The Secrets to Winning with Dr. Bhrett McCabe

In this episode, we dive into a segment from Mental Game LIVE, my weekly, live YouTube show where we break down all things regarding mental performance. This episode is all about the Ryder Cup, especially the captain's picks that were released earlier this week. There was a lot of controversy behind those picks with some questionable selections and some notable snubs. I personally think they got it right, but we will break it down any way! Also, want to take a minute to talk about our new live YouTube show - Mental Game LIVE. I am sure many of you have already tuned in, but in case you haven't yet, this is the best mental game resource you can possibly consume, and the best part is - it is absolutely FREE to you. Only thing you have to do is subscribe to Bhrett's YouTube channel by going to YouTube.com/@drbhrettmccabe and click the Subscribe button as well as hitting the bell to make sure you get notified when we go LIVE every single week. 

In this episode of The Secrets to Winning, I sat down with high school football coach Kurt Hines. Coach brought the absolute fire during this show, and you will be able to see why he has garnered such a huge social media following as well as become a sought-after motivational and inspirational speaker. We talked about everything pertaining to being a coach your players will never forget including building lasting relationships, gaining trust, and holding team members - and coaches - accountable when their actions are not in line with the standard.

On this episode of The Secrets to Winning, I chat with Glenn Guilbeau of OutKick.com and author of Everything Matters in Baseball: The Skip Bertman Story. The book is about my former LSU head baseball coach Skip Bertman, the man who brought winning baseball to LSU. It sheds light on Skip's work ethic, inventiveness, attention to detail, entrepreneurial ability, and overall contributions to LSU in his capacity as coach and later as athletic director. It includes chapters on each of the five National Championships won under his direction, beginning in 1991; it reveals his secrets to training great pitchers who later pitched in the Major Leagues; and it shows how he embraced and used "The Power of Positive Thinking" throughout his career.

On this episode of The Secrets to Winning: IG Live Rewind, I speak with Dan Rapaport Barstool Sports and the Fore Play Podcast. I have known Dan for a while from his days at Golf Digest, where he would consult with me on a number of topics pertaining to the mental game on the PGA Tour. During this conversation, we talked about the potential state of golf in 2023. What is the future of the LIV Golf and can it create golf's next wave of superstars like the PGA Tour? Speaking of the PGA Tour and LIV, can they finally squash the beef and coexist with each other? We also talked about's Dan's move from Golf Digest to the Fore Play podcast, what all went into that transition, and what we can expect from the Fore Play guys (and Dan himself) moving forward in 2023.

We often romanticize success as this "rah-rah", "you can do it" type of feeling. In fact, to achieve success, it is usually quite the opposite. The greatest athletes and high achievers are trained to believe that they can succeed regardless of circumstance, in the most difficult of moments. Do they have doubts or insecurities at times? Sure, they are human. However, that doubt fuels determination, direction, and focus. We have to be prepared for the darkest days, not the lightest. We have to be prepared for the rainiest days, not the prettiest. The true mark of success is when you can say, "I don't know what today is going to bring, but I know I can handle anything that comes my way." 

Travis Grappo is a veteran in the restaurant industry, working for some of the most recognizable brands in the country, most notably Fleming's Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and Metro Diner. But his newest venture is the definition of going ALL IN to achieve success.  Travis opened Oak House in late 2021 in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama. A Tampa, Florida, native, Travis has been all over the country and acquired tremendous experience working with a "who's who" of individuals. The conglomeration of tastes and flavors can be found on the menu at Oak House. A former track & field athlete, Travis qualified for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials competing in the marathon. He uses his success in athletics to continue to compete at the highest levels in the restaurant industry. In this episode, Travis and I dive into the courage it took to go out on his own to open a restaurant, his background in the restaurant industry and the famous brands he was worked for, the toll the pandemic took - and is still taking - on the restaurant industry, and taking the competitive excellence instilled in him as an athlete to succeed in this endeavor.

