Most of us want to be better at what we do, right? Whether you’re a golfer or salesperson, a tennis player or an executive, being better is better than not being better.
So how do you get there? Well, self-help books, seminars, coaches, videos, practice, all kinds of ways.
Another is to use the services of Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D. of Performance Prime, whose business card reads “Performance Thinking – Mental Skills for the Competitive World…and for Life!”
After attending the Ottowa University and earning his doctorate at University of Alberta, Jacques taught Scientific Principles of Training and Conditioning at McGill University in Montreal. In the early ’80s a student’s project led him to research, and refine, working with race car drivers on the science of racing. Since then, he’s worked with more than 700 high-performance drivers, from F2000 and Indy Car to ARCA and NASCAR.
As drivers and teams became more aware of physical conditioning, and implemented their own programs with tailored regimens and even in-house facilities, Jacques’ work sent him toward the mental aspect of performance.
Clients, whether they be athletes or business persons (Jacques even works with special weapons teams, surgeons, and actors), start with a three-hour questionnaire and then visit with Jacques for almost 20 hours over two days. They leave with homework and support from Jacques that often lasts years.
“My role is education; to simplify the framework that helps them understand how they sabotage themselves,” says Jacques, adding that the primary reason he is retained is because people recognize they are not delivering their best performance.
Quick to point out he is not a psychiatrist or psychologist, Jacques nonetheless says that, “the difference between winning and losing happens from the shoulders up.”
Learn more about Performance Prime here and take a peek at Jacques new book. It’s really fascinating stuff.
Corinne Economaki