706: Inner Excellence: How to Master Your Ego and Expectations with Bestselling Author, Jim Murphy
Release Date: 09/24/2025
726: The 8 Confidence Killers™: What Leaders Must Avoid
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Confidence at work rarely disappears overnight. It erodes slowly through everyday leadership behaviors. In this episode, Cindra shares findings from her National Research Study on Confidence and introduces the 8 Confidence Killers. These are common leadership behaviors that quietly undermine employee confidence, motivation, and trust. You will learn what employees say damages confidence most, why these behaviors are often unintentional, and why confidence is directly tied to performance, engagement, retention, and revenue. You will also hear one statistic that changes how leaders think about...
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725: Break the Complaint Habit with Will Bowen, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
In this episode of The High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with Will Bowen—founder of the global Complaint Free® movement—to explore how habitual complaining quietly erodes confidence, performance, leadership, and culture. Will shares the origin story behind the now-iconic purple bracelet and how a simple 21-day challenge became a worldwide movement impacting millions. Together, they unpack why complaining feels so automatic—even for high performers—and how awareness is the first step toward real behavior change. The conversation dives deep into the psychology of...
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724: From Data to Action: 8 Evidence-Based Ways to Build Confidence in Youth
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Quote to start with: “Confidence isn’t something kids are born with—it’s something they build.” Gen Z is at the center of a growing confidence crisis. In this episode, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff breaks down new findings from the 2025 National Research Study on Confidence and shares what actually helps kids and young adults build real confidence. What you will learn today from this episode: Why nearly half of Gen Z regularly feels “not enough” How social media fuels comparison and self-doubt Why confidence is a skill—and how to train it The 8...
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723: Performing Under Pressure with Connor Fields, Olympic Champion and Keynote Speaker
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
In this episode of The High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with Olympic gold medalist Connor Fields to unpack the mental journey behind elite performance, resilience, and reinvention. Connor shares how he learned competing at a young age, and how his mindset evolved across three Olympic cycles—from disappointment in 2012 to standing on top of the podium in Rio in 2016. He opens up about the mental tools he relied on under extreme pressure, how he learned to reframe failure, and the self-awareness required to perform at your best when the stakes are highest. The...
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722: The Confidence to Do Nothing New This Year
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
In this episode, we explore a counterintuitive finding from the 2025 National Confidence Study: the pressure to constantly improve may be eroding confidence rather than building it. We unpack the data behind comparison, confidence fatigue, and the growing belief of “not enough,” including why this mindset is especially heavy at the start of a new year. You’ll hear how performance psychology explains the link between pressure and insecurity, why mastery builds confidence more effectively than endless goals, and how the Learn–Burn–Return™ framework helps you move forward without...
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721: Confidence Is Essential to Your Organization’s Bottom Line
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
What if confidence, not talent, was the real driver of performance? In this episode of The High Performance Mindset, we reveal why confidence is a business strategy, not a soft skill. Our national research shows 81% of workers are drawn to organizations that prioritize confidence and when confidence is low, productivity, culture, and retention suffer. If you are a leader, this matters. 👉Press play to learn how confidence impacts your bottom line. Power Phrase of the Week: “I treat confidence as a strategy, not a soft skill.” Quote...
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720: Creating Workplaces Where People Can Truly Thrive with Jen Fisher, Author and Well-Being Expert
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Today on the High Performance Mindset, I’m talking with someone who is truly changing the way we think about work and wellbeing. Jen Fisher is a global leader in this space — and honestly, she’s just one of those people who makes you feel seen and grounded the moment she starts talking. Jen was Deloitte’s first-ever Chief Well-Being Officer, which basically means she helped a massive organization rethink what it really means to support people. Her passion comes from her own journey through burnout and cancer, and she’s used those experiences to build a career focused on helping...
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719: Why Women Doubt Themselves
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
In this episode, we dive into one of the most important findings from the 2025 National Confidence Study: the unique confidence barriers women face at work. We break down the data on harsh self-talk, comparison, and feeling “not enough,” and explore how these challenges are shaped by both internal patterns and cultural pressures. You’ll hear why these confidence gaps matter, what leaders must understand, and the intentional steps women can take to quiet the inner critic and reclaim their strength. We end with one powerful reflection question and a confidence boosting power phrase...
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718: The Confidence Crisis in Gen Z
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Our 2025 Confidence Study reveals a striking truth: Gen Z is struggling most with confidence. Nearly half feel “not enough,” and many battle constant comparison and a harsh inner critic. In this episode, Cindra and Lisa unpack why this is happening, how it shows up at work and in life, and the simple things leaders, parents, and coaches can do to build Gen Z’s confidence every day. Power Phrase: “I choose confidence, not because it’s easy — but because it’s who I’m becoming.” To download the Confidence Report, visit: To Request a Free Breakthrough...
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717: Play a Bigger Game with Markus Kaulius, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
Today on the High Performance Mindset, I’m joined by someone who has dedicated his life to helping people break through limitations and step boldly into the impact they were meant to make. Markus Kaulius, an entrepreneur and bestselling author of Play a Bigger Game, is a force of nature when it comes to transformation. Markus built multiple businesses from the ground up, but what makes him remarkable isn’t just his success, it’s his mission. After experiencing deep personal loss and burnout, he rebuilt his identity from the inside out. Now he teaches leaders, athletes, and high...
info_outlineWelcome to The High Performance Mindset Podcast, where we help you master your mindset to gain the high performance edge. My name is Dr. Cindra Kamphoff, and today I am thrilled to share my conversation with Jim Murphy—author of Inner Excellence.
You might have heard about Jim’s book on January 12 when AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles was reading his book on the slide lines of a NFL Game. To be honest, I thought to myself, I have read so many performance psychology books, how will this one be different? But after a recommendation from a colleague, I read the book this summer and loved it. Jim provides so much wisdom and tools in the book! It is amazing.
Jim has spent decades studying what allows athletes and leaders to thrive under pressure. In this episode, he opens up about his five years of research with Olympic coaches and sport psychologists, and the surprising discoveries that shaped his Inner Excellence model. We talk about his viral moment when AJ Brown was spotted reading his book on the sidelines, and what it was like to see his work inspire so many people.
You’ll hear Jim explain his three “Us” framework—being unembarrassable, unoffendable, and unirritable—and how these qualities help you live and perform with freedom. We also discuss the dangers of ego and self-centeredness, the trap of expectations, and how to stay focused on the process rather than outcomes.
This is a conversation packed with wisdom you’ll want to revisit again and again.
Before we jump in, at the Mentally Strong Institute, we help athletes and leaders achieve their goals quicker, uplevel their confidence, and increase their influence. To learn more about our coaching, I invite you to sign for a free coaching call with me or one of my team members at the Mentally Strong Institute at freementalbreakthoughcall.com. We will help you create a breakthrough –a moment of more clarity and understanding. That’s www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com to sign up for a free mental breakthrough call.
Alright…let’s jump into my interview with Jim Murphy. You are going to love this one!
🔹HIGH PERFORMANCE MINDSET SHOWNOTES FOR THIS EPISODE
🔹 Learn more about Jim Murphy and His Work
🔹 Request a Free Mental Breakthrough Call with Dr. Cindra and/or her team
🔹 Learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute
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