This week was hard. It was a wake-up call for me. I was told that several people had been asking why I hated my job. I was dumbfounded. Hate my job? I love my job. I so appreciate the opportunities I get to try to inspire and teach others. In fact, it aligns directly with my purpose to help others discover and pursue THEIR purpose. However, I’ve probably been too transparent about my ambitions. I have goals and plans to multiply my influence and inspiring on a larger platform. And after hearing ...
May 27, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Sometimes, life can throw us curveballs that, in retrospect, can set us off in new directions. For California native Stacie Salazar, it was a series of chance happenings and encounters centered mostly around softball early in her formative years that started her toward a life in sport. When her father was diagnosed with cancer early in her childhood, he set out to spend as much time with his family as possible, she started playing catch with him in the backyard. From there, her love of softball ...
May 14, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Dr. Julie Partridge is a well-respected Professor and Sport Psychologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Growing up in rural Kansas, her earliest dreams were to become a classically trained professional musician as a violinist. However, over time, those dreams made way for sports where she found success as a softball and a volleyball player. With her playing days done after two years of college, she felt drawn toward a career as a sport psychologist, ultimately earning both a masters...
May 08, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Just. In some contexts, we want things to be just. If I’m taking a test or standing in front of a judge, I want everything to be just. Just is fair. Just is unbiased. Just is something to strive for. But when it comes to comparisons, just is a thief. What a disappointment it is to just get to talk for a few minutes. How sad it is if just a few people tune in. How discouraging it is to feel like your work is just making a little impact. Speaking of impact, the inspiration of this show, Dave Holme...
May 04, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 33
For McKinney High School Athletic Trainer Dustin Emery, it started as a life of athletic success. A member of the 2007 Texas 5A State Champion Euless Trinity Trojan football team, Dustin was a 4-sport athlete in high school. A torn ACL and a life-threatening blood clot nearly derailed his career, but he was given the opportunity to continue playing at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene Texas. From there, our paths crossed when he decided to hang up his cleats and go to grad school, where he mo...
Apr 30, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Mike Pinto III is a man of many talents, and a series of careers as diverse as they are cool, he’s been everything from a high producing real estate agent, a highly sought-after motivational speaker, a championship-winning minor league baseball manager, and now a professional musician. Through it all, he’s shown how being more prepared than the competition can pave the way to opportunity, how being your best means connecting with people, and how some seasons, no matter how hard we try, have to c...
Apr 09, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Toby Brooks is a speaker, author, professor, and forever student who hosts the podcast Becoming Undone. On the third episode of the podcast each week, Toby reflects on purpose, life, and growth. He recently realized that he had not been able to stick to his goal of three episodes a week since the start of the show, and that he had taken a week off for spring break. Toby admits to being off track for his vision of 150 episodes in the first year, but is determined to get back on track and continue...
Apr 06, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Competing at the highest levels requires a rare combination of ambition, ability, drive, and opportunity. For highly decorated pitcher Katie Burkhart Gooch, she can recall authoring and signing mission and vision statements for herself before she’d even become a teenager. Ambition: check. Early successes on the softball field led to a steady stream of newer and greater opportunities as an athlete. Grand visions of Olympic victory might have seemed far-fetched at such a young age, but Katie belie...
Apr 02, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Whether in business, sports, the arts, or almost anywhere in between, the ability to assemble and grow a high- functioning team can be the difference between success and failure. And in some elite teams like the US military’s Special Ops, such can literally be the difference between life and death. Growing up in a pre-internet age with Cold War rhetoric and a steady stream of staples of my youth like GI Joe, the lure and appeal of groups like the Army Rangers and the Navy SEALs made them stuff o...
Feb 28, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 28
This past week, we had family in town and Taye started his baseball season for junior year, so I chose to take a break from the show for a minute and enjoy this season. Guilt-free. And as I reflected back on my last two guests Bridgette Borzillo of CaZo Dance and Bill Benjamin of the Last 8% Academy, I realized that that was the right decision. In both interviews, the thing that resonated with me the most was the idea of being present and being brave in the face of big transitions in life. For B...
Feb 26, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Bill Benjamin grew up in Canada and initially found his success in the software industry after earning degrees in mathematics and computer science. On the surface, such would seem an odd combo of experience and training for someone who now serves as a highly sought-after speaker and coach who is a recognized expert in leadership training and developing emotional intelligence. However, when you consider the fact that his work today is all based on evidence about how humans communicate and lead mo...
Feb 20, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 26
If you’ve ever spent any time at all in the incredibly competitive world of travel sports, you know that it’s not difficult to become so singular in purpose that every spare moment, every spare dollar, and every spare opportunity (and then some!) can be consumed with a pursuit of being seen, hopefully capturing the attention of a recruiter or college coach. And sometimes, parents, coaches, and even the athletes themselves can feel the pressure to become great in this one aspect of life at the ex...
Feb 19, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 25
This past week, I was on the road, travelling to North Carolina for work and trying furiously to claw my way back to some semblance of not-behind at work. Losing battle, I know. My most recent two guests both had inspiring stories, with Krickitt Carpenter overcoming a near fatal accident, a marriage she didn’t remember, and story that’s been chronicled in books, movies, and television the world over. Meanwhile, Rob Simms overcame the loss of his dad to cancer at an early age to go on to play fou...
Feb 16, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Growing up in a family of rabid fans for their hometown St. Louis Cardinals, Rob Simms recognized his love for baseball early in life. However, after Rob’s father passed away suddenly due to cancer when Rob was just 6 years old, baseball soon become more than just something to watch. It became something to live and something to be. Rob discovered peace and solace in the hours spent practicing and playing. Eventually, his efforts led to success in high school that opened the door to an athletic s...
Feb 12, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 23
"From Elite Gymnast to Near-Death Accident: Krickitt Carpenter's Amazing Story of Resilience" SUMMARY Krickitt Carpenter was an Arizona native and college gymnast whose dreams of a scholarship came true when she competed and earned her way to the Cal State Fullerton team. A knee injury cut her career short, but she managed to graduate with a degree in exercise physiology. An unexpected encounter led to a relationship and eventually a wedding, but a car accident that nearly took her life left her...
Feb 05, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Toby Brooks is a speaker, author, professor and student who interviews guests who have achieved success by taking risks and growing. Every third episode is dedicated to his own reflections, and this week, he is running behind in his plan to deliver a Word of the Third on Wednesdays. He has been using the Done app on his phone to help him keep track of his habits and this past summer, he completed the challenge of doing 75 hard. The speaker completed the 75 Hard challenge, an intense program that...
Feb 05, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Some corners of the internet can be scary places. Social media in particular can be rough, with self-proclaimed experts on every virtual corner at the ready to tear us down, be critical, and just generally tell us why we don’t stack up. However, bright spots exist, and hope remains. Take for instance Canadian Jonica Bullock. An interior designer by training and experience, she is in the midst of a major life transition to coaching and personal training, as years of hard work and experienced earn...
Jan 31, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Growing up in Germany, Sabine Ehgoetz learned early on what it meant never to be enough. Raised by a physically and emotionally abusive mother who made her believe she wasn’t smart enough, pretty enough and simply not loveable the way she was, she soon internalized these messages. Despite evidence to the contrary – a master’s degree in political science in her late 20s, modelling jobs, and a successful career as an editor, her self-doubt manifested in eating disorders and often blind, harmful am...
Jan 29, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 19
This week, we were fortunate enough to have not one but TWO guests who have made their mark in the performing arts. For Dave Holmes, a four-year stint as an MTV VJ has turned into a successful career as an actor, comedian, author, and most recently podcaster. If you haven’t listened to his 10-part Waiting For Impact show on Exactly Right Media, you are missing out. It is informative, entertaining, and actually was a critical part of my motivation to do THIS show. My second guest, Jonathan Fruge ...
Jan 26, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Finding our way in life can oftentimes be a difficult thing to do. Somewhere mixed between our passion, our opportunities, our skillset, and our purpose is what author and speaker Ryan Leak characterizes as our “Sweet Spot.” Oh sure, maybe you inherited a massive business from your family and you’re good at running it so it hits on the opportunity and skillset part of the equation. But if it isn’t something you’re passionate about and it doesn’t align with your purpose, it will always feel somew...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Becoming UnDone was born from the collision of four ideas in my mind, not the least of which was the Dave Holmes podcast Waiting for Impact. . And fittingly, the guest I absolutely KNEW I had to get on the show, the guy whose work had inspired the idea to begin with, was the absolutely perfect example of resilience on his own path to victory. I did my research and learned all I could about Dave Holmes. I discovered that after MTV, he’d gone on to become an actor and an author. he’d written and p...
Jan 21, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 16
It is Word to the 3rd Wins-Day: my mid-week reflections on purpose, life, and growth. I’m Toby Brooks, and I am a speaker, author, professor, and forever student. Each week on Becoming UnDone , I bring you guests who have dared bravely, risked mightily, and grown relentlessly—high achievers who have transformed from falling apart to falling into place . But every third episode, it’s my turn to reflect, refine, and reprocess—on Word to the 3rd Wins-Day. As you may be able to tell, my voice is not...
Jan 18, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Any high-functioning team typically has a number of people playing their role to the best of their ability. Whether a Broadway cast, a team of entrepreneurs for a new startup, or a sports team, most groups of people have a few stars, some up-and-comers, and a number of role players. When everyone understands their unique contribution to the shared success, then the unit can fire on all cylinders. Eagle River, Alaska native Branda Anderson never had aspirations of playing in the WNBA or even domi...
Jan 16, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Life can take us on some unexpected journeys, and there’s little doubt that Omaha, Nebraska’s Steve Safranek has seen his share of twists and turns on his path forward. From his days dreaming of gridiron glory, to years spent working in retail management, to a quick detour in the snack food industry while—of all things—getting his fitness and wellness business off the ground, it has been a rewarding and meaningful climb. But along the way, he realized that he'd learned so much from coaches, team...
Jan 15, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 13
This week, I had the opportunity to interview a couple of highly decorated former athletes, with former pro basketball player Josh Washington in episode 10: REBORN, and former pro football player and Winter Olympian Johnny Quinn in episode 11: PUSH. Both shared their stories of overcoming incredible challenges, adversities, and doubt to ultimately navigate through to victory. What jumped out to me was their common themes of identity and faith. For Josh, early success on the basketball court help...
Jan 14, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Author Adam Barone once wrote that the American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where or what class they were born into can attain their own version of success in a society in which upward mobility is possible for everyone. While that definition seems clear and fitting enough, for McKinney, Texas native Johnny Quinn, it wasn’t quite so simple. Dreams of professional football took root early, and Johnny worked hard to be the best high school athlete he could be, eventually leading ...
Jan 12, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Imagine for a moment that you are a young high school athlete. As your performance on the field and on the court continues to improve, the accolades roll in. Recruiting offers from across the country pour into your mailbox daily. You are told that you are among best basketball players to ever come from your modest city, and when you sign with your chosen University, you’re also told that you’re the best recruit in school history. Where do you go from there? If you’re Lubbock’s Josh Washington, h...
Jan 08, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 10
What a week! I launched 6 days ago and the response has been better than I expected. Several people have reached out to encourage me and congratulate me for starting the Podcast, and I have really been excited to hear what people think so far. This is certainly a step outside my comfort zone and I’m still getting over trivial things…say for instance my dislike of the sound of my own voice or not fully knowing the ins and outs of proper audio production. Bet I’m getting there. I am not done yet. ...
Jan 08, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Helen Keller once said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” For Georgia native Michael Tyson, that trial and suffering started early. A tough upbringing found him growing up relatively poor and lacking much direction. By his mid-teens, he ended up in real trouble, eventually entering the juvenile justice system for the first time at the age of 15. Years of turmoil ...
Jan 08, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 8
What would you do if you were an aeronautical engineer—a literal rocket scientist—but you just couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was more to life then lending your considerable brainpower to the creation of weapons of mass destruction? If you are Colorado native Bill Ryden, you'd set your first professional career aside and get back in the gym. Growing up in the Rockies as a self-professed adrenaline junkie, Ryden spent his youth racing dirt bikes. But eventually he found his way into ...
Jan 03, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 7
