743: Elite by Choice: How Your Daily Decisions Shape High Performance with Lauren Johnson, Mental Performance Coach & Keynote Speaker
Release Date: 04/16/2026
750: The Power of Small Wins
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
In this episode, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff shares the story behind Hank’s Hope, a project inspired by her father’s 51-day fight in the ICU and the “win wall” her family created to capture small victories each day. Cindra explores why celebrating small wins is essential for building confidence, resilience, and hope. Drawing from performance psychology and confidence research, she explains how focusing on progress—not perfection—helps train your brain to recognize growth and build belief in yourself. In This Episode: Why small wins matter The difference between “the gap”...
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749: Translating Performance Across Sport and Business with Dr. Armin McCrea-Dastur
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 Dr. Armin McCrea-Dastur—leadership and performance consultant, Founder of Diamond Consulting, and expert in both business and sport psychology—to explore what it takes to perform at a high level across every environment. Drawing from more than 30 years of experience in leadership development, organizational performance, and sport psychology, Armin shares a unique perspective on how the skills developed in athletics directly translate into success in business and life. From working with global...
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748: Train Your Trust
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
“Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.” – Benjamin Spock What if the biggest thing holding you back… isn’t your ability, but your trust in it? In this episode, we dive into a powerful question high performers face all the time: “Have I done enough, and can I trust it when it matters most?” You’ll hear a real story from an elite athlete preparing for a major moment, and the simple shift that changed everything. We explore: Why self-trust is a skill (not something you’re born with) How hesitation and overthinking quietly...
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747: Building Self-Compassion Without Losing Your Edge with Danae Frentz, Mental Performance Consultant
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 Danae Frentz—a mental performance professional and self-compassion researcher—to explore a powerful idea that challenges how many high achievers think: being hard on yourself isn’t what drives success—self-compassion is. Drawing from nearly a decade of research and applied work in sport and performance psychology, Danae shares how self-compassion helps athletes and performers regulate emotions, recover from setbacks, and sustain high performance without burnout. She explains that self-compassion isn’t...
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746: Designing a Life You Want
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
“Let them judge. Let them misunderstand. Let them doubt you.” – Mel Robbins After seeing Mel Robbins live, I left with three questions I can’t stop thinking about: 👉 What if nothing in your life changed in 5 years? 👉What’s your Plan B? 👉And… what would you do if you didn’t care what people thought? In this episode, we unpack how these questions reveal what you really want and what’s holding you back. Inspired by Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. 💬 Power Phrase: “Let them think...
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745: Thinking Under Pressure with Max Pollack, Cognitive Performance Specialist with Special Forces
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 Maximilian (Max) Pollack—a Cognitive Performance Specialist supporting U.S. Special Operations—to explore what it truly takes to think clearly, stay composed, and execute under extreme pressure. Drawing from his work with elite military operators, Max shares a powerful perspective: high performance isn’t just about toughness—it’s about training your mind and body to work together when it matters most. His expertise sits at the intersection of psychology, physiology, and performance, helping...
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744: The Power of Focus
High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset
What if the fastest way to change how you feel… isn’t changing your situation, but changing your focus? In this episode, Dr. Kamphoff shares how one simple shift in attention can instantly move you from frustration to clarity and confidence. When you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or “off,” it’s often not your circumstances, it’s where your mind is pointing. Learn how to take back control of your mental spotlight and direct it toward what fuels you. 🔑 In this episode: Why your focus determines your feelings How to break free from negative spirals quickly The...
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743: Elite by Choice: How Your Daily Decisions Shape High Performance with Lauren Johnson, Mental Performance Coach & 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 mental performance coach, keynote speaker, and founder of Lauren Johnson & Co, Lauren Johnson, to explore what it really means to become elite by choice. Lauren shares the pivotal story that shaped her career. After a job opportunity fell through, she found herself working at Starbucks, questioning her direction and waiting for something to change. A blunt interaction with a customer became the turning point. It forced her to recognize that she was waiting for opportunities instead of creating them. From...
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742: Winning More and Living Better: Mindset and Leadership with Zach Brandon, Mental Performance Coach and Founder of MVP Mindset Consulting
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 Zach Brandon—performance and leadership coach, former Head of Mental Performance and Coach Development for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and founder of MVP Mindset Consulting—to explore what it really takes to thrive at a high level without sacrificing wellbeing. Drawing from his experience working with elite athletes, coaches, and leaders, Zach shares a powerful perspective: high performance isn’t just about winning more—it’s also about living better. He challenges the idea that success and wellbeing are...
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741: How to Speak with Confidence and Purpose with Jess Ekstrom, Founder of Mic Drop Workshop
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 entrepreneur, speaker, and author Jess Ekstrom to explore what it really takes to build confidence, find intrinsic motivation, and share your voice without losing yourself in the process. Jess is the founder of Mic Drop Workshop, where she has helped thousands of women become more confident speakers and step into their voice. Her upcoming book, Making It Without Losing It, focuses on how to stay grounded, purpose-driven, and intrinsically motivated in high-pressure, performance-based environments. At the heart...
info_outlineIn this episode of The High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with mental performance coach, keynote speaker, and founder of Lauren Johnson & Co, Lauren Johnson, to explore what it really means to become elite by choice.
Lauren shares the pivotal story that shaped her career. After a job opportunity fell through, she found herself working at Starbucks, questioning her direction and waiting for something to change. A blunt interaction with a customer became the turning point. It forced her to recognize that she was waiting for opportunities instead of creating them.
From that moment, everything shifted. Lauren began taking ownership of her path, building her own consulting work from the ground up, which eventually led to working with the New York Yankees and some of the highest-performing athletes in the world.
At the center of this conversation is a simple but powerful idea. People don’t become average because of their ability. They become average because of their actions.
Lauren explains how daily decisions shape long-term performance, especially in moments of adversity. She breaks down why high performers don’t wait for perfect conditions, how they respond when things don’t go as planned, and what it looks like to take full responsibility for your growth.
This episode is a direct reminder that elite performance isn’t random or reserved for a few. It’s built through consistent, intentional decisions over time.
You’ll Learn:
• What “elite by choice” really means and how to apply it daily
• Why average results come from average actions, not lack of talent
• The moment that can shift you from waiting to taking control
• How to respond to adversity instead of backing away from it
• Why creating your own opportunities is critical for growth
• How small, consistent decisions compound into long-term success
• The mindset shift that separates high performers from everyone else
Lauren is also a featured speaker at the upcoming Mental Performance Summit, where she’ll expand on these ideas and share practical strategies to help you take ownership of your performance and raise your standards.
👉 Learn more and register here: www.mentalperformancesummit.org
Episode Resources & Links
Learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute:
https://mentallystronginstitute.com/
Register for the Mental Performance Summit: www.mentalperformancesummit.org
Learn more about Lauren here: www.laurenjohnsonandco.com
Request a Free Mental Breakthrough Call with Dr. Cindra or her team:
https://freementalbreakthroughcall.com/
Download our Confidence Research Study:
https://confidencestudy.com/