Champion Conversations Podcast

Jesse K. Wright, founder of the Balance The Bar initiative, is a high performance consultant, Amazon bestselling author of The Intent is to Grow, coach, and public speaker. His career has spanned over two decades in the team sport culture, including working with organizations in the NBA, NFL, NCAA, and in private sports training. His passion lies in helping young professionals grow and advance in their careers and lives. Jesse most recently spent 14 years with the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, first as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach and then as the Director of Performance Science. During his time in professional basketball, he was named the NBA's Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2013, an award voted on by his contemporaries in the league. He also served as President of the National Basketball Strength & Conditioning Association from 2013-2015. In addition, he served as chair of the committee that oversees and coordinates the anthropometric and performance testing for the NBA Pre-Draft Combine for 6 years. In this episode, Jesse shares: · Why continual learning is essential to growing as a leader · How seeking out mentors will help you thrive in new challenges · What he learned about leadership from NBA players like Aaron McKie and Andre Iguodala · Why asking “How can I help you?” creates empathy and compassion within a team · How being fully present helps people feel valued Learn more about Jesse at https://www.balancethebar.com, check out his book The Intent is to Grow, and follow him on Instagram @jessekwright.

With over 30 years of coaching experience, Sean Waxman is one of the most highly regarded weightlifting coaches around. Since opening Waxman's Gym in 2010, Sean has developed two World Championship team members, a Pan Am Championship silver medalist, three national champions, six national medalists, more than two dozen national-level weightlifters, and he has coached top CrossFit Regionals and Games athletes. When not developing competitive weightlifters and CrossFit athletes, Sean works with athletes of all skill levels from a wide range of sports to help them develop strength and power. Sean also has a great passion for helping other coaches learn to teach/coach weightlifting. His training methodologies and ability to make complex movement skills seem simple make him one of the most sought after coaches and lecturers in the country. In this episode, Sean shares: · What sports psychologist Ken Ravizza showed him about how to handle mistakes · Why establishing a daily habit of success sets you up to perform like a champion · Which self-talk techniques his friend Dr. Michael Gervais shared with him · How learning at the feet of legendary coach Bob Takano taught him the art of the coaching craft · Why looking at life with a childlike mind creates a lifelong love of learning · What real toughness means in the gym and in life Learn more about Sean at https://waxmansgym.com and follow him on Instagram.

By the time they're 13, over two thirds of youth sports athletes have dropped out. Why? The pressures of a results-obsessed system, profits being prioritized over development, and sports parents and coaches failing to get on the same page. Another problem is that while only a handful of participants will make it to the pros, the entire youth sports model is fixated on “elite” performance. Matt Young and his partners at FSQ Sport have made it their mission to shake up youth sports. They partner with clubs, governing bodies, and associations to put the focus back on kids and establish development benchmarks and systems. This helps set high standards while giving children space to learn the soft skills that will set them up to become responsible and confident adults. Matt also incorporates best practices from other countries that emphasize sustainable, long-term development of well-rounded young people over box scores, win-loss records, and other stats. In this episode, Matt shares: · How to create shared values + expectations for young athletes, parents, and coaches · Why development is the best benchmark of ongoing success · Which 12 words can focus youth sports teams on the right priorities · Why every sports parent should focus on supporting their children first · How culture, character, + confidence are 80% of youth development Learn more from Matt via his Twitter feed, @mattyoung101 , and check out the FSQ Sport website, fsqsport.com.

When he was a college wrestler at the University of Virginia, Jim Harshaw Jr set the lofty goal of becoming an All-American. He fell short in his first three seasons but finally broke through in his senior year, hitting the target as he beat a higher-ranked opponent at nationals. Jim used this personal case study in failure as he became the youngest D1 wrestling coach in the country. Realizing that he needed to devote more time to his family and seeking a new challenge, Jim walked away from coaching after a decade of success and started a business. He later sold the venture and founded his second company, but this one failed to meet his targets. So he took a job fundraising for a major college athletic program and built up his executive/performance coaching business as a side hustle until it grew enough for him to focus on it full time. Today, he works with Fortune 500 companies, teams, and highly motivated individuals to help them reach and exceed their goals. In this episode, Jim reveals how: · Facing down fears, doubts, and failures made him an All-American college wrestler · Using a productive pause leads to clarity and peace of mind · Believing in yourself and becoming unafraid to fail are key to succeeding · Seeking mentors helped him thrive as the youngest D1 coach in the country · Setting balanced goals requires focusing on relationships, health, self, and wealth Keep up with Jim on his website, https://jimharshawjr.com, listen to his podcast – Success Through Failure - and follow him on Twitter.

