Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Properly Handling Resistance

There can be no growth without resistance; we must keep moving forward through resistance. Transformation is impossible without adversity, but you must be intentional when dealing with adversity. There is a big difference between choosing your path forward through adversity and resistance, and being swept away by the momentum of resistance you cannot influence.

Work to eliminate the obvious, reoccurring adversity you create that continually gets you off track. Triage and deal with the adversity others cause that you end up dealing with. Look for places where purpose-filled adversity can refine your life, and then intentionally work under that pressure to grow stronger and refine yourself.

The amount of success and happiness you experience in real life will, in large part, be dictated by your ability to triage and handle adversity.

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // STAY ON MISSION: What You Need to Know

We all feel, first as humans. We have to process emotion first. Next, all of us are trying to make our biggest choices and decisions based on our strongest beliefs. Physiologically and psychologically, that's what's happening. So somehow, someway, we have to be able to deal with emotion, and we have to put language to what we believe. In order to live out your strongest beliefs or values, that's what's happening for all of us in the background. We all have to deal with the past to the degree that we need to. Whether it's anxiety, unforgiveness, or regret, we have to figure out what that means to you, so it's not a crack or a weakness.

Then, in order to be present and live your life in the present right where your feet are, you have to have some mindset tools. You have to be able to dial up your emotions in the places where people need to know you feel, and you need to be able to dial them back in spaces where all that matters is the right thing to do, like in competition for an athlete where all that matters is the right thing to do.

Then, in order to move forward with confidence without anxiety, you have to know a little bit about your future. Obviously, you can't completely know the future, but you have to be able to cast a vision to keep yourself on track. Some sort of mission and vision for your life so that the values you're using today, and what you believe now, keeps you in line and directed in a straight line in your future.

Keep Coming Forward 

Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // What Carl Taught Me: Rest In Peace

There is always perspective at the end of anything, wisdom that you can't see until it's finished. Slow down, look for it, and grow wiser. Carl taught me that. Carl passed away on June 1st, 2023, and I want to honor him today and share with you some of the wisdom he gave me.

For two years, I went to Poets Coffee shop in Cookeville, Tennessee, every morning at 7 AM as I was writing the Mayhem Mindset course. Every morning, there were always three other men at the coffee shop, and we all became friends. My morning started with 5 to 10 minutes of conversation with these gentlemen. Three of us had our first names in common. We called ourselves "The 3 Jim's and Carl."

At first glance, Carl appeared to be reserved and frail. I remember thinking I needed to tone it down for him, but that changed immediately after our first conversation. He was a good listener, but when he spoke, it was with a gracious kind of authority that made it easy to receive. He talked with a confidence that comes from real-life experience. Carl told me he was active in the AA community in Cookeville and was passionate about being there for anyone who wanted help overcoming substance abuse.

Carl always started our conversations by asking me how Kristen (my wife) was doing, and he always wanted to know if I was taking care of her. In the most gracious way, he challenged me to remember to sacrifice and give to her. He said not only was it the right thing to do, but that it would be worth it in the end. He reminded me that taking care of that relationship was like putting money in the bank; it was like saving for the future. He shared with me some of the loneliness he felt as an older man who was in poor health and how he had lived for the moment for so many years without realizing that there would be real consequences and burdens he wouldn't be able to escape at the end.

Carl said that there was always something to learn, something worth thinking about at the end of everything. He cautioned me not to ever think I had life figured out. He told me to be mature enough to slow down and make sure to find the wisdom and perspective at the end of everything. He knew I liked to work out; he said there was wisdom at the end of every workout. He said there was wisdom to be found at the end of every single day, there was wisdom or perspective at the end of everything. Carl told me it was easy to be emotional and start something, but it takes courage and maturity to finish well and then grow stronger from the truth that you can find at the end.

I think that all the emotion and momentum generated by our modern society and the algorithms that guide most people keep us in a state of perpetual motion and rob us of the wisdom that comes from thinking deeply at the end of what we are doing, and it steals from us the opportunity to slow down, recover, and grow stronger. We weren't designed as humans to always be in motion. To live life well means we all need answers for our lives physically, mentally, and spiritually. Staying healthy and growing requires motivation at the start, a strong values-based resolution through the middle, and the courage to be intentional and learn and apply the truth you find at the end of everything you do.

I am a better man because of the wisdom Carl spoke into my life. Thank you, Carl. Rest in peace.

Keep Coming Forward,

Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Coming Home the Right Way

Coming home from the CrossFit Semi-finals was another opportunity to transition from the extreme pressure and intensity of that event to being the man I believe I'm supposed to be in "real life" – the man I believe I'm supposed to be at home with my family.

When I do it correctly, coming home humbles me and reminds me of my priorities. Many times, I allow myself to place too much importance and meaning on competition or business, failing to make the proper adjustment and dial back my intensity or emotions that were necessary to be world-class at my job under extreme pressure. Coming home is always good for me; I realize that my wife, my children, and my granddaughter all love and need me regardless of my performance. They need the thoughtful, strong, consistent version of who I am. They need me to be the thermostat that regulates and creates an environment for them to grow and be the person they were created to be. 

I'm reminded that purpose for their lives is not the same as mine. I'm reminded that my first thoughts need to be full of gratitude. Many times, I feel convicted because I spend too much time thinking about myself, my mission in life, what I want, what I need, and even what I think I deserve. Being a person who can handle high pressure consistently over time means I have to be capable of transitioning well from my performance expectations to the man I am supposed to be in "real life," and that always requires sacrificing for the people that I love. I mean, literally sacrificing my gifts, my talents, my purpose, my personal mission for their sake. Anything that steals my ability to be fully present with them, to hear their hearts, to meet their needs, and to help them grow right where they are is missing the mark based on my stated values. Coming home reminds me that being great under extreme pressure and transitioning back to being the man I want to be in "real life" must be intentional. I must develop a system and routine to facilitate that, and I must have clear values to use as the filter for my emotions and intensity in order to transition quickly and do it well.

I am reminded that if I want to succeed under pressure, be world-class, and maximize my mission in life over a career and a lifetime, success, respect, notoriety, and financial security start with my ability to live my values with my wife and my family because they are the foundation, the position of strength, I must always return to, to ground me. They are the people I must give to and sacrifice for to balance out the intensity, the emotion, and the innate selfishness that it requires to be world-class at anything. One of the keys in handling extreme pressure over time, whether it's competition or a high-stress job, is coming home and being at home and doing that well. Positive values anchor you through adversity and ground you in success.

Keep Coming Forward,

Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Turning Chaos Into Order

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson said, “fundamentally life is about turning chaos into order.” I thought with every workout you pit the chaos in your mind against your body and what it can do. When you finish the workout it brings an understanding of accomplishment, experience and discipline or order to your mind.  Same with our diet and our health. We are always working to answer the chaotic questions of what we should be eating and doing to make our body perform the best. We battle chaotic thoughts that we “aren’t good enough” in some way. Being willing to go face to face with those chaotic lies work past them and move toward our truth, it brings order to our mind and heart.

Living by a schedule removes chaos and brings the order we need to accomplish our goals. Balancing your bank account no matter how much is in it puts the leash on the chaos worry and fear that’s been leading you around. At least you know where you stand and that's a stronger position than the chaotic shaky ground of denial.

Living with purpose and feeling the way we want to is accomplished in part by bringing more order to our lives. Obviously is easier said than done but it’s still true. The momentum that our lives generate and the environment we choose for our lives will have a lot to say about how hard it will be to bring order to the chaos and how much of our potential we will eventually realize. Move!

Where and what can you do today to bring more order to your life? What can you do for someone else to bring more order in their life?

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // A Memorial Story with John Lovell

I am filled with gratitude and humbled by the sacrifices made by the men and women who have fought and died for our Freedom. I consider the core value of Freedom a "Strength Value" in my life, that means it's non-negotiable, its a mountain I am willing to die on. It's one of the Core Values I use as a filter for every choice and decision I make in my life.  As Americans, we must continue to protect the Freedom we have been given and be reminded to make the sacrifices that have been made for us count in our lives as individuals, for our family's, in our American Culture, and around the world. We are certainly the freest people in the history of humankind, let it be said that our generation continued to uphold the Value of Freedom and let us honor those in our Armed Forces that died to make sure that our Freedom is maintained. 

In honor of Memorial Day, I wanted the Mindset thoughts to come from a war veteran. John Lovell is a man I respect, he is a former member of Special Operations, having served in 2nd Ranger Battalion with numerous combat tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Visit https://warriorpoetsociety.us for info about John Lovell

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Shame Lives in the "Should"

So many people experience shame that causes them to lie to themselves and to lie to others. That shame causes them to hide and run from what they say they believe is the truth. Consequently, shame causes them to almost involuntarily comprise their values, all while those values are the key to freedom from the shame. As a result, they live in a constant state of weakness and rejection with no clear way to recover. It’s just true that all of us have experienced this in some manner; it’s part of being human.

I believe that shame lives in Should. For example, I should work harder. I should eat healthier. I should treat my family better. I should get to the gym. I should quit this dead-end job. I should not be afraid. I should not worry so much. I should stop lying. I should quit sinning. What’s starts as a healthy reminder from our gut, consciousness, or our heart reminding us to live out our values, turns to shame as we avoid the truth.

It’s not enough to identify our truth. It’s not enough to talk about our truth. It’s not enough to ask for accountability. Conquering shame is accomplishing by Doing and by creating Done in your life.
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What’s the flip-side? Continue to live a less than purposeful life. Continue to compromise your values while allowing your emotions and the momentum of life to push you around, all while the shame from never really committing to living out your values keeps you from becoming 100% of the person you were designed to BE.

The problem is not the shame; that’s the emotional result of an underlying problem. The initial barrier to moving forward is admitting to the problem that causes shame, but that’s not enough! Most importantly, you must attack the problem by creating a plan to destroy it, then execute that plan inside of your daily routine based on what you believe, not just what you feel. How do you create a plan? Here is the formula: Identity + Values + Routine = Vision or Plan
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At first, you will not feel good about this! You must create the energy (energy = the fuel to do something based on right action according to your values in spite of how you feel) necessary to move forward. The freedom you seek will begin to grow as your confidence grows by Doing. When you screw it up, and you will, here is how to respond:
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Mindset Tool:

Admit it: acknowledge your role and responsibility

Fix it: learn from it - communicate, apologize, if necessary

Flush it: re-aim at your values and keep moving forward!
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Commit to turning one of the shame causing Should’s in your life to a Doing and then a Done. Respond based on your values, take action, start working on it, generate movement forward, and watch the shame begin to melt away.

Come work with us if you are looking for a process to develop a vision and a plan.

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Keep Coming Forward!
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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Reacting and Responding are Two Different Things

REACTIONS are caused by emotion and forced on you by momentum and pressure.

RESPONDING correctly means you know how to think or consider based on your strongest beliefs or your core values. Right action or the proper RESPONSE must be trained and practiced.

Developing a values-based RESPONSE means you will have done the work to put what you believe in language so that language can be used to create a Mindset tool to train your emotions and create your values based RESPONSE.

In the Mayhem Mindset Process, “The System” is a good Mindset tool to remind yourself what it means to be human and how you can continue to optimize your body’s design by establishing your personal identity then defining and learning to use your values to control your emotions then use momentum in a trained RESPONSE instead of an uncontrolled REACTION.

Learn about “The System” and how to develop a values based RESPONSE at mayhemmindset.com

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Puzzles are Perfect; People Are Not

Here is what I believe: Puzzles are perfect, every piece fits in its particular way, it’s easy to know what’s right and what’s wrong, it obvious what fits and what does not. Emotion is not useful when you are working to organize the pieces. The puzzle does not care about your age, your race, your sex, your politics, your ideology, religion, or culture. If you have the ability to control your emotions and be patient. If you are willing to work to put the puzzle pieces in the right place and you are good with the time it will take, you will eventually be successful, and you will see the image, words, or message the puzzle was made to convey. In the end, when you finished with the puzzle, as you stand up and look down at what you have accomplished, you could say, “it’s perfect” I got all of the pieces in the right place, and that would be the truth.

Puzzles can be perfect; people cannot. Who said that?!? I want to give them credit. I think I heard it on a podcast I was listening to; it resonates with me. I have defined my life by the value of Excellence because I spent so much of my early life trying to be a perfect person, only to repeatedly collide with the truth that perfect with people is impossible.

When I have breathed my last breath and my time on this planet is finished. No one, including the people who love me the most, will stand back and reflect on my life and say that any part of my life was perfect. To type those words on my, IPad for this blog post is utterly preposterous. I have been the king of the fools; I cannot do it right enough times to make up for all the times I did it wrong. If anything close to perfect was the standard I had to attain for my life on this planet to matter, then I have already ultimately failed. Everything I currently believe is truth for my life; everything I think I have done right was born out of my almost constant failure.

No human being to ever live on this planet, except the spiritual conversation of God come to earth, can claim perfection. For argument's sake, let’s use the current popular statistic that there have been 108 billion people to live on planet earth. So arguably, there has only been one perfect person in a sea of billions of other people, and that idea or stat is not a matter of fact; it’s a matter of spiritual faith or a strong belief in God anchored in spiritual conviction rather than a provable fact.

Don’t stop reading here because somehow you feel what you believe spiritually is somehow being challenged! Can we eliminate any controversy by agreeing that no one currently alive is perfect? Of the 7.674 billion people now alive on this planet, not one single person can say they have done it all perfectly. Can we agree on that?

I’m exhausted, embarrassed, and frustrated that it took so much of my life, my personal human experience, to finally surrender to the reality of the truth that people cannot and will not ever be perfect. Inside the culture wars and the war of ideas, in every category, sports, politics, religion, technology, the arts, etc., there is one common denominator, imperfect people.

It may seem silly to some of you, but dealing with the reality of my imperfection has become one of the secrets to any consistency and success I have. I did the work to create the language and tools I needed to move forward by defining myself from the inside out. I mean choosing what I believed about my heart, how I was wired, and then working my way out to the practical things I believed I was supposed to do to succeed despite my imperfection.

I chose to believe that the spirit of freedom lived in my heart; it was hardwired in me; I was born with the desire to live free. I believe freedom is a gift from God to the human heart. I decided I would have to fight for and wrestle with freedom physically, mentally, and spiritually. I mean, to live with freedom, I had to have the answers for my imperfections physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Next, I decided the other gift I had been given was the freedom of choice. The ability to choose my path in life, to choose my beliefs, to choose my community, the people I live with and love. Freedom and the ability to choose are what separates humans from every other living creature. People are not perfect, but freedom is in our soul, and we can choose. That’s a miracle for me.

I realized that I was trying to make all my most significant decisions based on my strongest beliefs. Without a solid working knowledge of my core values as tools, without putting what I believed into language so that my values could become clear targets to daily re-aim at my imperfections would continually be the same obstacles, and freedom would eventually become my stumbling block if I weren’t intentional with its power.

So trying to be perfect left me frustrated and defeated; I was imperfect, broken, and fallible. Perfection was unattainable in my life. However, I decided to pursue Excellence in everything that I do continuously; Excellence became the core value I would re-aim at every day. I adopted the pursuit of Excellence as a foundational truth in my life and my personal code. In my code, the pursuit of Excellence leaves room for mistakes but demands that I correct those mistakes and not make them again.

Striving for Excellence isn't flashy; it's mundane. Excellence is accomplished through deliberate actions ordinary in themselves. These actions must be performed consistently, made into habits and goals then compounded together over time. Since achieving Excellence is mundane, it's within my reach. The proper perspective for me is to retain what works well, build on it, improve it, and correct the mistakes. I can and should always be moving toward Excellence. For me, the pursuit of Excellence understands that making improvements will require me to take purposeful risks; taking risks means making mistakes. If I’m not making mistakes, I’m not learning; I’m not aiming high enough or pushing hard enough. My pursuit of Excellence requires me to fix those mistakes and not to make them again.

I understand that I am imperfect, but I make no excuses. Minute by minute, day by day, I’m working to improve to develop Excellence in my life. That’s the way it works for me. My life is a constant process of refinement to do better by daily re aiming at the value of Excellence, and that process doesn’t end until I’m dead.

Freedom + Choice + Excellence Physically, Mentally, and Spiritually = how I overcome my imperfections. S&H

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Establishing Your Personal Identity

Let’s break it down. If your principal aim in life is setting and accomplishing goals, then how do you recalibrate and re-aim when you fail to achieve your goal? It is currently fashionable to focus on motivation, but I think motivation is overrated. Where do you turn when you don’t feel right, and your emotions betray you? Creating positive habits, following rules, and developing systems are all valuable tools that measure progress. However, if they become your principal aim, you will risk losing focus on the personal relationships in your life. So, where should you be aiming at first?

It’s easy to prove the importance of establishing your personal identity. It’s just true that all of us are making the most important choices and decisions in our lives, based on our strongest beliefs. So why is it that so few of us can quickly, clearly, and concisely articulate our personal identity and core values and use them strategically and intentionally?

Many of us have allowed the opinions of others to define us. Many of us have let the culture, momentum or emotion define our lives and are forced to face hardship or miss opportunity because we don’t know what to do next.

I believe your identity and values can become a platform of strength that will guide you as you set goals, develop habits, and work at staying motivated. Your identity and values should remind you to capture your emotions when they start to spin out of control. Your identity and values can enable you to create the energy necessary to accomplish your task or take care of those who are counting on you when you don’t feel motivated.

Understanding how you fit in your family, team, and community will require you to establish your personal identity and organize your core values in a manner that makes them force multipliers in your life.

Define yourself so you can aim true each day and live in a more valuable and purposeful way!

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Standing in the Gap

In the Mayhem Mindset Game, an important part of BEing a good man or BEing a good women means we are able to stand in the gap for the people we love. Having that ability requires us to be in control of our emotions. Having that ability means we must be able to think outside of our own feelings and thoughtfully craft a plan that best benefits the people we are responsible for.

We must understand clearly how much truth is needed. We also have to remember that the truth hurts most times and its important to serve it up in a way that benefits, builds and grows the people that we love. We must be able to understand how much grace is necessary and that sometimes means we make sacrifices to move them ahead. Understanding the balance between Grace and Truth is key, and serving it up correctly is even more important. BEing this kind of man or women requires that we set our ego aside and BE intentional.

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // How to Replace Negative Emotions with Core Values

Dealing with negative emotions can be a challenging task, especially when they stem from life-changing events like a divorce. As a athlete, I knew that replacing negative emotions with a core value can be a powerful way to overcome weakness and inconsistency. My epiphany came when I realized that I could not simply "stop feeling bad and forgive" after my divorce. I knew I had to replace the negative emotion of unforgiveness with something positive. That's when I turned to my code and my core values, specifically, the value of hope.

As an athlete, I knew the importance of sticking to a routine, even when it was tough. I applied this same principle to my emotional state, committing to responding as a hopeful man, regardless of how I felt. By doing so, I was able to change my mindset and replace the feeling of unforgiveness with the value of hope. Hope became a clear target for me to aim at every day.

This technique is not just for athletes. Anyone can use it to overcome negative emotions and stay on mission. BUT… you have to be clear about your core values and get them organized so they can be a force multiplier in your life. Your values are the principles that guide your decisions and actions in life. Once you have identified your core values, you can use them as a compass to guide your emotions.

The next step is to develop a routine that incorporates your core values. This routine should be designed to help you use your values as a filter especially when faced with challenging situations and emotions are running high. By doing so, you can develop mindset tools to respond to negative emotions in a more intentional way.

Finally, it's essential to have a clear mission and vision for your life. This mission should be based on your personal identity and values, and it should guide everything you do. By having a clear understanding of purpose, you can stay focused on your goals and always be moving forward.

Do the mental conditioning work to establish your personal identity, organize your core values, and develop a great routine by clicking the link and signing up HERE!

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // The Mayhem Mindset Game Starts With The Principal Of BE

The Mayhem Mindset game starts with the Principle of BE.

First, focus on the kind of person you were created to BE before choosing what to DO with your life. Knowing who you BE starts with defining yourself, understanding and organizing your values and talents then developing some personal philosophy that points you at purpose in your life. The Principle of BE is also about connecting your emotions to your values in order to keep your life on track regardless of how you might happen to feel. Your values are supposed to be like a filter connected to the emotions that give your life meaning. Your values are supposed to keep you aimed at your truth when your emotions betray you from time to time.

For example, if you believe in a value like patience, then you should be able to BE patient in a room full of impatient people. Your values must be authentic and developed into the mindset tools you use in the moments when your truth hurts and you must BE able to generate the energy necessary to stand by what you said you believe.

If you're in a place in life where you need these answers to face adversity or take advantage of opportunity, then Mayhem Mindset may be right for you. Check out our two subscription offerings at www.themayhemmindet.com and signup today!

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Live Life With Emotion Not Because Of Emotion

In the Mayhem Mindset Process Energy and Emotion are not the same thing. Both are an essential part of life, but in the Mayhem Mindset Process we manage them differently.

Emotions give our lives meaning. What would life be like without feelings? Love, hate, the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat! I would not want to live a life without Emotion. Emotion is a great fire starter, but it’s not stainable fuel for our lives. Our Emotions will betray us from time to time. We have all made decisions solely based on Emotion and lived to regret it.

However, Energy is the sustainable fuel we need to power us forward. We must generate Energy in-spite of how we feel. Energy must be created from an authentic connection and understanding of our identity, our core values, and a strong sense of purpose for our lives.

Live your life with Emotion, not because of Emotion. Do the work to define yourself so you can quickly convert from Emotion to Energy when necessary and become 100% of the person you were created to BE.

Learn more about how to create mindset tools and convert Emotion to Energy at www.mayhemmindset.com

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // You Can't Just Think Your Way To Success

In order to become 100% of the person you were created to be, you must constantly be challenging your personal truths physically, mentally, and spiritually. Life should be a continual process of improving yourself and honing your mindset skills through the adversity and opportunity in your life. We all know nothing sustainable or lasting in this life comes without paying the price for it.

It’s impossible to get stronger mentally by just thinking your way there. Growing mental strength will require you to connect and put into action what you believe physically and spiritually.

Establishing your personal identity and organizing your core values is work you must do to establish the foundation of how you want to think. Identity and values become the position of strength you think and act from. Next, you must connect those beliefs to a great routine, including rules, habits, and a system you create so you can daily re-aim and continually move forward and grow.

TRY THIS! How good of a listener are you? To BE present in a conversation is one of the most challenging things for so many people to do but being present is a mindset skill you have to intentionally develop if you expect to reach your potential in any part of your life.

Being fully present in a conversation without your mind wandering is the objective. Exercising and practicing self-discipline to be in control of your thoughts and emotions, so you are prepared for real adversity or opportunity. Develop the skill of listening, develop the ability to know how to think properly and respond in a prepared and practiced manner.

Listening seems so simple, but it requires you to be present, and that takes practice. You don’t have to give great advice, be right, or sound smart; just be willing to sit there and allow the other person to talk.

PRACTICE THIS! Set a time limit, say 10 minutes. Try it, practice getting and staying present, hear what’s being said; it doesn’t even matter what the other person is talking about. If you need to have a response, simply acknowledge them and their feelings (acknowledgment and validation are not the same things), give them a hug then move forward with your day. The WHOLE point in this exercise is to stay present. That’s it.

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Choose Your Response to the Storm

No one is underestimating the need for the proper mindset now. Today like no other point in recent history, it’s time to take ownership of your thoughts and emotions. Getting your mindset right starts with choosing how you will respond to the storms that have surrounded us. Make sure you have storm-proofed yourself before you turn to help your family and your community.

Here is a problem, many of us have been operating on the momentum based on how we have always done things, and that's all quickly changing now. Many of us have been focusing on staying motivated and making adjustments and choices based on how we feel about our circumstances. Know that these unique and new pressures affect us all, the patterns, systems, and rules we have trusted based on momentum, are compromised, and the emotions many of us feel are overwhelming us, causing us to retreat or freeze instead of moving forward.

Emotional stability starts with being able to think clearly based on your strongest beliefs. Your belief systems are what regulate your emotions. If you know who you are and you are clear about what you believe in, you will know your place in your family and your community. With this understanding, you can be prepared to respond and make a difference in the lives of the people who are counting on you.

It’s time to stop and organize your core values. Your values must be clearly defined and put into language. If they’re not in language, then they're not tools you can use. It’s just true if you don't have the words to describe what you believe, then you are not connected to what you say you believe authentically.

Values-based responses must become instinctual. Values are the anchors we can trust in the most trying times, and through the most significant storms in life. If you are not able to respond based on your values and your strongest beliefs quickly, then you and the people you are responsible for will be left at the mercy of momentum and emotion.

Choose your response to the storm.

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Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Living In The Wheeze

A friend of mine and football coach James Jones has a unique perspective on handling adversity. When challenging his players to face adversity head on, he demands that they learn to get comfortable “Living in the Wheeze!” He said, “The Wheeze” is that place where you feel like you can’t breathe, you think your body can’t do anymore, and the cowardly thought of quitting starts to creep into the back of your mind.

Author Napoleon Hill said “Every adversity carries with it the seed for an equivalent advantage”. The simple truth is that the adversity you face physically, mentally and spiritually will refine your life and increase your growth and vision or it will define your life and create deficits you can’t easily recover from.

No clear minded thinker is going to disagree that withdrawing from adversity is the wisest tendency. As individuals, we should clearly distinguish and define the adversity we are facing and then create a clear strategy for dealing with it.

If you haven’t done the work to define yourself and you don’t know how to live from a clear understanding of your personal identity and your core values, then you will face the adversity in your life at the mercy of your emotions, hoping to feel up to it, and trying to stay motivated.

Facing adversity starts with capturing your thoughts and getting you’re emotions under control, so your going to need to develop some mindset tools so you can stay properly motivated. More importantly, growing and creating an advantage from adversity means that the choices and decisions you make must come from a strong understanding of your personal identity and be filtered by your strongest beliefs and values.

I’M CHALLENGING YOU! In 60 seconds or less can you clearly articulate your purpose, 10 core values and recite a personal mission statement to hold yourself accountable through the adversity you face?

Do the work at mayhemmindset.com to get prepared for adversity and get comfortable “Living in the Wheeze!”

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Jimmy Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // Prove What You Say You Believe By Living It

Are you daily testing and strengthening your core values, the truth in your life, or are you unwittingly strengthening a flawed or underdeveloped, or unproven ideology? How do you know?

Let me play the devil's advocate in this blog: Are you telling me you’ve got everything right, locked down when it comes to your values? In my opinion, if you answered that with a confident yes, you're wrong.

Your personal identity and your core values are intended to be developed, challenged, and grown daily. Use them or lose them! Physically, mentally, and spiritually it’s the same for all of us as humans; there is no neutral. We are either coming forward or in atrophy in all three of those areas in our lives.

As a culture, many of us wrote down our mission statements and core values, hung them on the wall in the board room or the locker room, and then forgot to use them. We become driven in the pursuit of success, staying motivated or creating the perfect system without first doing the work to build the foundation of the values as the position on strength to operate from.

“Positive values anchor us through adversity and ground us in success.” Jim Hensel

There is only one way to prove value in your life; that’s by pressure testing it. You must purposefully test the truth of that value in your life outside your comfort zone, outside the environment you can control. Put your truth to the test mentally, physically, and spiritually to see if that value holds up as a foundational truth in your life. I hate it, but what I’m saying is just true; it’s easy to believe something when we’re comfortable. Think about it, when you’re comfortable, what does it matter what you believe in? Life has taught us that we will either ground ourselves through our values in extreme adversity, or if those values aren’t authentic, we blame somebody or something else and abandon those values under pressure proving what we said we believe was just a slogan or not defined enough to work in the adversity or opportunity we are facing.

“The truth will set you free and becoming a refining power in your life, or the truth will crush you like gravity.” Jim Hensel

You test your values by living them out. The proof is in the pudding; as they say, if it’s truth, it will work; you do it by practicing it and living it. You have to get outside your comfort zone, and you have to take what you think you believe and actually apply it in life. How do you know what you believe is the truth? Are you telling me you’ve never made a mistake, are you telling me you don’t make mistakes and that you’re perfect? Are you telling me the people who taught you about what you believe are perfect and they don’t make mistakes? Of course not; that’s a silly, immature thing even to say. We all are fallible. We all make mistakes. That’s why it’s necessary, even imperative, to test the truth in your life continually.

The only real way to know how much weight you can lift in the gym is to train and lift the weight. The only real way to know if what you believe is worth a damn is actually to put it into practice. When you screw up, and you will say I’m sorry, fix it and move forward again.

“There is no power in truth; there is the only power in living and applying truth to your life” Jim Hensel

Knowledge about the right thing to do or learning about the truth is not the same as actually applying it and living it; knowledge and wisdom are not the same things. Nothing replaces experience and the perspective it brings. One of the most significant challenges in life is that experience and wisdom work together. It’s always a mistake to stay in your comfort zone and avoid pressure; it’s always a mistake to think that you have it totally figured out before actually putting it into action in your life.

You will solidify your values if you are willing to clearly define them and take the purposeful risk to test them in life! Start something hard and finish it. Whether it’s a workout, whether it’s the end of a hard day, it’s the end of the season, or the end of life, there will always be a new perspective and growth; that’s where your values grow, and the truth becomes obvious.

There are no formulas, only pressure, only facing adversity, only walking it out.

I believe there are primary foundational principles that we can start from that have been proven over time. However, I think that you are uniquely made, that you were put on this planet with a specific purpose. Your personal identity is unique to you; your talents, your abilities, the way you were raised, your story, your life experiences are all unique.

Be very careful with people who want to tell you what you should believe instead of coaching you to develop that skill set for yourself and your family. Stop disappointing yourself, do the work to define yourself, create the mindset skills necessary to take the courageous, purpose-filled risks necessary to live an extraordinary life. S&H!

Keep Coming Forward

Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // If It Doesn't Challenge You, It Doesn't Change You

We all have weakness, mentally, physically or emotionally that stand in the way of greatness in our lives. The fact of the matter is you can only push yourself so hard and so far before your weaknesses keep you from the changes you seek. If you wish to reach your potential, you will need to challenge yourself and be challenged by others. How you respond in that moment of challenge separates good from great.

As an individual or a member of a team/organization, we have to be coachable and submit our talent and allow ourselves to be shaped and molded. Whatever our limitations, they must be challenged in order to change. Some of us are blessed with extraordinary physical talent but lack self discipline, that must be challenged for positive change. Some of us lack the natural physical ability to be great, you must be challenged to overcome those deficiencies. Others bring emotional scars that will limit greatness.

At some point being challenged is key to moving past our limitations. As we mature, we must recognizes our weaknesses and choose to put ourselves in a position to be coached. A coach isn’t necessarily a better person than you are, they just have a different perspective. Embrace the moment of challenge in your life, be coachable and go from good to great!

If you're in a place in life where you need these answers to face adversity or take advantage of opportunity, check out our link below and sign up! We offer 2 options self-paced, and the other with our coaches on weekly group Zoom webinars. First Responder and Military discounts are available. Inquire at info@mayhemmindset.com.

https://jim-hensel.mykajabi.com/landing-page-mayhem-mindset

Keep Coming Forward
Jim Hensel

Mental Conditioning by Jimmy Hensel // How To Deal With Fear and Anxiety Before A Workout

I hate it when someone asks for mindset help on how to deal with fear and worry before a work out and the advice they get is “just choose not to be afraid, it’s easy!” The truth is choosing not to be afraid isn’t easy for everyone. Let’s quickly break down what goes into developing a mindset before a workout or competition that’s not based in fear. 

First, Fear lives in the future; it’s an imagination about what might happen. Worrying or being afraid is not the same thing as planning. 

Danger is different. Danger is real, and you mitigate danger by planning for it and by growing your confidence by training and successfully overcoming it. 

So, when facing a challenging workout, especially when you don’t have much experience, you must focus your energy, thoughts and action on developing a specific plan for the workout with someone qualified to help you break it down and create a realistic plan based on your knowledge and experience. Get control of your thoughts and get present by developing and focusing on a plan that attacks the more challenging or dangerous parts of the workout, not by allowing yourself to spend time lost in imagination about failure.

Focus your energy and effort on executing the plan instead of worrying or being afraid about the outcome. Your brain can’t be thinking about executing the plan and be afraid at the same time!  

Remember, putting a plan together only needs to take a few minutes. It’s ok to talk about how you will approach and attack challenging skills in the workout, but it’s NOT productive to spend time talking about the negative things that might or might not happen. What might happen isn’t written. Be where your feet are! Get present, and stick to your plan as you grow your experience. As your skill level grows, so will your confidence. You will see your level of anxiety diminish. 

Capture your thoughts about what might or might not happen. Scale appropriately, then approach the workout in a planned, purposeful manner that will allow you to take the risks necessary to bring the energy you need to give your best effort. 

Keep Coming Forward

Jimmy Hensel