Episode 369: Stop “Thinking Positive”: Nervous System, Pressure, and Performance with Vince Malts

In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with my good buddy Vince Maltz, a high-performance mindset coach who works with NHL players, Division I athletes, and elite performers. We dig into what “mindset training” actually looks like in real life, beyond the clichés, and why it’s inseparable from physiology, recovery, and nervous system regulation. We also get into the modern performance environment: fake expertise, too many voices in the kitchen, and why big organizations adapt slowly. Vince breaks down centralized vs. decentralized leadership, how athletes can learn to think for themselves inside a system, and why being a “nerd” at your sport is becoming a competitive advantage. From there, we hit practical tools: how athletes move from conscious competence to unconscious competence faster, why distributed cognition matters in team sports, and what individuals can do today to improve performance through breathing, cold exposure, communication, and environment. Sponsors: Shiftwave: https://shiftwave.co/drmiketnelson - Save $300 with the link above. Note: This is an affiliate link.Daily Fitness Insider Newsletter: https://flex-diet.kit.com/bfa1510fa8 Available now: Grab a copy of the Triphasic Training II book I co-wrote with Cal Deitz here. Episode Chapters: 06:53 Why Mindset Matters: From ‘Fringe’ to (Mostly) Accepted in Pro Sports08:28 Pressure, Public Failure & Emotional Imprints: When One Mistake Snowballs13:04 The Dream vs the Job: Nervous System Load of Going Pro16:22 Social Media, Doomscrolling & the Rise of ‘Fake Experts’19:55 Too Many Voices: Entourages, Specialists & Who’s Actually in Control?22:39 Centralized vs Decentralized Leadership: Letting Athletes Think for Themselves26:09 Big Organizations Adapt Slow: Communication, Small Groups & Real Dialogue31:15 Being a ‘Nerd’ at Your Sport: Building Game IQ Through Learning & Desire36:40 Thoughtfulness, Accountability & Why Systems Make Change Real37:32 Why Veterans Still Win: Reading the Game on a Deeper Level37:51 The 4 Stages of Learning (and the Push Toward Unconscious Competence)40:25 Can You Speed It Up? Pressure, Playfulness & Staying in Stage 342:17 Identify–Direct–Own: A Framework to Accelerate Game Adaptability44:58 Distributed Cognition: The Team ‘Cheat Code’ for Game Speed48:31 Game Theory in Sports: Rules, Referees & Playing the Real Game50:15 System Reliability, Utility Players & Coaching Under Constraints56:09 State Before Skills: 4 Practical Tools (Breathing, Cold, Communication, Environment)01:05:03 Wrap-Up, Where to Find Vince, and Podcast Outro + Disclaimers Flex Diet Podcast Episodes You May Enjoy: Episode 328: Grit Gains: Building Mental Toughness and Resilience in Training with Ben Mayfield Smith YouTube: https://youtu.be/SsgZ1Tg_groEpisode 294: Mental Fitness & Performance: A Talk with Contemplate CEO Tarun Gulati YouTube: https://youtu.be/WWhtGjdWiNA Connect with Vance: Bloodline Hockey: https://bloodlinehockey.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachvinnymalts Get In Touch with Dr Mike: Instagram: DrmiketnelsonYouTube: @flexdietcertEmail: Miketnelson.com/contact-us