Episode 8: Get Your Head in the Game w/ Tony Earp

What does an athlete need to be successful?  Skill, talent, competitiveness, drive, physical athleticism, and most importantly... MINDSET!!  You can have all of those other things, but if your mindset isn't wired for success, your path is going to be a lot harder.  Yet so many athletes are lacking the right mindset, and I believe it's because many of them don't even know where to start.  What is a good athletic mindset?

That is what today's episode is all about.  My guest today is Tony Earp, Director of Classics Eagles Soccer, a parent coached, professionally assisted youth soccer club in Ohio.  He has over 15 years of experience coaching and directing youth soccer, and he has written over 70 articles and made hundreds of training videos to support player development.  Not only that, but Tony was also a successful athlete himself.  He played soccer for The Ohio State University as a 4-year starter and captain, leading the team to its first Big Ten Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.  He knows the frame of mind needed to play at a high level, and he is working to instill these concepts of mindset in the young athletes he coaches.  Tony brings a unique, relevant, and thought-out perspective on mindset for young athletes.

In this episode, Tony and I discuss multiple areas of mindset for athletes.  We go deep on how failure only occurs if you quit, and that making mistakes is actually an important part of the development process.  We talk about how important dedication is to success, and how many players don't fully understand what true dedication and commitment is.  Tony makes the differentiation between players who are internally focused and those who are externally focused, explaining that players who are externally focused are coming from a place of insecurity that is not conducive to success.  We also reflect on how children and adults have a different attitude towards losing, and that as adults we forget how resilient and resourceful children are.  And of course, we explain that mindset is key to success.

We talk about mindset in the context of athletics, but don't be fooled!  The ideas we discuss in today's episode apply to pretty much EVERY area of life.  You can use these ideas for any goal to increase your ability to be successful.  Enjoy this amazing discussion I have with Tony!

Links:

Classics Eagles Soccer Website:

www.classicseagles.com

Tony's Contact:

614-843-1583

Mindful Ontogeny website:

www.mindfulontogeny.com

Podcast Page:

Triple E Podcast (mindfulontogeny.com)

Triple E Podcast Contact:

[e-mail]

Mindful Ontogeny Contact:

[e-mail]

Triple E Podcast Instagram:

@triple_e_podcast

Mindful Ontogeny Instagram:

@mindfulontogeny

Contact for host Jessica:

@dancerjess1