A lot of athletes get into their game at a young age, but when Jenn Salling's father took her to watch her first softball game at two weeks old, she might've become the team's youngest fan. Her dad's talent as a fastpitch catcher, his camaraderie with his teammates, and her mom's exemplary toughness gave Jenn all the ingredients she needed to excel on the field in both soccer and softball, but it was the defensive challenge that the bat and ball presented that eventually led her to focus on the latter. Jenn's stellar play in British Columbia got the attention of the University of Oregon, where she played her first college softball season. But after she got a taste of big city life when representing Team Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jenn decided to transfer to the University of Washington. It soon became clear that she'd made a wise choice, as the Huskies won their first national championship. A decorated stint in the pros followed and at the Tokyo Games last year, Jenn capped an incredible career by helping Canada go one better than their 4th place finish in Beijing, as the team captured the bronze medal. She's now an assistant coach with the Canadian national team. In this episode, Jenn shares: · What she learned about the game and life from Huskies coach Heather Tarr · How her Huskies teammates were champions off the field as well as on it · Why she embraced the saying “Without struggle there is no progress” · How her mental game helped her stay at the top for so long · What she and her team did differently to win bronze at the Tokyo Olympics Follow Jenn's journey on her Instagram feed, @jenn_salling.

Most basketball fans know Ernie Grunfeld through his GM roles for the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Washington Wizards, his NBA playing career, or being half of the “Ernie and Bernie Show” with Bernard King as the two tore up the SEC. But what they might not understand about Grunfeld's backstory is that he is the person in major league sports history whose parents survived the Holocaust. Ernie's son Dan follows his father's story, his own college and pro basketball career, and the legacy of his grandmother, Anyu, from the ghetto of Budapest to the blacktop in New York City to Stanford University in his compelling book By the Grace of the Game. In this episode, Dan shares: · How his grandparents survived the Holocaust, escaped Communism, and emigrated to NYC · Why basketball provided his father with an outlet after losing his brother to leukemia · What Dan did to tackle a nervous tic and tame his anxiety · Why being a good person is even more important than chasing greatness · How his father and grandmother imparted life lessons about perseverance, hard work, and hope Keep up with Dan's writing on his website, dangrunfeld.com and on Twitter @Dan_Grunfeld.

You might have seen Gabrielle Reece's magazine photoshoots, remember her beach volleyball heyday, or recall when she had a signature Nike shoe that outsold Air Jordans. But did you know that she didn't play organized sports until the 11th grade, and was recruited to play for a powerhouse D1 program based on her play in just two high school tournaments? While still learning the game and life at Florida State University, Gabby was also traveling the world as a fashion model. She went on to play on the pro beach volleyball tour and then became an entrepreneur alongside her husband, surfer Laird Hamilton, who we featured in an earlier episode of the show. Gabby is also the proud parent of three girls, hosts The Gabby Reece Show, and is the author of the bestselling books My Foot is Too Big for the Glass Slipper and Big Girl in the Middle. In this episode, Gabby shares: · How she juggled volleyball, modeling, and student life while at Florida State · Why caring + competence = great coaching · How regularly checking in on her thoughts, emotions, and relationships is so crucial · What she does to stay composed, respond instead of reacting, and practice restraint · Why it's important to invest in your real life rather than the one you project on social media Learn more about Gabby by listening to The Gabby Reece Show and checking out her website, https://www.gabriellereece.com.

Ever get bogged down in big biographies? Maybe you'd prefer Matthew Algeo's microcosm histories, which bring usual and entertaining stories from the past into the present. As a reporter, Matthew filed stories from all over the US and four different continents. His first book, Last Team Standing told the unlikely tale of how the Steelers and Eagles combined during World War II. Matthew went on to recount one president's road trip to see his successor's inauguration in Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure, a journalist's controversial exposé of Grover Cleveland's cancer surgery in The President is a Sick Man, and the time when race walking was America's most popular sport in Pedestrianism. His latest book is All This Marvelous Potential, which recreates Robert Kennedy's 1968 trip to poor Appalachian communities in vivid detail. In this episode, Matthew shares: · How he learned to love deadlines instead of feeling pressured about them · What he looks for when digging for details in his research · Why the book writing process is like doing a puzzle · Which techniques he uses to hone his narratives · How he finds fascinating old stories that deserve their own book Pick up a copy of Matthew's latest book, All This Marvelous Potential, and keep up with his writing on his website, https://www.malgeo.net.

