Podcast appearances and mentions of bill anthes

In this episode of Behind the Knowledge, Bill Anthes, founder of Between the Ears, discusses why mental resilience is just as essential as physical strength. Bill shares insights from his work helping people unlock their potential through mental and emotional fitness, emphasizing how building mental toughness can transform both athletic performance and everyday life. This conversation is a must-watch for coaches, athletes, and anyone looking to strengthen their mindset. -- LEVEL UP YOUR COACHING INSIDE THE KNOWLEDGE PRO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.besthouroftheirday.com/theknowledge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-- FREE WORLD-CLASS COACH EVALUATION https://www.besthouroftheirday.com/world-class-coach-evaluation -- 0:00 - Introduction 2:00 - Bill Anthes' Journey: From Military to Coaching 7:05 - Learning to Adapt Coaching Styles to Different Athletes 14:25 - Founding Between the Ears: Bridging Mind and Body 19:30 - The Importance of Psychological Tolerance in Fitness 27:45 - Balancing Physical Challenges with Mental Resilience 38:45 - Practical Tips for Coaches to Inspire Mental Toughness --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/besthouroftheirday/support

Bill Anthes is a Special Forces veteran who with his wife Karianne, redefined the intersection of physical and mental health. Together they founded 'Between The Ears' – a groundbreaking approach that leverages physical fitness as a cornerstone for emotional and mental well-being. From running a state-of-the-art facility in New Jersey to remotely coaching clients globally, they're changing lives one workout at a time. Tune in as we explore the synergies between strength of body and strength of mind, and how it's never too late to reinvent oneself for a purpose-driven life. https://www.btwntheears.com/ Sign up for the new G14 newsletter here: https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com/exclusive Check out the newest Cleared Hot Gear here: https://shop.clearedhotpodcast.com/  

Street Parking gives its members access to tools to help you take control of your fitness every single day, from the Daily Workouts customizable for your equipment, time, and fitness level to the over fifty Extra Programs to add variety to your training. We are excited to share about a new program to add to your toolbox! Street Parking has collaborated with the co-founders of Between the Ears, Karianne and Bill Anthes, to make a very special program available to our members: The Sisyphus Gauntlet. SO WHAT IS THIS EXTRA PROGRAM ALL ABOUT? WHY IS IT NAMED THAT, AND WHAT IS IT EXACTLY? The myth of Sisyphus is about a slippery fella who cheated death twice, according to Greek mythology, by using wit and intellect. Zeus stepped in and banished Sisyphus to the underworld Hades. Sisyphus's punishment was to push or carry a boulder up a mountain, and when he was right at the top of the mountain, the boulder would roll right back to the bottom. So he would have to hike back down and push it up again, and he did this for eternity.   There's two different ways to look at this story. One is that life is determined to be unbearable — it's inescapable, and it's meaningless. This is a very nihilistic or apathetic outlook. The other way to look at this story says yes, life does present suffering, adversity, and obstacles, and how a person chooses to orient themselves to those realities, how they choose to engage with them and find meaning through the suffering is almost an amelioration of suffering and meaning. People can find meaning through their challenges and have a much more positive proactive approach to the inevitableness of life. Everyone will face a boulder and a hill and repeat the cycle at some point — we all will face a gauntlet.

Green Beret Bill Anthes is a former guest of the show as the owner of BTWN The Ears. Bill discusses his pre-military life in sports and his desire to pursue something greater than himself. After enlisting in the military, he decided to pursue a career in special forces and ultimately went through the training to become a Green Beret. His life after the military has not always been easy and is a never ending process of healing and growth, but Bill takes us through all of it to give a glimpse of what it's like to walk in his shoes. Please note: this episode and every episode in our New Jersey Veteran Series will be brought to you without ads**There was a technical malfunction of the microphones from 12:10 - 24:50 so we were forced to use the audio from the camera. We apologize for the inconvenience**Support the show

For many, hitting the gym day is a way to relieve the stresses of the day. But are we actually paying attention to and working on why those stresses are there in the first place, or are we just using the voluntary “noise” to drown them out for a while? Perhaps, what once was a stress-reliever has now become just another source of mental clutter all its own and produces more negativity. Between The Ears, founded by Karianne and Bill Anthes, teaches and guides you on strengthening yourself from the inside, breaking through mental barriers and self-made obstacles, and helps set you on a path to realizing progress and truly improving your life. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jason-ackerman/support

Are you looking adversity in the face and don't know how to handle it? If so, then tune into this week's episode of Catch the Moment with David Tyree, where he has former US Army Green Beret, and current co-owner of Between the Ears Fitness; Bill Anthes. Tyree and Anthes enter discussions centered around mental toughness, perseverance, spirituality, and much more!

Mike travels to Far Hills to visit with a former guest Karianne Anthes and her husband, Bill Anthes, a former Green Beret. K and Bill own Between the Ears, a program to help build both mental and physical strength so you can live a life that matters to you. Btwn The Ears: 27 US-202, Far Hills, NJ https://btwntheears.com/@btwntheearsfitness@btwntheearsThank you to our sponsors:Albert & Whitney CPAs:  awcpasllc.comContact the show: mike@greetingsfromthegardenstate.comSupport the show

Bill Anthes is a Special Forces Veteran continuing his service as a therapist with a unique approach of using physical fitness to improve mental health. Upon leaving the military to better serve his family, Bill founded BETWEEN THE EARS (BTE) a coaching and experience-based brand that trains physical, mental, and emotional fitness for individuals and teams. In 2020 Bill and his wife, Karianne, launched BTE Fitness, a daily fitness training methodology that connects physical training and mental health through a trauma-informed and nervous system based approach. BTE Fitness has both a brick and mortar training site in NJ and serves clients remotely all around the world.

