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Earlier this week, the New York Times broke a story detailing how the prestigious consulting firm McKinsey and Company “proposed paying pharmacy companies rebates for Oxycontin [a popular opioid] overdoses.” Worse, partners at McKinsey allegedly tried to cover the evidence of their recommendation. In this episode of The Growth Equation podcast, Brad, a former McKinsey consultant himself, and Steve use this moral failure as a jumping off point to discuss ethical creep in high-performance organizations and cultures—from the corporate world, to start-ups, to sports—and what we can do to prevent it in ourselves and those we coach, parent, teach, and lead. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness (NYT Story on Opiods: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/business/mckinsey-purdue-oxycontin-opioids.html) The post McKinsey, Opiods, and The Dark Side of High Performance appeared first on The Growth Equation.

In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve dive into an underground classic from the 1980’s: Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman. The main premise of the book is that the medium via which we consume information is a metaphor for the culture; our brains, both as individuals and as a collective, become what we pay attention to and how we pay attention it. At the time Postman wrote the book, he was concerned about how television news was becoming more and more about entertainment and less and less about serious discourse. If only Postman, who died in 2003, could be alive to see the current information environment. Brad and Steve do their best to update Postman’s argument for modern times and share tips and tricks on how you can protect your attention, be a better citizen, and create space for serious and meaningful discussion in a world of nonsense and noise. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Amusing Ourselves to Death appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Rich Roll is a globally renown ultra-endurance athlete, wellness advocate, bestselling author, husband and father of four.  He also hosts the wildly popular Rich Roll Podcast, one of the top 100 podcasts in the world with over 100 million downloads.   On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve welcome Rich.  He shares how his experiences in competitive swimming, law school, and addiction and recovery help him when preparing for his podcast.  He discusses why he made the decision to evolve his podcast from evergreen topics to speaking to matters of the day and how to have meaningful conversations with those with whom we vehemently disagree.  Rich also offers a glimpse into how his family views his successes, failures, and public image.  Finally, the three discuss Rich’s latest book, Voicing Change, which features timeless wisdom and inspiration from the Rich Roll Podcast. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Rich Roll: The Art of Meaningful Conversation appeared first on The Growth Equation.

A wise professor once told Brad, “Trust is the most important thing there is and all inefficiencies at their core are created by a lack of trust.”  On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve discuss the importance of trust and what it means to trust yourself and to trust others.  They consider what it means to “trust your training” and review the research and science behind how to build trust with others.  The pair offer ways to identify trust gaps in personal or working relationships and reflect on their own relationship to identify their trust gaps and how to bridge them. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Trust: The Most Important Thing There Is appeared first on The Growth Equation.

In this raw, uncut, and immediately uploaded episode, Brad and Steve explore the still-unfolding chaos around the 2020 US presidential election, how we got into this mess, and how we can get out.   For the two articles we reference in the podcast: Driven Apart or Coming Together: It’s Our Choice The Simple Reason that the 2020 Polls were Wrong You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Special Episode: Election Madness appeared first on The Growth Equation.

It infiltrates every aspect of our lives and deserves the time for a thoughtful discussion. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve welcome back friend of the podcast Jojo McDuffie to discuss the topic of race. The three share their different experiences with race growing up in Michigan, Texas and Virginia. They discuss the convergence of racism and mental health and talk about the difference between sympathy (“I see your pain”) and empathy (“I feel your pain”). Steve shares what science says about our subconsciousness and systemic racism and Jojo offers why when it comes to race it’s better to be consciously biased than unbiased. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post A Discussion About Race with Jojo McDuffie appeared first on The Growth Equation.

This month Lebron James won his fourth NBA Championship and once again spurred the question: who is better, Lebron James or Michael Jordan? On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve tackle the question, but go beyond the championships and MVP awards and consider performance and success more broadly. They discuss their differing paths to greatness and how they each managed to sustain their peak performance. Brad and Steve also evaluate the pair based on a variety of other factors, such as whether their motivation comes from, their differing skill sets, the talent pool surrounding them, and their focus and activism off the court.way. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Defining Success: Lebron vs. Jordan appeared first on The Growth Equation.

The Social Dilemma, a documentary on the rise of social media and the damage it has caused to society, is one of the top shows on Netflix and it has us thinking.  On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve tackle the issue of social media and its impact on our health and wellbeing.  They discuss the pros and cons of the most popular platforms, how they hijack our attention, and whether they should be more strongly regulated.  Brad and Steve discuss their own challenging relationships with social media, what it would take for them to leave the platforms all together, and the strategies they employ so that they can use (some of) the platforms in a (mostly) healthy and sustainable way. Sloan Sports Analytics Conference: Social Media and Athletics Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post The Social Media Episode appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Ever wonder what Brad and Steve do for the first and last 90 minutes of each day? What their in-home offices look like? What their favorite apps are? On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve take more questions from their listeners. They share how they stay motivated and stay connected to friends and family during the pandemic, how they wind down each day, what they put in their smoothies, who they turn to for advice, and more. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!   You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Listener Mailbag with Brad and Steve: Diet, Motivation, and Home Office Design appeared first on The Growth Equation.

This week marks the conclusion of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals and the start of the NBA Finals and MLB playoffs. We’ve seen (and are sure to see more) spectacular performances and unfortunate collapses. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve discuss what we can do to be clutch and avoid choking when the stakes are high. The pair discuss what it means to be clutch and how to prepare for high-pressure events — whether on the track, behind the microphone or in the boardroom. Brad and Steve also share strategies to rescue ourselves when we do choke and what sports psychology gets wrong on this topic. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Resources Mentioned: Setting Goals that Work For You, Not Against Being Clutch Isn’t Magic; It’s Trainable You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post How to be Clutch (and Avoid Choking) appeared first on The Growth Equation.

You asked, they answered! On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve take questions from their listeners. The pair discuss strategies for staying positive when the news is seemingly all negative, how to balance multiple passions, and how to be patient with long-term goals. Steve tackles the importance of pausing training when injury lingers and Brad considers whether sacrifice and suffering is essential to achieve the highest levels of performance. Finally, Brad and Steve offer their book recommendations. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Resources Mentioned: Range by David Epstein Antifragile by Nassim Taleb Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright Once A Runner by John L Parker Mastery and The Way of Aikido by George Leonard Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm To have or To be by Erich Fromm The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart by Mark Epstein Thoughts Without a Thinker by Mark Epstein Advice Not Given by Mark Epstein The Recovering by Leslie Jamison The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig Radical Compassion by Tara Brock The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen Deacon King Kong by James McBride Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Listener Mailbag with Brad & Steve: Routines, Reading, and Suffering appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Amelia Boone is one of the most accomplished obstacle race athletes in history, having won the Spartan Race World Championship in 2013 and the World’s Toughest Mudder in 2012, 2014 and 2015. She’s also struggled with OCD and an eating disorder that resulted in hospital and treatment center stays. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve speak with Amelia Boone about her highs, lows and what she’s learned along the way. Amelia shares advice on recovery (including what to do if you find yourself relapsing) and how to speak to friends or family members suffering from mental illness. She speaks to the power that comes from giving voice to issues and how she reconciles her various identities, including obstacle race warrior and mental health warrior. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255   Amelia’s heartfelt blog post on her experience with an eating disorder Amelia on Twitter Brad writes about his experience with OCD Made of millions information page for OCD Information on suicidal OCD National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237 Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Amelia Boone: Obstacle Racing and Mental Health Warrior appeared first on The Growth Equation.

She’s back! This week on The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve check in with NYC Marathon Champion, Olympian, coach, and friend Shalane Flanagan. The trio first discuss the challenges that come with transitions. Shalane candidly describes the hard and dark days she faced when transitioning away from being an athlete and how she struggled to see her purpose and meaning. Brad, Steve and Shalane then turn to how to cope with impostor syndrome. Shalane offers tricks such as finding your specific role and putting ego aside. Shalane also shares her thoughts on being one of the only female professional running coaches, what she’s learned about parenting in the past few months, and whether she would considering lacing up to compete at the master’s level. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post She’s Back! Life with Shalane Flanagan, Marathon Champion, Olympian and Coach appeared first on The Growth Equation.

On this week’s episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore self-compassion, and explain why cultivating it is key to lasting performance and wellbeing even, and perhaps especially, for high-achievers. The post Growth EQ Principles: Self-Compassion appeared first on The Growth Equation.

On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve offer six hot (and thoughtful) takes on topics related to performance and well-being. They discuss whether it’s better to have low expectations and if inspiration can actually help performance. The two debate how much of performance is luck versus skill and how our perceptions change when our knowledge changes. Finally, they turn to why constraints are actually a good thing and how anyone can cultivate courage. Inspiration has limits Chance vs. control. vs. skill Constraints Courage Expectations vs reality Deep understanding vs. staying on the surface Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness    The post Six Hot (and Thoughtful) Takes on Performance appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Understanding that most important things in life are nine-inning games can help support happiness, performance, and satisfaction. On this week’s episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore patience. The post Growth EQ Principles: Patience appeared first on The Growth Equation.

In the United States the COVID-19 pandemic is slogging away, now entering its sixth month, making it the perfect time for Brad and Steve to discuss one of their favorite topics: burnout. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, the pair dive into why so many of us are feeling burnt out at this time—from lack of temporary boundaries (e.g., work time v. family time) to lack of physical boundaries (e.g., lack of office v. away) to simple lack of control (e.g., ability to return to “normal”). Fortunately, they offer tools and frameworks to combat burnout, such as taking action, imposing routine, vacillating between stress and rest, and finding purpose. Related Resources: Burnout and the Brain Is Your Boss Causing Your Burnout? A Simple Solution to Millennial Burnout An Updated Toolkit to Address Burnout Burnout Runs Deeper Than Too Much Work Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness     The post The Pandemic and the Burnout Epidemic appeared first on The Growth Equation.

On this week’s episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore what it really means to focus on the process—and how this mindset can be powerful in everything from work, to sport, to parenting, to all of life. The post Growth EQ Principles: Process over Outcome appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Most people hate uncertainty to such a degree that they would accept a crappy but certain outcome over feeling uncertain.  In this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve discuss best practices for facing and dealing with uncertainty.  First, they dissect how we typically react to uncertain times, with feelings of anxiety, stress and discomfort; racing around for quick ways to solve the problem; using emotions (not facts or logic) as our guides.  Then, they offer a better way, by separating ourselves from the problem; making space to reflect; creating checklists and heuristics so that we are not stuck making reactive and emotional decisions.  In the end, the goal is not to make the right decision, but to make the best decision at the time with the information you have.   Related Resources: Surviving Uncertainty: Control What You Can Control. Always Stick to Principles Over Patterns.Preparing for the Long HaulHow Perceived Control Impacts the Physiological Limits of Performance Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcher Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post How to Deal with Uncertainty appeared first on The Growth Equation.

On this week’s episode of Growth Equation Principles, Brad and Jojo explore what it means to be present and how to cultivate this key quality in an increasingly noisy world. The post Growth EQ Principles: Presence appeared first on The Growth Equation.