UltraGrowth

“Addiction nearly killed me, but on that fateful day in October, I received a gift. Call it what you will: a perspective shift, an awakening, or simply dumb luck — that’s not important – what matters, is that it completely changed the course of my life.”

This week on the show we are joined by Brian Pennie, he is an author, speaker, PhD candidate, and university lecturer.

His used to be very different, however. On October 8 2013, he experienced his first day clean after 15 years of chronic heroin addiction.

In what seemed like an instant, the world seemed to glow. The colours were more colourful. Sounds were more cheerful. Things that were once hollow were now full of depth. Brian felt more alive than ever before and he has looked back since.

Captivated by this sudden change, he started to question why he felt so alive. He didn’t see it at first, but then it hit me. It had tortured me my entire life. The voices in his head, the stories that he spun himself – the ones that drove his anxiety and, in turn, his addiction – were gone. For as long as he could remember, thinking had consumed him – his mind racing about what he thought needed to do – but the voices were silent, and his anxiety was gone. The race was over and his new life had begun.

Over the course of the next few years, he acquired a substantial publishing deal to write his first book. Brian continued to win several academic awards including a fully funded (€100,000) PhD scholarship in Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience. Brian secured lecturing positions at both Trinity College and University College Dublin where he teaches the neuroscience of mindfulness and addiction.

Today we dive into the power of our narratives, the space between our ears and the criticality of its health.


Notable moments in this episode:
🗡️ (12:42) - what coming to terms with rock bottom looks like
❤️ (39:46) - how to view the role of identity during change
🔒 (47:16) - the practical habits you can take on today to embrace change

***

Follow Brian:
Book: “Bonus Time” - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonus-Time-surviving-discovering-everyday/dp/0717186350
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianpennie78/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pennie/
Twiter: https://twitter.com/PennieBrian
Website - https://www.brianpennie.com/



***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

“I feel privileged to help people stand in their story and courageously take concrete action steps that can have a lasting impact. I’m here to help you and or your family get moving on a path towards wellness.”

Thomas has been a licensed therapist since 2002, when he graduated from NYU with his Master’s in Social Work. Since then, he has been providing therapy & coaching services to children, teens, adults and their families. For the last 20 plus years, he has coached and provided therapy to thousands of individuals, couples, families, executives from myriad cultures, circumstances, and walks of life.

Through this process, he is continually awed by what his clients are capable of when they lean into discomfort and make choices from their center rather than from fear.

He is the former Co-Founder of Innovative Therapy Solutions (ITS), which was a heart-centered, comprehensive, holistic therapy group practice that served clients of all ages. There he learned the importance of being a servant leader and developing a culture obsessed with the client experience as well as promoted empathy, connection, creativity, innovation, authenticity, hope & healing.

He is the former Clinical Director of a Wilderness Therapy Program for teenagers with high-risk behaviors and co-occurring (dual diagnosis) disorders from all over the world. In this role, he learned how to get families unstuck & moving towards healthier patterns quickly. As the former Director of the Center for Hope, a mental health clinic, serving a diverse tapestry of clients he learned the importance of providing individualized & tailored solutions. As the former Family Wellness Director of an elite Addiction Treatment Center serving adults with co-occurring (dual diagnosis) disorders, he learned that in order for true healing to take place the whole family must create a new normal.

He will help you identify your & your family’s strengths & weaknesses as well as identify the shift that needs to happen to move you and your family towards success.


Notable moments in this episode:
🗡️ 06:27 - what does a high-performing family look like?
❤️ 25:20 - what it means to be empathetic with our kids
🔒 40:54 - are we robbing our children of their opportunities to create resilience?

***

Follow Thomas:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-m-miller-licsw-45447643/
Website - https://www.thomasmillercoaching.com/

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

A thick fog of disruption has rolled into your life. Maybe your entire industry just went into freefall. Or your business is struggling mightily. Perhaps your career path has been upended.

Whatever your situation, the world as you know it has changed. You may feel despair, fear, even anger. You have no idea what to do next. Is there a way through this?

YES.

That’s the answer executive and entrepreneur David Giersdorf presents in Hard Ships, which details his four decades of experience navigating brutal disruptions in the cruise ship industry and achieving innovation and growth.

David knows disruption—and how to find a way through it. In addition to navigating his fair share of personal disruptions, he’s helped major companies, small businesses, and individuals withstand catastrophe, including the Gulf Wars, Y2K, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession, the H1N1 pandemic, and notable industry disasters.

Then when COVID-19 swept the earth, and the $45 billion annual revenue cruise industry lost $65 billion in market value, David’s experience and advice guided companies toward recovery.

Drawing on counsel David has given countless clients, companies, and career professionals, Hard Ships helps people facing disruption, particularly those struggling in the aftermath of COVID-19. What works to stabilize the cruise industry works anywhere for anyone, from publicly traded companies to self-employed freelancers.

Hard Ships repurposes David Giersdorf’s hard-learned strategies for any situation, from pandemics and market panics to everyday personal change.

A clear, practical, and immediately applicable guide, Hard Ships offers step-by-step guidance with diverse, real-life examples to navigate dark storms, make sense in the fog, and steer back into clear waters.


Notable moments in this episode:
💥 18:17 - the untold truth of cruising industry during COVID-19
😲 25:05 - why you need David’s framework around chaos and disruption
🗡️ 39:43 - the six protocols to survival, stability, success

***

Follow David’s Journey:
Get your copy of ‘Hard Ships’ - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XYTLSS2
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgiersdorf/
Website - https://davidgiersdorf.com/

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

If you’re like most people, chances are you’re feeling the daily grind of go-go-go, do-do-do. And maybe that’s starting to wear on you but you’re not quite sure what to do, since those platitudes of “just slow down, learn to meditate” aren’t resonating. The good news is that you have an intrinsic toolkit you can apply to rest and rejuvenate all your key body systems. It’s called the Downstate, and Dr. Sara Mednick is here to tell you how to access it—and how it can truly change your life.

In her new book, The power of the ‘Downstate’, it’s about the key to rest and rejuvenation on a cellular level—and how to maximize it for energy, balance, and vitality.

Professor Sara C. Mednick is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine and author of The Hidden Power of the Downstate (Hachette Go!, pub date: April, 2022) and Take a Nap! Change Your Life. (Workman). She is passionate about understanding how the brain works through her research into sleep and the autonomic nervous system. Dr. Mednick’s seven-bedroom sleep lab works literally around-the-clock to discover methods for boosting cognition by napping, stimulating the brain with electricity, sound and light, and pharmacology. Her lab also investigates how the menstrual cycle and aging affect the brain. Her science has been continuously federally funded (National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense Office of Naval Research, DARPA).



Notable moments in this episode:
💥 08:18 - what this study is saying about stress correlated to your stress
😲 37:22 - what is happening to your mind-body during high-pressured environments
🗡️ 45:53 - the habits you can start today to be working effectively in Downstate

***

Follow Sara’s Journey:
Books - https://www.saramednick.com/books
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramednick/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarailoveyoumore/
Website - https://www.saramednick.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Sara_Mednick

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

Medically and militarily Jed has relied on grace and hard work to ground him and help him excel. These principles helped him score in the top 2% on his national emergency medicine exam, go straight through US Army Ranger School and earn Honor Graduate in the Army’s Airborne and the Special Forces Dive Medical Tech courses.

Outside of Medicine, Jed is passionate about service and fitness. He is an Isopure athlete and loves helping non-gym people work simple common sense fitness into their lives. Additionally, Jed has done humanitarian work on four different continents and teach clinical Ultrasound courses to Physicians in Panama and Peru. Domestically he is regularly involved with the Boys and Girls club, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Organization and the Denver Children’s Hospital Burn Camp.



Notable moments in this episode:
🗡️ 13:35 - the knife attack Jed dealt with in his first year as a doctor
😲 30:15 - how a brisk walk can be better for your health than a HIIT workout
⬆ 34:49 - what people can optimise during covid

***

Follow Jed’s Journey:
Men’s Health articles - https://www.menshealth.com/author/221189/Jedidiah-Ballard/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.jed_
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/FitEnough/

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

Mark Bowden is a world-renowned body language expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. Voted Global Gurus’ #1 Body Language Professional in the world, Mark’s unique GesturePlane™ system of nonverbal communication helps audiences maximize the power of using their own body language to stand out, win trust, and gain credibility every time they communicate.

Founder of communication training company TRUTHPLANE®, Mark’s live and virtual keynote speeches and training prove invaluable to business leaders and teams from influential companies across the world including Zoom, Shopify, Toyota, KPMG, American Express, the US Army and NATO; and prime ministers of G7 nations. Mark has years of experience training business and political leaders across the globe on how to use their body language both live and over digital media most effectively for superior communication.

His bestselling books on body language and human behaviour, translated into multiple languages, are: Winning Body Language; Winning Body Language for Sales Professionals; Tame the Primitive Brain; and Truth & Lies, What People are Really Thinking. Mark is a regular instructor for Canada’s #1-ranked EMBA program at Kellogg-Schulich School of Business, and he is President of the National Communication Coach Association of Canada.

Mark’s highly acclaimed TEDx talk “The Importance of Being In-Authentic” continues to reach millions of people, as does his own YouTube Channel and the weekly YouTube sensation “The Behavior Panel” as featured on The Dr. Phil Show. He is a go-to media commentator on the body language of politicians, celebrities and public figures, appearing regularly on CNN, CBS, and Global News, and he is frequently quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and GQ Magazine.


Notable moments in this episode:
😨 15:53 - how our brains process body language
❓ 27:13 - why is it important to make people not indifferent towards us?
😲 48:22 - the #1 thing you can do today to get better with body language

***

Follow Mark’s Journey:
TEDx talk - https://youtu.be/rk_SMBIW1mg
Books - https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Bowden/e/B0031H04AK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbowden1/
Website - https://truthplane.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truthplane/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/truthplane
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bowden_(English_author)

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

Vernon based, BC born and raised, Leah Goldstein challenges all who hear her message to push themselves past their perceived boundaries and live lives without limits. As a little girl, Leah wanted to be Bruce Lee and became the World Kickboxing champion at 17.

Leah then set her sights on the Israeli Defence Force and became the first female Elite Commando instructor in a male-dominated climate, where she had to fight for every advance she made. When part of
Leah’s anti-terrorism squad were brutally murdered, Leah was sent an anonymous note that she was next. She was released from the Israeli Military to pursue her dream of becoming a pro cyclist.

After a horrendous bike crash, she was told by doctors she would never ride again let alone walk without a cane. Leah continued to prove disbelievers wrong when she placed first in the women’s solo division of the world’s most arduous 3000-mile, single-stage cycling competition, Race Across America. In 2021, at 52 years old, Leah has made history as the first female to WIN the overall SOLO Division in the 39-year history of Race Across America.

From terrorist attacks to crashes and prize-winning podiums, Leah’s auto-biography “No Limits” shares her mental endurance and incredible never say never life story. No Limits is not about being fearless but about being unstoppable. With intensity and humour, “No Limits” demonstrates to the reader the possibility to move beyond perceived limits; it shares stories of fighting bullies, sexism, terrorism and the ongoing battle against the fear of a merely ordinary existence.


Notable moments in this episode:
❓ 21:17 - the importance of leaving a career because of YOUR dreams, not someone else's
😨 31:53 - the dangers of being a female Israeli commando
⚔️ 48:22 - winning a race across America on a bike

***

Follow Leah’s Journey:
Documentary trailer - https://youtu.be/KnvyMm-5YFM
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/leahgoldstein1
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahgoldstein1
Website - https://leahgoldstein.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goldstein_leah_
Twitter - https://twitter.com/nolimitsleah

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

RJ Singh is a corporate and ultra-endurance athlete, family man and is dedicated to the pursuit of self-mastery. His mission is to lead by example and share the Ultrahabits needed to achieve ultra-performance in all areas of your life.

His own journey involved chronic dysfunction which included violence, crime, youth detention, jails, and chronic addiction. With the support of mentors and frameworks, RJ embarked on the path of overcoming. Through his own experiences, he developed his own framework which empowered him to rebuild and refocus his mind, body, and spirit which in turn has led to limitless possibilities.

By RJ’s example and his interviews, this will provide you with the tools in the form of #ultrahabits that will enable you to perform at your optimum, ultra-performance as we call it is our true north as a movement and our sole mission is to help you to get there.

Who’s the other voice in this episode? That would be Tofe, RJ’s editor.


Notable moments in this episode:
❓ 10:03 - the defining moment that lead to addiction from age 13
😨 21:37 - at rock bottom on the way to death
⚔️ 38:54 - the most vital thing you need so you can build a habit-based mindset today

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Oberit - https://gr3f.co/c/50833/JYgMG
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

***

Follow Tofe’s Journey:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tofe-evans/
Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/soundboardwithtofe
Website - https://soundboardpodcasting.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soundboard_au/

Learn how to have a growth mindset from an Ironman, executive athlete, and super mom of five!

Joy McAdams lived and learned that there is no such thing as balance. It’s all about collaboration. True success is finishing with it all, not sacrificing one to have the other. It’s all about your mindset and creating ways to grow that mindset to accomplish your goals. It’s the ability to lead others while staying authentic and staying true to yourself.

Joy is also a LinkedIn Influencer that has built a community of over 100,000 followers and reaches 2 million viewers per month. She has spent the last 12 yrs teaching medical practices how to grow their practice through relationship building in the medical community and social media content


Notable moments in this episode:
❓ 08:59 - the #1 thing to teach your kids early on
😅 23:27 - what it’s like to lose everything and hit rock bottom with $0 in your name
⚔️ 38:30 - how you can habituate a growth mindset today

***

Follow Joy ’s Journey:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/Joy-McAdams/100002362656053/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jmcadams5/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-mcadams-59878a10a/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/joymcadams11
Website - www.jmcadamsconsulting.com

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits

After 15+ years working for and with some of the best US tech companies in the world, it was Will House’s time to give something back. From a young age, he had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

In 2016 he started his zero alcohol journey and since then has participated in a wide range of recovery programs. The failure and relapse rates are astonishing, and yet not surprising. The addiction crisis is skyrocketing, and the human and financial costs are massive, yet many recovery programs are, outdated, often expensive (or require insurance) and usually shame-based.

Will has set out to change all that with a rewards-based mobile app that incentivizes long-term mental wellness by building consistent healthy habits, eliminating destructive behaviours, earning digital rewards and unlocking exclusive subscriber deals from our brand partners in the in-app Marketplace that support a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle.

The app has been funded, developed and tested by friends in recovery to help others succeed in becoming their best selves and prevent mental health relapses. The goal is to improve and save people's lives; a mission to prove that modern rewards and incentives drive better behavioural outcomes than the shame and punishment of the past.


Notable moments in this episode:
❓ 03:56 - why Will created a product that will help you get on top of your habits
😨 10:41 - avoid making this lifestyle habit if you’re in a corporate sales role
⚔️ 25:59 - how Oberit can help you form healthier habits and get rewarded for it

***

Follow Will’s Journey:
Oberit app - https://www.getoberit.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willhouse1/

***

Follow & Subscribe to the Ultrahabits Journey:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-ultra-habits-podcast/id1551339373
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/0eWBOT8L1ShaRy5aoPxOHp
Facebook - facebook.com/ultrahabits
Instagram - instagram.com/ultra.habits/
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rj-singh-801a0436/
Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/32692468
YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UC6Wx-9NQ81K_4mZYCmoNGvQ
Website - ultrahabits.co/
Rate the podcast - https://ratethispodcast.com/ultrahabits