Episodes

  • #148: [Inside the Mind] LPGA Professional Gina Kim: Rebuilding an Elite Performance Identity

    #148: [Inside the Mind] LPGA Professional Gina Kim: Rebuilding an Elite Performance Identity
    Mar 26 2026
    What happens when everything you have worked for suddenly feels like it is slipping away? In this episode, I sit down with LPGA professional Gina Kim to talk about the emotional toll of losing tour status, the identity crisis that followed, and the deeper work required to rebuild herself from the inside out. Gina opens up about hitting a true low point in her professional career, questioning whether she even wanted to keep going, and how a new coach, a new process, and a radically different perspective helped her fight her way back. What makes this conversation so powerful is that Gina does not credit her comeback solely to hitting more balls or grinding harder. Instead, she shares how silence, visualization, journaling, self-reflection, and process-driven thinking helped her redefine confidence, reconnect with her purpose, and perform with greater freedom under pressure. In this episode, you'll learn: Why losing her tour card forced Gina Kim to confront who she needed to becomeHow journaling, visualization, and silent walks helped Kim rebuild her identityThe difference between grinding endlessly and practicing with intentionHow Kim redefined confidence as adaptability instead of perfectionWhy process, routine, and intention became the foundation of her comebackHow to separate a bad performance from your identityWhy elite performers fall back on routines instead of rising to the occasion This is an episode about resilience, identity, emotional regulation, and learning how to trust yourself again when the game — and life — stop going your way. 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 Gina Kim Gina Kim is a professional golfer on the LPGA Tour who played collegiate golf at Duke University, one of the premier programs in women's college golf. She competed at the highest levels of junior golf before committing to Duke, where she became a key contributor to one of the most competitive teams in college golf. During her time at Duke (2018–2022), she earned multiple collegiate wins and consistent top finishes, became an All-ACC selection and a WGCA All-American honorable mention, and played in the NCAA Championships, serving as a central part of Duke's nationally ranked teams. Kim turned professional in 2022, earning LPGA Tour membership through LPGA Q‑Series — one of the most grueling qualifying processes in professional golf. Since turning pro, she has competed regularly on the LPGA Tour and recorded multiple top-10 finishes early in her professional career. You can follow Gina on Instagram here: @ginak0504 Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: Gina Kim's comeback began when she stopped obsessing over results and became deeply committed to process.Losing tour status created the space for self-reflection, identity rebuilding, and a healthier relationship with the game.Visualization, journaling, and silence played a major role in helping Kim mentally rehearse the version of herself she wanted to become.Grinding harder is not always the answer; elite players often practice with more intention, not more volume.Emotional resilience on the course comes from learning how to respond to setbacks rather than collapse after them.Kim's story reinforces that the path back to elite performance often requires surrendering old beliefs and rebuilding from the inside out. Key Quotes: "I cannot wait to get back to work during the off-season. I finally have the time to work on the things I want to work on.""What does the best version of Gina Kim look like? When I step on the tee box, how am ...
    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • #147: Free Yourself from Emotional Interference: 3 Key Benefits of Structure

    #147: Free Yourself from Emotional Interference: 3 Key Benefits of Structure
    Mar 23 2026
    You're not stuck because you don't know what to do. You're stuck because, without structure, your emotions are making your decisions. You start the day with a plan… but end up reacting—checking your phone, avoiding hard tasks, staying "busy" instead of productive. And every time you do, you reinforce the same pattern: comfort over commitment, ease over execution. In this episode, I break down how structure eliminates emotional interference, protects your energy and attention, and allows you to execute at a high level—regardless of how you feel. In this episode, you'll learn: Why lack of structure leads to emotional reactivity and inconsistent performanceHow emotions hijack decision-making and prioritize short-term reliefThe true definition of structure as a pre-decided system of priorities and behaviorsHow structure removes the need to negotiate with your emotions in real timeThe hidden cost of living in "evaluation mode" instead of "execution mode"How decision fatigue drains your energy, focus, and attentionWhy structure protects your attention from being hijacked by distractionsThe connection between structure and psychological safety (predictability + familiarity) 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. The Sustainable Weight-Loss Code: 61 laws to lose weight and keep it off (for good): Buy on Amazon. Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: @thegolfhypnotherapist Key Takeaways: Structure eliminates emotional decision-making and replaces it with executionIf you don't define your day, your emotions or distractions willDecision fatigue drains energy that should be used for performanceStructure creates psychological safety, reducing anxiety and overwhelmYour calendar reflects your identity more than your intentions Key Quotes: "You're not making decisions based on where you want to go—you're making decisions based on what feels best right now.""Structure is a pre-decided system of priorities, behaviors, and standards that removes the need to negotiate with your emotions in real time.""When emotions are driving, the destination is always the same—short-term relief and long-term stagnation.""If it's not scheduled, it's emotional. And if it's emotional, it's inconsistent.""If you're relying on how you feel to determine how you show up, you've already lost control of your performance." Time Stamps: 00:00: The Hidden Cost of Emotional Reactivity00:59: How Emotions Derail Your Daily Goals01:56: The Pattern of Living in Reaction02:47: Living Below Your Potential Without Structure03:45: Introducing the Power of Structure06:02: Alex Hormozi's Approach to Success Through Structure07:52: Defining Structure: Priorities, Behaviors, and Standards10:49: How Structure Eliminates Emotional Decision-Making13:27: The Importance of Planning and Reflection17:10: Building Emotional Stability Through Structure19:00: Your Calendar as a Reflection of Your Values23:07: Structuring Daily and Weekly Routines28:20: The Five Key Buckets of Life Structure29:19: The Impact of Structure on Success30:11:Building a Personalized Structure for Your Goals
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • #146: [Inside the Mind] Kevin Cahill: The Importance of Building Systems for Elite Performance

