What happens when expectations don’t meet reality? In the full podcast, you will hear the solution to adjusting when expectations don't meet reality that the world champions we coach (like Trevor Story) use.
🏆 In the Zone This Week: -Trevor Story (AL Player of the Week) – A comeback rooted in resilience, patience, and high-performance S.C.O.R.E.® mindset. -Kyle Schwarber – Crushing HRs with preparation, rhythm, and unwavering belief. -Jared Allen (Hall of Fame Speech) – A heartfelt message on family, identity, and mental clarity that inspires beyond the game. 🧊 Not in the Zone: -Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys) – Unclear direction, high-pressure decisions, and too many comments to the media. . . . . 💥 Master the Mental Game | Train Your Mind for Peak Performance ZoneCoach® helps athletes, leaders, and high achievers master their mental game and unlock consistent peak performance. More than motivation, our coaching builds elite focus, discipline, resilience, and clarity—so you can perform at your best under pressure. At the core of our method is the S.C.O.R.E.® System, a science-based mental performance framework created by world-renowned coach Jim Fannin. Trusted by champions in sports, business, and life, it’s the only proven system to access the Zone state—where confidence, clarity, and calm align.
🔎 START HERE → ✅ Take the 5-minute Mental Performance Assessment (Ranked #1 worldwide): https://www.zonecoach.com/assessments/
📞 Book a FREE 15-minute Transformation Consultation for 1-on-1 coaching: https://www.zonecoach.com/free-consultation/
📘 Explore Online Courses: Mental skills for sports, business, and life: https://www.zonecoach.com/our-store/
📚 Read Jim Fannin’s expert books on mindset, focus & peak performance: https://www.zonecoach.com/our-store/#books
👥 Bring ZoneCoach® to Your Team:
Group coaching that drives results: https://www.zonecoach.com/our-services/
📸 Follow daily insights on Instagram → @zonecoach_official
FULL TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:25:09
Hello, everybody. Welcome to living in the zone podcast. This show is about helping you solve your challenges in your life, your business, or your sport. And all of our solutions are based on a half a century of concrete, simple cognitive behavioral tools, techniques. Is going to help you be a life of simplicity, balance, and abundance.
00:00:25:09 - 00:00:35:05
And if you're a fan of this, follow our podcast. Subscribe. Click the link below to see all of the links that we have to help you be the best that you can be.
00:00:35:05 - 00:00:35:28
Let's get
00:00:35:28 - 00:00:36:25
the show started.
00:00:36:25 - 00:01:01:55
Welcome to the living in the zone podcast with your host, Jim fannin. This is your front row seat into the minds of champions as a master mental performance coach, Jim will pull back the curtain on the hidden strategies that drive peak performance in sports, in business and in life. If you are an athlete, coach, entrepreneur or just someone who's ready to level up mentally and step into your greatness, you're in the right place.
00:01:02:04 - 00:01:04:18
Welcome to living in the zone.
00:01:04:18 - 00:01:08:12
Today I want to talk about something that's hit all of us in the face.
00:01:08:25 - 00:01:40:18
It's been one of the number one setbacks for every student athlete, every amateur athlete, every pro athlete. And I'm talking business as well. And families. And that's how do you handle when your expectations don't meet reality. We're seeing a lot of people recoil, get upset, get ticked off, get emotional in real time right in front of everybody. And I'm talking professional athletes, not just an amateur.
00:01:40:31 - 00:02:09:50
I'm talking every body, not just fortune 500 CEOs. I'm talking about families, small business owners, parents, coaches, expectations. You know, you want it. You covered it. You think about it. You dream about it. You invest time in it. You sacrifice for it, and then it doesn't happen. Decades ago. I realized I'm going to play my childhood tennis idol.
00:02:09:55 - 00:02:34:35
The former number one in the world, the great Pancho Gonzalez. He's coming to Columbus, Ohio. My first racket was a Poncho Gonzalez autograph. I'm fired up, and I'm playing well. I'm the best in Ohio, and I'm going to crush my childhood idol and my serve. Don't let me talk about that too much, because I'll go nuts. I had a radio serve.
00:02:34:40 - 00:03:01:13
You could only hear it. You couldn't see it. So the match begins. It's an exhibition from the local department store, Lazarus, downtown Columbus, 2000 people. A lot of people want my friends. People I taught there. They're all there to see me go up against Pancho Gonzalez. The match begins. I serve first, ace. You don't even see it. Second serve.
00:03:01:18 - 00:03:29:52
Ace. Third point. Ace. I had four aces in the first game. What's the big deal? He got the radio serve first hand. One. Nothing. I break him two. Nothing. I'm pummeling the best player in the world. Three. Nothing. Three. One. Four. One. And now I'm at a change over 90s hits an exhibition. Poncho doesn't sit down. He doesn't sit down at all.
00:03:30:06 - 00:04:01:21
He goes up to the umpire and grabs the microphone. And then he turns to the crowd, turns to me, and he goes, you're unbelievable. Where are you from? And like a fool, I said, Kentucky. And everybody started laughing. Why? Because I'm from Kentucky. And then he said, I've never lost to a boy from a Kentucky. And I'm one of the best in the world.
00:04:01:25 - 00:04:28:13
And everybody started laughing immediately. I'm going with my hand over my throat. Accent. Self-discipline. Goodbye. Concentration. I was dialing in. Sound like now I'm thinking about, oh my gosh, I'm playing the best player in the world. I play a bunch of Gonzalez. He's never lost to a boy, which really ticked me up when he called me a boy from Kentucky.
00:04:28:18 - 00:04:58:42
But we go back on the court for two, four, three, four. Everything became a blur. I'm in the locker room. It's over. I'm looking up and Pancho Gonzalez is looking in the mirror, preening in a Vegas, Las Vegas like sharkskin suit. Looking at how beautiful you look. He's got this long, black, little gray, you know, man. And I'm sitting there off front.
00:04:58:47 - 00:05:22:58
I'm sweating. My head's down. And he came over and he said, son, as he pats me on the shoulder like a child. You just need more confidence. And I never saw him again. That was it. What happened? I had amazing expectations. And then all of a sudden, a score breaker zone breaker. And the next thing I know, I lost.
00:05:23:03 - 00:05:46:46
Is that happened to you? Is that happened to your son? Is happened to your daughter? Is it happened to you in business? Is it happened to you when your expectations are so high and you made a mental investment in manifesting it? So it's going to be real and it doesn't happen. You get back up and try harder, get back up and go for it.
00:05:46:51 - 00:06:13:19
Or do you suck? Do you blame other people? I could blame the umpire. I could have been a victim of whatever. Now I had to take those lumps. I had to own. I choked. Let's face it, I literally choked my brains out. I'm telling you on your choke, on your poor performance and then do something about it. And that's what the people that we always showcase on our show.
00:06:13:24 - 00:06:37:55
That's what they do. They get up from defeat one more time and let's go right into our segment. And I love this segment. Who's in the zone? Are you in the zone. And of course who's not. I'd like to welcome my cohorts here. We got zone coach Ryan Ledge and we've got zone coach Caleb Clayton. We got a lot of sun, some awesome day.
00:06:38:00 - 00:06:57:46
You're going to have to get a little bit more as I get ready. I don't need to get red. But guys, who is in the zone? I'd like to start off because this is a client. This is someone that, I really care about. Boston Red Sox. Trevor's story. Player of the week in the American League definitely deserves it.
00:06:57:51 - 00:07:20:56
Since I've been working with Trevor, he's hitting 300. His slash line is through the roof. Defensively, he's playing Gold Glove. He's playing MVP ball. And of course, he's an integral part of the Red Sox winning. Trevor you're in the zone. And that is a special place to be. And the only thing I would say to Trevor next when did you keep talking with Trevor Jim.
00:07:20:57 - 00:07:42:50
I started coaching him when they were on the road in Milwaukee. So, like May 30th, maybe May 31st. An amazing person. But the one thing, about all my clients is I tell them you're more than a tennis player. You're more than a golfer. You're more in a business person. You're more than a father. You're more than that.
00:07:42:55 - 00:08:05:46
And, a true champion is someone that's their best. Or they have a blueprint to be their best in every aspect of their life. So when we showcase a client, we know their zone and everything. And of course, we can showcase some other people. We don't know that their zone, but they probably play zone performers. Who do you see in the zone this weekend?
00:08:05:46 - 00:08:24:27
For me in the zone this weekend on the baseball field. But it's really been all year. And I do think he still kind of flies under the radar because I don't think people give him enough credit. But that's Kyle Schwarber with the Phillies. He just hit his 30th homer last night and Sunday Night Baseball. He's a big with them on Mondays, and he's on pace for another 40 homer season.
00:08:24:31 - 00:08:43:33
The last four seasons in Philly have been unbelievable. I believe he's on pace for 500 home runs in his career, which, you know, when he started in Chicago, he helped win the World Series. And he had one solid year with with a, I think about 30 homers or so hitting like 250. But he got kind of kicked out of Chicago was like, okay, we thought this guy was the next big deal.
00:08:43:33 - 00:09:00:49
And he kind of kind of laid a couple goose eggs there. Went to, Washington with the nationals and just had a resurgence. He had a power resurgence, and we actually went to the Red Sox, did fine, and then signed with the Phillies and and pretty much cemented himself as, yeah, I might have a statue built on me if we win a World Series.
00:09:00:49 - 00:09:26:33
Him, Harper, Trey Turner, Nick Castano, all those guys, Zack Wheeler like that Phillies team, all stars who won. And I coached against Kyle Schwarber a lot with pitchers. I'm not going to tell you the pitchers. He's taken a few of my guys long yard. He's so dangerous. The thing that I love most about Kyle and why I believe he's a zone performer consistently, and that's why he's reliable.
00:09:26:37 - 00:09:44:06
He hits a home run, and me and my brothers joke about this. It's like he's almost like, again, I've got a jog all around the base. He has a sense of of expectancy that becomes a knowing that, yeah, I will take you deep. It's going to happen. Maybe it's not this pitch, but eventually it's going to happen.
00:09:44:07 - 00:10:03:43
And when he hits the homer, he's so calm. He's so present. It's so purposeful. And when he's jogging, the base is like, yeah, I'm the man right now. So he's got extreme optimism, but it's because he's so focused on I know this is going to get the job done. If I'm on time, if I stand, let's face it, that one of the toughest places to play is Philly.
00:10:03:48 - 00:10:22:02
I've coached a lot of athletes there. Coach Jim, tell me when he was there, rival Ibanez when he was there. It's tough. I had a player that played against the Phillies in Philly. Got hit in the back of the head with a battery in the World Series, too. It's top place to play with. They love you.
00:10:22:02 - 00:10:40:31
They let you know they were throwing everything. That was insane. But if they love you, they love you. But if they hate you even for a day. Oh, they're going to let you hear. You're gonna know Schwarber again the next time you watch Kyle Schwarber. Just watch how calm he is even when expectations don't meet reality. He's still the coolest cat on the field.
00:10:40:34 - 00:11:06:40
Who's in the zone for you? For me I'm going with Jared Allen. I don't know if anybody got to see his Hall of Fame speech last week, but Jared Allen had a very, very moving speech. I think there is not a dry eye in the crowd after he got done up there. But we talk about an individual who lives their entire life in the zone, say, not just plays football in the zone because he's made multiple points throughout that Hall of Fame induction speech.
00:11:06:53 - 00:11:31:38
I mean, Jared Allen was a he's a feared individual on the football field. He was aggressive. He played old school football. I mean, he was out there to hurt the opposing quarterback. He wanted to hurt that quarterback every chance he got. But you could see up there he takes that away from him and says, the greatest accomplishment in my life are my two daughters and marrying the wife and the woman that I have.
00:11:31:38 - 00:11:47:50
And he said, that's and that's his legacy now. He doesn't care about anything on the football field. You know, what is his legacy? That's I don't you love that. And that's so awesome. See somebody at that high of their craft and to a defensive end, I mean those guys are there and they're just completely different than a quarterback or running back.
00:11:47:50 - 00:12:05:46
Those guys have a different switch that they flip on. But to see him embody on the field, but then off the field, he's such a charismatic, a leader of the family, a husband, a father, and it is awesome to see that he that's what he prioritizes. That's what's significant in his life. That's his life in the zone. He's the one who's not in the zone.
00:12:05:46 - 00:12:26:16
This week I got I got who maybe hasn't been in the zone since the 90s and that's Mr. Jerry Jones. Jerry's world, Jerry world. He's not in the zone. He's calling out players upon players upon players year after year. And now this whole, thing with Micah Parsons going on, and Micah Parsons wants to be a part of the Corps.
00:12:26:16 - 00:12:49:38
He does. And it just keeps the guy out. And he did the same thing with Dak, kind of just almost like a sub tweet about well, it makes you injury. Makes no sense because he's putting down big time money for Dak. Highest paid quarterback put down big money for him. Big money for CeeDee lamb. Yeah bring in another receiver to complement lamb I mean he's built the offense.
00:12:49:45 - 00:13:07:58
Let's go. Let's go to the playoffs. Let's let's go to the let's get the big one. Let's get the big ring. Let's get the least win a playoff game. And now you got arguably the best defensive player. I mean there's argument there but he's definitely in the top three. Yeah absolutely. How do you get rid of a guy like that who deserves the money?
00:13:08:10 - 00:13:33:33
I believe Micah Parsons deserves that money once again. Can the Cowboys afford him? Yes, I think Jerry can afford him. But when it when the Ravens love to have that guy, every team, every team. Oh my God. That way he's. So the reason why Jerry is not in the zone is because I think he feels like the spotlight got taken off the Cowboys this offseason and oh, that was his fault.
00:13:33:33 - 00:13:51:10
And he doesn't like it. And so it's coming out in the negative sense where his expectations are. I got to get to the playoffs and win a Super Bowl. And they haven't met reality. He did this with Dak. Yeah but now it keeps coming out. An old old man Jerry keeps coming out. He's not in the zone. Definitely not living in the zone right now.
00:13:51:10 - 00:13:58:16
lot of it is going to piggyback off what Ryan said there. And it seems like and this is just kind of an encapsulate all of this with the front office.
00:13:58:21 - 00:14:20:31
The players themselves, I think individuals are not in the zone when they go in and put their grievances, their concerns, all of that on social media for the entire world to see. I think some of this stuff needs to be handled behind closed doors. I don't think individuals need to know every single thing, but we see players. James, wanting to just bring everything into the public light and make it pop.
00:14:20:33 - 00:14:40:48
And I think some things need to be discussed behind need to stay in house. That's part of the culture. And Stan, I agree with that. But I also know that they're using social media to cover themselves. Absolutely. In case the guy does late. Well, I did this and I did that. So when I see somebody putting out on social media, I think there's tactics and strategy.
00:14:40:48 - 00:15:05:04
I don't think they're just doing it randomly. I agree that, but I'm not a fan of negotiating in public. And I think it's bad business, but negotiating for us in public, why would we do that? It did start with Jerry, I believe, by throwing his players under the bus, which if you don't think that affects the locker room and how how much they actually care about playing for the Cowboys for that.
00:15:05:13 - 00:15:23:19
I think you're kidding yourself. So. Well, if I'm on a minimum contract and I see how they treat the superstar, what are they going to do to me that they're going to treat me like a rock? So I going to step all over me. The million dollar question. Jim, if you were coaching Jerry Jones right now, what would you do?
00:15:23:24 - 00:15:42:37
I would get a vision of my team without the media, and I would address a locker room and say, we're going to the Super Bowl. And I'm announcing to the team I'm paying Micah Parsons to lead our defense and paint
00:15:42:37 - 00:15:55:14
Dak to lead our offense and let's go. But I wouldn't talk about it in the public. I would go to my team first and let them know this is where we're going.
00:15:55:25 - 00:16:02:47
This is what we're doing. And all the coaches need to be going right on Martin. And we we we agree.
00:16:02:47 - 00:16:15:11
But the one thing it has done, we're talking about the Cowboys. And should we be, we should not be talking about the Cowboys. You're talking about Caleb Williams slinging in be anybody but hitting that target. And you see that.
00:16:15:11 - 00:16:41:39
Yeah that where you go not the zone. They're throwing it that way. Preseason starts this way. Preseason this week anyway I think it's going to be an interesting season. But Jerry got behind closed doors. Make it out. Where am I Caleb Williams jersey next week. And now I'm going to let's go to the Zone Cafe. I want you to manage your thoughts because that's going to manage your emotions.
00:16:41:44 - 00:17:03:47
And once you control your emotions, you're going to be more decisive. But you need to find out what do I need to bolster? What is my weakest link in my mind? Is it my self-discipline? Do I need more of that? Do I need a better plan? Do I need a daily plan? Do I need a performance plan? Am I prepared?
00:17:03:58 - 00:17:29:28
Am I prepared to adjust? You got to answer that question. Do you need self-discipline? At the Zone Cafe, we're cooking up some concentration. That's a tough one in today's society. Why? Social media is pulling me every direction. Do I have tunnel vision and my focus on the task at hand? And can I hold that positive focus over one performance?
00:17:29:28 - 00:17:53:56
Two. Three, three days. Four days? Can I stretch it a week, a month? If you're having a challenge that you can't stretch it and you're losing focus, then you need concentration. Own up what you need. But maybe you have that discipline and that focus. But you gotta see the doubt that you're walking around with. It's hobbling you. It's undermining you.
00:17:54:07 - 00:18:23:55
It might be sabotaging you. How's your optimism? That's a big umbrella right in the middle of everything. It's literally at the middle of the word score. It's a heart and soul of the system itself. Optimism is the glue that holds everything that you do together. Optimism will ensure that the blueprint will be manifest. How is your belief as your expectation?
00:18:24:00 - 00:18:47:08
And are you giving a lot of validity to have a sense of knowing? But if you need more confidence right now, and maybe you don't trust your stuff, maybe you don't trust it, well then admit it. I need optimism and right there is going to lead you down a path of going to the next level. I've seen one of the markers that we cook all the time.
00:18:47:13 - 00:19:19:52
That's just relaxation. You get a guy like a Trevor Story who mentally is locked in, disciplined, focused, confident. But what makes someone at that level so good? From the jaw down, everybody's relaxed. The best in the world. They don't look like they're trying because they're not. They're in a flow of ease with purpose. How's your worry level? How's your anxiety level?
00:19:19:57 - 00:19:49:50
If you are having challenge, worrying, being anxious, maybe fearful, and maybe choking. Choking when the money's on the table because you can't control your breathing. In fact, it's hearts coming out of your chest and your breath way over 20 a minute. If you're having that challenge, admit it and take it. Relaxations one I'm going to work on. But last and definitely not least, it's the end of the word.
00:19:49:59 - 00:20:07:58
It's the end of the score system. You got to enjoy the journey. You got to enjoy the challenge of being a great player. You got to meet the challenge of climbing to the apex of where you want to go. And the higher you want to go, the more challenges you're going to have. And you got to love it.
00:20:08:02 - 00:20:31:07
You got to love to meet these challenges. So now at the Zone Cafe, what are you going to pick? You need self-discipline. You need concentration. Do you need optimism? Do you need to chill and get some relaxation? Or do you need to get some pep in your step and love what you do and do what you love? You can go to the Zone Cafe anytime you want, but right now you know what you need.
00:20:31:07 - 00:20:58:17
And if you really want to take a deep, deep dive, check out below. Take the score challenge. We've got over two dozen assessments that's going to identify exactly what you need. And more importantly, I'm going to give you a solution and a blueprint on exactly what to do. Take the challenge below. Again, don't forget to subscribe.
00:20:58:17 - 00:21:27:20
the final word. Every one of us. We've had expectations on a performance, a test in school, a golf match around with our buddies on the weekend, a tennis match, a pickleball match. We've all had expectations. And how many times did they not meet reality? What do you do the best in the world are prepared for not meeting reality.
00:21:27:25 - 00:21:56:15
Prepared. Prepared to adjust. So right now, whatever performance you want, you must see it as if. If it's so and if you're not driving a car, shut your eyes and unhinge your jaw and relax. See the vision of exactly what you want in your performance. See winning the last point. See holding up the trophy. See the accolade that you choose.
00:21:56:20 - 00:22:32:55
Will it always happen? No, it doesn't always happen. But when you get knocked down by defeat, whether you choked or somebody just woke you that day because that does happen in business, in sports, in life, it happens. That vision can hold you up back up, get you up quicker, faster, pull you out of the ditch of defeat. So every time I don't meet my expectations, when that happens, I shut my eyes and see it done even though I didn't do it.
00:22:32:59 - 00:22:55:07
And maybe I need a few more days to make it happen. Or maybe I've missed this month entirely. Maybe I got to do it even next year. But I'm not going to stop this negative performance. We're dwelling on the negatives of the performance, so I'm going to put in my mind either a blank screen and nothing's going to happen.
00:22:55:11 - 00:23:24:10
Then more often than not, my clients and myself, I'm seeing only what I want, not what I don't want. Yeah, that is the final word. When expectations don't meet reality. See only what you want. Don't deviate, don't change. Stay the course. Keep your dream alive. Keep the vision out in front until next week. Be in the zone again.
00:23:24:10 - 00:23:25:45
Don't forget to subscribe
00:23:25:45 - 00:23:27:48
And I'll talk to you next week.
 
 

Ver todos los episodios