The High Performance Zone

In this special episode of the High-Performance Zone, John reveals what life was like for a fighter jet pilot on the USS Enterprise during the filming of the original Top Gun movie. As well as describing a dramatic engine failure that happened after the famous flyby scene, he talks about the thrill of high-speed, low-altitude flying and the hair-raising sensation of landing on an aircraft carrier...

Dr. Bill Howatt is an expert in mental fitness and psychological safety in the workplace who specializes in helping employers create positive workplaces where employees feel included, valued, and fulfilled. He has over thirty years of experience in consulting and coaching, and he’s the author of over fifty books, including the soon-to-be-released No Regrets: How to Live Today for Tomorrow’s Emotio...

Dr. Marc Mitchell is a kinesiologist who researches the subject of exercise as medicine. In his role as Assistant Professor at Western University, Ontario, Marc specializes in devising effective ways to encourage people to engage in physical activity. Despite his high-performing sporting past as a professional footballer in the CFL, Marc is more interested in everyday fitness and helping people bu...

Stephen Drum is a retired Navy SEAL Master Chief and the co-creator of the Navy’s Warrior Toughness program. With 27 years of experience in training and developing highly skilled teams to perform at their best in life-threatening situations, Stephen knows a thing or two about thriving under pressure. Today, he’s an inspirational speaker, coach, and the author of the soon-to-be-released Life on the...

Emily Fletcher is the creator of the Ziva meditation technique and the author of Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance. As a former actress, Emily first turned to meditation as a way to cure her anxiety and insomnia when she was performing on Broadway. Later, she traveled to India to deepen her practice and learn more about the origins of meditation. Today, Emily i...

Chapter 6 - High Trust: The Key to Execution The Blue Angels are one of the greatest living examples of how trust enables elite execution. Up in the sky, in tight formation, we’re holding the life of every teammate in the stick between our legs. In order to survive, we need to execute with precision and we have to trust–in our lives–that our teammates will do the same.  I believe that if you incre...

Jess Stewart was raised on a cattle ranch in the Sierra Nevada mountains and trained as a teacher before setting up a medical billing business from the mobile home she shared with her husband and two young children. Over the next 15 years, Jess’s company grew exponentially, and, at the time of its sale, it had offices in California and Colorado and an international division with almost 150 employe...

Chapter 8: Glad To Be Here Debrief - Secret Sauce The Blues put extreme emphasis on preparation and focus - all of which come before the show. But the real power of the Blue Angels, and of any high-performance team, is the ability to learn and adapt quickly. There is a special tool available to every individual and team on the planet that will help achieve this goal. I call it the Glad To Be Here...

Simon Severino is the CEO of Strategy Sprints growth consultancy and the author of Strategy Sprints: 12 Ways to Accelerate Growth for an Agile Business . Simon believes in cultivating effective habits that help business owners double their revenue and make the best use of their time. He works with teams and solopreneurs around the world, and his proven Strategy Sprint Method enables entrepreneurs...

Sneak Peek - Fearless Success Chapter Highlights: Beliefs: Achieving Your Highest Potential "Find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible." - Deepak Chopra Believe in yourself and have a back-up plan. Often the difference between success and failure is resilience. It's not what happens to you but how we react to it that really matters. Let your dreams guide you Dreams...

Jeff Blumenfeld is a writer, journalist, and PR professional who specializes in travel and adventure marketing. Jeff is a Fellow of The Explorers Club, the recipient of the Leif Erikson Exploration History Award, and the author of Get Sponsored: A Funding Guide for Explorers and Travel With Purpose: A Field Guide to Voluntourism. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jeff Blumenfeld on; (00:07:54) Pol...

Mindy Scheier is a fashion designer and a pioneer of the adaptive fashion movement. As the founder of the Runway of Dreams and GAMUT Management, she campaigns to break down stereotypes and make the fashion industry more inclusive. Ever since she designed her first piece of adaptive clothing in 2013, Mindy has been on a mission to highlight the need for mainstream adaptive clothing for people with...

Dr. Mikki McComb is a marine scientist, shark researcher, and executive director of the Ocean First Institute, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote ocean conservation through research and education. Mikki loves to share her enthusiasm for marine science and conservation with others, and through Ocean First’s exciting and educational outreach programs and expeditions, she helps youngsters connec...

Erik Weihenmayer is an adventurer and an accomplished climber, speaker, and author. In 2001, he became the first blind person to reach the summit of Everest, and since then, he’s climbed the highest peak in every continent, kayaked through the Grand Canyon, written several best-selling books, and co-founded the No Barriers nonprofit. For over 25 years, Eric’s guide on his climbing expeditions has...

Catherine Hernandez-Blades is an award-winning CMO and PR News Hall of Famer who is currently the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at SAIC. With over 25 years of experience in senior marketing and communication roles at Fortune 500 companies, Catherine likes to position herself at the nexus of purpose and profit, and she’s passionate about the social impact that corporations c...

Dr. Gillian Mandich is a happiness researcher, public speaker, and the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research. Gillian believes that happiness is a practice, not a destination, and, through her keynote speeches, workshops, and courses, she helps people become healthier and happier by encouraging them to adopt simple habits and practices that have been scientifi...

Ryan Estis is a prolific keynote speaker who is committed to making a positive impact in the world. As the former Chief Strategy Officer of a Fortune 500 company, Ryan has a solid business background. He’s also adept at maximizing productivity, supporting personal development, and creating an increased sense of alignment and connection within organizations. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ryan E...

Molly Fletcher is a keynote speaker and former top sports agent who has represented over 300 high-performing athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. She’s also the author of several best-selling books, including The Energy Clock, The Business of Being the Best, and Fearless at Work . Molly’s mission is to lead, inspire, and connect with courage and optimism. She encourages people to find the courage...

Michael Dash is an entrepreneur, business coach, and best-selling author whose book, Chasing the High: An Entrepreneur’s Mindset Through Addiction, Lawsuits, and His Journey to the Edge , recounts his personal experience of overcoming addiction and finding more focus, fulfillment, and stability in his life. Today, Michael runs a non-profit dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing, and he...

Michelle ‘Mace’ Curran is a former fighter pilot and one of only a handful of women who have flown with the Thunderbirds demonstration team. Michelle was the lead solo pilot of the Thunderbirds from 2020 to 2021, and during the darkest days of the pandemic, her flying skills served to entertain the public and inspire the next generation of female aviators. In this episode, you’ll hear from Michell...

Gaurav Bhatnagar and Mark Minukas are the principals at Co-Creation Partners and co-authors of Unfear: Transform Your Organization to Create Breakthrough Performance and Employee Wellbeing . As experts in business development, Gaurav and Mark favor a people-centered, mindful approach to business transformation, and they work closely with organizations to help shift mindsets, change behaviors, and...

Dr. John Demartini is a prolific author, global teacher, and one of the world’s leading experts in human behavior who has dedicated his life to learning about philosophy, psychology, and personal development. Dr. John has created over 70 courses in subjects such as leadership, financial empowerment, and relationship success, and he travels the world teaching people how to maximize their potential...

Kent Weed is the executive producer of American Ninja Warrior and Hell’s Kitchen. He’s also a spiritual seeker, a Mindvalley certified master trainer, and the founder of LiveUrPurpose.com. As a mindfulness practitioner, Kent believes in the power of meditation to relieve anxiety, and he has recently created the Taming Your Monkey Mind mastermind course, which teaches 10-minute meditation technique...

Rick Nealis has been the Race Director of the Marine Corps Marathon for nearly thirty years. He’s a former Marine and a people person who loves the camaraderie that comes with organizing and being part of such a large event. Rick is also an accomplished runner whose lifelong mission is to encourage more people to take up running to improve their physical and mental health. In this episode, you’ll...

Steve Matarante and Stuart Mullins recently officiated at the Alabama vs. Georgia College National Championship playoff. The game took place at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and was watched by an audience of 22.6 million people. However, the pressure of the high stakes occasion did little to faze line judge Steve, who works from Monday to Friday as a sales executive, and referee Stuart, wh...