How to Manage Stress, Thoughts & Identity as an Entrepreneur with Karina Baldwin

In today’s episode of The Mind of George Show, I’m joined by the brilliant Karina Baldwin, a performance psychologist, extreme sports enthusiast, and coach to high-achieving women who want to calm the fudge down and lead from true embodiment.

This conversation is a masterclass on how to regulate your nervous system, build better mental habits, and stay grounded while running your business like the professional athlete you are.

Karina brings Olympic-level insight and real-life stories (including glacier summits and surfing retreats) to help you rewire your thoughts, shift your identity, and reclaim your power… without burning out or breaking down.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why entrepreneurship is a professional sport — and how to train like an athlete
• How Karina’s surfing metaphor can help you master your mindset
• The science of rewiring your brain for high performance (and how fun speeds it up)
• Why staying “calm” isn’t soft — it’s how high performers dominate
• How to detach your identity from your business without losing your drive
• The one test to check if your business identity is healthy (and what to do if it’s not)
   

Key Takeaways
✔️ You don’t control every thought that enters your brain — but you choose which ones to ride.
✔️ Your thoughts are like waves. The more skilled you get, the better you are at choosing the right ones to surf.
✔️ Slowing down isn't a weakness — it’s a high-performance strategy.
✔️ Identity cannot come from business. You must build it first to lead your business well.
✔️ It only takes 15 reps to rewire a neural pathway — if you’re having fun doing it.
✔️ You’re not stuck. You’re just surfing the wrong wave.
 

Timestamps
[00:00] – Meet Karina: Marine trainer, adventure lover, nervous system queen
[04:00] – Surfing analogy: The secret to thought mastery
[10:00] – Choosing which thoughts to ride
[12:00] – Real client example: Breaking the “I can’t have balance” belief
[18:00] – Reticular Activating System: What you focus on, grows
[23:00] – Science says: fun rewires your brain faster than grind
[27:00] – Identity building through results
[32:00] – Summit mentality: There’s always another peak
[38:00] – Calm the Fudge Down: Why stress is destroying your performance
[42:00] – Nervous system 101: It’s a light switch, not a dial
[46:00] – State shifts: Cold plunges, screaming, and sloth-walking
[51:00] – Slowing down is your power move
[56:00] – Who are you outside your business?
[01:01:00] – How to be a peak performer without being a burnout machine
[01:05:00] – The Ames Scale and assessing business identity

Your Challenge This Week

• Take the AIMs (Athletic Identity Measurement Scale) test — but replace “athlete” with “entrepreneur.”
  • Are you wrapping too much of your worth in your work?
  • Identify one way to reconnect with who you are outside your business.
  • Then go ride the right wave.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

Connect with Karina on:

• Instagram: @trueadventureco
• Listen to her podcast: The True Adventure Podcast
• The AIMs test: Original Study – AIMS Scale

Want George's SOS model? DM “SOS” on Instagram @itsgeorgebryant

Loved this episode? Let Karina know what landed for you! Drop her a DM or tag her in your IG stories.

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