Persistence Performance Group

Performance profiling helps you identify the skills your performance requires, recognize your strengths, and decide where to focus next.

Ready to create a more intentional plan for your performance? Send us a DM or visit the link in our bio to book a free consultation.

What does effective coaching actually look like?

Smith & Smoll’s Coach Effectiveness Training (CET) was developed to help coaches create environments that support both athlete development and performance. At the heart of the model are five core coaching principles:

1️⃣developmentally oriented philosophy of winning
Focus on athlete effort and enjoyment, rather than winning at all costs.

2️⃣positive approach to coaching
Use positive reinforcement, encouragement, and appropriate instruction.

3️⃣Norms that emphasize athletes’ obligations to help and support one another

4️⃣Decision making that involves athletes
Including athletes in appropriate decisions can increase ownership and acceptance of team roles and responsibilities.

5️⃣Increased self-awareness of one’s own behavior and its consequence
Coaches are encouraged to observe, reflect on, and monitor their own coaching behavior.

Research on CET has found meaningful changes in the athlete experience. Athletes with CET-trained coaches have reported greater enjoyment, more positive evaluations of their coaches and teammates, increased self-esteem, lower performance anxiety, and lower rates of sport dropout.

At Persistence Performance Group, we work with coaches, teams, and organizations to be more intentional about the environments they create while continuing to pursue high standards and performance.

Interested in bringing this work to your team or organization? Send us a DM or visit the link in our bio to schedule your free consultation today!

Sometimes the things we do to feel *more* in control of our performance actually make performing harder.

Overthinking the mistake. Waiting for confidence. Fighting nerves. Adding another correction. Focusing on the outcome.

Mental performance training isn’t about eliminating pressure, nerves, mistakes, or self-doubt.

It’s about building the skills to respond effectively when they show up.

As your season gets underway, we have availability for athletes and performers ready to level up their mental game, reach their peak performance, and develop more of their potential.

DM us or visit the link in our bio to get started. 🧠⚡

Kinda chic to keep choosing the dream. ✨
The years of training. The long days. The moments of doubt. The persistence to keep showing up anyway.
Because helping performers achieve their goals and live by their values? That’s a dream worth pursuing. 🤍

Persistence at PAMA! 🎶🎤🎭🩰✨

Day 2 at PAMA recap!

Arianna kept the momentum of our exciting lineup at the conference with her poster presentation on day 2!

She shared her work on integrating mental skills training and connected into pre-professional dance educational environments and shared valuable insights about the role of mental performance within dance training.

In between sessions Lauren and Arianna made the most of their time in the city including walks in Central Park, delicious meals, and working towards the exciting projects persistence has in store for all of you!

Persistence at PAMA! 🎶🎤🎭🩰✨

Day 1 at PAMA recap!

Lauren kicked off our exciting lineup at the conference with her poster presentation alongside co-author Tess Vosper. She shared their work on advancing collegiate dancer support through mental skills training and connected with attendees about the role of mental performance within dancer support.

The day also included a wonderful dance-focused plenary and concluded with the opening reception, bringing together professionals from across disciplines in performing arts medicine.

A full first day of presenting, learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration!

News Alert! ‼️🚨🔔🧡💙

As of May 29, Persistence Psych is officially **Persistence Performance Group LLC**!

Our new name reflects the continued growth of our organization and the expansion of our work in mental performance consulting.

We’re also excited to announce that **Lauren Ostrander McArdle has joined Arianna Ceccarelli Shimits as co-owner of Persistence Performance Group.**

While our name is changing, our mission remains the same: to provide thoughtful, individualized, and evidence-based mental performance support for performers, athletes, and high-achieving individuals.

We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and excited to share more about what we’re building in this next chapter.

Same mission. Growing team. New chapter. 🧡

Sleep is the most overlooked mental performance intervention in sport.

We teach self-talk.
We train visualization.
We work on confidence and resilience.

But without sleep, the brain cannot consolidate learning, regulate emotion, or perform executive functions at a high level.

Mental toughness does not mean functioning in a fatigued nervous system.

If you want sustainable excellence — sleep is non-negotiable.

Before asking:
“How can I perform better?”

Ask:
“How am I sleeping?”

We often treat motivation like a feeling we’re supposed to wait for.
But in performance environments, waiting usually costs momentum.

Motivation is not the prerequisite.
Action is.

When you take even one intentional step, your nervous system receives new information:
I’m capable of moving forward.
That information is what confidence builds on.

This is why high performers don’t wait to feel ready, inspired, or certain.
They move first — then let belief organize itself around action.

If today feels heavy, flat, or unfocused, don’t try to fix the feeling.
Choose one controllable action and begin.

Momentum is created through movement.
Motivation follows behavior.

Start small. Start imperfect.
Just start.

We celebrate podiums.
We rarely prepare athletes for what comes after.

The Olympic Blues is a documented emotional experience where athletes feel a post-competition drop following a major event.

Why?

Because the brain has been living in anticipation mode for years.
When the target disappears, the system recalibrates.

This doesn’t only apply to Olympians.

It applies to:
• Athletes finishing a championship season
• Students graduating
• Professionals completing a massive project
• Anyone who has finally reached a long-pursued goal

Achievement changes structure.
It doesn’t automatically sustain meaning.

Mental performance isn’t just about performing under pressure.

It’s about navigating transitions with regulation and perspective.

The competition ends.

You remain.