The Art and Science of Thriving

If you’ve ever set goals that truly mattered to you—only to lose momentum, get pulled in different directions, and eventually stop following through—you’re not alone.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I break down one of the most common and frustrating challenges high-performing people face: “I know what to do… so why am I not doing it?”The answer is not what most people think.Most people assume they’re not achieving their goals because they lack discipline, motivation, or consistency. But when you look at the science of behavior change, neuroscience, and performance, a very different picture emerges.This isn’t a goal problem—it’s a system problem.In this episode, I walk you through: The real reason behavior change fails, and why effort and discipline are often the wrong solution  The four core breakdown points that stop people from following through—especially under pressure  The five-stage pathway of behavior change, and where most people get stuck  A clear, evidence-based protocol you can use to change any behavior in your life You’ll learn how your behavior is actually driven by identity, habits, environment, and your nervous system—and why your goals will not sustain unless those systems are aligned.Free Worksheet to Help You Apply This to Your Own LifeI have created a self-audit you can use to apply the most important parts to your own life. You can find it at invictus.coach/resourcesInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

How do you actually get people to care about their work?Not just show up—but bring energy, focus, ownership, and commitment every day.In this episode, I break down what employee engagement really is—and more importantly, how leaders actually create it in real-world environments.In this episode, I walk you through: A clear, evidence-based definition of employee engagement (and what it really looks like in practice)  The measurable impact of engagement on performance, well-being, retention, quality, and client outcomes  The 7 core drivers of engagement: meaning, safety, clarity, autonomy, support, growth, and connection  Why managers—not just senior leaders—are the most critical factor in shaping engagement  How engagement is built (or broken) through everyday leadership behaviors and interactions And most importantly, I give you 3 practical, high-impact actions you can apply immediately to improve engagement on your team: How to create clarity and focus every single week  How to turn your 1:1s into powerful engagement conversations  How to respond in key moments (mistakes, input, challenges) to build trust and ownership If you lead people—or want to create a team that is focused, committed, and performing at a high level—this episode gives you a clear, evidence-based model you can start applying right away.Free Livecast on Employee Engagement and How to Build ItIf this topic is really important to you, you should come to my free livecast on Wednesday April 15th, 2026, where I go over the model, ways to tell whether you need to apply this, and introduce some ways to do so. Click here to find out more or to register for freeInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

What actually creates a team that performs at a high level — not just when things are easy, but when pressure rises?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I answer a question I’ve been asked repeatedly by leaders across sectors: How do you build a team that performs consistently, stays regulated under pressure, adapts during change, and doesn’t burn out?This is not about creating a team that is “on” at peak intensity all the time. It’s about building a team that can think clearly, communicate early, navigate conflict constructively, and sustain performance over time.Drawing on neuroscience, sport psychology, and organizational behavior research, I introduce a practical, systems-based model built around five core pillars of a well-working team:Psychological Safety & TrustShared Purpose & Collective IdentityRole & Decision ClarityHealthy Communication & Constructive ConflictLearning Orientation & Collective ResilienceYou’ll learn:What actually happens to teams under sudden stress and uncertaintyWhy high output without the right foundations is fragileHow these five pillars regulate threat, reduce cognitive load, and improve coordinationThe three ways leaders can apply this model immediately (diagnostic, developmental, and structural)Where to start if you want to strengthen your team without overwhelming itIf you lead a team — or are part of one — this episode will give you a clear, evidence-based framework to assess where your team is strong, where it may be vulnerable, and how to build performance that lasts.For that want some more tools, I’ve uploaded a podcast summary and a simple self-audit tool you can use with your team at Invictus.coach/resources.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Do you ever feel like you’re working hard all day, yet still ending the day exhausted, behind, and wondering where your time and energy went?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I answer one of the most important questions high-achieving professionals face:  How do I regain control, reduce overwhelm, and perform at my best — without burning out?I explain why overwhelm isn’t a personal failure or lack of discipline, but a performance state that happens when demand exceeds your brain’s capacity, stress stays elevated, and you lose a sense of control. When this happens, focus narrows, decision quality drops, and even simple tasks start to feel heavy.From there, I introduce the Thrive Model — a science-based framework built on five interconnected pillars: well-being, purpose, high performance, growth, and connection. Instead of trying to fix overwhelm with more effort or better willpower, I show you how to change the system you’re operating in so your brain, energy, and motivation start working with you again.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why pushing harder and “gritting it out” often makes overwhelm worseThe neuroscience behind why you feel scattered, reactive, and drained under pressureThe three key shifts that restore control: regulation before optimization, capacity before productivity, and agency before executionHow each pillar of the Thrive Model reduces overwhelm and builds sustainable high performanceA simple, practical way to start applying the model right away — even if you feel like you have no timeIf you’re tired of just getting through your days and want to feel clear, capable, and in control again, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening in your brain — and what to do about it.For a summary of the Thrive Model and a self-check to help you apply it in your own life, visit Invictus.coach/resources.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode, I explore what actually happens in the brain and nervous system under pressure—and why even highly capable people often struggle to think clearly, make good decisions, or perform at their best when it matters most.Drawing on evidence-based neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance research, this episode explains:Why pressure narrows attention and degrades thinkingWhy “just trying harder” often makes performance worseWhy capable people choke under pressure—and why that’s not a flawHow elite performers (athletes, ER doctors, Navy SEALs, and others) design for pressure instead of fighting itWhat actually helps you perform well under sustained demandYou’ll learn the core principles that support high performance under pressure, including:How to simplify and reduce cognitive loadWhy routines protect focus and consistencyHow regulating your physiological state improves thinkingThe difference between interpreting pressure as a threat versus a challengeHow to apply these ideas in real life, not just in theoryThis episode also acknowledges that pressure can affect people differently, including neurodivergent individuals and menopausal women, and explains why systems and structure matter more than willpower.If you’re feeling stretched, reactive, or mentally overloaded—and want to perform well without burning out—this episode will give you a clear, science-based framework and practical next steps.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

If you’re thinking ahead to the new year and want to start strong without slipping into the usual overwhelm, this episode will help you do exactly that.This is Michael’s Version of one of the most downloaded episodes I’ve ever released — a refreshed, clearer, more aligned re-recording of “How to Plan Your Best Year.” Much like Taylor Swift re-recording her albums, this is the episode I always wanted to release: still built on the same evidence-based principles as the original, but now sharper, more grounded, and easier to apply.In this episode, I walk you through a science-backed approach to planning your year that avoids the biggest traps most people fall into. We explore why long-term motivation often collapses after the initial excitement, and how to design your goals in a way that your brain can sustain over time.You’ll learn:Why only about 10% of New Year’s goals make it past FebruaryThe six evidence-based principles that create a meaningful, achievable yearHow to define what “your best year” actually means (without unrealistic pressure)A simple, powerful 4-step protocol for planning your yearThe most common planning mistakes — and how to avoid themFour success strategies to keep your goals achievable, energizing, and realisticWhether you’re looking to make progress on a few important goals or you simply want a more sustainable approach to planning the year ahead, this episode will help you clarify what matters, set achievable targets, and create momentum that lasts.Resources Mentioned:Register for my December workshop: How to Plan Your 2026 Goals Without BurnoutJoin the Thrive Hive for monthly support, tools, and coachingInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

As the year comes to an end, many people jump straight into planning their goals for the next one. But the real power — the kind that fuels motivation, clarity, and fulfillment — comes from looking back first.In this episode, High Performance Coach Michael Schiel breaks down the deeper science of reflection and introduces the R.E.S.E.T. Model, a structured, evidence-based framework designed to help you extract meaning from your year, realign with what matters most, and enter the next chapter with confidence and direction.You’ll learn:Why reflection changes the brain and boosts long-term motivationThe key neuroscience and psychology principles behind effective self-reviewHow to use the R.E.S.E.T. Framework to review your year:Reflect on what workedExamine challenges with curiositySeek the lessonsEvaluate alignment with your values and identityTransition forward with clarityMichael also shares how to turn RESET into a powerful habit through weekly, monthly, and quarterly reflection cycles — helping you stay aligned, energized, and focused throughout the year.Whether you’re closing out a successful year or navigating one that felt messy and overwhelming, this episode gives you the tools to finish strong and step into the new year with purpose and momentum.Download the RESET Worksheet: You can download the worksheet I talk about, and apply what you learn at invictus.coach/resourcesJoin the free livecast on Wednesday, November 19th: On Wednesday, November 19th, I am hosting a free livecast on this topic. I will introduce the concept and walk through the framework. You will have a chance to learn firsthand about it, and ask questions. Click here to learn more and register for freeThis is your roadmap to clarity, confidence, and thriving in the year ahead.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Have you ever reached the end of the year and felt… underwhelmed? You worked hard, hit some goals, and overcame challenges—but still wonder, Did any of this really matter?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I explore the neuroscience and psychology behind why achievement alone rarely feels fulfilling—and how meaningful reflection is the key to ending your year with clarity, confidence, and a genuine sense of progress.You’ll learn:Why your brain’s dopamine system is wired for the chase, not the finish, and how that affects your sense of success.The neuroscience of reflection—how it consolidates learning, strengthens resilience, and turns experiences into wisdom.Five science-backed principles for reviewing your year so you feel proud, grounded, and ready for what’s next.The R.E.S.E.T. Reflection Framework — a simple, evidence-based process to reflect, realign, and refocus for the year ahead.Plus, I share practical reflection tools you can use this week— like the “Year-in-Three” list and closure rituals—to help you end the year not just successful, but fulfilled.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “I don’t belong here… I’m not good enough… Sooner or later, they’ll find out I’m a fraud”? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, research shows that most high-achieving professionals experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careersIn this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I dive into the science behind imposter syndrome — what it really is, why it shows up most often when we’re growing, and how you can use neuroscience and psychology-backed tools to reframe those thoughts so they no longer hold you back.You’ll learn:Why imposter syndrome happens and how your brain is wired to trigger these thoughts in moments of growth.The identity gap — why your achievements often feel out of sync with how you see yourself.Practical, science-backed strategies to reframe self-doubt into confidence and contribution.How leaders can spot imposter syndrome in their teams — and simple steps to help staff turn it into fuel for growth.Most importantly, you’ll walk away with a proven framework — Awareness, Reframing, and Action — that helps you move past the inner critic and channel imposter feelings into motivation and thriving.🎯 Free Resource: To help you apply the tools from this episode, I’ve created a downloadable Imposter Syndrome Worksheet & Mini Guide. Get your copy at invictus.coach/resourcesIf you’ve ever wrestled with self-doubt — or want to support your team through it — this episode will show you how to recognize imposter syndrome for what it is: not proof you don’t belong, but proof that you’re stretching into growth.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Have you ever ended the day exhausted, yet still felt like you didn’t make progress? You were busy, crossed things off your list, yet something was missing? You’re not alone.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I break down why productivity doesn’t always equal fulfillment — and what neuroscience and psychology say actually makes a day feel meaningful.You’ll discover:Why your brain fixates on unfinished tasks (the Zeigarnik Effect)The neuroscience behind why checking things off isn’t enoughA simple, science-backed Fulfillment Formula to help you end your day with clarity and satisfaction.By the end, you’ll have practical tools you can use tonight to feel more present, purposeful, and fulfilled — even on messy, busy days.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

You’ve just had a great break — maybe a vacation, time with family, or just a few days of rest — but then Monday hits, and it feels like all that restoration disappears the moment you open your inbox. Sound familiar?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I explore why the way you transition back after time off matters more than you think — and how to do it right.Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance research, you’ll learn:What happens in your brain and body when you dive back into work too quickly.Why poor re-entry erases the benefits of your break in hours instead of weeks.The five things your brain and body actually need for recovery to “stick.”Practical, evidence-based strategies to create a smoother, more intentional re-entry.Whether you’ve just had a vacation, a long weekend, or even a short pause in your routine, this episode will help you protect the gains from your downtime — and turn your recovery into fuel for performance, creativity, and well-being.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Back by popular demand for the summer season!Most people head into vacation hoping to relax — but end up thinking about work the whole time. That’s why this episode is making a return appearance.In this powerful re-release, I dive into the neuroscience and psychology of why it's so hard to shut off from work — and what you can do about it. You'll learn why your brain clings to your job even on vacation, what happens when you don’t fully detach, and how to use an evidence-based 4-step protocol to truly unplug and recharge.Perfect for summer holidays, long weekends, or anytime you need to step back and breathe.In this episode, you'll learn:The brain systems that make it hard to turn off work modeThe risks of staying mentally plugged in (even if you're not working)Four core principles that help you shut off and recoverA step-by-step protocol to disconnect and come back refreshedIf you’re taking time off — make sure it actually counts. This episode will show you how.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Still thinking about work, even when you’re on vacation? You’re not alone — but it doesn’t have to be that way!In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, we dive deep into how to truly unplug, reset, and come back from time off actually feeling restored — not just relieved.Whether you're a high-performing professional, a leader, or someone who just can’t seem to switch off, this episode gives you a powerful, science-backed roadmap to make your time off actually count.Why Listen:If you’ve ever:Sat on a dock or beach but couldn’t stop thinking about your inbox,Returned from a break still feeling tense or tired,Wondered how to actually relax without guilt or distraction……then this episode is for you.You’ll learn: ✅ Why vacations often fail to restore us — and what to do about it ✅ How your brain resists switching out of “work mode” — and how to retrain it ✅ Simple yet powerful rituals that signal your nervous system it’s safe to rest ✅ Five high-impact habits that make your time off more emotionally and physically restorative ✅ A step-by-step Vacation Entry Protocol to help you cross the threshold into deep rest ✅ A 3-step Exit Ramp so you return focused, calm, and ready to re-engage — without burnoutThis isn’t about dropping everything and going off the grid (unless you want to). It’s about using neuroscience, sport psychology, and high-performance recovery strategies to flip the switch from doing to being.You’ve earned your time off — now learn how to make it actually work for you. Listen in and build the skill of rest — because thriving isn’t just about how hard you work… it’s also about how well you recover.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Most people think recharging means doing less. But neuroscience tells us: it’s not just stepping away from work that resets your brain — it’s what you do with that time that matters.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I reveal why so many high-achievers finish vacations or breaks still feeling drained — and what to do instead.You’ll learn:Why passive “escapes” like Netflix or scrolling don’t actually recharge your brain.The science behind true recovery — including NSDR, green time, awe, play, and slow-wave sleep.What happens in your brain when you really rest — from glymphatic system detox to DMN activation.Four evidence-based shifts to help you design recovery that actually works.Whether you're heading into summer or just need a reset, this episode will help you recharge in a way that fuels performance, creativity, and well-being.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Ever feel like you hold it together all day, only to crash the moment you get home? You’re not alone — and it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a signal from your nervous system that you need to reset.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I explore the neuroscience and psychology behind end-of-day emotional overwhelm — why it happens, what it really means, and how to respond in a way that restores calm, clarity, and connection.We’ll dive into:The four science-backed reasons emotional overwhelm hits hardest at night (including emotional labor, decision fatigue, and nervous system dysregulation)How micro-stressors and unspoken emotions build up silently throughout your dayFive evidence-based strategies to reset and recover, so you don’t carry the weight of the day into your eveningYou’ll walk away with simple, powerful tools — like nervous system resets, emotional labeling, and nightly rituals — that help you let go of the emotional load and finish your day feeling grounded and well.If you’ve been ending your days drained, reactive, or just “done,” this episode offers a new way forward — one rooted in compassion, not criticism.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Are you constantly juggling everything — crushing goals at work but feeling like your personal life is on the backburner? You’re not alone.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, we’re diving deep into a topic that busy people wrestle with daily: How do you live a high-performance life that actually feels balanced, fulfilling, and sustainable?How do you find balance in a busy life, while trying to get it all done?Because here’s the truth: balance isn’t about perfection or doing everything equally. It’s about building a rhythm that aligns with your values, fuels your energy, and helps you stay present where it matters most — without burning out.In this episode, I explore:The 5 most common myths that keep people stuck in the pursuit of balance — and what real balance actually looks and feels like.Why trying to “have it all” is a fast track to burnout — and how to shift toward intentional, values-aligned living.A neuroscience-backed definition of balance that re-centers your focus and calms your nervous system.The four essential ingredients of a balanced life — Clarity, Boundaries, Recovery, and Alignment — and how to integrate them without adding more to your to-do list.A quick, science-based “balance reset” you can use any time you feel overwhelmed or off-track.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Ever feel like you’re drowning in tasks, spinning your wheels, and struggling to keep up? You’re not alone. Overwhelm is a modern epidemic, but here’s the truth: feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing—it’s your brain’s way of signaling that something needs to change.In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I explain why overwhelm happens, how it impacts your mind and body, and—most importantly—how to take back control.You’ll learn:What overwhelm actually is—so you can recognize it before it takes over.The neuroscience behind it—how your brain processes stress and why it reacts this way.The hidden triggers fueling your overwhelm—and how to manage them.Practical, science-backed strategies to reduce overwhelm and regain focus.A simple framework to help you shift from feeling overloaded to empowered.If you’ve ever felt stuck, exhausted, or pulled in too many directions, this episode will give you the clarity and tools to move forward with confidence.Resources & Next Steps: 🔹 Get my free Overwhelm Checklist & Action Plan at Invictus.coach/resources 🔹 Join my Thrive Hive membership for deeper insights and coaching at Invictus.coach/thriveInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Have you ever felt like your life is on autopilot?You wake up, go through the motions, and by the end of the day, you wonder—did any of it really matter? You’re not alone. Many high-achievers feel pulled in too many directions, chasing goals that don’t align with their true priorities. But what if you could take control, gain clarity, and start living intentionally?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, we dive into the neuroscience and psychology of how to take control of your life and focus on what’s truly important.What You’ll Learn:✅ Why so many people struggle to take control of their lives✅ The hidden psychological and neurological barriers keeping you stuck✅ 7 powerful, science-backed strategies to get clear on your vision, priorities, and next steps✅ How to set boundaries, say no with confidence, and align your actions with what matters most✅ A simple 3-step method if you're short on time but ready for meaningful changeIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or directionless, this episode will give you the clarity and tools to take back control and thrive.Special Bonus:I’ve created a free “Take Control of Your Life” Worksheet to help you apply these strategies immediately. Download it here: Invictus.coach/resourcesUpcoming Events:📅 Feb 19 Livecast – How to Get Unstuck from Survival Mode and Proactively Focus on What Matters📅 Feb 26 Workshop – Creating a Clear Vision to Guide Your Actions and Improve PerformanceIf you head on over to invictus.coach/events you will find links to register for these. If you are listening to this podcast after those events, DM me and I can tell you where and how you can access the recordings!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Do you ever feel stuck, unsure of what truly matters, or overwhelmed by endless tasks pulling you in different directions? You’re not alone. Lack of clarity can lead to mental clutter, stress, and decision fatigue, making it harder to focus and thrive. But what if the solution is simpler than you think?In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I break down a powerful framework to help you:✅ Find true clarity—so you know exactly what you want and why it matters✅ Cut through distractions and focus on what moves the needle in your life✅ Align your actions with your purpose, vision, and values to achieve sustainable success✅ Reduce overwhelm by filtering out what doesn’t serve you✅ Boost well-being and performance by creating a meaningful, purpose-driven pathI also introduce two practical frameworks to help you gain clarity:1️⃣ The Purpose-Driven Alignment Framework—a step-by-step process to define your vision, purpose, and values and align them with your goals.2️⃣ The 3x3 Goal Creation Framework—a simplified method to help you focus on three key life areas and set clear, actionable goals.By the end of this episode, you’ll have the tools to clear your mental clutter, sharpen your focus, and start thriving with confidence and purpose.Plus, I’ve created a free Clarity & Focus Worksheet to help you put these frameworks into action. Download it at Invictus.coach/resources.If this episode resonated with you, don’t forget to subscribe and share it with someone who needs more clarity in their life. Let’s thrive together!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Do you feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of goals pulling at your attention? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I’ll show you how to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters.Many people set out to achieve their goals but struggle to make meaningful progress. Why? Because if everything is a priority, nothing is. Without clear prioritization, you’re left feeling stressed, scattered, and stuck.In this episode, I dive into:The five most common reasons people fail to achieve their goals, including lacking a clear "why" and setting unrealistic targets.Five science-backed principles to help you prioritize your goals, like aligning them with your core values and focusing on those that spark positive emotions.A powerful, easy-to-use prioritization framework to help you focus on what truly matters and make real progress.Plus, I’ve created a free prioritization worksheet you can download from Invictus.coach/resources. Use it to work through your goals step-by-step and start prioritizing effectively.Special Announcements:In this episode, I mentioned a couple of other ways that you can dive deeper into goal planning:Recorded Livecast: On January 16th, I held a free livecast on "The 3 Biggest Mistakes People Make in Goal Planning" You should be able to download a recording of it at invictus.coach/eventsWorkshop: On January 30th 2025, I am hosting a mini-workshop on "How to Plan and Achieve Your Goals for 2025"  tohelp you create, plan and acheive your goals. Click here to find out more and register to create a detailed, evidence-based action plan for your year! And if you are ready to go even deeper, or need more help, don't forget to check out my Thrive Hive membership. You get access to tools, frameworks, training videos, and a community of like-minded people to help you plan and achieve your goals, achieve peak performance, and find wellbeing and fulfillment. If you’re ready to feel clear, focused, and in control, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and check out my Thrive Hive membership for ongoing support and resources. Let’s thrive together!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I tackle one of the biggest challenges we all face: planning and achieving meaningful goals without burning out.I share the most common mistakes people make when setting goals—like taking on too much, neglecting brain health, and failing to pace themselves—and explain how these missteps can lead to overwhelm and fatigue. I’ll also walk you through five key principles for sustainable goal achievement, including how to connect your goals to your "why," focus on just 2-3 priorities, and break goals into manageable chunks.Plus, I’ve included a practical, evidence-based 4-step goal-planning template that you can start using right away to set yourself up for success in 2025. Whether you're juggling work and personal responsibilities or striving to grow in your career, I’ve packed this episode with strategies to help you thrive.Special Announcements: I’m hosting two upcoming events to help you dive deeper into goal planning:A free Livecast on The 3 Biggest Mistakes People Make in Goal Planning (on Thursday, January 16th, 2025). Click here to find out more and register.A hands-on Workshop, How to Plan and Achieve Your Goals for 2025 (January 22). I walk you through the steps to help you create, plan, and begin to achieve your most important goals this year, without feeling overwhelmed or burning out. You will walk away with prioritized goals, and maybe even a game plan for your most important goal. Click here to find out more and to register.Finally, if you need more help or guidance - or really need more help with planning out your goals in detail - check out my Thrive Hive monthly membership. It is a monthly membership to help teach, coach, and support individuals, organizational teams, and their leaders in reaching their full potential and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being  Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Are you striving for success in your career and personal life but constantly battling exhaustion, overwhelm, or a sense of misalignment? This episode of the Achieve More podcast is your roadmap to thriving—not just surviving.I unpack five transformative, evidence-based strategies to help you perform at your best while staying balanced, fulfilled, and aligned with your purpose.Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance research, I reveal why so many of us feel overwhelmed in our pursuit of success—and how shifting from doing more to doing better is the key to sustainable growth. But it is also how you shift to doing things better that matters.You'll learn how to:Why  and how aligning your actions with your vision, values, and purpose will improve your performance by over 15%Why balancing high performance with well-being improves both your performance and your balance of lifeThink just like Beyonce (Adopt the mindset and identity of a balanced high performer!)Prioritize what truly matters to maximize impactFocus on the process rather than the outcome to find joy in the journey while still achieving your goalsIf you're ready to break free from the cycle of overwhelm and redefine success on your terms, tune in now and take the first step toward a thriving, fulfilling life.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode of the "Achieve More" podcast, I dive into a critical but often overlooked strategy for creating high-performing teams: improving well-being. Many leaders focus on performance, collaboration, or retention in isolation—but the secret to truly excelling in all three areas lies in prioritizing your team's well-being.Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance research, I’ll explain how fostering well-being can lead to:Better performance: Well-being practices boost mental clarity, sharpen decision-making, and sustain high energy throughout the day, leading to consistently higher productivity.Stronger collaboration: Teams that prioritize well-being experience more trust, open communication, and better conflict resolution, driving innovation and teamwork.Reduced turnover: When employees feel valued and supported through well-being initiatives, they are more likely to stay with your organization, reducing costly turnover.You'll also hear about actionable strategies to improve well-being in your team, from developing supportive leadership to implementing resilience and stress-management programs. Whether you're looking to improve team performance, foster stronger collaboration, or retain your top talent, this episode provides the evidence and tools you need to make well-being a priority in your organization.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode, I am diving into a topic near and dear to me: your optimal exercise protocol to help you improve performance in all areas of your life, achieve well-being, and healthy aging. We all know that staying active is essential for improving performance, maintaining well-being, and aging healthily. But with so many exercise types, it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to start or how to balance them all. That’s why today, I’ll break down the seven key exercise types that offer the greatest benefits, based on scientific research. Whether you’re focused on boosting energy, enhancing mental clarity, or ensuring a healthy, functional aging process, this episode covers it all.From cardio and strength training to walking and flexibility, I’ll explain the importance of each type of exercise and how they impact both your body and mind. You’ll also get a practical exercise protocol designed for those with limited time—perfect for fitting into a busy schedule.In this episode, you’ll learn:The top three exercise types for maximizing benefits across performance and longevity.A time-efficient routine to help you reap the rewards even if you only exercise three days a week.Which is the best exercise to choose if you can only do one thing for your health.Whether you’re a high-performer looking to optimize your fitness or someone trying to build healthy habits, this episode offers actionable advice for everyone.Download the “Optimal Exercise Protocol Cheat Sheet” at Invictus.coach/resources to follow along and help apply it to your life.Tune in to discover how to make exercise a sustainable and powerful tool for achieving your best performance, well-being, and longevity.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Did you know that 65% of employees say they'd be more productive in a company with a strong culture fit? Yet, one in four feels they don't belong in their workplace. This sense of misfit can lead to disengagement, decreased productivity, and higher turnover rates, which are detrimental to any organization's success. If you're a leader facing the challenge of an employee who doesn't fit, or you're someone feeling out of place, this podcast is for you.In this episode of the "Achieve More" Podcast, I dive deep into the crucial topic of cultural fit within organizations. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and my 25 years of coaching experience, I explore why culture is vital for organizational success, why some employees may not align, and the significant impact this misalignment can have. specifically, in this podcast I discuss: Why culture is so important to an organization Why it is vital that your employees fit that cultureWhy some employees don’t align with the company culture.What happens when an employee doesn’t fitWhat to do about itPrinciples for approaching this problem.4 or 5 actions you can take right now to address it.Steps you can take afterward to try to ensure this doesn’t happen again.Whether you're looking to enhance team cohesion, improve job satisfaction, or reduce turnover, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you create a strong, cohesive culture. And just to make it easier for you to apply the lessons from this podcast, if you head over to invictus.coach/resources, you can download a free cheatsheet and worksheet to help you think through the main ideas and apply them to your own organizational situation. Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

 In this podcast, we're diving into a crucial topic: how to successfully unplug, detach, and switch off from work. According to evidence-based research and global surveys, anywhere from 60% to 77% of people continue to do work while they are supposed to be on vacation, on a break, or away and unplugged from work.It can have disastrous impacts on your performance, the quality of your work, your mental health, and even your physical health. And after you come back from your "vacation", studies show that your work performance and productivity will continue to decline.In today's podcast, we'll explore the compelling neuroscience and psychology behind why it’s essential to shut off during vacations and weekends, and how chronic work stress can lead to burnout and other health issues. I'll share evidence-based strategies to help you disconnect effectively, ensuring you can fully relax and rejuvenate. To do this, I will:Talk about the neuroscience and psychology of why many people can’t turn offLook at the psychology and neuroscience view of what happens when you don’tIntroduce some principles for actually shutting off and taking time offGive you a protocol you can use when you want to shut off on your next vacation, so you know you will restInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

There are a lot of fads, gimmicks, and just plain wrong ideas out there about how to achieve High Performance or mastery in something.You can't just "flow" all the time on command to perfection, or use gummies, and the "10,000 hours" concept is a gross misunderstanding (although it is a helluva lot closer than gummies!).I have studied high performance across many modalities - from the world's largest and longest study on high performance, to applied neuroscience, to sports psychology of elite athletes, you name it.In this podcast, I give you 5 evidence-backed, tried-and-true methods, approaches, or skills at the core of achieving high performance.I explain each one succinctly, tell you why it works, and then give you a protocol to apply it in your life.Warning: these concepts only work if you are serious about improving your skills. They take focus, diligence, and time.  But If you use them, you will indeed succeed at driving towards high performance...and with a little more time ...mastery!If You Want to Dive Deeper into This Topic...In this episode, I point out a few times you can dive deeper into this topic, and these skills, tools and protocols in a couple of ways.My "Learn to Thrive" course is a dive into the deep end of the pool of high performance and thriving. You can learn more by clicking here. A more approachable and accountable approach for many is the Thrive Hive monthly community membership: A monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being. You can find out more by clicking here.Links to other Achieve More Podcast Episodes Mentioned in this EpisodeI mention the following Achieve More Episodes in this one:Episode #16: Why and How to Set a Positive Mindset to Achieve More and Be HappierEpisode #31: How to Build and Use Courage to Face Your Fears and Chase Your DreamsEpisode #34: How to Change Your Mindset to Improve Your PerformanceEpisode #38: 3 Steps to Create Habits to Improve Your LifeEpisode #57: How to Max Your Brain Health to Improve Your Performance or Well-BeingInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast,  I am going to talk about how to maximize your employee's potential.This means creating an environment and providing resources that enable your staff to perform at their best, develop their skills, and reach their full professional potential.While the podcast is focused on maximizing your staff potential, I think you can use it for yourself too!Although there are undoubtedly lots of factors that you could think of that would improve your potential and performance, in this podcast I focus on five that have been proven in multiple massive evidence-based studies or global surveys. I am giving you elements that are found in notable large studies in the fields of organizational design, applied neuroscience, and behavioral science. In this podcast, I:Show you how this topic relates to the High Performing Team framework outlined in Achieve More podcast #64Outline the benefits - the reasons why- you would want to focus on thisAnd then for each of the five elements:Define that elementWhy it is importantWhat the research and my experience in implementing it shows us is important to consider for your staffConsiderations for implementationInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast, I am focusing on a topic that impacts anyone in their 30s and 40s and older. I  am looking at how we can age successfully. “Successful Aging” refers to the process of maintaining a high quality of life as we grow older, characterized by physical health, mental sharpness, emotional well-being, and social engagement.Why is this important to look at?Numerous reputable well-done evidence-based studies have found that focusing on how we approach living our life in our 40s and 50s has a huge impact on the quality of our life in our later years. For instance, research has shown that the quality of your relationships in your 50s is a significant indicator of whether you will feel fulfilled in your 80s.  Which to me, as someone in their early 50s, is eye-opening! On this topic, Dr. Daniel Levitin is a renowned author, researcher, and neuroscientist who has recently released an excellent book on the topic. The book is extremely well-researched and evidence-based. At the end of the book, he summarizes a top ten list of evidence-based recommendations on how we can approach our lives now, that will have a lasting impact on our lives for decades to come.In this podcast, I introduce his top ten list and bring in other research and ideas.Grab the Top Ten Cheat SheetIf this topic is important to you, click here or head over to invictus.coach/resources and you will find my Top Ten Tips for Aging Successfully cheat sheet. I summarize his top ten list and give you some high performance coaching prompts on applying them to your own life.Learn to ThriveAs I mentioned in the podcast, much of the science and recommendations discussed in this podcast align and support the science and recommendations I teach in my Learn to Thrive course. If you want to learn how to live your best life in your 40s,50s, and for the rest of your life, check it out by clicking here or going to invictus.coach/thrivecourseInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast, I am diving into the empirical evidence behind the impact of a virtual setting on employee performance and productivity.Post-pandemic, many companies are struggling with whether and how to bring employees back into office settings.  There are what turn out to be unfounded preconceptions and myths about how employees perform at home or virtually versus in the office.In this podcast, we cover:What the most relevant evidence-based studies and surveys have found in terms of employee performance and productivity (i.e. what is happening) What are the causes underlying the improvement of employee performance and productivity in virtual/home settings (i.e. why it happened)Why the findings aren't surprising if you understand the "Thriving at Work" modelI walk through that model and explain what experience and evidence show us are the factors that maximize employee performance and productivity, and whether and how they are apparent in virtual settings versus office settingsWhat this means for you if you are an employerWhat this all means for you if you are an employeeYou will walk away from this podcast understanding what impacts employee performance and productivity, and the factors that support it in a work setting.  This is important for both employees and employers to understand!In this podcast I mention a few resources that can be super helpful to you:The "Thrive Hive" monthly membership, a monthly membership to help teach, coach, and support individuals, organizational teams, and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-beingAchieve More Podcast Episode #66:How to Thrive at Work: Feel Vital and Engaged, Improve PerformanceAchieve More Podcast Episode 56: How to Select, Plan, Start and Achieve the Goals that Matter the Most to You"How to Set and Maintain Your Boundaries" free resource"Goal Planning Checklist" free resourceThriving at Work model, also a free resourceInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

It is safe to say that many people feel stressed, overwhelmed and even burned out.Up to  85% of us feel overwhelmed at times in our lives, and 76% of employees feel burned out at least sometimes in a given year.  And international surveys show it is getting worse each year.These results persist across age, gender, socioeconomic and geographic differences. In this episode, I show you how 3 particular aspects of the Thrive model can help you to address overwhelm in your life. The Thrive model is an evidence-based approach to improving performance in your life, while achieving balance and well-being. You learn to flourish, feel more fulfillment, and become more resilient to deal with life's challenges.In this episode, I review:The science of what is happening in your brain and body when you get overwhelmed - so you can understand what we are up against5 of the most common causes of overwhelmA summary of the Thrive modelHow 3 particular parts of the Thrive model help you address the causes and symptoms of overwhelmI also direct you to evidence-based worksheets, podcasts and coaching tools to help you apply each of the 3 parts of the model to your own life.And if you hear this podcast before April 21, and you want to know more, head over to invictus.coach/thrivemembership for a discounted code to join the Thrive Hive membership, a monthly community membership to help you learn more about this and apply it directly to your own life. Some of the other links I mention in this podcast:"The Art and Science of Thriving Livecast: How to overcome your challenges, achieve your meaningful goals, and build a flourishing life" - a livecast being held on April 16, 2024. Click here to find out more or to register to attend for free.Learn to Thrive Course: a guided, supported virtual course Where I teach you neuroscience, psychology and high-performance based approaches and skills, and give you tools to help you clarify your goals, improve your performance, achieve well-being and live the balanced life you want. Click here to find out more or to register your name on the wait list.Create your Vision and the Create Your Purpose mini-workshops - Shorter, more focused workshops to teach you how to create your vision for a thriving life, or to create your purpose for a meaningful life. Each workshop has a video lesson and coaching worksheets to help you apply it to your own life. Click here to find out more.Achieve More Podcast Episode #49: Why and How You Can ThriveAchieve More Podcast Episode 56: How to Select, Plan, Start and Achieve the Goals that Matter the Most to YouInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

 "Thriving at work" refers to an individual's ability to not only perform their job duties effectively but also to experience a high level of satisfaction, engagement, and well-being in the workplace. It goes beyond mere job satisfaction or meeting basic job requirements and encompasses factors such as personal growth, meaningful contribution, positive relationships with colleagues, a sense of purpose, and overall psychological well-being.Why would you want to listen to this podcast? Well, there is ample evidence that organizations that introduce a "Thrive at Work" environment have found increased job satisfaction from employees,  higher productivity, greater creativity, improved mental health and wellbeing, increased employee engagement and retention and better physical health.There is a lot of research in this area. I have waded through it all and created an evidence-based framework you can use to implement this in your workplace. IN today’s podcast, I will:Define Thriving at WorkExplain some of the benefits you will get from trying itOutline the modelGive you some evidence and experience based implementation principlesIn the podcast, I mention three ways you can find out more:Download the Framework - Head on over to invictus.coach/resources, and you can download the framework for freeJoin the Thrive Membership - I am rolling out a monthly community membership to help people and teams learn how to thrive. You get access to monthly livecasts, recorded webinars, frameworks, templates, a private community of like minded thrivers, and so much more. I will be covering this in much more detail in the membership. Head over to invictus.coach/thrivemembership to find out moreTake the Mini-Workshop - I will soon be rolling out a mini-workshop on the model and how to implement it at your workplace. Keeps your eyes and ears peeled to find out more.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Today I am diving into a topic that almost all of my coaching clients struggle with, and I am betting you do to.And that is how to have energy all day. How do you have energy at the end of the day? How do you bring your “A” game with energy and engagement to your evening activities? Come back to your spouse, partner, friends, family, whoever with a full battery and energy to spare?My coaching clients often point out they would love to achieve more of their goals, or get more done in their day, or at least not drag their butt around at the end of the day…but how do you do that?There is no one silver bullet that will do the trick. However, I have found through a lot of research and personal practice six key things you can do to help create that energy so that at the end of the day you feel energized, vial and engaged - even if you have been going strong all day.In this podcast I introduce those 6 factors, tell you why they work, and how to use them.You can use them individually, or stack em up, or mix and match as you see fit!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Today’s topic should be useful to you if you lead a team, or are part of a team at work. And many of the concepts I mention are useful for organizational units too. So, really, if you work with people at work, this one is for you.Today I answer the question “How do I help my team thrive?”, or another way to look at it “How can my team perform better, without burning out?”. This topic comes up often in my work.  In my role as a transformation consultant, I work with a lot of community organizations that face some challenges in terms of culture, team unity and thriving, safety and trust, and performance. Many organizations face culture and performance challenges at the same time.  In a semi-virtual post-pandemic work setting more than ever they need to perform at a higher level and be more efficient and effective just to stay alive, but they have an employee base that is split, face a lack of trust or safety with each other, and it is harder to feel engaged and motivated.In this podcast I introduce a framework I have created called the High Performing Team Framework – to help answer these questions: what does it take to create a thriving team situation? Why is my team not performing well? Why can’t we work together better? What can I do to improve my own work in a team?In today’s podcast, I:Remind you why it is so important to think about this (the gulf between high performing organizations and ones that don’t can have a big impact)Introduce the High Performing Team model to you at a high levelDescribe each component of it, and why that is importantTalk about the top areas where I see teams struggleGive you some ideas on how you can use this model to improve your own teamIf you want to see more of the model to consider how it would work for your own team, head on over to "High Performing Team Framework" in the free resources section of the invictus.coach website: https://www.invictus.coach/resourcesThere you can download the framework, so you can talk about it with your team and see whether you need to apply any aspect of it.You can listen to today's podcast on Apple Podcasts by clicking hereYou can listen to today's podcast on Spotify by clicking hereInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

This podcast is super important if you are managing a team, or are part of a team at work.In this podcast I introduce a simple but powerful model based on significant neuroscience research that will help you and your team improve your collaboration at work. I  show you how the brain works in ways to support collaboration, how to take advantage of that, and introduce a simple model to help you implement this at your workplace. There is a growing emphasis on collaboration at work these days - so much so that the term loses its meaning and significance.  Most organizational methods of "collaboration" - email, chat platforms, video meetings - do little to improve collaboration, and as one major Harvard Business Review study points out,  are more likely to lead to burnout as employees are forced to work longer hours to complete tasks.On the other hand, Neuroscience studies have come a long way in helping us understand just how social our brain really is, how best to take advantage of it, and how to actually apply it your own life.I am most interested in how our brains do and don’t support collaboration, and what factors help support it the most, and then frankly how can you use that in your own life.So this podcast is structured like this:I start by talking about why not all collaboration is good for teams, even if the amount of time spent on it has risen significantly in the past 20 yearsI dive into 4 principles from social neuroscience that underlie effective collaboration in general, but particularly the SCARF modelI then introduce the SCARF model – a framework that explores social neuroscience and identifies five core social domains that influence human behavior and reactions in social situations. I finish by providing a simple but effective tool for helping you apply these ideas to your teamI use high-performance coaching prompts throughout the podcast to help you really get the most out of the content, and think about what it means for you and your team.I have also created a cheatsheet/worksheet that you can download for free from invictus.coach/podcast that highlights the main points of the SCARF model, provides you some coaching prompts, and gives you a working shell of a tool to help you apply it.Really, you can get everything you need from this podcast to help diagnose and improve your team's collaboration efforts - and in the end improve your workplace well-being, performance and productivity.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode, I delve into the simple but powerful science behind effectively planning your best year using evidence-based principles and a comprehensive 4-step protocol. I stress the significance of personal reflection in defining what a "best year" entails for each of us individually. Instead of a universal definition, I introduce six principles that tap into positive psychology, organizational psychology, and well-being research, offering a holistic approach to planning major achievements for the upcoming year. These principles encompass aligning goals with your life vision, reflecting on the past, prioritizing well-being, cultivating a growth mindset, building a supportive network, and fostering flexibility.I also give you an evidence-based 4-step protocol grounded in neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance studies that I've crafted to guide you on this transformative journey. It starts with clarifying your goals using the SMART criteria, aligning them with your purpose, specifying actionable steps, and implementing a system for tracking and adjusting. Additionally, I share four evidence-based success strategies, urging you to limit major goals to three for cognitive optimization, ensure each goal has a compelling "why" rooted in your personal values, articulate specific actions to engage your prefrontal cortex, and make goals short-term and just easy enough, aligning with goal-setting theory and the concept of "flow." By incorporating these evidence-backed approaches, you can navigate your aspirations with purpose, fostering fulfillment and meaningful success throughout the year.To support you further, I've prepared a downloadable worksheet for the 4-step protocol, available on Invictus.coach/resources.  Scroll down and find the "Plan Your Best Year"  cheat-sheet!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast, I explore the crucial aspects of organizational safety and trust that underpin collaboration, creativity, and overall performance.  Drawing on my experience with community sector organizations, I'll discuss common workplace challenges, and how and why they occur.I will give you some principles -based on research and experience – to help you tackle this in your team or organization. I also give you a strategic five-step framework to enhance safety and trust. This framework, emphasizing joint participation, root cause acknowledgment, shared vision development, collaborative pathways, and clear communication, aims to foster a transparent and collaborative culture.Finally, I give you some ideas on some approaches or themes you can use if you try to tackle this challenge in your own workplace. Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast, I am focusing on giving you some simple but powerful tools to help you assess and address feeling overwhelmed. I am focusing on providing you with the protocols, tools, and approaches that you can use right away.You know I love neuroscience and psychology background data to help you understand things. But I have already done soooo many podcasts on different aspects of overwhelm and stress that I thought with this episode I would focus on the tools and leave most of the science in those podcasts. In this podcast, I start off with a clear definition of overwhelm, highlighting only the most critical neuroscience facts behind this state, and explaining how it affects the brain and body. This helps in understanding why and how we can address both the short-term symptoms and the root causes of overwhelm.But then I dive straight into 3 key tools, approaches, or protocols to help you out:A simple but powerful 5-step framework for assessing and addressing overwhelm. This framework involves acknowledging the situation, deciding to take action, identifying the causes and symptoms, assessing control over these factors, and creating a personalized action plan.The second framework is all about maintaining brain health by focusing on essential pillars such as sleep, nutrition, mindfulness, regular physical activity, and nurturing good relationships. These pillars are crucial for maintaining the brain and body in an optimal state, enhancing one's ability to deal with stressful situations.The third concept is a powerful but very simple protocol. It is an evidence-backed model for helping you deal with the symptoms of stress, right here and right now. It literally takes you 30 seconds, but this simple yet powerful breathing exercise works to swiftly switch the brain from a stress response to a calmer state, aiding in moments of high tension or overwhelm.You can find out more about these tools and the podcasts I mentioned in the resources section of my website. If you head on over to Invictus.coach/resources you can access them for free.I have resources there on how to set personal boundaries and on when and how to say no, both of which help tremendously in shutting down the opportunities to expand on sources of overwhelm. I also have a resource on how to institute mindful breaks into your day, to help deal with symptoms of stress and keep you focused and calm.So, if you want the best evidence-backed approaches to help you understand and deal with feeling overwhelmed, check out this podcast!Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

 In this podcast, I take a coaching approach to help you create a more balanced life. Many people may like the idea of achieving a balanced life, but it's common for many of us to feel that achieving balance is an outrageously difficult task, especially when our lives are already full of various roles and responsibilities. We might be tired, stuck, or feel like we're overwhelmed, making the idea of balance seem unattainable.In this episode, I address fundamental questions related to work-life balance:What does it really mean to balance your life?How can you actually achieve it?Can you reach your full potential while living a balanced life?How do you create balance when you're already busy, tired, or uncertain about where to start?Is it even worth trying, and will it positively impact your performance in life?I aim to make this podcast practical and hands-on, drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and high-performance research. I provide coaching prompts to encourage you to think about what balance means to you and how you can implement it in your life. To make it even more accessible, I've created a coaching prompt worksheet to help you figure out what living a balanced life means to you, available for free download at invictus.coach/resources.I also mentioned a number of previous Achieve More podcasts in this one. You can find the Achieve More podcast at Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, anywhere you find podcasts, or at invictus.coach/podcast. The episodes we mentioned include:Episode #24: A Framework to Address the Major Causes of Burnout And Turn Yourself Around”Episode #28: How to Use Short Term Stress To Your Advantage Episode#29: One Thing You Can Start Today to Overcome OverwhelmEpisode #40: Why Creating A Personal Vision Makes You More Productive, Engaged and HappierEpisode #42: How Clear Personal Boundaries Can Address Overwhelm”,Episode #51: Create Your Personal Values to Improve Performance and Achieve Profound Well-Being;Episode #52: How to Create Well-being in Your Life”,Episode #57: Do This Before You Try to Improve Your Performance or Well-BeingInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Today we're diving deep into the topic of reaching our full potential. In this podcast we give you psychology, neuroscience, and high performance research-backed evidence to understand that it's not only possible, but absolutely worth striving for.  We talk about how reaching your full potential is something you can do in a very focused way ( a paticular skill), for a particular part of your life (say, your career or maybe your education), or for reaching a fulfilling life.  We point out the mounting evidence that you can do this at any age and stage of life (so yes, anyone can do this). In this episode, we'll explore the key components of reaching your full potential for a specific skill, your performance, or even your whole life.  We give you the main principles for achieiving full potential, and give you some tips on how to apply them to your life.We'll also provide practical tools and a four-step protocol to help you plan and apply these concepts to your own life, whether it's in specific areas like work or personal skills, or in a broader sense of creating a thriving and fulfilling life overall.Free Resource LinksIn this podcast, we refer to a couple of free resources on the Invictus website that are related to the content. One is a tool that includes 5 tools to help you supercharge your improvement.  The other is a "cheatsheet" that summarizes the main evidence-backed ways to plan, start and achieve your goals. You can access each of these resources at invictus.coach/resources.Podcast LinksIn this episode, we refer you to a number of previous Achieve More episodes that have science-backed approaches, protocols and tools that can be helpful in your journey. Here is a link to each of them:Episode #16: Why and How to Set a Positive Mindset to Achieve More and Be HappierEpisode #30: Neuroscience-Based Ways to Improve Planning and Achieving GoalsEpisode #32: 3-Part Tactical Framework to Build CourageEpisode #34: How to Change Your Mindset to Improve Your Performance Episode #40: Why Creating A Personal Vision Makes You More Productive, Engaged and HappierEpisode #48: Why Striving For Excellence is Worth It, Even if You Don't Reach ItEpisode #51: Create Your Personal ValuesInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

This podcast is about one of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for success with improving performance, your mental health, or achieving well-being.And chances are you have never heard of this.Until my first applied neuroscience course, I hadn't either. But it turns out to be monumentally important for your health and cognitive capabilities.Today we are talking about Homeostasis, and it's impact on your ability to improve your performance, improve your mental health, or achieve well-being.What the heck is homeostasis you might ask?Homeostasis is a fundamental concept in neuroscience (as well as in biology in general) that refers to the brain’s (and body's) ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes. From a neuroscience perspective, homeostasis plays a crucial role in maintaining the optimal conditions for the brain and nervous system to function. From a human performance and well-being perspective, it is an absolutely critical ground-floor, foundational concept. If you cannot maintain a decent homeostasis for your brain and body, you will not be able to maintain any kind of performance improvement or well-being in your life.Thankfully, as you will find from listening to this podcast, you won't have to change much in your life to implement some protocols that will help you to maintain your homeostasis.In this podcast, we talk about homeostasis:What is it? What is the science behind it?Why is it so darn important for performance and wellbeingHow do you maintain and optimize itHow you can apply these concepts to your life todayInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast, we are looking at the science behind how to choose what goals to focus on, how to most effectively plan them, and how to achieve them.I focus on helping people and teams overcome challenges, improve, transform and achieve their life (or their team's) goals.  A large part of that is figuring out goals you want to achieve, and then working towards achieving them.But a whole lot of people either pick the wrong goals, get started and stopped, or never even get started.Today’s podcast is all about tactical steps you can take to set and achieve goals, based on the science of what actually works. That means all of the tools and approaches today will be based on evidence-backed studies of how the mind actually works when making and achieving goals, and on studies that show us how to plan your goals and successfully achieve them.In this podcast, I used evidence-backed studies to answer 4 questions:What are the best kinds of goals to set? What kind of goals are you most likely going to succeed?How do I use that information to figure out the most important goals for me specifically? How do I actually set it up so I can achieve those goals? How can I be successful in the long term?I have created a "Cheat Sheet" checklist that can help you use the protocols on how to select, plan, and achieve your goals.   You can use this checklist to help you plan and achieve your own goals.  You can click on this link to be brought to it, or head on over to invictus.coach/resources to grab a copy of the checklist. Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

I have spent over 23 years helping people and teams improve: their skills, their wellbeing, their organization's services, their organization's structure and workflow, their teamwork...you name it, I have helped them improve it.Through all of those hundreds of projects and coaching clients, I realized I have consistently relied on some tools that seem to help each and every time I help people improve. Long before I studied the neuroscience of human behavior I found these tools, approaches, and methods to be useful in supercharging your improvement efforts.  It was only later on that I found out there is a ton of science backing each of these approaches.In today's podcast I am going to describe those tools for you, so you can use them to help your own improvement projects or personal transformation journeys.In this podcast, I am going to walk through:The neuroscience of what actually happens in your brain and body when you learn or improve a skill.  Because when it comes down to it, improvement is all about what is happening in your brain to learn that new skill set, or to build on the one you have.Some principles or concepts behind improving, that will set the context for what, how, and when we can improve.The 4 main ways that most people improve.  When we talk about improvement, most of us hit at least one of these 4 main methods. 5 of the most important tools you can use to super charge your improvement.As a bonus, I have also created a workbook to help you apply all of this to your own self. I outline the main concepts from the podcast and walk you through some coaching-style questions to get you to think about how you can use these approaches to improve your own life.  You can find that workbook at invictus.coach/resourcesInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Today we are diving into something that most people disregard at least once a day, don't think much about, and don't understand how much impact it has on their performance, health and well-being.In this insightful podcast, we dive into the compelling reasons behind the crucial need for people to incorporate regular breaks into their work days. Based on surveys, and oodles of articles you can find anywhere on the web, it appears most people think that if they skip breaks and/or lunch they can get more work done.  It turns out that is a completely false assumption - in fact by skipping breaks in your work day, you get less work done, you produce poorer quality work, your performance declines and your productivity declines. And if that is not bad enough, your health and well-being decline too. Fueled by neuroscience research, we uncover the profound impact of breaks on both the brain and the body, exploring the detrimental effects of neglecting breaks and the cognitive advantages of embracing them.In this podcast we touch on:The 6 biggest ways NOT taking a break impacts your performance and health, based on the neuroscience of what happens in your brain when you do and don't take breaksThe 4 biggest ways taking breaks helps your brain outThe 8 most important elements to consider when taking a break, based on the science of what your brain needs from a breakWe also answer the biggest questions that are asked about this topic:So what should my breaks include?When do I take a break in my work day? (hint: a lot more often than you would think, based on consistent results from different studies)How long should my break last?What do I do if I am in back-to-back meetings all day?In the middle of this podcast I give you two different simple but powerful frameworks:4 steps to figuring out what your break should look like for you (based on what you do, and what your body needs)3 steps for figuring out your personal work time limit before you need a break because your performance is about to crash (whether you know it or not)Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this podcast we dive into the research-rich world of creating well-being at work. Well-being at work refers to the overall state of an individual's physical, mental, and emotional health and satisfaction within the context of their work environment.  It is a topic that some might consider "soft" or "fluffy", but there is so much research out there that shows how beneficial it is for both the employer and the employee. The content from this episode is based on research from the fields of business, psychology, neuroscience and organizational design. I also bring into play the results from Gallups massive 30-year survey on the topic, where they have interviewed 43 million employees on 5 million teams in more than 5000 organizations in 212 countries. Like I said, this is a data-rich topic.In this podcast, we:Define what we mean by well-being at the workplace,Talk about the opportunity cost and benefitsLook at some principles for creating it at your workplaceSummarize 5 of the best practices for itInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Drawing on neuroscience, positive psychology, and the longest-running survey on wellbeing, today we touch on how you can build well-being in your life.As the statistics will show, fairly consistently over the last 30 years about 60% of the population is struggling with achieving wellbeing in their lives. And yet, it has so many benefits for our mental, physical, and social lives.Today we:Define well-beingTouch on why it is so important, even if it is undervaluedTalk about some of the neuroscience behind well-being so you can apply it more effectively to your own life Dive deep into the PERMA model, a well-known evidence-backed model. I described each element, give you 5 or so science-backed ways it helps you out, and give you two evidence-backed ways you can build that elementIntroduced a tactical way you can apply that PERMA model to your life today to start improving and achieving more well-being in your life.In the end, the goal here is to understand what it is, why it is important, and how to apply it to your life.I have also created a short workbook you can use to help assess well-being in your life, so you can figure out what is important to you, what to focus on, and what you can do next to improve well-being in your life.If you go to invictus.coach/resources, you can choose to download the document. You also get access to a few other free resources that can be very helpful in helping you to improve your life. Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

