The Adversity Advantage with Doug Bopst

Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist who has coached world class athletes in a dozen sports. He received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and his medical degree from the University of Oxford, and he also has his PhD in physiology and neuroscience. Tommy is currently a Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, where his resear...

Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, host of the Everyday Wellness podcast, author and international speaker, with over 15 million views for her second TEDx talk (Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique). With over 25 years experience in health and wellness, Cynthia is a globally recognized expert in perimenopause/menopause and intermittent fasting, and has been featured on ABC, FOX5,...

Dr. Courtney Conley is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine with a background in kinesiology and human biology, and the founder of Gait Happens. She is a leading expert in foot health and human movement, working with everyone from everyday individuals to professional athletes, including consulting for multiple major league teams. Through her work, she helps people move better, reduce pain, and build...

John Kiriakou is a journalist, author and host of Deep Focus. He was a former senior counterterrorism officer for the CIA until he blew the whistle on its torture program. Today on the show we discuss: how a CIA whistleblower risked everything to expose the truth, what it actually takes to think independently in a world full of propaganda, how to spot liars, manipulators and gaslighters before the...

Greg Kelley is a former high school football standout whose life was derailed at 18 when he was wrongfully convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to 25 years in prison. After enduring years inside maximum security facilities, Kelley never stopped fighting for the truth—and was ultimately exonerated, exposing major failures within the justice system. Today, he shares his story to raise...

Mastin Kipp is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and renowned public speaker and the creator of Functional Life Coaching™. Today on the show we discuss: why modern life is keeping you stressed and overwhelmed and how your environment is programming your behavior, how to stop letting your past control your life and build a healthier relationship with your patterns, the difference between a heal...

Dr. Todd Rose is the co-founder and President of Populace, a think tank dedicated to building a world where all people have the chance to live fulfilling lives in a thriving society. He was a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he founded the Laboratory for the Science of Individuality and directed the Mind, Brain, and Education program. Dr. Rose is the author of the...

Stefanos Sifandos is a relationship educator who bridges nervous-system work, trauma-aware intimacy, and sacred partnership for high-capacity people. His work integrates behavioral science with embodied practice— helping successful men and women stop performing their way through life and start building relationships rooted in truth, devotion, and felt safety. Today on the show we discuss: how to h...

Andy Stumpf is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, combat veteran, and entrepreneur who served with one of the most elite special operations units in the world. After his military career, he transitioned into aviation, business, and media, becoming the host of the Cleared Hot podcast, where he breaks down leadership, decision-making, and real-world performance. Today on the show we discuss: why people quit w...

Jen Fisher is Deloitte's former first Chief Wellbeing Officer, a former lecturer at Harvard and UCLA, host of the popular WorkWell Podcast, and author of the book: Hope Is the Strategy: The Underrated Skill That Transforms Work, Leadership, and Wellbeing. Today on the show we discuss why hope isn't just wishful thinking, the three-part science-backed framework that turns it into a real strategy, h...

Adam Schafer is one of the host’s and founders of the highly popular brand and podcast Mind Pump. Today on the show we discuss: how kratom addiction quietly takes control of your life, why high-performing men are especially vulnerable to hidden addictions, the brutal reality of withdrawal and what no one tells you about it, how to break free from something that feels impossible to quit, the role o...

Dr. Christle Guevarra, DO, MS, specializes in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine, Obesity Medicine, Nutrition, and is a former powerlifting champion. Today on the show we discuss: the truth about GLP-1s and why weight loss isn’t just willpower, how food noise works and what happens in your brain when it disappears, the right way to use GLP-1s without losing muscle or energy, why most people fail fat...

Nir Eyal is a globally recognized authority on behavior change and human potential. His frameworks have empowered millions to build better habits, enhance focus, and unlock greater agency in their lives and work. A former lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, Nir has collaborated with leaders and organizations worldwide to boos...

Hilary Phelps is a holistic performance coach, speaker, and founder of The Right Room, dedicated to helping women navigate recovery, burnout, and major life transitions with clarity, compassion, and somatic tools. Today on the show we discuss: why Hilary waited 15 years to speak openly about her sobriety and the shame that kept her silent, the rise of mommy wine culture and why women are drinking...

Aliia Roza is a former secret agent who was trained in psychological influence, persuasion, and undercover operations targeting criminal networks involved in human and drug trafficking. After leaving that world, she rebuilt her life and now shares the lessons she learned about manipulation, human psychology, self-confidence, and personal transformation to help people protect themselves and build s...

Ken Rideout is the fastest marathoner in the world over fifty and a former prison guard, Wall Street trader, and opioid addict. His life story has been chronicled in such publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Outside. Since getting sober more than a decade ago, he has won some of the world’s toughest races, including, at age fifty-two, the Gobi March—a 155-mile, self-sup...

Patrick Bet-David is an entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Valuetainment, one of the largest business and personal development platforms in the world. He also hosts the PBD Podcast, where he interviews world-class entrepreneurs, leaders, and thinkers about business, leadership, and building a meaningful life. Today on the show we discuss: how to stay optimistic when nothing in your life sugges...

Dr. Pradip Jamnadas is a renowned interventional cardiologist and a trusted voice in preventive medicine, reaching millions through his engaging educational YouTube content, appearances on leading podcasts, and featured in the upcoming powerful documentary Keto Is Key. Today on the show we discuss: why sugar addiction hijacks the brain’s dopamine reward system, how fasting can help break cravings...

Kevin Clancy, widely known as KFC, was one of the first personalities to join Barstool Sports and is one of the brand’s most influential content creators. Today on the show we discuss: how Kevin rebuilt his identity after public humiliation, the psychological weight of guilt and regret, raising kids while carrying public shame, surviving internet judgment and cancel culture, the evolution of Barst...

Jonathan Goodman is an author, coach, and creator of Unhinged Habits, a book about strategic subtraction, seasonality, and designing health, relationships, and work you don’t need to escape from. Today on the show we discuss: why doing everything right still leaves you feeling empty, how seasons of intensity beat the myth of balance, the triangle framework of health, relationships, and money and w...

Paul Rosolie is a naturalist, explorer, author, and award-winning wildlife filmmaker. Today on the show we discuss: how Paul went from a kid in New Jersey to living in the Amazon rainforest, the Discovery Channel disaster that derailed his career and the brutal lessons it forced him to learn, the emotional toll of dedicating your life to something that is constantly under threat, what it actually...

Dr. Seheult is currently an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the School of Medicine and Allied Health at Loma Linda University. Dr. Seheult is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine....

Charlotte Flair (born Ashley Fliehr) is a 14x WWE Champion and one of the most decorated female wrestlers in professional wrestling history. Today on the show we discuss how to create a powerful alter ego to become the person you aspire to be, the disconnect between confidence in performance and insecurity in real life, and why imposter syndrome often intensifies as success grows. We break down wh...

Amina AITai (pronounced AH-MIN-UH) is an executive coach and leadership trainer, proud immigrant and chronic illness advocate.  A leading coach to notable leaders, executives, and founders, Amina's mastery is in connecting us to our brilliance and teaching us to live and lead from it each day. She is the bestselling author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living, with Penguin/Th...

Dannah Eve is a trusted safety expert and digital creator known for her sharp instincts, real-world expertise, and engaging content that empowers women to navigate life with confidence. As a former D1 athlete and Summa Cum Laude graduate in Criminology and Psychology, she combines academic knowledge with street smarts to deliver life-saving insights to her rapidly growing audience of millions of f...