Harnessing Neurochemistry for Motivation and Mental Fitness

Unknown Speaker

It’s 5:30 AM. The alarm on the phone shrieks.

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And for our cyclist, let’s call her Alex, this is where the first battle of the day is fought.

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Not on the road, but in the neurochemical soup of her own mind.

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That jarring sound triggers an immediate spike in Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. The first primal instinct, driven by ancient survival software, is to make the stress stop. To hit snooze. To retreat.

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But then, another system boots up. Through the fog of sleep, Alex’s conscious mind recalls the goal—that big Century Ride in July.

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Just visualising that future success delivers a small but crucial pulse of Dopamine.

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It’s her brain's "up-to-date software" starting to run, and it's just enough to power the decision to swing her legs out of bed.

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Instinctively, Alex reaches for her phone.

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The screen lights up, flashing those little red notification badges. Each one is a tiny, expertly engineered promise of a novel Dopamine hit. But today, Alex makes a conscious choice. She ignores the tempting red dots and taps open her TrainingPeaks app. That single, deliberate act is a massive neurochemical victory.

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In the kitchen, the ritual of making coffee—the smell, the familiar actions—is a calming, rewarding sequence.

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Downstairs, she changes into her cycling kit, a powerful cue that primes the brain for the task ahead. She pulls out a sports drink, pre-made the night before. A gift from her past-Sage to her present-self, removing a point of friction, keeping the path to the bike easy.

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Clipping in, the first five minutes are tough with predictable attacks from her Avoider and Judge saboteurs. But as she settles and starts hitting the power targets on the screen, her brain’s reward system comes alive on HER terms.

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Each completed interval releases a reinforcing hit of Dopamine. As the session deepens, Endorphins begin to flow, masking the burn in her legs.

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By the cool-down, she’s flooded with a powerful cocktail of pride and accomplishment—a well-earned hit of Serotonin that will set the positive tone for her entire day.

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Alex just won a crucial neurochemical battle before the sun even came up.

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So, how did YOUR morning go?

Unknown Speaker

Hello, and a very warm welcome to The MindFit Athlete podcast! I'm John, and it’s brilliant to have your company today.

Scott Lewis

And I'm Scott. Our goal is to help inspire busy people—people just like you, to weave the core sports of triathlon into a life that's not just healthier, but happier and more fulfilled.

Emily Carter

Hi Everyone. I'm Emily! And I’ll tell you what, that story about Alex’s morning really hits home. Some mornings, that battle with the snooze button is the hardest interval of the day! But we’re so glad you’re here with us.

Emily Carter

Today, we're taking a deep dive into the invisible puppeteers that shape our daily lives: and we'll focus particularly on a little chemical called dopamine.

Emily Carter

From the moment Alex woke up, every choice was subtly guided by these chemical messengers.

Emily Carter

It's the force that made her want to check her phone, but also the force that motivated her to get on the bike...

Emily Carter

We hope, by the end of this episode, you'll understand just how important neurochemicals are for living the life you want.

Unknown Speaker

Now, obviously, the brain is complex with a vast ocean of neurochemicals with complicated names like glutamate, G A B A, and norepinephrine. BUT there are a group of four that are often grouped together as the primary drivers of our feelings of happiness, connection, and motivation.

Scott Lewis

As a PQ Coach, I often think of these as the neurochemical ingredients for a flourishing life. Understanding their roles can help you, as an athlete and a person, to consciously cultivate states of well-being and peak performance.

Scott Lewis

Let's run through them and we'll start with the star of today's show: Dopamine.

Emily Carter

Yes! It's often called the "pleasure chemical," but it's more accurate to call it the "Motivation Molecule." It's all about anticipation and reward. It's the feeling of "I want this," whether "this" is a finish line or just completing a project at work.

Emily Carter

It’s the thrill of seeing the finish line in the distance that gives you the surge to get there.

Scott Lewis

And then you have Serotonin. I like to call this the "Confidence Molecule." Serotonin is linked to feelings of pride, status, and calm confidence. It's that quiet satisfaction you feel after a consistently good block of training. It’s not a loud cheer, but a deep, inner sense of "I've got this."

Scott Lewis

This is the chemical that counters that feeling of "not being good enough."

Emily Carter

I love this next one: Oxytocin, the "Bonding Molecule." It’s often called the "love hormone," and it’s all about connection and trust. For us athletes, it’s the camaraderie with your training partners. It’s the high-five after a tough set, or the hug from a loved one at the finish line. It reinforces that you are safe, supported, and part of a tribe.

