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    <title>The Dr. Pena Podcast - The Performance Standard </title>
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    <description>Most people settle.
High performers refuse.

The Dr. Peña Podcast — The Performance Standard is where discipline, ambition, and relentless standards collide. Hosted by Dr. Christien Peña, an Emergency Medicine physician, entrepreneur, and performance strategist, this show breaks down what it actually takes to excel — in business, athletics, leadership, medicine, and life.

No fluff. No shortcuts. Just real conversations with people who raise the bar and never lower it. From ER medicine and high-stakes decision making to mental resilience, trauma, justice, mindset, politics, and the pursuit of personal excellence — this podcast goes deeper than motivation. It’s about the habits, systems, and principles high performers use to win.

If you’re committed to becoming the strongest, sharpest, and most capable version of yourself…
Welcome to The Performance Standard.

👉 Subscribe now and never miss a new episode.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.theperformancestandard.com/</description>
    <copyright>© 2026 Christien Pena, MD</copyright>
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    <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:01:23 -0700</pubDate>
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    <link>https://www.covenix.health/</link>
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      <title>The Dr. Pena Podcast - The Performance Standard </title>
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    <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
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    <itunes:summary>Most people settle.
High performers refuse.

The Dr. Peña Podcast — The Performance Standard is where discipline, ambition, and relentless standards collide. Hosted by Dr. Christien Peña, an Emergency Medicine physician, entrepreneur, and performance strategist, this show breaks down what it actually takes to excel — in business, athletics, leadership, medicine, and life.

No fluff. No shortcuts. Just real conversations with people who raise the bar and never lower it. From ER medicine and high-stakes decision making to mental resilience, trauma, justice, mindset, politics, and the pursuit of personal excellence — this podcast goes deeper than motivation. It’s about the habits, systems, and principles high performers use to win.

If you’re committed to becoming the strongest, sharpest, and most capable version of yourself…
Welcome to The Performance Standard.

👉 Subscribe now and never miss a new episode.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.theperformancestandard.com/</itunes:summary>
    <itunes:subtitle>Most people settle.</itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:keywords>Dr Christien Pena, The Performance Standard, The Dr Pena Podcast, ER doctor stories, emergency medicine, medical podcast, healthcare insights, mental health, trauma recovery, high performance lifestyle, personal development, self improvement, leadership podcast, motivational stories, resilience mindset, health and wellness, medical ethics, US healthcare system, political discussions, social issues podcast, real life stories, crime and justice, patient advocacy, expert interviews, physician perspective, lifestyle optimization, fitness and performance, men’s health, women’s health, evidence based medicine, medical decision making, critical care insights, public safety, opioid crisis, fentanyl epidemic, police reform, community impact, inspirational podcast, faith and purpose, personal growth journey, productivity mindset, habits and discipline, professional excellence, high standard living, peak performance coaching, life philosophy, transformational stories, overcoming adversity, entrepreneurial mindset, immigrant stories, American dream, social commentary, viral podcast moments, emotional stories, powerful conversations, health education, modern medicine, wellness coaching, life lessons, human behavior, motivation and discipline</itunes:keywords>
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      <itunes:name>Christien Pena, MD </itunes:name>
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    <itunes:complete>Yes</itunes:complete>
    <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
    <item>
      <title>The Health Framework Most Men Ignore | Sleep Hormones, Exercise, Diet</title>
      <itunes:episode>6</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>6</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Health Framework Most Men Ignore | Sleep Hormones, Exercise, Diet</itunes:title>
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        <![CDATA[<p>Performance pyramid health framework explained by an ER doctor showing why sleep hormones exercise and diet matter more than peptides supplements and advanced therapies.</p><p>I see this every day. People chasing shortcuts while ignoring the foundation that actually determines performance and longevity.</p><p>I’m Dr. Christien Peña - Emergency Medicine physician and founder of Covenix Health, a performance-focused telemedicine practice based in Scottsdale, Arizona. In this episode I break down the performance pyramid step by step so you finally have a clear system to follow instead of random advice from influencers.</p><p>We go into the core tier that most people skip including Sleep Hormones, Exercise, Diet and why without this nothing else works.</p><p>Then we move into supplements peptides and orthobiologics and I explain real risks I see in the ER including black market peptides wrong dosing and complications no one talks about.</p><p>This is not hype. This is how you think when lives are on the line.</p><p>If you want real optimization you need structure not trends. Are you building your foundation or chasing shortcuts?</p><p>Apply to work with me https://covenix.health<br>Instagram @pena_md</p>]]>
      </description>
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        <![CDATA[<p>Performance pyramid health framework explained by an ER doctor showing why sleep hormones exercise and diet matter more than peptides supplements and advanced therapies.</p><p>I see this every day. People chasing shortcuts while ignoring the foundation that actually determines performance and longevity.</p><p>I’m Dr. Christien Peña - Emergency Medicine physician and founder of Covenix Health, a performance-focused telemedicine practice based in Scottsdale, Arizona. In this episode I break down the performance pyramid step by step so you finally have a clear system to follow instead of random advice from influencers.</p><p>We go into the core tier that most people skip including Sleep Hormones, Exercise, Diet and why without this nothing else works.</p><p>Then we move into supplements peptides and orthobiologics and I explain real risks I see in the ER including black market peptides wrong dosing and complications no one talks about.</p><p>This is not hype. This is how you think when lives are on the line.</p><p>If you want real optimization you need structure not trends. Are you building your foundation or chasing shortcuts?</p><p>Apply to work with me https://covenix.health<br>Instagram @pena_md</p>]]>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:01:34 -0700</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
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      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
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      <itunes:duration>1862</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Performance pyramid health framework explained by an ER doctor showing why sleep hormones exercise and diet matter more than peptides supplements and advanced therapies.</p><p>I see this every day. People chasing shortcuts while ignoring the foundation that actually determines performance and longevity.</p><p>I’m Dr. Christien Peña - Emergency Medicine physician and founder of Covenix Health, a performance-focused telemedicine practice based in Scottsdale, Arizona. In this episode I break down the performance pyramid step by step so you finally have a clear system to follow instead of random advice from influencers.</p><p>We go into the core tier that most people skip including Sleep Hormones, Exercise, Diet and why without this nothing else works.</p><p>Then we move into supplements peptides and orthobiologics and I explain real risks I see in the ER including black market peptides wrong dosing and complications no one talks about.</p><p>This is not hype. This is how you think when lives are on the line.</p><p>If you want real optimization you need structure not trends. Are you building your foundation or chasing shortcuts?</p><p>Apply to work with me https://covenix.health<br>Instagram @pena_md</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>The Performance Standard, Dr Pena Podcast, Christien Pena, performance pyramid, health optimization podcast, men’s health over 30, hormone optimization, testosterone health, sleep optimization, diet and exercise basics, longevity strategies, biohacking explained, peptides explained, peptide risks, black market peptides, supplements vs foundation, health fundamentals, ER doctor advice, emergency medicine insights, functional medicine approach, performance health system, Scottsdale health clinic, Covenix Health, biomarkers and labs, fatigue and burnout recovery, discipline and health, metabolic health, lifestyle optimization, foundation before supplements, modern health myths, medical misinformation, preventative health, performance lifestyle, human physiology explained, high performance habits, health and longevity podcast, avoid shortcuts in health, real health advice, structure over trends, men’s vitality, strength and recovery, holistic health approach, evidence based health</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/b779ab77/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>From Green Beret to Brotherhood Leader | What Breaks Most Men?</title>
      <itunes:episode>5</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>5</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>From Green Beret to Brotherhood Leader | What Breaks Most Men?</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
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      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>If you fear excellence, swipe away now.</p><p>Today I sit down with Jeremy McWilliams a former Green Beret, combat veteran, entrepreneur, husband, and leader inside the Rise Up Kings community. A man who went through Special Forces selection, survived combat in Afghanistan, took grenades on a rooftop, and was dragged to a helicopter by a brother who refused to leave him behind.</p><p>This is not a war story.</p><p>This is a leadership story.</p><p>We break down what Special Forces selection actually tests and why it is not your size, your strength, or your ego that determines whether you make it. It is what is between your ears. We talk about pressure, brotherhood, vulnerability, marriage, business, discipline, and why comfort is quietly crushing modern men.</p><p>Jeremy shares what it means to be known, to build a marriage that survives ambition, to build businesses with your wife, and why radical change is sometimes the only way forward.</p><p>Most men are not at rock bottom.<br>They are sedated by comfort.<br>The loan of comfort has an interest rate that is crushing.</p><p>If you are a man over 30 building a family, building a business, building a life that matters, this conversation will challenge you.<br>Apply to work with me - https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you running from something or running toward something? Drop a comment below.</p><p>Now go live it.</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>If you fear excellence, swipe away now.</p><p>Today I sit down with Jeremy McWilliams a former Green Beret, combat veteran, entrepreneur, husband, and leader inside the Rise Up Kings community. A man who went through Special Forces selection, survived combat in Afghanistan, took grenades on a rooftop, and was dragged to a helicopter by a brother who refused to leave him behind.</p><p>This is not a war story.</p><p>This is a leadership story.</p><p>We break down what Special Forces selection actually tests and why it is not your size, your strength, or your ego that determines whether you make it. It is what is between your ears. We talk about pressure, brotherhood, vulnerability, marriage, business, discipline, and why comfort is quietly crushing modern men.</p><p>Jeremy shares what it means to be known, to build a marriage that survives ambition, to build businesses with your wife, and why radical change is sometimes the only way forward.</p><p>Most men are not at rock bottom.<br>They are sedated by comfort.<br>The loan of comfort has an interest rate that is crushing.</p><p>If you are a man over 30 building a family, building a business, building a life that matters, this conversation will challenge you.<br>Apply to work with me - https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you running from something or running toward something? Drop a comment below.</p><p>Now go live it.</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 06:03:39 -0800</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/7a02d0ce/f2942965.mp3" length="79543127" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
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      <itunes:duration>3118</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>If you fear excellence, swipe away now.</p><p>Today I sit down with Jeremy McWilliams a former Green Beret, combat veteran, entrepreneur, husband, and leader inside the Rise Up Kings community. A man who went through Special Forces selection, survived combat in Afghanistan, took grenades on a rooftop, and was dragged to a helicopter by a brother who refused to leave him behind.</p><p>This is not a war story.</p><p>This is a leadership story.</p><p>We break down what Special Forces selection actually tests and why it is not your size, your strength, or your ego that determines whether you make it. It is what is between your ears. We talk about pressure, brotherhood, vulnerability, marriage, business, discipline, and why comfort is quietly crushing modern men.</p><p>Jeremy shares what it means to be known, to build a marriage that survives ambition, to build businesses with your wife, and why radical change is sometimes the only way forward.</p><p>Most men are not at rock bottom.<br>They are sedated by comfort.<br>The loan of comfort has an interest rate that is crushing.</p><p>If you are a man over 30 building a family, building a business, building a life that matters, this conversation will challenge you.<br>Apply to work with me - https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you running from something or running toward something? Drop a comment below.</p><p>Now go live it.</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>The Performance Standard, Dr Pena Podcast, Christien Pena, Jeremy McWilliams, Green Beret interview, Special Forces selection, combat veteran story, Afghanistan war veteran, brotherhood leadership, Rise Up Kings, men over 30, masculine leadership, pressure and resilience, elite mindset, discipline under fire, military to entrepreneur, veteran entrepreneur, marriage and ambition, business with your spouse, vulnerability in men, mental toughness training, comfort is killing men, purpose driven men, leadership under pressure, overcoming trauma, execution mindset, modern masculinity, men’s growth podcast, high performance men, faith and brotherhood, identity and discipline, combat lessons for business, resilience and grit, performance psychology, leadership podcast for men, accountability and standards, building legacy, purpose over comfort, men’s mental strength</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/7a02d0ce/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
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    <item>
      <title>The Discipline Every Man Needs to Build Wealth!</title>
      <itunes:episode>4</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>4</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>The Discipline Every Man Needs to Build Wealth!</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
