Tami Matheny on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tami Matheny. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Tami , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
1st 90 minutes of my day:
1. Wake up and love on my pups
2. Say my “why” in the mirror
3. Fix a bagel and coffee
4. Devotional followed by other readings
5. Imagine what the Confident Me looks like
6. Try to find something positive to post and/or send a message to someone
7. Start getting organized for my day
8. Walk the dogs

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I don’t just coach—I walk the road. I lace up beside athletes, leaders, and dreamers, not to shout from the sidelines, but to believe with them. I’m a mental game coach, author, speaker, a storyteller, and a certified guide in confidence and leadership. A Jon Gordon teammate. A John Maxwell voice. I serve in many roles—but they all point to one mission: Helping others get off the confidence rollercoaster so that they become the best versions of themselves.

I become their biggest fan. Not because it’s easy—but because it’s real. I feel the wins in my bones. I carry the losses in my heart. It’s draining, yes—but it’s also the fuel. The fire behind the frameworks. The heartbeat in the books. The reason my work doesn’t just teach—it walks with you.

I just launched: Book #6! The Injured Athlete: A Mental Game Plan for Your Comeback is here—a rally cry for every athlete sidelined by injury. It’s a guide, a companion, and a confidence compass for navigating the mental game when the physical game hits pause.

I poured my heart into this one. Because I’ve walked that road. Because belief doesn’t need a jersey to show up.

And guess what? More projects are brewing. More confidence tools. More resources to help your mindset as well as your team. Stay tuned—this journey’s just getting louder.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My grandmother Harton saw through me. She didn’t understand sports or care too much, but I remember her clearly telling me one day that I could be anything I wanted to be. She even sewed a “super hero” cape for my brother and I. When we put these on we felt like we could soar.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Losing my grandmother was the most difficult would I have ever faced. I don’t know if that wound will ever be completely healed but I frequently use her as my angel and wanting to make her proud. So I’ve tried to turn it into a positive. The same when I tragically lost my younger cousin who was more like a brother than a cousin to me. It was hard to make sense of but I try to use his memory to push me to be the best version of myself. He thought I could do anything so I use that to remind me, that I can if I put my mind to it.

Another wound was losing the job I had been in for 15 successful years. I was men and women’s tennis coach and both teams were nationally ranked and the top 2 academic teams on campus. In the middle of the year, I was given a choice by the Athletic Director to fire myself or fire my assistant due to financial and other university issue. At that time, I felt what we had built was being slighted by this move and all my years of hard work down the drain. As time passed, I realized this was a “this is good” moment- one that forced me to get uncomfortable and take a risk starting my own business. I have loved every day of my work since then in building and creating the job I love and am passionate about. If I hadn’t been forced to make this decision I probably would have remained “stuck” and comfortable- not growing.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I wouldn’t say it’s just smart people—I think a lot of people in general are missing the mark when it comes to failure. Too often, failure is treated like a contagious disease: something to avoid, to shield our kids from, to tiptoe around in our careers. I see parents of athletes trying to bubble-wrap their children’s experiences, hoping to protect them from the sting of falling short. I see coaches coaching not to win, but to not get fired—playing defense with their own potential. I see people choosing the easy path, the well-lit trail, instead of carving their own through the unknown.

But to me, failure is the staircase to success, each misstep a riser that lifts us higher. Avoiding failure is like refusing to climb because the stairs aren’t carpeted. We miss the view from the top.

Failure isn’t the enemy—it’s the mentor. It’s the coach that doesn’t sugarcoat, the rep that builds muscle, the bruise that teaches where our limits are. If we want to grow, we have to be willing to fall. If we want to lead, we have to be willing to risk. And if we want to leave a legacy, we have to stop fearing the cracks—and start building through them.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I think they would miss my genuineness and desire to help- how I can make others believe they can do anything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tamimatheny.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamimathenycoaching/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tami-matheny/
• Twitter: https://x.com/tamimatheny