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What if failure isn’t the problem — but how leaders respond to failure is?

In this episode of Aspire for More with Erin, Erin sits down with Jacob Brown, former professional football player turned keynote speaker and author, to unpack what it really means to fail forward — and why fear-based leadership is quietly burning out capable leaders across industries.

This conversation goes far beyond motivation. It’s about identity, recovery, and leadership capacity.

Jacob shares his personal journey through professional sports, addiction, homelessness, and rebuilding his life — and how those experiences shaped his Fail Forward philosophy and his powerful concept of Avocado Leadership: leading from your core, not from fear.

Together, Erin and Jacob explore why:

• Protection keeps leaders stuck
• Failure is information, not a verdict
• Recovery speed matters more than perfection
• Leadership requires softness, strength, and grounded boundaries

If you’re a leader who cares deeply, feels the weight of responsibility, and knows you’re capable of more — this episode will meet you right where you are.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why failing forward isn’t failing more — it’s recovering faster
• How fear-based leadership turns leaders into bottlenecks
• The hidden cost of over-functioning and self-protection
• Why shame only has power in silence
• How to separate your worth from outcomes
• What Avocado Leadership really means:
  • Soft enough to connect
  • Strong enough to hold the line
  • Grounded enough to stay true to your core
• How speaking goals out loud creates momentum and opportunity
• Why growth doesn’t come from pressure — it comes from capacity

Memorable Moments & Quotes:

• “Failure is information, not a verdict.”
• “Protection is what keeps leaders stuck.”
• “Shame only has power in silence.”
• “Failing forward isn’t failing more. It’s recovering faster.”
• “Growth doesn’t come from pressure. It comes from capacity.”

Why This Conversation Matters:

Too many leaders are exhausted — not because they don’t care, but because they care too much in fear-based systems.

This episode isn’t about hype or hustle.
It’s about learning how to:

• Trust yourself again
• Lead without carrying everything alone
• Build leadership capacity that actually sustains results

This is the work Erin does every day with leaders through coaching, mentoring, and speaking — helping them stop protecting themselves long enough to grow.

Learn more about the 100% Leader here

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