fter a massive European break, wedding, honeymoon, the works, I knew I couldn’t just ease back into life and hope for momentum to return on its own. In this episode, I walk you through the exact protocols I’m using to rebuild discipline: a month-long training system, my morning routine, and why I believe structure isn’t restrictive, it’s liberating. This is about reclaiming control and setting the tone for the next few months of my life. No fluff, no hype, just systems that work. Aka Effective P...
Jul 08, 2025•19 min
We're in Greece (and thank god not LA)! In Episode #484 of Mere Mortals 'Meanderings', Juan & I (plus Joey, a long-time friend) discuss: Joey's challenges of stand-up comedy, the courage it takes to perform in front of a live audience, the impact of AI on creative industries, cultural experiences of traveling through Europe, our least favourite travel destinations, with Los Angeles/Alice Springs topping the list for their lack of charm and overwhelming tourist traps and a light-hearted attem...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 9 min
In this deeply personal and reflective episode, one half of the Mere Mortals opens up about his recent wedding. From the quiet maturity of wearing a ring to the raw emotional challenge of delivering vows, this episode explores how major life events can reshape our identity in surprising ways. It's a meditation on commitment, vulnerability, and the power of presence. (00:00) - The Big Reveal: I Got Married! (00:28) - Does Marriage Change Anything? (01:50) - Our Reverse Life Timeline (03:08) - The...
May 31, 2025•15 min
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
May 17, 2025•47 min
Can anyone/everyone be a leader? In Episode #483 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the differences between managing/leading/doing, why I'm not a natural leader (& Juan is a doer more than a leader), the ability to inspire others, why great leaders are accountable yet not necessarily good, the rarity of true leadership, anecdotes from our personal lives and observations on well-known leaders like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Churchill and Hitler. Huge thanks to Petar The Slav, Lyceum...
May 11, 2025•1 hr 9 min
I don't understand Californians! In Episode #482 of 'Musings' Juan & I discuss: the transactional undertone in interactions in Los Angeles (possibly influenced by Hollywood culture), the art of small talk and how it can be improved, Juan's natural inclination towards confrontation and how he navigates small talk in professional settings, appreciating small talk for its own sake and a look ahead to our upcoming travels. Many thanks to The Late Bloomer Actor for the support this week! Timeline...
May 04, 2025•53 min
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
Apr 26, 2025•31 min
Juan has moved house and I'm getting ready to go travelling. In Episode #481 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the challenges and transitions of moving homes, the importance of maintaining a balanced state of mind amidst life's chaos, the idea of ataraxia (a state of serene calmness and freedom from emotional disturbance) and the balance between feeling emotions and striving for equanimity. We really appreciate any support you wish to provide to the Mere Mortals :) Timeline: (00:00:00) Intro (00...
Apr 21, 2025•52 min
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
Mar 29, 2025•22 min
Here's the kick in the butt you need to reach out to your old friends. In Episode #480 of 'Musings' Juan & I discuss: the complexities of reaching out to people from the past, sharing personal anecdotes about past friendships, maintaining past relationships versus focusing on present/future priorities, our upcoming trips to Europe and why they will be so different, why it's a bad idea to try to recreate periods from your past and thinking about what you can get out of experiences like this. ...
Mar 23, 2025•1 hr 4 min
We survived the media onslaught fine but the real world effects linger. In Episode #479 of Musings, Juan and I discuss: the fear & craziness of the recent Cyclone Alfred here in Brisbane, whether it lived up to it's fearsome reputation (it didn't), the panic buying & actual impact on his property, why hyper local media might be the future, why legacy media has to induce excitement/worry but won't actually show the things we're scared of and how we intend to consume information going forw...
Mar 16, 2025•55 min
Is work being equated to jobs undergoing a separation? In Episode #478 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the fundamental definition from a physics perspective, why my handstand training is more about persistence, how external validation can differ from internal satisfaction, future implications of an age of abundance where hard work may become less necessary due to technological advancements, why I value technique and Juan will teach his child how to grind. Huge thanks to Petar for the support, i...
Mar 08, 2025•1 hr 17 min
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
Mar 02, 2025•47 min
Some special guests (Brodie & Mansheel) are here to do some show and tell! In Episode #477 of Meanderings, we discuss the intricacies of collecting Pokémon cards, the financials of the grading process, factors that influence the value of these collectibles, maintaining excellent card condition (Juan needs to take notes), nostalgia of collecting since children, the thrill of opening VeeFriends packs and the strategies for buying and selling cards. Huge thanks to Cole for supporting this week ...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Will Juan's insanely ambitious predictions come true (likely) and why is he so sure (backed by evidence)? In Episode #476 of Musings, Juan and I discuss: the rapid advancements in AI (drawing from his past experiences in AI sales and chatbot implementations), the slow progress of autonomous Haul Trucks I saw in the mining industry, .Juan's prediction that unemployment rates will more than double by the end of 2026, robotic process automation (RPA) and its potential to replace repetitive tasks tr...
Feb 16, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Why is investing in Game Stop going to cause the collapse of the financial system? In episode #475 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: Tom Bilyeu's perspective that all financial actions are a form of gambling, James Jani's videos on GameStop and Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), how the irrational belief of "mother of all short squeezes" (MOASS) will lead to the financial system's collapse, our past financial delusions in stocks/properties/NFT's, the aftermath of bubbles bursting and Jua...
Feb 09, 2025•1 hr 14 min
They're always around so how do you pick them out? In episode #474 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the definition of trickery for accruing value, personal anecdotes of being scammed, learnings from Edward Chancellor's book 'Devil Take The Hindmost', recognising red flags such as offers that seem too good to be true, whether certain societal structures like the education system or the 9-to-5 work model could be seen as scams and whether scams that lead to positive outcomes are actu...
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
Feb 02, 2025•38 min
This is a solo episode heavily influenced by the book 'Devil Take The Hindmost'. In Episode #473 of 'Musings' it is just myself Kyrin and I'm discussing: the beginnings, growth and eventual popping of financial bubbles across history (with examples like the Tulip Mania and the South Sea Bubble), why these criteria are all subjective and not numbers based, the reasons I believe there is a crypto/AI bubble that is midway through it's cycle and some predictions for what I think could happen in the ...
Jan 26, 2025•1 hr 18 min
We're no longer the Mere Mortals Podcast ...... we're now Mere Mortals Podcasts! In Episode #472 of 'Meanderings, Juan and I discuss: the two new podcasts around AI and fitness that we are doing independently, why we will be experimenting with other monetisation models for the new shows (and tweaking existing), why people have black marks on their brand when they get sloppy with their collaborators/advertisers, community building and what more we can do for engagement and some personal updates, ...
Jan 19, 2025•1 hr 15 min
We're revisiting an old topic .... with some updates. In Episode #471 of 'Musings' we discuss: a previous episode from mid 2020 (#49) noting the changes in our perspectives, more on static/dynamic stretching, the specialised techniques of PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) & ballistic stretching, why anyone can achieve a reasonable level of flexibility, how we injured ourselves by not following our own advice and how Juan likes to clean and jerk babies. Very sad puppy this week,...
Jan 12, 2025•56 min
This chat’s all about tackling a unique 2025-calorie challenge. I dive into why I gave it a go, how it panned out (spoiler: not as planned), and the lessons I walked away with. It’s a mix of fitness, mindset, and how to frame challenges in life. (00:00) - Kicking Off the Challenge (00:40) - What is the 2025-Calorie Challenge? (01:22) - Why I Decided to Try It (02:38) - Planning the Challenge (05:19) - Did I Actually Do It? (08:30) - Lessons Learned from Failing (12:02) - The Power of Focusing on...
Jan 09, 2025•22 min
A sucky year doesn't have to be the worst of your life. In Episode #470 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: our reflections on 2024, my sad year that despite the challenges ended with clarity and optimism towards the end, Juan's balancing of family life and spending as much time with his daughter as possible, predictions for 2025 with emphasis on the advancements of AI, a positive economic wave coming and why hardware might be more interesting than software. Huge support from Petar th...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 21 min
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series...
Jan 05, 2025•48 min
This episode reflects on my key takeaways from 2024, focusing on discipline, family priorities, balancing multiple roles, mindfulness, and adaptability. Timeline: (00:00) - Introduction to the Year in Review (00:49) - Reflecting on Seasons of Life (02:22) - Lesson 1: Discipline in Daily Routines (04:26) - Lesson 2: Prioritizing Family (07:16) - Balancing Multiple Roles and Eliminating Distractions (09:35) - Lesson 3: Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence (11:26) - Lesson 4: Adaptability in the ...
Jan 03, 2025•24 min
We're spending a lot more time playing around with models. In Episode #469 of Musings, Juan and I discuss: why we think Agentic AI will be extremely useful, whether open source models can compete with closed source, why I believe they are necessary for privacy/freedom of expression/anti-advertising reasons, the bitter lesson with regards to compute, why governments will regulate and try to control the industry and similarities to cases with big tech. No boostagrams again, very sad puppy :'( Time...
Dec 29, 2024•56 min
In this episode, I review Magic Mind, a nootropic drink designed to enhance mental performance, focus, and reduce stress. Sharing a 15-day personal trial, we explore the product's ingredients, effects, and value while reflecting on its potential to create a "sharper mind" baseline. (00:00) - Welcome to the Podcast (00:25) - Introducing Magic Mind (00:49) - Unbiased Approach to Product Reviews (01:37) - Magic Mind: Packaging and First Impressions (02:03) - Key Ingredients and Benefits (02:48) - C...
Dec 22, 2024•12 min
Why is a blue party hat worth so much money!? In Episode #468 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: how virtual items can gain real-world value, why in-game economies mirror real-world behaviour of scarcity/market manipulation/speculative trading, the reason crypto gaming has largely fallen flat (but might have a future in games like Off The Grid), whether people will watch AI agents gaming in the future and why the crypto casino is already a game in itself. Huge thanks to Violet Mouse ...
Dec 22, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Why is it basically impossible to find any modern books with some sort of 'politics' thrown in? In Episode #467 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how recent events are often presented with a bias rather than factual accuracy, the reliability of recent publications re-reading old books and get a bit sidetracked in the realm of education (specifically literature in schooling). No support this week, very sad puppy :'( Timeline: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:28) Book Preferences And Trends (00:04:46) Opini...
Dec 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min
What's your favourite dog and why is it Golden Retrievers! In Episode #466 of Meanderings Juan and I discuss: childhood memories and how these interactions have shaped our views on dogs, how owning a dog can teach us about mortality and the finite nature of life, the social dynamics of ownership, comparison to other animals & random thoughts on suffering & mental health. Huge thanks to Petar for the support! Timeline: (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:48) The Importance of Dogs (00:02:03) Childhoo...
Dec 08, 2024•59 min