Gavin “Flo” Parker was named to Golf Digest's 2021 list of the Best Young Teachers in America. More than that, he is an entrepreneur, content creator, and one of the most entertaining golf instructors anywhere. He has developed a truly fresh approach to his teaching, making the game fun for golfers of all ages and abilities. Whether you follow his content on Instagram, TikTok, or any of his other wildly successful online endeavors, there is something for every age that sure to make you better and entertain you in the process. Possessing incredibly infectious energy, Gavin has established one of the most successful junior golf programs on the East Coast. On top of that, he's one of 25 Flatstick Certified Putting Instructors in the United States.

PGA Tour caddie Geno Bonnalie has become a bit of a social media star on his own. Whether it be one of his A+ motel reviews or him describing his on-the-road meal plans, the man knows how to provide quality content without the help of his tour-pro boss, Joel Dahmen. But Geno is savvy on the bag, as well. I have always said that PGA Tour caddies are just as much psychologists as they are strategists or advisors. In this episode, we talk about Geno's routine, his relationship with his boss, how he prepares himself for a tournament, and so much more. It was truly a great conversation with a bunch of laughs!

Chris Herren is a former NBA player, a voice on the topic of substance use prevention, and a wellness advocate. Since 2009, Chris has spoken to over one million students, athletes, and community members, sparking honest discussions on the topics of substance use disorder and wellness. A person in long-term recovery, Chris continues to share his story nationally with a renewed focus on prevention education and challenging audiences to rethink how we look at the disease of addiction – changing the focus from the last day to the first. Through engaging talks, Chris inspires people to identify the “Why” in their story, to start the conversation on wellness and come TOGETHER to address the issue of substance use disorder, advocate for effective treatment and embrace the power of recovery. Prevention is ALL of our responsibility.

On October 23, 2011, Tim Hightower was the starting running back for the Washington Commanders (then known as the Redskins) of the National Football League, when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during a game. Over the next four years, he faced a lengthy recovery in body and soul. The future for which he had worked was changed beyond imagination, but he was determined to return to the game. Hightower's story of his recovery from injury, as told in A DREAM WORTH FIGHTING FOR: Never Let Obstacles Stop You From Being Your Best Self with co-author William Sachs, will resonate with everybody who has been injured, suffered, or had their lifelong dream derailed. He is the only NFL running back to return to play four years after an injury.  His is a story of strength, resilience, faith, courage, and determination – surviving five surgeries, financial challenges, and periods of homelessness.

Every athlete is unique. It's important for each player and their coaches to understand what is unique about each player so that they can get the most production out of him/her. Our guest on this installment of the IG Live Rewind is renowned sports performance coach Eric Cressey. Like me, Eric is a big believer that there should not be a “cookie-cutter” approach to player development - both from the mental side and from the physical side. How you train, prepare, perform, and have success is unique to you.

In this installment of the IG Live Rewind, I am going to talk about my recent trip to The Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland. The Open, and more specifically links-style golf, always gives us a great test of our mental games because it is so unique and so different than what we are used to in the U.S. I'm going to focus on five insights I gained from the last major of the year and share with you some tools on how you can implement those things in your game and in how you compete.

 On this episode of the IG Live Rewind, I talked with my good friend Jeff Smith. Jeff is commonly known in the golf social media circles as @RadarGolfPro and one of the brightest instructors on the PGA Tour. He's led players to PGA Tour wins, Rookie of the Year awards, mini-tour winners, and he's got a booming business in the college ranks.  Throughout this conversation, we talk about Jeff's philosophy on player development, how he approaches/coaches each golfer differently, and what it is like on the PGA Tour coaching the best players in the world.

On this episode of The Secrets to Winning: IG Live Rewind, I speak with Scott Fawcett. Scott's golf course-management system DECADE has been sweeping through the competitive golf world over the last few years. In its simplest form, DECADE gives you optimal targets based on your distances, trouble surrounding the hole, and a few other factors. Scott is also very active on social media, specifically on Twitter, and can be a controversial figure in the golf community. He challenges the “status quo” and utilizes statistics to back a lot of his arguments. The facts are the facts. I have even referred to him as a “disruptor”. But there is a side of Scott that many people aren't aware of. He has dealt with several personal tragedies throughout the years, all pertaining to mental health. All equal parts tragic.   

A common question I get from people is, "What does it take to bounce back?" One of the biggest myths in performance is when you experience something negative, you should snap your fingers and it should automatically go away. We train our athletes by saying, "Just let it go. It doesn't matter.  Focus on the next play." As if it is that easy. If you took the time, mental and physical energy, and purpose to give everything you have and put it into that moment, how can you simply "let go?" In this episode, I talk about why developing mental flexibility is so important for competitors and some tools and strategies you can utilize to develop mental flexibility in your athletes and yourself.

This podcast is a little window into my Catalyst School platform. It is about shining the light on the successful coaches, athletes, and teams that I work with to give you an inside look at what they do on a regular basis to perform at the highest levels. The best of the best have processes and systems to help them succeed, but when we look at them from the outside, we don't always know exactly what they do to execute those processes. In this episode, we are going to break down a question that one of my Catalyst School coaches had pertaining to negative external influences infiltrating their program. We are going to take a deep dive into, as coaches, how we can keep our athletes and team away from the negative people around them that reduce and restrict their ability to be who they are.

In my profession, I am fortunate to get to be around some great athletes, but I also spend a lot of time around coaches. I have a unique perspective as I have played for the best college baseball coach of all time, Skip Bertman at LSU, and I also currently work for the best college football coach of all time, Nick Saban at Alabama, as well as the entire Alabama athletic department. I don't know many people in my field or in the entire athletic circle who have actually had the experiences that I have had in being around the caliber of coach that I get to work with on a regular basis. There are some common themes and trends among all of these great coaches that make them who they are. In this episode, I want to dive in to those themes and processes that these coaches have in place at each of these programs that allow them to not only achieve success, but to sustain it over long periods of time.

We are not a patient society. We are plagued with entitled individuals who think that they deserve a position, role, roster spot, job opportunity, etc., without ever earning it. Those individuals feel like they should be handed the greatest of roles and responsibilities, yet they have no idea what the hell they are doing. They are embarrassed to start at the bottom, put in the work and time, and climb the ladder to get where they want to be. In both sports and life, we have too many people in this world who would rather complain about their circumstances and try to change them based on discontent instead of taking those circumstances and making them better. In this episode, I want to stress the importance of DOING YOUR JOB. It doesn't mean that you have to accept your circumstances, but it does mean that you need to do your job to the best of your ability, allowing your performance and your execution to change your circumstances. Not your complaining and moaning.

Recently, I was invited to sit on a panel with one of my great clients, Billy Horschel. Sitting on that panel, along with Billy and his swing coach Todd Anderson, allowed me to gain tremendous perspective. It reminded me of the way Billy feels about his team and the trust he has with every single member because of the experience, trust, and expertise they bring to the table. He listens to everyone in his circle, and he is incredibly loyal. Billy talked about how he was an active seeker of information and was constantly learning. He wanted to continuously add to his mental bookshelf so that he always had a way of improving as a person and player. In this episode, I want to take a deeper dive about how you can build your mental bookshelf and how it takes no talent to do so. It has nothing to do with talent; it has everything to do with a desire to learn, grow, and develop.

The many stresses and burdens the world has placed on us have taken their toll on so many people, and I want to make sure you are taking a moment to check in on your mental health. Believe it or not, our mental health is all we have. It takes care of you. It's not so much the major stresses that I am worried about. Whether it's a death in the family, the birth of a child, losing a job, etc. It's the minor ones; the ones you typically overlook or brush aside throughout the day but end up wearing on you as they build up. They are things like traffic, running late for an appointment, having too many items on a to-do list, etc. They slowly drain your energy. For the most part, the ways in which we cope with these stresses aren't great either. In this episode, I discuss different strategies you can utilize to overcome the stresses you are experiencing and some ways to neutralize them before they ever come about.

