The High Performance Zone

Gucci chats with Giovanni ‘The Lion’ Dienstmann about self-discipline, self-mastery, and creating a fulfilling life. Giovanni is a self-discipline coach and meditation teacher who champions the virtues of determination, integrity, courage, and optimism. He takes a mindful approach to personal development, and his latest book, Mindful Self-Discipline: Living with Purpose and Achieving Your Goals in a World of Distractions, helps people fulfill their potential and take control of their lives. In this episode, you’ll hear from Giovanni on; - (00.01:19) The top trait of high performers. Giovanni points out that self-discipline is the trait that all highly successful people have in common. He also refers to the components of awareness and willpower that allow us to identify and live in alignment with our values and aspirations. - (00:12:29) Empowered peace. Giovanni talks about acquiring mental strength and focus through mindfulness and meditation. - (00:26:27) Wise confidence. For Giovanni, confidence is a virtue, and he encourages people to turn self-doubt into self-belief and think positively about their abilities and potential. - (00:40:43) Good karma. As a meditation teacher, Giovanni believes in karma, and for him, the best strategy for a happy, regret-free life is to do the right thing and give more than you receive. - (00:43.34) Mantra meditations. Giovanni explains how to do a simple beginner’s meditation and shares a technique to stimulate the Third Eye and access a state of

In this episode of the High-Performance Zone Podcast, Gucci’s guest is Dre Baldwin, the founder and CEO of Work On Your Game. Dre was born and raised in Philadelphia, played professional basketball in Lithuania, and transitioned into an entrepreneur and motivational coach who applies the mindset, strategy, and systems he learned from playing pro `basketball into his business coaching career. Today, you’ll hear from Dre Baldwin on: Get in touch with Dre: Text 305.384.6894 for Daily Motivation Website: Work On Your Game University Instagram: @drebaldwin YouTube: Dre Baldwin - Work On Your Game Connect with John: Sign up for John’s free weekly IMPACT video series John’s Website John’s LinkedIn John’s Instagram

Russ Holder is a golf professional, a former caddy for Bernhard Langer, and the founder and CEO of Caddy For A Cure. As the son of a pilot and an ardent fan of the Blue Angels, Russ ran the golf tournament for the Blue Angels Foundation for several years. Recently, he created the Inspiring Warriors Golf program, and his mission is to inspire and assist wounded veterans through golf. In this episode, you’ll hear from Russ Holder on:

Shelly Lefkoe is the co-founder of the Lefkoe Institute and a world-renowned expert in teaching people how to eliminate their limiting beliefs. Shelly specializes in setting her clients free from the psychological constraints that prevent them from living happier and more authentic lives. In this episode, she takes John through the unique Lefkoe Belief Process and explains how to disrupt destructive thought patterns and create positive change in your life. Today, you’ll hear from Shelly on:

Dr. Christian Conte is a leading emotional and anger management expert who often works with prisoners, prison officers, and high-performance sports teams. Christian is passionate about helping people gain control over their emotions, and his book Walking Through Anger provides valuable strategies for confronting conflict and staying focused and calm in emotionally charged situations. In this episode, you’ll hear from Christian on:

Jessica Kriegel is a Workplace Culture Expert, the creator of The Culture Equation, and Chief Scientist of Workplace Culture at Culture Partners. Jessica knows that culture drives results, and through her tried and tested tools and strategies, she empowers leaders to improve employee fulfillment and increase performance and profitability. As a culture change specialist, Jessica is a sought-after keynote speaker and the author of Unfairly Labeled: How Your Workplace Can Benefit from Ditching Generational Stereotypes and Proving the Value of Soft Skills: Measuring Impact and Calculating ROI. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jessica on:

Today's Best of Episode features Catherine Hernandez-Blades. Catherine is an award-winning CMO and PR News Hall of Famer who is currently the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at SAIC. With over 25 years of experience in senior marketing and communication roles at Fortune 500 companies, Catherine likes to position herself at the nexus of purpose and profit, and she’s passionate about the social impact that corporations can make in the world. In this episode, you’ll hear from Catherine on:

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Steve Leder. Steve is a husband, father, and the Senior Rabbi of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. He’s also a respected scholar and religious commentator and the author of several bestselling books, including The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things and More Beautiful Than Before; How Suffering Transforms Us. His latest book, The Beauty of What Remains; How Our Greatest Fears Become Our Greatest Gifts, shows us how our fear of death can help us define what’s truly meaningful and bring more gratitude, value, and purpose to our lives. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rabbi Leder on: (00:15:10) The joy of hugs. As enthusiastic huggers, we talk about the power of human touch and its ability to connect and console people in a way that words can’t. Also, Rabbi Leder explains how hugs help us demonstrate trust, express empathy, and affirm each other’s humanity. (00:31:18) Death as a teacher. Despite Rabbi Leder’s long experience of dealing with the dying and their grieving relatives, he admits that only the experience of looking at his own father’s body made him finally realize that he, too, was going to die. As a mourner rather than a rabbi, he reveals how his experience of bereavement changed his life for the better and helped make him a better husband, father, and human being. (00:38:57) The transmigration of the soul. Rabbi Leder shares his stories of witnessing the sense of peace that comes over the dying as the energy of the soul leaves the body and is transformed into an unknown but continuing force. (00:53:01) The indefinable nature of God. We discuss the meaning of God’s ‘ I Will Be Who I Will Be’ statement to Moses, and Rabbi Leder points out that the phrase is deliberately vague since the true nature of divinity and cosmic justice is just too powerful and complex for human beings to understand. (01:04:38) Gratitude. Rabbi Leder encourages us to count our blessings and keep going until we reach a hundred! In particular, he reminds us to be grateful for even the smallest of things and celebrate all the abundance and beauty in our lives.

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Dr. Gillian Mandich. Dr. Gillian is a happiness researcher, public speaker, and the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research. Gillian believes that happiness is a practice, not a destination, and, through her keynote speeches, workshops, and courses, she helps people become healthier and happier by encouraging them to adopt simple habits and practices that have been scientifically proven to increase happiness and produce a greater sense of fulfillment and well-being. In this episode, you’ll hear from Gillian Mandich on: (00:33:33) The meaning of happiness. Gillian defines happiness as the experience of joy, contentment, and positive well-being combined with the sense that your life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile. However, she points out that happiness means different things to different people and stresses the importance of developing an awareness of what makes you happy and making an effort to do more of what you love and less of what you hate. (00:50:07) Overriding the brain’s natural negativity bias. She explains that practicing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to train your brain to focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. She also suggests keeping a gratitude journal and even a gratitude jar to heighten your appreciation of all the good things in your life. (01:06:21) Creating small bursts of joy. According to Gillian’s research, the small moments of joy in our daily lives, rather than the big occasions such as birthdays, graduations, and vacations, bring us the most happiness. So, her tip for living a consistently happy life is to create small bursts of joy throughout the day by doing simple things, like calling a friend or going for a walk. (01:30:12) Taking control. She talks about the benefits of focusing your attention on the areas of your life over which you have control. Plus, she emphasizes the importance of accepting the fact that bad things happen and understanding that it’s impossible to be happy all the time. (01:51:10) Learning to see the world through the lens of awe. Gillian describes a recent experience of awe that made her change the way she saw the world. She suggests seeking solace and inspiration in beauty and nature by taking the time to look up at the stars or gaze at a beautiful sunset.

In this week's Best of Episode, we welcome Molly Fletcher. Molly is a keynote speaker and former top sports agent who has represented over 300 high-performing athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. She’s also the author of several best-selling books, including The Energy Clock, The Business of Being the Best, and Fearless at Work. Molly’s mission is to lead, inspire, and connect with courage and optimism. She encourages people to find the courage to combat complacency, and through her recently released TED talk, her Game Changers podcast, and her in-person and virtual trainings, she helps others strengthen their resolve, maximize their potential, and develop a winning mindset. In this episode, you’ll hear from Molly Fletcher on:

In this week's Best of Episode, we welcome Dr. Bill Howatt. Bill is an expert in mental fitness and psychological safety in the workplace who specializes in helping employers create positive workplaces where employees feel included, valued, and fulfilled. He has over thirty years of experience in consulting and coaching, and he’s the author of over fifty books, including the soon-to-be-released No Regrets: How to Live Today for Tomorrow’s Emotional Well-Being. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Bill Howatt on;

Aaron ‘Big A’ Walker is the founder of View from the Top and creator of the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind. Aaron is a serial entrepreneur turned mentor and coach with over four decades of business experience. As a self-made man, he motivates others to strive for significance and success, and his mission is to help ordinary men become extraordinary in all they do. In this episode, you’ll hear from Aaron on:

Dr. Chris Honey is the Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at the University of British Columbia. As well as being a distinguished surgeon and educator, Dr. Chris is also the Neurological Director of the Canadian Football League Players Association, an ex-Olympic diver, and the author of The Tenth Nerve, A Brain Surgeon's Stories of the Patients Who Changed Him. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Honey on:

Today we’re honouring Black History Month by re-releasing our episode with A.J. Andrews. A.J. is a professional softball player, TV sports analyst, and the first woman to receive the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award. She is also an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, and the host of the Barrier Breaking Women podcast, which celebrates and elevates the achievements of inspirational women in sport and business. She is an incredible athlete with a formidable work ethic, and her mission is to break down barriers for softball players and pave the way for more women to succeed in sports.

In this week's Best of Episode, we welcome Clint Pulver. Clint is an Emmy Award-winning, motivational keynote speaker, author, musician, and workforce expert. Clint was known for years as “The Undercover Millennial”, a project that had him doing years of direct research on employee engagement and retention. Clint is a fun, dynamic, entertaining, no-stress speaker. A Professional Drummer for over 20 years, he's played with top headlining fellow musicians in venues like the Vivint Arena, the Stadium of Fire, and the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Known as the Leading Authority on Employee Retention, Clint helps organizations retain, engage, and inspire their team members from the front desk to the board rooms and everyone in between. He expertly helps audiences navigate generational complexities, communication challenges, leadership missteps, and cultural cues. Topics covered in this episode:

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Geshe Michael Roach. Geshe is the first American to have been awarded the degree of Geshe, or Master of Buddhism, after more than 20 years of study in Tibetan monasteries. He has used this training to become a prominent international teacher, businessman, philanthropist, author, educator, public speaker, textual scholar, and musician. Geshe Michael graduated with honors from Princeton University and has received the Presidential Scholar Medal from the President of the United States at the White House. Geshe Michael helped build the largest manufacturing company in NYC history, building the Diamond Company Andin to a huge corporation which was sold to Warren Buffett for 250 Million Dollars.

Stephen Sacks is the founder of Funding Nav, an organization that helps ambitious businesses raise funds, scale, and become more profitable. As well as being the author of Reboot Your Business and The Intelligent Investor’s Handbook, Stephen is also the host and organizer of FuckUp Nights London, an event that gives business owners a platform to share their stories of entrepreneurial failure with an empathetic audience. In this episode, you’ll hear from Stephen Sacks on:

Dr. Carmen Terzic is a former Olympic fencer and the Director of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. Carmen’s mission is to help people recover from heart attacks and surgery by encouraging them to exercise and adopt healthier lifestyles. She is also a respected academic who has carried out pioneering research into regenerative medicine and stem cell science. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Carmen on;

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Errol Doebler. Errol is a former Navy SEAL, an entrepreneur and an expert in what it takes to become a next level leader. Errol is one of the few people in the world who has had the distinction of serving as a Surface Warfare Officer, a Navy SEAL and as an FBI Special Agent. Now, with the founding of his consulting firm, Leader 193, Errol is sharing his wisdom with companies around the world. Topics discovered in this episode:

In today's Best of Episode, we feature Steve Leder. Steve is a husband, father, and the Senior Rabbi of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. He’s also a respected scholar and religious commentator and the author of several bestselling books, including The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things and More Beautiful Than Before; How Suffering Transforms Us. His latest book, The Beauty of What Remains; How Our Greatest Fears Become Our Greatest Gifts, shows us how our fear of death can help us define what’s truly meaningful and bring more gratitude, value, and purpose to our lives. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rabbi Leder on: (00:15:10) The joy of hugs. As enthusiastic huggers, we talk about the power of human touch and its ability to connect and console people in a way that words can’t. Also, Rabbi Leder explains how hugs help us demonstrate trust, express empathy, and affirm each other’s humanity. (00:31:18) Death as a teacher. Despite Rabbi Leder’s long experience of dealing with the dying and their grieving relatives, he admits that only the experience of looking at his own father’s body made him finally realize that he, too, was going to die. As a mourner rather than a rabbi, he reveals how his experience of bereavement changed his life for the better and helped make him a better husband, father, and human being. (00:38:57) The transmigration of the soul. Rabbi Leder shares his stories of witnessing the sense of peace that comes over the dying as the energy of the soul leaves the body and is transformed into an unknown but continuing force. (00:53:01) The indefinable nature of God. We discuss the meaning of God’s ‘ I Will Be Who I Will Be’ statement to Moses, and Rabbi Leder points out that the phrase is deliberately vague since the true nature of divinity and cosmic justice is just too powerful and complex for human beings to understand. (01:04:38) Gratitude. Rabbi Leder encourages us to count our blessings and keep going until we reach a hundred! In particular, he reminds us to be grateful for even the smallest of things and celebrate all the abundance and beauty in our lives.