High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset

Dr. Jack Lesyk, Director of the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology and Sport Psychologist with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sees that the best are gritty – they have passion and perseverance for their long-term goals. They are resilient and don't let poor performance linger. They have a short-term memory. Jack describes there are two different types of perfectionists: dysfunctional and functional. Functional perfectionists strive for excellence and are always looking for what went great. Dysfunctional perfectionists overreact emotionally and focus on what went wrong. Jack describes a mindfulness practice he does with his clients to help them change how they feel with their words and images. His final advice for high performers – or those who work to reach their greater potential – is to enjoy the moment. Close your eyes, scan your body and make positive self-talk a practice. To contact Jack, visit sportpsych.org or send him a tweet at @sportpsychOH.

John Maxwell said: "Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it." Most of us are conditioned to blame someone else for our suffering. We blame our parents. We blame the weather. We blame our spouse. We blame our boss. We blame our teammates. We blame our genetics. We blame our education. We blame ownership. We blame our kids. Every time we blame someone or something, we dwindle our chance of success. In this interview with TJ and Lisa, Cindra talks about how high performers create the life and performance they desire. They think and act like a victim. To connect with Cindra, you can email her at [email protected] or send her a tweet @Mentally_Strong.

Dr. Nicole Detling, Professor in Kinesiology with the University of Utah and Mental Skills Coach with multiple Olympic Teams (US Speed Skating, US Snowboarding Team, US Freestyle Aerials Ski Team), sees that the best are resilient and deal effectively with adversity. 1) They "get their rookie on" and are always growing and learning. In the podcast, she describes one of the phrases she uses frequently: 2) "Embrace the suck, but don't get stuck in the suck." She provides 3 of the 10 protective factors of resilient leaders which are optimism, social support, and failure is feedback. Nicole outlines a popular equation, E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome). Her point is that you have no control over the events in your life or sport but have full control over your response. She believes it helps to plan to fail at something every day because 3) "failure is a possibility and a probability." Her final advice for high performers – or those who work to reach their greater potential – is to be with who you are with right now – to be fully present with the person right in front of you. To contact Nicole, visit: www.headstrongconsulting.com or send her a tweet at @HeadStrongDoc.

High performers, those who work to reach their greater potential, understand what leads them to high performance. They recognize and find their MVP level to perform at their best more often. They put strategies and tools into place to keep their mind working for them not against them. In this episode, Cindra talks about how to find your personal best, or your OWN MVP Level, and how to get there consistently.

Dr. Stephen Walker is a sport psychologist and consultant in the Denver and Boulder, Colorado area. For the last 34 years, he has been helping Olympians, professional athletes and peak performers compete at the highest level. He is the editor of Podium Sports Journal, a mental training journal that has been recognized as one of the Top Sport Psychology Websites. In this interview, Steve talks about how the best adopt a growth mindset – they understand the only way to grow is to make mistakes. He shares a technique called the Confidence Journal which he uses with his Olympic athletes. Steve shares strategies to stay in the now to increase performance in any field including sports, business, customer service, and public speaking. Towards the end of the interview, Steve talks about his own journey battling cancer. He shares his model for overcoming the odds and how this helped him maintain a positive mindset during chemotherapy and a 12-hour surgery. Every moment is a choice, Steve tells us. It is our choice what we do with that moment! Connect with Steve at drstephenwalker.com or on Twitter @sportpsychcoach.

In this bestselling book, A Man's Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl wrote: "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom." In this episode, Cindra talks about how to respond not react and shares a strategy called the Power Response Strategy. She talks about how responding not reacting applies to sport, business and life and allows us to be at our best more often. We'd love for you to share the podcast with your friends and connect with Cindra at [email protected] or on Twitter @Mentally_Strong.

Dr. Eddie O'Connor is a public speaker and clinical sport psychologist in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In this interview, Eddie talks about how the best have a total acceptance of the barriers in front of them. He describes how perfectionists can become "Perfect Perfectionists" and how to embrace mistakes. He suggests that when we receive a compliment to "marinate" on it - take it in, feel it in your heart, and appreciate it. Lastly, Eddie discusses the importance of mindfulness and how to pay attention on purpose without judgment. To connect with Eddie, find in on Twitter @SportsDrEddie or at www.dreddieoconnor.com

Your why is your purpose, a cause, or a belief you are fighting for. It is why you do what you do. When you know your why, it gives YOU the push to keep going. But OWNING your why is a little different. It is a daily practice you can use to stay fueled about your life, work and sport. Dr. Kamphoff talks about how to find and own your why in this episode. Connect with Cindra @Mentally_Strong on Twitter or at [email protected].

