Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS, President, Cressey Sports Performance - Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Hudson, MA Director, Player Health and Performance - New York Yankees   Improving strength and gaining an appropriate muscle mass is critical for our overall health and function. And our strength and muscle mass are two of the greatest predictors of longevity. For those reasons, everyone is wondering, how do I get stronger and gain muscle in the most efficient and practical way?  Whether you are brand new to strength training or are a muscle-bound weightlifting maniac, this episode is for you. We are going to cut through the hype and misinformation to give you practical tips and knowledge, so you can become your strongest self. Our session is titled: “How to Build Muscle & Get Stronger: What Everyone Needs to Know and Do.”   Our expert guest is Eric Cressey, co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance and host of the “Elite Baseball Podcast”, and he is going to help us answer the following big questions: 1. What is meant by strength training and why is it so important? 2. Why do so many of us struggle to work out regular and gain muscle? 3. What are the core practices that everyone should incorporate to build muscle and get stronger?   To help you turn this knowledge into action, consider starting/joining a pod-club…   How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random) Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own! Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!   Discussion Questions for this Episode: 1) What is your “why” or reason for wanting to get stronger? If you have more than one, rank them in order of priority. 2) In the past, what have been the biggest hurdles that prevented you from achieving your strength goals? Separate these out by factors that are directly in your control vs. those that are not.  3) We mention the 4 factors that contribute to strength are genetics, nutrition, sleep, and training program. How has your nutrition and sleep positively or negatively influenced your strength goals?  4) After listening to this episode, did you discover any new reasons as to why you haven’t seen the strength gains you seek? 5) Do you currently have any sort of accountability in your training program (writing down your workouts, working with a coach, having a training partner)? If so, how has that helped? If not, how could you practically implement some accountability?  6) Are you willing to consistently commit to a program that appropriately challenges you for 6 months? If so, what benefits do you expect to see (think about benefits along the way as well as the end result). If not, what would it take to improve your motivation to do so? 7) What is one change you are going to make this week to get the first win in your quest to improve your strength? Make this very clear and concrete.    Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Chrissy Holm Haider, Ed.D., MSc, MS, LPCC, CMPC, Athletic Counselor, Certified Mental Performance Consultant | Premier Sport Psychology     We all need to improve our emotional intelligence, and one of the main pillars of that is learning to manage ourselves. We’ve said before that first step of Emotional Intelligence is “Understanding Ourselves.”  After that, the next step is “Managing Ourselves.” This concept of self-management is critical to improving our emotional intelligence and interacting with the world. Our expert here to help us with this today is Dr. Chrissy Holm Haider.   The three big questions we have for her are:  1. What is “Self-Management” and how does it fit into “Emotional Intelligence?” 2. What makes self-management so challenging in our modern lives? 3. What are the actual steps I can take to finally master my ability to manage myself?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Erica Martin, PhD, SPHR, Development Programs Director – Department of Development – Mayo Clinic   Conflict is a universal experience. Anywhere two people are present, conflict is likely to occur at some level. This conflict can be devastatingly harmful, but it can also foster growth and progress. Given how ubiquitous conflict is, it’s critical for us to learn how to identify it, work through it, and use it for good.  To help us get started in this process, our expert guest is Dr. Erica Martin.   The three big questions she is going to answer for us include:  1. What is conflict and what is its impact? 2. Why do we find ourselves in conflict so often, and why is it hard for us? 3. What can we do to turn conflict into progress— at work and in our everyday relationships?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Dennis E. Dahlen, Chief Financial Officer – Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   We are all busy and have a lot of tasks that need to be accomplished. And those tasks need to be accomplished somewhere! Whether you are working at home, in an office, or on the road, your physical surroundings play a surprising large role in how you do your work, how much you get done, and the level of quality of that work. In this episode, we are going to talk about some of the science behind how your surroundings impact you, and what you can do to optimize them.     Our expert guest here to teach us more is Dennis Dahlen, and the three big questions we are going to work through are:  1. How do our physical and mental surroundings influence productivity? 2. What common obstacles keep people from creating productive environments and what is secretly sabotaging our productivity? 3. Which practical strategies can anyone apply to optimize their physical and mental spaces for sustained high performance?