Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On Purpose

Dr. Dan sits down with Cody Cook-Parrott, author of The Practice of Attention: Cultivating Presence in a Distracted World, to explore what happens when we reclaim our focus from technology, perfectionism, and fear.

Drawing from nearly 15 years of sobriety, lived experience with ADHD, creative practice, and stepping away from social media, Cody shares how attention is not just about productivity — it’s about presence, integrity, and self-trust. 

An artist, writer, teacher, and dancer, Cody teaches us attention is the currency of our lives  – and that most of us are spending it without realizing it. Dr. Dan and Cody urge listeners to remember that attention shapes not just what we see but who we become. They challenge us to reclaim our time and focus so life feels like it belongs to us again.

Cody Cook-Parrott is the author of six books, including the new The Practice of Attention. For more information visit www.codycookparrott.com.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.– Dr. Dan

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In this powerful conversation, Dr. Dan sits down with leadership strategist, researcher, and executive coach and author Dr. Debra Clary to explore why curiosity may be the most overlooked—and most essential—leadership skill of our time.

Deb shares her remarkable journey from driving a Frito-Lay delivery truck after earning her MBA to advising Fortune 500 executives and the publication of her book The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Question. Along the way, she reveals how resilience, humility, and bold questions shaped her leadership philosophy and helped spark transformational change inside some of the world’s most iconic organizations.

Together, Dr. Dan and Debra explore why certainty can hinder growth, how curiosity fuels engagement and performance, and why fear and curiosity cannot coexist in the brain. They explore the role curiosity plays not just in leadership and business, but in parenting, relationships, creativity, and human connection.

This episode is a compelling reminder that asking better questions—without an agenda—can unlock innovation, strengthen relationships, and create cultures where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

For more information visit www.debraclary.com and follow @the_curiosity_curve on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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Dr. Dan is in the virtual studio today with award-winning music educator and entrepreneur Kenneth Thompson to explore what it truly means to grow into your purpose—especially when the path is anything but linear.

Ken, the founder and CEO of the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, Inc. (MACSA), holds a Bachelor of Music/Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music (where he studied with Nelita True and Anton Nel). Ken shares his journey from early struggles with learning differences, bullying, and feeling unseen, to discovering connection, creativity, and self-awareness through music. What begins as a story about piano and performance becomes a profound exploration of resilience, mindset, neurodiversity, and leadership.

Together, Dr. Dan and Ken unpack the hidden costs of chasing validation, the pressure of elite performance environments, and the courage it takes to redefine success. They explore why growth requires both safety and intensity, how authentic connection unlocks human potential, and why teaching, mentoring, and advocacy are among the most powerful forms of leadership.

This episode is a reminder that purpose evolves, growth is relational, and true empowerment comes from being met—exactly as you are—while being challenged to become more.

For more information, visit macsainc.com and follow @Ken.CreativeCoach

on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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In this eye-opening interview, Dr. Dan Peters talks with internationally renowned psychologist Guy Winch to explore how emotional health, rumination, and chronic stress quietly hijack our lives highlighting that burnout doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t stay at work when the workday ends. Dr. Dan and Guy also discuss his new book Mind Over Grind: How To Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life.

Guy shares why burnout clouds our judgment, why rumination is one of the most damaging (and overlooked) habits in modern work culture, and how emotional health skills can prevent anxiety and depression before they become clinical. Dr. Dan and Guy unpack the science behind mental detachment, responsibility-taking, and why recovery not productivity must come first.

On this episode listeners will learn practical, science-backed strategies to break the cycle of rumination and mental replay, recover from burnout, create psychological boundaries when working from home and reclaim evenings/relationships/personal identity from work.

This episode is a grounded, actionable reminder that while we can’t always change our external circumstances, but we can change how we experience them. Dr. Dan and Guy empower us all with their message that emotional health is a daily practice and daily choice – at home and at work.

For more information visit www.guywinch.com and follow @guywinch on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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Dr. Dan interviews wellness leader and founder of DoYogaWithMe, David Procyshyn about anxiety, presence, living well and his personal story. As a leading voice in the world of wellness –David is yoga and meditation teacher, speaker, and founder – David helps people heal from chronic anxiety and live a calmer, more resilient life.

During this conversation with Dr. Dan, David shares his own personal journey from chronic pain, high-performance anxiety, and burnout to discovering a grounded, compassionate relationship with his nervous system. Together, Dan and David explore how anxiety is not a personal failure, but a physiological pattern that can be understood, worked with, and softened over time.

Finally, Dan explores David’s Freedom From Anxiety approach which blends neuroscience, breathwork, meditation, and lived experience into practical tools that foster resilience, empowerment, and connection.

This powerful episode encourages listeners to slow down, reflect, and remember that we can learn and grow from anxiety—deepening our wellbeing, our relationships, and our capacity to live with intention.

For more information visit www.davidprocyshyn.com and www.doyogawithme.com. Use code 'drdan' for 1 month of unlimited access to DoYogaWithMe at www.doyogawithme.com (click Subscribe, Start Free Trial, create an account, then enter 'drdan' under 'Got a coupon?')

Check out what makes DoYogaWithMe different from all other online yoga platforms: www.doyogawithme.com/what-makes-us-different

Check out the article David talked about in the episode: www.davidprocyshyn.com/do-less-new-years-resolution/

Sign up for David's newsletter: www.doyogawithme.com/anxiety-newsletter

Join David at his Freedom from Anxiety Info Session at Noon EST on May 4/26: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Go5pwjJUS4qQONPdGpxWdg

Check out David's Freedom from Anxiety 28-Day Program (the next cohort launches May 25/26): https://courses.doyogawithme.com/courses/freedom-from-anxiety-28-day-online-program-may-26-cohort

Follow David @doyogawithme on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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Today on Make It A Great One, Dr. Dan interviews Raj Sisodia, global thought leader, bestselling author, and co-founder of Conscious Capitalism, to explore the inner work required to live and lead with purpose, integrity, and humanity. Raj also introduces the seven steps outlined in his newest book Healing Leaders which teaches us that leadership begins with knowing, loving, and healing oneself. 

Raj shares the pivotal moments that reshaped his life and leadership—from questioning profit-only business models to confronting unhealed personal trauma that lingered beneath decades of professional success. He opens up about his own healing journey, the influence of his parents, and the realization that leadership without self-awareness inevitably causes harm.

Together, Dr. Dan and Raj unpack what it truly means to be a conscious leader—someone willing to integrate head, heart, and soul; masculine and feminine energy; wisdom and playfulness because conscious leaders create ripple effects that impact families, communities, and future generations.

This episode challenges traditional business paradigms and offers a hopeful vision for the future—one where business becomes a force for healing, compassion, and collective well-being.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and lead from a deeper place—one rooted in purpose, courage, and care.

For more information visit www.rajsisodia.com and follow @rajsisodiacc on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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In this provocative and reflective episode, Dr. Dan interviews transformational coach Thomas Blottenberger about purpose, self-awareness, and what it means to grow from the inside out. Together, they explore how culturally inherited narratives, survival-based programming, emotional numbness, and the performance trap silently shape our lives — and how to break free.

Thomas shares the story of his own awakening, describing the internal disintegration that precedes meaningful change. He discusses the courage required to face long-standing patterns and the liberation that comes from choosing curiosity over shame. Through exploring themes of authenticity, leadership, emotional mastery, presence, and empowerment, this episode challenges listeners to rethink the stories they tell themselves and reconnect with who they really are.

In addition, Dr. Dan and Thomas dive into the myths of work-life balance, the power of presence, why optimizing the external never creates lasting fulfillment, and how the process of becoming requires patience, compassion, and reflection. They explore how our earliest experiences shape adult behaviors, how men often externalize their power, and why transformation requires slowing down rather than “fixing.”

This conversation is an invitation to wake up, sit in awareness, release old narratives, and consciously choose a life aligned with your purpose, integrity, and deepest values.

For more information, visit The Risk Reward Agency and follow @mr.blottenberger  on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

#Purpose #Growth #SelfAwareness #Resilience #Mindset #Leadership #Authenticity #Inspiration #EmotionalMastery #Courage #Connection #Wellness #Transformation #Compassion #Empowerment #MensWork #Presence #Becoming #MakeItAGreatOne

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Dr. Dan continues his Make It a Great One in 2026 kick-off by interviewing author and advocate Mita Mallick to explore the real impact that leadership has on mental health, identity, and workplace well-being. Drawing from her bestselling books Reimagine Inclusion and The Devil Emails at Midnight, Mita shares personal stories of toxic leadership, bullying, grief, and growth, while challenging leaders to confront their own behaviors with honesty and compassion.

Together, Dr. Dan and Mita unpack why bad bosses aren’t born but made—and how self-awareness, empathy, and accountability can transform workplaces into environments where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to do their best work. 

This episode invites listeners to reflect on the profound effect leaders have on mental health and well-being – and the importance of self-care, reflection, and emotional intelligence in all aspects of our lives.

For more information visit www.mitamallick.com and follow @mita_mallick13 on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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Welcome to 2026 and all new episodes of Make It a Great One!  Today, Dr. Dan sits down with Larry Rosen, creator of The Enemies Project, to explore why conflict has become so entrenched in our culture—and how genuine listening can begin to heal it.

During his conversation with Dr. Dan, Larry shares his personal journey from law to mediation to ultimately creating a global project that brings people labeled as “enemies” into the same room for honest, day-long conversations. Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and decades of experience working with people in deep conflict, Larry Rosen explains why arguments fail, empathy shuts down under threat, and how understanding—not persuasion—is the fastest path to transformation.

Together, Dr. Dan and Larry unpack the mechanisms behind polarization, the role of fear and perceived threat, and how “enemy-making” erodes our ability to cooperate as families, communities, and societies. Through stories from The Enemies Project, they reveal how people with radically opposing views often share the same core motivations: safety, belonging, love, and meaning.

This episode is a compelling exploration of leadership, courage, compassion, and what it truly means to really see the humanity in others—even when it feels impossible. As a new year unfolds, Dr. Dan and Larry encourage listeners to reflect on this episode and these words from The Enemies Project: “We bring people together—not to debate, but to come face-to-face. Not to argue, but to understand. Not to compromise their values—but to reclaim something deeper: the capacity to recognize each other as fellow citizens, fellow humans, insightful, valuable, real.”

For more information www.enemiesproject.org visit @theenemiesproject on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

#Purpose #Growth #SelfAwareness #Inspiration #Resilience #Courage #Mindset #Leadership #Compassion #Connection #Authenticity #Empathy #Wellness #ConflictResolution #HumanConnection #TheEnemiesProject #MakeItAGreatOne

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In this inspiring and illuminating conversation, Dr. Dan sits down with Inna Segal, bestselling author of The Secret Language of Your Body, to explore how pain, trauma, and emotional overwhelm can become powerful gateways to healing, self-awareness, and inner freedom. Inna shares her extraordinary personal journey from debilitating chronic illness and profound grief to discovering her intuitive healing abilities — and dedicating her life to helping others reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies.

Dr. Dan and Inna break down why the body is never the enemy, how slowing down is the first essential step toward wellness, and why meaningful healing requires curiosity, courage, compassion, and patience. Inna explains how unresolved childhood wounds, ancestral trauma, and unprocessed emotions can shape our physical and emotional experiences — and how simple daily practices can begin to restore balance, empowerment, and alignment.

Listeners will learn how to tune into the body’s signals, use breath and attention to shift internal states, embrace personal growth without overwhelming themselves, and understand healing as a lifelong journey toward authenticity, connection, and wholeness.

If you’re seeking hope, clarity, or a renewed sense of purpose along your wellness path, this episode offers profound insights and practical tools to help you begin or continue your transformation.

For more information, visit innasegal.com and follow @innasegalauthor on Instagram.

Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com and send your questions or guest pitches to [email protected].

We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.

– Dr. Dan

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