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Tim Ferriss

How to Overcome Anxiety and Stress – with Adviser to Olympians, Michael Gervais (#256)

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“Rugged and hostile environments teach us. And they teach us by leveraging real fear.”

– Michael Gervais

Michael Gervais (@michaelgervais) is the performance psychologist elite athletes and coaches turn to when they want to level up or when they’re returning from hard times and want to not just get back to where they were, but exceed their previous highest levels of excellence. His clients include Olympic gold medalists, Super Bowl champion NFL coaches, you name it.

In this episode, we discuss how to win the war against anxiety, some of the more effective (and less effective) ways to self-talk, behind-the-scenes stories of Michael’s clients, understanding mastery, and much more.

This episode comes from my new television show Fear{less}, where I interview world-class performers on stage about how they’ve overcome doubt, conquered fear, and made their toughest decisions. You can watch the entire first episode with illusionist David Blaine for free at att.net/fearless. (To watch all episodes, please visit DIRECTV NOW.)

We recorded three hours of material and only one hour was used for the TV show. This podcast episode is almost entirely new content that didn’t appear on TV.

Enjoy!

You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

TF-ItunesButton

#256: How to Overcome Anxiety and Stress – with Adviser to Olympians, Michael Gervais

Want to hear another podcast with a guest from Fearless? — Listen to this episode with David Blaine where we discuss illusion, taking risks, and the art of positive mindset (stream below or right-click here to download):

#245: The Magic, Misdirection, and Mindset of David Blaine

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This podcast is also brought to you by Audible. I have used Audible for years, and I love audiobooks. I have two to recommend:

  1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  2. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

All you need to do to get your free 30-day Audible trial is visit Audible.com/Tim. Choose one of the above books, or choose any of the endless options they offer. That could be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or even a class. It’s that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and get started today. Enjoy.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

  • Connect with Michael Gervais:

Website | Finding Mastery | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Show Notes

  • Michael shares his upbringing as a farm boy with laissez-faire parents. [06:55]
  • What experiences would Michael mandate for late high school/early college students? [12:24]
  • The first professional failure that Michael can remember. [14:50]
  • A football story about an unexpected outcome and its consequences. [19:07]
  • Learning to meditate successfully. [22:56]
  • On resolving conflicts physically. [27:34]
  • Practices Michael has implemented with fighters. [31:23]
  • Dealing with smartphones and other distracting modern stimuli that keep us from being present. [34:40]
  • Michael’s own experiences as a recipient of therapy. [36:42]
  • Why neither of us really likes the term “hacks.” [39:25]
  • Are there any types of clients Michael won’t work with? [40:37]
  • Clever ways to navigate honest personal references without putting anyone on the spot. [42:14]
  • What are Michael’s guidelines for tipping when dining out? [44:41]
  • Could you sum up your own personal philosophy in twenty words or less? [45:51]
  • In a society of easy distraction, mindfulness is a superpower. [47:08]
  • Building up a tolerance to discomfort works for the body and the mind. [48:22]
  • Best practices for imagery, why Michael prefers this term to visualization, and how the aims of imagery and mindfulness differ. [50:29]
  • The effectiveness of mnemonic devices. [52:47]
  • What Rickson Gracie told Michael about his use of imagery. [54:13]
  • What does Michael consider success, and who embodies this concept for him? [55:32]
  • Books Michael has gifted the most. [56:45]
  • Favorite movies and documentaries. [57:50]
  • A recent purchase of$100 or less that has had a positive impact on Michael’s life. [58:37]
  • If Michael had to give a TED Talk about something for which he’s not well known, what would the topic be? [59:40]
  • What is the hardest challenge currently facing Michael now? [1:01:25]
  • What is the worst advice Michael hears being given often in his field? [1:03:03]
  • Does Michael have any favorite failures? [1:04:40]
  • Most worthwhile investment of Michael’s money, time, or energy. [1:05:54]

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