Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!

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:

1. The Breath Brick – how controlled breathing regulates the vagus nerve and restores focus.
2. The Reset Brick – how pros like Drew Brees and Victor Oladipo flush mistakes and get back in rhythm.
3. The Recovery Brick – why sleep, rest, and recovery are the secret advantage most athletes ignore.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you’ll walk away with real tools you can use to help your athletes perform under pressure and bounce back stronger after mistakes.

📘 Get the book Confidence on Amazon (includes free workbook download)
https://amzn.to/46RhDJJ 

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 confidence to take — and make — the game-tying shot.

Coaches will discover how to use self-schema theory to shape team culture, why body language impacts performance, focus, and even how opponents view you, and how tools like a Go-To Statement and mental reset phrases can rewire an athlete’s belief system.

Whether you’re a high school athlete, college competitor, coach, or sports parent, this episode provides actionable mental performance strategies that strengthen confidence on and off the field.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 (like the Rep Tracker and Confidence Journal), and the science behind why deliberate practice and routines create real, lasting belief.

📖 Following along with the Confidence book? Grab your copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4pfeU5a and be sure to download the free workbook that comes with it!

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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.

Inside the episode:

• Why Confidence had to be Book #1.
• The story of where this journey started.
• What the “Prime Five” are and why they matter.
• How coaches, athletes, and parents can start building confidence brick by brick.

If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete who wants to learn how to train confidence like a skill: this episode is for you.

👉 Grab your copy on Amazon: amzn.to/4lSeSNN

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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, and Starbucks, Lori and Jill know what it’s like to push limits—and what it costs when rest is ignored. They share research-backed strategies, from small weekly sleep tweaks to blackout environments, and explain why better sleep can unlock creativity, decision-making, and game-day performance.

If you’re a coach, athlete, or high-performer who wants to recover faster, think sharper, and win more, this conversation will change the way you think about rest.

Highlights:

• Why elite athletes and teams are making sleep a top priority
• The Sleep 7 Playbook: small changes that make a big impact
• How blackout & temperature regulation can transform recovery
• Why “sleep is a workout” is the message every teenager needs to hear
• Tools for coaches to integrate sleep into performance culture

Resources Mentioned:

• The Inactive Company: inactiveco.com
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker: amzn.to/4lsqDKy

🎧 Listen now: mentaltrainingplan.com/podcast

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 things feel like they’re falling apart. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent, her insight will challenge you to rethink what toughness means — and how to grow through setbacks.

Topics we cover:

• Transitioning from gymnastics to pole vaulting
• The mental side of committing in high-risk performance
• The identity crisis of injury and retirement
• Asking for help and breaking the stigma
• Her faith and mindset through four chaotic years

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 are failing when it comes to real leadership development.

The conversation dives into athlete identity, the dangers of tying your worth to your title, and the difference between feedback in football vs. feedback in business. Marc also shares tactical ways entrepreneurs and coaches can build sustainable habits using the “1% better every day” philosophy—without burning out or chasing perfection.

TimeTopic

1:10 | Marc's coaching and entrepreneurial journey

3:00 | Why he left college football despite success

5:10 | Special teams = leadership bootcamp

7:00 | The hidden culture behind Florida State’s national title

10:00 | Identity shifts and the cost of chasing success

15:00 | Why most athletes (and coaches) struggle with identity

18:00 | What business gets wrong about leadership + training

21:00 | The importance of visibility and feedback loops

25:00 | How solo entrepreneurs can use AI (like ChatGPT!) as a coach

28:00 | What “1% better every day” really means in practice

30:00 | Avoiding burnout and perfectionism through minimum standards

33:30 | Applying time + mindset management for MTP coaches

37:00 | The 3 priorities every coach-entrepreneur must schedule

40:00 | How to hold others accountable without sacrificing care

42:00 | Marc’s advice to his younger self: Be obsessively curious

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 MTP tools in sports like cheerleading, volleyball, and football
• Why every coach should have this in their toolbox — even if it’s not their main role

Whether you're a coach, trainer, or someone who wants to make a bigger impact — this episode gives you a clear picture of what’s possible when you get MTP Certified.

🔗 Apply at mentaltrainingplan.com → Click “Get Certified”

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 Certification different from any other mental training program
• How certified coaches are using this to serve athletes in their schools or build their own coaching business
• What tools, training, and support you’ll walk away with
• And why now is the best time to join the mission

Whether you’re a trainer, team coach, AD, or just someone who wants to make a lasting impact… this is the launchpad you’ve been waiting for.

🔗 Learn more or apply at mentaltrainingplan.com → Click “Get Certified”

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 bottom. This episode is a must-listen for athletes, coaches, and anyone trying to rise from a setback.

Highlights include:

• The story behind “Alive Day” and what it means to Dave
• Why purpose makes discipline effortless
• How to win the mental game before the race even begins
• The role of faith in high performance
• Why your comeback is always stronger than the setback

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams