Reinventing Yourself At Any Age - How To Be Clever About It
Release Date: 06/20/2025
Self Discipline - A Stoic View of Imperfection
Imperfect Mens Club
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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Self-Projection, Narcissism & Radical Accountability
Imperfect Mens Club
Short Episode Description In this episode, Mark and Jim unpack self-projection: how it shows up consciously and unconsciously, how it damages relationships, and what radical accountability actually looks like in real life. They explore narcissistic patterns, the difference between healthy self-presentation and fake personas, and why the simple act of pausing might be one of the most powerful tools you have. Along the way, Mark shares hard-won lessons from a deeply toxic relationship and how he rebuilt his emotional maturity in the years that followed. Episode Summary Mark and Jim start from...
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Why 2025 Could Be the Most Consequential Year of Our Lifetime
Imperfect Mens Club
Episode Overview In this episode, Mark and Jim zoom out to the worldview arena of the Imperfect Men’s Club framework and connect four generations, American innovation, AI, capitalism, and historical cycles into one big through-line. The jumping-off point is Jim’s recent trip with his 85-year-old mom to meet his new granddaughter. That experience, paired with a talk he watched about 2025 being a “tipping point year,” sparked a conversation about why history really does repeat itself in 25- and 80-year patterns, how America’s unique mix of freedom and capitalism unlocks innovation, and...
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"I'm Not Good Enough" The Origins And Impact Of Self Limiting Beliefs
Imperfect Mens Club
Episode Summary Mark and Jim dive into the belief that quietly caps potential: “I’m not good enough.” They trace where it starts (childhood messages, school systems, fear, past misses) and how it shows up in adult life: promotions we never ask for, relationships we avoid, work we don’t share, skills we won’t try. Along the way: stories from recruiting, entrepreneurship, parenting after divorce, and reframing regret as proof you care. The Conversation Explores What a self-limiting belief system is Thoughts that feel like facts, internalized from fear, old messages, or past...
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Introspection Without the Spiral: 5 Moves to Get Unstuck
Imperfect Mens Club
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Reframing The Differences Between Men And Women
Imperfect Mens Club
Summary Mark and Jim dive into the “relationships” spoke of the wheel, using a simple moment in a tire shop to unpack a bigger idea: reframing. From there they explore the difference between loving and longing, how past relationships shape current ones, what men and women tend to seek at different life stages, and why self-awareness is the only way any of this works. Mark shares hard-won perspective as a single dad of two daughters and a son; Jim brings a long-married vantage point and a field report from that fish-tank-by-the-waiting-room conversation. The conversation explores...
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Self-Discipline, Routines, and the Quiet Power of Consistency
Imperfect Mens Club
Summary Mark and Jim dig into self-discipline as a daily practice, not a personality trait. They walk through their real-world morning and evening routines, how gratitude and breathwork change your state, why partnerships create accountability, and how three tightly chosen priorities per day compound into a better year. Practical, free, and doable. The conversation explores: What self-discipline actually is: controlling impulses and short-term urges to align with long-term values and intentions, built through practice and simple systems. Morning routines that stick: hydration, oil pulling,...
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Are You A Leader Or Simply In A Position Of Authority?
Imperfect Mens Club
Quick Summary Mark and Jim unpack leadership through the lens of “seasons.” Drawing on John Maxwell’s idea that everyone has a book inside them, they explore how winter, spring, summer, and fall map to personal growth, responsibility, and impact. They also get candid about humility, credibility, and why leadership is more than holding a title—it’s taking responsibility for the well-being of other people. The conversation explores Leadership ≠ Title: The difference between positions of authority and true leadership that models behavior, brings clarity, and takes responsibility for...
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Civil Discourse In A Divided World
Imperfect Mens Club
In this episode of the Imperfect Men’s Club Podcast, Mark Aylward and Jim Gurulé dive into the lost art of civil discourse—why it matters, how we’ve strayed from it, and what it takes to bring it back into everyday life. The conversation explores: Why civil discourse is more than politeness Civil discourse goes beyond surface-level politeness or avoiding conflict. It’s about creating space for real dialogue that expands knowledge, challenges assumptions, and strengthens community. Mark and Jim unpack why this practice is critical for healthy democracies, strong relationships,...
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“Do It Anyway” - The Key To Mining Your Own Personal Gold
Imperfect Mens Club
Short Description Mark and Jim unpack “self-alchemy”—turning your life’s raw materials (skills, reps, scars, notes, half-finished ideas) into something valuable. They connect it to the IMC wheel (Profession, Relationships, Money, Health/Well-Being, Worldview), talk about aligning work with values, and make the case for creating consistently despite criticism, delays, or imperfect outcomes. AI shows up not as artificial intelligence but as amplified intelligence that helps curate and ship your life’s work. The refrain: Do it anyway. What We Cover Self-Alchemy defined:...
info_outlineMark 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 brings up his method of developing his client relationships and the piece of that work that is their STORY. He says people can tell you what they do, but they struggle with who they are. He calls it self awareness and self assessment. He thinks most people don’t do this work because it’s hard
Jim shares his opinion on the value of using frameworks. He is following the structure of the LinkedIn profile and he begins to share the progress he’s making with his profile and all the messaging he has updated
Mark suggests pretending you’re going on an interview and have that conversation with yourself. Both guys share their opinions on their LinkedIn profiles starting with the headline.
Mark comments on the power of the visual imagery. Picture, smile, background, etc…. Jim agrees. Mark then says he looks for “what can this person do for me?” Mark shares more of his methodology and going “5 levels deep”.
He shares how emotional these conversations can be. Jim continues to share details of his profile updates. Both guys talk about how podcasting should be advertised and promoted more in their profiles. Mark asks Jim why he decided to invest time and money now
Jim tried it on his own and he needed the objectivity and accountability of a third party. He’s very happy with his deal and shares a bit about how they work together.
One of his biggest challenges is the number of different things he does. Jim talks about the power of words. Common language. Mark talks about his frame of reference and the importance of authenticity, being concise and being clear.
He tells about how hard this story messaging exercise is. Jim says the branding exercise also supports volunteer work as well as income driving work. Jim then shares his “about” section.
Both guys talk about the reality that this is a living piece of content, to be polished with some consistency over time.
Mark talks more about the integration of personal development with his professional self. Jim shares this as being one of the driving factors of starting the podcast. He shares more about his ideal prospects and how he is, for the first time, talking about how his dyslexic brain works to his advantage.
Mark talks more about his work. This idea that people limit and restrict themselves and his work is all about taking people deeper into areas that are less obvious to them. Frameworks and differentiation.
More self awareness talk and the framework. Mark repeats his fondness for clarity and authenticity. The guys disagree a bit about who to seek advice from. Mark adds context to his response.
He shares his “superpower” exercise and recommends it to everyone