Intrinsic Drive™

Send us a Text Message.Hard times threaten resolve; when every ounce of energy is depleted, flatlining – of mind, body, and spirit - occurs.  In this depleted state one often reverts to old, restrictive patterns of behavior – well worn habits that no longer serve, but reemerge in times of difficulty.  During these times a spring cleaning is necessary, lightening our load for the long road ahead—decerning what to let go and what to hold close. Finding myself deep in the mire of this phenomena, the well-spring of knowledge imparted by this season's guests could not have been better timed.  What stood out for me was a range of messages - from the value of settling into uncertainty to the fuel provided from dedication to a creative endeavor.Rails-To-Trails president Ryan Chao teaches us the power of distilling our skills and refining our purpose to discern the essential.Sports Psychology and Performance trailblazer, Dr. Jim Loehr illustrates the impact of character, cautioning of the limitations of results orientation, reminding us it's really who we become in the pursuit that matters. Accepting her calling as advocate for victims of abuse, human trafficking, and exploitation Haejin Shim Fujimura leverages her Shim and Associates law practice and Embers International foundation, turning her own brokenness into light shining through the fissures. Barbara and Lili Anel, twins who've taken divergent paths to follow their musical dreams, remind us of the alchemy of gratitude, and the gift of staying in the moment. Lynn R. Miller, painter, farmer, horseman, and founder of Small Farmer's Journal, illustrates the importance in the protection of early “thrills and enchantments.” Forty-eight years later Lynn continues to follow his passions - painting, animal powered agriculture, writing, and living a “human scale manual transmission” life on his remote Oregon ranch.With over 160 platinum albums, two Grammys, and over 40 years of mentoring some of the greatest recording artists of our time, Robert Cutarella finds joy along the long road to mastery. Robert warns of the trappings of the world, reminding us to redefine success, teaching us to exchange shortcuts, quick fixes, and materialism for honesty. Actress and Horticulturist Kathleen O' Grady, finds satisfaction in her cultivation of “sister passions”; acting and landscape design, teaching us valuable lessons from the gift of good work and the value of effort; things that no one can take away.  Over the span of 43 years Dr. Maitland Jones, published 225 research papers, and fostered landmark discoveries while at “Jones Alley”, the Princeton lab affectionately bearing his name. One of his five books, Organic Chemistry (WW.Norton 2014),is the gold standard for chemistry studies around the globe. Professor Jones supplies the chalk for a blackboard instruction on his unwavering commitment to problem solving. I hope the stories, messages, and insights of this season's guests sharpen your tools, providing necessary provisions for your own journey.I look

Maitland Jones Jr. wanted to be tennis player. At thirteen he attempted to enlist his parents into chauffeuring him around the east coast junior tennis circuit, to which they replied, “get a job kid.” That summer Maitland's first job was bottle washer and gofer for chemistry giants Laurence H. Knox and William von Eggers Doering, at their Hickrill Chemical Research laboratory in Katonah New York.  Complex chemistry equations that were once meaningless scribbles on the laboratory blackboard began to make sense over the next five to six years. Maitland enrolled at Yale to study chemistry, following his formative mentors Knox and Doering, where he journeyed deeper into his craft during a postdoctoral year with his famous teachers and followed with a second year at the University of Wisconsin under the guidance of Dr. Jerry Berson.  Over the span of 43 years Maitland collaborated with undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral and visiting fellows to write 225 published papers and books while at “Jones Alley,” the Princeton Lab where they explored and discovered reactive intermediates including carbenes, quantum molecular reactions, carboranes, and heterocycles—with a focus on “how electrons talked to each other.”   During his teaching career Maitland experimented with the elimination of large lecture “talking head” style teaching, breaking students into small groups, providing an environment of problem solving, and fostering scientific discovery through the exploration and distillation of disparate information. Professor Jones is the author of five books including, Organic Chemistry, (2014) published by W.W Norton, now in its fifth edition-- the prominent textbook taught to students across the globe. Today Maitland is following a parallel passion sparked during a performance by jazz innovator, the incomparable-- Thelonious Monk, at the NYC's Five Spot jazz club in 1957. Maitland is a regular in New York's jazz scene, and hosts Jazz Nights featuring evenings of great music at his home in New Jersey.  He co-produced Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk, available on both compact disc and digital download. It's our extreme pleasure to welcome Dr. Maitland “Mait” Jones Jr. to this episode of Intrinsic Drive®. Intrinsic Drive ®  is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED.

 Photo: Kathleen O'Grady (L) Faith Imaafiion (R) Theatre of Note's production of Fruition 2019A lifelong actor, Kathleen O'Grady's earliest memory of her life's work finds her riding with her siblings around Los Angeles, in the back of her mother's car—driving to the next audition. Growing up in the town of Reseda -  named for the mignonette a fragrant plant found in the gardens of the San Fernando Valley - her parents moved north to the Bay area where team soccer and volleyball replaced limited theatrical opportunity.Chicago's robust theater community called this aspiring performer to enroll in DePaul's Theater School, formerly The Goodman School, where she studied under legendary thespian mentors Dr. Bella Itkin, and Joe Slovick. After graduation Kathleen catapulted from commercials, created her own theater company, and performed with Steppenwolf, the theater company which launched the careers of Joan Allen, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, and Martha Plimpton. Inspired by love, a move to New York found Kathleen exploring every aspect of her craft from guest starring roles in Murder in the First, Law & Order,  Off Broadway productions, and more commercials. A pivot arrived while finding a natural proclivity for landscape design while working in her garden.  Following a new passion, she studied landscape design and horticulture at Columbia University, where she earned her master's degree.  Kathleen follows sister passions of acting, producing, landscape design integrating native plants, beneficial insects, soil regeneration, restorative permaculture, and land stewardship. This master artist and designer can be found at Theatre of Note, and Gregory Davis & Associates Landscape Design. It was such a thrill to catch up and host Kathleen on this episode of Intrinsic Drive ® . Intrinsic Drive ®  is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Created by Human Beings for Human Beings. NO GENERATIVE AI USE PERMITTED

Robert Cutarella spent most of his childhood evenings burrowed under his pillows, a transistor radio speaker in his ear listening to the Dick Clark Show and other famous deejays. A passion for rhythm emerged during drumming sessions with wooden spoons borrowed from his aunt. At nine years-old Robert's parents took him to see drum icon Gene Krupa at the Metropole Club in midtown Manhattan. Krupa's physicality and deep passion for his craft made a lasting impression on this soon to be music industry giant. Bob had visions of owning his own company and following a career in the music industry. Robert developed an ear for rhythm, melody, and song structure through growing up in the rhythm and blues era, he earned the opportunity to play with “Do Wop” greats the Shirelle's, Dion and the Belmont's, among others. Robert then took a side road, he fell in love eventually marrying his childhood sweetheart, became a teacher, owned an antique store, sold clothes on the weekend, and played music at night. Music was pulling him to go all in, he accepted an ultimatum from his wife to make it in the music business within a year. Ten months later, Robert recorded his first album. We learn of Robert's devastating losses, heartbreaks, and betrayals, and priceless wisdom gained. Robert recalls humble beginnings, meeting clients at his first office at St. Patrick's Cathedral, returning calls on the New York City Public Library's phone booth.   During the last 40 years, this music producing mastermind has produced over 3,000 songs, 160 plus platinum records, including two Grammy awards, for the Les Paul and Friends Tribute Album. Robert discovered and launched careers for some of the most prolific performers of all time including, legendary blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn, and pop singing megastar Celine Dion. This behind-the-scenes hit making genius has guided current recording giants John Legend and Lady Gaga through his songwriting mentorship programs. We are anxiously awaiting Robert's new book Mentor, we hope you glean valuable insight, and enjoy meeting this music industry superstar on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED.Robert Cutarella artist bio and timeline: Robert began his career in the music industry as a producer and performer. He was employed by many major labels and performed with a variety of recording artists ranging from Joe Williams to Bruce Springsteen.  Here's a list of some of those artists; Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Sheena Easton, Air Supply, Melissa Manchester, Whitney Houston, Michael Henderson, Diana Ross, Deborah Allen, Dolly Parton, The Police, Elton John, REM, Culture Club, The Human League, ABC, Linda Ronstadt, and Frank Sinatra, Hall & Oates,The Bee Gees to Sammy Cahn, Benny Benjamin, Jule Styne, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Metallica, Raven, Gino Vannelli, Vanessa Williams, Patrick Simmons, Basia and others.Host note--If you are still listening at the 1:13:06 mark. I say "centurions" while meaning to say "centenarians", a mistake that you may find hilarious. 

Lynn R. Miller is a painter, farmer, horseman, and writer. Odd jobs ranging from commercial fisherman, logger, sawyer, farmer, workhorse teamster, lecturer, and cattle rancher, supported him through college. Over the past 40 years, Lynn has become a world-renowned authority in the fields of alternative farming and animal powered agriculture. In 1976 with the encouragement of his father's suggestion to “grow a crop of literature”, to assist the fledging small farmer, he founded the Small Farmer's Journal, an international agrarian quarterly which functions to this day as cornerstone empowering a worldwide readership. For SFJ's entire 48 year history Lynn has manually stewarded this living alternative preservationist publication, now in it's 188th edition. We learn of Lynn's early enchantment with painting, and self-described “genetic memory”, leading him to follow a manual transmission life integrating his passions rooted in “shared work”, and restorative land cultivation. Mr. Miller is author to over twenty books (poetry, fiction, and nonfiction), including the best-selling, Workhorse Handbook, now in its second edition, and his current release Roots in a Lovely Filth,  He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Ranch and Reata, and Western Horseman. Lynn has lectured across North America and keynote speaker for farm conferences, and universities. He was awarded the Steward of Sustainable Agriculture, at the 1999 Eco Farm Conference, The Garfield Award for The Preservation of Rural Technologies, Award for Distinguished Service from the Missouri House of Representatives, and the Utne Reader Award for Environmental Reporting. His artworks are in private and public collections across the country. It's my pleasure, privilege, and honor to welcome my friend Lynn R. Miller to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Photo Credit: Kristi Gilman-Miller Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED.

Lynn R. Miller is a painter, farmer, horseman, and writer. Odd jobs ranging from commercial fisherman, logger, sawyer, farmer, workhorse teamster, lecturer, and cattle rancher, supported him through college. Over the past 40 years, Lynn has become a world-renowned authority in the fields of alternative farming and animal powered agriculture. In 1976, with the encouragement of his father to “grow a crop of literature” to assist the fledgling small farmer, he founded the Small Farmer's Journal, an international agrarian quarterly which functions to this day as a cornerstone empowering a worldwide readership. For Small Farmer's Journal's  entire 48 year history Lynn has manually stewarded this living alternative preservationist publication, now in it's 188th edition. We learn of Lynn's early enchantment with painting, followed by a self-described “genetic memory”, leading him to follow a manual transmission life integrating his passions rooted in “shared work”, and restorative land cultivation. Mr. Miller is author to over twenty books (poetry, fiction, and nonfiction), including the best-selling, Workhorse Handbook, now in its second edition, and his current release Roots in a Lovely Filth, He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Ranch and Reata, and Western Horseman. Lynn has lectured across North America and keynote speaker for farm conferences, and universities. He was awarded the Steward of Sustainable Agriculture, at the 1999 Eco Farm Conference, The Garfield Award for The Preservation of Rural Technologies, Award for Distinguished Service from the Missouri House of Representatives, and the Utne Reader Award for Environmental Reporting. His artworks are in private and public collections across the country. It's my pleasure, privilege, and honor to welcome my friend Lynn R. Miller to this episode of Intrinsic Drive®. Intrinsic Drive® is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Photo Credit: Kristi Gilman-Miller Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED.

Growing up in a Harlem tenement perched above a record store, the Anel Sisters spent their Saturday “cleaning days” listening to albums and 45's bought from their chore allowance. Barbara and Lili developed an early love of music from their mother, who exposed them to eclectic playlists' ranging from Afro-Cuban jazz, Sarah Vaughn, Tchaikovsky, to Dizzy Gillespie. A trip to see “The Sound of Music”, inspired Barbara to transpose music from the film on the piano. The twins were encouraged by their grandparents to follow their own artistic paths, Barbara was gifted her first piano, from her grandmother. Lili's grandfather gave her a white toy guitar; dressed to the nines he with would sneak into Mass to hear her sing in choir, a voice he could hear above the others. The sisters took divergent paths. After studying at the Eddie Simon Guitar school and the Shelia Jordan workshop, Lili jumped headfirst into the Greenwich Village music scene and went on to record the first of her nine albums. Barbara graduated with honors from C.C.N.Y with a degree in music and , after seeing the devastating realities from her sisters struggles in the music industry, she chose a career in law enforcement allowing her to compose and create music on her own terms.  Join these master composers, songwriters, and performers as they share their lives, adversities, and challenges overcome, with heart, laughter, and graceful honesty. It is my pleasure to welcome Barbara and Lili Anel to this episode of Intrinsic Drive  ® .Lili has recorded eight albums including,  “Laughed Last”, “High-Octane Coffee”, “Dream Again”, “Every Second in Between”, “I Can See Bliss From Here”, “Another Place, Another Time”, “Better Days”, and “Better Days Remastered”. She co-wrote the song “Lovers Leap” for the upcoming play “Folk City: The Musical.” Her song “Dream Again” was featured in “The Center of Distance”, Rock Wilk's independent film which won the 2022 Venice Film Festival. In addition to headlining US tours, she has performed alongside music legends B.B King, Cassandra Wilson, Michael Franks, Boz Scaggs, Richie Havens, and Robert Cray to name a few. For videos and upcoming shows visit www.lilianel.org . Barbara composed and collaborated with her sister on various songs including, “The Wrong Time”, and “Another Place, Another Time”, which appeared on the “Better Days Remastered” album. Her recent compositions and film collaboration with Rock Wilk on his “Stories in 4k”, and upcoming film, "This Is The End for Me". Samples of Barbara's scores can be found on her www.pianolandscapes4film.com website. Intrinsic Drive ®  is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Music Intro: "Another Place, Another Time."--Performed by Lily Anel in collaboration with Barbara Anel. Music Outro: "Estey's Theme."--written and performed by Barbara Anel. Photo Provided by :  Lili Anel  Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED. 

Haejin Shim Fujimura describes her college years as rebellious. While searching for her life purpose she received a calling to raise funds and attend World Vision's® 30 Hour Famine retreat. Haejin witnessed horrific images from the civil war in Sierra Leone, which left fifty thousand dead over eleven years. She wanted to help those terrorized, vulnerable and left behind. After college Haejin pursued her calling to become an advocate for the abused, enslaved, and those born into human trafficking. Throughout law school Haejin's intense, focused, and unwavering personality gave her the resolve to intern with the International Justice Mission. Haejin shared her lowest moment after she was betrayed, stolen from, and assaulted; this soon to be generational steward of justice was completely shattered. She then embarked on a journey of healing and forgiveness. During Haejin's first trip to India, she met children born into brothels, now she had the experience as a legal justice advocate to help. In 2018 Haejin with partners Nelli Kim, and Briana Johnson founded Embers International, to protect, restore, and empower victims of injustice with the goal of ending intergenerational exploitation, and prevent human trafficking. Haejin started her law firm Shim and Associates in 2012, with the intension of leveraging the law to mend broken relationships, uphold core values, and provide a space for attorneys to express their true gifts, and be supported with a work, rest, life balance. I hope you enjoy this inspirational message from this fearless advocate fighting for human justice. We are thrilled and honored to welcome Haejin to this episode of Intrinsic Drive ® . Ms. Shim has extensive experience litigating various civil lawsuits in both federal and state courts.  She has represented e-commerce, software, manufacturing, insurance, real estate, hotel, restaurant, franchise, art management, design, beauty, automobile, and transportation companies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in matters involving commercial litigation, breach of contract, partnership dispute, directors' and officers' liability, breach of duty, personal injury, subrogation, business formation, governance, and trademark. Her clients range from start-ups to publicly traded companies to nonprofit organizations.Ms. Shim is actively involved in the legal industry and the local community.  She has served on the Board of Directors of Embers International, Restore NYC, Goldenwood, Open Hands Legal Services, Inc., The Father's Heart Ministries, and Center for Public Justice.  Ms. Shim is a frequent speaker at various community and legal organizations to encourage the youth and to promote professionalism.  Notably, Ms. Shim was a keynote speaker and lecturer of U.S. nonprofit law at the 2015 International Charity Conference, hosted by South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Council of NPOs Korea, and the National Assembly Forum on Advanced Culture of Philanthropy. Ms. Shim holds a B.A, from Barnard College at Columbia University, and J.D from the Brooklyn Law School. Intrinsic Drive ®  is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED. 

Dr. Jim Loehr has authored 19 books including, New York Times bestseller, The Power of Full Engagement, and his recent works, Wise Decisions, and Sapiens Reinvented. Before embarking on his quest to merge sports psychology, research, and technology, the field of human performance didn't exist. To fill this industry void, he created and co-founded the first ever Human Performance Institute, where he set the global standard. Over a thirty-year span hundreds of world-class performers of sport, business, medicine, and Fortune 500 executives, trained at his state- of- the- art Florida facility. During his tenure at the institute, 400 thousand clients, teams, and organizations learned the practical adaptation of his breakthrough methods. From professional tennis, golf, basketball, race car drivers, football, boxing, hockey, and Olympic athletes---to organizations and people seeking to live their best lives. Jim Loehr is the pioneer in the development of training programs designed to integrate the science of energy management to improve productivity and fulfillment in business, sport, medicine, and law enforcement, creating sustainable peak performance. Dr. Loehr has been featured in national publications including, The Harvard Business Review, Business Week, Newsweek, Time, and US News and World Report. He has appeared on NBC's Today Show, The CBS Evening News, and ABC's Nightline. This lifelong learner is showing no signs of slowing down after retiring his position as chairman and CEO of the Human Performance Institute. This sport performance trailblazer holds both masters and doctorate degrees in psychology. We are honored to welcome this gracious icon to this episode of Intrinsic Drive®. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer. Photo Credit: Patrick Loehr Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED.

Urban trail access began as a young boy for Ryan Chao; growing up in Portland, Oregon, skiing, fishing, and cycling were a way of life. After architecture school, he mentored with a talented group of visionaries at the Bryant Park Revitalization Project, where he discovered his love for “people over buildings,” turning New York City's most dangerous park into a global model for urban greenspace renewal. In 2019, Ryan was elected president of the Rails To Trails Conservancy (RTC), where he oversees national leadership in trail development, policy advocacy, and movement building. Other positions as vice president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where he transformed neighborhoods, and developed affordable housing as director of the San Francisco Bay Satellite Housing, prepared Ryan for his current role. Ryan and his team at RTC have raised over 20 billion dollars in federal funding, including 850 million in 2021 alone, more than doubling federal funding for walking and biking trails. Current projects include The Great American Rail-Trail, a 3,700-mile cross country route, 8 of 12 states along the route have introduced new trail segments since 2019. Ryan and his RTC team have created Traillink.com, a free online trail access app—which became an essential resource for 10.5 million users in 2021. RTC's mission is to create a nation where trails connect everyone, everywhere. We are excited to welcome this champion of environmental sustainability, community revitalization, and promoter of health and wellness to this episode of Intrinsic Drive®.  Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer. Created for human beings by human beings.  NO GENERATIVE AI USE ALLOWED. 

The gift of stepping inside the lives of this season's guests gave me unexpected insight for my own challenges, struggles, and failures. Answers are there when we allow ourselves to listen.·This world is full of landmines for those who have suffered from sexual abuse.  Victims No Longer author,  Mike Lew and the community of survivors prove that recovery is possible, providing much-needed hope. ·Architect and designer Eve Picker  transformed her adopted city of Pittsburgh after bankers refused funding.  Clear in her resolve, she went ahead and built the first lofts downtown guided by her commitment to impact investing, restoration, and historic preservation.  ·Master woodworker Cecilia Schiller has had to face many unknowns; she reminds us to lean into these dangerously vulnerable places.· Stephanie Slocum, author of She Engineers, inspires us to take advantage of small windows of time. She encourages us to spend time looking inward and reminds us of the value of self-exploration. ·Everything has limitations—even self-reliance. Andre Williams experienced failure for the first time during his transition from high school to collegiate athletics. Having the courage to ask for help moved Andre forward, beyond his own expectations. ·Mary Sullivan realized that fun should be at the cornerstone of creating a sustainable business.  This former boutique Hollywood entertainment attorney left her practice -  inspired by an obvious need - to co-create the MikeRoweWORKS Foundation.· Life's detours are often the richest part of our journey. Kate Erickson leveraged early career struggles - missed promotions, devastating disappointments, and failures - experiences she now sees as paramount to the success of her world-leading Entrepreneurs On Fire daily business podcast. ·Makoto Fujimura welcomes us into his studio where he practices Nihonga, “slow art” crafted using precious handmade minerals. Mako wrote his book Art & Faith; A Theology of Making, during moments of meditation and prayer—waiting for his paint to dry. ·As we learned from DeeDee Trotter, a three-time Olympic medalist, our gifts and passions are not always aligned.  After embracing her gift, this “glitter-faced warrior” turned a career-ending injury into a blueprint for her remarkable success. ·Beatrice Welles, animal rights activist and sole heir of the Orson Welles Estate, reminds us of the alchemy of adversity, the potential building blocks to actualization. Thanks for listening and your support. Continued gratitude to our sound engineer Andy Hollingworth, who gives precious time from his acting and filmmaking. This show would not be possible without the brilliant inspiration and creative insight from producer Ellen Strickler. We are back in the studio. Drop us a note, let us know what stories you would like to hear on the next season of Intrinsic Drive™.

Beatrice Mori Gerfalco Welles has devoted her extraordinary life to a multitude of humanitarian causes, in addition to her tireless dedication to the preservation of the work of her father, Orson Welles. In 2018, she co-created and co-starred in The Eyes of Orson Welles  - directed by Mark Cousins - which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The sole heir of the Orson Welles Estate, her vigilant work includes overturning Turner Broadcasting's attempt to colorize Citizen Kane, her father's masterpiece-- and the most studied film of all time.  She has curated Orson's artwork, personal correspondence, and scripts at the University of Michigan's Special Collections Library. Young Beatrice grew up traveling, living around the globe with her closely-knit nuclear family. This reluctant childhood actress never wished to follow her father's colossal footsteps to the stage and screen. Encouraged by her papa to work and follow her passions, she was gifted a horse for her birthday on the set of Orson's favorite film, Chimes At Midnight—in which Beatrice appeared.  A rising star in international equestrian competitions, she purchased former racehorses, training them for show jumping. A severe knee dislocation halted her riding career and at fourteen she pivoted to modeling. In the era before the lucrative supermodel contracts, she appeared in Vogue, and on the runways of New York, Milan, London, and Paris---modeling for Halston, Valentino, and Chanel. Inheriting her father's creative force, she launched her own line of cosmetics, worn by Princes Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers, and Oprah Winfrey. She later crafted handmade leather handbags and jewelry from her Sedona studio.  A longtime global advocate for animals and the environment, Beatrice continues to champion organizations making a difference. She is a founding member of the Animal Foundation, and a pioneer of T-N-R—Trap, Neuter, Return, for feral cats in Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii. I'm delighted to welcome this generous global environmental and animal rights activist to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. 

Three-time Olympic Medalist, DeeDee Trotter has been a fierce competitor since the age of ten. She loved basketball and dreamed of playing for legendary coach Pat Summit at the University of Tennessee. Her quickness on the court convinced her coaches to steer their star athlete into track and field. Thus began a tenuous, and oftentimes inharmonious relationship between DeeDee and these two sports, her heart firmly fixed on basketball. Reluctantly, she became the Georgia state indoor track champion, setting a state record in the 200-meter dash.  She accepted a track scholarship at the University of Tennessee with the understanding that she would be able to do both sports, but it did not work out that way, much to her disappointment.  In the midst of this disillusionment, DeeDee continued to improve on the track, winning numerous titles – including a gold medal at the World Track and Field Championships while on the 400-meter relay for team USA – all the while still having to be convinced, coaxed, and – sometimes – tricked into - running.  However, her success continued, and she became the first female athlete to receive a professional contract while still in college.She traveled the world, and competed internationally pursuing her professional career.  During the fall training for the 2008 Olympic trials, she suffered what should have been a career-ending injury. But through hours of grueling rehabilitation, and the tireless dedication of her healthcare team, she solidified her spot on her second Olympic team, in the Beijing Summer Games. Over the next three years, she continued to struggle to find her way back - losing races, confidence, money, and sponsors—but she kept believing. In the year before the 2012 Olympics, she began to create a blueprint, a roadmap to chart her daily progress. Through this process she created new neural associations, speaking over the pain, negativity, and loss of the previous three years. DeeDee was named the “glitter-faced warrior,” by the track fans at the 2012 London Olympics, winning bronze, and gold medals in the 400-meter run, and 400-meter relays. Today DeeDee is showing no signs of slowing down, she is an international motivational speaker, master of mental performance training, and recent graduate of the Atlanta Art Institute with a degree as a Baker and Pastry Chef, realizing another childhood dream of becoming a professional pastry chef. Her delicious creations can be found at her Taste of Gold Bakery, “where greatness has a taste.” It was my pleasure to host this inspirational and purposeful superstar on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.       

Makoto Fujimura's home and community were devastated during the terrorist attacks of 9/11, emotional fractures began to surface. He found solace in his art, creating some of his most transformational work. From his earliest painting experiences as a child, Mako always sensed a flow of energy transcending space and time; encouraged to pursue his art, he was invited into the prestigious mentorship in the study of Nihonga—an ancient Japanese art utilizing pulverized minerals.  This process pays homage to the traditional Japanese art forms dating back to the 16th century and the use of these silver, metallic, and gold hues are passed down in a lineage from teacher to student. The Nihonga or “slow art” process utilizes precious handmade minerals, paper, and glue and requires time and patience.  Mako refers to himself as the “little artist” or vessel for the “big artist” -  the creator-  to move through him. In the studio, he writes, meditates, and prays—while layers of natural pulverized paint pigments dry.  This daily practice allows Mako to move further into his “Theology of Making”—acting as a form of devotional liturgy. This groundbreaking artist is moving his mission through parallel metaphors of kintsugi—ancient Japan's art of repairing broken pottery mixed with lacquer, powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This celebration of the fissures, scars, and former brokenness—is a framework for his aligned projects of culture restoration and global justice.  Current projects include www.IAMCULTURECARE.COM, Academy Kintsugi, and Embers International—a foundation co-founded by Hae Jin Shim Fujimura--protecting, restoring, and empowering victims of injustice, exploitation, and human trafficking.  Mako is a leading contemporary artist whose process-driven refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as "a small rebellion against the quickening of time."  His art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world and is collected by notable collections including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library, and the Tikotin Museum in Israel.  Mako has published 4 books, including Art+Faith: A Theology of Making (Yale U. Press 2021, Foreword by N.T. Wright), and created an illuminated manuscript of Four Holy Gospels (Crossway 2011) to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of The King James Bible, which was a historic commission.  Mako has also served on the National Council on the Arts as a Presidential appointee and has received four Doctor of Arts Honorary Degrees. We are honored to host Mako on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. 

Kate Erickson is the engine that powers the daily Entrepreneurs On Fire Podcast as well as  Podcasters Paradise, an online educational resource teaching aspiring and seasoned podcasters how to create, grow, monetize, and build a sustainable business. Kate shares her mastery of business systems in her Kate's Take podcast. In her new podcast, Nicole and Kate Can Relate—she shares entrepreneurial insights with friend and fellow podcaster Nicole Baldinu.Kate's path is a study in adaptation - harnessing skills from the industries of marketing, advertising, and banking. She left corporate America behind to build a seven-figure business. In 2013, Kate joined forces with her longtime partner John Lee Dumas at Entrepreneurs On Fire—an award-winning daily business podcast. These podcasting innovators continue to empower countless others to follow their lead while living the life of their dreams in Puerto Rico.  After graduating with a master's in English, Kate set her sights on becoming a college professor. Educational funding cutbacks in the state of California derailed Kate's journey into teaching. In the third year of a position in the human resources department of a bank, she was promised a promotion which was given to another employee. Kate decided to create a new life on her terms. Today, Kate transmits all her experience from years navigating the landscape of corporate advertising, marketing, creative writing, and harnessing the power of automation in business. It was a privilege to host Kate on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. 

Mary Sullivan, a straight-A biochemistry major while at Loyola University, thought she wanted to be a doctor but came to the realization that medicine wasn't for her.  She chose law instead, studying at Georgetown University.  Upon graduation, she accepted a position at a full-service law firm in Los Angeles, learning the trade and transitioning to the entertainment arm. Mary came to realize that not growing up in the entertainment industry allowed her to think differently and push back on industry standards that didn't make sense. In 2005, as a senior partner at her thriving boutique entertainment law office, she received a call from Mike Rowe, who needed an attorney. Mike arrived at Mary's corner office three weeks later, covered in dust from working at a rock quarry while filming his soon-to-be hit television series, Dirty Jobs.  At the time of their meeting, her filthy-by-design client had no representation, agent, manager, or accountant. So, there was work to be done; Mary accepted the challenge.   Mary is president of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation - a foundation co-created by both she and Mike - focused on promoting the skilled trades. Today student loan debt is the second highest debt category nationwide, with over 44 million borrowers owing an excess of $1.5 trillion dollars. Mary and Mike's foundation have funded over five million dollars in scholarships for their Work Ethic Scholarship Program, providing training for the 7 million available jobs that don't require a four-year college degree. Embracing a mission larger than herself, this powerhouse is the executive producer of many of Mike's shows, including How Booze Built America, Six Degrees, Dirty Jobs, Somebody's Gotta Do it, Returning the Favor, as well as The Way I Heard it with Mike Rowe podcast. It was a privilege to catch up with Mary, we warmly welcome her to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  

As Andre Williams saw it, there were only two options for men in his family -  join the military or become a drug dealer on the streets of his hometown Richmond, Virginia.  But sports presented another option – basketball was his first choice – and he wanted to use cross country as conditioning for it. However, he quickly fell in love with his newly adopted sport and showed promise: skyrocketing into national prominence, winning the Virginia State cross country title, setting the course record, and winning the Kinney southeast region cross country championships. This rising star earned a trip on his first-ever flight to San Diego for the National Championships, where he finished 19th—earning All-American honors.  He received an athletic scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – where he initially struggled academically due to gaps in his earlier education.  But Andre began absorbing information -  a habit that was reinforced by his daily newspaper reading. This daily literary habit transferred into a curiosity that he maintains to this day. During his collegiate career, he earned All-American honors, was a three-time ACC conference champion, and was team Captain of the two-time ACC Champion Tar Heels track teams. Feeling he had more to give in his sport, he accepted an invitation to join the prestigious Enclave Track Club, a professional running club sponsored by Reebok. After two years of hard work, countless grueling high mileage days and intense track workouts, and finally watching his teammates board their flight to the 1996 Olympic Trials---he considered hanging up his spikes. Andre's coach, former American Record holder Matt Centrowitz urged him to stick with it for one more year. This paid huge dividends; he committed to staying the course and adopted a strength regimen to stabilize his trunk imbalances and began placing more emphasis on flexibility, recovery, and rest. This hard-working warrior from river city was ranked in the top ten in the country from 1997-2001 in the 5,000-meter run, with a personal best of 13:28*. Today this tireless life learner has risen to the top of his field in Information Technology and Mobility for the AT & T corporation. We warmly welcome my longtime friend Andre to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. *PBST  (Pre-Bionic/Boingo Shoe Time)  

Stephanie Slocum, was quickly moving up the corporate ladder planning to enjoy the engineering career of her dreams. As an architectural engineer, she loved designing the “bones” of a structure, buildings that have lower environmental imprint using sustainable materials. She has built hospitals, schools, laboratories, and university buildings. These buildings will stand through hurricanes, earthquakes, and blizzards---as a testimony to her work. On the surface, the future looked bright. As a rising star in a male-dominated profession, Stephanie minimized the severity of daily workplace inequality, bias, and the fallout of not utilizing her true talents. Then a close family member died suddenly from a rare incurable cancer, unable to fulfill his many retirement dreams. Turning to food as a respite from all the stress, Stephanie found herself one hundred pounds overweight and suffering from acute acid reflux, which became so severe she was unable to speak. Stephanie's oldest daughter was sharing an elementary school book project; looking back in the rear-view mirror at her young writer, “I've always dreamed of writing my own book” she lamented. “Why don't you do it Mom? You always tell us  'if you want to do something the time to start is now.' ”Stephanie wrote She Engineers: Outsmart Bias, Unlock Your Potential, and Live the Engineering Career of your Dreams, during stolen moments of time that was not her own—while working over fifty-hour weeks at her engineering firm and raising three young girls.  Six months after publishing her book, she pivoted from employee to entrepreneur, founding Engineers Rising in 2018. A self-described reluctant entrepreneur, Stephanie found the courage to make that leap by embracing a mission larger than herself: to normalize women as leaders in the technical STEM fields. Today, she helps women become influential leaders while having a life, and she assists organizations committed to gender equity in STEM to create work environments that retain and engage their people.Stephanie is a keynote and women's empowerment speaker, corporate trainer, mom of three girls, proud introvert, and winner of the 2020 Connected World Women in Technology Award for her work empowering women in STEM. In the last two years alone, she has spoken and inspired more than 5000 technical professionals through her talks, presentations, and workshops in organizations ranging from Fortune 500® companies to small businesses, non-profits, and universities. Stephanie's audiences learn how to embrace their unique skill sets, stop second-guessing their worth, and articulate the business case for themselves so that they can become recognized for the leaders they are. Stephanie holds a bachelor's and master's degree in architectural engineering from Pennsylvania State University.  It was a pleasure to catch up with Stephanie during her episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton and Andrew Hollingworth  is sound editor and engineer.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at https://www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive.  

Cecilia Schiller was born into a working-class family, without money for college she became a hairstylist. While viewing a retrospective of the abstract expressionist sculptor and designer, Isamu Noguchi she realized she was going to be an artist. Uncertain of where she fit in the American landscape, she embarked on a seven-year journey working as an artesania making handmade crafts, which she sold on the street. After overcoming, poverty, fear, and countless hardships she returned home with two young daughters to raise as a single mother. Cecilia apprenticed with a master woodcarver over the next seven years, learning the engineering and kinetics of automata; through wooden cranks and gears—making wood move. In witnessing her pieces, we are transported into magical scenes that come to life.  Engineering, carving, woodworking, metalsmithing, theater set design, puppeteering, mask carving, and hairstyling—all these skills come into play in her breathtaking work. Through her years of dedication, ability to move beyond fear, and the faith to follow her artistic desire,  Cecilia is now an award-winning wood sculptor, recognized for her work with grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Jerome Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to creating original and custom automata, Cecilia Schiller shares her skills by teaching classes and offering DIY original laser-cut kits at Cranky Heart Automata. It was truly inspirational to learn about Cecilia's path. We are thrilled to welcome this talented and generous artist to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. 

As a young girl growing up in Australia, Eve Picker loved playing with Lego blocks, solving math problems, and exploring cities. Armed with degrees in architecture and urban design, she moved to Pittsburgh's Friendship neighborhood, where she renovated an old Victorian home with her husband. Eve found her tribe by joining a protest and community, which united to save a nearby historic home from demolition. Her community of volunteers formed a non-profit and she never looked back. She built the first residential loft downtown after a banker mistakenly mused “Oh honey, nobody is going to move downtown.” By the mid 2000's community banks had consolidated from 15 thousand to 5 thousand across the country; small banks that would invest in the local neighborhood were dying. City revitalization grants fell under government cutbacks. The Jobs Act of 2012 was the catalyst for Eve's pivot and next big idea; the act implemented in 2016 allowed anyone over eighteen to invest in crowdfunding.   Eve is the founder and CEO of Small Change, a real estate equity crowdfunding platform. She raises funds for meaningful real estate projects that make cities better. Eve's journey as an architect, city planner, urban designer, real estate developer, community development strategist, and publisher gives her unique perspectives, and a deep understanding of how cities work, how urban neighborhoods can be revitalized, and what policies need to be in place. She employs her own  marketing through her Rethink Real Estate for Good website and weekly podcast. Her cityLab foundation has developed a dozen buildings in fractured neighborhoods and built Pittsburgh's first tiny house. This urban change agent has organized a speaker series, launched the Pop City E-Zine, and created Iron City's first co-working space—and Open Streets program. This FinTech pioneer and urban change agent's proprietary technology is ranked in the top 7 Real Estate Crowdfunding Platforms of 2020 by US News, nabbing the top spot in the “Capital” category by HIVE. Eve is a fellow at the Bellagio Center Residency of the Rockefeller Foundation.   We are honored to welcome this tireless advocate for socially responsible real estate funded by everyday people to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.     

As an eight-year-old boy from a large family, living together in a Brooklyn tenement, Mike Lew had a singular goal—to meet every person on the planet. Today,  Mike and his Next Step Counseling, co-director Thomas Harrigan, travel the world providing individual therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, professional training, and public lectures around the globe. Mike is a psychotherapist and cultural anthropologist, specializing in the field of culture and personality. Working in tandem with Margaret Mead and Colin Turnbull as mentors, he became a leading expert on sexual abuse recovery, especially with male survivors. A turning point came when Mike made an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, he returned home from the male survivor episode to an offer to write a book on recovery. Mike's book, Victims No Longer Harper Collins 2004, now in its second edition, is the classic guide for men recovering from sexual child abuse. The book continues to receive accolades for its clinical expertise and compassionate tone. This essential resource educates survivors and professionals about the recovery process, speaking to the pain, needs, fears, and hopes of the adult male survivor. Mr. Lew has assisted thousands of men and women in their recovery and healing from childhood sexual abuse, rape, physical violence, emotional abuse, and neglect. He has consulted with the United Nations, National Institute of Mental Health, National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, National Child Abuse Hotline, and the U.S. Navy, among many others. Mike has taught at The University of California Santa Cruz, Quinnipiac College, The College of New Rochelle, and The City College of New York. His second book, Leaping Upon The Mountains: Men Proclaiming Victory over Sexual Child Abuse was published by Small Wonder Books in 1999.  Thom and Mike host Leaping Upon Mountains a transformative annual  recovery summit retreat, at the Kirkridge Retreat Center in Bangor, Pa. We are thrilled to welcome this tireless champion for survivors of sexual abuse to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  

It's hard to believe fourteen months are now in the rear view mirror of my podcasting odyssey. Like a long uphill climb at a steady pace, this season's guests inspired me upward--to discover what lies beyond the next bend in the road.  My thoughts turn toward lessons from season three: the opportunity to meet kindred spirits, guides known through their works, old friends, even my earliest mentor from high school and college in Florida. I hope you enjoy these messages from our guests this season:Sara Slattery watched her father lose his entire business. Learning from her parents' examples of resilience, she picked herself up, turning disappointment into a new opportunity to grow.  John Lee Dumas leveraged his experience from a pivot to swimming in high school, after an injury benched his basketball dreams.  He applied the concept of putting in extra repetitions to his podcast career - over 3,600 episodes later hosting the world's leading daily entrepreneurial podcast. Growing up as a young black man in 1960's Georgia was not just difficult; it was life-threatening. Benny Vaughn realized that all these experiences sharpened his resolve, defining his life.  Once Becky Karush learned the principles and essential strategies of writing from Suzanne Kingsbury at the Gateless Writer's Academy, she allowed her creative genius to flow. Today she teaches others to find their own creative force. Rock Wilk remembered sitting with Jack Rollins on a park bench when Jack was 99 years old. Jack reminded Rock of life's uncertainty, and the unknown around the next corner.  Carwyn Sharp learned the value of clarity in communication, fostering an environment of trust. Vital feedback can be gleaned from mistakes, leading to an improvement system for his team. Finding your tribe  - one that supports and challenges you, elevates your craft, and creates a nurturing environment - Molly Grant found this in the leatherworker's community. Jerry Lynch ran straight toward his passions, not allowing initial rejection to derail his dream.   Through self-exploration, a totally new way of thinking about spirituality and sport awakened in him. Dick Beardsley has not lived an easy life,  learning through faith and following his passions to find joy in the moment.  Dick's attitude radiates hope for the survivor in all of us. Please reach out, let us know what stories move you forward. What type of guests would you like to hear? We are grateful to those who listen, like, subscribe, rate, and review us. This show is for you. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton.  Continued gratitude to Andrew Hollingworth—master editor and sound engineer.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at https://www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdriveMusic Credits:  Would if I Could by The New Fools from Epidemic Sound

In the early eighties Dick Beardsley was one of world's most famous athletes. He is an American distance runner best known for his first-place tie in the 1981 London Marathon and his close finish with Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon— frequently referred to as The Duel in the Sun, compellingly told in the book by John Brant--where he ran 2:08:53 breaking the Boston course and American Records. After retiring from competition, he suffered a near fatal farming accident, requiring a five-month post-surgical recovery. From 1992-1995, he sustained three major car and cycling accidents, requiring over twenty surgeries. After each of his operations, pain medications were prescribed—to which he became severely addicted. It was a privilege to spend a moment with this inspirational speaker, fishing guide, iconic athlete, and champion of addiction recovery. I caught up with this native Minnesota outdoorsman away from his “floating office,” aboard his 19-foot fishing boat with his Dick Beardsley Fishing Guide Service.  He and his wife Jill are co-owners of the Lake Bemidji Bed and Breakfast.  Dick is a motivational speaker sharing his experiences of redemption, perseverance, and hope; he has spoken at fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, conferences, sporting events, prisons, and drug treatment centers.I hope you enjoy Dick's boundless enthusiasm, gratitude, and approach to Staying the Course, the title of his page turning book with co-author Maureen Anderson—a master class in overcoming life's adversities. We warmly welcome Dick to this episode of  Intrinsic Drive™.    

A self-described gym rat from the age of five, Jerry Lynch was born in the pre-gentrified streets of Brooklyn. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in psychology and complete postdoctoral work in philosophy and religious studies. Dropping out of his professional career,  Jerry moved to Boulder, Colorado - reconnecting with his athletic dreams and becoming a national champion master's runner.  In the high altitude of the Rocky Mountain foothills he sought to be the best version of himself, realizing he must first explore his inner world through self-examination.  He discovered the power of eastern thought as a way to teach himself to love his sport of distance running. Jerry began to write and merge these ideas of western sports psychology and eastern thought as a way to optimize focus, relaxation, compassion, and enjoyment of sport. Dr. Lynch tells us of his low points including the rejection of his first book, to his pivotal meeting with Al Huang who became the co-author of the bestselling book, “Thinking Body, Dancing Mind.”   Celebrating fifty-eight years of coaching, this humble giant and innovator of sports psychology and sport performance has influenced 115 championship teams, 55 Final Four's resulting in 39 National Championships at the collegiate and professional levels.Dr. Lynch has had extensive media interview coverage with CBS, NBC, and PBS national television, the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Baltimore Sun, and Outside Magazine. He co-hosts the Way of Champions Podcast, one of the top-rated podcasts in the world for coaches. The author of 13 books in over 10 languages, Dr. Lynch is the founder and director of The Way of Champions, a human potential and performance consulting group helping others master the deeper inner game for sports, business, and life. It was such an inspiration to host Jerry; it is our honor and privilege to welcome him on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  

Molly Grant, reconnected with the green leather and suede shoes from her childhood memory when she looked across the room at the League of New Hampshire Craftsman Show.  Spotting the bright colors and creative styles of the Cordwainer Shoes, she stopped in her tracks. This master fine-craft leather artist reconnected with the timeless design of the Pathfinder shoe which she first spotted during a trip to that same show at ten years old.  Molly, now in her thirties, gathered the courage to enter into a conversation with her future mentor, teacher, and husband—Paul Mathews.  During their meeting at the Craftsman Show, Paul invited Molly to apprentice and travel to gilded craft shows. Seizing the opportunity to learn the art of shoe-making, she closed her gallery, placing her handbags on the shelf.  Molly and Paul soon married, became partners in the Cordwainer Shop, and worked alongside each other at their farm. Creating wearable art, taking care of the land, and  “living the good life” as Paul would say. Paul's father Edward Mathews designed the Pathfinder shoe in the 1920's during the Great Depression. A shoe created for accessibility, practicality, and biomechanical correctness. High heels and rigid steel shanks were the only footwear options for women during the high fashion “flapper” era. After extensive research at Antioch College, Edward designed and patented a pliable deerskin moccasin of the Native American, and heel-less sandal of the ancient Greeks; becoming the first “style shoe” designed without high heels, providing a wide toe box.  After the stock market crash the shoe was sold as a kit to support the Mathews mission making ergonomically correct, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable footwear accessible to everyone.  Paul Mathews entered the business in 1933, developing the shoe construction process, renaming the former schoolhouse “The Cordwainer Shop”—in Deerfield NH.  Molly had always loved to sew as a youth;  Her mother bought her a piece of leather from one of her yard sale junkets, she was hooked. Following her passions, Molly then became a leather artist in her 20's, refining her craft during an apprenticeship at the Black Swan Leather shop. She opened Molly Craft Designs, a fine craft gallery in Portsmouth, selling her work along with local artisan jewelry, pottery, and glass.  She transitioned full time to shoemaking after meeting Paul. Today Molly teaches workshops for students at craft and folk schools across the country, and at her Cordwainer Shop. Molly is also creating new shoe and handbag designs. I so enjoyed my conversation with this dedicated and talented artist. We are thrilled to welcome Molly to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor. For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive     

Carwyn Sharp Ph.D. CSCS, emigrated from England to Australia with his family as a young boy.  Searching for new opportunities, Carwyn's parents stressed the importance of education as a bridge over poverty and a gateway to an abundant life. Carwyn has followed his passions for sport, movement, and performance—fueling his personal life and extraordinary career. We follow this innovator in the field of human performance on his incredible odyssey from his research in sports nutrition, to working with professional, Olympic, and Paralympic athletes. Dr. Sharp holds a doctorate in clinical nutrition from the University of Texas at Galveston. Carwyn was the Exercise Countermeasures project scientist at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Director of Education and Chief Science Officer at the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Senior Sports Physiologist and Data Analyst at the United States Olympic and Paralympic committee in Colorado Springs. Carwyn is currently utilizing his vast education, knowledge, and experience as Head of Human Performance for the AS Roma futbol club. We recently caught up with Carwyn just off the pitch with the squad in Rome. We are excited to host Carwyn on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™ Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor. For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive    

At five years old Rock Wilk realized he could sing, that same year his grandfather gave him a guitar. A self-taught musician, he spent hours alone in his room playing alongside jazz greats honing his craft. While a defensive back at Colorado State University, his creative writing teacher Bill Tremblay identified his immense talent telling his reluctant student he was a playwright.  Rock left college deciding to pursue his music career and he enjoyed success in the music business, but something just didn't feel right with the pop music direction he was advised to follow. Rock tells us of his lowest moment losing his marriage, adopted mother, and financial ruin all at once. He then takes us to his incredible pivot after reading at his first poetry slam at the Nuyorican poetry club. Rock then harnessed his ability to focus from his early years as an athlete and musician. He found a poetry club to perform in every night and wrote constantly for six years, releasing Broke Wide Open -  his independently produced album in 2007 - which became his first solo play-- enjoying a highly acclaimed run at NYC's New Theater. In 2014 Rock appeared in his first feature film, Jamesy Boy, Starring James Woods, Mary Louise Parker, and Ving Rhames. Rock is the recipient of the 2106 BRIO award for acting presented by the Bronx Council on the Arts. This activist against social injustice, gun violence, and racism created The Brooklyn Quartet in collaboration with Greg E Gaines—Bring in ‘da Noise Bring in ‘da Funk. Rock's current film, The Center of Distance, featuring a breathtaking soundtrack by Steve Peckman, won best Indie feature film at the 2022 Milan Gold Awards, a film shot entirely on his phone during the pandemic. The film is also an official selection at numerous film awards, including The Aphrodite Film Awards  and The IndieFest Film Awards. It's my pleasure to welcome Rock to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor. We are grateful to Rock for permission to use "Treat You Like My Own", from his 2007 album Broke Wide Open. For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive   

Comfortable with a pen and paper from an early age, Becky Karush grew up writing poetry, creating art, and telling stories. After early success with her writing and poetry, during college she experienced a  fifteen-year wilderness period, leaving her unable to write. This extremely talented poet who learned the power of systems from a childhood friend, longed to find a process to harness her muse. After four years of studying the Gateless Writing method,  Becky's love of writing was rekindled during a Gateless Teacher's training course with Suzanne Kingsbury. Becky is also the founder of the Read to Me Literary Arts website, where she teachers group writing salons, and individual coaching. Becky is the founder and host, of the Read to Me podcast, where you can listen to her magical, soothing, and healing voice—as she narrates stories, literary works, and poetry.Becky is a certified teacher of the Gateless Writing method and has led more than 250+ writing salons. She graduated from Wesleyan University (B.A.) and Emerson College (M.A.), and she's worked as a teacher, farmer, journalist, Disney Magazine editor, and copywriter.  She lives in southwestern New Hampshire with her family and her cat Ranger and is working on a novel. It was such a joy to chat with Becky. We are honored to host this literary teacher and talent on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive     

The deep south was a dangerous and treacherous place for a young black man in the 1960's; Benny Vaughn drank from “colored” water fountains, pedaled away from viscous dogs while passing through white neighborhoods, and rode in the back of buses. Benny turned hardships into opportunity through his actions. He was the first black athlete to win the Georgia state high school cross country championships and during the spring of his senior year, he won the 440, 880, Mile, and Mile relay—leading Baker High to its first ever state track and field championship by a two-point margin. One of the most highly recruited athletes in the country, Benny accepted a full  scholarship from the University of Florida, one of five African American athletes picked as ambassadors for racial equality in a slowly desegregating southern landscape. For over forty-six years, Benny has been internationally recognized as the father of sports massage therapy, supporting athletes at five Olympic Games. As medical liaison and manager of athlete services for the Atlanta Centennial Olympic games, he incorporated massage therapy into the medical provisions for the athletes. This iconoclastic trailblazer prepared his whole life to break stereotypes, oppression, and prejudice. Through the mastery of his craft and the harnessing of his healing energy,  sharing his tactile intelligence, knowledge, education, and experience at his state of the art, Benny Vaughn Athletic Training Center. Benny continues to mentor athletes and massage therapists thorough his Benny Vaughn Life Coaching programs. Benny is the recipient of the American Massage Therapy Association Merit Award, the One Lifetime Concept Achievement Award, the Award of Excellence from the National Athletic Trainers Association, and an inductee into the UF Health and Human Performance Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2020 Benny gave the commencement speech at his alma mater, to graduates of the UF College of Health and Human Performance. It is such a joy, honor, and privilege to welcome my friend and earliest mentor Benny to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive   

John Lee Dumas showed early signs of his dedication and commitment to process. He pivoted to swimming after injuries forced him to leave the soccer pitch and basketball court his senior year in high school. JLD quickly transformed one weakness in technique each day; in the final competition of the season, John touched the wall first, winning the Maine State Championship in the 50-yard freestyle.  After graduation from Providence College, John served our country as an Army platoon leader in Iraq.  He continued searching for his purpose or "zone of fire" (to coin a phrase from John) -  a place where passion, expertise, and experience intersect  - and ditched law school, left the financial sector and real estate behind. He began devouring podcasts, quickly realizing the absence of a daily show dedicated to interviewing entrepreneurs and business leaders. John reached out to the host of his favorite podcast The Eventual Millionaire  and the host Jaime Masters became his podcast guide and mentor. Fast forward to today, JLD has interviewed over 3,600 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. John, his partner Kate Erickson, and their small virtual team are the highest-grossing daily affiliate and sponsorship show online. John and Kate are co-creators of Podcaster's Paradise, an online course, community, and resource assisting fledgling beginners to seasoned broadcasting professionals to realize their podcasting dreams. In his new book The Common Path to Uncommon Success  John distills essential qualities, mutual habits, into 17 focused steps to success. We are honored, thrilled, and excited to welcome this podcast inspiration, John Lee Dumas, to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Sara Slattery  learned the importance of hard work from her father, watching him wake up at 4am while running his sign business.  She began her athletic career as a swimmer, training twice daily for several hours before and after school.  She joined her high school track team, merely as a way to stay in shape for swimming. As a freshman, she was state runner up in both the 800 and 3200 meters. This rising star realized she needed to focus her energy on running, training alongside her high school coach, Sabina Robinson—then 42 years old—a masters champion and Olympic trials marathon qualifier. Sara's work ethic and talent yielded twelve state high school championships and one national junior championship. Sara tells us of the challenges she faced after she sustained a serious injury during her senior year at the University of Colorado.  Once again, her work ethic - specifically her swimming background and ability to cross-train paid dividends; with very little running base she capped her outstanding, 11-time All-American collegiate running career with a victory in the 2005 NCAA 10k. Today Sara is the men's and women's head distance coach at Grand Canyon University in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.  She wanted to create a similar environment of excellence she experienced under Coach Wetmore at CU.  She recently collaborated with fellow elite runner and Olympian Molly Huddle on their new book How She Did It - just released this month, March 2022. Sara's book is an essential guide for female athletes navigating the world of competitive running. During her post-collegiate professional running career, Sara posted personal bests of 4:32 in the mile, 15:08 in the 5,000meters, and 31:57 in the 10k. This inspirational athlete was the 2007 Pan American Games 10k Champion,  2008 USA 8k Champion, and an alternate for the 2008 Olympic team. It was a pleasure to spend a moment in Sara's busy life, she is the mother of Steve, Cali, and married to former world-class Steeplechaser Steve Slattery. We are honored to welcome Sara to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive   Follow us on socials (links below) including   Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive 

The challenges continue, they keep coming, sometimes seemingly without end.  Conversations with the remarkable guests from Season Two elevated my spirit and provided me with tangible insights. I hope you glean inspiration from them as I did; the goal in life should be to lift each other up.  Here are my reflections and takeaways from our guests on Season Two:Marten Bostrom rebuilt his body, focusing on the technical aspects of his sport,  enabling him to win the World Orienteering Championship. Clarion Johnson shares a family legacy of courage, providing the fortitude to embrace medicines' most difficult specialties, and becoming global medical director of Exxon Mobil.  2004 Olympian Carrie Tollefson reminds us to ease back on the throttle, believing in ourselves and the process.Chuck Garcia, master storyteller and Columbia University leadership communications professor, teaches us the power of momentum and positive action. Chuck beautifully illustrates these strategies in, A Climb to the Top,  his book and podcast. The Ripleys show us the benefits of falling short of initial goals, rallying our resolve, and strengthening our faith. Terri Trespicio calls us to action. Terri gives us permission to unsubscribe from untruths in her new book, Unfollow Your Passion, where she guides us to sharpen our skills, unlock our creative genius, calling us to show up and trust. Life transitions can be difficult. World-class marathoner Brett Gotcher encourages us to leverage the power of perspective, focusing on positive memories instead of negative departures.  Loretta Claiborne, the most decorated Special Olympian of all time, calls us - regardless of our circumstances -  to give from the heart to those in need. Conservation giant and CEO of Trout Unlimited, Chris Wood emphasizes a willingness to learn and demonstrates that the humility to embrace the role of student translates to fulfilling one's purpose. ParaTriathlon champion and former Marine Corps Sargent Zach Stinson moved beyond anger after a bomb resulted in the loss of both legs above the knee and numerous other injuries. After thirty-five surgeries and grueling rehabilitation, Zach transcended bitterness, opening providence and provisions for his family, and new possibilities for him to harness his athletic talents.  Closing Thoughts...I'm grateful to the guests who shared their stories with me. I've taken away tangible strategies, real-time approaches, and new ways of understanding—messages I'll continue to employ when the road gets tougher.  Continued thanks to Andrew Hollingworth—master editor and sound engineer. Thanks to all those who have listened, cheered, and championed this project; we are grateful for your encouragement and support. Which stories move you forward?  How have these stories impacted you? What would you like to hear next? Let us know. Until then I look forward to being with you on the next season of Intrinsic Drive™.Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at https://www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive

Stepping on a bomb was the last thing Sargent Zach Stinson remembered after insisting on leading his Marine Battalion while serving in Afghanistan. Six days later, Zach woke up at the Bethesda Navy Hospital - both legs were amputated above the knee, his right thumb, and parts of other fingers were also severed.   Zach stopped counting surgeries after the thirty-fifth.  He then came to realize his attitude and mindset were the only things in his control, the rest was in God's hands. After two grueling years of rehabilitation, he returned home. An eighth-place finish in his first Marine Corps Marathon without serious training showed Zach's tremendous talent. Fast forward to a birthday challenge where he won his first Ironman in Lake Placid in 2019. This Chambersburg Pennsylvania native began to devour Marathons, and Paratriathlons—leaving the competition in his wake.  Zach is the 2021 Paratriathlon National Champion; 2021 World Cup Triathlon Para Cup Champion contested in Alhandra, Portugal; and the 2021 Boston Marathon Handcycling Champion. It was an honor to host this fearless competitor on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. We encourage those who would like to support Zach in his quest to represent team USA at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris to visit his website. This inspirational athlete is grateful for the continued support of the Semper Fi & America's Fund. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive

A trip to Alaska to follow the Salmon run changed the course of Chris Wood's life; upon returning home he resigned from his job working for an ice cream company. Choosing a new path, Chris resolved to dedicate his life to saving endangered fish and waterways. He began his career as a temporary employee with the US Forest Service in Idaho where he quickly realized the power of learning from mentors and teachers in the conservation field.  They - in turn - saw his passion, tireless work ethic, and optimism. He went on to become the senior policy and communications advisor to the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, where he assisted in protecting 58.5 million acres of publicly owned land. He began to realize his potential to have a significant impact on the environment and our natural resources. In 2009 Chris began his leadership as President and CEO of Trout Unlimited.  Today TU is an internationally respected conservation powerhouse with close to an $80 million-dollar annual budget and national staff of 260 employees. TU has become the science delivery system for state and national agencies who have sustained large budget cuts.  Trout Unlimited, in partnership with their three hundred eighty-seven local chapters across the country, is protecting, reconnecting, restoring, and sustaining our cold-water resources. TU invests tens of millions of dollars annually for river and stream recovery, protecting head-water streams, thus reducing downstream drinking water filtration costs. This evangelist of fishing and fisheries conservation was recently inducted into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. Chris has authored Watershed Restoration: Principles and Practices (AFS, 1997), From Conquest to Conservation: Our Public Land Legacy (Island Press, 2003), and My Heathy Stream: A handbook for Streamside Owners (Trout Unlimited and The Aldo Leopold Foundation, 2013). We are honored to welcome this giant of conservation to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  For those who would like to learn more about the conservation efforts of Chris and his team, become members, or donate please visit Trout Unlimited. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Loretta Claiborne is the most accomplished Special Olympics athlete of all time. Loretta was raised by a single mother, born partially blind, with an intellectual disability, and clubbed feet.  This future marathon champion was unable to walk until the age of four and learned to talk at seven. Loretta's strong mother had the courage, strength, and fortitude to refuse institutionalization for her daughter. We learn of early teachers, an uncle teaching her to read the paper and count money. Janet Mc Farland, an early mentor who introduced Loretta to the newly formed Special Olympics, setting her on a path to become the most celebrated Special Olympics athlete in history with ten medals over six Special Olympics World Games. She has run 26 marathons, placing in the top 100 in the Boston Marathon twice, and finished in the top 25 women overall in the Pittsburgh Marathon. This global speaker was awarded the Arthur Ashe ESPY Courage Award in 1996, presented to her by Denzel Washington. This tireless warrior for the intellectually challenged was the first Special Olympics athlete elected to the Special Olympics Board of Directors. Loretta's life was the subject of an ABC-TV made-for-Disney movie,  The Loretta Claiborne Story. Loretta is represented in the historic portrait at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, of her friend and Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. As a result of this change agent's advocacy, those with intellectual disabilities are living longer,  more rewarding, and productive lives. The Special Olympics is now in 200 countries, with five million participating athletes, providing resources for those once removed from society and marginalized.It was a gift to spend time with Loretta, Chief Inspirational Officer of the Special Olympics. We welcome her to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive 

As an eighth grader, Brett Gotcher viewed running as a tool to improve his conditioning for basketball. Under the tutelage of Aptos High School coach Dan Gruber, he began to improve, seeing the possibility of cross country and track becoming his new focus. Brett became a dominant force, eying the potential of a way to pay for college. This Watsonville, California native enjoyed a stellar high school career, winning four consecutive SCCAL championships in the 3200m, three in the 1600m, and posting the 12th fastest high school 10,000 meters in US history. After a self-described lack luster college career at Stanford, Brett was inspired to continue running post collegiately.  After graduation he was encouraged by a former teammate to accept an invitation from coach Greg McMillan, who was starting an elite distance running club in Flagstaff, Arizona. Under Greg's guidance, support from his training partners, and the Flagstaff community, Brett enjoyed training and rekindled his competitive fire. He shares his low moment of not finishing the 2016 US Olympic Marathon Trails. Subsequently, a meeting with Brian DeDiego, a friend and coach at a rival high school encouraged him to begin a new career as a real estate agent. Brett has converted his ability to connect with people, hard work, and attention to detail in his real estate business as co-founder of the Santa Cruz Real Estate Team.  Brett was a member of the 2008 US World Championship Half Marathon Team; 2009 US World Championship Cross Country Team; and  USA 20k National Champion. In the 2010 Houston Marathon he ran the 4th fastest debut in US history, finishing in 2:10:36. He was also an alternate for the 2012 London Olympic Marathon, finishing 5th in the Olympic Trials posting 2:11:09. I had so much fun catching up with this humble champion. We warmly welcome Brett to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive Editor's Note: "Gentleman's Pace" credit Peter Gilmore  

How did a self-described nervous kid from New Jersey become a colossal force as a speaker, and author of the new groundbreaking book Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life That Matters to You ( Altra Books/Simon & Schuster).  Terri Trespicio is a writer, speaker, and brand advisor who works with individuals and groups to change the way they think about, talk about, and position what they do. She teaches her clients a masterclass in the alchemy of words.  In this interview, she shares her journey - from her first job writing press releases for a publisher in the back of his home office to her current work helping corporations and business owners write the words that matter to their missions. Terri earned her BA in English from Boston College and an MFA in Creative Writing in 2002 from Emerson College, where her thesis, a collection of poetry, won the Graduate Dean Award. A finalist for the Iowa Award and Glimmer Train, her literary work has appeared in The Greensboro Review, New Millennium Writings, and The Baltimore Review, where she won first place in their 2016 creative nonfiction contest.A former magazine editor and radio host at Martha Stewart, she has appeared on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, The Early Show, The Martha Stewart Show and The Anderson Cooper Show. Her work has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Prevention, Business Insider, Forbes.com, and Inc.com. Certified in the Gateless Method for capturing creative genius, she leads workshops and retreats all over the country to help professionals of all stripes take their stories and ideas from page to stage and beyond. An in-demand speaker who presents at conferences across the country, she was rated the #1 speaker at Barron's Top Independent Women Advisors Summit and How Design Live. On the heels of her first TEDx talk, she was invited to give a second, “It's About Time We Rethink Happily Ever After.” Terri is also a stand-up comic and has performed at famous Manhattan venues including Caroline's, Dangerfield's, Gotham, and New York Comedy Club, and was a quarter-finalist in the She Devil Comedy Competition. We warmly welcome Terri to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Zach and Andi Ripley were recruited as student athletes to the same university, where they met, became teammates, and married. In this in-depth conversation we traverse the inception of their competitive drives, race anxieties, and Zach's desire to separate his running identity from the person who just “loved to run” and move in alignment with his faith.  We also learn how Andi  overcame her fear of failure and expectations by transitioning to running as a meditation, resulting in a  drop in marathon times.  The Ripleys share their low moments  - Zach missing the Olympic Trials steeplechase standard and the marathon by the narrowest of margins and  Andi almost losing her training partner and former teammate after a devastating car accident left her with brain trauma, sustained while on a training run. We discover their pivots as they find purpose, learn to find joy in the process, turn their injuries and experiences into opportunities for growth, and connect with their community on their A to Z running podcast and coaching resources. I so enjoyed my time with Andi and Zach. We welcome the Ripleys to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive 

 Chuck Garcia was scheduled to give a keynote address at the world trade center on the morning of September 11, 2001, when he was asked to switch presentation times with a colleague.  That colleague never made it out of the building when the terrorist planes struck the twin towers on that horrific day.  One year later, while on the summit of Mount Rainier, he made a pact to honor his fallen coworkers devoting his life to the service, success, and happiness of others.  After a twenty-five-year career on Wall Street, Chuck experienced a realization after a fourteen-day summit of Mount Bona in Alaska; he founded The Climb Leadership Institute to assist leaders develop into powerful and compelling communicators. This master storyteller teaches us the science and practical application of public speaking in his best-selling book, A Climb to the Top—Communication and Leadership Tactics to Take Your Career to New Heights. Chuck Garcia is the founder of Climb Leadership International and coaches executives on leadership development, public speaking, and emotional intelligence. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University where he teaches Leadership Communication in the Graduate School of Engineering. A 25-year veteran of Wall Street, he spent 14 years in sales and marketing at Bloomberg in a variety of leadership positions and held senior managerial positions in top worldwide investment management companies. Tune in for stories of transformation on his weekly A Climb to the Top Podcast on C-Suite Radio. Chuck is also an accomplished mountaineer who has climbed some of the world's tallest peaks, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, the Matterhorn, as well as mountains in Alaska and the Andes. We are honored, inspired, and thrilled to share Chuck's impactful life and message on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive 

 2004 Olympian Carrie Tollefson,  was born and raised in the small tightly knit community of Dawson, Minnesota, where she won thirteen state championships - eight in track and five consecutive cross country titles, a national record that still stands today.   Carrie won her first national collegiate title at the 1997 NCAA Cross Country Championships, overcoming stress fractures in her metatarsal and a heel tumor that would need a bone donor and surgery. This Villanova student-athlete superstar was on crutches for two months post-surgery,  setting her sights on proving the doubters wrong, as she returned to lead the Wildcats to win the NCAA Cross Country team title the following year. After college Carrie won three USATF National Championships, including an Olympic Trials victory in the 1500 meters in 2004.  She represented Team USA at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, earning a number one USA ranking by Track and Field News in the 1500 meters. This running standout has put her broadcast journalism and communications degree to work as an analyst and commentator for ESPN2, NBC, and USATF.TV  with regular media appearances at the NYC Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Boston Marathon, and events worldwide.  In 2010 she began her online video show, C Tolle Run, now a podcast—which can be enjoyed on your favorite podcast platform. Carrie has graced covers of Track and Field News, Running Times, with five cover appearances on Runner's World. This Minnesota sports luminary was inducted into the Minnesota High School Hall of Fame in 2015 and The National High School Hall of Fame in 2018. Join me in catching up with this gracious champion, who lives and trains in her home state of Minnesota with her husband Charlie and their three children, Ruby, Everett, and Greer.  What a treat to host Carrie on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelivePhoto: James Nichols  

Clarion Johnson received his calling at thirteen years old, falling to one knee on the street near his Brooklyn home and breaking into a cold sweat after reading the biography of a missionary doctor. Clarion had an epiphany, at that moment he felt destined to become a physician.  Clarion was mentored by Dr. Haber at the Columbia Teachers College and funded his own education at Sarah Lawrence College, by working two jobs.  By the end of his four years in Bronxville, he was class president and captain of the basketball team. During his internship at Yale Medical School  he majored in internal medicine with a minor in cardiology. He then went on to a life of service utilizing his medical skills: Dr. Clarion Johnson is the former medical director of Exxon Mobil.  He is Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board of Public Health. Dr. Johnson sits on the boards of the Milbank Memorial Fund; the de Beaumont Foundation, Vice-chair of the Yale School of Public Health; Member of the Yale School of Management; Chair of the Yale nominating committee; Arch Diocese of New York's Health System; and is past chair of the Virginia Health Care Foundation and City Lights School. In January 2020 he was honored with a lifetime appointment as a National Associate of the National Research Council. Other honors include Presidents Award for the Oil and International Gas Producers Award for Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Social Responsibility of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. In 2011 he received a medal from the French Army's Institute De Recherche Biomedical for “Project Tetrapole”—a public partnership on malaria research. He is Chair of the Yale nominating committee and a distinguished member of the Cosmos Club.  We are honored to host this truly remarkable man of service to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive

Watching his older brother win the World Orienteering Championships at eight years old Marten Bostrom dreamed he would follow in his older sibling's footsteps; a silver medal in Budapest Hungary at the World Junior Championships in 2001 showed promise, as well as a Finnish junior record for his marathon debut of 2:25 at nineteen years old. His attendance at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff provided the perfect community to sharpen his track and cross-country skills while studying geology and cartography. This “Flying Finn” narrowly missed the Olympic marathon over two Olympic periods in 2008 and 2012, the latter miss due to bilateral Achilles tendon injury sustained while training in Kenya's Rift Valley.  Undeterred, Marten returned to orienteering with renewed motivation as the world championships were to be contested in his home country of Finland in 2013. He would go on to fulfill a lifelong dream, winning gold in the 2013 World Orienteering Championships. He prefers the forest, mountains, and rugged terrain of trails, and enjoys his career of mapping new roads for his orienteering and outdoor community. He holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in Geographical Information Science from Northern Arizona University and the University of Helsinki—where he is completing his doctoral studies. He can be found burning up the trail marathon world, always looking forward to his next goal – such as his recent victory in the Nuuksio Classic trail marathon - while enjoying what's around the next turn. Marten has clocked personal bests of 2:18:51 in the marathon and has won the Copenhagen Marathon, Transgrancanaria 30k twice, as well as the 2013 World Orienteering Championships.  Catching up with Marten transported me back to our time training together in Flagstaff and I am overjoyed to host Marten in this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram @intrinsicdrivelive 

The speed of life can be daunting. Some days there feels to be a need to pause, reflect, and learn from the experience of those who have transcended their challenges. I find myself returning to key moments from each guest during this first season. I felt like sharing them with you. Ronnie Harris, reframes his disappointment at not competing in the Olympics, thus upholding the standard. Jen Rhines, shows us the pivot which catapulted her to become a three-time Olympian. World famous tap dancer, Andrew Nemr takes us on a journey in finding his true purpose. We learn to become an active player in our lives and, Think Like a Breadwinner—with Jennifer Barrett. We find grace in action during life's most devastating moments from the unshakable resilience of Carmen Dell' Orefice. We find a way to train out our mental obstacles and Live The Best Story of Our Lives, with World Champion Tennis player and performance coach Bob Litwin. Deepa Purushothaman, reveals her path shedding negative beliefs and stereotypes in finding her true power. We learn of Patrick Reagan's defining moment in aligning his talent with his passion—becoming a professional Ultra Runner. We travel down the road with professional squash player Chris Gordon, as he brings us along for his shift from external motivations to compete and win—to finding joy in the process of being healthy. Now the oldest player on the professional squash circuit, finding fulfillment in daily training rituals. Final Thoughts… I'm grateful to the guests who shared their stories with me. I've taken away tangible strategies, real time approaches, and new ways of understanding—messages I'll continue employ on my own road. Creating this show, stretched me in ways I never thought possible. Many days I just wanted to throw in the towel. In learning so many different elements of this process something new opened in me. I was pulled by an invisible force, a deeper intrinsic motivation.  Extra shout out to Andrew Hollingworth—master editor and sound engineer. Thanks to all those who have listened, cheered, and championed this project. You are in Cooperstown!  Which stories move you forward? How have these stories impacted you? What would you like to hear next? Let us know. Until then I look forward to being with you on the next season of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

In this episode, we follow the journey of professional squash player Chris Gordon - from his relocation from New York to the UK, at the age of fourteen,  to study with world-renowned squash coach David Pearson to his world travels on the professional circuit.  Chris provides valuable insight into navigating the world of professional squash and imparts an understanding of the discipline and resourcefulness required to create the environment necessary to ascend in the sport. We learn about his globe-trekking travels to tournaments and the challenges he faced - before the convenience of current technologies. He also shares his fall, after not making the Pan American Games team in 2019, and the pivot that changed his entire approach to training, life, fitness, and well-being. Chris is the most capped US World Team Championship player, with six appearances since 2005, Four Pan Am Games medals, and a National Singles title. After listening to his interview, you will glean, why Chris “Flash” Gordon is the fittest, healthiest, and most prepared squash player on the world tour—in a career spanning nineteen years. We are excited to welcome Chris Gordon to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive

Growing up skateboarding and listening to punk rock, Patrick Reagan didn't focus on running until his senior year of high school, leaving basketball and other team sports behind. He began to traverse the loops of Masontown Pennsylvania, his home on the banks of the Monongahela River. Beginning to show promise his freshman year at West Virginia Wesleyan College, transferring to Slippery Rock University—his new teammates pushed him beyond what he thought possible. Hard training and dedication yielded rapid improvement, including academic and two-time All-American honors in cross country. After graduating with a degree in exercise science, a bout with anemia shelved his running, while opening a new path into the music world. Playing washboard percussion and tenor guitar with several ragtime bands, over a two-and-a-half-year period, busking his way across thirty-six states. He then relocated from New Orleans to Savannah where he worked seven days a week as a tricycle cab operator for the Savannah Pedicab company (an occupation that helped equip him with colossal leg strength from pedaling tourists around Savannah, eight to ten hours, seven days a week). Volunteering at the Savannah College of Art and Design turned into a full-time coaching position. Surrounded by his aspiring student-athletes, he renewed his love of running, while training with the team as a SCAD head coach. Reagan coached two NAIA All-Americans in cross country and six in Track and Field and was named Sun Conference coach of the year six times during his eight-year tenure. He soon realized his proclivity for running long and fast after a breakthrough third-place finish at the IAU 100k world championships in Los Alcazares, Spain. He then went on to become a two-time Javelina Jundred 100-mile endurance run champion and course record holder in 13:01:14. When not burning up the trails as a professional ultra runner for Hoka One One, Patrick enjoys mentoring athletes at Patrick Reagan Running, and playing old-time music with his current band—Doctor Raygun and the Future Times.  We are super excited to welcome this ultra-running superstar to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.  Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Deepa Purushothaman was a senior partner at the world's largest professional services corporation, focusing on women's leadership and inclusion strategies, assisting women of color navigate corporate structures. She was the first Indian American woman and one of the youngest people to make partner in the firm's history. Twenty years of globetrotting, and regularly logging over one-hundred-hour weeks as a corporate athlete left her flatlined.  Deepa pivoted during her quest to heal herself, leaving the corporate world in 2020; she then co-founded nFormation, a company offering safe new space, placing women of color in C-suite positions and on boards.  Deepa holds degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Kennedy School, and The London School of Economics. Her current book, The First, The Few, The Only has a March 2022 release date. We are thrilled to welcome Deepa to Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Performance coach Bob Litwin is a two-time tennis World Champion, 25- time US National Champion and was ranked #1 in the world in senior tennis. In 2011, he was inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. He is the first non-tour player to make a list that includes Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Vitas Gerulaitis, Don Budge and Althea Gibson. He is currently undefeated since March 2018 and is the #1 ranked 70 and over player in the USA. Bob, lead the USA Senior Davis Cup team in the World Team Championships. Over the past four decades, Bob has refined the New Story method to coach Wall Street analysts, traders, startup founders, athletes, and performance coaches-- elevating their performance to extraordinary levels. His book Live the Best Story of Your Life: A World Champion's Guide to Lasting Change is all about becoming amazing all day, every day and has been an Amazon best- seller since it came out in 2016. We warmly welcome Bob Litwin to this episode of Intrinsic Drive™.Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive  

Carmen Dell' Orefice grew up in New York City in the 1930's during the Great Depression. She was encouraged by her mother to study with the Ballet Russes and then went on to swim at a national class level—nearly missing the US Olympic team.  On the bus returning from swim practice, she was discovered and asked to attend a photo shoot, which was poorly received. Despite this Carmen was sent to Vogue Magazine two weeks later, where Carol Philips the beauty editor found her photogenic, landing the cover of Vogue in 1948 at the age of fifteen. In this interview the world's oldest working supermodel shares overcoming pernicious anemia due to malnutrition, learning to be on her own problem solver as a youth, and supporting her family through her modeling career---spanning over seventy-five years. The Guinness Book of World Records awarded her the “longest career as a catwalk model.”  She remains active on the runways, making appearances for John Galliano in 2000, Hermes in 2004, Alberta Ferretti in 2011 and twice in 2012 for Norisol Ferrari and Merimekko.  Appearing in films such as Curse of the Jade Scorpion, and Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence.  Her career is the subject of the documentary---Carmen: A Life in Fashion. We celebrate Carmen's 90th birthday as she imparts timeless wisdom about her daily practice of self-care, career, love, and motivationally infectious outlook on life. We are thrilled to share this iconoclast's sage advice and remarkable stories on this episode of Intrinsic Drive™. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive.   Follow us on socials (links below) including  Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive

Jennifer Barrett  is  author of the recently released groundbreaking work Think Like A Breadwinner, A Wealth Building Manifesto for Women, who want to Earn More and  Worry Less.   She takes us to the beginning of her career in financial journalism - from covering foreign exchange forThe Wall Street Journal, to The Street.com and The New York Times, before landing her dream job at Newsweek, where she worked as a staff writer and editor for seven years--focusing on health and personal finance. It was during this time that she had her first formative financial "reckoning"/realization. She then moved into management, becoming digital director at NBC Universal and Hearst.  Jennifer was general manager of four women's magazine sites--Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Redbook, and Good Housekeeping. Jennifer is now the chief education officer at Acorns, a financial wellness app she helped build and scale with over 8.5 million users. Jennifer takes us from her genesis as a young girl wishing to be a reporter, to interviewing over one hundred women for her new book, Think Like A Breadwinner, A Wealth Building Manifesto for Women, who want to Earn More and  Worry Less.  We welcome Jennifer Barrett to this episode of Intrinsic Drive. Intrinsic Drive™ is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive. Follow us on socials (links below) including Instagram  @intrinsicdrivelive

Andrew Nemr is an internationally known performer, choreographer, educator, and speaker. Andrew has performed with Grammy award-winning musicians, Jazz icons such as Harry Connick Jr, Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, and the legendary Les Paul. The  New York Times referred to Andrew as a "master tapper."  Nemr's work has been recognized with a TED Fellowship. Andrew founded the tap dance company Cats Paying Dues and co-founded the Tap Legacy Foundation, along with his mentor tap icon Gregory Hines. In this episode, Andrew shares his early motivation after watching Gregory Hines and Savion Glover in the movie Tap. Andrew shares his devastation at being excluded from his mentor's show. He shares his spiritual journey and pivot back from exhaustion and burnout. We are excited to welcome Andrew to this episode fo Intrinsic Drive®.  Intrinsic Drive® is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive.   Follow us on socials including Instagram @intrinsicdrivelive

Three-time Olympian Jen Rhines, shares her remarkable career - from her origins in upstate New York beginning with basketball, soccer, and BMX biking to her transition to track and cross country. She tells the story of her lowest point - after being lapped twice in the Big East Championship her freshman year - to her subsequent pivot.  Jen shares her mindset, motivations, and joy of competition--which fueled a love of travel and keenness for adventure. Jen represented team USA in the 10k, Marathon, and 5,000 meters over three consecutive summer games; she qualified for fifteen national cross-country teams and was five-time NCAA champion while a student-athlete at Villanova University.  She holds personal bests of: 14:54 5000 meters; 31:17 10,000 meters: 68:07 half marathon; and a 2:29:32 marathon. Jen won three national USA road titles in the 15k. She enjoys mentoring aspiring athletes co-coaching along with her husband Terrence Mahon at their Gold Coast Track Club. For more information on Jen including wellness coaching, training programs, and speaking engagements find out more at https://www.jenrhines.com/Intrinsic Drive™  is produced by Ellen Strickler and Phil Wharton. Special thanks to Andrew Hollingworth, our sound engineer and technical editor.  For more information on this and other episodes visit us at www.whartonhealth.com/intrinsicdrive.  Follow us on socials, including, Instagram @intrinsicdrivelive