What does it mean to live wisely in a loud, distracted, and often reactive world?

Ryan Holiday—bestselling author and modern Stoic philosopher—returns to explore how wisdom actually works… not as a theory or a prize of age, but as a daily practice of reflection, humility, and courage.

Ryan breaks down why wisdom takes work, how Stoic philosophy applies to modern parenting and leadership, and why the ability to think deeply and act deliberately might be the rarest skill in today’s world. This conversation goes beyond ideas — it’s about living wisely when life feels anything but quiet.

You’ll learn:

• How to treat wisdom as a practice, not an identity
• Why wisdom demands both courage and humility
• The key to raising thoughtful kids in a noisy world
• How to find calm and clarity in times of distraction and division
• Why discernment is the superpower for the age of AI and misinformation

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What if the real risk to our health isn’t aging itself, but becoming metabolically weak?

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon — physician, researcher, and one of the leading voices redefining how we think about health and longevity — shares why muscle sits at the center of lasting strength, energy, and vitality. In this wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais, she explores why health isn’t something to manage later with prescriptions, but something to build deliberately through strength and daily discipline.

Dr. Lyon’s muscle-centric approach reframes aging and performance: real longevity is not about doing less, but building the capacity to do more — with purpose, clarity, and resilience. From the science of protein and training to the psychology of sustainable health, this conversation offers a roadmap to living strong, not just long.

You’ll learn:

• Why muscle is the organ of longevity
• How to build metabolic health through training and nutrition
• The key to balancing strength, performance, and recovery
• How to approach GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic) with nuance and caution
• Why physical strength fuels mental resilience and purpose

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What changes when anxiety shows up—and you stop trying to outrun it, and start learning how to work with it?

Dan Harris—journalist, bestselling author, and host of 10% Happier—returns to Finding Mastery to explore practical ways to work with anxiety. Dan unpacks how meditation, compassionate self-talk, and exposure built his capacity after a panic attack on live TV—and why curiosity is a powerful antidote to fear.

Dan and Dr. Mike go beyond optimization into the human side: rebuilding from collapse, confronting panic (on planes, elevators, and big stages), and the daily reps that make composure more accessible. This is a grounded look at attention, identity, and training your inner life—without hacks or magical thinking.

What you’ll learn

• How to use meditation as “bicep curls for the brain”
• Why self-talk (especially in third person) regulates panic in real time
• The key to working at your edge without traumatizing yourself
• How to turn exposure into confidence and capacity
• Why curiosity beats cynicism for mental performance

At its heart, this episode is a reminder: mastery isn’t a shortcut; it’s alignment between awareness, training, and what matters most.

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Links & Resources

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If you’re trying to be productive, what if the answer isn’t to do more… but to do less, better?

On today’s episode, we welcome back Cal Newport — Georgetown computer science professor, bestselling author of Deep Work and Slow Productivity, and one of the most influential voices on focus, sustainable achievement, and the hidden costs of our digital lives.

Cal and Dr. Mike pick up where their first conversation left off — exploring why the human brain can’t do its best work while juggling five active tasks, how context switching quietly crushes output, and what leaders can do to build cultures that protect focus without adding headcount.

On the human side, Cal dives into digital fatigue, rethinking our relationship with phones, and how parents can create healthier tech norms at home. Finally, he looks ahead to AI — not with fear, but with clarity about how it can remove friction and restore our ability to think deeply.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why doing fewer things at once leads to faster, better results
• How to reduce context switching and build deep work into team culture
• The difference between true productivity and “pseudo-productivity”
• How to counter digital fatigue at work and at home — with different strategies for each
• What parents should know about phones, social media, and attention
• How AI can actually protect deep work when used wisely

The heart of this conversation: mastery in the modern world isn’t about speed or volume — it’s about depth, clarity, and choosing what truly deserves your attention.

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The most powerful way to enter a new year is not with resolutions, but with a deeper understanding of how to connect with the people who matter most.

As we close out the year, the Finding Mastery team is taking time to rest, re-calibrate and reflect — practicing the same principles we talk about on this podcast. 

So today, we’re sharing a conversation from the Finding Mastery Vault with two legends in the science of relationships: Drs. John and Julie Gottman.

Together, they’ve spent more than 50 years studying what makes love last — from small moments of connection to the hidden habits that quietly erode trust. In this conversation, we explore the daily rituals that deepen intimacy, how to repair after conflict, and why the best relationships aren’t perfect — they’re practiced.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to turn conflict into closeness through repair
• The four behaviors that quietly destroy relationships (and how to replace them)
• Why “love is a verb” — and what that means in action
• The difference between bids for connection and real listening
• How to communicate needs without criticism or defensiveness

From the entire Finding Mastery team, we wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy New Year. We’ll see you in 2026! Enjoy this episode with The Gottmans.

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What if the greatest gift you could offer this season isn’t something you buy—but rather the way you choose to meet yourself and others—with kindness?

As we pause new releases over the holidays, the Finding Mastery team is taking time to rest, reflect, and be with our loved ones — because we believe relationships are part of the practice of mastery itself.

So today, we’re re-releasing a powerful, audio-only episode from the Finding Mastery Vault: a conversation with THE Sharon Salzberg, one of the world’s leading teachers of wisdom, mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation.

Sharon shares how love can be trained as an ability, why discernment and gratitude sharpen performance, and how to meet fear without hardening. She also walks us through a simple loving-kindness meditation you can use right away. Her lessons are as relevant now as they were when we first shared this conversation — maybe even more so in a world that could use a little more gentleness right now.

So, Happy Holidays from all of us here at Finding Mastery and with that, enjoy this week’s From The Vault conversation with Sharon Salzberg.

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Links & Resources

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What would change if you stopped trying to push through fatigue — and instead learned what your biology is trying to tell you?

On today’s episode of Finding Mastery, we sit down with entrepreneur, author, and biohacking pioneer Dave Asprey — founder of Bulletproof, Upgrade Labs, and widely regarded as the father of the modern biohacking movement. This is Dave’s second time on the podcast, and it’s a nuanced exploration of what it means to live with vitality and consciousness in a world obsessed with optimization.

In this episode, Dr. Mike and Dave dig into the science and philosophy behind performance, recovery, and emotional regulation — from neurofeedback and cold exposure to trauma, forgiveness, and redefining what “health” actually feels like. Dave opens up about losing his company, being publicly criticized, and the deep internal work required to find strength and gratitude again. 

You’ll learn:

• Why “listening to your biology” may be more effective than pushing through fatigue.
• How Dave used neurofeedback and meditation to recover from collapse and betrayal.
• The link between emotional regulation, energy, and mitochondrial health.
• How to think critically about longevity practices — from fasting to peptides.
• Why darkness, stillness, and sunlight are as vital as any supplement.

The conversation bridges biology and self-awareness — asking whether efficiency can coexist with depth, and what mastery really looks like when you align your body, mind, and purpose.

Quick note from the Finding Mastery team: The views expressed are the guest’s own and do not reflect those of Dr. Mike Gervais or Finding Mastery. This conversation is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a licensed professional for questions on your own health. Thank you and enjoy the episode.

Links & Resources

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What if the future of work isn’t about technology at all — but about unlocking more humanity in each other?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Kathleen Hogan, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Microsoft, and one of the key architects behind the company’s cultural reinvention. Kathleen helped lead Microsoft’s shift from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” culture — embedding empathy, curiosity, and growth mindset across a global workforce of more than 220,000 people.

In this conversation, Kathleen and Dr. Michael Gervais explore what it really means to lead with humanity. She shares the moments that shaped her leadership — from facing cancer twice, to redefining success through purpose and connection — and the inner work required to help others unlock their potential.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Kathleen helped Microsoft reimagine its culture from the inside out
• Why purpose and empathy are the foundation of effective leadership
• How to build psychological safety and courage in high-performing teams
• What it means to lead with curiosity instead of certainty
• The role AI can play in empowering — not replacing — human potential

At its heart, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn’t about knowing more — it’s about caring more.

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Links & Resources

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What does it really mean to live with courage and conviction?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. John Amaechi — organizational psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and the first openly gay NBA player. Along his journey, John always set out to be himself in a world that repeatedly told him he was too big, too soft-spoken, too smart, too different. 

In this conversation, John brings us into parts of his internal world that are hard for any of us to talk about: navigating shame, identity, belonging, and the responsibility of not shrinking so others can stay comfortable. He talks about the cost of visibility, and the radical power of deciding that your worth is not up for negotiation.

In this episode, we explore:

• How to move from clarity to conviction in your personal and professional life
• Why vulnerability is a core strength of courageous leadership
• The key to creating relationships rooted in empathy and presence
• How to develop moral courage — and know when to walk away
• What it means to lead from your first principles

Through stories drawn from sport, psychology, and leadership, John challenges our cultural obsession with individual achievement and redefines what it means to succeed — not by how high you climb, but by how deeply you care and how many people you lift along the way. 

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Links & Resources:

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What if the most powerful thing you can do for your health isn’t diet or exercise — but investing in the people you love?

Today’s episode is from the Finding Mastery Vault — a timeless conversation with Dr. Robert Waldinger, psychiatrist, Harvard professor, Zen master, and Director of the world’s longest-running scientific study on happiness.

In this conversation, we explore the science of connection — how relationships literally get into our bodies, lower stress, improve our health, and expand our capacity to live well. We also discuss why loneliness can be as dangerous as smoking, and how small acts of social fitness, paired with the courage to be vulnerable, can change the trajectory of your life.

You’ll learn:

• How to build “social fitness” and maintain meaningful relationships over time
• Why relationships get into our bodies and improve long-term health
• The science behind loneliness, stress, and emotional regulation
• What it means to live a psychologically rich and purposeful life
• How leaders can foster connection and belonging at work

This episode is timeless — and a powerful reminder: no one does it alone.

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Links & Resources

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What if the key to becoming a champion isn’t about chasing wins—but knowing when to pause, prioritize the inner work, and trust that the rest will follow?

On today’s episode, filmed in front of a live audience at California Surf Club, we sit down with Caroline Marks — the 2023 World Surf League Women’s Champion and 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist. By 23, Caroline has already reached the pinnacle of her sport, becoming one of the most dominant surfers of her generation. But what makes her story remarkable isn’t just the medals—it’s the emotional and psychological work behind them.

In this conversation, Caroline opens up about rebuilding after the heartbreak of Tokyo, the self-doubt that almost sidelined her, and how therapy, family, and faith in herself helped her rediscover her love for surfing. Dr. Mike and Caroline unpack what it means to train not just the body, but the mind—to develop emotional awareness, to redefine success, and to keep the joy alive in high-stakes environments.

You’ll learn:

• How to rebuild confidence and purpose after a major setback
• Why emotional awareness is the foundation for high performance
• The key to balancing ambition with inner peace
• How to strengthen trust—in yourself and in others
• What it means to find motivation after reaching the top
• Why mastering your emotions is a major competitive advantage

This is a powerful look into the mindset of a young champion who’s rewriting what it means to win...inside and out. Tune in to hear how Caroline Marks is defining mastery on her own terms.

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Location: Thanks to California Surf Club, 239 N Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA.

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