If you want to improve communication in your workplace, you need to start treating it like any other critical performance metric. This isn’t just about “soft skills.” It’s about building concrete systems for clarity, feedback, and understanding that have a direct line to your bottom line.… Read the rest
By John F. Murray, PhD Success is never an accident; it is a psychological state. Over the past 25 years, I have observed that the most elite performers—whether in professional sports or high-stakes business—share a common mental vocabulary. This collection of wisdom isn’t just a list of sayings; it is a blueprint for the mental toughness and performance excellence required to reach the top of your field.… Read the rest
As a tennis coach who became a sports psychologist, I’ve spent my career proving that the space between your ears is the largest court you’ll ever play on. In my book Smart Tennis (availabled in Japanese or Spanish too), I outline how the best players don’t just hit better; they think better.… Read the rest
How do I stop it from happening? Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques are your mental toolkit—practical strategies to manage your thoughts and actions under pressure. For those wondering what is a sports psychologist capable of providing, it often starts with this: structured mental skills training designed to build resilience when everything is on the line.… Read the rest
When we talk about building team culture, we are really designing the shared beliefs and behaviors that determine how a team acts under pressure. In the world of sports psychology, culture is the invisible architecture behind every championship. It requires an environment of psychological safety, consistent rituals, and purposeful leadership to ensure every individual brings their A-game.… Read the rest
At its core, sports performance coaching is systematically building an athlete’s mental skills so they can deliver when the pressure is on. Think of it as strength and conditioning for your mind—a dedicated program for developing the confidence, resilience, and focus that creates a true competitive advantage.… Read the rest
By Dr. John F. Murray To truly overcome the fear of failure, you must fundamentally change how you see it. It is not an endpoint or a verdict on your abilities; it is simply a data point on the path to growth.… Read the rest
By Dr. John F. Murray The road to recovery starts with a tough admission: you are running on empty. In a culture that glamorizes the “grind,” admitting to burnout is often viewed as a weakness. However, as a sports psychologist who has worked with world-class athletes and high-level executives, I can tell you that burnout is not a lack of willpower—it is a physiological and psychological bankruptcy.… Read the rest
