Episode
144. Dr. Michael T. Lardon: How Elite Performers Overcome Anxiety and Trust Under Pressure
- Published
- Mar 12, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3248
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-unstuck-high-performer-podcast-hypnotherapy-and-mindset-coaching-for-high-performers-6891445/episodes/144-dr-michael-t-lardon-how-elite-performers-overcome-anxiety-and-trust-under-pressure/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-unstuck-high-performer-podcast-hypnotherapy-and-mindset-coaching-for-high-performers-6891445/144-dr-michael-t-lardon-how-elite-performers-overcome-anxiety-and-trust-under-pressure.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
If you care about elite golf performance, you can't ignore your golf mindset or your golf mental game. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Michael Lardon—a psychiatrist and performance expert who has worked with Olympians, major champions, and elite competitors—to explore what truly separates good players from those capable of sustained excellence. Together, we go beyond surface-level routines and visualization to clarify the difference between sports psychology and sports psychiatry, unpack what anxiety actually is from a biological and nervous system perspective, and explain why so many golfers sabotage their performance by time-traveling into the past or future. You'll learn why outcome goals create pressure while process goals unlock performance, how to channel intensity without tipping into volatility, and why positive obsession, creativity, rest, and play are essential to sustaining elite golf performance over years—not just one hot stretch. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between sports psychology vs sports psychiatry—and why it matters What anxiety is (physiology, emotions, thoughts) and why it becomes chronic How "time traveling" creates anxiety—and how presence dissolves it Positive obsession vs destructive obsession—and how to sustain passion for decades How to use the creative mind (visual, rhythm, feel) to access the zone Why the best performers are humble, curious, and mastery-driven The role of rest, recovery, humor, and play in elite longevity If you want a stronger golf mental game, more emotional control under pressure, and a deeper understanding of how to access the zone on demand, this conversation delivers both the science and the strategy. Get your pencils ready and start listening. Apply for 1-1 High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mi…