The Toastmasters Podcast #290: Mental Workouts make for a Better Mindset & Stronger Speaking — Sarah Centrella
Jan 1, 2026
In this engaging conversation, Sarah Centrella, a life coach and author focused on mental fitness, shares invaluable insights for speakers. She discusses the importance of mental training, using sports metaphors to develop daily practices. Sarah introduces 'mental tennis' to combat negative thoughts and emphasizes the power of positive 'I am' statements to reshape identity. With tips on visualizing success and creating personal power mottos, she equips listeners with practical tools to enhance their speaking confidence and mindset.
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Mind As A Muscle
- Mental fitness is the ability to notice a thought and decide if you want it to shape your future.
- If not, you must intentionally shift focus to thoughts that support the outcome you want.
Align Mind With Practice
- Effort and action alone won't deliver peak outcomes if your thoughts undermine you during practice.
- Align mental training with physical practice so both work together toward the same goal.
Negativity Keeps You On The Sidelines
- Humans default to worst-case thinking which often prevents action despite good ideas.
- Mental tools are needed to move past the internal dialogue that keeps people stuck.