Today, the case study that David Charlton and his colleague Colm O’Donoghue discuss is connected to a 16-year-old swimmer who spends a lot of time online checking his rivals out, be that on social media or reviewing stats and results.  The implication is that his motivation and focus when training fluctuates and negative emotions such as jealousy and anxiety are triggered.   As well, potential challenges with his own self-esteem and how he feels about himself can be evident. 

David and Colm offer some ideas to shift his focus so that he is able to enhance his motivation and feel better in himself.

Key Learning Points:

• Social comparison theory, proposed by Leon Festinger, suggests that individuals evaluate their own abilities, opinions, and accomplishments by comparing themselves to other people.  This theory suggests that we have an natural drive to evaluate ourselves, and social comparison is a primary method we use to do so.
• Develop a pre-race routine to get into the right mindset, consider when you want to be online and not especially as the race draws closer.
• Set SMART goals focused on personal improvement.
• Review your emotional experience and self-talk when your online, how does it make your feel? What are you telling yourself about situations that you come across?

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

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Podcast Episodes To Help Children Have A Positive Sporting Experience

Ep074: David Charlton – How Can I Make My Child Feel Confident?

Ep112: David Charlton – How to Deal with Physical Insecurities as a Young Athlete

Ep217: Chris Cook – How A Marginal Gains Approach Can Help You Perform Better

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

Resources To Help Children Have A Positive Sporting Experience

Helping Young Athletes Manage Emotions

Does Your Child Worry Too Much About What Others Think?

My Child Can’t Find “The Zone”

In this episode, David Charlton and his colleague Colm O’Donoghue discussed a case study of a 12-year-old tennis player who struggled with her emotions on the court.   She often became overwhelmed by with anger and frustration or disappointment after making mistakes or losing points, leading to a loss of focus, poor performance and less enjoyment.  Her parents also found it very difficult to watch her play and contain themselves as a result too.  David and Colm go on to offer some advice for managing these strong emotional responses so that she can perform better and enjoy her tennis more.

 Key Learning Points:

·       Improving her emotional regulation is key to her success and enjoyment.

·       Find ways to focus on the present such as breathing techniques can be useful.

·       David emphasizes the importance of consistent practice and viewing breathing as a life skill.

·       Seeing the alignment of the parasympathetic nervous system as a vital component in playing your best by strategically finding ways to slow down can be helpful.

·       Plan B thinking by using visualisation, where she sees herself making mistakes and feels the emotions that comes with this, then recovering more positively can help her improve her composure in difficult moments.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

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Podcast Episodes To Help You Regulate Your Emotions

Ep071 - James Lau: Mastering The Mental Side Of Tennis

Ep232 – Andy Elleray - How To Remain Composed As a Goalkeeper Under Pressure

Ep256 – David Charlton - The Immature Brain: How To Help An Emotional Child

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

Resources To Support Tennis Players Perform Better

How To Regain Momentum In Tennis So That You Win More Matches

How to Let Go of Mistakes when Playing Tennis

How Tennis Players Can Stay Confident Under Pressure

Does the perfect golf swing exist? NO.  Does the perfect golf swing equal lower scores in golf? NO – Yet many golfers continue to strive to attain the “perfect swing.”  This is the topic of conversation today, where David and colleague Colm O’Donoghue talk about the problem with this approach and the implications for your golf game.  They also share some advice on what you could consider doing to improve your scores and your enjoyment of the game. 

Key Learning Points: 

• Studies suggest that the variation in technique between low handicap amateurs and professional golfers is similar.   

• Consider how you practice your golf, if you practice solely in a technical manner it is likely to tie you up in knots and show in your golf scores. 

• Split your practice into technical, performance, process and creative practice. 

• Do you ever consider how you can access a flow state and what a flow state is for you on the golf course? 

Connect with David Charlton 

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub 

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN 

Podcast Episodes To Help Golfers Improve Their Scores 

Ep017: Gio Valiante – How to Play Fearless Golf 

Ep089: Will Shaw – How To Transfer Your Golfing Skills To The Course  

Ep101: Compilation – 25 Mental Game Secrets to Improve Your Golf 

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Golfers, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches 

Youth Sports Psychology Library  

Conversations With Kids Ideas 

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents 

Resources To Support Golfers So That They Score Better 

Frequently Asked Questions on Golf Psychology and Golf Mental Skills  

Golf Psychology and Mental Skills for Golf Library 

8 Better Ways to Practice to Your Golf 

Do You Obsess over the Perfect Golf Swing? 

Are You Missing Shots Before You’ve Started Your Swing 

David Charlton hosts the Demystifying Mental Toughness podcast with his colleague and a fellow competitive amateur golfer, Colm O’Donoghue today.  Colm discusses his journey from playing golf as a child to returning to the sport in his mid-20s, driven by an interest in the psychological aspects of golf.  He shares his struggles with perfectionism and the importance of maintaining a present-focused mindset. Together they talk about a case study of a young golfer, who excels in match play but struggles with stroke play due to focusing too much on the score.  Colm and David emphasize the importance of a pre-shot routine in maintaining his focus and staying present, which can help manage his arousal levels, in turn, lowering his scores.

Key Learning Points:

·        Trying to play perfect golf and focusing too much on the score can impact enjoyment of the sport.

·       Colm explains the difference between match play and stroke play, emphasizing the reset nature of match play and the need to focus on the process in stroke play.

·        Self-awareness is critical, recognising and being able to reset when you are ahead of yourself and predicting future holes, shots or score and identifying when you are stuck in the past, dwelling on mistakes.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes To Help Golfers Focus On The Process

Ep243 David Charlton - How I Would Help Rory McIlroy Win The British Open

Ep099 Trevor Jones - How to Deal with Overthinking on the Golf Course

Ep167 Karl Morris - How To Manage Your Emotions To Improve Your Golf #BITESIZE

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Golfers, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

Resources To Support Golfers So That They Focus Better

Frequently Asked Questions on Golf Psychology and Golf Mental Skills

Golf Psychology and Mental Skills for Golf Library

Control Your Thoughts on the Golf Course

Play Your Best Golf More Often

Today, in episode #279 David and Gerard discuss the challenges faced by a 12-year-old cricketer named Amir (pseudonym), who is a leg spinner struggling with inconsistent selection due to the club's preference for pace bowling.  Amir's fluctuating motivation and confidence, as well as the potential for dropping out of cricket are attributed to poor communication from coaches and his own difficulty in expressing frustrations. 

Key Learning Points:

·         Helping the cricketer develop psychological flexibility to separate his self-worth from the selection decisions made by the coaches is key.

·         Encourage the cricketer to focus on the controllables, such as his attitude, effort, and the key ingredients that make up a good performance, rather than the uncontrollable factors like the perfect delivery.

·         Coaches should consider carefully how they communicate to prevent young cricketers and athletes from feeling undervalued and potentially quitting the sport. 

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience

Ep176 Camilla Knight: How To Help Enhance The Psychological Wellbeing Of Children In Sport #BITESIZE

Ep168 - Andrew Simpson: How To Navigate Youth Sports So That Children Enjoy The Experience More

Ep141 -David Charlton: How to Help a Child Who Wants to Quit Sport

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

Resources To Support Cricketers So That They Play With Confidence

Cricket Psychology Library

7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Bowl Every Delivery

Make Bowling Simple by Avoiding these 3 Common Mental Game Errors

In today’s episode, #278 David and Gerard discuss the impact of a shouty coach on an 18-year-old rugby player named Tom (pseudonym).  They explore how such coaching styles can lead to self-doubt, low self-esteem, and increased self-criticism, affecting both on-field performance and confidence levels.   They emphasize the importance of coaches fostering a supportive environment where players can express themselves freely.

Key Learning Points:

·        The conversation highlights the broader issue of youth sports participation and the need for a supportive coaching culture.

·        Develop standardised behaviour routines for young athletes, focusing on the attributes of their favourite players (e.g., work rate, commitment, shooting of Ronaldo).

·        Ask the athlete questions to understand their perspective on what behaviours mean to them personally (eg. work rate and commitment).  Often a coaches’ or parents’ interpretation can be very different.

·        Focus on solutions to help young footballers and athletes manage their emotions effectively.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience

Ep055: Natalie Henderson, John Fletcher & James Maurice – How to Develop Mental Strength in Young Athletes

Ep064: Edu Rubio – How to Support Young Footballers

Ep074: David Charlton – How Can I Make My Child Feel Confident

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

In episode #277 David and Gerard Fitzgerald discussed how to help shift the focus of an extra competitive footballer or athlete, using the example of a boy named Joe who hates losing.   Key points included the importance of harnessing anger positively, as seen with Wayne Rooney's iconic goal in 2005 for Manchester United versus Newcastle United.  They also share the need to normalise emotional responses like anger where footballers may kick out, tackle over aggressively, shout at team-mates or display poor body language.   Parents and coaches are advised to avoid adding to the child's stress and activating their sympathetic nervous system anymore by shouting and yelling at them, instead helping them regulate emotions.

Key Learning Points:

·        Develop standardised behaviour routines for young footballers, focusing on the attributes of their favourite players (e.g., work rate, commitment, shooting of Ronaldo).

·        Ask the athlete questions to understand their perspective on what behaviours (work rate, commitment) mean to them as often a coach or parents’ interpretation can be very different.

·        Accept and seek to understand individual perspectives, traits and subsequent behaviours without being overly judgemental.

·        Focus on solutions to help young footballers and athletes manage their emotions effectively.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience

Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback

Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

Helpful Resources For Young Football and Soccer Players, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Frequently Asked Questions - Goalkeeping Psychology

Frequently Asked Questions - Football Psychology

Ep276: How To Help A Footballer Who Focuses Too Much On Other People

Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help 

Today marks the start of an 8-episode series where David Charlton is joined by a colleague.  Gerard Fitzgerald features in this episode, as well as the next 3 episodes.  They go on to discuss a case study of a young female footballer, 11 years old with a pseudonym name called Carly who is a sensitive soul who worries too much about other people (team-mates specifically in this case). 

We go on to normalise emotional sensitivity in young athletes, highlighting that it can be a strength if managed properly.  We also talk about the challenges of emotional sensitivity where young athletes often face mental drain and self-doubt.  David and Gerard then go on to share some advice for parents and coaches to manage emotionally sensitive players who can focus too much on their team-mates.

Key Learning Points:

·        Explore ways to normalize the emotional experiences of young athletes and help them manage the mental demands of the sport.

·        Develop strategies to shift the focus from negative self-criticism and comparison to a more positive, responsibility-based approach.

·        The conversation explores how a neutral third party can provide a fresh perspective and help both parents and children understand each other better.

·        Constant comparison to teammates can lead to self-doubt and criticism in young athletes and footballers.

·        The discussion concludes with a reminder that the win-at-all-costs attitude can sometimes drive young athletes away from sport emphasising the need for fun and enjoyment.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience

Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help 

Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback

Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences

Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART

Ep141: David Charlton – How to Help a Child Who Wants to Quit Sport

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Soccer and Football Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

After a short break from creating and broadcasting episodes of the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast, in episode #275, David discusses a change in format to the podcast for the rest of 2025.  He also highlights the benefits of having a support system and the benefits of reading and acting on advice from The 12 Week Year, book written by Brian F Moran and Michael Lemmington. 

Key Learning Points:

·         Taking a break can revive our motivation and creativity similar to the power of periodisation in sport or strength training.

·         The next episode will be published on Friday 04 April.

·         An 8-week series of episodes focusing on the youth sport experience will follow.

·         David’s Irish based colleagues Gerard Fitzgerald and Colm O’Donoghue will provide support for David in these episodes sharing their perspective.

·         Challenges that youth athletes, sporting parents and youth coaches regularly come across will be a feature of our discussions.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience

Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help 

Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback

Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences

Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART

Ep141: David Charlton – How to Help a Child Who Wants to Quit Sport

Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches

Youth Sports Psychology Library

Conversations With Kids Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents

In this week’s episode of the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast #274, we focus in on the control and challenge measures from Professor Peter Clough’s 4C’s model of Mental Toughness.   David highlights how US tennis player Danielle Collins' managed fans heckling at the Australian Open to aid her performance.   Insightful guests, Sport Psychologists, World Champion Athletes and Olympians also offer tips: where they focus on self-care for perfectionists, emphasise why getting clarity on your "why" is important, stressing present-moment awareness and a lot more.

Key Learning Points:

·         Incorporate self-care practices, such as taking breaks from screens, doing breathwork, or a gratitude practice to aid your emotional control.

·         Danielle Collins showed a degree of emotional control and a sense of humour to turn negative fan comments into motivation, rather than letting them affect her performance.

·         Many driven athletes can take things too seriously impacting their emotional control and ability to challenge themself.

·         Play the observation game to improve your awareness of behaviours that you carry out, focusing on your reactions, inadvertently the outcome can then be improved performance.

·         To help children in sort, parents should lead with love and care, avoiding pointing out flaws, focusing on positive reinforcement.

Connect with David Charlton

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN

Relevant Podcast Episodes To Help You Improve Your Control and Challenge Levels as Relayed in Episode 274

Ep172: Brandon Epstein – Working With Your Subconscious Mind To Achieve Better Results

Ep168: Andrew Simpson – How To Navigate Youth Sports So That Children Enjoy The Experience More

Ep162: Sun Sachs & Ed Gibbins: How to Find a Flow State to Improve Your Performance

Ep099: Trevor Jones – How to Deal with Overthinking on the Golf Course

Ep083: Billy Schwer – Life Lessons from a World Champion Boxer

Ep081: Stuart Wade – Mental Toughness in Combat Sports

Ep033: Aly Dixon – Mental Toughness Lessons from a World Champion

Ep013: Karl Morris – How to Stay Present like a Major Champion

Ep017: Gio Valiante – How to Play Fearless Golf

Other Valuable Resources To Help You Improve Your Control and Challenge Levels

Challenge Podcasts

Bravery Podcasts

Emotional Control Podcasts

Emotional Control Blogs

Emotional Intelligence Blogs

Emotional Regulation Blogs