How to Master Your Mindset & Perform Under Pressure with Dr Scott Whitfield | Coaches Corner Ep. 6

Is your mindset holding you back from performing at your best? 🧠 What separates those who perform under pressure from those who struggle when it matters most? Is it confidence, motivation, mental toughness, or simply understanding yourself better? In Episode 6 of Coaches Corner with Blair & Bags, we're joined by Dr Scott Whitfield, a sport and performance psychologist based in Dubai, to explore the psychology behind high performance, mental resilience and the practical tools we can use to perform better in sport and everyday life. Scott explains why self-awareness is the foundation of high performance, and why the principles of performance psychology apply whether you're racing a marathon, leading a team or facing a challenging situation in life. We discuss how to prepare mentally for competition, develop confidence, manage discomfort and build habits that help you perform when it matters most. But it's not all theory! Scott also shares his own experience of running the Berlin Marathon, how he approached the race mentally, the strategies he used to stay calm and confident, and what those difficult final kilometres taught him about managing discomfort and learning from the experience. In this episode: • Why self-awareness is the foundation of high performance • The difference between motivation, courage and confidence • How to use visualisation and mental rehearsal before a race • Breaking overwhelming goals into manageable steps • Why deliberate friction can help you build better habits • Building mental resilience and learning to tolerate discomfort • How to prepare for pressure in running, sport and everyday life • Why journaling and reflection can turn setbacks into progress • How parents and coaches can create better performance environments • Scott's Berlin Marathon experience and the mental strategies he used • Why high performance is rarely a straight line One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that mental performance isn't just about being tougher. It's about understanding yourself, preparing properly and learning from every experience. Whether you're chasing a marathon PB, struggling with self-doubt, trying to build confidence or simply looking to get more out of yourself, there's plenty to take away from this conversation. A massive thank you to Scott for joining us and sharing his experiences, both as a performance psychologist and a marathon runner. About our guest: Dr Scott Whitfield is a sport and performance psychologist based in Dubai, working with athletes, students, executives and other high-pressure performers to develop self-awareness, resilience and practical strategies for high performance. -- Subscribe for more conversations around running, marathon training, sports psychology, coaching, performance and the people behind the sport. 👇 What's the biggest mental challenge you face when training or racing? #CoachesCorner #SportsPsychology #RunningMindset #PerformancePsychology #MarathonTraining #RunningPodcast