As the world watched, Carli Lloyd had a World Cup final for the ages, scoring a hat-trick in sixteen minutes, becoming the first player ever to record a hat-trick in a World Cup final. How did she accomplish this? Even though she is physically gifted on the pitch, there is a lot the rest of us can learn from Lloyd and apply to our own daily lives.

What’s the secret to her success? It’s mental. Before every game, she meditates to clear her mind and visualizes her success over and over with her personal coach, to the point the game feels like it has already happened. The key is to combine actual practice and mental visualization, and the brain will do the rest. She blocked out distractions, even preventing family members from attending her matches. Because of this, Lloyd grew in confidence through every match, getting the zone that carried her to the hat trick in the final.

But this didn’t come easy. Lloyd grinded it out for years, missing social events and relaxation. She doesn’t blame referees or teammates when things go off track, instead internalizing and focusing on herself. She outworked her teammates her whole career, and 10 years later, she is the best player in the world.