Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast
Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast with hosts Jeff Lerg and Chris Palmer, is a space for athletes, parents, and coaches to see the depths of hockey and the mental hurdles that come with it.
Jeff Lerg has extensive experience as a former player and current coach that propels his knowledge and life advice. Jeff has reached the ultimate pinnacle of what it means to be a successful D1 Collegiate Athlete. Playing at Michigan State University, he has won countless awards and accolades displaying his success. Also, a former professional goalie for 10+ years across the U.S. and Europe, he has had first-hand experience reaching his own goals and helping others achieve theirs.
Chris Palmer, M.A. in Psychology, is a Hockey Mental Performance Coach who trains individuals, coaches, and teams from house leagues to Pro and Amateur in the US, Europe and Canada. He trains “heart, head, and guts,” with a proven process that helps clients maximize mental toughness and motivation to develop a grinding and intense compete level. As a former NCAA runner, x2 All-American, and Nike-sponsored athlete, Chris brings a great deal of knowledge in athletics and the mental performance space to positively impact the lives of athletes all over the world.
Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast
How Athletes Build Grit Before the Season Starts
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Welcome to Episode 72 of the Dialed and Driven Mentality Podcast!
“How Athletes Build Grit Before the Season Starts”
In this episode, Jeff Lerg, Chris Palmer, and Natalie Ferenc break down one of the most important traits every athlete needs before the season begins: grit.
Every athlete says they want to get better. They say they want to make the team, earn the role, play at the next level, or become the kind of player coaches can trust when the game gets hard. But talent only gets you so far. At some point, every athlete runs into discomfort, pressure, fatigue, doubt, and the daily grind of doing what they said they would do.
So how do athletes actually build grit before the season starts?
We dive into why grit is not something you magically have once the season begins. It is built in the offseason through daily habits, hard choices, uncomfortable reps, and the willingness to complete the tasks you signed up for—even when you do not feel like doing them.
Episode Highlights:
• Why talent alone will not take athletes where they want to go
• How athletes can develop grit during the offseason
• Why the hard things you do now prepare you for the season later
• What it means to complete the tasks you sign up for
• Why discomfort is necessary for real growth
• How “micro-sucks” help athletes build toughness one rep at a time
• Why your reason has to be stronger than your excuses
• How to gamify training and create internal motivation
• Why cheating the hard parts keeps athletes from building real confidence
• How small offseason habits can strengthen mental toughness
• Why athletes need an identity outside of sports
• How nervous athletes can build belief through preparation
• Why grit is built when no one is watching
• Real examples of athletes choosing effort, ownership, and resilience
AND SO MUCH MORE!
If you’ve ever struggled to get up for the early workout, finish the extra rep, stay focused when no one is watching, or push through the moments when training gets uncomfortable, this episode is a reminder that grit is built before you need it.
The season will test you. The pressure will come. The difficult moments will show up. The question is whether you used the offseason to prepare for them.
Do the hard things. Build the habit. Stay dialed. Stay driven.
📲 Connect With Us
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDialedandDrivenPodcast
🎙️ Listen On
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRwBFDkvYi56TdzIPMRge
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dialed-driven-hockey-mentality-podcast/id1791139650
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b1168059-6e38-4352-b3d5-c5fdbba6067f/dialed-driven-hockey-mentality-podcast