Podcast
Becoming My Stronger Me
Hosted by Nassim · EN
"Becoming My Stronger Me” is a podcast designed to help you become stronger in mind, body, and heart.
Season 1 - Like 47 million other Americans, I voluntarily left my successful full-time career to pursue, well, whatever was next. We’ll call this “my great resignation.” As you get to know me, you’ll see that I’m a type-A planner. So to make a life choice without some grand detailed master plan on the other side was unheard of. But now, 2 years later, it was the best decision of my life. Join me as I share my story, questions I asked myself (or wish I had), missteps I made (and how to avoid them), the effect this had on me and everyone around me, and other musings that helped me to become my stronger me.
Season 2 - The Mental Performance Series is dedicated to exploring the intricate relationship between mental performance, sports excellence, leadership, and personal growth. We’ll dive deep into the psychology behind peak performance in athletics, leadership roles, and everyday life. Whether you're an athlete looking to optimize your mental game on the field, a leader seeking to inspire and motivate your team, or an individual striving for personal growth and success, this series provides practical tips, actionable strategies, and inspiring stories to help you unlock your full potential and become your stronger you.
Check out additional resources online: (https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com) and IG (@strongerme)!
40episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Flow State—What the Research Says
2d ago00:14:03Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!What does it really mean to be “in the zone”?In this final episode of our Focus, Attention, and Flow mini-series, Coach Nassim explores the science behind flow state and separates research from common misconceptions. Drawing on decades of performance psychology research, this episode examines what flow is, why it happens, and why trying to force it often has the opposite effect.Whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or performer, this episode offers practical insights into one of the most fascinating topics in mental performance.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Training Attention Like a Skill
1w ago00:13:59Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Can attention actually be trained?In this episode of Becoming My Stronger Me, Coach Nassim explores the science behind focus, attention, and mental performance. Drawing from sport psychology, cognitive science, and performance research, we break down one of the biggest myths in sport—that focus is something athletes either have or don’t have.You’ll learn why attention is a trainable skill, how elite performers recover from distraction, what Attentional Control Theory teaches us about pressure and anxiety, and why mindfulness is less about clearing your mind and more about redirecting your attention.Whether you're an athlete looking to improve concentration, a coach helping players perform under pressure, or a parent supporting athletic development, this episode provides practical, research-backed insights into building stronger attentional skills.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Why Focus is Harder than Ever
2w ago00:16:35Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!If you've ever been told to "just focus," this episode is for you.In the first episode of our Focus, Attention, and Flow mini-series, Coach Nassim explores why maintaining attention has become increasingly difficult in today's high-stimulation world. Drawing from research on attention, cognitive load, distraction, and multitasking, this conversation breaks down what focus actually is, how attention works, and why so many athletes struggle to stay present under pressure.You'll learn why attention is a limited resource, how modern environments compete for your focus, the hidden costs of multitasking, and why what looks like poor focus is often cognitive overload. Coach Nassim also explores how attention develops across childhood and adolescence, why emotions influence focus, and what separates elite performers from everyone else when distractions inevitably show up.Whether you're an athlete trying to perform consistently, a coach looking to create better learning environments, or a parent supporting a developing athlete, this episode provides a science-backed foundation for understanding one of the most important skills in performance.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Kate Crane
3w ago00:44:04Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode of the Becoming My Stronger Me podcast, I sit down with Kate Crane, founder of Direction Over Perfection, former high-level equestrian athlete, and mentor dedicated to helping young adults navigate life and career decisions with greater confidence and clarity.Kate's journey is a powerful reminder that growth is rarely a straight line. From competing in the demanding world of elite horse jumping—where success depends on trust, adaptability, emotional regulation, and resilience—to building a successful business career and eventually founding Direction Over Perfection, she has learned firsthand that progress is often more important than perfection.In our conversation, we explore the lessons that high-level sport teaches about confidence, self-trust, and handling pressure. We discuss the dangers of perfectionism, why so many high achievers struggle with uncertainty, and how embracing a mindset of direction over perfection can help us move forward even when we don't have all the answers.Kate also shares insights from her experiences as an athlete, business leader, and mentor, offering practical wisdom for anyone navigating transitions, setbacks, or big decisions in sport, career, or life.https://www.directionoverperfection.com/Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Kelly Findley
Jun 1500:39:29Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Findley—a longtime collegiate soccer coach, former professional player, and mentor who has spent decades developing athletes and leaders at the highest levels of the game.Kelly’s journey spans over 20 years in college soccer, with head coaching roles at programs like Liberty University, NC State, and Butler. But what makes this conversation so powerful isn’t just the experience—it’s the evolution. After years of building teams and competing at the highest levels, Kelly has shifted his focus toward something deeper: helping athletes and coaches understand who they are beyond the game, and how that identity shapes how they perform.In our conversation, we explore what it really means to develop the whole person—not just the player. We talk about identity, purpose, and the environments that either unlock or limit growth. Kelly shares insights on how coaches can move beyond tactics to create transformational experiences, and how athletes can begin to separate who they are from what they do.This is a conversation about performance—but not in the way most people think. It’s about the foundation underneath it all: clarity, alignment, and the courage to do the deeper work that ultimately drives how you show up.This episode is for athletes, coaches, and parents who want to move beyond surface-level development and truly understand what it takes to grow—on the field and in life.Learn more: https://coachesonmission.com/Connect with Kelly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-findley-a88167107/Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Adam Roach
