The Sisu Mind

Having a first meeting with a player often feels more like a chitchat and honestly, I think that’s how it should be.

You’re building trust and a relationship from scratch. I prefer to keep things light and let the athlete lead the conversation where they feel they need me, while I listen closely and follow up with questions.

Sometimes that’s all it takes. Just being able to talk freely, without judgment, already makes the athlete feel better and even perform better. Add a little positive reinforcement and it’s a game-changer.

Improving the mental side of sport isn’t always about focus, motivation, or visualization. Sometimes it starts with something much simpler: feeling heard.

Being heard is of course not the end of development, it’s the start. From there, we can go deeper and work on the specific tools and skills that build confidence, clarity and resilience.