Surfacing Leaders The Psychology of Success with English Premier League Pro Footballer Paul McVeigh
In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler has a compelling conversation about performance psychology with Paul McVeigh, a former professional football player (soccer, if you’re in the US) from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who competed at the highest levels of the English Premier League.
After a decade-long career with clubs like Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur, Paul transitioned into the world of performance psychology, becoming a keynote speaker and author specializing in mental resilience and elite leadership.
They dive deep into the critical role that mindset plays—not just in elite sports but in life and leadership. Paul shares powerful insights from his time on the field, where he learned that talent alone isn’t enough. He reveals the inner work required to sustain peak performance and how he now helps leaders in business and beyond develop the same psychological edge. From growing up during a time of conflict in Northern Ireland to competing in front of tens of thousands of fans, Paul’s story is a testament to grit, intentional thinking, and purpose-driven growth.
Listeners will walk away with practical tools and mindset shifts that can be applied to any arena—whether you're running a business, leading a team, or simply striving to be better than you were yesterday.
The episode wraps with key leadership takeaways:
– Don’t leave your mindset to chance—train it.
– Pressure reveals preparation.
– Know who you are before the world tells you who to be.
Join us in this inspiring episode to discover how Paul McVeigh’s journey from the soccer pitch to the boardroom can help unlock the leader within you.