In Part 2 of this conversation, the tables are turned as Phyllis Borenstein interviews David Sammel about the lessons he's learned from decades of coaching elite athletes and navigating high-pressure environments. David reflects on career-defining moments, the opportunities he wishes he’d pursued, and why growth often comes from embracing uncertainty rather than avoiding it.

Together, they explore resilience, decision-making under pressure, emotional control, the importance of perspective, and the value of compartmentalizing challenges without ignoring them. David also shares the story behind writing his book, his move from the UK to Florida, and why family, purpose, and long-term fulfillment ultimately shape the biggest decisions we make. This thoughtful conclusion offers practical insights for leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, and anyone striving to perform at their best.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Connect with Phyllis:

⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠

Stay connected with David:

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram

In Part 1 of this conversation, David sits down with South Florida real estate expert Phyllis Borenstein to explore what it takes to build a career that lasts. Drawing on decades of experience, Phyllis shares how relationships, consistency, and a passion for helping people have been the foundation of her success in an ever-changing industry.

Together, they discuss overcoming self-doubt, building confidence, creating daily systems for success, handling pressure with composure, and why personal growth never stops. Whether you're in real estate, business, or simply looking to perform at a higher level, this episode is packed with practical lessons on mindset, resilience, and long-term success. Stay tuned for Part 2, where the conversation continues from the other side of the microphone.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Connect with Phyllis:

LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

Stay connected with David:

⁠Website⁠, ⁠Podcast⁠, ⁠Instagram

In this solo episode, David Sammel explores one of the most overlooked challenges of leadership and high performance: losing access to your best thinking when pressure hits. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience coaching professional athletes and leaders, David explains why clarity isn't something you find in the moment—it’s something you prepare for long before the pressure arrives.

Using stories from both the locker room and the boardroom, David shares a practical approach to staying focused when your mind starts to race. Rather than trying to force calm in high-stakes situations, he argues that the key is having a simple plan you can return to when the noise takes over. This episode is packed with practical insight for leaders, athletes, and anyone who wants to perform at their best when it matters most.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Stay connected with David:

Website, Podcast, Instagram

In Part 2 of their conversation, Navid Nazemian turns the tables and puts David Sammel in the hot seat to explore the mindset, habits, and decision-making processes that separate sustained high performers from those who struggle to maintain success.

Drawing on decades of experience coaching elite athletes, including Olympians, David shares why decisive action often matters more than perfect decisions, how prolific winners continue evolving after major achievements, and why tying your entire identity to performance can become a hidden trap. Together, David and Navid dive into leadership, pressure, ambition, and the mental habits that help high performers continue growing long after their biggest victories.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Connect with Navid:

⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Website⁠

Stay connected with David:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠

Part 1 of David’s conversation with Navid Nazemian explores leadership, pressure, resilience, and the mindset required to navigate major life and career transitions. From leaving Iran at 13 years old to building a global executive career, Navid shares the defining experiences that shaped his approach to growth, adaptability, and high performance.

David and Navid also discuss emotional control under pressure, trust inside leadership teams, meditation, decision-making, and why past success never guarantees future success. A thoughtful and practical conversation for leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating change.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Connect with Navid:

LinkedIn, Website

Stay connected with David:

⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠

In this solo episode, David Sammel reflects on the reality of growth, change, and stepping into discomfort — both personally and professionally. Nearly six months after moving from the UK to Florida after 46 years, David shares the emotional side of starting over and why meaningful transitions often take longer and feel harder than we expect.

He also opens up about exciting new chapters ahead: launching his first Florida masterclass, continuing to develop his AI digital brain, and evolving the future of the podcast itself. After five years of weekly episodes, David explains why he’s shifting to a biweekly format to create deeper conversations that genuinely help high performers move forward. Honest, thoughtful, and grounded, this episode is a reminder that uncertainty and growth often arrive together.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Stay connected with David:

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠

In this solo episode, David Sammel explores why confidence often becomes more fragile as we improve. Through relatable examples and practical insight, he explains how high performers can become trapped by perfectionism and lose sight of how far they’ve already come.

David shares a powerful mindset shift: instead of focusing on what’s missing, learn to build on the success you’ve already created. This episode is a reminder that mistakes are part of growth, progress matters more than perfection, and maintaining perspective is one of the keys to long-term confidence and performance.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Stay connected with David:

⁠Website⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠

In this second part of the conversation, David and Millie Rajecki explore the mindset required to perform under pressure and keep improving at the highest level. Drawing from lessons inspired by Richard Krajicek, they break down why success isn’t about having a perfect game—but about building a winning “package” around your strengths, while learning to reframe failure, handle setbacks, and trust your ability to cope with challenges.

Meet my guest

Millie Rajecki is a rising British tennis player known for her resilience, self-awareness, and competitive mindset. With experience in both collegiate and professional tennis, she offers a grounded perspective on growth, handling pressure, and navigating the ups and downs of the sport.

🎙️ Locker Room Power with David Sammel

Mindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.

👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.

Connect with Millie Rajecki:

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

Stay connected with David:

Website, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook

She wasn't the chosen one. Nobody predicted she'd make it this far.Milly Rajecki went from barely playing singles in college to competing at Wimbledon two years in a row. In this episode of Locker Room Power, David Sammel sits down with Milly to unpack the brutal truth behind what it really takes to turn pro.0:00, The Hook: "It's a pretty brutal journey."0:51, Who is Milly Rajecki? Her story from Nottingham to Wimbledon.2:19, How tennis shaped her as a person, not just a player.3:52, "You're a loser every week." The truth about pro tennis.5:01, The difference between analysing a loss and just dwelling on it.7:23, Winning streaks: the real secret to climbing the rankings.8:10, who inspired her to make the sacrifices necessary to go pro.10:28, Why she was never "the chosen one" and how she defied everyone.13:41, The summer that changed everything: 7am sessions in 35-degree heat.17:15, When should you invest in a full-time travel coach?19:31, David's advice for any 16-year-old who wants to play pro tennis.22:31, Milly's two superpowers on court.25:54, How she went from being fearful of pressure to thriving under it.28:07, CLIP MOMENT: Pressure points mean you are winning.🎙️ Locker Room Power with David SammelMindset and leadership for high performers from an Olympic-level coach.👇 Subscribe for weekly episodes that go inside the locker room.🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.Connect with David:WEBSITE:INSTAGRAM:Millie RajeckiINSTAGRAM: #lockerroompower #tennispodcast #protennis #davidsammel #tennismindset #womentennis #tennismotivation #itftennis #wimbledon #mentaltoughness #tenniscoaching #athletemindset #collegetennis #tennislife #highperformancemindset #sportspodcast #tennisplayer #tennistraining #tenniscommunity

Stop blaming your talent for your lack of results. Most high-performers are putting in the effort, but they’re missing the architecture to sustain it.The Transformation:In this solo episode, David Sammel pulls back the curtain on the 5 massive mistakes he’s been making and reveals the "Performance System" shift that separates elite athletes from everyone else. Whether you’re on the court or in the boardroom, learn why you need a plan before you need a player.Key Takeaways:The Talent Myth: Why 35 years in pro locker rooms proved that "not being good enough" is rarely the problem.Architecture vs. Effort: How to stop "improvising" under pressure and start executing a pre-planned system.Clarity Before Action: The exact framework David is using to overhaul his own performance standards.Timestamps:0:00, The Hook: "I’ve been doing this wrong."0:30, Why hard work alone fails.1:05, The job of a High-Performance Coach.4:49, The danger of "interesting discussions" vs. great content.6:17, CLIP MOMENT: You are running a performance system.7:23, The real gap: It’s almost always a system.Connect with David:WEBSITE: INSTAGRAM: