Ep 191 - From Anxiety to Acceptance: Dr. Raymond Prior's Guide to Performance

Seemed a cool episode to release the week of the Masters! This week I am joined by Dr Raymond Prior. Discover how to cultivate "stable confidence" and perform at your best under pressure. In this episode, Dr. Raymond Prior shares his journey into performance psychology, debunks common myths about confidence, and offers practical strategies to perform freely regardless of external factors. In this episode: Dr. Prior discusses how confidence relies on internal permission rather than external outcomes Breaks down the five sources of unstable confidence: outcomes, opinions, past/future events, thoughts/feelings, and context Explains how to develop resilience through acceptance and strategic mental practices Shares insights on training for performance, not just technique Highlights the importance of language and mindset for young learners and elite performers Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and overview of performance psychology and confidence 02:16 - Dr. Prior's background and journey into performance neuroscience 05:17 - Why traditional confidence hacks often fail & the concept of stable confidence 06:15 - Definition of confidence as permission to perform freely 08:06 - The five unstable sources of confidence: outcomes, opinions, past/future events, thoughts, and context 09:56 - How to develop self-generated, stable confidence amid external instability 11:39 - The role of acceptance over certainty in consistent performance 13:50 - Addressing anxiety and the "Yips": stages and mental mechanics 16:56 - Techniques for acceptance and managing pre-performance anxiety 20:18 - Insights from a figure skater’s panic experience & how anxiety hijacks performance 23:46 - Strategy for letting go of hedging shots and trusting oneself 27:41 - Variance in top athletes' scores and embracing imperfection 28:37 - Supporting young athletes through growth mindset and risk acceptance 33:11 - The damaging effects of judgment and fixed mindset praise in youth development 34:58 - The importance of language: avoiding constrictive words like "should" 36:21 - The difference between fixed and growth mindsets for sustained success 37:45 - Practical ways to foster a learning environment that embraces failure 44:03 - How to mentally prepare for on-course challenges and simulate practice under pressure 52:02 - Strategic on-course exercises to build acceptance and reduce anxiety 55:35 - The science of acceptance and how to practice it long-term 56:41 - Explaining V-shaped (threat) vs. A-shaped (threat and constriction) thoughts and their impact 61:04 - Cultivating a V-shaped mindset for resilience and performance stability 63:14 - How our beliefs shape our experience and the way forward for high performers Resources & Links: Golf Beneath the Surface: Unlocking Performance with Dr. Raymond Prior Raymond Pryor - LinkedIn Talking Performance Podcast Connect with Dr. Raymond Prior: LinkedIn | Twitter Send us Fan Mail Support the show

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Ep 191 - From Anxiety to Acceptance: Dr. Raymond Prior's Guide to Performance is an episode from Talking Performance by Jay Carter.

This episode is 63:43 long.

This episode was published on Apr 9, 2026.

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