Mental Training Lab
Episodes
Stop Hiding Behind the Process
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's solocast, I’m unpacking something I’ve been seeing a lot lately: the idea of caring less about the outcome and just focusing o...
From Formula 1 to the Boardroom: Building Trust and High-Performance Teams with Peter Hodgkinson
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to build trust and psychological safety in teams under pressure? In this episode of The Mental Training Lab, I sit down with ...
Dropping Into Flow
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In today's solo-cast, I’m digging into something I see all the time with athletes and high performers, the way we misunderstand nerves, pressur...
Pete Kadushin on The Transformational Leader with Adam Quiney
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Mental Training Lab we are sharing an episode of The Transformational Leader featuring a conversation with Pete Kadushin. "...
Beyond the Grind: Redefining Mental Toughness with Dr. Hillary Cauthen
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, athletes and high performers have been taught to grind harder, push through pain, and silence weakness at all costs. I’m your host Pete...
The Illusion of Progress
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode, I’m exploring something I see all the time in the performance world: the illusion of progress. From the outside, it can look l...
Hypnosis for High Performance: How Intentional Focus Can Transform Pain, Sleep, and Stress with Dr. David Spiegel
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do a hypnotized high-school wrestler, Olympic athletes, and modern neuroscience all have in common? In this episode of The Mental Training Lab, I...
Train Your Mind Like an Olympian | Mental Skills for Peak Performance from the Skimo Gold Podcast
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s officially the Olympics season, and I was stoked to join endurance athlete Travis Macy and Olympic ski mountaineer Cam Smith to talk about the ...
Motivation vs. Discipline: Why the Internet Has It Backwards
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's solocast I'm taking a hard look at the way motivation and discipline are talked about online — and why a lot of the popular...
Turning the Mic Around: Pete Kadushin on Meaning, Mindfulness, and Mental Performance
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when the Mental Training Lab host hands over the mic? I’m your host Pete Kadushin, and in this special reverse interview episode, I’m...
"No Big Deal"
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s solocast, I explore one of my favorite mental training mantras: “No big deal.”We look at how quickly we label experiences as good or ...
From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion: How Mindfulness Changes Performance with Dr. Holly Rogers
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Mental Training Lab, I sit down with psychiatrist, meditation teacher, and author of The Mindful Twenty-Something, Dr. Holly Roge...
From Fear to Freedom: Skiing and the Art of Acceptance
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's solocast, we hit the slopes and explore the transformative power of acceptance through my own experience of learning to ski. We touch...
Safety, Stress, and Performance: Megan Bartlett on Rethinking How We Coach Under Pressure
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does stress impact the experience of sport? In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sat down with Megan Bartlett, founder of the Center for ...
What's the Worst that Could Happen?
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's solocast explores the role that negative visualization can play in generating gratitude, wonder, and a connection to the present moment.I...
Practicing What We Preach: Dr. Ryan Hamilton on High Performance, Self-Awareness, and Pushing Limits
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Hamilton, someone who truly lives the work he teaches. Ryan is an Associate Profe...
Don't Step Over "The Suck"
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's solocast explores the difference between positivity and optimism, and how positivity can often get in the way of both presence and progre...
The Hero’s Journey: Jilyne Jarvis on Transformation, Dancing with Fear, and Empowering the Next Generation
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Jilyne Jarvis, co-founder and executive director of ZGiRLS, a confidence-building program ...
Not Good Enough, Need to Be Better: A Broken Model of Motivation
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore a common motivation pattern that presents itself as people walk the path of mastery. I'll outline the negative motiva...
Resilience, Trust, and Growth: O2X Founder Adam La Reau on Creating High-Performing Teams
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes an organization truly high-performing? It’s not just the leader at the top, it’s the system, the culture, and the people who are workin...
It's Only Right if it Grooves
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Excellence leaves clues, and sometimes, those clues come from the most unexpected places. Today, we're talking about the wisdom of bass guitar le...
From the Octagon to the Playground: How Environment Shapes Elite Performance with William Massey, PhD
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered what elite MMA fighters, elementary school playground dynamics, and high-performing leaders have in common? Turns out, a lot more than y...
Try a Little Tenderness: Exploring ‘Rest With Awareness’ alongside iRest Yoga Nidra Expert Annie Okerlin
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to truly rest and reset, even amidst constant stress and high performance demands? In this episode, I sit down with Annie Okerlin, Yoga...
We Are All Storytellers
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The way we explain the past tells us everything we need to know about how we’ll predict the future…On this solecast, we’ll explore how the stori...
Leaving the Game: An Athlete's Guide to Transition, Identity, and Curiosity with Tessa West and Kirsten Cooper
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when an athlete's passion fades, but their entire identity is wrapped up in their sport? In this episode I sat down with two distinc...
The Mattering Mindset: How to Feel Valued and Add Value with Sonya Looney
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to truly matter, and how can focusing on this concept transform your performance and fulfillment? In this powerful episode of the Me...
When a Pro Golfer Runs a Marathon: Lessons in Mental Performance from Scott Stallings and Steve Magness
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Stallings is a PGA Tour golfer who stepped off the green and ran right into the Boston Marathon - with no experience. In this episode of the Men...
From Posture to Performance: Achieving Ease, Efficiency, and Embodied Movement with Mary Bond
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can subtle changes in your physical awareness dramatically improve your performance and well-being? Today on the Mental Training Lab, I’m thrill...
Unlocking Your Signature Strengths: Sustainable Excellence with Alex Auerbach, CEO of Momentum Labs
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how elite performers consistently achieve peak results without burning out? Today I'm diving in with Alex Auerbach, performance psych...
Building Team Cultures That Nurture People and Potential with Dr. Kensa Gunter
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re working through the dynamics of team culture with Dr. Kensa Gunter. Does the culture shape the team, or do the people define the culture...
Beyond Resilience: Transforming Challenges into Growth with Dr. Adam Wright and Dr. Nick Holton of the Antifragile Academy
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike resilience, antifragility is about growing stronger from challenges and proactively seeking them out. To learn more about this tool, I went str...
The Long Game: Scott Stallings on Resilience, Recovery, and the Boston Marathon
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re stepping onto the course with PGA Tour pro Scott Stallings, a master of resilience who's turned his recent injuries into opportunit...
The Trap of Self-Judgment: Perfectionism Meets Performance with Dr. Marina Harris
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. It drives us, and can also derail us. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Marina Harris, a former Division I g...
Find Your Laboratory
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how groundbreaking discoveries like penicillin, Post-it Notes, microwaves, and Teflon came to be? Believe it or not, they all started as a...
Storytelling, Visualization, and the Secret Sauce of Sustainable Leadership with Al Lattell (Part 1)
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Al Lattell is a trailblazer in athletic leadership at Georgetown Athletics who is breaking the mold by pushing beyond basic leadership drills into som...
Leveraging Little Moments
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re zeroing in on the power of transitions—those seemingly small moments when we switch gears from work to home or task to task. Ever won...
Shift Happens: Jeff Siegel on Mastering Life’s Big Moments
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s true - moments like ringing in the New Year serve as mental accounting periods that prompt us to reassess our goals and behaviors. But without ...
Listening Closely
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How often do we genuinely hear what our bodies are trying to tell us, unless we're hungry or in pain? In this solo edition of the lab, you'l...
Lessons from Legends: Stories of Performance with Dr. Duncan Simpson and Dr. Greg Young
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From gold medals to career crashes, the icons have done it all. How can tapping into their experiences accelerate your journey? In this episode, I’m...
Mastery is Overrated
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often hear that specialization is key, but what if there’s more growth in the gray areas than we realize? In this solo episode, I’ll explore th...
Embracing the Chaos to Unlock Performance with Dr. Adam Naylor
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the key to unlocking athletic potential? It’s not a paint-by-numbers approach to mental skills training! In this episode, sports psychologi...
Make Loud Mistakes
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Lessons in Mindfulness and Balance from Pro Trail Runner Hillary Allen
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 expande...
Welcome to the Mental Training Lab
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Master your mental game with the Mental Training Lab, hosted by Pete Kadushin. With 15 years of coaching experience and a PhD in performance psycholog...
Bodies Speak Body Language: Ashley Cranney on Stress, Performance, and Being Biologically Respectful
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode we’re joined by Dr. Ashley Cranney. Ashley is a licensed professional counselor and certified mental performance consultant, em...
Bad Advice: Don't Get Too High, Don't Get Too Low
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 spe...
Who's on Your TEAM? Dr. Adrian Ferrera on Powerful Questions, Powerful Allies, and Powerful Tools
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 bac...
Your Most Valuable Resource
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
It’s Both Art and Science: Dr. Jesse Michel on Aligned Environments and How the World’s Best Pay Attention
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My guest today is Dr. Jesse Michel. Jesse helps lead the Performance Psychology Program at Deloitte, where his team provides support and services to o...
It's All Good Training: Mace and Travis Macy on The World's Toughest Race, Alzheimer's, and Taking Things A Mile at a Time
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fami...
Beneath the Surface: Raymond Prior Returns to Debunk some Performance Myths
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 worl...
Burn the Boats: Commitment and Trust for Peak Performance
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ar...
Be a Hybrid: Cam Smith on Motivational Flexibility and Having a Plan for Your Pain Cave
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 refreshe...
Quenching Curiosity: World Class Ski Mountaineer Cam Smith on Reframing, His Antidote to Burnout, and Playing with Paradox
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 accom...
It Doesn't Get Easier, You Just Get Faster
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 u...
Acceptance is a Superpower: Raymond Prior is Back to Discuss Being On Time During Performance
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ep...
On Being and Doing
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Your Brain Knows When Score Counts: Raymond Prior on Why We Can't Fix Thinking With Thinking
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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! ...
Do Less: Your Nervous System, Your Mind, and the Curse of Trying too Hard
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is another solocast - although a little shorter than previous editions. I wanted to explore what happens when an athlete falls un...
Trade Your Passion for Curiosity: Kirsten Cooper on Athlete Retirement and Why Mindfulness is Worth the Effort
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 caree...
Attitude of Gratitude: Nicole Gabana on Cultivating the Good and Seeing the Whole Athlete
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For today’s episode I got to sit down with Dr. Nicole Gabana (@DrNicoleGabana ). Nicole is a licensed psychologist and certified mental performance ...
Holding Your Best Performance Hostage
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s deep dive is going to be aimed at unpacking a phenomenon I call ‘holding your best performance hostage’. The idea was touched on briefly...
Not(e) Perfect: Redefining Success, The Power of Breath, and Simulating Stress
21 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is part 2 of a reverse interview with episode 10's Jean Laurenz (@jeanlaurenz on IG). We close out the conversation by unpacking the...
Notice Your Butt: Practical Embodiment, What Triggers Flow, and How to Balance Challenge and Skill
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today, episode 10's Jean Laurenz (@jeanlaurenz on IG) interviews ME, on a wide array of topics. After having her on the show, we realized there w...
Be You Part Deux: Ashwin Patel on Building Relationships, Assessing Fit, and Nurturing Awareness
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Ashwin Patel. Ashwin is a Professor and Program Coordinator for the Sport Management and Recreation and Leisure Services programs a...
Be You: Ashwin Patel on Building Relationships, Assessing Fit, and Nurturing Awareness
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Ashwin Patel. Ashwin is a Professor and Program Coordinator for the Sport Management and Recreation and Leisure Services programs a...
Deep Dive: The Light of Awareness
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s deep dive, I’m going to dig into the concept of awareness. Awareness is the master key that opens the door to purposeful, sustainable c...
Explore The Edge: Addie Bracy Shares Lessons from the Best Ultrarunners on the Planet
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For today’s episode, we’ve got ultrarunner Addie Bracy (@addiebracy) in the lab. Addie ran track at the University of North Carolina, and is a thr...
The New Now: Aimee Kimball on Pragmatic Optimism and Developing High Performing Cultures
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Dr. Aimee Kimball (@AimeeKimball). Aimee has worked in a variety of peak performance settings, starting with the UPMC center for sp...
Practice Like an Engineer, Perform Like an Artist: Jean Laurenz on Pre-Performance Routines and Building a Trusting Mindset
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode, we’ve got Jean Laurenz (@jeanlaurenz) in the lab. Jean is a trumpet player and Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Wis...
Deep Dive: What is a Mindset, Anyway?!
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is a little bit different. There have been a ton of ideas and concepts that have only gotten touched on briefly in previous episo...
Pain Pushes, Vision Pulls: Jeffrey Siegel on Values, Vision, and Getting Back Into Your Body
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today I had the opportunity to sit down with my friend and colleague Jeffrey Siegel (@jeffsiegelwellness). Jeff's holistic background in Mind and...
Adapt or Die: Gevvie Stone on the Pain Cave, Focusing on the Process, and the Superpower of Being a Perpetual Student
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s conversation was so much stinkin fun to have. My guest is 3x Olympian Gevvie Stone (@gevgevs). Gevvie, a native of the Boston area, is a thr...
Acknowledge, Accept, Adjust: Vanessa Shannon on How to Build Emotional Agility and Better Ride the Waves of Life
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Dr. Vanessa Shannon (@cardinalmindset). Vanessa has served as the Director of Mental Performance for the University of Louisville A...
Relentless Forward Progress: Jon Kinner on Type 2 Fun, Deploying Your Mantras, and the Paradox of Ultrarunning
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Jon Kinner (@ultrajonk). Jon’s an endurance athlete who followed his dream of nordic skiing to Western Colorado University. Jon g...
Wait to Worry: Sam Zizzi on the Urgency of Mindfulness, the Value of Stillness, and the Lessons in Grief
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Sam Zizzi (@DoctorSizzle). Sam is a father of three, an outdoor enthusiast, and a lover of travel and culture. He is passionate abo...
Write Your Own Scorecard: Evren Gunduz on Choice, Accountability, and Finding Joy in the Process
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today in the lab we’ve got Evren Gunduz (@evrenenjoylife). Evren is an award winning educator, coach, and entrepreneur whose mission is to empower t...
Leave With a Plan: Ali Levy on the Power of Reflection and Getting 1% Better Every Day
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today in the lab we’ve got Ali Levy. Ali is the Director of Product at O2X (o2x.com) and a Mental Performance Specialist. In her role at O2X, Ali wo...
Mastery is Overrated: Brett Malone on Growth Mindset, Reinvention, and Saying Yes to Everything
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For today's episode, I'm joined by Brett Malone. Brett is a dynamic executive now leading the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (www.v...
Mental Training Lab - Trailer
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen up to find out what the show is all about! For all the episodes, for show notes and transcripts, and to sign up for the weekly MTL newsletter,...