Athletes' mental health struggles are finally getting the kind of attention they deserve, but did you know that coaches and leaders in elite sports also struggle with depression, anxiety, and other issues? Alex Wolf's experience with this after the Beijing Olympics helped inform a program at the English Institute of Sport that prioritized the emotional wellbeing of coaches and athletes alike before, during, and after the London Games in 2012. In the buildup to the London Games, Wolf was also instrumental in helping Team GB's rowers land a record medal haul. Part of this was increasing the emphasis on strength and conditioning, but implementing a values-driven approach was just as important. Before working with the rowing squad, Alex helped guide the coaches of Britain's track and field athletes. He has since co-founded Strength and Conditioning Academy, authored the book Strength and Conditioning for Rowing, and continues to guide coaching and leadership development programs around the world. In this episode, Alex shares: · Why coaches often struggle with mental health and what can be done to help them · Which filters he uses to make better decisions, practice essentialism, and do deep work · Why his 3 Fs values model – family, fulfillment, and fairness – informs everything he does · How giving coaches space, time, autonomy, and structure allows them to grow · What coaching Olympians taught him about patience and self-reflection Find out more about Alex's learning, leadership, and coaching development on his website, https://strengthconditioning.academy, via his Twitter feed, and in his book Strength and Conditioning for Rowing.

When he was an executive at Nike and Adidas, Mark Hochgesang helped grow the soccer divisions of two of the world's largest sports brands and extend their reach across the world. Yet as big as his departments got, he managed to maintain an intimate, family atmosphere that put people above profits. Since moving into angel investing with Oregon Sports, Mark continues his legacy of mentoring people who want to make a positive impact through technology startups. Mark has also started a newsletter and is the host of the Heavy Hitter Sports podcast. In this episode, you'll hear Mark share: · Why he loves learning new skills and taking on different challenges · Which character traits he looks for when considering which entrepreneurs to back · How he and fellow leaders kept Nike and Adidas tight-knit · Why he took a risk by starting a show from scratch · The mindset skills he used to propel his career Listen to Mark's podcast on its official website, https://www.heavyhittersports.com.

For the longest time, elite performance was focused on squeezing as much physical potential out as possible. But as the arms race has heated up, it's become clear that the greatest opportunity for sustainable excellence lies in foundational area like mindset, nutrition, and health. That's why coaches and pro teams call on Dr. Marc Bubbs. Marc has been working with elite and professional athletes, busy executives, and motivated individuals aiming to improve their health for almost two decades, using an evidence-based approach to nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle modifications. He's the director of performance nutrition for Canada Basketball and consultant performance nutritionist for a portfolio of professional and Olympic athletes. Marc is also the host of the Performance Nutrition Podcast and the author of Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance That is Revolutionizing Sports. In this episode, you'll learn from Marc: · How to combat stress and the rigors of travel with sleep and nutrition · What anybody seeking high performance can do to improve their mental game · Which basic principles will help you avoid the middle age poor health trap · How sleep improves every area of cognitive and physical performance · Why nailing your nutrition is easier than you might think To get more from Marc, visit his website, read his book Peak, and follow him on Instagram.

Many Olympic medalists started specializing young. Not so Duff Gibson, who was a collegiate rower, provincial champion speed skater, and national team bobsledder before switching to skeleton in his 30s. He quickly realized that this was the sport he was built for, and went on to win World Cup and World Championship medals. After finishing 10th in his first Olympics, Duff doubled down and came back to win a dramatic gold in 2006. At age 39, he was at the time the oldest competitor to win gold in an individual discipline. Duff now applies the same principles that helped him reach the pinnacle of sports to firefighting. He also coaches young athletes through Dark Horse Athletic, which prepares kids to thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally. Duff recently released his first book, The Tao of Sport, which emphasizes the importance of the mental game and explores the commonality of purpose, passion, and growth among elite performers. In this episode, Duff shares: · How being the oldest individual gold medalist in Winter Olympic history gave him a mindset advantage · What a hug from his dad taught him about parenting and coaching youth sports · Which techniques he used to focus before hurtling down an icy track at 80 miles an hour · How sharing tips with teammates instead of treating them as rivals led to two podium finishes · What finishing 10th in his first Olympics enabled him to do better before his gold-medal performance To learn more from Duff, read The Tao of Sport and follow him on Twitter.

We often celebrate the exploits of single-domain experts, but polymaths have an important place in society too. Michael D'Eredita is one such well-rounded Renaissance man. Before becoming the Director of The Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity at Le Moyne College, Michael earned a degree in physics from Le Moyne College and PhD in cognitive and experimental psychology from Syracuse University. He spent 17 years at the iSchool at Syracuse University, the last 10 years of which included the co-founding and growing of their program in Information Technology, Design, and Startups. This program has resulted in over 150 student-based companies that have collectively raised and/or earned over $450 million to date with one of these companies now worth over $1 billion. Michael is also a serial entrepreneur. He has co-founded four companies, most recently Coffeehouse CxO, which offers fractional C-suite services centered on helping companies identify and execute on high growth opportunities. Michael was a college rower at Syracuse and has a 30+ year career as a rowing coach, which most recently landed him and his Portuguese team a spot at the Tokyo Olympics. He has coached development and pre-elite programs for the US National Team and internationally for Portugal, Finland, and Guatemala. In this episode, Michael shares: · Why a TE Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia) quote is central to his work · How he helps students find the signal in all the noise of our hectic society · Why he's so passionate about empowering others to be their best · What traits and abilities can only be developed by doing, instead of through classroom learning · How to delineate between what's essential and non-essential by asking, “Does it make the boat go faster on race day?” To learn more about Michael's work, visit the Coffeehouse CXO website at http://www.coffeehousecxo.com and follow him on Twitter.

Shane Trotter is the author of Setting the Bar: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Era of Distraction, Dependency, and Entitlement. As a writer for the likes of Breaking Muscle, educator, and high school strength and conditioning coordinator, Shane has been challenging youth development norms for over a decade. Shane believes that too much emphasis on comfort and a lost sense of community standards has left people feeling purposeless, disconnected, and trapped in self-limiting patterns. Shane has been featured by multiple coaching clinics and Spartan.com. His articles have been published by websites with millions of readers, such as Quillette, Areo, and Breaking Muscle, where he was an expert coach in residence and helped start The Breaking Muscle Podcast. Shane's blog, Inspired Human Development, focuses on exploring the principles of human thriving. In this episode, Shane shares: · How parents and educators can better prepare kids to be resilient, virtuous, and curious · Which techniques he used to overcome anxiety and obsessive tendencies · What it means to be additive in your community through a servant-leadership mindset · How he made time to write a book while being a parent and full-time teacher · Why coming-of-age rituals and physical practices can help our kids avoid becoming stuck as adult babies To dive deeper into Shane's work, read his book Setting the Bar and visit his website, https://trottershane.com.

An elite college rower himself, Joe has helped several D1 programs advance their strength and conditioning. He was the lead S+C specialist at Lawrence Memorial Hospital Performance & Wellness Center in Lawrence, Kansas from October 2017 to December 2020. In October of 2018, Joe was named the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Portuguese Rowing Federation. Joe also owns and operates LEO Training, which focuses on high performance and injury rehabilitation for the sport of rowing by providing content, education, and seminars to the rowing community. He recently submitted his thesis for the MSc Sports Performance program at the University of Limerick in Ireland. Joe is also the host of the LEO Training Podcast and the co-founder of The Science of Rowing. In this episode, Joe riffs on: · Why he fell in love with rowing · What motivates him to develop athletes mentally and physically · How two mentors have helped him grow as a coach and a person · What he loves most about coaching in Portugal · Why he continues to pursue a growth mindset Learn more about Joe's coaching on his website, https://www.leotraining.io, and follow him on Instagram.

Youth sports has morphed from something children do to stay fit and learn teamwork skills into a multibillion-dollar business. As Chris Bell highlighted in his HBO series Trophy Kids, some sports parents are crushing their kids' mental health and making coaches' lives miserable as they push their sons and daughters to a bad place. It's no wonder that 70 percent of children drop out of sports permanently before they finish high school. Steve Lloyd tackles this thorny issue in his book The Game is Hard Enough. Combining decades of experience as a coach and educator with the lessons he learned helping his son Matt make it into the Cincinnati Reds baseball organization, Steve aims to create a better blueprint for youth sports parents, coaches, and athletes that can bring back the joy of the game, serve as a teacher of life skills, and create responsible, capable, and resilient young people who positively impact their world. In this episode, Steve shares: · How Coach Steve Konchalski taught him the importance of pursuing excellence from core values · Why sports are important but there's more to life · How parents, coaches, and teachers can team up to empower kids to be the best version of their best self · Why escaping children from adversity and consequences does them a disservice · What focusing on building virtues and character gives children · When he realized that winning lives was more important than winning games Learn more about Steve's philosophy by reading his book The Game is Hard Enough and following him on Twitter @SteveLloyd09.

If you listen to enough podcasts, you've likely heard or seen Laird Hamilton talk surfing, SUP, and foil boarding. But wouldn't you like to know what drives this singular force, how he sets boundaries, and what he defines as success? That's what this conversation is all about. Laird isn't just a watersports pioneer, but also a deep thinker who is totally himself at all times. That's why he, his wife Gabby Reece, and their company XPT is such an inspiration to millions around the world. In this episode, you'll hear Laird talk about: · How his strong faith in God informs everything he does · What his mentor Don Wildman taught him about gratitude · Why he believes social media often does more harm than good and how he limits his own use · How he utilizes boredom to drive innovations like standup paddleboarding, tow surfing, and foil boarding · Why paying more attention is the key to a richer, more fulfilling existence To keep up with Laird's latest news, check out his website, https://lairdhamilton.com, and learn more about XPT programs at xptlife.com.

If you're a fan of golf journalism or good writing in general, you should know the name and work of legendary wordsmith Roger Schiffman. After cutting his teeth as a cub reporter, Roger spent 33 years as the managing editor of Golf Digest. This tenure took him to courses across the globe and led to friendships with many of the greats in the history of the game. In addition to his rich library of magazine journalism, Roger co-founded Fairways for Freedom with his wife, psychologist Dr. Patricia Donnelly to help veterans heal through golf trips. Roger has written five books, including A Golden Eighteen with Jack Nicklaus and the lovingly told A Centennial History of Quaker Ridge. His latest long form project is Make Your Next Shot Your Best Shot, co-written with sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella. Roger also consults with companies in all industries, using his hard-won experience running a newsroom to help guide executives in better managing their teams. In this episode, Roger details: · What it was like ghostwriting for Jack Nicklaus · How journalism and the book industry has changed · Who mentored him as a young writer and editor · Why he's still passionate about his craft · What he advises to rookie writers and creatives Learn more about Roger on his website, https://www.rogerschiffmanmedia.com and see how you can support Fairways for Freedom (FFF) at https://fairwaysforfreedom.us. Also check out episode five of the Champion Conversations Podcast, in which Roger, his wife, psychologist Dr. Patricia Donnelly, and Jason Miller share how FFF is changing the lives of veterans with PTSD.

Iñigo Mujika is one of the most highly respected coaches and lecturers in sports science. He earned PhDs in biology of muscular exercise (University of Saint-Etienne, France) and physical activity and sport sciences (University of the Basque Country). Iñigo was senior physiologist at the Australian Institute of Sport, physiologist and trainer for Euskaltel Euskadi cycling team, and head of research and development at Athletic Club Bilbao football club. He is director of physiology and training at USP Araba Sport Clinic, associate editor for the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, and associate professor at the University of the Basque Country. In the course of his long and distinguished career, Iñigo has coached many Olympians, national teams, and top-level clubs, and is recognized as one of the top triathlon coaches in the world. He has also published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters and is an in-demand speaker. In this episode, you'll learn from Iñigo: · How mental skills positively impact physical performance · When early specialization in a certain sport or activity can be beneficial to children · Why sports performance should be all about people, not just data · What he learned from working with top European clubs in multiple sports · Why he sets strong boundaries To keep up with Iñigo's work, follow him on Twitter and visit his website, https://www.inigomujika.com.

When Steve Mesler was growing up, he dreamed of emulating his athletic hero, decathlon world record holder and Atlanta Olympics gold medalist Dan O'Brien. Steve's progress in high school got him one step closer to fulfilling that goal when he earned a scholarship to the University of Florida. But injury got in the way and eventually cut short his track career. Seeking another way to hit his Olympic target, Steve switched to bobsled and moved to Calgary to live and train. At his second Winter Games in 2006, Steve's four-man team won bronze. Three years later, they became the first American team to win World Championship gold in 50 years, and in 2010, they won the first American bobsled gold in 62 years. Steve and his sister later founded Classroom Champions, an international ed-tech non-profit organization that provides social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum and mentorship with help from hundreds of Olympians, Paralympians, the NFL, the NHL, and NCAA student-athletes. So far, Classroom Champions has positively impacted more than a million children. In this episode, Steve shares: · How mindset played a key part in beating the best bobsled team of all time · What mental skills he needed to transition from being a veteran decathlete to a beginner bobsledder · How team driver Steve Holcomb led the team to Olympic and World Championship gold while going blind · Why a passion for mentorship led to the creation of Classroom Champions · What impact mentorship and social emotional learning has on young people who desperately need role models Learn more about Classroom Champions on their website, https://www.classroomchampions.org, and keep up with Steve on his website, https://www.stevemesler.org.

Coach Jeff Dillman is a winner on and off the court and field. He was the strength and conditioning coach that helped Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Tyrus Thomas, and the rest of a talented LSU Tigers squad to the 2005-2006 NCAA National Championship and went on to win another ring in the weight room with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Jeff then served as the head of S+C for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team, before heading back to Bradenton, Florida for a second stint at the world-renowned IMG Academy. A true servant leader and family man, Jeff is also an in-demand public speaker and has made keynote addresses for the likes of TRX. In this episode, Jeff shares: · What Nick Saban taught him about living a victorious life · How he survived and thrived in the hectic college football environment · What his wife did to remind him of the importance of being where his family's feet are · Why he's excited to develop young people at IMG Academy · What he's had to sacrifice to develop his coaching career To keep up with Coach Dillman, follow him on Instagram.

After earning degrees from Princeton and Stanford, Francine Mathews served as an intelligence analyst in the CIA. Francine authored her first novel in 1992 and left the agency a year later to write full time. She has since written over 30 books, including the New York Times bestseller Jack 1939, which imagines JFK being sent on a fact-finding mission about the Nazis in the run-up to World War II, and Too Bad to Die, which fictionalizes Ian Fleming's intelligence work long before he wrote the James Bond books. In addition to her standalone novels, Francine is the author of the Merry Folger Nantucket mysteries and, writing as Stephanie Barron, the Jane Austen mysteries. In this episode, Francine shares: · What she learned about storytelling from Pulitzer prize-winning writer John McPhee · Why any aspiring creator needs to commit to being consistent with their art · How writing a book a year is doable if you continually put down just a couple of pages a day · What writing historical novels can teach us about the present and future · Which elements of storytelling connect with us at head, heart, and soul levels To learn more about Francine's books, visit her website, https://francinemathews.com, and keep up with her on Instagram.

Marc Polymeropoulos retired in June 2019 from the Senior Intelligence Service ranks at the CIA after a 26-year career in operational headquarters and field management assignments covering the Middle East, Europe, Eurasia, and Counter Terrorism. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and he is one of the CIA's most decorated field officers. Marc is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, and the Intelligence Commendation Medal. His last position was overseeing the CIA's clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. He is a respected commentator on foreign policy and intelligence matters and is widely quoted in both the US and international media. Marc is also the author of the bestselling leadership book Clarity in Crisis. In this episode, Marc shares: · Why he chose to sit in the back of a truck winding through the desert rather than riding up front · What it's like leading men and women in dangerous parts of the world · How he's using mental skills to process trauma from field ops · Which principles he wished he could have passed on to his younger self · What he's doing to help the intelligence community now that he's retired To dive deeper into Marc's story, read his book Clarity in Crisis and visit his website, https://www.findingclarityintheshadows.com.

An average of 22 US military veterans take their own life every day, and many more suffer from PTSD, chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and other trauma-related mental health conditions. Many of these former servicemen and women can feel isolated and alone, and lack the resources to make meaningful and positive life changes. That's where Fairways for Freedom (FFF) comes in. Co-founded by husband-wife team Roger Schiffman and Dr. Patricia Donnelly, FFF is helping hundreds of combat-injured veterans improve their mental health and lead more functional, fulfilled lives through the game of golf. In this episode, Patricia, Roger, and Jason Miller – one of FFF's mentor veterans who won two medals for valor while serving in the Air Force – will share: · Why golf is the perfect medium to heal veterans' minds · How FFF also incorporates mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and other modalities · What mental health challenges veterans face every day · Who had the idea to start FFF · What all of us can do to support our servicemen and women who've bravely sacrificed to defend liberty and freedom Learn more about FFF's mission on their website https://fairwaysforfreedom.us and Twitter feed.

There are few stronger tests of leadership than commanding a task unit in the turbulence of Afghanistan and Iraq. That's exactly the furnace in which this week's guest, Commander Rorke Denver, honed his craft. Before joining the military, Rorke was an All-American lacrosse player at Syracuse. Once he signed up for the Navy, he led special forces missions in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and other international hot spots and later, every phase of training for the SEALs. Since retiring from the Navy, Rorke starred in the film Act of Valor, wrote two bestselling books – Worth Dying For and Damn Few ­­­and founded Ever Onward. In this episode, Rorke shares: · How servant leadership is always successful, even when missions aren't · What he did to keep calm and composed under fire · Why he loves mentoring young leaders · What it means to live a faithful life · When he knew it was time to move on from the SEALs · What it means to be bold and courageous in a scared society Want to learn more about Rorke? Visit his website - rorkedenver.com - and follow him on Twitter.

Champion Conversations co-host teamed up with Sara Hendershot when they used to work with supplement company Momentous. We knew she'd be a great guest for the podcast because of her tireless work ethic, the commitment she showed in making the Olympic team in the women's rowing pairs, and the dedication she brings to her family and career now that she's retired from elite sport. Sara went from being a rowing novice to eventually captaining the varsity crew at Princeton University. After graduating with a degree in psychology, she joined the national team program, winning a world championship title and finishing fourth in the 2012 Olympics. Sara has since become a marketing director, rowing coach, and board member of US Rowing, all while being a wife and mother. In this episode, you'll hear Sara share about: · How she went from beginner to world champion in just a few short years · Why being a beginner and having a growth mindset opens up exciting new opportunities · What you can do to achieve your goals without burnout · Who encouraged her to go big in the boat and in life · Which mental skills have helped her excel on the water, at home, and in the boardroom To share Sara's journey, follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sarahendershot/

Dr. Kirk Parsley joined the Navy SEALs at age 17 and spent the next decade exploring the peaks of human performance with one of the world's most elite fighting units. After finishing his active duty, Doc entered medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda. After graduation, he studied Obstetrics and Gynecology at Balboa Naval Hospital San Diego in 2005 and completed a Navy residency in Hyperbarics and Diving Medicine in 2006. From 2009 to 2013, Doc served as an Undersea Medical Officer at Naval Special Warfare Group One. While there, he led the development of and supervised the group's first Sports Medicine Rehabilitation center. In working with SEAL teams, he realized that inadequate sleep, recovery, and sunlight exposure were hampering their health. This led to him developing the all-natural Sleep Remedy, which is the supplement of choice for special operators, pro athletes, C-level executives, and thousands of others. In this episode, you'll learn from Doc: · How to improve your mental health with improved sleep duration, quality, and consistency · Why our society needs more bold, courageous leaders · What the best times are for moderate caffeine and alcohol consumption · How to dial in your focus to achieve big goals · Which other top performance and recovery habits you can implement starting now To keep up with Doc Parsley, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

When waterman pioneer Laird Hamilton calls on a guy to help him breathe better in scary big-wave situations, he must know his stuff. That person is Patrick McKeown, bestselling author of The Oxygen Advantage, Atomic Focus, and, most recently, The Breathing Cure. Patrick is also the creator and master instructor of the Oxygen Advantage® technique. He is considered to be one of the world's leading breathing re-education experts. Whether you're a weekend warrior or an Olympic athlete, Patrick's methods provide a fast, simple, scientific, and certain way to revolutionize your sports performance and improve your daily wellbeing and health. Over the past two decades, Patrick has trained thousands of people around the world to safely challenge their bodies and produce positive changes through breathing re-education. He teaches a new way to breathe, combined with specific exercises designed to improve blood chemistry. The result is an increase of oxygen flow to all the body's systems, meaning greater endurance, strength, and power. In this episode, Patrick will reveal: • How you can start breathing better right now • Why your mindset is so closely related to how you breathe • What the most common breathing errors are and how these impact your physiology • How nasal breathing can overcome stress and anxiety • Which breathwork techniques can help you sleep better every night