The Hidden Capacity Within
What Tadej Pogačar's Transformation Teaches Us About Overcoming Self-Imposed Limitations
Honestly, I am not much of a cycling fan, but an article in the NY Times sent to me by a friend really intrigued me. It was the story of Tadej Pogačar's remarkable transformation. After losing two consecutive Tours de France to Jonas Vingegaard, he didn't accept defeat —he reimagined what was possible. What struck me most wasn't just his physical evolution but the systematic dismantling of perceived limitations that had previously defined his boundaries. Its a topic that many of the coaches at 100 Coaches Agency talk about - removing self limiting beliefs. His journey from talented rider to dominant champion offers insights for anyone seeking to unlock their hidden potential. Examining his methodical approach to transformation, three key principles emerged: the courage to acknowledge current limitations without accepting them as permanent, the power of intentional discomfort in expanding capacity, and the transformative effect of surrounding ourselves with people who see possibilities we cannot yet perceive.
The first lesson lies in Pogačar's willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about his performance. When UAE Team Emirates conducted their December 2023 assessment, they didn't minimize the gap between Pogačar and Vingegaard—they examined it with surgical precision. His team identified specific areas where Visma had exploited weaknesses: under-fueling during crucial moments, struggling in extreme heat, and lacking explosive power on steep climbs. Rather than defending these as unchangeable characteristics, Pogačar embraced them as opportunities for growth. Similarly, in executive coaching, the most transformative breakthroughs occur when leaders stop explaining away their limitations and start exploring them. We often mistake our capacity for our potential, creating invisible barriers that become more restrictive than any external obstacle. The courage to say "I'm not where I need to be, but I can get there" is the foundation for extraordinary growth.
The second insight comes from Pogačar's embrace of deliberate discomfort as a catalyst for expansion. His decision to compete in the grueling Monument races—despite his team's initial reluctance—exemplifies this principle. These races required him to carry additional muscle mass and develop new skills, temporarily moving him away from his Tour de France-optimized physiology. The risk was enormous, but so was the potential for growth. His heat training sessions pushed his body into uncomfortable conditions that previously limited his performance. My executive coaching friends call this "leaning into the stretch zone"—that space where discomfort signals growth rather than danger. Too often, we mistake the temporary discomfort of learning for evidence that we're moving in the wrong direction. Pogačar's example reminds us that our greatest capacity often lies just beyond our comfort zone, waiting to be unlocked through intentional challenge.
The third principle involves the transformative power of expert guidance in revealing hidden potential. Pogačar's switch from coach Iñigo San Millán to Javier Sola represented more than a personnel change—it was an investment in seeing himself through fresh eyes. Sola's focus on VO2 max development and fatigue resistance helped Pogačar access capabilities that were present but never fully realized. The team's discovery of his unique recovery markers revealed that what they had assumed were physical limitations were, in fact, competitive advantages waiting to be leveraged. This parallels the impact of executive coaching, where an outside perspective can illuminate blind spots and reveal strengths that have been overlooked. I have been a victim of carrying my self-limiting beliefs that masquerade as objective truths about my capabilities. A skilled coach doesn't just help us improve—they help us recognize that the limitations we perceive are nothing more than unexamined assumptions about what's possible.
In life and leadership, Pogačar's journey reminds us that our current performance represents a starting point, not a destination. His systematic approach to growth—acknowledging limitations, embracing discomfort, and seeking expert guidance—offers a blueprint for anyone seeking to unlock their hidden capacity. For those we love and lead, our willingness to challenge our own perceived limitations becomes permission for them to do the same. When we demonstrate that transformation is possible through intentional effort and expert support, we create environments where everyone can discover the extraordinary potential that lies within their assumed boundaries, waiting to be unleashed.
With love, gratitude, and wonder,
Scott
Introducing: Lessons from Coaching Icons
Welcome to our newest newsletter feature—a weekly distillation of wisdom from the world's most transformative executive coaches. Having spent over a decade building relationships with coaching legends, I've witnessed firsthand how a single insight can reshape a leader's trajectory. Each week, I'll share one powerful lesson from these icons—brief, actionable wisdom that has transformed Fortune 500 executives and market-leading organizations. Consider this your insider access to the conversations that happen at the highest levels of leadership development. I encourage you to engage with these ideas in the comments—you never know when the icons themselves might join our discussion.
Marshall Goldsmith on Why Your Best Leaders Need Coaches First
Marshall Goldsmith, the world's most renowned executive coach, shared an insight that revolutionized how Fortune 500 companies approach leadership development: "Organizations get the highest ROI when they invest in coaching their top performers, not their problem cases." This counterintuitive wisdom challenges traditional thinking. Most companies deploy coaches to "fix" struggling executives. Marshall's four-decade experience proves otherwise—your value-creating leaders, those already excelling, gain exponentially more from executive coaching. Why? Because high performers possess the self-awareness and drive to transform insights into results. They don't need fixing; they need unlocking. When you match exceptional leaders with world-class coaches, you don't just improve performance—you create industry-changing transformation. As Marshall says, "The best leaders are lifelong learners. Coaching isn't remedial; it's how champions become legends." The question isn't whether your top talent needs coaching—it's whether you're ready to unlock their highest potential.
Starters, Relievers, Closers: Rethinking CEO Roles in Private Equity by Sandy Ogg
Sandy Ogg presents a compelling analogy between baseball pitching strategies and private equity CEO management in his latest piece. He draws fascinating parallels between how baseball teams strategically deploy different types of pitchers throughout a game and how PE firms should approach CEO transitions across investment lifecycles. Sandy explains that just as baseball uses starting pitchers for early innings, relief pitchers for middle phases, and closers for final moments, PE firms could benefit from matching CEO skill sets to specific company stages. He identifies "starter" CEOs as transformation leaders, "reliever" CEOs as stabilizers during transitions, and "closer" CEOs as exit specialists who prepare companies for successful sales or IPOs.
Sandy supports his thesis with striking Forbes research showing only 27% of PE CEOs remain throughout the entire five-year investment period, suggesting 73% either leave or are replaced before exit. This statistic reinforces his argument that PE firms should proactively plan CEO transitions rather than hoping one leader can excel across all phases. He advocates for strategic leadership changes that align with evolving company needs, comparing investment lifecycles to baseball innings where different circumstances require specialized skills. Sandy's framework offers PE firms a structured approach to optimize returns through deliberate CEO succession planning.
The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation by Jeff Wetzler
Jeff Wetzler introduces a powerful framework in his Harvard Business Review article for improving high-stakes conversations through what he calls a "Curiosity Check." Just as pilots perform preflight checks and surgeons conduct safety protocols, business leaders should assess their mental readiness before critical discussions. Wetzler argues that cognitive rigidity and confirmation bias often limit our ability to discover vital information and collaborate effectively, particularly when we enter conversations convinced we already know the outcome.