What happens when achieving your biggest goal leaves you feeling empty? At age 36, LA Rams coach Sean McVay became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl—and soon after, he nearly walked away from coaching altogether. In this candid conversation, Sean opens up about why he almost retired, the perspective he gained, and his growth as a leader. He shares the lessons he’s learned about resilience, leading with authenticity, and building purpose-driven success.
As a leader, my job isn’t to call people out, it’s to call people up. Share on XShow Notes
- Growing up in a football family (1:57)
- How Sean McVay earned the respect of the locker room as the youngest coach in NFL history (4:15)
- The importance of building an environment where feedback is honest, failure is safe and leadership is rooted in putting people first (6:35)
- Why McVay says chasing success can cost you perspective and how he forced himself to reset (8:05)
- Don’t mistake achievement for fulfillment (10:40)
- The moment McVay nearly walked away from coaching (12:46)
- How failing publicly forced McVay to reset and the unexpected mentor that helped him gain perspective (15:08)
- Be present, be grateful, and do hard things. (18:44)
- The power of “stacking good days” with consistency (20:52)
- “We’re in command but we’re out of control.” (24:31)
- The key to leadership: you have to know your people. (27:00)
- We, then me: serve others first. (29:29)
- Leadership demands both consistency and flexibility. (30:50)
- Your worst days show you whether you’re committed. (34:42)
- The hardest lesson McVay has learned: chasing success for yourself feels empty (37:46)
- The advice McVay would give his 30-year-old self (39:10)
- Who are you becoming as a result of the pursuit? (40:41)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Los Angeles Rams
- John McVay, Sr.
- Jon Gordon
- Jordan Montgomery
- Chris Peterson
- Cori Close
- John Wooden
- Ben Kotwika
- John Maxwell
- Raheem Morris
- Inky Johnson
- The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
- Ryan Holiday
- Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday
- Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday
- Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx
- Do Hard Things by Steve Magness
- Becky on The Learning Space
- Andrew Whitworth
- Dick Vermeil
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Dan Quinn and Russ Rausch on Strengthening Your Mental Game
- How to Create Buy-In and Build Trust with NBA Coach Will Hardy
- Mike McDaniel on Leading with Authenticity
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.
