How to Rewire Your Brain for High Performance - with Dan Vann

In this episode of Beyond the Hustle, I sit down with Dan Vann - founder of Evolution Performance, world champion indoor cricketer, and one of Canterbury's most respected coaches who's helping athletes and business people unlock their potential under pressure.

We dive into Dan's early days growing up on a potato farm in Southbridge (alongside future All Black Dan Carter), his near-drowning experience at eight years old that kept him from learning to swim for 40 years, and how moving between six primary schools shaped his resilience. Dan opens up about his cricket journey - from playing men's grade at 16 to captaining the New Zealand Masters team and winning a World Cup in South Africa.

But this kōrero goes way beyond sport. Dan shares how COVID became the catalyst for discovering his passion for mental skills coaching, his recent ADHD diagnosis at 40, and why he's now teaching everyone from elite athletes to stressed-out CEOs how to regulate their nervous systems and perform when it matters most.

We talk about the silent epidemic of chronic stress, why most of us are only operating at 60% capacity, and the game-changing power of simply learning how to breathe properly. Dan breaks down why our caveman brains are sabotaging our modern success and shares practical tools for managing pressure - from box breathing to understanding the difference between stress and chronic stress.

If you're a parent supporting young athletes, a business owner burning the candle at both ends, or anyone who wants to show up better when the heat is on, this episode is packed with insights that'll change how you think about performance.

Ngā kaupapa:

• From farm kid to world champion - the power of delayed belief in yourself

• Why Dan didn't tell his parents about nearly drowning (and learned to swim at 40!)

• The mindset shift that took him from good club player to New Zealand captain

• How ADHD became his superpower once he understood it

• Why chronic stress is the silent killer of performance

• The 80/20 principle for business owners trying to do everything

• How to support young athletes without crushing them with expectations

• Why "I can't" might be the most limiting phrase we use

• Practical tools for nervous system regulation that work in real life

Dan's story is one of late blooms, second chances, and the courage to redefine what's possible - proving it's never too late to level up your game, whether that's in sport, business, or life.

Check out Dan's mahi here: https://www.evolutionsports.co.nz/
Learn more about our kaupapa here: https://www.hustlegroup.co.nz/