Extreme Preparation: The Hidden Advantage Few Use (Ft Randall Kaplan)

How different would your life look today if you stopped preparing for “good enough” and started preparing for “extraordinary”?In this conversation, entrepreneur, investor, author, and extreme-preparation evangelist Randall Kaplan opens up about the surprisingly painful origins of his work ethic: childhood bullying, a debilitating stutter, and a long journey toward becoming a clear, confident communicator.Randall shares the exact mental frameworks he used to transform his life — from landing a book deal through a cold email, to becoming a TED speaker, to interviewing some of the world’s most accomplished leaders on his podcast.We explore extreme preparation, the habits that separate average performers from exceptional ones, and why “no” is often just the beginning of the road to “yes.”Timestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”02:00 — How photography and beaches shaped Randall’s creative identity04:30 — Building Sandee: cataloging 100,000+ beaches around the world06:15 — How a cold email landed Randall a book deal08:00 — Childhood bullying, stuttering, and the start of extreme preparation10:30 — The breakthrough moment at the McDonald’s drive-thru14:00 — How speech therapy reprogrammed his mind and confidence15:30 — The emotional weight and triumph of giving a TED Talk17:00 — Studying the top TED Talks and dissecting what works19:00 — Cutting a 70-minute keynote into 18 minutes21:15 — Why the painful story had to stay in the talk22:00 — The team behind the TED Talk: coaches, comedians, voice experts26:00 — The Roger Love experience and knowing when not to change28:00 — The balance between outside coaching and trusting your intuition30:00 — Extreme preparation in interviewing: The EPT “torpedo question”32:00 — Why most people aren’t prepared — and how to stand out instantly35:00 — Randall’s research process: thousands of pages, distilled37:00 — “If you’re early, you’re on time; if you’re on time, you’re late.”38:00 — When life derails your plans: broken schedules and mental resets40:00 — Gratitude walks and the 40,000-foot reset42:00 — Never send an email when angry — Randall’s practice46:00 — Why AI should assist your preparation, not replace it47:00 — The small details that cost people opportunities50:00 — A coaching story: preventing a $3M mistake52:00 — The doctor who went from zero net worth to $10M in a year54:00 — The difference between success and stagnation: making a plan56:00 — Closing wisdom: “Why you must do what no one else does”****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠  x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Humble the Poet (Kanwer Singh) opens up about the years nobody saw — the debt, the failed deals, the fear, the self-judgment — and how these became the foundation for his creative success and his powerful new book, Anxious. We explore his 90-day nervous system reset, what anxiety really is (and isn’t), how to stop outsourcing your safety, and why progress is simple but never easy. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or tangled in your own thoughts, this episode will feel like a blueprint for reclaiming your mind and building real inner capacity.This is mental fitness at its most practical, honest, and human.Timestamps:00:00 — Who are you?01:00 — Humble breaks down the mechanics of words, poetry, and meaning02:00 — Childhood creativity: the first book and early signs of a writer04:00 — Performing for the first time and peeling off the layers of insecurity06:00 — The four-year tunnel: debt, denial, and rebuilding from zero10:00 — Extreme frugality and the financial habits that changed everything14:00 — Fear, creativity, and learning to feed the wallet vs. the ego17:00 — Discovering business as a creative art form23:00 — Harmony vs. balance: reframing how creatives work25:00 — Curiosity as courage: shifting away from fear-based judgment27:00 — How anxiety blocks opportunity — and why the pendulum has swung too far30:00 — Why anxiety is a signal, not a disease32:00 — The 90-day nervous system reset: dopamine, abstinence, and awareness37:00 — Identifying real addictions: validation, reassurance, overthinking42:00 — Sitting with discomfort: the foundation of mental fitness45:00 — Redefining freedom and building inner capacity49:00 — The burn of real growth — and why Humble sticks with it51:00 — The simplest mental fitness practice: sit quietly for 10 minutes54:00 — Simple vs easy, slow progress, and compassionate self-talk****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠  x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What changes when you stop looking at someone for what they’ve done—and start asking who they are?Marc sits down with Diane Kahn, founder of Humans of San Quentin, who has interviewed more than 3,000 incarcerated individuals around the world. Diane shares how a single question—“How are you?”—can break open years of silence, shame, and survival.Together, they explore the unseen stories behind incarceration, why nearly everyone she meets inside was a victim first, how media narratives distort our understanding of “criminals,” and what it truly means to approach another human being with compassion. This episode challenges assumptions, expands empathy, and reveals the healing power of being seen.Timestamps:00:00 — “Who are you?”01:00 — From teacher to prison educator04:00 — The moment her perception of “prison” shattered05:45 — Who we’re really locking up07:00 — Why the media is feeding us the wrong story10:00 — The power of asking: “How are you?”15:00 — Building trust inside a hyper-surveilled environment17:00 — Planting seeds of change18:00 — Lives saved through storytelling20:00 — Teaching empathy to the next generation22:00 — The big lesson: We are all kinder than we think28:00 — Holding space for thousands: Diane’s mental fitness practices35:00 — The final message: vulnerability and second chances****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠  x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens to a society that forgets how to be surprised — and how do we rebuild our capacity to truly see one another?Andy Mills, award-winning journalist and master storyteller explores the search for meaning, the role of curiosity in modern journalism, and why culture — not legislation — may be the single most powerful force shaping our future.We talk about Andy’s early years in ministry, his transformative time reporting in South Sudan, and the worldview that emerged from witnessing both the best and hardest parts of humanity. Then we dive into his groundbreaking AI series The Last Invention (Apple | Spotify) and why he believes this moment represents a hinge point in human history.This episode blends philosophy, journalism, mental fitness, and cultural critique — ultimately reminding us that even in times of rapid technological change, the most important tools we have are still profoundly human.Timestamps:00:00 – Identity & Meaning02:00 – Leaving Religion & Finding Story05:00 – The Storyteller’s Role08:00 – Curiosity as a Superpower10:00 – Reporting Across Extremes14:00 – The Editing Ethics Test15:30 – South Sudan21:00 – Shrinking Global Concern24:00 – Culture as the Lever29:00 – Birth of The Last Invention33:00 – AI Debate: Three Camps40:00 – What Media Misses48:00 – Beyond Chatbots52:00 – Tech, Loneliness & History56:00 – Mental Fitness & Pressure59:00 – Crying, Laughter & Processing1:02:00 – Passing the Torch****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠  x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you do when the world starts changing faster than your ability to make sense of it?Do you hold tighter to what you know… or do you learn how to evolve, let go, and redefine who you are?In this episode, I sit down with legendary investor and True Ventures partner Tony Conrad, a man who has helped shape some of the most influential companies of the past two decades — and who is now in the most reflective stage of his life and career.We talk about the quiet side of leadership, the inner work required to stay relevant, why the AI revolution is forcing everyone to rethink their value, and how a surreal moment in a deportation jail in India woke him up to the fragility of everything we take for granted.Timestamps:00:00 — Who is Tony Conrad? Identity beyond job titles02:00 — Building True Ventures & the early days nobody saw05:00 — The J-curve years: failure, doubt, and patience08:00 — AI: the biggest shift of Tony’s lifetime10:00 — How True Ventures stays mentally fit as a team12:00 — Culture > ego: why they avoid the Midas List14:00 — Travel, awareness & seeing the world clearly again17:00 — The India deportation jail story20:00 — Japan, America & the truth about cultural contrast22:00 — Why Tony stayed in San Francisco through every cycle25:00 — Reinventing his role: from “points on the board” to empowering others27:00 — Being public vs staying private: how the VC world has changed30:00 — The ancient teachers question & who Tony would speak to33:00 — Shackleton, survival & the greatest leadership example he knows****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠  x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if one small, curious decision could ripple across generations and change the world?In this heartfelt episode, Marc sits down with Lindsay Mattick, creative director, entrepreneur, and author of the bestselling Finding Winnie — the true story that inspired Winnie the Pooh. Lindsay shares how her great-grandfather’s compassionate act of buying a bear cub for $20 during WWI led to one of the most beloved characters in literary history.Their conversation unfolds into a masterclass in creativity, storytelling, and the art of slowing down. From starting her own agency to balancing motherhood and meaning, Lindsay explores how we can all find connection, courage, and calm in a world obsessed with speed — and why she still walks every morning at sunrise to clear her mind and reconnect with her creative flow.Timestamps:[00:00] – Who is Lindsay Mattick? Mother, entrepreneur, and creative storyteller.[02:00] – The leap into entrepreneurship and learning to take risks.[06:00] – The incredible true story of her great-grandfather and the real Winnie.[11:00] – Turning family history into Finding Winnie, and the journey to publishing.[16:00] – The serendipity of finding the perfect illustrator.[20:00] – Feeling connected to her great-grandfather through storytelling.[23:00] – How storytelling shaped her creative agency, Pomp & Circumstance.[28:00] – Lessons from brand storytelling: emotion, depth, and meaning.[31:00] – Thoughts on AI, creativity, and the importance of humanity.[38:00] – The art of curiosity: raising kids and thinking deeply in an AI world.[39:00] – Morning walks and the rituals that spark creative clarity.[44:00] – “What would Winnie do?” — Finding wisdom in simplicity and calm.****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠 x 💪 x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What would change if every leader brought their whole heart to work?Marc sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and the force of empathy behind Gary Vaynerchuk’s global company, to celebrate the launch of her debut book Be Yourself at Work. Claude opens up about the years-long journey of writing it, how she overcame self-sabotage, and why patience—not pressure—is the real superpower of sustainable leadership.Together, they explore how fear and “fake urgency” have hijacked workplace culture, and how reconnecting to our hearts can transform not only how we lead but how we live. Claude shares her raw stories—from a 93-day wilderness expedition that redefined her resilience to the rituals she uses daily to “clean her mind.”Timestamps:00:00 — Who is Claude Silver? From Chief Heart Officer to lifelong learner02:00 — The calm before launch: why release day felt peaceful, not pressured04:30 — Dancing with self-sabotage and learning to finish what you start06:45 — Why writing her first book wasn’t a dream—it was a challenge08:00 — The real reason she wrote Be Yourself at Work12:00 — How fear and fake urgency drive workplace burnout15:30 — Gen Z, empathy, and the next evolution of work culture17:30 — Rituals that create real connection at work19:30 — Why vulnerability builds belonging and trust22:00 — Claude’s 93-day Outward Bound experience—learning true resilience28:00 — Nature, humility, and the power of paying attention30:00 — What it means to “clean your mind” daily34:00 — Mental nutrition: being intentional with what you consume36:00 — What Claude hopes readers take from her book38:00 — A message to her late grandmother—and to all of us: “You did it. You believed in yourself.”****Release details for the NEW BOOK.  Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.🧠 x 💪 x 🥵 = 😃*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if three tiny resets could transform your day? Neuroscientist and BrainTap founder Dr. Patrick Porter joins Marc to demystify brainwaves (alpha/theta), reveal why most adults are missing true recovery, and share simple, science-backed protocols to sleep deeper, focus better, and bounce back faster. From box breathing to hydration with minerals to timing your coffee, Dr. Porter shows how micro-habits compound into macro clarity.Timestamps:00:00 – Who is Dr. Patrick Porter? From early biofeedback to BrainTap’s mission02:30 – Growing up with the Silva Method: shifting from negativity to possibility10:30 – Brainwaves 101: beta (reactive) vs. alpha (neutral/creative) vs. theta (inventive)14:30 – Sound & light entrainment: isochronic tones, binaural beats, and why groups sync18:00 – Sleep and the brain’s detox system; why level-4 sleep matters23:00 – The “3 daily resets”: morning, afternoon, evening (and what to do in each)24:10 – Morning: no blaring alarm; psychological sighs; sunlight & grounding28:00 – Coffee timing (wait ~2 hours), cortisol rhythm, and hydration basics31:00 – Midday: box breathing (Navy SEAL style) to flip out of sympathetic33:00 – Case study: 20-minute 2pm reset → 26% more weekly output35:00 – Night: 4-in/8-out breathing + gratitude to cue deeper sleep40:00 – “Frequency finds frequency”: upgrade inputs (food, people, media)42:00 – The “between selves” wobble: staying with the lows without getting stuck45:00 – BrainTap effects in one session and why novelty protects neuroplasticity49:00 – Why lights in the ears? Sunrise/sunset signaling & cellular “songs”50:00 – The Brain Fitness Blueprint: 30-day plan and myth-busting “21 days”53:00 – Stress as training; recovery ratios and the resilience dividend55:00 – Closing: simple tools anyone can start today****Release details for the NEW BOOK.  Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show!Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet!*A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the way you move your body could completely rewrite how you think, feel, and lead?In this conversation, fitness entrepreneur and creator of the 21 Day Fix, Autumn Calabrese, joins Marc to explore how motion heals the mind, why failure is an essential teacher, and how our hardest moments often shape our greatest growth. From her childhood in Cleveland to building one of the most-watched fitness empires on the planet, Autumn opens up about trauma, self-belief, morning rituals, and the micro-habits that keep her centered while impacting millions.Timestamps:00:00 — Who are you?04:00 — From dance to personal training09:30 — Healing old wounds through creation13:00 — Hitting rock bottom and finding Tony Robbins18:00 — Movement as medicine22:00 — The 21 Day Fix origin story28:00 — Speaking dreams into the universe34:00 — Building a new brand and following the signs35:00 — Morning rituals and mindset training40:00 — Micro habits, not extremes45:00 — Evening rituals and breathwork49:00 — What’s next for Autumn and BODi51:00 — Closing reflections****Release details for the NEW BOOK.  Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show!Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet!*A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the key to fulfillment wasn’t found in what you achieve, but in how you experience it?In this powerful and vulnerable conversation, entrepreneur and consciousness teacher Scott Britton joins Marc to explore the intersection of achievement and awareness. From his early startup success and outward perfection to a deep inner reckoning, Scott shares how meditation, psychedelics, and daily self-inquiry helped him awaken to a new way of living — one that integrates consciousness directly into work, relationships, and leadership. Together, they discuss the shift from “doing” to “being,” the layers of healing that unfold over time, and why true growth happens not on silent retreats but in the chaos of everyday life.Timestamps:02:00 – The moment Scott realized he wasn’t his thoughts05:00 – How alopecia and stress led to meditation07:00 – Outward success vs. inner emptiness09:30 – The opening that came through suffering10:00 – Ayahuasca and the direct experience of consciousness13:00 – Exploring altered states through breath, sound, and stillness15:00 – Realizing the “wrong game” — from startups to self-awareness17:00 – Everyday life as a dojo for consciousness18:30 – Tracking moments of disturbance and unwinding patterns21:00 – Why spirituality must be integrated into work and life23:00 – Grace and pacing through the healing journey26:00 – Observing emotions like characters at a party29:00 – The separation of achievement and spiritual growth33:00 – Conscious evolution as the next frontier for humanity36:00 – The pioneer’s paradox: not celebrated while you’re pioneering38:00 – The source code of change: why consciousness comes first42:00 – What Scott hopes readers take from The Conscious Creator ****Release details for the NEW BOOK.  Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life  Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show!Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet!*A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.