What if leadership was less about the boardroom and more about the octagon?

In this episode, Dr. Mike Patterson welcomes Clifford Starks—former UFC fighter turned performance coach—for a knockout conversation on mastering mindset, resilience, and leadership under pressure.

From climbing into the cage to helping business leaders find their flow, Clifford shares hard-won wisdom that will challenge and inspire you.

Clifford Starks knows what it means to face fear head-on—literally. With a 14-5 professional fighting record and a relentless drive for excellence, Clifford has transitioned from mixed martial arts to leadership coaching with one mission: to help others unlock their fullest potential.

In this conversation, Clifford walks us through his incredible journey from collegiate wrestler to UFC fighter and now to trusted business consultant. He introduces the Fighter’s Formula—a 6-step framework for leadership and performance—and explains how aligning the mind, heart, and skill is the true key to flow and fulfillment.

Cliff dives deep into mental toughness, sharing how he reframed fear, transformed losses (including a high-profile knockout on live TV), and now teaches others to do the same in boardrooms and businesses.

Leaders will walk away from this episode with practical tools for building confidence, asking better questions, recovering from setbacks, and creating lasting impact—not just success.

Key Takeaways:

Reframe Fear: Anxiety and excitement feel the same in the body—how you interpret them makes all the difference.

The Fighter’s Formula: Align your mind, heart, and skills for sustainable success and flow.

Ask Better Questions: “What do you really want?” and “What happens if I don’t take action?” spark transformation.

ABCs of Leadership: Agreements, Boundaries, and Communication build trust and improve performance.

Resilience Redefined: Even after devastating setbacks, leaders can return stronger, wiser, and more impactful.

Ready to lead like a fighter—with clarity, confidence, and resilience?

Don’t miss this powerful conversation with Clifford Starks. Whether you're facing business setbacks or simply want to unlock your full potential, this episode is packed with mindset shifts and practical tools to help you perform at your best.

Hit play now to hear how a former UFC fighter turned leadership coach is helping high-performers win in business and life—and how you can too. 🥊🔥

Links for This Episode:

Newsletter: https://fearlessfighterx.com/warriorsreport

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clifford-starks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clifford.starks.3

Fearless Fighter Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/VgfzsSdxnUEHwLdq/?mibextid=A7sQZp

Connect with Dr. Mike:

Website: https://www.drmikepatterson.com

Book: https://www.missionfirstpeoplealwaysbook.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaellpatterson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdrmikepatterson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmikepatterson

Buy The Book!: Mission First People Always

Episode Minute By Minute:

00:00 – Welcome and Dr. Mike’s first professional athlete guest
03:00 – Clifford’s journey into the UFC: From grief to greatness
06:00 – Practice, fundamentals, and perfect reps in sport and life
08:00 – The excitement vs. anxiety mindset shift
10:00 – Fighting as a stage to teach love and intentionality
11:30 – Clifford’s ABCs: Agreements, Boundaries, and Communication
14:00 – The power of asking: “What do you really want?”
19:00 – The Fighter’s Formula: Mind, Heart, and Skill
23:00 – Bouncing back after a knockout loss on live TV
27:00 – Rewriting the narrative and dealing with internal stories
30:00 – “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”
33:00 – Who Clifford serves: High-performers building a legacy
35:00 – Why love and listening go hand in hand in leadership
38:00 – Final challenge: What happens if you don’t take action?