Cut Through

A plane crash in the middle of the ocean.Pitch black night. No rescue in sight.In this episode of Cut Through, Neil Watts shares the full story of the night his plane went down at sea — and the six-hour fight to survive that followed.From the moment the aircraft lost control, to the impact with the water, to being stranded in open ocean with no clear way out, this is a raw, first-hand account of what it feels like to face death… and keep going anyway.But this isn’t just a survival story.It’s about what happens to your mind under pressure.What you think about when everything is stripped away.And how an experience like this reshapes what actually matters in life.In this conversation, we explore:The exact sequence of events leading up to the crashWhat it felt like in the moments before impactThe chaos of escaping the aircraft and entering the waterThe mental battle of staying alive in the open oceanThe moment he almost gave up — and what happened nextHow facing death changes your perspective on purpose, fear, and meaningWhether you’re searching for direction, questioning what really matters, or just trying to make sense of life under pressure — this is a story that stays with you.🎙 Full episode from Cut Through🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cutthrough.digital🎧 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4stptKegw38gqdQSbeqk4q

Why are so many young men getting into shape… but still feeling lost?In this episode of Cut Through, Lorenzo Berry — a strength and conditioning coach who’s trained everyone from everyday clients to Olympians — unpacks a truth most people don’t want to hear:Getting fit won’t fix what’s going on inside.We talk about the “invincible” feeling that comes with progress in the gym… and why it fades faster than you expect. Why so many men hit a ceiling — physically, mentally, and emotionally — and never stop to ask the deeper question:What then?This conversation goes beyond fitness into identity, purpose, and the search for meaning in a world that tells you to keep achieving but never explains why it still feels empty.If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the right things — working on yourself, building discipline, chasing progress — but something still feels off…This episode is for you.Topics covered:– Why self-improvement doesn’t always lead to fulfilment – The hidden limits of gym culture and physical achievement – Identity, purpose, and why many men feel lost – The question most people avoid asking – Where lasting meaning might actually be found Listen now and decide for yourself.

What if the reason you feel lost… isn’t random?In this episode of Cut Through, we sit down with Dan Patterson to tackle the questions most people avoid: is belief in God just a crutch? Can faith and science actually coexist? And why, in a world with more freedom than ever, do so many people still feel empty?We explore the real tension behind Christianity, not just the surface-level arguments, but the deeper questions around meaning, suffering, truth, and purpose. From the problem of evil to the search for identity, this conversation doesn’t dodge the hard stuff.Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or somewhere in between, this episode challenges the assumptions you’ve grown up with, and forces you to think seriously about what you believe, and why.Because if there is a truth about God… it changes everything.

AI is already here.And whether you realize it or not… it’s changing everything.Jobs. Identity. Confidence. Direction.In this conversation, Wendy — a tech leader who’s been through redundancy, reinvention, and the reality of AI disruption — breaks down what most people still don’t understand.This isn’t about hype.It’s about what happens when the world moves faster than you can keep up… And how you respond when you feel like you’re being left behind.We talk about:- Why no career is truly “safe” anymore - The mindset that actually wins in the AI era - What losing your job teaches you about who you really are - Why curiosity is more powerful than intelligence - The emotional weight young people are carrying right now - And the one thing AI will never be able to replace This is a conversation about technology…But more importantly, it’s about being human in a world that’s changing fast.If you’ve ever felt stuck, behind, or unsure where you’re going — this one’s for you.

Most young men today feel lost — but they’ve never had more freedom.So what’s going wrong?In this episode, professor, author, historian Daniel Reynaud breaks down why the ANZAC soldiers — facing death daily — had a stronger sense of purpose, identity, and direction than most men today.This isn’t about glorifying war. It’s about understanding what creates meaning.We dive into:Why modern masculinity feels so confusingThe role of faith in resilience and purposeWhat young men are actually searching for (but won’t admit)The difference between being “busy” and being groundedHow to figure out what actually matters in your lifeIf you’ve ever felt like you’re drifting, distracted, or unsure who you are becoming — this conversation will hit.Take 30 minutes after this episode and ask yourself one question:What do I actually stand for?

