Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Billy Mote. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Billy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My entire life was centered around the goal of playing professional baseball.

It was all I thought about for the majority of my life. Unfortunately, I spent most of my college baseball career getting in my own way. The fear of failure, self-doubt, and anxiety crippled me for the first three years of my college career.

When I finally figured out how to play like myself, I was rear-ended in a car accident—breaking my back and being told I would never play the game again.

I refused to take no for an answer. I searched the country for the best spine surgeons, hoping to find someone who could get me back on the field.

I found a surgeon out of Chicago who said he could get me back out there—but it was short-lived. Two spine surgeries later, my career was over.

That’s when the messages started piling up—high-school kids, college starters, minor-leaguers, even Little League parents—all wrestling with the same mental trash I had: fear of failure, over-thinking, panic when the lights get bright. Every story felt like a replay of my own.

I realized the real loss wasn’t my shot at pro ball; it was the years I’d wasted swinging with a shaky mind. I wasn’t the only one paying that price—thousands of players were stuck in the exact same loop, and nobody was handing them a way out.

So my dad and I built The Focus Forge for one reason: to end that loop. Not to sell another hitting drill. Not to recycle motivational quotes. To give players the mental armor I never had, so the game can’t chew them up the way it chewed me.

Seeing those same players flip the switch—walking into the box relaxed, talking about failure like it’s just feedback, and carrying that confidence into the rest of their lives—makes the wreck, the rehab, and the broken back worth it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Billy Mote, former Division 1 infielder. My parents raised me on personal-development principles and straight accountability—own your results, keep your word, get better every day. That wiring pushed me through the weight room and into college ball, but I still spent three seasons fighting the noise in my head. I finally found my stride, got rear-ended, broke my back, and two spine surgeries later my playing days were over.

The injury exposed a bigger issue: everywhere I turned, players were saying the same thing—“I’m good in practice, but the game gets loud in my head.” Mechanics were everywhere; tools for handling fear and doubt were almost nowhere.

So I teamed up with my dad—also a former Division 1 player with decades of personal-development study—to build The Focus Forge. We create practical mindset training for baseball players:

short, no-nonsense video lessons

live group sessions and one-on-ones when athletes need a deeper dive

books and worksheets that turn concepts into reps off the field

That’s it. No hype, no miracle formulas—just the mental work most programs skip.

What sets us apart

Lived experience on both sides of the line. I’ve been the player whose season imploded after one bad AB; Dad’s spent years testing personal-growth principles that hold up under pressure.

Father-and-son lens. Two generations, one mission: translate mindset into language players actually use.

Straight talk. We ditch buzzwords and give athletes tools they can apply tonight.

What I’m proud of

A nine-year-old taking the field without the “what-if” noise in his head. A college pitcher texting that he finally played BOLD in situations where he needed to. Each of those wins says the wreck—and the pain in my spine—paid off.

Where we’re headed

We’re growing fast, and the goal is simple: make sure every baseball player—little league to pro—has the mental tools to play the game on their terms. If we do that, the mission’s a success.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Starting on social media can be a pretty daunting idea.

The concept of sitting in front of a camera and giving your opinion to a world full of strangers isn’t for the weak.

Everyone who has grown a platform on social media says that “Authenticity is Key” — and they’re right.

However, I’ve learned that that is only one piece of the puzzle.

Growing on social media takes consistency, authenticity, discipline, and ultimately, THICK SKIN.

People you know will sneer behind your back.

People will rip you to shreds underneath your posts.

People will accuse you of being a snake oil salesman.

However, it’s all just NOISE.

My mission was simple — if I can help 1 person with something per post, then my job was done. I didn’t set out on this journey to become “famous” — I did it to help people.

So go out there and post consistently.

Study those in your niche that seem to have success on social media.

You might get zero engagement on your posts for months — and that’s ok.

Keep at it. You’ll be amazed at how much you will learn about social media and yourself.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For most of my childhood I struggled with a speech-impediment. I had a massive stutter that left me incapable of even saying my own name to people I didn’t know.

When I got to college, I was mocked multiple times for it — and it became paralyzing.

But when God placed this desire on my heart (this business), I knew that I had to throw myself in the fire.

Before I made my first instagram post — I spent 3 hours trying to say my name to the camera.

I was frozen with fear — and the idea of being mocked once again terrified me.

But I kept at it.

Fast forward 2 years later, I am able to speak comfortably in front of hundreds of people on a stage.

I can hop on big podcasts and speak clearly on personal development principles.

I turned my biggest weakness into my greatest weapon.

How did I do it?

By failing over and over and over again.

Then failing again the next day.

And eventually, things got easier.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thefocusforge.org/
• Instagram: @findingbelief
• Facebook: The Focus Forge
• Youtube: @thefocusforge_

Image Credits

Main picture credit — @kenny2efficient on Instagram