Episodes
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Dan Simons on Allocating Time
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Dan Simons is the Co-Owner of the innovative Farmers Restaurant Group — majority owned by American family farmers — with a mission to earn farmers a larger share of the food dollar while delivering thoughtfully-sourced, scratch-made food, and exceptional hospitality. Farmers Restaurant Group operates 7 restaurants and 1 distillery throughout the DC, MD, VA, and PA area, and most recently pivoted their business model to include a Founding Farmers Market + Grocery- selling everything from prepared dinners and hand sanitizer made in their DC distillery, Founding Spirits to homemade chocolates and bottled cocktails. Passionate about the health of the planet, Simons founded the non-profit Our Last Straw, a business-led coalition working to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics, and is on the Advisory Board of Conscious Capitalism DC.
In this episode, we discuss past failures and successes (7:18), more on success (8:53), conscious capitalism (10:54), if he loved wrestling (13:40), what it was like competing in an individual sport that also had a team component, and how that impacted the way he sees the world (15:15), what he thought his future would be while in college (16:68), his family history’s impact on his life (19:56), parallels between wrestling and business (22:25), where he gets peace of mind in his life (24:50), 168 hours in a week (28:12), discipline (31:20), how to say no (32:59), saying yes (41:50), the restaurant industry as a business (45:13), what he loves about the restaurant business (47:17), how the pandemic has affected his business (50:49), company constitutions (54:15), if the pandemic changed the company constitution (56:20), partnership (57:35), if others have replicated his model (1:00:34), mental health in the workplace (1:01:56), getting people back to work from the pandemic (1:06:27), and dining in at restaurants (1:09:18).
You can check out Dan’s website here! You can also follow him on Twitter @DanSimonsSays.
Thank you so much to Dan for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Dr. Kensa Gunter on Psychological Safety
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Dr. Kensa Gunter is a licensed psychologist & a Certified Mental Performance Consultant based in Atlanta, GA. She provides services to individuals, teams, & organizations and describes her work as being at the intersection of mental health, mental performance, culture and sport. Dr. Gunter also currently serves as the President of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
In this episode, we discuss the symbolism in Dr. Gunter’s “tree of life” (6:37), how she uses that metaphor with her clients (9:26), gratitude (10:49), if she makes a distinction between spirituality and religion (12:14), if her connection to Christianity has changed over time (13:11), her favorite quote (15:53), perfectionism (18:57), if there is a dark side to striving for excellence that can bleed over to a client’s overall wellbeing (21:58), what she would tell her 12-year-old self (26:05), how to preach patience in a sports world that is so transactional (32:52), how she’s worked to be patient and present over the past year (35:23), what can get in the way of performers (38:48), growth mindset (42:18), what she’s struggled with over the past year and a half (45:10), psychological safety and security (52:02), navigating her career in the world of sport psychology (58:59), what advice she would give to people looking to break into the field of sport psychology (1:03:59), the gifts that exist alongside being unique (1:08:19), being an entrepreneur (1:12:10), the transition to private practice (1:18:00), the future of sport psychology (1:21:56), where she sees herself in 10 years (1:24:59), what she intentionally does to make sure she’s at her best (1:26:54), and being dauntless (1:29:38).
You can check out Dr Gunter’s website here! You can also follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Kensa Gunter.
Thank you so much to Dr. Gunter for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Steve Mesler on Being Bigger than Sports
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Steve Mesler is the Co-Founder and CEO of Classroom Champions, a non-profit that brings together children and the world’s best athletes to mentor and teach kids the skills they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. After winning an Olympic Gold Medal in the 4-man bobsled at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Steve was inspired to bring the values, lessons, and experiences he and his fellow Olympic and Paralympic athletes had gained through sport into classrooms. Since creating Classroom Champions in 2009, over 200 athletes have taught more than 1 million students about goal setting, perseverance, and teamwork to support their mental health, wellness, and academic achievement.
Steve has written for or been featured in the Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, Inc, NBC’s Today Show, and dozens of other news, sports, and education outlets.
Steve is a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), was a finalist for the International Champion for Peace award, and was named one of Sports Illustrated “Athletes Who Care.” He is a sought-after presenter at education and other conferences around the world, including Dubai, Sochi, Tel Aviv, Guatemala, and across the U.S. and Canada, and has collaborated with the likes of TED, Big Think, and others to increase awareness of the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) in young students
In this episode, we discuss dual citizenship (6:52), Americans training in Canada (8:26), what it was like flying on an F-16 plane (11:08), a champion or hero Steve looked up to as a kid and why (18:44), the impact his parents had on he and his sister (22:16), how he thinks about education differently than his parents did (26:30), his parents’ reaction to him pursuing bobsledding (31:35), the thinking as he transitioned to bobsled (36:06), the first time he got into a bobsled (37:05), his relationship with fear while bobsledding (41:58), if he loved bobsledding (44:35), if he loved track and field (46:47), loving sports (49:56), the various psychological tolls sports can take on an athlete (53:50), mental health (1:03:47), your profession being a part of who you are (1:08:08), if he still competes (1:11:08), learning how to become a leader in his new role (1:13:10), and Classroom Champions (1:17:21).
Make sure to check out Steve’s website and also to check out his content on Medium, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Additionally, you can check out Steve’s blog here, as well as the Classroom Champions website and the Willie documentary website.
Thanks so much to Steve for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Brant Menswar on Non-Negotiable Values
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Brant Menswar is a best-selling author, performance coach, named one of the country’s “Top 10" speakers in motivation and CEO/Founder of bookstarPR. His books and Top 200 podcast (Thoughts That Rock) expand on his ground-breaking work around values-based leadership described as “disarmingly simple and incredibly powerful.”
He has helped to change what’s possible for industry-leading organizations like Netflix, Verizon, Anthem, SunTrust, Microsoft, ESPN, Hilton, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and dozens more.
In this episode, we discuss when Brant first picked up a guitar (6:08), if difficulty can stunt creativity (10:30), his past job and what led to him pursuing his dream of becoming a Rockstar (11:58), when faith came into his life (14:23), baseball (16:11), what he was like academically (20:06), what he struggled with when he was younger (21:18), polarity within himself (25:39), unique contributions (30:25), why he didn’t continue to just play music (31:22), what it was like to first hear his son had cancer and what it’s been like the past few months since his son passed away (33:08), what he learned from his son (35:35), what he’s been doing creativity-wise the last couple months (39:30), his relationship with faith today (42:25), what sparked the importance of values in his life (46:59), living your values (50:27), professional vs. personal values (55:27), black sheep values (1:03:52), security (1:16:00), what he intentionally does every day to ensure his values are actionable (1:24:10),
You can check out Brant on social media platforms @brantmenswar. Also, feel free to visit Brant’s website here!
Thank you so much to Brant for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Julie Lythcott-Haims on Helping Humans
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
WRITER. SPEAKER. HUMAN.
Julie Lythcott-Haims believes in humans and is deeply interested in what gets in our way. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the anti-helicopter parenting manifesto How to Raise an Adult which gave rise to a TED Talk that has more than 5 million views. Her second book is the critically-acclaimed and award-winning prose poetry memoir Real American, which illustrates her experience as a Black and biracial person in white spaces. A third book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, is out now.
Julie is a former corporate lawyer and Stanford dean, and she holds a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard, and an MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts. She serves on the board of Common Sense Media, and on the advisory board of LeanIn.Org, and she is a former board member at Foundation for a College Education, Global Citizen Year, The Writers Grotto, and Challenge Success. She volunteers with the hospital program No One Dies Alone.
She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her partner of over thirty years, their itinerant young adults, and her mother.
In this episode, we discuss why she got into each of her three careers (7:12), the values her parents taught her as a kid as she felt “otherized” in society (11:35), naming blackness but not whiteness (17:00), the idea of the “other” (24:19), how she figures out when to be curious and when to be convicted (28:10), what changed between her two Ted Talks (31:58), if she’s experienced any imposter syndrome and how she’s handled it (35:27), what she misses about being Dean (39:16), inspiration (42:15), her identity (43:38), writing (47:03), if she prefers writing poetry or not (51:46), where the line is as a parent between commitment and over commitment (54:35), fostering independence in your children (1:01:16), adulting (1:03:44), and what she intentionally does to make sure she feels alive (1:07:00).
You can check out Julie on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additionally, when posting about her new book, make sure to use the hashtag #YourTurnToAdult. You can visit Julie’s website here and can purchase her new book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, here!
Thank you so much to Julie for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Jay Wright on Leadership and the Unifying Power of Basketball
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Jay Wright has become a mainstay in the world of College Basketball. He was recently inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, he’s won 2 National Championships (one in 2016 and one in 2018), and he took a team to the Final Four in 2009, becoming one of the all-time greats when it comes to college basketball. He’s led Villanova, the team he coaches, to 6 Big East Conference Championships and 14 NCAA Tournaments.
