FI Minded: Bridging Pre FI Discipline and Post FI Freedom in Financial Independence

In episode 96, we talked about the FIRE Movement, a group of people who are focused on early retirement, sometimes decades before the traditional retirement age of 65. They’re doing this by building their passive assets to a level where it provides enough money for their living expenses.I love the idea of no longer needing a paycheck to afford my lifestyle and maybe you do too.This is the 2nd episode in our FIRE series where you’ll learn 5 potential paths to FIRE so you can determine which path is right for you.Key Takeaways:Selecting the post-retirement lifestyle that fits for youA breakdown of Lean, Fat, and Traditional FIREHow Coast or Barista FIRE could help you downshift your work earlierMentions:What is the FIRE Movement? Retire in Your 30s | E96: www.tsirpodcast.com/96More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Over the last decade of my career, I've found there is a subset of skills that can be a multiplier for your career growth. One of those super skills is effective communication. I’ve seen those that possess this skill take off leading projects, presenting at important meetings, and getting promotions.Being an average communicator versus an effective communicator can be really subtle. Sometimes it's the word choice, the framing of the conversation, or the preparation done beforehand. If you work towards mastering the nuance of this skill, you’re going to be the person people turn to in important situations.Brenden Kumarasamy, a good friend of our show, is back to discuss this nuance and give you a framework you can use today to level up your communication at work. We talked about team meetings, presentations, 1 on 1 connects. I hammered him with questions and he fired back with so much good tactical advice. This guy really knows his stuff.Brenden’s background includes coaching ambitious executives and entrepreneurs to be more effective communicators and he also has a popular YouTube channel called MasterTalk with the goal of providing free access to communication tools for everyone in the world. Brenden is really making an impact in this space and I feel so blessed that he spending time with you and me to level up our communication.If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new.Alright, let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the former accounting major, Justin Bieber fanatic, and Mr. MasterTalk himself…Brenden Kumarasamy.Key Takeaways:How to get the confidence to speak up at your team meetingsHow to speak in pyramids vs circlesBest practices for cross-functional departmentsHow to win the meeting before it even beginsHow to climb the corporate ladderHow to overcome stage frightSetting the tone in a presentationHow to prepare and craft a great presentationThe secret to not being boring when you speakTools to enhance your communication styleHow to level up your 1 on 1 networkingUsing 80/20 questions to get more clarity with your lifeMentions:Brenden’s 1st appearance on TSIR: Public Speaking Best Practices, Passion is Bogus, and Pitching a CEO l E16 Brenden KumarasamyMore of Brenden:Website: http://rockstarcommunicator.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MasterTalksLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendenkumarasamy/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masteryourtalk/More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Aside from corporate holidays and one-week vacations, we are going to have to wait until 65 for a total sense of freedom and choice.But do we? What if retirement was closer than that? Maybe in your 50s, your 40s, even your 30s.This might seem like a pipe dream but there is an entire movement all with this goal in mind. And it’s called FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early.In this episode, we are going to talk about the FIRE movement, how it’s redefining retirement, and how you can get on board.Key Takeaways:How to use the 4% rule to calculate your FI numberHow the FIRE Movement got started3 lessons you can learn from the FIRE MovementHow you can get started on your FIRE journeyMore of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

It’s fun to talk about success especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. We are all hoping for this grand journey where we start from the bottom but quickly make it to the top.That happened to my good friend, Chuck Cooper. His first business was wildly successful, until it wasn’t. All of a sudden, he found himself in shame never thinking he would have failed. It all seemed too easy.Luckily, Chuck is resourceful and found support to build himself back up and to build a new business in the making.In this conversation, Chuck and I talk about the ups and downs of being a business owner, the fundamental skills to be successful, let it be entrepreneurship or your traditional career path, and we throw in some baseball talk both as an analogy and my predictions about my beloved St. Louis Cardinals.Key Takeaways:What makes mentors want to invest in certain peopleEffective networking practicesHow to build your business by creating relationshipsWhat are employers looking for in their young talent?A key sales strategy: picking up the phoneRules you can set in place for better work life balanceWhy to consider a change in livingHow the game of baseball could give you comfort as a 20-somethingMore of Chuck:Website: https://whitewaterconsulting.net/Unprecedented: Building a Multi-Generational Business on Trust, Respect and the Valuing of People: https://www.amazon.com/Unprecedented-Building-Multi-Generational-Business-Respect-ebook/dp/B09YWR5Z1GMore of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

You’ve been doing a great job taking part of your paycheck and investing that money every month. You check your balance and you feel like “I’m not making as much progress as I thought I would.”Of course, the stock market performance plays a huge role in your return but that’s out of our control. If you’re properly diversifying, you’re doing what you can and the rest is fairly unpredictable.But you know what factor affects your portfolio’s performance that you can have a direct impact on? Fees.And luckily, with just a little bit of education and proper blueprint, you can minimize the fees you’re paying to maintain your investment portfolio. In this episode, we are going to be discussing 3 common investing fees, how to figure out if you’re paying them, and what you can do to reduce your cost.Key Takeaways:How a 2% fee can dramatically affect your investment returns3 common investing feesHow to figure out if you’re paying investments feesHow to reduce the costs of your investment feesMore of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I’m turning 30 next month and I’ve been unsure how I’ve felt about that. I’ve had countless conversations with guests that shared with me how silly it was to think they needed to “make something of themselves” by 30. Yet here I am, wondering if I’ve done enough to really make my 20-year-old self proud how I’ve spent the last decade.That 20-year-old Justin had high expectations about where he was going to be at 30. I’ve learned over the last decade that you can set your sights on something but life has a whole lot of serendipity. And I don’t know, that’s kind of the fun of it right? I mean, at 20, I would have never predicted podcasting would be such a significant aspect of my life.So here’s to me for letting go of any expectations, being proud of everything I have accomplished, and excited for what’s to come in this new decade.I’m done with my poetic monologue but it does set up my conversation with my friend, Paul Angone.Paul spent most of his 20s thinking he was a failure. Working at dead-end jobs to support his real dream of becoming a best-selling author, Paul grinded and hustled any moment he had - lunch breaks, late evenings, weekends - with the hope of creating something that sparked a fire.Sure enough, it eventually happened (although much longer than expected) and Paul has gone on to author best-selling books including 101 Secrets for Your Twenties, 101 Questions You Need to Ask in Your Twenties, and 25 Lies Twentysomethings Need to Stop Believing. His newest book, Listen to Your Day: The Life Changing Practice of Paying Attention, is out today and I recommend picking it up.Paul has spent so much time researching and understanding the unique struggles of being in your 20s. We get into a whole lot of conversation about these struggles including finding your purpose, feeling like a failure, and when to make sacrifices vs when to move on. You’re really going to like this one.100 reviews before our 100th episode (consider it an early birthday present). If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new.I hope you enjoy my conversation with…”20-something failure” turned 5-time author…Paul Angone. Key Takeaways:Why to consider sacrificing spending for timeWhen to keep going and when to give up a dreamHow to find your “signature sauce”Defining yourself in multiple waysA lesson learned from the Mayor of StarbucksHow to find your significance by embracing failureThe possibility of greatness and embarrassment in the same spaceWhy you can’t label something a failure or success too earlyHow to listen to the small details of your day to find the answers you’re looking forMentions:Searching for Sugar Man: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125608/More of Paul:Website: www.AllGroanUp.comListen to Your Day: https://allgroanup.com/books-2/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulangone/Signature Sauce course: https://signaturesauce.com/More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

So you messed up and need to apologize to someone? It was an honest mistake, you feel terrible, and you want to say sorry. How do you do that in a heartfelt, genuine way?A proper apology can quickly repair a relationship and lift a weight off of the givers shoulders but a bad apology…that can be disastrous and lead to even more hurt.Between politicians, CEOs, and celebrities, we have seen our fair share of examples of those bad apologies where blame was shifted and responsibility wasn’t taken.Luckily we have Jonathan Miller, a communication coach, to share with us a framework and give us an example of a good apology. This is a replay from an episode way back in the vault, episode 15, so I’m guessing you haven’t heard this one before and it was too good not to resurface.Jonathan shares a ton of great insight on how to have mindful communication like how to resolve conflict or how to compassionately deny an invite to a party. This episode is a great reminder that our words have impact and if you’re mindful about them, communication can be your superpower.If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, nothing for you to do, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new.I hope you enjoy my conversation with…the rock climbing, mediating, nomadic traveler…Jonathan Miller.Key Takeaways:The same words can be interpreted multiple waysHow to minimize conflict from miscommunicationInstead of good or bad, consider what works or doesn’t workDenying responsibility through our languageImpact of our wordsWhy conflict isn’t inherently badHow to give a heartfelt apologyMore of Jonathan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millerdjonathan/Website: https://www.level7.is/More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

In today's conversation, I went down this incredible, unplanned rabbit hole with my friend Megan Miller.We both have a mutual love for journaling and I spent the first half of this conversation asking a lot of questions around her specific practice. It really made me realize how much of an impact my simple journaling practice has left on me.I’m hoping this gives you some inspiration on how you could get started journaling and what benefits you can expect by doing so.Aside from being a journaling enthusiast, Megan is a coach centered around helping high achievers detox off the drug of achievement. We discuss the potentially negative impact of relying on our career for validation. I don’t think getting validation from my career is inherently bad but whenever I find that is the only area I’m relying on, this creates a major imbalance with my life.And surprise, surprise I kind of feel like I’m itching towards that right now and I’m curious for solutions so ask Megan questions about this subject too.Key Takeaways:How to make sure you start your day off the right wayCreate a journal practice that works for youHow journaling can remind you of all the progress you’ve madeDetoxing off the drug of achievementThe Gap and The Gain: high achievers guide to successFinding validation in other drawers of lifeMentions:The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy: https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362More of Megan:Website: https://www.megan-miller.com/Megan’s microstep journal: https://www.megan-miller.com/microstep-journalhttps://www.amazon.com/Voices-21st-Century-Women-Transforming-ebookMore of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Have you felt like you’ve been burning the candle at both ends? Are you trying to do too many things and feeling burnout?Maybe you need a Selfish Sunday.Cara Hays initially introduced me to this concept of Selfish Sundays. It’s pretty simple - she spends Sunday doing things for herself and she doesn’t judge herself for it. She might meal prep, do laundry, or just binge watch a TV show. Whatever she needs from herself on Sundays is what she does.I loved the idea so much that I stole it for myself, and it has really helped me with burnout. I was recently on my friend Anastasia Barbuzzi’s podcast, $HMoney Radio, talking about my Selfish Sundays. I wanted to share this with you in case you were looking for some inspiration and ideas on how you could overcome burnout.Key Takeaway:How Selfish Sunday’s might help you avoid burnoutMore of Anastasia Barbuzzi:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shmoneyradio/Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/shmoneyradioWebsite: https://www.shmoney.club/More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/jOoFuwRRIsl8iK3URyqU

We all dread it but that day eventually comes. It might be a cough that won’t go away, a potential sprained ankle, or you’re questioning a weird bump on your arm. We have no other option. We have to go see a doctor.How do I book an appointment again? Where’s my insurance card? How much is this going to cost me?Healthcare is confusing, frustrating, and overly complex. I do my best to avoid having to see a doctor but sometimes it is just unavoidable. I have to put on my big boy pants and figure it all out.This is the unglamorous part of being an adult. But with a little help, we can do this.And our help today is Dr. Judson Brandeis who is here to give us some insight on how the healthcare industry works.My favorite takeaway was how to better prepare for your next doctor’s visit. Apparently the average doctor’s visit is 16 minutes 14 seconds so if you come prepared with the right notes and documentation, not only will you be able to make the most of your time but these busy professionals will take you seriously too.Dr. Brandeis has an extensive list of credentials including being named Top Urologist in San Francisco, a national leader in technology and innovations in sexual medicine, the author of The 21st Century Man. Aside from some healthcare 101, we spend the second half of this conversation discussing how to be healthier than 90% of people and what your 20-something self can do to help out future you.Key Takeaways:How to better prepare for your doctor's visit How to find a primary care physicianHow to be healthier than 90% of peopleUsing the ABC method to build your body for lifeWhy you should consider limiting your alcohol intakeHow drinking leads to being overweightThe single most important factor to your longevityWhat you can do in your 20s to prevent erectile dysfunction Performance enhancing drugs and penis healthMore of Dr. Judson Brandeis:The 21st Century Man (book): https://thetwentyfirstcenturyman.com/Judson’s E-Books: https://brandeismd.com/ebooks/More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

LeBron James recently broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record. It was an amazing moment to watch and an impressive feat.But reading about this achievement, I uncovered an even more impressive LeBron record.What was the record and what did I learn from it? Tune in to find out.More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

When I started my first “big boy” job, I signed up for our 401K program. HR handed me this packet of papers and essentially said good luck.I remember sitting at my kitchen table that night trying to make sense of fund names, historical yields, and asset allocation charts.Nothing will make you realize school did not prepare you for the real world like that kind of moment. I remember thinking, wow I’m never going to understand this. When I have money, I need to hire someone to make these decisions for me.But I didn’t need a pricey advisor or even fancy software. I needed financial education so I could feel comfortable and confident in my choices.I thought it was going to take decades of experience or even having to go back to college to get a degree in finance but once I got serious, it only took me about a year of learning and practicing before I felt like I could handle the money choices that life threw at me.Today’s guest would argue that with her guidance, you’d only need 90 days to master your money and after getting to know her, I believe it.In her early 20s, Mills Bender was lost when it came to money. So lost that she woke up one day with $1.50 in her bank account. Mills started to demystify and understand the different facets of money. Now she helps others do the same through her financial coaching business, Mills Knows Bills.In this conversation, we cover a lot of money concepts including the cost of delaying investing, the 4 money mindsets, and creating a budget that reflects your priorities. We also discuss how to turn your passion into a business - something Mills has a little experience with.Key Takeaways:The cost of delaying investingHow to set up your 401K at workHiring employees based on skill set and value alignmentHow to turn your passion into a businessLand a mentor to accelerate your learningThe 4 money mindsets and how to identify which bucket you are inCreating a budget that is a reflection of your prioritiesMentions:I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Teach-You-Rich-Second-dp-1523505745/dp/1523505745/ref=dp_ob_image_bkFearless Money Mindset by Arian Simone: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Money-Mindset-Broke-Doesnt/dp/173483000XMore of Mills:Website: www.millsknowsmills.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/millsknowsbills/YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCK5C-sp5RaFeFg-LuczmMoADebt Payoff Webinar: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63ecee3e8e06d4dae9494316More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

You meet someone amazing and you have the best intention to stay in touch with them only to find years have gone by and you totally dropped the ball. You want to reach out now but it feels awkward and you overthink it. You never reach out and this potential friend, business partner, or employer just drifts out of your life. Staying connected with your network doesn’t need to be a challenge. In this episode, I want to share a tool I use to stay top of mind with my network and walk you through the step-by-step process on how to create, manage, and execute a “hot 100 list.” Key Takeaways:Why a process for remembering to reach out is importantHow to create a hot 100 listA script for what to say when you reach out More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Has the sexual chemistry in your relationship turned dull? Bedroom boredom is a really common issue in relationships so it is nothing to beat yourself up about. We get comfortable in our patterns. The same positions, techniques, and places although great at first, become predictable and eventually boring. I don’t need to ask a stupid rhetorical question here. I know you don’t want to have a boring sex life. Nobody wants that. So let’s reignite some excitement in the bedroom. But we know it’s not that simple or we’d be doing it already. How do I talk to my partner about this and once they’re on board, what do we do to “spice things up?” What if you had a list of ideas and someone to help bridge that conversation with you and your partner? Insert fan favorite guest, Susan Bratton, who first appeared on episode 63. Susan is back on to share something she created to help us with this exact problem: a sex life bucket list. In this conversation, Susan will walk you through how to create and use your sex life bucket list. Of course, if I have an hour with Susan, I’m not going to miss the opportunity to ask for some tips and techniques as well. We get into some hot and heavy conversations about ejaculatory choice, how to be louder in the bedroom, and how to share feedback to your partner that leaves them feeling encouraged. Finally, if you’re lacking confidence in your body, you’ll want to stay tuned in until the end because Susan brings it home with a reassuring monologue. Key Takeaways: Why you should care about your sex if you want to live a healthy life How to make a sexual offer that she says yes to Ideas for erotic play dates Using the Me Breathe to get ejaculatory choice How to be louder in the bedroom How to have better penis technique How to share feedback to your partner that leaves them feeling encouraged Building confidence in your body Mentions: Susan Bratton on TSIR Part 1: www.tsirpodcast.com/63 More of Susan: www.sexlifebucketlist.com www.FemaleLiquidOrgasm.com www.gspotjoy.com www.BetterLover.com www.PumpingGuide.com www.PersonalLifeMedia.com www.SexualSoulmatePact.com www.ExpandHerOrgasm.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

It might just be my circle but so many of my friends are recently single and I’m hearing the war stories of 1st dates. From coordinating plans, getting catfished, talking to a brick wall, and awkward goodbyes, I gotta say, I’m not jealous. Being in a long-term monogamous relationship has its struggles, but taking Gaby out on a date is not (usually) an exasperating process. I think it is totally justifiable and I see why this stress would keep you wavering in and out of the dating scene. I have thoughts and I’d love to help but being in a committed relationship for the last 5 years hasn’t left me with very little practical experience to share on this struggle. But our former guest, Cara Hays had a lot of great ideas so we pulled a clip from her interview, episode 43, where she shared practical tips on how to make 1st dates less stressful and more enjoyable. Key Takeaways:A simple strategy to make sure the date doesn’t go too longHow to take the stress out of what to wear Mentions:Cara Hays’ original episode on TSIR: www.tsirpodcast.com/43 More of Cara:Website: https://www.carahays.com/ More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I’m talking to my friend Jenny Foss who is a Job Search Strategist who has been in the game for quite a while helping people navigate job searches, advance their careers, and make career pivots. We start with how to bridge the gap between the job you have and the job you want. Jenny shares the secrets of what makes a great resume and I’ll give you a spoiler, it is not Times New Roman, on 1-inch margins, on one-page. She has way more useful advice than that. At the end of our conversation, Jenny breaks down a step-by-step process to ask someone and conduct a successful informational interview. I’ve always hated writing cover letters, but Jenny walked me through a simple framework for writing a cover letter so they don’t sound generic and actually showcase your value as a candidate. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the career consultant and newly published author of Do This, Not That Career….Jenny Foss. Key Takeaways: How to job craft your current role How to bridge the gap between the job you have and the job you want What makes a great resume How to write a compelling cover letter How to make sure your resume makes it through resume scanning software Use information interviews to land a job with your dream company How to share your accomplishments without coming across as bragging Are pay transparency laws working? Mentions: Using Job Crafting to Increase Your Career Satisfaction l E21 Dr. Benjamin Ritter - www.tsirpodcast.com/21 More of Jenny: Do This, Not That: Career: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Do-This-Not-That-Career/Jenny-Foss/Do-This-Not-That/9781507219669 LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ask-make-most-informational-interview-jenny-foss/?trackingId=ySRyz0xfS9acXbdDF6XVEQ%3D%3D Website: www.jobjenny.com More of The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Where are you at with your 2023 New Year’s resolutions? Are things going better than ever? Awesome! But if you’re like the majority of people, your goals might be wavering or even worse, you might have completely abandoned them. The good news is the year is still young. We have plenty of time to get back on track with our 2023 goals and in this episode, we’ll discuss 3 tips for doing just that. Key Takeaways:Making your goals sustainableOpt-out versus opt-in methodWhy you should find an accountability partner  More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

19 cents. That’s how much in interest that my bank paid me in 2022. I’m not sure if that makes me want to cry, yell, or laugh but those are none of the feelings that I want to have when it comes to calculating my annual bank interest. The good news is, I don’t keep a ton of money in my savings account. Simply a couple thousand dollars that acts as an emergency fund. But that comical calculation would make me furious if I had tens of thousands of dollars in my savings account. The last few years have shown us the real impact of inflation. An item that cost $100 in 2020 cost roughly $115 today using the average cumulative rate of inflation. What does that mean? Just to break even, you want your money keeping up at the same rate. 19 cents isn’t going to do that for me. Luckily Jeremy Keil is here to give us some strategies on how we can make more interest from our savings. We also talk about how much money you should have in your bank account, what are I bonds and how you can use them for short savings, and why, even as a young adult, you shouldn’t discount social security in your retirement plan. Key Takeaways:Why are interest rates continuing to go up?How is inflation calculated?How much money should I have in my bank account?How to find the best bank account interest rates?Automate your bank savings rate using maxmyinterest.comWhat are I bonds and how to use them to get more interest out of your savingsWhere to buy I bondsWhat are treasury bonds?How to negotiate your interest rates with your current bankWhy social security is going to be around for you when you get olderHow is social security calculatedHow to fix social securityAsk better questions with motivational interviewing Mentions:www.bankrate.comwww.maxmyinterest.comwww.treasurydirect.gov More of Jeremy:www.retirement-revealed.com More of Justin & The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I hope you’ve taken the New Year as an opportunity to set priorities and state your goals. In today’s episode, we will discuss how to create systems in order to accomplish those goals. My friend, David Ward from RunnersFI.com, is joining me in this conversation. From unhealthy and overweight to completing an ultra-marathon, David knows a thing or two about accomplishing the goals you set for yourself. We will also discuss how to get started on your goal, when to use internal and external motivation, and escalating the meaning behind your goal with a concrete why. Key Takeaways:How to get started on your goalsIt’s good to goal set but you need to create systems tooExternal motivation helps with the tough times but internal motivation keeps progressEscalate your goal with a why Mentions:Are You Setting Goals or Are You Developing Systems?: https://runnersfi.com/are-you-setting-goals-or-are-you-developing-systems/Atomic Habits by James ClearJesse Cramer on TSIR: www.tsirpodcast.com/75 More of David:www.runnersfi.comRunnersFI Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/472890344715095 More of The Struggle is Real:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I remember being so furious with my dad because I felt like I was the only 16-year-old in my friend group that paid for their own car insurance. Looking back now, I really appreciate him making me handle my financial responsibilities early on. Don’t get me wrong I still take advantage of my parents picking up the tab at dinner or paying for the hotel on a family vacation but I pay my own bills and it makes me feel so empowered being financially independent. This was the first step toward my parents seeing me as financially mature. Maybe you’re someone who’s been taking care of yourself since you were a teenager or you might feel guilty that your parents are still financially supporting you. I’m here to tell you there is nothing wrong with being a young adult and getting support from your parents. Life is expensive and I don’t think it's a smart idea to rack up credit card debt to try to prove that you can pay for your own things. Although the financial support might be nice, I know you want to be seen as mature enough to make your own money and handle it appropriately. That’s what this conversation is about today. How do I move towards this goal without making a huge mistake? How do I gain trust from my parents? My friend Clifton Corbin is going to share some advice as he’s gone through this journey himself. After making a mess of his finances in his early 20s by racking up debt and destroying his credit, his parents lost faith in him. Luckily, he turned things around and eventually earned back trust with his parents. If you’re looking for what you should do and what shouldn’t in your own journey, this is a great place to start. We also talk about how to stop trading your time for money, how to know when you’re ready for kids, and how to maintain your identity whenever you become a parent. If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the basement DJ, PTA Chair, and Author of Your Kids, Their Money…Clifton Corbin. Key Takeaways: How to stop trading time for money How money scripts affect your risk tolerance What to do when you find yourself in credit card debt How to cut the financial umbilical cord How to know when you’re ready for kids How to maintain your identity whenever you become a parent Good parenting principles Mentions: Mason Burchette on TSIR: www.tsirpodcast.com/71 More of Clifton: The Richest Man In Babylon by George Clason, Edited by Clifton Corbin: https://www.amazon.com/Richest-Man-Babylon-Illustrated-Revised/dp/1777869544 Your Kids, Their Money by Clifton Corbin: https://books2read.com/YourKidsTheirMoney Website: www.cliftoncorbin.com More of Justin & The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

It was fall of 2019 and I was absolutely lost with my career. 3 months prior, I had just left a longtime employer to try something else. Here I was in this new job with a fancy title and absolutely hating it. The problem was, I wasn’t sure what to do about it. Of course, I knew this role wasn’t a long term fit for me, but I wasn’t actually sure what was. I figured staying put was my best option until I figured things out but the unhappiness and anxiety around this role was clouding any sensible judgment for what my immediate future should be. Then I made my best career decision, I decided to take some time off. From January 2020 to August 2020, I created a sabbatical for myself. This break created distance from my career and that distance is what actually helped me gain clarity on my future career path. I’m not saying I have everything figured out now but I have such a healthier relationship with my career and I used that time off to do something that brings me so much joy now….I created a podcast. My good friend Krista Edwards had a similar experience. She needed a shakeup and turned to a career break as well. She spent 5.5 months hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a long-distance thru hike which spans 2,650 miles. We are both going to share stories from experience and transformation and discuss why a career break might be the exact thing you need right now. If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. I hope you enjoy my conversation…the Queen of Roth IRAs and the monster athlete herself…Krista Edwards Key Takeaways: Appreciate where you are because everything is temporary Being able to let go as an overachiever Invest in your lifestyle not just your career How to become comfortable taking time off from your career When it might be a good time to take a career break Why the Roth IRA is the perfect retirement account for low to middle income How to access money in your Roth IRA without getting taxed or penalized Mentions: I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Sean Mullaney: www.tsirpodcast.com/39 and www.tsirpodcast.com/40 More of Krista: Ready to Roth TikTok Ready to Roth Instagram Ready to Roth Podcast on Apple and Spotify www.readytoroth.com More of Justin & The Struggle is Real: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Today’s episode is an exciting conversation with Chris Sparks, a retired professional poker player although I think he uses the term retired fairly loosely. I’ll settle somewhere in the middle and call him a well-paid hobbyist. Chris has played over 2 million hands of poker across thousands of tournaments including main events tournaments like World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, and the European, Asian-Pacific, and Latin American Poker Tour. During his hay days, he had a fast and furious climb that eventually led him to being ranked in the top 20 online cash game players in the world. In our conversation, Chris shares stories about his growth as a poker player. He’ll also teach us the meta-skills of high stakes poker that can be extrapolated and applied to our own life. By listening to this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize a good bet, how to take action with incomplete information, and the benefits of focusing on the process versus being results-oriented. If you’re a listener of the show and haven’t left us a rating and review, we’d really appreciate it if you did. And if you’re new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let’s learn something new. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the man who started playing poker in college for fun but eventually used it to pay for his tuition…Chris Sparks. Key Takeaways: Why Chris tried standup comedy How Chris uses retirement in order to reprioritize what he currently wants his life to look like How you can turn bad luck into good fortune The “Poker House” How to use a forcing function to accomplish your goal How to take action without complete information Emotions have to be a part of the decision-making process Skill acquisition is a long game so be kind to yourself, have fun, and stay curious Mentions: Expected Value Calculator: www.forcingfunction.com/evc Play to Win Article: https://www.forcingfunction.com/articles/play-to-win Experiment Without Limits Workbook: https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook Performance Assessment: https://www.forcingfunction.com/assessment Team Performance Training: https://www.forcingfunction.com/team-training More of Chris: www.forcingfunction.com More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I did not know how beneficial fiber was prior to this conversation and I wouldn’t even have been able to tell you fiber was only found in plants. I’m excited about this episode though. I had a blast researching and preparing for this conversation. It has been a while since I’ve dug deep into a health-focused subject. Our last was with Dr. Jennifer Reid in August when we talked about sleep, and looking at the numbers, I know you are interested in health topics. Joining me today on the podcast today are the Co-Founders of Florasophy, an organic soluble fiber supplement. Megan Barnett and Lee Carson created this company after Megan stumbled across the incredible benefits of soluble fiber and began using it in her functional medicine clinic. Megan and Lee both believe in a science-based approach to alleviating health issues and focusing on preventive health in order to stay out of the medical system. Getting adequate daily fiber, particularly soluble fiber, is an easy step someone can take. If you want to know all the benefits of fiber and what foods you can eat to get to a suitable level, you’re in the right place. We’ll be discussing that plus other health related topics like Megan’s opinion on intermittent fasting and an explanation on what the heck microbiome is. Key Takeaways: How Lee’s experience with her mom motivated her to stay out of the western medical system and focus on preventive health Why Megan went from “Busch-drinking, cigarette smoking” general contractor to a dietician What is microbiome and gut health? Adding weight training to your weekly routine for a balanced, preventive exercise program What is fiber and why is it beneficial for our health? Using fiber to help with imbalanced hormones How much fiber should you be eating and what should I eat? Who might benefit from intermittent fasting…and who wouldn’t? When should you supplement? Mentions: Karen Hurd (The Bean Queen) More of Megan and Lee: https://thinkflorasophy.com/ (discount code is TheStruggleIsReal20) More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

If you’re paying attention to your portfolio right now, you know the stock market has been on a nosedive, and if you’re anything like me, this market drop has you feeling discouraged. I continue doing all the right things. I maxed out my IRA, I’m dollar cost averaging through my 401K, and even investing my net earnings in my brokerage account. All of this yet I’m still seeing my networth go backwards. I’m beginning to question if investing my money is still the right thing to do. Well luckily my friend Jesse Cramer is here to talk me off the ledge. It could be investing for your future or changing your career path to align with your passion. Jesse reminded me that the right choice doesn't always create short-term success but over the long-run, it will. Aside from being my personal therapist, Jesse has had a ton of success in creating his personal finance blog, The Best Interest. His writing has also been featured in CNBC, MSN, the Motley Fool, Yahoo Finance, and more. Jesse started The Best Interest blog in 2018 when he was working as an engineer but over the last year, realizing how much passion he had for personal finance, he made a career pivot and now works for a wealth management firm. If you are considering changing careers to align more with your passion, this will be a great episode to listen to. Jesse shares his thought process behind his decision even though it meant taking a pay cut (for now). We get into a lot of money conversation as well including the financial order of operations, investing in the market vs investing in yourself, and a useful thought process called the success to stress ratio. From my “lost and confused” to my senior investors, this episode has something for everyone. Key Takeaways: - How Jesse went from being lost with finances to a personal finance blogger - Why Jesse took a pay cut to switch careers - Why making the right choice now will lead to success in the long-run even if in the short-term it doesn’t pay off - Using the financial order of operation to get started investing - Should I invest or pay off debt first? What about investing in a business? - How to get started budgeting - Success to stress ratio - What Dave Ramsey got right about credit cards (absolute rules) - Merging money with your significant other Mentions: Joel O’Leary on TSIR (Apple Podcasts or Spotify) Darren Chait on TSIR (Apple Podcasts or Spotify) More of Jesse: Blog: https://bestinterest.blog/ Twitter: @BestInterest_JC Money Mastermind: 30 Authors, 100+ Topics, One Essential Personal Finance Book More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

The amazing Brian Bogert is joining me on the podcast today. At 7 years old, his life transformed in a blink of an eye after he was in a vehicle accident that his left arm was detached. Instead of dwelling in the suffering, he fully recovered with a reattached arm thanks to his persistent and proactive focus. Today, Brian is a lot of things: entrepreneur, coach, speaker, business strategist, author, and philanthropist. But he would say his two most important titles are husband and father. It took chasing traditional success for him to realize this though. At 27, Brian had it all on paper after he helped grow a risk management firm from $250,000 to over $15,000,000. He had an abundance of money, a nice house, and a cool car but after being absent from the first 6 months of his baby’s life, he put an end to chasing traditional success. He stopped the era of “what” to begin the era of “who.” The people in his life now became his focus. You’ll have many takeaways from this episode including understanding the critical questions in your life, how to focus less on what and more on who, and how to embrace pain to avoid suffering. We also get into a really interesting discussion about anger near the end of the conversation. Key Takeaways: - Be where your feet are. Developing awareness and intentionality. - Giving feedback and hearing their questions - Brian’s life transforming truck accident and how that shaped him moving forward - Dealing with anger Mentions: www.Nolimitsprelude.com More of Brian: https://brianbogert.com/ More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

As much as I’d want to work on The Struggle is Real full-time, I do have a day job. I could gripe about my 9-5 but I actually really enjoy my job at MMA. I like who I work with, who I work for, and what I work on. It also creates really cool opportunities like the one you’re going to hear today. A colleague who leads an internal learning and development initiative called MMATalks asked if I wanted to present at their monthly webinar series. MMATalks sits at the crossroads of personal development, professional skills, and DE&I awareness. Of course, I was in, and at first, I figured I’d cover a professional skill like networking or email management but instead, I decided to merge my two lives together and do what I do best, host a conversation. I asked two former podcast guests to join me, Ahmad Jabbir (E61) and Nate Dukes (E41). I was grateful they said yes. Our goal for this talk was to illustrate Ahmad and Nate’s life experiences that lead to judgment from others (and themselves) and how they built back confidence. You’ll hear about how childhood teasing led to Ahmad’s struggle with confidence, how Nate found himself in a Tennessee jail after a string of bad decisions, and how they both overcame external judgment and turned their lives around. Show Notes: [5:55] Why Ahmad wanted to meet 100 strangers [9:49] Saying yes [15:21] From successful business owner to handcuffed in the back of a cop car [25:02] Breaking the thought that he was stupid by reading 100 books [28:03] Two types of people you need in your life [31:56] Strangers are kinder than I thought [37:35] Walgreens encounter [41:12] How you don’t let external judgment affect you [44:06] Why it isn’t worth revisiting your haters Mentions: Listen to Ahmad Jabbir on The Struggle is Real: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6b70qMksxQucIforKcPu7R Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tedx-speaker-on-betting-on-yourself-seeking-discomfort/id1496701179?i=1000558592368 Listen to Nate Dukes on The Struggle is Real: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2F1MOGXYJb3svZyW8uX3qT Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/former-inmate-on-believing-in-yourself-creating-your/id1496701179?i=1000532168048 Ahmad Jabbir’s TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHw30Rdplaw&t=366s More of Ahmad: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmadjabbir/ More of Nate: www.YoullNeverChange.com More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I did not anticipate one of the biggest struggles in my 20s would be making friends. It was so easy in high school and college when I was surrounded by people. Although I have been lonely at times, I rarely spoke about it. I guess I had shame around feeling lonely but that line of thinking is changing for me. It initially started when I was preparing for episode 49 with Michael Bauman where we discussed loneliness. That opened up my eyes to the fact that more people are lonely than I thought. Then when preparing for this episode, Jewel Hohman, today’s guest, shared a New York Post article with me that surfaced many surprising findings including survey results from adults affirming that 45% of them find it difficult to make a new friend. It also mentioned confidence in making friends peaked at the age of 23. Survey results aside, when talking to others, I found I am not alone. Many adults find it hard to make friends. I’m excited to finally tackle this topic on The Struggle is Real. Jewel Hohman is a friendship expert. Through her work, she helps people stop overthinking their relationships and feel confident being themselves so that they can create the deep friendships they have been craving. In this episode, we discuss 3 things every friendship needs, where to meet new people, and how to stop being awkward in conversation. I hope a blend of practical advice and emotional reassurance motivates you to get out there and give making friends another try. If you like this episode, share it with a friend, leave a rating and review, and if you don’t want to miss the next episode, hit the follow button. Show Notes: [1:57] Why is making friends harder as we get older? [6:03] How Jewel struggled making friends [11:17] Same sex friendship [20:31] Avoiding awkwardness and overcoming your shyness when talking to someone [26:02] The problem with judging other people [27:45] Your thoughts are not facts [32:03] 3 things every friendship needs Mentions: The Damaging Consequences of Loneliness and What You Can Do About It l E49 Michael Bauman on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Why the average American hasn’t made a new friend in 5 years (New York Post) More of Jewel: Instagram Website More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I feel like I always gravitate towards stories about taking a chance. Ahmad Jabbir’s story about how he went above and beyond during his job interview comes to mind. I really enjoy them and these stories provide a much needed reminder. As I get older, I feel like I’m making more conservative choices. If that is true or not, objectively I’m not sure I could say. I think it is important to try things that might include risk, assuming it has positive upside and you’ve considered how you can minimize the negative. I invited my friend Mason Burchette back on the podcast. He first appeared on The Struggles is Real on episode 30 where we discussed some of his best advice from his book, How to Make Sure You Never Get Promoted: An Antithetical Guide to Succeeding in Your Career. Aside from wanting an excuse to catch up, I invited Mason back on the show because he’s made a life changing decision. He left his role as a Director of Marketing and Development to start his own business. Knowing Mason has a similar risk tolerance as me, I wanted to understand how he came to this decision. We also talk about legacy, business principles, and why Chick-fil-A isn’t a chicken company but actually a leadership development academy. Show Notes: [2:31] Going from employee to entrepreneur [5:55] Building a legacy for future generations [8:44] Evaluating risk on the value you can gain, not what you can lose [12:43] Why Chick-fil-A isn’t a chicken company but actually a leadership development academy [16:09] How to leave your job gracefully [21:53] How to avoid living paycheck to paycheck by delaying gratification [39:43] Balance business with family Mentions: 26 Year Old Director Shares Advice on How to Quickly Rise Through the Ranks I E30 - Mason Burchette (Apple Podcasts or Spotify) How to Make Sure You Never Get Promoted: An Antithetical Guide To Succeeding in Your Career by Mason Burchette How to Always Live Paycheck to Paycheck: An Antithetical Guide to Fixing Your Finances Financial Peace for the Next Generation by Dave Ramsey The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason More of Mason: The Crush It Team website Mason Burchette's personal website More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Going into college, Grace was pre-med and planning on becoming a doctor. She found out through taking classes and trying internships, that this wasn’t the right path for her. Instead, her twisted journey led her to therapy. Although this wasn’t her plan going into college, Grace shares that looking back now, she’s really appreciated the unclear route. What’s the fun in having an obvious and predictable plan? But I get it, no one likes feeling lost either. Now as a therapist, Grace supports her clients as they navigate their own ups and downs of life. She has transitioned from solo therapist to building her practice, Grace Therapy & Wellness, and if you are a Texas resident, I recommend checking her out. By listening to this episode, you’ll learn how to use value cards to uncover what’s important to you, how to listen to your nervous system, and what happens when you ask better questions. Show Notes: [2:23] Developing communication skills as a therapist [9:58] Grace’s story to finding therapy [19:11] What’s it like being in your 30s [25:18] Life transitions and finding your path in your 20s [28:24] Using value cards to uncover what’s important to you [38:25] Polyvagal theory and the nervous system Mentions: Larry Hagner (E56) on The Struggle is Real - Apple Podcasts or Spotify More of Grace: www.GraceTherapyAustin.com More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Rose Lounsbury is a simplicity coach, speaker, and author of the book, Less: Minimalism, For Real. Rose’s minimalist journey started with being an overwhelmed mom, and I really mean overwhelmed. She is the mom of triplets. She’d come home from work, start her second shift of being a mom, and finally get her 3 2-year-olds to bed just in time to spend her last waking hour cleaning up the mess from the day. Rose was tired of this but didn’t know what to do until a friend mentioned minimalism. She immediately resonated with the lifestyle and spent the next year purging 70% of her possessions. Rose found this lifestyle so impactful that she began applying simplification into other areas of her life such as money and her career. Now, Rose helps overwhelmed people create open spaces in their homes, workspaces, and most importantly, their minds, by letting go of the excess stuff that gets in the way. We talked extensively about how the concept of simplifying can be applied to different areas of your life. We also start the conversation discussing overachievement and the negative impact associated with defining yourself by how much you have gotten done. Show Notes: [2:23] Betting a haircut on a accomplishing a goal [9:33] Rose’s struggle with overachievement and what she did about it [24:14] How triplets lead to home organizing [30:26] Getting exposed to minimalism [33:01] Rose’s hardest step: letting go of her teaching supplies [42:03] Minimalism vs simplicity [47:17] How using a budget simplified her finances Mentions: E33 - Lucy Milligan Wahl More of Rose: Less: Minimalism, For Real by Rose Lounsbury Website More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

There is nothing better than waking up in the morning feeling refreshed and energized. I love a good night’s sleep. On the flip side, if I didn’t get enough quality sleep, I might as well just take the L and call it a personal day. As soon as I learned this about myself, I became attune to good sleep habits. I have no idea how I survived through college with an inconsistent sleep schedule, late night drinking, and early morning call times. I never looked at sleep as a critical aspect of my health like I did exercise and food. If you take your sleep seriously like me, or are interested in improving in this area of health, you are going to love this conversation today. Dr. Jennifer Reid is a board-certified psychiatrist who focuses on insomnia and anxiety. She is also an award-winning medical educator, regular contributor to Psychology Today with her blog, Think Like a Shrink, and the Host of the podcast, The Reflective Doc. Jennifer really impressed me with her extensive knowledge of sleep. We cover a ton of great topics including marijuana and sleep, social jetlag, and her thoughts on sleep tracking wearables. We also conclude the episode discussing anxiety. Dr. Reid gives really great actionable advice on reframing “what if” claims to “if then” statements. Show Notes: [2:08] Data around cannabis and what Jennifer learned [9:50] Why is sleep important [16:49] Chronotypes and how sleep shifts throughout your life [22:14] Social jetlag [25:04] Sleep hygiene tips and alcohol use [30:16] Caffeine and sleep drive [34:44] Managing jet lag when traveling [36:39] Jennifer’s thoughts on wearables [40:19] The Anxious Mind and changing what if to if then Mentions: The Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck More of Jennifer: Website More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I try not to dwell on many regrets in life but one opportunity I wish I would have taken advantage of was my university’s study abroad program. I went on my first international trip outside of North America in 2015, the week following my college graduation. I knew I was going to have fun and I was excited to explore Europe but I didn’t realize how much it would change my perspective on life. I’ve been prioritizing traveling ever since then and it’s one of the few universal suggestions I encourage other people to try. One person who needs no encouragement is today’s guest, Sydney Summerlin. From a young age, you could find her traveling the globe. At first, Sydney’s mom accompanied her on most of these trips. Now, she does a lot of traveling solo or with her twin sister. One of the most impressive characteristics of Sydney is her emotional intelligence. Her open-mindedness, empathy, and curiosity are obvious. I’m guessing all of her traveling helped refine these qualities. In this episode, we’ll be talking about traveling along with Sydney’s quest into healthcare where she is planning on working in pediatric oncology. Show Notes: [2:14] Why everyone should consider traveling [11:07] What did Sydney learn from other international healthcare systems [32:05] Learning to listen and empathize [39:17] Staying positive while applying to med school More of Sydney: Instagram: @syd_with_a_y More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I never realized how much of an impact my manager could have on my job satisfaction until I’ve had both the good and the lousy. Experiencing both has assured me one thing, I want to become an exceptional leader. To continue learning, I consume a lot of leadership content. One of my favorite creators I come across is Makeda Andrews. I really liked her straight-forwardness, relatable advice, and of course, all of the bright colors. I was actually surprised to find out Makeda started her professional career not having any interest in managing a team one day. But that script didn’t last long. 6-months into the job, Makeda was approached by the President of the company and offered an opportunity to manage a team. With a little reluctance, she accepted the position. Makeda eventually led her department to becoming a strategic division of the company. Makeda is now a leadership coach where she works specifically with first time managers to become confident, competent and effective leaders. I know so many of you are currently moving into or towards leadership positions in your company right now. Makeda shares a lot of tangible advice like how to deal with an underperforming employee, how to guide team members to solve problems, and when to speak in outcome versus activity. Show Notes: [3:52] The responsibility that comes with being a leader [13:02] Makeda’s leadership journey [15:52] The mentor Makeda needed to build her confidence [24:04] Guiding team members to solve problems [28:22] Becoming an awesome-sauce manager [32:13] How Makeda got into leadership coaching [36:04] Speaking in outcome vs activity [40:16] Using the ACAC model for underperforming employees More of Makeda: www.makedaandrews.com Makeda Andrews on YouTube More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I have something different for you today. This is a replay from my good friend Andrew Biernat’s show: Your Personal Growth, Personal Brand Podcast. Andrew asked me a lot of great questions about The Struggle is Real including how the show got started, how I go about selecting topics and guests, and the one person who really influences my conversations. Of course, it is hard for me to take my podcaster hat off. I turned the tables and asked Andrew a few questions as well. One thread in particular is a story about the dark side of personal growth. We also conclude with a great conversation about some of our career missteps and how we’ve both used our podcasts to explore business adventures. Show Notes: [1:09] How The Struggle is Real (TSIR) got started [3:49] Interesting guests on TSIR recently and how we select topics [7:12] The dark side of personal growth [13:27] The journey of building TSIR [19:34] Using TSIR as my personal development plan [30:23] The 1 person that influences TSIR the most [33.:56] How Justin and Andrew’s business adventures lead to career relief Mentions: Tools of Titan by Tim Ferriss Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris Atomic Habits by James Clear More of Andrew: Your Personal Growth, Personal Brand Podcast More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

You all know I’m a sucker for a good early retirement story. Jackie Cummings Koski retired at 49 years old and now spends her time creating a financially literate society. Retiring in your 40s is impressive in itself but Jackie did this with no head start. She grew up in poverty with her dad and 5 siblings. She barely graduated college with passing grades because she had to work full-time. Then Jackie went on to raise her daughter as a single mom after an early divorce. Does that sound like a candidate for early retirement? I don’t think so but Jackie made it happen through a lot of self-education and hustle. Speaking of education, Jackie became quite the expert in healthcare and in this episode, Jackie shares a lot of methodologies for cutting your healthcare costs. Of course Jackie is a huge advocate for my favorite tax-advantage account: the HSA. I have never seen a health savings account as well-funded as Jackie’s. Last we spoke, her HSA had over $150,000 in it.. Show Notes: [1:43] Jackie’s story from poverty to financial independence [19:40] How Jackie retired by 49 year olds without ever making a 6-figure salary [22:57] Is an HSA right for you? [32:06] How Jackie grew her HSA to $150,000 [39:14] Tips for cutting healthcare costs Mentions: Why You Should Consider Having a Health Savings Account (HSA) | E40 Sean Mullaney CostPlus Drugs (Mark Cuban's pharmacy company) goodrx.com More of Jackie: Jackie’s Linktr.ee VisuallyAmber.com More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

With high school teachers and porn stars being our instructors, I’m not surprised sex is awkward and unrealistic. But at least we have our friends to talk to, right? Well through my personal experience, we are comfortable boasting about the highs of our sex life but I don’t hear too much conversation about body image issues, pre-mature ejaculation, and depleting sex drive. As you can see from the title and our intro so far, today’s conversation is going to be a bit explicit. Our guest is a straight-shooter so this is your warning to look out for young ears. Speaking of today’s guest, joining me is Susan Bratton. For 20 years, Susan has been empowering singles and couples across the gender spectrum to have hot, intimate sex. Susan believes that shame-free, frequent sexual pleasure is every person’s birthright. Susan wasn’t always this sex expert. Like most of us, she lacked the know-how in order to maintain intimacy and passion in her relationship. After 11 years of lackluster sex in her marriage, she hit a tipping point, and told her partner it wasn’t working. But instead of giving up, they went to therapy, frequented sex workshops, and started a journey to transform their sex life. With this episode, I hope to de-stigmatize the discussion around sex. It’s a skill. You have to put effort into learning how to have great sex and there's nothing wrong with that. It’s okay to lack confidence in this area. I’m guessing there hasn’t been a lot of real education up until this point. But that changes here. We jump right into orgasms, discuss simple bedroom techniques you can start practicing with, and Susan shares ideas on how to reignite your sex life. Key Takeaways: [4:54] How to overcome the casm-gasm [14:09] Orgasmic cross training [16:23] Bullseye touching technique [20:16] Can a couple be happy together without good sex? [22:23] Initial steps to reignite your sex life and overcome bedroom boredom [27:33] Creating a sex bucket list [37:00] Spiritual sexuality [43:11] Asking for what you want…when you don’t know what you want Mentions - Books: Women's Anatomy of Arousal by Sheri Winston Sexual Soulmates by Susan Bratton Mentions - Websites: BetterLover.com ExpandHerOrgasmTonight.com SexualSoulMatePact.com PersonalLifeMedia.com More of Susan: SusanBratton.com Instagram: @susanbratton More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the working world, you probably know how much meetings can consume the work week. I’m crazy and I actually track this metric. On average, I’ve spent 9.4 hours a week in meetings or 23% of my week. Meetings aren’t going anywhere. They seem to be the default modality of getting things done and I have to agree, meetings make sense for some situations. If I’m going to continue to spend a ¼ of my career in meetings, I want to be good at running them. Surprisingly, there are a lot of effective ways to have better meetings. Someone that knows a lot about this subject is today’s guest, Darren Chait. In 2016, Darren co-founded the company Hugo which is on a mission to make every meeting worth it. The product started as a simple Slack plug-in and transformed into a connected meeting notes platform. You’ll hear more about Darren’s story in this episode along with many actionable takeaways including how to use asynchronous work to limit meetings, how to take better meeting notes, and answering the question, “do we need a meeting?”, with the 3 Ds: decisions, discussion, and debate. Key Takeaways: [1:33] Opening for Justin Trudeau in front of 29K people [5:50] Why being a corporate lawyer made Darren the perfect person to solve how to have better meetings [9:25] The difference between being a corporate lawyer and a tech founder [13:14] Using the 3 Ds to evaluate when should you have a meeting [17:26] The 4-hour meeting week [20:26] How to decide who to invite [24:52] The benefits of asynchronous work [28:52] How to take better meeting notes [41:13] Using a parking lot to limit off-topic discussion during a meeting [44:29] Decision journal Mentions: Loom Hugo meeting templates More of Darren: hugo.team Twitter: @darrenchait LinkedIn: Darren Chait More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I love listening to stories that require someone to take a chance and today’s episode is packed with those. You’ll hear from my friend, Ahmad Jabbir. He exhibits and embodies the phrase “bet on yourself.” One of my favorite stories he tells is how he pitched the CEO of Seek Discomfort, the apparel brand of the wildly popular YouTube channel, Yes Theory, to hire him for a job that wasn’t even created yet. His one-of-a-kind interview got him an instant yes. This bravado would be impressive with anyone but Ahmad wasn’t always this bold. Up through college, he was shy, lacked confidence, and thought he was stupid. But a few personal development projects changed everything for him. In one of his most recent projects, Ahmad set out to meet 100 strangers. He was blown away by the people he met and the stories he heard. Key Takeaways: [1:17] Ahmad’s go-to Toronto attractions [5:20] The story of Rob Lawless and how that impacted Ahmad to meet 100 people [15:27] How to make deep, meaningful relationship [19:55] How Ahmad landed his dream job at Seek Discomfort [31:48] Only take advice from people that you admire [37:18] Lessons learned from 700 days of journaling [54:07] How reading helped Ahmad learn the game of life better Mentions: People Yes Theory Bojana Corillic Jesse Itzler Books The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World's Most Successful People Launched Their Careers by Alex Banayan Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Paperback by Charles Duhigg Movies Yes Man More of Ahmad: Instagram: @Ahmad.Jabbir LinkedIn: Ahmad Jabbir More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

My childhood was filled with a constant need for play. I remember playing a lot of backyard sports and fictional quest games that we made-up on the fly. I always had a sense of adventure. As I got older, I found myself losing touch with that. I’m all about high achievement activities but I also wanted to allow myself to do things for the simple fact that they put a smile on my face. I found getting back to this baseline of play and adventure way more challenging than I thought it would be. Speaking with friends, I’ve learned that having fun as an adult is difficult for many of us. I thought this would make for an interesting topic on The Struggle is Real and I invited my friend Tyson Bankert to join me in this conversation. Tyson knows a whole lot of fun. He spent many years working at an after-school program where he was responsible for creating opportunities for kids to have fun. Tyson decided to use his skill set for adults and started the company, Recess Calgary, where he creates an environment for “grown-ups” to take a break from adulting. I’m hoping this conversation sparks a desire to build more play into your life. Tyson also shares timely advice on how to be a better facilitator, being attuned to inclusion, and creating a personal slogan to you can live by. Key Takeaways: [2:31] Experience being a day camp leader and how that lead Tyson to starting Recess Calgary [14:20] How to play again as an adult [18:36] Think about the culture of your gathering [24:12] Creating a sense of safety and comfort at your events [27:25] Tyson’s personal slogan and how that’s shaped his decision making process [35:50] Do things change at 30? Mentions: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle More of Tyson: https://www.recesscalgary.ca/ Instagram: recesscalgary LinkedIn: Tyson Bankert More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I know many of us 20-somethings are focused on increasing our wealth and gaining more financial security. I’m definitely in this boat and I think that is a wise approach. I’m confident that we will get to a place where it becomes less about making money and more about life satisfaction. I think my guest today summarizes it the best: use money to make a life, don’t use life to make money. Joining me on The Struggle is Real is Laura Rotter, Founder of True Abundance Advisors. Laura’s career is dominated by her 30 years of experience on Wall Street but she has spent the last 6 years helping individuals attain both financial security and life satisfaction through her own advising firm. Laura gives a lot of reflective advice on career exploration, how to go about pursuing a new life direction, and shares a technique to treat your personal finances like a business owner. After this conversation, I hope you walk away with thoughts on how you’d like to make meaning with your money. This is a personal question for each of us, and I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. As long as you’ve given it some real thought, and continue to evaluate your line of thinking, you’ll truly live your rich life. Key Takeaways: [2:24] Rethinking the first decade of your career [11:59] When is enough money, enough? [28:44] A rabbi, yogi, and financial advisor [35:02] Despite their differences, how Laura and her husband have created shared experiences over their 30 year marriage [41:56] Finding purpose outside of making money [50:00] Managing at your finances like a business owner Mentions: Jeremy Schneider on TSIR: www.tsirpodcast.com/57 90 Days to a New Life Direction by Laura Berman Fortgang More of Laura: https://trueabundanceadvisors.com/ LinkedIn: Laura Rotter, CFA, CFP More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

For some of us, running to the kitchen to grab a snack is quite the workout. So what does it feel like to run 62 miles for twelve hours straight? In today’s episode, Justin and Mason discuss what it felt like to endure such a challenge. They break down their preparation leading up to the event, give details about race day, and what mentality you have to foster to cross the finish line. Few of us are planning on running an ultramarathon anytime soon, but Justin and Mason offer encouraging advice that applies to any goal, large or small. After this conversation, I hope you find inspiration in achieving your next goal, as well as the discipline to continue to build on it. Mason hopes to directly impact those who are seeking to push themselves further in education and life through his scholarship fund, Finding Future. Mason has already completed a number of endurance events. These include his 23-year-young birthday circuit, running a mile on the hour for 24 hours straight, summiting a 6,000 foot peak five times in a row, David Goggin’s 4x4x48, and a multitude of marathon runs. With each event he hopes to demonstrate how far one can truly push themselves while raising money for his fund. Key Takeaways: [2:00] Why and how they chose to run a 100k ultramarathon [6:20] Outline of their training program and race preparation [12:50] Justin and Mason depict their mindset during the race and how to deal with the quitting voice [25:25] How competing in endurance events helps foster discipline, self-respect and confidence [30:40] Why you should prioritize consistency over perfection, and how important it is to restart the goal after failure [44:00] How to craft your environment and social circle to accomplish your goals [49:45] Mason talks about his non-profit, Finding Future [55:00] No goal is too small if it aims to make you better than who you were yesterday Mentions: E1: Mason Stevens - One Small Step | The Struggle is Real E2: Kyle Peters - The Power of Authenticity | The Struggle is Real More of Mason: IG: @mason_james209 Finding Future: www.findingfuture.org More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Investing is complicated…but does it need to be? Starting your investing journey can be super overwhelming especially in this age of information overload: stocks, crypto, FAANG, options, bonds. This brings up the obvious question: what should I invest in? Personally, I want to understand what I am investing in, how it creates its value, and ultimately, what my return will look like. This has led me to today’s guest, Jeremy Schneider. Jeremy is the Founder of Personal Finance Club. He has a wildly popular Instagram by the same name where he is dishing out simple, unbiased information on how to win with money. Jeremy doesn’t have any get rich quick advice for you today but he will share a simple 2-step plan to retire in 15 years. Along with that you’ll hear his delineation between investing vs speculating, how to easily invest through target date funds, and his experiment about living on a $5 vs $500 daily food budget. Key Takeaways: [2:38] Selling RentLinks and hitting financial independence [10:21] Why you need to invest, not save, your money [13:30] Investing vs speculating [16:05] How to figure out which companies to invest in [20:19] The cost of actively managed mutual funds [26:57] Alternative to mutual funds…index funds [31:38] How to easily invest through target date funds [38:25] 90/10 rule [41:26] 2 step plan to retire in 15 years [43:40] Jeremy’s experiment: $5 vs $500 food budget [50:48] Starting Personal Finance Club Mentions: What You Need to Know About Taxes in Your 20s | E39 Sean Mullaney More of Jeremy: Website: Personal Finance Club Instagram: @personalfinanceclub LinkedIn: Jeremy Schneider More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Today’s guest is Larry Hagner, Founder of The Dad Edge. The Dad Edge is focused on empowering men to build legendary marriages, create epic connections with their kids, master personal finances, optimize their health, and become a leader within their family. Although you’ll definitely hear stories about parenthood, most of this conversation will focus on the first pillar: building a legendary marriage. Stable, intimate relationships can present many predictable, yet devious challenges like conversation boredom, sexless bedrooms, and dwindling novelty. The good news is this storyline is an editable script. Larry teaches us how he continues to show up as a better partner in his marriage. Surprise, surprise, a lot it involves great communication. He’ll share ideas on tactical empathy, labeling emotions, and mirroring without the word why. At the end, we also got a chance to talk about my favorite learning lesson from Larry, generative questions, and how one question led to an epic summer of family adventures and a basement full of memories. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the 18 year husband, father of 4, and the original Good Dad Project…Larry Hagner. Key Takeaways: [1:52] Why music is an important factor to making memories [5:47] Patience is a skill not a personality trait [17:54] How you can use priming to show up as your best self [22:42] Father figures throughout Larry’s upbringing [40:27] Communication advice including tactical empathy, labeling emotions, and mirroring without the word why [52:44] Generative questions: how might we vs why can’t we and the 13 family adventures Mentions: https://thedadedge.com/25questions/ https://thedadedge.com/extraordinary-marriage/ More of Larry: Home - The Dad Edge Spotify: The Dad Edge Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Apple: The Dad Edge Podcast (formerly The Good Dad Project Podcast) on Apple Podcasts Instagram: @thedadedge More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

I’ve dreaded some recent get-togethers knowing argumentative political conversations are going to be on the agenda and for quite some time, I’ve taken the approach that it is better to avoid these conversations by staying quiet and giving a friendly nod. That line of thinking is changing for me now. Avoiding participation in these conversations is forgoing the opportunity to learn something new, and maybe even change my mind. Along with that, if I’m not taking the time or initiative to understand someone else’s point of view, I’m only reinforcing the current state of divisiveness between these binary camps of blue and red. I invited Corey Nathan on the podcast to give us inspiration on how this could be done right. He shares his personal story of making amends with his dad when he decided to leave the Jewish faith. In the second half of this episode, Corey shares some basic communication skills to help us have more enabling conversations. Some of my favorites include the feel, felt, found framework, the phrase “help me understand”, and changing our mindset from competition to collaboration. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the stockbroker by day, theater guy by night, Jew from Jersey that became a Christian, and the host of the incredible podcast, Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other…Corey Nathan. Key Takeaways: [1:02] How Hal introduce Corey to Christianity [13:05] Corey telling his Jewish parents that he was a Christian [26:42] When political views are inconsistent with religious scripture [32:21] Corey’s life as a stockbroker and theater guy and how that taught him how to create kindness across different viewpoints [42:18] Why Corey’s son decided to stay unvaccinated and how he approaches that conversation differently now [52:08] How to approach mending relationships that were broken due to opposing political views and the feel, felt, found framework [57:34] Respectfully disagreeing More of Corey: Podcast: Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other https://politicsandreligion.podbean.com/ Instagram: @tpandrpod More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Our teenage years present many challenges. One universal obstacle I saw few of us avoid was the trap of comparing ourselves to others, particularly our physical bodies. Someone was always thinner, more muscular, prettier, taller, or had better skin.Many of those thoughts and feelings never went away but progressing through our 20s, we not only realize but start to believe there are way more important facets of ourselves than our outward appearance.Realizing it and getting there are two different things though. It’s hard to embrace and embody all of our physical attributes, especially those areas we’ve always been insecure about and others that are becoming apparent as we age.Even though I’m not quite sure if I’ll ever fully get to loving my entire body, there are actions that my guest believes that we can take to get closer.I’m excited to introduce you to Sophie Killip, a mental health counselor and coach. Sophie’s philosophies include working towards body acceptance, embracing size diversity, and looking at health from a holistic viewpoint not one singular measurement like weight.We have a great conversation about why fat is not a feeling, normalizing body diversity, replacing self-criticism with self-compassion, and much more. Key Takeaways:[2:11] The difference between body positive, neutrality, and acceptance[6:14] We are heading in the right direction but we still have room for improvement[16:08] Fat is not a feeling and health at every size[28:51] When did chubby become a problem?[31:11] How to normalize body diversity and challenge judgment[35:13] What to say instead of “looks like you lost weight”[42:17] Replacing self-criticism with self-compassion and confidence[50:07] Body gratitude exercise Mentions:Aerie Clothing BrandMike Marjama Overcomes Eating Disorder on Path to MLBMore of Sophie:Website: https://foodbodyself.co.uk/Instagram: https://instagram.com/therapist.sophMore of TSIR:Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Do you know what’s worse than being set up on a blind date? Going on that date in front of a live audience. Oh, and when I say blind date, I mean literary blind-folded. That’s the concept for the New York City based comedy show, UpDating. Imagine live comedy meets a reality dating show. This non-scripted show includes audience participation, brutally honest moments, and relatable feedback in real-time with real people. Joining me on the podcast today is the Producer and Co-Host of UpDating, Harrison Forman. Harrison created UpDating with his partner Brandon Berman. It was a bit of a mix of Harrison and Brandon’s ideas–which you’ll hear about early on in this episode. Harrison shares the highlights and lowlights of creating UpDating. You’ll walk away with insight on dealing with criticism, overcoming self-doubt, and how with a lot of hustle and a little belief, you can attract what you want to achieve in your life. Key Takeaways: [2:10] The show structure [9:37] How UpDating got started [19:43] Getting people to the show [22:26] The story of Ernie [25:07] Dealing with criticism [29:14] Overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt [38:48] The law of attraction More of Harrison: www.updatingshow.com Instagram: @updatingshow Instagram: @htforman More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Imagine you’re 9-year-old and you want the new, hottest toy. What would you do? Would you ask your parents for the money or spend your birthday money to buy it? My guess is very few of our 9-year-old selves would have created a business to raise the funds. I also wouldn’t have convinced my parents to change me to homeschooling so I could have more time to focus on my business, but today’s guest did that. Joining me today is 15-year-old entrepreneur, Benjamin Wong. Benjamin is the Founder of Kid CEO Media, a youth-run communications company dedicated to uplifting young entrepreneurs. His seminal projects are the Kid CEO Podcast and a virtual summit he hosted for kidpreneurs to meet and learn from peers. And doing all of this while battling pressures of being a teenager. I hope you walk away from this conversation with the energy to fight back from the conformity that is squashing your most thrilling dreams. We’ll also discuss how to build your own community, the importance of staying open-minded, and what Web 3.0 can do for creators. Show Notes: [1:38] How a funko pop desire turned into a business [8:28] What sparked 11-year-old Ben to learn about investing [15:05] Fighting against conformity [17:30] Creating and building your own community [25:04] Staying open-minded to learn something new [33:31] What Web 3.0 can do for creators [44:29] Why the future is the best part More of Benjamin: www.benjaminwong.co Instagram: officialbenjaminwong More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

With New Year’s quickly approaching, I’m guessing you will be thinking about how you want to spend more of your free time in 2022. Friends, family, and your health are all great choices but I want to dangle one more idea out there: a side project. A side project is something that you do aside from your primary job but unlike hobbies, they have a sense of effort and thoughtfulness in their approach. Examples could be starting a blog, creating an app, or forming a band. Side projects are a great way to learn new skills, meet people, and develop a purpose outside of your career. Heck, they might even lead you to your next job. That was the case for my guest today. At the beginning of 2019, Alex Williamns started a podcast to improve his listening skills. Exposing himself to podcasts, and media in general, substantially changed the trajectory of his career. Since then, Alex has hosted 9 podcasts and has produced 14. He now runs two podcast media companies called MeCho Radio and Polytropos.fm. This episode is meant to inspire you to start something new, redefine failure, and challenge you to bite off more than you can chew…but not too much, just enough. Key Takeaways: [2:27] Why Alex started his first podcast [11:20] Alex’s outlook on success and failure…and what’s more important [18:41] How Broken Bulbs has changed how he processes failure [25:26] Going from chronic procrastinator to future planner [41:31] Alex’s most recent project and how it differs from all his other shows More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

For many of us, student loans are a huge financial burden throughout our 20s and well into our 30s. Student loans can be hard to keep up with because payments can be the same amount as mortgages. But unlike mortgages, I’m guessing you didn’t spend too much time understanding this debt before agreeing to it. I know that was the case for me. I went through all of college without understanding the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans. In college, it was easy to forget about how we were financing our current stage of life but now we are left holding the bag. Although student loans can be complex, deciding on a repayment strategy doesn’t need to be. There are a couple of key questions to ask yourself to put you down the right path. We will explore those questions and more on today’s episode. Joining me is Andrew Paulson. Andrew is a Student Loan Consultant and Co-Founder of StudentLoanAdvice.com. He has a passion for helping people find solutions to complex financial problems. In this episode, Andrew and I get straight into it. We start with the basics including what are the key pieces of information you need to know before deciding on a repayment strategy. Then we discuss repayment plans options, qualifying for student loan forgiveness, and balancing student loans with your other financial goals. Show Notes: [3:20] Where to start if you are overwhelmed about student loans [7:21] What is currently going on with federal student loans? [16:09] How Andrew began advising on student loan repayment [19:06] 4 questions to answer to decide a repayment strategy [26:39] How to pursue student loan forgiveness [33:36] What is refinance and who should consider it? [41:48] Balancing repaying student loans with your other financial goals More of Andrew: www.studentloanadvice.com/SIR Instagram: @studentloanadvice Andrew’s LinkedIn More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

In this extraordinary era of pandemic isolation, it makes sense that people are feeling more alone than ever. Although stay-at-home orders and social distancing exacerbated loneliness, this trend started way before COVID. This rise of loneliness has caught the interest of many health professionals and is now being labeled as the new smoking. Cited as being as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, that has me wondering what’s changed and more importantly, what can we do about it? Sharing his insight today is Michael Bauman, who is a Loneliness Entrepreneur Coach and Host of the Success Engineering podcast. Michael uses his knowledge of the neuroscience around loneliness and social connection, along with his personal experience feeling isolated as a business owner, to help entrepreneurs feel like they are not alone. In this episode, Michael shares why social connection is biologically so important, the factors that have led to the increase in feeling isolated, and actions we can take to begin overcoming loneliness. Key Takeaways: [2:03] What is loneliness and how has it changed over the last 35 years [12:12] Use internal and external actions to overcome loneliness [17:00] What could be changed about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs [23:08] The rise of individualism coincides with loneliness in the US [27:21] How Michael sees loneliness in the different countries he has lived [32:52] Raising kids with the balance of performance and play More of Michael: Success Engineering Mentions: The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Joelle Alexander Dr. Dan Siegel: https://drdansiegel.com/ Start with Why by Simon Sinek Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/