#112: Chris Petkas: Why The Most Dangerous Men Are The Most Calm
Today’s episode is with Chris Petkas, former Navy Seal turned VC investor. It was a powerful conversation around grit, determination and the willingness to fail.
Chris’ marriage with Codie Sanchez inspires me, Chris’ well rounded success inspires me and Chris’ calm nature inspires me.
I loved this conversation. We also recorded this in a horse stable just out of Austin with 5 real horses behind us.
Key Discussion Points:
Why calm men are often the most dangerous
How military training builds composure under chaos
Naivety as a superpower when starting hard things
The biggest risk in life: choosing who you marry
Jiu-jitsu, humility, and learning through losing
Patriotism, perspective, and seeing the world
Australia’s tall-poppy mindset vs America
Follow Chris Petkas:
https://www.instagram.com/chrispetkas/
Follow Chris Griffin:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Chapters:
00:00 Why Calm Men Are the Most Dangerous
05:20 Military Recruitment
10:40 Naivety, Risk and Starting Before You’re Ready
15:55 Failure, Ego and Learning Through Pain
21:00 Suffering in Training vs Real Combat
26:15 Leaving the Military and Entering Business
30:30 The Competence Ladder
33:45 Long Distance Love
36:50 Choosing a Partner is your biggest risk
39:40 Building Marriage and Business Together
46:30 The Loneliness Myth
49:40 Patriotism, Perspective and Seeing the World
53:50 Australia vs America: Ambition and Tall Poppy Culture
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Welcoming Sage Bender to The Pocket.
We dove deep, shared untold stories and revisited places he hasn't been in a while, sharing stories that have shaped him into the man he is today.
Also, enjoy the horses in the background. We recorded this in a horse stable just outside of Austin.Â
Follow Sage:
https://www.instagram.com/sxgebender/
Follow Chris:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Chapters:
0:00 Why friends make or break you
3:00 Growing up with the wrong influences
5:00 Getting caught in the wrong crowd
7:00 How Sage met the Austin boys
9:00 Stop chasing people, build yourself
11:00 Leaving his old life behind
13:00 Masculinity, integrity, intention
15:00 Vulnerability and humility
17:00 Fighting, presence, and peace
20:00 Confidence vs ego
23:00 Weak identities and fragile men
26:00 Why jiu-jitsu humbles everyone
29:00 Community, discipline, and respect
32:00 Rock bottom and drug use
36:00 Losing a friend and the wake-up call
40:00 Moving cities and outgrowing people
45:00 Faith, rebellion, and rebuilding belief
50:00 Sage on responsibility and self-awareness
55:00 Becoming the man you want to be
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1:06:11
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1:06:11
#110: Adam Lamb: The Gift of Being Too Dumb To Quit
In this episode, I chat with Adam Lamb, an entrepreneur, investor, and business advisor who’s built and sold multiple companies in healthcare, finance, and consulting.Â
We dive into what it really means to be “too dumb to quit,” unpacking the role of stubbornness, fear, and confidence in success. Adam opens up about his rough upbringing, how his beliefs about money and success evolved, and what it’s like raising kids in a completely different world than the one he grew up in.
Key Discussion Points:
The mindset behind being “too dumb to quit”
How stubbornness can either serve or sabotage you
Breaking old beliefs about money, worth, and success
Navigating ego vs. confidence in leadership and life
Raising grounded kids in an abundant world
What true intimacy means in marriage and relationships
Follow Adam:
https://www.instagram.com/adamlamb33/
Follow Chris:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Chapters:
00:00 Too Dumb To Quit
06:00 Stubbornness explained
12:00 Running for office
18:00 Fear of being seen
24:00 Confidence vs experience
30:00 Vulnerability as strength
36:00 Break the belief walls
42:00 Growing up broke
48:00 The turning point
54:00 Comfort kills growth
01:00:00 Parenting without entitlement
01:06:00 Parenting Sons & daughters differently
01:12:00 True intimacy
01:18:00 Confidence vs ego
01:24:00 Faith and legacy
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1:25:48
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1:25:48
#109: Inside the Mind of a Dictator’s Right-Hand Man (Cillian Dunne)
I sat down with a man that lived with the dictator of Panama’s right hand man… Fascinating to hear what goes behind the scenes regarding global corruption, the relationship between the USA, Panama and China and how what we think is going on, is actually a lie.
Key Discussion Points:
Living with a dictator’s right-hand man trained by the CIA, Mossad, and Fidel Castro
How the U.S. created and then destroyed its own dictator
What “evil” really means after you live with it
Quitting his job, broke, and sleeping in cars to chase his dream
The lessons in conviction, confidence, and courage learned from a killer
Follow Cillian:
https://www.instagram.com/dunne.cillian/
Follow Chris:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Chapters:
00:00 – Living with a dictator’s right-hand man
02:10 – Walking on eggshells in a house of secrets
11:00 – The morality question: is killing for a cause still murder?
17:00 – The CIA’s dark partnership with Noriega
23:00 – The mysterious death of Omar Torrijos
25:00 – How the U.S. installed and later removed Noriega
42:00 – Writing with gangs and the Bloods & Crips
47:00 – Panama: a third world country with a golden crown
49:00 – Why the U.S. never took over Panama
50:30 – China, BlackRock, and control of the canal
54:00 – The Japanese plan to bomb the Panama Canal
56:00 – What the U.S. government hides from civilians
59:00 – The cost of power, money, and human self-interest
AND MORE. Enjoy
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1:20:28
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1:20:28
#108: TheTinMen: Why Modern Men Are Struggling (and What No One Admits)
An important discussion with George from TheTinMen about men and the challenges they face daily.
We went back and forth, providing differing views, yet both with deep care for the same mission of helping men live lives with more peace, joy and fulfilment.
Follow George:
https://www.instagram.com/thetinmen/
Follow Chris:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Chapters:
0:00 Why George Started The Tin Men
2:00 How Schools Are Failing Boys
4:00 The War on Testosterone and Masculinity
6:00 Why Men Can’t Win Anymore
8:00 The Truth Behind “1 in 3 Men Are Violent”
10:00 How False Statistics Erase Male Victims
14:00 When Abuse Against Men Gets Ignored
18:00 Suicide, Silence, and Losing Hope
22:00 The Hidden Bias in How We See Men
26:00 Redefining What It Means to Be a Man
31:00 The Pressure to Provide and Find Purpose
36:00 Outrageous Headlines About Masculinity in Australia
40:00 When Society Stops Caring About Boys
45:00 Why Therapy and Mental Health Systems Fail Men
51:00 The Fight for Men’s Health and What Needs to Change
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Australia