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Roshanak (Roshy) Didehban, FACHE, Chief Administrative Officer | Mayo Clinic – Arizona, Interim Chief Information Officer – Mayo Clinic   If you interact with others, then you influence others. Whether you like it or not, we all influence the people around us. Hopefully this is mostly in a positive way, but if you aren’t thoughtful and intentional, that may not always be the case. Knowing that you are going to have an impact on the people around you, you might as well invest the time to figure out how to influence them positively. This is obviously true for leaders, but it really applies to all of us in all relationships, no matter our position.     Our expert here to discuss this topic with us is Roshy Didehban, and the three big questions we are going to tackle are: 1. What exactly is positive influence and why does it matter? 2. Why is it often hard for us to positively inspire ourselves and others? 3. What practical steps can we take to positively influence others so they can be their best selves?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Peter Rhee, DO, MSc, Orthopedic Hand Surgeon, Assistant Dean for Trainee Well-Being, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   In a world of increasing pressure and growing demands, our stress levels continue to climb. When it seems like everyone is spinning out of control, having the ability to appropriately manage our stress can be a real superpower. To continue to be high performers, we must develop appropriate ways for viewing, understanding, managing, and overcoming stress.  Our expert guest today is Dr. Peter Rhee.   The three big questions we have for Peter are:  What exactly is stress and how does it show up in our lives? Why do so many of us feel overwhelmed and what are the consequences? What are the practical steps we can take to reduce and control our stress levels?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Kimberly D. Collins M.A., ACC, Owner/Founder, Executive Coach, Enneagram Consultant | Enneagram Reflections   If you don’t first understand yourself, you’ll never be able to understand and interact with the world around you. We’ve talked about the concept of emotional intelligence a lot on the Human Optimization Project, with the four main components being 1) Self-Awareness; 2) Self-Management; 3) Social-Awareness, and 4) Social-Management. Today, we are going to focus on all things related to “Self-Awareness.” Our expert to help us with this is executive coach, Kimberly Collins.   The three big questions we have for her are: 1. What is Self-Awareness, and how does it fit into the bigger picture of “Emotional Intelligence”? 2. Why is true Self-Awareness rare, and what modern traps keep us from understanding ourselves? 3. What steps can one take to start improving their Self-Awareness in a meaningful way?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Heidi L. Dieter, M.B.A., Chief Research Administrator | Mayo Clinic   If you lead a group, team, family, or set of friends in any way, I’m sure you’d like to be able to boost morale, increase engagement, decrease turn over, and improve creativity.  Well, one scientifically backed way to do that is to become a “servant leader.”  Multiple studies show substantial improvements for groups who are directed by servant leaders; and data also suggests that it improves the joy of the leaders themselves.  Our expert guest for this topic is Heidi Dieter, Chair of the Department of Research Administration at Mayo Clinic.   The three big questions we are going to work through are:  1. What is servant leadership and what are the benefits? 2. Why do we struggle to put servant principles into practice and what common traps derail us? 3. What practices can we adopt to lead through service and unlock peak performance?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu  

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Natalie Caine, Chief Administrative Officer, Mayo Clinic in Rochester In a world that sometimes bends towards negativity, complimenting and giving praise is may seem like a lost art. But this is exactly why we need to be giving praise now more than ever! The impact that praise has (on both the receiver and the giver) is massive, so it is something that we should all be doing more frequently. To help us understand why, our guest today is Natalie Caine, Chief Administrative Officer of Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The three big questions we have for Natalie are:  1. What is high-quality praise, and how does it impact others? 2. Why do so many of us hesitate—or misfire—when giving praise, and how does that shortfall impact us 3. What steps can we take to be more effective of praising others in our lives? Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu    

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Dawn Mussallem, DO, DipABLM, Lifestyle Medicine & Integrative Oncology Medical Director, Humanities in Medicine | Mayo Clinic – Florida   You’ve all heard the term “gratitude” recently, and it was most likely from someone telling you that you need more of it in your life. What if we told you that if you were able to increase your gratitude, it could improve your sleep, improve exercise gains, reduce depression/anxiety, increase your lifespan, improve job satisfaction, and make you more productive? All that is true. Now, we are going to show you how you can increase your gratitude to start reaping these benefits with our expert guest, Dr. Dawn Mussallem.   The three big questions we are going to work through with Dawn are: 1. What exactly is gratitude and what are the benefits? 2. Why is it so hard for us as humans to be grateful and regularly practice gratitude? 3. What steps should we take to become our most grateful selves in our life at work, home, and beyond?    Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Maneesh Goyal, Chief Operating Officer | Mayo Clinic Platform In our world of constant stimulation and distraction, the ability to focus deeply is becoming a lost art. Although it may be more challenging to focus these days, this doesn’t mean that it’s less important. In fact, being able to focus on the task at hand is one of the most critical skills needed for success. If you can master your ability to focus, it can be an absolute game changer for you in our modern society that struggles so much with this. Our expert guest today is Maneesh Goyal, COO of Mayo Clinic Platform.   The three big questions we have for Maneesh are:  1. What is focus and why is it so important for our productivity and joy? 2. Why do we all seem to struggle to focus in today’s world? 3. What concrete steps can we take to improve our focus in our world of constant interruption?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Joshua B. Murphy, Legal Counsel | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   Current knowledge workers are spending an average of 15 or more hours per week in meetings, and for many of us, that number can be doubled. What’s with the meeting mania? With the amount of time we are spending in meetings, it’s critical that we make these meetings meaningful. Let’s face it, many of them are far from that. So how do we fix this? To bring clarity to this issue, our expert here to help us with this is Josh Murphy.   The three big questions we are going to work through are: 1. What defines an effective meeting and why does it matter? 2. Why do most meetings feel like a time waste, and what impact does that have on us? 3. What steps can we take to make our next meeting, effective, efficient, and enjoyable?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Andrew Danielsen, Chief Business Development Officer | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   It has been estimated that the average adult makes over 30,000 decisions per day. Which is a mind-blowing number. While some of these may be small or boring, the majority of these decisions shape who we are and the impact we have on this world. Given how impactful these decisions are, it’s critical that we get as many of them right as possible. Not only do we need to try to make the right decisions, but we need to make them quickly. So how do we make the right decision at the right time, well, that is what we are going to tackle in this session titled: The Art and Science of Decision Making: How to Make the Right Call at the Right Time. Our expert guest today is Andrew Danielsen, the Chief Business Development Officer for Mayo Clinic.   The three big questions we have for Andy are: 1. What are the key elements needed for us to make a good decision? 2. Why do so many of us struggle to make effective decisions in a timely way? 3. What concrete practices can we adopt to improve both decision quality and timing in work, home, and leadership settings?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu  

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Anjali Bhagra, MD MBA FACP, Professor of Medicine; Medical Director, Enterprise Automation and Belonging | Mayo Clinic   Data shows that being more resilient can decrease our stress, improve productivity, decrease burnout, enhance our relationships, and even reduce mortality in some situations. However, when we are in the thick of struggling through life’s challenges, someone just telling us to “be more resilient” may feel more like gas lighting than true inspiration. So, how do we become our most resilient selves when many of us feel like we are already being pushed to the edge? That’s what we hope to answer for you in this session. To help us with this topic, our expert is Dr. Anjali Bhagra who is Medical Director of Enterprise Automation and The Office of Belonging at Mayo Clinic.   The three big questions we plan to tackle with Dr. Bhagra are: What exactly is resiliency, and why does it matter so much for health, happiness, and performance? What is the audience’s struggle: Why do so many of us struggle to be resilient, and how does that impact us personally and professionally? What is the solution: What steps can we take to become our most resilient selves?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., Sports Medicine Physician | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   We all know what exercise is (or at least we think we do). We are familiar with many of it’s benefits such as getting stronger, improving flexibility, and losing weight. However, there are a number of benefits that most of us may not be aware of and don’t commonly think about when it comes to exercise. These benefits are essential knowledge that can be inspiring and motivating for both the beginner just trying to get off the couch to get started and the super fit that is already committed to a fine-tuned routine. In some cases, those benefits are literately life changing. To help us understand why exercise is the best medicine everyone should be taking, our expert is internationally recognized exercise and fitness expert, Dr. Ed Laskowski.   The three big questions we are going to answer with Dr. Laskowski are: 1. How do you define “exercise”, and what types of activities count? 2. What are the “surprise” benefits of exercise that most folks don’t realize? 3. What changes do I need to make in my life in order to start reaping these benefits?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Griffin Jax, Professional Baseball Pitcher | Minnesota Twins Baseball Club     Most of what we are today (our happiness, position, relationships, health, etc.) has come about as a direct consequence of our habits. Good or bad, these habits largely determine who we are, what we do, and how successfully (or unsuccessfully) we navigate life. With habits being such a critical contributor to our lives, why do we struggle so much to consistently do the things we already know we need to do? To help us understand how to form healthy habits and make them a part of our default routine, our expert today is Griffin Jax, Major League Baseball pitcher and Air Force Academy Graduate.   The three big questions we are going to work through with Griffin include:   What does it mean to “form a habit,” and why is it so crucial for productivity and personal growth? What are the main challenges people face when trying to develop good habits? What practical strategies can help us create and sustain beneficial habits for long-term productivity?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu  

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Sara L. Bonnes, M.D., M.S., Medical Director, Healthy Longevity Clinic | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   There is increased attention being paid to the concept of longevity recently. People are living longer than they ever have, and the desire to continually extend our lifespan is at an all-time high. While much of the attention is being directed at how LONG we live, it is easy to overlook the importance of how WELL we live during those years. So how can we ensure that our years are not just long, but that they are healthy? How can we optimize both the QUANTITY, as well as the QUALITY of the years we have here on earth? To help us with this session, our expert is Dr. Sara Bonnes, the Medical Director of the Healthy Longevity Clinic at Mayo Clinic.   The three big questions for Dr. Bonnes are: 1. What is “longevity,” and how does focusing on healthspan differ from simply trying to live longer 2. What are the main areas in our lives that determine our “healthspan”? 3. How can the average person incorporate practical lifestyle changes to support both a longer life and better quality of life?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Tara M. Schmidt, M. Ed., RDN, LD, Lead Registered Dietitian – Mayo Clinic Diet | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   Today, we are discussing weight loss and weight management. This is one with relatively universal application as we all would love to optimize our weight for a number of reasons. The potential benefits and upsides of maintaining a healthy weight are clear to all of us, so why is it often challenging for us to hit our ideal weight goals? To give us a better understanding of the problem and potential solutions, our expert for this topic is Tara Schmidt M.Ed., RND, LD. She’s the lead dietician for “The Mayo Clinic Diet” and host of the “Mayo Clinic On Nutrition” podcast.   The three big questions we are working through with her are: What is weight loss, and why is it such a universal and important goal? Why do so many of us struggle with weight loss despite our greatest efforts? What practical strategies can individuals implement to set themselves up for success?   Connect with us! Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube:  The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu   

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Chris Stephenson, M.D., M.H.P.E., M.S., Internal Medicine Physician, General Internal Medicine, Vice Chair of Practice | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN   Our emotions drive so much of what we think, say, and do. For many of us, our emotions are in the driver’s seat, and we often feel like we are just along for the ride. However, given how important emotional regulation is to our productivity, relationships, and joy, it truly is in our best interest to take control over our emotions and understand them in a more thoughtful way. Specifically, we need to learn how we can use our emotions to help us stay flexible and keep up with the rapidly changing world around us. To help us with this issue, our expert guest today is Dr. Chris Stephenson, the Vice Chair of Practice for Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic.   The three big questions we have for Chris include: What is the concept of emotional flexibility vs. rigidity, and why is it essential for success? Do I actually have big feelings that I need to address? If so, why can’t they just stay buried? What steps can I take to become more emotionally flexible?      Connect with us! Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize    X: @MayoHumanOpProj  Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj  YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube  Email: optimize@mayo.edu    

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project Guest: Carlos Coto, MA., CMPC., Head of Mental Performance | San Diego Football Club Right now, we are all living our lives, striving for progress, and generally trying to improve ourselves, others, and the world around us. But how many of us have stopped to think about WHY we do this? What is the purpose behind our actions? What drives us to want to be better? Even if you have stopped to think about your purpose, do you know it so well that you could clearly articulate it to someone if they stopped you on the street and asked you “What is your purpose?” Probably not. But defining our purpose is absolutely critical to making progress and living a fulfilling life. Our expert guest for this session is Carlos Coto, Certified Mental Performance Consultant and Head of Mental Performance for the San Diego Football Club.   The three big questions we have for Carlos are: What is “purpose,” and why does having a sense of purpose matter in our personal and professional lives? Why do so many people struggle to identify or redefine their purpose, and what common obstacles stand in the way? What practical steps and strategies can someone use to discover, refine, and consistently live out their purpose?   Connect with us! Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize  X: @MayoHumanOpProj  Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj  YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube  Email: optimize@mayo.edu