Episode #1
Michael Gervais
The Approval Trap: The Dark Side of Success
In this inaugural episode of What's the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch sits down with renowned performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais for an intimate conversation about the journey from high performance to true mastery. Together they explore how sometimes our greatest breakthroughs come not from pushing harder, but from having the courage to be still.
Show Notes
In this episode, Rebecca and Dr. Gervais discuss:
The distinction between high performance and mastery
Why the first rule of mastery is to stop worrying about what others think
The power of vulnerability in personal growth
Finding wisdom through stillness and self-examination
Transformative Insights:
The three foundational practices for meeting yourself: meditation, journaling, and conversations with people of wisdom
How trauma and hardship can be gateways to deeper understanding
Why purpose and connection are the two key variables for a fulfilled life
The difference between being thoughtful and true meditation
Vulnerable Moments:
Rebecca opens up about hiding her concussion symptoms for years
Dr. Gervais shares his journey of understanding his own drive for achievement
Rebecca discusses her mother's recent passing and the tools for processing grief
Both explore their ongoing work to shed perfectionism and find play
Practical Wisdom:
How to approach meditation as a practice of starting over
The importance of creating space for vulnerability in high achievement
Why awareness is fundamental to high performance
Tools for building authentic community
Personal Growth:
Dr. Gervais's ongoing journey to embrace play over intensity
Rebecca's evolution from "Queen of Pain" to embracing vulnerability
How traumatic experiences can become catalysts for transformation
The power of sharing our struggles to help others
Links and Resources
Special Offer
Our minds are our greatest asset, and if you want to learn more about how you can train your mind, check out Dr. Gervais's online high-performance mindset course, "Finding Your Best," where he’s pulled together the best practices to help you unlock your potential and perform at your best in any environment. In this course Dr. Gervais teaches the same high-performance principles, mindset skills, and wellbeing practices he uses to train world-class athletes and executives. To learn more, sign up for the course, and receive an exclusive discount, just click here and enter the code RUSCH2025 at checkout.
Our Sponsor
Thank you so much to our sponsor, Momentous! As a special thanks for listening, you can take 20% off your first order when you use the coupon code RUSCH20. Click here to order!
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