Hoops and Headspace
Hoops and Headspace
Podcast Description
Hoops and Headspace, hosted by Jada Rich, bridges the gap between mental health and basketball, tackling issues like athlete burnout, performance pressure, and life beyond the game. Through expert insights, player interviews, and practical strategies, this podcast empowers athletes, coaches, and fans to prioritize mental well-being both on and off the court.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes like athlete burnout, performance pressure, and life after sports, with episodes that include discussions on the mental health stigma in basketball culture, featuring stories from NBA players like Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan alongside expert insights on coping strategies and mental well-being.
If you’re an athlete feeling pressure, battling self-doubt, or trying to stay confident through the ups and downs of sports—this podcast is for you.
Hoops & Headspace is where basketball and mental health collide—real conversations about what athletes go through mentally when nobody’s watching.
We talk about:
- Pressure and performance
- Burnout and mental fatigue
- Confidence and identity
- Recovery, resilience, and life beyond the game
Through honest conversations with athletes, coaches, and mentors, you’ll learn how to manage pressure, rebuild confidence, and develop a mindset that supports both your performance and your life.
This isn’t just about sports—it’s about becoming stronger mentally, on and off the court.
🎥 Featuring Hoops & Headspace Films (sports documentaries)
🏀 Plus Spotlight Live (After Hours) highlighting Tippah County athletes and local sports
📍 Based in Ripley, Mississippi
🎧 New episodes weekly
What does it take to rebuild your life, overcome self-doubt, and develop the mental toughness to keep going when things get difficult?
In this episode of Hoops and Headspace, host Jada Rich sits down with John Borden, author of Your Mindset Is Your Reality, to discuss addiction recovery, mental health, confidence, discipline, and the role athletic challenges can play in personal growth.
John shares his personal journey through depression, substance-use struggles, and a major turning point that pushed him to take responsibility for the life he wanted. From returning to running after 12 years away to completing ultramarathons and competing in strongman events, he explains how physical challenges helped reshape his confidence and mindset.
John also shares practical lessons on building mental toughness, overcoming self-doubt, tracking small wins, and staying focused when a goal feels overwhelming.
IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:
- Addiction recovery, depression, and personal accountability
- How athletic challenges can help rebuild confidence
- Mental toughness in ultrarunning and strongman competition
- Breaking overwhelming goals into manageable steps
- Why small daily wins matter for personal growth
- How coaches can motivate people by understanding their individual values
- Using journaling and to-do lists to recognize progress
- Breath control, focus, and training your mind under pressure
- Why talent alone isn't enough to achieve your potential
- John's 85-mile ultrarunning victory and his book, Your Mindset Is Your Reality
KEY TAKEAWAY
“You have to see the ball go in the hoop.”
Progress starts with taking action, recognizing your wins, and building evidence that you can do difficult things. You don't have to solve everything at once. Focus on the next step.
Whether you're an athlete working to improve your performance, a coach helping others grow, or someone trying to rebuild confidence and move forward, this conversation offers practical lessons about resilience, mindset, and personal growth.
📚 JOHN BORDEN'S BOOK
Your Mindset Is Your Reality
Find the book through Amazon, Audible, or Apple Books.
💪 GET PSYCHED FITNESS
Explore John's fitness and coaching work.
🌐 HOOPS AND HEADSPACE WEBSITE
https://hoopsandheadspacep4.wixsite.com/hoops-and-headspace
🔗 FOLLOW HOOPS AND HEADSPACE — ALL PLATFORMS
https://linktr.ee/hoopsandheadspacepodcast
John's discussion of substance use and recovery reflects his personal experience and is not medical advice.
If you’re an athlete dealing with pressure, burnout, or confidence issues—this is for you.
Hoops & Headspace is where basketball and mental health collide. We go beyond highlights to talk about what athletes face mentally—on and off the court.
This podcast features athlete interviews, mindset and performance content, mental health in sports, and real conversations about identity, confidence, and life beyond the game.
Built for athletes who want to think stronger, perform better, and grow beyond the game.
📍 Ripley, Mississippi | 🔔 Subscribe for weekly content
Links
Official Website
hoopsandheadspacep4.wixsite.com/hoops-and-headspace
Stay Connected
linktr.ee/hoopsandheadspacepodcast
Disclaimer
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