Beyond Lieutenant Dan: Gary Sinise on Love, Loss & Legacy
What if real success is measured not by what you achieve, but by how deeply you give?On today’s episode, we sit down with Gary Sinise—Emmy Award–winning actor and director best known for his roles in Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and CSI: New York, and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation—to explore his lifelong arc from self to service.Gary takes us back to the accidental spark of belonging he found in high school theater, the early days building Steppenwolf, and the quiet battle with inadequacy that forged a bias for action and leadership. We trace how portraying Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump became an inflection point—culminating in a life-altering moment on stage with 2,000 wounded veterans—and how 9/11 transformed his work into a full-fledged mission to support service members and their families.Gary also opens a tender window into his home front: his wife’s battle with breast cancer and his late son Mac’s courageous 5½-year fight with chordoma. He shares how showing up—again and again—became a practice, a purpose, and a way through grief.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How to turn inadequacy into action—and why a bias toward doing builds real confidenceThe key to shifting from achievement to contribution without losing your driveHow to lead with presence when others seem steps aheadWhy purpose expands through loss—and how faith, family, and service hold the lineWhat it means to show up as a caregiver and “battle buddy” through life’s hardest seasonsHow to transform creativity into service—and why art can be an act of healingIf you’re craving a reminder that meaning is made in the moments we choose to serve, especially when it’s hard, then this conversation will move you.__________________________________________________________Links & ResourcesSubscribe to our YouTube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMasteryGet exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and XSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Bonus Episode: Aaron Lazar & Dr. Michael Gervais on the Mastery of Self and the Journey to Reverse ALS | Impossible Dreams Podcast
Welcome to a special Monday episode on the Finding Mastery channel.Every once in a while, we come across a story or a person that moves us in a profound way — and this is one of those moments.Recently, I was invited by Aaron Lazar to join him on his new podcast, Impossible Dreams. Aaron is an incredible human — a Broadway and television actor, singer, and storyteller — who’s facing ALS with extraordinary courage, humor, and grace. He’s also pushing toward an almost unthinkable goal: to become the 64th person on record to ever reverse symptoms from ALS.I enjoyed the conversation so much that I knew I wanted to share it with you here on Finding Mastery — to raise awareness, and to honor Aaron’s message about purpose, connection, and resilience in the face of life’s hardest challenges.Takeaways from this episode:Why mastery of self — not just mastery of craft — changes the way we meet adversity.How awareness, self-talk, and gratitude can shift what’s possible in any moment.What it means to move from “my team” to “the team.”How purpose and love become anchors when life feels uncertain.The small, daily practices that help us stay grounded, connected, and alive to what matters most.Enjoy this conversation with Aaron and myself — and let it remind you of the strength that lives inside all of us, even in the storm.____________________________________________________Links & ResourcesSubscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMasteryGet exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and XAaron Lazar: http://www.aaronlazar.com and https://www.youtube.com/@ALImpossibleDreams ALS: www.als.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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How a $120 Billion Company Thinks Like a Startup | Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services
What if your biggest competitive advantage isn’t how technologically advanced you are — but how psychologically agile your teams are?On today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Garman — CEO of Amazon Web Services — to dig into the leadership frameworks behind one of the world’s most innovative companies. We cover his “one-way vs. two-way doors” decision model, why “minimum lovable product” beats perfectionism, and how to push autonomy down while keeping trust and security high.We also explore what’s really slowing AI adoption (and why replacing junior employees with AI is a terrible idea), why documents beat slide decks for high-stakes calls, and the long-view energy bets—including nuclear—that AWS believes will shape innovation and sustainability. Along the way, Matt shares the personal side of leading at speed: family dinners, golf as a reset, and the “support then challenge” cadence that helps teams sustain pace without burning out.What you’ll learn:How to use the “one-way vs. two-way doors” framework to make faster, smarter decisionsWhy optimism (not naïveté) is a core competitive advantage for innovatorsThe key to shipping a minimum lovable product customers actually wantThe real frictions in AI adoption—and why replacing juniors with AI backfiresWhy long-horizon energy bets (including nuclear) matter for innovation and sustainabilityIf you’re leading in a fast-moving world—or want to—this conversation offers practical frameworks and a shot of grounded optimism to help your team move faster, smarter, and with more heart.__________________________________Links & ResourcesSubscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMasteryGet exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and XSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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95% of Creative People Struggle With THIS | Wieden+Kennedy's Neal Arthur
What if the real challenge of creativity isn’t coming up with ideas… but creating the conditions where people believe in them enough to fight for them?Today, we sit down with Neal Arthur, Global CEO of Wieden+Kennedy, the iconic creative agency behind culture-shaping work from Nike’s “Just Do It” to Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. Neal leads one of the world’s most inventive creative agencies, yet his lens on creativity isn’t about chasing brilliance. It’s about building the trust, safety, and belonging that allow great ideas to surface — and stick.We dig into how he unlocks creativity in a world changing rapidly with AI: the tension between stability and risk, how leaders create conditions for honesty, and what AI means for the future of creativity and culture. We also get personal: how growing up feeling “othered” shaped Neal’s obsession with belonging and creative safety, why pressure rarely produces great work, and how optimism, resilience, and humility fuel constant reinvention.In this episode you’ll learn:How to create conditions where pressure drops and creativity rises—even on deadlineWhy being “in it” with your team beats top-down mandates for great workThe key to using AI right now: shrink the problem, play, tweak, learnWhy “hard on the work, soft on the people” scales creative excellenceHow to navigate risk vs. stability when the future (especially with AI) is uncertainIf you care about unlocking world-class ideas in a rapidly changing world, this one is for you._____________________ Links & ResourcesSubscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMasteryGet exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and XSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Body Language Expert: The #1 Habit That Makes You Unforgettable | Vanessa Van Edwards
What if the key to deeper connection isn’t in what you say — but in how your body speaks, listens, and moves?On today’s episode, we sit down with Vanessa Van Edwards — behavioral researcher, bestselling author, and founder of Science of People. A self-described “recovering awkward person,” Vanessa turned social anxiety into a science-backed toolkit anyone can use to improve communication, connection, and leadership. Vanessa studies what happens beneath words: how posture, tone, eye contact, and presence shape how we’re perceived and how we make others feel.Together, we explore the subtle science of connection — from how warmth and competence support charisma to the micro-cues that determine trust, likability, and confidence. This is an episode for anyone who wants to show up with authenticity, read the room better, and make their communication more impactful.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to use posture and physical space to project calm confidenceWhy warmth must come before competence to build trust fastHow to eliminate vocal fry and question-inflection for stronger communicationThe key to spotting and disarming contempt before it festersHow to teach kids “micro social skills” that build courage and connectionIt’s a grounded, science-backed guide to showing up with more presence — and helping others feel at ease in your orbit. ____________________________________________________Links & ResourcesSubscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMasteryGet exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors! Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and XSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dive into the minds of the world’s greatest athletes, leaders, thinkers, and doers with Dr. Michael Gervais—a high performance psychologist and world-renowned expert on the relationship between high performance and the mind. Dr. Gervais’s client roster includes Super Bowl winning NFL teams, Fortune 50 CEOs, Olympic medalists, internationally acclaimed artists, and more.On Finding Mastery, Dr. Gervais sits down with the best at what they do, like David Goggins, Brene Brown, Toto Wolff, soccer legend Abby Wambach, neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella — translating their life stories, mental skills, and personal practices into applicable tools you can use to unlock your potential.Walk with us to the edge of human possibility and learn what you are capable of. New episodes every Wednesday.
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