Podcast Summary: Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan

Episode: Confidence Classic—Tackle Life’s Biggest Challenges with Eric Wood, Former NFL Player

Release Date: February 4, 2026
Host: Heather Monahan
Guest: Eric Wood, Retired NFL Center, Podcast Host, Author

Overview

In this Confidence Classic episode, Heather Monahan sits down with Eric Wood, a former Buffalo Bills NFL player whose career was abruptly ended due to a neck injury. They discuss overcoming adversity, identity transitions, building confidence through challenge, and finding a new sense of purpose. Eric shares personal stories from his football career, his faith journey, and lessons from his post-NFL life as a broadcaster, speaker, and newly-minted author. The conversation is candid, inspiring, and packed with practical strategies for tackling life’s biggest challenges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eric’s Unexpected NFL Journey

• Underdog Beginnings: Eric wasn’t a standout in high school sports, only becoming a starter his senior year. He received one scholarship offer (University of Louisville), contrasting with the assumption that all NFL players have always been “stars.”
• Grit vs. Talent: Success came not from early promise, but “constant grind, constant stacking wins in my life…eventually you hit this hockey stick effect in your life.” (Eric, 04:19–05:20)
• Visualizing Success: Eric cut out a picture of the “prototypical” NFL center from a magazine and taped it in his locker as inspiration, manifesting nearly every metric from that image: “It’s amazing how much of that kind of just infiltrated my life by focusing on it constantly.” (Eric, 06:12–07:34)

2. The Power of Vision, Goal Setting, and Manifestation

• Manifestation in Action: Eric discusses believing in the law of attraction and the importance of daily reminders of your vision: “You never get anywhere great on autopilot…if you’re just floating through life without goals, without a vision, you’re often not going to end up in the place that you want to be.” (Eric, 08:07)
• Practical Tactics: Goal boards, cutouts, and “daily stacking of wins”—whether workouts or practices—to build toward a larger purpose.

3. Imposter Syndrome & Confidence

• Imposter Syndrome is Universal: Eric admits to experiencing it in sports and even more so as he moved into writing and public speaking: “Putting a book out there for the first time…is probably the most imposter syndrome I’ve ever dealt with.” (Eric, 09:23)
• Preparation & Support Systems: “Ultimate self-confidence comes from preparation…it comes from proving to yourself over and over that you belong.” (Eric, 10:54)
• Comparison Trap: With the rise of social media, the tendency to compare yourself to others intensifies imposter feelings; working with an executive coach helped Eric move beyond those doubts.

4. Injury, Adversity, and Building Resilience

• Major Setbacks: Eric details a series of substantial injuries during his career, including a compound leg fracture, torn ligaments, and ultimately a career-ending neck injury.
  • “The end. It was unfamiliar, too…I do the Joe Theismann leg break…49 consecutive starts, I go into the NFL…then I get hurt for the first time in my life.” (Eric, 16:15)
• Gaining Perspective on Pain: What seemed a curse was later reframed as a gift:
  • “Your ultimate test will become your testimony. The universe is showing you something through these challenges, and the quicker you gain some perspective through that, the easier it's going to be to transition...” (Eric, 18:40)
• Support and Faith: Recovery required leaning on his faith, support system (family, wife, coaches), and a strong sense of “why”—for him, helping his team and leading by example.

5. Finding Your “Why” After Loss or Transition

• Internal Motivation: Not everyone will have an external, high-profile “why” like pro sports. Eric emphasizes the importance of identifying motivation—whether it’s family, faith, or personal legacy: “Discovering that is what’s going to lead you each and every day…” (Eric, 21:39)
• Faith Journey: Eric shares how role models in college and the NFL demonstrated faith in action, which led him to develop his own relationship with God over time—for contentment, patience, and a new perspective. (23:18–25:05)

6. Career-Ending Injury & Identity Shift

• Abrupt Transition: Upon learning—minutes before his son’s birth—that his football career was over, Eric was forced into a new identity and a process of grief, questioning, and rebuilding. (26:26–29:15)
• “What’s Next” Mindset: With guidance from mentors and his coach, Eric reframed the loss—not as an ended dream, but as an opportunity for a new and fulfilling chapter:
  • “No matter what the circumstances are in your life, you can make the next chapter in your life the best yet.” (Eric, 29:31)

7. Rebuilding Confidence and Structure Post-NFL

• Routine Reboot: Eric emphasizes the importance of new structure after leaving a regimented environment. “You gotta create a new vision…Your vision is not going to be the same as it was.” (34:45–35:24)
• Physical & Mental Health: Maintaining wellness, morning routines, and “stacking wins” are critical—mirroring the disciplines that built his sports career.
• Coaching Help: A transformative exercise from his executive coach (“How would your daughter introduce you 15 years from now?”) helped Eric clarify legacy, set priorities, and reverse-engineer his next steps in life. (37:07–38:38)

8. Navigating a New Career—Broadcasting, Speaking, and Authorship

• Learning Anew: Eric describes feeling “foreign” in broadcasting and public speaking, using his podcast as a learning lab, and approaching each new role with humility and an “underdog” mentality. (39:55–41:40)
• Transferable Skills: Skills from one field—such as thriving under pressure and responding in real time—can apply to speaking and media: “...finding something that gives you butterflies…that’s what makes life fun.” (Eric, 41:56)
• Writing ‘Tackle What's Next’: Eric’s book compiles lessons from his transition, stories from guests, and practical strategies for “stacking wins” and finding purpose post-career. He wrote it hoping it would help even just one person navigating a life transition. (43:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Your ultimate test will become your testimony.”
  —Eric Wood (18:18)
• “If you’re just floating through life without goals, without a vision, you’re often not going to end up in the place that you want to be.”
  —Eric Wood (08:07)
• On imposter syndrome:
  “I still deal with that to this day…I deal with that on a day-to-day basis, especially transitioning to new worlds.”
  —Eric Wood (09:23)
• On setbacks and perspective:
  “Had my career went on cruise control…maybe I make more money, and maybe I make more Pro Bowl teams, but I would not have learned nearly as much about myself and being able to push through tough times.”
  —Eric Wood (18:01)
• On routine after transition:
  “You gotta create a new vision—because your vision is not going to be the same as it was.”
  —Eric Wood (34:51)
• On legacy:
  “Don’t build this life of success that’s based on striving for money when you wish you had those intentional moments with your kids.”
  —Eric Wood (38:35)

Important Timestamps

• Eric’s unlikely path to the NFL: 02:34–04:00
• Visuals & manifestation: 06:06–08:01
• Imposter syndrome: 09:23–12:55
• First major injury & adversity: 16:15–19:52
• Faith & finding a new ‘why’: 21:39–25:05
• Career-ending diagnosis story: 26:26–29:59
• Rebuilding after transition: 34:45–36:55
• Executive coaching & legacy: 37:02–38:56
• Broadcasting/speaking career shift: 39:55–41:40
• Why write the book: 43:55–45:56

Resources & Where to Find Eric Wood

• Instagram: @Ewood70
• Website: ericwoodmedia.com
• Podcast: What’s Next with Eric Wood
• Book: Tackle What’s Next: Own Your Story, Stack Your Wins, and Achieve Your Goals in Business and Life

Takeaways for Listeners

• Success is built on resilience, work ethic, and daily “stacked wins”—not on being the early star.
• Transitions, especially painful or abrupt ones, can lead to greater fulfillment if approached with intention, routine, and openness to a new vision.
• Imposter syndrome is universal—even for those at the top of their game—and can be managed with preparation, purpose, and support.
• Find your “why,” nurture your mental and physical health, and don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.
• Faith, mentorship, and giving back are powerful forces for creating confidence and fulfillment after major life changes.

“No matter what the circumstances are in your life, you can make the next chapter in your life the best yet.”—Eric Wood (29:31)