Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!

Episodes

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  #154 - Mental Toughness Is Built, Not Born | Matt Fitzgerald 28.10.2026 38m

  Mental toughness isn't something you're born with. It's something you build. When Matt Fitzgerald joined The Coaching Minds Podcast back in 2021 (Episode #66), we talked about his book How Bad Do You Want It? and the psychology of pushing beyond our perceived limitations. Five years later, Matt returns with a very different perspective. After developing a serious illness that prevented him from running for more than three years, Matt found himself facing the very challenges he'd spent his car...
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  #153 - From Westfield to IU: Jackson Wasserstrom on Betting on Yourself, Earning Everything, and Chasing Big Dreams 04.07.2026 44m

  Jackson Wasserstrom joins The Coaching Minds Podcast to talk about his journey from Westfield High School to Indiana University football. After arriving at IU as a walk-on, Jackson spent years earning his way, building his role, and eventually receiving a scholarship. His story is one of faith, discipline, visualization, gratitude, resilience, and betting on yourself when nothing is guaranteed. In this episode, Ben and Jackson discuss: • Growing up with a dream of playing college football &nb...
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  #152 - Dr. Chris Carr on Performance Psychology, Mental Health, and Preparing Athletes for Pressure 19.06.2026 50m

  Dr. Chris Carr joins The Coaching Minds Podcast for a powerful conversation on performance psychology, mental health, and the evolution of mental training in sport. Dr. Carr is the Director of Performance Psychology and Team Behavioral Health Clinician for the Green Bay Packers. Over the course of his career, he has worked with athletes and teams across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, MLS, IndyCar, Olympic sports, and college athletics. In this episode, Ben and Dr. Carr discuss: • Why performance ps...
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  #151 - Dillon Thieneman on Preparation, Pressure, and Playing Free in the NFL 09.06.2026 31m

  Dillon Thieneman’s path from Westfield High School to Purdue, Oregon, and now the NFL was built on more than talent. In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Dillon to talk about the mental side of elite performance: growing up in a competitive household, learning from his brothers’ walk-on mentality, handling recruiting noise, preparing with detail, bouncing back from mistakes, and using visualization to “play the game before the game.” Dillon shares how prepa...
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  #150 - What Athletes Can Learn from Fighter Pilots with Boo Boucousis 28.04.2026 41m

  What do fighter pilots and elite athletes have in common? More than you think. In this episode, Ben sits down with Boo Boucousis—former fighter pilot and entrepreneur—to break down how high performers train, think, and respond under pressure. From the cockpit to competition, the principles of execution, accountability, and mental control remain the same. Boo shares how fighter pilots use systematic debriefing, real-time feedback, and disciplined habits to accelerate learning and eliminate mis...
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  #149 - Mental Secrets from an NBA Sports Psychologist 03.03.2026 31m

  What separates great athletes from everyone else? It’s not talent. It’s how they handle pressure. In this episode, Dr. Tom Mitchell (former NBA sports psychologist for the Golden State Warriors) breaks down: • The truth about nerves and performance • How elite athletes reset after mistakes • Why comparison destroys confidence • The mindset tools used at the highest level If you want to perform at your best when it matters most… this episode is for you. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 13:00 Visuali...
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  #148 - Relationships First: Real world lessons learned from athletics with Myron Burr Jr. 29.01.2026 34m

  In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes interviews Myron Burr Jr., who shares his journey from being an athlete to a coach and now an assistant city manager. They discuss the importance of mental preparation in sports, the lessons learned from veteran players, and the unique challenges of coaching young athletes. Myron emphasizes the significance of building relationships, understanding individual needs, and the transition of skills from sports to professional life. He concl...
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  #147 - Handling Failure, Pressure, and Identity in College Baseball with Tyler Rubasky 12.01.2026 25m

  Baseball is a game of failure — and how athletes respond to that failure often determines who lasts and who fades. In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Tyler Rubasky, Head Baseball Coach at Anderson University, to talk about what it really takes to build mentally tough athletes in today’s college game. Tyler shares his journey from player to assistant coach to head coach, how injuries shaped his mindset, and why he chose to fully invest in mental training —...
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  #146 – The Story Behind MTP Biz with Co-Founder Matt Hallock 08.12.2025 39m

  In this episode, we officially introduce Matt Hallock, the newest member of Mental Training Plan and the Co-Founder & Chief Performance Officer of MTP Biz—our new division bringing mental performance training to the corporate world. Matt brings 25 years of corporate leadership, decades of experience coaching athletes nationwide, and a lifelong passion for serving and developing people. From managing Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches in his 20s to leading early-career talent development for F...
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  #145 - Launching MTP Biz: Mental Performance Training for the Corporate World 04.12.2025 15m

  Today marks a major moment for the Mental Training Plan. After helping athletes in 90+ schools across 14 states perform at their best, we’re officially expanding into the business world with the launch of MTP Biz — a mental performance division built specifically for high-performing leaders and teams. In this episode, Ben shares the story behind the decision to move into corporate America, the imposter syndrome that held him back, and the conversations that made it clear: We don’t have a foo...
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  #144 - Confidence Pt 5: Pro Golfer Jocelyn Bruch on Using These Tools On The Course 10.11.2025 1h 4m

