Tag Archives: psychology

#244 Grit and Growth: The Mindset of a Successful Pilot w Top Gun Ace Serge Durrant

by

Serge Durrant, a former Top Gun fighter pilot turned paraglider, discusses his journey from aviation to adventure sports. We explore themes of mentorship, risk management, and the importance of community in high-stakes environments. Serge shares insights on overcoming fear, the competitive nature of flying, and the mental techniques that have helped him succeed in hang gliding, flying F-18 fighter jets, and paragliding. The conversation highlights the parallels between aviation and paragliding, emphasizing the need for grit and the value of learning from mistakes.

Read More...

#243 Flying and the Mind: A psychological journey with Paris Williams

by

Paris has been flying hang gliders his entire life, and we’re the same age— so a long time. In this episode we explore the multifaceted nature of flying and its psychological implications. Paris has a PHD in psychology and is a practicing psychologist, and he shares his own journey from a challenging childhood and coming from a pretty dark place to finding solace in the skies. We discuss the evolution of hang gliding, the thrill of aerobatics, and the importance of mental health in the sport. We get into mindfulness practices  as a means to enhance performance and maintain presence during flights and the balance between competition and enjoyment and the need to reconnect with the joy of flying. We explore the intricate balance between striving for success and enjoying the journey in flying, and how letting go of the desire for achievement often leads to much better performance.

Read More...

Episode 178- Are you thinking clearly? With Matt Warren

by

In a line, it explores the science behind why you might not be in the driver’s seat of your own brain – and everything you can do to change that… It investigates everything from genetics, personality and intuition to habits, what you eat, social media, attention and bias – and how these factors influence and manipulate the way we think. We learn in the podcast that all KINDS of things get in the way of thinking clearly, which obviously isn’t very good when we’re in the air.

Read More...

Episode 70- Nick Greece and Comp Tactics, Discipline, Progression, Performance and Mentors

by

Nick Greece returns to the Mayhem to share a wealth of insights into competition and flying insights and some very honest talk about the manic ride that often defines our sport. This is an honest and at times hysterical talk about the risks of our sport, dealing with PTSD, creating positive headspace, the psychology of finding flow, rationalizing the risks, finding mentors, how to be a disciplined pilot, the importance of staying calm and enjoying the process, racing the course instead of the other pilots, why failure is important to winning and a LOT more.

Read More...

Episode 33- Hugh Miller and Flying Psychology, X-Alps, Chrigel Secrets and MORE

by

Hugh Miller began flying at the age of 15 and has been a household name in the sport since taking over Cross Country Magazine back in the 90’s at the age of 21. He does most of the EN C and D wing testing for the magazine today and just last year won the UK League in a career that spans decades. This talk could have gone on for hours. We cover a huge range of topics that are pertinent and valuable for any pilot at any level- exposure to risk in competitions; how to improve regardless of your level; tactics for flatland flying; the importance of flying intuitively and following a “hunch”…

Read More...