Breaking the NeedleThe average person makes choices that move the needle. How can you become someone who generates so much momentum that you break the needle?OPENING QUOTE:We always hear about, build your life around the things you love, build your business around the things you love. But that's really hard to do because for me, I'm really passionate and intense and I love a million things, so that list would be infinite. But, instead of that, what about, what do you hate not doing? ”—Jay FerruggiaGUEST BIO: Jay Ferruggia is the host of the Renegade Radio podcast, a top 20 fitness podcast on Apple Podcasts with over six million downloads. Jay has been helping people become the strongest version of themselves since 1994, and today is heralded as a coach of coaches, trainer of trainers, and champion of mastering not only physical strength but emotional and mental strength, as well. His work has appeared in Men's Health, Muscle & Fitness, Fast Company, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, and on ESPN and CBS.Links:WebsitePodcastInstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:37] - Do More By Doing LessEmbracing minimalism has helped Jay Ferruggia excelWe all love to embrace the hustle of achieving 100 different things at a time. But the truth is that many of the people who have reached the pinnacle of success do it by focusing on one thing and doing that thing with everything they’ve got. [12:13] - The Daily Non-NegotiablesWhat’s essential for your daily joy and progress?Take a look at your life and the things you’re most passionate about. It might be exercise, or spending time outside, or laughing. Make these things non-negotiable as part of your day. Need to make room for them? Drop other things, but never the non-negotiable things that bring you joy.[22:54] - The Three Forms of AwarenessAwareness of Self, Awareness of Others, Awareness of SituationIntrinsic motivation doesn’t require someone else telling you to work hard— it comes from awareness of self, awareness of others, and awareness of your situation. When you know what you’re capable of, what others need from you, and where you stand (and where you need to be), you can accomplish anything.[31:12] - The Power and Limits of PassionHow do you turn passion into playmaking?Jay is passionate about hip hop, but that doesn’t mean he could get into a recording booth and drop a Grammy-winning rap album. So how do we know our passions could turn into careers? The simple answer is that we don’t. All we can do is choose a path and give it 110% and see where we end up.[35:25] - The Go-To Daily PurposeMake your purpose other peopleWhen you wake up in the morning and for whatever reason you don’t feel like you have a strong sense of purpose, what do you do? For Jay, he defaults to helping others. There are always people that need help, and by the end of an act of service you’ll almost always have re-centered yourself on what matters most to you.[49:04] - The Big SecretMost people actually want you to succeedPeople who succeed love to talk about the ‘haters’ that wanted to see them fail. But the truth is that most people are good people, and we’re energized by each other’s successes. Once you realize that, it’s not about ego— it’s about sharing your gift with people.RESOURCES:[0:31] The Power of Playing Offense[1:47] Renegade Radio Podcast[3:37] The 80/20 Principle, The ONE Thing, and Essentialism[4:41] Bedros Keuilian[13:23] Self Control App[24:04] Seth Godin[30:49] My Personal  Journey to Hell and Back, BlogFOLLOW:We'd love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Feel free to DM Paul on social or shoot him an email at [email protected] to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Jay Ferruggia:WebsitePodcastInstagramFacebookTwitterLinkedInFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new bookThe Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Playmakers: An All-Star MashupIn this week’s episode, we meet four different playmakers, each with their own perspective on leveling up in business and life.GUEST BIOS:Jordan HarbingerJordan is a Wall St. lawyer-turned-podcast interviewer with an approachable style and a knack for securing high-profile guests. His show, The Jordan Harbinger Show, was selected as part of Apple’s Best of 2018. Today, the show has over 11 million downloads per month and features a wide array of guests that have included the late Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Tony Hawk, Cesar Millan, Simon Sinek, Eric Schmidt, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.Erika WasserErika Wasser is a thriving entrepreneur and has hosted her own HGTV show after cutting her teeth as a comedian. She founded GLAM+GO, a salon and blow-dry chain and membership program. Most recently, she co-founded Prospr at Work, a workforce management software platform for hourly and shift-based teams now used by some of the country’s most recognizable brands to manage and connect their teams.David SiegelDavid Siegel joined the Los Angeles Sports Council and Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games as President and Chief Executive Officer for both organizations after a 22-year career with the LA Dodgers. He worked in every revenue producing department, most recently as Vice President of Global Partnerships after spending 10 years as Vice President of Ticket Sales. Under his leadership, the Dodgers achieved the highest attendance in Major League Baseball for five consecutive seasons.Santor NishizakiSantor Nishizaki is on a mission to create a happier workplace by helping organizations increase generational awareness and discover strengths that can elevate people to reach their full potential, something he has implemented in the boardroom as well as the classroom as he serves as the professor in multiple universities at an undergraduate and MBA level. Santor has served in leadership roles at both NASA and Disney Imagineering, where he was an integral part of the opening of Disneyland Shanghai. He’ll be launching his first book this year, a guide on leading and working with Generation Z.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:Jordan Harbinger[4:38] - Jordan’s ‘Connect Four’Find the ‘dead’ networking contacts and bring them to lifeJordan uses a method he calls ‘connect four,’ where he scrolls down through his messages and finds four connections someone else might consider ‘dead’— no recent messages, no potential. Then he reignites those conversations, often to striking results. How can you ‘connect four’ in your own career?[6:52] - The Power of ReciprocationMake people happy to help you by helping them firstToo many people try to get something out of a connection before they’ve put in the work. Your first question when building a connection shouldn’t be ‘what can they do for me?’ It should be, what can I do for them?Erika Wasser[11:26] - How Being a Leader is Like Doing Stand-upWhy standing up in front of an organization is like standing up in front of a crowdAs a leader or a standup, you’re always taking risks, taking chances, gauging your audience and changing course. Whether it’s fundraising or making quick decisions or leading a team, the basic skills of paying attention to how you’re perceived is essential.[16:49] - Planning Doesn’t Replace Doing“Sometimes you just have to do the thing.”Don’t let perfect get in the way of good enough, because perfect isn’t happening. You can plan as much as you want, but planning doesn’t replace doing. Sometimes you have to get knee-deep in a problem before you can begin to figure it out.David Siegel[22:50] - Never Say No to OpportunityYou’ll never have experiences if you don’t say ‘yes’ when they arriveIn the first seven or eight years of your career, just say yes to every opportunity. Elevate every project and teammate you’re associated with and watch your skills, experiences, and relationships blossom.[25:32] - No ScoreboardsWhy measuring relationships with a ledger is a bad ideaDavid isn’t a believer in doing things for others in the hopes they’ll do something for you in return. Selflessness and relationship-building must be real, not put into place in order to get some benefit out of it. That’s the only way truly powerful connections can be made and maintained.Santor Nishizaki[29:53] - Embrace Your Winning SpiritSometimes competitiveness is a powerful traitIn today’s career market, we’re often told to subdue our competitiveness and focus instead on lifting all boats. But if you’re competitive by nature, sometimes your best move is to embrace that side of you to an extent— it can be a powerful motivator that pushes you to make impactful plays.[31:52] - Turn Your Worst Moments into Your Greatest StrengthsHow tragedy, frustration, and failure help us growAfter experiencing a terrible tragedy, Santor decided to grow up overnight. He used that moment as a springboard to propel him to a work ethic that can only be called ridiculous. He’s channeled his passion, tragedy, and frustration into success.RESOURCES:[0:14] - The Power of Playing Offense[3:04] - The Jordan Harbinger Show[8:10] - GLAM+GO[8:18] - Prospr at Work[21:12] - Los Angeles Sports Council[28:17] - Disney ImagineeringFOLLOW:We'd love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Feel free to DM Paul on social or shoot him an email at [email protected] to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Jordan Harbinger:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebookPodcastFollow Erika Wasser:LinkedInTwitterInstagramFollow David Siegel:BioLinkedinInstagramFollow Santor Nishizaki:LinkedInMulholland Consulting GroupCal State LAFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Breaking Through Your Comfort Zone (ft. Lynn Fernando Mulvihill)Where do I start? What if I fail? Questions like these can leave us wanting to stay with what’s safe, what’s comfortable, and what’s expected. In today’s episode, Lynn Fernando Mulvihill helps us imagine what we can find if we’re willing to break out of our comfort zone to discover what’s on the other side.OPENING QUOTE:“I’ve been in situations over the last several years where I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. Where do I even start? Where do I even go?’ But it’s in learning those situations and overcoming a lot of those challenges that this quote resonates with me so much, because I always think life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”—Lynn Fernando MulvihillGUEST BIO:Lynn Fernando Mulvihill is the Head of Partnership Marketing and Promotions for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. She has also been a performance-driven marketing expert for over 20 years inside of brands such as Nestle, Visa, and Oracle. She pursued her executive MBA at the University of Michigan and is a proud founder of Ross EMBA Ventures. Her most persistent goal, however, is to leave a legacy by providing underrepresented groups across the globe with financial freedom, access, and opportunities.Learn more about Lynn Fernando Mulvihill:LinkedInInstagramCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[7:33] -- When You Hit the CrossroadsWhen you start to feel the hunger, does it scare you or excite you? Or both?Lynn was a mother of two with an amazing life, but she started to wake up in the morning feeling like there was something more she should be doing. She wanted to contribute in ways that she wasn’t already. The thought frightened her, but instead of running from it, she leaned into it. What came next was a whole new level of playmaking.[18:17] -- Leadership is About Purpose, Not PositionThink of the leaders who inspire you mostThe people who transform our lives aren’t always in high-level roles. Sometimes they’re friends or colleagues, parents or teachers, friends or loved ones. Whoever these examples of leadership are, we can learn from their best traits and try to add them to our own arsenal of purpose.[19:59] -- The Power of Self-ReflectionLooking Inward to Achieve OutwardlyLynn shares the story of a person she interviewed for an entry level position, in whom she sensed a special spark. She told them that they were over-qualified for the role, that they were destined for greater things. The result was that she helped transform someone’s life for the better, rather than simply hiring someone for a role.[26:09] -- From Comfort to Discomfort and Back AgainHow do we prepare for the things we’re unprepared to face?Lynn’s comfortable position at Disney sometimes left her feeling like she wanted to be fighting for every last cold call again. So how did she get back that feeling? She got her executive MBA in order to make the pivot, and she met other incredible people along the way doing the same thing.[43:12] -- Stepping Above YourselfThe power of dedicating your efforts to someone elseLynn ends every address to groups around the world with, “Dedicate 2021 to someone special.” She means that sometimes we’re more willing to let ourselves down than the people we love most. Dedicating our efforts to someone we love can help us find that extra gear to break through whatever’s standing in our way.RESOURCES:[0:36] -- The Power of Playing Offense[2:19] -- Ross EMBA Ventures[3:36] -- Lynn’s LinkedIn[14:45] -- Jimmy Pitaro Bio[31:08] -- The Purpose Economy, by Aaron HurstFOLLOW:We'd love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Feel free to DM Paul on social or shoot him an email at [email protected] to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Learn more about Lynn Fernando Mulvihill:LinkedInInstagramFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new bookThe Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

The Power of Everyday InnovatorsWhy you don’t have to be a global game changer to make innovation a part of your life and career.OPENING QUOTE:“Most of us think of innovation as this big topic that's out of our reach. Inventing the electric automobile or SpaceX or something and we say, "Great for Elon Musk, but I'm a normal person. How does that apply to me?" I tried to flip that whole concept upside down. This is like innovation for the rest of us. Again, helping everyday people become everyday innovators.”—Josh LinknerGUEST BIO:Josh Linkner is a creative troublemaker. He started his career as a jazz guitarist and then went on to become the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He is also a deeply experienced business leader, venture capitalist, top-rated keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and professional jazz guitarist. He is a world-renown expert on innovation, disruption, and hyper-growth leadership.Learn more about Josh Linkner:WebsiteFacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[7:04] -- Lifelong Learning in a Busy WorldHow to read in the rat race, and why you shouldJosh mourns the statistic that 50% of adults haven’t read a book since they graduated college. Whether it’s books, podcasts, YouTube videos, or some other source, lifelong learning is 100% essential to being an everyday innovator. You don’t have to be holed up in a study poring over books for hours— find small moments in your day to learn something new, and your creativity will blossom.