Athlete Builder

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What does it take to not quit when everything in your body is telling you to? Retired Navy SEAL Jeff Gum has the answer — he made it through Hell Week while fighting rhabdo, and he's spent the decades since turning that resilience into a teachable system.

In this special edition of Office Hours, Jeff and Jim Beebe go deep on the mindset behind unbreakable performance: making the single decision that removes every other decision, controlling the controllables one evolution at a time, training the "monkey mind," knowing when to persevere versus pivot, and building confidence the only way it's actually built — through reps.

If you coach, compete, or lead, this one's a clinic on the mental game.

Key takeaways: • "Take away your ability to quit" — make the one decision that settles all the others • Be trained enough to live in thrive mode — but never quit when you're forced into survival • Control your effort, attitude, and the next rep; release everything else • You are not your first thought — the thought about the thought is who you are • Confidence isn't given, it's earned in reps — do the mental work first, then go get it

Resources & links: • Mental Edge Academy: https://www.aea-neuro-fitness-academy.com • Book a call: https://calendly.com/jimbeebe/aea-mea • Free Hell Week guide: 〔link〕 • Watch on YouTube: 〔episode link〕 • Jeff Gum / Sunga Life: 〔link〕 • Gates of Fire (Steven Pressfield): 〔link〕 · Athlete Builder (Jim Beebe): 〔link〕 • Follow: @athletebuilder

Same Genetics. First-Round Pick Brother. Zero Excuses. | Brennan & Jake Thieneman

Athlete Builder Podcast · Brennan & Jake Thieneman · All In Performance · Mindset · Football · Walk-On

EPISODE SUMMARY "Jake sat down in the Giants locker room after a decade of maxing out everything he had. Saquon Barkley sat across from him. He watched him run. And he knew — with total peace — that if he had another decade, he still couldn't touch that level."

Brennan and Jake Thieneman walked on at Purdue. Nobody handed them anything. They became starters, Big Ten honorees, and team captains. Their younger brother Dylan just got drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bears.

Same family. Same genetics. One of them is an NFL first-rounder. And their response to that? "We can't use the genetics excuse. He has the same parents we do."

Brennan and Jake now run All In Performance, an online coaching operation built around the same principles that got two walk-ons to the top of a Big Ten program. In this episode, Jim, Brennan, and Jake go deep on wasted potential, the walk-on mindset, how to mentally prepare for a physical game, what happens to your identity when football ends, the difference between saying "I'll try" and actually going all in — and why fitness, health, and wealth are infinite games you never stop playing.

Plus: Jake signs with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent, sits across the locker room from Saquon Barkley, watches him run, and is completely at peace with where he is. That's what maxing out looks like.

KEY LESSONS 1. You can't use the genetics excuse when your brother proves it doesn't matter Dylan Thieneman was drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bears. Brennan and Jake walked on at Purdue. Same parents, same household, same genetics — and there's an order of magnitude between them athletically. Jake's point: "If Brennan and I had folded, there might be some negative feelings there. But that doesn't come from 'he got more.' It comes from 'I didn't do everything I could with what I was given.'" 2. Nothing is more disappointing than wasted potential Jake and Brennan weren't the most gifted players on their team — not even close. But they saw physically elite players who never touched the field. The gap between your current level and your ceiling is almost always wider than the gap between your ceiling and someone else's. Most people are nowhere near their potential and blaming the wrong thing for it. 3. "Try" is not a strategy Brennan calls out one of the most common performance killers: "I'm going to try to eat better. I'm going to try to get in full workouts this week." His challenge: what would you think of a coach who said "we're going to try to win tonight?" The word "try" is a built-in exit. Replace it with "I'm going to find a way." 4. Fitness, health, and wealth are infinite games Jake breaks down finite vs. infinite games: a football game has an end point, a winner, rules. Fitness doesn't. There's no moment where you've won and you're done. The goalpost always moves. Because it's an infinite game, the goal isn't to win — it's to keep playing. And if you're going to keep playing, you have to play it at a level you won't regret. 5. Maxing out means you can sit across from Saquon Barkley in peace After a decade of intentional training, Jake signs with the Giants as an undrafted free agent. He watches Saquon Barkley run and knows in his bones that if he had another decade, he still couldn't reach that level. And he was completely okay with it — because he'd done everything. That's what a clean conscience looks like when you've genuinely emptied the tank. 6. Mental preparation for a physical game starts Monday — not pregame Going into a Wisconsin-style run-heavy game, Brennan and Jake didn't just flip a switch on Saturday. Mental reps in bed the night before. Film study. Visualizing every play. And a physical week of practice — actually thudding, not just soft wrapping. You always play like you practice. A soft week makes a soft game. 7. Your identity has to survive the jersey coming off Brennan's counter-intuitive take: he was most confident in himself after football ended — not during. Because he knew he'd emptied the tank. He didn't attach his identity to "football player." He attached it to the type of person football made him. When the sport ended, that person remained. The next chapter starts from there. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro — Brennan & Jake Thieneman, All In Performance, Purdue walk-ons 1:45 Favorite away venue — Brennan: Penn State Mid-play, you could feel the roar of 110,000 people 3:10 Favorite away venue — Jake: Nebraska 90,000 people going completely silent when Purdue scored 5:15 Iowa's pink visiting locker room — and why it backfired They wanted you to come out soft. You used it as fuel instead. 8:55 Wisconsin, Jonathan Taylor & Brennan's play of the game Taylor's third fumble of the night — on his senior night 11:45 How to mentally prepare for a physically brutal game It starts Monday, not Saturday 14:00 Backup QB destroys your game plan — and it happened three times 35:15 Walk-on to captain: the math on how rare that is 22% of 2% are starters. You were all-conference. Do the math. 37:10 Dylan gets drafted first round by the Chicago Bears — same genetics, zero excuses The most powerful moment in the episode 41:00 Nothing more disappointing than wasted potential Most gifted guys who never touched the field 42:20 Jake signs with the Giants — sits across from Saquon Barkley After a decade of maxing out, he watched Saquon run and was completely at peace 44:45 Jim's Hudson River swim — 15 months of prep, swim buoy falls off, pulled from the race Raised $700K for the military. Nobody died. He's at peace with it. 51:10 "Try" is not a strategy — find a way What would you think of a coach who said "we're gonna try to win tonight?" 53:25 Finite vs. infinite games — why fitness and health never have a finish line 55:00 Post-football identity — how do you stop putting on pads? Brennan was most confident after football ended, not during 1:01:00 Astronaut alcoholism, win the day & Jim's son Jack at Ball State 1:10:00 Steroids, peptides & the nitrous analogy You can't hit nitrous at the start of the race 1:13:20 Rapid fire: training music, favorite lifts, bucket list adventures 1:15:20 Movies, athletes, book recs & the Bible 1:19:40 Batman, Joker, Henry Ford quote — and the Purdue blacksmith statue Every swing of the hammer forges you closer to who you're becoming 1:25:25 Where to find Brennan, Jake & All In Performance + closing HASHTAGS #AthleteBuilder #AllInPerformance #ThienemanBrothers #WalkOn #PurdueFootball #ChicagoBears #DylanThieneman #WastedPotential #MaxYourPotential #MindsetMatters #WinTheDay #INCHES #FiniteVsInfinite #FootballMindset #BigTen #NFL #PerformanceCoaching #AthleteTransition #FindAWay #MentalToughness #SaquonBarkley #NewYorkGiants

What First Responders, Pro Baseball Players & Busy Athletes All Get Wrong About Food | Megan Lautz

Athlete Builder Podcast · Megan Lautz, RD · Nutrition · First Responders · Performance · Lifestyle

EPISODE SUMMARY "You're not gonna run a pediatric code and come back to the station wanting a salad. That's just not how humans work."

Most nutrition advice assumes you work nine to five, sleep eight hours, and have twenty minutes to meal prep. Megan Lautz built her career around everyone that doesn't.

Megan is a registered dietitian, founder of Rescue RD, and one of the team dietitians for the Baltimore Orioles. She has spent nearly a decade in the trenches with firefighters, police officers, and first responders — the population that nutrition science almost entirely ignores. She was recently at the FDIC in Indianapolis presenting at workshops and live podcasts, and she has a book on the way through Fire Engineering.

In this episode, Jim and Megan dig into the real reason willpower fails on shift work, why your pre-workout is a lie, what an applesauce pouch has to do with MLB performance, how to build a go-bag that actually keeps you from destroying the vending machine at 9pm, and why eating a closed-pantry donut and eating an open-counter donut are two very different experiences — according to actual research.

This one is practical from start to finish. No perfection required.

KEY LESSONS 1. All-or-nothing thinking is the #1 nutrition killer First responders and athletes alike fall into the same trap: either they're perfect or they've completely given up. Megan's entire approach is built around rejecting that binary. The goal isn't perfect eating — it's making a better bad decision every time. Cut three Bangs down to three Monsters and you've already cut caffeine in half. That's the win. 2. Carbs before your workout aren't optional — they're fuel The single biggest mistake Megan sees from first responders to MLB pitchers is showing up to training or game day having skipped carbs. Caffeine kills the feeling of fatigue but provides zero performance energy. Carbs do the actual work. An applesauce pouch 15 minutes before training — and 30–60g of carbs per hour during longer sessions — can dramatically change what your body can push through. 3. Your environment is making your choices for you A study at OSU fire stations found that when treats were put behind a closed door and healthier options were placed in plain sight, firefighters ate an additional pound of produce per shift. Nothing else changed. What you see first, you eat first. Make the good choice obvious. Add friction to the bad one. This is Atomic Habits applied to the kitchen counter. 4. Sleep deprivation rewires what you eat and how much Trauma exposure, interrupted sleep, and chronic stress don't just make people tired — they change the brain's relationship to food. Cravings shift toward salty, fatty, high-calorie foods. Willpower tanks. Portion control disappears. And two measured drinks reduces sleep quality by nearly 40%. Megan's approach accounts for this rather than pretending it doesn't exist. 5. The go-bag solves the 9pm fridge raid A non-perishable snack bag stocked with protein, carbs, and electrolytes (protein bars, jerky, tuna packets, applesauce pouches, dried fruit, Cheerios) keeps you fueled between meals so you don't arrive at dinner having not eaten since noon and eat everything in reach. Works for first responders, athletes, parents running kids to practice, realtors, anyone living in a van on schedule. 6. 40% of first responders have a sleep disorder. 80% don't know it. A lot of the nutrition problems Megan sees — chronic fatigue, energy drink dependency, overeating — have an upstream cause that isn't food. Sleep disorders are radically underdiagnosed in the first responder population. Sometimes the fix isn't a go-bag. It's a sleep test. 7. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care Megan's quote for the episode cuts to the core of why behavior change fails. Rapport isn't soft — it's the mechanism. Whether you're a dietitian, a coach, a parent, or a teammate, the technical advice doesn't land until the relationship is real. Meet people where they're at. Then move them. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro — Megan Lautz, Rescue RD, and the Baltimore Orioles 2:10 FDIC Indianapolis — what happens when you put 40,000 firefighters in one city Scooter injuries included 4:00 Baltimore Colts trauma and why the Colts are last on Megan's list Still too soon, apparently 5:30 Soccer, lacrosse, track — and failing as a group fitness instructor three times Too intense for beginners. First responders were a better fit. 7:30 Why nutrition advice ignores first responders entirely 10:15 All-or-nothing: the mindset that tanks nutrition before it starts 12:30 Shift families, $2-a-head dinners, and why you're eating the donut Social dynamics are nutrition strategy 14:00 Binge eating, trauma, and what happens after a pediatric code 15:30 Friction: introducing the water between drinks concept 16:00 The OSU fire station produce study — closed door, one pound more per shift The most actionable nutrition research in this episode 19:30 Alcohol and sleep: 40% quality reduction at just two drinks And why "day drinking" is the actual medical advice 22:00 Carbs before training — and why pre-workout is lying to you 24:30 The applesauce pouch protocol: timing, amounts, and alternatives Getting MLB pitchers and firefighters off pre-workout with fruit 26:30 Protein during training — when it works and when it backfires The strongwoman Gatorade + vanilla protein creamsicle story 29:50 Why Megan got into nutrition — ADHD, a drill-sergeant gym teacher, and not wanting to touch ankles 31:40 Working with people who don't want to listen — and why Megan specializes in exactly that 33:50 Don't start CrossFit and count macros at the same time Why overwhelming people guarantees failure 35:30 Sleep disorders in first responders: 40% have one, 80% don't know 36:30 The go-bag: what's in it, why it works, who it's for 38:30 Training style, bodybuilding, hypermobility, and nearly competing in bikini before falling on ice 40:15 Keri Strug, broken ankle, 1996 Olympics — Jim's favorite sports moment 44:20 Rapid fire: books, heroes, villains, bucket list, and Simone Biles 47:00 Quote, where to find Megan & closing CONNECT WITH MEGAN LAUTZ 📸 Instagram: @rescue.rd 🎵 TikTok: @rescue.rd 💼 LinkedIn: Megan Lautz RD 🌐 Rescue RD (firefighter & first responder nutrition) LISTEN TO ATHLETE BUILDER 🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@Athlete-Builder 🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/34QCcodvAqAgj7iwk3tdrj 🍎 Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/athlete-builder/id1715521920 📻 Amazon Podcasts: music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5583cce-62bc-4611-ab54-ff367f41632d/athlete-builder ATHLETE BUILDER 🌐 athlete-builder.com · 📸 @athlete_builder · ✉️ [email protected] 📘 Buy the Book: a.co/d/9xiGOWQ 🎓 Courses: athlete-builder.com/courses 🧠 Book a Game Plan Session: link.closersoftware.com/widget/bookings/ab-gameplansession 🎤 Speaking: athlete-builder.com/speaking 📰 Newsletter: athlete-builder.com/newsletter AEA MENTAL EDGE ACADEMY — SUMMER BOOTCAMP OPEN NOW 🧠 theaeainstitute.com · ✉️ [email protected] #AthleteBuilder #NutritionForAthletes #FirstResponderFitness #FirefighterNutrition #RescueRD #PerformanceNutrition #SportsDietitian #MealPrep #NutritionTips #AthleteNutrition #MindsetMatters #WinTheDay #INCHES #MentalEdgeAcademy #BaltimorOrioles #MLBNutrition #ShiftWork #GoNutrition #CarbsAreNotTheEnemy #FuelToPerform #AtomicHabits #BehaviorChange #HighPerformance #FirstResponders #RegisteredDietitian

