What if compassion isn’t just a nice to have—but a game-changer for high performance?

Dr. James Doty is a world-renowned neurosurgeon, a clinical professor at Stanford, and the founder of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). He’s also the NYT bestselling author of Into The Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart—a book that has inspired millions to rethink what really drives success and fulfillment.

In this episode, James shares his remarkable journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a leader in neurosurgery and compassion research. We dive deep into how kindness, vulnerability, and mindfulness can supercharge resilience, connection, and peak performance.

We also unpack James’ latest book, Magic Mind, exploring the neuroscience of manifestation—what’s real, what’s hype, and how science can help us unlock our true potential.

If you’re interested in understanding how compassion can be a catalyst for profound change in both your inner and outer world, then this conversation is for you. 

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Is the real battle for mastery fought outside of us—or within—and what does it take to win that fight every day?

I’m so excited for this week’s guest, Steven Pressfield. Steven is a bestselling author and thought leader on creativity, known for his groundbreaking works like The War of Art and The Legend of Bagger Vance. 

Steven’s journey is a testament to perseverance—he didn’t publish his first novel until he was 52—and his story proves that it’s never too late to embrace your calling. In this conversation, Steven and I dive deep into the nature of Resistance—how it manifests as fear, procrastination, or self-doubt—and what it takes to overcome it. We explore the concept of the “unlived life” and the metaphor of the “underground river” that represents our innate talents and passions. Steven shares his insights on creativity as a sacred connection, how to discover your purpose, and why living authentically is one of life’s greatest battles.

Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, athlete, or anyone on the path to mastery, I think you’ll find Steven’s perspective both grounding and inspiring.

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Happy New Year!

The start of the year is such an exciting time – it’s a natural opportunity to reset, ground ourselves, and re-align with who we are… and who we want to become.

In the spirit of the New Year, we have a very special episode for you today – many of you who listen to the podcast may not be aware that Finding Mastery has a whole other very exciting side to our business. With the help of our very own performance strategists, former Olympians, and mindset coaches, we get the opportunity to work with some of the most influential organizations in the world (like Microsoft, Maersk, Salesforce, and many others) to help them solve some of the world’s most dynamic human performance challenges. 

In this episode, I’m joined by two of our incredible Olympians and Finding Mastery mindset coaches: Dr. Nicole Davis, a two-time Olympic silver medalist in indoor volleyball from the Beijing and London games – and Caroline Burckle, an Olympic bronze medalist swimmer from the Beijing games. 

Together, we’re here to help you shape, and bring to life, a powerful intention to set the stage for the coming year. 

Olympians are an incredible subset to teach us about intentions and how to bring them to life because their entire journey to success depends on a disciplined, deliberate, and methodical approach to achieving their ambitions.

Whether you’re setting personal goals, professional aspirations, or just looking to make 2025 your best year yet, Nicole and Caroline have so many gems to offer.

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Happy Holidays

Today, we’re doing something a little bit different – I wanted to take a moment to reflect on something I think many of us experience this time of year: joy, connection, and—if we’re being honest– the holidays can be a time for big emotions. They have this incredible way of amplifying everything. The fun feels extra fun, and the challenging moments?... They can feel extra challenging. From navigating travel to managing family dynamics, or even just trying to stay present while a thousand other things pull at your attention—it’s not always easy to find your footing.

So today, we want to offer you something to help you radically flourish during the holiday season, during the season of big emotions, whatever those emotions might be – a guided mindfulness so you can approach the holidays with a bit more ease, clarity, and joy.

This isn’t about perfection or turning the holidays into a highlight reel. It’s about showing up as your most authentic self, finding those moments of gratitude and connection that can make this time of year special, and letting go of the things that don’t serve you.

This meditation is about 14 minutes—just enough time to hit pause, reconnect with yourself, and set the stage for a holiday season that feels a little more intentional.

So, find a quiet spot and settle in. Here’s to navigating the holidays with presence and purpose.

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What if suffering wasn’t just something to endure but a tool to unlock your full potential? 

Today’s guest is Sean Waxman—a renowned strength and conditioning coach, former Olympic weightlifter, and author of the transformative book Suffer Smarter. He’s also been a close friend for nearly 30 years and someone I constantly enjoy learning from.

Sean’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and purpose. I do not say those words lightly. He turned the heartbreak of missing the Olympics into a mission to help others discover their own inner strength—both physically and mentally.

Sean’s insights are practical, raw, and deeply inspiring—a powerful reminder of the lessons waiting in life’s hardest moments.

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Can transforming thoughts and beliefs lead to measurable changes in your health and wellbeing?

I’m thrilled to share this week’s conversation with Dr Joe Dispenza. Dr Joe is a New York Times best-selling author, researcher, lecturer, and corporate consultant, known for his transformative teachings on the power of the mind to heal and shape reality. 

Since 2010, Dr Joe has partnered with renowned scientists and universities – including University of California San Diego, Harvard University, Stanford University, and others – to perform extensive research on the effects of meditation on the brain and body.

Inspired by the latest findings in neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, epigenetics, and quantum physics, Dr Joe teaches people worldwide to rewire their brains, break free from limiting patterns, and unlock their potential – all of which (and more) is showcased in his most recent film, SOURCE - It's Within You.

If you’re curious about how to harness the mind’s power to alter your experience and achieve greater fulfillment, this conversation is one you’re going to want to listen deeply to.

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What if the most important part of a young athlete’s experience is the car ride home? 

Today, I’m excited to share a special conversation I had with football legend Greg Olsen on his podcast, Youth Inc. 

For those who aren’t familiar, Greg is a football broadcaster for FOX Sports and 3x pro-bowler tight-end who played in the NFL for 14 seasons. 

Now – alongside his career as a broadcaster – Greg launched a media company called Youth, Inc., which has a flagship podcast by the same name that focuses on the changing world of youth sports. And in that space Greg is someone to pay attention to.

This was a fantastic conversation all about fostering environments for kids to thrive – and I’m super excited to share it with you here.

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How does an integrative approach to living “the good life” - one that blends mental, physical, and spiritual development — help to unlock new levels of human potential? 

That’s a big question. 

To help us answer it, I am honored to welcome one of my own mentors to the podcast for this week’s conversation – Dr. Cristina Versari.  Cristina is a pioneer in the world of sports psychology and the president of the San Diego University for Integrative Studies.  She is renowned for her work mentoring athletes, executives, and high performers using an innovative approach to performance and personal growth.

In this conversation, we discuss how Cristina’s near-death experience shaped her perspective on growth and resilience, how she teaches her students using a “business-minded” approach, and so much more.  

We are all navigating challenges – whether it’s anxiety, grief, financial challenges or simply the pressure to perform. Cristina offers a refreshing perspective that’s grounded in integrative psychology. I’m really excited for you to learn from her insights…. And to learn a bit more about me along the way.

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What does it take to cultivate a mindset that thrives on challenge and discomfort?... To have the courage to be radically honest with yourself to experience extraordinary growth?

And how can having that courage lead to personal growth and winning multiple times on the world-stage?

Today we’re joined by the legendary Kerri Walsh Jennings. Kerri is a five-time Olympian with three gold medals and one bronze medal – the most decorated beach volleyball player in history, known for her relentless pursuit of growth on and off the court. 

Kerri and I got to catch up in Paris during the Olympics – it was such a joy to reconnect, to learn from her, and to reminisce on some of the work we had done together years ago. 

There’s no one like her. Her fire, her care for others, her commitment to be her very best as a competitor, a wife, a mother, and a friend is all part of her recipe to becoming one of the all-time greats in her sport. 

Her unique mindset allows her to embrace challenges, redefine failure, and lean into the full spectrum of human experience.

We all have adversity - she walks us through how she uses it for growth and sustained success. I’m so excited to share it with you.

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What happens when athletes translate their competitive edge and discipline from sports into the business world?

Today, we have an extraordinary guest—Jeff Byers. Jeff is a former NFL player turned entrepreneur, cofounder, and CEO of Momentous, a leading company in human performance nutrition. 

With a unique background in professional sports and business, Jeff is passionate about translating the discipline and resilience learned on the field into strategies for health, wellbeing, and high performance.

I LOVE what Jeff is building at Momentous – it’s really special. Our values and visions around high performance and helping others reach their potential are so aligned that we’ve worked out an awesome partnership – and I’m really excited to support their mission. 

And – Jeff is an amazing human as well. If you’re interested in pushing your own boundaries, fueling yourself for optimal results, and learning from someone who has excelled both on the field and in the boardroom, then this conversation is for you.

P.S. If you’re serious about making an investment in your health and want to learn more about Momentous, just head to www.livemomentous.com/findingmastery where you can receive 20%+ your first order.

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Today, we are stoked to share Volume 25 of Finding Mastery’s Ask Me Anything.

Joining us, as always, is our co-host O’Neil Cespedes, and today’s AMA is a little bit different – instead of having O’Neil read your questions, we had you call in to ask questions yourselves. We loved this format, it was great to hear some of your voices, and we dove into some really fun concepts like:

• Combating burnout at the end of the year
• Building habits and the importance of morning routines
• How to build self-trust, calm, and confidence
• If there is utility in cultivating “alter-egos”
• How to maintain high performance while not being connected to results
• And so much more…

Thank you to those who called in – we love digging into what matters most to you. Keep the questions coming, and we hope you enjoy this AMA as much as we did.

To learn more about our partner MUD\WTR and receive an exclusive discount, head to: https://mudwtr.com/MASTERY

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