The Art of Not Knowing: Creativity, Naivety, and the Courage to Begin (Ft Platte Clark)

Geoff Blades explains why most self-help advice fails, how automatic thought patterns dominate our lives, and why mastering your mind may be the single most important skill for the future.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”01:00 — Geoff’s early career at Goldman Sachs and the moment everything changed03:00 — The question that started a 25-year journey: “Is this the life I truly want?”05:30 — Why asking better questions can completely change your life07:00 — The hidden architecture of the human mind08:30 — Reading thousands of self-help books… and still not finding answers10:30 — The problem with most personal development advice13:00 — Why knowing what to do doesn’t mean you’ll actually do it15:00 — Leaving Wall Street and searching for deeper answers17:00 — The trap of “when I get there, then I’ll be happy”19:00 — Discovering hypnosis, NLP, and deeper mental programming20:30 — The shocking reality of 80,000 thoughts per day22:00 — Pattern interrupts: the key to breaking automatic thinking24:00 — Why obsession is necessary for real mental transformation26:00 — The negativity bias and why the world feeds low-vibration thinking28:30 — The three energy systems that drive performance30:00 — Why your internal experience is separate from your external life33:00 — Changing your energy to change your thoughts35:00 — Physical, emotional, and spiritual energy explained38:00 — The Ultimate Day system for managing energy and focus41:00 — The three-step method for building a limitless mind44:00 — Tools for interrupting negative thinking in real time46:00 — “Stop. Wake up.” — the pattern interrupt that changes everything47:30 — Designing environments that support mental clarity48:30 — Why controlling your mind may be the ultimate human skill50:00 — Final reflections on mastering the mind*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 most important chapter of your life hasn’t been written yet?In this rare in-person conversation, Patricia Sands opens up about grief, reinvention, aging, creativity, and the unexpected power of starting late.Patricia published her first novel at 65. Today, at 80, she has written 13 books — many set in France, a country she fell in love with at 21 while backpacking with friends. But before the novels, there was loss. Widowed at 43. Two sons. A life rewritten overnight.We explore how grief shaped her storytelling, why community saved her creative life, how AI unexpectedly helped her research historical fiction, and what it really means to write from intuition.This is a conversation about dignity, aging, reinvention, and why it’s never too late to become who you are.A special shout out to my co-host Valentin Randon. Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — Who Are You, Really?03:00 — From Photography to Storytelling05:00 — Sudden Loss 06:30 — Writing Her First Book at 6508:00 — Dying With Dignity & Difficult Themes12:00 — How Much of Her Is in Her Characters?16:00 — The Power of the Writing Community18:30 — Stephen King’s Advice That Freed Her23:00 — Turning 80 & Questioning Herself32:00 — The Invitation That Changed Everything34:00 — Writing a Novel in Record Time36:00 — Exploring AI for Historical Research41:00 — Intuition vs. Structure in Writing44:00 — France, Culture & Seduction46:00 — The Origin of Her Love Affair with France50:00 — The Real Reward of Writing51:00 — Turning Novels into Real-Life Tours*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.

Why is it that we train people to survive under pressure… but never teach them how to come home to themselves?After 20 years serving as a Navy Hospital Corpsman alongside Marines in some of the most demanding environments imaginable, Patrick Nardulli realized something profound: toughness wasn’t the same as resilience.In this episode, Patrick shares his journey from combat medicine to nervous system regulation — including the moment a heart rate variability monitor revealed he was “thriving” on the outside but dysregulated beneath the surface.We explore:The difference between heart rate and heart rate variabilityWhy high performers often live in chronic sympathetic overdriveHow breath becomes the bridge between mind and bodyThe role of coherence in leadership and relationshipsPractical tools to regulate your nervous system in real timeShow Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:02:00 — A guided coherence exercise to settle the nervous system05:00 — Growing up in Chicago and the call to serve07:00 — Combat deployments and the culture of toughness11:00 — The moment he saw resilience breaking in others14:00 — The HRV wake-up call: “I thought the device was broken”18:00 — Why experiential learning beats PowerPoints22:00 — Breath as the bridge between mind and body29:00 — Heart rate vs. heart rate variability explained31:00 — What coherence actually means34:00 — Why most people never intentionally exhale37:00 — Preparation, performance, recovery framework40:00 — When his wife felt his nervous system shift42:00 — Walking into the moonlight: a realignment moment45:00 — Simple practices anyone can start today46:00 — Final message: self-care is not selfish*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.

