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)!
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Conversation with Josh Sprague
2d ago00:47:29Tap 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
1w ago00:08:00Tap 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
2w ago00:08:54Tap 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
3w ago00:10:05Tap 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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Conversation with Ramon Lara
May 400:46:24Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I sit down with Ramon Lara—a UEFA B licensed football coach and mental performance trainer whose work bridges technical development and the psychology of high performance.Ramon brings a global perspective to the game, shaped by his experiences coaching in professional environments and learning across international football cultures. His approach goes beyond tactics—focusing on how players think, process, and respond in high-pressure moments.He shares practical insights and reflections from his journey that will challenge how you think about coaching, training, and development—on and off the field. This episode is for athletes, coaches, and parents who want to better understand how the mental side of the game shapes performance, consistency, and long-term growth.Connect with Ramon: Ramon Lara | LinkedInSupport the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Rod Underwood
Apr 2700:54:24Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I sit down with Rod Underwood—a highly respected soccer coach, educator, and leader in player development with experience spanning youth, collegiate, and professional environments.Rod is widely known for his work as a Technical Director and his commitment to developing not just skilled players, but thoughtful, adaptable, and resilient athletes. With a background that includes coaching in Major League Soccer academies and leading curriculum development across clubs, he brings a systems-level perspective to how players are trained, supported, and challenged.This episode is for coaches, athletes, and parents who want to better understand the “why” behind development—and how to create environments where players don’t just perform, but evolve.Connect with Rod: Rod Underwood | LinkedIn; Instagram; www.rodunderwood.comSupport the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Shaun Smithson
Apr 2000:43:59Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode of Becoming My Stronger Me, Coach Nassim is joined by Shaun Smithson for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, athlete development, and building values-driven sport environments.Shaun brings a unique perspective shaped by his journey as an athlete, youth soccer coach, and national leader working with organizations that support coaches and athletes across the country. He shares lessons learned from coaching at the grassroots level, developing players and people within competitive environments, and leading at scale through national sport organizations.Together, we explore what it means to lead with intention, empower coaches and staff, and support athletes beyond wins and losses. The conversation touches on culture, character, long-term development, and the responsibility leaders carry in shaping experiences that influence young people far beyond the field.Connect with Shaun Smithson | LinkedInSupport the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Gabe Hall
Apr 1300:42:07Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode of Becoming My Stronger Me, Coach Nassim sits down with Gabe Hall, head men’s soccer coach at the University of Indianapolis, for a thoughtful conversation on athlete development, leadership, and building high-performance environments.With over two decades of experience working with youth national team players, future professionals, and collegiate athletes, Coach Hall shares how he approaches developing the whole athlete within competitive team settings. He reflects on the importance of relationships, trust, and communication, and how those elements shape culture, accountability, and long-term growth.The conversation also explores what it means to lead a program—setting direction, empowering staff, and creating alignment between vision and daily behavior—while supporting athletes on and off the field.This episode is especially relevant for athletes, coaches, and parents interested in:• Developing individuals within team environments• Leadership and culture-building in sport• Coaching beyond tactics and outcomes• Helping athletes grow as people, not just performersWhether you’re a coach shaping a program, an athlete navigating development, or a parent supporting the journey, this conversation offers grounded insights into what sustainable success really looks like.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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When Confidence Breaks
Apr 600:07:59Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Confidence loss isn’t a failure — it’s a human response.In this episode, Coach Nassim closes the Confidence & Self-Belief mini-series by exploring what happens when confidence breaks due to injury, role change, deselection, or prolonged struggle. Drawing from injury psychology, attribution theory, and resilience research, the episode explains why confidence disruption is common, how belief erodes, and what actually supports recovery.Listeners will learn why confidence loss is often about lost certainty rather than lost ability, how interpretation shapes recovery, and why confidence is rebuilt through small, repeated mastery experiences — not forced positivity or reassurance.This episode helps athletes, coaches, and parents understand confidence breakdown accurately and respond with patience, structure, and intention.As Season 3 continues, upcoming conversations with coaches and former athletes will explore these themes in real-world contexts, setting the stage for the next mini-series: Pressure, Stress, and Nerves.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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The Confidence Equation in Practice
Mar 3000:09:20Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Confidence doesn’t come from motivation alone — it’s supported by structure.In this episode, Coach Nassim breaks down how confidence is built and stabilized through what she calls the Confidence Equation: clarity, preparation, and meaning. Drawing from research on role clarity, performance preparation, self-concept, and development, the episode explains why confidence often rises and falls based on environment — not personality.Listeners will learn how unclear roles, inconsistent preparation, and outcome-based identity quietly undermine confidence, and how intentional structure creates belief that holds under pressure.As part of the Confidence & Self-Belief mini-series, this episode offers athletes, coaches, and parents practical insight into how confidence is supported day to day — and how to strengthen it without hype, pressure, or forced positivity.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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