I am Driven Podcast: Recent Episodes
Douglas Brackmann
Some people are born with a drive often seen in entrepreneurs, pro-athletes, adventurers and Navy SEALs. It's in their DNA. Research has shown that certain genes can manifest resilient and highly focused people who can also be impulsive, easily distracted and struggle with addiction. If you have these traits, it can create havoc in your life. You may be diagnosed with ADHD or OCD. But what the world tells you is a disorder may actually be your greatest gift. Here to help is psychologist and author, Dr. Douglas Brackmann. Using his experience in teaching the highly Driven how to master their gift, Doug provides the insights and tools you need to master yours. Listen to interviews with Driven individuals to learn from their successes, their set-backs, and know you are in good company on the path to manifesting the life you've always wanted.
We dive deep into the world of performance stretch therapy with Sarah Mariano, a leading expert in the field who has transformed the lives of countless clients through her unique approach. Sarah shares her journey into stretch therapy, revealing how flexibility and mobility are not just about physical well-being but are also crucial for mental and emotional health. She discusses her innovative techniques, which blend traditional assessments with intuitive movements and visual strategies, to help clients overcome fear, unlock their full physical potential, and achieve lasting strength and injury prevention. Sarah also explores the profound connection between the body and the mind, emphasizing how movement and breath work are essential tools in managing pain and healing trauma. With her deep understanding of how emotional and energetic factors can manifest as physical pain, Sarah offers insights into a holistic healing approach that integrates both body and mind. Join us as we learn from Sarah Mariano about the transformative power of stretch therapy and discover how embracing flexibility can lead to a more balanced, healthier life.
In this episode, we sit down with Faith Niece, a distinguished mental health counselor and certified sex addiction therapist, to explore her transformative journey from a fine arts background to a deep commitment to helping individuals overcome addiction. Faith shares her unique approach to therapy, which integrates trauma healing with behavioral strategies, offering a safe space for profound, intensive recovery. With her extensive experience in treating sex addiction, family of origin trauma, and relational wounds, Faith sheds light on the complexities of addiction, emphasizing the importance of establishing boundaries, making amends, and addressing triggers to foster true healing. Faith also discusses the intricate concept of enmeshment, a common but often overlooked dynamic in addiction, where personal boundaries blur, leading to a loss of self-identity. Drawing from her own personal recovery experience, she delves into the various expressions of addiction, including codependency and workaholism, and underscores the necessity of integrating spirituality into the healing process. Tune in to hear Faith's insights on finding wholeness, surrendering control, and embracing a path of self-acceptance and spiritual growth.
Jeff Borschowa, a self-described Renaissance man and passionate advocate for artificial intelligence, shares his transformative journey as a Driven individual who struggled to fit within the confines of societal norms. With his insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge, Jeff has embraced his unique traits, seeing them not as flaws but as gifts. He discusses how this realization has shaped his approach to life, work, and his advocacy for a supportive community of like-minded, Driven individuals. Jeff also dives deep into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, highlighting its potential to augment human capabilities while emphasizing the ethical considerations necessary to guide its development. From the risks of manipulation and privacy to the possibilities of AI enhancing daily tasks, Jeff provides a thought-provoking perspective on how we can balance innovation with responsibility. Join us as Jeff Borschowa shares his insights on harnessing AI for good and the importance of finding a tribe that understands and celebrates our drive.
In this episode of the "I Am Driven" podcast, we sit down with Janelle Bruland and Graham Youtsey, a dynamic couple who exemplify what it means to be Driven in both business and life. Janelle, a successful entrepreneur and author, and Graham, a dedicated leader and strategist, share their unique journey of finding balance as a Driven couple. They dive deep into their personal experiences of meeting and falling in love, managing the complexities of a high-performing relationship, and the essential role that continuous improvement plays in their lives. With their shared commitment to growth and effective communication, Janelle and Graham offer a powerful perspective on how Driven individuals can thrive together, both personally and professionally. Throughout the conversation, Janelle and Graham discuss practical strategies they've used to navigate challenges and enhance their relationship. They emphasize the importance of setting clear roles, maintaining effective communication, and being present with one another amidst the chaos of entrepreneurship. The couple also highlights the value of using assessments to better understand each other's needs and the benefits of seeking external support when necessary. Their insights are invaluable for any couple looking to deepen their connection while pursuing their own Driven paths. Join us for a candid and inspiring conversation that explores the dynamics of love, partnership, and success.
We are joined by Anna David, a New York Times bestselling author and accomplished entrepreneur, who shares her powerful journey of transformation and growth. As a first-time mother at 53, Anna offers a unique perspective on navigating motherhood while simultaneously building a successful career. Her story is one of resilience, having overcome significant challenges, including trauma, addiction, and identity struggles, which she openly discusses with vulnerability and insight. Listeners will be captivated by Anna's candid reflections on healing, empathy, and the profound changes she experienced through therapy and self-discovery. Her journey is not only inspiring but also a compelling exploration of how life's challenges can lead to profound personal and professional evolution. Whether you're interested in the transformative power of therapy, the intricacies of relationships, or the balancing act of parenting and entrepreneurship, Anna's story offers invaluable lessons and inspiration.
Kara Macksoud, CEO of Money Habitudes, joins Dr. Doug Brackmann and co-host Rachel Lebowitz to explore the psychology behind our financial behaviors. Kara dives into the complex relationship between money, attitudes, and habits, revealing how our financial decisions are often driven by deeper needs for validation and recognition. She discusses the evolving dynamics of money relationships between men and women, highlighting how these have shifted as women gain more financial independence. Kara also emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s personal motivations around money, particularly in the context of entrepreneurship, where a clear grasp of financial motivations can be a critical factor for success. Kara also shares practical advice on teaching financial literacy to children, stressing the importance of setting boundaries and fostering a healthy relationship with money from an early age. She delves into the concept of financial inflection points—significant moments that shape our financial drive and motivation—and how these experiences can influence our overall approach to money. Through personal stories and expert insights, Kara underscores the value of earning money and the importance of prioritizing meaningful experiences and relationships over material wealth, ultimately encouraging listeners to redefine their understanding of success and financial security in a way that aligns with their personal values.
Justin Breen, highlighting their journey as a neurotypical and neurodiverse couple. It delves into the challenges, growth, and transformation experienced by Sarah as she navigates her role as a pediatrician and COO while being married to a driven entrepreneur. The conversation also touches on the impact of neurodiversity, the evolution of Sarah's confidence and purpose, and the importance of boundaries and presence in their relationship. The conversation explores the challenges faced by a driven couple in their relationship, focusing on the themes of spirituality, leadership, and communication. It delves into the struggle of balancing different worlds, the quest for harmony, and the importance of radical honesty and overcommunication. The dialogue also touches on the concept of leadership within a relationship and the need for mutual understanding and support.
Guest Bios:
Justin Breen is the Founder and CEO of BrEpic Communications LLC, a PR firm that works exclusively with visionaries and exceptional businesses around the world. He’s built an international network of extraordinary people, because he strongly believes in the power of introductions and the importance of creating relationships through networking. Justin is the author of Epic Business and Epic Life. He enjoys running, fishing, and watching baseball with his two sons and his wife, Sarah. Dr. Sarah Breen is a board certified pediatrician who’s been practicing general pediatrics in the north suburbs of Chicago since 2011. After being fully immersed in the entrepreneur world by her husband (co-founder, Justin Breen), Sarah fell in love with Epic F.I.T. Network and became its Chief Operating Officer in 2023. Sarah enjoys spending time with her two sons, exercising her three doodles, and traveling the world with her husband, Justin.
Tiffany Sauder shares her journey of navigating a driven marriage and finding the balance between personal dreams and family life. She emphasizes the importance of individual growth and taking responsibility for one's own happiness within a marriage. Tiffany and her husband worked through many layers to discover the beauty in their shared brokenness and the vulnerability that comes with being truly seen and understood. Tiffany also discusses the challenges of being a driven woman and the need for validation and support from her partner. Dr Doug Brackmann shares the importance of understanding the differences between men and women in relationships. He mentions the book 'The Queen's Code' by Alison Armstrong, which teaches women how to approach men and understand their needs. Rachel emphasizes the need for women to own their power and vulnerability, and to communicate their needs to their partners. Tiffany shares her experience of letting go of her ego and learning to communicate her needs to her husband. They discuss the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment for both partners in a relationship.
In this episode, Rachel Lebowitz interviews Dean, an entrepreneur with a background in law enforcement and corporate America. Dean shares his journey from law enforcement to corporate America to becoming an entrepreneur. He discusses the importance of discipline, self-mastery, and understanding one's strengths and weaknesses. Dean also emphasizes the significance of building relationships and elevating the performance of team members, vendors, and employees. He shares his experiences in martial arts and how it taught him self-control and problem-solving skills. Overall, the conversation highlights the key themes of discipline, self-mastery, relationships, and personal growth. In this conversation, the guest discusses the importance of employee engagement and discipline in business success. He shares his experience of doubling the size of a mortgage bank by getting 10-15% more productivity from each employee. He emphasizes the need for alignment, simplicity, and foresight in business strategy. The guest also highlights the significance of forgiveness and self-reflection in maintaining discipline. He concludes by discussing the value of evaluating decisions and anticipating their impact.
Alyeria Faith is a high performance coach, somatic practitioner and spiritual advisor to fortune 1000 CEO’s, leaders and entrepreneurs. With over a decade of coaching driven individuals, as well as 15 years of healing expertise, she brings a wealth of wisdom to her work and life. She is also a mom, an avid dancer, and loves to snowboard. She believes life is for living, and squeezes the juice out of every moment possible. Her work is infused with this sense of playfulness, wonder, creativity and joy, while simultaneously allowing people to access and overcome their deepest trauma’s, fears, and limitations; giving them the power to live the life they know deep down is possible, and achieve their fullest potential.
Yael Simon is a philanthropic advisor and funding strategist. For over 20 years, she has worked with private family offices, UHNWI, and NGOs. Her vision is to set a gold standard in philanthropy by investing in world class projects and people who are set on transformative change driving meaningful impact in the world. She has raised tens of millions of dollars and has dedicated most of her career to research, field development, and creating global partnerships to support economic development in key regions throughout Europe and the Middle East. An entrepreneur and market strategist, a public speaker, and writer, Yael is also the founder of a start-up in AML/CTF, has spearheaded women’s networks, and mentors female entrepreneurs.
A member of the global Sandler network, Hamish Knox supports private organizations in Southern Alberta, creating and maintaining scalable, repeatable, consistent sales engines and an engaged, motivated team by holding them accountable to implementing the structures, systems, and processes shared in our sessions. Hamish worked in a variety of industries including media, communication services, software, and professional sports before joining the Sandler network, which melded his passions for sales and education. Hamish was named the 2020 David H. Sandler Award winner, Sandler’s highest honor, becoming the first Canadian trainer to receive that award. He was the first two-time author in the Sandler network, writing books on topics no one likes to talk about. His first book was on Accountability the Sandler Way and his second on Change the Sandler Way. Hamish is regularly invited by the Sandler Home Office to speak at Sandler’s train-the-trainer conferences and Sandler’s public Sales and Leadership Summit in Orlando. Committed to giving back so other entrepreneurs can enjoy the same opportunities he had when he launched his business, Hamish is an active mentor with Futurpreneur Canada is a Maple Leaf Club donor to Enactus Canada and is a volunteer judge for regional and national student entrepreneur competitions. Books: Accountability - https://www.hamish.sandler.com/resources/sandler-books/accountability Change - https://www.hamish.sandler.com/resources/sandler-books/change
Nicole Stott is an astronaut, aquanaut, engineer, artist, and author of Back to Earth: What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet – And Our Mission To Protect It; and most importantly a mom. She creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire everyone’s appreciation of our role as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth. Nicole is a veteran NASA Astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days in space as a crewmember on both the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle. Personal highlights of her time in space include being the 10th woman to perform a spacewalk, first person to operate the ISS robotic arm to capture a free-flying cargo vehicle, painting the first watercolor in space, working with her international crew for the benefit of all life on Earth, and of course the life-changing view of our planetary home. Nicole is also a NASA Aquanaut. In preparation for spaceflight, she was a crewmember on an 18-day saturation dive mission at the Aquarius undersea laboratory. Nicole believes that the international model of peaceful and successful cooperation we have experienced in the extreme environments of space and sea holds the key to the same kind of peaceful and successful cooperation for all of humanity here on Earth. On her post-NASA mission, she is a founding director of the Space for Art Foundation — uniting a planetary community of children through the awe and wonder of space exploration and the healing power of art. Full NASA Bio: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/stott-np.pdf Instagram: @astro_nicole // @spaceforartfoundation LinkedIn: Nicole Stott Artist~Astronaut~Earthling // Space for Art Foundation, Inc. Websites: www.nicolestott.com // www.spaceforartfoundation.org You can find more info about her book at: www.backtoearthbook.com For speaking and/or brand engagements, please contact Christina Korp at Purpose Entertainment: christina@purposeentertainment.com
Benny Fisher, Founder and Visionary of The Big Fish Contracting Company, Co-Founder of The Arena Mastermind, Business Growth Leader for Contractor Dynamics, and host of The Big Fish Cares Podcast, leads with love and authenticity, masterfully transforming pain into purpose. His empathetic approach inspires others to consciously design their lives, a reflection of his own journey through adversity to success. As he nears the 100th episode of his impactful podcast and conducts transformative workshops, Benny's dedication to guiding individuals in reshaping challenges into growth opportunities cements him as a significant and inspirational figure in the business community, encouraging many to navigate their paths with heart and intentional action. Website links https://bennyfisher.com/ https://arenamastermind.co/ https://www.contractordynamics.com https://www.thebigfishco.com Social Media links LI: www.linkedin.com/in/fisherbenny FB: @fisherbenny IG: @bigfish.benny X: @fisherbenny Campsite: https://campsite.to/bennyfisher
Rachel is a third-generation female entrepreneur. With a background in business behavioral science, she has a knack and passion for bridging gaps in relationships- especially where one partner is the Driven Visionary Entrepreneur. Her husband, Ezra, and her own Poly Craft Industries, a Printing flexo company, which they grew threefold with the Entrepreneurial Operating System tools. She is an EOS Implementer, Co-Host with Dr Douglas Brackmann on the Popular “I am Driven” Podcast, author of Empowered COO and founder of Driven Spouse Forum. She also coaches people in recovery from codependence. www.Rachel-Lebowitz.com
Patrick Metzger has always been a teacher, coach, and facilitator at heart. After spending over a decade as a public school teacher and coach, where he helped build high-achieving teams and assist them in reaching their goals, Patrick decided to embark on the entrepreneurial journey. Within two years, he worked with clients across North America and performed professional talks and trainings. Patrick is passionate about using his teaching and coaching expertise in partnering with and supporting teams and leaders for growth and success as the CEO/Founder of The Greenhouse, as well as a Certified EOS Implementer®, Certified Value Builder™ Advisor, and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®). He has worked with and spoken to 100+ organizations across the Midwest and nation within various industries to help them grow to the next stage and achieve their goals. Patrick enjoys guiding everyone from young startups, laying the foundational bricks of success to billion-dollar companies, increasing efficiencies, and making a greater impact in the world. Carissa Metzger has a proven track record of using her expertise and attention to detail within project management and operations to elevate teams. After spending over a decade managing an international logistics office for one of the largest agricultural shipping companies in North Dakota, Carissa stepped into a project management position for one of the biggest national window manufacturers in the United States. After leaving the corporate workforce to assist her husband, Greenhouse CEO/Founder Patrick Metzger, in launching the business, Carissa now helps keep the train on track by focusing primarily on internal operations and project management for The Greenhouse team. Carissa also finds the time to fulfill her lifelong passion for home design by working part-time as a design assistant for a high-end designer in Fargo-Moorhead.
Janelle Bruland is a Driven entrepreneur, author, and leader who shares her story of growing up as a driven in a household that was supportive of her and the powerful positive impact it made on her life, as well as being married to a Driven spouse. Alongside her driven husband, she runs a business designed to elevate and guide other Driven entrepreneurs to success. You can learn more about Janelle and read her book "The Success Lie" on her website www.thesuccesslie.com as well as learn more about her mastermind for driven entrepreneurs alongside her husband.
Kelly Clements is the creator of The Entreprenewer; a marriage-centric coaching program for entrepreneurs. Her professional experience working for world-class coaching programs like Strategic Coach and Lifebook have taught her how to work with driven entrepreneurs, but it was her personal experience that underscored why it was so important for both the entrepreneur and the spouse to have a coach. Kelly can seamlessly help bridge The Ambition Gap that many entrepreneurial couples experience, as well as giving relevant perspective changes to help couples connect at a deeper level. Her Relationship Spectrum™ helps couples identify ways to create a healthier power dynamic, and her Presence Principles™ will help both parties get more enjoyment and intimacy out of the relationship. Author of The Power of Play, Praise, and Purpose, and Grow Your Business Without Growing Apart, Kelly provides actionable strategies to help entrepreneurs WIN at work and home.
Link to course: https://courses.kellyclements.com/offers/FLqqFiA8
In this episode, Dr. Doug introduces his new co-host - Rachel Lebowitz. Rachel is a Driven who grew up in NYC alongside 15 siblings, and learned from a very early age that navigating life as a Driven is a beautiful, yet extremely challenging endeavor. Join in as Dr. Doug and Rachel discuss her past, present, and the future of the I Am Driven podcast.
Michael Bernoff is the founder of the Human Communications Institute and a leader in the personal and professional development industry. Michael has impacted hundreds of thousands of people across the world with his programs, book, audio, videos, and seminars. Michael has an unmatched natural-born talent to understand the psychology of individuals, which he will pass on to you. This innate and highly-tuned awareness allows him to quickly perceive what makes people make the decisions they make and what makes them do what they do. Rather than breaking down walls, Michael is skilled at getting people to rapidly lower resistance in themselves and others, allowing room for progress. Michael is the developer of Human Interaction Technology™(HIT), a powerful technology that allows people to understand unknown psychological triggers and powerful communication strategies so they can increase their charisma and influence, leaving their average life behind. The author of “Average Sucks” Why You Don’t Get What You Want and What to Do About It”, Michael shows you how to raise your average and create the life you want.
Lisa Brooking is a Driven with a background in the healthcare industry who is passionate about helping people take control of their health by being proactive instead of reactive in the ways they treat their bodies and medical issues. She is the leader of Healthcode Medical, a venture that focuses on using functional medicine to get to the root cause of many common health issues and a better quality of life for everyone they come in contact with. Learn more about how they can help you too - visit www.healthcode.ca
Martha McSally is a US Senator, Retired Air Force Colonel, Author, Triathlete, and a Driven with an incredible story. In this episode we speak with her about overcoming the challenges associated with being a woman in positions of power and influence, overcoming past trauma, and finding peace through faith in a chaotic and often painful world. Follow her on socials @ MarthaMcSally and join her free masterclass at www.marthamcsally.com
Barton Scott is a Driven who has used his gifts to deep dive into the world of nutrition and chemical engineering. Through trials and extensive learning, his team has developed superior nutrients and hair testing process to upgrade health in dramatic ways. Visit www.upgradedformulas.com to learn more and order your own test.
Rob Dube is a Driven, entrepreneur, and mentor who is passionate about helping other driven entrepreneurs like himself find balance and success - both inside and out. In this interview, he shares his story of growing up as a misunderstood driven kid, the burden of having an analytical mind and balancing work and home life as a driven person. To learn more about Rob's work and community, visit www.the10disciplines.com
Jason Campbell's journey into meditation, music, and wellness began 45 years ago, at age 8 when his teacher told him to never listen to notes, but instead to listen to the space in between the notes. An accomplished composer and pianist, he has released over 100 albums and has been #1 on multiple Billboard and Amazon charts. Jason’s unique perspective on music, health, wellness, and spiritual growth comes from his lifelong study of both music and the ancient arts of Eastern health, medicine, meditation, and enlightenment. He is a 7th degree black belt and co-founder of Zen Wellness, teaching meditation, eastern medicine, tai chi, qigong, sword, and enlightenment at their 400-acre ranch in the mountains of Arizona. He is the director of music for GeniusX Virtual Reality and created the first breathing course in virtual reality. His music is also found on performance-based apps such as ChilliSleep, Focus at Will, Fig Tree, The Breath Source, Gravystack, and others. He is currently scoring the music for the Vatican NFT launch. As co-owner and Sheriff of the town of Cleator, Arizona, he is combining Western culture with eastern wisdom to create a community committed to the uplifting of the human spirit.
Codi & Valerie Gharagouzloo are a husband & wife DRIVEN power couple and are quite literally on a journey to change the world through groundbreaking medical research & technology development. In this episode, they discuss their calling to grow a business that is innovating healthcare and advancing the ball for curing cancer, Alzheimer's, and even age-reversing therapy. Listen in as they talk about health, faith, and finding their passion in healing.
I Am Driven Podcast is celebrating our induction into the 100-episode club! Join us as we discuss some of our favorite highlights from the first 100 episodes!
Laura Di Franco is an Author, Wellness Coach, and retired Physical Therapist who joins us in this episode to share her powerful journey to becoming a healer, advice on overcoming imposter syndrome, exploring the idea of purpose driven fear, and much more. You can find more about Laura and her work on her website at www.bravehealer.com
Jenn Drummond is a world record holder, mother, speaker, businesswoman, author and host of the Seek Your Next Summit podcast. Driven from as early as she can remember, she shares her story of being a Driven woman in a world of sheep, how she got hit with a wake up call and realized she needed to not wait to go for her goals. You can find more about Jenn and her work and books on her website at https://jenndrummond.com
Jeff Hays recognized that he had an entrepreneurial brain and he found a way very early in his life to harness his Drivenness for his supreme benefit. He became the president of a publicly traded firm at the age of 29 amongst numerous other endeavors in all kinds of spaces. Jeff has since become an award winning filmmaker, author, and television producer, famously creating Fahrenhype 9/11 in 2004 and On Native Soul in 2006.
Jeff was also kind enough to share with the podcast how he was able to find himself and learn how to love via his late wife.
Jeff's book The Entrepreneurial Brain comes out October 3rd and the docuseries by the same name also comes out in October. You can find more about him and his work online at https://www.jeffhaysfilms.com
Christine McCarron has been involved in different levels of real estate for 20+ years as well as being a podcaster, entrepreneur, realtor, speaker, author, coach, home improvement contractor and real estate investor. While Christine obviously keeps very busy, she also, like most Drivens, feels like most people just don't get her and why she is the way that she is. She shares her unique experience of moving through her entrepreneurship journey as well as some of her experiences in real estate and passive income.
You can find Chris online at chrismccarron.com
Jim Harshaw Jr is a former Division I All-American Collegiate Wrestler, then became the youngest DI College Wrestling coach at the time he was hired. He has now transitioned into performance coaching and speaking as a TEDx speaker. Jim speaks to his collegiate experience where he experienced repeated failure and how he changed his mindset in his final year of competition to reset his mind on the path to success. He now uses that similar framework he thrived in within collegiate athletics and applies it to his clients in whatever their walk of life is.
You can find Jim online at his website jimharshawjr.com. He also has a TEDx talk named Why I Teach My Children to Fail, and a podcast by the name of Success Through Failure. You can also follow Jim on his social media profiles on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
We have another Driven couple ladies and gents! Ethan & Stephanie Bull own and operate their business ProAssisting which pairs up remote executive assistants with entrepreneurs. They share their story and dynamic as a Driven couple, as well as how they vet their EAs and how they shaped the business model to be most successful.
You can find both of them on LinkedIn and can also learn more about their business on their website at proassisting.com
Ruth Cohn struggled, like many drivens, finding a way to live life in her own skin. She found a purpose in activism then, following therapy of her own, in helping others through trauma therapy. She speaks with us on the podcast about the troubles she sees those with trauma have in not only therapy, but their relationships.
You can find more about Ruth's work at her website https://ruthcohnmft.com/
Craig Weller is a former USN SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant Crewman) who, like many other Drivens, grew up going through school just bored out his mind while also getting perfect scores on tests. He decided to early enlist in the military where he struggled for years through the testing but developed a unique ability to observe himself from an outside perspective.
You can find more about the work and coaching that Craig does online at buildingtheelite.com and on Instagram at buildingtheelite
Marianne Smith is an academic who works directly in studying paradoxes and has found life is full of them. In her fathers' work with Harvard MBA students, he shared that the biggest complaint they had from their students was arrogance. She shared what she's found with Drivens using arrogance as a mask and patterns she finds in those who are very Driven. Marianne is the coauthor of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems with Episode 88 guest, Wendy Smith. Their book is available on Amazon.
John Miles is the founder of the Passion Struck podcast and is another one of our former military Drivens. John spent a lot of his post-military career in the security and cybersecurity space, and his Driven tendencies has led him to be an innovator in these spaces. He then realized he wasn't living out his purpose as he felt called to, and began his entrepreneurship journey. Passion Struck is the name of John's podcast that you can find on all podcast platforms. You can find more about Passion Struck online at https://passionstruck.com
Justin Breen is yet another serial entrepreneur in the Driven community who sees Drivens as the cream that rises to the top and won't accept excuses. He also shares a story from his dad's diary from battles in World War II that he has turned to in times of doubt and his dad's stories have driven him even more to be great. Justins passion to bring together Driven people is reflected in not only his work, but also in how he values his own tribe to much that he wants to help provide that for others. You can find Justin at www.brepicllc.com
David McRaney is the author of How Minds Change and that concept is the basis of his conversation with Dr. Doug and Meg. From his upbringing to his journey through writing and how writing about how minds change in turn changes his mind many times. Human resistance to change, specifically change of opinion, is a tale as old as time and the conversation that exists in that space can teach you so much about not only yourself, but the other person. You can find David at davidmcraney.com and on socials @davidmcraney. His podcast is You Are Not So Smart and you can find that at youarenotsosmart.com. His latest book, How Minds Change is available on Amazon
Batja Mesquita is a social and cultural psychologist, as well as the author of Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions. She shares her perspective on understanding different cultures and how they interact in both positive and negative circumstances. You can find Batja at her website at www.batjamesquita.com and you can find her book on Amazon
Wendy Smith is a professor at the University of Delaware, as well as the coauthor of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems (available on Amazon). In a conversation that appeals to not only Drivens, but all people balancing their life, Wendy joins Dr. Doug and Meghan to talk through how to draw connections in life instead of having to choose one thing over the next. You can find more content online at bothandthinking.net
Tom Jones has mastered taking the plentiful adversity he has faced in his life and turning it into his superpower. Tom's story is one that has so many twists and turns between what he's been put through to what he has chosen to pursue in his inherent Driven nature. From training with Chuck Norris to working with foster homes to setting world records, his 'quit-proof' nature has inspired him to now write his own book. We are lucky enough to have him share some of his tidbits on the pod, along with parts of his amazing story. You can find him on Instagram at quitproof1, as Tom Jones Quitproof on Facebook, as well as on his website quitproof.com
Todd Kashdan wandered from his family tradition of having a seat on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to take a deep dive into human psychology, as well as becoming an author. He has been working toward, and continues to aspire to work with people and organizations to be able to have conversations conducive not necessarily to persuasion, but to understanding. Todd's newest book, The Art of Insubordination: How to Descent and Defy Effectively is available on Amazon, along with his other books mentioned in today's podcast
Kelsea Simons, Meghan's sister, is an ICU nurse and 'studier of humans'. Kelsea understands that she uses her intuition in many situations in her attempt to understand people. She has excelled in her many years as a nurse with her driven ability to empathize with patients. She joins the podcast to talk through her difficulty in working with non-driven people, sometimes stubborn doctors, and also her experiences in end-of-life care.
Moshe's book Mindwandering can be found on Amazon. You can also find more content from Moshe online at moshebar.org as well as on social media
Mónica Guzmán is a bridge-builder, journalist, entrepreneur, and author of I Never Thought of It That Way. She shares with us her concept of conversation dials and how that dynamic can play out in both in-person conversations and online communication. Her desire to help people understand one another is what drives her in her work as well as her daily life. Mónica shares how valuable trust is in conversation and why and how persuasion has become a lost art. Find out more about Mónica Guzmán's work with Braver Angels at braverangels.org and find more about her personal endeavors at moniguzman.com Moni's book I Never Thought of It That Way is also available on Amazon.
Randy Perkins, from a very young age, developed a fear of failure rooted in the fear of disappointing his parents. That fear lit the fire on his Drivenness, and that fire has been burning just as brightly ever since. As a former athlete, he finds ways in not only his work life but many other parts of his life to compete in all things. Randy has been a serial entrepreneur and investor ever since and has found joy in the keeping score, not just the processes.
Dr. Salvatore Forcina, an Italian immigrant in Argentina, grew up being told he was stupid and not important at the monastery. He didn't have any sense of self-confidence until he got to university in the United States, where he studied to become a surgeon. Not even knowing how to speak english, he was able to finish college and medical school and has been able to thrive in his career with a chip on his shoulder. You can preorder Dr. Sal's book The American Doctor on Amazon today. He can also be found on Instagram at drsalvatoreforcinamd
Travis Luther spent his late childhood and early adult years as the family scapegoat while his entrepreneurial spirit was blooming in his many endeavors. He took it upon himself to try to steer his brothers down the right path following the divorce of their parents but he was always finding a new ways to feed his drive to be a successful entrepreneur as well as drive his passion for a music career. Travis speaks on his Driven nature, upbringing and passion for music that brought him to be the person he is today. Find Travis at travisluther.com to find more on what he does, links to social media, as well as follow his writing work.
MK Stahl is a textbook Driven who is an owner of multiple businesses, mother of 2 and a wife. Her upbringing fostered her competitive nature, but she found herself lost following graduation like many Drivens and was able to find her passion after recognizing a desk job was not her cup of tea. MK shares about her life being married to an also Driven husband, learning how to balance being a business owner while also wanting to be present for her kids. Driven women, this one's for you! You can find MK at MaryKatherineStahl on Instagram and Facebook, and you can find more information about Fit Body Boot Camp at fitbodybootcamp.com. She also hosts her own weekly podcast called the Beyond the Scale podcast.
Leading expert in Developmental Trauma, Stephen Terrell shares the twists and turns of his life that have turned him into the healer he is today. Stephen's "Transforming the Experience Based Brain" is an online course that has helped many people work through their traumas in their lives, as well as his work with the Austin Attachment and Counseling Center. He also shares some of his teachings and theories in this interview with Dr. Doug and Meghan.
Army veteran Scott DeLuzio was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, and, like it does for many others, that deployment changed his life forever. His deployment ended when he was given the news that his younger brother, who was also deployed in Afghanistan, lost his life in combat. Upon his return home, he struggled to find himself and face his grief while also trying to learn how to be a father. Scott shares his stories and struggles on this weeks episode of the I am Driven podcast. You can find Scott online at driveonpodcast.com and his book Surviving Son is available on Amazon.
Anthony Trucks is a former NFL football player turned 'identity shift coach' who grew up in the foster care system. Experiencing numerous hardships at a young age motivated him to take action, constantly looking to improve his circumstances. He joins the I am Driven podcast to share challenges he's faced as a person, parent, and professional, as well as the importance of being able to shift your identity to reach your full potential. You can find Anthony on Instagram at anthonytrucks , and online at anthonytrucks.com. Check out his book Identity Shift on Amazon
Tom D'Eri was obviously a Driven from a very young age. He went from being isolated and lonely as a kid, to becoming a businessman named in Forbes 30 Under 30. He joins Dr. Doug and Meghan to share his experience growing up with parents who fostered his Driven nature, his entrepreneurship journey, as well as his book. He also specifically dives into his venture in his business Rising Tides Car Wash where 80% of his employees are on the autism spectrum. Take advantage of Tom's deal on his website and get a free resource with the purchase of his book at theautismadvantage.com
Erin Bellanca struggled through her Driven identity most of her young life, always eager to accomplish the next big thing. Once she was able to come down to earth, her identity shifted from being solely placed in her work and she was finally able to be present. Erin takes a deep dive with Dr. Doug and Meghan about life in a Driven marriage and how they manage to find balance as Driven women in their partnerships.
Dr. Doug and Meghan break down and discuss some of the intricacies of dreaming and what some parts of dreams can mean. What you can learn from and work through personally with your dreams might surprise you. Resources mentioned include Why We Dream by Matthew Walker, PhD and Inner Work by Robert A. Johnson.
A term that a lot of our Driven listeners have asked for us to break down, Dr. Doug joins Meghan to break down dorsal freeze on today's podcast. In sharing some analogies, as well as some real-life applications, plenty of Drivens should now have a better understanding of a term that gets thrown around quite a bit. Books mentioned in this podcast: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van den Kolk Trauma and Memory by Peter Levine Nurturing Resilience by Kathy Pain & Stephen Terrell
Melissa Hughes, Founder of Live Rich. Spread Wealth. Movement & Company, was sick of being suffocated and over worked in corporate America. She transitioned into coaching people into living richer lives by becoming their best selves. Melissa is a best-selling author, speaker, and master business coach that became a self-made millionaire by the age of 31! She shares her work with Drivens in helping them to channel the best version of themselves, as well as how she too became her best self. Learn more about Melissa's work at MelissaHughes.com or more about her business at LiveRichSpreadWealth.com Also on social media @IAmMelissaHughes
JL Holdsworth went from College Football player to World Record holder in powerlifting in 2 years. Failure is not an option and success can never come fast enough. JL experienced an awakening and until he did so, he didn't even realize all of the things he was missing out on, from observing the world to experiencing feelings. JL shares his story of how a self-sabotaging injury got him to where he is now and how his life has completely changed.
