From being cut in Spain to coaching in the NBA, and from writing cold letters to becoming a bestselling author and global speaker, David Nurse's path defies traditional success playbooks. In this episode, David Nurse, a former professional basketball player and NBA coach turned elite performance strategist, bestselling author, and one of the top 50 keynote speakers in the world, sits down with host Michelle Johnston to unpack the mindset tools and energetic strategies that elevate leaders beyond grind culture into a sustainable rhythm of achievement and joy.

David Nurse is known for his transformative approach to mindset. He has trained over 150 NBA players and works with top executives and organizations to unlock next-level leadership and peak performance. He is the author of several acclaimed books including Pivot & Go and Breakthrough, and is the host of The David Nurse Show. With a blend of athletic rigor and psychological insight, David inspires global audiences to shift perspectives, harness energy, and lead lives rooted in joy, connection, and purpose.

In this episode, David reveals how pivotal moments—like being released from a pro team or getting fired from an NBA coaching job—became catalysts for reinvention. With wisdom born from real-world setbacks, he emphasizes that doors don’t close, they pivot into patios. He shares how his mom’s metaphor about beachfront opportunities reshaped his worldview and lit the path forward.

He speaks candidly about what’s holding most high performers back: not time, but energy and attentionality. He outlines systems for daily success, including morning routines, the power of perspective, flow state optimization, and intentional end-of-day rituals. David's life is living proof that discipline creates freedom, and he empowers listeners with tools like the “bucket of lies vs truths,” “mental dictatorship,” and “the SNAP method” to shift from stress to strategy.

Michelle and David explore the seismic shifts in leadership culture, away from hustle-as-worth and toward holistic, human-centered performance. Whether you’re a CEO, an emerging leader, or just seeking more purpose in your day, this conversation offers a blueprint for living and leading with presence, positivity, and possibility.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meet David Nurse: From Pro Ball to Performance Coach
03:02 The Spain Cut & The Beachfront Metaphor
07:45 Handwritten Letters and NBA Coaching Dreams
12:18 Fired & Pivoting to Purpose
16:00 The Energy Shift: Beyond Hustle Culture
20:11 Routines, Flow State & the SNAP Technique
24:39 Time Bucketing, Big 3s & Daily Resets
29:13 Leading with Energy & Intentional Recharge
32:00 Mindset Tools: Lies, Truths, and Crushing Ants
34:26 The Flow Code Project & What’s Next for David

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire

After a seismic career and life shift, Todd Vande Hei reemerged with a revolutionary take on health. In this powerful conversation, Todd opens up about losing everything during the 2008 economic collapse and how that dark season became the unlikely foundation of his life’s work—building Stark, a human optimization company for elite professionals.

Todd discusses the health challenges that plagued him for decades: seizures, chronic migraines, joint pain, and a state of perpetual burnout fueled by overachievement and hyper-vigilance. These challenges prompted him to reject fragmented healthcare and build a team-based, metrics-driven model inspired by business strategy. He explains how viewing the body like a company—complete with KPIs, quarterly goals, and aligned functional teams—can transform even the busiest executive’s approach to wellness.

You'll gain practical strategies for reclaiming your health, including how to implement “walking meetings,” protein-first nutrition, strength and mobility routines, and advanced sleep hygiene. Todd also unpacks why most high achievers resist lifestyle changes—and how to design wellness tactics that blend into real life without requiring more time.

Michelle and Todd explore what it means to evolve from grinding effort into wisdom-based leadership, and how emotional health is essential for long-term performance. For leaders stuck on the hamster wheel, this episode is an invitation to rethink success—and embrace health as a strategic advantage.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or simply trying to regain balance, Todd’s story and science-backed advice will resonate deeply and inspire immediate action.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Todd VandeHei
02:15 From Carpet Industry to Health Transformation
05:20 Starting Stark During Personal Crisis
08:45 Health Breakdown: Seizures, Migraines, Chronic Issues
13:00 Frustrations with Traditional Healthcare
15:30 Creating a Holistic Health Team
19:00 Type A Burnout and Hyper-Vigilance
23:15 Turning Health into a Measurable Strategy
26:00 Walking Meetings & Leveraging Tech
28:30 Weekly Routine: Strength, Cardio, Mobility
31:00 Mobility Training & Permanent Gains
33:00 The 3 Health Shifts: Sleep, Walk, Protein
35:00 Final Advice for Executives on Reclaiming Health

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire

Michael Bungay Stanier doesn’t just write books—he starts movements. In this energizing conversation with Michelle, the celebrated author of The Coaching Habit and How to Work with Almost Anyone shares the seismic shifts that changed how we lead, connect, and collaborate at work.

Together, they discuss how effective leadership is moving away from advice-giving toward deeper connection, and why asking the right questions upfront can make or break a relationship. Michael explains the origin of his latest book—sparked from a “failed” manuscript and refined into a transformative guide—and details the five questions that form what he calls a “Keystone Conversation.” From stories of co-authoring challenges to funny missteps in innovation consulting, Michael blends humor, vulnerability, and wisdom in a way that only he can and listeners will learn how understanding each other’s best, preferences, and past patterns can elevate a project from stressful to successful.

Michelle also shares her own leadership practices—like her "connection walks" and reflections from co-writing her new book with Marshall Goldsmith. They unpack how small shifts in how we begin working relationships can result in massive gains in trust, productivity, and joy. Whether you're leading a team, co-authoring a book, or collaborating on a project, this episode offers rich, immediately applicable takeaways for working better—with just about anyone.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Michael Bungay Stanier
02:30 Michael’s journey from Oxford to bestselling author
07:50 From innovation consultant to self-published success
10:25 The Coaching Habit and shifting away from advice-giving
13:00 Why connection is the foundation of leadership
15:10 The origin of How to Work with Almost Anyone
18:45 The Keystone Conversation: five essential questions
23:40 Designing relationships, not just doing the work
27:10 Vulnerability, repair, and preventing misalignment
30:00 Upcoming seismic shift: improving how change happens
32:30 Final thoughts and thank you

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire