Frodeno Going Mental

In this episode, Jan sits down with performance expert, author and coach Brad Stulberg to explore what it really means to pursue excellence — in sport and in life.

Brad shares the philosophy behind his work on performance and human flourishing, from coaching elite athletes to teaching self-coaching at the University of Michigan. Together, Jan and Brad dive into the psychology of high performance, discussing everything from the Norwegian approach to youth sports to the tension between obsession and balance when chasing greatness.

They unpack ideas from Brad’s latest book on excellence, including the concept of the “identity house” — why the best performers need more than just one defining pursuit — and why excellence should be understood as a process, not just a result. Along the way, they tackle tough questions about identity after retirement, the cost of single-minded ambition, and whether becoming world-class requires a bit of madness.

It’s an honest conversation about ambition, identity, and the delicate line between going all in and losing yourself along the way.

Enjoy this episode!

Ryzon offers high-performance, fairly produced endurance apparel for triathletes, cyclists, and runners. The brand is globally recognized for combining technical innovation with a clean, timeless design.

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What does it really take to win Olympic gold and why can it still feel empty?

In this episode of Frodeno Going Mental, Jan sits down with Olympic champion and two-time world champion Malaika Mihambo for a raw and deeply honest conversation about performance, pressure, identity and what success actually means when the lights go out.

Malaika shares how growing up in Germany and experiencing racism at a young age shaped her mindset and pushed her toward sport — not as a way to beat others, but as a way to understand herself. She explains why she doesn’t see competition as something external, but as an “inner championship” during a constant process of mastering body, mind, and emotion.

They dive into the defining moment at the Tokyo Olympics when Malaika fouled her first two jumps and had one final attempt left to make the final. Instead of spiraling, she sat down and meditated and produced the jump that ultimately led to Olympic gold. She opens up about why fear is a hindrance rather than fuel for her, how visualization is about feeling the morning after victory rather than the jump itself and why perfection is really just flexibility in disguise.

Enjoy this episode!

Ryzon offers high-performance, fairly produced endurance apparel for triathletes, cyclists, and runners. The brand is globally recognized for combining technical innovation with a clean, timeless design.

Use the code "IRONMAN10" to save 10% at Ryzon (valid until May 31, 2026).

More: https://ryzon.net/en-int/discount/IRONMAN10?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_term=goingmental.folge2

PILLAR Performance provides science-backed, clinically dosed micronutrition designed specifically for endurance athletes. Their supplements focus on optimizing recovery, sleep, and immunity without unnecessary fillers.

If you want to give it a try, use the code GOINGMENTAL at pillarperformance.shop — or, for North American listeners, at TheFeed.com.

That’s GOINGMENTAL for 15% off your first purchase.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lance Armstrong. Survivor. Champion. Fallen icon. Fighter.

In this raw and honest conversation, Lance Armstrong sits down with Jan Frodeno to talk about survival, obsession, rivalry, addiction, therapy, fatherhood and what winning really meant to him. This is not a rehash of old headlines. This is about mindset.

From being raised by a 17-year-old mother in Texas, to surviving cancer at 25, to dominating the Tour de France, to losing everything. Lance opens up about the mentality that drove him, broke him and ultimately forced him to rebuild.

Enjoy this episode!

https://www.frodenogoingmental.com

Ryzon offers high-performance, fairly produced endurance apparel for triathletes, cyclists, and runners. The brand is globally recognized for combining technical innovation with a clean, timeless design.

Use the code “MENTAL10” to save 10% at Ryzon (valid until May 31, 2026).

More: https://ryzon.net/en-int/discount/MENTAL10?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=podcast&utm_term=goingmental.folge1

PILLAR Performance provides science-backed, clinically dosed micronutrition designed specifically for endurance athletes. Their supplements focus on optimizing recovery, sleep, and immunity without unnecessary fillers.

If you want to give it a try, use the code GOINGMENTAL at pillarperformance.shop — or, for North American listeners, at TheFeed.com.

That’s GOINGMENTAL for 15% off your first purchase.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea Petkovic has lived elite sport from the inside – the hype, the pressure, the injuries, the doubts and the moments that look like success from the outside but feel very different on the inside.

In this episode, Andrea and Jan talk openly about what happens when passion turns into expectation, why winning rarely changes what we think it will and how athletes build masks to survive on the biggest stages. Andrea breaks down the different phases of her tennis career, the emotional reality of retirement and why loving the game again sometimes comes right before it all ends.

They also dive into identity beyond sport, injuries as psychological breaking points, confidence vs belief, and why having other passions can be both a gift and a risk for elite performers.

A deep, honest conversation about ambition, emptiness, resilience and what “going mental” really means.

https://www.frodenogoingmental.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Lorang has spent two decades at the highest level of sport - not as the one on the start line, but as the person holding the plan, the responsibility and often the pressure when everything is on the line.

In this episode, Dan and Jan talk openly about what elite coaching actually demands: trust, honesty, emotional control and the weight of carrying someone else’s career. They dive into the coach–athlete relationship, why data only works when trust exists, and how a single training decision can impact confidence for weeks.

Dan reflects on mistakes that shaped him, moments of deep self-doubt and why great coaches have to feel the pressure, but not let it consume them. They also explore ambition, repetition, why success needs to be earned again and again and how coaches stay grounded while constantly being evaluated through other people’s results.

A rare look into the mental world of elite coaching — the calm on the outside, the responsibility underneath, and what “going mental” really means when you’re not the one racing.

https://www.frodenogoingmental.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices