Ep 84: Fluency, Failure & Feeling Alive with my coach, Mike Porteous

Blunt Dissection

In this episode, I’m joined by the remarkable Mike Porteous, a triathlon coach, open-water swimmer, and deep thinker whose approach to performance, confidence, and coaching is anything but ordinary.

Mike is a Level 3 Triathlon Coach, British Triathlon mentor, and the founder of Zig Zag Alive. His career spans decades, starting in academia and the UK civil service before pivoting into endurance sport coaching. He’s worked with athletes of all levels, from first-timers to elite competitors, and is passionate about fostering “confidence-centered coaching,” a method rooted not in data or drills, but in presence, ease, and self-trust. He’s also coaching me through my triathlon journey and many of his ideas and methods could, I believe, be highly useful to us inside veterinary medicine as we navigate our own challenges.

We dive into Mike’s journey from working in Brazilian economics and UK industrial policy to launching an outdoor sports business, and eventually finding his home in helping others find their flow. A Swim England instructor and writer for the Outdoor Swimming Society, Mike combines intellectual insight with lived experience, including the healing power of endurance sport after personal loss.

From redefining resilience and flow to explaining why confidence doesn’t “exist” in the way we think it does, Mike’s perspective is a refreshing and deeply humane take on success and coaching, both inside and outside sport.

So whether you're a veterinary leader looking to inspire your team, an athlete seeking sustainable growth, or simply someone navigating your next life chapter, this conversation will leave you with more than a few moments to ponder.

Pour a coffee or step outside for a walk, this one’s rich, reflective, and full of gentle, powerful wisdom.

Episode Highlights

[00:01:00] What Is Confidence-Centered Coaching?

[00:04:25] The Cold Water Effect

[00:12:00] Be Kind and Brave

[00:16:00] Mike’s Zigzag Career Path

[00:27:00] Resilient Businesses in Crisis

[00:38:45] Sport, Loss & Recovery

[00:44:00] From Grief to Growth

[00:53:00] Running for Joy

[01:01:00] Redefining Confidence

[01:16:00] What Breaks Confidence

[01:25:00] Coaching vs Mentoring

[01:36:00] Coaching in Leadership

[01:45:00] Letting Others Own It

[01:52:00] Presence & Belonging

Episode Links

• Zig Zag Alive Coaching: https://zigzagalive.com
• Mike’s book: Confidence Centered Coaching
• Outdoor Swimming Society: https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com
• Beyond Belief: The Art of Confident Centred Coaching with Mike Porteous and Claire Pedrick
• Coaching Yourself Confident by Julie Smith
• The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Ordinary Magic by Ann Masten

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Share it with someone who's working through their next big challenge.
• Post your favorite quote on social media and tag us.
• Leave us a review on iTunes or Spotify—every review helps us keep bringing you guests like Mike.