The Art of Excellence
The Art of Excellence is an in-depth interview-style podcast about people who have accomplished great things in their lives. The goal of the show is to deliver inspiring stories from ultra-successful entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, authors, thought leaders and anyone doing something extraordinary. We will explore the backgrounds, talent, work ethic, sacrifices, mental outlook and serendipity that led to their success.
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Aimee Boorman: Coaching Simone Biles beyond medals and perfection
10/12/2025
Aimee Boorman: Coaching Simone Biles beyond medals and perfection
Amy Boorman is a decorated and globally respected gymnastics coach, whose career included twelve years coaching the sport’s all-time greatest, Simone Biles. She was named USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year four times and US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year in 2016. She was head coach of the US Women’s Gymnastics Team at the Rio Olympic Games and coached for the Dutch Gymnastics Federation in 2021, including at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Her book is titled: The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles. Summary In this conversation, Aimee Boorman reflects on her evolution from a competitive gymnast to an elite coach, including her 12-year journey coaching Simone Biles. She talks about how her early experience with harsh, unsupportive coaching shaped her belief that great coaching starts with empathy, communication, and trust. Aimee focuses on coaching the whole person, not just the athlete, and explains how vulnerability, collaboration, and giving athletes room to fail safely build both performance and character. She describes how she nurtured Simone’s extraordinary natural ability, what she calls “air sense savant,” while helping her develop emotional maturity and self-accountability. The discussion also explores the mental challenges elite athletes face, including the “twisties,” and why protecting mental health must come before medals. Aimee’s approach shows that excellence is less about winning and more about integrity, growth, and joy in the process. Takeaways · Great coaches lead with empathy and see athletes as whole people, not performance machines. · Trust grows through honest communication and vulnerability, which create psychological safety and resilience. · Allowing athletes to fail safely teaches self-awareness and accountability more effectively than control or punishment. · Real confidence comes from ownership—shifting from performing for approval to performing for yourself. · Success follows when the focus moves from outcomes such as scores or medals to inputs like effort, attitude, and preparation. · Pressure and anxiety block performance, while freedom and presence unlock it. · Mental health should always take priority over results because well-being sustains excellence. · The best coaches are remembered not just for producing champions but for helping young people grow into strong, self-directed adults. Notes: Book:
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Elizabeth Rowe: Former Principal Flutist on Redefining Excellence Beyond the Spotlight
09/14/2025
Elizabeth Rowe: Former Principal Flutist on Redefining Excellence Beyond the Spotlight
Elizabeth Rowe is a leadership and executive coach whose career sits at the unique crossroads of world-class performance, leadership coaching, and advocacy. For two decades, she was the principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, she made national headlines with a landmark equal pay lawsuit — an act of courage that earned her recognition as one of The Boston Globe’s “Bostonians of the Year,” calling her “The Fighter.” During her TEDx talk The Lonely Onlys, she shared how imagination and vulnerability can help us build connection and community. In her coaching work, Elizabeth works at the intersection of personal and professional development, helping high achievers thrive in high-pressure environments and navigate major career or life transitions with ease and confidence. Summary In this conversation, Elizabeth Rowe shares her journey from being a principal flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra to transitioning into leadership coaching. She reflects on the emotional farewell to her music career, the challenges of maintaining passion, and the importance of quality over quantity in practice. Elizabeth discusses the pressures of live performances, the significance of emotional expression in music, and her experiences with mistakes and internal pressures. She also addresses her lawsuit under the Equal Pay Act, the courage to explore new paths, and the evolution of her definition of excellence. Ultimately, Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of trusting the process and finding fulfillment beyond the spotlight. Takeaways · Resilience is forged through setbacks and failures. · Quality and focus in practice matter more than hours logged. · Success comes from focusing on inputs, not just outcomes. · Perfectionism can protect but also isolate. · Vulnerability creates connection and growth. · Most obstacles for high achievers are internal, not external. · Excellence evolves from proving worth to providing value. · True fulfillment comes from connection, purpose, and service. Notes Websites:
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Stanley McChrystal: Four-star General (Ret.) on character and leadership
08/03/2025
Stanley McChrystal: Four-star General (Ret.) on character and leadership
General Stanley McChrystal is a retired four-star general and former commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), where he led the nation’s most elite counterterrorism efforts. With 34 years of military service, he’s recognized for reshaping modern warfare and pioneering team-based leadership approaches in high-stakes environments. Today, he is the founder and CEO of the McChrystal Group, a leadership advisory firm that helps organizations adapt and thrive in complex, fast-changing environments. He is the author of multiple bestselling books, and his most recent work, On Character: The Choices That Define Us, explores how leaders are remembered—not just for what they achieve, but for who they are. Summary In this conversation, retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal reflects on the qualities that define meaningful leadership, focusing on character, culture, and personal growth. He shares how he almost got expelled from West Point for disciplinary issues and poor study habits, and how that period of immaturity helped shape his evolution as a leader. He talks about his famously intense morning routine, including waking up at 4 a.m. and working out for 90 minutes, and how these habits are rooted in self-discipline and clarity of purpose. McChrystal defines character as a combination of convictions