Just Chats: Recent Episodes
Matthew O'Mahoney
In this episode, I sit down with Joseph Mencel.
"You're powerful beyond measure and there's absolutely no limits."
This is the final episode of Just Chats.
Thank you for listening.
In this episode, I sit down in Sophie Modra
Having worked with Sophie at F45 to sitting down and just chatting, I was very, pleseantly surprised. It just cements my believe in that you can not judge a book by its cover.
From growing up in a small, remote town, spending hours outside, to moving to the big smoke and having no real sense of direction, we talk about it all and what’s happened in-between.
We delve into school and education: how being taught and learning are two different things, school doesn’t accomodate everyones needs and the guide to cheating, the anxiety of how school follows you home, the sunk cost fallacy and how exploring every avenue doesn’t guarantee a win, motivation vs. discipline, how six months can change everything you believe in regards to realisations, distractions and self love, how no one really lives for the weekend anymore, college life, losing the chance to travel as a teenager to gain life lessons, competitive advantage: natural beauty vs. synthetic beauty and why asking for help is not seen as a weakness.
In this episode, I sit down with Olivia Turner.
Olivia is the youngest guest thus far that has been on Just Chats and it was very, very interesting and surprising to hear and listen to her answers.
Oliva is also the first ex student that I have interviewed.
Olivia and myself discuss her athletic feats and the mental challenges that come along with holding yourself up to such a high standard and why performing bad is really bad for your head and good is just “shugged off”, the most relaxed opinion on what life needs to be and completely ignoring what is “supposed to” be done in terms of career and life choices, life lessons learned after finishing school and how school does not accommodate needs, growing up with the during the peak developments of social media and using it for comparing instead of just experiencing things for what they are, body dysmorphia, eating problems and how a visit to hospital made Olivia really reflect on what she was enduring and discussion about the thought that we are just living in a simulation.
In this episode, I sit down with Jake Turner
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jake for quite sometime now.
I really enjoy reminiscing during this conversation and I’m sure its evident.
We dive into Jake’s family life and his twin brother being the complete opposite of him, kid/school life has changed and how kids nowadays are becoming less and less independent, being dominant in school sports but not being able to focus long enough to study, perks and bonuses you are able to get by playing at a sporting club, the ins and outs of BioGro (Dirt vs Organic Compost), reflecting on the “dumb shit you do in the moment” growing up, weight gain and losing skill from not practicing hard enough, some gravy and schnitzel hacks and realising that you can’t advise everyone with advice.
In this episode, I sit down with Russell Gartner.
I've known Russell for the better part of a decade and that is quite evident in how this chat flows.
This episode taught me more than Russell realises so I thank him for his time and sharing his experiences.
We discuss a lot of decisions, experiences, and moments regarding tradesman life/TA, FIFO and realising when shit gets real, marriage and divorce and being at a low only to dive down even lower, gambling addiction/chasing loses and telling yourself you are in a good space, lying, trust, confessing, second chances, and having to losing everything before the lesson kicks in, counselling and reaching for help with the realisation that that it isn't weak.
SPECIAL EPISODE - I just recently turned 32. So here are 32 lessons I thought of that I would like to share with you all.
In this episode, I sit down with Scott Agnew. Being recommended to come on by a previous guest, we dive right into this chat discussing leaving home and going to the big smoke for boarding school, finding independence and interesting situations Scott found himself in, shift worker life and addressing the difficulties that arise from shift work, especially during the hours of the early morning, workplace vs. workplace - one that focuses getting the job done correctly and effectively vs. one that wants the job done as quick as possible, finding interest in DJing and working as a duo with your brother, why the Fullerton roundabout is better to be avoided, a males perspective of labour and childbirth and what happens when a "Code Blue" is called for an issue you're involved in, slipped discs - treatment and rehab and why watermelon is utter garbage.
In this episode, I sit down with Lorenzo Calcagno. Just to put some context to why this episode is a bit special… Prior to this chat, we have never spoken to each other but definitely knew who each other was. 👇 See below👇 Lorenzo: “Look to be honest, I though you hated me. You probably did! Hahahahahaa and I thought you were arrogant? But not in a bad way at all. More so in a very cultured and opened minded way. That changed in about 5 minutes though. Me: I didn’t hate you. I was just like “this dude married my first boo.. what the fuck”
In this episode, I sit down with Craig Birrell.
From growing up on a dairy farm, Craig’s childhood seemed to be a pretty average one, helping out on the farm every so often with his dad.
It wasn’t until just after halfway of Year Nine that life as he knew it was about to change, with something most 14 year olds don’t really deal with.
After going to the dentist with the thought that it was just some wisdom teeth coming through and causing some trouble, all of Craig’s teeth began to come loose and within a few months, he was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma.
Without a successful treatment, Craig was told he had two weeks to live. This experience has shaped Craig’s opinions and views as he found out how precious time is and that you do not have control like you think you do.
This chat really is filled with honesty, strong opinions and everything is just put out in the open.
In the episode, I sit down with Peter Lauring
As a youngster, Pete was island hopping between parts of Australia, Wales and England before eventually settling down in Mount Gambier, the place he calls home.
It wasn’t until after some reflection, Pete also realised that he had a somewhat abnormal childhood, but thought nothing of it has he thought having a flask of Milo for lunch was cool.
In this chat, we discuss “assumed authority” and children having zero fear towards authority or consequences, the English schooling system, social demographics and how fights are all talk until someone starts to get stomped on, when an opportunity has potential and squashing the doubt that creeps in, Death, purpose and why fear is a liar (very, very good chat), how having a different opinion has ruined having a casual conversation and how a family friend became the love of his life.
In this episode, I sit down with 25 Acres Owner and Operator, Vincent Vinci.
Vince has has a very colourful life. From Bull Riding around Australia, rigging cranes in the outback, to driving millionaires around in their Ferraris and gaining access to the Mahogany room at the Crown Casino, Vince has seen a lot.
We discuss traits and perks of growing up around wealthy business men and gaining an understanding towards the desire of "I want that", understanding and doing whatever it takes to make it work, realising no one cares about you and just doing the training for what you need, unpacking the saying "you become the average of the closest 5 people you hang around", failure from both sides; being happy to fail as well as also not letting yourself fail, a solid breakdown and discussion of the "can of worms" question and the infamous Mount Gambier Chinese Whispers.
In this episode, I sit down with Elliot Jones.
This is the episode that made me really understand and believe that you have no idea what someone has gone through or is going through until you ask.
In this episode, I sit down with Di Ind.
With her Dad and Mum allowing her to build a darkroom under the house to develop her photos, Di learned at a young age what it takes to get you what you want. In this chat, we dive into why the School Of Hard Knocks is just as powerful as a University Education, why doing it right the first time should always be a priority, communicating correctly when shit breaks down or bad shit is gonna happen, when you know you are the right person for the job, why labels are no good and why we should thrive on who we are and not what we want to be labelled as, learned behaviours and breaking the cycle, relationships; why they breakdown when you fall out of love and why cancer can be so cruel.
In this episode, I sit down with Kirby Shearing.
Being born and raised as one of three triplets by a single mother, Kirby dives in his story in to becoming the culinary expert that he is, from working at the local Belair Country Club, to top notch dining establishments in Australia and even cheffing all over the world. We also chat about when you get shit hung on you and using it as an accountability check as a positive rather as opposed to a negative and a mishap, many examples of when timing meets opportunity and risk vs. volatility, with what you know and who you know will always be master keys for successes, why quality will always trump quantity, when dealing with an issue, putting it on a world scale to see if it really matters and why escapism is so natural to enter yet so hard to leave.
In this episode, I sit down with Damien Bugeja.
Damien shares his story of adversity. I don’t want to go too much more in to what happens in this chat, instead, I’d like you experience it just how I did. I can guarantee you will take a lot out of this episode.
In this episode, I sit down again with Zach Doidge.
That’s right, it’s a retake. Zach reached out to me after we had recorded his episode several weeks ago and felt that he did not feel completely honest and satisfied with his responses. So here we are, take two.
We discuss the minor differences in New Zealand and Australian school life, the transition into high school and social hierarchy, being skinny what comes along with developing into a strong adult, a large dive into health, fitness, training, diet, competitive drive, steroids and genetics, understanding the difference between advice and advice from someone who has “walked the walk”, why ability and credibility should be at the forefront of choice and issues with confrontation and anxiety.
In this episode, I sit down with Brett Kennedy.
This is currently the longest chat I’ve had and we discuss a lot of topics. We delve into how growing up in a small town you follow the cool kids from other schools, how kicking a torp gets you suspended and how school rules have completely changed, what happens when you fail to have a clear direction and it’s consequences, being the front man for band that found major success in the melodic hardcore scene and being able live out childhood dreams, how hard it is to establish yourself and the competition between others, if you are a dick, you won’t be asked twice, the public opinion and understanding that work is what we do, it’s not who we are and the power of yes and the power of no.
Footnote
I made the call that No Scrubs was sung by Destiny’s Child when in fact is was sung by TLC. Apologies.
In this episode, I sit down with Drew McKenzie, a local podiatrist.
We discuss being misdiagnosed with ADHD and Drew shares a mind blowing story about a time staying with his Nan, playing for Victoria Metro, winning several championships and even playing alongside now Australian Olympic hopeful and NBA superstar Dante Exum, when opportunities meet timing and being offered a scholarship to attend a private school for general excellence, what happens when you eat a KFC family feed as a standard meal as an athlete but stop training and playing sport as an elite athlete, being authentic and why it’s hard to stay true because status is held up as being more important and why staying consistent is the most important factor in change and development and how it compounds.
In this episode, I sit down Andrew aka Beeker.
We talk about coasting through school and being the class clown, to leaving school a month for final exams for employment, managing and taking care of a business as a 16 year old while playing cricket out the back and blowing up tires, the problems with current day kids not being able to problem solve and take responsibility, and parenting a vegetarian child. We also discuss dealing with various types of cancer (google: teratoma cancer), struggling to assure your family you’re okay, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and the effects of going through cancer treatments.
In this chat, I sit down with Carmen, the face behind Feed Me Catering.
We delve into her schooling experience and how throughout its entirety, she was bullied, the education system and what needs to change, venturing off overseas and discovering how to really appreciate what happiness is, the problem with reality tv shows and how they have hurt the apprentice and trade industry, thinking she never wanted to be a mother to giving birth and moulding your life as needed to take care of a child, dealing with anxiety and how to use coping mechanisms and we finish off with clarifying up a rumour about Ooft and Feed Me Catering.
In this episode, I sit down with the very well spoken Sam “The Joker” Dwyer.
We delve into his education and how he believes it’s mostly irrelevant for his successes, realising and learning the power of strong social skills evidently gave him offers for work and not how good his grades were grades, why specificity is crucial and how that relates to the “best person for the job”, expectations vs. reality and the damage we have created for children by telling them they can be anything they want to be but seeing that they’re more miserable than ever, the gruelling challenges that come with being a professional boxer and understanding that results are an accumulation of your efforts, whether they be desired results or not.
How things are good and bad things are only good or bad relative to something else or something they want
What happens when people over leverage and how everyone wants a handout when it doesn’t work
Why people choose to be a victim and dwell in pity rather than overcome, strive, succeed and embrace the challenge.
In this episode, I sit down with the only Sonographer that I know, Rebekah.
We delve into why preconceived parents views and opinions really don’t matter, the challenges in delivering bad news and learning to desensitise and disengage for your own betterment, explaining why comparison is the thief of joy and usually if you’ve got a problem, that is when you start to compare yourself and others and how to use an “out of 10” rating system properly and why a KFC zinger box is a ten out of ten and can fulfil your needs.
In this episode, I chat with Ian - a guy who has seen more shit than anyone I know. He started his childhood learning how to fend for himself and grew up around gangs of people who do not fuck around. Ian had developed coping mechanisms that have helped him with with the physical abuse, mental abuse and isolation. He has come to accept that “that’s just how life was” Ian believes he’s been “living a lie” and he has accepted as well that he was bullshitting his way through life. This shows highlights includes discussions around divine timing, everything is meant to be and living in the past serves no real purpose.
In this episode, I chat with the man behind Log and Leaf. Log and Leaf has been ten years in the making, starting off by playing around in the shed with his son, to custom hand made wood crafts. We discuss what it’s like to be at the top of the ladder to going back down to the very bottom and realising that you need to remove yourself, disregarding all advice for those who haven’t walked the walk, why “finish lines” are not great and learning to accept a situation for what it is.
In this episode, I have a chat with the legend that is the other half of the Kev and Mo show, Kev Thomson. We discuss the difficulties transitioning from a small country town school to high school and the problems associated with being a “big kid”, having parents that ground you as a child instead of “pumping up your tires”, some solid tips for young tradies getting started in the workforce and breaking a cycle to go an explore outside of Mount Gambier.
In this episode, I sit down with Ben from Natural Born Grillers. We get talking about being a self diagnosed high school fuck up “smoking durries at the skatey”, hopping all over the country making money to fuel bad habits, how people are treating children, leading by example for staff in a work place to build ethic, owning shit behaviour and apologising. This chat has it all.
In this episode, I sit down and chat with Tristan, an ex police officer who now co-owns the massively successful F45 Truganina. We discuss what it’s like having a gun pointed at your face, how one incident can turn you into someone else and the repercussions of the change, what having a child does your perspective and outlook on life, Covid-19 lockdowns in Victoria and how to survive when your lively hood gets taken away.
In this episode, we discuss how initially we both thought each other were dicks in high school, realising the skills that are need to help you throughout life, job hopping and how taking a trip to Thailand became a life changing experience.
In this episode, we discuss bullying, professional horse riding, cocaine and making a decision when you come to a fork in the road of whether to change your life or continue to suffer.
In this episode, we discuss negative thoughts, the demons and ghosts that are in our head taking up real estate (rent free), the importance of acknowledging a win and how your community matters.
In this episode, I just get my thoughts out on my childhood and why father figures and home life is so crucial to a young boys’ development.
In this episode, We delve in the reality of FIFO work, learning about the importance of time and how fragile life can really be. This episode really taught me two things: never, ever judge a book by its cover and you have absolutely no idea what someone is going though or has been through until you spark up a conversation.
In this episode, I chat with “that bitch”. We delve into mental health, the “narratives” people believe they need to follow, stereotypes and why it’s difficult for most to change their opinions.
In this episode, I sit down with Danny Kennedy. After finding success in two online avenues, online personal training and podcasting, we talk about growth mindset, developing yourself, achieving results, and what it takes to get where you want to be.
In this episode, I sit down with a guy who started to take control of his life in his late twenties. From shit kicker jobs, to opening for a major music festival. Some real interesting perspectives are discussed.
In this episode, I sit down with my partner, Pamela, and talk about life-defining moments, how childhood influences adult life, relationships and some solid young adult advice.
In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Fyfe, the woman who brought to light my passion for fitness as well as the ability and belief to break through glass ceilings.
In this episode, I talk to a guy who can move more than 700kg. We talk about making choices, thinking you’ve figured it out only to find out you’re so wrong, and mental health issues.
In the episode, Chef, Painter, Successful Coffee Shop Owner and Charity Ambassador, Don Pratt sits down and has a chat.
In the episode, I sit down with Steeny. A person who I honestly think is a fantastic “blueprint” on how to find purpose for any young male.
Matthew and Pamela, owners of the now extinct Ooft Cookie Co, dive deep to talk about starting a business, the hospitality industry, reputation and other lessons learned along the way.
In this chat, Molly takes the sky as bomber commander and shares absolute bombs on mindset, life choices and business.