Athlete Builder Podcast | Episode #140 Midnight Practice, Broken Wrists & All-American: The JB Baker Story

He broke a bone in his wrist two weeks before Nationals. Didn't tell a soul. Then competed anyway — and became an All-American.

Justin "JB" Baker is an elite hammer thrower, former college football player at Northern Iowa, high school coach in Kansas City, and mental performance coach with the AEA Mental Edge Academy. His story doesn't start with a scholarship or a throws coach — it starts with a belt, an uncle, and a shot put ring where nobody taught him anything. So he listened to every coach on the sideline, stole every cue he could, and built himself piece by piece into one of the best throwers in the country.

In this episode, Jim and JB go deep on what actually separates elite athletes from everyone else — and it's not talent.

What you'll learn in this episode:

— How JB used visualization, kinesthetic rehearsal, and audio cues to train through three simultaneous injuries and still compete at the national level

— Why he drove his truck onto campus at midnight, parked in the grass, and used the headlights to practice — and why he kept doing it every year after that

— The math behind becoming an All-American: how JB and his coach reverse-engineered exactly what it would take and built the entire training plan backward from that number

— Why cracking the national top 10 almost ended his career — and the lesson his coach had to scream at him in front of the whole team

— The psychology of pain avoidance vs. reward: why athletes work harder to avoid losing than they do to win, and how to use both levers

— What the Blue Angels, Mike Tyson, and Brian Dawkins all have in common when it comes to pre-performance mindset

— How to build momentum when everything is going wrong — and why "I'll be right as right" changed JB's relationship with adversity

This episode is for athletes, coaches, parents, and competitors who want to understand what mental performance actually looks like when the stakes are real, the body is broken, and quitting would be the easy choice.

Timestamps 0:00 — Intro & how JB came to Mental Edge Academy 1:30 — Football or track? JB makes his call 4:00 — The controlled chaos of throwing sports 7:30 — Shot put, discus, hammer — ranked and explained 11:00 — Dr. Zach Riley & the physics of throwing 14:00 — How JB got into throwing: a belt, an uncle, and a ring in Kansas City 18:00 — Career-ending wrist injury — and he still competed 20:30 — From injured to All-American: the math, the method, the mindset 25:00 — Visualization, audio cues & kinesthetic rehearsal 31:00 — The midnight practice story 34:00 — The art of momentum in mindset training 37:00 — Carrot and stick: why people avoid pain harder than they chase wins 43:00 — Stacking wins — from making your bed to breaking records 45:00 — The lesson that cost JB a national championship 50:00 — John Gruden, perfect walkthroughs & building a culture of fundamentals 53:00 — Rapid fire: music, movies, heroes, villains & favorite lifts 56:00 — Rugby, the All Blacks & why the Haka is on Jim's gym wall 58:00 — Book rec, closing quote & where to find JB

Connect with JB Baker Instagram: @justinbaker_9010 Facebook: Justin JB Baker TikTok: @justinbaker

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Episode Summary

In Episode #139 of the Athlete Builder Podcast, Jim Beebe sits down with Shelton Bynum, Director of Football Strength & Conditioning at Colorado State University and former Division 1 football player at UNC Chapel Hill.

Shelton shares powerful insights on what separates average athletes from elite competitors, including the mindset shifts required to move from high school football to Division 1 and ultimately to the NFL. He discusses intentionality, sacrifice, accountability, leadership, and the importance of culture in elite programs.

The conversation dives into locker room brotherhood, the psychology of performance, NIL and transfer portal challenges, mental toughness across generations, and what today's athletes must do to stand out in an increasingly distracted world.

Shelton also gives a behind-the-scenes look at college football culture, game-day environments, player development, leadership standards, and how championship programs create accountability from the top down.

This episode is loaded with practical wisdom for athletes, coaches, parents, strength coaches, and leaders looking to build elite habits and championship culture.

Key Lessons & Takeaways 1. Elite Athletes Live With Intentionality

At the highest levels, talent alone is never enough. Shelton explains that athletes must become intentional with every rep, recovery session, meal, study session, and practice. Elite performers don't drift through the day — they attack it with purpose.

2. Sacrifice Separates Good From Great

The jump from high school to college football requires sacrifice:

• Better sleep
• Better nutrition
• Better preparation
• More discipline
• More recovery
• More consistency

Elite athletes willingly give up comfort to pursue greatness.

3. Culture Is Built Through Consistency

Shelton emphasizes that culture is created by consistent standards and messaging:

• Accountability
• Effort
• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Leadership by example

Everything matters — from cleaning up the locker room to moving weights correctly.

4. Leadership Requires Courage

True leaders:

• Hold teammates accountable
• Communicate directly
• Stand out from the crowd
• Do extra work
• Accept discomfort

Leadership is not popularity — it's responsibility.

5. Today's Athletes Struggle With Instant Gratification

Shelton and Jim discuss how younger athletes often:

• Want results too quickly
• Fear failure
• Avoid standing out
• Resist long-term development

Elite athletes trust the process and stay committed when progress is slow.

6. Brotherhood Is Still Football's Greatest Gift

Beyond wins and losses, Shelton says football's greatest value is the lifelong brotherhood built through shared struggle, adversity, competition, and sacrifice.

