The Growth Project

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so Dr. Milt Lowder and Dr. Drew Brannon, both licensed psychologists, explore and highlight the ways we can better understand the impact of mental health on personal well-being. They discuss how we view mental health as a society, the impact it can have on performance outcomes, and why there's a stigma that still exists surrounding mental health.

Who would you pick to be on a Mount Rushmore of coaches? Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Katie Nichols explore this question and each select four legendary coaches who they feel are worthy of being immortalized as the four all-time greats. Their discussion not only reveals characteristics and leadership styles they personally value, but also highlights many common, overlapping qualities found among strong, long-lasting leaders.

Life is filled with obstacles, but those who find a way to leverage life's inevitable setbacks often ultimately find themselves at the top of their respective fields. Spencer Strider, a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, exemplifies the importance of growing and building from difficulties to reach success at the highest level. Dr. Cory Shaffer and Spencer walk through Spencer's fascinating journey to the MLB, including lessons learned along the way, how he has grown from adversity to improve as a player, and how he conducts science experiments on himself in his pre-game routine to optimize his performance.

Jeremiah Dew, better known publicly as JDew, is an emcee, entertainer, and entrepreneur who has entertained millions over the years at live events, including collegiate and professional sporting games, various civic and corporate fundraisers, and on-stage for his theatrical one-man show: "One Voice: A Black History Narrative." Dr. Milt Lowder and JDew explore Jeremiah's childhood experiences, his unique career, and how these events shaped him and ultimately helped him find his voice.

Do you know your "why"? Dr. Drew Brannon explores the importance of following your true purpose in life, or your "why," with Coach Matt Luke, one of the most respected coaches in college football, whose stops in his career included Duke, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and, most recently, UGA where he served as Associate Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach. They walk through Matt's experience in college football, his growth path, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Educator, entrepreneur, and owner of CrossFit Clemson, Cameron White is passionate about helping others through health and wellness while building the community. Dr. Katie Nichols and Cameron talk about what it means to have an entrepreneurial spirit, how strong purpose can serve as a guide through uncertainty, and the importance of developing boundaries and a strong support system.

It's no secret that a nutritious, well-balanced diet greatly boosts our physical and mental acuity. Given its importance to our overall health, Dr. Cory Shaffer and Steve Benjamin, Sports Dietician for the Atlanta Falcons, discuss the connection between peak performance and proper nutrition. In addition to providing some practical tips on developing good food habits, they also talk about the importance of mindfulness, accountability, and passion in the pursuit of healthy eating for better living.

How do you unlock your authentic self? Dr. Milt Lowder explores this idea with Joe Cummings, a former lacrosse legend and current lacrosse coach at Christ Church Episcopal School. Joe shares the key lessons that helped him discover his true life's purpose and passion, including separating who he is from what he does, developing a growth mindset, and being intentional and thoughtful with the language he uses not only with others, but with himself.

It often takes years of hard-earned experience filled with success and failure to develop a clear sense of purpose in life. Despite enormous success at a young age - signing a record deal with Sony at the age of fifteen, recording three studio albums, earning eight top forty singles on the Billboard Country Music Chart, and touring with the biggest names in country music - Blaine Larsen found his true passion outside of the music industry at Search Ministries. Dr. Drew Brannon and Blaine talk about Larsen's roller coaster journey in the music world and the path that ultimately led him to finding his true purpose.

Every leader wants to build a passionate and engaged team, but this comes with some potential drawbacks. High performance is often linked with more stress, which can lead to burnout and puts leaders at risk of losing their most motivated and hard-working people. To avoid this, it's important to not only maximize engagement, but also help people maintain a healthy work-life balance. Drs. Milt Lowder and Katie Nichols explore this topic and provide tips to help leaders optimize performance and well-being.