Mental Training Lab

Today, we’ve got Dr. Adrian Ferrera (@dradrianferrera) in the lab, and I couldn’t be more excited. As you’ll hear soon - Adrian and I go way back, and it was amazing to get to hear so many amazing and applicable tools from an old friend. Adrian spent a lot of time unpacking the power of self-regulation, how awareness acts as the first step of the mental training journey, and how he gets parents and coaches to be his greatest ally as he’s working with teams and athletes. 

I got ahead of myself though. Who is Adrian? Adrian’s a licensed professional counselor and performance consultant. He’s directed both mental health and performance services at the University of Washington, Auburn, and West Virginia University, and before that he worked with US Army special operations at Fort Bragg. Look, he’s the real deal, having worked with pros, national champions, and world champions. He’s now ventured into the world of executive coaching. Simply put, he’s great at what he does, and he shared a ton of it with us today. To connect with Adrian, visit www.dradrianferrera.com!

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Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
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This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.  

Today’s episode is going be a short exploration of our most important resource, which is the combination of time and attention. We’ll start with a short thought exercise, talk about the implications of low quality attention, and then wrap up with how you can be training your attention starting today. 

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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.  

My guest today is Dr. Jesse Michel. Jesse helps lead the Performance Psychology Program at Deloitte, where his team provides support and services to over 8500 principals, partners, and managing directors across the US. Previously, he spent four years as the mental skills coordinator for the Houston Astros, and another four years before that as the Lead Master Resilience Trainer at the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Training Center. Simply put, he has a diverse background and a sharp skillset, and he poured out a ton of pearls of wisdom in this conversation! 

In this episode, Jesse shares how he has changed his mind to focus more on the environments we create. He riffs on the art and science of coaching, providing some actionable tools for anyone in leadership positions to use, and then closes with a discussion of how important high quality attention is to peak performers across disciplines.

You can find more of Jesse here:

Jesse on LinkedIn

Jesse on Twitter

Mindset for Excellence

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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.  

Mace and Travis Macy join me today for a really special episode. Their new book, A Mile at a Time, is a well-written and unapologetic look at one family’s experience with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Travis and Mace use humor, vulnerability, and channel their willingness to do the hard, important things, to share the highs and lows of their journey.

Oh… and in case you didn’t know, both of these gentlemen are powerhouse ultra-endurance athletes! In fact, Mace and Travis, a year after Mace’s diagnosis, tackled Eco-Challenge Fiji - appropriately dubbed the World’s Toughest Race… a 10 day, 417 mile race over mountains, rivers, swamps, and oceans. Travis (@travismacy) has finished over 130 ultra-endurance races, and held the record for the Leadman Challenge (if you don’t know… you absolutely have to look it up).

Mace (@mmacy146) is one of the OGs from the ultra-endurance world, having competed in everything from the Ironman Triathlon to the Leadville 100, and participating in all eight of the original Eco-Challenge races. Both the book and this interview have a ton of teachable moments, and it was a privilege to spend time with both of these guys. I know, without a doubt, you’ll enjoy this one. 

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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.  

In today’s episode, Raymond Prior (@bts_mindset on twitter) comes back to tackle some of the common myths we hear in the performance psychology world. Honestly, one of my favorite games it so poke the bear and see if I can get Raymond riled up, and so I tossed him some cliches to see what would happen. I tried - and failed - to make this a lightning round… and the truth is there was a lot to dig into as we discussed things like “Just be positive” and “fake it til you make it”. Raymond’s book, Golf Beneath the Surface, is now available anywhere you find your books, and is worth the time if you take performing your best seriously! 

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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.  

Throughout the ages, there are a number of myths that invoke this image.  A commander and their army step onto foreign soil, and knowing that they are outmatched by the enemy, the commander makes a daring choice.  The army is ordered to burn their boats, leaving only two choices: victory or death.

Today's short episode examines the relationship between commitment and trust and how they're critical for our capacity to perform our best when it matters most. As always, there's also a quick discussion of how to train these qualities so you  can have access to them consistently!

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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.  

This is part 2 of my interview, Cam Smith (@camfromcb). If you missed his first episode, it’s definitely worth checking out, and as a quick refresher, Cam is a world-class ski mountaineer and trail runner. He’s an 11 time US Skimo national champion, and 5 time north American ski mo champion. Cam holds the course record for the three largest skimo races in the US, the Power of Four, the Grand Traverse, and the Gothic Mountain Tour. He’s the first American man to finish top-10 in a skimo world cup race, with his 3rd place finish in Andorra earlier in 2022. He’s won a long list of trail running races as well, and has qualified for the Mountain and Trail Running World Championships in Thailand this year.

Today, he talks about the benefits of being a two sport athlete, exploring the dark moments in endurance sport (and how to plan for them), and why blending motivations can make you a better competitor.  

To round it out, he shares a wicked reflection tool that has helped him squeeze a lot of extra growth out of each race. What really stands out throughout is that Cam is a dual threat and has found a way to be both a (great human being + elite performer). 

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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’s guest is Cam Smith (@camfromcb). Cam is a multi-sport monster, especially in ski mountaineering and trail running. A quick list of his accomplishments. He’s an 11 time US Skimo national champion, and 5 time north American ski mo champion. Cam holds the course record for the three largest skimo races in the US, the Power of Four, the Grand Traverse, and the Gothic Mountain Tour. He’s the first American man to finish top-10 in a skimo world cup race, with his 3rd place finish in Andorra earlier in 2022. He’s won a long list of trail running races as well, and has qualified for the Mountain and Trail Running World Championships in Thailand this year. In the first part of a double episode, he shared his key mental skill (reframing), his own personal antidote to burnout, and we got to spend a lot of time exploring the balance between performance paradoxes like:

• The Rigidity of Planning — The Adaptability of Acceptance
• Outcome — Process

This episode was packed with a ton of detail when it comes to the nuts and bolts of mental performance, and it was a special treat to catch up with Cam!

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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 I’m going to spend some time looking at why challenge, or difficulty, or discomfort, is an essential ingredient for both performing our best under pressure AND continuing to improve relentlessly. I’ll also break down the concept of the Zone of Tolerable Discomfort, what gets in the way of getting uncomfortable on purpose, and what you can do to leverage challenge more effectively as a performer.

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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.  

This episode is round 2 with Dr. Raymond Prior (@bts_mindset on Twitter). This is an extension of our marathon recording session, and builds off of episode 22. During this portion of our chat, Raymond spends a lot of time clarifying The Three Pillars of Mindfulness:

• Intention
• Groundedness
• Acceptance (specifically why acceptance is a superpower)

We also discuss two specific mindfulness practices. Both single point attention practice and open awareness practice. Whether you’ve meditated for a while or are interested in dipping your toes into the mindfulness pond, this is the episode for you!

Like the episode? Have any questions? Want to let me know what else you're interested in? Drop me a line @alldaydr.k

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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.