CLEAR Performance Coaching

Coaching Podcast Teaser | CLEAR Performance Coaching

"We judge other people by their actions, and we judge ourselves by our intent."

Get a sneak peek at an upcoming conversation with the co-founders of CLEAR Performance Coaching — Sam Bracken, and Rick Timlick, and  Kent Vaughn — as they break down what it really takes to help people move past their own barriers.

In this teaser:

- Why most people default to blame instead of accountability
- How the stories we tell ourselves become our first obstacle
- The coaching principle: "A problem well-defined is half solved"
- Why asking one more question matters more than jumping straight to solutions

Full version coming soon!

🔗 Learn more about CLEAR Performance Coaching:  ⁨@CLEARPerformanceCoaching⁩  
👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for the full episode drop.

#coaching #leadership #personaldevelopment #accountability #mindset #podcast #clearperformance

Podcast #14 — CLEAR Performance Coaching: Getting People Unstuck — The Desired Future State

In this episode of the CLEAR Performance Coaching podcast, hosts Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn dive deep into one of the most powerful coaching tools in the "Getting People Unstuck" toolkit: Card 40 — The Desired Future State. Building on last episode's conversation about assessing the current state, this episode explores how to help people paint a compelling, actionable vision of where they want to go — and why so many of us struggle to answer the simple question: "If you could do anything, what would it be?"

In this episode, we cover:

• Why understanding your current state is the prerequisite to defining a future state — and why most people skip this step and jump straight to "solutions"
• The blind spot most people share — they can list what they don't want in 10 seconds, but go silent when asked what they do want
• How to use facts, feelings, and emotions as "rocket fuel" to pull people toward their vision — not just push them with KPIs
• The power of declaring your intention out loud: turning private dreams into public commitments
• Plan A, Plan B, Plan C: helping at-risk youth (and anyone facing big gaps) build achievable visions grounded in reality
• The importance of writing down your goals and reviewing them daily
• Why coaches must never be the dream buster

Why this matters:
Whether you're a coach, a leader, or someone feeling stuck, this conversation offers a practical framework for moving from where you are to where you want to be. The hosts share deeply personal stories — from leaving a 24-year corporate career at 57 to overcome a traumatic childhood — and show that the path forward is always available, even when the gap seems impossible. As Kent says: "No one can go back and make a brand new start, but anyone can start now and make a brand new ending."

Meet the hosts:

Sam Bracken (Co-Founder, CLEAR Performance Coaching) is a bestselling author, speaker, and resilience expert. His book My Orange Duffle Bag chronicles his journey from a traumatic childhood to a life of purpose. He is the founder of the Orange Duffel Bag Initiative, a nonprofit that has helped thousands of at-risk youth change the trajectory of their lives through coaching. His upcoming books include Harder Life, Better Life on resilience and a new book on getting unstuck. Sam brings 40 years of lived and learned resilience to every conversation.

Rick Timlick (Co-Founder, CLEAR Performance Coaching) is a seasoned leadership and performance coach with nearly 20 years of experience helping individuals and teams get unstuck. He specializes in bridging operational excellence principles with human behavior, applying tools like root cause analysis and mental contrasting to personal and professional growth.

Kent Vaughn (Co-Founder, CLEAR Performance Coaching) is a former corporate executive who spent 24 years leading organizations before becoming an entrepreneur at 57. He is an author and a passionate advocate for helping people pursue what they truly want — even when it means changing seats on the bus. His practical wisdom and storytelling make complex coaching concepts accessible and actionable. 

Subscribe for more episodes from CLEAR Performance Coaching, where leadership meets performance — grounded, practical, and purposeful.

#PerformanceCoaching #Leadership #Resilience #GettingUnstuck #Coaching #PersonalGrowth #DesiredFutureState #CLEARPerformanceCoaching

They said yes. Nothing happened. 

Agreement is easy — commitment is where the real work starts. In this clip, three coaches (Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn) break down the gap between saying yes and actually following through, and the one question most leaders never ask.

🎙️ From Clear Performance Coaching — conversations on getting people unstuck.

