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Tyler interviewed Justin Su’a, now a performance advisor with Performance Advisory Group (PAG), on building confidence in athletes, coaching strategies, and managing focus in a distracted world. Justin works with executives and head coaches in the NFL, NBA, and MLB, and approaches performance through a systems lens rather than traditional mental-skills terminology.

• Confidence follows focus: Direct attention to past successes rather than failures or future worries. Confidence is not an accurate predictor of success; build competence and skill instead.
• Productive vs. unproductive self-talk: What works varies by athlete and context. Some thrive on sharp, emotional cues; others are hurt by mechanical thoughts mid-game.
• Close the feedback loop: Track performance to gather evidence that feelings don’t dictate results. Use a quick daily routine: pick one focus item, review it at the end of practice (inspired by Eduardo Salas). Reflect on what went well, what was learned, and one thing to improve.
• Systems thinking for coaches: When athletes excel in practice but struggle in games, isolate root causes rather than assuming. Change one variable at a time, and invert problems to find the simplest, highest-impact fix.
• Engineer the environment: Counter device distraction by designing settings that prioritize purposeful engagement, and set clear environmental standards.
• Coaches must model it: Teach leadership skills, foster intrinsic motivation, and build personal systems for stress, such as boundaries and recognizing unhealthy coping habits.