Building Mental Strength Proactively with Ryan Ford, CMPC

Building True Resilience: The Role of The Nervous System In Sport with Emily Perrin, LCSW-C

I’m really honored to bring you this episode with Emily Perrin. Emily is a nervous system and performance coach, as well as a licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma. On top of that, she was also a Division I soccer player at the University of Virginia and Division I soccer coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Emily has seen sport through many lenses, and in this episode we unpack some of the hidden emotional realities and challenges of sport culture. In this episode, we explore the intersection of: * Performance and identity * Nervous system regulation * Anxiety in athletes * Transitioning out of sport * Coaching culture This conversation challenges many of the traditional beliefs around “mental toughness” and offers a more human, holistic framework for athlete development and well-being. Emily shares a ton of great information and thought provoking posts over on her social media, @former.athlete.therapist and her newsletter, which you can find via her website listed below: Connect with Emily and learn more: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/former.athlete.therapist [https://www.instagram.com/former.athlete.therapist] * Website: https://www.perrinwellnessperformance.com [https://www.perrinwellnessperformance.com/] Coach Griffin and Forging Iron Training: Coaching: https://forgingirontraining.fit/coaching-consult [https://forgingirontraining.fit/coaching-consult] Forging Iron Training Principles Substack: https://griffinjaworski.substack.com/ [https://griffinjaworski.substack.com/] Instagram:  https://instagram.com/coach_grifjaws [https://instagram.com/coach_grifjaws]

Long Term Athlete Development: High Performance + Parenting with Gordo Byrn

I’m honored to welcome Gordo Byrn back to the podcast! If you haven’t already, I highly recommend listening to his episode on returning to a lifestyle of elite performance [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PL3WzphiisAOoNiO4XZUR?si=d67sdCmHSJCKFMBjXKSTeA] after taking a decade away, it’s one of the most popular episodes thus far. In this conversation we shift gears a little and dive deep into long-term athletic development, parenting philosophy, and sustainable high performance through the lens of Gordo Byrn’s experience as both an elite athlete and a father. Gordo’s won a world championship in the Ultraman and has returned to the top of the podium in his age group at long course triathlons in the past few years, but in this episode we talk about how his daughter has become one of the best high school swimmers in the US. The core tension explored is short-term success vs. long-term growth. Many young athletes, parents, and coaches chase early wins through high training loads (what he calls a “load max” strategy), but Gordo argues this often leads to burnout, plateaus, or stalled development later. Instead, he advocates for: * Playing the long game (and by long, he’s thinking a 12–16 year horizon) * Leaving room to improve each season * Letting motivation come from the athlete—not the parent * And what his goal as a parent are for his kids participating in sport. The episode also explores: * Why early success can be misleading * How overtraining shows up psychologically before physically * The importance of autonomy in kids * How to evaluate college decisions beyond athletics * Why most families misunderstand the odds of sports paying for college At its core, this isn’t just about sport—it’s about raising capable, self-directed humans who can thrive long after competition ends. I’m excited to see what resonates with you from this episode. More about Gordo: * Endurance Essentials [https://open.substack.com/pub/feelthebyrn?r=1vjsg8&utm_medium=ios]  * True Wealth [ https://open.substack.com/pub/truewealth?r=1vjsg8&utm_medium=ios]  * Live Long and Prosper [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxg9pro-wnkiZnd3Zk4tQ0FKVjA/view?resourcekey=0-SZZSRZ_qAQI_3TdpxRN0KQ] Gordo on the Forging Iron Podcast (round 1): * Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-forging-iron-podcast-with-griffin-jaworski/id1663046273?i=1000702716370] * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PL3WzphiisAOoNiO4XZUR?si=d67sdCmHSJCKFMBjXKSTeA] Quick favor: if you enjoy this episode, share it with a friend, coach or colleague or over on your social media! This really helps us spread the message on the show and ultimately build a better experiences in sport, even if it’s just one team or one person at a time. If you do that, tag me @coach_grifjaws [https://www.notion.so/DCIAC-Don-t-Call-It-A-Comeback-31094f069e16803fb552d5ec879561bd?pvs=21] over on instagram so I can give you a shoutout! If you're listening to this, it likely means you're a parent, athlete or coach who’s serious about improving the mental game. If so, I’d love to learn more and connect, hop over to Forgingirontraining.fit [http://forgingirontraining.fit/] and let’s chat!

Mastering Emotions Under Pressure with Dr. Braden Brown

I’m really excited to bring you this conversation with Dr. Braden Brown, LMFT, PhD. In this episode, Braden talks about his role working with elite athletes as the Director of Mental Health for BYU Athletics. We dig into many of my favorite topics in the mental performance, but some of the highlights are: * The difference between high standards and perfectionism * A practical framework and tools for managing thoughts and emotions * Knowing that even the best deal with doubt, nerves, and uncertainty * How breath work and awareness help regulate performance in high-pressure moments * Understanding your optimal performance zone * Why mental skills are universal, but application is sport-specific * The importance of relationships and how better communication comes from better questions If you’re an athlete or coach, this is packed with ways to improve your mental game, and I’d be super curious to hear what resonates with you. Let’s dive in: Find more about Dr. Braden Brown * Website [https://www.drbradenbrown.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drbradenbrown/] * BYU Staff Page [https://byucougars.com/staff/braden-brown] Quick favor: if you enjoyed this episode, there are two no-cost ways to support the show. One is to share it with a friend or colleague or even on your social media, and another is to subscribe to our Forging Iron Training Principles Substack. Both are incredibly helpful. I truly appreciate you being here and listening, if you’re tuned it likely means you’re serious about making the most out of your performance, and that’s pretty awesome. Coach Griffin and Forging Iron Training: Coaching: https://forgingirontraining.fit/coaching-consult [https://forgingirontraining.fit/coaching-consult] Forging Iron Training Principles Substack: https://griffinjaworski.substack.com/ [https://griffinjaworski.substack.com/] More ways to connect: Instagram:  https://instagram.com/coach_grifjaws [https://instagram.com/coach_grifjaws] Twitter: https://x.com/coach_grifjaws [https://x.com/coach_grifjaws] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-jaworski [http://www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-jaworski]

Building Mental Strength Proactively with Ryan Ford, CMPC

I’m excited to share my conversation with today’s guest Ryan Ford. Ryan is a CMPC, Certified Mental Performance Consultant, and co-founder of Fortitude with his business partner, Brian Sullivan who was a previous guest on the show. Their mission at Fortitude is to support leaders and teams to elevate performance, strengthen belonging, and create lasting legacies, and in this episode we cover a variety of ways they’re helping athletes and coaches do just that. Some key topics we discus: * Training mental performance proactively, rather than reactively * Thinking of mental strength just like physical strength, by breaking it down into sets and reps * and why awareness is actually a foundational layer for other mental skills Plus, we also get into team culture, and Ryan shares his thoughts on how to actually build a thriving team culture that goes beyond words written on walls. I’m excited to see what resonates with you. Find more about what Ryan is building with Fortitude.Coach [https://fortitude.coach/meet-the-team]

A Year's Worth Of Performance Experts: The Three Things I Learned

Forging Iron Podcast — Year One Reflections: The 3 Themes That Shape Performance In this special anniversary episode, we're celebrating year one of the podcast! We've had some amazing guests, from: * sports nutritionist * mediation expert * doctors of all types: * a pediatrician * PhDs in sport psychology * and an orthopedic surgeon * mental performance coaches * and current and former collegiate and professional athletes, ranging from runners, basketball players and rock climbers * including two world champions! These guests have shared a little science and a lot of stories in sport, helping us take key things we can apply to our own performance journey. Today, I’m going to reflect on three major themes that have surfaced from year one. Let’s dive in: Drawing from stories and science across endurance sport, this episode explores three powerful ideas that challenge common performance myths and offer a more sustainable path to growth. 🔑 Key Themes 1️⃣ What do we misunderstand about confidence? Confidence isn’t a prerequisite for performance. It’s often a byproduct of consistent action. Many elite athletes achieve incredible results while still questioning themselves — proving that belief isn’t required to show up and perform. 2️⃣ Do sports build mental strength? If so, what are the elements required? Sport doesn’t automatically build character or resilience. Environment matters. Coaches, parents, and leaders shape psychological safety, motivation, and long-term development more than the sport itself. 3️⃣ Reframing performance as playing a dynamic puzzle Training and competition don’t exist in isolation. Life seasons shift priorities, capacity, and identity. Sustainable performance comes from aligning goals with values, curiosity, and personal growth. 🧠 What You’ll Learn * Why confidence often follows behavior — not the other way around * How coaching environments shape mindset and performance * The role of psychological safety in long-term success * Why playfulness improves consistency and focus * How to adapt performance goals across life seasons * A framework for aligning sport with values and identity 👟 Who This Episode Is For Athletes, coaches, parents, and high performers who want a healthier, more durable approach to performance and growth. Huge shoutout to our amazing guests and those of you who have followed along. I'd love to know what you got out of the episodes. Looking forward to year two! Happy training!