Episode 10 - Tunnel Vision and the Curse of the Time Traveler

Episode 10 - Tunnel Vision and the Curse of the Time Traveler

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2573596/fan_mail/new] In this episode, Joel and Jonathan explore the psychological traps of over-focusing on the future or the past. They discuss how professional stress, "destination addiction," and the inability to stay present can create a toxic cycle that robs individuals of their current happiness and impacts their families. Weekly Wins & Losses * Joel's Win: After identifying a broken water heater in his guest camper, he used a $45 Amazon part and a YouTube tutorial to fix it himself, saving a $150 repair visit and feeling like a "badass." * Joel's Loss: Dealing with a disgusting toilet leak into the camper's blackwater tank due to a missing gasket. Thanks to his experience changing baby diapers, he handled it better than expected and fixed it with a $10 part. * Jonathan's Win: Actively working on his ability to delegate tasks to AI and clinic employees, recognizing that he cannot do everything himself. * Jonathan's Loss: Reaching a point of feeling entirely overwhelmed by taking on too many loose ends at once, which ultimately forced him into the win of delegating. Key Concept 1: Tunnel Vision Joel shares a childhood lesson from his father to explain tunnel vision. Looking through a cardboard paper towel roll restricts your view to minor details, but ripping the tube in half continually broadens your perspective until you see the whole room. The hosts explain that when individuals fixate on minute details or a singular way to solve a problem, they emotionally blow issues out of proportion. This hyper-focus causes people to lose sight of alternative options and broader perspectives. Key Concept 2: The Curse of the Time Traveler Joel introduces a concept developed while working with a transitioning Navy client who struggled to stay grounded in the present. * Traveling to the Past (Rumination): Regretfully looking backward to try and "perfect" past choices. Joel compares psychological rumination to biological ruminants (like cows chewing cud)—re-chewing and re-processing difficult, already-digested material, which breeds self-doubt and depression. * Traveling to the Future (Anticipatory Anxiety): Spiraling into endless "what-if" scenarios out of a fear of the unknown, which breeds toxic anxiety. Both forms of time traveling leave an individual mentally and emotionally absent, turning them into a "ghost at the dinner table" for their families. As Joel notes, "Your heart and your feet have to be in the same place." Strategic Planning vs. Toxic Time Traveling Jonathan and Joel discuss how to identify the line between healthy business strategy and toxic anxiety: Aspect | Strategic Planning | Toxic Time Traveling & Emotional Tone | Driven by excitement, energy, and joy. | Driven by fear, dread, and waking up in a cold sweat. Action Plan | Grounded in doing the "next right thing" step-by-step. | Overlooking milestones due to "destination addiction." Boundaries | Time-blocking work so it doesn't bleed into family life. | Being physically present but mentally a shell. Real-World Applications: The Orchard Health Journey Jonathan reflects on how these concepts played out across the history of his medical practice, Orchard Health: * The Compounding Success: Moving from a tiny old bank building in Nashville with 100 initial patients to suddenly gaining 800–900 patients overnight via a partnership with Chaparral Boats. The rapid growth was terrifying and induced future-focused anxiety, but they navigated it one small step at a time. * The Learning Lesson (Not a Loss): Jonathan opens up about expanding to a second clinic location in Valdosta, which ultimately failed and had to close after 18 months, triggering his first panic attack. * The Takeaway: Rather than letting the failure paralyze his future ambition, Jonathan chose to view it as a learning lesson rather than a loss. He realized that future growth must happen organically rather than forcing a timeline through destination addiction. Memorable Quotes > "Anxiety gives me something to do, but it's like a rocking chair—it doesn't get me anywhere." — Dr. Jonathan Wade"Your heart and your feet have to be in the same place." — Joel Malin"I didn't lose. I learned." — Dr. Jonathan Wade The Verdict Who should listen? Entrepreneurs, high-achievers, and anyone struggling to balance long-term goals with family life. This episode serves as an excellent masterclass on mindfulness, boundary setting, and learning how to recover from professional setbacks without losing your presence in the moment.

Episode 9 - The Crossroad of Fortune and Luck

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2573596/fan_mail/new] Podcast Summary: The Long Burn (Episode 9) Hosts: Dr. Jonathan Wade & Joel Malin In this episode, Jonathan and Joel trade their usual banter for a deep dive into how mindset and daily decisions dictate our long-term trajectory. Triggered by a recent podcast Jonathan heard, the hosts debate the semantics of "luck" versus "fortune" and look at how this philosophy directly impacts mental and physical health. Weekly Wins & Losses * Joel's Win: Celebrating the pure joy of parenting his happy baby, Gideon, whose grins keep everything else in perspective. * Joel's Loss: The ongoing, relatable struggle with time management and trying to keep all the daily plates spinning. * Jonathan's Win: Inches away from launching a third short-term rental property near Greenville, SC, catering to hikers. He frames this venture as a way to give his wife, Candace, an interior design "canvas" to repay her for years of backing his clinical dreams. * Jonathan's Loss: Learning to recognize when his "cup is full" and admitting he needs to look into hiring an executive assistant to help manage his entrepreneurial workload. Key Discussion: Fortune vs. Luck The core of the episode revolves around a philosophical disagreement over a concept Jonathan heard on a podcast detailing the crossroads of fortune and luck. * Jonathan's Perspective: He views fortune as the static hand you are dealt (birthplace, economics, genetics) and luck as something you actively create through choices, mindset, and putting yourself in the right rooms. He quotes Tony Robbins: "The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck." * Joel's Counter-Perspective: Joel views the definitions as completely flip-flopped. To him, luck represents unpredictable, chaotic events you cannot influence (like an unexpected call from a job recruiter or winning the lottery). Conversely, fortune is the structured "scaffolding" you build through conscious, deliberate choices over time (like a solid retirement portfolio). > The Consensus: While they couldn't agree on the labels, both hosts agree on the core truth: Compounding daily choices ultimately dictate your reality. Real-World Crossroads * The Pivot Point: Jonathan illustrates this by sharing a story from his senior year of high school. A spontaneous decision to tour the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) post—despite having no military background—led to a chance meeting with a baseball coach who knew his high school coach. That single choice ultimately shaped his entire college career and adult life. * The Health Connection: The hosts tie this back to their venture, Fire Health. Just like finances, your health relies on compounding decisions. You can't control every genetic variable, but you can control what you put in your body and how much you move. The goal is to reach financial independence and actually be vibrant enough to enjoy it—not spending your retirement tied to a pill planner or dialysis machine. Memorable Quotes > "Choosing not to go to work and missing a paycheck, that's not bad luck. That's bad choices." — Joel Malin"Control the variables that you can and then line things up hoping for a good outcome." — Joel Malin The Verdict Who should listen? Anyone on a financial independence journey who needs a reminder to stop neglecting their physical health along the way, or those wrestling with how much control they truly have over their own success.

Episode 8 - Tim Jester - Financial Entrepreneur

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2573596/fan_mail/new] The Long Burn – "Burning the Ships" Guest: Tim Jester, CFP and Founder of ITA Wealth Partners In this debut guest episode, hosts Joel Malin and Dr. Jonathan Wade (aka "Dirty Dr. Wade") sit down with Nashville-based financial advisor Tim Jester. The conversation moves quickly from playful banter to a deep dive into the "grind culture" of financial services, the psychological toll of entrepreneurship, and the importance of choosing people over products. Key Takeaways * The "Burn the Ships" Mentality: Tim shares the story of Cortez burning his fleet to ensure his men had no choice but to succeed. He applies this to business: Plan A can only succeed when you eliminate the safety net of Plan B. * Culture vs. Commission: Tim left the "insurance-centric" world to escape the pressure of selling products that weren't always in the client’s best interest. He argues that a truly independent practice allows an advisor to prioritize the client's goals over a sales quota. * Rejecting "Grind Culture": The industry often rewards the "first in, last out" mentality, which Tim identifies as a recipe for broken marriages and estranged children. He built ITA Wealth Partners to prove you can have a high-performing business while still being present for school recitals and date nights. * The 10-3-1 Equation: Tim critiques the traditional sales funnel (10 referrals lead to 3 meetings, which lead to 1 client). While mathematically sound, he finds it "icky" and disingenuous, opting instead for organic community involvement and a "long game" approach to relationships. * Individual over Modality: Joel draws a parallel to therapy, noting that the best professionals fit the solution to the human being, rather than trying to force the human into a pre-packaged "product" or treatment model. Memorable Quotes > "Your nervous system will 100% of the time take the hell it understands over the peace it doesn't." — Tim Jester"Plan A can’t succeed as long as you're constantly constructing a fallback plan... the moment you have a safe out or an easy pass back into comfort, we’re human beings—we’re going to take it." — Joel Malin"I’ve come to a place in my life where I am grateful for all the mistakes that I’ve made because they brought me to where I am." — Tim Jester The Firing Line: Question #1 The Question: What’s a failure that cost you more than money, and what did it change about how you operate today? Tim’s Answer: Tim reflects on his 20s, where unresolved childhood pain and anger led him to "run through" personal and professional relationships. He lost clients and burned bridges with people he loved. This failure taught him the value of therapy and self-awareness, ultimately shifting his focus toward empathy and making people feel "heard and valued" rather than just being a number in a spreadsheet. The Verdict Who should listen? Entrepreneurs feeling the "head in hands" weight of starting out, or any professional feeling trapped in a toxic "grind" environment who needs a reminder that success doesn't have to come at the cost of your family. Tim Jester’s journey from a high-pressure insurance firm to a values-based independent practice is a roadmap for anyone looking to "burn their ships" and build something authentic. To get in touch with Tim Jester for financial advising, please visit https://itawealthpartners.com/ or you can reach Tim via email at tim@itawealthpartners.com

Episode 7 - You Don't Have a Time Problem, You Have a Priority Problem

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2573596/fan_mail/new] Episode Overview: "You Don't Have a Time Problem, You Have a Priority Problem" The core message of this episode is that everyone has the same 24 hours in a day; the difference in outcomes lies in how those hours are prioritized. The hosts argue that "finding time" is a myth—you must make or take time for what matters. Key Takeaways * The Difference Between "Making" and "Taking" Time: * Making Time: Deferring low-risk tasks (like laundry) to a later date to create space now. * Taking Time: Consciously choosing not to finish a task today because health or family is more important, even if it feels like "lowering standards." * The Ceiling of a "Do-It-Yourself" Mentality: Dr. Wade shares a story about scrubbing toilets at his clinic. While it shows humility, the hosts discuss how this isn't a productive use of a CEO’s time. To grow a business, you must delegate tasks that others can do 80% as well as you. * Busy vs. Productive: Being "busy" (doing tasks) is not the same as being "productive" (moving the needle on goals). * The "One Thing" Strategy: Referencing Gary Keller’s book, they suggest picking the single most important task each week that creates a "domino effect" for everything else. Personal Wins & Losses The hosts start with a "Vulnerability Minute" regarding their personal lives: Host | Wins | Losses/ChallengesDr. Jonathan Wade | Orchard Health is "knocking it out of the park" with a new nurse practitioner and improved marketing. | Short-term rental bookings are down; dealing with critical four-star reviews. Joel Malin | His newborn son, Gideon, smiled for the first time, providing much-needed feedback during the "sleep-deprived" phase. | Financial stress of trying to afford a nanny, as he and his wife aren't ready for daycare yet. Notable Quotes > "You can gut an animal, but you can't change a diaper? Be the man—figure it out." — Joel Malin"You're not going to find time. You're going to make it. It's not living out there." — Dr. Jonathan Wade"They started saying the house was really 'busy' this weekend instead of 'messy.' It was a way to be kinder to themselves." — Joel Malin Actionable Advice from the Hosts 1. Modify, Don't Lower, Standards: Reshape your expectations of a "pristine home" or "perfect schedule" to adapt to new life phases (like having kids). 2. Focus Blocks: Use dedicated chunks of time to work on specific topics rather than trying to multi-task throughout the day. 3. The "Lived-In" Perspective: Accept that a busy home or a slightly disorganized office is a sign of life and growth, not failure.

Episode 6 - The Family is the First Team

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2573596/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Long Burn, counselor Joel Malin and Dr. Jonathan Wade explore the concept of "the family as the first team," emphasizing that personal and professional success depends on domestic alignment. The hosts open with personal "wins and losses," ranging from Joel’s successful fishing trip and frustrations with insurance hiking to Jonathan’s family visit to his son’s college, which included a humorous mishap involving a black eye during a game of wiffle golf. Transitioning to the core topic, Jonathan reflects on the eight-year journey of his medical practice, Orchard Health, detailing how he secured his wife Candace’s "buy-in" by framing the business as a way to prioritize family time over grueling hospital shifts. They discuss the necessity of "counting the cost" and establishing a family operating agreement—setting firm boundaries, such as "no-business" zones after 6:30 PM and monthly retreat nights, to ensure that the drive for professional sustainability doesn't come at the expense of household harmony. Key Takeaways from "The Family as the First Team" * The Power of Buy-In: Success in a new endeavor requires more than just permission; it requires a shared vision. Jonathan noted that involving his wife directly in the business allowed their complementary skills—his "big ideas" and her "boots-on-the-ground" integration—to flourish. * Defining the "Operating Agreement": To prevent burnout and resentment, families should set explicit boundaries. This includes "work-free" hours and identifying which roles each member will play to support the collective goal. * Managing the "Nasty Nelson" of Risk: Just like the surprise point in pickleball (the "Nasty Nelson"), business risks are inevitable. The hosts suggest viewing these not as deterrents, but as opportunities for growth and learning. * Intentional Disconnection: Joel and Jonathan highlight that work is never truly "done." Building the skill of living in that tension—choosing to stop working to be present with family—is vital for long-term health.