The High Performance Life
The Identity Crisis No One Warns Successful Men About
In this episode, I sit down with Tim Schurrer, CEO of David Novak Leadership and author of The Secret Society of Success . Tim's work challenges the way so many of us have been taught to think about success. For years, many ambitious people chase recognition, status, attention, achievement, and the spotlight — only to realize that those things do not always lead to fulfillment. Tim and I talk about what it means to redefine success, not by how much attention we receive, but by how much we help others win. We start with sports, rivalries, and the way teams can create connection. But the conversation quickly moves into something much deeper: identity, service, leadership, parenting, recognition, legacy, and why some of the most meaningful work we ever do may happen behind the scenes. Tim shares how he once wanted to be the person in the spotlight, how chasing that version of success left him restless, and how mentors, leaders, and stories like Michael Collins from Apollo 11 helped him see a different path. This is a conversation about connection over comparison, service over status, and what it looks like to build a life where success is measured by the people we help along the way. About the Guest Tim Schurrer is the CEO of David Novak Leadership and the author of The Secret Society of Success . His book challenges the traditional definition of achievement by arguing that true success is measured by how much we help others win. Tim previously spent nearly a decade as COO alongside bestselling author Donald Miller, helping build StoryBrand and Business Made Simple into two of the most influential leadership and business brands in the world. Earlier in his career, Tim held roles at Apple and TOMS, experiences that helped shape his belief that the greatest leaders create significance by elevating the people around them. Today, through his writing, speaking, leadership work, and conversations with world-class leaders, Tim helps ambitious people redefine success through service, impact, and helping others win. Key Takeaways → Why Tim wants his life to be about connection, not separation → How sports, teams, and rivalries can create common ground instead of division → Why identity should not come from your vocation → What it means to bring your identity to your work instead of taking your identity from your work → Why Tim describes himself as "the great inviter" → How comparison can keep us from becoming who we are actually meant to be → Why Tim's early dream of becoming the next John Mayer helped reveal what he was really chasing → How failure can become a doorway into a more honest version of success → Why moving from being a taker to being a giver changed Tim's life → Why success does not always mean walking on the moon → What Michael Collins from Apollo 11 taught Tim about playing a meaningful supporting role → Why helping someone else win can be just as significant as being the person in the spotlight → How parenting requires us to step out of the main character role and help our children launch → Why great leadership is about "we" more than "me" → What Tim has learned from David Novak about recognition, culture, and valuing people → Why leaders cast a shadow and people often copy what the leader models → How David Novak used personal recognition awards to build a culture where people felt seen → Why recognition may seem soft, but can drive very real results → How a simple text of appreciation can change someone's day → Why helping others win should apply at work, at home, and in our everyday interactions → How Tim is applying this mindset through David Novak Leadership, the NFL Accelerator, How Leaders Lead , and Eric Church's Chief Cares work → Why influence should be used to serve more people, not to make more people serve us → Why the real question is not "What can I achieve?" but "Who am I here for?" Closing Thoughts This conversation with Tim reminded me that success is not always found in the spotlight. Sometimes success is found in the assist. It is found in the person who creates the opportunity. The person who makes the introduction. The person who helps someone else get across the finish line. The person who gives credit away. The person who recognizes the work no one else sees. The person who is willing to play the role that helps the team win. So many of us spend years chasing the wrong scoreboard. Titles. Status. Attention. Followers. Recognition. Achievement. But Tim's message is powerful because it invites us to ask a better question. Not, "How do I become more impressive?" But, "Who am I here for?" That question changes everything. It changes how we lead. It changes how we parent. It changes how we build relationships. It changes how we define legacy. It changes how we measure a meaningful life. Because at the end of the day, the people who experience the deepest fulfillment are not always the ones who received the most attention. They are the ones who found a way to serve. They are the ones who helped others win.
