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

You know better. You can do better. But you haven't done better yet. And that's your 242: the place where you know what needs to change but haven't produced better yet. This week, the crew breaks down accountability that actually works.

ET explores the difference between reputation and character. Reputation is a shadow. It's who you want people to think you are. Character is who you actually are. And when your character is on the line, you can't promote a health supplement at 242 pounds or talk about transformation while avoiding the area you know needs to change. Not because of vanity, but integrity.

CJ gets real about being a true two man. Not a one in waiting looking for his moment, but someone whose light is connected to yours. He shares how he stepped aside at a speaking engagement so ET could go first. Someone accused him of dimming his light, but they couldn't understand that CJ and ET's destinies are tied together. Winning means doing whatever it takes, not whatever makes you look good.

The crew unpacks why consistency without quality is rehearsed failure, why people want to win their way instead of simply winning, and why real accountability goes beyond someone saying you're getting big. It's someone asking for your blood pressure every day. The 52-day challenge isn't about weight loss. It's about the area where you know better, can do better, but haven't done better yet.

ET also breaks down his home game versus away game strategy, how the Peloton app keeps him accountable on the road, and how CJ pushed him back to intermittent fasting. Nobody said a word when he was eating honey buns and Cheetos, but now that he's fasting, everybody's worried about his electrolytes.

This episode will challenge how you think about accountability, partnership, and being a two man. Because you don't want to be a two man. You're a one in waiting. Until you deal with that, you'll keep doing 52 days alone. Stop trying to win your way. Do what it takes to win. Your 242 is waiting, and it starts with your heart.

CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Reputation is a Shadow, Character is Who You Are
00:01:38 Welcome and Airport Lotion Drama - The TSA Struggle is Real
00:04:11 The Sprinkler System Scam and Mr. Perfect's Lawn
00:07:09 Pool Equipment: The Money Pit That Never Stops Breaking
00:09:23 17 Years and 21 Years: Celebrating Partnership Milestones
00:10:37 The Speaking Engagement Story: When Your Light is Attached to Someone Else's
00:13:43 Consistency Without Quality is Rehearsed Failure
00:16:49 I Just Want to Win: The Philosophy That Built an Empire
00:17:18 You're Not a Two-Man, You're a One in Waiting
00:19:11 The Secret to Success Mission: Bringing Souls to Christ
00:20:23 White Men Can't Jump: Would You Rather Look Good and Lose?
00:24:44 Being a Two-Man in the 52-Day Challenge: What Accountability Really Looks Like
00:26:45 The Blood Pressure Metric: Why Accountability Needs to Be Tangible
00:27:56 The Jerk Chicken Confession: When You Eat Wrong and Your Numbers Show It
00:31:51 Reputation vs Character: The Connection That Changes Everything
00:41:53 The Dentist Analogy: Imagine If You Had to Go 52 Days Straight
00:45:12 You Know Better, Can Do Better, But Haven't Done Better Yet
00:46:27 Home Game vs Away Game: The Peloton App Solution for Travel
00:47:17 The 24-Hour Fast: When Accountability Pushes You Beyond Your Limits
00:49:15 Introducing the Build 52 Challenge: Your 52-Day Transformation Starts Now
00:49:57 Live Staff Meeting with Moose: Registration Deadlines and Pricing
00:53:07 Closing: Transformation Not Just Information

JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE
Free registration ends soon. Transform the area you've been ignoring in 52 days.
https://www.build52challenge.com

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. Available November 3rd.
https://www.amazon.com/We-Greater-Than-Me-Highest-ebook/dp/B0GPGXXD5D

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ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

Want to learn more about Forever Forward? Join us live this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST for a Forever First Look - a special event preview. Register using the link below!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HIHEuTfrRGqd05VzP8FR1A

You want to travel the world with your spouse. You want to be around other couples who actually like each other. You want to celebrate your marriage instead of fixing it. And that's exactly what Forever Forward is for. October 29th in Cancun, the crew is inviting less than 50 couples to a marriage bliss retreat. Not a conference. Not counseling. A celebration. This week CJ and Candis, Jemal and Camille get real about why this retreat isn't for the struggle marriage. It's for the couples who are already in love, already healthy, already doing the work. Because here's the truth most people don't want to hear: the healthy couples always end up being the source of strength for all the weak couples. And where do they go to get filled back up?

