Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
Why boundaries aren’t cages, ultimatums, or walls—they’re high-performance scaffolding for your goals.
How to use the “bowling alley bumpers” analogy to stay in your lane and keep your energy aimed at what matters most.
The neuroscience of self-betrayal: why saying “yes” when you mean “no” creates cognitive dissonance, floods your system with cortisol, and sabotages your performance on every level of the Optimal Performance Pyramid.
Why boundaries are the opposite of selfish—they’re acts of Fierce Agency™ that protect your clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Find stillness and name your goals. Spend 30 minutes in mental quiet to identify your top three needs or goals this season—health, a key project, or critical relationship dynamics.
Set your bumpers. Pre-decide what you will and won’t say yes to. Protect your energy. Practice phrases like: “I’m not available for that.” or “That doesn’t align with my priorities.”
Do a nightly dissonance check. Ask: Did my actions align with my values today? Where did I abandon myself? Awareness is the first step toward change.
Celebrate boundary wins. Every time you enforce a boundary, notice the energy and confidence you gain. That’s self-efficacy in action—the fuel for sustainable badass boundaries.
Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Abstract link
Harmon-Jones, E., & Mills, J. (2019). Cognitive Dissonance: Reexamining a Pivotal Theory in Psychology. American Psychological Association.
Abstract Link
Ochsner, K. N., & Gross, J. J. (2005). The cognitive control of emotion. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(5), 242–249.
ScienceDirect link
McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904.
Physiology.org link
Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2007). Self-regulation, ego depletion, and motivation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 115–128.
Study link
Swart, T. (2012). The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain. Random House.
Barnes and Noble Book Link
Are you looking for a speaker to energize and empower your organization to develop a fighter's mindset and master their mental performance every day? Or are you interested in a talk or workshop on The Green Light Method, a neuroscience- and performance psychology-based system that helps individuals and teams live and work with Fierce Agency (TM), override fear-based hesitation, rewire limiting beliefs, and take aligned, empowered action toward peak performance and purpose-driven success?
DM me today on LinkedIn or email me at jess@thelegalathlete.com.
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DM me today on LinkedIn or email me at jess@thelegalathlete.com.
The Legal Athlete Website: Click to learn more about engaging Jess Sargus as a speaker for your group or event, or to explore coaching with Jess Sargus to master your mindset, execute under pressure, and thrive in your career and life for the long term through science and sports psychology.
Also, through the website, you can download a free copy of The Legal Athlete Daily Planner to help you organize and prioritize easily to grow and get better every day, practice the 6 longevity habits studies show have the greatest positive impact, and implement your Daily Glimmer habit to bring more resilience and happiness into your life. Or, download and print the 4 Steps to Elite Habits flow chart PDF for free to guide your daily and weekly elite habits.
Music: Bounce Like This, by Wolves - YouTube ID UUFGDERWUSZ9LXWL
Ready to Fight, by Arenas - YouTube ID XKO39W3SJHGS9EKW