Full episode dropping soon. Follow for more on getting unstuck.

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

🎙️ Sam Bracken | Co-Founder and Author
Sam brings a coaching-first approach to performance improvement, combining extensive experience in behavioral change with deep expertise in organizational dynamics.

🎙️ Rick Timlick | Co-Founder
Rick specializes in translating coaching principles into practical, implementable frameworks that drive immediate organizational impact.

🎙️ Kent Vaughn | Co-Founder
Kent focuses on leadership and team dynamics, helping organizations build commitment around behavioral change initiatives.

#coaching #leadership #executivecoaching #accountability #mindset #shorts #getunstuck #ClearPerformanceCoaching

Getting People Unstuck: How to Diagnose the Current State (CLEAR Coaching Podcast #13)

In this episode, Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn, from CLEAR Performance Coaching dive into the first step of the clearing conversation: understanding a person's current state.

Building on the last episode's discussion of the clearing conversation (Card #38), the team unpacks Card #39 — "What are your current circumstances?" — and explores how great coaches help people see themselves honestly before trying to move forward.

Topics covered:
• Why an honest "mirror" self-assessment is the starting point for real change
• How to coach someone who doesn't want to admit their current state isn't what they thought
• Separating facts and data from feelings and emotions
• The psychology of blind spots — why 95% of people believe they're self-aware, but only 10-15% actually are
• Why understanding, not fixing, is a coach's real job
• Recognizing fight-or-flight states and how they block self-awareness
• Using HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) to understand reactive behavior
• When to recognize signs of trauma or mental health struggles and refer out appropriately
• The power of silence and patience when asking powerful coaching questions
• Two powerful questions from Card #39: "What are the facts telling you?" and "What are your feelings telling you?"

Our tagline says it best: We help ordinary leaders become great coaches who create extraordinary results.

🔗 Watch the related video mentioned in this episode — https://youtu.be/S0gWMo8uevU

#Leadership #Coaching #ClearPerformanceCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #Podcast

Feeling stuck? You might be looking in the wrong place.
95% believe they're self-aware. Only 10% actually are. 

In this clip from our latest episode, Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn,break down the psychology of blind spots—why your brain protects your self-image, and what actually works to get unstuck.

If you're a leader looking to build a performance-driven culculture without the fluff, this one's for you.

Subscribe:  @CLEARPerformanceCoaching  
To Learn More: www.clearperformancecoaching.com

Watch the clip and Full Version is coming soon...

Improving Performance & Getting Results | CLEAR Performance Coaching Podcast #12

In this episode of the CLEAR Performance Coaching podcast, hosts Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn dive into the "Results" pillar of the CLEAR framework (Clarity, Leverage, Engagement, Accountability, Results).

They explore why celebrating wins matters just as much as learning from failure, how leaders can avoid burnout-inducing pressure, and why a "fail fast, learn fast" mindset builds resilience and repeatable success. Topics include:

• Why celebrating success reinforces the behaviors that got you there
• The danger of chasing "more" without pausing to recognize achievement
• How to reset, refocus, and adjust after missing a goal
• Turning safety and performance "oopsies" into learning moments
• The neuroscience of dopamine, motivation, and habit formation
• Sam Bracken's insights from his upcoming book, Harder Life, Better Life: The Five Stages on Your Journey to Resilience

Whether you're leading a team, coaching others, or working on your own growth, this episode offers practical, real-world strategies for turning both wins and losses into lasting improvement.

Check out Sam's video on Results: https://youtu.be/EUlCMK2uWQs

Upcoming Event: Webinar - "Helping Leaders Become Great Coaches: Closing the Coaching Gap". 

- Details and Reserve a spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/webinar-helping-leaders-become-great-coaches-closing-the-coaching-gap-registration-1998865397211

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Sam Bracken
Co-Founder and Author | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Sam brings a coaching-first approach to performance improvement, combining years of experience in behavioral change with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics.

Rick Timlick
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Rick specializes in translating coaching principles into practical frameworks that teams and organizations can implement immediately. His focus is on making complex concepts
accessible and actionable.

