Finding Mastery: Conversations With Michael Gervais

This week’s conversation is with Eric Barker, a former Hollywood screen-writer turned author whose dedicated following of over half a million people look to Eric for his (often counter-intuitive) insights and research-backed advice on how to be great at life. In 2017, Eric penned his Wall Street Journal bestseller Barking Up the Wrong Tree, which reveals the extraordinary science behind what actually determines success and most importantly, how anyone can achieve it.However, over the last several years Eric pivoted to taking a deep dive into the science of relationships and recently published his newest bestseller, Plays Well with Others: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships Is (Mostly) Wrong. And that’s why I was so excited to sit down with Eric – if you’ve been following this podcast, you know I’m a big believer that relationships are foundational to exploring potential and achieving our very best… no one does it alone… through relationships, we become. So

This week’s conversation is with Gabriel Wyner, a polyglot, former opera singer, bestselling author of Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It, and founder of the Fluent Forever app, the most funded app in crowdfunding history.Gabe graduated summa cum laude in 2007 from the University of Southern California with dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Vocal Arts Performance, and was awarded the Renaissance Scholar’s prize for excellence in unrelated disciplines.Following graduation, Gabe moved to Europe to pursue triple Master’s degrees in Opera, Lieder, and Voice where found himself quickly needing to learn various new languages as his studies took him from country to country. Gabe began to apply his analytical and engineering talents to developing a system that rapidly builds fluency and in 2012 published a viral article about his groundbreaking formula to fluency, which garnered a publishing offer within two hours.Now, Gabe is fluent in eight languages and teaches tens of

This week’s conversation is with Judith Enck, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, the founder of Beyond Plastics, and a visiting professor at Bennington College. In 2009, Judith was appointed by President Barack Obama as the Regional Administrator of the EPA, where she oversaw environmental protections in New York, New Jersey, eight Indian Nations, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – in addition to managing a staff of 800 and a $700M budget.Judith has also served as Deputy Secretary for the Environment in the New York Governor’s Office, and Policy Advisor to the New York State Attorney General.Now, Judith is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, an organization based out of Bennington College that is on a mission to end plastic pollution through education, advocacy, and institutional change. I can’t think of many more pressing and important topics in today’s society than the environmental crisis – and I was shocked to hear some of the grim statistics and informa

This week’s conversation is with Peter Shapiro, a music industry legend and perhaps the most influential independent concert promoter of his generation. Over his eclectic career, Peter has produced several acclaimed and groundbreaking projects, and was listed on Billboard’s Power 100 List for “Most Influential People in the Music Business”.Peter is the owner of several legendary music venues around the country which have hosted some of the biggest names in modern music – The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen, Snoop Dogg, David Bowie, U2, The Roots, and so many more. In total, Peter has played a major role in putting on over 10,000 shows and concerts in his lifetime.Over his eclectic career, Peter has also produced several acclaimed and groundbreaking projects, including two documentary films on The Grateful Dead, an IMAX behind-the-scenes concert film featuring artists like Santana, Dave Matthews, Sting, & Sheryl Crow, and the first ever live-action concert film

This week’s conversation is with Jamie Wheal, founder of The Flow Genome Project and author of Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex, and Death in a World That’s Lost Its Mind.Jamie is one of the most brilliant thinkers I know – he has advised executives at some of the world’s leading companies (Deloitte, Red Bull, Google, Lululemon, Facebook, TD Ameritrade, Nike, and Goldman Sachs), and his work & ideas have been covered in The New York Times, Financial Times, Wired, Entrepreneur, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc., and TED. You may remember Jamie from his previous appearance on Finding Mastery back in 2017 where we discussed flow states and altered states of consciousness – that’s episode #67 if you’re looking to check it out. This time around, we discuss some of Jamie’s most recent work where he takes radical research out of the extremes and applies it to the mainstream, exploring macro topics like where we are today, why it’s so hard to make sense of the world, what might be com

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine physician and the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine. Gabrielle received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition where specialized in vitamin and mineral metabolism. Now, in her private medical practice, Gabrielle leverages evidence-based medicine with emerging cutting-edge science to restore metabolism, balance hormones, and optimize body composition with the goal of lifelong vitality. Her patients include world-class athletes, as well as elite military operators such as Navy SEALS, Green Berets, Army Rangers and US & Canadian Special Forces. In a world where vegetarianism and veganism have seemingly become the “gold standard” for health, Gabrielle has quite a different perspective, and it was fascinating to learn about some of Gabrielle’s unique appr

This week’s conversation is with Chris Mosier, a hall-of-fame triathlete, All-American duathlete, and a 6-time member of Team USA.But Chris is far more than an elite athlete – he is a trailblazer. In 2015, Chris became the first transgender man to represent the United States in international competition – he is also the first transgender athlete to be sponsored by Nike, featured in the ESPN Body Issue, and to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the gender they identify.He continues to be a leading voice for gender-inclusive policy in sport and is a mentor, role model, and inspiration for transgender athletes, teams, and leagues around the world. To do anything at the elite level is extremely challenging and rare – and Chris has done that while navigating an internal experience that is uniquely different from anyone else we’ve had on this podcast. In this conversation, we dive into the complexities (and controversies) surrounding transgender athletes – certainly a hot topic in today’s society that dese

