True To Life with Nanik Tagore

Three years ago, Nanik Tagore interviewed Danny Ourian in one of the True to Life Podcast's earliest episodes. Now, on the cusp of graduation, Nanik sits back down with Danny for a long-form, unfiltered conversation about presence, meditation, the attention economy, civic engagement, and a concept Nanik can't stop coming back to: cognitive sovereignty. This is the deepest dive on True to Life podcast so far.Danny Ourian is the founder of Hoops Minded, where he coaches basketball players and other athletes on mental performance, presence, and mindfulness. He was one of the first guests on the True to Life Podcast (one of the original 15–20 episodes) and returns three years later for this long-form conversation.Connect with Danny:Hoops Minded: https://www.hoopsminded.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyhoops/Sports Psych: https://www.dominican.edu/directory-people/dan-ourianSubscribe & ShareSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1EipumeK7OUdMUhtUWfigBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-to-life-with-nanik-tagore/id1663572737YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@truetolifepodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truetolifepodcast/

Guest: Gregory Menvielle

In this episode, I sit down with Gregory Menvielle to unpack why student-athletes consistently stand out in hiring, leadership, and long-term career growth.

Gregory brings a unique perspective from his work at Okaya, where he helps individuals and organizations better understand human behavior, performance, and potential in the workplace. Together, we connect the dots between athletics and the professional world in a way that’s rarely explained clearly.

• The transferable skills student-athletes develop without realizing it

• Why employers actively seek out former athletes in hiring processes

• How discipline, time management, and accountability show up on the job

• The difference between “having experience” and being pressure-tested

• Why team environments prepare athletes for leadership roles

• How athletes can better articulate their value beyond sports

• What separates athletes who struggle post-sport from those who thrive

Student-athletes aren’t just adaptable. They’re conditioned for performance, feedback, and growth. When framed correctly, their experience is a competitive advantage in any industry.

If you’re a current student-athlete, former athlete, or employer trying to identify high-character talent, this conversation will change how you view athletic experience in the professional world.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymenvielle

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregorymenvielle

Nanik Tagore
True to Life Podcast

Nanik Tagore's stake in the ground before graduation. The attention economy, cognitive sovereignty, the cost of performing for screens, and a SAC presidential farewell speech read live. Awareness → Action → Reflection.

https://dot.cards/naniktagore

In this episode of the True to Life Podcast, I’m joined by Ivy Watts, a former Division II All-American track and field athlete turned mental health speaker, for a grounded conversation on mental health in sport.

Ivy shares practical insight from her own experience navigating elite competition while struggling internally, and how she now helps student-athletes build healthier relationships with performance, pressure, and identity.

• Why mental health is essential to performance, not separate from it

• Common mental health challenges student-athletes face

• How to recognize the difference between discipline and burnout

• Why asking for help feels difficult in competitive environments

• Tools student-athletes can use to check in with themselves during the season

• How identity shifts when sport no longer defines you

• You don’t need to be at a breaking point to care for your mental health

• Your worth extends beyond results and stats

Ivy Watts is a former DII All-American and mental health speaker who works with athletes and organizations to reduce stigma and promote well-being.

Website: ivywattsspeaks.com
Instagram: @ivywattsspeaks
X: @IvyWattsSpeaks

Host: Nanik Tagore

The jersey is off—now what? Most athletes struggle with the 'void' after college sports, but I’m looking at it as a kickoff. In this episode, I break down my immediate next steps, from professional goals to the mindset shifts required to win in the 'real world.' If you’re a former athlete or anyone navigating a massive life transition, this episode is your playbook for the next season. https://dot.cards/naniktagore

https://dot.cards/naniktagore

Pepperdine’s own Mia Skuraton, a track and field athlete, a campus leader, and a future sports psychology professional who wants to help student-athletes understand who they are when their sport is no longer the center of their identity.

In this conversation, Mia unpacks something most athletes never learn early enough:

Passion can fade, but purpose doesn’t.
And when you build your life around purpose — not performance, not results, not outside approval — you set yourself up for real stability and meaning.

We dive into:

• How athletes can rediscover identity beyond the sport

• The difference between chasing passion and building purpose

• How belonging shapes confidence and mental health

• Mia’s own journey with leadership and community at Pepperdine

• Her vision for helping athletes transition with clarity and confidence

This episode is for anyone navigating identity, change, or the question of who they are without what they do.

Mia's Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miaskuraton/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-skuraton-335851284/

Roster: https://pepperdinewaves.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/mia-skuraton/5697

Nanik Tagore:

https://linktr.ee/Naniktagore48

Episode 71: Start. Stop. Continue.In this first-ever video episode of the True To Life Podcast, host Nanic Tagore kicks off 2026 with a powerful framework for personal growth and reflection. Moving away from the pressure of "all-or-nothing" New Year's resolutions, Nanic introduces the "Start, Stop, Continue" strategy—a simple yet effective tool for auditing your habits and staying aligned with your goals.In this episode, we dive into:The Framework: How to identify one thing to Start (a new skill or habit), one thing to Stop (cutting out what no longer adds value), and one thing to Continue (doubling down on what works) [01:45].The Power of Presence: Nanic shares his personal struggle with multitasking and why he is choosing to "stop" having a "million tabs open" in favor of singular focus [02:41].The Transition: A candid update on life as a senior student-athlete. With graduation approaching in May, Nanic reflects on finishing his final semester with a 4.0 GPA and the bittersweet feeling of closing his college basketball chapter [05:03].The Future: Why Nanic is choosing to bypass a fifth year of eligibility to dive into the world of entrepreneurship, AI, and coding—despite his reservations about the "tech takeover" [06:54].The Kaizen Mindset: A heartfelt thank you to the listeners who have followed the journey from dorm rooms to the Bay Area, and a reminder to lead with curiosity and humility rather than acting like a "know-it-all" [11:03].Whether you're a student-athlete navigating a major life transition or an aspiring entrepreneur looking for a mindset shift, this solo pod offers authentic insights into documenting the process of continuous improvement.Connect with the Show:Instagram: @TrueToLifePodcastSubscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to follow Nanik’s journey into his 20s.Profile: Nanik Tagore

In this episode, I sit down with Aubrey Wieser, a standout beach volleyball athlete at Florida Southern and a 2025 SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree. Aubrey has competed across high-level pairs challenges, posted wins at the AVCA, and built her game through years of club experience with TMP Beach Volleyball and Minnesota Select.

We dive into the real difference between indoor and beach volleyball — the mental game. Aubrey breaks down how beach forces athletes to think faster, adjust constantly, communicate under pressure, and stay locked in without the safety net of a big roster behind you. She opens up about confidence, composure, and the mindset required to survive a sport where conditions, momentum, and adversity change by the minute.

We also talk about her academic discipline, her competitive background, what drives her off the court, and how she balances being a student-athlete with life, identity, and purpose.

If you’re into the mental side of performance, this episode gives you a sharp look at an athlete who lives it every day.

Links Mentioned

https://www.instagram.com/aubreywieser/

Roster: https://fscmocs.com/sports/womens-beach-volleyball/roster/aubrey-wieser/7247

Linktree
https://linktr.ee/naniktagore

https://linktr.ee/truetolifepodcast

Some athletes are recruited.
Some athletes are stars from the jump.
And some athletes — like Daryana Hall — make it because they simply refuse to be denied.

Daryana is a standout sprinter and relay athlete at Long Beach State who built her entire college career off a walk-on mindset. No promises, no guarantees, no shortcuts. She literally went to campus, found the coaches, introduced herself, and earned her spot through pure competitiveness and intention.

Now she’s an All-Big West performer with multiple Top-10 relay marks in school history — and she did it in one of the deepest sprint conferences on the West Coast.

Daryana’s story is proof that opportunity favors the ones who show up, speak up, and keep showing up. This episode is for anyone who’s earning things the hard way — athletes, walk-ons, grinders, late bloomers, and anyone who’s ever bet on themselves when no one else did.

Daryana Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daryanahall/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryana-hall/
Long Beach State Bio: https://longbeachstate.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/daryana-hall/9628

Nanik Links:

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Naniktagore48