Episode 20 - Alochol & Performance
In this episode of Mind Set Go, Daniel Osen explores how alcohol quietly impacts focus, sleep, hormones, and long-term performance. Drawing on sport psychology and neuroscience, he explains why even small amounts can disrupt recovery, dull mental clarity, and accelerate ageing — and how understanding these effects can help you reclaim natural energy, discipline, and precision.
🎧 Listen, reflect, and keep your Mind Set Go.
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How to Receive Feedback Like a Pro
Description:
In this episode of Mind Set Go, Daniel Osen breaks down one of the most overlooked skills in high-performance psychology: the art of receiving feedback. Drawing on insights from Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen’s acclaimed book Thank You for the Feedback, Daniel explores how the ability to take feedback well — not just give it — is a defining marker of growth, adaptability, and elite performance.
You’ll learn:
🎯 Why success depends more on how you receive feedback than how it’s delivered
🧩 The three types of feedback (Appreciation, Coaching, Evaluation) — and how to tell them apart
⚡ The three psychological triggers that block learning, and how to manage them
🧭 How to distinguish coaching from judgement to avoid defensiveness
🌱 Why feedback is information, not identity — and how to use it as fuel for progress
Packed with practical strategies, psychological theory, and reflective questions, this episode helps you transform feedback from something you fear into something you leverage.
Whether you’re an athlete, leader, or professional seeking growth, this conversation will help you shift from reaction to reflection — and turn every piece of feedback into an opportunity to get better.
🎧 Listen now — and learn how to turn critique into clarity, and pressure into progress.
🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielosen
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🌐 Website: www.mentaltrenerosen.no
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🛌 Episode 18 - Sleep, Screens & Performance: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You
Why does sleep matter more than ever — not just in elite sport, but in the military, policing, intelligence, and everyday life?
In this episode, Daniel Osen (PhD student, mental coach, and Armed Forces) dives deep into how sleep affects decision-making, recovery, emotions, and long-term performance. Drawing on the latest Norwegian and international research, this episode offers practical, science-backed advice for anyone aiming to perform under pressure.
🎯 Key takeaways:
– Why 3 nights of poor sleep is a cognitive risk
– How social media sabotages recovery
– The link between sleep, injuries, and emotions
– 4 evidence-based tips for better sleep
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
📩 Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/danielosen
📸 Instagram: @mentaltrenerosen
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In this episode of Mind Set Go, host Daniel Osen unpacks the science and practice of mental training in high readiness professions—drawing from his own bachelor thesis on performance psychology in the police.
Why do elite athletes invest in psychological training, but many emergency professionals don’t? Daniel explores the transferable tools from sport psychology—goal setting, visualisation, relaxation, and self-talk—and how these methods can enhance decision-making, resilience, and performance under pressure.
With real examples from police interviews and research collaborations in Iceland and Norway, this episode bridges theory and practice in a way that's accessible, evidence-based, and immediately useful—whether you're in uniform, in sport, or simply facing stress in daily life.
🎧 Topics covered:
What mental training is (and isn’t)
How police and athletes alike can benefit from it
The PETTLEP model of visualisation
Breathing techniques used by Navy SEALs and police patrol units
The power of inner dialogue in stressful situations
🧠 Practical, grounded, and relevant for anyone who wants to perform when it matters.
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Why are we often kinder to others than we are to ourselves?
In this powerful episode of Mind Set Go, mental performance coach Daniel Osen explores the psychology of self-criticism—where it comes from, how it sabotages us, and what we can do to change the internal narrative.
From childhood comparisons and capitalism’s hustle culture to perfectionism and emotional self-sabotage, this episode digs deep into why we judge ourselves so harshly—and how to stop. Featuring insights inspired by Jordan Peterson, real-world metaphors (including babies on doorsteps and walking toddlers), and the latest research on perfectionism, self-compassion, and mental health.
🧠 Learn why accountability is not the same as blame
💡 Discover the difference between healthy standards and psychological drowning
🤝 Try practical tools like self-hugs, “dates with yourself,” and redefining your inner critic
Supported by research from Smith et al. (2020), Gilbert & Irons (2005), and psychedelic therapy studies from Griffiths et al. (2016), this episode gives you both the science and the soul behind self-acceptance.
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Be kinder to your mind. You live there.
🎧 The Inner Voice: Competing for Yourself, Not for Them
Why do so many athletes burn out, break down, or lose their love for the game? Often, it’s not the training. It’s not even the pressure. It’s the fact that they stopped listening to their own voice.
In this episode, I explore why following your inner voice isn’t some fluffy self-help advice, but a performance imperative. We talk about identity, autonomy, parental pressure, and what it actually means to take ownership of your career.
🎓 Hosted by Daniel Osen – mental coach, PhD student in performance psychology.
🔗 Connect: LinkedIn | BuyMeACoffee | Instagram
Episode 14 - Make Priorities and Decide!
Are you constantly busy — but rarely productive? In this episode of Mind Set Go, we explore how to take control of your time and focus by mastering your priorities using insights from performance psychology, neuroscience, and the well-known Eisenhower Matrix.
You’ll learn:
The difference between urgent and important tasks (and why we often get it wrong)
Why decision fatigue affects even high performers
How unfinished tasks clutter your mind — and what to do about it
Why multitasking doesn't work, cognitively speaking
Simple strategies and exercises to help you regain focus and take action
We’ll also look at how Warren Buffett and Steve Jobs used strategic prioritisation to achieve extraordinary results — and how you can apply the same tools in your everyday life.
🎯 Follow me on Instagram: @mentaltrenerosen
💼 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Daniel Osen
☕ Support the podcast: BuyMeACoffee.com/danielosen
Thanks for tuning in — now set your mind, and go.
To Believe or Not Believe: Faith & Resilience in Sport
Discover how prayer, ritual, and community support can become an athlete’s clutch play under pressure. In this episode of Mind Set Go, Dr. Daniel Osen breaks down the rituals of champions—from Tim Tebow’s sideline prayers to Mohamed Salah’s post‑goal gratitude—and shows you how to weave brief faith‑based pauses into any performance routine.
You’ll walk away with simple, actionable strategies for moving beyond setbacks, sharpening focus, and cultivating unshakeable mental resilience.
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielosen
☕️ Enjoying the show? Buy me a coffee and keep the insights coming: https://buymeacoffee.com/danielosen
Episode 12 - Self-Compassion, Elite Sport & Burnout with Melanie Stokke
Former pro tennis player Melanie Stokke joins Mind Set Go to talk about chasing excellence — and the emotional toll that often follows. From training alone in Spain to competing at the highest level, Melanie shares how self-doubt, pressure, and perfectionism nearly broke her.
Now a psychology student and coach, she explores the science of self-compassion and how it can prevent burnout, boost resilience, and help athletes feel "good enough" — both on and off the court.
We discuss mental toughness, identity, emotional recovery, and how coaches and parents can better support young athletes. A must-listen for anyone striving in silence.
🔑 Topics:
– The 3 pillars of self-compassion (Neff, 2003)
– Why self-kindness
– Emotional recovery after failure
– Burnout, perfectionism, and fear of failure
– Practical tools you can use today
🎾 “You are not your ranking. You are not your results.”
Check out Melanie's coaching expertise here and give her a follow on Instagram here.
🎙️ Episode 11 – The Person Behind the Performance: Personality in Coaching & Sport
In this episode of Mind Set Go, we dive into the fascinating world of personality psychology and its powerful impact on the coach–athlete relationship. From the widely recognised Big Five (Five-Factor Model) to the insightful Jungian Type Index (JTI), we explore how understanding personality differences can unlock stronger communication, deeper trust, and better performance in sport.
Whether you're a coach, athlete, or someone curious about what drives human behaviour, this episode offers practical insights, relatable examples, and useful strategies to apply in any high-performance environment.
🧠 Learn how personality shapes motivation, stress responses, feedback preferences, and more — and why the best coaches are also students of human behaviour.
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linkedin.com/in/daniel-osen
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Episode 10 - Set Clear Goals!
In times when smartphones and other distractions put us away from our goals and achievements, honesty is needed! Did you actually exercise today, or did you just say you should? Did you push through for eight reps, or did you just do six? Coaches and athletes need to know if you did what you planned to did in order to track your trajectory and path to your goals.
We dive into SMART-goals and also Result, Performance and Process goals.
If you do want to support my free charity work of knowledge being spread to your ears, go to BuyMeACoffee and support me.
Make sure to follow me on LinkedIn for more posts on performance psychology.
Episode 9 - Recovery
"A lot of athletes train hard enough, but they do not rest well enough" is a common quote issued by professional coaches.
Why is that sleep is so important? And what should I do to improve my sleep? Older people needs less sleep... Right? Or...?
In this episode I am breaking down Dr. Matthew Walker's: QQRT framework—Quality, Quantity, Regularity, and Timing
if you consider my work worth it and want to donate to my free contribution of free knowledge so I can increase spending my time on this, visit BuyMeACoffee and donate a small amount!
Episode 1 - Who Am I?
I will In this brief episode, I will give you a little bit of my background and a bit about my two professions. I will not go too much into my private endeavours, but I will share some small parts!
You can read my articles on LinkedIn, and/or
You can contribute to my charity of sharing knowledge for free by buying me a coffee, a metaphor for donating money to my research, publications, podcasts-work and keynotes. In short, feel free to donate, aka 'buy me a coffee' at BuyMeaCoffee.com/DanielOsen . It really helps, more than you can imagine. Thank you very much for listening and for the possible donation!
Episode 8 – Self-Esteem vs. Self-Confidence
What’s the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem? And why does it matter for athletes, performers, and anyone striving for success?
In this episode of Mind Set Go, we break down the key distinctions between what you do (self-confidence) and who you are (self-esteem). You’ll learn:
✅ How self-confidence is built through experience and repetition.
✅ Why self-esteem remains stable even when you fail.
✅ How your brain distorts reality—and what to do about it.
✅ A simple five-question framework to challenge self-doubt.
If you’ve ever struggled with setbacks, felt like your confidence disappears under pressure, or tied your self-worth to achievements, this episode is for you.
🎙 Tune in now and take control of your mindset!
Check out my LinkedIn for articles on performance psychology and please feel free to buy me coffee (meaning supporting me using my free time on this social media hell we are all going through) --> https://buymeacoffee.com/danielosen
Episode 7 - How our brain developed
From 2.5 million years ago till today - what happened? I will take you through some very cool readings and adjust it to performance psychology after reading 'Sapiens - A brief history of humankind' by Yuval Noah Harari.
Do you wish to support my work? You can buy me a coffee in the spirit of support my podcast and writing of article here: https://buymeacoffee.com/danielosen
Check me out on LinkedIn or Instagram @DanielOsen or @MentaltrenerOsen
Episode 6 - Resilience
When was the last time we were resilient? And what does 'being resilient' really mean? Is it that you face adversity and can deal with it? Or is coping in your everyday life's reign of tasks and priorities?
Join me as I re-tell one of my most successful keynotes ever on mindset, resilience and techniques of handling it.
Please leave me a review and give me feedback through email, LinkedIn or Instagram.
Visit my website for more information about me and my practice.
Also, I am a keynote speaker. See the provider website for bookings; A-speaker profile (UK) is soon up, so you can book me through Athenas (Norway) or A-Speakers (UK) whenever you feel like it!
Remember: "Mental training is not knowing what to do, but doing what you know"
Yours,
Daniel
Episode 5 - Self-Image and Attention in Elite Performance
In this episode of Mind Set Go, we delve into the delicate balance of self-image, self-esteem, and mental resilience in sports and life. Exploring how self-esteem ties to performance, I discuss the pressures athletes face on the grand stage—whether it's the pitch, court, or field—and how they can find stability amidst it all.
We’ll cover three key principles for navigating the demands of high performance:
Drawing on Adrian Wells' concept of Detached Mindfulness, we’ll explore practical Attention Training Techniques (ATT) to help you improve mental control and flexibility. You'll learn how to redirect focus, manage critical self-talk, and adjust expectations without compromising your standards.
Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone striving to excel, this episode offers actionable insights to help you "do it anyway—then rest." Join me as we embrace the complexities of self-image and performance with compassion and purpose.
In this episode of Mind Set Go, we dive deep into the fascinating world of sports psychology, breaking down complex concepts to help you optimise performance and resilience.
Join me, PhD student Daniel Osen, as we explore:
Whether you’re an athlete, a coach, or someone striving for high performance, this episode provides science-backed insights and practical tips to help you thrive under pressure.
Tune in and discover how to harness your mind to achieve greatness!
Follow me on LinkedIn for more nerdy stuff on sports psychology.
Episode 3 - Experience as a Sports Psychologist Consultant
By Ph.D Student Daniel Osen
Coaching experience will lead to greater insight into adjusting to an athlete or a club. I recently finished my two-year degree in an advanced programme in sport psychology and pedagogic studies.
I will provide you with some key points on meassurment, key point indicators, feedback strategy and being short and crispy with your athlete. Your athlete is not a professor! Make it simple stupid!
Make sure to leave a star and a review. It really helps me getting my word out there, both in academia and among colleagues, family and friends.
I am posting frequently on performance and pscyhology on LinkedIn. Feel free to follow me and send me a message!
Check out my website for information about me and my coaching.
Episode 2 - Confidence: What is it and Why do we need it?
By PhD Student Daniel Osen
In this episode, we dive straight into the topic of confidence, exploring its crucial role in performance psychology. I’ll skip the introductions and get straight to the science, sharing studies on confidence and self-image.
You’ll hear about what the research shows, and I’ll also draw on real-life experiences, particularly how social media has impacted young people’s sense of self-worth, shaped by perceived parenting styles and societal pressures.
I'll discuss the struggles faced by adolescents and how these influence their confidence, providing valuable insights that you can apply to improve your own performance, both in sports and in life.
Check out my LinkedIn for more posts on performance psychology.
Check out my website for information about me, my research and coaching experience.
Rate me (give me stars) - making this podcast more visible to athletes who want to become more resilient.
