{"id":120017,"date":"2025-05-22T11:07:26","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T19:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/05\/22\/what-can-in-house-lawyers-learn-from-elite-athletes-about-peak-performance\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T11:07:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T19:07:26","slug":"what-can-in-house-lawyers-learn-from-elite-athletes-about-peak-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/05\/22\/what-can-in-house-lawyers-learn-from-elite-athletes-about-peak-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"What Can In-House Lawyers Learn From Elite Athletes About Peak Performance?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/p>\n

When you hear \u201cmental performance training,\u201d you probably think of Olympic athletes, NFL quarterbacks, or a top tennis pro on center court. What if I told you that in-house lawyers could benefit from the same training athletes use to achieve elite performance?<\/p>\n

High-performing athletes don\u2019t just train their bodies \u2014 they train their minds. They work with coaches to master their focus, regulate emotions under pressure, reframe self-talk, and cultivate resilience. Like athletes, in-house lawyers navigate high-stakes situations, tight deadlines, and unpredictable environments. With that being the case, why wouldn\u2019t in-house lawyers train just as intentionally as athletes?<\/p>\n

Over the years, I have met several former lawyers who now exclusively coach other lawyers. Many of these coaches recommend using the same mental performance strategies used by athletes. The four strategies that resonate most with me include strategies centered around mindfulness, mindset, and emotion regulation.<\/p>\n

Practicing Mindfulness\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before you roll your eyes, I would suggest you ask yourself a question. When is the last time you stayed 100% present in a meeting \u2014 no mental to-do lists, no checking your phone, just focused?<\/p>\n

Mindfulness is about being fully in the moment without judging yourself or your performance. As in-house lawyers, we are masters of internal criticism: \u201cI should\u2019ve known that,\u201d \u201cWhy didn\u2019t I catch this earlier?\u201d Judgmental thinking clutters our minds and hampers decision-making.<\/p>\n

Athletes are trained to center themselves, recognize early signs of tension or anxiety, and redirect their attention. Imagine applying this before walking into a board meeting \u2014 pausing to notice your breath, your tension, your mental chatter. Just like a top-performing athlete, you can center yourself and focus on the task at hand. With practice, mindfulness can become a high-performance habit, not just a wellness buzzword.<\/p>\n

Checking Your Mindset At The Door<\/strong><\/p>\n

Athletes who excel over time don\u2019t always have the most talent \u2014 they have the right mindset. Carol Dweck\u2019s work on growth versus. fixed mindsets(Opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a> shows that how we think about ability shapes how we respond to setbacks. For in-house lawyers, mindset shows up when we say things like, \u201cI\u2019m just not good at public speaking,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m not a \u2018deal lawyer.\u2019\u201d That\u2019s fixed mindset thinking \u2014 and it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.<\/p>\n

Athletes are taught to reframe setbacks as feedback and view challenges as opportunities. In-house lawyers can do the same. Next time something goes sideways (because it will), try saying: \u201cThis didn\u2019t work yet,\u201d or \u201cWhat can I learn from this?\u201d That\u2019s not just positive thinking \u2014 it\u2019s performance strategy.<\/p>\n

Getting Emotionally Precise<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emotions at work? Everyone has them \u2014 but how well do can you recognize and name them? Top athletes are coached on the ability to distinguish between emotions like frustration, anxiety, disappointment, or discouragement. Why? Because accurately labeling emotions allows them to choose the right coping strategy. Saying \u201cI\u2019m stressed\u201d isn\u2019t nearly as useful as realizing, \u201cI\u2019m feeling overwhelmed because I\u2019m afraid of looking unprepared.\u201d<\/p>\n

In-house lawyers benefit from the same emotional clarity. It can help them respond, not react. The more precisely in-house lawyers understand what they feel, the better they can manage it \u2014 and keep their performance on track.<\/p>\n

Learning To \u2018E.A.T.\u2019 Your Emotions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Strong emotions \u2014 anger, anxiety, embarrassment \u2014 can hijack performance. Athletes are taught to experience, acknowledge, adjust, and toss those emotions. Instead of stuffing down stress or spinning in circles after a tough call with your supervisor, consider using a strategy called \u201cE.A.T. It.\u201d coined by Hannah Huesman(Opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n