It's about who you become doing hard things
Mindset tools for the pressure, the mental blocks and the big feelings that come with sport, from an athlete who has been through them.
Sound familiar?
Most athletes hit at least one of these. It isn't a lack of talent or toughness. It's the mental side of sport, and it can be trained like any skill. Here's one tool from the show for each.
- Brilliant at training, falls apart at compsThe skills are there. Pressure gets in the way.Try: anxiety and excitement feel almost the same in your body. Name the energy you're in, then decide whether it fits the moment.
- Stuck on a skill they used to do easilyA mental block that won't shift, however hard they try.Try: ask "am I avoiding this or overdoing it?" Either way, set a finite number of reps, like three, then stop.
- One bad result and it's "I'm not good enough"Every score feels like a verdict on who they are.Try: measure against your average, not your best-ever day. Then it's win or learn, never win or lose.
- Dreads the question "how did you go?"Results have started to weigh more than the sport they love.Try: ask about the experience, not the placing. "What did you enjoy out there?" lands very differently.
You don't have to figure it out alone. Find the right place to start in about a minute.
Take the 1-minute quizWhere would you like to start?
Pick the one that sounds most like you.
Start with the podcast
Honest conversations about mental blocks, identity and pressure, with athletes and performers who've been through it.
Bring a workshop to your team
Hands-on sessions where every athlete leaves with something real: a game-day plan, a block plan, or a stronger sense of who they are.
Mindset coaching with Carla
Sessions for athletes who want to work through a block, build confidence under pressure, or find their footing outside results.
How it works
Take the quiz
Three quick questions about who it's for and what you're noticing.
Get your match
A workshop, coaching, or the right episodes to start with, plus why it fits.
Take the first step
Book a session, bring a workshop to your club, or press play.
Every athlete walks out with something they can use
Own the Day
Leave with a game-day plan you'll actually use.
Learn more Gymnastics, trampoline, diving, cheerUnstuck
Leave with a one-page plan for breaking a mental block, step by step.
Learn more Ages 15+ · 6-week small groupDeep Roots
Get to the root of the pressure, and build worth that doesn't ride on results.
Learn more Parents and coachesThe Sideline
A 30-minute add-on so the adults know what to say and what to watch for.
Learn moreNot sure which one fits your athlete?
Three quick questions and we'll point you to the best fit. Takes about a minute.
There's always another side. You just have to be willing to see it.
Could your story help someone listening?I'm looking for athletes, coaches and performers who've come through something hard.
Apply to be a guest
I've been where you are
I'm Carla, a double mini trampoline gymnast and host of The Flip Side. From about age 10 into my mid-20s I fought mental blocks: I'd do the first skill, then couldn't go for the second. I kept the same routines for years and was told to "just do it".
What finally shifted things wasn't trying harder. It was changing the stories I told myself and learning that who I am isn't my score. I went on to represent Australia, and now I help other athletes find their way through.
You never actually arrive, you just keep upgrading.
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Pick the one that fits. Athletes get a 10-second reset for after a mistake. Parents get what to say after a tough comp. Coaches get how to spot when an athlete is stuck, in a team sport or an individual sport version.
Share your story on the podcast
Been through something hard and come out the other side? I'd love to hear from athletes, coaches and performers.
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Reach athletes, parents and coaches who care about the mental side of sport.
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