PODCAST · education
Gratitude and Growth
by Mike Marcus
Gratitude and Growth is a podcast about showing up, being real, and getting better—one step at a time. I’m Mike Marcus, and if you’ve ever found yourself stuck between “I should be grateful” and “there’s gotta be more than this,” you’re not alone. Around here, we talk about faith, mindset, leadership, and everyday life—without the fluff. Just real stories, simple truths, and honest conversations to help you grow without losing your grip on gratitude.
Episodes
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Find the Recipe
What if “I can’t do this” really means “I haven’t learned how yet”? Inspired by an idea Mike heard from Charlie Rocket, “Find the Recipe” explores how curiosity, faith, and persistence can help us approach what feels overwhelming. You don’t need every answer to begin. Find guidance, practice the...
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Your Story His Glory
Your story doesn’t have to be perfect to point someone toward God. Inspired by Testimonies on the Turf and its theme, “Your Story, His Glory,” this episode invites you to look back with gratitude, recognize God’s faithfulness, and consider how your testimony could encourage someone else.
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Questions Over Complaints
What if the way we talk about our problems is actually making them feel bigger? In this episode, we look at how one simple shift from complaining to asking better questions can change how we handle stress, conflict, procrastination, and everyday problems. And we’ll look at what Jesus showed us...
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Healthy Heat
What if disagreement didn’t have to damage the relationship? In this episode, we explore Priya Parker’s idea of “healthy heat” and why learning to disagree with honesty, respect, and curiosity can actually strengthen our relationships. Because sometimes the relationship has to be bigger than the...
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Empathy
What if the story you’re telling yourself about someone is only based on one page? In Episode 59, we look at the difference between sympathy and empathy, why curiosity can change the way we see people, and one simple question that may help us judge a little slower and understand a little more....
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Don't Let One Loss Create the Next One
Took a loss? Fine. Just don’t let it bring a friend. 👀 Inspired by a powerful lesson from Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson, Episode 58 is about what happens after things don’t go your way. The loss happened. What you give next is up to you. 🎙️ Don’t Let One Loss Create the Next One
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One Degree
A one-degree shift doesn't feel like much today. But over time, it can lead you somewhere completely different. This week on Gratitude & Growth, we're talking about the small habits, choices, and acts of faith that change our direction. Sometimes God doesn't show us the next 2,400 miles. He…
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Recalculating
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. A missed turn, setback, or unexpected detour doesn’t mean you have to give up on where you’re going. Sometimes you simply need to recalculate. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we look at the difference between changing the destination and finding a...
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Playing to Win vs. Playing Not to Lose
Are you playing to win, or just playing not to lose? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we look at how fear can quietly shift us from pursuing what God has called us toward to simply protecting what we already have. Sometimes the safest decision isn’t the most faithful one. Where in your life...
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The Work Nobody Sees
We all admire the highlights, but we rarely see the preparation behind them. In this episode, We explore what Kobe Bryant's relentless work ethic teaches us about success, faith, and personal growth. The greatest performances in life are built long before anyone is watching. What are you doing...
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Better not Bigger
Are you chasing growth, or are you chasing improvement? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, Mike explores why becoming better is often more important than becoming bigger. Through a simple restaurant story and powerful biblical examples, you'll discover how God prepares our character before...
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Performance=Potential-Interference
Are you really lacking potential, or is something getting in the way? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, Mike explores the simple but powerful idea that performance isn't just about gaining more motivation or discipline. Sometimes the greatest breakthrough comes from removing the…
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Environment
Your environment is shaping you, whether you realize it or not. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, We explore how the people, conversations, habits, and content surrounding us influence the person we're becoming. Learn why changing your environment may be the key to lasting growth, and…
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$100 Million Dollars
"What if today was worth $100 million? 💭 Episode 50 of Gratitude and Growth is out now! Discover why every day holds immense value and how we can make the most of it. Don't miss this milestone episode!
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Are You a Thermometer or a Thermostat?
Most people spend their lives acting like thermometers, reporting the temperature of the room. Complaining about problems. Pointing out what's wrong. Reacting to circumstances. But thermometers measure the environment. Thermostats influence it. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore…
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Mindfulness
What if the reason we struggle to feel grateful isn't because we lack blessings, but because we've stopped noticing them? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, Mike explores a powerful idea inspired by Simon Sinek and Dr. Ellen Langer: mindfulness is not about escaping life. It's about paying...
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Listening
Listening is more than hearing words. It's making people feel valued. In this episode, We share a simple perspective shift on communication, connection, and faith that might change the way you approach every conversation, including the ones you have with God.
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Thoughts are Like Magnets
What if the thoughts you repeat every day are shaping more of your life than you realize? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore why thoughts are like magnets. Not because they magically create reality, but because they influence what we notice, how we respond, and the direction we…
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Comparison
Comparison has a way of making us abandon our own assignment. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we dive into how comparison steals gratitude, creates insecurity, and distracts us from the life we were actually meant to build. Stop measuring your life against everyone else’s highlight reel…
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Every Game Starts 0-0
Some of us are walking into today carrying yesterday’s failures, mistakes, and mindset. But every game starts 0–0. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we talk about fresh starts, the danger of replaying old losses, and why your mindset matters more than your past.
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Responsibility
Some of the heaviest things we carry in life are not caused by what happened to us… but by what we refuse to take responsibility for. In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, we talk about ownership, excuses, faith, and the freedom that comes when we stop blaming and start leading.
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We Don't Fight For Victory, We Fight From Victory
Most people go through life feeling like everything is on the line. But what if you’re not meant to fight for victory… what if you’re meant to live from it? This episode explores the shift from striving to striving from grace, and how that changes everything.
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Circumstances vs. Outcomes
Your past may explain you, but it does not have to define you. In this episode, we explore how the lessons you choose from your experiences can either hold you back or move you forward.
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Purpose
You can be working hard every day and still feel like something is missing. This episode explores why that happens and how shifting your perspective from tasks to purpose can change everything.
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Identity
Your life is not shaped by what you’re trying to achieve. It is shaped by who you believe you are. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore how identity drives behavior, why most people struggle to change, and how a simple shift in how you see yourself can unlock your true potential.…
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Momentum
Feeling stuck? It’s not a lack of ability, it’s a lack of movement. Learn how to build momentum, take the first step, and stop waiting until you feel ready.
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Proximity
What if the biggest factor in your growth isn’t effort, but environment? This episode breaks down how proximity shapes your thinking, your standards, and ultimately your direction. A simple shift in what you’re around could change everything.
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Perspective
What if the breakthrough you’re looking for isn’t a new situation, but a new perspective? In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, we explore how shifting the lens we see life through can completely change what we experience. Because when we change the way we look at things, the way we look at...
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Clarity
You cannot aim at what you have not named. This episode explores why clarity is the foundation of growth, leadership, and faith. When you define what you are actually aiming for, distractions lose their power and your time starts to move in the right direction.
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Here For Others
Sometimes the most powerful way to help someone grow is to first help them breathe. This episode reframes how we support people in hard seasons.
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Choose Your Hard
There is no easy path in life. Every choice comes with resistance. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore the idea of choosing your hard. The hard of discipline or the hard of regret. The hard of honest conversations or the hard of unresolved tension. This is a short moment of insight…
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Blind Spots
Blind spots are the parts of us we cannot see, but they still shape how we show up in our relationships, leadership, and growth. In this episode, we go deeper than self-awareness and explore why reflection alone is not enough. You will learn how blind spots form, why feedback matters, and one...
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Self Awareness
In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore the power of self-awareness and why it is one of the most important drivers of real personal growth. Most of us believe we know ourselves well. But real change begins when we are willing to look honestly at our patterns, blind spots, and the way…
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Busy vs. Productive
Have you ever finished a full day feeling busy, but not fulfilled? In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore the difference between being busy and being productive, using a simple parable about sharpening your axe to show why alignment often matters more than nonstop effort. If you have...
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I Meant To Does Not Mean I Did
We often say “I meant to,” but intention does not equal action. In this episode of Gratitude & Growth, we explore why being busy is often just a cover story, how our calendars reveal our true priorities, and what it looks like to take responsibility for what actually matters. A simple reframe and…
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The Progress We're Afraid Of
Growth rarely feels like progress when it starts. In this episode, we talk about why change often feels uncomfortable, why we resist the very things that help us grow, and how to respond when life starts shifting. If you are navigating uncertainty or stretching seasons, this episode offers a...
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The Weight of Expectation
Sometimes the hardest moments in life are not the ones where something goes wrong, but the ones where something does not go the way we expected. In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, we talk about how unmet expectations quietly create frustration, disappointment, and emotional weight, even…
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Stop Blaming the Battle
Stop Blaming the Battle You asked for the opportunity. You wanted the responsibility. But what happens when it gets heavy? This episode is a reminder that leadership is not about pointing out what is wrong. It is about adjusting the environment you are in. If you have been frustrated…
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The Breaker Box
When life feels dim, it is not because you lost power. Something inside has overloaded. In this episode, we talk about margin, warning signs, and why God designed us with limits for our good. You will hear a powerful assembly line story and a simple challenge to help you reset what has been...
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You Are Not What You Missed
We all carry moments we wish we could rewrite. Missed opportunities. Wrong decisions. Seasons where we quietly stopped believing things could turn around. This episode is a reminder that regret does not get the final word. God does. Your past does not define you. Your comeback is still in motion....
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Thanksgiving Episode - The Table Test
This Thanksgiving, Gratitude & Growth steps into a special moment of reflection. The Table Test explores how gratitude shapes who we are, how we show up, and how we see the people and moments in front of us. Through a powerful parable and honest perspective, this episode reminds us that…
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Climbing the Wrong Mountain
Have you ever chased a goal with everything you had, only to reach the top and feel empty? This episode of Gratitude and Growth is called Climbing the Wrong Mountain, and it is about that moment when you realize the success you were striving for was not the fulfillment you were actually after. I...
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You Can't Heal Where You Pretend
In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, we talk about the quiet damage that happens when we pretend we are fine. We cover the habit of hiding, the weight of acting strong, and why healing begins the moment honesty starts. I share a personal story, a practical challenge, and a reminder that God…
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Sewing a Parachute on the Way Down
Ever feel like you’re fixing things while they’re falling apart? In this episode, Mike unpacks what it means to build before you break and to stop waiting until life’s in free fall before creating the structure that could have helped you stand strong. Through real stories and practical faith, he...
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The Weight You Picked Up That Wasn't Yours
Ever find yourself carrying weight that isn’t even yours? In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, Mike unpacks what it means to hold onto burdens that were never meant for you, the guilt, expectations, and emotional baggage we pick up along the way. Through a powerful story about a teacher, her...
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The Lie That Sounds Like Truth
Not all lies are loud. Some are whispered, wrapped in just enough truth to sound believable. In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, Mike uncovers how half-truths and almost-right thoughts can quietly steer us off course. From twisting Scripture to internal scripts we have repeated for years…
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Rest Isn't a Reward
Most of us treat rest like a prize we get after the work is done, but that mindset keeps us running on empty. In this episode, Mike shares why rest isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. You’ll hear how ignoring rest costs more than time, why health should never be taken for granted, and how even a...
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Grace for the Gap
Ever feel stuck between where you are and where you thought you would be by now? That in-between space can feel discouraging, but it is not wasted. In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, we talk about the tension of the gap, why it matters, and how God meets us with grace right in the middle of...
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Bonus Episode - Don't Quit vs. Dead Plants
Listener inspired episode - What’s the real difference between Don’t Quit on Six and Don’t Water Dead Plants? At first, they sound like opposites: one says push through, the other says let go. In this bonus episode of Gratitude and Growth, we unpack how both can be true, when to persevere, and…
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Don't Water Dead Plants
Stop pouring into what no longer brings life. In this episode of Gratitude and Growth, learn how letting go clears the way for the new things God wants to grow
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Gratitude and Growth is a podcast about showing up, being real, and getting better—one step at a time. I’m Mike Marcus, and if you’ve ever found yourself stuck between “I should be grateful” and “there’s gotta be more than this,” you’re not alone. Around here, we talk about faith, mindset, leadership, and everyday life—without the fluff. Just real stories, simple truths, and honest conversations to help you grow without losing your grip on gratitude.
HOSTED BY
Mike Marcus
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Gratitude and Growth have?
Gratitude and Growth currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Gratitude and Growth about?
Gratitude and Growth is a podcast about showing up, being real, and getting better—one step at a time. I’m Mike Marcus, and if you’ve ever found yourself stuck between “I should be grateful” and “there’s gotta be more than this,” you’re not alone. Around here, we talk about faith, mindset,...
How often does Gratitude and Growth release new episodes?
Gratitude and Growth has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Gratitude and Growth?
You can listen to Gratitude and Growth on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Gratitude and Growth?
Gratitude and Growth is created and hosted by Mike Marcus.
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