Insights From Athletic Excellence

I have always been interested in sport and while I believe there is something to learn from all experiences, I feel there is a lot that sports teaches that is applicable to management. I always look at CVs to see whether there is any sports in the candidate’s history. Plato figured this out long ago when he said, “ You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Sport has a way of distilling truths that no management course can teach. It compresses ambition, teamwork, ego, pressure and resilience into the duration of play. It reveals character in real time, showing how people respond when they win, when they lose and when they have to keep going despite both. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that sport is leadership in motion and that its lessons for management are significant. In individual sports — tennis, golf, running — there’s nowhere to hide. You are simultaneously the strategist, executor and critic. Every decision has an immediate consequence. The scoreboard doesn’t care about intent; it measures only outcome. For leaders, that mirrors the journey of self-management. You learn accountability. You learn that excuses don’t help and that success comes from consistent preparation, not occasional brilliance or intent. You discover the art of emotional regulation: how to stay calm after an error, how to start again after losing. It’s a life skill. Team sports, in contrast, are a masterclass in interdependence. You realize quickly that talent without chemistry is noise. The best teams aren’t the ones with the brightest stars, but the ones where everyone knows their role and trusts each other and the system. In management, this translates into two ideas: clarity and culture. Clarity, because people perform best when they understand what’s expected of them. Culture, because shared purpose is what turns cooperation into cohesion. Whether individual or team-based, every athlete understands the value of practice. The repetitions nobody sees. The corrections nobody applauds. It’s a powerful metaphor for organizational excellence. The best managers— like the best athletes — separate themselves in the invisible hours. They iterate, reflect and improve, often when the world isn’t watching. Sport also normalizes failure. You win some, you lose some but you always review to learn. In management, that habit of learning from losses without personalizing them is pure gold. At its best, sport is not just about performance but about flow. The moment when effort becomes effortless and the team moves as one. That’s what great organizations strive for too — a state where purpose, people and performance align. In the end, sport reminds us that leadership isn’t a title — it’s a practice. You train for it every day. You fail, recover and play again. And, just like in sport, the real victory is not in winning every game, but in building a team, and a self, that keeps getting better.

I've been coaching NFL teams and NBA executives for 15+ years. Here are 10 lessons from legendary athletes that shaped how I coach: 1. Michael Jordan: "I've failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Elite performers zoom out after failure to reduce ego threat. They ask "What can I learn?" instead of "What went wrong?" 2. Arthur Ashe: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Agency drives performance. The more you feel responsible for shaping outcomes, the more poised you become. 3. Wayne Gretzky: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” This one’s a classic, but it’s still something many need to hear. Risk-taking is a foundation of sporting genius. 4. Muhammad Ali: "I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" People who see stress as performance-enhancing actually get that boost. Reframe difficulty as building capacity, not breaking you down. 5. Serena Williams: "A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they recover when they fall.” Elite performers use Release-Reset-Refocus: physically release mistakes, reset with breathing, refocus on what’s important. 6. Billie Jean King: "Champions keep playing until they get it right.” You need both: belief in your baseline talent AND belief that effort matters. Just believing in hard work isn't enough. 7. Kobe Bryant: "Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” Winners see nerves as a sign they care, not a sign they can't handle it. Energy optimization beats energy suppression. 8. Wilma Rudolph: "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.” Social support is one of the most consistent predictors of resilience. Every great athlete has a coach. Choose your influences carefully. 9. Michael Phelps: "You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” Self-belief must be earned. It's built by watching yourself work hard, fail, iterate, and progress. 10. Simone Biles: "You will not always be strong, but you can always be brave.” Psychological safety creates environments where people show up fully, learn from mistakes faster, and build real connectedness. That courage separates good from great. There’s a pattern here: Every lesson ties back to self-regulation. Anywhere you find greatness, you’ll find someone managing their thinking, feelings, physiology, and behavior. Which lesson resonates most with where you are right now?

As an Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychologist, I’ve spent years exploring various methods to enhance workplace productivity, motivation, and well-being. One fascinating and often underappreciated area that has proven incredibly useful is sport psychology. While many people might not immediately see the connection, the principles of sport psychology can offer valuable insights and tools for workplace success. Sport psychology focuses on the mental and emotional aspects of athletic performance. It examines how athletes can optimize their mental states to achieve peak performance, handle pressure, and maintain motivation. These same principles can be applied in organizational settings to improve employee performance, team dynamics, and overall workplace well-being. Some Key Principles from Sport Psychology in the Workplace Goal Setting: Athletes set clear, measurable goals to track their progress and stay motivated. In the workplace, SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) can help employees maintain focus and drive. Mental Resilience: Athletes develop mental resilience to cope with pressure and setbacks. Similarly, building resilience in employees helps them navigate challenges and maintain productivity under stress. Visualization: Athletes use visualization techniques to mentally rehearse their performances. Employees can use similar techniques to prepare for presentations, meetings, and other professional challenges, boosting confidence and reducing anxiety. Self-Talk: Positive self-talk helps athletes stay motivated and focused. Encouraging employees to use positive affirmations can enhance their self-confidence and performance. Despite its potential, the application of sport psychology in the workplace is often overlooked. Many people associate sport psychology solely with athletic performance and fail to see its broader relevance. However, the mental strategies that help athletes excel can also be transformative for professionals in various fields. In my work as an I/O Psychologist, I’ve integrated sport psychology principles to great effect. I’ve seen how goal setting can turn struggling projects around, how visualization can transform nervous presenters into confident speakers, and how positive self-talk can build a resilient and motivated workforce. I encourage organizations and professionals to explore the intersection of sport psychology and I/O psychology. By embracing these principles, we can create more effective, resilient, and motivated workplaces. Let’s start a conversation about how we can bring the best of sport psychology into our professional lives. How have you used mental strategies in your workplace? What techniques have made a difference for you? Share your thoughts and experiences! #SportPsychology #IOPsychology #WorkplaceWellbeing #MentalSkills #PerformanceEnhancement #Resilience #TeamDynamics

High-Performance Culture: From the Locker Room to the Boardroom There’s a reason so many former athletes land in leadership roles. It’s not just the work ethic or the competitive edge. It’s something deeper—built through pressure, repetition, and the grind of team sports. The same dynamics that create elite locker rooms also shape high-performing executive teams. After years in athletics—and now as an investor—I’ve seen firsthand how sports and business overlap. At Solyco Capital, we don’t just evaluate balance sheets. We evaluate teams: how they communicate, handle pressure, and lead under stress. And time and time again, the best companies resemble the best teams I played on. Here are 4 traits elite athletes bring to business leadership: 1. Mindset: Pressure Is a Privilege Top performers don’t fear pressure—they run toward it. In business, high-stakes decisions are your playoffs. Great teams don’t flinch—they lean in. Growth lives in the stretch zone. 2. Role Clarity: Know Your Job In baseball, every player has a role. Confusion loses games. In business, the same principle applies. Clear roles create speed and trust. At Solyco, we ask: Do the leaders complement each other? Do they stay in their lane and still run the same race? 3. Feedback: Fast, Direct, Unemotional In sports, feedback is constant—and it’s not personal. In business, it’s often delayed or sugar-coated. Great exec teams normalize real-time feedback. One CEO I know runs debriefs like post-game film: no ego, just improvement. 4. Leadership Under Pressure Every team faces adversity. The best leaders stay calm, not loud. They lower the temperature and lead with clarity. In business, that’s often the difference between survival and collapse. Final Whistle Boardrooms aren’t stadiums—but they’re arenas just the same. The leaders who win aren’t always the flashiest. They’re the ones who’ve been coached hard, failed publicly, and bounced back—with more grit than ego. Athletics taught me how to lead, follow, and stay ready. Those lessons shape how I invest, build teams, and lead at Solyco. Because business is a team sport—and the scoreboard never lies. This post reflects personal experience and opinion, not investment advice or the official position of Solyco Capital.

Some lessons can’t be taught in a classroom. I learned them as a college athlete. I thought I was just playing volleyball. Turns out, I was training for the rest of my life. And research backs it up. A recent study by Paul Gompers of 400,000+ Ivy League athletes found that 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿-𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. The reason? Skills like persistence, teamwork, & handling high-pressure situations—things that can’t be learned in a classroom. Here’s 10 ways being a D1 athlete taught me about success, leadership, & resilience: 1 - 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 – Tight games. Split-second decisions. I learned to stay composed, adapt, and execute under stress—just like in leadership, where uncertainty & pressure are constant. 2 - 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 – You don’t quit when it gets hard. You push through, adapt, and find a way forward. Life and leadership require that same grit. 3 - 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Balancing class, practice and life meant I had to prioritize and execute under pressure. In leadership, the stakes are different, but the ability to focus on what truly moves the needle is the same. 4 - 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 – The best athletes take coaching, implement feedback, and improve. The best leaders do the same—seeking guidance, listening actively, & continuously evolving. 5 - 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 & 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘀 – You don’t just show up and succeed. You grind. You prepare. You put in the reps when no one is watching. Leadership is no different—the behind-the-scenes work is what separates those who rise from those who stall. 6 - 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 – Game plans change. Opponents surprise you. The ability to adjust quickly and stay composed is what separates good from great. The same applies in leadership. 7 - 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – Some days, your body is exhausted, your mind is tired, and you don’t feel like showing up. But you do it anyway. That discipline carries over to every aspect of life. 8 - 𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 – Whether on the court or in business, the drive to improve, to push limits, and to win (ethically) is a major advantage. Competition fuels growth. 9 - 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 – Early mornings, grueling workouts. In sports, you don’t dwell—you adjust, learn, and come back stronger. That same mindset has helped me navigate high-stakes business decisions and setbacks. 10 - 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 & 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 – No one wins alone. I learned to push my teammates while holding myself accountable. Now, as a leader, I focus on fostering a culture of ownership, trust, and collaboration. Athletics didn’t just prepare me for games—it prepared me for everything that came after. -- ➕ Follow me Ashley VanderWel

The Surprising Truth About Coaching Elite Athletes: It's Not What You Add, It’s What You Remove If I could return to the start of my coaching career, one lesson would stand out: success with elite athletes isn’t about adding more—it’s about simplifying. At Purple Patch Fitness, I learned that elite performance doesn’t come from piling on more training, intensity, or complexity. Instead, it’s built by removing distractions and mastering the fundamentals, such as: Proper Nutrition: Eating the right calories at the right times. Pacing: Truly going easy in easy sessions. Recovery: Prioritizing post-workout fueling and rest. Hydration: Staying hydrated throughout the day. Year-Round Strength: Maintaining strength training consistently. Sleep: Prioritizing sleep for recovery. Terrain Mastery: Adapting skills to different environments. Athletic IQ: Making smart decisions, especially under fatigue. When I transitioned from coaching individuals to forming the Purple Patch Pro Squad, I introduced a set of non-negotiables called "Nail the Basics." The principle was simple: master the fundamentals first. Only once those were solidified would we consider adding anything new. This laser focus on the basics consistently delivered our athletes 95+% of the way to high performance and race readiness. A standout example is Tim Reed, who built his entire 2016 season on this philosophy. Instead of chasing more, he honed in on the fundamentals—revisiting bike fits, fine-tuning equipment, and resisting the urge to overcomplicate his training. The result? Tim experienced breakthroughs that year, ultimately becoming the IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion. His success was grounded in simplicity, and he has since become a sharp, insightful coach. In today’s world, where distractions and noise are constant, it’s easy to get lost in the details. But when everything becomes a priority, nothing truly is. At Purple Patch, our focus on removing, rather than adding, accelerated performance across the board. The team became a high-performance powerhouse—not because of what we introduced, but because of what we stripped away. In sports, business, or life, the same principle applies. Simplicity drives success. When you remove the noise and focus on what truly matters, world-class performance follows.

Today, I had the privilege of being in a room with three members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team: Rob McClanahan, Buzz Schneider, and John Harrington. These are the individuals who contributed to what is often regarded as the greatest upset in sports history. I initially came for the history, but I left with insights on leadership models. Here are a few key strategies that Herb Brooks implemented: - He didn't just recruit the best players; he focused on the right character; individuals willing to endure challenges and sacrifice personal recognition. - He prioritized conditioning over sheer talent. The team outscored opponents 4:1 in third periods, not due to superior skills, but because they were better prepared. - He took responsibility for every loss, allowing the players to own every victory. - After suffering a 10-3 defeat to the Soviets before the Olympics, he used that experience to build confidence rather than instill fear. The last point is particularly significant. Many organizations view a pre-game blowout as a reason to lower expectations, while Brooks saw it as a valuable scouting report. Herb Brooks never made a bench mistake, not due to luck, but because he prepared for every scenario in advance. This approach transcends hockey; it represents a winning leadership philosophy. Thank you to Patrick Klinger for hosting me at The Capital Club, and to Joe Schmit, CSP for an insightful panel discussion. Reflecting on this, who in your career exemplified this kind of leadership; taking the blame, giving credit, and preparing as if the moment was already upon them?

🏃♂️ THE ELITE MINDSET: LESSONS FROM SUB-3 HOUR MARATHONERS Had the privilege of hosting two exceptional individuals on DFW Running Talk: Brent Woodle (2:28 marathoner) and Javier Trilla (2:50 marathoner). What struck me wasn't just their incredible athletic achievements, but how their approach to running mirrors their professional success. Key insights on excellence that translate across domains: 1. Consistency Over Motivation "It's an atomic habits thing," Brent explains about his 120-mile training weeks. "If you do something every day for a while, you'll get very good at that thing." Sound familiar, business leaders? 2. Data-Driven Performance Both runners meticulously track their training, nutrition, and recovery - the same analytical approach that drives business success. They understand that what gets measured gets managed. 3. Embracing Discomfort "Winter's the best training, but it is the hardest," says Javier. Elite performers don't wait for perfect conditions - they excel despite challenges. 4. Community Leadership From mentoring new runners to building training groups, they understand that lifting others helps everyone rise. True leadership isn't just about personal achievement. 5. Strategic Long-Term Planning Their marathon preparation mirrors project management - detailed planning, risk management, and execution strategies, all while maintaining flexibility. The parallels between athletic and professional excellence are clear: whether you're chasing a sub-3 hour marathon or leading a business transformation, success comes from consistent effort, strategic planning, and embracing challenges. Links to the podcast in the comments! #Leadership #Excellence #Performance #RunningCommunity #BusinessSuccess #ElitePerformance #PersonalDevelopment #community

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. The Myth Many assume that athletic success translates to social ease. High-profile athletes appear surrounded by admirers, teammates, and opportunities for connection. This visibility creates an illusion of robust social networks and relationship satisfaction. The Truth Our clinical experience reveals a different story. Athletes frequently present with: • Difficulty forming authentic connections beyond their sport identity • Challenges navigating relationships outside the structured team environment • Limited experience with vulnerability and emotional intimacy • Struggles with trust, often unsure if relationships are genuine or transactional Why does this happen? Time Investment Disparity: Elite athletic development requires 10,000+ hours of focused training, often at the expense of social skill development during critical adolescent years. Identity Fusion: When athletic identity becomes primary, athletes may struggle to connect as whole persons rather than just their sport persona. Hypercompetitive Mindset: The competitive framework that drives athletic success can inadvertently create barriers to the cooperation and compromise essential in relationships. Performance Pressure: The constant evaluation inherent in athletics can make athletes hesitant to show vulnerability, which is a cornerstone of meaningful relationships. Clinical Implications: The athletes who appear most connected may actually need the most support in developing authentic, lasting relationships beyond the field.

As I prepare to step back into the Olympic energy sphere in Milan, I've been revisiting the books that shaped how I trained. This one was a game changer. Terry Orlick's "In Pursuit of Excellence." Orlick wasn't just an academic. He spent 40+ years working with Olympic athletes, astronauts, surgeons, fighter pilots, & classical musicians. J. David Creswell & Douglas Jowdy (Both my mindfulness & performance mentors) instructed me to immerse myself into the pages of knowledge within this book. It was transformative & just as powerful then as it is today. The core idea is simple but challenging to execute: Mental skills are trainable. Focus, commitment, resilience - these aren't just traits you're born with. They're skills you develop through deliberate practice, the same way you develop physical skills. A few concepts that still guide me: 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲. Orlick's term for "act on your decisions now." Not tomorrow. Not when conditions are perfect or when you think you are ready but Now. The gap between deciding & doing is where most dreams die. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹. Elite performers don't have fewer distractions. They recover from distraction faster. The ability to notice you've drifted & return to the task - that's the real skill. The tennis player constantly looking to his/her racquet after a great shot or a terrible one? Not to actually change the string positioning, rather it's a reset tool. A clearing of the slate & fresh mind. Not always perfect focus. 𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵 refocus. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Every performance - good or less than- contains useful information. The discipline is extracting what worked & what needs adjustment without emotional spiraling. In 2026 the world's greatest competitors are highly data dependent. Harness Data, not drama. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. Most people are partially committed to too many things. Orlick found that the highest performers had unusual clarity about what they were willing to sacrifice and what they weren't. No ambiguity. We must be crystallizing something until it's burned into your soul. The mental game hasn't changed much since he wrote this book. It's an instant classic & extremely valuable today. Our distractions have multiplied, & our attention has fragmented. Our commitment has become diluted across infinite options & the digi-ceuticals deploying tasty chemicals into our brains instantly without effort. But the fundamentals remain: Decide. Focus. Extract the lesson. Recommit. If you work with your mind for a living - & I'd argue everyone of us do- these tactics are worth your time. Pick ONE specific mental skill to work on through these Olympics. Write daily notes about progress or stagnation - revisit end of month. Are you in pursuit of excellence? --AAO