As a coach, I get most of my clients to start with their personal vision, purpose, and values.  There is just a ton of science around how and why using vision and values helps you improve productivity and performance, find more profound well-being, and live a more fulfilling life.And, really who doesn't want that?In this episode, I explore the significance of personal values in decision-making, performance, and overall well-being. We touch on the psychology and neuroscience of why it works, so you understand their power. We also give you 8 specific principles you can use to create your values and a simple evidence-based 4-step framework for creating your values.Some key ideas from this podcast include:Personal values are enduring beliefs and principles that guide attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making processes.The neuroscience of values provides insights into how values influence thoughts, emotions, and decision-making.Key aspects of the neuroscience of personal values include neural representation, emotional and motivational significance, formation and development, cognitive and emotional processing, value conflict and decision-making, and the brain's plasticity.Personal values impact performance by providing motivation, guiding goal setting, aiding decision-making, fostering resilience and persistence, and enhancing overall satisfaction.Empirical studies show that aligning personal and organizational values leads to positive outcomes such as higher employee satisfaction, lower attrition rates, and willingness to take pay cuts for better value alignment.Principles for creating personal values involve self-reflection, identifying key areas where values play a role, prioritizing values, defining each value, aligning values with actions, seeking inspiration, and regularly reviewing and reassessing values.The five-step framework for creating values includes self-reflection, identifying important values, narrowing down to core values, defining each value, and applying values in decision-making and actions.Applying personal values in daily life and adjusting them based on experience and alignment with personal goals is crucial for personal growth and transformation.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode, we explore the reasons why people often struggle to say no and the potential positive impact of embracing this powerful word. Drawing from psychological research and personal experiences working with professionals in the community and public sectors, we uncover the three primary reasons behind the hesitation to decline requests for additional responsibilities. We also delve into the benefits of saying no more often, including improved focus, reduced overwhelm, enhanced time management, increased quality of work, opportunities for growth, and improved work-life balance. Moreover, we provide practical factors to consider when deciding whether to say no and offer strategies for effectively declining requests while maintaining relationships and personal boundaries. Join us as we empower you to prioritize your own well-being and productivity by harnessing the power of saying no!Some highlights from this episode include:Understanding the fear of disappointing others and career setbacks as reasons for hesitation to say noUncovering the guilt and desire to help others as a barrier to setting boundariesExploring the potential positive impact of saying no on productivity and well-beingExamining the benefits of saying no including improved focus, reduced overwhelm, enhanced time management, increased quality of work, and opportunities for growthEstablishing work-life balance through selective commitmentFactors to consider when deciding whether to say noA simple step-by-step guide to saying noNote:If you liked the content from this podcast, and want it on to refer to, so you can make even more of an impact on your life, then I have something special for you!I have created a short but powerful summary of the ideas from this podcast into a free resource. If you head on over to invictus.coach/resources you can access the free download.Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

Warning: the contents of this podcast will help you live a better life.Its true. You will learn some of the secret sauce ingredients in today's podcast on how to feel a profound sense of well-being while excelling at life.So let me ask you this: If you had a choice as to whether you could live a thriving life, would you choose it? If you knew there were specific steps or actions, based on science and experience, to help you create a thriving life, to help you bounce back from difficulty, to help you overcome the hurdles in your life and enjoy a sense of profound well-being – would you take it?In this podcast, we dive deep into why and how you can create a thriving life.Recently, a sports pscyhologist completed a well-reviewed meta-study to find all the common scientific supports for what it takes to achieve a thriving life.He was able to develop a common definition, set us up with several pre-conditions necessary to acheive a thriving life, 7 personal enablers and 3 situational context enablers.In this podcast I walk you through:Why living a thriving life is so important and how it can benefit youHow anyone can thriveWhat the pre-conditions are for thrivingThe 7 personal enablers for living a thriving lifethe 3 situational or context enablersInstantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

This podcast focuses on the many benefits of striving for excellence or a thriving life, even if you don't make it. It is not actually about reaching excellence, but rather the journey to get there.One large obstacle many people feel exists in reaching for a thriving life is that it isn't possible to achieve it. There are too many daily struggles, obstacles or challenges to possibly reach it.I hear a similar logic around why one shouldn't reach for excellence since it is apparently impossible to reach. But it turns out there are so many benefits to yourself, how you manage projects, and your teamwork from trying to achieve a thriving life or striving for excellence. I have pulled together evidence and practice-based benefits of reaching for a thriving life or striving for excellence, for:YourselfFor how you manage your projects (yes, it has a positive impact on your project management skills)Your teamworkIn this podcast, we:Start by explaining what I mean by excellence, thriving, and a fulfilled lifeGive you 5 ways that striving for excellence, even if you don’t reach it, helps you out on a personal levelGive you 6 more ways that from a neuroscience perspective, it will help you out on a personal level6 ways that it will help you manage projects5 ways that striving for excellence or a thriving life will help your team at work3 Reasons why it worksGive you tactical ways you can apply it to your life  New Membership to Plan and Manage Projects, Transformation, and Achieve High PerformanceIn this episode, I talked a few times about planning and managing projects. I have created a monthly program to teach, coach, and support you to learn how to plan and manage projects and learn how to plan the transformation of your unit, team, or organization, and learn how to achieve higher performance for your team or organization.You can check out more by clicking here.In this monthly membership (which you can leave anytime), you will get:Regular short, tactical "how to" videos,Access to the tools and templates I use to manage everything from small to massive projectsMonthly access to "office hours", where you can ask me anything about your work - basically you get coaching and consulting all rolled into one!A monthly deep-dive webinar into the topics that matter most to youAccess to a community of like-minded professionals to share the journey, support each other and ...yes, hold each other accountable!This membership is right for you if you:Need to plan, implement or manage projects of any size or kindWant to be better at your job and help improve your workplaceHave little to no project management training or backgroundWant to learn best practices for reducing costs, improving services or planning and managing transformation projectsWant to learn about achieving high performance community organizations or high performance teams Instantly Unlock Performance NowThe "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.You can find out more or sign up clicking here!