Baseball is a game of failure — and how athletes respond to that failure often determines who lasts and who fades.

In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Tyler Rubasky, Head Baseball Coach at Anderson University, to talk about what it really takes to build mentally tough athletes in today’s college game.

Tyler shares his journey from player to assistant coach to head coach, how injuries shaped his mindset, and why he chose to fully invest in mental training — even during a major coaching transition. He explains how mental skills impact performance between pitches, after errors, and during slumps, and why mental preparation matters just as much as physical development.

You’ll also hear how mental training:

• Shapes recruiting and culture
• Helps athletes move on from failure faster
• Prepares players for life after baseball
• Changes how coaches show up in big moments

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or leader working under pressure, this conversation is packed with insight on identity, resilience, and long-term development.

Episode Chapters / Timestamps (Highly Recommended)

00:00 – Intro & Tyler’s coaching journey
02:00 – Why mental training matters in baseball
03:15 – Playing through injury & mental resilience
05:20 – Initial skepticism about mental training
06:40 – Why Anderson invested in Mental Training Plan
08:00 – Why baseball is uniquely mentally demanding
10:45 – NIL, transfers, and new mental challenges
12:40 – Building culture players want to stay in
14:15 – Mental training’s role in recruiting
17:15 – How players actually use mental skills in games
18:45 – How mental training changed Tyler’s coaching style
20:05 – Preparing athletes for life after baseball
22:10 – Advice to coaches on the fence about mental training
24:45 – Advice Tyler would give his younger self
26:20 – Advice for first-year coaches

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

In this episode, we officially introduce Matt Hallock, the newest member of Mental Training Plan and the Co-Founder & Chief Performance Officer of MTP Biz—our new division bringing mental performance training to the corporate world.

Matt brings 25 years of corporate leadership, decades of experience coaching athletes nationwide, and a lifelong passion for serving and developing people. From managing Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches in his 20s to leading early-career talent development for Fortune 100 companies, Matt has seen firsthand how stress, burnout, imposter syndrome, leadership gaps, and performance pressure impact the modern workforce.

Together, we break down:

• Matt’s unique background in coaching, biomechanics, recruiting, and corporate leadership
• How his upbringing shaped a service-driven, people-first philosophy
• Why athletes and corporate professionals experience the exact same pressure patterns
• Why information isn’t training—and why mental performance tools actually stick
• The massive costs of burnout, turnover, and untrained middle managers
• The launch of MTP Biz and what early partner companies will receive
• How micro-learning, assessment, and coaching can transform culture & performance

If your company struggles with stress, retention, leadership readiness, burnout, or performance under pressure, this conversation shows why training the mind is no longer optional—it's the next competitive advantage.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 officially expanding into the business world with the launch of MTP Biz — a mental performance division built specifically for high-performing leaders and teams.

In this episode, Ben shares the story behind the decision to move into corporate America, the imposter syndrome that held him back, and the conversations that made it clear:

You’ll hear:

• How burnout, pressure, mergers, and promotions mirror high-stakes sports
• Why tools that increase playoff wins and point differentials also improve corporate KPIs
• What the research shows about performance psychology in Fortune 100 companies
• The simple system we’ll use with businesses (assessment → alignment → training → application → reassessment)
• Why MTP Biz is only for high performers who want an edge
• A preview of next episode with new MTP Biz co-founder & Chief Performance Officer, Matt Hallock

If you're a business leader curious about bringing mental performance training to your organization, this is the place to start.

Next episode: A deep dive with Matt Hallock on what’s really happening inside corporate America and why this training is desperately needed.

As always: Make your plan and put it to work.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

Today, I’m joined by Jocelyn Bruch: Indiana individual state champion, Division I golfer at Purdue, national championship competitor, and now a professional who just returned from Q-School.

We dig into the real tools she used in competition — not theory — to calm nerves, trust her preparation, and perform when it counts:

• Diaphragmatic Breathing (16+ seconds, not 2!) to lower heart rate and get present
• FMR (Forced Muscular Relaxation) to release tension before swings and putts
• Go-To Statement she repeats before every shot to push out negative thoughts
• Caddie Game-Plan Meetings and a simple “got it” cue to protect her routine
• Earned / Shows / Trained Confidence (and why “fake it till you make it” cracks under pressure)
• Using the book out of order to solve immediate problems, then spot-checking before rounds

If this helps you, please share it with a teammate, parent, or coach who could use a practical confidence framework.

Resources:

• My book: Confidence: Build It, Trust It, Show It — https://amzn.to/3LqECEB (includes FREE athlete workbook)

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 to train confidence like a muscle.

Learn practical, science-backed tools that help athletes hardwire belief into their body and nervous system through three powerful bricks:

1. The Breath Brick – how controlled breathing regulates the vagus nerve and restores focus.
2. The Reset Brick – how pros like Drew Brees and Victor Oladipo flush mistakes and get back in rhythm.
3. The Recovery Brick – why sleep, rest, and recovery are the secret advantage most athletes ignore.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you’ll walk away with real tools you can use to help your athletes perform under pressure and bounce back stronger after mistakes.

📘 Get the book Confidence on Amazon (includes free workbook download)
https://amzn.to/46RhDJJ 

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

In this episode of the Coaching Minds Podcast, we continue our Confidence series and dig into three critical building blocks every athlete needs: identity, body language, and self-talk.

You’ll learn why confidence isn’t just earned through practice and reps — it’s also chosen by who you decide to be. Ben shares a powerful example from an NBA player who missed six straight shots but still had the confidence to take — and make — the game-tying shot.

Coaches will discover how to use self-schema theory to shape team culture, why body language impacts performance, focus, and even how opponents view you, and how tools like a Go-To Statement and mental reset phrases can rewire an athlete’s belief system.

Whether you’re a high school athlete, college competitor, coach, or sports parent, this episode provides actionable mental performance strategies that strengthen confidence on and off the field.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 build earned confidence through three critical “bricks”:

• Reps – putting in the work with intention
• Evidence – gathering proof of growth and wins
• Preparation – creating routines that build stability

You’ll hear stories from the field, practical tools (like the Rep Tracker and Confidence Journal), and the science behind why deliberate practice and routines create real, lasting belief.

📖 Following along with the Confidence book? Grab your copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4pfeU5a and be sure to download the free workbook that comes with it!

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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, Confidence: Tools to Build Belief for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents.

This is the first book in the Prime Five Series — a collection of tools, stories, and systems I’ve used with athletes from youth sports to state champions and even professionals.

Inside the episode:

• Why Confidence had to be Book #1.
• The story of where this journey started.
• What the “Prime Five” are and why they matter.
• How coaches, athletes, and parents can start building confidence brick by brick.

If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete who wants to learn how to train confidence like a skill: this episode is for you.

👉 Grab your copy on Amazon: amzn.to/4lSeSNN

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 Carnes sits down with Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae, co-founders of The Inactive Company and creators of the Inactivator Sleep Mask, to explore the science of sleep and why most people are doing it wrong.

With powerhouse careers at Spanx, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks, Lori and Jill know what it’s like to push limits—and what it costs when rest is ignored. They share research-backed strategies, from small weekly sleep tweaks to blackout environments, and explain why better sleep can unlock creativity, decision-making, and game-day performance.

If you’re a coach, athlete, or high-performer who wants to recover faster, think sharper, and win more, this conversation will change the way you think about rest.

Highlights:

• Why elite athletes and teams are making sleep a top priority
• The Sleep 7 Playbook: small changes that make a big impact
• How blackout & temperature regulation can transform recovery
• Why “sleep is a workout” is the message every teenager needs to hear
• Tools for coaches to integrate sleep into performance culture

Resources Mentioned:

• The Inactive Company: inactiveco.com
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker: amzn.to/4lsqDKy

🎧 Listen now: mentaltrainingplan.com/podcast

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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 highlights — from early gymnastics to Division I athletics, injuries, identity loss, and choosing joy through adversity.

Kierstyn opens up about navigating mental and emotional challenges, her faith, and what it really takes to ask for help when things feel like they’re falling apart. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent, her insight will challenge you to rethink what toughness means — and how to grow through setbacks.

Topics we cover:

• Transitioning from gymnastics to pole vaulting
• The mental side of committing in high-risk performance
• The identity crisis of injury and retirement
• Asking for help and breaking the stigma
• Her faith and mindset through four chaotic years

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

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—to explore the principles behind consistent, high-level performance. Drawing from his experiences at programs like Florida State and Cincinnati, Marc explains why simplicity beats complexity, how culture can make or break a team, and why most businesses are failing when it comes to real leadership development.

The conversation dives into athlete identity, the dangers of tying your worth to your title, and the difference between feedback in football vs. feedback in business. Marc also shares tactical ways entrepreneurs and coaches can build sustainable habits using the “1% better every day” philosophy—without burning out or chasing perfection.

TimeTopic

1:10 | Marc's coaching and entrepreneurial journey

3:00 | Why he left college football despite success

5:10 | Special teams = leadership bootcamp

7:00 | The hidden culture behind Florida State’s national title

10:00 | Identity shifts and the cost of chasing success

15:00 | Why most athletes (and coaches) struggle with identity

18:00 | What business gets wrong about leadership + training

21:00 | The importance of visibility and feedback loops

25:00 | How solo entrepreneurs can use AI (like ChatGPT!) as a coach

28:00 | What “1% better every day” really means in practice

30:00 | Avoiding burnout and perfectionism through minimum standards

33:30 | Applying time + mindset management for MTP coaches

37:00 | The 3 priorities every coach-entrepreneur must schedule

40:00 | How to hold others accountable without sacrificing care

42:00 | Marc’s advice to his younger self: Be obsessively curious

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams