The Way 2 Play Free

What is your response when you encounter fear? How do the best athletes respond when they experience fear? What does the Bible say about fear? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses a few strategies on how to best respond to fear so you can become the competitor you were created to become. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Follow Derin McMains on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dmac_mindset/

When we plan for improvement, our first instinct is to add new things. What if the path to your best performances and your best life is not about what you can add, but what you can remove? This episode focuses in on the encounter between Jesus and the rich, young ruler; and has you consider what you can stop doing - instead of start doing. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

When it comes to skill development, what do you tell yourself to keep yourself going? Nonjudgemental thinking gets us to acceptance quicker, and the quicker we get to acceptance - the better our focus will be on what to do next. Judgement keeps us stuck. Jesus came to free us from that. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Sports don't build character. Coaches build character. This episode focuses in on the important role coaches play in developing the character of their competitors. And learn one simple principle that Jesus, the greatest teacher that ever lived, embodied to impact those that He taught. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

If someone had never seen you compete before, how would you describe yourself as a competitor? How we see ourselves impacts our ability to perform, and it's difficult to outperform the image we have of ourselves for very long. This episode focuses in on the power of self-image and how following Jesus gives us the opportunity to experience the freedom that comes along with being brand new. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Our perspective determines our thoughts. Our thoughts determine our emotions. And it's our emotions that influence our actions. Our perspective matters. If you want to change your game, consider changing your perspective. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

We've all been witnessing the power of people uniting in prayer this past week after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during the Monday Night Football game between the Bills and the Bengals. As we continue to pray for him, his teammates, the coaches, the performance staff, Bills' staff members, Tee Higgins, and other players impacted by this - let's be reminded of the power of daily prayer in our personal lives. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

What do people see when they watch you compete? Who do people see in your daily actions? Living a life of intention and purpose begins with deciding how we want to show up. This episode gives you the opportunity to reflect on what type of competitor you are, and offers a suggestion on how to be more intentional in becoming the competitor you were created to become. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Coming off an incredible finish in the World Cup that ended in penalty kicks, Derin McMains discusses the performance gap between being the final kicker when your team is down one versus when you're tied. How do you approach competitive situations? Do you see them as a challenge? Or do you see them as a threat? How we perceive a situation will determine our body's response to it. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

This is part 2 of the interview with special guest Nick Ahmed. In the final part of this interview, Nick talks about how he managed the expectations after winning a Gold Glove in 2018, battling through injuries during the 2022 season, managing being a husband, dad, and professional athlete all at the same time, and his favorite Bible verse. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this special episode, Derin McMains interviews Nick Ahmed. Nick has spent the past 9 seasons playing shortop for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In part 1 of this 2 part interview, Nick talks about his mindset as a high school and collegiate student-athlete, he discusses his early struggles after getting drafted and then traded, and he also shares his incredible story of when he gave his life to Jesus. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

The same pitfalls that can trip us up along the path to mastery in our sport can trip us up in our pursuit of following Jesus. George Leonard outlined 13 pitfalls in his book "Mastery", and this episode focuses in on the second pitfall of obsessive goal orientation. While result goals are paramount in our pursuit of better, they can also trip us up if we obsess over them. Result goals set the direction of our steps, but it's our focus and our commitment to each step that gets us to where we want to go. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

When we pursue mastery, we're choosing a path that has ups, downs, and plateaus. George Leonard outlined 13 pitfalls along the path to mastery in his book appropriately titled, "Mastery". Those same pitfalls that can trip us up along the path of mastery can trip us up in our pursuit of following Jesus. This episode reminds us that it's our unseen hours that will determine how far we go, what we'll achieve, and what we'll ultimately experience in our relationship with Jesus. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

"This will be hard, and you can do hard things" might be one of the most helpful and empowering things you can say to someone. Running toward challenges and embracing hard is what it takes to find meaning and grow. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

This episode offers a different perspective on why we must give others the permission to call us out, and have the courage to call others out if we want to play at a higher level. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

We're all going to be streteched too thin from time to time. That's inevitable if you're driven to impact and achieve. This episode offers four strategies on how to increase your diligence in your decision-making when it comes to opportunities away from the field. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

When we run up against significant challenges, asking 'Why' is important. But if we spend too much time in 'Why', we'll never get to 'Now What'. This episode is to encourage those of you who are in the middle of a challenge right now. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Sometimes when you're stuck, the best way forward is not what you do - it's more about who you choose to listen to. This episode reminds us that surrounding ourselves with wise people that have our best interests in mind is essential in achieving big goals. Big goals mean big obstacles - which means we need to rely on the wisdom of others to help us find the path forward. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

