Podcasts · Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!
#154 - Mental Toughness Is Built, Not Born | Matt Fitzgerald
· 39 min · Episode 154
Episode #154 - Mental Toughness Is Built, Not Born | Matt Fitzgerald
Mental toughness isn't something you're born with. It's something you build.
When Matt Fitzgerald joined The Coaching Minds Podcast back in 2021 (Episode #66), we talked about his book How Bad Do You Want It? and the psychology of pushing beyond our perceived limitations.
Five years later, Matt returns with a very different perspective.
After developing a serious illness that prevented him from running for more than three years, Matt found himself facing the very challenges he'd spent his career helping athletes overcome. In his new book, Dying to Run, he shares his journey from losing the sport that helped define him to attempting an ultramarathon against seemingly impossible odds.
In this episode, we explore what that experience taught him about mental toughness, handling adversity, rebuilding confidence, and taking control of how we respond when things don't go according to plan.
In this conversation, we discuss:
• Why mental toughness is a skill that can be developed • How to respond to mistakes and disappointing performances without letting them define you • Why setbacks should be treated as information rather than failure • The difference between physical limitations and perceived limitations • How coaches can help athletes build confidence through small successes • Why preparing for adversity makes us better equipped to handle it • The importance of finding enjoyment in the process rather than becoming consumed by outcomes • How to focus on what you can control when everything else feels uncertain
Whether you're an athlete facing a setback, a coach trying to develop mentally stronger players, or someone navigating adversity in your own life, this conversation is a reminder that we can't always control what happens to us, but we can develop the skills to control how we respond.
Guest: Matt Fitzgerald Book: Dying to Run - https://link.amazon/B014Bn1XF Podcast: The Coaching Minds Podcast | Episode #154
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