How far would you go to win? Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer explore the nuanced continuum of competition, from glorifying victory to questioning the value of participation trophies. Drawing on Nike's controversial "Winning Isn't For Everyone" Olympic commercial, they discuss whether top-level success demands an edginess and selfishness that borders on villainy. Tune in as they unpack the risks of this mindset, the intricacies of human nature, and how to find balance in the pursuit of excellence.

In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Milt Lowder and his daughter, McKee Lowder, engage in what has become a Lowder family tradition: reflecting on McKee’s childhood and the lessons learned as she prepares to embark on her journey to Clemson University. They discuss what it means to be your best, always remembering who you are, McKee's goals and dreams for college, and the importance of embracing the unknown. Join them for an emotional conversation filled with wisdom, love, and the excitement of new beginnings.

How are you progressing toward your 2024 goals? Nearly midway through the year, Drs. Milt Lowder and Cory Shaffer reflect on the importance of reviewing your progress six months into the year. They discuss the significance of pausing, taking inventory, and creating clarity about who you want to be and how you plan to achieve your goals. Don't be a passive passenger in life; take the wheel and steer towards a clear, purposeful direction.

Most leaders know that a strong team culture leads to positive results across the board, including higher satisfaction and retention among team members, increased innovation, and higher performance. Developing a great culture is crucial for a team or organization to perform at its best, but defining and embedding culture is often more elusive and difficult to put into practice. To help with this process, Drs. Cory Shaffer and Katie Nichols break down Edgar Schein's six cultural embedding mechanisms.

"Fully realized" people radiate confidence, have a deep understanding of who they are and what they stand for, and possess a strong sense of contentment and balance in life. A prime example of a fully realized person is entrepreneur and business pioneer, Velda Hughes, who exemplifies what it looks like to truly live life to the fullest. Dr. Milt Lowder and Velda discuss her journey to start her own business, the Hughes Agency, her passion for work, carrying on the legacy of her father in the crusade for social equality, and the importance of giving yourself permission to have fun and enjoy life.

It's a risk to start a business and if it's going to be successful, it's crucial to invest maximum effort and truly give it your all. Dr. Drew Brannon talks with entrepreneurs Stuart Wyeth, Ross Kester, and Tyson Smoak, the founders of commercial real estate company, Pintail, about their experiences building their company, how their different skills complement one another, and key lessons learned along the way.

What does effective leadership look like over many decades? Dr. Katie Nichols and Sarah Reesman, current Director of Public Interest and JD Advantage Careers at the University of Missouri Law School and previous senior executive staff member with Mizzou Athletics for over 28 years, discuss effective leadership strategies to build and manage a successful organization. Additionally, they discuss the evolution and expansion of college athletics and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

Typically people seek out change and pursue growth when facing a challenge, but you don't have to be sick or facing hardship to get better. Drs. Cory Shaffer and Drew Brannon make the case for change and share actionable steps to establish and sustain a mindset that pursues growth independent of external triggers.

The Law of Value, a concept coined in The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John D. Mann, states that your true value is determined by how much you give back to others and it has been a guiding force for Carl Sobocinski, visionary founder of Table 301 Restauarant Group in Greenville, SC. Dr. Milt Lowder and Carl talk about his path to becoming a successful entrepreneur and discuss putting the Law of Value into practice by paying it forward and giving back to the community.

Dropping off your children for their first year of college often fills parents with a bittersweet combination of pride, excitement, and sadness. This week, Dr. Milt Lowder will experience this rite of passage as his son, Jay Lowder, leaves the nest to start his freshman year at Clemson University. As part of a tradition Milt has done for each of his children, Milt picked "Something to Be Proud Of" by Montgomery Gentry as Jay's song when he was a toddler - one that captures the powerful connection between a father and son. So it's no surprise that the message of this song perfectly captures the theme of this conversation as Milt and Jay look back over the last eighteen years and look forward to the future.

Culture is the life force of an organization, so clearly defining, communicating, and cultivating a strong culture is critical in developing a successful company and team. Dr. Cory Shaffer talks with Brett Putter, Founder of CultureGene and CEO of Hybryd, about the lightbulb moment when Putter fully realized the importance of culture, how leaders can embed cultures within their teams, and the importance of establishing a culture in the world of hybrid work.

Regardless of whether or not you run your own business, adapting an entrepreneurial mindset is advantageous for your professional and personal growth; among its many benefits, thinking like an entrepreneur opens up opportunities by strengthening your ability to overcome obstacles and enhancing your capacity to grow from failure. Dr. Drew Brannon talks with Ryan Johnston and Ryan Heafy, entrepreneurs and founders of 6AM City, a rapidly growing media company focused on activating communities through daily email newsletters in 25 cities across the United States, about their leadership philosophies, entrepreneurial experiences, and key lessons learned along the way.

Annual goals are typically set with gusto and good intentions at the beginning of the year, but they are often forgotten or pushed to the side as life's inevitable curveballs pop up. It's easy to get off course, so to help bring your goals back on track, it's useful to have regular checkpoints to take inventory of your progress. Drs. Milt Lowder, Drew Brannon, Cory Shaffer, and Katie Nichols share their progress on personal annual goals and provide suggestions to help you reach yours.

Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer discuss the gap between awareness and action — the space where many find themselves stuck when attempting to accomplish a goal. They explore why defensiveness and excuses keep us from moving forward. Learn common reasons for falling into this trap and gain practical tips to bridge the gap, turning intention into action. Tune in to discover how to overcome inertia and achieve your goals.

When we experience difficult times in life, it's not always helpful to simply think positive thoughts and be blindly optimistic. Drs. Milt Lowder and Katie Nichols acknowledge the power of positive thinking, but they also discuss why facing the brutal truth allows us to be realistically optimistic, which gives us the freedom to experience pain, find meaning during hardship, and, ultimately, experience positive growth.

Which four athletes would make up your Mount Rushmore? More importantly, why did they make the list? Following up on their Mount Rushmore of Coaches conversation, Drs. Cory Shaffer and Katie Nichols share their all-time athlete lists and the criteria for how they made the cut. This is a great exercise that you can do with your group or team to learn more about each other and engage in some healthy debate over who is most deserving to be carved in stone.

When setting out to reach a new goal, the beginning is typically easier because results are more tangible and endurance has yet to be tested, but the journey often becomes more difficult as time goes on because sustaining growth challenges personal resolve and mental fortitude, particularly when diminishing returns are inevitable. Drs Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer discuss the three phases of the growth process and share tips on how to combat the hurdles you're sure to experience along the way.

Midway through the year is an ideal time to take a step back and measure progress in achieving annual goals. Are you taking the necessary steps to reach your goals and become the person you aspire to be? In addition to goal setting and reflection, Drs. Milt Lowder and Cory Shaffer emphasize the importance of building habits and creating change at the identity level, which results in long-lasting, internalized growth, opposed to superficially checking the box of a desired goal.

Few can say they were the first person ever to do something that's never been done. For Milwaukee Buck's play-by-play announcer, Lisa Byington, it has become a norm in her professional journey as she has opened doors for women in college basketball, football, and professional sport organizations. Lisa joins Dr. Katie Nichols to discuss the type of mindset and approach she's embraced that has helped her become successful at the highest level. She shares her experiences as a professional broadcaster and provides insights on how to perfrom well and stay in the moment in the face of criticism and the unexpected.

Colin Powell was an American army officer and politician who served as the first African-American Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. His book, Colin Powell's 13 Rules of Leadership, serves as the backbone for this conversation between Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Katie Nichols who breakdown five of his thirteen principles, including share credit, perpetual optimism is a force multiplier, and remain calm and be kind.

Brand new research from Hoffman et al., (2022) has provided valuable insight into the relationship between organized sports and the mental health of children and adolescents. Dr. Milt Lowder and Dr. Cory Shaffer use this research as the framework to discuss how being part of a team often positively impacts mental health and leads to lifelong well-being, and how participating solely in individual sports can come with the stress and pressure that can negatively impact mental well-being in children.

Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, which means longer days, relaxing vacations, and, hopefully, more time to recharge and simply enjoy life. Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer discuss how summer is a natural mid-year point to reflect on annual goals and how, if approached deliberately, the summertime can be very beneficial to our overall well-being.

There is merit in both leading from the front, or taking an active and visible role in running a team, and leading from the back, which is best summarized by Nelson Mandela: "He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind." Dra. Milt Lowder and Cory Shaffer examine both styles, share examples of leaders who embody these leadership styles, and provide action steps to apply these principles with your own teams.

This was a noteworthy year for the Kentucky Derby because Rich Strike, this year's winner, was officially added into the race only a day before the big day and was racing at 80-1 odds. Dr. Drew Brannon and Dr. Katie Nichols discuss key lessons learned from Rich Strike's historic win, including the importance of running your own race, strong performance doesn't happen on paper, and the significance of seeing your goals all the way through.

Join Dr. Cory Shaffer as he talks with Brian Burnsed, a seasoned Sports Illustrated writer, to dive into his journey of crafting immersive sports stories. With experience at Business Week, US News, NCAA Magazine, and Turner Sports, Burnsed shares insights into his writing process, the evolution of his purpose, and the mastery behind his acclaimed narratives. Discover the dedication and passion fueling his detailed and impactful work in sports journalism.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so Dr. Milt Lowder and Dr. Drew Brannon, both licensed psychologists, explore and highlight the ways we can better understand the impact of mental health on personal well-being. They discuss how we view mental health as a society, the impact it can have on performance outcomes, and why there's a stigma that still exists surrounding mental health.

Who would you pick to be on a Mount Rushmore of coaches? Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Katie Nichols explore this question and each select four legendary coaches who they feel are worthy of being immortalized as the four all-time greats. Their discussion not only reveals characteristics and leadership styles they personally value, but also highlights many common, overlapping qualities found among strong, long-lasting leaders.

Life is filled with obstacles, but those who find a way to leverage life's inevitable setbacks often ultimately find themselves at the top of their respective fields. Spencer Strider, a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, exemplifies the importance of growing and building from difficulties to reach success at the highest level. Dr. Cory Shaffer and Spencer walk through Spencer's fascinating journey to the MLB, including lessons learned along the way, how he has grown from adversity to improve as a player, and how he conducts science experiments on himself in his pre-game routine to optimize his performance.

Jeremiah Dew, better known publicly as JDew, is an emcee, entertainer, and entrepreneur who has entertained millions over the years at live events, including collegiate and professional sporting games, various civic and corporate fundraisers, and on-stage for his theatrical one-man show: "One Voice: A Black History Narrative." Dr. Milt Lowder and JDew explore Jeremiah's childhood experiences, his unique career, and how these events shaped him and ultimately helped him find his voice.

Do you know your "why"? Dr. Drew Brannon explores the importance of following your true purpose in life, or your "why," with Coach Matt Luke, one of the most respected coaches in college football, whose stops in his career included Duke, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and, most recently, UGA where he served as Associate Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach. They walk through Matt's experience in college football, his growth path, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Educator, entrepreneur, and owner of CrossFit Clemson, Cameron White is passionate about helping others through health and wellness while building the community. Dr. Katie Nichols and Cameron talk about what it means to have an entrepreneurial spirit, how strong purpose can serve as a guide through uncertainty, and the importance of developing boundaries and a strong support system.

It's no secret that a nutritious, well-balanced diet greatly boosts our physical and mental acuity. Given its importance to our overall health, Dr. Cory Shaffer and Steve Benjamin, Sports Dietician for the Atlanta Falcons, discuss the connection between peak performance and proper nutrition. In addition to providing some practical tips on developing good food habits, they also talk about the importance of mindfulness, accountability, and passion in the pursuit of healthy eating for better living.

How do you unlock your authentic self? Dr. Milt Lowder explores this idea with Joe Cummings, a former lacrosse legend and current lacrosse coach at Christ Church Episcopal School. Joe shares the key lessons that helped him discover his true life's purpose and passion, including separating who he is from what he does, developing a growth mindset, and being intentional and thoughtful with the language he uses not only with others, but with himself.

It often takes years of hard-earned experience filled with success and failure to develop a clear sense of purpose in life. Despite enormous success at a young age - signing a record deal with Sony at the age of fifteen, recording three studio albums, earning eight top forty singles on the Billboard Country Music Chart, and touring with the biggest names in country music - Blaine Larsen found his true passion outside of the music industry at Search Ministries. Dr. Drew Brannon and Blaine talk about Larsen's roller coaster journey in the music world and the path that ultimately led him to finding his true purpose.

Every leader wants to build a passionate and engaged team, but this comes with some potential drawbacks. High performance is often linked with more stress, which can lead to burnout and puts leaders at risk of losing their most motivated and hard-working people. To avoid this, it's important to not only maximize engagement, but also help people maintain a healthy work-life balance. Drs. Milt Lowder and Katie Nichols explore this topic and provide tips to help leaders optimize performance and well-being.

Dr. Milt Lowder sits down with Trehel CEO Will Huss and President/COO Keith Poole at Trehel headquarters to discuss authentic leadership. They dive into the importance of purpose, honoring God by caring for people, and creating genuine buy-in. The conversation explores the courage to live and work in alignment with one's beliefs, the significance of intentionality over transactional relationships, and the profound impact of understanding why we exist and work.

Widely recognized as one of the most iconic and accomplished journalists in sports broadcasting, Bonnie Bernstein has reported on some of the biggest events in the sports landscape for ESPN and CBS over the last two decades. Among her many accomplishments, she more recently has leveraged her skills to create Walk Swiftly Productions, serving as Founder and CEO. She has paved the way in multiple facets and is a true pioneer in her field. Dr. Drew Brannon and Bonnie discuss the key elements that helped her achieve personal and professional success, including redefining what failure meant to her, meeting the day with intention, and the importance of a strong inner belief.

How do you define and measure success? What does it take to compete at the highest level while maintaining balance and perspective? Dr. Milt Lowder explores these topics with professional golfer, Ben Martin, who reflects on the key lessons he's learned through his life and career, including practicing with purpose, the power of incremental changes, and judging success based on the quality of commitment to the process.

Each year millions gather to watch the cultural phenomenon that is the Super Bowl. Beyond the spectacle of the game itself, there are often compelling stories linked to the big game that highlight important principles that apply to life beyond the Super Bowl. Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer explore the biggest stories of Super Bowl LVI featuring the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals, including the youngest head coach matchup in Super Bowl history and the limitations of defining success solely on winning the NFL's top prize.

What does it take to create a high-performing team with an excellent culture? Reflecting on their experiences working with teams in collegiate sports in recent years, Drs. Milt Lowder, Drew Brannon, and Cory Shaffer share the key ingredients that led to these teams successfully reaching the ultimate goal of becoming national champions, specifically Clemson Football for the 2016 and 2018 seasons and Clemson Men's Soccer and Georgia Football for the 2021 season. As is always the case with sports, the lessons learned transcend the game and can be applied to help enhance life, both personally and professionally.

Hit NBC television show The Office was must-see TV during its run from 2005 to 2013 and continues to stay relevant thanks to streaming, its timeless humor, and relatable characters. One of the main characters in the show, Michael Scott - played by Steve Carell, is the often inappropriate, yet affable branch manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Michael certainly has his quirks, but he applies some real and important leadership principles that can be applied to your own teams. Dr. Cory Shaffer and Dr. Katie Nichols explore how, in his own unique way, Michael Scott may actually be the World's Best Boss.

What does it mean to have grit? How do you bounce back from adverse events? Dr. Katie Nichols explores these ideas with Dr. Lea Walsh, soon-to-be Lieutenant Commander Select and OSCAR psychologist for the United States Navy. They discuss the key distinction between grit and resilience, the role culture plays in developing growth-minded Marines, and what we can learn about post-traumatic growth.

Successes are often shared and highlighted in the media, and for good reason - it's inspiring and motivating to hear about the path to achievement. However, it's often the less-glamorous and unmentioned moments of failure that act as the key catalysts for personal growth, paving the way to future successes. In this episode, Dr. Cory Shaffer is joined by Dr. Kimberly Shaffer, program coordinator and professor of sport psychology at Barry University in Miami - one of the top programs for sport psychology in the United States - to share personal stories of failure and discuss how their responses to these missteps and setbacks have shaped their development journeys.

Turning the page to a new year is a natural time to reflect and create new goals. With 2022 underway, the AMPLOS team discusses their personal approaches to year-end reflection, how they learn from previous experiences, and how they strive to make incremental, yet important, changes to ensure each year is a little better than the previous one.

For our 4-part AMPLOS team series, we're shifting the spotlight to our group of psychologists and performance coaches. In the fourth and final episode of this series, Dr. Drew Brannon talks with Dr. Cory Shaffer about Cory's path from a small town in Pennsylvania to the ivy league, the hurdles Cory had to overcome in his journey to become a performance coach, and his desire to maximize his potential and help others reach theirs.

Building a strong team culture demands deliberate effort and dedication, but it can be threatened by toxic team members. Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon examine five detrimental behaviors that can undermine your team's culture. From chronic complainers to catastrophizers, they highlight negative traits that can erode team dynamics. Learn how to identify and address these issues to cultivate and sustain a resilient, high-performing team culture.

Uniting passion and purpose is typically the ultimate, and often difficult, goal in achieving a fulfilling career and life. Dr. Drew Brannon and Furman University Men's Basketball Head Coach, Bob Richey, discuss Bob's path to finding clarity in his career, his commitment to developing a unique program within the college basketball world, and a focus on building a culture that aligns with his values.

What does it feel like to finally achieve a long-term, meaningful goal and, once you reach it, what does it feel like in the afterglow of that euphoric moment? Clemson Men's Soccer Goalkeeper and Captain, George Marks, and Dr. Cory Shaffer, who regularly works with the team as their performance coach, reflect on the Clemson Men's Soccer team's path to becoming 2021 National Champions, the legacy George hopes to leave behind, and the importance of growth and balance in all facets of life.

This is always an interesting time of year with numerous changes being made to the leadership of some of college football's key programs, and it's been a particularly fascinating end to the 2021 regular season. In this episode, Drs. Drew Brannon and Cory Shaffer explore the psychological, cultural, and emotional components wrapped up in the college football coaching carousel, looking at both the perspectives of the coach and the player.