The High Performance Life

In this week's episode, I am joined by Andrew Reiner!

Andrew is the author of "Better Boys, Better Men: The New Masculinity That Creates Greater Courage and Emotional Resiliency"

He is also a professor at Towson University, where he offers the seminar "The Changing Face of Masculinity."

He has written on masculinity and men's issues for the New York Times, Italy's La Repubblica, and The Washington Post Magazine.

His work has been featured on NPR and the Canadian Broadcasting Company, as well as in The Guardian, Men's Health magazine, and Forbes.

He speaks about masculinity regularly at schools and conferences around the world.

Key Points

• Exploring masculinity and change

• The importance of fathers in growth

• Gender roles and partnership equality

• Embracing authentic emotional needs

• Legacy and raising resilient boys

Best Quotes

05:04 - 05:21

• "So for me, that represented an awareness, a growing awareness of so many different forms of this kind of masculinity that was being imposed on us, not just by the adults, but by each other as boys that I just grew to hate."

07:22 - 07:29

• "I decided at that moment, I didn't know why, but I was not gonna hide the tears. I was not gonna, not only was I not gonna hide them, but I wasn't gonna wipe them away." 11:15 - 11:24

• "And so one of the challenges with changing the terms when it comes to masculinity are how it's received by absolutely their partners and women."

32:28 - 32:48

• "That's exactly right. Exactly. And, and I think that this is the kind of conversation you and I are having right now around fatherhood is, is a, something a lot of men could sorely benefit from, is having these kinds of very real, you know, very honest conversations about, about, you know, what it means to be a father."

35:17 - 35:30

• "Who do you turn to when you really want to open up emotionally? Typically, you know, typically there'll be of maybe 15 students in the class, you know, one or two of them will have, you know, maybe a father who says, I don't really go to anybody."

51:02 - 51:14

• "Men also need to learn that it is not unmanly and, and you're not falling short as a man, if you have needs, deeper needs, that you are also working hard to get them met as well."

For more about Andrew visit: www.andrewreinerauthor.com

In this week's episode, I am joined by Chris Ullman! Chris Ullman is president of Ullman Communications, a strategic advisory firm.

Previously he served as Director of Global Communications at The Carlyle Group, led communications at the White House Budget Office, ran the public affairs office at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and was spokesman for the U.S House Budget Committee.

Chris is the Strategic Communications Expert in Residence at High Point University, a Senior Advisor at Narrative Strategies, and a Trustee of The Fund for American Studies.

He earned his B.A. in political science from Binghamton University and is a four-time international whistling champion and member of the Whistlers Hall of Fame.

Chris is the author of Find Your Whistle: Simple Gifts Touch Hearts and Change Lives. His latest book is Four Billionaires and A Parking Attendant: Success Strategies of the Wealthy, Powerful, and Just Plain Wise.

He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Alexandria, VA. Key Points

• Serendipity and lauding life's journey

• Choosing happiness and loving action

• Finding purpose to energize your days

• Gratitude's power in high-performers

• Purpose found in every moment.

• Success redefined beyond wealth.

Best Quotes

01:59 - 02:03

• "I think we have a duty to use those gifts to the, to the best that we can."

05:39 - 05:47

• "It's the journey, not the destination. Because while you, you have to have goals because that gives you purpose." 07:33 - 07:39

• "But when you give to the world, you have to give a little bit of yourself in a connection."

10:22 - 10:25

• "But why not give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise?"

32:50 - 32:56

• "You are now moving, and if you are moving, the odds are you're going to continue moving."

In this week's episode, I am joined by Dr. Steven Gundry! Dr. Steven Gundry is a well-known cardiothoracic heart surgeon, medical researcher, and author. During his 40-year career, Dr. Gundry has performed 10,000 surgeries and developed patented, life saving medical technology. After discovering how diet could help his patients avoid surgery, he wrote, "Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution" in 2008 which outlines his unique nutrition plan for wellness. In April 2017, he released his second book, "The Plant Paradox" that further refines this revolutionary eating program, helping tens of thousands of people lose weight and achieve better health. Following this he released, The Energy Paradox, a New York Times bestseller. Dr. Gundry is the founder of Gundry MD which has one mission: To help dramatically improve human health, happiness, and longevity through his unique vision of diet and nutrition. Key Points • Gut health is key to reversing disease. • Why disease starts in the gut • Dr. Gundry's transformative diet tips • The power of fermented foods for health • Avoid certain foods for autoimmune improvement. • Listen to your body's response to food. Best Quotes 03:22 - 03:25 • "I decided to become a doctor after reading a book in my elementary school." 11:54 – 12:03 • "But in fact, all disease does begin in the gut. And the good news is all disease can be reversed from the gut." 15:57 - 16:11 • "These various bacteria produce compounds that control our brain, control our mood control, our hunger control, you name it, they control it." 22:41 - 22:52 • "Every patient I've ever seen with a disease you choose the disease has measurements of leaky gut that we can do a blood test and see leaky gut." 54:03 - 54:13 • "Only the group that got the fermented foods plus the fiber got more microbiome diversity and their inflammation went down." For more about Dr. Gundry visit: www.drgundry.com Make sure you check out his new book "Gut Check" that launches January 9, 2024!

In this week's episode I am joined by Mark Black!

Mark is the author of "Live Life from the Heart".

Born with a life-threatening heart defect, Mark underwent two open-heart surgeries before age one. Twenty-two years later, after waiting on the transplant list for nearly a year, Mark was blessed to survive a perilous heart and double-lung transplant.

Three years later, Mark became the only man in history to run a marathon with someone else's heart and lungs. Then he did it 3 more times.

Mark has travelled the globe as an author, speaker, and coach, sharing strategies and tactics for building resilience. His story has impacted more than 150,000 people at more than 700 organizations including ExxonMobil, AstraZeneca, and Mercedes-Benz.

Mark is married to his superhero wife Marise. They live on the east coast of Canada with their 3 healthy children, Emma, Mateo, and Caleb.

Key Points

• Born with a critical heart condition

• Parents' unique approach to fostering resilience

• Transitioning from patient to motivator

• Achieving the "impossible": running post-transplant marathons

• Crafting the "Resilience Roadmap" for life's challenges

Best Quotes

00:59 - 01:14

• "So when I was born, I turned blue. Within a few minutes, doctors go, uhoh, something's wrong. Start running some tests, figure out that there's this blockage in this valve, and tell my then 23-year-old first time parents..."

03:33 - 03:40

• "But, so I would like, despite all of the hard stuff, I was a competitive athlete until I was about 14 years old."

04:54 - 05:11

• " I think if there's the trade off of can we allow them to have small failures and setbacks and discomforts when the stakes are lower So that if and when, well really when, 'cause who escapes life without them, they face some bigger ones."

08:17 - 08:27

• "I got home at the end of that school year. I had been away for two or three months since the last time I had been home. And as soon as my mom saw me, she went, holy smokes. Like, what's going on? Something's wrong."

09:24 - 09:36

• "And I'd been in and out of heart failure a couple of times before, but never this severe. And I ended up, they ended up keeping me for almost a month while they stabilized me ransomware tests."

13:56 - 14:02

• "So the five year survival rate of a heart lung transplant is about 50%. So like, basically half the people make it five years."

29:56 - N/A

• "Nothing changes, nothing changes. So it's great to like write down your new Year's resolutions, but if you're the, you know, going to live January 2nd the same way you lived the last year, then probably nothing's gonna change, right?"

35:25 - 35:34

• "It proves to yourself, oh, I can do these things. And so when the next challenge comes, you can have that armor with you of like, oh, I've done stuff like this before."

For more about Mark: www.markblack.ca

In this week's episode, I am joined by Justin Gary! Justin Gary is an award winning designer, author, speaker, and entrepreneur.

He is CEO of Stone Blade Entertainment and lead designer of the hit Ascension brand.

He has studied creativity and applied the principles of design to create dozens of products over his 20 years in the industry.

He writes and teaches about design to schools, businesses, and conferences around the globe.

Key Points

• Universe whispers, then shouts

• Gaming passion pivots into career

• Creativity as a learned skill

• Body signals about life's misalignments

• Industry arbitrage for success

• Curiosity leads to unexpected paths

• Philosophy's impact on creativity

Best Quotes

• "And this is one of the most, one of the most powerful things you can find is like the, the universe will, will start whispering messages to you, and then it will start shouting at you."

02:05 - 02:11

• "I call it infectious enthusiasm. Like, I get super excited about something and then I can get other people excited about it."

03:51 - 03:59

• "I was, I was kept in my debate team and I went to, I actually went to law school and I gave up my gaming career, even though I had already been making a living playing games."

04:12 - 04:19

• "I remember very specifically just, I'm at NYU law, I'm trudging through the snow in the morning. I'm just cold. I'm miserable."

05:29 - N/A • "Yeah, it's, it's so interesting because our body actually will start to give us signals before the rest of us ever ever even know what's happening."

11:15 - 11:30

• "There's this myth that the creative people have this secret sauce and that there are these, you know, they'll, the lone genius that goes off into like some mountain top somewhere, and then it comes back that they, you know, fully formed idea that thou is a brilliant thing, right? That is the most corrosive myth in our society right now."

20:49 - 20:52

For more about Justin: www.justingary.com

In this week's episode I am joined by Traver Boehm!

Traver is the Founder of UNcivilized Men's Movement, the fastest growing men's movement in the world.

He is the author of Today I Rise, and Man UNcivilized as well as a two-time TEDx speaker, men's coach and podcaster.

Drawing upon an eclectic background ranging from professional bodyguard and Mixed Martial Arts to a Master's Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and meditation, Traver counsels men, women, and couples on how to better understand men's mental health and relationship difficulties.

With a passion for people and a unique lens through which to view the human experience, Traver is a highly sought after teacher in the fields of consciousness, relationship, and personal development.

Key Points

• Modern masculinity's complex challenges

• The vital impact of elder male influences

• Education system's mismatch with boys' needs

• Importance of men expressing vulnerability

• Building boys into men with purpose & empathy

• Societal expectations of men

• Emotional intelligence for men

Best Quotes

02:29 - 02:37

• "We are, we are at so many odd junctures, we are at the, the call for men, right?"

03:17 - 03:23

• "So we're in this real con, we're we're confused about what to do with men in Western society."

03:35 - 03:42

• " You don't just become a man because you turn 18, right?" 11:01 - 11:08

• "And the thing from the top of the mountain, we're gonna give you a new name. We're gonna teach you what it means to be a man." 14:46 - 14:54

• "I don't think, and I never have thought that masculinity needed to be discarded. I think it needed a bit of an upgrade." 36:10 - 36:22

• "I'm satisfied at the end of a hard day. I'm satisfied when I write something and I get emails back saying, thank you, that changed my life. I'm satisfied at the end of a fucking hard workout."

50:09 - 50:21

• "A strong mother will raise a strong human can raise an empathetic human, can raise a good man, but it actually does take a man to teach a young boy what the job will be."

For more about Traver visit: www.manuncivilised.com/about

In this week's episode, I am joined by Dean Hall! Dean Hall is a seasoned veteran in the coaching field, with over 30 years and 50,000 hours of face-to-face experience.

A two-time cancer survivor, world record-setting extreme endurance athlete, and no stranger to personal hardship, Dean has the life experience to stand behind his techniques and advice.

Dean firmly believes that reconnecting ourselves to nature has the power to change our lives for the better.

He discovered this first-hand when, while swimming the entire length of the Willamette River, nature healed his leukemia and he was surprised to find he was in a state of radical remission.

Now, his mission in life is to lead and inspire others to discover the healing powers of nature for themselves.

Key Points

• Conquering cancer with love

• Power of nature in healing

• Finding passion and purpose

• Resilience infused with love

• Living each day with gratitude

Best Quotes

04:29 - 04:41

• "And I found that as he did that, if you have a passionate purpose, and it doesn't have to make sense to anybody else, you just have to really be passionate about it yourself."

06:14 - 06:23

• "And I believe when you fight anything, it creates cortisol. And cortisol and adrenaline rushes."

07:21 - 07:34

• "So I just lost everything. But even then, I found there were a lot of things, if I concentrated on what I could love about my life, there were things every day that I could love." 08:00 - 08:23

• " this is how I still try to live, loving everything as the big purpose and the motivation, having a mission or a purpose that's bigger than myself and something that it doesn't have to make sense to anybody else, but gets me excited."

15:03 - 15:09

• "Today I'm fine. So I always concentrate on what I call micro moments."

15:10 - 15:13

• "Micro moments, moments. Right. Now, I get to be here with you."

15:37 - 15:47

• "And most of us are, and the problem with this modern digital age is we are just so stuck to our digital devices."

In this week's episode, I am joined by Eddie Penney! Eddie us the founder & CEO of Contingent Group, a former SEAL team 6 operator, motivational speaker and author.

Eddie spent twenty years in the US military as a Marine infantryman and Navy SEAL, completing seven combat deployments during the Global War on Terrorism, five of which were with the US Navy's most elite unit.

Eddie is a motivational speaker, mentor, and founder of the UNAFRAID brand. He lives in the Dallas area with his wife and their five children. Key Points

• Navy SEAL confronts personal struggles

• Mindset shift through faith and fatherhood

• Combating life's 'wars' both internal & external

• Embracing the imperfect journey of growth • The power of faith in personal transformation

• Discussing fears and societal pressures

• Eddie's mission with the Unafraid brand

Best Quotes

06:29 - 06:34

• "I found the Lord, found Christ. And that has just taken me on a whole new journey."

06:36 - 06:41

• "If you can heal me from certain bondages and addictions, what else can you do?"

08:08 - 08:11

• "There's peace on the other side of the war. There's, there's peace."

10:37 - 10:42

• "The only person that's dealing with that and feeling those things is myself and the Lord who knows all."

17:38 - 17:45

• "We all have things that we need to be improving on. And it's a and that is the, that is where the joy is, is in that journey." 28:41 - 28:52

• "It doesn't matter what happens around you, what someone says, what they post about you, what they, you know, gossip about you. It doesn't matter as long as you're good here, it doesn't matter what goes around here."

For more about Eddie visit: www.eddiepenney.com

In this week's episode, I am joined by Jason Goldberg. Jason Goldberg is a Global Keynote Speaker on Future-Proof Leadership and is a Mental Performance and Leadership Coach for Celebrities, Change Makers and CEOs.

He is also the host of The Jason Goldberg is Ruining Podcasting Podcast, author of the #1 International Best-Seller on Self-Leadership entitled "Prison Break" and creator of the Playful Prosperity AND Competition-Proof Business Immersion programs.

Jason has been a featured expert on media outlets including ABC, CBS, and FOX as well as teaching on the MindValley and SoulPancake platforms.

He has also founded multiple start-ups including one in partnership with NASA and the space shuttle program. Key Points

• Discovering a personal mission that brings joy

• The impact of joy on humanity's wellbeing

• Embracing imperfection for life optimization

• Jason's journey from weight struggles to wisdom

• Elements of self-leadership with diverse identities

Best Quotes

05:14 - 05:23

• "It occurred to me in that moment that people who feel seen, who feel heard, who feel joyful, it doesn't occur to them to inflict harm on other people."

10:13 - 10:21

• "So from a very young age, I realized, oh, humor and empathy without having the the words for it are what allow me to feel like I have some value and allow me to feel like I have some connection."

11:19 - 11:26

• "So this whole transformation thing has been great, but really it's about going back to first order principles. Who am I really at my core?"

12:45 - 12:51

• "It's like an okay, it's one you can't overdose on and it doesn't have any long lasting impact negatively on your system." For more about Jason visit: www.jasongoldberg.com

In this week's episode, I am joined by Kute Blackson. Kute Blackson offers a fresh, bold look at spiritual awareness for a whole new generation.

Born in Ghana, West Africa, Kute's multicultural upbringing as the child of a Japanese mother and a Ghanaian father has spanned four different continents. His unique lineage lay the foundation for his approach to breaking down barriers and unlocking an individual's true gifts and greatness.

Though Kute was raised all over the world, he had always dreamed of life in America. As if by kismet, he won a green card just after finishing school in London. He came to America alone just months later, with no connections or prospects.

When Kute arrived in Los Angeles, all he had to his name were two suitcases and the dream of seeking out the spiritual and self-help icons who had inspired him when he was a boy.

Kute quickly learned that the "outside-in" approach favored by so many in the personal development space had to become an inside-out approach. So he decided to create his own method—a process that liberates the individual and the true self at the core and then pushes those gifts outward into the universe. This helps the individual get in touch with who they really are. It is a process of breaking free—so that the individual can live, give, and share the truest expression of their self. This is what Kute calls "Liberated Living."

Key Points

• Surrender's deeper meaning unveiled • Kute's internal debate against his father's path

• Encounters that reshape life's journey

• The profound impact of death's reality • Embracing surrender as the path to freedom • Learning to listen to life's deeper calling

Best Quotes

07:51 - 07:59

• "At 18, that's when I would say the foundation of my life was set, because I felt my soul calling me to go to America."

08:34 - 08:41

• "I think sometimes what your soul guides you to do doesn't always make sense to your mind."

15:06 - 15:15

• "It has a awakening effect on one's consciousness, a healing effect in one's nervous system. And so I heard about the Camino 900 kilometers."

15:30 - 15:38

• "All of a sudden I see this guy, and this is how faith works. This is how when you are following your soul, the universe supports you."

23:55 - 24:11

• "You might not think you're making a difference, but you are. And I had a conversation with a guy in the Camino that he doesn't know. He's still impacting my life 20 years later."

31:43 - 31:52

• "The truth is, we're all going to die. You will die. You are gonna die. None of us know when that moment will happen."

For more about Kute visit: www.kuteblackson.com For more about his book "The Magic of Surrender" visit: https://kuteblackson.com/get-book/