164 The Science of Mindfulness, Game Faces, and Alter Egos | Dan Abrahams

You know those moments where you wish you could go back, undo a decision, or handle a pressure moment differently? Dan Abrahams knows them well. As a world-renowned sports psychologist who has worked with elite athletes across tennis, football, and rugby, he’s turned those experiences into a framework that reshapes how top performers think, prepare, and show up.

Hear why your mind is a time traveller (and how Novak Djokovic proves it), what mindfulness actually is beyond the clichés, and how to finally anchor your own mental skills practice so it actually sticks.

If you’re serious about performing under pressure, this conversation gives you the tools, language, and mindset to start today. 

00:05 Dan on the setbacks that shaped his mental skills practice.

03:35 The mind as a time traveller & mindfulness vs meditation.

16:45 Domain-specific mindfulness explained.

22:45 Anchoring your mental skills practice in a framework.

30:30 From golfer to coach & the athlete he wished he worked with.

36:00 Coaching unicorn-level players & the pitfalls to avoid.

41:00 Attention, intensity & intent: the three pillars of performance.

50:00 How performance moments and frameworks guide his day.

56:30 The power of a “game face” in high-pressure moments.

1:04:30 Roy Keane & the use of an alter ego on the pitch.

1:14:30 Why he always starts with the strength and conditioning coach.

Listen to Dan's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sport-psych-show/id1434313037
You can find Dan at his website: https://danabrahams.com/
Buy a copy of Dan's books: https://danabrahams.com/books/
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-abrahams-b72a306/