In this powerful episode of PeakPerformance Perspectives, host Mark Talukdar talks with George Haymaker, acertified transformational neuroscience coach, educator, and formerhigh-performing entrepreneur. George shares his life-changing story ofovercoming addiction and stress, and how he rebuilt his brain using the scienceof neuroscience.
George personally knows the powerof personal transformation; he’s gone through it himself. People can and dochange; neuroscience has proven our brains can reconstruct our emotional,cognitive and behavioral experiences. It boils down to motivation, commitmentand an understanding of how to make desired changes in accordance with thescience of neuroplasticity, and a constructionist approach to creating mentallife.
For 35 years, George built andhelped lead small to medium-sized companies while navigating the pressures ofbeing an entrepreneur. Along the way, his journey included an addiction to andrecovery from pain pills and alcohol, which has shaped him in profound ways,both personally and professionally. Overcoming addiction and related behavioralstruggles wasn’t just about getting sober for George; it was aboutunderstanding his brain, how his life experiences had shaped himneurologically, and what could be done to “rewire” his brain to shift his waysof being in a new, more positive direction. Since that low point in his life,George has re-trained his brain by reconstructing the ways he experiences histhoughts, feelings and behaviors in ways that are in line with his values,building a new identity based on well-being, purpose and meaning.
George’s life experience now fuelshis passion for helping others either break through their own struggles and/ormaximize their mental resources and take command over their mental activity(metacognition) in ways they never thought possible. Through his personalexperiences, coursework, and training, he has learned that sustainable changerequires being honest with and aware of ourselves, sufficiently motivated tomake change, and committed enough to do what is necessary to make the desiredchanges sustainable.
Having been through it himself, heunderstands the stress, anxiety and frustration of being stuck in unhelpfulpatterns. But he also knows firsthand that change is possible, whether you'rean individual seeking personal growth or an HR leader seeking solutions foryour team. George offers a compassionate but direct coaching style based on thetransformational “Constructionist” approach to mental life, providing space forgrowth while challenging clients when needed.
In his personal life, Georgepractices what he coaches—prioritizing fitness, sleep, nutrition, diet andmindfulness. Caring for the body and mind is his foundation for everythingelse, and it’s a way of life he dedicates himself to every day.
Key Areas of Focus:
Improving Mental Productivity& Metacognition
Anxiety & Stress Management,Reducing Burnout, Increasing Retention
Emotional, Cognitive &Behavioral Intelligence
Habit Change & Formation
Workplace Conflict
Narcissism (Anger, Bullying,Harassment, Grandiosity, Entitlement, etc.)
Addiction Recovery
Sober Companionship
What Would You Like to Talk Abouton the Podcast?: The Neuroscience of Metacognition - our ability tounderstand our brains, manage its resources and all its mental activity
Attach Your Headshot:
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Offers: $1000 Short Courseon Metacognition (includes two 90 min. coaching sessions) + 1 additional freecoaching session
Where Can Our Audience FindYou?: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgehaymaker/www.georgehaymaker.com
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