Self Identity - It's Hard To Look In The Mirror
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of self identity The guys joke about their lack of Biblical knowledge around God’s statement to Moses “I am who I am” Jim refers to a podcast he heard that mentioned the we’re never ready and you just have to face your fears Mark reflects on his career and how he speaks with everyone he helps about their self identity. It’s the most important part of his work. You have to be able to tell your own story. He thinks most people cannot tell their own story. Jim agrees Mark reads the definition of self identity Mark reflects on the 1000’s of people he’s...
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Reinventing Yourself At Any Age - How To Be Clever About It
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of reinventing yourself in the context of a personal brand. Both guys have been working on their brands. Jim is finishing up a formal effort with his brand Mark puts his career up as a reinvention experience Jim shares his view of how stories and brands have evolved over time and explains why he has made his recent investment of time and money working out his brand and messaging. Contextually he explains this journey as one with three parts. The past, present and future. He talks about the work and the advisor he hired. He brings our 5 key areas of life framework Mark...
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Worldview: Politics, Perspectives & People Who Still Talk to Each Other
Imperfect Mens Club
“You cannot kill a thought. It needs to die of old age or natural causes” Mark introduces the topic of worldview and the different belief systems we all have…and where we get them Jim adds the influence of the political distress specifically in LA and brings in the flywheel Mark clarifies the politics of it all and both guys laugh at how everything is about politics Jim says most of us don’t like to have our belief systems challenged, but agree it’s important to do so Mark reads Jim’s 5w’s assessment…What, why, where, when and who Jim brings up self awareness and Mark agrees...
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Trump Derangement Syndrome And The 10 Commandments
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic by reading the definition and symptoms As much as the guys believe it to be real, it’s also funny Jim asks Mark what “Psychic pathology” means and he takes a shot Jim shares his opinion about friends and family that seem to struggle with this Jim talks about his mom. She exhibits physical manifestations Mark thinks this physical reaction indicates a pretty severe condition Jim calls it impulsive Mark calls Trump insensitive and crass. He’s a fighter and not a politician Mark talks about one friend who is very smart, but can’t remain objective when Trump’s...
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90% Of Life Is Just Showing Up
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic and frames it in the context of his recent experience with having a plumber show up at his home to do some work He shares how gratitude plays a part in the discussion. He expresses a concern that the topic is so rich that staying on topic might be tough Jim reflects on the story Mark has already told him Jim expands on the “Showing up” concept Jim shares his perspective having been a tradesman and having gone into many homes and being treated poorly, more often than not. He applauds Marks treatment of the plumber Jim expands on the notion of appreciation and gives...
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The Disingenuous Epidemic - Cowards, Clowns, and Characters
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of disingenuous people. Both guys have had recent experiences with people who were being disingenuous. Mark asks whether he thinks people are born this way or do become this way based on environment or circumstance. Jim says he’s been using that word more often lately Mark reads the legal definition of the word Jim shares his definition. He clarifies the nuance of this activity being intentional Mark says there are different levels of it, but that some people are just stupid Jim shares his recent encounter with a disingenuous neighbor Deception from the get go. Jim...
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How A Simple Framework Can Help Us Communicate With Candor And Clarity
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark brings up the topic of communication in the context of self talk and self reflection Then he shares a framework Jim brought that he uses for communication. The triple A method Assumptions/Agreement/Action Mark is a fan Jim brings up a favorite quote of his - “The most important conversation you’ll ever have is the conversation you have with yourself”…and that’s a crazy person Mark shares his self talk routine Jim - simply…you have to turn the channel He shares how his mind works. He finds or creates tools to help him. That’s where this AAA framework came from. He uses it to...
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Personal Stories Of Neurodivergence - The Ability To Think Different
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the guys and topic. He cites how aligned both guys are. As they enter the call they’re thinking of the same topics and thoughts Neurodivergence (See definition at the bottom of the show notes) Mark shares a call about his grandson and his current struggles which may well involve him being on the spectrum Jim shared his perspective about labels and crutches and his own story about being neurodivergent himself growing up Jim’s perspective is to reframe this label as an opportunity to think of things differently Neither guy likes meds, but do agree that in some cases they can...
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Beware The "Vortex". Aging Gracefully In Relationships
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of male and female relationships. Jim had brought up the recent Bill Belichick interview with his new 24 year old girlfriend Jim covers our framework and the wheel of life. Relationships is one of the five and women is a subset of that Jim likes looking at life in increments of 10 years. Now we’re both in our 60’s and things have changed Jim brings up the Belichick interview in the context of self awareness and how he was not self aware at all Both guys lost respect for him Mark goes back to his relationship with his girlfriend and brings up how recently he...
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Confidence Isn’t a Trait, It’s a Practice
Imperfect Mens Club
Mark introduces the topic of confidence. Self-confidence The topic originated with Jim’s interest in elitism - entitlement - self-accountability - confidence In order to be self accountable, one must be confident Jim ties in the current news events and his recent book as he frames his view of confidence. Particularly sports and business He distinguishes between confidence and the competence required to be confident Jim brings up academia. See civically Harvard…and entitlements/elitism He shares the academic idea that perfection is attainable. We both support the reality of...
info_outlineMark introduces Episode 1 of Season 4 with the topic of a paradigm shift. A shift in the way the country is moving with the election of Donald Trump and the push back against “woke”
Jim introduces the wheel and worldview as a likely connection to the topic. He believes the shift is well on it’s way and we can see and hear evidence of it as more people open up post election
Jim has some examples and topics he wants to discuss
The first one is COVID
What did covid change - communication
Second is BLM/DEI. Neither were sustainable
Third is The 2024 election
4th is Artificial Intelligence
Mark grabs on to Covid and tells his COVID story. He then acknowledges that the government has been misleading us for years
He reflects on “knowing” early and has some other covid insights
He starts to love to DEI and Jim steps in with some more Covid
“It wasn’t Covid, it was the government’s response to Covid”. Now we have data. It can’t be political anymore. We have data. He gives the politicians some credit, but says it quickly evolved into an abuse of power. He cites some Blue governors that developed into this grander mistrust of government
Next Mark goes hard at BLM/DEI. He shares his inside insights from inside talent acquisition and his disdain for DEI. Mark gets a little hot
Jim says it’s become math. A paradigm shift and more loss of trust
Jim says it’s way beyond government. CEO’s sucked up to them
Mark’s insulted with the hypocrisy
Jim cites the Harvard president and other academics who got booted
Mark thinks it was like dominoes. Maybe Covid was the first domino…but once it fell…. Mark goes off again on how people who were silent are now talking. It’s both frustrating and liberating. He thinks it’s progress
Jim talks about collusion with the tech companies. Information/disinformation. He cites Matt Taibi and some other brave souls who spoke out. Mark says they’re heroes. It was like the Salem Witch Hunt
Jim shares some of the other major issues we were lied to about
Jim gives Mark credit for “It’s always about politics” and then gets deeper into the lying
Mark wants to know when things begin to unravel, how people explain themselves. Jim says it’s happening already. Canada, Germany and Italy
Mark says everyone was waiting for the US to move first. Now we have…and the dominoes are falling. Mark’s a bit confused. New info, new data…where’s it all going? It’s crazy
Jim brings up the fire in CA - it’s personal because Jim has relatives living there and he had other family lose property in the Oakland fire. Mark acknowledges his daughters experience in Asheville
Jim’s relatives are safe. Jim says we don’t know yet. The trickle down…homes, schools, futures??
Mark wants to blame Newsome, but says we don’t know enough yet
Mark thinks maybe we should question everything more. More rigorous challenges of statements
Jim thinks the amount of information we receive now changes the demands on our thinking and how we process information
Mark agrees but says we still need the rigor…it’s just harder
Jim says we won’t ever trust the media and the politicians again
Mark observes the behavior of the Left. Those who want to get in Trumps’ way or become his best friend. Watching people become who they really are…fascinating
Jim shares his opinion about people in power who jump to a new team just to survive
Mark distinguishes between those who change with reason and those who simply shift with the wind…fuck those people
Jim brings Mark Zuckerberg back into the discussion to observe how people can change. More experience as a human and as an owner
Mark talks about his experience with technologists - pretentious and a bit better than thou…holier than thou
Laws for you and not for me
Mark ends with “I’m thoroughly confused but optimistic”
Happy New Year!!