The CEP Mindset Podcast

Do you feel stuck in your own head, or is your mindset holding you back?

It's normal and okay to get stuck. We can't avoid challenges, pressures, and distractions in sports or life.

But we can learn how to use these events as growing opportunities. Specifically, this post will show you the 3 phases to transform your mindset.

I've been using this concept with many of my one-on-one clients because of the simplicity, clarity, and power it gives them.

The 3 Phases

First - in phase one, things are great. 

Then, phase two - things get tough. Adversity, pressure, and expectations build. 

Phase three is the product of growth from phase two. 

The key is understanding that phase three is actually better than phase one.

The Practical Lessons

Lesson 1 - Don’t Resist Phase 2

When people are in phase two, they wish they could go back to phase one. This is a huge mistake.

It's not about trying to go backward but trying to move forward. Once you get into phase two, you can’t undo it. You can’t pretend like it didn’t happen and go back to phase one.

We can't change what's happened. 

Stop resisting phase 2 - you need to go through it to get to phase 3. 

When you embrace your journey, you are better able to accept, understand, and move forward into phase 3.

Essentially, this is all about breaking free of the weight of results. Letting go of the need to, have to, and shoulds. It’s where you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. You make the switch from an outside-in approach to life — letting the external world dictate your internal mindset — and move to an inside-out approach where you take control of your inner world first, then once grounded and centered you go and tackle the outer world. 

I also refer to this as being Mindset First — it’s the whole premise of my book.

Lesson 2 - Don’t Identify with Phase 2

People fall into the common trap of identifying with a phase 2 mindset. 

They may say something like, “I’m always too hard on myself. This is who I am”.

If you choose to identify with phase two, you aren’t going to phase three. There is no solution because your identity is stuck in phase two.

To avoid falling into this trap, I like to help clients reflect on their assumed identities.

For example, “are you really always too hard on yourself? 100% of the time? And who says that you are?”

Then to really hit the point home — “as long as you keep holding on to that belief, there is no moving to pha