Strong By Design Podcast

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Ep 242 Finding Purpose on a Bike that goes Nowhere ft. Crystal O'Keefe Aug 10, 2022

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Ever feel trapped by the life you’re living? Like you’re stuck in the hamster wheel of life?

Back in 2016 our guest on SBD, Crystal O’Keefe, found herself in corporate America with those same thoughts and feelings. Crystal was successful in her career but it was a grind and somewhere deep down she knew this wasn’t her purpose.

She was not fulfilled and it was at this point she tried something new and developed a brand-new passion, Peloton.

Eventually this newfound challenge transformed her entire life, helping Crystal to significantly transform her body, her mentality and her career path.

Now with the Clip Out Podcast and other projects, she’s helping other men and women experience the power of pushing yourself to do things outside of your comfort zone. Remember, it’s never too late to live your best life!ep

"Going outside of your comfort zone, in any areas, is so important... Now, I feel like working out has made me comfortable with being uncomfortable." - Crystal O'Keefe

Time Stamps

00:55 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

04:40 – Get to know today’s special guest, Crystal O'Keefe

07:20 – Crystal on how her newfound love for the Peloton bike helped her get back on track with her fitness goals

12:47 – Discover how her love for Peloton bike prompted her to start a podcast

19:55 – The power of going out of your comfort zone

24:16 – How to choose which bike instructor to ride with

27:22 – Crystal talks about the different Peloto

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Ep 241 Never Give Up on Your Dreams ft. Jason Meland [Part 2] Aug 06, 2022

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The conclusion to Never Give Up on Your Dreams ft. Jason Meland…

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” -Babe Ruth

Sounds simple enough right, just don’t quit. Many of the greatest of all time (GOATs) in their respective sport or career are known to chant this famous mantra.

However, when this principle is applied in your life, in all areas of your life, it can have massive impact and ripple into everything that you do.

Today’s guest on Strong By Design is Jason Meland, a fitness and media coach, who teaches and inspires others to use their story and voice for impact. If creating content on social media and growing a business is of interest to you then this episode is a must listen. Jason teaches: Be seen. Be heard. Be impactful.

Host Mike Westerdal and Jason talk about Jason’s passion for fitness, his early years as a firefighter/EMT, his American Ninja Warrior skills and how he’s changing lives today.

"In order to be great, you first have to be good. In order to be good, you first have to be bad. In order to be bad, you first have to try... And a lot of people just do not try."
- Jason Meland

Time Stamps

00:24 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

00:50 – The value of having a coach in business and life

05:40 – Jason gives tips on what to look for when hiring a coach

12:37 – Discover the biggest mistakes people make when live selling

19:22 – Jason reveals the key to successful selling

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Ep 240 Never Give Up on Your Dreams ft. Jason Meland [Part 1] Aug 03, 2022

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“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” - Babe Ruth

Sounds simple enough right, just don’t quit. Many of the greatest of all time (GOATs) in their respective sport or career are known to chant this famous mantra.

However, when this principle is applied in your life, in all areas of your life, it can have massive impact and ripple into everything that you do.

Host Mike Westerdal and Jason talk about Jason’s passion for fitness, his early years as a firefighter/EMT, his American Ninja Warrior skills and how he’s changing lives today.

"Not taking ‘no’ for an answer on something you’re passionate about… Rules are meant to be re-written sometimes.” - Jason Meland

Time Stamps

01:31 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

03:43 – Get to know Jason Meland, and how he got into fitness

10:04 – Jason on helping others achieve their health and fitness goals

11:12 – Jason shares his transition from a firefighter to a fitness and media coach

15:25 – The power of not taking ‘no’ for an answer

20:56 – Why should you surround yourself with supportive people?

25:45 – Jason on creating growth from hardships

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Ep 239 Jesus is My Friend ft. Dave Powers Jul 27, 2022

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When you think of God or Jesus, what first comes to mind?

Creator of the Universe, Son of God, Lord and Savior, Holy Spirit… possibly Father and Son?

These are all good things and certainly true however it’s not the only way He wants us to think of Him. How about friend?

