Hello! Welcome to the Monkey Mind Newsletter where we provide you with the tools to be a more successful and resilient athlete and human. 

TOPIC
Thinking About It Won't Get It Done

Who else has spent more time planning a workout than actually working out? Maybe you have gone one step further and put the workout off because it doesn’t seem perfect or you are afraid to fail at it. We can all be guilty of something like this.

This week, we’re talking about action. Not perfect action. Not overthought, over-planned, wait-for-the-right-moment action. Just doing the thing. Because here’s the truth— confidence, success, and progress don’t come from thinking about it. They come from actually doing it.

Stop Overthinking & Start Doing

“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.”— Amelia Earhart

• A noticeable pattern in high-performing people is action. They don’t overthink, over-plan, or wait for the perfect moment— they move.

• These people go from ideas to action in the same amount of time it takes most to write up a plan.

• While others are debating or hesitating, these people are attempting and adjusting. They are making moves— small progress.

• They understand that success doesn’t go to the person who had the “best idea”… it goes to the one who acted on it. 

That’s the key: Action quiets doubt. The more you do, the less you overthink.

3 Questions to Consider

1. What is something I’ve been overthinking instead of just doing?

2. If I took one small action towards it today, how would that change things for me?

3. What’s stopping me from starting— fear, perfectionism, or just habit?

One last thought: You don’t need to feel ready. You don’t need a perfect plan. 
Just start. The rest will follow.

CONTRIBUTOR
Kelsey Gustafson, M.S., Mental Performance Coach

Kelsey is a mental performance coach and the owner of KGC LLC & associate at Champion Mindset Group. She is dedicated to helping athletes develop the mindset needed to compete at their highest level—consistently and confidently. She works with athletes, coaches, and teams through 1:1 coaching, team workshops, and leadership development, providing practical strategies that enhance performance under pressure. In addition to running KGC LLC, Kelsey also works as an independent contractor at a private practice in Michigan, expanding her reach to support athletes at all levels.

With a Master’s Degree in Sport & Human Performance and personal experience as a collegiate volleyball player, Kelsey understands the mental demands of competition firsthand. She works with a wide range of sports, including Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Swim & Dive, Soccer, Track & Field, Volleyball, Wrestling, and more.

Kelsey’s customized approach helps athletes sharpen their focus, manage pressure, and stay locked into the present moment. Through her training, athletes learn to recognize mental traps, develop resilience, and recover from adversity with confidence.

She believes that while many factors contribute to an athlete’s success, the defining difference between a good and a great competitor is their dedication to the mental game. Those who invest in their mindset gain the edge needed to perform at an elite level—both in competition and in life.

Kelsey partners with individual athletes, coaches, and directors to build mentally strong teams that thrive under pressure.

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