Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!

Jackson Wasserstrom joins The Coaching Minds Podcast to talk about his journey from Westfield High School to Indiana University football. After arriving at IU as a walk-on, Jackson spent years earning his way, building his role, and eventually receiving a scholarship. His story is one of faith, discipline, visualization, gratitude, resilience, and betting on yourself when nothing is guaranteed. In...

Dr. Chris Carr joins The Coaching Minds Podcast for a powerful conversation on performance psychology, mental health, and the evolution of mental training in sport. Dr. Carr is the Director of Performance Psychology and Team Behavioral Health Clinician for the Green Bay Packers. Over the course of his career, he has worked with athletes and teams across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, MLS, IndyCar, Olymp...

Dillon Thieneman’s path from Westfield High School to Purdue, Oregon, and now the NFL was built on more than talent. In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast , Ben Carnes sits down with Dillon to talk about the mental side of elite performance: growing up in a competitive household, learning from his brothers’ walk-on mentality, handling recruiting noise, preparing with detail, bouncing back...

What do fighter pilots and elite athletes have in common? More than you think. In this episode, Ben sits down with Boo Boucousis—former fighter pilot and entrepreneur—to break down how high performers train, think, and respond under pressure. From the cockpit to competition, the principles of execution, accountability, and mental control remain the same. Boo shares how fighter pilots use systemati...

What separates great athletes from everyone else? It’s not talent. It’s how they handle pressure. In this episode, Dr. Tom Mitchell (former NBA sports psychologist for the Golden State Warriors) breaks down: • The truth about nerves and performance • How elite athletes reset after mistakes • Why comparison destroys confidence • The mindset tools used at the highest level If you want to perform at...

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes interviews Myron Burr Jr., who shares his journey from being an athlete to a coach and now an assistant city manager. They discuss the importance of mental preparation in sports, the lessons learned from veteran players, and the unique challenges of coaching young athletes. Myron emphasizes the significance of building relationships, unders...

Baseball is a game of failure — and how athletes respond to that failure often determines who lasts and who fades. In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast , Ben Carnes sits down with Tyler Rubasky , Head Baseball Coach at Anderson University, to talk about what it really takes to build mentally tough athletes in today’s college game. Tyler shares his journey from player to assistant coach to...

In this episode, we officially introduce Matt Hallock , the newest member of Mental Training Plan and the Co-Founder & Chief Performance Officer of MTP Biz —our new division bringing mental performance training to the corporate world. Matt brings 25 years of corporate leadership , decades of experience coaching athletes nationwide, and a lifelong passion for serving and developing people. From...

Today marks a major moment for the Mental Training Plan. After helping athletes in 90+ schools across 14 states perform at their best, we’re officially expanding into the business world with the launch of MTP Biz — a mental performance division built specifically for high-performing leaders and teams. In this episode, Ben shares the story behind the decision to move into corporate America, the imp...

Today, I’m joined by Jocelyn Bruch: Indiana individual state champion, Division I golfer at Purdue, national championship competitor, and now a professional who just returned from Q-School. We dig into the real tools she used in competition — not theory — to calm nerves, trust her preparation, and perform when it counts: Diaphragmatic Breathing (16+ seconds, not 2!) to lower heart rate and get pre...

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes, founder of The Mental Training Plan, breaks down the next layer of the Confidence Wall: how to train confidence like a muscle. Learn practical, science-backed tools that help athletes hardwire belief into their body and nervous system through three powerful bricks: The Breath Brick – how controlled breathing regulates the vagus nerve and r...

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, we continue our Confidence series and dig into three critical building blocks every athlete needs: identity, body language, and self-talk. You’ll learn why confidence isn’t just earned through practice and reps — it’s also chosen by who you decide to be. Ben shares a powerful example from an NBA player who missed six straight shots but still had the c...

Confidence doesn’t come from hype—it comes from work. In Episode #2 of our Confidence Series, we break down how athletes, coaches, and parents can build earned confidence through three critical “bricks”: Reps – putting in the work with intention Evidence – gathering proof of growth and wins Preparation – creating routines that build stability You’ll hear stories from the field, practical tools (li...

