Nicole Bolton | Managing Mental Health and Elite Performance

"For a number of years, success to me was operating in a really unhealthy manner. I would need to be under significant duress away from the game to then step over that white line and go perform, as it was the only time I would feel like I was in control of my life." This episode is with Nicole Bolton - Australian opening batter and arguably one of the best Western Australian cricketers of all time. Bolts has a fascinating story, battling inner demons for the majority of her career, yet finding a way to be one of the most consistent performers in the best team in the world. 5:10 - Why she stepped away from the game at 18 after being in the Australian set-up10:30 - How younger players get derailed and burnout in the current professional environment and the way to change it13:35 - How she focuses her attention in the middle irrelevant of what is happening off the field 17:45 - The search for perfectionism and how it derailed her mental health to the point where she had to leave the game she loved18:30 - Having an out of body experience due to being under serious distress leading into a WBBL game26:05 - Tools Bolts uses to help manage her wellbeing32:00 - How yoga taught her the basics of performance - simplicity, flow, presence and enjoyment 33:10 - Her batting philosophy and how it is centred on trust, courage and freedom34:40 - What makes batting coach Noddy so good, and how their definition of success has nothing to do with hitting cricket balls36:30 - How she uses playing fast bowling to help face her adversities in life41:15 - The 3 most important cricket shots 43:20 - How returning to club cricket reignited her love of the game47:30 - Why it is so difficult to just let go and trust yourself49:20 - How her positive personal narrative leading into the 2019 Ashes ended up being self-destructive52:10 - Bolts' definition of success52:60 - Who is Nicole Bolton at her bestLinks:Stitch in time article: