24 Mental

Strategies to
Dominate
2024

Prepared by
Sam Martin
 1. CHANGE YOUR IDENTITY, NOT YOUR
BEHAVIOR

WHAT: Your identity shapes lasting change more

effectively than behavior modification.

HOW: Identify as the person embodying the desired

behavior, e.g., saying "I am a footballer" instead of "I play
football," fostering self-accountability and discipline.

2. CHOOSE YOUR DISCIPLINE STYLE

WHAT: Discipline is crucial, and your style (abstinence

or moderation) should align with your personality for
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sustained success.

HOW: Opt for a style that is sustainable and conducive

to long-term success, whether it's consistent routines
(abstinence) or flexible consistency (moderation).

3. UNDERSTAND WEEKENDS ARE

STILL WEEKDAYS

WHAT: Maintain consistency in sleep patterns even on

weekends for optimal mental sharpness.

HOW: Prioritize regular sleep schedules on weekends,

enhancing brain and body performance by ensuring a
consistent pattern of rest.
 4. EMBRACE YOUR CHRONOTYPE

WHAT: Acknowledge your natural wakefulness and

sleep preferences based on your chronotype (morning,
evening, etc).

HOW: Schedule demanding tasks during your peak

focus hours, aligning activities with your body's natural
rhythm for increased productivity.

5. SET PERFORMANCE INTENTIONS

WHAT: Clearly define 1-3 specific performance goals

before significant events/trainings/matches.
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HOW: Avoid vague intentions; be specific about skills or

tasks you aim to achieve, providing clear inputs to
enhance focus and execution.

6. USE IF-THEN PLANS

WHAT: Enhance goal-setting effectiveness by creating

specific if-then plans for achieving objectives.

HOW: Connect goals with clear plans, increasing goal-

completion chances by 30-40% through intentional,
specific instructions.
 7. IMPLEMENT DELIBERATE PRACTICE

WHAT: Ensure intentional, focused, and challenging

practice sessions to avoid performance plateaus.

HOW: Work with a coach or set clear, detailed

performance intentions to maintain focus, receive
immediate feedback, and push beyond comfort zones.

8. WEEKLY QUOTES/REMINDERS

WHAT: Introduce novelty and motivation with weekly

quotes or reminders to prevent stagnation.
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HOW: Rotate inspirational quotes weekly to keep your

environment fresh, feeding your brain's craving for
novelty.

9. GATHER DATA

WHAT: Collect performance data to objectively

measure progress.

HOW: Utilize training or performance data to counter

self-doubt, providing evidence of effort and progress
during challenging times.
 10. REFLECT ON DATA

WHAT: Regularly review and reflect on collected data

to identify limits and areas for improvement.

HOW: Use data reflection to adjust goals, training plans,

and focus areas, ensuring continuous improvement.

11. SUCCESS JOURNAL

WHAT: Maintain a success journal to record daily wins,

fostering a positive feedback loop.
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HOW: Spend 5-10 minutes each day writing out three

accomplishments, building resilience by recognizing
incremental progress.

12. SELF-COACHING

WHAT: Apply positive self-coaching by asking objective

questions to support yourself in challenging situations.

HOW: Detach from personal emotions, adopt a third-

person perspective, and ask questions like "What does
[Your Name] need to do to be successful?"
 13. 80% RULE

WHAT: Submit or finish tasks/projects when they reach

an 80% satisfaction level to avoid perfectionism.

HOW: Prioritize momentum and consistency over

perfection, recognizing when additional effort doesn't
significantly impact outcomes.

14. DOMAIN DETACHMENT

WHAT: Engage in non-performance domain related

activities before significant events/performances to
detach from pressure.
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HOW: Choose activities that occupy your mind and

body, preserving mental and physical energy for
optimal performance.

15. "WHAT'S MY MINIMUM?"

WHAT: Overcome resistance by setting a minimal

starting point for tasks.

HOW: Identify the smallest action needed to begin a

task, breaking through initial reluctance and
kickstarting momentum.
 16. VISUALIZATION

WHAT: Create mental scripts by visualizing successful

outcomes and coping strategies for high-pressure
situations.

HOW: Practice visualization to condition your brain for

success, enhancing confidence and execution during
actual events.

17. FACILITATIVE SELF-TALK

WHAT: Use task-related speech to provide clear

instructions for optimal performance.
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HOW: Replace vague affirmations with specific cues or

instructions, directing attention to key intentions and
improving focus.

18. RESET BUTTONS

WHAT: Employ physical actions or mantras to reset

focus and move past mistakes.

HOW: Develop a personal reset action or phrase to

symbolize moving on from errors, preventing dwelling
on past failures.
 19. PRESSURE DESENSITIZATION

WHAT: Train to perform under extreme stress by

experiencing pressurized scenarios repeatedly.

HOW: Simulate high-pressure situations in

practice/training to condition your body and mind,
ensuring calmness and optimal performance during
actual events/performances.

20. BOX BREATHING

WHAT: Regulate stress response and enhance mental

performance through controlled breathing.
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HOW: Inhale for 4 secs, hold for 4 secs, exhale for 4 secs,
and repeat, activating the parasympathetic nervous
system for a calmer state of mind.

21. "ADD YETS"

WHAT: Foster a growth mindset by adding "yet" to

statements of inability or difficulty.

HOW: Transform negative statements into

opportunities for growth, maintaining an open mindset
and persistence in the face of challenges.
 22. DEVELOP AN ALTER EGO

WHAT: Create a separate performance identity

embodying your best traits on an amplified level.

HOW: Form a clear image of your alter ego to access

heightened confidence and assurance during
challenging moments.

23. CREATE AN ENEMY IMAGE

WHAT: Visualize a symbolic opponent representing the

doubts, criticism, or obstacles you’ve faced.
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HOW: Use the enemy image as motivation during

frustrating moments, tapping into anger and
aggression for increased effort and performance.

24. LAUGHTER

WHAT: Inject humor and laughter into your pursuit of

excellence to cut tension and enhance well-being.

HOW: Prioritize moments of joy and laughter to release

endorphins, reduce stress, and maintain a positive
mindset during intense efforts.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Good luck implementing these strategies.

As a word of warning, you should only try to

implement 1-2 at a time, otherwise your efforts
towards improving your mentality will be severely
diluted.

Keep coming back to this cheatsheet so you can

gradually tag each tool onto your personal arsenal.

Should you seek support in understanding which tools

to use in your specific performance domain, you may
be interested in my mental performance program -

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Peak Performer.

This is an 8-week personalized coaching program that

will result in you becoming a master of the mental
side of your performance domain.

Join the waitlist here.