Michael Ball was raised in northern Virginia — a three-sport athlete and economics graduate from Radford University, where he also played varsity tennis. He began in banking, became a financial advisor in 1983, opened the Manassas office for Scott & Stringfellow, and advanced into senior leadership roles through its evolution into BB&T and Truist Wealth. His proudest leadership work? Building elite advisors through the “Topgun” development program — treating his team like clients. He now leads Ball Consulting, helping advisors and firms grow with clarity and discipline.

3:15 Injury, Adversity & Comeback Mindset

5:38 Mentorship & Career Breakthrough

7:00 Culture, Leadership & Client-First Success

11:18 Black Swan Events & Market Resilience

13:50 Elite Advisors & Process-Driven Performance

15:25 Reading Habits of High Performers

19:38 Reflection of Your Mental State

23:54 Strategic Growth & Long-Term Success

29:42 Saving, Investing & Wealth Discipline

34:23 “Eating The Seed Corn” & Short-Term Thinking

38:00 What Should I Not Be Doing?

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Dr. Rob Bell

Christi Dee is an author and endurance athlete behind This Blonde Runs. She has completed over 42 marathons and 17 ultramarathons. She shares powerful insights on resilience and mental toughness drawn from years of pushing physical and mental limits. Christi explores how discipline, perseverance, and mindset fuel growth in sport and in life.

1:12 Christi’s background: 42+ marathons, 17 ultras, and children’s books

3:58 Early running lessons: patience, consistency, and identity

6:44 Coaching philosophy: sustainability over shortcuts

10:22 Mental toughness when training gets monotonous

15:08 Prairie on Fire expectations vs reality

21:18 Early physical breakdown and real-time problem solving

27:32 Making the call to stop: strength, not weakness

33:48 Separating self-worth from race outcomes

38:56 Redefining success after disappointment

44:02 Carrying lessons forward: resilience, perspective, and return mindset

Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram!

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• X @drrobbell
• Instagram @drrobbell

Download Your Daily Focus Map!

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Dr. Rob Bell

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and bestselling author known for her work on mental strength and resilience. Drawing from both clinical experience and personal loss, she shares powerful insights on grief, adversity, and how mentally strong people navigate life’s toughest moments.

1:12 Why Mental Toughness Matters More Than Motivation

3:18 Early Losses That Shaped Resilience

4:03 Faith and the C.S. Lewis Book on Grief

8:41 The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Pain

13:56 What Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

18:42 Managing Self-Doubt Without Needing Confidence

23:35 Reframing Failure as Data, Not Identity

28:19 Staying Grounded When Success Accelerates

33:44 Controlling the Controllables Under Stress

38:52 Mental Toughness Is a Daily Practice

43:06 The Skill Most People Overlook

Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram!

Follow At:

• X @drrobbell
• Instagram @drrobbell

Download Your Daily Focus Map!

https://drrobbell.com/

If you enjoyed this episode on Mental Toughness, please subscribe and leave a review!

Dr. Rob Bell