Tom reviews his experience going solo on the On the Blue cruise, where he enjoyed many great conversations and made many new friends. He noticed some of the ways great conversations are born (and stifled.) In this week's show, Tom reviews seven things that you can use to improve the quality of your conversations, and by extension, the quality of your relationships, and thus, your life experience.

In this final installment of the review of the Eye of Power model, Tom walks us through the Purpose Quadrant. This is where we sharpen our efforts to find meaning in our work and in our lives. As in all the quadrants, there are four elements - two that keep us in place, two that move us forward - that we address to build our sense that what we do is important and matters in the world. This is a crucial process for us as individuals, of course. It is also important in any shared enterprise, because feelings of fulfillment open us up to building cultures of respect and trust - necessary if we want to sustain a thriving organization.

In this third installment of our overview of the Eye of Power model itself, Tom talks about the People Quadrant - defined by the attitudes we have toward others. We learn about the dynamics in each of the four layers - Corrosion, Quest, Traps, and Capacity - as it relates to the way we frame our thoughts in each and every relationship we have. We look at the two forces that limit our power - Condemnation and Comparison, as well as the two ways we expand it - Who with/for? and Consideration. By systematically paying attention to these dynamics, we build our ability to see the unique value in everyone we encounter. This puts us in a position to build strong relationships, sew the seeds of good will, and rally people to a shared mission or cause - superpowers each.

In the second installment of the review of the Eye of Power model, Tom focuses on the area of our agency that has to do with our self-perception, defined by our attitude we have about ourselves. He outlines two forces that restrict our personal power, and two that free us to become more fully expressed versions of ourselves. To grow in this way, we must reduce our confusion and systematically gain clarity, embark on a quest to determine what is real and true about ourselves, identify the role-based patterns in our brains that channel and may limit our behaviors, and become ever more congruent - internally aligned. This pays off in a greater ability to direct energy to priorities of our choosing and by extension, a greater ability to manifest desirable conditions.

This week begins a multi-part series that provides a detailed explanation of the Eye of Power model. It functions as a map, flashlight, and compass to help us identify the ways we gain and lose our personal power - our agency. In this installment, Tom walks us through the Pain Quadrant - the parts of ourselves having to do with the actions we take on our own behalf. The primary lesson in the Pain Quadrant is the importance of the relationship we have with our fears, our comfort, our habits, our willingness to sacrifice one thing for something more precious to us. Most of us could stand to mature in our relationship with Pain. Pain is not an enemy to be avoided. It is an ally that makes us pay attention. Our attention is where our power begins.

Tom welcomes his friend Nevin Beyer to the podcast. Nevin is an experienced Surety Bond expert. He shares his story when his previous company was acquired by a private investment firm who ingnobly treated the staff for a short-term payoff. Nevin shares lessons learned from this experience, enhanced by a that of a long and successful career in financial services. He stresses the importance of aligning ourselves with leaders of good character. The corollary of this observation is to strive to maximize our own character. All of this because of the importance of relationships.

Tom welcomes back Dr. Ryan Williamson to today's podcast. Tom and Ryan discuss the ways our brains function, the challenges poised to our brain's health in the modern world, and what we might do to optimize our neurological health. To find out more check out:

transcendhealthgroup.com

Ryan's Bio:

Dr. Ryan Williamson, M.D. is a board-certified neurologist, proud Navy veteran, and the owner and founder of Transcend Health. After commissioning as an officer in the U.S. Navy, he completed his medical training at the Florida State University College of Medicine, neurology residency at Georgetown University Hospital, and ultimately separated from service as a Lieutenant Commander. After this, Dr. Williamson ultimately dedicated his career to improving brain health and helping individuals expand their longevity.

Driven by a passion to make a broader impact, Dr. Williamson founded Transcend Health, a platform that bridges neuroscience with entrepreneurship. He empowers leaders and individuals to optimize their cognitive performance through evidence-based strategies that address brain fog, improve memory, and help them overcome cognitive overload.

Dr. Williamson's expertise has garnered significant attention, with his insights impacting communities across the globe. He is currently engaged in high-level conversations with influential figures to integrate his knowledge into their communities, curricula, and beyond.

Through Transcend Health, Dr. Williamson offers a membership program featuring exclusive educational calls, wellness protocols, and a private community forum for members to connect and collaborate. He is also the author of an upcoming book (releasing this fall) that aims to further disseminate his knowledge and empower individuals to live longer, deeper, and more impactful lives.

Dr. Williamson's vision is to help individuals and groups achieve their full potential by taking control of and optimizing their health so they can live more fulfilling lives and leave a lasting legacy.

“It's hard to find good people.” You've heard it. Maybe you've said it. But what if the real issue isn’t a talent shortage—it’s a development failure?

In this episode of The Eye of Power, we challenge the prevailing narrative around hiring and retention. Using the four quadrants of the Eye of Power model—Pain, Perception, People, and Purpose—we examine how leaders may unknowingly contribute to the very problem they lament.

We explore how:

• Leaders avoid the discomfort of coaching and accountability (Pain)
• Biases distort hiring decisions and potential goes unseen (Perception)
• Culture and systems either elevate or erode talent (People)
• True growth is rooted in purpose and contribution, not just performance (Purpose)

This episode sets the stage for a forthcoming series of interviews with HR professionals on the front lines. But first, we must ask the hard question:

Are we searching for ready-made excellence… or building the kind of places where it can grow?

We’re swimming in self-improvement—books, podcasts, journaling prompts, coaching programs. But what if the very tools meant to help us grow are becoming obstacles? In this episode of The Eye of Power, we confront the subtle and widespread illusion of growth: when we mistake consumption for transformation, and image for integrity.

Through the lens of the Eye of Power model, we explore the Four Quadrants—Perception, Pain, People, and Purpose—and the Four Capacities: Courage, Congruence, Consideration, and Contribution. You’ll discover how real growth often begins with seeing what you can’t see—your own blind spots—and how it only becomes sustainable with the help of others, honest reflection, and disciplined action.

If you're ready to stop performing growth and start embodying it, this episode is for you.

Do you ever feel invisible? It's not a good feeling, is it? How about the flip side? How does it feel in those special moments when you feel like another human being sees you for who you are - not what you can do for them, but as an end to yourself? Pretty terrific, right? Now, imagine the culture in your organization. How much do the people there feel truly seen? What might it be like if everyone felt seen and appreciated every day? Do you think that might make a difference in attitude? Level of engagement? Amount of energy given to the shared cause? Absolutely - it makes all the difference in the world. For people, and the organizations that provide the structure within which we serve one another, it's the difference between thriving and just surviving, or worse. That's why the Mentor Machine is designed the way it is - to put an evergreen system in place that provides a continuous gravitational pull in this healthy direction.