Dr. Judson Brewer on Habits, Mindfulness, Addiction

Judson Brewer (0:00)

So, I think awareness is the basis for both learning good habits, or quote unquote good habits, but also letting go of habits that don't help us. And a lot of habits, a lot of these habits are self-related in terms of like self-doubt or fear or worry, whether it's performance in the executive room or performance on the field.

Michael Gervais (0:33)

All right, welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery Podcast. I'm Michael Gervais. And the idea behind these conversations is to learn from people who are on the path of mastery, to better understand what they're searching for. We want to celebrate their unique journey. We want to celebrate the events and the people that have helped shape their life. And we want to understand the way that they think, how they process world events and how they process events in their local experiences. That being said, we also want to dig deeper to understand the mental skills that they've used to build and refine their craft so that we can do the same in our own life efforts.

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.

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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 conversation is with Dr. Judson Brewer. He's a recognized thought leader in the science of mindfulness, addiction and habit change. And he literally is at ground zero when it comes to using science to explain how mindfulness is working.

He is the Director of Research at the Center of Mindfulness and the Associate Professor in Medicine and Psychiatry at UMass Medical School. And he's also an adjunct faculty at Yale University and a research affiliate at MIT. So he's connected to significant universities that are taking a look at the science and the applied science for mindfulness, habit change, as well as addiction. His new book is The Craving Mind, From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love, Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits.