Mayo Clinic The Human Optimization Project
Mayo Clinic The Human Optimization Project
Podcast Description
The bar for human performance is higher than it’s ever been. As a result, we all feel the need to do MORE. At the same time, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of sleep, rest, recovery, and wellness. Accordingly, we also feel the need to do LESS. If you’re like most people, it can be challenging to reconcile this conflict of feeling the need to do MORE and LESS simultaneously, and that is likely contributing to high rates of burnout and decreased performance. So how do we reconcile these seemingly competing desires? That is where Human Optimization comes in. Human Optimization is the process of achieving more (however you define that for yourself) while simultaneously improving your wellness and well-being. Although it’s not easy, it’s certainly possible. Not only is it possible, but it is becoming increasingly essential. In this Mayo Clinic Talks Mini-Series, we are going to dive into the topic of Human Optimization and will focus on a few key areas including: exercise, nutrition, culture, emotional intelligence, and finding joy in all you do.
Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at:
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @MayoHumOpProj
Listening is free and no CME Credit is available for this series.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers a wide range of topics related to human optimization, including exercise, nutrition, emotional intelligence, joy in life, and culture. Episodes explore themes such as understanding circadian rhythms for better sleep, demystifying calories for health management, and strategies for increasing joy at work and home.

The bar for human performance is higher than it’s ever been. As a result, we all feel the need to do MORE. At the same time, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of sleep, rest, recovery, and wellness. Accordingly, we also feel the need to do LESS. If you’re like most people, it can be challenging to reconcile this conflict of feeling the need to do MORE and LESS simultaneously, and that is likely contributing to high rates of burnout and decreased performance. So how do we reconcile these seemingly competing desires? That is where Human Optimization comes in.
Human Optimization is the process of achieving more (however you define that for yourself) while simultaneously improving your wellness and well-being. Although it’s not easy, it’s certainly possible. Not only is it possible, but it is becoming increasingly essential.
On this Mayo Clinic podcast series, we are going to dive into the topic of Human Optimization and will focus on a few key areas including: exercise, nutrition, culture, emotional intelligence, and finding joy in all you do.
Learn more about On Human Optimization at:https://ce.mayo.edu/optimizeInstagram: @MayoHumanOptimizationYouTube: The Human Optimization Project – YouTubeEmail: [email protected]
Listening is free and no CME Credit is available for this series.
People like easily quantified measures of success – money, degrees, awards, followers. They’re simple and straightforward. The more you have, the better you’re doing. At least in theory.
Reality is a little more complicated. You can be financially secure but lonely. Highly productive but purposeless. Successful but depleted.
So how do we go from looking good on paper to being good for real?
This episode, our guest is Dr. Renae Wilkinson, a sociologist and research associate with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. And she’s here to help us take a more holistic assessment of our lives and learn to flourish.
The three big questions we have for Dr. Wilkinson are:
1. What is human flourishing and why do we need it in our lives?
2. Why do we struggle to flourish and what keeps holding us back?
3. What clear and distinct steps can people take to increase human flourishing across the major domains of life?
Learn more about On Human Optimization and access Pod-Club questions at https://ce.mayo.edu/content/mayo-clinic-human-optimization
Instagram: @MayoHumanOptimization
YouTube: On Human Optimization – YouTube
Email: [email protected]
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