Disclaimer: this episode contains opinions that are mine and may be offensive to others. While I do not care if a topic or opinion offends you (see here), I want to extend the courtesy of letting you know this may trigger you if you're afraid of hearing strong ideas about fitness, motivation, and complacency.
Before I got married, I made a commitment to fitness. It was actually a perfect time to do it. I started at the new year and ended half way through May when Jami and I went to Italy to get hitched. I cut 27 pounds, lots of inches, and body fat. It was awesome.
When we returned, she got back on track (she's a fitness trainer / instructor / coach), and I did... sort of. I kept working out, but I wasn't really paying attention to my diet anymore, and my work (desk job at a computer) caused my posture to ruin my range of motion with forward shoulders and all that goes with it. Fast forward a couple of years, and shoulder impingement causes me too much pain to work out. So I stopped.
That was about 2 years ago. Sure, I'd run a bit and bike for 30 minutes on Thursdays, but it was just enough not to feel bad. Then my pants stopped fitting well. I found my custom made-to-measure shirts were too tight to button. I realized I have a full spare tire in the middle.
I continued to make excuses and justify that I was not fit, but I was working hard and making great money, so my value was not to be questioned. How many guys out there share this sentiment? The one thing I did start doing in the last few months was shoulder rehab and posture exercises. HUGE improvement. I wasn't ready to really jump back into the gym though.
Then a fitness friend of mine posted a meme online. Suddenly, my comfort zone became uncomfortable.
In this episode, I'm going to explain why your comfort zone is making you fat, why it made me fat, and how "fat" doesn't have to mean physical appearance - It's bigger than that. Prepare yourselves. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.
I know I've touched on the role and importance of happiness before, but this time I'm kicking it up a notch with science to explore the truth about happiness. Not to be confused with it's apathetic cousin, contentment, happiness is about finding joy in the everyday, and letting it permeate into the tasks, trials, and takeaways of your everyday life.
On this episode, I'm joined by Jim McCarthy. He's a TEDx speaker and # 1 bestselling author of Live Each Day: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Happiness. He teaches people how to create their happiness by blending mindfulness techniques and timeless wisdom with simple, science-based practices. Jim is recognized for his unique perspective as a Stanford MBA, internet pioneer, and person living with a cancer diagnosis.
He has presented his innovative and acclaimed “Happiness Keynote” to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. and internationally. Audiences take away practical strategies, evidence-based insights, and daily action plans — because happiness is a skill you can develop.
This episode covers the truth about happiness and simple math you can't ignore. Once we open your mind to the 1%, you'll never be the same. No excuses. It's a big deal. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.
The real estate market these days seems like a combination of fire and ice. As still as that sounds, some buyers and sellers are experiencing properties and transactions that are red hot deals, while others are getting iced with poor maintenance, missed opportunities, and bad decisions.
So what does one look for when buying or selling a home? More importantly, what do you look for when buying or selling your first home? It seems like such an easy thing when you see if on television, and "anybody can make millions" when pitched to you at a seminar, but what should you know and do walking into a sale?
In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend Stacy Massar of Massar Group Realty here in DFW, and she's going to help shed some light on what you need to watch out for when buying, selling, or qualifying for a home. She'll also let you in on some insider information about new construction and possible pitfalls to avoid. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.
In the last year, opportunity has shown up in a bunch of different spaces in my life. From relationships, friendships, travel, technology, and especially business ventures, it feels like opportunities are everywhere and I'd have to actively work to avoid them. It's a good feeling. But it's not like I didn't do some adjusting to get here. This is a combination of focus and preparation.
Speaking with a friend of mine, I heard the tell tale sign of someone blind to opportunities:
"I wish I was as lucky as you are. You're surrounded by opportunities, and I don't have anything coming my way."
This opened the door to what it really means to recognize opportunities everywhere. It feels like a lot of people only recognize the best of the best when they land on their laps unannounced. Everything beyond that is either discounted for not being a good option –not worth pursuing– or it's just plain missed.
There are three factors that influence the opportunities around you:
On this episode, I'm going to give you a few reasons why you might be the only thing holding yourself back (as cliché as that sounds), what steps you can take to gain clarity and recognize opportunities around you, and why your perspective on luck has everything to do with both. This is more than just opening up your eyes – it's about the damn story in your head. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below. [Subscribe Here]
When you're setting yourself up for success, you're probably aware (of have heard repeatedly) that the people you surround yourself with everyday have a direct impact on your trajectory. The right people can help you feel powerful, tackle problems with critical thinking, and help you view the world from a perspective that enables you to be and do your absolute best.
What you probably didn't think about, however, is the impact your personal physical space also has on your success trajectory. Trying to feel like a boss, ready to go out and conquer your goals can prove difficult if your home or apartment feels drab or immature. Sure, poor living conditions make for great motivators in movies, but let's be honest – for the average man, rising above is not actually a skill many possess. We want to feel powerful and we want certain material things to help us with that.
So how do you upgrade your bachelor pad or living space so it's more inline with the man you're meant to be? In this episode, I'm joined by Misty Maxey of Misty Maxey Designs. She's The bachelor pad designer and she has some great insights and advice on how you can upgrade your space while still being true to who you are. Not all interior designers want a million throw pillows and weird things on the wall. Misty is here to give you easy and actionable advice and 5 ways you can upgrade your bachelor pad (or married pad, or office space, or wherever really).
Man, that title just hits you in the face, doesn't it? It is unapologetically raw and maybe even rude. Hell, some people might even say it's offensive to be so crass. This is such a perfect topic to talk about – especially in today's divisive and politically charged, social-media fueled, attention seeking society.
Nobody cares if you're offended.
