The Mindset Huddle Podcast

Every time you respond to a missed shot, a tough day at work, or a stressful moment at home, you're practicing that response. What we repeatedly do can become a pattern—whether we realize it or not.

In this episode, Andrew and Chris break down the habit loop (cue → routine → reward) and explore the mental, emotional, and behavioral patterns that athletes, coaches, and all of us can run on autopilot. They talk about why the cue—not just the behavior—is an important place to start when we want to change, why a habit's “reward” isn't always about feeling good, and how coaches can unintentionally reinforce habit loops in their players.

They also get honest about their own patterns, from stress eating to procrastination, and connect the conversation to identity, environment, and faith.

If you've ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing that?” this episode offers a better question to start with: What am I practicing without realizing it?

Interested in supporting The Mindset Huddle through sponsorship or community partnership opportunities? Contact Chris Carruthers at [email protected].

Keep investing in your mindset, keep showing up for the people around you, and remember—you were never meant to carry life's challenges alone.

Welcome to the huddle.

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What if the beliefs holding you back aren't actually facts—but stories you've learned to believe?

In this episode of The Mindset Huddle, Chris Carruthers and Andrew Grantz take a deeper look at limiting beliefs and how they can influence athletes, coaches, leaders, and everyday life.

They explore where limiting beliefs come from—including past experiences, coaches, parents, failure, comparison, culture, and the stories we repeatedly tell ourselves—and how those beliefs can quietly shape our behavior.

Through stories from basketball, golf, academics, coaching, and competition, Chris and Andrew discuss:

• How a single experience can become a much bigger belief about who we are
• Why “I can't” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy
• How to recognize the difference between a legitimate weakness and a limiting belief
• How our beliefs, values, memories, and past experiences influence the way we interpret events
• Why asking “Is that a fact or an interpretation?” can change the way we see a situation
• Practical ways to challenge the beliefs that may be holding us back
• How small actions can create new evidence and begin changing what we believe
• Why playing to win is different from playing not to lose
• How an attacking mindset can help athletes compete with confidence

The conversation ultimately comes down to a powerful question:

Why not us?

Success isn't measured only by wins and losses. It's measured by the people we're becoming along the way.

If this episode challenged or encouraged you, share it with a teammate, coach, parent, teacher, friend, or someone who may need to hear it.

Interested in supporting The Mindset Huddle through sponsorship or community partnership opportunities? Contact Chris Carruthers at [email protected].

Keep investing in your mindset, keep showing up for the people around you, and remember—you were never meant to carry life's challenges alone.

Welcome to the huddle.

S1E5

"There is a difference between being tough and just sucking it up or isolating yourself."

In honor of June being Men’s Health Month, hosts Chris Carruthers and Andrew Grantz are tearing down the playbook for a different kind of conversation. In the sports world (and everyday life), men are conditioned to mask pain, shake off injury, and push through isolation. But the numbers tell a heartbreaking story: men account for nearly 80% of suicide deaths in the US, and 1 in 3 male college athletes report experiencing anxiety or depression.

In this episode, Chris and Andrew challenge traditional standards of athletic grit, drawing on powerful personal stories of grief, coaching regrets, and the power of faith.

Welcome to the huddle.

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In this episode of The Mindset Huddle Podcast, Chris and Andrew unpack the truth about confidence—and why it’s not something you either have or don’t. Instead, confidence is built through preparation, identity, and daily habits.

Through personal stories and real-life examples, they challenge the idea of surface-level positivity and explore what it really takes to develop lasting confidence. From trusting the process over outcomes to leading with quiet confidence, this conversation offers practical insight for athletes, coaches, and anyone working to grow through pressure and adversity.

When confidence is rooted in who you are and how you prepare, it becomes something you can rely on—no matter the moment.

Welcome to the huddle.
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In this episode of The Mindset Huddle Podcast, Chris and Andrew take on one of the biggest challenges in sports: the pressure to perform. Too often, expectations and anxiety start to define how athletes show up and enjoy the game—but pressure doesn’t have to lead.

Through stories from high school rivalries and college setbacks, this conversation helps athletes stay grounded in identity so they can perform at their best when it matters most. Drawing from their experiences as athletes and coaches, Chris and Andrew explore the “six inches between the ears” and where performance anxiety really begins.

This episode is a guide for athletes, parents, and coaches who want to move beyond the scoreboard. When identity is rooted in something deeper—our values, purpose, and relationship with God—pressure becomes fuel, not fear. In that grounding, we’re reminded that worth isn’t defined by performance, but by who we are beyond the game.

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In the debut episode of The Mindset Huddle Podcast, hosts Chris Carruthers and Andrew Grantz explore the intersection of sports, mental health, and personal identity. Andrew shares his journey navigating loss in high school and how sports initially helped him cope with anxiety—but also why performance alone can’t define self-worth.

The hosts discuss the difference between identity and performance, shifting focus from outcomes to attitude and purpose, and practical strategies to support resilience for athletes, coaches, and parents. The episode also touches on modern pressures like social media and highlights the importance of faith and the spiritual and mental foundations that support long-term well-being on and off the field.

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