Catch the Good: How Young Athletes Can Train Their Inner Voice and Build Confidence

What can a goldfish teach an athlete about mental fitness? Forget the mistake. Replay the good. It sounds simple. For most young athletes, it is one of the hardest skills to build. In Episode [#6] of The Pressure Lab, Keith Wilford sits down with Dr. Scott Glassman, licensed psychologist, author of A Happier You, and director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), and Will Davis, a high school sophomore goalkeeper for FC Delco 2010 MLS Next HG, to answer one of the most common questions in youth sports mental health: how do athletes stop dwelling on mistakes and start building real confidence? Why do athletes remember mistakes more than wins? Dr. Glassman explains the science behind negativity bias, the brain's tendency to hold onto what went wrong longer and harder than what went right. For young athletes, this means one bad play can overshadow an entire strong performance. Understanding why this happens is the first step to changing it. What does "catching the good" actually mean for a teen athlete? Dr. Glassman breaks down how athletes can actively redirect attention toward positive moments, not by ignoring mistakes, but by training the brain to give equal weight to what is working. This is a learnable, practicable skill, not a personality trait. How do breathwork and visualization help athletes under pressure? Will Davis shares the specific tools he uses as a goalkeeper: breathwork to stay present, visualization to prepare for high-pressure moments, and trust in the people around him to stay grounded when the game gets hard. These are not abstract concepts. They are tools a 15-year-old uses in real competitive situations. Why does athlete identity matter for confidence? Both guests address one of the most underexplored issues in youth sports mental health: athletes whose entire identity is tied to performance are more vulnerable to confidence collapse after mistakes. Seeing yourself as more than your stats protects the joy that brought you to the game. What this episode covers: Why the brain holds onto mistakes longer than wins (negativity bias explained) How young athletes can move from a bad moment to the next play without spiraling What breathwork and visualization actually do for a teenager under pressure How to actively catch the good even in a hard game or hard season Why confidence is built through practice, gratitude and support, not just belief How athlete identity affects mental health and performance What parents and coaches can do to reinforce a healthy inner voice in young athletes The goldfish principle: why forgetting the mistake is a mental fitness skill Guest: Dr. Scott Glassman, Licensed Psychologist, Author of A Happier You, Director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Guest: Will Davis, a high school sophomore goalkeeper, FC Delco 2010 MLS Next HG Host: Keith Wilford Related episodes: The Last Line (Ep. 4), Face the Feed (Ep. 5) Subscribe to The Pressure Lab on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. New episodes every week. Tags: youth athlete mental health, athlete confidence, sports psychology, inner voice athletes, negativity bias sports, breathwork for athletes, visualization for teen athletes, positive mindset youth sports, how to stop dwelling on mistakes, athlete identity, HEADFIRST, The Pressure Lab, mental fitness, youth sports, teen athletes, FC Delco, PCOM, A Happier You