162 – Aaron Walsh | Integrating Mental Skills
Aaron Walsh is an experienced Performance Coach who primarily focuses on developing leadership, culture, and mental performance programs for teams. Walsh is currently working with Chiefs in Super Rugby as well as consulting with Harlequins, Scottish Rugby, Texas Rangers, and Basketball New Zealand. He has also worked with various national teams and currently coaches multiple corporate leadership teams to create and maintain a high-performance working environment. Â
Expect to learn how coaches can incorporate strategies for developing mental skills in teams. We cover the role of mental toughness in elite sports, why athletes need to take ownership of their careers, and why you don’t need a psychology degree to strengthen your team’s mental skills.Â
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THIS EPISODE AT A GLANCE
[00:00] Introduction
[02:20] Aaron’s Interest in the Mental Side of Sports
[06:30] When Aaron Started Working with Teams
[10:22] Athletes Need a Coach Who Cares
[15:32] The Benefits of Athletes Creating Identities Outside Of Sports
[19:10] Why Athletes Cannot Live Normal Lives
[22:00] Elite Athletes Make SacrificesÂ
[26:03] Aaron’s Framework for Working with Athletes
[27:31] Accountability and Taking Ownership of Your Career
[34:33] Integration of Mental Skills into Teams
[37:40] Why Mental Skills Training is Important For Athletes
[39:04] High-Performance Sporting Environments Â
[45:17] Adding In Time For Mental Skills TrainingÂ
[51:55] Moving From Theory to PracticeÂ
[56:42] How the Fear of Failure Destroys Creativity
[58:35] Aaron’s Go-To Resource Recommendations
[01:01:34] Parting ThoughtsÂ