#138: [Inside the Mind] Dr. Bob Winters: Building an Elite Golf Mindset for Peak Performance

Dr. Bob Winters—The Confidence Doctor—is back for round two, and this conversation is a straight-up masterclass in what actually creates elite confidence.

Because here's the truth: most golfers (and high performers) don't have an information problem. They have a compliance problem.

We talk about why "positive thinking" is useless without "positive doing," how Dr. Bob uses a deceptively simple question—"Are you good?"—to expose blind spots, and why real confidence is earned through proof, not hype.

We also go to a deeper place: the cost of becoming elite. The strain. The sacrifice. The quiet moments where you wonder if it's worth it. And why, for the people who truly want it, the hard is what makes it great.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why "positive doing" is the missing link between ambition and results
• The simple question that exposes confidence… or hidden self-doubt
• How to stop "knowing what to do" but still not doing it
• What elite performers do differently when setbacks knock them down
• The real cost of elite confidence—and why it's worth paying
• How to use selective attention to train your focus (and your results)
• Why compliance is the separator between winners and wannabes

Get your pencils ready and start listening. 

P.S. Check out episode 76 for my past conversation with Dr. Bob. 

P.P.S. Curious to learn more about the results my clients are experiencing and what they say about working with me? Read more here.

Apply for 1-1 Mindset and Performance Coaching: Click here to apply to work with me.

More About Dr. Bob Winters

Dr. Robert K. Winters, affectionately known as "Dr. Bob," is an internationally renowned sports psychologist, author, and professional speaker with over 45 years of experience in the field of sports performance. 

He holds a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia, along with Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Ball State University. Dr. Winters has dedicated his career to understanding the psychological components of athletic excellence, focusing on confidence development and mental toughness. 

He has worked with a diverse range of athletes, including PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, collegiate teams, and junior athletes

• Purchase "The 10 Commandments of Mindpower Golf"
• Connect on Instagram - @dr.bobwinters 

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
2. Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter
3. Download my "Play Your Best Round" free hypnosis audio recording.

High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching

Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential.

He has over 16 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential.

Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course. 

Instagram: @thepaulsalter

Key Takeaways:

• Positive thinking without positive doing is emotional entertainment, not transformation.
• Confidence grows fastest when you collect proof—small wins, repeated, over time.
• "Are you good?" is a diagnostic question that reveals belief, hesitation, and identity.
• Most people aren't stuck because they don't know what to do—they're stuck because they won't do it consistently.
• Setbacks are training reps for resilience: reset, reframe, re-engage—especially in golf.
• Elite confidence has a cost: sacrifice, discomfort, doubt, and the willingness to keep going anyway.
• Compliance is the hard truth—if you won't do what you said you'd do, you're not committed, you just like the idea.

Key Quotes:

• "I turn the improbable into possible."
• "We talk about positive thinking… but you have to have positive doing."
• "It takes a long time to learn how to play like yourself."
• "You do it until you become it."
• "We've got to get through the suck before we get through the success."
• "It's the hard that makes it great."
• "Are you doing what you said you wanted to do?"

Time Stamps:

• 00:00: Introduction to Dr. Bob's Work
• 02:33: Bridging Positive Thinking and Doing
• 05:42: Peeling Back the Layers of Self-Discovery
• 08:34: The Cost of Elite Confidence
• 11:21: The Importance of Compliance and Accountability
• 14:19: The Role of Resilience in Success
• 17:05: The Journey of Self-Discovery and Growth
• 19:38: The Power of Self-Reflection
• 22:52: The Importance of Authenticity
• 25:33: The Balance of Selfishness and Self-Fullness
• 28:18: The Hard Work Behind Success
• 30:53: The Role of Truth in Personal Growth
• 33:39: The Mindset of Winners
• 36:45: Final Thoughts and Resources