#55: The Actions of Confidence Come First with Zach Brandon

In today’s Coaching Through Stories episode, Dr. Eric Bean is joined by one of his favorite people, Zach Brandon, the Head of Mental Performance and Coach Development with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Zach is in his sixth season leading the mental performance department for players, coaches, and staff with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his role, he also assists the front office and leadership staff with coach development initiatives. He also provides customized coaching and workshops to performers and organizations through his personal company, MVP Mindset Consulting. 

Within the first few minutes of this conversation, Zach talks about his main motivation is to help people be the best version of themselves. A lot is covered in today’s episode including, Zach’s framework of high performance that includes 3 overarching components. First is the mind and being able to not only manage but also leverage our thoughts, emotions, and attention. The second piece is the body which for Zach includes our ability to accept when we’re not feeling 100% but having the courage to step in the arena anyway with the self-belief that what you do in this moment is enough and is good enough to compete. And the final prong of his framework is spirit which includes awareness of your mission, your values, and your purpose. And that’s just one of many great lessons Zach shares throughout our conversation. 

You will learn how elite performers can accept when they're not feeling 100% and have developed strategies to navigate these uncomfortable moments. In moments of doubt, elite performers muster the courage to step into the arena with the self-belief that what they do in the given moment is enough, despite not feeling their best. This conversation will leave you feeling inspired to take on challenges even when failure is possible. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Can you have joy and fulfillment alongside high performance? 

•  Three things to look out for in order to get the most out of your body 

• The willingness and readiness to go deeper 

• The idea of “quick fixes” and how to work against that 

Highlights:  

[9:38] Is elite performance and personal joy at odds with each other? 

[17:55] Informational vs Educational vs Transformation 

[26:07] Zach’s philosophy to high performance 

[31:31] The mind being the “surface layer” 

[35:01] The disconnect between knowing and doing 

[46:38] Simulating the external and internal environment 

[53:52] The detrimental effects of sabotaging your own confidence and well being 

[58:11] The gap and the gain mindset 

[1:06:59] How to shift the mindset of an entire organization? 

Resources: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/ 

• The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362