Achieve Peak Performance by Learning to Shift the Gears of Your Mind

George Washington is perhaps the most familiar figure in American history. But most people really only know the image of him they see in marble statues and patriotic paintings. Behind those symbols was a real man: ambitious, self-taught, intensely concerned with honor, and constantly wrestling with the immense responsibilities history placed on his shoulders.In celebration of America's 250th birthday, we're taking an extended look at the life of the man more responsible than anyone else for the nation's founding. Here to unpack that life for us is H.W. Brands, a historian and the author of a new biography of Washington, American Patriarch. Brands traces Washington's journey from a young Virginia surveyor to military commander, founding father, and first president. Along the way, we discuss how Washington's upbringing shaped his character, why he became a surprisingly effective military leader despite losing more battles than he won, how he held together a fragile revolutionary army, how he shaped the presidency through the precedents he set, and whether a leader like Washington could still succeed today.Resources Related to the PodcastH.W.'s previous appearances on the AoM podcast:Episode #696: Theodore Roosevelt, The Last RomanticEpisode #908: Would You Have Been a Patriot or a Loyalist?AoM Podcast #223: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and Valiant AmbitionAoM Podcast #366: Teach Yourself Like George WashingtonAoM Podcast #719: The Surprising Pessimism of America’s Founding FathersAoM Article: George Washington’s Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and ConversationConnect With H.W. BrandsH.W. on SubstackH.W.’s faculty page 00:00 Introduction01:53 About the book American Patriarch03:03 Washington's childhood & Virginia gentry upbringing06:54 Self-education, surveying, and early ambition11:47 First military mission to the Ohio country17:11 The French and Indian War & Washington's baptism under fire24:44 Washington marries Martha Custis33:57 Washington takes command of the Continental Army40:17 Military strategy: how Washington won by not losing46:41 Holding the army together at Valley Forge55:57 Washington as first president & setting precedents1:09:56 The Farewell Address & legacy1:10:15 What Washington teaches us today See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The modern idea of retirement was built on a bet that turned out to be wrong. It assumed people would spend most of their lives working and only a relatively short period of time retired. Instead, many Americans now reach 65 healthy, active, and with an entire third of their life ahead of them. Yet we're still using a retirement model designed for a world in which old age was shorter and fewer people expected decades of life after leaving the workforce.My guest says that outdated assumption creates some unfortunate unintended consequences. It causes people to stress excessively about money, postpone meaningful experiences with family and friends, and sometimes sacrifice the very things that make life worth living in the first place. He argues that by rethinking retirement — not necessarily eliminating it, but reimagining it — we can enjoy more of our lives now while actually feeling more secure about the future.His name is Derek Coburn, and he's a financial advisor and the author of Let's Retire Retirement. Today on the show, Derek explains why the traditional retirement model came about, why it may no longer make sense for many people, and how working even a few years past 65 can dramatically change the math of retirement planning. We also discuss the surprising psychological challenges many people face after they stop working, why purpose matters more than leisure, and how thinking differently about retirement can free you up to spend more time on what matters most right now — whether that's traveling, strengthening your marriage, or making the most of the limited summers you have left with your kids.Connect With Derek CoburnDerek's website (including his retirement calculator)Derek on IG0:00 - Introduction1:22 - The Outdated Origins of Retirement (Bismarck's 1889 Social Insurance Plan)4:12 - Why the Traditional Retirement Model Creates Stress and Anxiety6:13 - The "Arrival Fallacy" — Why Retirement Isn't What You Think It Will Be8:42 - The Psychological Crisis of Stopping Work Cold Turkey11:05 - The Math: How Working 10 More Years Cuts Your Savings Requirement by 96%13:21 - Enjoying Life NOW Instead of Deferring It to Retirement14:22 - Maximizing the Limited Summers You Have with Your Kids19:48 - Sponsor Break20:07 - What If You Hate Your Job? Find One You "Don't Hate"22:37 - Side Hustles as an On-Ramp to Work You Love24:09 - Physical Jobs and Mandatory Retirement — What Then?  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all want two things that can seem at odds with each other: to be our own person and to belong. We want to stand apart from the crowd, but we also want to be connected to it. When that balance gets out of whack, we either lose ourselves in tribalism or drift into isolation.My guest today says many of the problems in modern life stem from our inability to hold these two impulses in tension. His name is Luke Burgis, and he’s the author of The One and the 99: Forging Identity in the Age of Social Contagion. Today on the show, Luke explains how becoming a true individual can give you the strength to be a part of a community. We discuss the difference between a solid self and a pseudo self — and what role families and rites of passage can play in moving us toward one or the other — why modern politics feels like a dysfunctional family, the dangers of performative religion, and much more.Resources Related to the PodcastLuke’s previous appearances on the AoM podcast:Episode #714: Why Do We Want What We Want?Episode #910: Thick Desires, Political Atheism, and Living an Anti-Mimetic LifeThe True Believer by Eric HofferEducation of a Wandering Man by Louis L’AmourAoM Podcast #1,025: The Life and Legacy of Louis L’AmourAoM article with L’Amour’s weekly to-do listsAoM article and podcast about C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man and the idea of objective valueThe Courage to Be by Paul TillichThe Quest for Community by Robert NisbetAoM Podcast #847: Overdoing DemocracyAoM Podcast #1,010: How to Resist Group Anxiety and Become a Differentiated SelfAoM Article: Becoming a Well-Differentiated LeaderDying Breed article: A New Kind of Monasticism — The Power of Community to Shape the SoulThe Rule of St. BenedictConnect With Luke BurgisLuke’s websiteTake your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MANLINESS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/MANLINESSTimestamps0:00 Introduction0:54 Guest Intro: Luke Burgis & The One and the 994:48 The Parable of the Lost Sheep & the Book's Framework10:17 Defining the Self (vs. Identity & Soul)14:37 The Pseudo Self Explained19:40 How to Develop a Solid Self25:35 Louis L'Amour & Education for a Solid Self28:18 Curiositas vs. Studiositas (Ordered vs. Disordered Knowledge)44:30 Tribalism, Politics, & the Pseudo Self45:08 How Undifferentiation Fuels Political Dysfunction51:13 Religion, Performative Piety & the Digital World54:15 What Monasteries Teach Us About Community & Solid Selves See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Life rarely unfolds according to plan. A relationship implodes. A move or job change doesn't work out. Or you simply fail in a goal you've set for yourself.My guest has spent almost two decades researching and field-testing how to get back on track when smaller slip-ups and larger upheavals knock you off course. His name is Steve Kamb, and he's the founder of Nerd Fitness and the author of How to Try Again: An Approachable Guide to Navigating Chaos and Making Change THAT STICKS. Today on the show, Steve shares practical principles for dealing with life's frustrating and demoralizing setbacks. We discuss why sometimes the best move is to pause rather than push harder, how to accept reality without resigning yourself to it, why treating change as an experiment can help you beat paralysis and take action, why you should treat consistency with your goals the way you do showering, and more.Resources Related to the PodcastSteve's previous appearances on the AoM podcast:Episode #42: Level Up Your Life With Nerd Fitness & Steve KambEpisode #170: Level Up Your LifeSteve's AoM guest posts:Don’t Be That Guy: The Taxonomy of Lousy Male FriendsHow Superheroes, Movies, and Video Games Taught Me to Conquer FearNerd FitnessMuseum of FailureSunday Firesides: Good Times Are Not Around the Corner (And That's Great News!)Sunday Firesides: Treat Life Like an Experiment"Lightning Fields" by the KillersConnect With Steve KambSteve's websiteSteve on IGSteve on LinkedInSteve on Substack See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Walking is one of the most powerful health tools we have. It improves cardiovascular fitness, boosts mood, sharpens cognition, and can even be a predictor of how well you'll age. But all those benefits depend on something we rarely think about until it starts hurting: our feet.For many of us, walking is so automatic that we never consider the mechanics that make it possible. Yet the way we move, the shoes we wear, and the strength of the muscles in our feet can have a profound impact on how comfortably and efficiently we walk. When something goes wrong at our physical foundation, the effects can ripple upward, leading to pain not just in the feet, but in the knees, hips, and back.My guest today is Dr. Milica McDowell, a physical therapist and the co-author of the new book Walk. Today on the show, Milica explains why walking speed may be a hidden vital sign, what gives you your signature walking style, and how to spot and address injury-inducing inefficiencies in your gait. We then talk about feet: whether you should worry about pronation, how to rehab plantar fasciitis — and no, it's not stretching — the best kind of shoes to wear, and much more.Resources Related to the PodcastAoM Article: Solvitur Ambulando — It Is Solved By WalkingAoM podcast episode with Manoush ZomorodiAoM Article: I Started Taking a Walk Every Morning. Here’s What Happened to My HealthAoM Article: 20 Rules for WalkingAoM podcast episode with Matt FitzgeraldAltra shoesVivobarefootLems shoes (this is the pair Brett wears)Tyr weightlifting shoeInjinji toe socksToe spacerStudy on calf raise standardsConnect With Milica McDowellMilica's websiteMilica on IG See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.