How A Marginal Gains Approach Can Help You Perform Better #BITESIZE
Chris Cook is a former double Olympian & Double Commonwealth Champion. After competing for Great Britain for nearly 10 years, he hung up the trunks and retired from international swimming and began working with businesses/organisations far and wide to help inspire, mentor and coach people to embrace ‘challenge and change’ for their optimal performance. Chris has built a reputation as a motivational speaker throughout the last 7 years working from referral to referral, sharing his story and the lessons learnt from the journey with over 400,000 people.
Chris and his wife Erica also run their own Learn to swim business – ‘Swim Buddies’ which has seen the business (located in Darlington, UK) grow from 7 swimmers in their first week in September 2014 through to over 1000 children swimming with Swim Buddies every week.
Chris’s coaching, speaking and mentoring is centred around personal development. Whether it’s in the water helping swimmers or on dry land in business and life, Chris believes that success is something you attract from the person you become.
Marginal gains is an approach that was created by Dave Brailsford with British Cycling which led to many years of success. It’s an holistic approach where you can reflect on your habits and behaviours, looking for small 1% improvements to ensure you give yourself a better chance of success.
In this short episode double Olympian and now, a motivational speaker and executive coach Chris Cook tells me about his experience of implementing a marginal gains approach. The emotion associated with such innovation and the results too.
Key Learning Points:
- How can I swim 2 lengths of the pool faster was a question Chris often asked himself with the help of a Sports Psychologist.
- It helped him simplify his approach and question why he did what he did on a daily basis.
- Being triggered by something often is caused by some sort of inner conflict. Seek to explore it.
Connect with Chris Cook
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To Listen to Relevant Episodes to Improve Your Rest and Recovery
Ep110: Dan Steele – How to Increase Mental Fortitude: Secrets from an Olympian
Ep140: Chris Cook – How to Improve Your Mental Strength: Secrets from an Olympian
Ep213: Sandro Forte – How To Set Yourself Up For Success In 2024?
Ep214: Ellen McDermott – How To Create Helpful Eating Habits To Benefit Your Sport Performance
Other helpful resources to help you learn how to perform better
Handout: Marginal Gains Refining Your Approach
Blog: Do You Really Want to Succeed
Blog: 12 Reasons Why You Won’t Achieve Your Potential
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Best Wishes
David Charlton
Global Sports Psychologist who is located near Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK and willing to travel Internationally. David also uses online video conferencing software (Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp) on a regular basis and has clients who he has supported in USA, Canada, South America, UAE, Australian and New Zealand.
Managing Director – Inspiring Sporting Excellence and Founder of The Sports Psychology Hub. With over 10 years experience supporting athletes, coaches, parents and teams to achieve their goals, quickly.
T: +44 7734 697769
