The Invisible Edge: From White Belt Curiosity to Black Belt Confidence (Ft Gina Tucci-Karnisovas)

Aug 3, 2025

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What if the edge you’re searching for isn’t outside of you—but already within?

I sit down with Gina Tucci-Karnisovas—mental strength coach and former competitive athlete—to explore the often-overlooked drivers of sustainable performance: breath, presence, visualization, and grounded confidence.

Gina shares how embracing both “white belt curiosity” and “black belt strength” helped her navigate intense performance anxiety and how that mindset now shapes her work with elite athletes and high performers.

We get into what real confidence looks like, how to stay calm under pressure, and why mental fitness is just as essential as physical training—if not more.

Show Notes

00:00 – The “white belt” mindset: humility, curiosity, and reverence
03:00 – Martial arts, Stoicism, and her evolution into sports psychology
06:00 – Her mom’s legacy: breath, Pac-Man visualization, and mental resilience
10:00 – From performance anxiety to mental strength coaching
12:00 – Discovering breathwork and yoga as transformation tools
18:00 – Why elite athletes still struggle with confidence
20:00 – Breaking down grounded vs. naive confidence
24:00 – How to build confidence through evidence and habit stacking
28:00 – Why mental fitness in sports must come from the top down
32:00 – The stigma around vulnerability in pro sports
36:00 – Gina’s AM/PM bookend routines for mental clarity
40:00 – Mental nutrition: What’s feeding your mind?
45:00 – Reframing negative self-talk and the reps of daily life

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Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud

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