excellence, actually
Episodes
CAL NEWPORT on The Moral Weight of Working, Not Working, and Bragging About Both
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people love to grind and work long days and on the weekends. Some people like never to work outside of traditional hours. Some people like to...
Growth EQ Academy #5: Purpose
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Motivation comes from diverse sources, but perhaps none is more powerful than purpose. Why is this the case? What happens in our brain and body when ...
Growth EQ Academy #4: Routines
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The first rule of routines is to have one and stick to it. The second rule of routines is to be able to let go. We explore the truth of this paradox, ...
Growth EQ Academy #3: Rest and Recovery
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Forget about all the products and services that promise to help you recharge. You don't need all (or really, any) of that stuff. In this episode of th...
Growth EQ Academy #2: Stress Yourself
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While there are many definitions of stress, we like to think of productive stress as a stimulus that challenges you in a manner which promotes growth...
Growth EQ Academy #1: Stress + Rest = Growth.
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's the universal equation to make sustainable progress in anything. In this episode of the Growth Equation Academy, we review what we mean by “st...
Fascinating Insights About Aging and Performance
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Mickelson just won the PGA Championship at age 50. That is no joke. In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve use Mickelso...
The Instagram Filter Theory of Life and Doing Real Things in the World
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why is it that so many people seem so out of touch with reality these days? In this episode of the Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve explore a ...
Load Management (In Sport, Work, and Life)
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
All the stars in the NBA are getting hurt. This comes off the coattails of a hyper-condensed season because of COVID-19, followed by a shortened off...
Divorce in High Performers
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many were shocked to hear about Bill and Melinda Gates getting divorced. But some weren't. After all, they are both extreme pushers, those who care de...
How to Read More and Read Better
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the best ways to be smarter, kinder, and wiser is to read. Straight up. It's the truth. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad ...
Right Thinking
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There is infinite information out there. Every day, we are inundated with principles, concepts, and ideas. How does one wade through the deluge, let a...
Hero Worship and Performative Everything
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve discuss the culture's obsession with idolizing certain people, and how thanks to the...
Skill vs. Luck vs. Hard Work
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hard work is often talked about as a be-all end-all when it comes to performance, and even personhood. On this episode of The Growth Equation podcas...
An Honest Rant on College Admissions
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The film Operation Varsity Blues, a chronicle of the massive college admissions scandal that occurred from 2011 to 2018, was just published on Netfl...
Inside Baseball: Book Publishing
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special bonus episode, Brad and Steve delve into the process of becoming authors, starting from their early days writing hardly-read blogs to ...
Slaying Sacred Cows in Health and Fitness
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To foam roll or not to foam roll? Force yourself to endure an ice-bath after a grueling workout, or sit it out? Cardio or weights, or perhaps even mor...
Unwinding Anxiety
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Anxiety, in the broadest of terms, is discomfort with uncertainty. In the words of psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author Judson Brewer, “it's a s...
What “Good Sleep” Really Means and How to Get It
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sleep. It's a topic that affects everyone, and it's particularly timely coming off of daylight savings time, which doesn't do much other than make an ...
Why Practicing Humility is the Key to True Confidence and Belonging
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A phenomenon that just about everyone is familiar with goes like this: You are striving hard to reach the next level at your given craft or pursuit. A...
A World Without Email (And a More Optimal Life) With Cal Newport
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you dislike email, or at the very least, the amount of time, energy, and attention your inbox demands? If so, you aren't alone. In this episode of ...
Coaching Beyond Sport
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Coaching has long been a foundation of sport, but only more recently is it spreading into other industries. From business, to health care, to creativi...
Getting Beyond Hack Culture
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hack culture—or the general idea that there are specific products, services, or supplements that will quickly make you healthier, happier, fitter, a...
The Science of Pacing (And Not Just For Sport, But All Big Projects In Life)
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
COVID-19 has often been compared to a marathon (by us, too! Brad wrote a piece in The New York Times back in May of 2020 saying as much). A big part ...
Teamwork, Flow, and Peak Performance on K2
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago, a team of Nepali climbers made history, summiting K2 for the first time in winter, a feat that represents mountaineering's last crown...
Tom Brady and the Relationship Between Peak Performance and Age
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This past weekend, in the NFL playoffs, one game featured quarterbacks aged 37 and 43. The other game featured quarterbacks aged 24 and 25. Quite a st...
Factors of Resilience
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Resilience is the capacity to bounce back when you get knocked down and to persevere during challenging times. It is a timeless quality, but also one ...
The Secrets of Lasting Change
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over 70 percent of New Year's resolutions fail in the span of just a few weeks. Yikes. In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Stev...
We Finally Made it to 2021—Now What?
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Well, 2020 was a long and challenging year. It's over! But just because the calendar flipped doesn't mean everything is suddenly fine. In this episode...
How to Make Your Brain a Better Place
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve discuss the evidence-based, do-it-yourself methodologies to improve day-to-day mental h...
Taylor Swift and the Principles of Hot Streaks
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Taylor Swift just released her latest album, Evermore. It is wonderful. It is also the second album she's released this year, following Folklore, wh...
The Trappings of Unchecked Striving: Zappos and Tony Hsieh’s Tragic Death
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago, Zappos founder and CEO Tony Hsieh tragically died in a house fire. It is unclear whether the death was accidental, if Hsieh was intox...
The Zen of Running and Writing
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 2010, the writer Katie Arnold welcomed her second daughter into the world. Three weeks later she lost her father, also her best friend. Dealing wit...
McKinsey, Opiods, and The Dark Side of High Performance
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this week, the New York Times broke a story detailing how the prestigious consulting firm McKinsey and Company “proposed paying pharmacy c...
Amusing Ourselves to Death
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve dive into an underground classic from the 1980's: Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil ...
Rich Roll: The Art of Meaningful Conversation
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rich Roll is a globally renown ultra-endurance athlete, wellness advocate, bestselling author, husband and father of four. He also hosts the wildly ...
Trust: The Most Important Thing There Is
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A wise professor once told Brad, “Trust is the most important thing there is and all inefficiencies at their core are created by a lack of trust.”...
Special Episode: Election Madness
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this raw, uncut, and immediately uploaded episode, Brad and Steve explore the still-unfolding chaos around the 2020 US presidential election, how w...
A Discussion About Race with Jojo McDuffie
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It infiltrates every aspect of our lives and deserves the time for a thoughtful discussion. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and S...
Defining Success: Lebron vs. Jordan
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This month Lebron James won his fourth NBA Championship and once again spurred the question: who is better, Lebron James or Michael Jordan? On this ep...
The Social Media Episode
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Social Dilemma, a documentary on the rise of social media and the damage it has caused to society, is one of the top shows on Netflix and it has u...
Listener Mailbag with Brad and Steve: Diet, Motivation, and Home Office Design
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what Brad and Steve do for the first and last 90 minutes of each day? What their in-home offices look like? What their favorite apps are? ...
How to be Clutch (and Avoid Choking)
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week marks the conclusion of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals and the start of the NBA Finals and MLB playoffs. We've seen (and are sure to see more) s...
Listener Mailbag with Brad & Steve: Routines, Reading, and Suffering
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You asked, they answered! On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve take questions from their listeners. The pair discuss strateg...
Amelia Boone: Obstacle Racing and Mental Health Warrior
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amelia Boone is one of the most accomplished obstacle race athletes in history, having won the Spartan Race World Championship in 2013 and the World’...
She’s Back! Life with Shalane Flanagan, Marathon Champion, Olympian and Coach
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
She’s back! This week on The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve check in with NYC Marathon Champion, Olympian, coach, and friend Shalane Flanag...
Growth EQ Principles: Self-Compassion
06 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore self-compassion, and explain why cultivating it is key to lasting perfor...
Six Hot (and Thoughtful) Takes on Performance
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve offer six hot (and thoughtful) takes on topics related to performance and well-being. T...
Growth EQ Principles: Patience
30 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding that most important things in life are nine-inning games can help support happiness, performance, and satisfaction. On this week's epis...
The Pandemic and the Burnout Epidemic
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the United States the COVID-19 pandemic is slogging away, now entering its sixth month, making it the perfect time for Brad and Steve to discuss on...
Growth EQ Principles: Process over Outcome
23 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore what it really means to focus on the process—and how this mindset can b...