Smart Mind's story
Smart Mind, founded by Ellen Schouppe, combines her expertise in both sports psychology and organisational psychology to help teams and individuals unlock their highest potential.
With a background in talent development within the business sector, Ellen transitioned into sports psychology after realising the profound impact mindset and attitudes have on performance.
Over the years, she has worked with top athletes and national teams such as the Belgian Cats (basketball), the Red Panthers (hockey), and the Belgian Cheetahs (4x400m relay), offering her insights into the mental and emotional aspects of high performance.
Pictures: Belgaimage - Cedric Warlop - Laurent Faucon Photography - Pigeon Gris - Gaetan Chiroux
Through Smart Mind, Ellen developed the Smart Mind Methodology, which is built around seven key attitudes that high performers exhibit. These attitudes—such as motivation, resilience, energy management, and leadership—serve as the foundation for achieving peak performance, whether in sports or business. Their findings were shared in the book The Ultimate Victory, offering readers a roadmap to success in both professional and personal development.
A central vision of Ellen’s work is to bring together like-minded, driven individuals who share her passion for sports and human development. She envisions Smart Mind as a network of people who are equally dedicated to fostering growth and excellence. Ellen is passionate about collaborating with others who share this commitment to success and high-level performance.
Ellen’s desire to blend her background in HR and elite sports became even clearer when she began to see that mental factors were crucial in shaping top-tier performances. This realisation is evident in both the sports world and the corporate sector, where mental resilience, mindset, and attitudes are increasingly recognised as key drivers of success. Over the years, the significance of these mental components has become clearer, and Smart Mind has positioned itself as a bridge between both worlds, offering valuable expertise to help individuals and organisations tap into their full potential.
Smart Mind also seeks to break the "black box paradox" in performance psychology by giving people the tools and language to discuss mental barriers openly, making it easier to address challenges and remove the stigma surrounding mental health in both sports and business. People and companies are recognizing the importance of mental strength, and Smart Mind is at the forefront, offering strategies and insights on how to nurture these essential traits within individuals and teams.
Through Smart Mind, Ellen Schouppe and her team continue to support teams in achieving their goals by nurturing the attitudes that lead to excellence. Her work with high-performance athletes, as well as leaders in the business world, has made her a respected expert in how mental strategies and mindset can powerfully influence success