Episode Chapters 00:00 – Intro & Chad Coy Stories 02:15 – What Shelton Loves About Football 06:55 – The Power of the Weight Room 11:05 – Why Game Day Is Different 14:00 – Craziest College Football Environments 19:30 – Mindset Shifts From High School to College to NFL 27:30 – NIL, Money & Financial Literacy 31:00 – Transfer Portal & "Portal Pain" for Coaches 37:30 – Building Culture & Leadership Standards 44:50 – Mental Toughness Across Generations 52:00 – Winning a National Championship as a Coach vs Player 54:45 – Favorite Music, Movies & Athletes 59:45 – Book Recommendations & Leadership Growth 1:04:00 – Favorite Lift: Zercher Squats 1:05:00 – "Grown Man Habits & Behaviors" 1:06:00 – Final Thoughts & Closing

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WIN THE DAY 💪

Episode Summary

In Episode #138 of the Athlete Builder Podcast, Jim Beebe sits down with strength coach Pete Remmes to discuss the realities of athlete development from youth sports all the way to the NFL.

Pete shares his journey from playing football in Maine to Springfield College, then working at powerhouse programs including Florida State, Texas A&M, Iowa, Indiana, and in the NFL with the Bills and Giants before returning home to help athletes through Schofield Sports Performance.

The conversation dives deep into:

• the difference between talent and long-term development,
• why discipline beats motivation,
• how small daily habits compound into elite performance,
• why modern youth athletes are often underdeveloped physically,
• and how mindset ultimately determines who survives adversity and who folds under pressure.

Pete also discusses the instability and pressure of high-level college athletics, the importance of resilience, and why helping young athletes grow now provides more fulfillment than chasing wins at the college and NFL level.

The episode is packed with practical lessons for coaches, parents, athletes, and anyone interested in long-term performance development.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro & Mental Edge Academy 02:00 Pete's Athletic Journey 05:00 Transition to College Football 08:00 NFL & College Coaching Lessons 12:00 Talent vs Work Ethic 16:00 The Slight Edge Philosophy 20:00 Youth Athlete Development 25:00 Confidence Through Training 28:00 Coaching Instability in College Sports 33:00 Big-Time College Football Atmospheres 36:00 Building a Growth Mindset 41:00 Athlete Buy-In & Development 45:00 What Pete Misses About College Football 48:00 Rapid Fire Questions 50:00 Final Thoughts & Contact Info

Connect with Pete Remmes

Instagram: @petermmes Schofield Sports Performance: https://www.schofieldsports.com

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WIN THE DAY 💥

What separates good golfers from elite performers?

In Episode #137 of the Athlete Builder Podcast, I sit down with PGA Professional Greg Towne, Head Coach of Indiana State Women's Golf, to break down the mental, emotional, and performance demands of elite golf.

From competing at the highest levels to coaching future pros, Greg shares what it really takes to succeed—not just physically, but mentally.

We dive into:

• Why golf is one of the most mentally demanding sports in the world
• How to handle pressure, distractions, and emotional swings
• The importance of routine, journaling, and reflection
• Why discipline and focus—not motivation—separate pros from amateurs
• How athletes can create an edge through preparation and attention to detail
• The truth about goal setting vs. process-driven growth

One of the biggest takeaways:

"If you know the right path but won't take it because it's hard… that's the difference."

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Greg Towne Background 01:15 – The Masters, Tiger vs Jack & Golf Greatness 02:30 – Best Courses in the World & Unique Experiences 04:00 – Pressure in Golf: Why "Easy Shots" Become Hard 05:50 – Mental Games & Subtle Competitive Edges 07:15 – Coaching Philosophy: Taking Control & Building Confidence 09:30 – Coaching Women vs Men (Emotional Regulation) 11:00 – Mindset: You Can't Control Emotions—Only Regulate Them 12:30 – Golf's Unique Mental Challenge (Time Between Shots) 14:30 – Resetting Your Mind During Competition 16:30 – Coaching on the Course & Real-Time Development 18:00 – Learning from Experience & Journaling for Growth 21:00 – Player vs Coach Success: Impacting Lives 22:30 – Goal Setting vs Process & Staying Curious 26:00 – The Discipline to Change & Improve 28:30 – Playing in the U.S. Open & Visiting the White House 30:30 – Coaching Elite Players vs College Athletes 32:00 – What Separates Pros Mentally 34:30 – Environment, Focus & Eliminating Distractions 37:00 – Extreme Focus & Learning Faster 39:00 – Sacrifice Required for Greatness 40:00 – Nutrition Then vs Now in Golf 42:00 – Training Without Distractions (State-Based Performance) 43:00 – Travel, Bucket List & Experiences 44:30 – Favorite Sports & Athletes (Michael Phelps Insight) 46:30 – Book Recommendations for Athletes 48:30 – Strength Training & Golf Performance 50:30 – Favorite Quote: Discipline & Hard Choices 52:00 – Where to Find Greg Towne 53:00 – Closing Thoughts

