You’ve read the books. You’ve taken the course. You’ve listened to the podcasts. So why haven’t you changed?

According to Ryan Gottfredson—author, researcher, and expert in mindset science—it’s because you’ve been developing on the doing side, when real transformation only happens on the being side.

In this deep-dive conversation, Paul and Ryan explore the groundbreaking science of vertical development—what it is, why it matters, and how to actually start living it.

🧠 Topics We Cover:

• Horizontal vs. Vertical Growth: What’s the difference?

• Why trauma wires your nervous system for protection

• How to tell whether you’re operating from fear or value

• The three adult development stages (and why 64% of people stay at the lowest)

• How practices like meditation, mindset work, and therapy regulate your system

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Ryan’s Book: Becoming Better

• Take the Free Vertical Development Assessment: RyanGottfredson.com

• Related Episode: Everything Is Functional

Everyone wants the result—very few are willing to be terrible first.

In this episode, Paul asks two uncomfortable but crucial questions:
How much is it worth to you?
And: Can you be bad at it long enough to get good?

Whether it’s fitness, finances, love, or business, every dream has a cost—and it’s not just money. Time, energy, discomfort, and uncertainty are the real currency of change.

💡 You’ll Learn:

• What “magic wand goals” are—and why they’re dangerous

• The reason people give up too early

• How embracing failure and discomfort speeds up success

• Why you already “suck” at the thing you’re avoiding—and how to use that as fuel

• The one mindset shift that changes how you chase every goal

📎 Resources:

• Linked episode: Get Unfamiliar

• Book a free 1:1 coaching session

• Subscribe to Change Made Easy and leave a review!

What if your words are the most powerful diet you’ll ever be on?

In this episode of Change Made Easy, I talk with Kyle Smith about why words are the macronutrients of the mind, and how they quietly shape our self-belief, our actions, and our future.

We explore:

• The danger of “soft talk” and the power of solid language.

• Why micro-decisions build confidence and momentum.

• Kyle’s 4-step framework for decluttering painful stories.

• The difference between victim mentality and victor mentality.

• Why writing your stories down gives you the leverage to change your life.

If you’ve ever struggled with indecision, old narratives, or feeling stuck, this episode gives you the tools to start moving forward today.

We hear it all the time: “Get uncomfortable.”
But what if discomfort isn’t the key to growth? What if the real issue is familiarity?

In this solo episode, Paul explores how staying stuck in the familiar—even when it’s painful—is the #1 reason people can’t change. Whether it’s relationships, routines, or recurring patterns, your brain will always choose the known over the unknown… until you choose differently.

🎯 You’ll Learn:

• Why you keep repeating habits that don’t help you

• How your brain confuses familiarity with safety

• Why “hard” doesn’t always mean “helpful”

• The one phrase that helped Paul finally grow (personally + relationally)

• How to use “getting unfamiliar” to unlock progress in any area

📎 Resources:

• Listen to: Why Is Change So Hard?

• Want help creating real, lasting change? Book a free strategy call: [Insert Link]

• Subscribe to Change Made Easy and follow @changemadeeasy on Instagram

• Leave a 5-star review to support the show!

What if the biggest obstacle in your health, relationships, or career isn’t lack of strategy—but the lies you believe about yourself?

In this episode of Change Made Easy, I sit down with Mitchell Osmond, speaker, coach, and host of the Dad Nation podcast. Mitchell helps high performers reclaim their home, health, and happiness by exposing the toxic mental scripts that drive self-sabotage.

We explore:

• The 5 most common lies people believe—and why they keep you stuck.

• Mitchell’s CLEAR framework for identifying and replacing those lies.

• Why courage feels different from confidence—and why you can’t be courageous and comfortable at the same time.

• How to stop living in the “gap” and start living in the “gain.”

If you’ve ever felt like you keep hitting the same wall again and again, this conversation will give you the tools to finally break free.

Resources & Links:

• Mitchell’s free gift: The Connection Code

• The Dad Nation Podcast

Laziness. It’s one of the harshest labels you can give someone—or yourself. But what if laziness isn’t bad? What if it’s… functional? Strategic? Even brilliant?

In this episode, Paul challenges everything you think you know about laziness. Instead of fighting it, what if you could build your life around it—and become happier, healthier, and more successful in the process?

💡 You’ll Learn:

• Why laziness is built into your biology (and that’s not a bad thing)

• The cultural myths around productivity and overwork

• The work-life tradeoffs Paul refused to make—and why

• How “lazy” decisions created more time, energy, and peace

• How to apply “intentional laziness” to your habits, business, and life

📎 Resources:

• Free weekly newsletter

• Free coaching call with Paul

What if the biggest shift you could make in your life was also the simplest—taking full ownership?

In this episode of Change Made Easy, I sit down with Tony Schmaltz, “The Upgrade Coach,” author of Wake the Bleep Up, and host of the "Wake The BLEEP Up" podcast.

Tony is on a mission to help 10 million people upgrade their lives by breaking free from programming and embracing responsibility.

We explore:

• Why taking responsibility—even when it’s “not your fault”—is the key to freedom.

• The journaling exercise Tony uses to help clients stop blaming and complaining.

• The role of programming in shaping your confidence and decision-making.

• How to use an accomplishment journal to celebrate small wins and build momentum.

• Why acknowledging others transforms both relationships and self-belief.

This episode will challenge the way you see yourself—and unlock the tools to start upgrading your life today.

You’re trying to get healthier. Or start a podcast. Or build a business. But every time you start, it feels like the goal breaks into a thousand little pieces—and before long, you’re overwhelmed and quitting again.

Here we share the two most important (and most overlooked) elements of any behavior change: foundational skills and cornerstone habits.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• Why “simple” goals get complicated fast

• How to stop the overwhelm before it starts

• What foundational skills make change sustainable

• How to identify the few habits that make everything else easier

📎 Resources & Mentions:

• Linked episode: 30 Days to Eliminate Self-Sabotage

• Want 1-on-1 help building your foundation? Book a free coaching call

• Partner: MyBodyTutor.com — Get $50 off your first month with code “PAUL”

🎙️ Subscribe to Change Made Easy and leave a review if this helped you reframe your approach to change!

What if the difference between burnout and balance is as simple as the words you say to yourself?

In this episode of Change Made Easy, I sit down with Judy Belmont, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of 110 CBT Tips and Tools. Judy has spent over 40 years helping people transform negative self-talk, reframe stress, and find peace of mind.

We explore:

• Why stress isn’t always bad—and how chasing meaning makes it powerful.

• The role of ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) in anxiety and depression.

• Judy’s ABCDE framework for challenging irrational thoughts.

• Why forgiveness—especially self-forgiveness—is the missing link for many.

• How to shift from being a victim of life to being a victor in life.

If you’re ready to stop arguing with reality and start speaking to yourself with compassion, this episode is for you.

Book a FREE Coaching call w Paul

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You want to be healthier. You want to read more. You want to meditate or eat better or finally stick to your habits. So why can’t you?

In this solo episode, Paul explains the #1 mistake most people make when trying to build new habits—and how to fix it with a simple, powerful reframe: make it so easy you can’t not do it.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Why “doing it all” usually leads to doing nothing

• The firehose analogy (and how it applies to behavior change)

• How to break habits into puzzle pieces instead of full overhauls

• Why small, repeatable actions beat big, unsustainable efforts

• How to build momentum without relying on motivation

🎯 Listener Challenge:
Take one habit you've been struggling to build and cut it in half. Then cut it in half again. Start there.

📎 Related Episodes:

• “What If Your Bad Habits Are Actually Good?”

• “The Secret to Unlimited Motivation (From Science)”

📩 Want coaching support? Book a free call
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