Why is it that we chase longevity like it’s a number, yet ignore the daily behaviors that are aging us from the inside out?Most of us think longevity is about adding years. But what if it’s really about removing what no longer serves you at the cellular level and at the identity level?Renee Fitton — registered dietitian, longevity specialist, and one of the leading voices in fasting-mimicking science (VP at Prolon) — breaks down the biology of renewal… and the psychology that quietly shapes our habits.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”03:00 — Perfectionism, ambition, and living in the imperfect07:00 — Personality tests, self-work, and using tools like ChatGPT for reflection11:00 — Preparing for the Hoffman Process: deep psychological self-work15:00 — How to prepare your body for intense personal growth16:00 — Alcohol, sleep, and energy management before a retreat18:00 — Why plant-based nutrition supports repair and rejuvenation21:00 — Growth mode vs repair mode: the biology behind it23:00 — Autophagy explained: your body’s cellular vacuum cleaner25:00 — What is the fasting mimicking diet?29:00 — Why prolonged fasting (3+ days) activates deep repair31:00 — The mental shifts that happen during fasting33:00 — Behavior change, food psychology, and identity34:00 — Type 2 diabetes study: self-initiated behavior transformation37:00 — Why five days can change your long-term habits39:00 — Why water-only fasting feels harder41:00 — How often should you fast for longevity?44:00 — Gratitude journaling as a daily mental fitness tool46:00 — The power of daily movement for emotional regulation47:00 — Renewal at the cellular and personal level*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 mental clarity, emotional regulation, and better sleep weren’t about adding another practice—but undoing a hidden one?In this conversation, Patrick McKeown reveals how chronic over-breathing quietly drives anxiety, rumination, poor sleep, and brain fog. Drawing from decades of research and lived experience, he explains why breathing less (not more) can improve oxygen delivery, blood flow to the brain, and nervous system balance.This episode challenges modern breathwork myths and offers practical, science-backed ways to retrain your breathing for everyday life.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”01:20 — Living out of the head vs. living life03:10 — How stress, sleep, and breathing patterns intersect05:00 — Discovering breath as a path to presence07:40 — Why The Power of Now actually worked10:15 — Walking away from the corporate world12:30 — The origins of the Buteyko Method14:40 — Why breathing more air can reduce oxygen delivery17:10 — Nasal breathing and brain function19:50 — Rumination, CO₂, and cerebral blood flow22:30 — Why slow breathing isn’t always good breathing25:10 — Everyday breathing vs. breathwork sessions28:00 — Practical exercise: calming the nervous system32:10 — Clearing a blocked nose naturally36:40 — Breathing for performance and public speaking41:30 — How to retrain your breath throughout the day46:00 — Measuring progress: the BOLT score & breath mastery50:10 — Final reflections on calm, clarity, and control*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.

Why is it that the stories that change our lives rarely begin with certainty, but with curiosity and risk?Marc sits down with author, ghostwriter, and screenwriter Platte Clark to explore why storytelling isn’t just an art form—it’s a survival tool. From abandoning law school for philosophy, to writing bestselling fiction, to ghostwriting more than two dozen books for thought leaders, Platte shares what he’s learned about creativity, courage, and the quiet mental practices that make meaningful work possible.This episode dives into the tension between art and business, the myth that creativity must be strategic to matter, and why naivety may actually be the greatest creative advantage we have left—especially in the age of AI.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”02:10 — Discovering the identity of a humanist04:20 — Leaving law behind for philosophy and meaning07:30 — Falling in love with learning (and being a lifelong student)10:15 — Writing the first book without knowing the rules13:40 — Why quitting your job to write is usually a bad idea (and why he did it anyway)17:00 — The bird and the sword: a metaphor for creative balance20:45 — Why writing the book is the easy part24:30 — Ghostwriting, abundance, and unexpected opportunity28:10 — Advice to first-time authors: protect your naivety31:40 — AI, storytelling, and what machines can’t replace34:50 — Mental fitness, breathwork, and creative recovery38:30 — Music, movement, and engineering the creative environment41:20 — Who reads the first draft (and why honesty matters)43:10 — Why every human has a story worth telling45:00 — Final reflections on humanity, story, and meaning*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.

You Don't Need to Try Harder. You Need to Understand the Patterns Running Your Mind.In this solo episode, Marc breaks down a pattern he’s seen across 500+ conversations, boardrooms, and personal turning points: capable, intelligent people who know what to do, yet still feel overwhelmed, stuck, or out of alignment.This episode introduces a practical framework for designing a Mental Fitness Blueprint. A system that helps you understand your mental operating pattern, align your practices to what you’re actually building, and recover faster when life gets messy.Think of this as a blueprint for your next 90 days, not just what you’ll do, but how your mind will support you along the way.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — Why this solo episode needed to be said01:40 — The pattern Marc kept seeing across 500+ interviews03:10 — Why insight alone never creates change04:40 — The hidden cost of running life without a mental system06:30 — Why most mental fitness advice doesn’t work09:00 — The three things every mental fitness system must do10:50 — Mental operating patterns (and why none are “wrong”)13:40 — Designing your next 90 days from the inside out15:30 — Daily rituals that actually match how you work16:40 — The reset protocol: Pause, Reset, Re-enter18:10 — How this expands your operating range over time19:40 — Why self-knowledge is becoming the ultimate advantage21:00 — Building your own system vs. using the Blueprint23:00 — The real risk of doing nothing*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 grief isn’t something you heal from…but something that teaches you how to love differently?Marc sits down with medium and spiritual guide Michelle Murphy to explore grief not as a problem to solve, but as an experience that reshapes identity, presence, and love itself.Michelle shares what she’s learned from over 20 years of guiding people through loss—why grief lives in the body, why time doesn’t “fix” it, and how moments of joy after loss often arrive wrapped in guilt. Together, they unpack the difference between missing someone and missing their presence, the danger of spiritual bypassing, and how love continues even when form disappears.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”02:00 — Being a medium: why it’s not something you can turn off04:30 — Grief as an embodied experience (lungs, breath, nervous system)07:15 — Why grief isn’t linear—and never really ends10:30 — The isolation of grief and the healing power of being seen13:45 — The four-year cycle: anniversaries, acceptance, and new reality17:20 — “Grief is the price we pay for love”20:10 — Why joy after loss often brings guilt23:40 — Missing someone vs. missing their presence27:00 — Spiritual bypassing and toxic positivity in grief30:15 — What actually helps people who are grieving34:50 — Love as continuity, not absence38:30 — Final reflections on patience, presence, and living forward*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 thing you spend your life trying to avoid (uncertainty) is actually the skill that determines whether you thrive or collapse?Before the success, before the book, before the impact — there was a moment where certainty disappeared, and Scott Stirrett had to decide whether to retreat… or step forward anyway.Scott shares his journey from leaving a high-certainty career at Goldman Sachs to founding Venture for Canada, raising over $80M, and supporting nearly 15,000 young people across the country. The conversation goes deeper into Scott’s lived experience with uncertainty during his OCD diagnosis, the 4:00am walk that marked his lowest point, and how learning to stop seeking certainty transformed his relationship with fear, ambition, and identity.Show Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeGet in Touch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/Timestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”02:45 — Leaving certainty behind at Goldman Sachs06:30 — The emotional paradox of excitement and anxiety09:50 — Why uncertainty holds so many people back13:20 — OCD, anxiety, and fear of the unknown17:40 — The 4:00am walk and hitting rock bottom21:30 — Exposure therapy and learning to stop certainty-seeking26:10 — “The only way out is through”30:45 — Relationships as a resilience system35:20 — Strong ties vs. weak ties in an uncertain world38:50 — Designing recovery after intense life sprints42:10 — How Scott wants to feel in his next chapter*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 success isn’t personal at all — but mathematical?Kyle Austin Young reveals why so many intelligent, capable people fail to reach their goals — even when they do everything “right.” Drawing from his own experience of repeated layoffs, personal burnout, and rebuilding his life through consulting, Kyle introduces a powerful framework for rethinking success through probability rather than motivation.Kyle explains how overwhelm, survival mode, and mental clutter don’t just affect our wellbeing — they distort our ability to make good decisions. Together, Marc and Kyle explore how success diagrams, probability hacking, and intentional reflection can radically improve the odds of achieving meaningful goals — personally and professionally.This is a conversation about slowing down, reclaiming agency, and learning how to design success instead of hoping for it.Show Partners:A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeGet in Touch:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehumanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/Timestamps:00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”03:10 — From layoffs to consulting: redefining security07:05 — The treehouse moment: why we miss what’s right in front of us11:30 — Presence, overwhelm, and the cost of survival mode15:20 — What is a success diagram?18:45 — Why motivation lies and math tells the truth23:40 — The danger of averaging probabilities28:50 — Probability hacking: reducing risk creatively34:10 — Why most advice is actually harmful39:30 — Designing goals instead of chasing validation44:00 — Mental fitness, clarity, and decision-making47:30 — Non-negotiable practices for a clear mind50:00 — What makes life meaningful now*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.