and the discipline to live by them. He makes the case that it’s not enough to believe in the right things if you don’t act on them. He also challenges the idea that someone can be one kind of person in private and another in public. To him, character is consistent, and integrity either holds up across all domains or it doesn't hold up at all. He speaks openly about moral ambiguity in leadership, including moments when he disagreed with decisions made by the administration but chose to follow orders because they were legal and within the boundaries of his role. He warns of the dangers of rationalizing small compromises over time, which can slowly erode a person’s values. McChrystal also explains why elite military units like the Rangers are not necessarily made up of elite individuals. What sets them apart is a shared commitment to high standards. He believes the same principle applies in business and argues that a strong organizational culture drives performance more than talent or strategy. The conversation touches on charisma, humility, and how leadership style evolves over time. McChrystal admits he wasn’t always consistent in his early years and had to learn to lead in a way that built trust and clarity. He also discusses the importance of critical thinking, especially in an era where media narratives often distort reality. Finally, he reflects on the abrupt end to his military career following the Rolling Stone article and how he chose to move forward rather than dwell on the past. He credits his wife and close friends for helping him shift his focus and find new purpose in civilian life, including launching a leadership advisory firm, teaching at Yale, and writing multiple books. His latest, On Character, is a deep exploration of what it means to live by your values and be someone others can count on. Takeaways · Morning routines and physical discipline help create structure and momentum · Character comes from having strong convictions and the discipline to live by them · Integrity in your personal life matters just as much as in your public role · A strong culture built on shared standards can outperform raw talent · Good leadership means knowing how to handle moral complexity, not just following orders · The best leaders combine confidence with humility and know when to show each · Charisma only matters if it's backed by substance, courage, and consistency · It's easy to be misled by the media, which makes critical thinking more important than ever · Leadership styles change with experience, but consistency builds trust · Moving forward after setbacks starts with choosing not to live in the past Notes Books: Organizational consulting:
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Dr. Kwane Stewart: CNN Hero of the Year and Founder of Project Street Vet
06/23/2025
Dr. Kwane Stewart: CNN Hero of the Year and Founder of Project Street Vet
Dr. Kwane Stewart is a veterinarian and the co-founder of Project Street Vet, a non-profit that provides free veterinary care for the pets of people experiencing homelessness in cities across the country. His work earned him CNN Hero of the Year in 2023. His book is titled: What It Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian’s Quest for Healing and Hope. Summary In this conversation, Dr. Kwane Stewart, a veterinarian and co-founder of Project Street Vet, shares his journey from a successful veterinary career to providing free care for pets of the unhoused. He discusses the importance of empathy, the challenges faced by both animals and their owners in the homeless community, and the emotional toll of veterinary work. Dr. Stewart emphasizes the need for kindness and understanding towards those experiencing homelessness and highlights the strong bonds between them and their pets. His mission is to expand Project Street Vet to more cities, advocating for both animal welfare and human dignity. Takeaways · Powerful childhood experiences, like watching The Black Stallion, can create powerful emotions that inspire career paths. · Bullying can lead to empathy and a desire to protect others. · The suicide rate among veterinarians is notably high due to emotional stress. · Project Street Vet was born from a desire to help animals in need. · Building trust with the unhoused community is essential for effective care. · Many unhoused individuals have strong bonds with their pets, often prioritizing them over their own housing. · Funding and volunteer support are crucial for sustaining veterinary care for the unhoused. · Kindness, compassion, and empathy are vital in addressing homelessness and animal welfare. Notes Book: Veterinary care charity: Personal Website:
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Michael Grab: Rock Balancing Artist on Making the Impossible Possible
06/03/2025
Michael Grab: Rock Balancing Artist on Making the Impossible Possible
Michael Grab is one of the world’s premier rock balancing artists. He has created rock art all over the world and has inspired a global movement for stone balancing art. Summary In this conversation, Michael Grab, a renowned rock balancing artist, shares insights into his creative process, the philosophy behind his art, and the technical aspects of balancing rocks. He discusses how he finds inspiration in nature, the evolution of his hobby into a professional pursuit, and the meditative state he enters while creating his sculptures. The conversation also touches on the ephemeral nature of his work, emphasizing the beauty in its temporary existence. In this conversation, Michael Grab discusses his journey as a rock balancing artist, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of his work and the meticulous process of capturing it through photography and film. He reflects on the transition from a conventional job to pursuing his passion full-time, driven by a desire for creative fulfillment. Grab shares insights on self-competition and the personal standards he sets for his art, ultimately defining excellence as the ability to inspire himself through his creations. Takeaways · His creative process is organic, often allowing the rocks to dictate the final arrangement. · He finds inspiration in nature and specific locations that resonate with him. · Rock balancing started as a hobby influenced by a psychedelic experience. · The art form is highly technical, requiring a deep understanding of gravity and balance. · Michael practices for hours, often pushing his limits to create more complex structures. · He experiences a flow state while working, feeling deeply connected to the environment. · The process of balancing rocks is meditative and exists solely in the present moment. · Michael embraces the ephemeral nature of his art, often dismantling structures after photographing them. · He believes that the journey of mastery in rock balancing is ongoing and never truly finished. · He doesn’t set strict standards but rather focuses on the process and his growth.
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Dean Koontz: 500 million books sold and counting
05/11/2025
Dean Koontz: 500 million books sold and counting
Dean Koontz is an author with fourteen number one hardback bestsellers and sixteen number one paperback bestsellers. His books have sold more than 500 million copies in thirty eight languages. His latest book is titled: Going Home in the Dark. Summary: In this engaging conversation, Dean Koontz shares insights into his writing process, the challenges of genre blending, and the impact of his childhood on his career. He discusses the importance of character development, the role of fear in creativity, and the necessity of maintaining a unique voice in writing. Koontz reflects on his journey to success, the influence of supportive relationships, and the balance between creative freedom and market expectations. Dean shares insights into his creative process, daily writing routine, and the importance of character development. He discusses overcoming writer's block, the role of revision, and the impact of his upbringing on his writing themes. Koontz emphasizes the significance of resilience in the face of early career challenges and defines excellence in art and writing. Takeaways: Dean Koontz has sold over 500 million books worldwide. He emphasizes the importance of character development in storytelling. Koontz believes in blending genres to create unique narratives. His childhood experiences shaped his perspective on happiness and resilience. He faced challenges with publishers regarding genre labeling. Koontz advocates for writing in one's own voice and style. He highlights the significance of support from loved ones in his career. Fear of failure drives him to push creative boundaries. Koontz believes talent is a grace that must be polished through hard work. He finds joy in overcoming challenges in his writing process. Writers should embrace different ideas, even if they are unfamiliar. Flow state allows for deep immersion in writing. Characters can take on a life of their own. Trusting characters' free will enriches the story. Self-doubt is a common struggle for writers. Revision is key to achieving perfection in writing. Resilience is crucial in overcoming early career setbacks. Notes Book: Personal Website:
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James Lawrence “aka” Iron Cowboy: 100 full distance triathlons in 100 days
04/05/2025
James Lawrence “aka” Iron Cowboy: 100 full distance triathlons in 100 days
James Lawrence has broken two Guiness World Records for endurance racing. He raced a full distance triathlon every day for 100 consecutive days and prior to that he raced 50 full distance triathlons for 50 consecutive days across 50 states. His latest book is titled Iron Hope: Lessons Learned from Conquering the Impossible. Summary In this conversation, endurance athlete James Lawrence shares his incredible journey of overcoming fear, pushing through pain, and achieving remarkable feats in his triathlon quest. He discusses a life-altering bike crash, the mental strategies he employs to manage fear and pain, and the importance of focusing on the present moment. Lawrence reflects on his transition from a mortgage broker to a world record-holding athlete, driven by a desire to raise awareness for important causes. He emphasizes the power of resilience, positive self-talk, and finding flow in endurance challenges, while also addressing the balance between planning and spontaneity in life. In this conversation, the they delve into the themes of conquering fear, the importance of community support, mental agility in endurance training, and the significance of a 'day one' mentality. They discuss how breaking down large goals into manageable pieces can help alleviate anxiety and how the support of a community can inspire individuals to push through challenges. The conversation also touches on the role of experience in building mental toughness and the importance of having role models for inspiration. Ultimately, James emphasizes the art of excellence as a consistent effort towards authenticity and personal growth. Takeaways Fear often stems from worrying about the future. Focusing on the present can eliminate fear. Accidents can happen unexpectedly but resilience is key. Emotions like fear and anger can be managed through self-talk. Life can take unexpected turns, leading to new paths. Setting big goals requires breaking them down into manageable tasks. The mind and body must work together to overcome challenges. Positive self-talk can help manage pain and anxiety. Experiences build resilience and mental strength over time. Finding flow can enhance performance and reduce suffering. Fear is often about worrying about the future. Breaking down big goals into smaller pieces helps manage fear. Success breeds success and confidence breeds confidence. Community support can inspire and motivate individuals. Experiencing challenges builds mental toughness. The 'day one' mentality encourages enthusiasm and optimism. Living each day as if it were your last can change your perspective. Role models can provide inspiration and guidance. Consistency over time leads to excellence. You must experience challenges to grow and learn. Notes Book: Podcast: Amazon Prime Documentary: Personal website:
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Adam Galinsky: Unlocking the formula to inspiring leadership
02/20/2025
Adam Galinsky: Unlocking the formula to inspiring leadership
Adam Galinsky is a social psychologist and a Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. He has published over two hundred scientific articles on leadership, negotiations, diversity, and ethics. He has been a damages expert in numerous defamation lawsuits that have generated more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements, including Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News. His latest book is titled: Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Some interesting insights from this episode: · The leader amplification effect suggests that when we’re in a position of leadership, all of our words and expressions get amplified, both the positive and negative ones. · There are three universal factors to inspiring leadership: being a visionary, being an exemplar, and being a mentor. · Inspiring and infuriating leaders are mirror images of each other and exist on opposite ends of a continuum so based on the situation an inspiring leader one day can become an infuriating one the next. · Leaders are made, not born, and anyone has the tools to become more inspiring no matter their starting point. · The Great Resignation, where 30 million Americans quit their jobs during the pandemic, wasn’t just about where we work but why we work. This “universal midlife crisis” was less about pay and much more about meaning and purpose and empowerment. · You can learn how to become more visionary by conveying an optimistic vision, keeping your message simple, and creating rich imagery. · “Excellence is getting better at whatever you do on a day to day process.” Notes Book: Personal website:
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Diane Boyd: Wildlife biologist and wolf conservationist
12/15/2024
Diane Boyd: Wildlife biologist and wolf conservationist
Diane Boyd has four decades of experience on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. In 1979 Diane moved to Montana to study wolf recovery in the Rocky Mountains, from the first natural colonizer to approximately 2000 wolves today in the western United States. Diane has worked for the University of Montana, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Montana. He new book is titled: A Woman Among Wolves: My Journey Through Forty Years of Wolf Recovery. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Similar to humans, wolves live in family groups and protect their territory, often to the death. · You learn a lot by walking the wolf’s tracks in the snow – their habitat, how they respond to scent of other animals, where they sleep, how they kill animals. You can see the entire ecology of wolves written in their tracks. · A wolf is a cooperative obligatory hunter. It’s obliged to cooperate because it needs the power of many mouths to take down a prey animal. · The average lifespan of a wolf in the wild is just 4.3 years. · Close to 300 wolves are killed every year due to recreational sport. That’s about 1/3 of the overall population. · “Excellence is the highest standard of quality for whatever you’re measuring.” Show Notes Book: Personal Website:
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Laurie Santos: The Happiness Professor on the science of well-being
11/10/2024
Laurie Santos: The Happiness Professor on the science of well-being
Laurie is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University. In addition to her work on the evolutionary origins of human cognition, Laurie is an expert on the science of happiness and the ways in which our minds lie to us about what makes us happy. Her Yale course, , teaches students how the science of psychology can provide important hints about how to make wiser choices and live a life that’s happier and more fulfilling. The class became Yale’s most popular course in over 300 years. The online version of the class— on Coursera—has attracted more than 4 million students. She was recently voted as one of Popular Science Magazine’s “Brilliant 10” young minds and was named in Time Magazine as a “Leading Campus Celebrity.” Her podcast, , has attracted over 100 million downloads since its launch. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Our minds lie to us when it comes to happiness. · There is the sense of being happy in your life and the sense of being happy with your life. · Investing in social relationships is the most important thing we can do to improve our happiness. · If you force yourself to be more social, even if it’s natural to you, you’ll actually experience more positive emotions as a result. · Beyond social connections, practicing gratitude and helping others are also tools to increase your overall wellbeing. · There’s a disconnect between the things that we want and the things that we truly enjoy. · The arrival fallacy is thinking that you’ll be happy once you achieve some goal but that happiness is often fleeting. · The journey is ultimately much more rewarding than the destination. Learn to enjoy it. · “Excellence is behaving and developing mindsets in a way that allows you to flourish.” Show Notes: Personal website: Podcast: Coursera class:
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Don Lemon: Award winning broadcast journalist and media trailblazer
10/25/2024
Don Lemon: Award winning broadcast journalist and media trailblazer
Don Lemon spent three decades on local and national TV – a trusted voice after the Sandy Hook massacre, in war-torn Eastern Europe, and during the riots of 2020. Anchoring Don Lemon Tonight on CNN for eight years, he was known for hard-hitting interviews with public officials and compassionate dialogue with everyday people. The Don Lemon Show is now streaming on all platforms. He is the author of several bestselling books including his most recent one titled: I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America. Some interesting insights from this episode: · As a Black man, he has a complicated relationship with the flag. But he is still a patriot. And as a gay man, he has a complicated relationship with the Bible. But he still believes in God. · He was the kid whose personality could not be denied. He was likeable and easy to get along with. His charismatic personality would later help separate him from the other news anchors who were stiff and indistinguishable. · He has always had a strong work ethic, outworking everyone around him. He worked full time while pursuing his degree full time and he never took a vacation his first ten years at CNN. · “Every setback or shortcoming you think you have is actually a gift. You just have to figure out what that gift is and how to use it.” · He’s ok being a lightning rod, as he’s just being himself and trying to foster healthy debate. He has learned to not care what others think about him. · “Excellence is not about perfection. Rather, excellence is being a good citizen, a good partner, a good family member, and a good contributor to society in the world.” Show Notes: Books: TV/Digital:
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Guy Snodgrass: Former naval aviator, TOPGUN instructor, and speechwriter for Secretary of Defense James Mattis
09/22/2024
Guy Snodgrass: Former naval aviator, TOPGUN instructor, and speechwriter for Secretary of Defense James Mattis
Guy Snodgrass recently served as director of communications and chief speechwriter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis. A former naval aviator, he served as commanding officer of a fighter squadron based in Japan, A TOPGUN instructor, and a combat pilot over the skies of Iraq. Today he is the founder and CEO of Defense Analytics, a strategic consulting and advisory firm. He is the author of Holding the Line: Inside Trump's Pentagon with Secretary Mattis and his latest book is titled: TOPGUN’s Top 10: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit. Some interesting insights from this episode: · To succeed a TOPGUN, you have to possess three traits: talent, passion, and personality. · Competence is when you have an excellent capability but you operate below that level. Arrogance is when your competence is lower than you anticipate but you act like you’re better. · You can achieve anything you put your mind to so long as you’re willing to break down the problem and put the resources against it to solve it. · After every simulated dogfight there would be a debrief comparing your recollection of the events with the actual video footage. This created a continual feedback loop to accelerate learning. · President Eisenhower once said: “Plans are worthless but planning is indispensable.” · TOPGUN has a flat organizational structure whereby junior officers are calling a lot of the shots. Decisions are made based on capability and knowledge base, not based on rank. This allows them to get to the best tactical end result. Show Notes:
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Craig Foster: My Octopus Teacher Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker
09/08/2024
Craig Foster: My Octopus Teacher Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker
Craig Foster is one of the world’s leading natural history filmmakers and cofounder of the Sea Change Project, a nonprofit to protect marine life and raise awareness of the importance of the kelp forest. He won an Academy Award for Best Documentary for My Octopus Teacher and has created more than one hundred films and documentaries. His latest book is titled: Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World. Some interesting insights from this episode: · When he goes on cold water ocean dives, his entire brain chemistry shifts with elevated dopamine and adrenaline levels while remaining very calm. · Managing fear is about getting to know what it is that you’re fearful of. · His curiosity and fearlessness has often taken him into precarious situations coming face to face with dangerous predators like great white sharks and crocodiles. · There are expert native trackers who go beyond tracking visuals and sounds of animals to getting into their minds. They can actually feel the animal inside their own bodies and know intuitively what they’re doing and where they’re going. · Having a sense of purpose in life is key to accomplishing anything you want. · “Excellence is tapping into the wild part of us that’s inherent in all of us.” Show Notes Book: Documentary: Nonprofit:
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Adrian Newey: Greatest Formula 1 race car designer ever
07/29/2024
Adrian Newey: Greatest Formula 1 race car designer ever
Adrian Newey is Chief Technical Officer for Red Bull Racing. He has won 13 drivers' championships and 12 constructors' championships across three teams in his career. He is widely regarded as the greatest Formula 1 race car designer in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Racing teams have three departments: aerodynamics, vehicle design, and vehicle dynamics/simulation. Because Adrian had worked in each of those disciplines, it provided a more holistic perspective when designing racing cars. · A good design engineer must be both left brained and right brained - that is, combining the artistic imaginative left side with the analytical and practical right side. · He is still old school in that he prefers a drawing board and pencil over CAD (computer aided design) systems. · No matter how successful you are, you’ve got to keep pushing and you’ve got to stay sharp or you’ll lose your edge. · If you can learn to manage the pressure, your subconscious brain will spend more time focused on the problem and can come up with a solution when you least expect it. · Curiosity can be advantageous to the creative design process. You can often get inspiration looking at how things are done outside of your own domain. · “Excellence is doing something to the ultimate. To the best of one’s ability at that time.”
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Maurice Ashley: Chess Grandmaster, glass ceiling breaker, life philosopher
04/28/2024
Maurice Ashley: Chess Grandmaster, glass ceiling breaker, life philosopher
Maurice Ashley is a Chess Grandmaster, a chess commentator, a national championship coach, and an author. In 1999 he earned the title of Chess Grandmaster, making him the first African American Grandmaster in the game’s history, and was later inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame. His latest book is titled Move by Move: Life Lessons On and Off the Chessboard. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Going into any big moment, the best way to calm your nerves is to get into the right mindset which is that you can’t be better than yourself. Don’t focus on the results. Just focus on being yourself and the rest will take care of itself. · He is able to play up to ten people simultaneously while blindfolded and win each game. · It’s important to cultivate a beginner’s mind and approach the game as if you’re viewing it for the very first time. That way you’re open to seeing something new and having a fresh perspective. · Upper echelon thinking is to keep growing every day. Today you need to be a little bit better than yesterday. Your only race is against yesterday’s self. · Focus often dips when you’re ahead and your lowest concentration is often when you have the biggest advantage. · To stay mentally sharp and focused over the course of a prolonged game, you have to learn to continually check yourself. You have to be your own barometer. Counting breaths also helps to calm down and stay in the moment. · Retrograde analysis is envisioning a future state and then working backwards. · When conducting post mortems it’s important to categorize your mistakes so you can become more self aware of the patterns behind the mistake and preempt their happening in the future. Notes: Book: Personal website:
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Gary Hunt: Ten-time world champion cliff diver
04/07/2024
Gary Hunt: Ten-time world champion cliff diver
Gary Hunt is a professional cliff diver. He is a 10 time Red Bull World Series Champion with 43 overall victories and counting. He is widely considered the greatest cliff diver in the history of the sport. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Juggling was a practice he used to increase his focus and concentration and take his mind off the stress and pressure of the competition. · It took several years diving off increasing heights to build up the confidence and courage to jump off the 27 meter platform · He’s afraid of heights when there’s no water underneath · To prepare for a cliff dive, you have to practice routines off the 10 meter platform and then assemble the pieces together when doing the actual 27 meter dive. · His curiosity to learn new dives and explore what’s possible is what drove him to be the best in the world. · His greatest fear is losing his motivation to learn new things
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George Mumford: Psychologist, elite performance coach, and mindfulness guru
03/25/2024
George Mumford: Psychologist, elite performance coach, and mindfulness guru
George Mumford is a psychologist, elite performance expert, and author of The Mindful Athlete. He has worked with worldclass athletes including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. He has also consulted with college and Olympic athletes, corporate executives, and inmates, and is a sought-after public speaker at both business and athletic conferences nationally and internationally. His latest booked is title: Unlocked: Embrace your Greatness, Find the Flow, Discover Success. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Unlocked is releasing the masterpiece within. It’s embracing your inner greatness. · Being authentic is a core part of being unlocked. “We remove the extraneous, the layering of our conditioning and defenses, and the ways that we have been untrue to who we really are until we find what is authentic within us - an authenticity that is always there, waiting to be revealed.” · Kobe Bryant once said of George Mumford: “George helped me to be neither distracted or focused, rigid or flexible, passive or aggressive. I learned to just be.” · George’s big break was coming on the heels of the Lakers’ third NBA championship in a row when coach Phil Jackson asked George to help the team deal with the stress and pressure brought on by their success. · 90% of long term happiness is dependent upon how the brain interprets our experience. · One of the distinguishing characteristics of the best athletes in the world is they’re very coachable. They are lifelong learners, always looking to get an edge. · If you want to be in flow, you have to have a fully integrated self. Your body, your mind, your heart, and your soul have to be in unison and harmony. Notes:
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BJ Miller: Palliative medicine physician and educator on life and death and everything in between
03/10/2024
BJ Miller: Palliative medicine physician and educator on life and death and everything in between
Dr. BJ Miller is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. He currently sees patients and families via telehealth through Mettle Health, a company he co-founded with the aim to provide personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional and existential issues that come with serious illness and disability. Led by his own experiences as a patient, BJ advocates for the roles of our senses, community and presence in designing a better ending. His interests are in working across disciplines to affect broad-based culture change, cultivating a civic model for aging and dying and furthering the message that suffering, illness, and dying are fundamental and intrinsic aspects of life. His career has been dedicated to moving healthcare towards a human centered approach, on a policy as well as a personal level. Some interesting insights from this episode: · “I had a basic hunger and curiosity to understand the world in which I was living and to understand myself”. · Early on, as he was recovering from the accident with three less limbs, he forced himself to reframe his situation. That life wasn’t going to be extra difficult going forward but just uniquely difficult. And that suffering is something we all deal with in our own way. Eventually his emotions would catch up with his mind whereby he truly felt that way. · Studying art history in college taught him perspective. It taught him how he was in control as to how he perceived his life and how he framed his life experience. · In palliative care, you don’t just treat the pain, you treat the suffering. · “If you don’t know the depths of sorrow, you aren’t going to know the peaks of joy.” · As dying patients reflect back upon their lives, it’s not so much regret over what decisions they made but how they imbued whatever decisions they made. Did they do it with love, did they infuse their spirit into whatever they were doing. That’s what matters most. Notes:
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Kara Swisher: Tech journalist, digital media entrepreneur, and pioneer
02/25/2024
Kara Swisher: Tech journalist, digital media entrepreneur, and pioneer
Kara Swisher is the host of the podcast On with Kara Swisher and the co-host of the Pivot podcast with Scott Galloway, both distributed by New York magazine. She was also the cofounder and editor-at-large of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and co-executive producer of the Code conference. She was a former contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and host of its Sway podcast and has also worked for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Her latest book it titled: Burn Book: A Tech Love Story. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Her father’s passing when she was just five made her appreciate the ephemeral nature of life and focus on what truly matters. · A lot of big tech titans have a big deficit in their upbringing and replace it with enablers and fence themselves off from the population, hence their isolation and loneliness. · With her direct no nonsense approach, she has an uncanny ability to get big people to open up and share unique insights. · She has been as entrepreneurial and innovative with her career as the tech entrepreneurs she covers for a living. · She feels Steve Jobs is the most consequential figure of the modern tech era. · She has called Mark Zuckerberg one of the most carelessly dangerous men in the history of technology. · “Excellence is doing your very best to get to the heart of something, doing your very best to create something fresh and new, and doing your very best to get it right.” Notes: Book: Podcasts:
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Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: Wildlife ecologist and first black woman to host a TV nature show
02/05/2024
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: Wildlife ecologist and first black woman to host a TV nature show
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist with an expertise in uncovering how human activity influences carnivore behavior and ecology. She is a National Geographic Explorer, host the PBS podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, and is the cohost on NBC’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. She is the first black woman to ever host a television nature show. Her new book is titled: Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World. Some interesting insights from this episode: · She attended a high school for the performing arts because of her voice yet refused to apply for a conservatory to continue her musical studies knowing that her life vision was to become a nature show host. · Having black leaders in wildlife conservation during her first field study project in Kenya was transformative in helping her understand that she could actually do this for a living. · Learning firsthand of lions killing local villagers in Tanzania was an experience that taught her that the wellbeing of people has to come first in wildlife conservation. · Capturing and tagging a rare lemur during a mission critical expedition to protect a rainforest in Madagascar allowed her to overcome her self-doubt, increase her self-confidence, and realize her full potential. · As cohost on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, Rae has fulfilled her lifelong dream and become the first black woman to ever host a television nature show. · “Excellence is being your best and your truest. It’s being aligned with your values, aligned with your energy, and aligned with the balance you’re seeking.” Notes: Book: Podcast: TV show: Personal website:
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Daniel Goleman: How to use Emotional Intelligence to Achieve an Optimal State Every Day
01/12/2024
Daniel Goleman: How to use Emotional Intelligence to Achieve an Optimal State Every Day
Daniel Goleman is a psychologist, former science journalist for the New York Times, and the author of 13 books including the #1 bestseller Emotional Intelligence. He has worked with organizations around the globe, examining the way social and emotional competencies impact the bottom-line. Ranked one of the 10 most influential business thinkers by the Wall Street Journal, Daniel has won several awards including the HBR McKinsey Award for the best article of the year and the Centennial Medallion awarded to him by Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. His latest book which is titled: Optimal: How to Sustain Personal and Organizational Excellence Every Day shows how emotional intelligence can help us have rewarding and productive days every day. Some interesting insights from this episode: · There are four parts to emotional intelligence: Self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and relationship management. The latter builds on the first three parts. · There are three kinds of empathy – cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and empathic concern. · When you’re in an optimal state, you’re highly productive, highly engaged, you care about others, you feel connected to your work, and connected to others. · The ability to focus is one of the pathways into the optimal state. · People who have a sense of purpose and feel inspired in their work, do it better. · It’s never too late to increase your level of emotional intelligence. · In emotionally intelligent organizations, it’s not just about hitting your targets but how you went about it. Did you get them by inspiring people to give their best or was it by fear and pressure? · Team EI is how people on a team relate to one another. And teams with highest team EI are often the most productive. Notes:
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Kristin Harila: Mountain Climbing World Record Holder
10/16/2023
Kristin Harila: Mountain Climbing World Record Holder
Kristin Harila is a Norwegian mountain climber who recently set a world speed record for climbing the 14 highest peaks in just 92 days. Some interesting insights from this episode: · She quit her job and sold her home and put everything on the line to achieve this goal. · “If you are happy with less than your goal, then you’ll never reach your goal.” · You have to truly believe in what you’re doing if you want to achieve a goal. · Working together as a team with her Sherpa was a key component of allowing her to pull off this world record. · Many people think that the summit is the goal but the goal is actually to come safely back down the mountain. · “On almost all the peaks, there are dead people. If it happens to me, I will have died happy.”
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Amy Edmondson: Harvard Business School Professor and Leadership Guru on the Art of Failing Well
09/25/2023
Amy Edmondson: Harvard Business School Professor and Leadership Guru on the Art of Failing Well
Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, renowned for her research on psychological safety over twenty years. Her award-winning work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Psychology Today, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and more. Named by Thinkers50 in 2021 as the #1 Management Thinker in the world, Edmondson’s TED Talk “How to Turn a Group of Strangers into a Team” has been viewed over three million times. She received her PhD, AM, and AB from Harvard University. Her latest book is titled: The Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. Some interesting insights from this episode: · A good failure is an undesired outcome that brings you new knowledge that could have not been gained any other way. It should be just big enough to get new information without wasting unnecessary time. · Most of us have shifted from curiosity and learning in our childhood to defensiveness and self-protection in our adulthood because of the belief that we had to be right or successful to be worthy. · Psychological safety Is a belief that one can take interpersonal risks without the fear of punishment or rejection. · You need psychological safety in order to cultivate a culture of intelligent failure. · Reframing is one of the techniques we can use to learn from failure. It’s the ability to challenge the automatic thinking and come up with a healthier, more productive way to think about the same situation. · A culture of accountability and high-performance standards can coexist with a culture of psychological safety and embracing failure. · “The easiest way to not fail at all is to not take risks at all.” · “Excellence is doing as well as you can in your chosen field and making a positive difference.” Notes: Books: Websites:
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Chris Voss: Former top FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of The Black Swan Group
08/28/2023
Chris Voss: Former top FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of The Black Swan Group
Chris Voss is one of the preeminent practitioners and professors of negotiation skills in the world. He was formerly the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. He is the founder of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm that provides training and advises Fortune 500 companies through complex negotiations. He has taught business negotiation in MBA programs at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. He also taught business negotiation at Harvard and guest lectured at other leading universities including the MIT Sloan School of Management and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. His book is titled: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Working the crisis hotline was where Chris first learned the power of empathy. Showing someone that they feel heard is often enough to get them to change their behavior. · Empathy is about the transmission of information whereas compassion is about the reaction to that transmission. · Any time you relax into stress, you’ll handle it far better. The act of relaxation increases your body’s ability to handle its stress demands. · Labeling is a verbal observation of an emotion or a dynamic. It’s a way of demonstrating that you’re listening and understanding the other side. · Meeting someone halfway (i.e. splitting the difference) rarely works since it never feels like it’s really halfway. You feel the transaction was unfair. Reason being, based on the economist Daniel Kahneman, people tend to fear a loss twice as much as they are likely to welcome an equivalent gain. · “Excellence is a delight with learning and growing. It is not the pursuit of perfection which is a fool’s errand.” Notes:
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Jason Belmonte (“Belmo”): Greatest Bowler of All Time
07/16/2023
Jason Belmonte (“Belmo”): Greatest Bowler of All Time
Jason Belmonte is an Australian pro bowler. He has won 31 PBA titles including a record 15 major championships. He is one of two bowlers in PBA history to have won the Super Slam, winning all five PBA major titles. He has been named PBA Player of the Year seven times. He is widely considered one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Some interesting insights from this episode: · When he was just 10 he told his mother he planned to one day bowl 100 perfect games which he actually accomplished a couple years ago. · He chose to pursue bowling over the more popular sports like rugby and cricket given his love for the game despite the fact that it would never be as lucrative. · He was often teased and mocked for his two handed style of bowling but he let his impressive scores shut the naysayers down. · His unique two handed technique allowed him to spin the ball twice as fast as most other bowlers which allowed him to strike with much greater frequency. · He has never had a coach and has always been self-taught, learning from his own mistakes and continually improving his game. · A turning point that allowed him to begin dominating the sport is when he shifted his mindset from being worried about failure when everything was on the line to just being in the moment and enjoying himself. · “Excellence is working and striving toward a better version of yourself every single day.” Show Notes: YouTube videos:
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Bubba Watson: Professional golfer and two-time Masters champion
06/11/2023
Bubba Watson: Professional golfer and two-time Masters champion
Bubba Watson is a professional golfer. He has won two major PGA championships, both victories at the Masters. He has a total of 12 PGA tournament wins and reached a world ranking of 2nd in 2015. He has played in the LIV Golf league since 2022. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Bubba never had formal lessons. He was entirely self-taught. He would just go by feel and practice over and over until he understood how to position himself and swing to achieve a certain shot. · In college his drive to be better at golf was due to immaturity – he was mad at people. These days his drive to be better is so he can help people. Paying it forward is much more important than trying to be the best in the world. · He built a distinguishable brand as Bubba - the new age redneck country boy, despite not hunting or dipping or smoking or country music. · He was kind and considerate off the golf course but had a hot temper on the course. Pride and ego was eating him alive. He got caught up in the rankings and allowed that to dictate how he felt about himself. · His first Masters victory was on the heels of adopting their first baby so allowing his mind to focus on something outside of golf removed him from the excessive pressure which allowed him to play the match of his life. · Joining LIV Golf wasn’t about the money but an opportunity to play golf in a team format which he misses and the entrepreneurial opportunity to own a franchise in an emerging league. · “Excellence is touching others in a way that makes their lives better. It’s giving people an opportunity to be successful.” Notes: Book: Personal Website: LIV site:
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Frans Lanting: Internationally Renowned Wildlife and Nature Photographer
04/09/2023
Frans Lanting: Internationally Renowned Wildlife and Nature Photographer
Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great photographers of our time. For more than three decades he has documented wildlife from the Amazon to Antarctica to promote understanding about the Earth and its natural history through images that convey a passion for nature and a sense of wonder about our living planet. He has received many honors including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the Lennart Nilsson Award, The Netherlands’ highest conservation honor – the Royal Order of the Golden Ark, the Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in nature photography. His latest book is titled: Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales. Some interesting insights from this episode: · Not knowing the rules will make you experiment with anything and everything. Be aware of the rules but then put them to the side and do things your own way. · His empathy toward animals allows him to capture their personalities which are as distinct as our own personalities. · Unlike the prevailing methods of photographing the animals from a distance, Frans likes to get up close and personal and take his pictures at eye level to create a more intimate interaction. · Too many people are overly fixated with technology but what’s most important is knowing what’s interesting to you and your connection with the subject in front of you. · Unlike painting where you start with a blank canvas, with photography you go in the opposite direction and have to delete as much as possible until there is clarity. · His photography evolved from capturing a single species to capturing the essence of nature as a network of relationships amongst many species. Notes: Books: Exhibitions: Website:
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Carol Tomé: Chief Executive Officer of UPS
03/19/2023
Carol Tomé: Chief Executive Officer of UPS
Carol Tomé is the Chief Executive Officer of UPS. Previously she served as Chief Financial Officer for The Home Depot. Carol serves as board member for Verizon Communications, Inc., board of councilors for the Carter Center and is a board trustee for Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Carol has been named twice to the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women and was listed second on The Wall Street Journal’s list of best Chief Financial Officers, and among the top 50 most powerful women in business by Fortune magazine. Some interesting insights from this episode: · She was a competitive downhill ski racer growing up which taught her the importance of advanced preparation. To this day she goes into every meeting well prepared. · When she first joined Home Depot, she wasn’t getting through and winning people over so she went to work in the stores to learn the business so she could speak their language. · She had a transformative moment at Home Depot when she realized that she was working too hard and didn’t have a purpose and dedicated herself from that day forward to making a difference. This changed how she interacted with the people around her. · Much of her success was learning to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, faster than you, and better than you. They lift you up and give you wings. · One of her ingredients to success has been to be well networked. Always first look to make deposits with people so down the road you’re in a position to ask for a withdrawal. · “Excellence is about thinking all the way around the problem. Go slow to go fast. Or in the language of home improvement, measure twice, cut once.”
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Bob Waldinger: Psychiatrist, Professor, Zen Master, Happiness Guru
02/20/2023
Bob Waldinger: Psychiatrist, Professor, Zen Master, Happiness Guru
Bob Waldinger is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and director of the program in Psychodynamic Therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a practicing psychiatrist and a Zen master who teaches meditation around the world. His latest book is titled: The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Some interesting insights from this episode: · His TEDx talk in 2015 is still one of the most popular TED talks ever with over 44 million views and growing. · When trying to optimize happiness, most of us try to strike a balance between eudaimonia, which refers to a state of wellbeing in which a person feels that their life has meaning and purpose, and hedonia, which is more about fleeting happiness. · The essence of the findings from the study boils down to relationships. That relationships are more important to long term health and happiness than diet or exercise or anything else in our lives. · Contrary to stereotypes, women are not any more likely to form relationships than men. They just have a different means of engaging with one another. · About 50% of our wellbeing set point is determined by genetics, 10% is based on our current life circumstance, and 40% is within our control. · “Excellence is being as fully and deeply engaged in something as I can be in something I care about.” Notes: Book: Ted Talks:
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John Mather: Nobel Laureate in Physics and senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope
02/05/2023
John Mather: Nobel Laureate in Physics and senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope
John Mather is a Senior Astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He is also the Senior Project Scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope. His research centers on infrared astronomy and cosmology. He was the chief scientist for the Cosmic Background Explorer and received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006 for his precise measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation. He has served on advisory and working groups for the National Academy of Sciences, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Some interesting insights from this episode: The James Webb Space Telescope uses infrared technology which allows us to see through the dust clouds to see stars being born. “Maybe the formation of life doesn’t require a rare and exotic coincidence but maybe it’s something that always happens when given the chance.” Like Neil deGrasse Tyson, John visited the Hayden Planetarium as a kid which ignited his early passion for astronomy. He didn’t have his entire career mapped out but rather followed his curiosity and said yes when opportunity would present itself. While society holds the theorists in higher regard than the experimentalists like John, that never deterred him. Stephen Hawking called his discovery of hot and cold spots in the cosmic background radiation “The most significant scientific discovery of this century if not of all time.” COBE took 15 years from inception to launch and the James Webb 27 years but John was able to stay the course on both, keeping himself and his teams motivated along the way. His secret to success isn’t being the smartest one in the room and always knowing the answer but rather not being afraid to ask others.
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