The Secret To Success with CJ, Karl, Jemal & Eric Thomas

You're working hard for the wrong reason, and it's breaking you. Not because you're lazy. Not because you're not talented. But because what's driving you isn't God. It's trauma. It's fear. It's pride. And until you deal with that, all the work in the world won't save you.
This week the crew brings their wives to the table. Candis and Dede join CJ, ET, and Karl for one of the most transparent conversations about faith, work, and what it really means to let go and let God. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: you can have the title Christian, but the devil can still be driving you.
Candis opens up about working herself into the ground at GE. Senior management, six figures, the whole dream. But she was miserable, burnt out, crying in the closet. When CJ told her to quit, she was ready to walk. But ET stepped in with something that changed everything: your job isn't to influence her, it's to get her to talk to God. So Candis went to a hotel for two days. Just her and God. And God told her three things: be still, have peace, be humble. Everything shifted. Not because she quit, but because she stopped letting fear drive her.
Dede gets real about thinking she had the backup plan. The insurance, the retirement, all of it figured out. Until God started breaking the stuff off of her that was keeping her from trusting him. Because brokenness isn't God trying to destroy you. It's God breaking the trauma, the pride, the self reliance off of you so he can multiply you. And the multiplication only comes after the breaking.
They also unpack the AI love letter. A man sent his wife a heartfelt message using ChatGPT. She loved it, until he admitted he used AI. Now she's upset because it wasn't really from him. Dede's response is priceless.
This episode will challenge everything you think about work, faith, and trust. Because faith without works is dead. But works without faith is empty. Stop letting your backup plan replace God. Stop letting your job be your security. And stop thinking brokenness means you're broken. God isn't breaking you. He's breaking that stuff off of you.
CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Which One Do You Want Sir - AI or the Real Thing
00:01:20 Welcome and Introducing the Queens: Candis and Dede Join the Pod
00:09:09 Fair or Foul: The ChatGPT Love Letter Debate
00:11:45 Computer Love: When Your Heart Message Comes From a Machine
00:17:29 The Real Question: Faith Without Works or Let Go and Let God
00:19:33 Before You Work With God You Got to Know God
00:22:26 Candis Revelation: The Only Work God Wants Is Belief
00:25:16 Be Still Doesn't Mean Stand Still: Redefining Stillness
00:29:03 How to Hear From God When You Don't Hear Audibly
00:32:11 The Cheat Code Confession: When Your Spouse Has a Deeper Walk
00:33:43 Don't Compare Storms: Your Hurricane Versus Someone Else's Rain
00:34:55 Candis GE Breakdown: Working Crazy Hours and Missing Peace
00:43:35 The Two-Day Hotel Revelation: When God Said Be Still, Be Humble, Have Peace
00:46:46 CJ's Obedience Test: When Quitting Would Have Been Easier
00:49:20 The Financial Security Idol: When Insurance Becomes Your God
00:50:35 Dede's Confession: I Will Burn the Bridge to Prove I Can Swim
00:54:01 The Mental Weight That's Breaking You: It's Not the Work, It's What's Driving It
00:54:20 What's Driving You: When Trauma Becomes Your God
00:55:27 The 3am Question: What's So Evil About You That You'd Rather Suffer
01:04:24 Does God Get Glory From What You Do: The Jealousy of God
01:06:00 Didi's MS Story: When God Has to Stop You From Your Disobedience
00:58:31 Brokenness Isn't Breaking You: It's Breaking Stuff Off of You
01:01:04 The Multiplication Comes After the Broken: Stop Running From It
01:08:21 Closing: Join A Place to Change Ministry and Get Community

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D
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A PLACE OF CHANGE MINISTRY
Join the women's ministry with Candace and Dede. Follow @apocministry on Instagram or visit www.aplacetochangeministry.org
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're getting paid exactly what you're worth. Not what you think you deserve. Not based on your degrees, your loyalty, or how hard you work. You're getting paid exactly what you believe about yourself. And until you deal with that, nothing changes.

This week the crew breaks down why most people resist coaching even when they're losing. ET opens up about why he had his kids leave his company to go work under someone else. Not because he didn't want them around, but because he refused to insulate them from the growth they needed. Karl gets transparent about working out with a trainer who pushed him 14 more reps than he thought he had left, just by watching his muscle instead of listening to his excuses. Jemal brings the NBA Finals breakdown and why the Spurs lost a 29 point lead in the second half. Not because they weren't talented, but because they didn't have sustainable systems. And CJ delivers the truth about Kobe and Mike: 11 championships between them, zero without Phil Jackson.

They also unpack why people follow relationships instead of truth. Why your grandma's way of doing things might not be God's way. Why Diddy told ET at 16 that she wasn't trying to win mother of the year, and how that one conversation set him free from trying to be everything to everybody. And why some of you are 60 years old still struggling with the same issues you had at 30 because you never submitted to coaching.

The crew gets real about marriage, parenting, and why CJ and Candace went to Australia when their daughter was five months old. Not because they're bad parents, but because coaching taught them that a strong marriage creates the foundation for strong kids. They break down why ET got two kids in 14 years with zero accidents, and why that's not luck, it's coaching. And why Jemal told people in his circle they can't be around him without owning real estate.

This episode will challenge everything you think about accountability, growth, and what it really takes to win. Because you can have all the talent in the world, but without the right coach, you're the Spurs blowing a 29 point lead. You're Kobe and Mike with zero rings. Stop resisting the coaching that's trying to save your life. You don't need more information. You need to apply what you already know. And if you're getting paid what you're worth right now and you don't like it, the problem isn't the market. The problem is you.

CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Who Not How - The Tyranny of Trying to Figure Everything Out
00:00:59 Welcome and the Age Realization: When You're Older Than Everyone
00:06:37 The NBA Finals Lesson: How the Spurs Lost a 29-Point Lead
00:13:50 Zero Championships Without Phil Jackson: Why You Need Elite Coaching
00:15:04 Marriage Coaching Saved My Life: Chuck, Moni, Ian and Dede's Impact
00:22:53 The Coaching Tree: How Great Coaches Create Great Coaches
00:23:33 Australia at Five Months: Why We Left Our Baby for Two Weeks
00:19:17 God, Marriage, Kids: The Order That Saves Your Family
00:19:57 Separate the Piano From the Person: Stop Taking Feedback Personally
00:20:53 F Them Kids: Dede's Line That Changed ET's Parenting
00:22:11 Mike Brown vs Phil Jackson: Why Experience and Coaching Matters
00:36:06 Two Kids in 14 Years: The Power of Intentional Family Planning
00:27:28 Relationship Over Truth: Why You Follow Your Grandma Instead of God
00:27:58 Pastor Willis Spoke My Vision Before I Had One
00:46:07 Character Development Boot Camp: Why ET Made Us Pray All Day
00:55:45 You're Getting Paid Exactly What You're Worth Right Now
00:53:59 The Muscle Twitch Story: How Tommy Got 14 More Reps Out of CJ
00:56:37 Maul the Builder: He Doesn't Just Build Houses, He Builds People
00:51:52 The 12-Year Overnight Success: Maul's House Goes Viral Now
00:59:31 Closing: Get in the Mastermind and Stop Making Excuses

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

SUBSCRIBE
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LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
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FOLLOW
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APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH
Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You're doing the work. You're showing up. You're praying. You're trying. But you're still stuck. And the reason why isn't what you think it is.
This week the crew breaks down the difference between working hard and working with God. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: your faith is in your hands, not in God. You've been doing so much that you've made yourself an idol. And God is saying stop. Not because you're not capable. But because the work you're doing is getting in the way of what he's trying to do.
ET opens up about why he's been telling people to stop praying. Not because prayer doesn't work, but because some people use prayer as a crutch. They pray for Peter to be released from jail while Peter is at the door knocking. They're so busy praying they can't see the answer is already here. Karl gets transparent about 3 weeks of waking up at 5:09 every morning and making one commitment: don't ask God for anything. Just be in his presence. And how in those 3 weeks, every area of his business got uncomfortable. Every direction he thought was the answer, God closed. Because the answer wasn't more work. The answer was stop.
Jemal brings the 100 year plan. What are you building that your great great grandkids will benefit from? What seed are you planting that you'll never taste the fruit of? Because the person who plants the seed doesn't get to taste the fruit. But they're satisfied knowing what's coming. And CJ breaks down why most people quit right when the breakthrough is about to happen. Because they're measuring in their own strength instead of letting God be the structural engineer.
They also unpack why your problems aren't problems, they're preparation. Because if you can't handle one rental property stressing you out, you can't handle 10. If you can't handle one difficult conversation, you can't handle the next level. God isn't punishing you. He's preparing you.
This episode will challenge everything you think about work, faith, and what it really means to let go. Because you can't build the next level version of yourself in your own strength. You've tried that. It didn't work. The 52 days don't start when you work harder. They start when you stop.
CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Get a Scale and Stop Wearing Jogging Pants
00:01:27 Before You Work With God, You Got to Know God
00:02:05 The Rodent Story: Calling the Right People to Fix Your Problems
00:04:52 Carl's Breakthrough: Stop Working, Start Walking With God
00:07:37 Your Problems Are Your Preparation
00:10:41 The Jesse Room Story: 52-Day Reframe in Action
00:12:55 There's No Limits in God: The Sky Analogy
00:14:11 The Tokyo Trip That Didn't Happen: When God Protects Your Plans
00:16:49 ET's Transformation: From Flight Attendant to All Four Quadrants
00:18:42 The Pace Ministry: Slowing Down to Reach More People
00:19:22 Christ Put Me Around Better People
00:20:44 Stop Praying Like Peter's at the Door
00:21:23 Jamal's Testimony: God Already Said Yes to Little J
00:25:31 Your Faith Is in Your Hands, Not in God
00:26:15 Prayer Can Be an Idol: Get Up and Open the Door
00:26:46 The Stress of Lying: Why Truth Sets You Free Immediately
00:27:29 I'd Rather Fight the Bear Right Now
00:29:40 The Pilot Wasn't in the Pilot Seat
00:31:23 Dede Goes Public: When Your Partner Activates Your Calling
00:33:38 Don't Bow Out, Level Up
00:36:26 Stop Treating Life Like a Hobby
00:39:20 The Economy Shift: Seven Streams of Income Aren't Optional
00:41:11 Get on the Scale Every Day: The One Thing That Changes Everything
00:43:07 Stop Wearing Jogging Pants in Your Real Life
00:44:17 What Changed at 46: Carl's Shift Wasn't New Information
00:47:25 It's Not God That Changed, It's Your Belief Level
00:50:15 Do You Believe? The Question Before Every Miracle
00:52:42 Write the Vision, Make It Plain: No More Emotional Conversations
01:02:14 The 100-Year Plan: Mall's Millionaire Moment at 49
01:04:31 Closing: Patreon, Bliss Conference, and Next Week

JOIN US LIVE ON PATREON
New audio every Tuesday, video every Wednesday, plus live recordings with the S2S fam.
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
PRE-ORDER "WE IS GREATER THAN ME"
The debut book from Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D
SUBSCRIBE
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GrMsi1Cxj3nipnI9HR1QX?si=f057018bcba44c15
FOLLOW
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APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH
Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube. www.apocministry.org
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, the Bajan Sensation, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, real conversations on faith, family, business, and the work it takes to build a life that lasts. New episodes every Thursday.

You look at people who made it and you assume they started with something you didn't. A better childhood. More talent. Some edge you never got. ET spent his whole life proving that is a lie, and in this episode he takes the excuse away from you.
The fellas get into what ET means when he says "I'm you." Not the polished version on the stage, the same flesh, the same doubts, the same fight. He breaks down why the only real difference between where you are and where you want to be is not talent or background, and why most people stay stuck holding onto an excuse that was never true.
Jemal shares walking into the Obama Library opening, surrounded by billionaires and legends, and the question that hit him in that room about what he is actually building. CJ pushes on how you do the work and still get out of your own way.
This one is a confrontation. The kind you need.
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RATE AND REVIEW
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CHAPTERS
PRE-ORDER WE IS GREATER THAN ME
The new book from ET and CJ.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D
APOC VIRTUAL CHURCH
Saturdays 11am EST on YouTube.
www.apocministry.org
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, to help you believe in your own potential and build a life that matters.

CJ and David sat down with Jemal King and Wall Street Trapper right after the One Percent stage, and what came out was bigger than money. Jemal spent his early years as a cop, putting on a vest every day. Trap came up on the corner. Two men who once lived on opposite sides of the law, now face to face, breaking down how they ended up with the exact same mindset about risk, discipline, and building wealth.
Trap explains how the streets prepared him for capitalism. Jemal breaks down the seven streams of income and why you don't chase all seven at once. And the whole room gets honest about buffer room, the equity that decides whether one bad week wrecks you or barely moves you.
This one is raw, it is real, and it might change how you look at every dollar you spend.
LISTEN, FOLLOW, AND SHARE
If this episode hit, do three things. Follow the show so you never miss a drop. Rate and review us, it is the single biggest thing you can do to help more people find S2S. And share this one with someone who needs to hear it.
Want the video version and the live recordings with the Patreon fam in the room? Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
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MORE FROM THE FAM
Pre-order "We Is Greater Than Me" by Eric Thomas and CJ Quinney on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D
Join us for APOC Virtual Church, Saturdays at 11am EST: www.apocministry.org
CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Behind the Scenes Post-Stage Energy
00:03:05 The Five Pillars: Faith, Family, Finance, Fitness, Freedom
00:03:58 The Seven Streams of Income: Your Financial Blueprint
00:08:41 Why Black Men Stay Behind Financially Despite Wanting Success
00:09:45 Stop Eating, Start Walking: The Simple Truth About Losing Weight
00:11:59 The Streets Prepared Me for Capitalism
00:19:59 The Runaway Slave Mentality: Hustlers Are Chasing Freedom
00:24:18 Control Risk vs Uncontrolled Risk: The Real Estate Formula
00:44:20 The Police Mindset: Always Prepare for Worst Case Scenario
00:45:56 Control Paper vs Uncontrolled Paper: The Passive Income Revelation
00:48:27 Non-Negotiables: How to Make Discipline Automatic
00:51:22 Simple Not Easy: Why Most People Can't Do What They Know They Should
00:52:18 Buffer Room: The Real Secret to Handling Life's Curveballs
00:58:21 When Your Father Has a Stroke: The Power of Being Prepared
01:00:29 Closing: You Don't Look Like What You've Been Through

ABOUT THE PODCAST
The S2S podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips (the Bajan Sensation), CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission, to help you discover the secret to YOUR success. Real conversations on marriage, business, wealth-building, and personal development, with the radical transparency that built this show. New episodes every week.