Content

Here you’ll find a collection of our work—blog posts we’ve written, podcasts we’ve recorded, and features where we’ve shared our perspective.

We write and talk about the mental side of sport and performance: from building confidence, resilience, and focus, to navigating setbacks, pressure, and self-doubt. We explore how athletes can develop mental skills that support both performance and wellbeing—learning to manage nerves before competition, bounce back from setbacks, stay motivated through tough training blocks and find joy in the process of chasing ambitious goals.

Through conversations, written pieces, and guest appearances, our aim is to make mental performance tools practical, actionable, and accessible for athletes and high performers alike.

Two people sitting at a white desk with laptops in front of them.
Two people smiling and talking at a round table with laptops, coffee mug, and plant.
Graphic titled ‘How Momentum Fuels Confidence’ with a smiling athlete raising her arms in celebration.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build. This blog breaks down the ‘Confidence Loop’ and shows you how to reignite momentum when you hit a wall.

Graphic with the words ‘Cross the Bridge, Change the Sign: A Mental Math Lesson for Athletes’ over a chalkboard filled with math equations.

Elite performance isn’t based on one variable—it’s a blend of weather, effort, sleep, pressure, and more. Learn how to avoid single-variable thinking and evaluate your performance more fully.

Graphic with the words ‘Don’t write the game report before it’s over’ over a lit soccer field at night.

One tough moment doesn’t decide the outcome. Stay present, keep rewriting the narrative, and don’t write the game report until the final whistle.

Bryce Hoppel with text that says: How Bryce Hoppel handled 4th place at the Olympics and what it teaches us about identity and pressure.

Bryce Hoppel entered the Olympic 800m final with the world expecting a medal—but he finished fourth. Read what it taught him about identity and pressure, and why his mindset matters for us all.

Graphic with the words ‘Do you have a rookie or veteran mindset?’ over a football field with training equipment and footballs in the background.

The right mindset can make you perform like a pro. This blog shares how one simple question can shift you from a reactive rookie to a composed veteran.

Graphic with the words ‘Turn setbacks into setups: How to use failure to propel you forward’ alongside a female runner sprinting on a track.

Failure isn’t the end—it’s your next opportunity. By reframing setbacks as feedback instead of flaws, you can turn disappointment into growth.

Graphic with the words ‘Trigger or Choice? Reframing the athlete’s narrative’ over an image of a sprinter starting a run on a track.

Every moment is a choice—not just a trigger. Learn how reframing your narrative gives you control over how you respond, no matter the circumstances.

What if what you thought was a mistake on the field wasn’t really your fault — but proof that someone else just outplayed you? Learn how ‘The Mirror Play’ flips the mental game in sports.

Fast and Free Podcast

Fast and Free is where running meets mindset. Hosted by coaches and registered psychotherapists Brant and Elaina, this podcast shares tools on confidence, focus, race prep, and resilience. Whether you’re chasing your first 5K or a marathon PR, you’ll learn how to train your body and mind to perform your best.

Image of Cassidy Preston and Brant Stachel. The text reads: “From Limiting Narratives to Peak Performance” with Dr. Cassidy Preston. The Fast and Free Podcast.

In the first episode of the Fast and Free podcast, Brant sits down with Dr. Cassidy Preston, founder of CEP Mindset and one of the top sport psychologists in North America.

Image featuring Jess Hadley and Brant smiling. The text reads: “Confidence, Consistency, and the Joy of Running with Jess Hadley". The Fast and Free Podcast.

In this episode, Brant and coach Jess Hadley break down how Jess overcame the dreaded late-race fade and discovered the power of intensity discipline to unlock marathon breakthroughs.