• Cognitive habit loops
• Threat bias in the brain
• Emotional energy and clarity
• Mental fitness and rewiring
• Decision fatigue
• Executive presence under pressure

00:00 – Cold open: The cost of one common habit
00:58 – Intro to the show and why this matters
02:16 – Complaining: a biological loop
05:09 – What the brain records and repeats
07:40 – Why venting might feel good… but train the wrong pattern
09:22 – A moment of self-awareness
10:44 – From threat to clarity: breaking the loop
13:01 – A mental fitness practice that changes everything
15:00 – Final thought: what you practice grows stronger

• How daily habits shape your brain’s default response to pressure
• Why complaining reinforces the brain’s threat bias
• A neuroscience-backed shift to rewire your focus and energy
• The connection between emotional load and executive clarity
• How to interrupt mental loops before they spiral

• The way your brain records repetition—especially under pressure
• Why venting feels good but reinforces the wrong pathways
• How threat-focused habits shape your team’s emotional climate
• The link between complaining and executive fatigue
• The brain’s default mode network and what it costs you in clarity
• One neuroscience-backed daily shift to retrain your focus

Follow Claire on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairehayek/⁠

🎓 Want to train your brain for resilience and high performance?

Join Claire’s free Mental Fitness Masterclass here:👉 ⁠⁠https://go.clairehayek.com/mental-fitness-masterclass⁠⁠

📩 For free resources, upcoming masterclasses, or to join our next live webinar—click here:👉 ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/clairehayek⁠⁠

📢 Subscribe to The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast for brain-based strategies to lead with clarity, courage, and impact.

The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast is produced by Claire Hayek. All opinions are those of the host and guests. For more leadership resources, visit www.mspteambuilding.com.