Hey everybody, welcome back to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host, Riley Jensen, and today we are talking about time travel, and how it should be considered an addiction of sorts.

Let me ask you something:

Right this moment, where are you? Where is your mind right now?

Is it replaying a moment you wish you could redo?

Or fast-forwarding to a future outcome you're anxious about?

You’re not alone.

Our minds are expert time travelers. It’s actually what sets us apart from the animals.

In any given moment, we’re can either drifting into the past… or sprinting ahead to the future.

Now, here’s the problem with that:

When we live in the past, it often sounds like a your favorite country song, the words usually include:

"Woulda. Coulda. and Shoulda.”

I call that Uncle Rico Syndrome—you know, the guy from Napoleon Dynamite still stuck reliving high school football highlights and missed chances.

On the flip side, when we jump too far into the future, we run into “What if?” anxiety:

What if I’m not good enough?

What if I blow my opportunity?

What if I my boss doesn’t like my idea?

Sound familiar?

Let me give you a picture.

It’s the 1980 Kentucky Derby.

Two horses—Great Prospector and Golden Derby—are neck and neck. They’re flying down the final stretch.

Suddenly, Great Prospector leans over... and bites the other horse. You can look this up online, it’s fascinating.

Guess who won?

Not the biter.

Golden Derby did.

Why?

Because he stayed focused.

And focus wins.

So here’s the principle: We give power to what we focus on.

If you're focused on distractions—

like our past mistakes and our future fears—you give those things power over your present moment.

Let me say this clearly:

Your body lives in the present. So should your mind.

You can’t make plays from the past. And you can’t win a game that hasn’t happened yet. Your power lies in the present moment.

But—what if we could use the past and future intentionally?

In the perfect scenario, your focus is like driving through the canyon.

You glance at the rearview mirror to stay aware.

You glance at the peaks ahead to know where you’re headed.

But you drive looking through the windshield at the road! —in the present moment.

So here’s a ratio that works:

5% past. To learn.

5% future. To plan.

90% right here, right now.

That way, your lessons from the past and dreams of the future can shape your actions without running you off the road.

Can I get personal for a second?

When I was stuck in the past, buried in regret, or angry, my mom would look at me and say:

“Time to pull out the windshield wipers!”

And she’d literally make a swiping motion with her fingers and go,

“Erase, erase... move forward.”

I still picture it today when I catch myself slipping….

When I was overwhelmed with the future, worried about what might happen, my grandma would just say:

“Let’s cross that bridge when you get to it.”

That line used to frustrate me... until I realized she was right.

Because most of the things we worry about?

They never actually happen.

If you're chasing success—on the field, in business, in life—

stop time traveling.

There’s no power in “what was” or “what if.”

The magic happens in the right now.

And if you forget that… just pull out the windshield wipers.

Let me leave you with a few questions. My experience is that the great one’s ask great questions.

What’s your version of a mental “windshield wiper?”

Will you tag a teammate who helps you stay present?

Will you drop a thumbs up emoji in the comments if this hit you at just the right time?

Let’s get after today, one present moment at a time.

🎙️ Episode Title: Treat Triumph and Disaster the Same

Let me take you back to a football film session in college. These were not always the easiest meetings, but they were definitely fundamental to our progress.

We were reviewing a 3rd-and-5 play. I threw the ball. Receiver catches it. Converts the first down. He stands up and pounds his chest a few times toward the crowd.

Click. Coach Uperesa freezes the film.

He points. “What is that?”

A few guys chuckle. Until we saw his eyes.

“What… is… that?”

Silence.

Then he lit into us.

“You’re gonna pound your chest for doing what you’re supposed to do? You’re gonna bring attention to yourself because you executed your job?”

And then came the line that changed me:

“This team has never been, isn’t now, and never will be about you.”

That moment hit me like a freight train. Because the truth is, most of us—athletes, professionals, parents—we want credit. We want to show people what we’re doing. It’s part of the reason we love a crowd. The praise of men can be a drug if we aren’t careful.

But Coach taught me something that day:

👉 The need to play for something bigger than yourself.

He didn’t want me to be the best player on the team.

He wanted me to be the best player for the team.

There’s a massive difference.

💭 Pause and Reflect for a second.

• When was the last time you pounded your chest—literally or metaphorically—for just doing your job?

• Are you playing for the people around you—or just trying to stand above them?

Now fast forward to one of my favorite poems of all time:

“If” by Rudyard Kipling.

One line always sticks with me:

“If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same…”

What does that mean exactly?

I think it means you don’t get too high when things go right.

And you don’t lose your mind when things go wrong.

Both are temporary.

Both are liars.

Both will pass.

If you score a touchdown in the first quarter, do you coast for the rest of the game?

Of course not.

So why would you coast after a big win in life?

And why would you collapse after a loss?

🛠️ Try This:

1. Embrace the suck don’t stay in the suck.

2. Embrace your wins, don’t stay in that moment too long.

3. Celebrate or mourn your situation—but set a timer.

4. Give yourself 5 minutes, 5 hours, maybe 5 days to feel it fully. Then get back to the work.

5. Use both moments—triumph and disaster—as teachers.

What can I learn from this? What’s the next right thing?

6. Ask: Who am I becoming in the peaks and the valleys?

That answer reveals your character.

I’ll end with this:

Success and failure don’t define you.

Your response to both does.

So the next time you win big—or fail hard—remember what my college Coach Uperesa would say:

“This isn’t about you. It never was.”

Finally let’s do quick 🧠 Challenge:

Before the day ends, take inventory to yourself:

• Are you lingering too long in a win?

• Are you still dragging around a loss?

Set the timer. Acknowledge it.

And then, let’s get back to work.

Let me hit you with a crazy stat:

📊 77% of your thoughts today?

Negative. Self-defeating. Counterproductive.

That’s 50,000+ thoughts working against you.

But you’re not stuck.

Here’s how to fix negative thinking 🧵

Stop Speaking in Absolutes

“I always screw up.”

“They never pass me the ball.”

That’s not truth—it’s fear talking.

Replace it with:

“Sometimes I struggle—but I’m growing.”

Audit Your Circle

Who are you around?

Do they bring hope—or drag you down?

You don’t need a crowd.

You need a crew.

Mind Your Mouth

Your words shape your mindset.

“I can’t do this” → “This is hard, but I’m built for hard.”

Feed Your Brain Right

Books. Podcasts. People.

Get intentional about your input.

Control the Controllables

You don’t need to carry everything.

Focus on:

✅ Sleep

✅ Nutrition

✅ Attitude

✅ Preparation

Let go of the noise.

Look for the Good

Train your eyes to find:

Wins. Progress. People doing good.

Momentum stacks.

Mind the Gap

Between stimulus and response is your power.

Don’t react. Respond.

💭 Your thoughts are either training you…

or draining you.

You choose the path.

Ever felt resistance from the people closest to you as you start to grow?

That’s not random—it's real. And it can wreck your mindset if you’re not ready.

🎧 Listen in: “Crabs in a Bucket”

Mindset Matters Podcast

#MindsetMatters #MentalToughness #GrowthMindset #HighPerformance

🧵 Quick Thread 👇

Succeed a little? People change.

Push for more? They doubt you.

Grow too fast? They pull you down.

Why? Because your success challenges their comfort zone.

Don’t let their fears become your limits.

Stay locked in. Escape the bucket. Let’s go. 🔥

This meeting featured an interview with Dallin Holker, a current NFL player for the New Orleans Saints, discussing his football journey from high school through college to the professional level. The conversation covered various aspects of Holker's career, including his transfer from BYU to Colorado State, his experience during the NFL draft, and the importance of mental toughness in sports. Additionally, Holker shared insights into the life of a professional football player, offering advice for young athletes and reflecting on the lessons he learned throughout his career.

Riley and Lance reminisced about their college football experiences, discussing their time at Snow College and the University of Kentucky, and the transformation of college football over the past 20 years. They also shared personal anecdotes and advice for managing pressure in college athletics, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and being well-rounded athletes. The conversation concluded with a discussion on the unpredictability and intelligence of a former coach, and the importance of being real and honest with teammates.

Sleep is a super power. Find out why.

In this meeting, Riley and Crew discussed Crew's experiences as a college football player, including his position as a starting safety for Purdue, the use of analytics in player evaluation, and the mental challenges faced by athletes. They explored the importance of self-confidence, learning from teammates and coaches, and handling social media pressure. The conversation also touched on Crew's personal growth, future aspirations, and the value of maintaining a positive mindset in the face of criticism.

Drawing from the principles of Self-Determination Theory, we uncover the importance of relatedness and its role in building confidence. The draft horses' ability to work together, train with one another, and rely on the support of their handlers highlight the crucial role of social connections in bolstering our self-belief.

Over the past 7 years, I have worked with high profile athletes who deal with adversity, difficulties, triumphs, and criticism. The darkside of being a famous/successful athlete is darker than you can even imagine. I am shocked at the ferocity of fans and observers.