Visualization Isn’t Positive Thinking | Train Your Brain Like an Elite Performer

The Coaching Room: Volume 1 | Real Challenges, Real Solutions.

This episode launches a recurring series on You Don't Know Jack. As a performance psychology coach, Dr. Haley Perlus has the privilege of working with athletes, executives, leaders, and high performers from all walks of life. While every person and situation is unique, many of the challenges they face are remarkably universal. In this episode, Haley brings a collection of anonymous real-world coaching stories to Dr. Jack Groppel. Together, they unpack the obstacles, pressures, doubts, fears, and decisions these individuals are navigating and explore practical strategies, tools, and perspectives that can help. From confidence struggles and performance anxiety to identity, purpose, resilience, relationships, and leadership, these conversations reveal what it means to face life's inevitable challenges with courage and intention. Whether you're an athlete, business professional, leader, parent, or simply someone trying to navigate a difficult season, you'll likely hear a story that resonates with your own experience. Because the goal isn't just to hear how others overcome adversity. It's to discover what these moments are asking of you. Life is hard. Let's prepare for it. 🎯 Want to take this further? To learn more about Dr. Jack Groppel: https://jackgroppel.net/ [https://jackgroppel.net/] To connect with Dr. Haley Perlus: https://drhaleyperlus.com/ [https://drhaleyperlus.com/] 👍 Like this episode, subscribe, and share it with someone who wants to perform at their best under pressure. References: Evolve Leadership: https://evolveleadership.com/ [https://evolveleadership.com/] Venus Williams Addresses the 2026 LMU Undergraduate Commencement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stk5ApEO_4g

What No One Tells You About Mentorship

What is a mentor… really? In this episode of You Don’t Know Jack, Dr. Haley Perlus and Dr. Jack Groppel break down what mentorship actually looks like beyond the buzzword. But this conversation is different. This podcast is built on a real mentor–mentee relationship. Jack is the mentor. Haley is the mentee. Every episode is a live, unfiltered exchange of perspective, experience, and growth from both sides of that relationship - something you don’t typically hear. This isn’t a conversation about mentorship. It’s mentorship happening in real time. In this episode, we talk about: * What a mentor is (and what it is not) * The real responsibilities of both mentor and mentee * How to find and approach the right mentor * How to build a relationship that actually works * Why mentorship can accelerate your growth in sport, business, and life This isn’t about waiting for someone to guide you. It’s about learning how to engage, ask better questions, and take ownership of your development. Because the right mentorship doesn’t just give you answers. It changes how you think. If you are serious about growth, performance, and becoming your best, this conversation matters. Subscribe for more conversations on performance, mindset, and what it really takes to succeed under pressure.

Visualization Isn’t Positive Thinking | Train Your Brain Like an Elite Performer

Visualization is one of the most talked about mental skills in performance… and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of You Don’t Know Jack, Dr. Haley Perlus and Dr. Jack Groppel break down what visualization actually is, why it works, and how to use it to improve performance, build real confidence, and manage anxiety under pressure. This is not about “seeing success” or positive thinking. This is about training your brain and nervous system to execute when it matters most. You’ll learn: ✅ The 2 biggest mistakes people make when visualizing ✅ The neuroscience behind mental rehearsal and performance ✅ How visualization builds confidence through evidence, not wishful thinking ✅ Why visualization helps regulate anxiety instead of eliminate it ✅ The difference between symbolic imagery, process imagery, recovery imagery, and preparation imagery ✅ How to actually train visualization like a skill If you want your body to perform, you need to get your mind there first. Because your body goes where your mind leads. 🎯 Want to take this further? To learn more about Dr. Jack Groppel: https://jackgroppel.net/ [https://jackgroppel.net/] To connect with Dr. Haley Perlus: https://drhaleyperlus.com/ [https://drhaleyperlus.com/] 👍 Like this video, subscribe, and share it with someone who wants to perform at their best under pressure.

Why High Performers Don’t Fear Mistakes (They Recover Faster)

Mistakes are unavoidable in sport, business, and life, but how you respond to them is what separates high performers from everyone else. In this episode of You Don’t Know Jack, Dr. Haley Perlus and Dr. Jack Groppel break down the psychology of mistakes and why striving for perfection isn’t the goal, becoming a great recoverer is. You’ll learn: √ Why mistakes don’t have to shake your confidence √ How to recover quickly and refocus in the moment √ What you can actually control (and what you can’t) √ How the meaning you give mistakes creates unnecessary fear √ Why purpose clarity changes how you handle setbacks √ Practical tools to reset and move forward immediately If you want to perform with confidence, even after things go wrong, this episode will give you a competitive edge.

How High Performers Manage Fear Under Pressure

How High Performers Manage Fear Under Pressure In this episode of the You Don’t Know Jack podcast, Dr. Jack Groppel and Dr. Haley Perlus explore the psychology of fear and how it affects performance, confidence, and decision-making under pressure. They break down what fear really is, why it shows up when the stakes are high, and how it can quietly influence our thoughts and actions if we let it dominate our mental space. In this conversation, we discuss common types of fear including: • Fear of failure • Fear of success • Fear of not belonging • Fear of judgment and expectation Most importantly, we share strategic tools to manage fear and build the one quality that consistently counteracts it: confidence. You’ll learn how to: • Build confidence through preparation and action • Keep fear from occupying the primary space in your mind • Reframe fear so it becomes information instead of limitation • Perform and lead effectively even when fear is present This episode is for athletes, performers, leaders, and anyone striving for competitive excellence and peak performance under pressure. Because the truth is: fear never fully disappears, but it doesn’t have to be in charge. Subscribe for weekly conversations on performance psychology, resilience, leadership, and mental toughness. To learn more about Dr. Jack Groppel: https://jackgroppel.net/ [https://jackgroppel.net/]To connect with Dr. Haley Perlus: https://drhaleyperlus.com/ [https://drhaleyperlus.com/]