What does it really mean to win—in sports and in life?
In this episode of @wisdomforwannabes , host Jackie Morreale sits down with two leading voices in sports psychology and youth mental health: Dr. Jonathan Jenkins and Dr. Kim O’Brien, co-authors of Mentality Wins: The Athlete’s Playbook for Thriving in Sport and Life.
Dr. Jonathan Jenkins is a sports psychologist at MGH and for the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.
Dr. Kim O’Brien is a youth mental health clinician of Unlimited Resilience and former women's hockey team captain at Harvard University.
Together, Dr. Jenkins and Dr. O'Brien are on a mission to reshape how we think about performance, pressure, and mental well-being.
Together, they break down:
- Why we’re seeing a mental health crisis in young athletes
- How mindset directly impacts performance
- The hidden pressures athletes face at every level
- Practical tools to build confidence, resilience, and focus
- Why “feel great, play great” is more than just a phrase
This conversation goes far beyond sports—touching on identity, self-worth, and how to stay grounded in a high-pressure world.
Whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or simply striving to be better in your own life, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom you can apply today.
👉 Learn more about the book: https://mentalitywins.com
Chapers:
00:00 – Introduction
01:25 – How Kim & JJ got into sports psychology
03:37 – How they met (LinkedIn → co-authors!)
06:19 – The highs & lows of being a competitive athlete
07:50 – The hidden reality of pro athletes
09:31 – The rise of mental health challenges in youth sports
11:43 – Creating a “sanctuary” for athletes
12:22 – Quick-fire: favorite foods, places & sports
17:15 – Favorite books & mantras
20:08 – “Be where your feet are”
23:55 – What “Mentality Wins” really means
25:28 – Mental health vs. performance
29:20 – Actionable tool: “Recognize & Replace” self-talk
31:20 – Pregame rituals & finding your “why”
34:59 – Key message for young athletes
36:05 – Shoutouts & mentors
38:29 – What’s next + upcoming course
🔑 Key Takeaways
✔️ You are more important than your sport
✔️ Mental health fuels performance—not the other way around
✔️ Your self-talk shapes your reality
✔️ You’re never as alone as you think
✔️ A winning mindset starts from within
📲 Connect with Wisdom for Wannabes: https://www.wisdomforwannabes.com/Subscribe to Wisdom for Wannabes for more conversations on business, beauty, and betterment.
#WisdomForWannabes #MentalityWins #SportsPsychology #MentalHealth #AthleteMindset #SelfImprovement #podcastclips
This Wisdom for Wannabes episode explores the critical intersection of performance psychology and mental health, featuring Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, a sports psychologist for the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots, and Dr. Kim O'Brien, a sports clinician and former Harvard women's hockey captain. We discuss cultivating a winning mindset and the importance of mental toughness in achieving peak athlete mentality. 🧠💪https://www.wisdomforwannabes.com/jonathan-jenkins-kim-obrien-mentality-wins.html