How do we help students face challenges with courage, clarity, and joy — instead of shutdown, avoidance, or “I’m cooked”?
In this episode of The No Name Paper Podcast, Meghan Wells is joined by co-host Candice to talk with Jay Jackson, a longtime educator in Fremont Unified School District, former Stanford wrestling coach, and author of Up to the Challenge. Jay blends sports psychology, classroom practice, and deep reflection to help students build what he calls performance character — the habits of mind and heart that allow people to take on challenges well.
Jay shares the powerful, life-altering experience that led him from advertising into teaching, and why he is passionate about helping young people expand their comfort zones rather than become victims of difficulty. He explains how wrestling, coaching, and psychology shaped his approach to teaching, and why he believes schools must be more intentional about teaching students how to take on challenges — not just giving them more of them.
Together, they explore:
The difference between moral character and performance character
Why ego, self-awareness, and integrity form the foundation of growth
The pillars of passion and perseverance (purpose, emotion, positive thought, courage, commitment)
What flow state really is — and how it connects to joy rather than distraction
Why “pleasure flow” (doomscrolling, instant dopamine) is different from “joyful flow” (hard, meaningful work)
How teachers can use simple diagrams and tools to spark deep reflection in just 10 minutes
Why “tough and smart” beats “tough but not thoughtful” — and how to help students live in that quadrant
How to reframe fear as excitement rather than anxiety
The episode also features a game of Pressure or Perspective, where Jay weighs in on real classroom scenarios — from burned-out teams to unmotivated classes, anxious high-achievers, and overwhelmed teachers.
Throughout the conversation, Jay returns to one central belief: students can be both successful and happy — but only if we teach them how to meet challenges with intention, reflection, and grit.
🎙️ Join the conversation:
Have thoughts, questions, or reflections after listening? Leave us a message at speakpipe.org/NoNamePaper — we’d love to hear from you.
📌 Connect with Jay:
Learn more about his work and access his tools at uptothechallengejayjackson.com. His book, Up to the Challenge, is available through Solution Tree and Amazon.
Link to Jay's Diagrams and resources: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Di_-YmmajgraqBMQNUceExJETCVIKqa3/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109446659318321466077&rtpof=true&sd=true
