Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter, best selling author of ‘Your Performing Edge’, has a book and CD program that empowers individuals to have major breakthroughs in their performance in sports and life regardless of age or ability. The ideas is this - when a person unleashes the power of their mind, body and spirit, they will realize their full potential. Results include motivation, breaking through mental barriers, and a balanced and authentic lifestyle.

Sure, it makes perfect sense for athlete to be ‘one’ with their body and mind. To excel in sport, they must breathe confidence and use visualization to imagine finishing first. But how can ordinary people like you and me, benefit from the idea of believing in yourself? Is it just mind over matter?

As a professional athlete, Dr. Dahlkoetter knows first-hand what it takes to break through mental barriers to achieve. She’s interviewed famous athletes like Lance Armstrong, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Marion Jones regarding their own experiences. Her findings are in the book, as well as tips on how to apply the strategies into everyday life.

One chapter jumped out for me called, ‘Belief in Yourself: Managing Your Inner Critic’. Dr. Dahlkoetter quickly points out, “Your thoughts create your reality”. So how much of life is guided by negative thinking? The good news is this – it is possible to redirect the mind with thoughts that create the reality you desire.

Q: Dr. Dahlkoetter, what was the inspiration behind ‘Your Performing Edge’ book?

Author: I had been a top athlete for many years. I won the San Francisco Marathon and was second in the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon. I have been working in private practice as a Performance Life Coach and Clinical Psychologist for several years. I had learned a lot from my clients, and wanted to incorporate what I learned my own athletic experience as well. You can apply the same lessons that you learn from sports and fitness to any aspect of life. I teach people how to visualize, focus, build confidence, and be mentally tough in the face of obstacles.

Q: How do non-athletes benefit from your book?

Author: I think everyone can benefit. My book is talking about mental training for life. It is a real inspiration to get healthier. The book goes way beyond athletics. It is really about holding onto a positive perspective in life. The book has a lot of mental training exercises. The book helps you have a dialogue with yourself, to become your own personal coach. The goal with life coaching, I think, is to use a life coach, and gradually integrate new techniques.

Q: In your book you wrote how in “times of deep soul searching comes from setbacks in sports and life.” Would you go into this more?

Author: I think all of us have setbacks in our lives, and they come in all different forms. I think loss can really be an opportunity to find out something that is difficult to learn under other circumstances. One thing that I think is important for life coaches and the clients to understand is to ask empowering questions when you have a setback.

We usually ask, what I call “disempowering questions” – the “why questions” like, “Why does this always happen to me? Why am I such a failure?” If you ask questions that start with ‘why’, the mind will probably give you 10 reasons like, “Because you’re an idiot; you sabotage yourself, you’re not disciplined, you’re a loser!”

If we ask what I call “empowering questions”, which are things that start with “what” or “how”, it is much more positive. Questions like, “What positive lessons can I learn more this? What is working now? What can I learn from this? How can I move forward with this? What can this teach me?”

Q: What advice do you have for someone who has a loud inner critic or negative gremlin voice?
Author: I think words have tremendous power over our minds and bodies. Your mind is like a factory that is producing 50,000 thoughts per day. I tell people, “Wherever you place your attention, your energy will follow”. For instance, your inner critic may say, “I screwed up here!” In reality, there’s another day. You can redirect your inner critic. First of all, find out what that voice saying, and when it gets you done.
I coach a really simple exercise: 1) Get a piece of paper and draw a line down the center. 2) On the left side put your negative or critical self-statements or thoughts. As soon the thoughts come up, write them down. That process of writing it down really brings awareness. 3) On the right side you put what I call “positive reconstruction”.
Eventually you develop this discipline, on whenever you have a negative thought. You just to right side of the page and ask, “What is positive about this?” For example, if you hate getting up in the morning you can ask, “What is positive about getting up early?” On the right side you write, “When I do wake up early, I get a lot more done.”
Another technique you can do is a “thought stopping technique”. Each time you hear your inner critic, you use a physical action with a word or phrase. For instance, 1) slap your thigh, snap your finger or snap a rubber band lightly on your wrist. This will bring it your attention. 2) When doing the action, say the word, “Stop”, or “Shhh”, or “Shut Up”. You are jarring your outside that negative inner critic state. 3) Take a deep breath in. Then blow the negative thought or inner critic out with your exhale. 4) With the next breath in, you take in that positive affirmation.
With whatever exercise you choose, it takes practice. The nice thing is we always have our mind and imagination wherever we go. You can just do your chosen technique again. As you bring more awareness to the inner critic, and you realize, “there I am again – thinking about those negative thoughts”. You can reply, “I can use my technique here”. After awhile it becomes a habit. Whenever your mind gets dirty, you can just clean it out.
Q: Any final thoughts you'd like to share about your book?

Author: My book is just coming out in its 3rd edition. It includes a new chapter on nutrition for performance. The book is a great tool and has exercises to help life coaches in particular that get stuck with a client. I am also doing lots of keynote speaking and trainings for groups. If a life coach needs a speaker for one of their workshops in San Francisco Bay Area, I would love to hear from them.

With the book, I have a new 60-minute Visualization CD now available, which provides music and meditations for a healthy mind, body and spirit. Life Coaches may use it as tool, along with the book, since it allows readers to practice what they are learning in the book. It includes visualization exercises on 1) energizing your mind and body, 2) creating confidence and motivation, 3) focusing and performing your best; and 4) healing and recovering quickly.

End: Thanks Dr. Dahlkoetter!

So, how are people benefiting from her book? Reviews have included, “It is filled with practical wisdom for people who want to pursue excellence in their lives and careers. As well as, “It is an energetic and step-by-step that is applicable for everyone who wants to develop their athletic and personnel potential.”

Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter, is a Performance Life Coach, Stanford Sports Psychologist, and a Clinical Psychologist. She helps others with mind-body performance, stress management, weight control, health and fitness, motivation, body image, women’s health, injuries and healing. She offers phone coaching nationwide; in-person sessions are available in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also creates individual visualization tapes for her client’s individual needs. For more information visit www.YourPerformingEdge.com or email info@YourPerformingEdge.com