An Olympic Shooter's Mindset Secret to Crushing Anxiety with Lexi Lagan

How do Olympic athletes control their nerves when everything is on the line? In this episode recorded live at the 2026 SHOT Show, hosts Erica Chin and Maggie Reese interview Team USA Olympic pistol shooter Alexis Lagan. Alexis walks listeners through her journey from being a 2016 Olympic alternate to competing on the world stage in Tokyo and Paris. She breaks down her unique mental framing techniques, including a simple "doctor's office" visualization that teaches athletes to acknowledge anxiety without letting it ruin their focus. Alexis emphasizes that true mental control comes from consistency, self-coaching, and viewing learning as a continuous spiral rather than a linear path. She also highlights how the focus and responsibility developed through shooting sports help young athletes succeed in school and life. Viewers and aspiring shooters interested in mental management or one-on-one coaching can connect directly with Alexis through her Instagram profile @lagan1515. Links 03:45 - Paris 2024 Olympic Shooting Venue (Châteauroux Shooting Centre) 04:02 - IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation) 06:07 - Almasa Hotel / New Cairo Olympic City (International training and competition complex in Egypt) 15:09 - Sport Pistol Rapid Fire (Olympic shooting event rules and execution process) 22:20 - Periodization in Marathon Running (Training structure methodology recommended for mental and physical conditioning) 23:40 - @lagan1515 (Alexis Lagan's official Instagram profile for coaching and inquiries) Key Takeaways Nerves are a natural sign that you care about the outcome; the goal is to manage them rather than eliminate them completely. The "doctor's office" visualization helps process high-stress emotions by letting them "wait in the lobby" until you are ready to address them. Shooting sports require total presence in the moment, offering a rare opportunity to disconnect from outside distractions. Learning and performance follow a spiral rather than a straight line, requiring a balance between physical mechanics and mental conditioning. Self-coaching, facial expressions, and internal self-talk directly influence how the subconscious mind responds under pressure. Keywords Used Amateurs and Experts Podcast, SHOT Show 2026, Alexis Lagan, Team USA, Olympic Pistol Shooter, Air Pistol, Sport Pistol, Tokyo Olympics, Paris Olympics, Chateauroux, Visualization, Mental Mindset, Doctor's Office Visualization, Periodization, Coaching.