The Mental Mettle Podcast

If your idea of toughness is resisting all change and never admitting your weaknesses, you’re blocking your own growth. It really is that simple.

True strength means being willing to see where you fall short—and yes, even asking for help. It’s scary. It’s risky. But the reward is the chance to grow into a stronger, more honest version of yourself.

I only learned to be vulnerable when I had no choice. After my stroke, I needed help—lots of it. That forced vulnerability led to some of the biggest growth of my life and opened my eyes to its power.

The good news is, you don’t have to hit rock bottom to experience this. You can start small by finding an accountability partner. It’s a safe way to practice vulnerability, get honest feedback, and grow without having to go through a crisis first.

In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, we dig into:

• Why “never show weakness” is actually holding you back
• How vulnerability and asking for help can accelerate your growth
• What my stroke taught me about true toughness
• How to use an accountability partner to build mental mettle in a safe, structured way

If you’re ready to redefine toughness and tap into real growth, this episode is for you.

Subscribe to The Mental Mettle Podcast and start forging your 100% Mettle today.

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In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Thomann talks with former Purdue University captain and professional defender Maya Lambert about how  her soccer journey prepared her for life and work beyond the game.

We talk about:

• How competing in the Big Ten and serving as a leader at Purdue shaped her confidence and communication
• The mental toughness and perspective she gained from recovering from injury
• Her experience playing professionally in Kazakhstan and the UEFA Women’s Champions League
• How the habits of a high-level athlete—discipline, preparation, resilience, teamwork—translate directly to career success

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, student, or young professional, Maya’s story offers practical insights on how to turn your sports experience into real-world strengths.

Subscribe to The Mental Mettle Podcast and start forging your 100% Mettle today.Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

Www.mentalmettlelifecoaching.com

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In Episode 133 of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann breaks down his framework for **100% Mettle**—the ability to recognize your strengths and limitations in adversity while embracing the repetition of positive actions that demonstrate real growth and change.

Every coaching session Coach Thomann delivers centers on this idea. Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it requires adversity. Recognizing both your strengths and your limitations in the face of that adversity is crucial for seeing where you are and where you want to go. But recognition is only the start—it takes consistent repetition to make lasting change.  

With individuals, teams, staffs, and groups of all kinds, Coach Thomann uses 9 core topics to help people forge a positive version of toughness—100% Mettle:

1. **Focus on Controllables**  
   Rooted in Bandura’s self-efficacy: belief → motivation → success → happiness. Learn to separate what you can control from what you can’t and build your mindset around what’s truly in your hands. (See Ep. 63)

2. **Values / Shared Values**  
   Going beyond “family, faith, and friends” to include values like work ethic, fairness, responsibility, security, and independence. Clarify your personal values and create shared values for your team. (See Ep. 46, Huey Built – Prairie Central)

3. **Voice (Self-Talk)**  
   Your inner voice can be a precursor to anxiety and depression. Learn why negative self-talk isn’t “normal,” how 3rd-person self-talk helps, and how to turn your inner Saboteur from a Hater into a Wingman. (See Ep. 64)

4. **Confidence**  
   Building evidence-based confidence instead of fake hype—having “enough” proof to trust yourself in big moments. (See Ep. 28 with Hallie Mitchell)

5. **Mind–Body Connection**  
   Understanding fight-or-flight, long-term stress, and telomere shortening, plus how to activate the parasympathetic system and vagus nerve to handle pressure better. (See Ep. 37 with Megan Gilmore, Ep. 65)

6. **Growth Mindset**  
   Based on Carol Dweck’s work—how you approach challenges, effort, criticism, and comparison, and how to shift from a fixed to a growth mindset. (See Ep. 69)

7. **Perspective**  
   Using creativity, metaphors, objects, and images to see yourself and your situation differently—because new perspectives lead to new actions.

8. **Conflict Resolution / Team Toxins**  
   Drawing from John Gottman’s research and the “Four Horsemen” (criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, contempt) to identify and clean up the patterns that quietly damage teams. (See Ep. 27)

9. **Gratitude**  
   Using Seligman’s research to build positivity, fight anxiety and depression, and deepen grit through giving, receiving, and practicing gratitude—for others and for yourself. (See Ep. 76, Ep. 85 – Monthly Challenge)

In this episode, learn how these 9 topics fit together to build 100% Mettle—a durable, positive form of toughness you can apply in your life, work, and teams.

Subscribe to The Mental Mettle Podcast and start forging your 100% Mettle today.Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

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Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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Derek Gordon is a Ministry Coordinator at a men’s homeless shelter in Peoria, and he understands the power of hope. In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, Derek sits down with Coach Matt Thomann to discuss how his own mistakes—and his work at the shelter—have shaped his belief that hope is both necessary and, fortunately, an innate ability for moving forward.

If you would like to learn more or donate to the shelter, reach them at

Pathway Ministries: From Poverty to Progress through Jesus - Pathway Ministries

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For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

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Coach Matt Thomann hosts The Mental Mettle Podcast with guest Brett Miller—Air National Guard Sergeant, Caterpillar auditor, youth coach, and founder of Way of the Warrior Leadership Academy. Brett takes us inside his Captain’s Class program, where athletes learn to lead themselves first, build real confidence through self-trust, and develop team cultures that outlast wins and losses.

We dig into how Brett’s military, corporate, and coaching worlds cross-pollinate; why modeling behavior matters more than talking about it; and how structured challenge plus safe spaces help athletes grow on and off the field. Brett also shares the “Yes, and” mindset that helped his nonprofit pivot through setbacks.

What you’ll learn:

• Lead yourself first: the 10 controllables that require zero talent
• Culture beats tactics: trust and accountability multiply performance
• Confidence that sticks: anchor it to effort, preparation, and self-trust
• Modeling over messaging: coaches’ behavior becomes team culture
• Purposeful adversity: why athletes should seek harder environments
• Captain’s Class playbook: 3 nightly evolutions that build presence, mindset, and team skills
• Creating safe spaces: improv, teach-backs, and group dialogue to spark growth
• Supporting injured athletes: identity, isolation, and peer-powered solutions
• Nonprofit realities: imposter moments, pivots, and “Yes, and” resiliency

Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

Www.mentalmettlelifecoaching.com

Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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If someone hands you a wrapped gift, you take it, open it, smile, and say thank you. But when someone gives you the gift of gratitude—a compliment—do you do the same? Or do you deflect it with “It was nothing” or “I just got lucky”? When we don’t accept thanks, we rob the giver of the good feelings that come from expressing it.

In this Mental Mettle episode, Coach Thomann flips “Thanksgiving” into “Thanks Taking.” Practicing gratitude with others is great—and we should do it—but we also need to accept it, and recognize the good it does in us.

What you’ll learn:

• How to take compliments without deflecting, and why it strengthens relationships
• How to give yourself thanks so your brain learns what to repeat
• How expressing gratitude to others also boosts your own mood and resilience

Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

Www.mentalmettlelifecoaching.com

Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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Coach Thomann turns 50 this week, so on this week's episode he drops some knowledge about things he's learned from being a father, a husband, a teacher, a believer, and a coach.  Tune in to hear him talk about positivity, confidence, aggressive patience, living your 100, and forging your mettle!

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For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

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Welcome to another inspiring episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast with your host, Coach Matt Thomann. In this episode, we dive deep into the incredible journey of Robo Kreps, a former professional basketball player who has seamlessly blended his passion for the game with his unwavering faith.

Join us as we explore Robo's unique mission to reach those "who aren't stepping into the church but could get saved in the gym." Discover how his foundation, which combines basketball training with spiritual guidance, is making a profound impact on young athletes across the nation.

In "Basketballs and Bibles," Robo shares his personal transformation story, the founding of his nonprofit, and the powerful role of faith in his life. We delve into the concept of using sports as a platform for evangelism and how monthly donations are helping to spread this mission far and wide.

Whether you're a basketball enthusiast, a seeker of faith, or someone interested in the intersection of sports and spirituality, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration. Don't miss the chance to hear how Robo Kreps is using basketballs and Bibles to change lives on and off the court.

Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

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Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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Welcome to "The Mental Mettle Podcast," hosted by Coach Matt Thomann! In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary 30-year coaching journey of Klay Wheeler, a seasoned coach who has impacted countless athletes across a wide range of sports. From basketball courts to football fields, Klay has seen it all and shares his invaluable insights on the evolving landscape of coaching.

Join us as we explore Klay's diverse coaching experiences, the pivotal role of assistant coaches, and the increasing importance of positive psychology in sports today. Discover how Klay has adapted his coaching methods in response to the changing needs of athletes, particularly in the post-COVID era. Learn about the transition from traditional weightlifting to speed training and its impact on athletic performance and mental confidence.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, or sports enthusiast, this episode is packed with wisdom on creating a supportive sports culture, the critical role of nutrition in performance, and fostering environments where athletes thrive. Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best in the business!

Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

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Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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A few years ago, Jason Drengwitz noticed a problem.  He was asking the player of Normal Community Football to show mental strength, but he wasnt teaching how to be mentally strong.  He fixed that.   Now he uses intentional breathwork, love, and other methods to make sure his players build the mental strenght they need to continue their success.

Subscribe for more episodes and insights from top coaches and leaders!

For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching

Contact:  [email protected]

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Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann

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