Compete Every Day with Jake Thompson | A Show for Driven Leaders

This week's guest is Tony Vance, head coach and athletics director at Hattiesburg High School, in Mississippi. He shares tips on building a strong and committed football team through encouraging athletes to try their hardest both on and off the field. It doesn't matter if you've played or not to find VALUE in this conversation.

Investments are just as much mental — and physical — as they are financial. This week’s guest is Justin Murphy, a former CrossFit Games Regionals competitor turned business owner. Just under a year ago, Murphy founded his own nutrition company, called iCoach Nutrition, as a culmination of years of interest in and dedication to the subject. To get there, though, he had to take chances as they came up and had to dive in headfirst, without any guarantees. Listen and learn how to: Put effort into endeavors that have good returns Set priorities based on goals Set yourself up for success by making a plan and sticking to it Control your mindset and turn negative to positive Figure out your deal-breakers and work around them Join the free Facebook community here! Sign up for the 2019 Shirt of the Month Club here!

CrossFit competitor and personal trainer Will Trujillo, of Big Dawgs remote coaching (OPEX) is our guest this week. He talks about the importance of trust between trainers and trainees, how to align your actions with your end goals, and how to recognize the little wins along the way.

The people who reach the top do it because they can see their own strengths, capitalize on them, and don’t waste time with busy work. A big part of being successful is learning to set yourself apart from the crowd. What can I be the best at? That’s a question this week’s guest asked himself many years ago, which ultimately set him on the path to success. Dana Cavalea spent his entire professional career in sports with the New York Yankees, starting at the bottom and working his way up to be their director of strength and conditioning. He doesn’t sugarcoat the hard work it took, just as he doesn’t sugarcoat what made the star players he worked with the best of the best. Listen and learn how to: Identify your own talents and strengths Double down on building and capitalizing on your best attributes Slow down, quiet the noise, and focus on one task at a time How to find the mechanics of your own success Listen to your intuition Order Dana Cavalea's book here: https://amzn.to/2DqEtNk Join the free Facebook community here! Sign up for the 2019 Compete Shirt of the Month Club! Email Jake for Coaching Opportunities

Want to be a winner in life? You have to build an unbreakable mindset first. Here's why Competitors believe they are a legend in their own mind - and why it's one of the most powerful ingredients in the formula for success.

When the time comes to move on, it’s important to realize it and do just that. Open a new door. Take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. Don’t shy away from change. That’s the message from this week’s guest. Rachel Balkovec was the first female strength and conditioning coach in MLB history, but she’s much more than that. In this episode, Balkovec talks about not being afraid to upset the norm and recognize when the current path isn’t working anymore. Listen and learn how to: The importance of flexibility and being able to adapt to changes How to build success, step by step Recognize what’s no longer serving your interests and move on The benefits of diverse experiences Take advantage of open doors and new opportunities Join the free Facebook group: http://facebook.com/groups.competeeveryday Sign up for the Compete Shirt of the Month Club!: http://bit.ly/19shirtclub

There are a lot of people that believe that competition is bad. They have the perspective that if they're not physically lined up across from someone trying to beat them, then they're not competing. That perspective is wrong. Each of us, every day, are in a competition. And if you don't realize that you're in a competition, how can you ever expect to win? Understand what you're up against. Compete to overcome it. My thoughts on what each of our daily competition looks like - and how to start each morning to make sure you get the leg up on what competes against you.

This week, we hear from former tennis player and current touring coach Christopher Williams about the power of mindset. He works to break down the stigma of talking about sports psychology and mental training. He also talks about the importance of preparation, expectation management, and having a diversified life. Listen and you'll learn how to: Find a process that leads to success Build self-awareness on the court and in life Focus on action, not reaction Learn to manage expectations Develop a growth mindset for a well-rounded life Free Compete Facebook group: http://facebook.com/groups/competeeveryday

Are you allowing your position - at work, on the team, in life - determine your output? Are you letting where you are today influence the effort, the energy, and the focus you pour into your purpose on earth? Find out how Competitors approach this topic and what you need to do in order to be successful in every pursuit you take in life.

Some kids come in with grit, others have to learn to develop it. But no matter how they started on a team, they need to learn perseverance to succeed both in sports and in life. This week, we hear from Houston Baptist University football coach Roger Hinshaw about the power of competition for kids and adults. He talks about the trends he’s seen during his many years as a coach and shows that while talent is often praised, it’s easier to come by than sheer determination.

Learn how Competitors view - and attack - obstacles that show up in life. Most people cower or back down when life tries to knock them down. Most people also fail to reach their goals or their full potential. Find out what simple perspective shift can fuel you toward overcoming your next obstacle the way a Competitor does.

There is power in positivity. This week, we hear from athlete and entrepreneur Cletus Coffey, who considers himself an eternal optimist. After an injury brought his sports chapter to a close, he struggled to find a new identity off the field in the world of business. He talks about learning to overcome doubt during tough transitions and using optimism, empathy, and gratitude to build a strong framework for the future.

There are a million excuses that I can whip out of thin air instantaneously. We all can. Because using excuses is easier than doing what we need to get done. But as you've heard me say all month, excuses don't get the job done. Excuses don't add an extra "0" to your bank account and they won't help you reach your goals. Excuses don't create champions - and Champions don't create excuses. So how did I break up - and then kill - the excuses my inner critic was trying to create? This episode features the four actions I took to curb, and then bury, the excuses I caught myself going back to time and time again.

It’s not about how much you win, it’s about the effort you put in to compete and the lessons you take away from trying. This week, we hear from one of my Texas high school football coaches, Kurt Traylor, who shares tips on how to successfully coach the next generation to succeed in sports and in life by teaching them to pound the stone.

Today we dive into the PROCESS - the importance of one and how the most successful Competitors in life embrace the process and all of its boring, monotonous, slowly growing timeline. And that in order to win, you have to embrace every part of your process.

Everyone will face setbacks in their own life. That’s something Coach Dar knows well. This week, Darleen Santore shares her story of being an occupational therapist specializing in traumatic brain injury and strokes—who has also had several strokes herself. She shares advice on how to move past the unexpected challenges life throws at you and use what you learn from those hard times to propel you forward into a stronger tomorrow. By shifting the framework of how you approach each day, you can start using setbacks as the fuel for reaching your peak.

No one likes starting at the bottom and being a rookie surrounded by veterans, or worse, all-pros. But you can't get to their level of success and experience unless you're willing to start as a rookie with the basics. And this doesn't just apply to football.

An Olympic silver medal is a win, but for a hardcore team competitor, it can feel like—and be—a loss if it meant missing out on gold by just a hair. Cat Osterman, who is a Hall of Fame pitcher and one of the top 5 softball players of all time, has seen the Olympics from both sides. She walked away from two Olympic games with both a silver and a gold medal to show. Now she’s a college level coach. This week, Osterman talks about coming down from the highest high and coming up from the lowest low.

Why the most successful people in the world are professional door knockers and how you can't get better until you are too.

Ex-NFL defensive back & current trainer and motivational speaker Jordan Pugh shares tips on how to adjust when things change unexpectedly and how to keep the passion for what you do. You’ll Learn How To: Develop a global view of what you want to accomplish Create a Plan B and work through a tough transition Focus on passion, purpose, and performance Keep your sights set on the end goal Navigate bumps in the road and learn to adjust and shift along the way

Sports psychologist & multi-sport athlete Anne 'Kip' Rodgers Watsonopenly discusses our need to face adversity and overcome it. As a former competitive gymnast and entrepreneur, as well as professional women's football player, she shares tips about 👉👉 how to develop a growth mindset in order to constantly improve.

Learn why the best competitors embrace change and the opportunities it holds when most people are scared to death of it.

Sports psychologist & WNBA mental coach Dr. Stuart Singer shares tips on how to get prepared and stay prepared for the big break. Singer considers himself a lifelong learner and he uses that passion for knowledge to open doors and bolster his connections.

Too many people spend their entire life at the starting line, too scared to take a step forward and run. Learn why Competitors aren't "most people" and start running as soon as the gun sounds - and most importantly, how you can too.

Successful fitness entrepreneur Kyle Brown of Fit365 and FitCEO opens up about the importance of pushing boundaries and venturing outside that comfort zone to see what we can do if we put our mind to it.

Everyone has excuses - but Competitors bury theirs and refuse to let them impact their pursuits. You can listen to your excuses, or you can bury them. What will you decide?

