Listen Now

Back in Episode 10, I interviewed 10 year-old Avery Driscoll and her mother Stephanie about Avery's brain tumor and what it took to beat it.  In this episode, I've got "Dr. Awesome" (Jim Olson), the pediatric oncologist who treated Avery and helped her beat her cancer. In this interview, Jim and I discuss the importance of honest communication between a physician hand his patients, and how they work together as a "family" to move forward in treatment of cancer.  We also talk about the role of hope as a necessary component in struggling to overcome any challenge. As a TEDx speaker, Jim's had a lot of experience explaining his role as the lead scientist behind Project Violet and how his Tumor Paint is changing the way physicians fight cancer.  In this interview, Jim explains how this mini-protein, derived from the venom of scorpions, binds to cancer cells and causes them to glow enough to be visible to the naked eye during surgery, making it much simpler to find and safely eradicate cancer cells in patients.   SHOW NOTES: James S. Olson, MD, PhD, Cancer Researcher, Scientist, TEDx Speaker   Links of Interest: Jim's TEDx talk Interview with Avery Driscoll and her mother Stephanie (episode 10) Jim's Bio on FredHutch.org Video about Project Violet Tumor Paint story on NPR Violet's Legacy Jim explains Tumor Paint on PopTech   Quote of the Day: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.  (Desmond Tutu)

What if I told you that there were a growing problem in the world that could, and may have already infiltrated your own life?  And what if I told you this problem had been around forever, but that it had become much MUCH worse over the past 20 years or so?  What if this threat were like cancer, but MUCH more aggressive, and that it didn't ONLY attack biologically.  What if it also attacked psychologically, emotionally and even socially?  Would such a threat concern you?  Well, that threat actually exists!  Obviously I'm talking about the destructive and GROWING threat of pornography.  It's a subject that often makes people uncomfortable, so no one wants to talk about it - which only adds to it's insidiousness - but it NEEDS to be discussed. There was a time (not even that long ago) when accessing pornography actually took some effort.  But today, it's not only incredibly accessible through the internet, but it's actually becoming popularized and aggressively distributed to infiltrate every corner of our lives!  As a society, we've effectively become a frog who's slowly being boiled to death by deceptively subtle porn-infused music, movies, video games, books, magazines, advertisements, social media and even TOYS!  We're being ever-increasingly desensitized by it.  We're being poisoned by degrees! Pornography is the cancer of love.  It really does kill love.  I'm not even going to pretend it's okay, or natural, or whatever else people say about it to justify their indulgence.  Pornography is wrong and it's problematic far beyond just morality. In this episode of Escape Velocity, I interview marriage and family therapist Kevin Bergen, author of The Bergen Protocol and Director of the Center for Counseling Recovery and Growth in Torrance California, about the attributes, misconceptions and dangers of pornography.  In this interview, we discuss how pornography can re-wire the brain to facilitate addictive patterns of behavior and cause all kinds of problems for families, couples and individuals.  We also discuss what to do about it.  Planet Pornography is a mega-planet with a HUGE gravitational pull.  It CAN be escaped, but it often takes the combined effort of a willing and courageous "astronaut" a well-constructed "Rocket," and a skillful and loving "Houston" all working together to make it happen.   SHOW NOTES: Kevin Bergen, MA, MFT, Therapist, Blogger, Podcaster, Author, Photographer, Entrepreneur  

Whether it's type 1 or type 2, diabetes can be deadly.  In this episode of the Escape Velocity podcast my guest Tom Curtis and I take a look at the dangers of diabetes and how it has affected his life.  Tom was diagnosed with diabetes type 1 over 9 years ago and has had to deal with it every single day since. In this episode, we discuss the differences between type 1 and type 2, and Tom tells the story of how NOT paying enough attention to his blood-sugar levels nearly got him killed.  Like many other who suffer from this dangerous condition, Tom's not just a diabetic.  He's also a husband, a father, an employer, the author of the best-selling book "The Story Economy" and a member of his community.  Tom's a busy guy with a family to care for... he can't afford to let diabetes slow him down.  But he learned the hard way that he can't afford to ignore diabetes either. With a son who ALSO has diabetes type 1, Tom has learned how to manage his glucose levels by paying attention to what he eats, how much he exercises and how much insulin he injects. Listen as Tom expresses his regret at being so lax with his health in the past and how NOW he's paying close attention to his health... and not JUST for his own health and safety.  As he explains in the interview, it's also for his diabetic son who is constantly watching, and for the rest of his family who love him.   SHOW NOTES: Tom Curtis, Author, Business Owner, Entrepreneur Links of Interest: Brief description of Diabetes Type 1 Brief description of Diabetes Type 2 Buy a copy of Tom's book "The Story Economy"

I think just about every kid starts out life wanting to be an astronaut.  It doesn't always last, but even when it wears off... EVERYONE respects and admires an astronaut.  They're cool.  They're heroic.  And they achieve things that no ordinary person can... They escape the Earth to explore space! On the Escape Velocity podcast, I've been calling YOU an astronaut throughout the life of my entire show.  I call you an astronaut because, in order for you to get off that hostile planet you're living on, or into the exciting gravity-free environment of space, you need to not only BUILD your own rocket ship, but you also need to pilot it. You are the pilot of your space craft.  In fact, you're the ONLY person who is qualified or even capable of flying it because it is actually an extension of you!  The vessel you build to get off that "planet" of yours and into "space" is a tool.  It's HOW you're going to do what you want to do.  It's HOW you're going to lose the weight, launch your career as a folk singer, win that MMA tournament, eradicate your body of cancer, get out of debt, quit drinking, or become a rocket scientist. In this episode, as Colonel Paul Lockhart (2-time pilot of the Space Shuttle Endeavour) and I discuss his experiences with the literal escape of THIS planet's gravity, my hope is that you can listen with metaphorical ears and hear how YOU can escape the gravity of YOUR metaphorical "planet," whatever it is.   SHOW NOTES: Colonel Paul "Paco" Lockhart, U.S. Air Force Pilot & Test Pilot, Astronaut & Pilot of the Space Shuttle Endeavour Links of Interest: Video of Paul's first mission, STS-111 in the Space Shuttle Endeavour Video of Paul's second mission, STS-113 in the Space Shuttle Endeavour Paul giving a presentation at Elon University         Quote of the Day: It's human nature to stretch, to GO, to SEE, to UNDERSTAND.  Exploration is not a choice really; it's an imperative.  (Gemini & Apollo Astronaut, Michael Collins)

Tell me in the comments whether you like the player ABOVE or the one BELOW this line.   Ugh... the "D-word."  For some, divorce conjures up feelings of stress, regret, frustration and anxiety.  For others, though, it might be associated with relief, closure and liberation.  Either way, it's a BIG challenge and it's, sadly, a growing trend nowadays.  And, like most BIG challenges, the way we FEEL about it depends largely on our own paradigm. In this episode of the Escape Velocity podcast, I interview relationship expert, Scott Milness, whose own personal experience of having been through a divorce, coupled with the years of experience in counseling other couples through their issues, gives him a very understanding perspective on the subject.  Among other things, Scott and I discuss 3 of the most common and pernicious issues that can drive couples apart, and suggest a few ways that couples can work through those struggles together to ESCAPE the gravity that the "Planet Divorce" imposes. Whether you're single and happy, single and unhappy, happily married or unhappily married, this episode will give you valuable insights into what it takes to build, maintain and enjoy a sturdy, gratifying and long-lasting relationship through marriage.   SHOW NOTES: Scott Milnes, Husband, Relationship Expert, Counselor, Podcaster Links of Interest: Healing from Heartache Podcast (Coming soon!) Circle of Love Coaching Program Scott's Main Website   10 things you can do to strengthen your relationship: Communicate Serve selflessly and HAPPILY Create new and good memories Find reasons to laugh together Speak kindly and respectfully to and ABOUT one another Forgive quickly and frankly Don't keep secrets from one another Be careful what you SAY... and be MORE careful about the WAY you say it Don't stop at 50% Never stop trying to impress one another   Quote of the day: No one can go back and make a brand new start, but anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.  (Maria Robison)  

If you've ever felt out of control of anything in your life, you'll probably really appreciate this interview.  Feeling like your out of control is one of the worst feelings in the world.  When you have no control, you feel helpless, desperate and hopeless.  For many dealing with the addiction of alcoholism, this is exactly how they feel. In this episode of the Escape Velocity podcast, I speak with fellow podcaster, Paul Churchill, the host of the Recovery Elevator podcast.  Paul is a recovering alcoholic with an entire podcasting community to be accountable to now for his sobriety.  Paul knows intimately how hard it is to quit drinking.  He's tried over and over to do it.  He's tried almost everything, from sheer will and abstinence, to physically moving away from his vice.  None of these attempt were long lasting, so he had to do something different.  Something dramatic.  Something challenging.  In order to escape the dreaded Planet Alcoholism, Paul has built a rocket ship shaped like a podcast. Paul has come to terms with the fact that, as cliché as it sounds, once you're an alcoholic , you're ALWAYS an alcoholic.  He knows it's true, because the temptation to drink never goes away, no matter how long you've been sober.  However, he's far from throwing in the towel.  In fact, quitting drinking is EXACTLY why started his podcast, Recovery Elevator, where he interviews OTHER alcoholics at different stages of their sobriety.  Paul knows that by creating a show that has to be published every single week, a podcast that will require time, attention and a clear head, he just might be able to focus his attention on helping OTHERS rather than on his own addiction.   SHOW NOTES: Paul Churchill, Host of the Recovery Elevator Podcast Links of Interest: Official Website The Recovery Elevator Podcast The Recovery Elevator App, (the sobriety tracker) How can you tell whether you are an alcoholic?  Answer the following questions.  If you answer “YES” to at least 2 of these questions, you may have a problem with alcoholism.  If answer “YES” to 6 or more of these questions, you should seek the assistance of a physician: Would your life be better without alcohol? Do you drink heavily when you are under pressure or when you have had a quarrel with someone? Can you handle more Alcohol NOW than you could when you STARTED drinking? Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening even though your friends say

If there’s one thing Pat Flynn, host of the Smart Passive Income podcast, knows how to do REALLY well, it’s how to break-through to the NEXT level up.  Pat went from working at a regular 9-to-5 job, trading hours for dollars like most people, to creating income-generating systems that make BIG money FOR him… while he’s SLEEPING!  He’s gone from working for money (level 1) to making money work for HIM (level 2)… and NOW is even making money work for charitable causes too (level 3)! Let’s face it, they guy knows how to LEVEL-UP.  So, I invited him to join me on the Escape Velocity podcast to co-host a “Back-and-Forth” episode to help YOU do just that… to LEVEL-UP!  Now, of course, “leveling up” means something different to everyone.  Not everyone is interested in the BUSINESS side of leveling up.  However, no matter where YOU are in life right now, you could probably stand to move up a notch or two to the very NEXT level of whatever YOU do.  Human beings are all about PROGRESS.  None of us want to STAY where we are for too long.  Our natural instinct is to progress… to grow… to achieve, to improve and to succeed! In this “Back-and-Forth” episode, Pat and I reveal some of our most useful principles to effectively achieve the very NEXT level, regardless of where you are.  The great thing about this show is that the principles we talk about in this episode are pretty universally applicable.  So, whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, an ambitious (or even wanna-be) solo entrepreneur, a stay-at-home mom, a recovering alcoholic, or the General Manager at a struggling restaurant… the principles in this episode can help YOU achieve the next level of what YOU’RE doing and what YOU’RE interested in.   SHOW NOTES:   Pat Flynn, Husband, father, Creator of the Smart Passive Income brand Links of interest: Creator of the Green Exam Academy Author of “Let Go” Blogger at “The Smart Passive Income Blog" Keynote Speaker (April 2015 NMX presentation in Las Vegas) Podcast Host of “The Smart Passive Income” podcast Podcast Host of “Ask Pat” podcast Co-host (with Chris Ducker) of “One-day Business Breakthrough” Creator of SPI-TV (YouTube Channel) Creator of the “Smart Podcast Player”   Here are the 10 tips Pat and I talked about in this episode: (Pat’s) Work on ONE thing at a time (Ty’s) Ask yourself “The Hard Questions” and then answer them HONESTLY: What do

