What do NFL quarterbacks, startup founders, and WNBA expansion teams have in common?
Pressure. Decision making. And the ability to regulate themselves when it matters most.
In this episode of Builders Season 3, I sit down with Alex Auerbach, performance psychologist to the Jacksonville Jaguars, advisor to the Toronto Tempo (WNBA expansion team), executive coach to founders and VCs, and builder of multiple ventures inside and outside of professional sport.
This conversation is about elite performance. Not the Instagram version. The real version.
We unpack high agency, hiring without bias, reframing stress, rest as a strategic weapon, and what it actually means to build a meaningful and maximized life.
In this episode, we explore:
✅ 00:00 – 07:00 Introductions & Finding Your Edge
The episode kicks off with the straight up facts on why job simulations beat a “good handshake,” before we dive into Alex’s background. We discuss his journey from clinical psychology to peak performance work in professional sport, and how he used experimentation and elimination of distractions to build his own ventures.
✅ 07:00 – 10:30 Athletes vs. Entrepreneurs: What’s Actually Different?
Alex breaks down the real similarities between elite athletes and elite leaders - and where the comparison falls apart.
✅ 10:30 – 15:30 High Agency, Self-Regulation & Ownership
We go deeper into internal locus of control- or what we call high agency. Alex explains why elite performers pair extreme ownership with self-regulation, and how the ability to control your thinking, physiology, and emotional response directly impacts team performance.
✅ 15:30 – 29:30 Stagnation vs. Plateaus & The Excitement vs. Stress Reframe
This section is deeply tactical. We unpack threat vs. challenge framing, the “stress is enhancing” mindset, and four ways to reinterpret pressure so it becomes fuel instead of friction.
✅ 29:30 – 37:00 The Pursuit of Excellence & Predicting Success
Alex discusses his personal drive to push human limits and how he transitioned from evaluating 300+ NFL/NBA draft prospects to bringing that same psychological rigour into the corporate world to solve the "fit" issue in executive hiring.
✅ 37:00 – 46:00 Designing Your Leadership Style
From observing polarizing figures like Nick Saban to defining what it means to be a servant leader, we talk about the power of intentional leadership design.
✅ 46:00 – 57:00 Meaningful & Maximized: Redefining Success
We pivot into how he defines success today - meaningful and maximal. We unpack core values, seasons of intensity, and why “having it all” is absolutely possible, but not in equal increments or equal velocity.
✅ 57:00 – 1:01:20 Building a Startup Inside Pro Sports
Alex shares what it’s like advising the WNBA expansion team, the Toronto Tempo. We talk about velocity, visibility, real estate, and what founders can learn from organizations that must launch an MVP that is immediately ready to compete for a championship.
✅ 1:01:20 – 1:09:20 The Tactical Playbook: Hiring Without Bias
This is a must-listen for anyone building a team. Alex breaks down exactly how to use structured interviews, job simulations, and hiring committees to dramatically increase your success rate.
✅ 1:09:20 – 1:21:20 Rest, Burnout & Sustained Elite Performance
We close with something hustle culture still misunderstands: recovery. Stress without recovery leads to breakdown. Stress with recovery leads to growth.
This episode is for the builder who wants to reliably and sustainably perform at an elite level.
Because growth in business and leadership isn’t just about revenue.
- It’s about agency.
- It’s about regulation.
- It’s about hiring well.
- It’s about recovering strategically.
And it’s about building a life that feels meaningful - not just impressive.
Connect with Alex:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexauerbachphd