Ever Forward Radio with Chase Chewning

What if the reason you're exhausted isn't because you're working too hard—but because you're carrying an identity you were never meant to become? Author, speaker, former NFL linebacker, and Chase's close friend Caleb Campbell returns to Ever Forward Radio for a radically different conversation about ambition, achievement, personal development, and what happens when the strategies that made you successful stop making you feel alive. Drawing from his new book UN Striving: 12 Lessons on Authentic Success from a Recovering Overachiever, Caleb explains why many high performers unknowingly use success to create safety, prove their worth, outrun shame, and avoid the very emotions asking for their attention.
Follow Caleb @caleb_campbell
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
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00:00 Intro
00:20 Are You Pursuing Success—or Avoiding Fear?
01:39 The Question That Reveals What's Driving Your Life
04:40 Signs You've Outgrown Your Current Version of Success
08:09 Stop Ignoring Your Internal "Check Engine Light"
10:12 When to Push Through vs. When to Slow Down
12:28 The Survival Strategy Hiding Behind Your Ambition
15:19 Why Getting What You Want Can Be a Gift
18:51 Are You Outsourcing Safety to Success?
24:47 Unstriving Does NOT Mean Losing Your Ambition
27:03 What You're Searching for May Already Be Within You
31:11 "Something Is Missing" — Maybe It's You
34:18 Descending Into the Parts of Yourself You Left Behind
36:16 Stop Fighting Life and Start Participating With It
38:22 The Dirty Secret of Personal Development
41:47 Why Something in Your Life Has to Die
43:39 Choose the Death That Makes You Bigger
46:34 Liminal Space: When Your Old Identity Disappears
47:43 Why You Need to Grieve the Life You Thought You'd Have
51:59 Which Version of Caleb Had to Die?
53:39 Your "Loyal Soldiers": Performer, Producer & Perfectionist
57:14 Integrating Every Version of Yourself
59:08 Why the Same Truth Changes as You Change
1:02:37 Worshiping God vs. Worshiping Achievement
1:05:24 What If You Truly Knew You Were Held?
1:08:19 The Moment Caleb Felt Completely Alive
1:10:40 What Do You Want vs. What Are You Supposed to Do?
1:12:48 Who Are You Without Fear?
1:14:07 Why Success and Joy Can Feel Unsafe
1:16:34 Teaching Your Nervous System to Receive More
1:18:07 How Caleb's Marriage Changed Him
1:22:39 The Real Reason High Achievers Are Exhausted
1:24:07 The End of Your Capacity Is the End of an Identity
1:25:30 What "Ever Forward" Means to Caleb Today
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Episode resources:
Get his book UNstriving
Get the audiobook for free with your Audibile 30-day trial
15% off Strong Coffee Company with code CHASE
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For generations, the American Dream followed a familiar blueprint: work hard, get married, raise a family, buy a home, and build a better life—but what happens when one of the biggest pieces of that dream starts to feel financially out of reach? Luxury real estate agent and Selling the OC star Gio Helou joins us for a candid look at the state of homeownership in America and whether buying a home still makes sense in today's market. Gio breaks down why affordability has become such a challenge, what high mortgage rates are really doing to buyers and sellers, when renting may actually be the smarter financial decision, and why waiting for rates to fall could ultimately work against you. He unpacks how to recognize a buyer's versus seller's market, the importance of comparable sales before making an offer, the hidden costs of homeownership, and the negotiation mistakes that can cost buyers leverage before a deal even begins.
Follow Gio @giovannehelou
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
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00:00 Episode intro
01:10 Has homeownership become a luxury?
03:39 Who is responsible for America's housing problem?
05:31 Do Americans still want the traditional American Dream?
10:03 A realtor's perspective after nearly a decade in real estate
11:20 Why buying a home has become so difficult
12:08 Gio's unexpected first piece of advice: get married
15:00 When renting is actually smarter than buying
16:44 The hidden costs of owning a home
17:50 Is Southern California real estate still a good investment?
20:04 What predicts whether a housing market will appreciate?
21:20 How long should you own a home before expecting ROI?
24:09 Buyer's market vs. seller's market explained
27:00 Why you should visit open houses before you're ready to buy
30:57 The question every first-time homebuyer should ask
31:28 Why comparable sales matter more than a Zestimate
32:15 Can you actually trust your realtor?
33:56 America's declining culture of trust
38:18 Would lower mortgage rates actually make homes affordable?
40:00 Why mortgage rates are still so high
41:18 The metric every buyer should watch before making an offer
42:48 "The market speaks" — how sellers know they're overpriced
44:17 The opportunity buyers may be missing right now
45:33 The biggest negotiation mistake buyers make
49:28 How emotions can cost you a real estate deal
52:01 Gio's best negotiation lessons
54:49 The personality trait that gives Gio an edge
56:42 Confidence vs. cockiness on Selling the OC
59:22 Why your realtor is like a temporary marriage
1:00:36 Gio reveals what happened after Selling the OC
1:02:59 Why Gio says no to almost everything
1:05:17 Rapid fire: the biggest lies in real estate
1:05:36 Do you really need 20% down?
1:06:02 Should you wait for mortgage rates to fall?
1:06:40 Is renting throwing money away?
1:06:45 Should you buy the biggest house you can afford?
1:07:10 Is winter really the best time to buy?
1:07:55 Gio's biggest real estate commission ever
1:09:46 How much commission does a realtor actually keep?
1:10:27 What's next for Gio after Selling the OC?
1:12:36 What does Ever Forward mean to Gio?
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Epiaode resources:
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What if your low energy, stubborn weight gain, brain fog, poor recovery, mood changes, and stalled progress aren't simply signs that you need to work harder—but clues that your thyroid isn't functioning optimally? Dr. Amie Hornaman, author of The Thyroid Fix, joins us to explain why she considers the thyroid the body's "master gland" and why standard thyroid testing may not tell the entire story. They break down TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies; the difference between "normal" and optimal lab results; Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism; and when thyroid hormone replacement may be appropriate. Amie also explains how gluten, over-exercising, chronic under-eating, nutrient deficiencies and aggressive GLP-1 use may affect thyroid health and metabolism. Plus, she explains the importance of iodine, selenium, magnesium, protein and dietary fat, detoxification, and so much more!
Follow Amie @dramiehornaman
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
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00:00 – WHOOP: Stop Guessing and Start Measuring
01:38 – Is Your Thyroid the Missing Piece?
03:20 – Why the Thyroid Is Your Body's "Master Gland"
06:12 – The Thyroid Labs You Actually Need
07:18 – Operation Podcast
08:15 – TSH, Free T3, Free T4 & Reverse T3 Explained
10:02 – Testing for Hashimoto's and Thyroid Antibodies
10:54 – "Normal" Labs vs. Optimal Thyroid Function
12:49 – When Thyroid Hormone Replacement Makes Sense
14:27 – Can You Improve Thyroid Function Naturally?
16:27 – Gluten, Hashimoto's & Your Thyroid
19:06 – What Happens If Your Thyroid Is Removed?
21:00 – C15:0 essential fatty acids
22:18 – Wellness Habits That Could Be Hurting Your Thyroid
23:01 – Can Too Much Exercise Damage Thyroid Function?
24:30 – Resistance Training vs. Cardio for Thyroid Health
25:57 – Foods That May Interfere With Thyroid Function
27:13 – Can You Take Too Many Thyroid Supplements?
27:55 – Amie's Foundational Thyroid Supplement Stack
29:38 – The Controversy Around Iodine
31:07 – Fluoride, Chlorine, Bromide & Iodine
33:22 – Thyroid Function, Detox & Sauna
34:58 – Hypothyroidism vs. Hyperthyroidism
37:28 – Hashimoto's and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
38:08 – The "Silent Thyroid Killer"
38:20 – GLP-1s, Under-Eating & Thyroid Function
40:53 – Why Eating Less Doesn't Always Mean Losing More
42:04 – Calories vs. Macros for Thyroid Health
43:32 – Protein, Fat, Carbs & Insulin Resistance
45:09 – Rapid Fire: Most Underrated Thyroid Fix
45:18 – Is Calories-In, Calories-Out Broken?
46:13 – The ONE Food Amie Says to Eat Every Day
47:09 – Where to Connect With Dr. Amie Hornaman
47:51 – What Does Ever Forward Mean to Amie?
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Episode resources:
FREE WHOOP activity tracker
15% off Fatty15 C15:0 essential fatty acids
20% off Operation Podcast studios with code EVERFORWARD

You consciously know what you should do, but your body keeps stopping you. Why? What if your anxiety, procrastination, self-sabotage, and limiting beliefs aren't signs that something is wrong with you—but signals that your nervous system doesn't feel safe? Jessica Ortner, co-founder of The Tapping Solution and co-author of Rewired, is here to explore the science and practice of EFT tapping and how regulating the nervous system may help change the way we respond to stress. Jessica breaks down why we can't always think our way out of anxiety, how tapping combines psychological principles with stimulation of acupressure points, and research examining its effects on cortisol, PTSD, food cravings, and emotional distress. We also explore why self-sabotage may actually be "misguided self-love," the difference between resilience and simply forcing yourself through discomfort, why self-criticism eventually stops working, how parents can help children regulate big emotions, and why our modern information environment may keep our bodies chronically overstimulated. Most importantly, Jessica explains how creating a sense of safety in the body can give us the freedom to make better decisions, face fear, and keep moving forward.
Follow Jessica @jessicaortner
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
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00:00 Intro
01:06 Why You Can't Think Your Way Out of Anxiety
02:44 What Is EFT Tapping and How Does It Work?
04:52 Fatty15
06:13 Can Tapping Actually Lower Cortisol?
09:08 Stress, Pain and the Body
10:22 Why Your Nervous System Doesn't Care About Your Goals
12:32 Self-Sabotage Is "Misguided Self-Love"
13:36 How to Tap Through Anxiety and Fear
16:13 Why Positive Affirmations Sometimes Don't Work
17:14 Tapping for Veterans, PTSD and Trauma
20:17 Tapping vs. Meditation, Breathwork and Therapy
22:45 Ketone-IQ
24:04 Using Tapping for Sleep and Feeling Safe
25:52 How Parents Can Use Tapping With Kids
28:34 The 9 EFT Tapping Points Explained
32:11 Using Tapping Before a Stressful Event
33:48 Is Tapping a Cop-Out?
34:25 Why Willpower and Self-Criticism Eventually Fail
36:25 Does Reducing Anxiety Make Us Less Resilient?
40:21 When Is Tapping the Wrong Choice?
42:29 Jessica's Personal Story of Rewiring an Old Wound
45:52 Tapping for "I'm Not Good Enough"
48:42 Tapping for "I'm Not Successful"
49:28 Is Tapping Becoming Mainstream Medicine?
51:42 What Brain Scans Reveal About Tapping and Food Cravings
54:18 The Research on Tapping, PTSD and the Brain
56:21 Could Lowering Cortisol Change Long-Term Health?
58:59 Why We're "Stressing About Stress"
59:46 Is Modern Life Making Us More Stressed?
01:02:17 Jessica's Book Rewired + The Tapping Solution
01:03:12 Hugh Jackman, Tapping and Peak Performance
01:05:02 What Ever Forward Means to Jessica
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Episode resources:
20% off Operation Podcast studios with code EVERFORWARD
30% off Ketone-IQ energy shots with code CHASECHEWNING
15% off C15:0 essential fatty acids with code EVERFORWARD
Watch and subscribe on YouTube

What if the greatest performance upgrade isn't another productivity hack—but learning how to pause Peloton instructor, former Buddhist monk, and author Sam Yo to unpack the principles behind The Monk's Mindset. We explore why stillness has become one of the most overlooked skills in modern life, how creating intentional "mindset moments" can reduce stress and anxiety, and why true peace isn't something you escape to—it's something you learn to carry with you.
Follow Sam @yoiamsamyo
Follow Chase @chase_chewning
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00:00 Introduction
00:47 Why We React Instead of Respond
03:55 Audible Sponsor
05:03 Creating Mental Space Between Moments
06:09 What Is The Monk's Mindset?
08:08 Building Daily Structure Through Stillness
09:08 Why Stillness Is the Ultimate Life Optimization Tool
11:14 Can Contentment Kill Ambition?
13:06 Technology Can Either Distract or Support Your Peace
14:06 Service, Purpose & Finding Meaning
16:11 Lessons Learned Living in a Monastery
18:02 Integrity When Nobody Is Watching
19:14 WHOOP Sponsor
20:27 Reflection: The Most Underrated Daily Practice
22:04 Sam Yo's Daily Monk Mindset Protocol
24:31 Handling Stress Without Losing Yourself
27:38 Staying Present During Success
29:14 Can Mindfulness Become Selfish?
30:10 What Happens When Self-Improvement Changes Your Relationships?
32:02 LMNT Sponsor
33:23 A Monk's Perspective on War
35:16 One Practice to Stay Calm During Uncertain Times
36:20 Creativity Through Stillness
38:03 Rapid Fire Questions
42:02 What Ever Forward Means to Sam Yo
43:08 How Social Media Steals Your Peace
43:42 Where to Connect with Sam Yo
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Episode resources:
FREE 30-day trial of Audible, my favorite audiobook platform
1-month FREE and FREE app for WHOOP activity tracker
FREE variety sample pack with any purchase of LMNT elecrtroytes
Watch and subscribe on YouTube