NYC Marathon Finisher: The Power of Mindset in Reaching Your Goals
The journey toward optimal performance is rarely smooth. Like many athletes I’ve worked with, I’ve experienced the highs and lows that come with pursuing ambitious goals—injuries, uncertainty, even the setbacks brought on by COVID. Yet through those moments, I was able to apply many of the same principles I teach my clients: learning to regulate stress, stay present, and reconnect with purpose when things get tough. Much of what I’ve learned over the years hasn’t just come from textbooks or research, but from the lived experiences and resilience of my athlete clients. Their struggles and recoveries have taught me that performance is as much about mental endurance as physical capability. Those lessons became invaluable, especially in the final kilometers of the race, when fatigue meets determination and the mind takes over where the body starts to fade. Equally important was the support of family and friends - a reminder that every meaningful goal transcends the individual. Their encouragement wasn’t only felt through cheers on race day but in the quiet patience and understanding shown during the countless hours of training that reshaped everyone’s routines. In many ways, the goal became a shared journey, built on collective effort and love. The road wasn’t easy, but reaching the finish line brought an immense sense of happiness and fulfillment. Every challenge became a reminder of why the work of mental training optimal performance matters so deeply. 2020/21 goal ✔️

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Optimalist – Guided Journal

I’m excited to announce that, in partnership with The Scribes, we’ve just launched The Optimalist Guided Journal – a tool designed to bring clarity to goal setting while raising awareness of mood, wellbeing, and daily focus. This collaboration blends science-backed structure with creative freedom, helping you stay intentional and grounded in both productivity and self-care.

The journal features erasable dry-marker pages, allowing you to prioritize tasks, tick off goals once completed, and create flexible daily or weekly schedules that can be updated as your plans evolve. It also includes dotted pages for notes, reflections, and sketches – perfect for tracking progress or creative thinking.

A huge thank you to everyone who made this project possible, especially Michael Reiney, CEO of @thescribesco, and my incredibly talented friend @littletigernyc for the beautiful logo design.

The Optimalist Journal is now available in the Shop section.
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L’Officiel: La Desatanudos

L’Officiel: ¿Qué es el Optimal Performance Training (entrenamiento de rendimiento óptimo) que vos proponés?

María C. Bruce: Es un enfoque que busca maximizar el potencial de una persona en contextos de alto rendimiento. En general, se lo relaciona con el deporte, pero también se aplica a la dirección empresarial y a la gestión de equipos, donde la necesidad de alcanzar el mejor desempeño es constante e hiperexigente. Además, estos profesionales enfrentan mucha presión para sobresalir en sus respectivas áreas. Esta presión puede venir de expectativas personales, demandas externas o por la competencia inherente a esos ámbitos. Por eso, el OPT pone el énfasis en el manejo del estrés y la ansiedad utilizando, por ejemplo, técnicas centradas en la respiración como principal regulador fisiológico. Además, se entrena el “reencuadre” (reframing), que implica un cambio consciente y constante de perspectivas y pensamientos negativos a positivos, permitiendo que los individuos puedan gestionar mejor la presión que sienten. Por otra parte, se trabaja en la resiliencia para sobreponerse a los fracasos o a situaciones difíciles, incorporando estas experiencias negativas como partes fundamentales (building blocks) para fortalecer el carácter y la determinación. La resiliencia se traduce en una capacidad de aprendizaje, de recuperarse rápidamente, y de seguir adelante con el objetivo final en mente.

Mental Training for Soccer – Pre-teens & Teens Edition

As a sports psychologist and a mom, I’ve seen firsthand how young athletes can struggle with mindset when the going gets tough. When my son’s team was facing a challenging time, I wanted to provide them with something more than motivational words—a practical resource they could turn to when things didn’t go as planned. That’s how Mental Training for Soccer: Pre-teens & Teens Edition was born.

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