The Growth Project

What does it take to stay grounded while competing at the highest level and then guide others to do the same? NCAA champion, LPGA Tour winner, and Solheim Cup team member Heather Bowie Young joins Dr. Katie Nichols to reflect on 17 years of professional golf, the challenges that shaped her, and the deep gratitude that fuels her coaching today. Now Associate Head Coach for Clemson Women’s Golf, Heather shares the mindset it takes to persevere through failure, lead with authenticity, and keep growing, in sport and in life.

As society begins to reopen after weeks of lockdown, the transition back to daily life brings both opportunity and challenge. In this episode, Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon explore the psychological effects of re-entry and how it impacts our mindset, relationships, and performance. They share practical strategies for increasing self-awareness, managing stress, and using mental skills to navigate this shift with intention. Whether you're returning to the office, reconnecting socially, or recalibrating routines, this conversation will help you re-engage life with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

How do we define slumps in life? Finding yourself in a slump - whether in work, sport, or life in general - is inevitable, but how do we respond correctly so that as we progress, we are actually catching ourselves from falling into slumps and approaching them with the correct expectations and a growth mindset? In episode 69 of The Growth Project, Dr. Kimberly Shaffer and Dr. Cory Shaffer discuss solutions for overcoming slumps.

What happens when you put everything on the line, just to find out how good you really are? In this episode, Dr. Cory Shaffer is joined by Casey Weathers, former first-round MLB draft pick and current coach in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Known for his powerful “How Good Am I?” speech that went viral on YouTube, Casey unpacks the mindset behind that moment. Together, they explore the idea of experimenting with mental frameworks, practicing gratitude through setbacks, and discovering meaning in the highs and lows of a professional journey.

How do you respond when life throws its hardest pitches? In this episode, Dr. Cory Shaffer sits down with professional baseball player Mike Freeman, Clemson alum and player for the Cleveland Guardians organization, to explore the mindset required to turn failure into fuel. They dive into what it means to “be your own coach,” how to embrace every role with purpose, and the habits that separate those who grow through adversity from those who get stuck in it.

"It's tough to define culture and exactly what it is, but when you are a part of a good culture, you know it." In this episode, Dr. Milt Lowder sits down with Robert John, Division Vice President of Heart Failure at Abbott. Robert shares how his early life experiences shaped his mindset as a leader and why he believes culture is the heartbeat of any successful organization. This conversation explores what it truly means to invest in people, build trust, and create environments where others thrive.

Shane Day is the current quarterbacks coach for the San Fransisco 49ers. In this episode, Coach Day talks with Dr. Drew Brannon about his development, especially as a coach, and all that he’s walked through to get to where he is, how he thinks about the concept of mastery, and how important it is that he builds relationships with his players. This conversation was recorded shortly after playing in Super Bowl LIV, but due to the COVID 19 outbreak, we postponed releasing this interview in order to focus on being a resource during the first several weeks of the pandemic.

This is a challenging time to be a leader and there is no playbook for how to navigate what we are experiencing or what could lie ahead. There are a long list of factors at play right now that leaders can’t do anything about. What can they do? In this episode we'll address three things leaders can be doing right now to help drive well-being and performance within their teams.

In the final installment of our COVID-19 series, Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon respond directly to listener questions about the mental and emotional challenges of navigating COVID-19. From managing anxiety and uncertainty to staying connected and focused, they address five common concerns with honesty and hope. This Q&A-style episode is designed to meet you where you are and help you move forward with greater clarity and resilience.

Routine can be one of the most powerful stabilizers in uncertain times. In Part 3 of our COVID-19 series, Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer explore how maintaining consistency, especially while working from home, helps protect your mental clarity, performance, and well-being. They offer practical ways to build structure into your day and emphasize how your pursuit of excellence not only helps you, but positively impacts those around you.