Whether in elite sports, on the dance floor, or in the business world — top performance is not just the result of talent or hard work but, above all, mental strength. Hendrik Höfken knows this from personal experience. As a former professional dancer, coach, and mental trainer, he has helped countless athletes and executives strengthen their mental resilience and unlock their full potential under pressure.
In this exclusive interview, he shares his five most essential routines that anyone can use to stay mentally fit—whether on the field, on stage, or in their professional life.
Mr. Höfken, you have established yourself as a professional dancer and mental trainer in the sports world. You successfully apply your knowledge from the dance scene to elite sports and business. Today, let’s talk about mental routines. Why is mental strength so crucial for consistently high performance?
Achieving or reinforcing mental strength is an ongoing process. As an elite athlete — or anyone with high-performance aspirations — you must engage with your psyche.
- What are my strengths and weaknesses?
- What are my goals, and what needs drive them?
You are mentally strong when you can accept your mindset reflectively but without judgment, allowing you to develop it further.
Mental routines help immensely with this:
- Visualization
- Grounding
- Breathing techniques
- Ideomotor training (enhancing and solidifying movement sequences through intensive visual and tactile imagination)
You have worked with elite athletes, dance professionals, and even high-profile personalities. What mental challenges do you encounter most often in your work?
One of the most common challenges is the so-called “training champion” phenomenon. This refers to an athlete who performs well in training but cannot fully deliver their best performance in competition.
This often happens due to tension or overexertion — driven by the desire to excel in competition. Instead of letting go and performing naturally, the athlete tries to improve at the very moment when they should be trusting their training.
The title of our interview is “The 5 Most Important Routines for Strong Performance.” Can you give us an overview of these five key routines?
Absolutely! Here are the essential mental routines:
- Visualization (Ideomotor Training):
A great example that every sports fan has seen: High jumpers or long jumpers rhythmically going through their movement sequences before their approach. - Grounding:
Actively and consciously feeling your body’s connection to the ground — your stance, balance and how your weight is distributed across your feet. - Breathing Techniques:
Various breathing exercises that help bring athletes into the present moment, regulate their pulse and sharpen their perception. - Anchors (Triggers):
Associative techniques using automated movements or objects linked to the subconscious to trigger the desired flow state. - Wording (Verbal Conditioning):
Formulating the right belief statements — routines of verbal motivation, sometimes reinforced externally by a coach.
Visualization is a central aspect of mental training. How do you use this tool in your work with athletes and dancers?
Visualization is a crucial tool because it directs our subconscious.
When under pressure, we often try to block out negative thoughts or distractions — but that doesn’t work. The brain does not process avoidance goals effectively.
Instead, we should guide our subconscious into a flow state filled with anticipation and excitement for the upcoming task. When applied correctly, visualization is incredibly powerful in achieving this.
Finally, is there a mental technique or routine that anyone can integrate into their daily life to enhance performance and balance?
Breathing exercises — especially slowing down and conscious awareness of breathing — are a quick and effective method. They can be easily integrated into daily routines and deliver immediate results.
Thank you for this insightful conversation! Is there a message you would like to share with our readers?
Follow your instinct!
About the Author
Hendrik Höfken is an experienced dancer and mental coach who was among Germany’s top professionals in Latin American dances. With engagements on ZDF and the German RTL show Let’s Dance, he gained nationwide recognition. Today, as a holistic coach, he supports athletes, teams, and individuals in unlocking their full potential.