What happens when the thing you built your identity on… disappears?In this episode, Grant Faatoia shares the real story behind chasing the NRL dream — and what came after it all fell apart.From discipline, sacrifice, and the pressure of professional sport… to injury, isolation, and losing his sense of self — this conversation goes far beyond rugby.We talk about:The hidden cost of successWhy discipline alone isn’t enoughLosing your identity after failureThe reality of business, money, and ambitionThe pressure young men face todayAnd what it actually means to find purposeThis isn’t a highlight reel.It’s an honest conversation about rebuilding your life when everything you relied on is gone.If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck, or unsure of who you are — this episode will hit differently.

Most young men have been sold a lie:That drinking makes you more confident, more social… more of a man.In this conversation with  , we break down what alcohol actually does — not culturally, but biologically.→ How it suppresses testosterone→ How it affects your brain and decision-making→ Why it slowly erodes discipline, clarity, and controlAnd more importantly…Why something so damaging has been normalized for an entire generation.This isn’t a lecture about quitting alcohol.It’s a challenge to think for yourself.Because real strength isn’t found in fitting in —it’s built in the moments you choose not to.If you’re a young man trying to build a life with purpose, direction, and self-respect… this episode will hit different.

At 18 years old, Neric watched his father drown while trying to save him.What began as a normal family day by the river turned into a moment that would change his life forever. In the years that followed, he wrestled with guilt, grief, and the deeper questions many young men face today — about identity, purpose, and meaning.In this episode of Cut Through, Narek shares the story of that day, the internal battles that came after, and how tragedy reshaped his search for purpose, faith, and direction.

Early-onset dementia has increased by 200% in the last 20 years — and most people still believe it’s a disease that only affects the elderly.In this episode of Cut Through, brain health expert Dr Simon Pedzisi explains why the foundations of brain health are built much earlier in life — often in our teens and 20s.We unpack the lifestyle habits that quietly shape the brain during its most important development window, including screen time, sleep, hydration, diet, exercise, social connection and addiction patterns. Dr Pedzisi explains how the brain develops until around age 25, why modern lifestyles are putting that development under pressure, and why many of the neurological conditions seen later in life can begin decades earlier.  We also discuss the warning signs of brain stress, the link between technology and cognitive health, the importance of human connection, and the simple daily habits that can strengthen brain resilience over time.If you’re in your teens, 20s or 30s, this conversation will change how you think about your brain — and what you do with it.

Is science enough? Or does it point beyond itself?In this full-length conversation, Dr. Sven Ostring (PhD) and Christian unpack one of the biggest questions of our generation:Is belief in God intellectually dishonest — or is it actually more rational than we think?They explore:The Big Bang and the problem of “nothing”Fine-tuning and why the universe looks designedDNA, information, and irreducible complexityThe multiverse theoryScience and moralityWhy secular regimes in the 20th century became so violentWhether faith is emotional… or rationalAnd the real question underneath it all: What gives life meaning?This is a deep, honest exploration of the assumptions behind science, atheism, and Christianity.If you’re a young man trying to build your life, career, and identity — and you’ve quietly wondered whether faith still makes sense in an age of AI, physics, and technology — this episode is for you.Welcome to Cut Through — conversations that don’t avoid the hard questions.

If AI can outthink you, outwork you and outlearn you… what hope is there for a 20-year-old?In this episode of Cut Through, I sit down with Kevin Jackson — CEO of Sanitarium — to talk about the future of work, leadership under pressure, failure, faith, and what actually gives a person value in a world obsessed with performance.We break down:– Is AI really coming for your job?– Should young people still go to university?– The truth about imposter syndrome at the top– Why most business failures are people failures– How to survive career uncertainty– Why resilience is collapsing in young men– Faith, logic and whether Christianity still makes sense in a scientific age– Why your value is NOT your performanceKevin became CEO at 32. He’s navigated industry disruption, COVID chaos, public criticism and high-stakes decisions.But the most powerful takeaway?Your worth stands independent of what you achieve.If you’re 18–25 and feeling overwhelmed by AI, career pressure, identity, or direction — this conversation is for you.Lean in. Don’t sit on the sidelines.

What does it do to a man to hold a dying stranger in his arms…to be surrounded by 200 people who want to kill him…to protect witnesses by erasing their identities…and to spend decades staring evil in the face?In this raw and unfiltered conversation, retired police commander Paul Roussos pulls back the curtain on 30+ years in the force — from gun-to-gun standoffs and riot chaos, to undercover work, witness protection at The Hague, and leading Australia’s Missing Persons Unit.But this isn’t just about crime.It’s about purpose.Adrenaline.Leadership.Faith under pressure.And what keeps a man from breaking.Paul shares the terrifying moments that almost cost him his life…the suicide note that brought him to tears…the brutal reality of leadership mistakes…and why he believes young men are starving for something bigger than themselves.If you’ve ever questioned your direction, your faith, your identity — this episode will challenge you.Because strength isn’t about ego.Leadership isn’t about status.And meaning doesn’t come from comfort.It comes from pushing the boundaries — and choosing who you become in the fire.🎧 Listen now.

From World Champion Dreams to Suicide Watch — And the Faith That Rebuilt HimAt 15, Lawson Walters was living in Spain, training every day to become a world champion motorbike racer.Five months later, everything collapsed.The money ran out.His family fell apart.His identity disappeared.Sleeping on couches. Struggling with alcoholism, self-harm, and depression. Eventually ending up in hospital on suicide watch.This is the real story behind the highlight reels — what happens when your entire sense of worth is built on success… and success disappears.In this conversation, Lawson opens up about:The brutal psychological cost of elite performanceLosing your identity when your “thing” is taken awayWhy success alone will never save youHitting absolute rock bottom at 17And the unexpected encounter that changed the direction of his life foreverThis isn’t a motivational speech.It’s not polished.It’s honest.If you’re a young man chasing greatness, questioning your purpose, or silently struggling — this episode is for you.🎧 Listen with an open mind. It might be the conversation you didn’t know you needed.

What happens when you do everything right —work hard, chase the dream, build the body, build the business —and still feel empty?In this long-form conversation, two young men share their raw journey from: • chasing money and success • door knocking and building a business from nothing • living for hustle, discipline, and image…to realising that achievement alone wasn’t enough.This isn’t a motivational talk.It’s not anti-ambition.And it’s definitely not performative.It’s an honest conversation about: • emptiness after progress • why success doesn’t automatically bring peace • what young men are actually searching for • and how hope showed up when they weren’t even looking for itIf you’re grinding, improving yourself, doing “what you’re supposed to do” —but still feel like something’s missing…This conversation is for you.Watch with an open mind.Take what resonates.Leave the rest.

What does it actually take to build a meaningful life?In this long-form Cut Through conversation, I sit down with Gary Rayner — inventor, entrepreneur, and founder behind technologies that helped shape modern dash cams, digital lighting systems, and more.But this episode isn’t about success highlights.It’s about:Being bullied and not fitting into schoolDropping out — and what most people get wrong about thatSleeping on factory floors and losing millionsBetrayal, resilience, and starting again from zeroWhy shortcuts feel good short-term but destroy you long-termThe role of faith, integrity, and service in real successWhy relationships — not money — are what matter at the endGary speaks candidly about failure, grit, ambition, and the cost of becoming the man you’re meant to be.If you’re a young man feeling stuck, behind, lonely, or unsure where you’re heading — this conversation will challenge you to think deeper about who you are, what you’re building, and why it matters.This isn’t motivation.It’s perspective.

Being told you’ll never walk again changes how you see everything.Watching your house burn down finishes the job.In this conversation, Brendan Pratt reflects on moments that stripped life back to the essentials — and why he later spent years wrestling with the role “stuff” plays in our lives.This isn’t a motivational talk.It’s a grounded, honest conversation about loss, control, and the beliefs we quietly build our lives on.This episode offers clarity and perspective for anyone wrestling with loss, control, and what’s actually worth building a life around.

In this opening episode of Cut Through, Christian Co sits down with David Riley for an honest conversation about cancer, loss, and the questions that surface when life strips everything back.Eight months after losing his daughter to cancer, David now faces his own terminal diagnosis. Together, they talk candidly about grief, fear, faith, anger, love, and what remains when certainty disappears. This is not a conversation about easy answers or inspirational slogans, but about what it means to face death with clarity, courage, and honesty.This episode is for anyone who has wrestled with suffering, searched for meaning in the dark, or wondered what truly matters when the noise falls away.