Overthinking Is Blocking Your Hockey Performance (Unlock More Confidence With the Mental Reset Method)

Throughout my hockey career when it came to the time before and during games, my mind wandered more than I would like to admit.

Every hockey player has experienced this same thing at some point in their career:

It’s minutes before the game when your mind just is not in a great place.

Your thoughts are racing, you are questioning your game, and wondering if you’re prepared enough to perform.

Honestly, you hope you just don’t go out there and play a terrible game.

It’s this deep feeling that is weighing your body down, making your muscles feel heavy, and making your mind feel slow.

Before games, I used to always ask myself:

• “Have I done enough training?”

• “Was my pre-game routine optimal?”

• “Am I focusing on the right things today?”

• “Are scouts noticing me?”

• “Is my coach going to play me on the first or second PP today?”

During games, things were not much different.

I wanted to be great so badly that I was almost always overthinking my game.

This overthinking would almost always be accompanied by feelings of nervousness and fear.

As you stand there on the ice with the Anthem playing, the last thing you want to be doing is feeling a lack of confidence or doubting yourself.

I was not as confident as I wanted to be because I was OVERTHINKING MY GAME and I didn’t have the tools to fix this.

I wish I had understood what I know now, and had a coach who could have helped coach me through these things.

I hope I can be that coach for you now.

Let’s begin the lesson...

Overthinking Explained

Overthinking is when you consciously think more than necessary in pursuit of a goal, which leads to indecision or hesitation instead of taking action and leads to failure to accomplish the goal.

This is our Identity Shift definition

Overthinking is when the voice in your head (conscious thought) tries to guide your actions with words in situations where trusting your instincts would be more effective.

It’s over-analysis.

It leads to the common saying analysis-paralysis.

When I say conscious thinking I really just mean the voice in your head is talking and pulling you out of the present moment.

When this voice starts trying to instruct too much in games, this is where most players' problems arise.

Overthinking slows your reactions down almost like putting cobwebs in front of your face as you try to play hockey.

Overthinking leads you to respond slower to game situations.

Overthinking prevents you from letting yourself respond instinctually.

If you have trained your instincts well (The Four-Horsemen), then this is a major problem.

Think about it this way… when you sprint as fast as you can, do you need to think through every single movement that your body does and instruct it with words?

Of course not, you rely on your running instincts.

In practice do you have to instruct your every joint, ligament, and bone on how to skate as fast as you can, how to stop, or how to turn?

Of course not, you rely on your instincts.

If you did try to instruct yourself, you would fall the moment you started moving because you could never send out all of those instructions.

If this is all a bit confusing, I would watch the YouTube video above to hear me break this down a bit more.

Not All Thinking Is Bad

It’s important to remember that if a certain way of using your brain or body helps you sustainably achieve a result, then I don’t think it is a problem to be solved.

For example, if saying to yourself “Move here, do this, do that” works for you consistently and helps you perform, then who is anyone to tell you to stop?

But if what you are doing is not producing the desired results, then something has to change.

In this case, the problem we are addressing is: Overthinking

Was I Good Enough?

Now it’s easy for someone to hear what I said above and simply say: “Well maybe you just weren’t good enough. Maybe you SHOULD have been nervous and overthinking it because you knew you were not good enough.”

I won’t deny the first part of the statement: “Maybe you weren’t good enough”.

I agree, I could have been much better.

And that’s the first thing I talk about with every client I work with.

You must have high Hockey Ability.

I break hockey down into 4 buckets:

With better training and preparation, I could have improved in all four areas.

However, I know that my hockey IQ, physical ability, and mechanical skills were stronger than I showed on a night-in and night-out basis.

I know most players have a similar issue.

It’s not that you don’t have the tools.

You just can’t get those tools to come out in games.

The Hockey IQ Block

Is it possible that Hockey IQ is secretly holding you back?

This is a common thing that most players don’t realize.

They have the skill and the physical abilities, but they just are not making the right plays.

This oftentimes leads to poor confidence and self-doubt.

It might not be clear if you have a hockey IQ block right now.

The first thing to understand is that there are four key areas of hockey IQ that we look at and of course, each of these has many subskills within them:

1. Awareness - Being able to understand your surroundings on the ice, including the positions of teammates, opponents, and the puck, where you are on the ice, the time of the game, the momentum of the game, etc.

2. Pattern recognition - Identifying recurring plays, strategies, or tendencies during the game to better predict what will happen next.

3. Anticipation - Predicting the next move in the game based on current play, allowing you to be one step ahead of opponents.

4. Decision Making - Quickly choosing the best action in a given situation, such as when to pass, shoot, or hold the puck.

Now here are some key questions to ask yourself to determine if any of these are blocking your performance.

It is key to remind yourself that all of these can be improved, but right now we are looking to see if any of these are the reason you are not performing up to what you have the capability of performing.

Awareness Questions:

• Do you often find yourself out of position during gameplay?

• Are you able to track the puck and opposing players simultaneously?

• Do you know where your teammates and opponents are on the ice without having to look directly at them?

• Can you identify when a scoring opportunity is developing before the puck gets there?

Pattern Recognition Questions:

• Can you recognize the opposing team's strategies and adapt to them during a game?

• Do you notice recurring patterns in how certain players or teams execute plays?

• Are you able to quickly identify open lanes or passing options as they develop?

• Do you often predict where the puck will go based on the current play setup?

Anticipation Questions:

• Can you predict the next move of your opponents with reasonable accuracy?

• Are you often in the right place at the right time, both offensively and defensively?

• Do you find yourself one step ahead of the play, knowing what to do before it happens?

• Do you anticipate changes in the game flow, such as when the opponent's momentum shifts?

Decision-Making Questions:

• When under pressure, do you know when to pass, shoot, or hold onto the puck?

• Can you make quick and effective decisions in high-speed situations?

• Are you aware of multiple options when you have the puck, and can you select the best one?

• Do you find yourself second-guessing your choices during or after a play?

If any of these questions sparked your brain and had you realize that you do have a Hockey IQ block, then stop reading this letter and go work on that.

I recommend starting with my co-coach Xander from Conscious Hockey on youtube - he will teach you how to develop your hockey IQ like NHLers.

Here’s a great video to start with to learn about how Mcdavid has developed his game over time:

Now let's get back to overthinking...

Should You Be Overthinking?

But going back to the statement from earlier: “Well maybe you just weren’t good enough.

Maybe you SHOULD have been nervous and overthinking it because you knew you were not good enough.”

I do NOT agree with the second part of the statement: “Maybe you SHOULD have been nervous and overthinking it because you knew you were not good enough.”

This is simply an incorrect statement because:

1. Just because you don’t have evidence for something doesn’t mean you can’t do it (underdogs win all the time in sports)

2. Even if you are the underdog, being anxious and overthinking it will not help you and will very likely only hurt your performance

I want to repeat this again:

Underdogs win all the time!

So even if you are the underdog and you or other people think it is unlikely you will win, I don’t think there is any reason you should be overthinking things going into a game.

How to Stop Overthinking In Hockey: The Mental Reset Method

After reading this letter, overthinking will still happen.

The voice in your head is not going to completely disappear.

Negative thoughts will still come in before, during, and after games.

And you will take them too seriously at times.

These thoughts will try to draw your attention away from the present moment.

The Mental Reset Method is a drill to help you detach from these thoughts.

Instead of trying to hide from them or suppress their thoughts, we learn to let them exist without pulling our attention from the game.

There are pro and D1 players using this method right now.

I know because they told me that they are.

I say this so that you know that this stuff can really work for even the best players!

Let's break down each step and show you how it can help you stay focused on the ice.

The Mental Reset Method

1. NOTICE: Become Aware of the Thought or Emotion

The first step is simple but powerful—just notice what's going on in your mind.

Are you feeling anxious before a face-off? Frustrated after a bad shift?

By becoming aware of these feelings, you're taking the first step toward managing them.

In hockey, setting reminders to check in with yourself can be helpful.

When you notice a negative thought creeping in, that's your cue to move to the next step.

2. LABEL: Name the Thought or Emotion

Next, put a label on what you're experiencing.

In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this is called defusion.

It's like saying, "There's my self-doubt again," instead of getting caught up in it. By labelling the thought ("I'm having the thought that I'm not good enough"), you create some distance from it.

This makes it easier to see that thoughts are just thoughts, not facts.

For example, if you’re thinking, "I’m never going to score," you can label it: "I'm noticing the thought that I won’t score."

This takes away some of its power over you.

3. INTERRUPT: Break the Thought Pattern

Interrupting the thought pattern is like calling a quick "time-out" in your mind.

In hockey, things move fast, and you don't have time to dwell on mistakes.

Find a quick physical cue to break the cycle of negative thoughts—whether it's squeezing your stick, taking a deep breath, or tapping your glove.

This interruption gives you a moment to reset mentally and get ready for what's next.

4. REFRAME: Shift to a Positive, Forward Thought

Instead of dwelling on the negative, shift your focus to something constructive.

While ACT emphasizes focusing on values and committed action rather than just "positive thinking," a quick reframe can boost your confidence in the short term.

After a mistake, instead of thinking, "I messed up," try reframing it to, "My next shift is a chance to improve," or "I’m here to support my team."

It’s not about ignoring the mistake but rather focusing on what you can control next.

5. ADJUST: Set a Clear Action Intention

Now, it's time to set a clear intention for what you’re going to do next.

In ACT, this is known as committed action—taking steps that align with your values.

Ask yourself: What’s the next action that aligns with being the player you want to be?

Maybe it's focusing on your positioning, communicating more with your teammates, or simply giving 100% effort on your next shift.

Setting this intention helps direct your energy toward something productive.

6. SURRENDER: Let Go of Attachment

This final step is crucial. Letting go doesn't mean giving up—it means releasing your grip on the outcome.

In ACT, this is called acceptance.

Accept that mistakes, nerves, and tough moments are part of the game.

Instead of battling these feelings, allow them to be there without letting them control how you play.

For example, if you’re feeling nervous before a game, acknowledge it and let it be, rather than trying to force it away.

Focus on what you can control: your effort, attitude, and actions.

Putting It All Together

The "Mental Reset Method" is a quick and effective way to handle the ups and downs of hockey.

It's about noticing what’s going on in your mind, creating some distance from negative thoughts, and refocusing on what truly matters—playing your game.

Hockey is full of challenges, but with this mental reset, you can keep your head clear and your focus sharp, shift after shift.

Remember, the goal isn't to have zero negative thoughts; it's to keep them from running the show.

Next Steps:

If you are super serious about developing the mental ability, confidence, and preparation of the best NHLers in the world.

Step 1: Subscribe to this newsletter.

Step 2: Apply here to see if you are a good fit to implement the Mind-Body Hockey Training Method into your career to develop NHL-Level Mental Ability, Confidence, and Preparation.

See you at the next level,

Corson