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 doesn’t run from it. He owns it. And he’s turned it into a mission to help others navigate mental he...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 – all with the goal to inspire change, advocate for justice, and explore the depths of human emotion. &n...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pages to dive deep into his unique approach to understanding self-discovery, mastery, and love. We also...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 scale teams within highly complex business landscapes. Deb is fun, amazing to be around, brings t...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast 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 carrier, while she was on deployment in the Western Pacific. We were there to work with the crew ...
Feb 12, 2025•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 NFL legend Brandon Marshall pull back the curtain on the psychological weight of the season’s end—an...
Feb 09, 2025•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 anxiety to creating a mental bubble, they reveal what it takes to stay locked in when the whole wor...
Feb 08, 2025•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Denver Broncos, revealing what happens when strategy collides with chaos. Later, Pittsburgh Steelers ...
Feb 07, 2025•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast For the players on the field, the Super Bowl is the ultimate test of skill and composure. But just above them, in the broadcast booth, another high-stakes performance is unfolding—one with no second chances, no instant replay, and no room for error. In this episode of The Game Inside the Games , Dr. Michael Gervais sits down with Greg Olsen, former NFL star turned Emmy-winning broadcaster, to unpack the relentless preparation, mental discipline, and pressure that comes with calling the biggest g...
Feb 06, 2025•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Super Bowl is more than just a game—it’s a test of mindset, resilience, and the ability to perform under the brightest lights. In this special Game Inside the Games series, Dr. Mike is joined by NFL legends Greg Olsen and Brandon Marshall to explore the unseen psychological battles that define champions. Kicking off the series, Mike breaks down one of the most pivotal moments in Super Bowl history—Malcolm Butler’s game-winning interception—and reveals how mental preparation, not luck, ...
Feb 05, 2025•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to foster confidence, independence, and resilience in the next generation? Missy Testerman is 2024’s National Teacher of the Year. Her insights, honed over three decades of teaching elementary schoolers in rural Tennessee, have impacted not just classrooms but the entire educational landscape. Missy has a unique gift for transforming challenges into opportunities—both for her students and herself. In this conversation, we explore her journey as a first-generation co...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if the way you think about failure has been holding you back? What if reframing failure could be a major breakthrough to unlocking your potential? Today’s guest is Dr. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor and one of the world’s foremost authorities on leadership, psychological safety, and the transformative power of failure. Her research has redefined how teams thrive, how innovation happens, and how individuals can unlock their full potential. In this episode, we dive into Am...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if the key to achieving your biggest goals in 2025 and beyond isn’t about willpower—what if it's about building the right habits? Today, we are super excited to re-release one of our favorite episodes from the Finding Mastery vault – one of our earlier conversations with James Clear. Why this episode, and why now? … As we near the end of January, it’s a great time to check in on the intentions and goals, and resolutions many of us set for 2025. Resolutions are tricky. Research tells us...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to create stories that resonate with millions—and what can those stories teach us about ourselves? Meg LeFauve, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of Pixar’s Inside Out and Inside Out 2 , has spent her career unlocking the magic of storytelling. But her insights go far beyond the screen. Meg is a master of exploring vulnerability, collaboration, and iteration—essential elements for both storytelling and creative mastery. In this episode, we dive into the psychology of creativ...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if compassion isn’t just a nice to have—but a game-changer for high performance? Dr. James Doty is a world-renowned neurosurgeon, a clinical professor at Stanford, and the founder of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). He’s also the NYT bestselling author of Into The Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart —a book that has inspired millions to rethink what really drives success and fulfillment....
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is the real battle for mastery fought outside of us—or within—and what does it take to win that fight every day? I’m so excited for this week’s guest, Steven Pressfield. Steven is a bestselling author and thought leader on creativity, known for his groundbreaking works like The War of Art and The Legend of Bagger Vance . Steven’s journey is a testament to perseverance—he didn’t publish his first novel until he was 52—and his story proves that it’s never too late to embrace your calling. In...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy New Year! The start of the year is such an exciting time – it’s a natural opportunity to reset, ground ourselves, and re-align with who we are… and who we want to become. In the spirit of the New Year, we have a very special episode for you today – many of you who listen to the podcast may not be aware that Finding Mastery has a whole other very exciting side to our business. With the help of our very own performance strategists, former Olympians, and mindset coaches, we get the opportunit...
Jan 01, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Holidays Today, we’re doing something a little bit different – I wanted to take a moment to reflect on something I think many of us experience this time of year: joy, connection, and—if we’re being honest– the holidays can be a time for big emotions. They have this incredible way of amplifying everything. The fun feels extra fun, and the challenging moments?... They can feel extra challenging. From navigating travel to managing family dynamics, or even just trying to stay present whil...
Dec 23, 2024•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if suffering wasn’t just something to endure but a tool to unlock your full potential? Today’s guest is Sean Waxman—a renowned strength and conditioning coach, former Olympic weightlifter, and author of the transformative book Suffer Smarter . He’s also been a close friend for nearly 30 years and someone I constantly enjoy learning from. Sean’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and purpose. I do not say those words lightly. He turned the heartbreak of missing the Olympics ...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can transforming thoughts and beliefs lead to measurable changes in your health and wellbeing? I’m thrilled to share this week’s conversation with Dr Joe Dispenza. Dr Joe is a New York Times best-selling author, researcher, lecturer, and corporate consultant, known for his transformative teachings on the power of the mind to heal and shape reality. Since 2010, Dr Joe has partnered with renowned scientists and universities – including University of California San Diego, Harvard University, ...
Dec 11, 2024•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if the most important part of a young athlete’s experience is the car ride home? Today, I’m excited to share a special conversation I had with football legend Greg Olsen on his podcast, Youth Inc. For those who aren’t familiar, Greg is a football broadcaster for FOX Sports and 3x pro-bowler tight-end who played in the NFL for 14 seasons. Now – alongside his career as a broadcaster – Greg launched a media company called Youth, Inc., which has a flagship podcast by the same ...
Dec 09, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast How does an integrative approach to living “the good life” - one that blends mental, physical, and spiritual development — help to unlock new levels of human potential? That’s a big question. To help us answer it, I am honored to welcome one of my own mentors to the podcast for this week’s conversation – Dr. Cristina Versari . Cristina is a pioneer in the world of sports psychology and the president of the San Diego University for Integrative Studies. She is renowned for ...
Dec 04, 2024•2 hr 38 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to cultivate a mindset that thrives on challenge and discomfort?... To have the courage to be radically honest with yourself to experience extraordinary growth? And how can having that courage lead to personal growth and winning multiple times on the world-stage? Today we’re joined by the legendary Kerri Walsh Jennings. Kerri is a five-time Olympian with three gold medals and one bronze medal – the most decorated beach volleyball player in history, known for her relentless purs...
Nov 27, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when athletes translate their competitive edge and discipline from sports into the business world? Today, we have an extraordinary guest—Jeff Byers. Jeff is a former NFL player turned entrepreneur, cofounder, and CEO of Momentous, a leading company in human performance nutrition. With a unique background in professional sports and business, Jeff is passionate about translating the discipline and resilience learned on the field into strategies for health, wellbeing, and high pe...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, we are stoked to share Volume 25 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything. Joining us, as always, is our co-host O’Neil Cespedes, and today’s AMA is a little bit different – instead of having O’Neil read your questions, we had you call in to ask questions yourselves. We loved this format, it was great to hear some of your voices, and we dove into some really fun concepts like: Combating burnout at the end of the year Building habits and the importance of morning routines How to build self-tru...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast What if the pursuit of happiness is making us miserable? On the podcast today to help us answer that question is Dr. Arthur Brooks. Arthur is a Harvard professor, social scientist, and bestselling author known for his work on well-being, leadership, and human flourishing. His journey is anything but traditional—starting out as a professional musician before transitioning to academia, where he’s become a leading voice in the study of happiness… But as you’ll hear in this episode, the path o...
Nov 13, 2024•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do we navigate all the changes that come with radical growth – the fortunes, the fame, social challenges…all while staying true to ourselves? Today’s guest is Deryck Whibley, lead singer and guitarist for the iconic punk rock band Sum 41 . Over two decades, Sum 41 has sold over 15 million records, earned Grammy nominations, and won numerous awards, including a Juno for Group of the Year. Known for hits like "Fat Lip," "In Too Deep," and "Still Waiting," Deryck and his band have defined punk ...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast What makes rational people adopt irrational beliefs? And, what can we do to bridge the growing divide in society? Here to help us answer those questions is today’s guest, Dr. Dan Ariely. Dan is a renowned behavioral economist, Duke University professor, and author, known for his groundbreaking research on human decision-making, irrationality, and the psychology behind beliefs and behavior. I’ve admired Dan’s work for a long time – his insights into how stress, cognition, and social factors...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Wondering how to create time for your life priorities when it’s not part of your employer’s culture? Then this is the AMA for you. Back once again is my co-host O’Neil Cespedes, and in today’s conversation, we get into topics like: How to design your own life based on *your* priorities Bridging the gap between who we were in our younger years and who we’re becoming. The hidden dangers in giving – and asking for – advice. How to fully experience the range of your emotions, from joy to sadne...
Oct 28, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s episode is a special one. It wasn’t recorded in our studio, but live from Balboa Theater in San Diego for a Live Talks LA event, where I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with one of the most influential thinkers of our time: Malcolm Gladwell. This conversation was so much fun – we explored his writing process, the lessons he learned from his father about effort and resilience, and big questions about the future—like the real impact of AI and the time it takes to fully understan...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
