The Courageous Life

Michael Jordan credits George Mumford, a.k.a The Mindfulness Performance Whisperer,  with transforming his on-court leadership, helping the Bulls to six NBA championships. As Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ George has also served as Mindfulness Coach to Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'neal, and countless other NBA players. George’s passion is teaching mindfulness to high profile sports, business and academic teams alike; from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, to senior global executives and systems. He is the author of The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance. George also has The Mindful Athlete Course, which can be found at GeorgeMumford.com.In this episode George shares:More about his personal journey and how he came to work with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Kobe BryantHis perspective on what separates the worlds greatest performers from the rest of the packHow mindfulness and meditation can boost performanceInsights on Flow and finding 'the zone'A simple and practical mindfulness framework George calls the 4A's for enhancing wellbeing and performanceHis thoughts about the importance of being a better friend to one's selfWhy "trying" to make things happen can actually be a barrier to successPractical tips for growing courage and taking compassionate actionAnd more!Enjoying the conversation? Please rate the show on iTunes!Thanks for listening!Support the show

Jim Detert is the John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, and perhaps the world's foremost expert on courage at work. His research focuses on workplace courage, why people speak up or stay silent at work, ethical decision-making and behavior, and other leadership-related topics. His research, teaching and curriculum development and teaching have won multiple awards at UVA and Cornell. His work is regularly featured in various media outlets. If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into his work, check out his new book. Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work. For more on Jim please check out jimdetert.comIn this episode Jim and I take a deep dive into the topic of courage and explore:What courage is and what it isn'tHow courage can result in living with less regretsThe tie between courage and becoming a better and more respected leaderWhy courage is not a character trait, and how it can be developed through practiceWorking with impostor syndromeThe contrast between aspirational and core valuesA behind the scenes look at an experiential lab where Jim and his team train people to be more courageousAnd more!Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate it on iTunes.Know someone who could benefit from the insights in this, or other conversations on the Courageous Life? Please share the show with them.  For show notes and more please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcastThanks for listening!Support the show

Andrew Reiner is a professor at Towson University, where he offers the seminar “The Changing Face of Masculinity.” He has written on masculinity and men’s issues for the New York Times,Italy’s La Republica and the Washington Post Magazine, and his work has been featured on NPR and the Canadian Broadcasting Company, and in The Guardian, Men’s Health magazine, and Forbes. He speaks about masculinity regularly at schools and conferences nationally and internationally. In this episode Andrew shares themes from his new book, Better Boys, Better Men including:His story and the reasons behind his passion and interest in his workReflections on traditional messaging around masculinity and why much of this thinking is outdated and no longer serving many of today's boys and men.How he is thinking about healthy masculinity today Why vulnerability and asking for help are forms of strength, and how these qualities can promote greater courage and emotional resiliencyWhy living authentically is courageous and is at the core of his workUpdated research findings in neuroscience and child development supporting the need for a new vision of healthy masculinity And more!Enjoying the show? Let us know by rating it or leaving a review on iTunes!For show notes and more please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcastThanks for listening!Support the show

Dr. Sunita Puri is the Medical Director of the Palliative Medicine Service at Keck Hospital and Norris Cancer Center of the University of Southern California, where she also serves as Chair of the Ethics Committee. Sunita is the author of That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour, an acclaimed literary memoir examining her journey to the practice of palliative medicine, and her quest to help patients and families redefine what it means to live and die well in the face of serious illness. Her work has been featured on PBS' Amanpour Show, the Guardian, NPR, the Atlantic, Forbes, and People Magazine, which named her book the Book of the Week. She has also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Slate, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. For more, please visit sunitapuri.comIn this episode we explore:Sunita’s personal journey toward greater self-acceptance Why honesty is a form of kindnessHow curiosity can be a key factor in keeping the heart open in the face of difficultyStrategies for having courageous conversations about what really matters in lifeWhat death can teach us about living wellEmpathy - why it’s about asking the questions that need to be listened toA few of Sunita’s learnings about when to keep fighting, and when to let goThe role of courage in living a life without regretAnd more!Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate it on iTunes. Thanks for listening!Support the show

Melvin L. Smith, Ph.D., is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Faculty Director of Executive Education at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management. Melvin's teaching and research focus on leadership, leadership development, executive coaching and the development and use of human and social capital in organizations.  He is coauthor of the book Helping People Change: Coaching for Lifelong Learning and Growth. Prior to his academic career, Melvin spent nearly 15 years in a series of Sales, Marketing and Organization Development roles at a number of Fortune 500 companies including IBM, Pepsi and H.J. Heinz. In this conversation Melvin and I explore:What renewal is and why it's fundamental to thrivingHow we can navigate stress in uncertain times using practices of renewalEvery day practices for finding renewal, including meditation, deep breathing, and moreHow community and compassionate relationships support renewal and thrivingWhy negative emotions help us survive, and positive emotions + renewal help us thriveWhy questions are so powerful when it comes to pursuing your dreamsThe importance of having a dream, and pursuing it with intentionalityHow Melvin works with coaching clients to realize their dreamsThe 4 foundations of a courageous lifeAnd more!Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate it on iTunes. Thanks for listening!Support the show

Jeffrey Hull, Ph.D. is an author, educator and consultant with over twenty years experience partnering with C-suite executives on issues of high performance leadership, change management, organizational strategy, structure and culture. Dr. Hull is a highly sought-after facilitator, keynote speaker and executive coach to both non-profit and for-profit global organizations. Dr. Hull is Director of Education & Business Development at the Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate. He is also a clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School and an adjunct professor of leadership at New York University. For more about Jeff, and his new book Flex: The Art and Science of Leadership in a Changing World, please visit jeffreyhull.comIn this episode Jeff and I explore:The current landscape of leadership and who is rising to the topWhy agility and being able to flex your communication style is key to succeeding as a leaderPractical strategies that will help you to flex Stories of inspirational leaders Jeff has worked withVulnerability as a form of courage How to tap into creativity including practices that are supportive of innovationJeff's latest thinking on the future of leadership and why compassion is at the coreAnd more!Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate the Courageous Life on iTunesThanks for listening!Support the show

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania. He is interested in using his research to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life. Scott's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. In his latest book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, he presents a new hierarchy of human needs for the 21st century, one that allows for the fulfillment of individual potential as well as the actualization of transcendent purpose and peak experiences. Scott also hosts the #1 psychology podcast in the world, The Psychology Podcast. To learn more, please visit scottbarrykaufman.comIn this episode Scott and I discuss themes from his new book Transcend, including:His deep interest in the Abraham Maslow's work and motivation for writing TranscendThe psychology of everyday saintsThe link between a "quiet ego" and self-actualizationAcceptance as a form of courage Practical strategies for living a more authentic and fulfilling lifeFinding meaning and joy in everyday experiencesHow setting personal boundaries can unlock a deeper capacity for compassionAnd more!Enjoying the Courageous Life? Please take a moment and rate the show on iTunes!Thanks for listening! Support the show

Have you ever thought about us and them thinking, judgment,  tribalism, or blame as habits? If they are habits, can they be broken using the latest science of habit change? Dr. Jud and I dive deep into this question in this episode. We also explore: A 3 step process for habit change developed by Jud and his teamWhy Jud believes curiosity is a superpowerHow to rewire your brain for greater kindness, curiosity, and connectionThe key to adopting a growth mindsetWhat Jud's team found when they analyzed Anderson Cooper's brain during meditationHow findings from Jud's neuroscience lab can be used to build bridges, counter tribalism, and foster communityPractical ways to keep your heart open when it begins to closeHow mindfulness can be helpful in dealing with difficult emotionsAbout Dr. Jud: Dr. Jud Brewer is passionate about understanding how our brains work, and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives — with the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University. As an addiction psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for treating addictions, Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including both in-person and app-based treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. He has also studied the underlying neural mechanisms of mindfulness. He has trained US Olympic athletes and coaches, foreign government ministers and corporate leaders. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes, TED, Time magazine, Forbes, CNN, BBC, NPR, The Washington Post, Businessweek and others. You can find out more at drjud.comEnjoying the show? Please rate the show on iTunes or leave a review.Thanks for listening!Show notes and more can be found at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcastSupport the show

Samantha Novick is passionate about amplifying the voices of people with disabilities, creating connections and sharing kindness with others. She pursues these passions as a speech-language pathologist, owner of her private practice Bridge Therapy, and President of The Friendship Journey, a charitable organization that cultivates equitable friendships and experiences amongst people of all abilities. Samantha grew up in Parkland, Florida. After a violent mass shooting devastated her community, her passion for activism, social justice and philanthropy grew. Samantha is committed to honoring those who lost their lives to hatred through acts of love and meaningful action in their memories. This summer, The Friendship Journey partnered with Dylan’s Wings of Change of the Sandy Hook community to create a free virtual summer camp for teens and adults with disabilities through the Covid-19 crisis. Their camp motto this summer was “look for the good.” For more about Samantha please visit thefriendshipjourney.orgIn this episode Sam shares:Strategies for finding joy when times are hardHow she has developed a quality called equanimity, the ability to "hold it all", and how this has helped her during the pandemicThe power of self-care and why she was resistant to it at firstHighlights from Camp Wings of Friendship, a free virtual summer camp for teens and adults with disabilities she co-created this summerWhy acts of kindness may be a key to resilience and thrivingWhy "looking for the good" can be a life-changing mindsetAnd more!Please rate the show on iTunes!Thanks for listening!Support the show

Fred Guttenberg began his public life after the murder of his beautiful 14-year-old daughter Jaime in the Parkland school shooting on Feb 14, 2018.  The day after the murder, Fred decided to attend a public vigil in Parkland.  While there, the Mayor asked him to speak.  His words shook a nation and he has not stopped since. Only four months prior to the murder of his daughter, Fred's brother Michael passed away in October 2017 from cancer related to his service in 9/11.  He was one of the original first responders at the World Trade Center with a team of doctors who got trapped in the building as it collapsed. Amazingly, the room that they hid out in did not collapse and Michael and his team of physicians spent 16 days at ground zero taking care of others. Following his involvement in these two distinct American Tragedies, Fred has traveled the country talking about both events but also talking about perspective, perseverance, and resilience.  He discusses pivotal moments in life and how we respond to those moments.  Fred uses his speech to inspire others. Learn more about Fred's work at orangeribbonsforjaime.org and pick up his book, Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope now. In this episode Fred and I discuss themes from his new book Find the Helpers including:Who his helpers are and how they have helped him to deal with grief, transform pain into purpose, and find hope after Parkland and 9/11What Joe Biden taught him about griefHow he has been able to respond to acts of hate from a place of compassion, and loveThe importance of community when it comes to being resilientPractical strategies for overcoming 'us and them' thinkingMore about his mission of reducing gun violence, and some of the incredible progress that has been made in terms of new laws and bills, including Jaime's Law that honors his daughter's death by continuing to save lives in her nameWhy it's not what happens to you, but your response that matters mostAnd more!Rate the show on iTunes! Find show notes and more at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcastSupport the show