CM 267: Michael Gervais on Overcoming Our Biggest Fear

There are many good reasons to look to others. For example, you might need expert advice or feedback to improve your performance. But there’s one reason not to, and, that is, to determine your self-worth.

When you look to someone else to define you or tell you how to live your life, you lose a lot. And if you find it hard to believe you’d ever let someone else influence you in those ways, you’d be surprised.

Michael Gervais is a high-performance psychologist who’s worked with elite athletes, artists, and leaders. Through his work, he’s learned that one of the biggest obstacles standing in their way is fear of other people’s opinions. And he’s seen just how crippling those fears can be. That’s why he’s written the book, The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying about What People Think of You.

In talking to Michael, I learned how our biology sets us up to place a lot of weight on other people’s opinions. I also learned how social media is designed to reinforce that fear. Fortunately, Michael shared insights on what to do. I walked away feeling empowered.

Episode Links

Stop Basing Your Self-Worth on Other People’s Opinions

Free Your People from the Need for Social Approval

Build a Great Team on a Relationship-Based Culture, Not the Myth of Family

Interview with Jonathan Rhodes on Getting the Life You Want

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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