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Unlock Your True Potential

Mood Mastery is a 4-week emotional resilience and mindset training program for thoughtful high-achievers who want to overcome the emotional barriers to success and happiness.

  • Do your best work with less stress and anxiety
  • Release limiting beliefs and self-defeating behavior
  • Uncover deeper insights into yourself and others

What’s Really Holding You Back?

Any of these sound familiar…

You’re a high-performer, high-achiever, or striver

  • Regardless of how you define success, you’ve always been wired to chase after it.
  • You’re intelligent, goal-oriented, and hard working.
  • But despite your success in many areas of life…

You feel held back from your full potential

  • You sometimes struggle to respond rather than react to difficult emotions like anxiety, anger, or shame.
  • You have limiting beliefs and negative self-talk that hold you back.
  • Self-defeating behaviors like procrastination and avoidance are interfering with your goals and commitments.
  • You want to deepen your relationships—with yourself and others.
  • But you don’t just want more of the same old superficial advice….

You’re looking for a fresh approach to personal development

  • You’ve read stacks of self-help books but want more structure, guidance, and accountability.
  • You may have tried therapy or counseling, but want something more practical and action-oriented.
  • Maybe you’ve taken online courses in the past, but want something more hands-on, interactive, and personalized.

If this sounds like you, I’d like you to consider a simple question…

What’s the most important skill in life?

Reading? Writing? Coding? Public speaking? Listening? Negotiating? Money management?

No doubt these are all important. But there’s one skill that’s exponentially more important because it enables you to do all the others well…

The most important skill in life is the ability to manage your mind well.

Think about it…

  • How successful can you be in your career if you constantly struggle with worry, anxiety, and self-doubt?
  • What kind of a relationship are you going to have with your kids or partner if you can’t control your temper or insecurities?
  • How can you stick with personal goals like weight loss or creative hobbies if you procrastinate or self-sabotage?

In every area of life, success and happiness depend on the ability to manage your thoughts and emotions well.

And yet, no one ever teaches us how to do this…

  • Did your fifth-grade teacher give you skills for processing sadness or anger in a healthy way?
  • Did anyone in your high school teach you how to identify and restructure negative self-talk?
  • Did you take a college course on emotional self-awareness?

I certainly wasn’t taught any of this! And that’s why I developed this program…

Mood Mastery will show you how to overcome the inner obstacles to success and happiness.

But there’s a catch…

Traditional approaches to emotion management usually end up doing more harm than good:

  • Coping skills alleviate anxiety in the short term, but tend to make you more anxious and less confident long-term.
  • Medications and drugs can provide temporary relief, but frequently lead to dependence and other side effects.
  • Even therapy and counseling often perpetuate the very problems they seek to cure by fixating on the past or enabling dependency.

Mood Mastery takes a fundamentally different approach:

Instead of trying to fix or avoid difficult emotions, you need to create a healthier relationship with them.

Imagine this…

  • Instead of running away from your fears and insecurities, you confront them confidently, process them effectively, then let them go.
  • Instead of reacting to mistakes with self-criticism or judgment, you’re reflective, compassionate, then free to move beyond them.
  • Instead of using food, TV, or social media to cope with your stress, you assertively address the root causes of stress in your life.
  • Instead of second-guessing yourself and getting lost in indecision, you take bold, confident action guided by your core values.

Now, you’re probably reading those and thinking to yourself:

Sure, those sound amazing! But will I really be able to do all that after one 4-week program?

Developing expertise takes time and patience. And while there are no magic pills, there are shortcuts….

Everything I just described—processing your fears confidently, replacing self-criticism with self-compassion, assertively addressing the root cause of your stress, being decisive in your decision-making—there’s really only one core reason why these are hard…

Difficult emotions

Think about it…

  • Why is it hard to initiate a difficult conversation with your coworker or spouse? Because a truck load of anxiety overwhelms you! And because you’re not confident managing that anxiety, you simply avoid the situation or muddle through it.
  • Why is it hard to exercise consistently? Because shame and self-doubt convince you that you can’t! And because you don’t know how to process shame well, you buy into the false narrative.
  • Why is hard to finish that novel you’ve been working on for years? Because you’re frustrated with yourself for not being more productive. And because you don’t know how to manage your frustration and self-directed anger, you fall into procrastination to escape it.

Luckily, you don’t need different skills for each emotion in your life.

Emotional resilience unlocks your ability to manage any difficult emotions in your life—from anxiety and anger to grief and shame.

If this resonates, I invite you to learn more about Mood Mastery and how it works below.

But first, I should probably introduce myself…

Hi, I’m Nick Wignall

A little bit about me:

  • I’m a board-certified clinical psychologist with an MA from The University of Chicago and a PhD from The University of Texas Southwestern
  • For 7 years, I worked as a psychotherapist specializing in helping high-achievers work through struggles like anxiety, insomnia, and chronic stress
  • I cofounded Loom, a human capital consulting firm that helps high-performing teams achieve their full potential.
  • I’m the creator of The Friendly Mind, a weekly newsletter read by 50,000+ people each week.

But I’m a teacher at heart.

I created Mood Mastery because I love teaching people how their emotions work and how to work with them in a healthy and productive way.

In a moment I’ll share how the program works and what you’ll learn, but before I do, I thought it might be helpful to hear what some former students of Mood Mastery have to say about it…

Meet Our Alumni

The amazing truth is that my emotions no longer blindside me.

Instead of spending the day running away from painful emotions, I now have the ability to acknowledge them in the moment, give myself some empathy and compassion, and then go on with my work for the day without feeling weighed down or exhausted. I could not say this before taking this course.

— Natasha, Software Engineer

“The level of connectedness I felt to Nick and the rest of the group was lovely. From the beginning, I felt like these are my people!”

— Simmone Retallick, School Teacher

“The course helped me look at my actions through the lens of my values so I can be more assertive and less anxious.”

— Sinan Kucukkoseler, Software Engineer

As a therapist I look forward to using these worksheet with clients and guiding them through a similar process.

One thing that was especially helpful was the idea of using values and visualizations as motivation to work through challenging emotions and patterns. I have been able to imagine myself responding differently to an intense moment, as mental preparation, and then I’m better prepared in the moment to respond accordingly. Nick is a fantastic teacher!

— Katie Mason, Therapist

“Nick does a beautiful job of getting across a lot of information while also making everyone feel included and welcome to participate.”

— Amy van Buren, Clinical Psychologist

“I’m better at controlling how I react in difficult conversations instead of just yelling or feeling guilty.”

— Patty Fagan, Daycare Provider

This course has been a game changer!

The deeper self-awareness I got from the course was just what I was looking for. I’m more patient—both with others and myself—because I’m more attuned to what I’m feeling.

— Jason Waller, Executive Coach

“By the end of the course, it felt like someone updated my internal software!”

— Karan Gadiya, Data Scientist

“I love the simple tools for managing hard emotions… I’ve already seen a big improvement in my confidence!”

— Isabelle Nadeau, Scientist

I learned which emotions and situations I struggle the most with and how the elusive advice to “validate your emotions” actually works in practice.

It feels like I now have a set of cheat codes I’d never dreamed of. Plus, I had a blast nerding out on the weird world of emotions with a compassionate, interesting, fun group of people.

— Amy M, Economist

“I am truer to myself these days and therefore more content and focused. It’s easier to be me!”

— Julie LaFond, Retired Executive

“I have stepped up my game of identifying and managing my emotions in the moment. This is a huge leap for my effectiveness.”

— Raj Sidana, Cybersecurity Program Management

It’s the most important thing I’ve done in years and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Just like I was uncomfortable with my own emotions, I was uncomfortable with other people’s emotions. I wanted to “fix” myself and other people, and that always created tension instead of intimacy. In the simplest sense, I learned to accept what I felt, and by doing so, I also learned to do so for others.

— Brad Patterson, Co-founder and CFO of Maple Leaf Strings

My life has rebalanced with space for more happiness and so much more peace.

It was hard work and I was exhausted by the end but it has truly paid off. I no longer suffer so much, my moods are more balanced, I still get to have emotions but they are reasonable and do not spill over. I’ve also learnt how to ask for what is important, perhaps for the first time ever.

— Michelle Richecoeur, Massage Therapist

“It’s helped me navigate my mind in a bright new way!”

— Annabelle Cambier, Graphic Artist

“Mood Mastery helped me learn how to be at peace with my emotions instead of letting them run the show!”

— Jane Onel, Life Coach

I especially appreciated how practical the program was.

While Nick provided us with a solid theoretical basis for understanding and working more skillfully with our emotions, he also gave us really helpful exercises with actionable steps that had an immediate impact. 5 STARS!

— Matt Young, Meditation Teacher

I’m happier, more productive, and have much more inner peace.

The best part is I can now deal with my emotions without running away from them or being consumed by them. Mood Mastery is one of the best investments I’ve ever made—highly recommended!

— Martine Hulsebosch, Entrepreneur

“I have taken the course twice, and have learned something new each time. Nick is an outstanding teacher—he is warm, personable, professional, articulate, learned, compassionate, and outstandingly intelligent.”

— Peter Bowen, Retired

“Learning how exactly to acknowledge and validate my emotions has been so helpful with my anxiety. I would be happy to attend another course led by Nick!”

— Patty W, Retired

Mood Mastery gave me a toolkit for navigating difficult emotions.

Nick did an excellent job of presenting the framework, pushing us to try it out, and providing a comfortable environment for sharing results.

— Lizabeth Zack, Professor

I am freer, happier and a lot more productive in just four weeks. Amazing!

At first I thought I didn’t have time to take this course. By the end, I realized I didn’t have time not to take this course. The material is life-changing.

— Wendy Dale, Author

What You Will Learn

After each cohort of Mood Mastery, I ask my students to share how they benefited most from the program. Here are the most common answers…

Confidence managing difficult emotions

You will learn how to become more aware of your emotions and how to process them in a healthy and effective way.

Release negative self-talk and limiting beliefs

Cultivate a flexible and compassionate mindset and let go of worry, rumination, self-criticism and other forms of overthinking.

Stop the self-sabotage cycle

Discover the root causes of self-defeating behavior like procrastination, avoidance, and overwork.

Deepen your self-awareness and insight

Expand your self-awareness, cultivate emotional fluency, and understand yourself (and others) more deeply.

Better communication and relationships

Express yourself clearly and confidently and create more intimacy and trust in your key relationships.

Take courageous values-driven action

You will learn to identify, clarify, and leverage your personal values to be more decisive and confident in your decision-making.

How Mood Mastery Works

The 4-week live program combines expert guidance with practical tools and resources, all within a community of supportive and motivating peers.

Program Structure

Here are the key components to Mood Mastery:

  • Live Workshops. Each week, Nick will lead a live workshop over Zoom to teach core concepts and do step-by-step walkthroughs of the key exercises and practices.
  • Self-Study Lessons, Tools, and Tutorials. Get access to the entire emotional resilience curriculum of lessons, tools, exercises, and other resources.
  • Live Office Hours. At the end of each week, Nick will host a live office hours session over Zoom to answer questions and help you work through specific obstacles.

In addition to the 4-week live program, all Mood Mastery students receive:

  • Lifetime Access to Course Content and Updates. After the initial four-week program ends, you’ll continue to have access to all the lessons, exercises, and recordings.
  • Free Invites to Ongoing Workshops. Nick teaches a variety of workshops and classes throughout the year covering a diverse range of topics from chronic worry and anxiety to breathwork, assertiveness, and grief. As a Mood Mastery alumni, you’ll get free invites to all these events.
  • Free Access to Self-Paced Courses from Nick. In addition to all the content from Mood Mastery, you’ll also get free access to Nick’s three self-paced video courses: Creating Calm, Finding Focus, and Undoing Insomnia.

Program Curriculum

Mood Mastery is built around a comprehensive but flexible curriculum teaching both fundamental and advanced topics in emotional resilience.

Orientation

Welcome and Program Overview

We’ll have an initial kick-off call where we get to know each other and talk about the key concepts of the program as a whole, including my “theory of everything” for emotional health and the two foundational principles that all personal growth relies on.

Week 1

The Foundations of Emotional Intelligence

How do our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions work together with our behaviors and values? Why are some inner obstacles so strong and hard to deal with? What does it mean to process and manage our difficult moods in a healthy and productive way? During week 1, you’ll also be introduced to the core exercise of the program, Mood Writing, which is a powerful technique for processing difficult moods and emotions. Each week the exercise will expand and deepen to incorporate new concepts and learnings.

Week 2

Expanding Your Emotional Awareness

In week two, we’ll explore what it means to be truly mindful and aware of our emotions. Because the better you are at identifying and noticing your emotions, the easier it will be to catch them early while they’re small and manageable before they become overwhelming. Together, we’ll go through a series of practical exercises that will increase your emotional vocabulary and fluency so that you can become more aware of the nuances of how your emotions arise and manifest themselves.

Week 3

Mindset Training & Mental Flexibility

In week three, we’ll explore how negative self-talk and limiting beliefs end up magnifying difficult moods and emotions far beyond their natural state and how to reverse this process. We’ll also do a deep dive into managing negative thought patterns using a relational rather than combative approach.

Week 4

Values-Based Action

In our final week, we’ll dive deep into an exercise called Values Visioning that will help you discover and get clarity on your core values and ideals. Because the clearer you are about what you really want, the more motivated you will feel to work through the obstacles that are holding you back instead of getting lost in avoidance and self-defeating behaviors.

Graduation

Next Steps

In our final gathering, you’ll learn about specific, practical strategies for applying—and sticking with—what you’ve learned after the course is over.

Schedule & Dates

The next cohort of Mood Mastery will run from January 13th to February 7th 2025. Early enrollment begins January 1st and general enrollment on January 6th.

Note: Enrollment is limited to 40 students per cohort and cohorts are run twice a year.

To ensure a spot in a future cohort, I strongly encourage you to join the waitlist so you can be notified by email as soon as enrollment open.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I join?

Mood Mastery opens for enrollment twice a year exclusively to members of the waitlist. If you want to be notified when the next cohort opens, join the waitlist here →

How much does Mood Mastery cost?

The price for the January 2025 cohort is $650, which includes access to the 4-week live program, lifetime access to all program material and content, plus free access to workshops throughout the year and all three of my self-paced courses: Creating Calm, Finding Focus, and Undoing Insomnia.

What if I can’t make the live sessions?

You are not required to attend any of the live sessions. That said, I strongly recommend that you attend at least one of the live sessions each week.

All the live sessions will be recorded and available to view afterward.

Are there any prerequisites for the program?

There are no prerequisites for the program other than a desire to learn and grow together.

How much time will the program require each week?

I recommend that you budget at least 2-3 hours per week.

What if I get unexpectedly busy during the program and fall behind?

The program is designed to be taken flexibly. If you have a busy week or fall behind, you can always catch up on lessons and rewatch live sessions after the fact.

How long will I have access to the program and material?

Once you purchase the program, you’ll have lifetime access to all program material.

How much access do I get to Nick?

Probably more than you bargained for! I lead all the live sessions and respond promptly to student emails.

Is Mood Mastery like therapy or counseling?

Mood Mastery is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health treatment. If you’re struggling with a significant mental health issue, please talk to your doctor or mental health professional about appropriate assistance and treatment options.

I have a question you haven’t addressed…

Send me an email at hello@nickwignall.com and I’ll do my best to answer it.