#045: How to embrace struggle and successfully mentor future NFL stars with Nick Winkelman

Ever wondered what it takes to coach and mentor successful
professional athletes such as future NFL players or national team
level Rugby players? Then this episode with highly sought after
coach Nick Winkelman is for you.


As a young and ambitious athlete in the NCAA Division I,
the highest level in collegiate basketball, I had a reputation to
be quite a hot head. I routinely got in elbow fights with
opponents, shouting matches and more, sometimes even my own
coaches and teammates. At this point in my life, this was the
method I knew to deal with high pressure situations and
oftentimes, it didn’t help me. I even went to see a sports
psychologist to deal with my anger issues but it still took me
quite a while and difficult situations before I learned to
control my temper and look for other outlets to deal with
stress.


Back then, I never gave much credit to all the help I had
received back then coming from coaches, teammates, physical
trainers, and also my girlfriend back then. I never thought about
how much went into coaching me and the other players on my team.
If you think, coaching is easy, then you will certainly change
your mind after this podcast episode with former NFL Draft
Combine Coach and current performance coach for the Irish
National Football Team Nick Winkelman.


Nick Winkelman is a natural learner and highly curious
about the newest research and methods to deal with his athletes.
I was amazed by the diverse amount of information he employs to
get better as a coach and a person. In this episode, we dig into
his coaching process and what methods he uses to assess his
athletes. We talk about dealing with difficult players, the
psychology of learning, how to deal with struggle and which two
qualities he values most. Moreover, you will find out how to
separate good from bad research, which books and podcasts Nick
recommends and the one advice he would give to all young trainers
and coaches.


As a former athlete, I greatly enjoyed this episode but
even if you’re not from the world of sports, you will be able to
take a bunch of insights away from this highly motivating
episode.


Enjoy!


 


Show Notes


2:50 - On the difference between implicit and explicit
learning


7:30 - The four Ps to successfully coach an athlete


11:10 - How Nick deals with difficult NFL prospects


19:10 - Humility and Resilience: Two qualities that predict
a successful athlete


25:00 - Inspirational podcasts, blogs and books


31:20 - Where coaches get most of their information and how
to identify good research


39:00 - How to build friendly and professional
relationships between coaches and players


41:00 - Nick's favorite morning routine


43:30 - One advice to young coaches


  


 


Quotes


Drills that make someone aware of the error gives them the
possibility to self-correct.


What motivates an athlete and why is tremendously
important.


Once I understand position, pattern, power and psychology,
I can then start to design my approach.


I lead them to the water but don't force them to drink
it.


If athletes do not have early success, they start having a
self-fulfilling prophecy.


If you don't focus on something, you can be distracted by
anything.


Why would I potentially throw an amazing opportunity away
by not giving my best.


There has never been an NFL Combine day where I didn't
think I'm gonna throw up.


I'm not a huge sports fan, I'm a fan of movement.


One of the most important qualities for an athlete is
humility.


Only in giving their best to the small things, they give
birth to the big things.


People who don't think they have control, bring up the term
"luck" quite a bit.


You have to look at challenge as opportunity.


Struggle needs to be re-contextualized as
opportunity.


Self-awareness is the substance of learning how to
learn.


Don't judge your emotions, notice them.


Only 1.8% of coaches get information from scientific
evidence and over 90% from Facebook feeds.


Look at what your circles of importance are and find ways
to spend time in them.


Perfection is not an end state, it's a process.


Embrace the struggle because the struggle is a stepping
stone on the way to perfection.


The biggest book that is popular in the NFL is Obstacle is
the way by Ryan Holiday.


 


Enjoy!