#847: Steve Young, from Super Bowl MVP to Managing Billions – Hall of Fame 49ers Quarterback on High Performance, Reinvention, Faith, and How to Blend Dreams and Plans

Steve Young (@steveyoung) is a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback who played more than 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Steve co-founded HGGC, which manages more than $6.9B in capital commitments. He’s also the founder and current chair of the Forever Young Foundation, which supports children’s charities globally. He is the author of QB: My Life Behind the Spiral and The Law of Love.

This episode is brought to you by:

Cresset family office services for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs: CressetCapital.com/Tim

AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: DrinkAG1.com/Tim

Wealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/Tim

New clients get 3.25% base APY from program banks + additional 0.65% boost for 3 months on your uninvested cash (max $150k balance). Terms and conditions apply. The Cash Account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (“WFB”) member FINRA/SIPC, not a bank. The base APY as of 12/19/25 is representative, can change, and requires no minimum. Tim Ferriss, a non-client, receives compensation from WFB for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of WFB, which creates a conflict of interest. Experiences will vary. Outcomes not guaranteed. Instant withdrawals may be limited by your receiving firm and other factors. Investment advisory services provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, not bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value.

TIMESTAMPS:

• [00:00:00] Start.
• [00:02:34] The full circle of Josh Waitzkin.
• [00:05:47] The Stephen Covey plane ride that changed everything.
• [00:11:38] Overcoming victimization: The hole you dig, then jump into.
• [00:14:16] How taking ownership led Steve from rock bottom to NFL MVP in one season.
• [00:21:50] Interceptions and the truest truth about accountability.
• [00:26:09] What separates good from great quarterbacks: Adrenaline alchemy.
• [00:31:21] Alex Honnold and the genetics of not panicking.
• [00:32:14] Learning to actually throw a football at BYU.
• [00:35:01] Recovering from the offensive coordinator who wouldn’t coach southpaws.
• [00:37:00] The vulnerability prerequisite.
• [00:42:45] Separation anxiety: Thriving by day, terrified by night.
• [00:48:29] Tears in the Candlestick Park training room.
• [00:52:37] The diagnosis that made the puzzle pieces fit.
• [00:58:32] Dad’s philosophy: Dream (1%) and Plan (80%).
• [01:01:14] Law school between Super Bowl parades.
• [01:02:33] Trading locker room access for venture capital deals.
• [01:08:45] Mourning old identities and heeding Roger Staubach’s transition advice: “Run.”
• [01:11:49] Rich Lawson walks out of Morgan Stanley: “I’ll be the CEO.”
• [01:19:05] 30 years of partnership: Yin, yang, and existential crises.
• [01:23:01] HGGC: The name nobody can pronounce (and why).
• [01:25:19] Faith evolution: From Boy Scout theology to something deeper.
• [01:29:41] The Law of Love: Bill Walsh’s secret weapon.
• [01:32:53] Divine humanity and the irony of losing self-interest.
• [01:43:52] Parting thoughts.

*

For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}