How do you become who you are?

Long before you had the ability to question what you believed about yourself, you were absorbing ideas about who you were, what was possible, what was safe, what you deserved, and how you were supposed to move through the world.

Your environment shaped you. Your experiences shaped you. The people around you reflected things back to you. Beliefs were repeated. Patterns were reinforced. And over time, a concept of yourself began to feel like simply who you are.

But what if the self you know is not fixed? What if much of what you call “me” is a construct you learned, adopted, and reinforced?

In this Friday Night Live, L. Michael Burt explores how you become who you are through the lenses of ontology, neuroscience, and spirituality.

Drawing from The Spirits' Book by Allan Kardec and The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav, Michael examines the relationship between the personality shaped through human experience and the deeper being underneath it. He also explores how the brain reinforces repeated thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors through neural pathways and Hebb's Law.

This isn't about becoming somebody else.

It is about seeing more clearly how your sense of self was formed, what you may have adopted without consciously choosing it, and recognizing that you still have agency in who you choose to be.

Because once you can see the construct, you don't have to confuse the construct with the entirety of who you are.

You create your you.

If something in this conversation brings something to the surface, You Did Not Lose Your Way is a guided experience and mirror exercise designed to help you separate what actually happened from the meaning you built around it.

Visit alignment.lmichaelburt.com.

Join L. Michael Burt for Friday Night Live, Fridays at 7 PM Eastern, and follow The ThriveWell Journey for conversations about identity, transformation, becoming, and purpose after disruption.

The ThriveWell Journey: Purpose After Disruption.

Let's Make Thriving Our New Normal.

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A sixth-grade teacher told George Tinsley Sr. to quit school. Years later, he was teaching wealthy KFC franchisees how to run their businesses. What changed between those two moments?

George joins L. Michael Burt to discuss building self-confidence through responsibility, basketball, and the experiences he carried into unfamiliar roles. He remembers the woman who raised him, the teacher who trusted him with the school projector, and the opportunities that opened after his playing career. The conversation also explores rebuilding a restaurant after a fire and giving employees a first chance.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to George Tinsley's Journey

02:01 Reflections on Identity and Self-Perception

04:35 From Pennebaker to Tinsley: A Life Transformed

07:46 Overcoming Childhood Challenges and Building Self-Esteem

12:24 The Role of Faith and Community Support

18:37 Athletic Achievements and College Success

22:29 Transition to Professional Basketball and Entrepreneurship

30:27 Starting in Franchising and Overcoming Financial Barriers

37:36 Resilience in Business: Rebuilding After Setbacks

45:10 Maintaining Positivity and Overcoming Adversity

54:23 Legacy, Impact, and Giving Back

01:02:33 Living with Purpose and Continuing the Journey

His book, Catch as Catch Can, brings those life lessons together.

Explore George’s books and speaking: Tinsley Speaks

Follow The ThriveWell Journey

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What do you do when your life still works, but the version of you who built it no longer fits?

You reach a goal you once wanted badly, but the accomplishment feels flat. You enter a room you once fought to access, but the room now feels too small. You continue routines that once felt like purpose, but now they feel like performance.

That does not automatically mean you are burned out, ungrateful, or failing. It may mean the identity that carried you through an earlier season has finished its assignment.

L. Michael Burt examines why familiar can feel safe even after it has become a cage. He breaks down why pushing harder inside an old identity and tearing your entire life apart are both reactions, not decisions. Through the Be. Do. Have. framework, he reveals how continuing to operate from an old identity keeps producing a life that matches who you used to be.

Outgrowing a former version of yourself is not betrayal. You can honor the person who got you here without continuing to live inside that identity.

The question is not whether you can become a better version of yourself.

The question is whether you are willing to stop performing the version whose assignment is already complete.

Ask yourself:

Where am I still performing a version of myself that finished its assignment a long time ago?

Download the free You Did Not Lose Your Way guided mirror exercise: https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWay_Final

The ThriveWell Journey explores purpose after disruption, identity shifts, alignment, reinvention, and what it takes to build from who you are becoming.

Let’s make thriving our new normal.

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Why do you keep repeating the same patterns, even after you have done the inner work, spiritual work, and practical work?

The money problem returns. Your vision feels like it is moving through sludge. You hire the coach and get pieces. You feel certain on Sunday, then lose that certainty by Wednesday.

Eventually, the question turns inward:

AM I THE PROBLEM?

No.

Your present circumstances may be an echo of old decisions, patterns, and stories still moving through your life. An echo is behind you. It does not get the final word.

I am not speaking from the other side of a polished breakthrough. I am speaking from inside a week when something collapsed, depression returned, and inspiration was nowhere to be found.

What moved me was getting still enough to hear myself and taking the next right step.

This Friday Night Live is about how to interrupt a repeating cycle when life feels chaotic, the structures around you are not cooperating, and you are still building something real.

You did not lose your way. You may be finding your way back to yourself one step at a time.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE MIRROR EXERCISE

You Did Not Lose Your Way: https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWay_Final

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You can look strong on the outside and still be running on survival underneath.

Russell Harvey joins The ThriveWell Journey for a grounded conversation about real resilience, leadership under pressure, and what it means to keep moving through change without losing yourself in the process.

L. Michael Burt and Russell talk through the difference between surviving, coping, and thriving, and why resilience is not just about bouncing back after a hard season. Real resilience is about learning from what happened, getting back up differently, and building the awareness, support, purpose, and energy to move forward with more clarity.

This conversation also gets into the pressure leaders and entrepreneurs are carrying right now, especially with uncertainty, AI, constant change, business demands, and the private weight of trying to stay strong for everyone else.

Russell shares how the Resilience Wheel helps people look at purpose, confidence, adaptability, support, meaning, and energy in a practical way. He also explains why thriving does not mean everything is perfect. Sometimes thriving means there is a lot going on, and you can still honestly say, “I’m good.”

This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, builders, and high performers who are tired of calling survival resilience and are ready to build something deeper, steadier, and more honest.

Key Topics

• Understanding VUCA and its impact on individuals and organizations
• The difference between surviving, coping, and thriving
• Building internal resilience through reflection and purpose
• The role of vulnerability and emotional intelligence in leadership
• Using strengths-based approaches to foster team resilience
• The importance of purpose and healthy emotional drivers
• Strategies for leaders to support their teams' resilience
• The impact of interconnectedness and AI on resilience

Chapters

00:00 The Landscape of Resilience

02:58 Understanding VUCA and Its Impact

06:14 Situational Awareness and Resilience

09:04 Springing Forward: The True Meaning of Resilience

11:49 The Role of Reflection in Building Resilience

14:54 Personal Experiences and the Journey of Resilience

17:57 The Resilience Wheel: A Framework for Growth

20:59 Redundancy and Identity: Navigating Job Loss

27:28 Emotional Intelligence and Resilience

29:39 Building Resilient Teams

32:56 Leadership and Vulnerability

38:42 Understanding Pressure and Resilience

42:01 AI and Human Resilience

45:38 Nurturing Resilience in Uncertain Times

51:40 Purpose and Healthy Emotional Drivers

Connect w/ Russell Harvey

Resilience Wheel - https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.uk/

Strengthscope - https://strengthscope.com/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7I3drJnBFZvvxHZDPPHM5Q/videos

Adam Olsen joins L. Michael Burt to discuss building a real estate business through follow-up systems, abundance, social media marketing, client service, market strategy, and sales discipline. This episode is for entrepreneurs and real estate professionals who need to move beyond ideas and build the structure that turns opportunities into results.

KEY TOPICS

The importance of relentless follow-up in real estate

Operating with an abundance mindset versus scarcity mindset

Using social media and video to build brand awareness

Adapting marketing strategies during market downturns

The role of discipline and high energy in sales success

Building systems and organization for scalable growth

The impact of market conditions on real estate transactions

Creating value and trust to generate referrals

Chapters

00:00 Going All In: The Key to Success

03:11 The Importance of Follow-Through

06:03 Building a Business: Structure and Discipline

08:53 The Reality of Entrepreneurship

12:10 Overcoming Challenges and Bad Days

15:04 The Drive Behind Success

18:04 Lessons from Childhood and Early Career

25:10 Building Relationships Over Transactions

34:06 The Impact of Institutional Buyers on Real Estate

43:58 Navigating Market Volatility and Lead Flow Issues

49:37 Navigating Responsibilities and Investment Strategies

50:05 Doubling Down in Times of Uncertainty

51:03 Understanding Market Psychology

52:42 The Importance of Basics in Business

53:40 The Power of Community Engagement

56:05 Creative Marketing Strategies for Growth

59:24 Leveraging Social Media for Business Success

01:01:51 Analyzing Market Trends and Consumer Behavior

01:04:46 Creating Buzz with Strategic Giveaways

01:07:29 High Energy and Positive Engagement in Business

01:10:14 The Interconnectedness of Business Strategies

Resources

Adam Olson Team - https://adamolsonteam.com

The Commercial Professionals - https://thecommercialprofessionals.com

Guest Links

Website - https://adamolsonteam.com

Facebook - https://facebook.com/AdamS.Olson

Instagram - https://instagram.com/AdamS.Olson

Download the free mirror exercise: You Did Not Lose Your Way https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWayV3

Book a free discovery call:

The Alignment Reset https://calendly.com/lmichaelburt-thethrivewelljourney/empowerment-discovery-call

Join our community: www.thethrivewelljourney.com

In this Friday Night Live episode, L. Michael Burt uses the meaning of Juneteenth as a powerful entry point into a deeper conversation about identity, freedom, and transformation after disruption.

This episode answers the question: What does Juneteenth teach us about identity and freedom after disruption? Freedom is not fully lived just because it has been declared. Real transformation happens when the truth reaches your body, changes who you are being, and creates a ripple through your life, family, work, and community.

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom can be true before it is fully received. The Emancipation Proclamation had already been signed, but enslaved people in Texas were still living under a story that said otherwise. That gap between declaration and lived reality becomes the central theme of this episode.

L. Michael connects that historical truth to the inner work of transformation. Many people are technically free from what happened to them, but still living from the meaning they gave the disruption. The event may be over, but the story may still be running their identity, their decisions, their relationships, their business, and their future.

This episode explores the ripple that begins when a person changes who they are being. Transformation is not just personal achievement. It becomes something that moves through your family, your work, your community, and people you may never meet.

This episode is for anyone who is ready to stop living from an old story and begin creating from a new declaration.

Chapters

00:00 Friday Night Live opening and live setup

02:00 Why Juneteenth matters

03:33 Freedom was already true, but not yet received

05:59 Recap of the “You Did Not Lose Your Way” series

07:40 The ripple starts with who you are being

09:00 The unseen becoming reality through you

10:19 Harriet Tubman, faith, freedom, and the ripple

12:45 How your energy affects the people closest to you

15:00 Be, do, have and the story you are living from

16:59 The declaration that changes who you are being

19:15 The mirror exercise and doing the real work

21:15 You are already free from the old story

This is Week 4 of a four-week series. I invite you to start from Week 1 if you have not yet. Download the free mirror exercise: You Did Not Lose Your Way https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWayV3

Book a free discovery call:

The Alignment Reset https://calendly.com/lmichaelburt-thethrivewelljourney/empowerment-discovery-call

Join our community: www.thethrivewelljourney.com

Happy Juneteenth.

Business funding for founders is not just about getting access to money. It is about understanding timing, terms, structure, and whether the capital actually supports the business you are building. L. Michael Burt speaks with Cole Reifler, Founder and CEO of Zenith Group Advisors, about funding decisions, bootstrapping, private credit, alternative lending, and the pressure founders face when their dream needs money.

This conversation helps entrepreneurs think more clearly about when to seek capital, what to avoid in bad funding offers, and why money should strengthen the business instead of keeping a weak structure alive. Cole also shares how access to capital shapes who gets to build, scale, and compete, including his prior work connected to financial access for women entrepreneurs.

For leaders and builders rebuilding direction after disruption, this episode connects finance to self-leadership, discernment, and aligned success.

Takeaways

• Access to capital is crucial for growth, but understanding when and how to seek funding is key.
• Creative financing can be a game-changer for startups and entrepreneurs.
• Bootstrapping should be maximized before seeking external funding.
• Private credit and alternative funding options are viable but require careful evaluation.

Chapter

00:00 Cole Reifler and the Finance Access Problem

02:44 Who Gets Access to Capital and Who Does Not

04:25 Bringing Creativity Into Finance

06:03 Helping Founders Understand Capital

08:29 When Bootstrapping Needs to Shift

11:17 What Founders Should Do When the Dream Needs Money

13:11 Spending Capital to Create More Capital

14:42 Build the Boat While You Are on the Water

15:57 Intentional Business Building Before Funding

18:24 Funding Terms That Can Box You In

20:56 Traditional Funding vs Alternative Funding

23:05 When Founders Get Emotionally Attached to Money

24:17 Private Credit Misconceptions

26:56 Arora and the Gender Lending Gap

31:53 Zenith Group Advisors and Finance Access

33:49 Who Zenith Helps

35:24 Entrepreneurship Challenging Financial Systems

38:14 Advice for Founders Seeking Funding

39:24 How to Connect with Cole Reifler

40:22 Why Finance Can Make or Break a Business

41:43 Final Thoughts

Connect w/ Cole Reifler:

Aurora - Supporting Women Entrepreneurs - https://aurora.com

Zenith - Financial Support for Businesses - https://zenith.com

Download the free mirror exercise: You Did Not Lose Your Way https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWayV3

http://ushaman.com/elixir - Get 10% off: USE CODE: THRIVEWELL

Be a guest on The Thrivewell Journey Podcast? Send L. Michael Burt a message on #PodMatch,

https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thethrivewelljourney

Join our community: www.thethrivewelljourney.com

Things are happening in the world right now and they are occurring as chaos. And in the middle of that, you are trying to build something. Hold a vision. Stay committed.

