Episode 25

Dealing with adversity (Interview with football legend Stuart Pearce)

Stuart Pearce

It’s not every day that you get an opportunity to learn from a legend, but that’s exactly what you get in this episode of The Unstoppable Teen Podcast!

Despite failing as a teenager, Stuart Pearce went on to have an incredible career in professional football. He made 746 Premiership appearances and earned 78 England caps. He played in the European Championships and a World Cup semi final. After his playing career ended, Stuart went on to manage 5 teams including Manchester City and the England Under 21 national team.

Quite simply, Stuart Pearce is a football legend. So you can imagine how excited Kevin was to interview him and get his advice for teenagers.

You may or may not like football, but that’s irrelevant. Stuart Pearce is a winner. If you want to succeed at anything you’ll want to listen to this interview and get the insights that can help you become a winner too.

Click on the player above to listen now!

“Failure is when you don’t try something because you’re fearful of what might happen.”
Stuart Pearce – International Football Player & Manager

You will learn:

  • What happened when Stuart was rejected by a pro team when he was 13 years old (5:41)
  • The careers Stuart wanted to pursue, how he messed up the interviews and ended up stacking boxes in a warehouse (8:03)
  • How long Stuart had to persist and play for a local team before he got a chance to join a pro team (16:20)
  • The moment Stuart’s life changed and his dreams began to come true (19:38)
  • The importance of getting experience and working hard (22:34)
  • How much Stuart earned when he finally became a pro footballer – You probably won’t believe it! (25:34)
  • Stuart’s careers advice for teenagers (26:44)
  • What it was like to play for a club and work for a manager who demanded the very highest levels of performance every week (32:08)
  • 3 things that make the difference between the people that make it at the top and those who don’t? (34:05)
  • Great advice for people who want to be part of a team and become a great leader (38:44)
  • What it was like to play in the World Cup and tips for dealing with nerves when you have to perform under pressure (42:27)
  • How Stuart dealt with the disaster of missing a penalty in the World Cup semi final and what he learned from the experience (45:40)
  • How he got back in the England team rather than sulking or quitting (50:11)
  • What happened in the Euro Championships when Stuart stepped up to take another penalty six years after he missed in the World Cup (53:31)
  • What you need to think about in the moments you’re under pressure and need to perform at your best (57:10)
  • One important idea for parents and educators who want to help teenagers succeed (65:07)
  • What Stuart believes it takes to be unstoppable (67:48)
“It doesn’t matter if you fail. It’s the learnings you get from failure that make you stronger.”
Stuart Pearce – International Football Player & Manager