Inspiring mental fortitude and delivering key strategies to harness the power of mindset, we are excited to announce that Alex Hodgins, Mental Performance Coach, will be delivering the keynote address at LESA’s Refresher 2023: Family Law conference.
As mental performance coach, Alex helped the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team bring home bronze (2016) and gold (2020) at the Olympic Games. With a specialization in both individual and team performance, Alex currently works with the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Canada Ski Cross. With a passion for self-mastery and awe for human excellence, Alex believes that people are capable of infinitely more than they give themselves credit for. Supporting people who wish to pursue the edges of their potential is exciting, challenging, and rewarding and Alex notes that he often says, “If you want to work in high performance, you have to be a high performer yourself.”
So, what does it mean to be a high performer?
Alex is quick to note that, athlete or not, we are all performers. Lawyers, and those working within the legal profession, are high achievers, manage high expectations, are asked to deliver under pressure, meet the demands of tight deadlines, and perform in front of others with outcomes on the line. Paralleling sport, those who work in the legal profession can benefit from building internal confidence, learning how to maintain focus under pressure, and developing strategies to execute at a personal best when it matters most.
How does one find continual growth and excellence?
Finding continual growth and excellence is largely dependent upon mental performance. Alex notes that without a clearly defined vision, it’s hard to know where you’re going and even harder to tell if you have gained traction on your goals. Secondly, he notes the importance of building habits – with a caution. If you choose to begin a new habit that is too lofty or unattainable, it’s easy to become frustrated and you are therefore more likely to abandon the pursuit. Alex suggests breaking a new habit down into smaller, more manageable, steps and then recognize daily where you performed well to meet your goals.
Our brains are wired to seek out and encode negative memories and thoughts, making it even more important to take the time to focus on the good. Taking the time to reflect is an impactful way to maintain a healthy mindset that allows for continued growth.
When not travelling for work, Alex can be found relaxing with his family, seeing friends, playing golf, or diving into a good book and notes that work/life balance is not often found in the 50/50 sense for many people.
“You may not have equal time to give to work and the rest of life, but you need to give them equal attention. Meaning – you need to be present for both. For example, when I get home from a long day, or especially if I have been away on a trip for a few weeks, I ensure that my phone is away and that I am present with my family without distractions. It allows me to appreciate the time I get away from work and gives me a chance to reset and have new energy for when I am back in work mode.”
He goes on to add that two of his favourite sayings are, “be where your feet are” and “what you focus on, grows”– mantras that that he often thinks about when it comes to both work and his personal life.
We cannot be more excited for Alex’s talk in May at LESA’s Refresher 2023: Family Law. Won’t you join us? Together we’ll walk away inspired to harness the power of a gold-medal mindset.
See you there!
