Mere Mortals Conversations

Will the lowering returns on violence along with digital wealth storage lead to an exodus?

In Episode #514 of ' Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: The Sovereign Individual book (1997) highly recommended by Bitcoiners, early chapters bogged in Y2K angst versus strikingly prescient calls on digital money, decentralised media and the emerging cyber economy, how portable digital wealth might change the return on violence, what sovereignty means when nation-states still control critical infrastructure, historical arcs the book frames well (church cohesion and bloat, the rise of nation-states, industrial-era labour leverage) and where its predictions remain wavy, why megapolitics is way...

What makes a bun dance?

In Episode #513 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the definition of abundance versus how futurists/technologists and everyday folks actually use it, the conflation of “lots of something” with “zero friction access,” whether abundance must be global or can be meaningfully local, test the concept across water, food, intelligence and money, why more does not equal free (or even better), scarcity’s persistent psychological pull, whether a world of replicators (à la Star Trek) would make us healthier or simply more indulgent, Dyson spheres/Matryoshka brains/chess engines and why perfect performance is boring compared to messy hu...

Are there any downsides to taking part in upsides?

In Episode #512 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: how the internet moved from corporate networks to open protocol networks to blockchain networks, Dixon’s framing (read, write, own), why he thinks open protocols like RSS struggled against corporate platforms, where blockchains might change take rates, the real-world viability of tokenomics, if ownership will matter for in a future of AI, micro‑payments and abundant digital goods, games vs music business models and whether people will actually care about on-chain ownership if everything becomes cheap and effortless to access. 

No su...

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

You can't say yes to everything .... so where do you draw the line?

In Episode #511 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the “hell yes versus no” decision-making lens and where it truly fits, opportunity cost/time constraints/certainty versus uncertainty, how emotion or rationality shapes decisions, stacking reasons to make a strong yes, a practical quadrant for choosing activities based on enjoyment and likelihood of meeting people.

Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals

Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:03:39) Context matters: opportunity cost, age and life stage
(00:07:45) Replacing habits: when a simple yes is enough
(00:09:44) Deci...

We're destressing and just going over all the non-goal related things swirling around in the current moment.

In Episode #510 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the old million dollar homepage and the new x402 version, experimenting with a cheeky one‑pixel squatting strategy to test rent‑seeking dynamics, why some value‑for‑value/Lightning initiatives plateau despite strong early communities, advertising economics from retro web banners to F1 liveries, if energy could become the unit of exchange in agent‑to‑agent worlds and whether the current moment has the most amount of historical rate of change.

Huge thanks to Co...

It's a new year ... no new goals ... instead we're focusing upon what NOT to focus upon.

In Episode #509 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss:  what we’re not bringing into 2026, expectation inflation (how setting grand scenarios can pre-bake resentment), how to strike a workable balance between Eastern contentment and Western drive, choosing realistic marathon aims without sacrificing other priorities, ditching negative self‑talk, making room for smarter training decisions that prevent injury and burnout and avoiding philosophers/what ifers/haters in the media landscape.

No support so we can't focus on the beanie.

Stan Link: https...

I'm shifting away from listening to podcasts and I'm a blog reader now.

In Episode #508 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: why our media diets are shifting, how we each consume information across video, audio, books, Substack, X long‑form (even X Spaces), why written digital content is winning more of our attention lately, the flood of AI‑generated media (from YouTube videos to TTS podcasts spun from Reddit threads), the challenge of finding high‑signal sources, fiction vs non‑fiction swings, curation styles (tabs vs phone-first), rising ad density in pods/YouTube to near ad‑free long‑form writing and...

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

We're expanding out from an AI blog into the real world. Also had some issues with the audio this episode so I'm working from the backup copy (that was super loud for some reason).

In Episode #507 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the shift from attention to intention in the AI era, what truly agentic AI might look like versus glorified chatbots and automated workflows, where the tech is actually useful right now, whether the real breakthroughs will come from bolt-ons to existing platforms or from new rails built natively for agents, testing jailbreak games, microtransactions and betting on...

Magnus is back with a master class on how to buy art.

In Episode #506 of 'Meanderings', Juan and I discuss: the big blank wall behind us, how to choose something meaningful for your home, Magnus Resch’s books 'How To Become A Successful Artist' and 'How to Collect Art', why branding and networking matter in the art world, why most buyers should treat art as a sunk cost and purchase only what they truly love, practical buying tips (galleries, fairs, auctions, pricing signals), comparing art collecting with car collecting, digital art and NFTs as a way to prove ow...

I'm a woman trapped in a man's body analysing dating advice for women given by a man.

In #505 of 'Meanderings', Juan and I discuss: three dating and relationships books (The New Rules, Get the Guy by Matthew Hussey and Attached), how prescriptive “rules” aimed at women can backfire, why some advice feels outdated (Facebook walls and BBM), how scarcity games tend to attract the very players you might want to avoid, why attachment styles are useful as a lens but less so as a to‑do list, a focus on authenticity over mere effectiveness, watch the influence of your f...

There is a reason why the art 'space' is divisive and why money distorts many things.

In Episode #504 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the book by Magnus Resch titled '100 Secrets of the Art World', tight‑knit gatekeeping at the high end of the market, how control of information shape what gets seen and sold (often more than artistic merit), parallels to other status markets such as watches/supercars, why 'better' often defaults to 'more expensive', where marketing can overshadow craft yet many collectors still buy for love and to support artists and why the truest encounters with ar...

The master does nothing .... yet he leaves nothing undone.

In Episode #503 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: why the mindset of mastery may matter more than the title of “master", Robert Greene’s book called Mastery, the role of obsession, whether teaching is required for mastery, “unearned” mastery and savant talent and a pragmatic take on how to design your own path toward improvement without sacrificing what matters most.

Huge thanks to Petar for the support, very much appreciated!
 
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals

Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:08) Why read Robert Greene's 'Mastery...

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

It's time for the male version of therapy .... podcasting!!!

In Episode #502 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: Lori Gottlieb’s book 'Maybe You Should Talk to Someone', the emotional burden therapists carry plus the mirror-like role they play in helping people surface what’s unsaid, my own brief stint with therapy as a late teen, why men seek therapy less, what they tend to talk about (anger, identity, intimacy, parenting), whether gym time/mates/modern tools like AI can substitute for a human therapist and how to decide when an external guide could reveal the real question behind the prob...

Let's help Juan find some excitement in the daily grind!

In Episode #501 of 'Meanderings', Juan and I discuss: the shifting meaning of “adventure” across seasons of life, adventure beyond skydiving (think ballet classes, new walking routes, digital art experiments and structured learning), how vicarious adventures through kids or friends can scratch the itch without derailing priorities, a note on podcasting 2.0’s KeySend/LNURL Lightning shift and practical ideas to add novelty without burning your foundations.

Huge thanks to Petar for the support, much appreciated!
 
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals

Timeline:
(0...

An easy update from the Mere Mortals podcast on what the future holds for us + the focus to come.

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/

Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts

Value 4 Value Support:<...

He’s sold over $6 million in high-ticket offers, worked with the top names in the industry, and built a community of closers who actually win, not just talk about it.

In this conversation, Orlando Santucci breaks down the formulas, philosophies and frameworks that drive consistent results.

https://closerscult.com/

00:00 – Who knows you, who you know (why attention matters)
02:19 – From Macca’s & uni to first sales role (Jason Capital ad)
03:03 – “Oh... I’m in sales” moment
08:50 – Energy vs Skill: 60/40 of closing
10:06 – “Chill closer” mindset (personality-based tactics)
11:27 – The CLOSES Framework
12:50 – The Overview...

We have reached half a (MIL)estone so let's give it a half assed effort!

In Episode #500 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: six years of podcasting, the origin story of why we originally started, stats and highlights across YouTube and audio, mishaps (spiders, dead mics, random street cameos), how our focus on value has changed over the years, community shout-outs (thanks for the surprise cake, Mum!), the lessons learned from interviews and long-form chats and why we’ve kept ads out of the show, what “doubling down” means for us, clearer topic lanes across our channels (tech, AI, books...

Is the real world actually shaped for social interaction!?

In Episode #499 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: 2 x books of Susan Cain’s 'Quiet' alongside Paul McKenna’s 'Instant Influence & Charisma', the quiet revolution of introverts rising up, what the book gets right (high reactivity, Big Five personality traits, pseudo‑extroversion), whether energy is the true differentiator, why environments like open‑plan offices and classrooms may suit the loud but don’t always produce the best work or learning, Juan's immense distaste of charisma hacks (power poses, havening), how confidence can be generated from practice rather than posture & how culture sh...

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

If you wish you could have let yourself been happier, then why didn't you?

In Episode #498 of 'Musings', Juan & discuss: advice we’d give to our 20-something selves after a decade of lessons, cringeworthy moments that come closest to genuine regret, why regret often intensifies closer to life’s end, the feedback loop of could-have-beens, when remorse is useful versus when it’s self-punishment, being more selfish about building skills and character, obsessively detailed on what you truly care about, applying first-principles/engineering thinking beyond work, investigating emotions two or three layers deeper, being strict on yourself and kinder...

After 15 years in law, Mel Storey walked away to build Career Big Sis, a movement helping ambitious professionals back themselves, set boundaries, and take the first step even when they can’t see the whole staircase.

We go deep on burnout, the moment everything broke after Covid, rebuilding with a mental health plan, and the practical maths she used to leave corporate safely. This one’s honest, useful, and fiercely encouraging.

00:00 – Welcome & why this conversation matters
01:45 – 15 years in law → leaving corporate
08:22 – The moment of freedom: VidCon & creative permission
10:47 – “Could I make money not as a lawyer...

The three fundamentals of lifestyle, action & communication.

In Episode #497 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the core idea of “true confidence” versus the old-school “fake it till you make it confidence” pickup playbook, startling a girl at the gym, how polarisation beats bland small talk, whether beginners sometimes need the “false confidence” phase to accrue the experiences that later support authenticity, why intent and adaptability matter more than scripts, the value of becoming excellent at something you love and how to balance strategic awareness with honest expression.

Huge shoutout to Cole McCormick for the support, very much appreciated...

Guest:
Sheridan — Owner/Head Coach, SUB 60 Coorparoo.
Best contact: Instagram DMs (search “Sub 60 Coorparoo”)

Sheridan (owner of SUB 60 Coorparoo) breaks down the reality of launching a hybrid gym: building a true community, programming for all levels, and grinding through 8 classes a day while raising a family. We cover HYROX ambitions, why she chose versatile equipment (yes, cables in a “functional” gym), what actually drives growth (referrals), and how to “find your own sub-60” — whatever that means for you.

(00:00) Intro & Sheridan’s background (gymnastics → triathlon)
(02:30) Parenting, kids’ sport & role modelling
(04:09) The spark to open a gym (communi...

What if God was one of us, just a machine like one of us.

In Episode #496 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: if AI is becoming our new god, why some people are treating AI less like a tool and more like an authority, grift vs belief vs larping on social media, what would convince us that it is indeed God, the human propensity for subservience and control (Big Brother vibes), whether competing AI “faiths” might emerge (mirroring historical religious splits) and simulation theory/multimodal AI/brain–computer interfaces that might make an AI religion feel inevitable.

Huge s...

That's right, we're going to begin manifesting oioioahahaoiaoiaheyayy!

In Episode #495 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the power of language in goal-setting, how small word choices can meaningfully shift direction over time, changing nouns to verbs (e.g., “find” to “bond,” “create” to “forge,” “build” to “care”), softening health goals as we get older and injured more frequently, verbalising intentions & how speaking thoughts aloud can catalyse action, reviewing long-term goals sparingly and focussing on habits that embody who you’re becoming, not just what you want to have.

Huge shout out to Petar & Cole for the support, absolute legends!

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

We're analysing what I got up to in 2025 and changing my focus to the future.

In Episode #494 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: tax-optimising mistakes/language detours, fantastic one‑arm handstand progress, an only ok year in review, a new overarching theme of revitalising hunger/focus, quarterly fitness blocks (legs, pull, running, endurance) with side quests like ballet and the Brisbane Marathon 2026, moving house to get out of a malaise, pruning relationships, moderating sugar, reworking financial information diets and embracing courageous conversations.

Huge thanks to all the streamers for the support, it means a lot!

In this episode of Mere Mortals, I break down the crucial difference between trophies (wealth, fame, happiness) and generators (the daily actions and systems that actually create them). Chasing the scoreboard leads to shortcuts, burnout, and emptiness. But when you build the engine—your habits, integrity, and craft—the trophies arrive as inevitable by-products. I share personal stories, practical frameworks, and timeless wisdom to help you shift from chasing shadows to building substance.

(00:00) – Why You Shouldn’t Chase Money, Status, or Happiness
(00:28) – Personal Backstory: Goals at Age 27
(01:23) – Setting “Trophy” Goals: $1M Assets & $8.5k Monthly Income
(03:01) – T...

What does it really take to build a cult brand? Andrew Taylor, founder of Live Co, returns to share the uncomfortable truth: belief beats noise, community beats clout, and data beats feelings. We dig into 300% growth in a year, the Ultra Fit hat that solved a real problem, why followers/likes don’t matter, and his “push it till it breaks” method for scaling ad spend. We also cover picking the community’s car (hello HSV), limited-edition strategy, and the next 5–10 years.

00:00 – Intro & setup
01:12 – Belief swings & 300% growth reality
03:36 – Community over everything; customer service focus
04:28 – Who buys Live Co...

Is Juan about to create the newest version of LOTR or Gorillaz?

In Episode #493 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the origins of various types of lore, how these worlds are constructed with varying degrees of complexity and interactivity, hard versus soft world building, a creator's control over the narrative, how modern technology and platforms like Fandom wikis allow easier access, the challenges of maintaining a coherent narrative in a world where anyone can contribute to the story and the strategy we would take to create a new universe.

Huge thanks to The Late Bloomer Actor...

What's the current day equivalent of lead, radiation, asbestos or cigarettes?

In Episode #492 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: hidden dangers in our environment that can significantly shorten our lifespan, whether you can do anything to avoid things like microplastics, how 'Bad Science' shows media & exaggerated information is unhelpful for informed decision-making, the potential future 'silent killers' that could emerge with new technology, how our modern conveniences might come with hidden costs & the ultimate importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a defence against these unseen threats.

No boostagrams this week, very sad puppy.

Timeline:<...

It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...

Juan didn't disappoint with his wacky, hair-brained ideas .... that he won't be able to protect!

In Episode #491 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: a day in the life of the year 2100, the potential for cities to become the new countries, multigenerational housing as life expectancy increases, human-AI symbiosis plus normalised AI babies, humans becoming gods through digital universe creation, a world where everything is nearly free & creativity/consciousness/reserve currency/physical space/robotics and why it will probably be neither utopian nor dystopian.

Many thanks to Anton for the support of the Mere Morpheus podcast, but...

Time for Giga big brain ideas on the future of content creation.

In Episode #490 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how creators can monetise their work without diverging into unrelated business ventures, the distinction between spending and investing in creators, why images, audio, and video will be monetised via new technologies in the coming years, the potential impact of AI on the quality and accessibility of content, Juan's fancy formula for creator investing, why the attention economy will end up in measuring consciousness and a whole bunch of other things.

Huge shoutout to Cole McCormick for the...

How did Juan go last year and what's he got his focus on?

In Episode #489 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: his past year's achievements, the evolution from having numerous goals to focusing on fewer, why he wants to run a marathon (but not necessarily with people), expanding his mind with grand business ideas, filling up his soul by establishing family values/traditions and why we are both a bit less selfish when we compare ourselves to our younger versions.

Huge thanks to Cole McCormick for the support, we appreciate you greatly!

Timeline:
(00:00:00...

Call it what you want (Malthusian trap, prisoner dilemma, race to the bottom, coordination failure, tragedy of the commons), the problems are real!

In Episode #488 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the concept of the Moloch problem (a philosophical idea that explores the unintended consequences of competitive behaviour), over-scheduling children's activities to the race for social media status, the silly idea of a dollar auction, how rational decisions can lead to suboptimal outcomes, uneffective philosophy & whether any of this is actually a problem.

Very sad puppy this week, send in a boost to show some support!
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It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.

Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from...