Mastery Over Performance: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
If you’re like me, then I’m sure this past Sunday you had to be thinking, “Can you imagine having to hit off that 18th tee box at the masters right now, with all those people so close, in a sudden death, with all that pressure? How do they do it!?”
This had me thinking about a very big topic in the “mindset” world… Mastery > Performance.
It’s the 18th hole. You’re in a playoff. Tied up. One shot could win it (or lose it). And the worst thing you could do right now? Start thinking about outcomes. About results.
“I have to birdie this.”
“I can’t miss.”
“I need to win.”
That kind of thinking — the performance mindset — tightens you up. It clutters your mind. It makes everything feel heavier. But the best athletes? They don’t go there.
They lock in on process. They breathe. They stick to their routine. They swing freely. They trust their preparation. And ironically, by focusing less on the outcome… they give themselves the best shot at getting it (pun intended).
From the Field to Real Life
If you’re a former athlete, you’ve been trained to care about results. Scoreboards. Stats. Starting jobs. Offers. Wins.
But now?
The scoreboard (if there even is one), is a lot fuzzier.
The stakes sometimes feel even higher.
And the “I have to crush this” mindset doesn’t go away.
It just shows up in new ways:
“I need to impress them in this job interview.”
“This first date has to go well.”
“I have to deliver the perfect speech.”
“If I’m serious about my faith, I should be doing more — reading more, praying more…”
This is where mastery steps in.
Mastery Is the Secret Weapon
If it’s a job interview:
Performance mindset says: “I need to impress them. I need to get this job.”
Mastery mindset says: “Let me prepare well, show up authentically, and trust my preparation.”
If it’s about giving a speech:
Performance: “Don’t mess up. You have to crush this. People will think I’m a fraud if I mess up.”
Mastery: “Focus on the message. Be present. Be authentic. Connect.”
If it’s a first date:
Performance: “They have to like me.”
Mastery: “Let me be curious, genuine, and enjoy this moment.”
If it’s growing in Faith:
Performance: “I need to read more, do more, know more. Others are so much further ahead than I am.”
Mastery: “Let me just sit with this truth, explore it, apply it, and live it.”
Mastery doesn’t mean doing more.
It means doing what matters — consistently and with intention.
Let me ask you this…
What’s more valuable:
Reading five chapters of scripture and forgetting everything you read?
Or sitting with one verse — reflecting on it, praying about it, and applying it to your life?
Too often, we confuse quantity with growth.
We mistake “more” for “better.”
We let the pressure to perform get in the way of actually progressing.
But Don’t Results Still Matter?
They do.
And I know some of you are thinking: “Okay, cool message… but at the end of the day, if I don’t get good results, none of it matters.”
Here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way:
Hyper-fixating on results makes them harder to achieve.
It adds stress. Doubt. Overthinking.
It crowds out the very mindset that allows you to perform at your best.
But when you shift your focus to mastery — the process, the practice, the present moment — something opens up.
You show up more freely. You move with clarity.
And the results?
They start to follow.
Just think about your best performances… how much were you thinking, or overthinking? Doubting? How focused were you on the results you had to have? Were you consumed with the outcome?
Final Thought
If you're in a season where you're chasing something — a new job, deeper faith, stronger relationships, a new version of yourself — ask this:
Am I trying to perform my way to worth? Am I too focused on the results?
Or am I mastering the moment in front of me? Am I more concerned about what I’m doing?
One creates pressure, stress, and doubt.
The other builds power, confidence, and is more sustainable.
Choose mastery. Use outcomes and results as feedback, not to determine your worth.
Just watch what happens.