Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

The noise at the Super Bowl can be overwhelming—tens of thousands of voices colliding into a single roar. But the loudest voice a player hears isn’t coming from the stands. It’s the one inside their own head.
In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais and All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Marshall sit down with former NFL MVP Cam Newton to explore one of the most overlooked forces in elite performance: self-talk.
Rather than revisiting highlights or headlines, the conversation focuses on the internal dialogue that shapes performance in football’s biggest moments. From the intensity of the Super Bowl stage to the quieter moments when doubt creeps in, Cam and Brandon share how the words athletes say to themselves can either steady them—or pull them out of the moment entirely.
This is a candid, human conversation about confidence, pressure, imagination, and the unseen work required to stay grounded when everything is on the line. And while the stories come from the highest level of sport, the lessons reach far beyond the field—offering insight into how anyone can use self-talk to access their best when it matters most.
Follow Finding Mastery all week as The Game Inside the Games continues to unpack the inner game at global sporting events,, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
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This episode is brought to you by CDW and Microsoft.
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Links & Resources
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The Super Bowl isn’t just a physical game — it’s a psychological one.
In this special Game Inside the Games episode, Dr. Michael Gervais is joined by NFL coach Matt Patricia and former All-Pro Brandon Marshall to unpack one of the most defining moments in Super Bowl history: Malcolm Butler’s game-winning interception.
This episode explores what it looks like to perform under pressure when the whole world is watching.
Subscribe and follow along all week as The Game Inside the Games delivers daily episodes leading up to the Super Bowl — revealing the mindset behind elite performance.

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This episode is powered by: Microsoft Copilot, Insight
Insight is redefining integration for the Agentic Era by closing the 65% execution gap currently leaving enterprise AI at a standstill. As a leading Solutions Integrator and top 1% Microsoft partner, we don’t just provision licenses; we build the high-performance infrastructure and secure data estates AI requires to thrive. By converging AI-optimized networking with our proprietary Radius™ Microsoft 365 Copilot framework, we solve the infrastructure-AI paradox. From silicon to skills, Insight leverages "Customer Zero" expertise to transform software into a high-yield autonomous enterprise—enabling seamless, secure collaboration between your people and your AI.

From Hype to How

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Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
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What does it mean to live wisely in a loud, distracted, and often reactive world?
Ryan Holiday—bestselling author and modern Stoic philosopher—returns to explore how wisdom actually works… not as a theory or a prize of age, but as a daily practice of reflection, humility, and courage.
Ryan breaks down why wisdom takes work, how Stoic philosophy applies to modern parenting and leadership, and why the ability to think deeply and act deliberately might be the rarest skill in today’s world. This conversation goes beyond ideas — it’s about living wisely when life feels anything but quiet.
You’ll learn:
How to treat wisdom as a practice, not an identity
Why wisdom demands both courage and humility
The key to raising thoughtful kids in a noisy world
How to find calm and clarity in times of distraction and division
Why discernment is the superpower for the age of AI and misinformation
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Links & Resources
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X
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What if the real risk to our health isn’t aging itself, but becoming metabolically weak?
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon — physician, researcher, and one of the leading voices redefining how we think about health and longevity — shares why muscle sits at the center of lasting strength, energy, and vitality. In this wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais, she explores why health isn’t something to manage later with prescriptions, but something to build deliberately through strength and daily discipline.
Dr. Lyon’s muscle-centric approach reframes aging and performance: real longevity is not about doing less, but building the capacity to do more — with purpose, clarity, and resilience. From the science of protein and training to the psychology of sustainable health, this conversation offers a roadmap to living strong, not just long.
You’ll learn:
Why muscle is the organ of longevity
How to build metabolic health through training and nutrition
The key to balancing strength, performance, and recovery
How to approach GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic) with nuance and caution
Why physical strength fuels mental resilience and purpose
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Links & Resources
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X
Pre-order The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK and receive exclusive bonuses - https://drgabriellelyon.com/playbook/
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What changes when anxiety shows up—and you stop trying to outrun it, and start learning how to work with it?
Dan Harris—journalist, bestselling author, and host of 10% Happier—returns to Finding Mastery to explore practical ways to work with anxiety. Dan unpacks how meditation, compassionate self-talk, and exposure built his capacity after a panic attack on live TV—and why curiosity is a powerful antidote to fear.
Dan and Dr. Mike go beyond optimization into the human side: rebuilding from collapse, confronting panic (on planes, elevators, and big stages), and the daily reps that make composure more accessible. This is a grounded look at attention, identity, and training your inner life—without hacks or magical thinking.
What you’ll learn
How to use meditation as “bicep curls for the brain”
Why self-talk (especially in third person) regulates panic in real time
The key to working at your edge without traumatizing yourself
How to turn exposure into confidence and capacity
Why curiosity beats cynicism for mental performance

At its heart, this episode is a reminder: mastery isn’t a shortcut; it’s alignment between awareness, training, and what matters most.
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Links & Resources
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X
Dan Harris on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenPercentHappier
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.