Episodes

  • E20 Forming Habits for Success: Creating Productive Consistency in Everyday Life

    E20 Forming Habits for Success: Creating Productive Consistency in Everyday Life
    Jul 9 2025

    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:

    1. What does it mean to “form a habit,” and why is it so crucial for productivity and personal growth?
    2. What are the main challenges people face when trying to develop good habits?
    3. 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
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    45 mins
  • E18 The Truth About Weight Loss: Breaking Down Misunderstandings and Setting You Up for Success

    E18 The Truth About Weight Loss: Breaking Down Misunderstandings and Setting You Up for Success
    Jun 25 2025

    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:

    1. What is weight loss, and why is it such a universal and important goal?
    2. Why do so many of us struggle with weight loss despite our greatest efforts?
    3. 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

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    50 mins
  • E17 Finding Balance in Emotions: Regulating Your Emotional Flexibility and Rigidity

    E17 Finding Balance in Emotions: Regulating Your Emotional Flexibility and Rigidity
    Jun 18 2025

    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:

    1. What is the concept of emotional flexibility vs. rigidity, and why is it essential for success?
    2. Do I actually have big feelings that I need to address? If so, why can’t they just stay buried?
    3. 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

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    38 mins
  • E16 How to Define and Live Out Your Purpose: Key Steps to Finding Meaning in Life and Work

    E16 How to Define and Live Out Your Purpose: Key Steps to Finding Meaning in Life and Work
    Jun 11 2025

    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:

    1. What is “purpose,” and why does having a sense of purpose matter in our personal and professional lives?
    2. Why do so many people struggle to identify or redefine their purpose, and what common obstacles stand in the way?
    3. 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

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    49 mins
  • E15 Motivating Others: How to Connect With, Inspire, and Motivate the People Around You

    E15 Motivating Others: How to Connect With, Inspire, and Motivate the People Around You
    Jun 4 2025

    Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

    Guest: Pablo Lopez, Professional Baseball Pitcher | Minnesota Twins Baseball Club

    If you’ve ever been a part of a team, group, organization, or family, it’s obvious that much of your progress, success, and happiness in heavily influenced by the people around you. This can be a major blessing if you are surrounded by the right kind of people. But if you aren’t, it can be a major challenge and roadblock to success. One of critical elements to ensure success of the group is having the ability to appropriately motivate those around you. This is a critical element to group success, but it isn’t easy. That’s what we are going to focus on in this session as we sit down with Major League Baseball player, Pablo Lopez. The three big questions are working through with Pablo are: 1. What does it really mean to motivate others, and why does it matter? 2. Why do most people struggle to effectively motivate their peers, and what common challenges keep us from inspiring others? 3. What practical steps can the average person take to become better at motivating those around them?

    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

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    50 mins
  • E14 Understanding the Basics of Sleep: What Everyone Should Know about Sleep Needs and Stages

    E14 Understanding the Basics of Sleep: What Everyone Should Know about Sleep Needs and Stages
    May 28 2025

    Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

    Guest: Stuart J. McCarter, M.D., Sleep and Cognitive/Behavioral Neurologist | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

    In the past, we’ve discussed the circadian rhythm and how it sets your clock for the day. Both when you are awake, and when you are asleep. Today, we are going to focus in on what happens to us when we go to sleep. We all know that for sleep to be truly restorative, we need a certain amount of it, and that sleep needs to be high quality. So, it’s a problem that concerns both quality and quantity. But if you want to optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep, you need to start by understanding what sleep is and what happens to our bodies while we are snoozing. This knowledge is foundational to you becoming the best sleeper you can be. Our guest this week is Dr. Stuart McCarter, who is a Neurologist and Sleep Expert from the Mayo Clinic. The three big questions Dr. McCarter is going to answer for us this week are: 1. What is sleep and why is it so important? 2. What are the different stages of sleep and their functions? 3. How can I tell how if I am getting enough high-quality sleep?

    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

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    53 mins
  • E13 Unwrapping the Truth About Processed Foods: Impact on Your Health and How to Overcome the Temptation

    E13 Unwrapping the Truth About Processed Foods: Impact on Your Health and How to Overcome the Temptation
    May 21 2025

    Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

    Guest: Katherine A. Zeratsky, RDN, LD, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Registered Dietitian | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

    Would you describe yourself as someone who is busy, wants to save money, and likes things that taste good? That describes a lot of us, and those are some of the most common reasons many of us rely on processed foods. However, these foods can have a major impact on us in ways that are obvious, and others that are not so obvious. Not only does what we eat impact our weight, but overconsumption of processed foods impacts nearly every domain of human performance. To tell us more about this topic, our quest this week is Mayo Clinic Registered Dietician and Nutritionist, Kate Zeratsky. The three big questions she is going to walk us through include: 1. What exactly are processed foods and why do they matter so much to our overall health? 2. Why do so many of us rely on processed foods despite the known downsides? 3. What are the practical steps we should take right now to minimize processed foods in our diets?

    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

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    52 mins