I recently had the chance to appear on Gabe Zelico's podcast The Sport Psychology Of . . . In this episode, we addressed the concept of pre-acceptance of the outcome. While we focused on golf, I think you'll find applications to any type of performance. Gabe does a nice job of synthesizing and summarizing ideas, so I hope you check it out.

Ryan Crouser was already the greatest shot putter in history. Last December, he started tinkering with a new technique that has further separated him from the competition. By blending his eye for engineering and analytics with a touch of mad scientist, he developed the Crouser Slide. Already a two-time Olympic gold medalist, he knew it had potential. In May, he broke his own world record, and he won his second World Championship last week (despite dealing with blood clots in his left leg).

Crouser grew up playing football, baseball, basketball, and soccer. He didn't specialize in throwing until he started college, a move he credits with developing his overall athleticism. Crouser appreciates the purity of track and field, where improvement can be seen and measured. Because he's self-coached, he truly owns his technique and training. Observers of Crouser have noted his consistent use of self-talk in training and competition. "I try to have my mental approach and execution in practice be as similar as my competition," he says. Rather than focusing on winning, his goals are task oriented, "I’m always trying to get better and compete against myself and throw as far as I can." That being said, he grew up visualizing himself competing in the Olympics. After setting the Olympic record in 2016, he said, "It’s funny, but I’d already done it thousands of times before." While analytical by nature, he knows that getting out of his own way and letting throws happen is what leads to big results. When the results come, Crouser celebrates the journey more than the outcome. "The outcome is fantastic, a beautiful thing, but the journey that got you there is what you should be celebrating.”

When giving feedback, it is best to be fast and focused. The sooner a performer has a chance to incorporate the feedback, the better. Long, meandering speeches are highly ineffective. Instead, seek to use as few words as possible. Develop of vocabulary of terms and phrases that the entire team understands. Plan your feedback in advance, rather than making it up as you go. Take notes during practices and games, being sure to focus on the most important aspects of play. Yes, there's always more to correct, but trying to correct it all ensures that you'll correct almost none of it. Check out the video (1:17) below to see an excellent example of a coach using crisp, focused feedback to improve the level of play.

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