The Way 2 Play Free
This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Host Derin McMains is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant that has spent the last 20+ years in professional sports. He works with some of the best athletes, coaches and business executives in the world.
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What Do You Need to Stop Doing? - Psalm 1:1
04/26/2024
What Do You Need to Stop Doing? - Psalm 1:1
Success isn't always about what you do - it's about what you don't do. How often do you take the time to reflect on what you need to stop doing in order to reach your goals? This episode gives you an opportunity to consider what you need to remove to become the competitor you were created to become. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Derin McMains IG:
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Opportunity - James 4:14
02/05/2024
Opportunity - James 4:14
Opportunities will come toward us, but they won't chase us. We must grab 'em. This episode focuses in on how we can make the most of our opportunities in our sport, and in our lives. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Derin McMains Instagram:
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Train It and Trust Him - 1st Samuel 17:37
01/16/2024
Train It and Trust Him - 1st Samuel 17:37
The edge - everybody wants it. What do we have to do to earn it? This episode focuses on the importance of hard training and trusting God to get the most out of our abilities. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Follow Derin McMains on IG:
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Fear is Not the Problem - Isaiah 41:10
01/05/2024
Fear is Not the Problem - Isaiah 41:10
What is your response when you encounter fear? How do the best athletes respond when they experience fear? What does the Bible say about fear? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses a few strategies on how to best respond to fear so you can become the competitor you were created to become. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you. Follow Derin McMains on IG:
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Edit Your Life - Mark 10:17-27
06/04/2023
Edit Your Life - Mark 10:17-27
When we plan for improvement, our first instinct is to add new things. What if the path to your best performances and your best life is not about what you can add, but what you can remove? This episode focuses in on the encounter between Jesus and the rich, young ruler; and has you consider what you can stop doing - instead of start doing. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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You're not bad at it. You're getting better at it. - John 3:17
04/14/2023
You're not bad at it. You're getting better at it. - John 3:17
When it comes to skill development, what do you tell yourself to keep yourself going? Nonjudgemental thinking gets us to acceptance quicker, and the quicker we get to acceptance - the better our focus will be on what to do next. Judgement keeps us stuck. Jesus came to free us from that. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Don't Talk About It. Be About It. - John 13:13-15
04/06/2023
Don't Talk About It. Be About It. - John 13:13-15
Sports don't build character. Coaches build character. This episode focuses in on the important role coaches play in developing the character of their competitors. And learn one simple principle that Jesus, the greatest teacher that ever lived, embodied to impact those that He taught. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Out With the Old, In With the New - 2 Corinthians 5:17
03/25/2023
Out With the Old, In With the New - 2 Corinthians 5:17
If someone had never seen you compete before, how would you describe yourself as a competitor? How we see ourselves impacts our ability to perform, and it's difficult to outperform the image we have of ourselves for very long. This episode focuses in on the power of self-image and how following Jesus gives us the opportunity to experience the freedom that comes along with being brand new. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Change Your Perspective, Change Your Game - Jesus is a Game-Changer
03/16/2023
Change Your Perspective, Change Your Game - Jesus is a Game-Changer
Our perspective determines our thoughts. Our thoughts determine our emotions. And it's our emotions that influence our actions. Our perspective matters. If you want to change your game, consider changing your perspective. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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"Never Stop Praying" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
01/06/2023
"Never Stop Praying" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
We've all been witnessing the power of people uniting in prayer this past week after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during the Monday Night Football game between the Bills and the Bengals. As we continue to pray for him, his teammates, the coaches, the performance staff, Bills' staff members, Tee Higgins, and other players impacted by this - let's be reminded of the power of daily prayer in our personal lives. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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What Do Others See? - Acts 4:13
12/30/2022
What Do Others See? - Acts 4:13
What do people see when they watch you compete? Who do people see in your daily actions? Living a life of intention and purpose begins with deciding how we want to show up. This episode gives you the opportunity to reflect on what type of competitor you are, and offers a suggestion on how to be more intentional in becoming the competitor you were created to become. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Penalty Kicks, Fear, and Trust - Psalm 56:3-4
12/20/2022
Penalty Kicks, Fear, and Trust - Psalm 56:3-4
Coming off an incredible finish in the World Cup that ended in penalty kicks, Derin McMains discusses the performance gap between being the final kicker when your team is down one versus when you're tied. How do you approach competitive situations? Do you see them as a challenge? Or do you see them as a threat? How we perceive a situation will determine our body's response to it. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Special Guest: Nick Ahmed - Arizona Diamondbacks Shortstop - Part 2
12/16/2022
Special Guest: Nick Ahmed - Arizona Diamondbacks Shortstop - Part 2
This is part 2 of the interview with special guest Nick Ahmed. In the final part of this interview, Nick talks about how he managed the expectations after winning a Gold Glove in 2018, battling through injuries during the 2022 season, managing being a husband, dad, and professional athlete all at the same time, and his favorite Bible verse. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
/episode/index/show/theway2playfree/id/25334217
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Special Guest: Nick Ahmed - Arizona Diamondbacks Shortstop - Part 1
12/15/2022
Special Guest: Nick Ahmed - Arizona Diamondbacks Shortstop - Part 1
In this special episode, Derin McMains interviews Nick Ahmed. Nick has spent the past 9 seasons playing shortop for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In part 1 of this 2 part interview, Nick talks about his mindset as a high school and collegiate student-athlete, he discusses his early struggles after getting drafted and then traded, and he also shares his incredible story of when he gave his life to Jesus. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Pitfall Two: Obsessive Goal Orientation - Psalm 119:105
11/28/2022
Pitfall Two: Obsessive Goal Orientation - Psalm 119:105
The same pitfalls that can trip us up along the path to mastery in our sport can trip us up in our pursuit of following Jesus. George Leonard outlined 13 pitfalls in his book "Mastery", and this episode focuses in on the second pitfall of obsessive goal orientation. While result goals are paramount in our pursuit of better, they can also trip us up if we obsess over them. Result goals set the direction of our steps, but it’s our focus and our commitment to each step that gets us to where we want to go. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Pitfall One: Conflicting Way of Life - James 1:8
11/14/2022
Pitfall One: Conflicting Way of Life - James 1:8
When we pursue mastery, we're choosing a path that has ups, downs, and plateaus. George Leonard outlined 13 pitfalls along the path to mastery in his book appropriately titled, "Mastery". Those same pitfalls that can trip us up along the path of mastery can trip us up in our pursuit of following Jesus. This episode reminds us that it's our unseen hours that will determine how far we go, what we'll achieve, and what we'll ultimately experience in our relationship with Jesus. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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"This will be hard, and you can do hard things." - 2 Timothy 3:12, Phil. 4:13
10/31/2022
"This will be hard, and you can do hard things." - 2 Timothy 3:12, Phil. 4:13
"This will be hard, and you can do hard things" might be one of the most helpful and empowering things you can say to someone. Running toward challenges and embracing hard is what it takes to find meaning and grow. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
/episode/index/show/theway2playfree/id/24845265
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Call 'em out. Call 'em in. Lift 'em up. - Ephesians 4:15
10/18/2022
Call 'em out. Call 'em in. Lift 'em up. - Ephesians 4:15
This episode offers a different perspective on why we must give others the permission to call us out, and have the courage to call others out if we want to play at a higher level. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Stretched Too Thin - Proverbs 21:5
10/12/2022
Stretched Too Thin - Proverbs 21:5
We're all going to be streteched too thin from time to time. That's inevitable if you're driven to impact and achieve. This episode offers four strategies on how to increase your diligence in your decision-making when it comes to opportunities away from the field. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Stop Asking 'Why' and Ask 'Now What' - "Battle Belongs"
08/15/2022
Stop Asking 'Why' and Ask 'Now What' - "Battle Belongs"
When we run up against significant challenges, asking 'Why' is important. But if we spend too much time in 'Why', we'll never get to 'Now What'. This episode is to encourage those of you who are in the middle of a challenge right now. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Let Others Step Up - Proverbs 13:10
08/12/2022
Let Others Step Up - Proverbs 13:10
Sometimes when you're stuck, the best way forward is not what you do - it's more about who you choose to listen to. This episode reminds us that surrounding ourselves with wise people that have our best interests in mind is essential in achieving big goals. Big goals mean big obstacles - which means we need to rely on the wisdom of others to help us find the path forward. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Spotlight Effect - Matthew 28:18-20
08/08/2022
Spotlight Effect - Matthew 28:18-20
The spotlight effect is an idea that we tend to overestimate how much other people are really noticing what we're doing. This episode reminds to not let what's important keep us from what matters most. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Lessons Learned: A One-Year Reflection
07/19/2022
Lessons Learned: A One-Year Reflection
In this one-year anniversary episode, Derin McMains shares 6 lessons that he's learned in doing a podcast. He discusses wanting to quit, the importance of encouragement, process focus, intentional mornings, leaning into discomfort, and surrounding yourself with the right people. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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The Power of Identity - Daniel 1:7
07/11/2022
The Power of Identity - Daniel 1:7
Does the story you're telling yourself about yourself give you the best opportunity to have success? This episode dives into how our identity shapes our performance, and offers some insight on how to discover who you really are. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Anchors - Hebrews 6:19
07/06/2022
Anchors - Hebrews 6:19
Anchors provide stability, strength, and hope. Without intentional anchoring strategies, we will drift off-course. This episode focuses on developing those strategies that will help you stay on-course toward your goals. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
/episode/index/show/theway2playfree/id/23637818
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Decide Now How to Respond Later - Matthew 5:38-39
06/17/2022
Decide Now How to Respond Later - Matthew 5:38-39
Amateurs involuntarily react. Pros intentionally respond. In this episode, Derin McMains shares how a strong mental game and a strong spiritual game are built by predeciding your response to the inevitable adversities that will arise in the future. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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The Question to Level Up Your Focus - Matthew 22:37-39
06/07/2022
The Question to Level Up Your Focus - Matthew 22:37-39
How do you level up your focus to accomplish your goals? In this episode, Derin McMains discusses one specific strategy that the most focused teams and performers use to turn big goals into reality. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Keep It Simple.... - Matthew 22:34-40
05/30/2022
Keep It Simple.... - Matthew 22:34-40
Overthinking keeps us from performing at our potential. We can't think and perform at the same time. This episode reminds us that it doesn't matter whether it's in the arena or in our everyday lives, we can commit to simple. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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Know Your Opponent - John 8:44
05/20/2022
Know Your Opponent - John 8:44
In sport, you cannot compete properly if you don't know your opponent. In life, you cannot live the life God has intended for you if you don't know your opponent. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
/episode/index/show/theway2playfree/id/23173949
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Finish Well - 2 Timothy 4:7
05/05/2022
Finish Well - 2 Timothy 4:7
"It's not how you start, it's how you finish" is a popular phrase in sports. This episode focuses on how it's our finish that will determine our lasting impact and influence. This podcast is for athletes and coaches that are doing their best to follow Jesus. It's devoted to connecting Biblical truths to mental performance principles, so you can compete with a deeper purpose and perform at a higher level. If you're looking to grow your faith and your game, then this podcast is for you.
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