The Secret To Success with CJ, Karl, Jemal & Eric Thomas

Eric Thomas thought he was a people pleaser. Then he looked around his own company and noticed something. Nobody was pleased.

Payroll was astronomical. Every month was a prayer just to cover it. Morale was low. And every time the money ran short, ET had the same answer: get back on the road and go make more.

This conversation starts with one sentence. CJ told someone who wanted in, "I don't trust you in the we right now." Not with his wallet. With the mission. Because CJ had already watched a people pleasing spirit up close. He watched E people please his way into that payroll.

So CJ turns to E and asks him to talk to the people pleasers. What comes next is ET at his most honest: "I lied to you about what we was."

He tells you why he did it, and it goes all the way back to being a kid watching Roots. He tells you what one conversation with TJ about the NFL finally made him see. And he gives you the one question that exposes whether you are really people pleasing or just worried about what people think.

Then it gets personal. ET grew up in the Serengeti, but he raised his kids in the safari, where the meat gets thrown out to you right on schedule. So he made a decision about his son Jalin that most parents will not make. Then Jalin got COVID, missed four days of work, and opened his check. What he said to his dad after that is the whole point of this episode.

Also in this one: why ET says workers don't get paid in this country, what a fourth and inches call has to do with your life, what being "half and half" gave CJ that E never had, and the phone call ET made to the father who raised him to apologize for something that made him mad as a kid.

So be honest. The people you keep taking care of. Are they actually pleased?

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CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Cold Open: You Can't Say It's Bad When You're Part of What's Making It Bad

00:02:08 Welcome: AI, Water, and the End of the World

00:04:42 Chat GPT Turned E Into a Handyman

00:12:36 The AI Water Crisis: Chat vs Coca-Cola

00:18:06 Pre-Order We Is Greater Than Me

00:19:15 The People Pleasing Problem: When You're Really Self-Pleasing

00:22:08 The Payroll Crisis: When E Created a False World

00:23:39 Fourth and Inches: The Dan Campbell Philosophy

00:25:05 You're Not People Pleasing If They're Not Pleased

00:29:31 TJ and the NFL Reality Check

00:31:49 Workers Don't Get Paid: The Real World vs The Safari

00:34:07 If You Made Me, Make Another One: The Hov Principle

00:40:02 CJ's Half and Half Advantage: The Power of We

00:41:59 The Safari vs The Serengeti: Raising Kids in Reality

00:45:19 The Hidden Coke Story: Why Parents Hide Their Stuff

00:47:07 Jalin's COVID Check: When Reality Hits

00:48:32 Real People Pleasing: Standards That Set People Free

PRE ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME

The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad.

https://www.weisgreater.com

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Eric Thomas and CJ break down leadership, team building and why you can't build it alone. The greatest wins in your life will never come from solo effort, and the thing that made you successful as an individual might be the very thing destroying your team. CJ said it at the 1% event. Your vision only has enough room for you.

It is just CJ and Eric Thomas at the table this week, and E opens by saying he has never felt this good. The reason is not a new win. It is something he removed. E explains how the Flight Assessment showed him he was the opinionated flight attendant in his own house, and why the biggest thing he did for his family this season was stay out their business. His kids Jalin and Jayda left the “family we”, landed at the same company, and took off.

From there the two get into money. E breaks down why money cannot buy happiness but it can buy options, the number he chased so Dede could retire, and why he stopped trying to fund everything on me income after a handful of kids came back from Dubai changed.

Then CJ pushes E on the hard question. How do you know you are in the right we, and when do you leave one? E talks about God telling him to leave Huntsville, the day CJ told him he was a brand and made him keep the hat on, and why he picks people on character. CJ closes with the line that carries the episode. He and E did not find a finished table. They built one with a hammer and a nail, and you can build yours with the people already around you.

So be honest. Are you building your own table, or waiting on a seat at somebody else's? Drop it in the comments.

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Cold Open: CJ Almost Got Fired in His First Month

00:01:39 Welcome: Just CJ and E This Week

00:02:54 Pre-Order We Is Greater Than Me

00:04:22 Why E Has Never Felt This Good

00:05:42 Jalin and Jayda Outgrew the Family We

00:10:30 What E Had to Change on the Inside

00:12:44 The Flight Assessment and the Opinionated Flight Attendant

00:15:36 "Stay Out Their Business"

00:17:33 Sometimes Growth Is Removing Something

00:20:29 Coaching Grown Kids Without Controlling Them

00:25:22 Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Buys Options

00:29:31 The Number That Let Dede Retire

00:31:09 Tithing, Giving and Who Really Carries the Church

00:34:18 Sending Kids to Dubai: When Me Income Runs Out

00:38:00 "Your Vision Only Has Enough Room for You"

00:42:19 A Vision Big Enough for a Thousand People

00:43:18 Dallas, the Hospital and the Van

00:48:45 How Do You Know You're in the Right We?

00:53:19 God Said Go: Why E Left Huntsville

00:54:30 From Anointed Speaker to a Brand: The Hat Story

00:57:14 Leave the We or Grow the We?

00:59:45 E Chooses People on Character

01:02:56 We Built Our Table

01:04:19 You Can Build It With Your People

01:06:35 Build Where Your Feet Are

01:09:10 Why CJ Only Wants His Own Table

01:10:37 What a 12 Year Old Taught the Pastor

01:14:15 Closing: Go to WeIsGreater.com

PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME

The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad.

https://www.weisgreater.com

EXTREME EXECUTION CERTIFICATION

Live, October 24 and 25. Only happens once a year.

https://www.extremeexecution.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON

New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.

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Why do talented people keep losing? Eric Thomas says sometimes it is not the talent. It is the team.

This week the crew breaks down the power of we. The Bears walk into Monday Night Football with their third string quarterback and still get the win. ET explains why that was not luck. It was the right me inside the right we, and it is the whole reason the new book is called We Is Greater Than Me.

From Raider Nation to the Lakers, Dennis Rodman to Draymond Green, the conversation keeps landing on the same truth. It matters who drafts you. It matters who coaches you. And it matters whether you know your role.

CJ tells the story of giving up his speaking slot so ET could take the whole stage, and what he said when someone told him to stop dimming his light. ET goes back to the Michigan State cubicle where he, CJ and Karl figured out who was the brain, the hands and the mouth. Then he drops a rule for your house and your business. If you are not the best at it, stop doing it just because you can. That is your ego in the we.

Plus, Jemal on why your life is really a series of pivots, Karl on the funeral video that got a standing ovation, a fair or foul on a grown man with his own face on his phone screensaver, and the 45 dollar heart test everybody listening needs to ask their doctor about.

So what is your role in your we? Are you playing it, or are you still trying to do everything yourself? Drop it in the comments.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Cold Open: The Third String QB and a Powerful We
• 00:01:32 Welcome: Blessed, Highly Favored, and the Calcium Score Test
• 00:04:13 God Put ET's Kids at the Same Company
• 00:08:48 Fair or Foul: A Grown Man With Himself on His Screensaver
• 00:10:56 Donuts, Breakfast Tacos, and When to Lock Back In
• 00:14:47 Jemal's Keynote: Your Life Is a Series of Pivots
• 00:18:34 You Don't Get What You Experience, You Get What You Focus On
• 00:19:37 Karl's Funeral Video That Got a Standing Ovation
• 00:22:29 NFC North: The Third String QB Who Won
• 00:24:19 Why the Book Is Called We Is Greater Than Me
• 00:29:45 Extreme Execution Certification, October 24 and 25
• 00:31:21 Raider Nation: Why We Gives You an Identity
• 00:33:51 The Brain, the Hands and the Mouth: How ET, CJ and Karl Found Their We
• 00:40:03 Rodman Never Wanted to Shoot
• 00:41:14 CJ Gave Up His Turn: "Stop Dimming Your Light"
• 00:43:30 Draymond Green and Finding Your Role
• 00:45:56 Your Ego Is in Your We: Roles in Marriage
• 00:49:37 I Only Do What I Do: Jordan and the Baseball Bat
• 00:53:21 Power Washers, Lasers and a Magnifying Glass
• 00:54:26 Closing: Go to WeIsGreater.com

PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME

The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad.

https://www.weisgreater.com

EXTREME EXECUTION CERTIFICATION

Live, October 24 and 25. Only happens once a year.

http://www.ExtremeExecution.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON

New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.

https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

SUBSCRIBE

https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

LISTEN ANYWHERE

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX

FOLLOW

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and drive.

Should the coach change to fit the player, or should the player change to fit the coach? This week the crew opens up one of the oldest arguments in coaching, leadership, and life, and nobody fully agrees.

CJ starts it off by admitting someone once told him his coaching style was too harsh, not wrong, not ineffective, just uncomfortable. That one comment turns into a debate that swings from brunch etiquette to Allen Iverson, from Navy SEAL hell week to the Mr. Miyagi principle to the exact moment you stop being valuable to a team.

ET explains why he walked away from being a democratic coach. Giving everyone an equal voice sounded fair, until it produced a room full of preferences and no results. But does that mean every coach should run it that way?

The Allen Iverson and Coach Larry Brown story becomes the test case, the only coach in history to win championships in both college and the pros, paired with one of the most talented players ever who never fully bought into the system. Was that on Iverson, or on the system?

Jemal argues that if the coach is proven, the player adjusts, not the other way around. You don't get to skip wax on, wax off. ET goes further, crediting his hardest seasons of being coached, not coddled, for getting him from homeless to number one in the world.

But where's the line between discipline and being broken down? The crew pushes into the screaming baby at brunch, why some kids need the paw paw, whether hell week coaching actually prepares you for real life, and why blessed kids might need a little manufactured hunger to grow.

So which side are you on? Does the coach adjust to the player, or does the player adjust to the coach? Where's your line between hard coaching and harsh coaching? Drop your answer in the comments, the crew wants to hear it.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: Stay Inside the Margins or You're Not You Anymore
• 00:01:35 Welcome and Fair or Foul: The Screaming Baby at Brunch
• 00:07:08 The Pow Pow Philosophy: When Kids Need Boundaries in Public
• 00:09:04 The Coaching Dilemma: Should the Coach Change or the Player?
• 00:12:16 The Mr. Miyagi Principle: You Don't Change the Winning Formula
• 00:14:29 The Allen Iverson and Coach Brown Story: When Talent Meets Discipline
• 00:17:43 Different Learning Styles vs. Taking Ownership: The Real Debate
• 00:21:55 From Homeless to Number One: Why ET Coaches the Way He Does
• 00:23:06 The Expectation Problem: Why ET Stopped Being Democratic
• 00:28:02 The 252 Moment: When You're Not Valuable Anymore
• 00:39:37 The Levels of Coaching: From Peewee to the Pros
• 00:45:11 The Letter With No You In It: Taking Responsibility for Your Story
• 00:46:58 Hell Week Coaching: Why We Came Up Different
• 00:53:04 Teaching Sons Not to Touch Women: The Non-Negotiable Standard
• 00:55:15 The Virtual Jungle: Creating Hunger in Blessed Kids
• 00:55:58 Closing: We Is Greater - Go Get the Book

You're avoiding the scale. Not just the one in your bathroom, but the one in your marriage, your finances, your health, your life. You don't want to see the number because then you'd have to deal with it. You'd have to admit where you really are. And until you get back on the scale, you'll keep telling yourself stories that never get you back in alignment.

This week the crew gets brutally honest about the scale. Not just weight, but every area of life where you're avoiding the truth. Jemal breaks down why he kept the scale in the kitchen, not the bathroom. Because the enemy isn't the number. The enemy is the cheeseburger. The cookies. The late night fries. The scale is just telling you what you already know. And when you run from it, you're saying you don't want to be successful.

ET opens up about why he stopped getting on the scale after going out of town for Dede's birthday. How he told himself a story that if he got on and it wasn't where he wanted to be, all the work he did would feel like it was in vain. But the scale doesn't tell stories. It tells facts. And the story you tell yourself when you avoid it is the one keeping you stuck.

Dr. King breaks down how he measures Camille's happiness. Low stress. Making sure everything is taken care of. The kids, the house, the business, the car. He knows her level of joy is directly connected to her peace. And the one thing he could do better? Travel more. Not five star Dubai trips. Just getting away. Because wherever they are together, that's home.

Karl gets real about what he needs to work on with Tamisha. Cooking. She does 99 percent of it. And even though that's become their family dynamic, he knows taking one meal a day off her plate would relieve stress. Because the scale in your marriage isn't just communication. It's the small daily decisions that show you're paying attention.

ET unpacks why he shifted his relationship with food. He used to be a taste bud junkie. Never thinking about vitamin D or vitamin C. Just grits and eggs with cheddar cheese. But God told him to shrink the goal. Stop treating fitness like faith. This is your Achilles heel. You can't go big here. You have to measure daily. Kale, supplements, resistance before cardio. There's an order to it.

The crew also talks about why most people use prayer as a crutch. Praying for Peter to be released while Peter's at the door knocking. Why your bank account dashboard isn't your enemy. Why date night isn't your enemy. The enemy is not doing the things you know you're supposed to do. Get on the scale. Stop running. The truth is your friend.

This episode will challenge how you measure success. Because you can't manage what you don't measure. And if you're avoiding the scale in any area of your life, you're saying you don't want to win. Get back on it. Face the number. Make the adjustment. We is greater than me.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: The Scale Tells You the Truth You're Running From
• 00:01:58 Welcome and The Margin Metaphor: Staying Inside the Lines
• 00:05:46 ET's Scale Confession: When You Make Truth Your Enemy
• 00:09:43 The Story You Tell Yourself Is the Problem
• 00:12:22 The Two-Year Investment Principle: What You Do Now Shows Up Later
• 00:14:49 Jamal and Camille's Cassette Tape Vision: Speaking Your Future Into Existence
• 00:22:15 Carl's Kitchen Scale Strategy: Put Your Help Where Your Enemy Lives
• 00:26:50 The 52-Day Journey: Shrinking the Goal and Changing Your God
• 00:32:01 The Order Matters: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally in Marriage
• 00:37:00 The Visa Victory: How Tamisha's Mom Finally Got to Come to America
• 00:40:32 Carl's No-Stress Marriage Philosophy: When Everything Is Taken Care Of
• 00:41:55 Carl's Biggest Area for Growth: Taking the Cooking Load Off Tamisha
• 00:43:58 Jamal's Travel Revelation: When You Stop Creating Experiences
• 00:45:33 Closing: We Is Greater Than Me - Pre-Order Available Now

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available now.
https://www.weisgreater.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

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FOLLOW
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ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You want to be in the circle, but you're coming in needy. You want the access, the connections, the benefits. But you're not bringing health. You're not bringing value. You're coming in taking from the circle instead of adding to it. And until you fix that, you'll never stay.

This week the crew gets raw about what it really means to be part of a team. CJ opens up about losing his Delta 360 status after two years. Not because he stopped flying. But because he started using too many of the benefits. The upgrades, the miles, the Sky Club access, the Porsche pickups. He was taking more from the circle than he was putting back in. And Delta kicked him out.

ET breaks down why the same thing happens in relationships, marriages, and friendships. You can't keep pulling from the circle without adding to it. Because the moment you become a liability, the moment you start draining more than you're contributing, people start distancing themselves. Not because they don't love you. But because you're using all your credit.

The crew unpacks why most people come into circles looking for what they can get instead of what they can give. Why generosity is a war, not a transaction. And why the healthiest people in the circle are the ones who never need anything. Shout out to Rondell, shout out to Will, shout out to Maul. They came in healthy. They came in ready to serve. And because of that, they're still here.

ET gets real about teaching his son Jalin the difference between being fed and knowing how to hunt. Why wealth doesn't start with money, it starts with a mindset. And why you can tell the difference between a lion and a giraffe just by looking at their bodies. One hunts. One grazes. And your physique, your character, your future depends on which one you are.

They also talk about why ET's daughter Jada called and asked what God said about her. How he told her everything she needs is about to come because she's finally in the Serengeti. And why being a COO at her brother's company is putting her in position to attract everything she's been praying for.

This episode will challenge how you show up in your circle. Because if you're needy, people can feel it. If you're draining, people will distance themselves. Stop taking advantage of the advantage. Start adding to the circle. We is greater than me.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: When You Get Needy, You Get Cut From the Circle
• 00:01:29 Welcome and The Delta 360 Wake-Up Call
• 00:03:22 The Secret to Staying in the Circle: Come With Health
• 00:05:27 Cultural Programming: The Give Me Mentality vs The Creator Mindset
• 00:05:57 The Delta Story Breakdown: Using All Your Global Upgrades
• 00:12:00 The Porsche Pickup and When Advantages Become Expected
• 00:24:57 Shout Out to Rondell Black: The Art of Knowing How to Be
• 00:25:46 Equal Sacrifice, Not Equal Giving: The Real Secret to We
• 00:29:17 Teaching Your Kids to Hunt: The Giraffe vs Lion Lesson
• 00:35:21 The Jada Story: Leading Your Wife to Houston
• 00:38:15 The Five Pillars and Building Your Own Dynasty
• 00:39:48 We Is Greater Than Me: The Book and the Mission
• 00:40:32 Football Season Talk: Bears Moving to Indiana and Lions Hype
• 00:48:48 Forever Forward Marriage Retreat: Photo Shoots and White Party
• 00:50:55 Closing: 9 to 5 Millionaire Network and Real Estate Results

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available now.
https://www.weisgreater.com

FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT
October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives.
https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

SUBSCRIBE
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LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15

FOLLOW
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ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You're trapped by the very thing that made you successful. You've got the talent, the work ethic, the drive. You've built something. But the same high capacity leadership that got you here is now your Achilles heel. And until you deal with that, you'll never get to the next level.

This week the crew gets raw about what it really means to be part of a team when you've been successful on your own. ET breaks down why he's always been a two man, never a one. Even when everyone assumed he was the leader, he was always the second. From elementary school track meets to McDonald's, he knew his high capacity came with smoke. He knew the thing that made him great could also destroy him. So he spent his whole life looking for the right ones to connect with.

Mal opens up about why he joined the team in the first place. He had the real estate, the daycares, the security company, the money, the family. He wasn't looking for business. He was praying for brotherhood. He was praying for a circle of influence that was on the same level. Not financially, but spiritually. And when he connected with the crew, it wasn't about coaching or business deals. It was about friendship. It was about having an out. It was about being able to cook dinner with the wives and the kids without it always being mastermind time.

Karl shares what it's like being the introvert on a team of extroverts. How he showed up to the office 20 years ago not knowing if he even fit in. How he was overthinking everything, trying not to mess it up. But deep down, he knew connecting with the right people would have an impact bigger than he could imagine. And now, two decades later, he's living down the street from E in a neighborhood he never dreamed of. Because together everyone accomplishes more.

CJ unpacks the shift from being a lifelong one to becoming a two. How he was always the captain, always the leader, always the one. Until he met E. And for the first time in his life, he had to learn what it meant to be second. Not inferior. Not weaker. But connected. Because the one and the two together is the secret sauce.

They also break down arranged marriages, why Avery and Jamal Jr. are already locked in, and why the divorce rate in arranged marriages is 94 to 96 percent success. Plus, ET's kids are both working at the same company in Houston with offices down the hall from each other, and God keeps his word.

This episode will challenge everything you think about success, leadership, and what it means to be part of a team. Because you can be high capacity and still be trapped. Stop trying to do it alone. We is greater than me.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: Kyrie Was a Banging Two - Understanding Your Role on the Team
• 00:01:35 Welcome and Happy Birthday to ET - Celebrating 56 Years Around the Sun
• 00:05:32 Jada's Office and Jalen's Success - When Your Kids Make You Proud
• 00:10:18 The Birthday Gift: We Is Greater Than Me Book Pre-Order Goes Live
• 00:14:28 Fair or Foul: The Arranged Marriage Conversation for Avery and Jamal Jr
• 00:36:12 Carl's Story: From Substitute Teacher to Essential Team Member
• 00:45:35 Maul's Brotherhood Prayer: Finding Your Circle of Influence
• 00:53:07 ET Was Always the Two: The Lifelong Journey of a High-Capacity Leader
• 00:56:18 The Secret Sauce: When a Lifelong One Meets a Lifelong Two
• 00:56:44 Trapped By What Made You Successful: The High-Capacity Leader's Dilemma

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd.
https://www.weisgreater.com

FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT
October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives.
https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

SUBSCRIBE
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15

FOLLOW
Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You know better. You can do better. But you haven't done better yet. And that's your 242: the place where you know what needs to change but haven't produced better yet. This week, the crew breaks down accountability that actually works.

ET explores the difference between reputation and character. Reputation is a shadow. It's who you want people to think you are. Character is who you actually are. And when your character is on the line, you can't promote a health supplement at 242 pounds or talk about transformation while avoiding the area you know needs to change. Not because of vanity, but integrity.

CJ gets real about being a true two man. Not a one in waiting looking for his moment, but someone whose light is connected to yours. He shares how he stepped aside at a speaking engagement so ET could go first. Someone accused him of dimming his light, but they couldn't understand that CJ and ET's destinies are tied together. Winning means doing whatever it takes, not whatever makes you look good.

The crew unpacks why consistency without quality is rehearsed failure, why people want to win their way instead of simply winning, and why real accountability goes beyond someone saying you're getting big. It's someone asking for your blood pressure every day. The 52-day challenge isn't about weight loss. It's about the area where you know better, can do better, but haven't done better yet.

ET also breaks down his home game versus away game strategy, how the Peloton app keeps him accountable on the road, and how CJ pushed him back to intermittent fasting. Nobody said a word when he was eating honey buns and Cheetos, but now that he's fasting, everybody's worried about his electrolytes.

This episode will challenge how you think about accountability, partnership, and being a two man. Because you don't want to be a two man. You're a one in waiting. Until you deal with that, you'll keep doing 52 days alone. Stop trying to win your way. Do what it takes to win. Your 242 is waiting, and it starts with your heart.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: Reputation is a Shadow, Character is Who You Are
• 00:01:38 Welcome and Airport Lotion Drama - The TSA Struggle is Real
• 00:04:11 The Sprinkler System Scam and Mr. Perfect's Lawn
• 00:07:09 Pool Equipment: The Money Pit That Never Stops Breaking
• 00:09:23 17 Years and 21 Years: Celebrating Partnership Milestones
• 00:10:37 The Speaking Engagement Story: When Your Light is Attached to Someone Else's
• 00:13:43 Consistency Without Quality is Rehearsed Failure
• 00:16:49 I Just Want to Win: The Philosophy That Built an Empire
• 00:17:18 You're Not a Two-Man, You're a One in Waiting
• 00:19:11 The Secret to Success Mission: Bringing Souls to Christ
• 00:20:23 White Men Can't Jump: Would You Rather Look Good and Lose?
• 00:24:44 Being a Two-Man in the 52-Day Challenge: What Accountability Really Looks Like
• 00:26:45 The Blood Pressure Metric: Why Accountability Needs to Be Tangible
• 00:27:56 The Jerk Chicken Confession: When You Eat Wrong and Your Numbers Show It
• 00:31:51 Reputation vs Character: The Connection That Changes Everything
• 00:41:53 The Dentist Analogy: Imagine If You Had to Go 52 Days Straight
• 00:45:12 You Know Better, Can Do Better, But Haven't Done Better Yet
• 00:46:27 Home Game vs Away Game: The Peloton App Solution for Travel
• 00:47:17 The 24-Hour Fast: When Accountability Pushes You Beyond Your Limits
• 00:49:15 Introducing the Build 52 Challenge: Your 52-Day Transformation Starts Now
• 00:49:57 Live Staff Meeting with Moose: Registration Deadlines and Pricing
• 00:53:07 Closing: Transformation Not Just Information

JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE
Free registration ends soon. Transform the area you've been ignoring in 52 days.
https://www.build52challenge.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

SUBSCRIBE
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15

FOLLOW
Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

Want to learn more about Forever Forward? Join us live this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST for a Forever First Look - a special event preview. Register using the link below!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HIHEuTfrRGqd05VzP8FR1A

You want to travel the world with your spouse. You want to be around other couples who actually like each other. You want to celebrate your marriage instead of fixing it. And that's exactly what Forever Forward is for. October 29th in Cancun, the crew is inviting less than 50 couples to a marriage bliss retreat. Not a conference. Not counseling. A celebration. This week CJ and Candis, Jemal and Camille get real about why this retreat isn't for the struggle marriage. It's for the couples who are already in love, already healthy, already doing the work. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: the healthy couples always end up being the source of strength for all the weak couples. And where do they go to get filled back up?

Candis confesses she used to say no to vacationing with other couples. She wanted quality time with CJ, not group hangouts. But exposure changed everything. Not because they sat around doing marriage counseling, but because they observed. They watched how Jemal and Camille showed affection, how they communicated, how they celebrated anniversaries. And it challenged them to level up without anyone saying a word. The crew breaks down why iron sharpens iron applies to marriages too. Why being around other couples in bliss rejuvenates you. Why you need community, not just for business or faith, but for your marriage. And why this retreat is about building a tribe of couples who actually enjoy being together. Jemal drops the unk word about the attack on marriage nobody talks about. The quiet period. The phase after the baby showers and birthday parties where nobody invests in their marriage anymore. Life becomes about the kids, the job, the ladder. And years later, the divorce phase hits. Not by chance, but by neglect. Because divorce doesn't happen overnight. It's years of not working out, not investing, not putting anything back into the marriage. This episode is about the small foxes that destroy the vine and the small steps that build marriages. If you want to succeed in your marriage as bad as you want to breathe, this is your moment. Forever Forward. October 29th. Cancun. Let's celebrate love.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: Traveling the World Together as Couples
• 00:01:29 Welcome and Forever Forward Announcement - October 29th in Cancun
• 00:04:29 This Ain't For the Struggle Marriage - Who Forever Forward Is Really For
• 00:05:32 Why Iron Sharpens Iron Applies to Marriages Too
• 00:08:26 The Exposure That Changes Everything - Why Community Matters for Couples
• 00:14:07 Candace's Confession: I Didn't Want to Vacation With Other Couples
• 00:15:49 It's Never Turned Into Marriage Counseling - The Power of Observation
• 00:17:13 The Forever Forward Experience - What to Expect in Cancun
• 00:18:44 Unk Jamal's Word: The Attack on Marriage Nobody Talks About
• 00:22:13 The Small Foxes That Destroy the Vine - Why Small Steps Build Marriages

FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives. https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

LISTEN ANYWHERE

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15

FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You're winning in some areas but losing in one. And you know it. Your marriage is strong. Your kids are thriving. Your career is on fire. Your faith is solid. But that one area? The one you keep avoiding? That's the one that's about to cost you everything.

This week ET gets brutally honest about the conversation that changed everything on June 1st. The moment God rebuked him on the pulpit while he was preaching. The moment he realized he was about to be the weakest link. Because when CJ told him the supplement was finally ready, ET knew he couldn't come out with a health product at 242 pounds. Not because of vanity. Because of integrity.

ET breaks down why he avoided the scale for years. Why he justified being strong in four out of five pillars. Why he told himself his blood work was good enough. And why God had to step in and say, you're not industry standard in this area, son. You're about to destroy what you said you wanted to build.

The crew unpacks why most people resist the one area they need to fix the most. Why we justify being great in four areas while ignoring the fifth. Why embarrassment isn't about what other people see, it's about knowing you're better than this. And why the first step isn't exercise or diet, it's changing your heart.

ET shares how he lost 17 pounds in 52 days without obsessing over food or workouts. How he put on the black suit jacket from 2012 that used to have tension and now fits perfectly. And how God said pre won't stay pre. Your body is a temple. And if you don't treat it like one, you won't be around to celebrate the legacy you're trying to build.

This episode will challenge everything you think about success. Because you can be number one in four areas and still be losing. Stop justifying the one thing you know needs to change. What's your 242? The area you've been ignoring? The thing you know you're better than? It's time to fix it. And it starts with your heart.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 Opening: You're Winning in Four, Losing in One - And You Know It
• 00:01:32 Welcome and Happy 17th Anniversary - The Milestone Moment
• 00:04:46 June 1st: The Conversation That Changed Everything
• 00:05:47 The Scale You're Avoiding: Why We Don't Face Reality
• 00:07:53 God's Rebuke on the Pulpit: When Your Calling Exposes Your Weakness
• 00:10:07 Four Out of Five Strong: The Dangerous Justification
• 00:22:15 The Embarrassment of Needing Someone Else to Tell You
• 00:24:17 The Supplement Revelation: You Can't Be the Weakest Link
• 00:37:43 Changing Your Heart First: Why Exercise and Diet Come Second
• 00:42:01 Your Body Is a Temple: The Principle You Know But Don't Live
• 00:44:42 Pre Won't Stay Pre: The Wake-Up Call About Your Future
• 00:47:16 Introducing Build52Challenge.com: Your Free Transformation Starts Now
• 00:51:36 The Black Suit Jacket: From Tension to Triumph
• 00:53:50 17 Pounds Down, 52 Days to Build: The Quick Work God Promised
• 00:55:14 Closing: What's Your 242? The Area You've Been Ignoring

JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE
Completely free. 52 days to transform the area you've been ignoring.
https://www.build52challenge.com

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

SUBSCRIBE
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15

FOLLOW
Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming the best version of yourself.