#154 - Tony Priddle: Your Mind Is Your Edge
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Episode Summary:
What happens when your dream ends and you no longer know who you are without it?
In this episode of Sport Is Life, former NRL player Tony Priddle opens up about the meteoric rise to first-grade rugby, the crushing collapse of identity post-retirement, and the extraordinary inner work that helped him rebuild from the inside out.
Tony shares how an early obsession with performance, paired with feelings of not belonging, ultimately led him to become a high-performance mindset coach. He dives into the mental principles he now teaches elite athletes, how the brain predicts, not reacts; why stress holds back performance; and how we can rewire thought patterns to create lasting transformation.
Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or anyone navigating major life transitions, this episode is a masterclass in emotional regulation, high-performance thinking, and living with purpose beyond the scoreboard.
About the Guest:
Tony Priddle – Head Coach & Founder, Valhalla Mind
Tony Priddle is a former elite Rugby League athlete turned mindset architect, now leading the charge in mental performance as the Founder and Head Coach of Valhalla Mind.
After seven years competing in one of Australia’s most demanding contact sports, Tony learned that success on the field doesn’t always equal peace of mind off it. That realization sparked a new mission—one that’s taken him deep into neuroscience, behavioral psychology, NLP, and ancient wisdom traditions to uncover what truly drives sustained high performance.
Through The Valhalla Code™, Tony now coaches athletes, leaders, and teams to reprogram their subconscious patterns and unlock next-level results. His approach fuses cutting-edge mental skills training with timeless inner-game principles, creating conscious competitors who thrive under pressure—not just perform.
Whether you're an aspiring athlete, a high-level leader, or someone navigating life’s big transitions, Tony’s work challenges you to stop settling for motivation and start mastering the mental game.
About the Host:
Ian Hawkins, host of "Sport Is Life," is dedicated to showing how sports can transform lives. With extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, PE teacher, community volunteer, and manager at Fox Sports, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. His journey began in his backyard, mentored by his older brother, and has since evolved into coaching elite athletes and business leaders. Ian's commitment to sports and personal development is evident in his roles as a performance coach and active community member. Through "Sport Is Life," Ian shares inspiring stories and valuable lessons to help listeners apply sports principles to all areas of life.
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