Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais (Dr. Michael Gervais)

This week’s conversation is with Chris McNamara, a Big Wall Climber and ex-wingsuit BASE jumper.

He is also the founder of OutdoorGearLab, one of the most popular outdoor gear review sites in the world.

Outside Magazine has called Chris one of the world's finest climbers.

Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris's life on earth had been spent on the face of El Capitan, an accomplishment that left friends and family pondering Chris's sanity.

He has climbed El Capitan more than 80 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records.

Chris has also authored five guidebooks to rock climbing in Yosemite National Park and eight other climbing guidebooks.

As a wingsuit BASE jumper, he claimed a slice of the "Golden Age of Wingsuit BASE first descents" by finding and jumping 10-plus significant new exits in the United States and Baffin Island.

This conversation is about meaning, it’s about creative expression, it’s about risk.

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You work your whole life towards one goal… and you come up short by a fraction of a second. How do you bounce back from that? How do you move forward?

On Day 11 of The Game Inside The Games, gold medalist Nastia Liukin and high-performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais explore the psychological and emotional complexities that athletes face when they fall just short of a gold medal or podium. 

They discuss the flood of emotions that can overwhelm an athlete in pivotal moments, the importance of processing those emotions, and how to use past experiences to fuel future success. 

With personal stories and expert insights, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what an athlete experiences when they come up just short – and how they can turn the agony of "almost" into a driving force for excellence.

With Fire,

The FM Team

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, a former university professor and researcher who now designs curriculum for Precision Nutrition.

She focuses on helping people make meaningful change through the Precision Nutrition Coaching and coaching Certification programs.

Krista is also the author or co-author of several books, with the latest being Why Me Want Eat: Fixing Your Food Fuckedupitude.

Krista likes to think of nutrition coaching as this pathway into a larger life project of being a human being, so while her expertise may lie in nutrition, this conversation is about so much more than that.

It’s about the essence of becoming… how she came to better understand herself through her own journey and why she now is focused on helping others do the same.

Krista believes it all centers around the stories we tell ourselves.

In her words, “The mind is a jail built out of bullshit. I’ve seen the pain that stories can cause. If you look around you and you think about the people in your life or even the things that happen in the world, you can see that so many things occur because people are deep in their stories, and don't realize that they are stories.”

I couldn’t agree more and I think you’ll be amazed at Krista’s insights and perspective on what really matters in life.

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Can profitable businesses change the world for good?

John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market, has proven the answer is a resounding YES… for the last four decades. 

John grew a single ‘hippy grocery store’ in Austin, Texas, into a global chain with $22 billion in annual sales and 540 locations worldwide.

And he did it all with an unwavering commitment to sustainability and ethical practices, showing us all what’s possible when entrepreneurs embrace positive values and transformative leadership.

His pioneering and widely influential books, Conscious Capitalism and Conscious Leadership, serve as blueprints for integrating ethical values into successful businesses.

And his most recent book, The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism, gives us an intimate look inside the personal and spiritual journeys that fueled his groundbreaking approach.

In this conversation, John shares insights from his personal transformation—from spirituality to psychedelics – along with the milestones of his experience with Whole Foods. 

We dig into the ethos that drove the company’s growth while he was at its helm, and his ongoing passionate advocacy for a corporate model that benefits both people and the planet.

Get ready to be inspired by a visionary who continues to help us all think differently about our responsibility towards each other and the world.

With Fire,

MG

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Amy Hood is currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer at Microsoft Corporation — whose corporate mission is: “Empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.” This conversation is so good. It’s about so much more than her professional accolades and she’s got them: Harvard MBA, undergraduate degree from Duke in economics, being listed at the #44 spot on the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. This conversation is about her commitment to a full life experience, in all of her roles as a woman — as a mom, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a global citizen — and of course as the CFO of one the most influential technology companies in the world, Microsoft. If you’ve ever thought, I’m not sure I can do “that” — whatever “that” is in your life — because you’re too far down the tracks, or you’re not sure how to manage something new — or how to make difficult decisions about work/life engagement — or how to not become consumed with chasing outcomes (while at the same time having world-class outcomes as a by product) — or how to help others grow — I think you’re going to love this conversation. This episode is brought to you by: HelloFresh is the meal kit delivery service that makes cooking fun, easy, and convenient! Each week HelloFresh creates new delicious recipes with step-by-step instructions designed to take around 30 minutes for everyone from novices to seasoned home-cooks short on time. HelloFresh sources the freshest ingredients, measured to the exact quantities needed so there’s no food waste and employ a full-time registered dietician on staff who reviews each recipe to ensure it is nutritionally balanced. For $35 off your first week of deliveries, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter the promo code "mastery" when you subscribe! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of the Finding Mastery podcast presented without interruption by Microsoft.

Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities. 

Every conversation was filmed and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com.

This conversation is with Theresia Gouw, a founder and partner at Acrew Capital and one of the most successful venture capitalists in the world.

During her career, Theresia has helped finance and support some of the most successful companies of our time, being an early investor in Facebook, Trulia, Hotel Tonight, Forescout, and Imperva, among others.

Time Magazine named her one of the 40 most influential minds in tech. 

Equally impressive, Theresia helped break the gender barrier in Silicon Valley.

She was often the only woman in the room when she arrived in America’s tech capital…

Her focus on the elements she could control, like preparation and hard work, and her ability to gracefully reframe situations were keys to shifting the gender narrative inside the industry.

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. David Sinclair, a professor in the Department of Genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, where he and his colleagues study longevity, aging and how to slow its effects.

More specifically, their focus is on studying sirtuins—protein-modifying enzymes that respond to changing NAD+ levels and to caloric restriction—as well as metabolism, neurodegeneration, cancer, cellular reprogramming, and more.

David is the co-creator and co-chief editor of the journal Aging, has co-founded several biotechnology companies, and is an inventor on 35 patents.

Among the honors and awards he’s received are his inclusion in Time Magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” and Time's “Top 50 in Healthcare”.

In addition, David is the author of the new book, Lifespan: The Revolutionary Science of Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To.

I wanted to speak with David because he’s pushing the boundaries of what we understand to be possible for humans – and if he’s successful it will change the world as we know it.

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This week’s conversation is with retired U.S. Army Major Matt Brady.

Matt is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he was ranked #1 of 940 cadets in leadership for 7 consecutive semesters and graduated in the top 5% of his class overall.

While serving in the Army on active duty, Matt flew over 2,000 hours in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior (Reconnaissance), MH- 47D, and MH-47G Chinook helicopters (Army Special Operations).

A seasoned combat veteran, he has deployed 12 times to both Iraq and Afghanistan and commanded forces during multiple high stakes/pressure conflicts including the 3rd Infantry Division charge to Baghdad in 2003 and “Operation REDWING,” the tragic SEAL mission depicted in the movie “Lone Survivor.”

His awards include the Air Medal for combat Valor in both Iraq and Afghanistan and the Bronze Star Medal.

Matt retired from the U.S. Army in late 2016 after two decades of service to the Nation.

There is so much to unpack in this conversation.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the “Lone Survivor” story but for those who aren’t, definitely take a moment and look up it.

While Matt was fortunate enough to survive that mission, the decisions he faced that day lived with him for years afterwards.

And that’s a focal point of this conversation.

What was his thought process like in an incredibly hostile situation? One that was near impossible to prepare for?

How did he cope with those decisions after the fact and how did it impact his life?

You may rethink what you deem as a “difficult decision” and the things that are worth “dwelling on” after listening to this conversation.

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Where do I begin with the man who only needs one name?

Moby has been a prominent figure in the music scene for decades – a punk rocker-turned-electronica artist who has sold over 20 million records worldwide, Moby’s genre-defying soundscapes have captivated audiences around the globe, earning him Grammy nominations, a devoted fanbase, and countless other accolades. Beyond his musical success, Moby is also an activist, a filmmaker, and an author – as you’ll hear about in this conversation, his journey has been one of profound introspection, self-discovery, and relentless pursuit of personal growth.

Lindsay Hicks brings her own unique brilliance to the table – she is a passionate environmentalist and sustainability expert, recognized for her collaboration with Moby to amplify the message of climate change activism. Together, Moby and Lindsay have formed an extraordinary partnership, blending their passions for music, activism, and thought-provoking conversations into the recently launched Moby Pod. 

In this conversation, we delve deep into how to navigate pivotal moments and deep challenges – neither of their journeys have been without public scrutiny and personal hardship. Moby and Lindsay are beacons for the commitment to self-discovery, doing the work, and the  resilience to keep going. We’re all creating something in life, and it was a breath of fresh air to experience the authenticity Moby and Lindsay brought to this conversation and to what they are creating.

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This week’s conversation is with Tony Fadell, an entrepreneur, designer, engineer, and investor with a 30+ year history of founding companies and designing some of the most influential products of the 20th century. 

Over his remarkable career, Tony has become best known as the inventor of the iPod, the iPhone, and the Nest Thermostat (which eventually sold to Google for $3.2B). 

Tony has authored more than 300 patents and was named one of Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World". In 2016, Time also named the iPod, the iPhone, and the Nest Learning Thermostat as three of the “50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time".

Tony also recently published his first book, Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making, which quickly topped charts as a bestseller. 

Tony is a legend, and it was a joy to learn from him in this conversation. I think everyone will find significant value from the insights Tony shares as he outlines his journey from devastating failure to unbelievable success, and some of the lessons he learned along the way.

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Tom House, a former Major League Baseball pitcher turned world-renowned expert in the biomechanics of throwing. 

Often referred to as the “father of modern pitching mechanics” and a “quarterback whisperer”, Tom has coached some of the world’s most elite throwers like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, Andrew Luck, Dak Prescott… and the list goes on. 

Tom is one of the preeminent pioneers who brought science into the art of coaching – after eight years as a big league pitcher and eight more as a big league pitching coach, he earned a doctorate in sports psychology, and has gone on to write or co-write 22 books on throwing mechanics. 

Now, Tom is on a mission to pay it forward to the next generation – his new revolutionary app, Mustard, makes world-class coaching and tactics used by professional athletes accessible to athletes of all ages right from their smartphone. 

I can’t wait for you to learn from Tom – not as an elite throwing coach, but as a pioneer, a risk-taker, a visionary, and a master of craft who’s deep commitment, curiosity, and expertise has left a lasting mark in the world of sport - and subsequently the world of human expression and potential.

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This week’s conversation is with Soledad O’Brien, an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author and philanthropist.

She is dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues.

Soledad currently anchors and produces the Hearst Television political magazine program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” and she also reports regularly for HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”

She has anchored shows on CNN, MSNBC and NBC, and hosted projects for Fox and A&E.

At CNN, she was the face of CNN’s morning news shows for many years and a frequent reporter and analyst for breaking news stories and election coverage.

She also anchored the CNN documentary unit, where she created the “In America” documentary series, which includes “Black in America” and “Latino in America.”

Soledad was recognized with three Emmy awards -- for her coverage of the Haiti earthquake, the 2012 election and a series called “Kids and Race.”

So Soledad’s resume speaks for itself-- she has a deep regard for her craft and more importantly: separating right from wrong.

On the surface, this movement, these protests, they’re about highlighting the injustices, the police brutality that many African-Americans have been prone to for far too long.

But it extends further than that.

This conversation is about accountability... we all play a role.

It’s up to us whether we’re the person who chooses to actively make a difference or turn a blind eye.

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This week’s conversation is with a legend, Cody Townsend, one of the most awarded skiers in freeskiing history.

Cody has evolved from a California beach kid obsessed with the mountains … to now stand atop the pinnacle of the sport.

From a successful alpine ski racing career to stunt doubling for Hollywood films, or skiing the “Most Insane Line Ever”, Cody skis some of the most challenging and dangerous lines on the planet - all with an affable nature and a smile on his face.

Cody’s latest project, called “The FIFTY,” is in his words, “simple” - it’s a goal he set to try to climb AND ski all fifty of the lines and mountains chronicled in the classic book, “The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America.”

From Alaska to Colorado, California to Baffin Island, these lines are among the most difficult in the world and all of them have at least one historical descent. 

But no one has skied them all.

Cody’s goal is to change that. And in my opinion, there’s no one more suited to do so.

He’s about halfway through this project, and you can follow his progress on his YouTube channel… he uses skiing as his medium for insight, mastery and expression

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This week’s conversation is with Jordyn Wieber, a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the “Fierce Five” United States gymnastics squad that won team gold at the 2012 Olympics.

Jordyn was a two-time U.S. all-around champion (2011 and 2012) and the 2011 World all-around champion. 

Her illustrious Elite Career included three medals at the 2011 World Championships (all-around and team : gold, and a bronze on beam), and four U.S. senior national titles (all-around, bars and floor in 2011 and all-around in 2012). 

She officially retired from competitive gymnastics in 2015.

In 2019, Jordyn was introduced as the head coach of the Arkansas Women’s Gymnastics program making her the youngest NCAA head-coach in history. 

Jordan has been a vocal advocate for safe sport, has won several awards in the past year, including the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs, the Rising Star Award by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and the Giant Steps A Hero Among Us Award.

In this conversation we cover so much - the immense pressure she was under to succeed, the trauma she and her teammates experienced as members of USA gymnastics, and why she’s taken a stand to change the sport for the better.

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Broadcaster, journalist and endurance athlete Charlie Webster details her near death experience, her process of post-traumatic growth, and how it shaped her perspective on perseverance, mental health and the motivation to keep pushing forward.

Charlie is incredible, and her body of work is… extensive, to say the least. She was the first woman to host a televised Boxing World Heavyweight Title Fight, has hosted or produced at least seven different podcasts, created a TV documentary for BBC, has run 14 marathons and competed in 3 ironman triathlons – and that is just scratching the surface of her incredible life story. 

In 2016, Charlie was put on life support and given 24 hours to live. 

Charlie pushes the edges in everything she does. She understands deep pain, and how to work with it, which is one of the reasons I wanted to have her on. We dive right in to explore what drives her. What is she working towards? And how does she take care of herself amidst a life of constant “doing” and high achievement? 

As you’ll hear in this conversation, Charlie is so much more than her accomplishments. Her honesty is striking, she’s navigated her life with incredible perseverance, and I think we all have something to learn from her journey of becoming.

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How does someone turn a two-bedroom apartment into the world’s largest hedge fund? Our guest today - the one and only Ray Dalio - knows. A master of global macro investing, Ray founded Bridgewater Associates and led it to unparalleled heights, redefining financial excellence along the way.

Ray isn't just a finance legend; he's a visionary author and a vanguard in idea meritocracy. With bestsellers like 'Principles: Life and Work,' he's influenced minds around the globe. His journey from a finance graduate to a figure on the Time 100 and Bloomberg Markets' most influential people lists is nothing short of remarkable.

Beyond finance, Ray’s a dedicated family man and philanthropist, deeply invested in ocean exploration and equal opportunity initiatives.

In our insightful chat, Ray breaks down his success pillars: radical transparency, idea meritocracy, and the power of transcendental meditation. He also opens up about loss, failure and how to align your life path to your true nature.

Prepare to dive into a mind that’s navigated the complex tides of global finance with steadfast principles and innovative strategies.

Whether you're charting your course in business, sports, or any other area, Ray's insights offer keys to unlock your potential and create a life that resonates with your deepest aspirations.

With Fire,

MG

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This week’s conversation is with Annie Murphy Paul, an acclaimed science writer.

A graduate of Yale University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she is currently a Learning Sciences Exchange Fellow at New America.

She is a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship, the Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship, and the Bernard L. Schwartz Fellowship at New America. 

Annie’s TED Talk titled “What We Learn Before We’re Born” has been viewed more than 2.6 million times and her latest book, The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain, offers a new view on how our minds work and how we can think better. 

In this conversation, we dive into her key findings and insights on, “The Extended Mind.” 

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Melanie Joy, a Harvard-educated psychologist specializing in relationships, communication, and social change.

Melanie is best known for her groundbreaking theories on the psychology of violence, nonviolence, and building healthy relationships.

Her analyses have helped explain why people engage in “nonrelational” behaviors—behaviors that harm other people, animals, the planet, and themselves—as well as how to change this pattern

She is the eighth recipient of the Ahimsa Award—previously given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela—for her work on global nonviolence; and she also received both the Peter Singer Prize and the Empty Cages Prize for her work developing strategies to reduce the suffering of animals. 

Melanie’s mission is to raise awareness of the obstacles preventing people from interacting in ways that create a sense of mutual connection.

These obstacles are both internal (psychological) and external (social), and they are a key reason why we act against our own interests and the interests of others—often without realizing that we’re doing so.

With awareness, we are better able to think freely and act compassionately, to create healthier and more fulfilling relationships and a more equitable and sustainable world.

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We got some really excellent questions from our community last week. I love the deep thought, curiosity, and authenticity you all brought to the table.

In our second AMA, I answer questions like:

When things go sideways at work—and I still have a business to run and bills to pay—how do I think clearly?

How do you put a high performance mindset lens on forgiveness? When something's been wrongfully done to you, how do you let go of it?

What are the most interesting or unexpected ways you've seen leadership evolve over the past two to three years?

And more... :)

We're excited to be filming these AMAs more frequently. What questions would you like Dr. Mike to answer? Leave your questions for the next AMA on the YouTube comments section or email info@findingmastery.net.

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Welcome to Volume 16 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series. The purpose behind these conversations - behind these AMAs – is to hear from you… to explore the topics and questions that you have been wrestling with on your path to becoming.

It is your insights and questions that fuel these epic conversations – so thank you again for all the thoughtfulness, honesty, and trust you put into these questions. Keep ‘em coming!

Our co-host, O'Neil Cespedes, is back to guide us through another fun and insightful discussion.

In this conversation, we explore a variety of compelling themes like:

• Infusing joy into the mundane aspects of life.
• Understanding People Pleasing and Codependency
• How to remain true to oneself while navigating societal pressures
• What makes a strong support system
• Embodying the “Noble Warrior”
• Balancing strength with kindness and vulnerability.

And so much more… 

I hope you walk away with some insights about how to navigate life's challenges with grace, strength, and authenticity… and how to find joy just a little more often.

Wishing you an epic week.

With Fire,

Mike

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Why do some people excel in the toughest of conditions while others fall short?

This age-old question finds its answer in the lives and experiences of today’s guests: Rich Diviney and Brent Gleeson, both former Navy SEALs and known authors, speakers, and human performance consultants.

Drawing on their background in Naval Special Warfare, Rich and Brent share their unique perspective on the blend of adaptability, resilience, and vulnerability required to achieve peak performance. 

But this wisdom doesn't just apply on the battlefield; it's also incredibly relevant in the boardroom, among teams, and when faced with seemingly impossible goals. 

In today’s episode, we explore:

• The critical traits of successful Navy SEALs
• How to navigate deep emotional pain and turn it into fuel for growth
• Fostering team buy-in during organizational change 
• Defining, setting and achieving goals - even under extreme adversity

Whether you're a leader trying to build a high-performing team or someone simply seeking a more fulfilled life, this is a thought-provoking (and sometimes controversial) conversation you won't want to miss.

With fire,

MG

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Mark Goulston, a Board Certified Psychiatrist, a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a former UCLA Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.

Mark has specialized in psychotherapy for more than thirty years focusing on suicide prevention, death and dying, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, PTSD and marital therapy.

After a recent string of high-profile suicides in America, death by suicide is a topic that's on a lot of our minds. Most of us are likely to know or love somebody who has been affected by a suicide.

Since September is Suicide Prevention Month, this is a good time to seek understanding about these tragic experiences.

You might be surprised by the global rate of suicide:

According to the World Health Organization, "Close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. Many more attempt suicide. For every person who commit suicide, there's another 20 who attempted."

My family has been impacted by suicide - I lost my uncle to this way of dying. Everyone who loved him dearly wishes we could have helped, but we couldn't.

This conversation is about learning how to better connect with those in need - through listening, empathy and compassion.

 

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This week’s conversation is with Dan Quinn, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Dan became the head coach in 2015 and has compiled a 43-37 regular season record.

In 2016, he led the Falcons to an NFC title and its second Super Bowl appearance.

Entering 2020, Dan ranks second in the organization’s history among coaches with at least four seasons with a winning percentage of .538 and fourth in franchise history with 43 regular-season wins.

Dan earned his head coaching opportunity after becoming one of the NFL’s top defensive coordinators with the Seattle Seahawks, overseeing the top defensive unit in the NFL.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Dan in Seattle, he’s an amazing human.

In this conversation, we touch on how he got into coaching, his approach to overcoming difficult moments, and style of leadership.

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This week’s conversation is with Mark Healey, a professional big-wave surfer, award-winning spear-fisherman, free-diver, photographer, filmmaker, and part-time Hollywood stuntman.

Mark’s made no shortage of major achievements in his career as a waterman.

Earning his first surf sponsorship at age 13 and going pro at 17, the 31-year-old has racked up victories at big-wave events like Todos Santos and—in 2008—nabbed the Spearfishing World Cup.

While he’s encountered his share of close calls—from shark attacks to blackouts—Mark thrives on the elements of danger inherent to his work.

And that is a central part of this conversation.

We discuss embracing challenges and why it’s important to face adversity head on rather than run from it.

When you get to that edge, that point where you’re uncomfortable, that’s where you really learn what’s possible for yourself.

Mark is wise beyond his years and I can’t wait for you to learn from him.

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Tina Seelig is a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Management Science and Engineering, and a Faculty Director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program at Stanford University School of Engineering. At Stanford, she teaches courses and leads three fellowship programs focused on creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Seelig earned her PhD in Neuroscience at Stanford Medical School, and has authored 17 books, including Insight Out (2016), inGenius (2012), and What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 (2009). She is the recipient of the Gordon Prize from the National Academy of Engineering, the Olympus Innovation Award, and the Silicon Valley Visionary Award. Tina is on it -- In this conversation we talk about: -the difference between innovation and creativity -how she defines an entrepreneur -having the proper mindset and skills to succeed -the different ways to frame a problem -the power of asking the right questions -why diversity and teamwork are key to successful ventures -how you find out what your passions are, how to unlock creativity -the model she created : the innovation engine This was so much fun -- really hope Tina's path and insights help generate ways of thinking and doing, to help you become the very best you.

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Step into the riveting world of Tu Lam, whose journey from war-torn Saigon to becoming a Green Beret is a tale of courage, resilience, and modern-day samurai wisdom. Born amidst chaos, he escaped Vietnam's turmoil, eventually finding a new life in America. Enthralled by stories of elite warriors, he chased his dream, enlisting in the US Military right after high school.

Deploying to over 20 countries, including conflict zones in the Philippines, Iraq, and Libya, Tu's career spanned 22 years of distinguished service. He retired as a master sergeant, having reached the pinnacle of elite forces—the special missions unit. 

In his post-military journey, Tu established Ronin Tactics, a tactical gear and training company. His expertise in martial arts and combat led to him being immortalized as a video game character in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare." Beyond the battlefield, Tu’s pursuits encompass a profound exploration of life's meaning, emphasizing the importance of love, authenticity, and embodying the samurai Bushido Code—loyalty, courage, and honor. 

In this gripping conversation, Tu shares his emotional journey as a refugee, his profound insights into life and love, captivating stories from his time as a Green Beret, and the seven pillars that guide his modern samurai lifestyle.

Join us as we delve into the extraordinary life and wisdom of Tu Lam, a man who found purpose, resilience, and mastery through the crucible of his experiences.

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This week’s conversation is with Brendan Kane, a business and digital growth strategist for Fortune 500 corporations, brands, and celebrities.

Brendan’s greatest strength is unlocking value. He transforms complexity into simplicity with tools and methods that amplify growth and enable execution.

He thrives on helping his clients systematically find and engage new audiences.

Brendan's success stories include massive global brands like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Jason Statham, Katie Couric, MTV, Vice, Lionsgate, and Yahoo.

This conversation has something for everyone: whether you own a business, are considering starting one or are just thinking about your personal brand.

The power of social media allows you or your organization to impact many, to get your message in front of the right people, but in today’s world capturing someone’s attention is not an easy feat.

More than 60 billion online messages are sent into the world every day, and only a select few companies can succeed in the mad scramble for customer attention.