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      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Baseball is a game of failure.<br>Wealth is a game of discipline.<br>Life is a game of execution.</p><p>In this episode of The Performance Standard, I sit down with Allan Kamori, founder of Correlation Advisors, to break down what high performing men get wrong about money.</p><p>Most people are not investing. They are gambling.</p><p>They chase trends.<br>They react emotionally.<br>They follow gurus.<br>And then they wonder why they feel stressed.</p><p>We talk about:</p><p>• Why discipline beats talent<br>• Why most advisors are part of the “financial machine”<br>• Why chasing crypto or hot trends is emotional gambling<br>• How business owners sabotage themselves by waiting too long<br>• And why you must choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret</p><p>This isn’t about getting rich quick.</p><p>It’s about execution.<br>It’s about clarity.<br>It’s about doing the right thing consistently over decades.</p><p>If you’re a man over 30 building something in Arizona - business, career, family - this conversation matters.</p><p>If you want to optimize your health the same way you optimize your finances, start here.</p><p>👉 Apply to work with me / start your labs:<br>https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you building wealth with discipline or are you reacting emotionally to trends?</p><p>Comment below. I read every response.</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Baseball is a game of failure.<br>Wealth is a game of discipline.<br>Life is a game of execution.</p><p>In this episode of The Performance Standard, I sit down with Allan Kamori, founder of Correlation Advisors, to break down what high performing men get wrong about money.</p><p>Most people are not investing. They are gambling.</p><p>They chase trends.<br>They react emotionally.<br>They follow gurus.<br>And then they wonder why they feel stressed.</p><p>We talk about:</p><p>• Why discipline beats talent<br>• Why most advisors are part of the “financial machine”<br>• Why chasing crypto or hot trends is emotional gambling<br>• How business owners sabotage themselves by waiting too long<br>• And why you must choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret</p><p>This isn’t about getting rich quick.</p><p>It’s about execution.<br>It’s about clarity.<br>It’s about doing the right thing consistently over decades.</p><p>If you’re a man over 30 building something in Arizona - business, career, family - this conversation matters.</p><p>If you want to optimize your health the same way you optimize your finances, start here.</p><p>👉 Apply to work with me / start your labs:<br>https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you building wealth with discipline or are you reacting emotionally to trends?</p><p>Comment below. I read every response.</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:59:22 -0800</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/5751676f/1a166b9e.mp3" length="93336138" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
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      <itunes:duration>3557</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>Baseball is a game of failure.<br>Wealth is a game of discipline.<br>Life is a game of execution.</p><p>In this episode of The Performance Standard, I sit down with Allan Kamori, founder of Correlation Advisors, to break down what high performing men get wrong about money.</p><p>Most people are not investing. They are gambling.</p><p>They chase trends.<br>They react emotionally.<br>They follow gurus.<br>And then they wonder why they feel stressed.</p><p>We talk about:</p><p>• Why discipline beats talent<br>• Why most advisors are part of the “financial machine”<br>• Why chasing crypto or hot trends is emotional gambling<br>• How business owners sabotage themselves by waiting too long<br>• And why you must choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret</p><p>This isn’t about getting rich quick.</p><p>It’s about execution.<br>It’s about clarity.<br>It’s about doing the right thing consistently over decades.</p><p>If you’re a man over 30 building something in Arizona - business, career, family - this conversation matters.</p><p>If you want to optimize your health the same way you optimize your finances, start here.</p><p>👉 Apply to work with me / start your labs:<br>https://covenix.health</p><p>Are you building wealth with discipline or are you reacting emotionally to trends?</p><p>Comment below. I read every response.</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>The Performance Standard, Dr Pena Podcast, Christien Pena, Allan Kamori, Correlation Advisors, wealth building podcast, investing discipline, financial discipline, high performance men, men over 30, Arizona business owners, Scottsdale entrepreneurs, money mindset, execution over emotion, pain of discipline, investing psychology, behavioral finance, emotional investing, long term investing, S&amp;P 500 strategy, real estate investing, crypto volatility, market timing mistakes, independent financial advisor, fiduciary advisor, financial machine, business owner mistakes, leadership and money, discipline vs regret, masculine leadership, peak performance mindset, health and wealth optimization, Covenix Health, performance driven life, accountability mindset, elite standards, entrepreneurship podcast, building wealth slowly, clarity and execution, financial independence, smart capital allocation, decision making under pressure, avoid gambling investing, trend chasing mistakes</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/5751676f/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>$400K in Debt, No Match, No Talent - How I Built the Performance Standard Anyway</title>
      <itunes:episode>3</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>3</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>$400K in Debt, No Match, No Talent - How I Built the Performance Standard Anyway</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
