How I Became an Eternal Athlete by Building a Stronger Mind

The way we train elite athletes needs a radical shift. I’m saying this because I speak from experience. I spent over a decade suiting up for franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and the New Orleans Saints, where I was elected into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2011. But my journey didn't start under stadium lights. It began in Riverside, California, where my family taught me positive self-talk and resilience, helping to build my self-confidence as a young teen. 

I was named a Parade All-American in high school and played linebacker and safety at USC, earning All-Pac-10 Conference honors while learning how mental focus could elevate my physical talent.

What I didn't know then—but deeply understand now—is how crucial mental fitness is key to peak performance. It's a fundamental skill that every athlete should develop from youth. As a coach, former player, and father of five daughters (four collegiate athletes), I've seen every aspect of the athletic experience through multiple lenses. Through it all, I've come to believe one thing: The most accomplished athletes are not just physically gifted—they’re mentally equipped.

That's why I live and coach by the Guiding Pillars of The Eternal Athlete.

The Framework: Our Guiding Pillars for The Eternal Athlete

Mental Fitness: The First Step to Peak Performance

“Mental fitness is the key to peak performance.”

We have a mantra here at the NSAWMF: "Nothing happens in the body that doesn't happen in the mind first."

During my time as a Defensive Back Coach at USC, I constantly reminded my players that mental preparation is everything. I taught them that success comes from understanding their role completely, visualizing every play and possible scenario, and maintaining unwavering focus under pressure. The mind must be trained to process information quickly and make split-second decisions with confidence.

Core principles I emphasize:

1. Your #1 Rival is You 

Get out of your own way. The first step in building mental fitness is laying the groundwork to lead yourself, demonstrate a growth mindset, and accept the challenge to be the unique, one-of-a-kind individual you were made to be for an eternity. For example, start using positive self-talk and believe you can achieve. Words are powerful; your brain and body will respond to negative self-talk. Like the saying goes, “you are what you say you are.” Speak positivity, motivation, and kindness to yourself.

2. Do Your Work Early 

This is the process of investing early in your objective so that you won't have to rely on the fire drill or hero mentality that may be needed to complete the task.

In sports, it's as simple as preparing early to eliminate threats to your performance. In life, it could be studying for an exam daily a few weeks early instead of cramming for the exam. Whether it's film study, conditioning, nutrition, recovery, budgeting, or academics, build a routine and do your work early.

3. Make Full-Speed Decisions and Compete with a Next-Play Mentality

By maintaining preparation and focus that is process-oriented rather than results-based, athletes can achieve increased performance.

Wellness: Building the Foundation for Focus

Injuries taught me this the hard way: You only have one body, so take care of it. Wellness isn't just stretching and hydration. It's sleep, nutrition, emotional balance, and the discipline to recover. As a coach and a former elite athlete, I've seen how holistic wellness allows athletes to sustain their performance, while ignoring it can lead to injury and burnout.

I talk to my athletes about taking care of their minds, relying on their chosen spirituality, practicing positive self-talk, and incorporating meditation. The physical components—sleep, massage, hydration, contrast therapy, stretching, nutrition, and weight training—work together to help them reach peak performance in sports and life. True wellness is the integration of all these elements, not just checking boxes.

Competitive Resilience: The Bounce-Back Muscle

I've lost games at the buzzer. I've missed tackles that haunted me for weeks. I've been benched, and I went undrafted in the 1997 NFL draft. But I've also come back stronger because I learned how to process, adapt, and respond. That's competitive resilience: the inner strength to recover and rise above adversity. It's what separates the good from the great.

For example, here’s what I teach my athletes:

• Failure is part of the formula. This is feedback for learning and growing. The world sees failure as a finality, but I challenge you to have a growth mindset and embrace your setbacks. We become more adaptable, versatile, and resilient when we reframe failure as a learning opportunity. 

• Emotions aren't weaknesses; they're data. Emotions are information for you to read and adapt to. When you understand your emotions, you allow yourself to make better choices individually and collectively, which will lead to peak performance in sports and life.

• Obstacles are opportunities because challenges and setbacks provide chances for growth, and by adopting a growth mindset and building self-efficacy, these obstacles and opportunities breed persistence and versatility.

• Mental, emotional, spiritual, and social fitness must be trained like any muscle. The key to resilience is to be balanced in all four quadrants so that you can respond accordingly to the situation. You may be more dominant in a particular area, but the balance will allow you to be more adaptable and versatile, to be resilient in all situations. 

Moments That Matter: Recognizing the Turning Points

Every athlete has defining moments: getting drafted, getting benched, transferring schools, and suffering a season-ending injury. For me, getting inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame was a moment of pride, but it didn't happen without setbacks that taught me competitive resilience.

As a coach, I encourage athletes to slow down and process the moments that matter. This is where growth happens.

Performance Perception: Silencing the Inner Critic and Outer Voices

Athletes live under constant evaluation. Between fans, media, coaches, and teammates, it's easy for their self-worth to get lost in the noise. I've seen firsthand how a player's perception of themselves impacts their performance.

The fix is to shape the mind to see reality with clarity, not through the lens of individual fear or outside criticism.

Replace thoughts such as "I'm not good enough" with "here's what I'm working on." Positive self-talk breeds self-confidence. Also, filter feedback constructively instead of accepting and internalizing all criticism. And, value facts over your feelings. Take the emotion out of feedback and approach this with humility. 

But you should always consider the source. Is the person offering feedback credible, has experience, or is qualified to give you feedback? Sometimes, feedback can be counterproductive, so keep the constructive feedback and release the rest.  

Social & Community Responsibility: Leading Beyond the Locker Room

As a coach and father, I've always believed that athletes carry influence. When we elevate wellness and mental fitness as part of the culture, we raise better players and better people. Through my work with the NSAWMF, I'm proud to advocate for athletes' mental well-being at every level, from youth to the pros.

Here’s how to approach leading responsibly:

• Educate the community on the benefits of mental fitness for athletes. We create programs and foster a community that builds self-confidence and resilience in athletes so they can lead within their own communities.

• Work with coaches and institutions to build customized mental fitness and wellness skill development programs for local student athletes.

• Empower Eternal athletes to be advocates for each other's mental health and wellness.

The Legacy of the Eternal Athlete

My journey has taught me that performance fades, but mental fitness endures. That's why I've committed my life to coaching Eternal Athletes; not just to win games, but to win at life.

When we train the mind like we train the body, we unlock the true potential of every athlete.

The skills learned through mental fitness—resilience, focus, emotional regulation, and purposeful thinking—serve athletes long after their playing days end. They become better leaders, parents, professionals, and community members.

The Eternal Athlete framework isn't just about creating champions on the field. It's about developing human beings who can handle adversity, maintain perspective under pressure, and use their platform to make a positive impact. This is the legacy I want to leave: a generation of athletes who understand that true strength comes from within.

Are you ready to develop your mental fitness as an athlete? Join the National Sports Association of Wellness &  Mental Fitness (NSAWMF) and become part of a community committed to total athletic development –  mind, body, and spirit.

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Disclaimer: The content provided by the National Sports Association of Wellness & Mental Fitness (NSAWMF) is for performance and developmental purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing mental health challenges or emotional distress, please seek support from a licensed mental health professional. Always consult a qualified provider with any questions you may have regarding your mental well-being.