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Motivation comes from diverse sources, but perhaps none is more powerful than purpose. Why is this the case? What happens in our brain and body when we are driven by a purpose? How can we all create more meaning in our own lives, not just so we can perform better, but also, and arguably more important, so we can be more fulfilled. Listen in to learn more and find out. You can find the episodes on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. The post Growth EQ Academy #5: Purpose appeared first on The Growth Equation.

The first rule of routines is to have one and stick to it. The second rule of routines is to be able to let go. We explore the truth of this paradox, how to build the optimal routine for yourself given your current life station, the power of pre-performance priming, and when to use energy on decision versus when to automate them. You can find the episodes on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. The post Growth EQ Academy #4: Routines appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Forget about all the products and services that promise to help you recharge. You don’t need all (or really, any) of that stuff. In this episode of the Growth Equation Academy, we detail the foundations of how to come down after challenging periods. Topics include breaks, taking an interval training approach to all of work, sleep, and other ways you can mentally and physically recover in a way that promotes sustainable growth. You can find the episodes on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. The post Growth EQ Academy #3: Rest and Recovery appeared first on The Growth Equation.

While there are many definitions of stress, we like to think of productive stress as a stimulus that challenges you in a manner which promotes growth. In this episode of the Growth Equation Academy, we dive deep into productive stress. Topics include just-manageable challenges, how to determine the right amount of stress, what conditions create deep-focus work, and how productively stress yourself on micro and macro timescales. You can find the episodes on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. The post Growth EQ Academy #2: Stress Yourself appeared first on The Growth Equation.

It’s the universal equation to make sustainable progress in anything. In this episode of the Growth Equation Academy, we review what we mean by “stress” and “rest,” and discuss how the growth equation can be a valuable concept across diverse contexts—personally, professionally, and organizationally. Too much stress with not enough rest you get injury, illness, and burnout. Not enough stress with too much rest you get complacency or stagnation. You can find the episodes on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. The post Growth EQ Academy #1: Stress + Rest = Growth. appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Phil Mickelson just won the U.S. Open at age 50, completing a career grand slam! That is no joke. In this episode of the Growth Equation podcast,  Brad and Steve use Mickelson’s shocking victory as the basis for a  conversation on aging and performance. They discuss the importance of mindset and intrinsic drive; how to thwart the decline of raw talent that comes with aging while at the same time reaping the rewards of wisdom; Mickelson’s intense fasting regime (what exactly was it and did it help, hurt, or not really matter at all?); and how hard work isn’t always about training the body but also about training the mind. This episode is chock-full of wisdom and practical advice. We hope you learn as much as we did from the discussion. Here’s the column mentioned in the episode on aging and the crossing wisdom and talent curves. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Resources referenced: The book Make It Scream, Make it Burn, and the Second Life essay on its own here The value of doing something real in the world Why do rich people love endurance sports Shop Class As Soulcraft    The post Fascinating Insights About Aging and Performance appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Why is it that so many people seem so out of touch with reality these days? In this episode of the Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve explore a new theory that argues the best way to stay grounded (and not become an ego-maniac) is to do real, concrete things in the world where you either succeed or fail. And, they argue, these successes or failures are best when they happen privately (or perhaps in a small group). We’ll explore stories involving lifting weights,  building tables, running, and gardening. We’ll also talk about why so many white-collar people love triathlon. We feel that this is one of our most interesting and valuable conversations in a while, and we hope you like it too. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness Resources referenced: The book Make It Scream, Make it Burn, and the Second Life essay on its own here The value of doing something real in the world Why do rich people love endurance sports Shop Class As Soulcraft    The post The Instagram Filter Theory of Life and Doing Real Things in the World appeared first on The Growth Equation.

All the stars in the NBA are getting hurt. This comes off the coattails of a hyper-condensed season because of COVID-19, followed by a  shortened off-season that led directly into another condensed season.  The injuries, many of which are classic overuse issues, aren’t a  coincidence. They are the result of lots of stress, not enough rest. In this episode of the Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve are joined by Coach Jojo to discuss the concept of “load management” and how it applies not only to high-level athletes but to all of us. As a bonus, they debate whether Lebron James is underpaid or if it’s just that top CEOs are overpaid (or both). Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Load Management (In Sport, Work, and Life) appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Many were shocked to hear about Bill and Melinda Gates getting divorced. But some weren’t. After all, they are both extreme pushers, those who care deeply about their mission and work. The cost of this deep caring is often making sacrifices in other areas of life. On this episode of the Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve dive into what big drive, purpose, and motivation — all usually thought of as positive attributes — can leave in their wake. They not only discuss divorce in relationships, but also how a peak pursuit can divorce you from many other elements of your life. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Divorce in High Performers appeared first on The Growth Equation.

One of the best ways to be smarter, kinder, and wiser is to read. Straight up. It’s the truth. On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast,  Brad and Steve dive deep into all things reading. They discuss deep  versus superficial attention, nonfiction vs. fiction, how to develop a  consistent reading habit that will work for you, and so much more.  Whether you are an avid reader or someone who hasn’t picked up a book in  ages, this episode will get you thinking about reading in new and  improved ways. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post How to Read More and Read Better appeared first on The Growth Equation.

There is infinite information out there. Every day, we are inundated with principles, concepts, and ideas. How does one wade through the deluge, let alone discern where to lean in and pay close attention versus where to lean out and ignore? On this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, Brad and Steve dive into models for right thinking, or bringing deliberateness and skill to what we take in and what we share out. Among many other things, they dive into their “three-legged” stool framework for evaluating concepts, ideas, and principles — a practical framework that much of their work benefits from, and yours could too. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Right Thinking appeared first on The Growth Equation.

On this episode of the Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve discuss the culture’s obsession with idolizing certain people, and how thanks to the internet, everyone has a chance to win at this game. But is it a game that you actually want to win? Or are the forces of so-called celebrity (or going viral, or growing a personal brand, or becoming more influential, and so on) actually just making life increasingly performative rather than real? Might this be leaving us exhausted and stressed? Is there a practical way to opt out? Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Hero Worship and Performative Everything appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Hard work is often talked about as a be-all end-all when it comes to performance, and even personhood. On this episode of The Growth Equation podcast, we explore what hard work can (and can’t do), what pursuits are more prone to be impacted by hard work, and the difference between hard work making you as good as you can be versus making you better than others. We also look at the history of hard work as a moral concept, and offer some thoughts on why it might be misguided. Resources Mentioned: Born Losers by Scott Sandage Rachel Hollis Instagram Post Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Skill vs. Luck vs. Hard Work appeared first on The Growth Equation.

The film Operation Varsity Blues, a chronicle of the massive college admissions scandal that occurred from 2011 to 2018, was just published on Netflix. It is a pretty damning (and tragic)film. In this episode of The Growth Equation podcast, Brad and Steve use the film as a jumping off point to an in-depth discussion of everything that is wrong with higher education. Of course, they also offer some ideas on how to fix it. Topics discussed include standardized testing, to pay or not to pay athletes, and how so many schools have become a luxury brands in the same way that a Prada bag or Gucci wallet are. Warning: this show is not for the faint of heart or easily offended. Brad and Steve don’t hold back in their analysis of how we got into this mess. But it will take this kind of brutally honest analysis if we are to have any chance at working our way out. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post An Honest Rant on College Admissions appeared first on The Growth Equation.

In this special bonus episode, Brad and Steve delve into the process of becoming authors, starting from their early days writing hardly-read blogs to landing book advances with large publishing houses. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever wondered how to write a book, the difference between self-publishing and traditional-publishing, or what goes into turning an idea on the back of a napkin into 250 pages for sale at Barnes and Nobles. To Subscribe and get the full episode, head over to: https://www.patreon.com/TheGrowthEquation You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Inside Baseball: Book Publishing appeared first on The Growth Equation.

To foam roll or not to foam roll? Force yourself to endure an ice-bath after a grueling workout, or sit it out? Cardio or weights, or perhaps even more pertinent, will doing cardio hurt your weights (and vice versa)? Sure, “diets” are no good, but neither is being opposed to all weight loss, right? What matters more, training frequency or duration or intensity? The list goes on and on. In today’s episode, we are going to spend some time debunking myths in health and fitness and discussing what actually works, and when. As you might guess, there’s a fair of amount of “it depends,” in this episode, but we do our best to tease out the “on what.” To help us navigate the sometimes overwhelming and bizarre world of health and fitness, we’ve got special guest Zach Greenwald, an exercise scientist, gym owner, and personal strength and conditioning coach to Brad (and coach to strength athletes far better than Brad!) We had a great time in this conversation and learned a lot. We hope you do too! Zach’s gym and personal coaching: Strength Ratio. Zach on Instagram. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. (Note: Judson will be joining us for a conversation on his book in an upcoming book-club!) You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Slaying Sacred Cows in Health and Fitness appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Anxiety, in the broadest of terms, is discomfort with uncertainty. In the words of psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author Judson Brewer, “it’s a severe condition; that is, it’s the human condition.” On this week’s episode of The Growth Equation podcast Brad and Steve are joined by Judson for a wide-ranging conversation on anxiety. They touch on anxiety’s evolutionary roots, historical evolution, and modern day permutations. They also detail Judson’s 3-part process to unwind anxiety, using as an example Judson’s own current situation: resisting the impulse to constantly check reviews on his newly released book. Finally, they dive into something that Judson once told Brad about his own experience of anxiety while meditating: “That’s just your ego afraid to die.” Judson is one of the smartest people Brad and Steve know, and in this conversation, you’ll see why. With an uncanny ability to go broad and deep, to explain and coach, Judson is a great teacher for all. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Judson’s new book, Unwinding Anxiety. Check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. (Note: Judson will be joining us for a conversation on his book in an upcoming book-club!) Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Unwinding Anxiety appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Sleep. It’s a topic that affects everyone, and it’s particularly timely coming off of daylight savings time, which doesn’t do much other than make an entire country of people groggy. Against that backdrop, Brad and Steve figured it’d be a perfect occasion to dive deep into sleep. They discuss the fundamental and sometimes surprising habits that set you up for a good night’s sleep, the role of melatonin (both naturally and as a supplement), what’s happening in your mind and body throughout the night, and the costs and benefits of using sleep-trackers. Equal parts intellectually interesting and practical, this episode is chock full of insights for anyone who sleeps, which is everyone! You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Check out our exclusive community offers and special launch giveaways on Patreon here. Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post What “Good Sleep” Really Means and How to Get It appeared first on The Growth Equation.

A phenomenon that just about everyone is familiar with goes like this: You are striving hard to reach the next level at your given craft or pursuit. After loads of hard work, you finally reach it. When you do, you vacillate from feeling in over your head to feeling like you belong. Sometimes your ego may be too big; other times, too small. It’s a wild and uniquely human ride. Someone who knows it well is Mara Gay. Shortly after she got her dream job at the New York Times editorial board, she told us, “This feels like going from playing in high-school to getting drafted into the NFL.” In this episode of The Growth Equation podcast, we are joined by Mara for a wide-ranging conversation on taking your game to the next level, and the importance of practicing humility as you do. Mara’s craft is reporting and writing, but the topics we discuss are applicable to sustainable success and peak performance in all fields. These include how to keep perspective to stop your ego from getting in your way, imposter syndrome, resilience, staying hopeful during dark times, identity, routines, setting boundaries between work and life, and Mara’s ongoing battle with a serious case of COVID-19. We absolutely loved this conversation and we think you will too. Follow Mara Gay on Twitter here. Support the Podcast and check out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post Why Practicing Humility is the Key to True Confidence and Belonging appeared first on The Growth Equation.

Do you dislike email, or at the very least, the amount of time, energy, and attention your inbox demands? If so, you aren’t alone. In this episode of The Growth Equation Podcast, we welcome Cal Newport, bestselling author of Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and most recently, A World Without Email. We dive deep into Cal’s new book. But we also explore Cal’s journey to becoming an author who is also a computer scientist, and who was formerly a pretty dang good athlete all the way up to the collegiate level. This is a wide-ranging conversation that tackles a variety of topics including using constraints to be more free, fit versus grit, exploration versus mastery, and of course e-mail (and more accurately, how to lessen its role in your life). Get Cal’s new book, A World Without Email, here. Check out our exclusive community offers and special launch giveaways on Patreon here. You can find the podcast on: iTunes and Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show! Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness The post A World Without Email (And a More Optimal Life) With Cal Newport appeared first on The Growth Equation.