This episode is about the battle between flow and fear — and why one shows up in practice while the other takes over in games.
Today Robby Rowland dives deep into why so many athletes feel elite in practice but struggle to transfer that performance into games — and how obsession, fear, and overthinking can quietly rob you of flow..inevitably robbing you of the performance you know you’re capable of.
This is a raw, experience-driven breakdown of threat perception, discomfort, joy, and the practical tools that actually helped Robby navigate performance anxiety, the yips, and pressure moments at the highest levels of baseball.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps + Topics
 
00:00 – 02:14
Intro + why this episode matters 
• Feeling better in practice than games
• Nervous system, anticipation, and heaviness on game day

02:14 – 03:31
What this episode will cover
• Practice vs game performance
• Personal experiences
• Practical tools, not theory 

03:31 – 04:53
Why the task is the same — but performance isn’t
• Bullpens vs live games
• Brain response to environment
• Thoughts driving physical output 

04:53 – 05:56
Fight-or-flight vs flow
• Low expectation in practice
• Threat perception in games
• Why flow disappears under pressure 

05:56 – 06:44
Competing inside preparation
• Live ABs vs bullpens
• Putting something on the line
• Creating stakes without overdoing volume 

06:44 – 07:50
The danger of comfort-seeking
• Avoiding discomfort during the work week
• Easy catch play, minimal effort habits
• Why this backfires on game day 

07:50 – 08:38
Hiding mental struggle
• Fear of being exposed
• Avoiding attention-demanding situations
• Insecurity living in the shadows 

08:38 – 09:46
Personal identification
• No single solution fits everyone
• Trial, error, and ownership
• Finding what actually works for you
 
09:46 – 10:46
Reigniting the love for throwing
• Joy as a performance multiplier
• Why constant discomfort isn’t always the answer •
Fake it till you make it — carefully 

10:46 – 11:58
The double-edged sword of discomfort
• Too much grind kills joy
• When pushing harder stops working
• Knowing when to shift gears 

11:58 – 13:04
Breaking out of mechanical obsession
• Every throw becoming “pitching”
• Overthinking destroying flow
• Why variety and play matter 

13:04 – 14:27
Flow vs mechanics overload
• Feeling 800 things = robotic movement
• Why elite performance feels effortless
• Letting the body do what it knows 

14:27 – 15:28
How Robby worked through the yips
• Long toss and pull-downs
• Athletic throws over mechanical cues
• Freedom before control 

15:28 – 16:27
Individual solutions matter
• Long toss helped Robby — not everyone
• One-size-fits-all thinking is flawed
• The beauty of individualized development 

16:27 – 17:48
Movement, variability, and exploration
• Target-based long toss
• Allowing failure without judgment
• Restoring athletic intent 

17:48 – 19:05
Pre-throw movement as a reset
• Sprint-in-place throws
• Rhythm, motion, and flow
• Removing space for overthinking 

19:05 – 20:17
Pressure, shame, and expectations
• Fear of missing your partner
• Caring too much about perception
• When throwing with others becomes heavy 

20:17 – 21:30
Throwing alone to heal
• Going to the park solo
• Rediscovering joy
• Throwing without judgment 

21:30 – 22:51
Pressure never fully disappears
• Caribbean Series story
• Lingering thoughts under stress
• Why you need anchors to return to 

22:51 – 23:30
Anchors and freedom tools
• Sprint-in-place throws
• Athletic intent resets
• Regaining flow mid-chaos

🎯 Core Takeaways
• Practice and games feel different because your brain treats them differently
• Flow dies when fear and overthinking take over
• Comfort-seeking during preparation sabotages competition
• Mechanics without movement kill athleticism
• Joy and freedom are performance tools, not luxuries
• Every athlete needs individualized solutions
• You need go-to anchors when pressure resurfaces

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