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Fear makes us HIDE. Hiding makes us play SMALL.
Let me guess, your athlete is their own worst CRITIC. Sounds about right because I see it play out, every day. I'm a 2x Olympian and...

Shawnee Harle
Apr 31 min read


Is 'More' Always Better? 🤔 Not when it's a fear-based behaviour.
More is NOT always better. I see it all the time— MORE practices, MORE games, MORE travelling, MORE private coaching. What's the return...

Shawnee Harle
Mar 221 min read


Why are you tripping over your athlete's mistakes?
Parents and Coaches... If you read only one of my blogs this year, LET IT BE THIS ONE. We need to STOP being tripped up by our athlete's...

Shawnee Harle
Feb 231 min read


Do Coaches Have Favourites?
"My coach has favourites." Parents, what does your athlete pay ATTENTION to? Too often, athletes are thinking about the WRONG things:...

Shawnee Harle
Jan 291 min read


Criticism Cripples
We think criticism MOTIVATES athletes. Our sport culture says we MUST be hard on athletes to help them grow. SUCK IT UP princess! STOP...

Shawnee Harle
Dec 21, 20241 min read


Perfection is a FEAR BASED behaviour.
Perfectionism ISN'T the path to success. It’s the path to STRESS, SELF-DOUBT, and playing it SAFE. As a 2X Olympian & Mental Toughness...

Shawnee Harle
Dec 9, 20241 min read


FEAR is an F WORD and your athlete is avoiding it.
Your athlete is avoiding this F Word: FEAR. It’s that sick feeling that creeps in just before a big game. The voice that whispers:...

Shawnee Harle
Oct 28, 20241 min read


Is your athlete battling the WRONG opponent?
Is your athlete managing their EMOTIONAL storms? When athletes learn to handle fear, doubt, nerves, and frustration, a SHIFT occurs. ...

Shawnee Harle
Oct 21, 20241 min read


Sport is a series of STORMS; your athlete is STUCK in it.
Did you see the movie Inside Out? Did it hit home when you thought about your athlete? Those characters - FEAR, ANGER, SADNESS, ANXIETY...

Shawnee Harle
Oct 15, 20241 min read


How much COURAGE is required? Just an ounce.
Some of your athlete’s limitations are physical; BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. One of the biggest limitations holding them back is their fear;...

Shawnee Harle
Oct 5, 20241 min read


Fear or Courage? What will your athlete choose?
Parents, your athlete faces this fork in the road every day: FEAR or COURAGE. I'm a 2X Olympian and Mental Toughness Coach and I’ve...

Shawnee Harle
Sep 22, 20241 min read


You're NOT Simone Biles, so be the best YOU.
Be the best YOU. As parents, it’s natural to look at the biggest names in sports and wish the same for your athlete. But here’s the...

Shawnee Harle
Sep 11, 20241 min read


STOP looking at the POOP!
Sport is a matter of perspective: If you look at mistakes as BAD, you will FEAR them. If you look at mistakes as GROWTH, you will EMBRACE...

Shawnee Harle
Sep 2, 20241 min read


SUCCESS - In Flip Flops!
At 51 years old, Yusuf Dikeç, an air pistol shooter, finally stood on the Olympic podium with a silver medal.  This triumph wasn’t a...

Shawnee Harle
Aug 24, 20242 min read


Can YOU win by an eyelash?
0.12 seconds. That was the difference between 1st and 8th place at the Olympic Mens 100M Final. An eyelash was all that stood between...

Shawnee Harle
Aug 11, 20241 min read


STOP giving BAD advice.
"Just get out there and be confident!" This is terrible advice. I'm a 2x Olympian and Mental Toughness Coach. Sport is a series of...

Shawnee Harle
Jul 27, 20241 min read


FEELINGS are an F Word.
Ready to talk about an F Word? FEELINGS. There, I said it. Does your athlete have a plan for this F Word? And if you don't think this...

Shawnee Harle
Jun 18, 20241 min read


Mistakes are REQUIRED.
Are you having hissy-fits when your athlete makes a mistake? Did you know hissy-fits hinder your athlete's progress? Hissy-fits send this...

Shawnee Harle
Jun 13, 20241 min read


Manage Your Emotions
What are you doing with your emotions? Mental Toughness is the ability to acknowledge, understand and manage emotions. Why? Sport is a...

Shawnee Harle
May 30, 20241 min read


Success is NOT an accident. STOP wishing, START planning.
Does your athlete have a plan or do they simply hope for the best? What are they doing in the off-season? What are they doing in-season?...

Shawnee Harle
May 12, 20241 min read
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