Ever wonder how groundbreaking discoveries like penicillin, Post-it Notes, microwaves, and Teflon came to be? Believe it or not, they all started as accidents. But it wasn’t just luck—it was the mindset behind the scenes that transformed these unexpected outcomes into revolutionary innovations. Today, I’m going to equip you with tools to make this mindset a consistent habit.

We’re diving deep into how cultivating a spirit of curiosity and embracing incremental gains can lead to massive improvements in both your personal and professional life. I’ll discuss the importance of feedback loops, self-reflection, and the necessity of staying playful and experimental, even in the face of rigid expectations.

By adopting a laboratory mindset, you can foster creativity, resilience, and experience the compound interest effect of small, regular improvements—transforming them into significant long-term successes. So, in the true spirit of The Lab, let’s learn how to turn your life into a playground of possibilities and accelerate your growth.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Al Lattell is a trailblazer in athletic leadership at Georgetown Athletics who is breaking the mold by pushing beyond basic leadership drills into something way bigger—building a culture that cultivates leaders for the long haul. He joined me on the show to share how he’s helping craft team cultures that set athletes up for success on and off the field.

We’ll cover everything from the power of visualization to why continuous learning and honest reflection are game-changers in leadership. So, whether you’re coaching a team, leading in the boardroom, or just hungry for some solid growth tactics, this chat’s packed with insights you won’t want to miss. So, get ready to unpack what it takes to craft a winning culture and develop true leaders, both in sports and beyond.

Al Lattell on LinkedIn

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Today, we’re zeroing in on the power of transitions—those seemingly small moments when we switch gears from work to home or task to task. Ever wondered how a simple routine could drastically enhance your day-to-day presence and focus? We’re diving deep into how mindful transitions can transform your daily effectiveness and reduce stress.

I share a clever trick my godfather used to separate his work and home life during the pandemic, and a breakthrough moment with a sprinter struggling to find his focus. Plus, I'll unpack a straightforward three-step process to master your transitions: Identify the shift, ramp up your present-moment awareness, and set a clear intention for what comes next. Whether you’re an athlete, professional, or anyone in between, you’ll discover how these small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in both performance and personal satisfaction.

Get ready to learn how to bring more intentionality and ease into every part of your day. It’s time to make those transitions work for you, not against you.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

It’s true - moments like ringing in the New Year serve as mental accounting periods that prompt us to reassess our goals and behaviors. But without taking time to slow down and process, we can lose a huge growth opportunity. I sat down with Jeff Siegel to explore the 'Fresh Start Effect,' where transitions can motivate new behaviors, and critique the consumerism and unrealistic expectations surrounding New Year's resolutions.

Jeff and I emphasize the value of taking purposeful pauses to reflect, being brutally honest with ourselves, and seeking support from our community. Tune in to discover how mindfulness and intentionality can help you navigate life’s pivotal moments and make conscious choices that lead to sustainable wellness.

Jeff Siegel | Website

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

How often do we genuinely hear what our bodies are trying to tell us, unless we're hungry or in pain? In this solo edition of the lab, you'll learn how tuning into your body with the same openness and curiosity you’d offer a close friend can elevate every area of your life—from enhancing performance and improving recovery to enriching overall well-being.

I introduce a transformative practice called pendulation—a method that teaches us to oscillate our awareness between discomfort and neutral or pleasant sensations, cultivating presence and a deeper understanding of our body’s signals. It’s not just theory; it’s a practical skill used by top performers to optimize their health and performance. Ready to reconnect with the incredible intelligence of your physical form? This discussion could be a game-changer.

If you are interested in taking this practice one step further, I’ve created a guided pendulation practice that complements the technique discussed in today’s episode. To find your free download, head to mtl.academy and check this week's show notes!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

From gold medals to career crashes, the icons have done it all. How can tapping into their experiences accelerate your journey? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Duncan Simpson and Dr. Greg Young from the Performers Podcast, a show that brilliantly mashes up sport autobiographies with performance psychology to pull out actionable insights that are as inspiring as they are instructive.

We unpack the lessons they’ve learned from the likes of Kobe Bryant to Mark Messier, and explore five key themes that have emerged from their study of the greats: resilience, goal setting, self-belief, the power of relationships, and the never-ending journey of learning. This isn’t just about sport heroes; it’s about translating their journeys into skills that can help us all to excel.

Learn how these stories can reshape our approach to challenges and redefine what it means to train for peak performance. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just a lover of great stories and psychology, this episode has something for you.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

We often hear that specialization is key, but what if there’s more growth in the gray areas than we realize? In this solo episode, I’ll explore the transformative power of stepping outside our comfort zones, with examples from cross-training for runners to actors taking improv classes. We’ll see how expanding our horizons can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in our primary fields of interest.

I dive back into the intriguing perspective shared by Dr. Brett Malone, a former astrophysicist turned biotech consultant, who believes that diversifying our training can dramatically enhance our problem-solving abilities and help address our blind spots. Plus, I’ll share a personal story about my high school days when I juggled wrestling with a newfound passion for hockey—a sport I was utterly unprepared for—and why it paradoxically fostered a phenomenal growth mindset.

Tune in to discover why sometimes, the best way to enhance your main performance domain is to venture boldly into new ones, and how trusting the non-linear path of diverse learning can open up new vistas of personal and professional growth.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

What’s the key to unlocking athletic potential? It’s not a paint-by-numbers approach to mental skills training! In this episode, sports psychologist Dr. Adam Naylor discusses the often overlooked foundations of sustainable high-performance mindsets. He shares the importance of flexibility, the critical role of a strong working alliance between coach and client, and how embracing the full spectrum of human experience—including stress and acceptance—can profoundly enhance performance.

You’ll learn why teaching mental skills isn’t always enough and how adopting a more holistic perspective can lead to significant breakthroughs in high-performance arenas. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or anyone interested in the psychology of performance, this episode offers essential insights into the complexities of mental skills training and the necessity of building robust, trust-filled relationships for transformative growth.

Learn more about The Mental Training Lab

Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.  

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Leveraging your mistakes to maximize your growth is one of the core skills that elite performers have to master. In this solo episode, I dive into a transformative concept that has reshaped my approach to mistakes in sports and life. By embracing our errors loudly and clearly, we shift our perspective and begin to view these moments as invaluable data points that guide our path to improvement. 

I'll break down the four pillars of this mindset: awareness, practice, reflection, and, crucially, safety. Along the way, you'll hear about a long jumper struggling to translate practice success into meet performance and why lessons from my pep band days have resonated with me for decades. This episode is an invitation to  step through fear and embrace the messiness of growth with courage and curiosity.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

After a near-fatal fall that could have ended her career, trail running legend Hillary Allen not only returned to the sport she loves but also expanded her athletic pursuits into gravel biking with Scuderia Pinarello. Today, she joins us to explore the depths of resilience and recovery, and what it really looks like to bounce back.

With her master’s degree in neuroscience and physiology, Hillary offers a unique blend of personal experience and scientific insight into mental toughness and the psychology of endurance sports. You’ll learn how embracing challenges can transform adversity into life’s greatest victories, and gain practical lessons on maintaining balance and finding joy through the toughest trials.

Learn more about Hillary Allen Instagram | Website
Purchase Out and Back

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify

This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.