Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!

#146 – The Story Behind MTP Biz with Co-Founder Matt Hallock

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we officially introduce Matt Hallock, the newest member of Mental Training Plan and the Co-Founder & Chief Performance Officer of...

#145 - Launching MTP Biz: Mental Performance Training for the Corporate World

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today marks a major moment for the Mental Training Plan. After helping athletes in 90+ schools across 14 states perform at their best, we’re officia...

#144 - Confidence Pt 5: Pro Golfer Jocelyn Bruch on Using These Tools On The Course

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I’m joined by Jocelyn Bruch: Indiana individual state champion, Division I golfer at Purdue, national championship competitor, and now a prof...

#143 - Confidence Pt 4: Breath, Reset, Recover: Building Confidence You Can Trust

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes, founder of The Mental Training Plan, breaks down the next layer of the Confidence Wall: how...

#142 - Confidence Pt 3: Identity, Body Language & Self-Talk for Athletes

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, we continue our Confidence series and dig into three critical building blocks every athlete needs: iden...

#141 - Confidence Pt 2: Building Belief Through Reps, Proof, and Preparation

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Confidence doesn’t come from hype—it comes from work. In Episode #2 of our Confidence Series, we break down how athletes, coaches, and parents can...

#140 - Confidence Pt I: Launching the Prime Five Series

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Athletes don’t lose games because of talent. They lose because of confidence.In this episode, I’m sharing some big news:The launch of my new book,...

#139 - Sleep Like a Champion: How Rest Fuels Peak Performance with Lori Oliver & Jill MacRae

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, we flip the script on performance by focusing on the other 12 hours of the day—rest and recovery. Ben...

#138 - Choosing Joy Through Adversity with Kierstyn Ballard

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Coaching Minds podcast, we sit down with former Baylor pole vaulter Kierstyn Ballard to talk about the real journey behind the ...

#137 - Simple, Not Easy: Building High Performance with Marc Nudelberg

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Marc Nudelberg—former college football coach and founder of On The Ball—t...

#136 - MTP Certification Part II - Inside the MTP Certification Journey with Coach Danny Tippit

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it really like to go through MTP Certification? In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Coach Danny Tippett — the very first coach to ...

#135 - MTP Certification Part I - So You Want to Coach the Mental Game? Start Here.

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a coach who believes in the power of the mental game — and you're ready to start teaching it — this episode is for you.MTP fou...

#134 - Alive Day: Resilience, Racing, and the Fight to Keep Going with Dave Randall

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when life changes in a single moment? Dave Randall knows. After surviving a life-altering medical condition while serving in the U.S. N...

#133 - From .500 to Sectional Champs: How Mental Training Changed South Ripley Basketball with Tom Beach

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In just one season, South Ripley went from a middle-of-the-pack team to a 19–0 start, a #1 ranking, and a sectional championship. The difference? A ...

#132 - Positive Intelligence Pt. 3 w/ Brenna Munson

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Your life moves in the strongest direction of your thoughts – a powerful truth that forms the foundation of this eye-opening conclusion to our Posit...

#131 - Positive Intelligence Pt. 2 w/ Brenna Munson

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered why that voice in your head keeps sabotaging your performance? In this revealing exploration of Chapters 3 and 4 from "Positive Int...

#130 - Positive Intelligence Pt. 1 w/ Brenna Munson

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the biggest obstacle to your performance isn’t physical—but the voice in your head?In this first episode of our 3-part series on Positive ...

#129 - Tommy Richardson - Excellence Over Success: Coaching the Total Athlete

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to develop a champion—not just on the scoreboard, but in life? Coach Tommy Richardson brings 60+ years of wisdom to this question,...

#128 - Don Thomas: Beyond Talent-What It Really Takes to Succeed in Football

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From walk-on to the NFL, Don Thomas's journey is a masterclass in mental toughness, resilience, and relentless work ethic. He didn’t play footb...

#127 - The Art of Coaching: Jackson Lantz on Communication, Organization, and Leadership

15 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At just 24, Jackson Lantz carries the coaching wisdom of someone twice his age. A former multi-sport athlete at Hamilton Southeastern High School and ...

#126 - From Court to Career: Eddie Gill's Journey of Resilience, Mental Strength, and Giving Back

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Eddie's journey from the basketball court to the world of financial services and broadcasting offers a compelling narrative of resilience and ada...

#125 - Preparing For a High School Football State Championship

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Coach Miracle asked if I could do a video for the players this week so that they could come back to it through out the week if needed as Westfield pre...

#124 - FC Pt 6: Real world stress and burnout at work. Can the Focus Cycle still work?

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

High school volleyball coach Lucy Grenda reached out to me with a simple text after I completed a team session with the high school team she helps coa...

#123 - FC Pt 5: Little League World Series Example - Conversation with Caleb and Noah

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join youth baseball stars Caleb and Noah as they take center stage, sharing how they leverage the Focus Cycle framework to conquer performance anxiety...

#122 - FC Pt 4: What if "taking a deep breath" doesn't work?

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have your athletes ever come to you saying, “I tried the breathing, but it didn’t work”? In this episode of Coaching Minds, we tackle exactly th...

#121 - Focus Cycle Pt 3: What if "positive self-talk" doesn't work?

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if your Go-To Statement doesn't work? What if positive self-talk feels fake, forced, or you just don't believe it? In this episode, we ...

#120 - Focus Cycle Pt 2: What if I'm having trouble focusing on what I choose?

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the Focus Cycle, exploring what to do when athletes struggle to implement this powerful tool during co...

#119 - Focus Cycle Pt 1: Perform at your best in high-pressure situations

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 2014, my head coach, Jake Gilbert, walked into a quarterback meeting where we were doing some mental training. He looked at what we were doing...

#118 - The Process of Developing a Culture of Mental Toughness with Josh Miracle

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the essential elements of mental toughness in sports with Westfield's head coach, Josh Miracle, in this insightful episode. We delve into...

#117 - Evaluating Your Golf Routines 2.0

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a raw tool that Ben started using with a golfer who was not happy with her routine. She felt like her mind was wandering too much duri...

#116 - Success in Sports and Entrepreneurship with Dre Baldwin

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered what fuels the relentless drive of athletes and entrepreneurs alike? Dre Baldwin, the mastermind behind Work On Your Game Inc.,...

#115 - Brad Ritter: School of Grit

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Brad, the mastermind behind the School of Grit, agreed to join us, I knew it was an opportunity to share a profound narrative of human resilience...

#114 - Our Story, Our Vision, Our Mission

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Want to learn more about who Ben is and what Mental Training Plan is all about? This is a great place to start!Join Ben Carnes on his transformative j...

#113 - Crafting Champions and Building Brotherhood: Inside the Triumph of Westfield's Football Legacy with Coach Jake Gilbert

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we delve into the remarkable journey of Westfield's football program alongside Coach Jake Gilbert. From struggles to triumphs, this st...

#112 - Years 1 & 2 coaching football at a small high school: Jeremy Fendley and Dan Douglas

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the secrets to transforming a high school sports team from average to exceptional with insights from two seasoned coaches. As we welcome Coac...

#111 - Isaac "fails" to run a marathon and overcomes adversity

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever pushed your limits and hit a wall, only to find a deep well of resilience you never knew you had? Zeke does just that and more as he recounts his...

#110 - OTS #3: Navigating the Transfer Portal-Loyalty and Team Culture

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On The Spot: Where the questions are pulled on the spot, no prep time just raw honest answers on the spot. Are the tides turning in college football t...

#109 - Matt Comer's Rim to Rim To Rim turns into a 100K in the Grand Canyon

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever faced a challenge so daunting it transformed you? This week, we're joined by the extraordinary Matt Comer, who shares the raw and r...

#108 - Swinging Beyond the Fairway: Cailyn Henderson's Journey Toward Mental Toughness on the Golf Course

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever stood at life's crossroads, contemplating a leap of faith that could redefine everything? Cailyn Henderson did just that, swapping ...

#107 - From Football Fields to Battlefields: Andy Sweet's Lessons on Strength and Leadership

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Embark on a journey of fortitude with Andy Sweet, the former quarterback and current Marine Corps infantry weapons platoon leader, as we unravel the e...

#106 Improving Athlete Motivation & Mindset

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a power-packed episode of the Coaching Minds podcast, where we guide you on how to foster a championship mindset in your athletes and keep ...

#105 - Helping Athletes Control Physical Energy Levels

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if you could offer your athletes the tools to master control over their physical reactions to stress, anxiety, and pressure. That's exact...

#104 - Improving Athlete Focus

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Coaching Minds, we delve into the intricacies of enhancing athlete focus and performance. We explore the science behind concentrati...

#103 - From Grief to Resilience: A Discussion with Liz Howard

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Losing a season due to injury, loosing a teammate who moves away, losing a loved one, coach, or teammate who tragically passes away...the list is endl...

#102 - Improving Athlete Confidence

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As coaches, we have all seen confidence's crucial role in an athlete's performance, mindset, and overall success. Through engaging discussio...

#101 - Ben Smith: Coaching Strong

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we welcome Ben Smith as he dives deep into the topic of coaches reclaiming control over their physical health after their playing days are o...

#100 - Ace the Mental Game: Elevating Tennis Performance with Coach Trudy Coler

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of building mental toughness within tennis teams, a factor often overlooked yet crucial to success on th...

#99 - TENNIS: Complete Mental Training Program

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we look at how tennis coaches can design a comprehensive mental training program for their entire team.  We talk through our Foundat...

#98 - GOLF: Complete Mental Training Program

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look at how golf coaches can design a comprehensive mental training program for their entire team.  We talk through our Foundation Progr...

#97 - BASEBALL/SOFTBALL: Complete Mental Training Program

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look at how baseball and softball coaches can design a comprehensive mental training program for their entire team.  We talk through our...

#96 - Competing for Championships and Dealing With Setbacks in Soccer: Spencer Glass

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spencer Glass, a former college soccer player who went through redshirting, injuries, and the disappointment of falling short on the national champion...

#95 FOOTBALL: Complete Mental Training Program

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can coaches develop a complete mental training program specifically for their football program?  This episode begins a new chapter for the Coachi...

#94 - YOU Can Coach The Mind

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben takes listeners on a journey through his personal experiences as an athlete, coach, and mental perf...

#93-Fighting Through Adversity (4 Torn ACL's): Kamryn Babb - Ohio State WR and 2x Team Captain

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kamryn Babb has battled through the pain and heartache of seeing his athletic hopes and dreams be crushed by a torn ACL not once, not twice, not three...

#92 - OTS 2: Why is Zeek so positive? Why is building team unity in the weight room important?

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is the second installment of On The Spot, where Ben and Zeek ask questions on the spot, with no planned-out content ahead of time, just honest co...

#91 - Coaching the mental side of the game: Steve Sebolt

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Steve Sebolt is a mental fitness coach from the east coast who helps individuals establish their principles, passion, and purpose. Steve has utilized ...

#90 - When your playing days end - Justin Glass

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine talking to MLB scouts about signing bonuses as a high school player but never getting a chance to play at the next level...even after a very s...

#89 - Mental and physical toughness from an athletic trainer perspective: Dee Mahoney

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dee Mahoney played NCAA Division I softball at Oregon State University. She graduated in 1985 and completed graduate work at the University of Miami (...

#88 OTS1: Aaron Judge, pressure situations, & perfection

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On The Spot (OTS) is our new segment that will be mixed in from time to time. No preparation, no script, just questions asked ON THE SPOT with Ben and...

#87-Reflecting on a career: George Gilbert HOF HS Football Coach

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we sit down with Indiana High School Football Hall of Fame head coach George Gilbert to talk about things he has learned ...

#86-Controlling your perception

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our perception of any given situation is determined by four main factors: the filter through which we see it, how we frame it, how we evaluate it, and...

#85 Overwhelmed, Exhausted, Burned out, and 3 Ways You Can Take Back Control

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Full disclosure to start this post...this is not advice from some expert who has everything figured out. This is simply a look into a very difficult t...

#84 - The Psychological Side of Real Estate with Jeff and Debra Wilson

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week we sit down with Jeff and Debra Wilson who are on the Wilson Team with Keller Williams in Indianapolis. Purchasing a home is one of the larg...

#83 - Custom Shoe Designer for NBA players: Brett Golliff - PART II

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to Part II of our conversation with Brett Golliff. If you missed Part I, be sure to go back and check that out first. This week's co...

#82 - Global Color & Trim Design Manager for Chevrolet: Brett Golliff - PART I

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At first glance, the field of art & design seems worlds away from high-performance athletes. However, as Brett Golliff (Global Color & Trim De...

#81 - Performing in the real world: Josh Bryant Part II

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is a continuation of the start of our conversation with Josh Bryant last week. Josh continues to discuss building relationshi...

#80 - Real World Pressure Situations w/ Josh Bryant Part I

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we dive into our first episode that examines the link between lessons learn in athletics that can be applied to the real world with Ben&apos...

#79 - Clutch Time

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode started with the question that was asked of us "who is the most clutch player of all time?" Rather than diving i...

#78 - Top 10 Mindset/Mental Toughness Books

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From time to time we are asked for recommendations on books to read or give as a gift. With the holiday season coming up, we thought this would be a g...

#77 - The Power of Gratitude & Being a Grateful Athlete

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Research is very clear that there are measurable and tangible benefits to having a grateful attitude. In the world of performance, gratitude can help ...

#76 Building Courage in the Presence of Fear

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Courage is not the absence of fear, but moving forward in the face of fear. Simply typing that into a Google search will bring back all kinds of quote...

#75 - Mental Training Services We Offer for Athletes

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We receive a lot of questions about what our training programs look like for mental performance. We work with teams and athletes from all over the cou...

#74 - What is "The Process" and how do we focus on it?

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us have either heard a coach tell us to "focus on the process" or maybe we have said it ourselves. In this week's episode, Ben ...

#73 - Adrenaline and control on the mound with Mark Walther

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From national championship pitcher to coach, recruiter, and now Director Of Operations at Pro X Athlete Development, Mark Walther has had first-hand e...

#72 - Leadership with State Championship QB Andy Sweet

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Sweet didn't walk into his high school locker room a five-star recruit or even the most talented player, but through hard work and incredibl...

#71 - Does venting do more harm than good?

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When something bad happens, do you have a tendency to vent to other people? Do you feel the need to "get it off of your chest" when somethin...

#70 - Stages of change

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we take a look at research published by Virginia Tech that looks at the necessary steps or stages of change. These include: Stage On...

#69 - Focus Cycle: Controlling your mind and body in Big Moments

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back!!  Today Ben and Zeke chat about Ben's book Focus Cycle: a guide to controlling your mind and body in Big Moments. Today's ep...

#68 - Enjoy Your Summer

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Unfortunately, we had to postpone our final episode until after our summer break. We will be back this fall with more information designed to help you...

#67 - The psychology of the Air Raid Offense with Hal Mumme and Stan Bedwell

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we sit down with the godfather of the air raid offense Hal Mumme and European Hall of Fame quarterback Stan Bedwell to talk about the impact...

#66 - How to push your percieved limits and achieve more with Matt Fitzgerald

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we chat with Matt Fitzgerald, author of How Bad Do You Want It?: Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle about how to push past the per...

#65 - Preparation. State champ & college golfer Jocelyn Bruch

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just "hoping" you will be at your best when it matters the most isn't a strategy. This week we sit down with Jocelyn Bruch to hear how ...

#64 - Referees have to perform under pressure too!

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we sit down with the National Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officiating J.D. Collins to talk about the mental side of refereeing one ...

#63 - Nutrition with Sarah Grippi

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we chat with Sarah Grippi to discuss how she helps her clients plan out their nutrition and hydration to help maximize th...

#62 - Own up to weaknesses so you can start improving

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In our final episode of the DO HARD THINGS series, Ben takes on the very uncomfortable topic of being overweight. Ben talks about why he is going to g...

#61 - Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim w/ Matt Comer

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we continue looking at our topic of doing hard things and sit down with Matt Comer to chat about his journey at the Grand...

#60 - You CAN do hard things!

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we look at the science behind pushing ourselves past perceived limits.Connect with us online or learn more at mentaltrainingplan.comAre you an A...

#59 - Zeke runs a marathon

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we start our new series all about doing hard things and Zeke takes us through his journey to train for and run a marathon. We dive into his ...

#58 - Mental side of wife, mother, & administrator: Carmen Carnes

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, I sit down with my wife to discuss how she uses some of the tools we discuss on the podcast in her own life. We cover dea...

#57 - Brian Polian: Coaching Gen Z

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we sit down with Notre Dame special teams coordinator and associate head coach Brian Polian. Coach Polian grew up around the game of footbal...

#56 - Assigning value to people's opinions

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In today's world of social media, opinions are all over the place. How do you know who you should listen to? What do you do when negative comment...

#55 - How do you know this stuff actually works?

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is a deeper look into some of the science behind:How focus affects performance.How self-talk impacts performance.How your body re...

#54 - Get off your butt and get to work!

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about taking action. We want to avoid:Getting stuck gathering information. Being a perpetual planner.Waiting for things t...

S4E11 - Brett Ledbetter and Becky Burleigh discuss leadership development at an elite level

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brett Ledbetter is a consultant, author, speaker, and co-founder of the What Drives Winning Conference. He is the author of 4 books including his newe...

S4E10 - Staff Sergeant Middleton - Preparing Marines to be ready to perform at all times

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we sit down to chat with Staff Sergeant Middleton who is currently a recruiter for the US Marine Corps. We discuss what i...

S4E9 - Tom Allen talks about LEO (Love Each Other)

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, we sit down to chat with the national & Big Ten football coach of the year Tom Allen from Indiana University to talk ...

S4E8 - Chris Creighton talks about mindset and culture

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you develop an elite mindset in all of your players so that you can shape your team's culture into one that wins championships? Chris Crei...

S4E7 - Jim Tressel talks about player development

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we chat with Jim Tressel about player development. Coach Tressel was a four-time national championship coach at Youngstown State University ...

S4E6 - CP: Steadfast Leadership

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The final part of our Complete Program series is steadfast leadership.  This week's episode takes a look at some key elements that should be in ...

S4E5 - CP: Elite Mindset & Culture

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Developing an elite mindset in all of your players take a certain amount of time and effort. The combined culture of all of the individuals on your te...