High Performance Mindset | Learn From World-class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches About Mindset

In this episode, we dive into the power of grit—the ability to keep showing up, stay committed, and persevere even when things get tough. Grit is more than talent or luck; it’s the number one predictor of long-term success in life, work, and sport. You’ll hear the inspiring story of J.K. Rowling, who overcame rejection and struggle before building one of the most successful book series in history. We’ll explore why grit matters, how it shows up in athletics and everyday life, and most importantly, how you can strengthen your own grit to achieve your long-term vision.  Grit is the difference between giving up and breaking through.    What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why grit matters more than instant success or raw talent How athletes and high performers use grit to overcome setbacks The four things to remember about grit: clarity, purpose, positive emotions, and self-compassion Practical strategies to build grit in your own life Quote of the Week: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is

In this episode of the High Performance Mindset podcast, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with Victoria Rennoldson, an award-winning coach, speaker, and facilitator specializing in global leadership, communication, and cultural intelligence. As the CEO and Founder of Culture Cuppa and host of a top-ranked podcast with over 145 episodes, Victoria shares practical wisdom on how leaders can communicate confidently and collaborate effectively across cultures.   Cindra and Victoria explore what it truly means to be a global leader in today’s interconnected world—debunking common myths about cross-cultural communication and discussing how to build cultural agility. Victoria also opens up about the mindset shifts that have shaped her journey as an entrepreneur and offers powerful takeaways for professionals who want to lead and perform with impact on the global stage.   You’ll learn strategies for communicating under pressure, habits that help leaders grow globally, and the critical role self-awareness plays in leaders

In this episode, Dr. Cindra dive into one of the biggest barriers to confidence and high performance: the inner critic. You know that harsh voice that nitpicks, second-guesses, and drains your energy? Learn how to recognize it, challenge it, and replace it with empowering self-talk that fuels your purpose and potential.   Dr. Cindra shares a real coaching story of an NFL kicker who learned to notice, name, and swap his inner critic — transforming his mindset and performance. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to calm your body, reframe your thoughts, and strengthen your belief system.   Key Takeaways: Everyone has an inner critic — it’s human, not a flaw. The three steps to manage it: Notice it, Name it, Normalize it. Use The Truth Meter to test your thoughts: “Is this true? Is it serving me? What’s a more empowering thought?” Small, consistent mental reps create lasting confidence. Remember: your inner critic is loud, not accurate.   Power Phrase of the Week: “My self-talk builds me, not

What separates good teams from great ones? It’s not just talent or IQ—it’s the culture they create together. In this episode of The High Performance Mindset Podcast, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff shares the mental strategies and research that reveal why the best teams think differently. You’ll discover why positivity and psychological safety are essential for high performance and how you can lead yourself and others with a stronger, more confident mindset.   Dr. Cindra unpacks Google’s Project Aristotle and Barbara Fredrickson’s research on the Positivity Ratio, showing that positivity isn’t just a feel-good idea—it’s a practice that fuels resilience, grit, and innovation. High-performing teams and individuals intentionally build trust, recognize effort, and focus more on what’s going right than what’s going wrong. That’s what it means to be mentally strong.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, you’ll learn why your mindset and words directly shape your team’s performance and how the science of positiv

Welcome to The High Performance Mindset Podcast, where we help you master your mindset to gain the high performance edge. My name is Dr. Cindra Kamphoff, and today I am thrilled to share my conversation with Jim Murphy—author of Inner Excellence. You might have heard about Jim’s book on January 12 when AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles was reading his book on the slide lines of a NFL Game. To be honest, I thought to myself, I have read so many performance psychology books, how will this one be different? But after a recommendation from a colleague, I read the book this summer and loved it. Jim provides so much wisdom and tools in the book! It is amazing. Jim has spent decades studying what allows athletes and leaders to thrive under pressure. In this episode, he opens up about his five years of research with Olympic coaches and sport psychologists, and the surprising discoveries that shaped his Inner Excellence model. We talk about his viral moment when AJ Brown was spotted reading his book on the sidelines

