In this week’s Thanksgiving episode of The Coach Matthew Mitchell Show, Coach Mitchell unpacks one of the most misunderstood aspects of leadership and performance: hard work in your effort.

Drawing from his early coaching days at the University of Florida—where legendary leaders like Jeremy Foley, Steve Spurrier, Billy Donovan, and Carol Ross shaped his foundation—Coach Mitchell reveals a powerful lesson that transformed the way he approaches effort: busy doesn’t always mean productive.

Through personal stories, team insights from the Houston Cougars’ current season, and practical teaching points, Coach breaks down the four keys to giving full effort:

1. Effort isn’t about motion — it’s about purpose
2. Quality over appearance
3. Full effort shows up when it gets hard
4. Consistency is the multiplier

Whether you're leading a team, running a business, coaching athletes, or striving for personal growth, this episode will challenge you to evaluate the difference between activity and achievement—and inspire you to align your effort with what matters most.

If you’re ready to elevate your performance, sharpen your focus, and implement the Winning Tools System of honesty, hard work, and discipline in your organization, visit coachmatthewmichael.com for resources and support.

Grab your notebook—this episode is packed with transformative teaching.

In this week’s episode of The Coach Matthew Mitchell Show, Coach Mitchell continues the 12-week Winning Tools series by diving into the leadership skill of Hard Work in My Words. After returning to the court as the head coach of the Houston Cougars, Coach Mitchell shares real-time examples of how the words you choose as a leader can either drain energy or create momentum.

You’ll learn why perseverance language is a hallmark of hardworking leaders, how your words shape your team’s culture, and why speaking belief—even in tough moments—is essential for sustained success. Coach Mitchell breaks down the difference between “comfort words” and “persevering words,” offers practical examples straight from recent Cougars practices, and teaches three ways leaders can use their words to transfer energy forward.

This episode closes with a powerful weekly challenge designed to help you identify limiting phrases, replace them with perseverance statements, and speak strength into your leadership.

If you're striving to lead with clarity, conviction, and consistency, this lesson will sharpen your ability to use your words as a Winning Tool.

In this week’s episode of The Coach Matthew Mitchell Show, Coach Mitchell kicks off the second Winning Tool—Hard Work—by teaching you how to activate it in the most important place: your thoughts.

Hard work doesn’t start in your hands. It starts in your head.

Coach shares stories from his early days at Morehead State, lessons learned at Kentucky, his journey of building the Winning Tools leadership company, and how those same tools are shaping the culture in his first season at the University of Houston.

You’ll learn three practical ways to practice Hard Work in Your Thoughts:

1. Choose challenge over comfort
2. Talk to yourself—not listen to yourself
3. Focus on progress, not perfection

This episode will equip you with the mental perseverance needed to lead with strength, consistency, and confidence—no matter where you are in your leadership journey.

Listen in, take notes, and get ready to build hardworking thoughts that produce hardworking leadership.