How Athletes Build Positive Self-Talk Habits Before and During Competition

What’s the best way for athletes to develop positive self-talk habits before and during games? In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains how your thoughts shape your mindset, emotions, and performance, and how to train your thinking to compete with confidence and freedom.

You’ll learn how negative thought patterns create fear, tension, and hesitant play, and how positive self-talk helps athletes stay confident, focused, and resilient under pressure.

Eli breaks down a simple, practical system for building strong self-talk habits both before competition and during games.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why self-talk directly impacts confidence, emotions, and performance
• How to identify and replace negative thought patterns before competition
• A simple daily self-talk routine to retrain your mindset
• How to use mantras during games to stay calm, focused, and confident
• How reframing helps you recover quickly after mistakes
• How proactive self-talk keeps your mind positive under pressure
• How to stay present and avoid outcome-focused thinking during competition

Positive self-talk is not about “just thinking positive.” It is about training your mind to support your performance, manage fear, and help you compete freely and confidently.

If you want to strengthen your mental game, build confidence, and learn how to control your mindset before and during competition, this episode will give you a clear system to start using immediately.

Eli Straw is a mental performance coach who works with athletes around the world through a structured 12-week mental performance coaching program focused on confidence, composure, focus, and resilience under pressure.

Learn more about 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching

Share this episode with an athlete who struggles with negative thinking, fear, or confidence during competition.

🧠 If you want to strengthen your mental game and work directly with me, you can learn more about my personalized 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program here: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching

🥇Team Mental Performance Coaching Program: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-coaching-for-teams/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.