What do a rodeo arena and a therapy office have in common?

More than you think.

In this episode of the Quest for Success podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham sits down with Tex Holiday, a man who lives in two high-stakes worlds as both a mental health professional and a rodeo bullfighting clown. One role helps people manage fear, trauma, and pressure from the inside out. The other requires stepping directly into chaos to protect others, using timing, awareness, and even humor as tools for safety.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to stay calm under pressure, build trust when the stakes are high, and read people and situations before things go sideways. You'll hear how courage is built, why authenticity matters more than image, and how facing fear, rather than avoiding it, can unlock growth in leadership, work, and life.

If you want practical insight on managing stress, making better decisions under pressure, and pursuing meaningful work without burning out, this episode is for you.

Takeaways

• Healing occurs in both therapy and rodeo performances.
• Trust is essential in high-stakes environments.
• Rodeo clowns must balance humor with responsibility.
• Mental health stigma in law enforcement is a significant barrier.
• Adrenaline rushes are a part of both rodeo and therapy work.
• Reading people and situations is crucial in both roles.
• Bucket lists can inspire personal growth and adventure.
• Authenticity is key in connecting with others.
• Community support is vital for rodeo events.
• Life is too short not to pursue your passions.

Learn more about leadership, mindset, and success at www.Quest-Success.com.

Here are a few resources related to this episode's themes:

• Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

• Research on stress and performance (Yerkes–Dodson Law)

• Literature on crisis intervention and situational awareness

Ever notice how the most confident people in the room are often the least accurate… while the people who actually know what they're doing tend to hesitate? That's psychology.

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, we break down the Dunning-Kruger Effect and show you how to use it to your advantage instead of letting it quietly sabotage your growth. You'll learn why confidence often spikes early, why it drops when learning gets real, and how to rebuild it the right way through competence, clarity, and consistency.

This isn't about tearing yourself down or doubting everything you know. It's about recognizing where overconfidence can slow you down, where humility can speed you up, and how real confidence is built across mental, moral, physical, spiritual, and financial areas of life.

If you've ever felt stuck between "I've got this" and "Maybe I don't," this episode will help you understand why and what to do next.

Takeaways

• Confidence can often be misleading, especially in complex fields.
• The Dunning-Kruger Effect illustrates the gap between confidence and competence.
• Early confidence can lead to poor decision-making, particularly in finance.
• As knowledge increases, confidence may initially decrease due to awareness of complexity.
• Ego plays a significant role in how we perceive our abilities and decisions.
• Leaders tend to navigate uncertainty better than managers, who may rely on authority.
• Real confidence is built through competence, not just feelings of certainty.
• Feedback is more valuable than affirmation in personal growth.
• Humility allows for growth and adaptation without damaging self-esteem.
• The journey of learning often involves discomfort and confusion before clarity.

Learn more about leadership, growth, and the Quest for Success at 👉 www.Quest-Success.com

Hit play—and start turning confidence into capability.

• David Dunning & Justin Kruger – Unskilled and Unaware of It (1999)

• Daniel Kahneman – Thinking, Fast and Slow

• Albert Bandura – Research on self-efficacy and confidence development

• Carol Dweck – Mindset

What do you do when life, leadership, or faith doesn't turn out the way you planned and optimism alone just isn't cutting it?

In this episode of Quest for Success, you'll be challenged to rethink how you handle adversity through the lens of the Stockdale Paradox: the ability to confront brutal reality without losing hope. This isn't motivational fluff or "just stay positive" advice. This is about learning how to endure difficulty, lead with clarity, and stay grounded when results take longer than expected.

You'll discover how this principle applies to business leadership, spiritual growth, and everyday relationships and why some people grow stronger under pressure while others quietly quit. Along the way, we'll explore real psychological research, powerful biblical parallels, and practical ways this mindset can reshape how you think, feel, and show up in the world.

If you've ever felt stuck between faith and frustration, confidence and doubt, or hope and hard facts then this episode is for you.

