Becoming HeadStrong
606 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 17 ratingsThis podcast guides you on the journey of building and maintaining mental toughness. Regardless of where you "perform" in life, Becoming HeadStrong will help you learn to optimize and more fully enjoy your life's performance.
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Episodes
56. Naming Your Little Devil - Nick
December 18, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.81 MBCartoons can sometimes be powerful in teaching us important lessons. The cartoons with the devil on your shoulder can feel very real. Learn more in this episode!
55. Driving - Kristina
December 16, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.93 MBWhen you are driving, you have a starting point and a destination in mind. You may have even have a pre-determined route with one that you drive frequently. When you know what to expect, you can prepare well for it. This episode is about setting and achieving goals.
54. Intention Leads to Attention - Nicole
December 13, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.77 MB"FOCUS" is often yelled by coaches to get athletes to perform at their best. Using the "intention leads to attention" strategy can help you achieve the level of focus you are searching for.
53. Criticism and the Haters - Justine
December 11, 2019 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.32 MBCriticism can be incredibly difficult to handle. Many people shy away from it. Not everyone will love everything you do. This episode walks you through strategies for handling it.
52. Slow Down - Nick
December 09, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 2.56 MBThere is so much power in slowing down from time to time. When we are stressed or anxious, time seems to speed up; yet when we slow down, we have more control.
51. Music - Kristina
December 06, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 5.58 MBHow to use music properly to help your performance. This episode is based on a research study conducted by the host, Kristina Struthwolf-Leato, MS.
50. One Thought - Nicole
December 04, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.19 MBMany performers are at their best when their mind "turns off". When they aren't thinking. This episode provides a strategy for finding that mindset more consistently.
49. Failure - Justine
December 02, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.97 MBWhen failure happens, most people run away from it. Apolo Ohno talks about when failure happens, that's when it begins.
48. The Car Ride Home - Nick
November 29, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 3.72 MBThis episode is for parents and gives guidance on how to properly handle the "car ride home" after the game.
47. Practice Performing - Kristina
November 27, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.79 MBPractice, practice, practice, practice, practice. It allows you to fix mistakes, gives you time to improve, a chance to accomplish new tasks. However, do you practice performing? This podcast will teach you how to practice performing.
46. You Find What You Look For - Nicole
November 25, 2019 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.08 MBI don't care who you are, what sport you play, or how good you are - if you look for reasons to fail, you will find them. But the opposite is also true. Searching for reasons to succeed increases the opportunities for success!
45. The Better You Get, The Harder It Gets - Justine
November 22, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.93 MBAs you grow and improve in your sport or your performance, the more difficult it becomes to improve. The more elite you are, the smaller the gains are.
44. Embracing Expectations - Nick
November 20, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.05 MBThoughts on what it means to be an underdog and what it means to be a favorite as well as how to use either of those to your advantage.
43. Nerves - Kristina
November 18, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.9 MBEveryone gets nervous at some point in their lives. Nerves can be a good or bad aspect of the situation - it all depends on your perspective.
42. Shake It Off and Step Up - Nicole
November 15, 2019 10:30 - 4 minutes - 4.78 MBThis episode tells the parable of an old farmer and a mule. It will help you learn a strategy to overcome adversity.
41. Self Talk and Communication - Justine
November 13, 2019 09:30 - 4 minutes - 4.38 MBIn today's world, communication is instant. Both personal and professional, we can communicate very quickly with today's technology. However, we often neglect communicating with ourselves deliberately.
40. "Don't" Thinking vs. "Do" Thinking - Nick
November 11, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 3.1 MBResearch tells us that the human mind has thousands of thoughts per day. The Theory of Ironic Processes explains that our minds are not good at registering words like "don't". Learn how to spend more time in "do" thinking in this episode.
39. Grade of Execution - Kristina
November 08, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.96 MBThe grade of execution is a figure skating scale that ranges from -5 to +5. In this episode, you will learn how you can use the grade of execution in your life and performance.
38. Motivation Destroyers - Nicole
November 06, 2019 10:00 - 6 minutes - 6.08 MBThere are 3 factors that almost always destroy our motivation: Perfectionism, Expectations, and Comparisons. Learn about them here. This episode is from the book, "Don't Leave Your Mind Behind" by Dr. Keith Henschen with Dr. Nicole Detling.
37. Sleep and Recovery - Justine
November 04, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutes - 7.23 MBThe book, "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, MD is incredibly relevant and has powerful information. Sleep is vital to our existence. Learn the sleep stages and how they are helpful for your performance in this episode.
36. Waking Up Full of Awesome - Nicole
November 01, 2019 08:30 - 3 minutes - 3.04 MBThis podcast is the reading of a blog post written by Melissa Atkins Wardy on August 3, 2011. Great read to recognize that we are all full of awesome - and it's time to re-find that awesome.
35. The "What If" Game - Nick
October 30, 2019 09:00 - 3 minutes - 1.99 MBMany people play the "what if" game. Although it's a natural game to play, it doesn't help you perform your best. Learn 2 strategies to win this game in this episode.
34. Controllables - Kristina
October 28, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutes - 6.55 MBPutting energy into things that are out of your control is a waste of time! This episode walks you through typical performance concerns that are OUT of your control and discusses focusing on those that are IN your control.
33. Respond-ability - Nicole
October 25, 2019 09:00 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBWe are all the sum total of 2 aspects: (1) the decisions and choices we have made and (2) the things that have happened to us in our lives. Yet, we have the respond-ability for both.
32. Bucket Fillers - Justine
October 23, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutes - 6.33 MBYour bucket is your mental and emotional self. When it is full you feel good, happy, and positive. When your bucket is empty you may feel sad, depressed, and negative. Learn to fill your bucket in this episode with 4 main questions.
31. Focus Under Pressure - Nick
October 21, 2019 09:00 - 3 minutes - 1.87 MBIn an important moment, have you ever felt you lost focus in a pressure moment? This episode teaches you how to maintain your focus in any situation.
30. Descriptive Words - Kristina
October 18, 2019 09:00 - 3 minutes - 4.54 MBDefining the type of athlete or performer you want to be in the future can help you achieve just that. This helps you pour yourself into your performance and the process to achieve the results you are working for!
29. Self Talk - Nicole
October 16, 2019 09:00 - 8 minutes - 7.5 MBDid you know that at any one moment we can only have 1 thought in our heads? Learn the 3 types of self talk and how to use the 1 thought at a time deliberately to improve your performances.
28. Swallow the Frog - Justine
October 14, 2019 09:00 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBDo you have a tendency to want to put difficult things off until later? This episode is based off a quote by Mark Twain, "If the first thing you do in the morning is eat a live frog, you can go through the rest of the day knowing the worst is behind you."
27. Mental Check-Ins - Nick
October 11, 2019 08:00 - 3 minutes - 2.13 MBHow to mentally check-in with yourself to identify what you may need in any moment of your performance.
26. Quote of the Day - Kristina
October 09, 2019 09:00 - 4 minutes - 5.28 MBA quote of the day can be a powerful motivator. Perhaps you use the same quote or you may use a different quote each day. Regardless, you can use quotes to get you moving!
25. SENS - Nicole
October 07, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutes - 7.1 MBIn order to master your craft, you must first master your self. This includes taking care of the foundation by doing what makes SENS. This episode walks you through SENS and gives tips for taking care of each aspect.
24. Importance of Reflection - Justine
October 04, 2019 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.83 MBThe importance of reflection cannot be overstated. We often neglect reflection because we get so busy with our lives. However, self-reflection is one of the best ways to create self-awareness and live a more positive life. Learn 3 specific ways reflection can help you in this episode.
23. Preparation for Competition - Nick
October 02, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutes - 3.29 MBHow are you preparing for competition? When practice and competition are vastly different, athletes tend to not compete as well as they would like. Learn strategies for best preparing yourself for all that may happen during a competition.