Unknown Speaker

And finally, Endorphins, the "Pain-Masking Molecule." These are your body's natural pain relievers. They are famously associated with the "runner's high," allowing you to push beyond your perceived limits by temporarily dulling the pain signals.

Scott Lewis

So, let's take a race or training session as an example of how this all works. The session has at least one goal that we want to achieve... and probably more than one.

Scott Lewis

Dopamine is going to play a big part in motivating us to keep going, stride after stride and get the session done. But there's also a further dopamine spike when we achieve the goal.

Scott Lewis

In fact, there's a fusion of several neurochemicals that create the feeling you get at the end of a workout or race.

Scott Lewis

Dopamine gives you an immediate, reinforcing spike of success...

Scott Lewis

Serotonin provides the lasting glow of pride and confidence...

Scott Lewis

Endorphins deliver a wave of euphoric relief from the effort...

Scott Lewis

And Oxytocin deepens the joy through connection with others.

Emily Carter

And there are others in the mix too.

Emily Carter

Norepinephrine has been with you throughout the session keeping you alert, vigilant, and focused. When you cross the line, the sudden drop in the need for that intense focus contributes to the feeling of release and relief.

Emily Carter

And my personal favourite, Anandamide.

Emily Carter

It’s literally named after the Sanskrit word for "bliss." It works by dampening pain signals and producing a feeling of calm and well-being. Unlike endorphins, it can cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to more significant psychological effects like reduced anxiety and a sense of bliss.

Emily Carter

When you cross that finish line, the lingering presence of Anandamide is a major contributor to that feeling of peaceful, blissful euphoria.

Unknown Speaker

And this brings us to a crucial point that is so often missed. These neurochemicals create FEELINGS.

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As Emily just said, Serotonin gave us the feeling of pride and confidence. Anandamide gives us the feeling of bliss.

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I want you to pause for a moment and really consider how feelings are the reason we do anything. Feelings drive our actions.

Unknown Speaker

As athletes we run, cycle and swim because of how we know we will feel when we do it. Humans only ever do anything because of how it will make them feel.

Scott Lewis

And the feeling we want is not created directly by the action we take... it's neurochemically created. Just think about that. When you run, you set up the situation for your neurochemistry to give you the feeling that motivates you to run.

Unknown Speaker

All the actions we take are based on how we expect to feel after we complete them. Your brain would never choose on its own to run a marathon, much less an Ultra or an Ironman. These are crazy things to do. They're painful, they use energy, they are actually risky to our health.

Emily Carter

But you CHOOSE to do them because you’ve found a way to link the act of training to a powerful purpose, a way to get this incredible neurochemical reward. You’ve found a way to override the default programming that says... "This is nuts!!" Instead, you found a way to create the neurological conditions that make you feel great.

Unknown Speaker

Your brain really didn't want you to do this, but you've created a deliberate re-frame that makes your chosen purpose or goal more important than "staying safe in the cave."

Scott Lewis

And YOUR purpose is YOUR business. It only matters because it matters to you.

Emily Carter

YES, that's right Scott. It could be anything that's important to YOU.

Emily Carter

But the point is you have found a way to get the neurochemical system to work in a way that SUPPORTS you. This is exactly the same in our PQ practice. When we "celebrate" catching a Saboteur or "celebrate" the completion of a PQ Rep, we are giving ourselves a miniature version of this incredible reward cocktail. Strengthening the mental muscles we all need to flourish.

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Let’s step back for a moment and be clear on the circumstances that give us our dopamine.

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Firstly, we get it from food. A dopamine spike when we eat sugary and fatty foods, which were scarce and valuable for survival in our evolutionary past.

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We get it from positive social experiences.

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And physical activity. Exercise is a well-known natural mood booster.

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Then we have the sense of accomplishment from completing a task, big or small.

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And finally, experiencing new things, exploring new environments.

Scott Lewis

I wonder if you saw how some of these dopamine sources also map to particular Saboteurs?

Scott Lewis

For example, completing tasks is exactly what drives a Hyper-Achiever. New things are perfect for the Restless. And positive social experiences are just what the Pleaser is searching for. I won't go further right now but keep these links in mind.

Emily Carter

John, that list you gave is really interesting. From an evolutionary perspective, dopamine has been instrumental in our survival. The "wanting" it generates propelled our ancestors to seek out essential resources. But can you see a possible conflict of interest here?

Emily Carter

If our brain evolved in an environment full of risk and unpredictable resources... the very modern concept of a one-litre tub of triple chocolate chip ice cream is ridiculous.

Emily Carter

It's like our brain has no strategy to deal with the ice cream. It just does what it's designed to do. Dopamine encourages us to anticipate the taste... then when that spoonful is eaten we get a powerful reward cocktail. That dopamine anticipation and reward loop encourages the next spoonful... and the next, and the next.

Scott Lewis

The tub of ice cream is a perfect example of where our evolved "software" is totally at odds with our best interests.

Scott Lewis

Can you see how this helps understand why you sometimes do something, even when you know you shouldn't? You promise yourself just one scoop, but find your hand reaching for a second, almost against your will.

Scott Lewis

It might be a shock to you to learn that, sometimes at least, your brain is acting against you?

Unknown Speaker

And that, right there, is the essence of what Positive Intelligence calls self-sabotage. It's your brain acting against your own best interests. And it's why self-compassion is so important.

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We are often arguing with a powerful, hidden chemical conversation that's been millions of years in the making. Can you see now why it might feel so hard to do the "right" thing?

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So... lets take a two minute break. We will be right back after this.

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Did you see how this song was designed?

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Think of your favourite song...

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Chances are it's got a catchy "hook" in the chorus? A musical hook is a short, memorable musical or lyrical phrase that grabs your attention. There were loads of them in our intermission. Well that "hook" works principally because of dopamine.

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Our brains are incredible prediction machines. They love patterns and are constantly trying to anticipate what's coming next. A well-crafted pop song with a strong hook plays into this perfectly.

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The verse builds anticipation, and when that familiar, catchy chorus—the hook—arrives, our brain's prediction is confirmed. This confirmation triggers a release of dopamine.

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So if you found yourself foot tapping with that tune, getting "in sync" with the song's vibe and it made you feel happy... Then the pleasure you felt was from a neurochemical reward.

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The more you listened to the song, the more your brain anticipated the rewarding hooks. And you got that tiny dopamine hit every time....

Scott Lewis

I want for us to explore the connection between neurochemistry and the Positive Intelligence Saboteurs. In PQ there are 10 Saboteurs, and you can take the saboteur assessment for yourself at PositiveIntelligence.Com.

Scott Lewis

It's free and confidential.

Emily Carter

Saboteurs operate at an emotional level. They are designed to make us feel better: safer, more secure, more comfortable. So for Saboteurs like the Hyper-Vigilant, Judge, or Victim, the payoff is the neurochemistry of relief.

Emily Carter

When you engage in worrying or self-criticism, this is a strategy designed to reduce a bigger perceived threat like an unpleasant surprise or failure. If the brain perceives the strategy as "working," it can be rewarded by a reduction in stress hormones like cortisol.

Emily Carter

In this case the "reward" isn't joy... it's the sigh of relief that comes from feeling slightly less unsafe.

Scott Lewis

For the Hyper-Rational or Controller, the payoff is the neurochemistry of "order".

Scott Lewis

Brains are endlessly making predictions on what might happen next so when we impose a rigid, logical framework or take control of a situation, we reduce the processing demand on our brain.

Scott Lewis

This quieting of "mental static" is an inherently rewarding state change. It’s also where we need a more nuanced view of dopamine. Like we said, it's not just a "pleasure molecule"; it's a "motivation and reinforcement molecule." It gets released to say, "That strategy worked; do it again."

Unknown Speaker

So every Saboteur payoff has its neurochemical signature. Our brain is fundamentally a threat-reduction machine.

Unknown Speaker

Any action that successfully reduces a perceived threat is neurochemically reinforced, even if the action itself feels negative.

Emily Carter

Here's each Saboteur in turn.

Emily Carter

The Avoider.. the Avoider gets an immediate reward by avoiding an unpleasant task: a sharp drop in Cortisol. That powerful feeling of relief is highly addictive.

Emily Carter

The Controller forces control onto a situation and reduces the brain's discomfort with uncertainty. This creation of order is its own reward, providing a hit of Serotonin for being "in charge."

Emily Carter

The Hyper-Achiever is hooked on a potent cocktail of external validation. It’s driven by the constant pursuit of Dopamine from hitting goals and Serotonin from the status that comes with success.

Emily Carter

The Hyper-Rational avoids the messy pain of emotions. It achieves a rewarding state of order and a steady drip of Serotonin from the feeling of intellectual superiority.

Emily Carter

The Hyper-Vigilant exchanges the terrifying fear of the unknown for the exhausting but familiar state of chronic anxiety. Constant worrying feels like "doing something," providing neurochemical relief.

Emily Carter

The Pleaser is desperately trying to engineer an Oxytocin hit by gaining others' approval, and is reinforced by the relief that comes from avoiding conflict.