Takeaways

• Over 70% of people quit their major goals due to unrealistic timelines.
• Growth comes from accepting reality and learning from it.
• The Stockdale Paradox involves holding two opposing truths simultaneously.
• Cognitive flexibility is crucial for resilience and problem-solving.
• Leaders with high self-efficacy persist through challenges and view failures as temporary.
• Healthy relationships require acknowledging tension without denial.
• Humor can help regulate emotions and create psychological distance from pain.
• The Stockdale Paradox is evident in both business and personal contexts.
• Transformational stories, like Shawshank Redemption, illustrate the paradox in action.
• Confronting reality while maintaining hope is essential for personal growth.

Learn more about the Quest for Success framework and resources at www.Quest-Success.com.

Press play—and learn how to confront reality, keep the faith, and move forward anyway.

• Good to Great – Jim Collins

• Man's Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl

• Research by Albert Bandura on self-efficacy

• Research by James Gross on emotional regulation

• The life and writings of James Stockdale

What if the confidence you've been chasing isn't something you're supposed to feel, but something you're supposed to build?

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham breaks down the powerful relationship between confidence and competence and why one without the other eventually falls apart. If you've ever felt capable but hesitant, confident but inconsistent, or stuck waiting to "feel ready," this conversation is for you.

You'll discover why real confidence doesn't come from hype, personality, or pretending you've got it all together. Instead, it grows from small wins, repeated action, and skills built under pressure. Through psychology, real-life stories, and a few self-deprecating moments, this episode challenges you to stop waiting for confidence to show up and start creating it on purpose.

You'll walk away with a new way to think about growth, pressure, feedback, and progress and a practical challenge to help you put it all into action immediately.

Takeaways

• Confidence is a byproduct of doing the work.
• The confidence-competence loop is essential for growth.
• Discomfort is a necessary part of the learning process.
• Avoidance can hinder personal development.
• Engaging multiple senses enhances learning effectiveness.
• Real-life experiences are crucial for building competence.
• Adults learn best when the material is relevant and applicable.
• Redefining action as practice can ease pressure.
• Social comparison can lead to self-doubt and avoidance.
• Confidence grows through consistent practice and adaptation.

Learn more about leadership, mindset, and personal growth at www.Quest-Success.com and get ready to hit play with intention.

• Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control — Albert Bandura

• Mindset — Carol Dweck

• Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman

• Grit — Angela Duckworth

What if balance isn't about slowing down, but about lining up your life so your ambition actually works for you?

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham sits down with Dr. Russell Gaede, known by everyone as Dr. Russ, for a powerful conversation on life balance, leadership, and burnout. Together, they unpack why so many high performers feel stretched thin despite outward success and how leaders can reclaim clarity, energy, and effectiveness without sacrificing drive.

Dr. Russ introduces his practical VERBS framework—Vocational, Emotional, Relational, Behavioral, and Spiritual—and explains why balance isn't about equal time, but intentional boundaries. You'll hear why burned-out leaders underperform, how emotional health shapes decision-making, why relationships are non-negotiable, and how small daily changes can create massive long-term impact.

If you're ambitious, committed, and tired of feeling like life is always out of alignment, this episode will challenge how you define success—and offer a better way forward.

Explore more leadership tools and resources at www.Quest-Success.com.

Dr. Russ

• Website: https://dr-russ.ueniweb.com/

• Playing 20 Questions With Your Fiance'
• The Red Thread of Relationships

• TEDx Talk: http://tedxrexburg.com

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/PjyNdtjzBAA

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/v01Wo9T5mlw

Books Discussed on the Episode

• Letters for My Father: Grief, Love, and Self-Exploration by Dr. Louis Hoffman
• Case Formulation in Existential–Humanistic Therapy by Dr. Louis Hoffman and Heatherlyn P. Cleare-Hoffman

Additional Recommended Reading

• Essentialism — Greg McKeown

• Atomic Habits — James Clear

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry — John Mark Comer

• Burnout — Emily & Amelia Nagoski

• Deep Work — Cal Newport

Have you ever ended a busy day feeling exhausted… and still unsure what you actually accomplished? If so, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Quest for Success podcast, we unpack what I call the "Mary Had a Little Lamb" distraction, the surprisingly common way good, well-intentioned things sneak into the wrong moments and quietly derail progress. Using a simple nursery rhyme with a powerful lesson, we explore why focus breaks down, how attention gets overloaded, and why discipline alone isn't enough to protect what matters most. I did not make up this theory, I am just presenting it to you with my thoughts.

