155. Army Special Forces Green Beret Matt Bortis: Performing Under Pressure Without Breaking Down

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Bortis—former collegiate golfer, former special operations operator, and mindset and performance coach—to unpack what it really takes to perform when pressure is high, and outcomes matter.

Matt brings a rare blend of battlefield-tested composure and high-level athletic performance coaching to this conversation. We explore why so many golfers, entrepreneurs, and ambitious people crumble under pressure—not because they lack skill, but because they've never trained their response.

We dive into nervous system regulation, acceptance vs suppression, why "mental toughness" often backfires, and how your patterns under pressure are usually rehearsed long before the big moment arrives.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why outcomes are influenced—not controlled—and where your focus should go instead
• How to train your nervous system to feel safe in uncertain environments
• Why anxiety, nerves, and stress are often signs of readiness—not weakness
• The hidden downside of trying to "bear down" and force performance
• How elite performers rehearse worst-case scenarios before they happen
• Why letting go is often a more valuable skill than trying harder
• How self-worth tied to achievement creates endless internal pressure

If you're someone who knows what to do but struggles to do it when it matters most—this episode is for you.

Get your pencils ready and start listening. 

Apply for 1-1 High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching: Click here to apply to work with me.

The 90-Day Golf Identity Upgrade Accelerator: This is a private 3-month coaching container designed to help serious golfers rapidly upgrade their beliefs, rewire their golf identity, and accelerate lower scores through deep subconscious transformation — not surface-level tactics.

Click here to learn more and DM me "identity upgrade" on Instagram (@thepaulsalter) to learn more. 

More About Matt Bortis

Coach Bortis brings over a decade of experience within multiple elite special operations units and has coached at the highest levels of NCAA competition, including Stanford University and the University of Mississippi, contributing to Conference and National Championships. 

From serving as a Marine Special Operations Team Commander to an Army Special Forces Green Beret, he has operated in environments where performance under pressure is non-negotiable.

The lessons learned throughout these experiences are what drive his methodology and passion for helping others overcome similar obstacles.

Visit Matt's website here and connect with him on Instagram: @forgedresponse

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
2. Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter
3. Download my "Play Your Best Round" free hypnosis audio recording.

High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching

Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential.

He has over 16 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential.

Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course. 

Instagram: @thepaulsalter

Key Takeaways:

• Pressure doesn't create your patterns—it reveals them.
• You don't need calmness to perform. You need acceptance.
• Most high achievers have overtrained effort and undertrained surrender.
• Mental toughness without self-compassion leads to burnout.
• Your response is trainable long before the big moment arrives.

Key Quotes:

• "When pressure rises, you don't rise to the occasion—you fall back on what you've trained."
• "Most people are trying to eliminate nerves when they should be learning how to perform with them."
• "The problem isn't pressure. The problem is the response you've conditioned to pressure."
• "Trying harder is often the exact reason high performers underperform."
• "Your self-worth was never meant to be measured by scorecards, trophies, income, or outcomes."

Time Stamps:

• 00:00: Controlling Responses Over Outcomes
• 03:55: Softening Responses to Stress
• 08:20: Preparing for the Worst: Military Insights
• 12:03: Building Blocks of Performance Under Pressure
• 15:04: Dangerous Patterns in High-Pressure Situations
• 17:33: Learning from Performance: Patterns and Recovery
• 21:24: The Power of Daily Practices in Golf
• 24:58: Understanding Vulnerability and Mental Toughness
• 27:56: Self-Worth and External Validation
• 31:11: The Importance of Accountability
• 34:33: Flexibility in Commitment
• 38:14: You Are Enough: A Final Message