Episode 341: Calm Under Pressure: Lessons from West Point | Leighton Dempster-Matey

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How do you stay calm when the margin between success and failure is incredibly small?
This week on the Never Stop Getting Better Podcast, John Perry sits down with Leighton Dempster-Matey, Head Rifle Coach at Army West Point, for a conversation about pressure, discipline, confidence, leadership and the mental side of elite performance.
Leighton knows what it takes to compete at a high level. Before entering coaching, she was an accomplished collegiate rifle athlete at the University of Memphis, earning All-American honors and competing at the NCAA Championships. Today, she leads cadet-athletes at West Point, where the mission extends far beyond competition. She is helping develop young men and women who will become future Army officers and leaders.
John and Leighton discuss how elite performers handle pressure, the importance of routines and preparation, how athletes recover after mistakes, the relationship between discipline and confidence, and what separates good competitors from great ones.
They also dive into the unique leadership environment at West Point and the lessons Leighton has learned about accountability, resilience, composure and developing people who can perform when the stakes are high.
Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, educator or business leader, this conversation is packed with lessons that apply far beyond the rifle range.
In this episode:
• Staying calm under pressure
• The mental side of elite performance
• Responding to mistakes and moving forward
• Discipline, preparation and confidence
• Developing future leaders at West Point
• Building resilient competitors
• Creating accountability
• Lessons from coaching at the United States Military Academy
• What it means to Never Stop Getting Better
Never Stop Getting Better.
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Leighton Dempster - Matey: Email: leighton.dempster@westpoint.edu