There is nothing more frustrating than setting a goal, working hard for it, and then feeling like you are getting nowhere. You show up, put in the effort, and instead of building confidence, you leave practice more discouraged than when you started.

In this week’s episode of the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m breaking down why so many athletes get stuck in this cycle and how to set goals that actually move you forward. Instead of focusing on what is “wrong” or what you “can’t do,” I’ll show you how to reframe your goals so that they build confidence, not fear.

At a recent Confident Gymnast Clinic, I worked with a gymnast who swore her switch leaps were terrible. She wanted to “fix” them because they were “bad.” After a few reframes, her goal shifted to simply getting better at her switch leap. That change in language, paired with a focus on small, specific improvements, completely transformed her progress. Within ten turns, she went from discouraged to confident on high beam.

This is the power of focusing on what you can do instead of what you cannot. Progress does not come from criticizing yourself, it comes from celebrating small wins, stacking them over time, and building a foundation of trust in yourself.

If your athlete is stuck in a cycle of frustration, or if you as a parent or coach are unsure how to help them move forward, this episode will give you the tools to change the way you set and support goals.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• The trap of negative goal setting.
• Why progress starts with point A, not perfection.
• Simple shifts athletes, parents, and coaches can make today.
• How celebrating small wins builds lasting confidence.

“Instead of focusing on what you cannot do, focus on what you can do, and then ask yourself, what is one thing I can do right now to make it better?” – Rebecca Smith

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I had the privilege of chatting with international elite gymnast Céleste Mordenti, the first gymnast from Luxembourg to ever win a FIG World Cup medal.

Céleste’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. As a young gymnast, she rose quickly through the ranks, representing Luxembourg at European and World Championships. But behind the medals and the spotlight, she battled the same struggles so many gymnasts face — fear, mental blocks, and the pressure to be perfect. At one point, she couldn’t even bring herself to swing giants, a skill she’d done for years.

In this episode, Céleste opens up about what it really takes to build lasting confidence. She shares how changing environments, learning to step back, and redefining progress helped her shift from panic and frustration to a place of trust in herself and joy in her sport again.

What makes her story so powerful is that she proves confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you can build, no matter how stuck or scared you feel.

Whether you’re a gymnast, parent, or coach, you’ll find inspiration and practical takeaways in Céleste’s story — from normalizing fear to celebrating small steps, and ultimately learning that setbacks are just part of the path to success.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca and Céleste talk about:

• Competing on the international stage as a teen
• What it feels like to get stuck in the cycle of fear and mental blocks
• How supportive coaching can completely shift an athlete’s confidence
• Why taking a step back is actually the fastest way forward

"Taking a step back isn’t leaving the path to success — it is the path to success." – Céleste Mordenti

Follow Céleste on Instagram: @celestemordenti

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking with Utah gymnast Avery Neff — a rising star whose journey proves that resilience, mindset, and belief in yourself can take you further than raw talent ever could.

Avery wasn’t always the clean, confident athlete you see competing on the NCAA stage today. She started as a “floppy” gymnast, throwing skills with no fear but little form. With the help of her coaches, her relentless drive to prove herself, and a mindset shaped by her fearless family, she turned those early struggles into the foundation of a championship career.

In this episode, Avery shares how she developed her growth mindset, how she pushed through one of the toughest moments of her career — spraining both ankles her freshman year — and how she worked her way back when everyone thought her season was over. She also opens up about the importance of setting big goals, visualizing success, and finding joy in the process, even when fear or setbacks creep in.

Whether you’re an athlete learning to push through fear, a parent supporting a child through setbacks, or a coach looking to inspire your athletes, you’ll walk away from this episode with powerful lessons on confidence, perseverance, and chasing big dreams.

In this episode, Avery and Coach Rebecca talk about:

• Why resilience matters more than natural talent
• The mindset that helped her recover from two sprained ankles in record time
• Why believing in yourself (and saying your goals out loud) changes everything
• How gymnastics taught her life lessons that will carry far beyond the gym

"If you’re not saying it, somebody else is — and somebody else is going to get it before you do." – Avery Neff

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com