Life is never a straight path. It’s full of twists and turns, and challenges and opportunities that arise when we least expect them. This week we hear from Johnny Quinn, who transitioned to Olympic bobsledding after an injury and the loss of a pro football contract. Quinn has faced adversity in his own life time and time again and says the way he’s made it through is by learning the importance of flexibility and having a backup plan.

This session is all about consistency - and why that is one of the biggest keys to eventually succeeding. How to be more consistent, why being consistent matters, and what separates the greats.

No matter how difficult things have been in the past, there’s always a way to turn it around. That’s something this week’s guest knows all too well. Kristi Huizenga is the head women’s soccer coach at the University of Vermont. When she came on board as the youngest coach to ever lead the team, she managed to take a group of underdogs and turn them into a competitive force to be reckoned with. This week, Huizenga talks about not getting caught up in immediate success and learning to make a commitment to sustainable and lasting change through competition.

No one has time for anything these days, including success. We want it all and we want it now.  Too often we focus on the tip of the iceberg above water (glory) instead of the gigantic block of ice underneath the water (grind). But still you want to know the secret to overnight success? How can you crush your goals, build your business, and win your sport today? The magic formula to overnight success is this....

It’s not about them, it’s about you. At the end of the day, competition boils down to an internal drive to do your best. This week, we hear from LeRoy Gardner III, head coach of the University of the Ozarks wrestling team. He shares tips on staying focused and accountability, keeping yourself prepared for competition, and finding the strength within you to do your best. It can be easy to get caught up in focusing on your competitor—what they’re doing and how hard they’re working—and forget that success begins inside. In order to be the best competitor you can be, you have to learn to push your own boundaries and constantly challenge yourself, so you’re ready to rock when things get tough. Personal accountability means not getting lost in your to-do lists, but finding a way to dig deep and do what needs to be done to advance your own goals.

Does it even matter if you're a Competitor? It does. Every single day you make that choice. In this Speed Work mini-episode, Jake explores why he and his team are so passionate about competition - and the impact it makes not only on our lives, but on those around us. Learn what it means to be a Competitor - and why it matters that you make the choice to compete every day.

Sometimes, your best might not be good enough to win, so it’s important to learn from failures and try again. Akeem Leviston is a football coach at Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, Texas. This week, we hear from him about the foundations of youth sports, what it takes to retain young players as a coach, and the process of achieving success through competition over time.

What do you see? Do you look at that boulder before you as an adversity which has you beat? Or is it an opportunity to inspire others? Jake challenges your perspective in this week's mini-episode. Competitors don't see challenges like everyone else, and Jake dives into why. And how you can make sure you refocus your perspective. Finish your week stronger than you started with SPEED WORK!

Everyone has faced challenges and rejections and disappointments to get where they are today. Failure is just as much a component of success as hard work. Matthew Del Negro is an actor (“The Sopranos,” “Scandal,” “Wind River”) and host of the 10,000 “No”s Podcast. This week, he shares tips on overcoming adversity, finding strength in failure, and picking yourself up again if you fall. 

Our brand new mini-episode series starts today - with a focus on what you need to QUIT in order to be a Competitor. What holds most people back Why a better time isn't always that Why feelings don't dictate being ready Quick fire Friday session to fire you UP!

Everyone deserves an opportunity to try, regardless of gender, socioeconomic background or any other factor. That’s a lesson for both sports and life from former NFL quarterback and MLB pitcher and current coach of coaches, Richard Bartel. This week, we Bartel shares ideas for improving youth access to sports and building better coaches for young players.

Texas Rangers MLB Strength & Conditioning Coach Jose Vazquez teaches the importance of partnership and support in building healthy, cohesive, and competitive teams through stories from his time working in major league baseball. Vazquez shares tips for how to better yourself while keeping other people’s needs in mind. Competition is vital for teams, but learning to compete in a way that doesn’t harm others in the process is just as important. Learn how Vazquez and his team have been able to successfully do just that - and how you can too.

Martin J. Reader is a former Olympic beach volleyball player turned entrepreneur and motivational trainer. This week, we hear from him about transitioning off the sand and building a personal philosophy in order to create authenticity in his everyday life. He shares tips about learning to love the process and staying focused on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down by the bumps along the way. What You’ll Learn: Use intention, integrity, and intensity to accomplish your goals Let go of past disappointments and not let them define you Turn personal development into competitive advantage Focus on the big picture and not get caught up in the day-to-day Make priorities and manage them to fall in love with your process

Why do you think you can’t do something? Is it because you really can’t do it? Because someone said you couldn’t? Or is it because you’re afraid of failure, so you just haven’t tried to do it? Hunter Clark is the director of operations and programs for the Adaptive Training Foundation, a non-profit that provides training to people with physical disabilities to transform their lives. This week, he shares tips about conquering the fear of failure through sharing stories of the military vets he’s worked with who overcome great obstacles on a daily basis.

The mental side of competition is just as tough—if not tougher—than the physical side. Dr. Lindsey Mitchell is a sports performance psychologist and clinical therapist who has worked with everyone from athletes to veterans to middle school students. This week, she shares tips on how to help build up healthy and successful kids, define personal goals, and overcome adversity to be a better competitor in all aspects of life.

If you want to learn how to harness the power of competition to reveal your greatest self, you’ve come to the right place! Every week, we’ll hear from athletes, psychologists, entrepreneurs, and everyday competitors about the power of competition both on and off the field. Jake Thompson, the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, is back in full force, bringing you exciting interviews every Tuesday. If you were a fan of the Better Than Yesterday podcast, you’ll notice we’ve rebranded for Season 2 to the Compete Every Day podcast to better reflect our mission this time around. If you’re a newcomer, stick around to find out how to tap into your limitless potential (and don’t forget to check out Season 1). 

A Goal Getter is identified by their actions. Competitors are Goal Getters because they do more than talk about what they want to do - they compete every day to get it. Want to be a Goal Getter too? You're in the right place. This episode dives into what it means to be a competing GOAL Getter and how you can apply four easy steps - every day - in your life for your goal.

In this episode, our founder Jake Thompson explores the formula for success - and why our greatest accomplishments aren't achieved overnight. We wouldn't want them to anyway. Learn the Grit formula for success and what factor (hint: you 100% control it) matters more than talent. Learn why __________ is your greatest key factor to success.

An athlete never wants to walk off the playing field at the end of a game - much less a career - knowing they still have more in the tank. Each wants to leave spent - having given everything they have in pursuit of everything they want. Head held high, they know they've done everything. Full effort. Full victory. And no matter what the scoreboard reads, they know they went out swinging hard. Competitors live the same way they play.

Often we feed so much negativity into an adversity, that we blow it entirely out of proportion. This is looking at the big picture, which keeps you honest and focused on the path ahead. Marcus Aurelius Anderson truly believes that adversity is a gift, because it gives you that extra insight to reach those depths of strength that we all possess.

Priscilla Tallman is a former All-America volleyball player from the University of Georgia, and played on the US National team for two tours. She has coached at the club and collegiate level. She is also a freelance sports writer, a contributor to Volleyball Magazine, a speaker, and motivator. In this episode, Jake dives into Priscilla’s athletic journey, her passion about coaching, and how sports principles can help instill positive lessons which can be used not only in life but also in business and entrepreneurship.

Aaron Keith Hawkins is the host of Unbreakable Success podcast, a personal performance, and relationship coach who works empathetically and strategically to guide his clients toward transformational changes in their personal lives, careers, and marriages. Aaron has spent over 2 decades as a public servant. Currently a Police Captain, he's still serving his New Jersey community as a Law Enforcement Executive.   In this episode, Jake dives in Aaron’s professional and personal journey, his mission is to help you recognize that you're capable of succeeding in literally every aspect of your daily life once you realize success is a lifestyle, not a trophy. Aaron shares how his near-death experience helped him ultimately change his direction and the trajectory of his life - and how you can take that same change without a near-death experience.

Megan Benzik is CrossFit Games Regional Athlete and CrossFit trainer. Meg's story is of the true power of perseverance. After being diagnosed with lupus at the age of 12, she has continued to fight the autoimmune disease to achieve her athletic goals. Living her fitness passion, Meg is using her diagnosis as a way to inspire her clients to reach for more. Meg is inspiring, driven and is a testimony to the importance of self love and support.

In this episode, I’m here to motivate you to fight. Fight for the life of your dreams. Fight for your goals. Fight for your future. Realize three things: your story matters, you are in charge of writing it and that some of our greatest blessings can be packaged in unappealing boxes. I encourage you to read A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller, a book that inspired me to grab the pen and start writing a story worth reading.