Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Data on an NFL sideline is immediate. Decisions are filtered through fear, experience, and instinct.
In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais and NFL legend Brandon Marshall explore the tension between analytics and intuition—what happens when information is instant, comprehensive, and impossible to ignore. As technology reshapes decision-making on the NFL sideline, the real question becomes: when the moment arrives, what do you actually trust?
Gervais draws on his conversation with Hillary Kerner, CMO of Insight, to examine the human side of AI adoption and why more data doesn’t automatically lead to better choices. Using fourth-down decision-making as a case study, the episode reveals how fear of blame, social pressure, and the need to justify decisions often outweigh what the numbers clearly show.
This is a grounded look at how people make decisions under scrutiny—and why learning when to trust the data and when to trust yourself may be one of the most important skills in high-pressure environments.

Follow Finding Mastery all week as The Game Inside the Games continues to unpack the inner game at global sporting events,, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

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This episode is brought to you by Insight and Microsoft.
Insight is redefining integration for the Agentic Era by closing the 65% execution gap currently leaving enterprise AI at a standstill. As a leading Solutions Integrator and top 1% Microsoft partner, we don’t just provision licenses; we build the high-performance infrastructure and secure data estates AI requires to thrive. By converging AI-optimized networking with our proprietary Radius™ Microsoft 365 Copilot framework, we solve the infrastructure-AI paradox. From silicon to skills, Insight leverages "Customer Zero" expertise to transform software into a high-yield autonomous enterprise—enabling seamless, secure collaboration between your people and your AI.

https://aka.ms/InsightMicrosoftCopilot

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some moments don’t fade. They wait.
In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais reconnects with Ricardo Lockette as returning to the Super Bowl setting brings old emotions back to the surface. The conversation moves beyond the game itself into grief, loss, and the weight of moments that never fully resolve.
Lockette speaks candidly about the Super Bowl heartbreak, the injury that ended his career, and why public grieving can be harder than physical pain. Drawing on their close relationship, Gervais helps him unpack what those experiences still mean—and how resilience is built in the aftermath, not the moment.
This is a raw, human conversation about survival, leadership, and learning how to live with moments that don’t come with clean endings.
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This episode is brought to you by CDW and Microsoft.

AI is revolutionizing how work gets done. CDW and Microsoft can play a vital role in unlocking the transformative potential of Microsoft Copilot. By leveraging this technology, organizations can achieve significant productivity gains, enhance innovation and streamline workflows.

Unlock opportunities to improve both employee and customer experiences when you partner with CDW to deploy your Copilot solutions. Our experts can help maximize the capabilities of Copilot, by building out roadmaps, use cases, and agent experiences that supercharge efficiency for your organization.

Aka.ms/CDWMicrosoftCopilot

Learn more about CDW’s internal Copilot adoption story: CDW rolls out Microsoft 365 Copilot to 10,000 employees, reporting 85% productivity gains | Microsoft Customer Stories

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The huddle is one of the quietest moments in football—and one of the most revealing. Before the play is called, before anyone moves, a team comes together in a space where trust, tone, and connection matter more than words on a whiteboard.
In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais and All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Marshall go inside the huddle to explore what really happens in the moments before action. Rather than breaking down strategy or schemes, the conversation focuses on culture—how relationships show up under pressure and how teams signal belief, accountability, and presence when it counts.
Drawing on lived experience, Gervais and Marshall examine how the huddle becomes a mirror for a team’s inner life. Who speaks. Who listens. How people respond when the moment feels heavy. These subtle dynamics often shape what happens next, long before the ball is snapped.
This is a grounded, human conversation about connection, leadership, and shared responsibility. And while the stories come from the highest level of football, the insight applies far beyond the field—to meetings, decisions, and the moments we all face just before we act.

