Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Formula One racing may seem like a 'sit-down' sport to some, but the reality is that race car drivers are anything but sedentary. World-class F1 auto racing pushes the limits of human endurance, focus, reaction time, and risk – requiring competitors to face incredibly intense physical and mental challenges. In the open cockpit of a Formula One car, drivers (or “pilots” as they are often known) mus...

Think back to the most pivotal moments of your life… What parts of you did you bring forward? Which parts did you hold back? How did these experiences shape your way of being? These questions lie at the heart of our conversation today with Nastia Liukin, a gold medal gymnast whose name is etched in history for winning the All-Around title at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Beyond her monumental achieve...

How good are you at really communicating? In a world drowning in words, how do you make your words matter? I'm not talking about small talk or working a room or the gift of gab. I'm talking about the kind of communication that works on a deeper level – a level where we truly connect, challenge, grow with, and inspire each other. Back on the podcast this week is Charles Duhigg, who's spent a career...

Explore powerful strategies to conquer public speaking anxiety with Dr. Michael Gervais and O'Neil Cespedes in this insightful AMA episode, delving into personal growth, purpose-based identity, and the untapped potential of the human mind. We also explore topics like: Practical insights for managing anxiety and nerves How to be your own tuning fork of excellence Creating space in your life for exp...

With every season of sport, we witness various feats of greatness -- and getting to witness a true dynasty (and what it takes to get there) can be once in a generation. That’s why I am super excited to share a fresh version of our previous conversation with the 2024 National Championship winning basketball coach, Dawn Staley. As you might know, this past Sunday, Dawn led South Carolina to their 3r...

What is the primary driver of effective and impactful leadership? Is it from science—or the soul? Is it a more practical, results-driven organizational practice? Or is it an inner, meditative sense of self? This week’s Finding Mastery guest, Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa, has spent his career exploring these questions… and his answer is, well, both. Hitendra fuses the mystical history of his Indian roots wi...

Human exploration of space is driven by a deep curiosity and a desire to understand our place in the universe. The individuals - and teams - on the forefront of this exploration are modern-day pioneers, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and capability. I’m excited to share the final installment of our 3-part series following one of these individuals, NASA Astronaut Dr. Woody Hoburg, on his...

Imagine a world where you wake up inspired, feel safe throughout the day, and go to bed at night feeling fulfilled by the work you do. Sounds like utopia, right? Well, Simon Sinek has not only imagined such a world, but he's also dedicated his life to making it a reality. Known for his viral TED Talk on finding your WHY, and his groundbreaking insights on leadership, Simon's ideas have reached mil...

We're thrilled to bring you the 17th volume of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series. This edition dives deep into the essence of motivation, leadership, and the art of creating a positive work environment, all while emphasizing the crucial importance of self-understanding and authenticity. Joining us - as always - is our insightful co-host, O'Neil Cespedes, ready to unravel another set o...

How do you navigate the uncertain terrain of your life? Does uncertainty fuel your drive, or does it bring anxiety that hinders your progress? Our guest today, Amelia Boone, is not only a four-time obstacle race world champion with three World’s Toughest Mudder wins and dubbed “The Queen of Pain” – she also excels as a full-time attorney for a multinational corporation. And, she’s accomplishe...

We all have many great conversations in life – conversations where we learn, explore, express, question – but there are some conversations that stand out among the rest. Conversations so rich with insights and revelation, that they fundamentally change you. They inspire you to be better. My conversation with Seth Godin was just that. In this episode, we're diving deep with Seth, the mind behind 21...

How many of us do everything we can to avoid pain and suffering? It’s a natural response, deeply ingrained to protect ourselves. But what if we didn’t run from suffering, and actively engaged and encouraged it to create meaning and purpose in our lives? That’s the philosophy of Akshay Nanavati – Iraqi war veteran, entrepreneur, extreme athlete, and author of Fearvana : The Revolutionary Science of...

What drives us to pursue impossible dreams, fail repeatedly, and keep trying? Our guest, former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, truly embodies the spirit of never giving up. Despite a fear of heights, bad eyesight, multiple rejections from NASA, and other setbacks, Mike's unwavering determination led him to perform heroic spacewalks to repair the Hubble Telescope and to send the first-ever Tweet fr...

Welcome to Volume 16 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series. The purpose behind these conversations - behind these AMAs – is to hear from you … to explore the topics and questions that you have been wrestling with on your path to becoming. It is your insights and questions that fuel these epic conversations – so thank you again for all the thoughtfulness, honesty, and trust you put into...

What if mastering love is the ultimate high-performance skill? This Valentine's Day, we're taking a deep dive into the heart of relationships with two special guests—our host Dr. Michael Gervais and his wife, Lisa Gervais —a creative powerhouse with a rich background in dance, acting, and truth telling. In this episode hosted by our favorite AMA co-host, O'Neil Cespedes, Mike and Lisa open their l...

In this special LIVE episode recorded at Radio Row in Las Vegas for Super Bowl 58, we had the privilege of sitting down with Lisa McCaffrey, the mother of 49ers star running back, Christian McCaffrey. Despite Christian's status as one of - if not THE - best running backs in the NFL, and his 2023 Offensive Player of the Year Award, Lisa's excitement and nerves during this Super Bowl week are palpab...

How does someone turn a two-bedroom apartment into the world’s largest hedge fund? Our guest today - the one and only Ray Dalio - knows. A master of global macro investing, Ray founded Bridgewater Associates and led it to unparalleled heights, redefining financial excellence along the way. Ray isn't just a finance legend; he's a visionary author and a vanguard in idea meritocracy. With bestsellers...

A couple months back I was in Austin doing some promo for The First Rule of Mastery and had the opportunity to be a guest on Ryan Holiday’s incredible podcast, The Daily Stoic. It’s always such a joy to connect and flow with Ryan – we had a fantastic conversation that I wanted to share here today.  This time around was especially fun… not only was the conversation great, but we also got to re...

Today’s guest needs no introduction – but I’m thrilled to do it anyway. Rich Roll is a world-renowned ultra-endurance athlete, plant-based fitness advocate, bestselling author, host of the hugely popular Rich Roll Podcast, husband, father.... and the list goes on. He's also a good friend – this is Rich’s fourth time on the podcast. His episodes are often our most popular, and there’s a good reason...

Many of us who are seeking optimal health, performance, and wellness take a variety of supplements. And I think it’s only natural to find ourselves questioning— what's really in these supplements? How do we know if those ingredients are actually doing anything for our bodies and minds? Our guest today, Katerina (Kat) Schneider had the same questions – and she took action to get to the truth. What...

Welcome to Volume 15 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) series. In this latest installment, O'Neil Cespedes and I explore the intricate dance between our physical and mental states, especially during times of challenge and change. Key topics covered this week include: The profound connection between our physical and mental health. Strategies for maintaining an optimistic mindset during set...

Imagine standing on the edge of a cliff, facing an inch-wide line of webbing that stretches across a vast expanse. It’s tensioned between two secure anchor points but it’s a dynamic surface that will bounce, sway, and stretch when you step out on it. This line isn't just a piece of equipment; it's a gateway to mastering fear and discovering your true potential. This is the world of highlining, and...

Hey everybody, Mike here… we’re doing something a little different today… If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you probably recognize the name Dan Harris – he’s a friend, journalist, fellow podcaster, and was actually one of our earliest guests on Finding Mastery back in 2016.  We had some fantastic conversations together and I was lucky enough to be an early guest on his incr...

What does leadership look like in the middle of a war zone—one of the most dynamic, agile, and consequential environments on the planet? General Stanley McChrystal knows intimately what it’s like – and is committed to teaching his hard-earned leadership insights to others.  Heading up the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), he led the U.S. military’s most elite special ops teams against...

Imagine this... you're a NASA Astronaut. You're on a spacewalk, floating in the vastness of outer space, and suddenly... you go blind. What do you do? You might recognize today’s guest, Chris Hadfield, from his viral video on the International Space Station, where he performed David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' – a performance that garnered over 35 million views worldwide. But Chris is so much more than...