Today Matters Podcast With Steve Pinkston

Ep 158 Hard Questions — Why Real Coaching Requires Courage, Not Comfort

Most coaches don’t fail because they’re too hard. They fail because they avoid the conversations that matter most. This Episode  dives deep into courageous questioning — how great coaches challenge athletes honestly, build trust through discomfort, and create cultures where truth is normal and growth is expected.
Today’s Action Step: 
What conversation am I avoiding because it feels uncomfortable?
What question would open that door instead of slamming it?
How can I show care before I challenge?
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 157 Ownership Over Obedience — How Questions Create Leaders

If athletes only perform when coaches are watching, ownership hasn’t been built. This Episode  breaks down how consistent questioning builds accountability, leadership, and self-driven teams.
Today’s Action Step: 
Turn one team rule into a question.
Let athletes define excellence.
Reinforce peer accountability.
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 156 When the Game Gets Loud — Why Questions Build Confidence Under Pressure

Pressure exposes how athletes think. This Episode  shows how great coaches use questions — not commands — to help athletes stay composed, confident, and adaptable when the moment gets loud.
Today’s Action Step: 
Ask before you instruct.
Use questions that clarify decision-making.
Praise confident thinking, not just outcomes.
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 155 The Coaching Trap — Why Having All the Answers Is Costing You Growth

Early in their careers, most coaches fall into the same trap: believing their value comes from having all the answers. In this Episode, we expose why that mindset limits confidence, ownership, and long-term performance — and how great coaches shift from being answer machines to question masters.
Today’s Action Step: 
Notice how quickly you jump in with answers.
Replace one explanation with a question: “What did you notice there?”
Let silence work — even if it feels uncomfortable.
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 154 Be Still Under Pressure — Faith, Focus, and Trusting God in the Moment

Pressure tests more than performance—it tests faith. In this final episode, Steve Pinkston connects 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple with spiritual principles from Scripture, showing how faith, trust, and presence help believers stay grounded when life feels overwhelming.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ Write 3 spiritual anchors Scripture, prayer, truth.
2️⃣ Use them when anxiety rises Not after—during.
3️⃣ Release what you can’t control Faith begins where control ends.
 
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 153 No Teammates. No Excuses. Lead Yourself.

When there’s no huddle, no sideline, and no one to lean on, your mind becomes your teammate — or your opponent. In this episode, Steve Pinkston speaks to athletes in individual sports about how to stay present, composed, and confident using 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple when everything depends on you.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ Build keys you can feel Breathing. Tempo. Balance. Effort.
2️⃣ Practice using them in training Don’t wait for competition.
3️⃣ When doubt shows up, don’t negotiate Return to a key immediately.
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 152 Chaos Is Coming — Leaders Keep It Simple

Games rarely go as planned. Momentum swings. Emotions rise. Chaos shows up. In this episode, mental performance coach Steve Pinkston explains how the best leaders — captains, quarterbacks, point guards, and vocal competitors — use 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple to steady themselves and their team when everything feels out of control.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ Choose 3 Keys that stabilize the team Not stats. Not strategy. Energy. Presence. Response.
2️⃣ Live them visibly Your keys must be seen, not explained.
3️⃣ Return to them when emotions spike That’s when leadership matters most.
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 151 When the Moment Gets Big — Shrink the Game

Big moments don’t require big thinking — they demand simple execution. In this episode, athletes learn how to shrink pressure-filled moments using 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple, allowing them to perform freely when everything is on the line.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ Choose keys you can feel in your body 2️⃣ Attach them to one breath 3️⃣ Trust your preparation — don’t revisit it
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 150 One Mistake Can’t Beat You — Unless You Let It

Mistakes are inevitable — mental spirals are optional. In this episode, Steve Pinkston teaches athletes how to respond after mistakes using 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple, a reset system that keeps confidence intact and attention locked on the next play.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ One physical cue 2️⃣ One attention cue 3️⃣ One attitude cue
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.

Ep 149 Your Head Is the Opponent — Win the Mental Matchup Before It Starts

The biggest opponent you’ll face isn’t wearing a jersey — it’s the noise in your own head. In this episode, mental performance coach Steve Pinkston speaks directly to athletes who overthink before competition. Learn how elite performers simplify their focus with 3 Keys to Keeping It Simple so they can walk into games calm, confident, and ready to compete — not survive.
Today’s Action Step: 
1️⃣ Write down your 3 pregame keys 2️⃣ Read them during warm-ups 3️⃣ When nerves rise, return to key #1
About Today Matters Today Matters is your 2–4 minute daily boost of motivation for athletes, parents, and coaches. Hosted by Coach Steve Pinkston, each episode delivers a simple mental performance strategy to help you win the day.
Learn More & Work with Coach Pinkston 👉 CoachPinkston.com for strategies, skills, and drills to improve your mental performance.
1-on-1 Coaching Programs
Team Consulting
Leadership Development
Sign up for the Trust The Process Newsletter, so you can wake up every Monday morning to a message that will motivate you all week.
Stay Connected Instagram: @Mental.Strength.Coach X: @CoachPinkston Facebook: Steve Pinkston
Enjoying the Show? Share this episode with someone who needs a lift today. And don’t forget to hit Follow so you never miss your daily motivation.