Play What Is

Stop Fighting Football. Start Playing It.

Every professional footballer is playing two games.

There's the game everyone can see. Twenty-two players, one ball, two goals.

Then there's the game nobody sees. The one in your head. What does the manager think of me? Am I starting next week? Why am I not further ahead? What if I'm not actually good enough?

Nobody teaches you how to play that one.

Play What Is is a full audiobook for professional footballers, read by performance and mindset coach Rob Blackburne, built from years of conversations with players at every level from the Premier League to non-league.

It isn't positive thinking. You won't be told you're amazing, or that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the criticism is right. Sometimes the manager doesn't rate you. Reality isn't always nice, but reality is useful, because it's the only place you can actually work from.

Across thirteen chapters, it covers the stories you tell yourself, the gap between what is and what you think should be, staying in your own business, why courage comes before confidence, the four fears underneath almost every player's head, mistakes and reset speed, judgement, expectations, who you are without football, uncertainty, overthinking, and how to find your way back to playing.

The method is built on the work of Byron Katie, author of Loving What Is, taken into the dressing room and translated into team sheets, contracts, managers, crowds, and injuries.

It comes down to five things. Awareness. Acceptance. Turnaround. Action. Play.

Because the game is still happening while you're arguing with yourself.

If you're a pro footballer and want to work with Rob & Luke exclusively this season, go to www.elitexiapply.com fill in a short form, and we will be in touch.

Join other pro players who are taking their games to the next level today.