Turns out, lemons aren’t naturally occurring fruits. Somewhere around the first millennium BC, humans crossbred a sour orange and a citron in a quest for a tart fruit—either for cooking or for its potential medicinal value.

So technically… life didn’t give us lemons. We gave them to ourselves.

And that got me thinking…

When I work with athletes and musicians, anxiety is one of the most common threads. It sneaks in like an uninvited guest at the highest levels of performance—whether it’s game day, audition night, or the quiet hours before a big decision.

But here’s the truth: Anxiety rarely just “happens.” More often than not, we create it.

It shows up in the spaces where we catastrophize—imagining the worst-case scenario that hasn’t even happened. It creeps in when we try to control things that were never ours to carry.

At its core, anxiety thrives in the tension between wanting control and realizing we don’t have it.

That brings us back to the phrase: “When life gives you lemons…”

But what if we reframed it entirely? What if, like the lemon, anxiety isn’t something handed to us—but something we’ve shaped through our thinking?

When I coach clients through moments of anxiety, I offer them one powerful question: “Who told you that?”

When the thought creeps in— “I’m going to fail.” “I don’t belong here.” “Everyone’s judging me.” I ask them to pause and challenge that thought: “Who told me that?”

More often than not, no one did. It’s fear. It’s projection. It’s a lemon we’ve created in our own mind.

So how do we make lemonade?

We come back to the truth. We lean into our facts, not our fears. We anchor ourselves in our preparation, our testimony, our calling.

If you were given this moment, it’s because your journey, your grit, your prayers, your perseverance—brought you here. Don’t minimize that. You didn’t stumble into this. You were placed here on purpose.

Anxiety zooms in and distorts your view of the full picture. But when we renew our mind, we remember who we are, who God is, and how far we’ve already come.

I used to let anxiety freeze me. It wasn’t just a feeling—it was the driver in my taxi of life, steering me away from risks, opportunities, and purpose.

But there came a point where I took a chance: starting a high school rugby club. Anxiety was still there—but my passion to create something for youth athletes was stronger. And that one decision? It opened doors to D1 and National level coaching… and eventually laid the foundation for Bullish Drive.

What I learned in that moment is something I now live by: Once you overcome anxiety the first time, you're more willing to do it again… and again… and again.

That’s consistency.
That’s discipline.
That’s integrity.
That’s intention.
And with each decision, your confidence grows.

Just like lifting weights— The first time you step in the gym, everything feels heavy. But the longer you keep showing up, the easier it gets. The weights don’t get lighter… You just get stronger.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Renewing your mind isn’t a one-time thing—it’s a daily discipline. It's the repeated choice to filter your thoughts through truth, not fear.

God didn’t give you a lemon. He gave you a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The lemons? We tend to create those ourselves—but that means we also have the power to reshape them.

We often accept sayings like “When life gives you lemons…” as truth without ever questioning where they came from or what they really mean. But this one? It’s built on the illusion that we’re just passive recipients of pain or struggle—when in reality, much of what weighs us down was shaped by our own mindset, our own expectations, and our own fear.

That’s not shame—it’s power.

Because if we had a hand in creating the lemon, then we also hold the authority to transform it.

Here’s what that looks like in real life: It means when anxiety shows up, you don’t automatically believe it.
You pause.
You breathe.
You challenge the narrative with: “Who told me that?”
You invite God into the thought process and ask Him to renew your mind instead of letting fear define it.

This is the internal shift that changes the game for athletes, musicians, students, leaders—anyone pursuing something bigger than themselves.

You stop living from a place of reaction, and start moving with intention.
You stop seeing anxiety as an identity, and start seeing it as a signal—one that can be redirected, reframed, and even redeemed.

God has equipped you with what you need.
The struggle might feel sour in the moment, but the process is producing something greater: clarity, character, and calling.

So the next time life feels overwhelming…
Ask yourself:
“Who told me?"
And then remind yourself:
If I created it—through pressure, through false beliefs, through fear—then by the grace of God, I can also reshape it through truth, preparation, and peace.

Own the lemon.
But more importantly—own the legacy you're building through it.

Need help with the mindset piece? Let’s connect. You can schedule a consultation or explore more mental performance resources at www.bullishdrive.com

Because your next breakthrough might be one mindset shift away.