Athletes don’t lose games because of talent. They lose because of confidence. In this episode, I’m sharing some big news: The launch of my new book, Confidence: Tools to Build Belief for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents. This is the first book in the Prime Five Series — a collection of tools, stories, and systems I’ve used with athletes from youth sports to state champions and even professionals. In...

In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast , we flip the script on performance by focusing on the other 12 hours of the day—rest and recovery. Ben Carnes sits down with Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae, co-founders of The Inactive Company and creators of the Inactivator Sleep Mask, to explore the science of sleep and why most people are doing it wrong. With powerhouse careers at Spanx, Coca-Cola, an...

In this episode of the Coaching Minds podcast, we sit down with former Baylor pole vaulter Kierstyn Ballard to talk about the real journey behind the highlights — from early gymnastics to Division I athletics, injuries, identity loss, and choosing joy through adversity. Kierstyn opens up about navigating mental and emotional challenges, her faith, and what it really takes to ask for help when thin...

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Marc Nudelberg—former college football coach and founder of On The Ball—to explore the principles behind consistent, high-level performance. Drawing from his experiences at programs like Florida State and Cincinnati, Marc explains why simplicity beats complexity, how culture can make or break a team, and why most businesses a...

What’s it really like to go through MTP Certification? In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Coach Danny Tippett — the very first coach to complete the program. Danny shares: Why he decided to pursue mental performance training How the tools helped him coach his son, lead a middle school football team, and improve his own anxiety What the certification process was like How he’s now applying M...

If you're a coach who believes in the power of the mental game — and you're ready to start teaching it — this episode is for you. MTP founder Ben Carnes breaks down exactly what MTP Certification is, who it’s for, and how it equips you to start leading 1-on-1 coaching and team workshops right away. You'll hear: The story behind how the MTP system was built What makes MTP Certificati...

What do you do when life changes in a single moment? Dave Randall knows. After surviving a life-altering medical condition while serving in the U.S. Navy, Dave could’ve quit. Instead, he rebuilt—body, mind, and mission. Now a world champion hand cyclist and founder of Alive Day Apparel , Dave joins Ben to talk about identity, faith, pain, purpose, and what it takes to thrive after hitting rock bot...

In just one season, South Ripley went from a middle-of-the-pack team to a 19–0 start, a #1 ranking, and a sectional championship. The difference? A full commitment to mental training. Assistant coach Tom Beach , a 40-year coaching veteran, joins us to share how implementing MTP Academy transformed the mindset—and the results—of a small-town Indiana basketball team. “MTP can’t guarantee you champio...

Your life moves in the strongest direction of your thoughts – a powerful truth that forms the foundation of this eye-opening conclusion to our Positive Intelligence series. What if all your distress was self-generated? What if you could transform every challenge into an opportunity simply by shifting your perspective? In this enlightening conversation with mental performance coach Brenna, we explo...

Ever wondered why that voice in your head keeps sabotaging your performance? In this revealing exploration of Chapters 3 and 4 from "Positive Intelligence," we dive deep into understanding the mental saboteurs that derail even the most talented athletes. The conversation uncovers how these negative thought patterns—which we all possess—initially formed as protection mechanisms in childho...

What if the biggest obstacle to your performance isn’t physical—but the voice in your head? In this first episode of our 3-part series on Positive Intelligence , former Division I gymnast Brenna Munson joins us to explore how mastering mental fitness transformed her approach to sports, injuries, and life. Together, we break down key ideas from Chapters 1 and 2 of Positive Intelligence by Shirzad C...

What does it take to develop a champion—not just on the scoreboard, but in life? Coach Tommy Richardson brings 60+ years of wisdom to this question, revealing a framework that transforms athletes from the inside out. At 88 years young, Richardson shares the journey that led him from high school football fields to corporate leadership positions at State Farm, and finally to his current work as a me...