This means that the question for anyone who wants to gain mass exposure for their transformative content, business, brand or connect with audiences around the globe is no longer if they should use social media but how to best take advantage of the numerous different platforms.

How can you make a significant impact in the digital world and stand out among all the noise?

That’s at the core of what we discuss in this conversation.

Brendan shares his methods for gaining an authentic, dedicated, and diverse online following from scratch; create personal, unique, and valuable content that will engage your core audience.

He just published a book that’s jam-packed with these insights- One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days.

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist and professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Over the course of her career, she has worked with or advised dozens of organizations on how to encourage positive change, including Google, the U.S. Department of Defense, the American Red Cross, and Morningstar. 

Her research is regularly featured by major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. 

She currently codirects the Behavior Change for Good Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania and has a new book out titled, How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.

And that’s why I wanted to speak with Katy… to better understand the research around behavior change.

How do people change, what are some things that get in the way, and what are some ways to amplify the rate of change?

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This week’s conversation is with Mark Manson, the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, the mega-bestseller that reached #1 in fourteen different countries.

Mark’s books have been translated into more than 50 languages and have sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

He runs one of the largest personal growth websites in the world, MarkManson.net, a blog with more than two million monthly readers and half a million subscribers, making him one of the largest and most successful independent publishers in the world.

Mark’s writing is often described as ‘self-help for people who hate self-help’ — a no-BS brand of life advice and cultural commentary that has struck a chord with people around the globe.

And the same can be said for this conversation – it’s a no BS, candid look into Mark’s upbringing, what inspired him to start writing, and why he’s a fervent believer of getting to the truth.

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We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!

To take advantage of deals from our partners, head to http://www.findingmastery.net/partners where you'll find all discount links and codes mentioned in the podcast.

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For those of you who care deeply about what you’re putting in your body, you’ve come to the right place. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to part 1, I highly recommend giving that a listen first so you can get some context for who Chris is and why he’s so good at what he does.

I also want to thank our partner Athletic Greens for supporting the podcast and allowing us to keep growing - if you haven’t had a chance yet, go to AthleticGreens.com/FindingMastery and learn more about their product. I love it and they’ve got an amazing offer available right now so take advantage of it before it’s gone!

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This week’s conversation is with Anne Morriss and Frances Frei.

Anne has spent the last twenty years building and leading mission-driven enterprises, serving most recently as CEO and Co-Founder of GenePeeks, a computational genomics company developing breakthrough ways to identify genetic risk. 

She has worked with entrepreneurs, companies and governments throughout the United States and Latin America on strategy, leadership and organizational change. 

Frances is a Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School. 

Her research investigates how leaders create the conditions for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture.

Frances regularly advises senior executives embarking on large-scale change initiatives and organizational transformation, including embracing diversity and inclusion as a lever for improved performance.   

She is considered a culture consultant - helped makeover Riot Games, Uber and WeWork when trust within those companies at a low.

So Anne and Frances both have unique perspectives and insight - that’s why I wanted to have them on together.

They share how to get the most out of individuals within an organization… to maximize potential and help each person flourish.

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What if the way you think about failure has been holding you back? What if reframing failure could be a major breakthrough to unlocking your potential?

Today’s guest is Dr. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor and one of the world’s foremost authorities on leadership, psychological safety, and the transformative power of failure. Her research has redefined how teams thrive, how innovation happens, and how individuals can unlock their full potential.

In this episode, we dive into Amy’s framework for failure—how understanding the difference between basic, complex, and intelligent failures can reframe our approach to learning and growth. We also explore the tension between perfectionism and ambition, the significance of purpose in navigating setbacks, and why true belonging is rooted in authentic connection rather than seeking approval.

If you’re ready to rethink failure and discover how it can be your greatest teacher, then tune in for this insightful episode with Amy Edmondson.

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Blackjack! Welcome to Volume 21 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything. 

We’re back once again with our entertaining and insightful co-host – O’Neil Cespedes – and in today’s conversation, we explore topics like:

• How to show our kids that we’re invested in their success without pressuring them
• The real meaning of “potential” and how to nurture it
• The dangers of cognitive bias 
• Finding a healthy level of FOPO, and avoiding FOPO’s dark side
• How to move forward from trauma without looking back
• What it means to work from the inside out
• And so much more…

And as always, we have a lot of fun with this. You’ll hear about my regrettable diet as a college student, and what O’Neil learned in his disastrous audition for The Lion King.

These AMAs are some of our favorite episodes. Your insightful questions both challenge and inspire us… they allow us to go deeper into the core principles we talk about here… it’s awesome. Keep them coming.

With Fire,

MG and the FM Team

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This conversation is with John Nordstrom -- of the Nordstrom high-quality fashion retailer in the US -- whose history has gone from a small shoe store, to having over 350 large luxury department stores -- to being publicly traded on the NYSE -- to being in the middle of a potential family buy back.

This conversation is about a man who cares for his family and cares for his customers. It's authentic and it's one of the reasons the Nordstrom company has been successful.

In this conversation, we talk about the steps Nordstrom took in growing the business. John takes us through the history of their expansion and how customer service came to be their number one priority.

We also discuss how to create a culture of trust within a company and how to inspire others to be just a little bit better every day.

We touch on the parallels between running Nordstrom and a professional sports team (he and his family brought the Seahawks to Seattle in the 1970s) and the factors that ultimately lead to running a successful organization.

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This week’s conversation is with Jamie Wheal, founder of The Flow Genome Project and author of Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex, and Death in a World That’s Lost Its Mind.

Jamie is one of the most brilliant thinkers I know – he has advised executives at some of the world’s leading companies (Deloitte, Red Bull, Google, Lululemon, Facebook, TD Ameritrade, Nike, and Goldman Sachs), and his work & ideas have been covered in The New York Times, Financial Times, Wired, Entrepreneur, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc., and TED. 

You may remember Jamie from his previous appearance on Finding Mastery back in 2017 where we discussed flow states and altered states of consciousness – that’s episode #67 if you’re looking to check it out. 

This time around, we discuss some of Jamie’s most recent work where he takes radical research out of the extremes and applies it to the mainstream, exploring macro topics like where we are today, why it’s so hard to make sense of the world, what might be coming next, and what to do about it.

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Welcome to PART ONE of our conversation with Vice Admiral John Mustin. What is it like to lead 59,000 people? What if those people are spread out all over the world? What does readiness as a leader look like? Chief of Navy Reserve (CNR), Vice Admiral John Mustin, knows exactly what it’s like and he leads with a singular, laser-guided priority in mind: warfighting readiness. 

When it comes to performing at the highest level, Vice Admiral Mustin is steadfast in his belief that individual performance is informed by both competence and character. We’ll find out how he helps instill these traits in his force and the challenges that come with it. 

Vice Admiral Mustin has an extraordinary grasp on leadership philosophy, communicating effectively across large organizations, and using his civilian experiences to inform strategy within his military career – and he’s generous enough to share some of his insights with us around both organizational and personal high performance. 

We covered so much ground in our conversation that we felt this episode was best shared in two parts. Part I is live now. Part II will drop on all audio platforms tomorrow – be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it on your feed. If you’d like early access to the full conversation, you can view the episode in its entirety on YouTube right now. 

No matter when or where you tune in, we hope you enjoy this gem of a conversation with Vice Admiral John Mustin.

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This week’s conversation is with Cal Newport, an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, where he specializes in the theory of distributed systems.

Cal is also a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the intersection of technology and culture. 

He’s the author of seven books, including Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, which have been published in over thirty languages. 

In his latest book titled, A World Without Email, he makes the case that our current approach to work is broken, then lays out a series of principles and concrete instructions for fixing it.

And that sets the tone for this conversation.

We discuss how the modern work ecosystem has created the hyperactive hivemind… where everyone just grabs anyone as needed.

As Cal puts it, it’s convenient and flexible, but it's melting our brains and it's burning us out.

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We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!

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Is the real battle for mastery fought outside of us—or within—and what does it take to win that fight every day?

I’m so excited for this week’s guest, Steven Pressfield. Steven is a bestselling author and thought leader on creativity, known for his groundbreaking works like The War of Art and The Legend of Bagger Vance. 

Steven’s journey is a testament to perseverance—he didn’t publish his first novel until he was 52—and his story proves that it’s never too late to embrace your calling. In this conversation, Steven and I dive deep into the nature of Resistance—how it manifests as fear, procrastination, or self-doubt—and what it takes to overcome it. We explore the concept of the “unlived life” and the metaphor of the “underground river” that represents our innate talents and passions. Steven shares his insights on creativity as a sacred connection, how to discover your purpose, and why living authentically is one of life’s greatest battles.

Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, athlete, or anyone on the path to mastery, I think you’ll find Steven’s perspective both grounding and inspiring.

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Imagine being suspended in the cosmos, gazing down at Earth, experiencing a sense of freedom that transcends gravity's pull.

It’s an almost impossible task to pinpoint the most interesting thing about this week’s guest… she’s a remarkable human who’s never met a dream she didn’t turn into reality.

Anousheh Ansari is an extraordinary entrepreneur, engineer, and trailblazer who has etched her name in history as the first self-funded woman – as well as the first Iranian and Muslim woman – to journey to the International Space Station.

Anousheh’s life story reads like an adventure novel, starting with her curiosity that led her to explore the skies and ask the questions that would eventually take her beyond our planet. Born in Iran and later immigrating to the United States, her journey was marked by the Iranian Revolution, a war with Iraq, and personal challenges that shaped her unbreakable spirit.

As an engineer, Anousheh is a problem solver at heart. Her passion for tackling challenges led her to co-found and chair Prodea Systems, while also wearing the hat of CEO at the X Prize Foundation. She embodies the ethos of "action over words," emphasizing the need to not just identify problems, but to relentlessly pursue solutions towards a better future.

From training for over a year to embark on a groundbreaking space mission, to her views on failure and determination, Anousheh’s insights are a treasure trove for those seeking to unlock their potential. Her perspective on entrepreneurship, the power of passion, and the importance of surrounding oneself with a dedicated team forms the blueprint for those who aspire to make a difference.

I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation - as we delve into the mind of a true pioneer, a woman whose journey through space is an allegory for defying limits and shaping the future. From the beauty of curiosity to the weightlessness of freedom, Anousheh inspires us to embrace the unknown and dream beyond the stars.

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This week’s conversation is with Suzy Whaley, the PGA of America's first female President.

Prior to being elected President last November, Suzy served for two years as PGA Secretary, and two years as Vice President.

She is also the PGA Owner of Suzy Whaley Golf in Cromwell, Connecticut and the PGA Director of Instruction at the Country Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Suzy is recognized as one of the country’s top golf instructors and has won numerous teaching awards including: Golf Digest Top 50 Instructor, LPGA Top 50 Instructor, Connecticut PGA Two-Time Teacher of the Year, Golf Digest State Teacher of the Year 10 times, and she’s instructed more than 300 children to collegiate golf.

A dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, Suzy was a LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993.

She famously qualified and participated in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to qualify for a PGA Tour event.

We discuss what that experience was like for her: the pressure that went into competing on the Men’s tour and how she overcame a moment where her nerves got the best of her.

And …. how did that experience prepare her for current role, as she once again finds herself in a similar situation, charting new territory, this time as the leader of a massive organization.

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This week’s conversation is with Angela Naeth, currently ranked among the top triathletes in the world with 3 sub 9-hour Ironman performances.

Angela is a multiple 70.3 and Ironman Champion and has 30+ podiums at the 70.3 and Ironman distances.

If you're not familiar with the 70.3, that's the total distance in miles for what's considered a half-ironman. A full ironman triathlon is 140+ miles (consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.22-mile marathon run, raced in that order).

In 2018, Angela, while battling Lyme disease, placed 8th at the Ironman World Championships with a time of 8:57, which is just remarkable.

So why compete with Lyme disease – why put her body through something that intense?

For Angela, it’s about using sport as a means to help her better understand herself and discover what she’s capable of, what she’s made of.

It’s about doing it for her own satisfaction rather than trying to appease others, which is something she’s had to work on.

And that’s really what this conversation is all about: discovery and acceptance. 

Self-discovery involves testing yourself; that feedback, that information, is part of the process for figuring out who you are.

Self-acceptance involves taking that information and embracing the true nature of it; it’s about getting comfortable in your own skin.

They go hand in hand and Angela has a very eloquent way of describing her process for it— I hope you find ways to apply those lessons.

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This week’s conversation is with Henry Fraser, a talented artist, who paints stunning landscapes, animals, portraits, and more.

There’s one caveat -- he draws using his mouth, as an accident years ago left him paralysed from the neck down.

So that would beg the question, how did he learn to paint?

He began by using a stylus on his iPad, which he held using his mouth to draw.

He then taught himself to use a pencil, and then paint, by fixing the utensils required a stick attached to his mouth.

Henry is also an author – he wrote The Little Big Things, which won Non Fiction Book Of The Year by WHSmith.

Losing your ability to move from the shoulders down at age 17 – that’s up there with the most difficult circumstances I can imagine someone having to deal with.

So with that context, I think you can get an idea of why I wanted to speak with Henry.

This conversation is about acceptance, resiliency, and gratitude.

It’s about making the best of a situation, no matter how bad things seem on the surface.

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Please support our partners!

We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine physician and the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine. 

Gabrielle received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition where specialized in vitamin and mineral metabolism. 

Now, in her private medical practice, Gabrielle leverages evidence-based medicine with emerging cutting-edge science to restore metabolism, balance hormones, and optimize body composition with the goal of lifelong vitality. 

Her patients include world-class athletes, as well as elite military operators such as Navy SEALS, Green Berets, Army Rangers and US & Canadian Special Forces. 

In a world where vegetarianism and veganism have seemingly become the “gold standard” for health, Gabrielle has quite a different perspective, and it was fascinating to learn about some of Gabrielle’s unique approaches to health and longevity. We discuss nutrition, lifestyle, the importance of protein, and how - from her perspective - muscle health is the ultimate key to optimal aging.

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Think back to the most pivotal moments of your life… What parts of you did you bring forward? Which parts did you hold back? How did these experiences shape your way of being?

These questions lie at the heart of our conversation today with Nastia Liukin, a gold medal gymnast whose name is etched in history for winning the All-Around title at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Beyond her monumental achievements – including tying the record for the most gymnastics medals won by an American in a single Olympic Games with FIVE medals – Nastia's journey is one of relentless pursuit, resilience, and the courage to redefine success.

In this episode, Nastia reveals the significant moments of her career – from a pivotal conversation with Kobe Bryant that reshaped her self-perception, to the standing ovation that followed what she considers to be her worst performance.

Nastia’s lived experience shows us all how to find meaning and success beyond external achievements. And she continues to walk her talk.

We dive deep into the dynamics of perfection and control, vulnerability, and the power of being present. Nastia's insights offer a practical guide for embracing the profound impact we have when we can be at home with ourselves, wherever we are.

I’m excited for you to discover new ways to define your own success, respond with courage, and meet the moment.

With Fire,

MG

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What if suffering wasn’t just something to endure but a tool to unlock your full potential? 

Today’s guest is Sean Waxman—a renowned strength and conditioning coach, former Olympic weightlifter, and author of the transformative book Suffer Smarter. He’s also been a close friend for nearly 30 years and someone I constantly enjoy learning from.

Sean’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and purpose. I do not say those words lightly. He turned the heartbreak of missing the Olympics into a mission to help others discover their own inner strength—both physically and mentally.

Sean’s insights are practical, raw, and deeply inspiring—a powerful reminder of the lessons waiting in life’s hardest moments.

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This week’s conversation is with Vicki Golden, a professional freestyle motocross rider and four-time X Games gold medalist.

Vicki is the first female member of the SoCal freestyle motocross team Metal Mulisha and also performs in Travis Pastrana's Nitro Circus Tour.

In 2008, at age 16, she became the Loretta Lynn's AMA Women's Amateur Champion.

Three years later, she earned her first gold medal at the Women's Moto X Racing in the Summer X Games and collected her second and third gold medals in 2012.

In addition to becoming the first female competitor in a Moto X freestyle competition, (which resulted in a bronze medal win in the best whip category in 2012), Vicki was nominated for the ESPY's Best Female Action Sports Athlete award in 2014.

In March of this year, Vicki laid it down again in Auckland, New Zealand when she landed her first ever FMX backflip off the 15-foot Next Level ramp, ranking her as the only woman who has flipped one of the largest FMX ramps in the world.

I had the fortune of speaking with Vicki only a few days before she performed a record-breaking stunt on HISTORY's Evel Live 2 where she sped through a series of flaming wooden boards.

She was the first female to break the record which was set back in 2006.

You’ll get a chance to hear how Vicki prepared for this stunt and what was going through her mind in the days leading up to it.

I’ve always had a deep appreciation for those who perform in the world of extreme sports, pushing at the edges of their capacity, where there are real consequences when things go wrong.

We touch on that in this conversation as well.

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This week’s conversation is with Dierdre Wolownick, the mother of legendary adventure rock climber Alex Honnold.

You may recognize him from this year’s Academy Award Winning film, Free Solo, where he became the first person to ever free-solo El Capitan in Yosemite.

Alex was a previous guest on this podcast, episode 108.

I wanted to speak with his mother Dierdre for a couple of reasons.

First, Alex was one of the more challenging interviews I’ve ever had on this podcast.

Everything just seemed so matter of fact to him.

One thing I hope you’re noticing from listening to these conversations is how much one’s upbringing (their parenting structure and environment) dictate who they become and why they do what they do so I thought who better to have a follow up conversation with then Alex’s mother.

Second of all, Dierdre’s own story is quite incredible.

Inspired by her daughter, Stasia, Dierdre began long-distance running at the age of fifty-five, and she has since completed several marathons, as well as numerous half-marathons and other races.

At fifty-eight, she took up rock climbing with her son, Alex, and at the age of sixty-six, she became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park.

Dierdre’s award-winning writing has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and books worldwide, and she created a publishing company that sells internationally.a

She just published her first book, The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story, where she shares her intimate journey, revealing how her climbing achievement reflects a broader story of courage and persistence.

I think you’ll be fascinated by this conversation.

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We all know about FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out. We’re scrolling through our social media feeds, and there it is: post after post of a friend who’s somewhere exotic, having a great time, or at an exciting new job… and we’re not. We can’t help but compare our lives with people who seem to be doing so much more.

The result can be an uptick in anxiousness, distress, grinding to “keep up” and sometimes FOMO can even stop us from taking action…that feeling of being overwhelmed. 

FOMO – the acronym and the idea – really struck a nerve in the social media age. Not only is it now in the Merriam Webster dictionary, but it’s spawned a whole slew of related acronyms: FOBO (Fear of Better Options), JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) and even inspired me to coin the term FOPO, the Fear Of People’s Opinions.

Today on the podcast is writer and entrepreneur Patrick McGinnis, who invented the term FOMO back in the early 2000s. He did it flippantly, but then the idea took off, and he’s been owning it and studying it ever since.

Patrick has come up with a way of looking at our fear of missing out, how to train ourselves to work with it, and even use it – in positive ways – to really go after the things we want and elevate our lives. 

It’s a fascinating story, a unique perspective on modern culture, and a great way of using this “negative” idea and turning it into a tool for better living.

In the spirit of FOMO... you DO NOT want to miss this one :)

With Fire,

MG

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Rowing is a sport that brings the mind into play like no other. When they are maxing out their physical capacity, completely mentally drained, and have little left in the tank – how do they summon the internal resources to push through?

On Day 12 of The Game Inside the Games, Nastia Liukin and Dr. Michael Gervais sit down with rowing legends – and brothers – Martin and Valent Sinkovic, who recently won their third gold medal here in Paris.  

The Sinkovic brothers discuss their thrilling gold medal race, detailing the mental and physical challenges they faced, particularly when they were behind and had to summon the strength for an incredible comeback late in the race.

They break down their perspective on pain, perseverance, trust, internal motivation, and managing pre-race emotions. 

And most importantly, they share their powerful perspective on life – that high performance and joy can co-exist, and that sometimes we all need to experience a little pain… a little discomfort… to live a more fulfilling life. 

The Sinkovic brothers are an emblem for the good life, and we all have something to learn from their experience and insight. 

With Fire,

The FM Team

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This week, we’re doing something a little different – we are excited to re-release a fresh version of our 2019 conversation with the US World Cup and Olympic soccer legend, Abby Wambach. 

So – why are we re-releasing an episode? And why this conversation in particular? Because transitions are an increasingly prominent part of modern life. As the pace of change accelerates, so does our need to be able to eloquently adapt and adjust. And Abby has demonstrated mastery here.  

She is an emblem for doing the inner work –  she’s moved from the sport world to the business world with grace while living aligned to her values throughout. So I’m really excited to bring her back to the forefront of our community.

If you heard this conversation when it first came out a few years ago, it’s definitely worth revisiting. If you haven’t… you’re in for a real treat. 

We’d love to hear your feedback on this episode re-release. Hit us on social or send a note to info@findingmastery.net. If it resonates, we’d be stoked to bring back some more gems from the Finding Mastery archive.

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For the players on the field, the Super Bowl is the ultimate test of skill and composure. But just above them, in the broadcast booth, another high-stakes performance is unfolding—one with no second chances, no instant replay, and no room for error.

In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais sits down with Greg Olsen, former NFL star turned Emmy-winning broadcaster, to unpack the relentless preparation, mental discipline, and pressure that comes with calling the biggest game in sports.

Greg shares why broadcasting the Super Bowl was more nerve-wracking than playing in one, the mental traps sportscasters must avoid, and the game-day routines that helped him deliver when millions were watching. He opens up about self-doubt, trusting his instincts in the booth, and the mindset shifts that allowed him to rise to the top of the broadcasting world.

This episode is a masterclass in handling pressure, preparation, and performing at your best—whether you’re on the field, in the booth, or in any high-stakes moment of life.

Subscribe now and follow along with Finding Mastery all week as we unlock the mindset of high-performance athletes on the world’s biggest stage. Get The Game Inside The Games on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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This week’s conversation is with Trent Dilfer, a 14 year NFL veteran and Super Bowl Champion.

Trent played for five teams during his career, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers.

He led the Ravens to a 34-7 victory over the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV (35).

Trent has now made it his mission in life to “give back” and has become a positive role model, coach and mentor for upcoming High School Quarterbacks through Elite 11 where he’s had the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and wisdom of the quarterbacking position to the next generation of future College and NFL Players.

Trent and I met at Elite 11 and that’s where I got to learn about how special a human being he is.

In this conversation we discuss Trent’s journey to the NFL, what he’s learned about himself along the way, and how that ultimately led him to coaching high school football – where he’s currently the head football coach at the Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.

And while Trent is well known for his work on the football field, this conversation is really about who Trent is as a man off it.

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How did studying military dolphins lead to a breakthrough in human health?

Our guest today, Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson, is a scientist, entrepreneur, and veterinarian with a remarkable story – one that begins with dolphins and leads to groundbreaking discoveries about human health. Her research with Navy dolphins led to the discovery of C15, an essential fatty acid with the potential to revolutionize how we think about healthy aging and longevity.

I’ve been fascinated by the role of fatty acids in the aging process for a long time... Today, we explore C15’s critical role in maintaining healthy cells, and how it may even help fight against diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s.

What I love about this conversation is how Stephanie brings the science to life – showing us how the simplest discoveries can have profound implications for our health and well-being.

Our mission and values are so aligned that we partnered with her breakthrough C15 product, Fatty15. Stephanie and the team at Fatty15 are reshaping the world’s approach to healthy aging, and I’m thrilled to support their mission of advancing human health through cutting-edge science.

Try out Fatty15 for yourself and receive 15% off when you visit https://fatty15.com/FINDINGMASTERY

This is one of those conversations that makes you rethink how you care for your body, what you eat, and what truly supports healthy aging. So whether you’re on your own mission to change the world or simply interested in practical ways to live a healthier life, this conversation with Dr. Stephanie is one you won't want to miss.

With Fire,

The FM Team

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This week’s conversation is with Wes Pfiffner, a member of Joovv’s leadership team.

Joovv is the first company to develop a modular, full-body light therapy for personal, in-home use.

So why am I so interested in light therapy?

You probably know that UV light from the sun helps us create Vitamin D, but other colors and wavelengths of sunlight are crucial for our health as well, like red light and near-infrared light.

I’ve been hooked on Joovv for a while and I wanted to have Wes on to take a deeper dive into their technology and how it can make a difference for you.

In this conversation, Wes breaks down the basics of light and how it works on a cellular level, leading to some commonly known (and some not so common!) ways healthy light exposure optimizes health, and why you should prioritize this therapy the same way you do diet and exercise.

Joovv also just launched their next generation of devices – you can learn more and take advantage of an exclusive offer at Joovv.com/findingmastery.

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This week’s conversation is with Josh Peck, an actor, comedian, author, Youtuber, and television superstar. Josh rose to near-instant fame when he starred for four seasons as the comedic center of Nickelodeon’s hit show Drake & Josh. 

Since then, he has spent the last two decades establishing himself as one of Hollywood's rising talents – he has starred in several feature films and is currently on set for other major projects, such as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer alongside industry legends like Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. 

However, Josh’s quick rise to stardom didn’t come without consequence – in his new book, Happy People Are Annoying, Josh opens up for the first time about his coming of age journey under the spotlight and the struggles that came along with it.

And that’s what this conversation is about -  learning, growing, finding bright spots in the scary parts of life, and the life-changing freedom that comes on the other side of acceptance.

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This week’s conversation is with Paul Assaiante, one of the most decorated coaches in college sports history. 

For those unfamiliar, Paul is a legend – he is a two-time Olympic coach of the year, the “winningest coach in college sports history”, an inductee of the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame, and has won 17 NCAA championship titles at Trinity College where he is still the head coach of the Men’s Squash team today. 

You might also recognize Paul’s name from his first appearance on Finding Mastery back in 2016 – that’s episode #47 if you want to check it out.

Paul has spent more than four decades coaching, motivating, and mentoring top athletes from around the world – and with how rapidly our culture is shifting, I was excited to have him back on to explore some of the changes he has observed over the last several years.

The wisdom Paul displays is abundant, and I hope you’ll find as much value in this conversation as I did. We discuss how to prepare our children to succeed in a competitive world, the importance of failure, what it really means to win, and so much more.

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Formula One racing may seem like a 'sit-down' sport to some, but the reality is that race car drivers are anything but sedentary. World-class F1 auto racing pushes the limits of human endurance, focus, reaction time, and risk – requiring competitors to face incredibly intense physical and mental challenges.

In the open cockpit of a Formula One car, drivers (or “pilots” as they are often known) must maintain razor-sharp concentration at speeds approaching 220 miles per hour and withstand G-forces rivaling those experienced by astronauts during launch. And they do it all on top of a grueling global 30-week-per-year international travel schedule.

Driver performance is as crucial as vehicle engineering. And to reach sustained superior performance, Formula One athletes often work with coaches who guide them to excel both on and off the course.

In this episode, we sit down with a dear friend of mine, Patrick Harding, a distinguished performance coach for Formula One Racer Alex Albon.

Patrick’s extensive background in physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, and performance coaching makes him an invaluable asset to champions. With more than 12 years’ experience in elite sports, including professional rugby, Australian Rules Football, Team Great Britain’s most successful Olympic Canoeing squad, plus a personal interest in boxing, Patrick's expertise is significant.

In this conversation, we discuss how to create a high-performance environment for athletes, the strategy behind mental and physical preparation, and why the journey of self-discovery is an essential component of  mastery. 

Patrick also shares insights from his personal journey, the lessons he's learned along the way, and how he helps athletes understand themselves and find joy in the process. His story is a testament to the power of dedication and the transformative potential of performance coaching.

With Fire,

MG

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First - real quick if you haven’t heard yet, we are pivoting from an ad-supported model to a crowdfunding model and we really need your support!

You can learn more at findingmastery.net/support - it would be greatly appreciated.

We’d love to see this podcast exist for a long time but that only happens if we have your support.

And for those who aren’t familiar with Tribe Talk - it’s where I answer questions related to the podcast and high performance. I just recorded a new episode last week on how to separate who you are from what you do.

You can find it at findingmastery.net/support!

Now to this week’s conversation… it’s with Major MJ Hegar

MJ, one of Foreign Policy Magazine's 100 Leading Global Thinkers of 2013 and one of Newsweek's 125 Women of Impact of 2012, was commissioned into the Air Force through ROTC at The University of Texas in 1999. She served on active duty as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri where she worked on the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Her maintenance career culminated in responsibility for 75% of all B-2 maintenance as a Captain and selection as the Company Grade Officer of the Year for 2003. In 2004, she was selected for pilot training by the Air National Guard. Upon completion of her training at the top of her class, she served three tours in Afghanistan flying Combat Search and Rescue as well as Medevac missions.

During her time in the Guard, in addition to the deployments to Afghanistan, Major Hegar flew marijuana eradication missions, wildfire suppression with buckets of water on cargo slings, evacuated survivors from hurricane-devastated cities, and rescued many civilians on civil Search and Rescue missions in California and out at sea.

On her third tour to Afghanistan on July 29th 2009, she was shot down on a Medevac mission and sustained wounds resulting in her being awarded the Purple Heart. Her actions on this mission saved the lives of her crew and patients, earning her the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Device (making MJ the sixth woman in history to receive the DFC...the first was Amelia Earhart...and only the second ever to receive it with the Valor Device). In 2012, Major Hegar filed suit against the Secretary of Defense asserting that the Combat Exclusion Policy was unconstitutional. In 2013, the Secretary of Defense repealed the Policy effective immediately.

Talk about knowing what you stand for, having conviction, and going all the way forward.

MJ contributes a lot of her success to the characteristics that were born out of the adversity she faced in her life.

The heart of this conversation is centered around trust. Trust in self and trust for others.

When a crisis arises can you trust yourself to make the right decision and trust those around you.

Will you be able to think clearly and access your craft? Will you be able to pivot? Will you be able to perform eloquently in rugged and hostile environments?

We all have rugged and hostile environments. They don't just involve combat. Every day we have opportunities to get right to our own edge where we're uncomfortable, where our heart thumps just a little bit when we're not sure if we can do the thing that we set out to do.

All of those things show up on a regular basis for us so this isn't just reserved for military operators. Each one of us have moments where we're tested so there's a lot here for us to pay attention to.

MJ talks about the importance of being able to be calm and she has a model that she's worked from which is, "Wind Your Watch" and it's a fun little applied tool that she shares in this conversation.

We talk about the importance of having a cohesive team in the military and why outdated policies on integrating women had a significant impact on that cohesiveness.

We discuss what it’s like to live with PTSD and how to best manage it.

And lastly, we touch on the attribution theory - the way people explain the events in their lives.

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This week’s conversation is with Ryan Holiday, the bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way; Ego Is the Enemy; Conspiracy and other books about marketing, culture, and the human condition. 

His work has been translated into over 30 languages and has appeared everywhere from the New York Times to Fast Company.

His company, Brass Check, has advised companies such as Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as multi platinum musicians and some of the biggest authors in the world. 

You may already be familiar with Ryan from his previous appearance on Finding Mastery a few years ago (episode #43).

Ryan is a proponent of stoicism and in this conversation, we discuss what led him down that path and why the underlying philosophy is so important to him.

As Ryan puts it: “A Stoic doesn't control the world, but they control always how they respond to the world. So it's a really great philosophy if you're doing something ambitious. If you're a leader or an athlete or a poet or a politician, it's there for the stresses of life.”

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This week’s conversation is with Gretchen Rubin.

Gretchen has spent the past decade researching and writing about happiness and is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, and The Happiness Project. 

I wanted to talk to Gretchen because happiness is something that every one of us seems to searching for yet some of us have trouble finding.

When you ask people on the street or in a casual conversation, "What are you looking for in life? What does it all come down to?" Many people say happiness. 

What's been interesting is that on this podcast, many of the interesting thinkers and doers have not said happiness. They are looking for something different than that.

I wanted to pull from Gretchen why and how happiness is something that she's spent her life trying to understand.

In this conversation, we have a great discussion on how happiness and habits are linked.

Gretchen came up with her own personality framework – the idea being that each of us fits into one of four characteristics she calls the four tendencies.

These tendencies explain the reasons behind why we do what we do, based on how different people respond to expectations.

We even touch on my own tendencies and she’s spot on.

When we get to that part of the conversation, definitely take a moment to think about where you / others that you are close to, fit on the scale.

Gretchen mentions that, “What’s interesting is that if you don’t understand the tendencies, you might be sabotaging someone else with your advice, even if you have the best intentions.” And this is one of the reasons why I don’t like giving advice.. for more on that.. I did an episode of Tribe Talk on it.

I hope this conversation teaches you a little bit more about yourself and what it really means to be happy.

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What drives us to pursue impossible dreams, fail repeatedly, and keep trying?

Our guest, former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, truly embodies the spirit of never giving up.

Despite a fear of heights, bad eyesight, multiple rejections from NASA, and other setbacks, Mike's unwavering determination led him to perform heroic spacewalks to repair the Hubble Telescope and to send the first-ever Tweet from beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

But how did he maintain his persistence? What psychological skills did Mike need to master to face down failure after failure and keep reaching higher?

This conversation isn't just about outer space; it's about the space within us all that holds the power of persistence, teamwork, and awe.

Mike's journey from New York neighborhood to NASA is a testament to the extraordinary feats we’re all capable of achieving. His story is a beacon of hope for anyone who's ever been told they can't. And he's here to share the wisdom gained from a lifetime of looking up and stepping forward into the unknown.

So, as we embark on this journey with Mike Massimino, prepare to be inspired, to learn, and to see our own challenges a little differently. Because sometimes, reaching for the stars teaches us more about ourselves than we ever imagined.

I’m excited for you to apply what Mike has to teach us!

With Fire,

Mike

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Dr. Mike sits down with actor Michael Rosenbaum to answer YOUR questions on psychological safety, therapy, motivation, passion, and so much more.

Welcome back to another Ask Me Anything on Finding Mastery… I keep saying it - but it’s an honor to answer the questions you’re all sending in. 

I’m really excited about this one. Michael Rosenbaum - a friend of Finding Mastery - has dropped in for today’s AMA. Michael is an actor, comedian, podcaster, and all-around incredible human. He’s famously known for portraying Lex Luthor on the Superman TV series, Smallville, and has recently entered the Marvel Universe - in Guardians of the Galaxy.

He  hosts his own podcast, Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - 

In this AMA, we dive into psychological safety, therapy, living with passion, and what to do when your motivation is running thin.

Your questions took us to some fascinating places -  and we have some fun at the end when Michael trots out his Adam Sandler impression, reveals why he left Smallville, and walks us through the plot of his dream turned movie pitch, Saving Chris Farley. 

As always, feel free to email info@findingmastery.net with feedback or any questions you may have for future AMAs.

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Success - in any arena - often demands a delicate dance between fearlessness, finesse and dedication. Mikaela Shiffrin, a true luminary in alpine skiing, has mastered this equilibrium like no other. With an astounding 88 World Cup wins to her name, Mikaela stands as the greatest alpine skier in history. Period.

She's a two-time Olympic Champion, seven-time World Champion, and five-time Overall World Cup champion. But Mikaela's influence extends far beyond the slopes. In 2023, Time Magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and the ESPY Awards named her the Best Athlete in Women's Sports. And she’s done all of this before the age of 29.

Clearly Mikaela has talent. Confidence. Discipline. But what sets her apart, as you’ll hear, is her commitment and honesty to work from the inside out. She’s developed incredible abilities to tune out toxic mental noise, perform at the knife’s edge, and bounce forward when it gets hard. More than anything, her success comes from her unflappable courage in the face of challenge - or as she says, “the confidence to try” - and try again and again, even if things don’t work out.

Off the mountain, and in this conversation, Mikaela is equally impressive. We delve into Mikaela's remarkable journey, from her early days on the slopes to her unparalleled achievements in alpine skiing. She shares insights into handling external pressures, maintaining a process-oriented mindset, and embracing an honest approach to self-coaching. Join us as we explore the mindset of a true champion and learn from Mikaela's clarity, intensity, and passion for the sport she loves.

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Welcome to the 13th installment of our Ask Me Anything series, where your questions take center stage and our answers offer you guidance on the road to mastery.

The goal behind our monthly AMA series is to dive deep into the questions that challenge and inspire you on your path to becoming your best.

We’re stoked about all the excellent questions we received for this 13th AMA. Our co-host, O’Neil Cespedes, is back again to make sure we keep it real as we navigate the rich landscape of your questions.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• Best practices for managing unproductive thought
• Why it’s important to square up with pain and suffering
• The connection between quality sleep and being your best
• How to push away recurring negative thoughts
• How to develop your “It Factor” (no, it’s not genetic!)
• How disordered thinking takes shape from microtraumas
• Why people-pleasing masks your fear of other people’s opinions, or FOPO*
• And so much more…

 

Enjoy! With fire,

MG

* The book, The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You, offers more detailed insight.

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Resources for those who may be struggling:

Need to talk to someone?

Click HERE for Mental Health Warmlines

U.S. Suicide hotlines

If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself or you’re in an immediate mental health crisis situation, people at the following suicide hotlines in the U.S. can help.

• 988 - Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988, or chat 988lifeline.org

(The old National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number will work indefinitely; it is 1-800-273-TALK [8255])

• 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) - National Hopeline Network
• 1-866-488-7386 (1-866-4.U.TREVOR aimed at gay and questioning youth)

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This week’s conversation is with Lindsay-Rae McIntyre, the Corporate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Microsoft. 

From thought leadership, to operational execution, to employee engagement, Lindsay leads Microsoft’s strategic efforts on systemic solutions to advance diversity and inclusion guided by a commitment to be mission-driven, outcome-oriented, globally-informed, science-based, and culturally-competent.

She spearheaded the publication of Microsoft’s first Diversity & Inclusion Report and shaped the company’s recent action-oriented response to racial injustice.

Under her leadership, her global team of human resources and employee engagement strategists are driving the adoption of Microsoft’s Core Priority for Diversity & Inclusion, introducing new solutions to advance inclusive behaviors and habits including Microsoft’s Allyship Program and employee self-identification, and helping leaders embrace their inclusion learning journey.

You may have already heard a snippet of our conversation as part of the Decoding Disruptors: Race Forward special episode we published about a month ago but I wanted to release the full conversation here because there is so much more we touch on.

And if you haven’t had a chance to listen to Race Forward yet, I would be honored if you would give it a listen.

You can learn more about it and explore video clips of it at decodingdisruptors.com/race

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Lieutenant Colonel Jannell MacAulay is currently the Commander of the 305th Operations Support Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. She leads a joint team responsible for supporting rapid global mobility to missions ranging from in-flight refueling to combat operations to humanitarian relief. In This Episode: -Why she chose to go to the Air Force academy -Parents instilling from an early age that there were no limits -Rules based vs. value based thinking -The moment she reached a burnout point -Learning to be ok with the imperfect -Her constant battle with finding balance in her life -Why teamwork and self-love are imperative for her -What defines strong leadership -Being motivated by seeing others do well -How she defines success See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chade-Meng Tan (Meng) is a Google pioneer, award-winning engineer, international bestselling author, thought leader and philanthropist. He retired from Google as its Jolly Good Fellow at the age of 45. He is Chairman of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and Co-chair of One Billion Acts of Peace, which has been nominated eight times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also Adjunct Professor at the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. At Google, Meng led the creation of a groundbreaking mindfulness-based emotional intelligence course called Search Inside Yourself, which was featured on the front page of the Sunday Business section of the New York Times. Search Inside Yourself is also the title of Meng’s New York Times bestselling book which has been endorsed by world leaders such as President Carter of the United States, business leaders such as Eric Schmidt of Google and John Mackey of Whole Foods Markets, and spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama. Meng hopes Search Inside Yourself will eventually contribute to world peace in a meaningful way. Meng delivered a TED talk on compassion at the United Nations and spoke at the White House about the development of kindness. His personal motto is, “Life is too important to be taken seriously”. Meng hopes to see every workplace in the world become a drinking fountain for happiness and enlightenment.

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How much control do we really have over our emotions? And what if the key to mastering them is easier than you think?

This week’s conversation is a special one. It was recorded in front of a live audience at Live Talks Los Angeles, where I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Dr. Ethan Kross, one of the world’s leading experts on emotion and self-control. He’s a pioneering psychologist, professor at the University of Michigan, and the bestselling author of Chatter, and his latest book, Shift.

In this conversation, we break down the science of emotional regulation, the tools for shifting emotional states, and how we can cultivate self-efficacy—that’s the belief that we have the power to navigate life’s toughest moments. 

This conversation with Dr. Kross is audio only—so make sure to listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Get ready for insights that can reshape the way you work with emotions and the role they play in your life.

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This week’s conversation is with Cliff Avril, a former NFL defensive end.

Cliff played college football at Purdue and was drafted in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

He also played for the Seattle Seahawks, where he won Super Bowl XLVIII and made a Pro Bowl.

Cliff and I met at the Seahawks and I had the pleasure of catching up with him at the NFL Combine this past week in Indianapolis.

He recently retired after a great 10-year run in the league and is searching for what to do next.

What’s his purpose now that the craft he’s dedicated more than half his life to is no longer the priority?

Transitions can be tricky for all of us so I think you’ll really appreciate Cliff’s honesty, his willingness to be vulnerable, and his overall approach to life.

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This week’s conversation is with Rich Roll – if you’ve listened to Finding Mastery for a while you know the name – this is his third time on the podcast and he’s someone I just love getting a chance to chat with.

For those of you unfamiliar with Rich, he was named one of the “25 Fittest Men in the World” by Men’s Fitness and “The World’s Fittest Vegan” by Men’s Health.

Rich is a globally renown ultra-endurance athlete, wellness advocate, bestselling author, husband and father of four.

When he isn’t lost on a trail or spending time with his wife Julie, their four children and two Great Pyrenees, he hosts the wildly popular Rich Roll Podcast, one of the top 100 podcasts in the world.Rich also has a new book coming out titled, Voicing Change, set for release in November 2020.

It felt very timely to speak with Rich again – he knows what rock-bottom feels like and he found a way to put his life back together.

With how much current uncertainty there is in the world, I wanted to get a feel for how he’s approaching this year – specifically what his past experiences have taught him about how to respond when things feel like they're collapsing from all sides.

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This week’s conversation is with Brenda Tracy, the founder of the national campaign SetTheExpectation which aims to raise awareness around issues of sexual assault and domestic violence -- through the power of sports while also engaging, empowering and educating men as agents for change.

Brenda was gang raped by four men in 1998.

So heavy.

In this conversation, she shares that even though law enforcement collected extensive evidence – including confessions from her attackers – the District Attorney advised against prosecuting her case.

She was never advised of her victims’ rights, nor informed when officials destroyed her evidence three years prior to the statute of limitations.

Sixteen years later, Brenda came forward publicly, and now seeks to make the world a better place for survivors.

Her stance on “men as the solution” has garnered national attention and made her one of the country’s most influential voices on sexual assault.

I wanted to speak with Brenda to better understand courage.

Where did she find the power to come forward, be vulnerable, and not only stand up for what’s right but also strive for change.

 

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Welcome to PART TWO of our conversation with Vice Admiral John Mustin. If you missed part one of the conversation, I strongly recommend you go back and check that one out first. It’s the episode immediately preceding this one in your feed.

Episode Description:

What is it like to lead 59,000 people? What if those people are spread out all over the world? What does readiness as a leader look like? Chief of Navy Reserve (CNR), Vice Admiral John Mustin, knows exactly what it’s like and he leads with a singular, laser-guided priority in mind: warfighting readiness. 

When it comes to performing at the highest level, Vice Admiral Mustin is steadfast in his belief that individual performance is informed by both competence and character. We’ll find out how he helps instill these traits in his force and the challenges that come with it. 

Vice Admiral Mustin has an extraordinary grasp on leadership philosophy, communicating effectively across large organizations, and using his civilian experiences to inform strategy within his military career – and he’s generous enough to share some of his insights with us around both organizational and personal high performance. 

We covered so much ground in our conversation that we felt this episode was best shared in two parts. If you’d like access to the full conversation in one cohesive episode, you can view the episode in its entirety on YouTube right now. 

No matter when or where you tune in, we hope you enjoy this gem of a conversation with Vice Admiral John Mustin.

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This week’s conversation comes from the Finding Mastery Live that we recently hosted in Seattle with Seattle Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll.

In 2009, a mutual friend put Coach Carroll and I together for dinner and instantly, I knew it was right.

We were talking about ancient principles, we were talking about modern science, we were talking about really collectively, how do you help people pursue their potential?

It was stimulating and we knew much of the same research. We're interested in some of the ancient traditions the same way.

We discussed giving back: How do we give to the next generation?

At the end of the conversation he said, "Hey, why don't you come up and see what we're doing at the Seahawks?" And I thought, "Yeah, I'd love to see what you're doing."

It's everything that I had hoped for.

The environment was electric, people were switched on, and they were reporting on day one that it was just different than anywhere else they've ever been.

Here we are, 10 years later.

I've spent about eight years with the Seattle Seahawks now and I couldn't be more excited to introduce Coach Carroll as a friend, as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and a business partner in Compete to Create.

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Marco Cardinale, the Head of Sports Physiology of Aspire Academy in Doha (Qatar).

He started his career in sports science as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and went on to lead the sports science activities for the preparation of Team Great Britain at the Beijing, Vancouver and London Olympic Games.

He has been an advisor to various companies (e.g. Polar Electro, Medisport and Technogym), government agencies (e.g. the European Space Agency) and professional sport organizations and national governing bodies in 5 countries (USA, Italy, Spain, Sweden, UK) before working in Qatar.

In this episode we discuss making the most of opportunities, how to avoid self-imposter syndrome, and his evidence based approach to coaching.

There’s a lot to learn from Marco – he has a unique perspective that only comes from working all over the world, immersing himself in different cultures along the way.

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Scott Barry Kaufman is primarily interested in using solid psychological science to live a creative, fulfilling, and meaningful life. He's earned his research chops -- He received a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University, and an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge. He's the scientific director of the Imagination Institute, and conducts research in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Scott is also an author -- In 2013, he published Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined, which reviewed the latest science of intelligence and also detailed his experiences as a child growing up with a learning disability. In the book, he outlined his Theory of Personal Intelligence, which goes beyond traditional metrics of intelligence (e.g., IQ, standardized tests), and takes into account each person’s unique abilities, passions, personal goals, and developmental trajectory. Scott also has hosts the The Psychology Podcast -- where he and I have had fun conversations about performance in high-stakes environments -- ranging from performance in off-terrain back-country conditions to the vulnerability and intimacy in meaningful relationships. Thanks so much for listening and sharing -- I hope you're also finding value in the Minutes on Mastery podcast (also on iTunes and other players) where we capture (in under 3 minutes) pearls of wisdom from our world-class and forward-thinking guests. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week’s conversation is with Forrest Griffin, a retired mixed martial artist and a UFC Hall of Famer.

A former Georgia Police Officer, Forrest got his shot at UFC Stardom on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter.

He won the first season in a fight against Stephan Bonnar that helped put MMA on the map.

The Ultimate Fighter Finale was a wild success and brought a lot of new attention to the UFC at a time when the sport was at a make or break point.

Forrest went on to become a UFC Light Heavyweight World Champion and eventually was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

I had the pleasure of meeting Forrest for the first time at an event this past July - “Evel Live,” where motorsports icon Travis Pastrana honored legendary daredevil Evel Knievel by attempting three of his most dangerous feats in Las Vegas.

We had a great conversation around what it takes to be mentally prepared inside the Octagon and I knew we needed to follow up with a podcast.

Fighting can be a great metaphor for life.

You get hit, you get knocked down, mistakes are made, but as Forrest makes clear, it’s all about how you react, how you adjust in those moments.

Are you going to focus on the mistake or figure out how to survive and flourish from that point forward?

Forrest has a unique perspective on life - while fighting can be an intense and violent sport, he’s light-hearted at his core and that definitely stands out in this conversation.

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Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities. 

The team at Finding Mastery, Compete to Create, and Microsoft worked together to bring this series to life. 

I had the chance to interview 9 amazing women, every conversation was filmed, and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com.

On the website you’ll also find a Disruptor Assessment— this quick assessment tool will help you measure your mindset skills and illuminates where you are on the road to becoming a disruptive business leader.

We’re making a few of these conversations also available on the Finding Mastery podcast feed and this second conversation is with Cindy Eckert, a self-made serial entrepreneur.

In the past ten years, Cindy has founded and sold two billion dollar pharmaceutical businesses.

A modern day Erin Brockovich, Cindy took on the FDA – and won – to get approval of the first ever drug for low sexual desire in women, dubbed the “female Viagra” by the media.

At the time, there were 26 drugs on the market for low sexual desire for men and not a single one for women.

The drug was initially rejected by the FDA despite the data and science that supported its need and efficacy...

In Cindy’s view, she had to battle a gender bias in healthcare that wasn’t about whether women needed drugs for low libido, but “does women’s sexual pleasure even matter”. 

Cindy’s company, The Pink Ceiling, champions the interests of women through its “Pinkubator”, providing funding and mentoring to help female entrepreneurs break through the “pink ceiling.”

If there’s a rule that exists for no reason other than a societal narrative, Cindy will break it – and she’ll do it wearing blazing hot pink. 

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This week’s conversation is with Jeremy Jones, an accomplished filmmaker, entrepreneur, environmentalist and snowboarding pioneer.

Jeremy is widely regarded as one of the most legendary big mountain riders and explorers of all time.

Named a National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” and ten times voted “Best Big Mountain Rider of the Year” by Snowboarder Magazine, Jeremy has starred in over a hundred snowboard movies and videos worldwide, including his highly acclaimed, foot-powered snowboarding trilogy Deeper, Further and Higher.

He is the founder and CEO of award-winning Jones Snowboards, dedicated to the development of the highest quality backcountry snowboards and accessories.

In 2007, Jeremy founded Protect Our Winters, a global cause uniting the winter sports community against climate change and was recognized in as a Champion of Change by President Barack Obama.

In this conversation we discuss passion, risk, and managing stress.

For Jeremy it comes down to understanding what the end goal is but not getting caught up in it.

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We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!

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"You cannot get to courage without walking right through vulnerability."

They say opinions are cheap, but the cost of FOPO – the fear of other people's opinions – is anything but.

As many of you already know, I've recently released 'The First Rule of Mastery,' a book dedicated to overcoming what I've come to see as the single greatest constrictor of human potential: FOPO.

And so, in celebration of this special milestone, I'm excited to re-release a pivotal conversation with Dr. Brené Brown, whose eloquent insights on FOPO are invaluable.

I found that while writing and beginning to share the book, I was consistently drawn back to this very episode again and again… 

For those new to her work, Brené is a renowned research professor at the University of Houston, where she's spent over two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, empathy, and leadership…

She's the author of six New York Times bestsellers, and her iconic TED talk - The Power of Vulnerability – is one of the most viewed TED talks of all time, with over 63 million views. 

Remarkable.

Brené is a legend… and her timeless and practical wisdom guides us through overcoming the paralyzing fear of other people's opinions, unlocking our full potential and dancing on the razor's edge of vulnerability, authenticity and courage.

Whether it's a revisit or your first listen, this conversation is as relevant as ever. Perhaps even more so.

And with that, I am super excited to re-share a fresh version of our 2018 conversation with the one and only Dr. Brené Brown!

With fire,

MG

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Welcome to Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of the Finding Mastery podcast presented without interruption by Microsoft.

Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities. 

Every conversation was filmed and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com.

This conversation is with Shivani Siroya, who built a near-billion dollar business on the back of a simple belief: people are trustworthy.

After holding jobs with big investment banks and with the United Nations, Shivani recognized a global problem: almost a third of the world doesn’t have access to credit because they have no way to build a credit score.

Without credit, people can’t get home loans, small business loans, life improvement loans. It’s difficult to progress personally or professionally.

So she did something about it.

Shivani founded Tala, a smartphone lending app designed to provide access to credit to two billion people who have historically been overlooked by traditional financial institutions.

Taking advantage of increasing mobile phone use in emerging markets, the Tala app uses behavioral data on the phone – texting, merchant history, overall app usage – to build a credit profile.

Based on the aggregated information, algorithms evaluate individual risk and provide instant loans to customers. 

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Human exploration of space is driven by a deep curiosity and a desire to understand our place in the universe.

The individuals - and teams - on the forefront of this exploration are modern-day pioneers, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and capability.

I’m excited to share the final installment of our 3-part series following one of these individuals, NASA Astronaut Dr. Woody Hoburg, on his journey into outer space.

In Part 1, we learned about Woody’s rigorous mental and physical preparations before launch.

In Part 2, we took an unprecedented look at life aboard the International Space Station and witnessed Woody's adaptability and resilience in zero gravity.

And here, in Part 3, we dive deep into the insights Woody gained from his transformative experience of living 186 days—that’s 6 months—in outer space.

I have always had a huge respect for astronauts – and Woody took that to a whole new level. I’ve said it before, but I think Woody represents 'the best of us,' – the way he commits to exploring his edges and living in alignment with his values embodies the pinnacle of human potential.

In this conversation, you’ll learn about the importance of meticulous preparation, what it means to be a high performing teammate, how to reframe failure, and a rare glimpse into a “ridiculous” and “fun” six months aboard the International Space Station.

I can’t wait for you to discover more about how Woody navigates the unknown!

With Fire,

MG

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Stephen Porges, a distinguished university scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. 

He is also a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. 

Stephen more than 350 peer‐reviewed scientific papers, published across several disciplines, have been cited in approximately 40,000 peer-reviewed papers. 

He holds several patents involved in monitoring and regulating autonomic state and originated the polyvagal theory, which emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. 

So at its core, this conversation is about the triggers that either prompt us to feel threatened or safe… and why social connection or lack thereof plays such an integral role in which state we gravitate towards.

Stephen is a legend in the field so I can’t wait for you to learn from him.

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This week’s conversation is with NFL Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott.

Ronnie has been a champion and a leader his entire life.

After graduating high school in 1977, Ronnie went on to the University of Southern California where he helped his team win the 1978 national championship. He was a unanimous All-American and team captain in 1980 and graduated in 1981 with a degree in public administration.

Shortly thereafter, he became the first-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers.

His legendary football career included four Super Bowl titles and 10 Pro-Bowl appearances.

He is one of only five 49ers to play on all of the team’s 1980s Super Bowl wins. He retired from professional football in 1994 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

Post-football, Ronnie has found success as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist in Silicon Valley and also has a long history of philanthropic involvement.

So what has allowed Ronnie to be successful at pretty much everything he’s done in his life?

It starts with a commitment to excellence, a determination to be great, and his relentless will to keep trying.

For Ronnie it really comes down to “exhausting every moment.”

What I hope you pick up on in this conversation is that Ronnie’s thoughts and actions reflect a man who’s had the courage to go for it, a man who hasn’t feared the consequences of coming up short.

In Ronnie’s words: “You’ve got to dare at moments to see that you can do certain things. Sometimes you fail and sometimes you win. But the most important part of it is, did you try? Did you try to do something that maybe nobody thought you could do? “

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Today, we’re super excited to share the 14th installment of our Ask Me Anything series. The purpose behind these conversations - behind these AMAs – is to hear from you… to explore the topics and questions that you have been wrestling with on your path to becoming.

The goal is to expand on the themes, lessons, and best-practices we’ve discussed on the Finding Mastery podcast in order to make them even more applicable to your own life.

By now, our incredible co-host needs no introduction – we’re back with O’Neil Cespedes – and just a quick note of gratitude here… This show does not happen without you and your incredible questions. This is the last AMA of 2023, and O'neil and I are grateful for you challenging us with hard questions. It’s so energizing and inspiring to know our community is full of people that are pointing to a high quality inner-life, and are committed to getting better, and helping others do the same. 

I feel the fire in your belly. Keep creating a rising tide. 

 Today, we dive into:

• The psychology and physiology of aging
• Why trust is a mental skill and how to train it
• Best practices for goal-setting
• The dangers of advice-giving
• Dealing with rejection
• Performance-based vs purpose-based identities 
• And so much more… 

Wishing you an epic week, and hope you enjoy volume 14 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything! 

With Fire, 

MG

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Krisztina "Z" Holly is an MIT-trained engineer, tech entrepreneur, and pioneer. She was curator and host of the first ever TEDx (TEDxUSC) and founder of two university innovation centers at MIT and USC. Z hosts The Art of Manufacturing podcast and is Chief Instigator of MAKE IT IN LA, LA Mayor Garcetti's non-profit initiative to celebrate and support the nation's largest community of makers and manufacturers. In part 2 of the conversation, we discuss what is often overlooked about the manufacturing industry, how to truly make an impact on the world, and why curiosity, courage, and commitment are three words that embody mastery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Super Bowl can mark the pinnacle of a team’s journey—but when the final whistle blows, another game begins: the game of transition.

For NFL players, the end of a season isn’t just about the scoreboard—it’s about identity, loss, and what comes next. Some teams prepare for this reality. Others ignore it, only to face the reality later.

In this episode of The Game Inside The Games, Dr. Mike and NFL legend Brandon Marshall pull back the curtain on the psychological weight of the season’s end—and how elite teams, like Pete Carroll’s Seahawks, used emotional intelligence, team culture, and mental preparation to thrive under pressure.

Brandon opens up about the hidden struggles of post-career transitions, the mistakes most players make, and how studying at Harvard changed his approach to life after football. Plus, Michael shares never-before-heard stories from the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run—including why a locker room fight days before the game wasn’t a crisis, but a sign that the team was right where they needed to be.

Because whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or anyone navigating major life shifts—transitions define us.

🔥 Don’t miss this masterclass on resilience, leadership, and the psychology of high performance.

🎧 Subscribe now and follow along with Finding Mastery all week as we unlock the mindset of high-performance athletes on the world’s biggest stage. Get The Game Inside The Games on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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This week’s conversation is with Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

Currently in his fifth season as head coach, Steve has guided the club through four of the most prolific seasons in NBA history with a list of accomplishments that includes:

• Three NBA championships
• Four-straight NBA Finals appearances
• The NBA’s single-season wins record (73)
• An NBA Coach of the Year award (2015-16)
• Four of the five winningest seasons in franchise history

Steve, who won five NBA championships during a 15-year playing career, now owns eight championships as either a player or coach, becoming the first to win three NBA titles as a player and three as a coach.

So I think it’s clear – Steve understands winning but he’s searching for something beyond that.

He has made it a point to revolve the Warriors’ culture around joy.

In this conversation, we discuss how Steve went about building the Warriors’ culture, what he’s most hungry for, and his biggest challenge at the moment – finding a way to keep the Warriors motivated and playing with joy after they’ve already experienced so much previous success.

Steve is one of the brightest minds in the game of basketball and I think you’re going to love his insights on not just basketball, but life as a whole.

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This week’s conversation is with Deepak Chopra, a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation.

Deepak is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality

TIME magazine has described Deepak as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.

His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities.

Deepak also has a new short form podcast called - Now for Tomorrow. I had the chance to be a guest and we stitched it onto the end of this conversation so I hope you enjoy it.

In this conversation, we explore big questions -- about the nature of reality and consciousness.

We discuss why it's so challenging to use language and sensory information to try to makes sense of the true nature of what is.

How can we understand reality when what we see and hear and feel is not complete?

My hope is that you'll leave this conversation with a different perspective on the way you think about what is real. 

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Tony Nader, a medical doctor trained at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a PhD in neuroscience.

Tony is a globally recognized expert in the science of consciousness and human development. 

His training includes internal medicine, psychiatry, and neurology. He’s the successor to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the head of the Transcendental Meditation organization globally. 

Tony was appointed assistant director of clinical research at MIT, and was a clinical research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. 

He’s conducted research in neurochemistry and neuroendocrinology; the relationship between diet, age, behavior, mood, seasonal influences, and hormonal activity; and the role of neurotransmitter precursors in medicine.

In his new book, One Unbounded Ocean of Consciousness: Simple Answers to the Big Questions in Life, Tony comprehensively examines what scientists call the “hard” problem of, What is consciousness? 

And that sets the tone for this conversation – Tony expands on his understanding of the relationship between mind and body, consciousness, and physiology and the furthest reaches of human potential.

----

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We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!

To take advantage of deals from our partners, head to http://www.findingmastery.net/partners where you'll find all discount links and codes mentioned in the podcast.

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Today, we’re venturing deep into the wild with someone whose life’s work challenges us to reconnect with the essence of nature and, in doing so, rediscover our own humanity.

Our guest today is Craig Foster—a renowned filmmaker, photographer, and naturalist whose immersive experiences in the wild have captivated millions. Craig is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking documentary My Octopus Teacher, which not only won an Academy Award but also sparked a global conversation about our relationship with the natural world. I watched this movie with my son – we were gripped, we shared tears together, and I immediately reached out wanting to meet him. 

In our conversation, we dive into Craig’s profound journey through The Great African Sea Forest, exploring the intricate balance between ‘the wild’ and ‘the tame’ in our lives. Craig shares his insights on the importance of embracing the wisdom of indigenous traditions, the detrimental effects of our modern, tech-heavy existence, and how shifting our mindset from infinite capitalism to a regenerative relationship with nature can lead to a more meaningful life.

We also explore the transformative power of connecting with even the smallest aspects of nature and how these connections can reignite our sense of belonging in this world.

With Fire,

MG and the FM Team

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Resources:

My Octopus Teacher (Oscar-winning film; available on Netflix)

https://www.netflix.com/title/81045007

Amphibious Soul: Finding the WIld in a Tame World (Craig’s New Book)

https://seachangeproject.com/projects/books/amphibious-soul/

Sea Change Project (donate to support global biodiversity)

https://seachangeproject.com/

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What if mastering love is the ultimate high-performance skill?

This Valentine's Day, we're taking a deep dive into the heart of relationships with two special guests—our host Dr. Michael Gervais and his wife, Lisa Gervais —a creative powerhouse with a rich background in dance, acting, and truth telling.

In this episode hosted by our favorite AMA co-host, O'Neil Cespedes, Mike and Lisa open their lives and their love to us—sharing the joys, challenges, and profound lessons learned on their journey together. From their initial spark to building a foundation of trust and support, they discuss what it means to be best friends with your partner and how honesty paves the way for deep connection.

They don't just stop at their story; they explore the essence of Valentine's Day, offer solace and inspiration for those flying solo, and dive into their unique talents – revealing Lisa's passion for dance and Mike's unexpected venture into rap and hip hop (you read that right).

This episode is a treasure trove of insights on building a high-performance relationship, navigating life's ups and downs, and the importance of seeing and accepting each other for who you truly are. Whether you're in love, looking for love, or celebrating self-love, join us for an open, honest, and vulnerable conversation on the art of mastering relationships of all kinds.

With Fire + LOVE,

The Finding Mastery Team

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This week’s conversation is with Javier Gómez, a Spanish triathlete.

Since 2006, Javier has accumulated one of the best records in triathlon history.

Javier is a 5x International Triathlete Union (ITU) World Champion, 2x Ironman 70.3 World Champion, a 9 time world ITU number 1, and won a Silver medal for Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in men's triathlon.

Simply put, he is a legend in the sport.

Javier is currently in the final stages of training for the Ironman World Championship, which will take place on October 13 in Kona, Hawaii. You can learn more about Javi's pursuit to win Kona here.

For those unfamiliar with the Ironman, it consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile marathon run.

No matter how you slice it, this endurance event is rugged, and that’s why I was so excited to talk with Javier about his experience preparing and training for it.

Last year’s winner completed the race in just over 8 hours.

That’s a lot of time for your mind to wander if you aren’t disciplined - and it’s something we discuss in this conversation.

Javi shares how he manages positive and negative thoughts, his process for remaining calm, and how he overcomes intense pain during competition.

So much of what goes into training and succeeding in endurance sports is applicable to other aspects of life.

It requires persistence, an appreciation for the process, and a willingness to play the long game.

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This week’s conversation is with Jake Blauvelt, one of the world’s best all around snowboarders.

He’s got a smooth, creative and effortless-looking style and it’s lifted him into an elite group of top athletes in the snowboarding world.

Jake’s career started like most other snowboarders: traveling from contest to contest, making a name for himself riding half pipe & slopestyle events, & eventually winning the Burton US Open Slopestyle in 2004, one of the most prestigious events in snowboarding.

It wasn’t long before Jake realized that his was a different calling; his style & his capability on a snowboard belonged in the backcountry, in natural terrain where he could let his endless imagination & creativity run wild where he could find his own lines and make use of the features that nature provides.

Jake sees himself as an artist, not a stuntman and in this conversation we get into everything from how Jake approaches risk, trains confidence, and aspires to live in the state of flow.

Jake is true to himself and I appreciated his willingness to open up.

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Donald Hoffman a Professor of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine.

I got introduced to Donald through the legendary Deepak Chopra so I was very excited to speak with Donald…

Donald received a PhD from MIT and is an author of over 120 scientific papers and three books, including The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes.

He received a Distinguished Scientific Award of the American Psychological Association for early career research, the Rustum Roy Award of the Chopra Foundation, and the Troland Research Award of the US National Academy of Sciences.

His writing has appeared in Scientific American, New Scientist, LA Review of Books, and Edge, and his work has been featured in Wired, Quanta, The Atlantic, Ars Technica, National Public Radio, Discover Magazine, and Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman.

He has a TED Talk titled “Do we see reality as it is?” and that sets the tone for this conversation…

In Donald's words: “I’m deeply convinced that everything that I've been taught is probably largely wrong. Everything that I believed is probably largely wrong. One of the big, big things that I have to work on as a person is to be good with that, to be good with not knowing and to face the fundamental and profound ignorance that's part of the human condition.”

-----

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This conversation is with Toto Wolff. If you follow Formula One, you know what Toto has helped build over the past handful of years. He's an owner and the Executive Director of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team - along with wider responsibilities as Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. Formula One is known as the tip of the arrow when it comes to motorsports -- their cars are the fastest road course racing cars in the world, being able to maintain very high cornering speeds (pulling 6g's) by generating incredible amounts of aerodynamic down force. They race at speeds of up to approximately 230 MPH. Toto is a father, husband, and businessman. He knows risk. He knows innovation. And he knows winning. Under his leadership, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport has clinched a hat-trick of Formula One World Championships, winning a total of six titles and more than 50 Grand Prix since 2014. The reason I wanted to have the conversation with Toto is because he has an incredible way about how he see's organizational success -- how he balances the financial tension between innovation and risk and how he works with highly talented drivers and engineers and ultimately -- I wanted to understand what is at the center of his relentless drive…..and….how exactly does someone become able to be an owner of a Formula One team (let alone the Mercedes team). This conversation is loaded….Hope you enjoy and are able to put at least one of insights in the conversation into action. Oh, by the way, Toto speaks fluent German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Polish. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are in a unique moment in world history. From the devastating loss of life to the financial fallout to the closing of borders, businesses, industries and schools, we are collectively confronted by a reality few of us could have ever imagined.

Decision-making leans on precedents and guiding principles, but how do leaders react when there are no precedents to follow?

I had a series of conversations with friends inside our community to better understand the approach of those who effectively lead during moments of great stress, strain and uncertainty. I wanted to distill insights about leadership while we are still in the middle of the crisis, while it’s raw.

During crisis, leaders are called upon to rely on their preparation, respond in the moment, and locate the opportunity in a future that has not yet arrived. And they have to do these all at once with limited information and the well-being of others hanging in the balance. 

I’m honored to be doing this project in partnership with Microsoft and Compete to Create. We hope you appreciate the applied insights of these leaders as much as we do.

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For two weeks, players are surrounded by relentless media, soaring expectations, and the weight of a lifetime of preparation. Some rise under the pressure. Others crumble.

In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais and Brandon Marshall unpack what makes the Super Bowl build-up so uniquely intense—and how the best athletes train their minds to handle the noise. From managing anxiety to creating a mental bubble, they reveal what it takes to stay locked in when the whole world is watching.

Brandon shares his own experiences from the NFL, opening up about mental health, confidence, and the hidden psychological battles of high-performance sports. Because at the highest level, winning isn’t just about talent—it’s about mastering the mind.

Whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or just someone looking to perform at your best under pressure, this episode is packed with powerful insights on mental resilience, confidence, and the mindset needed to thrive when everything is on the line.

Subscribe now and follow along with Finding Mastery all week as we unlock the mindset of high-performance athletes on the world’s biggest stage. Get The Game Inside The Games on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

…

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This week’s conversation is with Mick Fanning, a professional surfer from Australia, regarded as one of the best surfers ever.

Mick won the ASP World Tour in 2007, 2009 and 2013 and is the living embodiment of professional surfing.

He’s spent the better part of two decades as one of the biggest gravitational forces on the Tour, racking up 22 Tour wins, 11 Top 5 finishes in addition to those three World Titles.

For over 20 years Mick’s schedule has been dictated by event dates and locations — and in the past few years, his gut told him it was time to step away, officially retiring in 2018.

This conversation isn’t so much about surfing as it is about Mick’s will to be great, his unflappable resiliency, and the cost of this pursuit.

Mick has been through it all — the highs and the lows.

Catastrophic injuries have sidelined him multiple times during his career and he’s also had to deal with the passing of not just one, but two his brothers, and other close friends.

Some of you may be familiar with Mick from an incident in July of 2015 when he was attacked by a Great White shark during the finals of the J-Bay Open in South Africa.

It was broadcasted on a live webcast, where you can actually see Mick punch the shark and survive unscathed.

For some people that type of trauma could keep them out of the water for a lifetime, but not Mick.

He made three finals in 2015 and went into a historic world title race to finish the year in the No. 2 slot.

And trauma is something we definitely touch on in this conversation.

As a refresher, Big “T” traumas are the events most commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including serious injury, sexual violence, or life-threatening experiences.

Little “t” traumas are highly distressing events that affect individuals on a personal level but don’t fall into the big “T” category.

What is highly distressing to one person may not cause the same emotional response in someone else, so the key to understanding little “t” trauma is to examine how it affects the individual rather than focusing on the event itself.

You may not even realize how a Little “t” in your life is impacting your thoughts and actions.

 ------

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This week’s conversation is with Rebecca Rusch, a 7x-world champion in the ultra adventure/endurance realm and a member of the prestigious international Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.

Rebecca has been recognized by Outside Magazine among the Top 40 Women Who’ve Made the Biggest Impact and by Men’s Journal as one of the 25 Most Adventurous Women.

Known for seeking the toughest challenges imaginable and pushing herself into unknown territory has yielded Rebecca many firsts...

Notably, the first female ascent on Yosemite’s 3000-ft. El Capitan Bermuda Dunes route and a first descent river boarding 300 miles of the entire Grand Canyon in 18 winter days.

On two wheels, she is the only female competitor to win the iconic Leadville 100 four times and is a two time, first female finisher at the Iditarod Trail Invitational, pedaling 350 self-supported miles through the Alaskan wilderness.  

Most recently she completed a previously unattempted North to South route traversing Iceland in winter by fatback alongside Chris Burkard and Angus Morton.  

So I think it begs the question.. why?

Why go to these lengths? What is she searching for? What do these expeditions reveal?

That’s what this conversation is about.

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This week’s conversation is with Scott Barry Kaufman, a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential.

He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.

In 2015, he was named one of "50 Groundbreaking Scientists who are changing the way we see the world" by Business Insider.

Scott was a previous guest on Finding Mastery (#078) where we spent time diving into his journey and what made him the man he is today.

I wanted to have him back on because he just published a new book titled, Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization… a bold reimagining of Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs--and new insights for realizing your full potential and living your most creative, fulfilled, and connected life.

And that’s what we discuss in this conversation.

If you’re not familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, definitely check it out.

The needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

The interesting thing with this conversation is the timing.

As Scott mentions, right now our focus is on more pressing needs at the potential sacrifice of realizing our full potential.

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