Behind The Human with Marc Champagne

After more than forty years working as a psychologist and executive coach, Dr. David Zelman has become fascinated by one question: how do we stop allowing the past to determine what we believe is possible next?In this conversation, David explores the internal dialogue shaping our decisions, why awareness has to come before another tool or technique, and how we can create conversations that pull us toward the lives we actually want.We also explore anxiety, meditation and self-awareness, why two competing conversations can't occupy the same mental space, and the remarkable story of how David transformed his relationship with his father by changing one deeply held interpretation.David also shares his definition of readiness—the moment willingness meets awareness—and why he believes asking "what?" and "how?" can sometimes move us forward more effectively than asking "why?"EXCITING STUFF!My second book now available for pre-order! You're Invited: A Life-Changing Conversation with History's Greatest Wisdom TeachersGet your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here!A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne Timestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”01:41 — From struggling student and college dropout to finding psychology04:33 — What becomes obvious about life when you reach your seventies05:10 — How our internal dialogue shapes our experience of life07:19 — The question David starts with: “Where do you want to wind up?”10:15 — Why we keep trying to build the future using information from the past12:36 — David's decades-long Transcendental Meditation practice14:33 — Asking: “What future does this action create?”16:01 — Why awareness needs to come before another technique17:35 — A simple demonstration of who's actually telling you what to do19:54 — How the listener participates in creating their reality21:52 — Possibility versus the certainty of already knowing23:40 — What riding a bicycle teaches us about psychological distinctions25:20 — Conversations from the past versus conversations for the future28:33 — Anxiety, specificity and getting underneath generalizations29:48 — The five-minute experiment David uses with stressed clients31:50 — Why two competing conversations can't occupy the same space34:20 — Changing the conversation during conflict with someone you love36:21 — David's difficult relationship with his father38:00 — The reframe that transformed “dominate and control” into “access and contribute”39:36 — How changing one conversation helped David recover his relationship with his father42:37 — Readiness: when willingness meets awareness44:29 — Why journaling and resolutions aren't always enough45:55 — Why another person can help us hear our real commitments47:45 — Integrity, contribution and the future you're actually trying to build50:32 — Why David prefers asking “what?” and “how?” instead of “why?”51:38 — David's books and where to go deeper*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most 90-day plans die by week three, not because the practices were wrong, but because they were built as a new life stacked on top of the old one. In the final episode of the series, Marc walks through how to audit your existing routine for natural insertion points instead of carving out new time, how to set your minimum effective dose for travel weeks and high-pressure stretches, and how to let the people around you in on what you're doing so your environment supports the change instead of working against it. The episode closes by threading all seven pieces of the series — baseline, outcome and mantra, operating pattern, practice stack, blockers, and reset protocol — into one system. This is episode two of a 7-part series teaching you how to build your own 90-Day Mental Fitness Blueprint by hand. Start with episode one if you haven't yet — this one builds directly on your baseline scores. Have your plan built for you in 15 minutes → blueprint.mchampagne.com Use code POD50 for 50% off while this series airs. Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mandy Balak spent years being the founder, builder and person who could handle everything — until she began questioning what all that achievement was costing her. In this conversation, we explore the difference between chasing and choosing, why the leaders who pause may ultimately win, and how to keep your ambition without making your health, identity and peace the price of success. Mandy is the President of The Gathering and author of Chasing Enough: The High Achiever’s Guide to Sustainable Success, publishing September 22, 2026. EXCITING STUFF! My second book now available for pre-order! You're Invited: A Life-Changing Conversation with History's Greatest Wisdom Teachers Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 02:31 — Leadership starts with knowing what you stand for 03:38 — Mandy’s weekly ritual for staying aligned with what matters 05:42 — Why comparison can pull us toward someone else’s definition of success 07:39 — Who was “Mandy Pandy” before the world told her who to be? 09:05 — The best parts of Mandy’s father — and the complicated parts of their story 12:22 — Learning that she had to earn her place 14:29 — The pause that finally interrupted decades of survival mode 15:52 — Why Mandy deliberately sought out healthier models of success 17:20 — How The Gathering came back into Mandy’s life at exactly the right time 21:04 — Why “the leaders who pause win” 23:28 — The chasing leader vs. the choosing leader 25:19 — Why capacity may be the most important leadership metric 28:46 — How Mandy resources herself during an intense season 33:10 — Perfectionism, the lone wolf and learning to ask for help 36:05 — Forget the to-do list. Why we need “done lists” 37:45 — Why the person who can’t stop and the person who can’t start may have the same problem 40:05 — Notice. Release. Rise. 41:08 — What Mandy Pandy would say to her today * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A plan that only works when you're feeling strong isn't a plan. In this episode, Marc builds out the reset protocol — Pause, Reset, Re-enter — a formalized version of "the power of the pause" from episode three, using your own operating pattern's restoration practice and your daily anchor from episode four as the actual tools inside it. Then he introduces the 90-day daily question: one reflection question, five days a week, for the whole season — the low-friction thread that keeps you in contact with the whole system, especially on the days you'd otherwise drift. This is episode two of a 7-part series teaching you how to build your own 90-Day Mental Fitness Blueprint by hand. Start with episode one if you haven't yet — this one builds directly on your baseline scores. Have your plan built for you in 15 minutes → blueprint.mchampagne.com Use code POD50 for 50% off while this series airs. Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if we succeed in building a future beyond Earth only to realize we forgot to bring the parts of us that make life worth living? Showmaker Natasha Tsakos is pioneering an extraordinary intersection of creativity, technology and space: developing performances for microgravity and imagining the role culture will play as humanity expands beyond Earth. But this conversation goes somewhere much more personal—into why imagination may become one of our most valuable skills in the age of AI, the power of suspending disbelief, our growing thirst for hope, and what it takes to keep pursuing a vision years before the rest of the world can see it. EXCITING STUFF! My second book now available for pre-order! You're Invited: A Life-Changing Conversation with History's Greatest Wisdom Teachers Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 00:33 — Natasha’s answer: “Dreams and determination” 03:36 — Why the next chapter may belong to creatives 03:59 — The problem is no longer purely technical—it’s imagination 06:40 — “Being human is an art form” 09:42 — Creating theatrical experiences for space 12:05 — The unexpected power of suspending disbelief 13:50 — How The Little Prince shaped Natasha’s imagination 15:00 — The moment she decided: “We’ve got to create shows for space” 16:11 — Pursuing an idea nobody else can see yet 17:51 — Theatre as a muscle for world-building 19:33 — Why Natasha believes we’re thirsty for hope 23:51 — The two Natashas: “There are challenges every day” 25:40 — Turning inspiration and relationships into an actual business 32:23 — Permission to stop following the expected path 35:15 — What happens when we stop forcing things 36:47 — How close are we actually getting to performing in space? 37:51 — Turning microgravity performances into experiences on Earth 39:49 — Training artists to move and perform without gravity 43:11 — Why Natasha deliberately looks for the “misfits” 46:26 — When Natasha’s mind becomes quiet enough to dream 48:18 — Her response when overwhelm creates paralysis 50:33 — Why culture must come with us into humanity’s next frontier * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every blocker you have is trying to protect you from something — it's just not the protection you need right now. In this episode, Marc walks through three common blockers — the need for validation, the fear of effort not leading to results, and overthinking — what each one looks like from the outside, what it's actually protecting underneath, and the specific reframe that lets you stop fighting it and start working with it. The episode also connects the dots back to your operating pattern from episode three: your blocker usually isn't a new problem, it's the same pattern wearing a different name. This is episode two of a 7-part series teaching you how to build your own 90-Day Mental Fitness Blueprint by hand. Start with episode one if you haven't yet — this one builds directly on your baseline scores. Have your plan built for you in 15 minutes → blueprint.mchampagne.com Use code POD50 for 50% off while this series airs. Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leo Rossi spent decades behind the scenes with legendary artists including Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Brian Wilson, Prince, Chaka Khan, and many of the musicians who shaped modern music. But this conversation isn't really about rock and roll. It's about purpose. Leo shares remarkable stories from inside music history, the lessons he learned from creative geniuses, how one decision at 15 years old altered the course of his life, and why losing his son ultimately led him toward a mission that's impacting children around the world. This is a conversation about legacy, generosity, faith, and living the magic of every moment.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — "I'm the luckiest guy on Earth." 02:00 — Why authentic conversations create deeper connections 04:05 — Accidentally finding a career backstage 06:15 — Touring with Black Sabbath, The Who and rock legends 08:05 — How working for free led to Fleetwood Mac 12:10 — Why he walked away from the music industry 13:00 — The real story behind Knights of Rock 17:15 — What people misunderstand about classic rock 20:00 — Why everything starts with the song 22:05 — Brian Wilson's extraordinary creative genius 29:45 — The one word that summarizes an unbelievable career 30:40 — Losing his son and discovering a new purpose 35:10 — Building bridges that change lives 38:30 — Why kindness compounds over generations 41:10 — Watching "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac being born 44:30 — Why he believes magic found him 46:00 — The biggest poverty in the world isn't money 49:00 — One small act can change everything * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For years, we've been told burnout is something individuals need to fix with better habits, stronger resilience, or another meditation app. But what if we've been asking the wrong question? In this episode, former Deloitte Chief Well-Being Officer and author of Hope is the Strategy, Jen Fisher shares why burnout is often the outcome of broken workplace systems—not broken people. Together, we explore hope as a practical leadership strategy, why organizations continue admiring the data instead of changing behavior, how AI is reshaping humanity at work, and why the next generation may be our greatest reason for optimism. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: "Who are you?" 01:25 — Burnout forced Jen to redefine success 03:40 — Becoming one of the world's first Chief Well-Being Officers 08:00 — Why every large organization needs someone responsible for well-being 12:00 — We've collected enough data. Now we need strategy. 16:15 — Why AI can't replace hope 17:00 — Hope isn't wishful thinking 20:15 — The three components of Hope Theory 23:00 — Burnout is becoming a systems problem—not an individual problem 26:00 — What employees can actually control 31:00 — Building the business case for well-being at Deloitte 36:45 — Which industries are making progress 41:00 — Jen's non-negotiables for mental fitness 42:15 — AI, humanity and the future of work 45:00 — Why young people give Jen hope * Special props 👇 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why is it that some ideas spread effortlessly while others disappear, even when they're objectively better? Colin Hodge joins Marc Champagne to explore the psychology behind startup growth, customer behavior, identity transformation, and the lessons learned from building successful companies over the last decade. They discuss why empathy is the foundation of sustainable growth, how entrepreneurs become trapped by their identities, the surprising role journaling and reflection have played in Colin's success, and what separates products people try from products they keep coming back to. Whether you're building a business, launching a creative project, or simply trying to create meaningful change in your own life, this conversation offers a powerful framework for understanding how people think, decide, and grow.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: "Who are you?" 02:00 — Entrepreneurship, humor, and surviving difficult seasons 04:30 — The versions of ourselves that must die to grow 08:30 — Identity, self-worth, and the danger of attaching yourself to your work 10:00 — Gratitude, journaling, and facing fear directly 12:30 — Why reflection creates clarity and better decisions 13:30 — The surprising journey from entrepreneur to author 18:00 — The psychology behind startup growth 21:00 — Empathy: the foundation of every successful product 23:00 — Why understanding your users changes everything 24:00 — The mistake most founders make when defining their audience 25:30 — Marc's Mental Fitness Blueprint and the challenge of behavior change 29:00 — Identity shifts that unlock lasting habits 32:00 — The power of daily questions and micro-moments 33:00 — Mapping customer emotions and finding "magic moments" 35:00 — Why frustrated users may be your biggest opportunity 38:00 — The reality of writing and launching a book 42:00 — Turning marketing into a game of experimentation 46:00 — What Colin would do differently if launching another book 48:00 — USA Today Bestseller lessons and book launch strategy 50:00 — The power of endorsements, relationships, and persistence 52:00 — Playing to your strengths when growing anything 54:00 — The concept of "magic moments" and why they matter * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How would your life change if you could see the patterns running your future before they became your reality? For more than twenty years, Dave has used journaling as a tool for clarity, growth, and self-discovery. What began as a simple writing practice evolved into Reflection, a platform helping people capture their thoughts, identify patterns, and better understand themselves. In this conversation, Marc and Dave explore why self-awareness is becoming one of the most valuable skills in a rapidly changing world, how reflection can help us navigate uncertainty, and why the future of AI may be most powerful when paired with deeper human insight. They also discuss journaling as a thinking partner, the surprising lessons hidden in old journal entries, emotional intelligence, parenting, mental fitness, and how small reflective practices can create extraordinary long-term change.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — Who are you when the titles disappear? 00:45 — Dave's definition of a meaningful life 01:46 — Presence, craftsmanship, and living intentionally 03:02 — Why self-awareness may be today's greatest superpower 04:43 — The story behind Reflection 07:10 — Leaving Holstee to pursue a deeper calling 09:21 — How journaling first entered Dave's life 11:44 — The self-development books that shaped his thinking 13:02 — The six-month email experiment that changed everything 16:06 — Why we forget how far we've come 18:06 — Experience stacking and building confidence through evidence 19:12 — The future of journaling in an AI-driven world 20:17 — How AI can help provide perspective 22:11 — The emerging relationship between journals and intelligent agents 24:49 — Digital clutter, mental clarity, and organized thinking 26:09 — Using personal patterns to predict future obstacles 28:51 — Mental fitness practices beyond journaling 29:02 — The underrated power of cleaning your environment 31:12 — Identifying and eliminating energy leaks 32:35 — Dave's daily journaling routine 34:13 — Three questions for better sleep and recovery 35:32 — Voice journaling and capturing insights in real time 36:45 — Clarity in the moment, perspective over time 37:18 — Why emotional intelligence is becoming a leadership advantage 39:12 — Making reflection a sustainable habit 40:08 — Escaping mental funks and reversing negative momentum 41:54 — Building a personal toolbox for resilience 42:27 — The power of weekly and monthly life reviews 44:15 — How reflection creates a personal PhD in your life 46:17 — Why Dave is optimistic about the next generation 48:14 — Choosing hope, opportunity, and a better perspective 49:12 — Friendship, collaboration, and helping people flourish * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a conversation about fear, obsession, and what happens when a scientist decides to rebuild the limits of human creativity. Marc sits down with Alex Mehr (scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Famous Labs) for a conversation on mental resilience, entrepreneurship, and the future of AI-assisted creativity. Alex opens up about leaving his dream role at NASA, the emotional volatility of building companies, and the practical mental tools he uses to navigate fear, anger, desperation, and uncertainty. Make sure to check out Famous AI, the platform I used to build the Mental Fitness Blueprint!    Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 01:00 — Alex’s transition from NASA scientist to entrepreneur 03:00 — Why curiosity alone isn’t enough in business 04:00 — The joy and politics of life inside scientific research 06:30 — How Silicon Valley changed the trajectory of Alex’s life 08:00 — The addictive freedom of entrepreneurship 09:00 — Fear, uncertainty, and the emotional realities of building companies 10:00 — Why anger can become one of the most useful emotions 12:00 — The difference between destructive emotion and productive action 14:00 — Using sleep and reflection to channel difficult emotions 15:00 — Desperation, long walks, and finding clarity 18:00 — The beach walk in Puerto Rico that changed everything 20:00 — The breakthrough idea behind Deal AI 22:00 — Why walking has shaped thinkers, founders, and leaders throughout history 23:00 — Alex’s “aluminum foil” method for deleting intrusive thoughts 26:00 — Mental clutter, consciousness, and creating space in the mind 29:00 — Why mastering the mind matters more than ever in the AI era 30:00 — The vision behind Famous Labs and AI-powered entrepreneurship 33:00 — Solving the “last 10% problem” in software creation 36:00 — How AI helps turn vague ideas into scalable products 39:00 — The future of AI-assisted execution and creativity 42:00 — Why most people never fully commit to their ideas 45:00 — Fear-based AI narratives vs. human creative potential 46:00 — The trait shared by history’s greatest creators and inventors 49:00 — Why mental fitness and AI must evolve together 50:00 — Final reflections on creativity, execution, and the future of humanity * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lately, I’ve been feeling like more and more people are quietly asking the same question: Is there something more going on beneath the surface of everyday life? So for this special roundtable episode, I sat down with Erin Maechler and Valentin Randon for a deep conversation on consciousness, intuition, meditation, altered states, remote viewing, and the future of human potential. We explored why so many people feel a shift happening right now, how consciousness may extend far beyond the brain itself, and why topics once dismissed as “woo-woo” are now being studied through science, performance, and human optimization. From the Monroe Institute and Joe Dispenza to telepathy studies, visualization, and peak performance, this conversation challenged even my own assumptions about what may actually be possible. Whether this world feels completely familiar to you or totally new, my hope is that this episode simply opens the door to more curiosity, deeper questions, and a new perspective on what it means to be human.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — Why this conversation on consciousness felt important to have now 01:07 — “Is that all there is?” The question that started Erin’s journey 03:40 — The feeling that humanity is going through a collective shift 05:08 — Valentin explains the Monroe Institute and the “hard problem” of consciousness 07:39 — Erin on working in AI and bringing consciousness into the workplace 10:00 — The Techskis conference that revealed how many people are already exploring this 12:06 — Why optimism may not be naïve after all 14:15 — “Materialism is dead” and the future beyond purely physical reality 15:47 — The HeartMath & Joe Dispenza studies on collective intention 18:28 — How meditation began changing Erin’s relationship with fear, work, and identity 19:08 — Marc on journaling, intuition, and asking better questions 21:02 — The challenge of balancing spirituality with everyday responsibilities 22:14 — How binaural beats and brain entrainment work 25:18 — Valentin’s surreal experience leaving a deep meditation retreat 28:09 — The power of creating small moments of expanded awareness 30:00 — Coincidences, synchronicities, and feeling connected to something larger 31:25 — Why consciousness exploration can simply make life more joyful 33:44 — The surprising truth: science itself is built on assumptions 35:14 — How leaders can create aligned, conscious workplaces 36:43 — The question that expands everything: “Who am I?” 39:30 — Why introducing these ideas in business settings can be difficult 44:35 — Why forcing these conversations on others rarely works 46:38 — Using visualization and meditation to unlock creativity in teams 49:05 — Remote viewing, telepathy, and consciousness research that stunned governments 52:35 — The experiments suggesting telepathy and precognition may be real 54:42 — How other countries are already teaching consciousness practices to children 56:30 — What excites each of them most about the future of consciousness 58:59 — A vision for a future podcast entirely dedicated to consciousness exploration * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a conversation about the invisible emotional weight people carry into work every single day and what happens when someone finally makes space for it. I sat down with Courtney O’Brien (HR leader and community builder) to explore the hidden emotional world inside modern workplaces. We unpack psychological safety, anxiety, spirituality at work, powerful questions, collective healing, and why humanity may be the most overlooked leadership skill of our time. From fear of flying and nervous system regulation to AI companionship and emotional intelligence in corporate culture, this episode challenges the idea that professionalism requires disconnection from ourselves. Courtney shares why she believes work can become a spiritual teacher, how shame silently shapes human behavior, and the simple practices that help people reconnect to themselves—and each other.