I know I've touched on the role and importance of happiness before, but this time I'm kicking it up a notch with science to explore the truth about happiness. Not to be confused with it's apathetic cousin, contentment, happiness is about finding joy in the everyday, and letting it permeate into the tasks, trials, and takeaways of your everyday life. On this episode, I'm joined by Jim McCarthy. He's a TEDx speaker and # 1 bestselling author of Live Each Day: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Happiness. He teaches people how to create their happiness by blending mindfulness techniques and timeless wisdom with simple, science-based practices. Jim is recognized for his unique perspective as a Stanford MBA, internet pioneer, and person living with a cancer diagnosis. He has presented his innovative and acclaimed “Happiness Keynote” to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. and internationally. Audiences take away practical strategies, evidence-based insights, and daily action plans — because happiness is a skill you can develop. This episode covers the truth about happiness and simple math you can't ignore. Once we open your mind to the 1%, you'll never be the same. No excuses. It's a big deal. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.

TSG 56: S0305 – The Truth About Happiness with Jim McCarthy

The Sharp Gentleman Podcast is your dose of insight and advice on style, love, and life. Learn everything you need to know to take your confidence to a new level and become the man you were born to be. Discover new elements of style, manners, character, and class so you can experience life as a Sharp Gentleman.

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Disclaimer: this episode contains opinions that are mine and may be offensive to others. While I do not care if a topic or opinion offends you (see here), I want to extend the courtesy of letting you know this may trigger you if you're afraid of hearing strong ideas about fitness, motivation, and complacency. Before I got married, I made a commitment to fitness. It was actually a perfect time to do it. I started at the new year and ended half way through May when Jami and I went to Italy to get hitched. I cut 27 pounds, lots of inches, and body fat. It was awesome. When we returned, she got back on track (she's a fitness trainer / instructor / coach), and I did... sort of. I kept working out, but I wasn't really paying attention to my diet anymore, and my work (desk job at a computer) caused my posture to ruin my range of motion with forward shoulders and all that goes with it. Fast forward a couple of years, and shoulder impingement causes me too much pain to work out. So I stopped. That was about 2 years ago. Sure, I'd run a bit and bike for 30 minutes on Thursdays, but it was just enough not to feel bad. Then my pants stopped fitting well. I found my custom made-to-measure shirts were too tight to button. I realized I have a full spare tire in the middle. I continued to make excuses and justify that I was not fit, but I was working hard and making great money, so my value was not to be questioned. How many guys out there share this sentiment? The one thing I did start doing in the last few months was shoulder rehab and posture exercises. HUGE improvement. I wasn't ready to really jump back into the gym though. Then a fitness friend of mine posted a meme online. Suddenly, my comfort zone became uncomfortable. In this episode, I'm going to explain why your comfort zone is making you fat, why it made me fat, and how "fat" doesn't have to mean physical appearance - It's bigger than that. Prepare yourselves. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.

TSG 57: S0307 – Your Comfort Zone is Making You Fat

The real estate market these days seems like a combination of fire and ice. As still as that sounds, some buyers and sellers are experiencing properties and transactions that are red hot deals, while others are getting iced with poor maintenance, missed opportunities, and bad decisions. So what does one look for when buying or selling a home? More importantly, what do you look for when buying or selling your first home? It seems like such an easy thing when you see if on television, and "anybody can make millions" when pitched to you at a seminar, but what should you know and do walking into a sale? In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend Stacy Massar of Massar Group Realty here in DFW, and she's going to help shed some light on what you need to watch out for when buying, selling, or qualifying for a home. She'll also let you in on some insider information about new construction and possible pitfalls to avoid. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below.

TSG 55: S0304 – How to Buy or Sell Your First Home

In the last year, opportunity has shown up in a bunch of different spaces in my life. From relationships, friendships, travel, technology, and especially business ventures, it feels like opportunities are everywhere and I'd have to actively work to avoid them. It's a good feeling. But it's not like I didn't do some adjusting to get here. This is a combination of focus and preparation. Speaking with a friend of mine, I heard the tell tale sign of someone blind to opportunities: "I wish I was as lucky as you are. You're surrounded by opportunities, and I don't have anything coming my way." This opened the door to what it really means to recognize opportunities everywhere. It feels like a lot of people only recognize the best of the best when they land on their laps unannounced. Everything beyond that is either discounted for not being a good option –not worth pursuing– or it's just plain missed. There  are three factors that influence the opportunities around you:  Your perspective (the lens through which you view the world) Your clarity of focus (are you clear on exactly what you want) Your environment (you might have to leave that one horse town to find more horses)  On this episode, I'm going to give you a few reasons why you might be the only thing holding yourself back (as cliché as that sounds), what steps you can take to gain clarity and recognize opportunities around you, and why your perspective on luck has everything to do with both. This is more than just opening up your eyes – it's about the damn story in your head. Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments below. [Subscribe Here]

TSG 54: S0303 - How To Gain Clarity & Recognize Opportunities

When you're setting yourself up for success, you're probably aware (of have heard repeatedly) that the people you surround yourself with everyday have a direct impact on your trajectory. The right people can help you feel powerful, tackle problems with critical thinking, and help you view the world from a perspective that enables you to be and do your absolute best. What you probably didn't think about, however, is the impact your personal physical space also has on your success trajectory. Trying to feel like a boss, ready to go out and conquer your goals can prove difficult if your home or apartment feels drab or immature. Sure, poor living conditions make for great motivators in movies, but let's be honest – for the average man, rising above is not actually a skill many possess. We want to feel powerful and we want certain material things to help us with that. So how do you upgrade your bachelor pad or living space so it's more inline with the man you're meant to be? In this episode, I'm joined by Misty Maxey of Misty Maxey Designs. She's The bachelor pad designer and she has some great insights and advice on how you can upgrade your space while still being true to who you are. Not all interior designers want a million throw pillows and weird things on the wall. Misty is here to give you easy and actionable advice and 5 ways you can upgrade your bachelor pad (or married pad, or office space, or wherever really). 

TSG 56: S0305 – The Truth About Happiness with Jim McCarthy

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