You'll walk away with a clearer understanding of how your brain handles attention, why positive distractions are often the most dangerous, and how boundaries, planning, and role clarity can dramatically improve your relationships, finances, and mental health. This is about putting the right things in the right place.

If you're ready to stop feeling busy and start feeling intentional, this episode will challenge the way you think about focus, growth, and success.

Takeaways

• Distractions can hijack focus and productivity.
• Good intentions can lead to confusion and lack of progress.
• Working memory is limited and easily overloaded.
• Planning and clarity are essential for achieving goals.
• Compassion and competence can attract distractions.
• Attention management is crucial for mental health.
• Setting boundaries helps protect focus and relationships.
• Identifying distractions is key to personal development.
• Success looks focused and protected, not chaotic.
• You have the power to decide what deserves your attention.

Learn more about leadership, mindset, and personal growth at www.Quest-Success.com.

Want to Go Deeper? Check These Out:

1. Daniel Kahneman – Thinking, Fast and Slow

2. Roy Baumeister & John Tierney – Willpower

3. Cal Newport – Deep Work

4. Alan Baddeley – Research on Working Memory

5. Peter Gollwitzer – Research on Planning & Implementation Intentions

Press play and learn how to keep the lamb out of the schoolhouse and your life moving forward.

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "That's just who I am," right after snapping at someone, shutting down, or feeling stuck in the same emotional patterns? What if that label is doing more damage than the emotion itself?

In this episode of the Quest for Success podcast, we take a practical and eye-opening look at why labeling emotions like anger, anxiety, or negativity as "normal" or "just your personality" can quietly sabotage your growth. You'll learn how your brain wires emotional habits, why certain reactions feel automatic, and how unmanaged emotions spill into your work life, home life, and relationships often without you realizing it.

This isn't about suppressing feelings or pretending everything is fine. It's about understanding emotions as signals, not identities, and learning how to lead them instead of letting them run the show. If you want clearer thinking, healthier relationships, and more emotional consistency in daily life, this episode will challenge how you see yourself and give you a better path forward.

Takeaways

• We often excuse emotional reactions as part of our identity.
• Labeling emotions can hinder personal growth and leadership.
• The brain reinforces emotional patterns, making them default responses.
• Emotional habits can feel comforting, even when destructive.
• Curiosity about our emotions can lead to better self-regulation.
• Emotions are not fixed traits; they are signals that can be managed.
• Emotional awareness is crucial for healthy relationships.
• Unmanaged emotions can negatively impact social dynamics.
• Emotional intelligence involves recognizing and regulating feelings.
• Leading emotions instead of defending them fosters personal and social growth.

Learn more and explore additional resources at https://www.Quest-Success.com

Recommended Resources to Go Deeper

1. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence

2. Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders

3. Ellis, A. (1994). Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy

4. Lieberman, M. D. (2013). Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect

What if the stress you're carrying isn't coming from what you're doing wrong but from what you're trying to control that was never yours to begin with?

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham breaks down the Serenity Prayer as a practical, everyday leadership framework and not just something reserved for recovery rooms or crisis moments. You'll learn how to apply serenity, courage, and wisdom to real-life decisions at work, at home, and in your own personal growth.

This episode blends psychology, leadership, and faith in a grounded, relatable way. You'll hear how acceptance actually fuels growth, why confidence follows action instead of preceding it, and how wisdom helps you slow down long enough to choose well instead of reacting fast. Along the way, you'll gain practical tools to reduce stress, increase clarity, and focus your energy where it actually matters.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or stretched thin trying to manage everything, this episode will help you lead yourself more effectively and live with greater peace and purpose.

Takeaways

• Most stress comes from trying to control the uncontrollable.
• The Serenity Prayer is a decision-making filter for leaders.
• Acceptance is essential for personal growth and leadership.
• Courage involves taking action even without confidence.
• Self-efficacy grows through small, consistent actions.
• Emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership.
• Wisdom helps balance acceptance and action.
• Leaders should practice unconditional positive regard.
• Clarity comes from knowing where to invest energy.
• Serenity is a daily practice, not just a concept.

Learn more about the Quest for Success and explore additional resources at www.Quest-Success.com

Want to go deeper? Check out these resources:

• Carl Rogers – On Becoming a Person

• Albert Bandura – Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control

• Daniel Kahneman – Thinking, Fast and Slow

• Daniel Goleman – Emotional Intelligence

• Reinhold Niebuhr – The Serenity Prayer

What does it really take to build success that lasts, financially, professionally, and personally?

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry L. Cunningham sits down with retired Army Colonel and financial planner Ed Gargas to unpack leadership lessons forged in the military and refined in the world of finance, business, and community service. This is not a technical finance episode. It's a conversation about discipline, decision-making, and building a life that works in the real world.

You'll hear how military leadership principles translate directly into business and personal success, why waiting to start financial planning is one of the most common, and costly, mistakes people make, and how critical thinking protects you from emotional and biased decisions. Ed also shares how to recover when you feel "behind," why contingency planning matters in life as much as it does in combat, and how relationships, legacy, and spirituality ultimately define success more than money ever will.

If you're looking for practical wisdom, grounded leadership, and a clearer framework for navigating uncertainty, this episode will challenge how you think and how you plan your future.

Takeaways

• Leadership is about earning respect, not just commanding it.
• The military decision-making process is applicable in business.
• Financial planning should start as early as possible, regardless of age.
• Discipline is crucial for financial success and wealth building.
• Success is not just about money; it's about relationships and legacy.
• Critical thinking helps in recognizing inherent biases in decision-making.
• It's important to have contingency plans for unexpected challenges.
• Investing in relationships and community is vital for personal growth.
• Rewarding effort and success is essential for motivation.
• A strong spiritual foundation can guide personal and professional decisions.

Learn more about the Quest for Success framework at www.Quest-Success.com.

Recommended Resources to Explore Further:

• The Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) – U.S. Army Doctrine

• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

• Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Have you ever seen something wrong happening… and waited for someone else to step in?

In this episode of Quest for Success, Dr. Jerry Cunningham breaks down the Bystander Effect, which is the powerful psychological phenomenon that causes good people to freeze, stay silent, or assume "someone else will handle it." The more people around, the less likely anyone is to act.

You'll hear the chilling story of Kitty Genovese, the research that followed, and why our brains short-circuit in moments that demand courage. More importantly, you'll learn how leaders, at work, at home, and in everyday life, can recognize the Bystander Effect in real time and override it.

This episode will challenge how you think about responsibility, silence, and leadership. You'll walk away with practical tools to speak up faster, act with confidence, and build teams and relationships where people don't just watch problems happen...they solve them.

If you've ever wondered whether you would step up when it truly matters… this episode is for you.

Takeaways

• The bystander effect is a common psychological phenomenon.
• Many people hesitate to act in emergencies due to social cues.
• The Kitty Genovese case is a pivotal example of the bystander effect.
• Psychological experiments reveal how people react differently when alone versus in a group.
• Neurologically, our brains can confuse us in emergency situations.
• Socially, we fear standing out and often mirror the calmness of others.
• Leadership requires personal ownership and the courage to act.
• The Good Samaritan parable illustrates the importance of taking action.
• Silence can protect comfort, but action creates meaningful change.
• Everyone has the potential to be a leader in their community.

Learn more about leadership, mindset, and personal growth at 👉 www.Quest-Success.com

• John M. Darley & Bibb Latané — "Bystander Intervention in Emergencies"

• The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo

• Influence by Robert Cialdini

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

• Luke 10:25–37 — The Parable of the Good Samaritan