Let's explore this with some context. If you've ever been on the internet (well, beyond this site), you may have had the unfortunate experience of wandering into the comment section on a news article. Be advised – don't wander into any comment section like this. Ever. They have nothing of value to add. Save yourself.
In this episode, we're going to hit some of you with the hard truth that your opinion doesn't matter. You might get your feelings hurt, but it's for your own good. Let's talk about why nobody cares if you're offended, and what you can do about it.
Did you know one of the most often searched terms is “how to find balance as an entrepreneur and family man” on Google? Why is that? Well, it’s probably because having a work life balance as an entrepreneur is hard as hell.
While many people may look at successful entrepreneurs and feel they “have it together” based on their viewpoint, sometimes that’s the furthest thing from the truth. As an entrepreneur, priorities and schedules, and investments and expenses are different than others’ that work in Corporate America. The idea that the struggle is real is more than just a clever meme.
Today’s episode is a special one because I’m joined by my good friend Kostas Lazanas, a restaurant owner, a husband, a father, a community member, and a man who’s done more before turning 30 than so many of us. We’re talking about finding balance between work and home and events and vacations and, more importantly, what keeps you from losing your mind through it all.
Sometimes the hustle can bring great success and confidence, and other times the hustle brings exhaustion, despair, and defeat. So what's the catch with hustle?
In this episode of the podcast, we're exploring the tale of two entrepreneurs and the differences between a hustle that works and a hustle that hurts. No, it may not cause physical harm, but a hustle that doesn't work is every bit as exhausting and fruitless as trying to ride a bicycle through wet cement.
Let's fix that and get you on your way. You do NOT need to grind in order to be successful. You just need to recalibrate your hustle. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.
I recently had a conversation with a client of mine regarding what he truly wants. He had so many things to say about what he wanted. And, he had even more to say about why it's too hard or impossible to make happen. There are all these "reasons" for how it just can't be done, or it's too scary, or what will happen if it doesn't work out – and every last one of them is made up.
In too many cases, we are seeking permission to take the leap and go for it. We're looking for the validation that our decisions are good ones, and we should pursue them. For this client, he needed someone he respected to tell him that what he truly wanted was worthy and give him permission to go out and get it.
But more importantly, he needed someone to get him to cross a line. He needed a push to be bold and decide.
We're all dealing with a myriad of lines we're afraid to cross. Taking the big leap of faith to start your new business venture, or having the courage to make that pretty girl your wife, or investing in yourself after years of investing in everyone else – these are lines we've drawn and need help, encouragement, and a good push to cross.
In today’s episode, we'll explore the power and pitfalls of crossing lines. We're also going to jump into the debate of whether it's better to beg for forgiveness or ask for permission. In some cases, one is a slippery slope to disaster. In others, it is the only way to go.
Gentlemen, having a crap credit score is not only an ungentlemanly thing to have, but it's also completely fixable. There are resources, tricks, and actions you can take to completely change your score, so today, we're going over the definitive guide to improving your credit score, and keeping it that way.
The first thing to understand about credit health and your score, is that it isn't something that mysteriously appeared at no fault of your own doing. It takes a while to ruin credit, and it subsequently takes a while to bring it back into the high numbers.
Well, usually if you do it yourself. If you have a team of credit experts to help, you can make ridiculously significant improvements in just a couple of months. More on that in a minute.
Whether you're looking to raise your score to make a big purchase (home, car, boat, etc.), or you've seen the power of good credit in other people's purchases and you want it for yourself, your biggest obstacle may not be what you think.
In today's episode, I'll share my credit catastrophe, explain the basics of credit, the laws that are actually on YOUR side, and the secrets to getting your scores, your reports, and your life on a whole new level. This is, after all, the definitive guide to improving your credit score and keeping it that way. At the end, I have a special deal for you that might just be the jump-start you need to finally get your credit cleaned up and corrected.
My wife and I are a good example of opposites attracting. I'm a hopeless romantic and she's much more practical. I'll plan grand gestures of romance, cloaked in secrecy for surprise, and deliver a symphony of Kodak moments we'll cherish forever. It's all orchestrated for my own satisfaction. I do it because it's fun for me. Yes, of course, she enjoys the romance, but grand gestures aren't really that important to her. So I do it for me.
This exact truth got me thinking about all of you guys.
Do you know what your significant other wants? I mean, truly wants... Not what kind of jewelry she wants, or whether chocolate is better than flowers. No, I'm talking about what makes her feel the most appreciated, most valued, most heard, most loved – her love language.
Look, you can keep up the charade and buy flowers and chocolates for Valentine's day, or you can hear me out and take your relationship to another level. This episode is dedicated to deepening your relationship by exploring her love language, your love language, and the ridiculously powerful impact it will have in your life.
Ready to step up your love game? Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below. [Subscribe Here]
In this episode, we're exploring the relationships that are affected when you become a man of your own. It is an episode for sons, and daughter-in-laws, and even my own parents and in-laws.
There’s a space for guys to recognize the auxiliary players in their transition from boys to men. We forget that the world doesn’t revolve around us. We forget there are those that came before us, and we forgo wisdom for independence all too often.
One of the things that we all strive to be is dependable as men. We want to be strong providers and trusted unconditionally. We want to be honorable men, even if many of us aren't exactly sure what that means.
We like, and often romanticize the Gentleman's Agreement. When we are told something is going to happen, we want to believe it. We like the idea that "he's a man of his word," and "he's a good man, he'll come through."
You want to be "a man of your word," but how do you get there? What makes one a man of his word and how do you become a dependable man of your word? In this episode of the podcast, we're exploring commitments, choices, and an amazing concept of being and doing "because I said I would."