The UnGrind

"Convention doesn't inspire"

With Jason Harmon feeling under the weather, Joey is joined this week by Don MacPherson, host of technologies podcast 12 Geniuses.

Proudly declaring that Don is 'testament to not doing normal shit', Joey quizzes his special guest on a life without convention. Don discusses his antipathy towards any sense of obligation, while raising the importance of the distinction between 'obligations' and 'commitments'.

The latter half of their conversation concerns another aspect of Don's 'life by design, not by default' philosophy: his approach to working relationships that means he only works with those he can love.

Jason and Joey share an in depth and open discussion on their experiences with compassion.

Pondering the concept of radical acceptance, the pair attempt to navigate their desire to be as compassionate as possible while also acknowledging the realistic limitations of the human condition.

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"Don't judge the judgement" 

Jason and Joey are joined by special guest Shane Wachlin as they tackle the subject of honesty. 

Why are we afraid to be honest 100% of the time? Is it fear? Kindness? Self preservation?

The theme of the show broadens to judgement, as Shane advises our hosts not to project shame onto their own thought processes. Instead of judging ourselves for judging, we should instead work on guiding our thought processes to compassion. 

Never afraid to take on the big questions, Joey rounds up today's chat by asking his guests whether society as a whole is moving in the right direction. 

Catch all the previous episodes at grindpodcast.com

Find out more about Shane at shanewachlin.com

"You can't hustle your way to joy." - Jason Harmon 

The world clearly wants Joey to talk about meditation - so let's talk about meditation. He confesses he's fallen out of the habit and a lot of people are asking him about it, just as Jason reports having a valuable experience with the '49 breaths' method. 

This sparks a wider discussion about slipping out of positive routines, whether abstaining from alcohol, eating healthily or exercising. Both agree this is a perfectly human thing to do - the important thing being to learn your lesson from your most recent failure and apply it to future success. 

The episode concludes with Jason assuaging listener concerns: he and Joey have not become out of work hippies; they are still very much grinding away.

Take a breathe. Pause for thought. Let it go.

Today's chat starts with Jason recounting a recent experience of being stuck in a snow ditch while driving - and how he has learned to not waste his energy on being angry about the things we can't control. Joey similarly invokes the example of a woman who left him an expletive centred voicemail at 2am, highlighting the importance of letting things go. 

The conversation moves on to unconsciousness - the things we all do without realising it - and the value in taking a pause, whether in conversation or whilst reflecting on ourselves. Jason shares that his inability to do so in the past made him such a negative burden on his family that they often preferred not to have his company. 

At a time when many have been taking part in the '10 year challenge' of comparing their present selves to a 2010 version, the episode concludes with a discussion on reflection in general. Are you in a better place - spiritually, financially, mentally, and physically - than you were a decade ago?

"That which looks like prison to you looks like safety to him" - Michael Singer

Jason joins Joey while donning a sparkling red cowboy hat, which sparks the conversation: would you wear such an item to an important business meeting?'Of course not,' comes Jason's predictable reply, as the pair discuss the boundaries of our comfort zone - or, to use Michael Singer's analogy, the cage that simultaneously provides security and prevents self-exploration.

Moving on to broader discussions of our internal monologue, Jason reveals how he has learned to internalise bad behaviours which would previously manifest themselves in the form of hurtful actions towards others. Now he prefers to express gratitude - even if this can be as difficult as learning an advanced song on the guitar.

Joey confesses business is slow - but unlike similar times in the past, he's not going to let that be a reason for high anxiety.

As per his new life philosophy, he is simply going to allow it to happen. The conversation moves onto anxiety in general, and how we need to learn to relax - not being busy does not have to mean feeling anxious.

After distracting themselves with a tangent about military cadences, Jason and Joey conclude their chat by emphasising the importance of being present in a conversation. As per Jason Harmon's new t-shirt design: "Whoever you are, be there".

"Our past and future selves rob our present selves of happiness when we allow ourselves to be derailed by negative thoughts" - Ken Honda

Today's theme is being present in the moment. Joey and Jason discuss at length the problems caused by concerning yourself with regrets of the past, or anxieties about the future, instead of tackling the here and now.

Both our hosts discuss their own struggles with their internal monologue: Joey confesses that he's found himself slipping into former bad habits of being anxious about finances, while Jason opens up about his struggles over the past year with a failed business venture. 

All of which ties into a discussion about internalised thoughts vs external behaviour - you're never going to banish negative thoughts entirely, so the discipline is in not acting on them - as well as the importance of recognising that one's value is not intrinsically tied to one's productivity.

Is the human race rotten to the core?

Are we capable of committing a selfless act?

How can we be judgmental of others when we all make mistakes?

Jason and Joey get deep and philosophical in today's Ungrind, questioning man's capacity for good via stops at an episode of Friends, a transaction at Buffalo Wild Wings, and the evil thoughts of Mother Teresa.

Joey and Jason return for a brand new series: The Ungrind. They discuss how we should all strive to remove 'the mask' that conceals our vulnerabilities - that is, once Jason has removed the mask he is literally wearing for the show's introduction.

Having discussed the mask as a metaphor for the exhausting nature of putting on a front, the pair debate the importance of dress and appearance, and how they link to notions of professionalism. While Jason argues for sticking by societal norms, Joey pushes his argument that having to wear a suit and tie is a 'brule' (bullshit rule) that convention has conditioned us into believing in.

With Jason suitably impressed by Joey's vow that he would gladly sacrifice a paycheck to avoid such brules, the conversation moves on to the episode's titular themes: love, kindness and fun. In discussing the importance of prioritising these concepts, the pair develop a new motto to see out the show.