Coming Up Clutch with J.R. Helping Pro and Executive Athletes maximize their success and significance

You ever hit a stretch where everything feels HARD? Like no matter how much you pray… plan…push… Doors stay shut Momentum stalls Progress feels like dragging a boulder uphill Let's call it what it is — FRUSTRATING. And the lies start circling in your head: "You're off course. Maybe you missed it. Maybe you're not called to this." But here's the truth: Hard doesn't mean wrong. It might just mean Go...

What if the biggest thing holding you back from peak performance isn't your talent, discipline, or work ethic — but what you're carrying in your heart? In this episode of Coming Up Clutch with J.R., J.R. sits down with leadership expert, author, and coach Todd Gongwer, author of Lead…For God's Sake, for a raw, grounded conversation about identity, humility, forgiveness, and what truly drives susta...

Ever feel like the more you expect from yourself, the tighter you get? The pressure builds. Your focus slips. And instead of living free, you start overthinking every move – at work, at home, on the field, wherever you compete. Let's be real. High expectations don't automatically lead to high performance. In fact, when your mind is overloaded with expectations, your performance usually pays the pr...

Ever wonder what it really takes to win when the scoreboard is measuring you every single day? You step into a leadership role thinking it's about strategy…but then the pressure hits, the standards blur, and the noise around you gets loud. Suddenly the game feels a lot harder than you expected. That's why I had to bring Joe Bohringer on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show — a World Series Champio...

You ever feel like your phone owns YOU? Every ding and light-up screen yanking you around like a dog on a leash? The "urgent" text that could've waited. The random notification breaking your focus. The email that suddenly derails your morning. Let's be real. You're not "staying connected." You're being controlled. And it's costing you your focus. Your energy. Your relationships. YOUR GOALS. What I...

Ever feel paralyzed by fear? You've got a bold move in front of you...but that inner voice gets loud — "What if I fail?" "What if I blow it?" "What will people think?" Let's be real – most high performers talk a big game when it comes to fear, but behind the scenes? They're running from it. Masking it. Praying it disappears. That's why I had to bring Jenn Drummond on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R....

You ever make a decision that looked like a win on paper…but deep down, your gut was screaming, "This ain't it"? You ignored it. Took the deal. Signed the contract. And just weeks later…you're stuck. Trapped. Miserable. I've been there. And it sucked. But here's what I learned: That bad decision didn't break me. It built me. That is, once I decided to stop burying my pain and start learning from i...

Ever feel stuck in the middle of a big decision? You've weighed the options. Prayed about it. Gotten advice from your inner circle. And STILL…  You hesitate. Let's call it what it is: indecision. And for high-performers like us, that hesitation costs WAY more than we think. That's why I had to bring back Paul Epstein on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show this week. Paul's a former 15-year NFL &...

A strong family can change generations. But here's the kicker: if you're not intentionally and consistently building a stronger family…if you're distracted and divided at home…you're leaving the door wide open for chaos and pain. I've lived this – for years, I was winning professionally while slowly losing personally. And I'll tell you – success on the outside doesn't erase the sting of settling i...

You ever notice how chaos always seems to hit when you're at your weakest? One bad night's sleep. A stretch of skipped workouts. A week of high stress where your mind is cloudy and your emotions are raw. That's when the enemy strikes. Here's the kicker: We live in a world full of chaos and evil. And when you're weak – physically, mentally, or emotionally – you're exposed. Think about it… When your...

The truth is, when you drift in your faith, you don't just stall out…you become vulnerable. If you haven't figured it out by now, the world's a little darker. Our families are under attack. And John 10:10 tells us exactly what the enemy's mission is – to steal, kill, and destroy. When you're drifting, you're handing him the opening. Think about it: If you're a boat without an anchor, every storm w...

You ever feel like you have to be LOUD to lead? Like if you don't raise your voice…if you're not bold enough, flashy enough, "visible" enough that people won't follow you? The pressure to prove yourself… The noise of everyone trying to go viral… The demand to command attention at work, at home, in life... It's exhausting, isn't it? But here's what I've learned — from real life and from one of the...

What if the reason you can't focus, recover, or stay calm… is because you never learned how to BREATHE right? Based on the statistics (and watching elite athletes compete every day), chances are—you're doing it WRONG. And that's a problem…especially if you're like the elite performers I meet who are running hard all day long — chasing goals, leading teams, providing for their families.  Behind the...

Slumps suck, don't they? Your energy's there. Your effort's there. Your commitment's there. But the scoreboard? It's making you feel like you're losing. That's when the S word creeps in…"I think I'm in a slump." Ugh. But here's the question I'm asking on this week's Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show: Is it really a slump? Because what I've learned from my own experience and from working with elite...

Ever feel like something's off…even when you're doing everything right? You're grinding. You're prepping. You've got the data, the plan, the discipline… But somehow, the results don't match the effort. That's not a hustle problem. It's a frequency problem. And that's exactly what elite performance coach, Nate Trosky, and I discussed on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show this week. Nate is beyond...

Ever feel like you're doing everything right…and STILL not getting the results you want? I'm talkin' late nights. Early mornings. Grinding harder. Stacking to-do lists like trophies. And yet…the outcomes? Crickets. If you're anything like me — or the elite athletes and executives I help — you've been trained to fix that by doing what you've always done: Push. Even. Harder. Why? Because that's what...

You ever feel like your influence isn't landing? You're showing up… saying all the right things… bringing the energy… But somehow, it's all falling flat. People aren't fazed. Let's call it what it is — you don't need to be louder. You need to go deeper. This is exactly why I brought back Retired Green Beret, Scott Mann, and Serial Entrepreneur & Business Coach, Chris White, to the Coming Up Clutch...

You ever look back on a decision and think, "What the heck was I thinking?" Truth is, you probably WEREN'T thinking — at least not clearly. Because that's what happens when fatigue takes over. When the pressure builds. When you're worn out and running on fumes. Late night Long day Back-to-back setbacks Isolation That's the perfect setup… Not for growth. Not for breakthrough. But for TEMPTATION . H...

Ever feel like you're crushing it on paper…but deep down, you're just waiting for someone to call you out? Like no matter how many wins you stack, there's still that whisper… "You're not enough." "You don't deserve this. "Eventually, they'll find out." Let's call it what it is — Imposter Syndrome. And its favorite sidekick? Shame. They're silent saboteurs — and they don't care how successful you a...

Ever catch yourself thinking… "Why does this keep happening to me?" "I've done everything right…so why do things keep going wrong?" You're not alone. But here's the raw truth: That's not just your frustration talking… That's not just a bad attitude… That's the victim mentality — and it's robbing you of your greatness. We've ALL been there. But if you don't recognize it fast, it'll strip you of you...

Think leadership is reserved for the guy with the title, the office, and the polished resume? You're not alone. For years, I believed the same thing. Until I realized… Leadership isn't a title — it's a responsibility. And the truth is: you're already a leader… whether you admit it or not. Every decision you make… Every conversation you have… Every time your kids, spouse, team, or community looks t...

You ever feel like you've done everything right... You prepped. You trained. You put in the time. ...but you're still second-guessing yourself? That nagging voice creeps in… "You're not built for this" "You don't have what it takes" "You can't come through" Let me hit you with this… When you doubt yourself, you're not just doubting your abilities — you're doubting the God who gave them to you. Tha...

"I hope this works out…" You ever caught yourself saying that? Let's be real — most high-achievers work hard and prepare well. But deep down, they're still carrying doubt. And doubt under pressure? It'll bury you. That's why I had to get MLB All-Star, Shane Greene, on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show. This dude didn't just pitch in the Big Leagues — he closed games on the biggest stages, for t...

You ever catch yourself saying things like… "You suck." "You're never gonna get this right." "Why even try?" Now let me ask you this…   Would you ever say that to your wife? To your kids? To someone you lead? No shot. So why are you saying it to yourself ? Let's call it what it is… That voice in your head? It's not keeping it real. It's you being hostile with yourself. And it's killing your moment...

What's your mindset when the battle chooses YOU? Do you shrink back and start counting your losses? Or do you stand up, lock in, and fight like hell to WIN — no matter how unfair it feels? Let's be real… Most guys crumble when in battles they didn't sign up for — cancer, career setbacks, family struggles, you name it. They start seeing defeat as inevitable instead of optional. That's why I had to...