The Simple Life with Gary Collins

Do you wonder what it is like to live a life off the grid? Do you yearn for such a lifestyle? Well, you are lucky; today, I talk about how I created this lifestyle off the grid and how it is to live it day-to-day. Remember, as I often say, "simple doesn't mean easy," so there are many lessons in not only living off the grid in today's episode, but life as well. So, even if you are not interested in living off the grid, this episode has a lot to offer everyone looking for a simpler and happier life.

Topics Discussed: 

* How my upbringing influenced the way I live today

* How the term “poor” is often misunderstood in America today

* Why education is the equalizer in society today

* How I decided the “widget in widget out” life just wasn’t for me

* Why hard work is always going to be in the mix so don’t hide from it

* Why you need to adapt to the community you move into in a rural setting not the other way around

* The life event I had while in the government that made me change the way I look at the world

* Why my life is about the pursuit of freedom and happiness

* What my day looks like while living off the grid

* Even if you don’t want to live off the grid The Simple Life has a lot to teach you, and help you pursue the life you desire

Episode Resources:

* The Simple Life Website: https://thesimplelifenow.com 

*Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Would it surprise you that it is not talent or just getting lucky that makes people successful, but being able to complete tasks... consistently? If you  go through life flying by the seat of your pants, and half-a**ing everything you do, I can guarantee one thing you will be good at consistently--failure! Today I want to give you the tools to get sh*t done not just for right now, but for life. I have followed this basic system for decades, and I can tell you with 100% certainty--it works!

Topics Discussed: 

* I’m back at my off-grid location in the mountains

* How I clear my mind on long drives

* Why The Simple Life Journal is not just your everyday crappy journal

* Why you should use my consulting services to save time and money

* How to complete any task and get things done

* Why most people fail to get things done and live the life they want

* And of course my many tangents while I discuss the above

Episode Resources:

* TSL Episode 72 - The Simple Life 5 Principles for Success: https://thesimplelifenow.com/e72/

* The Simple Life Website: https://thesimplelifenow.com 

* Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Yes, that title is correct! Jack is currently working on taking his first book “The Terminal List” to screen, and big time Hollywood actor Chris Prat is playing his main character James Reece.  

Today, I have a very special returning guest, who is a former Navy SEAL, now best-selling author, Jack Carr. Jack has just released the fourth book in “The Terminal List” series, “The Devil’s Hand.” Even though this book is fiction, it contains a ton of valuable inside knowledge on the current and past fight agains terrorism. I know a lot of my listeners will enjoy Jack’s new book, so make sure to go check it out in your favorite local bookstore.

More About Me Guest

Jack Carr is a former Navy SEAL who led special operations teams as a Team Leader, Platoon Commander, Troop Commander and Task Unit Commander. Over his 20 years in Naval Special Warfare he transitioned from an enlisted SEAL sniper to a junior officer leading assault and sniper teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, to a platoon commander practicing counterinsurgency in the southern Philippines, to commanding a Special Operations Task Unit in the most Iranian influenced section of southern Iraq throughout the tumultuous drawdown of U.S. Forces. 

Jack retired from active duty in 2016 and lives with his wife and three children in Park City, Utah. He is the author of The Terminal List, True Believer, and Savage Son. 

Topics Discussed: 

* A bit about Jack

* Jack talks about his new book “The Devil’s Hand”

* How it has been working with Hollywood celebrity Chris Pratt 

* The process of how his first book “Terminal List” is currently in the works of becoming an Amazon Prime series

* What current events influenced the plot line for his new book

* How and when did Jack decide to try and become a fiction author

* How is it dealing with the Hollywood “woke” crowd - you might be surprised

* How does today’s current political climate influence his books 

* How did Jack apply his time as a Navy SEAL to develop his characters and plot for his books

Episode Resources:

* Jack’s New Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/danger-close-with-jack-carr/id1557814875

* Jack’s Website: https://www.officialjackcarr.com

* The last episode Jack appeared on with me: https://thesimplelifenow.com/e69/

* The Simple Life Website: https://thesimplelifenow.com 

*Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Would it surprise you that if you are a politically right-leaning male living in Los Angeles today, the odds are you will have a very dismal or non-existent dating life? The odds of you being called a racist or sexist are far more likely to occur than you having a civil conversation with a female, it appears in this current environment we are living in. Is it fair, or is it some crazy example of how far we have gone off course as humans? 

Today I have a special guest, Judah Friedman, Co-host/Producer of The World According to Ben Stein Youtube Show and podcast. Judah is a single Jewish man living in Los Angeles, who just so happens to a conservative Republican. Yes, I have been trying to talk him out of belonging to a party, but I digress. Judah shares his dating stories, or shall we say lack of dating, due to his political ideology. 

Trust me, this is a good one, as we dig into all the things that have created this type of cultural acceptance of if you are a male and don't believe in what I believe in, you are sexist, racist, and just oozing toxic masculinity... you get the point! 

Bite Size Chunks of Who Judah Is:

* A Writer * Podcast Personality* Bred in a Brooklyn now California Living* Breaking the Jewish Stereotype* Youtube The Word According to Ben Stein. Aka/Ben Stein’s Boswell! Apple Podcast The World According To Ben Stein

Topics covered in this episode:

* Judah’s latest struggles in dating, while living in Los Angeles* How being fat is not sexy… period! * How we are losing the ability to love each other* The fact we are different is actually a good thing * Hate sells, but it makes for an ugly existence on this planet* How we ended up in this hyper sensitive Beta world we live in today* Why Gary gave up dating over a decade ago* Why does the younger generation not to seem to care about sex* Why music today is a perfect example of us losing and expressing our individualism* Why and how we have lost our ability to communicate with each other* Why a large of the people in the US today want us to all be the same* Why embracing our imperfection is the spice of life 

Episode Resources:

* The World According to Ben Stein Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-world-according-to-ben-stein/id1540015480* The World According to Ben Stein Youtube live Tues, Thurs, Sat 7PM PST: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1nfcI4QIP262AoNNCwUlYQ * The Simple Life Website: https://thesimplelifenow.com * Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Are we losing our ability to work hard and get things done? What is the root cause of this disease of "laziness" and lack of "attention to detail" today and wanting instant gratification in anything we do? Why do we blame others for our mistakes, even when they are paying us? As some of you know, I hired a couple of people to take the load off to get some other projects done, well it didn't work out in the end, and I no longer employ those individuals. Probably, the thing that surprised me the most was the arrogance, and talking back when I expected them to do the job correctly and fix their mistakes. I have seen this trend get worse and worse over the last couple of years, and it is pretty shocking, to say the least.

In this episode:

In today's episode, I will update you on the changes I have made, and will be making as I move forward and begin doing most of the work myself... yet again.

Episode Resources:

25% Coupon Code For The Simple Life Online Courses (go to www.thesimplelifenow.com/courses) use coupon code: tslcourses25 

Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Are you looking to simplify your life? With all the chaos today, do you want to learn some tangible skills and get some DIY projects done, but have no idea where to start. I often say most people know what a hammer is, but they have no idea how to use it! Today, I have a special guest on the show: Eric Stromer the co-host of Adam Carolla's incredibly popular Do-It-Yourself Podcast - Ace on The House. Hey, I was even a guest on the show discussing my off-the-grid and grid-tied house projects. 

Chicago native ERIC STROMER is the star of over 300 episodes of such hit shows as HIDEOUS HOUSES (A&E), OVER YOUR HEAD (HGTV) and CLEAN SWEEP (TLC), THREE WISHES (NBC), author of Random House book, Do-It-Yourself Family, and was voted one of People magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive.”

Eric’s entertaining DIY advice and infectious personality have won the hearts of millions of viewers nationwide. He’s been a spokesman for SEARS/Craftsman Tools and can be heard regularly dishing out home improvement advice to listeners of Adam Carolla’s nationally syndicated radio show. Also, Eric has a full-length country music album in Nashville, called FIX IT MAN, that was performed on AOL SESSIONS. Eric has also been a special correspondent for the syndicated entertainment news magazine, THE INSIDER.

Eric partnered with AOL and GMC to create Home Improvement with Eric Stromer, a series of web videos and interactive features that help viewers conquer their fears and tackle home repair projects themselves.

An accomplished author. His book, Do-It-Yourself Family, is a helpful guide for busy parents, with suggestions for home projects that will not only bring the family together but also buy some quality time for mom and dad. Published by Random House/Bantam Dell, it is available in stores nationwide Eric also penned a monthly column, “Superhandy Dad,” for LA Parent magazine.

Now a producer as well, Eric has several shows currently in development at DISCOVERY and elsewhere.

Eric lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

Topics covered in this episode:

* How to get started on your DIY home projects* How to not kill or gravely injure yourself when doing DIY projects * The three things you need to know about DIY projects* The DIY tools you need to own* What are the best DIY projects to start with* What are some great DIY resources* Why it is so difficult dealing with contractors* The main things you need to know about when dealing with contractors

Episode Resources:

* Eric's Website: https://www.ericstromer.com/* Ace on The House Podcast: https://www.podcastone.com/ACE-On-The-House* Ace on The House Podcast episode I was on: https://www.podcastone.com/episode/OTH-Off-the-Grid-with-guest-Gary-Collins* Make sure to signup and be a member of The Simple Life Insider's Circle at: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/

Have you ever wondered what it is like to go to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world? How about if you were accepted to such a college without really trying? Today, I have a special guest Mike Evans, a freshman at Harvard University. He has a great story to tell, and it gets even better; he just went on a leave of absence for at least the next six months to pursue his entrepreneurship dreams. 

