General

As parents, coaches, and caregivers, we all have certain expectations for our kids in sports. Sometimes, they will exceed those expectations. Other times, they won’t meet our expectations. It’s truly a roller coaster of emotions. The way to keep this all in perspective is with a few general mental principles that I’ll share with you…

Parents, coaches, and caregivers are role models. They make sacrifices with their time and money to organize travel, pay for equipment, and put their whole heart into rooting for their kids.  More than just providing an opportunity for play, parents, coaches, and caregivers of elite level athletes create and model a lifestyle of fitness and…

In sports, we often hear many parents and coaches encouraging kids to “try harder.” And while this is generally noble advice, it actually is possible to try too hard in sports. In athletics today, young athletes are often encouraged to do it all. To be great on defense, to hustle, to score, you name it!…

In my experience, there are three phases of thought-development throughout the lifespan: Tabula Rasa, Adolescent Identity Formation, and Self-Actualization. Stage #1: Tabula Rasa  The first phase is the Tabula Rasa phase. Tabula Rasa means “blank slate” in Latin. The term is often first associated with philosopher, John Locke. As humans, we are all born a…

“You need to hustle more! “You can’t just stand around watching!” “Don’t be lazy out there!” We’ve all head sports parents say these things to their kids (or worse!), and while well intentioned, phrases like these often do more harm than good. Instead of telling a kid what to do, here’s a script to try…

The Hawthorne Effect Is the “Hawthorne Effect” ruining your remote work culture? In the 1920s, researchers at the Hawthorne Works factory found that productivity spiked whenever workers were observed. The conclusion? People perform better when they feel noticed and valued. Fast forward to 2026, and the Hawthorne Effect has gone digital -but with a dangerous…

In sports, we hear coaches say that “the game is 90 percent mental,” and yet, ironically, 100 percent of practice time is dedicated to developing an athlete’s physical abilities. Unfortunately, this exclusively physical, overly traditional approach neglects the core aspect of what it is to become an elite athlete: Mental Fitness. Intuitively, we all know this.…

Problems are the Byproduct of Blessings I often watch the show “Frasier.” It’s comfort TV for me when I’m unwinding at night… In the last episode of the series, after 11 years of dealing with his father’s ugly chair ruining the vibe and decor of his apartment, he finally gets to replace the chair with…

The World Health Organization classifies burnout by three signs: exhaustion, mental distance from the job, and reduced performance. The roles that keep surfacing share four conditions: long hours, high emotional demand, low control over the work, and regular exposure to crisis or trauma. There is no single official ranking of which jobs burn people out…

With most professional speakers, that’s all of you get… a speech…. But here at Mental Fitness LLC, we don’t just offer speeches, we provide roadmaps. For every talk that we give, we provide:  – A one hour call to discuss and assess the needs of the organization and customize the talk based on those needs …