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      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/b42e780b</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>This is the story I didn’t want to tell - but needed to.</p><p><br></p><p>I wasn’t the most talented.</p><p>I failed exams. I didn’t match. I had red flags on my record.</p><p>At one point, I was over <strong>$400,000 in debt</strong>, with no residency spot and no guarantees.</p><p><br></p><p>In this solo episode of <strong>The Dr. Peña Podcast - The Performance Standard</strong>, I break down the moments where everything could’ve ended - failing prerequisites, Caribbean medical school, not matching, SOAP, general surgery when I didn’t want it, and the mindset that kept me executing when quitting would’ve been easier.</p><p><br></p><p>This is not a motivation talk.</p><p>This is about <strong>preparation, accountability, biology, and execution</strong> - and why most men don’t fail because they lack discipline, but because they ignore their physiology.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man over 30 who feels stuck, burned out, foggy, or plateaued, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, responsibility, and what it actually takes to win.</p><p><br></p><p>When was the moment your back was against the wall - and did you execute or hesitate?<br></p><p><strong>Work with me / Start your labs</strong></p><p>🌐 https://covenix.health</p><p><br></p><p>📧 Contact: drpena@covenix.health</p><p>📱 Instagram: @pena_md</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>This is the story I didn’t want to tell - but needed to.</p><p><br></p><p>I wasn’t the most talented.</p><p>I failed exams. I didn’t match. I had red flags on my record.</p><p>At one point, I was over <strong>$400,000 in debt</strong>, with no residency spot and no guarantees.</p><p><br></p><p>In this solo episode of <strong>The Dr. Peña Podcast - The Performance Standard</strong>, I break down the moments where everything could’ve ended - failing prerequisites, Caribbean medical school, not matching, SOAP, general surgery when I didn’t want it, and the mindset that kept me executing when quitting would’ve been easier.</p><p><br></p><p>This is not a motivation talk.</p><p>This is about <strong>preparation, accountability, biology, and execution</strong> - and why most men don’t fail because they lack discipline, but because they ignore their physiology.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man over 30 who feels stuck, burned out, foggy, or plateaued, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, responsibility, and what it actually takes to win.</p><p><br></p><p>When was the moment your back was against the wall - and did you execute or hesitate?<br></p><p><strong>Work with me / Start your labs</strong></p><p>🌐 https://covenix.health</p><p><br></p><p>📧 Contact: drpena@covenix.health</p><p>📱 Instagram: @pena_md</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:53:03 -0800</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/b42e780b/40e4db64.mp3" length="47580093" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/p2YZgVlGa5fCbBjcRlRc9EgPMcRKxfNfuS379X1Y_fQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mMDI5/NGZmMmIyNzk5ZGZm/MDQ4YjU1NzFhYzQx/MTg0OC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>1886</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>This is the story I didn’t want to tell - but needed to.</p><p><br></p><p>I wasn’t the most talented.</p><p>I failed exams. I didn’t match. I had red flags on my record.</p><p>At one point, I was over <strong>$400,000 in debt</strong>, with no residency spot and no guarantees.</p><p><br></p><p>In this solo episode of <strong>The Dr. Peña Podcast - The Performance Standard</strong>, I break down the moments where everything could’ve ended - failing prerequisites, Caribbean medical school, not matching, SOAP, general surgery when I didn’t want it, and the mindset that kept me executing when quitting would’ve been easier.</p><p><br></p><p>This is not a motivation talk.</p><p>This is about <strong>preparation, accountability, biology, and execution</strong> - and why most men don’t fail because they lack discipline, but because they ignore their physiology.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man over 30 who feels stuck, burned out, foggy, or plateaued, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, responsibility, and what it actually takes to win.</p><p><br></p><p>When was the moment your back was against the wall - and did you execute or hesitate?<br></p><p><strong>Work with me / Start your labs</strong></p><p>🌐 https://covenix.health</p><p><br></p><p>📧 Contact: drpena@covenix.health</p><p>📱 Instagram: @pena_md</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>The Performance Standard, Dr Pena Podcast, Dr Pena, Christien Pena, high performance podcast, discipline mindset, execution over motivation, men over 30, men’s health podcast, burnout recovery, mental resilience, physiology and performance, hormone optimization, testosterone health, biology over motivation, accountability mindset, elite performance habits, leadership under pressure, personal responsibility, overcoming failure, resilience stories, medical entrepreneur, ER doctor podcast, healthcare entrepreneur, self mastery, high standards lifestyle, peak performance mindset, biohacking for men, performance labs, Covenix Health, men’s optimization, mental clarity, fatigue and burnout, purpose driven life, discipline over talent, real success stories, American entrepreneurship, masculine performance, no excuses mindset, execution culture, grit and discipline, life under pressure, building standards, performance psychology, self improvement for men, elite mindset</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/b42e780b/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>From Job Sites to $40M Projects! Bill Goldberg on Discipline, Grit, and the Performance Standard</title>
      <itunes:episode>2</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>2</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>From Job Sites to $40M Projects! Bill Goldberg on Discipline, Grit, and the Performance Standard</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
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      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/c8582a8d</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode defines what The Performance Standard actually means in the real world.</p><p>I sat down with Bill Goldberg, founder of Compass Construction, a high-level operator who has delivered $40M+ projects in an industry where missing the schedule or budget is considered normal. For Bill, it’s not.</p><p>We talk about what it takes to build from nothing — growing up without handouts, learning construction from the ground up, making decisions without a safety net, and holding yourself to a standard where excuses don’t exist.<br>This conversation goes deep into discipline, leadership, execution, people, systems, and why details matter when margins are razor thin.</p><p>If you’re a man building a business, leading a team, or trying to raise your personal standard — this episode will challenge how you think about performance.</p><p>🌐 Learn more or apply to work with me:<br>👉 https://covenix.health</p><p>Question for you:<br>Where in your life are you accepting missed standards — and what would change if you stopped tolerating them?</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode defines what The Performance Standard actually means in the real world.</p><p>I sat down with Bill Goldberg, founder of Compass Construction, a high-level operator who has delivered $40M+ projects in an industry where missing the schedule or budget is considered normal. For Bill, it’s not.</p><p>We talk about what it takes to build from nothing — growing up without handouts, learning construction from the ground up, making decisions without a safety net, and holding yourself to a standard where excuses don’t exist.<br>This conversation goes deep into discipline, leadership, execution, people, systems, and why details matter when margins are razor thin.</p><p>If you’re a man building a business, leading a team, or trying to raise your personal standard — this episode will challenge how you think about performance.</p><p>🌐 Learn more or apply to work with me:<br>👉 https://covenix.health</p><p>Question for you:<br>Where in your life are you accepting missed standards — and what would change if you stopped tolerating them?</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:10:05 -0800</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/c8582a8d/5a387ddd.mp3" length="109631277" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/zlNXBWIfVmoAJ0_xn6nOOr2GCRAPbxB3S7Mq_Y4Tw2M/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iZjI4/ZjgwMGI5MTgyMDkz/ODMzNjJiMjljZWM1/OWM4Zi5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>4147</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode defines what The Performance Standard actually means in the real world.</p><p>I sat down with Bill Goldberg, founder of Compass Construction, a high-level operator who has delivered $40M+ projects in an industry where missing the schedule or budget is considered normal. For Bill, it’s not.</p><p>We talk about what it takes to build from nothing — growing up without handouts, learning construction from the ground up, making decisions without a safety net, and holding yourself to a standard where excuses don’t exist.<br>This conversation goes deep into discipline, leadership, execution, people, systems, and why details matter when margins are razor thin.</p><p>If you’re a man building a business, leading a team, or trying to raise your personal standard — this episode will challenge how you think about performance.</p><p>🌐 Learn more or apply to work with me:<br>👉 https://covenix.health</p><p>Question for you:<br>Where in your life are you accepting missed standards — and what would change if you stopped tolerating them?</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>dr christien pena, dr christian pena, the performance standard podcast, covenix health, testosterone therapy, trt doctor arizona, peptide therapy for men, longevity medicine, performance medicine, construction leadership mindset, high performance contractor, construction discipline, never miss the budget, never miss the schedule, building from nothing story, mens leadership podcast, arizona business podcast, performance standard mindset, execution over excuses, bill goldberg</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
      <podcast:transcript url="https://share.transistor.fm/s/c8582a8d/transcript.txt" type="text/plain"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>False Accusation Nearly Destroyed Him - Here's How He Won</title>
      <itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode>
      <podcast:episode>1</podcast:episode>
      <itunes:title>False Accusation Nearly Destroyed Him - Here's How He Won</itunes:title>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
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      <link>https://share.transistor.fm/s/2edc88f9</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode is deeply personal.</p><p><br></p><p>My brother Sean nearly lost his life twice — first in a catastrophic motorcycle accident, and years later when he was falsely accused, stripped of his badge, and forced to fight for his freedom with zero evidence against him.</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, we break down what real performance looks like when everything is taken from you.</p><p><br></p><p>We talk about resilience, faith, discipline, pressure, mental manipulation, spiritual warfare, responsibility, and what it means to keep moving forward when the world is telling you to quit.</p><p><br></p><p>Sean built businesses while wearing an ankle monitor.</p><p>He stood in front of a jury where one wrong sentence could have ended his life.</p><p>And through it all, he chose truth, clarity, and courage as his performance standard.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man looking to raise your standard, sharpen your mindset, or understand what true adversity feels like — this episode will stay with you.</p><p><br></p><p>If this conversation resonated with you:</p><p>• <strong>Follow / Subscribe</strong> to <em>The Performance Standard Podcast</em></p><p>• <strong>Leave a review</strong> — it helps more men find these conversations</p><p>• <strong>Share this episode</strong> with someone who needs to hear it</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Question for you - </strong></p><p>What moment in your life forced you to raise your standard — and how did it change you?</p>]]>
      </description>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode is deeply personal.</p><p><br></p><p>My brother Sean nearly lost his life twice — first in a catastrophic motorcycle accident, and years later when he was falsely accused, stripped of his badge, and forced to fight for his freedom with zero evidence against him.</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, we break down what real performance looks like when everything is taken from you.</p><p><br></p><p>We talk about resilience, faith, discipline, pressure, mental manipulation, spiritual warfare, responsibility, and what it means to keep moving forward when the world is telling you to quit.</p><p><br></p><p>Sean built businesses while wearing an ankle monitor.</p><p>He stood in front of a jury where one wrong sentence could have ended his life.</p><p>And through it all, he chose truth, clarity, and courage as his performance standard.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man looking to raise your standard, sharpen your mindset, or understand what true adversity feels like — this episode will stay with you.</p><p><br></p><p>If this conversation resonated with you:</p><p>• <strong>Follow / Subscribe</strong> to <em>The Performance Standard Podcast</em></p><p>• <strong>Leave a review</strong> — it helps more men find these conversations</p><p>• <strong>Share this episode</strong> with someone who needs to hear it</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Question for you - </strong></p><p>What moment in your life forced you to raise your standard — and how did it change you?</p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:25:51 -0800</pubDate>
      <author>Christien Pena, MD</author>
      <enclosure url="https://media.transistor.fm/2edc88f9/f06c6de9.mp3" length="94468926" type="audio/mpeg"/>
      <itunes:author>Christien Pena, MD</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://img.transistorcdn.com/fMGjdKsPv7Ak_lj2H-17dxQDUp14g6ara8JudTDjPrE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wNWMz/YTMwZjgxZjYyYTcz/ZDRmYWE1ZjU4NTdi/ODc3MC5wbmc.jpg"/>
      <itunes:duration>3227</itunes:duration>
      <itunes:summary>
        <![CDATA[<p>This episode is deeply personal.</p><p><br></p><p>My brother Sean nearly lost his life twice — first in a catastrophic motorcycle accident, and years later when he was falsely accused, stripped of his badge, and forced to fight for his freedom with zero evidence against him.</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, we break down what real performance looks like when everything is taken from you.</p><p><br></p><p>We talk about resilience, faith, discipline, pressure, mental manipulation, spiritual warfare, responsibility, and what it means to keep moving forward when the world is telling you to quit.</p><p><br></p><p>Sean built businesses while wearing an ankle monitor.</p><p>He stood in front of a jury where one wrong sentence could have ended his life.</p><p>And through it all, he chose truth, clarity, and courage as his performance standard.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re a man looking to raise your standard, sharpen your mindset, or understand what true adversity feels like — this episode will stay with you.</p><p><br></p><p>If this conversation resonated with you:</p><p>• <strong>Follow / Subscribe</strong> to <em>The Performance Standard Podcast</em></p><p>• <strong>Leave a review</strong> — it helps more men find these conversations</p><p>• <strong>Share this episode</strong> with someone who needs to hear it</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Question for you - </strong></p><p>What moment in your life forced you to raise your standard — and how did it change you?</p>]]>
      </itunes:summary>
      <itunes:keywords>The Performance Standard Podcast, Dr Christian Peña, Dr Pena podcast, men’s performance podcast, high performance men, men’s health podcast, performance medicine, resilience mindset, overcoming adversity, false accusation story, brotherhood and loyalty, discipline and faith, mental toughness, masculine resilience, leadership under pressure, rebuilding after failure, men’s mindset 40+, real life adversity story, spiritual warfare and discipline, strength through hardship, personal growth for men, elite mindset podcast, entrepreneur resilience, purpose driven men, high standards living, stories of high performers, modern masculinity podcast, men and mental strength, courage and truth, identity and responsibility, performance lifestyle podcast, American men podcast</itunes:keywords>
      <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
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