How to Build Your Mental Game Blueprint

You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint – and in the same manner you shouldn’t work on your mental game without doing an assessment.

Here are the 3 steps to using the CEP Assessment to build your Mental Game blueprint:

STEP 1: Identify the Mental Skills to Build

One of the biggest problems with working on your mental game is that it’s hard to make it tangible – so in our assessment we break it down into 7 Mental Skills to make it clear what you are working on.

We assess each skill by reflecting on the percentage of time and energy you spend in that state compared to when you are not.

For example, resilience is based on how well you stay centred, embrace challenges, and bounce back from adversity versus having the emotional roller coaster of highs and lows, getting derailed, and going into downward spirals. This image breaks down the 7 Main Mental Skills you need to get into the zone:

Note that all the skills are inter-related and improving one will improve the others.

STEP 2: Clarify the Mental Blocks to Clear

This step is where we uncover any limiting beliefs that might be holding you back. By pinpointing the mental blocks to clear you can improve your mental game much more quickly.

The most common mental block is the Results Trap. An example question would be – How much do you agree with the statement: Winning is what makes sports fun?

The higher the rating, the more likely there is a Mental Block to clear in that category.
The questions here are like trick questions because there could be some truth within the statement – it doesn’t mean that winning is not fun.

But when an athlete or high-performer associates all their joy to the results, then they are holding onto a belief system or narrative that has lost touch with their love of the game. The image below breaks down the 7 Main Mental Blocks that may prevent you from getting into the zone:

STEP 3: Personalize the Mental Tools Accordingly

Now that you a good foundation set for your blueprint – the last step is to get bring in the fundamental tools and personalize them accordingly.

This is where you start to take action and bridge concepts to strategies. You need to embrace the creative process and find what works for you.

We have a full toolbox of tools, but here is the summary of the 4 fundamentals:

Unique Alter Ego

Inspired by Todd Herman’s work – this process is about identifying what it means to be in the zone vs in your own head.

The mental skills prioritized in your assessment help curate your best-self.

Alternatively the mental blocks you need to clear will help inform your worst-self.

When you do the process effectively you end up with a unique persona that clicks and works for you – check out this short video to learn more.

10 Second Reset Routine

This is one of the most powerful tools – it helps activate the alter ego and clears your mind.

The key here is about acceptance for getting alignment in your thoughts, feelings, and actions – i.e.. clearing the mental blocks.

Think of it like jumping into the water off a dock. A lack of alignment means you hesitate to jump or dip your toe in. What you want to do is just run and jump in – watch the video here on How to Jump into the Zone.

Breathing techniques are also a part of the reset routine. They help you to get centered and in the moment.

An example of a reset routine might be a goalie in the NHL squirting water in the air and watching it fall.

When you find a personalized process that you consistently use – this 10 second routine can be a game changer.

Personal Scorecard

This strategy is all about reflecting on what you can control.

As alluded to earlier the external scoreboards in sports (like points, playing time, rankings, etc) is often the biggest mental block for elite athletes and high-performers.

Creating your own personal scorecard is essential for staying focus on what you can control – which is your mental state and your process. These each need to be well defined.

Once you personalize this process based on your assessment – it creates an effective reflection habit that continually improves your self-awareness.

For more information – check out the full video on Creating Your Personal Scorecard.

Imagery Script

This is the most effective way to optimize your mental preparation. It is about setting your intentions for how you want to play (action planning) and how you want to show up and handle stressors (coping planning).

By preparing to cope with pressure, adversity, and success, you will be more likely to respond effectively in those crucial moments – this is key to helping clear your mental blocks and keep them from coming back.

This process is most effective when personalized based on your assessment. But we do have free generic recordings that hockey players can check out here: