Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

When it feels like the whole world has written you off, do you give in or keep going?

Today's guest, Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Geno Smith, kept going. After spending 10 seasons in the NFL—enduring frustrating injuries, several trades, and the threat of becoming a “lifetime backup quarterback” —Geno stepped in as starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks last season. With the media deeming this as a “rebuilding year” for the Seahawks, Geno put forth a stellar performance that surprised many. He logged his first winning record, a playoff berth, led the league in completion percentage, and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the very first time.

This impressive career resurgence earned Geno 2022’s Comeback Player of the Year (which probably should have been renamed Comeback Player of the Decade).

I know Geno from my 9 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, and let me tell you… he is special.

Geno’s career journey is marked by the kind of patience and resilience we can all marvel at, but it’s his mindset — the one that helped him navigate moments where many counted him out — that is truly remarkable. Geno recognized that his “tough times” could be seen as someone else’s “dream come true.” This humility coupled with confidence and a steadfast desire to keep learning through his challenges are what make Geno’s success story one that we can all learn from.

It’s an honor to know Geno, and he brought it for this conversation. We cover so many powerful topics — from imagery to leadership, self-talk to competitive mindset, the path of self discovery to self-belief, and so much more. If you want to hear someone who is fluent in the language of mastery, this episode is for 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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Today, we’re really excited to share the 10th installment of our Ask Me Anything (AMA) series! Thanks for coming along this journey with us over the last 10 months—sending in your questions and sharing your notes of appreciation. It’s an honor to sit down and film each video. 

We’re stoked on this 10th AMA and all the excellent questions we received. Our co-host, O’Neil Cespedes, is back again to make sure we keep it real. In this video, we dive into topics like:

• How to find your purpose
• What do you do if you’re given 6 months to live?
• Dealing with your feelings and emotions
• Why perfectionism is a fool’s game
• Designing your life for your eulogy
• How to find a rewarding job
• And so much more

Submit YOUR questions to [email protected]

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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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When you talk to yourself, are you listening? What are the thoughts that dominate your thinking? Do they empower you? Elevate you? Connect you to something bigger than yourself? 

Jon Gordon believes that how you answer these questions is critical to how you show up as a leader, a teammate, a spouse or a friend. Simply put: your performance and your relationships move in the direction of your strongest thoughts. 

He’s best known as an author, but Jon doesn’t just write books. He lives his life making sure the principles he values most reach and inspire audiences of all kinds, all over the world. So it’s not a surprise that his 28 books – including 15 best sellers and 5 children’s books – hold universal truths that have been tested and embraced by Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, professional and college sports teams, school districts and individuals alike. 

In his new book, “The One Truth: Elevate Your Mind, Unlock Your Power, Heal Your Soul,” Jon extols the concept of oneness and its power to help you see life through a lens of confidence, clarity, unity and strength.   

His passion and positivity are truly contagious and he has so many insights around how to transform our thinking in order to unlock the greatness in our teams, our organizations, our relationships and ourselves.

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Sleep is fundamental to our survival. It’s kind of like oxygen, yet most of us don’t view these essential functions through the same lens. In order to perform at our best, live long & healthy lives, and to explore our potential… we have to put the same value on sleeping that we do breathing. 

Lucky for us, our guest today does exactly that - Dr. Aric Prather is a renowned professor, sleep scientist, clinical psychologist, and head of one of the world’s most successful sleep clinics at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Aric’s expertise lies in the fascinating world of sleep and its effects on our health and emotions.

In his latest book, "The Sleep Prescription: Seven Days to Unlocking Your Best Rest," Aric offers a simple yet powerful plan to transform your sleep in just one week. Beyond the typical solutions, he shares surprisingly simple yet deeply effective techniques that will guide you in embracing the magic of restorative sleep.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about why sleep starts the moment you wake up; how sex plays a role in the quality of your sleep; the psychology of building habits around sleep; the ideal length for a nap; and so much more. 

Whether you are someone for whom sleep seems elusive or you’re just trying to fine tune your sleep from “good” to “great”, Aric’s insights will guide you to that restful state where your body effortlessly does what it was built to do: sleep well.

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I think it’s fair to say we all know a thing or two about stress. Hopefully we’ve all found a practice (or several) to help us manage it. Our guest today has gone a few steps further…

Dr. David Rabin – Dr. Dave as he’s better known – has dedicated much of his life’s work as a neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and innovative health tech entrepreneur to studying the impacts of chronic stress and developing groundbreaking approaches to stress management, treatment-resistant illnesses, and our bodies’ inherent ability to heal itself. 

As co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Apollo Neuro, Dr. Dave led the way in creating the first scientifically-validated wearable technology that actively improves your health by strengthening your nervous system and resilience to stress over time. This revolutionary tech has been a game changer in my life, and it’s one of the reasons I’m so stoked to have Dr. Dave back on the podcast and to have partnered with his company, Apollo Neuro.

Last time he was on the podcast, over 2 years ago, we touched a great deal on how powerful the human mind is – why we’re uniquely suited to adapt to and overcome adversity. This time around, we dive deeper into the science of stress, why we may be entering a transformative time for mental health, and some of the non-invasive, alternative therapies he believes can help us in our respective journeys to heal ourselves.

With compelling anecdotes and cutting-edge knowledge, Dr. Dave shares hope for the future, where new tools and approaches might finally enable us to use the elusive term "cure" in the context of mental health. He’s a scientist who truly thinks outside the box and I can’t wait for you to hear his extraordinary insights.

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Today, we’re really excited to share the 9th installment of our 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.

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.

This time around, our co-host O’Neil Cespedes and I cover some really interesting and insightful territory – we discuss:

• What makes a psychologically healthy human
• How to engage in open, curious conversations in a polarized world
• Whether it’s better to be a generalist or a specialist
• Keys to parenting in modern times
• A best practice you can try out called “The Miracle Question”
• And so much more

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Today’s guest gives us a behind the scenes look at one of modern business’s greatest corporate turnarounds. When Oscar Munoz became CEO of United Airlines in 2015, this global organization was anything but united – and its reputation was in free fall.

Oscar's journey at United began with a whirlwind of challenges and it's through those experiences that he gained invaluable insights into the power of listening, learning, empathy and resilience. In this conversation, we dive into Oscar’s first 100 days at the helm of United as he faced a daunting task of reshaping the company's culture, addressing severe customer concerns, and navigating a rapidly changing global industry. 

All while 37 days into his new leadership role… he suffered a severe heart attack. In this episode, you’ll hear about that story, how Oscar was able to persevere, and the warning signs that saved his life. We also talk about his first principles – the ones that guided his leadership approach, and how he stayed true to them even during a very public PR crisis for him and United. 

In addition to United, Oscar has served in various leadership positions across diverse industries, including U.S. West, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Salesforce, CBRE, and PepsiCo. He is a wealth of knowledge and there are so many gems in this conversation – I can’t wait for you to learn from Oscar’s wisdom, insights, frameworks for leadership, and life.

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Wellness has become a buzzword and it can feel like we’ve lost its true meaning. 

While the industry is overflowing with “experts” touting the latest and greatest in self-care, this week’s guest has a different approach – Candice Kumai believes that when it comes to wellness practices, newer isn’t always better, and there’s good reason ancient wisdom often endures the test of time.

As a 12-time award-winning writer, classically trained chef, and former TV host, Candice made her mark in several notable industries—earning her the unofficial title, ‘The Golden Girl of Wellness.’ However, it’s been the deep exploration of her culture and the honoring of her roots that has had the most profound impact on her identity and purpose. 

Though food and culture have long been tied, Candice spent years exploring this relationship for herself. By thoughtfully mining the traditions of her Japanese heritage and unlocking modern-day relevance of ancient Buddhist principles, she’s pioneered a transformative approach to wellness; first for herself, and now, for many others. Her guidance is grounded in spiritual wisdom, culinary prowess, and deeply personal exploration. 

Candice’s latest endeavor, “Spirited: A Modern Guide to Ancient Spiritual Wellness and Wisdom,” is her 7th book, currently available for free on Audible. In it, she helps readers take concrete steps to “clear out the noise, tune out the hype and transform into a more enlightened and peaceful individual.” 

I can’t wait for you to experience the spirit that lives in Candice’s work and find out why Dr. Andrew Weil has called her “a pioneer of her time". Enjoy!

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