In today’s conversation, we are joined by Mitchell Greene, a licensed clinical and sport psychologist, and owner of Greenepsych Clinical & Sport Psychology, a boutique private practice located in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Dr. Greene works primarily with athletes pursuing high performance goals, or coaches and athletic departments looking to educate their student-athletes on mental health and/or performance enhancement strategies.

Mitchell joined us today to talk about his book, ‘Courage over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game.’

Mind chatter is when we have conversations with ourselves that are full of doubt, second-guessing, and negative thinking. It typically shows up when the uncertainty and the stakes feel enormous. For athletes, it can occur in a big tournament. The first step in recovering from mind chatter is to expect it to show up. Understanding the context in which it shows up is important because that means you're aware it’s completely normal and you can control it.

Get ready to explore the concept of "chatter" and how to handle it, as Mitchell shares insights from their book and provides practical tips for athletes, coaches, and anyone facing high-stakes situations. 

[05.40] Mind chatter – Mind chatter is the negative, doubtful thinking or conversations we have with ourselves. 

[13.14] Fear - Fear may have been the way you presented yourself to the world when you were a child, but it doesn't have to define who you are now.

[20.02] Falling behind – Mitchell explains why the obsession with doing everything for the fear of falling behind is unhealthy. 

[25.22] Social media – The impact social media has on athletes, in Mitchell’s opinion. 

[34.33] Thoughts – We are constantly having positive and negative thoughts about us. But we have to remember that we are so much bigger than those thoughts.

[40.01] Monkey mind – We talk about the importance of learning to deal with the feeling of lacking control of one’s thoughts.

[44.04] Results and action – Mitchell explains the difference between a results-oriented goal and an action goal. 

[48.50] Courage over confidence - One's ability to exhibit courage may be compromised when confronted with feelings of doubt and fear, which create favorable conditions for the manifestation of acts of bravery.

Resources

Connect with Mitchell

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/mitchell-greene-ph-d-8571aa14/ 

Instagram - instagram.com/greenepsych/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/sportpsych 

Website - greenepsych.com/about/ 

Book by Mitchell Greene

Courage over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game

amazon.com/Courage-over-Confidence-Managing-Chatter/dp/B0BYC2NQVT 

Book by W. Timothy Gallwey

The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance

amazon.com/Inner-Game-Tennis-Classic-Performance/dp/0679778314/ 

Book by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135910/