Matt Brannigan: Why Success Still Feels Empty | E194
Matt Brannigan: Why Success Still Feels Empty | E194  
Podcast: In Search Of Excellence
Published On: Fri Oct 09 2026
Description: What happens when you achieve the success you dreamed of and still don’t feel okay?I went to the Hoffman Institute during a painful divorce, and I was terrified of confronting things I had buried for years. It’s something that most of us don’t think about until it’s too late:  mental health deserves the same attention we give our physical health. In this emotional and bare-it-all conversation, I share what it took to face some of my own patterns and face the demons of my childhood that have been holding me back my entire life and influencing the way I’ve lived for my entire life..In Part 1 of In Search of Excellence, I sit down with Hoffman Institute CEO Matt Brannagan to talk about the Hoffman Process: a week-long personal-growth retreat that helps people examine patterns learned in childhood. According to the Hoffman Institute, the Process has helped more than 150,000 people since 1967.I share what frightened me about attending, what Scooter Braun told me beforehand that prevented me from backing out at the last minute, and why the 10-page questionnaire brought me to tears many times. We discuss a friend who earns $50 million a year but hated going to work, and why achievement doesn’t always bring fulfillment.Matt explains how Hoffman influenced his leadership during his deployment in Iraq, Bob Hoffman’s “negative love syndrome” framework, and the Quadrinity: emotions, intellect, body, and spirit. We also discuss forgiveness, parenting, and why recognizing a pattern is only the beginning of changing it.In this conversation• Why success and money can leave happiness unresolved.• How childhood patterns can affect your relationships and work.• Why self-awareness alone may not change your behavior.• How understanding your parents can open the door to forgiveness.Chapters00:00 - Success and the search for happiness00:54 - From Hoffman to Iraq03:52 - From Hoffman student to CEO06:34 - How Bob Hoffman created the Process09:58 - You achieved your goals but still feel empty16:03 - What Scooter Braun told me before Hoffman25:49 - How childhood shapes the way we seek love31:40 - Your personality or a pattern you can change36:20 - The Quadrinity explained44:41 - Making $50 million and hating your job48:06 - How emotional stress shows up in your body52:07 - What Hoffman means by your spiritual self54:14 - The work that starts before you arrive56:32 - The questionnaire that brought me to tears1:06:56 - Why self-awareness alone is not enough1:09:58 - The letter that helped me forgive my parentsAbout Matt BrannaganMatt Brannagan is CEO of the Hoffman Institute Foundation and Chair of Hoffman Institute International. A U.S. Army veteran and former Master Resilience Trainer, he joined Hoffman in 2007 and has served as a teacher, coach, Director of Faculty, and Chief Operating Officer. He holds a master’s degree in transpersonal psychology and is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology.Hoffman Institute: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/About Randall KaplanRandall Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, co-founder of Akamai Technologies, early Google investor, and host of In Search of Excellence. Through his Extreme Preparation® methodology, he coaches founders, executives, business owners, and ambitious professionals on achieving their personal and professional goals.Join the conversationWhich pattern would you most like to change: overworking, perfectionism, or avoiding difficult conversations? Tell us in the comments. Like the video, subscribe to In Search of Excellence, and turn on notifications for Part 2. Share this with someone who needs to hear that asking for help is a strength.Want to work one on one with meI privately coach a limited number of high achievers who want to elevate their careers, scale their businesses, and reach higher levels of success professionally and personally. To apply to work with me, visit https://www.randallkaplan.com/Listen and connectApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-search-of-excellence/id1579184310Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/23q0XICUDIchVrkXBR0i6LAll episodes: https://www.insearchofexcellence.com/Extreme Preparation TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIvlFpoLfgsFollow RandallInstagram: @randallkaplanLinkedIn: @randallkaplanTikTok: @randall_kaplanX: https://x.com/RandallKaplanSupportIf you’re struggling or in crisis in the U.S., call or text 988 for free, confidential support, 24/7. Online chat: https://988lifeline.org/#HoffmanProcess #MentalHealth #InSearchOfExcellenceAbout Randall Kaplan: Randall Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, executive coach, co-founder of Akamai Technologies, founder and CEO of JUMP Investors, and host of In Search of Excellence. Through his Extreme Preparation™ methodology, he helps founders, executives, business owners, and ambitious professionals improve strategy, communication, decision-making, and execution.Coaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn | X