Intrinsic Drive®

As an eight-year-old boy from a large family, living together in a Brooklyn tenement, Mike Lew had a singular goal—to meet every person on the planet. Today,  Mike and his Next Step Counseling, co-di…

It's hard to believe fourteen months are now in the rear view mirror of my podcasting odyssey. Like a long uphill climb at a steady pace, this season's guests inspired me upward--to discover what lie…

In the early eighties Dick Beardsley was one of world’s most famous athletes. He is an American distance runner best known for his first-place tie in the 1981 London Marathon and his close finish wit…

A self-described gym rat from the age of five, Jerry Lynch was born in the pre-gentrified streets of Brooklyn. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in psychology and complete postdoctoral work in phi…

Molly Grant, reconnected with the green leather and suede shoes from her childhood memory when she looked across the room at the League of New Hampshire Craftsman Show.  Spotting the bright colors an…

Carwyn Sharp Ph.D. CSCS, emigrated from England to Australia with his family as a young boy.  Searching for new opportunities, Carwyn’s parents stressed the importance of education as a bridge over p…

At five years old Rock Wilk realized he could sing, that same year his grandfather gave him a guitar. A self-taught musician, he spent hours alone in his room playing alongside jazz greats honing his…

Comfortable with a pen and paper from an early age, Becky Karush grew up writing poetry, creating art, and telling stories. After early success with her writing and poetry, during college she experie…

The deep south was a dangerous and treacherous place for a young black man in the 1960’s; Benny Vaughn drank from “colored” water fountains, pedaled away from viscous dogs while passing through white…

John Lee Dumas showed early signs of his dedication and commitment to process. He pivoted to swimming after injuries forced him to leave the soccer pitch and basketball court his senior year in high …

Sara Slattery  learned the importance of hard work from her father, watching him wake up at 4am while running his sign business.  She began her athletic career as a swimmer, training twice daily for …

Stepping on a bomb was the last thing Sargent Zach Stinson remembered after insisting on leading his Marine Battalion while serving in Afghanistan. Six days later, Zach woke up at the Bethesda Navy H…

A trip to Alaska to follow the Salmon run changed the course of Chris Wood’s life; upon returning home he resigned from his job working for an ice cream company. Choosing a new path, Chris resolved t…

Loretta Claiborne is the most accomplished Special Olympics athlete of all time. Loretta was raised by a single mother, born partially blind, with an intellectual disability, and clubbed feet.  This …

As an eighth grader, Brett Gotcher viewed running as a tool to improve his conditioning for basketball. Under the tutelage of Aptos High School coach Dan Gruber, he began to improve, seeing the possi…

How did a self-described nervous kid from New Jersey become a colossal force as a speaker, and author of the new groundbreaking book Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life That Matters to You ( …

Zach and Andi Ripley were recruited as student athletes to the same university, where they met, became teammates, and married. In this in-depth conversation we traverse the inception of their competi…

 Chuck Garcia was scheduled to give a keynote address at the world trade center on the morning of September 11, 2001, when he was asked to switch presentation times with a colleague.  That colleague …

 2004 Olympian Carrie Tollefson,  was born and raised in the small tightly knit community of Dawson, Minnesota, where she won thirteen state championships - eight in track and five consecutive cross …