In this episode of Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise sits down with co-host and mental performance coach Nate Last for a raw and honest conversation about failure, pressure, identity, resilience, and the mental battles that high performers often fight in silence.

Nate shares his journey from walking off a golf course during a state tournament at 15 years old to discovering sport psychology in college and spending nearly a decade struggling to build a career in mental performance coaching. Together, Andy and Nate unpack the realities of performance anxiety, perfectionism, self-talk, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to “kick ass between the ears.”

This episode goes beyond sports. It’s about learning how to fight through adversity, believe in yourself when nobody else does, and build the mental grit needed to perform under pressure in life, business, school, relationships, and competition.

Topics include:

• Performance Anxiety

• Mental Toughness vs Toxic Positivity

• Identity and Self-Worth

• Failure and Resilience

• Sport Psychology and Mental Performance

• Entrepreneurship and Betting on Yourself

• Confidence Under Pressure

• Ironman Training and Deliberate Discomfort

• Leadership, Growth, and the Mental Game of Life

If this episode helped you think differently, share it with a friend, teammate, coach, athlete, parent, or family member who could benefit from the conversation.

Follow Nate through www.mentalgritconsulting.com and on Instagram

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For more episodes, resources, and learning tools, visit www.skullsessionspodcast.com