- [Stuart] In this episode, I'm talking to Kenny Weiss, who has founded The Greatness Movement, which I have to say, Kenny, is a name I just love. There's no subtlety about that. And your own story mirrors some of mine in a number of ways with struggling with mental health and addiction and various other things. So Kenny, tell us about your life before that process kicked in.
- [Kenny] Sure. First of all, thanks for having me. I'll try and give you the, I guess the CliffNotes, Readers Digest version if they have those out in England, in your part of the world. But ever since I was a kid, I've just always had this weird ability. I could walk in a room and see and feel people's trauma. I've heard people use a lot of different names for it. I don't know what it is, but I don't really care what you name it. It's just something I always had. And what really kinda changed my life is I was 10 years old. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, opened up the door, and...

- [Stuart] This is the Great Escape Podcast, episode 14.
- [Announcer] We are go for lift off in T minus 30. All systems are a go.
- [Stuart] And today, I'm talking to Angela Marshall and I'm gonna introduce her in her own words. She said that she resigned from 20 years in the corporate world to embrace the purpose that has pursued her throughout her life. You know what, Angela, that's a hell of an intro. Tell us about--
- [Angela] Drop the mic.
- [Stuart] Drop the mic, yeah. Tell us about your life before you made that change.
- [Angela] So, I will say this. Coming from a former NFL wife background, I was a housewife steward until I was forced, well, not gonna say forced, until I made a couple of changes in my life and needed money, basically, to take care of myself and my children and I went into the corporate world around 1999. So, I was a documentations specialist for this pharmaceutical company. And, I actually have several promotion and progression steps during that time, 'cause I...

- This is the Great Escape Podcast, episode 14: "A Little Escape" with thoughts on community.
- Several of my podcast guests recently, and some that you haven't heard yet because they're in upcoming episodes, have talked about the importance of being in a community; of having friends and family who they can talk to, who they can explore ideas with, who can encourage them, who can hold them to account or even criticize them. And that's had me thinking quite a lot about when I've been happiest in my life is when I've been in relationships with people, not necessarily big, serious relationships, just relationship, friendship or whatever it is; that have been positive and uplifting, sometimes challenging. But rarely sort of blindly critical. And the times when I've felt worst, especially times where my mental health has been at its worst; have been the times when I've been incredibly alone, even in the midst of a crowd. And part of that is my own doing, when I'm feeling down I tend to...

Little Escape episodes are recorded wherever I am and usually have a lower level of audio finesse.

- [Stuart L. Morris] This is The Great Escape Podcast. Episode 10.
- [Announcer] We are Go for liftoff in T minus 30. All systems are a Go.
- [Stuart] Well actually it's the 11th episode because I started counting from zero which is a bit of a geek joke and now I feel I have to continue it because it's too difficult to change and renumber all the episodes. Last time I was interviewing Michael Cordova who left his corporate job and started Floating Point Center just outside Reading in the UK. And he and his wife Tina have built a business that they run themselves, that they're passionate about, that they enjoy, and that is meeting the needs of their family as they expect the birth of their first child. As something that struck me particularly about Michael's story last time was how he said that he had ended up basically stalking me to the car park of the organization we both worked at at...

- [Stuart] And today I'm talking to Michael Cordova, managing director of The Floating-Point Center, a flotation centre in Reading, in the United Kingdom, and we'll find out all about what floating actually is
'cause that's probably going to be the first question I'll ask. Michael and I met in I think about 2014, just as he was beginning the process of thinking how to leave his corporate life, and go floating. Michael, welcome to the podcast.
- [Michael] Thanks, for having me on to do it.
- [Stuart] You're very welcome. Okay, well I'll ask the question, Tell us what floating is.
- [Michael] Well, floating is is a way to achieve a deep state of meditation. Um, it's a good way to de-stress and relax. Uh, for those of- for many of those I guess who haven't seen a float-tank or float-tub before, the-they're going um, there's more-more of them appearing all over-all over the world. But essentially, they're a giant pod they're about the same size as a family car. So about 7 foot long by about...

Little Escape episodes are recorded wherever I am and usually have a lower level of audio finesse.

I'm on the road again today. Bright and early, glorious sunny sky. In fact, not a cloud in the sky as I crawl onto the M25, the motorway around London, which is always a bit of a car-park at this time in the morning. And today, although I've got a lot of driving to do, which gives me time in the car to listen to podcasts, and think, listen to some music, it also is a day when I'm doing what is absolutely essential to any successful project, which is thinking about that project, planning how the whole thing's gonna fit together, what we're going to do, how we're gonna make it work.

The idea of today is not to get it perfect, but just to get something down so that later on, as the project moves forward, that plan can be refined, and edited, and modified. But if there's nothing down, then I'm just making it up as I go along so there can't be any improvement. What I find really, really...

Alex Hannold climbed the 3000 ft vertical rock face called El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in the USA. He did it on his own without ropes or any climbing aids - a technique called Free Solo. Is he mad? Probably but he said this:

"You face your fear because your goal demands it"

If your goal isn't demanding things of you that are stretching you is your goal really worthy of the name?

I've been thinking a lot recently about a film I watched the other day by a guy called Alex Honnold who is a free solo climber.
So basically that means he climbs really, really difficult rock faces without any ropes and on his own.
It was June 3rd 2017, he climbed El Capitan which is a 3,000-foot rock face in Yosemite Park in North America.
Most people take a couple of days to climb it with ropes and help.
He climbed it in just over three hours on his own, no ropes, no safety equipment, just straight up this rock face.
Now apart from the insanity of doing such a thing and I think the film covers that quite...

Terry Lewis is an inspiring human with a great story of overcoming difficult beginnings and finding happiness. He trains professionals in the wedding industry to increase their income and build more reliable business. You can find the details of his Phoenix programme here:

https://www.weddingmarketingmastery.co.uk/

The Great Escape titles music was created by Darren Reddick

Sarah said to me "everything worthwhile is outside my comfort zone" and this has had me thinking. In this "Little Escape" episode I have some thoughts on fear and overcoming it.

The Great Escape titles music was created by Darren Reddick