Candis confesses she used to say no to vacationing with other couples. She wanted quality time with CJ, not group hangouts. But exposure changed everything. Not because they sat around doing marriage counseling, but because they observed. They watched how Jemal and Camille showed affection, how they communicated, how they celebrated anniversaries. And it challenged them to level up without anyone saying a word. The crew breaks down why iron sharpens iron applies to marriages too. Why being around other couples in bliss rejuvenates you. Why you need community, not just for business or faith, but for your marriage. And why this retreat is about building a tribe of couples who actually enjoy being together. Jemal drops the unk word about the attack on marriage nobody talks about. The quiet period. The phase after the baby showers and birthday parties where nobody invests in their marriage anymore. Life becomes about the kids, the job, the ladder. And years later, the divorce phase hits. Not by chance, but by neglect. Because divorce doesn't happen overnight. It's years of not working out, not investing, not putting anything back into the marriage. This episode is about the small foxes that destroy the vine and the small steps that build marriages. If you want to succeed in your marriage as bad as you want to breathe, this is your moment. Forever Forward. October 29th. Cancun. Let's celebrate love.

CHAPTERS

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Traveling the World Together as Couples
00:01:29 Welcome and Forever Forward Announcement - October 29th in Cancun
00:04:29 This Ain't For the Struggle Marriage - Who Forever Forward Is Really For
00:05:32 Why Iron Sharpens Iron Applies to Marriages Too
00:08:26 The Exposure That Changes Everything - Why Community Matters for Couples
00:14:07 Candace's Confession: I Didn't Want to Vacation With Other Couples
00:15:49 It's Never Turned Into Marriage Counseling - The Power of Observation
00:17:13 The Forever Forward Experience - What to Expect in Cancun
00:18:44 Unk Jamal's Word: The Attack on Marriage Nobody Talks About
00:22:13 The Small Foxes That Destroy the Vine - Why Small Steps Build Marriages

FOREVER FORWARD MARRIAGE RETREAT October 29th in Cancun, Mexico. Less than 50 couples. A celebration of marriage with the S2S crew and their wives. https://www.foreverforwardmarriage.com

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 Instagram: @s2spodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming your best self.

You're winning in some areas but losing in one. And you know it. Your marriage is strong. Your kids are thriving. Your career is on fire. Your faith is solid. But that one area? The one you keep avoiding? That's the one that's about to cost you everything.
This week ET gets brutally honest about the conversation that changed everything on June 1st. The moment God rebuked him on the pulpit while he was preaching. The moment he realized he was about to be the weakest link. Because when CJ told him the supplement was finally ready, ET knew he couldn't come out with a health product at 242 pounds. Not because of vanity. Because of integrity.
ET breaks down why he avoided the scale for years. Why he justified being strong in four out of five pillars. Why he told himself his blood work was good enough. And why God had to step in and say, you're not industry standard in this area, son. You're about to destroy what you said you wanted to build.
The crew unpacks why most people resist the one area they need to fix the most. Why we justify being great in four areas while ignoring the fifth. Why embarrassment isn't about what other people see, it's about knowing you're better than this. And why the first step isn't exercise or diet, it's changing your heart.
ET shares how he lost 17 pounds in 52 days without obsessing over food or workouts. How he put on the black suit jacket from 2012 that used to have tension and now fits perfectly. And how God said pre won't stay pre. Your body is a temple. And if you don't treat it like one, you won't be around to celebrate the legacy you're trying to build.
This episode will challenge everything you think about success. Because you can be number one in four areas and still be losing. Stop justifying the one thing you know needs to change. What's your 242? The area you've been ignoring? The thing you know you're better than? It's time to fix it. And it starts with your heart.
CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: You're Winning in Four, Losing in One - And You Know It
00:01:32 Welcome and Happy 17th Anniversary - The Milestone Moment
00:04:46 June 1st: The Conversation That Changed Everything
00:05:47 The Scale You're Avoiding: Why We Don't Face Reality
00:07:53 God's Rebuke on the Pulpit: When Your Calling Exposes Your Weakness
00:10:07 Four Out of Five Strong: The Dangerous Justification
00:22:15 The Embarrassment of Needing Someone Else to Tell You
00:24:17 The Supplement Revelation: You Can't Be the Weakest Link
00:37:43 Changing Your Heart First: Why Exercise and Diet Come Second
00:42:01 Your Body Is a Temple: The Principle You Know But Don't Live
00:44:42 Pre Won't Stay Pre: The Wake-Up Call About Your Future
00:47:16 Introducing Build52Challenge.com: Your Free Transformation Starts Now
00:51:36 The Black Suit Jacket: From Tension to Triumph
00:53:50 17 Pounds Down, 52 Days to Build: The Quick Work God Promised
00:55:14 Closing: What's Your 242? The Area You've Been Ignoring

JOIN THE BUILD 52 CHALLENGE
Completely free. 52 days to transform the area you've been ignoring.
https://www.build52challenge.com
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. Available November 3rd.
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
Instagram: @s2spodcast
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, and becoming the best version of yourself.

