Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Latest Episodes:

Chris Ashenden, Athletic Greens Co-Founder Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

This week’s podcast is with Chris Ashenden, the co-founder of Athletic Greens.

Now I want to be totally transparent here – Athletic Greens is a partner of the podcast but I wouldn’t be comfortable having Chris on unless I fully believed in the product and their mission.

In this conversation, we touch on Chris’ upbringing and how his experiences traveling around the world with his family shaped him -- and ultimately was the impetus for the creation of Athletic Greens.

There were times where Chris was close to broke – living on a diet of rice and beans just to get by - but Chris never gave up.

He refused to alter the quality of the product or the mission of the company even if it meant potentially losing everything.

Chris is grateful he stuck to what he believed in and it becomes clear how his philosophy has rubbed off on the company.

We discuss how to create a culture that stands for honesty and integrity and how to best develop trust with others.

I hope this conversation inspires you – that it’s possible to do things the right way, live with integrity and still succeed in business – and for that matter life in general.

And one last thing - support Athletic Greens and their mission while you’re at it!

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Jim DiMatteo, Retired US Navy Captain Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

This week’s podcast is with Jim DiMatteo.

After graduating from the University of California Berkeley in 1986, Jim followed in his father’s and brother’s footsteps and joined the US Navy where he began an unprecedented Naval Aviation career.

He retired as a Captain and has amassed nearly 5,000 hours in 5 different fighter aircraft (F/A-18, F-16, F-14, F-5, A-4) in over twenty-five years of service.

After extensive combat flight time in Desert Storm, Jim was recruited into the prestigious TOPGUN Adversary squadron. It was there that he accumulated more TOPGUN Adversary flight time than anyone in the history of the US Navy and Marine Corps.

He was awarded numerous accolades, including US Navy Fighter Pilot of the Year and US Navy Adversary Pilot of the Year.

After retiring, he became the first Race Director in America for Red Bull and the U.S. Director of Aviation for Brietling.

Jim was recently inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements in aviation.

In this conversation, we discuss how he prepares to make decisions under duress, the role visualization has played in his success, and the most dangerous moments for any fighter pilot.

Jim has lost many loved ones and peers due to the nature of how dangerous his craft is.

He has a refreshing perspective on the things that matter most in life and I hope that rubs off on you in this conversation.

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The Process: Avoiding the Hype of Silicon Valley (Ep.2) Apr 13, 2018

Show notes

Kairos Managing Partner Alex Fiance shares they’ve made a new investment in a company called iBeat, a smartwatch that continually monitors your heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood flow for life-threatening emergencies.

Topics discussed include why they chose to invest, their process for determining if a company is the right fit, what Alex believes are the most important traits for an entrepreneur to have and answers a few questions from the Finding Mastery Tribe.

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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

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

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

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Ali Smith, Executive Director, Holistic Life Foundation Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

Ali Smith co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001, where he currently serves as Executive Director.

He has over 15 years of experience teaching yoga and mindfulness to diverse populations.

Through his work at the Holistic Life Foundation he has helped develop and pilot yoga and mindfulness programs at public and private schools, drug treatment centers, juvenile detention centers, mental crisis facilities, and retreat centers, nationally and internationally.

In this conversation we discuss how they got schools to buy into their mission, the way in which they’ve made a big impact in many kids lives, and Ali provides some concrete examples of what his mindfulness practice entails.

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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

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

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Cassidy Lichtman, U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Apr 04, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Cassidy Lichtman, a former member of the United States women’s national volleyball team.

At the age of nine, Cassidy developed a chronic pain disorder in one of her legs and was told that she might never walk again.

Imagine waking up one day with pain. Pain you didn’t understand. Pain that had no cure, no matter how many doctors you visited.

On one side of the spectrum there is the physical pain.

Over a short period of time, that is usually more manageable.

Observe it, notice it, choose not to respond to it and focus on something else.

But what about when you have to wake up with it again the next day and the next day and the day after that.

Therein lies the mental pain.

How would you respond when it feels like you’ve lost control over everything that once seemed to be such a certainty?

Cassidy is a fighter and has persevered her whole life.

Despite unsuccessful efforts to treat the pain she re-learned how to walk and then began playing volleyball. She went on to be a two-time All-American for Stanford and spent five years competing with the United States National Team.

In this conversation, Cassidy shares her experiences overcoming this pain, making the best of the opportunities given to her, and choosing to live her life doing what she loves, not letting her life be dictated by her suffering.

There is so much to learn from Cassidy. She has an incredible spirit, she has perspective on what matters most, and she’s competed at the highest level of her sport.

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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

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.

Conor Dwyer, American Swimmer and Olympic Gold Medalist Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with American Swimmer and Olympic Gold Medalist Conor Dwyer.

You wouldn’t know it looking at him now, with his 6’5”, athletic frame, three Olympic medals and four World Championships titles to his name, but success in the pool didn’t come easily to Conor.

He was a multi-sport athlete throughout his youth, settling into swimming as his main focus late in high school. He was good but never quite great and the self described ‘very late bloomer’ struggled to get any collegiate coach to look his way as graduation approached.

Unlike most of his teammates now on the U.S. National Swim Team there were no red carpet swim scholarships rolled out in his direction. But what Conor may have lacked in head-turning results early in his career he made up for with a gut- wrenching work ethic.

What changed for Conor? His mindset. His environment. His training.

In this conversation, we discuss how Conor transformed his swimming career: from unrecruited to winning multiple gold medals at the Olympic Games,

I hope this conversation reminds you that success doesn’t come early to everyone.

Conor is a great example of what happens to those who build up the capacity to persevere until they get where they want.

_________________

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.

Admiral Bill Owens, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Red Bison Advisory Group Mar 21, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Admiral Bill Owens on leadership, courage, and relationships.

Bill is currently the executive chairman and co-founder of Red Bison Advisory Group, a company which identifies opportunities with proven enterprises in China, the Middle East, and the United States and creates dynamic partnerships focusing on: natural resources (oil, gas and fertilizer plants), real estate, and information, communication and technology.

He was previously chairman the board of CenturyLink Telecom, the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and was also on the advisory board at SAP USA.

The list goes on and on of important businesses that Bill has been involved with.

Bill began his career as a nuclear submariner. He served on four strategic nuclear-powered submarines and three nuclear attack submarines, including tours as commanding officer aboard the USS Sam Houston and USS City of Corpus Christi. Owens spent a total of 4,000 days (more than 10 years) aboard submarines, including duty in Vietnam.

He was appointed to vice chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second-ranking military office in the United States, by Bill Clinton in March 1994.

It’s through these experiences – serving both in combat and in Washington that has given Bill a unique perspective on the world.

What’s become a common theme in these conversations is the guests have clarity. They know where they came from and what they stand for.

Bill sees himself as a utilitarian. A person who seeks the greatest good for the greatest number.

In this conversation, Bill discusses how he came to live by those principles and shares some incredible stories from serving abroad and beyond.

It takes courage and conviction to make many of the decisions Bill has been faced with and we dive into what being courageous comes down to.

We also discuss what it will take for companies to be successful in the rapidly evolving digital world and why having a mindset that embraces change will be vital going forward.

It was truly a treat getting to spend time with Bill.

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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

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.

The Process: Introduction to Kairos (Ep.1) Mar 16, 2018

Show notes

Welcome to “The Process” a new audio series from Dr. Michael Gervais and Finding Mastery.

In this series, we’re going to learn about The Process: What really goes on “in the thick of it,” for those on the pursuit of mastery?

In this first season, we’re going to follow Kairos and their CEO Alex Fiance.

Kairos is a global community of fellows, founders & advisors that work together to identify society’s most pressing challenges and then build and fund new solutions to address them.

They focus on areas where outdated industries and governments are failing to meet our communities’ needs.

Over the course of the next 6 months, we’re going to learn about young entrepreneurs tackling the worlds biggest problems – what are some of the biggest problems? How do they find the entrepreneurs they believe can solve them? How do they determine which companies to invest in? And we’ll dig into the mindset of these entrepreneurs.

Young people have the ability to make a big difference and we’re going to learn from some of the brightest minds of the next generation.

Episode 1 focuses on how Kairos was formed and what to expect over the next 6 months.

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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

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.

Valorie Kondos Field, UCLA Gymnastics Head Coach Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

This week’s conversation is with Valorie Kondos Field, often referred to as “Miss Val.”

She’s the head coach of the six-time NCAA Champion, 21 NCAA Regional Champion and 17-time PAC 12 Champion UCLA Women’s Gymnastics team.

Valorie was recently named the Pac-12 “Coach of the Century,” and in 2010, she became one of only two active coaches to be inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame.

She considers the late John Wooden, the legendary and most successful collegiate basketball coach of all time, as one of her inspirations, and closest mentor and friend.

Countless student-athletes praise Valorie for her guidance during their athletic careers, and after they’ve graduated from UCLA and have entered the next chapter in their lives. Included in the hundreds of athletes she has coached or mentored are Olympic champions Simone Biles, Jordan Wieber, Kyla Ross, Madison Kocian, Laurie Hernandez and Nastia Liukin.

For Valorie, life is a grand adventure that all comes down to choices.

The moment she found out she had breast cancer is a prime example of the way she chooses to live her life.

In essence, she became grateful that her form of cancer was treatable. Grateful that she could go get chemotherapy for it and she’s continued to live her life that way ever since.

In this conversation, we discuss why she doesn’t believe in failure, why being a pessimist is the easy way out, and why gratitude is the most important habit to train.

Valerie has an infectious personality and this incredible mindset that, “I get to…” rather than “I have to…” and I think it’s something we can all apply to our own lives.

I think you’re really going to love learning from her.

_________________

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.

Daymond John, CEO and Founder of FUBU Mar 07, 2018

Show notes

This week's conversation is with entrepreneur Daymond John on the power of clarity, vision, and imagery.

From street hustle -- to Shark Tank to being a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, he has become globally recognized for his relentless commitment to promoting and supporting entrepreneurs.

Daymond initially made his mark as the entrepreneur and branding expert behind the groundbreaking lifestyle brand, FUBU (which eclipsed more than $6 billion in global retail sales).

He started a global brand from the basement of his mother’s house.

Today, the streetwear market that FUBU pioneered is a $20 billion dollar industry.

In this conversation we discuss what has been the driving force behind Daymond’s success, his process for setting goals, and why having clarity is so important to him.

In every single of these conversations I ask the guest if they have a guiding philosophy that shapes their life.

Daymond likes to ask people if they can describe themselves in 2-5 words. When you’re able to be that concise, it leads to some serious clarity.

In Daymond’s words: “If you don’t know what you stand for, when you walk into a room, you leave it up to us to interpret who you are.”

_________________

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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