Bankruptcies are on the rise, Christopher Columbus’s legacy sparks debate, and toilet plume could be spreading germs throughout your bathroom!
On today’s Tola Talks, I cover personal finance, Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and simple ways to improve bathroom hygiene. Plus, get your daily ABC’s: All-body Workout, Blissful Sleep, and Colorful Diet.
Three Tola Takeaways: Respect your ABC’s, reach out to someone, and keep an open mind!
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
Joe Rogan just signed a new multi-year Spotify deal reportedly worth $250 million! On this Friday edition of Tola Talks, I dive into the biggest stories of the day, from celebrity podcast success and capital punishment, to losing that pesky spare tire and the future of public education.
🎙️ WHAT’S COOKING TODAY?
🔥 Joe Rogan’s $250 Million Deal — What makes The Joe Rogan Experience so successful? I discuss Rogan’s massive new deal, his incredible audience, and the importance of maintaining creative freedom.
⚖️ Capital Punishment & the Firing Squad — I share my personal perspective on the death penalty, drawing on a heartbreaking family tragedy and discussing the difficult questions surrounding justice, accountability, and consequences.
💪 How to Lose That Pesky Spare Tire — Want to manage your weight and stay accountable? I share practical advice inspired by a conversation at the gym, including his philosophy of daily weigh-ins, staying within a 5-pound weight range, making smarter food choices, and replacing traditional bread with protein bread. These ideas connect to Step 3 of my book, How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth: 30 Steps to Everlasting Youth — Love the Scale!
📚 Public Education, AI & the Future of Work — I examine reported math and reading proficiency figures for Indianapolis Public Schools students and explores the role of artificial intelligence, the importance of education, and opportunities in skilled trades and blue-collar careers.
Have an awesome day and amazing weekend everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
What does success really mean? Is success about money, fame, status, and the freedom to say “F you” to the world? Or is it something deeper?
In this special Sunday edition of Tola Talks, I reflect on a conversation with a 23-year-old guy at the gym, another conversation with an older, wealthy man, and the very different ways they define success. This is also my 350th Tola Talks episode over 12 years—and it got me thinking about what really matters as we get older.
For me, success comes down to three things: Mind. Body. Spirit.
A clear and developed mind. A strong and healthy body. An evolved and loving spirit.
Money can make life easier. Fame can feel good. Status can open doors. But when you reach the end of your life, are those really the things you’ll wish you had more of?
I’ll share why I believe discipline, health, learning, kindness, presence, and doing the right thing are ultimately a better measure of success than the size of your bank account.
And for the younger people watching: you don’t get there overnight. You get there one workout, one decision, and one day at a time.
89 days left in the year. How many workouts are you going to get in?
My answer: 89.
Get your workout in. Stay present. Keep your mind sharp. Keep your body strong. Keep your spirit evolving. Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
Do you believe in capital punishment? And if so, which method would you choose—lethal injection, electrocution, or firing squad?
On today’s Tola Talks, I share my personal position on the death penalty and explain how a devastating family tragedy shaped the way I think about murder, justice, punishment, and accountability. I also discuss the recent case of Christa Pike, whose execution attempt in Tennessee drew renewed attention to the debate over lethal injection and the death penalty. This isn’t just a discussion about politics or statistics. It’s about what happens when an issue becomes personal—and how our own experiences can shape what we believe.
Plus, I cover my ABC’s: All-body workout, Blissful sleep, and Colorful diet, and finish with my three Tola Takeaways:
1) Respect your ABC’s every day.
2) Pick up the phone and call someone—don’t just text.
3) Be open-minded and respect that others may see things differently.
Have an awesome weekend everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
The message is simple: you can’t just believe change is going to happen—you have to build the habits, small victories, and mindset that make you know it’s already happening.
I also talk about my daily ABC’s: All-Body Workout, Blissful Sleep, and Colorful Diet, and why consistency matters even on the days when you don’t feel your best.
Finally, I share a few powerful lessons and quotes from Theodore Roosevelt, Venus Williams, and Sir Edmund Hillary, along with a reminder inspired by Kobe Bryant: sometimes you have to create the mindset first, then live it until it becomes who you are.
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
What happens after you lose the weight? That’s the question we dive into today.
On today’s Tola Talks, I explore what it really means to embrace a fat-burning mindset and why creating a new psychological “normal” can be just as important as the actions themselves.
Drink less, especially sugary drinks and other high-calorie beverages
I also discuss homeostasis—our tendency to return to familiar patterns—and share a powerful analogy about repeatedly walking across a grassy field to explain why old habits can be so difficult to break.
The message is simple: changing your body starts with changing your conditioning. Build the habits you want to become your new normal, reinforce them every day, and stay consistent.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency, conditioning, and believing you can change.
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
A 9-year-old solving a Rubik’s Cube in 2.76 seconds. A 78-year-old becoming a Fortnite streamer. Calvin Harris performing for 1.6 million people. And a kid practicing basketball for hours until he became a legend.
What do all of these stories have in common?
Anything’s possible.
In today’s Tola Talks, I discuss the power of dreaming, taking action, practicing every day, and celebrating the small victories along the way.
I also talk about the ABC’s — All-body workout, Blissful sleep, and Colorful diet — and why building a strong foundation can help you create the life you want. Plus, I share my own 20-year journey toward filmmaking, from taking my first acting class in New York to writing scripts and making three films.
The message is simple: don’t wait for the perfect moment. Start. Keep going. Learn through trial and error. And don’t stop believing that something bigger is possible.
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
September is National Self-Care Awareness Month and National Self-Improvement Month—and they go hand in hand.
On today’s Tola Talks, I share 10 practical tips to make your life better, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit. From mindfulness and hydration to daily exercise, better sleep, continuous learning, connecting with others, and tracking your progress, these are simple actions you can start putting into practice today.
Plus, there’s a special birthday shoutout to Bruce Springsteen, reflecting on how Bruce’s music impacted my life, all the while wrapping it up with my three Tola Takeaways:
Respect the ABC’s.
Value your community.
Be open-minded.
You may not be able to control everything happening in the world—but you can control how you spend your time, how you care for your body, and the choices you make every day.
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
Today’s Tola Talks is all about our International Day of Peace, Bitcoin heading to the moon, and the opening of George Lucas’s incredible Museum of Narrative Art in LA.
As always, I wrap it up with my three simple takeaways: exercise your body, spread goodwill, and stay open-minded. Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in!
On today’s Tola Talks, I explore the decline in marriage and the impact on society, sharing insights on modern dating, family values, and unconventional ways to find love, like visiting Costco. I also emphasize the importance of face-to-face interactions and community in building meaningful relationships.
Have an awesome day everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R
