What happens in the mind of a champion?
What separates good from great in sports, medicine, and business? According to Dr. Brooke Choulet of Choulet Performance Psychiatry, it’s not just talent or drive—it’s how well you manage your mind.
In a recent conversation, Dr. Choulet shared what she’s learned from working with top performers. Her clients include athletes, physicians, executives, and their families. The common thread? They all operate in high-pressure environments where stress is constant and burnout is real.
One group that’s especially vulnerable is physicians. Dr. Choulet explains that many doctors struggle with burnout but resist getting help. They often try to self-diagnose or power through, which only makes things worse. When medical practices are acquired by hospitals or private equity firms, doctors who once had independence can feel stuck and powerless. This loss of control is a major contributor to burnout.
To help identify and measure burnout, Dr. Choulet uses tools like the Maslach Burnout Inventory. This helps gauge how emotionally drained someone feels, how connected they are to their work, and how much compassion they still have to give. From there, she helps clients create structure—starting with what she calls the “perfect week.”
The perfect week is all about blocking time for what matters most. It’s a way to build in personal time before burnout takes hold. Inspired by the book Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell, it helps people design their week in a way that supports both productivity and self-care.
Dr. Choulet also stresses the importance of small, daily habits that support mental health. Movement is one of them. You don’t need long gym sessions—just taking short walks between meetings can help reset your mind. She also encourages people to make time for activities that bring them joy. It’s not selfish, she says—it’s essential.
Sleep is another major pillar. Dr. Choulet points to research from Stanford showing that athletes who sleep less than eight hours a night are 65% more likely to get injured. She reframes sleep as a performance tool. It’s when your brain processes memories and your body recovers. Cutting corners on sleep might feel productive in the short term, but it catches up fast.
Meditation is one more tool she recommends. It doesn’t need to be long or complicated. Even five minutes, three times a week, can help reduce reactivity and improve focus. The goal isn’t to stop thinking—it’s to become more aware of your thoughts and less controlled by them.
Dr. Choulet’s message is clear: success doesn’t have to come at the cost of your mental health. With the right tools—structure, movement, sleep, mindfulness, and time for yourself—you can perform at your best and feel good doing it. True high performance isn’t about working nonstop. It’s about being intentional, consistent, and mentally well.
