The Cabrera Lab Podcast

Discover the final insights from the Culture Code series, focusing on discipline, adaptability, and ownership. Learn how the principle of 'Carhartts & Cufflinks' encourages comfort in any setting. Engage with concepts like Extreme Ownership, emphasizing accountability without fear. Find out how 'No Discipline, No Freedom' is essential for building structures that support freedom. Embrace the mantra that small actions define larger character and explore the importance of crafting a custom culture code to enhance team dynamics.

Discover the nine essential principles of culture that are grounded in systems thinking and character development. Learn about balancing specialization with overall well-being and the power of incremental improvements for lasting growth. Explore the concept of monergy, where money fuels mission-driven efforts rather than mere accumulation. Embrace the idea of being your own GOAT and the importance of living with integrity by practicing what you preach. Finally, understand how small actions can lead to significant changes in achieving your vision.

Derek and Laura Cabrera delve deeper into their organization's Culture Code. They highlight the importance of loving reality over assumptions and explain how finding your fit boosts talent sustainability. Serving others not only enhances joy but also improves outcomes. They redefine vulnerability as a strength that fosters trust. With integrity as a key to aligning actions with values, they stress the significance of courage through small brave acts. Finally, they advocate for ethical behavior to build self-respect and set a positive example.

In this new episode, Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera of Cornell University unpack the first six principles in their organization’s Culture Code—a practical, modular set of mental models that shape character, guide behavior, and build real culture from the inside out.You’ll learn why culture isn’t about surface-level swag, but shared mental models; how to truly listen (with more than just your ears); and why systems thinkers must practice curiosity, evolution, and presence—every single day. These six principles—Team First, See Systems, Listen, Evolve, Be a Light, and Be Curious—are the building blocks of a high-integrity, high-performance life.If you’ve ever wondered how to align personal growth with professional excellence, this is where to start.

In this engaging discussion, a parent shares his struggles with his daughter's ultra-processed diet, revealing the emotional battles at mealtime. Utilizing systems thinking, experts suggest reframing parenting as a long-term strategy instead of a nightly conflict. They explore the importance of family meals, teaching kids about food choices through fun games, and gradually shifting responsibility to foster agency. Practical tips involve cooking together and making nutrition an enjoyable learning process, turning dinnertime into an educational experience.

Explore the vision for a world filled with 8 billion systems thinkers, emphasizing that everyone must think differently to tackle complex issues. Discover how daily choices scale to huge outcomes and why practice, not just awareness, is crucial for real change. Learn about defining mental fitness and the six key moves to rewire your brain for adaptability. Understand the impact of individual agency on systemic transformation and how even partial adoption can drive significant shifts. Get inspired to contribute to this global mindset shift!

Explore the idea that true change comes from within rather than just changing environments. Delve into how personal patterns draw similar jobs and relationships into our lives. Discover the impact of external factors on our choices and the importance of self-reflection. Learn to recognize recurring cycles in relationships, empowering you to confront emotional baggage. By transforming hard-earned lessons into personal rules, you can foster meaningful growth and break free from self-sabotage.

Discover the transformative 12 Gets—a science-backed framework for health and mental fitness. Hear how Derek lost 130 pounds and reversed pre-diabetes through simple lifestyle changes. From incorporating daily movement and resistance training to the benefits of hot and cold exposure, they emphasize practical steps anyone can take. Explore the power of nature, nutrition, and the vital role of sleep and social connections. This guide offers tools for personal growth and well-being, inspiring a life that's healthy and deeply lived.

Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera dive into the often misunderstood concept of integrity, defining it as the alignment of words and actions. They discuss the pitfalls of overpromising and the importance of setting boundaries to maintain trust. By emphasizing that integrity is a skills-based practice, they explore daily strategies to enhance it, from mental models to tailored exercises. Highlighting its critical role in self-management and relationships, they illustrate how intentional practice can rapidly improve integrity and character.

Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone! Discover essential self-management tools like structure, rules, and distributed intelligence. Learn to reframe your to-do list into a wins list to reduce guilt. Break big tasks into manageable numbers and capture task relationships to simplify complexity. Offload mental tasks to minimize cognitive load and keep systems simple. Plus, strategies for prioritizing urgent tasks and aligning personal goals with work vision. Celebrate small wins and create a balanced daily routine for better focus and recovery.