Emily Carter

The Restless is a pure Dopamine chaser, addicted to the spike that comes from seeking the next novel thing.

Emily Carter

The Stickler needs perfectionism to feel safe. The reward is the deep relief from creating order and avoiding the intense anxiety it feels when things are "wrong."

Emily Carter

The Victim its primary reward is the relief from taking responsibility. It also uses its helpless posture as a misguided strategy to solicit care from others, aiming for an Oxytocin release.

Unknown Speaker

You can see how a brain evolved for safety uses neurochemicals to drive our behaviours. No matter that the "threats" in today's modern world are utterly different.

Unknown Speaker

Each saboteur offers us their version of a route to safety but it's an empty, or even damaging, "False win." The Pleaser pleases to win approval, but it results in the opposite. They come across as inauthentic and needy, which reduces trust.

Scott Lewis

Just to illustrate that "False win" point, let's take the example of an email "ping."

Scott Lewis

That sound is an external cue that bypasses your conscious, rational brain.

Scott Lewis

It triggers your Restless saboteur. The dopamine hit you get is for the anticipation of a potential reward, not the reward itself.

Scott Lewis

It's a craving that drives the action. Even if the email contains good news, the entire event was a distraction.

Scott Lewis

It took you away from your intended focus, leaked mental energy, and likely triggered your Judge later for getting off track. The pleasure is "False" because it ultimately doesn't serve your true, long-term interests.

Unknown Speaker

So, how do we break this cycle? It seems the only way is to make a conscious choice NOT to default to your Saboteur programming. Instead of a "False win," choose a "Conscious Win."

Unknown Speaker

Here's what I mean. Let's say I struggle with maintaining my PQ Practice. I firstly need to be aware of my resistance. I'm noticing it feels harder than it should, and I know that's because I'm hijacked by my Avoider.

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When I notice this, I pause. I "celebrate" catching my Avoider and just take a moment to get grounded with a few PQ Reps.

Unknown Speaker

I'll probably take time to remind myself of my "Why." My personal reasons that PQ Practice adds to my quality of life. Before my PQ Practice becomes habitual, I know I'll be vulnerable to my Avoider and Judge, so I need to train my brain to deliver dopamine to motivate me to do the PQ Rep.

Unknown Speaker

My initial motivation for a PQ Practice is low. But by consciously choosing to do it and then immediately celebrating it, I am manually building a new reward loop. I am teaching my brain to associate dopamine with the act of self-command, not the act of distraction. Over time, the motivation to do PQ becomes intrinsic.

Emily Carter

And the rewards from designing these "conscious wins" are far greater than "False wins."

Emily Carter

By choosing a more Sage path, you get the pride (Serotonin), the satisfaction (Dopamine), and the self-compassion (Oxytocin) from the celebration.

Scott Lewis

PLUS the physiological benefits: a decrease in cortisol, an increase in Heart Rate Variability, and the profound calm from activating your parasympathetic nervous system. The "False Win" path leaves you with a net energy deficit. The "Conscious Win" path leaves you with a net energy surplus.

Unknown Speaker

This is actually the entire goal of our work in PQ coaching. It's about recognizing the "False wins" our Saboteurs offer and mastering the skill of self-command to choose those deep, lasting "conscious wins." This is what builds resilience, enhances performance, and leads to sustained well-being.

Emily Carter

Let's ground this in the real world for our listener. Here's a common "False Win" scenario: After a hard workout, your depleted brain screams for high-sugar, high-fat food for a quick dopamine hit. Your Avoider wants to skip cooking. You eat the pizza, you get the immediate reward, but it undermines your recovery.

Scott Lewis

And here's the "Conscious Win" version of this. You prepare your healthy recovery meal before your workout. You make the right choice the easy choice. While you're training, you visualise enjoying that meal, feeling your body getting stronger. You are proactively directing your Dopamine system towards the reward you truly want.

Unknown Speaker

Here's another one: Strength and Conditioning. My Avoider hates it! It's uncomfortable, it feels like a distraction. The "False Win" is skipping it and getting that immediate relief.

Unknown Speaker

The "Conscious Win"? I schedule it like a non-negotiable appointment. And I use the 'boring' bits, like holding a stretch, to practice a few PQ Reps—just focusing on my breath or the sounds around me. I turn downtime into mental fitness training. It shifts the experience from boredom to self-command, which provides its own positive neurochemical reward!

Emily Carter

My perfect example for this has to do with sleep.

Emily Carter

Engaging in late-night social media scrolling feeds my Restless brain with novel information, which leads to small dopamine hits that keep me hooked. But this behaviour disrupts my body’s natural melatonin production. I feel far worse the next day.

Emily Carter

A "conscious win" for me is a black & white rule: No phones after 9 pm. This sets me up for a great tomorrow.

Unknown Speaker

What's essential to recognize with "conscious wins" is that they don't happen by accident. You need to make them happen.

Unknown Speaker

You need to choose them. They are creative, not reactive. In order to have them happen and become habits, you need the help of your dopamine system, and that's where celebration comes in.

Scott Lewis

So, why is this so hard for adults?

Scott Lewis

When I'm coaching an athlete I ask them to consciously find three good things about a workout and add that to TrainingPeaks. But there is such resistance.

Emily Carter

And this is crazy, as the science tells us the "three good things" practice helps build an optimistic explanatory style. By consciously focusing on what went well, you're training yourself to see success as something that is internal: "I was strong today," or "I really focused on my technique."

Emily Carter

This shift is crucial because it directly impacts your motivation and resilience. It's the foundation of mental toughness.

Unknown Speaker

Right. But I have to be really honest here. When I first heard about the PQ practice of "celebrating" these small wins... I was VERY resistant. I thought it was all a bit too... well, a bit too "Californian." Sorry, Emily

Emily Carter

I get it, John!

Scott Lewis

It’s not an easy thing for us Brits. There’s a cultural thing about humility and not making a fuss.

Unknown Speaker

My Judge was just screaming, "Oh, come on! 'Celebrate' putting your trainers on? That's ridiculous. Just get on with it!"

Unknown Speaker

The Judge’s real motivation was to keep me in that familiar, stoic pattern of just "sucking it up," because it mistakenly believes that harshness is what keeps me safe.

Unknown Speaker

But I realized that the practice doesn't actually care what word I use.

Unknown Speaker

It cares about the function: the conscious, embodied act of positively marking a small win to create that reward of Dopamine and Serotonin. So, I swapped the word "celebrate" for a word that felt authentic to me: "Acknowledge."

Emily Carter

That is such a powerful reframe. If you have a problem with the word "celebrate," then this is our invitation to you. You don't have to adopt anyone else's language. Find a word or phrase that feels true for you.

Emily Carter

Maybe it's "acknowledge" ...

Emily Carter

or maybe it's "You made it happen - well done." ...

Emily Carter

Or "Nice work" or... "Way to go!"

Emily Carter

The goal is the same: to consciously give yourself that hit of positive reinforcement. To get the dopamine working for you.

Emily Carter

So, taking back control starts with the pause. The moment to consciously notice and acknowledge a small win. It doesn’t need a parade.

Scott Lewis

During a tough training set, in the 30-second rest between swim reps, it can be a simple, internal remark. Yeah, just a quiet, "Nice one." "Solid." "I've got this," or even just, "That's another one down, we're going great" That’s all it takes.

Emily Carter

And, of course (as I'm Californian) there are times I want to deepen this practice... again building on what we learned from our neurochemistry.

Emily Carter

So, I borrow from the incredible work of Dr. Kristin Neff on self-compassion.

Emily Carter

As you say that quiet phrase to yourself, you can add a simple, supportive physical gesture.

Emily Carter

Place a hand on your opposite shoulder. Or a light tap of your fist over your heart or even a gentle self-hug.

Emily Carter

This act of supportive touch engages your body's soothing system and can stimulate Oxytocin. It adds a powerful layer of genuine self-care to the win.

Unknown Speaker

Our brains are running an ancient operating system, brilliantly engineered for survival on a physical savannah. But today, we live in a digital jungle where the "ping" of a notification is the new rustle in the grass, expertly designed to hijack our unconscious survival drives.

Unknown Speaker

This is the great, paradox of modern life: the very systems that ensured our survival are now the agents of our distraction.

Scott Lewis

And that's why this work is so vital. It’s about You seizing the controls.

Scott Lewis

So, as we sign off, remember this: every circumstance in your life is going to evoke a neurochemical response. That response is either going to be the default, or it’s going to be conscious.

Scott Lewis

It's either going to serve you, or it's not.

Emily Carter

It's like the car is leaving but It’s up to you if you are the driver, or the driven.

Unknown Speaker

Thank you so much for joining us on The MindFit Athlete podcast. We hope this episode has encouraged you to choose the "conscious wins" that will support you in sport and in life.

Unknown Speaker

I've been John.

Emily Carter

And I've been Emily. We’ll see you next time. Take care of yourselves!

Scott Lewis

Stay safe everyone & keep well.