Steven Kotler is the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective and one of the world’s leading experts on high performance. The New York Times bestselling author of Stealing Fireand The Rise of Superman, Kotler shows companies how to unlock their potential and level up their game like never before. On this episode, Steven decodes the science of flow—an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best. We dig into the science of human performance, how to achieve flow, and what it all means for your own life.

Know the feeling of getting bombarded with too many pings, dings and rings? You’re not alone. Nir Eyal writes and consults about the intersection of psychology, technology and business. His latest book, Indistractable, reveals the hidden psychology driving us to distraction. On this episode, Nir shares the practical techniques to control your time and attention—helping you live the life you really want. His four-step, research-backed model will help you manage distractions and finally do what you say you will do.

Where along the way did we trade in our confidence and courage for approval and acceptance? And why? That’s the question Reshma Saujani challenges us with in her book Brave, Not Perfect. Reshma is the founder & CEO of Girls Who Code, an international nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. Her TED Talk, “Teach girls bravery, not perfection,” has been viewed more than 4 million times and sparked a worldwide conversation about how we’re raising our girls. On this episode, we talk about how to fear less, fail more and live boldly.  

James Franklin is one of the top college football coaches in the country. Since arriving at Penn State University in 2014, Franklin has led the Nittany Lions to three top-10 finishes and a Big Ten championship. His journey took him from Division II quarterback to college coach, where he found unlikely success at Vanderbilt before taking on the challenge of rebuilding the storied Penn State program. On this episode, we dig into how he built trust in a tough environment when he arrived at Penn State and the ways his leadership approach has evolved over the years.

Tony Gonzalez is an analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast WIDE OPEN with Tony Gonzalez. In 17 seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, Tony was a 14-time Pro Bowl selection. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns and yards by a tight end and is third-all time in receptions. Tony tackles all aspects of his life with the same drive and curiosity that helped him excel on the field. In this conversation, Tony shares what fuels him, the defining moments that shaped his life, and his powerful habits for success.

We all have stories we tell ourselves that define the way we live our lives. Stories help you make sense of your life, but they can also keep you stuck. How can you become the editor of your life? Therapist Lori Gottlieb is the author of the New York Times bestseller Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and writes the Dear Therapist advice column for The Atlantic. In this conversation, we talk about how to defeat toxic thinking, change our self-limiting narratives, and get unstuck. It’s about changing your narrative to change your life.

How do elite performers mentally train for success? Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and Vision Pursue founder Russ Rausch discuss the relationship between mindset and performance. As an NFL coach, Dan uses Vision Pursue’s performance mindset training with his team to strengthen their mental game. In this episode, we talk about how to develop mental toughness, focus through distractions and perform under pressure.

Who were you before the world told you who to be? That’s the question Glennon Doyle asks in her new memoir Untamed. Glennon is a speaker, activist and New York Times bestselling author. Her two previous books- Love Warrior and Carry On, Warrior were both #1 New York Times bestsellers and Love Warrior was an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Glennon writes about addiction, recovery, marriage and faith with no holds barred. In today’s conversation, we dig into becoming attune to our discontent, abandoning expectations, and learning to trust yourself. It’s about how sometimes we forget who we are… and how we find ourselves again.

Leonard Hamilton is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball and a trailblazer in the sport. The head basketball coach at Florida State University, Hamilton is the Seminoles’ all-time winningest coach and the 5th winningest coach in ACC history. This season he won ACC Coach of the Year honors and led Florida State to the #4 ranking in the country and the ACC regular season championship. On this episode, Hamilton shares the moment where he thought he gave up coaching for good, the hurdles he had to overcome in his career, and how he built a reputation as a program rebuilder.

Note: this conversation is updated with Coach Hamilton’s thoughts after the cancelation of the NCAA tournament, where Florida State was expected to be a top seed.   

Leonard Hamilton is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball and a trailblazer in the sport. The head basketball coach at Florida State University, Hamilton is the Seminoles’ all-time winningest coach and the 5th winningest coach in ACC history. This season he won ACC Coach of the Year honors and led Florida State to the #4 ranking in the country and the ACC regular season championship. On this episode, Hamilton shares the moment where he thought he gave up coaching for good, the hurdles he had to overcome in his career, and how he built a reputation as a program rebuilder.

Note: this conversation is updated with Coach Hamilton’s thoughts after the cancelation of the NCAA tournament, where Florida State was expected to be a top seed.   

Most people believe: if you work harder, you will be more successful, and then you will be happy. But if you think the key to happiness is success, you’ve got it backwards. It’s happiness that fuels success. Shawn Achor is one of the world’s leading experts on the science of happiness. He’s the bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential. More than a decade of research shows that training your brain to be positive first actually leads to greater success at work. On this episode, Shawn shares the four biggest predictors of happiness, how to spark happiness in your own life, and the simple steps you can take to embrace a positive mindset.

Wouldn’t it be nice if leadership came with an instruction manual? In his new book, Welcome to Management, Ryan Hawk is sharing the advice he wishes he knew when he transitioned into a leadership role. Ryan is the host of the popular podcast, The Learning Leader Show, which boasts millions of listeners in 150+ countries. On this episode, Ryan shares how to transition seamlessly from individual performer to exceptional leader. Listen in to discover the common qualities top leaders share and the three skill sets every leader needs to master.

Susan Cain got everyone talking about the power of introverts with Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list for seven consecutive years. Her TED Talk has been viewed more than 30 million times and was named by Bill Gates one of his favorite talks. Introverts make up an estimated 50% of the population, but we dramatically undervalue introverts and in doing so, miss out on their immense talents. On this episode, Susan shares the biggest misconceptions about introverts, why we need more introverted leaders, and the shift she’s seen since releasing Quiet in 2012.

Simon Sinek has transformed the way we think about work. His TED Talk is the second most popular of all time and his book, Start With Why, sparked a movement to help people, teams and organizations discover their why. In his new book, The Infinite Game, Simon shares a bold new framework for leadership. Many organizations struggle because their leaders play with a finite mindset in a game that has no end. In our conversation, Simon shares why leaders who embrace an infinitemindset build stronger, more innovative, and more resilient teams.

Most people try to avoid stress. But what if changing how you think about stress could actually make you happier, healthier, and better able to reach your goals? Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk, “How to make stress your friend” is one of the most viewed TED talks with over 20 million views. In her book, The Upside of Stress, Kelly shares the hidden benefits of stress and how you can make it a catalyst in your own life. In this episode, Kelly explains why trying to avoid stress is counterproductive and why instead, you should focus on three mindset resets to re-frame how you view stress.

Now with over 150 million subscribers, Netflix is a tech giant, but it began as a scrappy startup with naysayers and obstacles at every turn. Netflix co-founder and former CEO Marc Randolph shares the untold story of how Netflix went from concept to company in his new book, “That Will Never Work.” We talk about why some great ideas stick and others don’t, why there’s no formula for innovation, and what happens when your little idea becomes a multi-billion-dollar business.

Holly Rowe has made a name for herself as one of ESPN’s most versatile commentators. She covers college football, college basketball, softball and multiple other sports for the network. In 2015, Holly was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma-- a rare, fast-spreading form of skin cancer. Once she went public with her diagnosis and treatment, Holly found a cheering section of her own. On this episode, Holly shares how her diagnosis shifted her perspective and focused her on the small moments of joy in each day. We also talk about her unique career journey and what she’s learned from interviewing the best athletes and coaches in the world.

Imagine facing a life-threatening disease with no known cure. Now imagine that you are a physician- and the person facing the disease is you. That’s the story David Fajgenbaum tells in his memoir, Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race To Turn Hope Into Action. David battles Castleman disease, a rare disease involving the immune system attacking and shutting down vital organs. Faced with lengthy hospitalizations and multiple near-death relapses, David realized that the best person to find a cure might be himself. In our conversation, David shares what it means to turn hope into action and why sometimes you have to create your own silver linings.

More than 40% of what you do every day is habit. Habits are the foundation for how you live your life and do your work. In his New York Times bestseller, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explores the science of habits. Why do they exist and how can you change them? If you have the power to change your habits, you have the power to change your life. And the key to changing your habits is understanding the science of how they work. On this episode, Charles shares a framework to help you create new habits and break your bad habits.  

You have a message you want to share. The problem is, you don’t know how to position yourself and create a platform to share it. How can you get booked as a speaker? Brian Lord is a 24-year veteran of the booking industry with more than $100 million in bookings. He’s booked everyone from presidents to superstar athletes to leading CEOs. On this episode, Brian shares everything you need to know about the speaking industry, whether you are a rookie or a veteran speaker. We talk about where to find the right clients, how to determine your speaking fee, and the three things every speaker must have to get booked.

In his bestselling books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport explores our evolving and complicated relationship with technology. Technology has transformed the way we work and live- but at what cost? In a world defined by electronic busyness, we no longer value deep work. And in our personal lives, we have become addicted to our devices at the expense of human connection. On this episode, Cal walks us through a digital detox, an intentional decluttering process that thousands of people have used to simplify their lives. Learn how to make technology work for you— not the other way around.

What is the first step to becoming a better leader? Self-awareness. Ian Cron, author of The Road Back To You, is an expert on the Enneagram and host of the popular podcast, Typology. Ian uses the Enneagram personality-typing assessment as a tool to help leaders foster self-awareness. On this episode, we dig into the nine personality types and the do’s and don’ts for leading each type. 

Before she became the face of women’s basketball, Elena Delle Donne quit the sport entirely. Burned out and unsure of herself, Elena had to walk away to rediscover her joy and write her own story. Today, Elena is a 6x WNBA All-Star and frontrunner for MVP. But Elena’s story has always been bigger than basketball. Her biggest motivation is her sister Lizzie, who was born deaf and blind with cerebral palsy and autism. On this episode, Elena talks about her journey of self-discovery, how she stays mentally tough, and the two keys to her success.

From the college football sidelines to the basketball court and beyond, Maria Taylor has all your sports coverage for ESPN. Maria has quickly become a star broadcaster known for her versatility and drive. She is a co-host on College GameDay, sideline reporter for ABC’s Saturday Night Football, and is expected to be added to NBA Countdown this season. Passionate about paying it forward, Maria is the co-founder of The Winning Edge Leadership Academy which helps young women and minorities get opportunities in the sports industry. On today’s episode, we talk about the hustle it required to break into the industry, the lessons in failing fast, and how she got comfortable using her voice.

Every leader has to know how to get, give and encourage feedback at work. Former Google and Apple executive Kim Scott’s book, Radical Candor: Be a Kick Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, is a New York Times bestseller and inspired a management revolution. Radical candor is a simple idea: to be a good boss, you have to care personally and challenge directly. On this episode, we talk about how to create a culture of feedback, build a great team, and get results. This simple framework will guide every conversation you have and help you build better relationships.