Libraries and Weight Rooms Podcast

On this episode I hit on topics discussed in episode 184 with Kailey Mccafferty.I share a secret hack for guys who want to come off as being emotionally available that every guy needs to test out.Plus, I share why being authentic and listening are cheat codes when it comes to being in the top 1% of guys.

On this episode, I interview Kailey McCafferty—the first woman to be featured on the show!We dive into:What the "ick" is and how guys can avoid it.What emotional availability means to women—and how men can practice it.And an inside look at what women really want in a guy.Fellas, you won't want to miss this one.Follow Kailey: @kaileymccafferty

On this episode I dive deeper into the topics discussed on episode 182 with Brandon Danowski.I recommend guys in the ages of 18-25 avoid getting in relationships and why.I give 3 simple hacks to limiting social media and screen time.Plus, I share the one thing guys 18-25 can start to do that will change their life forever and help them in every other area of their life guaranteed.

For the first guest on the Be That Guy podcast, I sit down with my good friend Brandon Danowski to talk about all the things guys don't want to talk about.The pressure to drink and party in your 20s because it's what everyone expects—and how it actually holds you back.The challenges of navigating relationships and the stress that comes with them.How social media fuels anxiety through constant comparison and judgment.We cover all this and more in this episode. If you're a guy in your 20s, you won't want to miss it.Give Brandon a follow on Instagram: @brandondanowski1

Welcome to the first episode of the Be That Guy podcast. In this episode I explain how this will all work, the guests I will have on the show and what we will talk about. Our goal with this podcast is to help young men today feel less alone by getting an in-depth, unfiltered look into both the female and male perspective of how we can be better men and be that guy...

The final episode of libraries and weight rooms podcast...or is it?

I heard a saying once that completely changed my perspective about suffering. In this episode I share a story about a decision I made last year and what that decision has shown me about suffering.

If we follow our emotions and feelings we may not get much done. I experienced this idea this weekend and thought it might be relatable to when we don't feel like doing anything.

It was the best email I ever received. In this episode I read you an email that was sent to me by a mentor of mine. This email can help use see just how much good the world has to offer.

I realized something over my holiday break. While home with family I was trying to maintain consistency with all my habits, reading, exercise, diet...all the things that I thought were important to me in those moments, until I realized something. I explain what that something was in this episode.

A special episode today at my parents house in my childhood workout area. Over the past couple days I realized I wasn't being perfect with my habits yet I was till getting them done. It made me think about an important idea you can use going into 2025 when it comes to maintaining habits.

In this episode I tell a story about when I was late to a basketball practice and what it taught me about blaming others. It's a valuable lesson that helps us take control of our lives instead of giving other things power over us.

Sometimes I try to control things and then realize I can't. Then I get stuck in this grey area of trying to figure out if I actually can control the outcome. In this episode I explain a simple framework to use if you get caught in this scenario as well.

I really did not want to do it, yet a thought slid into my mind. In this episode I tell you what that thing was, the thoughts that came next and what I decided to do.

I watched this video once that gave me an idea. What if just had "it" that thing that others on the surface seem like they either have or don't. Well, I had this idea when it came to discipline that might be "it" that anyone can use.

In this episode I tell a personal story about my grandpa. When he passed away, I realized this secret to life that I can forget from time to time. My goal with this episode is to help remind us of it.

I had to do 1,000 box step ups. Let the fun begin. Focusing on 1,000 box step ups can be daunting yet I developed a strategy that helped me. I realized this strategy can be applied to any goal we are trying to achieve. If you want to achieve goals this is the episode to listen to.

We doubt ourselves; it might just be because we're humans, and that's part of the experience. Yet I heard a saying from a client that was very simple that can be used to minimize that doubt. In this episode I tell a story about doubt and how I managed it using that saying. It might help you stop doubting yourself and start doing something else.

Being triggered is a new word to represent being bothered. People now want us to be aware of their "triggers", so we don't offend or bother them. I get it, we don't want to feel uncomfortable thinking about thoughts we don't like...yet what if there was another way we could look at this? A way that was actually helpful. That's what I discuss in this episode.

In this episode, DJ sits down with Jen Burke, founder of Lion and Lamb Fitness, to explore the important connection between mind, body, and spirit in fitness. Jen shares how her studio provides a community-driven space where people can focus on holistic wellness through exercise, mindfulness, and faith-based principles. Key insights include: The importance of mental health in fitness, emphasizing self-compassion, passion, and finding balance. Jen's perspective on faith, which she uses to manage stress through prayer, spiritual practices, and leadership rooted in moral principles. Listeners will be inspired to take a new approach to fitness that nourishes both the body and the soul, with practical takeaways for finding peace and purpose in their daily lives.

In this episode, I reflect on the impact of Hurricane Milton and how the experience reshaped my perspective on appreciating “normal” things. After evacuating to Orlando and facing a power outage, limited resources, and disrupted routines, I found myself deeply appreciating things like electricity, food, and shelter. By focusing on what we often take for granted, I realized that even in tough times, a simple moment to appreciate the things we use daily can really help. Grateful for the Essentials: Things like food, shelter, and electricity can completely change how we behave each day and what we make take for granted. Daily Gratitude: Incorporating a 5-second practice, like acknowledging one thing you're thankful for, can be all we need to remember these things. Adapting to Challenges: Even with limited resources, it's possible to maintain consistency with habits that are important to you.

When unexpected challenges arise, like a hurricane or personal loss, I've learned that sometimes things just don't make sense. When I lost my uncle a day before I was supposed to see him after 10+ years of not seeing him, it didn't make sense to me. Yet I decided with all “hard” things in my life that it's okay if they don't make sense, yet it doesn't mean I still can't use that moment to help me. In this podcast I talk about how sometimes things don't make sense and that's okay. I hope this episode helps you navigate those tough moments of your life as well.

In this episode DJ sits down with Joshua Miller-LaBar to explore powerful insights on building a process that works, financial fitness, and mastering relentless solution focus. Together, they dive deep into the importance of focusing on the process over the results, how to develop confidence through small wins, and how to retrain your brain to find solutions within 60 seconds. Josh also shares his thoughts on aligning money habits with personal goals and why moving in your 20s can be the perfect time to reset your life baseline. Tune in to gain practical strategies for making meaningful progress in your 20s and beyond.

Drawing from personal experiences—like my high school basketball injury—I share how reframing problems helps me focus on new strengths and ultimately improve my performance. The key takeaway is that there are no real problems, only our beliefs about them. I talk about the "10% rule," which encourages finding something beneficial in every tough situation, and how to apply this mindset to personal and professional growth. Key Takeaway: Reframing challenges leads to better outcomes and asking, "What could this be helping me with?" can activate a problem-solving mindset.

In this episode, DJ discusses the transformative power of "sitting in the mud" with others during challenging moments, a concept coined by Simon Sinek. Instead of offering advice, this approach focuses on simply being present and listening without judgment. DJ reflects on his own post-college experience with Scott Gibbs, who listened to him for hours without trying to "fix" anything, leading to the co-founding of Acres of Diamonds. The episode also touches on the male tendency to problem-solve and how building communities where people can openly share and support each other without judgment is essential.

In this episode, Dr. Mitch Greene, author of Courage Over Confidence, discusses the impact of mind chatter—negative self-talk, doubts, and fears—on performance. He explains that while confidence is often seen as the key to success, it's actually courage in the face of doubt that drives progress. Mind chatter, especially in high-pressure situations, is normal and expected, but the key is learning to manage it rather than trying to eliminate it. Dr. Greene emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, encouraging people to label their negative thoughts as “mind chatter” and focus on process-driven goals. Confidence, he argues, comes after courageous actions, not before. The conversation offers practical strategies for athletes and anyone striving to perform at their best, reminding us that courage, not confidence, is what ultimately leads to lasting success.

Have you ever caught yourself spiraling into a worst-case scenario that never actually happens? You're not alone—our brains are wired for this. You receive a text, email or missed call and assume something is wrong. Why do we do this? In this episode I share what I do when I think the worst possible thing is going to happen.

In this episode we interview Melissa Capurro and dive deep into the principles of stoicism, the impact of social media, and the importance of taking action even when the path ahead isn't clear. She emphasizes the power of responding over reacting, where reactions often stem from the ego while responses come from our true selves. Melissa also touches on how social media can set unrealistic expectations, urging listeners to use it intentionally rather than getting caught in the trap of mindless scrolling. The conversation also explores the vulnerability required to ask for help, reminding us that everyone's struggles are valid in the human experience. Lastly, Melissa encourages taking "messy action"—moving forward even when the exact steps aren't clear, focusing on who you want to become rather than getting stuck in the details.

In this episode of the LWR podcast we talk about the invisible commitments we make to ourselves that are crucial for maintaining consistency and discipline across all areas of life. The episode highlights the importance of internal validation and how refusing to let oneself down can drive personal growth and integrity. We talk about the story of Steve Jobs insisting on excellence in unseen components of a product, the importance of maintaining personal standards even in small actions like a single sit-up, and the impact of the "Power of One More" – doing just one extra push-up after a workout. The episode emphasizes how small, unseen actions can significantly affect self-image and overall performance. It also warns against the dangers of allowing "lazy reps" to creep into any area of life, which can lead to a gradual decline in performance.

In this episode we interview Derek Milgate as he shares insights on mental fitness, emotional management, and practical tools for living a smarter, stronger life. Derek discusses the importance of daily practices to build mental fitness, the power of reframing perspectives, and the value of authenticity in support groups. He highlights how noticing resistance can reduce suffering, and how focusing on opportunities within challenges can transform experiences.

In this episode, we explain the difference between discipline, consistency, and habits, and how they interconnect. Learn how to overcome limiting beliefs that undermine your self-respect and discover how changing your behavior can positively impact your self-perception. We'll also share practical tips on using calendars and agendas to plan and track small, consistent habits. Tune in to start building a more disciplined and confident life!

In this episode, we interview Laurie Enright, a 16-year CrossFit veteran from Brickyard CrossFit in Rochester, NY. We discuss how embracing challenges is essential for personal growth and the development of positive behaviors. Laurie shares her insights on balancing self-kindness with self-improvement, emphasizing the importance of not judging oneself harshly. Her "can do" attitude and perspective on overcoming adversity without feeling defeated are truly inspiring. Tune in to learn how to thrive through challenges and adopt a resilient mindset.

What if you took 5 minutes out of your day and thought about one thing you were grateful for? And when you thought about this one thing you focused on all the pieces that had to come together to make it real. I like to call this deconstructive gratitude and I explain it in more depth in this episode and why it's so important.

On this episode I interview Ben Albert who is the owner of Balbert Marketing. Ben and I discuss how success is not about faking it until you make it, it's about being it until you become it. If we embody the version of ourselves we want to be, we will transform into that person. We also talk about the importance of admitting when we need some help in our lives and offer in a completely different perspective around asking for help. Ben also walks us through a unique way to look at what finding success looks like for each one of us. Thank you, Ben, for your knowledge and peaceful demeanor in helping us all be more successful.

We will never outperform our self-image, if we think we're a 6 we are going to perform at a 6. This means we get 6 results and that can be frustrating. In this episode I talk about how we can change the way we view ourselves so we can perform better and get more of what we want.

For my 150th episode I decided to do 2 things. First I wanted to thank all of the people who have been kind enough to come onto the show and allow me into their lives. Second, I wanted to explain the in-depth reason as to why I named this podcast after a library and a weight room. It's fairly personal and I get a little emotional explaining it, yet this is me and this is why I do what I do. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and listened during the first 150. We're just getting started.

In this episode we have on 3x CrossFit games and 1stphorm athlete Cole Greashaber. We often think that taking time for ourselves is selfish, yet Cole walks us through how it's one of the most strategic activities we can do to maximize our outputs. We also discuss what it means to not let down your inner child and take a deep dive into balancing rest with performance.

It's about all the decisions we make that nobody is there to see, especially the hard, unpopular and boring ones. That's the difference. In this episode I dive deeper into this topic and why's it's so important to improving one's self-image.

On this episode we have on CrossFit athlete and nutrition coach Sarah Torgeson to discuss how we can increase performance. In this episode we talk about comparison, the crucial importance of prioritizing our health and different ways we can improve our performance that don't necessarily require more work. If you want to perform better in and outside of the gym, check this episode out!

Authenticity is being our true selves. Not changing to make sure others like us or accept us for this "fake" version we create. Why can being authentic be so intimidating? In this episode we discuss authenticity and how to get over the fear of practicing it.

In this episode I interview CrossFit trainer and Military Veteran Sammie Spears. An awesome and inspiring discussion with Sammie as we hit on how our overall health is improving both our mind and body and how putting both of those areas in uncomfortable situations is a must. We also discussed how we can use our strengths to manage the shortcomings and difficult waves life will throw at us. If you are looking to do hard things better, this is the episode to listen to!

That great relationship you have, that beautiful home, that healthy body and mind, the money you have...all of these things we work hard for, do you ever feel unworthy of what you have? In this episode I breakdown why I think we can sometimes slip into this belief that we aren't worthy.

On this episode I interview CrossFit athlete and Educational Psychologist Dr. Meagan Arrastia-Chisholm. We discuss topics such as curiosity being contagious, having self-compassion especially for CrossFit athletes and how we can train ourselves to handle stress better.

This person probably knows everything, they don't need help and aren't willing to ask for it. I have been this person before and I realized I needed help to break away from it. I am trying to ask for more help in my life and improve a specific quality. In this episode I discuss that quality.

We all want to be consistent yet why do so many of us struggle with it? That diet, that exercise routine or that daily habit we want to practice. Why don't we stick with it? In this episode I give you a new idea as to why after realizing why I stay consistent with some thing's vs other things in my life.

We all aren't going to be everyone's cup of tea. And you know what, that's a good thing. If we are everywhere, we're nowhere. In this episode I interview Zay Meaux where we talk about doing hard things, finding your tribe and continuing to move forward even when the people closest to you aren't supporting you as much as you thought they would.

I needed to be vulnerable, I needed to let you know that you are not alone. I needed to be authentic and express what I was feeling because I was struggling and hope this podcast can connect with you on a deep, authentic and human level. Thank you for listening to this podcast, it means the world.

We all have fears yet what are yours? Is it possible that fear is an idea that can be fixed using some strategy? In this episode I tell a story about fear and help you see how you can get over whatever it is that you are afraid of.

In this episode I interview CrossFit mom Megan Dahl on the challenges of motherhood, embracing the hard things that life will throw at you and remembering that challenge is temporary. If you are a new mom or just a mom in general, I highly suggest listening to this episode as we discuss all the challenges being a mother has to offer, and more importantly how to get through them.

It's the uncertainty that makes things worth it. The fact we don't know if it will work out that piques our interest an effort. Imagine if everything always worked out exactly the way you wanted it to, it would become too familiar and boring. If you are working towards managing uncertainty, check this episode out.

On this episode I interview Darcy Sowards who is a military psychologist. In the episode we talk about: 1. Psychological hardiness, how to manage emotions and sustain that behavior. 2. Challenging beliefs that don't serve us. 3. Creating a mental bank account that we can take deposits from at any time. 4. And how self-talk is not just saying you're pretty, good enough and smart enough...it's so much more. If you are ready to build your mental bank account and resilience this episode is for you.