Jun 800:51:39Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I sit down with Adam Roach—a former collegiate athlete turned coach, entrepreneur, and leader who is deeply committed to helping people build meaningful, sustainable success.Adam’s foundation in sport shaped the way he approaches performance, discipline, and growth. As a collegiate tennis player, he developed the mindset required to compete, adapt, and stay resilient under pressure—lessons that continue to influence his work today.Now, as the founder of I Love Coaching Co. (https://ilovecoachingco.com), Adam works with coaches and leaders to build businesses and lives rooted in clarity, conviction, and long-term impact. His approach challenges the quick-fix mindset and instead emphasizes identity, ownership, and intentional growth over time.Adam also shares insights from impactful resources like One Jordan (https://www.amazon.com/One-Jordan-Adam-Roach/dp/0578764303), which reinforce the idea that growth isn’t about avoiding challenges—it’s about how you choose to respond to them.This episode is for athletes, coaches, and anyone ready to take ownership of their path, shift their mindset, and step into a more intentional version of themselves.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Josh Sprague
Jun 100:47:29Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I sit down with Josh Sprague—an endurance athlete whose journey is defined by consistency, resilience, and a deep understanding of the mental side of performance.Josh has competed in hundreds of endurance events, including triathlons, trail races, and ultra-distance challenges. But what makes his perspective so valuable isn’t just the volume of races—it’s the mindset required to keep showing up, to manage discomfort, and to stay engaged when the physical and mental demands start to peak. His approach reflects years of experience pushing through long distances, adapting in real time, and building the discipline to keep going when it’s hard.In our conversation, we talk about what endurance sports teach us about discipline and long-term growth, how to stay consistent when motivation fades, and what it really takes to navigate setbacks without losing momentum. We also get into the role of mental toughness—what it actually looks like in real time—and how training your mind becomes just as important as training your body.Josh also shares how his experience as an athlete led him to build businesses rooted in real-world problem-solving, including Orange Mud (https://orangemud.com) and Seven Clay (https://sevenclay.com), both shaped directly by his experiences in endurance sports and hands-on execution.This episode is for athletes, coaches, and anyone looking to better understand how resilience is built—not in one big moment, but through the daily decision to keep showing up.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Performing When It Counts
May 2500:08:00Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Performing under pressure isn’t about rising to the moment—it’s about returning to what you’ve trained.In this episode, Coach Nassim brings the Pressure, Stress, and Nerves mini-series to a close by focusing on how athletes actually execute when it matters most. Drawing from research on pre-performance routines, attention control, and self-regulation, this conversation breaks down why performance often drops under pressure—and what helps athletes stay consistent.You’ll learn how routines create stability, how attention shifts in high-stakes moments, and why the ability to reset between plays is one of the most important performance skills athletes can develop. The episode also offers practical ways to simplify focus, reduce overthinking, and stay connected to execution.This episode is essential for athletes, coaches, and parents who want to understand how to translate preparation into performance—especially when the stakes are highest.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Nerves and Anxiety
May 1800:08:54Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Nerves don’t mean something is wrong—they mean something is happening.In this episode, Coach Nassim breaks down what athletes actually experience in high-pressure moments, exploring the science behind nerves, anxiety, and arousal. Drawing from the Yerkes-Dodson Law and multidimensional anxiety theory, this conversation reframes anxiety as a natural and often helpful part of performance—not a flaw to fix.You’ll learn the difference between physical activation and mental worry, why anxiety shows up differently for every athlete, and how interpretation—not elimination—shapes performance. The episode also introduces simple ways to recognize what you’re feeling and respond more effectively in the moment.This episode is essential for athletes, coaches, and parents who want to better understand nerves, reduce unnecessary fear around anxiety, and build a healthier, more effective relationship with pressure.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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What Pressure Does to the Brain and Body
May 1100:10:05Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Pressure isn’t just the moment—it’s how your brain interprets the moment.In this episode, Coach Nassim kicks off the Pressure, Stress, and Nerves mini-series by breaking down what actually happens in the brain and body when athletes feel pressure. Drawing from stress appraisal theory, challenge vs. threat research, and the psychophysiology of stress, this conversation explains why two athletes can experience the same situation completely differently—and how that impacts performance.You’ll learn how the brain evaluates pressure, why your body’s response is not a mistake but a performance system activating, and how interpretation shapes whether pressure helps or hurts.This episode gives athletes, coaches, and parents a foundational understanding of pressure—so it’s no longer something to fear, but something to understand and work with.If you’ve ever wondered why pressure feels the way it does, this episode provides clarity, language, and a science-backed way to think about it.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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