So I’m a guy who usually hates birthdays. I don’t really see what the big deal is. I had nothing to do with my birth. I don’t like the idea of self aggrandizing. I basically am a humbug when it comes to birthdays.

Or so I used to be. Now I look at the years as a marker. Did I find meaning in the previous year? What will the next hold. I look to the future with anticipation these days unlike in year’s past when I looked to them with dread.

I’m a guy who once looked at life as Heaven’s waiting room. If we are all headed to Heaven to be with God anyway, then what are we waiting for? I once described it to a friend as God dropping us off at Wal-Mart and leaving us without telling us when he’s coming back to get us.

Oh, and we are supposed to be thankful for all the things Wal-Mart has. It was a twisted view for sure. That’s until I started finding purpose and meaning for my own life as it relates to the bigger picture of life as a general idea.

I hope this interview gives you more insight into what “improve always in ALL ways” really means to me. I hope you will ask yourself some of the questions Phil poses to me in this interview.

I’m a guy who absolutely savors life these days. It has nothing to do with money, fame, prestige or whatever the world at large considers success. It has to do with purpose. I have found mine.

I’m trying to be the best version of myself so I’m best suited to be useful to those around me.

I hope you enjoy this episode. While I’m my least favorite subject to talk about I did enjoy sitting with my friend and mentor for a while and answering some really insightful and self-reflecting questions.

Thanks for listening.

How would you like to improve your energy reserves? I know. I know. That’s a loaded question. No matter our age we’ll always take more energy. Having energy makes life more fun. It makes tasks that can be daunting seem just a little lighter if we have plenty of energy.

So what can we do to really power up our energy reservoir? Well, it turns out one of the single best generators of personal energy is purpose. Purpose is a unique source of energy and power. 

Energy lights a fire for focus, direction, passion and perseverance. To get a quick sense of the power of your own purpose, stop right now and answer a few questions. Try to rank each question on a scale of 1-10.

* How excited are you to get to work in the morning?* How much do you enjoy what you do for its own sake rather than for what it gets you?* How accountable do you hold yourself to a deeply held set of values?

If your answers to these questions total 27 or more, it suggests you already bring a significant sense of purpose to what you do. If your answers fall below 22, you are more likely going through the motions. 

Throughout much of my career I’ve been a master of going through the motions. It wasn’t until I started evaluating that which I truly value that I tapped into a life of true meaning and purpose. The best part is it has allowed me at the age of 47 to be as energetic as I was at 27 (well almost).

One of my favorite books, and I refer to it often, is “Man’s Search for Meaning,” by Viktor Frankl. In this book he writes, “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being  responsible.”

So how do we begin to tap into this well of energy and purpose. First, we must do what many mystics, masters of meditation, Carl Jung and many others have said. We must wake up. We must know ourselves intimately. Once we truly discover who we are and what we value then we must begin designing our life and actions to match with our most deeply held values.

Purpose becomes a more powerful source of energy when it moves from being externally to internally motivated. Extrinsic motivation reflects the desire to get more of something that we don’t feel we have enough of: money, approval, social standing, power or even love. 

Intrinsic motivation grows out of the desire to engage in an activity because we value it for the inherent satisfaction it provides. Researchers have long found that intrinsic motivation tends to prompt more sustaining energy. A study conducted by the University of Rochester’s Human Motivation Research Group found, for example, that people whose motivation was authentic-defined as “self-authored”- exhibited more interest, excitement and confidence, as well as greater persistence, creativity and performance than a control group of subjects who were motivated largely by external demands and rewards. 

Study after study shows there is little correlation between money and happiness or motivation once our basic needs are met. That is to say if someone has all the food, shelter and safety they need, giving them more money isn’t going to move the energy needle all that much.

Here is an example of shifting something from the external to the internal. There is a scripture in the Christian Bible which reads, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..” Colossians 3:23. 

As you can see, this is something one must align with a belief and value based on their be...

I’ve known Ken Brumley for nearly two decades now. I can honestly say he’s one of the sweetest, kindest, wisest and most beloved men around. To know Ken is to love him.

I’ve been very transparent with you, my audience about my first marriage to the mother of my daughters, Rylan and Abby. Ken was one of the several people who tried to guide the girl’s Mom and I in a direction that might save our marriage.

He’s seen me at my best. He’s seen me at my worst. Hundreds if not thousands of couples have sought out Ken’s wise counsel in the navigation of their marriages, pre-marriages and ending marriages.

In this conversation I tried to tease out those tools and tactics that lead to a successful relationship regardless of the stage. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s, and I hope this message lands somewhere with you in a positive and uplifting way. Thanks for listening.

