A Coach's Diary

Culture isn’t built on pressure — it’s built on positivity.  In Shawn Achor’s research on performance and well-being, he challenges a common belief that success leads to happiness. Instead, he found the opposite is often true—  happiness fuels success. He calls this The Happiness Advantage , and it has a direct impact on team culture. Most teams think, “We’ll be positive once we start winning.” But Achor’s research shows that when individuals and teams start with positivity — through encouragement, connection, and optimism — they actually perform better. The brain works more effectively in a positive state. It becomes more creative, more resilient, and better at solving problems. That’s not just good for individuals — it elevates the entire team. Culture is built in the small, daily moments. A teammate offering encouragement. A coach recognizing effort. A leader bringing energy, even on tough days. These actions seem simple, but they shape how people feel — and how they show ...

In Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s research on peak performance, he introduced the idea of flow — that feeling when you’re completely locked in. Time seems to slow down, distractions disappear, and everything just clicks. Athletes often call it being “in the zone,” but flow is more than a hot streak — it’s a mental state where performance and focus meet at their highest level. Flow happens when there’s a balance between challenge and skill. If something is too easy, you get bored. If it’s too hard, you feel anxious. But when the challenge stretches you just enough — and you believe you can meet it — you enter a space where your mind and body work together seamlessly. That’s where your best performances live. So how do you create it? Start with clear goals. Know exactly what you’re trying to do in the moment — whether it’s executing a play, hitting a specific shot, or focusing on your breathing. Eliminate distractions. Flow requires full attention, so anything pulling your focus away pulls ...

How do you create a culture change? John Kotter teaches that culture does not change because leaders announce a new slogan or hang new values on the wall. Culture changes when people begin doing things differently — and those new behaviors become “the way we do things here.” His 8-Step Change Model is a roadmap for making that happen: Create urgency – Help people understand why change matters now. If people do not see the need, they will stay comfortable. Build a guiding team – Change cannot come from one leader alone. You need trusted people across the team who believe in the change and can influence others. Create a clear vision – People need to know where the team is going and what success looks like. Communicate the vision often – One meeting is not enough. Great leaders repeat the message consistently and connect it to everyday work. Remove barriers – Ask, “What is making this hard?” Then remove obstacles, confusion, or outdated habits that keep people stuck. Create short-term ...

If belief can shape performance as much as ability, how do we intentionally build confidence in the people we coach and lead? Albert Bandura is one of the most influential psychologists in the study of learning and performance. He developed Social Learning Theory , which says people don’t just learn through instruction or experience—they also learn by watching others, modeling behavior, and seeing the outcomes of those behaviors. But one of his most important contributions for sports and performance is the idea of self-efficacy . Self-efficacy is simple but powerful: it is a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in a specific task. Bandura defined it as “beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations.”   In other words, it’s not just what you can do — it’s what you believe you can do. Why this matters is because belief often drives behavior more than ability does. Two athletes with the same skill level ca...

When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft, the company had a reputation for internal competition, silos, and a “know-it-all” culture. People were focused on proving they were right rather than learning and improving. Nadella shifted that by introducing a simple but powerful idea: move from a “know-it-all” culture to a “learn-it-all” culture. This is rooted in the concept of a growth mindset , developed by Carol Dweck — the belief that abilities can be developed through effort, feedback, and learning. Instead of rewarding people for always having the right answer, Nadella encouraged: Curiosity over certainty Learning over proving Collaboration over competition He modeled it himself by asking more questions, admitting what he didn’t know, and focusing on continuous improvement. And here’s the key: culture didn’t change because he said it — it changed because behaviors changed: Teams started sharing ideas more openly People became more willing to take risks Feedback became part of how th...

Some athletes believe confidence is something you either have or you don’t. Martin Seligman proved that’s not true. Through his research in psychology, Seligman introduced the idea of learned optimism — the belief that the way we explain things to ourselves shapes how we perform, respond, and grow. In his book Learned Optimism, he explains: “Optimism is invaluable for a meaningful life. With firm belief in a positive future, you can throw yourself into the service of that which is larger than you are.” At the core of this idea is something called explanatory style — how you explain success and failure to yourself. You don’t control everything that happens — but you can control the story you tell yourself about it. When something goes wrong, pessimistic athletes tend to think: This always happens to me (permanent) This affects everything (pervasive) This is my fault (personal) Optimistic athletes flip that: This is temporary This is specific This is something I can improve Same situa...

One of the most powerful ideas in motivation and performance comes from Teresa Amabile, called The Progress Principle . After studying thousands of workdays across different industries, she found something surprising: It’s not big wins, bonuses, or recognition that drive people the most day-to-day — it’s progress. She writes in The Progress Principle: “Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.” That means people don’t need everything to be perfect or finished to feel motivated. They just need to feel like they’re moving forward. When people see progress — even small wins — they gain energy, confidence, and momentum. When they feel stuck, motivation drops quickly. So as leaders, coaches, or teammates, the goal isn’t just to push for results. It’s to create environments where people can see and feel progress every day. That might look like: Breaking big goals into smaller step...

Why do some athletes keep improving, while others stay stuck? Carol Dweck explains it through two types of mindset: fixed and growth . A fixed mindset believes: “I am what I am.” Talent is set. If I struggle, it means I’m not good enough. A growth mindset believes: “I can get better.” Ability can be developed. Struggle is part of improvement. Dweck puts it simply: “Becoming is better than being.” People with a fixed mindset are focused on proving themselves , and people with growth mindsets are focused on improving themselves. Think about how this shows up: Miss a shot: “I’m just not a shooter” (fixed) Miss a shot: “What can I adjust?” (growth) Get feedback: “Coach doesn’t believe in me” (fixed) Get feedback: “This will help me get better” (growth) The difference isn’t talent. It’s how you interpret what happens to you. Your mindset shapes your response — and your response shapes your results. The best athletes aren’t the ones who never struggle. They’re the ones who use struggle a...

The most valuable lesson I learned this week is that every morning when you are choosing what clothes to wear, you should ask yourself 6 words: How do you want to feel? Erin Walsh is a celebrity stylist who also teaches on the psychology of getting dressed with intention. She said the one question she wants people to ask themselves before they go into their closet is: How do I want to feel? Most people dress for comfort or for how they want to be seen, but when you do so, you give someone or something else the power. To answer the question, Erin says 3 words are helpful: Choose 3 words that you want to feel or embody that day. Most days, Erin uses the words effortless, easy, and elegant. Finally, Erin says you need to have at least 3 pieces in your closest that you feel great about. Her 3 pieces are a great pair of jeans that make her feel comfortable in her own skin, a great white shirt that makes her feel classic, refined, and beautiful, and a black blazer that is both stylish and pr...