685: Coaches Are Performers Too: Building High-Performance Cultures with Dr. Richard Thelwell
Release Date: 06/19/2025
705: Believe It’s Possible—Then Go Make It Real
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
704: Feedback Without Fear
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
703: See It, Say It, Become It
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
702: Reinventing Yourself with Craig Siegel: From Wall Street to Purpose-Driven Impact
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
701: Why Focusing on the Process Beats Chasing the Outcome
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
700: The Creative’s Mind: Building Mental Toughness with Dr. Jim Afremow, High-Performance Consultant & Author
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
699: Embracing Mistakes: The Key to High Performance
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
698: Good Awkward: Turning Cringe into Confidence with Henna Pryor, CSP, Keynote Speaker & TedX Speaker
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
697: No Grit, No Pearl
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outline
696: Truth, Lies, and Leadership: How to Use Body Language to Detect Deception with Traci Brown
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
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...
info_outlineIn this powerful episode, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with internationally respected sport psychologist Dr. Richard Thelwell to explore the psychology behind high-performance coaching. Drawing on decades of research and applied practice, Dr. Thelwell shares why coaches must see themselves as performers and how their emotional intelligence, communication, and self-awareness directly shape athlete performance and team culture.
Richard is a Professor of Applied Sport Psychology and currently serves as the Executive Dean at the University of Portsmouth. He’s a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and his groundbreaking research has helped shape how we understand the coach-athlete relationship, emotional intelligence in sport, and how coaches thrive under pressure.
You’ll learn:
-
Why the coach-athlete relationship is central to consistent performance
-
The surprising impact of nonverbal cues on athlete engagement and confidence
-
How coaches can manage pressure, burnout, and organizational volatility
-
Why rest is a psychological skill—and how coaches can develop a rest strategy
-
Practical strategies to help coaches stay composed, reflective, and effective under pressure
Dr. Thelwell also offers insights from his research on coach stress, organizational change, and the powerful role of emotional regulation. Whether you're on the sideline or in the boardroom, this conversation will help you lead with more purpose, presence, and performance.
HIGH PERFORMANCE MINDSET SHOWNOTES FOR THIS EPISODE
LISTEN TO OUR CONFIDENCE FOR ATHLETES FREE WEBINAR
MENTIONED RESEARCH DOCUMENT (Psychology of Rest in Athletes)
REQUEST A FREE MENTAL BREAKTHROUGH CALL WITH DR. CINDRA AND/OR HER TEAM
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MENTALLY STRONG INSTITUTE
Love the show? Rate and review the show for Cindra to mention you on the next episode.