Everyone knows that death is a part of life, but that doesn't necessarily make it any easier to deal with.  And while death, after a good long full life feels normal... fair... and RIGHT... when it comes early - or at least earlier than we THINK it sho...

Do you know the difference between an ASSET and a LIABILITY?  If I were to ask you to explain the difference to your kids so that THEY could understand it, would you be able to do it? What about if I were to ask you to list 5 examples of ASSETS and 5 examples of LIABLITIES, could you do that?  Did you know that MOST adults DON'T know the difference? Unfortunately, this is NOT one of those things that are taught in public schools, although, it really OUGHT to be.  Just knowing the difference between an ASSET and a LIABILITY can make HUGE difference in the life a child.  Years ago, I wrote a series of stories that I call "The Training Wheels" stories for my kids to teach them complicated principles in a a simplistic way.  The parable in THIS episode is called "The Treeman's Trade," and it's all about... you guessed it... the difference between assets and liabilities, and why KNOWING the difference MATTERS!!  Once you get it figured out, pass it along to your OWN kids.  Trust me, their future selves sincerely THANK you from the future!! Enjoy!

When the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer Archimedes said, "Give me a lever long enough, and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world," I wonder if he knew how just how well-known his words would become?  Leverage is one of the most powerful principles that mankind has ever discovered.  Through leverage, travel has become a breeze, worldwide communication has become second-nature, and people can earn a living while they sleep. In this episode, we explore two of the most influential components of the Escape Velocity metaphor, Resistance and Leverage, a little further.  Whether we're escaping a hostile "planet" or trying to achieve the black and force-free environment of "space," ALL of us experience the influence of RESISTANCE.  Sometimes this resistance takes the form of "gravity," (which are all the internal influences in our lives, such as fear, doubt, insecurities, laziness, etc.), and at other times, it's experienced in the form of "headwinds" and "crosswinds" (which are all the influences that come from OUTSIDE ourselves, such as financial burdens, legal issues, injuries, distractions, etc.). Either way, we have to DEAL with these forces of resistance and much of this struggle can be realized through the sleek, smooth and curved design of our rocket's aerodynamics... aka LEVERAGE!  In this episode, you'll learn HOW you can apply leverage to ANY facet of your life to achieve MORE results with LESS work.

What did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Tim Burton and Andy Warhol all have in common?  Well, it might be a little bit easier if I were to toss in a fourth name... Temple Grandin.  Now do you know?  That's right, all four of these folks fell somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. Most of us know what autism is, or at least we think we do.  But some of the things I learned about it while talking to Marci Pettingill, the mother of an autistic boy, and their therapist, Mandy Ellis.  I was surprised to learn, for instance, that roughly 1% of the entire world's population is autistic!  I had NO idea.  I also didn't realize how important autism to Silicon Valley as a problem-solving and innovative hub! Listen as we discuss the treatment Lucas (and others) and why that treatment is as important as it is.   SHOW NOTES: Marci Pettingill, Mother of Lucas of 3 boys (including Lucas), homemaker & homeschooler. Mandy Ellis, Masters Degree in General Special Education with an emphasis on Autism, Lucas' Therapist Links mentioned in this episode: Temple Grandin's TED talk Learn more about autism Interactive Autism Network Temple Grandin (the movie)

In anticipation of his return home after another deployment as an F-16 pilot, in this episode I had the great honor to interview Mike "Frosty" Shepherd, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force while still in Morocco as well as his wife, Jenny, who lives in Las Vegas with their 3 teenage kids. Frosty and Jenny had some very valuable insights to share - each from their own respective viewpoints - about the challenges associated with families dealing with military deployment.  I was both surprise and impressed by how in-sync the two of them seemed with their answers to some of my questions.  It's definitely a tribute to their dedication to intentional and meaningful communication despite their geographical separation. As someone who has NOT served in the military, I particularly appreciated how relevant their situation was to me in my OWN marriage.  So many of the things they talk about doing to strengthen their marriage and family relationships was not only still relevant to me and my family, but also a great lesson to learn from. Frosty and Jenny certainly aren't perfect, but their definitely doing SOMETHING right.  As you listen to this interview, you'll quickly realize, like I did, that nowadays, whether you're separated by 6,000 miles or just in the next room over, ALL of us need to be more intentional about our relationships with our spouses and kids.   SHOW NOTES: Michael "Frosty" Shepherd - Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, Pilot, Husband & father of 3 kids. Frosty is trained in flying: The Tweet The Talon The F-16 The BD-700 Frosy has flown: In more than 90 combat missions (totaling more than 900 hours) over 3,800 total hours of flight time as an Advanced Agent for Air Force One

According to Tony Robbins, "One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus;  we never concentrate our power.  Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular."  In other words, the vast majority of people who never amount to anything end up that way because they never set out to accomplish anything specific.  They don't set challenging goals for themselves... or any goals at all.  They just LET life happen TO them. There are far too many people in this world who start out struggling, who have to work twice as hard as everyone else JUST to get to where MOST of us start out, for the rest of us to coast through life. Brett Gajda is a deep thinker and a hard worker.  He knows that we all need to EARN our place in life.  He and his partner Nick Jaworski, are definitely earning their place in this world.  Together, the two of them have created the "Where There's Smoke" podcast, which has quickly become a force to recon with among the best of the best in the world of podcasting.  Inspired by podcasts with house-hold names like Radio Lab, This American Life and Serial, Brett and Nick have created their own unique sound and feel for their show, leveraging the power of music, TV & movie clips and other sound bites in order to explore life through philosophical concepts and thought-provoking questions. In this podcast, Brett and I discuss 5 critical concepts that everyone should consider, regardless of what they do for a living, where they live, or to what they aspire: 1- Taking the next KNOWN step... in whatever you're area of expertise is.  Even if you don't know exactly where your fool will land or where that step will lead you, TAKE the next step, knowing hat the step AFTER it will appear in turn. 2- Don't WAIT for inspiration to strike.  Go AFTER it.  Hunt it down and TAKE the ideas from the muses with your consistent work ethic. 3- Identify your strengths.  Admit that you have them, and then develop them.  If for no other reason, as a demonstration of your gratitude to HAVE them.  Share those abilities, don't hide them. 4- When things get really loud, stressful and chaotic... GET EXCITED, because it's usually a sign that a breakthrough is close!  Rather than saying, "Oh, man! Everything is about to come apart!" try to look at the situation objectively and say, "Oh man!  Everything is about to come together!" 5- While negative emotions (life fear and do

Is it just me, or do people seem to be less happy now (generally speaking), dispite having more than we've ever had in the history of mankind?  I mean, we've got every convenience at our disposal, and yet we complain about the silliest things.  Never before, in all of history did mankind have microwaves that heat up our frozen foods, or even the ability to keep food frozen!!  We've got the ability to research any fact on the internet, or travel from one side of the globe to the other without even breaking a sweat... But are we proportionately more thankful now than any other time in history?  Not even close! In this episode of Escape Velocity, I interview Ashley Manuel, a primary (elementary) school Physical Education teacher in Adelaide Australia about a program he's created to help kids and families hone their awareness of the goodness around them.  His program is called "Growing with Gratitude" and while it focuses primarily on gratitude itself, it also accentuates the importance and benefits of happiness, mindfulness, kindness and optimism as well.   SHOW NOTES: Ashley Manuel, P.E. Teacher, Creator of the "Growing with Gratitude" program The Growing with Gratitude program helps kids, teachers and families avoid depression by focusing on: Gratitude Happiness Exercise Mindfulness Kindness Optimism Links of interest: Growing with Gratitude on Facebook Main Growing with Gratitude Website

It's been said that the only constant thing in this world is CHANGE.  I don't know about you, but it's certainly true in my world!  It's one of the most defining characteristics of this life.  Change HAPPENS.  Seasons change, styles change, technology changes, our bodies change, relationships change, opinions and perspectives change... even our understanding of change itself can change from time to time.  Sometimes changes come and go with little or no consequence.  And sometimes, change can cause disruption, discomfort or even struggle and pain.  But, despite even the most negatively-perceived changes, we can actually learn great things if we choose to. This morning something changed for me.  It wasn't a comfortable change either.  At first, I thought maybe it was an April Fools joke, but it didn't take long before I detected the seriousness of it.  If you heard episode 16 of the Escape Velocity Podcast BEFORE today (April 1st, 2015) then you know that THIS post - what you're reading right now - is replacing an earlier version of this episode.  And even though it was necessary for the original version to be taken down, I felt like there was a really GREAT lesson to be learned from it.  It gave me THIS opportunity... to SHOW you how change doesn't have to DEFEAT me... or YOU. Nearly 10 years ago, while I still only had 2 little girls, I wrote a series of poems for them called "The Training Wheels" stories.  I've always loved the way parables hide nuggets of truth and morality within them, and so when I wrote these poems for my kids, they were intended to act like parables.  I took principles that I wanted my kids to eventually learn and I wrapped them up in candy-coated stories.  To my [then] little girls, they were only meant to entertain, but over time, I hoped they'd begin unwrapping the layers of fluff to see the valuable principles within... Principles that would serve as building blocks... as "training wheels" that would help them learn how to ride the more complicated "bicycle" of adulthood. As it turns out, one of them in particular, is PERFECT for today's change.  It's a story I wrote to help my kids learn the empowering principle of perseverance and determination in the face of hardship.  To this day, nearly 10 years later, I still read these stories to my kids... all 4 of them and the phrase "dig another hole" has a deep meaning for them (pun INTENDED).  I hope it's helpful to you as you face whatever it is that's

Have you ever experienced the panic that comes with losing your child in a crowd, even for just a few minutes or even seconds?  It's terrifying, and it automatically heightens your ability to focus. Suddenly, NOTHING else matters.  Your senses become hyper aware, and your mind filters out all the sounds coming in through your ears and you listen fiercely for the sound of your child's voice... their laugh... they're cry... their scream.  Your eyes dart back and forth from person to person, casting your gaze specifically at the height of your child, paying close attention for the colors of their clothes. Simultaneously, your body's involuntarily systems fly into action and do the same kinds of things... only much MUCH faster.  Your heart beats faster, allowing desperately-needed oxygen and adrenaline to surge through your body as you prepare yourself to move quickly.  Your eyes and sinuses dilate, allowing more light and air to rush into your body for maximum efficiency and your mind attenuates your awareness of  normal bodily instincts like hunger, pleasure and pain sensitivity until your heightened state reverts to normal. Essentially, focus is the result of our determination accomplish something important despite our limitations.  Focus is a process of prioritization and simplification.  It's gathering, channeling, directing and harnessing the resources at our disposal.  It's affectively realizing and utilizing our potential. However... Is it just me, or does it seem like our tendency - not our ability - to focus is diminishing?  Collectively, doesn't it seem like people give up on their goals and dreams way too easily nowadays?  I feel like we're not very good at tuning out the world or putting our heads down to push through the difficulties we're encounter.  Instead, we complain, procrastinate, or shirk responsibility.  We're all so distracted and hyper stimulated with technology, virtually-social interaction and entertainment.  It seems to me that we could all use a strong dose of good old-fashioned FOCUS! In this episode of Escape Velocity, my good friend, David Perry, and I discuss the topic of FOCUS and give you 17 simple ways to establish, maintain and re-gain focus.  David is an award-winning filmmaker who has used his talents and expertise to bless the lives of MANY people all over the world.  In this conversation, David acts as my co-host for this episode and helps me examine the purpose for and tricks to focus.

Can you imagine an astronaut boarding a rocket ship with extra baggage?  No, of course not.  It would never happen because a space-bound rocket is severely limited on space. When launching into space, every square centimeter and every single gram on that rocket matters.  When a rocket is stocked with the cargo it's meant to carry into space, only the bare essentials are allowed.  The volume and weight of excess cargo could cause all kinds of unnecessary problems.  Excess weight could cause unnecessary work for the boosters during liftoff, resulting in fuel being burned up inefficiently.  Ultimately, this could cause a rocket to come up short of reaching it's ultimate destination.  Excess volume of extra cargo could cause the flight to feel even MORE cramped than it already is! There are a LOT of people in this world who unnecessarily hang onto negative events from their past and cause a situation to occur that is very similar to an over-stocked rocket.  When you're trying to move FORWARD in your life, you can't afford to keep looking BACKWARD.  Just like the rocket, when we hold on to the unnecessary excess emotional baggage of the past, we burn up the fuel of our personalities - our energy, our patience, our positivity and our passion - unnecessarily fast.  Suddenly, reaching our goals seem impossible because we feel anchored by our own negativity.  We discover that we're ill-equipped for the long journey we've planned for ourselves because of our own emotional inefficiencies. The author, co-author and ghostwriter behind "Manifest Destiny", "Uncommon Sense" and the best-selling book "Killing Sacred Cows" as well as the founder of Life Manifestos, LLC, Stephen Palmer joins me to in this episode of Escape Velocity to discuss how to identify and properly deal with our most crippling emotional baggage. We're all trying to get off a metaphorical planet of our own and striving to achieve the freedom of whatever "space" represents to us.  And we've all got plenty of resistance to deal with without the additional weight and awkwardness of emotional baggage. So, whether you struggle with your own emotional baggage or are just tired of dealing with the emotional baggage of friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors, I think you'll find this episode helpful.  If you do, please share it!   SHOW NOTES: Stephen D Palmer - Author, business owner (www.StephenDPalmer.com) The following are a few of the Life Manifestos

Can you imagine breaking your arm on purpose just to see what it would be like to be in a cast and experience the pain associated with that experience?  Or how about this... try to imagine intentionally getting yourself addicted to cigarettes, not for the buzz that comes with it, but just to see what it would be like to try to quit smoking. You'd never do that, right?  Yeah, that would be crazy, wouldn't it?  Ha ha... well...  Crazy, meet Drew Manning.  Drew, meet CRAZY.  Crazy BRILLIANT.  Holy marketing genius, Batman! This is exactly what Drew did with obesity!!  As a super-fit trainer, Drew decided that he wanted to see what it would be like to be IN his clients shoes... er... their oversized pants.  He intentionally became overweight because he wanted to see what it would be like to live in their world as an overweight person!  Crazy?  Yeah, okay... but I've gotta hand it to him.  What a great way to gain the confidence of you current and future clients!  THEN, after gaining about 75 pounds, Drew wanted to experience the struggles associated with getting back into shape!!  This is a MUST hear interview!!  Check it out.   SHOW NOTES: Drew Manning, Personal Trainer, Author, Keynote Speaker (www.Fit2Fat2Fit.com) Drew's book is called Fit2Fat2Fit Buy it on Amazon HERE Buy it on Audible HERE See Drew's TV interviews: With Dr. Oz With Dr. Drew On Good Morning America On ABC News Other links: Like Drew on Facebook Follow Drew on Twitter

