Episode 8. The Mindset of a Pro Athlete

"Most guys who are playing professionally are good players technically and there’s not a huge amount to differentiate them. So what often is the factor that sets them apart … is what they’re like mentally", Robbie White, kindly shared with me on Episode 8 of the Reframe & Reset Your Career podcast. Robbie is a professional cricketer with one of England’s top cricket clubs, Middlesex CCC. Robbie has been on Middlesex’s radar from the age of 10 and spent three years in their Academy before gaining a full-time contract with the club. Prior to becoming a full time professional cricketer with Middlesex, Robbie attended Loughborough University, where he studied Psychology as he has always been interested in the mental side of sport. Robbie is a batsman and wicket keeper and he scored heavily in the 2nd team which helped him into the first team in 2018 & 2019. He also spent a stint on loan at Essex in 2019, giving him yet more valuable experience at a first team level, where he played with Sir Alastair Cook, one of England’s greatest cricketers, and Peter Siddle, one of Australia’s top fast bowlers. Over the winter Robbie used his time off to start working for David James Wealth as a Client Relationship Manager to start gaining experience in the business world to help him navigate his life after cricket. I was interested in interviewing Robbie as I played a lot of cricket when I was young, funnily enough, I played for the junior Middlesex and Essex teams,  and found the mental side of cricket fascinating! Cricket is unique in the mental demands it places on the players due to the length of the game, one match may last for five days. Although it is a team sport, there is no place to hide as individual statistics are reported constantly and analysed just like baseball. I also liked that Robbie took the time over the Winter to explore career options after his cricket career ends. However well he does as a cricketer, there are many years of work to be filled after cricket and it is important to be prepared. Unfortunately, there are many athletes, including cricketers, who have found the transition to life after sport quite difficult. I had a great conversation with Robbie, it was especially impressive as this was his first podcast and we discussed the following:   Studying Psychology at University Growth Mindset & Sport How Robbie Uses Psychology in Cricket Playing and Learning from Great Cricketers Finding a Way to Succeed Dealing with Stress & Pressure Navigating the Team Environment Maintaining Confidence Despite Constant Setbacks Coping with Failure and  Exploring Opportunities Outside Cricket   Resources Mindset – Dr Carol S. Dweck   Contact Robbie https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbie-white-8226a7164/ https://twitter.com/rwhitey15?lang=en   Reframe & Reset Your Career Resources & Contact Info YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHASU4QApsJ3RsOFo1zTnhQ Job Search Process guide link - https://sendfox.com/lp/1w844e  E-mail - [email protected]   It would be great to hear from you, the listeners, and your thoughts about the the podcast and YouTube channel or anything else, it's always a pleasure to hear from you. I have had some great reviews but not had any way of responding. Thanks so much for your support and have a great week!   *Reframe & Reset Your Career, including any comments made by the host and guests, is for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice of any description, including but not restricted to financial, legal, investing or medical advice.*