"You don't win by wanting to win. In sport everybody wants to win; that's the dream. But you win by having a really good strategy for success and having real clarity around what you need to do and how you go about your business."

Sometimes, the power of a statement lies in its simplicity. When I first spoke to Dr Kate Hays in late 2022, I left our interview with her quote ringing in my ears. It was a brilliantly succinct riposte to the soundbites (insert your variation of choice on the 'they just wanted it more' line) which regularly ring around TV studios.

Fast forward just over two years and Hays has laid out her 'How To Win' framework in a new book, explaining the psychological theory and practice that's empowered teams from England's history-making Lionesses to Premiership side Harlequins.

I talked to the former England women's rugby psychologist about the four 'building blocks' - spanning everything from a person's purpose to the mental 'stadium skills' Hays has helped athletes hone - which make up the book.

It's a fascinating insight into how a sport psychologist can work with coaches, players, backroom staff and front office personnel to affect change across elite sports teams.

To listen to our conversation, just use the audio player at the top of this article.

You can also find more details on Hays’ book here: ‘How To Win: Lessons in success from the front line of performance psychology, HarperCollins’

Questions?

If you have any queries about the newsletter, get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Previous articles

As a Mind Room Member, you can access all of the website stories - covering everything from AC Milan’s neuroscience lab to the way English rugby teams are embracing ‘shared mental models’ - via the four sections below:

* Theory

* Practice

* Strategy

* Features

Thanks again for reading The Mind Room!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themindroom.substack.com/subscribe