In this episode of Strategic Minds Podcast, Rich sits down with Derin McMains to explore how elite athletes develop clarity, resilience, and composure—and how business leaders can do the same. Drawing from his career in professional baseball and mental performance coaching across major sports, Derin breaks down the “mental game”: the crucial seconds between moments where decisions are shaped.

He shares practical tools leaders can use to shift from emotion-driven reactions to process-driven responses, manage confidence, and prepare with greater intention. The discussion shows how the principles that help athletes perform under pressure can empower executives to show up as the version their team needs most.

🔑 Key Quotes:

“I define the mental game as the game you play between moments.”

“Emotions are great informants and terrible dictators.”

“The scoreboard doesn’t care how you feel. Fans don’t care how you feel. When I focus on confidence and feelings, I’m not focused on the task at hand.”

“Let’s start with identity. How I see myself determines how I see the world.”

“With every goal, it always starts with what problem you’re really trying to solve.”

🏆 Winsights:

Jack Welch once warned that when the rate of change inside a company lags the rate of change outside it, the end is already in motion. Reed Hastings echoes the same truth: organizations rarely die from moving too fast—they die from moving too slow. Together, their message is unmistakable.

Leaders must cultivate a constant urgency around getting better. Value creation isn’t static, and neither is the environment we compete in. The moment we stop evolving, we start falling behind.

Set aside time regularly with your team to look beyond the present and define the future state of the business. Where are you going, and what must change to get there? Strategic progress begins with intentional forward focus.

🔗 Links:

Connect with Derin McMains:

LinkedIn: Derin McMains on LinkedIn

Podcasts: No Show Dogs & The Way 2 Play Free

Instagram: @dmac_mindset

X: @McMainsDmac

🚀 Resources from Rich Horwath, Host of Strategic Minds:

🌐 Strategic Thinking Institute Website
👤 Rich Horwath on LinkedIn
🎥 Rich Horwath on YouTube
🐦 Rich Horwath on X
📸 Rich Horwath on Instagram
📘 STRATEGIC Book
🧠 Strategic Fitness System
📬 Free Strategic Thinker Newsletter
🧪 Strategic Quotient (SQ) Assessment
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts
🎧 Listen on Spotify

Managing the Mental Game

Powered by Wave AI