Are you really listening?
(And WTF’s that got to do with Sports Performance?)
Have you ever been in a conversation and felt like the other person wasn’t really there?
You could see the whirr of their mind as they drifted off. Or they rushed to say something that had nothing to do with what you’d just shared. I imagine you have. And if we’re being honest, you’ve probably also been that person, half-listening while mentally crafting your response. We’ve all done it.
Now think about that one friend, relative, or teammate who listens differently. They’re completely present. You feel the difference. You feel seen, heard beyond just the words.
So What Does This Have to Do with Performance?
Fair question.
What’s listening got to do with sport, competition, or mental performance?
More than you might think.
Because true listening, deep, present, instinctive listening, is actually the foundation of peak performance. If you’ve followed my work, you’ve probably heard me talk about the intelligence that reveals itself when the mind settles. That part of you that knows exactly what to do. The flow that doesn’t need managing.
We perform best not when we’re trying to control everything, but when we’re listening. To our body. To the moment. To something deeper.
But Here’s Where We Get Caught
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need another “how-to.”
How to quiet the mind.
How to get in the zone.
How to stop overthinking.
Innocently, we act like that deeper intelligence isn’t already there and working. But it is. Constantly.
The real question isn’t how to access it.
It’s this: Are you listening?
Listening Isn’t Just Outward
This goes beyond conversations with others. Because the moment one ends, the conversation in your own head begins.
And how you listen to that voice matters.
Are you listening to fix it?
To control it?
Or to understand?
Because there’s a huge difference.
Performance as a Feeling
What I’m seeing more and more through my own practice and with athletes I coach is this: we’re constantly being guided through feeling.
When we’re off-track, life feels heavy. Full of effort. Confusion. Noise.
When we’re aligned, there’s ease. Flow. Unexpected results unfold.
I know athletes who’ve spent years listening deeply in sport. They don’t even realise they’re doing it. Ask them how they access that state and they’ll look at you blankly. Because it’s not a technique. It’s who they are when they’re not overthinking.
Sometimes they lose touch with that. Things get noisy. They come to me full of effort, trying to figure it all out. But the return is never about adding. It’s about listening.
The Truth Is, This Is Natural
When we listen, really listen, we return to psychological balance. We remember how things work. And from there, just like riding a bike, we naturally find our footing again. Not because we followed a checklist, but because balance is built in.
If that sounds too simple, it’s because it is.
If it sounds implausible given your current chaos, then I’d invite you to pause.
And listen.
Not for answers.
But for that deeper, more settled feeling underneath it all.
From that space, you’ll know. Not just what to do, but what’s possible.
With deep gratitude and credit to the work and wisdom of Mavis Karn, Darragh Power, Nikon Gormley and Martin Dara.