Michael Evans is the author of thrillers that feature flawed, captivating characters facing extraordinary odds to survive and fight for humanity's future. His genre-bending stories will leave you turning the pages late into the night.

Although a frighteningly realistic yet unique end to the world is always at the core of what he creates, his stories also combine elements of romance, dystopias, speculative fiction, and the adrenaline-fueled thrillers his readers have come to expect from him. And above all else, his stories are ingrained with his mission to enlighten his readers about the darker aspects of our future in hopes that the power of story can be used to propel humanity into a lighter, better world.

He is currently a student at Harvard University. He enjoys exploring abandoned buildings, going for long runs to dream up new story ideas, and reading about future technologies, political systems, and survival techniques.

He resides in Charleston, South Carolina, with his fluffy golden doodle but is originally from Long Island, New York. To find out more about him or his work, you are welcome to visit here: mevansinked.com.

Topics Discussed:

* How Mike is not really Harvard material* How Mike accidentally got into Harvard* The current state of our higher education system* Are prestigious colleges just a place for rich kids to hangout* Why (real) education is the key to leveling the playing field of life and success* Why Mike has taken a leave of absence from Harvard* Why simple living makes things simple for Mike to pursue his dreams* The many adventures awaiting Mike in the very near future* Why the tech industry is a disaster* Why good people need to make good tech * Why entrepreneurship is the last and one of the biggest keys to living free

Episode Resources:

* Michael's Website: http://www.mevansinked.com* Michael’s Vlogs: https://youtube.com/channel/UCk93pa2ztBJ4LNBhdOdTMTg* Michael’s Boundless Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCL1j4tc9iiNSRJQ09TuM9TQ* Gary's Website: https://thesimplelifenow.com* Signup to be a part of The Simple Life Insider's Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/the-simple-life/* Buy Gary’s Physical Books in Canada: www.pinnaclebooks.ca

Are you chasing fairy dust when it comes to investing or on your way to becoming a millionaire? When it comes to investing today, you are pretty much gambling in Vegas with stocks. Is Bitcoin the answer? What exactly is it? Today, I bring back on Myles Wakeham, who has been a millionaire three separate times in his life. His most recent venture into millionaire land was due to him buying and owning Bitcoin. Today we get to the truth about Bitcoin and how our financial system truly works.

About Myles in his own words: I was born and raised in Adelaide, Australia. Adelaide was a wonderful place. Clean, great community, great weather, great food. I mean the idyllic location. My parents were not wealthy, but nor were they poor. My father worked all of his life for the same company. My mother was a stay-at-home parent. My parents owned their own home and paid it off. They struggled financially but were able to put me through private school. I was an only child - I guess I didn't have to share their focus with another, so I got lucky.

I had always been interested in technology from a young age. I was such an avid learner that I would go to great extremes to seek out things and get involved in clubs, community groups, etc. I rode my bike everywhere - even for hours to the city's center to spend my Sunday afternoons in the public library. Soaking up every bit of knowledge I could get. Strange things that people often didn't pay attention to. But I did.

One day I got exposed to CB Radios. This was in the 1970s. I became obsessed (as I often did with things). I learned about electronics, physics, communications, etc. This led me towards computers, and eventually, I bought one of the first personal computers - in 1978, the TRS-80 Model 1 computer. I learned everything about programming that computer, and it became everything to me. As the computer industry evolved, so did I. I started a software company and became one of the few experts in software development in Adelaide - getting gigs to write software for government departments, big corporations, etc., and I was still not even 20 years old. My passion for technology was matched with a business passion, which started well before I discovered technology. I guess business was in my DNA.

In 1989, I moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles. I realized that the ability to migrate from one place to another was a life-changing experience. It taught me to embrace everything I found within my grasp, learning about business in the USA, I got involved in the music industry, and I was able to leverage my computer programming experience to land work in some early startups - one of which became Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology corporation. Although I spent much of the next 30 years living in the USA, I never lost touch with my home of Australia, and in the late 1990s moved back there for many years before returning to the USA. In 2002 I moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, and I've lived here since.

I am a self-made business owner. I don't have a job. I do have clients and I do work on software projects and data centers, etc. today. It is because this is what I love to do. It isn't because this is my career. I've never embraced that concept. I think if you are blessed to find your calling early in l...

There is a ton of health and diet confusion these days. Per the first leg of the Three-Legged Stool of The Simple Life—Optimal Health, you know how seriously I take health in what I teach. You have probably heard of the Carnivore Diet, but do you know what it is all about? You are probably wondering if it is complete BS or really a rational path to health. Well, today, I bring on one of the foremost experts on the Carnivore Diet, Dr. Shawn Baker. Today we will dispense with all the myths and get to the truth of the matter. Most importantly, we will learn it is something you should integrate into your pursuit of optimal health.

Dr. Shawn Baker’s Carnivore Diet is a revolutionary, paradigm-breaking nutritional strategy that takes contemporary dietary theory and dumps it on its head. It breaks just about all the “rules” and delivers outstanding results. At its heart is a focus on simplicity rather than complexity, subtraction rather than addition, making this an incredibly useful diet that is also easy to follow.

Shawn is a doctor, an athlete, a father, and a proponent of the carnivore diet. He is also:

* Orthopedic Surgeon* Athlete – World Record Holder* CEO at MeatRx* Author of The Carnivore Diet* International Speaker* Podcast Host* Consultant* A lifetime of pursuing excellence* Pushing the boundaries and not settling for mediocrity* Father, Soldier, Revolutionist 

Topics Discussed:

* Shawn’s journey in competitive athletics and what lead him to find different nutritional options.* How his job as a doctor started to make him question the things he had been taught* How Shawn found the carnivore diet in his pursuit of better health.* What were some of the mistakes he made along the way?* What are the biggest misconceptions when it comes to the carnivore diet?* How the evidence shows historically, humans have eaten a lot of meat.* How the carnivore diet has fixed a lot of modern human’s chronic health problems.* Why the human brain has shrunk over the last 100,000 years.* Discussing the big lie that raising and eating animals is bad for the planet.* How the carnivore diet is actually better for the diet when proper sustainable processes are used.* Is the carnivore safe for the everyday person?* How does the carnivore diet work for athletes?

Episode Resources:

* Dr. Shawn Baker’s Website: https://shawn-baker.com/* Join the Simple Life Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife* Credit: Episode art background photo by José Ignacio Pompé

As a kid, did you dream of becoming a firefighter, a policeman, a cowboy, or even a fighter pilot like the movie Top Gun? I know I did. I was lucky enough to be stationed at Top Gun, while in the U.S. Navy, but I wasn't a fighter pilot, but my guest today, Carey Lohrenz, was. And even one better... she was the first fully qualified female naval aviator to fly the F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. military. I first met Carey when she went through the Top Gun school in the 90s, funny how worlds collide sometimes. She is now a motivational speaker and best-selling author... huh, a little interesting, I may say, as I am as well!

A bit about Carey:

As an aviation pioneer, Carey learned what fearless leadership means in some of the most demanding and extreme environments imaginable: the cockpit of an F-14 and the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Here, her teams had to perform at their peak - or lives were on the line. Faltering leadership was simply unacceptable. Through these experiences, Lohrenz identified a fundamental truth: high-performing teams require fearless leaders.

Since leaving the Navy, she's translated that lesson into a new field, helping top business leaders, from Fortune 500 executives to middle managers, supercharge performance in today's competitive business environments. In Fearless Leadership, Lohrenz walks you through the three fundamentals of real fearlessness - courage, tenacity, and integrity - and then reveals fearless leadership in action, offering advice on how to set a bold vision, bring the team together (as wingmen, not Top Gun mavericks), execute effectively, and stay resilient through hard times.

Topics discussed:

* What motivated Carey to be a fighter pilot, which males heavily dominate.* How did her athletic career prepare her for being a fighter pilot and a successful career after?* How was she able to utilize the skills she learned as a fighter pilot into the business world?* I share my experiences in a flight simulator landing on an aircraft carrier, then Carey explains how it is really done!* What was it like being in the military's quintessential boy's club?* Can you use social media positively in today’s world?* Why focusing on the things you can change is one of the main keys to happiness.* How did she come up with the concept for her book "Fearless Leadership"?* What are the fundamentals of Fearless Leadership?* Are leaders made or born?* What does it take to be truly fearless in life?* How she came up with the concept for her new book "Span Of Control: What To Do When You're Under Pressure, Overwhelmed, And Ready To Get What You Really Want."* What is the key ingredient in order to be successful in starting and running your own business?

Episode Resources:

* Carey's Website: https://careylohrenz.com* How to be in the Simple Life Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife