The Missing Piece

318 Build a Fitness Foundation for Long-Term Success

Forget the gimmicks and shortcuts—in this episode, Paul takes aim at the fitness industry’s obsession with hacks and quick fixes and shows you how building a foundation based on clarity, education, and systems is the only way to level up your fitness. Paul dives deep into his pyramid philosophy and explains why understanding your goals, assessing your current situation, and implementing systems is the only path to sustainable results. This episode isn’t just about workouts—it’s about mindset, ow...

317 Stop Procrastination Today

Tomorrow is a lie. In this episode, Paul discusses the trap of "someday" thinking and how it prevents you from taking action in your. He shares a revelation he had a few years ago when he realized he would never read all the books on his list or accomplish all his dreams if he kept postponing them. Paul also gives you a few practical steps and mindset shifts to break free from procrastinating on your goals so that you live without regrets. And if you're finally ready to level up your fitness, Pa...

316 Building Real Confidence

In this episode of The Missing Piece , Paul explores how fear of embracing true confidence can sabotage fitness journeys and personal growth. He reveals how building confidence means standing firm in your values, setting boundaries, and being willing to risk rejection — even if it means losing some people along the way. Paul also examines the “underdog” mindset and how it can actually hurt you. While playing small may feel safer, real growth demands the courage to follow through on commitments a...

315 Principles for a Fit Body and Mind | Book Launch Interview with Angie Lyngso

Paul kicks off this episode with a couple of huge announcements about his training program and book. Speaking of Paul's book, click here to sign up to become an early reader and learn all the details. Paul's book will be available to the general public in April, but this episode will give you a preview of how it can revolutionize your fitness and the rest of your life through simple, practical principles. Paul will discuss how his learnings from running a brick-and-mortar gym and building a succ...

314 Fitness as a Path to Freedom

Fitness is more than just a way to look good and build muscle. It can be a path to freedom and confidence to play your own game in life—not just the gym. In this episode, Paul dives into how and why fitness has the power to change your life from the inside out. He'll talk about how fitness builds personal responsibility, sharpens decision-making, and builds real confidence through consistency. If you've been bogged down by hesitation, self-doubt, and the feeling of being stuck, this episode may ...

313 Work Smarter, Then Harder

Most people think success in fitness—or any personal transformation—is about grinding harder. But what if you could get better results by working smarter ? In this episode, Paul breaks down his Define, Align, Amplify framework—a strategic approach to achieving fitness goals with maximum efficiency. Learn how to: ✅ Define your clear objectives, so you stop spinning your wheels ✅ Align your approach to maximize results with minimal wasted effort ✅ Amplify your progress when you’re ready to push ha...

312 Why Your Workouts Aren’t Working (And How to Fix Them)

In this episode, Paul breaks down the Pareto Principle in fitness, revealing how 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. He challenges our obsession with overcomplicated routines, arguing that many people get lost in the weeds—worrying about supplements and meal timing—while ignoring the fundamentals that drive progress. Paul simplifies what truly matters for gaining muscle, losing fat, and even sports performance. If you’ve ever felt buried by the mountain of conflicting fitness...

311 Crafting Your Fitness Blueprint

In this episode of The Missing Piece , Paul breaks down the key to long-term fitness success: having a strategy that evolves with you. Instead of relying on short-term challenges or quick-fix programs, he walks through the importance of balancing intensity and duration in training, structuring the year with strategic periods of high and low intensity, and aligning your workouts with your goals—whether that’s aesthetics, performance, or longevity. Using his own 2025 fitness blueprint as a model, ...

310 How to avoid fitness burnout

In this episode of The Missing Piece , Paul explains why drastic fitness overhauls fail and how a smarter, more sustainable approach leads to real results. Instead of burning out on extreme changes, he introduces you to his stair-step approach that easy easy to implement, gets results, and will serve you for the long haul. He lays out a clear, step-by-step strategy that you can start implementing today over several phases to get you shredded without cutting out all your favorite things or spendi...

309 The Missing Piece to Endless Motivation

Paul is back for round 2 of this deep dive into self-determination theory and how it can transform your fitness and life by helping you tap into an endless source of motivation. He breaks down the three pillars of self-determination—autonomy, competence, and community—and why they’re the missing pieces to achieving your goals. If you liked this episode, you're going to love the newsletter. To learn more and sign up, visit Paul's website at https://thegoodshit.info/ Follow Paul Online: LinkedIn: ...

308 Self-Determination Principles for Fitness and Life

Paul explores motivation through the lens of self-determination theory. Drawing on years of experience in the fitness industry, he unpacks the three psychological pillars essential for fulfillment: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These principles, Paul argues, not only transform how we approach fitness but also offer insights into fostering long-lasting motivation in every aspect of life. Paul shares his journey of adapting these principles in his coaching practice, moving beyond the surf...

307 How to Make Better Decisions — Part 2

Paul dives into part two of his decision-making framework, applying it specifically to fitness. Whether your goals center on longevity, aesthetics, or performance, Paul breaks down how to clarify your goals and get focused on what you want to achieve—be it building muscle, improving endurance, or boosting athletic performance. Putting his decision-making framework into practice, Paul explains the importance of defining your personal “rules of engagement,” emphasizing how aligning fitness activit...

306 How to Make Better Decisions — Part 1

In this episode, Paul talks about how your decisions make you the person you are—and how to avoid the overthinking trap that keeps people from living authentically. To help you overcome information overload, overthinking, and making decisions by default rather than your own value system, Paul will walk you through a 3-step framework for making consistent and confident decisions. And the best part is you can put this versatile framework to work today—in business, life, fitness, and beyond. By und...

305 The Training Split for an Aesthetic Physique

In this episode, Paul gets straight into the nuts and bolts of building an aesthetic physique. Picking up from episode 304, he emphasizes that looking good is not about chasing six-pack abs or bulking up until you’re “shirt-on big.” Instead, it’s about dialing in your proportions to create a balanced, visually appealing physique—whether you’re in a suit, at the beach, or anywhere in between. Drawing inspiration from the Golden Ratio, Paul explains how these timeless principles of harmony and pro...

304 Permission to Flex: Why Looking Good Is a Great Fitness Goal

Many people are afraid to say they want to work out to look good. Let’s call it like it is—there’s a stigma around saying you want to work out for aesthetics. But here’s the thing: it’s not just valid; it’s important. In this episode, Paul’s here to give you full permission to embrace wanting to look good as a reason to work out. Why? Because looking good helps you feel good. When you feel good, you walk taller, step into the room with confidence, and have more opportunities to connect with othe...

303 How to Build Muscle

Paul outlines a fitness philosophy centered on longevity , performance , and aesthetics , highlighting how building muscle supports all of these goals. He explains the basics of how you can develop a basic plan to grow muscle through three core principles: weightlifting, protein intake, and principles like mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress. For long-term progress, he’ll also give you practical tips on optimizing your plan based on your goals for how you want to look and you...

302 It's your duty to pursue excellence

Paul expands on how to make your own proprietary blend for fitness by introducing the concept of Arete , the ancient Greek ideal of pursuing excellence in all aspects of life. He explores how aligning your actions with your values transforms fitness goals from arbitrary pursuits into meaningful commitments that get you lifelong results. Paul also challenges you to replace limiting beliefs about fitness with an understanding that striving for physical excellence is a duty, not a luxury. If you do...

301 Make your proprietary blend for fitness

Paul is back! In this episode, he talks about how the fitness industry fails to teach guys how to make their own rules, which leads to failure in the long run. He'll share his lessons from the fitness industry so that you can develop your own fitness philosophy to achieve longevity, athletic performance, and aesthetics. Paul also covers the future of the podcast, the upcoming launch of his highly anticipated book in January 2025 (and how to join the launch team), and the kickoff of his men’s coa...

Clarity, Fear and Courage for a Life of Meaning

Finding meaning, purpose, clarity, and courage in life is all about stepping into our power and believing in our potential. When we acknowledge and embrace our innate abilities, gifts, and aspirations, the veil of uncertainty lifts, revealing the path toward fulfillment. It’s through clarity that fear becomes a mere stepping stone, and courage becomes the fuel that propels us toward building a life of purpose, significance, and meaning. By allowing ourselves to believe in and step into our poten...

Overcoming Resistance - How we get in our own way

Overcoming resistance is all about letting go of perfection, the pressure to get everything right, and cultivating discipline to execute the next step to make progress. It's a battle we fight in our minds, where doubt, fear, and perfectionism are formidable adversaries. Yet, amidst this internal struggle lies the potential for profound growth and transformation. Recognizing how we sabotage ourselves through procrastination, self-doubt, or fear of failure is the first step toward liberation. By u...

Finding Your Unique Strength with Navy SEAL Chad Metcalf

Living a life of meaning and purpose isn't for the extraordinary. It's for regular people who choose to find their unique strength and do something significant with their lives. It's about recognizing your inherent gifts, talents, and abilities within oneself, honing them, and channeling them toward meaningful pursuits. Whether it's through overcoming personal challenges, pursuing passions, or contributing to the betterment of others, each of us possesses a distinct set of strengths and superpow...

Finding The Environment That Brings Out The Best in You

Did you know that your environment has the ability to propel you forward, pull the best out of you, or keep you stuck? Finding the environment that brings out the best in you is the key to nurturing your strengths and amplifying your growth. It's about recognizing the connection between your environment and your inner self. Constantly putting yourself in environments that support you can help cultivate a sense of vitality and purpose and enable you to contribute positively to the world around yo...

Lessons Learned From a Recovering Judgey Prick

Lessons Learned From a Recovering Judgey Prick Many people spend most of their lives operating from the point of judgment by default. However, it is not a personality trait but a learned behavior that can be unlearned. It all starts in your center of reasoning. Whatever you process internally is exactly what you will project to the world, and surprisingly, it’s exactly what the world will mirror back to you. Be positive, and you will receive positivity. Be judgemental, and that’s what the world ...

How I Overcame Imposter Syndrome

Why I Pay For My Friends

We have all fantasized about belonging to a circle of influential friends who could mentor us to greatness just as they achieved it. This is because genuine relationships, one of the most unseen yet crucial attributes to success, can propel us further and faster. However, the bitter truth is that such relationships, even with influencers, require investment. No matter how exceptional you believe yourself, no one will befriend someone who solely drains their energy. You can't expect them to expen...

The 5 Skeletons Keys to Unlock Freedom

Breaking the chains and unlocking your freedom is all about self-discovery and empowerment. It involves shedding the limiting beliefs and societal norms holding you back from realizing your true potential and creating the life you desire. Freedom is not just about breaking external constraints but also liberating your mind from societal and self-imposed limitations. It’s the courage to intentionally confront your fears, challenge norms, and redefine your meaning and success in life. It’s time to...

Where The New Year Resolution Goes Wrong

During the New Year's excitement, so many of us often make the mistake of setting big resolutions because of the heat of the moment. The idea of a fresh start can make us commit to huge goals, thinking we need to change everything at once. But this can lead to losing momentum as the initial excitement wears off and we realize how tough those big goals are. The problem is not the desire to improve ourselves but the pressure to set too high goals. Instead of taking small steps, we end up broken an...

Why Goals Ruin Your Life

While aiming high with clear and SMART goals seems like the path to success, sometimes it can trap us. The "specific" part, meant to keep us on track, can turn into a cage, trapping us in a rigid plan. We all know that life will always throw twists and turns that we may not have control over, even if our plan is perfect. If our goals are too inflexible, we miss opportunities to grow and become better versions of ourselves. Life is about adapting, and sometimes, the best way to live life to the f...

Language Is a Window Into Your Soul

The Interplay Between Words, Beliefs and Behaviors In Health and Fitness. Our words, beliefs, and behaviors are critical in attaining the outcome we want in our health and fitness journey. The language and words we choose reflect our perceptions and influence our attitudes and behaviors. Using words that reinforce the beliefs we are actively choosing that serve and align with our aspirations can enhance our ability to achieve our fitness goals. Putting ourselves down through negative self-talk o...

Beyond the Gym: Strategies for Maximizing Your Fitness Journey

Getting in shape and maximizing fitness outcomes goes beyond just physical exertion. One crucial element is the sense of community, where individuals bond and work together towards common fitness goals, fostering motivation and accountability. Knowledge plays a pivotal role, empowering you to advocate for yourself by asking the right questions and understanding the rationale behind exercises. It's not just about being told what to do but comprehending the "why" behind each action. Approaching fi...