The Thriving Man Podcast

Recently I learned a hack for my iPhone that I never knew. It’s one of those things that had probably always been there but I didn’t realize it. Now that I do I use it all the time.

Have you ever had something like that? You use something and then later realize some new aspect to it or something about it you never knew, making it even better for you to use. The Bible is like that. We can casually read the Bible and learn some things but when we look at the intricate ways it fits together and the amazing messages it communicates, it comes alive to us and impacts our lives.

This week on the show we are discussing why God gave us the Bible. We are looking at the main messages that the Bible communicates to us. Once you understand these, the whole Bible will come alive and help you thrive in your life.

• Consistently shows how good God is and how messed up we are.
• God creating the world shows his generous and creative nature.
• God creating man and giving man life and community with the creator.
• The Bible shows us how messed up we are.
• Throughout history, we see the messed up nature of humanity.
• This story is repeated throughout the Bible timeline.

• “The Bible is the unified story that leads to Jesus” from The Bible Project.
• There were many good people in history before Jesus, but none were perfect.
• The Bible shows us why Jesus coming was so important.
• He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.
• Jesus’ teachings fleshed out the teaching of the OT.
• He showed us who God is, he fleshed Him out to us.

• Life is not about us, it’s about God.
• Our world is messed up because people want to be their own God.
• Look how that turns out.
• Hedonism (Slave to their appetite)
• Nihilism (Bitter against life)
• Atrocities against others
• People who are the center of their universe often mess up everyone else’s lives.

• Continue to read the Proverb of the day and look at it with the lens of “What does this say about God?”
• Then ask “What does this say about humanity (me)?”

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

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Have you ever had a misconception about someone and then when you met them you found it to be wrong? We all have done that at some time or another. Many people are like that when it comes to the Bible.

The Bible is very different from any other book and too many people don’t read it for themselves or try to understand it. They often go off of things they heard or saw in a video but they don’t find out for themselves. This week’s show will dive into some of the common misconceptions people have about the Bible.

• While the Bible does contain guidelines for living a moral and ethical life, it is much more than a rulebook.
• It offers wisdom, guidance, and inspiration for navigating the complexities of human existence.
• Every law in the Bible is not a copy and paste for our lives today.
• The Bible has many narrative stories that teach us truths to apply to our lives

• The Bible is not a scientific textbook and should not be read as such.
• It was written in a pre-scientific era and uses metaphorical language to convey spiritual truths.
• The scientific lens is not always the best lens to apply to the Bible because we often have chronological snobbery
• God spoke through the worldview of the people of the day
• The Bible was not written as a self-help book

• While the Bible was written in a different time and cultural context, its messages and teachings are still relevant today.
• The Bible addresses universal human experiences and offers timeless wisdom for navigating life's challenges.
• The Bible is known as wisdom literature
• It’s goal is not to give you the video footage of every detail

By dispelling these misconceptions, we can approach the Bible with a fresh perspective and open ourselves to its transformative power.

• Don’t try to see yourself all the time as you read the Bible.
• Ask God to reveal Himself and His timeless truth to you as you continue reading Proverbs

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

We want all men to be Thriving Men. They thrive when working on the 4 fundamentals of their lives: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. We include the spiritual because as men we are spiritual creatures. God created us this way and we flourish when we live His design.

The spiritual side of us as men is the foundation of all the other fundamentals. One of the best ways to build our spiritual side is to engage with the book designed to do that: The Bible.

Join us as we talk about the greatest book ever written and how incredible it is that God gave us a way to grow and get to know Him through it.

• You must take out the assumptions that many people have about the Bible.
• The Bible is God’s communication to us
• The Bible is the greatest teacher of how to live
• The Bible is the guide and pathway to REAL spiritual truth
• Without the Bible, we make up our spirituality

• Its a Library of books not just a book
• It is like a museum with different exhibits curated to communicate a single powerful message
• God used different authors in different periods with multiple styles of writing
• We read the different styles of books differently

• The Bible shaped many of the positive parts of the Western world
• The Bible is historically accurate
• The Bible is bigger than we are and will outlast us
• It is the key building block to a life well-lived
• Our founding fathers saw the wisdom of establishing the country on the Bible

• Read the bible yourself
• Read the Proverb of the day based on the date for July

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Overcoming procrastination is hard because it seems like the world is working against you! Try looking at the checkout line at Wal-Mart. They don’t have protein shakes or healthy snacks, do they? No, they put candy and other stuff that makes you want them and buy impulsively.

But don’t worry, we have more tips to help you build up your procrastination muscles in this week’s episode. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, listen to it first and then check this one out. Both of them have tips that can help you get better at overcoming procrastination.

Remember the point is not to try everything we mention. You want to start by picking the one that resonates most with you. Get better at that one and then add another one. Using that method will help you get better quicker than trying to do them all at once.

• Learn your strengths and what you are good at
• We often get into trying to do things that we aren’t good at because we are “supposed” to be good at it
• Sometimes we have to do the “suck” stuff, but if you don’t have to why are you doing it?
• It’s foolish to try to do more of what you aren’t good at if you don’t have to
• This doesn’t mean you don’t try to grow
• “Never worship your uniqueness at the expense of your growth”

• “A good well-developed routine is an onramp to productivity”
• Find things that get you in the mindset to be productive
• Large tasks can feel overwhelming and lead to procrastination so try breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps.
• This allows you to make progress and experience small wins along the way, which can boost motivation and reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

• Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate each milestone you reach.
• This can help maintain motivation and reinforce positive habits.
• Use your Calendar - Plan a celebration after a big event or project
• Find people to celebrate with

• Sometimes, overcoming procrastination requires external support and accountability.
• Procrastination is easiest when you are solo
• Surround yourself with motivated individuals:
• Find an accountability partner:
• Join a study or workgroup:
• Collaborating with others can help you stay accountable and provide opportunities for learning and growth.
• Consider professional help if procrastination is significantly impacting your life and you're unable to overcome it on your own

• Build an on-ramp in ONE area to grow in it: Weight, health, yard work, relationships
• Pick a couple of people to be a growth partner in an area for you
• Maybe a small group that meets regularly
• Recruit guys to be in it with you

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

We have worked to better understand procrastination and its negative effects over the last few weeks. Now we will explore some practical tips and techniques to overcome procrastination and boost productivity in our lives. This is a mixture of practical things we can do each day along with some mental shifts and changes that can help us beat procrastination in our lives.

How you behave is deeply influenced by where you are and what you’re surrounded by.

The environment in which we work can have a significant impact on our ability to stay focused and motivated.

You want your environment to be a tactical advantage for you.

Start by removing any potential distractions from your workspace.

• Minimize the distractions.
• Find a separate place to do deeper work

Make your workspace comfortable and visually appealing.

Goals are a tool to help you focus on moving in the right direction, not an intimidating barrier to keep you from taking a first step.

Clear goals give direction

• Without a clear sense of direction, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose motivation.

Realistic Goals Give motivation

• Your goal can be specific, but impossible.
• We can’t mistake goals for dreams. Your goals are stepping stones toward achieving God-given dreams.
• Dreaming is good, but when it comes to focusing your actions today, you need something a bit more practical.

Great goals are scalable

• By breaking down your larger goals into smaller, more manageable projects and tasks, you can bring a sense of urgency and purpose to the behavior of today.
• When setting deadlines, be honest with yourself about how long tasks will take.
• It can be helpful to use a planner or digital calendar to schedule your tasks and deadlines.

As we said in episode 211, prioritizing your goals and tasks is not the same as procrastinating.

Life will always want more from you, so you have to learn to develop a way of filtering between worthwhile pursuits and distractions.

Effective task management is crucial for overcoming procrastination and maximizing productivity

Simple Task Management: The Eisenhower Matrix

Start by listing all your tasks and then categorize them into one of four quadrants

1. Important and urgent
2. Important but not urgent
3. Urgent but not important
4. Not urgent or important.

Focus your energy on important and urgent tasks, and delegate or eliminate tasks that are not important or urgent.

Simple Time Management when there’s no Motivation: The Pomodoro Technique

• This involves breaking your work into timed intervals, typically 25 minutes of focused work followed by a short break of 5 minutes.
• After 4 rounds of this, you take a 25-minute break.

Implement one of the 3 things first:

1. Clear and Realistic Goal Setting (For if you lack clarity in what you’re going for)
2. Scalable Goals (semester goals, weekly goals, daily tasks) (For if you’re having trouble connecting your goals with your daily activities)
3. Implement a task management or time management system and see how it works for you

• Eisenhower Matrix (If all your tasks are on the same level of importance in your mind)
• Pomodoro Technique (If you have trouble starting or pacing yourself during intense work.)

Prototype and have fun experimenting!

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

There’s always more to the story. There’s always more than meets the eye. Procrastination is no exception. We often think of procrastination as some fundamental character flaw- “Well procrastination must mean I’m a lazy bum. That’s just who I am.” The reality is very different. Procrastination is often an outward symptom of inward issues. It’s the fruit, not the root. It’s not self-contained, it's linked to other parts of our life.

When we dig deeper, we will discover that there’s a lot more to the story, and there are some surprising ways we can address procrastination without the same old mantra of “trying harder.” On today’s show, we dig deep into procrastination and look at some of the root causes behind this problem.

• One common cause of procrastination is the fear of failure.
• Unrealistic expectations often drive our fear of failure: comparing ourselves to someone online our friend, or even our dreamy ideals.
• These expectations can paralyze us and prevent us from taking action.
• Antidote: Failure is normal and everyone goes through times when they fail at something.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. We all mess up, and the first time we try new things is often the worst.
• By understanding that failure is a normal part of the learning process, we can overcome this fear and move forward with our tasks.

• Another factor that contributes to procrastination is a lack of motivation.
• If we don't see the value or importance of a task, we often don't find the motivation to get started.
• Antidote: Connect your action with your why and connect the small picture to the big picture
• By finding meaning in the task, you can increase your motivation and reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

• Another psychological explanation for procrastination is the concept of instant gratification. This is probably one you’ve already suspected
• As humans, we are wired to seek immediate rewards and pleasure.
• When faced with a task that requires effort and delayed gratification, we are more likely to procrastinate in favor of more immediately rewarding activities, such as scrolling through social media or watching TV.
• We are surrounded by easy, appealing, and often free forms of instant gratification. In this environment, we have to be intentional about not just following our short-term cravings.
• The answer doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, it just has to be intentional.
• By understanding this tendency, we can implement strategies to minimize distractions and increase our focus on important tasks.
• Be systematic with your boundaries

• God wired you with things you are good at and things you enjoy
• We often procrastinate in areas that are not our natural zone
• This doesn’t give us an excuse, but it is a reality we should see
• This is something we should keep in mind when making commitments

Review the sections we talked about and figure out which one is affecting you the most

• Fear of Failure
• Lack of Motivation
• Instant gratification addiction
• Working outside your natural zone

Don’t just accept guilt over procrastination. Figure out why you are procrastinating and you’ll be able to deal with it the right way.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Procrastination seems to be a common theme for many men today. We’ve been coaching a small group of men from different backgrounds but all had the same issue: Procrastination!

We all procrastinate in different areas of our lives and sometimes feel the bad consequences, but procrastination isn’t always bad. In this week’s show, we talk through what procrastination is along with some of the negative side effects of it. Plus, we deal with misunderstandings about procrastination that affect many men today.

• Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions to a harmful degree.
• Many people believe that procrastination is simply a matter of laziness, but it is often a symptom of deeper underlying issues.
• We shouldn’t just accept procrastination but should look at it as a sign of something going on inside
• It could be big or small, but procrastination often shows us insight into ourselves that we shouldn’t ignore

• Procrastination can significantly affect us and the people in our lives.
• Procrastination feeds itself. Once you start, it becomes a cycle of feeling overwhelmed and unable to manage your time effectively.
• One of the main consequences of procrastination is decreased productivity.
• Procrastination also takes a toll on our mental health.

