Part 3: Unlocking the Superpowers…

As performers become more acquainted with the three principles—Control Your Controllables, Confidence Follows Competence, and Focus Leads Your Performance—the superpowers of Self-awareness, Gratitude, and Kindness naturally emerge.

For example, as performers consistently apply Control Your Controllables, they become more aware of their emotional triggers and habitual reactions during competition. A practitioner can then underline how Self-awareness enhances this principle by helping performers recognise when they are fixating on uncontrollable factors, such as an opponent’s performance or a referee’s call. By noticing these patterns, they can consciously redirect their focus toward what they can control—such as their breathing, focus routines, or tactical adjustments—allowing for more composed and effective performance. Self-awareness also helps them tap into their innate confidence by recognizing areas of growing competence (Confidence Follows Competence) and redirecting attention toward task-relevant cues (Focus Leads Performance) during high-pressure moments.

By now, you’ve seen how Self-awareness enhances the three principles by helping performers recognize and manage their internal responses. As I expand on Gratitude and Kindness, I encourage you to think about how these superpowers might also amplify the principles, and how they could transform a performer’s approach to challenges and growth.

The practice of Gratitude has positive implications for an individual’s optimism and resilience. Specifically, performers who practice gratitude are more likely to recognize their progress, appreciate support from others, and celebrate small wins along the way. This perspective makes it easier to accept uncontrollable factors and acknowledge their small wins and milestones. Rather than perceiving setbacks as failures, they are more likely to see them as opportunities for growth.

“If we magnify blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would be much happier.” John Wooden

Kindness encourages self-compassion, especially during setbacks, and helps performers let be of irrational demands and expectations placed on themselves and others. By doing so, they reduce negative self-talk and fixate less on things outside their control. This shift allows them to refocus on constructive steps forward. Additionally, accepting imperfection and focusing on progress helps them build competence, which fosters confidence.

Closing…

In this approach to learning psychological skills, learners are active participants as they make connections between their experiences and context with these principles and superpowers. This shift allows them to build on their strengths, recognizing how these principles naturally emerge, and empower them to approach challenges with the confidence that they already possess the resources to succeed. Even though this approach emphasizes self-discovery, the sports psychology practitioner could still provide explicit guidance and techniques for learners to refine and apply these principles.

Be sure to check out Parts 1 and 2 of this blog series too!

Coach Hansen