#389! Lexi Rodriguez knows a thing or two about the importance of trusting your gut. After famously committing to the University of Nebraska as an eighth-grader, she went on to become an integral part of their legendary volleyball program. Now a professional player for LOVB Nebraska, she’s navigating a new era of the sport while staying true to the qualities that make her a standout leader.

In today’s episode, Lexi opens up about making life-altering decisions at just 14 years old and the validation she felt from her support system during that whirlwind process. We discuss the "superpower" of quiet leadership and how she learned to lead through authentic connection rather than just being the most vocal person in the room. She also gets real about the mental transition from college to the pros, including the initial moments of doubt and the learning curve of playing against world-class veterans.

Lexi also shares her experience navigating the NIL era—managing what often feels like a second job—and why she prioritizes authenticity over constant content production. Plus, we dive into her empowerment app, SheSports, and her wellness non-negotiables, from a slow morning routine to the power of a long exhale to reset her nervous system mid-match.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Big Decision: What it was like committing to a major university at 14 and the intuition that guided her.
• Quiet Leadership: How to be an effective leader through connection and authenticity rather than volume.
• The Pro Transition: Navigating the jump from college to professional volleyball and overcoming moments of self-doubt.
• NIL Realities: Balancing a professional athletic career with the demands of personal branding and social media.
• SheSports: The inspiration behind her app and the importance of fostering connections between generations of female athletes.
• Wellness & Performance: Her morning routine, journaling practice, and mid-match breathing techniques for mental clarity.
• Life Lessons: The best advice she’s received and how she defines her "why" today.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"At the end of the day, belief is just so strong. And when you believe in yourself, I feel like you can accomplish more than you ever thought you could.”

“I’m not the most vocal person, but I feel like I have a really big strength of connecting with people. It took me a while to realize that and use that as my leadership superpower."

"You’re going to have to get comfortable with something that isn’t really real to you... but staying true to yourself as much as you can is going to have a big impact."

"I’ve earned the right to be here, and I’ve earned the right to be confident. When you put it in perspective of all the work you’ve put in—how many reps you’ve actually done—it puts your mind at ease."

"I want to produce something that’s authentic and that really showcases my personality, me, and my story. It’s hard to just produce content every day when it doesn’t feel natural."

SOCIAL
@lexi.rodriguez___
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all have them: "Monster" tasks on our to-do lists that we avoid for weeks or even months. For 5MF this week, I'm sharing a personal story about how I tackled mine by doing something I used to consider weak: Asking for help.

Aside from talking about "body doubling"—simply having another person in the room to keep you focused and anchored while you work, I also answer a listener question on dynamic versus static stretching.

SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to this episode, and upgrade your quality of life in 2026. In this week's podcast, Emily dives deep into a concept she calls Energy ROI—Return on Investment. As we navigate the start of a new year, it’s common to feel pressured to do more, but Emily challenges us to look at our calendars and ask: "What is the cost of this entry versus the payoff?"

Emily breaks down her "Four Quadrants of Effort" to help you identify where you are gaining momentum and where you are leaking energy. She also shares tactical tools like "Firing the Drain" and the "Power of the Floor" to help you move from decision fatigue into a state of strategic underperformance. By the end of this episode, you won't just have a to-do list; you'll have a "to-don't" list and a clear path to making this year one of actual growth, not just grinding.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Four Quadrants of Effort: A breakdown of the Sweet Spot (Low Effort/High Joy), The Investment (High Effort/High Joy), The Drain (High Effort/Low Joy), and The Ghost (Low Effort/Low Joy).
• The Health Halo Trap: Why we often mistake suffering for progress and how to identify "healthy" habits that are actually costing you more than they give back.
• Four Pointed Questions: Emily offers an audit for your performance wellness versus your actual wellness.
• The Power of the Floor: Defining the bare minimum you do on your hardest days to ensure you never fail or "end up in the red."
• The 70% Rule: Why giving 70% effort to mundane tasks allows you to save 100% for the things that truly matter.
• Eliminating Decision Fatigue: How establishing a consistent routine and planning ahead can preserve your finite energy for the big hurdles.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest
• Gabby Thomas on Hurdle

SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.