Ben Zobrist On What Happens After The Win - Bonus Episode

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In this bonus episode of the Unfinished Leadership Podcast, Jon Peacock sits down with Ben Zobrist, 2016 World Series MVP of the Chicago Cubs, for a raw and honest conversation about leadership, pressure, and identity. Ben reflects on his journey from small-town Eureka, Illinois, to a last-minute scout day that changed his future, the leaders who offered borrowed belief along the way, and the defining moments of the Cubs’ historic 2016 championship run—including the iconic Game 7 rain-delay meeting. The heart of this episode comes after the win, as Ben opens up about the panic attacks, anxiety, and mental health struggles that followed his greatest professional success, forcing him to confront a question every leader eventually faces: Am I enough if I can’t perform? He closes by sharing his passion for developing emotional intelligence in youth sports through Champion Forward, and why learning to sit with pain—rather than run from it—has become a defining leadership habit in his life.

00:00 – Introducing Ben Zobrist & the unfinished leader
06:05 – The scout day that changed everything (borrowed belief)
14:00 – MLB leadership lessons & belief
17:10 – The 2016 World Series & the Game 7 rain-delay moment
25:15 – When success breaks you: panic, anxiety, and burnout
30:30 – “You are enough”: redefining strength, faith, and leadership