This week’s conversation is with Chris Duffin, a world-record holding powerlifter who is commonly known as the “Mad Scientist of Strength”.Chris is arguably one of the strongest pound-for-pound humans in the world – he is the only person to squat and deadlift over 1,000 pounds for reps, has a Guinness World Record for the sumo deadlift, and was ranked the number one powerlifter in the world for eight years straight. However, Chris’ strength extends far beyond the physical domain – in his best-selling memoir The Eagle and The Dragon, Chris tells the unfiltered version of his unconventional and harrowing journey from a boy born in chaos to the self-made man he is today. And that’s what this conversation is all about – how true strength is about so much more than lifting heavy weights. Chris shares how struggle propelled him forward, how he responds to adversity, what it means to be there for others, and how the human spirit can be either shackled by circumstance or freed from it.-----You can also watc

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Mona Sobhani, a cognitive neuroscientist, researcher, entrepreneur and author.After receiving her doctorate from the University of Southern California, Mona spent the next several years contributing her expertise in neuroscience to fields such as law, business, healthcare tech, venture capital, and research innovation centers. Then, following what she describes as an “existential crisis,” everything changed. Her strict scientific perspective, frameworks of thinking, and process for truth-seeking were no longer satisfying the bigger questions she had about life – she became fascinated by exploring the crossroads of science and spirituality. In her new book, Proof of Spiritual Phenomena: A Neuroscientist’s Discovery of the Ineffable Mysteries of the Universe, she details her transformation from a diehard scientific materialist to an open-minded spiritual seeker.Coming from a scientific background myself, this was a fascinating conversation – Mona has done the

This week’s conversation is with Chris Waddell, a Paralympian who is widely known as the most decorated mono-skier in U.S. history.Chris began ski racing at the age of six, and went on to ski competitively at Middlebury College - where an accident during a freshman year training session left him paralyzed from the waist down.What happens for most of us when we go through a life-altering event, is that it reveals our internal operating system - one’s world-view, personal philosophy, and psychological skills. While Chris couldn’t use his body the same way – it revealed who he is.Within a year, Chris was back on the mountain as a mono-skier and soon became the fastest in the world. He has gone on to compete in seven Paralympic games, earning 13 medals in alpine skiing and track & field, cementing his place as one of Team USA’s most successful two-sport athletes, and a Paralympic Hall of Famer.As if that wasn’t enough, in 2009 Chris also became the first “nearly unassisted” paraplegic to summit the 19,340-foo

This week’s conversation is with Oliver Burkeman, a British author and journalist who I’ve really enjoyed his writings on productivity, mortality, the power of limits, and thoughts on building a meaningful life in an age of distraction. Oliver is the winner of the Foreign Press Association's Young Journalist of the Year award, and for many years wrote a hit weekly column for The Guardian called This Column Will Change Your Life.In this conversation, we dive into Oliver’s newest book, Four Thousand Weeks - where he uses the average number of weeks that humans live, 4k – as a reference point to help us examine how we are living…especially in a world of impossible demands, infinite choice, and countless “productivity techniques” that mainly just leave us feeling busier - and less fulfilled. Oliver’s perspective and insights were a breath of fresh air, and I hope you’ll leave this conversation inspired to do the work to get clear on your values and prioritize your time based on the things that really ma

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Rachel Zoffness, a medical educator and disruptor who is revolutionizing the way we understand and treat pain. By trade, Rachel is a trained pain psychologist, a Visiting Professor at Stanford, an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, and a consultant on the development of integrative pain programs around the world.She is also the author of The Pain Management Workbook, which merges pain neuroscience with psychology – brain with body, physical with emotional – to get to the heart of true pain management. If you or someone close to you lives with any kind of pain or discomfort – which I’m guessing is true for many of us – I think you’re going to find incredible value from Rachel. All of us will experience pain at some point in our lives… it’s part of the human condition. But thanks to Rachel, knowing where that pain comes from – and how to better manage it – no longer has to be a mystery.-----You can also watch this - and every - conversatio

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Tom House, a former Major League Baseball pitcher turned world-renowned expert in the biomechanics of throwing. Often referred to as the “father of modern pitching mechanics” and a “quarterback whisperer”, Tom has coached some of the world’s most elite throwers like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, Andrew Luck, Dak Prescott… and the list goes on. Tom is one of the preeminent pioneers who brought science into the art of coaching – after eight years as a big league pitcher and eight more as a big league pitching coach, he earned a doctorate in sports psychology, and has gone on to write or co-write 22 books on throwing mechanics. Now, Tom is on a mission to pay it forward to the next generation – his new revolutionary app, Mustard, makes world-class coaching and tactics used by professional athletes accessible to athletes of all ages right from their smartphone. I can’t wait for you to learn from Tom – not as an elite throwing coach, but as a pione

