Winning the Inner Game

Rodney Van

Alright, y’all, this is Coach Van’s Minute—where the inner game meets the outer grind. I’m Coach Van, and let me just say, after 35 years of coaching, raising three D1 athletes, and mentoring a whole lotta young folks, I’ve learned something real simple: the biggest opponent you’ll ever face… is you. Not the dude in lane four. Not the five-star recruit. Not your coach, not your parents, not the fans, not even the clock. It’s you. Always has been.

Rodney Van

See, the battle is internal long before it ever becomes external. Every single day you wake up, there’s a choice waiting on you. Am I gonna fight, or am I gonna fold? Am I gonna show up with effort, or am I gonna show up with excuses? And look, I’m not just talking to you—I’m talking to myself too. Back in my college sprinting days, I used to think my biggest rival was the guy next to me. But honestly? My toughest competitor was the man staring back at me in the mirror. I’d have days where I’d wanna blame the weather, or the blocks, or whatever. But deep down, I knew it was about whether I was willing to outwork the version of me from yesterday.

Rodney Van

Let me tell you about a kid I coached years ago. This dude was talented—like, could’ve gone all the way. But every time he lost, it wasn’t about how fast the other guy was. It was his mindset. He’d look down at his spikes, blame the pain, blame the weather, blame anything but himself. I remember after one rough practice, I pulled him aside and said, “Son, if you keep running from yourself, you’ll never catch what you’re chasing.” I mean, I probably sounded a little harsh, but sometimes you gotta hear it straight.

Rodney Van

That moment changed him. He started owning the little things—his rest, his reps, his recovery, his attitude. And you know what? He didn’t just start winning races. He started winning respect. That’s the thing: your gifts will only grow as far as your mindset allows them to. I get asked all the time, “Coach, how do you help someone shift their mindset?” Well, it’s not magic. It’s daily habits. It’s being honest with yourself, building mental resilience by showing up, even when you don’t feel like it. You gotta fight the lazy version of you, the distracted version, the scared version—the one that only works hard when someone’s watching. That’s the real work.

Rodney Van

So here’s what I tell my athletes now, focus on the small details. Rest, effort, attitude, recovery. Ask yourself everyday, “Did I beat the version of me from yesterday?” That’s the question. I had an athlete I mentored he started tracking his small wins each day not just the big things, but did he get enough sleep, did he push through that last rep, did he keep his head up after a bad race? Over time, those small wins stacked up. He didn’t just transform as an athlete—he grew as a person.

Rodney Van

Listen, you don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be present, consistent, and faithful to your own process. Every day you wake up is another chanceto win the fight within So, that’s your mindset shift for this week: stop asking who you’re racing against. Start asking Did I beat the version of me from yesterday If yes, keep going. If not, reset and recommit. That’s how you win today—and then do it again tomorrow.

Rodney Van

Alright, that’s it for this minute. Run your race. Own your lane. And remember—the one who wins in life is the one who conquers himself first. I’ll catch y’all next time. Stay hungry.