July 17, 2025 • 21 mins
Dusty Imoo, also known as "The Goalie Therapist," shares his journey from professional hockey goaltender to mental performance coach, offering insights on managing stress and finding balance in high-performance situations. Drawing from his 15-year career, most recently coaching with the Los Angeles Kings, Fort Wayne Comets, and Japanese national team, he provides practical wisdom for athletes looking to optimize their mental approach.
• Mental performance often separates good athletes from great ones once physical skills reach a certain level
• Simplifying your approach reduces anxiety rather than adding multiple techniques and routines
• Balance is crucial - you can maintain drive and ambition without sacrificing enjoyment
• The "mamba mentality" isn't the only path to success - sustainable passion comes from a good place
• Forcing children into sports rarely works - passion must come from within
• Parental support without pressure created Dusty's natural drive for excellence
• Later career years were his most enjoyable after shifting his mindset about performance
• Finding balance led to career longevity rather than burnout
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So I would get up at like 7, drive for the 10 am
skate, do the skate go, do thegrind, have a bar or whatever
might pack a lunch or whatever,eat something, and on the way
back I would hit the NewtonGold's gym and hit the gym and
(00:21):
then get back home to White Rockand hit the gym and then get
back home to White Rock.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey folks, welcome back to the 262nd episode of the
Athletes Podcast today,featuring Dusty Emu, also known
as the goalie therapist.
He's worked for the Los AngelesKings, played for the Fort
Wayne Comets and represented theJapanese national team as a
nice hockey goaltender, someonewho I was very grateful to be
able to spend 45 minutes withdriving around locally here in
(00:45):
White Rock, south Surrey,british Columbia, in our brand
new plug-in electric vehicle,that being this fantastic Jeep
that Pioneer Alder Group AlderGrove has provided with us, and
it's been such a pleasure beingable to drive this thing around
in electric mode so that itdoesn't sound crazy loud and we
can listen to the amazinginsights that dusty has in this
(01:08):
episode.
We can't forget about ourpartners in perfect sports
supplements and can I, wellnesssupplements for providing us
with the best products available.
You can get perfect sports byusing the code ap15, getting 15
off at checkout when you usethat code, and if you send me a
screenshot of your order, Imight even be able to send you
some more stuff as a thank youfor listening to this episode
(01:29):
and for subscribing to theentire podcast, because
ultimately, you want to stay upto date every single week, when
we drop new episodes, when werelease prizes, when we give you
amazing insights, knowledge andwisdom, all for free.
All you got to do is hit thesubscribe button.
So I guess it's not free, butwithout further ado, let's get
(01:50):
to the 262nd episode of theAthletes Podcast, featuring
Dusty Emu.
Here we go.
You're the most decoratedracquetball player in US history
, world's strongest man, fromchildhood passion to
professional athlete, eight-timeIronman champion.
So what was it like making yourdebut in the NHL?
What is your biggest piece ofadvice for the next generation
of athletes, from underdogs tonational champions?
(02:11):
This is the Athletes Podcast,where high-performance
individuals share their triumphs, defeats and life lessons to
educate, entertain and inspirethe next generation of athletes.
Here we go.
How?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
long have you been doing it like?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
this, the mobile podcast, has been about three,
four months.
We've been working with PioneerJeep Chrysler out in Aldergrove
.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So they hooked us up with this amazing Jeep.
No way yeah we get to drivearound interview incredible
individuals like yourself on theshow you know Do you want me to
roll up?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, we can probably roll up.
We got the ac on, we're in uh,we're in electric mode so it
stays nice and quiet for us.
During the conversation, whenyou said jeep, I was like he's
doing a pod in the jeep.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, because I've only known, been in jeeps where
it's like they're probably theloudest cars on the planet
trying to highlight the factthat this plug-in electric jeep
is pretty dang cool and and youknow everyone's driving trying
to save the environment.
You know we're just trying todo our part, highlighting the
amazing things that Pioneers gotgoing on and, like what you got
going on, helping out the nextgeneration.
(03:15):
You know we got to try and dothe same here.
That's what our goal with theAthletes Podcast is Educate,
entertain and inspire the nextgeneration.
Get to drive around SouthSurreyrey where you're from,
where I'm from, uh and justlearn a bit more about what the
the goalie therapist has gotgoing on my, my son was just
asking so what are you guystalking to talk about?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
and I said you know what I have no idea like because
I know I've seen what your yourcontent and really geared
around health and athletics andthose types of people anyways,
mm-hmm and I'm loosely aroundthat.
But I don't do a ton ofinterviews regarding the past,
(04:00):
all the crap stuff with Torontoand all that and being canceled
and stuff.
But I have done a few Mm-hmmbut I also leave it open Like
I'll talk about whatever.
But there's, I love gettinginto the, you know, when people
ask me more about what I'm doingnow.
(04:20):
Yeah, you know, I thought thatI love everything, good and bad,
in the past.
I embrace it all and it createswho you are right For sure.
And it creates who you areright For sure.
But I told him, I said I don'tknow, maybe he'll go down
avenues I had no idea.
I kind of like it, like that.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I had Paris O'Brien on the podcast about a month ago
, so talking about a Chinesenational goalie, I've had about
maybe a dozen goalies on.
I myself, as goalie growing up,have a huge passion and I feel
like we're actually the bestathletes out there.
So, selfishly, I'm trying toshowcase that via the Athletes
Podcast, with 260 episodes todate, but Hutch from Ingo Mag
(05:06):
being my uncle, kevin Woodleyworking closely with them, I've
also been able to learn aboutthe goalie world and the fact
that we got a lot of stuff goingon up here that maybe not
necessarily other athletes do,or maybe they do to some degree,
but I figured bringing you onwould be an amazing opportunity
to educate that next generationas to how they should maybe be
thinking about approaching theirsports whether it's as a
(05:28):
goaltender or any other sport.
Frankly, what is it?
Ben Hogan or lee travino?
One of those famous golferssaid that 90 of golf's in
between the head, and then so isthe other 10 or something like
that, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
well, you know, goalies are, it is true, a bit
of a different breed, but a lotof this stuff that I I teach
from the goaltending aspect cantranslate to whoever and that's
kind of how the goalie therapistreally has morphed into more of
(06:01):
myself being more of a lifecoach, because as time went on,
I realized I can help anybodywith the way I think and the way
I go about things and the way Iwent about things as a younger
pro and even back in junior andall the mistakes along the way
(06:24):
and how we thought we had tothink and be to be successful.
In that.
Really I learned a lot, I think, and it's kind of created who
the goalie therapist now in thebusiness is, but it definitely
there are things you can takespecifically from goaltending
(06:46):
and the way you think as agoaltender and apply that into
all other aspects, whether it beyour business, life in general,
and that's what really hascreated this whole thing where
we're at now.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
That's kind of why I was also excited about getting
you on the show, becauseobviously I have this passion
project in the Athletes Podcast.
I played a bunch of sportsgrowing up was never necessarily
good enough to make it to thepro level.
I played a bunch of sportsgrowing up was never necessarily
good enough to make it to thepro level, but feel like I can
play enough and to a level atwhich I can chop it up with most
people Right.
A lot of the next level thatpeople talk about comes from the
(07:23):
mental aspect as well.
Oh yeah, and I myself, with alot on the go between Cookstark
Management, our female athleteagency, the podcast podcast and
my full-time job, I tend to getoverwhelmed, I tend to get a
little stressed out and I'mcurious if you have specific
coping mechanisms that you teachto your young athletes as to
how to handle, manage thatstress.
(07:44):
Are there specific kind of youknow, you've got box breathing.
You've got your five, four,three, two.
One method.
I've learned a little bitthrough therapy, but like,
what's your kind of methodologyright?
If you were to teach it toyoung adults who are trying to
become the best athletes theycan be?
What are your suggestions tothem?
Off the hop, just gettingstarted the beginning.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
The beginning it's a great topic because it really
does come down to that um forhigh level athletes, and you
kind of get to a point and ifyou have talent and hard work, a
good work ethic, you you cankind of start going in the right
direction.
But then you hit this pointwhere other things start to
creep in and now you start tohave ups and downs and and
(08:28):
that's where really thechallenge is so great topic and
I love to start there with thekids, especially the younger
kids, to try to get them to seethis before they hit that point
where they're still having funand they're still having a good
time but they're getting allthis pressure to make the spring
team, make all these teams, andso that's really where the joy
(08:54):
is in helping the younger kids.
My, my personal approach isjust and I think this has helped
me with with teaching.
