
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Ever started working on a skill and suddenly felt like you were performing worse instead of improving? That’s not failure — that’s the learning process doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. In this episode, we break down why performance often drops right after coaching, feedback, or technique changes, and how that frustrating phase is actually the gateway to mastery.
You’ll learn the four stages of skill development, why confidence crashes before it climbs, and how elite athletes push through the uncomfortable middle stage where most people quit. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or leader, this episode will help you reframe struggle as progress and give you a mental model you can use to train smarter, stay patient, and build real competence.
Key Takeaway: Feeling worse doesn’t mean you’re regressing — it means you’re becoming aware. And awareness is where improvement begins.
*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com
Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
C&C Merch - shop.captainsandcoaches.com
By Tex McQuilkin5
3030 ratings
Ever started working on a skill and suddenly felt like you were performing worse instead of improving? That’s not failure — that’s the learning process doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. In this episode, we break down why performance often drops right after coaching, feedback, or technique changes, and how that frustrating phase is actually the gateway to mastery.
You’ll learn the four stages of skill development, why confidence crashes before it climbs, and how elite athletes push through the uncomfortable middle stage where most people quit. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or leader, this episode will help you reframe struggle as progress and give you a mental model you can use to train smarter, stay patient, and build real competence.
Key Takeaway: Feeling worse doesn’t mean you’re regressing — it means you’re becoming aware. And awareness is where improvement begins.
*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com
Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
C&C Merch - shop.captainsandcoaches.com

229,674 Listeners

596 Listeners

30,870 Listeners

12,154 Listeners

1,256 Listeners

372 Listeners

502 Listeners

1,572 Listeners

536 Listeners

46,368 Listeners

293 Listeners

1,246 Listeners

218 Listeners

64 Listeners

68 Listeners