Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

What does it take to be a great leader in moments of calm and crisis? And how do you maintain strength in a heartfelt way?   Ben Minicucci is the CEO of Alaska Airlines — where he leads with a values-first approach rooted in trust, accountability, and care. With a background in engineering, military service, and operations, Ben is redefining what it means to lead a high-performance...

What if the greatest obstacle to reaching your potential isn't external barriers, but a mindset in which you see yourself as a victim?    Today, I’m stoked to welcome back my good friend and one of my favorite thinkers, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. This is Scott’s third time on the podcast, and he always delivers. Scott is a humanistic psychologist, bestselling author, and host of The P...

What if one of the most powerful business minds of our time wasn’t a CEO or a founder—and instead, a singer-songwriter who’s been redefining her brand strategy since age 13? Today, we’re diving into the business brilliance of Taylor Swift — and to help us do it, I’m joined by Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Tayl...

What if one of the keys to sustaining high performance wasn’t just about going harder, but learning how to recover smarter—and move better—every single day? This week, we’re pulling one from the Finding Mastery Vaults. It’s a conversation I had with Dr. Kelly Starrett—performance coach to some of the world's top athletes, Olympians, elite military personnel, and corporations, bestselling author of...

What does it take to thrive in today’s high-pressure, constantly shifting world? We’re back with a special Finding Mastery Ask Me Anything with Dr. Michael Gervais! In this AMA, we're thrilled to welcome our good friend, Yogi Roth, for a powerful conversation on navigating life's most challenging moments. Drawing from our extensive experience with elite performers, educators, and healthcare profes...

How do you lead with conviction—without losing your center? Tenzin Seldon is a global climate advocate, human rights leader, and one of the first Tibetan-Americans to rise through the ranks of elite institutions like Stanford and Oxford. But her story isn’t about prestige—it’s about purpose. Born to Tibetan refugee parents, Tenzin’s life has been shaped by activism, faith, and a deep connection to...

What does it take to build one of the most respected teams in the NFL — and lead it with heart, grit, and humility? This episode is a special one. Recorded right in the heart of Seahawks territory in Seattle, I got to sit down with my friend, John Schneider , General Manager of the Seattle Seahawks. John has spent over a decade helping to build one of the NFL’s most competitive and consistent fran...

What if our skin—our most visible organ—is actually one of the best gateways to longevity and vibrant health? This week’s guest is Dr. Carolina Reis Oliveira—a brilliant scientist, a bio-chemist with a focus in stem cells and tissue engineer who’s redefining what it means to age well. As co-founder and CEO of OneSkin, Carolina’s using cutting-edge biotechnology to not only improve how skin looks—b...

What does it take to create a workplace where people thrive—where leadership is human-centered, purpose-driven, built for the future, and knows how to get results? Today, as part of our Modern Leadership series I’m excited to sit down with Ellyn Shook , the former Chief Leadership & Human Resources Officer at Accenture , to explore the evolving landscape of leadership and workplace culture. El...

What does it take to stay emotionally grounded in an industry built on ego?  This week, we sit down with Judd Apatow—the legendary director, producer, and comedy mastermind behind some of the most influential films and TV shows of the past three decades. From "Freaks and Geeks" to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," Judd has not only created cultural touchstones but has become known as one of Hollywood...

What does it take to lead at the highest levels—while staying true to who you are? Today’s guest is Rhonda Morris, the former VP and Chief Human Resources Officer of Chevron. Rhonda is a powerhouse—sharp, competitive, and deeply committed to helping others perform at their best. How do I know that? Because we’re friends. Her journey started back in Oakland, California playing sports with the neigh...

How do you stay ahead in an industry that never stops evolving? Today, we are diving into the mind of one of the most prolific, boundary-pushing, and curious creators of our time—Diplo. Perhaps you know him for his music career—with Grammy award winning hits and game-changing collaborations, or for headlining some of the biggest festivals in the world (including a concert in Cuba where 500,000 peo...

The best leaders aren’t just great decision-makers—they build cultures. So what does it actually take to create a thriving, high-performance culture? Today’s guest, Matt Breitfelder, is one of the most influential leadership architects in modern business. As Partner and Head of Human Capital at Apollo — one of the world’s leading asset management companies — he’s charged with attracting some of th...

What does it take to go from nothing to something—and then scale it into meaningful impact? I want to introduce you to someone you may not be familiar with, unless you’re in the innovation space -- JoAnn Garbin. JoAnn has led innovation teams at some of the world’s most influential companies—including Microsoft, and she is one of those rare minds who can dance between deep technical systems and th...

What happens when your biggest obstacle isn’t the mountain—it's your own self-doubt? Sasha DiGiulian is one of the world’s top rock climbers and a pioneer in the sport—with multiple first female ascents, national titles, and a world championship under her belt. Sasha’s unique approach to navigating fear, risk, and doubt is masterful. In this conversation, you’ll hear how Sasha balances the tension...

How much control do we really have over our emotions? And what if the key to mastering them is easier than you think? This week’s conversation is a special one. It was recorded in front of a live audience at Live Talks Los Angeles , where I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Dr. Ethan Kross , one of the world’s leading experts on emotion and self-control. He’s a pioneering psychologis...

What if one of the unlocks for living “the good life” lies in the simple act of giving, even when you have nothing?   Today's guest is an icon of entrepreneurship, resilience, and generosity - John Paul DeJoria - a cofounder of not one but two billion dollar companies, Patrón Tequila and Paul Mitchell Hair Care Products. What you might not know, though, is that before building billion-do...

What happens when everything you’ve built your identity around—your talent, your success, your career—comes crashing down? Ryan Leaf’s story is one of the most dramatic arcs in professional sports. Once the No. 2 overall draft pick behind Peyton Manning, Ryan saw his NFL career unravel under the weight of expectations, addiction, and ultimately, prison. And here’s what makes his story powerful—he...

How do the best in the world channel the intensity of their emotions—like frustration, anxiety, and love—into creative power that impacts the world? Serj Tankian is a Grammy-winning artist, activist, and frontman of the iconic rock band System of a Down . Known for his dynamic vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, Serj blends creativity, activism, and mindfulness into his music, poetry and art – al...

What does it mean to develop mastery of self and mastery of craft? That’s a foundational question. Today, I’m really excited to welcome back to the podcast, one of the great minds of our time—Robert Greene. You probably know Robert as the author of some of the most influential books on human behavior— The 48 Laws of Power , Mastery , and The Laws of Human Nature .  Today, we go beyond the pag...

In this fast-evolving business landscape, how do leaders turn setbacks into opportunities for growth? Today, I’m thrilled to share this conversation with Deb Cupp—the President of Microsoft Americas. Deb embodies the best of leadership – and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve had an up-close view of how she works – she comes alive at the intersection of staying customer-centric while being able to sca...

How do a UFC fighter, Olympic skier, and extreme climber manage high pressure moments?  This is an episode unlike any we’ve done before. Last summer you may remember that a few members of the Finding Mastery Team, along with Olympian and X-Games Champion Kaya Turski, UFC Champion Vitor Belfort, and famed climber Tommy Caldwell, went aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft car...

The Super Bowl can mark the pinnacle of a team’s journey—but when the final whistle blows, another game begins: the game of transition. For NFL players, the end of a season isn’t just about the scoreboard—it’s about identity, loss, and what comes next. Some teams prepare for this reality. Others ignore it, only to face the reality later. In this episode of The Game Inside The Games , Dr. Mike and...

For two weeks, players are surrounded by relentless media, soaring expectations, and the weight of a lifetime of preparation. Some rise under the pressure. Others crumble. In this episode of The Game Inside the Games , Dr. Michael Gervais and Brandon Marshall unpack what makes the Super Bowl build-up so uniquely intense—and how the best athletes train their minds to handle the noise. From managing...

The Super Bowl isn’t always won by the best team—it’s won by the team that adapts when everything falls apart. In this episode of The Game Inside the Games , Dr. Michael Gervais and Greg Olsen break down the hidden battle of the Super Bowl—the fight to stay mentally agile when the game doesn’t go as planned. Greg shares firsthand insights from Super Bowl 50, where he faced Peyton Manning and the D...