By request, here is a list of books I mentioned on the BP podcast in the order of mention. Just in time for Christmas! I’ve added notes and commentary on how the books changed my thinking. There’s also a lagniappe “test” question to challenge your own thinking. If you had to skip a meal or a
Confronting Man’s Dark Side (From a Nazi Concentration Camp)
An encounter with what Carl Jung called The Shadow is to confront the reality that everything horrible that human beings have done, was done by human beings, and that you are one of them. Man Overseas Travel’s trip to Dachau Concentration Camp last week marked my third different concentration camp visit in four years— my first in
Developing Mental Toughness by Digging Deep Within: The Years that Shaped Me (1991-1994)
1991-1994 were the toughest and most impactful years of my life. Late at night on March 25, 1991, my friend’s dad was driving his family home from our basketball game in New Orleans. A speeding drunk-driver ran a stop-sign and crashed into their Astro van. My family was a few minutes behind, traveling the same
Reflections on Life as an Astros Fan
I remember the feeling of awe walking to our seats at the Astrodome. My dad took me to my first game when I was eight years old. The Astros were playing the Cubs. Astros first-baseman Glenn Davis hit a 427-foot homerun to dead center. As Davis rounded the bases, the electronic board displayed a rocket show,
Mindless “Scrollers” vs. Superhumans: A Futurist Tale
Every once in a while, I’ll delete social media apps from my phone. The reason is I want to reduce the amount of time I spend mindlessly scrolling. I have this theory that if a man can maintain a long attention span in an increasingly distracted world, it won’t be long before he’s considered superhuman. If
A Wedding Story in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (05.12.18)
Even before “the big day,” it was decided that my bride would take my name. Henceforth she will be referred to as Lady Overseas, or Mrs. O. Mrs. O. has brought a joy and energy to my life that I hadn’t previously known. She was working two jobs when we met in 2015, one at Fit
How to Avoid the Friendzone
It seems young men are starved for information on how to successfully traverse the dating world. After appearing on The Top Romp Show last week, something I barely mentioned garnered the most attention: The Friendzone. In fact, the question I’ve received most since the podcast aired: “How Do I Avoid the Friendzone?” The Friendzone is
Opportunity Knocks for Savage Thinkers
There’s a popular video on Youtube I revisit quite a bit. A motivational speaker is giving a talk to NCAA athletes, imploring them to be savage like a lion. He says, “Everybody wants to be a beast until it’s time to do what beasts do!” It got me thinking. How might his message apply to
10 Things I Learned from Meditation
After one year of meditating daily, I’ve decided to relinquish all my possessions and enter a quiet life of contemplation. That’s actually not true. The meditating part is true. I meditated every day for a year, missing only a few days. Now that I’ve finished, I feel more like a guy who took a walk
Hong Kong: Instagram & Infinity-Edge Pools
An amazing skyline above Victoria Harbor transports you into a scene unique in the world. The harbor is referred to as the soul of the city, a place where East meets West. Hong Kong is the most visited city on earth. But before my visit, I only knew one guy who had been there. I texted him
7 Habits of Highly Happy People
I write about happiness because I want more people to be happy. Many of us are chasing materialism, which is like chasing the wind. Others are playing status games, not realizing how brief life really is until death. “So it is inevitable that life will be not just very short but very miserable for those