Today’s guest is Sam Zizzi (@DoctorSizzle). Sam is a father of three, an outdoor enthusiast, and a lover of travel and culture. He is passionate about bringing mindfulness to the masses, not to improve performance, but to foster self-awareness and compassion. 

As a Professor of Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology at West Virginia University, he guides his students in their mindfulness research, and he teaches classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He and his colleagues have published two books focused on the integration of mindfulness into sport environments. 

Sam is also my former advisor! We really dive deep into the nature of mindfulness and the value of having both formal and informal ways of cultivating presence. Sam talks about the value of grief, why enthusiasm is a game changer, and why we shouldn’t get too precious with the how and when of mindfulness practice. I had a blast having this conversation - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!