Choice Points and Coins: Navigating the Game and Life One Play at a Time
- Julie Jones
- Apr 30
- 4 min read
Be sure to check out our Game Changers: Athlete Edition Podcast on Friday when we host KC Current and US Soccer 17U star Katie Scott. This is a great episode to share with your athletes! iHeartRadio ApplePodcasts Youtube Podbean Spotify
Ever feel like you're standing at a fork in the road, whether in sport, leadership or life, you know one path leads toward the best version of you…and the other? Well, not so much?
Welcome to the world of peak performance…and choice points!
These moments show up dozens of times a day. You get cut off in traffic. An athlete talks back. A call doesn't go your way. A teammate makes the same mistake for the third time. Your game plan starts to crumble. Your emotions rise.
And boom, you're at a choice point.
We know we can’t always control the moment, but we can control your response. But only if you notice you're at a decision-making moment. That’s where this week’s story begins!
I was driving to a good friend’s house last week and we passed a place called “Just For Today”. It’s a bland-looking corner unit in an old row of businesses. No fanfare. Just vertical blinds and a blue sign. I’ve driven past it a hundred times over the past 25 years, but this time it made me pause.
“Just For Today” is a space where those going through the 12-step program in Alcoholics Anonymous meet. It's a place to share experiences, stay connected and find your way back to you. AA is an awesome program and all of us can learn a lot from its practices.
As I reflected on the name of the establishment, I also thought of the coins earned by those moving through the program as they meet milestones. They receive one at 24 hours, marking the start of their journey, at one month, at 60 and 90 days, and then on through the program as they remain sober and gain momentum on their new path.
Look in the pockets of those who have done the work to earn these coins, and I bet you’ll find one in there! Why? Because when the urge to do something that goes against all their hard work rears its head, there’s the coin…a physical reminder that there is a choice. He or she can succumb to the temptation of a drink and give up all the work they have done or use the coin as a reminder of all they have accomplished and choose to stay the course!
WE ALL NEED A COIN! It’s like a signpost…a reminder that helps us catch the storm before it hits! These coins or signposts are like mental speed bumps or warning lights. The “coin” says, “Hey, you're about to go off course.” “You’re stepping outside your values” or “This is a moment where you get to choose.”
We all need these built-in reminders, especially in sports and leadership, where things move fast.
What’s your coin? Sometimes it's a word you repeat. Sometimes it's a deep breath. Sometimes it's a hand gesture. Sometimes it's a look you exchange with a teammate or colleague.
Whatever it is, it needs to signal: “PAUSE. REFOCUS. DECIDE.”
The "Just for Today" principle from AA is genius. It reminds us, don’t worry about forever. Focus on now.
Maybe we can coin a phrase, no pun intended, “Just For NOW”. Just for now, I will stay committed. Just for now, I will speak with purpose. Just for now, I will stick to the plan. Just for now, I will reset quickly.
This mindset is powerful in both recovery and performance. In fact, those milestone coins in AA aren’t about perfection. They’re about progress, one clear-minded decision at a time.
We can bring that same thinking into our performance, coaching and leadership.
Every week I teach athletes and business people alike to develop RESET RITUALS:
A breath and a glove swipe.
A bounce and a phrase.
A clap, a stomp, a smile.
Why? Because we need a physical and mental way to come back to the present, to break the momentum of mistakes or frustration before they spiral.
We all need a COIN…a reset…something that reminds us of who we are and want to be, no matter the moment!
These resets help us act with intention, not emotion. It’s not about pretending everything is fine, it’s about reminding ourselves that we’re in control of what comes next.
The research is clear. Present-moment awareness wins. Studies in mindfulness, cognitive control, and performance psychology all agree. “The ability to pause, assess, and act with intention—not impulse—is a core differentiator between average and exceptional performers.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003).
When we notice choice points, use coins, signposts, resets to guide us and commit to “just for today” or “just for now” actions, we build the muscle of presence.
And presence = power.
So here’s our challenge this week.
Pick a phrase that signals a choice point (mine is “Here’s your moment.”).
Chose your “coin”—a breath, a tap, a reminder phrase, something in your pocket!
Write your “Just for Today (or Now)” statement. Start with it each morning.
Track your resets. Notice when you use them. Celebrate when they work.
Remember: Perfection is not required. Awareness is. You don’t win the day with one big decision. You win it one small, powerful choice at a time. And if you mess up? Reset. Recenter. Re-engage.
Just for today.
Manage the moments!
Julie
P.S. Thinking about next year? Let’s work together. Shoot me an email or text – juliej@ssbperformance.com or 234-206-0946 We can build a program that fits your team!
Julie Jones
Mental Performance Coach
SSB Performance
juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946
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