This is helping the young kidshas helped me teach it to all
kinds of people, because withkids you need to simplify and
(09:18):
that's kind of how I alwaysrolled in the first place.
So I think my biggest way ofsuccess towards helping people
understand how to go aboutlowering anxiety heading into
high-pressure situations is notfilling it up with so much and
I'm not ripping on I I love whenpeople have uh organization and
(09:42):
they they like to write thingsdown and make a one to ten list
of you know top priorities ofwhat they need to work on all
this stuff.
But it can really build theanxiety, especially if you're
like, say, someone that isreally overly OCD with
everything.
Simplifying can really behelpful in lowering the anxiety.
(10:06):
So I try to give small points,one at a time, and and use
personal experiences.
Okay, um, so I use a lot ofexamples, as opposed to saying
let's use this method, like whenyou're some of the things you
were just mentioning, they allhave value.
But if I slap on all theseapproaches and then really
(10:32):
hunkering down on this one wayof doing like you got to do your
affirmations at this time, whenyou wake up, you got to go do
your breathing, you got to getyour feet grounded to the earth.
All of these different thingsare great, but you unknowingly,
you're actually building alittle bit more anxiety if you
(10:52):
have too much on your plate.
Okay, trying to stick to theroutine I would pick one or two
things to focus on for a goodstretch of time.
Say, I'm just going to do thisokay, does that make sense?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
for sure?
So, instead of overwhelmingyourself with 62 different
things, yeah, during your day,to structure it so that you're
optimized, reducing it to two orthree right that you can make
sure you can complete right fullsuccession every single day, no
matter what exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
And the funny thing is, you know, I look back at
myself, my younger self and verydriven and very committed to
the, you know, extreme.
Yeah, and my wife I remembershe's in the summers would be
like you know what part of theday is for the family.
(11:45):
Yeah, and because I would, Iwould leave there back in the
day.
There used to be only one proskate and that was for years.
It was moody park in new westand then we shifted it to can
land in north van and so we'rehere.
So I would get up at like seven, drive for the 10 am skate, do
(12:05):
the skate, go do the grind, havea bar, whatever, and might pack
a lunch or whatever, eatsomething, and on the way back I
would hit the newton gold's gymand hit the gym and then get
back home to white rock and thatwas my summer.
Wow.
And.
(12:25):
But really it didn't have to belike that.
I can still get my.
I could have gotten my workdone and just planned it better
and have more balance.
And if you've ever listened tome, whether it be on social or
worked with me, balance is a bigthing for me, because I didn't
(12:50):
do that.
There were a lot of good thingsI could pick out from my career
.
You know anyone that plays 15years pro did some things right,
but there were a lot of thingsthat didn't need to be the way
they were.
So I think having a goodbalance and this leads back to
what we're discussing here iswhen you're working on something
(13:11):
.
If you focus on the balance ofyourself first and foremost, all
these other little thingsyou're going to be working on
are going to be a lot smootherand you really need to like what
you're talking about withyourself when you're trying to
build businesses and do this,and that you've got to take a
(13:32):
step back and look at yourself.
Okay, myself, where am I at?
How am I doing Right?
Am I enjoying myself?
You got to kind of start tofind a better balance.
Then you go tackle something.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
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(14:05):
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(14:26):
Yeah, I definitely strugglesmelling the roses, as they say.
For sure, for sure, I'm notgood at it.
I am constantly being remindedby others.
Not good at it.
I am constantly being remindedby others.
But I think I've also, I guess,been exposed to people saying,
mentioning, and like I, kind of.
When I hear you saying you'relooking for balance, I'm curious
do you think you would haveplayed 15 years professional if
(14:49):
you were balanced growing up andthroughout those years where
you were training, working thathard like do you, would you have
gotten to that level if youwere balanced?
Speaker 1 (14:59):
a lot.
Of this is a good, good questiontoo, because anyone that is
really striving and stuff a lotof people gravitate towards uh,
the mama mentality yeah, theylove seeing the, the grant
cardones, the, the and even kobebryantants, and and these high,
high level achievers, and theyfigure that that must be the
(15:20):
reason, right, I believe you canhave things about the mama
mentality and I think I had thatokay.
But I also believe you can keepsome of that but still balance
your life out better and betterand enjoy yourself along the way
.
That's where a lot you you missout a lot and and don't uh, I
(15:45):
don't think they smell the rosesthe way you said it.
Um, I think you can do that.
I found at the end of my careerthe last jeez.
Six, seven years.
It just got better and betterand better and better and better
and at the end I only retiredfor my family.
(16:05):
I would have played anotherfive years for sure.
Yeah, because I was loving thegame, I was taking care of
myself better and not in thedrinking area, yet I had that
wasn't until I was done hockey.
But I really think you canstill have that fire and drive,
(16:29):
but it's come from a good place.
I was more for years,especially through, especially
through my second year junior,third year junior.
Once I became the top-rankedgoalie in the NHL draft.
It was like it shifted.
Up until that point I was justgoing hard and loving it, I was
(16:53):
just the man.
But then it shifted and it wasthis chip on my shoulder to
prove everybody wrong that Iwasn't too small and I had to
show everybody and this went onfor quite a few years until I
left and was in Japan.
Once I got there, I started tosee a whole different thing
about the game and where I waswith the game.
(17:15):
So I believe, to answer yourquestion, I believe you can uh
get to where you want to gowithout just only living your
life with that mama mentality.
I only that.
I believe you can have balance,like I do believe this is
probably the most importantthing.
(17:37):
Unknowingly, my parents, I think, had a big part to play in what
created my drive and everything.
It wasn't, though.
My dad was telling me anything.
He wasn't an athlete.
My mom wasn't an athlete.
They were so quiet, but I thinkthat was the key for it.
(17:59):
Really, they allowed me to justgo get it and and and play
anything I wanted to play andjust cheered me on and made me
just want to go to the balldiamond in the summers I I was
as good a baseball player, as Iwas a hockey player and I love
that.
And then in the winter I wasjust couldn't wait to get play
(18:20):
hockey and and I think themallowing me to just enjoy the
sports I was playing started tocreate that.
Um, there, I'm not gonna lie,there is something in people
sometimes yeah like as a littlekid I wasn't getting it from my
mom or dad, like seeing my dadgo out and do something.
(18:44):
You know he's so driven.
He wasn't, he was just guy wentto work at ford warehouse, you
know well, maybe that work ethicon its own just being able to
wake up at four.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Do that I?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
don't know if I appreciated back then, but I do.
You know, man, like getting upevery day and doing that same
job.
I had to work there a fewsummers yeah as a young teenager
and that was just before juniorand into junior and I realized,
I realized what hell he didevery day.
(19:17):
So without him teaching meverbally definitely showed me
commitment to the family anyways, and what I didn't want to do,
right, sometimes those jobs likeI roofed for a day and it was a
day.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It was a long day and it didn't want to do Right yeah
.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Sometimes those jobs like I roofed for a day, and it
was a day, it was a long day andit didn't happen after that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But I you know, you, you've learned that from your
parents the ability to work,work ethic, those things don't
necessarily always comenaturally.
How does that impact youraising your two sons, three,
three Sons, and a daughter and adaughter.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Yeah, the Three Sons and a daughter and a daughter.
Yeah, the three boys, all verydifferent.
We both, my wife and I, triedreally hard to kind of follow
that way of being with our kidsin sports.
Everyone thinks that me, beinga pro athlete, I would have been
a lot more, and especiallybecause one of them played pro.
(20:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would havebeen a lot more, and especially
because one of them played pro,that I was teaching and on the
ice, you know dedication and allthat.
And it was quite the opposite.
I told them early on that I wasnever going to push them.
If I had to pull or push, thenthat's not the sport.
(20:36):
The sport for them.
Right that they're not going tobe anything anyway.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Dusty emu thank you for coming on the athletes
podcast.
I appreciate it.
Fellow whoop user, we're nottalking training, we're talking
mental mindset today.
Thank you, folks for tuning in,really appreciate you.
We'll see you next week.
Thanks again, dusty.
Just want to say thank you,folks for tuning in to the 262nd
episode of the Athletes Podcast.
I do have to apologize, we'vebeen sporadic in getting our
content out on that weeklycadence that we love to adhere
(21:02):
to.
But we want to say thank you toyou folks for continuing to
support us, following along,witnessing what an incredible
journey we've been on.
And we want to say thank you toour partners, perfect Sports
Supplements, for continuing tobe the best in the business,
providing us with the bestprotein possible in diesel and
providing you guys with anincredible discount code, that
being AP15 at checkout to save15%.
(21:24):
I also want us to thank ourproducer, ryan Locke.
Give him a shout out down below.
The guy's an absolute gem forputting this together every
single week.
And again, shout out to you forlistening, getting yourself a
little bit better today.
I hope you have a great rest ofyour day, a great rest of your
week, and we'll see you nextweek for another new episode of
the Athletes Podcast.
My name is David Stark.
Thanks for tuning in, bye.
So I would get up at like 7, drive for the 10 am
skate, do the skate go, do thegrind, have a bar or whatever
might pack a lunch or whatever,eat something, and on the way
back I would hit the NewtonGold's gym and hit the gym and
(00:21):
then get back home to White Rockand hit the gym and then get
back home to White Rock.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey folks, welcome back to the 262nd episode of the
Athletes Podcast today,featuring Dusty Emu, also known
as the goalie therapist.
He's worked for the Los AngelesKings, played for the Fort
Wayne Comets and represented theJapanese national team as a
nice hockey goaltender, someonewho I was very grateful to be
able to spend 45 minutes withdriving around locally here in
(00:45):
White Rock, south Surrey,british Columbia, in our brand
new plug-in electric vehicle,that being this fantastic Jeep
that Pioneer Alder Group AlderGrove has provided with us, and
it's been such a pleasure beingable to drive this thing around
in electric mode so that itdoesn't sound crazy loud and we
can listen to the amazinginsights that dusty has in this
(01:08):
episode.
We can't forget about ourpartners in perfect sports
supplements and can I, wellnesssupplements for providing us
with the best products available.
You can get perfect sports byusing the code ap15, getting 15
off at checkout when you usethat code, and if you send me a
screenshot of your order, Imight even be able to send you
some more stuff as a thank youfor listening to this episode
(01:29):
and for subscribing to theentire podcast, because
ultimately, you want to stay upto date every single week, when
we drop new episodes, when werelease prizes, when we give you
amazing insights, knowledge andwisdom, all for free.
All you got to do is hit thesubscribe button.
So I guess it's not free, butwithout further ado, let's get
(01:50):
to the 262nd episode of theAthletes Podcast, featuring
Dusty Emu.
Here we go.
You're the most decoratedracquetball player in US history
, world's strongest man, fromchildhood passion to
professional athlete, eight-timeIronman champion.
So what was it like making yourdebut in the NHL?
What is your biggest piece ofadvice for the next generation
of athletes, from underdogs tonational champions?
(02:11):
This is the Athletes Podcast,where high-performance
individuals share their triumphs, defeats and life lessons to
educate, entertain and inspirethe next generation of athletes.
Here we go.
How?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
long have you been doing it like?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
this, the mobile podcast, has been about three,
four months.
We've been working with PioneerJeep Chrysler out in Aldergrove
.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So they hooked us up with this amazing Jeep.
No way yeah we get to drivearound interview incredible
individuals like yourself on theshow you know Do you want me to
roll up?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, we can probably roll up.
We got the ac on, we're in uh,we're in electric mode so it
stays nice and quiet for us.
During the conversation, whenyou said jeep, I was like he's
doing a pod in the jeep.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, because I've only known, been in jeeps where
it's like they're probably theloudest cars on the planet
trying to highlight the factthat this plug-in electric jeep
is pretty dang cool and and youknow everyone's driving trying
to save the environment.
You know we're just trying todo our part, highlighting the
amazing things that Pioneers gotgoing on and, like what you got
going on, helping out the nextgeneration.
(03:15):
You know we got to try and dothe same here.
That's what our goal with theAthletes Podcast is Educate,
entertain and inspire the nextgeneration.
Get to drive around SouthSurreyrey where you're from,
where I'm from, uh and justlearn a bit more about what the
the goalie therapist has gotgoing on my, my son was just
asking so what are you guystalking to talk about?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
and I said you know what I have no idea like because
I know I've seen what your yourcontent and really geared
around health and athletics andthose types of people anyways,
mm-hmm and I'm loosely aroundthat.
But I don't do a ton ofinterviews regarding the past,
(04:00):
all the crap stuff with Torontoand all that and being canceled
and stuff.
But I have done a few Mm-hmmbut I also leave it open Like
I'll talk about whatever.
But there's, I love gettinginto the, you know, when people
ask me more about what I'm doingnow.
(04:20):
Yeah, you know, I thought thatI love everything, good and bad,
in the past.
I embrace it all and it createswho you are right For sure.
And it creates who you areright For sure.
But I told him, I said I don'tknow, maybe he'll go down
avenues I had no idea.
I kind of like it, like that.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I had Paris O'Brien on the podcast about a month ago
, so talking about a Chinesenational goalie, I've had about
maybe a dozen goalies on.
I myself, as goalie growing up,have a huge passion and I feel
like we're actually the bestathletes out there.
So, selfishly, I'm trying toshowcase that via the Athletes
Podcast, with 260 episodes todate, but Hutch from Ingo Mag
(05:06):
being my uncle, kevin Woodleyworking closely with them, I've
also been able to learn aboutthe goalie world and the fact
that we got a lot of stuff goingon up here that maybe not
necessarily other athletes do,or maybe they do to some degree,
but I figured bringing you onwould be an amazing opportunity
to educate that next generationas to how they should maybe be
thinking about approaching theirsports whether it's as a
(05:28):
goaltender or any other sport.
Frankly, what is it?
Ben Hogan or lee travino?
One of those famous golferssaid that 90 of golf's in
between the head, and then so isthe other 10 or something like
that, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
well, you know, goalies are, it is true, a bit
of a different breed, but a lotof this stuff that I I teach
from the goaltending aspect cantranslate to whoever and that's
kind of how the goalie therapistreally has morphed into more of
(06:01):
myself being more of a lifecoach, because as time went on,
I realized I can help anybodywith the way I think and the way
I go about things and the way Iwent about things as a younger
pro and even back in junior andall the mistakes along the way
(06:24):
and how we thought we had tothink and be to be successful.
In that.
Really I learned a lot, I think, and it's kind of created who
the goalie therapist now in thebusiness is, but it definitely
there are things you can takespecifically from goaltending
(06:46):
and the way you think as agoaltender and apply that into
all other aspects, whether it beyour business, life in general,
and that's what really hascreated this whole thing where
we're at now.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
That's kind of why I was also excited about getting
you on the show, becauseobviously I have this passion
project in the Athletes Podcast.
I played a bunch of sportsgrowing up was never necessarily
good enough to make it to thepro level.
I played a bunch of sportsgrowing up was never necessarily
good enough to make it to thepro level, but feel like I can
play enough and to a level atwhich I can chop it up with most
people Right.
A lot of the next level thatpeople talk about comes from the
(07:23):
mental aspect as well.
Oh yeah, and I myself, with alot on the go between Cookstark
Management, our female athleteagency, the podcast podcast and
my full-time job, I tend to getoverwhelmed, I tend to get a
little stressed out and I'mcurious if you have specific
coping mechanisms that you teachto your young athletes as to
how to handle, manage thatstress.
(07:44):
Are there specific kind of youknow, you've got box breathing.
You've got your five, four,three, two.
One method.
I've learned a little bitthrough therapy, but like,
what's your kind of methodologyright?
If you were to teach it toyoung adults who are trying to
become the best athletes theycan be?
What are your suggestions tothem?
Off the hop, just gettingstarted the beginning.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
The beginning it's a great topic because it really
does come down to that um forhigh level athletes, and you
kind of get to a point and ifyou have talent and hard work, a
good work ethic, you you cankind of start going in the right
direction.
But then you hit this pointwhere other things start to
creep in and now you start tohave ups and downs and and
(08:28):
that's where really thechallenge is so great topic and
I love to start there with thekids, especially the younger
kids, to try to get them to seethis before they hit that point
where they're still having funand they're still having a good
time but they're getting allthis pressure to make the spring
team, make all these teams, andso that's really where the joy
(08:54):
is in helping the younger kids.
My, my personal approach isjust and I think this has helped
me with with teaching.
This is helping the young kidshas helped me teach it to all
kinds of people, because withkids you need to simplify and
(09:18):
that's kind of how I alwaysrolled in the first place.
So I think my biggest way ofsuccess towards helping people
understand how to go aboutlowering anxiety heading into
high-pressure situations is notfilling it up with so much and
I'm not ripping on I I love whenpeople have uh organization and
(09:42):
they they like to write thingsdown and make a one to ten list
of you know top priorities ofwhat they need to work on all
this stuff.
But it can really build theanxiety, especially if you're
like, say, someone that isreally overly OCD with
everything.
Simplifying can really behelpful in lowering the anxiety.
(10:06):
So I try to give small points,one at a time, and and use
personal experiences.
Okay, um, so I use a lot ofexamples, as opposed to saying
let's use this method, like whenyou're some of the things you
were just mentioning, they allhave value.
But if I slap on all theseapproaches and then really
(10:32):
hunkering down on this one wayof doing like you got to do your
affirmations at this time, whenyou wake up, you got to go do
your breathing, you got to getyour feet grounded to the earth.
All of these different thingsare great, but you unknowingly,
you're actually building alittle bit more anxiety if you
(10:52):
have too much on your plate.
Okay, trying to stick to theroutine I would pick one or two
things to focus on for a goodstretch of time.
Say, I'm just going to do thisokay, does that make sense?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
for sure?
So, instead of overwhelmingyourself with 62 different
things, yeah, during your day,to structure it so that you're
optimized, reducing it to two orthree right that you can make
sure you can complete right fullsuccession every single day, no
matter what exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
And the funny thing is, you know, I look back at
myself, my younger self and verydriven and very committed to
the, you know, extreme.
Yeah, and my wife I remembershe's in the summers would be
like you know what part of theday is for the family.
(11:45):
Yeah, and because I would, Iwould leave there back in the
day.
There used to be only one proskate and that was for years.
It was moody park in new westand then we shifted it to can
land in north van and so we'rehere.
So I would get up at like seven, drive for the 10 am skate, do
(12:05):
the skate, go do the grind, havea bar, whatever, and might pack
a lunch or whatever, eatsomething, and on the way back I
would hit the newton gold's gymand hit the gym and then get
back home to white rock and thatwas my summer.
Wow.
And.
(12:25):
But really it didn't have to belike that.
I can still get my.
I could have gotten my workdone and just planned it better
and have more balance.
And if you've ever listened tome, whether it be on social or
worked with me, balance is a bigthing for me, because I didn't
(12:50):
do that.
There were a lot of good thingsI could pick out from my career
.
You know anyone that plays 15years pro did some things right,
but there were a lot of thingsthat didn't need to be the way
they were.
So I think having a goodbalance and this leads back to
what we're discussing here iswhen you're working on something
(13:11):
.
If you focus on the balance ofyourself first and foremost, all
these other little thingsyou're going to be working on
are going to be a lot smootherand you really need to like what
you're talking about withyourself when you're trying to
build businesses and do this,and that you've got to take a
(13:32):
step back and look at yourself.
Okay, myself, where am I at?
How am I doing Right?
Am I enjoying myself?
You got to kind of start tofind a better balance.
Then you go tackle something.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
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(14:26):
Yeah, I definitely strugglesmelling the roses, as they say.
For sure, for sure, I'm notgood at it.
I am constantly being remindedby others.
Not good at it.
I am constantly being remindedby others.
But I think I've also, I guess,been exposed to people saying,
mentioning, and like I, kind of.
When I hear you saying you'relooking for balance, I'm curious
do you think you would haveplayed 15 years professional if
(14:49):
you were balanced growing up andthroughout those years where
you were training, working thathard like do you, would you have
gotten to that level if youwere balanced?
Speaker 1 (14:59):
a lot.
Of this is a good, good questiontoo, because anyone that is
really striving and stuff a lotof people gravitate towards uh,
the mama mentality yeah, theylove seeing the, the grant
cardones, the, the and even kobebryantants, and and these high,
high level achievers, and theyfigure that that must be the
(15:20):
reason, right, I believe you canhave things about the mama
mentality and I think I had thatokay.
But I also believe you can keepsome of that but still balance
your life out better and betterand enjoy yourself along the way
.
That's where a lot you you missout a lot and and don't uh, I
(15:45):
don't think they smell the rosesthe way you said it.
Um, I think you can do that.
I found at the end of my careerthe last jeez.
Six, seven years.
It just got better and betterand better and better and better
and at the end I only retiredfor my family.
(16:05):
I would have played anotherfive years for sure.
Yeah, because I was loving thegame, I was taking care of
myself better and not in thedrinking area, yet I had that
wasn't until I was done hockey.
But I really think you canstill have that fire and drive,
(16:29):
but it's come from a good place.
I was more for years,especially through, especially
through my second year junior,third year junior.
Once I became the top-rankedgoalie in the NHL draft.
It was like it shifted.
Up until that point I was justgoing hard and loving it, I was
(16:53):
just the man.
But then it shifted and it wasthis chip on my shoulder to
prove everybody wrong that Iwasn't too small and I had to
show everybody and this went onfor quite a few years until I
left and was in Japan.
Once I got there, I started tosee a whole different thing
about the game and where I waswith the game.
(17:15):
So I believe, to answer yourquestion, I believe you can uh
get to where you want to gowithout just only living your
life with that mama mentality.
I only that.
I believe you can have balance,like I do believe this is
probably the most importantthing.
(17:37):
Unknowingly, my parents, I think, had a big part to play in what
created my drive and everything.
It wasn't, though.
My dad was telling me anything.
He wasn't an athlete.
My mom wasn't an athlete.
They were so quiet, but I thinkthat was the key for it.
(17:59):
Really, they allowed me to justgo get it and and and play
anything I wanted to play andjust cheered me on and made me
just want to go to the balldiamond in the summers I I was
as good a baseball player, as Iwas a hockey player and I love
that.
And then in the winter I wasjust couldn't wait to get play
(18:20):
hockey and and I think themallowing me to just enjoy the
sports I was playing started tocreate that.
Um, there, I'm not gonna lie,there is something in people
sometimes yeah like as a littlekid I wasn't getting it from my
mom or dad, like seeing my dadgo out and do something.
(18:44):
You know he's so driven.
He wasn't, he was just guy wentto work at ford warehouse, you
know well, maybe that work ethicon its own just being able to
wake up at four.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Do that I?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
don't know if I appreciated back then, but I do.
You know, man, like getting upevery day and doing that same
job.
I had to work there a fewsummers yeah as a young teenager
and that was just before juniorand into junior and I realized,
I realized what hell he didevery day.
(19:17):
So without him teaching meverbally definitely showed me
commitment to the family anyways, and what I didn't want to do,
right, sometimes those jobs likeI roofed for a day and it was a
day.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It was a long day and it didn't want to do Right yeah
.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Sometimes those jobs like I roofed for a day, and it
was a day, it was a long day andit didn't happen after that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But I you know, you, you've learned that from your
parents the ability to work,work ethic, those things don't
necessarily always comenaturally.
How does that impact youraising your two sons, three,
three Sons, and a daughter and adaughter.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Yeah, the Three Sons and a daughter and a daughter.
Yeah, the three boys, all verydifferent.
We both, my wife and I, triedreally hard to kind of follow
that way of being with our kidsin sports.
Everyone thinks that me, beinga pro athlete, I would have been
a lot more, and especiallybecause one of them played pro.
(20:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would havebeen a lot more, and especially
because one of them played pro,that I was teaching and on the
ice, you know dedication and allthat.
And it was quite the opposite.
I told them early on that I wasnever going to push them.
If I had to pull or push, thenthat's not the sport.
(20:36):
The sport for them.
Right that they're not going tobe anything anyway.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Dusty emu thank you for coming on the athletes
podcast.
I appreciate it.
Fellow whoop user, we're nottalking training, we're talking
mental mindset today.
Thank you, folks for tuning in,really appreciate you.
We'll see you next week.
Thanks again, dusty.
Just want to say thank you,folks for tuning in to the 262nd
episode of the Athletes Podcast.
I do have to apologize, we'vebeen sporadic in getting our
content out on that weeklycadence that we love to adhere
(21:02):
to.
But we want to say thank you toyou folks for continuing to
support us, following along,witnessing what an incredible
journey we've been on.
And we want to say thank you toour partners, perfect Sports
Supplements, for continuing tobe the best in the business,
providing us with the bestprotein possible in diesel and
providing you guys with anincredible discount code, that
being AP15 at checkout to save15%.
(21:24):
I also want us to thank ourproducer, ryan Locke.
Give him a shout out down below.
The guy's an absolute gem forputting this together every
single week.
And again, shout out to you forlistening, getting yourself a
little bit better today.
I hope you have a great rest ofyour day, a great rest of your
week, and we'll see you nextweek for another new episode of
the Athletes Podcast.
My name is David Stark.
Thanks for tuning in, bye.
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