LIVE streaming has been wonderful. I optimized the time-to-first-video-connection metric to the absolute maximum. But I also opened myself and the community to attack. Just when I was wrapping up my day and was going to bed, with my eyelids heavy and legs sore, one person had prepared to use LIVE as a way to directly sell to me. It was clear from the very start that he wasn't here for the community. Despite fatigue, I did my smoking nunchucks show for him, and gave him a warm welcome. He made his first move. He questioned immediately, asking me the purpose and meaning behind what I do. He started to frame my identity as somebody who needed to monetize my members right now. I am fine with monetization and I'm absolutely a believer of beautiful money. But he never talked anything about Path of the Dragon. That pissed me off. I would not criticize him on LIVE call, because any negative emotion I showed could have been video-taped by him and used out-of-conext. I thought I could kill him with kindness, symbolically of course When he said that I was gathering a bunch of people and trying to be a master for them, I replied that I learned from everybody, including him. After failing at framing me in a sales call interaction, he talked about his childhood dream for Shaolin monks who can do handstands with their fingers. He was trying to search for common-ground connections. I redirected the conversation back to what he had done and planned to accomplish that goal. He then moved on to talking about chess, migrating to Mars, and about owning a planet. He tried to probe information by suggesting that I looked like I was very well off. At the same time he talked about how hard it was to make money as immigrants despite US being a gold mine. Finally he asked me to join his community. I asked him how he got his members. He told me he paid for members. He paused for my reaction. He then said it was ads. But I suspect that he really meant bots and was trying to see if I was interested. And when I showed disinterest, he then tried to play it cool and lied about real human beings in the group.

I went to a men's conference this past weekend, and it really opened up my eyes of what I've been missing out on all of these years. A pastor led the conference, and with his 35 years of experience leading ministries, building orphanages and spreading God's word, he articulated things that made so much sense. One of the biggest topics he hit on was on the subject of temptation, and how easily men can be so consumed by it. Temptations can lead to destroyed relationships, bankruptcy, addiction, spiritual (and sometimes physical) death. And it's something literally everyone faces. I know what tempts me the most. I know what my mind wants to default to when I'm feeling weak, isolated, and in private. And whenever I give in to those temptations, the very next set of feelings I get are shame and guilt. For anyone reading this: more than likely there are temptations in your life that you need to battle with every day. Even if it's the smallest thing. But those small things can compound into something sinister and wicked, to the point of no return. So if you find yourself easily giving into temptation, whether that's through alcoholism, doomscrolling on social media, p*rnography, video games, gambling, or anything—you can use these steps to overcome these demons. The majority of what I'm about to say is based on scripture and biblical principles (and practical applications and experiences I've personally had). If you believe that it's going to conflict with your own set of beliefs, you do not need to read further. But if you're comfortable, I encourage you to dive in. _____________________________________________ ~MOVE THE LINE~ "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:6 Most people live their lives without guardrails, or at least, guardrails that hug too closely to the edge of temptation. We think this gives us freedom to roam, to explore life, and have good pleasure. But what it really does, is that it leads to a spiritual death.

It’s tempting to get obsessed with training solely to build strength and muscle. I get it. It is the best way for that goal. But if you only see it through that narrow lens, you’re overlooking a massive range of other benefits—some of which are far more important than just making gains. This is a common blind spot, especially for those who champion a minimal-movement, low-cardio approach, all for fear of sacrificing muscle mass. Even if that were the best way to get jacked (which actually has scientific evidence against it), that mindset forces you to give up a wealth of other perks that come from the simple act of moving more. For instance, the feeling you get from training is uniquely nourishing. While having a muscular body is nice, it’s not the same as the instant rush you get from a good workout. Exercise is one of the most reliable mood-boosters on the planet. It’s accessible, it’s free, and it’s a powerful reason to get active every day. Moving more also has a huge impact on your metabolism. Having muscle is key, but consistent movement increases your energy use and improves how your body processes food. This gives you way more freedom and flexibility with your diet, making it much easier to stay lean without feeling restricted. It's a key factor for people who have lost weight and kept it off for good. Beyond that, the physiological benefits are incredible. Your immune system, digestive system, joints, and heart all benefit from consistent movement. The list goes on and on. The idea of minimizing movement to maximize gains is simply misguided for most people. For the average person, incorporating a little cardio and moving more frequently will not hurt muscle gain. In fact, it will probably help by improving your overall health and vitality. So don't be afraid to move. The goal is physiological hygiene—a little daily movement done in a sustainable way. This isn't just about chasing a few grams of muscle; it's about leveraging years of good habits to feel better today and for years to come.

@Bill Hazelton @Mike Pirie @Asha Hope I meant to comment on your replies on previous posts but I noticed a common theme of recovering from past setbacks. So I open this new post to make sure the golden nuggets don't get buried and are easy to find. I will ask questions and then at the end share my own experience. @Mike Pirie you mentioned your shoulder injury, and how you are actively pushing through an uncomfortable recovery journey. I'd like to hear how you got the injury to begin with, how long you battled against it, and the decision that led to a surgery. And after the surgery, has the restriction of motion prevented you from doing something you really enjoyed prior to the surgery? How are you dealing with both the physical pain and the emotional discomfort? @Bill Hazelton you said you had endured type 1 diabetes for over 30 years. It must have been restrictive on your lifestyle at first. But knowing that you are an entrepreneur who solves problems, what are some of the adjustments you found along the way that not only kept you healthy but also made your journey more enjoyable? We've already talked about keto buns. I'm sure you must have more adjustments that could be super valuable for people who don't have the condition but want to consume food in a healthier way. For example, healthier snacks, or ways to source good food, or everyday food on the market that actually have bad effects on health. @Asha Hope you mentioned your addiction that ended years ago. I'm curious to hear about your entire experience because I know you like to share in details. And I'm amazed by the breadth of human experience you've shown. How did it originate, and more importantly, how did you bounce back? Did you do it alone and it was a personal journey or did you do it with others, helping each other climb out of the hole? And how did the experience help you see problems around addiction in other people's lives? You mentioned that you tried to start an online campaign to battle porn addition. How did your experience shape the messages in your campaign? And I'd like to know your futures plans around helping others battle addiction.