retain a high intent - they stay purposeful, positive, proactive.

Great competitors go again no matter what. They go again and again and again and again.

*******************************

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝…

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“It took two seasons…I just couldn’t get the picture…”

Kyle Walker is as honest here as the day is long. He couldn’t ‘do’ because he couldn’t ‘see’…and when players can’t see, they can’t establish meaning.

Pictures and meaning…
Pictures and meaning…

And so Pep took him into his office and showed him from a third-person perspective. First-person (knowledge-in) on the pitch…third-person (knowledge-of) in front of film.

He eased Walker’s tension by telling him about the struggles of others (Mascherano at Barcelona). It’s ok…others have struggled with this. It’s ok.

Coaching is about helping players engage…
Coaching is about helping players learn…

Now a veteran of 6 Premier League clubs (and several globally), I’ve long believed that learning in sport best happens (but not only happens) in the playing environment. That’s why I speak to coaches and players about learning zones.

Water breaks are a learning zone. The break between reps and sets are learning zones. The huddles in-between are learning zones. Immediately after training is a learning zone.

These learning zones afford the opportunity for players to engage in self-regulated learning. To think. To reflect deeply. To tap awareness. To communicate with others and offer others feedback (and gain feedback). To check-in with coaches. Self-regulated learning…

In my new book, Compete, I introduce the reader (ambitious players and coaches) to a mental rehearsal process that fits neatly into the idea of learning zones and gives players a better chance to learn more effectively and efficiently.

Say it
See it
Do it
Feel it

Say it - talk through what you’ve just experienced. Do so in the privacy of your own mind. Language sparks pictures. Words…sentences…phrases…

See it - visually rehearse what you’re saying to yourself. Detailed pictures enveloping your mind. Make them big and bold and bright…

Do it - actively engage your kineasthetic sense…’do’ the movements and actions you’ve just experienced sensorially. From head to feet…from feet to head…

Feel it - add high performance emotions into the your sensorial experience. A body filled with high intent - purposeful, positive, proactive. Assertive, sharp, lively, aggressive…

Say it
See it
Do it
Feel it

Pictures and meaning…
Pictures and meaning…
Pictures and meaning…

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞…𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬.

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

@coachruzzle 👌🏻

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“The biggest lesson golf has taught me? Every individual is hoping for something better than they have. I’m always hoping I can do better…

…hope is the light that guides man. It helps him to think there is a better day coming”

At 100 years old, WWII veteran Bernie Smoot still drives his convertible Ford Mustang to play golf five days a week, shoots in the low 80s and shares wisdom from 74 years in the game: “You live to play golf. But to reach my age, you play golf to live.”

Bernie landed at Omaha Beach in ‘44. Hurt at the Battle of the Bulge in ‘45. He’s seen things from hell yet his hope isn’t tarnished nor diminished. He invests in hope daily.

That’s what I love most about working in sport and being a sport psychologist. You get to partner with hope, in every session you have…in every conversation you have. You get to work with the kid who struggles to sleep from the sheer excitement of the hope they have for their game. You get to work with the 50 something who hopes to win their club’s age group championships this coming season. You get to work with the Freshman who hopes like crazy they can start a game in their first year…

They all hope…and I hope you hope too!

Hope indulges with inner pictures that are fun to rehearse. Hope keeps you on the practice ground and tethered to the gym. Hope helps you go again after a tough loss or during a period where plateau envelopes your game.

And here’s the thing. You can work on hope. Do so…it’s fun to imagine yourself into the performance you’re striving to achieve or the outcomes you wish to enjoy. It’s exhilarating to feel the kind of hope that gets you up early, that fills your days with joyous work on your performance, and keeps you a student of the game you love so much.

Work with your hope and on your hope. Bolster your hope through energised self-talk that narrates exactly how you want to play. Embody in training the movements and actions you hope to execute on game day. Move through your world as if what you hope for has already happened.

Hope through self-talk, actions, and movement…

Hope is the twin bookend to dreams. Hope and dreams. Hope and dreams. Hope and dreams. Both may very well help you to achieve your sporting goals, and both may help you live to the ripe old age of 100.

(Video from the wonderful PGA of America)…

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

Sorry everyone…classic typo above. Coaches need to help players find BAS (not BIS)…think you all got the gist though

[Daniel Abrahams @DanAbrahams77]

“If we get beaten, then so be it but play football. If we are knocked out of the Champions League, then so be it, but play football”

Luis Enrique would have liked the work of 20th century psychologist Jeffrey Gray…

Jeffrey Alan Gray…

…a British clinical psychologist who, in very simple terms, showed how the brain works in two directions - to approach or avoid…

Approach = behavioural activation system (BAS)
Avoid = behavioural inhibition system (BIS)

BIS may be activated when players experience a punishment - they make a mistake, or think the opposition are too good for them, or they feel they're being negatively judged. They may experience anxiety, withdraw and play inhibited (hide, be a little slower to close or find space, hesitant to take action)

BAS may be activated when players experience a reward - they do something they think is good, or they receive praise, or they're confident about the prospect of doing something

Sadly, there may be more triggers for BIS than BAS...so coaches need to help players find BIS…

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𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭…

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 - 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝-𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 - 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲-𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 - 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞.

𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬…