And we are back with another episode of the conscious locker room podcast. If this is the first time listening then welcome and if it's not then welcome back, my name is Talia Connor. I'm the host and creator of the show and before I dive in and share a little bit about this week's guest. I just want to remind you guys that I've got aShow coming up this Sunday the 3rd of November in Perth. So if you're in wa and you can get the Perth and do that, so it's a three-hour workshop for men and it's all around the the topic of developing fulfilling relationships. So we're going to dive into a lot of stuff around conscious communication a lot of stuff around masculine and feminine Dynamics. Yeah, and it's going to be sort of part experiential part workshops. Dial so. Yeah beach has to meet a lot of Great Men. It's going to be really powerful where fresh off the back of speaking at the reverence Retreat on this topic, and it was yeah awesome. It was awesome to be in the room and it got me really fired up and excited for this weekend. So if you're in Perth, yeah, I highly recommend coming along. There's still a few tickets available. So just hit me up at Tully O'Connor on Instagram, and you'll be able to find find the info there. If you have any issues just send me a message. Beautiful. Okay. So this week we've got a good friend of mine on the podcast who's really inspiring guy. He's been he's just up to big things having a big impact and he really walks his talk. His name is Jamin hepple and he's the co-founder of mountains and marathons and mountains and marathons is a company and he runs with his partner Jen and they run transformational leadership programs. So six-month leadership programs that culminate in a physical challenge. Lunch either as the name suggests running amount running a mountain running a marathon or climbing a mountain. So yeah, he's got he really Dives in and shares his story and how he sort of got to where he is doing such fulfilling aligned work and he shares about some personal challenges that he's overcome along the way one of those was severe burn out which then led to a lot of yeah mental and emotional disharmony. So he shares sort of the impact that had how that all came to be and importantly how we sort of personally got through it and tools that he tools he used and and more the mindset he used to to move through are really challenging time in his life. Yeah, he speaks into what his programs provide and why they do what they do and really also touched on Rites of Passage. We spoken to Rites of Passage, which is yeah. I topic I love talking about because I feel it's such an important thing. And it's really lacking in society. They stay so he shares his take on. Yeah, he's done a lot of training in creating Rites of Passage experiences and he shares about that and about what that can provide for people and and in its entirety because experienced can have facets of Rites of Passage but not actually be complete in nature. So he really delves into that which I find really yeah really inspiring. So it's an inspiring conversation in an exciting conversation and one that I'm sure you will get a lot out of so without further Ado enjoy the podcast cool. Alright, Jamin welcome to the conscious locker room podcast pretty excited to be here man. Yeah. Me too. I mean, I'm excited to hear. I'm looking forward to looking forward to this one. So obviously, yeah, you're just back in Australia recently after a pretty Epic. Shh, which we're definitely going to dive into in a second. But what I'd love to kick things off with is I just love for you to share a significant challenge that you've overcome at some point in your life can be a recent one or can be a one from your earlier days. So yeah, just speak into a challenge you've overcome and what you learnt from working through and overcoming that challenge. You know what immediately Springs to mind is the point in time when I confronted my dad about the way that he was showing up in his marriage with mum when I was 21 and the reason why that one really jumps out was because my relationship with Dad growing up if we look at like first first like third of life like 0 to 10. Absolutely. Absolutely inaudible, you know, he was he was the be all and unless you want to be just like that, you know transitioning into the teenage years. I was always someone who's quite sensitive and expressive and I suppose emotionally a bit more emotionally astute and I was looking for that kind of depth of connection with Dad and just never got over him. And so we kind of you know, we kind of clashed a little bit and so do the teenagers there's a bit of distance created between dad not and and not like beef but just like just didn't have the same level of adoration as what I did in my life early early is and so there's a point in time in Yemen early 20s when I was 21 when yeah, just some stuff is going down between Mom and Dad and I recognize that it needed to be called out and dad needed to be I felt that need to be confronted with that and Out in a way of like like that coming of age or becoming a man or like owning my own power in that relationship that was quite a significant moment when we stepped into that conversation. So I think that like, yeah that that that like shifted the power dynamics quite a lot in the father-son relationship and actually created even though things are a bit like unstable after it. Sort of teed it out where we then had more of a neutral playing Ground to then create a new relationship from there after yeah amazing and what led to you having I guess the confidence the ability like that's a fairly significant conversation to have especially at 21 like have you been doing any sort of self development work had did you have any mentors or was it something you would just like just inspired to do and just how to crack? Yeah, he talked to me about the sort of lead up to that. Yeah in what you described in sort of a combination of those things. So as I said, like naturally I've always been more sensitive and an emotionally empathetic and the tune and so that's sort of like just there as a foundation and then, you know always as a kid growing up always inspired to to develop myself and my leadership potential and the way That looked was like putting my hand up for every captaincy role with 40 and basketball and netball or you know, being the SRC representative or eventually School Captain. Like I was always a gravitating towards those leadership roles. And then yeah, I was really fortunate when I was 17 and I was school Captain. I was invited onto a leadership development program ran by YMCA Victoria which brought to you by 60 young leaders from all around Victoria to come together. Spend six days completely disconnect from the outside world. No mobile phone and newspapers. Don't Facebook like complete separation and be immersed in a community of people that will all about cultivating greater self-awareness developing resilience looking at what's in the way of us fulfilling on our potential and creating inspiring vision for our future and for me my experience there was like what I found I found my tribe I figured out that literally it was so that we can was so impactful for me that I was like what those facilitators have created for me. I want to dedicate my life to creating similar spaces for other people. Well be that the key thing off the back of that was I was like a lot of you guys are really you You're great and you're really dorky and I'm not as kind of like the the, you know, you know range of different social groups at school and I They'll have a dog team mates and yet I was also, you know aware of my social cred and like yeah sure that I was the footballer and had the kind of taken the boxes in the boxes man. I was you know doing doing that just surviving basically. Yeah, and so I was like, you know who need to know that I was like, this is great for those who are here. I'm like those that people really need to be here are the sporty guys. Hmm. I makes the jocks. And so that then sparked a passion for marrying two of my two of my passions which is leadership and personal growth and development. And then that then the the foundation for the first organization. I created called Game Changers Australia which looked at the role that Spork or play in facilitating social change and Grassroots communities. And so they're naturally being inspired by this vision for the game changes that then just continue to fuel my journey to step in. Two more personal development and leadership development opportunities. So that that was kind of the the formal introduction to personal growth and leadership development on that program here. Then I just kind of began to seek it out more and more in those sort of in a prior years in those years between 17 and 21 and then I mean, I've always been kind of haven't shied away from conflict. Yeah, and and yet I would never like to be an argument with my dad. Dad because I always felt quite threat. I felt threatened and I felt fearful Hmm this when that when that moment came up where I was like my dad needs to be confronted about this. That was a very intuitive thing. Yeah and yet demanded an enormous amount of Courage. Yeah that I guess called for Within Myself to then to then pull into the side said Dad. Let's go for a walk. We need to chat and then yeah and then sort of step into it. Yeah. And how did it how was it received? Um, and you don't have to go into that the nitty-gritty but it just and you said things were a bit shaky afterwards. I'm just curious because I I'm guessing that there's a few men listening to this that might be able to relate might be able to have some father conflict. That's maybe been avoided and so often it's that fear of what's going to happen. So yeah, I'd love to hear how you navigated how it was received and the aftermath of that if you will, yeah. Yeah. Well, it was kind of it Camembert that Quite an emotionally turbulent time particularly between Mom and Dad and so when we stepped into the conversation, the first question I said, I just looked in the I said dad what the fuck is going on and then handed over to him and then he shared whatever he shared like it was probably a combination of I don't know or part of part passing some blame onto mum, and then I said listen, I'm just going to say this to you straight. This is what I'm observing and this is what I've heard through and so I think it's important, you know this and then Just sort of straight down the line boom. Boom. Yeah, so, you know, I don't know what's there for you, but it's up to you to respond to this Dad and then and then you know, and then he's like, yeah, I'll do what I hear he received it because it was quite he was quite thrown by what was unfolding at the time. Yeah, which is you know, if I was going to get name it it's like yeah concerns of marriage breakdown effective the source of it. And so yeah, and so he was kind of like confronted by yet received it and then naturally when you're 21 year old son where there's been a massive power and power imbalance for his confronts you with that it sort of questions the new status of the relationship. And so there's where the that was where the swell needed to settle for a little bit there after but yeah in following years we've been able to Foster. Something a lot more. Yeah profoundly respectful. Yeah. Yeah, you know in a father-son relationship. Yeah amazing amazing. Thanks for sharing that man. And and so within around all that same time. So obviously you've had this experience at 17 and and what a incredible opportunity to get such Clarity on your purpose and what you want to do in the world at at such a young age like phenomenal. Where when did game changes when did you step into that creative role and having that business and because I know you've had multiple or been involved in multiple businesses since then, but did that kickoff straight after high school, or was that something that came a little bit later on for you? Yeah mandates It came it came a little bit later on what ended up happening was I had this vision and I was I know I'm going to be a facilitator. I'm not going to speak and yet I've got no idea how I'm going to pull this together and So from there, I kind of followed the followed the traditional path that was encouraged by mum and dad of like you will go to university and you will study and because it had five knee surgeries and you spend a lot of time with physios. You should probably go and become a physio of course mum Dad. Yeah. That's that's right. That's what I'll go and do and so sign up for Science University of Melbourne could not go for a more General Degree unless it was Arts. I was never going to set me up for a job after three years. And so I when did the the unique thing I went to college but all the whilst. I just heard this crystal-clear vision of like what what I wanted to create the game changers, and I remember I had this little 48-page like dotted line and notebook that I just keep on my bedside table every night and and as ideas would come to mind around what this leadership program in organization would entail and what it would include I Just make little dot points and I have an idea of a workshop and I just make a little dot points and it wasn't actually until I was 20 when I finally mustered the confidence to share with the one person who I knew could actually make a difference and help bring this thing to life. And her name is Alicia and she'd been a mentor of mine as a program coordinator and as a facilitator for probably Years by that stage and I knew that if she got on board we could actually start getting some traction happening and honestly man, that was kind of how it all began. It was a shared with her. She was heavily enrolled. I invited her to come on part of the team. She said yes, and then naturally as people who I respected admired started to provide their support and say yes, I'll get involved naturally my confidence to continue to pursue this like with greater rigor picked up and then that they're naturally sort of had me dive headfirst into the world of business. And what does it look like to set up an organization and was look like to build a leadership curriculum and what it look like to Market a youth leadership program to Young sporting kids and how do you build a brand that's attractive to the right demographic all of all of those things started to start to rear their head in my sort of early 20s. And so I think I was 2022 when game changes was first founded so it was about a Four-and-a-half year gap between the initial vision and actually stepping into the bricks and mortar of running an organization and and getting a first sort of product or service off the ground and having having paying customers. Mmm. I love it and I love hearing that time frame because it does take time like and I know when I was at the early stages of sort of seeing what I wanted to create it was like the Chatter can come in that things aren't happening fast enough. And so like I just yeah, I love hearing that story of yeah the time it takes but also from what you shared you knew very little about what it was actually going to require you had the vision you started sharing the vision and then things just started coming into place one by one absolutely and it was this comment was really a kind of and it's always kind of played out this way, which is combination of the aligned action. and then and then like the universe kind of providing so it's like building the forward momentum through intentional considered action and then also going whoa didn't like didn't know that was going to come or that Mentor just popped up at the right time like all these kind of super entities that that play out and obviously it would have been it was near impossible to sort of distinguish the principles that were playing out at the time that but really that whole living living in alignment and living with that which which feels right and is exciting and feels expansive just naturally has kind of continued to create more of that and and bring bring Visions to reality even though the roadmap of how you thought how I thought I was going to yeah certainly wasn't the journey that unfolded but nonetheless The the result con of it came about in a way in which ever way that it did that combination of the universe bringing things in and also taking that aligned action. Mmm, and it's really it speaks to that co-creation. Like there's a lot of you create your own reality and it's like yeah to some extent you do creative but it's also there's a lot of other factors involved and I think that like you speaking to that co-creation. It's like clear on your vision excited about it. Actually in motion and then seeing what pops up good and challenging, you know, supportive and challenging both both surprises often. Yeah often often come into it. And so you kicked off game changes and then when we first connected you were you had a lot going on you were kind of and I'll let you use your words, but you kind of I think you were sharing that you were sort of starting to burn. A little bit and having some challenges sort of just mentally and those sorts of things. So I'd love to hear about how you went from that first initial organization to sort of just pre mountains and marathons because I want to really spend some time diving into that Journey, but just to close the gap for everybody listening if you started this first organization at 22, and then how did you go from there to sort of reaching that point where you really decided to Drop everything and start mountains and marathons. Yeah cool. So just for context I'm 29 now. So yeah, and then Mouse of the marathon started when I was 27, so so closing a fight The Five-Year Gap. Yeah, if they've really what emerged was stepping being getting connected up after launching game changers. I was really privileged to get connected and invited into to a number of programs that connected young social change makers from around Australia and I'm through an organization called the foundation for young Australians and that then for the first time in my life really got me connected to a tribe of people where I was like, ah, man you get me like like no one else and finally someone else who's like committing so much of their time energy and resources to doing something that they're passionate about and believe. Will change either the local community the national Community or change the world that was like that was quite pair of pivotal for me to just recognize that what there are other people like me out there and so through that journey and getting involved and connected to the work of the foundation Beyond Australians. I began to connect with these extraordinary young people and what then emerged as game changers was growing with its Flagship program Captain's camp and working with young. Sporting leaders from around Victoria a guy starts to get invited to work in schools more and work with with whether its leadership groups in schools or just working with with all the with all students predominantly around that sort of year eight year 10 age bracket. One of the one of the workshops that I got invited to do. It was I was invited to do that alongside one of my one of my friends one of my it was we were just starting out. Starting on our friendship a guy named Hunter Johnson and the two of us got invited to run these workshops down at Frankston high school. Now, if you don't know Frankston, its kind of adds about an hour and 10 minutes south east of Melbourne and it's kind of known as a pretty rough suburb. Like, it's The Byrds. It's that side of you know, yeah. Well, we knew that we were driving down the Franks in my life working with a hundred and fifty you nine boys over two days. Have our work cut out for us. Hmm. Yeah, we were both 20. I was 24 and he was 23 at the time and we had we've been we sort of spent three weeks of building these these workshops are going to facilitate these boys and we went in there and we just did we did a stellar job. Mmm and we held we held the space and we facilitated some really engaging in Curious conversation to have these boys start to Respect for the first time and really question like what it is to be a man and what its shape them into how they're showing up as a boy or man down. What kind of man do they want to be and things like open up this kind of dialogue and when we finished after two days, we had the principal come in principal the school come in and just say boys, like we've heard some feedback about the work you've been doing and from all reports been a massive success and in fact, One of the one of the specific bits of feedback we got was from a guy named Caleb and Caleb said guys. I've enjoyed this so much. Thank you so much for helping me understand what it is to be a real man. And the principal said what you guys don't know is that he actually got suspended last week because he's the renowned u9 bully that kind of like really open something for the two of us going wor like we did good today. It was our first Go there's definitely other schools out there that could probably use with this kind of work. Could you live from this compound from this kind of work? Mmm. I think we want to continue to pursue their and so what then unfolded over the coming couple of years was another organization called the man cave now right now right now five years later. The man cave is now one of the fastest-growing nonprofits in Australia Hunter. He now he's now the the CEO of that organization and last week. He actually was at government house in Victoria being congratulated as finalists for the young Australian of the Year. Wow, phenomenal. Yeah. Yes, so and that that organization has grown to yet to be over a million dollar nonprofit company revenue and impacting thousands of boys each year. Which kind of had very humble Origins. Yeah. Langston, yeah vocalizes and said the man cave become kind of a core Focus alongside game changes. And then the other piece of the story is I was a personal I was I was Huskers all of this wasn't bringing in a hell of a lot of cash. So my my side hustle amongst building these organizations was being a group fitness trainer and personal trainer. So I work as a personal trainer training large groups from anywhere between two people up to 70 people between 5 a.m. And 9 a.m. And then I kind of 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. On game changers in the man cave. So that was kind of what life look like for a couple of years until I got inspired to run another startup another company called back to school Fitness and effectively the prep the premise of that was I believe that if we're going to change the nutritional habits and exercise habits of Next Generation it needed to start with the parents and so a friend of mine who was a 40 year old mother of three invited me to come and run a boot camp for her mates at a local primary school and we had 10 people show up and it was like 6 a.m. And everyone was there and I was like good energy in the room and I was like man, this is like Good Vibes like parents having fun being social 6 a.m. Like up and about and I ran this group fitness training program for 10 weeks at 6 a.m. Each morning at the local primary school and you know, I made a reasonable amount of cash in hand just over that 10-week period I was like, this is really good. I could totally do this again. So I said re I said Priam and I said, hey could we we do this again next term and sure enough. We sort of grew from 10 to 15 to 20 members. And then I said rusted Hey, listen, I reckon we actually onto something here. I reckon parents could really from other schools could really benefit from like getting active getting social modeling healthy for their kids like in a safe environment. Um, this is potentially got legs so naturally and with the entrepreneurial Spirit started up another company called back school Fitness. So at 26, I was running the man cave. I was running game changers and I was running basketball Fitness and that was a period of time where I was really like on like just really time every minute of every day was accounted for and I was just like hustling from one meeting to the next one project the next and like in a way in my element yet subtly like like not stopping and non William not checking in and really listening to what was going on in the undercurrent on the surface exciting lots of social validation. Lots of you know endlessly presents a new possibilities and growth and expansion and but underneath I was slowly burning out and so to kind of bring yeah move forward to the to the birth of mountains and mouth. Which is the company that I'm that I'm leading now with my partner Jen. It was the 19th of July 2016 and I remember that day so clearly because it was such a such like it was one of those like inflection points in my life, which is where you know, I was running I was running boot camps at 6 a.m. Every morning and having to You Know cover for some of my personal trainers who weren't showing up for work and whatnot and fun. Living on all these other things with with game changed the man cave and I just got to the end of the school that school term and the had like a night by myself and I just sat down and I just started to weep. Like I just started to I did like emotion was just floating through me and like this deep sadness and resentment and frustration and confusion and all of this was just like moving through me and I was just like in that models like just in a complete state of despair and helplessness. And so I just like cried it out. I cried it out over long. I didn't in that inside there at that emotional release. I just had this Epiphany where I was just like dude you created all of this like every bit of your suffering right now. Is you your businesses. Your choices you don't you're not married. You don't have kids don't have a mortgage - like you're a free man and choosing this suffering and then I was like, well, okay. If I'm the creator of all of this then I can create my way out of this then okay, if that's the case then I was like well if I could do anything in the world right now, what would I what would I be doing? And then I was like literally Katie came with it to me within 5 minutes. I was like, I'd be climbing mountains and running marathons all over the world and that will transform my life. And if other people want to come and join me on the journey, then they can come a transform their life too. And so that once once I got like there was literally just like boom and so I know that might have been around 10 p.m. And I remember I stayed up till like 3:00 p.m. Just like cam3 sorry 3 a.m. And I wasn't a full all night. Yeah. It's 3 a.m. Too slow. Smashing out this vision of like what mountains marathons one one essence of it. It was all about and the next day I woke up. I phoned my family and 12 of my best mates and I just said listen guys in two years. I'm going to go on an 18-month travel adventure and I'm going to climb a mountain and run marathon every countenance and I may be leaving in two years and I'm telling you now just so you've got a heads-up and you can prepare yourself. Declared it. Exactly and so yeah, man, that was I won't say that was like that was it? Yeah. Next bit was I was a business owner director and had a lot of responsibility in three separate and so the whole what then in shoot over the following two years was the quite painful Journey actually of continuing to navigate my own burn out my own intense anxiety is like literally like that Clarity. I got it. Mountains and marathons it was so powerful. It was like that it yet. It was also so fleeting in the sense that once I got we present to everything else going on just anxiety with swelling and Italy it was the kind of anxiety where I'd be so cloudy in my head that I literally couldn't see more than two days ahead of my weekly schedule. And yeah, it was it was scary man, like hmm, like then step into business meetings and team meetings where you know, I'm there. As the person who's meant to be leading people in the direction of a created future not knowing what move to make not knowing what to say. Just feeling like this intense kind of choking feeling around my neck and just being like, well, I'm not okay. Yeah, like my whole nervous system needs complete reset. Yeah and yet The Narrative of like These guys need me and my community needs me and if I'm not home, I'm not here. Everything's going to fold down like this whole kind of like my significantly either this the significant threat of my ego was like running rampant and some yeah going through the whole like literally a two year process of surrendering to the possibility that everything I'd created may not may not exist and may flop after I leave here. And getting to peace with that mmm. It's quite a process and then also being in the state of burnout and yet also needing to train Future Leaders of these organizations really was really really challenging not because I wasn't I didn't have the skill for it. I just didn't have the right and mental and emotional state to be fully present and you know and do it in the way that I would have liked to have done it. Yeah. So yeah. I wish I could say it was like cool got Claire. Eddie on mountains of mouth on Boom. So two weeks later booked a plane and nicked off. Yeah. It was a two-year grind and really like navigating the just the intensity of what burnout and like a fried nervous system. Mmm. I'm literally from from overworking and not taking care of myself not eating. Well not sleeping enough not doing enough exercise just all of those foundational self-care things putting business and other people first. Hmm. We really took a toll and so fortunately to really bring things up to speed. I then met the extraordinary Jen's ignor in Melbourne at an event that she was hosting for the organization. She used to work for I was Hunters plus 1 she was doing the network rounds. We got introduced there was that sort of like intuitive connection and then I just remember a moment when she touched me on the arm. I'll just like I was like, wow that felt nice. And then I said I said Hunter said Django you're going on. Like I really want to take Jenna and date and he goes yeah, I mean, I'll connect you by Facebook and I'm like, I'm like cool. I'm gonna do it my way. And so I spent over to Jen I said, hey Jen, I really enjoyed connecting connecting cannot go be number. I'd love to take you on a date and she goes I'd love that too. It's amazing power move. Yeah. Yeah Power move bombs. Got the number line up a date. I would say I wish I could say it was smooth sailing thereafter. It wasn't yeah. Long story short Dan was an absolute champion in meeting me inside of my burn out and then we will stand for me taking the actions to a take care of myself and be let go of everything that I had created here in Australia to create the space and possibility for mountains of marathons to really become what we wanted to be. Mmm. Amazing amazing. Thanks so much for sharing the details of that the ups and downs because when you like from the outside looking in I'm sure a lot of people are just looking at this goal kicking young man doing big things multiple businesses traveling the world now and all this stuff and it's very easy to not see or not be preview to I got like the ups and downs that are involved with that and I'd love to speak to a little bit more before we move on to mountains and marathons just that once you had that sort of release that at that emotional release and then that Clarity around what you actually wanted to create in mountains and marathons and then navigating that mental and emotional ups and downs with that had you had any my guests experience or battle with anxiety or anything like that before that point or did it kind of once you sort of acknowledged that you wanted to be somewhere that you weren't kind of things like you there's quite significant change that needed to be made is that When things really amped up in terms of the mental emotional well-being for you. Yes, I think I definitely I definitely dealt with mild levels of anxiety and mild to moderate levels of depression in my late teens particularly when I transition from linga the secondary college town of 7,000 people School Captain football captain. Yeah, there's a little Pond and then made the transition down to Melbourne University. T 40,000 students everyone's everyone's intelligent all of a sudden a little baby gold. I'm not as significant in. Yeah. I was like Little Nemo and my yet see the significant some thread was like massively confronted. Yeah that took a real hit like that adjustment period my that was when I was really confronted with definitely like about luck prop about two things. The depression that would get in the way of my study and desire to socialize and all of those things. So that was actually what then spark the first time going to a psychologist. Mmm alongside going to different personal development seminars and a couple of Retreats. It also despite the whole inquiry into like how is the brain made up? What is actually going on here? Yeah, that's what is meditation. So no retrospect looking back and with mental health with challenges being so pervasive both in young people and adults alike that that Journey enabled me to have an enormous amount of empathy for people who are dealing with mental health challenges and then let's begin to have a tool kit and a way of empowering others to step into taking care of their own mental and emotional health. Hmm that yeah, so that was sort of in my early twenties and then thereafter it was kind of like just like moderate. Now little bit of social anxiety here and there but always I would kinda fund, you know find that inner peace Within Myself. Yeah, nothing. I couldn't compare any of that to the intensity of what it was like after really hitting that point of like, I'm actually like it's not okay that my nervous system is reacting so intensely to this seemingly neutral and very minor. Yeah incident that occurred at work or hmm. I'm getting so defensive and reacting so intensely to someone who just made a light-hearted joke about my hair or something like that. You know, I'm like the fly. I'm like the the the the the fly-on-the-wall observing myself reacting like densely than was necessary to certain things and I'm like, yeah, there's something not quite balanced here and here you've got to go you got to go on whatever here. Jenny you need to to get that Equanimity. Yeah. And what was what was some significant things that helped with that like even like the top two or three things because I say it is so common amongst young people but and adults alike. Like what did you find that really helped you find some sort of balance or Harmony or I'll come back to that point while you were navigating at all. Yeah you in my response to this. I'll speak directly to my Personal experience which there early be what I'd be if others can like relate to this idea of feeling burnt out or like overwhelmed. There are there are there like levels of burnout, you know, and what I hear, you know, when I speak to a bunch of people are working pretty hard and in the hustle and I'll go here you go on the icon so burnt out. I'm like cool tell me about that and like, you know just it's just constantly stress. There The To Do List is endless and I'm struggling to keep With everything I gotcha gotcha and then there's luck the kind of burnout that I had which is like my might like thinking two days into the future was like anxiety like anxiety volcano. Yeah well and luckily not wanting to get out of bed to go to work just like dreading dreading the day because my nervous system was just you know, overdrive all the time. I think there is it's like important to distinguish. Yeah, there's like pervasive burnout and then there's like actual nervous systems fried kind of burnout. So yeah, because that was where I was what I honestly am and what I needed was like proper separation and hence why mountains and marathons Jen and I turned it into a company and we can share more about that but really the at the guts of mountains of marathons was about a journey of My own healing and part of that really was the separation. It was about getting out of the environment that I had fostered in the kind of community that I created not because they were bad or wrong. But just because I needed to discover a part of myself or discover myself newly as not my identity inside the environment of Melbourne and Australia that was certainly one thing. I think that made one of the biggest Mrs. The next part was honestly man, focusing on one project 1 Project. Yes. I'm just writing some notes Here for myself. Not not not mean Cave Game Changers back to school Fitness and all the other initiatives that forward under those companies. It was like no no your mountains and marathons. That's it and The Liberation that came from letting go of everything and just focusing on one thing. Which is and Malcolm's and and then personally my health that was like that was that were my only properties and so then my brain was able to start to go. All right. Well if there's not as much to be concerned with right now, okay, just like one thing after the next one thing so that made a huge difference and then when the next piece which is exactly why mountains marathons is designed the way that it is is get fit like get fit. Track and your pom-poms is we run marathons prior to when mountains marathons was creators that Vision back in 2016. Never run a marathon before yeah. Yeah since May since May of last year. So what are we at? Just almost 18 months like Jen and I ran six marathons. No. No, we didn't hit we have we certainly haven't climbed a mountain every consonant but climb to mountains and there was a like the physical transformation and the kind of mindset. Of like what I'm physically capable of and which then transpires into other areas of life has played a significant role in in that healing journey. And then the other one man was just like nailing down those morning and evening rituals like yeah being up at a consistent time having the hot cold shower doing meditation stretching journaling having a check in with Jen and then stepping into again another ritual a business. Mm-hmm inbox zero check the calendar being communication with anyone this be communicated with what's the last one? Oh, yeah, and then checking with our clients like cool and now it's like we're now that those are done probably step into the day. And so no matter how I was feeling when I'd wake up. I just knew that there was this this pattern of behavior just follow these things because they are contributing to your growth and your healing and if you and I just knew it if I do these consistently for long I will get better and the same thing would apply for an evening ritual 1000 that's before bed, you know wind down read a book journal easy breathing like hmm. Just just the basics of self-care man and just doing them consistently and then naturally with those things at the space the space and separation the focusing on one project and then morning and evening rituals aligned with like Fitness and good nutrition do another one. Going vegan going plant-based one of the best on the best suggest minutes. I've made to my lifestyle and just like how my skin here at I lost that little just that little bit of extra weight that I was carrying and then become a plant powered unit to take on these well if we physical challenges so, you know, I know it's all textbooks tough man, but literally it's like clothes just closing that knowing doing Gap is what I just like doing the things that I know. Equal well-being. Mmm, and it sounds like you created systems or rituals. Whatever word you want to use for that because that's something I can relate to as well and I'm give God a system. It's funny the more structure and systemize things are the more freedom that exists like which is kind of counterintuitive when you first think about it, but that it sounds like just knowing that it's not like waking up and with the question of well, what am I doing? It's like you've got your first you know, what you're doing this first few things that and you know, that's going to get you in a certain State and then you can start to build momentum from that. Yeah, exactly. Right and it is and it's like and once once kind of like tapped into that system. It's like There is there is freedom. There is freedom inside of that and there's Freedom discipline. Yeah discipline of like showing up even when you don't want to and that applies to like preparing to run a marathon like it's 210. It's 10 p.m. You like I really don't feel like going out running right now. It's raining and it's cold and it's dark yet. You know, if you're committed to running a marathon you got to get out there and do it. Yeah the same time it's like business. So I really don't want to get on that sales. All right now, yeah, we shop and do it, right? Yeah again, those are just that that discipline and and showing up even when you don't want to all of that contributes to being well. Hmm, and can you talk to on that point the distinguishing between your intuition and maybe some brain chatter or the inner critic or the inner Saboteur because you Showing up no matter what to your million different projects kind of led to burn out as well. Do you know what I mean? So can yeah, can you speak to what you've learned around around around that around? Anyways, you've gone on navigating should I listen to this voice or not? That's telling me not to do you know what I mean? Like what have you learnt in that because that has been a big big learning point for me over the last five years. I'd love to hear your Insight. Yeah, too good for me your question a question. And I ask myself when the luck when it is like, you know, am I going too far with just like showing up when my body probably needs a rest is is that question of does this feel expansive? Hmm. It's a fear. So when I like just check-in, I'll just check into the emotional body and just go does this feel expansive, right? And so far for instance even like last night was it was ten o'clock and I hadn't been literally but it's 10 o'clock. I mean from a rung was just like and I checked I just checked in. Why my brain is saying don't do it, man. You don't have to do that. You don't have to do that run and then I checked in. I was just like no. I know how much better. I'm going to feel mmm back of this run go and do the run. Hmm and yet I've also had moments where I've just been completely exhausted like just maybe come off the back of a really big week hmm o'clock and I've got to run them. I'll check in. I'll just go no, no, no that feels like control like it feels like it's Contracting and feels like it feels like there's a lot of resistance. Once there. Yeah, Beyond brain chatter. It's like my body's like my body saying and so it's like cool. That's all good. Like no run tonight. Yeah check in tomorrow. And so that I found that question to be really really valuable for me knowing that I'm someone who has the propensity to show up even when it might be at my disservice. Yeah be a different question. Ask yourself if you're someone who kind of let's yourself off the hook a lot. Yeah. Yeah, it's almost like where are you on the scale? There's like a spectrum and it's like if you're someone who shows up too much too often, then it's like okay, maybe sometimes I don't if you're somebody that needs to build discipline then maybe you probably do but I love that idea of checking in with your body couldn't agree more with that. And also what you kind of alluded to as well as it's almost like asking the question of how you would feel after it what you're checking in with like when you're burnt out and cooked. It's like, how am I going to feel after this run? Probably more burnt out and worse. Okay. Maybe it's not the right call. But how am I going to feel after this run and the other example you like I'm going to feel way better after this. So rather than how I feel about the activity. It's almost how am I going to feel on the other side of this and feeling into that as a question can be quite powerful as well. Exactly. Right? Exactly. Right? It's just like getting in the ice bath. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it never feels good going in ever. This is not a good idea either. Why would I yeah, yeah. Yeah, beautiful beautiful. Awesome. So yeah, I'd love to dive into obviously you've shared. Yeah mountains marathons came to be but yeah, I'd love you to speak into the ethos the mission. Yeah what you guys are about and then maybe yes start to share a bit about what you sort of do with you. With your members and what opportunities and experiences you provide for them. Yeah, awesome man, so that it's at its Essence mountains marathon is all about empowering people to lead their most values align life and how we do that is by running a six-month leadership program that culminates in our members running a marathon or climbing a mountain in extraordinary locations around the world and so the six months Is Led all online through video calls? We do it in teams. So to make it real for instance will go down Mount Kilimanjaro leadership program happening right now. We've got six members who are from the US Australia and Dubai who are currently going through their six-month leadership curriculum and tailored individual leadership coaching and as they move through this program together with a combination of individual calls and team calls. They're going to meet us and each other face-to-face for the first time in Tanzania in January where we will then graduate their program by summoning that Kilimanjaro together and going through a series of processes and conversations to help reflect and consolidate their entire six-month leadership Journey now Jen and I lead the we lead the the personal coaching. We also have an elite Marathon Mountaineer coach from the US. His name is Michael and we have a Channel dietitian and Pamela from Canada. And so Michael and Pamela take care of the physical and health transformation of each of our members now in the so that's kind of like it. I guess at a higher level. Would you like me to go a little bit further as to what sort of involved and and ya know so that's good like and just to give that overview because what I love about it, is it combines like one-on-one coaching but connecting people within a group online. The in-person experience and it's like quite a unique Journey. Like I've been in the self-development and this kind of space for like years and I haven't seen anything quite quite like it. I'd love to hear a what's the biggest thing you've learnt about the transformation process since doing it because like you say you run one and then you like well that worked really well that could work better. Like what's the kind of biggest thing you've learned around? Transformation which I know you will already well-versed in before starting this but what's the biggest thing you've learned since you started and I guess the why behind the set up, you know what? I mean? What's the what's the while the reason for doing this as opposed to just running a retreat and just doing the marathon? I just doing coaching or like speak to that a little bit as well. Yeah nice. So at the high level as you can already gauge from the nature of like Ford's Jen myself, Michael and Pamela. For coaches for each individual very holistic in its approach and we really like we really believe in people getting their own bodies minds and emotion and spirit in alignment before empowering them to lead others, which naturally happens at the same time. They start showing up in their own life and then that flows on impacting the people who they engage with on a daily basis and so we knew That there was if you're not well if your health if your health is not in check like you can forget about you can forget about everything else because without the physical body the emotional body in the mental body like in check. Then you're not going to be able to show up in your greatest potential in your workplace in your marriage for your kids. And whoever else is important to show up. So we knew that had to have a health aspect to it. And this is also where we would had to have some kind of test of that physical transformation which is where the notion of mountains and marathons comes about. Yes. It started as a personal Vision, but really that's because I was like if I ran a marathon and climb the mountain every concert, I would fundamentally be a different. Even being on the other side of that equation physically, I will be different human being and then to be the kind of person that takes that on. I've also got to have a massive mindset shift. Hmm my sense of what's possible has to level up be the kind of person that's going to bring that into fruition. And so yeah, that was my kind of vision of every, you know, Marathon a mountain every continent, but just even scaling that back down to being like one Marathon. I've never run a marathon. Jean like a lot of people look at that and just go that's a bloody long way that will be Out Of Reach For Me reflected by 80% of our members stepping into our programs with never having run a marathon or climbed a mountain before but it's this sense of who do I need to be to the kind of person that does that and it really plays into that aspirational sense of human potential and human possibility. So we knew that having an exciting and adventurous face-to-face rite of passage. Retreat is an incredibly powerful way to attract people to look at the program because there's em like people are missing Adventure in their life reefer adventure and the idea of traveling to Cape Town South Africa to run a marathon when you're flying from the other side of the world to go and do that again, Italy, it lends itself to that rite of passage in Ocean and people get excited by that their new siding future when you sign up for this six-month leadership. Program finishes with something so epic so we knew that that was like a really we have this where we had the hypothesis that taking people through a journey of stepping into an epic physical challenge and Adventure would be a great framework to facilitating some form of transformation at the very least a physical transformation. Mmm, that was kind of foundation the next bit then is obviously there's the physical train but then there's the nutrition and as I shared like for us going Jen was As well before I was she inspired me to step into that lifestyle and it's made such a profound difference to us and obviously is the research continues to pile up about the benefits of plant-based diet. It just naturally become something that we look to integrate nutritionally into our program. Now, we don't prescribe a plant-based diet when members will we do encourage them to look at it and give it a go and then make their own call on what their Optimum Nutritional Lifestyle looks like and he's brought. The different ways of engaging with that across the course of the program. Sorry if the dogs are barking. Yeah, that's okay mental right now and then I just heard me talking about plants and they lot. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, no, and so and so then we brought, you know, we brought a nutritionist can for some people, you know, they've done some of their members have done an Ironman Triathlon before Hayden and not like the Fitness and Nutrition side of it isn't the bit. Looking for but others really step in a program like having completely let go of their physical and Nutritional Health and so that naturally becomes a really cool part of their program. So so we knew that there was going to be the naturally a physical component to it. And then the real question for Jen and I was coming back to your question of like what have I noticed about transformation and you know what it is that me. Yeah biggest difference is really looking at the approach of meeting people exactly. Where A rat and then going through a process of a helping them distinguish them morning and evening rituals. Mmm those just doing those one percenters consistently on a daily basis now getting up and doing that which will set them up for the for a successful day and close off the evening for a great sleep. Well, let's get these basics down. So then we'll introduce the basic principles of habit of letting go of bad habits and creating healthy new habits and a little bit of that conversation. But really rigorously support them and accountability of honoring the things that they say they're going to do hmm conversation about integrity. So now the next conversational introduces what we call the dead wait list, which is the list of all the things that they've said they were going to do in the promises of made either to themselves or to others that they just haven't done haven't been to the doctor in five years, um got an outstanding debt to Mom and Dad that I've been resisting having the to them about hmm the insurance like all of those little things Israelite get the dead ways that would get dick at the dead white list down right by halfway through the program. You've got to have a complete or you've got at least have an agreement in place that everything on that list and then and then relationship clearing to same it's the effectively the same thing but it's not pragmatic. It's about people hmm question is like, who do you hold a charge against who do what is unsupported which people in your life? Is there something else? Organs is something you resist where there's withheld truths or lies or whatever it is. Give us the list. Who are they? I'm just get quite pragmatic about it. Who are they what's there for you about them? And then Jen and I got our own clearing processes that we take each individual through which generally lend itself to a conversation with certain individuals and support people have that literally to have the have nothing in the space. Between them and others now, this is something that Jen and I like rigorously practice in our own lives as having nothing space between us and others or having anything on our dead waitlist again, you talked about like having good mental health and peace of mind what we discovered man as we stepped into this and said that it introduced these kinds of conversations was they really these things those two things really free people up. Oh personal freedom. Yeah completely. Yeah, and so whether you know, we've had members who have you know, they've been victims of domestic violence. We've had you know, we've had members who try to be killed by their own parents when they were younger and we've had members who you know who've gone through like really nasty divorces and then like the partner took everything and so all that like you can just imagine the kind of the baggage. Mmm, like holding onto around some of these circumstances some of the charges they have all the fears. They hold engaging with other people or just you know fears and doubts about just being in life. A lot of this stuff builds up and Jen and I I've always just had the philosophy that anything can get complete anything anything can be resolved with that as a with that as our as our presuppositions that then enables us to step. Awfully into creating that as a possibility for other people where they've never present them that's ever been and idea for them that they could get over what took place five years ago. And so I think that's what we've discovered to be true. Like we knew it was powerful but that that as you described like personal freedom mmm and and the lightness that people experience off the back of those kinds of processes at the same time or they'll concurrently losing weight. Yeah. Yeah the physical body - signing in getting the nutrition quite like that holistically creates so much space for the creation and possibility to show up for people. Yeah. I love it. I love it man. It's so important because you really physically carry it with us in our body these charges these emotions these and it's like yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah as I can and it's kind of speak to the power of forgiveness as well forgiving so forgiving others. It's it's a super power and it can be the most liberating thing ever. So yeah, I'm um and then and it's just funny that you like in your it was powerful from your own experience, but it's interesting feedback now at taking quite a number of groups through and you get to see that feedback and so it's okay. This is this is the This is the money and and it's the up probably without the accountability. The thing that gets avoided the most to let really yeah. Yeah, because it's like Walt nope, you know future future Jamin. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'll do it. I'll do it next year the old myth of Tomorrow next week and look in the in the reality is like our program. It's a high ticket program. Hmm like it's not fair. Everyone, but for those who it's for like everyone can benefit from this but there are those that like go this is really what I'm looking for. Right? Mmm, then when they make that investment both financially and with their time and energy, they pull the program to them. Yeah, and it's like and the moment we see them really start to like own their program. They're literally like cool set me up for the next clearing conversation. Yeah, and then you know with that's when we know we're on here we get momentum and then people really start being Responsible for every part of their life and stepping into the context of Creator. Yeah them to that our circumstances. That's a beautiful like that's a beautiful inflection point inside each of our programs. Yeah. I love it. I love it man. I'd really love to hear you speak into this concept of Rites of Passage and especially, you know, if got to go Is a unique insight into working with quite young people working with adults from different countries. And so yeah, I just love for you to share your thoughts and what I know you've done some training with the Rites of Passage Institute and created a lot of Rites of Passage experience has been through a lot of your own. Yeah and maybe starting off about a like speaking into the importance of it for young people. But then just anybody the importance of these Rites of passages. Variances for awesome what they actually provide on like a psychological level and like a practical level as well. Yeah. Sure. Yeah the the pet the power of black intentional ritual. Hmm is something that's been with within the human experience and Human Society forum for millenniums, like since the beginning of like small tribal civilizations, and so like whether it's the coming of age Edge of the the Papa New Guinea boys 14 years old and climbs the bamboo rope climbs of bamboo Tower tires the vine and around his legs and jumps off his heavy hits the ground. Like that's a good one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah the mailman all the way through to you know in East Africa One Tribe where they have young women coming into girls coming into women who had where they go inside a hollowed-out tree and fast for three days while the women of the community come around. And share stories about what it is to be a woman in that Community these indigenous Rites of passages that player and have played out all over the world. There's something there has been something that's been lost in western civilization about this about this kind of coming of age and I'm not just talking about boy to man or go to woman. I'm talking about different transitions in life. It's like, I mean, I think great contemporary couple of great contemporary examples of Rites of Passage in a western context. It's is like marriage where yeah, you bring yet, you have this event and you're bringing whole bunch of your closest friends and family together where the guy wears black and girl wears white. I like I'm talking very generally so here that yeah, there's like a ring and there's a lot of significance that goes into that ring. Mmm. It was specific finger and then the celebrant says a few words you say I do you kiss and then all of a sudden this whole new context of marriage and It's off the back of this event taking place. That's a rite of passage. Hmm or schoolies. It's just like the initiation into out like the leaving of school that's healthy or not. Like humans are creating rituals and I'm taking part in rituals all the time. The question is are we deliberately setting these up to empower us to continue to grow and evolve and transform in our own lives and the principles are very, Very very simple and they remain consistent across all the different Rites of passages around the world, which is that of Separation so separation from immediate community in space. It involves story. So some aspect of discovering oneself or sharing more about oneself or learning more about the story of one's community and then there's Challenge and so this challenge historically that's about facing your mortality, but that because some of our youth leadership programs are used to run that'll be public. Because unfortunately those Clauses that can actually have probably not going to be climbing bamboo towers and getting your nine kids to jump off here. Yeah. Look, how long can you hold your breath and one degree? Yeah. Yeah, no not going to doing those kind of things but there are ways in which we can facilitate challenges for people that really has them confront whether to confront their immortality or confront their ego or confront their the confront their Shadow confront lots of themselves that they do. Choose to repress our not look at other ways in which we can facilitate challenge beyond that we then step into Vision which is off the back of challenge becoming more present to like future possibilities and then starting to create an inspiring vision for yourself or for your community. And then there's Spirit which is acknowledgement, you know, where others others acknowledge you and validate you for the unique gifts and strengths that they seen you and then there's the reintegration which is return than being received by your community. And they're like separation story challenge Vision Spirit reintegration a beautiful beautiful process as man that can play out in so many creative ways. Mmm. And so if we look at it if we look at it from the from the example of mountains and marathons like we begin with a we begin with like separation or in our case the creation of a new community. Okay immersed in a hole a new culture that we then hold a container for across the course of the six months left their identity is I am a part of mountains and marathons like that's a new that's an identity or something or context that did not exist before they step into this program. Yeah, and then story is a journey of sharing and of self-discovery and starting to look at Dead way and clearing composite core values, right? So starting to unpack story. And then she will actually challenge is generally the clearing component. Yeah, you know stepping into those uncomfortable conversations stepping into the kind of vulnerability that's going to give you personal freedom. And then we as we've already discussed off the backside of that we then have space we've got emotional cognitive spiritual space because we're cleared of our baggage were cleared of the Dead weight from the past. So then it enables space for the conversation of a vision to emerge and amounts of marathons. We call that next level you which is a beautifully beautiful creative process that we have everyone consider what their ideal life would be like across 12 different life areas and then bring a lot of ritual and intentionality into how they have engaged with that and how that serves as a constant anchor of why they show up each day. And what did you used to do each day to become to be and become that person they're inspired to be in the world. And so then naturally we then graduate. The with a mountain of marathon Retreat into the we literally take them through a whole nother micro right of Passenger context of a six-month rite of passage that has like a physical challenge this time at the center point we do they actually then leaves them even more empowered to consider what's possible beyond beyond the graduation of the program of everything. They've accomplished both across across the six months and also in the six days that they spend on the retreat and then finally then I mean as part of that there's a beautiful acknowledgement beautiful acknowledgement ceremony that we facilitate but one key thing that we've integrated into our program that what I've observed a lot of programs overlooked or don't do don't do so. Well is the reintegration piece I can concur with that point which is where you know, I'm not I'm sure a number people listening to this will have those experiences where you go away and get deeply immersed in connected to a in a container where Is a depth of safety and vulnerability that's present that just seems to be present nowhere else in the world. Hmm. And then you your hog and say see you later brother see your sister and then back to work on Monday and no one around you has a context for what it is you like the kind of transformation. You've just been through hmm. I can leave people feeling pretty lonely and isolated hmm separate and different and actually less connected of the back of that. So yeah, what were they? Very intentional about in our program is introducing a conversation towards the end of called Inner Circle, which is having each of our members identify who are who are those people in their life who are their enablers and support people? So when she's getting down here to go to and when things are up who's getting behind you and who's getting around you and we identify those individuals and give them the task of exhilarating the depth of quality and connection of those relationships as much as possible between then and the end of the program. And then inviting and then inviting each of those individuals to a dinner that takes place place two weeks after they come back from their retreat with the intention of having each of those people acknowledged for who they are in their life. And then also to share some stories about what it was like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, you know and sharing that or sharing about what it was like taking on their first marathon and some things I've learnt in that whole process where it's kind of of like taking responsibility for your own reintegration instead of instead of expecting everyone else to understand or like, you know, you don't get me or you should go and do that understand me. It's like you need to get up to speed with my level of Spiritual Development. So you should probably go and do this program. It's like no like you create an event that invites people in your community come together attention of British. People up to speed hmm and being seen inside your transformation. Yeah and of creating new possibilities for the relationships with the p equal in the room in that in that moment in that space. Yeah, we found that to be quite a quite a powerful way of really completing their program because it becomes once they leave the mountains of marathons container. They have read the deepen their own. A container in their own local community, which is super important. It's like even if you looking at not so much the right of passage, but the but a different model like Joseph Campbell's like the hero's journey. Do you know what I mean? Part of it is returning to society with the gold genuine returning back crossing the threshold again and bringing the gold back like that's part of it that can often get missed in a big way and you can end up just cycling and then you sort of get stuck in the challenge or the he come back you don't really integrate, but then you go off. New Journey before you've actually really completed the one you're in. So yeah, I would invite anybody listening to this who has been on maybe experimental passage experience. It might have been a retreat might have been a travel Adventure if you if this is resonating I strongly suggest doing what Jamin just indicated and picking six to ten people that are close to you intentionally creating an experience where you can connect and share about your experience what you've done were who you are now way. We your and and create an intentional space for that container because often it can be just as if not more powerful than the experience itself because it helps everything stick. The whole point of over here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I guess on that note on the flip side like what what are you seeing in society and individuals? I guess what are the results of this lack of rite of passage? Like it's a it's something that's being with us and being part of the development of our psyche in the development of us as individuals for so so long and yet we just deeply lack intentional Rites of Passage. Now, what are you seeing the impacts play out of that like what are the symptoms of that that you're seeing? I guess generally collectively or individually as well. Yeah. I mean it's hard to it's hard to say for certain. Yeah, because there's like, you know societies on its own different trajectories and you know people kind of become part of their own culture escape and in this sort of tend to follow the follow the narrative that's played out before them and kind of play into a lot of Pop Culture, but you know, I think I think what is what's really being missed out on is this sense of Deep knowing of who I am and the owing of the role that I play in my community. Mmm Yeah Yeah Yeah couldn't agree more that because when people like so many people are just trying to like hustle and grind and you know and win-win the rat race and it's like fucking what the fuck for. Yeah. Yeah. What even is that? Look that like truly man. Like we are we as a we are a global we are a global civilization our Global community and each of us each of us. Have a role to play. In empowering the evolution of consciousness of humans and each of us have a role to do our own work and clear our own shit in order to be create to be a space and a living example of of how possibility can manifest itself and when each of his take on take on that Journey like courageously step into that we start to get clear on the difference that we can truly make and and and where our talents are best with the energy of our talents. Can best be channeled to be a contribution to people and I think sweet spot is when you can discover that and then learn how to monetize that and really live live from a place of alignment where and Creator and service because I feel like what that I don't really know who I am. I don't really know it can lead to a sense of hopelessness and if there's a Surefire way to for a wrap Decline in mental and emotional well-being. It's a sense of hopelessness totally man. So I feel like sorry Hugo and I mean if we look at if we look at what is the biggest cause of sickness and in our world right now, it's loneliness. Hmm. And here we are in a world that seemingly becoming more connected than ever with the development of technology and all these different social media platforms. Hmm and yet it's that it's that being seen in our Vulnerability and being seen in you know, the struggle of academic experience that's truly. It's truly missing and being able to like vulnerably celebrate the joyous parts of the human experience. That's really missing and the world is suffering. Hmm. Anyone who does spend time in Retreats and on these Rites of Passage hero Heroes Journey processes, you know what it's like to be deeply seen and to be connect what's possible for our community? And so I think it truly man. I think it's people's suffering in silence suffering and suffering. So low, that is the ultimate. I think the ultimate ramification of a lack of rite of passage in our Western world. Hmm. Yeah, well said well said well man, I appreciate you. Thanks for yeah, thanks for taking the time to jam out. It's been an epic conversation and cool to just hear parts of your story that I actually didn't know the details on that those early parts of your journey and how that's really shaped your passion for what you're doing. And yeah, I just honored the difference that you're making both both personally and professionally. Yeah. I just want to what? Knowledge that you're saved man. Thanks Towelie your dear friend, and I love you with knife. Yeah, no worries, man. And now I'm to wrap up like where can people find you working. They yeah, learn more about what you do with mountains and marathons. Yeah, drop drop any any dates that you've got hole. So to find a bit more about mountains and marathons websites. Probably a pretty good resource. So that's www.mathantics.com. Dad marathons Dot World. I got the old dog. Dog world nice look like that. Is that the place find out more about our programs as far as like what's kind of going on on the on the weekly front just Facebook is always good place to be able to check in on that. We don't run we don't run in stuff. Which yeah, it was a bit lazy on that front Facebook to be a pretty pretty easy channel to engage with people. So from certain connect their and otherwise very often receiving emails that Jamin and Jen at mountains of me. On start world if you want to reach out and say g'day and always happen to jump on a call and connect with people inspired to really step into alignment. Hmm, beautiful. Love it, man, and I'll put all those details in the show notes as well. Awesome man. Awesome man will alarm. Yeah looking forward to catching up again soon. And yeah, really appreciate your time. Thanks Towelie CMA. Thanks guys, and that is a wrap. Thanks so much for listening guys. I Hope you got a lot out of it. I really enjoyed that conversation with Jamin definitely go and check out mountains and marathons if you feel inspired for an adventure. Yeah for if you're at a transitionary time in life. Yeah, those guy couldn't recommend chairman and Jen more highly so definitely go and check out their work and make sure you subscribe to the podcast on whatever app you're listening to it on and head on over and give us a review as well. Take take the 30 seconds. Every review goes a long way and obviously if you're really enjoying the content give us that five star review and that's just going to help get this podcast into the ears of all people and spread the love. So I think that's about it. I'm going to leave it at that and until next time this is Talia Connor. Check it out.
This was a really inspiring conversation with Jamin Heppell who is the Co-Founder and Director of Mountains and Marathons - a company that runs 6 month long leadership programs that culminate in the physical challenge of either running a marathon or climbing a mountain. Before co-founding Mountains and Marathons, Jamin was the director and founder of three leadership organisations centred around the development of health and resilience. He has had the privilege of working with over 15,000 people from diverse communities across Australia and North America. Having bounced back from burnout, depression and seven major surgeries, Jamin knows what it's like to struggle and what it takes to transform. He is committed to peak health and performance and supporting others to do the same. Key Points:   Jamin’s biggest challenge   Creating a new relationship with his father    How he challenged his father    Jamin’s natural instinct for leadership    How Jamin combined his two greatest passions    How Jamin navigated confronting his father    How Jamin created ‘Game Changers’    The time it takes to create your vision    Combining aligned action with manifesting    Jamin’s restart in career    His first experience in working with young men    The beginning of The Man Cave    The creation of Back to school fitness    Jamin’s burn out moment and epiphany    The beginning of Jamin’s relationship    Jamins experience with anxiety and depression    What helped Jamin find balance    How our systems support us    Difference between intuition and mind    What is Mountains and Marathons    The Why    The importance of rights of passage    What is a true ritual space    What are the symptoms of a lack of rights of passage  Relevant Links and Website: Jamin Heppell website: https://mountainsandmarathons.world/ Tully O’Connor Website: www.tullyoconnor.co Instagram: @tullyoconnor Men, join us in The Conscious Locker Room Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/consciouslockerroom/ 