Benny-Fit

20/08/2026

I checked in with one of my athlete’s parents this morning as she headed to school to receive her exam results. The reply attached really summed up why I believe mental skills are so much bigger than sport.

The response really made me smile.

This is exactly what I try to encourage with my athletes and their parents. Take the skills you develop through sport and transfer them into everyday life. One of the simplest, but most challenging, skills is learning to focus on what is within your control.

On results day, the results are no longer in your control. That part was in your control during study leave such as how you prepared, the effort you put in and the choices you made.

Now, what is in your control?

👉 How you manage your nerves
👉 How you respond to the result
👉 Who you talk to
👉 Asking for advice and support
👉 Exploring your options
👉 Deciding on your next step

And that applies to sport, education and life.

We can't always control the outcome.

But we can always focus on our response.

I also think we put an enormous amount of pressure on young people to have their whole future figured out at such a young age.

Choose your subjects.
Choose your course.
Choose your career.
Know what you want to do with your life.

Honestly… I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up!

So whatever the results were today, remember that your result is information. It isn't your identity.

Focus on what you can control, talk to the right people, explore the options and take the next step.

The path doesn't need to be perfectly clear yet.

And if the skills learned in sport can help someone navigate days like today, then that's sport psychology doing its job. ❤️

19/08/2026

I absolutely love Ted Lasso. Please tell me that you have watched it?

It’s hilarious. But underneath the comedy, there are so many lessons about life, leadership, relationships and performance.

One thing I’ve always noticed about Ted is how rarely he reacts immediately.

Someone says something difficult to him…

He pauses.

“Hmmmmm…”

He thinks.

Then he responds. Or not at all!

It often reminds me of Steve Peters’ Chimp Pardox.

We all have moments when something happens and our immediate emotional response wants to jump in and react, defend, attack, criticise or make a decision before we’ve really thought it through.

The skill isn’t eliminating that reaction. It’s creating enough space between the stimulus and the response to choose what you do next.

I know myself, this is something I’ve had to work on. There have been plenty of situations where my first response probably wasn’t my best response.

Learning to pause has made a difference.

Sometimes the most powerful mental skill isn’t having the perfect answer. It’s simply giving yourself a few seconds before you respond.

That little Ted Lasso:

“Hmmmmm…”

might actually be one of the best mental skills of all.

And that’s why I love the show.

Comedy on the surface.

Psychology, leadership and life lessons underneath.

I have listed mental skill specific lessons from Ted Lasso, but that one might be my favourite.

What would your “Hmmmmm…” moment look like?

AthleteDevelopment Coaching BennyFit

14/08/2026

Something I’ve noticed working with fighters is that a lot of the mental side gets left until fight week.

But by then, it’s probably too late to start figuring it out.

What happens if you get hurt?

What happens if the game plan isn’t working?

What happens if you gas?

What happens if you’re behind going into the last round?

What happens when you start doubting yourself?

You can’t predict exactly what will happen in a fight.

But you can prepare for how you want to respond.

That’s a big part of the work I do with fighters.

We look at the situations that could challenge them and work through how they want to respond from a mental, emotional and behavioural perspective.

Not trying to eliminate nerves.

Not pretending everything will go perfectly.

Just building some tools and responses that they can rely on when things get difficult.

Imagine how confident you could be if you had a plan for:

“Whatever happens, I’ve got a plan for how I’ll respond.”

That’s something worth training too.

28/07/2026

One of the biggest mindset shifts I help athletes make is learning to focus on what they can control.

When young athletes stop worrying about selection, results, other competitors or what people think, and instead direct their energy towards their preparation, attitude, effort and race plan, something powerful happens. Their worries reduce, their confidence grows, and they're able to perform much closer to their potential.

Every athlete is different. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Together, we find the strategies that work for them, whether that's controlling their thoughts, managing nerves, developing pre-performance routines or building confidence.

I'm also very aware that I'm only one part of the process. My role is to guide, challenge and provide the tools, but real progress only happens because athletes commit to applying what we discuss between sessions. The athletes who improve the most are the ones who put the work in when nobody is watching.

Reading feedback like Callum's and his mum's reminds me why I love what I do. Seeing a young athlete become calmer, more resilient and more confident (not just in competition but in life) is far more rewarding than any medal.

If you're the parent of a young athlete who struggles to perform in competition because of nerves, pressure or self-doubt, I'd love to help.

Feel free to get in touch for a chat.

19/07/2026

It's always nice to share photos of athletes standing on podiums, winning medals, breaking records, or becoming champions. Those moments deserve to be celebrated.

However, as a sport psychologist, that's not the only way I measure success.

Success is the young athlete who rediscovers the joy of their sport after months of pressure. It's the athlete who looks forward to training because they love the challenge of becoming just a little better than they were yesterday. It's the friendships they build, the laughter on the journey, and the confidence they develop that reaches far beyond sport.

Success is also how they respond when things don't go to plan. Learning to cope with disappointment, injury, mistakes, selection setbacks, or poor performances is one of the greatest skills sport can teach. Resilience isn't built when everything goes right, it's built when athletes learn they can handle it when it doesn't.

And sometimes, success is helping families navigate the unique challenge of the parent-coach relationship. Protecting those relationships, improving communication, and ensuring home still feels like home can be just as important as any performance outcome.

Medals tarnish. Records get broken. Championships come and go.

But a young person who enjoys their sport, embraces challenges, bounces back from setbacks, and builds healthy relationships has gained something that will last long after their sporting career ends.

That's the kind of success I'll always be proud to be part of.

12/07/2026

08/07/2026

One of the most rewarding parts of working in sport psychology is seeing athletes unlock the performances they've always been capable of.

When Jacob first came to me, his ability was never in question. He consistently demonstrated his potential in training, but bringing those performances into competition was a different challenge. Like many athletes, there were several factors affecting his ability to perform when it mattered most, including managing nerves, self-doubt, and the pressure he placed on himself.

Over the past months, we've worked together to develop practical mental skills and strategies that helped him stay present, trust his preparation, regulate his emotions, and perform with confidence under pressure. These weren't overnight changes, they came through consistent practice, honest reflection, and Jacob's willingness to embrace the process.

The results speak for themselves. Jacob has progressed from knowing he was capable of competing internationally to proving it. He has delivered when it mattered, qualified for major championships, and has now made his mark on the international stage. More importantly, he's developed the confidence and belief to compete as the athlete he always had the potential to be.

I'm incredibly proud to have played a part in his journey, but the credit belongs to Jacob. Mental skills only work when athletes commit to practising them, and he has done exactly that.

Thank you, Jacob and your family, for trusting me to be part of your team. I can't wait to see where the next chapter takes you.

02/05/2026

Just wrapped up supporting a powerlifter through a full training camp, and honestly, I’ve learned as much as I’ve given.

A big part of the work wasn’t just about what happens on the platform, it was about everything that leads up to it. Shifting the focus from outcome to process. Seeing the journey as development, not just a result.

We spent time reframing suboptimal moments, not as failures, but as evidence of growth and learning. Progress isn’t always loud or obvious, but it’s there if you look for it.

In the lead-up, it was about staying locked into training, controlling what can be controlled, and building routines that support consistency. And on competition day? Having tools to adapt, reset, and perform, no matter what’s thrown your way.

Because success isn’t just about the numbers on the day. It’s about who you become in the process.

If you’re currently struggling with nerves, doubt, or performance issues that feel more mental than physical, let’s have a chat. I’d be keen to see if I can help.

MentalSkills TrustTheProcess