
Why Trying is Ruining You | Carla Ondrasik
22.12.2025 | 44 Min.
AJ and Johnny sit down with Carla Ondrasik, author of Stop Trying, to unpack why the word try is secretly holding you back from real change. Carla shares how “trying” tricks your brain into feeling productive while keeping you stuck — and why doing, not trying, is the antidote to procrastination, perfectionism, and fear. They explore how language shapes behavior, why “I’ll try” destroys trust and momentum, and how replacing it with decisive action transforms confidence, relationships, and follow-through. You’ll learn how to silence your inner critic, embrace failure, and finally move from thinking about it to living it. Chapters: 00:00 – Why “try” is the most dangerous word you use04:00 – How “trying” fools your brain into false progress08:00 – The psychology of fear, failure, and perfectionism12:00 – How “try” damages trust and relationships16:00 – Replacing “try” with honest language and action20:00 – How to stop waiting for motivation and start doing24:00 – The Try Test: how your brain reacts to indecision28:00 – The power of “no” and protecting your willpower32:00 – The science of action and accountability36:00 – Rewiring your brain from “try” to “do” A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. If you’ve put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at makeheadway.com/CHARM and use my code CHARM for 25% off. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Episode resources: Stop Trying! Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok motivation, procrastination, confidence, mindset, fear, accountability, personal growth, communication, self-sabotage, language, psychology, Stop Trying Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Smart Ideas Stall — And What’s Really Happening | SIB
18.12.2025 | 12 Min.
AJ and Johnny unpack why great ideas often get rejected — even when the logic and data are flawless. The truth? You didn’t lose the argument; you triggered someone’s identity. In this episode, they reveal how ideas meet identity before logic, introducing two of the eight core competency identities that run every workplace: The Solver and The Protector. You’ll learn how to read these identity patterns in meetings, frame your ideas for alignment instead of resistance, and move conversations forward without conflict. By the end, you’ll know why competence alone stops working — and how to communicate in a way that gets real traction. Chapters:00:00 – Why smart ideas get rejected02:00 – Logic vs. identity: what really blocks movement04:00 – The Solver: how they find value through complexity06:00 – The Protector: how they find value through stability08:00 – Solvers vs. Protectors: conflict or coherence?10:00 – How to spot identity signals in meetings12:00 – Framing ideas to align instead of threaten14:00 – How to use identity recognition as influence16:00 – The cheat code for managing resistance18:00 – The eight workplace identities revealed A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com Check out Johnny on Instagram @Social_Intell or on Tiktok @social_intel The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Download Stuff for free today by going to trystuff.app or by searching for “Stuff” in the App Store. You can get 50% off your first year of Extra Stuff by using code CHARM at checkout. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for HALF OFF your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok leadership, communication, influence, persuasion, psychology, workplace dynamics, conflict resolution, identity, social intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friendship Fuels Achievement | Matt Ritter
15.12.2025 | 1 Std. 13 Min.
AJ sits down with Matt Ritter, co-host of Man of the Year, to unpack the male loneliness epidemic and why so many men lose friendships as they get older. Matt shares his TCS framework for keeping friendships alive, why proximity and ritual are the real secrets to connection, and how to design a “friendship strategy” that fits your life instead of waiting for it to happen. You’ll learn how to move acquaintances into real friends, how to host like a pro without burning out, and why your partner can’t (and shouldn’t) be your only friend. Chapters: 00:00 – The male loneliness crisis and the “Man of the Year” tradition05:00 – Why friendship dies without a dramatic ending10:00 – Proximity and strategy: building real connection15:00 – The TCS framework and the myth of the lone wolf20:00 – How to be “worth knowing” — standing out socially25:00 – The friendship habit: stacking connection into your life30:00 – Overcoming rejection and fear of the invite35:00 – Rituals, hosting, and creating sticky friendships40:00 – Why your wife can’t be your only friend45:00 – Friendship as self-care and the original life hack A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. If you’ve put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at makeheadway.com/CHARM and use my code CHARM for 25% off. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Episode resources: Man of the Year Podcast The Buddy System Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok friendship, male loneliness, connection, charisma, social skills, hosting, confidence, relationships, community, vulnerability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop DESTROYING Your Status | Social Intelligence Briefing
11.12.2025 | 13 Min.
AJ and Johnny break down the real status game — and why working harder, proving yourself, or chasing approval can actually lower your value. They reveal how true high-status people create influence effortlessly by shifting their frame from seeking to leading. You’ll learn the difference between chasing status signals and creating value signals, the three hidden “status leaks” most people make without realizing it, and the exact behavioral moves that raise your social gravity in every room. By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to stop competing, start leading, and operate from the high-value frame that quietly commands respect. Chapters:00:00 – Why some people rise faster than others02:00 – The real status game: competence vs. frame04:00 – The three invisible status leaks06:00 – How to stop proving and start leading08:00 – The cooperative frame: high value by definition10:00 – Setting boundaries without apology12:00 – Acknowledging others without shrinking14:00 – How to build allies instead of competitors16:00 – The weekly status challenge18:00 – Installing your high-value operating system A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com Check out Johnny on Instagram @Social_Intell or on Tiktok @social_intel The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Download Stuff for free today by going to trystuff.app or by searching for “Stuff” in the App Store. You can get 50% off your first year of Extra Stuff by using code CHARM at checkout. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for HALF OFF your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Secret Power of Losing | Dave Berke
08.12.2025 | 1 Std.
AJ and Johnny sit down with Dave Berke, retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, Top Gun instructor, and leadership coach with Echelon Front. Dave shares lessons from the cockpit, the battlefield, and the boardroom on how to lead without ego, turn failure into fuel, and build teams that thrive under pressure. From losing dogfights to learning humility, to redefining perfection and taking ownership, this episode reveals how real leaders balance confidence with curiosity — and why the best ones listen more than they speak. Chapters:00:00 – Losing is the best teacher03:00 – Leadership lessons from the Marine Corps07:00 – Ego, feedback, and the power of course correction10:00 – How your ego “loves you to death”15:00 – What losing to Top Gun taught about complacency20:00 – Perfection is a lie — the real definition of mastery25:00 – Building a culture of ownership30:00 – Turning failure into credibility and leadership capital40:00 – Learning to listen and communicate with empathy50:00 – Leading from behind and redefining success A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. If you’ve put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at makeheadway.com/CHARM and use my code CHARM for 25% off. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Episode resources: EchelonFront.com Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Art of Charm