Don't Lose the Plot (zoom out)

Every athlete starts a season with a story in mind.

Maybe it's earning a starting spot. Winning a championship. Setting a personal best. Playing at the next level. Or simply having the best season yet.

Those goals matter—but they are only one part of the story.

The challenge is that somewhere along the way, the plot can get lost.

The excitement of preseason gives way to early morning workouts, sore muscles, long practices, tough conversations, and the pressure that comes with competition. Suddenly, it becomes easy to become consumed by statistics, playing time, mistakes, rankings, and wins and losses.

Your focus quietly shifts from why you play to how you're performing.

That's when it's time to remember the plot.

The best athletes aren't the ones who never get frustrated, disappointed, or challenged. They are the ones who know how to reconnect with what matters most when things get hard.

Maybe your story started because you fell in love with the game. Maybe it was the feeling of competing, the challenge of getting better, the friendships, the excitement of being part of something bigger than yourself, or the joy of working toward a shared goal with your teammates.

Those reasons don't disappear when the season gets difficult.

In fact, they matter even more.

One of the most important mental fitness skills athletes can develop is the ability to zoom out.

When we are in the middle of a difficult moment—a bad practice, a disappointing performance, a tough loss, or a mistake during competition—it is easy to zoom in so closely that the moment starts to feel like the entire story.

A missed shot becomes: "I always make mistakes when it matters."

A tough game becomes: "We're not the team we thought we were.”

A difficult practice becomes: "Maybe I'm not good enough.”

But one moment is only one page in a much bigger story.

Zooming out helps you create space between what happened and what it means. It allows you to see the full picture: the hours of work you've put in, the progress you've made, the challenges you've overcome, the teammates beside you, and the reasons you chose this sport in the first place.

Some of the most meaningful moments of your season won't come from the scoreboard. They will come from laughing in the locker room, celebrating a teammate's success, encouraging someone who is struggling, and accomplishing something together that none of you could have done alone.

Championships are unforgettable.

So are relationships.

At the end of the season, you probably won't remember every practice, every statistic, or every result. But you will remember how you showed up, who had your back, and whether you stayed connected to the reasons you loved this sport.

So as this fall season begins, chase your goals with everything you've got.

Work hard. Compete fiercely. Dream big.

But don't lose the plot.

Remember why you started. Remember who you're doing it with. Remember that every great story has moments of challenge, uncertainty, and adversity.

The athletes who stay connected to their purpose, invest in their teammates, and embrace the entire journey are often the ones who find their best performances when it matters most.

Mental Fitness Challenge:

The next time practice feels overwhelming or competition becomes frustrating, ask yourself three questions:

• Why did I first fall in love with this sport?

• Who do I want to be for my teammates today?

• What would make this season meaningful, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned?

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to remember what mattered before the pressure showed up.

Plot twist pictured above- Shannon with her college teammates and coach on the day she married her teammate husband.

Elite athletes are often praised for pushing through pain, training harder, and never quitting. But sometimes resilience looks very different.

Professional swimmer Caeleb Dressel reminded the sports world of that in 2022 when he made the difficult decision to step away from competition to focus on his mental health. At the height of his career—with Olympic gold medals, world records, and enormous expectations—Dressel recognized that continuing to push forward wasn't what he needed most. Instead, he chose to prioritize his well-being.

That decision took tremendous courage.

In a culture that often celebrates constant hustle, stepping back can feel like failure. But Dressel demonstrated something important: taking care of your mental health isn't giving up—it is investing in your future.

Dressel's journey highlights that resilience is not about avoiding challenges—it is about responding to them in a way that allows you to keep growing.

Whether you're preparing for a new season, recovering from an injury, balancing school and sports, or simply feeling overwhelmed, remember this:

Resilience isn't about pretending you're okay when you're not.

It's about recognizing what you need, having the courage to ask for help or take a step back when necessary, and trusting that taking care of yourself today can help you perform at your best tomorrow.

Playbook: 

Reach out today to schedule a toolkit presentation for yourself or your team that offers strategies to help you not lose the plot.

Our Mental Fitness Toolkit is designed to help athletes and teams develop the skills needed to respond to challenges healthily and productively. This presentation provides athletes with practical tools to strengthen their mental game, manage adversity, build confidence, and stay focused on what matters most.

What We’re Watching

We are eager for the premiere of Ted Lasso’s newest season where he will be using his signature optimism to coach London’s Lady Greyhounds.  In the meantime, here’s what else we’ve been tuning into.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

If you're looking for a book filled with training plans or performance hacks, this isn't it.

Instead, Haruki Murakami offers something even more valuable: an honest reflection on what it means to commit to a craft, embrace discomfort, and keep showing up—day after day.

Want to book a consult? Do that here!