Let's Go Mental!

Podcast by Barbara Cortella

Let's Go Mental!

A podcast for young athletes and their parents to unlock the power of the mind: You have the talent—now let’s build the mental edge. Discover key pillars and get simple, actionable tools to kickstart your journey. Tune in for short weekly episodes, each month focused on one topic, perfect for the car ride to your game. Grab quick tips, worksheets, and join our community as we grow and level up together. Let’s Go Mental! I am Barbara, Family and Mental Coach. I am Italian and you will love my accent!

Latest episodes

17 April 2025

From Expectation to Execution: Your Shift.

Today we speak about expectation and how to transform and shift from expectations to execution.

Learn how to:

• Step into your performance “bubble” where distractions don’t reach you

• Let go of mistakes and focus on the present moment

• Use your breath as a mental reset tool — even in the middle of the game

• Replace negative confidence metaphors with empowering ones

• Create your own trigger word to bounce back quickly

• Build confidence one play at a time, like lighting a fire

Quote to Remember:

“Confidence isn’t like ice — it doesn’t melt under pressure. It’s like fire. One spark leads to another.”

For Parents & Coaches:

This episode is a great pre-game listen for your young athlete. You can also use it as a prompt to start conversations about emotional control, resilience, and staying mentally present during competition.

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

Be part of my community

My Instagram

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18 March 2025

Special Podcasthon Episode! Contribution, Your Super Power!

Special Episode! 3rd edition of Podcasthon!

✅ It Takes a Village: More Than Just a Foundation – A movement dedicated to raising awareness, creating opportunities, and empowering individuals with special needs.

✅ Social Saturdays: A Safe Space for Connection – A program where teenagers and young adults with different abilities come together, not as volunteers and participants, but as companions.

✅ A Personal Story: How my son found a sense of purpose, belonging, and perspective through Social Saturdays.

✅ The Lesson in Mental Strength: We are more than just one role. Contribution builds resilience, empathy, and purpose.

✅ Why Giving Back is a Mental Game Strategy – Success isn’t just about achievement; it’s about connection, contribution, and lifting others up.

Call to Action:

👉 Find Your Social Saturday! If you’re feeling stuck, unmotivated, or searching for meaning, contribution might be the key.

👉 Live in Miami? Check out the volunteer request form in the show notes to join It Takes a Village and become part of something bigger.

👉 Live elsewhere? Find or create your own “Social Saturday”—a space where young adults can connect, contribute, and grow.

💬 Did this episode resonate with you? Share it, tag us, and spread the message that true strength comes from lifting others up.

🔗 Links & Resources:

📌 Ittakesavillagekb

📌 Join the Let’s Go Mental Community

📌 My Instagram

🎧 Subscribe & Review!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps spread awareness and inspire more people to embrace mindset work as a lifestyle.

Let’s go mental—together! 💪💙

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06 March 2025

Choose Your Hard

What if I tell you that no matter what you choose in life, it’s going to be hard?

Think about it:

• Training every day? Hard.

• Skipping practice and falling behind? Also hard.

• Holding yourself accountable? Hard.

• Living with regret? Even harder.

The truth is, you don’t get to avoid difficulty—you get to choose which hard you’re willing to face. And in today’s episode, we’ll break down how to make the choices that push you toward growth instead of regret.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How to shift your mindset and see choices as a privilege, not a burden

✅ A simple 3-step process to make the right “hard” choice

✅ The power of thinking about your future self before making decisions

✅ Why easy choices often lead to regret, while hard choices lead to success

🎧 Listen, reflect, and ask yourself: Which hard will you choose?

📲 Follow for more

Find more free resources

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06 February 2025

Comparison: Your Next Level Tool

In this episode, we tackle the negative impact of comparison in sports—and in life. I share insights on how comparing yourself to others can lower your self-esteem and hold you back. More importantly, I reveal how to flip comparison into a powerful tool for growth.

Key Points:

• The Comparison Trap:

Understand how comparing achievements, skills, or even physical traits can be a joy killer.

• How Our Brain Works:

A brief look at how our brain’s reward, decision-making, and self-evaluation processes are activated when we compare ourselves to others.

• Different Journeys:

Recognize that every athlete is unique—with different starting points, abilities, and goals.

• Shifting Your Mindset

3 Simple Steps:

1. Observe, Don’t Judge: Learn from others’ strengths without harsh self-criticism.

2. Decide Your Priority: Focus on one key area to improve instead of trying to change everything at once.

3. Focus on Your Own Process: Concentrate on your effort, mindset, and commitment to personal growth.

Practical Tip:

Next time you catch yourself comparing, pause, take a deep breath, and ask, “What makes them better? What can I learn from them?” Then, channel that energy into your own development.

Bonus:

Check out our episode on “Control what you can control” for more tips on mastering your mindset.

Go and check your Implementation Worksheet.

Making mental training a habit is just as important as physical training. Embrace your journey, work on both your mind and body, and together, let’s go mental!

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

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16 December 2024

Self-Reflection: Your Opportunity

In this episode I talk about self-reflection. Most athletes avoid it because it feels awkward, boring, or uncomfortable, but self-reflection is the key to improve—in sports, and in life.

If your goal is to reach the top 1% in your sport, this practice is for you!

Key Takeaways:

• What is self-reflection? It’s the process of pausing to think about what happened, why it happened, and what you can learn to improve for the future.

• Why is it essential? Without reflection, you risk repeating the same mistakes over and over. Reflection helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, and patterns, giving you a roadmap for growth.

• How to start:

• Dedicate 5-10 minutes after practice, a game, or at the end of the week.

• Ask simple questions like:

• What went well?

• What could have been better?

• What can I do differently next time?

• Write it down to clarify your thoughts and track your progress.

Practical Framework:

Barbara introduces the 3 R Process for reflection:

1. Reflect: Understand what happened without judgment.

2. Reset: Let go of the past and focus on actionable next steps.

3. Restart: Implement changes and grow from your insights.

Why Reflection Matters for Athletes:

• Helps you internalize feedback from coaches.

• Allows you to build on successes and fix mistakes.

• Creates a habit of intentional improvement that accelerates progress.

Quote of the Week:

“Reflection isn’t just about looking back—it’s about moving forward with purpose.”

Call to Action:

Share this episode with a teammate or friend who’s serious about improving. And let me know how self-reflection is helping you grow—she’d love to hear from you!

Connect with Barbara:

• Follow me on Instagram

• Join the Let’s Go Mental community for more tools and tips to sharpen your mental game.

. Be my Co-Editor and help me shape the podcast with new ideas and your questions and doubta

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20 November 2024

Interested vs Committed: Your Decision.

In this episode I talk about the key difference between being interested and being committed mainly in sports (but in life it is not so different!). Are you the type of athlete who only shows up when it’s convenient, or are you committed to showing up no matter what? Learn why commitment is more than a choice—it’s a skill you can build.

What You’ll Learn:

• The difference between being interested and committed.

• Why commitment is about who you are becoming, not just what you do.

• How to shift from hesitation to action by asking better questions.

• Practical tips to start building your commitment muscle today.

Free Resource:

Implementation Worksheet to help you ask the right questions and build thje commitment muscle! Click here to download it now!

Start with the Self-assessment

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

Stay Connect IG

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