The Cluttered Path

Send us Fan Mail Poverty is NOT a choice. It’s a Trap! And the way out isn’t what you think. Forget everything you know about poverty. In this episode, we’re going to challenge assumptions and discuss the traps that keep millions stuck in a cycle of desperation. We start with the story of an 11 year-old girl named Dasani who was the oldest of 8 children. Her parents were addicts and that landed th...

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever faced the bitter disappointment of failed New Year Resolutions, you're not alone! Have you ever considered that sheer willpower is not enough to create lasting change in your life? On this New Year's Eve, we discuss alternatives to annual resolutions, introducing concepts like Neuroplasticity, Coherance Therapy, and Meditative practices that help us r...

Send us Fan Mail This is Part 2 of our Interview with Chris Wilkens, Commander of 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines during the 2nd Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. Our discussion begins on the battalion's arrival on the outskirts of Fallujah and Chris walks us through his platoon's deadly skirmishes through that very kinetic battle of the war in Iraq. The 2nd Bat...

Send us Fan Mail Operation Phantom Fury, also known as The 2nd Battle of Fallujah, was fought over a 6 week period beginning on Nov 7th, 2004. It was the bloodiest battle of the Iraq war and also the heaviest urban fighting for US Marines since the Battle of Hue, Vietnam in 1968. As we remember the 20th Anniversary of the battle, we have a special guest, Chris Wilkens, who served as the Commander...

Send us Fan Mail Winning BIG in the lottery often ends in tragedy. In this episode, we take a look at the story of Jack Whittaker and how his family was destroyed after winning a $313M PowerBall jackpot. Along the way, we discuss why lottery winners go bankrupt, what you should do if you win big, and the political wranglings surrounding State Lotteries where we're often told, " Buy lotte...

Send us Fan Mail When considering leadership, we have a tendency to focus on the workplace and how leaders operate in that sphere of influence. The reality is EVERYONE needs leadership skills to create a fulfilling life. Specifically, we need the ability to look out for our own personal welfare and that of others.  If you're an individual responsible only for yourself, these skills will enric...

Send us Fan Mail What is the Most important Goal of Leadership? This episode digs into that one simple question. When you say the goal out loud, it sounds so basic and obvious that it's almost TOO simple. The fact is, we humans struggle in this area of leading ourselves and others. The chaos of life often steers us away from our objectives. Distractions, In-fighting, Drama, and Friction consp...

Send us Fan Mail This episode digs into the impact of leadership, both good and bad. Chances are you've had a number of "First Day on the Job" experiences. Some were GOOD and some were notoriously BAD. What was the difference in these "First Day" experiences? The answer is LEADERSHIP! Everybody can benefit from learning leadership skills. It doesn't matter if you&apos...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 7, the last in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan.  After the military campaign in China, Genghis Khan struggled to keep his family and, by extension, the empire from tearing itself apart. Desiring to find a purpose and mission for his people, he seeks a trade agreement with the Empire of Khwarizm, but their Sultan unwisely chooses war with the Mongols. Genghis Kh...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 6 in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan.  After establishing the institutions that form the foundation of "The Great Mongol Nation", Genghis Khan and the people enjoy 4 years of peace. The Jurched in China make a political play to subjugate the Mongols but the Clans respond by declaring war.  This story gives us an excellent primer on great leadership, w...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 5 in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan. After 20 years of warfare, Temujin's father figure, Ong Khan, is getting old and a successor is needed. Temujin makes a political play to gain an advantage over his rival, Jamuka, but he soon finds himself fleeing for his life with a small band of men. This sets the stage for the final battle for control of all the Mon...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 4 in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan. In this episode we talk about the bitter conflict that springboards Temujin to the position of Khan of his own clan. Upon taking that leadership role, he institutes ingenious governing policies that, up to this point, were a first in human history. We dig into topics of Meritocracy, Rights of Citizenship, Treatment of Conqu...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 3 in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan. In this episode, we cover Temujin's "Coming of Age" where, as a teen, he is reluctantly dragged into a life of warfare.  He is a young man whose wife is captured by the Merkid clan. At this point, Temujin is faced with a monumental life decision: Should he accept his situation and build a new life, or should...

Send us Fan Mail This is part 2 in our Series on the Life of Genghis Khan. In this episode, we focus on his childhood from birth to around age 16. The question we’re going to answer today is this: What was the path that took Temujin from a timid, scared child to the warrior Khan who created the largest empire in human history? Resource for this Episode: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern Wo...

Send us Fan Mail For this episode, we are introducing you to Genghis Khan, a giant of human history, leader of the ancient Mongols, and the conqueror who literally built the largest empire in human history. As source material, we'll be reading excerpts from the book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford https://amzn.to/4o0Xho3 As an Amazon Partner, this podcast...