Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Latest Episodes:

Tom Bilyeu, Co-Founder of Impact Theory and Quest Nutrition Aug 29, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Tom Bilyeu, the co-founder of Quest Nutrition — a unicorn startup valued at over $1 billion — and the co-founder and host of Impact Theory.

Why did I want to sit down with Tom?

Tom is driven to help people develop the skills they need to improve themselves and the world.

It’s not every day that we get to learn from someone who created a billion dollar business.

I wanted to understand his mindset, his approach to leadership, and what he’s most hungry for.

Tom is very clear about what he wants and what he believes in and that definitely is apparent in this conversation.

In Tom’s words, “What I do is with a very high degree of intention. I am very much not stumbling my way through life.”

I hope Tom’s clarity inspires you to spend your own time getting clear on what you want and what you stand for, if you haven’t done so already.

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Michael Rosenbaum, Actor, Producer, Comedian Aug 22, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Michael Rosenbaum, actor, producer, and comedian.

The diverse actor has worked in over twenty films, such as Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, Hit and Run, Urban Legend, Sweet November, Bringing Down The House, Pool Hall Junkies and Sorority Boys.

Michael has worked with everyone from Bradley Cooper and Sylvester Stallone to Christopher Walken and Clint Eastwood.

He portrayed Lex Luthor on the smash hit Smallville for seven years and voiced The Flash on the hit animated series The Justice League Unlimited.

In this conversation Michael shares the highs and lows of being an actor in Hollywood – how he’s had to work on caring less what others think and focus on getting to the center of who he truly is and what matters most to him.

I appreciated Michael willingness to show vulnerability.

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Erik Vendt, 3x USA Swimming Olympian Aug 15, 2018

Show notes

This week's conversation is with Erik Vendt - a 3x USA swimming Olympian.

He won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 400-meter individual medley. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Vendt won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. 4×200-meter freestyle relay team.

This is a fantastic conversation that shines light on some of the core themes that have emerged from Finding Mastery.

Erik grew up loving swimming - so much so that he pushed all his chips in - and was determined to become an Olympian.

And while he did in fact achieve his "goal" there was a cost to it.

When swimming was over he felt void of passion and purpose - something all too familiar for many athletes when they reach the end of their playing days.

For anyone who's gone through difficult transitions in life - I'm sure you'll be able to relate and for those currently facing a transition in your life - this is definitely a conversation worth your time.

Erik's quest to find a new passion and purpose in life ultimately led him to WHOOP.

In his role as Director of Performance, Erik works predominantly with the special forces community, specifically within a program called PTOF (preservation of force and family) focused on building a more resilient and ready war fighter.

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Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

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Dr. Marco Cardinale, Head of Sports Physiology, Aspire Academy Aug 08, 2018

Show notes

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 thesports 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.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob Wright, Former Vice Chairman of GE and CEO of NBC Aug 01, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Bob Wright, who served as vice chairman of General Electric and president, CEO, and chairman of NBC and NBC Universal from 1986 to 2007.

Prior to that, he served as president of General Electric Financial Services and before that as president of Cox Cable Communications.

Bob’s had a diversified career in law, general management, marketing, and television and has been inducted into the Advertising, Broadcasting and Cable Halls of Fame.

He is also the co-founder of Autism Speaks and founder of The Suzanne Wright Foundation

Bob’s major focus right now is on The Suzanne Wright Foundation and his CodePurple campaign which are both fighting pancreatic cancer.

In this conversation we touch on leadership, passion and accountability.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rich Froning Jr., 4x Fittest Man on Earth Jul 25, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Rich Froning Jr., dubbed the Fittest Man in History after winning four back-to-back individual CrossFit Games championships (2011-2014).

He also won the worldwide Open for three consecutive years (2012-2014), and when he retired from individual competition after the 2014 season, he captained his affiliate’s team, CrossFit Mayhem Freedom, to two back-to-back Affiliate Cup championships in 2015 and 2016.

When I mentioned to a couple of my friends that Rich was coming on, they raised their eyebrows and nodded, "That’s going to be a great one.”

Rich’s point of view comes from being recognized as the best in the world at his craft.

It’s clear Rich understands winning – and the costs associated with it.

In Rich’s words: “To be the best in the world at anything, you’re not balanced. You can’t be balanced.”

So if you knew that ahead of time, would you still pursue it? It’s a great question and why I love these conversations so much.

They really make you think about who you are and what you value most – at least they do for me.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob Hurley, Hurley International Founder Jul 18, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Bob Hurley, founder and chairman of the global apparel brand, Hurley.

Something I love about these Finding Mastery conversations is we get to learn from people at all stages, across unique fields of expertise.

And in this conversation we get to learn from someone who built a globally recognized brand, which was acquired by Nike in 2002.

Bob has made his work his play from the beginning.

He started as a surf shop kid in Huntington Beach, shaping surf boards before acquiring the license to Billabong USA in 1982.

In 1999, he started his own clothing brand embracing the spirit and creativity of youth.

Bob has a phenomenal story to share and he opens up about how he built Hurley into the company that it is today, what his process looks like for making big decisions, and why he has a burning desire to be around “magic.”

He remains deeply involved in company operations today, except when “product-testing” in Indo or Fiji.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andrew Zimmern, Chef and TV Personality Jul 11, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Andrew Zimmern, a four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher.

Andrew is regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise on Travel Channel, The Zimmern List and Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, he has explored culture through food in more than 170 countries.

He has built a multi-faceted empire that promotes impactful ways to think about, create and live with food.

On the surface Andrew is wildly successful – he’s highly ambitious and has an insatiable curiosity for life but in this conversation he pulls back the curtain and we get to learn about a different side of him.

Andrew’s affinity for risk taking led him down a path that almost cost him his life.

And that is at the heart of what this conversation is all about.

Andrew holds nothing back.

The pain he endured, what he ultimately learned about himself, and how it’s impacted the work he does today.

We all have challenges we’re dealing with—whether it be issues at work, your personal life, addiction, searching for purpose, and I truly believe this conversation has something to offer for everyone.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reid Priddy, 4x Volleyball Olympian Jul 04, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Reid Priddy, a 4 time Olympian for the USA Men’s indoor volleyball team, winning Gold in 2008 and Bronze in 2016.

Over the past 16 years, Reid has competed at the highest level in indoor volleyball - both on the US National Team as well as on foreign Pro teams in domestic leagues all across the globe.

In 2014, Reid suffered a torn ACL during competition, which required double knee surgery.

In his late thirties, he defied the odds and worked his way all the way back to the top and helped the US Olympic Team win a Bronze Medal in Rio

Reid is looking to defy the odds once more by switching surfaces to the sand – he’s working towards representing the US in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.

As someone who has had the fortune of being involved with multiple Olympic Games, most recently with the 2016 women’s indoor and beach volleyball teams I've seen just how challenging the Olympic quad process is... the rigorous hours and dedication required over a 4 year period to even have a shot at making the Olympics once.

Now imagine doing that successfully 4 times (16 years, not including the 10-20 years of prior training just to get the world-stage) and still having the hunger to come back and do it one final time.

In this conversation we learn how Reid has done it - we discuss everything from how he struggled with confidence in his early playing days, what it means to be clutch, and why he loves putting himself in situations that test his capabilities.

There aren’t many people who are able to call themselves a 4x Olympian so I can’t wait for you to learn from Reid.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Des Linden, 2018 Boston Marathon Winner Jun 27, 2018

Show notes

This week’s podcast is with Des Linden, a 2x Olympian, running the marathon for the U.S. in both the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Her most significant achievement to date happened this year (2018) when she became the first American woman in 33 years to win the Boston Marathon.

Prior to winning, she came in 4th last year (2017) and finished second by only two seconds in 2011 (a personal record at the time).

Two seconds!

Think about how crushing that could be. Everything you’ve worked so hard for is in striking distance only to miss by two seconds—if external outcomes are the primary measurement of success.

Imagine the persistence and the mental fortitude required just to complete a marathon, then on top of that fight back and win the Boston Marathon seven years after having a PR but coming up just short of first place…

That right there sets the tone for what this conversation is all about.

We discuss everything from being comfortable with getting vulnerable, why she doesn’t get nervous before races, and how she manages her internal dialog.

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this conversation, it’s that Des is comfortable with who she is.

In her words: “The thing I understand most is … myself”

And having that understanding, that confidence is a very powerful thing.

_________________

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more powerful conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and meaning: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery

Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/

Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter

Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine! https://www.findingmastery.com/morningmindset

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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