Kristi Schuck, founder and co-owner of WYSIWYG Juice Company, shares her story of resilience and how to see the opportunity in every difficulty. It was through her husband's diagnosis with Stage 4 Colon Cancer that they both discovered the power of juicing. Wes was given only 4 short months to live, but thrived in this life for over 3 years because of juicing and a caring and loving environment. In this powerful interview on the one-year anniversary of Wes' passing, Kristi talks about how to thrive in difficult situations, choose love over fear, and develop a practice to maintain an optimistic and resilient mindset. For more information about WYSIWYG Juice Company, visit: www.wysiwygjuice.com, connect on Facebook at: facebook.com/wysiwygjuice or on Twitter @WysiwygMkto.

There is ample amount of research and evidence that it is not someone's talent that leads to success, it their grit. It is their persistence and passion that drives them to commit to the hours and hours needed to experience success. It is a person's grit that leads to success, not the talent or gift they were born with. Grit over gift. In this episode, Dr. Kamphoff provides two strategies you can use to improve your grit. As always, you can email her at [email protected] or find her on Twitter @Mentally_Strong.

Nothing needs to happen for us to be positive. In fact, research indicates that only 10% of our happiness is determined things outside ourselves. 10%!!! That means 90% of our happiness is up to us. Our positivity is determined by our focus and how we choose to feel each day. Dr. Kamphoff shares with us three strategies to improve our positivity percentage. You can find Dr. Kamphoff on Twitter @Mentally_Strong or at cindrakamphoff.com. You can also reach out to her at [email protected].

High Performers are optimistic. They see obstacles and difficulties as happening for them not too them. They find the opportunity in every difficulty. They stay the course committed to their goals and dreams. They are gritty! In this episode, Cindra describes why we should expect the journey to reach our goals and dreams to be difficulty, but see the opportunities in every difficulty. She shares a strategy she calls "3 OPP" to help us do that.

Angie Fifer, Performance Excellence Trainer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, talks about all things performance. In this interview, she describes how confidence is a decision we make every moment and she shares ways to be more confident. Angie shares how athletes should have a mechanism to "let their mistakes go" which provides "unbelievable power." Angie describes about how and when to change your attention from the outcome to the process, and how to do that. Finally, she talks about her journey to be "100% comfortable with who she is and what she brings to the table" as she crosses gender boundaries working with Army West Point Men's Basketball, Men's Gymnastics, and the Men's Boxing teams. Angie also practices performance excellence herself as a marathoner, ultra marathoner, and Ironman triathlete. You can reach out to Angie on Twitter @afifer1 or email her at [email protected].

Limiting beliefs are beliefs that constrain us in some way. Limiting beliefs are often about ourselves, others, and the world. They are typically broad statements that exist only in our head. Unfortunately, many of our limiting beliefs feel so normal that we don't even notice them. These limiting beliefs feel like facts, but they are not. Moving beyond your limiting beliefs is a critical first step in your success. In this episode, Dr. Kamphoff talks about how to address your limiting beliefs that are holding your back from reaching your greater potential.

Ruth Brennan Morrey's triathlon sporting history is certainly a nontraditional one! As a former Division I soccer player, Ruth "mistakenly" qualified for the 2000 Olympic Trials where she finished 34th out of 210 qualifiers. She took 10 years off from racing and competing due to burnout. In 2011, she took a dare to compete in her first half-ironman and a few years later at age 37, she turned pro. She has been unstoppable ever since! In this inspiring interview, Ruth talks life balance (oh, she also has three kiddos – ages 11, 8 and 6), competitive drive, and staying fueled with purpose and passion. She described her worst race as also her best race where she learned a new level of suffering and how "difficulties and roadblocks are part of our plan." She talks about how she uses mindfulness to control her mind which she learned as part of her PhD in Counseling Psychology. Prepared to be inspired to go after any goal or dream you have after listening to this interview! We'd love to hear from you! Tell us what stood out to you about this interview, by sending a Tweet to Ruth at @RBrennanMorrey and Cindra at @Mentally_Strong. For more information about Ruth, visit: http://www.ruthbrennanmorrey.com.

Stephen Spielberg once said, "I don't dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I dream for living." Most of us are not movie directors like Spielberg, but we can follow his lead and dream about our future for a living. To become a high performer or champion at sport, business and life, we need to dream every day. To contact Cindra with your questions or topics to address on future episodes, email her at [email protected] or find her on Twitter @Mentally_Strong.

In this episode, Cindra talks about how high performers and the most successful people see obstacles, difficulties, and problems. They see them as "happening for them, not too them" and see them as puzzles they can solve. High Performers are persistent and gritty. They are persistent. They stay the course committed to their goals and dreams. You are a high performer! This Week's Affirmation: I am persistent. I am committed to my goals and dreams. I see difficulties as happening for me not to me. I solve my problems like puzzles.

In this interview, Jonathan discusses several factors that separate successful pro athletes, leaders, and high achievers. He believes the practice of enjoyment is at the center of high performance. One suggestion he provides the pro athletes he works with is to ask: "What did I enjoyable the best about today?" within 60 seconds of finishing the game. He describes how the best have an optimal "mental climate" and how they keep their "fish tank clean." The best of the best are also hungry for success, adopt a growth mindset, and remain process focused. You can preorder his new book, Life as Sport, on Amazon, and find more information about Dr. Fader on his website.

In this interview with radio hosts, TJ and Lisa, Dr. Kamphoff talks about how to have desire, passion and hunger for your goals and dreams. She talks about how if you don't have desire, you won't work towards your goals and dreams. Getting clear on our desire is the one of the factors that leads us to success and reaching our potential. She provides 3 strategies for us to use to connect with our desire. You can connect with Cindra at [email protected] or at Mentally_Strong.

In this live interview on 93.1 with TJ and Lisa, Dr. Kamphoff talks about how fear is part of the human experience. We can let fear take over our body and mind, or we can command it. In this interview, Cindra talks about 3 types of fears that we all experience and provides 4 steps to command your fear. She provides a personal example to illustrate how to command your fear.

In this interview, college football coach Aaron Keen talks about implementing mental training into the game of football. Coach Keen talks about the importance of going 1-0 each week which helps his team stay in the present moment and take one game at a time. He describes how to develop a 'family atmosphere' as a college coach and the importance of keeping relationships front and center. Towards the end of the interview, he provides his classic Find the Pony story and describes that a positive mental attitude is 'everything' in football. You can reach Coach Keen on Twitter @CoachAaronKeen.

Being self-critical means that you are critical of yourself for your failures and weaknesses. We become our own judge and jury when we self-criticize. Some typical expressions of self-criticism include: "I don't have enough talent." "I'm just too old, slow, short, heavy…" "I guess I am just not meant to be a runner, athlete, author, vice president, manager…. (you fill in the blank)." Your self-criticism is important to examine because your mind determines your identity, your belief about yourself, and your self-image. In this live episode from 93.1 with TJ and Lisa, Dr. Kamphoff teaches us 3 ways to reduce our self-criticism.

In this interview with Mental Skills Coach, Carrie Cheadle, she talks about the need for failure in our lives and athletic careers. We should learn how to embrace failure and seek it out. In her words, "You have to risk failure in order to risk success." She describes how showing up as yourself and bringing 100% of yourself to your work leads to success, happiness, and reaching your best. To learn more about Carrie's work, you can visit her website www.carriecheadle.com or on Twitter @FeedtheAthlete.

Payton Manning, the Denver Broncos quarterback said, "Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what you're doing." In this episode, we explore Payton Manning's quote and discuss the 3 specific ways to deal with pressure the next time you experience it.

Bernie Holliday is a master of the mental game. At the heart of his interview, is a phrase he has adopted from this work with West Point Cadets: "embracing the suck." Bernie described how professional baseball players must embrace the suck, but also describes how he has used the phrase in his life and career. He believes there are 3 ways people approach times that are difficult: 1) by evading, 2) by enduring, or 3) by embracing. The best of the best approach times that are difficult in the 3rd way: embracing the difficulty. His mantra "BE BOLD" will inspire you to get out there with your work and take risks. He believes that a growth mindset and love is what separates good performers from great performers. Bernie also provides several other strategies you can use in your work, play and life including: 1) his 3 ups, 2 downs, and 1 takeaway strategy, 2) how he helps others "focus on the process," and 3) the importance of redefining success and failure.

Success takes something more than a talent and skills. Success takes the willingness to keep going even when the odds are against you or your enthusiasm has waned. Success takes persistence. It takes continuing your course of action despite difficulties, adversity or opposition. The great thing is that persistence is learnable. In this episode, Cindra talkes about successful people that have persisted as well as 3 strategies to develop your persistence.

In this episode, award-winning international speaker, business leader, best selling author and professional musician, Manley Feinberg talks about how to reach your next summit. Using a mountain climbing analogy, he discusses how we must expect to fall, how to refocus after the fall and how to get out of your comfort zone in the process. Points to listen for include tips he provides to consciously practice authenticity and how to make space between "the stimulus and response." Post a tweet about what stood out to you about the interview and tag @manleyf and @Mentally_Strong for a good discussion! You can find Manley at: http://verticallessons.com.

To finish 2015 with a BANG, Cindra provides 5 questions for us to consider as we reflect on the past year. She recommends we answer these questions before setting goals for 2016 to ensure our 2016 goals align with our priorities and values. The 5 questions include: 1. If you had to describe 2015 in 5 words, what would they be? 2. What one event, big or small, made the biggest impact? 3. What new things did you discover about yourself? 4. What was your biggest ha-ha moment this year? 5. What one thing would you do differently and why?

Dr. Ian Connole, Director of Sport Psychology for Kansas State Athletics, teaches us how to keep our focus and the importance of engaging in the now. He motivates us to be authentic and when we do so, this allows our success to come much easier and more likely. He says that a life worth living is being in the present moment, and a life worth sharing is about being authentic and showing up as yourself. So good!

In sports, parents impact their children in at least three ways. First, they influence the type of sports they play by creating opportunities to try different sports. Second, they provide financial support by purchasing equipment and driving them to and from practice and games. But probably the least recognized way that parents influence their children is how they "interpret" the event. What parents do or say — and what they don't do or say — impacts how invested and involved their children will be in sport. In this episode, we talk about 6 tips related to how we can best support our children as parents.

Justin Su'a is a Mental Performance and Leadership Coach who is currently a Mental Skills Coordinator for the Boston Red Sox. In this interview, Justin talks about how elite athletes and high performers have a unique relationship with failure. He talks extensively about that in this interview as well as other insights he has had working as the Former Head of Mental Conditioning at the IMG Academy and with the US Army. Justin is the author of two books: Parent Pep Talks and Mentally Tough Teens. He has his own daily podcast called "Increase Your Impact Podcast" which is also available on Itunes.

High achievers and successful people have big visions. They know what they want and every day they work towards that vision. If you don't have a clear vision, you will most likely feel trapped by your own limitations. But a clear vision can unlock your power. You become what you envision yourself becoming! In this episode, Cindra explores what a compelling vision includes and how to write one for your future.

In this episode, Elani Kelakos discusses what it means to stop playing small. Instead, we must play big and she describes exactly what that means to play big. She shares tips you can apply the next time you speak in front of an audience as well as her 5 principles of high performance that you don't want to miss. Throughout the interview, Elani provides strategies and tips to embrace your authenticity and be more confident in who you are.

Gratitude is like a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger that muscle gets. In this episode, we talk about the power of saying thank you and being gratitude. We discuss the "gratitude effect" and 4 gratitude practices you can do regularly. When you express your gratitude, you are in one of the best possible emotional states possible. Be grateful for everything you have today – even the difficulties.

Our thoughts direct everything we do. They are the most important factor in our success and in our failure. I can make this bold statement because everything starts with a thought. EVERYTHING! Successful people talk to themselves in a powerful and productive way to keep them on task and believing in their future. They use statements such as "I will..." "I can..." and "I am...".

Ceci Clark, the first woman to be hired full-time in Major League Baseball working in mental training, talks about beating the odds in this inspiring interview. That is exactly what high performers do, she says. They are among the 1-3% that beat the odds and dream big! Ceci discusses how life begins at the end of your comfort zone and how "fear keeps your sharp." Ceci also talks about her experiences as a female working in predominantly male populations including in Major League Baseball and in her previous role with Special Forces.

To create more success, you need to acknowledge your successes. You brain does not naturally do this, so you MUST program it to remember your successes. When you do this, you are programing your subconscious to remember your desire to be successful and it will be more likely to happen!

Gabriele Grunewald is an Olympic hopeful who competes for the USA in the 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters. Gabe is current ranked 19th in the world in the 1500 and is the 3rd American on that list. She is an US Indoor Champion in the 3000 meters. Gabe is a 2-time cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with cancer twice while competing at the University of Minnesota. During this interview, is she talks about how cancer made her stronger mentally. She has learned to be resilient - bouncing back from races that don't go like she expected and working to not sweat the small stuff. She provides incredible high performance mindset nuggets today including finding your best runner self, reframing pressure as important for performance, and faking it until you make it. You can follow Gabrielle in her quest to become an Olympian at @gg_runs and http://www.gabrielegrunewald.com/.

We can overthink anything - our athletic performance, our success, our failure, our family, our appearance, our career, our health...Thank goodness for family, friends and teammates who help us out of this rut. But, we need to catch ourselves when we get in this terrible mindset. Why? Because overthinking is NOT our friend. In this episode, Cindra share's a personal story when she got stuck in the overthinking rut and why overthinking is so dangerous for you. Then, she share 3 ways YOU can use to snap out of the overthinking rut. To find out more information about our Master Your Mindset for Athletes online course and community mentioned in this podcast, visit cindrakamphoff.com and click on the Master Your Mindset for Athletes logo or visit HERE.

In this interview, the Director of Mental Training for the Chicago Cubs, Josh Lifrak, discusses the winning mindset and his CUB acronym which guides his work with the organization. His interview is full of passion and energy as he discusses the importance of choosing every day to be the human being that YOU want to be and how to stay awake and aware to be your best. If you are anything like me, you will be cheering the Cubs Organization on in their quest to the World Series after this interview! To follow Josh, check out his active twitter page at @lifrakattack. ********************************************************************* If you would like to learn more about our new program for athletes called "Master Your Mindset for Athletes," you can text "Mentallystrong" (all one word) to 22828 or provide your email and first name at cindrakamphoff.com. We launch this week and will send you more information about the program. Exciting!

In this episode, Cindra discusses 3 proven ways supported by research to increase your happiness through gratitude. She starts the episode describing her experience at the 2013 Boston Marathon and why she is grateful for that experience even though it was difficult.

Ross Bernstein is an award-winning peak performance business speaker who's keynoted conferences on four continents and the author of nearly 50 sports books. He's spent the better part of the past 20 years studying the DNA of championship teams. Ross and his books have been featured on thousands of television and radio programs over the years including CNN, ESPN, Fox News, and "CBS This Morning," as well as in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today. In this interview, Ross provides numerous golden nuggets of wisdom to help you step up your game in sports and business. For more information on Ross, visit www.rossbernstein.com.

Do you ever wonder how to deal with that voice inside your head? Do you ever doubt yourself for what seems like no reason at all? Do you have big dreams that seem scary so you don't go after them?? Dr. Kamphoff discusses how the most successful people are a master of their thoughts. This is a daily process that can make all the difference in your career success, athletic success, happiness and satisfaction with your life. You can find this list of the top 10 traits of high performers at www.cindrakamphoff.com.

It all started back in 2001 when Angie and her husband, Dan, bought a kettle online and began popping corn at local events to teach their kids the importance of hard work and to earn extra income for their college funds. Now, Angie's BoomChickaPop is one of the fastest growing popcorn brands in the world. In this interview, Angie discusses the growth of her business, the importance of getting comfortable being uncomfortable, and how everything you have done creates what you need in the moment. Plan to be inspired!

As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." Research suggests that comparison breeds feelings of depression, low self-confidence, anxiety, separation and loneliness. We are less likely to reach our goals because comparison zaps our motivation and energy. In this podcast, Cindra talks about why we compare ourselves to others, and what to do instead. Plan to be inspired!

Focusing on the process, not the outcome is the key to success, says professional baseball pitcher, Jason Hoppe. Jason holds the collegiate record of pitching the most consecutive scoreless innings, 55 1/3 innings, which takes mental strength, consistency, and staying in control of your mind and body. This All-American pitcher knows the mental side of sport and performance and discusses the importance of not getting too high or too low, knowing your why and who you are, and working hard every day to follow your big dreams. Follow Jason on twitter @becuz_im_hoppe (or happy - you will know what we mean after listening to the interview!).

Have you ever felt "stuck" in your life? Have you ever wanted a reason to get up out of bed in the morning? Have you ever felt unfulfilled in what you were doing? We've all had times like this in our lives. Considering your "why" or purpose will help propel you and move you forward. In this episode, we review the 2nd trait of High Performers: They understand their purpose and keep their "why" front and center. We review 4 questions you can answer to help you understand your "why"?

Dr. Angus Mugford discusses how to train the high performance mindset. As Director of the IMG Institute, Angus works with elite athletes, corporate leaders, and US military populations. He has provided mental training to 2 #1 NFL draft picks, a #1 WTA pro, and too many other grandslam, NFL players, and elite athletes to even count! In this episode, he provides numerous applications to high performance in sport, business and in life.

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Carrie Tollefson is an Olympian, elite middle distance runner, and ESPN2 analyst who is all about "getting after it." She is a 5-time NCAA Champion and national record holder. She started C Tolle Run, www.ctollerun.com, and inspires athletes of all ages with her regular videos and authentic spirit. Carrie reveals her big dream that scares her and provides insight into the high performance mindset. Her passion and authenticity is contagious.