What if failure wasn’t actually failure… but data?

In this episode of SO SARA, I sit down with Dr. Leif Smith, sports psychologist, Ohio State professor, founder of Personal Best Consulting, and longtime consultant to elite collegiate and professional athletes.

We talk about what high performers understand about mindset—and why you absolutely do not need to be an elite athlete to use the same tools in your own life.

Dr. Smith and I get into limiting beliefs, self-talk, visualization, resilience, discipline, pressure, failure, and why so much of our success starts with the conversation happening inside our own heads.

One of my favorite ideas from this conversation: life is a series of experiments. You try something, you collect the data, you adjust, and you keep moving. Instead of turning every setback into a judgment about yourself, you learn from it.

We also talk about the importance of fundamentals, why getting a little better every day may not be sexy but actually works, and how parents can help kids navigate youth sports without making winning the entire point.

Because sports—and movement in general—can teach us so much more than how to compete. They teach us how to fail, recover, work toward something, handle disappointment, build confidence, and ultimately become stronger humans.

And at the end of the day, whether you’re an athlete, a business owner, a parent, or simply someone trying to become a better version of yourself, the work is pretty similar:

Get clear on what you want.
Pay attention to how you talk to yourself.
Stop waiting for perfect conditions.
And keep showing up.

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I’m not ready,” “I’m not good enough,” or “maybe I just can’t do this,” this conversation is for you.

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