I. Why Write This Series?
EP Coach Notes|Chen Peina’s Awareness Training
From the Olympic arena to corporate coaching — a mental growth journal of an athlete.
We often talk about “high performance”,
but rarely about “high awareness.”
When results and pressure close in,
the real key to success lies not just in skill,
but in who can stay grounded,
understand their emotions,
and return to the present moment.
Chen Peina, Olympic silver medalist in windsurfing,
is now a coach and a leader.
Her story isn’t about winning,
but about “seeing herself clearly in the midst of the wind and waves.”
In this series, she takes her own experiences as a thread,
sharing her journey of emotional awareness, mental training, resilience, and leadership.
We hope that through her story,
you can also find your own “training method” —
an ongoing practice of wind, awareness,
and setting sail again.
II. Peina’s Journal|The “Invisible Training”
During my period of reflection,
I devoted myself to a lot of what I call “invisible training.”
It was during that time that I realized —
the biggest difference among elite athletes
is often not found in the visible training.
Because physical training has its limits;
but “invisible training” —
the training of the mind, emotions, and attention —
for me, has no ceiling.
In these sessions, I practiced a lot of emotional awareness and self-regulation.
For example, I began meditating,
and I practiced calligraphy regularly.
Not to make my handwriting prettier,
but to stay focused on the present moment
and observe the subtle shifts in my emotional state.
My mentor, Mr. Zhang Liwei, once advised me:
“Set a fixed time every day or week for calligraphy practice.
When your attention drifts,
you can actually see your emotional fluctuations
in the movement of the brush.”
In addition, I designed small coping mechanisms for my emotions —
sometimes a short self-reminder,
sometimes just a small note with a keyword on it.
These seemingly simple actions
helped me quickly reset my state at crucial moments.
This kind of “invisible training”
has helped me understand myself better,
and find stability amid chaos.
I’ve come to realize:
real training isn’t just physical repetition —
it’s giving rhythm to the heart.
III. EP Coach Perspective
At Emerge Performance,
we call this ability Mindfulness & Attention.
It is the foundation of all high performance.
When an athlete or leader learns to manage their attention,
they can set the rhythm for the entire system.
IV. Mini Practice
📘 Ten-Minute “Brush Meditation”
Set aside ten minutes.
Simply write, draw lines, or copy a short passage by hand.
Observe the flow of your lines —
are they hurried, scattered, or steady?
After finishing, ask yourself:
“What is the state of my heart today?”
Emerge Performance — Performance begins within.