The Ridiculously Human Podcast

Karina Andersen, is a leadership coach and prison reformer whose work is quietly reshaping lives inside South Africa's maximum-security prisons.

Karina experienced a violent childhood and then tragically lost her partner and father to her children when they were young kids.

She has had to explore her own trauma, often living in survival mode, but she posses a sparkling superpower and managed to turn all that pain into purpose.

Karina shares how she moved from rudderless survival to founding the Smiling One program, where she trains inmates as coaches and achieves a staggering zero percent recidivism rate.

We discussed raw personal stories to broader societal reflections on parenting, fatherlessness, technology, and what this human experience really means.

Karina's message is clear:- Every experience, even the darkest, can become fertile ground for growth if we choose to plant flowers instead of staying stuck in the weeds.

I loved this conversation and everything about what Karina is doing!

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• Growing up in a violent household
• Brandvlei Maximum Security Prison
• Is it possible to overcome childhood trauma
• Managing Angers Response
• How to Bypass Survival Mode
• Collaborative journey of coaching
• Lack of Male Role Models
• Are Smartphones net-negative for society?
• What is Inner-Child Healing?

  SHOW NOTES

  Background, Context & Reference

  Connect with Karina Andersen:

  • Website
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • FaceBook

  Discussion Links

  • Brandvlei Maximum Security Prison

  Books Mentioned

  • The Responsible Individual - Karina Andersen
  • 10 Leadership Lessons from Prisons to Boardrooms - Karina Andersen
  • The Conscious Parent - Dr. Shefali Tsabary
  • The Boy Crisis - Dr. Warren Farrell
  • The Body Keeps the Score - Dr Bessel van der Kolk

  Music By

  • Matthew Parker

  Right Hook Request

  HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

  Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

  • Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
  • Follow Podcast on: YouTube | X | LinkedIn |

At 30, Adam, hit his rock-bottom moment, ashamed, overweight and lost.

His personal transformation began in silence, quitting alcohol, and generally cleaning up his act. Eventually dropping from 130kg to a more suitable 105kg, in a space of 6 months. A transformation that changed his life and those around him.

These days, he coaches men on what it really takes to become a better man by showing up as the aligned, authentic version of yourself every single day.

Adam Smith is a wise and insightful man, that walks the talk. Loved this chat!

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• The ripple effect
• Hitting rock bottom
• Being desperate for validation
• Your energy sapping internal battles
• Change is overwhelming
• Any benefits to boozing?
• A 130kg wake-up call
• Improving your standards
• Confidence comes from evidence
• How to quit alcohol
• Are you sober curious?
• Common worries of men
• Emotionally stunted men

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Adam Smith:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Discussion Links

• Dyspraxia

People Discussed

• Paul McKenna
• Tony Robbins
• Jim Rohn
• Les Brown

Music By

• Matthew Parker

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow Podcast on: YouTube | X | LinkedIn |

Tony Riccio shares his families history with alcoholism and when he had that 'aha' moment that he had to make some important decisions around his relationship with alcohol.

As a luxury travel host, Tony's career depends on him being social which often involves entertaining clients. So how does he decide when to drink, and when to abstain?

He details how journaling helped him create practical "rules" for drinking that improved his health, his relationships, and gaining clarity without going fully sober. Then he wrote a book about it, which we delve into.

This chat with Tony will inspire you to reflect and examine your own habits with curiosity rather than judgment.

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• Growing up with an alcoholic parent
• Drinking problem vs Alcoholism
• The "What If" Question
• Tricks to be a pretend drinker
• Unintended consequences of quitting alcohol
• 'Rules' for drinking
• Joy of Fatherhood
• Benefits of journalling and fasting

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Tony Riccio:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Discussion Links

• Maverick Helicopters
• Sideways - the Movie
• Growth Day - Brendan Burchard

Books Mentioned

• The Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday
• Drinking Rules by Tony Riccio

People Discussed

• Brendan Burchard
• Ed Mylett
• Anthony Trucks

Music By

• Matthew Parker

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow Podcast on: YouTube | X | LinkedIn |

The title 'Nice Guy' has a friendly ring to it.

But, the reality is the nice guy, ain't so nice.

You might even be a Nice Guy (or gal) and don't even know it.

Dr Robert Glover, one of the OG's, wrote a cracker book called 'No More Mr Nice Guy'

Effectively, a nice guy is someone who inaccurately internalises his belief system from a young age that he is not ok, just as he is.

He carries a toxic shame around with him, and is therefore not his true authentic self.

In this Pod, I discuss the underlying issues they are masking and how to turn your nice guy syndrome around.

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

1 - What and who is a Nice Guy?

2 - Core tendencies of Nice Guys

3 - A tendency to please woman

4 - Covert contracts

5 - A life of shame and anxiety

6 - The fear of success

7 - Hide truth about themselves

8 - Being 'bad receivers'

9 - Moving to a different behaviour plain

10 - Rehabilitating a Nice Guy

11 - The end goal = Attractive Man

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Gareth Martin:

Website

LinkedIn

X

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow us on: | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn |

Dorthe Hummel is a high-performance coach to athletes and executive level employees.

All her research leads to explaining why biology is the true foundation of performance, identity, and wellbeing.

Dorthe's own wake-up call was when she suffered a brutal personal burnout. Leaving her bed ridden for 10 months.

She clearly explains her health performance framework called the "Coherence model" — a way of understanding how our hardware (genetics and cells), software (body systems and epigenetics), user (personality and psychology), and environment constantly interact.

We explore why one-size-fits-all advice fails high achievers, how biology quietly shapes our behaviour and sense of self as we age, and why real breakthroughs often come from removing what doesn't fit rather than stacking more hacks.

This was a CRACKER and will truly make you reconsider your own health!

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• The importance of understanding your genetic blueprint
• Burnout and losing 10 months of your life
• Age related health struggles
• Overcoming burnout with meditation
• Your health's 'Coherence Model'
• Is work overload even a thing?
• The stress response from losing control
• Losing your identity
• Your methylation capacity
• Your body biology cannot compensate forever
• Rene Descartes society fragmentation
• GABA signalling
• Why nutrition is medicine

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Your fellow being

Gareth

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Dorthe Hummel:

• Website
• Linktree
• LinkedIn

Discussion Links

• Analysing Genetic Blueprint
• Coherence Model
• Methylation Capacity
• GABA Signalling

People Discussed

• Rene Descartes
• Hans Amato

Music By

• Matthew Parker

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow Podcast on: YouTube | X | LinkedIn |

It's never too late to begin.

2026 still has 11 full months where you can make life changing progress...or you can just sit around scrolling and living through other people's lives and dreams.

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

18 Ways to to Make 2026 a RIDICULOUSLY Successful Year

• #1: Don't be a Wet Blanket.
• #2: Do Things You Deserve.
• #3: Don't Be Afraid to Reinvent Yourself.
• #4: Momentum is Messy.
• #5: Judgement is for Cowards.
• #6: Everyone is Living a Different Reality.
• #7: Show People How You Like to be Treated.
• #8: If You're Not Part of the Steamroller, You're Part of the Road.
• #9: Guard your Time Ferociously.
• #10: Avoid Emotional Embroilment.
• #11: Have No Expectations.
• #12: Be Intentional.
• #13: Protect your Emotions at all Costs.
• #14: Don't be Afraid to Hold Contrarian Views.
• #15: Lead Through Action.
• #16: Have Alone Time.
• #17: Strive for Something Unrealistic.
• #18: What You Pay Attention to Expands.

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Gareth Martin:

Website

LinkedIn

X

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow us on: | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn |

"People are never able to out perform their own self-image. If you put a small value on yourself, rest assured the world will not raise the price."

Which is why I think that your Mindset is one of the most important things to grow, protect and nurture.

This week's Monologue Podcast is a new format and I'd love you to check it out YouTube. I'm refining my video content and this is the first step of improvement.

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• Our minds are our strongest and weakest assets.
• Decision making around fear and confidence.
• An abundant mindset.
• Direct link between your physicality and your mindset.
• Growth vs Fixed Mindset.
• How to create a stronger mindset.

----------------------------------

SHOW NOTES

Background, Context & Reference

Connect with Gareth Martin:

Website

LinkedIn

X

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow us on: FaceBook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn |

I hear a lot of Dad's say they get bored and don't like to play. But, as with many things in life it's the things we avoid, or don't want to do which are exactly the things that we must be doing!

Essentially your child just loves being around you, because you are their everything.

For your child - a Mom's hug, is equivalent to Dads playing with them. It's an exchange of love, of oxytocin, of the feeling of being secure.

Do not underestimate your role as the playmaker.

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• The viral discussion on X which kicked off this week
• Transitioning from Cub to Lion
• Sacrifices required stepping into fatherhood
• Playfulness being squeezed out of you
• Learning from your kids
• The lessons in kids games
• Involving kids in chores and adult tasks
• Playing the long game
• Your most important role ever as a Dad

Social Media

✩ Website - https://ridic-human.com/podcast/

✩ X - https://x.com/garethEmartin

✩ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-martin-9392391/

Hannah Scott, is an incredible lady who has been through absolute heartache and mental torture along her journey to becoming a Mother.

It took 10 years for her to finally have a baby after numerous miscarriages and failed IVF treatments.

Life eventually threw her some rope after she was completely broken and had almost given up all hope of being a Mom.

This is an incredible story of her battle to fall pregnant, and also how she now helps couples all over the world who cannot have children, for them to experience parenthood through surrogacy. It changed her life, and she is changing others lives.

Meet my guest this week, an amazingly strong woman, Hannah Scott, whom I'm super proud to call my friend.

Discussion:

Discussion Topics: What you will discover from listening to this Podcast:

• Early cervical cancer diagnosis
• Miscarriages and IVF failures
• Emotional torture of failed pregnancies
• Losing confidence as a woman
• Relationships strains
• Discovering uterine scar tissue
• Shiftting to surrogacy
• Founding Little Embryos Surrogacy Agency:
• Georgia's surrogacy process
• All things surrogacy

Hannah's Social Media Links

Website

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Right Hook Request

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST?

Please tell Your Friends & Share Online

• Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |
• Follow Podcast on: YouTube | X | LinkedIn |

Getting Old Squeezes the Life Out of You

A pervasive theme of getting old is losing that spark, that life force, that engaging energy that used to make you shine.

The older we get the more our confidence diminishes and our "mojo" from youthful days is squeezed out of us and exacerbated by responsibilities of bills, dependants and everything that comes with aging.

But maybe, if we remind ourselves what we miss, we can search for that person and bring them back to life again!

=========

Website