Episodes
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What’s the key to unlocking athletic potential? It’s not a paint-by-numbers approach to mental skills training! In this episode, Dr. Adam Naylor discusses the often overlooked foundations of sustainable high-performance mindsets. He shares the importance of flexibility, the critical role of a strong working alliance between coach and client, and how embracing the full spectrum of human experience—including stress and acceptance—can profoundly enhance performance.
You’ll learn why teaching mental skills isn’t always enough and how adopting a more holistic perspective can lead to significant breakthroughs in high-performance arenas. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or anyone interested in the psychology of performance, this episode offers essential insights into the complexities of mental skills training and the necessity of building robust, trust-filled relationships for transformative growth.
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
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Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Leveraging your mistakes to maximize your growth is one of the core skills that elite performers have to master. In this solo episode, I dive into a transformative concept that has reshaped my approach to mistakes in sports and life. By embracing our errors loudly and clearly, we shift our perspective and begin to view these moments as invaluable data points that guide our path to improvement.
I'll break down the four pillars of this mindset: awareness, practice, reflection, and, crucially, safety. Along the way, you'll hear about a long jumper struggling to translate practice success into meet performance and why lessons from my pep band days have resonated with me for decades. This episode is an invitation to step through fear and embrace the messiness of growth with courage and curiosity.Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
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Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Episodes manquant?
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After a near-fatal fall that could have ended her career, trail running legend Hillary Allen not only returned to the sport she loves but also expanded her athletic pursuits into gravel biking with Scuderia Pinarello. Today, she joins us to explore the depths of resilience and recovery, and what it really looks like to bounce back.
With her master’s degree in neuroscience and physiology, Hillary offers a unique blend of personal experience and scientific insight into mental toughness and the psychology of endurance sports. You’ll learn how embracing challenges can transform adversity into life’s greatest victories, and gain practical lessons on maintaining balance and finding joy through the toughest trials.
Learn more about Hillary Allen Instagram | Website
Purchase Out and BackLearn more about The Mental Training Lab
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Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Master your mental game with the Mental Training Lab, hosted by Pete Kadushin. With 15 years of coaching experience and a PhD in performance psychology, Pete digs deep each episode to provide practical tools and expert insights so you can perform your best when it matters most. Enhance your focus, harness stress, and overcome challenges whether you’re an athlete, leader, or high-performer. Subscribe to learn how to elevate your game in work, play, and life.
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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In today’s episode we’re joined by Dr. Ashley Cranney. Ashley is a licensed professional counselor and certified mental performance consultant, employed at West Virginia University as Assistant Professor of Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. She has been consulting with athletes and performers for nearly fifteen years, sharing her passion for performance enhancement with anyone who will listen. One of the many things that makes Ashley so great is that she’s worked with a wide variety of top performers across sport, dance, first responder, and military contexts. Another superpower that Ashley has is her ability to name complex concepts with clarity and simplicity, which really shines through in our talk here as she gets right to the heart of stress and performance.
I’ll be honest… we really only scratched the surface when it comes to what Ashely can offer, and I hope we’ll have a round 2 soon. This time around, we dive into the stress cycle, and specifically the six concrete behaviors you can use to help complete the stress cycle. Ashley also spends time talking about how the sport environment is designed, if we’re mindful of some of the pitfalls, to be biologically respectful. This one’s packed with specific tools we can use, and pairs really well with past episodes we’ve had on embodiment and presence. It was amazing having a rockstar like Ashley share so much in a potent window of time here, and I know you’re going to get something good out of this one… time to jump right in.
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today’s episode is about unpacking a bit of well meaning and ultimately bad advice. It’s advice that puts us in a no-win position where we are spending a ton of energy and attention on forcing our internal experience to fit into a narrow window of conditions. It’s also advice that inadvertently tells us we can’t expand that window to create more grace under fire and a sense of freedom within uncontrollable performance environments. And all of that happens even though it’s being shared with the best intentions in mind.
As always, the show will close with some specific practices you can work on to expand your window of success and your capacity for big experiences so you can be more poised when it matters most!Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today, we’ve got Dr. Adrian Ferrera (@dradrianferrera) in the lab, and I couldn’t be more excited. As you’ll hear soon - Adrian and I go way back, and it was amazing to get to hear so many amazing and applicable tools from an old friend. Adrian spent a lot of time unpacking the power of self-regulation, how awareness acts as the first step of the mental training journey, and how he gets parents and coaches to be his greatest ally as he’s working with teams and athletes.
I got ahead of myself though. Who is Adrian? Adrian’s a licensed professional counselor and performance consultant. He’s directed both mental health and performance services at the University of Washington, Auburn, and West Virginia University, and before that he worked with US Army special operations at Fort Bragg. Look, he’s the real deal, having worked with pros, national champions, and world champions. He’s now ventured into the world of executive coaching. Simply put, he’s great at what he does, and he shared a ton of it with us today. To connect with Adrian, visit www.dradrianferrera.com!
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today’s episode is going be a short exploration of our most important resource, which is the combination of time and attention. We’ll start with a short thought exercise, talk about the implications of low quality attention, and then wrap up with how you can be training your attention starting today.
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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My guest today is Dr. Jesse Michel. Jesse helps lead the Performance Psychology Program at Deloitte, where his team provides support and services to over 8500 principals, partners, and managing directors across the US. Previously, he spent four years as the mental skills coordinator for the Houston Astros, and another four years before that as the Lead Master Resilience Trainer at the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Training Center. Simply put, he has a diverse background and a sharp skillset, and he poured out a ton of pearls of wisdom in this conversation!
In this episode, Jesse shares how he has changed his mind to focus more on the environments we create. He riffs on the art and science of coaching, providing some actionable tools for anyone in leadership positions to use, and then closes with a discussion of how important high quality attention is to peak performers across disciplines.
You can find more of Jesse here:
Jesse on LinkedIn
Jesse on Twitter
Mindset for Excellence
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Mace and Travis Macy join me today for a really special episode. Their new book, A Mile at a Time, is a well-written and unapologetic look at one family’s experience with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Travis and Mace use humor, vulnerability, and channel their willingness to do the hard, important things, to share the highs and lows of their journey.
Oh… and in case you didn’t know, both of these gentlemen are powerhouse ultra-endurance athletes! In fact, Mace and Travis, a year after Mace’s diagnosis, tackled Eco-Challenge Fiji - appropriately dubbed the World’s Toughest Race… a 10 day, 417 mile race over mountains, rivers, swamps, and oceans. Travis (@travismacy) has finished over 130 ultra-endurance races, and held the record for the Leadman Challenge (if you don’t know… you absolutely have to look it up).
Mace (@mmacy146) is one of the OGs from the ultra-endurance world, having competed in everything from the Ironman Triathlon to the Leadville 100, and participating in all eight of the original Eco-Challenge races. Both the book and this interview have a ton of teachable moments, and it was a privilege to spend time with both of these guys. I know, without a doubt, you’ll enjoy this one.Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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In today’s episode, Raymond Prior (@bts_mindset on twitter) comes back to tackle some of the common myths we hear in the performance psychology world. Honestly, one of my favorite games it so poke the bear and see if I can get Raymond riled up, and so I tossed him some cliches to see what would happen. I tried - and failed - to make this a lightning round… and the truth is there was a lot to dig into as we discussed things like “Just be positive” and “fake it til you make it”. Raymond’s book, Golf Beneath the Surface, is now available anywhere you find your books, and is worth the time if you take performing your best seriously!
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Throughout the ages, there are a number of myths that invoke this image. A commander and their army step onto foreign soil, and knowing that they are outmatched by the enemy, the commander makes a daring choice. The army is ordered to burn their boats, leaving only two choices: victory or death.
Today's short episode examines the relationship between commitment and trust and how they're critical for our capacity to perform our best when it matters most. As always, there's also a quick discussion of how to train these qualities so you can have access to them consistently!
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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This is part 2 of my interview, Cam Smith (@camfromcb). If you missed his first episode, it’s definitely worth checking out, and as a quick refresher, Cam is a world-class ski mountaineer and trail runner. He’s an 11 time US Skimo national champion, and 5 time north American ski mo champion. Cam holds the course record for the three largest skimo races in the US, the Power of Four, the Grand Traverse, and the Gothic Mountain Tour. He’s the first American man to finish top-10 in a skimo world cup race, with his 3rd place finish in Andorra earlier in 2022. He’s won a long list of trail running races as well, and has qualified for the Mountain and Trail Running World Championships in Thailand this year.
Today, he talks about the benefits of being a two sport athlete, exploring the dark moments in endurance sport (and how to plan for them), and why blending motivations can make you a better competitor.
To round it out, he shares a wicked reflection tool that has helped him squeeze a lot of extra growth out of each race. What really stands out throughout is that Cam is a dual threat and has found a way to be both a (great human being + elite performer).Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today’s guest is Cam Smith (@camfromcb). Cam is a multi-sport monster, especially in ski mountaineering and trail running. A quick list of his accomplishments. He’s an 11 time US Skimo national champion, and 5 time north American ski mo champion. Cam holds the course record for the three largest skimo races in the US, the Power of Four, the Grand Traverse, and the Gothic Mountain Tour. He’s the first American man to finish top-10 in a skimo world cup race, with his 3rd place finish in Andorra earlier in 2022. He’s won a long list of trail running races as well, and has qualified for the Mountain and Trail Running World Championships in Thailand this year. In the first part of a double episode, he shared his key mental skill (reframing), his own personal antidote to burnout, and we got to spend a lot of time exploring the balance between performance paradoxes like:
The Rigidity of Planning — The Adaptability of AcceptanceOutcome — ProcessThis episode was packed with a ton of detail when it comes to the nuts and bolts of mental performance, and it was a special treat to catch up with Cam!
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today I’m going to spend some time looking at why challenge, or difficulty, or discomfort, is an essential ingredient for both performing our best under pressure AND continuing to improve relentlessly. I’ll also break down the concept of the Zone of Tolerable Discomfort, what gets in the way of getting uncomfortable on purpose, and what you can do to leverage challenge more effectively as a performer.
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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This episode is round 2 with Dr. Raymond Prior (@bts_mindset on Twitter). This is an extension of our marathon recording session, and builds off of episode 22. During this portion of our chat, Raymond spends a lot of time clarifying The Three Pillars of Mindfulness:
IntentionGroundednessAcceptance (specifically why acceptance is a superpower)We also discuss two specific mindfulness practices. Both single point attention practice and open awareness practice. Whether you’ve meditated for a while or are interested in dipping your toes into the mindfulness pond, this is the episode for you!
Like the episode? Have any questions? Want to let me know what else you're interested in? Drop me a line @alldaydr.k
Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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For today’s show I want to take a trip way upstream and look at a couple of high level, universal states of being. Each of us is either in a state of doing or a state of being, all day, every day. In this episode, I explain what each state looks like, the implications of getting stuck in a state of doing, and of course, I’ll close with some recommendations for how we can navigate these states to improve both well-being AND performance!
As always, I'm looking to offer value and quality with these solocasts. If there's a topic or skill you want to see covered, head over to @alldaydr.k on Instagram and let me know!Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today’s episode with Dr. Raymond Prior (@bts_mindset on Twitter) was so packed that I needed to split it into multiple episodes. Here goes round 1! Raymond has a PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology and as a performance consultant has worked with a wild range of performers, including pro, college, and olympic athletes, pop stars, actors, and high performers in the financial space.
In this first edition, Raymond illuminates why thinking our way out of unpleasant experiences works against our biology and evolution. We also take a look at why getting your psychology in order, investing in mental training, is your highest point of leverage as a performer. What’s going to become really clear as you listen is Raymond’s commitment to being up to date and deeply knowledgeable about the research and is passionate about helping clients get beneath the surface instead of stuck with traditional pop-psych techniques.Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today's episode is another solocast - although a little shorter than previous editions. I wanted to explore what happens when an athlete falls under the spell of doing too much. First we’ll look at some examples of when athletes get hijacked by the urge, then we’ll spend some time looking at why it happens. And of course, we’ll wrap up with a few skills you can be working on to help you fight the urge and Do Less.
For more mental training goodness, find me on IG @alldaydr.k or at mtl.academy!Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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Today’s episode is with Kirsten Cooper! Who is Kirsten? Well, she’s a badass, and let me tell you why. She’s dedicated a large part of her career to supporting athletes as they transition out of sport. Kirsten was a professional alpine ski racer, competing for the United States Ski Team, and won a national championship with the University of Colorado. As you’ll hear, her experience leaving the sport of skiing really informs the work she’s doing now with athletes.
Kirsten is a clinical and performance psychologist, earning her MA in Sport and Performance Psychology and her doctorate in Clinical psychology, both from the University of Denver. She is currently working as a performance psychology Fellow with Howard Head Sports Medicine in Vail, CO.
In this episode Kirsten and I spend a lot of time unpacking the challenges and opportunities of retiring from athletics, she shares her own story of transitioning out of elite sport, and she lays out three keys to making a successful move into post-athletic life. Enjoy!
For show notes, transcripts, and to sign up for the MTL newsletter, visit mtl.academy.Learn more about The Mental Training Lab
Conect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | SpotifyThis show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.
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