
The Brian Cain Mental Performance Mastery Podcast
The Official Long-Form Podcast of Brian Cain, MPM, #1 Best-Selling Author, Creator of The Mental Performance Mastery (MPM) Coaching Certification and The 30 Days to Mental Performance for Athletes Course.
The Brian Cain Mental Performance Mastery Podcast is dedicated to helping you reach your maximum potential through mastering the 10 pillars (skills) of mental performance.
Brian Cain has worked with the top coaches and athletes in professional, collegiate and high school sports on building an elite mindset and the routines, habits and culture they need to win.
His client list includes 6 UFC mixed martial arts World Champions, 10 NCAA National Champions, 4 MLB Cy Young Award winners, a Heisman Trophy winner, Olympic gold medalists, and top performing school, corporations and law enforcement teams from around the globe.
Also be sure to check out Brian's daily podcast, The Mental Performance Daily Podcast.
Latest episodes

Apr 1, 2025 • 38min
The Shiftwave Movement, Enhancing Readiness With Mike North, CEO & Cofounder of Shiftwave
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by Mike North, CEO and Cofounder of Shiftwave. Shiftwave is the world’s most advanced nervous system regulation device that uses powerful, intelligent vibrations to optimize your body's performance, reduce stress, and enhance overall vitality.In this episode Brian and Mike talk about..The story and science behind ShiftwaveThe NFLPA and Shitwave partnershipJJ Span talks about using shiftwave during PGA Tour rain delayHow there are no problems in life, only opportunitiesUsing vibrations to help bones heal fasterUsing senses of sign, sound, hear and touch for healing and imageryState of Physiological readiness - restore your foundation of physiological systemsBrian’s Daily Shiftwave ProtocolsAM - Neuroboost (7Min) MID - Shiftwave10 (10Min)PM - Bedtime (7Min)The Autonomic Nervous System - Sympathetic into ParasympatheticMoving from Fight or Flight into Rest and DigestNervous System Flexibility and StrengthFlushing stress and anxiety with ShiftwaveCycling your vascular systemAchieving rapid down regulation with shiftwave from a high sympathetic stateIncreased slow wave sleep and brain activity to consolidate memoriesHow to bring yourself into a state of physiological and psychological readinessBe sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak .👉You can follow and engage with Shiftwave at Shiftwave.co and in Instagram⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

Mar 14, 2025 • 42min
Bet on Yourself In Bananaland with Tyler Gillum
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by Savannah Bananas manager Tyler Gillum. Gillum and Banana Ball are taking the country by storm and impacting over 1 Billion fans. In this episode, learn the mindset behind it all and how you can use a little Banana ball to bet on yourself and win.Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak 📲 Follow Tyler Gillum on Instagram.⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

Feb 19, 2025 • 52min
An Inside Look at Elite Mental Performance - Brody Brecht, Pitcher, Colorado Rockies
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by Brody Brecht, The Colorado Rockies 2024 1st Rd Pick (CBA-38) and former University of Iowa Football and Baseball standout. In this interview, just 10 months into Brody’s mental performance training, you get an inside look at what elite mental performance looks like. In this episode, Brian and Brody Talk about.. The dangers of Expectations and the power of execution Listening to the outside noise vs. having an internal system Controlling what you can control and executing your plan The job of the pitcher, execution of the Pitch Having fun before you get results Self-accountability and the success checklist Stacking days and the power of the compound effects Details of how you can use mental imagery and shadow work Making practice like a game so you can make the game like practice Practicing adversity and knowing how you will respond before you need to The BALL meditation and mental imagery process Confidence, consistency and The 3 Keys to Keep it Simple Mind Movies and their impact on confidence Tracking sleep with Oura, whoop and what to measure The Dexa Scan and how to use it when evaluating your training program Hiring a Chef survive, Macro nutrition and structured fat, carb and protein grams. The Mental ABCs of Pitching and The Chapter on Execution The Corbin Burnes 2021 NL Cy Young Year Podcast and his process Creating your own mental game activation like your physical activation The personal MVP process and getting clarity on who you are and what you want Vison Boards and getting clear with your goals The Perspective Poster and compared to what mentality The 30 Day athletes program, the 10 pillars of MPM and the ABCs of pitching Maximizing your days and investing your 86,400 Using the Heroic app and breaking down a book of the week Structuring your PM & AM routines Spartan Up with Joe DeSena Leaders are Readers and falling in love with learning The Wisdom of The Bullfrog Doing a little a lot, Success Hotline and Dr. Rob Gilbert Making your best you new baseline, consistent and never ending improvementBe sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak .👉You can follow and engage with Brody on Instagram at @BrodyBrecht_11⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

Feb 3, 2025 • 5min
Wake Up And Execute | Matthew Liberatore & Brian Cain
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast, brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by Matthew Liberatore, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Matthew was selected 16th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays out of high school and later traded to the Cardinals, where he has continued to develop into a key piece of their pitching staff.
In this episode, Brian and Matthew dive deep into the mental side of baseball, discussing the strategies and techniques that help him stay locked in on the mound, perform under pressure, and execute when it matters most.
In this podcast, Brian and Matthew discuss:
• The Most Beneficial Mental Performance Techniques Matthew Uses
• How He Brings Structure To His Process and Training
• The Power of In-Game Routines for Staying Present and Locked In
• Why Execution is the Key to Success in Baseball and Life
• The One Mental Game Skill Every Baseball Player Should Focus On
Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave us a review, and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak.
📲 Follow Matthew Liberatore on Instagram: @matthew_liberatore
📲 Follow Brian Cain On Instagram: @briancainpeak
⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable
🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

4 snips
Dec 2, 2024 • 48min
The Mindset Behind The #1 Pickleball Team In The World
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by World Champion pickleball icons and brothers Ben and Collin Johns.
Collin Johns made his professional debut at the 2019 US Open and quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the sport’s most accomplished doubles players. A former professional tennis player and collegiate coach, Collin’s deep understanding of strategy, discipline, and adaptability has driven him to over 25 professional titles alongside his brother. He’s also a leader in developing and certifying pickleball professionals across the country.
Ben Johns, widely regarded as the greatest pickleball player of all time, has redefined dominance in the sport. With over 120 professional titles, including 21 Triple Crowns and the longest win streak in singles history, Ben’s mental toughness, innovation, and commitment to excellence have set a new standard.
Together, they’ve built an unmatched partnership on the court and a legacy off it through ventures like Pickleball 360 and their dedication to growing the game. Today, we’ll dive into their journey, their mental frameworks for success, and how they’ve used mindset and preparation to consistently perform at the highest level.
In this podcast, Brian, Collin and Ben discuss:
What is the mental game of tennis and pickleball
The balance of automatic competitive state vs. overthinking
Focusing on the small task at hand to take your mind off the big picture
The Inner Game of Tennis, The Talent Code, Talent Is Overrated, Bounce, Winning Ugly
The impact of John Wooden on Collin’s coaching performance
The difference between college and professional tennis culture and mindset
Finding the balance between caring and not caring
How to use fear as fuel and separating who you are and what you do
How to process losing and failure?
How coaching collegiate tennis helped Collin in his career as a pickleball player
How Ben uses Pison to manage his readiness, reaction time and improving variables in competition.
How to get yourself more cognitively ready for performance
The impact of measurements on performance
The importance of repetition and deliberate practice
Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak
👉You can engage with Collin on Instagram @CollinJohns_PB
👉You can engage with Ben on Instagram @BenJohns_PB - and YouTube BenJohnsPickleBall
⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable
🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

11 snips
Nov 11, 2024 • 39min
Dorfman 03 - Al Leiter - Know Your Job
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast, Brian continues a tribute series to one of his mentors and a mental performance coaching icon, Harvey Dorfman.
Al Leiter pitched in Major League Baseball from 1987-2005, was a 2x All-Star, a 3x World Series Champion, and New York Mets Hall of Famer. Leiter worked closely with Harvey and attributes a lot of his success over his career to his work on the mental game with Harvey.
In this episode Al & Brian discuss:
The moment Al knew he needed help with mental performance
The 3 day think tank that Al and Harvey at his house in Prescot, Arizona
Getting clarity on your job as a pitcher
Being mentally and physically prepared to execute a pitch
What made Harvey so special in Al’s eyes
The listen and call you on your shit balance
Professional athletes need and want to hear the truth
Getting down to straight talk
How you feel vs. how you behave
Harvey’s two two processes for development
Controlling what you can control
Self-promotion vs. doing the work as a mental performance coach
Al’s advice for mental performance coaches
Conversations, Content and Careers - The Life and Legacy of Harvey Dorfman is a series in which Brian interviews former players and staff who had their careers positively impacted by Harvey. Go inside the conversations, the content and the careers forever changed by one of the greatest mental performance coaches who ever lived.
Check out Harvey’s Books on Amazon
📕The Mental Game of Baseball
📕The Mental Keys to Hitting
📕The Mental ABCs of Pitching
📕Coaching The Mental Game
📕Copying It Down
📕Each Branch, Each Needle
📕Babbling Echoes
📕Persuasion of My Days
Brian Cain, MPM, the World’s leader in Mental Performance Coaching brings you practical tips, techniques, stories strategies, meditations and motivations every day that you can use to close the gap from where you are to where you want to be with The Mental Performance Daily Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review, and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak
⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable
🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast
💻 Join Brian’s MPM Coaches Certification Insiders List & Save $200
⚾ Take Brian’s FREE Baseball Masterclass

5 snips
Nov 4, 2024 • 15min
Reflect and Refocus 27 - Return To Play From Injury and The Use of MPM Training
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast Reflect & Refocus, Brian discusses what Mental Performance Coaches can do to help their athletes return to play from injury.
In this episode Brian shares 10 ways you can help your athletes during a return to play from injury.
1. Goal Setting for Rehab Progress: Encourage them to set specific, measurable, and realistic goals related to their rehab progress, focusing on what they can control. This keeps them motivated and provides structure.
2. Visualization and Imagery: Teach the athlete to use mental imagery to “rehearse” their sport. Visualizing movements, techniques, and successful performances can help maintain muscle memory and increase mental toughness.
3. Mindfulness and Meditation: Introduce mindfulness techniques to help them stay present and manage the emotional challenges of being injured. It can improve emotional regulation, reduce stress, and improve focus during recovery.
4. Developing Self-Awareness: Use journaling or reflective practices to increase their awareness of their mental and emotional states. This can help them understand their mental habits and areas for growth.
5. Positive Self-Talk: Help the athlete develop a positive internal dialogue, even during challenging times. This reinforces resilience and combats negative thoughts associated with injury.
6. Cognitive Restructuring: Teach them how to reframe negative or unproductive thoughts (e.g., “I’m missing out” to “I’m using this time to build mental strength”). This fosters a growth mindset.
7. Confidence Building: Work on confidence by reviewing past successes, identifying strengths, and setting small, achievable mental goals. This helps them regain belief in their abilities during recovery.
8. Resilience Training: Encourage mental toughness training by discussing setbacks as opportunities for growth. Use adversity stories or case studies from other athletes who’ve overcome injury.
9. Maintaining Team Connection: Encourage them to stay involved with the team, whether by attending practices, engaging with teammates, or taking on a mentorship role. This keeps them connected and mentally engaged.
10. Focus on Skill Development: Work on building mental skills such as focus, concentration, and emotional regulation. Use this time to train these areas, as they will be useful when they return to competition.
Each strategy helps the athlete stay mentally sharp while navigating the psychological challenges of injury recovery.
Brian Cain, MPM, the World’s leader in Mental Performance Coaching brings you practical tips you can use as a mental performance coach to help your athletes close the gap from where they are to where they want to be and to maximize their potential.
Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review, and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak
🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast
💻 Join Brian’s MPM Coaches Certification Insiders List & Save $200
👍 Take Brian’s FREE 3 Day Coaches Mini-Course
💪 Take Brian’s FREE 3 Day Athletes Mini-Course

9 snips
Nov 1, 2024 • 39min
Climbing A Mountain With No Summit - Coach Steven Cutter, Lansing Community College
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast brought to you by Pison, Brian is joined by Lansing Community College Head Baseball Coach Steven Cutter. Coach Cut has led the Stars to 2 Juco College World Series Appearances and the #2 overall best winning percentage in Juco Baseball the last 3 years.
In this Podcast Brian and Coach Cut discuss:
Coach Cut’s unique journey into coaching baseball and mental performance
Attraction to mental performance
Stacking bricks and building consistency
Growth vs. fixed mindset and using Carol Dweck’s mindset achievement
Modeling theory and the process of development, caught vs. taught
The importance of time management, organization, and intentionality of process
Journals that players can use for the season and life
The importance of setting core principles of Uncommon, Selfless, and Excellence
Climbing a mountain with no summit
The dangers of complacency
Compete to a standard, not a scoreboard
The mindset of Compete with vs. competing against
Cognitive performance and work with Pison
The combination of cognitive training and mental performance training
You have to learn and be it before you can teach it
Eliminating The G Word from your program
Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review, and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak
👉Connect with Coach Cut on Instagram
👉Connect with Coach Cut on X
👉Connect With Coach Cut At His Website
⌚Lean More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable
🎤 Follow Brian’s Mental Performance Daily Podcast

9 snips
Oct 4, 2024 • 7min
Why Should You Work With A Mental Performance Coach?
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast, Brian discusses why you should work with a Mental Performance Coach.
👉Athlete or parent of an athlete? Join Brian’s exclusive one-on-one coaching program
✅ Be sure to subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast, leave us a review, and engage with Brian on social media @BrianCainPeak
⌚Learn More About Pison, The World’s First Cognitive Performance App and Wearable

17 snips
Oct 1, 2024 • 36min
Awareness, The Foundation of Athletic Development with Donovan Santas
Donovan Santas, a veteran in professional baseball with extensive experience as a strength and conditioning coach, dives deep into the evolution of athletic training. He discusses how baseball-specific conditioning has transformed, emphasizing the growing focus on mental performance. Topics explored include cognitive assessments, fatigue management, and the significance of breath control in performance. Donovan also shares insights on the impact of sleep and shares personal anecdotes, including a shift toward healthier lifestyles to optimize athletic recovery.
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