Purpose Pro Podcast

The Purpose Pro Podcast connects you to your unique design and purpose while providing simple and effective ways to lead yourself and others well. This is your path toward embracing your potential and maximizing your impact!

Season 6, Episode 11 - Failing Forward: The value of failure in personal growth 06/26/2025

Season 6, Episode 11 - Failing Forward: The value of failure in personal growth Episode Summary In this episode of the PurposePro Podcast, Priya tackles one of the hardest but most powerful lessons we all face: the value of failure. From missed opportunities and bad grades to moments of rejection and regret, we unpack how setbacks can actually fuel growth—if you let them. Why does failing feel so personal, especially for Gen Z? And how can we move from shame to self-compassion, turning losses into lessons? With insights from experts and real stories from Catalyst Collective’s own Joe Elliott, we explore what it really means to “fail forward”—and why it might be the secret to becoming your strongest, truest self. Key Takeaways What We Cover: The true meaning of “failing forward”—learning from failure instead of letting it define you Why perfectionism and social media make failure feel harder for Gen Z How schools and mentors can help create “safe spaces” for mistakes The science behind how failure builds grit, creativity, and self-awareness Tips for reframing failure, practicing self-compassion, and bouncing back stronger Expert Insight Psychologists and educators agree: failure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of resilience, self-discovery, and real growth. According to Angela Duckworth, “perseverance in the face of failure matters more than talent.” Sharing and normalizing our failures can help build a culture where progress is more important than perfection. “Failing forward means letting your mistakes push you to grow, not hold you back in shame.” A core message explored in this episode. Further Reading & Resources Join the Conversation How have you learned from failure? Share your story on Instagram or TikTok using #PurposeProPodcast, or tag @PurposeProPod to be featured in a future episode. This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only. If you’re struggling with failure or self-worth, consider reaching out to a trusted mentor or mental health professional. /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/37162600

Season 6, Episode 10 - The Science Behind Mental Health 06/09/2025

How Gaming Can Positively Impact Youth Mental Health 09/02/2024

The Challenges & Rewards of Mentoring At-Risk Youth 09/02/2024

How Teens (and Adults) Find Their Unique Design and Purpose 06/12/2024

The Impact of Music on Mental Health with Emily Chandler 05/29/2024

How to Handle Break Ups with Dr. Helen Hsu 05/14/2024

Living Life with Bipolar Disorder 10/13/2023

The Psychological Impact of Body Images in the Media with Dr. Len Newman 10/06/2023

Diving Deeper into BDD with Dr. Cynthia van Golen 09/29/2023

Diving Deeper into BDD with Dr. Cynthia van Golen Are you a teenager that constantly picks at specific parts of your body appearance you don't like? Are you constantly flooded with negative comments? Then you may want too look into BDD. Body Dysmorphic Disorder is the constant obsession with body image and the continual worry about flaws and how others perceive your opinions. In this episode we have a guest, Dr.Cynthia Van Golen a professor of neuroscience at the University of Delaware. We will go over the factors that play a role in BDD, the symptoms, the effects in behavior as well as go over questions you may have. Body dysmorphia and the feelings along with it can affect lives. Hiding, feeling ashamed, embarrassed, can happen one day and the another day you are basically being eaten alive by negative self comments. Covering yourself, going to extreme lengths to hide yourself, constantly picking at yourself wishing you could look different. The list of the thoughts that go around in patients diagnosed with BDD is endless. People have negative thoughts which leads to depression, suicidal thoughts and more. This can be caused by a variety of reasons whether it may be the environment all the way to childhood drama. And many more factors. So how can we help those who are diagnosed? Today we will answer this question with Dr.Cynthia Van Golen Dr.Cynthia Van Golen is a professor of neuroscience at Delaware State It is vital to create a safe environment, make them feel comfortable and most importantly to be in a complete judge free zone. Letting an individual open up is the first step in getting better. Once that is established, help is the next step. There are different treatments whether it may be therapy or medication or sometimes both. How would I even know if someone is diagnosed? What do I look for? To dive into these answers check out this episode on BDD with our guest speaker Dr.Cynthia Van Golen for more. Join me on my next episode on how social media pictures affect teenagers where we can dive into the main root of this arising BDD problem Lastly, email me at for questions you would like answered or any concerns! Highlighted quotes: “BDD is a gradual increase from an obsession of their appearance to the point it's affecting school, work, etc.” “BDD and OCD have a very similar incidence.” “This isn't ego, this isn't self absorption, there are changes that actually occur in the brain with people with BDD meaning this is a true illness.” “If this is something you are facing, get help and do not feel alone.” /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/28022679

Body Dysmorphia: Lily’s Story 09/22/2023

The Search for Purpose with 7th & 8th Graders 05/05/2023

The Search for Purpose with 5th & 6th Graders 04/28/2023

The Tough First Year of Marriage and Business with Aaron & Olivia Alba 02/14/2023

The Tough First Year of Marriage and Business with Aaron & Olivia Alba Marriage is a lot like business. Some days you're on top of the world, and laughs and successes abound at every turn… Then another, you're angry and ready to give up due to a joke that went too far or a day that didn't go quite right. Or some days, your spouse is staring at you, trying to cram that one last suitcase into the car before you are off on that road trip… Then others, you wish you were left behind at the office or home altogether. Or… The list could go on. Because whether we like it or not, relationships are messy, and life NEVER goes quite how we plan it out to. People fail, our ideas don't pan out, those peaceful meetings turn into fights, we lose money, and we might end up sleeping on the couch. It happens to everyone. And I mean everyone. So how do we gather enough to weather through the tough days and push through to the days that bear fruit? Whether that be the white picket fence with little ones running around or having that thriving organization living out our wildest dreams. Well, for Season 5's finale, we have a drive-in double feature on both with a special treat. Our cohost Aaron Alba has talked a lot about hilariously bad ideas or balancing passions and work. But today, we dive through the business - marriage parallels with his favorite guest he's maybe ever had, his wife, Olivia! Aaron and Olivia had just made it through their first year of marriage right around the time of this filming. Ironically, both had also stepped out to start their own businesses. With so many difficult days behind them and ahead, our lead Joe and previous guest Tyler take Aaron and Olivia through the gauntlet. How did their first year of marriage compare to "unsuccessfully" launching businesses? What strategies did they use to lean into and onto each other instead of away? How do you balance a full plate of responsibilities, strengths, and weaknesses while also trying to continue to choose each other? Even when it's next to "impossible." To dive into these answers and maybe get reminded of your own first year of marriage or business, check out the episode and laugh obnoxiously with us! Afterward, please leave a review with us and let Aaron and Olivia know how fun it was to avoid hurdles of your own from what has to be the wildest first year of marriage we've heard of! And PS, From our team to you, thank you for riding along with us these first 5 seasons. We so truly appreciate each and every one of you! We have had a blast and cannot wait for what's to come! Quotes and Highlights from the Episode -" You think you are doing the right thing, and then you realize you're not." -Aaron Alba -" We're in this for the long haul." -Aaron Alba "It is healthy to talk about most things, but it's not healthy to talk about everything." -Olivia Alba 19:00-"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but the best way to get over that -"Sometimes the simplest, most effective things are the simplest, most effective things." -Coach Mark Rogers -"Listen more and talk less." - Aaron Alba -"I wouldn't tell him what was wrong, I would just be irritable. (Listen more, speak more)" -Olivia Alba -"Sometimes the best way to step into your passion is to slow down and be honest and be vulnerable." - Aaron Alba -"The idea of excellence was more important than actually being excellent." -Aaron Alba -"When you romanticize or idolize perfection for yourself it puts unhealthy expectations on other people." - Aaron Alba "Why are you expecting 30 year results in year 1?" -Eric Mejia "To get there is going to take longer than you anticipated." -Joe Elliott -"Trying to lead a sheep with legs only on one half of its body." -Olivia Alba -"It's not about being right anymore." -Olivia Alba -"In business, be Olivia … Be the person that says I'm gonna work my butt off and I'm not gonna figure it out today, and probably not tomorrow, but I know I'm going to get there." -Aaron Alba "It's really easy to look at [your spouse or partner] and say, you're in my way." -Tyler Schuetze -"Either you change, adapt, and maneuver or you don't last." -Tyler Schuetze -"There is a lot of resetting … sitting down every 3 months and changing everything." -Olivia Alba -"95% of your best is still not 100%… let's pivot a little bit [for that last 5%]." -Aaron Alba -"True excellence comes from paddling water." -Aaron Alba -"We just got to do today well." -Joe Elliott Links -Follow along with Olivia’s hair business journey at @LivForHair on Instagram. -Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-alba-b9931811b! -Take our Purpose Quiz at PurposePro.Org to help you tap into being a better spouse and business owner! /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/25920837

Balancing Life, Work & Passions with Author, Tyler Schuetze 01/04/2023

Balancing Life, Work & Passions with Author, Tyler Schuetze You made it. The spouse, the house, and the kids. Your career is beginning to take off, and you are working hard, and it feels good. But not great… Something is just not there. You have a bad taste in your mouth, or there's a yearning for more. That is what we call a passion deferred. Anyone with a pipe dream, a brilliant business idea, or that big passionate pursuit will one day find themselves facing a loaded schedule and needing more time to flex those muscles. All kinds of obstacles or fears can get in the way; and eventually, after a few years, we tuck it away into a box in our closet to be forgotten about. It is something we often feel but rarely ever talk about or address head-on. Running in circles and working overtime does not end each week with your creativity and passion cup being full. But does it even matter to get back to filling that? What kind of impact does that have on us? How do we get back into the rhythm of what we use to call our passion? Is it possible to find time to balance or integrate it all? The answer is yes. And a great example of who lived this out is our guest on our penultimate episode of Season 5! EV startup leader, self-published author, and full-fledged creative Tyle Schuetze went from working 60+ hours a week at Tesla to writing a book while working 60+ hours a week at Tesla. He breaks down his methodology and his WHY in tandem with our cohost Aaron's story of doing the same while working four jobs and also releasing music. The challenge during the journey is not impossible, and it might feel like you are close to burning out and will never get there, but YOU CAN. Just start. First, by checking out this episode. Second, by partnering alongside a Purpose Pro guide today to get back on track for your passions. Your family and friends will thank you. But so will that inner you, that part of you that knows that dream isn't just a dream; it's today. Quotes and Highlights from the Episode -" Do I choose life, poverty, and passions or do I have the basic necessities?" -Tyler Schuetze -" You only have so much capacity each day." -Tyler Schuetze -" It's Important that we do things to keep that flame alive in some way shape or form. We stay engaged with that passion." -Joe Elliott -" Hey man, I finished half of a book." -Tyler Schuetze -" I think a lot of the time, it's easy to get caught up in the what instead of the why." -Tyler Schuetze -"If you use the fire and the funds from your work, you're gonna make the best stuff you've ever made in your life." -Aaron Alba -"If you're not willing to make those sacrifices and bleed over this, then it isn't your passion anyways. It's a cute idea better than your full time work" -Joe Elliott -" You really don't need more money all the time, you need reps." -Tyler Schuetze -" Are you willing to run the marathon here?" -Joe Elliott -" You have to." -Tyler Schuetze -"Maybe you're the obstacle." -Joe Elliott -" You gotta have a tribe to support you, and if you don't have that, then you haven't met that tribe yet." -Joe Elliott Links -Start processing your passions at -Check out Jude Barclay’s music and videos on YouTube here -Get a copy of Tyler’s book, The Awkward List on Amazon now at -Check out Aaron Alba’s music on Spotify or Apple Music or follow him on Instagram at @AaronCAlba /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/25492782

Building a Winning Culture with Entrepreneur and Head Coach, Mark Rogers 12/14/2022

Building a Winning Culture with Entrepreneur and Head Coach, Mark Rogers We live in a day and age where a small number of imaginary stars can bolster or kill your business. It can bring a brand new restaurant owner to have a "batten down the hatches" approach weeks after opening because the reviews and the food are just that good. Like lines out the door at 7 am, good. Or, a business could be one rude manager moment away from being virtually canceled with floods of "I wish I could give 0 stars!!" Stepping into that mountain of worry and trying to keep that from happening is difficult enough, but building traction for good reviews is even more difficult. In the face of that, imagine not just securing 500 positive reviews but 500 reviews that lead to an average of '5 Stars' at multiple locations. Well, that's Mark Rogers for you. Our guest on today's episode was one of the key founders of the aforementioned award-winning gym Austin Simply Fit. His recipe for success did not just stop there; however, he had the heart to impact football players of varied ages who might have needed a second shot. So, he helped start and is the head coach for the Leander Wolfpack, a championship-winning semi-pro football team. Mark's humble and wise approach to leadership and coaching has led to many trophies and medals for his gyms, teams, coaches, and players. His straightforward style can be boiled down to doing things right with the right people and then holding them accountable. Finding good people who can become good in their specific roles helps them and the business/team succeed. Here is that in Mark's words: Top 2 Things to Look For in People (Mark's Secret to Success) Responsibility (availability is your best ability) Coachability (people can almost pretend to be coachable) Today's episode is full of more simple and quotable lessons like this. So click play and get ready to be hoisting your trophy with your team in no time. The podium isn't that far! After listening, if you want to learn how to become a coach (mentor) yourself, head to PurposePro.Org /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/25025379

Disrupting the Teen Mentoring Industry 11/09/2022

Disrupting the Teen Mentoring Industry Raise your hand if you ever had a mentor that changed your life. And I mean really got into the weeds with you and helped you realize your worth. If you are one of the lucky people to say yes to that with your hand up, then you are in a much smaller group than you might realize. Now watch that group get smaller. Raise your other hand if you have taken the time to mentor a teen in need. If you are like most people, you will probably only have one or no hands up at all. It is a tough pill to swallow, grasping that we live in such an interconnected world where mentorship is a fun buzzword that is, more often than not, foreign to us. Tragically, we are in a time where the next generation needs us to awkwardly have both of our hands up, high-fiving ourselves reading this. In recent years, any parent or family member knows of or has heard of a tragedy, mental illness, or stressor that teens today have gone through. With the recent pandemic, shutdown, the explosion of comparison culture on social media, and much more, teens are now going through more than ever. With that, it makes three core questions more difficult to decipher and answer, leading to three of the most significant issues teens face today. 3 Core Hurts and Needs of Teens They do not have a connection to their identity → Who am I? They do not have a connection to their purpose → Why am I here? They do not have a connection to their sense of belonging → Where do I fit in? So many programs around the country have fought to help teens answer these questions without getting too lost or hurt in the process. Unfortunately, all of the largest teen mentoring organizations combined still only impact 1% of teens in America. But we can do better. They need us to do better. Building a mentor model that is scalable and sustainable is something the next generation is yearning for, as you probably did too. With that, after decades of varied experience in the non-profit, corporate, and church world, our team has built a model that we believe can disrupt the teen mentoring industry. And while we don't think we have the silver bullet, we do believe that we are offering a different version of mentoring that is more efficient and effective. Court systems, educators in classrooms, college sports teams, local businesses, and so many more have all experienced and been impacted by the Purpose Project. Currently, we are on track to reach 10,000 students in the next three years. That will make us the biggest mentoring program in the state of Texas. And all of that happens inside of a mentoring model that only takes 1 hour a week, for 6 weeks. How, you might ask? It's also the only thing standing in the way of the next generation of teens finding purpose and belonging. You! Your choice of whether or not to get involved. With our limited, part-time staff of 7 people, we have had the honor and privilege of partnering with hundreds of mentors already, and we know that with you, that's only the beginning. So check out today’s episode and find out how you can help alter a teen’s life in just 6 hours. After, if you’re curious and want to find out more? Go through the Purpose Project yourself or sign up to become a certified guide and mentor at . We cannot wait to see how the life of a teen is going to change by your impact. And neither can they! /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/24948207

Stupid Simple Marketing Principles with CEO Nick Alter 11/02/2022

From Couch to Candidacy with Retired Veteran, David McDonald 10/26/2022

From Couch to Candidacy with Retired Veteran, David McDonald Imagine the city you live in right now running out of water. And I mean just plain out of it. At first, it's a comical yet worrisome thought, right? What would you drink? How would you shower? What would you swim in? The list goes on. Now let's say you could do something to work against that or even prevent it. Where would you start? Or How? Or even would you? This simple question sparked a sense of service and care in this week's guest, former police officer and veteran, David McDonald. David spent decades of his life serving how he knew best, whether in Desert Storm, deep in the communities of Austin, and now, he's set his sights on something even closer to home. With his response to that water question being, "Yes, now how do I get involved?" He decided to try to join his city's council to make a difference. And he did just that by knocking on hundreds of doors campaigning for a position without pay, going on to win his runoff, and getting himself elected to since the time of this filming. He did all that while serving in marriage ministry alongside his wife and mentoring local youth as a certified Purpose Pro mentor and guide. David is a prime example of a value highlighted here by one of our co-hosts in this episode: You can do so much more with the 5 miles around your house than the 500 miles. Where your arms can reach is who you can most easily touch and impact. David got off his couch in retirement and chose to do more than he was asked by impacting teens, marriages, and his city in the process. All because someone asked him, what if we don't have water? Which led to: What if you can change that? What if you can impact this marriage? Or this teen? How could that change the trajectory of their life? Maybe all of that starts with clicking play on this episode, and then taking that inspiration even further by investing in the life of a teen just down the road from you. So go listen and then head over to PurposePro.Org to find out how you can be a certified Purpose Pro Certified Guide! /episode/index/show/purposepropodcast/id/24799458