Main Topics Discussed:

• The mental performance mastery required to summit the world’s highest and most dangerous mountains
• How preparation and pre-planning for potential obstacles reduce stress and decision fatigue
• The role of fear in high-stakes environments and how to use it as a tool instead of a roadblock
• How visualization, meditation, and mantras enhance mental resilience
• The parallels between elite mountaineering, MMA fighting, and high-performance law
• The power of all-women’s teams in building confidence, support, and peak performance

Mental Performance Mastery Techniques & Strategies:

✅ Pre-Planning & Mental Rehearsal – Writing down potential risks and responses in advance to eliminate panic in critical moments. (E + R = O: Event + Response = Outcome)
✅Fear as a Companion, Not a Controller – Acknowledging fear without letting it dictate decisions, using logical risk assessment to maintain control.
✅Mantras for Mental Strength – Using positive, movement-based affirmations like “I am strong” to break negative thought spirals and reinforce confidence.
✅Visualization for Success – Mentally rehearsing successful execution of high-stakes moments to strengthen neural pathways and prepare the body for action.
✅Meditation for Clarity & Focus – Building resilience by practicing stillness, reducing stress, and improving concentration in high-pressure situations.
✅The Power of Supportive Communities – How all-women’s climbing teams foster confidence, camaraderie, and higher performance levels through oxytocin and dopamine release.

Key Takeaways – Actionable Tips for High Performers:

1. Anticipate & Adapt – Identify potential challenges, plan responses, and develop a flexible mindset to handle the unexpected.
2. Reframe Fear as Fuel – Treat fear as a passenger, not the driver; use it for heightened awareness, but don’t let it steer your actions.
3. Train Your Mind Like a Muscle – Implement daily mental training rituals such as visualization, mantras, and meditation to enhance focus and resilience.
4. Surround Yourself with the Right People – Build a community that supports, challenges, and strengthens you, both personally and professionally.
5. Let Go & Elevate – Set ambitious goals but release control over the how—trust the process, embrace growth, and welcome unexpected opportunities.

If you’re ready to elevate your mindset and push past your limits, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to share your biggest takeaway in the comments!

Resources: 
Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Lisa Thompson (Girl Friday Books, 2023)

Taylor, S. E., Klein, L. C., Lewis, B. P., Gruenewald, T. L., Gurung, R. A. R., & Updegraff, J. A. (2000). Biobehavioral responses to stress in females: Tend-and-befriend, not fight-or-flight. Psychological Review, 107(3), 411–429.

"Tend and Befriend Theory" - 2011 Update by Shelley E. Taylor, University of California, Los Angeles, to appear in A. M. van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, and E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology. Sage Publications.

Guest:
Spite drew world-class mountaineer Lisa Thompson [ website: https://lisaclimbs.com ] into the male-dominated world of mountaineering. After her first Rainier summit in 2009, she knew that she wanted more. Her drive to learn and become a more skilled climber led her to climbs all over the world. In 2015, just before her first Himalayan expedition, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her diagnosis and eventual victory over cancer led Lisa to reprioritize her life and goals. In 2018 she became the second American woman to summit the savage mountain, K2. Then in 2021, Lisa also completed the Seven Summits, successfully summiting the last of all seven of the highest peaks on every continent in the world (including Everest).

Lisa is passionate about encouraging and supporting more women to explore and gain confidence in the mountains. In 2022 she organized an all-women’s summit of Cholatse in Nepal. This climb became the foundation for future all-women’s climbs with a philanthropic focus.

Lisa is the founder and own­er of Alpine Ath­let­ics, where she coaches mountain athletes of all levels to prepare physically, mentally and tactically for their next mountain adventure. She uses her first­hand expe­ri­ence in the moun­tains to cre­ate custom train­ing plans for her clients.

Lisa Instagram: @lisaclimbs
Alpine Athletics Instagram: @alpineathletics_

Host:
With over 22 years of experience spanning law, business, and high-performance sports, Jess Sargus brings a unique, results-driven approach to coaching that’s grounded in real-world experience. Her background includes:

• Leadership in High-Stakes Legal and Business Roles: Jess has held positions such as Chief Legal Officer for a leading Southwestern law firm and Global Head of Business Affairs at Jellysmack, a $1B+ unicorn tech startup. She has also represented clients in high-stakes litigation, including appeals up to the United States Supreme Court, where she is admitted to practice.
• Elite Negotiation Skills: Jess’s work negotiating high-profile deals for Marvel Studios, Disney Parks & Experiences, and other global brands demonstrates her ability to perform at the highest level under pressure.
• Competitive Combat Sports Success: As an undefeated boxer and MMA fighter, Jess mastered the art of resilience, strategy, and focus—skills she now teaches to lawyers striving for elite performance.

This rare combination of expertise and a fighter's grit gives Jess unparalleled insight into what it takes to succeed in demanding careers while maintaining balance and fulfillment.

Are you looking for a speaker to energize and empower your organization to develop a fighter's mindset and master their mental performance every day? Or are you interested in a talk or workshop on The Green Light Method, a neuroscience- and performance psychology-based system that helps individuals and teams live and work with Fierce Agency (TM), override fear-based hesitation, rewire limiting beliefs, and take aligned, empowered action toward peak performance and purpose-driven success?

DM me today on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].

Ready to win more at trial without burnout? Limited spaces are still available to secure your own 1:1, 8-week Accelerated Trial Fight Camp.

DM me today on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].

The Legal Athlete Website: Click to learn more about engaging Jess Sargus as a speaker for your group or event, or to explore coaching with Jess Sargus to master your mindset, execute under pressure, and thrive in your career and life for the long term through science and sports psychology.  

Also, through the website, you can download a free copy of The Legal Athlete Daily Planner to help you organize and prioritize easily to grow and get better every day, practice the 6 longevity habits studies show have the greatest positive impact, and implement your Daily Glimmer habit to bring more resilience and happiness into your life. Or, download and print the 4 Steps to Elite Habits flow chart PDF for free to guide your daily and weekly elite habits. 

Music: Bounce Like This, by Wolves - YouTube ID UUFGDERWUSZ9LXWL

Ready to Fight, by Arenas - YouTube ID XKO39W3SJHGS9EKW