 In today's world, communication is ever-changing and becoming increasingly difficult. I have spoken with a number of people, both in and out of the sports world, who tell me that they're overly cautious, if not somewhat scared, when communicating what they feel, and what they think. Why? Because they are afraid to cross a certain line. Honestly, it is a line that they don't even know that exists. They're afraid to share what they believe out of fear that someone will misinterpret their intentions or underlying belief systems. The question I want to answer in this episode is - how have we gotten to this point in our lives?

So many things are bombarding us for attention on a daily basis. There is so much noise in our lives and clutter in our heads. It's almost like we are standing in Times Square in NYC trying to focus on one small billboard. Surrounding us on all sides are loud noises, cars honking, bright lights, people shouting, etc. It becomes extremely difficult to focus our attention on that small billboard. In this episode, I want to focus on how and where to filter and direct our attention, energies, and effort so that we can stay focused on the things that matter and remove all the clutter and noise.

This week, I brought in a familiar voice to The Secrets to Winning. That person is none other than my Alabama Football colleague and fellow consultant, Ben Newman. Ben recently wrote a book titled, Uncommon Leadership where he takes you inside the minds and hearts of eleven exceptional individuals: athletes, coaches, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and others whose unrelentingly high performance has made them not only the best in their fields but also unquestioned leaders in sports, business, and life. In this episode, Ben and I break down the concept of uncommon leadership, honing in on the core qualities that drive these trailblazers to push for the best in themselves and others, every single day.

He was expected to die. Now he is teaching others how to truly live. In 1987, John O'Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given less than a 1% chance to live. His epic story of survival has never felt more relevant, as we experience the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath. John‘s story, perspective and inspiration have inspired millions of people and 2,000 clients over more than 12 years - and continue to today through virtual keynotes, workshops and experiences. John is also a two-time national bestselling author of ON FIRE and IN AWE.

With Simone Biles' withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health issues, the subject of the pressure, stress, and expectations placed upon high-profile athletes has been at the forefront of the conversation. There have been many athletes who came out in support of Biles, including tennis star Naomi Osaka and the most decorated Olympian of all time Michael Phelps, each of whom has dealt with mental health struggles. Mental health is a major issue in athletics for a lot of reasons: the amount of pressure placed on athletes to perform, the stress to constantly meet expectations, the sacrifice it takes to compete at the highest level, and the lack of coping away from the sport, just to name a few. In this episode, I hope to bring to light the many difficulties and challenges that these athletes struggle with.

One of the most consistent things I ask my clients is, "What disappoints you most about your performance? And, when those disappointments inevitably happen, what does it say about you?" At any given moment during the course of a competition, we have to be willing to put ourselves out there. We have to allow ourselves to be vulnerable because the closer we get to what we want, the riskier it is. There is a chance we could put in so much effort and be left with nothing to show for it. To add to it, the more success you tend to have, the harder it becomes. I know that's hard to understand, but in this episode, I want to take a deep dive into how you can overcome those disappointments in your performance so you can be ready to dominate the next one.

Today's podcast is about how to deal with struggle and all the stress we have in today's world. Look, people are experiencing more anxiety in today's world than we have ever seen. This was the case even before the COVID situation. We live in a world with constant uncertainty, threat, and challenge. There is not a day that goes by that we don't have something that is dominating our attention, taking over our responses, and making life really difficult.  I am going to dive into the main factors that drive this anxiety and also give you some ways to help manage it so you can go about your life without being consumed by anxiety.

Recently, ESPN and the SEC Network released a documentary titled Hold the Rope, telling the story of my legendary baseball coach at LSU, Skip Bertman, and his quest to turn the LSU baseball program into a perennial power. "Hold the Rope" was a phrase/motto that we and all LSU baseball teams used on a regular basis that encapsulated the trust and unity that Coach Bertman instilled in the teams he coached. In this episode, I want to take a deep dive into what it meant to "Hold the Rope" every day. We didn't always have the most talent, but what we did have was trust in our teammates, coaching staff, and the system, which was ultimately enough to win 5 national championships in the span of 10 years.

People that come to me aren't doing so because everything is awesome. The people I see are frustrated, and they feel like they are stuck in what I call "Suckville" - that dreaded space between our reality and our potential or where we "think" we should be. Suckville can be a tough place to get out of. You're constantly frustrated with your current reality vs. where you think you should be. You feel like you are taking way too long to reach your goals, and you want success RIGHT NOW. I want to help you get out!

This episode has a bit of a different twist to it, but it is one that means a lot to me because of the content matter. It is going to be difficult to talk about so if you are someone who has ever had thoughts of harming or hurting yourself or if you suffer from depression, I want you to know that viewer discretion is advised. Today's guest is Mark Hilinski. Mark is the father of former Washington State quarterback Tyler Hiliniski who tragically took his own life in 2018. Tyler did not show any signs of depression or anything that would lead you to believe he had thoughts of committing suicide. He seemed like he had everything going for him - star quarterback for a Power 5 school and team favorite. Then, one day, he didn't show up for an afternoon offseason training session. What ensued would lead Tyler's parents Mark and Kym to receive the worst phone call of their lives and one no parent should have to receive. In Tyler's honor, the Hilinski's created Hiliniski's Hope, which was founded in order to help colleges and universities across the country eliminate the stigma around mental health and develop full-scale mental wellness programs for student-athletes. Winning is not always about the stat line. Sometimes, winning is about going on a mission to change lives, and that is exactly what the Hiliniski's are doing.

Take stock of your life: Based on your last 30 days of work, would your company rehire you? Would your coach re-recruit you? Would your spouse remarry you? The easy answer is, “Absolutely!” But it's probably not the honest answer. Your life might read like a success story, and your family and friends might even think you have it all figured out, but you have a secret: You've stopped caring about much of anything. You feel out of place in your own life. You'd rather binge-watch Netflix than think about what's next. You're living on autopilot. You have two choices: Experience a slow self-destruction, or commit to a course correction. The good news is, it's never too late to find your drive again. I sat down with popular speaker and success coach Antonio Neves to talk about hard-won lessons and to remind you that you do have a say—that you can reboot your life and find fulfillment right where you are. You don't have to quit your job or move to Bali to follow your passion. You do, however, need to shift your perspective and commit to living courageously, replacing passivity with boldness. This conversation will guide you to confront hard truths about where you are and how you got there, inviting compassion, honesty, and accountability. There's no better time than now to reevaluate your life and lay a stronger foundation for your next 30 days. Step by step, you can become an active player in your own life and rediscover what makes you great.

Recently, several destructive tornadoes ripped through our city causing massive damage. Thankfully, my family and I are fine. However, some families experienced massive damage to their homes or lost them completely. In the aftermath of the storm, one thing stood out to me - the will of the human spirit. In our lives, there will always be tough circumstances & adversity that we face. However, you can endure them and find a way through them. I want to share some things you can do to tap into the will of your human spirit to help clear the debris from your path and create a path forward.

Are expectations good? Many times we hear competitors talk about saying that they expected to win or they expected to do well. Why should you expect to have a good outcome? Because you had a good week of practice, you have more talent than your opponent, or your desire to succeed is unmatched? If that is your thinking, then you are falling into a trap of expectations. When you expect to win or expect to play well, what you are really doing is taking evidence of the past and merging it with a hope for the future, creating a story in your mind that you simply cannot live up to. As a result of not living up to those expectations, you get frustrated earlier, become more judgmental, and lose your grit and resiliency.

People don't change their behavior because they want to. They change because they have to. For you to change the performance trajectory of your life, it requires you to do things differently. There is no greater way to start than changing how you think. In order to understand how you think and how it influences your outcome, you must make these four promises to yourself. These four promises will keep you going when things, inevitably, get hard.

