Head GAMs

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the twenty-second episode of Head GAMs! This week your hosts explore the automatic negative thoughts our brain creates. What do we do when our brain’s autopilot is getting in our way? What strategies have Bryan and Jonathan used in the past? Tune in to find out how to start battling all of the nasty thoughts your brain throws at you. Contact and Support: patreon.com/HeadGAMsPodcast twitter.com/bryango twitter.com/JonathanACarter twitter.com/HeadGAMsPodcast...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the twenty-first episode of Head GAMs! Finally, the hosts are tackling their all-time most requested show topic—tilt! Why did Bryan and Jonathan resist discussing this topic for so long? Do the hosts have their own tilt-monsters lurking in their closet? Why does Bryan think tilting is fundamentally incompatible with the way he chooses to live his life? If you have been dying for a way to get your tilt under control, this is the episode for you! Contact and...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the twentieth episode of Head GAMs! This week the hosts are tapping into their favorite source of inspiration—listener questions! Jonathan and Bryan help listeners address a plethora of issues including decision paralysis and fatigue, dealing with an opponents off-putting attitude, and keeping a growth mindset even in the face of tremendous setbacks and adversity. If you’d like to participate in future listener focused episodes, don’t forget to check out our...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the nineteenth episode of Head GAMs! This week we get to hear about Bryan’s debut as a broadcaster and look back at how his preparation compared to the real thing. The hosts also discuss the nature of competitive ranked ladders in video games and the psychological dangers of committing completely to topping a ladder. Bryan and Jonathan leave you with tips to engage with ladders in a healthy way that maximizes how to increase your skill and find satisfaction....

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the eighteenth episode of Head GAMs! This week the hosts are tackling one of Jonathan’s favorite topics—mindset. What does it mean to have a growth mindset? What potential benefits are there, in both competition and life, to embracing an effort to better yourself as a person? How can you change your view of the world in order to maximize your capability for growth? All of these questions and more will be answered on this week’s Head GAMs! Don’t forget to head...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the seventeenth episode of Head GAMs! In the spirit of the new year, this week is all about the dos and don’ts of tackling New Year’s resolutions. Listen as the hosts spend time walking each other through their own plans for 2019. Will Bryan live healthier? How will Jonathan go about building his brand? You’ll hear how to use research proven methods for setting and attaining your goals. If you want to start off 2019 the right way, you can’t miss this episode!...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the sixteenth episode of Head GAMs! In celebration of this week’s topic, Jonathan takes over hosting duties as the cast focuses on strategies for learning and doing new things. Whether you’re on the cusp of a career change, picking up a new form of competition, or just want to be prepared when the time comes, Head GAMs has the advice that will set you up for success in your new endeavors! If you’d like to learn more about how you can support the Head GAMs...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the fifteenth episode of Head GAMs! The hosts have an incredible amount to be thankful for this holiday season, and an ever-growing cadre of Head GAMs listeners ranks near the top! The cast takes some time to express gratitude in the form of a new Patreon framework and an episode dedicated to answering listener questions on every conceivable topic. Tilt, intrusive thoughts, being old and uncool, and dealing with the change in seasons—this is the most...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the fourteenth episode of Head GAMs! How do you prepare for one of the biggest competitions of your year? We brought in one of the best Magic: The Gathering players in the world, Gerry Thompson, to talk about his approach prior to, during, and after his toughest tournaments. If you’re not a Magic player, fear not! The techniques discussed here are applicable across all forms of competition! If you’d like to learn more about how you can support the Head GAMs...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the thirteenth episode of Head GAMs! This episode is all about our listeners, and the hosts are taking the time to review listener responses to questions relating to our last two months of episodes. For fresh information regarding sleep, nutrition, strengths, weaknesses, and burnout, check out this cast! You can find out how to participate in similar episodes in the future and support the Head GAMs podcast over at www.patreon.com/HeadGAMsPodcast Contact and...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the twelfth episode of Head GAMs! In a long-awaited episode, Jonathan is leading Bryan (and our listeners) through some of his favorite studies and tidbits relating to performance psychology. From the health-related benefits of optimism, to the physiological study of visualization, you won’t believe what some of Jonathan’s favorite studies have revealed! As always, Jonathan is quick to suggest potential uses for these facts in training and preparation...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the eleventh episode of Head GAMs! As promised, the hosts are continuing the discussion from last week’s episode, but this time they are focused on their greatest psychological strengths. What one aspect of Bryan’s psychological makeup has been most instrumental in shaping his approach to life? Why is Jonathan able to find success dealing with adverse times? How have these strengths improved not only the hosts’ lives, but also their approach to competitive...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the tenth episode of Head GAMs! The hosts kick off the show by discussing a surprising aspect of last week’s cast that generated a groundswell of support and interest amongst Head GAMs listeners. Then it’s on to the main topic, as both Bryan and Jonathan reveal and discuss what they consider to be their biggest psychological weaknesses. They hold nothing back, sharing some of their own regrettable moments as they try to inspire listeners to work on their own...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the ninth episode of Head GAMs! Didn’t get enough sleep after our last episode? No worries, the hosts continue last week’s discussion, picking up with some unanswered questions. Can you really learn in your sleep? How do prescription drugs affect sleep? Jonathan then gives a helpful guide for evaluating the quality of your own sleep. Finally, the show closes with some brief tips for making sure your nutrition is optimized at your next competition. Try these...

Wake up people! Bryan and Jonathan are back for the eighth episode of Head GAMs! The hosts are putting on their pajamas, getting comfy, and leading a talk about settling down for a good night’s sleep. Why do so many of us treat sleep as an afterthought, when it has such a dramatic effect on our performance? What happens to us physiologically when we are sleep deprived? Are there potential solutions available for those among us who are problem sleepers? Bryan talks through his own historical...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the seventh episode of Head GAMs! This week, the hosts are talking through their own experiences with burnout in the professional and competitive realm. After defining exactly what the term means, the hosts give helpful tips for identifying burnout in ourselves and others. Bryan then posits a controversial opinion regarding what he sees as a common and unjustified response to competitive burnout. And finally, as always, Jonathan has some concrete steps we can...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the sixth episode of Head GAMs! This week, the hosts sent out questions related to past show topics to a bunch of listeners. Join Bryan and Jonathan as they explore and discuss listener responses related to past failures, issues with motivation, and so much more. If you’d like to participate in the next listener focused show, we’ve got good news for you. There are a limited number of participation slots available as a reward over on our brand-new Patreon page!...

Head GAMs is a discussion of the mental aspects of competition. No matter how you compete, Head GAMs will do its best to help you take your mental game to the next level. Bryan and Jonathan are back for the fifth episode of Head GAMs! The listeners have spoken again, and they asked us to spend this week’s episode discussing motivation. How does motivation relate to self-determination theory? What’s the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation? How can we tap into our core values...

Head GAMs is a discussion of the mental aspects of competition. No matter how you compete, Head GAMs will do its best to help you take your mental game to the next level. Bryan and Jonathan are back for the fourth episode of Head GAMs! This week, listeners chose the topic of discussion via Twitter poll, and people wanted to hear all about Impostor Syndrome. How does Jonathan define Impostor Syndrome? Who among us is suffering from this pervasive form of self-doubt? How does Impostor Syndrome...

Bryan and Jonathan are back for the third episode of Head GAMs! This week, the hosts are talking about practice. Not a game… practice. The discussion starts with the oft-cited “10,000 hour” rule. Does it really take 10,000 hours to become an expert at something? Jonathan then introduces his four-step system for effective practice and references his experience working with some of the top esports competitors in the world, including stories about how the best of the best practice their craft....