Imperfectly Human™ | Athlete Identity & Life After Sport

Rachel Blogg | Athlete Identity Coach
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Sports
  • Updated Semiweekly

Imperfectly Human™ is the podcast that explores the human being behind the athlete. Hosted by athlete identity coach, performance coach, and therapist Rachel Blogg, this podcast helps current and former athletes navigate the mental side of sport—from performance pressure and confidence to injury, retirement, identity, and life after sport. Each episode features honest conversations with athletes, coaches, sports professionals, and experts about the challenges that don't show up on the highlight reel. Together, we explore athlete identity, mental performance, sports psychology, resilience, confidence, and the transition beyond competition. Whether you're competing at a high level, recovering from an injury, adjusting to retirement, or trying to rediscover your purpose after sport, you'll gain practical tools and real conversations to help you move forward with confidence. Because your performance is something you do, not who you are. Welcome to Imperfectly Human™.

  1. 1d ago

    How Sharing Your Story Can Turn Pain Into Purpose

    What happens when you stop hiding the hardest chapters of your life and start telling the truth? Rachel Blogg sits down with YouTube creator, storyteller, and fashion designer Mrs. Kane for a deeply honest conversation about pregnancy loss, domestic violence, healing, resilience, and finding purpose through vulnerability.   Mrs. Kane shares the unimaginable heartbreak of losing nine pregnancies before welcoming her miracle daughter, the emotional impact of surviving abusive relationships and stalking, and how moving to Florida became the beginning of a completely different life. She opens up about documenting her journey on YouTube, using storytelling to process trauma, finding humor in painful experiences, and building a community by showing up as her authentic self. Together, they explore why asking for help is a sign of strength, how healing isn't always linear, and why sharing your story can help someone else feel less alone. It's a powerful reminder that your past doesn't have to define your future—and that even the deepest pain can become a source of hope.   Connect with Mrs. Kane: Youtube, Instagram Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    How Sharing Your Story Can Turn Pain Into Purpose

  2. Jul 28

    Running from cancer to the Antarctic!

    What happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and simply decide to begin? Rachel Blogg sits down with endurance athlete, Harvard Business School graduate, engineer, and educator Anthony Simonetti for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, adventure, and choosing experiences over fear. Anthony shares the journey that took him from a childhood shaped by family challenges and his sister's battle with cancer to running seven marathons on seven continents in seven consecutive days, raising thousands of dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and building a life centered on curiosity rather than comfort. Together, they explore how adversity shapes resilience, why mindset matters more than talent, the value of embracing uncertainty, and how meaningful experiences—not perfect plans—often lead to the greatest personal growth. It's an honest reminder that you don't have to wait until you feel ready to start living the life you want. Connect with Anthony: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildant/ Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    Running from cancer to the Antarctic!

  3. Jul 21

    How Telling the Truth About Your Past Can Set You Free

    What happens when you stop hiding the hardest parts of your story? Rachel Blogg welcomes author, speaker, and content creator Rachel Sobel for a deeply honest conversation about surviving domestic violence, navigating breast cancer, raising resilient kids, and learning that vulnerability can become your greatest source of strength. Rachel shares how years in an abusive relationship slowly eroded her confidence before therapy helped her recognize herself as a survivor. She opens up about the shame that often keeps people silent, why leaving is rarely as simple as it seems, and the importance of creating safe spaces where difficult conversations can happen without judgment. The conversation also explores parenting in the age of social media, living with ADHD, finding humor during breast cancer treatment, and how embracing every chapter of her story ultimately led to the book she always dreamed of writing. It's an honest reminder that healing doesn't come from pretending life is perfect—it comes from telling the truth about who you are.   Connect with Rachel Sobel: Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    How Telling the Truth About Your Past Can Set You Free

  4. Jul 14

    What Happens When Your Identity Disappears Overnight

    What happens when the dream you've spent your entire life chasing suddenly comes to an end? Rachel Blogg sits down with former NFL running back Montee Ball for an honest conversation about identity, performance pressure, addiction, recovery, and what it means to rebuild your life after everything changes. Montee shares the hidden struggles behind his success at the University of Wisconsin and in the NFL, the pressure to always appear strong, and how alcohol quietly became a way to cope with anxiety, burnout, and the expectations placed on him. He opens up about the mistakes that led to his arrest, the moment he realized he needed help, and why taking responsibility—not shame—became the foundation of his recovery. Together, they explore the mental health challenges athletes often face after sports, the importance of asking for help, and the work Montee is doing today to make sure the next generation of athletes knows it's okay to not be okay. Connect with Montee: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    What Happens When Your Identity Disappears Overnight

  5. Jul 7

    Why Showing Up as Yourself Feels So Hard

    What keeps so many of us from showing up as our authentic selves? Rachel Blogg sits down with holistic therapist and coach Corynne Carranza for a candid conversation about perfectionism, social media, motherhood, entrepreneurship, boundaries, and the quiet fears that often hold us back from being fully seen. Together they explore why even experienced therapists struggle with vulnerability online, how comparison steals confidence, the pressure to always be productive, and the importance of creating space for joy instead of constantly chasing achievement. They also reflect on the value of women's retreats, building meaningful community, protecting your time, and learning that growth often begins just outside your comfort zone. Honest, funny, and deeply relatable, this conversation is a reminder that being imperfectly human is exactly where real connection begins. Connect with Corynne: Instagram,  Linkedin, Website Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    Why Showing Up as Yourself Feels So Hard

  6. Jun 30

    When Recovery Becomes About More Than Surviving

    What happens when recovery stops being about simply staying alive and starts becoming about fully living? Rachel Blogg sits down with comedian, entrepreneur, and recovery advocate Jill Pavlov for an honest conversation about eating disorders, addiction, perfectionism, and the long journey toward self-worth. Jill shares how years of believing she wasn't enough led to an eating disorder, substance abuse, and ultimately a life-changing stay at treatment. Together, she and Rachel explore the lingering voice of an eating disorder, the pressure of perfectionism, why confidence is something we practice rather than something we have, and how improv comedy unexpectedly became a powerful tool for quieting overthinking and learning to take up space. They also reflect on grief, honoring loved ones lost to addiction, and why kindness may be one of the most powerful forms of healing we can offer each other. Connect with Jill: Instagram,  Linkedin Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    When Recovery Becomes About More Than Surviving

  7. Jun 23

    How a Former NFL Player Turned Failure Into His Greatest Success

    In this inspiring episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel sits down with former NFL player, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker Marques Ogden to explore what it really means to rebuild your life after everything falls apart. Marques shares his journey from professional football to becoming a successful business owner, only to lose nearly everything after a devastating business failure. Faced with financial ruin, addiction, and a complete loss of identity, he found himself at rock bottom and forced to make a choice: remain a victim of his circumstances or take radical accountability for his future. Together, Rachel and Marques discuss the challenges of identity beyond achievement, the mental health struggles many athletes and high performers face, and why focusing on the process rather than the outcome can lead to greater success. Marques opens up about the lessons he learned through bankruptcy, personal setbacks, and starting over, while sharing the mindset shifts that helped him rebuild both his career and his life. This conversation is a powerful reminder that adversity does not define us. Through resilience, personal responsibility, and a willingness to keep moving forward, even our most difficult setbacks can become the foundation for growth, purpose, and a meaningful comeback.   Connect with Marques: Instagram,  Linkedin Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

  8. Jun 16

    How I didn't Let Fear Control my Decisions

    Fear doesn't always show up in obvious ways. Sometimes it's loud and easy to recognize, and other times it hides behind perfectionism, self-doubt, and the belief that we're not ready yet. In this solo episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel shares how her fear of the ocean led her to take on a triathlon and eventually complete a Half Ironman. She explores how fear can keep us stuck in our personal lives, careers, and athletic pursuits—and why waiting for everything to be perfect may mean waiting forever. Through personal stories and professional insights, Rachel challenges listeners to identify what's really holding them back and take the first step forward, even when fear is still present. Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok   ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

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About

Imperfectly Human™ is the podcast that explores the human being behind the athlete. Hosted by athlete identity coach, performance coach, and therapist Rachel Blogg, this podcast helps current and former athletes navigate the mental side of sport—from performance pressure and confidence to injury, retirement, identity, and life after sport. Each episode features honest conversations with athletes, coaches, sports professionals, and experts about the challenges that don't show up on the highlight reel. Together, we explore athlete identity, mental performance, sports psychology, resilience, confidence, and the transition beyond competition. Whether you're competing at a high level, recovering from an injury, adjusting to retirement, or trying to rediscover your purpose after sport, you'll gain practical tools and real conversations to help you move forward with confidence. Because your performance is something you do, not who you are. Welcome to Imperfectly Human™.

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