Let's Go Mental!

Podcast by Barbara Cortella

Let's Go Mental!

A podcast for young athletes and their parents to unlock the power of the mind: You have the talent—now let’s build the mental edge. Discover key pillars and get simple, actionable tools to kickstart your journey. Tune in for short weekly episodes, each month focused on one topic, perfect for the car ride to your game. Grab quick tips, worksheets, and join our community as we grow and level up together. Let’s Go Mental! I am Barbara, Family and Mental Coach. I am Italian and you will love my accent!

Latest episodes

06 February 2025

Comparison: Your Next Level Tool

In this episode, we tackle the negative impact of comparison in sports—and in life. I share insights on how comparing yourself to others can lower your self-esteem and hold you back. More importantly, I reveal how to flip comparison into a powerful tool for growth.

Key Points:

• The Comparison Trap:

Understand how comparing achievements, skills, or even physical traits can be a joy killer.

• How Our Brain Works:

A brief look at how our brain’s reward, decision-making, and self-evaluation processes are activated when we compare ourselves to others.

• Different Journeys:

Recognize that every athlete is unique—with different starting points, abilities, and goals.

• Shifting Your Mindset

3 Simple Steps:

1. Observe, Don’t Judge: Learn from others’ strengths without harsh self-criticism.

2. Decide Your Priority: Focus on one key area to improve instead of trying to change everything at once.

3. Focus on Your Own Process: Concentrate on your effort, mindset, and commitment to personal growth.

Practical Tip:

Next time you catch yourself comparing, pause, take a deep breath, and ask, “What makes them better? What can I learn from them?” Then, channel that energy into your own development.

Bonus:

Check out our episode on “Control what you can control” for more tips on mastering your mindset.

Go and check your Implementation Worksheet.

Making mental training a habit is just as important as physical training. Embrace your journey, work on both your mind and body, and together, let’s go mental!

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

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16 December 2024

Self-Reflection: Your Opportunity

In this episode I talk about self-reflection. Most athletes avoid it because it feels awkward, boring, or uncomfortable, but self-reflection is the key to improve—in sports, and in life.

If your goal is to reach the top 1% in your sport, this practice is for you!

Key Takeaways:

• What is self-reflection? It’s the process of pausing to think about what happened, why it happened, and what you can learn to improve for the future.

• Why is it essential? Without reflection, you risk repeating the same mistakes over and over. Reflection helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, and patterns, giving you a roadmap for growth.

• How to start:

• Dedicate 5-10 minutes after practice, a game, or at the end of the week.

• Ask simple questions like:

• What went well?

• What could have been better?

• What can I do differently next time?

• Write it down to clarify your thoughts and track your progress.

Practical Framework:

Barbara introduces the 3 R Process for reflection:

1. Reflect: Understand what happened without judgment.

2. Reset: Let go of the past and focus on actionable next steps.

3. Restart: Implement changes and grow from your insights.

Why Reflection Matters for Athletes:

• Helps you internalize feedback from coaches.

• Allows you to build on successes and fix mistakes.

• Creates a habit of intentional improvement that accelerates progress.

Quote of the Week:

“Reflection isn’t just about looking back—it’s about moving forward with purpose.”

Call to Action:

Share this episode with a teammate or friend who’s serious about improving. And let me know how self-reflection is helping you grow—she’d love to hear from you!

Connect with Barbara:

• Follow me on Instagram

• Join the Let’s Go Mental community for more tools and tips to sharpen your mental game.

. Be my Co-Editor and help me shape the podcast with new ideas and your questions and doubta

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20 November 2024

Interested vs Committed: Your Decision.

In this episode I talk about the key difference between being interested and being committed mainly in sports (but in life it is not so different!). Are you the type of athlete who only shows up when it’s convenient, or are you committed to showing up no matter what? Learn why commitment is more than a choice—it’s a skill you can build.

What You’ll Learn:

• The difference between being interested and committed.

• Why commitment is about who you are becoming, not just what you do.

• How to shift from hesitation to action by asking better questions.

• Practical tips to start building your commitment muscle today.

Free Resource:

Implementation Worksheet to help you ask the right questions and build thje commitment muscle! Click here to download it now!

Start with the Self-assessment

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

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04:52

01 November 2024

Pre-Game Preparation: Your shift into Performance

In this episode we talk about the art of transforming preparation into performance.

Learn how to create your own pre-game ritual and make the powerful mental shift from preparation mode to game on by design.

It’s about stepping into your “bubble,” the place where you leave distractions behind and focus fully on being your best—whether that’s in a game, practice, or any big moment.

In this episode you will learn:

Why preparation can sometimes hold us back—and how to move past it.
The importance of finding your own shift routine to enter performance mode.
Tips on building a pre-performance routine that works for you.
How to use your gear-up time, stretching, and warm-ups as mental cues to help you lock in.

This Week’s Challenge:

Create a small, intentional shift ritual.

Tune in and learn how to flip the switch, enter your bubble, and tap into all the energy you’ve built in practice!

Important link:

Contact me for any curiosity, question or doubt : b_cortella@yahoo.it

Try the powerful: Start, Stop, Continue Process

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Start with a self-assessment

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08:58

16 October 2024

1) Sleep and Nutrition: Your Energy and Fuel

We’re diving into a critical yet often overlooked aspect of performance: preparation. If you want to excel in sports and life, you have to embrace the backstage work that sets champions apart. We’re going to reframe those so-called “boring” necessities—like sleep and nutrition—into powerful tools that can fuel your performance.

Key Concepts:

1. Mind & Body Bank Account: Think of your mind and body like a bank account—what you deposit (sleep, nutrition, mental work) adds to your energy and focus. What you withdraw can drain you.

2. Backstage Work: The essential, behind-the-scenes actions you take, such as maintaining good sleep habits and fueling your body properly, are what build the foundation for your success when it’s time to perform.

This Week’s Challenge:

Download the worksheet linked below to help you take action on this episode. Choose one behavior to start, one to stop, and one to continue for both sleep and nutrition.

Download the Sleep & Nutrition Worksheet

contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

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06:12

03 October 2024

Preparation: Your Backstage Work

In this episode we are talking about PREPARATION.

But not the kind you hear about every day. We're going deeper into what real preparation looks like, the type that goes beyond just warming up or training. This is the backstage work that sets you apart from everyone else.

It is about the extra effort no one sees, the habits you build that make the difference in the long run. Whether it is mental focus, consistency, or handling pressure, the preparation you put in now will shape the paler-and person-you become.

Join us for a quick, on this introduction on the topic. In the next weeks we will dive into the real preparation, for now shift your mindset from getting ready to be ready, and let's Go Mental, together!

Previous episode

Stay connected b_cortella@yahoo.it

Start with a self-assessment

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06:23