[12:23] -- The 30 Days RuleTry it, experience it, and move forwardYou don’t have to commit to some monumental life change in order to transform your trajectory. Interested in something? Commit to 30 days. At the end of that 30 days, determine whether you want to commit to another 30. Breaking up your passions into manageable time periods will help make life changes feel less monumental.[12:44] -- The 5-Minute Creativity RitualJosh’s jet fuel for a day of innovationEvery day, Josh starts with a 5-minute ritual designed to supercharge his daily creativity. Minute one, he guzzles inputs. Watching a performance, reading a poem— anything to inspire. Minute two, he goes through the highlight reel of his recent successes and future goals. This is the confidence boost. Minute three, he thinks of solutions for a problem unrelated to his life and business. Recycling plastics, for example. This is the mental stretching exercise. Minute four is the time machine. Go forward to a future where you’ve achieved everything you ever dreamed. How did you get there? Finally, minute five— take 60 seconds to consider an active problem in your life. It could be personal or business-related. This is a one-minute sprint to consider how you’re going to work towards solving that problem today.That’s Josh’s 5-minute creativity ritual. What’s yours?[22:00] -- The Story of Big Little BreakthroughsHow Josh unlocked the secrets of CEOs, billionaires, and celebritiesAll over the world, people do amazing things— some in the public spotlight, some away from it. Josh interviewed dozens of them to determine how they structure their days to allow for small breakthroughs that lead to big rewards.[25:42] -- The Power of Just StartingStart with bad, and get a little bit betterImagine you and another person both see an opportunity. You have more money, more smarts, and more resources overall. You take some time to start mapping out the options, determining the best path forward, weighing the risks and rewards. But the other person just starts. They start with what they have, and it’s terrible, but each day it gets a little less terrible. By the time six months have gone by, that person with no money or resources will be ahead of you.[27:20] -- No Money, No Time, No Innovation?“I don’t have the resources to be creative.”Josh shares the funny but true statement, “If the amount of resources that you had equaled your level of creativity, the Federal government would be the most creative organization on the planet and startups would be the least.” Resources don’t create innovation. Innovators do.[34:14] -- The View from the PeakWhat to do, and not do, when you’re at the topJosh shares with us the peaks and valleys from his career, and one key takeaway is the importance of not learning the wrong lessons from your successes. Don’t become full of yourself— recognize the combination of luck and perseverance that got you there, take a moment to celebrate, then move on to the next challenge.[38:45] -- You Have More Time Than You ThinkDon’t let what you have to do stand in the way of what you want to doAs Josh and Paul close out their conversation, Josh reflects on how anyone can find a moment every day to be the truest, most authentic versions of themselves. No person alive has days filled front-to-finish with only the things they want to do. But we can all find the time, whether it’s five minutes or five hours, to pursue the things about which we’re the most passionate.RESOURCES:[0:36] - The Power of Playing Offense, by Paul Epstein[2:18] - Disciplined Dreaming, The Road to Reinvention, and Big Little Breakthroughs, all by Josh Linkner[6:04] - Think Again, by Adam Grant[6:09] - Soundtracks, by Jon Acuff[6:14] - The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma[6:23] - Atomic Habits, by James Clear[33:46] - Curtis Martin’s TED TalkFOLLOW:We'd love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Feel free to DM Paul on social or shoot him an email at [email protected] to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Learn more about Josh Linkner:WebsiteFacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

The Keys to Legendary LeadershipWhat makes a leader legendary, and how can you foster those traits within yourself and the people around you?OPENING QUOTE:“I would go back 15 to 20 years. I always say, am I positioning myself well for the next thing? Am I learning? How am I perceived? What's my personal brand? Who am I connecting with that can help me? Who are my mentors? It's a chess game. Obviously, you're the CEO of your own career. It doesn't have to happen where you're at and you have to have some willingness to take some risks and move around.” —Chad EstisGUEST BIO:Chad Estis is the Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Dallas Cowboys, as well as Executive Vice President for the global sports agency Legends. Chad led a team of revenue executives to shatter all previous premium hospitality marks in the sports industry when they opened Cowboys Stadium, and he’s also been CMO for the Cleveland Cavaliers, VP of sales for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a proud graduate of Ohio University where he captained their 1994 championship team.Learn more about Chad EstisWebsiteLinkedInCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:43]“If You Have Nothing Else, You Can Work”If you’re not sure of your path, focus on what you do knowChad outlines how he arrived in the world of sales and business and wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. But he remembered how he’d thrived in college sports— by simply out-hustling everyone else. So, he applied that effort to his work. The results speak for themselves.[14:43]Leaders Set the ToneCulture is established by leadersIf you can create a great culture, then exceptional things can happen. At Chad’s sports agency, he calls it the Legend’s Way— an energy and passion you can feel just by walking in and talking to people. What do you want your organization to feel like? How can you set the tone as a leader?[20:13]Criticism and CommitmentRelationship first, correction secondIn Chad’s work, he recognizes that criticism that comes from someone who hasn’t invested time and energy into a person will come across as harsh and impersonal. He stresses the importance of building a strong relationship with someone first, proving you’re invested in their future, before you can sit them down and say, “This needs work.”[25:39]The Power of Having No PlanWhat happens when you say goodbye to the agenda?Chad often likes to have meetings with employees that have no agenda at all, or just a loose structure. The result? He often gets unexpected insights and forms deeper, more powerful connections with his teams, resulting in more passionate people and a more productive organization.[34:24]Chad’s Guide to Choosing ProjectsHow do you know that an opportunity is the right fit?Chad outlines his checklist of questions he must answer about any opportunity before signing on:Will I be challenged every day?Am I working for people I enjoy?Am I compensated appropriately for what I do?By narrowing it down to these three simple things, he knows there’s nothing else he should be thinking about when making a big call.[39:03]How to Lead Before You LeadTo become a great leader tomorrow, be the best teammate todayChad encourages listeners to ask themselves: How am I interacting with the people around me in this office or workplace, and how is that being perceived? Hopefully, the answer is “very well.” If you want to become a great leader in the future, the best way to start is by being the best teammate and coworker you can possibly be today.RESOURCES:[0:36] The Power of Playing Offense[1:50] Chad Estis LinkedIn[2:02] Legends Agency[10:55] 30 Steps to Successful Sales[14:02] Don’t Fire Them, Fire Them Up[37:38] How to Win Friends and Influence PeopleFOLLOW:We'd love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Feel free to DM Paul on social or shoot him an email at [email protected] to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Chad Estis:WebsiteLinkedInFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at: PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book: The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Overcoming Your Self-Limiting BeliefsHow the things we think about ourselves can either hold us back or propel us toward our ultimate potential.IMPACT QUOTE:“One question I always ask people when they’re unhappy and they’re not going after what they want: How is this serving you? What is this costing you?” —Sue Ann GonisGUEST BIO:Sue Ann Gonis has held senior leadership positions at major organizations for over 25 years, including as global internal executive coach for a Fortune 50 company. She’s coached more than 700 executives and clients to enhance their influence and impact, all in the spirit of creating more prosperity, balance, and fulfillment in their careers and lives. She’s worked with clients that include Amazon, the Walt Disney Company, Apple, Google, and more.Learn more about Sue Ann Gonis:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterFacebookOPENING MONOLOGUE SUMMARY:One thing that always seems to get in the way of our progress is self-limiting beliefs. Sometimes we all need someone in our corner to say that they believe in us, somebody to validate the thought that we can have that special moment when we realize there’s something more for us. Today’s conversation will shine a light on self-limiting beliefs, take action to dig ourselves out of that rut, and then take action and unleash our impact. And we’re going to do it with the person that did exactly that for Paul himself— Sue Ann Gonis.EPISODE CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:32]Sue Ann’s ‘Why’Sue Ann explores why she does what she doesWhen it comes to coaching people to remove their self-limiting beliefs, Sue Ann calls the moment that those limitations are broken through her ‘why.’ It’s worth reflecting for yourself— what’s your ‘why’?[24:03]$10 Million in the BankWhat would you do without financial limitations?Want to know what your true passion is? Take a moment to imagine you have $10 million to your name. Would you pursue what you’re pursuing now? It doesn’t mean that financial considerations shouldn’t be a factor in your life decisions, it’s just a powerful exercise that can help you identify what you truly want to be doing.[35:07]Doing and BeingWhat you do versus who you areIf you want to reach the core of your motivations, passions, drives, and values, go deeper than what you do and why. Ask yourself about the who behind it all. Who is the person that leads you to make the choices you make, to pursue the passions you pursue?[42:13]Putting People FirstWe remember the people who think of others before themselvesWhat makes a great leader is that they put others first. They make it obvious, and that knowledge makes everyone around them want to work harder, be more selfless, and feel more protected by their work environment. [51:17]The Simple Power of CompassionDon’t sweat the small stuff— just love peopleIf 2020 taught us anything, it was the importance of having compassion for the people around us. Recognize that the people around you are doing the best they can in the moment with the circumstances they have and look for ways to uplift or support them.[52:36]Sue Ann’s Favorite bookThe Last Word on Power, by Tracy GossSue Ann recommends The Last Word on Power, a book by another coach that explores how we all develop a supposedly ‘winning strategy,’ and how sticking only to that strategy can often be the thing that holds us back the most in life. EPISODE RESOURCES:[00:28] -- Purpose Labs[04:33] -- Sue Ann’s Website[49:01] -- About Jerre Stead[52:27] -- The Last Word on Power[55:38] -- Positive Intelligence[55:52] -- Flex: The Art and Science of Leadership in a Changing WorldMAKE A PLAY:We all have at least one self-limiting belief. The key is, do we know what it is? Do we know what it’s standing in the way of, and what are we going to do about it?It’s time to identify one goal that you have in life that you’ve struggled to take action on achieving. Now put some thought into what exactly is getting in the way. This will lead you to your self-limiting beliefs. Are there anxieties surrounding the goal, whether they be personal, financial, or otherwise?Now that you’ve identified the goal and identified the hurdles, it’s time to identify one action that you can take to get a step closer to achieving the goal. Just one. Start there and see how your impact is unleashed.We'd love to hear how your experience is with this exercise. Feel free to DM me on social or shoot me an email [email protected] to keep making the right plays?  Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Sue Ann Gonis:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterFacebookFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseSHOW CREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

The Purpose EconomyAt the intersection of purpose and business, we can do well and do good.IMPACT QUOTE:“Find one person that you’d like to get to know better, and practice curiosity with them.” - Aaron HurstGUEST BIO:Aaron Hurst is a pioneer of purpose, co-founder and CEO of Imperative, a purpose-driven assessment and peer coaching platform, and author of the groundbreaking book, The Purpose Economy. He’s also the founder of the Taproot Foundation and a catalyst of the $15 billion pro bono service market. He received the highest honor available to University of Michigan alumnus and is a producer of the annual Workforce Purpose IndexLearn more about Aaron:ImperativeThe Purpose EconomyAaron’s LinkedInAaron’s TwitterOPENING MONOLOGUE:Imagine this. You find yourself working in an environment where you’re inspired to go in each day. You show up to serve, contribute, and make an impact. You pour your strengths, gifts, talents, passions, and efforts into every action you take, and the performance takes care of itself because you’re so invested in what you do and why you do it. At the end of a hard-fought day, you feel fulfilled, not exhausted. You’re excited to do it again the next day. That is the working world that we’ll imagine today.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[6:28]The Birth of the Peace CorpsA transformative idea built on purposeWhen Aaron Hurst’s grandfather came out of World War II, he thought a great deal about how to avoid World War III. His epiphany was that if people truly spend time in purpose, working together to understand each other’s culture, then we had a chance to truly build understanding. This idea was the beginning of what became the Peace Corps.[14:22]Purpose in Ancient TimesBefore jobs and titles, there was purposeBefore jobs, managers, and infrastructure, we were all just people working together to survive. But our lives would have been filled with purpose— caring for our tribe, caring for the people around us, and finding ways to stay alive and stay healthy. So how do we bring that connectedness with purpose back to a world where so many things seem to stand in the way?[24:22]Seeing People as PeopleThe perspective that makes companies do well and do goodThe workforce must be designed for human beings, and if you don’t treat your people and customers as human beings, you’re missing an opportunity. Not only are you missing out on creating joy and purpose in people’s lives, but you’re also missing out on the chance to maximize shareholder value.[36:59]The Scientific MethodWant to understand your purpose? Go back to chemistry class.In science class, we learn about forming a hypothesis, measuring that hypothesis, and measuring your results. We should do the same thing in our careers. Run an experiment where you show up differently, try something new, build a different relationship, or make time to reflect. Build your career as a science experiment and watch what you can learn and discover.[47:12]Positivity at ScaleTracking and sharing the little ways we lift each other upAaron discusses the upcoming rollout of a new system that tracks positive comments and moments of connection that occur in work communication platforms around the world. It’s all about exponential multiplication of positivity and purpose.[49:07]The Importance of CuriosityAsk questions, then ask moreIf you’re not curious about someone, you’ll never truly see them. We must be able to express curiosity about the people around us in a respectful and sensitive way and create space for people to be curious about ourselves while being more vulnerable and open.RESOURCES:[00:28] - Purpose Labs[01:18] - The Purpose Economy[4:50] - Imperative[4:56] -  The Taproot Foundation[35:16] -  Job Crafting Resources: HBR  & U of M Ross School of Business[58:27] - The Power of Playing Offense[58:28] - Interview Your Who Downloadable ExerciseMAKE A PLAY:Getting to know the people who inspire us most can really help us find our own sense of purpose. But how do you truly get to know somebody? What motivates them? What inspires them? What excites them? What are they curious about? In Paul’s book, The Power of Playing Offense, he shares an exercise called Interview Your Who. Download it here.Ideally, your who is somebody that inspires you, that you would follow to any end. Once you’ve chosen yours, use the link above to complete the exercise. Then, be sure to DM Paul on social media or email him at [email protected] to share what you discovered.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.FOLLOW AARON:ImperativeThe Purpose EconomyAaron’s LinkedInAaron’s TwitterFOLLOW PAUL:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHEDPlaymakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul atPaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Choose the Hard Road: Leaders aren’t made in success; they’re crafted by crisis. They go for the extra inch when even that inch is a battle.QUOTE:“You’ve got to be real with yourself when you get to a point that it’s time to be challenged again. As a competitor, I wanted to be challenged again.” - Sam CaucciGUEST BIO:Sam Caucci is the founder of 1Huddle, a platform that’s transforming the way leaders train their teams by drawing inspiration from Sam’s experience with sports’ highest performers. He’s a proven leader, a culture champion, and true inspiration that’s chosen the hard road again and again to incredible results. Learn more about Sam:1HuddleLinkedInTwitterFacebookOPENING MONOLOGUE:How do we wake up with a focus on impact and presence, so that we can all have purpose as a dominant driver? How do we respond when we encounter a true leadership crisis? We don’t complain about it. We follow a series of powerful insights that help us all lock arms as leaders and be part of the solution. This week, it’s all about choosing the hard road and going the extra inch.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[10:07]Performing Beyond Our CapabilitiesSometimes the best opportunities are the ones that will push our limitsWhen Sam Caucci was living in a comfortable job in sunny Miami, he saw an opportunity in cold, cutthroat New York City that he knew would challenge and teach him. What did he do? He got on a plane. That decision to take the hard road transformed the path of his life.[15:09]Focus on the MomentIt’s a short show. Focus on the role you’re playing in it.Wake up every day and focus on living in the present and facing the situation you’re in now. Whatever you’re doing now, perform as if nothing else matters. Your growth and progress will naturally emerge from that mindset.[19:53]Find the ‘Why’ In Your ScheduleAre you spending your time doing things that are true to your purpose?Look at the last four weeks in your calendar. As yourself: What percentage of your time, in all those meetings and conversations would you say brought you closer to your ultimate purpose? If you’re not happy with the number, it’s time to start adjusting.[35:14]People, Not OrganizationsWhere you put your focus is where you’ll make an impactSam doesn’t focus on organizations, brands, or companies. You won’t find the word ‘company’ anywhere in his mission statements. People drive everything, and he focused on powering people above all else. That’s his ‘why,’ and it’s taken him to where he is now.[41:30]Make the Tent BiggerConnection is the fuel that powers successTo bring about change, you have to let in more perspectives and ideas. The goal isn’t just to squeeze more people into your existing space, it’s about making the space bigger and more inviting to more kinds of people. [47:06]A 5-Minute Call That Took All MorningWhen disaster strikes, how do you respond?Sam shares the story of the day he gathered his company on a Zoom call to announce they were shutting the office down due to COVID. What was supposed to be a short call turned into a long conversation with no business purpose— it was just about people sharing what was on their minds and in their hearts. It transcended business and became something more.RESOURCES:[00:28]: Purpose Labs[1:10]: 1Huddle[4:42]: Not Our Job, by Sam Caucci[42:29]: New Jersey Reentry CorporationMAKE A PLAY:If all of your responsibilities were taken care of financially, and you had a blank canvas in life ahead of you, what would you like to spend the rest of your time working toward?Send Paul your answer via a DM on your social media platform of choice, or email [email protected]. Paul will respond with his own response to the same question, and you can engage and level up together.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Sam:1HuddleLinkedInTwitterFacebookFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point. Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Leading Through the Left TurnsHow leadership is developed in the moments when life throws you a curveball you never asked for or expectedSHOW QUOTE:“Focusing on putting your strengths at the top of your game puts you in a position to be at your best every single day.  Then you allow yourself to shine in those moments. That’s leadership.” — Greg KishGUEST BIO:Greg Kish oversees all ticket sales and service initiatives for SoFI Stadium, Home of the LA Rams and LA Chargers, and host of the Upcoming Super Bowl LVI. Prior to his efforts in helping bring the NFL back to Los Angeles, Greg worked with the 49ers to open Levi’s Stadium and the Dallas Cowboys to open AT&T Stadium. But Greg’s true legacy has become his position as a catalyst through his industry-leading coaching, leadership, and purpose-driving accomplishments.Learn more about Greg:LinkedInSoFI ProjectRams TwitterOPENING MONOLOGUE:Beyond all the trophies and accomplishments, Greg Kish’s true legacy has become to serve and be a catalyst as an industry leading coach, leader, and purpose driver. And the number of lives he has impacted is absolutely extraordinary. And it’s still climbing.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[12:06]Greg Kish’s JourneyFrom childhood baseball to launching massive sports stadiumsGreg’s childhood love of sports led him to a spot-on Team USA. But then an injury permanently sidelined his career, and he was faced with a choice— keep trying to push or make a left turn into something new. He adjusted his goals, and his life (and the world of pro sports) have become better for it.[16:34]Leadership vs. BossingHow Greg got thrown into the leadership deep end, and what he learnedAt a young age and very early in his career, Greg was thrown into a leadership role without any warning or experience. What he learned was that there are times where you have to sacrifice so that someone else can succeed, and there are times where you have to be the one taking the big shot in the clutch. Understanding that balance is one of the secrets to unlocking real leadership.[23:43]Double Down on Strengths or Correct Weaknesses?For Greg, the answer lies somewhere in-betweenIs it better to strengthen our strengths or improve our weaknesses? Greg Kish believes the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Our strengths drive us forward if we capitalize on them, putting us in positions to succeed. But along the way, we should always be looking for opportunities to improve our weaknesses and augment them with help from others who are strong where we are not.[26:55]The Power of VulnerabilityWhere there’s self-awareness, there’s strengthThere was a time where vulnerability was seen as a weakness. Now we understand it’s really a superpower. It builds trust in others when we reveal our vulnerabilities, and when we’re aware of our weaknesses we’re better equipped to turn them into strengths.[40:55]‘Yes, If’ vs. ‘No, Because’Unpacking Greg’s mentality in personal and professional lifeInstead of responding to requests or ideas with ‘No, because…’ reply with ‘Yes, if…’ Then list the parameters that would allow you to say ‘yes.’ This puts you in a positive mindset while also encouraging others to improve on their ideas and concepts.[41:28]Growth from StrugglesHow challenging times can transform us for the betterAs the pandemic and other struggles have affected our lives, how do we respond? In some ways, we may be able to use them to help ourselves grow. Greg discovered meditation, a passion for cooking, and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and family. What will you discover if you allow yourself to grow?[58:31]Greg’s ‘Why’How finding purpose has influenced Greg’s lifeGreg highlights that the most significant impact of living and working with purpose is that it gives you greater insight into yourself. You understand why you make certain decisions, even bad ones, and why you put yourself in certain situations. Then you can move forward with confidence, because you know exactly why you do the things you do.RESOURCES:[00:28] Purpose Labs[04:17] LA Rams Website[04:18] LA Chargers Website[04:21]  Super Bowl LVI Info[05:36] SoFi Stadium[38:20] Rich Diviney & The Attributes[56:55] The Trillion Dollar Coach[1:07:35] Trust ModelMAKE A PLAY:How do you build trust in yourself and the people around you? One of our past guests, Rich Diviney, and the Chapman and Co. Leadership Institute co-created a model of trust that’ s incredibly powerful. In that model you’ll see a quad box model of what builds trust: competence, consistency, character, and compassion.If you’re ready to make a play on building trust, then identify behaviors and actions that will help you show up each day and build trust with others both personally and professionally. Let’s all make trust an integral part of our Playmaker toolkit, so we can all level up together.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Greg:LinkedInSoFI ProjectRams TwitterFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible. TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point. Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together! Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at: PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comOrder Paul’s new book: The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

The Keys to Intrinsic MotivationHow we can stop waiting for external factors to kick us into high gear and find the power within to push us towards our goals.EPISODE QUOTE:“Those that know this is a calling and believe so deeply in what we’re doing, and the communities they are building, and the people that they are literally changing are the ones that are going to come out of this. If you survive, you win. But it is not easy to survive.” — Helaine KnappGUEST BIO:Helaine Knapp is the founder of CityRow, an in-studio and at-home rowing experience that is exploding all over the country. An expert in intrinsic motivation, Helaine realized that the only workout that matters is the one you actually complete, so she built the power of choice, motivation and accountability into CityRow— with incredible results.Prior to launching CityRow, Helaine worked in media and participated in two high-profile tech company sales: Buddy Media’s $800M sale to Salesforce.com and Olapic’s $120M sale to Monotype. A longtime proponent of group fitness, Helaine launched CityRow six years ago and it now operates 20 studios with over 60 planned nationwide while also helping innovate the in-home, on-demand rowing fitness space.Learn more about Helaine & CityRow:CityRowHelaine’s LinkedInForbes Profile on HelaineOPENING MONOLOGUE:After spending years climbing the corporate ladder, Helaine Knapp left the world of publishing for startup life. Group fitness was her outlet, and after a major physical setback, Helaine persevered and went on to found CityRow, an in-studio rowing fitness experience that has scaled massively across the United States, both in-studio and in people’s homes. Helaine has been featured as a business leader and wellness expert on Today, Women’s Health, ABC, Vogue, Yahoo! Finance and People, and she’s done it all by unlocking the power of her intrinsic motivation— and helping others unlock their own.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[8:02] Getting Tactical About InnovationInnovative thinking doesn’t just happen. You need to create the space and environment for it.How often do you take time out from the day-to-day emails and to-do lists and reset your priorities? Innovative thinking won’t make time for itself. You have to make time for it and dedicate your mind and the resources of your team to fostering that innovation even when it seems like you’re drowning in the day-to-day.--[14:39] Ideas Are Hard. Bringing Them to Life is HarderHow do you have the courage to execute on ideas?The idea-generating process is the fun part. But how do you execute on that idea? The key is to move one decision at a time. Don’t focus all your energy on your massive, ten-year, multibillion-dollar point on the distant horizon. Focus on what needs to happen today and go from there.--[21:00] How Do You Know You’re Doing What You Love?Gauging how you feel about the way you spend your daysEach day take stock of what you’re doing and how you feel about what you’re doing. Sometimes you can like something that is also draining of your energy. Find out where everything sits in relation to whether you love it, hate it, or tolerate it, then adapt your life and career to add more to the buckets you love and remove things from the buckets you hate or only tolerate.--[26:19] What’s Your Why?Helaine explores why she does what she does so wellIf you’re going to jump into something vulnerable like entrepreneurship for money, fame, or a title, you’re going to lose your way. For Helaine, the goal was to help people move their bodies in a better, smarter way for lifelong health. Your personal ‘why’ may be something different, but you have to begin the journey of finding it now— not simply wait for it to show up somewhere along the way.--[37:17] From Job to CareerExploring the most difficult leap in professional lifeWondering how you can find a career that could turn into a calling? Get to know yourself first. Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Be real with yourself. Then use that to shape the way you spend your days. Get a sense for who you are, and you’ll end up with a sense of what you’re meant to do.--[42:31] The Core Tenets of CityRowHelaine talks about why guiding principles are so important in life and businessAt CityRow, Helaine believes in following a set of core tenets that lead her and everyone at the company. They include accessibility, scalability, and a culture that makes people proud to work there. If you’re leading a team, an organization, or simply your own personal mission, identify your core tenets. Get clear and explicit about what they are. Then use them to guide you forward.--[50:08] Double Down on Strengths or Correct Weaknesses?There’s no right answer, only the right answer for youIt’s a time-honored question: is it better to home in on our strengths and help them power us or work on our weaknesses to fill out our capabilities? Helaine believes in a hybrid approach, which involves doubling down on strengths but also surrounding ourselves with people who are strong where we’re weak, effectively filling those gaps with the skills of others. But to do this takes awareness. Take the time to identify your own strengths and weaknesses, even if it may be uncomfortable at first.--[53:57] Helaine’s Final ThoughtsThe queen of rowing’s take on the topic of optimizing for happinessSometimes the simplest answers are the truest. Helaine’s advice: do what makes you happy. Discover your strengths, find your intrinsic motivation, and pursue the things you’re truly passionate about. Life’s too short to do anything else.RESOURCES:[00:28] Purpose Labs[01:10] CityRow[25:21] Inc Magazine Article on Helaine & CityRow[41:15] Good to Great and Built to Last, by Jim Collins[46:05]Brené Brown[56:10] High-Performance Team ScorecardMAKE A PLAY:Let’s score where we stand on our purpose, choice, progress, and impact. This scorecard can be downloaded at www.PowerOfPlayingOffense.com. Scroll to Book Resources and click on the High-Performance Team Scorecard. This will serve as your guide for today, the next 30 days, and beyond. You’ll be able to pinpoint exactly how effectively you’re pursuing your true purpose, sense of choice, personal and professional progress, and the positive impact you’re making on the world. It’s a great way of taking action on the goals that matter most to you.  Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmaker’s website.Follow Helaine:LinkedInTwitterInstagramCityRowFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at: PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comPre-Order Paul’s new book The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Do You Have What It Takes?What are the attributes that lead to performance? And what kind of performance are we really looking for?QUOTE:“In the SEALs, the Fire in the Gut award is given to the person who showed the most perseverance and grit. Really just gutted it out and showed the most heart. Oftentimes, that person is the person with the lowest scores, and that's decided upon by the instructors, by a vote from the students. You can't win that; you have to earn it.” — Rich DivineyGUEST BIO:Rich Diviney is a retired Navy SEAL officer once in charge of training for a specialized command and whittling exception candidates down to the most elite optimal performers. Rich is now the author of The Attributes, a book about the 25 hidden drivers of optimal performance and what it takes to unlock them. He’s all about discovering why some people thrive, especially when things get hard.Learn more about Rich:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInBookOPENING MONOLOGUE:In today’s episode of Playmakers: Impact Unleashed, we’re welcoming Rich Diviney, retired Navy SEAL officer, thought leader, and author of The Attributes. Our conversation will span across the origin story of how and why he became a SEAL. What does it truly take? Then we’ll deep-dive on how we should tackle the fork in the road of performance. Is it peak performance that we’re after, or optimal performance? Rich’s perspective may surprise you.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[14:19]Measuring Grit and PerseveranceHow do you make intangibles more tangible?Rich outlines two ways of measuring grit and perseverance—experience and environment. Look at the environments and experiences where someone has thrived or failed to thrive, and you’ll discover a great deal about what they’re capable of achieving and persevering through.[17:29]Peak Performance vs. Optimal PerformanceWhen is operating at our best not the best?In the SEALs, Rich discovered the difference between peak performance and optimal performance. Peak performance is the absolute best that you’re capable of in perfect conditions, while optimal performance is the best level of performance for a specific situation in the real world. So, when we talk about peak performance, we’re often really talking about optimal performance—what’s the best we can do right now with the resources we have available.[26:15]Could and How: The Difference Between Skills and AttributesKnowing how to do something doesn’t necessarily mean you could do itSometimes we don’t just need to discover whether we know how to do something, but whether we could do it when the going gets tough. That’s the difference between skills and attributes. Someone might have the physical skills to be a SEAL, but do they have the attributes to persevere after the 20th long run in the mud carrying a 300-pound telephone pole?[34:59]Adapting Outside our BoxAdapting to changing circumstances is about more than skillsAthletes have the advantage of developing their skills within a very defined range of what’s possible— the rules and boundaries of their sport. But in the real world, we need to be adaptable to an infinite number of possibilities. That adaptability is fed by our attributes, not only our skills.[44:06]Discovering Your Attributes: What Comes NextAre you confined by the attributes you possess?Does finding out you have some attributes and not others mean you only have one path forward? Not at all. It’s possible to develop weak attributes, but by knowing your strengths you can more effectively reach your optimal performance in the meantime.[48:17]The ‘Dream’ TeamWhat happens when great individual elements don’t work well together?Many teams are brought together based on skill and skill alone. But anyone who’s worked in a professional setting, or followed pro sports, knows that skill isn’t the only thing that makes a team great. The attributes of all those team members must be accounted for to ensure harmony and optimal performance.RESOURCES:[00:28] -- Purpose Labs[1:14] -- Rich’s Book, The Attributes[1:22] -- SEALs Website[12:14] -- About SEALs Training[16:00] -- The Attributes AssessmentMAKE A PLAY:In Rich’s book and in his conversation with Paul on the podcast, he talks about five core areas of attributes: grit, mental acuity, drive, team ability, and leadership.Today’s opportunity to Make a Play involves going to Rich’s website and taking his Assessment, which will help you discover how you handle stress, challenges, uncertainty, and more. From there, develop a plan for how you’re going to develop and level-up your attributes— and maybe even consider completing some of the workbooks on the website. You’ll be surprised by what you discover about yourself.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmakers website.Follow Rich Diviney:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing OffenseLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul atPaulEpsteinSpeaks.comPre-Order Paul’s new bookThe Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]

Your Identity ToolboxHow discovering your purpose, relationships, and the variety in your life add up to shape who you are— and what you can accomplish.QUOTE:“It’s all about moving from having an idea and making it actionable, and then being able to pivot. Start with the hardest, but make sure that you’re taking consistent action.” — Torian RichardsonSUMMARY:What makes up the true identity of an individual? According to this episode’s guest, Torian Richardson, our identity consists of three vital elements— our purpose, our relationships, and the variety in our life that expands our perspective and helps us grow. Is it time that you started building your identity toolbox?GUEST BIO:Torian Richardson is the Global Diversity Recruiting Leader for NVIDIA, one of the world’s leading GPU designers and one of the most innovative companies today. Torian has worked on four continents, traveled to 70 countries, and brings his unique global perspective to every action he takes— and he’s all about taking action.Follow Torian on LinkedInOPENING MONOLOGUE:What makes up an individual’s true identity? First is our reason, the way we take our internal inspiration and transform it into action. Next is variety, which expands the horizon of our own experiences, pushing us into environments that are uncomfortable and help us grow. Finally, relationships— the currency of life. These three pillars add up to our identity toolbox, which will mold our character and optimize how we show up when it matters most.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[5:38]Well Done is Better Than Well SaidSometimes you just have to get in there and take actionEveryone has great ideas. We talk about making an impact in our own lives and in the world. But the people that pivot from inspiration to action are the ones who really affect change. Consistent action leads to progress in ways that procrastination never will.[7:25]Overcoming Challenges and Action BlockersWhat do you do when it’s difficult to take action?When life or global circumstances try to upset our momentum and mental health, what do we do? We stick to what we can control. We keep that alarm set at 4:30am, rather than letting our habits slip along with the world. Then we come out the other side, still pushing forward.[13:56]Building CapacityThe three pillars of reaching your potentialPurpose, variety, and relationships all combine to build our capacity— what we’re capable of achieving. This process won’t just happen, it needs to be intentionally developed each and every day by the actions we take.[24:08]The Power of “I Don’t Know”Become courageously vulnerable, change the world.Courageous vulnerability’ is a phrase that we should all internalize and make part of our personal lexicon. When we have the courage to be vulnerable, to say ‘I don’t know,’ we have the power to learn, evolve, and change our perspective for the better.[33:27]Corporate vs. Entrepreneurial: Making Your MoveIt’s not a question of direction, it’s a question of movementSome career choices aren’t what we think they are. For example, choosing to work for an enterprise or start your own isn’t necessarily about which one is the right direction— it’s about which one is going to cause the most momentum for you in your life. There’s no right answer for everyone— you have to decide for yourself using the power of self-awareness.[39:06]When You’re the Odd One OutOvercoming the challenges of being ‘other.’When you feel like there’s a wall between you and everyone else, it’s easy to withdraw into yourself. But the path forward is through that wall, insisting on finding ways to identify with all kinds of people. Broaden your experiences, even when it’s difficult, and watch how your life is transformed.[46:40]Relationships as OpportunitiesPeople make plays, but relationships make PlaymakersAn undeveloped relationship is a missed opportunity. Whether it’s the people in our personal lives that make us who we are or the people in our careers that help us get where we want to go, failing to develop relationships means failing to make game-changing plays.[57:49]Forgive Yourself, Forgive OthersForgiveness releases us from limits on our potentialRegret is an anchor. It stalls our momentum and requires us to work harder than we should to grow and improve ourselves. One thing the identity toolbox doesn’t have room for is regret or resentment— forgive yourself, forgive others, and reach your fullest potential.RESOURCES:[00:28] - Purpose Labs[1:06] - NVIDIA[5:39] - Torian’s LinkedIn[8:39] - F3 Fitness[22:43] - Chegg[24:58] - More on WD-40 CEO Garry Ridge[1:00:45] - Paul’s Identity Model DownloadMAKE A PLAY:Ready to create your identity toolbox? Start with the Identity Model, which features five distinct levels. The first three are the inner layers that make up your core identity. The final two are the outer layers that come into play when you take action.Purpose: Your ‘why,’ the personal motivation that pushes you to do what you doValues: What matters most to you? Who are you at your core?Beliefs: What have your life experiences told you about how you think about the world? These are the deeply rooted influencers that guide usDecisions: These are the big directional choices you make in life. Will I be X or Y? Will I live here or there, pursue this career path or that one?Actions: Your actions are the everyday moves you make to power your decisions. If you’ve decided that you’re going to pursue X, then what actions will you take each day to get there?Wondering where to start? Ask yourself, what is the one word that your most trusted inner circle would use to describe you? Whatever that common word you imagine they would choose, use that as the foundation for your values and build your identity toolkit from there.Now it’s time to get after it.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmakers website.Follow Torian on LinkedInFollow Paul:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing Offense:LinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn More at MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comPre-Order Paul’s new bookThe Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Host | [email protected] Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]