What Are You Devoted To?

This episode explores the idea that no one is truly free from commitment, habit, or obligation. Jason Newland and JP Bradley argue that the real question is not whether we are bound to something, but what we choose to bind ourselves to, using stories of Eric Liddell, Dick Hoyt, and JP’s father to show how devotion can become a source of meaning rather than loss.

Key topics

• In this episode, Jason and JP challenge the modern myth that freedom means keeping every option open.
• They frame commitment as a tradeoff: real devotion closes some doors, but it also gives life shape and purpose.
• Oliver Burkeman’s 4,000 Weeks is used to underscore human limits, mortality, and the value of choosing well.
• Ryan Holiday’s memento mori idea comes up as a reminder that remembering death can clarify how to live.
• Eric Liddell’s refusal to race on a Sunday is presented as an example of conviction over public success.
• Liddell’s later life in China and his service in a Japanese internment camp show devotion turning into sacrifice and purpose.
• Dick Hoyt and Rick Hoyt’s story illustrates daily, physical commitment over decades and the idea of “loaning” a body to someone you love.
• JP shares how his family approached his father Calvin Bradley Jr.’s paralysis by focusing on what he could do, not what was lost.
• The conversation turns practical with a simple test: ask whether a commitment enlarges you or diminishes you.
• They close by arguing that we are all bound to something, so wisdom lies in choosing that devotion intentionally.

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome back and setting up the episode theme
00:36 - The modern myth of freedom as unlimited options
01:35 - Why the word “slave” can make the real question harder to face
02:57 - Why constant optionality can leave people anxious and empty
04:08 - Oliver Burkeman’s 4,000 Weeks and the reality of limited time
05:05 - Ryan Holiday, Stoicism, and remembering mortality
06:45 - Memento mori as motivation instead of something morbid
07:02 - Why the best seasons of life often involve being “all in”
07:35 - Choosing what matters means closing doors on purpose
08:50 - A personal reflection on missed moments versus meaningful ones
09:47 - The core question: what deserves our devotion?
10:03 - Eric Liddell and the Sunday race he refused to run
10:59 - Liddell’s gold in the 400 meters and the cost of conviction
11:42 - Liddell’s life after the Olympics and his service in China
12:51 - Why devotion did not make Liddell smaller
13:28 - Introducing Dick and Rick Hoyt, also known as Team Hoyt
14:16 - How one charity race became a lifetime of marathons and triathlons
15:04 - “Loaning his arms and legs” and what that devotion meant
16:46 - JP’s father, paralysis, and the family’s response to loss
19:11 - Choosing daily to solve problems instead of grieving helplessness
20:21 - Finding ways to stay active and included despite paralysis
21:38 - The question Burkeman asks: does this choice enlarge me or diminish me?
22:12 - Devotions that diminish us, like addiction, approval-seeking, and doomscrolling
23:00 - Romans as a faith-based echo of the same idea
23:50 - A practical challenge: examine your calendar and habits honestly
24:36 - Real freedom as deliberate devotion, not no commitments at all

Notable quotes

“The real question is not whether we serve something, but what are we serving?”

“Missing out on other stuff is actually the price of something mattering at all.”

“Real freedom is choosing deliberately what deserves your devotion.”