Your Won Life

It's time to relive a classic! In 2021, on my first podcast 'Young Legends' I had an amazing conversation with the world famous Strumbellas bass guitarist and solo artist Close Kicks! In the interview, Darryl speaks about his journey as a musician, including how he started playing the bass guitar at the age of 30!  He covers a number of important topics, including: -The importance of being humble and kind -How to be a good collaborator -Working through mistakes  -Being teachable and receiving feedback -How to help people struggling with mental health  and more! You can connect with him online at:  Instagram: Close Kicks and Strumbellas   Facebook: Close Kicks and Strumbellas Tik Tok: Close Kicks and Strumbellas Also, the Strumbellas are on their 2026 tour! Here's the link to get tickets!    

In this episode, I interview Bill Burnett, co-author of the bestselling book "Designing Your Life" and Executive Director of the School of Life Design at Stanford University. Bill shares insights on applying design thinking principles to create a more meaningful and fulfilling work life.  We talk about the following topics  The key mindsets of Life Design thinking How to combine your life view and work view to guide you in designing your life  How to do the 'good time journal' to discover what you love   Creating Odyssey Plans to picture what your life could be like in the future How to do informational interviews and how to prototype experiences to find your way forward  How curiosity will help you find meaningful work  And much more!  To check out their upcoming book 'How To Live A Meaningful Life' click here  To give me feedback on the episode or connect otherwise, here is my email and my Instagram

In this episode, I challenge you to make 2026 a year of action rather than regret by joining groups and organizations, starting your own, and becoming a producer instead of a consumer.  In this episode, I talk about  Joining groups aligned with your interests (and checking out company ERGs) How joining groups increase your social life  Start something new if it doesn't exist—use technology to organize  "Scratch your own itch" when building—start what you need and others will join Adopt a producer and problem-solver mindset: problem solvers and producers get paid and change the world End 2026 with pride, not regret for what could have been Resources mentioned in this episode Kick The Ladder Film Group  Join Philly  Join ATL  Atlanta National Parks Enthusiasts Facebook Group    Upcoming event: Atomic Habits workshop, Wed. January 28th at Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee - Spring Street - ticket link

2025 was a heck of a year for myself and this podcast! From interviews with great guests, to being sponsored by Lamborghini Atlanta, to solo episodes on important books like 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius, 2025 was a wild ride!  I took some of the best clips from different episodes and brought them together in one episode. There were a lot of clips I had to cut for time's sake, but I'm proud of each episode I released this past year.  Here are the full episodes from the clipped segments in this episode, in order of appearance.  How To Talk To Anyone, Anywhere Bill Burnett: Co-Author- Designing Your Life Four Thousand Weeks- By Oliver Burkeman- A Synopsis Mac Prichard: Career Expert and host of 'Find Your Dream Job' podcast J.L. Collins: Author- The Simple Path To Wealth Dr. Deepa Halaharvi- Breast Cancer Survivor and Breast Surgeon Meditations- By Marcus Aurelius- A Synopsis Lynnette Khalfani Cox- The Money Coach, NY Times Bestselling Author The Social Dilemma- A synopsis on a groundbreaking documentary Pete Davis: Co-Creator of the documentary 'Join Or Die'  Lamborghini Urus Activation Event Episode- Craig Arthur Von Schroeder   Have an amazing holiday season and a Happy New Year! 

The holidays are great, but also can be stressful, depending on your family dynamics. This episode is to help you get along with your relatives and have a peaceful time at your family gathering.  The episode is based on online resources full of advice from pyschologists, therapists, and other experts in related fields.  Here are the sources used in this episode:  Care.com Self.com Jezebel.com Here is the episode I made on 'How to talk to anyone, anywhere'  Here is Jefferson Fisher's website  Here is the blurb on how to approach a family member who is critical, to communicate a request of not focusing on your faults during the family gathering.  "I'm not feeling very good about the holidays this year, and it seems like you're kind of looking at the things that I'm not doing. Maybe this year you could focus on what I am doing or just not even focus on me at all, because it's really a time when I'm wanting to be with people who love me and wanting to be in a nurturing, positive environment." Let's connect on Instagram! Here's my profile link  

