From an early age, Mark Panciera’s dream was to become a funeral director just like his dad.

He became exactly that. Also…

￫ He 5x’d the family business.

￫ He was covered in the Wall Street Journal.

￫ He had private equity firms calling.

But it all nearly destroyed his relationship with his father.

Mark spent years on the wrong side of ego, choosing to be right instead of staying in the relationship. That tension led him to The Pacific Institute, a global performance organization built on a simple but research-backed premise: you can physically change your brain.

Now as CEO Emeritus of The Pacific Institute and a TEDx speaker with over 1.5 million views, Mark teaches leaders how to uncover blind spots, recast limiting beliefs, and drive real behavior change at the belief level.

In our episode, we get into family business tension, grief and transcendence, the formula I × V^E = R, coping mechanisms that mask deeper pain, and why the best leaders debrief even after a win.

Thanks Mark for your time and energy in coming to the studio and chatting!

“Chapters*

0:00:00 Introduction to Mark Panciera

0:03:05 The Three Versions of Mark

0:07:20 Born and Raised in a Funeral Home

0:09:38 5x-ing the Family Business

0:11:04 When Success Tore Father and Son Apart

0:15:03 Forgiveness and Burning the Boats

0:17:55 Leading the Pacific Institute Through COVID

0:22:00 The Red Corvette, “Male Mental Pause,” and Coping with Death

0:26:37 Why Acceptance Isn’t Enough: The Case for Transcendence

0:32:36 The Memorial Store That Made National Headlines

0:35:48 How a Losing Football Coach Built a Global Mindset Company

0:42:00 The Mindset Formula: I × V ^ E = R

0:48:13 Scotomas, Blind Spots, and Limiting Beliefs

0:50:05 Burning the Dross: Why Great Leaders Always Debrief

0:59:38 The “I Love Me Wall” and What Each Person on It Means

1:03:18 Zig Ziglar, Connecting People, and Final Thoughts

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