Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Secret To Success with CJ, Karl, Jemal & Eric Thomas

What do you do when the dream is real, but the rent is due? Fresh off the Forever Forward weekend, with a couple of weeks left before their new book We Is Greater Than Me drops, CJ and Eric Thomas go back to the one season CJ almost folded. Money was so tight that CJ, the first in his family to get a degree, master's in hand, was calling his blue collar parents to borrow five hundred dollars. So he started substitute teaching on the side. By the end of his first day he had a struggling classroom singing, the principal asked him to come back every day, and the district wanted to offer him a role worth close to six figures. Then ET found out, and told him to quit. ET explains why. CJ had already turned down Western Michigan. ET had already watched people from Detroit make enough to survive but never enough to thrive. And the calls coming into their office at Michigan State, from Reggie Bush to Puff, told him the needle was moving. You can't half do this. Then the real reason CJ took the job comes out, and it involves the Cheesecake Factory. They go back even further. ET had one rule for the team, no dating, and Candis of Detroit broke right through it. CJ remembers ET calling with his wife Dede in the background, asking how long this was going to last, and the Michigan State staff meetings where ET stared out a tiny window like he was in prison. ET shares what God told him to do with Dede's need for stability. It all lands on the story ET preached this weekend: why God let David lose everything right after he beat Goliath. You can't stay a champion off the last battle you won. JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings and Q&A with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open: You Can't Stay Champion Off One Win 00:01:34 Welcome: Fresh Off Forever Forward 00:02:58 Countdown to We Is Greater Than Me 00:04:50 Why CJ Struggles to Promote Himself 00:06:02 Why Now Was the Time for This Book 00:11:55 Was There Ever a Time You Doubted? 00:13:39 The Substitute Teaching Story 00:17:58 Why ET Told CJ to Quit 00:20:01 The Evidence: When Reggie Bush and Puff Called 00:22:04 You Can't Be Here One Week and Gone the Next 00:24:18 Western Michigan or the Cheesecake Factory 00:26:53 Candis of Detroit Broke the Rule Book 00:30:53 Five Grand a Speech and Dede's Big Question 00:33:12 Suffocating in the Staff Meeting 00:35:30 Turn Your Dream Into a Job 00:37:05 Want It as Bad as You Want to Breathe 00:39:21 We Is Greater Summit, November 16 to 18 00:40:27 Get the Book, Bring Your Team PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Pre-order now and get $346 in free bonuses. Get one for you and one for your team. https://www.weisgreater.com WE IS GREATER SUMMIT Three nights, live and virtual, with Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney, November 16, 17 and 18. Self, family and teams, plus the book launch party. https://www.weisgreater.com/summit WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel RATE AND REVIEW If this one hit home, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people find the show. LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

What if the person you keep picking is not the problem? What if it is the version of you doing the picking? With CJ and Jemal out this week, Moose takes the host chair next to Eric Thomas and Karl and drives the whole conversation around one idea from ET and CJ's new book, We Is Greater Than Me. Moose grew up an only child, born in Egypt and raised in New York after 9/11, and learned early that the only way to get ahead was to look out for yourself. So he asks ET straight up: how does we benefit me? ET flips the question. Me is not real. He has never eaten, played, gambled or made it through a day without somebody else making it possible, and he walks you through his grandmother's projects in Detroit to prove it. Then it gets uncomfortable. ET says there is no enemy. Nobody outside your marriage is running your marriage, so whatever is tearing it down, you are holding the hammer. And if you leave one bad situation just to find the next one, you will tear that one down too. You might not be in the wrong we. You might be the wrong me. Karl shares the commandment he wrote this week, and it sounds backwards until it clicks: the most selfish thing you can do is give. Moose opens up about his grandmother's final moments in Egypt. ET explains how CJ and Karl turned an hour of raw ET into the three minutes the world saw, and why he never once did it on a solo. And a random comment someone sent about his kids, Jalin and Jayda, made ET realize he had been raising them in the zoo. It closes with a text Candis sent about Dede, and ET says no sermon can top what Dede did that day. JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings and Q&A with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open: They Grow From Chasing It Down 00:01:34 Welcome: Moose Takes the Host Chair 00:03:22 Karl's Birthday Shift: Think and Train, Don't Just Do 00:04:59 FOMO Is the Negative Side of We 00:09:12 New York, Boston and Vancouver in 72 Hours 00:11:43 Let Us Create: Why Nothing Gets Built Alone 00:17:29 Moose: Raised to Look Out for Me 00:18:54 Me Is Not Real 00:24:26 What Have You Done for Me Lately 00:25:39 How to Undo It: Stop Group Thinking 00:28:12 When You Worship the Group 00:29:45 There Is No Enemy 00:31:04 The Most Selfish Thing You Can Do Is Give 00:35:04 Coach Scott Drew on Healthy Teams 00:40:11 Study How You're Wired 00:44:09 Moose's Grandmother's Final Words 00:46:13 Roots: No One Greater Than Thee 00:48:26 Wrong We or Wrong Me? 00:49:48 Don't Cut It, Reset It 00:56:33 Out of the Zoo: ET's Kids Go to Work 01:00:41 Distributed Leadership: How ET Really Blew Up 01:06:54 You Can't Make Money Without a Tribe 01:09:02 What Dede Did When Nobody Was Watching 01:13:27 Get the Book, Bring Your We PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Pre-order now and get $346 in free bonuses. Get one for you and two for your we. https://www.weisgreater.com WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel RATE AND REVIEW If this one hit home, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people find the show. LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

How many times are you going to let somebody overdraft your life before you close the account? Eric Thomas and CJ go deep on relationships, boundaries and building the right team. E says it plain: God never told you to stay in a relationship that only takes. If people keep withdrawing more than they deposit, at some point you have to be strong enough to say, I have to let you go. It starts with CJ asking E how you know you are building on bedrock and not in vain. E gives three rules. Repeat the behaviors that get your best results, the same way a 24 hour fast finally moved his scale. Reproduce your best, even if it is the in your face voice Dede is tired of hearing. And select people who share your values, because access is not the same thing as love. Then CJ asks if there is ever a "me season." E tells the story of Dede asking the family for 18 months so she could get her master's, and why that was me for the sake of we. He explains why so many people quit on we after a bad partnership: they never prayed about it, they came for the money. The back half is a live Q&A with the S2S Patreon fam. E answers when the we is worth the sacrifice of me, why some of your me is sick and only spends in your own house, how to get volunteers to join what you are building, and why you can win a lot by yourself but you cannot win the big one alone. He also tells the story of how God gave him the title We Is Greater Than Me in prayer. JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON Hear every episode first and ask your questions live. New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. https://www.weisgreater.com EXTREME EXECUTION CERTIFICATION Live, October 24 and 25. Only happens once a year. https://www.extremeexecution.com CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Cold Open: I Need You to Produce Something 00:01:28 Welcome: We Costs More Up Front 00:02:43 NBA Coaches, Receipts and the Power of We 00:05:28 Who This Podcast Is Really For 00:07:46 How Do You Know You're Building on Bedrock? 00:08:31 Rule 1: Repeat What Gets You Results 00:13:21 Rule 2: Reproduce Your Best 00:15:46 Rule 3: Pick People Who Share Your Values 00:18:40 Is There Ever a Me Season? 00:19:05 Dede's 18 Months 00:21:32 Why Your Last We Failed 00:25:48 Why We Need You at WeIsGreater.com 00:27:12 Patreon Live Q&A: What E Is Most Excited About 00:30:06 When Is the We Worth the Sacrifice of Me? 00:31:17 Deposits, Withdrawals and Overdrafts 00:35:00 Why the Book Is Called We Is Greater Than Me 00:37:33 Does We Cost You Part of Me? Your Me Might Be Sick 00:41:45 How to Get People to Join Your We 00:43:07 You Can't Win the Big One Alone 00:46:16 How God Gave E the Title 00:47:34 Do You Stay With People Who Won't Grow? 00:49:53 Closing WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel RATE AND REVIEW If this episode hit home, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with somebody in your circle. It helps more people find the show. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

Eric Thomas thought he was a people pleaser. Then he looked around his own company and noticed something. Nobody was pleased. Payroll was astronomical. Every month was a prayer just to cover it. Morale was low. And every time the money ran short, ET had the same answer: get back on the road and go make more. This conversation starts with one sentence. CJ told someone who wanted in, "I don't trust you in the we right now." Not with his wallet. With the mission. Because CJ had already watched a people pleasing spirit up close. He watched E people please his way into that payroll. So CJ turns to E and asks him to talk to the people pleasers. What comes next is ET at his most honest: "I lied to you about what we was." He tells you why he did it, and it goes all the way back to being a kid watching Roots. He tells you what one conversation with TJ about the NFL finally made him see. And he gives you the one question that exposes whether you are really people pleasing or just worried about what people think. Then it gets personal. ET grew up in the Serengeti, but he raised his kids in the safari, where the meat gets thrown out to you right on schedule. So he made a decision about his son Jalin that most parents will not make. Then Jalin got COVID, missed four days of work, and opened his check. What he said to his dad after that is the whole point of this episode. Also in this one: why ET says workers don't get paid in this country, what a fourth and inches call has to do with your life, what being "half and half" gave CJ that E never had, and the phone call ET made to the father who raised him to apologize for something that made him mad as a kid. So be honest. The people you keep taking care of. Are they actually pleased? JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Cold Open: You Can't Say It's Bad When You're Part of What's Making It Bad 00:02:08 Welcome: AI, Water, and the End of the World 00:04:42 Chat GPT Turned E Into a Handyman 00:12:36 The AI Water Crisis: Chat vs Coca-Cola 00:18:06 Pre-Order We Is Greater Than Me 00:19:15 The People Pleasing Problem: When You're Really Self-Pleasing 00:22:08 The Payroll Crisis: When E Created a False World 00:23:39 Fourth and Inches: The Dan Campbell Philosophy 00:25:05 You're Not People Pleasing If They're Not Pleased 00:29:31 TJ and the NFL Reality Check 00:31:49 Workers Don't Get Paid: The Real World vs The Safari 00:34:07 If You Made Me, Make Another One: The Hov Principle 00:40:02 CJ's Half and Half Advantage: The Power of We 00:41:59 The Safari vs The Serengeti: Raising Kids in Reality 00:45:19 The Hidden Coke Story: Why Parents Hide Their Stuff 00:47:07 Jalin's COVID Check: When Reality Hits 00:48:32 Real People Pleasing: Standards That Set People Free PRE ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad. https://www.weisgreater.com WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 RATE AND REVIEW If this episode helped you, leave us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people find the show. LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

Eric Thomas and CJ break down leadership, team building and why you can't build it alone. The greatest wins in your life will never come from solo effort, and the thing that made you successful as an individual might be the very thing destroying your team. CJ said it at the 1% event. Your vision only has enough room for you. It is just CJ and Eric Thomas at the table this week, and E opens by saying he has never felt this good. The reason is not a new win. It is something he removed. E explains how the Flight Assessment showed him he was the opinionated flight attendant in his own house, and why the biggest thing he did for his family this season was stay out their business. His kids Jalin and Jayda left the “family we”, landed at the same company, and took off. From there the two get into money. E breaks down why money cannot buy happiness but it can buy options, the number he chased so Dede could retire, and why he stopped trying to fund everything on me income after a handful of kids came back from Dubai changed. Then CJ pushes E on the hard question. How do you know you are in the right we, and when do you leave one? E talks about God telling him to leave Huntsville, the day CJ told him he was a brand and made him keep the hat on, and why he picks people on character. CJ closes with the line that carries the episode. He and E did not find a finished table. They built one with a hammer and a nail, and you can build yours with the people already around you. So be honest. Are you building your own table, or waiting on a seat at somebody else's? Drop it in the comments. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Cold Open: CJ Almost Got Fired in His First Month 00:01:39 Welcome: Just CJ and E This Week 00:02:54 Pre-Order We Is Greater Than Me 00:04:22 Why E Has Never Felt This Good 00:05:42 Jalin and Jayda Outgrew the Family We 00:10:30 What E Had to Change on the Inside 00:12:44 The Flight Assessment and the Opinionated Flight Attendant 00:15:36 "Stay Out Their Business" 00:17:33 Sometimes Growth Is Removing Something 00:20:29 Coaching Grown Kids Without Controlling Them 00:25:22 Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Buys Options 00:29:31 The Number That Let Dede Retire 00:31:09 Tithing, Giving and Who Really Carries the Church 00:34:18 Sending Kids to Dubai: When Me Income Runs Out 00:38:00 "Your Vision Only Has Enough Room for You" 00:42:19 A Vision Big Enough for a Thousand People 00:43:18 Dallas, the Hospital and the Van 00:48:45 How Do You Know You're in the Right We? 00:53:19 God Said Go: Why E Left Huntsville 00:54:30 From Anointed Speaker to a Brand: The Hat Story 00:57:14 Leave the We or Grow the We? 00:59:45 E Chooses People on Character 01:02:56 We Built Our Table 01:04:19 You Can Build It With Your People 01:06:35 Build Where Your Feet Are 01:09:10 Why CJ Only Wants His Own Table 01:10:37 What a 12 Year Old Taught the Pastor 01:14:15 Closing: Go to WeIsGreater.com PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad. https://www.weisgreater.com EXTREME EXECUTION CERTIFICATION Live, October 24 and 25. Only happens once a year. https://www.extremeexecution.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast

Why do talented people keep losing? Eric Thomas says sometimes it is not the talent. It is the team. This week the crew breaks down the power of we. The Bears walk into Monday Night Football with their third string quarterback and still get the win. ET explains why that was not luck. It was the right me inside the right we, and it is the whole reason the new book is called We Is Greater Than Me. From Raider Nation to the Lakers, Dennis Rodman to Draymond Green, the conversation keeps landing on the same truth. It matters who drafts you. It matters who coaches you. And it matters whether you know your role. CJ tells the story of giving up his speaking slot so ET could take the whole stage, and what he said when someone told him to stop dimming his light. ET goes back to the Michigan State cubicle where he, CJ and Karl figured out who was the brain, the hands and the mouth. Then he drops a rule for your house and your business. If you are not the best at it, stop doing it just because you can. That is your ego in the we. Plus, Jemal on why your life is really a series of pivots, Karl on the funeral video that got a standing ovation, a fair or foul on a grown man with his own face on his phone screensaver, and the 45 dollar heart test everybody listening needs to ask their doctor about. So what is your role in your we? Are you playing it, or are you still trying to do everything yourself? Drop it in the comments. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open: The Third String QB and a Powerful We 00:01:32 Welcome: Blessed, Highly Favored, and the Calcium Score Test 00:04:13 God Put ET's Kids at the Same Company 00:08:48 Fair or Foul: A Grown Man With Himself on His Screensaver 00:10:56 Donuts, Breakfast Tacos, and When to Lock Back In 00:14:47 Jemal's Keynote: Your Life Is a Series of Pivots 00:18:34 You Don't Get What You Experience, You Get What You Focus On 00:19:37 Karl's Funeral Video That Got a Standing Ovation 00:22:29 NFC North: The Third String QB Who Won 00:24:19 Why the Book Is Called We Is Greater Than Me 00:29:45 Extreme Execution Certification, October 24 and 25 00:31:21 Raider Nation: Why We Gives You an Identity 00:33:51 The Brain, the Hands and the Mouth: How ET, CJ and Karl Found Their We 00:40:03 Rodman Never Wanted to Shoot 00:41:14 CJ Gave Up His Turn: "Stop Dimming Your Light" 00:43:30 Draymond Green and Finding Your Role 00:45:56 Your Ego Is in Your We: Roles in Marriage 00:49:37 I Only Do What I Do: Jordan and the Baseball Bat 00:53:21 Power Washers, Lasers and a Magnifying Glass 00:54:26 Closing: Go to WeIsGreater.com PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Help us hit the New York Times Best Seller list. Buy one for you and one for your squad. https://www.weisgreater.com EXTREME EXECUTION CERTIFICATION Live, October 24 and 25. Only happens once a year. http://www.ExtremeExecution.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and drive.

