#27: [Inside the Mind] Dr. Jason Novetsky: Creating Your Golf Identity to Play to Your Potential

Meet Dr. Jason Novetsky - a sports psychology and mental toughness coach for numerous elite athletes.

You may know him from his ties to the Chasing Scratch Podcast, but you may not know the breadth and depth of experience he has helping golfers and athletes alike overcome their own obstacles and achieve their personal championships.

In this episode, you'll get a front-row seat to the topics and teachings he focuses on when working with some of the top golfers in the world. Specifically, you'll learn more about the importance of creating a golf identity and crafting a golf identity statement, as well as the value of cultivating a neutral mindset.

You'll also discover the ultimate goal-setting blueprint, learn the importance of having both values and standards to achieve your goals, and so much more.

Get your pencils ready and start listening.

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More About Dr. Novetsky

Dr. Novetsky is the sport psychology and mental toughness coach for numerous collegiate, high school, and club-level teams in various sports across Michigan and the United States. He coaches numerous individual professional, collegiate, and youth athletes in his Birmingham, MI office and virtually to help them achieve their personal championships.

Learn more about and work with him here.

Key Takeaways:

• Having a strong set of standards and values helps athletes live and play in the present with a neutral mindset in the face of pressure and adversity.
• Emotional resilience is fostered by thinking more neutrally, being curious, thinking tactically, and focusing on the smartest next move.
• Identity statements are short sentences or paragraphs that athletes read daily to align their behavior and choices with the person they want to become.
• Patience is a common challenge for athletes, especially in a society that values instant gratification. It is important to focus on the process and evaluate oneself based on effort, attitude, preparation, and discipline.
• Fear of success can stem from the expectations of others and the pressure to consistently perform at a high level. Setting new goals and focusing on growth can help alleviate this fear.
• A growth mindset is crucial for athletes to continue improving. It involves being open to growth, embracing challenges, and learning from setbacks.
• Detaching one's identity from their score on the golf course is essential for maintaining a healthy mindset.
• Developing a mental workout routine away from the course can greatly improve performance.
• Self-evaluation is an important tool for bouncing back from poor performances.
• It is important for golfers to separate their golf identity from their personal identity. They should remember that golf is just one aspect of their life and not let their performance on the course define their self-worth.

Key Quotes:

• "Having a strong set of standards and values that you always fall back on helps you to live and play in the present with a neutral mindset in the face of pressure and adversity."
• "We need to think more neutrally, be curious, think tactically, think effectively, think productively."
• "Your behavior or your choices or the way you speak to yourself consistent with the person you want to be?"
• "What are the ingredients and recipe you need to make that plate happen?"

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Time Stamps:

• 00:00: Introduction and Background of Dr. Jason Novetsky
• 03:12: Emotional Resilience and Thinking Neutrally
• 08:01: Standards, Values, and Identity in Athletes
• 12:12: Creating Identity Statements for Athletes
• 15:00: The Importance of Patience in Athletes' Journeys
• 23:13: Goal Setting and the Process of Achievement
• 26:15: The Role of Mental Training in Improving Performance
• 29:31: Embracing a Growth Mindset to Bounce Back from Poor Performances
• 32:32: Detaching Identity from Score and Focusing on Process
• 37:29: Developing a Mental Workout Routine for Improved Performance
• 41:00: Self-Evaluation as a Tool for Bouncing Back
• 43:27: Separating Golf Identity from Personal Identity