I had the pleasure of running the Hero Up Summit recently and discovered 5 key lessons from the attendees:

1. People struggle from a lack of direction, not motivation. If you're passionate about your purpose in life the motivation follows.

2. You can push yourself further than you think. I saw it in the Hero Obstacle Course, in the meetings, etc. You are capable of going further & farther.

3. Suffering alone sucks- having a good support system is everything.

4. Negative self-talk is the single biggest problem we all face. Master that and you're unstoppable.

5. Taking chances works out more often than not.

More of this in a future podcast, just wanted to drop this here for now.

I dig crossfit.  Like a lot. I love the workouts, I love the people, the music, the way I feel afterward, I love everything but the damn burpies and inchworms. Here's what it does for me:

• Relieves stress. It's an hour a day where email, texts, calls and obligations cannot find me. They are persona non-grata for 60 mins.  Glorious.

• Builds muscle. Building muscle is always good.  Someone once told me that muscles are like a bookshelf and your internal organs are like the books. Stronger the frame, the longer and more protected the books are.  I want to keep all the books in place for a long f'ing time personally.

A obviously gay barista lightly hit on me. He said he liked my outfit and that I looked good.  And while being hit on by anyone under the age of 70 shoots endorphins directly to my brain, this also gave me a little hope for our world. Here's why:

We're constantly bombarded by bad news. The sky is constantly falling. Politics suck, every country hates the US, our President is a goofball, etc. etc. 

Yet within this climate here's a dude who's unabashedly gay and unafraid to be really out.  He's so out he's hitting on an older guy in a coffee shop. For anyone under 35 this isn't a big deal but I remember in my 20s not knowing anyone who was publicly out.  Being gay back then was a pretty big deal. Now it's a bigger deal if you're vegan.

• Because not knowing what to do with your life is a scary place to exist

• Because I've had colossal failures that you can learn from

• Because finding your purpose & finding the confidence to go after it are your inalienable rights of being a goddamn human on this planet

• Because  this blog is meant to be a 'real' place online. No filler, lots of curse words and no crap meant to make me look good while you feel bad. You get the good and bad on here- just don't tell my dog about the bad:)

• Because your time is now. You are meant to have an awesome life.

• Because Instagram isn't real. No food looks that good, those smiles are mostly fake and their lives are as tough/crazy as yours

Have you ever wanted to start over and hit the reset button in your life? Maybe your career/relationship/health/friendships are not going the way you want and you’re ready to get back on track.

If so, then this podcast is for you.  

Starting over and getting back on track can be easier than you think.  In this episode, we discuss 27 simple ways to start over and get your life back on track.

If you’ve ever wondered how to write a book then today’s podcast is for you. The truth is we are all writers with a story to tell. Yes, even you (I see you shaking your head).

Writing a book is pretty cool. Publishing that book is even cooler.

On the show today I’m going to give you all the tips & tools to go from ‘person’ to ‘published author’. 

You can train and run a half-marathon.

You may think you can’t but I know you can.  

On today’s podcast you’ll hear how I was able to train and run a half marathon successfully despite a multitude of injuries (past & present) and despite utilizing a training program that was largely devoid of running. 

Check out the podcast today to hear about 34 unconventional ways to make this the best year of your life.  These aren’t the typical life lessons like ‘work hard’ or ‘be positive’ either.  

Those are great but today we dig into ideas to make you happier, have a better relationship, make more money, be more appreciated & effective at work, etc.

You’ll learn how to build confidence, choose success over perfection and why being opportunistic can be a bad idea (and what to do instead).

If you want to live a happier life and learn how to be happy then you should write a personal manifesto. 

A personal manifesto helps you determine what you want, what you don’t want and how you choose to direct your own life.  It gives you the power whether you’re a recent grad or starting over in life.

In this podcast we talk about how to write a personal manifesto and what to include. I also go through my personal manifesto and the different sections that you should include.

We are all filled with self-doubt. Sometimes it’s an occasional thing and sometimes it’s a constant in our lives. And that sucks.

Today’s episode deals with self-doubt and the penchant we have as human beings to be critical of ourselves and how to combat it.

It’s clear that confidence is one of the single biggest predictors of happiness and success in our lives. The more confident we are, the more successful & happier we usually are.

And if you want to learn how to build confidence you have to get self-doubt out of your life. In this episode I talk about a fascinating thing that happened to me at crossfit and how one person was able to change my perspective and stop my negative self-talk in it’s tracks.

On the podcast today learn how to build confidence & get fit with David de las Morenas, Founder of HowtoBeast.com.

David is is an awesome guy doing great work helping people build confidence & get fit in the process. On the show he talks about his background and how he built his own confidence by packing on 40+ lbs of muscle in 2 years. 

One of the coolest things about interviewing David is that he was so willing to be honest and transparent about his own struggles. He’s not the perfect guy who was both totally confident with 6 pack abs. He’s had the same struggles we’ve all had and he’s refreshingly open and honest about them. 

Blown away.

That’s exactly how I felt after having Ryan Michler as a guest on the podcast today. He’s the Founder of OrderofMan.com and his perspective on manhood and being a real man is both refreshing and inspiring.

Ryan is a husband, father, entrepreneur & war hero who lives in Utah with is family.

On the podcast we talk about what it’s like to be a man today and how men can both improve and enjoy their lives.  We talk about his journey from being a disillusioned financial planner to launching OrderofMan.com, a site that’s creating a brotherhood of men everywhere.

To put it plainly, Amber Zuckswert is dope as f*ck.*

She’s one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever had the pleasure to have on the show. She’s the embodiment of someone who’s created a heart-centered life of purpose and fullfullment while living in the jungles and beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.

Amber is the Founder of Epic Living Retreats (www.epicself.com) a wellness retreat center in Costa Rica. She is a pilates & yoag instructor, holistic plant-based nutritionist, modern/ballet dancer and all-around very cool person.

In the show today Amber talks about her life starting out in Santa Cruz, California to currently running a retreat center in Costa Rica. We get to hear about her lifelong passion for dancing and how she purposefully built a lifestyle around her passions and her commitment to service.

There are 11 not-so-common, yet very essential life lessons that are the key to a happy and successful life. In this episode of the Make Life Epic Podcast I talk about the lessons, their application and give you some examples from my own life.

My examples are either awesome (Success, I heeded the lesson!) or massive failures (I completely disregarded the lesson).  Either way, I hope you learn from my examples or at least get a laugh out of them.  

Trust me, my failures have been pretty amusing including dating a lesbian for 2 years when I lived in LA, convinced I could make her become attracted to me (embarrassing exercise in futility). That's just one of many, so enjoy..

Episode 42 of the Make Life Epic Podcast features Mike Cahill –Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, United States Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach and coach at CrossFit Society

On today’s show, we talk about Mike’s transformation from an overweight kid to Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

You’ll hear why sleep is so important and why you should stick to foods that don’t have an ingredient list (Apple anyone?).

We also talk about why ‘dieting’ doesn’t work and why eating fat is actually really good for you.

Episode 41 of the Make Life Epic Podcast features Steve Rodgers - Author, Business & Life Coach

Steve talks about his transformational journey from being a seasoned Real Estate professional (former CEO of Prudential California Realty) to starting his own venture to help people make the most of their lives.

You will get to hear about filling your ‘Hole in the Soul’ and being committed to making a change in your life and of others.

He is one of the few coaches I’ve ever spoken with that truly walks his talk. I really enjoyed speaking with him and learned a ton. I think you’ll dig this episode.

Dealing with social anxiety is something many of us face on a regular basis.  Hell, I'm a pretty extroverted guy and I deal with it often as well.  

Today we talk about social anxiety and how best to deal with it with my friend Jen Copyak.  She shares some great insights into how to combat social anxiety and how as a naturally introverted person she's been able to deal with social anxiety.

Very cool interview and I'm really grateful she was as open and honest about her challenges in this area as she was.

Let’s talk about sex!

Today on our show I talk to nationally recognized sociologist and sexologist, Dr. Jenn Gunsaullus.

She is a frequent speaker about sexual empowerment, healthy relationships, body image, erotic play, sexual health, and mindful sex. She has presented two TEDx Talks, is a writer on sex and relationships, and a recurring intimacy expert on the San Diego morning news. Dr. Jenn is also an active philanthropist and leader within the Women Give San Diego donor’s circle. She has over a million hits on her In the Den with Dr. Jenn YouTube video series.

Dr. Jenn was a blast to interview and I think you’ll really like this episode. You’ll see how a self-professed “good Catholic Girl” from Pennsylvania became the foremost expert in mindful sex...

An epic life of righteous awesomeness starts by leading with your heart.

In this unplanned, totally unscripted podcast I cover the 5 key steps to lead with your heart.

I recorded this just as I was about to leave my office one night a few days after I was in a hit & run car accident (which taught me a lot). I wasn't hurt but the woman who hit me still took off and it left me with these lessons.

Check it out and let me know what you think…

If you're wondering what the heck to do with your life and want to figure out your pose than this episode is for you. You'll learn the 15 most effective ways to figure out that Rubik's Cube of a problem we call "life".

We cover everything from how to do a future self-design to determining your 'Why' to the benefits of a walk-about.

You'll see the difference between your talents and skills and which one to focus on. 

So check it out and start figuring out how to create a life plan.