For elite athletes, high achieving students and professionals, the pressure of school, sports, work, friends, family, including many other things out of our control can be incredibly overwhelming. Typical emotions include helplessness, hopelessness, discouragement, and demoralization. These experiences can mimic and even precipitate mental illness like Major Depression or Anxiety Disorders. Despite the chaos, we have the power to be happy and successful when we simplify and focus our attention on the things that remain in our control This presentation will discuss modern trends in competitive athletics, identify and address associated mental health vulnerabilities, and teach actionable takeaways focusing on effort, attitude and gratitude to successfully navigate challenges with competitive environments, learn from setbacks, build confidence and maximize enjoyment.