Trivinia Barber, the Driven woman whom Dr. Doug wrote chapter 5 of his book Driven about, gets vulnerable in this weeks episode. She shares about how her many traumas shaped her life and how, with the help of Dr Doug, she tackled a variety of intrusive thoughts and finally got her marriage to thrive after 20 years.
A United States Marine Corps Veteran turned serial entrepreneur and keynote speaker, Ben Taylor, gets vulnerable on the podcast this week. Ben shares stories from the impact of his military service and entrepreneurial endeavors, as well as his recent experience at the Driven Meditation Shooting Retreat. Many Driven's will surely be able to relate to what Ben shares about his journey through life.
For more on the work Ben is doing visit: https://bentaylortalks.com/
From being overseas and leading covert intelligence briefings to orchestrating security programs for 4,000 Soldiers, Shelly Rood joins Dr. Doug and Meghan for this week's episode. She shares just some of the things she learned in her 16-year role as a female in a male-dominated profession as an Intelligence Officer in the US Army Reserves, along with the numerous challenges of that system. Shelly also speaks on some of the many ways she perceives the world and acts in life as a strong, Driven woman. As an ordained minister, she also offers her perspective on faith and Christianity and why so many people see and do it all wrong.
The link mentioned by Shelly in the episode for the 21-page guide is https://othersoverself.com/DRIVEN/
The youngest podcast guest to date, Jordan Yusunas, started working with Dr. Doug while still in high school. He shares about his experience in discovering and channeling his drivenness, reframing his life to focus on the process, and realizing there isn't a finish line.
Kenny Baker is a former professional and continued competitive road cyclist who also works with his business 51 Fitness, a holistic health practice with the idea of full body wellness. Kenny is a true driven who has always found his most important competition in his eyes was himself. He found holistic practices in hearing about the work of Paul Chek (I'm Driven podcast guest 3/9 Episode 36) and dove right in those and similar modalities. Kenny was also a recent participant in Race Across America - (RAAM), which is a 3000-mile bike race starting in Oceanside, CA, and finishes in Annapolis, MD.
Find more about Kenny's work at https://www.51fitness.org
Neuroscience has shown that 95% of our life experiences are shaped by unconscious programs. Dr. Olga Stevko is a Russian MD who has created a unique and powerful methodology that allows her to identify and transform unconscious programs which are caused by childhood traumas and traumas passed down genetically. We talk with Dr. Stevko about transforming unconscious programs and how we can change how the nervous system reacts to everything that triggers flight, fight and freeze responses, dramatically impacting our behavior as Drivens.
Rebecca Boatman has been working with Dr. Doug for about two and a half years through her transformation from girl to woman. As the founder of The Brave Movement, she has taken her training in emotional intelligence and helped transform the lives of thousands of women. Dr. Doug and Rebecca reference the book She by Robert Johnson as they discuss the parallels Rebecca experienced in her own life, as well as the intricacies of the female mind. Dr. Doug discusses the many complexities of the design for a relationship between a man and a woman, the things both sides should seek, and the roles to be played in divine masculinity and femininity.
You can find more about The Brave Movement online at https://jointhebravemovement.com/about/
Amber Setter became an accountant, following in the footsteps of an admired role model, until she realized there was a desperate need in the industry. She decided to get her Masters in Leadership Studies and started her own company supporting better work-life balance and conscious business practices for CPAs. She talks with us about how her trauma molded her into becoming the professional and person she is today, as well as her journey to an impactful soul awakening.
You can find Amber online at https://conscious.cpa
Ken Kladouris is a true driven who saw the lifestyle his uncle lived as a financial planner, and at a very young age decided that he would do anything he could to get to that place. Ken works in a unique position to be able to help people to stop living in how fear drives their desire to make money, and transition into helping people find stillness in their lives. Ken speaks on his experience with mediation and how the practice has affected how he not only lives his life, but also how he works.
You can find Ken online at https://kenkladouris.com or his business page at https://www.stillnesstosuccess.com
Freddy Silva is a leading historical researcher, specifically in the realm of temples and consciousness, who has written seven books and starred in fourteen documentaries. Freddy shares a lot of insights to how he has worked to ground himself and continues to analyze his lifestyle and grounding habits. He also shares his unique relationship to music and how he uses it as a form of meditation.
You can find Freddy online at invisibletemple.com
Dr. Doug and Meghan break down the practice of patience and its difficulties being a Driven. Specifically, in her current situation, being 9 months pregnant, Meg shares her experience being a Driven, expecting another child. The illusion of being trapped while anxiously awaiting the next big thing tests your patience to the utmost. Dr. Doug suggests taking time to meditate to continue a daily practice of patience while also understanding suffering comes from your inner-self.
Aaron Doughty took the leap that most say they want to take, but few persevere through. We talk with Aaron about what Doug calls the sin of the feminine: Control. Aaron grew up with a controlling, narcissistic step-mother, which led to a pattern of this type of female figure always controlling a part of his life. Noticing these patterns, and sick of living in the monotony of his 9-5 job selling women's shoes, Aaron's curiosity led him down a path of self-discovery and sharing what he learned on Youtube. His channel quickly grew to over 1M subscribers, and now he focuses on his passion for spreading self-love and spirituality with his growing online audience. You can find Aaron's videos on YouTube and his self-titled podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Mike Koenigs has always challenged at least the pace of the status quo. As a leader of his current company, he helps people see what they do best, but he still wrestles with his Driven fear-fueled scarcity. Mike shares with us how he hustled his way through life, finishing high school then moving away to go to technical school. He kept his head down, until he was forced to look up when his wife changed all the locks on their house. We talk with Mike about relationships, his journey to a successful career in media, and beating a bleak cancer diagnosis in his forties. Mike's story is one about comebacks. You can find his book, Cancerpreneur, on Amazon.
A self-titled former 'frogifier of men', Alison Armstrong's curiosity has led her to pursue a better understanding of men. We dig into the difference in mentalities of men and women with Alison, how they process situations differently and communicate differently. Our interactions with the opposite sex can get pretty complex considering every person's tendency to project wounds and to assume the other sex thinks, processes, and communicates like they do. We're different down to the simplest forms of our biology, and in this episode we study and celebrate those differences. Check out all of Alison’s amazing online resources for understanding men, women, and intimacy at https://www.alisonarmstrong.com/
Michael Holt grew up in Philadelphia and knew as a young man he needed to remove himself from the environment to stop his self-sabotage, after a handful of run-ins with the law. Michael moved to California to forge his own path, studying under previous podcast guest, Paul Chek, to become a holistic health practitioner. We talk with Michael about the critical balance of being a savage and being a saint--that you can be both the most dangerous guy in the room, and the most loving. Michael's relatability to men led him to start a men's community for self-mastery. You can find information on that at tribemenscommunity.com and sign up for his newsletter.
This week we take some time on the podcast to review my top 10 recommended reads for those who have recently been introduced to this work. If you’ve read Dr. Doug’s book and relate to being Driven, it’s probably spurred A LOT of new questions and curiosities. These are some of the books Dr. Doug recommended to me in our early days working together, and some others I’ve really appreciated in my own journey. I break it down into 3 categories: Books for Greater Understanding, Books for Deeper Knowing, and Books for Taking Action. Get those Amazon carts queued up.
Tucker Max, New York Times Bestselling Author and founder of Scribe, and Veronica Max, a Nurse Practitioner, and entrepreneur herself, have been in a Driven marriage now for over a decade. In raising 4 kids, they’ve found a balance of organized chaos that works for them both, although that doesn’t mean it’s never a point of friction. The drive for self-sufficiency can cause turmoil in a relationship between Driven individuals because that then brings the other to ask, “Well what do you need me here for then?” Vulnerability is key in any relationship but Tucker & Veronica highlight how it’s imperative in a Driven relationship.
Tim Corcoran is the founder of Purpose Mountain, where he offers Nature-Based Purpose Guidance to support people with a love for wild nature who feel a deep yearning to discover their purpose. Tim also serves as co-Director of Twin Eagles Wilderness School, an organization he co-founded with his wife, Jeannine Tidwell, in Sandpoint, Idaho in 2005 dedicated to facilitating deep nature connection mentoring, cultural restoration, and inner tracking.
A leader of vision quests, holistic rites of passage, and men’s groups, Tim has been facilitating spiritual initiations in the wilderness since 1999. Healing the cultural rift between the mainstream and indigenous cultures, transformational consciousness work, the spiritual journey, ancestral work, deep nature connection, family and health are all deep commitments in his life.
Steven Sisler is a behavioral analyst and axiologist who grew up in Boston as the son of a preacher. He went to seminary and his curiosity ended up pushing him out of the profession.
Steven shares that life is a three-dimensional system and people who have their priorities of those dimensions in check are the most successful. Steven shares stories about how he has used axiology to read clients and understand them better than those who have known them their whole lives.
Check out Steven's new book Axiology.
Also visit behavioralresourcegroup.com or aristoaxiologygroup.com for more resources to look under the hood of your business or your own life.
Rick Ricart is the owner of a very successful mecca of car and motorcycle dealerships in Ohio. He keeps himself grounded with what he calls his humility practice every morning then lives his life with aggressive patience. His drivenness calls him to spread his wings and fly all the time and his wife helps ground him when she sees what he can’t.
Jason Fowler is a physician's assistant in an Emergency Room as well as the Owner of Lake Effect Hockey, a fast-growing youth hockey organization. Jason’s first job as a forensic pathologist assistant opened doors for him to teach pathology at a university which led him to want to go back to school to become a PA. Following his graduation with a 4.0 and testing in the top 2% on his boards. Eject buttons kept rerouting his life into different avenues so he then ran with his childrens’ passion for hockey and his entrepreneurial spirit took over. Jason also shared about managing his driven son in both his sport and his school work.
As a trailblazer in the mental coaching space, it's an honor to have Gay Hendricks on the podcast. He shares his ideas about pure consciousness, the upper limit, and more. Getting to where you need to be is about the sincerity of your commitment. To not know the path to get there is part of the beauty of the journey.
Gay's books include The Big Leap, The Genius Zone, Conscious Living, Conscious Loving, and more.
Mike Green is a Master Certified Coach who hosts some of the wildest expeditions we've heard of; and that's no metaphor. Mike's expertise lies in hunting and hiking the most extreme wilderness terrain across multiple continents from South Africa to Alaska, where he calls home. Mike has seen his Drive on display in all aspects of his life and shares with us his transformation from curiously wandering the unknown to leading others through it. Check out Mike's book Wandermust: A Hero's Journey to Seven Truths on Amazon.
Andrew Johnston is a Driven through and through. His story details a continued fight through adversity as a professional athlete and multi-race champion in two endurance sports, while engaged in an ongoing battle with a rare form of Leukemia he was diagnosed with at 32. Andrew continued his practice and study of the body after his professional athlete career by becoming a personal trainer and holistic health practitioner. We talk with Andrew about resilience, gratitude, and the fearful question all parents experience: How bad will we screw up our kids?
Sean Lake is a former pro-snowboarder turned entrepreneur who has consistently defined himself by taking 'hard lefts.' Sean thrived in the punk-rock scene, quickly latching on to skateboarding as a kid, which was hardly defined as a sport in the early 80s. In talking with Sean we discover that this exploration of friction in going against status quo was actually his way of following his heart. Sean shares with us stories of friendship, determination, and building a heart-led company. Check out Sean's growing brand, BubsNaturals.com for top notch collagen and MCT-Oil. 10% of profits are donated to veteran charities.
Drew Myers wrapped his arms around his father's advice: "if you're not happy, do something else." It took Drew 11 jobs in 11 years to figure out that happiness isn't 'found' in what we're doing. We talk with Drew about stumbling upon his calling as a radio show host, his journey to hell realms, and about a novel concept he embraced to lift himself out: Obedience. Check out Drew's amazing book on Amazon that details obeying the whispers that know better: The Tacos and Chocolate Diet
socials: @DefiningAudacity
DrewMyers.life
What gets people 'into Dr. Doug's office' is a sense of aloneness. Humans are wired for attachment. Every cell in our bodies is connected to the cells next to it. Separation creates pain. A cut to the skin is separation that creates pain, just as separation from other humans creates pain. Today we take a deep dive into the pain of isolation, the difference between pain and fear, and the realization by many of our Driven community members that the fear and avoidance of pain that got us to where we are isn't going to get us to where we want to go. We can confront that pain, appreciate that it is evidence of love, and know it's wisdom.
Justin Foster noticed his defiance at a young age and his Driven behaviors grew in the shadows, manifesting as the imposter syndrome that so many Driven's are familiar with. Justin shares with us key awakenings in his life that uprooted the ideal persona he had formed to be accepted in the herd. He moved to Austin, uncoupled from his wife, and changed careers, radically altering his life and forcing him to grow. The battle between the ego and the soul is something Justin has welcomed. We talk with Justin about sitting in that discomfort and approaching life with more non-dual 'Third Way Thinking.'
rootandriver.com
fosterthinking.com
@fosterthinking (Instagram & Twitter)
@reluctanthobo (Son's art page)
@virginialacayo (partner's coaching website)
In part 2 of 2 on driven relationships, Dr. Doug talks us through the unconscious behaviors that may often put us at odds with our partner, and how we discern when our masculine or feminine energy may be at work. We outline some simple but critical steps to drastically improve your relationship with a Driven partner, and discuss practices we've implemented to improve our own relationships. We can both admit it's not always easy, but relationships HAVE to be difficult to build trust.
There's been a lot of interest from our Driven audience in understanding dynamics of intimate relationship with another Driven person. Whether you are married or seeking a partner, there are likely areas of consistent frustration when trying to connect with another. We're breaking this topic podcast into two parts, focusing first on the key relationship that must be integrated in your inner world in order to truly be available to a partner: Your own Masculine and Feminine energies.
Matt Terwilliger learned through competitive sports that emotions, when unchecked, can be exploited by your opponent. He strived for stoicism all the way through his basketball career, landing him in the 2007 NCAA Basketball National Championship. We talk with Matt about the motivating power emotions can have when you welcome and understand them, and how he tries to explain emotional regulation to his 4-year-old. Matt also shares his own awakening to an unhealthy relationship with money, how he has shifted his perspective away from security scarcity to abundance budgeting, and as a financial advisor how he helps his fellow Driven clients do the same.
Joey Coleman grew up as one of seven kids in a household that allowed his Drive to bloom from the start. A former criminal defense lawyer and jack of many trades, Joey now travels the country speaking and coaching C-suite executives on customer retention. We talk with Joey about the human condition, being married to a Driven, and impactful moments in his most influential relationships. Joey explains how his Drive manifests in his work as a conduit for the unspoken, both professionally and personally.
On today's podcast, we aim to wrap our hands around Imposter syndrome. Dr. Doug defines it broadly as the creation of an ideal or expectation in the outer world that doesn't match our inner world identity. As Driven individuals with a more complex emotional identity and often a heavy dose of perfectionism, many of us experience imposter syndrome. We talk through our personal experience with imposter syndrome, deliberate the potential differences in how it shows up for men and women, and discuss the ways we can ultimately harness it for healthy humility and a life of mastery.
Paul Chek has always been a seeker of knowledge and comprehensive understanding, constantly asking the question 'what caused that?'. This led him to a life of learning, first as an auto mechanic, then in the 82nd airborne division, then progressively exploring exercise science, holistic health, and spirituality. Paul is a licensed holistic health practitioner and founder of the Chek Institute, which offers fitness and healthcare professionals a uniquely integrated and holistic approach to health, fitness and well-being. We talk with Paul about the purpose of pain and suffering, the relationship between spirit and soul, and the uncommon occurrence of truly original thinking.
Entrepreneur turned investor, Scott Thompson grew up in Pennsylvania and identified as a 'pusher' from an early age. He pushed himself to become an Eagle scout by the age of 14 and All-state Wrestler by 17. Scott aspired to pursue his MBA at Stanford, but ultimately found more value in another type of education: sales training. Through his salesmanship and pushing drive, Scott started a staffing company that he quickly grew to over 8,000 staffed employees. We talk with Scott about the realizations we have when we are able to slow down and just be; and the difference between being motivated by personal gain and motivated by love.
Don Joseph Goewey worked hard throughout his career, finally landing himself a dream job at Stanford University. As fate would have it, his world was turned upside down with the diagnosis of a brain tumor, thrusting him out of a job and into an important phase of self-discovery. We talk with Don about how sometimes it takes a life-changing event to get you to 'wake up' and how finding happiness starts with realizing there's nothing to fix. Outside of his own coaching and writing, Don now serves as the executive director of the DeMello Spirituality Center. Check out the book mentioned in the podcast "Stop Fixing Yourself: Wake Up, All Is Well" by Anthony De Mello.
Brad Mills used his dream of making a movie, and the desire to fund it, to fuel his navigation through life. The now-retired serial entrepreneur was always an early adopter of technology and was one of the first to get involved in Bitcoin when he bought his for $5 each. Brad started out with the Google search 'how to make money online' which led to him working through numerous scams and network marketing to get himself to where he is now. We talk with Brad about learning, resilience, and the collective agreements that keep our society going.
Megan Hottman was a late bloomer, athletically. She found cycling in law school and it became her passion; so much so that she spent time as a professional cyclist and then started her own law practice representing injured cyclists. Megan was fueled by her passion, until the exposure to crash scenes, injuries, and death took its toll psychologically. We talk with Megan about secondary trauma and how many professionals like journalists, attorneys, and first responders experience it in their line of work, yet receive little training on how to deal with witnessing that trauma. As Driven individuals, we can relate to Megan's feelings of angst and appreciate that discomfort as a signal: it's time to grow.
Jayson Gaignard, founder of Mastermind Talks, joins us on the podcast for a deep discussion about both success and failure. He shares with us the internal battle of finding fulfillment in his work and in his life, as well as his commitment to the one thing that can't be taken from us: our relationships. Coming out of darkness is difficult, but Jayson shares how he was able to get through dropping out of high school, early success in eCommerce, a brush with bankruptcy, and the fledgling days of MMT funded by his personal bank account. The importance of surrounding yourself with people who won't let you fail is evident in his life, and it's that focus on community that has become his mastery path.
We get back to topics on the I am Driven podcast this week with projection. We talk about what projection is and how it impacts your life in your everyday interactions with both the world in general and other people. What you see is what you feel and what you feel is what you see. We also talk about projection in relationships, as well as collective projection and confirmation bias. The difficulties of trying to separate your feelings from your reality are real, and meditation is a great way to notice it, but what can you do about it?
A God-fearing man with a God-shaped hole in his heart, Trey Weis is yet another Driven who has turned to meditation to help channel his ambition. As a pediatric dentist, he credits his success to his education, along with his ability to focus on accomplishing one thing at a time. We talk with Trey about growing up as a driven kid, building a business versus buying a business, his experience with meta practice, and more. Trey also gives insights into marriage with a Driven partner, and how being married to another Driven has challenged him in the best way. As the manager of a team of 45 employees, Trey shares how he had to learn to transition from the in-your-face, masculine leadership of college football to leading a staff of primarily women.
The plethora of experiences, from being a big fish in a small pond all the way to recently finishing up his MBA, has molded Chase Hobby into the entrepreneur he is today. He talks about life as a naval flight officer on an aircraft carrier, how his struggle with stress and sleep drove him and a partner to start their own CBD business, and how mediation and gratitude practice have helped him reign in his constant need for something more. Use discount code DRIVEN20 for 20% off Chase's proven stress, sleep, and recovery aids at VRBLabs.com.
Steven Goldenberg was raised in a rural Michigan suburb but learned quickly while visiting colleges that he craved the urban environment. While studying entrepreneurship at Georgetown, Steve came up with an idea for an Education Technology company that he immediately got to work on building after graduation. This 'first job' turned out to be a highly valued technology product for higher learning, amassing multi-million dollar revenues and a lucrative exit after 21 years with Steve at the helm as CEO. We talk in this episode about the physical discomfort of boredom, the value of play, and the happiness we can find in trusting our intuition.
Maximus Kang has never been a groomsman. After his father's death when he was 13, Max dug deeply into learning as a way out of the working class. He studied past test answers to work his way through college as a tutor, foregoing deeper friendships and a social life. After being fired from 5 engineering jobs during the recession of 2008, Max pivoted to focusing on the eCommerce side business he had bought with a few friends during college. He leaned on his ability to learn again, starting an SEO consulting business to help other brands excel online and pursuing a SAAS business to serve a need in the market. After a failed dream of being a SAAS founder, Max excelled in a practical product that he uses in his own life: kids' cups. We talk about managing anger, managing money, and the grit needed to build a mission-led brand. Check out Cupkin.com for the very best steel kids cups!
Born and Raised in Israel, Alon Braun is a German-Jewish descendant raised in a religious family. As a teen, Alon became intellectually rebellious, questioning the traditions of his family and country. He went into the army at age 18 as all Israeli citizens must do, and his high performance landed him in special forces for computer development. Around the age of 25, and after pursuing world travels and higher education in computer sciences, biology and philosophy, Alon started to realize that the most important work he could do was his own inner work. We talk with Alon about how sound decision-making without data requires better knowledge of the self. It requires a process for 'calculating' the intangibles, and that requires the development of one's own inner world. You can get Alon's book, The Entrepreneur's journey, on Amazon.
Sports can teach us a lot. For Gio Marcantoni, participating in sports facilitated connection and community. Gio moved to Baltimore on the heels of his parents' messy divorce and sports were his outlet, his opportunity to make new friends in a new place. Combined with his entrepreneurial tendencies or 'hustles' as he calls them, Gio developed the perfect skills to start Volo Sports, a multi-city 800-league recreational sports company that focuses on connecting human beings through sports that anyone can participate in and enjoy like kickball, skee-ball, and bocci ball. We talk with Gio about his battle with depression, resiliency, and the importance of good communication.
Our children are the perfect gift from the universe to teach us exactly what we need to learn in this lifetime. Some of us are blessed with Driven kids, and they give us the opportunity to both learn and to teach. Knowing that Driven kids learn differently than the other 90%, we can support our kids' learning style by being curious about their perspective, relating to them, and giving them some freedom to figure it out. Will we ever feel like we're really nailing it as parents? Probably not. But rest assured that children are resilient, and a good parent doesn't know they are a good parent because they are always trying to be better.
Carl Jung said until we make the unconscious conscious, it will direct our lives, and we will call it fate. Gemma Stone is a psychologist and true Driven D4 who has traveled to Europe, South America, and even across the North American continent in a van looking to make her impact on the world. After years of finding her way into and out of the, 'should life' Gemma shares with us what she's learned about embodiment, being aligned to her values, and the difference between impulse and intuition when making decisions. She now works with entrepreneurs to help them figure out who they are, how they function, and what judgments or unconscious beliefs may be imprisoning their true selves. You can get in contact with Gemma at GemmaStone.org.
Intelligence is not how smart you are. Intelligence has to do with your ability to gather, apply, and most of all, embody what you learn. Josh Trent is the founder and CEO of Wellness Force Media, a company that creates content to help men and women discover physical and emotional intelligence to live life well. We talk with Josh about his own journey in developing physical and emotional intelligence, the importance of the breath, and the 21 minutes you can spend in the morning to overcome stress and maximize energy. Josh also gave us the code PODCAST20 for 20% off the Wellness Force 3-week breathwork course at breathwork.io
There is an old saying that we teach what we most needed to learn. Gino Wickman joins us on the podcast to share his mission to impact one million entrepreneurs in the next 10 years through his new book and accompanying website tools, Entrepreneurial Leap. Gino is most notably the founder of EOS worldwide and the writer of several best-selling books on entrepreneurship and business growth processes. An entrepreneur since the age of 21, Gino has had an obsession for learning what makes businesses and entrepreneurs thrive. We talk today about the six traits that can't be taught, the power of 10-year thinking, and the necessity of taking the leap AND doing the inner work to truly feel like we've made it. For free access to the tools, we discussed, head to e-leap.com.
We've reached the tipping point in our evolution where instead of dying from external risk factors like predators and the elements, we are now dying of things we do to ourselves. In a world of excess and unlimited access to dopamine, addiction has become a problem for all of us, not just those who are genetically vulnerable. Today we speak to Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University. We talk about the overuse of medication to numb human suffering, the concept of making friends with pain, and insight as the key to successful recovery from compulsive overindulgence. You can find Dr. Lembke's book 'Dopamine Nation' available on Amazon.
You may have preconceived notions about what meditation is and the benefits it provides to those who practice. We hear time and again "Meditation just isn't for me. I can't sit still." or "I can't slow my mind down and I can't get the breathing right." The goal of meditation is simple: catch yourself being anywhere but present, and come back. In a single meditation, you will do this over and over and over again, just like you would when training a puppy to sit. The practice isn't meant to slow down the thought trains in your mind, it's just an effort to practice noticing when you're on one, and gently getting off and going back to the present.
Brian Kight is a competitor. He first tasted his love for competition and his desire for testing his own limits as the smallest 8-year-old nose guard on the football field. His parents divorced when he was an infant, so in shuttling between two different households with different rules and expectations, Brian (BK) quickly learned the foundational skill for self-discipline: awareness. BK now consults some of the most notable executive and athletic teams in the country on building awareness and implementing discipline to earn what they want. We talk with BK about competition, habits, and getting better at hard things instead of hard things getting easier. When we face big challenges or audacious goals, it's proven true that discipline is the shortcut.
Being Driven presents challenges. Being married to a Driven, especially if you're also Driven, is a complex obstacle course of sensitivity, communication, passion and fun. Today we have our first panel and we're focusing on Driven spouses. We talk with Fernanda (Fe) Aler and Dancey Creel about what they've learned in a combined 30 years of marriage to their Driven husbands. As mothers and entrepreneurs themselves, they share the roles and dynamics within their own relationship, the importance of communication, and of understanding and loving yourself first before you try to love someone else.
"Owning Your Power" is a phrase used often by therapists, coaches, and offered in all kinds of internet wisdom. But what does owning your power really mean? Today we dive into the clear and simple physiological definition of owning your power. As Driven individuals, our elephants tend to get reactive very quickly, and that drives our behavior. When something in the outer world is having an impact on your central nervous system, your power comes in being able to tolerate what's happening in your body, and not react impulsively. What you think and what you feel has zero impact on your life, it's what you DO that matters.
Taylor Sommerville began his career in the stock market. He found himself extremely interested in macro trends, patterns really, that can be attributed to the human condition. After nearly a decade in finance and divorce, Taylor made a shift in his identity to focus on techniques he learned to manage stress. Taylor is a certified XPT master coach and breathwork coach, and he uses tools and techniques like ice baths and hot saunas to stimulate the fight or flight response, then implements breathwork to manage stress reactions in those environments. As Drivens we're so frequently told to 'let go.' As true and needed as that may be, Taylor offers the breath as the one thing we can always control, and in exercising that control, we actually, get to a state where we can let go.
Carm Santoro is a brilliant businessman and early-tech innovator, contributing to technologies that are the foundation of all modern computers. He was born to a poor family outside of New York City and got his first job as a golf caddy at age 11. Caddying afforded him access to people who directed him toward scholarships for his undergrad, and eventually his Ph.D. Carm shares with us his journey up the ladder at major tech companies like Motorola and RCA, and the view from a front-row seat to the frenzy of growth that became Silicon Valley. We talk about great Driven teams, imposter syndrome, and losing oneself as well as Carm's vision for the future of computers.
Jeff Banman keeps a maniacal focus on human performance. He became a firefighter as soon as he could as a teenager, serving several years and volunteering as a first responder to 9/11. Jeff shifted to a career in the CIA for a decade, continuing his study of human behavior and performance. Jeff's hyper-focus on human performance led him to acquire Brute Force Training last year, where he serves as COO. We talk with him about how we can use our own CNS to lead others, the difference between believing and knowing, and embodying sensations of the future to anchor them in each present moment. Jeff shares with us his own shadow work and the three rules he's live by since his early years fighting fires.
Those who know Dr. Doug trust him to help us escape our own hell because he's been there. On the constant Driven quest for dopamine, Doug discovered drugs as a teenager and was a high school dropout living in his car at the age of 17. After a stent in the psych ward and rehab, Doug gained agency and began his work to harness his Driven traits. He went on to earn a dual PhD in clinical and organizational psychology, diving deep into the study of self-sabotage, shame, and chronic discontent that was so familiar to him. Dr. Doug shares with us his perspective on addiction, spirituality, and meditation, as well as his own fears and daily call to do the work.
The quickest path to hell is trying to figure out who we are. With a less active executive function, the Driven brain turns to emotion when forming a personal identity. Ironically, the Driven will always feel discontent, which leaves us perpetually dissatisfied and ashamed of 'who we are.' Moving away from emotional identity and understanding that we are biologically wired for change, for novelty, we can accept that we are not our thoughts or our feelings. WHAT we are is what we are doing in the present. This frees us from emotional identity and from the judgment that comes with it.
Jay Abraham is nothing short of self-made. As Founder and CEO of The Abraham Group, Inc., Jay has spent his entire career solving complex problems and fixing underperforming businesses. With no formal higher education, Jay uses his Drive through creativity and big picture thinking to show his clients how to take different success concepts from different industries and adopt them to their specific business. Jay shares with us how liberating it can be when 'nobody cares if you fail' and his outlook on getting the most out of life.
Kelsey Ramsden is the CEO of Mindcure Health Inc., a publicly-traded Canadian company doing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research. She has been named Canada's Top Female Entrepreneur on more than one occasion, and thrives in the familiarity she finds in exploring new frontiers. Kelsey shares with us the grit and curiosity instilled in her by her entrepreneurial parents, her innate ability to fearlessly challenge the status quo, and the constant 'moreness' that most Driven perpetually seek. In a modern world struggling with disintegrating mental health, Kelsey explains her vision of 'Mental Wealth' and the hopeful future of psychedelics in therapy.
Joel Furno grew up in the Christian church and was homeschooled for much of his adolescence. As a teen with new exposure to public school, Joel felt a dualism between the teachings of his religion and things he believed about the world--causing him to lump all aspects of spirituality into religion’s camp. At the age of 19, Joel started a valet company that has expanded rapidly until today, earning him recognition as the #6 CEO on Glassdoor for small and medium-sized businesses. Discontent with how he felt in his internal world, Joel shares with us his journey inward, his battle with depression, his introduction to plant medicine, and his path to a new understanding of God.
TJ Ferrara is a serial entrepreneur and adrenaline enthusiast. He has pursued skydiving, semi-pro cycling, and CrossFit while scaling a handful of online businesses on the side. Looking for the next challenge, TJ enrolled in Navy SEAL BUD/S training at the age of 32 but was soon after hit by a car driven by a drunk driver. Due to the serious injuries to his spine from the accident, TJ was forced to slow down, look inward and 'make friends with his suffering.' TJ shares with us the importance of meditation in his life, and his gratitude for building a company where he works alongside his wolfpack. TJ is now the co-founder of Bubs Naturals, a brand focused on personal improvement through sustainably sourced supplements, and giving back to charities that support military veterans.
Every single cell in your body is wired for fear. Evolutionarily speaking, it's what kept us as a species alive for thousands of years. What you don't realize, is that this fear exists subconsciously, flying under the radar and maintaining quiet control over so many of your emotions, and thus your reactions to the world. Embodiment is the practice of noticing the sensations in your body, then checking the accuracy of those sensations against the inarguable truth that at this moment, you are safe. By intentionally, curiously observing what's going on in your body, you can escape the narrative being built in your mind. You can logically observe those sensations before they become big emotions, and with Grace, let them go.
Mike Hazle was born in Texas, following the path of a dual-sport athlete at Texas State until a torn ACL left him without either sport and in search of a new identity. That search led him in an unlikely way to the track team, and his Driven nature turned a whim into a US Olympic appearance, 5 National Championship medals, and several top 10 world rankings. Put off by the underbelly of Olympic endorsement deals, drug scandal, and politics, Mike found himself again queued up for a new identity. He admired the deep friendships he observed between Navy SEALs in his community and became a USAF Special Warfare Combat Controller at the age of 34. Mike shares with us the physical pain and burnout that can result from our Driven passions, and his new focus on holistic health and fitness.
Steven Weaver grew up with an innate feeling that he was wired for big things. He landed at Capitol Hill fresh out of college and started working through his goals in politics like a checklist. At each step of the way, Steven would feel satisfied, but only briefly before setting his sights on the next accomplishment. After nearly a decade of big moves in Washington, Steven made a radical shift in his career by starting a candle store with his girlfriend. Battling subconscious feelings of shame that plague most of the Driven, Steven pushed his small candle shop to become one of the most notable candle-making franchises in the country, The Candle Lab. Steven has spent recent years focusing on his meditation practice, self-reflection, and exploring plant medicine.
Greg Aler was born in rural Ohio and his blue-collar roots show through. Greg struggled to find his wolfpack as a teenager, blending in by partying his way through high school, college, and right out of his first job after law school. Being Driven, Greg quickly rebounded and wound up at one of the largest law firms in the world. Not long after at barely 30 years old, Greg set out to disrupt the status quo by building two companies--simultaneously. Since then, AlerStallings and Golden Reserve have expanded to 13 locations in Ohio, providing radically alternative fee structures in the industries of estate planning and retirement planning, specifically for 'the other 99%ers'.
Ruben Islas is a true rags to riches story. Ruben was born in LA to immigrant parents from Mexico. He quickly learned that his tolerance for risk and big picture thinking gave him an edge in 'running game' from selling bootleg church wine, to starring in a Hollywood comedy tour, to selling insurance to New York gangsters. Throughout his life, Ruben continued to seek that which nobody wanted to do and did it better than anyone else. Ruben now owns two film companies, a real estate investment firm, and recently released his first film In Other Words on HBOMax.