It's very likely that at some point in your lifetime, you've been burned somehow.  Maybe your face or arm on a curling iron, or maybe by spitting bacon grease.  Maybe you've experienced that sharp biting pain of a hot pan on the range.  I remember camping with my son a few years ago and roasting marshmallows for s'mores.  As a little 5 or 6 year-old kid, he didn't pay much attention to my instructions about where to hold his roasting stick, so he received a really [necessary] painful lesson when he reached up to remove the mallow and burned his little hand on the hot part of the metal stick!  Yooouuuchh! Maybe you have even been burn severely enough on a part of your body to leave a scar.  My oldest brother was burned as a toddler when he pulled a hot iron by the chord off an ironing table which left a sizable scar on the back of his hand between his thumb and wrist. Most of us know what it's like to have been burned enough to feel discomfort.  For most of us, it's just enough to cause redness, or perhaps a blister that goes away in a day or two.  Now, just to put this into perspective, a 1st degree burn is characterized by pink or redness on the skin.  A 2nd degree burn is usually associated by blistering and more pain.  Both of these are what most of us are familiar with.  They're the "everyday" burns.  A 3rd degree burn, however, is much more serious.  These burns are likely to have damaged more than even the deepest layers of skin.  Both 3rd and 4th degree burns are often characterized by damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments and possibly even organs! Now, can you imagine being caught in a fire and receiving 3rd and 4th degree burns to over 75% of your whole body??  This is exactly what happened to the guest of this episode.  And as if that wasn't bad enough, Marius also lost both his parents in that fire.  Unbelievable. In this interview, Marius talks about his memory of that horrific experience, and how he has managed to fight his way back to a norm, and even happy life.  He's a remarkably brave, positive and determined young man.  As you listen to my interview with him, I hope it helps you put your own planet's gravity into perspective knowing that things can ALWAYS be worse... but they can also ALWAYS get better.  Enjoy.   SHOW NOTES:   Marius Dasianu Free Woodward "I Am Not My Body"– An award-winning documentary about Marius’ experience as a burn victim, produced by BYU student Mark Robert William You can

Deciding on a title for this podcast was difficult, because my guest Hal Elrod (Author of the best-selling book 'The Miracle Morning,' keynote speaker and success coach), and I discussed a LOT of topics in this interview! Hal starts out talking about his hard-to-believe escape from "Planet Fatal-Car-Crash" where he was actually pronounced dead for 6 minutes and was then literally brought back form the dead.  Hal faced the unbelievably grim prospect of being unable to walk for the rest of his life, but escaped "Planet Disability" with therapy and undeterred positivity.  Not only can Hal walk now, but he's even gone on to run an ULTRA marathon (that's 52 miles)!! As a success coach, Hal's will to persevere was tested when the economy fell out from under him, causing him to plummet toward the "Planet Depression."  Deep in debt and nearly out of hope, Hal refused to give up.  With the help of good friends, family and new clarity brought on by a Jim Rohn quote, Hal persevered and escaped the "Planet Depression" by discovering what he now calls his Miracle Morning.  In this interview, we discuss the "rocket" he built to achieve this escape;  6 morning practices that gave him and millions of others all over the world, including already successful entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn (of the Smart Passive Income Blog) and MJ DeMarco (author of the Millionaire FastLane) the mental clarity, motivation, energy, vision and passion to reach the NEXT level of their progress. Hal is one of the most energetic and passionate go-getters I've ever spoken with.  He's genuine and he is a proven success.  In this interview we discuss how anyone (including you) can reach the next level of greatness.  This applies to anyone regardless of what your goals are.  Some of us strive for wealth or status and others strive for freedom and contentment.  Either way, Hal's got your number.  You're gunna love this one.  Enjoy, and your WELCOME. PS., If you're a audiobook "reader" like I am, you might be more interested in the audiobook version of the Miracle Morning.  You can download it HERE for FREE, with a new 30-day trial membership to Audible.com.   SHOW NOTES: Hal Elrod (aka, “Yo Pal Hal”) author, keynote speaker, success coach (www.HalElrod.com) Hal’s 6 Miracle Morning “Life S.A.V.E.R.S.:” Silence: meditation, prayer, focus, etc. Affirmations: reciting your beliefs, desires and mantras, etc. Visualization: envisioning what you want for