The Big Four + are core skills which can enhance your performance and increase your mental health resilience. These skills are:
Goal Setting 
Goal setting allows us to focus on steps we can immediately take to bring order to chaos and allow us to carefully, persistently, and confidently work our way out from a challenging situation.
Visualization 
Visualization is a highly versatile mental skill with multiple applications: (1) rehearse and prepare for challenging situations; (2) support physical or technical skill development; (3) contingency planning; and (4) recovery.
Self-Talk 
Self-Talk: Positive or adaptive self-talk can increase performance and enhance well-being.
Tactical breathing 
Tactical breathing has been found to be an effective mental skill to improve performance. Research has also demonstrated that with regular use, tactical breathing has the potential to decrease levels of anxiety and depression as well as our ability to cope with stress.
‘Plus’ skills:
- Attention Control strategies are designed to provide individuals practical techniques for controlling attention in order to achieve greater focus, concentration and presence “in the moment.”
- Mindfulness has been found to have proven benefits for both performance and mental health outcomes.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is an activation management strategy that induces relaxation through the simple process of tensing, or tightening, different muscle groups and then releasing that tension.
- Acceptance: Practicing acceptance helps us develop psychological flexibility, calms the stress response and allows us to take some control of the situation.
- Setback Management can help us accept that mistakes and manage mistakes both during performance situations and post-performance.