There are so many things that occupy our minds on a regular basis. Some of it is positive, but a lot of it is negative and distracting or what I like to call clutter. When you are competing and focused on a goal, there is going to be clutter and distractions that bombard you on a regular basis. There are going to be things that compete for your attention and rob you of energy and potential for growth. In this podcast, I discuss three huge sources of mental clutter and what you can do to get rid of it and focus on the things that are going to lead to your success.

In my time as a psychologist and in my own personal journey, I've learned that moments of high achievement are often the earmarks by which we define our life. Oftentimes, we see the struggles, trials, and tribulations in our lives as problems that are difficult and frustrating.  In reality, the hard is the normal. As a competitor who wants to take the next steps to be able to win, I want you to be prepared for the difficult, not the easy. The difficult is in front of you for a reason. It is to help you understand who you are and to understand the way you do things. When you can adapt and adjust to what you're going through - the difficult times - that's when the success that lies within you will be shown to the world.

In my time working with some of the highest achieving athletes and coaches in their sport, I've noticed that they share some similar characteristics. They aren't all exactly the same, but their process to achieve excellence is almost identical. See, the best of the best don't do anything magical, they just do what they do better than anyone else. They have an unrelenting attention to detail and an unwavering system or process to drive excellence. They get outside their comfort zones and break through any limiting barriers in their way.

Can you look back at 2020 and figure out what you can do better? Yes, but I want you to go about it with a different mindset than you ever have before. Don't blow up what you've done in the past; just choose to look at it differently. I don't care how hard it's been or how much this past year sucked, you can always make the next choice better. It's not about your ego. It's not about your belief sets. It's about you facing the challenge and building from that. Stop asking for credit. Stop looking for support. Stop asking for people to believe in you and start meeting the moments. Your success in 2021 is up to you. Why don't you take full responsibility, and see if it changes the game? I bet it will.  

I am fortunate that, in my job, I get to interact and consult with many high-level coaches and players. I get a behind-the-scenes look at how championship teams are assembled, developed, and enhanced by their respective coaching staffs. Whether at the collegiate or professional level, great coaches share a common set of characteristics that make them successful and allow their players to achieve greatness. This week's guest on The Secrets to Winning is Jake Kelfer. In his time in the basketball world, Jake has dealt with players and coaches at the highest level. In this conversation, we dove into the characteristics that make a great coach - getting buy-in from players, communicating at a high level, developing talent, promoting mentorship, and so much more.

If you are a golf coach, then pay attention to the brilliant expertise of my man Todd Anderson. I have known Todd for a long time and have the privilege of working alongside Todd as a part of Billy Horschel's team. Todd has an unbelievable ability to understand the mentality of every player he coaches. He knows that everyone has a different personality and mental makeup and knows that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

This week's episode is unique and one in which I wanted to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. Our guest is Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a world-renowned expert in memory and how memories can shape and shift our experiences. When we look back at our memories and past experiences, whether positive or negative, we see how those experiences can be shaped to create a better story in our life and how they define and shift how we think about the future. For instance, if we did wasn't very good or we weren't very effective at accomplishing a certain task, the natural inclination would be to bring that negativity to a new challenge. Then, it got me thinking, "If a coach or leader is working with a player or team member, do the things we say in the moment create a better snapshot of memory for that particular person moving forward? If the next time that person is faced with a challenge, will he/she approach it with more confidence based on the previous interaction they had with us?" This is a fascinating conversation I had with Dr. Loftus about why our memory isn't what we thought it was. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

For this week's episode, I want to take a step back as we enter the week of Thanksgiving here in the United States to have a little perspective on everything in the year 2020. I don't think many of us could look at 2020 and think it has gone according to anyone's plan or that it was easy. I want to encourage each of you to have some graciousness and gratitude, even if it is in the smallest factors that you're still here. During this holiday season, make sure you take some time for yourself as we all have been through a lot. The stress has been high. The burden has been enormous, and the pains have been real. Please, take some time for you.

We know this world is challenging us, and I know that there are people suffering from what they feel and what they're thinking. They're just hoping that a brighter day will come. Truth be told, that's in every facet of life, right? That's in sports, business, you name it. Today's guest is someone who seeks to change the way you approach how you think and is an absolute pioneer in our field. He is Steven Hayes, a clinical psychologist that has authored 44 books and almost 600 scientific articles. But what he is most known for, and why he has made such a significant impact on my life and work, is the concept he developed called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT. Dr. Hayes' Ted talks have been viewed over 600,000 times, and he's ranked as one of the most cited psychologists in the world. But. his impact is so much more than that. He is someone who's going to push against the standard to find a better way to do things. Not a more complicated way but a more efficient and more helpful way. His concept of ACT - being aware and accepting of what's going on in our lives and still finding a way through the stress, anxiety, fear, and doubts - has influenced so much of my work and made a huge impact on me.

For this episode of The Secrets to Winning, I sat down with a good friend and 2020 PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year Mark Blackburn to talk about how coaches can manage personalities and egos with different players. Many times, the best coaches aren't the ones who are the most knowledgeable from an Xs and Os or technical standpoint. The coaches who get the best results are the ones who are emotionally intelligent and flexible and understand the true nature of each player. That allows for trust to be built and a greater relationship with the player.

There's a lot of clutter and junk in this world. There's a lot of noise. For my best performers, one of the biggest issues I hear them talk about is "What is the most important thing for me to do to be successful?" It is to put the blinders on and get to work. Every day, we get caught up in the world around us, and we start buying into what the external world is telling us. You're looking for proof and evidence of why you are falling behind. See, that's the trap that the mind gets into when it latches into what somebody else is doing. It's winning. It's telling you that you are not prepared for the challenge in front of you. So, you romanticize and see the drama going on around you. I want to give you three ways that I have found to be effective in getting the highest performers to quiet the noise and clutter going on around them.

This was a webinar I did during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the content is still applicable today, especially in the sports world. We are seeing games being postponed, some teams choosing not to play, no fans in the stands - it's just really weird and something we have really never experienced before. Unfortunately, it is also bringing some collegiate athletic departments to cut sports, cut or furlough staff positions, and/or cancel entire seasons. It sucks; there is no doubt about that. What I want to do with this episode is to reiterate some tools and strategies you can utilize to overcome the low motivation and high anxiety you may be feeling as a result of this pandemic. Many people have asked me, "Doc, what can I do during this time to lower fear and anxiety and stay motivated?" To borrow the phrase from my good friend Dr. Kevin Chapman, you can F.I.G.H.T. How to F.I.G.H.T. Low Motivation and High Anxiety: - F - Focus on what you can control - I - Interpret your negative thoughts - G - Grab some mental flexibility - H - Healthy behaviors need to be established - T - Teach someone

What does it take to get to the top of your field? It's a question I get asked a lot and one that every athlete or competitive person wants to know the answer to. That's why I was fascinated to have this week's guest on the podcast. In his book Trust the Grind: How World-Class Athletes Got To The Top, Jeremy Bhandari interviewed 16 of the top athletes in their field to reveal how these men and women reached the heights of their profession so that you can too. If you are like me, you are always studying the best in their field to see how particular individuals achieved their level of success but also how they maintained it over a long period of time. In this episode, you are sure to learn from Jeremy's interviews with these world-class athletes the secrets behind success, and what it takes to remain on top. We talk about the value that comes with becoming disciplined, staying driven, setting goals, identifying your “why”, staying active and eating right, making sacrifices, obsessing over your passion, and more. Rather than harping on the remarkable accolades and astonishing statistics, this story is formulated to teach individuals what it takes to be great in any desired field. It includes interviews with the following athletes:

There may not be an active college baseball coach as good or as well respected as Tim Corbin. Vanderbilt's head coach has claimed two national championships, four SEC titles and won multiple national coach of the year honors during his time in Nashville leading one of the best programs in the entire league. In his 17 seasons at the helm, he has transformed the Commodores into a national power. The Commodores would likely be in the midst of another run at the SEC title and College World Series if not for the NCAA's need to cancel the baseball season following the coronavirus pandemic across the nation. The reason for Corbin's continued success? It is the culture he has created. He is very much a coach that coaches the person first and the player second. Just ask Vanderbilt alum and Major League Baseball Cy Young winner David Price, who says of Corbin, "He turned me into a man. Just watching how he treated everybody like they were the most special person in the world...times change, but Coach Corbin doesn't." Wow. Pretty high praise coming from the former number one overall pick. As you listen to this interview with Coach Corbin, you are sure to pick up a ton of great information you can implement in your program to begin enhancing your culture right away!

The way you dress is oftentimes a window into your soul. It's an understanding of your confidence, self-belief, and how you view yourself.  Today's guest is going to give us a little insight into that mindset, and he's going to take it from the men's perspective. So for my female listeners, this isn't a time to turn it off but just know that we're going to dive into an area that most men don't really think about. They assume that somebody can take care of it for them or that the next pair of khakis and blue shirt is going to work for them. This topic is actually one aspect of what I do with the Catalyst School. We dive into the best way to make you the most influential and confident person you can be. Our guest this week is Tanner Guzy, Men's Style Coach, Founder of Masculine Style, and Author of The Appearance of Power. I came across Tanner and his work on social media after seeing some of his tweets about dress and appearance and how they relate to confidence and performance. I've always been fascinated from a male standpoint of identifying the right thing to wear, What is my style? What type of clothing fits my style?  I tend to go to the most conservative, most comfortable way. I'm a big guy, and I just really want clothes that fit. But, I don't think that mindset always allows me to present myself in the best manner possible. When I've done stage work or presented, I tend to fall back on the khaki pants and a jacket, but it's so conservative. And it's like, "Hey, I took the easy way out." Is there something better? The people that I study and love to learn from have a little edgier style. Is that me? I don't know. So I had to bring Tanner on to talk about it. If you want more information about Tanner, make sure you check him out at masculine-style(dot)com or pick up his book, The Appearance of Power. If you want to understand what he means by power - authority, presence, action -  make sure you check out his book. Very easy to read and tons of information about what you need to be wearing and how to identify YOUR style.

There's so much uncertainty in today's world, especially in college athletics. When you take a look at the scope of college athletics, there has long been the discussion regarding the name, image, and likeness issue surrounding athletes and their ability - or lack thereof - to profit on their likeness as a college athlete. It is an interesting debate, with individuals on both sides of the issue giving their viewpoint. Our guest on this week's episode is someone who has been very outspoken on the issue. Dr. Chris Yandle is a former college athletics administrator and award-winning public relations professional that has worked across the various levels of college athletic departments. He is a really valuable resource at looking at how and what the different demands of college athletics are. He's been in a variety of different roles at Power 5 institutions including places like the University of Miami, Georgia Tech and Baylor.

This week, I sat down with NFL wide receiver Bennie Fowler - somebody who gave me a really nice perspective on circumstances and challenges. In the NFL, it's not easy to compete. You've got people coming for your job on a regular basis, AND if you're an undrafted player like Bennie, it's even harder. You're expendable. Within the workforce - if you look at metrics like performance or success - people are expendable. Competitors are always coming for our jobs. What happens if you come from a background where you were really successful, you were good in school, and your family was successful? Does that make it easier or harder? Usually, we want our circumstances to define our experience. For example, if we're struggling, we look at our circumstances as making us a victim. Yet, we want to have better circumstances so that we can take advantage of that. So, if we're from a successful background, does that make it easier or harder? I think most people would probably say that makes it easier. But, does it? Let's dive into this conversation with Bennie and let him explain.