Down 40 Love with René Vidal

“Even though I’m down 40 love, I’m not out yet. There’s an opportunity to win the next point.”—Dr. Brian Hainline

Dr. Brian Hainline is a leader in the arena of sports medicine—his groundbreaking leadership as the first Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to athlete safety and well-being.

I’ve wanted to meet Brian for decades, ever since I was a sport science intern in USTA Player Development—Brian’s name was popping up everywhere as a keynote speaker and I was like, “Who is this guy?”

Trust me, the wait was worth it as Brian shares his expertise on mental health, resilience, self-talk, and much, much more. We had a great time, enjoy the show.-René Vidal

5 BIG IDEAS FROM DR. BRIAN HAINLINE

• “The most important word in all of performance for life is periodization.”
• “Coaches are the single most important influence in an athlete’s life.”
• “One of the most important things a coach can do for their athlete is help them learn self-compassion.”
• “Ultimately, coaches are in the human development business.”
• “The greatest legacy for me would be that people look at me and see me as a great husband, a great father, and a great grandfather.”

SHOW NOTES

• Brian defines mental health (00:21)
• “Elite athletes are human beings.” (01:35)
• The resilience of Steffi Graf and Michael Phelps (03:33)
• Brian on the power of periodization (06: 15)
• How coaches shape the environment (09:54)
• Mental Health First Aid (13:19)
• Developing the Self-Talk Edge (21:02)
• Brian on legacy and Nelson Mandela (24:25)

Connect with Brian Hainline: Website | LinkedIn | NYU

Connect with René Vidal: YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram

This episode of Down 40 Love with René Vidal answers the following questions and more:

• What is the art of reframing?
• How do we turn adversity into competitive edge? •
• The magic question every champion is not afraid to ask. Top Takeaways from Derek: 1. Reframing is looking at any adversity as an advantage. 2. Reframing is taking anything that initially seems horrible and making yourself ask the question, “What’s great about this?” 3. Keep asking. Brainstorming is all about not stopping at the first, second, third, or fourth answer—you keep going until you reach out into the ridiculous. Coach Vidal’s Match Point: Reframing is about positive change. Any time a professional sports team hires a new coach, or a company brings on a fresh CEO, the goal is to better shape the narrative, plan, and focus of the organization. As leaders, we are in the reframing business. Our mission is to find the light in dark situations and to build a bridge for people who want to create a new picture of success and fulfillment. 4 Keys to Reframing to Win 1. Don’t beat yourself up when things don’t appear to be going your way. 2. Seek out wise counsel and sage advice. 3. Have a growth mindset. Ask, “What can I learn from this?” 4. Develop the ability to accent the positive and flip setbacks into bouncebacks.

About:

Derek Sivers is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, known for his surprising quotable insights and pithy succinct writing style. Formerly a musician, programmer, TED speaker, and circus clown, he sold his first company for $22 million and gave all the money to charity. Derek's books (Useful Not True, How to Live, Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, Anything You Want) and newest projects are at his website: sive.rs.

René Vidal is a 7-time NCAA championship coach at Boise State, Colgate, Mississippi State, and McKendree. The 2022 GLVC Coach of the Year, Vidal currently serves as head coach at national powerhouse NIU men's tennis. As creator of the brand Down 40 Love (a metaphor for turning adversity into competitive advantage), Vidal hosts the Down 40 Love Podcast and is the author of Down 40 Love and Execute to Win. Visit www.renevidal.com.

This episode of Down 40 Love with René Vidal answers the following questions and more:

• What are limiting beliefs?
• How do limiting beliefs hold us back from being our best selves?
• What can I do to eradicate a limiting belief?

Top Takeaways from Derek

1. Limiting beliefs feel true but are not actually true.

2. Social realities are presented as absolute realities, but they are not—they’re just norms or beliefs.

3. Problem: People are not really living the life they want because they’re being held back by limiting beliefs that feel real.

4. Solution: Deliberately choose beliefs that serve you well.

René Vidal’s Perspective

Limiting beliefs are lies that people tell themselves. These falsities disempower, disengage, and ultimately distract you from realizing your true potential.

As a coach, I come across many athletes who carry heavy, debilitating negative stories:

• “I always buckle under pressure.”
• “My backhand will never be any good.”
• “I don’t know what to do.”

My job is to help athletes and high performers write a better story.

Because even if you have evidence that supports your limiting beliefs, the negative story is not useful. We must create a more empowering narrative.

About:

Derek Sivers is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, known for his surprising quotable insights and pithy succinct writing style. Formerly a musician, programmer, TED speaker, and circus clown, he sold his first company for $22 million and gave all the money to charity. Derek's books (Useful Not True, How to Live, Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, Anything You Want) and newest projects are at his website: sive.rs.

René Vidal s a 7-time NCAA championship coach at Boise State, Colgate, Mississippi State, and McKendree. The 2022 GLVC Coach of the Year, Vidal currently serves as head coach at national powerhouse NIU men's tennis. As creator of the brand Down 40 Love (a metaphor for turning adversity into competitive advantage), Vidal hosts the Down 40 Love Podcast and is the author of Down 40 Love and Execute to Win. Visit www.renevidal.com.

Damon Lembi serves as CEO at LEARNIT, a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million individuals over three decades. A former baseball player at Arizona State who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves, Damon is a 2x bestselling author, speaker, and host of the Learn-It-All podcast.

On this episode of Down 40 Love, Damon shares leadership lessons learned as former division 1 athlete turned technology business CEO.

DAMON LEMBI'S 3-STEP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

STEP 1: WORK REALLY HARD.

Be the first player on the field.

STEP 2: ENGAGE IN DELIBERATE PRACTICE.

Work on the stuff that's really important.

STEP 3: LET IT GO.

Gert out of your comfort zone by doing it and learning from it.

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www.renevidal.com Speaking Inquiries: [email protected] | [email protected]

In this micro-episode, Coach Vidal shares how going all in on your goals is the key to maximizing your potential.

Jack Graham K.C., ICD.D, LLD is a senior partner and Board Chair at McInnes Cooper , which is among the 25 largest law firms in Canada and the largest in Atlantic Canada. Twice named “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jack is also a Past Chair of the Board of Tennis Canada and serves on the Board of the International Tennis Federation. In 2020, Jack was chosen to be inducted into the Tennis Canada Hall of Fame as a Builder. Jack is also the Founder and Chair of the Board of the Sobeys Atlantic Tennis Center.}

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In this episode of Down 40 Love, I sit down with visionary mega-lawyer and Tennis Canada Hall of Famer Jack Graham to explore the intersection of passion, leadership, and relentless focus. Jack opens up about his involvement in the exponential growth and unprecedented success of Tennis Canada, and why tennis is the healthiest sport in the world.

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JACK'S WINNING QUOTES

Resilience

Stick with your vision, be stubborn and resilient, even when you’re getting hit by some toughness.

Positive Teamwork

I don’t have a lot of time for negative energy. I have a lot of time for people who are visionary, passionate, and committed.

Giving Back

Everybody involved in a sport that’s changed their lives has an obligation to give back whether you are Roger Federer or are a local club person. You have an obligation to give to someone else what they’ve given to you.

JACK'S LEADERSHIP PLAYLIST

1. Create a compelling vision.

2. Articulate your vision.

3. Apply relentless focus.

4. Have the courage to do things differently.

5. Be strategic.

6. Surround yourself with committed, positive people.

7. Be resilient.

8. Work hard.

9. Model good values.

10. Expect people to live by high values.

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www.renevidal.com | [email protected]

In this episode of Down 40 Love, guest Peter Georgescu shares how he went from a Soviet-style labor camp in Romania, to first-class education at Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton University, and Stanford University, and continued on to Young & Rubicam where he rose through the ranks to become Chairman and CEO.

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www.petergeorgescu.com

www.renevidal.com

In this episode of Down 40 Love, Chicago dealmaker, entrepreneur, and social activist Lou Weisbach shares how he built HA-LO Industries into the world's largest promotional products company, his thoughts on the value of resilience, and why now is the time to create true unity in the United States of America.

Culture is not only important internally, but it’s also important externally," says Clark Hill Law's Jon Vegosen on René Vidal's Down 40 Love Podcast.

In this episode, Jon shared his thoughts on culture, leadership, and how to build a lasting legacy through a mission of service.

5 Culture Takeaways:

1. Create transparency and fairness.

2. Inspire a sense of purpose.

3. Invite new ideas.

4. Learn by osmosis.

5. Provide first-rate service and advice.

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René Vidal

www.renevidal.com

CEO DOUG CONANT ON YOUR LEADERSHIP BLUEPRINT

Doug Conant played division 1 collegiate tennis at Northwestern before serving in the corner office as President at Nabisco, President and CEO at the Campbell Soup Company, and Chairman at Avon Products. Today, Doug serves as founder and CEO at ConantLeadership, a mission-driven community of leaders and learners who are championing leadership that works in the 21st century. To learn more, visit https://conantleadership.com.

In this episode of Down 40 Love, former Campbell Soup CEO Doug Conant shares leadership insights from his life story and bestselling book, “The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights.”

www.renevidal.com | Connect with René on LinkedIn