In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Eric Recker about strategies for optimal thinking. Eric defines "Win the now" as a presence mindset, focusing on current moments instead of past/future. He explains that segmenting days into wins, like patient interactions, to fully engage the present Key Takeaways Being in nature helps reset and ground us. We've lost the ability to sit in quiet and let our brains rest. Constant stimulation affects how we think. Gratitude and anxiety/worry cannot coexist. Focus on gratitude to push back anxiety. Break life into "nows" and focus on winning each now without thinking about the past or future. Time blocking helps productivity by removing distractions. Focus on controlling what you can rather than worrying about uncontrollable change. In this conversation, Eric stressed the prevalence and dangers of burnout. He offered a free email challenge to help recognise and reduce burnout signs. Judith agreed the hybrid work model risks reversing work-life balance gains. Dr Eric Recker is a dentist, husband, father, keynote speaker, Elite Success Coach, author, pilot, mountain climber and recovering triathlete. In his second half of life, he is committed to helping people shorten the distance to becoming their best version and learning to #WintheNow. You can find out more about our guest and today's episode in this Maverick Paradox Magazine article here. --- Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It's about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine. But amplifying your influence as a leader isn't just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It's also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans. The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact. How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see.  Judith's book: The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders.  Judith's websites:  The Maverick Paradox Magazine - themaverickparadox.com The Maverick Paradox Website - maverickparadox.co.uk Judith's LinkedIn profile is here, her Twitter profile (MaverickMastery) is here, Facebook here and Instagram here.