The Mindset Experience®

In 1992, as a freshman swimmer at Notre Dame, Haley Scott DeMaria survived a devastating bus accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors told her she would never walk again. But that wasn't a story she was willing to accept. Drawing on the mindset, discipline, and competitive spirit she developed as an athlete, Haley began the long road back — starting with something as small as wiggling her toes. What followed were months of grueling rehabilitation, multiple life-threatening surgeries, and relentless adversity. And then, just over a year later, she did the unthinkable. She returned to the pool… and won her first race back. A graduate of Notre Dame and later the University of Southern California, Haley went on to become an educator, coach, and nationally recognized speaker. Her journey has earned her numerous honors, including the Gene Autry Courage in Sport Award and the Honda Award for Inspiration. She is the author of What Though the Odds – Haley Scott's Journey of Faith and Triumph, a story now being adapted into a major motion picture. Today, Haley speaks across the country, inspiring audiences to reframe adversity, strengthen their mindset, and rise to challenges with purpose and perspective. Her story is a powerful reminder: we don't control what happens to us — but we always control how we respond. @hsdemaria, www.haleybook.com

Before he was helping save lives… he was fighting for his own. In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Brandon Saho, founder of The Mental Game, shares the journey that transformed his darkest moments into a mission that is now impacting lives across the country. After battling depression and suicidal thoughts, Brandon made a decision: to turn pain into purpose. Today, through raw, unfiltered conversations with elite performers, public figures, and everyday individuals carrying extraordinary stories, he is helping redefine how we think about mental health, vulnerability, and strength. Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey and featured in Forbes, ESPN, and CBS News, Brandon has become one of the most authentic and impactful voices in mental health. But this conversation goes deeper than accolades. We explore the tension between mental toughness and mental health — especially in high-performance environments like the NFL. Brandon opens up about the isolation he felt during his lowest moments, the struggle of being misunderstood by those closest to him, and the internal question so many people silently carry: "Why can everyone else be happy… but not me?" More importantly, we unpack what changed. From the hesitation to ask for help… to the moment he finally did — and how that decision altered the trajectory of his life. We also dive into the creation of The Mental Game, the conversations that have impacted him most, and a recent viral moment where Brandon shared one of his deepest personal fears — and how vulnerability, not success, became the bridge to connection. This episode is a reminder that strength is not found in silence. It is found in honesty. In courage. In conversation. Because sometimes the most important thing you can do… is speak.

Aaron Golub is a professional speaker, entrepreneur, and leadership consultant who made history as the first legally blind Division I athlete to play in a college football game while competing at Tulane University, where he was later named team captain and went on to become an NFL free agent. Born legally blind, Aaron learned early that success requires a different relationship with adversity. Instead of focusing on what he couldn't control, he built his mindset around maximizing what he could. His journey reflects a powerful truth: when you commit to doing what others won't, you give yourself the opportunity to achieve what others can't. Rather than viewing his blindness as a limitation, Aaron now sees it as one of his greatest advantages. His story challenges how we think about setbacks and reminds us that life doesn't just happen to us — often, it happens for us. Today, Aaron works with organizations, teams, and leaders to build resilient cultures and leadership strategies that thrive in adversity. His work has been featured on major platforms including Good Morning America, CBS, NBC, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, NPR, and Entrepreneur. As the title of his TEDx talk suggests, Aaron Golub is truly a Diamond in his Disadvantage. In this conversation, we explore how perspective, discipline, and ownership of the controllables can transform adversity into opportunity. @aaronjgolub

Dr. Jonathan Haywood Jenkins, Psy.D., CMPC, has spent more than a decade supporting athlete mental health and performance at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital. As a member of the Harvard Medical School teaching community, he serves as Team Clinical and Performance Psychologist for the New England Patriots, Behavioral Sport Psychologist for the Boston Red Sox, and Sport Psychology Consultant for the Para Rowing Foundation. He is also the co-author of Mentality Wins: The Athlete's Playbook for Thriving in Sport and Life, currently the #1 New Release in Sport Psychology, a holistic guide to improving performance while protecting mental health. In this episode, Dr. Jenkins shares the Peachtree Approach and the deeper principles that drive sustainable success. Drawing from his own early speech and language challenges, his experience as a collegiate athlete, and his work with elite performers, he explains how adversity can become an advantage, how relationships fuel resilience, and why appreciating the good days prepares us for the hard ones. This conversation goes beyond sport. It's about leadership, perspective, and building a mentality that lasts. @dr.jonathanjenkins, @Unlimitedresilence, @mentalitywinsbook

Andrew is a 2017 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he served as Class President before commissioning as an Infantry and Intelligence Officer. A proven leader, he completed U.S. Army Ranger School and Airborne School, going on to lead hundreds of soldiers across multiple operational assignments. He later became the 14th Commander of the Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and served as a White House Military Aide to both the 45th and 46th Presidential administrations. After transitioning from active duty, Andrew moved into national security strategy consulting. An avid adventurer, Andrew has completed over 2,300 parachute jumps from planes, helicopters, bridges, and cliffs. Most recently, he summited Mount Everest on May 15th of this year. He is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, where he is building two ventures: Katalyze LLC, a defense contracting firm he co-founded with his brother Matthew and Dream to Summit, an alpine, adventure, and character-building camp for the next generation of young leaders Across his military, entrepreneurial, and expedition experiences, Andrew has developed powerful lessons rooted in Confidence, Direction, and Community. He believes the greatest growth occurs in the gap between expectations and reality—and by tapping into that space, he continues elevating his mindset higher than any mountain he's climbed. @andrewpkatz