Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

This week’s conversation is with Chris McNamara, a Big Wall Climber and ex-wingsuit BASE jumper.

He is also the founder of OutdoorGearLab, one of the most popular outdoor gear review sites in the world.

Outside Magazine has called Chris one of the world's finest climbers.

Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris's life on earth had been spent on the face of El Capitan, an accomplishment that left friends and family pondering Chris's sanity.

He has climbed El Capitan more than 80 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records.

Chris has also authored five guidebooks to rock climbing in Yosemite National Park and eight other climbing guidebooks.

As a wingsuit BASE jumper, he claimed a slice of the "Golden Age of Wingsuit BASE first descents" by finding and jumping 10-plus significant new exits in the United States and Baffin Island.

This conversation is about meaning, it’s about creative expression, it’s about risk.

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I'm excited to introduce you to our new series, Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of Finding Mastery, presented by Microsoft.

 For the past 8 years, Compete to Create and I have had the privilege of working with Microsoft, beginning with their CEO, Satya Nadella, and his executive team -- and then an additional 30,000 people across the company.

Microsoft has radically transformed under Satya’s leadership, with his emphasis on building a culture around mindset, inclusion, and diversity, to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.  

This series is the company’s initiative to celebrate 9 female industry leaders who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities. 

We filmed each episode and created condensed clips based on their insights. You can watch them at decodingdisruptors.com.

We've also decided to release a few of the episodes with extended footage on the Finding Mastery podcast feed – and in this first episode, I sit down with Bozoma Saint John.

You can listen here.

Bozoma's a marketing rock star who has led some of the world’s biggest brands.

She’s currently the CMO of Endeavor, formerly William Morris Endeavor, one of the most powerful talent agency's in Hollywood, that sits at the epicenter of culture.

Previous to that she was at Uber, Apple Music and iTunes, Beats, and PepsiCo.

Bozoma was inducted into Billboard’s “Women in Music Hall of Fame” and was also featured on AdWeek’s cover as one of the most exciting personalities in advertising.

All that being said, Bozoma’s superpower is her authenticity.

In this episode, you’ll get a sense of how she unapologetically brings herself into a room and just lights it up.

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This week’s conversation is with Mark Mathews, a world-class big wave surfer, Red Bull Athlete and Surf Contest Director.

He’s made a living at the intersection of danger and excitement and knows all too well the crippling grasp of fear.

While in Tasmania, fifteen feet in front of a cliff in cold, shark infested waters, Mark hit a reef and instantly blacked out. Terror engulfed every inch of his being. Neck braced and hospital-ridden, he didn’t know if he could ever surf again.

At that moment, Mark made a decision never to allow fear to overpower him again.

Mark has deconstructed, fine-tuned, and personalized emotion and resilience techniques to successfully strengthen his mindset and sustain long term performance.

These techniques have helped him win an unprecedented three consecutive Oakley Big Wave Awards and cement him as one of the best big wave surfers in the world.

In this conversation, we discuss the strategies Mark’s developed to overcome fear and how you can apply them in your own life.

And keep in mind – this is someone who surfs some of the biggest waves known to mankind – waves as big as 80+ feet.

Mark believes that conquering fear starts with being aware and in-tune with what your motivations are – you’ve got to want the result on the other side more than you fear doing what it takes to get there.

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This week’s conversation is with Colin O'Brady, an explorer and elite endurance athlete, who has set multiple records and pushed the boundaries of what we understand to be possible.

He was a previous guest on Finding Mastery – episode 36 – and I’m excited to have him back on to talk about his latest feat, the world's first solo, unsupported and completely human powered crossing of Antarctica.

Previous to this, he set speed records for the Explorers Grand Slam and the Seven Summits.

The Explorers Grand Slam involves climbing the tallest mountain on each continent and skiing the last degree of latitude to the North and South Poles – and Colin completed it in a mere 139 days.

Colin also recently published a book called, The Impossible First, a bestselling adventure memoir.

We cover so much in this conversation including what continues to drive him, his thoughts on human potential, and why he believes many people are settling, when they’re capable of so much more.

I’m confident you’ll leave this conversation inspired.

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This week’s conversation is with Coach Tony Blauer, who’s been in the martial art, self-defense, defensive tactics, and combatives industry for over four decades.

Tony founded Blauer Tactical Systems (BTS) in 1985 and it has grown into one of the world's leading consulting companies specializing in the research and development of performance psychology, personal safety, and close quarter tactics & scenario-based training for law enforcement, military, and professional self-defense instructors.

His research on the neuroscience of fear and the startle-flinch lead to the development of the SPEAR System, a modern personal defense system based on physiology, physics, and psychology.

It has been used by combative trainers all over the world for over 30 years.

After decades of interviewing victims of violent encounters and studying violence, he then created the KNOW FEAR program which focuses on managing fear through self-awareness, resiliency and a 'movement' mindset.

And so this conversation is about managing fear - but it extends far beyond self-defense.

Managing fear is both science and skill and it directly influences the outcome of every event.

In Tony's words: "Fear, impacts everything we do, from who we talk to, to whom we marry, from where we work, to where we live, from how much weight we lift to, whether or not we defend ourself... the ability to recognize, and manage fear directly impacts the quality of our life."

Tony doesn't believe in the idea of "no fear", but by better understanding our fears, we can change our relationship with it and use it as both a signal and a fuel.

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This week’s conversation is with Chase Jarvis, an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, and one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years.

His expansive work ranges from shooting advertising campaigns for companies like Apple, Nike, and Red Bull; to working with athletes like Serena Williams and Tony Hawk, to collaborating with renowned icons like Lady Gaga and Richard Branson.

In 2013 Chase contributed to the Pulitzer-Prize winning New York Times story, Snowfall, and in 2014, earned an Emmy nomination for his documentary, Portrait of a City.

He also created Best Camera – the first photo app to share images to social networks, and is the founder of CreativeLive, where more than 10 million students learn photography, video, design, music and business from the world’s top creators and entrepreneurs.

He also has a new book, Creative Calling, which debuted as an instant National Best Seller.

I think you can probably infer what this conversation is about – it’s about creativity and more specifically how you can unlock your creative potential.

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This week’s conversation is with Katie Arnold, a longtime journalist and an elite ultra runner.

Katie was the 2018 Leadville Trail 100 Run champion.

For those of you unfamiliar with Leadville, it’s an Ultramarathon held annually on rugged trails and dirt roads near Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

The race course climbs and descends 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging from 9,200-12,620 feet – the elevation and terrain makes this an incredibly difficult course.

Katie is also a contributing Editor at Outside Magazine and has written for many well respected publications including: The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Runner’s World, ESPN: The Magazine, Elle, and many others.

She recently published a new book called: Running Home: A Memoir.

Running is the through line, but her book and this conversation are about more than running – we discuss the power of observation, expression, and mindfulness.

Running is just Katie’s way through those things, but anytime she references running, you could scratch that out and say your thing, and the message is the same.

I, for one, am not a big runner but this conversation hit home for me – it’s about understanding your path and where you’re headed next. 

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This week’s conversation is with Jim Zorn, a former NFL quarterback and coach who currently serves as head coach and general manager of the Seattle Dragons of the second incarnation of the XFL.

Jim was the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks during their first eight seasons as a franchise and is a Seattle legend.

He’s known as one of the more prolific scrambling quarterbacks of his day and was the second Seahawk ever inducted into the team’s “Ring of Honor” in 1991.

Jim also coached in the NFL from 1997 to 2012.

In this conversation we discuss what led Jim to football, what he learned about the mental side of the game, and how to move past caring what others think of you.

In Jim’s words: “I had to be willing to be embarrassed if I was going to try to get better.”

That’s a really cool thought and Jim has so much wisdom and insight to share in this conversation.

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This week’s conversation is with Raja Dhir, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Seed Health, a microbial sciences company pioneering applications of bacteria to impact human and environmental health.

Now some of you may already be familiar with what the microbiome is but for those who aren’t, I’ll share a brief summary of it via Harvard’s School of Public Health.

Picture a bustling city on a weekday morning, the sidewalks flooded with people rushing to get to work or to appointments. Now imagine this at a microscopic level and you have an idea of what the microbiome looks like inside our bodies, consisting of trillions of microorganisms (also called microbiota or microbes) of thousands of different species.

These include not only bacteria but fungi, parasites, and viruses. In a healthy person, these “bugs” coexist peacefully, with the largest numbers found in the small and large intestines but also throughout the body.

The microbiome is even labeled a supporting organ because it plays so many key roles in promoting the smooth daily operations of the human body.

Each person has an entirely unique network of microbiota that is originally determined by one’s DNA.

A person is first exposed to microorganisms as an infant, during delivery in the birth canal and through the mother’s breast milk.

Exactly which microorganisms the infant is exposed to depends solely on the species found in the mother. Later on, environmental exposures and diet can change one’s microbiome to be either beneficial to health or place one at greater risk for disease.

The microbiome consists of microbes that are both helpful and potentially harmful. Most are symbiotic (where both the human body and microbiota benefit) and some, in smaller numbers, are pathogenic (promoting disease). In a healthy body, pathogenic and symbiotic microbiota coexist without problems.

But if there is a disturbance in that balance—brought on by infectious illnesses, certain diets, or the prolonged use of antibiotics or other bacteria-destroying medications—dysbiosis occurs, stopping these normal interactions.

As a result, the body may become more susceptible to disease.

And so this is where Raja’s company, Seed comes into play.

Seed partners with leading scientists to translate breakthrough science into live biotherapeutics and innovations for consumer health with a portfolio targeting conditions where bacteria can become or replace the primary standard of care.

Seed, develops scientifically-validated, next-generation probiotics with a mission to bring much-needed precision, efficacy, and education to the global probiotics market.

Raja believes the magic happens at the intersection of technology, systems biology, and translational science.

He’s got a unique way of thinking and follows those thoughts with action.

And that’s what this conversation is really about— how to take an idea powerful enough to change the world for the better and make it a reality?

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This week’s conversation is with Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist, better known as the “Sleep Doctor.”

Michael is both a Diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

He was one of the youngest people to pass the Board at age 31 with a specialty in Sleep Disorders.

Michael was also recently named both the Top Sleep Specialist in California by Readers Digest, and one of the 10 most influential people in sleep.

Sleep is critical to just about everything we want to do with our lives and I feel like we’re at a point where more people are starting to realize its importance.

The thing is, there’s a lot of information currently circulating on sleep and it can be tricky sorting out which is the right research to follow.

Michael believes the key to sleep is not necessarily about getting 8 hours a night, but rather understanding how much sleep your body needs and more importantly, what hours of the day your body is primed to function optimally.

This is a fascinating conversation on something every single one of us can relate to.

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