  Today, I’m joined by Jocelyn Bruch: Indiana individual state champion, Division I golfer at Purdue, national championship competitor, and now a professional who just returned from Q-School. We dig into the real tools she used in competition — not theory — to calm nerves, trust her preparation, and perform when it counts: Diaphragmatic Breathing (16+ seconds, not 2!) to lower heart rate and get presentFMR (Forced Muscular Relaxation) to release tension before swings and puttsGo-To Statement sh...
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  #143 - Confidence Pt 4: Breath, Reset, Recover: Building Confidence You Can Trust 06.10.2025 32m

  In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes, founder of The Mental Training Plan, breaks down the next layer of the Confidence Wall: how to train confidence like a muscle. Learn practical, science-backed tools that help athletes hardwire belief into their body and nervous system through three powerful bricks: The Breath Brick – how controlled breathing regulates the vagus nerve and restores focus.The Reset Brick – how pros like Drew Brees and Victor Oladipo flush mistakes and ge...
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  #142 - Confidence Pt 3: Identity, Body Language & Self-Talk for Athletes 17.09.2025 38m

  In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, we continue our Confidence series and dig into three critical building blocks every athlete needs: identity, body language, and self-talk. You’ll learn why confidence isn’t just earned through practice and reps — it’s also chosen by who you decide to be. Ben shares a powerful example from an NBA player who missed six straight shots but still had the confidence to take — and make — the game-tying shot. Coaches will discover how to use self-schem...
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  #141 - Confidence Pt 2: Building Belief Through Reps, Proof, and Preparation 08.09.2025 44m

  Confidence doesn’t come from hype—it comes from work. In Episode #2 of our Confidence Series, we break down how athletes, coaches, and parents can build earned confidence through three critical “bricks”: Reps – putting in the work with intentionEvidence – gathering proof of growth and winsPreparation – creating routines that build stabilityYou’ll hear stories from the field, practical tools (like the Rep Tracker and Confidence Journal), and the science behind why deliberate practice and routi...
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  #140 - Confidence Pt I: Launching the Prime Five Series 02.09.2025 28m

  Athletes don’t lose games because of talent. They lose because of confidence. In this episode, I’m sharing some big news: The launch of my new book, Confidence: Tools to Build Belief for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents. This is the first book in the Prime Five Series — a collection of tools, stories, and systems I’ve used with athletes from youth sports to state champions and even professionals. Inside the episode: Why Confidence had to be Book #1.The story of where this journey started.What t...
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  #139 - Sleep Like a Champion: How Rest Fuels Peak Performance with Lori Oliver & Jill MacRae 19.08.2025 27m

  In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, we flip the script on performance by focusing on the other 12 hours of the day—rest and recovery. Ben Carnes sits down with Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae, co-founders of The Inactive Company and creators of the Inactivator Sleep Mask, to explore the science of sleep and why most people are doing it wrong. With powerhouse careers at Spanx, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks, Lori and Jill know what it’s like to push limits—and what it costs when rest is ignor...
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  #138 - Choosing Joy Through Adversity with Kierstyn Ballard 31.07.2025 37m

  In this episode of the Coaching Minds podcast, we sit down with former Baylor pole vaulter Kierstyn Ballard to talk about the real journey behind the highlights — from early gymnastics to Division I athletics, injuries, identity loss, and choosing joy through adversity. Kierstyn opens up about navigating mental and emotional challenges, her faith, and what it really takes to ask for help when things feel like they’re falling apart. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent, her insight will...
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  #137 - Simple, Not Easy: Building High Performance with Marc Nudelberg 16.07.2025 45m

  In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Marc Nudelberg—former college football coach and founder of On The Ball—to explore the principles behind consistent, high-level performance. Drawing from his experiences at programs like Florida State and Cincinnati, Marc explains why simplicity beats complexity, how culture can make or break a team, and why most businesses are failing when it comes to real leadership development. The conversation dives into athlete iden...
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  #136 - MTP Certification Part II - Inside the MTP Certification Journey with Coach Danny Tippit 08.07.2025 30m

  What’s it really like to go through MTP Certification? In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Coach Danny Tippett — the very first coach to complete the program. Danny shares: Why he decided to pursue mental performance trainingHow the tools helped him coach his son, lead a middle school football team, and improve his own anxietyWhat the certification process was likeHow he’s now applying MTP tools in sports like cheerleading, volleyball, and footballWhy every coach should have this in th...
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  #135 - MTP Certification Part I - So You Want to Coach the Mental Game? Start Here. 07.07.2025 16m

  If you're a coach who believes in the power of the mental game — and you're ready to start teaching it — this episode is for you. MTP founder Ben Carnes breaks down exactly what MTP Certification is, who it’s for, and how it equips you to start leading 1-on-1 coaching and team workshops right away. You'll hear: The story behind how the MTP system was builtWhat makes MTP Certification different from any other mental training programHow certified coaches are using this to serve athletes in thei...