Harnessing Stress: Insights from Mitch Hull

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob sits down once again with Mitch Hull to explore a surprising idea: stress isn't the enemy—how we view it is. Drawing on Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk and Carol Dweck’s mindset research, Mitch shares practical strategies for reframing stress in high-performance settings, whether you're a coach, athlete, or parent.

Episode Highlights

• [00:47] Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk: Why stress isn’t inherently harmful
• [01:21] Connecting stress perception with mindset and elite youth athletes
• [03:20] Research linking stress beliefs to mortality risk
• [04:32] “It’s not the stress, it’s the perception”
• [06:08] Rory McIlroy’s mental approach to pressure
• [07:31] Why “don’t be nervous” doesn’t work—and what to say instead
• [10:06] The body’s physical response to stress and how to leverage it
• [12:34] Rethinking the stress equation: caring × uncertainty
• [15:29] The goal isn’t to eliminate stress—it’s to equip athletes to handle it
• [16:54] Kevin Bullis’ one-time championship speech
• [17:57] Giannis Antetokounmpo’s process-first mindset
• [19:29] Modeling emotional regulation as a coach
• [21:39] “Failure is not an option. It’s mandatory.” Why failing forward builds resilience
• [22:47] What parents should ask kids at the dinner table
• [23:38] Teaser for the next episode: youth sports and parents

Featuring

Mitch Hull – Former Olympic wrestling coach and performance consultant

Quotes from the Episode

“It’s not the stress—it’s how we react to it. If you see it as preparation, your body helps you perform.”

— Mitch Hull

“If you’re not nervous before a championship, there’s only one explanation: you don’t care. And that’s a bigger issue.”

— Mitch Hull

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Beyond Coaching is a podcast developed and produced by the Impactful Coaching Project with support from Friends University. The Impactful Coaching Project is a thought leader in coaching the 21st century athlete and develops coaches who coach the whole person.

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