MindStrong #174 - Clay Stephens - Why We Need To Let Go of Perfection
Clay Stephens is a gymnast on the Australian Olympic team. Having competed in the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, he has done all this while overcoming the condition, Poland Syndrome (the same as Lewis).
Expect to hear about:
[00:00] Introduction
[04:07] Clay and Lewis’ relationship with Poland Syndrome
[07:14] What stories are you telling yourself?
[13:02] Body Dysmorphia in men
[15:24] How to have a better relationship with the voices in your head
[18:55] Managing stress and conflict with humor
[21:50] There’s no such thing as perfect
[24:21] What Clay does differently compared to other athletes
[28:56] Lewis’ admiration for gymnastics
[32:10] The stretching and warming up side of gymnastics
[35:55] How to manage injuries as an athlete
[37:20] Building confidence after a nasty injury
[40:29] Why having fun in sports is crucial for athletes
[46:05] How to overcome mental blocks after an injury
[50:18] The mental process of executing a gymnastic move
[54:58] How to fix your relationship with perfectionism
[58:01] Clay’s relationship with failure
[01:03:12] Good coaches know how to balance critiques and praise
[01:08:41] Building the best team environment for athletes
[01:11:38] What businesses can learn from sports about culture
[01:14:47] Playing through pain
[01:19:05] Understand that you don’t have to live in pain forever
[01:24:21] The difference between experience and performance
[01:31:05] Ways to become an adaptable perfectionist
[01:35:31] Sports environments shaping who we are
[01:37:17] Parting thoughts Get my Free Friday email 'The Game Plan': https://www.lewishatchett.com/the-game-plan Join the MindStrong Academy (14-Day Free Trial): mindstrong.lewishatchett.com Connect with Lewis at: TikTok: @lewis_hatchett Instagram: @lewishatchett For more on the podcast visit http://www.lewishatchett.com/podcast Contact the show at podcast@lewishatchett.com