Finding Mastery: Conversations With Michael Gervais

This week’s conversation is with Shea Serrano, an author and journalist.His books include The Rap Year Book, Basketball (and Other Things), and Movies (and Other Things), all three of which were New York Times best-sellersTwo of them were number one on the list and one was picked by Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of the year.Shea is also known for his work with the sports and pop culture websites, The Ringer and Grantland.This conversation is as real as it gets.Shea used to be a teacher and he loved it -- but he couldn’t afford to take care of his family. He had to figure out what else he could do and that led him to writing.Shea’s story is about perseverance.It’s about outworking the competition so he could provide for those closest to him.It’s about pushing fear aside and going for it.------Please support our partners!We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them

This week’s conversation is with Kelley O’Hara, who plays soccer for both the US women’s national team and Utah Royals FC.As a member of the USWNT, she has won two World Cups and an Olympic Gold Medal.Prior to her professional career, she attended Stanford University, where she won the Hermann Trophy in 2009, awarded annually to the United States' top male and female college soccer players.We cover so much in this conversation.Inner Drive. Resiliency. Equality. Authenticity. Impact.When I think about the challenging times we’re currently facing, those 5 words are just about the most significant words I can think of right now.Kelley is a tremendous role model for the next generation and I can’t wait for you to learn from her.------Please support our partners!We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!To take advantage of deals from our partners, head to https://www.findingmaster

This week’s conversation is with Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and my business partner at Compete to Create.In this conversation, we decided to do something different -- we flipped the model a bit and for good reason.I'm incredibly excited to share that my first book, an Audible Original, is coming out on July 9th, titled: Compete to Create: An Approach to Living and Leading Authentically.I couldn’t be more honored to co-write it with Pete Carroll.So what’s different about this conversation?Beyond being overwhelmingly excited to announce our Audible Original release, we invited Sage Steele, ESPN SportsCenter host and recent Finding Mastery guest, to interview both Pete and myself.We discuss how we first got started working together, what we’ve come to learn about helping others explore their potential, and why we wanted to write a book together.Our new Audible Original offers an in-depth look at how world-class athletes, artists, entrepreneurs and top business leaders organize their inn

This week’s conversation is with Travis Pastrana.If you're a fan of action sports, you know the name.By four years old, Travis was already riding a one-speed motorcycle.At the age of 14, he won the world freestyle championship.Travis continued to display his versatility into the early 2000's racking up numerous Supercross and Motocross podiums as well a Motocross of Nations Championship title.In 2001, Travis was awarded Motocross Rider of the Year at the ESPN Action Sports & Music Awards.He has since accumulated 17 X-Games medals, including 11 gold medals, plus five golds from the Gravity Games, as well more wins at other events including Dew Tour and Red Bull X-Fighters.At the 2006 X Games, Travis redefined what was possible in Freestyle Motocross with his groundbreaking double backflip on a motorbike.As one of the founders and ringleader of Nitro Circus, Travis is committed to the progression of action sports as a whole and has set his sights on redefining the sport of rallycross with the evolution of N

This week’s conversation is with Soledad O’Brien, an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author and philanthropist.She is dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues.Soledad currently anchors and produces the Hearst Television political magazine program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” and she also reports regularly for HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”She has anchored shows on CNN, MSNBC and NBC, and hosted projects for Fox and A&E.At CNN, she was the face of CNN’s morning news shows for many years and a frequent reporter and analyst for breaking news stories and election coverage.She also anchored the CNN documentary unit, where she created the “In America” documentary series, which includes “Black in America” and “Latino in America.”Soledad was recognized with three Emmy awards -- for her coverage of the Haiti earthquake, the 2012 election and a series called “Kids and Race.”So Soledad’s resume speaks for itself-- she has a deep regard for

This week’s conversation is with Michael Bennett, a defensive end in the National Football League.Michael signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and was an instrumental member of the 2013 team that won the Super Bowl. He's also a 3x Pro-Bowler.While Michael’s craft is football, there is so much more to Michael the human being.He’s an advocate for social justice and after the events of the last week and the ongoing protests, I wanted to have him on the podcast to more than anything else just … listen.Michael’s words are significant. He has much to share. But what I found even more powerful than his words was his tone.He doesn’t once raise his voice, he doesn’t blame others, yet you can hear the pain in his voice. You can hear the yearning for change; for a different America.We discuss the systemic issues that make everyday life difficult for African-Americans and what each of us can do to make a positive impact going forward.This is an incredibly difficult, yet important time for o

This week’s conversation is with Dr. Melanie Joy, a Harvard-educated psychologist specializing in relationships, communication, and social change.Melanie is best known for her groundbreaking theories on the psychology of violence, nonviolence, and building healthy relationships.Her analyses have helped explain why people engage in “nonrelational” behaviors—behaviors that harm other people, animals, the planet, and themselves—as well as how to change this patternShe is the eighth recipient of the Ahimsa Award—previously given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela—for her work on global nonviolence; and she also received both the Peter Singer Prize and the Empty Cages Prize for her work developing strategies to reduce the suffering of animals. Melanie’s mission is to raise awareness of the obstacles preventing people from interacting in ways that create a sense of mutual connection.These obstacles are both internal (psychological) and external (social), and they are a key reason why we act against our own i

This week’s conversation is with Deepak Chopra, a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation.Deepak is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spiritualityTIME magazine has described Deepak as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities.Deepak also has a new short form podcast called - Now for Tomorrow. I had the chance to be a guest and we stitched it onto the end of this conversation so I hope you enjoy it.In this conversation, we explore big questions -- about the nature of reality and consciousness.W

This week’s conversation is with Dr. David Fajgenbaum, a groundbreaking physician-scientist and disease hunter.The timing of his insights is incredibly relevant for us right now.David is best known as the ‘doctor who cured himself’ – he received his last rites while in medical school and nearly died four more times battling Castleman disease.To try to save his own life, he spearheaded an innovative approach to research through the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and discovered a treatment that has put him into his longest remission ever.Now, he is spreading this approach to other diseases like COVID19.David is also one of the youngest individuals ever appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine and the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of a highly-competitive National Institute’s of Health grant.As someone who’s been on the verge of death multiple times, David has a unique perspective… he shares how it’s altered his approach to life.David likes to refer to it as pl

We are in a unique moment in world history. From the devastating loss of life to the financial fallout to the closing of borders, businesses, industries and schools, we are collectively confronted by a reality few of us could have ever imagined.Decision-making leans on precedents and guiding principles, but how do leaders react when there are no precedents to follow?I had a series of conversations with friends inside our community to better understand the approach of those who effectively lead during moments of great stress, strain and uncertainty. I wanted to distill insights about leadership while we are still in the middle of the crisis, while it’s raw.During crisis, leaders are called upon to rely on their preparation, respond in the moment, and locate the opportunity in a future that has not yet arrived. And they have to do these all at once with limited information and the well-being of others hanging in the balance. I’m honored to be doing this project in partnership with Microsoft and C

This week’s conversation is with George Karl, the 6th winningest coach in NBA basketball history.George coached the Cavs, Warriors, Sonics, Bucks, Nuggets and Kings over the span of 1,999 NBA games.He was also an All American player in college at the University of North Carolina and played in the ABA for the San Antonio Spurs.At UNC, George had the fortune of being mentored by the late Dean Smith and was surrounded by other brilliant basketball minds who helped shape his coaching philosophy.George has never been one to hold back and the same can be said for this conversation.He has some amazing stories to share, including his experiences coaching future Hall of Famer’s Ray Allen and Carmelo Anthony and what it was like going up against Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals.We talk success, we talk failure, and we discuss why finding purpose in his post-coaching life has been challenging.Beyond basketball, George is a three-time cancer survivor so he’s a fighter, he’s resilient by nature.------Please support our pa

This week’s conversation is with Trent Dilfer, a 14 year NFL veteran and Super Bowl Champion.Trent played for five teams during his career, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers.He led the Ravens to a 34-7 victory over the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV (35).Trent has now made it his mission in life to “give back” and has become a positive role model, coach and mentor for upcoming High School Quarterbacks through Elite 11 where he’s had the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and wisdom of the quarterbacking position to the next generation of future College and NFL Players.Trent and I met at Elite 11 and that’s where I got to learn about how special a human being he is.In this conversation we discuss Trent’s journey to the NFL, what he’s learned about himself along the way, and how that ultimately led him to coaching high school football – where he’s currently the head football coach at the Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.And whi

This week’s conversation is with Sage Steele, one of ESPN’s most popular and respected commentators.Sage joined ESPN in 2007 and currently serves as the co-anchor for ESPN’s flagship show, SportsCenter, weekdays at 6 p.m. ET.She has served as the lead host for SportsCenter on the Road, since 2016, a role that includes on-site, day-long and pre-event coverage for the biggest sports events of the year, such as the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the World Series, the Masters, the College Football National Championship and many more.Sage also hosted NBA Countdown on ESPN and ABC from 2013-2017.This is an incredibly powerful conversation.I really wasn’t expecting to go to the places we went but I was so appreciative we did – Sage opens up about her personal life and the difficult yet necessary decisions she’s had to make.As Sage puts it: the most important mental skill is having the courage to speak your truth… and for that matter live your truth.The beautiful thing about this is wh

This week’s conversation is with Marc Randolph, a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor and investor.Marc is the co-founder of Netflix, served as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their web site, and as a member of their board of directors.Although best known for starting Netflix, Marc’s career as an entrepreneur spans more than four decades.He's founded or co-founded more than half a dozen other successful start-ups, mentored rising entrepreneurs including the co-founders of Looker Data which recently sold to Google for $2.6B, and invested in numerous successful tech ventures.He is a frequent speaker at industry events, works extensively with young entrepreneur programs, sits on the board of the environmental advocacy group 1% for the Planet, and chairs the National Outdoor Leadership School’s Board of Trustees.In this conversation we discuss how he and co-founder Reed Hastings developed the idea for Netflix, how to create a strong organizational

This week’s conversation is with Dan Quinn, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.Dan became the head coach in 2015 and has compiled a 43-37 regular season record.In 2016, he led the Falcons to an NFC title and its second Super Bowl appearance.Entering 2020, Dan ranks second in the organization’s history among coaches with at least four seasons with a winning percentage of .538 and fourth in franchise history with 43 regular-season wins.Dan earned his head coaching opportunity after becoming one of the NFL’s top defensive coordinators with the Seattle Seahawks, overseeing the top defensive unit in the NFL.I had the pleasure of getting to know Dan in Seattle, he’s an amazing human.In this conversation, we touch on how he got into coaching, his approach to overcoming difficult moments, and style of leadership.------Please support our partners!We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!

This week’s conversation is with Scott Barry Kaufman, a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential.He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.In 2015, he was named one of "50 Groundbreaking Scientists who are changing the way we see the world" by Business Insider.Scott was a previous guest on Finding Mastery (#078) where we spent time diving into his journey and what made him the man he is today.I wanted to have him back on because he just published a new book titled, Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization… a bold reimagining of Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs--and new insights for realizing your full potential and living your most creative, fulfilled, and connected life.And that’s what we discuss in this conversation.If you’re not familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, definitely check it out.The needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-act

Welcome to Decoding Disruptors, a special edition of the Finding Mastery podcast presented without interruption by Microsoft.Decoding Disruptors takes a deep dive into the minds of extraordinary women who have disrupted the narrative in their businesses, industries, and communities. Every conversation was filmed and is currently available at decodingdisruptors.com.This conversation is with Theresia Gouw, a founder and partner at Acrew Capital and one of the most successful venture capitalists in the world.During her career, Theresia has helped finance and support some of the most successful companies of our time, being an early investor in Facebook, Trulia, Hotel Tonight, Forescout, and Imperva, among others.Time Magazine named her one of the 40 most influential minds in tech. Equally impressive, Theresia helped break the gender barrier in Silicon Valley.She was often the only woman in the room when she arrived in America’s tech capital…Her focus on the elements she could control, like preparat

This week’s conversation is with Hilaree Nelson.With a career spanning two decades that includes dozens of first descents through more than 40 expeditions to 16 different countries, Hilaree is the most prolific ski mountaineer of her generation. Some of these ‘firsts” in the world of ski mountaineering include linking two 8000m peaks (Everest and Lhotse) in one push, first ski descents on Baffin Island, a first American ascent and ski descent of Papsura peak in India , and a first ski descent of the 4th highest peak in the world, Lhotse. Hilaree is the Captain of the North Face Athlete Team, an active leader on climate with Protect Our Winters, and an avid proponent of wild places such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.She was also named by Men’s Journal as one of the most adventurous women of the last 25 years, as well as National Geographic’s 2018 Adventurer of the Year.In this conversation, Hilaree shares some key takeaways from her expeditions, where the wrong decision could mean the d

This week’s conversation is with Chip Conley, a boutique hotel entrepreneur who helped Airbnb's founders turn their fast-growing tech start-up into a global hospitality brand.After selling Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the company he started as a rebel entrepreneur at age 26, Chip wasn't sure what was next.He could have retired at age 52 but the young founders of Airbnb came calling.Chip served as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy for four years — while also being CEO Brian Chesky’s mentor — and continues today as a Strategic Advisor to the company’s leadership.Chip wrote about that experience in Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder where he shares his unexpected journey at midlife — from CEO to intern.While writing Wisdom@Work, Chip was inspired to build the world's first "midlife wisdom school," the Modern Elder Academy, with a 3-acre oceanfront campus in Baja California Sur, Mexico.So why does Chip care so much about this idea of a “modern elder?”It’s because there were a few key points

This week’s conversation is with snowmobiling legend Levi LaVallee, a 13 time X Games Medalist, Snocross Champion, and World Record holderLevi first tasted podium success in 2004 when he won the HillCross snowmobile event at the Winter X Games, in Aspen, Colorado and then made the switch to Freestyle competition.At the 2008 Winter X Games, Levi took gold in both the Speed & Style and Freestyle events and was later named Best Male Athlete of the entire competition.He also made history when he became the first person to attempt a double backflip on a snowmobile at the 2009 Winter X Games.After soaring more than 15m into the air, he went long on the landing and was thrown from his sled upon impact. The attempt was so tantalisingly close to succeeding that many people considered it a great achievement.The X Games medals weren’t enough though -- in 2011, he took the torch from Travis Pastrana, Robbie Maddison and Rhys Millen for one of his greatest feats – Red Bull New Year No Limits.Levi jumped across the San