Brett Mayer: Flow, Intuition, and Performing Through Uncertainty

About this episode

Brett Mayer discusses the intersection of flow, intuition, and leadership in the context of uncertainty and performance.

On Episode 45 of Mindful Warrior Radio, we welcome Brett Mayer—Policy Director at the American Canoe Association, educator, small business owner, and long-time paddler. Brett is the creator of Following Waters , a project born from his graduate research exploring the lived experiences of whitewater kayakers and how their relationships with rivers evolve over time—from initiation, to identity and stewardship. Through long-form storytelling, Brett seeks to break down silos between athletes, educators, advocates, and storytellers, illuminating how we are all part of the same interconnected, water-based ecosystem. Drawing on his experience, Brett shares that time on the river becomes a mirror for identity, decision-making, and intuition—revealing deeper truths about performance, leadership, risk, and the practice of making peace with uncertainty. Brett shares his thoughts on leadership and team dynamics, “Leadership isn’t actually communicated positionally. Everyone has something to bring, and great teams know how to bring that out in each other.” Brett reflects on his relationship with intuition and trust, “There’s a difference between nerves and intuition. The work is learning to…

People in this episode

Host: Kami Craig

Guest: Brett Mayer

Topics covered

• leadership
• intuition
• performance
• anxiety management
• team dynamics
• storytelling

Keywords

• Brett Mayer
• leadership
• intuition
• anxiety
• whitewater kayaking
• storytelling
• performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Canoe Association

Books & works: Following Waters