The Discipline Advantage: Why Former Athletes Make Better CEOs

Most CEOs think business success is about being the smartest person in the room. They’re wrong. It’s about showing up when you don’t feel like it, executing when the pressure’s on, and trusting your fundamentals when everything’s falling apart.

I recently spoke with Professionals UK about why former athletes consistently outperform traditional business leaders—and it has nothing to do with winning trophies.

Here’s what most people miss: playing Division 1 golf taught me more about running companies than any MBA ever could. Not because of competition. Because of repetition. I hit thousands of golf balls in conditions I didn’t want to practice in, preparing for moments that might never come. That’s exactly what entrepreneurship demands—relentless preparation for uncertain outcomes.

The real advantage isn’t discipline. It’s muscle memory for pressure. When you’ve stood over a six-foot putt with a tournament on the line, launching a business in 90 days doesn’t feel scary—it feels familiar. Your body remembers what to do when your mind wants to quit.

I launched five companies in 18 months using this exact principle. While competitors were perfecting their pitch decks, I was shipping products. While they were building teams, I was building revenue. The athletic mindset isn’t about working harder—it’s about knowing which fundamentals matter when everything else is noise.

If you’ve ever wondered why some entrepreneurs move faster while staying calmer, or why certain leaders make better decisions under pressure, this article breaks down the psychological and practical advantages that athletic training creates for business performance.

Read the full article on Professionals UK →

Business is a sport that never ends. The winners are the ones who practiced when no one was watching.