What drives elite performers to show up and do the work— especially on the days they don’t feel like it? Performance coach Ben Newman calls it “the burn”: the deep, personal fuel that powers discipline, consistency, and next-level results. In this episode, Ben shares lessons from working with some of the biggest names in sports and business—from Nick Saban and Caitlin Clark to Fortune 500 executives. We unpack why the best don’t rely on motivation, the power of choosing standards over feelings, and how to tap into the fire that drives sustained success.
Your why gets you started, but your burn is what keeps you going when things get hard. Share on XShow Notes
- Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20 (1:57)
- The difference between focus and intentional focus (4:40)
- How to keep your team from settling for “good enough” (7:36)
- How Nick Saban led using the power of questions over statements (10:02)
- How Nick Saban created player-led accountability (12:09)
- Create your prizefighter day (15:22)
- Standards over feelings: don’t allow your feelings to dictate how you show up (19:33)
- The best don’t get seduced by success. How do you show up after you win? (21:50)
- The burn: the hidden fuel behind elite performance (23:59)
- Are you taking ownership of the person you say you want to become? (27:36)
- “Doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs.” (32:23)
- The question that flips self-doubt into belief: What if you started acting like it’s already true? (34:26)
- Why leaders need to incorporate unexpected intentional touches (38:46)
Resources / People Mentioned
- The Burn podcast
- The Standard by Ben Newman
- Uncommon Leadership by Ben Newman
- Ben Newman’s Performance Coaching
- Nick Saban
- Ginger Gilmore
- Jack Graham
- Will Compton, NFL
- Training Camp by Jon Gordon
- Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
- Ed Mylett
- Jon Gordon
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Eve Rodsky on The Hidden Costs of Doing It All
- How to Lead Without Waiting for Permission with Shelley Zalis
- Reshma Saujani on How to Be Brave, Not Perfect
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and leave a rating or review.