In this episode of the High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff shares how belief is the catalyst for breaking through limitations, using the inspiring story of Mankato East’s first win in the Jug Game over Mankato West in 19 years. Despite a long losing streak, the team showed up believing in a new outcome—and they made it happen. Dr. Cindra connects this story to everyday challenges we all face—whether in sports, work, or life—emphasizing that our past doesn’t define our future. She introduces the “POP the Pressure” tool to help listeners pause, see opportunity, and focus on the process when the pressure mounts. The takeaway? Change begins the moment you start believing again.   Quote of the Week: “The only thing stronger than fear is belief.” — Anonymous Power Phrase of the Week: “I don’t let the past define me—I believe in what’s possible and play like it.”   Want a breakthrough? Request your free call at freementalbreakthroughcall.com to learn how we can help you or your team build belief and confid

This episode explores how to receive feedback without letting it shake your confidence. Feedback is often hard to hear because we take it personally, treating it like a judgment rather than data. A key mindset shift is recognizing that feedback says more about the giver—their values, priorities, and perspective—than it does about you.   The feedback that stings most is usually the one that confirms our own hidden doubts. To move forward, Dr. Cindra introduces the Learn – Burn – Return strategy. The big takeaway: feedback is information, not identity. Protect your confidence by reframing criticism and choosing growth over guilt.   Power Phrase of the Week: “I choose growth over guilt when I receive feedback.”   Quote of the Week: “Feedback is a gift. But you decide what to unwrap, and what to return.” — Unknown   REQUEST A FREE MENTAL BREAKTHROUGH CALL WITH DR. CINDRA AND/OR HER TEAM: https://www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com/ TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MENTALLY STRONG INSTITUTE: https://mentallystronginstitute

What you believe about yourself determines what you’re capable of becoming. In this episode, Dr. Cindra shares how high performers—from athletes to entrepreneurs—use the power of belief as a foundation for confidence and success. Drawing on the inspiring story of Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, Cindra shows how speaking your vision out loud and believing in your potential—even before there’s any proof—can fuel massive results. Blakely had no business background, faced constant rejection, and yet declared daily that she was going to help millions of women feel confident.  That belief pulled her forward and shaped her actions. Dr. Cindra offers practical tools to help you apply this mindset by using “I am” identity statements to rewire your thinking and align with your future self. Whether you're building a business, preparing for a big opportunity, or simply growing into your next level, it all starts with belief.   This Week’s Power Phrase: “I speak to myself like the person I’m becoming—because I’m already o

Craig Siegel is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, and the founder of Cultivate Lasting Symphony. After leaving a thriving career on Wall Street, he dedicated his life to helping people reinvent themselves from the inside out. His energy, purpose, and belief in human potential have made him a sought-after coach and entrepreneur, guiding others to align with their vision and overcome self-doubt. In this episode, Craig shares the powerful mindset shift that transformed his life and how you can apply the same principles to your own journey. We talk about his leap from finance to purpose-driven work, the role of energy in leadership, and how to protect it as a high performer. He also unpacks practical lessons from his bestselling book The Reinvention Formula—a step-by-step playbook for creating clarity, moving past fear, and building a life that lights you up. In this conversation, you will learn: The mindset shift that sparked Craig’s reinvention How to move through fear and self-doub

Drawing on powerful examples from Olympian Brenda Martinez and legendary coach Nick Saban, Dr. Cindra explains how shifting your attention from results to daily actions can boost performance, reduce anxiety, and help you show up more consistently under pressure.   Martinez’s story—recovering from a heartbreaking stumble to qualify for the Olympics just days later—illustrates the power of trusting your routine and staying present. And Saban’s “don’t look at the scoreboard” mindset reminds us that success is built by dominating the little things over time.   Dr. Cindra breaks down how to apply this mindset to your own life—whether you're chasing a championship, growing a business, or working on personal goals—by identifying controllable daily actions and committing to them with discipline.   This Week’s Power Phrase: “I trust my process, dominate the controllables, and let the results take care of themselves.”   This Week’s Quote of the Week: “You win a national championship by focusing on what it takes to get

Dr. Jim Afremow is a high-performance consultant and the author of The Creative’s Mind: How Exceptional Artists Think, Make and Perform, along with several bestselling books on sport psychology and leadership. He has trained athletes, teams, coaches, and professionals across achievement domains to perform under pressure and sustain success. In this special 700th episode, Jim shares how the same mental frameworks used by elite athletes apply to creative professionals. He explains how grit, identity, and deliberate mental training fuel both artistry and performance. In this episode, you will learn: The 5 C’s of Mental Toughness for Creatives—courage, confidence, commitment, composure, and concentration The Two Voices that guide performance: Protection vs. Greatness Why confidence is a decision and how to strengthen it daily Mental tools like the 2-Minute Drill to beat procrastination and the Blow Out the Junk technique to calm nerves Why identity before goals creates consistency and resilience under p

In this insightful episode of the High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff explores why psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams. Drawing on Google’s groundbreaking Project Aristotle study, she explains that the best teams aren’t the ones that avoid mistakes—they’re the ones that embrace them as learning opportunities. Psychological safety means people can take risks, share ideas, and challenge the status quo without fear of judgment or punishment. Cindra outlines practical strategies for leaders to build this culture.  This Week’s Power Phrase: "I create a safe space for my team to take risks, make mistakes, and grow. We learn together, and we win together." This Week’s Quote of the Week: "Psychological safety is not just about being nice or lowering performance standards. It’s about creating an environment where failure is an opportunity to learn, not something to fear." — Dr. Amy Edmondson Tune in to discover how normalizing mistakes can unlock creativity, boost performance, and

Henna Pryor, CSP, is an award-winning keynote speaker, workplace performance expert, and the author of Good Awkward: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become the Bravest You. She’s been featured in major outlets like Forbes, Fast Company, and NBC, and her work helps leaders and teams reframe awkwardness as a superpower. She blends science, storytelling, and real-world strategies to help us step into the discomfort that fuels growth. In this episode, you will learn: How  “good” awkward moments—paired with deliberate discomfort and strategic micro stressors—can fuel growth, connection, and high performance. Henna shares insights from her Social Muscles research, revealing how avoiding awkwardness actually increases it, and why embracing it builds likability, trust, and resilience.  Henna offers practical ways to build your “social muscle,” reframe embarrassment, and turn cringe moments into leadership superpowers. You will also learn daily practices to adopt a “do it awkward—but do it

In this inspiring episode of the High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff explores how grit is the foundation for achieving your biggest goals and dreams.   She shares the powerful metaphor of the pearl—how something rare and valuable begins with irritation. Just like a pearl forms when an oyster transforms a piece of grit over time, our greatest achievements come from leaning into challenges and staying committed through discomfort.   You’ll also learn practical ways to strengthen your grit muscle, such as committing to one challenging action every day, surrounding yourself with people who push you, and focusing on deliberate—not just repetitive—practice.   This Week’s Power Phrase: “I am gritty. I do the things others won’t to achieve the things others can’t. I put in the hours necessary for success.”   Quote of the Week: “Grit is not just having resilience in the face of failure, but also having deep commitments that you remain loyal to over many years.” — Angela Duckworth   Tune in to discover how to

In this fascinating and high-energy episode, I interview Traci Brown—ranked the #3 body language expert in the world and a go-to voice on lie detection, deception, and influence. A former elite cyclist turned deception detection expert, Traci brings a rare combination of athletic discipline and forensic insight to her work. Traci is a frequent television guest featured on CBS, NBC, and Nancy Grace, and is the author of How to Detect Lies, Fraud and Identity Theft. She works with businesses, financial groups, and law enforcement to prevent fraud, protect profits, and make better decisions under pressure. In this episode, Traci shares practical strategies to read people more accurately, ask better questions, and spot deception before it costs you. You’ll learn: Why detecting deception is a leadership skill—and how to sharpen it The body language differences between big and small lies How lie detection can accelerate business results and reduce losses Everyday signs of deception that are easy to miss—and

In this episode, we explore one of the most powerful mindset tools high performers use: reframing.   You’ll hear the inspiring story of Spanx founder Sara Blakely and how her father helped her see failure as a sign of courage and growth.   We break down how reframing allows you to reinterpret challenges with strength and optimism, turning setbacks into comebacks and adversity into fuel.   You’ll learn: What reframing really is and why it’s essential to high performance. Practical questions and tools to help you shift your perspective in real-time. Everyday examples—from tough conversations to public speaking—where reframing can give you an edge.   Whether you’re an athlete, coach, educator, or executive, this episode will help you see challenge through a new lens—and move forward with clarity and confidence.   Power Phrase: “I see challenge through the lens of growth. I flip the frame to fuel my strength and stride forward.” Quote of the Week: “When you change your story, you change your power.” – Bre

In this science-backed and practical episode, I interview John Edwards—executive coach, speaker, and founder of The Edwards Groups. With a background in neuroscience and years of experience advising Fortune 500 companies, John shares powerful insights on how to navigate stress, lead with presence, and thrive through change. John’s approach blends neuroscience with leadership strategy to help high performers build resilience, expand their influence, and lead confidently in complex environments. In this conversation, he breaks down why our brains are wired for stress, how to rewire for strength, and what it means to be a standout leader in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. You’ll learn: Why your brain’s default setting is stress—and what you can do to override it The neuroscience behind executive presence and how to grow your influence authentically How to boost cognitive capacity and resilience through better daily habits What a “chaos point” is—and how to lead your team through uncertainty Practic

In this episode of the High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff challenges you to dream bigger and pursue bold, gritty goals—even if they feel just out of reach. She shares compelling research from Harvard and insights from performance psychology that show how stretch goals—ambitious targets that push you beyond your current limits—can fuel creativity, persistence, and breakthrough performance. The key is believing the goal is possible and tying it to a powerful “why.” Cindra also draws on wisdom from her conversation with Caroline Adams Miller, author of Getting Grit, about the value of pursuing hard goals that demand risk, discomfort, and long-term effort. These are the kinds of goals that spark real growth. You’ll learn: Why stretch goals create clarity, focus, and passion How top performers connect long-term dreams to daily actions What to do when doubt creeps in and tempts you to play small Why writing down your goals can be a game changer This episode is a reminder that dreaming big isn’t

In this inspiring episode, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with Alden Mills—former Navy SEAL platoon commander, championship rower, best-selling author, inventor, and entrepreneur. Alden’s life is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention. From overcoming childhood asthma to leading Navy SEAL teams and building a $95M business with the Perfect Pushup, Alden shares how the unstoppable mindset shaped every chapter of his extraordinary journey. Alden is the author of Be Unstoppable, Unstoppable Teams, and Unstoppable Mindset, and was named Entrepreneur magazine’s #1 virtual speaker. In this episode, he reveals the mental strategies that helped him turn adversity into advantage, failure into fuel, and vision into impact. You’ll learn: Why being “unstoppable” is a choice—and how to practice that choice daily The story behind the mantra: “No one defines what you can and can’t do” How Navy SEAL leadership skills apply directly to business, family, and life The CARE Loop framework and how to build high-trust,

In this inspiring episode of the High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff explores how optimism can turn adversity into advantage.   She shares a powerful story of a collegiate athlete who, after a devastating ACL injury just before nationals, chose to reframe the setback as a new beginning. Her shift in perspective led her to mentorship, sport psychology, and a new purpose: becoming a mental performance coach.   Cindra breaks down how optimism isn’t naive positivity—it’s an active choice to find meaning in difficulty. Backed by science, she discusses the many benefits of optimism, including increased resilience, creativity, persistence, and even longer life expectancy. Research from Harvard shows that optimistic leaders and entrepreneurs outperform their peers in both business and recovery from failure.   You’ll also learn about the Three OPP Strategy from Beyond Grit, a practical mental tool to help you reframe challenges.   This week’s power phrase: “Setbacks don’t define me. I see the opportunity in