Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

What is it like staring down the barrel of a 70-foot wave? How do we challenge ourselves to do bigger and riskier things in life? How do we take the first step towards something that seems unimaginable at first?

One of the best big wave surfers and risk takers on the planet, Kai Lenny has found true freedom in the powerlessness that comes with confronting one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular monsters – the big wave. 

As a multi-disciplinary athlete who surfed his fist wave at four-years-old, Kai has successfully conquered various water-based disciplines, earning him the title of a true waterman. Whether it's big-wave surfing, kiteboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, or hydrofoiling, Kai's unmatched skills and unwavering determination have led him to become a trailblazer in each field. Kai’s list of world championship honors include being an eight-time SUP Surfing World Champion, VICE KSP Kiting World Champion, two-time Molokai to Oahu Foil Boarding World Champion and World Record Holder, Molokai to Oahu SUP World Champion, and winning one of the world’s most prestigious big wave surfing events in 2020—the Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge.

According to Kai: “Once you know how to tap into fear, you can use it to do things you never thought were possible.” 

Most impressive—in a sport that requires a unique kind of risk-taking and preparation—is Kai’s masterful approach to mindset. A perfectionist whose passion is “always getting better at something,” Kai has many incredible insights on staying motivated, adaptable, and innovative all in the face of radical risk and relentless unknowns. 

We first had Kai on the podcast back in 2016 – episode #44 if you want to check it out. It’s an epic conversation, and it was equally as incredible to see how Kai has continued to evolve in the 7 years since that original recording.

This time around, we cover everything from navigating the unknown to performance imagery, breaking through limits, staying calm in chaos, setting a vision, and so much more. Many of us will never surf a 50+ foot wave – but we can all learn from Kai’s approach to mastering his craft, himself, and the way he navigates life.

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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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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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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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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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Today, we’re really excited to share the 8th installment of our Ask Me Anything (AMA) series.

The ever-insightful and entertaining O’Neil Cespedes is back to co-host this month’s AMA and – per usual – we have some fun diving into your questions. On this episode, we chat about:  

• What to do if you’re feeling burnt out and overworked
• Grappling with the need to prove yourself to others 
• How to build culture and hire appropriately
• The difference between high performance and mastery
• Feeling like you’re “behind” in life
• And, one question to chew on… Are you a thermostat? Or a thermometer?

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How can we ensure that we function optimally and feel great as we age? What makes a durable human? How do we combat the effects of our modern, more sedentary ways of being on our body’s need for activity? These are a few of the questions that this week’s guest, Dr. Kelly Starrett, can help us answer. 

Known as a “mobility pioneer,” Kelly’s career as a doctor of physical therapy has led him to some extraordinary places. He consults athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, US Olympic Team and CrossFit; he works with elite military personnel; and he consults with world-leading corporations on employee health and well-being. Kelly’s work, however, is not limited to coaches and athletes – he believes that every human being should know how to move and be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves.

The author of two best-selling books, “Becoming a Supple Leopard” and “Ready to Run,” and co-founder of the mobility training platform, The Ready State, Kelly’s work offers comprehensive tools and foundational wisdom to optimize movement and unlock pain-free performance. His newly released book “Built to Move,” which he co-wrote with his wife Juliet, guides readers through the ten essential habits to help you move freely and live fully. 

In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore why intentional movement is so vital to our well-being over time, best practices for managing stress and pain, and what it means to have a game plan for the long game.

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2x World Cup Winner and 3x Olympic Medalist Julie Foudy discusses the importance of finding joy, championing the future of women's sports, and unlocking the true power of being an extraordinary teammate and parent.

“Success comes when you are a great teammate and work your ass off. People want to be around you and they know that you got their back. You're in the foxhole with them. That's the greatest place they could be, because you're going to take care of them and vice versa.”

Julie Foudy's list of achievements is nothing short of awe-inspiring. As a two-time FIFA World Cup Champion, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, she has left an indelible mark on her field. However, her impact extends far beyond her accolades – Julie is also a dominant and energizing voice in the world of women’s sports. On camera, she lends her talents as an ESPN analyst and commentator; and off, she’s a former President of the Women’s Sports Foundation and a tireless advocate for young female athletes. 

Her voice extends to the page, screen and airwaves as well – Julie has her own podcast, Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, she’s authored two incredible books, and has produced several documentaries. These days, she can also be seen in the newly-released HBO docuseries, Angel City, about the Los Angeles-based women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club, of which she’s a proud owner and investor. If you don’t know, this organization has an incredible story that you’ll hear about in this conversation.

Julie is a winner and a champion of other women winning, too – it’s clear that her commitment to women in sport will reverberate for generations to come.

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Paul Annacone, legendary tennis coach to Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, offers his approach to collaborative coaching and a guide to playing, thinking, and being the best you can be.

“How good are you on your average days? My mantra is: Every player has a handful of great matches during their career, and a handful of garbage. The rest is who you are. Show me who you are in the middle.”

More on Paul:

20-time Grand Slam winner, Roger Federer and 14-time Grand Slam winner, Pete Sampras, have at least one common thread in their tennis careers and he happens to be our guest for this episode.

Paul Annacone is a former touring professional tennis player who began his coaching career in 1995 working with the legendary Pete Sampras. Since then, he’s become one of the most respected mentors in the game, coaching Federer, Tim Henman, Sloane Stephens and, currently, one of USA’s top-ranked players, Taylor Fritz.

Paul’s book Coaching For Life: A Guide to Playing, Thinking, and Being the Best You Can Be, is an autobiographical exploration of his experience inside the sport of tennis; more importantly, it’s a compilation of the lessons he learned along the way that are applicable to our own day-to-day life. His front row seat to arguably the best in his game has given Paul a true understanding of some of the guiding principles that live in the heart, and the head, of a true champion. 

This is an incredible conversation. Paul and I dive into the interesting transition from player to coach, the importance of knowing who you are, what he thinks about failure, and what he believes separates the greats from everyone else.

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This episode of Finding Mastery features the one and only, Apolo Ohno. A 2019 inductee into the Olympic Hall of Fame, Apolo still holds the title for most decorated American at the Winter Olympics with 8 medals as a short track speed skater. However, after hanging up his skates in 2010, Apolo found himself struggling with purpose, and confused about how he was going to navigate his transition from sport.

His bestselling book, Hard Pivot: Embrace Change, Find Purpose, Show Up Fully, details this journey while offering up five golden principles for practical and psychological steps toward success.

Apolo has walked the walk and I can’t wait to share his insights around navigating transitions, the constant pursuit of new goals, and how managing energy and attitude are integral to high performance.

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This week’s conversation is with Phil Kornachuk, a highly-trained military expert with 22 years of service in the U.S. Army Special Ops Command. After serving with both the 2nd Battalion Rangers and the Green Berets, being deployed 12 times, and receiving a Silver Star – the 3rd highest award for valor in combat – Phil decided to leave his military career behind and channel his experience into a new kind of mission: helping people and businesses forge high performance leadership skills. 

Indexing on self-mastery, mindset training and resilience, Phil’s passion for developing purpose-driven leaders and high performing teams has taken the form of executive coaching, 1-on-1 training, hands-on workshops and even back-country expeditions through his company StoneWater Training. 

Phil and I share the belief that there are no shortcuts, and you’ll hear all about how this high school dropout who grew up on a dairy farm in Ontario, Canada cultivated a mental toughness and leadership acumen that’s even more impressive than his physical fortitude. 

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Phil exemplifies true grit, a detailed story of how he earned his Silver Star, and how his philosophy came to be “know yourself, lead yourself, lead others.”

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