What do blockbuster films like Independence Day, Star Trek, Transformers, and Die Hard have in common with modern engineering and software teams?

More than you think.

In this episode of the Champion Mindset Collective, host Anthony Dahya sits down with Steven Puri, former DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox executive and Founder of The Sukha Company, to unpack the behind-the-scenes lessons Hollywood has mastered about focus, flow state, and high-performance teamwork.

Steven shares what it really takes to deliver under extreme pressure, tight deadlines, and massive complexity, and how those same principles apply to engineers, developers, designers, and writers working today, especially in remote and hybrid environments.

The conversation dives deep into flow state, why it matters for creative and technical work, and how The Sukha Company helps remote professionals enter deep focus without burnout by combining structure, community, and intentional work rhythms.

From managing creative chaos on film sets to helping tech teams work in flow, this episode bridges film, technology, and human performance in a practical and relatable way.

If you’ve ever felt busy but not productive, distracted by constant notifications, or stuck in context switching, this conversation will change how you think about work.

Key Takeaways

• Why Hollywood film productions operate more like elite engineering teams than most people realise

• How blockbuster movies are delivered under pressure without destroying creativity

• The hidden cost of constant interruptions for developers and knowledge workers

• What film sets get right about focus, ownership, and deep work

• How flow states actually work and why they matter for engineers and creatives

• The real reasons burnout happens in both tech and film industries

• Why productivity should be healthy, not punishing

• How remote teams can recreate focus and accountability without micromanagement

• The power of working “together” even when you’re physically apart

• Simple mindset shifts that can dramatically improve focus and performance

Who This Episode Is For

• Engineers and software developers

• Tech leads and engineering managers

• Designers and writers

• Remote and hybrid workers

• Startup founders and product teams

• Anyone feeling distracted, burned out, or constantly “on”

Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction and why Hollywood matters to engineers

• 03:10 Steven’s journey from film and TV to tech

• 07:45 What blockbuster movie sets teach about focus under pressure

• 12:30 Flow state and why it matters for engineers and creatives

• 18:20 Distractions, deep work, and why productivity is broken

• 24:10 Burnout in film and tech and how to prevent it

• 30:05 The Sukha Company and working in flow together

• 36:40 Practical focus habits engineers can use immediately

• 41:30 Final insights on healthy high performance and mindset

🌐 Connect with Steven:

• ➡️ LinkedIn Profile: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/

• ➡️ Website: ⁠https://www.thesukha.co/

📢 Connect with Anthony Dahya:

• 🌐 Website – Champion Mindset Collective

• ➡️ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonydahya/

• ➡️ Facebook – facebook.com/anthonydahya

• ➡️ Instagram – @anthony.dahya

• ➡️ YouTube – @anthonydahya

• ➡️ Spotify – Champion Mindset Collective

• ➡️ AI Workflows Agency – https://aiworkflows.agency

• 📧 Email – [email protected]

• 💬 Join the Conversation: Leave your thoughts or questions in the comments or message Anthony directly.

• Want to be a guest on Champion Mindset Collective?

• Send Anthony Dahya a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/championmindset