• One of the biggest problems with procrastination is that it becomes a catch-all category for any time we don’t take action.
• We have this assumption: “If I’m not doing something I could be doing right now, I’m procrastinating.”
• There is an important category we are missing: prioritizing
• Prioritizing: putting less important things on the back-burner on purpose so you can do something more valuable now.
• We have to prioritize our lives. That’s a good thing.
• Productivity isn’t our purpose the goal isn’t to cram as much as possible into the 16 hours we have awake. It’s to place the best things into the 16 hours you have awake.

• As you go throughout this week think about this question: What times am I procrastination and what times am I prioritizing?
• Look at the fruit of what you are choosing and why.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the importance of rest and recovery. We often fill our days and nights with activities and we pay the price by losing sleep and never resting to recover. This hurts us and can harm our ability to live the life we were designed to live.

Let’s do a deep dive into rest and recovery and why it is so important to us.

You can also get more details on our blog at www.thrivingman.com

1. Rest is a Sign of Laziness:

2. Rest is Time Wasted:

3. More is Always Better:

4. Rest is Only for the Weak:

• When we rest, our bodies repair and regenerate, leading to numerous health benefits.
• One of the primary physical benefits of rest is improved muscle recovery.
• Rest also plays a crucial role in our immune system function.
• Quality sleep is essential for physical recovery.

• While the physical benefits of rest and recovery are well-known, the impact on our mental and emotional well-being is equally significant.
• Rest and recovery also contribute to improved cognitive function and mental clarity.
• Rest and recovery give us the mental and emotional capacity to make connections with others.
• Rest and recovery help prevent burnout.

• Rest and recovery have a direct impact on our performance( whether it's in sports, business, or any other area of life.)
• In the business world, rest and recovery are essential for productivity and creativity.

• In the relational world, rest and recovery are a key to making memories, building emotional connections, and growing more intimate.
• We often have to be as intentional about rest as we are about work.

1. Prioritize Sleep: Sleep is the foundation of rest and recovery.

2. Take Regular Breaks: Throughout the day, take short breaks to rest your mind and body.

3. Incorporate Active Rest: Active rest involves engaging in low-intensity activities that promote recovery without causing additional strain on the body.

4. Practice Reading: Take time to read real paper books, not a device.

5. Schedule Rest Days: schedule dedicated rest days in your routine.

1. Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life.

2. Plan Ahead

3. Practice Self-Care: Make time for activities that bring you joy and help you relax.

4. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body's signals and needs.

5. Seek Support: The importance of a support system

Embracing your rest and recovery is key to living your design. We weren’t created to work all the time and never rest. Our bodies need consistent rest and recovery to function at their best. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you focus on your rest and recovery:

• How much sleep am I getting each night?
• What can I do to improve my sleep environment?
• What hobbies do I engage in besides something that involves media?
• Who are the people I spend time with regularly?
• Are they plus people or minus people?
• Do I put my phone to bed or do I take my phone to bed with me?

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle over the long term means understanding and dealing with your food. We have some practical tips to help you navigate away from the strange nutrition advice you may hear and focus on what works over the long haul.

Calories are a reality that we must embrace to have a balanced and sustainable approach to nutrition. On today's show, we dive into the reality of the calorie.

• Calories are not evil- they are units of energy that our bodies need to function properly.
• We need calories to fuel daily activities, including breathing, walking, and sleeping.
• To lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than your body needs daily.
• To maintain your weight, you must consume roughly the same amount of calories as your body requires.
• To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than your body needs.

• Tracking your daily calorie intake is the most powerful tool for managing your health journey and achieving your health goals.
• Smartphone apps or online tool that allows you to log your meals and provides you with an estimate of the calories consumed. (Many are free)
• The habit of paying attention is the real key, we often get unhealthy because we don’t pay attention.
• When we are intentional about our eating, we can make better choices and choose the foods that we like and that are better for us.

• This can vary depending on age, gender, weight, height, and activity level.
• Don’t worry about getting everything perfect.
• The key is to start and have a baseline.

Reducing calorie intake doesn't mean depriving yourself of delicious food. It's about making smarter choices and finding healthier alternatives.

1. Find your favorite fruits and vegetables
2. Get more protein
3. Focus on Fiber
4. Be mindful of liquid calories
5. Cook at home more often

Portion control is a key ingredient for managing your calorie intake.

1. Use smaller plates and bowls
2. Measure your food
3. Avoid eating straight from the package
4. Plan your meals and snacks

By practicing portion control, you can enjoy a wide variety of foods while managing your calorie intake. Remember, it's not about depriving yourself; it's about finding the balance that works for you.

Food should be something you savor and enjoy.

Take the time to be present in the moment and fully engage your senses when you eat.

1. Slow down
2. Eliminate distractions
3. Tune into your hunger and fullness cues
4. Use your senses
5. Be Thankful for the Moment
6. Recognize emotional eating

When you learn to savor your food, you can develop a greater awareness of your body's needs and make conscious choices that support your long-term health journey. It's not just about the calories you consume; it's also about the quality of your eating experience

• Start tracking - Suck it up if you want to change
• My fitness pal is free (for the calorie-only version)
• Carbon is more effective for next-level tracking (Calories, Macros, and an algorithm that changes your calorie intake to your needs)
• Doing what you’ve done hasn’t helped you
• This is a key process because you are taking responsibility for your food yourself

My Fitness Pal

Carbon App

Revolution Protein

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

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Thriving Man Coaching Resources

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• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD

We are continuing our focus on movement when it comes to having a beach-ready body. In this episode, we dive into the practical realities if we want to increase the movement in our lives. Too many of us think it is impossible with our crazy schedule. The truth is it can happen with some specific focus.

• The movement required to live with a beach-ready body does not happen by accident.
• Planning your exercise time and how you add more movement to your life is something that you have to prioritize.
• The reality is no one can do this for us. We must take personal responsibility for ourselves and our bodies.
• We can blame society and our schedules but we make time for what’s important.
• If we aren’t making time for more movement, we need to be honest and realize we don’t prioritize it enough.

• Long-term success is something that we can do regularly.
• We also want to take into account what is fun.
• We all tend to stick with things we enjoy more than things we hate.
• We should look for things we enjoy doing or at least, we enjoy the feeling we have afterwards from having done it.

• One of the great things about different types of exercise is it works our bodies in many ways.
• This keeps things fresh and can help stop the boredom of doing the same thing all the time.
• We recently challenged men to focus on getting under 30% body fat as a starting point.

• Starting begins when we decide what we will do to add movement into our lives.
• The best time might be the early morning or at lunch.
• We may need to experiment to find the best time and process but avoiding the issue won’t get anything done.
• The key point is to start with something. Adjustments will come, but if we don’t start we won’t be able to figure the rest out

• Two biggest mindsets that hurt us.
• The first one is where we beat ourselves up for getting so out of shape.
• We also can’t allow our past victories to influence us.
• The goal of a beach-ready body life is to have a process that we enjoy and can stick with for sustained health.

• Sometimes the best thing we can do to develop consistency is to get help.
• Paid coaching, something online, or a combination of the two.
• Coaching also helps to bring more fun and confidence to our movement plans. When we know what we are doing from our coaching we can enjoy it more.
• We have a special course Physical Health 101 that is a deep dive into making fitness a reality in our lives. Find it at www.thrivingman.com

• One of the best ways to make movement part of our lives is to join a community.
• Many people go to a class at a gym because of the sense of community and fun it brings.
• We could even get a friend to join us in our new plan. This can bring a challenge and a sense of accountability to both of you

• The beach-ready body is something every one of us can have long-term.
• The key is to develop healthy habits over the long run.
• This isn’t a quick fix and we cannot expect weight to drop off overnight.
• Start this week! Don’t wait until things are perfect or you have a perfect plan.
• You won’t regret it and you will be stronger because of it.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU THRIVE AS A MAN

========================

Thriving Man Coaching Resources

4D MODEL FREE PDF

• Learn about the 4 fundamentals of a Successful Life

Discover OUR SPEAKING AND HOW WE HAVE EMPOWERED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD