Podcast Episodes

The word "warrior" is thrown around a lot today, even being used in marketing and on names of products that have nothing to do with warriorship. So what is a warrior? What do you think being a warrior means? That's what Tim and Steve discuss on this episode. warrior | (ˈwȯr-yər) (noun) — A person engaged or experienced in warfare; a soldier (noun) — A person who has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness (noun) — One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an act...

Besides your Creator, you are alone on this journey. It’s YOUR body, YOUR mind, and YOUR spirit having this experience, taking this trip. Your choices, your mindset, your decisions to move forward — they’re all yours to do what you want with. Bernie shares his “closet concept” (similar to Jodi’s real story) with Tim and Steve to put all of this and more into perspective.

The MOST valuable thing anyone has, more than money, real estate, gold, stocks — more than ANYTHING — is time. Time is the most valuable commodity. That’s indisputable. And we all have the SAME amount of it! Let that sink in. We all have 24 hours in a day. No one has more, no one has less. On a daily basis, we all have the same amount of time to spend. Choose to spend it wisely so that you: Don’t have regrets at the end of your tape measure (you’ll understand after listening) Do go...

This episode originally aired 4 years ago — on Thanksgiving 2018. It is so appropriate and relevant today that we decided to replay it. As you’ll hear, Steve and Tim even kicked it off stating the subject matter will still be relevant years from now. With more chaos than the world has seen in a long time — you might even say it’s MORE timely than before. This is a testament to all we talk about on this podcast. We discuss universal principles that transcend time and space. We don't talk about...

With the holidays coming up it’s a good time to discuss something most of us, if not all of us, do wrong: eating. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again — you’re only as good as the quality of things you consume. That includes everything you consume — mentally, physically, and spiritually. Obviously, quality food is a major component of your health. Chelsea joins Tim and Steve to discuss “Mindful Eating” — because WHY you eat, WHAT you eat, and HOW you eat all matter. We often talk o...

Leadership is in every one of us. You just need to recognize what traits all leaders have. First, you must understand that the most important person you'll ever lead is yourself. A true leader: Must have a clear purpose and intent — the mission has to be agreed upon by all involved Doesn't let obstacles, intersections, or forks in the road get in the way — neither for themselves, nor for who they are leading Sometimes leads from the front and sometimes from the rear — with patien...

Energy is everything. If we don't have energy we can't do much of anything. It's important for you to have energy not just for yourself, but so you're there for others. Furthermore, we may have energy — but what if we're full of negatively-charged energy? Students of many Okinawan, Japanese, and Korean martial arts styles — including Shotokan, Taekwondo, Aikido, Karate, Goju-ryu, Kobudo, Kendo, Kyokushin, and Judo — use a kihup (sometimes spelled kiai, kihap, or kyup) to startle an opponent, ...

Jodi Jill from last week’s show joins Tim and Steve again. She is so passionate about puzzles that she has designed about 12,000 puzzles and has even created #NationalPuzzleDay. She sees life like a puzzle consisting of many pieces, and we get to decide how we want all those pieces to fit together. As she says: letters are symbols that when put together make words. Words makes sentences, sentences make paragraphs, and books are made of many paragraphs that transfer information. That informati...

For the first decade of her life, Jodi Jill basically just survived one day to the next in a storage unit — with one meal a day, not going to school, and always wondering about the outside world. She didn’t even learn to read until later on in life. Despite all of that, she always maintained hope and faith. These days, Jodi lives by the simple premise: Make someone smile every day. She has learned to develop a laser-like focus — working to stop thinking about where she came from, and instead ...

Life is both a privilege and a responsibility. Tom Parker joins Tim and Steve to discuss that. Also hear about the "Journey Field" — the unique outdoor training facility that challenges Sensei Tim Hoover's martial arts students and pushes them to their limits.

Last year Tim and Steve talked about Lessons We Can Learn From Dogs. On this brief episode Tim reflects further about “Man’s Best Friend” and how it’s a good thing they can’t speak. He brings up deception, communication, body language, and more.

Tim and Steve talk more about The Ripple Effect including: Inspire before you expire What you do for others stays behind Some decisions are easy, some are not The theory of Karma, the cycle of cause and effect Make a conscious effort to help others and do the right thing

Tom Parker, Tim, and Steve talk about being in the moment. Certainly there’s value to being aware, being present, and being mindful. But living in the moment is not always attainable — and we might not desire it as much as we’re led to think we should with how often the mantra is used. That and more is on this episode.

You can’t give what you don’t have. No matter what it is — if you don’t have it, you can’t give it. The more you strive to get it, the more elusive it may become. It is many things. It is all good. It is what Bernie, Tim, and Steve talk about this week. It needs to be pursued It is having awareness It is compassion It is confidence It is gratitude It is energy It is grace It is love. It’s simple: First you must have love for yourself before yo...

“The only easy day was yesterday” — US Navy SEALs This mantra should instill true hope in us. We say true hope because the only thing worse than no hope is false hope. We should all strive to have positive outlooks. But we also must be grounded in reality. Expecting no obstacles is not realistic, and that sets you up for failure. Alternatively, if you wake up realizing there's a good chance there for challenges and obstacles in the coming day — you will be better prepared to handle whatever y...

In this brief, yet profound episode, Tim talks about the truth. First, what is truth? "A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies, becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else." — Fyodor Dostoyevsky From Britannica: Truth is the aim of belief; falsity is a fault. People need the truth about the world in order to thrive. Truth is important. Believing what is not true is apt to spoil people’s plans and may even cost them their lives. Telling what is not true ...

A couple weeks ago, Tim Hawk, Tim Hoover, and Steve Mittman discussed some differences between principles and trends. Some trends can be good, but it's principles that most often help you and those around you live a better life. This is Part 2 from that conversation — basic, yet profound: Principles can have long-term effects There are mental, physical, and spiritual principles Some of these “eternal” concepts apply to your mind, body, and spirit all together Embracin...

Your martial arts training becomes a vehicle — allowing you to experience things in life that you may not have been able to access otherwise. All things at some points hit plateaus. If it's a priority for you, and you value its purpose, you need to push through. Martial arts is exactly that — an “art.” It becomes YOUR art. It becomes YOUR vehicle. Maintain your vehicle. It will take you many places.

Principles stand the test of time. Trends, similar to fads, come and go. Principles are fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for systems of belief or behavior. Trends are the directions in which things develop or change. In martial arts — and life in general — time and trust are two of the major differences between principles and trends. Some trends can be good, but it's principles that most often help you live a life with greater pride and fulfillment. Tim Hawk joins Tim Hoover...

Principles stand the test of time. Trends, similar to fads, come and go. Principles are fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for systems of belief or behavior. Trends are the directions in which things develop or change. In martial arts — and life in general — time and trust are two of the major differences between principles and trends. Some trends can be good, but it's principles that most often help you live a life with greater pride and fulfillment. Tim Hawk joins Tim Hoover and...

Tim shares a recent experience where the wrong words were spoken. "Words have meaning and names have power." — Author Unknown "Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often." — Mark Twain “I AM: Two of the most powerful words, for what you put after them shapes your reality” — Gary Hensel "Some day we’ll be able to measure the power of words … They get on the walls. They get in your wallpaper. They get in your rugs, in your upholstery, and your clothes, and finally in to you." — May...

To attack life you must stay physically active with at least some type of exercise. Chelsea Hoover, MS, RD, LDN from Fuel for Thought Nutrition tells us how get the most out of whatever activity it is that you do — martial arts, running, strength training, etc. She talks about coconut water and other natural sources of electrolytes, omega 3s for your joints, beetroot juice, and more.

On this episode Dave, Tim, and Steve discuss the importance of finding a "second" family. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Or better yet — surround yourself with positive people who uplift and empower you, and perhaps those you aspire to be like. "Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future." — Dan Peña “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn

On this episode Tom, Tim, and Steve discuss these things and more: A reason, season, and a lifetime The importance of finding your true, authentic self What might be the most engaging aspect of a person The question Tom almost always asked a job applicant How we have a lot of false images and projections of people The Scorpion and Frog fable which teaches that a bad person can’t resist their true self “Don’t try to be someone or something you’re not ...