22. Role Models - Kristina
September 30, 2019 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.87 MBThis episode discusses role models, their importance, and their impact on your life and performance.
21. Opportunity Is All Around You - Nicole
September 27, 2019 09:00 - 2 minutes - 2.7 MBThis episode is about the poem, "Opportunity Is All Around You" by Max Steingart (2005).
20. Competence vs. Confidence - Justine
September 25, 2019 06:00 - 4 minutes - 3.36 MBCompetence vs. Confidence. Ability vs. Belief. What is the difference? How do they impact performance? The answers are found in this episode.
19. How to Manage Mistakes - Nick
September 23, 2019 06:00 - 4 minutes - 2.86 MBWe all make mistakes. How well you perform partly depends on how well you handle those mistakes. Learn strategies to handle them effectively in this episode.
18. Body Posture - Kristina
September 20, 2019 06:00 - 3 minutes - 4.11 MBYour body posture makes a difference in your mental toughness. Using power stances can help you "fake it until you make it" and improve your outlook on the world.
17. How to the Now - Nicole
September 18, 2019 08:30 - 5 minutes - 4.39 MBThe most important play is always this next play. Right here, right now. The problem is we often think about the outcome we want rather than focus in on what we are doing in this moment. Using the "how to the now" technique can help you focus on what's most important - THIS play.
16. Pressure is a Privilege - Justine
September 16, 2019 06:00 - 2 minutes - 2.32 MBPressure is a privilege - it only comes to those who earn it. - Billie Jean King Normalcy doesn't cause pressure, excellency does. After all, it takes pressure to create diamonds.
15. How to Manage Comparisons - Nick
September 13, 2019 06:00 - 5 minutes - 3.17 MBLooks can be deceiving. Sizing up your competition may not be the most beneficial tactic in some cases. Learning how to manage those natural comparisons in this episode.
14. Be Here Now - Kristina
September 11, 2019 06:00 - 4 minutes - 4.59 MBIt is very easy for your thoughts to wander quickly and your focus to shift in and out of what task you are currently working on. Using the phrase / technique "Be Here Now" can help increase your awareness of the present task.
13. Motivation vs. Commitment - Nicole
September 09, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutes - 5.54 MBEveryone talks about wanting to increase their motivation, but that's not what is most important. Commitment is the key to action when motivation isn't there.
12. Playing Small Does Not Serve the World - Justine
September 06, 2019 06:30 - 2 minutes - 2.24 MBWe are all meant to shine. And when we do, we give others permission to do the same. Share your strengths and talents with the world!
11. Developing Confidence in Sports - Nick
September 04, 2019 05:30 - 5 minutes - 3.04 MBResearch tells us where we can find and develop confidence in sports. This episode discusses those sources of confidence.
10. Performance Curse Words - Nicole
September 02, 2019 09:00 - 8 minutes - 8.3 MBThe language we use when performing can be beneficial or detrimental. Learn the 4 performance curse words here as well as how to correct them to optimize your opportunities for success.
9. Parents Support Your Athletes - Justine
August 30, 2019 06:00 - 5 minutes - 4.7 MBIn the episode, Justine discusses how parents can best support their athletes. No matter what you may know about the sport your kids play, you are their PARENT first - and they may not want to hear your coaching advice.
8. The New You - Kristina
August 28, 2019 05:30 - 3 minutes - 3.74 MBA follow-up from the previous episode (#7 - The Old You), in this episode you will learn how to redefine and recreate the way you look at and approach future challenges. All through a simple sentence....
7. The Old You - Kristina
August 26, 2019 05:00 - 6 minutes - 6.95 MBThe Old You is defined in this podcast as everything in your life up until this moment shapes who you are now. What do you do with that? What do you take with you going forward? How do you distinguish between what you take with you and what you leave behind? These questions and more will be answered through this episode.