Bill Anthes is a Special Forces Veteran continuing his service as a therapist with a unique approach of using physical fitness to improve mental health. Upon leaving the military to better serve his family, Bill founded BTWN THE EARS (BTE) a coaching and experience-based brand that trains physical, mental, and emotional fitness for individuals and teams. In 2020 Bill and his wife, Karianne, launched BTE Fitness, a daily fitness training methodology that connects physical training and mental health through a trauma-informed and nervous system based approach. BTE Fitness has both a brick and mortar training site in NJ and serves clients remotely all around the world. www.btwntheears.com @billanthes @btwntheears @btwntheearsfitness Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3opNURn - - - - - - - - - - - - SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Good F*cking Design Advice - 10% off with code UNITY - www.gfda.co Combat Flip Flops - 25% off with code UNITY - https://combatflipflops.com Brass & Unity - 20% off with code UNITY - http://brassandunity.com Daisy May Hats Co - 15% off with code BRASS - https://daisymayhats.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - SHOP B&U Jewelry & Eyewear: https://brassandunity.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow #brassandunity - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHARITY Honour House - https://www.honourhouse.ca Vet Solutions - https://vetsolutions.org Heroic Hearts - https://www.heroicheartsproject.org Warrior Angels Foundation - https://warriorangelsfoundation.org All Secure Foundation - http://allsecurefoundation.org Four Seasons Fighters - https://www.fourseasonfighters.org Defenders of Freedom - http://defendersoffreedom.us The Boot Campaign - https://bootcampaign.org

Bill Anthes is a Special Forces veteran continuing his service as a therapist with a unique approach of using physical fitness to improve mental health. Upon leaving the military to better serve his family, Bill founded BTWN The Ears, a coaching and experienced-based brand that provides training opportunities to build physical, mental, and emotional fitness for individuals and teams. Bill and his wife, Karianne operate both a brick and mortar training facility in New Jersey as well as remote coaching with clients around the world. https://www.btwntheears.com/

Bill Anthes is a Green Beret veteran, strength and conditioning coach and psychology student. We discuss his journey into the special forces, training the tactical athlete, the emotional and mental components of coaching, nutrition and so much more.

Squatting, soccer, and a marathon on crutches! What do all these have in common? Obviously they are all physical activities. Beyond that though, is the inner strength! Today, Bill Anthes, special forces veteran and owner of BTWN the Ears Podcast and Gym, on to discuss how crucial inner strength is in order to change not only your own health, but the problems we have in our culture!Bill Anthes – Host and Owner of BTWN the EarsInstagram: @billanthesWebsite: btwntheears.comPodcast: BTE Podcast

The tables were turned this month when I was a guest on Morris Sussex Sports as a part of their athletes and mental health series in the wake of COVID-19’s impact on sports at every level. In this recording, I share some of the knowledge I gained from interviewing my guests over the past 5+ years. Dr. Jane Esposito and Dr. Susan Lorentz from the Sparta Align Wellness Center join me in this conversation and provide tremendous clinical insights that athletes and non-athletes of all ages can adopt. Last summer I read David Goggins’ book titled “Can’t Hurt Me” and it changed the way that I look at disappointments. Injuries, getting cut from the team and COVID-19 inevitably lead to disappointment, but as I state in the intro to every one of my podcast episodes “You can’t control what happens to you in life, but you can always control how you respond.” David Goggins states in his book, “Until you experience hardships like abuse and bullying, failures and disappointments, your mind will remain soft and exposed. Life experience, especially negative experiences, help callous the mind. But it’s up to you where that callous lines up. If you choose to see yourself as a victim of circumstance into adulthood, that callous will become resentment that protects you from the unfamiliar. It will make you too cautious and untrusting, and possibly too angry at the world. It will make you fearful of change and hard to reach, but not hard of mind.” Callousing the mind was a mindset David adopted that helped him get through 3 BUD/S hell weeks. Instead of feeling bad for himself every time he experienced a setback, and he had many, he thought about how much easier his next challenge he was faced with would seem in comparison. I bring up this David Goggin’s quote because my hypothesis as to why so many athletes are struggling with the abundance of change and uncertainties is because they haven’t been faced with enough similar challenges throughout their lives to refer back to, which could help them navigate this new challenge life has thrown their way. I use many examples from my own life in this show, which self admittedly stunted my transition to life after sports from becoming a transformation. Two of my previous interviews that I referenced on this show were Episode 54 with Bill Anthes and Episode 153 with Vince Ruiz. Specific topics we touch on are as follows: A new critical take on my own story and experience over the past 13 years after my injury that I hope others can learn from. The importance of focusing on your “How” vs. What.” Coaches roles in building a healthy team culture. Advice for parents of injured athletes. My challenge to athletes to step into the unknown. Download Episode 160 : iTunes | Spotify |

Joey and Bill Anthes talk about the importance of understanding your anxiety and who you are as a person as you figure out your next career move. PRO TIPS: ✭ Check in with yourself from time to time to make sure you know WHO you are. ✭ Anxiety is NORMAL when we are doing something we’re unfamiliar with. ✭ Taking a hard look in the mirror may hurt, but it will lead to personal growth. CONNECT WITH BILL ON LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/in/bill-anthes-94244812/ BTWN THE EARS: https://btwntheears.com/

Christina’s guest today is Bill Anthes, Green Beret and founder of Between The Ears, a performance coaching organization that endeavors to build better humans. Bill Anthes does not hang his hat on his military experience. He actually prefers not to emphasize it, but it is a part of who he is and his life experience. Don't be misled though. Bill's military experience did not make him the person he is today. Bill is naturally a higher thinker and this path was one he started long ago. In this episode, we talk about… Bill's military experience (what it did for him and what it didn't do) Why the "Green Beret" status does not define who he is Why “mental toughness” is a fiction Awareness and how it fundamentally impacts everything we do Projects Bill has in the works right now (Bill has since announced the opening of Between The Ears Fitness) Why coaching templates are problematic What's on Bill's bookshelf that you have to read! Living in two opposing worlds at the same time (military life vs. family life) Everybody can’t be both a follower and a leader at the same time We dissect leadership what it really means to be a leader Responding to massive failure determines how you learn Whether Bill feels he has found his life's purpose and what else is in store for him Putting Bill on the spot with a Proust Questionnaire! Links to resources: Man’s Search For Meaning, Joe Rogan Experience, The Alchemist, Why Buddhism Is True, The Body Keeps the Scores, 5 Years To Freedom, Endure ,Legacy For Bill’s podcast and blog, go to his website: https://btwntheears.com/author/bill-anthes/ Follow Between The Ears Fitness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwntheearsfitness/ Follow Between The Ears on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwntheears/

Bill Anthes has been a go-getter since he was a young boy who dreamed of being in the Special Forces. After serving his country, Bill started his company “Between The Ears” to teach others how to use their mindsets, fitness, and journaling to achieve success in their lives. Joey and Bill also talk about how important it is to surround yourself with a strong support system and how Michael Jordan is the type of role model that more young people need.

Bill Anthes is a Special Forces Veteran and professional coach with experience in providing life-changing coaching services. Trained and highly competent in Leadership, Personal Development, and Life Coaching. Bill provides actionable opportunities for individuals and teams to learn more about themselves through a collaborative partnership in the pursuit of becoming a better human. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jason-ackerman/support

Bill Anthes, Green Beret Veteran and founder of Between the Ears (BTE) is a personal development and coaching brand with a very clear mission: Build better humans through physical, mental, and emotional fitness. I started BTE when I left the Army out of a passion and skillset to provide actionable opportunities for people to improve their self-awareness so they can improve themselves. Drawing on lessons learned from a lifetime of high performance, from Special Forces to being an All-American collegiate athlete, BTE seeks to train, coach, and mentor individuals to understand and honor who they are and express that through action.   Feel free to use as much or little or edit to fit your needs.   Links:  https://www.btwntheears.com/ https://www.btwntheears.com/btepractice   Social media: @billanthes @btwntheears

Bill Anthes is a Green Beret and founder of “Between the Ears”, providing professional coaching and training programs that involve you unlike any other program available.BTE strengthens your mind, improves your awareness, and empowers you to take purposeful action in your life. The name Between the Ears draws its inspiration from a quote stated by CrossFit founder Greg Glassman when he said: “the greatest adaption to CrossFit takes places between your ears”.—Recorded live at the global event in Cardigan, west Wales in 2019.Watch Bill's full talk here: www.thedolectures.com/talks/bill-anthes-how-to-handle-success-with-humility-and-failure-with-grace

The challenges of active-duty military life are extreme, but readjusting to life back home presents an entirely new set of challenges... Veteran, badass, and all-around good-dude Bill Anthes from Between The Ears and CrossFit Morristown sits down with us to help explain how understanding the process of change that's required to develop the skills you need in combat, can help you to understand how to begin to move forward after returning home.    Bill has continued to serve by guiding Veterans and many others through their own process with his business, Between The Ears. You can find him at https://btwntheears.com/  *Support The StrongFit Podcast at https://podcast.strongfit.com    If you dig this podcast, make sure to share it with all your friends.. Watch the full video at youtube.com/strongfit    strongfit.com  strongfitequipment.com strongfitequipment.eu julienscorner.com nutrition.strongfit.com training.strongfit.com

Easily the best shot of 2SER’s early days – Bill Anthes and his colleagues take a very close look at the broadcast antenna as it was being tested for broadcast. The event clearly took place well before OH and S was a thing, and also included a helicopter ride to get the shot just right. Here Bill explains the process to Jess and Liz at 2SER’s Pop Up Archive Day in September 2019. We’re still a bit nervous now as he talks about it!

The way I met U.S. Army Veteran, Travis Manion Foundation Mentor and Mental Health Professional, Vince Ruiz was confirmation that there are no accidents in life. Vince and I met at the first ever Between The Ears “Link-Up,” which was founded by one of my former guests and mentors, Bill Anthes. Vince and his buddy just happened to hop in my truck as we car-pooled to a local hiking trail near the Phoenicia Diner in upstate NY. Vince had heard of my podcast from his prior interactions with Bill and started asking me questions about it at the base of the trailhead when we arrived. I began to explain how I interview injured athletes and discuss the transition to life after sports. Without hesitation, Vince followed up on my description with almost a correction of my wording by saying something like “Right on, the TRANSFORMATION.” Although I had heard this one word (TRANSFORMATION) 1000 times, for whatever reason hearing it come from Vince really struck a cord with me on this day. I had been hosting this podcast and recorded over 150 interviews and had never heard anyone put it that way. In my mind, a transition requires one to only just go through the motions and it makes the situation seem out of your control. On the contrary, I believe “Transformation” stands for growth through action. I love looking at an athletes life after sports from the latter lens. The more I thought about the word, the more I realized how it applied to my own transformation, which was a direct result of starting this podcast and seeking the answers from those who had been there before me, while also shining a light into the darkness for those struggling after me. In this episode, Vince shines an even brighter light into the darkness of the life after sports by taking us through the story of his own struggles with PTSD and addiction after retiring from the military and how he is paying it forward today through the Travis Manion Foundation. WHERE CAN YOU CONNECT WITH Vince ONLINE? INSTAGRAM | Facebook

The way I met U.S. Army Veteran, Travis Manion Foundation Mentor and Mental Health Professional, Vince Ruiz was confirmation that there are no accidents in life. Vince and I met at the first ever Between The Ears “Link-Up,” which was founded by one of my former guests and mentors, Bill Anthes. Vince and his buddy just happened to hop in my truck as we car-pooled to a local hiking trail near the Phoenicia Diner in upstate NY. Vince had heard of my podcast from his prior interactions with Bill and started asking me questions about it at the base of the trailhead when we arrived. I began to explain how I interview injured athletes and discuss the transition to life after sports. Without hesitation, Vince followed up on my description with almost a correction of my wording by saying something like “Right on, the TRANSFORMATION.” Although I had heard this one word (TRANSFORMATION) 1000 times, for whatever reason hearing it come from Vince really struck a cord with me on this day. I had been hosting this podcast and recorded over 150 interviews and had never heard anyone put it that way. In my mind, a transition requires one to only just go through the motions and it makes the situation seem out of your control. On the contrary, I believe “Transformation” stands for growth through action. I love looking at an athletes life after sports from the latter lens. The more I thought about the word, the more I realized how it applied to my own transformation, which was a direct result of starting this podcast and seeking the answers from those who had been there before me, while also shining a light into the darkness for those struggling after me. In this episode, Vince shines an even brighter light into the darkness of the life after sports by taking us through the story of his own struggles with PTSD and addiction after retiring from the military and how he is paying it forward today through the Travis Manion Foundation. WHERE CAN YOU CONNECT WITH Vince ONLINE? INSTAGRAM | Facebook  

This episode is all about mindset and how to overcome adversity to be the best version of yourself. In this interview with Bill Anthes, a former Green Beret and founder of Between the ears we discuss tactics to help you overcome anything in life, the importance of journaling, and how a structured morning routine can set you up for success the rest of the day. Find Bill online: @btwntheears - @billanthes - Betweentheears.com - Btepractice.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jason-ackerman/support

Learn how the mindset Bill Anthes developed while serving the United States as a Green Beret has helped him develop as a coach and a leader in his fitness community. In this episode we discuss various interesting topics like: Should everyone be a leader? How do you know if you should be a leader? What is the difference between culture and community? Which is more important? How do you empower your staff to run your gym in your vision? What is BTWN The Ears (Bill's Immersive Mindset Camp)? And many more! If you are someone who has great respect for the Armed forces and who wants to become a better coach, this interview will Bill Anthes is a must listen. Learn to become a better coach and athlete through the principles that Bill discusses in this episode which are meant to make you a better person first.   Bill can be found at: @billanthes @btwntheears www.btwntheears.com

Karianne Anthes didn’t know how much CrossFit would change her life when she started training a group of women at a local park in Morristown, New Jersey. By 2008, she had opened her own affiliate, CrossFit Morristown. There, she serves a double role as passionate affiliate owner and coach. She is now a Certified CrossFit Coach (CF-L4), as well as Dave Castro’s whisperer during the Games. Notable mentions: Sevan Matossian, Karianne Anthes, Paul Farmiga, Matt Bischel, Eric Maciel, Dave Castro, Jon Gilson, Maggie Tincher, CrossFit Morristown, Tom Brady, Todd Widman, Greg Glassman, Hope for Kenya, Josh Bridges, Bill Anthes, David Osorio, "Behind the Scenes" series

On September 5th,  2015, the Heads ‘N Tales Podcast was born. There have been a lot of ups and downs along the way and I couldn’t have gotten to the 100th episode alone.  I first want to thank my girlfriend Lauren for pushing  and encouraging me to keep going at times when I wanted to quit and for never getting frustrated with me for spending every Sunday for the last two years editing audio and writing blog posts.  Next I want to thank my family and friends for all of their support along the way and making the podcast what it is today.   I also need to thank my guests, because without you, there wouldn’t be a podcast. Lastly, I want to thank my loyal listeners out there. Your notes, letters of appreciation and encouragement make all the early mornings and late nights worth while.  In the 100th episode you will hear not only the evolution of the podcast from a production and content perspective, but also my own personal transformation and the key things I have learned along this journey. I hope you can apply some of these same principles to your life.  Specifically, you will hear excerpts from the following interviews: Lou Vanorski, my youth football coach and a current high school football coach from Episode 2.  Although this interview was not the first one posted, it was the first one I ever recorded.  It was funny to listen back to hear all the background noise and the lack of confidence in my voice. In the excerpts I pulled from our interview, we debate the definitions of hurt vs. injured and the importance of knowing you are not alone throughout the injury recovery process.  My hope is that one day, every athlete can come to the Heads 'N Tales podcast to know they are not alone and more importantly find a roadmap to overcome their obstacle. Bill Anthes, a Green Beret from episode 54.  I recorded this episode after participation in one of Bill's Between the Ears Evolutions.  It was in this definition that I learned the true definition of toughness.  Since this experience, I no longer find my self worth from physicality and extrinsic motivators. I believe that if everyone adopted the definition of toughness described in this episode the world would be a much happier and healthier place.  David Vobora, retired NFL Linebacker and Founder of the Adaptive Training Foundation from episode 53.  This has been one of my favorite episodes to date and the wisdom spewing out this interview is ridiculous.  Some talking points I pulled for the 100th episode include David's transition to life after football and the idea of "Pain for a Purpose."  The latter point is one that has proved to be healing to me in my search for a new identity after football.

On September 5th,  2015, the Heads ‘N Tales Podcast was born. There have been a lot of ups and downs along the way and I couldn’t have gotten to the 100th episode alone.  I first want to thank my girlfriend Lauren for pushing  and encouraging me to keep going at times when I wanted to quit and for never getting frustrated with me for spending every Sunday for the last two years editing audio and writing blog posts.  Next I want to thank my family and friends for all of their support along the way and making the podcast what it is today.   I also need to thank my guests, because without you, there wouldn’t be a podcast. Lastly, I want to thank my loyal listeners out there. Your notes, letters of appreciation and encouragement make all the early mornings and late nights worth while.  In the 100th episode you will hear not only the evolution of the podcast from a production and content perspective, but also my own personal transformation and the key things I have learned along this journey. I hope you can apply some of these same principles to your life.  Specifically, you will hear excerpts from the following interviews: Lou Vanorski, my youth football coach and a current high school football coach from Episode 2.  Although this interview was not the first one posted, it was the first one I ever recorded.  It was funny to listen back to hear all the background noise and the lack of confidence in my voice. In the excerpts I pulled from our interview, we debate the definitions of hurt vs. injured and the importance of knowing you are not alone throughout the injury recovery process.  My hope is that one day, every athlete can come to the Heads 'N Tales podcast to know they are not alone and more importantly find a roadmap to overcome their obstacle. Bill Anthes, a Green Beret from episode 54.  I recorded this episode after participation in one of Bill's Between the Ears Evolutions.  It was in this definition that I learned the true definition of toughness.  Since this experience, I no longer find my self worth from physicality and extrinsic motivators. I believe that if everyone adopted the definition of toughness described in this episode the world would be a much happier and healthier place.  David Vobora, retired NFL Linebacker and Founder of the Adaptive Training Foundation from episode 53.  This has been one of my favorite episodes to date and the wisdom spewing out this interview is ridiculous.  Some talking points I pulled for the 100th episode include David's transition to life after football and the idea of "Pain for a Purpose."  The latter point is one that has proved to be healing to me in my search for a new identity after football. Eric LeGrand, and former Rutgers football player from episode 47. I was on the field when Eric suffered his devastating spinal cord injury and I remember the huge void his absence left on the team.  His outlook on life after his injury and gratitude is exemplary.  Suzanne Barba, the athletic trainer who saved my life from episode 1.  This podcast wouldn't be possible if it weren't for Suzanne.  The 100th episode starts off by looking back at the first episode to highlight my intentions for the show and compare them to what Head's 'N Tales actually looks like more than 2 years later. Download Episode 100 : iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud Permalink

