David Ricks first competed in a powerlifting competition in 1981, when he was 21 years old. At 66, he is still competing. Along the way, he's won 13 world championships, 32 national championships, and 71 world records. You might say he knows a thing or two about mastery, excellence, and sustaining both over a long period of time. Today, he shares his training routines, the importance of setting reasonable goals, and how he balances life, work, and lifting. Ricks emphasizes the necessity of listening to one's body, maintaining a healthy attachment to the sport, and adhering to disciplined yet flexible plans.

Link to an unedited transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lKSppNA2f74MKzHtgfRujsE6oxy0arjQ2ULE0SnoBIQ/edit?usp=sharing

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By some estimates, the voice in your head can spew up to 4000 words per minute, making it all the more important that we learn how to live with it. This can be especially hard when it's loud and critical, which (maybe you've noticed) it has a tendency to be at some of the most inopportune times: right before an important event. Today we discuss strategies for turning your inner critic into an inner coach before, during, and after a key performance. We discuss the neuroscience behind self-talk, its impact on your overall health and well-being, practices to reframe negative thoughts and to productively deal with failure, and the effect of the internet and cultural environment on our inner voices.

Books cited during this episode: "Chatter" by Ethan Kross

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Why are some people disciplined and others aren’t? It’s not because of an innate character trait, but because disciplined people have simply trained the skill of being disciplined. Today we break down how to do that by discussing how motivation and inspiration can (and often do) get in the way of discipline, the power of routines and constraints, strategies to embrace the discomfort of just getting started, the difference between positive and negative freedom, and the role that identity plays in discipline. Plus: dealing with the dread that comes from that one item on your to-do list that you can't ever get around to—and how to finally get around to doing it!

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This is the second of two episodes we're devoting to the topic of masculinity. Last week, in part one, we spoke with Richard Reeves about how changing ideas of what it means to be a man have left many men feeling adrift. Today, Brad, Steve, and Clay discuss that episode, reflect on some clips from a few other voices who've thought deeply about this issue, and open a conversation about potential solutions or ways forward. They talk about why the masculinity crisis is really a crisis of meaning, mattering, and mastery; highlight problems with the concept of the "alpha" male, particularly as its portrayed online; discuss pathways to meaningful socialization and personal growth; and propose expanding opportunities for genuine human connections as essential to counteracting the destabilizing effects of screens and the internet. Together, we can chart a better path forward for us all.

Check out "The Crisis of Masculinity, and Why It Matters For All of Us (Part 1)" here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/116-the-masculinity-crisis-and-why-it-matters-for-all/id1505257676?i=1000705663607

If you have a questions for us, send an email to [email protected] or call our voicemail at ‪(646) 893-9503‬.

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Over the next two weeks, we're going to be exploring the topic of masculinity—more specifically, how changing ideas of what it means to be a man have left many men feeling adrift, and what a path to a more positive masculinity might look like, particularly amid a backdrop of hyper-productivity, optimization, and toxic influences like Andrew Tate. Today's show features an interview with Richard Reeves, author of "Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It," who is one of culture's leading thinkers on these issues. Together, we explore one of our time's most pressing questions: How do we make better men without hindering societal progress and gender equality?

If you have a questions for us, send an email to [email protected] or call our voicemail at ‪(646) 893-9503‬.

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You've got questions, we've got answers. Today, we dive into listener emails and voicemails to answer some of your questions.

1) Can you give me a minimalist daily health checklist?

2) How do I tell the difference between a rut and burnout?

3) What do "good" breaks actually look like? 

4) How do I stay committed to long-term goals when short-term stuff always gets in the way?

If you have a questions for us, send an email to [email protected] or call our voicemail at ‪(646) 893-9503‬.

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In the world of sport and performance, a lot is made of executing under pressure. "Don't choke," we often say. However, what is perhaps more impressive (not to mention realistic) is being able to bounce back from choking. (In some ways, this is what Rory McIlroy displayed in his Masters victory this past weekend, winning in a one-hole playoff after a couple of big misses—and, to be fair, many more great makes—on the back nine.) Resilience isn't about never crumbling under pressure, but about building yourself back up before falling into a complete spiral or meltdown. So today we offer strategies to help rebound from mistakes, discuss the physiological and psychological dynamics of choking, highlight stress inoculation practices for performance training, share "reset and refocus" rituals, and explain ways to reframe success internally.

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As we often say, people have a tendency to drastically overestimate what they can do in a day and drastically underestimate what they can do in a year, particularly these days when so much of our world is oriented towards instant gratification. So today we're talking about the art of sustainable success and how to play the long game. We discuss how to overcome the difficulties of setting (and sticking to) big goals, strategies for staying disciplined and trusting your plan, ideas about how to build in short-term checkpoints, and ways you can hone the ability to zoom in on day-to-day progress while maintaining a longer perspective.

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Today we're breaking down confidence. We discuss what it is (earned self-belief) and what it isn't (bravado, arrogance, positive thinking, or the absence of doubt and insecurity); how to build and maintain it; the cons (and some surprising pros!) of delusional confidence; how to keep from tipping over into complacency or arrogance; and practical steps to get your mojo back after a slump.

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Today, we talk about how to navigate life and athletic performance amidst stress. We discuss the impact of mental and emotional stress on physical performance, and share personal anecdotes and scientific insights on the interplay between cognitive stress and physical endurance, including effects on the immune system and cortisol levels. We've also got some practical advice on adjusting training intensity, work tasks, and daily routines during high-stress periods, and break down how to set realistic expectations about what you can do, prioritize what's important, and best apply stress management tools.

Join The Growth Equation Academy today. 40% off for a limited time!

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