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: Inner transformation using your “base metals” (experiences, frameworks, drafts) to produce your version of “gold.”
-
The IMC Wheel & the Self: Self-awareness → self-evaluation → self-alignment → self-activation across the five arenas of life.
-
Curation over chaos: Organizing years of assets into frameworks, priority, and sequence so they actually help people.
-
AI as Amplified Intelligence: A second brain that remembers, structures, and accelerates your work.
-
Frameworks that ship: “Capture → Create → Collaborate” as a practical pattern for getting ideas into the world.
-
Do It Anyway: Drawing on the “Do it anyway” poem (often attributed in popular culture to Mother Teresa’s wall; originally by Kent M. Keith), the guys stress showing up regardless of judgment, jealousy, or slow results.
-
Two real stories:
-
Jim’s decade-long patent journey—risk, doubt, and finally momentum.
-
Mark’s lunch with a 55-year-old exec whose confidence was rebuilt in one conversation—and the ripple effect that follows.
-
Key Takeaways
-
Your gold already exists in your notes, habits, reps, and history; the hard part is mining and refining it.
-
Curation > accumulation: Put your work in order—first step, second step, third step—then frame it so others can use it.
-
Process beats outcome: If your process is sound, outcomes arrive on their own timeline.
-
Permission is internal: You don’t need a gatekeeper to create. You probably never did.
-
Critics aren’t your coaches: “Never accept criticism from someone you wouldn’t seek advice from.”
-
Impact scales sideways: Change one person’s outlook today; the butterfly effect handles the rest.
Memorable Lines
-
“AI isn’t artificial; it’s amplified intelligence.”
-
“Do it anyway.”
-
“Frameworks make things easier to explain—and easier to understand.”
-
“First they laugh, then they criticize, then they celebrate you.”
-
“Never accept criticism from someone you wouldn’t seek advice from.”
Practical Frameworks Mentioned
-
Capture → Create → Collaborate (Jim)
-
REAL / IMC Wheel: Centered on Self, applied across Profession, Relationships, Money, Health/Well-Being, Worldview
-
Curation Moves: Order (1-2-3), Priority (what matters most), Framing (how it’s delivered)
Try This This Week
-
Inventory your “base metals.” Make a one-page list of your assets: experiences, wins/losses, notes, talks, posts, client results.
-
Choose one framework. Map your list into Capture → Create → Collaborate. What’s captured? What will you create next? With whom will you collaborate?
-
Publish something small. A 200-word post that teaches one lesson you already know. Do it anyway.
Call to Action
If this resonated, leave a 4–5★ review on Apple Podcasts and drop one line about what helped you most—it truly helps other men find the show.
Subscribe, share with a friend who’s “mining his gold,” and tag us with what you’re curating this week.
Episode Tags
Self-Alchemy, Confidence, Curation, Frameworks, AI/Amplified Intelligence, Purpose, Resilience, Leadership, Career Transitions, IMC Wheel