Present-Tense Performance Identity
State the identity as achieved, then make habits prove it
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Present-Tense Performance Identity converts a desired future into a current behavioral standard. Jake moved from wanting to become an Olympian to repeating a present-tense statement that he was one, using the words as a prompt to examine sleep, strength work, effort, and honesty. He later made the affirmation more specific by naming the event, timing, and controllable reason for success: running his mental program more than any other archer. Choose the identity, phrase it as already true, connect it to a defined result, and state why your repeatable behavior earns that result. Repeat it at a stable cue, then use it to decide what to do next. The affirmation works here as an identity-based audit, not a substitute for practice or a guarantee of an outcome.
Origin
Jake credits his sister Liz with introducing positive affirmations during a long period of poor performance, injury, depression medication, and apathy after his technique overhaul.
Core principles
- 01Future-tense wanting preserves psychological distance
- 02Present identity changes the standard for daily choices
- 03A useful affirmation includes a specific result and controllable reason
- 04Habits must supply evidence for the identity
How to run it
- 1
Choose the identity
Name the kind of performer whose decisions you need to emulate. Make it concrete enough to guide behavior.
Pro tip Use an identity connected to the actual arena, such as Olympian or top competitor.
Watch out Avoid an identity that supplies no behavioral standard.
- 2
Move it into the present
Replace wanting or hoping with a present-tense statement. Phrase the identity as something you currently own.
Pro tip Keep the core sentence short enough to repeat reliably.
Watch out Present tense is not evidence that the result has literally occurred.
- 3
Add result and reason
Specify the target event or timing and attach a controllable behavior that explains why the identity is deserved.
Pro tip Choose a behavior you can perform on every attempt.
Watch out Do not anchor the reason to luck or another person's failure.
- 4
Install a stable cue
Repeat the statement at the same point in a routine. Jake used self-talk within his shot process and placed an 'I am.' tattoo where he checked his bow-hand grip.
Pro tip Pair the words with an unavoidable physical checkpoint.
- 5
Make habits answer
Ask whether sleep, training, effort, and recovery match what that identity would do. Change the habit when the answer is no.
Pro tip Use the identity to expose self-deception, not conceal it.
Watch out Repeating the sentence without changing behavior turns it into empty reassurance.
In the wild
Jake changed 'I want to be an Olympian' into 'I am an Olympian.' He then used that identity to examine whether he slept enough, strength trained enough, applied enough effort, and was honest with himself.
→ The aspiration became a daily habit filter during a difficult rebuilding period.
Before London 2012, Jake's statement became specific: he was the 2012 Olympic champion because he ran his mental program more than any other archer.
→ The affirmation linked the desired result to a controllable action on every shot.
Common mistakes
Keeping the goal in the future
Jake argues that repeatedly saying you want the identity reinforces continuing to want it rather than using it now.
Affirming without auditing
The method depends on changing habits that conflict with the stated identity, not merely repeating positive words.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for a demanding goal where the performer can identify controllable behaviors that the desired identity would consistently require.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when used as magical thinking without honest behavior change or when the claimed result depends entirely on uncontrollable events.
From the transcript
“Let's change that thought to be I am an Olympian because then your habits change.”
“Never a future tense because the future tense is just you're just setting yourself up to continue to want that.”
“I am 2012 Olympic champion because I run my mental program more than any other archer period.”
From the episode
#811: 2x Olympic Archery Medalist Jake Kaminski — Lessons Learned and Mantras Used After 1,000,000 Arrows
Jake Kaminski