The Aggressive Life with Brian Tome

2023 was a landmark year for The Aggressive Life. In this retrospective episode, Brian looks back on some of his favorite interviews of the year—from his initial conversation with Father Vincent Lampert, a trained-in-Rome exorcist, to Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace. Missed the initial conversations, or need a refresh? Find links to the full episodes below. 

Corsi Tree Farm is Cincinnati's largest and longest-running Christmas tree farm, covering over 100 acres of evergreens in a variety of types and sizes. The man behind it all, Sheldon Corsi, is humble and hard-working, investing 7-10 years of labor into a tree that might spend 30 days at the center of your Christmas celebrations. Learning the tricks of the trade from his father, he’s been growing trees and creating holiday traditions for over 50 years. In this conversation, he talks about everything from taking over the family business, learning how to hand shear trees, to secrets that will keep your tree lasting through the holiday and beyond. He’s a good and aggressive man who will change the way you think about your own holiday traditions.

Find out more about Corsi Tree Farm here.

High Five Salon is one of the most successful and innovative salons in the midwest. The secret to their success isn’t excellence—it’s taking the time to see, know, and encourage every single person who comes through their door. Behind it all is Sam Hills, the owner and founder. He’s an aggressive man literally changing the world one haircut at a time. Just like if you spent time in his chair, you'll leave this podcast feeling encouraged, and with insights into the power of generosity, green lights, and taking the time to see others. 

Kevan Chandler was born with a rare neuromuscular disease, making him dependent upon others for all of his physical needs—movement, food, even going to the bathroom. No one could blame him for living life from a place of self-pity, anger, or disappointment, but that's not Kevan. Through sacrifice and vulnerability, he’s built a band of friends who are more like brothers. When Kevan had the idea to travel to Europe, his band of brothers responded—six friends covered three countries, taking turns carrying Kevan on their back as they meandered through Paris, hiked the English countryside, and scaled an Irish island. Even with his unique challenges, Kevan is committed to living an aggressive life. His attitude and approach is refreshing. 

Earlier this month, Brian got the chance to appear as a guest on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast with new friend, author, and changemaker Ginny Yurich. The quick-hitting conversation covered everything from the Five Marks of a Man, to the power of play to change your life, to the birth of MAN CAMP and everything in-between. It’s an aggressive and fun hour that puts Brian on the hot-seat.

If you missed Ginny’s appearance on The Aggressive Life, where she discussed the power of being outside to change your life, check it out here (Spotify | Apple). If you like what you heard, subscribe to Ginny’s podcast, 1000 Hours Outside, available wherever you listen to podcasts, to not miss a single episode (Spotify | Apple).

Science is beginning to show what the Bible already teaches: gratitude can change your emotional, spiritual, and even physical health. This Thanksgiving, Brian is picking up the phone and making the aggressive move: calling friends and family, to tell them exactly how much they mean to him. Listen in, and then take the aggressive gratitude challenge for yourself. This Thanksgiving, let the people you love know it, and see just how much gratitude changes things. 

Dr. Stuart Brown has quantified what every young child already knows—play makes life more enjoyable. While most adults tend to age out of play, Dr. Brown believes it’s the key to lives that are fulfilling, fun, and flourishing, no matter the age. Play re-creates us physically, leads to breakthroughs mentally, and builds healthy relationships. From his early research, in the aftermath of a shocking school shooting, to studying felony inmates and animals in the wild, Dr. Brown is the world’s foremost expert on the importance of play. As the founder of the National Institute for Play, Dr. Brown’s aim is to make play understood as a public health necessity. Having had a profound impact on Brian, this aggressive conversation has the power to point you toward a better (and more play-filled) future.

Randall Wallace spent years writing the screenplays he thought Hollywood wanted, only to see them go nowhere. With his back against the wall, he decided to take one final attempt, focusing on the story he wanted to tell. That script, Braveheart, found its way into the hands of Mel Gibson—and the rest is history. From there, Randall went on to write and direct The Man in the Iron Mask, We Were Soldiers, Pearl Harbor, and Disney’s Secretariat. In this conversation, Randall explains how a chance encounter in Scotland led him to the story of William Wallace, how pressure fuels creativity, and what it’s like to push all your chips in. Randall is a creative and aggressive man who will inspire you to keep moving. 

The most listened-to guest in the history of The Aggressive Life, John Burke, returns to share new insights and research from his lifetime of studying near-death experiences. This time, he’s focusing on what near-death experiences can teach us about God—what He is like, what He values, and what He expects of us. After interviewing thousands of NDErs, John discovered incredible similarities in their stories, despite these people coming from all walks of life, backgrounds, and countries around the world. The stories John shares will give you hope, paint God in a new light, and just might change the way you think about the afterlife. 

If you haven’t yet, check out Brian’s first conversation with John, “What Happens When We Die?” at the following links: Apple or Spotify.

Over the weekend, 2,700 men from all over the United States, and multiple international countries, descended on 400 acres near the Ohio River for MAN CAMP 2023. They laughed around campfires, drank some 80 kegs of beer, and pushed themselves past their spiritual, emotional, and physical comfort zones. And they came out different. 

These are some of their stories.

Inside a decommissioned outhouse, speaking into an old military field telephone, man after man spoke of heartache, learning to seek God, and finding redemption. From tales of past traumas, to new life breathed into marriages, to learning the importance of friendships, these stories are what MAN CAMP is all about. 

If you need a reason to hope, to believe that God still moves in the lives of men, this is it. Step into the outhouse with us, and find your life changed in the process. 

Find out more about MAN CAMP, and get early bird tickets for next year’s event, at mancamp.us