EP. 150: Do All Your Labor as Unto the Lord: Faith, Failure, and the Hammer with Olympian Alex Young

On this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Matt sits down with 2020 Olympian and NCAA national champion hammer thrower Alex Young to talk about what it really means to “do all your labor as unto the Lord.”Alex grew up in Laverne, Tennessee as a football and weight-room kid before a high school coach pulled him into track and field. Inspired by watching Reese Hoffa at the Olympics, he took up the throws as a sophomore, went on to win a Tennessee state title in the shot put, and eventually became an NCAA champion in the weight throw and a World Championships finalist in the hammer.But this conversation isn’t just about results—it’s about what happens when they stop coming.Alex and Matt dig into:How Alex discovered throwing and chose track over footballBecoming SLU’s first-ever Division I national championMaking Team USA, the 2020 Olympics, and finishing 12th at Worlds in 2022Then having the worst professional seasons of his career in 2023–2024Losing confidence, changing coaches, and rebuilding from the bottomWhy he now competes for an “audience of One” and what that actually looks likeThe scripture that anchors him: “Do all your labor as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23)Learning to truly enjoy the process—even when the outcome hurtsHis thesis on self-talk, neuromuscular efficiency, and why what you say to yourself shows up in your bodyThe difference between real mental toughness and just grinding yourself into the groundHow he talks to younger athletes about finding their “superpower” and building confidence the right wayIf you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or believer who cares about faith, performance, and real resilience—not just motivational slogans—this episode is for you.If you found this helpful, hit subscribe for more conversations on mental performance, resilience, and mindset from athletes across all sports.To learn more about the American Paragons Foundation:americanparagons.orgFor more information about Mental Mettle Coaching:Sign up here for the FREE Resilient Parents Playbook:www.resilientparentsplaybook.comContact:[email protected] for a free coaching session with Coach Thomannwww.mentalmettlecoach.commentalmettle | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree