5 Things in 5 Years: What Writing 260 Tips Has Taught Me

Mindset Made Simple Tip #260 - Watch or listen HERE.

This week marks 5 years of Mindset Made Simple Tips!!

260 straight weeks of Tips! That’s 1,825 days of thinking, writing, editing and sometimes wondering… “Is anyone even reading this?” But they have provided countless lessons, and I’m still learning!

When I started, I had no idea how long I’d keep going. Or who would read them, or what they’d become.

A friend asked me a few years back, “Is it really worth the time and effort every week?”

I thought about it. Then replied…

Yes. Every bit of it!

Even if no one reads them, they’ve made me better. And that’s a great place to start.

Every week, these Tips challenge me to show up, even when I’m distracted or don’t feel like it. They keep me reading, reflecting and learning. They push me to ask better questions, seek out better answers and find new ways to apply the amazing research that exists in performance, mindset and leadership.

And let’s be honest, it’s been 5 years of being vulnerable. It’s gotten easier, but hitting “send” every week means putting myself out there. Sharing thoughts, stories and practices, not knowing who’s reading, who’s judging or whether it’ll even land. But in that vulnerability, there’s also power.

Because growth requires discomfort, leadership requires putting skin in the game. And consistency requires doing the work, especially when no one is watching.

Here are 5 things I’ve learned from 5 years of writing, coaching, leading, and doing the mental work myself, not just in theory, but in real life.

Lesson #1: Consistency Matters!

I’ve written and recorded from my familiar home office, hospital rooms (where I’m sitting right now), swimming practices, college campuses, different states and continents and everywhere in between. There is nothing glamorous about showing up every week to write when you're tired, traveling, uninspired or overwhelmed. But there is power in it.

This weekly commitment taught me what I’ve preached to athletes and leaders for years: It’s not about being intense. It’s about being consistent.

Whether it’s mental rehearsal, daily resets or intentional breath work, repetition creates reliability, especially under pressure. As the research says, neurons that fire together wire together.

One email a week might not seem like much. But just like a consistent pre-performance routine or a reset breath in the dugout, it works because it’s repeated.

Sporadic intensity can’t compete with steady intentionality. Deliberate repetition not only strengthens neural pathways but builds habits that anchor our behaviors in high-pressure situations. Bottom line? Consistency helps us perform better in EVERYTHING! Our brains, our teams and our performance are shaped by what we do consistently, not occasionally.

As the meme says, the drip carves the rock, not the bucket of water!

Lesson #2: The Tools Only Work When You Use Them (And That’s the Hard Part)

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how hard it is to actually use the tools I teach.

It’s one thing to tell an athlete, “Use your breath to reset.” It’s another thing to pause, breathe and reframe your own mindset when you’re sitting in the ICU, our schedules are packed, when life feels heavy and self-doubt creeps in.

I’ve had to practice what I preach… Saying what I want out loud when fear gets loud. Using a physiological sigh before big keynotes or tough conversations. Resetting with intention when things go sideways.

It’s not easy. But it works, and these Tips help keep me on track (or they help, I should say 😊!)

And every time I choose to use the tools instead of just talk about them, I become a stronger, more grounded leader, coach, parent and human!

These tips have held me accountable to living the mindset I believe in…so I can share it with others!

Lesson #3: You Never Know Who You’re Impacting

There have been many quiet weeks. No replies. Few likes. Few reactions. There were days when I wondered, “Is anyone reading these?”

But then…a text, an email from across the country or a conversation with someone I had no idea followed these: “That tip last week hit home. I needed it.” “We used that routine before our game. It changed our focus.”“I used your ‘Talk Out Loud’ tool to reset.”

It’s humbling and SO gratifying!

I am a coach. I’ve never done anything else (unless you count loading trucks at UPS or lifeguarding 😊). And knowing my coaching sends small ripples of impact out into the world keeps me coming back for more!

We often wonder if we’re making a difference. And then we find out, quietly, unexpectedly, that the work is working. And it’s a good lesson for us all! Like coaching and leadership, building a Smarter, Stronger, Better mindset is a long game. Seeds are planted before they sprout. And

often, our biggest impact happens in moments we'll never witness.

Impact doesn’t always shout. But it sticks if we put our heart in it (according to Kenny Rogers - look it up, young bucks :)!

Lesson #4: Writing These Tips Has Changed How I Think, Learn and Lead

These aren’t just lessons I share. They’ve become a laboratory for me. EVERYTHING I experience, I look at through a mental performance lens.

Every week, I read, reflect, wrestle with big ideas and ask: How do we help people perform better, lead stronger and live fuller?

It’s pushed me to:

• Learn about psychological flexibility, psychological safety (a term that didn't exist throughout most of my career), emotional contagion and intentional focus.

• Revisit and revise the mental models I use with teams.

• Examine my own habits, language, and behavior because teaching and connection demand ENTHUSIASM, ENGAGEMENT and AUTHENTICITY (my three non-negotiables when I work).

It’s also helped me say hard things out loud and lean into vulnerability. Because leadership is not about knowing more, it’s about being willing to grow more.

Growth doesn’t come from knowing the tools. It comes from living them. And even though I had the BEST teacher in Dr. Susan Ziegler in the first half of my coaching career, I wish I had thought more like a mental performance coach than a softball coach throughout!

5. There Is No Finish Line —And That’s a Good Thing

Mental performance is a never-ending journey. It’s a moving target. A living process. And I truly believe we don’t prioritize it because it’s so darn hard to measure!! We’re never done managing our mindset!!

We love numbers, increases, easily identifiable gains…but building mental skills doesn't provide quantitative numbers.

And…because we are always leveling up our skill, opportunities and opponents, there is always room to improve your breath routine, a better question to ask our team and a deeper layer of focus to uncover. It’s never-ending!

And that’s what keeps me writing, learning and coming back.

We don’t just train for game day. We train for life. And learning to manage our thoughts, enhance our focus and change our physiology may be the most important things we practice!!! Peak performance isn’t something we switch on before the game; it’s something we live.

And even though we aren’t measuring, if these tips have reminded you to choose a different thought, be response-able, reset, breathe, refocus or speak your intention out loud even once, then we’re on the right track.

So yes, it’s been worth it. For me. I hope, for you, too! And for all of us trying to lead with purpose, live with intention and perform with presence at our peak!

Here’s to 5 years…and the next chapter of getting Smarter. Stronger. Better. Together.

THANK YOU for reading, learning, and growing with me!

Julie

P.S. Do you use these Tips? I’d love to know how! Shoot me an email or text – juliej@ssbperformance.com or 234-206-0946

Julie Jones

Mental Performance Coach

SSB Performance

www.ssbperformance.com

juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946