The Circuit of Success Podcast with Brett Gilliland Championship Mindset: Leadership Lessons from IMG Academy with Pete Paciorek
In this episode of the Circuit of Success, host Brett Gilliland sits down with Dr. Pete Paciorek, Director of Leadership and Character Development at IMG Academy, to uncover how elite athletes develop a true championship mindset. Dr. Paciorek holds a Doctorate in Youth Character Development and Servant Leadership and has spent his career as a professional baseball player, college head coach, college director of athletics, and IMG Academy National Team Baseball head coach. Coming from a family of 11 professional athletes, Pete brings a rare perspective on leadership, discipline, and long-term success.
Pete takes listeners inside IMG Academy and explains why it is far more than a world-renowned sports school. While IMG is known for producing nationally ranked teams and professional athletes, its real strength lies in holistic development. Leadership training, character education, mental performance, academics, nutrition, and life skills are all integrated to prepare student-athletes for success beyond sports. As a recipient of the Character.org “Champion of Character in Sport” Nationwide Award and author of two books on youth character development in sports, Pete shares how consistency, balance, and purpose create elite performers in every field.
This conversation goes beyond athletics and applies directly to business, entrepreneurship, and life. Dr. Paciorek breaks down how to train the mind, build resilience during adversity, create winning habits, and lead yourself before leading others. He introduces practical frameworks used at IMG Academy, explains why discipline matters most on the hardest days, and highlights the transferable skills athletes use to succeed long after competition ends. As a husband and father of three, Pete also shares powerful insights on parenting, mentorship, and legacy, making this episode a must-listen for leaders, parents, coaches, and high achievers looking to build a championship mindset in every area of life.