Excellence can no longer be measured solely by the results achieved. It must also take into account how people sustain those results, look after their mental health, and cope with the demands of highly competitive environments.
Based on this shared vision, the Real Madrid Foundation and the VIAHR Foundation have signed a framework agreement for institutional collaboration to develop initiatives focused on the prevention of burnout, emotional well-being, and mindful recovery in highly demanding sports and educational settings.
The signing took place at the Real Madrid Foundation headquarters in Madrid and was signed by Julio González Ronco, managing director of the Real Madrid Foundation, and María Méndez, president and founder of the VIAHR Foundation.
The agreement marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between two organizations that share a common belief: physical and emotional well-being should not be viewed as a secondary concern, but rather as an essential part of human development and sustainable performance.
Caring is also part of performing well
For decades, high-performance environments have been associated with discipline, constant effort, and the ability to push beyond one’s limits. However, emerging discussions about mental health have highlighted the need to reevaluate models that normalize burnout as an inevitable part of success.
Preventing burnout does not mean reducing your commitment or sacrificing excellence. It means developing tools that allow you to sustain your efforts in a healthy, mindful, and sustainable way.
María Méndez, president and founder of the VIAHR Foundation, put it this way:
“Preventing burnout means working smart and sustainably. Taking a mindful break is a strategic tool, not a sign of weakness. The fact that an institution like the Real Madrid Foundation incorporates it into its programs sends a transformative message: taking care of mental health is part of excellence and holistic development—it is not optional.”
Incorporating this perspective into sports and educational programs sends an important message: taking care of mental health is part of excellence and people’s holistic development.
Resources for Young Athletes and Educators
One of the main components of the partnership will be the creation of practical tools to integrate burnout prevention into training and human development programs.
Among the planned initiatives, one that stands out is the development of a specialized module on mental health and emotional management, which will be incorporated into the Real Madrid Foundation’s“Train Your Mind”program.
This content is intended for young athletes and educators who operate in high-pressure environments. Its purpose is to provide resources for recognizing signs of burnout, managing emotions, promoting self-care, and understanding the importance of recovery in the learning and performance processes.
Emotional training at an early age can help children develop a healthier relationship with effort, competition, and expectations. It also provides coaches and educators with more tools to support young people from a holistic perspective.
From Knowledge to Experience
The agreement also provides for the design of immersive in-person experiences based on the PAUSA® Method, a methodology developed by the VIAHR Foundation and focused on mindful recovery and emotional regulation.
These experiences will take place in settings selected for their ability to foster optimal conditions for rest, reflection, and recovery.
The goal is to ensure that concepts related to mental health do not remain purely theoretical. Through direct experience, participants will be able to adopt practices that help them identify their limits, manage stress, and understand the strategic value of taking a break.
In this model, resting does not mean halting progress. It means creating the conditions necessary to continue moving forward in a more mindful and sustainable way.
The Power of Collaboration
Felipe Reyes, ambassador for the Real Madrid Foundation and a basketball legend, emphasized that great achievements are never entirely the result of individual effort.
Throughout his career, he explained, he came to understand that behind every success there is a team of people who share a common purpose. From that perspective, he viewed the partnership between the two foundations as an opportunity to pool knowledge, experience, and skills in the service of others.
He also highlighted the innovative nature of the collaboration, which is based on co-creation: listening, learning from one another, and building solutions together.
This perspective is particularly relevant when addressing complex challenges such as burnout. Preventing burnout requires the involvement of organizations, educators, healthcare professionals, leaders, families, and communities. There is no single solution; rather, there is a need to build more humane and mindful environments.
A partnership with an international reach
This collaboration comes at a time of growing attention to mental health within sports, educational, and workplace organizations.
As part of the agreement, the Real Madrid Foundation will participate as a partner in the 4th International Congress of the VIAHR Foundation, to be held November 19–22, 2026, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event will bring together experts, institutions, and international leaders to discuss burnout, mental health, and human sustainability in high-pressure environments. The Real Madrid Foundation will contribute its expertise in developing educational and sports programs with a global social impact.
This new step builds on the work that VIAHR has been doing over the past few years to bring the prevention of occupational burnout into the institutional and corporate discourse.
At its previous conferences, the Foundation has brought together experts in mental health, leadership, organizational well-being, education, and productivity, promoting mindful breaks as a tool for building healthier and more sustainable environments.
A New Way of Understanding Excellence
The partnership between the Real Madrid Foundation and the VIAHR Foundation prompts an important reflection: achieving great results should not come at the expense of the mental health of those who make them possible.
True excellence is not limited to performance. It includes the ability to nurture, recover, learn, and sustain growth over time.
Incorporating burnout prevention, emotional management, and mindful breaks into sports and educational programs is an investment in future generations who are better prepared—not only to compete and achieve their goals, but also to recognize their needs and protect their well-being.
Through this partnership, both foundations are paving the way toward a more humane, sustainable, and mindful culture of performance.
Because taking care of your mental health doesn't mean stopping short of excellence. It's a new way to achieve it.
