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Why Smart People Stay Stuck (And What to Do About It) with Michael Bernoff
🚀 What if the success you're chasing is being blocked by the version of you that feels safest?
In this episode of the Built On Purpose Podcast, Max Hansen sits down with Michael Bernoff, founder of the Human Communications Institute and author of Average Sucks. Michael shares how identity traps even high-functioning people, why willpower is overrated, and how your language patterns determine your outcomes.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why your current average is quietly running your life
✅ How small language changes can lead to massive behavior shifts
✅ Why mindset isn’t an add-on, it’s the whole operating system
✅ A simple two-day rule to rewire habits and build lasting momentum
🔥 Memorable Quotes:
✨ “You're not addicted to your problems because you're weak. You're addicted to your problems because they're familiar.” – Michael Bernoff
✨ “Discipline isn't the starting point. It's the outcome of doing something twice and realizing you can.” – Michael Bernoff
✨ “We train the people around us to respond to who we've been, not who we want to be.” – Michael Bernoff
🔗 Connect with Michael Bernoff:
Website: https://michaelbernoff.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_bernoff/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bernoff-ba5a3a4b/
📣 Connect with Max Hansen & Y Scouts:
Max Hansen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhansen/
Max Hansen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mhansen44/
Y Scouts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yscouts
Y Scouts Website: https://yscouts.com
🎙 Enjoyed the Episode? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share with someone who needs to hear this message. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, values, and impact.
View all episodes
By Max Hansen
4.6
1414 ratings
🚀 What if the success you're chasing is being blocked by the version of you that feels safest?
In this episode of the Built On Purpose Podcast, Max Hansen sits down with Michael Bernoff, founder of the Human Communications Institute and author of Average Sucks. Michael shares how identity traps even high-functioning people, why willpower is overrated, and how your language patterns determine your outcomes.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why your current average is quietly running your life
✅ How small language changes can lead to massive behavior shifts
✅ Why mindset isn’t an add-on, it’s the whole operating system
✅ A simple two-day rule to rewire habits and build lasting momentum
🔥 Memorable Quotes:
✨ “You're not addicted to your problems because you're weak. You're addicted to your problems because they're familiar.” – Michael Bernoff
✨ “Discipline isn't the starting point. It's the outcome of doing something twice and realizing you can.” – Michael Bernoff
✨ “We train the people around us to respond to who we've been, not who we want to be.” – Michael Bernoff
🔗 Connect with Michael Bernoff:
Website: https://michaelbernoff.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_bernoff/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bernoff-ba5a3a4b/
📣 Connect with Max Hansen & Y Scouts:
Max Hansen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhansen/
Max Hansen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mhansen44/
Y Scouts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yscouts
Y Scouts Website: https://yscouts.com
🎙 Enjoyed the Episode? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share with someone who needs to hear this message. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, values, and impact.