In this episode, we discuss what it has been like for Jay to coach Brandon Slater (7:31), what he looks for in leadership (11:00), dealing with, managing, and developing defiant players (15:31), his experience with PeacePlayers in Israel (19:33), attitude’s impact on Villanova’s culture (23:57), how he thinks about his own identity (27:06), Father Rob and Jim Brennan’s impact (29:18), how he makes sure his emption is helpful and not harmful (33:47), what he does pregame and how he makes sure he’s where he needs to be (37:19), the difference between players and actors (40:53), and how he thinks about legacy and what’s next for him (46:22).
Thank you so much to Jay for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
Rebecca Powers on Impact Philanthropy
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
Wednesday Jun 16, 2021
In 2003, Rebecca Powers lost her brother and, as a result, founded Impact Austin, a collective giving organization that brings women and their financial resources together to make a profound impact in Central Texas. To date, the organization has put $7.4M to work helping the underserved. Rebecca has received multiple awards recognizing her leadership and speaks nationally inspiring women to connect their capacity to give with their confidence to do it well. She also mentors women in cities across the US as they form their own collectives.
In this episode, we discuss when philanthropy came to be something Rebecca wanted to leverage and focus on (6:16), if she was bitter her brother didn’t go to the doctor sooner to prevent his demise (8:21), the polarity between her anger and inspiration (9:58), the role of faith in her life (11:41), the relationship between faith and philanthropy (13:45), the communal aspect of Impact Austin (16:00), how she went about building Impact Austin (17:24), what she had created and done before Impact Austin (20:02), why she distinguishes between giving to church and philanthropy (22:11), contributions (23:28), how to attract young members (26:05), doing well so you can do good (33:09), why Impact Austin is just for women (34:27), if there are ever people who would prefer to give and donate on their own (38:07), what she’s learned about herself and about leadership while leading this organization (39:17), the challenges she faced when taking on a leadership role (42:35), newsletters (45:44), when she decided she may not be the best person to run things from a systems and organizations standpoint (46:55), what gives her joy now (48:21), writing her book (49:56), her book “Trust Your Cape” (51:57), the city of Austin (55:45), and how she influences people across the country (57:24).
I strongly encourage you to check out Rebecca’s content on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as visiting the Impact Austin website here! Additionally, feel free to send her an email: info@impactaustin.org.
Thank you so much to Rebecca for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Becky Burleigh on Developing Sports Coaches
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Becky Burleigh is the soon-to-retire head coach of the University of Florida Women’s Soccer Team. She has been at the University of Florida for 27 years, where she started the program. Before that, Becky was the head coach at Berry College in Rome, Georgia at the age of 21. She was the captain of her soccer team, playing defense and goalie, before going on to coach at the age of 21. By age 26, she was in Florida, heading and starting up the program. In four years, at the age of 30, she helped to lead the University of Florida to a National Championship. Becky is an amazing leader who thinks deeply about character and “what drives winning,” which is a question and a statement. Becky is also obsessed with the idea of how do coaches develop and get better beyond the X’s and O’s?
In this episode, we discuss why Becky is interested in DJing (6:47), her go to song (9:43), why she transitioned from playing defense her first 3 years at college to playing goalie for her senior year (11:51), where her discipline and desire to go toward the grind came from (14:53), her parents and the impact they had on her (15:41), selflessness and service in partnerships (18:16), perspective taking as a coach (20:28), how to mix the desire to win and challenging players with the idea that her players are ultimately still just playing a sport (23:38), what it was like coaching Abby Wambach as a freshman (26:46), if she treated Abby differently (28:50), where Abby’s alpha mentality came from and what it was like coaching an alpha (31:05), influence (33:26), if she considers herself to be an alpha (35:29), curiosity and conviction (39:27), judgment (42:16), paranoia in sports (45:36), lack of boundaries in sports (47:52), what triggered her transition into retirement (51:52), if there are ways to lessen the sacrifices made in sports (54:36), what drives winning (55:54), how to be a great questioner but also provide guidance and answers (57:15), more about what drives winning and where it’s going (58:58), teaching at Florida and what she’s excited about going forward (1:00:47),
You can check out Becky on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @BeckyBurleigh! Additionally, make sure to check out WhatDrivesWinning.com!
Thank you so much to Becky for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
Muffet McGraw on Championing Women
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
Muffet McGraw, previously the head coach of Notre Dame Women’s Basketball, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2017. She became just the 32nd women ever to do so, and the 13th female coach. Bringing women out into the spotlight and helping women progress in and beyond sports is a massive mission that Muffet has taken on. As a coach, she’s a 2x National Champion. The first came in 2001, when Notre Dame defeated Purdue. The 2nd came 17 years later in 2018. Coach McGraw was the 6th different Division I coach to win multiple NCAA titles, joining legends like Geno Auriemma, Pat Summit, Linda Sharp, Tara VanDerveer, and Kim Mulkey. She is one of 5 coaches, men’s or women’s, in NCAA Division I history with over 930 wins, 9 final fours, and multiple NCAA Championships. Three times in her career, she was the consensus National Coach of the Year. Seven times she was the Conference Coach of the Year. She’s won 11 Conference Tournament Championships and she’s made 373 appearances in the AP top-25 poll. Muffet is the all-time wins leader among single sport coaches in the history of Notre Dame athletics.
In this episode we discuss what life was like for Muffet as a kid (6:57), how she defines competitiveness (7:56), her family dynamic and where her competitive drive came from (8:56), parenting advice for raising competitive women (11:03), why getting gifts for kids is more based in gender than getting toys for pets (13:26), what allowed her to run with her competitive spirit and embrace sports (15:25), any memories of her dad saying anything to her that let her embrace this side of herself as a woman (16:20), how to teach sportsmanship while also saying winning and losing is part of life (17:57), where she gets her competitive fix from now that she’s not coaching (19:27), if she competes on the golf course (19:57), what golf does for her while she’s playing and why it’s something she enjoys (21:20), how losing a brother impacted her life and helped to shape how she sees the world (22:36), the values she learned from her mother (23:31), managing keeping others safe while also empowering them (25:39), polarity and paradoxes within her identity (28:19), her relationship with Catholicism (30:23), how to blend the best in our traditions with the most progressive ways to make our society better (33:15), when she began championing feminism (36:20), male advocates for feminism (40:17), if women are often more hesitant to share (41:36), what she’ll talk about with regards to unshakeable belief in oneself when she’s coaching (43:33), arrogance (46:34), if she is healthier mentally now that she isn’t coaching and worrying about a bunch of different things (48:11), why so many college coaches are transitioning right now (49:39), what changed for her so that retirement made sense for her at the time that she did it (51:19), the factors she noticed amongst her best teams (53:23), respect (55:45), the quote “what you will allow is what will continue” (58:08), timeouts speaking to a coach’s values (59:37), why she catastrophized on gameday (1:01:12), what advice she would give to coaches about catastrophizing on gameday (1:02:44), satisfaction vs. complacency (1:05:27), the side of her that only appeared off the court (1:06:53), the differences between teaching and coaching (1:07:15), and how important legacy is to her (1:08:44).
You can check out Muffet on social media @muffetmcgraw. Additionally, I strongly encourage you to check out Muffet’s book, Expect More: A Guide for Women on Reaching their Potential.
Thank you so much to Muffet for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Brenda Frese on Family, Ego, and Coaching
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Brenda Frese has become an absolute legend, as she has built a juggernaut of a program with Women’s Basketball at the University of Maryland. On the court, she is a 2x National Coach of the Year, including this past season. In 2006, Brenda led the team to the National Championship. With Brenda at the helm, Maryland has made 3 NCAA Final Fours, 6 NCAA Elite Eights, 8 Sweet 16 appearances, and has 13 conference titles. Over the last 20+ years, she has helped lead amazing programs. But really, at the University of Maryland she has left her mark and created a legacy that will live on far beyond her time there.
In this episode we discuss Brenda’s upbringing and childhood with her 5 siblings, if faith played a big role in her house growing up (9:18), 6-on-6 basketball (11:39), the benefits of 6-on-6, as well as what that experience was like (13:10), when and why she decided to focus in on basketball (14:16), the values her parents passed down to her (15:30), how she thinks about retirement in her future (17:08), some of the hobbies she’s enjoyed doing over the last year that she doesn’t typically have time for during a “normal” season (19:17), parenting advice, as well as the experience of having her son diagnosed with cancer and what she learned from it (21:59), if there were any actions of friends that really stood out during this difficult time in her life (26:22), what it was like for her playing college basketball at Arizona (29:22), kids (35:18), if her twins are more similar or different (36:41), what it was like coaching while pregnant and after having kids (37:36), when she decided she wanted to pursue coaching (39:25), the core values of her high school coach, her parents, and the University of Maryland Women’s Basketball Team (42:10), what she does to make sure she’s at her best while also carrying the weight of worrying about her players and staff (45:22), how often she thinks a call will be “good” when she receives one from a parent (45:54), how it makes her feel when she hears about all of her accomplishments (48:30), how she thinks about putting her staff together (51:16), what has led to misalignment between Brenda and some of her staff members who haven’t worked out (53:03), how she decouples team success and performance from her own value (58:41), how to not let results dictate who she is (1:01:51), Stu Singer (1:06:10), character (1:09:36), and what she does to make sure she’s in a good place mentally (1:12:44).
You can check out Brenda on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram @BrendaFrese. Additionally, I strongly encourage you to check out Brenda’s book, Overtime is our Time. Lastly, you can check out the University of Maryland Women’s Basketball Team website here.
Thank you so much to Brenda for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday May 19, 2021
Tamsen Webster on Unlocking Big Ideas
Wednesday May 19, 2021
Wednesday May 19, 2021
Part strategist, part storyteller, part English-to-English translator, Tamsen Webster helps experts drive action with their ideas. Tamsen honed her trademark Red Thread approach in and for major organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Harvard Medical School, and Intel, as well as with hundreds of individual founders, academics, and thought leaders. She's a former TEDx Executive Producer and current Idea Strategist. She's also author of the upcoming book, Find Your Read Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible.
In this episode, we discuss Tamsen’s childhood and upbringing (9:20), why she and her sister are so obsessed with stories and storytelling (10:48), if her partnership is different than that of her parents, as well as more on her life and her sister (14:51), what it was like being her high-achieving sister’s younger sister (22:16), imposter syndrome and her working at Harvard (26:08), hustle (31:04), how she defines success (36:16), being an English-to-English translator (37:28), curiosity, range, innovation, and creativity (42:52), building ideas, as opposed to finding ideas (49:34), why she wrote a book (57:40), the routines and habits she leverages to make sure she’s living the way she wants to live (1:00:56), how others respond to new ideas (1:06:56), and spending valuable time on valuable ideas (1:12:57).
I encourage you to follow Tamsen on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Also, you can learn more about Tamsen’s new book "Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible" here! Lastly, feel free to send Tamsen an email if you’d like at hello@tamsenwebster.com.
Thanks so much to Tamsen for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Steve Magness on Peak Performance and Passion
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Steve Magness has written three books, which have sold more than 200,000 copies and been translated into 15 languages. Also, Steve is a performance coach. He works with athletes, entrepreneurs, and executives, as well as serving as a consultant on mental skills development for professional sports teams. Additionally, he is a running coach, working with professional runners, including Olympians, national champions, and top finishers at major marathons. He’s also the co-creator of The Growth Equation, an online platform dedicated to the understanding and practice of performance and well-being.
In this episode, we discuss Steve’s running journey and how he became interested in running (5:43), his family dynamic at home and their reaction to him seriously pursuing running (9:59), if he fell in love with the cross-country community and was able to make connections with his teammates along the way (13:45), his success in cross-country (15:11), why he feels his cross-country peak was in high school despite training harder afterwards (16:25), how he treated rest (18:38), if he truly loved running (21:25), passion + persistence = excellency (24:52), commencement speakers (26:50), how to create routines and habits without overdosing into addiction (28:29), how he gets people to push through while still being aware (32:56), if he still runs competitively (36:03), if he misses running competitively (36:24), if he’s more like his mom or his dad (39:24), if he ever felt any pressure from his dad to go into orthodontia (40:29), the link between passion and process, as well as the link between passion and suffering (43:36), what he’s most passionate about right now (45:13), balancing talking about what he’s already done with what he’s currently working on (49:05), writing multiple books at the same time (51:23), what he’s working on now (53:36), being and becoming (56:07), the process of writing both solo and with a second author (1:00:39), and nurturing nature, stress + rest = growth, and how those concepts play out in his daily life (1:09:17) and The Growth Equation (1:12:48).
You can check out The Growth Equation website here. Additionally, you can follow Steve on Twitter and Instagram @SteveMagness.
Thanks so much to Steve for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Kevin Eastman on Leading with Truth
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Kevin Eastman is a corporate speaker and an internationally known basketball clinician who brings knowledge and experience from sports to the business world. He speaks on various topics, including championship culture, teamwork, leadership, motivation, and individual success. Kevin has over 40 years of experience in the game of basketball, and he coached basketball at all levels, including 13 years in the NBA. While he was in the NBA, he was the top assistant for Doc Rivers when they won the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Most recently, Kevin served as an assistant coach and Vice President of Basketball Operations with the Los Angeles Clippers. Kevin has worked with and coached an impressive number of current and future NBA All-Stars, both as a coach and as a Nike Basketball Director of Player Development for the nation’s elite college and high-school players. He continues his work with young, elite players through USA basketball and speaking to Nike audiences.
In this episode, we discuss what Kevin’s upbringing was like and how he became himself (6:20), his relationship with his stepmom (11:30), parenting (12:56), if he’s gone back later in life to become more educated on his mom and what she was going through before committing suicide (14:50), how he thinks about mental health (17:06), shootarounds and how they’ve shifted in the NBA (24:18), how you get a team to be selfless and buy into something bigger than themselves while still giving individuals the freedom, autonomy, and joy to operate independently (27:48), motivation (29:51), what qualities make an elite leader (35:08), what sports coaches can be doing better to make sure they are healthy, both mentally and physically (40:27), his W.I.L.T journal (45:14), if he’d rather be a head coach or an assistant coach starting tomorrow (51:00), his mindset both as he prepares for and during a speaking gig (52:25), gems he shares with his audiences about leadership and culture (56:37), and what he misses about being in the locker room and on the bench (1:04:46).
You can follow Kevin on Twitter @kevineastman and on Instagram @kevineastmanspeaking. Additionally, if you’d like to reach out to Kevin feel free to send him an email at kevin@kevineastman.net. Lastly, I’d encourage you to check out Kevin’s website kevineastman.net.
Thanks so much to Kevin for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Josh Linkner on Innovation and Creativity
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Josh Linkner is somebody with lots of range who wears a lot of different hats and is not afraid to step into these different parts of himself. He calls himself a “creative troublemaker.” He passionately believes that all human beings have incredible creative capacity. He’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. At his core, Josh cares deeply about helping, impacting, and influencing people in a positive way, and he does so through speaking and writing. He’s written 4 books, he’s a keynote speaker, and he’s been the founder and CEO of 5 tech companies (which have sold for a combined value of over $200 million). He’s invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the founding partner of Detroit Venture Partners. Josh is passionate about his hometown and it’s influenced him in a variety of ways, including how much he’s obsessed with, and interested in, and loves jazz. Today, Josh serves as Chairman and co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research training and consulting firm. He’s twice been named Earns and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
In this episode, we discuss Josh’s upbringing and the role of music in his life (5:45), what it was like being exposed to so many cultures through jazz in Detroit (7:44), what it was like for him having his parents get divorced when he was very young (9:00), his siblings (9:53), when business became something he was interested in (10:31), if he’s more like his mom, his dad, or someone else in his life who nurtured him and helped to shape him (11:50), if there is a downside to saying “I’ll show you” when someone says they don’t believe in you (15:51), what motivates him today (16:44), how to unlock creativity in people (18:41), his favorite techniques to unlock creativity (20:15), how constraints can drive creativity (23:51), nurturing creativity in children (26:56), if he had 24 hours to live, what he would do to fill that day (34:11), why he continues to be involved in the business world and what his relationship is with business (35:31), what he looks for when he’s hiring people (36:45), what he looks for when investing in people and companies (40:28), arrogance (43:22), what he’s learned about writing and what his process is like (48:43), what he does to set his mind before going on stage for a speaking event (51:43), what makes a good mentor (53:06), why he’s so passionate about Detroit (54:49), and how he makes sure he’s setting his mind to be the best version of himself every day (57:28).
You can check out Josh’s new book, “Big Little Breakthroughs,” as well as his full website here. Additionally, feel free to send him an email at josh@joshlinkner.com.
Thanks so much to Josh for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Andy Friend on his Coaching Journey
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Andy Friend is the Head Coach of Connacht Rugby based in Ireland. We will talk about his experience and his journey, as well as what it’s like to set the culture at that club and how he thinks about leadership. This conversation is also about Andy’s journey, which has spanned over 26 years and 21 homes, and what he’s learned along the way. He has travelled all over the world to places like England, Japan, Australia, and now Ireland. Andy is someone who thinks deeply about leadership and how he cannot just have the best leadership for himself, but also how he can develop leaders within his club and within his organization. Andy is very intentional about how he can use transformational leadership to help his club be the best that they can be.
In this episode, we discuss what life was like for Andy as a kid (6:46), what the relationship was like with his brothers growing up (9:33), what he learned from moving between 3 different cultures and countries (11:34), if moving around so much helped him gain skills in emotional intelligence that still help him today (14:58), what character traits he possesses in a large group setting (16:42), how he balances teaching people the basics while also letting them go out and discover for their own (19:04), how he thinks about parenting and consequences (22:34), why he fell in love with rugby (28:28), his wife (31:42), what has led to he and his wife having a strong partnership (35:55), if it’s harder to make new memories and excitement during Covid (41:14), his coaching journey (43:58), sport science in Australia (46:49), what it was (and is) like to be an Australian coaching in Japan and Ireland (50:43), if he had to adjust his coaching style to each of the cultures he was in (56:26), what he does to develop relationships with and develop the athletes he works with (57:48), staying connected on a one-on-one level to his athletes (1:00:50), how he maintains a transformational leadership style in a transactional world (1:03:41), how he develops leaders on his team (1:06:03), leadership (1:07:37), how he empowers his staff to do the work that he’s not able to do or that they are better than him at doing (1:13:52), and how he thinks about culture with his team (1:16:15).
You can follow Andy on Twitter @andyfriend2011.
Thanks so much to Andy for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Cara Brookins on Building
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Cara Brookins built her own 3500 square foot house by using YouTube tutorials. The impetus for her decision to build that house with her four kids came after surviving domestic violence. When that occurred, she was faced with the stark challenge of providing for her children but with no means and no one to turn to but herself. In desperate need of a home, but without the means to buy one, she did something incredible: she built one from scratch. And when I say built from scratch, she built it using her hands, using her kids, they built it together. She was the electrician, she was the plumber, she was the contractor. And she in turn helped to rebuild her family and help them develop confidence and ultimately thrive.
Cara’s story went viral in more than 75 countries and has been viewed more than 2 billion times. She’s appeared on many networks and done amazing interviews all over the world, but this conversation is going to be about more than just building a house. Cara is extremely vulnerable and real in telling her story and some of the challenges and hardships that she’s gone through in her life, and yet how she still remains optimistic, a creator, an innovator, and a mom.
In this episode, we discuss what life was like for her as a kid (6:14), her relationship with her brother (7:55), how old she was when she started caring for him (8:38), what it was like losing her mom (9:29), what her relationship was like with her parents (14:04), which parent she is more similar to (15:49), what led to her parents getting divorced (16:53), if she is religious (18:41), how she thinks about the relationship between conviction and curiosity (19:56), her experiences with marriage and domestic violence (27:08), how she trusts others, especially men, when factoring in what happened in her three marriages (36:21), her advice regarding safety (42:35), what was underneath her desire to undertake the project of building a house (50:28), “getting out” of an unsafe community (54:07), what the reaction from others in her community was when she said she was going to build a house (58:14), what the last year has been like for her in the pandemic (1:02:27), what “being” looks like for her (1:06:10), why the story of building her house with her kids was so popular (1:08:22), if she has a philosophy that guides herself around creativity (1:16:55), and what she learned about herself going through the process of building the house (1:19:48).
You can find everything you need to know about Cara on her website, carabrookins.com.
Thanks so much to Cara for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Gregg Berhalter on Process and Results
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Wednesday Apr 07, 2021
Gregg Berhalter is the Head Coach for the United States Men’s National Soccer Team. Before that, Gregg was the Head Coach for the Columbus Crew in the MLS. He also worked in Europe, where he was the first American to be a Head Coach of a European soccer team. Gregg also played for the US National Team from 1994-2006, also playing with the under-20 National Team in 1993. He played professionally in the MLS and all over the world, spending a lot of his time overseas.
In this episode, we discuss why Gregg likes cooking (5:50), if he finds it to be an escape from constantly coaching (6:55), if his cooking style is analogous to his coaching style (8:28), what it was like to grow up with Carl Yastrzemski in the family (9:23), why he didn’t pursue baseball (10:11), if he thinks growing up around Yaz gave him an advantage over his peers in thinking about what’s possible (10:40), the values passed down to him through his family (11:21), how he would set his mind for gameday as a player (13:07), if he ever was an overthinker as a player (14:42), how he helps bring his players more clarity as a coach when they are stuck or cluttered (16:02), if there was a coach that really impacted him and influenced how he coaches and how he played (17:25), why he took notes as a player and how that has helped him as he’s progressed (18:46), what he loves most about soccer (19:41), how being a coach is different than being a player, as well as what it was like to have to “pause” during the pandemic (21:48), how he organizes what he wants to accomplish (23:49), how he develops people and makes sure they’re heading in the right direction without using “young” as a crutch or an excuse to not compete right now (25:47), what sort of environment and culture Gregg is creating (27:06), his scoring system in training and how he’s trying to create a competitive culture (28:43), how he stays process-oriented in a results-oriented business (32:04), going towards challenge and skepticism (34:02), what it was like to be the first American head coach in Europe (34:58), how he maintains relationships with players no longer on his team (37:08), what his offer to players to come play for the US is (38:17), some things he focuses on from a player development perspective (39:25), how club teams are developing their players (41:26), what’s changed in the develop of soccer players in the last 20 years that’s led to the birth of so much young talent on the US team (43:43), how he thinks about home-field advantage versus playing on the road in a hostile environment (46:30), how he addresses playing at home versus on the road with his players (48:31), how he balances the data and the measurement tools with his instincts and gut feelings (51:46), talent selection (53:55), clarity in goals (56:19), what he intentionally does to make sure he’s healthy and well in the midst of his stressful job (58:44), if there’s a book that’s changed how he sees the world (1:00:00), Ted Lasso (1:00:47), and leading with authenticity (1:02:24).
Thanks so much to Gregg for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
Brian Levenson's Pandemic Reflections
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
This week Brian shares his reflections on the past year. He shares his struggles, how he's experimenting, and what he's been grateful for during the pandemic.
As we move forward, in a post-pandemic world, how can we better support ourselves and each other?
If you want to connect and chat more and share your experience feel free to reach out via Twitter or Linkedin @Brianlevenson or email Brian at Brian@strongskills.co.
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Suneel Gupta on Becoming Backable
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Wednesday Mar 24, 2021
Suneel Gupta teaches at Harvard University and is the author of BACKABLE – exploring how to get people to believe in your ideas. The book is rooted in Suneel’s journey from first-time entrepreneur to being named “The New Face of Innovation” by the New York Stock Exchange. Suneel’s ideas have been backed by firms like Greylock and Google Ventures, and he served as an Entrepreneur in Residence inside Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. He has personally backed startups including Impossible Foods, AirBnB, 23&Me, Calm, and SpaceX. In 2019, Suneel established the Gross National Happiness Center of America in partnership with the Kingdom of Bhutan.
In this episode, we discuss Suneel’s mom and his family story (5:59), what the communication was like between Suneel and his parents when he was a kid as it related to dreams (8:33), where he and his brother got their performance skills from (10:48), what his relationship was like with his brother growing up when factoring in the age gap they have (12:28), how he has evolved in thinking about fame and being recognizable (15:17), why every great speech should include “I,” “you,” and “we” (20:19), what he would do if his ideas were getting shut down and what makes a backable circle of people (27:21), when he feels most alive and when he has needed to shift from a place of boredom to a place of being alive (34:20), how he balances being in a niche while also focusing on trying to be alive (39:48), who he wrote “BACKABLE” for (43:36), what inspired him to run for office (45:48), his future political aspirations (50:09), curiosity and conviction (52:59), and what’s inevitable for Suneel right now (1:03:38).
You can follow him on Twitter @suneel, on Facebook and Instagram @suneelgupta, and on LinkedIn @suneelkgupta.
Additionally, make sure to order and check out the website for Suneel’s new book “BACKABLE” at backable.com.
Thanks so much to Suneel for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Kyle Korver on Mastering a Specialty and Exploring Possibility
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Kyle Korver is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the history of the NBA. He’s 4th most all-time in 3-point field goals made and 3rd highest on the all-time list for 3-point field goal percentage. But Kyle is so much more than a shooter. He was an all-star in 2015 and he played in the NBA for 17 seasons. Kyle also won the sportsmanship award in 2015.
In this episode, we discuss misogi and its role in Kyle’s life and career (6:34), if he’s always embraced challenge and adventure (11:13), how misogi helps him navigate COVID (16:09), how he thinks about perfectionism and adaptability in relation to his gameday mindset (18:25), how he expanded his game to be more than a shooter as he got older (22:40), what he would do mentally to prepare on game day, before practice, and in the offseason (26:28), what he would do during the game to bring himself back if he got off kilter (29:27), if he would talk to himself (30:55), his upbringing, what it was like to be around his father who was a pastor, and the role of religion in his life (32:30), the values his parents instilled in him and his brothers (34:33), what it was like going from LA to Iowa (36:17), how he got his love for basketball (39:25), how much of shooting is nature and how much is nurture (42:26), where his eyes tend to go when he’s watching a basketball game on TV (43:46), how the tragedy with his younger brother has impacted how he thinks about life (44:39), his experience with therapy (46:53), race relations in the US and being a part of walking off the court with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA bubble (51:46), what he did that intentionally led to his success both on and off the court during the 2015 season (56:51), if he considers himself to be a leader and what makes a good leader (59:20), what he has learned from his wife and how she has influenced him (1:02:34), and raising kids intentionally (1:07:20).
Thanks so much to Kyle for coming on the podcast!
I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian