Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project 

Guest: Charanjit S. Rihal, M.D., MBA 

William S. and Ann Atherton Professor of Cardiology - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine | Chair, Mayo Clinic People and Culture Committee, Member Board of Trustees - Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN 

We are all a product of our environment, and this includes the people we surround ourselves with. Anyone that has achieved a level of success knows that they didn’t do it completely alone. One of the key ingredients to success in all activities is having high quality mentorship. A good mentor is worth their weight in gold, but how do we FIND a good mentor? And equally important, how can we BE a good mentor to others? That’s what we’ll discuss with our expert guest, Dr. Chet Rihal.  

The three big questions we will cover include:  

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: 

Discussion Questions for this Episode: 

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize 

Email: [email protected] 

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project 

Guest: Andrea A. Tooley, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Oculofacial Plastic Surgery | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN (2020-2025) 

Innovative Ophthalmology | Paducah, Kentucky (2026-Present) 

“Work Life Balance” is a term we hear almost daily. Although the phrase is intended to help us successfully juggle our many responsibilities, we mostly hear about it in the context of struggle. The constant striving for Work-Life Balance can leave us exhausted and unfulfilled. That begs the question, should we be looking at this in a different way? To help us sort that out, our expert guest is Dr. Andrea Tooley. 

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: 

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize 

Email: [email protected] 

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project 

Guest: Chelsey Hoffmann, PA-C, MS, RD, Physician Assistant | Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine - Mayo Clinic - Rochester, MN 

It’s been said that "we are what we eat," and we all sort of understand what that means. At the same time, most understand what it's like to intermittently experience body aches and pains that we can't always explain.  While the reasons for these aches and pains are variable, much of this pain and inflammation we experience may be related to the food we eat and the beverages we drink. Are you curious if that is the case for you? Our expert guest here to help us figure that out is Chelsey Hoffman.

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize 

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Stephen L. Kopecky MD, FACC, FAHA, MASPC, Professor of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Division of Preventive Cardiology | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

Straightforward question…are you healthy? Sounds like a simple question, but how in the world are we supposed to answer that? In the sea of health information out there, how do we define “healthy," and what simple metrics can we use to tell if we are hitting the mark? For those of us looking to be our best selves, we need to prioritize our health. And in order to do that, we need to know what we are aiming for, in our quest to become healthy. To answers those questions and more, our expert guest today is Dr. Stephen Kopecky.

The three big questions we have for Dr. Kopecky are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1) The podcast defines being healthy not just as the "absence of disease, but the presence of health," emphasizing "health span" over "lifespan." How does this definition resonate with your personal understanding of health, and how might it change your focus?

2) Dr. Kopecky introduces the "North, South, East, West" compass for health (Nutrition, Stress/Sleep/Spirits/Smoking/Social, Exercise, Weight). Which of these areas presents the biggest opportunity for your personal improvement?

3) The discussion highlights that less than 1% of Americans meet the full definition of health. What are some practical ways individuals or communities can address these challenges?

4) The podcast warns against "quick fixes," "one-size-fits-all" solutions, and products that overpromise. How do you personally evaluate health information, products, or services to distinguish between genuine benefits and hype?

5) Dr. Kopecky shares his personal motivation for focusing on prevention after his cancer diagnosis. Has there been a specific event or realization in your life that significantly shifted your perspective on health and wellness?

6) The episode suggests starting with small, sustainable changes, like "one bite at a time" or "one minute of relaxation." What is one small, actionable step you could take this week in one of the "North, South, East, West" categories to improve your health?

7) The discussion touches on the connection between different health factors (e.g., sleep and blood pressure, weight and liver health). How do you see this interconnectedness playing out in your own health or the health of those around you?

8) The podcast emphasizes that over 50% of our health is determined by lifestyle, even with genetic predispositions. How does this perspective empower you to take more control over your health journey? 

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Graeme Rosenberg, MD., Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery | Director of Performance & Wellness for the Department of Surgery | Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA

We define “human optimization” as the ability to do “more” while simultaneously improving our well-being. One of the keys to that is, defining what “more” means to you, because it’s different for all of us. The other key is linking that “more” up with your well-being. Many people feel that in order to accomplish more, their well-being automatically has to suffer. We don’t think that’s the case, and we are going to tell you why in this episode with our expert guest, Dr. Graeme Rosenberg.  

The three big questions we are going to tackle are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1) Dr. Rosenberg defines performance as an equation involving individual abilities, internal factors, and external environmental factors, all aimed at an "outcome of interest." How do you currently define "performance" in your own life or work? How might broadening this definition to include these components change your perspective?

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: John C. Benson, MD, Neuroradiologist | Associate Professor, Radiology | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

Regardless of your official role or job title, you are a leader. Leadership takes on so many different forms, and this is true both inside and outside of the workplace. Any time you are interacting with another human being, there is an opportunity for leadership. Fortunately, we all have leadership skills inside of us. The question is whether or not we fully understand them, work to develop them, and put them into practice in our everyday lives.

In order to help you do just that, our expert guest today is Dr. John Benson, and the three big questions we are going to answer are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1) How do you personally define leadership? What are the ideal qualities of a good leader?

2) Prior to reviewing this content, did you consider yourself to be a leader (independent of your professional title)? Why or why not?

3) What are some of the qualities you embody that allow you to have a positive impact on others? Do you view this as leadership?  Why or why not?

4) What are some of the reasons that you haven’t considered yourself to be a leader in certain situations in the past? Do you feel like these qualities are legitimate reasons that you can’t lead others? To overcome them, do you need to change your behavior, change how you see yourself, or change your definition of what a leader is? Or is it a combination of all of these elements? 

5) What are some of the obstacles you’ve experienced in being a young/new leader? Now, what are some of the benefits of being a young/new leader?  

6) What are your leadership goals for yourself? Who, what, how, and why do you want to influence others? No wrong answers here as leadership goals can (and should) look very different for each of us. We have to cultivate our own definitions of success here, but you can refine that definition based on feedback from others.

7) Now you’ve defined your leadership goals, tell your group at least one new thing (action step) you are going to do or behavior you are going to adopt to improve as a leader.

8) After others list the "one new thing" or "action step" they are going to do, help them refine that to make it more: clear, objective, measurable, and simple. The more we can make our actions clear, objective, measurable, and simple, the more likely we are to do them and enjoy the process!

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Shawn M. Ehler, M.B.A., Vice Chair – Human Resources | Mayo Clinic – Arizona

We live in a society that requires us to effectively live amongst and interact with other humans. If we can navigate those interactions well, we tend to be more successful. A large part of living amongst others, is feeling like we belong amongst others. This feeling of belonging sits at the root of our purpose and allows us to fulfill our mission. So why is it so many of us struggle to understand the concept of “belonging” and start to feel like we “belong.”

To help us get a better handle on this, our expert guest today is Shawn Ehler and the three big questions we are going to answer for you are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1) How do you personally define “belonging”? For you, is this definition the same at home as it is professionally? How is your definition the same or different from others in your group?

2) Do you think that you have to “belong” in order to be your most successful self? Can you be successful in a place where you feel like you don’t belong? If so, how does success in that type of environment look compared to success in an environment where you feel like you do belong?   

3) Prior to reviewing the content, what were you prior perceptions of the concept of “belonging?” In what way have those changed after reviewing the content and discussing with others?

4) What do you think are some of the most common misconceptions you’ve seen (or felt yourself) around the concept of belonging?

5) If you felt like you were surrounded by people that fundamentally understood you and accepted you for who you are, how do you think that would impact your ability to be productive and accomplish your goals?

6) Is it more important for you to be surrounded by people who understand and accept you, or people that are just like you (these are not always the same thing)?

7) Tell your group at least one new thing (action step) you are going to do or behavior you are going to adopt to improve your sense of belonging based on the steps listed for individuals in section three of the session.

8) After others list the "one new thing" or "action step" they are going to do, help them refine that to make it more: clear, objective, measurable, and simple. The more we can make our actions clear, objective, measurable, and simple, the more likely we are to do them and enjoy the process!

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Cathy Winter, President | Executive Leadership Advisor - Premier Performance Advising | Premier Sport Psychology

Confidence is something that lives on a spectrum, and we can all find ourselves at different points on that spectrum on any given day. Sometimes we can be overconfident, and at other times we can be woefully underconfident. So, how do we get this right? How to we learn to become “appropriately confident”, and how would that impact our lives.

To help us answer those questions, our expert guest today is Cathy Winter and the three big questions we are going to answer for you are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1) How do you personally define confidence? What does that look like in everyday life?  

2) On a scale of 1-10, how confident do you consider yourself? What do you think others would rate you? Why are those ratings similar or different?

3) Based on your last response, do you tend to be over- or under- confident? For most people, this varies by situation. What types of situations make you feel over-confident? What types make you feel under-confident? What types make you feel appropriately confident?  

4) What are some of the down sides of feeling under-confident? What are some of the downsides of feeling over-confident?

5) How has your confidence in big institutions (government, education system, law enforcement, insurance companies, your organization, etc.) changed over the years? How do you think that has impacted your confidence in yourself?

6) Do you feel that our society is becoming more or less sensitive in recent years? Why, and how does that impact confidence of individuals?  

7) How confident are you that you can get your confidence dialed in so that you are “appropriately confident”? If you can do it, what benefits do you think it will provide?

8) Go through the list of “internal facing” factors that we can work on to improve our confidence (discussed in section three of the session). Which of those most resonated with you as something you can easily accomplish?  

9) Tell your group at least one new thing (action step) you are going to do or behavior you are going to adopt to improve your confidence.

10) After others list the "one new thing" or "action step" they are going to do, tell them why you think they can be successful in accomplishing that thing. What positive qualities about them makes you believe that they will be successful at this?

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Lisa R. Hardesty, Ph.D., ABPP, PCC, Board Certified Clinical Health Psychologist | Certified Executive Coach at PCC Level | Mayo Clinic

In our hyperpaced and active world, we are constantly bombarded by external noise, signals, and messaging. Unfortunately, these external stimuli often distract us from listening to our own internal cues. In fact, many of us intentionally try to block out how we feel physically and try to keep pushing through. Well, what if some of these signals form our bodies we are blocking out are actually important for improving our performance? How can we use them for good?

To help us with this, our expert guest today is Dr. Lisa Hardesty.

The three big questions we are going to answer for you are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode: 

1) How do you personally define “somatic intelligence” after reviewing this topic?

2) Discuss the difference between your cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence, and somatic (physical) intelligence. How are they different, and how are they related to one another?

3) What has been your approach to somatic intelligence in the past? Do you tend to ignore these signals from your body, or do you tend to perseverate on them excessively? Does it depend on the situation? Why do you think you approach it this way? What is helpful or unhelpful about your approach?   

4) What are some of the clear downsides of having a low somatic intelligence (either not being aware of your physical state, or focusing on it excessively in unhelpful ways)?

5) If you were able to do a better job of listening to your body’s intelligence, what benefits do you think you would experience?

6) What are some common barriers or misconceptions you think people might have that prevent them from using their somatic intelligence to improve their performance?

7) Do a quick (2 minute) somatic check-in that was outlined in section three of the session. What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed previously? Now, name that, and think about why you feel that way. How does naming and understanding that physical sensation impact how you view it?  

8) Tell your group at least one new thing (action step) you are going to do or behavior you are going to adopt to improve your somatic intelligence.

9) After others list the "one new thing" of "action step" they are going to do, help them refine that to make it more: clear, objective, measurable, and simple. The more we can make our actions clear, objective, measurable, and simple, the more likely we are to do them and enjoy the process!

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Timothy I. Morgenthaler, MD, Sleep Medicine Specialist | Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine – Rochester, MN

The benefits of high-quality sleep are nearly limitless as it improves our mood, brains, performance, increases our joy, reduces sickness, and increases longevity. Getting high quality sleep is one of the biggest levers we can pull in order to become our best selves. But many of us are self-sabotaging our sleep without realizing it! There are many small habits and things we get wrong with our sleep environment that can have large detrimental effects on our sleep over time. We must fix this!

To help us with that, our expert guest today is Dr. Tim Morgenthaler, and the three big questions we are going to answer for you are:

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Discussion Questions for this Episode: 

1) Discuss your overall sleep status with your group.

- How much sleep do you get each night?

- When do you go to bed and when do you get up?

- Is it generally high-quality sleep?

- Do you feel well rested in the AM when you wake up?

- Do you need an alarm clock to wake up?

- How does that vary on your days off when/if you sleep in?

-How much sleep would you want to be your best self (not just, “I can get by on x hours of sleep.”)? 

2) How big of an impact does your sleep (or lack of) have on you on a daily basis?  

3) Take an inventory of your current sleep environment. Think about the lighting, temperature, and sound. Report back to the group to discuss what your current set up looks like (good and bad).

4) Now, discuss the other elements of your sleep environment such as bed partner, pets, kids, bedding, etc. How big of an impact do these things have on you? Have your group give you potential strategies for improving these things.

5) Discuss your current caffeine usage with your group. How much do you drink, when do you drink it, and when is the last time you consume caffeine during the day? What changes need to be made here?

6) What do the two hours before going to bed look like for you? Do you have a “wind down” routine that you use prior to bed? Have the group analyze your routine to help you spot simple changes you could make to improve it.   

7) Tell your group at least one new thing (action step) you are going to do or behavior you are going to adopt to improve your sleep environment. For this, focus on the “quick wins” discussed in section three of this episode.

8) After others list the "one new thing" of "action step" they are going to do, help them refine that to make it more: clear, objective, measurable, and simple. The more we can make our actions clear, objective, measurable, and simple, the more likely we are to do them and enjoy the process!

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

Email: [email protected]