Do you ever feel like you’re working hard all day, yet still ending the day exhausted, behind, and wondering where your time and energy went?

In this episode of The Art and Science of Thriving, I answer one of the most important questions high-achieving professionals face: How do I regain control, reduce overwhelm, and perform at my best — without burning out?

I explain why overwhelm isn’t a personal failure or lack of discipline, but a performance state that happens when demand exceeds your brain’s capacity, stress stays elevated, and you lose a sense of control. When this happens, focus narrows, decision quality drops, and even simple tasks start to feel heavy.

From there, I introduce the Thrive Model — a science-based framework built on five interconnected pillars: well-being, purpose, high performance, growth, and connection. Instead of trying to fix overwhelm with more effort or better willpower, I show you how to change the system you’re operating in so your brain, energy, and motivation start working with you again.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pushing harder and “gritting it out” often makes overwhelm worse
• The neuroscience behind why you feel scattered, reactive, and drained under pressure
• The three key shifts that restore control: regulation before optimization, capacity before productivity, and agency before execution
• How each pillar of the Thrive Model reduces overwhelm and builds sustainable high performance
• A simple, practical way to start applying the model right away — even if you feel like you have no time

If you’re tired of just getting through your days and want to feel clear, capable, and in control again, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening in your brain — and what to do about it.

For a summary of the Thrive Model and a self-check to help you apply it in your own life, visit Invictus.coach/resources.

Instantly Unlock Performance, Well-Being and Balance Now

The "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.

You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.

You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

In this episode, I explore what actually happens in the brain and nervous system under pressure—and why even highly capable people often struggle to think clearly, make good decisions, or perform at their best when it matters most.

Drawing on evidence-based neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance research, this episode explains:

• Why pressure narrows attention and degrades thinking
• Why “just trying harder” often makes performance worse
• Why capable people choke under pressure—and why that’s not a flaw
• How elite performers (athletes, ER doctors, Navy SEALs, and others) design for pressure instead of fighting it
• What actually helps you perform well under sustained demand

You’ll learn the core principles that support high performance under pressure, including:

• How to simplify and reduce cognitive load
• Why routines protect focus and consistency
• How regulating your physiological state improves thinking
• The difference between interpreting pressure as a threat versus a challenge
• How to apply these ideas in real life, not just in theory

This episode also acknowledges that pressure can affect people differently, including neurodivergent individuals and menopausal women, and explains why systems and structure matter more than willpower.

If you’re feeling stretched, reactive, or mentally overloaded—and want to perform well without burning out—this episode will give you a clear, science-based framework and practical next steps.

Instantly Unlock Performance, Well-Being and Balance Now

The "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.

You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.

You can find out more or sign up clicking here!

If you’re thinking ahead to the new year and want to start strong without slipping into the usual overwhelm, this episode will help you do exactly that.

This is Michael’s Version of one of the most downloaded episodes I’ve ever released — a refreshed, clearer, more aligned re-recording of “How to Plan Your Best Year.”

Much like Taylor Swift re-recording her albums, this is the episode I always wanted to release: still built on the same evidence-based principles as the original, but now sharper, more grounded, and easier to apply.

In this episode, I walk you through a science-backed approach to planning your year that avoids the biggest traps most people fall into.

We explore why long-term motivation often collapses after the initial excitement, and how to design your goals in a way that your brain can sustain over time.

You’ll learn:

• Why only about 10% of New Year’s goals make it past February
• The six evidence-based principles that create a meaningful, achievable year
• How to define what “your best year” actually means (without unrealistic pressure)
• A simple, powerful 4-step protocol for planning your year
• The most common planning mistakes — and how to avoid them
• Four success strategies to keep your goals achievable, energizing, and realistic

Whether you’re looking to make progress on a few important goals or you simply want a more sustainable approach to planning the year ahead, this episode will help you clarify what matters, set achievable targets, and create momentum that lasts.

Resources Mentioned:

• Register for my December workshop: How to Plan Your 2026 Goals Without Burnout
• Join the Thrive Hive for monthly support, tools, and coaching

Instantly Unlock Performance, Well-Being and Balance Now

The "Thrive Hive" is a monthly membership to help teach, coach and support individuals, organizational teams and their leaders in reaching their full potential, and living a flourishing life with balance and well-being.

You get access to group coaching, monthly education, webinars/livecasts and other events, topic-based support and tools, and access to a private community of other like-minded individuals.

You can find out more or sign up clicking here!