Sisu Lab

Yvann Karamoko

Sisu is a Finnish word with no direct English translation. It's the decision to continue when stopping makes complete sense. When the plan is gone, the conditions have changed, and every reasonable person would understand if you walked away. Sisu Lab is a podcast about that decision. About what it takes to keep moving forward in your leadership, your work, and your life. The people who grow aren't the ones who had it easy. They're the ones who kept going anyway. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

  1. May 28

    Habitudes Inc. 001::Becoming

    You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your habitudes: the habits and attitudes quietly running the company of your life when you are not paying attention. In this episode of Sisu Lab, hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko, we start a three part run on habits and identity. This first installment is about who you are becoming, not just what you are trying to do. You will hear about: How your daily habits reveal what you really believe about yourself Why motivation bursts and all or nothing plans rarely last A simple way to choose one small, specific habit that matches the future you say you want This is for leaders and growth minded people who feel a gap between the life they describe and the life they are actually living day to day. The goal is not to judge your current habits, but to see them clearly enough that you can start changing them on purpose. Reflection for this week:If someone could only see your habits, not your goals or your plans, what story would they say your life is telling right now? And what is one small habit you are willing to practice this week to start changing that story?

    13 min

  2. May 21

    When the Excuses Run Out (Ceteris Paribus in Real Life)

    If your boss was supportive, your team was perfect, your calendar was clear, and the money was in the bank… would you actually live differently, or would you just run out of excuses? In this episode of Sisu Lab, we borrow a phrase from economics, ceteris paribus (“all other things equal”), and use it as a mirror for your leadership and your life. Instead of imagining a different boss, a different team, or a different season, we ask a harder question: if nothing outside you changed, what would you still be responsible for changing inside you? We walk through three of the most common places our excuses hide: Time – “I’m too busy.” Why “I don’t have time” usually means “I’m afraid to reprioritize.”People – “If they were different, I could be different.” How much power you’ve given other humans over your growth.Readiness – “I’m not ready yet.” Why “ready” is often a lie your fear tells you to keep you comfortable.You’ll hear how living in a “future that kept moving” almost cost me the life I already had, why waiting for permission shrinks the version of you the world actually needs, and one simple question that can reset your week without changing your circumstances. This episode isn’t about pretending your reality is easy. It’s about refusing to let it be the whole story. This week’s challenge:Assume nothing outside you changes. All other things equal.What is one decision you know you would make if your excuses disappeared, and what would it look like to make that decision anyway in the life you actually have?

    15 min

  3. May 14

    Mamba Mentality in Real Life (Kobe Bryant’s 8 Principles for Any Arena)

    Growth doesn’t happen when you learn something. It happens when you apply it. This finale of the Mamba Mentality series is not a recap. Over eight episodes, we’ve walked through the principles that shaped Kobe Bryant’s approach to greatness. In this closing conversation, we revisit each principle, connect it to the research behind it, and end with a single question designed to help you take action in your real life. Inside this episode: Obsession with the craft: why deliberate practice rewires you, not just your skills Focus: how to build “locked in” as a repeatable state, not a lucky feeling Fearlessness: going back to the place you failed and what that does to your fear The details: training your brain to see what others walk past Competitiveness: replacing comparison with a standard that has no ceiling Adaptability: why the capacity for growth doesn’t expire Resilience: what grit actually is and how to build it, one hard day at a time Investment in others: how your belief in one person ripples three degrees beyond you You don’t need all eight principles at once. You need the one that’s your next possession. The one that, if you started living it today, would change something in your work, your relationships, or your inner life. This episode is for anyone chasing greatness as a leader, parent, teammate, creator, or friend, not just as an athlete. Listen in, find your principle, and then go apply it. Connect with Yvann: Instagram: @yvann.karamoko More from Sisu Lab: yvannkaramoko.com

    13 min

  4. May 6

    Who Are You Building?

    Kobe Bryant's last Instagram post was celebrating someone else. His last morning was on the way to coach his daughter. We spend our whole lives building things. Companies. Careers. Platforms. And somewhere along the way we forget that none of it is the real legacy. The real legacy is people. The ones who are different because you showed up for them. The ones who went after something they had no business going after because someone looked them in the eye and said — you can do this. This is the final episode of the Mamba Mentality series on Sisu Lab. And it ends with one question. Who are you building? Sisu Lab. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

    13 min

  5. Apr 29

    Better On The Other Side.

    My dad taught me something I carry with me every day. Anything worth doing is hard. But there's better on the other side. On April 12, 2013, Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles in the fourth quarter. He limped to the free throw line. Sank both shots. Walked off under his own power. Then came back and did it two more times over the next three years. This is episode seven of the Mamba Mentality series,  on resilience, what it actually costs, and the hard thing you're going through right now that has better on the other side. Go through. Sisu Lab. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

    10 min

  6. Apr 22

    Expiration Date

    Every version of you has an expiration date. Most people live past it. They call it consistency. They try harder at the thing that stopped working. They wait for the results to come back. Kobe Bryant was 18 years old when he started building the version of himself he wouldn't need until he was 35. At 37, on a repaired Achilles, he scored 60 points in his last game. This is episode six of the Mamba Mentality series, on adaptability, evolution, and the version of yourself you should already be building. You can either live past the expiration date or you can grow. Sisu Lab. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

    11 min

  7. Apr 15

    The Oomph

    I came out the womb competitive, and  I haven't changed. There's a healthy version of that and an unhealthy one. The healthy version competes against past versions of itself. The unhealthy version will go to any breaking point to avoid losing. Kobe Bryant was both. This episode goes into what he did with it, from going full speed at a shootaround while his teammates laughed, to walking up to Michael Jordan and asking if he brought his shoes. Episode five of the Mamba Mentality series on Sisu Lab. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

    10 min

  8. Apr 8

    The Details

    Kobe Bryant noticed a rim was a quarter inch too low before the game started. He felt it in his shot before anyone told him anything was wrong. That's what happens when you care about your craft at a level most people never reach. This episode is about that level — what it looks like, what it costs, and where your quarter inch is hiding. Anyone can become good. The main things get you there. You only become great by working on the little ones.

    11 min
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About

Sisu is a Finnish word with no direct English translation. It's the decision to continue when stopping makes complete sense. When the plan is gone, the conditions have changed, and every reasonable person would understand if you walked away. Sisu Lab is a podcast about that decision. About what it takes to keep moving forward in your leadership, your work, and your life. The people who grow aren't the ones who had it easy. They're the ones who kept going anyway. Hosted by Dr. Yvann Karamoko.

Information

  • Creator
    Yvann Karamoko
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Yvann Karamoko
  • Show Website
    Sisu Lab