Mindset Matters

Competence > Confidence. In this week’s Mindset Matters podcast, we’re breaking down what really separates the greats from the average. Confidence? It’s a feeling. Competence? It’s earned. From Messi’s left foot to Rodman’s rebounds to Brady’s focus—this episode (inspired by Chapter 8 of my book Pure Unadulterated Guts) dives deep into how you build competence and lean on it when the lights come on.

Scotty Edwards | Faith, Football, and the Power of Perseverance” In this episode of Mindset Matters, Riley sits down with Stanford safety Scotty Edwards for a powerful conversation about football, faith, and the mental game of life. Scotty opens up about returning from an LDS mission, the challenges of chasing athletic and academic goals, and the importance of effort—even when results don't come easy. From handling social media pressure to finding motivation through Rocky Balboa and Rick Ross, Scotty’s story is a blueprint for perseverance, balance, and self-belief. A must-listen for athletes, parents, and anyone pursuing excellence on or off the field.

5-Minute Podcast Script: Title: Competence Over Confidence—Why Your Past Victories Matter More Than You Think Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about past victories matter more than you think. Today, I want to talk about something that I believe changes everything—not just in sports, but in business, relationships, and life: Competence. Not confidence. Competence. A lot of people confuse the two. Confidence? It comes and goes. One day you wake up feeling like you can conquer the world. The next day—maybe after a bad game, a rough meeting, or just a sleepless night—you wonder if you’ve got what it takes. But competence—competence is different. Competence is knowing deep down, “I’ve done hard things before. I can do hard things again.” It’s not about a feeling—it’s about evidence. Here's a quick exercise for you—if you’ve ever worked with me one-on-one, you’ve heard this before: Grab a pen. Write down three things

“Commitment Is More Than a Choice” Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about how commitment is more than a choice. Have you ever wondered why some people seem to rise to the top, while others—equally talented—stay stuck in place? The answer often isn’t talent or luck. To me, It’s commitment. Let me tell you a story I often share with my athletes and business clients. There was once a young man with a dream job—he got his foot in the door at a prestigious company. For five years, he worked harder than anyone: first one in, last one out, always making sure the boss noticed. He was motivated. He was determined. And when a supervisor position finally opened up—he applied with confidence. But he didn’t get it. The job went to someone who had only been there six months. Fuming, he stormed into his boss’s office demanding to know why. The boss paused, then asked him to do something simple: go buy some oranges for his wif

5-Minute Podcast Script: “Autonomy: The Power of ‘I Choose’” Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about Autonomy and the power of the phrase “I choose” Let me ask you something like I always do. Do you love what you do? Like, deep down… do you still love it? One of my favorite sports movies of all time is The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s more than just a baseball story—it's a story about rediscovering purpose. In the film, Jim Morris, a high school baseball coach who long ago gave up on his dream of the majors, gets pushed by his students to try out one last time. Along the way, he wrestles with doubt, fear, and the question that many of us face at some point: Is this still worth it? And in a pivotal moment, his wife simply asks him: “Do you still love it?” That question changes everything for him. So here’s my question for you:

Dreams Don’t Produce (But Plans Do)" Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about turning dreams into plans. Let me ask you a simple question: Are you dreaming… or are you planning? Listen, having dreams is awesome. I’m all for dreaming big. I’m a dreamer—I’ve always been one. But here’s the truth most people won’t tell you:

Cody Hagen | Faith, Football, and Finding Balance” In this episode of Mindset Matters, Riley sits down with BYU wide receiver Cody Hagen for a candid conversation about the highs and lows of being an elite athlete. From overcoming injuries and balancing life after his LDS mission to mastering the mental side of football, Cody shares powerful lessons on mindset, preparation, and handling pressure on and off the field. Plus, hear fun behind-the-scenes stories from the locker room, his best advice to young athletes, and why finding joy in the game matters most.

Title: “Stop ‘Shoulding’ All Over Yourself” Good morning everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about how the word “should” is dangerous, and it should be handled carefully. Let me ask you something: When was the last time you didn’t meet your own expectations? Be honest… how did that feel? If you're like most high performers I work with—athletes, entrepreneurs, parents—you felt like you were failing. And the wild part is, you weren’t even failing… you just set yourself up with unrealistic expectations. I work with athletes who will PR in three events, but they’ll go home upset because they “should have” done better in the 4th one. Sound familiar? We carry around this invisible scoreboard in our minds—built from other people’s voices, Instagram highlight reels, and our own brutal self-talk. We get stuck in the loop of: “I should be further along.” “I should have more wins.” “I should be better by now.” Let’s stop shoulding all

Winston Reid: From Weber State Walk-On to Cleveland Browns Linebacker | Mindset Matters Podcast Join host Riley Jensen on #MindsetMatters as he interviews Cleveland Browns linebacker Winston Reid! From overcoming two ACL injuries to walking on at Weber State and signing as an NFL free agent, Winston’s journey is packed with resilience and grit. In this episode, we dive into: How Winston bounced back from setbacks to earn an All-American title The mental toughness lessons from his Marine Corps dad His pre-game peanut butter & jelly sandwich ritual Advice for young athletes chasing their dreams Listen to the full episode on [Spotify/Apple Podcasts Link] or watch here! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment: What’s your biggest takeaway from Winston’s story? #NFL #ClevelandBrowns #MindsetMattersPodcast #WinstonReid #MotivationalPodcast #WeberState #FootballJourney

Getting to Neutral: Tools to Fight Perfectionism and Win the Mental Game Good morning everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about tools to fight perfectionism and win the mental game. Let me hit you with something right away—perfectionism isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a burden. But there’s a way out. It starts with what I call “getting to neutral.” This is about interrupting negative momentum—because when perfectionism spirals, it usually sounds like this: “I’m not good enough.” “I always screw this up.” “I can’t compete like they do.” “What if I let everyone down?” Sound familiar? Now pause. And breathe. Let me walk you through one of my favorite grounding techniques: 3-2-1 Breathe. Look around. What are 3 things you can see? What are 2 things you can hear? What’s 1 thing you can feel physically? Then… take one deep diaphragmatic breath. That’s it. That 30-second moment just broke the spiral. I recently heard a story from m

Perfectionism: The Performance Killer in Disguise” Good morning everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk one of the main performance killers, and how it is the master of disguise. Let me ask you a question—have you ever told yourself… “I can’t.” “I never get this right.” “I always mess up under pressure.” If so, welcome to the perfectionism club. I’m a card-carrying member myself. Perfectionism doesn’t always show up wearing a red flag. Sometimes, it sneaks in dressed as "high standards" or "I'm just super competitive." But here's the truth—it’s not drive, it’s fear. Fear of not being enough. So how do you know if you’re falling into the trap? Here are a few clues: You catastrophize when something small goes wrong. You struggle to finish things because they’re “not quite perfect.” You feel like your self-worth rises and falls with your outcomes. You constantly compare yourself to others and always come up short. You procrastina