About Ken

Ken Brumley is the Pastor of GraceWorks Counseling Ministry. A veteran staff member, Ken started his GABC career as the Singles Minister, and after 15 years of serving, elected to focus on pre- and post-marital counseling by launching the GraceWorks Counseling Ministry. Ken holds a B.A. in Music/Voice from East Texas Baptist University and an M.E. with a focus on Marriage & Family Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Ken enjoys hunting, fly fishing, four-wheeling in Colorado and grandparenting. He serves on the board of Christian Hunters and Anglers Association, an evangelistic outreach ministry to dads and sons/dads and daughters. Ken and his wife, Judy, have two children and five grandchildren.

Best Friday Ever for 1-14-22 My Morning Routine That Helps Me Crush The Day Plus A Lesson From Epictetus: If You’ve Decided to Live, Then LIVE!

What if I told you there was a way to 5X your lifespan? Would I get your attention? I hope so. Well, you can. In this episode I share a message from Dr. Peter Attia on how you can in fact 5X your lifespan without drugs.

To learn more about this concept, checkout this episode of Dr. Attia’s “Drive” podcast.

I hope this finds you well, and you have the BEST Friday ever!

I’m out!

Ruth J. Simmons serves as President of Prairie View A&M University. She was President of Brown University from 2001-2012. Under her leadership, Brown made significant strides in improving its standing as one of the world’s finest research universities.

A French professor before entering university administration, President Simmons held an appointment as a Professor of Comparative Literature and Africana Studies at Brown. After completing her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures at Harvard, she served in various faculty and administrative roles at the University of Southern California, Princeton University, and Spelman College before becoming president of Smith College, the largest women’s college in the United States. At Smith, she launched a number of important academic initiatives, including an engineering program, the first at an American women’s college.

Simmons is the recipient of many honors, including a Fulbright Fellowship to France, the 2001 President’s Award from the United Negro College Fund, the 2002 Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, the 2004 Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, the Foreign Policy Association Medal, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Centennial Medal from Harvard University. Simmons is a member of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the boards of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Holdsworth Center. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Square. Awarded numerous honorary degrees, she received the Brown Faculty’s highest honor: the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal in 2011. In 2012, she was named a ‘chevalier’ of the

So what is happening? Why is Joe Rogan under such attack. He once said he would vote for Bernie Sanders. I have no idea what his politics are. However, his personal treatment of his COVID infection along with guests he’s had on to ask about vaccines has caused the American legacy media to lose their sh**.

Why? I’m not some Joe Rogan fanboy. As a matter of fact I’ve probably listened to a total of 3 full episodes of Rogan. I do however watch some of his YouTube clips. He gets all the best guests. Some I agree with some I don’t. He had Bernie Sanders on. I don’t agree with Bernie’s take on governance.

He had Jordan Peterson on. I like Jordan Peterson’s writing and thinking. He has liberals, conservatives, Bill Maher, Ben Shapiro. It doesn’t matter. Joe Rogan has anyone on he seems to think he can learn something from.

I’d dare say what has made him so successful is he offers a (oh my gosh I can’t believe I’m going to write this) “safe space” for all to come and listen to differing opinions.

Rogan is not a politician. He’s doesn’t need his listeners. If it all went away tomorrow, he’d be just fine. Yet his being treated as public enemy #1 by the American legacy media. Why.

Since when did differing opinions and the scientific driver of skepticism become such an offense. In Adam Grant’s book “Think Again” he outlines the problem with dividing all major issues into two sides either for or against leaving no room for nuance.

We seem to do it all cases now. If you’re for higher taxes, you’re a socialist. If you’re pro-life, your anti-female reproductive rights. If you question the efficacy of vaccines, your an anti-vaxxer.

We are living in a world that is leaving no room for nuance. This is not good. What’s worse is if one side has decided the only way to defeat the opposition is to not even allow questions to be asked, we are in big trouble.

There was once a time when it was expected of media outlets to get guests on who had wildly different opinions to allow us to peak into the mind of a Charles Manson, David Duke or Saddam Hussein. The interviewer asked question we might ask about these intriguing figures if we were there ourselves.

Now legacy media seems to only want to reinforce a prescribed narrative and attack anyone who lets us hear the “other” side. Joe Rogan seemingly has one agenda-to satisfy his curiosity. When did this become a crime?

Further, when did we all become so stupid we needed the likes of Brian Stelter at CNN and the federal government to install seatbelts on our brains?

Joe Rogan may not be the most interesting man in the world, but I’d dare say he’s one of the most curious. My advice to you, stay curious my friends.

The Atlantic Robert Malone Article

Mitchell Cohen

Mitchell Cohen is one of my favorite guests. He’s like a younger, smoother forehead possessing, better hair having version of me. Oh, and he’s much better looking. I’m not jealous at all.

But since he possesses all these superior qualities I’m happy to take advantage of them so as to make myself look better. You know kinda like Mrs. Wright always makes me look better when we go out? Well, Mitchell makes me better by coming on the JWS.

That my friends is what iron sharpening iron is all about. It’s about making each other better. This is what Mitchell does for me.

In this episode we cover a lot of ground. I wanted to dig into Mitchell’s methodology for doing his year in review and how he plans his upcoming year. He’s extremely disciplined, and much like yours truly obsessed with self improvement.

Near the end of the conversation he asked me what might be one of the most honoring questions ever. He noted how Mrs. Wright and I seem to have a “spark.” He, being a single man, wanted to know what I thought it was that gave us said spark.

Man, I loved that question, and I think I actually gave a pretty good and transparent answer. If you are looking for a life partner, I think some of the insight I give is some of the best two pennies I’ve ever tossed out.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

Who is Mitchell Cohen?

 Main Thing = Director of Influencer Partnerships at AppSumo.(including partnerships/content for Noah Kagan)

 Learning = Twitter breakdowns, podcasts, bookclubs, cohort classes, and writing on this blog. Experimenting = Running a marathon, moving cities, any benefits to mind/body/soul.

On Twitter he’s @MitchellLandon where he publishes atomic essays that are a blast to follow

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What the hell is going on? Why are people so miserable yet so sedated by pleasure all at the same time?

I just learned one of my college friends overdosed and died recently. He was not some out there, loser who was down and out. He was a typical middle aged guy making his way.

I’ve had two fraternity brothers die at their own hands. I have one who lost his son to suicide during the pandemic. What the hell is happening?

I talk to my daughters about this all the time. Why do so many of their friends vape, smoke pot, do cocaine, take hits of acid, struggle with alcohol? Why is everyone having such a hard time feeling good?

I am obsessed with feeling good. I love natural highs. I love the endorphin rush my ice bath gives me. I love the feeling of completing a hard workout and the pleasure that comes with it.

However we now live in a society where there is an abundance of pleasure and a scarcity of work ethic. We don’t have to work for our pleasure any longer. This is a problem. I posted a while back one of the reasons Americans are so fat is we no longer have to struggle for food. Our bodies were designed to struggle for our rewards.

However, in modern society we have so much ease and pleasure at our disposal we can set a constant endorphin drip with nothing more than an iPhone. From now on when you see someone entransed by their phone think of it as an endorphin drip. Scary thought huh?

Now we have the metaverse on the horizon. We are about to live in the matrix. Well, some of us are. I’m concerned we are about to see people living in alternate universes. I just saw this picture on Insta and it pretty well sums up where we’re headed.

life in the metaverse

If we are able to escape reality and retreat to a universe that only exists in our minds then will we end up seeing colonies of people just lying on cots strapped to IV’s while their minds roam the metaverse? This can’t be good.

In this quick Best Friday Ever, I swiped a message from Tom Bileyu’s Impact Theory, in which neuroscientist Andrew Huberman lays it out pretty succinctly.

Here’s my message. Stay with us. Stay in reality. Alter your real reality and become all you are meant to be. You and I were not meant to live in the metaverse. We were meant to live in the hear and the now of reality.

Once you embrace this fact, and realize the unbelievable capabilities each of us have you won’t want to go to a fantasy world. You will want to remain a badass in the real world.

I’m pulling for you to stay and kickass.

JW

Credits:

YouTube: “Be Inspired: Neuroscientist: “First Hour of The Morning is CRUCIAL” | Andrew Huberman https://youtu.be/jBwM-mCLQQo

Impact Theory: Tom Bileyu

He’s been interviewed on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Every podcast that matters, Fox, Fox News, He’s everywhere. Phillip Stutts is quickly becoming one of the foremost experts on marketing.

So what makes Phillip so special? Why does his company Win Big Media seem to win big all the time?

It’s about the numbers. Phillip learned from his days counting votes as a political campaign consultant that data is king. No one is better and not just gathering data but know WHAT data to gather.

In this interview I ask Phillip to look into his data driven crystal ball and help me better understand who is going to win politically. How do you make sense of the COVID data and much more.

Thanks so much for the time, Phillip. This was a blast, and it was very insightful!

Who is Phillip Stutts?

Phillip Stutts comes from the cutthroat world of political marketing. He has over 2 decades of experience working on campaigns with billions of dollars in political ad spend, and contributed to over 1,433 election victories, including 3 U.S. Presidential victories. Phillip plays the game of political and corporate marketing on the highest level, battling it out with fierce competition, multi-billion-dollar budgets, and a win-or-die mentality.

What if something we’ve held true for most of our lives proved to be wrong? Are you willing to take a scientific approach to learning and confirming what you know to be true?

Enjoy this episode of “The Best Friday Ever”