Rephonic
Artwork for excellence, actually
Performance
Mental Health
Motivation
Mindfulness
Self-Improvement
Resilience
Running
Productivity
Nutrition
Exercise
Coaching
Fatigue
Mental Resilience
Athletics
Anxiety
Burnout
Endurance Sports
Personal Growth
Behavioral Activation
Performance Psychology

"excellence, actually" is a podcast from The Growth Equation, hosted by Steve Magness, Brad Stulberg, and Clay Skipper. Drawing on their years of working and corresponding with Olympians, coaches, executives, world-class physicians, and other elite-level achievers in their coaching practice and professional careers, they give you the mental and physical tools, practices, habits, and frameworks use... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes354Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationHealth & FitnessSelf-Improvement

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Artwork for excellence, actually

Latest Episodes

We've all got those days: you can't seem to get started, your motivation is low, or something comes up and throws you off track. It happens to all of us! It only becomes a problem when a bad start to the day becomes a bad day, and then a bad couple o... more

We're all going to experience pain in some form or another. Unfortunately, our long accepted model for what pain is — and how to treat it — has been wrong. Today, we're breaking down the biopsychosocial model of pain, which presented a recent change ... more

In 1960, A publisher at Random House bet a writer $50 that he couldn't produce a children's book using just 50 distinct words. That writer was Dr. Seuss, and the resulting book was Green Eggs and Ham, which has gone on to sell more than 200 million c... more

Not just one, but two (!) men finished this past weekend's London Marathon in under two hours, a time that has never before been beat and was once largely thought to be impossible. Today, we unpack how it happened: the advances in running shoe and fu... more

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Recent Guests

David Epstein
Author of Inside the Box, researcher on constraints and performance
Author, Inside the Box
Episode: The Cost of Keeping Your Options Open (with David Epstein)
Eric Zimmer
Behavior change expert, author
The One You Feed, How a Little Becomes a Lot
Episode: How to Change, Actually (with Eric Zimmer)
Lilah Fear
Competitive ice dancer representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games
Great Britain Ice Dance Team
Episode: The Olympian's Guide to Handling Pressure, with Lilah Fear
Sasha DiGiulian
World-Champion Climber
Episode: How to Push Your Limits, with World-Champion Climber Sasha DiGiulian
Matt Fitzgerald
Successful run coach, endurance athlete, author, and founder of Dream Run Camp
Episode: "It's Never All Bad:" How to Suffer (with Matt Fitzgerald)
Nick Thompson
CEO of The Atlantic, resilient marathon runner, and author
The Atlantic
Episode: Doing it All: The CEO Who Ran a 2:29 Marathon (with Nick Thompson)
George Mumford
A well-known sports psychologist and performance consultant
Author of 'Unlocked' and 'The Mindful Athlete'
Episode: The Sports Psychologist Who Taught MJ and Kobe How to "Manage the Moment"
David Ricks
13-time world powerlifting champion and civil engineer
Palm Beach County
Episode: 120 - A 66-Year-Old Powerlifter with 71 World Records on the Secrets to Long-Term Success (with David Ricks)
Richard Reeves
Author of 'Of Boys and Men' and founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men
American Institute for Boys and Men
Episode: 116 - The Masculinity Crisis, and Why It Matters for All of Us (Part 1)

Hosts

Clay Skipper
Co-host of excellence, actually; contributor to coaching practice and content.
Steve Magness
Co-host of excellence, actually; researcher and writer focused on performance psychology and coaching.
Brad Stulberg
Co-host of excellence, actually; author and coach with a focus on growth and behavior change.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 803 ratings
  • Wonderful!

    Thank you for the podcast. As a solo entrepreneur, your discussion and advice provide the occasional vitamins needed when things are going down. Please keep it up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tarot-reader
    United Kingdom21 days ago
  • The best!!

    I look forward to a new episode every week. Thought provoking, encouraging and challenging all in one. As a runner and as a human, it always hits. Love love love!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ktxms
    United Statesa month ago
  • Sponsor

    Smokey the bear was everywhere in podcast land and is an important message. 😀

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    cocodojo
    United States3 months ago
  • Quality listening

    Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sarah.kate.
    Canada3 months ago
  • Actually excellent

    Been listening for a few months and really enjoy the insights, practical advice and real world examples. Approachable for all. Chemistry amongst Steve, Brad and Clay is great too.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BrillK
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive feedback on practical, real-world tips and the chemistry among hosts.
Many enjoy guest interviews and actionable takeaways for busy life and work.
Listeners value ethical framing and useful frameworks for everyday excellence.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Way of Excellence: Inside Brad's New Book
Q: How do you balance interest and impact when deciding where to focus your energy?
There are different seasons for different pursuits, and it is crucial to be self-aware about the trade-offs made along the way.
The Way of Excellence: Inside Brad's New Book
Q: How can someone tell if their pursuit of excellence is a true expression of care versus a disguised form of fear and control?
It's ultimately about the joy and fulfillment they find in the process of their pursuit.
The Way of Excellence: Inside Brad's New Book
Q: What is the easiest way for people to start incorporating excellence into their life?
People should care deeply about aspects of their life and reflect on what gets in the way of that deep caring.
Why Your Routine Might Be Working Against You
Q: What are some ways to simplify routines for someone feeling overwhelmed?
Start with one practice at a time and tie important things to consistent periods in your life to reduce cognitive load.
Why Your Routine Might Be Working Against You
Q: How do you maintain your routines to ensure they serve your needs?
My daily practices are fundamental to my mental and physical health, and I have to constantly reevaluate my weekly and monthly practices a few times a year.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About excellence, actually

What is excellence, actually about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, evidence-based show about performance, mindset, and living with purpose. Three long-time coaches and researchers draw on experiences with Olympians and elite performers to share concrete habits, mental models, and frameworks you can apply day-to-day. Episodes mix interviews, host-driven insights, and sometimes new formats that highlight actionable takeaways across personal growth, health, and ethics, all aimed at helping listeners pursue excellence in work and life without hype.

Noteworthy elements include a strong emphasis on integrity and sustainable practice, a science-backed approach to routines and habit formation, and a willingness to critique optimization culture in favor of value-driven progress. The mix of guests, pra... more

Where can I find podcast stats for excellence, actually?

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How many listeners does excellence, actually get?

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How many subscribers and views does excellence, actually have?

To see how many followers or subscribers excellence, actually has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to excellence, actually?

These podcasts share a similar audience with excellence, actually:

1. Science of Running
2. The Rich Roll Podcast
3. The Strength Running Podcast
4. Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais
5. Deep Questions with Cal Newport

How many episodes of excellence, actually are there?

excellence, actually launched 6 years ago and published 354 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact excellence, actually?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on excellence, actually?

Recent guests on excellence, actually include:

1. David Epstein
2. Eric Zimmer
3. Lilah Fear
4. Sasha DiGiulian
5. Matt Fitzgerald
6. Nick Thompson
7. George Mumford
8. David Ricks

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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