Summary
In this powerful episode, Mike Dauphinee sits down with elite performance coach Damon Goddard to explore the link between physical movement, decision-making, and the mental frameworks that shape our lives. From training world-class athletes to guiding CEOs through burnout, Damon unpacks how compensatory patterns, both physical and psychological, have expiration dates. Together, they challenge the myth of "muscle memory," discuss how strengths-based coaching changes the game, and spotlight the quiet power of belief. This isn’t just about sports, it’s about who we become when we stop reacting and start preparing.
About Damon Goddard (Belief Intellection Developer Input Learner)
Damon is a leading expert in sports performance and is the performance coach for Jordan Spieth and Will Zalatoris along with a host of PGA, Korn Ferry, LPGA, and elite collegiate golfers. He is a 3x Top 50 Golf Digest- Golf Fitness Specialist, 5x Golf Fitness Association of America-Industry Leader and has played a role in over 50 wins on tour including multiple Major Championships. With over 25 years of experience in the sports performance industry, Damon has worked with numerous golf, basketball, and baseball professionals as they bridge the gap from post-rehabilitation to maximum sports performance.
Insta: @goddardspn
Web: www.GoddardSPN.com
Takeaways
Great performance begins with mastering the basics—consistently.
Movement can awaken deeper capacity for decision-making and growth.
Compensatory patterns help us survive, but they don’t last forever.
Developers believe in others long before results show up.
Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s a gateway to strength.
Recovery and performance are equal sides of resilience.
Learning, gratitude, and relationships are daily performance markers.
Mental preparation is as vital as physical training.
Coaches play the long game of belief and small wins.
Decision-making gets easier when you’ve done the reps.
Soundbites
“Compensatory patterns always have an expiration date.”
“You don’t fix elite athletes. You build them from the ground up.”
“I see people for who they can be—even when they can’t yet.”
“Movement is medicine. Not metaphor—literal.”
“Vulnerability creates capacity.”
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Why Performance Is More Than Just Talent
02:16 Damon’s Early Career & the Decision That Changed Everything
05:40 From Football Roots to Pioneering Golf Performance
08:30 The Truth About Golf as an Athletic Discipline
11:10 Becoming the Best Requires Doing the Boring Work
13:00 Developer Strengths: Why Belief Transforms Performance
18:20 The Mental Side of Proactive Training
21:00 Preparation Beats Panic in High-Stakes Moments
24:00 Every Compensation Has a Cost
30:00 Burnout, Bodily Whispers, and Real Health
33:00 Vulnerability Isn’t Weak—It’s Powerful
36:00 Using Movement to Build Capacity in CEOs
40:00 A Quiet Masters Moment: Witnessing Growth in Real Time
45:00 The Cost of Belief and Why It’s Still Worth It
51:00 Daily Dashboard: 4 Simple Performance Metrics
56:00 Final Reflections & How to Prepare for Clarity