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — “Who are you?” 01:18 — Growing up highly sensitive and learning to articulate emotions 02:43 — Loss, spirituality, and feeling connected to those who came before 03:22 — Why HR became Courtney’s “spiritual practice” 05:02 — Bridging humanity and corporate systems 06:34 — Leading with vulnerability at work 07:23 — Why most people secretly want deeper conversations at work 08:55 — Small experiments that change team culture 10:12 — Using psychological safety exercises in meetings 11:32 — The surprising reaction people have when given permission to share 13:09 — Relief, humor, and connection in the workplace 14:33 — The power of better questions 15:52 — Why powerful questions changed Courtney’s life 16:30 — “What do we owe each other?” 18:23 — Grace, challenge, and collective tension 19:53 — Why mentally fit teams operate differently 20:24 — Shame, judgment, and emotional healing 20:59 — Courtney’s nervous system reset practices 22:21 — Learning to care for yourself without disconnecting from the world 23:18 — Why healing practices became simpler over time 24:28 — The grounding practice Courtney uses daily 26:36 — The wisdom of the body and collective consciousness 27:08 — Overcoming a fear of flying through physical regulation 28:51 — How posture changes emotional states 29:34 — AI, consciousness, and intuitive leadership 31:53 — Translating “woo-woo” for corporate culture 33:16 — Why spiritual thinkers and tech founders sound increasingly similar 34:33 — Using AI for self-reflection and deeper questioning 35:08 — The rise of AI companionship and emotional projection 36:53 — The danger of judging conversations too quickly 37:52 — What gives Courtney hope for the future 39:19 — “What It Takes to Heal” and collective belonging 40:10 — Why anxiety points toward what matters most 41:20 — Final reflections on humanity, healing, and meaningful work * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the life you’re searching for is hidden inside the things you’ve stopped noticing? Matt Hranek — founder of WM Brown, bestselling author, and storyteller — joins Marc for a conversation about curiosity, craftsmanship, ritual, and the beauty of slowing down in a world addicted to speed. From photography and magazine culture to watches, coffee, saunas, and storytelling, this episode explores how presence and observation can completely reshape the way we experience life. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 01:00 — Becoming “the world’s most interested guy” 02:00 — How Matt’s father shaped his eye for observation 03:00 — The first camera that changed everything 04:30 — Studying photography and art history in Europe 06:00 — The energy of 1990s magazine culture 07:30 — Why Matt knew digital photography would change everything 09:00 — Transitioning from photographer to editor and storyteller 10:00 — Why photography permanently changes how you see the world 12:00 — Developing a visual language and creative instinct 13:00 — The tactile beauty missing from modern life 15:00 — Analog rituals in a digital world 17:00 — Why Matt doubled down on print magazines 18:30 — Creating magazines people would never throw away 20:00 — The emotional philosophy behind A Man & His Watch 22:00 — Why every great creative project starts personally 24:00 — Funding the first magazine after a tree crushed his car 27:00 — Building distribution one relationship at a time 29:00 — Why creative critique is essential for growth 31:00 — Matt’s process for creativity and ideation 33:00 — Why enthusiasm matters more than expertise 35:00 — Sleep, coffee rituals, and protecting mental clarity 36:00 — Why Matt sees himself as a “field agent” 38:00 — Curiosity as a mental fitness practice 40:00 — Why inspiration already exists where you live 42:00 — Observation, storytelling, and everyday life 45:00 — The challenge of commercial storytelling 47:00 — Sauna culture, ritual, and slowing down 50:00 — Why rituals force us to become present 52:00 — The deeper ripple effect of slowing down * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud 📷 by Peter Millar Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.