A couple episodes ago in my conversation with Ian Morgan Cron on addiction and the benefits of 12 steps, he started off talking about the “great human ache” we all feel and are trying to address. Ian is a man of faith, actually an Episcopal priest along with all his other roles. For him the ache is an aspect of separation from God. That is his faith. It may not be yours. It may not be mine. But in my own experience as a human, and in walking with so many, the concept of an underlying ache, inter...
Jan 29, 2025•15 min
I’ve often heard addiction debated, as to what really defines it. I typed into a search engine, “How do you define addiction” and this is what it showed; Addiction is when you have a strong physical or psychological need or urge to do something or use something. It is a dependence on a substance or activity even if you know that it causes you harm. It can impact your daily life. I don’t want to be flippant, but from that definition I’d say every one of us is on a spectrum of addiction. I don’t l...
Jan 28, 2025•16 min
Most everyone has heard of the twelve steps concept associated with Alcoholics Anonymous. I bring it here for all of us, whether you think you are addicted to anything or not, which is an arguable claim for anyone. Ian Morgan Cron is the bestselling author of The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, which has sold over one million copies. He’s a psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, Episcopal priest, and the host of the popular podcast Typology. I had Ian on the show before to...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 46 min
I don’t think any of us chooses to wear a mask. But creating and wearing them is taught to us from early on. And in some cases, it’s a necessity to survive. Now here we are. Are we wearing a mask? More than one? I’m bringing an incredible show back from the archives. Lewis Howes is the host of the podcast, The School of Greatness, one of the biggest podcasts alive at this point. Lewis is a big, strapping looking guy. A former pro ball player. He looks like the definition of “all-American.” But f...
Jan 24, 2025•55 min
With the big question and quest of what do we actually want for our lives, it strikes me that it is all just an effort to feel a certain way. We strive and strive for this and for that and to me it seems like a great mind game. I am not discounting the things we want to achieve, but I’m questioning some of what we do as a means to an end. I have found myself going after things I think I want. Then when I ask myself why, and why again, I realize it’s often to generate a feeling. And then I ask my...
Jan 23, 2025•13 min
I recently posted a question on Facebook. The question was, “What is a book you have read, where you can honestly look back and say that after you read it, you made a tangible life-change for the better? What is the book, and what was the change?” About 75 people shared around 60 books. They could easily testify to the knowledge they received from the books, but very few could specify the change they made as a result. I have some thoughts on this. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopif...
Jan 22, 2025•15 min
I find that people are far more clear on what keeps them from having what they want, than being clear on what they actually want. The job, the kids, the money, the chores, the upbringing, the government, the economy, the devil, and an infinite list of culprits are to blame for keeping people down. For stealing their dreams. For keeping them from what they want. However I find that if you ask the question, “OK, imagine you have 10 million in the bank. You have everyone’s support in your life. Now...
Jan 21, 2025•14 min
The catalyst for writing my book, What Drives You, was realizing what I most wanted for my children, was for them to know what they truly want, and wrap their lives around it. From this inspiration I realized that while I had always been driven, I had often been unclear what I wanted, and what I was driving toward. As time goes on, I continue to perceive that truly, clearly knowing what one wants is one of the most elusive things of life. And getting clarity on one wants, may just be the ultimat...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 35 min
I get to have deep conversations with people who have had great influence in the lives of so many people. Dr Henry Cloud became synonymous with the term boundaries after his groundbreaking book, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, and has influenced millions of people in doing just that, taking control of their lives. I was a mere 21 years old when Dr Cloud’s Boundaries book published and wouldn’t become aware of boundaries for another 21 years, and wouldn’t ...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 19 min
In the industry of self-improvement and personal and professional development, we are all familiar with the concept of not quitting. Staying committed. But in my experience, personally and in working with so many other aspiring people, we very often confuse the meaning of staying committed and not quitting. Here is a quick analogy: the Superbowl is coming up soon. Each team is committed to getting to the end zone and scoring. That is what they stay committed to. They don’t quit striving for it. ...
Jan 16, 2025•13 min
My recent conversation with epic mountain climber Jenn Drummond, and my recent time with all my children has me again focused on the life I’ve emulated to others. I have much in my life I’m proud of, but I’ve also spent many, many years just grinding things out. I chose to have seven kids and adopt two more. Most people respond to that with respect and as if I’ve done something valiant. Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. But what my kids have seen as a result is a parent that is really busy. I went ...
Jan 15, 2025•15 min
In yesterday’s episode I was with Jenn Drummond, world-record mountain climber, and talked about her story of a near life-ending car wreck that changed her perspective on life and got her looking at living a life of significance instead of just the so-called cultural success. So she went after the world’s biggest mountains. Why was that significant to her? I’d say…who cares? You might look at climbing mountains and wonder why that matters. And I’d say, it doesn’t. And doesn’t have to. The point ...
Jan 14, 2025•13 min
Following is a story of…drive. It’s one of those stories of someone who turned their life around. But the story is not about them. It’s about you. My intent is that it gives you ideas, inspiration, and alters your perception to help you consider your own capacity. Not a capacity to do more. Most all of us need to do less. But do more of what matters. My guest is world-record mountain climber, entrepreneur and mom of seven, Jenn Drummond. In 2018 she had a car wreck that should have ended her lif...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 33 min
Michael Jr. is a world class comedian who is not out to just get laughs. He is out to “give people the opportunity to laugh” and help set the stage for meaningful, purposeful content of the heart and soul. His personal mission is to “comedically inspire people to walk in their purpose.” He is accomplishing this in massive numbers while on stage with The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday and Tedx Talks. He’s featured in the movie, “Selfie Dad.” So I connected w...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 20 min
We are literally going to stroll through your life, right here and now. I’m going to guide you from Dr Jordan Grumet’s new book, The Purpose Code: How To Unlock Meaning, Maximize Happiness, And Leave A Lasting Legacy. You won’t likely find your purpose and what lights you up from this episode, maybe you will, but I’ll set you on the path. I’m going to pull some key points right out of his book for us to consider together, and try and trigger some thoughts that will give you clues for what lights...
Jan 09, 2025•15 min
Let me read that again, “What You Do Is Secondary To Who You Be While Doing It.” Think about the ramifications of this. It is entirely countercultural. Entirely. We glorify heroes and their victories, no matter the cost. Make a billion dollars? Win the Superbowl? Be famous? We glorify you and not only do we not seem to care, but we expect a lot of collateral damage. If you end your life, we’ll memorialize you even more. It’s an intriguing story to see meteoric success and supposed brilliance. Bu...
Jan 08, 2025•15 min
In the last episode with Dr Jordan Grumet he differentiated small-p purpose from big-P purpose. And put most of the emphasis on small-p purpose, which is the daily activities that truly light you up. This is where I want to focus right now. What lights you up? What gives you energy? What inspires you? But don’t jump to your appetites. I imagine like you, I have a lot of things that are a pleasure for me. A dopamine hit. I appreciate those things greatly. But that’s not what we are talking about ...
Jan 07, 2025•16 min
Purpose is one of the most overused topics in the self-improvement world. Everyone is talking about it. But as we look at the culture, we see more apathy and depression then ever. It’s similar to all the talk on being healthy and happy and we are just getting sicker and sadder. Why? With purpose, why are we constantly talking about it but not finding and experiencing it? I have with me, Jordan Grumet, and you are about to hear a very different look at what purpose is and how we can start experie...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Now it’s time to get literal and candid. Patrick Kilcarr again is Director of Georgetown University’s Center for Personal Development. He was my guest four episodes ago where we talked at a higher level about emotional intelligence. In this episode, we get granular. Patrick is a master trainer in emotional intelligence and certifies professionals to use the EQ-i2.0, rated as the most valid and reliable self-assessment of emotional intelligence. It assesses and evaluates the social and emotional ...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 5 min
As we’ve been discussing the power and necessity of emotional intelligence, and I’ve posited the increasing value of it in relation to artificial intelligence, let's look at what human intelligence really is. I’ve never met anyone who did not want to think of themselves as intelligent. I find the label often attached to people who seem to have a wealth of knowledge they can deftly communicate. But as I discussed with artificial intelligence, if it’s only defined by knowledge, then the most intel...
Jan 02, 2025•20 min
As we continue to discuss emotional intelligence and it being the root of human connection, I want to revisit the most important human connection that I was ignorant of, most of my life. In 2018 when I was host of The Ziglar Show, I had Robin Sharma for the first time. I used to do a segment called Habits & Values where I asked guests about their personal habits in the key areas of life. When I asked about Robin's habits and values in regards to relationships he surprised me by stating that ...
Jan 01, 2025•16 min
As I continue to research, learn, and strive to grow in emotional intelligence, I’ve wholly moved from looking at it as some touchy-feely concept to perceiving it as what separates humans from…everything else. In the last episode I talked with psychologist, professor, and director of Personal Development at Georgetown University, Patrick Kilcarr. In our discussion he talked much about emotional intelligence as our ability to connect. If we look at the growing power of artificial intelligence, th...
Dec 31, 2024•13 min
I spent a lifetime pursuing external performance. What we achieve athletically, entrepreneurially and even altruistically. I upheld the skill and ability of social awareness and reading and influencing people. I put a high value on controlling oneself. What I missed was knowing myself and understanding emotions. If I could go back, I’d trade in so much…maybe everything, for emotional intelligence. I find no greater understanding, wisdom, and power than that which comes from having high emotional...
Dec 30, 2024•1 hr 52 min
We all have areas where we are lacking. Weaknesses. I spent a long time trying to deny mine, and it limited my success. Many people recognize their lack, and let them limit their success. Then there are those who understand and accept where they are lacking, and adjust accordingly to not let themselves be limited by it. Case in point, Erik Weihenmayer. Erik is blind. Completely. He lacks the ability to see anything. He wasn’t born blind but lost his sight due to a rare eye disease at age of 13. ...
Dec 27, 2024•1 hr
I’m wrapping up this series on core values in the categories of work and money. These are areas where I find we are very, very often…unclear. We think we work to make money and we make money so we can get the stuff we need. Do the things we want. And we are blind to any core values. And when we are blind, we find ourselves dissatisfied and frustrated with the poor results we achieve. So, let’s do a little drive for some clarity. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to s...
Dec 26, 2024•14 min
Continuing on the topic of core values, let's now look at our health and wellness, and our mental health. Our mental state is what I like to focus on. My muse here is again, Robert Glazer, host of the Elevate podcast, who in our conversation two episodes ago, walked us through how he came to his core values and how the understanding and clarity directed his life to…what he wanted his life to be. And my focus in this series is gaining much more tangible, applicable understanding of what core valu...
Dec 25, 2024•15 min
As we talked about core values in the last episode with Robert Glazer, host of the Elevate podcast, I am taking the opportunity for all of us to consider our core values in the key areas of life. This is ultimately what I do in my book, What Drives You. The first two I’ll address in this episode are spirituality and relationships. I find a lot of people simply stating, “Yes, I value spirituality in my life.” And, “Yes, I value relationships, of course.” But spirituality and relationships are “wh...
Dec 24, 2024•14 min
My experience is most everyone thinks they know what their core values are, and in truth, very, very few do. And due to this we find ourselves doing things that are not fulfilling to us, and not engaged with what does fulfill us. Amidst that we grow…frustrated. Even to bitterness. Or fairly apathetic and just going through the grind. So I’ve brought someone on to the show to hear his story, of going from not understanding his core values, to getting very clear on them. I think it will help you b...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Everyone lives in their own story. They are a character in their story. If you want to offer them something, a product, a service, a message, your influence, a helping hand…whatever, you want to enter their story. The master of this is Donald Miller. I first met Don through his spiritually based memoirs. Don was a writer. An artist. Over time he sold zillions of books to people like me and along the way learned how to translate his gift of storywriting to the world of business. He started a comp...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 12 min
I saw a post that said this, “Instead of finishing the year strong, why don’t we finish the year soft? Why don’t we finish the year restful and grateful for making it through yet another crazy cycle of earth?” It really stuck with me as I pondered the days ahead, through Christmas and the New Year. I thought about what would bless…myself. And then my family and friends. The holidays are happening and a new year is coming and what could I do to have a more memorable and meaningful time? And I had...
Dec 19, 2024•14 min