Should the coach change to fit the player, or should the player change to fit the coach? This week the crew opens up one of the oldest arguments in coaching, leadership, and life, and nobody fully agrees. CJ starts it off by admitting someone once told him his coaching style was too harsh, not wrong, not ineffective, just uncomfortable. That one comment turns into a debate that swings from brunch etiquette to Allen Iverson, from Navy SEAL hell week to the Mr. Miyagi principle to the exact moment you stop being valuable to a team. ET explains why he walked away from being a democratic coach. Giving everyone an equal voice sounded fair, until it produced a room full of preferences and no results. But does that mean every coach should run it that way? The Allen Iverson and Coach Larry Brown story becomes the test case, the only coach in history to win championships in both college and the pros, paired with one of the most talented players ever who never fully bought into the system. Was that on Iverson, or on the system? Jemal argues that if the coach is proven, the player adjusts, not the other way around. You don't get to skip wax on, wax off. ET goes further, crediting his hardest seasons of being coached, not coddled, for getting him from homeless to number one in the world. But where's the line between discipline and being broken down? The crew pushes into the screaming baby at brunch, why some kids need the paw paw, whether hell week coaching actually prepares you for real life, and why blessed kids might need a little manufactured hunger to grow. So which side are you on? Does the coach adjust to the player, or does the player adjust to the coach? Where's your line between hard coaching and harsh coaching? Drop your answer in the comments, the crew wants to hear it. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Stay Inside the Margins or You're Not You Anymore 00:01:35 Welcome and Fair or Foul: The Screaming Baby at Brunch 00:07:08 The Pow Pow Philosophy: When Kids Need Boundaries in Public 00:09:04 The Coaching Dilemma: Should the Coach Change or the Player? 00:12:16 The Mr. Miyagi Principle: You Don't Change the Winning Formula 00:14:29 The Allen Iverson and Coach Brown Story: When Talent Meets Discipline 00:17:43 Different Learning Styles vs. Taking Ownership: The Real Debate 00:21:55 From Homeless to Number One: Why ET Coaches the Way He Does 00:23:06 The Expectation Problem: Why ET Stopped Being Democratic 00:28:02 The 252 Moment: When You're Not Valuable Anymore 00:39:37 The Levels of Coaching: From Peewee to the Pros 00:45:11 The Letter With No You In It: Taking Responsibility for Your Story 00:46:58 Hell Week Coaching: Why We Came Up Different 00:53:04 Teaching Sons Not to Touch Women: The Non-Negotiable Standard 00:55:15 The Virtual Jungle: Creating Hunger in Blessed Kids 00:55:58 Closing: We Is Greater - Go Get the Book PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available now. https://www.weisgreater.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-to-success-with-cj-karl-jemal-eric-thomas/id844102142 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and drive.

You're avoiding the scale. Not just the one in your bathroom, but the one in your marriage, your finances, your health, your life. You don't want to see the number because then you'd have to deal with it. You'd have to admit where you really are. And until you get back on the scale, you'll keep telling yourself stories that never get you back in alignment. This week the crew gets brutally honest about the scale. Not just weight, but every area of life where you're avoiding the truth. Jemal breaks down why he kept the scale in the kitchen, not the bathroom. Because the enemy isn't the number. The enemy is the cheeseburger. The cookies. The late night fries. The scale is just telling you what you already know. And when you run from it, you're saying you don't want to be successful. ET opens up about why he stopped getting on the scale after going out of town for Dede's birthday. How he told himself a story that if he got on and it wasn't where he wanted to be, all the work he did would feel like it was in vain. But the scale doesn't tell stories. It tells facts. And the story you tell yourself when you avoid it is the one keeping you stuck. Dr. King breaks down how he measures Camille's happiness. Low stress. Making sure everything is taken care of. The kids, the house, the business, the car. He knows her level of joy is directly connected to her peace. And the one thing he could do better? Travel more. Not five star Dubai trips. Just getting away. Because wherever they are together, that's home. Karl gets real about what he needs to work on with Tamisha. Cooking. She does 99 percent of it. And even though that's become their family dynamic, he knows taking one meal a day off her plate would relieve stress. Because the scale in your marriage isn't just communication. It's the small daily decisions that show you're paying attention. ET unpacks why he shifted his relationship with food. He used to be a taste bud junkie. Never thinking about vitamin D or vitamin C. Just grits and eggs with cheddar cheese. But God told him to shrink the goal. Stop treating fitness like faith. This is your Achilles heel. You can't go big here. You have to measure daily. Kale, supplements, resistance before cardio. There's an order to it. The crew also talks about why most people use prayer as a crutch. Praying for Peter to be released while Peter's at the door knocking. Why your bank account dashboard isn't your enemy. Why date night isn't your enemy. The enemy is not doing the things you know you're supposed to do. Get on the scale. Stop running. The truth is your friend. This episode will challenge how you measure success. Because you can't manage what you don't measure. And if you're avoiding the scale in any area of your life, you're saying you don't want to win. Get back on it. Face the number. Make the adjustment. We is greater than me. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Scale Tells You the Truth You're Running From 00:01:58 Welcome and The Margin Metaphor: Staying Inside the Lines 00:05:46 ET's Scale Confession: When You Make Truth Your Enemy 00:09:43 The Story You Tell Yourself Is the Problem 00:12:22 The Two-Year Investment Principle: What You Do Now Shows Up Later 00:14:49 Jamal and Camille's Cassette Tape Vision: Speaking Your Future Into Existence 00:22:15 Carl's Kitchen Scale Strategy: Put Your Help Where Your Enemy Lives 00:26:50 The 52-Day Journey: Shrinking the Goal and Changing Your God 00:32:01 The Order Matters: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally in Marriage 00:37:00 The Visa Victory: How Tamisha's Mom Finally Got to Come to America 00:40:32 Carl's No-Stress Marriage Philosophy: When Everything Is Taken Care Of 00:41:55 Carl's Biggest Area for Growth: Taking the Cooking Load Off Tamisha 00:43:58 Jamal's Travel Revelation: When You Stop Creating Experiences 00:45:33 Closing: We Is Greater Than Me - Pre-Order Available Now PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available now. https://www.weisgreater.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You want to be in the circle, but you're coming in needy. You want the access, the connections, the benefits. But you're not bringing health. You're not bringing value. You're coming in taking from the circle instead of adding to it. And until you fix that, you'll never stay. This week the crew gets raw about what it really means to be part of a team. CJ opens up about losing his Delta 360 status after two years. Not because he stopped flying. But because he started using too many of the benefits. The upgrades, the miles, the Sky Club access, the Porsche pickups. He was taking more from the circle than he was putting back in. And Delta kicked him out. ET breaks down why the same thing happens in relationships, marriages, and friendships. You can't keep pulling from the circle without adding to it. Because the moment you become a liability, the moment you start draining more than you're contributing, people start distancing themselves. Not because they don't love you. But because you're using all your credit. The crew unpacks why most people come into circles looking for what they can get instead of what they can give. Why generosity is a war, not a transaction. And why the healthiest people in the circle are the ones who never need anything. Shout out to Rondell, shout out to Will, shout out to Maul. They came in healthy. They came in ready to serve. And because of that, they're still here. ET gets real about teaching his son Jalin the difference between being fed and knowing how to hunt. Why wealth doesn't start with money, it starts with a mindset. And why you can tell the difference between a lion and a giraffe just by looking at their bodies. One hunts. One grazes. And your physique, your character, your future depends on which one you are. They also talk about why ET's daughter Jada called and asked what God said about her. How he told her everything she needs is about to come because she's finally in the Serengeti. And why being a COO at her brother's company is putting her in position to attract everything she's been praying for. This episode will challenge how you show up in your circle. Because if you're needy, people can feel it. If you're draining, people will distance themselves. Stop taking advantage of the advantage. Start adding to the circle. We is greater than me. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: When You Get Needy, You Get Cut From the Circle 00:01:29 Welcome and The Delta 360 Wake-Up Call 00:03:22 The Secret to Staying in the Circle: Come With Health 00:05:27 Cultural Programming: The Give Me Mentality vs The Creator Mindset 00:05:57 The Delta Story Breakdown: Using All Your Global Upgrades 00:12:00 The Porsche Pickup and When Advantages Become Expected 00:24:57 Shout Out to Rondell Black: The Art of Knowing How to Be 00:25:46 Equal Sacrifice, Not Equal Giving: The Real Secret to We 00:29:17 Teaching Your Kids to Hunt: The Giraffe vs Lion Lesson 00:35:21 The Jada Story: Leading Your Wife to Houston 00:38:15 The Five Pillars and Building Your Own Dynasty 00:39:48 We Is Greater Than Me: The Book and the Mission 00:40:32 Football Season Talk: Bears Moving to Indiana and Lions Hype 00:48:48 Forever Forward Marriage Retreat: Photo Shoots and White Party 00:50:55 Closing: 9 to 5 Millionaire Network and Real Estate Results PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available now. https://www.weisgreater.com FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives. https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You're trapped by the very thing that made you successful. You've got the talent, the work ethic, the drive. You've built something. But the same high capacity leadership that got you here is now your Achilles heel. And until you deal with that, you'll never get to the next level. This week the crew gets raw about what it really means to be part of a team when you've been successful on your own. ET breaks down why he's always been a two man, never a one. Even when everyone assumed he was the leader, he was always the second. From elementary school track meets to McDonald's, he knew his high capacity came with smoke. He knew the thing that made him great could also destroy him. So he spent his whole life looking for the right ones to connect with. Mal opens up about why he joined the team in the first place. He had the real estate, the daycares, the security company, the money, the family. He wasn't looking for business. He was praying for brotherhood. He was praying for a circle of influence that was on the same level. Not financially, but spiritually. And when he connected with the crew, it wasn't about coaching or business deals. It was about friendship. It was about having an out. It was about being able to cook dinner with the wives and the kids without it always being mastermind time. Karl shares what it's like being the introvert on a team of extroverts. How he showed up to the office 20 years ago not knowing if he even fit in. How he was overthinking everything, trying not to mess it up. But deep down, he knew connecting with the right people would have an impact bigger than he could imagine. And now, two decades later, he's living down the street from E in a neighborhood he never dreamed of. Because together everyone accomplishes more. CJ unpacks the shift from being a lifelong one to becoming a two. How he was always the captain, always the leader, always the one. Until he met E. And for the first time in his life, he had to learn what it meant to be second. Not inferior. Not weaker. But connected. Because the one and the two together is the secret sauce. They also break down arranged marriages, why Avery and Jamal Jr. are already locked in, and why the divorce rate in arranged marriages is 94 to 96 percent success. Plus, ET's kids are both working at the same company in Houston with offices down the hall from each other, and God keeps his word. This episode will challenge everything you think about success, leadership, and what it means to be part of a team. Because you can be high capacity and still be trapped. Stop trying to do it alone. We is greater than me. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Kyrie Was a Banging Two - Understanding Your Role on the Team 00:01:35 Welcome and Happy Birthday to ET - Celebrating 56 Years Around the Sun 00:05:32 Jada's Office and Jalen's Success - When Your Kids Make You Proud 00:10:18 The Birthday Gift: We Is Greater Than Me Book Pre-Order Goes Live 00:14:28 Fair or Foul: The Arranged Marriage Conversation for Avery and Jamal Jr 00:36:12 Carl's Story: From Substitute Teacher to Essential Team Member 00:45:35 Maul's Brotherhood Prayer: Finding Your Circle of Influence 00:53:07 ET Was Always the Two: The Lifelong Journey of a High-Capacity Leader 00:56:18 The Secret Sauce: When a Lifelong One Meets a Lifelong Two 00:56:44 Trapped By What Made You Successful: The High-Capacity Leader's Dilemma PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd. https://www.weisgreater.com FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives. https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You know better. You can do better. But you haven't done better yet. And that's your 242: the place where you know what needs to change but haven't produced better yet. This week, the crew breaks down accountability that actually works. ET explores the difference between reputation and character. Reputation is a shadow. It's who you want people to think you are. Character is who you actually are. And when your character is on the line, you can't promote a health supplement at 242 pounds or talk about transformation while avoiding the area you know needs to change. Not because of vanity, but integrity. CJ gets real about being a true two man. Not a one in waiting looking for his moment, but someone whose light is connected to yours. He shares how he stepped aside at a speaking engagement so ET could go first. Someone accused him of dimming his light, but they couldn't understand that CJ and ET's destinies are tied together. Winning means doing whatever it takes, not whatever makes you look good. The crew unpacks why consistency without quality is rehearsed failure, why people want to win their way instead of simply winning, and why real accountability goes beyond someone saying you're getting big. It's someone asking for your blood pressure every day. The 52-day challenge isn't about weight loss. It's about the area where you know better, can do better, but haven't done better yet. ET also breaks down his home game versus away game strategy, how the Peloton app keeps him accountable on the road, and how CJ pushed him back to intermittent fasting. Nobody said a word when he was eating honey buns and Cheetos, but now that he's fasting, everybody's worried about his electrolytes. This episode will challenge how you think about accountability, partnership, and being a two man. Because you don't want to be a two man. You're a one in waiting. Until you deal with that, you'll keep doing 52 days alone. Stop trying to win your way. Do what it takes to win. Your 242 is waiting, and it starts with your heart. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Reputation is a Shadow, Character is Who You Are 00:01:38 Welcome and Airport Lotion Drama - The TSA Struggle is Real 00:04:11 The Sprinkler System Scam and Mr. Perfect's Lawn 00:07:09 Pool Equipment: The Money Pit That Never Stops Breaking 00:09:23 17 Years and 21 Years: Celebrating Partnership Milestones 00:10:37 The Speaking Engagement Story: When Your Light is Attached to Someone Else's 00:13:43 Consistency Without Quality is Rehearsed Failure 00:16:49 I Just Want to Win: The Philosophy That Built an Empire 00:17:18 You're Not a Two-Man, You're a One in Waiting 00:19:11 The Secret to Success Mission: Bringing Souls to Christ 00:20:23 White Men Can't Jump: Would You Rather Look Good and Lose? 00:24:44 Being a Two-Man in the 52-Day Challenge: What Accountability Really Looks Like 00:26:45 The Blood Pressure Metric: Why Accountability Needs to Be Tangible 00:27:56 The Jerk Chicken Confession: When You Eat Wrong and Your Numbers Show It 00:31:51 Reputation vs Character: The Connection That Changes Everything 00:41:53 The Dentist Analogy: Imagine If You Had to Go 52 Days Straight 00:45:12 You Know Better, Can Do Better, But Haven't Done Better Yet 00:46:27 Home Game vs Away Game: The Peloton App Solution for Travel 00:47:17 The 24-Hour Fast: When Accountability Pushes You Beyond Your Limits 00:49:15 Introducing the Build 52 Challenge: Your 52-Day Transformation Starts Now 00:49:57 Live Staff Meeting with Moose: Registration Deadlines and Pricing 00:53:07 Closing: Transformation Not Just Information JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE Free registration ends soon. Transform the area you've been ignoring in 52 days. https://www.build52challenge.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

Want to learn more about Forever Forward? Join us live this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST for a Forever First Look - a special event preview. Register using the link below! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HIHEuTfrRGqd05VzP8FR1A You want to travel the world with your spouse. You want to be around other couples who actually like each other. You want to celebrate your marriage instead of fixing it. And that's exactly what Forever Forward is for. October 29th in Cancun, the crew is inviting less than 50 couples to a marriage bliss retreat. Not a conference. Not counseling. A celebration. This week CJ and Candis, Jemal and Camille get real about why this retreat isn't for the struggle marriage. It's for the couples who are already in love, already healthy, already doing the work. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: the healthy couples always end up being the source of strength for all the weak couples. And where do they go to get filled back up? Candis confesses she used to say no to vacationing with other couples. She wanted quality time with CJ, not group hangouts. But exposure changed everything. Not because they sat around doing marriage counseling, but because they observed. They watched how Jemal and Camille showed affection, how they communicated, how they celebrated anniversaries. And it challenged them to level up without anyone saying a word. The crew breaks down why iron sharpens iron applies to marriages too. Why being around other couples in bliss rejuvenates you. Why you need community, not just for business or faith, but for your marriage. And why this retreat is about building a tribe of couples who actually enjoy being together. Jemal drops the unk word about the attack on marriage nobody talks about. The quiet period. The phase after the baby showers and birthday parties where nobody invests in their marriage anymore. Life becomes about the kids, the job, the ladder. And years later, the divorce phase hits. Not by chance, but by neglect. Because divorce doesn't happen overnight. It's years of not working out, not investing, not putting anything back into the marriage. This episode is about the small foxes that destroy the vine and the small steps that build marriages. If you want to succeed in your marriage as bad as you want to breathe, this is your moment. Forever Forward. October 29th. Cancun. Let's celebrate love. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Traveling the World Together as Couples 00:01:29 Welcome and Forever Forward Announcement - October 29th in Cancun 00:04:29 This Ain't For the Struggle Marriage - Who Forever Forward Is Really For 00:05:32 Why Iron Sharpens Iron Applies to Marriages Too 00:08:26 The Exposure That Changes Everything - Why Community Matters for Couples 00:14:07 Candace's Confession: I Didn't Want to Vacation With Other Couples 00:15:49 It's Never Turned Into Marriage Counseling - The Power of Observation 00:17:13 The Forever Forward Experience - What to Expect in Cancun 00:18:44 Unk Jamal's Word: The Attack on Marriage Nobody Talks About 00:22:13 The Small Foxes That Destroy the Vine - Why Small Steps Build Marriages FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives. https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You're winning in some areas but losing in one. And you know it. Your marriage is strong. Your kids are thriving. Your career is on fire. Your faith is solid. But that one area? The one you keep avoiding? That's the one that's about to cost you everything. This week ET gets brutally honest about the conversation that changed everything on June 1st. The moment God rebuked him on the pulpit while he was preaching. The moment he realized he was about to be the weakest link. Because when CJ told him the supplement was finally ready, ET knew he couldn't come out with a health product at 242 pounds. Not because of vanity. Because of integrity. ET breaks down why he avoided the scale for years. Why he justified being strong in four out of five pillars. Why he told himself his blood work was good enough. And why God had to step in and say, you're not industry standard in this area, son. You're about to destroy what you said you wanted to build. The crew unpacks why most people resist the one area they need to fix the most. Why we justify being great in four areas while ignoring the fifth. Why embarrassment isn't about what other people see, it's about knowing you're better than this. And why the first step isn't exercise or diet, it's changing your heart. ET shares how he lost 17 pounds in 52 days without obsessing over food or workouts. How he put on the black suit jacket from 2012 that used to have tension and now fits perfectly. And how God said pre won't stay pre. Your body is a temple. And if you don't treat it like one, you won't be around to celebrate the legacy you're trying to build. This episode will challenge everything you think about success. Because you can be number one in four areas and still be losing. Stop justifying the one thing you know needs to change. What's your 242? The area you've been ignoring? The thing you know you're better than? It's time to fix it. And it starts with your heart. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: You're Winning in Four, Losing in One - And You Know It 00:01:32 Welcome and Happy 17th Anniversary - The Milestone Moment 00:04:46 June 1st: The Conversation That Changed Everything 00:05:47 The Scale You're Avoiding: Why We Don't Face Reality 00:07:53 God's Rebuke on the Pulpit: When Your Calling Exposes Your Weakness 00:10:07 Four Out of Five Strong: The Dangerous Justification 00:22:15 The Embarrassment of Needing Someone Else to Tell You 00:24:17 The Supplement Revelation: You Can't Be the Weakest Link 00:37:43 Changing Your Heart First: Why Exercise and Diet Come Second 00:42:01 Your Body Is a Temple: The Principle You Know But Don't Live 00:44:42 Pre Won't Stay Pre: The Wake-Up Call About Your Future 00:47:16 Introducing Build52Challenge.com: Your Free Transformation Starts Now 00:51:36 The Black Suit Jacket: From Tension to Triumph 00:53:50 17 Pounds Down, 52 Days to Build: The Quick Work God Promised 00:55:14 Closing: What's Your 242? The Area You've Been Ignoring JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE Completely free. 52 days to transform the area you've been ignoring. https://www.build52challenge.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. Available November 3rd. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming the best version of yourself.

You want the reward without the relationship. You want the breakthrough without the process. You want the book without knowing the author. And that may be exactly why you're stuck. This week, the S2S crew breaks down why so many people chase information, access, and outcomes without building the relationships, discipline, humility, and belief required to sustain them. ET explains why motivation still matters, even if discipline is the goal. Most people need something to get them moving before discipline can take over. The crew also unpacks what it means to have a contrite spirit, become truly coachable, stop defending your way, and become a student again. ET reads his Day 50 journal entry from the 52-Day Challenge and shares how discipline helped him improve his fitness while staying present with his faith and family. The guys break down the five pillars: faith, family, finance, fitness, and freedom, and how to work on all five without giving each one equal time. They also revisit Nehemiah rebuilding in 52 days what had been broken for 140 years, why what bothers you may be pointing toward your calling, and why belief matters when there is still no visible evidence. The bottom line: stop chasing the reward. Build the relationship. Get coachable. Stay connected. The fruit will follow. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: You Want the Reward But Not the Relationship 00:01:21 Welcome and The Motivation vs Discipline Debate 00:05:08 The Contrite Spirit: Broken and Humiliated 00:05:35 Give Up Everything and Become a Student 00:06:17 The Real Estate Lesson: When You Ignore the Coach 00:06:55 Carl's Smile and The Community Person Revelation 00:08:09 Being Coachable: The Film Room Mentality 00:09:37 The Five Pillars: Faith Family Finance Fitness Freedom 00:10:38 Nehemiah's 52 Days: What 140 Years Couldn't Do 00:12:03 What's Bothering You: The First Sign of Your Calling 00:19:45 Working All Five Pillars Daily Without Equal Time 00:21:30 ET's Fitness Journey: Combining Pillars While Running 00:22:31 The Imbalance Confession: When Marriage Affected Fitness 00:24:03 Day 50 Journal Entry: ET Reads His Transformation 00:29:30 Blood Pressure Results and The AARP Podcast Joke 00:30:18 The Pace Pillar: Why ET Started Journaling 00:32:16 Carl's Walking Commitment: No Alarm Clock Needed 00:43:25 Belief Over Feelings: The Real Application 00:36:58 Relationship Over Reward: The Book and The Author 00:47:47 The Vision Keeper: Seeing It When There's No Evidence 00:52:38 Designed to Win: The Final Word JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, relationships, and becoming the best version of yourself.

You don't want the advice. You want the reward. You want the championship without the discipline. You want the breakthrough without the breaking. You want the results without the process. And that's why you're stuck. Because the advice is free. The reward costs everything. This week the crew breaks down why most people reject the very thing that could save them. ET opens up about the difference between motivation and discipline. Why the dude who studied discipline and went through the military has the right to say motivation is whack. But most people aren't there yet. Most people need something to get them going. That's why he asks, what's your why? Because that part works. It worked for the Denver Nuggets when they won the championship. It worked for Texas A&M when they went undefeated. The first level is motivation. But you can't stay there. They also get into the LeBron versus Jordan debate. Not the stats, not the rings, just the question: who's better? And why that conversation never gets old. Plus, ET tells the story of breaking the law, getting caught on video, and still trying to argue it was racism. Spoiler: he lost in court. But the videotape don't lie. CJ shares why he went through the 10 items or less line with 17 items and had a full stare down with the grocery store clerk. Was he fair or foul? The crew weighs in. And ET admits he's a lawbreaker when it comes to waiting. Because the hip hop preacher ain't got time for lines. This episode is about the gap between wanting success and doing what it takes to get it. Because everybody wants the reward. But most people don't want the advice. They don't want the discipline. They don't want the process. And that's why they stay stuck. Stop asking for shortcuts. Start doing the work. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Discipline vs Motivation - The First Level You Need 00:01:16 Welcome and Team Introductions: Clark Atlanta Bound 00:02:57 LeBron vs Jordan: The Debate That Never Gets Old 00:03:22 Fair or Foul: The 10 Items or Less Grocery Store Standoff 00:03:48 The Grocery Shopping Philosophy: Why Delivery Isn't an Option 00:07:43 Breaking the Law When It Makes Sense: The Practical Approach 00:08:06 The Stop Sign Story: When ET Fought the Law and the Law Won 00:09:30 The California Stop Defense: Why Context Matters in Rule Breaking 00:09:56 Marriage Talk: The 30-Minute Conversation That Revealed Society's Problem JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

LeBron or Jordan? It's the debate that never dies. And this week, the crew dove headfirst into it. Fresh off the mastermind weekend, they came in ready to talk personal development. Instead, they ended up in the most heated sports argument they've ever had on this podcast. Because LeBron just signed with the Sixers. And now the conversation is back on the table. Is he the GOAT? Or is Jordan still untouchable? The guys break down the stats, the rings, the eras, the dynasties, and the longevity. They argue about whether LeBron's four championships in 23 seasons stack up against Jordan's six in 15. They debate whether losing in the finals is worse than losing in the first round. They unpack whether the COVID championship counts the same. And they go back and forth on who had better help, who faced tougher competition, and whether switching teams makes you less of a legend or just smart. They also break down why the NBA has become the portal. Why player movement is out of control. Why LeBron might get a statue in Cleveland but probably not in LA or Miami. And why even Michael Jordan said it's disrespectful to call anyone the GOAT when there are legends who came before him. This episode is not about personal development. It's about passion. It's about what happens when four friends who love sports sit down and argue like they're on First Take. And it's hilarious, it's heated, and it's exactly they needed after three straight days of mastermind intensity. Plus, CJ shares the story of meeting Magic Johnson at 13 years old and riding around with Bill Russell for an entire day. ET opens up about why he thinks LeBron winning in Philly would be incredible for the culture. And they announce the big news: Forever Forward Marriage Retreat is officially happening in Cancun. Less than 50 couples. No breakout rooms. Just a celebration of love. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The LeBron vs Jordan Debate Heats Up Immediately 00:01:43 Welcome and Catching Up: Fresh Off the Mastermind Weekend 00:04:55 LeBron to the Sixers: Why This Move Changes Everything 00:07:38 The NBA Portal Problem: Why Player Movement Is Out of Control 00:11:21 The Statue Debate: Where Does LeBron Belong? 00:13:54 Is LeBron the Best Player We've Ever Seen? 00:16:32 Breaking Down the Stats: Scoring, Defense, and Longevity 00:19:27 The COVID Championship: Does It Count the Same? 00:21:10 Six for Six vs Four for Twenty-Three: The Finals Record Argument 00:23:28 Jordan Fan Logic: Why Only Talk About the Championship Years? 00:27:37 The Dynasty Question: Who Did They Beat and Who Beat Them? 00:31:03 Longevity vs Peak Dominance: What Matters More? 00:34:32 The Scottie Pippen Factor: Who Had Better Help? 00:41:40 The Generational Argument: Bill Russell, Magic, and Kareem Enter the Chat 00:45:52 The Final Verdict: Can They Agree on Anything? 00:50:00 Jordan's Answer: The Most Respectful Take on the GOAT Debate 00:53:50 Magic Johnson Stories: When ET Met a Legend at 13 Years Old 00:56:02 Can They Do a Sports Show? Testing the Chemistry 00:56:29 Detroit Lions Window: Is It Already Closing? 00:59:57 Forever Forward Marriage Retreat: Big Announcement 01:04:02 Behind the Scenes: Photo Shoot Prep and Patreon Love 01:06:06 Closing: LeBron the GOAT with Love - See You Next Week FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of love with the podcast crew and their wives https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, this is the podcast for you.

You prayed about it. You asked God for direction. You're waiting. You're believing. But you're still stuck. And the reason why isn't because God didn't answer. It's because you're not listening. Or worse, you're listening but you're not moving. This week ET and CJ break down why prayer without action is just noise. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: God's voice is clear. His directions are clear. The problem is your filters are messed up. You're so stuck in your own way of doing things, so locked into what you know, that you can't hear what God is trying to tell you. And even when you do hear it, you come back the next day asking the same question like y'all didn't just have that conversation yesterday. ET opens up about why he told people to stop praying. Not because prayer doesn't work, but because some people use prayer as a crutch. They pray for Peter to be released from jail while Peter is at the door knocking. They're so busy praying they can't see the answer is already here. He breaks down the formula of prayer, the one he learned when he was homeless. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us as we forgive others. With thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. It's not just about asking. It's about listening. It's about doing what God tells you to do. What do you do when you feel like you didn't hear God clearly? What do you do when your mind is so cluttered with anxiety, stress, and worry that you can't process what God is saying? You can't get directions when you're moving. You have to stop. And once God gives you the directions, don't come back asking for the same directions again. Move. They also unpack why most people only see God as a provider instead of a relationship. Why your prayer life should be you and God just kicking it, reminiscing on the good old days, talking about what you're grateful for. Not just showing up with a list of demands. And why the people who get closest to God, like Enoch and Moses, are the ones who walked and talked with God until they literally glowed with his presence. This episode will challenge everything you think about prayer. Because prayer is not just talking. It's listening. It's doing. Stop asking God to bless the mess. Start doing what he told you to do. The pit stop only works if you stay in the car and let God do what only he can do. But you still got to drive. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: God's Got a Thousand Ways You Know Nothing About 00:01:45 Welcome and the Prayer Controversy: Did ET Really Say Stop Praying? 00:03:52 Prayer Is Not Your Only Tool: The Hammer and Wrench Analogy 00:05:42 The Cell Phone Confession: Why Being Homeless Made ET's Prayer Life Stronger 00:06:43 Prayer Is a GPS System: You Can't Get Directions While Moving 00:07:53 Stop Coming Back to God Without Doing What He Told You 00:09:48 You Know God's Voice Because You Talk Every Day 00:11:24 It's Not That God Isn't Clear, Your Filters Are Messed Up 00:13:19 The 3 AM Walk: Why ET Changed His Prayer Time to Avoid Distractions 00:16:39 Reminisce With God: Talk About the Good Old Days 00:19:42 Stop Putting God on Hold: Let Him Talk Back to You 00:21:27 The Formula of Prayer: What ET Learned While Homeless 00:23:47 Give Thanks Before You Get What You Want 00:25:03 Moses, Jonah, and Ruth: Listen and Follow the Instructions 00:25:48 Some Things You Have to Change, Not God 00:26:31 Tithes and Offerings: The Windows of Heaven Principle 00:28:02 Walking and Talking With God Is Not Just Religious Tradition 00:29:25 Moses Spent 30 Days With God and Came Back Glowing 00:31:47 I Never Came to Michigan to Stay: The Master's Degree Plan 00:34:43 Prayer Is Your GPS System: You Have No Clue Where You're Going 00:35:12 The NASCAR Pit Stop Revelation: Don't Wait Till the Wheels Fall Off 00:37:12 God Tells You When to Pull Over Before You Even Know You Need It 00:38:20 You Don't Have to Get Out the Car: Stay in and Let God Handle It 00:38:42 Moses Died at 120 at Peak, Enoch Left Earth at Peak 00:39:10 How a Small Group From Lansing Changed the World 00:40:05 Closing: Going at Peak Is 52 Days, Not 52 Years JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST S2S is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're working hard for the wrong reason, and it's breaking you. Not because you're lazy. Not because you're not talented. But because what's driving you isn't God. It's trauma. It's fear. It's pride. And until you deal with that, all the work in the world won't save you. This week the crew brings their wives to the table. Candis and Dede join CJ, ET, and Karl for one of the most transparent conversations about faith, work, and what it really means to let go and let God. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: you can have the title Christian, but the devil can still be driving you. Candis opens up about working herself into the ground at GE. Senior management, six figures, the whole dream. But she was miserable, burnt out, crying in the closet. When CJ told her to quit, she was ready to walk. But ET stepped in with something that changed everything: your job isn't to influence her, it's to get her to talk to God. So Candis went to a hotel for two days. Just her and God. And God told her three things: be still, have peace, be humble. Everything shifted. Not because she quit, but because she stopped letting fear drive her. Dede gets real about thinking she had the backup plan. The insurance, the retirement, all of it figured out. Until God started breaking the stuff off of her that was keeping her from trusting him. Because brokenness isn't God trying to destroy you. It's God breaking the trauma, the pride, the self reliance off of you so he can multiply you. And the multiplication only comes after the breaking. They also unpack the AI love letter. A man sent his wife a heartfelt message using ChatGPT. She loved it, until he admitted he used AI. Now she's upset because it wasn't really from him. Dede's response is priceless. This episode will challenge everything you think about work, faith, and trust. Because faith without works is dead. But works without faith is empty. Stop letting your backup plan replace God. Stop letting your job be your security. And stop thinking brokenness means you're broken. God isn't breaking you. He's breaking that stuff off of you. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Which One Do You Want Sir - AI or the Real Thing 00:01:20 Welcome and Introducing the Queens: Candis and Dede Join the Pod 00:09:09 Fair or Foul: The ChatGPT Love Letter Debate 00:11:45 Computer Love: When Your Heart Message Comes From a Machine 00:17:29 The Real Question: Faith Without Works or Let Go and Let God 00:19:33 Before You Work With God You Got to Know God 00:22:26 Candis Revelation: The Only Work God Wants Is Belief 00:25:16 Be Still Doesn't Mean Stand Still: Redefining Stillness 00:29:03 How to Hear From God When You Don't Hear Audibly 00:32:11 The Cheat Code Confession: When Your Spouse Has a Deeper Walk 00:33:43 Don't Compare Storms: Your Hurricane Versus Someone Else's Rain 00:34:55 Candis GE Breakdown: Working Crazy Hours and Missing Peace 00:43:35 The Two-Day Hotel Revelation: When God Said Be Still, Be Humble, Have Peace 00:46:46 CJ's Obedience Test: When Quitting Would Have Been Easier 00:49:20 The Financial Security Idol: When Insurance Becomes Your God 00:50:35 Dede's Confession: I Will Burn the Bridge to Prove I Can Swim 00:54:01 The Mental Weight That's Breaking You: It's Not the Work, It's What's Driving It 00:54:20 What's Driving You: When Trauma Becomes Your God 00:55:27 The 3am Question: What's So Evil About You That You'd Rather Suffer 01:04:24 Does God Get Glory From What You Do: The Jealousy of God 01:06:00 Didi's MS Story: When God Has to Stop You From Your Disobedience 00:58:31 Brokenness Isn't Breaking You: It's Breaking Stuff Off of You 01:01:04 The Multiplication Comes After the Broken: Stop Running From It 01:08:21 Closing: Join A Place to Change Ministry and Get Community JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast A PLACE OF CHANGE MINISTRY Join the women's ministry with Candace and Dede. Follow @apocministry on Instagram or visit www.aplacetochangeministry.org ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're getting paid exactly what you're worth. Not what you think you deserve. Not based on your degrees, your loyalty, or how hard you work. You're getting paid exactly what you believe about yourself. And until you deal with that, nothing changes. This week the crew breaks down why most people resist coaching even when they're losing. ET opens up about why he had his kids leave his company to go work under someone else. Not because he didn't want them around, but because he refused to insulate them from the growth they needed. Karl gets transparent about working out with a trainer who pushed him 14 more reps than he thought he had left, just by watching his muscle instead of listening to his excuses. Jemal brings the NBA Finals breakdown and why the Spurs lost a 29 point lead in the second half. Not because they weren't talented, but because they didn't have sustainable systems. And CJ delivers the truth about Kobe and Mike: 11 championships between them, zero without Phil Jackson. They also unpack why people follow relationships instead of truth. Why your grandma's way of doing things might not be God's way. Why Diddy told ET at 16 that she wasn't trying to win mother of the year, and how that one conversation set him free from trying to be everything to everybody. And why some of you are 60 years old still struggling with the same issues you had at 30 because you never submitted to coaching. The crew gets real about marriage, parenting, and why CJ and Candace went to Australia when their daughter was five months old. Not because they're bad parents, but because coaching taught them that a strong marriage creates the foundation for strong kids. They break down why ET got two kids in 14 years with zero accidents, and why that's not luck, it's coaching. And why Jemal told people in his circle they can't be around him without owning real estate. This episode will challenge everything you think about accountability, growth, and what it really takes to win. Because you can have all the talent in the world, but without the right coach, you're the Spurs blowing a 29 point lead. You're Kobe and Mike with zero rings. Stop resisting the coaching that's trying to save your life. You don't need more information. You need to apply what you already know. And if you're getting paid what you're worth right now and you don't like it, the problem isn't the market. The problem is you. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Who Not How - The Tyranny of Trying to Figure Everything Out 00:00:59 Welcome and the Age Realization: When You're Older Than Everyone 00:06:37 The NBA Finals Lesson: How the Spurs Lost a 29-Point Lead 00:13:50 Zero Championships Without Phil Jackson: Why You Need Elite Coaching 00:15:04 Marriage Coaching Saved My Life: Chuck, Moni, Ian and Dede's Impact 00:22:53 The Coaching Tree: How Great Coaches Create Great Coaches 00:23:33 Australia at Five Months: Why We Left Our Baby for Two Weeks 00:19:17 God, Marriage, Kids: The Order That Saves Your Family 00:19:57 Separate the Piano From the Person: Stop Taking Feedback Personally 00:20:53 F Them Kids: Dede's Line That Changed ET's Parenting 00:22:11 Mike Brown vs Phil Jackson: Why Experience and Coaching Matters 00:36:06 Two Kids in 14 Years: The Power of Intentional Family Planning 00:27:28 Relationship Over Truth: Why You Follow Your Grandma Instead of God 00:27:58 Pastor Willis Spoke My Vision Before I Had One 00:46:07 Character Development Boot Camp: Why ET Made Us Pray All Day 00:55:45 You're Getting Paid Exactly What You're Worth Right Now 00:53:59 The Muscle Twitch Story: How Tommy Got 14 More Reps Out of CJ 00:56:37 Maul the Builder: He Doesn't Just Build Houses, He Builds People 00:51:52 The 12-Year Overnight Success: Maul's House Goes Viral Now 00:59:31 Closing: Get in the Mastermind and Stop Making Excuses JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're doing the work. You're showing up. You're praying. You're trying. But you're still stuck. And the reason why isn't what you think it is. This week the crew breaks down the difference between working hard and working with God. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: your faith is in your hands, not in God. You've been doing so much that you've made yourself an idol. And God is saying stop. Not because you're not capable. But because the work you're doing is getting in the way of what he's trying to do. ET opens up about why he's been telling people to stop praying. Not because prayer doesn't work, but because some people use prayer as a crutch. They pray for Peter to be released from jail while Peter is at the door knocking. They're so busy praying they can't see the answer is already here. Karl gets transparent about 3 weeks of waking up at 5:09 every morning and making one commitment: don't ask God for anything. Just be in his presence. And how in those 3 weeks, every area of his business got uncomfortable. Every direction he thought was the answer, God closed. Because the answer wasn't more work. The answer was stop. Jemal brings the 100 year plan. What are you building that your great great grandkids will benefit from? What seed are you planting that you'll never taste the fruit of? Because the person who plants the seed doesn't get to taste the fruit. But they're satisfied knowing what's coming. And CJ breaks down why most people quit right when the breakthrough is about to happen. Because they're measuring in their own strength instead of letting God be the structural engineer. They also unpack why your problems aren't problems, they're preparation. Because if you can't handle one rental property stressing you out, you can't handle 10. If you can't handle one difficult conversation, you can't handle the next level. God isn't punishing you. He's preparing you. This episode will challenge everything you think about work, faith, and what it really means to let go. Because you can't build the next level version of yourself in your own strength. You've tried that. It didn't work. The 52 days don't start when you work harder. They start when you stop. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Get a Scale and Stop Wearing Jogging Pants 00:01:27 Before You Work With God, You Got to Know God 00:02:05 The Rodent Story: Calling the Right People to Fix Your Problems 00:04:52 Carl's Breakthrough: Stop Working, Start Walking With God 00:07:37 Your Problems Are Your Preparation 00:10:41 The Jesse Room Story: 52-Day Reframe in Action 00:12:55 There's No Limits in God: The Sky Analogy 00:14:11 The Tokyo Trip That Didn't Happen: When God Protects Your Plans 00:16:49 ET's Transformation: From Flight Attendant to All Four Quadrants 00:18:42 The Pace Ministry: Slowing Down to Reach More People 00:19:22 Christ Put Me Around Better People 00:20:44 Stop Praying Like Peter's at the Door 00:21:23 Jamal's Testimony: God Already Said Yes to Little J 00:25:31 Your Faith Is in Your Hands, Not in God 00:26:15 Prayer Can Be an Idol: Get Up and Open the Door 00:26:46 The Stress of Lying: Why Truth Sets You Free Immediately 00:27:29 I'd Rather Fight the Bear Right Now 00:29:40 The Pilot Wasn't in the Pilot Seat 00:31:23 Dede Goes Public: When Your Partner Activates Your Calling 00:33:38 Don't Bow Out, Level Up 00:36:26 Stop Treating Life Like a Hobby 00:39:20 The Economy Shift: Seven Streams of Income Aren't Optional 00:41:11 Get on the Scale Every Day: The One Thing That Changes Everything 00:43:07 Stop Wearing Jogging Pants in Your Real Life 00:44:17 What Changed at 46: Carl's Shift Wasn't New Information 00:47:25 It's Not God That Changed, It's Your Belief Level 00:50:15 Do You Believe? The Question Before Every Miracle 00:52:42 Write the Vision, Make It Plain: No More Emotional Conversations 01:02:14 The 100-Year Plan: Mall's Millionaire Moment at 49 01:04:31 Closing: Patreon, Bliss Conference, and Next Week JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You look at people who made it and you assume they started with something you didn't. A better childhood. More talent. Some edge you never got. ET spent his whole life proving that is a lie, and in this episode he takes the excuse away from you. The fellas get into what ET means when he says "I'm you." Not the polished version on the stage, the same flesh, the same doubts, the same fight. He breaks down why the only real difference between where you are and where you want to be is not talent or background, and why most people stay stuck holding onto an excuse that was never true. Jemal shares walking into the Obama Library opening, surrounded by billionaires and legends, and the question that hit him in that room about what he is actually building. CJ pushes on how you do the work and still get out of your own way. This one is a confrontation. The kind you need. JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON We record live every week with our Patreon family. Come be in the room. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 Watch the video version on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel RATE AND REVIEW If this one hit you, leave us a rating and review. It helps more people find the show. CHAPTERS PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME The new book from ET and CJ. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, to help you believe in your own potential and build a life that matters.

CJ and David sat down with Jemal King and Wall Street Trapper right after the One Percent stage, and what came out was bigger than money. Jemal spent his early years as a cop, putting on a vest every day. Trap came up on the corner. Two men who once lived on opposite sides of the law, now face to face, breaking down how they ended up with the exact same mindset about risk, discipline, and building wealth. Trap explains how the streets prepared him for capitalism. Jemal breaks down the seven streams of income and why you don't chase all seven at once. And the whole room gets honest about buffer room, the equity that decides whether one bad week wrecks you or barely moves you. This one is raw, it is real, and it might change how you look at every dollar you spend. LISTEN, FOLLOW, AND SHARE If this episode hit, do three things. Follow the show so you never miss a drop. Rate and review us, it is the single biggest thing you can do to help more people find S2S. And share this one with someone who needs to hear it. Want the video version and the live recordings with the Patreon fam in the room? Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 Watch the video version on YouTube and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 MORE FROM THE FAM Pre-order "We Is Greater Than Me" by Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D Join us for APOC Virtual Church, Saturdays at 11am EST: www.apocministry.org CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Behind the Scenes Post-Stage Energy 00:03:05 The Five Pillars: Faith, Family, Finance, Fitness, Freedom 00:03:58 The Seven Streams of Income: Your Financial Blueprint 00:08:41 Why Black Men Stay Behind Financially Despite Wanting Success 00:09:45 Stop Eating, Start Walking: The Simple Truth About Losing Weight 00:11:59 The Streets Prepared Me for Capitalism 00:19:59 The Runaway Slave Mentality: Hustlers Are Chasing Freedom 00:24:18 Control Risk vs Uncontrolled Risk: The Real Estate Formula 00:44:20 The Police Mindset: Always Prepare for Worst Case Scenario 00:45:56 Control Paper vs Uncontrolled Paper: The Passive Income Revelation 00:48:27 Non-Negotiables: How to Make Discipline Automatic 00:51:22 Simple Not Easy: Why Most People Can't Do What They Know They Should 00:52:18 Buffer Room: The Real Secret to Handling Life's Curveballs 00:58:21 When Your Father Has a Stroke: The Power of Being Prepared 01:00:29 Closing: You Don't Look Like What You've Been Through ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips (the Bajan Sensation), CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, to help you discover the secret to YOUR success. Real conversations on marriage, business, wealth-building, and personal development, with the radical transparency that built this show. New episodes every week.

You can't build the new you without tearing the old one down. That's the truth most people don't want to hear. Because demolition is uncomfortable. It's messy. It's loud. And it doesn't look like progress when you're standing in the middle of it. But here's what you need to understand: demo is the first sign of progress. The crew goes deep on transformation in this episode, and they're not talking about surface level change. They're talking about gutting out the old wiring, the old walls, the old mindset that's been holding you back for years. ET breaks down why God doesn't design you where He has to come back and rewire you later. You're already wired for everything you're supposed to do. The problem is you've only been using one hand your whole life. Jemal opens up about becoming a millionaire by mistake, and the question that changed everything: if I could become a millionaire by mistake, what could I become on purpose? Karl gets transparent about being in the demo phase right now, crying in bed, asking God for clarity, and realizing that the discomfort is the process. And CJ brings the perspective on why you can't skip demo and go straight to the finished product. They also unpack why most people quit right when they start seeing results. Why you can't do demo alone. Why your marriage, your parenting, your career all need to be renovated, not just maintained. And why the people who knew you before your transformation are the ones most likely to keep you stuck. Because they're still measuring you by titles, not outcomes. They're still seeing the shell of who you used to be, not the person you're becoming. This episode will challenge everything you think about change. Because transformation isn't about adding more to your life. It's about tearing down what's no longer working and building something new from the foundation up. And if you're waiting for it to feel comfortable, you'll be waiting forever. The new you doesn't come without demolition. And the demolition doesn't stop. You're supposed to keep renewing, keep renovating, keep transforming. That's not the problem. That's the process. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: You're Already Wired for Greatness 00:01:20 Stop Being Around People Who Won't Transform 00:03:24 The 20,000 Square Foot Reality: When Success Changes Everything 00:04:27 Jesus Said Who Is My Mother: Choosing Transformation Over Tradition 00:04:56 You Help More People By Leaving Them Alone 00:06:01 The Squad Car Story: When Your Partner Chooses Promotion Over Progress 00:07:52 Title vs Outcome: Why Most People Stay Stuck at Good 00:13:02 Demo Is the First Sign of Progress 00:15:21 Romans 12:2 - Be Transformed By Renewing Your Mind 00:19:49 The Uncomfortable Truth: You Will Be Unrecognizable 00:22:38 Success Is Sequential Not Simultaneous 00:41:10 You Don't Have to Demo Alone 00:49:07 You're Already Wired - Stop Focusing on What You're Not 00:54:45 Closing: God Is Willing and Able to Transform You JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're changing. You're growing. You're stepping into who you were always meant to be. And the people closest to you don't recognize you anymore. They look at you funny. They treat you different. They make you feel like you're doing something wrong. But here's the truth: if they don't recognize the new you, you're doing it right. In Episode 544, the crew dives into one of the most uncomfortable truths about transformation. The people who knew you before your change are often the ones who resist it the most. Not because they don't love you. But because your growth exposes where they're still stuck. And instead of celebrating your elevation, they start acting awkward, distant, or downright hostile. ET breaks down the Harriet Tubman principle: she didn't carry a gun for her enemies. She carried it for the people she was trying to free. Because the ones closest to you are the ones most likely to snitch, sabotage, or talk you out of your destiny. Jemal opens up about how people who saw him build from the ground up didn't treat him differently until the world validated what he was doing. CJ shares how his wife is now experiencing what it's like to step into the light and have people who were once close suddenly act funny. Karl brings the perspective on why you can't stay around people who aren't building. And ET delivers the hard truth: you are supposed to change. People are not supposed to recognize you. That's not the problem. That's the proof. This episode will challenge everything you think about loyalty, relationships, and what it really means to transform. Because the higher you go, the more you expose where others are stuck. And if you're waiting for the people from your past to celebrate the person you're becoming, you'll be waiting forever. Stop dimming your light to make others comfortable. The new you is not for everyone. And that's exactly the point. CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Vision Beyond the Demolition - Seeing What Others Can't 00:01:27 Welcome and Team Introductions 00:03:20 Fair or Foul: The Airplane Seat Swap Dilemma 00:08:15 The Tip Jar Philosophy: Making Sure They See You Bless Them 00:10:17 Harriet Tubman's Gun: Why She Carried It for Her Friends, Not Her Enemies 00:12:47 They Won't Recognize You Anymore: When Transformation Makes You Unfamiliar 00:14:40 The Proximity Problem: When Your Light Exposes Where Others Are At 00:17:20 The Prophet Is Not Recognized in His Hometown: Jesus, ET, and the Title World 00:21:30 The Four Stages People Go Through When You Change 00:26:48 Romans 12:2 - Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind 00:42:21 The X-Men Analogy: Stop Trying to Be Understood by Regular People 00:46:00 Closing: Concentrate on This Opportunity with All Your Might JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D NEXT LEVEL SPEAKERS CONFERENCE June 5 to 7, 2026, Atlanta, GA. Learn to start, grow, and monetize your speaking brand with ET, CJ, Jemal, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson, and Marco Kino. nextlevelspeakersconference.com SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, the Hip Hop Preacher, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

Most people stay stuck for years on something that could be done in weeks. This week the crew breaks down the story of one man who rebuilt what a whole city left broken for 140 years, and finished it in 52 days. The difference was ownership and urgency, not money or talent. JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam. This is where the real conversations keep going. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney. https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D ENJOYING THE SHOW? If this episode hit you, take ten seconds to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people find us. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15 CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: 140 Years vs 52 Days - The Wall That Changed Everything 00:02:33 Welcome and Team Introductions: Fresh Off the Plane Energy 00:05:01 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement: Your 52-Day Moment 00:11:33 Fair or Foul: The Elderly Server Dilemma 00:14:54 The Tipping Epidemic: From Drive-Throughs to 35 Percent Suggestions 00:09:14 The Knicks Talk and Sports Banter: When Franchises Finally Break Through 00:20:49 The Sermon Breakdown: Self-Accountability and the 52-Day Principle 00:26:21 The Math That Will Blow Your Mind: 983 Opportunities Wasted 00:28:41 ET's Bathroom Story: When Vision Meets Self-Accountability 00:28:25 The Broken Comb Philosophy: Why DeDeThrows Things Away Immediately 00:38:03 Vision, Urgency, and Miracle Territory: The Three Keys to 52 Days 00:40:27 The Michael Jackson Warning: If You Don't Move, God Gives It to Prince 00:44:19 Rachel's Transformation: From Basement to 1.3 Million in Softball 00:45:47 The Hot Seat Moment: How 5,000 Dollars Changed Rachel's Life Forever 00:48:03 Rachel Creates the Next Mastermind: When Students Become Teachers 00:46:39 The Tithing Conversation: When Your Wife Gives 40 Percent 01:06:14 Toby and Fat's 8,000 Square Foot Mansion: Real Estate Without the Degree 01:06:14 Exposure Changes Everything: Why Most People Stay Broke 01:04:41 The Callus Principle: Why the First Brick Hurts the Most 01:10:15 Final Challenge: 140 Years or 52 Days - You Choose KALM DOWN WITH KARL Karl on why the callus comes before the breakthrough. The first brick hurts, but there is a point where you stop feeling it and start building faster than everyone still waiting to begin. MAL'S MILLIONAIRE MOMENT FEATURING JEMAL KING Jemal on why most people are not broke because they are lazy. They are broke because they have not been exposed to more. Your level of exposure determines your level of success. NEXT LEVEL SPEAKERS CONFERENCE June 5 to 7, 2026, Atlanta, GA. Learn to start, grow, and monetize your speaking brand. nextlevelspeakersconference.com APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org FOLLOW Instagram: @s2spodcast Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, the Hip Hop Preacher, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

She said no. You got down on one knee, opened the box, asked the question, and she said no. Not "I need time." Not "maybe later." She said no. So now what? In Episode 542, the crew tackles one of the most vulnerable questions a man can face: what do you do when your feelings are telling you one thing, but the data is telling you something completely different? A brother writes in after proposing to his girlfriend of several years, only to hear her say she's not ready. He's confused, hurt, and stuck between staying or walking away. ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal break down why feelings will lie to you every single time, and why the data never does. ET gets raw about the moment Dede told him she didn't feel safe, not physically, but emotionally and mentally. How his ego wanted to defend what he'd built, but the data told him something else entirely. He shares how he got off the road for four months, gave her predictability, and watched their marriage transform because he stopped going with his feelings and started going with the facts. Karl brings the "what by when" accountability framework that keeps you honest. Jemal drops the vision about getting in front of your future, how he started his daughters' 529 plans when they were toddlers, and why Yani just graduated from Michigan State debt free. CJ tells the Slim Thug story, the moment he reached out to a Houston legend to help an artist he was mentoring, got ghosted, and realized the most important lesson of his career: stop asking people to do for you what you need to learn how to do yourself. They also break down why Joe Jackson energy isn't just for parenting, it's for every area of life where you're trying to build something real. From book covers to corporate stages to marriage, this episode will challenge you to stop letting your feelings run your life and start letting the data lead. If you've ever been rejected, corrected, or redirected and didn't know what to do next, this conversation is for you. Because your feelings will tell you to quit. The data will tell you to adjust. And the difference between the two is the difference between staying stuck and leveling up. Timestamps: 🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get... Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in: 👉 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 🎤 Next Level Speakers Conference: June 5-7, Atlanta, Georgia. If you know you're supposed to be speaking, training, or elevating your personal brand, this is where you need to be. ET, CJ, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson and more. Tickets on sale now: https://nextlevelspeakersconference.com About the Secret to Success Podcast The Secret to Success (S2S) Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development — not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results. Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there. Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.

Most people say they want the truth, but the moment it shows up, they call the messenger a villain. This episode picks up where the Joe Jackson conversation left off and turns the mirror around. The real question isn't whether Joe was too hard on Michael. It's why we keep demonizing every coach, mentor, and visionary with the gift to push us toward what we say we want. DISCLAIMER: Our focus in this episode is not the Jackson family, and we are not endorsing or excusing abuse of any kind. Our focus is what happens when people push us because they see we are capable of more, and get demonized for it. The Jackson story is a starting point, not the subject.The guys dig into why visionaries always get villainized, why our relationship with trauma is broken, and the difference between feedback and validation. Karl shares the "Carlos" moment that changed how he receives criticism. ET tells the Mr. Gene swim instructor story that put this entire philosophy to the test with his own son. If you've ever fired the person trying to save you, this one is for you. In this episode: Why every visionary, from Moses to Joe Jackson, gets demonized during the process Why you can't receive help unless it comes wrapped exactly the way you want it The difference between looking for feedback and looking for validation How ET almost fired the swim instructor who taught his entire family to swim How to narrate your own story without playing the victim CHAPTERS: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Karl OS - The New Operating System 00:01:39 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Michael Jackson Movie Discussion 00:03:24 Did Michael Jackson Play the Victim His Whole Life? 00:04:15 Joe Jackson: Visionary or Villain? 00:23:06 The Gary, Indiana Reality Check 00:25:01 Feelings vs. Goals: Why Most People Stay Stuck 00:28:35 The Mr. Jean Swimming Lesson Story 00:37:12 Stop Looking for Validation, Start Looking for Feedback 00:44:20 Karl's Transformation: From Soft to Strategic 00:43:17 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement 01:01:02 Kalm Down with Karl: Stop Living Your Life Like a Question 01:01:50 Mal's Millionaire Moment: Your Pension is Dead 01:04:02 The Secret Project Reveal: What Karl and Mal Are Building KALM DOWN WITH KARL: Stop living your life like a question and live like the answer that you are. God saw a problem on the planet and created you as the solution. Stop walking around uncertain. You are the answer. MAL'S MILLIONAIRE MOMENT: One pension is too close to no pension. Jemal breaks down how the average career span matches the average mortgage span, meaning you can have a property fully paid off by the time you retire from your day job. That's your second pension. He also shares how he turned his daughter's graduation gift into a down payment on her first property at 22. RATE AND REVIEW: If this episode hit you, take 30 seconds to rate and review on Apple Podcasts. It's the biggest way you help us reach the next person who needs to hear this. JOIN THE S2S PATREON: Early access, live recordings, behind-the-scenes content, Q&A, and ET speech streams. https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME" by Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney: https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D NEXT LEVEL SPEAKERS CONFERENCE: June 5-7, 2026 in Atlanta, GA. Featuring ET, CJ, Jemal, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson, and Marco Kino. Early bird tickets active now. www.nextlevelspeakersconference.com APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH: Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 CONNECT WITH S2S: Instagram: @s2spodcast ABOUT THE PODCAST: The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, CJ Quinney, Jemal King, and Karl "The Bajan Sensation" Phillips. The mission: show the authentic side of four men building businesses, marriages, wealth, and legacies in real time. No hype, no filters, just real conversations to help you believe in your own potential.

Your soft coaching is killing their future. And you think you're being kind. In Episode 540, ET, CJ, Karl, and Jemal pull up to the table after watching the Michael Jackson movie and what follows is one of the most honest, uncomfortable, and necessary conversations this crew has ever had. About Joe Jackson. About tough love. About why we've been Catherine-ing people when we should have been Joe Jackson-ing them. And why the people closest to greatness are usually the ones being held back by feelings, comfort, and lies we call love. CJ gets cavity searched while ET watches in the distance… Then the crew dives into the Michael Jackson movie and what most people missed. Joe Jackson got them out of Gary, Indiana. From the steel mill to the charts. Six kids. Multiple number ones. And we've been dogging him out for decades without asking the hard question: would there even be a Michael Jackson without Joe Jackson? ET breaks down why he's been doing it wrong as a leader. Why caring about people's feelings has actually been holding them back. Why his mom kicked him out at 16 and it was the greatest gift she ever gave him. This episode will make you rethink every soft conversation you've had. Every time you coddled someone instead of challenging them. Every time you let someone stay comfortable when you knew they were capable of more. Because real love isn't making people feel good. Real love is helping them become who God called them to be. Timestamps: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Airport Security Story - When ET Left CJ Behind 00:01:25 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Pastor's License 00:02:25 Fair or Foul: ET Goes Through Security While CJ Gets Searched 00:10:58 The Michael Jackson Movie: We Owe Joe Jackson an Apology 00:12:28 From Gary Indiana to Greatness: Joe Jackson's Vision 00:18:00 The Catherine vs Joe Jackson Debate: Love or Lies? 00:21:34 Stop Catherine-ing People: Why Feelings Are Holding You Back 00:19:37 The Candy Seller Revelation: When Compassion Becomes a Lie 00:25:25 Real Leadership Requires Losing People: The Mom Story 00:34:00 Joe Jackson Them: Holding People Accountable to Their Genius 00:40:12 The Real Estate Lesson: When Mom Made ET Buy the Right House 00:29:16 The Jalen and Jada Story: Taking Ownership of Your Part 00:37:45 I Don't Have Any More Care Left: The Superpower of Not Caring 00:28:30 The Trauma of Being Broke vs The Trauma of Success 00:44:52 Next Level Speakers Conference Announcement: June 5-7 Atlanta 00:45:58 Why AI Can't Replace Joe Jackson: You Still Need Humans 00:46:50 Closing: Patreon Meetup and Final Thoughts on Tough Love 🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get... Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in: 👉 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎤 Next Level Speakers Conference | June 5-7, Atlanta If you know you're called to speak, train, or elevate your personal brand, this is where you need to be. ET, CJ, Karl, Inky Johnson, Jeremy Anderson, and more. Plus a Patreon meetup. Early bird tickets available now: 👉 nextlevelspeakersconference.com 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 About the Secret to Success Podcast The S2S Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development, not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results. Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there.

Most people spend their whole lives chasing a version of success that looks right on paper and still leaves them empty. That is the conversation at the center of Episode 539, and it is one of the most honest hours this table has produced. Candis Quinney is back and she brings the moment that started everything. She was in her closet, stressed, overwhelmed, burnt out, with everything she had worked hard for, and still broke down. The house was there. The marriage was there. The kids were there. The pool was there. And none of it was enough. That moment did not break her. It built a movement. Candis is done watching women settle for a version of life that looks good from the outside and feels hollow on the inside, and she is calling everyone to a higher standard. ET picks up where Episode 538 left off, going deeper into what it actually felt like to release the need for control and what changed in his life and his marriage when he finally did. He also brings one of the most tender moments in recent S2S history, talking about going back to heal his mother and realizing she went through everything he blamed her for carrying. Karl's Kalm Down segment delivers one of the most practical frameworks this show has produced. Access and alignment are not the same thing. Just because something good comes to you does not mean it is yours. Make your decisions on alignment, not access. With Jemal away, CJ steps in with a sanctified session and does not hold back. God wants more for you than you want for yourself. Everything you do not have is because you are still operating below the level God designed for you. Stop shrinking. The episode also includes the announcement of ET and CJ's debut book "We Is Greater Than Me," now available for preorder on Amazon, and ET pulls out his GED on camera for the first time, earned February 9th, 1989, out of Lansing, Michigan. The certificate that started everything. If you are a woman who has ever smiled through something that was breaking you, Candis is building something for you. If you have ever felt like your life looks right but something is still off, this table sees you. In this Episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Access Is Not the Same as Alignment 00:00:57 The Shift: Letting Go of Control and Trusting God's Plan 00:05:22 Breaking Generational Cycles: Understanding Your Parents' Pain 00:07:54 The Yoke Up Revelation: What It Really Means to Partner with Christ 00:12:33 Your Best Self Is for Hard Times, Not Good Times 00:10:27 Letting Go of Titles and Traditions That Kill Us 00:28:07 The Jada Story: When DD's Leadership Changed Everything 00:19:55 From the East Side to Bliss: Candace's Transformation Journey 00:21:47 Parenting Without Living Through Your Kids 00:33:12 Book Reveal: We Is Greater Than Me 00:43:17 Candace's Movement: From Crying in the Closet to Leading Women 00:48:32 Closing Word: Grow Up and Open Your Packages Connect with Candis: @justcandisquinney on Instagram APOC Ministry virtual church, Saturdays at 11:00 AM ET on YouTube Subscribe so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@SecretToSuccess?sub_confirmation=1 Join the S2S Patreon for early access every week: https://www.patreon.com/s2spodcast Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast Listen on Apple Podcasts: Search "Secret to Success" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. About the Secret to Success Podcast The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over two decades ET has been one of the most recognizable voices in personal development, motivation, and leadership. The Secret to Success podcast goes beyond the highlight reel to show the real conversations happening behind the work, covering marriage, business, wealth building, faith, and what it actually takes to build a life worth living. New episodes every Thursday on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Most people who feel stuck, angry, or burned out are not dealing with what they think they are dealing with. That is the throughline of Episode 538, a conversation that starts with the aftermath of the 1% Conference in Chicago and goes somewhere much deeper. CJ's wife Candis Quinney walks in fresh off one of the most powerful 1% Conferences the S2S family has ever put together, and her presence immediately changes the energy in the room. Candis is not here as a plus one. She is building something, a movement for women who are done performing, done pretending, and done settling for a version of life that looks good on the outside and feels hollow on the inside. Her story, including a moment of sitting in a closet with everything she was supposed to want and still breaking down, is the kind of honesty that most people spend their whole lives avoiding. It is also exactly why we named this episode what we named it. Before the episode even gets rolling, Karl opens with a reframe that sets the tone for everything that follows: God does not always allow the pain. Sometimes it is just our decisions. What is remarkable is that He works through it anyway. ET's conference debrief becomes one of the most honest moments in recent S2S memory. He traces his lifelong anger back to its real source, being uprooted from Chicago as a kid, losing his cousin-brothers, resenting a stepfather he never asked for, and spending decades needing to control everything because nobody was ever in control for him. The breakthrough comes when he finally connects the dots and realizes the plan he spent years fighting against was actually the plan that made him who he is. The episode also goes deep on DeDe's gift, her ability to see what no one else sees, illustrated through the story of Donovan, a child in their church navigating an impossible situation while his younger brother fights kidney failure. It is a quiet masterclass in what it looks like to show up for people with your actual gifts, not just your checkbook. If you are a woman who has ever smiled through something that was breaking you, this one is going to meet you exactly where you are. And if you have ever chased a life that looked right on paper and still felt empty behind closed doors, pull up a chair. This conversation was made for you. In this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: God's Plan Despite Our Decisions 00:00:55 Welcome and Team Introductions: Post-1% Conference Reflections 00:02:49 Conference Takeaways: Building Your Own Table With People You Trust 00:04:18 Behind the Scenes: The Real Work of Live Events That Nobody Sees 00:16:02 The Commonality of Humanity: We All Want the Five Pillars 00:17:17 Candice's Mission: The Off-Ramp for Women Who Have Everything But Aren't Enjoying It 00:05:18 DeDe's Role: The Eye That Catches What Everyone Else Misses 00:09:49 The Phone Detox Challenge: Too Much Access to Everything 00:21:58 Candis' Story: Forgiving Her Father and the Optical Illusion of Life 00:27:09 The Wedding Day Decision: Moving As If You Already Have the Relationship You Want 00:30:36 The Truth About Candice's Father: When the Answer Still Isn't What You Hoped For 00:36:58 Eric's Story: I Still Don't Have Good Parents 00:38:32 The Joseph Revelation: God Allowed This to Happen So You Could Save Others 00:39:15 The Bruce Banner Effect: When Unresolved Trauma Makes You Someone You Don't Like 00:43:13 The American Dream Versus the Divine Calling: Stop Comparing Your Life 00:53:25 Losing Control and Finding God: When DD Took Over the Conference 00:55:00 The Healing Begins When You Realize Your Parents Were Broken Too 00:57:49 Closing: You Don't Want to Be Me, You Want to Be on Stage Never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@SecretToSuccess?sub_confirmation=1 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/s2spodcast IG: @s2spodcast Listen on Apple Podcasts: Search "Secret to Success" on Apple Podcasts Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.

This episode was never meant for the public. It was recorded exclusively for our Patreon community — the people who are already in the inner circle. But we're pulling the curtain back and letting you see what S2S really looks like when the pressure is off, the cameras are still rolling, and nobody is performing for anybody. This is the crew unfiltered. No script. No agenda. Just ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal being exactly who they are. From 80s hip-hop debates to the first game they ever ran, to ET getting real about why he stopped giving his expertise away for free — this episode has everything the highlight reel never shows you. And then Pops pulls up and drops the origin story of how ET and CJ found each other — the moment that started all of this. If you've ever wondered what S2S looks like behind closed doors — this is it. In This Episode: The 80s hip-hop playlist that shaped who they became — LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Babyface and more The first piece of game they ever ran (ET's Babyface line on Dede is legendary) Why ET stopped giving his time and expertise away for free — and why you should too The "selfish vs. self-focused" conversation that will change how you think about your time and money A special visit from the Cooking with the Cooks family Pops pulls up and tells the untold origin story of how ET and CJ connected Timestamps: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Public Was Never Supposed to See This 00:03:39 Throwback Music Session: LL Cool J and the Golden Era of Hip-Hop 00:09:58 Baby Face and Early Game: The First Piece of Wisdom 00:15:00 The Football Team Get Naked Story: When Confidence Was King 00:17:18 The Michael Jordan Clip: Being Selfish Is How You Win 00:18:05 The Shift: How ET Stopped Giving Everything Away for Free 00:22:02 The Mastermind Testimony: When People Pay, They Apply 00:24:16 Valuing Your Time and Expertise: The CJ Partnership Model 00:32:59 The ETA Records Story: Giving What's Earned, Not What's Expected 00:37:35 Pops Enters the Building: The Man Who Started It All 00:41:04 The Origin Story: From Prison Visit to Twenty Years of Partnership 00:43:43 Closing: Behind the Scenes Access and What's Next Key Takeaways: The difference between being selfish and being self-focused — and why it matters for your money and your time Why giving your expertise away for free is a disservice to yourself and the people you're trying to help The unplanned moment that created one of the most influential mentoring relationships in the world What the S2S Patreon is really about — and why this content exists 🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get Every Week Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in: 👉 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 About the Secret to Success Podcast The Secret to Success (S2S) Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development — not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results. Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there. New episodes every Thursday. Patreon drops every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Somebody talked you out of your dream before it ever had a chance. Maybe it was a parent. Maybe a friend. Maybe someone you trusted. And the worst part? They didn't even know they were doing it. CJ takes his son Trey to a skateboard store and watches a 6-year-old fall twice in front of a crowd, get back up, and look at his dad like it was nothing — because CJ realized he was about to pass his own fear to his son. Fear of something he'd never even tried. ET traces his version, leaving comfort in Huntsville to chase something bigger when everyone said he already had enough. Jemal gives a raw testimony — real estate, the daycare, the businesses — every significant venture required blind, childlike faith. The one that didn't? Becoming a police officer. His whole family was already there. Everything else? Trust God with nothing upfront. And Karl brings the financial lens: your side hustle doesn't just need to make money. It needs to make sense. This one will make you think about who you've been taking advice from. And whether they've ever actually been on the skateboard. 📌 TIMESTAMPS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Karl's Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Deal and the Five Pillars 00:01:44 Welcome and Team Introductions: One Week Until the Chicago Conference 00:05:47 The Skateboard Story: How Trey's Childlike Faith Teaches Us to Get Back Up 00:08:45 Most People Were Talked Out of Their Dream Before It Started 00:12:33 Who Is Your Skateboard Instructor? The Importance of the Right Mentors 00:35:59 Unless You Become Like Little Children: The Scripture That Changes Everything 00:40:15 Show Up to the Conference as a Child, Not as an Adult 00:44:03 ET's Stone Mountain Story: Choosing to Be a Shepherd, Not a Competitor 00:51:15 For I Know the Plans I Have for You: God's Spiritual 529 Plan 00:56:45 Why This Conference Is Different: Three-Exing for God's Work 01:02:33 Jamal's Testimony: From Audience Member to Keynote Speaker at His Own High School 01:07:17 Make Your Side Hustle Make Sense: The Million Dollar Uber Ride 01:09:24 Closing Prayer: Lazarus, Come Forth—Breaking Free from the Weeds 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS → The person who talked you out of your dream probably never tried it themselves → A child sees what's possible. An adult only sees what's impossible → You're not afraid of the risk, you're afraid of what people will think when you fall → Show up as a student, not a teacher → Your side hustle shouldn't just make money, it should make sense ⬇️ Kalm Down with Karl When something is coming at you, you slow down. But when you have something to run toward, you speed up. What are you running toward? 💰 Mal's Millionaire Moment Jemal breaks down every venture he's ever built and the one thing they all had in common. Zero evidence it would work when he started. Just blind, childlike faith. 🎟️ 1% CONFERENCE, CHICAGO APRIL 16-18, 2026 Eric Thomas and world-class speakers including - Sarah Jakes - Jameis Winston, - Inky Johnson, - Wallstreet Trapper, - Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. Day 1: Women's Day, Day 2: Men's Day, Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets: https://etonepercent.com 🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Instagram: @s2spodcast Patreon: Behind the scenes access, live recordings, exclusive Q&A, and ET speech streams. If you're serious about this, this is where you need to be: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, this is the podcast for you.

What if everything you've built so far — your career, your income, your wins — happened without you even really trying? That's exactly what Jemal King discovered in 2006. Four daycare centers. Real estate. A millionaire — completely by mistake. And the question that hit him harder than the money itself: if I could become a millionaire by mistake, what could I become on purpose? Jemal breaks down his full story — from building without a coach to discovering the value of community, to realizing most people quit the moment they start seeing results. ET closes with his challenge: stay 365 days. Then three years. Then five. Because the levels you haven't seen yet only unlock after the time is paid. Karl brings Kalm Down with Karl and Mal drops the Millionaire Moment — the rebar that holds everything together, and why your degrees and hustle aren't working without it. Most people have no idea what they're actually capable of. This episode is the proof. It's not about talent or luck. It's about going on purpose. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ - Jemal's millionaire by mistake story — daycare centers, real estate, and the moment everything clicked - Why most people quit right when they start seeing results - Grinding alone vs. grinding with the right community - Kalm Down with Karl — Do you see what I see? - Mal's Millionaire Moment — you've been building without the rebar ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 📍 CHAPTERS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Character Chasing Over Clout Chasing 00:01:45 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Real Cost of Proximity 00:02:45 Most People Don't Want the Smoke: The Accountability Circle 00:04:44 The Five Pillars Aren't Easy: Why Character Beats Entertainment 00:06:13 Twenty Years Together: The Power of Longevity and Consistency 00:08:01 Managing Power: When You Were Little in Your Own Sight 00:14:29 The Tobe Story: When Accountability Feels Like Warfare 00:17:09 Tom Izzo and the Transfer Portal: Why Most Coaches Are Scared 00:17:54 The Responsibility of the Circle: Carrying Each Other's Names 00:20:00 Conference Reveal: Why This One Is Intentionally Different 00:26:06 The Jemal Story: From Millionaire by Mistake to Millionaire on Purpose 00:24:58 The Value of Information: Would You Come for a Thousand Dollars? 00:32:41 Community Over Solo Grind: The Dubai Yacht Energy 00:35:48 I Don't Go to Red Carpets: ET's Intentional Isolation 00:37:49 Character Chasing vs Clout Chasing: The Pillar vs Sand Analogy 00:52:52 Wall Street Trapper Joins Live: The One Percent Money Mindset 00:56:00 Kalm Down with Karl 00:57:53 The Rebar Principle: What's Missing From Your Foundation 01:00:45 Closing: ET1% Conference Final Call and Patreon Family Shoutout ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎟️ 1% CONFERENCE — CHICAGO ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets: https://etonepercent.com ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Instagram: @s2spodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe — this is the podcast for you.

You can see exactly what you want. You probably always could. So what's actually stopping you? This episode opens with a story CJ wasn't sure he should tell. A 4-hour TSA line. Atlanta airport in complete chaos. And a woman with no badge, no uniform — just the nerve to say: get out of that line. What followed wasn't just a funny airport story. It cracked open one of the most honest conversations this crew has had about why people stay far from the rooms that could actually change them. Not because they don't have access. But because they know exactly what comes with it. The crew gets real about the price of true accountability — what it costs to be in this circle, what it felt like when ET was going in on CJ, and why that fire is exactly what separates the ones who last from the ones who fall off. ET closes Part 1 with a warning from the life of King Saul — when you forget where you came from, the power you worked so hard to get becomes the very thing that destroys you. You can see exactly what you want. The question this episode answers is why you still don't have it. Part 2 drops next week — Jemal reveals how he accidentally became a millionaire, Karl brings Kalm Down with Karl, and Ma drops the rebar moment. If you can see it but you still don't have it — this episode is your answer. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE - CJ's wild TSA story — and the stranger with no badge who changed everything - Why the people closest to greatness are usually the first ones to walk away from it - "You want the perks, not the accountability" — the hard truth about circles - Character chasing vs. cloud chasing — ET's 20 year philosophy - The Saul Warning — what the Bible says about power outgrowing character - Why the next level won't unlock no matter how hard you work - ET's surgical analogy — why God has to separate you from everyone you love first 📍 CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Become the Savage Before You Attract the Savage 00:01:30 Welcome and Team Introductions: The TSA Miracle Story 00:11:17 Ask ET: The Wandering Eye Dilemma 00:20:12 The Chicago Conference Reveal: Why We're Separating Men and Women 00:24:49 The Becoming Principle: Why Maul Is Sitting at This Table 00:36:09 Personal Development Is the Price of Admission 00:39:37 Don't Be a Two, Be a One-in-Waiting: The CJ Partnership Model 00:41:57 The Homework Assignment: Go Back and Watch the Growth 00:49:48 The Surgery Analogy: Why God Separates You Sometimes 00:52:44 The Hard Truth: Proximity Without Accountability Means Nothing 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE 📲 Subscribe to the YouTube channel for weekly episodes that transform, not just inform: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 Follow on Instagram → @s2spodcast 🔥 Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎙️ ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development and mindset podcasts in the world. Each week, the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, belief, financial growth, leadership, relationships, entrepreneurship, and personal development. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe — this is the podcast for you. New episodes drop weekly.

You’re not losing because you lack talent. You’re losing because you’re focused on the wrong thing. Most people obsess over results — the money, the body, the relationship, the success. But winners don’t worship outcomes. They build systems. In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, we break down why focusing on the result keeps you stuck — and how shifting to solution thinking changes everything. If you’ve been: • Starting strong but falling off • Setting goals but not seeing progress • Working hard but not moving forward • Believing… but still stuck at the 6-yard line This conversation is for you. We dive into: • The difference between victim thinking and architect thinking • Why belief determines your level of commitment • How focusing on solutions restores power over your life • Why consistency without the right system is rehearsed failure • The mental shift that separates dreamers from disciplined winners You don’t rise to your goals. You rise to your systems. If you’re tired of chasing results and ready to start designing them, this episode will shift your focus. Chapters: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Evict the Thoughts That Aren't Paying Rent 00:01:27 Welcome and Team Introductions: Five Pillars Fitness Challenge 00:07:00 Fair or Foul: The Airplane Snoring Incident 00:20:52 The Conference Difference: Solutions Over Information 00:25:20 The Three Types of People: Which One Are You? 00:24:41 From Victim to Architect: The Power of Solutions 00:33:32 The Intentionality Factor: Accidentally Broke vs Intentionally Wealthy 00:37:49 The Middle Part: Why Commitment Is Everything 00:39:49 Chemistry Class: The Solution Formula 00:41:24 Focused on the Answer Instead of the Solution: The Math Lesson 00:52:22 Belief Comes Before Action: Do You Really Believe? 01:01:55 Leverage: Knowing Who You Are Opens Every Door 01:04:49 The 1% Conference: Invest in Yourself 🎟️ TAKE ACTION 🚨 Get your ticket to the 1% Conference: 👉 https://etonepercent.com Join us live and learn how to build the systems that produce lasting results. 🔥 Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 📲 Subscribe to the YouTube channel for weekly episodes that transform, not just inform: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 🎙️ ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development and mindset podcasts in the world. Each week, the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, belief, financial growth, leadership, relationships, entrepreneurship, and personal development. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe — this is the podcast for you. New episodes drop weekly.

Your gift already opened the door. The question is: did you get lazy and let it close? In this episode, ET ( The Hip Hop Preacher), and the guys break down the truth about God-given gifts and why most people never reach their potential. They reveal: ✅ How to identify YOUR specific superpower (it's not what you think) ✅ Why people get complacent once their gift produces results ✅ The difference between using your gift for yourself vs. God's purpose ✅ How Karl discovered his gift of SUPPORT ✅ Why Mal's gift of VISION has made him successful in real estate and every other area of his life ✅ The "Get a Backbone" morning routine that sets up your day for success KEY MOMENTS: - E reveals his superpower: calling people back within 24 hours and showing love - Karl explains why he finally embraced being a "supporter" - Mal shares how VISION allows him to see 20-100 years into the future - The fig tree parable: Why God curses gifts that don't produce fruit - Why trying to use someone else's gift will never work for you - The Meridian Mall story: How one vendor outlasted Dick's, Barnes & Noble, and Sbarro BOTTOM LINE: Your gift will make room for you, but only if you keep using it. Stop comparing. Stop getting lazy. Stop trying to be someone else. This is YOUR year to go all in on what God gave YOU. KALM DOWN WITH KARL - "Get a Backbone": Karl breaks down how to build your life on non-negotiables. Your backbone isn't rigid—it's the structure that supports everything. He shares his morning routine: personal worship, family worship, hydration, and workout. When your backbone is together, you don't slump halfway through the day. Mal's Millionaire Moment: Stop letting your money sleep! If you're still using a basic savings account earning 0.001% interest, you're getting bamboozled. Mal breaks down high-yield savings accounts paying 3.5-4.9% that you can set up TODAY. 🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZGbbU9wctEV8z6-0SL7FQ?sub_confirmation=1 💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: --- 🏠 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST: Join Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jamal King as they share their real lives, real struggles, and real wins. This isn't just another motivational podcast - it's raw, unfiltered conversations showing you that if we can do it, you can too. From real estate to marriage, business to family, faith to finances - we're living it and sharing it all so you can learn with us and through us. The mission? To help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT. Life throws wrenches at all of us, but with vision, belief, and the right community, success is possible. Hosted by: - Eric Thomas (@etthehiphoppreacher) - #1 Motivational Speaker in the World - Karl Phillips - Producer, Creative Director - CJ Quinney - Strategic Brand Architect - Jemal King - Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur New episodes every week. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. © 2026 Eric Thomas & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

What do you REALLY want? Not what society tells you to want. Not what you think you should want. What does YOUR heart actually desire? In this raw conversation, Eric Thomas, CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King get real about goals, dreams, and the difference between chasing material things vs. living with purpose. ET shares a powerful parenting moment that changed how he sees his son, Jamal breaks down why your next promotion might be in your next property, and the crew discusses why the "unseen" matters more than what you can see. Plus: The story behind Jamal's viral house tour (millions of views), why ET doesn't want what you think he wants, and a challenge that'll make you rethink everything you're chasing. 🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZGbbU9wctEV8z6-0SL7FQ?sub_confirmation=1 💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: What Do You REALLY Want? 00:01:14 Welcome and Team Introductions: The House That God Built 00:04:50 The Viral House Tour: Why Mal Finally Decided to Show the World 00:08:20 What's Your Next Big Goal? 00:11:38 Mal's Vision: A House in Another Country and Stretching Belief 00:23:00 The Rolls-Royce Story: How ET Honors His Wife and Sets an Example 00:25:20 Stop Parenting From What YOU Wanted: The Shoe Store Revelation 00:28:12 Know Your Own Multiples: Stop Following Rules That Weren't Made for You 00:39:10 Real Estate is Your Promotion: Your Next Property Holds Your Breakthrough 00:43:33 God Fixed It All: Communication, Marriage, and Answered Prayers 00:36:00 Chicago Conference Announcement: Bring Your Pack to Mal's Crib 00:48:00 Closing: Growth is the Only Goal—The Unseen Changes the Seen 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Stop chasing what you see others have - know what YOU actually want - Your next promotion might be in your next property (real estate = multiple paychecks) - The unseen is realer than the seen - Don't parent from what you wanted at their age - "With God, all things are possible" isn't just a phrase - it's a lifestyle --- 🏠 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST: Join Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jamal King as they share their real lives, real struggles, and real wins. This isn't just another motivational podcast - it's raw, unfiltered conversations showing you that if we can do it, you can too. From real estate to marriage, business to family, faith to finances - we're living it and sharing it all so you can learn with us and through us. The mission? To help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT. Life throws wrenches at all of us, but with vision, belief, and the right community, success is possible. Hosted by: - Eric Thomas (@etthehiphoppreacher) - #1 Motivational Speaker in the World - Karl Phillips - Producer, Creative Director - CJ Quinney - Strategic Brand Architect - Jemal King - Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur New episodes every week. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. © 2026 Eric Thomas & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

Being close isn't the same as being there — and ET knows exactly what that feels like. In this episode, CJ and ET get raw about the "almost zone": why being talented, dedicated, and almost at the top might actually be harder than starting from zero. ET shares the real story of having the greatest motivational speech in the world and still not being able to get booked — and what finally changed everything. They break down why getting to the top and staying at the top are two completely different skill sets, the whispers of self-doubt that are quietly killing people's dreams, and why proximity to the right people matters more than talent ever will. 🔑 IN THIS EPISODE: Why the "almost zone" is more frustrating than starting from nothing The formula ET used to go from unknown to #1 motivational speaker in the world Getting to the top vs. staying at the top — why most people fail at both The whispers of self-doubt nobody talks about (and how to silence them) Why you can't build your dream with imaginary people — use your family The 1% Event: April 16–18 in Chicago | etonepercent.com Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: There's a Formula to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be 00:00:57 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Varsity Game Is Back 00:01:56 The Crown Jewel: Doing It Together for 20 Years 00:05:07 Why ET Came Back Outside: The 10% Who Are Almost There 00:07:02 The Almost Zone: Why the Red Zone Is Harder Than Being Homeless 00:10:40 It's Not More Talent, It's Proximity: The New York Times Bestseller Formula 00:16:15 Nobody Cares: The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Write Down 00:22:32 Becoming Before Attracting: Why You Met ET at the Right Time 00:23:48 The 1% Conference Lineup: Wall Street Trapper, Inky Johnson, Earn Your Leisure and More 00:32:09 How Wall Street Trapper Walked Through the Valley: From Solitary Confinement to Success 00:35:34 Field Goals Get You Beat: The Mental Battle of the Red Zone 00:36:42 Rashad and Troy from Earn Your Leisure: How Brothers Stay Together and Win Together 00:37:56 Stop Working With Imaginary People: Build With Your Family 00:40:07 The Family Reunion: Everyone's Going to Be in the Building 00:41:22 Closing: April 16-18 in Chicago—ET1Percent.com 🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: 💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live.👉 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by CJ, Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), and Karl Phillips — a team who've built something rare: a 20-year friendship, business partnership, and movement that has impacted millions of lives worldwide. Joined by Jemal King and their families, S2S goes beyond motivation to deliver real conversations about marriage, business, wealth building, and personal development. New episodes every Thursday on all platforms.

The wrong business partner will cost you everything. Here's how to know who to trust. Most businesses fail not because of a bad idea, bad product, or bad timing. They fail because of bad PARTNERS. People who don't share your values. People who steal. People who see you as a paycheck instead of a partner. People who make "doggy bags" to take home instead of building the table with you. In this raw conversation, Eric Thomas, CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jemal King break down the brutal truth about business partnerships - what destroys them, - what makes them work, - Why starting small is the only path to building big, - And real proof this approach works (six-figure real estate checks, zero student debt, generational wealth from $50/paycheck). This is Part 2 of our two-part series. If you missed Part 1 (Episode 528), go watch the wife haircut debate now! CHAPTERS: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Be Faithful Over the Small Stuff - That's How God Knows You're Serious 00:01:20 Stop Looking for Permission - The CJ Partnership Model 00:02:28 Why Most People Want Savages But Won't Become One 00:12:00 The 115 Years of Committed Relationships at This Table 00:13:38 The Book Reveal: What We're Uniquely Qualified to Talk About 00:14:56 Building Your Table With Family vs Strangers - The Dinner Table Analogy 00:39:41 The Contract Story: When CJ Put ET First Without Being Asked 00:17:46 Leverage: The Tire Iron Principle and Why You Need Different Strengths 00:00:27 Stop Focusing on the Big Stuff - The Cam Newton Lesson 00:22:41 Warren Buffett at 94: Why Most Wealth Comes After 40 00:53:52 Yanni Graduates Debt-Free: How a 529 Plan Paid for Michigan State 00:35:53 The pizza story: Why Your People Won't Steal From You 00:47:29 The 1% Conference Announcement: April 16-17 in Chicago 🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: 💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including Jameis Winston, Inky Johnson, Wallstreet Trapper, Earn Your Leisure, and more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Employees at a pizza shop ordered 17 pizzas right before closing and took them all home for free - that's what happens when people don't care about your business like you do - It's not about family vs strangers - it's about shared values vs survival mode - People in survival mode will take from you; people who share your values will build with you - Candis called Eric about the contract split to make sure it was fair - she protected the family before anyone even asked - Stop focusing on the "main thing" - Eric didn't chase Cam Newton, he built relationships with Cam's parents and brother, which gave him better access - Warren Buffett made 90% of his wealth after age 65 - compound interest and starting early matters more than you think - Average American family has $2,000 in savings - that's the crisis most people don't talk about - Jemal’s daughter will graduate Michigan State debt-free and is going to med school - and it all started with a $50 per paycheck investment, made consistently for 25 years - Karl transformed from employee mindset to cashing six-figure real estate checks by applying these principles - When you build with people who do, you can go to sleep knowing everyone has each other's back 🏠 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST: Join Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jemal King - alongside their wives Dede, Candis, Tamesha, and Camile - as they share their real lives, real struggles, and real wins. This isn't just another motivational podcast - it's raw, unfiltered conversations showing you that if we can do it, you can too. From real estate to marriage, business to family, faith to finances - we're living it and sharing it all so you can learn with us and through us. The mission? To help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT. Life throws wrenches at all of us, but with vision, belief, and the right community, success is possible. Hosted by: - Eric Thomas (@etthehiphoppreacher) - #1 Motivational Speaker in the World - Karl Phillips - Producer, Creative Director - CJ Quinney - Strategic Brand Architect - Jemal King - Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur New episodes every week. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. © 2026 Eric Thomas & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

💇‍♀️ She cut her hair SHORT without warning. He feels blindsided. Who's wrong? When does a "personal decision" stop being personal in a marriage? A husband writes in after 13 years together: his wife cut her hair really short without mentioning it, and when he brought it up, she said it was a personal decision that didn't require his input. Fair or foul? This question sparked the BIGGEST debate we've had in a while - and we didn't just debate it ourselves. We called THE WIVES in live on the podcast. Dede, Camile, Candis, and Tamesha weigh in with perspectives that might surprise you. Plus: Jemal & Camile's Bobby Brown and New Edition concert experience, why "becoming a savage" matters more than wanting one, Karl's six-figure real estate confidence shift, and a powerful conversation about God wanting more for you than you want for yourself. This is Part 1 of 2 - Part 2 (Episode 530) drops the most powerful generational wealth story we've ever shared. You don't want to miss it. 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS: - "Fair for her own personal womanhood, but foul for the marriage" - marriage requires consideration beyond individual rights - After years of marriage, you should know what matters to your spouse - it's not about permission, it's about partnership - In order to attract a savage, you gotta become a savage - stop waiting for someone to blow you up - Iron sharpens iron - your growth elevates everyone around you - God has already blessed you with jobs, relationships, opportunities - you lost them because you didn't become - You can't be done with Michael Jordan - become irreplaceable in every area of your life - The 1% Conference: One day for men, one day for women to build yourselves up, then one day together to build each other up CHAPTERS: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: When Your Circle Is Killing at the Highest Level 00:00:59 Welcome and Team Introductions: Dr. King and the Barefoot Bruce Lee 00:03:00 The New Edition Concert Experience: Front Row With Your Bride 00:08:45 Concert Legends: From Maxwell to Celine Dion and the 3D Hologram 00:12:46 Fair or Foul: She Cut Her Hair Without Asking 00:14:10 The Men Weigh In: Permission, Communication, or Her Body Her Choice? 00:25:23 Calling the Wives: Candis, Camille, DeDe, and Tamesha Sound Off 00:35:50 The Marriage Blueprint: Know Your Person and Pick Your Battles 00:43:45 Don't Worship Silence: The Difference Between Peace and Avoiding Conflict 00:45:00 The One Percent Conference Vision: Men, Women, and Unity 00:49:00 The Two-Man Versus the One-in-Waiting: CJ's Platform Philosophy 00:51:15 Iron Sharpens Iron: Becoming a Savage to Attract Savages 00:52:23 Closing: The Conference Is About Becoming, Not Being Saved 🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZGbbU9wctEV8z6-0SL7FQ?sub_confirmation=1 💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including: - Jameis Winston, - Inky Johnson, - Wallstreet Trapper, - Earn Your Leisure, and much, much more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation. - Day 1: Women's Day - Day 2: Men's Day - Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com 📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 🎧 LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=1d80bc2eec934bef 🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789 🏠 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST: Join Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jemal King as they share their real lives, real struggles, and real wins. This isn't just another motivational podcast - it's raw, unfiltered conversations showing you that if we can do it, you can too. From real estate to marriage, business to family, faith to finances - we're living it and sharing it all so you can learn with us and through us. The mission? To help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT. Life throws wrenches at all of us, but with vision, belief, and the right community, success is possible. Hosted by: - Eric Thomas (@etthehiphoppreacher) - #1 Motivational Speaker in the World - CJ Quinney - Strategic Brand Architect - Karl Phillips - Producer, Creative Director - Jemal King - Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur New episodes every week. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. © 2026 Eric Thomas & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

Most people don’t fail because they lack effort. They fail because they follow rules and advice that were never designed for their real life. In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, the conversation challenges one of the most common traps in personal growth: living by general advice instead of personal strategy. This episode breaks down why: What works for others often fails for you Generic advice ignores context, timing, and personal tendencies High performers don’t just work hard — they study patterns Rules, stats, and analytics are useful… but dangerous when followed blindly Real growth requires a personal “scouting report” for your life, marriage, money, and leadership Through stories from sports, business, relationships, and real life, this episode shows why winners don’t just follow instructions — they observe, adjust, and execute based on their specific situation. If you’ve been doing “all the right things” but still feel stuck, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do differently. Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Stop Negotiating With Fear 00:00:52 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Q1 Focus Energy 00:01:28 Back in My Day: From Arcade Games to Roblox 00:08:31 Analytics vs The Scouting Report: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All 00:09:58 The Dan Campbell Effect: When to Go For It on Fourth Down 00:12:38 The Gazelle Mentality: How ET Learned to Observe and Survive 00:33:03 Brian Cox and the Film Room: The Cheat Code to Success 00:48:11 ET's Two-Home Challenge: Creating Unity in Unique Circumstances 00:50:20 The Mother-in-Law Revelation: Understanding What Really Matters 00:53:45 Millionaire Moments with Karl: Your Side Hustle Becomes Your Main Hustle 00:55:55 Closing: Hit Fear in the Mouth and Do Your Scouting Report 👇 Next steps: Subscribe for weekly conversations on mindset, leadership, and performance Share this episode with someone who keeps following the rules but isn’t getting results Stop copying success. Start studying what actually works for you. Transformation beats information — every time.

Most people think belief is a feeling. This episode makes a different case. Your beliefs are visible — not in what you say, but in the results you keep producing. In this continuation of last week’s conversation, we break down why people can have information, opportunity, and effort — yet still see the same outcomes year after year. The issue isn’t hustle or knowledge. It’s what you truly believe is possible, allowed, or worth fully committing to. This episode explores how partial belief leads to partial commitment — and how that shows up everywhere: finances, relationships, faith, confidence, leadership, and decision-making. We talk about: Why belief always leaves evidence How effort without full belief creates cycles, not progress The difference between participating and fully stepping in Why your environment reinforces what you believe How results quietly reveal where commitment stops This isn’t motivation. It’s a mirror. If you’ve been doing the right things but still seeing the same results, this episode may explain why. EPISODE CHAPTERS: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Practice Squad Mentality - You Don't Have to Be Perfect 00:01:50 Caleb Williams and the Ben Johnson Effect: Learning to See the Field 00:02:38 Stop Sleeping With the Enemy: Why Your Circle Is Keeping You Broke 00:03:09 It Burns My Heart: The Real Reason We Talk About Money 00:04:37 Let It Burn: When Your Credit Score Controls Your Destiny 00:07:42 God Said You Should Lend, Not Borrow: The Biblical Case for Wealth 00:09:46 Vengeance Is Mine: When People Owe You and God Is Teaching You 00:10:51 The Conference Invitation: Why You Need to Be in the Room 00:13:43 The $15 Million House Story: How Carl Made It With $30K and Good Credit 00:14:47 They Don't Want You in That Neighborhood: The Truth About Real Estate Gatekeeping 00:19:02 The Wizard of Oz Revelation: Everything You Need Is Already Inside You 00:21:27 Karl's Six-Figure Check Moment: When Belief Became Reality 00:23:51 The Dynasty Trust Attorney: When Doors Only Open at Certain Net Worth Levels 00:24:24 DeDe Said This Was the Best Christmas: When Communication Transforms Marriage 00:29:11 The Briefing to His Daughter: How Money Changed Karl's Family Language 00:31:01 Putting Money in Her Account: The Wisdom Jamal Gave Karl About His Wife 00:44:21 Just Believe: The Song, The Message, The Breakthrough 00:38:13 Every Result Has a Belief Behind It: Karl's Transformation Explained 00:49:56 Paycheck to Prosperity: The New System Mall and Karl Are Building 00:58:59 Work Your Work in the Morning, Evening Let Not Your Hands Be Idle 00:58:05 Turn the Light Switch Off: Carl's Million Dollar Moment 00:40:04 April 16-18 in Chicago: The 1% Solutions Gathering Announcement 01:06:15 Closing: Focus on This Opportunity With All Your Might 👉 Register for the ET One Percent Solution Conference https://etonepercent.com 👉 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 👉 Follow S2S on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content & live conversations https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

Everyone’s talking about the Chicago Bears right now (or at least Jemal thinks so), and while a new coach matters, the real shift runs deeper. This episode breaks down a powerful truth about real turnarounds: the players didn’t change — the perspective did. Same roster. Same city. Same pressure. What changed was how the game was being seen, understood, and approached. And once that shifted, the results followed. Using the Bears as a real-world case study, this conversation explores why so many people stay stuck year after year. Not because they lack ability or effort, but because they keep trying to do more instead of learning to see differently. This isn’t about starting over. It’s about building on what’s already there. 🎯 In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why turnarounds don’t require new talent, just clearer perspective How guidance and coaching change what you notice and how you move The difference between repeating a year and actually creating a new one What happens when you stop chasing more and start maximizing what you already have Whether it’s your life, your career, your finances, or your faith — this message applies far beyond football. Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Can You See Me Now? The Chicago Bears Energy 00:01:26 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Helmet Comes Out 00:05:16 Bears Fever: From Last Place to First in the Division 00:08:45 The Ben Johnson Effect: Why Coaching Changes Everything 00:20:17 New Year or Another Year? The Choice Is Yours 00:26:56 Don't Start Over—Keep Building: The Skyscraper Mentality 00:32:00 The Coaching Conversation: Carl's Real Estate Transformation Begins 00:33:45 From Crisis to Clarity: Carl's COVID Real Estate Story 00:36:34 The Equity Revelation: Money in the Bricks 00:43:05 The Six-Figure Check: Carl's First Major Real Estate Win 00:46:00 Why We Talk About Money: ET's Passionate Defense 00:50:04 Stop Listening to Broke People: Reading the Coverage of Wealth 00:51:26 Outro and Call to Action 👉 Register for the ET One Percent Solution Summit (Chicago) Real perspective. Real tools. Real turnaround conversations. https://etonepercent.com 👉 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 👉 Follow us on Instagram for daily perspective shifts & behind-the-scenes moments https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast 👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive episodes, live conversations, and deeper breakdowns https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

Most people don’t fail because they lack talent, intelligence, or opportunity. They fail because no one around them tells the truth. In this episode of the Secret to Success, Eric Thomas, CJ, and Karl break down why success becomes dangerous when accountability disappears—and why many people collapse after they start winning. This conversation hits hard: Why discipline alone eventually fails How “yes-men” quietly sabotage your future The role appetite plays in self-destruction Why unchecked power and money expose character How to build a circle that protects your purpose, not your ego This isn’t about cutting people off out of pride. It’s about protecting your life, your family, and your future. If no one in your life can correct you, challenge you, or stop you when you’re wrong—you’re not free. You’re exposed. 🎯 Takeaway You don’t need more motivation. You need one person who won’t let you lie to yourself. Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Power of Accountability and Appetite Control 00:02:14 Welcome and Team Introductions 00:05:42 Building Legacy Through Systems, Not Just Hard Work 00:08:52 The Chick-fil-A Lesson: Identity Over Everything 00:12:00 Technology Went Too Far: The Amazon Christmas Story 00:16:28 The First Directive: Stop Having Sex 00:20:34 Why Most Successful Men Crash and Burn 00:24:18 Accountability Is Not Discipline - It's Your Circle 00:34:23 The Diddy Documentary and Complicit Silence 00:45:49 Second-Hand Smoke: Why Your Circle Determines Your Future 00:47:38 Praying for Your Tribe and Leaving to Level Up 00:52:44 Be, Do, Have: Getting the Order Right 00:53:27 Your 9-to-5 Should Fund Your Exit, Not Trap Your Future 00:52:01 Closing: Join Us at the 1% Solution Experience 00:55:28 Outro and Subscribe 🔗 Important Links & CTAs 🎟️ The One Percent Experience An immersive 3-day experience for leaders, families, and teams 📍 Chicago | April 16–18, 2026 👉 https://etonepercent.com 🎧 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast New episodes every week—real conversations, real growth. https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 ⭐ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts Your feedback helps us reach more people who need this message. 📤 Share This Episode Send this to someone who needs accountability—not applause. 👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120 🧠 Final Reminder Transformation requires truth. And truth only works when someone is brave enough to speak it.

This year doesn’t need more motivation. It needs clarity, discipline, and intention. In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, Eric Thomas breaks down 7 rules that actually matter if you want to win this year — not just stay busy, not just feel inspired, but make real progress. These aren’t trends. They’re principles. You’ll learn: Why delusion keeps people stuck longer than failure How choosing what’s good beats choosing what feels good Why boredom is a requirement for mastery How to become unreplaceable in any environment The difference between playing defense and playing offense Why responsibility beats loyalty How to decide the meaning of whatever this year brings No hype. No shortcuts. Just truth you can build on. Happy New Year. Let’s work. Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: This Is What They're Not Telling You 00:00:52 Rule 1: Get Out of Delusion and Into Reality 00:08:05 Rule 2: Choose What's Good, Not What Feels Good 00:16:05 Rule 3: Boredom Builds Champions 00:24:45 Rule 4: Become Unreplaceable Through Diversification 00:30:44 Rule 5: Stop Playing Defense and Learn to Play Offense 00:39:32 Rule 6: Responsibility Beats Loyalty 00:48:06 Rule 7: Do Dark Different 00:54:01 Closing: Decisions Define You, Not the New Year 00:55:07 Outro and Call to Action If this episode challenged you, make sure you subscribe and share it with someone who needs clarity this year. 👉 Subscribe to S2S: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

As 2025 comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to look back. This episode is a collection of some of our favorite moments from the Secret to Success Podcast this year — real conversations, honest questions, unexpected laughs, and truth-filled discussions that stayed with us long after the microphones were off. From relationships and communication… to mindset, reality, and self-awareness… these clips capture the heart of what S2S has always been about: growth through real talk. Whether a moment makes you laugh, reflect, or pause for a second longer than expected, our hope is that it reminds you how powerful honest conversations can be. Thank you for listening, sharing, and being part of the journey with us in 2025. We’re grateful for you — and excited for what’s ahead.

“Be honest — what’s something you’ve been consistent at… but haven’t seen results from yet?” You can do the right things and still be headed in the wrong direction. In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, the conversation goes straight at a frustration many disciplined people quietly carry: “I followed the rules. I showed up. I stayed consistent… so why isn’t it working?” This isn’t a motivational episode. It’s an examination. The team breaks down why effort alone doesn’t produce growth, how consistency without measurement becomes rehearsed failure, and why isolation — not laziness — is often the real reason progress stalls. You’ll hear why pain is often proof of progress, why feedback is essential (even when it hurts), and how following the wrong formula can keep smart, hardworking people stuck for years. If you’ve been doing the work but questioning the results, this episode will help you identify what needs to change — without throwing away everything you’ve built. This conversation is about alignment, correction, and building with intention — not just grinding harder. Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: Consistency Isn't Enough 00:01:26 Welcome and Team Introductions 00:06:55 How Do You Know When God Is Telling You to Move? 00:11:33 The Power of Making Decisions Over Waiting 00:13:23 Patterns Over Decisions: Learning God's Ways 00:15:57 Excellence Is God: Moving in the Spirit of Excellence 00:16:46 Consistency Without Quality Is Rehearsed Failure 00:21:37 The Sandpaper People: Why You Need Correction 00:24:18 Stop Working in Isolation: The Cage Mentality 00:34:39 Measuring Progress: Pain Equals Progress 00:38:04 Quick Evaluation: The Secret to Accelerated Growth 00:40:15 Being Coachable: ET's Jordan Brand Adjustment 00:43:09 Real Numbers, Real Accountability 00:57:52 Breaking Free from Your Cage: Changing Your Circle 01:02:07 Closing: Merry Christmas and Final Encouragement Subscribe If you’re serious about growth — not just motivation — subscribe to the channel. New conversations drop weekly, focused on discipline, clarity, and building a life that actually works. Join Our Patreon Community If you want to go deeper than the podcast, join our Patreon community. Patreon members get: - Behind-the-scenes conversations - Extended discussions and bonus content - Direct access to the community shaping these ideas in real time patreon.com/s2spodcast120 Share This Episode If this episode made you uncomfortable — it’ll probably help someone you care about. Share it with a friend who’s doing everything right but feels stuck. Share this with someone who’s doing everything right but feels stuck

If life feels heavy, confusing, or just stuck… you’re not broken. You’re not cursed. You’re not “falling behind.” You’re in a phase nobody teaches you how to navigate: the dark season. In today’s episode, the guys break down why your hardest moments keep repeating, why running from discomfort actually makes it worse, and the one shift that finally moves you forward. ET explains how every version of success he’s had was formed in moments nobody saw. Jamal talks about the darkness that exposed the real picture of his life and pushed him toward real estate. Karl breaks down how creativity, identity, and resilience are all born in the dark—never in comfort. This conversation will change how you interpret struggle, setbacks, disappointment, and pressure. Because the truth is simple: You don’t grow in the light. You grow in the hard stuff. And once you know how to face it, everything changes. 🔥 In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why God prepares your table in the presence of your enemies—and why you keep praying them away How darkness is not Satan's domain—it's where God forms everything The difference between light (what's already formed) and dark (where you're being formed) Why the Buffalo runs into the storm while everyone else gets stuck in it longer Jamal's real story: sitting in that squad car at midnight, feeling like a failure—and how that darkness exposed the picture God was developing How to do dark different: prepare before it comes, embrace it when it's here, and let it form you instead of break you Why your prayers in the light are different than your prayers in the dark—and how that's costing you your breakthrough 🚀 JOIN THE 1% CHALLENGE Surround yourself with people who won’t let you settle. 👉 ETOnePercent.com 🎥 JOIN THE PATREON FAMILY (LIVE RECORDINGS + EXCLUSIVE CONTENT) Don’t just watch the podcast—experience it with us. 👉 Patreon.com/S2SPodcast120 📘 READ KARL’S BOOK — “Moving Past Potential” A blueprint for breaking through fear, hesitation, and overthinking. 👉 MovingPastPotential.com

Most people don’t fail because they lack talent— they fail because their ego keeps putting them in positions they’re not built for. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone who keeps blowing opportunities, breaking alliances, sabotaging good teams, or confusing “control” with “calling.” We’re talking identity, roles, loyalty, humility, and the dangerous trend of chasing titles instead of mastering your assignment. If you’ve ever walked away from the people who built you… If you keep trying to lead when you’re meant to support… If you think you want the spotlight but can’t handle the responsibility… If you’re losing while insisting on being in charge… …this conversation is going to sting, but it will straighten out your whole approach to success. It’s time to tell the truth: You can’t win the game when your ego won’t let you play your position. And for the first time ever, we’re introducing two new segments designed to shift your mindset daily: 🔥 Kalm Down with Karl 🔥 Mal’s Millionaire Moment Powerful clarity. Tactical mindset shifts. Zero excuses. 🚨 FREE 8-DAY ENCORE WITH ET — STARTS DECEMBER 8TH Daily sessions. Real accountability. Serious breakthroughs. If you’re stuck, drifting, or overwhelmed, don’t miss this. 👉 Sign up free: https://www.et1percent.com 🔒 JOIN THE S2S PATREON FAMILY Watch the episodes LIVE, get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, bonus content, and connect with the community that grows WITH you. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/S2SPodcast120 📌 CONNECT WITH US Instagram: @s2spodcast YouTube: S2S Podcast Channel Website: s2spodcast.com

Life keeps bullying you because you keep handing over the power. Your habits, your phone, your job, your fears, your past — all of it is pushing you around while you stand there acting like you don’t have a choice. This episode breaks that cycle wide open. ET, CJ, Karl, and Jemal dive into the truth nobody wants to admit: you’re either the bully… or you’re getting bullied. By your circumstances. By your imagination (or lack of it). By the systems built to turn you into a full-time consumer. Inside the episode, you’ll learn: • Why the picture in your head is more important than the reality in front of you • How to stop giving your power away to fear, bills, people, and your own patterns • Why consumers get exploited, and why producers win every single time • How social media turns you into a victim without you noticing • How intentionality separates the bullied from the unstoppable • Why your gift — not your job — is the real source of your freedom • How to bully the bully in your finances, marriage, career, and internal dialogue • Why one property, one skill, or one shift can flip your entire life trajectory This is one of those episodes you replay when you feel stuck. It’s raw. It’s practical. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s exactly what you need. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Show Intro 01:25 - ET on Bullying Awareness 05:09 - Bully the Bully Strategy 07:32 - Discovering Your Gifts 11:55 - Overcoming Inner Criticism 17:19 - The Reality of Fear 19:14 - Understanding Menopause 22:15 - The Nature of Bullying 25:29 - Utilizing Your Gifts 27:18 - Embrace Assertiveness 30:25 - Valuing Your Worth 33:25 - Work for Your Demands 35:55 - Embracing Change 38:30 - Be the Solution 44:10 - Next Level Conference Overview 46:16 - Future of EYL University 47:40 - Inside The Lab 49:45 - Join the BU Community 50:01 - Support This Podcast 👇 JOIN THE S2S PATREON (Exclusive content + BTS + Early access) https://www.patreon.com/S2SPodcast120 👇 SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL Weekly episodes, clips, and access to the entire S2S ecosystem: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1 👇 FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @s2spodcast If this hit you, share it with someone still letting life push them around. The moment you stop being a consumer and start being a producer, everything changes.