    #146: [Inside the Mind] Kevin Cahill: The Importance of Building Systems for Elite Performance
    Mar 19 2026
    In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Cahill—a real estate broker and strategist with nearly three decades of experience across every layer of residential real estate—for a powerful conversation on why systems are not restrictive—they're liberating. Kevin breaks down how the right systems and structure create the space to think clearly, stay present, and perform at a higher level in business, golf, and life. We explore the difference between systems and structure, why your calendar reveals what actually matters to you, and how so many entrepreneurs unknowingly create stress by refusing to build margin into their day. In this episode, you'll learn: Why systems help you become more present, focused, and effectiveThe difference between structure and the systems that support itHow your calendar reveals your real priorities, not your stated onesWhy building margin into your day reduces stress and improves performanceHow Kevin uses 13-week sprints instead of trying to plan an entire yearWhy respecting your calendar is a form of self-respectHow journaling, reflection, and intentional routines strengthen mindset and energy This episode is a reminder that peak performance is not built on chaos, hustle, and reacting—it's built on clarity, rhythm, and learning how to use systems to support the life you actually want to live. 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 Kevin Cahill Kevin Cahill is a real estate broker strategist with nearly three decades of experience across every layer of residential real estate. Beginning his career in 1999, he has built a rare track record that spans top-tier luxury home sales, multi-office brokerage leadership, and prop-tech innovation. Kevin has recruited, trained, and managed thousands of agents across multiple states, serving as both a Keller Williams investor/owner and a corporate executive for one of the nation's largest brokerage networks. His leadership history includes oversight of high-performing offices in Ohio, Florida, and Washington, along with strategic coaching that has shaped the careers of agents and teams nationwide. Today, Kevin operates at the intersection of local market expertise, brokerage operations, and software development. With deep experience in scalable lead-generation infrastructure, marketing systems, and agent attraction, he serves as both a trusted advisor to agents and a builder of tools that help them grow predictable, profitable real estate businesses. Learn more about Kevin: Realtyfunnels real estate agent software systemRealean real estate broker team Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload my "Play Your Best Round" free hypnosis audio recording. High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching Paul Salter is a high-performance hypnotherapist, mindset and performance coach, keynote speaker, author, and host of The Scratch Golfer's Mindset Podcast. With over 16 years of coaching experience and nearly 4,000 clients served, Paul helps high-performers—especially entrepreneurs, executives, and athletes—unlearn the destructive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that limit their potential. He specializes in working with individuals who know what to do but struggle to execute consistently, particularly when pressure is high and the stakes matter most. His approach blends hypnosis, neuroscience, performance psychology, and real-world coaching to create lasting, identity-level change—the deep work most people avoid until they realize it's the only path to sustainable, next-level success. Paul's clients include CEOs, C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, and professional poker players. He also has a strong focus and passion for working with golfers and professionals in the real estate space. Paul believes that when someone knows what to do but consistently fails to follow through, the issue is not a lack of knowledge—it's a mindset problem. He helps clients get unstuck, eliminate self-sabotage, and perform to their highest potential. Instagram: @thepaulsalter Key Takeaways: Systems are not meant to box you in; they free up the energy and attention needed to perform at your best.Structure is the bigger framework, while systems are the tools and processes that help you fulfill that framework.Your calendar and spending habits reveal what truly matters to you more honestly than your words ...
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • #145: The Sneaky Reason High-Achievers Stay Stuck: How Lack of Structure is Holding You Back

    #145: The Sneaky Reason High-Achievers Stay Stuck: How Lack of Structure is Holding You Back
    Mar 16 2026
    Most ambitious people believe they have a discipline problem. They don't. They have a structure problem. They wake up reacting to emails, notifications, and other people's priorities. They work long hours, stay busy all day, and convince themselves they're grinding toward their goals. But the truth is uncomfortable. Without structure, effort leaks everywhere. Focus gets diluted. Energy gets scattered. Progress becomes inconsistent. You see it in business with entrepreneurs who work 12-hour days yet feel stuck. You see it in golf with players who practice constantly yet shoot the same scores year after year. The problem isn't effort. The problem isn't knowledge. It's a lack of structure. In this episode of The Scratch Golfer's Mindset Podcast, I break down why so many high performers resist structure—and why embracing it is the fastest way to reclaim control of your energy, your emotions, and your results. Because the truth elite performers eventually discover is simple: Structure is the key to freedom. In this episode, you'll learn: Why a lack of structure quietly drains your energy and focusHow decision fatigue sabotages your productivity and performanceThe emotional cost of operating in constant reactivityWhy structure builds self-trust and psychological momentumHow simple structures (like pre-shot routines) unlock elite performanceWhy structure allows you to take action regardless of how you feelHow to identify the area of your life where structure would create the biggest breakthrough 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. The Sustainable Weight-Loss Code: 61 laws to lose weight and keep it off (for good): Buy on Amazon. Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: @thegolfhypnotherapist Key Takeaways: Structure protects your energy by eliminating hundreds of unnecessary daily decisions.Without structure, you become reactive—allowing emails, notifications, and other people's problems to dictate your priorities.Decision fatigue drains your mental resources long before you reach the work that actually matters.Structure stabilizes your emotions by creating clarity, control, and a clear plan for execution.Consistent structure produces consistent action, which builds confidence and self-trust.Pre-shot routines in golf are a perfect example of micro-structure designed to eliminate thinking and enhance execution.Structure is not about control—it's about becoming the person capable of achieving the goals you desire. Key Quotes: "Without structure, effort leaks everywhere. Energy gets scattered, focus gets diluted, and progress becomes inconsistent.""Structure protects your energy, stabilizes your emotions, and strengthens your psychology.""When you lack structure, you continuously force yourself to answer the question: What should I do next? And every one of those decisions drains mental energy.""Structure allows you to take action aligned with the best version of yourself — regardless of how you feel.""Structure isn't just a productivity strategy. It's an identity signal. It's evidence of the kind of person you are becoming."
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • #144: [Inside the Mind] Dr. Michael T. Lardon: Mastering Golf's Mental Game: Dissolve Performance Anxiety

    #144: [Inside the Mind] Dr. Michael T. Lardon: Mastering Golf's Mental Game: Dissolve Performance Anxiety
    Mar 12 2026
    If you care about elite golf performance, you can't ignore your golf mindset or your golf mental game. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Michael Lardon—a psychiatrist and performance expert who has worked with Olympians, major champions, and elite competitors—to explore what truly separates good players from those capable of sustained excellence. Together, we go beyond surface-level routines and visualization to clarify the difference between sports psychology and sports psychiatry, unpack what anxiety actually is from a biological and nervous system perspective, and explain why so many golfers sabotage their performance by time-traveling into the past or future. You'll learn why outcome goals create pressure while process goals unlock performance, how to channel intensity without tipping into volatility, and why positive obsession, creativity, rest, and play are essential to sustaining elite golf performance over years—not just one hot stretch. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between sports psychology vs sports psychiatry—and why it mattersWhat anxiety is (physiology, emotions, thoughts) and why it becomes chronicHow "time traveling" creates anxiety—and how presence dissolves itPositive obsession vs destructive obsession—and how to sustain passion for decadesHow to use the creative mind (visual, rhythm, feel) to access the zoneWhy the best performers are humble, curious, and mastery-drivenThe role of rest, recovery, humor, and play in elite longevity If you want a stronger golf mental game, more emotional control under pressure, and a deeper understanding of how to access the zone on demand, this conversation delivers both the science and the strategy. 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 Dr. Michael T. Lardon Dr. Michael T. Lardon is a board-certified psychiatrist and one of the pioneers in applying clinical psychiatry to elite sports performance. He has worked with Olympic athletes, professional golfers, and high-performing competitors across multiple disciplines. He is the author of Mastering Golf's Mental Game and Finding Your Zone, where he blends neuroscience, temperament research, emotional regulation, and disciplined focus into practical frameworks for sustained peak performance. Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: Anxiety is often a presence problem, not a performance problem. It arises when your mind leaves the present moment and starts time traveling into the past or future, creating a gap between where you are and where your thoughts are.Elite golf performance is built on process goals, not outcome goals. Winning, making the cut, or shooting a number are results; committing fully to each shot is the only controllable path to those results.Positive obsession fuels mastery; destructive obsession fuels burnout. The difference is whether your intensity is rooted in passion and love for the craft—or fear, validation, and imbalance.The creative mind unlocks the zone. Great players move from left-brain planning (distance, wind, lie) to right-brain creation (see it, feel it, rhythm it) before executing with trust and "no brain."Fun and pressure cannot coexist at full volume. Reconnecting to enjoyment, perspective, and passion lowers anxiety and opens the door to freer, more instinctive performance. Key Quotes: "So if I can be fully present, there is no anxiety, if you will. Now, not an easy thing to do… but where should my mind be? It should be in the gap between two thoughts.""If you want the good grade, you don't think, 'I'm gonna ...
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • #143: The Invisible Identity Trap Holding You Back: Why Grinding More Isn't Helping You

    #143: The Invisible Identity Trap Holding You Back: Why Grinding More Isn't Helping You
    Mar 9 2026
    Many high achievers wear the identity of being a grinder like a badge of honor. You wake up early.You stay late.You outwork everyone around you. And at first glance, that looks like discipline. But what if the identity of being the grinder quietly becomes more familiar than the identity of being the performer? In this episode, I unpack one of the most subtle traps high performers fall into—the Grinder Identity Trap—and why relentless effort can sometimes become the very thing preventing breakthrough performance. Whether you're an entrepreneur buried in spreadsheets or a golfer grinding endlessly on the range, the same psychological pattern often appears: constant effort without the results to match. The truth is this: Your nervous system is wired for familiarity. And sometimes it would rather maintain a familiar struggle than adapt to an unfamiliar level of success. That's why real breakthroughs require more than strategy, reps, or hard work. They require identity-level change. In this episode, we explore how the grinder identity forms, why it can quietly sabotage your growth, and how to create the psychological and emotional safety required to operate at the next level. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the grinder identity can become a hidden form of self-sabotageHow dopamine, control, and familiarity keep high performers stuckWhy relentless practice and work eventually produce diminishing returnsThe role your nervous system plays in resisting higher levels of successHow to begin creating psychological safety around breakthrough performance If you've been putting in the work but still feel stuck… This conversation may help you understand why. 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. Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: @thegolfhypnotherapist Key Takeaways: The grinder identity can become so familiar that success begins to feel foreign and uncomfortable.Your nervous system prioritizes familiarity over progress—even if that familiarity is frustration.Endless reps and effort produce diminishing returns as you approach higher levels of performance.Grinding often provides dopamine, control, and avoidance of deeper emotional discomfort.Breakthrough performance requires identity-level change, not just more strategy or effort. Key Quotes: "Your brain would rather maintain a familiar struggle than adapt to an unfamiliar level of success.""At some point, the grind itself becomes part of your identity.""Strategy creates opportunity, but identity determines whether you can operate at that level.""Expansion isn't only about doing more. It's about being more through doing less.""If you removed the identity of being the person who outworks everyone… what version of yourself might finally have space to emerge?" Time Stamps: 00:00: The Grinder Identity: A Double-Edged Sword07:40: The Importance of Identity in Performance15:05: The Balance Between Grinding and Resting22:06: Navigating Change and Embracing Expansion
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • #142: [Inside the Mind] Alex Huang: Curiosity as a Catalyst for Excellence and Elite Performance

    #142: [Inside the Mind] Alex Huang: Curiosity as a Catalyst for Excellence and Elite Performance
    Mar 5 2026
    You've lived in moments where one emotional decision can cost you a stack of chips… or three strokes in 90 seconds. And that's why this conversation with Alex Huang hits so hard. Alex breaks down how poker "tilt" and golf blow-up holes are the same problem in different clothing: impulsivity, entitlement, and emotion hijacking decision-making. We talk long-run thinking, why variance (aka luck) doesn't excuse bad process, and how numbers can act like "bowling bumpers" that keep you from derailing when your expectations outpace reality. You'll also hear Alex's best frameworks for talking players off the ledge after a mistake, why elite players obsess over reflection (even after shooting low), and the single message he'd put on a billboard every golfer would see: process, not results. In this episode, you'll learn: Why impulsivity in golf is just "tilt" with a scorecardHow to think in "the long run" so one hole doesn't define your roundHow variance + luck can still coexist with elite decision-makingWhy 15-foot putts deserve realistic expectations (and calmer emotions)How data creates objectivity without crushing feel-based playersWhere ego and entitlement bleed strokes (especially par 5s + short par 4s)How elite players reflect, catalog "feels," and build resilient performance 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 Alex Huang Alex is the COO of DECADE Golf. He works with several dozen LPGA / EPSON Tour players as well as many of the Top 10 college programs in both Men's and Women's golf. He specializes in distilling complicated golf data and ideas into simpler heuristics and concepts. You can follow Alex on Instagram here: @alexhuanggolf Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: Tilt isn't an emotion problem—it's a decision problem that emotions accelerate.The long-run mindset protects you from chasing: one bad swing doesn't require a heroic response.Variance is real: a good decision can produce a bad outcome (divots, bounces, gusts) and still be the right play.Numbers act like bowling bumpers—keeping you from going so aggressive you create doubles and triples."Should" is a red-flag word: entitlement (par 5s, wedges, short par 4s) is where blow-ups are born.When emotions spike, win the next moment: get hyper-specific on the target and stack micro-wins (GIR, 10% rule, speed).Elite players invest in reflection and documentation—especially when playing well—so they can return to what works faster. Key Quotes: "One catastrophic decision or one downward spiral where you're kind of chasing a previously bad decision — as we used in poker the term tilt — that can lead to your demise. You blink, you make a triple bogey because you got a bit greedy or a bit thoughtless or reckless with the strategy.""Just because you lost your pot going all in with aces pre-flop does not mean in hindsight you now look back and say, I should have folded. Much the same way with golf… you pick a good target, you make a committed swing… maybe you get unlucky and you wind up in a divot.""If I gave you a full deck of cards and I asked you to draw a diamond out of it and you drew a spade, would you be ticked off? No, right. But then how many times have they stood over a 14 or 15 foot putt upset that they didn't make it?""You can't control where your shot ends up within its shot pattern. You can't control the bounces you're going to get. But what you can control is making a committed swing at your target and dealing with the results." Time Stamps: 00:00: The Cost of Impulsivity in Poker and Golf02:50:...
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • #141: Stop Playing Emotional Whack-A-Mole: The Nervous System Secret to Peak Performance

    #141: Stop Playing Emotional Whack-A-Mole: The Nervous System Secret to Peak Performance
    Mar 2 2026
    Let me ask you something. When discomfort shows up — anxiety, frustration, fear — do you feel it… or do you fight it? Most high performers are conditioned to override emotion. We suppress it. Distract from it. Outwork it. Outthink it. We believe strength means control. But the harder you try to eliminate uncomfortable emotions, the faster they multiply. In this episode, I introduce a metaphor that's going to stick with you: emotional whack-a-mole. Because what you resist persists — not as spiritual fluff, but as nervous system science. If you want to perform at an elite level on the golf course or in business, emotional mastery isn't optional. And that begins the moment you stop swinging the mallet. In this episode, you'll learn: Why suppressing emotions actually amplifies them neurologicallyThe real physiological lifespan of an emotion (it's shorter than you think)How anxiety turns into frustration, then anger, then shame — and whyHow resisting emotions creates performance-killing stress loopsA practical method to sit with discomfort on the golf course and in businessWhy emotional mastery is a separating skill among elite performers 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. Spots are limited to the first 10 people. Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery CallSubscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys NewsletterDownload 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: @thegolfhypnotherapist Key Takeaways: What you resist persists because resistance signals danger to your nervous system and amplifies the emotion.Most emotions physiologically peak and pass within 15–90 seconds when fully felt without suppression.Emotional suppression creates attention loops, amplification loops, and stress loops that hijack performance.Sitting with discomfort builds resilience, clarity, and emotional leadership instead of reactivity.Elite performers don't eliminate emotions — they experience them without losing control. Key Quotes: "What you resist persists. Not because the universe is punishing you — but because your nervous system thinks the emotion is dangerous.""You don't just feel anxious. You feel frustrated about being anxious, angry about being frustrated, and ashamed for being angry. Now you're not dealing with one mole — you're dealing with a whole family.""The physiological lifespan of an emotion is often 15 to 90 seconds. You're the one keeping it alive.""When you stop whacking emotional moles, you train your nervous system that it's safe to feel.""The goal isn't to eliminate the moles. The goal is to stop swinging the mallet." Time Stamps: 00:00: The Whack-a-Mole Metaphor for Emotions04:40: Understanding Emotional Suppression11:58: The Lifespan of Emotions21:31: Emotional Mastery and Performance
    Show More Show Less
    Not Yet Known