Zenon Duda (Part 3): The Matrix, Mentors, and the Architecture of the Soul
Release Date: 02/09/2026
Rob Sweetman (Part 1): The Operator Syndrome, Sleep Science, and the Legacy of Navy SEAL Ryan Larkin
The Two-Promises Podcast
"They say SEAL training is the hardest training in the world... but the truth is, we're not robots." In the Season 3 premiere of this 3-part series, retired Navy SEAL Rob Sweetman joins host BD to debrief the inaugural Ryan Larkin Invitational Adventure Race (RLIAR)—a grueling 62-mile military simulation through the rugged Colorado Backcountry. Rob pulls back the curtain on the inspiration behind the race: the life, service, and tragic loss of his platoon mentor, Navy SEAL SO1 Ryan Francis Larkin. We explore how Ryan's death nearly a decade ago catalyzed Rob's life mission into Sleep Science...
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No Zero Days Team (Part 3): Hallucinations, 16-Pound Packs, and the "Desert Shuffle" – The RLIAR Final Debrief
The Two-Promises Podcast
"You don't conquer the mountain—you conquer the next ten feet." In this final series of our 3-part debrief on the Two Promises Podcast, Brent wraps up his roundtable with the No Zero Days race team (Sam Piccolotti, Sean Pechon, Matthew Anderson, and Jon Habert) following their performance in the Ryan Larkin Invitational Adventure Race (RLIAR) in the Colorado Backcountry. The crew gets brutally honest about the extreme physiological breakdown caused by heat, dehydration, and heavy packs in the backcountry. Jon Habert shares how physical exhaustion led to "audible mirages" and hearing...
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No Zero Days Team (Part 2): Lessons from the Canyon – Injury, Gear Reality Checks, and the Power of the Crew
The Two-Promises Podcast
"If your only focus is to finish, be careful—you might just end up with a t-shirt. If you aren't open and aware during the process, you miss the whole journey." In Part 2 of our 3-part debrief with the No Zero Days race team (Sam Piccolotti, Sean Pechon, Matthew Anderson, and Jon Habert), the crew offers an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at their experience during the Ryan Larkin Invitational Adventure Race (RLIAR) in the Colorado Backcountry. The team opens up about the brutal physical realities of navigating 62 miles of unforgiving alpine terrain from Montrose to Telluride....
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No Zero Days Return: Lessons from the Trail, Survival, & Brotherhood | RLIAR 2026
The Two-Promises Podcast
"This is the first event where I've ever had a 'Did Not Finish'... but looking back, we learned more about each other in the suck than anywhere else." The No Zero Days race team—Sam Piccolotti, Sean Pechon, Matthew Anderson, and Jon Habert—returns to the show following their brutal experience in the inaugural Ryan Larkin Invitational Adventure Race (RLIAR) across the rugged Colorado Backcountry. In this raw and transparent debrief, the team breaks down what really happened during their 62-mile military escape-and-evasion simulation from Montrose to Telluride. From pyrotechnic starts...
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Full Send: Hard Targets – Navy SEAL Juan "Gonzo" Gonzalez on Situational Awareness, Slow Growth, and the Business of Security
The Two-Promises Podcast
What does it mean to build a life of service that seamlessly bridges the gap between elite military execution and global corporate entrepreneurship? On this Full Send we pull together the complete, uncut conversation with retired Navy SEAL, former Army Airborne medic, and founder of Eagle Eye Protection, Juan "Gonzo" Gonzalez. Gonzo walks us through his foundational upbringing as a diplomat's son traveling throughout South and Central America, a cross-cultural immersion that inadvertently gifted him with acute situational awareness and street smarts by age 15. We track his tactical...
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No Zero Days Team: Age vs. Altitude – Experience, Endurance, and the Spirit of Ryan Larkin
The Two-Promises Podcast
"When you see us old guys out there doing the same thing the young guys are doing, just know we do it in a lot more pain." In this special roundtable episode, host BD sits down with the No Zero Days race team—Sam Piccolotti, Sean Pechon, Matthew Anderson, and Jon Habert—who are currently leading the fundraising leaderboard for the upcoming Ryan Larkin Invitational Adventure Race (RLIAR) in the Colorado Backcountry. Running from June 12–14, 2026, this extreme 3-day military simulation challenge tests 10 elite teams across 62 brutal miles of untamed wilderness from Montrose to...
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Full Send: Unbreakable – Cheyenne Zoelle on Surviving Generational Trauma and Fighting a Broken System
The Two-Promises Podcast
How do you find your footing and protect your peace when you grow up in an environment where safety simply doesn't exist? On this powerful Full Send, we feature author, advocate, and future mental health therapist Cheyenne Zoelle for a complete, raw conversation about survival, systemic failure, and the ultimate triumph of human resilience. Cheyenne opens up about the chilling realities documented in her memoir, Unbreakable. She shares her unconventional path of teaching herself to read using subtitles and product labels after being abruptly pulled out of school by an addicted parent. We...
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Full Send: The Absolute Cosmic Mindset – Defeating the Supervillain Within (Feat. Joshua Salgado)
The Two-Promises Podcast
What happens when your biggest enemy isn't the high-stress environment of a combat zone, but the reflection looking back at you in the mirror? On this special Full Send Episode, us and the crew bring you the complete, uncut conversation with active-duty military loadmaster, entrepreneur, and creator of Cosmic Absolute, Joshua Salgado. Fresh off a high-tempo deployment to the Horn of Africa, Josh drops straight into the studio to unpack the psychological shift of transitioning from elite military operations back to civilian life. We explore his incredible journey overcoming severe congenital...
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Joshua Salgado (Part 3): The Inner Villain, Side Quests, and the 250-Page Milestone
The Two-Promises Podcast
"I think the supervillain attacking Joshua Salgado is Joshua Salgado." In the final chapter of our 3-part series, Air Force Loadmaster and creator Joshua Salgado gets raw about the internal battle of self-doubt and the high stakes of independent world-building. Fresh off his second deployment, Josh discusses the "Refining Fire" of military life and how it sharpened his business strategy from a broad "machine gunner" approach to a "sniper" focus. He details the massive achievement of publishing a 256-page graphic novel for free, the upcoming launch of his limited-edition indie action figures,...
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Joshua Salgado (Part 2): The Sniper Mindset – IP World-Building, Military Waivers, and Facing the Inner Villain
The Two-Promises Podcast
How do you go from a kid born with bilateral club feet to an Air Force Loadmaster and independent comic book creator? In Part 2 of this series, Joshua Salgado, host of the Absolutely Cosmic Podcast, shares his journey of relentless persistence against administrative roadblocks and his strategic pivot from "machine gunner" to "sniper" in business. Josh discusses the origin story of his 256-page graphic novel, Tales of the Galactic Wanderer, and how he uses science fiction as an allegory to process high-level military intelligence briefs and personal trauma. We dive deep into the "radioactive...
info_outline"When there is doubt, there is no doubt." In Part 3 of our series, master sculptor Zenon Duda shares the "Ronin" philosophy that guided him from a 60-year-old doctor to a student on his knees sweeping floors for a Matrix fashion designer.
Zen pulls back the curtain on the Hero's Journey, specifically the "Refusal of the Call"—that constant, nagging obstacle of car payments and broken timing chains that prevents us from reaching our peak. He recounts a powerful moment of Rebirth in Chicago, where looking at the "art-a-texture" of skyscrapers revealed the hidden legacy of every bricklayer and artisan.
We dive deep into the metaphysical: Zen shares his perspectives on reincarnation, the difference between possessing a soul and being a soul, and a unique, repetitive process to help others through the loss of a loved one. This episode is a call to Surrender the myopic "one identity" lie and give yourself permission to be complex—to be the healer, the teacher, the creator, and the revolutionary all at once.
Key Topics & Search Insights
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The Ronin Rule for Mentorship: How to use your gut instinct to differentiate between a genuine teacher and a "psycho headcase" critic.
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Earn Your Knowledge: The story of how Zen tracked down Nina Ganchi (designer for The Matrix) and offered to sweep floors to learn the craft of knitting.
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The Refusal of the Call: Understanding that the hero’s moment of hesitation isn't a one-time event, but a constant battle against life’s mundane obstacles.
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Architecture as "Art-a-Texture": A philosophical look at the Chicago skyline and the blood, sweat, and "wolf whistles" embedded in the bricks of history.
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The "Loss of a Person Assist": A tactical, repetitive psychological process to shift grief into appreciation and presence.
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Identity is Bullsh*t: Why identifying as just one thing (Doctor, Lawyer, SEAL) is a game of "ego identities" that limits our true purpose as creators.
⏱️ Episode Timestamps
01:14:42 Mentor vs. Critic: Using the Ronin philosophy—“When there’s doubt, there is no doubt.”
02:30:00 Safety Radar: Learning from the experience of being robbed to navigate disingenuous people.
04:30:00 The Matrix Sweater: Tracking down designer Nina Ganchi and the humility to sweep floors.
07:22:56 Refusal of the Call: Why the “hero's hesitation” is a daily obstacle involving car notes and taxes.
08:50:00 Fulfilled to Die: Reaching a high point in art where you feel your purpose is complete.
10:55:49 Art-a-Texture: Re-evaluating the Chicago skyline and the souls of the bricklayers.
15:28:15 The Web of Life: Why we leave a mark behind whether we have children or not.
16:30:00 Loss of a Person Assist: A repetitive process for shifting the handle on grief and loss.
19:59:06 The Death Experience: Host shares a reoccurring childhood dream of being a prisoner of war.
22:00:00 The Blank Slate Myth: Desires and fears that seem to come from “nowhere” or previous timelines.
25:00:00 Shirley MacLaine & Out on a Limb: The history of past-life discussions in Western media.
26:30:00 You ARE a Soul: The purpose of the spirit beyond identity roles and ego.
27:49:27 Man as Creator: God’s image as the fundamental purpose to create an effect on the world.
29:30:00 Permission to be Complex: Why the “one identity” notion is bogus and we play multiple roles.
About the Guest
Zenon Duda is a master sculptor, former doctor, and lifelong student of the human condition. His website, Zensculptor.com , showcases his visionary work in metal and wood. Zen’s philosophy integrates cinematic wisdom, deep craftsmanship, and metaphysical inquiry to help others "make good effect" on the world around them.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
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The Matrix Fashion Designer: Nina Ganchi
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Book Reference: Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
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Official Website: Zensculptor.com
You are not a job title. You are a creator meant to leave a mark on the web of life. Zen reminds us that the only way to find a true mentor is to "earn it"—and the only way to find yourself is to give yourself permission to be everything at once.
Take Action Today:
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Seek Center: Use the "Loss Assist" mindset to find one thing today that doesn't remind you of your past failures.
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Sweep the Floors: Find the master of a craft you admire and ask how you can be of service to them.
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Spread the Light: If this metaphysical deep dive challenged your perspective, share it with someone who is struggling with their identity.
▶️ What's Next?
This is Part 3 of 4. In the Final Episode, Zen reveals the secret to "Metamorphosis" and how he moves multi-ton steel sculptures with nothing but a crowbar and a prayer. Subscribe and hit the bell for the conclusion!
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