Having a healthy relationship with God is also about friendship and companionship. Experiencing each other as friends do every day. The feelings associated with friendship are powerful and very real for us… and they should be with the Creator and Sustainer of life.

Today on Strong By Design, host Jared Haley speaks with his friend, Dave Powers, a brilliant singer and songwriter from the Denver area who has a deep connection with the Holy Spirit.

“God gave you one mouth and two ears so you can listen twice as much as you talk.” -- Dave Powers

Time Stamps

0:53 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

03:45 - Get to know today’s special guest, Dave Powers

11:42 – Discover the preparations Dave made to hear God’s voice

21:37 – Dave shares his conversation with God

25:51 – Dave on what does it mean to be friends with Jesus, and what does that friendship look like

34:02 – The power of talking to Jesus through prayer

46:35 – Dave on developing an intimate relationship with Jesus

59:55 – Dave’s words of encouragement to those who want to grow a friendship with Jesus

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Ep 238 Hollywood Heroes - How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God ft. Frank Turek Jul 20, 2022

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Everyone longs for a hero to save the day and most people all over the world love a good Superhero movie.

So then, what are the characteristics we associate with a hero that make them so powerful and amazing? Well, heroes are brave, courageous, strong, and fearless.

Yes, those are great but what about this list of attributes… loving, compassionate, truthful, devoted, humble, meek, patient and oh yes, sacrificing.

While the first list gets the attention at the box office, the second list is the foundation of any great Superhero at his or her core. And those attributes are also associated with the ultimate hero, Jesus of Nazareth. He is often the star of the movie, whether people realize it or not.

In his 3rd time on the Strong By Design podcast show, Frank Turek shares his insights about his latest book, Hollywood Heroes with host Chris Wilson.

“We all want to have a hero come in and save us and take us to a place of bliss… That’s what Jesus actually does.” - Frank Turek

Time Stamps

01:01 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

03:02 – Meet Frank Turek, speaker and award-winning author

05:30 – Frank discusses his new book, ‘Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God’

12:40 – Captain America vs. Iron Man: Discover their respective unique characteristics and how it relates to Jesus

20:50 – Frank reveals how Harry Potter points to the ultimate hero, Jesus

27:53 – Frank deep dives into the Star Wars saga

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Ep 237 Running a Marathon ft. Dave Frazier Jul 13, 2022

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Most people will never run 26.2 miles. Only a very small percentage of the population are willing to push themselves to that extreme level of endurance.

Not only is that distance intimidating physically, the mental demand may be even more jaw dropping for any aspiring competitive athletes.

Today’s guest, Dave Frazier, is a longtime friend of SBD host, Jared Haley, and shares some sound advice when it comes to taking control of your health and training for the world’s most popular foot race, a marathon.

"The key is to just go slower… If you feel like 'ugh, I’m not just gonna make it' -- you're either going too fast or you've been going so long that you need some fuel to keep going."
- Dave Frazier

Time Stamps

0:40 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

01:26 – Get to know today’s special guest, Dave Frazier

06:36 – Dave shares the major changes he made in his diet and nutrition

10:21 – Importance of having a healthy relationship with food

12:00 – Dave recounts his journey toward fitness

17:40 – What training for a marathon looks like

26:47 – The importance of proper nutrition, hydration, and following a training plan

34:17 – Dave talks about lessons learned from the new marathon training plan

42:29 – Discover the challenges he faces as a marathon runner

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Ep 236 FEAR NOT ft. Pastor Chris Stephens Jul 06, 2022

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God says over and over again. Fear not! Do not be afraid. Be strong and courageous. Trust me.

Why? Fear doesn’t seem like the most serious of vices, it’s not one of the 7 deadly sins, nor is it the object of church discipline. So why does God tell us to stop being afraid more often than he tells us anything else?

It’s not to spare us from emotional discomfort. Rather it is because fear sabotages flourishing. Fear keeps us from following God wholeheartedly. As John Orberg says, “Fear is the number one reason human beings are tempted to avoid doing what God asks them to do.”

Today on the Strong By Design podcast show, host Mike Westerdal sits down with friend and pastor of Skycrest Community Church, Chris Stephens, to discuss the topic of fear and the impact on flourishing.

"Failure is essential because there are some lessons we are not going to learn if we don’t fail... So don’t be paralyzed in fear of making the wrong decision.” - Pastor Chris Stephens

Time Stamps

00:00 – Choosing courage over fear

01:22 - Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

01:45 – Get to know today’s special guest, Pastor Chris Stephens

06:44 – Pastor Chris on what does the Bible mean when it tells us to FEAR NOT

11:58 – The power of decisiveness

15:20 – Pastor Chris dives deep into the types of fear

26:29 – What to do when fear interferes?

30:55 – Training for courage: How to live

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Ep 235 Slow Down Time ft. Chris Wilson Jun 29, 2022

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Ever wish you had more time to get stuff done?

Time is a constant… the one thing we all get the same amount of each day no matter our level of success, wealth or determination to GSD.

And for many, the feelings of overwhelm and anxiety has reached an all time due to the increasing speed of life. So, what can we do?

In today’s episode, host Chris Wilson discusses the many strategies we can all apply in our lives to create more time, live our best lives and slow down time. (Insights based on an article he recently read).

"I wish we could just press a giant red button and press pause to get done what's in front of us so that we could be prepared for the stuff that's coming."  -Chris Wilson

Time Stamps

00:00 – Do you wish time would slow down?

00:52 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

05:12 – Host Chris Wilson gives tips on how to slow down time

11:02 – Why time slows down when you’re traveling

13:43 – The power of breaking down your goals into manageable pieces

18:18 – Why are new experiences important to our lives?

22:28 – The magic of enjoying the sound of silence

24:40 - Chris on how journaling prompts to slow down time

29:38 – Why it’s important to capture those special moments

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Ep 234 The BIG Ugly (Discover your Enneagram Type) ft. Jared Haley Jun 22, 2022

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One thing is for sure, we are all designed differently.

The definition of temperament: a person’s or animal’s nature, especially as it permanently affects their behavior.

In this façade-removing episode of the Strong By Design podcast show, guest Jared Haley and host Chris Wilson discuss what Jared refers to as the BIG ugly: Who we actually are and who we portray ourselves to be in the world.

Both guys reveal their personal Enneagram test results and take a closer look at how to truly know ourselves on a deeper level and understand that God designed us all with a plan and a purpose…

"As you learn about yourself, you learn what your weaknesses and strengths are so that you can develop and get better, and not so you can use it as an excuse." - Jared Haley

Time Stamps

01:09 - Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

05:10 – Temperament: What is it and why it’s important to know your personality type

10:44 – Jared Haley and Chris Wilson on building better relationships by understanding personality types

16:38 – The Enneagram Personality Test: Jared and Chris talk about their experience

20:19 – Jared and Chris share the results of the Enneagram test

26:26 – Discover the 9 Enneagram personality types

34:28 – Advantages and disadvantages of learning your personality type

36:22 – Jared and Chris on our reactions towards others in stressful times

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Ep 233 The Grass is NOT Always Greener ft. Chris Wilson Jun 15, 2022

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From where we stand, things can "appear" to look better off in the distance.
The famous saying ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’ is often referred to by people pursuing interests other than the ones they’re currently involved with.

However, in reality it’s more like the other famous phrase that goes like this, ‘good from afar but far from good’. 

Honestly, how well do we really know other people's stuff? Most people post their highlight reel life and not the day-to-day grind and frustrations but the image they want others to see.
The grass from afar looks perfect, green and full.  However, when you examine it up close you realize it's not so perfect, it's flawed, needs weeding, has dry patches and needs to be cared for just the same as the grass you're standing in.
Remember, the enemy wants us looking backwards... but we are called to look to the present and the future. So, take care of the grass where you are and spend time focused on it.

"The windshield is much larger than the rear window for a reason. Why? Because we need to see where we are headed, more than we need to see where we've been." - Chris Wilson

Time Stamps

00:41 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

4:29 – Is the grass REALLY greener on the other side?

06:57 – Host Chris Wilson explores why do we compare ourselves to others

10:20 – What does the Bible say about the 'Grass is Greener" syndrome?

14:57 – The importance of living in the moment

16:14 – Chris on why you should focus on your own grass

18:49 – The power of gratitude

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