What if your deepest pain could become your greatest power? In this episode, Greg sits down with David Gilbert—elite executive coach, breathwork facilitator, and author—to explore how we can transform trauma into what he calls soul gold.
David opens up about the formative events that shaped his inner world, including the loss of his father and the emotional impact of his parents’ divorce. He explains how these experiences led him to feel voiceless and powerless—and how that pain ignited a lifelong journey into hypnosis, breathwork, and altered states of consciousness.
Rooted in the metaphor of alchemy, David shares how emotional “lead” can be transmuted into wisdom, resilience, and purpose. This conversation unpacks the psychological, spiritual, and physiological layers of human growth, drawing on David’s work in meta performance coaching and human optimization.
🔍 Topics we cover:
Understanding the phases of alchemy as a blueprint for transformation
How breathwork and altered states unlock repressed emotion and accelerate healing
Why peak performance isn’t enough—and how meta performance creates sustainable growth
The symbolic meaning behind David’s tattoos and how they reflect personal evolution
Creating a thrilling life vision rooted in self-awareness and spiritual alignment
The role of grief, identity shifts, and inner ceremony in the transformation process
From confronting pain to reclaiming voice, this episode is a deep dive into what it means to evolve on every level—emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.
Whether you’re healing, building, or reinventing your identity, this episode invites you into your own alchemical journey.
🎧 Hit play and begin turning your wounds into wisdom.
Check out David's website here!
And find him on YouTube!
00:00 Introduction: Turning Trauma into Gold
00:10 Early Life and Formative Experiences
01:15 College Years and Hypnosis Revelation
02:33 Breathwork and Emotional Breakthrough
04:47 Discovering Soul Gold
05:50 Business Ventures and Personal Growth
08:37 The Alchemy of Tattoos
17:15 The Golden Thread and Alchemical Journey
19:57 Coaching Philosophy and Techniques
31:06 The Evolution of Identity
32:24 Releasing Repressed Emotions
32:40 The Deto Ceremony
34:26 Heart Opening and Soul Gold
35:06 The Distillation Phase
37:53 Breath Work and Altered States
43:22 The Journey of Transformation
50:28 The Alchemical Journey
51:03 Overcoming Barriers to Transformation
57:12 Final Thoughts and Reflections
