451. Growth Lives Outside Your Comfort Zone (Lessons from a Coach, Author, and Storyteller) with Dan Clouser

Dan Clouser, author and podcast host, shares his journey from running a youth sports organization for 30 years to full-time RV life while hosting "The Journey of My Mother's Son" podcast. He emphasizes that growth only happens outside your comfort zone and reveals how years of coaching taught him that life, like baseball, is a game where you're either winning or learning. Dan discusses the power of authentic storytelling, the importance of listening without judgment, and how genuine conversations reveal that people have far more in common than they realize.

 Key Takeaways

• Growth requires discomfort - You can only grow outside your comfort zone, whether that's being pushed or making a conscious decision to step into uncomfortable territory
• You're either winning or learning - Failure is only truly failure if you don't learn something from it; every loss contains a lesson that can prevent future defeats
• Authentic connection beats perfect branding - Being willing to show your face, share your story, and be vulnerable creates deeper connections than hiding behind logos or polished facades
• Listen to understand, not to respond - Real conversations happen when you listen to understand someone's perspective rather than just waiting for your turn to speak

About Dan Clouser

Dan Clouser is an author, blogger, podcast host, speaker, and consultant who founded and operated the Berkshire Baseball & Softball Club (later the BIG Vision Foundation) for 30 years. The organization ran youth sports teams, tournaments, and a 130-acre sports complex, where he dedicated his career to teaching leadership and life lessons to young people.

In 2019, he and his wife Sandy answered what they felt was a calling to leave their comfort zone and embark on a cross-country RV journey. Inspired by his late mother Loretta Magary—a free spirit who took her own transformative travels in the 1980s—they sold most of their possessions and hit the road with their golden retriever, Youkilis, to continue her legacy of giving back through volunteering and storytelling.

Through speaking engagements, writing, and podcasting, he shares the stories of the "many little people in many little places doing many little things" who are making a difference in the world. His mission is to inspire others to take their own steps toward positive change, honoring the belief that collective small actions can transform the world.

Following Youkilis's passing in April 2024, he and Sandy continue their journey together, documenting the remarkable people they meet along the way.

In This Episode

[00:00] Welcome to the show!

[04:38] Meet Dan Clouser

[05:51] Comfort Zones

[11:37] A Game of Failure

[16:42] Journey of My Mother's Son

[21:54] Creating Personal Connection

[29:08] Understanding Someone's Why

[34:14] "A Good Boy's Journey"

[37:11] Connect With Dan

[40:04] Outro

Quotes

"Growth only happens when you're uncomfortable. You can't grow any other way." - Dan Clouser