Episode Details

In this episode, Zach sits down with Mike Wood — COO of a $100M company and founder of a 10-week anxiety and depression recovery program — for a raw conversation about what it actually takes to quiet a mind that won't stop running.

Mike traces his anxiety back to a single moment at age five: struggling to spell his name in front of his kindergarten class due to undiagnosed dyslexia. That moment programmed a core belief — "I'm not as smart as everyone else" — that ran in the background for the next 35 years, even as he built outward success: a thriving marriage, seven kids, and an executive career. At 45, sitting on top of everything he thought would bring peace, he realized none of it had. That's when he turned inward.

The conversation moves through the mechanics of how the subconscious mind actually works — why it can't distinguish real from imagined events, how elevated emotion plus intention creates lasting programs, and how those same programs can be consciously rewritten. Mike shares the exercise he uses to revisit painful childhood moments and offer his younger self compassion and forgiveness, and explains why forgiving others (and eventually himself) was the turning point in breaking the cycle.

They also dig into:

• The science of cortisol vs. oxytocin, and why stress can cut brain function by up to 60%
• A moving story about calming his 8-year-old son's nighttime fears using a simple gratitude game
• Why Mike had to strip away identities — husband, dad, "Titans fan," Democrat — to stop reacting defensively in daily life
• The difference between believing something and knowing it through direct experience
• A guided breathing technique Mike uses to move through anxiety in real time
• What it actually looks like when someone breaks free — and why environment and the people around you matter more than most people realize

Mike closes with a simple starting point for anyone feeling stuck: stop, get quiet, and start noticing your own thoughts without running from them.

Connect with Mike Wood:

• Free gift: mwoodmindset.com/everything

Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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