Fortitude 365

In the world we put a premium on high performance, whether in sports or any demanding endeavor, stress is often seen as the enemy. We’re told to calm down, relax, and avoid discomfort. Yet, this common advice might be holding us back from growth. Stress, when properly understood and managed, can be a powerful tool to enhance both mental performance and improve mental health. “Bravery isn’t the absence of discomfort. It’s feeling uncomfortable and doing it anyway.” Trevor Ragan What We Get...

“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” - Dan Millman Overthinking kills confidence faster than failure ever could! Every athlete faces pressure - but overthinking turns pressure into paralysis. It’s the silent opponent in your head that makes you hesitate when you should react, tighten up when you should be loose, and question what you already know how to do. The problem isn’t the situation - it’s your mind making it more complicated than it...

“What you think affects how you feel, and how you feel affects how you perform.” — Aaron Beck, In sport, thoughts move fast. Under pressure, they move even faster. Some help. Some hurt. And some, if left unchecked they kill performance. We refer to these as ANTs: Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the rapid, often subconscious self-talk statements that pop up before, during, and after competition. Everyone has them, even elite athletes. But the amount and volume of ANTs tends to spike...

In sport, not everyone gets to start. And sometimes, you may not even be selected to play at all and you are a “healthy scratch.” For competitive and elite athletes, these moments can sting. They can make you question your role, your value, and even your identity as a player. When you’re playing at a high level, the stakes feel even higher. Your sport is a major part of your life. But here’s the truth: being benched or scratched isn’t the end of your story. How you respond can either drain...

While nutrition, strength training, and recovery are critical, there’s an often-overlooked factor sabotaging mental performance and health: mobile phone dependence (MPD). In today’s digital era, smartphones are essential for communication, entertainment, and even training tools. But excessive use—especially before training, competition, or sleep—can impair reaction time, increase mental fatigue, disrupt sleep, and erode self-control. The research is clear: mobile phone dependence is a silent...

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson On the left they look ready to workout, but are they ready to compete, battle, deal with the discomfort of doing hard things? In sport, it’s easy to fall into the trap of looking ready. The gear is on point. The warm-up looks smooth. The attitude appears dialled in. But when the competition actually starts, when intensity spikes, things get messy, and decisions need to happen in real time, looking the part doesn’t matter....

As a parent of competitive or high-performance athletes, you understand the importance of hard work, dedication, and discipline. But there's one crucial aspect of your athlete's performance that often goes overlooked – SLEEP - the number 1 recovery tool. In this article, we will look into the profound impact of sleep on athletic performance and why it should be a top priority for you to support your competitive or high performance athlete. The Athlete's Daily Grind Life as a competitive or...

You’ve probably heard your coach say it more than once: “Act like a pro.” But what does that actually mean? Why do coaches constantly use this phrase, and why does it matter to performance? The truth is, acting like a pro has little to do with money, contracts, or fame. It’s about building the mindset, habits, and consistency that allow you to perform your best, every single day. Coaches want these mental performance factors in your game because they know it will help you be consistent and...

In high performance sport, athletes don’t just show up. they show up with purpose. The idea of a “job description” for athletes might sound unusual at first. After all, sport is supposed to be fun, right? But the truth is, elite performance and mental wellbeing thrive in environments with clarity, structure, and intention. Knowing exactly what’s expected, both on and off the field play can provide athletes with the mental scaffolding to excel, grow, and stay grounded. What the GOAT's Say: 🏊♂️...

The Top 10 Things to Avoid During Tryouts – And How to Set Yourself Up for Mental & Performance Success Tryouts are one of the most mentally intense parts of being an athlete. Your skills, preparation, and mindset are on display—and every decision, movement, and moment of focus counts. While talent and training matter, your mental performance can be the difference between blending in and standing out. Here’s the truth: the athletes who thrive in tryouts are not necessarily the most gifted,...