You want the reward without the relationship. You want the breakthrough without the process. You want the book without knowing the author. And that may be exactly why you're stuck. This week, the S2S crew breaks down why so many people chase information, access, and outcomes without building the relationships, discipline, humility, and belief required to sustain them.

ET explains why motivation still matters, even if discipline is the goal. Most people need something to get them moving before discipline can take over. The crew also unpacks what it means to have a contrite spirit, become truly coachable, stop defending your way, and become a student again.

ET reads his Day 50 journal entry from the 52-Day Challenge and shares how discipline helped him improve his fitness while staying present with his faith and family. The guys break down the five pillars: faith, family, finance, fitness, and freedom, and how to work on all five without giving each one equal time.

They also revisit Nehemiah rebuilding in 52 days what had been broken for 140 years, why what bothers you may be pointing toward your calling, and why belief matters when there is still no visible evidence. The bottom line: stop chasing the reward. Build the relationship. Get coachable. Stay connected. The fruit will follow.

CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: You Want the Reward But Not the Relationship
00:01:21 Welcome and The Motivation vs Discipline Debate
00:05:08 The Contrite Spirit: Broken and Humiliated
00:05:35 Give Up Everything and Become a Student
00:06:17 The Real Estate Lesson: When You Ignore the Coach
00:06:55 Carl's Smile and The Community Person Revelation
00:08:09 Being Coachable: The Film Room Mentality
00:09:37 The Five Pillars: Faith Family Finance Fitness Freedom
00:10:38 Nehemiah's 52 Days: What 140 Years Couldn't Do
00:12:03 What's Bothering You: The First Sign of Your Calling
00:19:45 Working All Five Pillars Daily Without Equal Time
00:21:30 ET's Fitness Journey: Combining Pillars While Running
00:22:31 The Imbalance Confession: When Marriage Affected Fitness
00:24:03 Day 50 Journal Entry: ET Reads His Transformation
00:29:30 Blood Pressure Results and The AARP Podcast Joke
00:30:18 The Pace Pillar: Why ET Started Journaling
00:32:16 Carl's Walking Commitment: No Alarm Clock Needed
00:43:25 Belief Over Feelings: The Real Application
00:36:58 Relationship Over Reward: The Book and The Author
00:47:47 The Vision Keeper: Seeing It When There's No Evidence
00:52:38 Designed to Win: The Final Word

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
Instagram: @s2spodcast
ABOUT THE PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. Four friends, four journeys, one mission. Real conversations on faith, family, business, discipline, relationships, and becoming the best version of yourself.

You don't want the advice. You want the reward. You want the championship without the discipline. You want the breakthrough without the breaking. You want the results without the process. And that's why you're stuck. Because the advice is free. The reward costs everything.
This week the crew breaks down why most people reject the very thing that could save them. ET opens up about the difference between motivation and discipline. Why the dude who studied discipline and went through the military has the right to say motivation is whack. But most people aren't there yet. Most people need something to get them going. That's why he asks, what's your why? Because that part works. It worked for the Denver Nuggets when they won the championship. It worked for Texas A&M when they went undefeated. The first level is motivation. But you can't stay there.
They also get into the LeBron versus Jordan debate. Not the stats, not the rings, just the question: who's better? And why that conversation never gets old. Plus, ET tells the story of breaking the law, getting caught on video, and still trying to argue it was racism. Spoiler: he lost in court. But the videotape don't lie.
CJ shares why he went through the 10 items or less line with 17 items and had a full stare down with the grocery store clerk. Was he fair or foul? The crew weighs in. And ET admits he's a lawbreaker when it comes to waiting. Because the hip hop preacher ain't got time for lines.
This episode is about the gap between wanting success and doing what it takes to get it. Because everybody wants the reward. But most people don't want the advice. They don't want the discipline. They don't want the process. And that's why they stay stuck. Stop asking for shortcuts. Start doing the work.
CHAPTERS
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Discipline vs Motivation - The First Level You Need
00:01:16 Welcome and Team Introductions: Clark Atlanta Bound
00:02:57 LeBron vs Jordan: The Debate That Never Gets Old
00:03:22 Fair or Foul: The 10 Items or Less Grocery Store Standoff
00:03:48 The Grocery Shopping Philosophy: Why Delivery Isn't an Option
00:07:43 Breaking the Law When It Makes Sense: The Practical Approach
00:08:06 The Stop Sign Story: When ET Fought the Law and the Law Won
00:09:30 The California Stop Defense: Why Context Matters in Rule Breaking
00:09:56 Marriage Talk: The 30-Minute Conversation That Revealed Society's Problem

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
Instagram: @s2spodcast
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.