In Episode 89 of The Grizzly Life Podcast, Colton kicks off 2026 with a hard truth: most people set goals every year—and most people quit on them just as fast.

This episode isn’t about motivation that fades by February. It’s about playing the long game. Colton challenges you to think beyond the next 30 days and ask the real questions:
Who do you want to be at 50, 60, or 70? Do you want energy, independence, and momentum—or excuses?

After laying out the mindset behind real change, Colton walks through a practical, no-fluff goal-setting framework he uses with his team. Fitness, finances, career, travel, and personal growth—broken down into clear pillars that actually make goals stick.

You’ll hear a live, workshop-style example of how to set goals that are realistic, measurable, and worth chasing—and how to revisit them throughout the year instead of forgetting them by February.

If you’re tired of empty resolutions and want a plan you can actually follow, this episode sets the tone for doing 2026 the right way.

Happy Holidays — hope you got some real rest, time with family, or even just some quiet time to reset.

In Episode 88, Colton shares a few personal holiday updates (including his “fashion era” and why looking sharp actually boosts confidence and productivity), then dives into what he’s been thinking about heading into the new year — including a potential 75 Hard run and what that challenge actually requires.

From there, we get into a straight-up conversation on leadership: what real leaders do when things go sideways, why great leadership means putting yourself second, and how “extreme ownership” changes your team culture.

Colton also breaks down why the average person isn’t nearly as productive as they think — and how building 60–120 minutes of uninterrupted focus time can completely change your output, value, and results.

In this episode:

• Holiday recap + why giving feels better than buying

• Confidence, appearance, and the “dress to impress” effect

• What 75 Hard is (and why Colton might do it)

• Leadership lessons from a real Priority Fitness situation

• Why texts/emails get misread — and how to communicate better

• The productivity truth: most people waste hours daily

• How to plan your 2026 goals and actually stick to them

New year’s coming — don’t waste the momentum. Lock in.

Holden Smith is back for his 5th monthly check-in, and this one’s the perfect end-of-year reality check. We talk about what it’s actually like to rebuild your life when you finally decide you’re done making excuses — the cold mornings, the mental battles, the job change, and the pressure of a wedding coming in May 2026.

Holden opens up about the trade-offs he’s made to prioritize health, how seasonal depression hits this time of year, and why discipline matters more than motivation. Then we get into the wins: he’s down to 343.7 lbs, hit his goal of 350 and under, knocked out 6 books, stayed consistent with lifting and steps, completed a brutal 36-hour fast, and is working toward running a mile without walking.

We wrap it up by setting January goals: 7 books, 320 lbs, and a 1-mile jog with no walking, plus bigger 2026 targets like getting under 300, hiking Devil’s Lake, and showing up to the wedding healthier, lighter, and more confident than ever.

In Episode 86 of The Grizzly Life Podcast, Colton shares a series of real-life reflections pulled straight from recent travel, work, and day-to-day experiences.

He breaks down why enjoying the climb matters more than rushing to the destination, how failure is really just learning how not to fail again, and why paying attention to the small details separates people who grow from people who stay stuck. Colton also talks about confidence — how you carry yourself, how you show up in everyday situations, and why posture, eye contact, and intention matter more than most people realize.

The episode wraps with practical perspective on handling problems logically instead of emotionally, why every problem has a solution (even if that solution is patience), and how to start thinking clearly about 2026 goals without overcomplicating them. If you’re in a season of reflection, transition, or just trying to be more intentional with your time and effort, this one will hit home.

Colton’s back from Denver after the Broncos vs. Packers matchup, and he’s breaking down the trip—flight delays, mountain views in Estes Park, and the game-day atmosphere (with Packers fans showing up strong). He also drops a few quick business and gym updates, including the new window finally being fixed at the Wautoma gym, progress on the Princeton building next door, and how the Tuesday/Thursday value emails have been going.

But the real message of this episode goes deeper: fulfillment. After meeting a father/son restaurant ownership team in Denver and hearing their story, Colton talks about what it really means to feel fulfilled—doing work that matters, helping people, and understanding the bigger “why” behind what you do every day. If you’ve been feeling stuck, drifting, or asking yourself “what’s the point?”, this episode is a reminder that meaning is built by impact—one person, one interaction, one good decision at a time.

In Episode 84 of The Grizzly Life Podcast, Colton looks ahead to the end of 2025 and breaks down what really matters before the year closes out. Fresh off an early morning leg day—and right before heading to Denver for Broncos vs. Packers—he talks about finishing strong, planning with intention, and setting goals that actually stick.

Colton dives into why the next few weeks are the perfect time to tighten up your routines, clean up unfinished business, and choose the one habit that would genuinely change your life going into 2026. He hits on fitness, diet, finances, and the power of writing things down—plus why simple, thoughtful gestures (even at work) go a long way.

If you’re ready to stop drifting into the new year and start designing it, this episode gives you the exact mindset to make 2026 your strongest year yet.

In Episode 83, Colton opens up about the last two weeks behind the scenes — the wins, the stressors, and the real-life business curveballs that hit right before the holidays.

From a Priority Fitness truck-and-trailer accident the day before Thanksgiving, to navigating insurance claims, IRS penalties, and the chaos that comes with growing multiple companies at once,

Colton breaks down why staying calm, staying logical, and staying forward-moving matters more than anything.

He dives into:

• The “emotion vs. logic” mindset and why most people sabotage themselves

• How to handle unexpected problems without derailing your entire day

• Why doing the hard things first creates momentum• The power of stacking “net positive days”

• Building a happy life one day at a time — literally

• Why everyone gets scared, and why that’s actually normal

• Finding joy in the tasks you dread, and why they build the most confidence

A real, grounded, practical episode packed with the kind of mindset shifts that actually move the needle — in fitness, in business, and in life.

In Episode 82, Colton sits down before a packed travel week to talk goals, habits, and the mindset shifts that actually move your life forward. Fresh off finishing How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People, he breaks down one of the biggest lessons from the book—why people perform better when their ideas matter—and how that applies to leadership, work, and everyday conversations.

From there, Colton dives into fitness motivation, why most people never stick to the gym, and how to actually make working out a long-term habit you enjoy. He unpacks the power of routines, building systems that work for you, breaking bad habits, and why now—not January—is the best time to start leveling up.

This episode hits goals, discipline, personal growth, and the mindset behind becoming the best version of yourself… one intentional decision at a time.

In Episode 81 of The Grizzly Life Podcast, Colton is back with a solo breakdown of Thanksgiving week — from surviving the cold five-mile Turkey Trot to tackling carbs for the first time in a long time. He talks about how the race went, what the diet switch-up felt like, and why the post-Thanksgiving pump hit different.

From there, Colton dives into the new habits he’s building: a structured weekly running plan, collagen supplementation, and a tighter system for planning his workdays using time-blocked tasks. He also shares mindset shifts around aging, health, and why small wins matter more than most people think.

To wrap it up, Colton pulls lessons from the human-behavior book he’s been studying — covering first impressions, confidence, low self-esteem cues, and simple persuasion tools that help you communicate better at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

It’s a mix of storytelling, practical takeaways, and mindset upgrades — all centered on becoming just 1% better every day.

In Episode 80 of The Grizzly Life Podcast, Colton dives into a powerful solo session packed with mindset, discipline, and real-life momentum. Fresh off Thanksgiving — and fresh off a four-mile run and a full lift — he breaks down why “winning your day” matters more than people think.

Colton opens up about routines, long-term thinking, and why your future self depends on the habits you build right now. He challenges the common “we all die anyway” mindset, pushes back on the idea that your prime is behind you, and explains why taking care of your body today determines the quality of your life decades from now.

He also shares how he structures podcast topics, what he’s learning from his latest books, why first impressions matter more than most people realize, and how tracking recovery, VO₂ max, and daily behavior has helped him reverse his biological age.

Plus — a quick update on Grizzly’s 7th location opening in Baraboo, the return of the weekly emails, and how you can get involved if you want more tools to level up your fitness, mindset, and discipline.