Aaron Goldman helps us unpack all of the different ways to cultivate fun in sports. He is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant based out of Oregon and is the director of PLAYfree. A former high school and college athlete and longtime youth coach, Aaron collaborates directly with athletes on the development of mental and emotional life skills that help them thrive on and off the field; he also works together with coaches, parents, and program organizers to create safe, supportive, joyful, and developmentally appropriate competitive spaces.
Timestamps are below, enjoy!
(0:00) Episode introduction
(1:48) Introduction to Aaron Goldman
(4:42) Type 1 fun
(5:30) Type 2 fun
(7:38) How does fun change as athletes age?
(21:59) Cultivating meaning and joy
(29:34) How playing a sport starts to feel like a chore
(31:17) How fun can boost performance
(41:11) How fun can hurt performance and limit potential
(53:45) Should you stay in a sport if you’re lacking joy in it?
(59:44) How values play into cultivating joy and managing burnout
(1:10:47) Healthy competitiveness
(1:21:53) Compassion, curiosity, and humility facilitating a sense of joy
(1:27:47) Can you fake your way into having fun?
(1:33:20) Action items
(1:33:35) Reframing
(1:35:42) Reinterpreting stress
(1:37:14) Mindfulness
(1:39:51) Invest in relationships
(1:41:36) Journaling
(1:44:30) Practicing gratitude
(1:48:43) Action items summary
(1:51:42) Outro
Aaron Goldman's website: https://playfreesport.com/
Follow @thesportpsychologyof on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Find us on Youtube to watch clips from each episode, including video.
Email Gabe at thesportpsychologyof@gmail.com for any feedback or questions regarding the podcast.
Interested in taking your mental game to the next level? Try out 1 on 1 sport psychology coaching with Gabe Zelico by visiting my website: www.zelicoperformance.com and sign up for a free introductory call.
Music by Ben Zelico.
Disclaimer: The Sport Psychology Of podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not represent mental health care services, including the giving of mental health care advice. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining mental health care for any condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
