Mindset Fitness and Coaching the Inner Game of High Performers – An Interview With Kerdu Lenear

Kerdu Lenear is a former pro basketball player turned Athlete Transition Coach, keynote speaker, and Certified Neuroencoding Specialist. As the founder of the Mindset Fitness™ methodology, she helps elite athletes train the part of themselves that no one ever coached: their identity, confidence, and purpose. After navigating her own identity shift post-retirement, Kerdu is now building her Inner Game™ coaching experience and leading the emerging Athletepreneurs™ movement. Her mission: Empower pro athletes to thrive on and beyond the game.

Kerdu Lenear, Athlete Transition Coach

Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.

I’m Kerdu Lenear, a former professional basketball player, certified neuroencoding specialist, proud mom of two young athletes, wife, and founder of Mindset Fitness™. I’m also building Athletepreneurs Academy™, a movement-in-the-making that will help athletes train the part of themselves no one ever coached: their mindset, identity, and emotional strength.

Sport has shaped my life. I earned a full scholarship to play Division I basketball at Auburn University, competed professionally in Spain, and spent over a decade representing Estonia on the national team. One highlight I’ll never forget? Playing against Kobe Bryant at an Adidas 3-on-3 street basketball event in Paris.

After retiring from basketball, I didn’t walk away from high performance. I just redefined it. Today, I coach elite athletes across sports to master their inner game, not just for what comes next, but for what’s happening right now. Whether they’re chasing their peak or preparing for life beyond the game, I help them strengthen their mindset, find emotional clarity, and lead with purpose. I’m especially honored to serve as the mental performance coach for Estonia’s national women’s soccer team.

I am also the first female president of BNI North Star Tallinn, Estonia’s chapter of the world's leading business networking and referral organization, and recently earned an MBA degree to deepen the way I serve both athletes and entrepreneurs.

When I’m not coaching, I’m usually recharging in nature or by the water, rain or shine, the beach is my happy place. I’m a big fan of a good sauna (true Estonian style!). But what I love most is spending time with my family and helping others win in life on their terms.

What inspired you to establish Mindset Fitness, and how does your background as a professional basketball player influence your approach to mental fitness coaching?

I was trained to perform. To win. To push my body to the limit. But no one ever taught me how to train my mindset. Mindset Fitness™ was born from that missing piece I felt as an athlete. I knew how to compete but not how to handle the pressure, the fear of failure, or the identity crash when the jersey came off and the crowd went quiet.

We spend years training our bodies, but rarely get the tools to train our minds how to process emotions, bounce back from setbacks, or figure out who we are beyond the game. I knew I wasn’t alone. So I went searching.

I started studying about mindset, got certified in neuroencoding, and started learning everything I could about how the mind works because “just tough it out” wasn’t enough anymore. That’s when it all started to make sense: performance is never just physical. It’s mental. It’s emotional. It’s personal.

Now, I help athletes build the tools I wish I had: emotional regulation, clarity under pressure, and the confidence to navigate whatever chapter they’re in. I help them train the part of themselves that no one ever coached. Because of the inner game? That’s what carries you not just through the big wins, but through the tough moments and transitions too. And I get to be the coach I needed back then. That’s why this means so much to me.

Mindset Fitness emphasizes strengthening one’s "mental muscle." What tools do you use to help clients build resilience?

There are no fearless people, just people who fear less. The real key is learning how to snap out of unhelpful emotions faster, so you can stay focused and in control when it matters most.

That’s what I teach through the Mindset Fitness Method™, a blend of mindset, identity, and emotional regulation. All rooted in science-based tools from neuroencoding, which is the study of how to rewire your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors for high performance and lasting change.

I trained under Joseph McClendon III, one of the top experts in behavioral neuroscience. His work combines tools from neuropsychology, NLP, and emotional conditioning, and it gave me a framework to help people shift fast and for good.

I also built my own 5-step decoding method based on my master’s research into self-handicapping those hidden fears that quietly hold us back, like fear of failure, fear of success, or the pressure to prove ourselves.

What makes my approach different? It’s not just about mindset, it’s about who you are when things get hard. Just like physical fitness, mental strength is something you train. And it changes everything.

Your clients include both athletes and business professionals. How do you adapt your strategies for each?

With athletes, my focus is all about transitions, both the on-the-court mental shifts they need to perform at their peak, and the bigger life moments like what comes after sport. I help them build confidence under pressure, regulate emotions in high-stakes situations, and most importantly, start preparing for life beyond the scoreboard while they’re still playing.

That’s something I’m deeply passionate about, because it’s my story too. When I started my first business, I didn’t have a degree in business. I had no plan, no perfect timing, just a fire inside that said: There’s more to me than just being an athlete. So I started. I made mistakes. I learned by doing. And that journey taught me something powerful: athletes already have the exact strengths every successful entrepreneur needs: discipline, resilience, grit, and adaptability.

That’s why I don’t just help athletes with mindset during competition, I help them train for peak performance now, and build confidence in who they are becoming. I guide them through the inner work that unlocks their potential not only as players but as future founders, leaders, and visionaries.

Along the way, I’ve also worked with founders and business leaders who are navigating growth, pressure, and identity challenges of their own. And what I’ve learned is this: the same mental skills that make athletes elite, focus, recovery, and emotional control are the ones that make entrepreneurs unstoppable. The athlete's mindset is an entrepreneurial advantage. My job is to help unlock it.

What’s one transformation that still gives you chills?

There are two that come to mind immediately, and every time I think about them, I get goosebumps. Not because of what I did, but because of what these clients were willing to face and shift in themselves.

One of my clients, a female founder, came to me stuck at a revenue plateau. On the surface, everything looked fine, but something wasn’t clicking. Through my 5-step decoding process, she uncovered a deep fear of success, not failure. Once we brought that into the light and rewired the pattern, everything changed. Within a few months, she reported a 30% increase in revenue, but more importantly, she felt aligned with her ambition. She did the work. I was simply the mirror and guide.

Another moment that still gives me chills happened courtside. One basketball player I coach was having an off game, just 4 points at halftime. In the past, he might’ve spiraled into frustration. But this time, he used the tools we had practiced. At halftime, he hit what I call the mindset reset button. He shifted his physical state, changed his focus, and snapped himself out of negative emotion. In the second half, he delivered a career-high performance and led his team to victory.

That’s the power of Mindset Fitness. It’s not just about motivation, it’s about building internal tools that actually work when it matters most. I just helped them unlock it. They are the ones who rise.

If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be?

I’d make mindset training non-negotiable, especially for athletes. We don’t wait until we’re injured to take care of our bodies, so why wait until burnout or an identity crisis to start training the mind?

I’m not here for hype or just feel-good quotes. Athletes don’t need more motivation; they need real tools that work. Things that help you bounce back quicker, lead with confidence, and figure out what’s next when the game ends.

Mindset Fitness isn’t a luxury; it’s performance insurance. It’s what keeps you focused at the free throw line, calm in overtime, and ready when life throws you something unexpected.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!

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