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Why Not Almost There? I had never run a long race in my life, but here I am, in the middle of the 2015 Chicago Marathon. I’m feeling fantastic, even thinking I could go double the distance. Just being in this race was a mini-miracle. I had heart surgery and back surgery a decade earlier. I could barely stand back then, let alone run. Nonetheless, I’m fired up and feel better than ever. Then I see right in front of me— a sign that nearly stops me in my tracks, NOT ALMOST THERE. I try to brush it off but can’t stop thinking about those words. Every step seems heavier, harder, and then I start cramping up. I begin to walk and complain inside and out. I struggle the entire second half but finish (barely) with everything I have after being physically and mentally crushed. I have never stopped thinking about that sign but that’s fueled a quest to understand the power of the mind, body, and spirit. To understand how we accomplish things. To understand how we become better in the race against time and ourselves. Who am I? Southside Chicago kid. Young Father (20). Assembly line worker. Found 15 seconds between building cars to study. Graduated. Took 5 years. Created a few companies. Sold two. 800 employees. Created Refuel and Not Almost There to help others.
Episodes
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
🤼♂️ AMANDA RIPLEY is a New York Times bestselling author and an investigative journalist for The Atlantic and other magazines. Her books include High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way, and The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why. Ripley spent a decade writing about human behavior for Time magazine in New York, Washington, and Paris. Her stories helped Time win two National Magazine Awards.
→IN THIS EPISODE…Joe and Amanda discuss conflict; the different types, which conflict is good and which is bad. Amanda shares some incredible stories from the road while interviewing people who experienced high conflict in different ways from a gang member to a scholar of conflict who found himself in the same conflict he himself talks about how to avoid.
🔍 Breakdown with Amanda Ripley:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Intro
Joe introduces Amanda Ripley, New York Times bestselling author
Chapter 2 (2:51) Types of conflict
There are several different types of conflict, and not all of them are bad. Amanda explains the good kind of conflict and the bad conflict which is high conflict
Chapter 3 (8:59) How do you identify when you are in high conflict
Amanda includes a checklist in the back of her book to help identify, which she shares. Also, Amanda gives actionable tips on how to get out of it.
Chapter 4 (11:58) The Gary Freeman story
Gary Freeman is an attorney who is a conflict expert. He has been a guest lecturer at Harvard and Standford, so when his neighbors asked him to run for office in his little town he would be able to handle it, but things went very wrong. Amanda shares the story.
Chapter 5 (19:06) Tips from a gang member
Amanda worked with a gang member from Chicago which embodies the ultimate form of high conflict. He shares his story and his journey.
Chapter 6 (28:02) Changes in congress
Amanda talks about her views on congress and steps they need to take in order to get our limiting two-party system to a place of listening and out of humiliation
Chapter 7 (33:35) Company acquisition
Joe’s company was acquired and he reflects back with Amanda about the experience, and what someone can do to help ease the merging of two companies or teams.
Chapter 8 (36:47) Constructive criticism
Start with really active listening. Prove with your responses back that you have really heard them.
Chapter 9 (42:57) What would be an additional chapter
After the book was published, Amanda has heard so many great stories from people after they have read the book. One idea she would add would be about good conflict, and how it is transcendent.
Chapter 10 (50:18) Wrap Up
Joe concludes the episode and invites Amanda to come back to talk about Smartest Kids on Earth.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→High Conflict
→The Unthinkable
→The Smartest Kids in the World
📞 Connect with Amanda Ripley
→https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-ripley-50a22112/
→https://www.instagram.com/ripleywriter/
→https://www.facebook.com/amanda.ripley.35
→https://www.amandaripley.com/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
🏃♂️ RUSS RAUSCH is the Founder of Vision Pursue or VP. VP helps individuals and organizations create a Performance Mindset through their training and mobile app. Before founding Vision Pursue. Russ has worked with countless athletes in the NFL, NBA, PGA, and the Olympics. These are top athletes with an incredible amount of stress and pressure. Russ was the COO at the hedge fund Emil van Essen. Before that he was part of the executive team that took the trading software firm, Trading Technologies, Inc. (TT), from a 20-person startup to a 650-person global company as CFO, CIO, and EVP of Global Buyside Sales. Russ lives in Chicago.
→IN THIS EPISODE…Russ and Joe talk about key tips to change up your competitive mindset by expecting the unexpected, controlling the controllable, and a game-changing acronym that will have you “see-ing” each situation differently. Russ explains how to take inspiration and turn it into action, and some tools/apps to use to help along the way.
🔍 Breakdown with Russ Rausch:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Intro
Joe introduces Russ Rausch, founder of Vision Pursue
Chapter 2 (1:51) Pivotal starting moment
Being in a job that didn’t inspire Russ was weighing on him. He shares his story of how he left his corporate job and started Vision Pursue
Chapter 3 (4:59) Impactful content
Russ shares what has inspired him, and how he was able to change his mindset.
Chapter 4 (9:58) Surrounding and the power of S.E.E
SEE doesn’t stop your emotions. However, the three steps should calm your emotions or at least allow you to access your thinking mind to make better decisions.
Chapter 5 (17:06) Performing at a high level
Performing at your highest level can be wearing. Russ explains how to combat that exhaustion
Chapter 6 (22:02) Preparation
Preparing for your day/goal is a big way of combating stress and anxiety. Russ explains the best practices of preparation
Chapter 7 (23:35) Visualization
Visualizing outcomes is a technique used by many athletes, most notably by Michael Phelps. Joe shares a story about how Phelps was able to set a record even when something goes wrong in the water.
Chapter 8 (30:47) Not Almost There, just starting
The story of how Not Almost There Started and how just starting a plan or a project and not over thinking can be a great practice.
Chapter 9 (35:57) Meditation
Mediation is an excellent school to center your thoughts and have a clear mind to take on the day.
Chapter 10 (38:18) New tools to use
Russ shares tools/apps to use to help with your mindset journey
Chapter 11 (49:49) Upward Social Comparison
A problem we face is comparing ourselves to others. It is all over social media, and hard to avoid, but it is so important to focus on you and your family and not comparing to what others have.
Chapter 12 (1:01:09) Wrap Up
Joe wraps up the episode and shares his key takeaway.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel
→https://www.visionpursue.com/
→
📞 Connect with Russ Rausch
→https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-rausch-7358a12/
→https://www.instagram.com/russrausch/
→https://www.facebook.com/russ.rausch
→https://www.visionpursue.com/contact-2/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
🏃♂️ Dr. Noel Brick is a professor, ultra runner, and most recently a published author. Co-authored with Scott Douglas, The Genius of Athletes focuses on successful athletes who have a toolkit of mental strategies that help them to perform at their best. The book expounds on how, once learned, these techniques can be adapted to overcome challenges in everyday life. Currently, Noel is working on his second book and is a lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Ulster University. He completed an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Limerick in 1997, an MSc in Sport and Exercise at Ulster University in 2003, and an MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University in 2017. In 2016 he completed a Ph.D. at the University of Limerick. Alongside his academic and research activities, Noel is also a long-distance runner and has completed more than 30 marathons and ultra-marathons including the Marathon des Sables in 2012 and the Irish 24-hour Championships in 2013.
→IN THIS EPISODE…Joe talks to Noel about his incredible book, The Genius of Athletes. We start the episode strong with Hoe asking Noel why learning to think like an athlete is so important, and the conversation just explodes from there. Noel provides tips for not just the athletes in the audience, but for everyone looking to help win in their everyday lives with goal setting, confidence building, and controlling stress levels.
🔍 Breakdown with Noel Brick Ph.D.:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Intro
Joe introduces Noel Brick, author of The Genius of Athletes
Chapter 2 (1:12) The importance of thinking like an athlete
There is so much that happens in sport from emotions to pressure/stress. These themes can mirror in our lives
Chapter 3 (3:38) Getting into the psychology of athletics
Noel is a lecturer in sport psychology, research is his hobby. He is an ultra runner and athlete himself, and his experience and studies have brought him to interesting discoveries
Chapter 4 (12:23) Kikkan Randall mindset
Kikkan Randall is an Olympic athlete that was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a great example of putting voice to her emotions in a healthy way is a great strategy.
Chapter 5 (20:38) Emotion regulation and expression
Emotions have such a high impact on your daily plans. It is important to implement strategies to mitigate the effect high emotion can have.
Chapter 6 (28:32) Journaling and other strategies
Planning time to worry and allowing yourself time for feelings of stress and anxiety helps to limit the control said emotions have over you. It also minimizes the moments of surprise panic, because you allowed time for those feelings.
Chapter 7 (39:12) Pre-event rituals
Noel shares some of his most effective pre-event rituals, and how you can get yourself in the right headspace before an important day.
Chapter 8 (45:22) What you can control
The theory of threat state is an idea about how you can view a situation. Noel goes into the psychology of threat and control.
Chapter 9 (48:29) Be your own coach
It is important to self-analyze and give yourself tips and strategies to be better. Set your own goals. No one should be more invested in your success than you!
Chapter 10 (52:56) 5-4-3-2-1 Method
This is a grounding method that Noel advocates for to help bring you back to the present moment.
Chapter 11 (55:37) Failure to achieve
Failing to get started can be a number one reason for failure when people set goals for themselves.
Chapter 12 (58:22) Putting thoughts to action
Having a plan to not allow your thoughts to be stagnant and not come to fruition. It is important that you put your thoughts to action.
Chapter 13 (1:05:03) Off days
You can’t allow your off days to derail your training/ambition. Everyone has off days, Noel gives examples of who to minimize your off day and how to keep your momentum going.
Chapter 14 (1:11:22) Creating new habits
Great tips on starting new habits in your everyday life. This doesn’t have to be just for your athletic goals, but for your daily goals as well.
Chapter 15 (1:28:03) Ending
Joe thanks Noel for being a part of the show, and wraps up the interview
Material Referenced in this interview:
→The Genius of Athletes
→World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team (Kikkan Randall)
📞 Connect with Noel Brick
→https://twitter.com/noelbrickie
→https://www.facebook.com/noel.brick
→https://noelbrick.com/contact-me
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
🥬Melissa Hanson is a health and nutrition coach and social media influencer. She has been able to help over 5,000 people ditch their poor eating habits and live healthier lifestyles. Melissa started her career as a massage therapist and planning retreats focused on mindfulness and healthy eating for small groups. Melissa quickly realized she could reach the masses through her inspiring Instagram and posting her health coaching tips on social platforms so people from all over the world can tune in and feel like part of her community. Melissa not only talks about the importance of healthy eating, but she also lives it herself with a completely plant-based, unprocessed diet.
→IN THIS EPISODE…Melissa talks to Joe about overall nutrition and health goals and what pitfalls to avoid. They get into what gut health is, and why it has so many repercussions on your overall wellness. Melissa also talks about the importance of a plant-based diet, which doesn’t have to be completely meat-free, but rather plant-strong. Melissa has a great way of simplifying what is most important when it comes to what you should be putting into your body and gives some amazing quick go to’s to have in your pantry/refrigerator for those days you need quick meals, and how surrounding yourself with positive accountability partners is key to your success.
🔍 Breakdown with Melissa Hanson:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Introduction
Joe introduces Melissa Hanson
Chapter 2 (1:21) How Melissa got started
Melissa started her health nutrition journey out of college after she started learning about how food affects health so significantly.
Chapter 3 (5:17) Alkaline, what it is and why it’s important
Processed foods are acidic and can cause an imbalance in your body. Eating living food, fruits, and vegetables, is alkaline and brings a healthy balance.
Chapter 4 (9:38) Food advice
Gotos and easy advice to help make good choices, especially when you are on the go. Keep it simple. Also how to navigate the grocery store
Chapter 5 (15:47) Glyphosate - What it is, and how to handle it, and what foods to avoid
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide sold under the common trade name Roundup.
Chapter 6 (18:30) Schedule your day
Do in advance what you know in advance. Also best tips on how to start your day to set yourself up for success.
Chapter 7 (19:47) Tips for success
Melissa shares the top tips she has seen that results in success when trying to switch to a nutrition-dense lifestyle.
Chapter 8 (24:39) Fasting advice
When you are fasting you burn all the bad cells first, but you go through detox first.
Chapter 9 (26:05) Working on a calorie deficit
You don’t have to count calories. You will achieve a deficit with a plant-strong diet, and leaving out the processed foods.
Chapter 10 (28:45) Wholistic physician
Natural path doctors are able to do a lot of tests that traditional doctors don’t do. One, in particular, is glyphosate, which is a direct cancer-causing agent.
Chapter 11 (34:27) Accountability partners
Make sure you are surrounding yourself with like-minded and supportive individuals. Take baby steps together and you will notice a difference in only 30 days.
Chapter 12 (42:53) Harmful diseases directly linked to diet
Don’t wait until a health scare to make a change. Heart disease and cancer are just two of many scary health risks that are a direct result of what they are eating.
Chapter 13 (53:07) Tools and Apps
Some tools that can help you on your journey including some beneficial apps, tools, and stress management ideals.
Chapter 14 (59:33) Keep it simple
There are some simple steps and actions you can take to help simplify your health journey. These easy steps include getting good sleep
Chapter 15 (1:06:00) Joe Wraps up the episode
Joe thanks Melissa for being on the episode and share his key takeaways
Material Referenced in this interview:
→ https://gamechangersmovie.com/
→ https://www.rebootwithjoe.com/joes-films/
→ https://www.forksoverknives.com/
→ https://www.imperfectfoods.com/
📞 Connect with Melissa Hanson
→https://www.instagram.com/melissa_hanson/
→https://www.hansonskitchen.com/
→https://www.youtube.com/c/hansonskitchen
→https://www.pinterest.com/hansonskitchen/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
🎧 Joe Chura is an entrepreneur, inventor, and investor philanthropist. He founded and bootstrapped two companies, Launch Digital Marketing and Dealer Inspire, which both became two of the fastest-growing companies in America, earning the #39 spot on the Inc. 500 and #5 ranking on Crain’s Chicago Fast 50. In 2018, Joe sold both businesses to Cars.com in Chicago’s largest acquisition of the year, and he continues to lead their growth and innovation today as CEO. Joe’s passion is using his leadership and health and fitness experiences to help others achieve their goals, including starting an event REFUEL in December 2017, the Not Almost There Podcast in January 2021, and another event GO which will be held in August of 2021.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Joe looks back over the last 25 episodes and reflects on what led him to begin this podcast, as well as what he has learned along the way. After having conversations with 25 interesting, authentic people, Joe shares his favorite take-aways and how he has used some of their tips in his own personal development.
🔍 Breakdown with Joe Chura:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Introduces the episode
Joe explains how he started the podcast, and talks about an event GO. he is hosting in August.
Chapter 2 (2:10) Chadd Wright
Chadd explains what it takes to become a winner and one of the main things is not to give pain a voice.
Chapter 3 (15:20) Jesse Itzler
Jess Itzler talks about how to set up your goals and not beat yourself of as life happens.
Chapter 4 (20:02) JP Dinnell
Priority is a word JP uses in such an actionable way to help organize and structure your day.
Chapter 5 (29:45) Ben Nemtin
Ben talks about the importance of goals and how you need to think about your life’s journey so, at the end, you can feel fulfilled.
Chapter 6 (35:01) Maysoon Zayid
Be yourself, that is the best piece of advice one can receive, and Maysoon lays it out in a beautifully straightforward way.
Chapter 7 (40:30) Alex Banayan
People like to claim luck is a major factor in one’s success, and Alex agrees with that with one caveat.
Chapter 8 (45:00) Patty Morrissey
Patty talks about the importance of your alter ego to help get out of your shell, and embracing your ideal version of yourself.
Chapter 9 (48:53) Alex Pang
Find the best time for you to be the most productive. This is the chronotype challenge, which if you allow yourself to reflect, could be a real game-changer for your productivity.
Chapter 10 (50:15) Mike Vardy
Stop playing defense with your day and do not let people control your day, Mike shares advice on how to not let you day get away from you.
Chapter 11 (52:44) Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews gives us the formula on HOW you can eat what you want and still stay in shape using his 80/20 rule.
Chapter 12 (55:11) Angela Davis
If you are a parent struggling with your kid’s screen time and want them to be more active, this is a tip for you.
Chapter 13 (56:11) In-Q
In-Q recites his poem, Say Yes
Chapter 14 (58:11) Joe wraps up the episode
Joe shares his thoughts on the episode
Material Referenced in this interview:
→ Not Almost There Youtube Channel
→ GO. A Not Almost There Event Discount Code: NAT2021
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Monday Jun 14, 2021
Monday Jun 14, 2021
👨⚕️Dr. Robert L. Murphy is the Executive Director for the Institute for Global Health, as well as head of infectious diseases at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. He has been with Northwestern for over 40 years, and when he began his tenure at Northwestern, he saw the first reported AIDs patient in Chicago. He also started one of the first AIDS clinics in Chicago. Dr. Murphy’s main focus on his life’s work has been HIV infection, viral hepatitis, antiviral drug development, and global health research. Dr. Robert Murphy has been the guest expert regarding COVID-19 questions and update on WGN morning news program.
→IN THIS EPISODE…Joe asks Dr. Robert Murphy about his involvement and insights regarding the COVID pandemic. Dr. Murphy has been working with infectious diseases for over 40 years and shares his experiences from being a child during the Polio outbreak to his career starting by treating the first reported AIDs case in Chicago. Dr. Murphy digs into the timeline of COVID: how he was getting his information and therefore had offered bad advice early on, and what we did right as a country to prevent the continued spread of the virus. Dr. Murphy also explains the timeline of the vaccine, how it has been able to get distributed to the public so quickly, and what he believes will be the following steps to irradicate the virus.
🔍 Breakdown with Dr. Robert Murphy:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Introduces Dr. Robert Murphy
Dr. Robert Murphy has been in infectious disease for over 40 years. He is also a regular on the WGN morning news show answering your covid questions.
Chapter 2 (3:03) Was Covid a shock
No, there have been a few epidemics, so having a virus that came out wasn’t a shock. The extent and how it has lasted is what is shocking.
Chapter 3 (5:34) Early information
When covid first emerged, information was funneled slowly. Most communication was coming from the press.
Chapter 5 (8:23) What we got wrong
The public has lost confidence in public health officials, so that disconnect has been devastating for the country.
Chapter 6 (12:18) The vaccine timeline and creation
The COVID vaccine came out extremely quickly. This has caused doubt in some, but Dr. Murphy explains how everything aligned to this groundbreaking vaccine out in record time.
Chapter 7 (23:34) What Dr. Murphy would have done better
Our country is one of the poorer performing countries in regards to how we handled the virus. Dr. Murphy unpacks what we could have done better.
Chapter 8 (29:34) Our unvaccinated population
Unfortunately, due to the poor communication that had been shared during the early stages of COVID, there are information gaps for people who are not getting vaccinated.
Chapter 9 (34:40) Vaccinating our children
Dr. Murphy explains where we are in terms of timeline and getting vaccines to children. As we are studying the effects of the trial patients who received the first vaccine, it gives insights into understanding how kids will respond to the vaccine.
Chapter 10 (39:14) Mask wearing
We have learned a lot about masks through the pandemic. This is one of many coronaviruses, so this will not be the last one we experience.
Chapter 11 (49:00) Covid testing and testing positive after the vaccine
Joe has gotten three covid tests, and all came back negative. He shared his experience with Dr. Murphy. Dr. Murphy also explained data of people getting the vaccine and getting covid.
Chapter 12 (52:55) Prediction for 2 years
It will take 3-5 years for global vaccination. Continued testing and understanding of the genetic breakdown of how the vaccine is working and any boosters that may be needed. Long-term consequences of getting covid also have been alarming so far.
Chapter 13 (58:13) recommended resources
Dr. Murphy shared resources (listed below) for unbiased information regarding the covid virus and the latest updates.
Chapter 14 (1:01:29) Joe Wraps up the episode
Joe thanks Dr. Murphy for being on the episode and share his key takeaways
COVID Resources:
→https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
→https://covid19.nih.gov/
→https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
→https://www.who.int/
→https://www.globalhealth.northwestern.edu/covaxcen/index.html
→https://www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/COVID19
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Monday Jun 07, 2021
Monday Jun 07, 2021
🔥 Mike Matthews is an author, fitness evangelist, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Mike operates with the belief that every person can achieve the body of his or her dreams. He is the bestselling author of the books, “Bigger, Leaner, Stronger”, “Thinner, Leaner, Stronger”, and “The Shredded Chef”, which combined have sold over 1.5 million. Mike is also the host of the Muscle For Life podcast, as well as the founder of Legion Athletics. Mike has used his simple and science-based approaches to fitness and health, building muscle, losing body fat, and gaining strength, to help thousands of people across the world achieve their best bodies ever!
→IN THIS EPISODE...Mike explains the importance of some key factors to ensure great and healthy training; which include getting proper sleep, understanding the food you eat, and the importance of building good habits. He also tells Joe the best supplements to take if you are interested in enhancing your workout regimen AND...AND...The one and only true bio-hack. Get on those shoes or get in the gym while you listen or watch this one. We cover almost everything you need to get started. Keep sending your feedback and look forward to seeing you on the other side.
🔍 Breakdown with Mike Matthews:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Introduces Mike Matthews
Mike is a fitness enthusiast who has answered over 200,000 health questions
Chapter 2 (1:39) Pitfalls getting started on a fitness journey
When people start a trend diet or workout, they can set themselves up for failure with restrictive changes which are not sustainable. Mike offers examples on how to set yourself up for success.
Chapter 3 (14:18) The science behind fitness
There is an intention in Mike’s books to ensure the readers understand every principle. Each chapter also ends with the resources referenced to show each idea has been researched.
Chapter 4 (31:30) Understanding your metabolic rate
20% of your resting metabolic rate (RBR) is used to operate your brain functionality. Mike shares more facts on what your RBR is and how to improve it.
Chapter 5 (39:45) Before bed snacking
Sleeping through the night has been an issue for Mike. He offers some great tips, which include getting some before-bed carbs.
Chapter 6 (51:23) Are there foods to stay away from
Surprisingly, no. The real trick is to listen to what your body tells you. If your body responds badly to a certain food, stay away from it.
Chapter 7 (57:53) Figuring out your macros and best way to track
Figuring out your macros can be difficult, so Mike breaks down the percentages that should work for the average person. Make a food plan that works for you.
Chapter 8 (1:09:33) Exploring calorie deficit and keeping muscle during cardio training
Conditioning is the tool to improve your cardiovascular system, and it’s viable to do this without losing muscle. Mike explains figuring out the calorie deficit you should be working with and how to keep muscle while cardio training.
Chapter 9 (54:21) Importance of sleep
The only true bio-hack is sleep. Sleep has so many benefits, and even more interesting is the negative effects not getting enough sleep has on your health journey.
Chapter 10 (1:05:47) High weight and low reps
If you want to gain muscle and get bigger and stronger, you need to do higher weights and fewer reps. Mike discusses the myth behind more reps getting you more muscles.
Chapter 11 (1:20:26) Supplements are not essential
Surprising comment from Mike, given he runs a supplement brand, but they are not necessary. However, it is important to note, you can absolutely enhance your workout and speed up your fitness goals with the supplements described.
Chapter 12 (1:41:11) Joe Wraps up the episode
Joe thanks Mike for being on the episode and share his key takeaways
Material Referenced in this interview:
→ Bigger, Leaner, Stronger: by Michael Matthews
→Thinner, Leaner, Stronger: by Michael Matthews
→ Beyond Bigger Leaner Stronger: by Michael Matthews
→The Shredded Chef by Michael Matthews
→Legion Supplements (mentioned in the podcast)
📞 Connect with Mike Matthews
→https://www.linkedin.com/company/legion-athletics/
→https://www.instagram.com/muscleforlifefitness/
→https://www.facebook.com/muscleforlifefitness
→https://twitter.com/muscleforlife
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
😴 Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s academic training is in history and sociology of science, a field that blends history, anthropology, and sociology. His research uses ethnography, interviews, historical case studies, and literary analysis (and whatever other tools are lying around) to understand users and their worlds. Alex started his career studying people, technologies, and the worlds they make. Since 2000 he has worked as a technology forecaster and futurist, helping companies understand new technologies and global trends, and their strategic and business implications. His research and consulting opportunities lead Alex to become an author. Most recently he wrote, SHORTER: work better, smarter, and less- which uses design thinking to explain how companies in a variety of industries and countries are moving to 4-day weeks. It’s a sequel to his 2016 book REST: why you get more done when you work less, which explores the hidden role rest plays in the success of super-creative and -productive people. Alex also wrote, THE DISTRACTION ADDICTION, deals with technology, addiction, and distraction.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Joe and Alex take a deep dive into the workweek, employee burnout, and how our perception of productivity needs to be reconstructed. Alex advocates for working shorter, more focused hours and balance that with more ‘serious leisure’ time. Joe and Alex discuss the power of taking breaks from meetings, such as zoom calls, and Alex gives great actionable tips on how to take planned breaks from intense work to enhance your creativity and capacity.
🔍 Breakdown with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Introduces Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is a best-selling author and futurist.
Chapter 2 (1:58) The importance of rest
The “why” behind the importance of rest is the recharge that comes from recovering the energy lost during the day.
Chapter 3 (9:14) Breaking up your day
Setting time for yourself throughout the day for various mental breaks is just as important as meetings throughout your day.
Chapter 4 (22:53) Companies with successful workday models
There are some companies that started adapting a 4-day work model and Alex shares the results.
Chapter 5 (31:50) Catalyst to Rest
While on a work sabbatical, Alex came to the realization that
Chapter 6 (35:52) Creating your company culture
A couple of useful tips to ensure being respectful of people’s time. Make meetings shorter and purposeful, using technology for focus, and better structure of your day.
Chapter 7 (41:35) Lessons from the pandemic
Going to a remote-based model and showing employees flexibility has proven to be successful. We need to keep this model going post covid.
Chapter 8 (46:11) Maximizing your productivity
It isn’t easy to self-identify what time of day is your peak performance time. It’s important to recognize your most focused times are, also it doesn’t have to be limited to one time of day.
Chapter 9 (54:21) The power of sleep
Alex breaks down the cycle of sleep, and the benefits of a nighttime routine to help power down and get the maximum benefit from recharging. He also explains the negative effects of a sleep deficit.
Chapter 10 (1:05:47) Concept of deep play and vacation boundaries
You need to give your creative subconscious time to mull over your ideas without conscious effort. This is also true for your vacation. Set your boundaries so you can enjoy downtime which can then fuel a more focused mind upon your return.
Chapter 11 (1:20:26) Combating distractions with your kids
Thinking about how distracted our kids are due to the number of electronics and screen time that is in front of them.
Chapter 12 (1:24:30) Getting started incorporating rest in your life
There is great value to adding rest boundaries in scale at organizations. Think about how you can model and encourage employees to have higher quality focus time as well as downtime.
Chapter 13 (1:29:55) Wrapping up
Joe concludes the episode and gives you a recap of his highlights from his conversation with Alex.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→SHORTER by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
→REST by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
→THE DISTRACTION ADDICTION by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
→Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
📞 Connect with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
→https://www.linkedin.com/in/askpang/
→https://www.instagram.com/askpang/
→https://www.facebook.com/askpang
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Sunday May 23, 2021
Sunday May 23, 2021
🏔 Chadd Wright is a motivational speaker, business owner, entrepreneur, and retired Navy SEAL who served as a Navy SEAL master training specialist and instructor for 12 years. When he retired in 2019, he also started the 3-OF-7 Project together with his brother, Blake Wright, which is a project dedicated to assisting people in becoming the best version of themselves. Chad also continues to push himself with new goals as an ultramarathoner, with completing and winning events such as The Revenant, Mid State Mile, and Single Track Maniac.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Joe and Chadd talk briefly about Joe’s experience at the proving ground and Chadd's ideas and philosophy around leadership. Chad shares his journey and commitment to becoming a Navy SEAL, his struggles with a silent heart issue, and how his singular focus allowed him to overcome this obstacle. He told Joe about the power of the mind to break barriers and achieve the things you want to manifest in life, how accountability is the sign of a truly great leader, and how to deal with self-doubt.
🔍 Breakdown with Chadd Wright:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Introduces Chadd Wright
Alex is the author of Endure, and publishes many articles in Runner’s world and Outside
Chapter 2 (1:20) Positive and negative leadership inspiration
Everything Chadd has created with his 3of7 company has been fed from what he learned from being a Navy Seal. He credits so much of what he learned from being a seal instructor and feels he has a master's degree in forging warriors.
Chapter 3 (5:48) An unachievable lesson
In BUDs Chadd experienced a setback in a particular exercise of extreme endurance, but it was because his instructors had set an unrealistic goal. What he learned from that experience was something he implements today.
Chapter 4 (14:25) Failure as a leader
We all experience failure, and although it may seem more glaring as a leader, the best thing you can do is take ownership. Own the mistake, learn from it, and do better.
Chapter 5 (19:30) Becoming a navy seal
Chadd set a goal of becoming a navy seal and wouldn’t let anything stand in his way. Not even a rare heart condition that almost took him out of the running to be on the seal's team.
Chapter 6 (34:59) Proving oneself to others
Proving himself to family, friends, and any naysayers around Chadd wasn’t his top driver, it was his internal drive that pushed him to achieve his goals, from becoming a Navy Seal to his ultramarathon experiences.
Chapter 7 (42:10) Finding motivation to keep pushing yourself
Motivation comes from Chadd’s brothers and sisters who have contributed in some way to the 3 fo 7 project.
Chapter 8 (47:52) Putting in the miles
Chadd doesn’t just put out goals without setting them for himself. He set goals such as training for the mid-state mile, which is his principles put into practice.
Chapter 9 (51:43) Your tongue is your rudder
The minute you allow yourself to speak words of self-doubt or insecurity, you allow the idea of giving up to set in. The power of a positive mindset and positive self-talk is crucial to your success.
Chapter 10 (58:41) The day after a major achievement
After you have trained and prepared for a race or event, the following day can be depressing. The letdown, if you don’t prepare for it can take you by surprise. Chadd allows himself 1-2 days to feel sad. He knows it will come, and he plans for it, and allows it to have its place.
Chapter 11 (1:05:55) Being in a flow state
This life is a gift, and the best gift we can give ourselves is to be present and to challenge ourselves to the best we can be. To experience the good and the bad, and to learn and grow from each experience.
Chapter 12 (1:21:03) Joe wraps up the episode
Joe concludes the episode and recaps highlights from his time with Chadd.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→https://3of7project.com/
📞 Connect with Chadd Wright
→https://www.facebook.com/3of7project
→https://www.instagram.com/chadwright278/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
🏃♂️ Alex Hutchinson is an Author with a Master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, a physicist with a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Aside from academia, he is also a professional athlete with credentials as a two-time finalist in the 1,500 meters at the Canadian Olympic Trials. Today he writes about the science of endurance for Runner’s World and Outside, while frequently contributing to little-known publications like the New York Times, The New Yorker, and Toronto’s Globe and Mail. FiveThirtyEight recently named him one of their “favorite running science geeks” and he was also one of only two reporters granted access to cover Breaking2 — Nike’s top-secret training project to break the two-hour marathon barrier.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Joe and Alex break down the science behind VO2 max. Alex explains what it is, how to figure out your numbers, and what you should use this metric for. They also discuss fitness; what the optimal exercise frequency is, how to gain muscle back after you lose it, and the importance of strength training. Alex shares his favorite gadgets to help track your progress, and his most important tips you can start using today.
🔍 Breakdown with Alex Hutchinson:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Joe Re-Introduces Alex Hutchinson
Alex is the author of Endure, and publishes many articles in Runner’s world and Outside
Chapter 2 (1:19) Breaking down VO2 max
It’s the volume of oxygen, the fastest rate at which you can take oxygen and give it to your muscles. Alex explains how this varies depending on your level of fitness and why this is important.
Chapter 3 (6:32) VO2 Max and how you should apply it
Remember VO2 max is important to understand your physical well-being. Even if you’re not an athlete, improving your Vo2 max can potentially improve your overall health. Low levels of cardiovascular fitness correlate with an increased risk of heart disease.
Chapter 4 (8:12) How to improve your VO2 Max
You can increase your Vo2 max in two ways: by increasing the amount of blood your heart can pump and by increasing how much oxygen your muscles can take up.
Chapter 5 (21:09) Going back, what would you do differently
Alex looks back on his career and thinks about what he might change or do differently. The purest answer is no. Alex explains that although he knows so much more now about the physiological side of training, he feels proud of the way he handled his career.
Chapter 6 (24:12) Minimal amount of exercise to get maximum results
30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week is what is advised. Although, even 10 minutes moves the needle.
Chapter 7 (29:37) Losing muscle quickly when you stop exercising
If you are sitting all day or not moving at all, you lose muscle extremely quickly. Scary if you are sitting at a desk all day. The good news is that it is easier to regain that muscle, and Alex explains why.
Chapter 8 (35:56) Gadgets or methods that help your training
The most important method is focusing on your mental strength. The extras are just not proven to be any more effective than your own training routine.
Chapter 9 (40:05) Nike Vapor Fly
Alex was one of 2 journalists to be able to report on the Nike Vapor Fly, and almost breaking the world record. Nothing in the shoe was new, but it was just the perfect combination to create faster run times.
Chapter 10 (54:46) Joe wraps up Part 2
Joe closes the episode by asking if Alex would expand the book, what would the new chapters be.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→Endure by Alex Hutchinson
→The Genius of Athletes by Noel Brick and Scott Douglas
📞 Connect with Alex Hutchinson
→https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhutchinson
→https://www.facebook.com/sweatscience
→https://www.instagram.com/sweat_science/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura