Performance Neurology with Josh Turknett, MD

Extraordinary minds are built from ordinary brains. This show is about how to build yours — and how to get out of its way when it counts.

How 3x Grammy Winner Bryan Sutton Gets Out of His Own Way 07/07/2026

How 3x Grammy Winner Bryan Sutton Gets Out of His Own Way Bryan Sutton is a three-time Grammy winner and one of the most-recorded session guitarists in Nashville, with credits from Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift to Dolly Parton and Doc Watson. Yet, he's driven home from sessions convinced he'd never work in the town again. In this conversation we get into how he built his playing growing up immersed in the mountain music of Western North Carolina, why performing under pressure is a completely separate skill from playing well, and the mental shift he uses to get out of his own way. Links: Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor: Take the Pressure Profile: Bryan Sutton at ArtistWorks: Bryan on Instagram: Josh on Instagram: /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/41985485

The Genius Arc: How Nelson Dellis Beat the Panic Before His 6th Title 06/26/2026

The Genius Arc: How Nelson Dellis Beat the Panic Before His 6th Title In this Genius Arc breakdown, Dr. Josh Turknett takes the story of Nelson Dellis — 6× USA Memory Champion and author of Everyday Genius — and runs it through the Genius and Impostor framework from his forthcoming book. You'll see how a man who says he "truly would have said my memory is average" built a championship-level skill from scratch, why five titles still couldn't stop his body from going into revolt before the sixth, and the reset that let him step on stage as "the most chill version of myself I've ever been." It's a clear, worked example of how capability is built, how pressure hijacks it, and how you get it back. Take the free Pressure Profile assessment (3 min): Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor: Read Brains, Banjos and Beyond: Nelson Dellis's book Everyday Genius: Follow on Instagram: Links: Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor: Nelson's Instagram: Josh's Instagram: Music by Jullienne Ellen () /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/41812505

How 6x Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Built His Memory From Scratch 06/19/2026

How 6x Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Built His Memory From Scratch Nelson Dellis can memorize a shuffled deck of cards in under 30 seconds, and he's won the USA Memory Championship six times. But he didn't start with a special memory. He built it from scratch, and he's adamant that nobody wins a memory competition on natural talent. In this conversation we get into how he actually trains, how watching his grandmother's decline from Alzheimer's set him on this path, and what it would take for you to build a memory like his. Links: Nelson Dellis's book Everyday Genius: Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor: Nelson's Instagram: Josh's Instagram: Music by Jullienne Ellen () /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/41694870

Introducing Performance Neurology 06/12/2026

Introducing Performance Neurology Dr. Josh Turknett — neurologist and author of — introduces the show, the framework, and the two characters living inside your brain that determine whether you rise to the moment or fall apart. In this episode: What performance neurology is and how it differs from clinical neurology What's happening in your brain when you collapse under pressure Meet the Genius and the Impostor — two systems in your brain fighting for control What to expect from this podcast Links: Pre-order The Genius and the Impostor (August 2026): Learn more about Performance Neurology at Subscribe to the newsletter: Instagram: /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/41554505

Why Anyone Can Play Music 03/21/2025

Why Anyone Can Play Music For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/35800475

Brainjo Bite: Why Perfect Practice Is Anything But Perfect 09/27/2024

Brainjo Bite: Why Perfect Practice Is Anything But Perfect The book: To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/33227612

Brainjo Bite: The Real Reason We Practice 05/28/2024

Brainjo Bite: The Real Reason We Practice For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/31494267

Brainjo Bite: How To Learn Like A Champ 05/20/2024

Brainjo Bite: How To Learn Like A Champ For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/31375437

Brainjo Bite Is Playing Music Hard? 02/05/2024

Brainjo Bite Is Playing Music Hard? For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/29788578

Brainjo Bite: The Myth About "Discipline" 11/18/2023

Brainjo Bite: The Myth About "Discipline" For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28692813

Brainjo Bite: Stop Comparing Yourself 10/15/2023

Brainjo Bite: Stop Comparing Yourself For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28693003

Brainjo Bite: 5 Strategies For Achieving Your Musical Goals 08/28/2023

Brainjo Bite: 5 Strategies For Achieving Your Musical Goals For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28692978

Brainjo Bite: Can Music Save Your Brain? 08/07/2023

Brainjo Bite: Can Music Save Your Brain? For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28692913

Brainjo Bite: Should You Learn Multiple Styles Or Instruments? 07/03/2023

Brainjo Bite: Should You Learn Multiple Styles Or Instruments? For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28692743

Brainjo Bite: How Good Should You Get? 06/05/2023

Brainjo Bite: How Good Should You Get? For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/28692688

27: Learn Songs Or Learn Skills? (Brainjo Bite) 05/26/2023

27: Learn Songs Or Learn Skills? (Brainjo Bite) For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/26961900

26: 5 Mistakes Of Beginning Musicians 05/10/2023

26: 5 Mistakes Of Beginning Musicians For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013395

25: The Brain Of A Master Musician 05/07/2023

25: The Brain Of A Master Musician For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013389

24: 3 Ways To Use Your Recordings 05/04/2023

24: 3 Ways To Use Your Recordings For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013374

23: Why You Hate Your Recordings 05/01/2023

23: Why You Hate Your Recordings For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013365

22: The Creator Vs. The Critic 04/28/2023

22: The Creator Vs. The Critic For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013347

21: Learning What Can't Be Taught 04/27/2023

21: Learning What Can't Be Taught For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013338

20: Stop Comparing Yourself 04/25/2023

20: Stop Comparing Yourself For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/26634756

19: How To Start Improvising 04/24/2023

19: How To Start Improvising For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013329

18: The Illusion Of Expertise 04/21/2023

18: The Illusion Of Expertise For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013275

17: How To End Frustration For Good. 04/18/2023

17: How To End Frustration For Good. For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013269

16: How To Use The Tetris Technique 04/14/2023

16: How To Use The Tetris Technique For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013266

15: How To Break A Bad Habit 04/10/2023

15: How To Break A Bad Habit For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013233

14: What You Can Learn From Child Prodigies 04/07/2023

14: What You Can Learn From Child Prodigies For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013227

13: 6 Tips For How To Practice More 04/03/2023

13: 6 Tips For How To Practice More For more on how to apply neuroscience to practice smarter, check out the book To learn more about music courses based on The Brainjo Method, head to /episode/index/show/5f9e4bc1-9a7b-4ef2-802f-e6f5a16341f9/id/27013221

Performance Neurology with Josh Turknett, MD

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