Building Forward

Paul and Joey get real about the season where training falls to third place behind family and business, and what to actually do about it. They get into prioritizing by enjoyment, the tedious prep an injury forces on you, and why the phone is the best excuse any of us has for skipping the work. Then Paul explains why he'd rather sell Coaches Corner than be owned by it, and how to market without handing your morals to the algorithm. If you're a coach trying to build something without building a cage, start here.CHAPTERS00:00 Puke, Poop, And A 12-Pound Cut09:44 When Training Slips To Third12:59 Why I Train Before I Work28:59 The Phone Is The Real Problem42:10 The Business You End Up Owing55:32 Play The Game Your WayWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ How to prioritize training by enjoyment when business is screaming for your time→ Why writing your own programming 6 weeks out beats picking exercises from a bucket→ How the phone quietly becomes your best excuse for skipping the work→ Why being owned by your business costs more than it ever pays→ The three mile hero approach to marketing without living on social mediaCONNECTPaul → @pauloneid on InstagramJoey → @joeyszatmary on InstagramReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #CoachingPodcast #OnlineCoachingBusiness #FitnessBusiness #StrengthCoaching

Paul's mom Susan joins Building Forward this week, and she came ready. Susan spent 30 years in the fitness industry, raised Paul and his brother alongside it, and has built a life around movement, relationships, and finding the next goal worth chasing. The conversation covers how resilience actually gets built in kids, why social media is quietly breaking the identity formation process, happiness as a meaningful pursuit, and what it looks like to bet on yourself at 62. This one hit different.CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Susan Walsh04:16 How Fitness Got Passed Down Without a Plan19:39 Social Media, Identity, and the Resilience Gap40:31 Happiness Is a Pursuit, Not a State56:14 Three Chapters Left: Bet on YourselfWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ How Susan raised Paul and his brother inside the fitness world without any conscious design, and why that organic approach produced something a planned approach couldn't→ Paul's 4-step identity formation framework and why social media is quietly breaking the process for an entire generation→ Why happiness is more accurately described as the pursuit of a meaningful goal than a feeling, and what Susan's conversation about 'feeling stuck at 62' reveals about that→ The advice Paul's mom gave him when he went full-time with MAP, and why she now has to take it herself to finish her NASM certificationReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #PaulOneidPodcast #FitnessParenting #CoachingPodcast #PersonalDevelopment

Paul and Joey get real about the heavy season they're both in. Paul opens up about asking for help, finding out his low mood was physiological before it was mental, and the systems he built so he can actually be present on vacation. Joey breaks down a disaster of a morning that turned into a war path, and the two of them get into anger as fuel, why expectations quietly wreck relationships, and what it takes to make someone feel safe. If you hold yourself to a high standard and have trouble asking for help, start here.CHAPTERS00:00 Vacation, Mexico, And Disconnecting06:45 Building Systems To Be Present11:30 Physiological, Not Just Mental22:00 Anger As Fuel37:00 Expectations And The 1%48:00 Needs, Grace, And Safe RelationshipsWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ How to build vacation systems that let you fully disconnect from clients→ Why your low mood might be physiological before it's psychological→ How to use anger as fuel without letting it explode→ Why dropping expectations protects your closest relationships→ The difference between feeling safe and feeling vulnerable, and why it mattersCONNECTPaul → @pauloneid on InstagramJoey → @joeyszatmary on InstagramReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #CoachingPodcast #OnlineCoachingBusiness #FitnessEntrepreneur #CoachMentorship

Paul and Joey get into how they're actually using AI in their coaching businesses, and why most people are doing it backwards. Joey breaks down the two weeks that changed how he runs everything, from his operating system to onboarding to clocking out and not thinking about work. They cover sleep and mental health, asking for help when your whole brand is built on grit, people as catalysts in your life, and why in-person coaching is about to matter more, not less. If you're a coach wondering how to use these tools without offloading the part clients actually pay you for, start here.CHAPTERS 00:00 Sleep, Mood, And The Excuse 10:01 People As Catalysts 24:30 Buy Back Your Time 30:01 The System That Changed Everything 40:54 Amplify Your Voice, Don't Offload It 55:58 What If You Fall In Love With AIWHAT YOU'LL LEARN → Why sleeping less to get more done stops working the moment your mood goes → How to use AI to repurpose the IP you already have instead of generating empty content → The operating system Joey built in two weeks that lets him fully clock out → Why in-person coaching gets more valuable as AI makes everything else faster → How to set AI up so it actually learns you instead of turning into a clusterfuckMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell Dan Martell YouTube channel (AI workflows) Claude and Cowork by Anthropic Pain to Performance workshop with Dr. Kirsten WischloffCONNECT Paul → @pauloneid on Instagram Joey → @joeyszatmary on InstagramReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #CoachingPodcast #OnlineCoachingBusiness #CoachingMentorship #StrengthCoaching

Paul and Joey go deep on saying no, gratitude, and what it means to live (and die) on your own terms. Paul's grandfather just turned down chemo at 90 and the conversation pulls everything into focus: locus of control, memento mori, the bad 10 minutes that steal your day, and the lore you leave behind. If you've been saying yes to too much and forgetting why, start here.CHAPTERS00:00 Saying No, Controlling The Schedule09:04 The Reset You Keep Skipping13:34 When Autonomy Gets Stripped18:47 Going Out On Your Terms32:23 Memento Mori And Locus Of Control56:30 The Lore You Leave BehindWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ Why opportunity in the short term doesn't compensate for discomfort in the long term→ The locus of control test for every stressor on your plate→ Memento mori as a calming practice, not a morbid one→ Why an idle mind is the most dangerous place to be→ The three kinds of decisions: hat, haircut, and tattooReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #CoachingPodcast #OnlineCoachingBusiness #StrengthCoaching #FitnessBusiness

In this episode, Paul and Joey go wide. Joey talks through his 8-week health phase and why periodizing nutrition matters once you've maxed out a mass. Paul shares his Summer Strong recap, why AI is the next internet for coaches paying attention, and the lessons from a failed app, a yoga class email, and the strategy of doubling down on what already works. If you're a coach figuring out where to put your next 12 months, start here.CHAPTERS00:00 The Health Phase Joey Needed After His Mass14:36 Summer Strong, AI, And The Next Internet35:30 The Yoga Email That Burned Into Joey's Brain46:29 The App That Failed Because Marketing Came Last58:46 Double Down Before You DiversifyWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ Why an 8-week health phase resets your metabolism after a hard mass→ How AI tools, used right, multiply what you produce without diluting your voice→ Why doubling down on what you do best wins over adding adjunct services→ The pebbles in the pond mindset that turns every interaction into business growth→ What a failed behavior change app taught Paul about MVP and marketing firstReal time, real conversations with real people building forward.#BuildingForward #PaulOneid #JoeySzatmary #BuildingForwardPodcast #OnlineCoachingBusiness #CoachingMentorship #StrengthCoaching

Paul and Joey get into the lifter's journey, the long arc from full-effort beginner to over-optimizer, back to the foundational work that actually compounds. Paul shares how he went from walk-run intervals to a 6:47 mile in 9 months, the 30% volume rule that quietly maintains hard-earned adaptations, and why he now programs clients with color-coded exercise menus instead of fixed selections. Joey makes the case for killing the 7-day training week. If you've started to feel boxed in by your own structure as a coach or a lifter, this one's for you.CHAPTERS00:00 A 6:47 Mile And The Math Of Marginal Gains11:17 The Lifter's Journey Is A Bell Curve22:11 Where's The Fun? It's The Whole Game32:56 Hybrid Training And A 30K Trail Race48:50 Kill The 7-Day Training Week57:25 The 9-Out-Of-10 Stress LieWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ How a 6:47 mile got built on walk-run intervals and small daily decisions→ Why fun belongs on the same shelf as progressive overload→ The 30% volume rule that keeps adaptations alive when life gets busy→ How to program clients with color-coded options instead of rigid selections→ Why training across a month instead of a week keeps you more consistent

Paul and Joey lay out the difference between belief, delusion, and illusion, and why most coaches mistake one for the other. They get into how you turn a delusional goal into a believable one (Paul's 1:45 half marathon as the worked example), why ego-driven validation quietly hijacks your training and your business, and what 'I am where my feet are' actuallymeans when you'd rather be 5 miles ahead. If you've been chasing the finish line and missing the run, this one's for you.CHAPTERS00:00 Vegas, The Summit, And A Red Rock Run04:10 From Social Media To Attention Media18:54 Curiosity, AI, And Better Questions25:11 Belief, Delusion, And Illusion39:35 Periodization And The Power Of Saying No52:08 Being A Gamer And The Way You Get ThereWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ The difference between belief, delusion, and illusion (and how to tell which one's runningyour goals)→ How to convert a delusional target into a believable one through reverse engineering andevidence→ Why ego-driven validation quietly hijacks training, business, and family decisions→ What 'I am where my feet are' actually means when you'd rather be at the finish line→ When saying no to good opportunities is the only way to grow what already matters

In this episode, Paul and Joey break down the gap and gain framework and why most coaches waste years trying to fix the wrong things. They get into onboarding as the quietest lever in a coaching business, how soft skills beat programming for client retention, and how risk tolerance shifts when you have a family counting on you. If you're a coach stuck between fixing your weaknesses and doubling down on your strengths, start here.CHAPTERS00:00 Joey's High School Talks07:26 The Phone, Social Media, And Double-Edged Swords10:50 Gap And Gain, Running The Audit22:14 Doubling Down Vs Fixing Gaps31:04 Onboarding, The Quiet Lever40:37 Why Programming Isn't The Real GapWHAT YOU'LL LEARN→ How to run a strength and weakness audit that actually changes your business→ The 3-day onboarding sequence that generates referrals before the first call→ Why soft skills beat programming knowledge for client retention→ How risk tolerance shifts when you have a family counting on you

This episode of Building Forward is one of the most honest conversations we’ve had.We got into the reality behind growth… the stuff most people don’t talk about. Avoidance, self-sabotage, identity shifts, and what actually happens when you start “figuring it out.” Because the truth is, you don’t arrive… you just keep evolving.We talked about coping mechanisms, why high performers still avoid the work that matters, and how self-awareness is the foundation for everything. Business, relationships, coaching, and personal growth. If you don’t know who you are, you’re guessing in every area of your life.This one isn’t about tactics. It’s about clarity. And clarity is what moves everything forward.#BuildingForward #PersonalDevelopment #SelfAwareness #CoachingLife #EntrepreneurMindset #MensGrowth #Identity 00:02:16 – “We Don’t Have It Figured Out” (Setting the tone of honesty) 00:02:53 – Paul’s Confession: Avoidance Through Napping 00:03:45 – Productivity vs Avoidance (Doing the wrong work) 00:06:33 – Dopamine Escapes: Naps vs Video Games 00:11:24 – Personal Standards vs Self-Compassion 00:13:31 – Money, Scarcity, and Emotional Triggers 00:17:50 – Reality Check: How Most People Actually Live 00:27:14 – Why Most Coaches Fail at Personal Branding 00:30:07 – The Power of Asking “Why” 00:49:34 – Self-Awareness = Business Growth 

This episode started with a catch-up about Arizona and turned into a real conversation about what actually separates high performers from everyone else. We got into building community with AI without losing your voice, why more followers means nothing if it doesn’t create qualified leads, and why content should support coaching, not replace it. The point isn’t to avoid the game. The point is to play it your way, in line with your values, and keep the main thing the main thing.  We also got into the less flashy stuff that really matters: eliminating distractions, learning to say no, buying back your time, taking the long view, and understanding that consistency is doing mostly the right things most of the time for a really long time. That’s true in business, training, nutrition, and life. If you’re building something meaningful, this one will hit. #highperformance #personalbrand #contentstrategy #coachingbusiness #mindset #consistency #leadership #selfmastery  0:00 – Arizona trip, AI, and building real community as coaches4:45 – Playing the game vs playing it your way in business9:20 – Vanity metrics vs qualified leads (followers vs revenue)14:10 – Content should support coaching, not replace it19:35 – Procrastination, avoidance, and hidden resistance patterns25:50 – Saying no, eliminating distractions, and protecting focus32:40 – Buying back time and understanding your value38:15 – Enjoying the fruits of your labor without guilt44:30 – Long-term consistency: “mostly right things over time”52:10 – Raising standards and what actually separates high performers

Most people don’t have a time management problem.They have a priority problem.In this conversation, we break down what it actually means to set priorities and live in alignment with them. Not just saying what matters, but making decisions that reflect it. Because the truth is, every time you say yes to something that doesn’t align, you’re quietly saying no to something that does.We also get into the reality of burnout, overcommitting, and using work or helping others as a way to avoid dealing with yourself. This one hits if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, or like you’re doing everything but still not moving forward.Time Stamps:00:00 AI, Automation, and the Future of Coaching03:20 How to Turn One Piece of Content into 5006:45 Why Content Builds Loyalty (Not Just Clients)09:50 The Real Cost of Doing Low-Leverage Work13:05 How to Structure Your Top 5 Priorities17:00 Why Saying Yes Is Destroying Your Focus20:30 Burnout, Overcommitment, and Avoidance24:40 Breaking Priorities into Actionable Systems30:05 The Truth About Balance, Family, and Work36:30 How to Get Out of a Misaligned Phase Fast

Most people think networking is about getting something.This conversation flips that completely.Paul and Joey break down what actually drives long-term success, and it has nothing to do with quick wins or trying to extract value from people. It’s about alignment. How you show up. Your intent. Whether you’re building real relationships or just trying to get ahead. Because over time, that difference compounds in ways most people never see coming.They unpack the reality of building a network that actually matters. Being in the right rooms. Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you. And understanding that the biggest opportunities in your life rarely come from what you do today, but from the relationships you build and nurture over years. This is about playing the long game, becoming someone worth connecting with, and creating opportunities by how you operate, not just what you do. If this hits, like and subscribe for more conversations that push you to think differently and raise your standard. #personaldevelopment #networking #selfmastery #growthmindset #fitnessindustry #coaching #discipline00:00 – Travel Chaos: When Everything Starts Going Wrong03:15 – Panic vs Control: Reframing the Situation08:00 – Arnold Recap: Expectations vs Reality09:30 – Stop Treating Opportunities Like Vacations16:00 – Networking Isn’t What You Think20:00 – Why Success in This Industry Feels Lonely23:00 – The Mistake Most People Make After Networking30:00 – Your Circle Is Either Growing You or Holding You Back38:00 – Value vs Extraction: The Line Most People Cross45:30 – Why Success Takes Longer Than You Think

A lot of people think personal development is about motivation, discipline, or adding more to your plate.I don’t think that’s true.Sometimes personal development looks like learning how to start over without letting your ego get in the way. Sometimes it looks like recovering from something that should have broken you and realizing the real battle was never physical. Sometimes it looks like sitting with your own thoughts long enough to stop reacting and start responding. In this episode, Joey and Paul talked about injury, identity, therapy, journaling, visualization, and the practical tools that actually help us function at a high level. But underneath all of that, this is really a conversation about becoming a better man. Better perspective. Better habits. Better self-awareness. Better emotional control. Better leadership. #personaldevelopment #selfawareness #mentalresilience #growthmindset #injuryrecovery #mindset #discipline 0:00 - The question that exposes where you’re actually at2:11 - Why this comeback meant more than any lift I’ve ever hit3:00 - From wheelchair to running and what that taught me about identity6:12 - The real lesson: choosing your suffering vs avoiding it7:00 - Why ego stops most people from starting over15:11 - Why high performers still feel overwhelmed (and what actually helps)16:26 - The fastest way to shift your state and energy (environment hack)21:58 - How to use visualization to build real confidence26:39 - The biggest mistake people make with visualization28:31 - Why journaling is the fastest way to get unstuck31:46 - The journaling mistake that keeps people spinning their wheels38:35 - How therapy changed how I think, act and show up42:07 - The link between childhood experiences and adult behavior53:28 - The system that removes overwhelm and decision fatigue58:21 - The “one thing” strategy that gets you moving immediately1:03:36 - The simplest way to reduce stress through communication

Most people think growth happens when things are going well.In reality, it usually starts when something breaks. A belief, a plan, a version of yourself that no longer fits the life you’re trying to build.In this episode of Building Forward, Paul and Joey unpack what it actually takes to evolve as a person when the old playbook stops working. They discuss the tension between ambition and fulfillment, the responsibility that comes with leadership, and why real development often requires letting go of the identity that once made you successful.This conversation explores discipline, perspective, and the uncomfortable process of rebuilding yourself with more intention the second time around.00:00 – Why Personal Growth Usually Starts With Something Breaking02:05 – The Problem With Outgrowing Your Old Identity06:40 – When Ambition Stops Feeling Like Fulfillmen11:15 – Discipline as a Tool for Direction16:10 – Leadership Without a Clear Playbook21:45 – Letting Go of the Version of You That Worked Before27:30 – Responsibility, Pressure, and Perspective34:10 – Why Most People Avoid Real Self-Reflection41:05 – Rebuilding With Intention48:30 – Building Forward Into the Next Version of Yourself

Growth is not loud. It is not glamorous. And it rarely happens when everything feels good.In this episode of Building Forward, Paul and Joey unpack what real personal development actually looks like. Not the highlight reel version. The uncomfortable conversations. The blind spots. The tension between ambition and contentment. The pressure of leadership when no one is watching.They explore identity beyond achievement, how discipline can either build you or cage you, and why alignment matters more than optics. This conversation is about maturity, responsibility, and the kind of self-awareness that only comes from experience, mistakes, and choosing to evolve anyway.If you care about growth that lasts, this one will land.#BuildingForward #PersonalDevelopment #Leadership #Mindset #Growth #SelfMastery #raisingthebar 00:00 – Why Growth Gets Romanticized02:12 – The Identity Trap: Achievement vs Self-Worth06:48 – Discipline: Tool for Freedom or Self-Punishment?11:35 – Blind Spots High Performers Don’t See17:10 – Ambition vs Contentment: The Internal Tension22:40 – Leadership When No One Is Watching28:05 – Emotional Maturity and Hard Conversations34:20 – Responsibility Without Resentment40:15 – Redefining Success in This Season46:50 – Building Forward Instead of Starting Over

Fear of failure isn’t what’s holding you back. It’s fear of what failure means about you.In this episode of Built Forward, Joey and Paul unpack what failure actually is, why most people get stuck in paralysis, and how confidence is built through falling, not avoiding the fall. We talk about identity, discipline vs motivation, social media fear, taking real risks, and why “I’ll figure it out” might be the most powerful internal script you can install.You don’t build confidence by waiting until you’re ready.You build it by doing hard things, reflecting, adjusting, and doing them again.If you’re serious about growth, this one is for you.TIME STAMPS00:00 – Intro and the origin of Built Forward05:10 – Why we chose the name Built Forward08:00 – Fear of failure vs fear of exposure11:30 – Failure as a skill and the power of reframing13:20 – Social media fear and ego protection18:30 – Taking bold risks and trusting yourself22:50 – “I’ll figure it out” mindset25:40 – Why you must take risks to grow30:00 – Experimentation, split testing, and life lessons32:45 – Work ethic, discipline, and identity38:50 – Why fear is rational but staying stuck isn’t42:50 – Fight or flight: choosing to fight46:00 – Growth mindset vs fixed mindset51:00 – Motivation vs discipline vs identity55:30 – The question to ask yourself every night

Morning routines are cool. Stillness is better.But the real growth? It happens in the gap.In this episode, Joey and Paul break down morning routines, emotional regulation, fatherhood, business stress, relationship dynamics, acceptance, and why the “gap” between stimulus and response is where your growth actually lives. We talk about reacting vs responding, why expectations sabotage peace, how to create space before walking into your house, and how coaches and business owners can build resilience instead of living in fight-or-flight.This one is raw. Two dudes on a Tuesday night talking about pressure, pivots, parenting, and the uncomfortable spaces that actually shape you.If you’re a coach, business owner, or someone trying to build something meaningful without burning it all down… this one’s for you.0:00 – We’re Live (and caffeine chaos stories)6:10 – Why Morning Routines Matter9:00 – My 4:10 AM Routine Breakdown14:50 – The Cost of “Shotgun Blast” Mornings18:50 – Stillness, Awareness & Nervous System Regulation21:40 – Reactive vs Responsive Living24:50 – The Gap Between Stimulus and Response29:00 – Why We Don’t Fight in Our Marriages34:20 – Self-Pressure, Validation & Impossible Standards36:20 – Growth Happens in the Gap41:00 – Letting Your Kid Fall (and Why It Matters)44:10 – Acceptance vs Fighting Reality49:00 – Helping Coaches Build Awareness52:00 – Priorities Make Decisions Easy54:40 – When to Pivot Instead of Grind58:20 – Closing Thoughts: Build the Skills Before the Fire

Welcome to the Building Forward Podcast. Meet your hosts,  @pauloneid_map  Paul Oneid and  @SzatStrength  Joey Szatmary.Just two dudes, trying to be better versions of themselves every single day.This is our story and our goal is to help you Build Forward, as we are.This is the start of something great and we're excited to take you along the journey with us.00:00 – From Blueprint to Master Plan02:00 – Stoicism, Alignment & Controlling Response06:00 – Data, Discipline & Problem Solving Through Injury11:00 – “How Strong Can You Be?” Redefining Strength15:00 – Quad Rupture: Acceptance, Ego & Burden24:00 – Marriage, Leadership & Letting Yourself Be Led31:00 – Victory vs Winning: Internal vs External Control41:00 – Coaching, CCU & Raising the Industry Standard49:00 – Fatherhood, Future Vision & The 5-Year Perspective58:00 – Personal Brand, Identity & Building Security in 2026