Kent Vaughn
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Kent focuses on the leadership and team dynamics aspects of leverage, helping organizations understand how to build commitment around behavioral change initiatives.

Results don't just happen — they're coached. In this clip, Sam Bracken, Rick Timlick, and Kent Vaughn break down why satisfaction isn't about the outcome itself, but the outcome relative to expectations — and why "failing fast" is the key to real growth.

What you'll learn:

1. Why getting paid for results changes your mindset
2. How to coach a "fail fast" culture on your team
3. The power of celebrating small wins nobody's noticed before
4. A simple 3-step leadership pattern: Celebrate, Repeat, or Reset — no charisma required, just 15 minutes

If you're a leader looking to build a performance-driven culculture without the fluff, this one's for you.

Subscribe:  @CLEARPerformanceCoaching  
To Learn More: www.clearperformancecoaching.com

Why Commitments Fail (And How to Fix Them)

We all make commitments. But how many actually stick? In this episode, we explore the root causes of commitment breakdown and share a framework to design commitments that actually work.

What you'll learn:

• Why willpower and motivation alone aren't enough
• The framework for designing commitments that stick
• How to build effective accountability systems
• Common blind spots that derail even the best intentions
• Practical strategies you can implement immediately

Whether you're managing a team, leading yourself, or coaching others, this episode will give you actionable insights to transform how you approach commitments.

Want to dig deeper? Visit: www.clearperformancecoaching.com

Subscribe to stay updated on new episodes and coaching insights.

ABOUT THE HOSTS
 
Sam Bracken
Co-Founder and Author | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Sam brings a coaching-first approach to performance improvement, combining years of experience in behavioral change with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics.
 
Rick Timlick
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Rick specializes in translating coaching principles into practical frameworks that teams and organizations can implement immediately. His focus is on making complex concepts 
accessible and actionable.
 
Kent Vaughn
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Kent focuses on the leadership and team dynamics aspects of leverage, helping organizations understand how to build commitment around behavioral change initiatives.

When is the last time someone actually held you accountable for your training? Have you wonder why most comittments fail?

That's the question we dug into on Episode 11 of CLEAR Performance Coaching, and we just cut a 1-minute clip that gets straight to the point.

No fluff. Just a real, honest look at why accountability might be the single most underrated lever for improving performance — and why most people quietly avoid it.

Watch it. Then ask yourself:

• Where in your training are you letting yourself off the hook?
• Who in your corner is actually going to tell you the truth?

We want to hear your answers — hit reply and tell us what came up for you, or drop a comment wherever you watch it. We're reading every one.

This is just a taste. The full episode goes deeper into what accountability actually looks like day-to-day and how to build it into your own training — so keep an eye on your inbox. It's coming soon.

Talk soon,

CLEAR Performance Coaching Team

Website: www.clearperformancecoaching.com

High-Performing Teams Don't Happen by Accident

In this clip from the CLEAR Performance Podcast, Rick, Kent, and Sam break down what actually separates high-performing teams from the rest — and it's not talent. Drawing on Google's Project Aristotle research, they explore how psychological safety, trust built through shared struggle, and complementary strengths create exponential — not just additive — improvement.

In this clip:
- Why psychological safety matters more than raw talent
- How complementary strengths create exponential team results
- The power of "underpromise and overdeliver"

Watch the full episode and subscribe  @CLEARPerformanceCoaching   for more conversations on leadership and performance coaching.

Learn more: www.clearperformancecoaching.com

#Leadership #PerformanceCoaching #TeamBuilding #Podcast #CLEARPerformanceCoaching 

ABOUT THE HOSTS
 
Sam Bracken
Co-Founder and Author | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Sam brings a coaching-first approach to performance improvement, combining years of experience in behavioral change with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics.
 
Rick Timlick
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Rick specializes in translating coaching principles into practical frameworks that teams and organizations can implement immediately. His focus is on making complex concepts 
accessible and actionable.
 
Kent Vaughn
Co-Founder | CLEAR Performance Coaching
Kent focuses on the leadership and team dynamics aspects of leverage, helping organizations understand how to build commitment around behavioral change initiatives.