Schooling Struggle

Schooling Struggle

By Schooling StruggleHealth & FitnessMental Health
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Schooling Struggle episodes

  • 40: Delay of Gratification & Financial Fitness - D. Anton

    Episode Guest: Doug Anton - Teacher (Social Studies/Economics), and many other hats.


    We pick the mind of our guest for perspective on financial matters and choices as well as the environment we construct and place ourselves in (socially).  Shared along the way are frameworks for thinking about these things, as well as lessons learned and tips and tricks.


    Mental habit / action / tool examples:

    • Financial wellness = to be financially and economically fit and well.
    • To be financially fit = Are your short-term needs and wants taken care of, and do you have a reliable long-term plan?
    • Physical wellness and financial wellness can complement each other. 
    • Look for strengths within yourself and others, and leverage those to amplify success.
    • Very few choices in our life are all or nothing.  Use decisions at the edge to focus on the present yet do not 'dent' the future.
    • If we spend money on things which align to our goals, this is an investment in self.
    • Look for opportunity in everything, and constantly as we move forward, and things shift.


      • Related points:

      • Key to success in life?  Maybe delay of gratification.
      • One way to think of moving forward is how are what we are doing in the present.
      • Be aware of the people whom you surround yourself with, these relationships have a significant impact on one's environment.
      • We can aspire to be in a way, and not always hit the mark all the time.  Be kind to yourself and give space and grace.
      • Evidence based research can be useful when considering ice cream intake and timing.
      • Few thumbs up (in social environments) for maxing out your ROTH contributions - more for bankrupting yourself to purchase a flashy car.


        • Quotes / quips:

        • “Be willing to give up what you want now, for what you want most."
        • "We can shape our environment in order to improve our fitness in any element."
        • "If you are only living for the future, you'll have a pretty bad time on the way there."
        • "Social interaction is the fabric of what makes us human and what makes human lives meaningful."
        • "The way the world is, is not always the way the world seems."
        • "Nothing is certain, but we can often shift the odds in our favor, by shifting your environment."


          • Rando Mentions:

          • Marshmallow Test Revisited
          • Opportunity Mindset
          • Choice architecture

            • Contact us:

            • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback  
              • 59 min
            • 39: Happiness & Setting World Records

              Episode Guest: Adam Adatto Sandel - philosopher, (previous) Guinness World Record holder for Most Pull-Ups in One Minute (68), and an award-winning teacher, author, and current assistant D.A. in Brooklyn NY.

              Much discussion about pull-ups, philosophy, world records...


              Mental habit / action / tool examples:

              • Sometimes frustration can become a realization of opportunity.
              • Listening to the limitations of your own body can lead to meaningful transformation.
              • Stacking what we learn from previous experiences has utility in the next endeavors we undertake.
              • Beware of getting wrapped up in a goal, no matter the topic.
              • There exists a relationship between many efforts physically and things in our natural environment.
              • Philosophy can serve as a framework for deeper connection, awareness of the deeper levels of connectedness we experience throughout life.
              • Try to keep an open awareness of obsession around goals.  When things you see somehow in your mind, carry you back to the obsession, this is a flag.
              • Qualities of character define us outside our typical endeavors.
              • Friendships - are important in the exchange and deep meaning of what that word means to us all.  Allies, Friends, Acquaintances.

                • Related points:

                • Drop and give me twenty push-ups, often it is not thrilling.
                • Sometimes in the rain, it can seem like your running pace is expedited. 
                • Sometimes pullups trump what can be gleaned from law school.
                • Don’t be afraid of letting go (holding less tightly) when you get too close and become overly obsessed in goal chasing.
                • Happiness.  It most often involves overcoming some sort of hardship.

                  • Quotes / quips:

                  • "If I’m encountering these difficulties, could it actually be nature’s way of telling me I need to go in a different direction?”
                  • “Sport can take you into a different zone, a more expansive zone, where you can appreciate the world around you in a new way and shift your perspective on things.”
                  • “When we get too hung up on the goal, it can be damaging.  As a result, we can lose an appreciation for the activity itself.”
                  • “What can I take from this experience that's going to last, that I can carry forward.”
                  • “If you have a passion, if you’re motivated, go for it!”
                  • “If you want good neighbors, be a good neighbor - same goes for friends.”
                  • “Happiness isn't something you find, rather a way of acting/being.”
                  • “A life that is happy, is a life that involves meaningful struggles. And ones that fit into a narrative that you can own up to.”

                    • Rando Mentions:

                    • Chest to Bar Pullups
                    • Harvard Philosophy Department
                    • Amazon.com: Adam Adatto Sandel: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
                    • Guiness Book of World Record
                      • 50 min
                    • 38: A Year Into this Thing?

                      One year, from concept and first action - that went fast – this a retrospective.  We talk about what has transpired, what we think about it, what we’ve learned, and what comes next for us.


                      Key Questions:

                      Q. What have you learned about yourself thought he podcast?
                      Q. What’s the perspective about how the podcast fit into your life?

                      Mental habit / action / tool examples:
                      - Always look for ways you can learn new things from seemingly mundane actions.
                      - Try not to reach too far for what seems appropriate for an audience – rather do it for something that resonates within you.
                      - Always lean into what’s uncomfortable – what is hard for you.
                      - Sharpen an awareness which allows you to observe current actions, especially those which are not working toward your intentions.
                      - Giving ourselves in a meaningful way can serve as an example (to ourselves and others) of how we aspire to be.
                      - See the lens of what you do but realize that that lens is not who you are.
                      - Sometimes the things which drain us are not of our making.  Keep a vigilant eye.

                      Related points:
                      - Peter loves podcasting, and he never thought it would be as rich as an experience when we began.
                      - Portal, the term can be scary - ask Peter.  Magic happens there.
                      - Launching a podcast from an iPhone 6, is a path potentially fraught with danger.
                      - WWPD – What would Peter do?
                      - If you have a podcast (or similar platform), people may be more likely to engage and join a conversation, than just a coffee chat or random call.
                      - Text exchanges with Todd can drive you mad with a blast of fragmented responses.

                      Quotes / quips:

                      - “It’s a very difficult thing to be always aligned with the person you wish you were.”
                      - “Remember why you started.”
                      - “If I verbalize that I’m going to do something, I am more likely to do it.”
                      - “I don’t want my students to be done being my students when the day or semester ends, I want to be their teacher for life.”
                      - “It’s like a pen pal, but fast forward.”

                      Rando Mentions:

                      - The Pete Driscoll Vlog
                      - Pen Pals
                      - ASB – Associated Student Body

                      Contact us:
                      https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 

                      39 min
                    • 37: Pro Tips for Navigating Stress

                      Episode Guest: Dr. William Slammon - Clinical Psychologist


                      Stress... having it, avoiding it, dealing with it, leveraging it.  We chat about this topic at length with our guest.  We dive into mindset, sleep, how to be useful to others who ask for a hand in schooling their struggles.

                      Stress (definition) - Is when there are forces impinging on us, that in the moment exceed our sense of our own capacity to manage.

                      Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                      • (Quality) Sleep is essential to good health.
                      • Healthy stress on/in the body is natural, and beneficial for us to grow.
                      • Chronic stress (when we are stressed all the time, excessively) is unhealthy for us over time.
                      • Poor habits are typically born/leveraged as a response to combat or offset stress.
                      • Healthy stress can be used to unwind these poor habits through physical movement.
                      • Keep a list of helpful things that have helped rise above or alleviate stress situations.
                      • Exercise, that is enjoyable and sustainable, has the potential to be universally beneficial to everyone.
                      • To help others with stress - listen to hear, validate their experience - leveraging healthy relationships.  
                      • Ask for permission to give a hand and interact with others, to help arrive at a plan working on what can be done in the now.
                      • Mindset is key to offset stress response.  Choose to look at things as an opportunity, and what they can teach us.

                        • Related points:

                        • Our body has a physiological response to stress.  This is by design and exists for our survival at the base class.
                        • Our bodies/brains keep track of the stresses we've experienced over time.
                        • Temperament plays a role in how we work on stress, therapy, and such, is approached.
                        • We are designed, humans, to be engaging physically in our world.
                        • Our brains are prediction machines.  We create our reality based on what has already occurred and try to anticipate what will occur in the near future.
                        • Culture predicates the stories/script which serves as our defaults in life.
                        • Oncologists tend to save the term curable, for specific cases.

                          • Quotes / quips:

                          • "I don't need a bunch of studies to tell me that exercise makes me feel better."
                          • "I believe that the best, healthiest way to live is to move and exercise building that into your day."
                          • "Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice."'
                          • "I've had plenty of suffering in my life, I've learned the power of how I think about it completely changes the experience."

                            • Rando Mentions:

                            • How Bad Do You Want It? Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle - Matt Fitzgerald
                            • The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - Bessel van der Kolk
                            • Born to run - Christopher MacDougall 

                              • Contact us:

                              • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 
                                • 48 min
                              • 36: Happy & Nice Aren't Enough - Steve M.

                                Episode Guest: Steve McCloskey


                                This episode is all about continuums.  Exploring the depths, contexts, and contrasts of (or between) several levels.  This of course dives into all related areas and nuances which may overlap or are derivatives of those terms.  

                                Interesting Question (also in the poll):

                                    - Do you need to love yourself, to love someone else?


                                Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                • Kindness is more than treating someone in a pleasant way.  Sometimes it's more than what's nice or comfortable.
                                • Can you be equally kind to people who you know, and those you do not, alike?
                                • Which criteria predicate how we determine our response to others?
                                • Seek activities where you know that what you are giving of yourself is used to better of be of utility to others.
                                • It is not wrong to have boundaries for your time and how / when / why others seek or receive it.
                                • Consider that there are different lived experiences and circumstances of specific things across the world.  Some examples, poverty, privilege.  Be aware of the true relativity of how those things play into your intentions.
                                • Joy has more depth and longevity than simple happiness.
                                • Acknowledging and expressing fully emotions, letting them swell and release.  This unblocks the dept of emotions we can accept and feel.
                                • Sometimes what we want now is not aligned with what we want most.  To get what we want most, we need to look past what we want now.

                                  • Related points:

                                  • What is the difference between nice/polite/civil and kind?
                                  • The language we use is dynamic.  It changes over time.
                                  • Very few individuals aspire to simply be 'nice' in life.
                                  • It's easier for some to intentionally help people in physical proximity.
                                  • If you want an autograph, get in line but try not to be 103rd in line.
                                  • A home without a foundation doesn't give much to build upon.
                                  • "Love" can have many different meanings and contexts.
                                  • There is much strife in parenting.
                                  • Sometimes in Peter's mind, joy can conjure images of peaches and rainbows.
                                  • Kindness can be costly.


                                    • Quotes / quips:

                                    • "You can have anything you want, but you cannot have everything you want."
                                    • "Niceness is to kindness, as happiness is to joy."
                                    • "It is so easy to do easy things in life.  Be the type of person that is willing to do challenging things."
                                    • "If you don't have good well-maintained care for self, then the care for others will be diminished or others."
                                    • "The way you do anything, is the way you do everything."
                                    • "Don't postpone joy."
                                    • "We have to embrace discomfort for something deeper and more durable in the long run."

                                      • Rando Mentions:

                                      • The Ohio State University
                                      • Princeton Theological Seminary
                                      • Amanda Barnhart - CrossFit

                                        • Contact us:

                                        • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 
                                          • 45 min
                                        • 35: 3 Lessons From a Seven-Year-Old

                                          Peter brings reality through sharing a few recent experiences with his family, one which gave him a pause and point to reflect on what the people in our lives can teach us if we slow down to observe their model.


                                          Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                          • Slow down with your frantic needs.  Try to be a human 'be'ing not a human doing.
                                          • W.A.I.T = Why Am I Talking
                                          • If you are willing to embrace challenges, try to slow down and look for the beauty within that challenge and what you can learn, rather than just rush to the finish line.
                                          • Humans seek consistency for reliability and trust, yet at the same time a balance of change to keep it interesting.
                                          • Authentic experiences are those which can be absorbed through the human senses without corporate intervention.
                                          • Ponder relying less on what humans bring to the world to be satisfied or fulfilled during the day.
                                          • Be less dependent on the niceties of life and commerce.
                                          • Don't use "can't" alone, always follow it with "yet".  
                                          • Sometimes it's easier to remove small squares of carpet over time, to prompt you to eventually replace it.

                                            • Related points:

                                            • Todd's patio in Parkland sometimes sounds like a raceway.
                                            • Sometimes knees need three servings of surgery.
                                            • Picking flowers should never be annoying, even mildly so.
                                            • Peter sees no utility in smores, disliking marshmallows.
                                            • Running/moving water and dancing fire can be alluring because they are consistent yet always evolving, interesting, and engaging.
                                            • Kids love holes filled with water (think swimming pools).
                                            • The utility of human connection appears to be increasingly obfuscated.
                                            • Sticks and rocks and leaves are great materials for constructing fairy houses.

                                              • Quotes / quips:

                                              • "Your children will teach you the things that you miss no matter what."
                                              • "Every single person you interact with plays a role in your life."
                                              • "Rely on yourself, to be with yourself."
                                              • "The busyness of the world is magnified by those who teach the world's perceived expectations."

                                                • Rando Mentions:

                                                • The episode about Todd and his daughter's deep conversation.
                                                • Life Is Not a Journey - Alan Watts

                                                  • Contact us:

                                                  • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 
                                                    • 32 min
                                                  • 34: 113 LB Weight Loss at Age 21:

                                                    Here we meet one of Peter's former students, Camden.  A measurable undertaking with the heaviest weight of 292 pounds, Camden shares with us his journey, his wins, losses, and learned lessons - as well as his future and how he is moving forward.

                                                    Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                                    • 99.9% of engaged parents genuinely believe are doing the best they are able.
                                                    • Be aware as you slip into new habits, try to remain sharp to what you're trading off for new ones.
                                                    • Weight moves weight, but physics doesn't mean carrying around excess body fat upon your skeleton is a good thing.
                                                    • A shift in surroundings and environment can be a powerful catalyst for change.  These changes can snowball.  Quickly.
                                                    • Moving outside our typical 'comfort zone' expedites our ability to be resilient and open to adopting new habits or behaviors.
                                                    • Being accountable to/for other living things (plant, animal, human) helps us reach beyond our own needs.
                                                    • A new habit recipe often encompasses things which are enjoyable, sustainable, and which move us closer to our goals.
                                                    • It can be daunting when weight loss begins, as it can be difficult to 'see' the difference in how you look physically. 
                                                    • Tracking what you eat very closely can be a very great tool and point of awareness.
                                                    • Watching ourselves grow in a positive way often rewards us with internal motivation and confidence.
                                                    • Slight changes in diet and habits can have profound and compounding impacts.

                                                      • Related points:

                                                      • Hard to water the grass during a drought.
                                                      • 113 pounds is a massive endeavor
                                                      • Three people Petering (calling Pete, Peter), is worth mention. and an honor.
                                                      • Divorce can seed behaviors for a host of reasons.
                                                      • It can be a struggle to eat healthily if you are working in a restaurant kitchen.
                                                      • Walking in Florida, where it is often hot and humid, can be a recipe for perspiration. 
                                                      • As a podcast host, it's easy to accidentally ask more than one question at a time.
                                                      • Shockingly high calorie foods include nuts, peanut butter, oils, dressings.
                                                      • Don't let extra skin deter you from losing weight.

                                                        • Quotes / quips:

                                                        • Somehow nothing to report here.

                                                          • Rando Mentions:

                                                          • Daytona Beach, FL
                                                          • Farm Strong
                                                          • Pace University, New York
                                                          • Norwegian Elkhound
                                                          • Turkey Trot
                                                          • Paper Towel Effect
                                                          • MyFitnessPal - Calorie Counting App
                                                          • TDEE - calorie burn calculator 

                                                            • Contact us:

                                                            • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 
                                                              • 54 min
                                                            • 33: The SPIRALS of Life

                                                              Spirals and paths.  How do we find the right path, how do we know we are on a path to positivity or wellbeing? Speaking to the three questions just below Peter and Todd provide our responses and discuss points which pop up along the way.


                                                              Intended topic questions:

                                                              • What are the things which can disrupt the flow or routine in life? 
                                                              • How can we hedge against spirals which are taking us away from our intentions? 
                                                              • How do we break the spiral and get realigned?


                                                                • Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                                                • Set routines can help us keep moving in a positive way.
                                                                • To acknowledge the lens of positivity, and employ it, can be useful in how we navigate life.
                                                                • Instead of focusing upon the things you dislike, switch to the things you do (like) instead.
                                                                • The more beaten the 'path' of habits, the more well defined they become.
                                                                • Structure and routine can be very soothing and result in stability for some personalities.
                                                                • Comparing oneself to a previous version can be a double edge sword.
                                                                • Commitment is a key, for some, to reorientation.
                                                                • Balance is extremely hard for some to achieve.  Knowing the type of person you are when looking at where you'd like to be or go can be a very useful tool.
                                                                • Using food to teach yourself a lesson can be a dangerous lever to pull.
                                                                • When there are planned events, letting oneself off the 'hook' can offset a negative spiral.
                                                                • Unplanned changes can create a rut or disruption.
                                                                • Working back in incremental and intentional ways can help restore a path to stability.
                                                                • A-B-C = Always Be Communicating.

                                                                  • Related points:

                                                                  • In the upper left corner of the United States, is the state of Washington.
                                                                    • Should anyone reading this have any ideas for content topics, please share them with us at any of the contact endpoints listed below.
                                                                    • Starting where you find yourself is often a beautiful place to begin taking action.
                                                                    • Peter is so positive that when thinking of his routines as they apply to his direction in life, he sees only how to keep the positive sharp, not how to get rid of those he knows are negative.  This is exactly the opposite of Todd.  Isn't that interesting?
                                                                    • There was a time when cookies "spoke" to Peter.  They had a deep conversation one afternoon and invited milk.
                                                                    • Mike Hathorne is good at cutting hair. 
                                                                    • Magical sounds can be heard around 34:30.  From whence they came, a true mystery.
                                                                    • Sometimes insults can be appreciated.

                                                                      • Quotes / quips:

                                                                      • "Fans and cats, but not fans of cats."
                                                                      • "I don't call it age; I call it experience."
                                                                      • "If I don't hold myself accountable, I don't feel that good about myself."
                                                                      • "Why are you trying to balance something which you know has been historically un-balanceable."
                                                                      • "I find myself beating myself up about achieving balance, because I don't understand why a balance needs to exist."
                                                                      • "Is the best way to get out of a rut, not to fall in at all?"
                                                                      • "I really appreciate your thoughts and insults."

                                                                        • Rando Mentions:

                                                                        • Google Sheets
                                                                        • Aversion Therapy - Schick Shadle 

                                                                          • Contact us:

                                                                          • https://aka.ms/SchoolingStruggle/Feedback 
                                                                            • 39 min
                                                                          • 32: I'm Done Doubting - I CAN DO THIS - K. Smith Pt.2

                                                                            Part of Two: We resume our time with Keith Smith.  From 'the bubble' to realization of what it takes to achieve keep balance. 

                                                                             

                                                                            Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                                                            • If you feel blocked or stuck, keep pushing, there is another way around, and it's going to take work to find it.
                                                                            • Sacrifice is often involved when enabling dreams.
                                                                            • Look for times of transition to double down on achieving balance.
                                                                            • Sleep is important, prioritizing it is key.
                                                                            • Be open, be approachable, talk to people.
                                                                            • Don't fear challenging work.
                                                                            • Do what takes care of people, that's important.  And remember, you are one of those people too.
                                                                            • Imposter syndrome is real for everyone.  Looking at points of positive validation or praise can help get out of the tailspin.
                                                                            • Know the granular details of your budgeting and realistic expenditures before making a large life switch.
                                                                            • The minute you accept money for something, do what you say you're going to do for that money.  Don't accept money and not deliver. It's a mutual investment.
                                                                            • If you find yourself saying to yourself, I don't want to do this.  It's likely you need to have a conversation with someone about it.

                                                                              • Related points:

                                                                              • People want to be helpful and kind, as their natural inclination.
                                                                              • Fear will drag you down, it will steal from you.
                                                                              • Having self-compassion and making sure you can encourage yourself.
                                                                              • You're never too old to start something new, just take a step.
                                                                              • Leave things better than you find them.  No burning bridges.
                                                                              • You can always come home and have a sandwich.
                                                                              • If you are able, positioning yourself in meetings to multitask can have large rewards.
                                                                              • Great Superbowl tickets can be had in sketchy dark closet like settings.
                                                                              • Great friendships are ones which you feel like you can ask for anything, nothing would be off the table.
                                                                              • Sometimes in life, between generations, shifts which seem unstable can make our loved ones question our decisions.
                                                                              • Make more chairs then.  They are more than just a tool for sitting.

                                                                                • Quotes / quips:

                                                                                • "I'm done with doubting; I can do this."
                                                                                • "People are generally more approachable than we fear they won't be."
                                                                                • "Sometimes it's more important to know the things you don't know, than to know what you do know."
                                                                                • "Nobody is ever going to die saying, I wish I could have spent another day at work."
                                                                                • "Chase what you love, and things will fall into place."

                                                                                  • Rando Mentions:

                                                                                  • NBA Front Office - Podcast
                                                                                  • Scott Skiles
                                                                                  • Drunk and Dungeons and Dragons - Podcast
                                                                                    • 37 min
                                                                                  • 31: It's Never Too Late to Chase What You Love - Keith Smith

                                                                                    Part One of Two: In this episode we welcome our first guest, the one and only Keith Smith.  We dive into his story, from early sports analytics, through high school and college, to the workforce, and then into what he wanted ‘to do for a living’. 


                                                                                    Mental habit / action / tool examples:

                                                                                    • Long term relationships built atop commitment, lead to accountability and resilience over their duration.
                                                                                    • Leverage where you are to learn and add skills to your toolbox.
                                                                                    • Skill acquisition is a fantastic way to steadily add new tools to your toolbox.
                                                                                    • One approach to learning is go it as far as you are able THEN look for reference and/or ask individuals who are proficient in that space.
                                                                                    • Know the limit of your bandwidth when considering shifting gears to chase dreams.


                                                                                      • Related points:

                                                                                      • Pete wore exceptionally large basketball shorts for many years.  Comfort is key.
                                                                                      • An inflatable raft can serve very well as a cheap air mattress replacement.
                                                                                      • Basketball is one of the few team sports one can practice effectively in solitary.
                                                                                      • ‘Front office’ in the basketball world, works on scouting and team management aspects.
                                                                                      • Walt Disney World (Florida US) is twice the size of Manhattan (NY, US).
                                                                                      • You can work at McDonalds near your home, there’s no need to move hundreds of miles away to do that.
                                                                                      • No strollers on the handicap ramp, in Walt Disney World.  Hard stop.
                                                                                      • Big corporations love acronyms and hierarchical re-organization.
                                                                                      • 133 million dollars (USD) is the standard NBA salary cap.

                                                                                        • Quotes / quips:

                                                                                        • "If you think you’re the only one who cares about something, go to Google and type it in, if it auto fills… someone else cares about it too.”
                                                                                        • “Thank you for a thoughtful and thorough idea.”


                                                                                          • Rando Mentions:

                                                                                          • The Disney Scholarship Program
                                                                                          • USA Today (newspaper)
                                                                                          • Gen Ed 
                                                                                          • Vista Way of Walt Disney World
                                                                                          • Walt Disney World
                                                                                          • Chris Haynes – Yahoo Sports
                                                                                          • Keith Smith – Twitter 
                                                                                          • 2020 NBA Bubble
                                                                                          • Rudy Gobert


                                                                                            • 51 min

                                                                                          About Schooling Struggle

                                                                                          From the publisher's feed

                                                                                          The only guarantee in life is that all humans struggle at various times throughout their journey. The Schooling Struggle Podcast dives deep into the real life theories and tactics that we can use to navigate obstacles. The discussions of this podcast center around the most integral skill needed for a life driven by purpose and fulfillment - How to cultivate a mindset to embrace struggle.