In this episode I speak with former Olympic rower, Annie Vernon. Annie is an Olympic silver medallist and two-time World Champion. She is now a respected sports journalist and has just written a fantastic book entitled Mind Games - Determination, Doubt and Lucky Socks: An Insider's Guide to the Psychology of Elite Athletes. Through interviews with leading sports stars and the latest scientific research, Mind Games looks at how elite sports performers harness the power of their mind in pursuit of physical perfection.

We speak about the experience of seeing a sport psychologist; nature vs nurture; ‘talent needs trauma’; conscientiousness; the importance of experience; competitiveness; motivation and mental qualities of elite athletes.