Follow Finding Mastery all week as The Game Inside the Games continues to unpack the inner game at global sporting events,, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
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This episode is brought to you by CDW and Microsoft.
AI is revolutionizing how work gets done. CDW and Microsoft can play a vital role in unlocking the transformative potential of Microsoft Copilot. By leveraging this technology, organizations can achieve significant productivity gains, enhance innovation and streamline workflows.
Unlock opportunities to improve both employee and customer experiences when you partner with CDW to deploy your Copilot solutions. Our experts can help maximize the capabilities of Copilot, by building out roadmaps, use cases, and agent experiences that supercharge efficiency for your organization.

Aka.ms/CDWMicrosoftCopilot

Learn more about CDW’s internal Copilot adoption story: CDW rolls out Microsoft 365 Copilot to 10,000 employees, reporting 85% productivity gains | Microsoft Customer Stories

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The noise at the Super Bowl can be overwhelming—tens of thousands of voices colliding into a single roar. But the loudest voice a player hears isn’t coming from the stands. It’s the one inside their own head.
In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais and All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Marshall sit down with former NFL MVP Cam Newton to explore one of the most overlooked forces in elite performance: self-talk.
Rather than revisiting highlights or headlines, the conversation focuses on the internal dialogue that shapes performance in football’s biggest moments. From the intensity of the Super Bowl stage to the quieter moments when doubt creeps in, Cam and Brandon share how the words athletes say to themselves can either steady them—or pull them out of the moment entirely.
This is a candid, human conversation about confidence, pressure, imagination, and the unseen work required to stay grounded when everything is on the line. And while the stories come from the highest level of sport, the lessons reach far beyond the field—offering insight into how anyone can use self-talk to access their best when it matters most.
Follow Finding Mastery all week as The Game Inside the Games continues to unpack the inner game at global sporting events,, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
_____________

This episode is brought to you by CDW and Microsoft.
AI is revolutionizing how work gets done. CDW and Microsoft can play a vital role in unlocking the transformative potential of Microsoft Copilot. By leveraging this technology, organizations can achieve significant productivity gains, enhance innovation and streamline workflows.
Unlock opportunities to improve both employee and customer experiences when you partner with CDW to deploy your Copilot solutions. Our experts can help maximize the capabilities of Copilot, by building out roadmaps, use cases, and agent experiences that supercharge efficiency for your organization.

Aka.ms/CDWMicrosoftCopilot

Learn more about CDW’s internal Copilot adoption story: CDW rolls out Microsoft 365 Copilot to 10,000 employees, reporting 85% productivity gains | Microsoft Customer Stories

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Links & Resources
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Super Bowl isn’t just a physical game — it’s a psychological one.
In this special Game Inside the Games episode, Dr. Michael Gervais is joined by NFL coach Matt Patricia and former All-Pro Brandon Marshall to unpack one of the most defining moments in Super Bowl history: Malcolm Butler’s game-winning interception.
This episode explores what it looks like to perform under pressure when the whole world is watching.
Subscribe and follow along all week as The Game Inside the Games delivers daily episodes leading up to the Super Bowl — revealing the mindset behind elite performance.

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This episode is powered by: Microsoft Copilot, Insight
Insight is redefining integration for the Agentic Era by closing the 65% execution gap currently leaving enterprise AI at a standstill. As a leading Solutions Integrator and top 1% Microsoft partner, we don’t just provision licenses; we build the high-performance infrastructure and secure data estates AI requires to thrive. By converging AI-optimized networking with our proprietary Radius™ Microsoft 365 Copilot framework, we solve the infrastructure-AI paradox. From silicon to skills, Insight leverages "Customer Zero" expertise to transform software into a high-yield autonomous enterprise—enabling seamless, secure collaboration between your people and your AI.

From Hype to How

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Links & Resources

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more conversations at the intersection of high performance, leadership, and wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingMastery
Get exclusive discounts and support our amazing sponsors!
Go to: https://findingmastery.com/sponsors/
Subscribe to the Finding Mastery newsletter for weekly high performance insights: https://www.findingmastery.com/newsletter
Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.