On July 11th, 2001 Michael O'Brien was in New Mexico on a business trip. Michael considers this day his "last bad day."  As an avid cyclist, Michael brought his travel bike with him to exercise in lieu of using the hotel gym.  Michael remembers the hotel being in the middle of nowhere, but he scoped out a riding loop on a nearby service road that he could do some laps on before meetings began for the day.  After completing a few laps, Michael was struck head-on by a white Ford Explorer.  The individual who hit him worked at the hotel and had a revoked driver's license for a DUI.  Michael's injuries included a broken right shoulder, broken right femur and right tibia, a shattered left femur, which left bones popping out of his skin and lacerated the femoral artery.  The latter on the list of injuries made the situation life and death for Michael.  Pictures from the accident scene are below. Michael was wearing a helmet on that ride and he still has the helmet to this day.  Now the helmet serves as a reminder for why it is important to wear a helmet, because Michael believes it saved his life.  During this part of our conversation we got on a riding safety tangent where Michael talked about how it is important for Moms and Dads to set the example for their kids by also wearing helmets when they ride.  In general, most people are distracted in life these days, so do all you can to be visible.  This could mean wearing bright clothing, attaching lights to your bike and riding smart and defensively.  Michael urges bicyclists to model the way on the streets because sometimes they are part of the problem.  Although Micheal felt that he did everything right that day in terms of riding safely, he stressed the importance of riders having Road ID's, which he didn't have on the day of his accident. Road ID's are engraved bracelets where you list your identity information along with emergency contact information.  Because Michael didn't have a Road ID, he was known as "Trauma Patient Mango" after being airlifted from the scene of the accident. When Michael arrived at the hospital, doctors were unsure if he was going to survive, and if he did, they could't guarantee he'd be able to keep his leg.  The lacerated femoral artery caused his left leg to lack sufficient blood flow, but was told later that being in shape saved his life.   Back at home, Michael had a 3.5-year-old daughter and a 7-month-old daughter. When Michael's wife got word on the extent of his injuries she flew out to Albuquerque and actually beat him out of his first surgery, which took 12 hours. The prognosis after his surgery was that he was going to have a life of compromise and dependency.  Doctors doubted that Michael could play sports again or ever get back on a bike.  Like any athlete who received this type of news,  Michael remembers ending up in a dark place with is thoughts and attitudes, because he only focused on his limitations up to that point. Michael talks about a mantra he ultimately adopted throughout his recovery process, which is "we go where our eyes go." When the doctors planted the seed of what they thought his future would look like,  Michael could only see his limitations and was blind to his opportunities.  Check out his TEDx talk on this topic below: "I forgave them not because they deserved forgiveness, but because I did" While in the dark place, Michael felt revengeful towards the man in the white SUV, who injured him. Although it took time, Michael was eventually able to give the situation perspective after he learned that the driver was hurting in his own way as well.  Forgiveness took awhile, but came after going on a trip with his family to Europe. Michael and his family visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.  While on a guided tour led by a woman who was a holocaust survivor, someone from the tour group asked her if she still hated the Nazi's.  The guide replied no, "I forgave them not because they deserved forgiveness, but because I did."  If she continued to hold on to all of that hate, she wouldn't be able to live the life she wanted to live. Michael then used the analogy of the negative feelings or emotions as the added weight you carry around in your backpack.  This made me think of episode 54 with Bill Anthes.    The next topic of discussion during our conversation was about Michael's rehab process.  Michael's injury occurred in July and in August he took an air ambulance back home to NJ to do his in-patient occupational and physical therapy at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. At one point during his time at Kessler, Michael remembers panning the room, and taking note of his fellow patients and how they carried themselves. Michael realized that their attitudes made a big difference in their recovery outcome.  In that moment, he made the decision to start showing up better and putting in more effort.  Like we preach constantly on this podcast, Michael realized that he can be defined as a victim or by how he responded to the setback.  Fortunately, he also had a great physical therapist named Laura Fucci to help put his ass in gear. While working with Laura, one of Michael's goals was to get back on his bicycle.  After his last PT session going into one particular weekend, Laura told Michael that if he didn't ride his bike, he wasn't allowed to come back in to see her, because he was getting too cool with the comfort zone he was in.  I personally know Laura and I agree with Michael's description of her in that she has the perfect balance of cheerleader, button pusher and challenger.  Every athlete deserves to have an individual like this in their recovery's.  If you currently don't have that support, find it!  That weekend Michael did get back on his bike by starting with a few laps in an industrial park.  The first time he got out on the road, the first car that passed him was a big white SUV.  Although scary at the time, Michael thinks this was a pretty cool message from the universe.   Michael hasn't had a bad day since his accident because the injury and recovery gave him perspective.  He now has an attitude of abundance where he places focus on all the positive things he has going for him, rather than the things he lacks.  One of the many positives that came from Michael's accident was the idea for his company called Peloton Coaching & Consulting.  In order to move as fast as possible, a peloton needs leadership, trust, communication and teamwork. Some of the same qualities that today's business leaders and teams need to drive better results tomorrow.   We finished the episode with a discussion about the recent Toms Skujins crash in the Tour of California.  The crash occurred a day before we recorded.  Michael describes the crash and talks about some of the safety challenges that exist in the sport.  The biggest obstacle being that the playing field stretches for miles.  Check out the video below to form your own opinion on the management of the concussion.  I find the video pretty disturbing to watch.  Michael and I talked about the possibility of having the neutral support trained to pull riders for potential brain injuries.  Please comment with your thoughts on the crash.  Michael also goes into the culture of toughness in the sport and the finish at all costs mentality that exists. Lastly, we have another supporter for toughness being the long-game mentality.  It doesn't matter how "tough" you are if you can't play tomorrow. WHERE CAN YOU learn more about peloton coaching and consulting? WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | youtube | Speaking If you want to receive Michael’s Leadership Tips to help you become your best text SHIFTTIP to 44222.  Plus, you will get VIP access to Michael’s upcoming book release. WHERE CAN YOU FIND Michael o'brien? INSTAGRAM | Linkedin | Twitter Where can you get your copy of shift? Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows: Winning at Work and in Life By Michael O'Brien Download Episode 78 : iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud Permalink

Casey Cochran was a record setting quarterback and Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Connecticut before taking his talents to the University of Connecticut.  Casey was a very gifted athlete who seemed to have it all going for him.  However, concussions and the ensuing bouts of depression eventually became too much. Casey credits his athletic success to sacrifice, specifically in regard to time.  Sacrifice is an interesting word in the sport of football because it is not just your time that you are expected to sacrifice, it's also your body.  But at what cost? I first read about Casey's story in his Players Tribune article titled "13 Concussions" and I knew right away that I needed to get this guy on the podcast.  I recommend giving this article a read after listening to Episode 62, because it gives an in-depth description of the final concussion that forced him to step away from football.  Also, if you like this podcast, I recommend reading more articles from The Players Tribune because they provide similar insights. It was no accident that Casey reached such an elite level of college football, because his Dad is a very successful high school coach in the state of Connecticut.  During our conversation we discuss the pressures of playing for your Dad and how it was difficult at times to separate the coach from the Dad.  At the end of the episode, Casey opens up about his father's thoughts on choosing to retire from the game that was, and is, such a huge part of both their live's. After the previous two podcast episodes (60, 61), it should not be a surprise that we also talk about the pressures to play hurt and hide injuries like concussions in a culture of toughness.  The first concussion Casey suffered happened when he was just 11 years old.  He was playing nose guard back in those days and made a huge hit on the running back that knocked both of them on their back's after they collided heads.  Casey felt poor physically after the hit, but was also left feeling uneasy about the injury after this hit was celebrated by his teammates and coaches while watching film the following day.  Then in eighth grade, he suffered two more concussions and was forced to sit out the rest of the season.  During this time Casey did a science project on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and became concerned for his long-term health.  However, this concern didn't stop him from having a very successful high school career.  While in high school, Casey suffered 1 concussion freshman year, 1 sophomore year, 3 junior year, 1 senior year and none were diagnosed.  At multiple points throughout the interview, Casey also goes in depth on what it is like to battle depression and ways to find help.  In addition to being a stud on the football field, Casey was also a scholar in the classroom, but his grades suffered due to the concussions.  Casey had multiple opportunities to play football in the IVY League, but listen in to learn why he ultimately chose to play at UCONN. It has been a little over two years since Casey stepped away from the game he dedicated most of his life to.  Casey describes this decision as being one of the scariest he has ever made and says he only recently established some level of normalcy in his life.  Most of all, Casey misses the camaraderie with his teammates, but has found new purpose in his advocacy work and learning to play the guitar. Casey has some great tips on transitioning to life after sports in our conversation.  This transition is a difficult and inevitable one for all athletes.  Know that you are not alone and that your feelings are normal. If you're a struggling athlete in transition, this is a must-listen!  Some additional topics we covered include: Advice to football players on how to protect their brain’s and body’s Why football is hard for Casey to watch now Thoughts on the NFL No guaranteed money and are incentivized to play injured The benefits of playing baseball as a kid (The guy can obviously sling it) Pitched Caught 3rd Base Casey's definition of toughness (He would get along with Bill Anthes from Episode 54)  Casey's book in the works WHERE CAN YOU FOLLOW CASEY COCHRAN? caseycochran12@gmail.com | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK  Download Episode 62 : iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud

Last Sunday, the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants squared off on wild card weekend.  The Packers were victorious, but did not come out unscathed.  Jordy Nelson, who leads the Packers with 97 catches for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns, broke his ribs on a controversial hit made by Giants defensive back, Leon Hall. As you can see in the picture above and the video below, Hall lowered the crown of his helmet into Nelson's body in an attempt to break up a pass.  What are your thoughts on this hit?  Clean or dirty? Comment below!  Look carefully at Leon Hall after contact... Looks a little woozy to me... wouldn't be surprised if he game himself a concussion. The reason I dedicated an entire episode to this hit and described it as "bush league" is because of how unnecessary I felt it was. Just as easily as Leon Hall targeted his facemask into Nelson's ribs, he could have placed his head to either side of the receiver. Had Hall taken that approach, Jordy most likely wouldn't have been injured, and Hall wouldn't have exposed himself to a concussion or spinal cord injury.  For this reason, tackling 101 always teaches athletes to NEVER lower their heads and to "see what you hit."  For NFL players, this is their livelihood!  How would you want to be tackled knowing that your next play, game or season is what is putting food on your family's table? Look out for your brothers on the field.  You may be wearing different colored jerseys, but you all have the same goals at the end of the day.  Don't try to end your opponents career because you just might end yours in the process.(Check out an article I wrote a few years back for Jay Fraga's Knockout Project on defenseless receivers in the NFL : Fixing Concussions with Band-Aid’s: How Effective is the NFL’s Defenseless Receiver Rule? ) Ultimately, Leon Hall was not fined although the NFL rules prohibit "lowering the head and making contact with the crown or 'hairline' parts of the helmet against any part of a defenseless receivers body."  In my opinion, Hall's hit meets this definition.  I feel this hit was made with the intention to injure, not just to make a tackle or break up the pass.  Although I am critical of Leon Hall's hit and I am assuming his intentions, I am also somewhat of a hypocrite because I used to be the same type of player. On every play I tried to run over any defensive back who attempted to tackle me.  When I did, my teammates got fired up, my coaches got fired up and I felt whole.  So trust me, I understand what was going through Leon Hall's head as he was in pursuit of the Packers' leading receiver. But then again, maybe neither of us are to blame.  I was the type of running back who fought for every inch and tried to punish as many defenders as I could along the way.  I don't recommend anyone do this and I believe this is partially why my career was shorter than I hoped. Although this may just look like a normal picture of me running the football on a Friday night in 2007, there is actually a lot more going on.  Take a look at my right hand.  My clenched fist is in preparation for attempting to run over the Roxbury High School outside linebacker.  I succeeded, but at a cost.  I separated my shoulder on this play, which led to hurting my opposite shoulder and then using my head as a weapon.  I truely believe if I sat out for this shoulder injury, I never would have injured my brain to the extent I did. In 2009 a journalist by the name Malcolm Gladwell wrote an article called How Different are Football & Dog Fighting?  This was written in the aftermath of Michael Vick's dog fighting NFL dismissal and jail sentence.  The article talks about concussions and CTE, but also compares football to dogfighting and to be honest, I thought Gladwell was on to something then and I still do now.   "In a fighting dog, the quality prized above all others is the willingness to persevere even in the face of injury and pain.  A dog that will not do that is labeled a 'cur' (worthless) and abandoned.  A dog that keeps charging at it's opponents is said to possess 'gameness' and game dogs are revered."  -  Malcolm Gladwell, How different are Football & Dog Fighting? (2009)   Leon Hall is a 10 year veteran in the NFL so he was undoubtedly brainwashed by the same old school mentality that I was exposed to growing up.  You know what I'm talking about, "no pain no gain," "suck it up," "don't rub it we got ice" and my favorite "you just got your bell rung."  It was the same era of glorified cheap shots, twisting ankles and gouging eyes under the scrum (I never partook in this part, but was on the receiving end plenty of times).  This is all we knew.  A part of me does understand why Leon Hall launched himself into Jordy Nelson with reckless abandon.  But I also understand that is exactly what is wrong with the game of football.  You want to save the game, fix that problem in my opinion.  No new rule changes, or equipment would be required, just a shift in the definition of toughness...or gameness.   Gameness - A dogs desire to please an owner at any expense to itself - Carl Semencic , in “The World of Fighting Dogs” (1984)   As recently as December 1st, 2016, Gladwell brought up the dog fighting connection again in a collaborative article with sports journalist, Bill Simmons, titled Simmons vs. Gladwell: The Future of Football.  This article was written in the wake of Cam Newton's repetitive head shots and immediately after Luke Kuechly was seen sobbing after suffering a concussion on a Thursday night prime-time game against the Saints.  In my opinion, I believe Kuechly was not crying because of pain or an uncontrollable reaction to his concussion. I think, Kuechly was crying because he was silently being labeled as a 'cur' by the media, his coaches, teammates and the running dialog in his head. But you know what, I have been there too and it sucks.   Another interesting point in The Future of Football article was a segment about a recent boxing match where one of the boxers quit in the 8th round because he didn't want to take anymore punishment. This is an example of an athlete admitting he doesn't need to be as game as a dog.  Below, I provided a video of highlights from star NFL running back, Ezekiel Elliott (Zeke).  I put this here as an example for young running backs on how they should run the ball.  In my opinion, Zeke run's the with the perfect combination of brains and braun, which hopefully will lead to a longer career.  In watching the highlights, notice that Zeke only lowers his shoulder to run over a defender when he as at the goal line, or to protect himself.  My advice to running backs is that you are supposed to run away from defenders, not at them if you can avoid it.  If you are too slow like I was, find a new position.  After reading this post, it might be seem like I have a personal vendetta against Leon Hall.  I wholeheartedly do not, and as I mentioned, I'm sure we have a lot in common in terms up our football upbringing.  Also, as all athletes know, you turn a switch on when you step on that field.  You're not that same person on the streets.  Trust me, I get it!  Not many NFL players can say they played in the league for 10 years so Leon obviously is doing something right.  I'd love to talk to him about how he was able to stay healthy for that long in a profession with a 100% injury rate. I will assume Hall has learned to please his coaches, teammates and the media along the way.  You don't spend that much time in the league if you're not a game dog.  That being said, Gladwell points out that organizations who select for gameness have a responsibility not to abuse the trust (ex. between athlete and coach).    "If you have men in your charge who would jump off a cliff for you, you cannot march them to the edge of the cliff—and dogfighting fails this test." - Malcolm Gladwell, How different are Football & Dog Fighting? (2009) Hits and plays like the Hall-Nelson hit happen every weekend all around the country.  However, the NFL and all sports organizations at all levels of play need to exercise their responsibility to protect athletes.  I am simply using this hit as one of many examples of how we can make football safer and to teach people what the real definition of toughness is.  Unfortunately I learned the definition long after my playing days, but my hope is some young buck reads this and the light bulb goes off in their head sooner rather than later.   "'Toughness' is deciding to engage. Committing to the first step towards improving and taking it, aggressively. This is a decision that you can make, because you always have a choice, no matter what." - Bill Anthes, Episode 54  NFL players Malcolm Jenkins, Cameron Jordan, and Charles Johnson detail their own struggles with head trauma and tackle the NFL's tough guy culture, offering an important message: Want to really "man up"? Sit out when you're hurt. WHERE CAN YOU Find more From Malcolm Gladwell? Website | Podcast | The New Yorker | Books Download Episode 60 : iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud Permalink

Bill Anthes is a Green Beret, Co-Owner of CrossFit Motown, a 2015 inductee into Montclair State University's Athletics Hall of Fame for his superior performance on the soccer field, and Founder of "Between the Ears."  The name Between the Ears draws it's inspiration from a quote stated by CrossFit founder, Greg Glassman, when he said "the greatest adaptation to CrossFit takes place between the ears."  That adaptation being mental toughness and specifically referring to the power of putting yourself in uncomfortable situations.  We talk a lot about the athlete transition on this podcast which is often compared to a soldiers shift back to civilian life. The creation of Between the Ears has been a part of Bill's difficult transition to civilian life (which we discuss in the interview) and it is intended to provide voluntary opportunities for people to put themselves in controlled, yet uncomfortable situations that foster personal growth as a team.  I have always prided myself on being mentally tough, so you could say I was pretty confident going into my first Between the Ears (004) Evolution.  From now through the remainder of this post, I will refer the Between the Ears as "BTE." Evolution - any process of formation or growth; development. You can find the word "Evolution" written 64 times in the BTE waiver.  As most people do, I didn't actually read the waiver before I signed my life away so I missed all the signs that foreshadowed the most important personal transformation I have ever experienced.  Although most BTE evolutions are unique from one another, I will not reveal the specifics of BTE 004 to maintain its purity for future classes. Bill and I discuss the power of going into something completely blind of what lies ahead. However, I will say that if you are proud of your Tough Mudder headband collection or your Spartan Race medals, the feeling of accomplishment I felt after doing BTE 004 made everything else I'd done before that pale in comparison.  And guess what? I quit. I cried.  I tapped out. I didn't even finish. I thought long and hard after making the decision to pull myself out of the BTE 004 Evolution and honestly it was the best learning experience I've ever encountered.  Below are my thoughts on my personal evolution, which I sent to Bill after taking a few days to soak-in my thoughts and emotions (READ CAPTIONS):  Hi Bill, Honestly, I haven't been able to stop thinking about last weekend.  The poem, the idea of engaging aggressively in its relation to "toughness", the added weight of the extra baggage we carry around with us, and obviously my decision to pull myself out of the evolution. When I was reading this email on Monday I had to fight back the tears once again (I obviously don't win this fight often). Although I am a crier, I have never been so powerfully impacted by an experience like I was by Between The Ears 004. The idea of toughness has been something that I have been obsessed with for most of my life.  I always wanted people to think I was "tough."  Toughness to me used to mean playing injured, lifting the heaviest weight, hitting home runs and scoring touchdowns.  Despite my effort to prove this definition of toughness, I felt I was never tough enough.  In the process I played an entire week's worth of football with a bleeding brain and nearly killed myself.  I tried to be tough to an extent that almost killed me and I still felt that my efforts weren't enough. Ther

Bill Anthes is a Green Beret, Co-Owner of CrossFit Motown, a 2015 inductee into Montclair State University's Athletics Hall of Fame for his superior performance on the soccer field, and Founder of "Between the Ears."  The name Between the Ears draws it's inspiration from a quote stated by CrossFit founder, Greg Glassman, when he said "the greatest adaptation to CrossFit takes place between the ears."  That adaptation being mental toughness and specifically referring to the power of putting yourself in uncomfortable situations.  We talk a lot about the athlete transition on this podcast which is often compared to a soldiers shift back to civilian life. The creation of Between the Ears has been a part of Bill's difficult transition to civilian life (which we discuss in the interview) and it is intended to provide voluntary opportunities for people to put themselves in controlled, yet uncomfortable situations that foster personal growth as a team.  I have always prided myself on being mentally tough, so you could say I was pretty confident going into my first Between the Ears (004) Evolution.  From now through the remainder of this post, I will refer the Between the Ears as "BTE." Evolution - any process of formation or growth; development. You can find the word "Evolution" written 64 times in the BTE waiver.  As most people do, I didn't actually read the waiver before I signed my life away so I missed all the signs that foreshadowed the most important personal transformation I have ever experienced.  Although most BTE evolutions are unique from one another, I will not reveal the specifics of BTE 004 to maintain its purity for future classes. Bill and I discuss the power of going into something completely blind of what lies ahead. However, I will say that if you are proud of your Tough Mudder headband collection or your Spartan Race medals, the feeling of accomplishment I felt after doing BTE 004 made everything else I'd done before that pale in comparison.  And guess what? I quit. I cried.  I tapped out. I didn't even finish. I thought long and hard after making the decision to pull myself out of the BTE 004 Evolution and honestly it was the best learning experience I've ever encountered.  Below are my thoughts on my personal evolution, which I sent to Bill after taking a few days to soak-in my thoughts and emotions (READ CAPTIONS):  Hi Bill, Honestly, I haven't been able to stop thinking about last weekend.  The poem, the idea of engaging aggressively in its relation to "toughness", the added weight of the extra baggage we carry around with us, and obviously my decision to pull myself out of the evolution. When I was reading this email on Monday I had to fight back the tears once again (I obviously don't win this fight often). Although I am a crier, I have never been so powerfully impacted by an experience like I was by Between The Ears 004. The idea of toughness has been something that I have been obsessed with for most of my life.  I always wanted people to think I was "tough."  Toughness to me used to mean playing injured, lifting the heaviest weight, hitting home runs and scoring touchdowns.  Despite my effort to prove this definition of toughness, I felt I was never tough enough.  In the process I played an entire week's worth of football with a bleeding brain and nearly killed myself.  I tried to be tough to an extent that almost killed me and I still felt that my efforts weren't enough. Therefore I continued to push myself to extreme limits for what is now 9 years striving to be what I thought was "tough." It took awhile, but my knee was eventually impacted by this mindset as well. The same knee that was begging me not to take another step, when my brain was telling it "you're a sissy." "In my experience, we rarely learn the deepest and most powerful lessons by examining the surface. We need to go to the deepest depths, not to find the answers, but to ask the questions. The answers, as we find out, are not always what we may want them to be. At the surface, potentially we answer these questions completely opposite of what the true answer really is." -Bill Anthes I have been asking myself a lot of questions in reflecting about the decisions I made during the evolution.  It was seriously a life-changing experience for me.  Going into this you told us to think about our "why."  My why was to prove that although my body can't do what it used to or what I want it to do athletically (because of my knee), I still have the same mind and determination that I have always had. Looking back on it now, that why is exactly what has destroyed my body and tormented my self-worth for as long as I can remember. At the surface, I really did answer my question completely opposite to what the true answer turned out to be or what I wanted it to be. "When we strip away the armor, the muscle, the ego, the defenses and are left exposed, we do not always love what we see...and that is ok. The 'toughness' piece is deciding to engage. Committing to the first step towards improving and taking it, aggressively. This is a decision that you can make, because you always have a choice, no matter what". - Bill Anthes  I'll never forget when you had us stop and you told us that we were getting lazy with our movements and were just going through the motions feeling bad for ourselves. I took that to heart because I did find myself just trying to "survive" (can't think of a better word) out there. That's not tough. Anyone can do that and most people do. Like you said when we first began, toughness is deciding to engage, committing to the first step toward improving and taking it AGGRESSIVELY and we always have that choice. Toughness wasn't playing with a separated shoulder or concussion. Toughness was deciding to make my commitment to the football team and taking every step and every rep aggressively and with a purpose.  I was and I am tough.   The best thing about toughness is that we are in control.  I can't thank you enough for providing me with an experience to evolve.  I'm not sure what was harder, coming up to you and trying to get the words out that I couldn't go any further or seeing everyone as they finally arrived at the end. The old thoughts of doubt in myself started creeping in. Did I really earn this patch? Coin? Backpack? Breakfast sandwich? Or did I cop out by not sticking with the group. I wasn't the only one who was feeling like shit. Did I take the easy way out by having K (Bill's wife) pick me up, so I didn't have to watch the group do the work I should've be doing? Honestly, for the first time I don't think so. My knee was hurting worse than ever before and I actually listened to what my body was telling me. Was it the answer or the outcome I wanted? Not even close. Was it the best lesson I ever learned. 100%. No one looked at me differently or down to me because I didn't finish with the group. That's because toughness is the decision to engage and taking every step toward improving aggressively. I literally couldn't take an aggressive step.  Sincerely,  Kevin BTE Class 004 Choosing to continue on the journey with a bum knee would not have been making an aggressive step towards improving. I have already proven I can do that, time and time again.  I've also proved those decisions have never led to anything positive, I just didn't want to believe it.  My hope is that this episode shows athletes that playing injured isn't tough.  It doesn't lead to the glory, the girls or the accolades that Hollywood and ESPN portrays it to be.  YOU control if you are tough or not.  Did you dog-it on the play to the other side of the field?  Did you slow down before the finish line on that sprint? Did you put your head down after the opposing team ran the kickoff back for 6? If the answer is no, then you ARE tough and no coach, teacher, parent, teammate, classmate or anyone can take that away from you. WHERE CAN YOU FIND BILL? WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL : bill@btwntheears.com Download Episode 54 : iTunes | Stitcher Permalink