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

21 August 2025

New season: Your Opportunity to decide who you want to be.

New Season: Your Opportunity to Decide Who You Want to Become

A new season is exciting — but it can also feel overwhelming. New coach, new teammates, pressure to improve, school starting, social life… it’s a lot. And when that little “what if” voice sneaks in (“What if I’m not good enough? What if I get benched?”), it can take over before you even step on the field.

In this episode, we’re flipping the script. Instead of letting fear set the tone, you’ll learn how to take control of your mindset and decide who you want to become this season.

Here’s what we discover:

• A simple 4-step system to set the right tone for your season.

• Step 1: How to stop, take your location, and get clear on where you are right now.

✨ Plus: I’ve created a self-assessment for athletes to help you start this season with awareness and intention.

🎧 Listen now — and bring your assessment to the next episode. Together, we’ll turn your starting point into your advantage.

If you want to start the new season stronger, contact me, I will guide you to develop the mindset you need to breakthrough performances and consistent success!

b_cortella@yahoo.it

🔗 Download your free self-assessment

Stay connected with IG

If you have some questions and you want to help me shape the next episodes, please be my Co-editor!

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27 May 2025

Trust: Your Bridge between Training and Performance.

In this episode, I dive into one of the most misunderstood yet powerful concepts in the mental game: trust. You’ll learn why confidence and trust are not the same, how to switch from a training mindset to a performance mindset, and why most athletes get stuck in the transition between practice and competition.

Let's unpack a simple 3-part framework to help you build trust where it matters most: on game day.

What You’ll Learn:

• The difference between confidence and trust

• Why training and performance require different mindsets

• How to shift from control to flow

• A 3-step framework to train trust before, during, and after competition

Questions to reflect on:

1. How do you prepare for practice?

2. How do you prepare for competition?

Trust Framework:

• Before performance: Prepare the mindset

• During performance: Trust your work

• After performance: Reflect, reset, and refocus

If you’re ready to dive deeper into your trust mindset, build your pre-game plan, or learn how to reset under pressure—reach out.

Let’s train the mental game, together.

Contact: b_cortella@yahoo.it

DM me on Instagram or visit my Community

Download the Trust Worksheet here

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13 May 2025

Composure: Get Your Power Back

In this episode of Let’s Go Mental, we dive into one of the most common challenges for athletes: keeping your cool under pressure. Whether it’s a bad call, a teammate not playing their part, or your own performance slipping — frustration can take over and ruin your game.

What we break down:

Why we lose our composure in the first place
What to do if you’ve already lost it
The powerful 3 R’s tool: Recognize, Regroup, Refocus
How to turn awareness into control and bounce back faster

This isn’t just for athletes. These tools can help you in school, at home, with friends, or anywhere pressure shows up.

Download the The 3R's Of Composure

Follow Barbara on Instagram

Share the episode with a teammate who needs this!

Listen to the the episodes about Expectation and Perfectionism

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02 May 2025

Perfectionism: Your Perfect Effort Shift

Do you hold yourself to unrealistically high standards? Feel like you’re never “good enough” even when you’re working hard? You might be dealing with perfectionism—and in this episode, we’re breaking it down.

In this episode we will:

• Understand what perfectionism really is

• Recognize how it shows up in your game and mindset

• Learn how to shift from pressure to progress

• Discover powerful mental shifts that build confidence

Plus, there’s a free worksheet in the bio to help you reflect and take action starting today.

Links:

Contact me: b_cortella@yahoo.it

Follow Barbara on Instagram

Download some free resources

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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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