The Unbeatable Mind Podcast With Mark Divine

Today Mark is talking to Mike Hayes-former Commander of SEAL Team TWO. Mike had a 20-year military career, was a White House Fellow for both the Bush and Obama administrations, and is currently working as the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMware. He is also a speaker on leadership and author of the book Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning. He and Mark talk about the leadership principles that he has learned from years in government, the private sector, and the military. Hear how: You must not be afraid to aim high and miss-be afraid to aim low and hit In decision-making, the first decision is not the decision-it's when to make your decision It's necessary to have diversity in the decision-making process-it's better when we hear opinions/experiences different from our own Listen to today's episode to hear leadership insights from very different contexts.

In the second part of Mark's interview with Lisa Tamati, Lisa talks about her mother's story and the incredible lengths that she went to save her after a massive stroke. This is all detailed in her book Relentless: How a Mother and Daughter Defied the Odds. Lisa and Mark also discuss longevity and how relying on the traditional medical system may not be enough. Listen to this episode to hear Lisa's incredible story and her routine as a high-performing athlete.

Today Mark is talking to Lisa Tamati. She is a professional adventure athlete, author, motivational speaker, and mindset coach who goes beyond human limits. Lisa's taken on and conquered the world's toughest endurance events and expeditions, including the Sahara and Gobi deserts, Niger, and the Himalayas.  Her most recent book is Relentless: How a Mother and Daughter Defied the Odds. In this first part of a two-part episode, she talks to Mark about her history in endurance, trekking, and how she uses mindset and mental toughness in her relentless approach to life. Hear how: Endurance running is a cathartic experience and has a meditative effect Having a strong "why" is absolutely necessary to keep yourself going What we often call "failure" is really just learning and growth Listen to this episode for a better understanding of how endurance and mindset go together straight from a professional ultra-endurance athlete.

In this episode, Commander Divine reads the final chapter of his newest upcoming book. It is an adaptation of a speech he gave to his alma mater at Colgate University early during the pandemic. He focuses primarily on how to manage and thrive in the VUCA world we are living in. Hear about: Leadership and how its main focus is on the well-being of the team Thriving in crisis and how it's the opportunity of the moment to grow and serve others The four ways to protect and optimize your most precious asset - "You" Listen to this episode so you can better adapt and thrive in this VUCA environment that is the new normal.

Many listeners are probably familiar with Dr. Kirk Parsley and his work on sleep. He is a former Navy SEAL who is now an MD who specializes in sleep. In the second part of this interview with Doc Parsley, he and Mark talk more about sleep and longevity. Hear how: Laying in bed unconscious with your eyes closed doesn't mean you're actually sleeping Your sleep will be different based on what you did during the day-there's different types of sleep for recovering from physical or mental effort  There are methods not to only slow aging, but to reverse aging If you cut out a part of your sleep, you are cutting out a part of your true potential Listen to this episode to learn more about the vitality of sleep, so you can properly deal and manage the VUCA world that we all live in.

In this two-part interview, Mark is talking to his old friend Dr. Kirk Parsley. Doc Parsley is a former SEAL who is now an MD who specializes in sleep. He realized that most of us are getting less sleep than we need and are kind of seeing sleep as "the enemy" or a waste of time. As a result, he developed his "sleep cocktail" for SEAL patients and has now developed it for all of us as the Sleep Remedy.  Learn how: Lack of sleep just accelerates the aging process Working out while being sleep deprived is counterproductive-no benefits Sleep is a part of life that we must accept-16 hours awake and 8 hours of sleep for recovery  Listen to this episode to get a better understanding of how your sleep is important to how you deal with this VUCA environment.

Tim Grover is the founder of ATTACK Athletics. He has trained Michael Jordan, among other professional athletes, and is the author of Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable and his most recent book Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness. He talks with Mark about his experience training both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and how you can become a true winner every day.   Hear how: Your physical and mental foundation must be strong-so you can trust your body and performance. Everyone knows how to compete, but only a few know how to win. Winning takes a different approach. "Steps" to anything are constantly shifting-they are infinite.  There are no steps to winning-they are constantly changing with more steps to come. Embracing your "Dark Side" is not what you think. It's an internal fuel that lights your fire when nothing else will.  Listen to this episode for some insight on how top performers win no matter what.

Greg McKeown is famous for simplifying his life and calling on others to do the same in his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. His newest book is called Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. He is also the host of the podcast "What's Essential." Greg and Mark talk today about his journey and learning that the best choice doesn't always have to be the hardest. Hear how: Training your mind to ask "How can I make this effortless?" brings results like never before It's best to "Yield to Win"- it's not always about going the harder way Defining "What does done look like?" already simplifies the next step Listen to this episode and hear how going effortless brings you exactly where you need to be.

Today Mark talks about the five developmental plateaus for you to traverse on your hero's journey as a leader. Listen in as Mark explains all Five Plateaus and how our overall goal is to reach the Fifth Plateau-so we can become fully connected and inclusive. Hear about the Five Plateaus: Survivor Instinctual and very centered on the individual Protector Extends concern to a tribe or small group-both egocentric and ethnocentric Achiever  Ambition and drive for success Equalizer - Ethnocentrism and some world-centrism Integrator  Fully world-centric  Listen to this episode to gain insight on where you are in the five developmental plateaus so you can further reach your leadership potential.

Mark talks with his old friend Carmine Di Sibio who was part of Mark's class at Colgate University and went to work for Arthur Young, which became a part of Ernst & Young. He's worked at EY for over 35 years and is the current CEO and Global Chairman of the company. Today he talks with Mark about his career and business leadership. Hear about: Business accountability and how companies must disclose their ESG (Environment, Society, and Governance) Diversity and inclusion and how businesses navigate through the current social climate  Blockchain and bitcoin and how cryptocurrency is affecting the financial landscape  Listen to this episode to get insight into how a successful business leader navigates through the ever-changing VUCA world.

Tom Jones is a former Marine combat veteran and a well-known extreme athlete in the Muay Thai and ultra-endurance communities. Tom talks to Mark about his childhood traumas and how he overcame all that to become the exceptional athlete and individual that he is. Hear about: Tom's experiences with Chuck Norris and being his sparring partner How he survived his childhood traumas and pushed himself beyond his limits  His concern for the ocean and how Laird Hamilton helped train Tom to become the record-setting stand-up paddleboarder he is today Listen to this episode for some expert insight on how you can push your mind and body beyond what is possible.

Today Mark talks with Katy Milkman, professor at the Wharton School and host of Charles Schwab's "Choiceology with Katy Milkman" podcast. She's a frequent writer of behavioral science for The Washington Post and Scientific American. Her newest book is How to Change. In this episode, she discusses temptations and improving our chances for change. Hear about: Temptation Bundling and its counterintuitive way to make you more productive The Advice Club and its benefits to help you achieve your goals The Impulsivity Problem, the Forgetting Problem, the Confidence Problem, and how to get past them all Listen in for some insights from a top behavioral expert on how you can make a positive change for yourself and others.

John Foley is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels and is now a keynote speaker and consultant at John Foley, Inc. He talks with Mark today about how you can use military communication methods and team building in business. Hear how: The Blue Angels and the Navy SEALs have more in common than you think The debrief is the single most important element for high performance Just being "glad to be here" and having gratitude is so powerful Listen to this episode to get more insight into the debrief process and why gratitude is so important-especially in the current VUCA landscape.

Today Mark talks with Steven Pressfield, an acclaimed author of historical fiction and non-fiction. Among numerous other books, Steven wrote The War of Art, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Gates of Fire, about the Battle of Thermopylae. His most recent book is A Man at Arms, about the Roman empire and the letter to the Corinthians. Steven explains his creative process when writing and how he overcomes any form of Resistance.  Hear how:       Resistance is the main obstacle to creativity and how it's a negative force of self-sabotage     You can overcome Resistance by staring down the wolf-an act of will We all have the Hero's Journey-that eventually leads to our Artist's Journey     Steven has his own creative process when starting a novel Listen to this episode to find out more about how you can tap into your own creative potential.

In today's solocast, Commander Divine talks about the virtues necessary to become an unbeatable leader. He uses his personal experience, along with the wisdom of other leaders, to explain the virtues so you can take the next step and have the courage to apply them every day. Hear how: It's not about what you think or say, it's your actions that are important-especially when no one else is looking Trustworthiness is the glue that holds teams together and how you can build and even rebuild trust Integrity leads to authentic communication for a much deeper connection in relationships Humility is about removing your ego from your actions and helping others-even when it's least convenient Listen to this episode to help deepen your understanding of the virtues and solidify them as a life practice for you to thrive in this VUCA world.

Mark knows Kimberly from the yoga and meditation community. She is a somatic experiencing practitioner and a sexological bodyworker. She is also the author of The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality and her newest book Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power, and Use It For Good. Today she is talking with Commander Divine about her book Call of the Wild and how aggression can be used in a healthy way. Learn how: Taking the stigma out of trauma is part of our human responsibility  Our thoughts show our physiology-so there are ways to repair in the present moment  Facial expressions are just as important as speaking when trying to communicate The flip-side to anger is healthy aggression-power, drive, and knowing what you what Listen to this episode to get a better understanding of the fact that we all have more power than we think.

Rich Diviney is a former SEAL and an expert and consultant on leadership. He is also the author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance. Rich talks with Mark about his Mind Gym for performance and the many attributes necessary for leadership in the military and business.   Hear how: There is a difference between peak and optimal performance-and why you should aim for one over the other There is an irony of leadership-"If you work your job correctly, you are out of a job" Skills are great, but attributes are greater-and attributes cannot be taught Listen to this episode to find out more about optimal performance and how certain attributes are essential to leadership and the hiring process.

Commander Divine is talking with Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC News and author of The New Normal: A Roadmap to Resilience in the Pandemic Era. They discuss the value of vaccination and the terrible consequences that we've paid by being caught flat-footed regarding COVID-19. Hear about: The most important factors when it comes to experiencing COVID severity  The four elements of prevention control and how we can stop the virus from mutating Weighing the risks and benefits between COVID and taking the vaccine Listen to this episode to get further insights on COVID and how the medical system has tried to deal with the pandemic in this VUCA world.

Today Mark is talking to Cal Newport about his new book A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload. Cal is a well-known digital minimalist and has been known to the Unbeatable Mind tribe since his first appearance on the show talking about his book Deep Work (Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World). Today he is talking about how email can be managed and how it has rewired our brains (not for the better). Learn about: The hyperactive hive mind-we are not truly collaborating, so we end up getting stuck With emails, we force an interaction without proper facial cues and tone of voice- resulting in unnecessary misery to the recipient How our economy is now more dependant on knowledge work-yet thinking is becoming more difficult to do Listen to this episode to hear more about how you can limit your email usage and become more productive as a whole.  

Today Mark is talking to Dr. Lara Pence, who is the Chief Mind Doc for the Spartan Race organization. She is also the owner and founder of LIGHFBOX-a tool dedicated to exercise your mind and spark your curiosity. She and the Commander discuss mental health and how you can ask better questions. Learn how: There is an often-overlooked connection between movement and mental health We must ask ourselves better questions in order to get more insightful answers Focusing on our strengths is much more effective than focusing on our limitations Listen to this episode for insight on what questions to ask yourself and how you can spark your own curiosity.