Competition Focus
Develop greater ability to stay present rather than becoming consumed by the outcome, opponent, score or previous mistake.
Performance Mindset
Sports Focus
Train the mind behind the performance.
At an elite or competitive level, physical ability is only part of performance.
Pressure, expectation, confidence, concentration and the ability to recover mentally from mistakes can all influence what happens when it matters.
You can perform brilliantly in training yet struggle to reproduce that performance in competition.
You can know exactly what you’re capable of — yet find yourself overthinking, tightening up or losing confidence under pressure.
Sports Focus works with the thinking behind performance.
Using performance-focused mindset work and clinical hypnotherapy techniques where appropriate, sessions explore the thoughts, beliefs and automatic responses that may be influencing how you train, compete and recover mentally.
Why can training and competition feel so different?
In training, the mind may be relatively free.
There may be less expectation, less judgment and less focus on the outcome.
Competition changes the environment.
Suddenly there is something to lose.
Your attention may shift from performing the skill to thinking about the consequences of performing it.
What if I miss?What if I lose?What will my coach think?What if I don’t perform the way I know I can?
The body may know the movement.
The mind can still interfere with its execution.
Sports Focus explores what happens in that space between knowing what to do and allowing yourself to do it.
Core areas
Training the mental side of performance
Performance Anxiety
Explore anticipatory thinking and pressure surrounding competition and important performances.
Confidence
Work with the beliefs and internal dialogue influencing confidence in training and competition.
The Inner Critic
Recognise and change destructive internal commentary that can interrupt concentration and confidence.
Recovering From Mistakes
Develop the ability to mentally reset rather than allowing one error, missed opportunity or poor moment to influence everything that follows.
Recovering from Setbacks
Rebuild confidence after mistakes, disappointing results or time away and redirect attention towards the next constructive action.
Visualisation & Mental Rehearsal
Use structured mental rehearsal and, where appropriate, clinical hypnotherapy techniques as part of psychological preparation.
Consistency & Mental Rehearsal
Develop stronger mental routines, visualise effective performance and prepare to respond consistently during training and competition.
Returning After Injury
Explore confidence, hesitation and fear that can sometimes occur when returning to performance following appropriate physical rehabilitation and medical clearance. This does not imply treatment of the physical injury.
Motivation & Training
Explore consistency, discipline, focus and psychological barriers affecting training behaviour.
Performing Under Pressure
Develop more constructive responses to expectation, competition pressure and high-stakes situations.
Your body knows what to do. The challenge can be allowing it to do it.
Sports Focus isn’t sports coaching.
The service isn’t designed to change your golf swing, running technique, tennis serve, kicking technique, training program or tactical preparation.
Those areas belong with appropriately qualified coaches and sports professionals.
Sports Focus concentrates on the person performing those skills — and what can happen mentally when pressure, expectation, fear and emotion enter the equation.
Who is Sports Focus for?
- Professional athletes
- Elite athletes
- Emerging athletes
- Competitive sportspeople
- Individual-sport competitors
- Team-sport athletes
- Athletes preparing for important competition
- Sportspeople returning to competition following appropriate physical rehabilitation
- Performers experiencing confidence or focus difficulties under pressure
Training the mental side of performance
Every athlete and performance environment is different.
The process begins by understanding where the performance difficulty appears.
Is it before competition?
After a mistake?
When you’re leading?
When you’re losing?
When people are watching?
When expectations increase?
When you’re returning after time away?
From there, sessions can explore the thinking, beliefs and automatic responses associated with those situations.
Depending on the athlete and objective, the approach may incorporate:
- Performance mindset work
- Positive Thinking Therapy principles
- Clinical Hypnotherapy
- Visualisation
- Mental rehearsal
- Focus strategies
- Confidence-related work
The objective is not to replace coaching.
It is to support the mental environment in which performance takes place.
Sports Focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Sports Focus only for professional athletes?
No. Sports Focus can be relevant to professional, elite, emerging and competitive athletes who want to explore the mental patterns influencing performance.
Is this sports psychology?
No. Sports Focus is not a sports psychology service. It uses mindset-based approaches and clinical hypnotherapy techniques within Brad’s scope of practice.
Can Sports Focus replace my coach?
No. Technical, tactical and physical coaching remains the responsibility of appropriately qualified sports coaches and professionals.
Can hypnotherapy guarantee better performance?
No. Athletic performance is influenced by many factors and no performance outcome can be guaranteed.
Can sessions be conducted online?
Yes. Sessions can be conducted online via Zoom, making Sports Focus available to athletes outside Melbourne as well as locally.
Can you help with returning after an injury?
Sports Focus can explore confidence, hesitation and performance-related thinking after an athlete has received appropriate medical or rehabilitation care. It does not diagnose or rehabilitate physical injuries.
Free 20-Minute Consultation
What could change if your mind performed as consistently as your body?
Book a confidential 20-minute Sports Focus consultation to discuss your performance goals and the mental patterns that may be influencing them.