In 2016, my future wife Mari decided to do something “hard.”

She wanted to learn how to meditate. And not just with an app—she hired a coach and committed to weekly sessions. For the first few months, they spent 50 minutes talking and only 10 minutes actually meditating. (That’s how hard it was to sit still at first.)

But something shifted. Over time, those short meditations became a safe space—somewhere Mari could reconnect with herself. And eventually, she wanted to make that space available to others. That’s how the original Mastermind meditation studio was born.

Where It All Started

That little studio was where we met. I auditioned to help lead classes, driven by a mix of mindfulness curiosity and engineering brain optimization. We led sessions, brewed tea, and built something that was both grounded in science and rooted in connection. Our professional partnership slowly turned into something more.

Then, the world changed. COVID hit. The studio closed, but the mission evolved.

We reimagined Mastermind as a fully virtual space—carrying forward that “gym for your brain” feel into online classes, workshops, and trainings. We stayed rooted in mindfulness but expanded into brain health, resilience, and leadership support—meeting people where they were, at home or at work.  

And at every stage, we kept learning the same lesson:
 Real growth doesn’t come from doing something huge.
 It comes from doing something small—and doing it again.

One Breath at a Time

Mari didn’t go from zero to 20-minute meditations. She sat for 5 minutes. Then maybe 6. Then maybe 10.

She stretched her edge.
She stayed in the discomfort a little longer.
She practiced.

That’s how we’ve built Mastermind, too. One breath. One class. One step outside our comfort zone. And over time, it added up to something really meaningful.

Try a Small Stretch This Week

If you’re in a busy season (and who isn’t?), I invite you to try your own small challenge this week. Something you can actually follow through on. Something that stretches you—gently.

Maybe that’s:

• Sitting five minutes longer in stillness
• Reaching out to a friend you’ve lost touch with
• Spending a morning without your phone
• Taking a walk before jumping into emails

It doesn’t have to be perfect. But leaning into a little discomfort might shift more than you expect.

Want to Hear the Whole Story?

We share the full origin story (plus a few laughs and lessons learned) in the newest episode of On Your Mind with Dorsey—our podcast where we talk about brain health, burnout, mindfulness, and what it means to lead with intention. 

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, you can find it on YouTube @dorseystandish.

Thanks for being part of this journey.