Mayo Clinic On Human Optimization

Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
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The bar for human performance is higher than it’s ever been. As a result, we all feel the need to do MORE. At the same time, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of sleep, rest, recovery, and wellness. Accordingly, we also feel the need to do LESS. If you’re like most people, it can be challenging to reconcile this conflict of feeling the need to do MORE and LESS simultaneously, and that is likely contributing to high rates of burnout and decreased performance. So how do we reconcile these seemingly competing desires? That is where Human Optimization comes in. Human Optimization is the process of achieving more (however you define that for yourself) while simultaneously improving your wellness and well-being. Although it’s not easy, it’s certainly possible. Not only is it possible, but it is becoming increasingly essential. On this Mayo Clinic podcast series, we are going to dive into the topic of Human Optimization and will focus on a few key areas including: exercise, nutrition, culture, emotional intelligence, and finding joy in all you do.Learn more about On Human Optimization at:https://ce.mayo.edu/optimizeInstagram: @MayoHumanOptimizationYouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTubeEmail: optimize@mayo.edu Listening is free and no CME Credit is available for this series.

  1. 4D AGO

    E57 The State of Flow: How to Maximize

    Hopefully, you’ve experienced getting so absorbed in work or an activity you enjoy that you lose track of time. We tend to be most productive in what is often called a “state of flow.” When harnessed effectively, flow can act like a superpower for personal fulfillment and progress. To help us better understand and maximize moments of flow, we’re joined by Biju Samkutty, chief operating officer of international and enterprise automation at Mayo Clinic. Known for aligning people, processes and technology, Biju leads Mayo Clinic’s global expansion efforts, including managing international patients, building strategic collaborations and establishing new international entities. In this episode, we explore three key questions: What is the state of flow, and why is it critical for performance and well-being? Why do we struggle to access flow consistently, and how does that impact productivity and happiness? What proven methods can help us maximize flow in daily life and work? Learn more about On Human Optimization and access Pod Club questions here. Sign up to receive Mayo Clinic Press emails. Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.  Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

    40 min

  2. APR 1 ·  BONUS

    Tomorrow's Cure - When Algorithms Meet Empathy: The Future of Patient-Centered AI

    Today, we are sharing an episode from our sister podcast Tomorrow’s Cure. Produced by our Mayo Clinic colleagues, this chart-topping and Ambie Award-finalist podcast explores the future of medicine – from the rise of chronic disease and autoimmune disorders to innovations in AI, 3D bioprinting, and cancer research. In this specific episode, you’ll hear from Mayo Clinic physician leader Dr. Anjali Bhagra and human centered AI expert Dr. Ravi Bapna about how automation and AI are changing the way care teams work, how patients access care, and what it takes to keep people at the center of these advances. Featuring real stories from clinic and hospital settings, this conversation tackles the hard questions around trust, bias, and burnout. You listen to other episodes of Tomorrow’s Cure here: https://play.megaphone.fm/uk0u00jeqjandeotmblt0a

    50 min

  3. MAR 25

    E56 How to Get More Mileage from Your Brain

    How often do you feel that your brain is functioning at its highest level? If you are like most of us, it’s not as often as you would like. Given the high-pressure world we live in, it’s critical for us to ensure our brain is firing on all cylinders, as often as possible. To make that happen, we need to help our brains be more efficient. Just like mileage on a car, we want to optimize the mileage we get out of our brains. To help us do that, our expert guest today is Dr. Amit Sood, the creator of the Resilient Option program and executive director of the Global Center for Resiliency and Wellbeing. The three questions he is going to walk us through are: 1. What does it mean to "get more mileage" out of our brain, and why are we currently so inefficient? 2. Why is it so hard to stay in "Focused Mode" as our brain tries to pull us towards distraction? 3. What is the solution and what are the specific steps we can take to get the most out of our brains? How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random) Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own! Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action! Discussion Questions for this Episode: 1. The podcast defines "getting more mileage out of your brain" as accumulating more experience, learning, insights, and making a difference, rather than just increasing intelligence. How does this broader definition of "brain mileage" resonate with your personal goals for growth and impact? 2. Dr. Sood states that our biggest challenge is our "inability to influence our attention and emotions." In what specific areas of your life do you feel this lack of influence most acutely? 3. The discussion highlights that we spend 60-80% of our time in the "default/automatic mode," which is linked to unhappiness and anxiety. What are some common triggers that pull you into this default mode? 4. The podcast explains that our negativity bias, while once crucial for survival, now often protects our "emotional body." What emotional "threats" do you find yourself constantly guarding against? 5. The concept of "willpower depletion" is linked to poor sleep, nutrition, and lack of exercise. How do your daily lifestyle choices impact your ability to exercise self-control and stay in a focused, intentional mode? 6. Dr. Sood suggests that overthinking occurs when "thinking is happening to you" rather than you choosing your thoughts. What strategies do you currently use, or could you commit to trying this week, to regain control and choose your thoughts more intentionally? 7. The "rum" analogy (Rest, Uplifting emotions, Motivation) is presented as a way to be kind to your mind. Which of these three elements do you find most challenging to incorporate into your daily routine, and why? 8. The podcast suggests that progress in brain optimization can be measured by feeling lighter, less cynical, and experiencing deeper connections. What specific indicators would signal to you that you are successfully "getting more mileage out of your brain"?

    54 min

  4. MAR 18 ·  BONUS

    Tomorrow's Cure - 3D Bioprinted Skin: Breakthroughs in Regenerative Medicine

    Today, we are sharing an episode from our sister podcast Tomorrow’s Cure. Produced by our Mayo Clinic colleagues, this chart-topping and Ambie Award-finalist podcast explores the future of medicine – from the rise of chronic disease and autoimmune disorders to new research revealing how early immune changes can develop into certain types of leukemia. In this particular episode, you’ll hear from dermatologist and regenerative medicine expert Dr. Saranya Wyles of Mayo Clinic and biomedical engineer Dr. Adam Feinberg of Carnegie Mellon University about “SkinSpan” and the fast-moving world of 3D bioprinted skin. They explore how layered, living skin models built from human cells and collagen are helping researchers study conditions like eczema, chronic wounds, burns, and age-related changes in skin structure and pigment. You listen to other episodes of Tomorrow’s Cure here: https://play.megaphone.fm/3qwbajhmswc0jz1xfy7dbg

    41 min

  5. MAR 11

    E55 Overcoming Self Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

    If you’ve ever experienced self-doubt, felt like you didn’t have what it takes, or were fearful of being “found out”, this episode is for you. We have all had the unfortunate experience of improperly doubting ourselves and our abilities to the extent that they had a negative impact on how we feel about ourselves and diminished our performance. Self-doubt and imposter syndrome can be paralyzing, but life is too short for us to live with constant fear and doubt about our abilities. Our expert guest here to help us with this is author and executive consultant, Cade Cowan. The three big questions Cade is going to walk us through are: 1. What exactly is “imposter syndrome”? What are the downsides? 2. How common is self-doubt and how can we tell if it’s impacting us? 3. What steps can we take to overcome imposter syndrome and develop healthy confidence to become our best selves?   Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project  Guest: Cade Cowan, Managing Partner | Executive Development Consulting – Atlanta, GA   How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random) Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own! Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!   Discussion Questions for this Episode: 1. The podcast distinguishes between imposter syndrome (high competence, low confidence) and low self-confidence (global lack of belief in ability). Think about a time when you experienced one versus the other. How did your actions or feelings differ in those situations? 2. Cade mentions the Dunning-Kruger effect as the opposite of imposter syndrome (low competence, high confidence). How might recognizing both imposter syndrome and the Dunning-Kruger effect help us achieve a more balanced and realistic self-assessment? 3. The discussion highlights the "cycle of imposter syndrome" – a trigger event leading to anxiety, overwork or procrastination, success, and then explaining that success away. Think about a time when you experienced this cycle. What was the most challenging aspect for you? 4. The speakers discuss how environmental factors, such as work culture or societal pressures (like social media's "highlight reels"), can exacerbate imposter syndrome. What specific aspects of your current environment might be contributing to feelings of self-doubt? What is one way you might address this? 5. Cade shares a personal story about presenting to a CEO at 28, realizing he should "stay in his zone of expertise." Consider your own "zone of expertise." What helps you feel comfortable sharing what you don't know in professional or personal settings? 6. The idea of "confident humility" is introduced, emphasizing the ability to say "I don't know" while still being confident in one's ability to learn. How can you practice this balance in your daily interactions? 7. The podcast suggests that imposter syndrome is a "universal experience" and that "everybody else is doing it." How does knowing this change how you interact with others who might be experiencing imposter syndrome? 8. Cade shares his "keepers file" of positive emails and notes. What is one tangible way you could start collecting and revisiting evidence of your own successes and positive impact to combat imposter syndrome?   Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

    58 min

  6. MAR 4

    E54 How to Set Your Personal Vision: Define What You Want to Accomplish in Life

    Can you easily and clearly answer the following question...WHAT do you want to achieve with your life? The question is simple, but it’s challenging for most of us to answer in a clear, concise, and convincing way. While we may have a rough or general idea of what we want to accomplish as human beings, very few of us can clearly articulate that in a way that is at the forefront of our minds and drives our behaviors. Time for that to change, and our guest here to teach you how is Dr. Greg Couser, the creator and director of the Mayo Clinic “Optimizing Potential” course.   The three big questions Greg is going to answer for us are: 1. What exactly is “vision” and why do we need one? 2. Why do so many of us struggle to clearly articulate what we want to accomplish in life? 3. What practical steps should we take to set the ideal vision for ourselves?     How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random) Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own! Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!     Discussion Questions for this Episode: 1. The podcast defines a personal vision as a "big want" that fuels you, rooted in values and purpose. How might your core values inform what your "big want" for your life truly is? 2. Dr. Couser suggests that a good vision should be simple, clearly articulated, and concise (1-2 sentences). Why do you think it's so challenging for many people to distill their life's aspirations into such a brief statement? 3. The speakers emphasize that having a personal vision can bring joy, meaning, and motivation, and make life "easier" by providing direction. Can you recall a time when a clear sense of purpose or direction made a difficult situation in your life feel more manageable or even enjoyable? 4. The discussion highlights that many people struggle with vision setting due to perfectionism or fear of failure, especially in a "left-brain information society." How might you overcome these tendencies to allow yourself to explore and articulate your personal vision without judgment? 5. The "ideal retirement party" exercise is suggested as a way to brainstorm your vision. If you were at your ideal retirement party, what would you want friends, family, and colleagues to say about the legacy you've built and the person you've been? 6. The podcast encourages making your vision "not specific to your vocation" because jobs can change. How can you craft a personal vision that is universal enough to apply across different roles and stages of your life, rather than being tied to a specific career? 7. The idea of "Greg the automaton" is how Dr. Couser describes himself when living on autopilot. What are some of your own "autopilot" behaviors or reactions? This week, commit to asking "why" (as suggested in the podcast) to help you uncover deeper insights for your personal vision. 8. Once a vision is crafted, the advice is to "look at it often" and "visit it often." What practical strategies could you implement in your daily life to keep your personal vision at the forefront of your mind and guide your actions?       Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

    49 min

  7. FEB 25

    E53 How to Make Friends and Genuine Social Connections as an Adult

    Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project  Guest: Katherine A. Meese, PhD, Researcher | Author | CEO - HuMargin Group – Nashville, TN    If you are someone over the age of 22, you’ve likely noticed that it’s harder to make friends than it was when you were younger. Some of this is due to societal changes, but much of it is because life starts to pull us in so many directions that it’s hard to pin down time to make true friends and genuine social connections. However, social connections are critical fuel to our joy and fulfillment, so we have to find a way to keep them going late into life. To show us how, our expert guest is award winning author and speaker, Katherine Meese.   The three big questions Katherine is going to answer for us in the episode are: 1. Why is friendship and social connection so important for us as adults? 2. Why is it so hard to form and maintain these friendships as adults? 3. What practical, repeatable behaviors help adults form, deepen, and sustain real friendships in modern life?     How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”: Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random) Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own! Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!   Discussion Questions for this Episode:  1. The podcast uses the analogy of a tree's root system (fibrous roots for acquaintances, taproot for deep friends) to describe social connections. How do you currently balance these two types of relationships in your life? 2. The discussion highlights how the importance of social connection changes across different life stages (childhood, young adulthood, middle age, and later life). How have your needs and expectations for friendship evolved as you've gotten older? 3. The podcast states that social isolation and loneliness can be as detrimental to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. What are your personal reflections on the physical and mental health impacts of your social connections (or lack thereof)? 4. The speakers discuss how modern factors like technology, career demands, and polarizing worldviews make adult friendships challenging. Which of these factors do you experience in your life? 5. The concept of "firing friends" is brought up, especially when beliefs diverge. How do you navigate friendships with people who hold different values or worldviews than your own, and when do you decide a friendship might not be worth continuing? 6. The podcast suggests a four-step plan for building friendships: 1) Assess where you are, 2) Become a regular somewhere, 3) Be responsible for your own fun, and 4) Be the friend you want to have. Which of these steps do you feel you already do well, and which could you focus on improving? 7. When discussing maintaining friendships, the advice includes understanding what the other person needs, making a routine, seeing people as having "layers like an onion," and showing grace. Which of these maintenance strategies do you find most challenging or most rewarding? 8. The call to action encourages listeners to recognize that building friendships is a choice and to assess their current social network. What is one concrete action you could take this week to either assess your friendships or intentionally invest in one?     Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu

    56 min

  8. FEB 18

    E52 Daily Skin Care Routines We Should Be Doing for Life Long Skin Health

    Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it does a lot more than just make you look good! It is our primary defense against the outside world and regulates many of our body's internal functions. Given the major role it plays in our health and overall performance, it is important that we take care of our skin to keep it healthy for as long as possible.   Dr. Saryna Wyles is our expert guest here to answer these big questions for us:   What does our skin actually do for us and why is skin care so important?  How do we make sense of the most common skin care options out there and sort fact from fiction? What are the regular skin care practices we should be doing to help us have healthy, vibrant skin life long?    How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:  Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better  Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random)  Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes  Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own!  Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!    Discussion Questions for this Episode:  Dr. Wyles describes skin as our largest organ and a primary defense against the outside world. How does this perspective change your view of your skin's importance?  The skin's functions include acting as a barrier, aiding absorption, regulating temperature, producing Vitamin D, and providing sensation. Which of these functions do you find most surprising or impactful?  Dr. Wyles explains that skin aging involves a decline in function, leading to issues like dryness, itchiness, and reduced healing. How might understanding these functional declines influence your approach to skincare?  It's stated that only 25% of skin aging is genetically fixed, leaving 75% modifiable. What is one of the key modifiable factors that impact skin health that you can begin incorporating into your routine this week?  The podcast categorizes skincare approaches into Protection, Repair, Signaling, and Lifestyle. Which of these categories do you feel you currently excel in, and which needs the most attention?  The "bare bones minimum" skincare routine involves washing, sunscreen, and moisturizer in the morning, and washing, a retinoid, and moisturizer in the evening. How does this compare to your current routine?  Dr. Wyles emphasizes that consistency is key in skincare, comparing it to brushing your teeth. What strategies can help ensure consistency in a daily skincare routine?  The discussion highlights that skincare benefits extend beyond appearance to disease prevention and early signal detection for systemic health. How does this broader perspective on skin health influence your priorities?    Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize  X: @MayoHumanOpProj  Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj  YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube  Email: optimize@mayo.edu

    56 min
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About

The bar for human performance is higher than it’s ever been. As a result, we all feel the need to do MORE. At the same time, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of sleep, rest, recovery, and wellness. Accordingly, we also feel the need to do LESS. If you’re like most people, it can be challenging to reconcile this conflict of feeling the need to do MORE and LESS simultaneously, and that is likely contributing to high rates of burnout and decreased performance. So how do we reconcile these seemingly competing desires? That is where Human Optimization comes in. Human Optimization is the process of achieving more (however you define that for yourself) while simultaneously improving your wellness and well-being. Although it’s not easy, it’s certainly possible. Not only is it possible, but it is becoming increasingly essential. On this Mayo Clinic podcast series, we are going to dive into the topic of Human Optimization and will focus on a few key areas including: exercise, nutrition, culture, emotional intelligence, and finding joy in all you do.Learn more about On Human Optimization at:https://ce.mayo.edu/optimizeInstagram: @MayoHumanOptimizationYouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTubeEmail: optimize@mayo.edu Listening is free and no CME Credit is available for this series.

Information

  • Creator
    Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.

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