Pete Davis is the co-director and co-producer of the documentary 'Join Or Die' (now streaming on Netflix) He teamed up with Rebecca Davis (his sister) and created this groundbreaking documentary, based on the work of Harvard political science professor Dr. Robert Putnam. The film shows how important joining a club or organization is to individuals, but also to communities and democracy as a whole. In our conversation, we discuss:  The community crisis and its impact on our health, social connection, and democracy The question you should ask yourself to figure out what club or organization you want to join Amazing practices that different organizations around America use in their meetings Inspiring stories of ordinary individuals who have created change in their communities  The personal habits that keep individuals from joining clubs  The 'ecosystem' metaphor that gives us hope that rejuvenation is possible  Interesting behind the scenes info of how a documentary is made  Great parts of the documentary that he wanted to keep in, but ultimately had to cut Ideas that each of us can use to make our communities better  How joining an organization prepares you to make change in a broader context And much more!   Resources:  Watch the preview of Join Or Die Visit the 'Join Or Die' Website (you can even host a screening!) Connect with Pete Davis:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  Connect with Rebecca Davis: Website   Instagram

Dr. Deepa Halaharvi is the American Dream! She immigrated to the United States at the age of 16, acquired 3 different medical degrees and became a breast surgeon. Soon after her surgery fellowship, she was diagnosed herself with breast cancer.  In our conversation, we talked about breast cancer, cancer prevention, and general healthy living. Here are some of the topics discussed:   Detection & Screening Paying attention to your body and symptoms in general  Breast self-exam monthly: Check for lumps, discharge, lymph nodes, skin changes (1 week after period) Under 40: 15% of cases. Clinical exam every 3 years 40+ Women: Annual mammograms Family history: Start screening 10 years before relative's diagnosis age 5 Prevention Pillars Strength training 2x/week + cardio Max 2 drinks/week alcohol 7-8 hours sleep + morning sun Social connection (isolation = 25% higher mortality) Follow screening guidelines Diet Mediterranean: nuts, legumes, fish, olive oil. Meat 1-2x/week. Avoid processed foods, BPA plastics, pesticides. Genetics Get tested if you have a family history. Also, talk openly with your family about cancer history. Patient Rights It's OK to question your doctor, and get a second opinion Change doctors if they are dismissive of your concerns Keep all records Supporting Someone With Cancer DO: Listen, provide meals/childcare/cleaning, stay present after treatment DON'T: Share death stories, toxic positivity, "I know how you feel" Key Points 50% of cancers are preventable Early detection = better outcomes You're the CEO of your health Focus on what's in front of you now Connect: DrDeepaHalaharvi.com | Tik Tok | The Breast Cancer Podcast | We Rise Together Event Nov. 15, 2025

In this episode, we explore the book 'The Secrets of Adulthood' by Gretchen Rubin (Author of 7 New York Times bestselling books) I go over some of the most powerful ideas shared in the book for navigating adult life with more wisdom and intention.  Some important learnings include  How to use your environment to improve your lifestyle  How to care for yourself in a very simple way  How to navigate conversations, including difficult ones  How to have difficult conversations in an easier way  How to make friends more easily  How your language shapes your perspective  Making changes that actually change your life How to be at war with your vices and win  How to make decisions that expand your life and future And much more! Resources Check out the previous episode on Kevin Kelly's "Excellent Advice for Living"  Connect with Gretchen Rubin on her website

Lynette Khalfani-Cox is a 16-time author, founder of TheMoneyCoach.net and the Financial Influencer Network. She has been featured on Good Morning America, Oprah, The Today Show, and various other nationwide TV programs. She is a former Wall Street Journal/CNBC reporter and has been creating personal finance programming and content for the past 22 years.  Overview Financial knowledge from a New York Times best selling author, Lynnette gives a masterclass on financial recovery strategies, credit hacks, budgeting wisdom, and entrepreneurship lessons. She shares how she went from $100K credit card debt to a massive business success. Key Topics The Ten "Dreaded D's" Downsizing, Divorce, Death, Disability, Disease, Debt, Damaged credit, Disasters, Dollar Deficits, Discrimination. Self-Care First Poor physical and mental health = poor financial decisions. Address your mental/physical well being before engaging in tactical fixes. Lessons from being Laid Off Important steps to take once you're laid off and key self reflection questions to guide you towards choosing what's next for you.  Entrepreneurship Test hobbies as paid work. Confirm you can sell, not just create. Expect income cycles. Credit Hacks  Rapid rescoring: Fixes errors in 48 hours (mortgage applicants only) Credit cards damage scores most—pay them down first Payment history = 35% of score Large mortgages/student loans don't hurt if paid on time Credit Cards  Systemic issues exist (predatory rates, discrimination) Regardless you must own your choices. Read terms, understand costs, opt out of offers. Budgeting  Never spend more than you earn Budget for personal spending to prevent resentment Align your spending with values Mentorship Show reciprocity and bring good energy. Execute on advice. Mentors help those who help themselves. Resources Connect with Lynnette: AskTheMoneyCoach.com | LinkedIn Books: Bounce Back, Perfect Credit, Zero Debt and more! Great Minds Lynnette recommends: Sandra Davis (Sage Financial), Dr. Benjamin Hardy

The documentary 'The Social Dilemma' is one of the most important films made in the past five years. It uncovers the truth about social networking platforms, big tech, and their massive negative impact on society. It's a must watch!  In this episode, I overview many of the important talking points of the documentary. I highly recommend watching this film on Netflix and joining in the conversation.  Watch a preview of the documentary here Learn more about the movement here

Kevin Kelly is a legend and savant! He's the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, author of numerous books, including 'What Technology Wants', conservationist, and a brilliant thinker with a lot of great life wisdom. In this episode, I share a small fraction of the 450 great life insights and truths that he shares in the book 'Excellent Advice For Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier' and added my own commentary on the advice, and of course a few jokes :)   To learn more about Kevin, you can check out his website  You can purchase a copy of the book here Shout out to the musical sponsor: Angel City Fiddle Squad! Here is their Spotify and Instagram If you want to connect online, here's my Instagram

In this episode, I go through the book Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.  It's a realistic approach to time management that works with human limitations, not against them. We explore some of the best ideas which include: Accepting Reality Life is finite - you can't do everything Loosen control while still making plans Living with the discomfort of reality vs. living in a fantasy world Focus Ruthlessly Warren Buffett's 25-5 Rule: List 25 goals, circle top 5, avoid the other 20 Having a maximum 3 projects at a time The idea of paying yourself first, with your time Connect with Others Join groups that meet regularly Happiness comes from people, not just productivity Live in the Present Do things for their own sake Take real vacations for rest Embrace the Joy Of Missing Out over FOMO Set Boundaries Limit availability Make irreversible decisions Establish quit times Action Steps Complete Warren Buffett's 25-5 exercise Join a regular meeting group Block time for important work Set clear time boundaries Here's the links to my series on Essentialism on YouTube: Part 1 and Part 2 You can also listen to them on the podcast player of your choice. They're the 2nd and 3rd episodes made.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. You can also connect with me on Instagram at @yourwonlifepodcast

The Godfather of Financial Independence, JL Collins author of "The Simple Path to Wealth" (1 million copies sold) shares his practical advice on investing, building wealth, and financial independence. In this episode we talk about: His wealth building strategy through low-cost, broad based index funds The power of compound interest and how it helps grow your wealth for you What to do with your 401K, 403B, personal IRA and other investing The foolishness of trying to time the market and why you should invest in uncertain times Debunking the myth that home ownership is needed to building wealth  The 4% Rule and how it enables your financial independence  How people with modest salaries can become financially independent (F.I.) while they're still young And much more! Resources that were mentioned during the interview:  The 2025 version of 'The Simple Path To Wealth'   The book about stories of Financial Independence Pathfinders  The book 'How I Lost Money In Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable' The blog post about Homeownership being a bad investment JL's re-interpretation of John Goodman's speech using F.I. principles video (NSFW) Connect with JL online via his:  Website  Facebook Instagram  Twitter (X)  If you'd like to connect with me online, please visit: Website  Instagram        

In this episode, you will learn about how Stoic philosophy from Marcus Aurelius's own personal writings from 'Meditations' which will help you deal with challenges, reduce anger, find peace, and develop inner strength. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and philosopher, one of only five "good emperors" out of 70. He reluctantly took power and faced wars, plague, and personal loss during his reign. 7 Key Stoic Principles Leadership Through Action - Lead by example, focus on duty and the common good Character Over Comfort - Don't let wealth, praise, or self-indulgence compromise your values Focus on What You Control - Only worry about what's within your power Happiness is an Inside Job - Don't depend on others for your peace and fulfillment Accept Life's Difficulties - Change what you can, accept what you can't Ignore Others' Opinions - Focus on your actions, not external validation Remember Life's Brevity - Live fully because time is limited Key Questions to Ask Yourself Does this matter? What's important now? Is this necessary? What would more self-mastery look like for me? Notable Quote "Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius   Let's connect online! Instagram YouTube Email

The book 'Steal Like An Artist' by Austin Kleon is a great manual on how to succeed in creativity. But it's not just for artists, the lessons he teaches in this book are universal and can be applied to life in general.   This this synopsis, I discuss these topics Kleon covers in the book:  What good theft looks like How stealing can help you develop your artistry  How to find climb up the family tree of artistry  The importance of stealing the thinking of your heroes How you can honor those you copy from  The importance of both boredom and fun in creating great art How be develop relationships with people who can help you develop  How you can be mentored by anyone in history  Other great practices to develop your artistry and mind Here is the Ira Glass video on creativity If you'd like to connect with Austin Kleon's work, here is his website

Have you ever found yourself struggling to make conversation with someone, or felt the uncomfort of approaching someone new? The reason why is because you don't know what works best in having a conversation. That's why I've compiled practical tips on engaging with new people, based on research.  Some of the key concepts in this episode include the importance of body language asking open-ended questions keeping your conversations positive and light how to give compliments to engage conversation questions and topics to avoid  using your environment to inspire conversation  and much more! The resources I used as sources for this episode are:  How To Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes Conversationally Speaking by Alan Garner, Amanda Goodwin Caporaletti Harvard Business Review Article Harvard Business Review Video Jim Kwik Video   If you'd like to contact me, to suggest a new podcast name or for any other reason, my information is below Email Instagram

In this episode, we explore how to break free from a "quiet life of desperation" and truly sing your life song. It's all about being unapologetically yourself, pursuing what makes you come alive, having a big vision of what you want your life to be, and thriving!  This episode is based on the quote 'Most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and die with their song still in them' and is aimed at helping you to not be like most people.   Here are big steps you can move toward to make sure you live fully Surround yourself with people who are authentically themselves - in community Hang out in environments that pressure you into doing the positive actions you're wanting to take, particularly those you're scared of Take inventory of activities that energize you and schedule them Doing  exercises in the Designing Your Life book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans Doing the exercises in the book Pivot by Jenny Blake   Some reminders from the episode Channel your inner Rudy Ruttiger (pretending you're the main character in a movie) Get out of your shell and dance (metaphorically)  Important questions to ask yourself, like 'wouldn't it be wild if I ______?' Interacting with new people, because most want to connect! Not engaging in activities that are a time suck on your life  Having the mindset of engaging in little adventures frequently The meme I mentioned in the episode Kick The Ladder- The Atlanta Film Community My creative projects page- with some videos I made from Kick The Ladder collaborations  Please contact me if you have anything to communicate Instagram Email  If you're enjoying the show and haven't left a review yet, please do! Your review may be read aloud on the next episode.

In this episode, we go into a deep dive into the power of gratitude. The conversation focuses in on the importance of expressing gratitude to others while they are still here with us.  I also talk about how a recent gratitude exercise has impacted myself greatly, and share some additional gratitude practices that you can implement to make your life better and show appreciation to others. These practices are simple, but impactful.  The beauty of life is there are practical actions we can engage in to improve our own lives and the lives of others, through gratitude. Here is my 3 part series on the book Nonviolent Communication by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Here is the Soul Pancake video on the impact of gratitude on the individual  Soul Pancake: Gratitude Here are the recommended service providers that I'm grateful for in Atlanta. James Ree at Friend's Auto Jay at APNA Garage  Larry Towner, A master level Handyman Justin Jang, Tintastic- Car Window Tint (Disclaimer, Justin is my cousin)   Let's connect! Here is my email and Instagram

What happens when Lamborghini Atlanta's VIP guests are interviewed to share their secrets to success? Powerful information is delivered to help you level up in life!   The life-changing information shared ranges from advice on business, career success, mentorship, romantic relationships, family, and more!  This episode is brought to you by Lamborghini Atlanta and Motorcars of Atlanta. In this episode, along with life success, we talk about Lamborghinis, particularly the newly designed 2025 Urus SE, a plug-in electric hybrid SUV with 2 motors and a combination of sportiness and elegance that only Lamborghini can deliver.    You can learn more about the 2025 Lamborghini Urus SE on the official Lamborghini website.    Here are the Instagram accounts of Motorcars of Atlanta and Lamborghini Atlanta   Here is the Instagram account of Your Won Life Podcast  

The books 'Steal Like An Artist' by Austin Kleon, 'The Almanac of Naval Ravikant' by Eric Jorgenson, and 'Nonviolent Communication' by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg are game changers!  Each of these books will help you to level up and become your best self.  I did episodes and series on these respected books, which you should also definitely check out. If you have any feedback for me, or you'd like to connect with me via Instagram, click here