Mentorship - The Difference Between Being Nice And Being Kind
Release Date: 07/08/2024
Imperfect Mens Club
Episode Summary In this episode of the Imperfect Men’s Club Podcast, Mark Aylward turns the Flywheel of Life back toward co-host Jim Gurulé. This conversation completes the third installment of a multi-part series exploring the IMC framework and how the five interconnected areas of life shape who we become. Using the Flywheel as a guide, Jim walks through his worldview, childhood influences, relationships, money mindset, well-being, and life’s work. The discussion is honest, reflective, and grounded in lived experience—touching on neurodivergence, masculinity, discipline, money beliefs,...
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Season 5 | Episode 2 A Conversation with Mark Aylward: Frameworks, Identity, and the Work of Becoming Self-Aware Episode Overview In this second episode of a three-part Season 5 series, Mark Aylward takes the guest seat as co-host Jim Gurulé interviews him on his background, lived experience, and the frameworks that underpin the Imperfect Men’s Club philosophy. The conversation revisits the origins of the IMC framework, often referred to as the Wheel of Life or Flywheel, and explores how self-awareness, subconscious belief systems, and life domains like money, relationships, ideology,...
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Episode: The Framework, the Flywheel, and What’s Coming in 2026 (Part 1 of 3) Episode Overview In this first episode of a three-part series, Mark Aylward and Jim Gurulé lay out what’s coming for Imperfect Men’s Club in 2026 and revisit the core framework that has guided the podcast from the beginning. This episode is about structure. Not the soul-crushing kind, but the kind that helps men organize the noise of life, identity, work, and relationships into something usable. Mark and Jim unpack their “Wheel of Life” framework, also called the flywheel, and explain why it matters more...
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Season 5, Episode 1: Self-Discipline The bridge between who you say you want to be and what you actually do. Mark and Jim kick off Season 5 by doing what they always do best: questioning the stuff we’re supposed to accept, leaning on lived experience, and dragging timeless wisdom into the present. This episode centers on self-discipline, inspired by the teachings of Jim Rohn, and explores why motivation fails but structure, identity, and self-respect don’t. Core Themes & Takeaways 1. Why Goals and Resolutions Fail Roughly 95% of people abandon resolutions by February. The...
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Episode 48 Show Notes Imperfect Men’s Club Podcast Recording date: December 17, 2025 Hosts: Mark and Jim Overview Mark and Jim close out the year by doing what emotionally mature men do in public: taking inventory. They reflect on what shifted in 2025 (in big, practical categories) and then cautiously speculate on what 2026 might demand, especially around AI, personal brand, and how you spend your finite supply of time, energy, and money. Big Themes from the Episode 1) 2025: The Year AI Got Personal AI stopped being “a tech thing” and became part of everyday life for normal,...
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Summary In this episode of the Imperfect Men’s Club Podcast, Mark and Jim use the anniversary of Jim’s father’s passing to explore legacy, fatherhood, and the quiet ways men leave an impact. Jim walks through a timeline of his dad’s 29,352 days on earth, overlaying major world and U.S. events with his father’s life story, and connects it all back to the Imperfect Men’s Club framework. Mark shares stories about his own 97-year-old father, the gratitude that comes from growing up poor, and the urgency of capturing our parents’ stories while we still can. Together, they reflect on...
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Episode Overview In this episode of the Imperfect Men’s Club Podcast, Mark and Jim dive into the idea of impermanence: the simple, uncomfortable truth that nothing lasts forever. From aging bodies and shifting emotions to football seasons, jobs, relationships, and AI shaking up the world, they unpack how “everything comes to an end” can be either terrifying… or freeing. They use their five-part framework (career, health, worldview, relationships, money) to explore how men can respond to constant change with awareness, humility, and a little more presence in the moment. In This...
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Episode 45 · Family Dynamics, Holidays & “More People, More Problems” In this episode of the Imperfect Men’s Club, Mark and Jim talk about the chaos, comedy, and emotional landmines of family gatherings during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. They unpack why every family is “messed up in its own special way,” how that shows up around the table, and what men can actually do about it instead of just bracing for impact. They walk through a simple framework for understanding family dynamics and layer it over real stories: aging parents, kids scattered across the country,...
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Overview In this episode, Mark and Jim dive into the neuroscience of limiting beliefs and how these old, deeply embedded mental patterns quietly steer a man’s confidence, ambition, and ability to grow. Through stories, personal revelations, and decades of lived experience, they break down why these beliefs form, why they stick, and how men can finally start replacing them with something far more empowering. This one sits right at the center of the Imperfect Men’s Club flywheel: the intersection of mental health, worldview, relationships, profession, and money. Key Themes 1. The Five...
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Episode 43: Self Discipline. A Stoic View of Imperfection Summary In this episode, Mark and Jim explore self-discipline through the lens of Stoic philosophy. They unpack five timeless rules that still hold up in a world full of distractions, dopamine hits, and excuses. The conversation spans modern habits, mental toughness, guilt, accountability, voluntary discomfort, and the deeper connection between self-awareness, self-trust, and real personal growth. The core message: self-discipline isn’t perfection. It’s the small, unglamorous, repeatable reps you keep showing up for. What We...
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Mark introduces the topic of mentorship
Jim reflects on the difference between being nice and kind. Real mentorship requires telling people things they need to hear but maybe don’t want to. He refers to some of the work Mark is doing, in part holding people accountable. Jim says showing up, prepared and consistently is huge
Mark agrees. He brings in communication and how social media and technology have revolutionized the way we communicate…and not for the better. Mark says people are confused about accountability and compassion.
Jim says it’s easier to be critical online than face to face. Mark agrees enthusiastically
Mark asks Jim to share the story that shared before the recording that prompted the topic of mentorship
Jim shares his recent encounter with a young man he’s known for 15 years and has mentored. How their interactions have evolved with some tough honesty. It started 15 years ago with a golf tournament and ended up raising #240,000,000 to rebuild three high school athletic facilities
He suggests that even the coaches need coaches. He reflects on mentoring kids for the last Beelzebub’s and the last whistle. How important sports are for teaching kids about life. He’s now able to see kids from 15 years ago become men. Mark marvels at Jim’s impact
Jim reflects on the political components of his mentorship and also that anyone can do anything they want in this country if they learn how to compete
Mark reflects on his feeling of obligation to be kind in the moment when you encounter anyone. That a small gesture or comment can change someone’s life
Jim agrees and reminds us this holds true for people closest to us as well. Jim says its the mans job to step up and be the bad guy. He asks Mark about this in the context of his divorce
Mark talks about disagreeing kindly with his daughters and how that increases their respect for him. He says “no” is one of the most important words a parent can use for 16 or so years:)
Jim brings up another quote, “I’d rather be feared than liked” and then he adds the context what is meant by the word “feared”
Mark shares the origin of “being feared” in his opinion…the Bible
Jim agrees and then contextualizes his spirituality
Mark attributes a saying to Jordan Peterson about living by the Ten Commandments even without believing in God
Mark reflects on his current client and how he works closely with people personally. In doing so he’s uncovered how many things that young people don’t know and how important sharing wisdom while mentoring them
Jim agrees and adds that this I also exaggerated by how much information is coming at us today versus years ago. So much info coming SO fast
Mark explains how he vets things in the current noisy environment
Jim brings up the recent presidential debate…can you blame them (the young) for being confused
Mark says he hopes it will wake people up who have been swallowing the nonsense from “whoever you are” and start to questions those in power
Jim piles on and Mark says “If you didn’t see that for what it was, shame on you”
He asks Jim again to tell his story about the young man he recently met with to reset their relationship with candor. He identifies with this young man’s full plate, but also how capable he is. They met for dinner to address their relationship. Jim used our wheel and brought up being your best self. He shares details about his students responsibilities and challenges. He was kind and not nice. Jim shares his recognition about getting older and “running out of time” and how his program is now beginning to bring in even younger kids and it’s really working…now with 15 years of evidence
Mark observes that this approach has ripple effects
Jim is appreciative of Mark’s perspective, in particular, the families of these young kids
He then brings up his annual cookouts at his house and how they haven’t missed one in 15 years and how the kids benefit from this shrining example of consistency and continuity
Jim then reflects on growing up where he did and with whom he did and how it shaped his work ethic and his own approach to showing up
Mark shares hi story about his son coming out of addiction, blossoming and the notion of him being a role model. The importance of modeling in mentorship
Jim gets clear on how important it is to have an agent. Everybody needs one to see things they can’t
Jim reflects on when he and Mark first met to map the IMC plan out. He mentions
The guys reflect o a program they both participated in over the weekend and the phrase “don’t die with your music inside you” and how we have an obligation to share what we know
The guys are building a program and it isn’t quite done yet, but it will definitely be some wisdom shared for a price
Our service will be essentially customizing our experience and wisdom to help men lead better lives