What if real success is measured not by what you achieve, but by how deeply you give?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Gary Sinise—Emmy Award–winning actor and director best known for his roles in Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and CSI: New York, and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation—to explore his lifelong arc from self to service.

Gary takes us back to the accidental spark of belonging he found in high school theater, the early days building Steppenwolf, and the quiet battle with inadequacy that forged a bias for action and leadership. We trace how portraying Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump became an inflection point—culminating in a life-altering moment on stage with 2,000 wounded veterans—and how 9/11 transformed his work into a full-fledged mission to support service members and their families.

Gary also opens a tender window into his home front: his wife’s battle with breast cancer and his late son Mac’s courageous 5½-year fight with chordoma. He shares how showing up—again and again—became a practice, a purpose, and a way through grief.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How to turn inadequacy into action—and why a bias toward doing builds real confidence
• The key to shifting from achievement to contribution without losing your drive
• How to lead with presence when others seem steps ahead
• Why purpose expands through loss—and how faith, family, and service hold the line
• What it means to show up as a caregiver and “battle buddy” through life’s hardest seasons
• How to transform creativity into service—and why art can be an act of healing

If you’re craving a reminder that meaning is made in the moments we choose to serve, especially when it’s hard, then this conversation will move you.

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Links & Resources

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Welcome to a special Monday episode on the Finding Mastery channel.

Every once in a while, we come across a story or a person that moves us in a profound way — and this is one of those moments.

Recently, I was invited by Aaron Lazar to join him on his new podcast, Impossible Dreams. Aaron is an incredible human — a Broadway and television actor, singer, and storyteller — who’s facing ALS with extraordinary courage, humor, and grace. He’s also pushing toward an almost unthinkable goal: to become the 64th person on record to ever reverse symptoms from ALS.

I enjoyed the conversation so much that I knew I wanted to share it with you here on Finding Mastery — to raise awareness, and to honor Aaron’s message about purpose, connection, and resilience in the face of life’s hardest challenges.

Takeaways from this episode:

• Why mastery of self — not just mastery of craft — changes the way we meet adversity.
• How awareness, self-talk, and gratitude can shift what’s possible in any moment.
• What it means to move from “my team” to “the team.”
• How purpose and love become anchors when life feels uncertain.
• The small, daily practices that help us stay grounded, connected, and alive to what matters most.

Enjoy this conversation with Aaron and myself — and let it remind you of the strength that lives inside all of us, even in the storm.

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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/

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Download Dr. Mike's Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset!

Follow on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X

Aaron Lazar: http://www.aaronlazar.com and https://www.youtube.com/@ALImpossibleDreams

ALS: www.als.org

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

What if your biggest competitive advantage isn’t how technologically advanced you are — but how psychologically agile your teams are?

On today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Garman — CEO of Amazon Web Services — to dig into the leadership frameworks behind one of the world’s most innovative companies. We cover his “one-way vs. two-way doors” decision model, why “minimum lovable product” beats perfectionism, and how to push autonomy down while keeping trust and security high.

We also explore what’s really slowing AI adoption (and why replacing junior employees with AI is a terrible idea), why documents beat slide decks for high-stakes calls, and the long-view energy bets—including nuclear—that AWS believes will shape innovation and sustainability. Along the way, Matt shares the personal side of leading at speed: family dinners, golf as a reset, and the “support then challenge” cadence that helps teams sustain pace without burning out.

What you’ll learn:

• How to use the “one-way vs. two-way doors” framework to make faster, smarter decisions
• Why optimism (not naïveté) is a core competitive advantage for innovators
• The key to shipping a minimum lovable product customers actually want
• The real frictions in AI adoption—and why replacing juniors with AI backfires
• Why long-horizon energy bets (including nuclear) matter for innovation and sustainability

If you’re leading in a fast-moving world—or want to—this conversation offers practical frameworks and a shot of grounded optimism to help your team move faster, smarter, and with more heart.

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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.