In my previous post, I have highlighted that coaches – interested in optimising their athletes’ performance – ought to consider the interaction of the person, task and setting when determining instructional and practice strategies for a given situation.

This week, I wish to share professional experiences from working with performers at different levels in their career. As you can imagine, sport psychology consultants and performance consultants often find themselves observing and talking with performers in their specific learning and performance environments.

For example, I have met with student-athletes in school cafeterias, worked with rowers at various boathouses, interacted with footballers along sidelines of football fields and also consulted pianists next to pianos on stage. Meeting with clients in their unique performance settings has helped me to appreciate and to better understand the person, his or her task and also the setting in which the person performs. These observations are vital to successfully perform my work as a performance consultant.

Via observations and discussions, I have learned that performers and their coaches seem to share experiences associated with eight major themes. These themes are: (1) Feeling, (2) focus, (3) others, (4) outcome, (5) process, (6) pressure, (7) time and (8) imagery. My intention is to present and to explain listed themes in future blog posts. I am hopeful that you will find presented information, thoughts and ideas useful.

Furthermore, interacting with people in their performance setting has provided excellent opportunities to get to know clients and to build report. As you can imagine, earning someone’s trust to share personal experiences is not achieved over night.