The spotlight effect is an idea that we tend to overestimate how much other people are really noticing what we're doing. This episode reminds to not let what's important keep us from what matters most. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this one-year anniversary episode, Derin McMains shares 6 lessons that he's learned in doing a podcast. He discusses wanting to quit, the importance of encouragement, process focus, intentional mornings, leaning into discomfort, and surrounding yourself with the right people. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Does the story you're telling yourself about yourself give you the best opportunity to have success? This episode dives into how our identity shapes our performance, and offers some insight on how to discover who you really are. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Anchors provide stability, strength, and hope. Without intentional anchoring strategies, we will drift off-course. This episode focuses on developing those strategies that will help you stay on-course toward your goals.  This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Amateurs involuntarily react. Pros intentionally respond. In this episode, Derin McMains shares how a strong mental game and a strong spiritual game are built by predeciding your response to the inevitable adversities that will arise in the future. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

How do you level up your focus to accomplish your goals? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses one specific strategy that the most focused teams and performers use to turn big goals into reality. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Overthinking keeps us from performing at our potential. We can't think and perform at the same time. This episode reminds us that it doesn't matter whether it's in the arena or in our everyday lives, we can commit to simple. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In sport, you cannot compete properly if you don't know your opponent. In life, you cannot live the life God has intended for you if you don't know your opponent. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

"It's not how you start, it's how you finish" is a popular phrase in sports. This episode focuses on how it's our finish that will determine our lasting impact and influence. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Do you know what hangs in the balance of going all in? Do you know what sits on the other side of commitment? This episode discusses why our best performances and best life sits on the other side of commitment. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Carrying our past into our present robs us from our future. This episode is a reminder that we can learn from our past without being defined by it. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

The height a team reaches will be determined by the strength of their depth. This episode is focused on the non-starters of teams, and the impact they have on the success of their team. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Behavior change comes from two places. This episode unpacks one of the obstacles that keep us from making the changes we know we need to make. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

One of the key traits of high performers is they act different than how they feel. This episode discusses what you need to make sure you choose your mission over your emotion. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this short episode, we're reminded that it's our response to failure that separates us. Choosing to be a champion means choosing to get back up every time we fall. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

The art of competing and the art of living a God-centered life revolves around knowing when to try less and trust more. This episode reminds us that just like we can't trust what we don't train in sport - we can't trust a God we don't know with our lives. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

When we can find a worthy purpose beyond our current struggle we'll tap into the power of our fighting spirit. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Can the never-ending pursuit to get better and the feeling of satisfaction coexist? This episode offers one strategy for enjoying the journey to becoming your best. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Where does effort come from? What contributes to the level of effort we give? This episode touches on the 3 things that impact our effort level, and connects the dots to how our actions can reflect our faith. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Wisdom includes experience, knowledge, and good judgement. We all know how to gain experience and increase knowledge, but how do we improve our judgement? This episode offers a perspective that can lead us to making better decisions each day. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Regardless of your approach to goal-setting, there's one specific strategy that will give you the best chance to accomplish your goals going forward. And it's nothing new. In fact, this strategy has been available to us for almost 3,000 years. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Samuel Johnson said, "People need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed." This episode drills down on why we should sometimes step back and remind ourselves of what we already know, instead of looking for something new. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

What we choose to focus on in our "Now What" moment will determine "What's Next". In this episode, Derin McMains discusses the importance of focus. If we want a better future, then we must choose a better focus in the present. A change in focus leads to a change in performance. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

Are you intentional in how you show up every day? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses how our emotions are contagious. And then he challenges Christian athletes to show up each day as the warriors they were created to be. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

This episode is more tactical as Derin McMains provides a specific mental skill strategy to help you focus on playing your sport one play at a time. And the process to play the game one play at a time is the same process to live one day at a time - just as Jesus instructed us. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level.

Are the goals you're chasing meaningful? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses how you can achieve success in your own life and have significance in the lives of others at the same time. We're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level.

Can the thoughts you have about your age impact your performance? Derin McMains discusses the psychological effects of age, and where we can find renewed, daily strength. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this episode, Derin McMains discusses how the key to long-term success hinges on our trainability. A trainable mindset consists of the humility to learn, the curiosity to seek and the courage to apply. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this episode, Derin McMains shares an old Native American about being intentional in feeding our minds. It's tough to perform positively when we fuel up with negativity. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to sport psychology principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this episode, Derin McMains discusses the 4 levels of motivation he learned from retired U.S. Navy SEAL, Captain Tom Chaby. Learn about the similarities between a SEALs motivation and our spiritual motivation. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to sport psychology principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In this third and final part of this three-part episode, Derin McMains discusses how our ability to persevere is largely dependent on whether or not we see ourselves as someone that can persevere. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to sport psychology principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In part two of this three-part episode, Derin McMains discusses how utilizing a mantra can help you persevere by focusing in on the task right in front of you. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to sport psychology principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.

In part one of this three-part episode, Derin McMains discusses that the path to perseverance starts with knowing that perseverance is a choice. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to sport psychology principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.