🧠 Lessons & Takeaways

• Golf is a mental marathon – most of the game happens between shots
• Emotional regulation > emotional control
• Discipline and focus beat talent alone
• Journaling accelerates growth and learning
• Preparation creates confidence under pressure
• Distractions destroy performance at elite levels
• Curiosity + work ethic = long-term success
• The best athletes eliminate noise and simplify their process

🏆 For Coaches & Athletes

If you want your athletes to:

• Stay composed under pressure
• Build consistent routines
• Improve focus and discipline
• Develop a championship mindset

Then you need more than physical training…

You need a mental performance system.

🚀 Work With Us

👉 Schedule a call to learn about the Mental Edge Academy Summer Bootcamp 👉 Or reply directly to get more info

👉 Join our SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/athlete-builder-6593/about

📩 Email: [email protected]

📲 Connect with Greg Towne

Indiana State Athletics: https://gosycamores.com Email: [email protected]

🔗 Athlete Builder Links

AEA Institute: https://www.aea-neuro-fitness-academy.com/

🎧 Podcast Platforms

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Athlete-Builder Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34QCcodvAqAgj7iwk3tdrj Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/athlete-builder/id1715521920 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b5583cce-62bc-4611-ab54-ff367f41632d/athlete-builder

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What does it take to build a champion's mindset?

In this episode of Athlete Builder, I sit down with Briggs Pittman—former 82nd Airborne soldier, national-level jiu-jitsu referee, and elite-level competitor—to break down what separates average athletes from those who win at the highest level.

This conversation goes way beyond sports.

We dive into:

• How elite performers train their minds under pressure
• Why discipline beats motivation every time
• The difference between being a champion… and having a champion mindset
• How to stay calm when everything is falling apart
• The role of fun, consistency, and environment in long-term development
• Why your past can either fuel you… or destroy you

One of the most powerful takeaways:

"There's nothing bad that can happen… if you learn how to shift it into something positive."

WE ARE BUILDING MORE TO HELP YOU. WE ARE STARTING OUR SKOOL COMMUNITY.

Connect with us here. And I will work with you and upload all lessons discussed the last 5 years. We are holding nothing back.

https://www.skool.com/athlete-builder-6593/about

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Guest Background (Briggs Pittman) 01:30 – Winning vs Coaching vs Refereeing at the Highest Level 03:00 – Training Systems: Why Repetition Builds Confidence 07:00 – Military Mindset & Airborne Training Lessons 12:30 – Applying Structure to Fighter Development 16:30 – Coaching Athletes: Balancing Strengths vs Weaknesses 18:30 – Motivation, Discipline & Making Training Fun 21:30 – Using Your Past as Fuel (Not an Excuse) 25:00 – What is a Champion's Mindset? 29:30 – Core Values: Discipline, Leadership & Protection 34:30 – Humor, Team Culture & Building Community 35:30 – Hunting, Endurance & Mental Toughness 41:00 – Handling Pressure & Fatigue in Extreme Situations 49:00 – Marriage, Energy & Channeling Drive 50:30 – Sleep, Recovery & Mental Reset Strategies 56:00 – Music, Training Tempo & Performance 57:30 – Rapid Fire (Movies, Books, Heroes, Quotes) 01:02:00 – Bucket List & Life Philosophy 01:04:00 – Where to Find Briggs + Closing Thoughts

🔥 Key Lessons for Coaches & Athletes:

• Consistency > intensity
• Systems remove pressure
• Discipline builds everything else
• Mindset determines how far you go

📲 Connect with Briggs:

Instagram: Briggs_Pittman YouTube: Briggs Pittman

📩 Contact:

[email protected]

Ohio State Football Coaches Clinic Takeaways | Leadership, Culture & Mental Performance (Episode #135)

What does it actually take to build an elite program?

In this solo episode of the Athlete Builder Podcast, Jim Beebe breaks down his experience at the Ohio State Football Coaches Clinic (4/16/26-4/18/26)—one of the most respected coaching events in the country. From Ryan Day's leadership framework to John Gruden's high-energy coaching insights, this episode is packed with real-world lessons that coaches, athletes, and leaders can apply immediately.

🔑 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Why elite programs over-deliver (and why it matters)

Ryan Day's 5 C's of Leadership: Connection Character Competence & Consistency Courage & Resilience Communication

How Ohio State maintains culture despite 50% roster turnover

Why leadership is behavior—not a title

The importance of "Fight" and "Tough Love" in team identity

John Gruden's approach to energy, teaching, and attention to detail Why mental performance training is the missing piece for most teams Lessons on professionalism, accountability, and relationships

🧠 Big Takeaways:

Culture > Talent

Details win games

Feedback drives growth

Leadership must be seen, felt, and heard

Mental performance is essential—not optional

🚀 For Coaches & Athletic Directors

If you want to bring these same principles into your program, check out the Mental Edge Academy Summer Bootcamp.

👉 Email: [email protected]

👉 Learn more: Athlete Builder / AEA Institute

🎧 About Athlete Builder

We help athletes and teams build:

Mental toughness

Leadership skills

Consistency under pressure

Because performance starts in the mind.

👍 Like, Subscribe, and Share if you're serious about building better athletes and stronger teams.

🔗 Train Your Mind. Build Your Edge. AEA Institute (Mental Performance Training):

👉 https://www.aea-neuro-fitness-academy.com/

🎧 Listen to the Athlete Builder Podcast

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Email: [email protected]

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Train at Unbreakable Athletics Academy (Plainfield, IN): https://unbreakableathleticsacademy.com

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❤️ Support Our Mission We proudly support: Military Breast Cancer Awareness Disadvantaged Youth

👉 https://theufoundation.square.site

💥 WIN THE DAY!

What does it really take to compete at the highest level in college cheer?

In this episode, we sit down with Jena Robinson, Head Cheer Coach at Marian University, to break down the physical, mental, and emotional demands of competitive cheer—and why it might be one of the most underrated sports out there.

From two-minute routines under pressure to building a culture rooted in trust, resilience, and accountability, Jena shares what it takes to prepare athletes for the big stage—and for life beyond it.

We dive into:

• How competitive cheer is scored (and why execution matters more than you think)
• Handling pressure, anxiety, and high-stakes performance
• Building a strong team culture in a high-trust sport
• Why "pressure is a privilege"
• The role of strength & conditioning in injury prevention
• Lessons athletes carry into life after sports

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or parent, this episode is packed with insights on mental performance, consistency, and resilience.

⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Background 03:00 Welcome to College Moment 08:20 Nationals Preview & Team Goals 12:40 How Cheer is Scored 17:00 Pressure & Performance 23:20 Handling Adversity 30:00 Culture & Accountability 36:40 Building Something Bigger Than Yourself 44:30 Failure & Growth Mindset 50:00 Execution vs Difficulty 58:00 Personal Insights & Favorites 01:02:20 Where to Find Jena

💬 Key Quote: "Consistency doesn't guarantee success—but inconsistency guarantees failure."

📚 Book Mentioned: Atomic Habits – James Clear

🔗 Connect with Jena: Instagram: @MarianCompetitiveCheer LinkedIn: Jena Robinson

—

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

#AthleteBuilder #Cheerleading #MentalPerformance #Leadership #Resilience #CollegeSports

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• Buy the Athlete Builder book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9xiGOWQ
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WIN THE DAY!