Finding Your Endurance Mindset

In this episode, I share the story of my athlete John, who went from a first-time Ironman finisher to qualifying for the World Championships at Ironman Arizona—PR’ing by over 3 hours in just 7 months.

John’s journey is proof that belief isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build. When he started, John didn’t see himself as a competitive athlete. But through consistent training, mindset work, and a willingness to embrace discomfort, he became the athlete he always had the potential to be.

This isn’t just a story about triathlon. It’s about the power of mindset, trusting the process, and staying open to the possibility of becoming more than you see right now.

💡 Key Takeaways from the Episode:

• Why belief is built through evidence, not hope.

• How to borrow belief from others (like a coach) when yours isn’t fully there yet.

• The importance of trusting the process, especially when stepping into discomfort.

• Why mindset is as critical as training in achieving your full potential.

John’s transformation wasn’t just physical—it was mental. By the end of Ironman Arizona, he wasn’t just racing; he became the athlete he always had the potential to be.

Whether you’re chasing a PR, striving for a new milestone, or tackling something big in life, this episode will inspire you to go all in and start building belief in what’s possible.

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Adventures: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

Do you let your yes be yes? Do you go all in on big goals not just when it is easy but when it is hard, when it takes weeks, months, or years to achieve? Saying yes to something isn't just about ticking off a box. It is doing what it takes with effort, intensity, and focus that is required to make it a yes. In this episode, Jennifer talks about how you can let your yes be yes and build that pattern and trust with yourself so when you say you are going all in, you go all in!

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coachinghttps://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Athlete Camps and Trips: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

You are not what you think. Creating space between you and your thoughts is a foundation of all mindset, self-development, AND great performances. In this episode, Jennifer gives 4 techniques you can use to create space between you and the choas of your thoughts today.

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

2025 Trips and Camps: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

The Men's Ironman World Championships was a sufferfest and a day of core belief validation. When you race, you have the choice of which core self-beliefs you validate. Do you validate beliefs that make you stronger or ones that restrict you? Watching friends and athletes race in Kona last week, it was so clear to see the athletes that validated beliefs that made them stronger ones that made them weaker. When shit gets real, you have a choice to decide which of your core beliefs you want to validate, and that choice matters!

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Mindset plans: https://www.findingendurance.com/mindsetplans

Travel 2025 Adventures and Camps: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

Do you live in a Comfort Container? A comfort container is when you limit what you allow yourself to experience to limit your exposure to intense feelings you are afraid of experiencing. The problem is when you limit your experiences to avoid "negative" feelings, you limit your experiences of "positive" feelings, too. The comfort container is proportional. When you are in your comfort container, you might feel safe, but often, it leads to being stuck, meh, and spinning your wheels. It blocks new possibilities and will keep you from reaching and achieving your big goals. Jennifer shares more about the comfort container and how to let it go in this episode.

2025 Adventure Travel: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Mindset Plans: https://www.findingendurance.com/mindsetplans

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

Are you putting your dreams/ desires/ wants in your real life or in your "someday life?" Your someday life is a vague holding pattern where you place what you really want in a place that you never actually take action on achieving. In this episode, Jennifer talks about how to evaluate your someday life and make it part of your real actual life!

2025 Athlete Travel Trips: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Website: https://www.findingendurance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

On this episode, Jennifer shares her experience racing Ironman Worlds in Nice France. She talks about her race, the course, and how she put together a magic race where everything all came together on race day. She shares her insight into limiting beliefs that came up for her on race day and how she adjusted her mindset to allow her to run a 20-minute marathon PR.

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

2025 Trips: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Website: https://www.findingendurance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifervollmann/

Jennifer discusses how to build your mindset going into a challenge that pushes you outside the “comfort box” and when faced with imposter syndrome.

It is totally normal to have feeling of unworthiness and thoughts of being an imposter before we take on something big, like a world championship race, or a new sport, or setting a big goal in business. 

The problem is when you keep the thoughts of being an imposter on repeat and take action from unworthiness. The result will be you proving to yourself you do not belong there. And that doesn't get you anywhere!

I talk about more ways to break out of imposter syndrome, stop comparing yourself with others, and build stories that help you take on big challenges. I also share my race mindset going into the Ironman World Championship in Nice.

Check out these other episodes for mindset and racing:

Episode #4: No Plan B

Episode # 7: 5 Mindset Must Dos to Kick Ass

Episode #15: Swissman and Shit that scares you mindset

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Mindset Plans: https://www.findingendurance.com/mindsetplans

Travel: https://www.findingendurance.com/travel

Fear loves friends! When we are afraid we want everyone else to be afraid too! When we convince others to share our fear, we feel validated and now have more permission to be even more afraid. It is a double win for the brain.

Fear chatter really snowbowls before big races as it tries to suck everyone in to its energy suck.

But you do not have to buy into the fear chatters. You cannot control the unknown. Buying into the fear chatter only drains you. The only thing you can control is yourself.

Learn how to stay out of the fear chatter and what to do if you are stuck in it!

Race Visualization: https://join.findingendurance.com/racevisualization

Travel Mindset: https://join.findingendurance.com/travelmindset

Mindset Plans: https://www.findingendurance.com/mindsetplans

Coaching: https://www.findingendurance.com/coaching

Oh the mind drama!

The back and forth in your brain. The what ifs, the should haves, could haves. 

Mind drama is here to stay. No matter how amazing your mindset toolbox is, we will have chaos in our thoughts. 

And that is a good thing!

Mind drama is from the push and pull of our primitive hard wiring and desire to be more.

Humans exist today because we seek pleasure, avoid pain, and are efficient with our energy (the motivational triad). We will have that wiring, it is not going anywhere, even though our world has evolved past its need for survival. In fact, much of our society is created to cater to this hard-wiring.

We are pushed daily to seek our motivational triad.

And we are pulled for more. We are pulled to be more, to show up more, to be more of ourselves at our best. 

It is this push and pull that creates the mind drama. If you are an athlete, then you confront this every single day.

What happens is we think that if we just didn't do that hard thing. Or back off of our goals by 50% or stop being an athlete.. Then the mind drama will stop.

But it doesn't.

There is no escape. The push of the motivational triad will not go away neither will be pull to be more.

So then, if there is no peace on the couch…

Why not go for it? 

If there is no escape from the chaos, if there will always be mindset work to do then I would I would much rather be out there fighting for more than on the couch wishing for more.