The Mindset Coach Academy

Guest Interview: James Leath

Today on the podcast, I’m chatting all things mindset with a leadership development coach, author, mental performance expert, and your next favorite Instagram follow, James Leath!

James and I, in many ways, grew up in the mental training world together (since, ya know, before it was cool). And as much as he is a colleague, he is also a friend and an inspiration to me and anyone in his path. 

A lifelong student (in and out of the classroom), James has a Bachelors in Communication, a Masters in Performance Psychology, and almost 20 years of coaching experience. He has worked for companies like IMG Academy, USA Swimming, Positive Coaching Alliance, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Chicago Bulls organization.

As you’ll see in our episode, James is a captivating keynote speaker, a true gift to every team and individual he coaches, and an endless source of knowledge regarding sports psychology. And through his many lives as a coach, an actor, and an entrepreneur, James ties all his success back to his mindset.

Throughout the episode, James is a natural teacher and visionary, effortlessly sharing hard-hitting stories and metaphors that beautifully illustrate themes like integrity and perspective, and other topics that are often hard to pin down.

What makes James such an amazing guest on this episode is the fact that he lives what he teaches, and he creates everything with intention and follow-through. He is equal parts inspiring as he is witty and entertaining. With an infectious attitude that will leave you absolutely pumped up and ready to run through a brick wall, this episode is one you won’t want to miss. 

Website: www.jamesleath.com

Instagram: @James Leath

Here’s a glance at this episode:

[4:40] James opens the episode by sharing how he brings mental training to athletes today in a plug-and-play, intentional format. 

[9:13] Lindsey asks the question, “What advice would you give a coach who wants to start mental training today?” James believes time doesn’t need to be a barrier; instead, he believes you just need to carve out space for athletes.  James shares one of his favorite analogies for defining integrity, and discusses the unique challenges facing athletes today. 

[13:38] What can the kids game, Zip, Zap, Zop teach us about failure? James reminisces about two exercises he taught his team that helped them lean into silliness and play without fear of failure. As he puts it, “If we’re playing a game and we’re having fun, the winning takes care of itself”.

[19:19] What is James focusing on right now, and what does mindset have to do with it? James shares all about his newest book, inspired by the children’s tale, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, (only, written from the perspective of the wolf.) 

[25:05] James shares what’s on his reading list (hint: you probably wrote a book report about it), and tells an offbeat tale about how Jillian Michaels changed his life.

[30:15] Doing the work isn’t easy; it takes, energy, time, space, and intention. And when it comes to holding space for athletes, James and Lindsey acknowledge that it’s messy. Oftentimes, holding space for athletes means going against your high-performance, action-oriented instincts. 

[38:05] As a coach, you have to think about your athlete’s experience and remember that, however trivial their pressure, disappointment, or stress might seem, it’s valid. James believes that Mr. Rogers’ lived out this example of empathy beautifully.

[41:30] James ties his cold plunge practice to deep mindset work. He explains how he uses positive self-talk and body language to influence his body’s experience. 

[44:02] Lindsey and James wrap up their episode by disucussing the psychological power of storytelling. Want to better understand the psychology of the kids you coach? James leaves you with two fiction book recommendations.

Go For Your Longing, Not Your Fear

What is driving your actions?

Today's Mental Monday is about letting go of "fear motivation", and instead, leaning into anything that furthers your joy, purpose, and highest level self.

Press play and enjoy today's motivational episode.

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We have 3 coaching toolboxes on our website to help you meet your athletes where they are with mental training!

Check out our Confidence Toolbox, Resilience Toolbox, and Competition Toolbox to get mental training resources, tools, and courses, perfectly aligned with your team's biggest pain point.

Just scroll to the bottom of our PPT homepage to get started: https://www.positiveperformancetraining.com/

Action Over Thoughts

If you feel a pull towards something that feels a little scary, like starting a business, going out for the team, or going to college, this episode is for you!

So many of us get stuck in the safe planning stage as a way of delaying taking scary action toward our dreams.

Today's Mental Monday will help you see clearly how you may be self-sabotaging and will motivate you to take a small scary step toward your dreams.

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For more on this topic, read our blog: How to Take Small, Scary Steps Toward Change: https://www.positiveperformancetraining.com/blog/small-scary-steps-toward-change

Running Towards Fear

(TW: Cursing)

 

Who in their right mind jumps into a freezing cold lake in the middle of March? 

 

*She asks, soaked in lake water and shivering through her teeth* 

 

The short answer? Because it’s brave. And because doing brave things reminds us that we are strong. 

 

This week in The Mindset Coach Academy, we all made a commitment to do something that scares the s*** out of us. Some coaches chose to sing karaoke, join a dating app, sign up for an improv class, or have a difficult conversation with a loved one. I chose to run into a 43° lake. 

 

As humans, we are wired to run from fear. It’s our survival instinct at it’s finest! But there is real, physical danger, like fighting off a bear or doing something stupid on a skateboard, and there is perceived danger, like asking someone on a date, having stage fright, or cold water. And your brain doesn’t really know how to distinguish one from the other. 

 

That’s why exercises in bravery are so important. When we do brave things, we practice overriding our natural fear instincts. And all of this creates a dramatic ripple effect throughout our entire lives. 

 

Today’s extended episode will give you real-life, actionable tips to help you run towards fear. 

 

Listen to the full episode for:

• The best time to do something scary
• Tips to help you choose your brave activity (+ the ultimate reward)
• What happens in your brain when you do something scary
• 5 actionable steps to help you run towards fear

Why Look at Your Why? - MM

Are your actions aligned with who you want to be?

When it comes to pursuing our life goals, motivation comes and goes. And that's why it's absolutely vital to anchor yourself to your "why".

As a coach, you have to sit in the student's seat FIRST, so press play, listen to the episode, and get to work defining your "why".

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If you've ever wanted to be a mindset coach, try it out with our Ultimate Mindset Coaching Toolkit! We give you everything you need to work with your first client: https://www.positiveperformancetraining.com/ultimate-mindset-coaching-toolkit

Today, Choose YOU

In our final Mental Monday of March, Lindsey gives you permission to put yourself first.

She offers one simple mindset hack to help you reframe what it means to be 'selfish' to ultimately invite more joy, purpose, and fulfillment into your life.

Pass this episode along to anyone who needs to hear it!

Guest Interview - Kerri Walsh Jennings

You might recognize my highly esteemed guest today as one half of what was once called “the greatest beach volleyball team of all time”

With three (yes THREE) Olympic gold medals and one Olympic bronze medal to her name, Kerri Walsh Jennings is a Beach Volleyball legend and a force to be reckoned with. 

What makes Kerri such an amazing guest on this podcast is the fact that she truly lives what she teaches. Not only is it evident on the scoreboard, it permeates every part of her life, on and off the court. 

Juggling her elite career with being a wife and a mother of three, Kerri shares deep, internal wisdom about the importance of choice, cultivating joy, and what it takes to earn the mindset of a champion. She is vulnerable, honest, eloquent, and an endless fountain of wisdom for all things sports and motherhood. 

Through commentary about Mikaela Shiffrin at the 2022 Winter Olympics, stories of family and coaching her son through a loss, and awesome quotes that somehow come to her at the perfect time every time, Kerri proves time and time again that she is a gifted storyteller and a natural teacher. 

This interview is one I know I will return to time and time again. 

About Platform 1440:

P1440 was founded by Kerri Walsh Jennings and her husband (and fellow Beach Volleyball legend), Casey Jennings to engage, equip, and encourage beach volleyball athletes to pursue their dreams. P1440 gives athletes direct opportunities to compete and grow alongside a dedicated community of high performers and big dreamers. 

Learn more about P1440: https://www.p1440.com/

Follow them on Instagram: @platform1440

Here’s a glance at this episode:

 

[4:24] Lindsey and Kerri discuss the fallacy of perfectionism and Kerri’s relationship with failure through her younger years. She discusses her crushing disappointment at Rio and what it took to push through it. 

[9:21] “Our job is to show up and do our best.” Kerri relates her experience at Rio to Olympic Alpine Skiier, Mikaela Shiffrin, and encourages athletes like her to reframe the way they think about failure. 

[12:54] What does the phrase “Play so hard to win that it hurts so bad to lose” mean to an Olympian?

[16:06] Purpose and self-love through the ups and downs are essential to being a successful athlete and happy human. In Kerri’s words, “If you don’t love yourself because you’re in a funk right now, you’re literally playing for the other team; you’re fighting against yourself.”

[17:53] Quoting Andrew Huberman, Kerri insists we need to be having conversations with children about the power we have within to create our outside environment. And we have to understand that greatness takes time. 

[19:39] Not unlike the lion and the gazelle, how we interpret stress actually impacts how our bodies respond to it. 

[24:44] Kerri remembers a conversation with her Sports Psychologist that changed everything. 

In summary, the words you choose MATTER because every word you speak is MOMENTUM. 

[30:39] What does it look like to be an Olympic athlete and a mother of three? Kerri’s vulnerable answer includes an acknowledgment that It’s messy. 

[38:04] “If you’re committed, you have to commit through the good times and the hard times…” Kerri describes her complex pursuit of greatness and her commitment to her purpose, as an athlete, a wife, and a mother. 

[45:30] Kerri describes a few surprising ways in which becoming a mother helped her in her career. She makes a case for defining your life pillars and filtering your actions accordingly. 

[50:11] Kerry shares a relatable story about coaching her son through a big loss. She reminds him, “The truth of who you are is unafraid”.

[55:42] Lindsey and Kerri wrap up their episode by outlining Kerri’s mental training routine - on and off game days. From sleep, to cold plunging, to journaling, to talking it out, being where your feet are, and choosing what feels good, Kerri believes in creating sustainable routines that last a lifetime and cultivate joy.

 

Sink Down into Simple - MM

In today's Mental Monday, Lindsey introduces a straightforward concept that will change the way you view your priorities.

She explains how you can create more joy in your life with a simple mindset shift and a few expert tips!

Self-Blame vs Self-Compassion - MM

Are you carrying the weight of self-blame? Lindsey launches today's Mental Monday with a quick mindset check-in.

A key characteristic of athletes and high performers is HIGH STANDARDS. These are the same high standards that fuel late workouts, final sprints to the finish, and fierce competitiveness. But the dark side of high standards is often shame. Shame when you miss a shot, don't make the starting lineup, or let down the team.

But what if it didn't have to be this way? What if you could have high standards without shame? Without beating yourself up when you fail?

Enjoy this Mental Monday! And don't forget to subscribe to be alerted when new episodes drop!

How to Play Without a Scoreboard

The hardest part of real life is not having a scoreboard. 

This truth hits athletes hard. Because unlike in sports, in the REAL world, feedback isn’t always at your fingertips. It’s sort of like playing a game and not knowing until you’re winning or losing until the buzzer.

Whether you’re starting a business and trying to get your first client, starting a new workout plan, interviewing for a new job, or throwing yourself into the dating game, you often don’t know how close you are to success until it happens. 

And, truth be told, so many people quit right before that big reward hits. 

Putting yourself out there and really hustling toward your goal is hard. And when all you hear is crickets, it’s just human nature to want to pull back or retreat altogether.

Today’s extended episode will give you real-life, actionable tips to help you keep going and see the path forward… even when you don’t have a scoreboard. 

 

Listen to the full episode for:

• The role of community in achieving your goals

• How your brain sabotages your success

• How to measure intangible metrics

• 3 Tricks to keep you motivated when you hear crickets

• An inside look at our 2022 MCA Launch