A lot of people are sharing all the successes and wins from 2023, but don’t be fooled.
It is great to celebrate and share our wins as it gives us a feeling of personal momentum and it can help inspire others.
But let’s not forget that any meaningful win came with a bunch of challenges, struggles, and failures.
For myself – I published my first book, which meant a lot of poorly written ideas, tedious editing, and what felt like endless rewriting. It didn’t stop there. Timelines were pushed and pushed… I spent a full day trying to decide between matte or shiny finish. And it was just plain funny at how painful it was when I kept tripping up while recording the audiobook version – I felt like I could barely read my own book.
So having a book out and getting to #1 on amazon certainly feels nice, but don’t be fooled. It is paired with countless mistakes and failures. And not to mention, it would not have been possible without the incredible help from my support team.
A second interesting win for me was completing the Heroic Public Speaking Course – they are probably the best speaking program in the world. It was an incredible program that helped me grow in countless ways. And as you might imagine, it pushed my comfort zones as I stumbled over my words on stage and dropped a few F-bombs…
I knew working on my keynote speech was something I wanted to do and that I would benefit from joining a program and getting coached. But I will admit that I underestimated how much of a craft it is to be an elite speaker. The ability to connect, engage, and create an experience for an audience takes incredible skill and countless hours of practice.
So I need to thank Michael and Amy Port and the whole HPS team and my fellow classmates for helping me develop my skill set. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in the few gigs I already have lined up. And don’t be fooled, I still have a lot of work to do and I will continue to be refining my craft.
Lastly, I recently launched my new personal website – CLICK HERE to check it out. This was another comfort zone stretch. This has been like launching a whole new business. It is something I’ve held off from doing as I’ve focused on building CEP Mindset. Even though I felt now was the time between the book launching and finishing the speaking course, I still had feelings of self-doubt and worries about what others would think.
It was certainly a good test in applying what I teach everyday to others, to myself. I leaned on my Mentor Todd Herman as well as my right hand at CEP coach Nicholas. I had to intentionally make the shift to let go of my insecurities about how it might be received and instead focus on owning all the work I’ve put in.
I don’t pretend to know everything because I certainly don’t. But I do own all the knowledge and insights that I have gained from my personal, academic, and professional experiences. Our system and process of coaching high-performers mindsets works and we got a lot of proof – I own that. I didn’t just make up a bunch of stuff and throw it in a book. Instead, it is the accumulation of all the work I’ve put in over the last 20+ years of my life – I own that. I have been speaking for years, but now I’ve put in the work to enhance my skills and developed a process to continue to refine my craft – I own that.
So I wrote this post to share my 2023, but more importantly to encourage you to reflect.
Make sure to own your wins to help build your personal momentum.
Make sure to own your struggles and failures as they are part of your wins.
Make sure to own the work you have put in – don’t you dare downplay yourself.
Keep putting in the work and enjoying the journey.
All the best in 2024.
Nicholas Santino is a Senior High-Performance Coach, PhD Candidate, and the official Mental Performance Consultant for Elite Prospects. From his specialized psychology research program, to his PhD studies, Nicholas has gained a tremendous foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the human experience. His passion for psychology has accumulated to a commitment to studying and applying positive psychology and stoicism. This commitment has led Nicholas to conduct many research studies focusing on understanding why and how some people thrive and prosper while others do not. His admiration for evidence-based solutions has propelled Nicholas to produce studies revolving around mindfulness, grit (perseverance and passion), performance, quality participation, social relationships, and well-being.
A Native of Quebec, Sara was part of the St. Lawrence University Women’s Ice Hockey team that competed in the NCAA Division 1 hockey league ECAC. During this time, Sara helped her team appear in four ECAC Hockey Tournaments and two NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a four-time member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Squad. Following her career at St. Lawrence University, Sara played one year of professional hockey with Lugano, where she truly honed her skills in understanding the intricate connection between mindset and performance.
Blair has over 13 years of experience as a Professional Dancer, Assistant Dance Captain & Cast Manager, as well as an additional 17 years of training. Over the last 3 decades, she has lived and experienced first hand the highest of highs & lowest of lows that come with pursuing a career in the Performing Arts.
Natasha Habert draws from her training in sport and performance psychology, personal experiences as a competitive athlete, and deep passion for consistent high performance. She is a lifelong athlete and high performer, excelling in volleyball as both a player and coach.
Luciano’s hockey career is highlighted by his time playing college at the University of Victoria and two professional seasons in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with performance anxiety, a lack of consistency, fluctuations in confidence, and being caught in the results trap. This eventually led him to deviate from the main reason why anyone should play sports – for the enjoyment of the game. As a former athlete, Luciano has a unique understanding of the psychological pressures and struggles that athletes experience.
Alexis Woloschuk is a name synonymous with mental fortitude in the world of professional hockey. Throughout her career originating playing boys hockey, going to an academy away from home, playing her four years at Boston University and 7+ years in pro hockey she’s learned the importance of resilience, confidence, and dismissing both fear and other’s opinions. With a blend of relatability, confidence, and an acute understanding of playing to one’s potential, Alexis helps athletes reshape the way they perceive and harness the power of their minds.
Sean Mahoney is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and a Master’s candidate in the Sport and Performance Psychology program at the University of Denver. For as long as he can remember, Sean has been fascinated by human performance and how to gain an edge over the competition. For most of his athletic career, he focused on the physical aspect of performance but neglected the mental. Because of this, he struggled with performance anxiety, focus issues, and limiting beliefs pertaining to confidence and self-doubt. His lack of focus on optimizing his mental game prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Savannah Fitzgerald is earning her M.A. in Kinesiology, Sport Psychology Option at California State University, Fresno. Possessing an internal motor that fires her rage for success, Savannah forged this attribute over five years while competing as an NCAA D-I water polo player and swimmer. Combined with her opportunity to represent and compete for the United States, she feels that sport has significantly impacted her professional development. Due to her personal experience playing at all levels, Savannah’s passion for mental performance began when she struggled to overcome pre-competition nerves and post-competition processing. When she discovered a world out there that people were referring to as ‘sport psychology,’ she felt like a piece of her brain was unlocked. Reality shifted as she stumbled into a space consisting of the most beautiful blend of elite performance, mental well-being, and athletics.
Gabe is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. Although Gabe played several years of high-level baseball, including a stint in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (BCPBL), he chose hockey as his sport to pursue at the highest level possible. Gabe went on to play four years of junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also coaching minor hockey. Prior to junior hockey, Gabe played 3 years in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he experienced the pressures and expectations of moving on to the next level. During those three years, Gabe constantly compared himself to others and struggled with coping when things did not go his way. Over time, he learned how to focus on his own process and path to the next level, while also developing strategies to improve well-being.
Louie is a mental performance coach from Toronto, Canada with a professional hockey career spanning over 14 years. Being a standout player at the University of Michigan, Louie was a Hobey Baker finalist and a 1st team All-American, which led him to getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators and playing in renowned leagues across the globe, including the DEL, SHL, and AHL.
Mia Landry is a former varsity hockey player at Brock University, where she competed at the USPORT level and was part of the 2021-22 OUA gold medal team. Mia currently represents Canada on the Women’s National Ball Hockey team and is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology Sport Psychology at her alma mater. Her research focuses on areas such as team cohesion, group dynamics, leadership styles, and sports culture.
As a former member of McMaster University’s women’s soccer team, Emilie intimately understands the demands and challenges athletes face on and off the field. Although she encountered many challenges as a high-level athlete, particularly struggling with self-doubt and overthinking, Emilie was able to make a remarkable transformation when she began to embrace the principles of sports psychology.
Max is currently attending William James College, where he is earning a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters Degree in Professional Psychology. During his time as an undergraduate student, Max was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), and played on the Quinnipiac University men’s club ice hockey team.
