The Billy Joe Podcast · Episode 24 · Guest: John Novak, Australia’s No.1 Sports Mindset Coach · 1 hr 22 min
Who is this Episode For?
This one is for athletes who train hard but can’t figure out why results aren’t following, coaches looking for the edge beyond the physical, parents of young competitors, and anyone who’s ever wondered why the best performers seem so calm under pressure. John’s insights apply just as much to the boardroom as they do to the rugby league field.
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Billy Joe Podcast, hosts Billy and Joe sit down with John Novak, Australia’s No.1 Sports Mindset Coach and creator of the Boomerang Effect for a wide-ranging conversation about what really separates good performers from great ones. John draws on 25+ years of working with NRL clubs including the Canterbury Bulldogs and Manly Sea Eagles, Olympic divers, world champion swimmers, and business leaders. What emerges is a philosophy that’s deceptively simple: what you put out is what you get back.
In This Episode
The 168-hour athlete
One of the first things John challenges is the idea that performance coaching is just about training hours. His program was the first in the NRL to treat well-being and performance as one and the same thing. The week has 168 hours. Elite athletes are on the clock for maybe 40 of them. What happens in the other 128 is exactly what shows up on game day.
He tells a story about a player going through a rough patch on the field. John’s first question wasn’t about technique. It was: when did you last go to church? The player admitted he’d been driving past his church every day without stopping. Faith, routine, identity. These are performance variables as much as fitness is.
“Don’t do a house negotiation in the 72 hours before a game. Auctions are not for elite athletes in the lead-up to a critical moment.” – John Novak
Building a dynasty at the Canterbury Bulldogs
John spent five full-time years at the Bulldogs (2012–2016) after following coach Des Hasler from Manly, where they’d won the 2011 Grand Final together. What he describes is less a sports psychology program and more a cultural operating system, one-on-ones with every player, presentations to sponsors, work with admin staff, and a bridge between the locker room and the front office that hadn’t existed before.
The results: two Grand Final appearances (2012, 2014), a Minor Premiership, and semi-final finishes across the board. When John left after 2016, the Bulldogs didn’t make the top eight for years. His response: “I’m not saying it was all me. But the program is powerful. And the results show what happens when it’s not there.”
“Culture is an investment by all of us toward a common goal. The more everyone’s invested in optimising their best self right now. That’s why the best NRL teams reproduce their scores.” – John Novak
Melissa Wu’s eight-part dive
John describes his work with 5x Olympian and diver Melissa Wu. Training at 60 km/h from 10 metres, her dive has eight distinct parts. John correctly identified there were eight phases without being told. They visualised, felt, and rehearsed each of those eight parts individually in every training session. It’s this level of specificity, not generic motivation, that separates the Boomerang Effect from sports psychology as it’s commonly practised.
The two things that kill elite performance
After working with thousands of athletes, John has narrowed the root causes of underperformance down to two: imposter syndrome and perfectionism. The imposter quietly questions whether they belong. The perfectionist destroys themselves internally while holding it together on the outside. The antidote is relentlessly logical: review the record, trust the people who know you best, and keep returning to ‘I am limitless‘ until the body believes it.
“The best of the best find a way – as long as they get out of their own way.” – John Novak
5 Key Takeaways
1. Performance is a 168-hour game, not a 40-hour one
Everything happening outside of training; relationships, faith, finances, grief, shapes what shows up on game day. The Boomerang Effect was the first NRL program to treat well-being and performance as inseparable.
2. What you put out is what you get back
Doubt, fear, and ‘why’ questions boomerang back as poor performance. John trains athletes to replace these with emotional mastery, positive words and actions, and unshakeable faith in their own limitlessness, moment to moment, breath to breath.
3. Breathwork is one of the most underrated tools in sport
From 5-6-7 breathing to the Huberman double-inhale, breath can take you up into activation or down into calm precision. Clutch performers aren’t naturally calm, they’ve trained their nervous system to get there on demand.
4. Imposter syndrome and perfectionism are the two biggest performance killers
The imposter questions whether they belong. The perfectionist destroys themselves internally. The antidote is logic: reviewing your record, trusting your coaches, and repeating ‘I am limitless’ until it sticks.
4. Four daily habits can transform your mindset in 21 days
Stand tall (aim 3cm taller than you are). Smile more, especially when it’s hard. React to everything with ‘always learning, always growing.’ Put out positive energy in words, thoughts and actions. Journal your progress. Repeat for 21–28 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Boomerang Effect?
A: The Boomerang Effect is a sports mindset and well-being program built on the principle that what you put out is what you get back. It combines positive psychology, breathwork, visualisation, journaling, and emotional mastery into a practical, repeatable system used by NRL premiers, Olympians, and world champions across 60+ sports.
How is John Novak different from a sports psychologist?
A: John is a counsellor, not a registered psychologist. What makes his approach different is the physical foundation is he was an elite martial artist and fitness expert before developing the Boomerang Effect. He understands the body first, the mind second, and builds programs that are specific, actionable, and immediately testable rather than theoretical.
Can the Boomerang Effect be applied outside of sport?
A: Absolutely. The same principles around well-being, culture, emotional mastery, and consistent positive output apply directly to business teams, leadership, and personal life. His ‘help or hinder’ question, is what I’m doing right now helping or hindering my goals?. This is one of many executives that will be adopted as a daily check-in.
What is the 'rocks and diamonds' concept?
A: Rocks and diamonds refers to the inconsistency between an athlete’s best and worst performances. Both exist inside every athlete all the time, the talent never disappears. What changes is focus. When athletes focus on doubt or past errors, they get more of the same. When they focus on their strengths and limitlessness, the diamonds show up more often.
How do I book an online mindset coaching session with John Novak?
A: Booking is simple. Contact John Novak Sport via the contact form on this website or by email. Sessions are conducted via Zoom or Google Meet at a time that suits the any time zone. A typical first session runs 60 minutes and covers an assessment of your current mental game, the key areas to work on, and an introduction to the Boomerang Effect framework. Sessions can be booked individually or as part of a structured program.
Where can I learn more or work with John Novak?
A: Visit johnnovaksport.com to enquire about coaching, or pick up his book ‘Be the Champion’ through the Boomerang Effect website. John offers one-on-one sessions online and in person in Sydney, working with athletes across 60+ sports worldwide.
