Elite Inner Performance

Elite Inner Performance Helping footballers improve their game on and off the pitch.

When I first spoke to probably six or seven years ago now, I always knew that he had the X Factor. When I speak to play...
26/05/2026

When I first spoke to probably six or seven years ago now, I always knew that he had the X Factor.

When I speak to players, you always know the ones who’ve got it from the ones who haven’t.

They’re resilient, self-aware, emotional, intelligent, always looking to get that extra edge and to learn more every day.

It took time to convince Luke that he needed to refine his mindset a little, but a few weeks in, after me not leaving him alone, The tables turned, and he wouldn’t leave me alone.

Always wanting to learn more and put it into practice.

Always looking for ways to improve, not just as a football player, but as a partner and a father too.

From starting off helping Sunderland’s Academy together, we went on and created the Inner Game Academy, helping younger players struggle with the things that he struggled with when he was younger.

Now me and Luke are taking this the Next Level, and he’s helping me coach the pros in our brand-new Elite X1 for pros.

Using his experiences and his knowledge to help pros thrive not just on but off the pitch.

Also, one of the best things about me after coaching him is he’s actually helped me too.

Because of his knowledge and his ability to learn and question, he’s challenged and pushed me to be a much better coach.

It’s been an absolute honour and a privilege to watch his journey.

Every time he’s successful, he always rings me and says thank you, but I always end up saying thank you back because he’s helped me as much as I’ve helped him.

We look forward to helping pros now on their journey.

If you wanna know more and you’re a pro, DM me and I’ll send you how you can work with us next season.

Limited spaces available, this will be something that football has never seen before.

13/04/2026

He’s a cheat…

No he’s working smarter, not harder!

If you want to work smarter and not harder and you’re a pro message me ‘training’ and I’ll send you a 17 minute training that will change the way you think.

11/04/2026

How do you deal with pressure?

Do you thrive under it, or do you just try and survive?

It's getting to the business end of the season now, and the ones who are best prepared mentally will see pressure as an opportunity to perform.

The ones who aren't will struggle and they go into their shell and just try and survive.

If you want to handle pressure better,

I've recorded a 10-minute podcast that will help you deal with pressure better today.

Comment ‘daily’ below and I'll send it to your inbox.

10/04/2026

Hard work is great until it isn't. I've worked with so many players, and they've all got an unbelievable work ethic because that's what they've been told all their life: "Work hard, work hard, work hard."

Working hard only works until it doesn't, because this is when most players start working harder and harder and harder again, but they get worse and worse and worse, and then they start overthinking and then they get stuck in their own head.

When most players come to me and they say, "I've been working really hard and things aren't changing," I say, "Of course they're not. If you keep doing the same things, you keep getting the same results." That's when I start talking to them about ten times, thinking "working smarter not harder" and "less is more." When they put that into practise, things start happening for them.

They start playing free from fear, and clubs start noticing, and that's all down to changing the way you be and changing your strategies and systems.

If you want to know more, I've created a 17-minute training, "Beginner Training," and I'll send it to you.

09/04/2026

I have noticed and I do notice so many players who tell their selves stories they create a narrative that’s killing their game.

‘When I play at a certain ground, I never play well’

'The manager's been talking about me behind my back’

‘I can't recover from making a mistake early'

These stories that you're telling yourself are killing you, and they're not even true.

If you change your story, you change your game.

Because the story you're telling yourself so far is keeping you stuck.

If you want to know how to change it and you're a professional footballer, DM me ‘training’ and I'll send you a 17-minute training that will massively help you.

07/04/2026

Most pros aren’t struggling because they’re not good enough.

They’re struggling because their mind is loud.

Overthinking.
Over-analysing.
Underperforming when it matters most.

Why?

Because when things go wrong (and they always do in football)…

they don’t have the tools to deal with it.

So they fall back on the only thing they’ve ever been taught:

“Work harder.”

Bad game? Work harder.
Low confidence? Work harder.
Overthinking? Work harder.

But here’s the problem…

Working harder doesn’t fix a noisy mind.

It just makes you more tired, more frustrated…
and even worse on the pitch.

So you start thinking:

“What’s the point?”

If that hit a nerve, you’re not alone.

I’ve seen this over and over again with pro footballers…

far more than people realise.

But here’s the truth most players never hear:

You don’t need to work harder.
You need a better system.

A way to stay clear, confident, and in control, even when things aren’t going your way.

I’ve put together a 17-minute training that shows you exactly how to do that.

No fluff.

Just what actually works at the top level.

If you want it, DM me “training”

and I’ll send it straight over.

04/04/2026

I was scrolling the Gram as you do, and then I come across a video, "Old Man Tests It".

It was a therapist putting on one shoe and tying it up, and I thought, "You know what, it can't be that hard. I'll give it a go."

Is it really easy, or am I just an outlier who has unbelievable balance from my football days? 😂

P.S. It skews the socks, and I know I'm going to get killed by my missus for not cleaning up the floor before I did this video. I apologise in advance, Jeni

Most players say that they had a good game (they scored) or a bad game as they made one mistake…You need to go deeper so...
03/04/2026

Most players say that they had a good game (they scored) or a bad game as they made one mistake…

You need to go deeper so here’s a couple of questions from my journal for footballers (as I’m currently writing addresses to send them out tomorrow)

1. Rate your game out of 100

2. Why are you giving yourself that score?

3. What’s 3 positives from the game and why?

4. What’s something you can improve on?

5. Whats the biggest thing that you learnt that can help you in the next game?

Instead of going into judgement you’re going into feedback.

Find what’s right and positives because if you don’t, you’ll only find everything that went wrong instead.

I always test players.When I go into a club, I’ll ask:Who here doesn’t fear judgement?Hands go up.Who here sees themselv...
02/04/2026

I always test players.

When I go into a club, I’ll ask:

Who here doesn’t fear judgement?

Hands go up.

Who here sees themselves as a leader?

More hands go up.

Then I ask for a volunteer.

Silence.

That’s the reality.

Leaders go first.

They feel discomfort and move towards it.

They feel fear and step into it.

They don’t talk about it
they show it.

Most players say they lead.

But when it matters…

they wait.

They watch.

They follow the pack.

So the question is simple:

Do you actually lead…

or do you just like the idea of being a leader?

If you like to lead yourself and improve, I’ve got a free 17 minute training for you.

Message me ‘training’ and I’ll send it to you.

13/01/2026

Oh my god, I’ve actually got it!

Thanks to everyone who’s got it so far, it means the world.

Bit of a surreal moment when you look back and when I first started writing it in lockdown.

Then looking at it after writing it from start to finish and then going, nah this doesn’t feel right.

It’s all teaching, it needs stories!

Real life stories and vulnerability so I had to do it all over again.

Thanks to everyone who’s written in it and contributed their stories and written in it.

bloomfield10














And a few more who I can’t tag.

Also to who’s edited and supported me and put all my ADHD into order.

Online book launch thjs Thursday on Instagram.

Anyone who gets the book or has it already goes into the draw to get some world class prizes that are ridiculous.

Get your copy in my bio or go to Amazon and search Rob Blackburne and you’ll see it.

Address

Liverpool
L

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Elite Inner Performance posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category