This week’s conversation is with Ty Murray, one of the most accomplished Roughstock athletes of all time. Having earned a record-setting seven All-Around World Championships, Ty has rightfully earned his nickname in the industry as “King of the Cowboys”.Throughout his illustrious career, Ty competed in three of the rodeo’s most risky and dangerous events – bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding – dominating all three “rough-stock” disciplines with the singular heart of a champion.At the age of 23, Ty became the youngest millionaire in rodeo history, and eight years later was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Ty has also been a trailblazer for the sport behind the scenes – in 1992 he became a founding member of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), which sought mainstream attention for “America’s original extreme sport.” Ty is epic and so is this conversation – I can’t wait for you to hear his story and learn from a human who has dedicated his life towards exploring the upper reaches of his pot

This week’s conversation is with Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a Professor of Education, Psychology, Human Development and Neuroscience at the University of Southern California. Mary Helen studies the psychological and neurobiological development of emotion and self-awareness of adolescents in educational settings. Since earning her doctorate from Harvard in 2005, she has received numerous awards for her research and impact on education and society, including an Honor Coin from the U.S. Army, a Commendation from the County of Los Angeles, and a Cozzarelli Prize from the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.Currently, Mary Helen is conducting several funded, multiyear neurobiological research studies on adolescent students and their teachers. In this conversation we discuss how students really learn, and what we can do to enhance how we teach in an education system. But Mary Helen’s insights extend far beyond the educational setting – those with a deep understanding of the role emotion p

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Andrew Weil, a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine.He is a New York Times bestselling author of 15 books, the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, and has been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine – and that doesn’t even begin scratch the surface of Andrew’s accomplishments and contribution to society throughout his incredible career. To put it simply – the man is an absolute legend in his field. We had Andrew on the podcast back in 2020 (that’s episode 250 if you’re looking to check it out), and I could not be more excited to have him back on for round two. This time around, we dive into the dawn of psychedelics – a topic that Andrew has been studying since his time at Harvard Medical School in the 1960s. I’ve always been a little skeptical when it comes to adopting psychedelics (or any other external substance) as a tool

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, a world-renowned executive coach and New York Times bestselling author of Triggers and What Got You Here Won't Get You There.Throughout Marshall's career, he has worked with CEOs from over 200 companies, has been named one of the Top Ten Business Thinkers in the World, and in 2018 was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the field of business education and leadership coaching. Marshall also has a new book out – The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment – where he explores what it means to earn your path and live a fulfilled, purpose-driven life, which is one of the reasons I was so excited to have him on.Although we agree that no one does the extraordinary alone, you’ll hear, toward the end of the conversation, there’s a ton of fire - two people passionately talking about their philosophies, which are very, very different. That’s what it’s all about.We are all uniquely different, working from diffe

This week’s conversation is with Keira D’Amato, a full-time realtor, mother of two, and one of the most elite female long-distance runners in the United States. Keira’s running career took off in college where she became a four-time All-American Track athlete at American University. However, just a couple years after graduating, she underwent a major ankle surgery which put a quick - and heartbreaking - end to her post-collegiate running career. Eight years later, Keira started chasing down some “unfinished business” and went on to set the American Women’s Record in the Marathon (2:19:12), the World Record in the Women’s Only 10 Mile Run (51:23), and was selected to Team USA for the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020 & 2022... all while juggling the responsibilities of raising two kids and a career as a full-time realtor. Keira is epic and this conversation is about so much more than her career as an athlete – it’s about pain, purpose, re-discovery, and having the courage to go for t

This week’s conversation is with Josh Peck, an actor, comedian, author, Youtuber, and television superstar. Josh rose to near-instant fame when he starred for four seasons as the comedic center of Nickelodeon’s hit show Drake & Josh. Since then, he has spent the last two decades establishing himself as one of Hollywood's rising talents – he has starred in several feature films and is currently on set for other major projects, such as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer alongside industry legends like Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. However, Josh’s quick rise to stardom didn’t come without consequence – in his new book, Happy People Are Annoying, Josh opens up for the first time about his coming of age journey under the spotlight and the struggles that came along with it.And that’s what this conversation is about -  learning, growing, finding bright spots in the scary parts of life, and the life-changing freedom that comes on the other side of acceptance.----Please support our par

This week’s conversation is with Greg Olsen, a football broadcaster for FOX Sports and former tight end who played in the NFL for 14 seasons. During his time in the league, Greg was a three-time Pro Bowler, currently ranks fifth all-time among tight ends for receptions and receiving yards, and left the Carolina Panthers – where he spent a majority of his career – as the franchise’s all-time leading tight end in receptions receiving yards, and 100-yard receiving games. Now – alongside his career as a sportscaster – Greg co-launched a media company, Audiorama, with its flagship podcast, Youth Inc., where Greg discusses the changing world of youth sports in America.There is much more to Greg than meets the eye or what’s read on his NFL resumé.The majority of this conversation is about what sits underneath his success. It’s about leading, learning, parenting, and how sport can play an integral role in our kids’ upbringing - but we also dive into how he and his family dealt with crisis – and did it in a