Marriage isn't just about finding the right person - it's about becoming the right person while building systems that strengthen your relationship daily. In this episode your host Mike Forrester sits down with Larry Pruett, a marriage counselor and coach who, along with his wife Sue, helps married entrepreneurs navigate the unique challenges of adding business stress on top of relationship pressures. After 36 years of marriage and over 20 years as entrepreneurs, Larry reveals how getting your foundational relationship right creates a ripple effect that actually helps your business grow.

Larry discusses the critical importance of understanding your spouse's personality type and communication style, sharing how he learned to jump straight to the bottom line with his dominant, extroverted wife instead of boring her with spreadsheet details. He emphasizes that you can't work on your marriage without working on yourself, but you also can't focus 100% on yourself and 0% on the marriage - both require intentional daily attention and the understanding that you never fully "arrive" at mastery.

Your marriage sets the foundation for everything else in your life, including how your children will approach relationships in the future. Larry demonstrates through practical tools like "connection time", weekly date nights and annual getaway retreats how couples can stay connected during the chaos of raising children, building businesses and life overall. His approach shows that when couples prioritize their relationship and communicate effectively, they're not just building a strong marriage - they're modeling healthy relationships for their children and creating the stability needed for long-term success.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Master the art of understanding your spouse through personality assessments, studying your wife's interests and intentional communication strategies

• Build sustainable connection rituals using daily 15-minute connection time and weekly date nights

• Create long-term relationship vision through annual retreats and family mission statements

• Navigate the entrepreneurial marriage challenge by balancing business stress with relationship priorities

• Develop effective communication patterns tailored to your spouse's personality type and processing style

• Establish proper relationship hierarchy with God first, marriage second, children third and everything else following

The key moments in this episode are:

00:08:30 - The Plate Spinning Analogy in Managing Multiple Life Areas

00:12:15 - Understanding Your Spouse Through Personality Assessments

00:16:40 - Communication Breakthrough: Bottom Line vs. Details

00:21:20 - Why You Must Work on Both Yourself and Your Marriage

00:25:50 - The 15-Minute Daily Connection Time System

00:30:15 - Training Kids to Respect Connection Time

00:34:40 - The Danger of Child-Centered Homes and Empty Nest Divorce

00:38:25 - Creating and Using a Family Mission Statement

Connect with Larry Pruett

Website

www.SideBySideBusiness.com

Free Resource

 www.sidebysidebusiness.com/family

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrypruett/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/larryandsuepruett/

Facebook

Success isn't just about individual achievement - it's about showing up authentically and building genuine connections that raise everyone around you. I sit down with Junaid Ahmed, founder of HumbleZone and Home Studio Mastery, who demonstrates how being your authentic self creates opportunities and transforms lives. Junaid shares his journey from self-doubt and limiting beliefs to becoming a connector who helps entrepreneurs and podcasters show up professionally while focusing on what truly matters...storytelling and impact.

Junaid reveals how his upbringing taught him that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, but it was stepping into spaces where he was celebrated and supported that helped him see his true potential. He discusses the power of reflection, especially as we mature past 40, and how surrounding yourself with cheerleaders and mentors allows you to overcome the limiting beliefs that we often mistake for normal life. His story shows how changing your environment and finding your community can unlock possibilities you never imagined.

Your transformation accelerates when you stop trying to do everything alone and start building systems with team members who complement your zone of genius. Junaid demonstrates how delegating podcast production allowed him to scale from one episode per week to five daily episodes, freeing him to focus on his unique gifts of helping people create professional spaces and tell their stories. His approach to avoiding burnout through hobbies, community involvement and proper rest shows how sustainable success comes from balance, not just hustle.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Master the art of authentic connection by showing up as your genuine self in professional and personal settings

• Overcome limiting beliefs by recognizing them as environmental conditioning rather than unchangeable truths

• Build effective delegation systems that free you to focus on your zone of genius while scaling your impact

• Develop meaningful mentorship relationships through books, podcasts, and distant learning opportunities

• Transform self-doubt into confidence by finding communities that celebrate and support your growth

The key moments in this episode are:

00:05:45 - How Limiting Beliefs Disguise Themselves as Normal Life

00:09:20 - The Tony Robbins Infomercial That Changed Everything

00:12:15 - Key Books That Opened His Mind to Possibilities

00:16:40 - From One Podcast Episode to Five Daily Episodes Through Team Building

00:21:30 - The Challenge of Implementing New Habits Like Gratitude

00:25:10 - Why Rereading Books Reveals New Insights Over Time

00:28:45 - Balancing Multiple Business Areas Without Burnout

00:33:20 - The Importance of Delegation and Letting Go of Control

00:37:50 - Finding Community in Cycling, Beekeeping, and Other Hobbies

00:41:15 - The Role of Sleep and Naps in Sustainable Success

Connect with Junaid Ahmed

Website

https://homestudiomastery.com

LinkedIn

https://linkedin.com/in/superjunaid

Instagram

https://instagram.com/superjunaid

Facebook

https://facebook.com/superjunaid

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

True resilience isn't about never falling down, it's about building systems that keep you sane when life unexpectedly hits you. sit down with Troy Karnes, author of "No Silver Bullet," who shares his journey from the glamorous world of whiskey sales to getting kicked out by his wife, entering rehab and then facing a cancer diagnosis just 98 days into sobriety. Troy's story proves that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness - it's the most mature decision a man can make.

Troy reveals how the highlights of his career - traveling to the coolest restaurants, working with craft bartenders, living what everyone thought was the dream life, while great was actually costing him deeply behind the scenes. Getting on planes hungover became his norm until his responsibilities as a father of two collided with his inability to change with his changing circumstances. His wife's ultimatum became the catalyst for the hardest and yet best decision of his life.

Your transformation doesn't end when you do the hard work - sometimes life tests your new systems and beliefs immediately. Troy demonstrates how the daily habits and tracking systems he learned in rehab became his lifeline when cancer struck, proving that the tools for staying sober are actually tools for staying human. His HALT framework (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) and 90-second daily check-ins show how simple systems can prevent complex problems.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Master the art of asking for help as a sign of masculinity and maturity rather than weakness

• Build proactive systems using the HALT framework to prevent poor decision-making

• Create sustainable tracking habits through 90-second daily check-ins that reveal patterns

• Develop genuine connections by calling friends regularly instead of relying on social media

• Navigate major life changes by changing yourself when your circumstances change around you

The key moments in this episode are:

00:03:15 - The Glamorous Job That Was Actually a Nightmare Behind the Scenes

00:08:30 - When His Wife Said "You Can't Be Here Tonight"

00:12:45 - Why Asking for Help Is Actually a Sign of Masculinity and Maturity

00:18:20 - Getting Cancer 98 Days Into Sobriety

00:22:40 - The HALT Framework for Better Decision Making

00:28:15 - His 90-Second Daily Check-In System

00:33:50 - Why He Uses a 4-Point Scale for Everything

00:38:25 - The Loneliness Epidemic and Mortality Statistics

00:42:30 - How Sleep Affects Everything From Weight to Emotions

Connect with Troy Karnes

Website

https://troykarnes.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/troykarnes/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/troykarnes/

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

Building lasting health isn't simply about muscles and workouts - it's about transforming who you are at your core and how you show up in life. Luke DePron from the Fit Men Project shares how external fitness and internal confidence are deeply connected. Luke helps men see that when you work on your physical health, your confidence and self worth grow right alongside.

Luke discusses how most men sabotage their fitness goals by making them harder than necessary, thinking they need to work out seven days a week or follow extreme diets to see results. He reveals that sustainable long-term transformation comes from removing barriers, not adding more hurdles. His approach focuses on guaranteed minimum standards that feel manageable while still creating real progress and building unshakeable confidence.

Your health journey isn't about perfection - it's about proving to yourself that you're the kind of man who does what he says he'll do. A man who keeps his promises to himself and follows through on his commitments. Luke demonstrates how this internal transformation impacts every area of life, from how you show up as a father and husband to your energy levels and career performance, creating a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the gym.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Master the practice of sustainable fitness by focusing on minimum effective dose rather than extreme programs

• Build unshakeable confidence through proving competence with guaranteed minimum standards

• Transform your identity from "overweight guy" to "fit dad" or "fit entrepreneur" through intentional decision making and actions

• Remove barriers to success by setting up home gyms and integrating movement into your existing schedule

• Navigate setbacks without self sabotage by understanding that health is the summation of actions over time

• Create lasting lifestyle changes that feel manageable rather than overwhelming or punishing

The key moments in this episode are:

00:05:30 - Why Most Men Make Fitness Harder Than It Needs to Be

00:12:45 - The Guaranteed Minimum Standards Approach

00:18:20 - Breaking Free from All-or-Nothing Mentality

00:25:10 - Creating Your New Identity Through Hard Lines and Decisions

00:32:40 - Why Celebrating Small Wins Is Crucial for Long-term Success

00:38:15 - The Comparison Trap: Competition of You vs. Old You

00:42:30 - How Physical Transformation Impacts Every Area of Life

Connect with Luke DePron

Website

https://fitmenproject.com

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitmenproject/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/fitmenproject/

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

Our world never stops demanding our attention, so much so that finding clarity has become one of the greatest challenges men face today. I sit down with Kyle Nelson and Eli Libby, founders of Solo Retreat Company, to discuss their new book "The Art of a Solo Retreat" and how intentional solitude can break through the noise to reveal your true purpose and direction.

Both Kyle and Eli discovered the power of solo retreats during their darkest moments - Kyle after losing everything in the Paradise, California wildfire and facing suicidal thoughts, and Eli after his business crumbled, his marriage ended and he lost a beloved mentor all within two weeks. Their stories reveal how removing external noise and creating space for deep self-reflection can literally save lives and transform futures.

Your breakthrough isn't found in adding more to your life - it's discovered by reducing the daily chaos and reconnecting with your authentic self. Kyle and Eli share their RESET framework (Remove the noise, Engage with the present, See what's true, Envision what's next, Take aligned action) and explain how solo retreats work for men whether they're in crisis, transition or simply wanting to confirm they're on the right path.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Giving yourself permission to step away and prioritize your mental and emotional wellbeing

• Discover the neuroscience behind solitude and why removing noise allows your inner voice to be heard clearly

• Navigate major life transitions including career changes, empty nest syndrome, divorce and grief

• Implement the RESET framework for structured self-reflection and breakthrough moments

• Create sustainable reset rhythms from 5-minute daily practices to multi-day retreats

• Build authentic accountability systems focused on camaraderie rather than micromanagement

The key moments in this episode are:

00:06:30 - Kyle's Journey From Paradise Fire and Suicidal Thoughts to Breakthrough

00:10:45 - Eli's Crossroad of Business Closure, Marriage Ending and Uncle's Passing

00:15:10 - The Science Behind Why Solo Retreats Work

00:22:40 - Who Benefits Most from Solo Retreats

00:30:15 - The RESET Framework Explained

00:35:10 - Accountability is the Key to Long-term Success

00:40:15 - How to Get Started with "The Art of a Solo Retreat"

Connect with Eli Libby and Kyle Nelson

Book - 'The Art of a Solo Retreat'

https://shorturl.at/v7EFy

Website

https://soloretreat.co

LinkedIn - Eli Libby

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elilibby/

LinkedIn - Kyle Nelson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylenelson1/

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

Have you ever felt stuck, overwhelmed or clueless about your path forward in life? Many men struggle with these feelings, but few take the time to truly address them. In this episode, I chat about the benefits and impact of solo retreats with Kyle Nelson and Eli Libby, two guys who have experienced firsthand the profound impact of intentional solitude. Kyle and Eli share their personal stories of hitting rock bottom and how solo retreats became the leverage for change in their lives. From losing everything in a wildfire to facing a devastating divorce, these men found clarity and purpose through the process of stepping away from the stress and chaos of everyday life.

Many men hesitate to take time for themselves, afraid of what they might uncover or feeling selfish for stepping away. Kyle and Eli address these concerns, explaining how giving yourself permission to explore your inner thoughts and beliefs can lead to deep personal growth and stronger relationships. They offer guidance on how to approach this powerful experience and make the most of your time in solitude. For any man looking to level up his life, relationships and gain clarity about your purpose, this episode is sure to help you determine if a solo retreat just might be the key to unlock the life you've been longing to live.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the transformative power of solo retreats for men and unlock your full potential.
• Break free from self limiting beliefs and increase your personal growth and development.
• Explore the impact of solo retreats on mental health and emotional resilience.
• Learn how to integrate the insights from your solo retreat into your daily life for lasting positive change.
• Redefine success and identity post retreat goals and milestones to achieve a more fulfilling and authentic life journey.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:08:01 - How Solo Retreats Guide Men Through Introspective Work

00:11:20 - Lasting Impact of the Solo Retreat

00:16:43 - How Vision Casting Is Different from Goal Setting

00:20:02 - Overcoming Fear and Self Doubt About Solo Retreats

00:26:40 - Building Strong Relationships After Your Solo Retreat

00:28:22 - The Courage to Be Vulnerable When Men Aren't Doing Well

00:30:07 - Importance of Men Showing Grace and Compassion To Themselves

00:33:59 - The Tangible Benefits of a Solo Retreat

Connect with Eli Libby and Kyle Nelson

Website

https://resetos.co/

LinkedIn - Eli Libby

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elilibby/

LinkedIn - Kyle Nelson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylenelson1/

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hicoachmike

Instagram

Chronic pain can be an exhausting challenege, often leaving you feeling helpless and isolated. But what if there's a way to reclaim your life and find hope within the struggle? In this episode, I sit down with Jonah Primo, who shares his inspiring journey of overcoming debilitating chronic pain and chosing to live his life to the fullest even in the face of the pain Jonah was an active guy running 100km each week and playing soccer regularly, yet he found himself bedridden, unable to climb a small hill to his place without collapsing to his hands and knees. His world became consumed with the pain and he retreated from life, relationships and even called off his engagement.

But Jonah's journey doesn't end there. Through a combination of mindfulness, gratitude and a shift in his perspective, he found a path back to health - both physically and mentally. His story offers valuable insights for anyone grappling with chronic pain or life altering health challenges. Jonah's experience reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there's hope just waiting to be rediscovered. His story isn't just about overcoming pain - it's about joy, purpose and the thoughts which fill our thoughts. Remember, your current situation doesn't define you. There's always potential for positive change, no matter how dire things may seem. Let Jonah's journey inspire you to take that first step towards reclaiming your life.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the power of mindfulness for overcoming chronic pain and finding inner peace.
• Learn to harness the mind-body connection to effectively manage and reduce pain.
• Uncover the transformative benefits of practicing gratitude in your journey to pain recovery.
• Explore effective strategies for coping with long Covid symptoms and regaining control of your health.
• Understand the impact of chronic pain on personal relationships and discover ways to navigate these challenges with resilience.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:05:27 - Unexpected Health Challenges

00:15:04 - Fighting Back and Finding Hope

00:20:50 - Celebrating Incremental Progress and the Small Wins

00:27:59 - Practicing Gratitude and Mindfulness

00:33:25 - Impact of Chronic Pain on relationships

00:42:42 - Embracing life with pain

00:45:55 - Being Grateful and Taking Intentional Steps

00:47:42 - Seeking Hope and Inspiration

Connect with Jonah Primo

Website

http://jonahprimo.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/jonahprimo/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheOverexaminedLife

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hicoachmike

Instagram

In this episode, host Mike Forrester sits down with Bob Wischer, host of "Men Becoming Better Men" podcast and known as the Relationship Engineer. We talk about the critical importance of male connection and community in today's world, where isolation and disconnection have become all too common. Bob shares his personal journey through divorce, self discovery and finding purpose. He opens up about the challenges he faced and the transformative power of seeking personal growth and building meaningful relationships with other men.

We chat on how understanding your purpose can reignite your interest and excitement for life and improve your relationships. Bob shares his own journey of uncovering his life's mission and how it's shaped his approach to helping other men. One of the most crucial topics and being confronted by many men is the danger of male isolation. Bob shares sobering experiences that highlight why it's essential for men to build strong support networks and be in authentic connections with other men. If you are feeling disconnected, struggling with purpose or looking to build stronger, more fulfilling relationships, then Bob's insights and this honest conversation offer a roadmap for men to become the best versions of themselves through developing deep, meaningful connections with other men.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover practical strategies to improve male mental health and wellness.
• Learn how to build healthy and supportive relationships as a man.
• Explore effective personal growth and development strategies tailored for men.
• Navigate life changes and find purpose with actionable insights.
• Uncover the benefits of joining men's support groups and communities.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:05:08 - The Importance of Male Bonding

00:12:39 - The Cost of Divorce Beyond the Money

00:18:17 - Importance of Healthy Relationships

00:28:04 - Love Languages in Relationships

00:31:37 - Impact of Self-Discovery on Marriage

00:35:49 - Discovering Purpose

00:40:30 - Importance of Community and Support

Connect with Bob Wischer

Website

http://www.menbecomingbettermen.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-wischer-63151b19/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/therelationshipengineer

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@menbecomingbettermen8163

Connect with Mike Forrester

Podcast Website

https://LivingFearlessTodayPodcast.com

Coaching Website

https://www.hicoachmike.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hicoachmike/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@hicoachmike

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hicoachmike

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/hicoachmike