Dr. Brené Brown, Research Professor and Author  

Brené Brown (0:00)

Coming off the research I just came off of for Dare to Lead, seven years studying really top performing leaders across every, from athletes to Fortune 10 CEOs, civic leaders just across the board, asking one question, given the complexity that we're living in right now and what the future looks like, what's the one thing that you're going to be looking for in leaders? Who's going to be still standing as a leader in the next five years? And it was the first time I'd ever done research where the answer saturated across every single participant. And without question, people didn't even hesitate. They just said, courage. We need braver leaders.

We need more courageous cultures.

Michael Gervais (0:52)

Welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery podcast. I'm Michael Gervais by Trade and Training, a sport performance psychologist, as well as the co-founder of Compete to Create. And if you're new to the podcast, the whole design of this podcast is to study, learn and apply the insights and practices of people who have walked an extraordinary life.

And what we want to do is understand their psychological framework, how they organize their internal and external world to walk the path of mastery. Then we also want to understand what they're searching for, what they're aching for, where that craving comes from.

And as well, very mechanically understand the mental skills that they've used to build and refine their craft.

I want to take a minute here to announce a really exciting event that we have coming up. As you continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2024, I want to pose a question. What are you doing right now to be great with stress? How are you working with stress on your pursuit towards your most important ambitions and goals? And I just want to get right to the heart of the key elements, one in particular, for what it takes to excel in today's high heat, high stakes world. Because stress is not the problem that we think it is. Stress is a synonym for change. And our ability to be agile with change, that is the real opportunity at hand. So if you're wanting to unlock extraordinary results and sustainable performance in your life, it's not about avoiding or reducing stress. And as simple as that sounds, it's very tricky to do, but it is about fundamentally changing your relationship with it.

And that's why I'm so thrilled to invite you to a special event. It's a free virtual event that we're offering, and it's called The Power of Embracing Stress. It's on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. So to sign up, just head over to findingmastery.com/training. Whether it's advancing in your career or improving your health or cultivating stronger relationships, I think a new approach to stress can be one of the most powerful unlocks for you in your life. So join us for this free virtual training, The Power of Embracing Stress, on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. Go to findingmastery.com/training to sign up once again, that's findingmastery.com/training. And I'm really excited to see you there.

Finding Mastery is brought to you by HIMS.

HIMS is changing men's healthcare by providing simple and convenient access to science-informed treatments for erectile dysfunction, ED, hair loss, weight loss, and more.

Health struggles like ED are common, but they can be hard to talk about when it comes to finding a solution. That's why HIMS has been a game changer for so many men. The entire process is 100% online, and if prescribed, your medication ships directly to you for free and in discrete packaging. No waiting rooms, no pharmacy visits. Plus, you can manage your plan directly on the HIMS app, track progress, and learn more about your conditions and how to treat them from leading medical experts. So, if your loved one has been struggling with ED, I really want to encourage you to go check out HIMS. And I know ED often has a psychological component as well. So be sure that you're stacking some psychological best practices into your daily routine as well. Start your free online visit today at hims.com/findingmastery. That's HIMS, hims.com/findingmastery for your personalized treatment options. hims.com/findingmastery. Prescriptions require an online consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if appropriate. Restrictions apply. See hims.com/e-o-f for details and important safety information. Subscription required. Price varies based on product and subscription plan.

Okay, this week's conversation is with Dr. Brene Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation, Brene Brown endowed chair at the Graduate College of Social Work.

She's made a noticeable dent in the field of wellness, of doing well and being well in the world. And she's spent the last two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy, and is the author of five, number one New York Times bestsellers. And so the titles are The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and her latest book, Dare to Lead, which is the culmination of this seven year study on courage and leadership. So this is speaking right to people who want to understand that brave, thin herd territory of what and how people that are extraordinary at what they do, how they lead with courage. So Brené's TED Talk, you probably heard of it, The Power of Vulnerability, it's one of the top five most viewed TED Talks in the world, over 35 million views. So she's got a real rich point of view that has reached many and been inspiring that it's been that viral. The relationship between vulnerability and courage is the focal point of our conversation. And in Brené's words, you cannot get to courage without walking right through vulnerability.