Peak performance isn’t about training harder or longer. Over years of competition, setbacks, and reflection, I discovered that it comes down to adjusting four key levers. Each lever influences the others, and together they create the state where you perform at your very best.
Think of it like a soundboard — if one lever is too high or too low, the whole mix feels off. But when you balance them, the music flows.
This framework grew from my own lived experiences — years of trial, error, and discovery on the tournament floor. Some lessons came painfully, others clicked unexpectedly. I share them so you can get there faster.
It also echoes what top coaches and thinkers across history have said, showing us that while tools may change, the fundamentals of peak performance remain timeless.
1. Mind Confidence
Your thoughts are like a GPS. If you set the wrong destination (doubt, fear, excuses), you’ll wander off track. But clear directions (belief, focus, clarity) keep you on track.
“The key to winning any battle is to recognise your opponent’s strategy and adjust accordingly. Sometimes, that opponent is your own thinking.” ~ Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Mind confidence isn’t about “thinking positive” all the time — it’s about awareness and choice. You can’t always control the first thought that appears, but you can control the second. You can redirect your focus toward what helps you.
Competition example
Stepping on the mat believing you belong. Choosing to focus on strategy instead of fear.
Practical strategy
Treat your mind like a garden. Plant empowering thoughts, pull out weeds of doubt, and water your confidence daily through journaling, visualisation, or affirmations.
2. Body Confidence
Your body is your vehicle — and it learns through repetition. Like typing, at first you think through every movement. But with deliberate practice, your body just knows.
“Deliberate practice is purposeful and systematic… it requires focused attention and is conducted with the specific goal of improving performance.” ~ Anders Ericsson, Peak
Body confidence means trusting that all the hours you’ve put in will hold up under pressure. If you’ve prepared with intention, your body will execute. Doubt creeps in when practice is half-hearted or inconsistent.
Competition example
Executing techniques in the middle of a match without needing to think.
Practical strategy
Don’t just train harder — train smarter. Break skills into parts, refine with purpose, and repeat until they’re automatic. Recovery also matters: a well-trained body is only valuable if it’s also well-rested.
3. Emotional Control
Emotions are like waves. You can’t stop them, but you can learn to surf them. If you fight them, you wipe out. If you ride them, they carry you forward.
“Basketball is a simple game. But it becomes complex when emotions get in the way. Control the inside, and the outside will follow.” ~ Phil Jackson, Sacred Hoops
Emotional control doesn’t mean shutting feelings down — it means regulating them so they serve you, not sabotage you. Nervous energy can sharpen focus if managed well. Anger can motivate if it’s channeled. Calm can steady a shaky moment.
Competition example
Losing a point but staying calm and ready. Winning a point but not getting carried away.
Practical strategy
Use emotions as data, neither good nor bad. Notice them (“I’m nervous”), name them (“this is excitement too”), and then direct them into focus (“breathe, reset, go again”).
4. Master Your Energy
Energy is the result of mind, body, and emotions working together — but it also needs its own management. Think of energy like a pot of water on the stove:
Too low = cold water, no readiness.
Too high = boiling over, wasted energy.
Just right = steady simmer, sustained power.
“The key to peak performance is not time management, but energy management.” ~ Jim Loehr, The Power of Full Engagement
Energy mastery means knowing when to push, when to pace, and when to recover. Athletes often burn out by going 100% all the time or underperform because they never “turn the dial up” when needed.
Competition example
Fired up enough to attack, calm enough to see openings.
Practical strategy
Pre-competition → use routines, breathing, visualisation, music to set your frequency.
During competition → check in: am I flat, simmering, or boiling over? Reset if needed.
Post-competition → cool down, journal, reset the cycle.
Flow: Where It All Comes Together
When mind, body, emotions, and energy align, athletes enter flow — the state where everything clicks.
This is the sweet spot. It doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from awareness and practice in adjusting the four levers.
“Flow is the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Peak performance is not a mystery — it’s a practice. It’s not about pushing harder, but about pulling the right levers at the right time.
Every tournament, every training session, and every challenge in life is a chance to refine these levers. Some days you’ll get it right, other days you’ll miss — but both are opportunities to learn and adjust.
Ultimately, it comes down to knowing yourself and taking responsibility for your own growth. No coach, parent, or teammate can do that work for you. You’re the one at the controls, gently shaping your mind, body, emotions, and energy until they work in harmony.
When you train your mind, strengthen your body, steady your emotions, and master your energy, you don’t just prepare for competition — you prepare for life. And when all four align, you give yourself the best chance to step into flow and discover what you’re truly capable of.
Quick Guide to the Four Levers
Mind: Choose thoughts that guide, not sabotage.
Body: Train deliberately so confidence grows through repetition.
Emotions: Ride the waves — let them carry you, not drown you.
Energy: Keep the flame steady — not too cold, not boiling over.
When these four levers work together, you unlock the possibility of flow, where performance feels effortless and everything clicks.
I learned these lessons the hard way, through years of trial and error. And truthfully, some days I nail it — other days… not so much. That’s real. But every attempt is part of the learning.
I’d love to hear what you discover about yourself as you apply these levers. Share your reflections — what works, what doesn’t, what surprises you.
The journey isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. And by sharing, we all grow stronger together.
Download the Cheat Sheet
To make this framework more practical, I’ve created a one-page “Peak Performance Cheat Sheet.” It breaks the four levers down into simple guiding questions you can use before, during, and after training or competition. Keep it in your bag, on your wall, or in your journal — a quick reminder that peak performance is about balance, awareness, and small daily adjustments.
Note: This cheat sheet is just a starting point. Peak performance isn’t one-size-fits-all — every athlete is different. Over time, you’ll discover what cues, routines, and adjustments work best for you. Use this as a seed to get started, then grow and refine your own version as you gain experience.