Dave Diggle

There is a pattern to pressure, a sequence, a cycle. The challenge for most high performers is that they don’t recognise where they are in the cycle when it’s happening. I break down the full Performance Anxiety Cycle: smartmind.com/blog/performan…

Nerves aren’t the problem. Not understanding your nerves… that’s the problem. If you want to understand this properly, including the full system for performing under pressure, I’ve broken it down in this video: smartmind.com/blog/mental-to… #performunderpressure #mentaltoughness

Visualisation activates the same regions of the brain as physical activity, without the physical fatigue. This is why it’s so effective. #MentalRehearsal #MindsetTraining #visualisation #visualization #NeuralPathways

The greatest payout you will have as a coach is not the evolution of the skill, it's the application of the skill. It doesn't matter how well you know that skill. If the athlete doesn't understand it and can't use it, it's next to useless.

Most coaches care deeply about their athletes. They want them to perform well. They want them to succeed. But one of the biggest gaps I see across high performance sport is: Coaches often don’t know their athletes well enough to optimise them mentally.

Do you have a regular practice of reviewing your performances or training sessions? In performance, journalling forms part of that. Because the real value of journaling is pattern recognition. Your journal should help you perform, not just remember.
#PatternRecognition #Athlete

Coaching and parenting are not the same job. Both are important; both are technical. But they are different. The coach’s role is technical and developmental. The parent’s role is emotional and human. For the full episode, go to: smartmind.com/blog/sports-pa… #HighPerformanceSport

One of the biggest communication gaps in performance is: Coaches are teaching structure.
Athletes are often looking for relief. Communication in high performance is not just about being clear, it’s about being understood.

Fear of the unknown is one of the biggest drivers of nerves because the brain is constantly trying to predict what might happen. For the full video on how to manage it, go to: smartmind.com/blog/performan… #TrainYourMind #MentalSkills #PerformanceMindset #Visualisation #MindsetTraining

Sometimes they don’t want you to fix it.
Sometimes they don’t want you to talk to the coach.
Sometimes they don’t want a solution at all. Sometimes they just want a safe place to talk it through. For the full episode, go to: smartmind.com/blog/sports-pa… #TalentPathway

We’re seeing something for the first time… The next generation of high performers aren’t as robust as previous generations. And it’s not about intelligence. It’s about what the brain is being trained to prioritise. For the full video: smartmind.com/blog/mindset-k…

Most people think anxiety means something is wrong with them. It doesn’t. Your brain is trying to future-proof what could go wrong so you can prepare for it. So the goal isn’t to eliminate it. The goal is to understand and manage it: smartmind.com/blog/performan…

High performance is never just about the athlete. When I work with elite athletes I’m working with the coach, the support crew and often the parents as well. Because every person around the athlete has a role in preparation and performance: smartmind.com/blog/know-your… #SportsParent

I’ve pulled together a Spotify playlist of podcast episodes where I’ve been the guest rather than the host. A collection of conversations with industry leaders, coaches and people interested in what it really takes to perform: smartmind.com/interviews

When I walk into a team or club, the first thing I look at isn’t the athlete. It’s the environment. Coaching isn’t only about developing the athlete. It’s about creating the environment where athletes can thrive.

Our language is a filter and our brain is always listening to the language we use – the words around us can shift the chemistry between anxiety and anticipation 🧠 Part 2: Gorillas, cacti and lemons 🦍 🌵 🍋 #dopamine #cortisol #serotonin #universitylecturer #coachingcoaches

Coaches today are more technically educated than ever before. Performance data is everywhere. But many of the biggest challenges in sport today aren’t technical. 👉 I’ve unpacked this idea in more detail in a video for high-performance coaches: smartmind.com/blog/coaching-…

If I have to give coaches a chemistry lesson, it’s going to be fun 🤓 🦍 #universitylecturer #coachingcoaches #dopamine

In high performance, focus is currency. Every time you invest heavily in one area, you’re withdrawing it from another. But performance isn’t built on isolated improvements. It’s built on alignment across the whole platform: smartmind.com/blog/no-silver… #HighPerformance
#Trainsmart

High performance is never a solo act. Behind every athlete is a network of people contributing to the outcome, each bringing their expertise to the table. For the full episode, go to: smartmind.com/blog/no-silver… #HighPerformance
#EliteAthlete
#PerformancePsychology
#TrainSmart