The Right Brain Isn’t Dumb: Crushing the 3 Biggest Performance Myths

Recently, I heard a guy whose job title is performance mastery coach say three things that stopped me in my tracks:

1. “The right brain is dumb. The left brain is smart.”

2. “Vision boards aren’t science.”

3. “Mindset isn’t the holy grail.”

I could not stay silent. Not that I ever do 😂 I spoke up, because these statements were just wrong...they were misleading for anyone serious about peak performance. And for anyone on the call who didn't know the truth it may take them down the wrong road.

Let’s break it down:

The Right Brain Is Not Dumb - it's Briliant

The right hemisphere is where intuition, creativity, and nonverbal intelligence live. It picks up on emotional tone, subtle patterns, and spatial awareness. In sports and leadership, those are game-winning skills. The left brain processes language and logic. The right brain sees the bigger picture and reacts instantly. Neither side is “smart” or “dumb”—both are brilliant, and performance requires the integration of both.

Vision Boards Do Have Science Behind Them

Dismiss vision boards, and you dismiss the entire field of sports psychology research on visualization and mental rehearsal. Elite athletes—from Olympians to NBA All-Stars—use imagery to build neural pathways that mirror actual performance. A vision board is just a tool to keep those images, goals, and intentions front and center. It’s not fluff—it’s brain training.

Mindset IS a Holy Grail and a Core Performance Driver

Mindset isn’t the “only” factor in performance, but it is foundational. Say that it isn't important and you're discounting all of neuroscience. Research on growth mindset, resilience, and cognitive reframing proves this over and over again. If you don’t train your mindset, pressure moments will expose you. If you do train it, mindset becomes the lever that holds focus, composure, and consistency in place.

The Bigger Picture

When I hear someone dismiss the right brain, visualization, and mindset, I hear a misinformed, outdated person. I hear the old paradigm talking. You know...the one that overvalues logic, downplays intuition, and ignores the tools proven to create results under pressure. Personal development is a valuable part of the human experience.

But the future of performance won’t be built on those old frameworks. It will be built on:

• Integrating both hemispheres of the brain. Intuition is a superpower we will need for survival.

• Training intuition and visualization with the same intensity as skill and strength.

• Honoring mindset as a core driver of resilience, composure, and the ability to execute.

That’s the formula I use in my work in the NBA, NFL, WNBA, MLB, NCAA and across elite sport. And it’s the formula that creates legends, not just players. Want to be an ICON!? Use the right brain's power to lead the league. Without it, you won't.

 If you’ve ever been told intuition, vision, or mindset “don’t matter,” understand this: they’re not side notes, but they’re the UNSEEN edge - and that's what gives you the elite edge.