From Rock Bottom to Daily Wins with Michael Chernow: Ep 38
Highlights from the episode:
How fitness became a lifeline in sobriety
Why discipline is a form of self-respect
Turning daily oatmeal into a wellness brand
The ripple effect of asking for help
Why community is critical in recovery
Podcast show notes:
We talk a lot about transformation. We don’t talk enough about what it takes to sustain it.
Michael Chernow thought he was going to die at 24. After years of addiction and a near-fatal overdose, he didn’t believe he could stop. He couldn’t imagine a different life. What changed everything was structure after hitting rock bottom. A mentor who gave him an hour-by-hour plan. Small wins he could control.
In this episode, Michael opens up about addiction as a disease, the fears and misconceptions of sobriety, and how fitness and nutrition became the tools that rebuilt his confidence. He shares the story behind Kreatures of Habit and why he created Sober Fit Dude to help other men find mission and community in recovery.
What You’ll Hear:
The overdose and the turning point (15:43)
Why asking for help felt impossible (22:57)
The discipline that built confidence (27:00)
Entrepreneurship after sobriety (33:14)
The daily habits that matter (59:19)
This is a conversation about rebuilding from scratch, about turning chaos into structure, and about what’s possible when you commit to the long game.
If this episode spoke to you, be sure to follow the show and leave a rating so others can discover it, too.
Connect with Michael Chernow
Follow Michael Chernow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelchernow/
Follow Kreatures of Habit on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit/
Discover Kreatures of Habit’s website: https://kreaturesofhabit.com/
Check out SoberFitDude: https://www.soberfitdude.app/
Mentioned in this Episode
Navigating the Impact of Addiction with Stable Recovery: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/stable-recovery-28
Be sure to subscribe to Things No One Tells You—Lindsay’s podcast all about the real, unfiltered conversations we don’t always have but should. From big names to everyday voices, each episode dives into the moments that shape us. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow along with Lindsay below!
Full Transcript
[00:00:00] Michael: I guess what I've learned that maybe nobody tells you is that when the hard stuff comes, lean in, really be an observer, 'cause that is what growth is. That is what is required for real, true growth. And that is what discipline is. Discipline is having the understanding that you do what you say you're gonna do.
[00:00:27] And so discipline for me has been at the cornerstone of my success. And I'm not perfect by any stretch, but discipline for me does equal freedom.
[00:00:44] Lindsay: Hey, guys, welcome to this episode of Things No One Tells You. Super glad that you're here, and I'm really excited to share this conversation because I am really hopeful that maybe there's someone out there that this strikes a chord with.
[00:00:57] Maybe this helps somebody. I've talked in this space before about addiction and about how I lost my cousin to a drug overdose. It was actually a year ago that I first visited Stable Recovery, which is the recovery program that works with horses. They're in Lexington, Kentucky, and I was just so blown away by the work that they do.
[00:01:16] And after that, I was introduced to a man named Michael Chernow. And Michael is a recovering addict himself who has created an entire platform on really wellness in habits. He is a husband, a father, and an avid entrepreneur. But what Michael has done is he really took. The framework of what helped him recover and stay on the course of sobriety.
[00:01:44] and he uses that as tools that he tries to teach and he uses in his work as a life and wellness coach. For Michael, really a lot of it is about habits and development. One strong habit leads to another and another. So even if you are not touched by the disease of addiction, or it's not something prevalent in your family, the structure that he teaches within the theme of habits I found fascinating and something that I definitely could implement, specifically, how he structures his day.
[00:02:19] I took away a lot from that detail in the conversation, and I've actually implemented it in my own life. So here you have Michael Chernow.
[00:02:27] Michael Chernow. I am, I'm so excited to have this conversation with you because honestly, there are a million things I would love to ask you. But besides the fact of the work that you're doing in the wellness space, you're an entrepreneur to the max degree, you know, your journey with sobriety is something that, having gone down that path of working with recovery programs, I'm just deeply interested in. How are you doing? Where are you to start?
[00:02:57] Michael: So, I am in upstate New York. I mean, I guess to people in Buffalo and Rochester, they'd roll their eyes, but I'm about two and a half hours north of New York City in the Hudson Valley.
[00:03:08] Lindsay: Oh, nice. Okay. Not that far from me.
[00:03:09] Michael: Yeah. Where are you?
[00:03:10] Lindsay: We're in Connecticut.
[00:03:12] Michael: Oh, cool.
[00:03:12] Lindsay: In Fairfield County, Connecticut. Yeah, right down the road. So let's start, I wanna actually start with telling you about an experience that I just had because I was really looking forward to talking to you after this. I just came from Indianapolis, where I was, we were getting ready to interview all the Indy car drivers at the start of the season.
[00:03:30] And what was fascinating about that to me was we had to interview all of them back to back and, you know, it's fresh. It's a season of hope. And what I found was in the midst of going back to back in all these interviews, I was like hearing, you're able to really hear the themes that come out. And I was realizing halfway through, I'm like, this is kind of what greatness looks like.
[00:03:51] This is what you're able to understand: these themes of the drivers. Several of them said, you know, I have to calm myself down. It's about patience. It's about simplicity. And when I've been reading, you know, and listening to different interviews and things that you've done. It struck me that those are some of the same things that you have talked about, you know, in your path of sobriety.
[00:04:15] And so it may seem out of left field, but I just wanted to start there because I really felt like when I was in Indianapolis that opportunity was, it was sort of spiritual for me because I was like, not everybody gets to hear all of these different versions of a story of people that have, some have overcome things, some have had easier paths, but there was just something to it.
[00:04:39] Does that make sense?
[00:04:40] Michael: Yeah, sure. I mean, especially if there's a bunch of people experiencing the same thing, but coming from different backgrounds in different places, and receiving it differently. Right. But all basically have a similar experience in this regard. The power of what something like that can bring to the table, you know?
[00:05:02] Lindsay: Yeah. Yeah. It was just interesting. And, I'd love to start, and first, if you could just explain to our audience that is watching, that is listening, tell me about Kreatures of Habit and exactly what your mission is with that. Also, the work that you're doing in terms of the overall wellness space.
[00:05:20] Michael: Sure. Well, I guess I'll just quickly give you a little bit of a background. Yeah. So I grew up in New York City, born and raised in New York City, dude in Manhattan, born in 1980. So I was dropped into arguably the epicenter of culture globally in the eighties and the nineties.
[00:05:42] And, you know, being exposed to that, like the, be like the beginning of hip hop and just like New York City fashion and street culture. I. I think it also has something to do with the fact that I'm a Libra, believe it or not, which is kind of weird. I don't know much about astrology, but I do know a little bit about Libras and, okay.
[00:06:06] They're like, you know, apparently Libras are like, have an eye for aesthetics, and so I just latched onto that, and I was really interested in creativity and what people were wearing and how things looked. I was always paying attention to those things. Anyway, I've kind of been an entrepreneur out of the gate.
[00:06:29] You know, when I had a toy that I didn't want anymore, I would kind of put it aside, and then when I piled up enough toys when I was like five and six years old, I would ask my older sister to come downstairs with me in front of our apartment building. I'd lay down a blanket, and I'd like to place all my toys neatly on it and try to sell them for a dollar or two.
[00:06:49] Lindsay: Did it work? Did you?
[00:06:50] Michael: It worked. People loved it. Honestly, they thought it was the cutest thing in the world. But I've just always been driven to make, do, and create, and I think I am. Sort of this inherent kind of salesperson, but not in a pushy way. Yeah. Not like a used car salesman, a salesman with a mission, and, okay.
[00:07:10] And so I got a job in a restaurant when I was 12. I fell in love with the world of restaurants. I found in that journey that I kind of like, you know, the thing that motivates me most, the thing that I wake up excited about on a daily basis is connecting with human beings. And that has gotten, that has evolved for sure.
[00:07:28] You know, but really, when I figured this out, I was working in restaurants, and so I worked in restaurants all through high school, got outta high school, did a year of college, realized that it was totally not for me. I slept through the first year and dropped out. I went to a, you know, a city college, and I should also mention that I was really battling addiction. I was battling addiction from about 13 to, to just before my 24th birthday. So that probably played into why college wasn't for me at the time. But when I was 23 years old, at the end of my 23rd year of life, I overdosed on heroin and had to make a call.
[00:08:11] It was like, you know, it was do or die, life or death. And after that overdose, I spent two more weeks. You know, exploring, which was terrifying for everyone and me included, 'cause I just didn't
[00:08:25] Lindsay: Exploring meaning.
[00:08:27] Michael: like still using and drinking. And didn't know. I just didn't, I think I was, I wasn't exposed to sobriety.
[00:08:34] I didn't know that there was a solution for me. I just didn't, I really didn't think that there was, I thought I was just gonna die young and die this way because after I overdosed, I swore I would never do this again. And I was right back at it, you know, hours later. So if anybody knows anything about addiction or know, or has a family member who is, you know, in the grasp of addiction or potentially is an, you know, dealing with or battling addiction themselves, you would understand that there is a very, it is very difficult to understand that there's another way and because you walk around with this like blanket.
[00:09:15] It's really hard to get out of. And that's why I have such empathy for addiction and addicts. And
[00:09:24] Lindsay: I also think, not to interrupt you, but that. It's really hard for families to get that because of how, and that's what struck me. You know, folks that are, you know, viewers and listeners of things, no one tells you know about the episode I did with Stable Recovery, which is about a horse.
[00:09:41] It's a recovery program that uses horses to help create purpose for the men and women in that program. But what struck me so hard, being down there, was hearing their stories when they would stand up and share them in their weekly meetings, when they're still very new in this process, and how raw those stories were, and how their families had no idea what they were going through and how that recovery was going.
[00:10:06] You know? So it sort of shone a light for me on the fact that this is really an epidemic where also families don't realize how incredibly difficult it is. And also, it struck me that anyone who is in the deepest depths can get better. Can change. You know, I didn't see that until I was down there listening to those stories, and it kind of smacked me in the face.
[00:10:30] And I thought about my cousin who had overdosed on heroin, and I did not realize that he had, he was trying to kill himself. And he did. And that's what happened. And it was because he was trying to, intentionally, 'cause there was no other way out. Right. So, yeah. So, sorry. So carry on. But I, that really resonates with me.
[00:10:50] Michael: I 100% agree. And, you know, I think one of the greatest challenges is, you know, there's obviously Fentanyl now, now and there's a bunch of new drugs that are really dragging people down, but specifically fentanyl and, you know, the hotspot is like Kensington, Philadelphia, right? And there are content creators who are walking around the streets of Kensington just filming these people battling with substance abuse.
[00:11:23] If you took all of them and put them in a room and asked them if you could stop right now, would you, all of them would raise their hand. Yeah. They would all raise their hands. They don't want to be doing what they're doing. They don't want to be doing what they're doing, but they don't believe that there is a way out, and they also are in such fear of having to face life on life's terms.
[00:11:55] So the success rate of sobriety is very low, even in the greatest program for addicts of all time, which is the 12 steps.
[00:12:08] It's the, it is the most successful pathway forward, to date. For addicts, way more powerful than re rehab. Even though rehab and treatment centers are wonderful, they definitely play a role.
[00:12:23] You know, there's definitely a percentage of people who leave a treatment center who stay sober. But the perception, the success rate in Alcoholics Anonymous, I think, is only 5%. So it's a really difficult life. And what I learned, because on my podcast, I had a double board-certified neurologist and an addiction and substance abuse specialist.
[00:12:44,] and what I learned from him was that this is actually a mental brain disease. Our lipid system, the one of an addict like me, fires 10x more than a non addict, someone with addiction, someone without addiction. So it is absolutely something that has to do with brain chemistry; how can you beat it? I'm a living, breathing example of someone who has
[00:13:13] walked the path of sobriety and channeled the extreme, like ideation of life in a positive way, and built a life way beyond anything I ever thought was possible for me. I thought I was gonna be dead at 24, so I made a decision to get sober. In August of 20 of 2004. I was 23 years old, and everything in my life changed.
[00:13:45] I, you know, everything changed. And that's when I, you know, nine months later, I met my wife, which was, you know. One of the greatest things that's ever happened. She's standing right next to me now, so I'm not just saying that because she's right there. I'm saying that because it's a fact. And then I went back to school.
[00:14:08] I went to culinary school. I got a degree in culinary arts and restaurant management. I graduated from that, spent a year working on a business plan, and opened up my first business when I was 28, called the Meatball Shop. Super successful. Opened up six of them, sold some equity there, opened up a second restaurant, right in between selling the meatball shop and starting Seymour's.
[00:14:30] We had our first kid, Finley. Second-best day of my life. Actually I should, what was the first that, that's the third best day of my life. I will say that the first, best day of my life for sure was the day I got sober. I don't have any of the stuff that I'm talking about right now without sobriety.
[00:14:48] There's no doubt about it. Nothing exists in my life. Had I not made that decision, the stars aligned for me that day. And so yeah, so had Finley, which was obviously incredible, and then opened up Seymour's and built that brand to seven stores and sold equity there in 2019.
[00:15:10] And, I was going to open up a third restaurant concept,t and then the pandemic hit.
[00:15:19] And so I should mention that when I got sober, I was introduced to a guy, day one. T knew only one sober person. I called her, and I said, Hey Karen, I need help.
[00:15:32] Lindsay: And this was, and real quick, can you just back up a hair to, what was that rock bottom that forced you that day to go for that?
[00:15:43] Michael: So I overdosed late July, right? July 20 something, and I swore to leave that apartment. I swore that I wasn't gonna do this again. I just basically flatlined. And somehow, some way, the girl that I was in that apartment with, put me in a bathtub, put me on my back, turned the cold water on me, and let the cold water run for like 30 minutes.
[00:16:04] And I was in and out of consciousness, and she was terrified to call the ambulance. I didn't know what was going on, but I vaguely remember coming in and outta consciousness. I do remember coming back into my skin, and just like being more scared than ever before in my life, because I knew that I had just died.
[00:16:30] And I was very lucky to be alive. And I lay in a bed shivering for about three hours. I left there early in the evening, and it was a hot summer in New York. I was walking west on 13th Street, and I said, that's it. This is it. How could you have ever let this get this far? Like you're, 23 years old.
[00:16:54] Like, you've got so much life to live. Like, what are you doing? People love you. Like I was having this conversation with myself, like, people love you. Everybody's telling you that you're dying. You're, yeah, you've lost friends, you've burnt bridges. Like you've gotta get it together, dude, but you gotta get it together.
[00:17:11] And I got back to my apartment, and kind of just like four hours later, was right back at it. And I just, I, realized, I was like, oh my gosh. Like, I can't stop this. This is more powerful than me. There's nothing I can do. Like, I don't wanna do this anymore. I am miserable. I hate myself.
[00:17:32] And so I had just made a decision right then and there, I was like, okay, this is gonna be the end. Let's just make…
[00:17:37] Lindsay: Did you, had you had, like, did you have anything else, like a purpose that you would point to? Was there something, do you feel like, you know what I mean? If there had been something that you were, that might sound like a weird question, but it's like, I think that isn't that kind of part of it, too.
[00:17:54] It's like there's not something that you're able to grasp onto to help pull you out of it.
[00:18:01] Michael: Yeah. Yes. That's very, that's, very true. And, unfortunately, at that stage in my life, there was no purpose. I had no purpose. The only thing that was tethering me to life was the job that I had. I had a job in a restaurant, I was a bartender, and I loved my job, and I was able to.
[00:18:20] I carry myself Okay. At work because even if I was up for 24 or 48 hours, I was able to drink and I was able to use it. And it was kind of, not to the extent that I was, but like it was somewhat culturally accepted, right. To use cocaine and drink alcohol around the clock in the world of restaurants.
[00:18:40] Yeah. In the world of nightlife in New York City. And I don't know how bad it is now, but certainly in those days it was bad 21 years ago and before and prior to that, you know, so because
[00:18:52] Lindsay: You were young working in the clubs, right? You had talked about that.
[00:18:55] Michael: Very young. Yeah. Yeah. I got a job in a nightclub when I was 16.
[00:19:00] And, you know, it was the, like, the hottest nightclub in all of New York City. I mean, I was like serving Prince and, you know, Jay-Z and Madonna, and, you know, every, you know, it was nuts. Yeah. And so I was just exposed really young. I also moved outta my parents' house when I was 15. I had a really rough and tumble home life.
[00:19:20] and so I, you know, I just had a lot of stuff going on. And I was like a tried and true, real New York City kid. I just was, I was a New York City kid, and if anybody's ever seen that movie, it kind of depicts it pretty well. So, anyway, I got to this place where I just, I didn't feel like it was possible to stop, so I just said, all right, let's just end it.
[00:19:46] And I didn't have the courage to kill myself, even though there were many moments that I wanted to, but I just didn't have the courage to do it. And so about two weeks later. I had been up for a number of days. I was planning a suicide. And, so for anybody that hears that word,it'ss a trigger.
[00:20:10] I'm sorry, it's just part of my story. But luckily, I was able to pass out. I blacked out before it happened, and I came to, like 16 hours later, I had slept through work and called my boss. I lived upstairs from the bar. I called my boss, and I said, man, I'm so sorry. And he said, Mikey, you gotta come down. And I came down, and he was like, I love you, dude, but you're done.
[00:20:41] You're fired. You know, we all love you, but we know what's happening, and it can't happen here. You know, it just can't happen here. You, this is not the first time, this is not the second time.
[00:20:52] Lindsay: Wow.
[00:20:52] Michael: This has happened way too many times. And you need to get your life together. You need to get sober.
[00:20:58] And when he said that, it was like an echo chamber in my head. It was like I had heard it for the first time, and I certainly knew it wasn't the first time I heard it, but he said, you need to get sober. And I begged him for my job. I said, if I get sober, can I please have my job back? And he said, listen, I can't give you a job working behind the bar here, but if you get sober, I'll allow you to come to the restaurant and clean it with the porters at 8:00 AM And and we'll see how that, how it goes.
[00:21:31] If you have a sip of alcohol or you take the smallest bit of drugs, I will find out, and you're done. And that afternoon, I called the only person I knew who I trusted that was sober, and she said, hang tight, I'm calling my boyfriend. Stay right where you are. She called her boyfriend Marcus.
[00:21:55] I had never met Marcus before, but I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, what was going through my mind is that I'm gonna live my life as a boring, you know, librarian, right? Like, I just didn't know what sobriety was. And this guy walks through the door, shaved head, tattoos, big gold Rolex on, like, tough dude.
[00:22:13] Lindsay: I would've imagined
[00:22:14] Michael: Not what I imagined. And he sat down, and he listened to me for four hours, telling my story. And I looked, I was like, wow, if this is what sobriety is like, I want to be like him. He was like 15 years older than me. Totally the coolest dude ever. I was like, I want to be like him. I wanna be sober and be like him.
[00:22:33] Lindsay: And do you? Were you scared of sobriety and what you're saying because it's like you longed to have a drink or do the drugs, and it's like, you can't envision a life where you can't do that. It's, is that part of what you think?
[00:22:48] Michael: You know, I was still a kid, right? I was 23. Now, most people don't start drinking and using drugs the way I did at 13.
[00:22:57] Right. A lot of city kids do. And a lot of them are dead. And so, you know, but I was a kid, and so I just, I was like, okay, I'm never gonna hook up with a hot girl ever again. Like, that was like, I was like, this is, that's not gonna happen anymore. I'm gonna be this lame, boring guy who, you know, I just didn't know.
[00:23:19] I just didn't know that life was so awesome on the other side of addiction. I had no clue, and I was just scared to death of everything. I was scared because I had used, I was, I, you know, control is obviously something that addicts have a problem with, right? They want to be able to control everything.
[00:23:39] You feel good, you want to control it, and feel better. You feel bad. You want to control it and feel good, right? There's any emotion w with a drink, pen, or drugs, you're really able to enhance it or mute it out. And that is why addiction is, that is why substance is so, it's just so insidious, you know?
[00:24:05] And so I just was terrified, but this guy showed up, and really it was a soft landing because I just felt like this guy really cared, and he didn't know me from Adam.
[00:24:18] Lindsay: And he was sober. Had he, he had gone...
[00:24:20] Michael: He was sober for, he was sober for like 12 or 15 years or something like that. But he's still one of my, one of my great friends, and I still talk to him all the time.
[00:24:31] But basically what he did for me was like, he was like, listen, dude, he listened to me talk for four hours, barely said a word. At the end of it, he was like, I can help you, man. I can help you, but here's the deal. It's gonna be a lot of work, and I'm gonna give you a plan and a structure, and if you stick to this plan and structure, you will have a life way beyond anything you can possibly imagine right now.
[00:24:50] I promise you that. And I was so desperate. And finally I saw, I like, like this guy was like, I was like, man, this guy's gonna be like my older brother. Like he's really gonna carAndand I, 'cause I felt that like almost immediately when meeting him, and he was that, and he wrote me a plan that night.
[00:25:13] Hour by hour of what I was gonna do. And he said, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna help you with the things that you put into your body and the way that you move your body. And we're gonna use those tools to help you build confidence. And this is what it's gonna look like. And basically, the plan was to wake up as early as you can in the morning.
[00:25:37] The minute you wake up, jump outta bed and turn around and make that bed. Go right to the bathroom, brush your teeth, wash your face, put on your contact lenses, take a piss, drop down on your knees, and ask God for help. And I was like, whoa. Like, I, what? What do you mean? And he is like, I don't care if you believe in God, you have any experience with God.
[00:25:55] I don't care about any of that. I don't care. You don't need to know anything about it. Just get on your knees and ask for help because you don't know how to ask for help. And this is the way we're gonna begin practicing that. So get on your knees and ask for help, and then do as many pushups as you can.
[00:26:10] And as soon as you're done with that, put on a pair of shoes and get outta the house and take a walk. It could be a block, it could be 10 blocks. Eventually, it'll turn into a jog. But once you get back home, you're gonna have a big bowl of oatmeal. And that's the first thing nutritionally you're gonna put into your body because it's easy, it's accessible, and you can make it taste like anything you want.
[00:26:29] You can add maple syrup, nuts, berries, fruit, whatever you want to it. And I was like, okay, that sounds easy. And then he said, as soon as you're done with that bowl of oatmeal, you're gonna get to this sober community meeting. You're gonna sit in the front, you're gonna raise your hand, and you're gonna say, I'm an alcoholic.
[00:26:44] And then you're gonna shut up and listen. And then at the end of the meeting, you're gonna try to meet with some people, introduce yourself, get a few phone numbers, and then you're gonna beeline it down to this Muay Thai gym, and I'm gonna teach you how to train in Muay Thai kickboxing. And I was like.
[00:27:00] I've always wanted to be a ninja. I was like, okay. I have no idea what this guy was talking about, but I hadn't been to the gym since I was like 12, right? So I, you know, yeah. I was like, okay. And so then he was like, we're gonna train from 1230 to one 30 or two, and then you're gonna have chicken and broccoli for lunch, and then you're gonna go home.
[00:27:18] You're gonna take a nap, and you're gonna go to work. And, you're gonna work until, you know, work is over. And you're gonna try to have chicken and broccoli again for dinner. And as soon as you're done with work, you're gonna go home, you're gonna wash your face, you're gonna get into bed. And right before you hit, you know, you hit the, you hit, you get into bed, you're gonna drop down again on your knees, you are gonna say thank you.
[00:27:43] You're gonna, you're gonna get into your bed, you're gonna close your eyes, and you're just gonna stay there until you fall asleep. And then it's just rinse and repeat. And I did that, and I have not had enough, a drink or a drug. Since that day, I still do the same thing, basically.
[00:28:04] Lindsay: Followed that same pattern every day?
[00:28:07] Michael: Yeah. I did for years and years, and I mean, I changed the chicken and broccoli a little bit, but I still have oatmeal every day. So I, that was just a preface to like the Kreatures of habit thing. So when I sold Seymour's, and I knew that it, a restaurant, wasn't a possibility because the pandemic was happening, I had to rethink my career.
[00:28:30] I didn't know what was gonna happen with this. I knew a lot of friends of mine in the restaurant business were, you know, closing their stores, and it was, it was a nightmare. So I had some time because I had taken an exit with Seymours. I had some time to really think about what I was gonna do next.
[00:28:50] And I hired an executive coach, and I was convinced that I don't need a restaurant to be my medium. I'm a creative entrepreneur, and I can build a business across any industry. I want to, as long as I put all the tools that I've acquired over the years into that. And so I was like going on long runs and, you know, upstate.
[00:29:16] And one day it just hit me, I was on a run, and I was like, my oatmeal, I was like, I've been eating this oatmeal every single day for years and years.
[00:29:31] Lindsay: Right, and I mean decades.
[00:29:34] Michael: Decades at, well, at that point it was probably like 16, 17 years. Okay. So, yeah. And there were a few, there were obviously, you know, brief moments of time where I transitioned to eggs, but it was always my oatmeal, and it always took me 20 minutes to make, and it was always one of my favorite meals every day.
[00:29:50] Lindsay: Because it was once a ritual that sort of, you were,
[00:29:53] Michael: It was a win.
[00:29:54] Lindsay: Okay.
[00:29:55] Michael: It was a win. I didn't know how powerful a nutritional win was for someone like me at the time that I needed it most.
[00:30:05] But what I learned over the years is that wins are so hard to control. Wins, like real wins, are really, you know, they take an army most of the time and.
[00:30:18] When we have the power to control our winds, what we put into our body and how we move our body. And that's what Marcus told me, dude, you have control over these things. You can control what you eat. And trust me, eating well and healthy is going to make you not only feel better, look better, but also build confidence in your body and a healthy inside.
[00:30:47] and then, also fitness wins. So the oatmeal was a win, and it did change my life. It certainly was a catalyst for that. And so when I was on this run, I was like, oh my gosh, it's been here the whole time. Like, how can I, and I at that point was make, you know, I had like 13 ingredients in my oatmeal, and it took me 20 minutes to make what,
[00:31:08] Lindsay: Wait, what were they like 13? Like what? Can you run that?
[00:31:10] Michael: Yeah. So, it was a blend of rolled and quick oats. Okay, that I would, slowly cook over the stove, pink Himalayan salt, protein powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. And on the side of my oatmeal every single day. And I would always put like cinnamon in there.
[00:31:28] And I would, sometimes I would put a little bit of vanilla extract in there. Every once in a while, some almond butter, you know, I made it kind of tastes whatever, fruit, like, you know, I mixed up my toppings. But the base of it was always oats, pin, Himalayan salt, protein powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
[00:31:49] And then I would top it with berries and nuts and maple syrup and things like that to make it taste the way I wanted it to taste that day. And on the side of my oatmeal every day, I had a probiotic, digestive enzymes, vitamin D3, and Omega-3 fatty acids. And that was sort of like the four supplement stack that I had every single morning.
[00:32:09] So I was on this run, and I'm thinking to myself, man, like, how can I figure out a way to package this? This is like a massive win that's been with me since the day I changed my life. That's gotten me through, you know, finding the woman of my dreams, opening up my first business, and having my kids competing in multiple sports.
[00:32:29] You know, I mean, I, you know, I should also say that like when, because Marcus introduced me to this world of fitness, I became obsessed with fitness, like, obsessed, and, you know,
[00:32:40] Lindsay: I mean, that's part of your business too, right? You coach people,
[00:32:43] Michael: Yeah.
[00:32:43] Lindsay: In fitness.
[00:32:45] Michael: Yeah. So, I mean, I fought Muay Thai kickboxing.
[00:32:48] I ended up, you know, running multiple marathons. I competed in bodybuilding. Like I did all sorts of crazy things, you know, as a hobby. And, you know, so this meal was like, this is how I started my day every day. And it was a, and it's a win, and it still is a win. And so I said, I came back from this run, I said to my wife, I think I know what I'm gonna do.
[00:33:14] And she was like, what? And I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna make my oatmeal business. And she was like, you've really lost it. Like you've really lost it. And that was that, like putting money into a bank account, and I started the process of trying to figure out how to formulate. And, had never done anything in the world of consumer packaged goods or digital sales.
[00:33:36] So I called everybody I knew and I, you know, asked for as much help as I could. And I owe that to my morning practice of getting on my knees and asking God for help, right? Like, I just got so comfortable asking for help. I think the one thing that entrepreneurs, one thing that entrepreneurs, do well is they've just gotten comfortable asking for help.
[00:33:57] Because you need to ask for help. A lot of it. And so I finally, after a year, came up with the formula. I pitched it to Gary Vaynerchuk, Gary Vaynerchuk. I loved the concept, the branding, and the story. You know, this stuff saved my life. and for people
[00:34:17] Lindsay: That doesn't know Gary, Gary is who
[00:34:20] Michael: Gary Vaynerchuk is a media powerhouse. He's just a massive voice in media across multiple categories and has just developed this brand that has inspired and influenced millions and millions of people, myself included. And so we became friends, and I wasn't pitching him as an investor.
[00:34:43] I was just asking him his opinion, and he was like, I want in. And he was the first investor and creature of habit. And, you know, he brought in a bunch of his friends, and we raised some money, and I launched the brand. And, we started with the product, it's called Meal One and it's, and it's a high-protein, overnight oatmeal.
[00:35:03] It's got chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds in it. It's got 30 grams of plant-based protein. It's got probiotic digestive enzymes, vitamin D3, and omega-3s. It comes in seven flavors, and it's. Amazing. And, we've built this awesome community. And since the launch of the Oats, we've also launched a sleep support hot chocolate.
[00:35:26] So it's a melatonin-free sleep support. That's super delicious.
[00:35:30] Lindsay: That sounds amazing. Yeah,
[00:35:31] Michael: It's really good. And then, and then two months ago, we launched what I think will be the greatest product to date, our protein bar called The Daily Bar. And it's an unbelievably clean, delicious protein bar with 20 grams of protein and three grams of creatine.
[00:35:48] So we added a little functionality to it with the creatine. And so, you know, you start your day with Meal One, you have a midday snack with the daily bar, and then you finish with Creature Sleep.
[00:35:58] Lindsay: So, how does this all, how does this align with your passion for helping others and what your journey has been?
[00:36:08] You know, where do those things intersect with this?.
[00:36:12] Michael: Nine out of 10 people wanna live a healthier lifestyle. Not everybody understands how to do it or has the commitment skillset to do it, but if you ask most people, they're gonna say, yeah, I'd love to be in the greatest shape ever. I'd love to be, I'd love to live a healthier way of life.
[00:36:33] I wanted to create a business that was gonna help people with that. And I've, I believe, you know, habits are really hard to sell, right? You can't sell going to bed early. You can't sell waking up early. You can't sell going to the gym, walking 10,000 steps, or reading instead of scrolling at night. I wanted to create some habits that were totally accessible, pricepoint-wisee that would give people an opportunity, as little, you know.
[00:37:03] Like benchmarks throughout the day to say, oh, this is a reminder. I am living this life. I am choosing this over that. And so that's what Kreatures of Habit is. You know, we also raise money with an organization called the Release Recovery Foundation. We raise money every year to pay for people who are struggling with substance abuse, who don't have the means to afford treatment.
[00:37:29] We raise money to sponsor their treatment journey. So that's another big thing that we do. It's an event that we do every year called We'll Wear the Weight, where we rock, you know, people ruck all over the country, and we raise money, and we put people through a treatment center, and we've helped a lot of people get sober that way.
[00:37:47] Lindsay: I'm so embarrassed to ask you, what does the word ruck mean?
[00:37:51] Michael: Ruck is basically, you either have a backpack with weight in it
[00:37:56] Lindsay: Okay.
[00:37:56] Michael: Or you wear a weight vest.
[00:37:58] Lindsay: Okay. Which I love, but,
[00:37:59] Michael: And you.
[00:38:01] Lindsay: I was so captivated by listening to your interview with Rich Roll, and I was like, ruck. I was like, I need to, and recently I realized that there are so many words that I don't know, which is like just me being old, but I was like, what?
[00:38:13] Okay. That's awesome. So, basically you are, you're taking your journey of not having habits or having a habit that nearly killed you to transitioning that for the good of others and service of others, by creating now what you have experienced on the other side, which is really awesome.
[00:38:36] What have you learned about those habits that you were sort of forced to adopt but now are very much a part of your life, just in terms of what you can share about doing that for so long and living in that clean way? What is that like?
[00:38:58] Michael: Discipline is a word that most people cringe when they hear, right? For many people, discipline is punishment. And I have flipped the word discipline on its head. Discipline for me is arguably one of the greatest assets human beings can have in their toolbox because when you know that you're capable of committing to something, the sky is the limit for where you can go with your life.
[00:39:40] And that is what discipline is. Discipline is having the understanding that you do what you say you're gonna do. And that's where respect is. Comes from others. It's, you know, I think the words that come out of our mouths are very powerful. Words are so powerful.
[00:40:05] And if the words that come outta your mouth are not followed through on, you, first and foremost, stop believing in yourself, which is the worst possible thing that can happen, which is why addicts struggle so much because they always say that they're gonna stop and they just never do.
[00:40:24] And so they just look at themselves as liars. But the people around you also begin to adopt that thought about you. And so, discipline for me has been at the cornerstone of my success. And I'm not perfect by any stretch, but discipline for me does equal freedom when I know when there are certain things.
[00:40:50] That I know makes me a better human being, a better father, a better husband, a better business owner, a better brother, a better son. When I know that there are certain things that I can do, because guess what? Discipline is free. It doesn't cost money. It's free, and it's available for all of us. When I have that in my back pocket, I feel full freedom because I know it's better to know what I'm capable of than the uncertainty of what I'm not capable of.
[00:41:26] And I have found that, you know, another thing that I'll say also on this journey is like, I don't say I could think about things all day long. I could write things down, things I want to do, ideas I have. But I've learned that if we come up with this great idea or we have this thing we want to do, it could be a challenge.
[00:41:48] And we tell everybody we know. If we don't do it, we're gonna, we're gonna lose confidence in ourselves and the people around us.
[00:41:58] Lindsay: I think that's brilliant. I love that. Right? Like, you don't have to share everything. Is that what you mean?
[00:42:05] Michael: You not only do, but you also don't have to. You probably shouldn't. I've put a lot of thought into anything that I allow to slip through my lips when it comes to talking to someone else.
[00:42:17] Right. Like, you don't have to tell everybody Yeah. That you're starting to, you know, go to the gym. You don't have to tell everybody that you're cutting out refined sugar. You don't have to tell everybody that, like, you're gonna start, you know, jogging or start a diet. Just do it. And one other thing that I should mention too, and this is something that we alluded to prior to going to live here.
[00:42:42] You don't, if you want to do something you don't need. Everybody who's in your direct circle wants to join your journey. And I could tell you, my wife and I, we've been married for almost 20 years. We've been together since we were kids. I met her nine months after I got sober. So I was 24 when I met her.
[00:43:10] And we're so different. We are, we're so different in many, in, in many ways, but we're, we have the same values in life. I've wanted her to do things with me. We're like, I'm an extreme person, and she's not an extreme person. I've wanted her to do all sorts of crazy things with me. And she's like, no, I have no interest in that.
[00:43:32] And you know, like when it comes to nutrition or fitness, she's just, she's like. Very comfortable, just right down the center. She stays in great shape. She does yoga, and she's on her horse every day. She eats healthily. But she's not gonna go do like a five-day water fast with me, even though I want her desperately to, she's not going to, you know, she has no interest in, you know, competing in a competition or, you know, and that's okay.
[00:44:03] The point that I'm trying to make is that, like, you don't need the people around you to wanna do the exact same things that you're doing when it comes to habits, as long as they're not going to shoot you down for wanting to do them. Right. Like the, like, all you need to ask for is, all you need to ask for is support.
[00:44:25] You don't need to ask for them to do it. Like, because that is a trap when you're like, oh, I'm gonna do this thing, and I need my partner to want to do it with me, and it's gonna be so much easier if we do it together. Could you run into issues there? Because not everybody's gonna wanna do what you wanna do.
[00:44:41] So instead of saying, Hey, do you know, would you do this with me? Hey, I'm gonna do this thing. All I'm asking for is your support. It, like, just supports me on it. And that is gonna be a far more successful path. Trust me. I am, I have, you know, this is something that I'm very experienced in.
[00:45:03] Yeah, ask for support. Don't ask for participation and live your life. And you don't have to do the same thing as your partner. And your partner doesn't have to do the same thing as you, as long as your values align. And so, you know, that is definitely something that I've seen a lot of people, specifically in the sobriety world, you know, people are like, oh, I'm, I want to get sober.
[00:45:25] My. You know, my boyfriend, my girlfriend, my husband, my wife, they're not gonna get sober. And I'm like, that, you're never gonna convince them to want to get sober or be able to control them in any way, shape, or form. People can't control people, so all you gotta do is ask for their support.
[00:45:42] And if they're like totally against supporting you, then you really need to rethink your relationship, you know, because there's one thing for someone to not want to be involved in what you're doing, it's another thing for someone to not wanna support your journey for the greater good.
[00:45:59] Lindsay: And you think from your experience too, and just, you know, people that you've met, that being sober, and you don't have to be with someone that is sober.
[00:46:10] Michael: My wife's not sober. She's not sober.
[00:46:13] Lindsay: Is it hard? Are there times that you struggle wanting again, to have a drink or to do a substance?
[00:46:21] Michael: No, because she's not an alcoholic. And, you know, she'll have a glass of wine every night, and when we travel, she'll have a little bit more. And for me, I play the tape real quick.
[00:46:32] Like, you know, we'll be sitting in Italy at like a, you know, charcuterie spot and she's sipping on a glass of sparkling rose on the, you know.
[00:46:41] Lindsay: Yeah.
[00:46:41] Michael: Looking at the Mediterranean. And the thought comes through my mind, oh my gosh, that would be so wonderful to be able to share a bottle of wine with her. And then I hit play, and I'm like, oh, yeah, like that glass of wine leads to two leads, to three leads
[00:46:55] to me Starting to think about the drugs leads to me not prioritizing my wife and going forward and trying to get what I want, which is ultimately, once that disease of addiction clicks in, no stopping, no holds barred, and then I lose my wife, I lose my kids, I lose my life. I mean, no
[00:47:17] Lindsay: Mentally hitting play is enough at that moment. That's how you do it.
[00:47:22] Michael: Cause I know what happens.
[00:47:24] Lindsay: Yeah, no, thanks for sharing that. I think because I suspect that there are a lot of people who are in that type of boat, and I think that's really clear. a clear example of how to.
[00:47:36] Michael: Alcohol is poison, by the way, you know, and so I like, there's, it's not a surprise that, as wellness is becoming more of a mainstream thing, alcohol consumption is down 50%.
[00:47:50] Now, I think a large chunk of that. Is because people are using their iPhones way more, and they're more addicted to their phones than they are to like community. Like, it's
[00:48:00] Lindsay: An interesting point,
[00:48:01] Michael: Socialization,
[00:48:02] Lindsay: Right?
[00:48:03] Michael: People would rather be sitting on their couch scrolling than they would be going to the bar, potentially, right?
[00:48:10] So I would say that probably plays a role in it, but at the end of the day, alcohol is poison. And the studies that are coming out on alcohol, even at low consumptions, what it does to our bodies is really catastrophic. You know, it's, so, you know, I'm not saying people, everybody should stop drinking a glass of wine, you know, at dinner, but I am saying that, like, if you have ever thought that alcohol is a problem for you, it is.
[00:48:39] If the thought ever crossed your mind, if it's a problem for you, that means that it already is. And life without alcohol, like people are, you know, like, I would say the greatest hack of all time for getting in the best shape and feeling your best and sleeping well. And, you know, being able to show up and be responsible.
[00:48:58] Like the greatest hack in my life period. Done without a doubt, from my experience and from the people that I like to hang with Yeah. Just stop drinking alcohol. It's just like, the minute, you know, I have friends that are like, all right, I'm gonna try it for, you know, 30 days, 60 days. They lose like 10 pounds, and they're like, oh my God.
[00:49:18] Like, I didn't even know this was possible. You know?
[00:49:22] Lindsay: Do you, are there things that you will replace it with if you're in a, you know, if you're in a scenario where other people are drinking?
[00:49:29] Michael: Oh, I'll have a, I'll have a non-alcoholic beer. I love the taste of beer. I'll have non-alcoholic beer.
[00:49:35] Not really a big fan of non-alcoholic wine. It's just, yeah, I just don't feel like it tastes good. But I'll have non-alcoholic beer. I'll smoke a cigar. You know, but really, I'm madly in love with fitness, like madly in love with it. I am happy when I'm training. I really love fitness.
[00:49:57] So like, if there's, I start my day with fitness every single day so that I get that like real, I put my body to work in a way that I just absolutely love. And the thoughts of needing to escape just don't exist in my life. Like, I never think about drinking, I never think about using drugs.
[00:50:20] Lindsay: And, you also, wasn't it, am I correct, and I don't wanna be sharing your story, but the relationship with your father was part of what led to the addiction.
[00:50:30] Is that fair to say? What do you think?
[00:50:32] Michael: Yeah, I mean, I think that I was predisposed to this, not that every person predisposed to addiction is going to take the bait, but. Predisposition genetically to addiction with a lot of trauma at home, specifically between the ages of birth and seven, you know, my household was like, it was like a danger zone.
[00:50:57] It was violent, it was abusive. My mother was very loving, but she was also caught in the crossfire and abused by my dad. My father was just a very angry guy, and he didn't know how to control himself, and he took a lot of his anger and aggression out on me specifically. And so we had a lot of trouble together, and it started really young.
[00:51:19] And, you know, I became a very rebellious kid that I would not wish on any parent, I wouldn't wish me on anyone, you know, and I'm a dad now, and I have two sons that I am so deeply madly in love with and my family. I am so grateful and proud. Of the family life I have now. I mean, it's like anybody looking at my family, my childhood would never, ever paint a picture of the family life I have now.
[00:51:49] I mean, we have breakfast every morning, we have dinner every night. We hang out all the time. All I want to do is be with them. I like, you know, I'm a business guy and I've spent years and years building businesses, and I could honestly say all I want to do is go on vacation with my family. And I'm not ashamed to say that.
[00:52:06] Like that's all I want to do. And so I work my ass off to be able to do that as much as possible.
[00:52:11] Lindsay: Do you have a favorite vacation spot with your family?
[00:52:14] Michael: I mean, there's, we love Mexico. Okay. And we're going in a couple of weeks. We love Mexico, but my wife is Danish, so we go to Denmark every summer. And Denmark in the summertime is just a really special place, specifically in these little beach towns that surround Copenhagen.
[00:52:36] There. It's just, it's a magical place. And so we, you know, we love that.
[00:52:41] Lindsay: You said something that I just, that I wanna circle back to because I think it's really important for people to know, and I'm not sure exactly why, but I think that there's a lot more to unpack and it's the piece of, when you described the brain firings, what was the word you used, for the expert lipid system?
[00:52:59] Yes. So when I was having a conversation down in Lexington at that recovery program, one of the experts down there was saying the exact same thing and was really talking about how there is a correlation between being a disease,e and some people have the wiring for it,t and some people don't. And what they were also talking about is that oftentimes, people who have found themselves in the boat where they have become addicted, there's also a connection to a feeling of loneliness.
[00:53:34] Somewhere in their past. And maybe that loneliness isn't just, oh, you feel lonely, but it's some feeling that you can't explain. And maybe it is born from some sort of trauma. But I just found that fascinating because I just think it really backs up the fact that it is a disease. And it kind of circles back to the whole thing of, you know, anyone can overcome it.
[00:53:56] You have to put in the work, but it's, you know, people should not be lost causes, I guess is what I mean.
[00:54:01] Michael: Yeah. Look, there's no cure.
[00:54:03] Lindsay: Right?
[00:54:04] Michael: Right. There's no cure. But there are many ways to live life happily and sober. And unfortunately, you know, it's pretty, woo like, how to do it. And because…
[00:54:28] Lindsay: Meaning?
[00:54:28] Michael: It means like you, like, developing a relationship with God is really important. And I know that's not for everyone. It's just not. And so that's why a lot of people struggle with it. But I just know from my personal experience that, and I'm not a religious person at all, there's, we don't, you know, we celebrate Christmas, but like, we're not churchgoers or, you know, we don't, but I am deeply grateful for my relationship to God.
[00:55:00] And what that means for me is that I'm just never alone. I'm never alone. I check in every day. I talk to God. I really do believe that there's something out there that's just looking out for me. And not everybody's gonna want to get on board with that. But that is, it has been like a really successful component for people in recovery.
[00:55:25] And, you know, if you are. An addict. I would encourage you to change that terminology to not say I am an addict, or my brother is an addict. It is. I have an addiction. My brother has an addiction. It's like, you wouldn't say I am cancer.
[00:55:54] Lindsay: Right.
[00:55:55] Michael: You would say, I have cancer,
[00:55:57] Lindsay: I have an addiction.
[00:55:58] Michael: It's a disease. I have an addiction.
[00:56:02] Yeah. And so I guess just to bring it back to the, you know, Kreatures Of Habit is a business that I run. It was based on my journey in, in, in coming from the dark to the light. And it's giving me a real opportunity to tell my story and impact as many people as possible.
[00:56:19] So that's kind of the path that I'm walking as well, you know, with Kreatures of Habit and the personal brand.
[00:56:25] Lindsay: What would you say the thing no one tells you is from your experience on your journey?
[00:56:38] Michael: You know, if you're listening to this, that means that you have gotten through every single hard thing that's come your way in your life. We get through whatever is thrown our way. It might not be the way we want. The outcome might not be exactly what we had hoped for or planned for, but we get through everything.
[00:57:06] So no matter how hard it gets,
[00:57:13] What I've learned is you don't need anything, have everything you need to get to where you want to go, and when we're deep in it, and the hard stuff is happening, we might not believe that. We might not be able to touch, tap into that. But the truth is, if you're alive, you've gotten through every single hard thing that's come your way to date, every single hard thing, and all you need
[00:58:00] is this, your heart and your soul. And, I don't know if that's, you know, something that nobody tells you. But I do think that understanding for me,
[00:58:19] I have, realistically, spent 11 years of my life running away. Running away. And the last 21 years of my life, I have been running to everything as fast as I can. I run to the hard stuff because there's only one way to the other side. And that's through it. It's through. You can't run around it. You'll run in circles.
[00:58:52] Lindsay: Yep.
[00:58:53] Michael: You can't brush it under the rug. It's not going anywhere. And so I guess what I've learned that maybe nobody tells you is that when the hard stuff comes, lean in, really be an observer. Because that is what growth is. That is what is required for real, true growth.
[00:59:17] Lindsay: Thank you so much for sharing your story.
[00:59:19] Can you, before we say bye, can you just share like three of the most important habits or the habits that you really think that people should leave here with today? Yeah. I mean, of course, I wanna send them to you, and we will do that, but just what, from your experience?
[00:59:36] Michael: So I think the biggest, the biggest one, and this might sound weird, is going to bed early, setting go-to-beded alarm.
[00:59:50] Okay. And that's not possible for everyone who has, you know, late-night shifts, things like that. But the one thing that I can honestly say has really been massive in my life is going to bed early. And the reason why is, first and foremost, nothing really great happens post 9:30 PM. People don't write books about people accomplishing things and, you know, 9:30 PM outside of, like, war stories, right?
[01:00:19] Right. Most, most great things happen when the sun's up. And so by going to bed at nine 30, waking up at five 30 in the morning just happens. It just happens, right? Like it's eight hours. Like, and the beauty of 5 35 to five 30 in the morning is that you get like an hour and a half before most people on the planet wake up.
[01:00:42] Lindsay: That is my sweet spot. That is my goal. Yep.
[01:00:45] Michael: Yep. So for me, you know, my wife and I wake up at like six 3,0 and I'm typically out of bed, out of bed by five 15, which gives me a good hour and a chance to fully indulge in myself. Like I, you know, if it, whether I wanna work out, whether I wanna sit in the sauna, whether I wanna meditate, do cold plunges, like I have all these things that I like to do.
[01:01:10] I'm a bit of a habit nut, but having that time in the morning means you've just lit. You can't buy time; you cannot buy time. It is the one thing money cannot purchase, but you can sacrifice nighttime hours to earn early morning hours. So if you wake up an hour earlier, every single day, you've just, let's just imagine that's seven hours a week.
[01:01:38] That's 365 hours a year. That's 15 straight days, 15 straight, 24 hours a day, 24-hour days a year that you just won, that you just earned back into your life. And typically, those hours when you're fresh outta bed, they might not start super productive because you're just getting used to it. But once you get into the groove of being up early in the morning, you are the most productive.
[01:02:07] The most productive. And so I would say that going to bed early, setting the go to bed alarm is the, is really a great place to start with, like a tangible habit,
[01:02:18] Lindsay: Great idea.
[01:02:20] and also a good, great way to expose your children to that situation. Like, Hey, we're doing this, we're setting this alarm at night.
[01:02:29] You know what I mean? That's an easel, that's a tangible thing that I can actually envision, you know?
[01:02:35] Michael: Totally.
[01:02:36] Lindsay: Back timing. I don't know. Maybe.
[01:02:39] Michael: No. I think I, yes. Like, I just think that like, you know. Going, you know, putting the, we have kids, so we put the kids down at eight o'clock, you know, they're down by eight 30, and then Donna and I hang out for an hour,
[01:02:51] Lindsay: Right.
[01:02:52] Michael: Hour and a half before bed. We're in bed by nine 30. Most nights we're asleep by 10. You know, and you know, that that's kind of the way I like to live my life. And then the second biggest habit I would say, is getting up early in the morning, getting up early in the morning. You know, there are textbooks written about the Power of 5:00 A.T here are's, multiple books written about it because of how powerful it is.
[01:03:16] Those early morning hours that you get to like, really work on yourself and grow and be selfish. Be selfish when you're not sacrificing time with the family. and, and then the last one, I think for me, you know of course, like nutrition and fitness, like, I mean, if I had to choose one from my personal life, I would choose just being open-minded to the world of spirituality.
[01:03:53] Lindsay: That, and I love how you said that you're open to spirituality, and I also think it takes me back to how we started with what I was saying about where I just came from. I see that in sports all the time. It's not just being open to spirituality, but it's also something you said, which is being self-reflective and actually taking the time.
[01:04:20] I heard more than one of the athletes that I've recently talked to say I had to take time for self-review. When they do that, it's not only that there's a realization of the things that they could do better and a really honest assessment of that, and even sometimes asking others about that for their insight, but it's also an openness that allows sort of magic to happen.
[01:04:43] It's real. I know that sounds woo, I love when you use that word, but it's like I'm all in with that, and it's because I believe it personally, but it's also because I have seen it so many times, too many times in sports to not believe it, you know? So
[01:05:00] Michael: Can I just say one more because I think it's important, especially today, to spend as much time as you possibly can laughing with and loving the people closest to you, as much time laughing and loving the people that mean the most to you.
[01:05:27] Because we are in a world that is driving us further and further away from human connection. And we are one of the few beings on the planet that have the ability to love. And that's what we are here to do. That is, the main purpose of human beings is to love and be loved. It just is. And elephants and dolphins, and I think penguins, maybe.
[01:05:58] Lindsay: Yeah,
[01:05:58] Michael: We have this ability to love and be loved and live life without taking full advantage of that. And laughing as much as possible is a way of life, not living to the greatest of abilities. So if there's one thing you can do today, just turn around to the person you love and tell 'em you love 'em, and give 'em a hug.
[01:06:18] Tell your friends something awesome about themselves. Make sure that you're finding ways to laugh every day. And something that I do every single morning, which is really silly, but it is really powerful, is I smile, first thing I smile, and I go right into a gratitude list. And I know that's, that might sound corny to people, but like,
[01:06:41] Lindsay: Even if there's not something that makes you smile, you just make
[01:06:43] Michael: Like, it's hard.
[01:06:44] Most mornings to do. It's hard, most mornings, to do. But anybody listening here, I would encourage you to just give it a shot, wake up, and then smile, because it's really hard to be angry when you're smiling. It's really hard to be super stressed out when you're smiling and just hold it for like 30 seconds.
[01:07:06] And I promise you, you're gonna feel something, I promise
[01:07:12] Lindsay: Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your story and just, and your, you know, expertise and things that you've learned. This is awesome.
[01:07:20] Michael: Stoked to be here. Really grateful that you asked me to come on. And, yeah. Thank you. I hope I said something that made it, made someone smile.
[01:07:29] Lindsay: Well, I know you did, and I can't wait to, you know, to share all the good news about Kreatures of Habit and just, you know, for people to follow along with, all your things. So thank you.
[01:07:39] Michael: Thanks so much.
[01:07:40] Lindsay: There are so many little gems in what Michael really loves that I think are awesome for anybody.
[01:07:46] I mean, whether it's the food you eat, whether it's the time you go to bed, I know, like myself, I now have to sleep with an eye mask because I've gotten so used to it. But I have found that it really helps me, and it actually, I believe, helps me fall asleep, which may sound cheesy, but I think it's great.
[01:08:03] Anyway, I was really appreciative of him being so open and so detailed, sharing his story, and I also love how, you know, he's honest in the fact that it's a daily battle, and we know that. But also, if you're looking at it just from using the tools that he has learned through his journey, I think it's super valuable.
[01:08:21] So if you loved this episode, we would love for you to rate and review. And as always, one of the best ways that you can support is by sharing this podcast episode with a friend from our team here at Things No One Tells You, to you. Thank you so much for joining this episode, and we will see you next week.
[01:08:37] Thanks so much for joining me. I can't wait to see you back here next week. Please don't forget, follow and subscribe to Things No One Tells You. And of course, if you're listening to Apple Podcasts, don't forget to leave a five-star review because that's really what helps people get more listeners. We would love to grow this community.
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