Why Your Morning Routine Is Failing You—And How to Rewire Your Brain for Success with Dr. Romie Mushtaq

89% of entrepreneurs report feeling stuck in “mental overdrive”—even when they try to rest. But what if the problem isn’t just stress—it’s how you’re starting your day?

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, George sits down with Dr. Romie Mushtaq, board-certified neurologist, Chief Wellness Officer of Great Wolf Resorts, and bestselling author of The Busy Brain Cure. Together, they explore how brain chemistry—not productivity hacks—is the real key to healing a busy brain, boosting energy, and staying focused.

Dr. Romie shares the neuroscience behind your first 30 minutes of the day, how to recognize if you’re in a high or low dopamine state when you wake up, and the exact steps you can take to reset your brain chemistry—before the chaos kicks in.

Plus, they dive into empathetic leadership, hope science, and why emotional intelligence is the real superpower in business today.
 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why your first 30 minutes of the day rewires your brain—for better or worse
• How to identify if you’re starting the day in low dopamine or high dopamine
• The specific rituals that boost your brain chemistry naturally (no caffeine needed!)
• The hidden cost of force-based productivity culture—and how to escape it
• The ABCD model of empathetic leadership you can use in life and business
• How hope science is the new foundation for leadership, culture, and personal fulfillment

Key Takeaways
✔️Your brain isn’t broken—it’s busy. And it can be rewired.
✔️Caffeine first thing in the morning spikes cortisol and sabotages your brain.
✔️Hydration, music, light exposure, movement, and gratitude are powerful brain boosters.
✔️Empathetic listening (not logic dumping) is the leadership skill of the future.
✔️Hope isn’t optional—it’s a strategic advantage in leadership and business.
✔️Your rituals create your results. Your energy sets the standard for everything you lead.
 

Timestamps
[00:00] – 89% of entrepreneurs: stuck in mental overdrive
[02:00] – Welcome back Dr. Romie: bestselling author + wellness leader
[06:00] – Busy Brain basics: why your brain feels stuck
[10:00] – High dopamine vs. low dopamine: how you’re starting your day
[14:00] – Ideal morning rituals to rewire your brain chemistry
[20:00] – The dangers of caffeine in the first 30 minutes
[26:00] – How hydration, light, and movement reset your brain
[32:00] – Why your environment dictates your success (set it up!)
[36:00] – How to practice empathetic listening (ABCD model)
[42:00] – Why hope—not hustle—is the future of leadership
[51:00] – Modeling hope and being a hope-holder for others
[58:00] – Final reflections: setting your brain—and your world—up to win

Choose Your Next Steps:

• Audit your first 30 minutes tomorrow morning: no phone, no caffeine.
• Pick two positive rituals (movement, gratitude, hydration, music, prayer).
• Reflect on your dopamine state: are you crashing or sprinting?
• Practice empathetic listening with one person this week—just listen and hold space.
• DM @itsgeorgebryant or Dr. Romie with your biggest breakthrough!

Resources Mentioned

Want even deeper insights into busy brain, burnout, and brain health?

• Listen to Dr. Romie’s first appearance on The Mind of George Show: Listen to Managing the Burnout, Anxiety, & Depression Created By Your “Busy Brain”
• Grab Dr. Romie’s Book: The Busy Brain Cure – Learn more here

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