Why Champions "Hear Voices" When Winning

We all hear voices in pressure moments. The voice that says you’re not good enough. The one that reminds you of past failures. The whisper of doubt that grows louder as the stakes get higher. But what if you could choose which voices to hear?

Jim Furyk, who shot two of the lowest rounds in PGA Tour history, discovered something profound: the voices in your head can be your secret weapon — if you select them carefully.

“I had Tabitha’s voice in my head. I had my dad’s voice in my head. I had Doc Rotella’s voice in my head,” Furyk reveals about his historic rounds of 59 and 58. These weren’t random thoughts or self-doubt — they were deliberately chosen guides to greatness.

The Mental Game Behind Physical Excellence

For Furyk, peak performance wasn’t about silencing the mind — it was about curating the right mental chorus. Throughout his career, he strategically internalized voices that could guide him through crucial moments:

His Wife’s Voice: A Shot of Confidence “She’s been there by my side and a great support,” Furyk says of his wife Tabitha. “I’ve heard her voice and it’s a shot of confidence.” When the voice of doubt could have crept in, her voice provided the emotional anchor he needed.

His Father’s Voice: Technical Wisdom His dad was more than just his coach. “We had a way of communicating and talking to each other that was very productive,” Furyk explains. When uncertainty could have led to technical confusion, his father’s voice provided clear guidance.

Doc Rotella’s Voice: Process Over Pressure “While he was around, I mean, I made everything… putted better than I ever have in my life,” Furyk says about working with sports psychologist Doc Rotella. When the pressure voice screamed about results, Rotella’s voice kept him focused on process.

Building Your Mental Chorus

What makes this approach so powerful is its intentionality. Instead of letting doubt, fear, or criticism dominate his internal dialogue, Furyk actively chose voices that served specific purposes:

• Technical guidance (his father)

• Emotional support (his wife)

• Mental process (Doc Rotella)

These voices became most crucial during his historic rounds. “It becomes such a mental battle,” he explains. “I’m talking to myself and trying to just stay in the moment.”

The Lesson for Elite Performers

The voices in your head are inevitable. The key is understanding that you have a choice about which ones get the microphone. Instead of being at the mercy of self-doubt or criticism, you can intentionally cultivate and call upon voices that serve you.

Ask yourself:

• Who provides your technical guidance when uncertainty creeps in?

• Who gives you emotional support when doubt whispers?

• Who helps you stay focused on process when pressure screams for results?

The Bottom Line

As Furyk’s career shows, sometimes the difference between good and great isn’t just battling the negative voices — it’s deliberately choosing and amplifying the positive ones.

The next time you’re in a crucial moment and the voice of doubt starts speaking up, remember: you have the power to change the channel. The right voices in your head aren’t a sign of madness. They’re a sign of mastery.

Your Challenge This Week

Choose a voice from your life to hear in your field of play. 

• Which did you choose? 

• What does it tell you?

Feel free to share with me on any of my socials! 

Check out the full interview!

If you got this far, I’m sure you will also enjoy our full interview with Jim. There are plenty of other great insights including - how his pre-shot routine determines his success, the importance of play in practice, and his crazy experience facing off against Tiger Woods.

Watch or listen here:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple

Book Recommendation:

The Inner Game of Golf — https://amzn.to/4aNHXpS 

This is one of my favorite books about managing your inner dialogue. W. Timothy Gallwey also wrote the inner game of tennis, and multiple other books in this category.