Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Habert.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am thankful to be able to share my story and background & grateful for this opportunity, Voyage Denver.
I played a variety of sports from an early age and fell in love with the competitive nature of each game, the teamwork & collaboration imperative for success, and the individual effort & dedication necessary to improve. My competitive volleyball career included four years at the University of Colorado, allowing me to learn a multitude of strategies in pursuit of optimal physical and mental performance.
Throughout my competitive years, my confidence wavered – ranging from an ideal state to self-doubt in my abilities. I struggled to understand my inconsistency, how to maintain positive self-talk, and navigate my perfectionistic tendencies that were both productive and unproductive. I became intrigued by utilizing various mental skills to help me focus on what I could control in the pursuit of consistent performance.
Expanding my reach in the world of volleyball, I’ve had the opportunity to coach for the last 6+ years at the club and collegiate levels. I cherished having an impact on the development of student-athletes, however, this setting was another reminder of how important it is to have strategies to better set yourself up for success.
These experiences drove my interest in developing and maintaining an optimal mindset for sustainable performance, leading me to the field of sport psychology. Throughout my education, I found the field fascinating and have been passionate about helping others develop a strong mindset and the individualized tools to optimize, thrive, and perform in all domains. I recently completed my Master’s in Sport Psychology at Florida State University and opened my business Optimize & Thrive Performance, LLC. I am currently working towards my Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) Certification under supervision allowing me to continue making an impact on local CO athletes.
In addition to growing Optimize & Thrive Performance, I am excited to work for a performance mindset and leadership coaching company, Valor Performance Inc. that has helped me learn so many valuable lessons. Valor’s specialty is to “energize and empower leaders, teams, and organizations to achieve and sustain personal and professional success.” Working within the Coach Operations team and as a performance coach, I have gained insights into best practices in virtual coaching, maintaining a global lens with coaching, and transferring knowledge from this space to my work with athletes within Optimize & Thrive Performance.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not always!
I didn’t anticipate or expect to start my own business, especially right after completing grad school. With my undergraduate degree in psychology and my graduate degree in sport psychology, I was missing the necessary business skills and experience that would have helped to navigate this adventure. This journey has been a great learning experience, setting up an LLC, maintaining supervision and mentorship for my professional development, sharing what the field of sport psychology is and what my services entail, establishing myself in the area to pave avenues for clients, etc. All of these experiences are both pain points and the best lessons learned. This entrepreneurial path has taught me authenticity and persistence while reminding me that I am building the plane as I am flying it!
A quote that I like to lean into: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao Tzu
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Optimize & Thrive Performance, LLC?
Optimize & Thrive Performance, LCC (OTP) offers coaching designed to help athletes or other performers develop and leverage a mindset to optimize and thrive in pursuit of goals and sustainable performance. Mental performance consultation supports clients in gaining self-awareness, knowledge, and personalized strategies to pave a path toward success.
I offer several mental performance offerings, including individual, group, and leadership coaching sessions. Individual sessions are designed to explore client needs, strengths, and growth areas, improve self-awareness, advance preparation, and enhance mental skills. Team/ group sessions are activity- or discussion-based, intended to target enhancing group dynamics or building mental skills. Lastly, leadership development sessions are available to improve key skills such as creating a motivational climate, honing communication skills, handling conflict, etc.
Ultimately, OTP intends to genuinely help individuals as we are all trying to show up consistently as our best selves regardless of the circumstances or performance domain. I am also working on refining my skills to show up in the best way to support those I work with and impact.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
How others often described me, which is aligned with the way I’ve perceived myself, is driven, collaborative, and curious.
Throughout my whole life, I have always had this ambition and need to achieve. It has helped me navigate through school, competitive volleyball, and the early stages of my professional career. More recently, it is this drive to better me personally and professionally.
For me, volleyball was never only about the game. I strongly valued the collaboration and relationships that came with it. I truly thrived in a team dynamic, leveraging each others’ strengths and gaining new perspectives to achieve our goal through new strategies. I have always felt energized by working with others, especially if it is providing support for them and helping them show up as their best self.
Lastly, I have always had an endless curiosity about the mind and behavior. This curiosity grew into wanting to better understand the psychology behind performance and how to leverage your mindset. These led me to my undergraduate studies in psychology and graduate pursuit of sport psychology. Now working in this field and navigating my business, I can lean into curiosity to get to know my clients, build rapport with them, and find which personalized tools work well for them.
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