He Got Hit By a Truck at 60MPH… Then Called His Attacker to Forgive Him | Kirk McCarley

Most people who quit a job don't leave because of money — they leave because nobody told them what their job actually was. In this episode, Matthew sits down with Kirk McCarley, a 35-year HR veteran turned certified life and career coach (and longtime ESPN college sports statistician), to unpack how coaching really works, why advice-giving is the opposite of good coaching, and the metaphors — hiking, golf, Nick Saban's coaching tree — that help clients actually change behavior instead of just talking about it. Kirk also opens up about a near-fatal cycling accident, the forgiveness that followed, 46 years of marriage, and the two words he's using to guide his year: Move and Connect.

Key Takeaways

• People quit jobs for two reasons more than money: they don't know what the job is, or they don't know how well they're doing it.
• Coaching isn't advice-giving — it's asking deep questions until the client's own answer surfaces, then holding them accountable to it.
• Behavior change feels worse before it feels better (the golf grip metaphor) — don't confuse short-term discomfort with the wrong path.
• You can always ask forgiveness for doing something in the wrong direction; you can't ask forgiveness for doing nothing.
• Ask permission before giving unsolicited feedback — it turns criticism into something the other person actually wants to hear.

About the Guest

Kirk McCarley spent 35 years in Human Resources before retraining as a certified life, career, and executive coach in 2013. Alongside his HR career, he spent nearly three decades as a college football, basketball, baseball, and softball statistician for ESPN. He's also a spinning instructor, competitive cyclist, and author.

Connect

• Instagram: Kirk McCarley
• Website: https://theseedsowercoach.com/
• Author Website: https://kirkmccarleyauthor.com/
• LinkedIn / Facebook: Kirk McCarley
• Book: Thoughts for My Kids (and Other People's Kids, Too) by Kirk McCarley – https://amzn.to/4pgdCrh