Dare to be Different with Craig White S2E24: Mike Brown - How Anger Fueled A Relentless Rise in World Rugby
14 snips
Dec 2, 2025 
Mike Brown, a former England rugby full-back and now a high-performance consultant, shares the emotional journey behind his fierce career. He discusses how anger and rejection shaped his identity and the cost of elite performance as he transitioned from rugby. Becoming a father reframed his purpose, pushing him to foster connections with teammates and build healthier high-performance cultures. Mike emphasizes the importance of empathy, letting go of the fear of judgment, and finding balance in life after sport.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Change Reveals Hidden Parts
- Leaving Harlequins after 18 years forced Mike Brown to rediscover and show new parts of himself.
- Changing clubs created growth by pushing him out of comfort and allowing different leadership expressions.
Career Low Sparked New Direction
- Mike describes a painful period of injury, contract uncertainty and leaving his boyhood club as heartbreak.
- He used coaching and study (a Masters) to reframe purpose and plan a career beyond playing.
Winning At Cost Of Connection
- Mike's relentless high standards delivered performance but strained relationships and created isolation.
- Winning mattered more than belonging, which turned him into someone hard to manage socially.