Why “Dr.” Means More Than a Title - It’s a Testament to Mental Performance
I used to be the athlete who did just enough in school to stay on the field. In high school, academics were never the goal, sports were. I wasn’t a bad student, but I wasn’t a good one either. I was never interested in learning for its own sake. School was simply a requirement to keep playing.
Then I joined the Air Force.
There, the narrative became even more limiting. My career field - Security Forces - was known more for grit than for academics. The running joke was, “You’ll be lucky to get an associate’s degree.” I internalized that belief. For years, I assumed higher education just wasn’t in the cards for me.
But then something happened.
I discovered the field of Sport and Exercise Science and later, Sport and Performance Psychology. For the first time in my life, I found myself wanting to learn. I wasn’t studying to stay eligible. I was studying because it fired me up. Because it made sense of my passion for high performance, mindset, and human potential.
That shift in perspective led me to earn my Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science… and eventually, a Doctorate in Sport and Performance Psychology.
But I didn’t get there by accident. I got there by applying the same mental performance strategies I now teach my athletes, executives, and high-performers. In particular, one framework changed everything:
Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT)
ACT helped me:
Accept difficult thoughts (like “you’re not smart enough”) without letting them dictate my actions
Connect deeply with my core values: growth, resilience, contribution
Take committed action, especially when motivation faded or doubt crept in
Dr. Steven Hayes, one of the founders of ACT, once said:
“Success in life is not about how you feel, it’s about what you do in the service of what matters.”
That quote became my north star. It reminded me that I didn’t have to feel confident to take action. I just had to act in alignment with who I wanted to become.
Now, the title “Dr.” means so much more than credentials. It’s a symbol of a journey from disinterest to passion, from self-doubt to deep purpose.
If you’re reading this and struggling with confidence, identity, or clarity on your path, know this:
You are not defined by your past. You are defined by your values and your willingness to act in alignment with them.
This is the work I now do every day at Precision Mind Athletics - helping people just like you transform their mindset, unlock their performance, and rewrite their story.
Interested in working together?
Let’s talk about how mental performance coaching can help you move from stuck to unstoppable.