But here is the question this conversation is asking. Are you committed or are you gripping?

There is a difference between commitment and attachment. Commitment is the full yes to the vision, the work, and the people. Attachment is the grip on how it has to look, when it has to arrive, and what it means about you if it does not go the way you planned. Most people are living in the grip and calling it dedication.

In Week 3 of YOU DID NOT LOSE YOUR WAY, L. Michael sits down with speaker, dream interpreter, and spiritual strategist Caleb Matthews for a live conversation about what it actually means to be committed but not attached. Fully in. No grip. Building with intention and without desperation.

This is Week 3 of a four-week series. I invite you to start from Week 1 if you have not yet.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Transformation and Commitment

03:06 The Dance of Attachment and Commitment

06:09 Living Your Design: The Golden Fish Analogy

09:08 Success: A Construct of the Crowd

11:54 Burying Your Design: The Parable of Talents

15:10 Finding Your Why: The Importance of Purpose

18:02 The Seven Design Types: Discovering Your Path

21:03 The Spirit, Soul, and Body Connection

23:59 Understanding Your Design: Practical Applications

31:01 Redefining Success: Old vs. New Paradigms

34:25 Embracing Personal Fulfillment

36:33 The Wilderness of Unlearning

39:32 Going All In: Commitment to Your Vision

41:47 The Power of Dreams and Interpretation

Connect with Caleb: www.calebmatthews.net

YouTube - https://youtube.com/attheslink

Download the free mirror exercise: You Did Not Lose Your Way https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWayV3

http://ushaman.com/elixir - Get 10% off: USE CODE: THRIVEWELL

Be a guest on The Thrivewell Journey Podcast? Send L. Michael Burt a message on #PodMatch,

https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thethrivewelljourney

Join our community: www.thethrivewelljourney.com

Buying property without emotion starts with having a real estate strategy before you make an offer. Hadley Nightingale, founder of New Zealand Property Buyers, joins L. Michael Burt to talk about property investing, first-home mistakes, buyer representation, wealth building, and why strategy matters more than speed.

Hadley shares how rough early seasons in road trains, mining, and family court shaped his resilience and personal responsibility. He explains why most buyers get the order wrong by looking at houses before understanding their strategy, their financial position, and their long-term goal.

This conversation covers emotional buying, bad advice from people who have never built wealth, the fear many younger buyers feel about being priced out, renting vs buying with a plan, and why your first home should not automatically become your first rental.

For The ThriveWell Journey audience, this is more than a real estate conversation. It is a conversation about ownership, self-leadership, patience, direction, and building a life where wealth supports time, freedom, and purpose.

Key Topics

Hadley's early years in mining and their impact on resilience

The importance of ownership and responsibility in life and investing

Strategic property investment and market timing

Overcoming fears and emotional biases in real estate

The role of systems and sequencing in successful investing

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:00 Resilience and Personal Growth

05:40 The Shift to Real Estate Investment

09:35 Advice for Aspiring Investors

13:21 Identifying Market Gaps

16:40 The Need for Buyer Advocacy

22:00 Strategic Decision-Making in Property Investment

24:05 Balancing Emotion and Logic in Home Buying

27:52 Understanding Market Dynamics and Property Pricing

30:49 Navigating the Current Economic Landscape

33:59 The Challenges Faced by Gen Z Home Buyers

39:46 Corporate Influence in the Housing Market

44:57 Navigating Market Opportunities

46:42 The Airbnb Investment Landscape

48:26 The Importance of Strategic Sequencing

51:41 Adapting Strategies Through Life Stages

54:03 Understanding Property Investment Dynamics

59:17 Redefining Richness and Life Priorities

01:02:12 Strategic Planning for Property Investment

01:04:10 Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts

Connect with Hadley on Instagram: @hadleynightingale. Message 'checklist' for his property buying guides.

Connect w/ L. Michael & TTJ

You did not lose your way. You got trapped inside a story about what happened. This free reset helps you separate the event from the meaning so you can move again. - https://bit.ly/YouDidNotLoseYourWay

http://ushaman.com/elixir - Get 10% off: USE CODE: THRIVEWELL

Be a guest on The Thrivewell Journey Podcast? Send L. Michael Burt a message on #PodMatch,

https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/thethrivewelljourney