Episode Details

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A few years ago, Sandy Zimmerman came on the Zack Arnold podcast as a longtime Physical Education teacher and coach. During that conversation, she made a quiet prediction—she felt she was meant for something more and believed she’d be back to share her journey. She was right. Today, Sandy is a full-time speaker, coach, and author, traveling the country to share her Dream Big Formula and her book, Get Out of the Car - Inspirational Stories for Cultivating an Empowering Inner Voice.

But her transition wasn’t easy. For years, Sandy carried the weight of an inner voice shaped by a difficult childhood—a voice that told her she wasn’t capable of achieving anything extraordinary. In our conversation, she opens up about the fears she had to face as she left behind the comfort and stability of a decades-long teaching career. She shares the mindset shifts that gave her the confidence to take the leap, along with the strategies she still relies on to overcome challenges, stay focused, and continue growing in her new career.

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about your next step, my conversation with Sandy offers valuable insights and real-world advice to help you work through uncertainty and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• Sandy's origin story and the unsuspecting prediction she made in the Optimize Yourself podcast a few years back
• KEY TAKEAWAY: Sandy borrowed from other people's belief in her when she couldn't believe in herself
• Sandy's superpower that allowed her to switch careers after 23 years of being a teacher
• The importance of failure to help you grow and move forward
• Why you need to go out and find people who are better than you
• Why Sandy left the comfortable career she had built and loved
• The advice Sandy got from her coach about finding happiness while also growing
• The vision Sandy had that helped her manage the many plates she's spinning
• KEY TAKEAWAY: It's okay to not be pedal to the metal in every single area of your life
• Sandy's advice to people looking for clarity on what to do next
• Sandy puts Zack in the Hot Seat to workshop his American Ninja Warrior journey
• What Sandy tells herself before any performance or presentation she gives

Useful Resources Mentioned:

How to Overcome Doubting Yourself When You Know You’re Meant For More | with Sandy Zimmerman, ANW

The Performance Paradox – How Only Focusing On Performance Leads to Performing Worse | with Eduardo Briceño

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D.