Podcast appearances and mentions of Norman Vincent Peale

Historian and journalist Molly Worthen explores the mysterious and potent force of charisma, and its power to shape American identity, culture, politics, and religion. She explains how storytelling, transcendence, and authority are used by America's most charismatic leaders. Drawing on her new book Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump, Worthen shares how charismatic authority reveals deep human desires for meaning, agency, and transcendence. The conversation explores themes of vulnerability, spiritual hunger, religious disaffiliation, and the evolving nature of belief and belonging in modern society. Worthen unpacks the often-overlooked distinction between charisma and charm or celebrity, examining the role of storytelling in cultivating authority and devotion. She also shares how researching this subject intersected with her own spiritual journey, culminating in her recent conversion to Christianity. Key Moments Molly Worthen discusses her latest book, *Spellbound.* Charisma: a relational, story-driven phenomenon, not mere charm or celebrity Our religious impulse persists despite declining traditional affiliation Worthen's personal spiritual journey: from intellectual agnosticism to Christian faith while writing the book Donald Trump's narrative charisma and religious-political appeal examined in depth Human longing for transcendence and meaning as the root of charismatic power Episode Highlights “Evangelism is just telling people what happened to you.” “The heart of charisma is the leader's ability to tell a story… that does a better job at explaining the chaos and the suffering.” “We want the comfort of knowing that some force larger than us is ultimately in charge—and yet we also seek agency.” “I came to realize I was writing a book that was fundamentally about spiritual hunger—and that I myself had that hunger too.” “Authenticity as a personal style has no necessary relationship with honesty.” “We kid ourselves if we think more sources solve the mystery of charisma—reality is an asymptote we never perfectly reach.” About Molly Worthen Molly Worthen is Associate Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specializing in North American religion, politics, global Christianity, and the history of ideas. She is a contributing writer for The New York Times and author of several books, including Apostles of Reason and The Man on Whom Nothing Was Lost. Her most recent book is Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Show Notes Authority—who should we listen to? Internal battles within American evangelicalism The definition of charisma and its distinction from charm, celebrity, and power Charisma: “ the allure in a leader that gives him or her the power to move a crowd that is premised on a relationship. … you need two parties at least. It's not solely a quality of fluorescence that shines out from the individual without other people to interact with it.” The leader's ability to tell a story that explains the audience's experience of life Paradoxical quality: we want our decision to make a difference in our fate, but we also want some being or force larger than us to make it all okay. “ It's not just about looking at the one who is the special anointed one, but it's that somehow through that person, I too, or we too, see ourselves more clearly.” Special revelation and stories of experiencing God in particular ways “Capturing the ineffable” Role of charismatic leaders in American religious and political life Impact of Joseph Smith, Anne Hutchinson, JFK, and Adlai Stevenson Why institutional religion no longer captures spiritual impulse for many Americans Storytelling as the essence of charismatic authority Evolution of American individualism and the cult of authenticity How mass media, trauma, and cultural crises shape charismatic influence Coming to terms with the limits of your “source base”—”Reality is an asymptote.” “It's that sort of transcendent storytelling ability that is the heart of charisma.” Mormonism and the charisma of Joseph Smith Leaders like JFK and Adlai Stevenson offered different models of modern charisma “So much of my book is really about the fortunes of established institutions in American culture because charismatic figures always define themselves vis-a-vis institutions.” Routinizing charisma (cf. Max Weber) “The gap or the consistency between what our subjects are, are thinking and intending consciously and what they actually do.” Intuition vs analysis—steeping in cultural milieu and operating out of personal life experiences The Puritan heretic, Anne Hutchinson “Very few humans are out and out cynics.” Charismatic figures aren't always attractive or eloquent—they resonate through meaning-making “ The religious impulse is finding a place to land other than organized religion.” Protestant roots of American consciousness tied to authority and self-discovery Humanist psychology and positive thinking “The age of the gurus” Charisma and Contemporary Politics: Donald Trump Trump's story of victimhood, self-made success, and defiance of institutions as a charismatic myth Trump's stream-of-consciousness style perceived as authenticity by many followers. “For example, his rambling stream of consciousness, speaking style that actually is a core, is core to his appeal, I think for many Trump supporters because it comes across as a kind of authenticity—as a willingness to tell it how it is and speak off the top of his head. And authenticity as a personal style has no necessary relationship with honesty in terms of correspondence to, you know, empirically verifiable facts.” The alignment between his narrative and the prosperity gospel ”While Donald Trump is no one's idea of an Orthodox Christian, he grew up in Norman Vincent Peale's Church in New York City, Marble Collegiate Church, hearing the Prosperity Gospel, the gospel of positive thinking.” ”I think Trump has a, has a really acute spiritual instinct for. That picture of reality one in which we can really reshape reality with our minds.” Early support from independent charismatic church networks shaped his rise. Importance of positive thinking theology (e.g., Norman Vincent Peale) in his spiritual instincts. “I suppose I was about two thirds of the way through the rough draft of this book when I was rudely interrupted by the Holy Spirit. I have always studied Christianity as a very sympathetic and, frankly, envious outsider and never was entirely happy with my agnostic fence sitting, but also wasn't actively looking to resolve my metaphysical questions.” “ I've always had this conviction that humans are fundamentally religious creatures and they have this impulse to connect to a transcendent source of meaning to worship.” “I came to realize that I was writing a book that was fundamentally about spiritual hunger and how humans cope with it. But that I myself had had that hunger as well—that I'm not immune to that feature of the human dilemma.” “We want to be pulled into something transcendent, where we are more fully ourselves.” Praying for a mystical experience—at least being “strangely warmed” ”God had already done something to my desires—I was walking in the direction of Jesus already.” “ I always see every kind of historical problem as somehow having to do with contesting visions of human nature.” “There's this silly misconception that Christianity is intellectually stultifying—that to become a orthodox, traditional Christian is to shut off all kinds of questions and accept a black and white way of thinking. And that has not been my experience.” Research project on miracles “ Evangelism is just telling people what happened to you.” Conversion was driven by rigorous academic inquiry into the resurrection and New Testament Experience echoed themes in the book: story, vulnerability, and being seen Her analysis: “God had already done something to my desires before the arguments convinced me.” Post-conversion excitement about theological study, healing, and miracles Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Huge thanks to @MelissaDougherty⁩ for joining us on the Good Fight Radio Show! On today's broadcast we take a deeper look into what is being taught in many of the mainstream churches and where these unbiblical doctrines originate. We discuss Paula White, Bethel Church, Kenneth Copeland, Robert Schuller, Norman Vincent Peale and others. Stay tuned to the end to see what Melissa wished she could have added to her book "Happy Lies" CHECK OUT HER NEW BOOK "Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World"

Dravon was the eldest of the three kids  and would sometimes hear her mom crying at night. That was really hard for Dravon because she knew how hard her mother had worked and how much she gave up in order to give her children a solid family foundation and a good education. So Dravon was afraid to disappoint her mom because of all the sacrifices her mom had made for the family. Now, Davon is a doctor, an author and a Life Coach.  She has so much to thank her mother for, including how her mom instilled in her the power of positive thinking, hard work the power of forgiveness.In Dravon's new book, “Forgiveness: The Pathway to Happiness,” she shares her expertise and personal experience with forgiveness. She teaches that "it is not denial, amnesia, or even reconciliation, but a pathway to peace and a lifetime practice."  A few inspirational influencers include Oprah Winfrey, Miya Angelou and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.As a young child, my guest's journey began in poverty on the South Side of Chicago. Though she had always dreamt of a career on the stage, Dravon went on to earn a doctorate in pharmacy from Creighton University and has worked as a pharmacist for over 30 years. A leader in the healthcare industry , she is the recipient of the Secretary McDonough Coin of Recognition for her leadership efforts to combat the COVID pandemic.Along with her medical career and theatrical aspirations, Dr. Dravon has always had a keen interest in personal development. After reading Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking in college, she went on to make a lifelong study of the power we all have to create the life we want.Ruby wasn't all hard work and business. Because of her Southside of Chicago roots, she was the queen of "Chicago Steppin.' Chicago Steppin', which I was not familiar with until Dravon shared this story of her mom's  love of dancing, is a unique and improvisational partner dance, originated in Chicago's Southside and is rooted in soul, jazz, and R&B music, with influences from styles like the Chicago Bop, Lindy Hop, and Western Swing.Dr. Jame's says her mother always instilled in her children to "be dogmatic and be committed to something." Ruby was unwavering, reflects James. "Her commitment to success was the endgame!"SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:Instagram- @everydaypeaceFacebook-www.facebook.com/everydaypeacewithdrdravonjames/Twitter- @drdravonjamesLinkedIn - @DrDravonJameshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dravon-james-84b59a208/ "Should Have Listened To My Mother" is an ongoing conversation about mothers/female role models and the roles they play in our lives. Jackie's guests are open and honest and answer the question, are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother and so much more. You'll be amazed at what the responses are.Gina Kunadian wrote this 5 Star review on Apple Podcast:SHLTMM TESTIMONIAL GINA KUNADIAN JUNE 18, 2024“A Heartfelt and Insightful Exploration of Maternal Love”Jackie Tantillo's “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast is a treasure and it's clear why it's a 2023 People's Choice Podcast Award Nominee. This show delves into the profound impact mother and maternal role models have on our lives through personal stories and reflections.Each episode offers a chance to learn how different individuals have been shaped by their mothers' actions and words. Jackie skillfully guides these conversations, revealing why guests with similar backgrounds have forged different paths.This podcast is a collection of timeless stories that highlight the powerful role of maternal figures in our society. Whether your mother influenced you positively or you thrived despite challenges, this show resonates deeply.I highly recommend “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast for its insightful, heartfelt and enriching content.Gina Kunadian"Should Have Listened To My Mother" would not be possible without the generosity, sincerity and insight from my guests. In 2018/2019, in getting ready to launch my podcast, so many were willing to give their time and share their personal stories of their relationship with their mother, for better or worse and what they learned from that maternal relationship. Some of my guests include Nationally and Internationally recognized authors, Journalists, Columbia University Professors, Health Practitioners, Scientists, Artists, Attorneys, Baritone Singer, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Activists, Freighter Sea Captain, Film Production Manager, Professor of Writing Montclair State University, Attorney and family advocate @CUNY Law; NYC First Responder/NYC Firefighter, Child and Adult Special Needs Activist, Property Manager, Chefs, Self Help Advocates, therapists and so many more talented and insightful women and men.Jackie has worked in the broadcasting industry for over four decades. She has interviewed many fascinating people including musicians, celebrities, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, politicians and more.A big thank you goes to Ricky Soto, NYC based Graphic Designer, who created the logo for "Should Have Listened To My Mother".Check out our website for more background information: https://www.jackietantillo.com/Or more demos of what's to come at https://soundcloud.com/jackie-tantilloLink to website and show notes: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Or Find SHLTMM Website here: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Listen wherever you find podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/ShouldHaveListenedToMyMotherhttps://www.facebook.com/jackietantilloInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/shouldhavelistenedtomymother/https://www.instagram.com/jackietantillo7/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-tantillo/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@ShouldHaveListenedToMyMother

Send us a textNegative thoughts often dominate our minds due to the brain's negativity bias, a survival mechanism that prioritizes negative information. Understanding this bias is crucial to managing these thoughts. By comparing our negative thoughts to reality, we can identify and challenge irrational fears, leading to a more balanced perspective. Implementing actionable steps such as identifying and challenging negative thoughts, practicing mindfulness, reframing negativity, and seeking support can significantly reduce the impact of negative thinking and enhance overall mental well-being. Remember, changing your thoughts can transform your world, as highlighted by Norman Vincent Peale's famous quote!Discover why the world's top entrepreneurs use happiness as their secret performance advantage - and why most leaders overlook it.This exclusive live webinar is designed for ambitious entrepreneurs, business owners, and senior leaders ready to leverage the science-backed connection between happiness and extraordinary results.________________________________________What You'll Discover:✅ The neuroscience of happiness and how it directly impacts your business decisions and tThank you for spending your valuable time with us. We truly appreciate your attention and support. Stay connected with us everywhere! Click the link below to access all our platforms in one place:https://linktr.ee/yourthoughtlifeRemember, you are enough, you can do it, and you are uniquely equipped to realize your goals. Let's continue this journey together!

Experience the transformative wisdom of Norman Vincent Peale in The Power of Positive Thinking, one of the most influential self-help books of all time. Peale's timeless principles provide practical tools for overcoming challenges, cultivating a confident mindset, and achieving lasting success and happiness. With compelling examples and actionable advice, this audiobook empowers listeners to: Replace doubt...

你是否想过，为何有人身处逆境仍能从容微笑，而有人衣食无忧却郁郁寡欢？为何有人总能在平凡中发现诗意，而有人却困于琐碎与抱怨？答案或许就藏在我们的头脑中——思想，是生命的隐形雕刻师，它悄无声息地塑造着我们的情绪、健康与命运。那些在脑海中反复浮现的念头，绝非无关痛痒的碎片。它们像一粒粒种子，在心灵的土壤中生根发芽：若你种下猜忌与焦虑，生活终将结出苦涩的果实；若你灌溉信念与希望，人生便会回馈以丰盈的绿洲。心理学研究早已证实，长期消极的思维会降低免疫力、加剧压力，而积极正向的思考能激活大脑的奖赏回路，甚至改变基因表达。思想的质量，决定了生命的质地。但思想的修炼绝非空谈。它需要我们将“美好”作为标准——像筛选钻石般严苛地对待每一个念头：剔除低俗的揣测，代之以善意的解读；放下对未知的恐惧，拥抱对未来的笃定。正如古希腊哲人埃皮克提图所言：“人不是被事情困扰，而是被对事情的看法困扰。”当你学会用正派的视角审视世界，用信仰的力量消解疑虑，那些曾让你夜不能寐的难题，或许会化作照亮前路的星光。最幸福的人，未必拥有最完美的境遇，但一定拥有最丰盈的内心。他们懂得：思想的高度，决定了幸福的维度。从今天起，不妨尝试做自己思维的守门人——让头脑成为培育勇气与智慧的温室，而非堆积杂念与偏见的废墟。因为最终，你如何思考，便会如何生活。诺曼·文森特·皮尔Norman Vincent Peale（1898-1993）是闻名世界的著名牧师、演讲家和作家，被誉为“积极思考的救星”、“美国人宗教价值的引路人”和“奠定当代企业价值观的商业思想家”，获得过里根总统颁发的美国自由勋章。他倡导 “积极思考的力量” 这一理念，通过布道、演讲以及撰写书籍等方式，将乐观向上的生活态度传递给无数人。他的著作《积极思考就是力量》（The Power of Positive Thinking）畅销全球，他也因此被誉为 “积极思考之父”，在心理学、哲学和宗教等多个领域都产生了深远影响。New words:decent [ˈdiːsnt] adj. 正派的；得体的indecent [ɪnˈdiːsnt] adj. 不适当的；不得体的faith [feɪθ] n. 信念；信仰doubt [daʊt] n. 怀疑；疑惑演讲正文：Keep it right in your head.把这个牢牢记住。Keep your thoughts good, not bad.让你的思想是美好的，而非丑恶的。Keep your thoughts decent, not indecent.让你的思想是正派的，而非低俗的。Keep your thoughts full of faith and not doubt.让你的思想充满信念，毫无疑虑。The happiest person is he who thinks the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts.最幸福的人是那些有着最快乐、最有趣、最高尚思想的人。And that is a fact.这是事实。语法解析：1.“Keep it right in your head.”：这是一个祈使句，以动词原形 “Keep” 开头，表示命令或建议。“keep + 宾语 + 宾语补足语” 结构，“it” 是宾语，“right in your head” 是介词短语作宾语补足语，补充说明 “it” 的状态，即要牢记在脑海里。2.“who thinks the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts” 用来修饰先行词 “he”。关系代词 “who” 在从句中充当主语，指代前面的 “he”；“thinks” 是从句的谓语；“the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts” 是从句的宾语，其中 “the happiest, most interesting, finest” 分别是 “happy”“interesting”“fine” 的最高级，修饰 “thoughts”。整个定语从句表明 “他是那个有着最快乐、最有趣、最美好的想法的人” 25期爱趣英文开启限额招募，跟着卡卡老师彻底摆脱懒癌，全面系统提升！公众号：卡卡课堂 卡卡老师微信：kakayingyu001

你是否想过，为何有人身处逆境仍能从容微笑，而有人衣食无忧却郁郁寡欢？为何有人总能在平凡中发现诗意，而有人却困于琐碎与抱怨？答案或许就藏在我们的头脑中——思想，是生命的隐形雕刻师，它悄无声息地塑造着我们的情绪、健康与命运。那些在脑海中反复浮现的念头，绝非无关痛痒的碎片。它们像一粒粒种子，在心灵的土壤中生根发芽：若你种下猜忌与焦虑，生活终将结出苦涩的果实；若你灌溉信念与希望，人生便会回馈以丰盈的绿洲。心理学研究早已证实，长期消极的思维会降低免疫力、加剧压力，而积极正向的思考能激活大脑的奖赏回路，甚至改变基因表达。思想的质量，决定了生命的质地。但思想的修炼绝非空谈。它需要我们将“美好”作为标准——像筛选钻石般严苛地对待每一个念头：剔除低俗的揣测，代之以善意的解读；放下对未知的恐惧，拥抱对未来的笃定。正如古希腊哲人埃皮克提图所言：“人不是被事情困扰，而是被对事情的看法困扰。”当你学会用正派的视角审视世界，用信仰的力量消解疑虑，那些曾让你夜不能寐的难题，或许会化作照亮前路的星光。最幸福的人，未必拥有最完美的境遇，但一定拥有最丰盈的内心。他们懂得：思想的高度，决定了幸福的维度。从今天起，不妨尝试做自己思维的守门人——让头脑成为培育勇气与智慧的温室，而非堆积杂念与偏见的废墟。因为最终，你如何思考，便会如何生活。诺曼·文森特·皮尔Norman Vincent Peale（1898-1993）是闻名世界的著名牧师、演讲家和作家，被誉为“积极思考的救星”、“美国人宗教价值的引路人”和“奠定当代企业价值观的商业思想家”，获得过里根总统颁发的美国自由勋章。他倡导 “积极思考的力量” 这一理念，通过布道、演讲以及撰写书籍等方式，将乐观向上的生活态度传递给无数人。他的著作《积极思考就是力量》（The Power of Positive Thinking）畅销全球，他也因此被誉为 “积极思考之父”，在心理学、哲学和宗教等多个领域都产生了深远影响。New words:decent [ˈdiːsnt] adj. 正派的；得体的indecent [ɪnˈdiːsnt] adj. 不适当的；不得体的faith [feɪθ] n. 信念；信仰doubt [daʊt] n. 怀疑；疑惑演讲正文：Keep it right in your head.把这个牢牢记住。Keep your thoughts good, not bad.让你的思想是美好的，而非丑恶的。Keep your thoughts decent, not indecent.让你的思想是正派的，而非低俗的。Keep your thoughts full of faith and not doubt.让你的思想充满信念，毫无疑虑。The happiest person is he who thinks the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts.最幸福的人是那些有着最快乐、最有趣、最高尚思想的人。And that is a fact.这是事实。语法解析：1.“Keep it right in your head.”：这是一个祈使句，以动词原形 “Keep” 开头，表示命令或建议。“keep + 宾语 + 宾语补足语” 结构，“it” 是宾语，“right in your head” 是介词短语作宾语补足语，补充说明 “it” 的状态，即要牢记在脑海里。2.“who thinks the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts” 用来修饰先行词 “he”。关系代词 “who” 在从句中充当主语，指代前面的 “he”；“thinks” 是从句的谓语；“the happiest, most interesting, finest thoughts” 是从句的宾语，其中 “the happiest, most interesting, finest” 分别是 “happy”“interesting”“fine” 的最高级，修饰 “thoughts”。整个定语从句表明 “他是那个有着最快乐、最有趣、最美好的想法的人” 25期爱趣英文开启限额招募，跟着卡卡老师彻底摆脱懒癌，全面系统提升！公众号：卡卡课堂 卡卡老师微信：kakayingyu001

¡Escucha nuestra serie exclusiva "Condenados por la Iglesia" en Podimo con descuento en este Link https://go.podimo.com/mx/herejes Desde su Juventud, Donald Trump, actual presidente de los Estados Unidos, ha absorbido de lideres carismáticos, los trucos para dominar el relato, sin importar si es la verdad o no. Fred Trump, Roy Cohn, Norman Vincent Peale y muchos más, han colaborado en construir a un hombre cada vez más cerca de dirigir una secta que absorbe sectas. Desde los evangélicos, los nacionalistas blancos como los proud boys y el KKK, hasta los locos de QAnon. De toda esa loca -y amoral- vida, sus actos legales e ilegales, y la conducta de sus seguidores, hablaremos en Herejes, en Vivo. Preparen sus superchats que después de esto, nos diran You´re fired! 2025 es el año de Herejes en Patreon. Mucho más contenido exclusivo creado por todos los Herejes, Larva, y Caro H Solis. Suscríbete y nos ayudas como de ninguna otra forma https://www.patreon.com/herejeselpodcast Merch https://chunchos.mx/collections/herejes - Ale Durán - https://www.instagram.com/corsario.hereje/ - Vasco - https://instagram.com/vasco.hereje/ - Bobby López - https://www.instagram.com/bobby.hereje Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever tried Christian mantras? You should. Feel and experience, the Light every single day. In this episode, I explore Philippians 4:13's powerful verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I learned about this verse through Norman Vincent Peale's book, "The Power of Positive Thinking." Though he didn't call them "mantras", Peale used them as such, repeating these verses of positivity throughout the day. Begin with this verse and try it this week!! Try it.

In this inspiring episode, we're joined by Dr. Dravon James, a dynamic speaker, life coach, and author who has dedicated her life to helping people transform their challenges into opportunities for growth and peace. Growing up in poverty on Chicago's South Side, and now a successful pharmacist and life coach, Dr. Dravon discovered the power of mindset after reading The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, sparking a lifelong journey to help others create the life they truly desire. Dr. Dravon reminds us that stress is an inevitable part of life, but it doesn't have to hold us back. By shifting our perspective and utilizing the power of words, we can turn even the most challenging moments into stepping stones for personal growth, peace, and purpose. Find out more from Dr. Dravon James: Website: http://www.drdravonjames.com/ Instagram- @everydaypeace Facebook- @everydaypeacewithdrdravonjames Twitter- @drdravonjames Check out Dr. Dravon's book - Freedom is Your Birthright: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692926550?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_S3NP07CADAJTMWFPZQHZ&bestFormat=true&newOGT=1 Special Deals for Listeners: Get $600 off a Sunlighten Sauna here: get.sunlighten.com/renegadenutrition For a discount on Bulletproof supplements, use code: RENEGADE15 at checkout for 15% off your entire order! Try Goode Health polyphenol blend at a massive discount! Use code: the_renegade_nutritionist at checkout for 30% off your entire order! Try Daily Brain Care - arguably the best brain health supplement on the market: drlewisnutrition.com/renegadenutrition For 10% off all Hamilton's Mushrooms orders: Use this link: hamiltonsmushrooms.com and code renegadenutrition at checkout. For 10% off products from Wildmamas.com and naturalhearthealth.com, use code Renegade10.

Today we've got something special—two deep dives into the world of magic and role-playing! We sit down with Douglas Rushkoff—media theorist, writer, and host of the Team Human podcast—to explore how RPGs, especially Mage: The Ascension, serve as tools for reality manipulation and self-discovery. We talk about the changing face of magic in society, its impact on public figures, and how Storytellers can weave magical sensibilities into their campaigns. Then, we chat with Richard Metzger, lifelong explorer of the occult and host of the Magic Show. He takes us on a journey through the cultural evolution of magic, its place in pop culture, and intriguing ideas like radionics that could bring a whole new layer to modern RPGs. Show Notes Douglas Rushkoff Vampire: The Masquerade, GURPS, and Magic: The Gathering. Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV. Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea and Taoist philosophy Douglas's book,Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires Donald Trump, Norman Vincent Peale and The Power of Positive Thinking. Douglas's Substack newsletter. Richard Metzger Bewitched and mythical figures like Merlin. Aleister Crowley's magick as act of willpower Radionics: electronic devices believed to manipulate reality, as explored by figures like John W. Campbell and William Burroughs (search on Etsy). The Magick Show, featuring interviews with 55+ magicians, witches, and scholars! Arden Leigh, chaos magician and Grant Morrison's magical heir Alan Moore's The Great When Grant Morrison's The Invisibles

Change your thoughts and you change your world. –Norman Vincent Peale Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

This is a fascinating episode that takes up thinkers that the podcast has covered before—the Koch brothers, Austrian economists like Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek, and others—but from a different angle: that of the entrepreneurial work ethic. Historian Erik Baker's superb book on the topic, Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America, offers a genuinely absorbing tour of this most American of ideologies, one that has emerged again and again, in various guises and in different circumstances, to reconcile workers to the contradictions of the U.S. economy, especially the shortage of jobs that has come with its many "innovations" and changes. What are the historical and even spiritual sources of the entrepreneurial work ethic, and what ideological needs does it serve for bosses and managers? Why is it so seductive to Americans? How does it relate to deeply American impulses relating to responsibility, guilt, and shame? In what ways did the entrepreneurial work ethic serve U.S. aims during the Cold War? And how has it endured in our age of Silicon Valley tech overlords and Donald Trump, entrepreneur, being re-elected? We take up these questions and many more in this rich conversation.Sources:Erik Baker, Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America (2025)— "Fairytale in the Supermarket," The Baffler, Jan 14, 2025Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936)Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking  (1952)Sarah Jaffe, Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone, (2021)Listen again:"Bomb Power" (w/ Erik Baker), Dec 19, 2023...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon to listen to all of our premium episodes!

Beneath every soul lies hidden gold—dignity waiting to shine. Darren Hardy shares a moving story from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Tune in now to know about the power of seeing the hidden gold in every soul. Get more personal mentoring from Darren each day. Go to DarrenDaily at http://darrendaily.com/join to learn more.

No matter what your age is, you still have potential that is unrealized. That's the way God designed it. "You're only old when you lose your enthusiasm for life" is what Norman Vincent Peale said. In this episode, we walk through the 3 step process we all go through to realize potential. We talk about the key ingredient that determines whether someone will realize their potential or not. We also cover the needed tools for the journey and give you plenty of stories from Garrett's journey in the SEAL TEAMs. We reference a lot of episodes in this one and the links are as follows:Beliefs - Episode 3Identity - Episode 36 and Episode 159Resilience - Episode 2 and Episode 81Attitude - Episode 42Perspective - Episode 23Timeframe Orientation - Episode 51Time Management - Episode 16Purpose - Episode 119Growth Mindset - Episode 63Joe Sweeney Board Of Advisors Foundations of an Unstoppable TeamGet your tickets to the New Year's Day Polar Plunge by clicking here. Get your own Freedom Plunge by clicking here. Use code IMPOSSIBLE to save $500!!Check out the unique growth focused content on our blog at https://www.theimpossible.life/blog. Grow to the next level by joining us in Mindset Mastery. We will teach you how to apply so much of what you hear on the podcast so you can transform every area of your life. Click here to learn more.Sign up for our Mission Ready Mindset Once-A-Week Motivational EmailInstagram - @theimpossiblelifeYouTube - @TheImpossibleLifePodcastFacebook - @theimpossiblelifepodcastemail - info@theimpossible.life

Wellness + Wisdom | Episode 700 How does harmonic resonance create deeper freedom, healing, and self-expression? Garrain Jones joins Josh Trent on the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast, episode 700, to share how we're evolving into a harmonized human, why trauma can be healed through the right harmonic resonance, the importance of balancing the masculine and feminine energies, and how reclaiming authenticity can unlock freedom and self-expression. "In the right harmonic resonance, any trauma can be lifted. There's trauma and there's a vibration underneath the trauma. It's just an energy that never felt safe enough to express itself. And the majority of the world are suffering in silence because they've never actually expressed their true voice." - Garrain Jones MANNA Vitality The only supplement you will ever need Save 20% with "JOSH20" Manna harnesses the power of nature through their Mineral Matrix blend, a unique composition of natural ingredients such as Shilajit, Ormus, and marine minerals. • Energy + Longevity • Brain Performance • Sex Drive • Immunity Defense • Beauty + Glow This blend is designed to support overall mental and physical performance, including cognitive function and energy levels, for an overall boost in vitality. By using natural ingredients, Manna provides a safe and effective way to enhance your body's natural abilities and unlock your full potential. Manna is a combination of the highest quality minerals, amino, fulvic, and humic acids, and nutrients gathered from some of the highest and lowest points on the planet —the mountains and the sea—to provide a comprehensive and enhanced mineral matrix. Save 20% with "JOSH20" In This Episode, Garrain Jones Uncovers: [01:30] Letting Go Through Forgiveness Garrain Jones Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life by Garrain Jones How he went from cheating and casual sex to being an embodiment of a masculine man. Why he has forgiven the men who killed his father. How forgiveness doesn't allow resentment to stay in the body. Why he has a daily ritual of letting go of heavy energy. [09:05] Recognize The Pattern to Level Up 535 Aaron Abke | The Law of ONE + How To Live In Love's Alignment 137 Stand Tall – Dr. Tim Brown, Founder of IntelliSkin Why we don't recognize familiar patterns. How Garrain learned how to gamify life to recognize patterns. Why each challenge is a test that prepares us for the next level. Why people tend to forget how they got where they are and how they got there. [14:30] How to Become Your Own Healer Why Garrain used to only rely on talent and not skills. How he had the need to feel needed by other people. Why our adult problems can be traced back to our childhood. How he learned to repair his wounds himself. [19:35] Winning in Life Why Josh was doubting himself and if he would ever achieve success through podcasting. When Garrain left the music industry, he still believed he'd win 5 Grammys. How he told her mom to quit her job and signed her up for fashion school to make her dreams come true. [24:25] The Art of Expression How Garrain approached speaking as a process of evolution. Why he wholeheartedly believes in every word he says. How most people speak from their nerves. Why running around the stage helps him calm his nerves before speaking in front of a large audience. [29:50] Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life 624 Teal Swan | Ancestral Healing: Multidimensional Genetics, Conscious Parenting + The Impossible Task of Single Mothers Why Garrain was tired of his life when he was 200,000 dollars in debt. How a homeless man changed his life. Why he started teaching himself to do the opposite of what he wasn't happy about in his life. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale [34:45] If You're Growing, You're Evolving I Forgot to Die by Khalil Rafati Why Garrain didn't know the books he was reading were preparing him for a new life. How he listens to audiobooks all the time. Why he's currently interested in the resonance of the body. How we're shifting into Earth 2.0. Why he is meant to help people activate their throat chakra. [42:20] What Is True Authenticity? Why someone else's authenticity teaches us something about ourselves. In order to be fully present, we need to be fully ourselves. Genious Network How being the example of what authenticity looks like gives others permission to be authentic. [46:35] How to Embody The Feminine As A Man Why we can't be embodied if we don't use both the feminine and the masculine. How tapping into his feminine energy allowed Garrain to understand his wife better. Why it's important to oscillate on the range of feminine and masculine energies to connect with others. [50:30] Becoming a Harmonized Human Why people think the feminine energy is weak. How our vulnerability inspires others. Why being in harmony with our true nature means everything else is in harmony. [53:40] Don't Fight for Freedom Love Tuner Why death and life are at the power of the tongue. How Garrain gave himself freedom while he was in prison. Why they decided to release him early from prison. When we change our vibration, everything around us changes. [58:45] How to Escape Mental Slavery? The Shawshank Redemption (1994) How Garrain felt a prisoner inside his own body. Why stillness offers answers that we weren't able to see before. How he built his energy body through growth practices. Why staying in a 9-5 job for 20 years can be a form of prison. [01:03:50] What Can We Create Together? Why wanting a change is the first step to changing. How being a part of a community is essential for our growth. Why Garrain's work focuses on uniting people. Josh Trent | Answering The Call: How to Navigate Life's Changes + Challenges (Mark Groves LIVE) A practical exercise to see life in a multi-dimensional way. [01:13:30] The Power of Language How external validation only feeds the ego. What values make a good leader. How everything is connected to everything. Why Garrain adjust his language to resonate with his audience but still maintains his authenticity. [01:18:30] Transcendent Frequency Why Garrain is motivated to keep on growing and evolving. How he focuses on feeling instead of perfection when he creates music. Why people are scared of public singing. How the right resonance heals trauma. [01:23:30] True Intelligence Is Found in The Body 692 Paul Chek | Spirit Gym: How To Find The Truth of Your Soul + Live Your Dream Why we stop singing or dancing. How tapping into our child-like wonder activates our heart. The child who feels safe in their self-expression opens up the gateway for the lineage. How our children have the power to heal us and teach us. Why Garrain's children hold him accountable for his own healing. [01:30:35] How Discomfort Helps You Grow Whatever we give meaning, we'll be right. Why Garrain welcomes difficulty with gratitude. How effortlessness comes from hard work. Why resistance is our coach that helps us carry out our mission. Why men need to come together and share their heart. What wellness means to Garrain. Leave Wellness + Wisdom a Review on Apple Podcasts Power Quotes From The Show Harmonized Human "We're now shifting into Earth 2.0. There will be a human 2.0, it will be the harmonized human. And that is one who is in harmony with nature as it was designed. Everybody is out of balance, out of the masculine and feminine energies, everything is all off balance." - Garrain Jones How to Become Embodied "You can't be embodied if you don't use your full self. So if we're all made up of masculine feminine energy, but you disconnect from the feminine part, how are you gonna embody parts of yourself?" - Garrain Jones Prison Set Me Free "I've never felt more free in my life in losing my freedom. And I gave myself freedom that nobody could give to me while I was in prison. Because when I was free I used to say to myself every day: I feel like I'm in prison inside of my own body. Something needed to sit me still for long enough so that I could recognize all the places outside of me where I gave my power away." - Garrain Jones Links From Today's Show  Garrain Jones Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life by Garrain Jones 535 Aaron Abke | The Law of ONE + How To Live In Love's Alignment 137 Stand Tall – Dr. Tim Brown, Founder of IntelliSkin 624 Teal Swan | Ancestral Healing: Multidimensional Genetics, Conscious Parenting + The Impossible Task of Single Mothers The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale I Forgot to Die by Khalil Rafati Genious Network Love Tuner The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Josh Trent | Answering The Call: How to Navigate Life's Changes + Challenges (Mark Groves LIVE) 692 Paul Chek | Spirit Gym: How To Find The Truth of Your Soul + Live Your Dream   Josh's Trusted Products | Up To 40% Off Shop All Products Biohacking⁠ MANNA Vitality - Save 20% with code JOSH20 HigherDOSE - 15% off with the code JOSH15 PLUNGE - $150 off with discount code WELLNESSFORCE Pulsetto - Save 20% with code "JOSH" SaunaSpace - 10% off with discount code JOSH10 Ultrahuman Ring Air - 10% off with code JOSH Wellness Test Kits FertilityWize Test by Clockwize - Save 10% with code JOSH Tiny Health Gut Tests - $20 off with discount code JOSH20 VIVOO Health Tests - Save 30% off with code JOSH SiPhox Health Blood Test - Save 15% off with code JOSH Nutrition + Gut Health Organifi - 20% off with discount code WELLNESSFORCE SEED Synbiotic - 25% off with the code 25JOSHTRENT Paleovalley - 15% off with the link only EQUIP Foods - 15% off with the code WELLNESS15 DRY FARM WINES - Get an extra bottle of Pure Natural Wine with your order for just 1¢ Just Thrive - 20% off with the code JOSH Legacy Cacao - Save 10% with JOSH when you order by the pound! Supplements MANNA GOLD - $20 off with the code JOSHGOLD Adapt Naturals - 15% off with discount code WELLNESSFORCE MitoZen - 10% off with the code WELLNESS FORCE Activation Products - 20% off with the code JOSH20 BiOptimizers - 10% off with discount code JOSH10 Fatty15 Essential Fatty Acids Supplement - Get 15% off with code JOSH15 Natural Energy MTE Energy Drink - Save 20% with JOSH TruKava - Save 20% with code JOSH20 Drink Update - Save 25% with discount code JOSH25 EONS Mushroom Coffee - 20% off with the discount code JOSH20 EnergyBITS - 20% off with the code WELLNESSFORCE BUBS Naturals - Save 20% with JOSH20 Fitness + Physical Health Detox Dudes Online Courses - Up to $500 off with discount code JOSH Kineon - 10% off with discount code JOSH10 Create Wellness Creatine Gummies - 20% off with discount code JOSH20 BioPro+ by BioProtein Technology - Save $30 OFF WITH CODE JOSH Drink LMNT - Zero Sugar Hydration: Get your free LMNT Sample Pack, with any purchase ⁠Myoxcience - 20% off with the code JOSH20 Healthy Home JASPR Air Purifier - Save 10% with code WELLNESS QI-Shield EMF Device by NOA AON - 20% off with the code JOSH Zyppah Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece - 20% off with the code JOSH Holy Hydrogen - $100 off with discount code JOSH SimplyO3 - 10% off with discount code JOSH10 LEELA Quantum Upgrade + Frequency Bundles - Get 15 days free with code JOSH15 TrulyFree Toxic- Free Cleaning Products - Get 40% off + Freebies with code WELLNESSFORCE Mental Health + Stress Release Mendi.io - 20% off with the code JOSH20 Cured Nutrition CBD - 20% off with the discount code JOSH20 NOOTOPIA - 10% off with the discount code JOSH10 CalmiGo - $30 off the device with discount code JOSH30 QUALIA - 15% off with WELLNESSFORCE LiftMode - 10% off with JOSH10 Personal Care⁠ The Wellness Company's Emergency Health Kits + More - Save 10% with code JOSH Canopy Filtered Showerhead + Essential Oils - Save 15% with JOSH15 Farrow Life - Save 20% with JOSH Timeline Nutrition - 10% off with JOSH ⁠⁠Intelligence of Nature - 15% off Skin Support with the code JOSH15⁠⁠ Young Goose - Save 10% with code JOSH10 Mindfulness + Meditation BREATHE - 33% off with the code PODCAST33 Neuvana - 15% off with the code WELLNESSFORCE Essential Oil Wizardry - 10% off with the code WELLNESSFORCE Four Visions - Save 15% with code JOSH15 Lotuswei - 10% off with JOSH Clothing NativeToWear - Save 20% with code JOSH20 Rhizal Grounded Barefoot Shoes - Save 10% with code WELLNESS Earth Runners Shoes - 10% off with the code JOSHT10 MYNDOVR - 20% off with JOSH Free Resources M21 Wellness Guide - Free 3-Week Breathwork Program with Josh Trent Join Wellness + Wisdom Community About Garrain Jones Garrain Jones is a transformational leader, speaker, and best-selling author renowned for his powerful story of resilience and reinvention. Garrain overcame extraordinary challenges, including homelessness, financial struggles, and a prison sentence abroad. A pivotal mindset shift led him to transform his life, proving that anyone can rewrite their story with the right perspective. His best-selling book, Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life, shares his journey and practical tools for overcoming obstacles and living with purpose. Through workshops, speaking engagements, and one-on-one coaching, Garrain empowers people worldwide to break free from limiting beliefs, embrace self-love, and take charge of their destiny. Website Instagram Facebook YouTube X

n this episode of Good Vibration Therapy, we explore the transformative power of positivity and its profound impact on happiness, health, and success. Discover practical strategies to clear your mind, overcome worry, and cultivate inner happiness. Visit the positivity apparel store to spread positivity. https://goodvibetribe.creator-spring.com/ Check out books that help you achieve your weight loss and mindset goals. https://tinyurl.com/ubertibooks #GoodVibrationTherapy #PositiveThinking #MindsetMatters #HappinessHacks #StressRelief #InnerPeace #Resilience #SelfGrowth #MindfulnessPractice #Motivation #PersonalDevelopment #PositivityPodcast #GoodVibesOnly #LifeLessons #Gratitude

Change your thoughts and you change your world. –Norman Vincent Peale Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

Hi Mamas! In today's episode, we're talking about the art of gratitude and how practicing thankfulness can really help working moms find more balance and joy in daily life. Inspired by the quote, “The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for,” by Norman Vincent Peale, we discuss the transformative effects of gratitude, from grounding us in the present to creating positive ripple effects in our families.

It's a BIG week. There is a presidential election going on, we have the Grand Opening for IMPACT-X Performance in Huntington Beach, CA, and it's Parents Weekend at Davidson College this weekend as my son Luke has only 2 football games left in his college career. A lot of CHANGE. On all levels. It seems like everyone talks about change but rarely do people embrace change. In today's episode, I talk about the power of change, its inevitability, the growth it can foster, and how our mindset influences our journey. Through a collection of 62 impactful quotes, we reflect on how to embrace change and transformation in our lives.   Here are my top 62-Quotes on CHANGE that you will want to earmark for future use and reference. These will guide you through the beauty and process of change, growth, & transformation. Enjoy today's IMPACT SHOW!!!   My Top 62-Quotes on CHANGE:  1.  "Change your thinking, change your life." — Ernest Holmes 2.  "Change before you have to." — Jack Welch 3.  "Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." — John C. Maxwell 4.  "Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better." — Sydney J. Harris 5.  "If you do not change direction, you might end up where you are heading." — Lao Tzu 6.  "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." — Maya Angelou 7.  "Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream." — Debby Boone 8.  "The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude." — Oprah Winfrey 9.  "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." — James Baldwin 10. "You be the change that you wish to see in the world." — Mahatma Gandhi 11. "All great changes are preceded by chaos." — Deepak Chopra 12. "I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better." — Georg C. Lichtenberg 13. "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." — John D. Rockefeller 14. "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new." — Socrates 15. "It doesn't matter how strong your opinions are. If you don't use your power for positive change, you are indeed part of the problem." — Coretta Scott King 16. "Yesterday, I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself." — Jalaluddin Rumi 17. "By changing nothing, nothing changes." — Tony Robbins 18. "Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change." — Jim Rohn 19. "Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." — George Bernard Shaw 20. "There is nothing permanent except change." — Heraclitus 21. "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." — Leo Tolstoy 22. "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." — Harriet Tubman 23. "Life is progress, and not a station." — Ralph Waldo Emerson 24. "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." — John Wooden 25 "Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future." — John F. Kennedy 26. "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." — Steve Jobs 27. "Moving doesn't change who you are. It only changes the view outside your window." — Rachel Hollis 28. "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." — Mother Teresa 29. "Change, like healing, takes time." — Veronica Roth 30. "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." — Charles Darwin 31. "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." — Viktor Frankl 32. Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future — Walt Disney 33. "Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong." — Mandy Hale 34. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable." — Helen Keller 35. "Without change, something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." — Frank Herbert 36. "When in doubt, choose change." — Lily Leung 37. "Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." — Arnold Bennett 38. "Growth and comfort do not coexist." — Ginni Rometty 39. "Just take any step, whether small or large. And then another and repeat day after day. It may take months, maybe years, but the path to success will become clear" — Aaron Ross 40. "Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future; act now, without delay." — Simone de Beauvoir 41. "If you know what you want to achieve in life, then you are more inspired to change for the better." — Philip Vang 42. "There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have found in traveling in a stagecoach, it is often a comfort to shift one's position and be bruised in a new place." — Washington Irving 43. "It's not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change" — Miles Davis 44. "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." Buckminster Fuller 45. "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." — William Arthur Ward 46. "In order to design a future of positive change, we must first become experts at changing our minds." — Jacque Fresco 47. "Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle, and best at the end." — Robin Sharma 48. "Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your comfort zone." — Billy Cox 49. "Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later.” — Bob Goff 50. "In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety." — Abraham Maslow 51. "A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow."– Richard Bach 52. "Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant." — Anthony D'Angelo 53. "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living." — Gail Sheehy 54. "You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." — Johnny Cash 55. "When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." — Paulo Coelho 56. "Do not waste time on things you cannot change or influence." — Robert Greene 57. "We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change." — Sheryl Sandberg 58. "Change your thoughts, and you change your world." – Norman Vincent Peale 59. "The most beautiful and profound way to change yourself is to accept yourself completely, as imperfect as you are." — Maxime Lagacé 60.  "Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values." — Dalai Lama 61. "The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything or nothing." — Nancy Astor 62. "Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge." — Eckhart Tolle   Other Key Takeaways from today's IMPACT SHOW podcast: 10 Forms of Wealth: Reflect on your personal and professional life to identify areas needing change. Rate yourself and set specific goals. “3-in-30”: Focus on actionable steps within each Form of Wealth. What can you achieve this month to move closer to your aspirations? Embrace Uncertainty: Recognize that not all changes will feel comfortable, but they often lead to growth. Don't shy away from the unknown. Man! What an episode, these quotes are fireeee!! Change is not just about adapting to new circumstances; it's about actively choosing to evolve, grow and TRANSFORM. As we head into the final months of the year, consider what changes you want to embrace in your life. Remember, it's about progress, not perfection. In conclusion, think about your dreams, your health, your mindset, your family & relationships, and your legacy. And see how you want to shift, change, growth, and transform your trajectory in those areas of your life. And then take ACTION on it!   Thank you for joining me on today's IMPACT SHOW podcast. Please share today's episode and give it some love. It helps us CHANGE MORE lives and help make this world a better place to live. Thank you! Tag us at: IG & X: @ToddDurkin    #IMPACTShow #Podcast #ToddDurkin #ChangeOrDie    P.S. #1. GRAND OPENING of IMPACT-X Performance in Huntington Beach, CA on Nov 7th, 2024  Join Us this Thursday (Nov 7th) for the Grand Opening of Impact-X Performance in Huntington Beach! We're excited to share updates and our journey toward making a lasting impact. See my Social Media for all information (@ToddDurkin)  P.S #2. Please leave us a 5-star Rating & Write a Review on the Todd Durkin IMPACT SHOW! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a five-star rating and a review on iTunes. Your support helps us reach more people and spread the message of change and growth!  

24期爱趣英文开启限额招募，跟着卡卡老师彻底摆脱懒癌，全面系统提升！公众号：卡卡课堂 卡卡老师微信：kakayingyu001不知道你没有听过吸引力法则，有句话叫做“境随心转”。外在物质世界其实跟我们内心的投射有很大关系，如果我们内心总是有积极的想法，积极的情绪，内心充满了对自己的爱，对他人的爱，内心有平静和富足的感受，那你所投射的世界，你所遇到的人，你所处理的事情，也一定是以一种和谐的秩序在运行。但是当我们内心充满了冲突，充满了负面的情绪，充满了自我诋毁，充满了不信任，当我们的内心缺乏爱和温度的时候，那我们所投射出来的世界也必定是一个冰冷的弱肉强食的世界。这句话来自于Norman Vincent Peale。诺曼·文森特·皮尔Norman Vincent Peale（1898-1993）是闻名世界的著名牧师、演讲家和作家，被誉为“积极思考的救星”、“美国人宗教价值的引路人”和“奠定当代企业价值观的商业思想家”，获得过里根总统颁发的美国自由勋章。在人类文明的历史长河中，我们每一个人和这漫长的文明相比，都是那么的微不足道。可是每个人却都是时代的产物，也都在发挥着自己微尘的作用，推动着人类文明的发展。虽然我们看似是渺小的微尘，但星星之火可以燎原。我们这些微尘的走向决定着人类文明的发展方向，究竟它会走向光明还是走向毁灭，取决于当下我们每一个人的想法、思考、情绪还有行动。所以这也是为什么我们一直要说positive language， positive mind， positive life。积极的语言塑造积极的思维，积极的思维塑造积极的人生。Quote to learn for todayThe person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results.—Norman Vincent Peale翻译传递积极想法的人会以积极的方式激活他周围的世界，并为自己吸引回积极的结果。—诺曼・文森特・皮尔。

Join us as we continue through our series on Norman Vincent Peale's classic, the Power of Positive Thinking. This week we cover, "How to Be Well Liked."

Join me for a message from Norman Vincent Peale's book the Power of Positive Thinking.

The Gospel lesson last Sunday focused on Mark 9:38-50. Loved the kernels of wisdom. So I thought some of those kernels with you. We'll cover: salt, fire, and Jesus; the verse that Norman Vincent Peale liked; the virtues of discomfort, and Jesus' advice when someone else is offering to serve in an area that you currently are serving in. "For everyone will be salted with fire." Mark 9:49

“Imagine having over 50 years of leadership wisdom distilled into one potent conversation—that's exactly what you'll get in today's episode with the legendary JohnMaxwell."   In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of "High Road Leadership," a theme that John explores masterfully in his latest book. John explains the significance of high road leadership, drawing powerful contrasts between leaders who uplift and unite versus those who divide and serve themselves. We discuss how leaders can attract the right kind of people through the "Law of Magnetism" and the essential traits required to build a phenomenal team culture.   John also opens up about his mentors, including luminaries such as Zig Ziglar and Norman Vincent Peale, revealing the profound impact they've had on his journey. He shares heartfelt stories about his father's legacy and the invaluable lessons imparted, which continue to shape his life and work.   One of the most poignant moments in the conversation is John's advice on living authentically and making decisions that reflect high road principles. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your journey, John's wisdom will resonate deeply and inspire you to elevate your leadership game.   As we wrap up, John emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility and leading one's life proactively. He shares his own experiences of self-awareness and the significance of seeking forgiveness when things go awry.   Tune in to this episode to gain a treasure trove of actionable insights and motivational stories from one of the foremost authorities on leadership. Don't forget to share your takeaways and leave a review to help us spread the message of High Road Leadership!   About John, John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach and leader who has sold more than 34 million books in fifty languages. He is the founder of Maxwell LeadershipÒ—the leadership development organization created to expand the reach of his principles of helping people lead powerful, positive change. Maxwell's books and programs have been translated into 70 languages and have been used to train tens of millions of leaders in every nation. His work also includes that of the Maxwell Leadership Foundation and EQUIP, non-profit organizations that have impacted millions of adults and youth across the globe through values-based, people- centric leadership training. John has been recognized as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association and as the world's most influential leadership expert by both Business Insider and Inc. Magazine. He is a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award and the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network. Maxwell and the work of Maxwell Leadership continue to influence individuals and organizations worldwide—from Fortune 500 CEOs and national leaders to entrepreneurs and the leaders of tomorrow. For more information about him and Maxwell Leadership, visit maxwellleadership.com   Every week, I send out a free Positive Tip newsletter via email. It's advice for your life, work and team. You can sign up now here and catch up on past newsletters. Join me for my IN PERSON Day of Development event, October 3rd in Dallas! You'll learn proven strategies to develop confidence, improve your leadership and build a connected and committed team. You'll leave with an action plan to supercharge your growth and results. It's time to Create your Positive Advantage. Get details and sign up here. Do you feel called to do more? Would you like to impact more people as a leader, writer, speaker, coach and trainer? Get Jon Gordon Certified if you want to be mentored by me and my team to teach my proven frameworks principles, and programs for businesses, sports, education, healthcare!    

A message from our series in the Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.

Send us a Text Message.Negative thoughts often dominate our minds due to the brain's negativity bias, a survival mechanism that prioritizes negative information. Understanding this bias is crucial to managing these thoughts. By comparing our negative thoughts to reality, we can identify and challenge irrational fears, leading to a more balanced perspective. Implementing actionable steps such as identifying and challenging negative thoughts, practicing mindfulness, reframing negativity, and seeking support can significantly reduce the impact of negative thinking and enhance overall mental well-being. Remember, changing your thoughts can transform your world, as highlighted by Norman Vincent Peale's famous quote!Thank you for spending your valuable time with us. We truly appreciate your attention and support. Stay connected with us everywhere! Click the link below to access all our platforms in one place:https://linktr.ee/yourthoughtlifeRemember, you are enough, you can do it, and you are uniquely equipped to realize your goals. Let's continue this journey together!

I'd like to welcome you to my podcast, "Music, Motivation, and More - The Positivity Podcast."My name is Jerald Simon, and I am the host of "Music, Motivation, and More - The Positivity Podcast.I am the founder of Music Motivation® (https://www.musicmotivation.com/) and the creator of the Cool Songs Series (https://www.musicmotivation.com/coolsongs) and the Essential Piano Exercises Course (https://www.essentialpianoexercises.com/pdf/series). I also teach weekly online group piano lessons at this link: https://www.musicmotivation.com/pianolessons.In this episode, 048 - "Choices, Consequences, and Change - Are You an "I Can" Individual, or an "I Can't" Individual?" - I talk about the following:1. Intro/Opening: Are You and "I Can" Individual or an "I Can't" Individual?...2. Positive Perceptions: "The Island of I Can and the Isle of I Can't..." on page 143 in Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers by Jerald Simon3. Motivation in a Minute - "Change your thoughts..." by Norman Vincent Peale from Perceptions, Parables, and Pointers by Jerald Simon4. The Music Within: "Downcast" from "Effortless" by Jerald Simon (from the album, EFFORTLESS).5. Poetry that Motivates - "I Choose" (page 76) from my book "Poetry that Motivates." featuring motivational and inspirational poems I have written.  My other poetry book is "The 'As If' Principle" (motivational poetry).As a music educator, I have written 30 music books featuring original music I have composed.  Learn more about my music books I have written on my website, https://www.musicmotivation.com/. -I began composing what havSupport the Show.Connect with Jerald Simon:CLICK HERE to Connect with Jerald Simon on his website.YouTube - youtube.com/jeraldsimonFacebook - facebook.com/jeraldsimonInstagram - instagram.com/jeraldsimonListen to Jerald's music on all streaming sites.Brief bio for Jerald SimonMy name is Jerald Simon. First and foremost, I am a husband to my beautiful wife, Zanny (her name is Suzanne - but anyone who knows her calls her Zanny), and a father to my three wonderful children, Summer, Preston, and Matthew. They are wonderful and everything I do is for them. God and family always comes first in my life!This is my Purpose and Mission in life:“My purpose and mission in life is to motivate myself and others through my music and writing, to help others find their purpose and mission in life, and to teach values that encourage everyone everywhere to do and be their best.” – Jerald SimonYou can visit my Amazon storefront page to see which products I personally recommend (amazon.com/shop/jeraldsimon - this includes my own books and albums and other useful products musicians need to succeed).

In this episode, I cover one of my favorite books, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. We cover its power, and the two verses that he focuses on throughout the book: Philippians 4:13 and Romans 8:31. Loved this book! Philippians 4:13   13 I can do all things through [a]Christ who strengthens me.   Romans 8:31 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

In this message we look at chapter 4 of Norman Vincent Peale's book: The Power of Positive Thinking. uccsouthbury.org shawngaran.com

In this series we are looking at Norman Vincent Peale's book the Power of Positive Thinking. This message covers chapter one.

Part 2 in our series on Norman Vincent Peale's book the Power of Positive Thinking.

Part 3 in our series on Norman Vincent Peale's book Power of Positive Thinking.

On today's episode, we welcome Mark Victor Hansen, a beacon of entrepreneurial spirit and boundless energy. Known globally as the co-creator of the renowned "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, Mark has dedicated his life to inspiring others to find their unique talents and harness them for personal and collective growth.In our conversation, Mark shares his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a bestselling author. His early years were marked by a series of failures and challenges that tested his resolve. Despite these setbacks, Mark's unwavering belief in the power of storytelling and his commitment to uplifting others propelled him forward. "Everyone has a unique talent," he emphasizes, "and it uniques up on them."Mark's partnership with Jack Canfield led to the creation of "Chicken Soup for the Soul," a series that has touched millions of lives. Their journey was not without obstacles; they faced 144 rejections from publishers before finally finding a home for their book. Mark's determination and vision were pivotal in their success. "I knew this would be a bestseller," he recalls, highlighting the importance of maintaining a positive and persistent mindset.In the face of adversity, Mark discovered the profound impact of spiritual mentors like Norman Vincent Peale and Reverend Ike, who inspired him to transform his mindset and embrace abundance. These experiences reinforced his belief that one's inner world shapes their outer reality. "At the soul level, your rejection-proof," Mark asserts, encouraging listeners to live in the assumption of the wish fulfilled.SPIRITUAL TAKEAWAYSEmbrace Your Unique Talent: Everyone possesses a unique gift that, once discovered, can lead to profound personal and professional success. Reflect on your abilities and find ways to share them with the world.Persist Through Adversity: Mark's journey demonstrates the power of persistence. Facing numerous rejections, he continued to believe in his vision. Remember that obstacles are often stepping stones to greater achievements.Shift Your Mindset to Abundance: A positive mindset is crucial for success. Mark's transformation came when he shifted his focus from scarcity to abundance, a lesson he attributes to spiritual teachings. Cultivate a mindset of abundance and watch how it transforms your life.Mark's stories of innovative marketing strategies for "Chicken Soup for the Soul" illustrate the importance of thinking outside the box. From partnering with chiropractors and the American Red Cross to leveraging cause-related marketing with Coca-Cola, Mark's creative approaches have consistently yielded remarkable results. His concept of "bypass marketing"—finding untapped markets and unique promotional channels—has been a game-changer.Mark's unwavering faith and dedication to his work have not only brought him immense success but have also enabled him to give back to the community. He passionately advocates for literacy and education, believing that books have the power to change lives. "Everybody needs to write a book," he insists, highlighting the transformative power of storytelling.In conclusion, Mark Victor Hansen's life and work are a testament to the power of belief, persistence, and creativity. His journey from struggling writer to bestselling author and motivational speaker is an inspiration to all who seek to make a positive impact on the world. By embracing our unique talents, maintaining a positive mindset, and persevering through challenges, we can achieve extraordinary things.Please enjoy my conversation with Mark Victor Hansen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.

SEASON 9 The 2024 Leader Daily Leadership Tips and Discussions This week Paul talks about “The 10 Rules to Build Self-Confidence and Learn to Practice Faith.” These ‘rules' are from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Although this book was first published in 1952, these 10 rules are as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago. If you follow these rules and make them a part of your habits, I'm sure you will build your self-confidence and faith. I will cover 2 rules each day this week, so please soak them up, write them down, and focus on boosting your self-confidence. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3Vvuv2y   Please listen daily (Mon – Friday) as Paul focuses on not only giving tips about how to be a great leader, but also a leader who is respected, a leader who people want to follow, a leader who can confidently navigate their way through both personal and professional challenges, a leader who is not afraid to share their faith while living it out, a leader who knows his/her purpose and lives to fulfill that purpose every day, and a leader who has no regrets! As always, I value your feedback and comments, especially your perspectives and opinions. Please share them with me by emailing them to Paul@CLCTeam.com  Lots of new stuff to come... please consider subscribing, sharing with a friend, and giving me a review on whatever platform you listen on.  Have a great day and Lead Well! “Run To Your Challenges!”

SEASON 9 The 2024 Leader Daily Leadership Tips and Discussions This week Paul talks about “The 10 Rules to Build Self-Confidence and Learn to Practice Faith.” These ‘rules' are from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Although this book was first published in 1952, these 10 rules are as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago. If you follow these rules and make them a part of your habits, I'm sure you will build your self-confidence and faith. I will cover 2 rules each day this week, so please soak them up, write them down, and focus on boosting your self-confidence. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3Vvuv2y   Please listen daily (Mon – Friday) as Paul focuses on not only giving tips about how to be a great leader, but also a leader who is respected, a leader who people want to follow, a leader who can confidently navigate their way through both personal and professional challenges, a leader who is not afraid to share their faith while living it out, a leader who knows his/her purpose and lives to fulfill that purpose every day, and a leader who has no regrets! As always, I value your feedback and comments, especially your perspectives and opinions. Please share them with me by emailing them to Paul@CLCTeam.com  Lots of new stuff to come... please consider subscribing, sharing with a friend, and giving me a review on whatever platform you listen on.  Have a great day and Lead Well! “Run To Your Challenges!”

SEASON 9 The 2024 Leader Daily Leadership Tips and Discussions This week Paul talks about “The 10 Rules to Build Self-Confidence and Learn to Practice Faith.” These ‘rules' are from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Although this book was first published in 1952, these 10 rules are as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago. If you follow these rules and make them a part of your habits, I'm sure you will build your self-confidence and faith. I will cover 2 rules each day this week, so please soak them up, write them down, and focus on boosting your self-confidence. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3Vvuv2y   Please listen daily (Mon – Friday) as Paul focuses on not only giving tips about how to be a great leader, but also a leader who is respected, a leader who people want to follow, a leader who can confidently navigate their way through both personal and professional challenges, a leader who is not afraid to share their faith while living it out, a leader who knows his/her purpose and lives to fulfill that purpose every day, and a leader who has no regrets! As always, I value your feedback and comments, especially your perspectives and opinions. Please share them with me by emailing them to Paul@CLCTeam.com  Lots of new stuff to come... please consider subscribing, sharing with a friend, and giving me a review on whatever platform you listen on.  Have a great day and Lead Well! “Run To Your Challenges!”

SEASON 9 The 2024 Leader Daily Leadership Tips and Discussions This week Paul talks about “The 10 Rules to Build Self-Confidence and Learn to Practice Faith.” These ‘rules' are from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Although this book was first published in 1952, these 10 rules are as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago. If you follow these rules and make them a part of your habits, I'm sure you will build your self-confidence and faith. I will cover 2 rules each day this week, so please soak them up, write them down, and focus on boosting your self-confidence. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3Vvuv2y   Please listen daily (Mon – Friday) as Paul focuses on not only giving tips about how to be a great leader, but also a leader who is respected, a leader who people want to follow, a leader who can confidently navigate their way through both personal and professional challenges, a leader who is not afraid to share their faith while living it out, a leader who knows his/her purpose and lives to fulfill that purpose every day, and a leader who has no regrets! As always, I value your feedback and comments, especially your perspectives and opinions. Please share them with me by emailing them to Paul@CLCTeam.com  Lots of new stuff to come... please consider subscribing, sharing with a friend, and giving me a review on whatever platform you listen on.  Have a great day and Lead Well! “Run To Your Challenges!”

SEASON 9 The 2024 Leader Daily Leadership Tips and Discussions This week Paul talks about “The 10 Rules to Build Self-Confidence and Learn to Practice Faith.” These ‘rules' are from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Although this book was first published in 1952, these 10 rules are as relevant today as they were nearly 75 years ago. If you follow these rules and make them a part of your habits, I'm sure you will build your self-confidence and faith. I will cover 2 rules each day this week, so please soak them up, write them down, and focus on boosting your self-confidence. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3Vvuv2y   Please listen daily (Mon – Friday) as Paul focuses on not only giving tips about how to be a great leader, but also a leader who is respected, a leader who people want to follow, a leader who can confidently navigate their way through both personal and professional challenges, a leader who is not afraid to share their faith while living it out, a leader who knows his/her purpose and lives to fulfill that purpose every day, and a leader who has no regrets! As always, I value your feedback and comments, especially your perspectives and opinions. Please share them with me by emailing them to Paul@CLCTeam.com  Lots of new stuff to come... please consider subscribing, sharing with a friend, and giving me a review on whatever platform you listen on.  Have a great day and Lead Well! “Run To Your Challenges!”    

It's all just a show, and sometimes that makes it all the more real. Playwright and theater scholar Hank Willenbrink joins Matthew to look at the spectacle of Trump through the lens of performance studies.  From his childhood listening to Norman Vincent Peale, to his lifelong fascination with Broadway, to his TV celebrity, to the tableau vivants of evangelicals gathered round him to sanctify his holy mission, Trump hits his marks so well he doesn't even need to remember his lines. Now he has a new role to play: the framed felon.  Show Notes Performing for the Don: Theaters of Faith in the Trump Era About Me – Hank Willenbrink  Bread and Puppet Theater — Glover, VT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale shares some of his best advice for living a long healthy, happy life. Source: How to Be Really Happy - Dr Norman Vincent PealeHosted by Sean CroxtonFollow me on Instagram

In Today's Podcast, Manuel helps you discover key personal and professional empowerment strategies in this inspiring podcast with Les Brown. Learn from the legendary motivational speaker as he shares transformative insights on harnessing technology, building impactful relationships, and the profound influence of mentorship on achieving success. Listen in NOW! Harnessing Personal Power: Manuel listens as Les Brown discusses the transformative moment in his career when he was chosen by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to open for him, emphasizing the significance of seizing opportunities and the impact of mentorship on personal and professional growth. Embracing Technological Omnipresence: Highlighting the shift towards remote work, Brown stresses the importance of using technology to become omnipresent. He advocates for individuals to bet on themselves and harness the power of digital platforms to control their futures without the constraints of traditional work environments. Building Trust and Influence: Manuel shares personal anecdotes, and Brown illustrates the power of genuine interactions and building trust outside the spotlight. He shares how personal connections and authentic engagements can enhance one's influence and impact on others, even when not in the public eye. Proximity to Power: Brown underscores aligning oneself with influential figures to leverage their success for personal advancement. Manuel joins him in advocating for providing value to these individuals to gain mentorship and open doors to new opportunities, emphasizing that proximity to power can be a game-changer in one's career. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Change your thoughts and you change your world. –Norman Vincent Peale Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” - Ralph Waldo EmersonNote: There are a few occasions where MG accidentally says determination instead of determinism.For eons, a philosophical debate has raged: Free will vs determinism.Where do you stand? Determinism says you have no free will, and that all actions and events are predetermined.However, free will says, you are fully accountable and responsible for your entire life.Once again, MG takes the middle path in this debate.“Life is much like any card or board game. You have rules (in life these are laws like gravity, etc. AND you have chance and randomness. You have the ability to move up and across the board and can influence your results, and your are subject to chaos and randomness.”One of the worst quotes, it may make some people feel better but it's absent much critical thinking is: “Well, EVERYTHING happens for a reason.”Depending upon what happened, a tsunami in indonesia killing thousands. Or an earthquake in Japan. Or, the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryan. Good luck telling his wife and children that it happened for a reason.”again, it may make them feel better by creating a story to support a theory of determinism.Speaking of stories; since there truly is something called chaos and randomness – if not, we probably wouldn't have those phrases. In legalese, these are know as “Acts of God.”So, when it comes to luck it's important to recogbize that it does exist. Thomas Jefferson reportedly said, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.There is an entire TED talk her on ways to influence your luck.So a few questions for you to ponder:Does luck exist?Are you lucky?How can you enhance your luck?Enjoy the show!~mgThe link to the tracking sheet is here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesAdditional:* Download the free habits-to-goals tracking template to cultivate the habits that support your goals here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates.* Books that may help "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale and "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.* MG's Books: EVERYTHING is a F*cking Story, The Pressure Paradox™ & The Habit Factor®Enjoy the show!~mgFrom the world of statistics: All models are flawed, but some are useful.We asked Google's AI experiment Gemini to “break” the “3 Circles of Behavior Echo-System” behavior model.The short story (no pun intended), is he/she/IT could not.The best Gemini could offer: “What about people who aren't aware of their unconscious stories/thinking?”It's a good question and a nice attempt. However, an unconscious story is still a story (represented within the model), and that is the point of the latest book, EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY where the latest version of the model was revealed.BTW: You are invited to try and “break” the “3 Circles of Behavior Echo-System” behavior model as well.If you think you can, please email or leave comments here.*Note: ChatGPT's does not know the model yet, officially published in October of 2022. GPT's latest update is from January 2022.***Get the inspiring, free and world's first HABITS to GOALS tracking template here: → https://thehabitfactor.com/templates“The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” / The Grunburg Behavior Model is a holistic, fluid, and dynamic behavior-change model. It's the very first behavior-change model to demonstrate how our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and even our environment vibrate (echo and reverberate) to influence each other.Hence, it's an “Echo-System” not an eco-system. All prior behavior models represent human behavior in a linear-flow type diagram.Background here.If you'd like to understand human behavior at an even deeper level, learn more about the “Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” which is featured in the book, “EVERYTHING!”I teach and coach organizations and executives and executive coaches worldwide how to best apply and leverage “The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” and the P.A.R.R. [Plan, Act, Record & Reassess] scientifically-backed methodology for individual and organizational behavior design.Check out the latest cohort offering; the waitlist is now open: The 28-Day Breakthrough!*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation”International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesTo learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goalsFeedspot's “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesFREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man ThinkethSubscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habits2goals.substack.com/subscribe

Within the concentric circles of Trump's regime lies an unseen culture of occultists, power-seekers, and mind-magicians whose influence is on the rise. In this unparalleled account, historian Gary Lachman examines the influence of occult and esoteric philosophy on the unexpected rise of the alt-right.Did positive thinking and mental science help put Donald Trump in the White House? And are there any other hidden powers of the mind and thought at work in today's world politics? In Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump, historian and cultural critic Gary Lachman takes a close look at the various magical and esoteric ideas that are impacting political events across the globe. From New Thought and Chaos Magick to the far-right esotericism of Julius Evola and the Traditionalists, Lachman follows a trail of mystic clues that involve, among others, Norman Vincent Peale, domineering gurus and demagogues, Ayn Rand, Pepe the Frog, Rene Schwaller de Lubicz, synarchy, the Alt-Right, meme magic, and Vladimir Putin and his postmodern Rasputin. Come take a drop down the rabbit hole of occult politics in the twenty-first century and find out the post-truths and alternative facts surrounding the 45th President of the United States with one of the leading writers on esotericism and its influence on modern culture.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” - Ralph Waldo EmersonNote: There are a few occasions where MG accidentally says determination instead of determinism.For eons, a philosophical debate has raged: Free will vs determinism.Where do you stand? Determinism says you have no free will, and that all actions and events are predetermined.However, free will says, you are fully accountable and responsible for your entire life.Once again, MG takes the middle path in this debate.“Life is much like any card or board game. You have rules (in life these are laws like gravity, etc. AND you have chance and randomness. You have the ability to move up and across the board and can influence your results, and your are subject to chaos and randomness.”One of the worst quotes, it may make some people feel better but it's absent much critical thinking is: “Well, EVERYTHING happens for a reason.”Depending upon what happened, a tsunami in indonesia killing thousands. Or an earthquake in Japan. Or, the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryan. Good luck telling his wife and children that it happened for a reason.”again, it may make them feel better by creating a story to support a theory of determinism.Speaking of stories; since there truly is something called chaos and randomness – if not, we probably wouldn't have those phrases. In legalese, these are know as “Acts of God.”So, when it comes to luck it's important to recogbize that it does exist. Thomas Jefferson reportedly said, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.There is an entire TED talk her on ways to influence your luck.So a few questions for you to ponder:Does luck exist?Are you lucky?How can you enhance your luck?Enjoy the show!~mgThe link to the tracking sheet is here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesAdditional:* Download the free habits-to-goals tracking template to cultivate the habits that support your goals here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates.* Books that may help "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale and "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.* MG's Books: EVERYTHING is a F*cking Story, The Pressure Paradox™ & The Habit Factor®Enjoy the show!~mgFrom the world of statistics: All models are flawed, but some are useful.We asked Google's AI experiment Gemini to “break” the “3 Circles of Behavior Echo-System” behavior model.The short story (no pun intended), is he/she/IT could not.The best Gemini could offer: “What about people who aren't aware of their unconscious stories/thinking?”It's a good question and a nice attempt. However, an unconscious story is still a story (represented within the model), and that is the point of the latest book, EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY where the latest version of the model was revealed.BTW: You are invited to try and “break” the “3 Circles of Behavior Echo-System” behavior model as well.If you think you can, please email or leave comments here.*Note: ChatGPT's does not know the model yet, officially published in October of 2022. GPT's latest update is from January 2022.***Get the inspiring, free and world's first HABITS to GOALS tracking template here: → https://thehabitfactor.com/templates“The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” / The Grunburg Behavior Model is a holistic, fluid, and dynamic behavior-change model. It's the very first behavior-change model to demonstrate how our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and even our environment vibrate (echo and reverberate) to influence each other.Hence, it's an “Echo-System” not an eco-system. All prior behavior models represent human behavior in a linear-flow type diagram.Background here.If you'd like to understand human behavior at an even deeper level, learn more about the “Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” which is featured in the book, “EVERYTHING!”I teach and coach organizations and executives and executive coaches worldwide how to best apply and leverage “The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” and the P.A.R.R. [Plan, Act, Record & Reassess] scientifically-backed methodology for individual and organizational behavior design.Check out the latest cohort offering; the waitlist is now open: The 28-Day Breakthrough!*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation”International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesTo learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”Get The Habit Factor® FREE with your audible trial! https://audibletrial.com/habits2goalsFeedspot's “Top 10 Habit Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021”New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templatesFREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man ThinkethSubscribe iTunes here! Subscribe: Android This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habits2goals.substack.com/subscribe

How do we meet life on its terms instead of ours? In this episode, we're joined by Paula D'Arcy as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration of Falling Upward with Chapter 5: "Stumbling Over the Stumbling Stone." We're exploring what it can look like to venture into the luminous dark to find our greatest gifts with a chapter that asks us to lean into our feelings of devastation and loss when life doesn't go our way. Before we dive in to the interview with Paula, CAC staff catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the fifth chapter a decade after he originally wrote it. Paula D'Arcy, a writer, retreat leader, and conference and seminar speaker, travels widely in the United States, Canada, and abroad. She is also President of Red Bird Foundation, which supports the growth and spiritual development of those in need as well as those invested in the opening of the heart and the healing of this world. A former psychotherapist who ministered to those facing issues of grief and loss, Paula worked with the Peale Foundation, founded by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, from 1980 until his death in 1993, and has written ten books. Today her work includes leading workshops and retreats related to spirituality, writing, women's gatherings,( including Women's Initiation and Rites of Passage), and creating venues where men and women experience an opening of the heart and a change in their way of being in the world. In recent years she has teamed with Richard Rohr to present seminars on the Male/Female Journey and Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (for tapes from the conference on Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life and to purchase Paula's books, click here.) Paula also serves as adjunct faculty at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX and Seton Cove Spirituality Center in Austin, TX. Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here. Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here. To learn more about Paula D'Arcy and Redbird Foundation, visit her website here.

With so many books out there, it's easy to get paralyzed and confused as to what to read.  Today, I'm going to share the top ten books I would take with me if  congress declared a law that said people can only own ten books.  These are the books that have changed my life.  The Top Ten Books for the growing Christian.   Leaders are readers.  Everything you want to become or achieve by definition is something you will have to learn to do or imitate from someone else.  The quickest path to get there is to read and imitate those who have gone before you.  John Wooden, who coached his UCLA team to 10 NCAA basketball championships, was a reader.  On the day of his middle school graduation, his father gave him $2 and a card with the following advice: 1. Be true to yourself. 2. Help others. 3. Make each day your masterpiece. 4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. 5. Make friendship a fine art. 6. Build a shelter against a rainy day. 7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day. This is a great list, but I want to concentrate on item four:  Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.  Here are a couple of things to note about this advice.  First, he mentions good books.  There are a ton of books that aren't worth reading.  You know you are reading a good book if the following criteria are met: ·        You can read and reread it ·        It inspires you to action, change or imitation ·        It moves you ·        It typically focuses on principles that are useful in a variety of situations ·        It's often been around a while and has a reputation for being good Secondly, Joshua Wooden highlights the Bible as especially unique.  The Bible meets all of the above criteria while adding: ·        A clear path to eternal life ·        How to know who God is, what he is like and what he expects of us ·        Comfort, encouragement and guidance in life Reading won't necessarily make you a great coach, but it will increase your chances of making this life count.  I'd like to give you my top ten list of good books.  These are books that I've read and reread many times.  I've read many books and these have impacted me greatly.  I will classify them by genre. ·        The Bible.  This goes without saying, but there is a reason we should be reading, rereading and memorizing this on a daily basis.  If we don't read anything else, this is the one book that we need to know cover to cover. 1.       Spiritual Book:  “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A'Kempis a.      This is my most read book outside of the Bible.  “Spiritual Formation” is a buzzword in Christian circles today.  A'Kempis wrote the book on spiritual formation 500 years ago.  Written by a man living in a monastery, it is filled with scripture and insight into living a godly and holy life.  I can't read it without getting completely convicted about the state of my interior life, motivations and sinful nature.  Two bits of advice when starting this book:                                                  i.      Read it one chapter a day along with your Bible.  This is a book for meditation and consideration not rapid consumption                                               ii.      Get past the age and religious bias against this book.  Yes, he was a Catholic monk.  Yes, it's an old book.  However, human nature doesn't change and the issues he deals with in this book are as relevant as the day it was originally printed. 2.      Time management and priorities, “The One Thing” by Gary Keller a.      Keller is the founder of Keller Williams Real Estate Corporation.  He helps us get out of the weedy third soil by advising his readers to daily ask themselves the question, “What's the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” b.     This book will enable you to overcome paralysis caused by too much information, distraction, busyness and other demands that can overwhelm us. 3.      Personal Growth:  “How to fail at almost everything and still win big” by Scott Adams a.      Adams created the Dilbert cartoon series.  In this book he shares about his life, medical challenges, setbacks and successes and offer suggestions on how to find a path for growth that fits how God made you.  Some of the ideas that I go back to over and over again:                                                  i.      Develop your “Talent Stack.”  You may not have legendary talent in one area, but through grit and determination you can become really good at five or more skills.  The combination of five “pretty talented” areas is remarkable.                                               ii.      Use affirmations.  I find this advice an updated and repackaged version of Jesus' teaching on faith in Mark 11:24, “…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 4.     How to build your faith level and become more optimistic.  “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. a.      Peale wrote this book while working as a church minister.  He borrows scripture from the Bible and creates a “crossover” book that helps non-disciples apply Jesus' teaching on faith to tackle real world problems like making money, getting promoted or anything else.  As a disciple, this book has incredible value in both the spiritual and secular parts of life.  Since Jesus said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” in Matthew 9:29, we should be constantly looking for methods of increasing our faith in an increasingly cynical world.  Peale offers sound advice on how to build a firm foundation of faith. 5.      Books on Relationship Building.  “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.  a.      This is the GOAT (greatest of all time) when it comes to building and developing relationships.  Your Friendships, business relationships, family relationships and relationships with non-believers will start multiplying and deepening when you put Carnegie's lessons into practice. b.     Carnegie's advice to be interested in people and ask questions is worth the price of the book alone.  This trait is completely missing in about 90% of the people I meet and leads to dead, one-way relationships.  Assimilate this one tip and you will immediately distinguish yourself as a friend magnet. 6.     Books on money and money management.  “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley.  a.      This was a tough one.  There are a lot of books on money out there.  I've never been great at handling or saving money.  In order to compensate for this weakness, I've read a ton of books on money management.  This area is an example of how knowing more won't make you better, it's all about practicing time-honored principles.  The reason why I like Stanley's book is that he devoted his life to understand how rich people get rich.  The paradoxical message is that most rich people got that way by not acting “rich.”  They save money from every paycheck, never pay more than $10 for a bottle of wine, and don't drive fancy cars.  Instead of reading mind-numbing insight on the benefits of hedge-fund investing, it helped me identify and imitate the key traits of people who were better at money management than me.  It's paid off for me. 7.      Fantasy books.  “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by JRR Tolkien a.      My mom was an English teacher and she would bring home books from her classes for me to read at home.  I became a fantasy fan by reading from Robert Heinlein and JRR Tolkein.  I remember reading “The Hobbit” and falling in love with fantasy.  Upon rereading Tolkien's work, I'm struck by how writers have gotten much better over the last 100 years.  Tolkien needed a good editor to cut out entire chapters of his trilogy.  Peter Jackson did a great job reducing the trilogy to its essential content in his movie series.  However, the Lord of the Rings is still the gamechanger when it comes to fantasy.  All other books are measured against his groundbreaking “world-building” novel.  Another side benefit is the messianic theme running throughout the book.  This book honors courage, masculinity, sacrifice and brotherhood in an age where these qualities are often under attack. 8.     Biography.  “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt” by Edmund Morris. a.      I've read so many great biographies that this was hard to choose.  Morris highlights Roosevelt's journey from sickly, weakling childhood to robust, vigorous, and courageous manhood.  In the past, people learned from biography as the primary source of instruction.  I couldn't help but be both inspired and called higher by Roosevelt's conscious labor to become a better man.  Here is his counsel on how to overcome fear:                                                  i.      “at the outset almost every man is frightened when he goes into action, but that the course to follow is for the man to keep such a grip on himself that he can act just as if he was not frightened. After this is kept up long enough it changes from pretense to reality, and the man does in very fact become fearless by sheer dint of practicing fearlessness when he does not feel it.” 9.      Books on mindset.  “As a man thinketh” by James Allen a.      The King James Version of Proverbs 23:7 reads “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”  This book develops the idea that our outer, physical world is simply a reflection of our inner, mental or spiritual world.  Nothing is more relevant for a strong disciple than this concept.  Paul echoes the importance of taking charge of our thought life in 1 Corinthians 10:5, “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  This book went on to form the foundation for so many other books like “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Secret.”  Each one is built on the idea that if you change your thinking, you will change your life.  If you don't like to read, you'll like this one.  It's a tiny book.  10.   Books on Marriage.  “The Seven Principles for making marriage work”  by John Gottman. a.      This book is the best of all books on marriage.  He studied marriage in his “love lab” and found out how to predict whether a couple would be stay married or divorce with over 90% accuracy.  The principles of strong marriages and the traits of weak marriages offer a pathway to a life of ever-strengthening love.  One of the primary triggers for me to seek God originally was my desire to have a successful marriage.  The combination of God, God's word and advice from books like Gottman's have enabled me to exceed my most fanciful wishes. 11.    Other notable mentions a.      Any book by Brian Tracy.  His books repeat over and over, but his best is “Maximum Achievement.”  You will hear echoes from this book in his other books. b.     I would hate to be limited to only ten books.  I read voraciously and don't want to give the impression you should cap your reading at only a few.  But I'd like to leave you with a few more thoughts:                                                  i.      It's better to choose a few “good books” and reread them than to simply hope the next book will offer a silver bullet for your problem.                                               ii.      Find a way to take in more reading.  Many people are limited by their reading ability or lack of desire to read.  There are so many ways to take in good reading.  Chief in my mind is audiobooks.  Even if you don't like reading, you can gain the benefit of books simply by listening to them read to you.  Find a way to love reading.

Guest Bios Show Transcript Everything rises or falls on leadership. Ever heard that line? Think about what it means when applied to a pastor's role in a church. What about the priesthood of all believers? And where is Jesus in that equation? In this edition of The Roys Report, veteran church planter and pastor, Lance Ford, challenges popular views of leadership, showing how they're the opposite of what Scripture teaches. In the Body of Christ, the pastor is not the head; Jesus is! In 2012, Lance Ford's landmark work UnLeader exposed how unbiblical models of leadership have become an obsession in the church. Now The Atlas Factor, which is about shifting leadership onto the shoulders of Jesus, serves as a sequel to that book. One of the most eye-opening truths of The Atlas Factor is that leadership, when presented as a key to organizational success, is a relatively new concept. The multi-billion-dollar industry built around teaching and training people in leadership—in both the corporate world and the church—has emerged only within the past 40 to 50 years. And this model of leadership didn't come from Scripture; it came from the world. Lance was featured in a recent podcast with his message from the Restore Conference titled, “It's the System, Stupid.” If you caught that message, then you heard a preview of what Lance and Julie delve into in-depth in this podcast. Lance's prophetic message is a clarion call to the church to return to Jesus' way of doing things—or continue to face disastrous consequences. Guests Lance Ford Lance Ford is an author, church planter, coach, and consultant who has designed unique training systems currently being used by networks, seminaries, and leaders throughout the world. He has written several books including The Atlas Factor, UnLeader, The Missional Quest, and The Starfish and the Spirit. Lance holds a master's degree in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Learn more at LanceFordBooks.com. Show Transcript SPEAKERSLANCE FORD, Julie Roys Julie Roys  00:04Everything rises or falls on leadership. Ever heard that line? Certainly, great leaders can make a big difference in the success of an organization. But think about what that line applied to the church really means. Does everything rise or fall on the pastor? What about the priesthood of all believers? What about the body of Christ, where each member plays a vital role? And most importantly, what about Jesus? Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys, and joining me today is Lance Ford, who spent decades planting and pastoring churches. And recently we published his talk from the RESTORE conference where he argued that so many of the scandals and issues that we see in the church today stem from our toxic model of leadership. Well, today you’re in for a treat, because Lance is joining me to discuss his new book, The Atlas Factor. And this book eviscerates the conventional wisdom that leadership is everything. In fact, one of the most eye-opening things I learned in this book is that leadership is a relatively new concept. Sure, there have always been people who lead and manage organizations. But leadership as this thing that’s crucial to the success of organizations is relatively new. And certainly, the industry that’s been built around teaching and training people in leadership in both the corporate world and the church is super new, like within the past 40 to 50 years. But I think the pressing question, especially in the church concerns whether these notions of leadership we’re training pastors to follow are actually biblical. And if they’re not, what’s the alternative? We’ll dig into those questions in just a minute.   Julie Roys  01:46 But first, I’d like to thank the sponsors of this podcast, Judson University and Marquardt of Barrington. If you’re looking for a top ranked Christian University, providing a caring community and an excellent college experience, Judson University is for you. Judson is located on 90 acres, just 40 miles west of Chicago in Elgin, Illinois. The school offers more than 60 majors, great leadership opportunities, and strong financial aid. Plus, you can take classes online as well as in person. Judson University is shaping lives that shaped the world. For more information, just go to JUDSONU.EDU Also, if you’re looking for a quality new or used car, I highly recommend my friends at Marquardt of Barrington. Marquardt is a Buick GMC dealership where you can expect honesty, integrity, and transparency. That’s because the owners there Dan and Kurt Marquardt, are men of integrity, to check them out, just go to BUYACAR123.COM.   Julie Roys  02:49 Well, again, joining me is Lance Ford, a church planter, coach, and consultant who spent decades pastoring and planting churches. And out of that experience and biblical study, he’s designed unique training systems that are being used by seminaries, church networks, and leaders throughout the world. Lance is also the author of several books, including one of my favorites called Unleader. This book exposes the obsession in the church to unbiblical models of leadership. It’s fantastic and eye opening. And Lance’s latest book, The Atlas Factor, is essentially a sequel to Unleader, and it’s quickly become one of my favorites as well. So, Lance, thanks so much for joining me. I’m really, really looking forward to our discussion.   LANCE FORD  03:29 It’s always one of my favorite things to do is visit with you, Julie.   Julie Roys  03:32 I’m glad to hear that. And I should mention that you also are a recent addition to The Roys Report board. So, we’re pretty excited about that. But I know you spoke at RESTORE and I heard from so so many people, but our board as well, just saying, hey, we need to get this guy on our board. So just really, really glad for all the wisdom that you’re going to bring to the board. So, thanks for being willing to do that.   LANCE FORD  03:55 Well, it’s a huge honor to be invited to be a part of y’all. The boardroom didn’t get smarter because I showed up it probably got a little dumber When I joined.   Julie Roys  04:04 I do not believe that. But as I mentioned, you spoke at RESTORE and gave a great talk on toxic leadership and  our obsession with it and probably had the best line of the entire conference I have to say, which became the title of the podcast that we put out with your talk, which is, It’s the System, Stupid! Just briefly for those who didn’t hear your talk, which if you didn’t hear Lance’s talk, it’s the System, Stupid!, I think it was like back in mid-December, we published that. Go back and listen to his talk. It is so so good. But talk about what you meant by that, that it’s the system stupid.   LANCE FORD  04:41 I think probably Julie one day I was probably somewhere along the midst of listening to The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill  podcast, and I was just thinking, they just keep talking about symptoms, symptoms. They never get to the solution, and I just said it out loud. It’s the system stupid. And it reminded me, James Carville’s deal with Clinton. It’s the economy stupid. So that’s kind of where that came from is that all these problems that we have are downstream from a messed-up system. And you can’t just deal with the symptoms and try to throw drugs at the symptoms. You have to bandage the wounds, pouring the oil on the wine, that’s necessary to say the least. Well, let’s do some preventative medicine. Let’s go back to the headwaters of this thing and try to nip some of this stuff in the bud. And it just seems that the answer almost every time, especially internally, from the groups that are in the midst of these falls and these breakdowns in leadership, usually their answer is, well, we just need better accountability. But it’s the same type of what they call accountability. So rare is it that when you hear a group say, well, we need new leadership, they don’t mean they need new leadership systems. They mean, we need a new hero leader.   Julie Roys  06:05 Yeah. Oh, exactly. I mean, I remember when Rick Warren was stepping down. And of course, there’s all sorts of issues with Andy Wood, who was picked as his successor. And we’ve published many articles on how he apparently is a horribly abusive leader. But he’s now in that position. And when I heard the language, though, it was like we need to find a successor for Rick. And I thought, really, who can be the successor to Rick Warren, and who is capable of being in a position over so many churches and having so many people following you? And I sit there and wonder, because there’s this idea that there’s going to be this really good, noble, full of integrity leader that can handle those kinds of pressures. And I sit there, and I look at that, and I’m like, I don’t know that I can handle that. That’s an awful lot to shoulder. And I think that really is at the root of what you’re talking about in this book, The Atlas Factor. The metaphor is great of you know, Atlas with the weight of the world on his shoulders. But essentially, that’s what we’ve set up leaders to be, to be Atlas, to do the impossible, and then we’re surprised when they fail. Here’s a quote that’s very early in your book from the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, they’re irrefutable.   LANCE FORD  07:15 Be careful, Julie.   Julie Roys  07:17 But the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is this quote from LeRoy Eims, “a leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees further than others see, and who sees before others do.” And then there’s the quote that I said at the beginning of the podcast, that “everything rises or falls on leadership.” It’s almost like we have made these men into gods; talk about that whole dynamic and what it’s doing to pastors.   LANCE FORD  07:47 The thing about the typical the prevailing leadership system in the overwhelming majority of churches today, it puts a weight up on the senior, and I might as well just say senior guy, cuz 99% of them are guys. But there are a few women in senior leadership positions, but just the job description, and then even the unwritten expectations that are placed upon them. I know I was a pastor for well over 20 years and was a church planter and a senior pastor for 10 years. So, if you just look at the job description, you’re basically the CEO. In fact, some of them call themselves CEOs, you’re the face of the church, the organization, you’re the top fundraiser, you are the top theologian, you’re supposed to be a marriage expert, a family expert, a child rearer. I mean, just go on and on and by the way, you need to give 45 to 50 fantastic talks a year too. No one’s built for that. And certainly when you go to the New Testament of any description of any type of leadership in the church, you don’t see that. In fact, Paul mentioned several times that he wasn’t even a good speaker. So, it’s a burden. And so that created the metaphor for The Atlas Factor for the book. It’s the weight of the world. It’s like Atlas, and a lot of people look at Atlas and they go, he was this hero. No, that was a punishment, Zeus gave him the punishment of having to hold the weight of the world on his shoulders. It’s out of order. It’s a misalignment. So, a lot of these pastors are victims too; Even the ones that don’t abuse, they’re being abused by this system of expectations, this fault system of leadership as it’s been cast upon them. And then of course, the ones as you said, that are narcissistic, have the tendencies, then they take that power, and then they become the abusers. And basically, then they take that weight, and they place it up on the shoulders of their staff or the volunteers and church members, and then they crush others with that weight.   Julie Roys  09:49 I have heard that so much from these churches where there is this big celebrity pastor, and they have to put on the big show and it’s really impossible to do. I mean, I have I always said, When my husband and I used to be youth pastors and we always said, The World entertains better than we do. So, if you want to be entertained, like go see a movie, go to all those things, but in the church, we’re gonna focus on worship and prayer and discipleship and Bible study. That’s what we do. But I think we’ve gotten away from that. And we’ve certainly gotten to this model where man we have to put on the show every week, and it’s crushing. And the staffs are getting crushed too. You quote this in your book that there’s a 2021 Barna study, 38% of pastors say they’ve considered quitting within the past year. And then if you look at pastors who are just 45 or younger, that jumps to 46%. So, I mean, if this plays out, we’re looking at a crisis in the church, we’re not going to have pastors willing to take these jobs.   LANCE FORD  10:45 Yeah well, there’s some stats that came out, I forget if it was Barna or who it was a couple of weeks ago. But it said that right now, currently, between four and 5000 pastors a month, are leaving the ministry. So you’re talking about a huge under the watermark in the boat of the church right now. So not only are people leaving the church, but you’ve got pastors leaving the church. So, it is a crisis, as you said.   Julie Roys  11:09 Although, I have to say at the same time, like I’m in this small house church, and he said recently, if we get a pastor, I’m gone. I’m gone. I mean, I think we’re a unique group, because there’s some pretty highly competent, mature Christians in there. So, you kind of have more leaders than you know what to do with. So, God help the pastor that would come in and try to pastor that. But yeah, I think there is sort of a suspicion about pastors. But really, because I think exactly what you’re talking about in this book is that we have merged this idea of leadership that really is worldly based with, we’ve kind of baptized it in Christian lingo. So that now so many people think that leadership, the way it’s being taught, you know, by people who claim they’re Christian, so that, you know, this must be biblical, is biblical. But leadership, it’s not really talked about very much in Scripture is it?   LANCE FORD  12:03 It’s not that there’s not leaders in Scripture, there’s leaders all throughout Scripture, but the leadership system as we know it today, in fact, leader or leadership is not even mentioned. It’s like, a half a dozen times in the entire New Testament. And it’s not spoken favorably, most of those times. But if you really get down to it, and I do try to make a delineation between attorney leader in leadership, because it’s become such a in our nomenclature today, but it’s a real new term. I’ve said that before some well-known authors that immediately react, and just like push back. Okay, first off, definitely, there’s been leadership forever. And it’s been studied. I mean, the Chinese going back to the 1300s. I mean, you can look at Plato and Machiavelli and others that studied leadership, but not leadership as we know it today. And what got me on this was just doing some research on it. And I just got curious one day and thought, Well, I’m gonna look up the word leadership. And I went to my old 1955 Oxford Dictionary, which is probably the best because it gives the evolution of words. And it wasn’t even defined there. I couldn’t even find the term and a definition, I finally found at one time in about a seven- or eight-word definition for the word leader, but then it didn’t even define leadership. That pushed me back further, you start reverse engineering, you know, how you are doing research, and I found the 1915 Webster dictionary. The word leadership was not even in there. And that really took me down a rabbit hole of finding out after just doing a couple of years of research, in searching even secular scholars that had done research on the word leadership and come to find out you couldn’t even find the word leadership until the mid-19th century. So, you’re not finding publications anywhere that mentioned it until the early 1900s. Even the term. Now the reason I say that, and it should stand out to us as a stark contrast, because leadership is an $87 billion dollar industry today. 87 billion, I mean, that’s more than entertainment, media and everything put together. So, it’s a huge thing that’s evolved over the last 100 years. And it didn’t even really start entering in the church, which is a gigantic thing in the church now, it didn’t even start entering into the church until I would say the 1970s. Because you can’t even find a dozen books with the term leadership in the title, even in the 1960s. So, it’s a really new thing. And now, and I say it as its defined, because you could interchange the word management and you’d be just fine because that’s really what it is. It’s management theory. It goes back to Peter Drucker 1966, his famous book, The Effective Executive. There were some significant church growth leaders took that book, they parlayed it into the Church Growth Movement because some leaders such as Robert Schuller, for instance, with Crystal Cathedral, Robert Schuller doesn’t get enough if you want to call it credit or blame for really being the biggest shaper of what we have today. And my research bears this out. You can track Bill Hybels in Willow Creek, they go right back to Schuler, although they scrubbed a lot of that from their history, because Schuler became so controversial that they just didn’t want to be associated with him. Rick Warren was a disciple of Schuler. Schuler was a disciple of Norman Vincent Peale. That’s where he got all of his positive thinking and everything. But then all of them went to Peter Drucker to get the management systems. And then Bob Buford, who created Leadership Network, which a lot of people, the listeners would say, I’ve never heard of a guy named Bob Buford. Well, he was way behind the scenes. But he was hugely shaping of what we have today with Leadership Network and funded and raised up and platformed and helped develop a lot of those leaders such as Hybels and Warren and others. And then a lot of the newer leaders that lead these prevailing, what I call Neo attractional churches today, their heritage, the family tree goes straight back to Peter Drucker and these management systems. And these management systems just conflict with what Jesus said Matthew 20, of the Gentiles, or the world systems; it’s a metaphor, he where if he was in the Old Testament would have said, The Babylonians or the Egyptians. But when he says the Gentiles practice dominating one another, or lorded over one another, it will not be this way among you. But the first will be last, the greatest will be the servant, which basically was pushing back against power, and against dominating one another in any system in his kingdom. But that’s the very thing that we have today. And it goes right back to management systems that we imported straight into the church.   Julie Roys  17:06 And you alluded to this, that we don’t see lead or leader much in Scripture. You write, and this was in Unleader as well, and this just blew me away, that we see the word disciple 260 times, as opposed to leader. Leader, I think is mentioned like seven times. So, it’s a 37:1 ratio. We used to think of the pastor as the shepherd. Even when I was a kid, that was really the prevailing metaphor was that our pastor was the shepherd, that changed. And I remember even when I was at Willow Creek because my husband and I spent several years there. And I just remember Hybels talking about how they had found shepherds to do the shepherding within the church, because he didn’t do it. It was kind of like, yeah, they have been put in as pastors, but they’re really more Shepherd. So, we’re putting them over here to let them Shepherd. Meanwhile, I’ll do the pastor thing, which is being the great orator and charismatic leader, and all that. And that became our model for pastor and then of course, Bill Hybels brought in so many worldly leadership. In fact, if you go and read about the Global Leadership Summit, like I’ve read some of the articles that were published in secular publications saying, Man, this is like the best business school that’s out there, like, I know, it’s at a church, but this is like, this is a great business school. Everybody in business, whether you’re a Christian or not, whatever you profess, just go to this really good. And we love that as Christians, because we constantly were seeking the world’s affirmation, which is really sad. Like we wanted that credibility in the church. So again, you’re putting language into things I felt for so long, and that the research in your book, you even go back farther, and I found some of this stuff that gave birth to our modern leadership movement was fascinating. And you start with 1840s, 1900, around there with this thing called Great Man theory. Describe what this is, and how it’s impacted our view of leadership today.   LANCE FORD  19:01 Great Man theory was the prevailing ideology of where great leaders came from. That was the term that they used. And so, when you go back and you look at even, I was able to even trace back and find some of the speaking topics for some conventions, conferences that were taking place back in the 1920s and 1930s. And so Great Man theory was basically the idea that leaders are born, they’re not made. And so, you’re gonna think about Teddy Roosevelt, you’re gonna think about Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon, people like this, that just have this ability to lead, and you can’t make it. So that that would that would mean there’s a real limitation if you don’t happen to have a great man walk into the room, you know. So, then they started studying the traits of the great man and that about 20 years after Great Man theory was the prevailing theory. Then by the 1930s, 1940s was what was called Trait Theory, and they basically were studying the traits of the great man and saying, Well, maybe it’s possible that we can teach these traits, we can mimic these traits, and we can actually make great leaders. That’s how it started evolving. Then there became for a while it became what was called Group theory, which they said, well, leadership really is an effect upon a group of people. They actually started getting a little closer to what was right about what  I would call leadership, that leadership is a fruit product. It’s not a position, I would say a faithfully following Jesus as a servant. But then they moved away from the group theory, and that really went back into a person at the top. And then Management theory, by the 1950s, to corporate America, and the Industrial Revolution had matured and was getting old by that time. By that time, it really became Management theory. And then we replaced it with the word leadership. And like you said, earlier, Julie, I was just reflecting a while back and thinking, you know, when I was growing up, if you walked into a Denny’s, there were no Starbucks back then. So, if you walk through a breakfast place, and let’s say that there was and we used to have in small towns, they would call it the Ministerial Alliance. And pastors of local churches that actually liked each other, and they get together about once a month. So if you were to see a group of those guys sitting around, have a breakfast together, I say, 1980. I’ll guarantee you; the word leader and leadership would not even been uttered at that table while they’re having breakfast. It wouldn’t even come into their mind. They might have called themselves pastors or shepherds, they probably call themselves ministers. And certainly, the people from the local community sitting around would look over and said, Oh, yeah, that’s the ministers. They wouldn’t say that’s the leaders. That’s the leaders of the faith community. It just wasn’t in their thinking, right? Because the word Minister means servant, but it’s washed out today. And so, I mean, who wants to be a servant? You want to be a leader. This was the problem with the disciples of Jesus, and they watched him be a servant, and he still had to, you know, thump upside of the head, more than one occasion.   Julie Roys  22:20 I want to read a section of your book because I think it really crystallizes the moment that we’re living in right now. You write, “The industrial leadership approach to church leadership caused us to abandon the understanding of the church as a body and turn to a view of the church as a machine. Our language and titles changed as we veered away from the code of the New Testament in Jesus. It became normal to hear terms and titles such as strategic initiative, ROI, return on investment scale, engineering, management, leader, executive, superior, replace biblical language, such as steward, disciple, co-laborers, servant, minister, elder, brothers and sisters, et cetera. Noncompetes, and NDAs, and  HR became leverage points in place of loving your brother, blessing those you believed were your enemy and letting your Yes be Yes and your No be No.” Bingo. Right there. I mean, I talk a lot about the Evangelical industrial complex. And of course, that gets into the money and everything that’s involved. But it’s also once you become a corporation, you’ve got to manage that image. And that is the situation that we’re in. I’m guessing some people who have been really, really schooled in this, because I mean, leadership is everywhere, right? I mean, from the time kids are like teenagers, even maybe younger, in our church, we’re training them to be leaders. But it does beg the question, and I’m sure people are wondering right now is if everything doesn’t rise or fall on leadership, and what does it rise or fall on?   LANCE FORD  23:47 I believe it rises or falls on the headship of Jesus. And I believe that’s where we land on the problem of what’s happened in the church. That’s the other part of the metaphor for this book, The Atlas Factor was. I had written something one day, about three years ago on Facebook or X, it was Twitter then; we had the pretty little blue bird. But I just said something about leadership in the church being misaligned with the headship of Jesus, and the body. Had a buddy that reposted that and then his chiropractor made a comment. And he said, Yeah, that’s like subluxation with the C-1 and the C-2 vertebra in the body. Then he said something that really got my attention. He said, Yeah, when you have a problem with the Atlas vertebra, and the Axis vertebra, it misaligns the body with the head. And I was like, Whoa, that really got my attention because I’ve been playing around with this Atlas metaphor before. And little did I know, and you know, this is as a journalist and a researcher, then it sends me down into this wormhole. I ended up reading three or four books in chiropractic.   Julie Roys  24:57 You sound like my husband. My husband would do that. Give me the Cliff Notes honey.   LANCE FORD  25:02 My wife’s like land it, land it. Yeah, but it was fascinating Julie because he said C-1, the first vertebra is called the Atlas. So, in fact, this particular doctor had written a little book, a real tiny little pamphlet size book called, It Just Makes Sense. Well come to find out there’s a certain amount of chiropractors, it’s a small percentage of chiropractors that just practice, they call it upper cervical care. And so, they only focus on the two top vertebra, because they’re convinced that if you line those up, everything below is going to come in order and align. In fact, they’ve got some pretty large claims of incredible maladies that get healed and come into order when the body, the neurological system starts functioning like it should. In fact, my buddy that had posted this, his chiropractor, so my buddy has a very rare form of cancer. And I forget what it’s called, but it should not kill him. But he’s had it for several years. And so, he’s always having to watch his T counts and everything. And under Dr. Weller’s care, his numbers have totally come in order. And that’s been going on for about four or five years now. So, it’s really amazing. So, one of the quotes that he said, and I did quote it in Atlas, so that Atlas vertebra, that’s where the brain stem sits into. So, he’s talking about the relationship between the head and the body. And he says, there’s that extra something inside each and every one of us that gives life; the inborn, innate intelligence knows what to do and how to do it. The intelligence that came from our Creator travels in and through your nervous system, which is commonly referred to as the neurological system. Neuro logic or intelligence within the nerve, the neurological communication between the brain and the body through the brainstem is imperative for allowing the body the best ability to function at its optimum. We believe that the body does not need any assistance, just no interference in its functioning. When you apply that to what Paul said about the body of Christ, and the relationship to the head, which he really goes in depth in Ephesians 4, he mentioned the other places, but in Ephesians 4, which Ephesians. The whole book of Ephesians is scholars say this is the book for the church. And it’s not a book about leadership. Ephesians 4 is not text about leaders, it’s about the body, it’s a text, read to the body, corporately, it’s talking about the body when he says the apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher – that’s within the body. These are not professional positions. And I would say, and I know you would agree, Julie, that your house church, you guys already have at least one, you have multiple pastors there already. So, you don’t need some pro that comes in leveraging authority and power. They’re gifted. So, the body of Christ is already gifted in these functions. But the problem is, is when humans try to occupy the place of headship and playing Atlas, then it creates a disjointedness, between the Atlas vertebra and the rest of the body. And so, what happens is, we get paralyzed, we can’t move. We get all these maladies in these atrophy that sets in below the neck because somebody else has stepped in and cause misalignment with our true head Jesus. And so, I really believe that the first job of a church leader, or a pastor that wants to try to change is it’s kind of what Dr. Eddie Weller said is that we need to eliminate interference between Jesus in the body. And usually, it’s our system of leadership that’s causing the interference, and is bringing that paralysis and those maladies that go along the neckline.   Julie Roys  28:54 That’s so interesting. As you’re saying this, I’m beginning to get an image in my head of a body trying to function with just the brain. Right? And the rest of the body being literally paralyzed or just limp and not able to move. And I think about that in the church because we have made these guys at the head who communicate truth to us. I mean, most of the people come into our churches right now, they don’t know how to read the scripture for themselves and listen to the Holy Spirit themselves. They need that pastor to interpret for them what’s going on, which is scary. I remember going to one of these, you know, video, Pastor churches, and I’m like, and it had a celebrity pastor who was in from, you know, states away, who was preaching to them, telling them what to do. And I thought to myself, that guy who was preaching, nothing he said was heretical; however, he was not explicating scripture right. He was making it say things it didn’t say, and it scared me because I thought, that guy anything he says will get swallowed by this mass of people, because they don’t know they are not equipped. They are not connected to the head. They’re connected to the pastor, right? Who really functions in a godlike way with so many of these people? And I think that’s why when you see one of these falls, you see, just huge disillusionment. You know, for a lot of us, it’s been hurtful. It’s been disillusioning. Yes. But not to that foundational level, because my pastor was never my God. He was always just a man. Right? That’s all he was. And so yeah, we’d have lost that idea that really, it’s a functioning body, and all the members have to be functioning for this thing to work. And the guy at the top is not the pastor. It’s Jesus Himself, which is a radical idea, the biblical idea.   LANCE FORD  30:43 You know, the word radical and radish have the same root. Radical literally means root. So, it’s funny how that when you talk about people that are radicals, man, they’re so radical. That’s usually the people that have gone back to the roots of things that we call the radicals. It  was like the hippies back in the 70s, they were reading Mother Earth News, you know, and they’re, you know, got their gardens out the backyard, and they’re doing all this stuff, you know, are they radical? No, they’re doing what people have done for thousands of years. So sometimes that’s the hint that the people that we call the radicals may just be the ones that have tapped back into something that’s at the root of our beginnings as the church. And so that’s one of the things that when you get to this misalignment of the body, the real job description of a pastor or if you believe in those FIFO gifts, the apostle, prophet, Pastor, shepherd, and evangelists and teacher, their job description, Paul says, is to equip or resource and train and supply the saints for the work of ministry. So, it’s not to do everything, it’s not to be the chief speaker to be the end all. Really your job there, when you wake up in the morning, I don’t care what your title is, if you’re on staff at a church, no matter what your rank is, first thing you wake up in the morning and think what I need to do is how can I best resource and equip and serve the people that are around me? So, during your day, you shouldn’t be telling people what to do, you should be asking people, how can I help you? How can I serve you? What do you need youth pastor? How can I help you today to fulfill your calling? But that’s not the way it is. I mean, it’s usually everybody’s here to serve my needs. That’s leadership. That’s the system.   Julie Roys  32:37 I mean, we have a professional pastorate. So, we pay for you to do things for us.   LANCE FORD  32:42 You’re a vendor of religious goods and services, and I’m a consumer. So, give it up.   Julie Roys  32:48 Exactly. And that’s where I don’t put all the blame on the guy at the top. It’s what we’ve allowed as consumers. It’s what we’ve allowed as the body that is not doing what the Bereans did, and going back and saying, is what they’re teaching us right now, is this biblical, or is it not?   LANCE FORD  33:03 One of the things I thought about is you look at iteration or a church says today, most people are biblically illiterate. We don’t expect them to read their Bibles. We don’t. I mean, that’s why we project every scripture on screen. We don’t expect people even to bring a Bible. When you and I were growing up. I mean, people were bringing a Bible to church. I grew up spent a lot of time in the Baptist Church. every other weekend, the whole family would load up and we go spend the weekend with my grandparents about an hour away. They were Nazarene. They were in a little Nazarene church. And so, I literally spent half my time in a Nazarene church. So, I got a lot of Nazarene in me. And that little church of about 60 people and 55 of them were my kinfolks. I mean, you talk about a pastor not having a chance. Stay in line buddy because the Browns and the Fords will kick you to the curb. Anyway, it was a sweet fellowship and all my great aunts and great uncles and everything, They had the little board on the side of the pulpit that told the attendance from the week before, it told the offering. And I’m not making this up, even had a place it said Bibles present, you know, which was always funny to me, because I’ve looked back, and I thought they were trying to make a point. And those folks knew their scriptures. I mean, they knew the Bible, and they may have been misapplying it, but they still knew the Scriptures. And we just don’t have that today. We really have dumbed people down. And that’s part of the entertainment and this all comes from the secret church evolvement but if you go into the prevailing church today, if you go anywhere on a Sunday morning, most of the churches especially of any size you walk in, you don’t even know what denomination you’re in because most of them are singing the same songs. And the style is the same you’re going to go into a dark room. The ceiling is going to be black. The stage is going to be well lit depending on how much money and resource they have. It may even have some smoke machines which I call that the Shekindof. Glory, by the way,   Julie Roys  35:03 When I see the smoke machine, I am so over the top that I just I cannot I just cannot. And by the way, though, when you talked about Nazarene, this is going to warm the heart of Christine Jones, who’s one of our board members because she’s Nazarene. But I did Bible Quizzing. So, when I heard she was a Nazarene I’m like, Oh, dang! Oh, man! You know, and I am was pretty good Bible quizzer.   LANCE FORD  35:27 I bet you were.   Julie Roys  35:29 We went to Nationals a couple times. Our Bible Quizzing, my mom was our coach, but I’m telling you, I learned 100 you know, 150 verses every single year I did Bible Quizzing. I mean, that’s how I learned the scripture. But those Nazarenes they memorized the whole book. They memorized the whole thing.   LANCE FORD  35:45 I had a niece that does the Bible Quizzing in the Nazarene church, and  I don’t ever want to go toe to toe with her.   Julie Roys  35:52 But here’s the thing. Like I know Christine to this day says when they say a passage, she’s going over the passage in her mind, because it’s still there, the memory is still there of that passage. And you can’t distort something that people know. But we’re in a situation where people don’t know it., and so it creates just this fertile ground for everything to be messed up, and it’s gotten really messed up. So, you’re talking about realignment, how do we realign? Like in this situation that we’re in, how can we realign because we’ve got some major, major vertebrae out of whack?   LANCE FORD  36:24 So, you have to start off not with just looking at and saying, Well, yeah, I gotta choose a different way lady. No, you have to repent. This is an issue of repentance. Because we disobey Jesus and the word disobedient in many places. In fact, Paul uses it when he talks about your disobedience coming into a line. It means to, to hearken to not just to hear, but to listen and obey. We’ve disobeyed Jesus disobeyed Jesus, not only with our systems, but just some of those things that you mentioned, when you read the quote from the book earlier, even our what we call ourselves as leaders is disobedient to Jesus. Jesus could not have been more plain, don’t call yourself Father, don’t call yourself Teacher, don’t call yourself leader, because he says it causes you to lift yourself up above your brothers and sisters. Because he’s trying to create a peer type of a culture, a sibling culture. And this is the nomenclature that you see throughout the New Testament, co-laborer, coworker, fellow worker, is mentioned dozens of times those terms. You never see employee and boss. Because what happens is, that’s a power difference, right? It differentiates between the power, every time those words are mentioned, every time those terms and those rank-based titles are mentioned. So, the first thing a leader has to do is say I have to change the culture, I have to repent. And I have to admit this, and then I have to be willing to start changing the culture. So, I think the first thing that a leader has to do is then move into saying, I’m going to ditch the management systems. And I’m going to try to learn what it would look like if people on our team are able self-manage. And as I’m doing that, not only am I changing my titles, which that’s probably the first thing you need to do, because it will just freak everybody out. But what you do is you change your role. And so, you wake up in the morning and saying, I’m no longer going to act like I am chief, and everybody’s here to serve me. But I’m going to do what Jesus said, I’m gonna become a chief servant. I’m gonna out serve everybody here. And I’m gonna go back to the very thing that Paul said in Ephesians 4. I am going to work myself silly in helping the people around me to fulfill their calling. I’m going to do everything I can to resource them, to equip them, and just watch this rising tide lift all the boats around. So that’s the  first moves. And I always say this is when you’re looking at moving from a centralized leadership to a decentralized leadership, you can’t just wipe everything out, because then it’s just chaos and anarchy. So, you have to replace the systems with other processes and agreements. And that’s one of the things I’ve tried to write a lot about, wrote about a lot book called The Starfish in the Spirit. And in this, try to give some processes in some systems and some agreements of how you can rebuild your system into working this way. Because it doesn’t just happen in a vacuum. It’s too enormous of a change to move into it. But it has to be biblical, because that’s where the safety and that’s where the joy is. And this doesn’t mean that everything’s going to be rainbows and unicorns. There’s still stress and hard things and difficulty. I mean, Paul talked about the anxiety he had in the churches, but a lot of that was him trying to straighten stuff like this out.   Julie Roys  39:58 The book that I interviewed Scott McKnight and Laura Behringer on, Pivot, you know, is talking a lot about sort of similar things making this pivot from realizing you have a toxic culture. You guys are talking about it from the same idea, but a little different vantage points. And given, you know, he’s more of a theologian, you’re more of a boots on the ground kind of guy. But I think saying a lot of the same things. And one thing I wonder is that we’re often thinking about it in terms of like you said, we’ve got this church that needs to change. I was very interested in church planting in my 20s. And a lot of people would say that a lot of time, it takes way more energy to change an existing church than it does to grow a new one. And it’s just something I’ve been wondering, you know, out of these ashes, because what’s happening in the evangelical church right now, I mean, it is, it’s imploding, which I know is painful for everybody involved in you know, to see these kinds of implosions. But I’ve really been asking myself, Should we be putting energy into changing the existing church, or should we be saying, we just need to close some churches, we need to scrap this model? Because I mean, even so often, when you get rid of like the toxic guy at the top, it’s a toxic system throughout,  it is so hard. You have so much inertia, that to change that church is so hard. So, I know you don’t get into this really in your book, but it’s something I’ve been wrestling with. And even wondering once you do start that new thing. How can we do it differently because this is what we’ve seen modeled?   Julie Roys  40:02 What you’re touching on there is the whole wineskin issue that Jesus taught. You can’t put new wine in an old wineskin. But can you create a new wineskin for the old wine? Heard a lot of people talk about that. Which yeah, well,  maybe you can, I think is very difficult for the reasons you said. Now, two out of the last three houses that my wife and I have lived in, we built ourselves. And when I say that, I mean, we built it ourselves. I didn’t contract it. Our hands, blood and sweat, and skin. And I just kind of grew up with that, my grandpa was a carpenter. So, I kind of grew up with that.   LANCE FORD  41:31 We built one house. We didn’t do everything ourselves. But yeah, I thought, general contracting, how hard can that be?   LANCE FORD  42:14 Oh yeah, you got that lesson, then, you found out. And you promise, I will never do this again, which I said I would never do it again after the first one.   Julie Roys  42:22 Well, no, actually, I said, I learned so much by making so many stupid mistakes in that first one that I want to do it again, so that I can capitalize on the lessons learned.   LANCE FORD  42:31 Now that’s good. And it is a fun process. And it was very cathartic. This one that we built was a smaller house. And it was very cathartic. But also, we’ve rehabbed houses. And I would say as hard as it is to build from the ground up, it’s easier than rehabbing a house.   Julie Roys  42:47 Cuz you never know what you’re gonna get into.   LANCE FORD  42:49 You don’t know what’s behind that wall, you know, and you think that you know, and you peel it back, and you just discover, oh, it’s deeper, and you’re taking it down to the studs, and you get down the studs and go, Oh, the termites were here before I was here, right? All kinds of stuff. So yeah, those issues come into place. I tell you, one of the things that we’ve seen a lot of success, and I say we because I do work with a few others. I’m a part of a team that we do help churches in consulting and coaching. we talk about terms of a parallel track, just trying smaller little projects, and seeing how they go. In fact, several of the largest churches, and we’ve worked with large churches that realize that they just cannot completely turn that thing around. So, what they do is they start investing in different types of church plants, or micro churches, or whatever. And I think their hearts are good and right in that. And so, I’ve got some friends that do lead large mega churches. And I think that they are, some of them have developed some leadership systems that are closest to what I would hope to see. And I think it’s probably about as close as they can get without just killing the thing.   LANCE FORD  44:06 Our time is getting short. But there’s one term that I thought was so good when you’re talking about developing a culture of equality, and you talked about this term, I’ve never heard this this term before, but equa-potency, thank you. But yeah, explain what you mean by that, because I thought that was actually a pretty key component to what you’re talking about.   LANCE FORD  44:30 What equa-potency basically, is kind of a culture of equals. When you talk about a quality in a leadership system, it freaks a lot of people out because immediately the pushback is somebody has to be in charge. The buck has to stop somewhere. You can’t have equality, everybody’s not equal. You can just look at him. Okay, so let’s start right there. And Paul talks about this in Romans 12. In fact, Romans 12:1-2 you know, we usually start out with be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind right? So that you can prove what is the good, perfect, pleasing will of God. And we usually stop there. And so, people usually read that verse and say, Oh, that’s the verse about not being worldly, you know, don’t drink, don’t chew, don’t run around with girls that do, right? And always blame a woman, right? That was the little saying growing up. But don’t stop there, keep reading the rest of the of the text, because then he’s really going into how gifts that the Lord pours out should be functioning. And so, one of the things that he says he talks about the different gifts, in fact, he talks about people that do have a gift of administration, or what we would call leadership. And he talks about, then he says, but do it with sobriety, be sober, and then he starts talking about don’t look on your own things and be selfish. And he starts going into this whole thing about different people have different measures for their giftings. So, in any room, if you have a sizable room, and you think about just outstanding, let’s say the great men or the great women that are great into gifting or whatever. And you and I, Julie may have a similar gifting. But we can just look like I’ve got a couple of friends that are mentors of mine. And I’m thinking about one in particular. He’s been an incredible mentor in my life. And he and I have similar gifts. Mine, I can’t even touch his abilities in some of this stuff. He is just far out. Well, Paul will call that he has a greater measure of faith. It’s not faith like we think about it all. Oh yeah, he’s confident and all that. No, it’s really the term there, really iterates it’s the ability to use that gift. And some people just have that, have a greater measure. And so, Paul warns them to treat the others as equals. And so, this particular mentor in my life, he’s always treated me that way. And in the first few years, we started working together, man, I mean, there was no way I could touch what he did. But he always encouraged me genuinely, not patronizing me. But really, he just thought you never know when what the Lord wants to say or do is going to come through Lance or Jill or Rob or Steve in the room, just because I’ve got the big platform, I’m speaking as him, I can use any of them. So that’s equa-potency. So, it’s potent. So, when you get a group of people together, and you have an equal atmosphere, not meaning that everybody has the same has equal gifts, but they have equal opportunity. And so that’s really what we’re saying. It’s a culture that everybody is treated as equals to have equal opportunity, even if they don’t have the equal faith in the giftings that they have. Does that make sense?   Julie Roys  47:55 Absolutely it does. And as you’re talking about this, we do think of the people that that are incredibly gifted. And we have examples of that in scripture. But we also have probably the greatest leader, or one of the ones that we look to in the Old Testament was Moses, who couldn’t speak, had all sorts of failings. And yet God used him in amazing ways. Because he had that spiritual connection to God. He knew God, and he had a heart after God. And we have majored on the minors, right? We’ve made the gifting so important instead of the heart for God. And there’s so much in your book, we could discuss, and I would love to discuss, you get into how spiritual warfare, how that plays out in this practical steps. And so, I really encourage people, this is going to be our book for this month, for anybody who gives a donation of $30 or more, we’ll get you a copy of The Atlas Factor, just a phenomenal phenomenal book. So, if you want to do that, support our work here at The Roys report, but also get this incredible resource, just go to JULIEROYS.COM/DONATE. And we can get this book in your hands. And I want to get this book as many hands as I can. Because I think it’s a paradigm shift is what you’re talking about. And you’ve been talking about it now for 11 years since you wrote your first one, Unleader. And I think there’s a lot of resistance. But the more and more we see the crash and burns, the more and more we’re going to have to say we’ve got to do it a different way. And so, I feel like you’re very much a prophetic voice when it comes to this issue. Just so grateful for it. So, Lance, thank you. Thank you for taking the time. Thank you for speaking at RESTORE. Thank you for being on our board. Thanks for writing this book, The Atlas Factor. Really awesome.   Julie Roys  48:13 Always a joy, Julie, thank you.   Julie Roys  49:41 Well, again, that was Lance Ford, an experienced church planter, pastor, consultant, and author of The Atlas Factor, Shifting Leadership Onto the Shoulders of Jesus. And as we mentioned, this book releases this month, and we’re actually giving away copies of The Atlas Factor to anyone who gives a gift of $30 or more  to The Roys Report this month. Again, we don’t have any big donors or advertisers almost all the funding for The Roys Report comes from you, the people who care about exposing abuse and corruption in the church and caring for abuse victims. So, if you can please go to JJULIEROYS.COM/DONATE  and give what you’re able to this ministry. And when you give, we’ll gladly send you a copy of The Atlas Factor. Also, just a quick reminder to subscribe to The Roys Report on Apple podcast, Google podcasts or Spotify. That way you won’t miss any of these episodes. And while you’re at it, I’d really appreciate it if you’d help us spread the word about the podcast by leaving a review. And then please share the podcast on social media so more people can hear about this great content. Again, thanks so much for joining me. Hope you are blessed and encouraged.   Read more

When we find ourselves in a dark place, what if we didn't "lighten things up"? Sean Illing talks with philosopher Mariana Alessandri, whose new book Night Vision offers a new way of understanding our dark moods and experiences like depression, pain, and grief. Alessandri describes the deep influence of what she calls the "light metaphor" — the belief that light is good and darkness is bad — and the destructive emotional cycles it has produced. They discuss the influence of Stoic philosophy, Aristotelian ethics, and contemporary self-help — and explore what new paradigms for emotional intelligence might entail. This episode was originally published on June 29th. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area Guest: Mariana Alessandri (@mariana.alessandri), professor of philosophy, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; author References:  Night Vision: Seeing Ourselves through Dark Moods by Mariana Alessandri (Princeton; 2023) Plato's "allegory of the cave" from the Republic, VI (514a–520a) The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale (1952) The Encheiridion (or "Handbook") of Epictetus (c. 50 – c. 125 AD) The Dialogues and letters of Seneca (c. 4 BC – 65 AD) The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 AD) The Tusculan Disputations of Cicero (106 – 43 BC) Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine (Sounds True; 2017) Our Lord Don Quixote by Miguel de Unamuno (1914; tr. 1968) Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa (Aunt Lute; 1987) Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by:  Producer: Erikk Geannikis Engineer: Patrick Boyd Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices