Shows
The Dare to Dream Podcast#227 - Cat Sposato - Trading Stability for Passion In Travel MediaFrom her college radio station to NPR, and now the travel media brand Afar, Cat Sposato has let her curiosity and intuition guide her to both foreign shores and renowned newsrooms. With her finger on the pulse of travel trends and cultural insights, Cat fosters a keen understanding of the media world and where it’s heading. She’s written for a variety of prestigious media outlets and has paved her own path in the industry through self-belief, persistence, and by continually embracing uncertainty, making her a dreamer we all ca...2025-08-131h 12The Dare to Dream Podcast#224 - You're Exactly Where You're Meant To BeEverything has happened for a reason, and that reason is to bring you to this moment.With what you’ve experienced and what you know, what will you decide to change?How do you want your future to look?Who do you want to become?You are exactly where you’re meant to be.Do you believe that?If you want to change, it’s up to you to create...2025-07-241h 00The Dare to Dream Podcast#223 - Santana Vega Yturralde - A Valley Always Precedes a PeakOur great friend Santana is a man who embodies the entrepreneurial spirit. Daring. Adventurous. A lifelong student. Passionate. Big-hearted. He's creating something very special in the world, putting himself and his communications coaching business on the line again and again in his everlasting pursuit of excellence. Because anything less just won't do. What's great about talking to Santana is he doesn't shy away from sharing his missteps, stumbles, sacrifices. He's right there in the pit with us, following his...2025-07-161h 08The Dare to Dream Podcast#221 - The Complexities of Turning ThirtyAre we supposed to have our lives together by thirty? It can certainly feel that way—especially when we’re comparing ourselves to friends, coworkers, and, of course, people on Instagram.Our thirties carry a certain weight. They mark the shift between the freewheeling twenties and the decade where we're supposed to start families, plant roots, and finally figure it all out.But maybe that’s all just a facade. The truth? Nobody really has their sh*t together—we’re all just figuring it out as...2025-07-0126 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#219 - Dancing With Life: Embracing the Spiritual Teachings of Michael SingerIn this conversation, we delve into the spiritual teachings of Michael Singer, whose booksThe Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment have greatly enhanced both of our lives. Yet it’s his cheerfully free lectures on Youtube that we come back to daily. His lessons focus on enjoying the journey of life rather than fixating on outcomes; fostering a profound sense of gratitude for life on earth; and surrendering to the flow of nature, rather than fighting it. Perhaps most helpful is the recognition that external achievements will not fix what...2025-06-1846 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#217 - Stay OpenSpiritual practices that are changing my life, and my first day in a new town.For more Dare to Dream content find us on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dare-to-dream-podcast/id1522983890 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/599zlweDDcmXP5YhOX6TFw YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoimyPFCjO_qrJhH4ALafcA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedaretodreampodcast/Vincent's Book, When the Sky Opens and the Answers Shimmer: https://www.amazon.com/When-Sky-Opens-Answers-Sh...2025-06-0610 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#215 - Achieving vs. Enjoying—Which Is More Important?Are we here to achieve things in our lives, or are we here to simply enjoy our lives? Push ourselves to meet our goals, or chill more and just let life happen? And when we push too hard, striving to reach our dreams or get the job or get in perfect shape, how do we navigate that inevitable stage of burnout? These are the questions that keep Gregory and Vincent up at night. Luckily, they got together for another epis...2025-05-2143 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#213 - Are You Enjoying the Journey of Being Alive?This solo episode explores the question: are you are truly enjoying the experience, the journey, of being alive?What else matters besides that?It makes no difference whether the experience you’re in right now is positive or negative—are you embracing it? Drawing inspiration from Michael Singer's teachings, Vinny emphasizes the importance of surrendering to life’s flow to find meaning in both the highs and lows of human experience. Vinny reflects on his personal struggles, including chronic pain and...2025-05-0623 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#211 - Vinny - Deepen Your Life By Taking On a Worthy ChallengeVinny here. I’m gearing up to write my first fiction novel, based on my experience living in Japan. It’s daunting to write fiction when there’s already so much good stuff out there. So why do it?Because if you’re a dreamer, there’s no alternative. The point of writing a book isn’t to be better than other books; I’m not trying to be the next Hemingway, or Kerouac, or Murakami.The point to me is honestly n...2025-04-2234 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#210 - Scotty Scheller - How to Become an Expert Experimenter and Stop Taking Life So SeriouslyScotty Scheller is a full-time content creator and brand strategist. With over 7 years of experience in the digital space, he’s worked with 100+ brands and helped generate over $10 million per year in revenue through UGC (user-generated content) and social-first marketing strategies. Scotty specializes in helping creators turn their passion into a full-time career and guiding brands to create scroll-stopping content that converts. You name a brand, he's probably worked with them in one way or another. He’s built a powerful personal brand that bridges authenticity and impact and as t...2025-04-161h 03The Dare to Dream Podcast#209 - Vinny & Greg - How to Make It Through the Valley of DespairAfter committing to something for years, months, even weeks, you start to feel the burnout. You aren’t seeing the return that you expected, and it feels just plain hard.Don’t quit. This is the valley of despair, a necessary chapter of any journey worth taking. It’s when things don’t make sense. You don’t feel inspired like you did in the beginning. And you just don’t see the point of sticking it out. It’s also the point that most people give...2025-04-1146 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#208 - Thea Lauzon - Rewrite The Story of Your LifeThea was 20 years old when doctors told her she had signs of early onset Alzheimer's disease. After seven debilitating concussions, she suffered from chronic migraines, insomnia, and even temporary paralysis. Then, in what can only be described as a miracle, she completely healed herself in 2 months. She is now the founder of Rising Generations, a business and mindset coaching company with a goal of helping young entrepreneurs launch their first businesses. Rather than placing a heavy focus on money, she helps people build businesses that set their soul on fire!2025-04-021h 04The Dare to Dream Podcast#207 - Vinny & Greg - It Doesn't Matter If You Fail; You Must TryIt’s scary to ask people to pay you for what you do. What if they say no? Well, then you’re right where you started. But at least you took action, and you tried. The only way to conquer that fear of failure is by taking action—any sort of action. Throwing your hat in the ring, and knowing, at least, that you tried. On this episode of DTD, we explore the life-changing power of taking bold action, the importance of playfulness when grappling with daunting life experiences, and the...2025-03-2752 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#206 - Jackie Simek - Become Leveraged & Loaded and Harness the Power of EFT Tapping to Create Your Dream LifeJackie Simek is a scaling strategist and mindset coach for unapologetic and ambitious holistic wellness practitioners that are here to create radical change in the world, without burning out. Jackie coaches clients to transform their businesses with her signature Leveraged&Loaded™️Business Model, which allows clients to get paid top dollar, lead a business that consistently brings in clients and still allows them to close their laptop by 3pm, so they can frolic off to the organic grocery store. Jackie spent 15 years building compani...2025-03-1457 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#205 - Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs to Move Toward the Life of Your DreamsThe difference between you and the person you want to be is mindset. The person you want to be isn’t any better than you are now; they just believe they deserve to be there. On this episode, Vincent discusses the limiting beliefs that have held him back, as well as his recent insights related to embarking on the next phase of his career as a writer, creator, and mindbody coach. Ideas explored in this episode:This podcast documents what it’s like in the midst of uncertainty, not on...2025-03-0632 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#204 - June An - How to Build Heart-Centered Community and Deeply Connect with OthersJune An is the founder of The Group, the anti-networking networking community that is taking over San Diego. This heart-centered community was born from the triumphs and trials of his own entrepreneurial journey. Inspired by his experiences, June founded The Group with a clear mission: to empower individuals to overcome obstacles and pursue their dreams with renewed hope and determination. The Group is more than just a community; it’s a place where dreams are nurtured and people come together to achieve their full potential—both personally and professionally.2025-02-261h 04The Dare to Dream Podcast#203 - Succeed at the Game of Life by Making Every Day a Finish LineIn our modern age of TikTok and Instagram reels, we’re constantly bombarded with businesses and individuals that make us believe overnight success is a real thing. One day the person was just an average bloke, and the next they have 30 million views on YouTube. It’s enticing to believe that can be us, too. We just have to hit the algorithm, the trend, the title just right and BAM, we may go viral! We’re here to tell you that overnight success is a myth. What you don’t see behi...2025-02-2050 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#200 - Maria Soprano - How to Heal Your Mind, Body, & Soul with Whole Organic FoodsMaria Soprano went from being perpetually sick, on 17 pills a day and about to be wheelchair bound to 100% healthy and climbing volcanos in Guatemala. She overcame everything from autoimmune disease to colitis. She beat her depression and social anxiety. How'd she do it? Through a whole food vegan lifestyle. In this episode expect to learn:- How to find your purpose during your darkest hours- Why you need to be extremely specific with what you ask the universe for- How to eat vegan but never feel...2025-01-2858 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#199 - The World Needs Your Art, Creativity & Passion, Now More Than EverThe world is hurting right now. We’re all affected no matter how removed from the pain we might seem as individuals, whether it’s the fires in LA, the wars in Europe and the Middle East, or the general conflicts of ideology.
It might seem like we’re on the precipice of destruction, but this is nothing new. Times have never been ‘normal.’
It’s so easy to say, why bother? It’s a fair question. Why continue striving to be better? Why pursue your art, personal betterment, or whatever lights...2025-01-2151 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#198 - Julie Trainer - How to Move Through Grief & Find The Hidden Gifts of LossJulie Trainer is a TEDx speaker and host of the Hidden Gifts of Loss podcast. She started the podcast a few years ago after the loss of her parents and found sharing her story to be incredibly healing.
She believes there are no coincidences and when someone comes into your life, it's because you can teach each other something.
In this video expect to learn:
- How to set micro-goals toward your dreams
- What most people get wrong about grief
- How to find the hidden gifts of loss in your...2025-01-1553 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#196 - Life Is Better Without ExpectationsIn this solo episode of the Dare to Dream podcast, I (Vincent) share my recent experiences in Osaka and Kyoto, reflecting on the value of letting go of expectations and embracing the reality of the situation.
I discuss viewing ourselves and life as a weather system; there’s nothing to change, hold on to, or worry about. Life is weather. Some days are sunny and the next are rainy. I like the beach in the sun and I like to be cozy in the rain. All seasons of life have their pros and cons. To...2024-12-2340 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#194 - Gregory's Journey to Giving a TEDx Talk in 2025This is a quick solo episode to share a HUGE announcement and life update with y'all. I'm going to be giving a TEDx talk in 2025!
Tune in for some fun reflections on the journey and a major lesson that I'm learning as I begin to cross some serious milestones of my dreams list.
For more Dare to Dream content, find us on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dare-to-dream-podcast/id1522983890
2024-12-0518 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#193 - Dr. Peter Zafirides MD - Insights Into Chronic Pain, Depression, and Mind-Body HealingChronic pain is a topic that’s often been explored on this podcast, as Vinny has been traversing a bout of chronic back pain for the entirety of his twenties.
That makes this episode a special one, as we sat down with Dr. Peter Zafirides, co-founder and president of Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine in Columbus, and key player in the world of mind-body healing.
On this episode of DTD, Dr. Zafirides shares his journey as a psychiatrist, as well as profound insights into depression, chronic pain, and the mind-body co...2024-11-271h 21The Dare to Dream Podcast#192 - It Doesn't Need To All Happen NowThere is nothing to solve right now.
There is nothing to be right now.
There is nothing to fix, to understand, to discover, to heal.
There is no finish line that you must reach which will mean you’ve finally made it.
Tune out the noise on social media and elsewhere that says we must do more and be more now. That’s not reality.
Achieving our goals takes patience. Patience plus consistently doing the work...2024-11-2252 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#191 - John Milikowsky - Becoming an Expert, Finding Purpose, and Facing Fears After FiftyJohn Milikowsky is the coolest attorney you've ever met. He is the founder and principal of Milikowsky Tax Law, based out of Encinitas California. Their mission is to produce extraordinary results by relentlessly analyzing, strategizing, and executing actions to reduce a business tax risk to an insignificant amount.
As sexy as that sounds, we spent today's conversation focused more on our shared love of seeking discomfort and lifelong learning and less on tax.
Expect to learn:
Why John started facing his fears after turning 50
How to make everything...2024-11-131h 07The Dare to Dream Podcast#190 - Reignite the Heart of the ChildIt’s Saturday, and I (Vinny) want to get out of Tokyo and into some nature. It’s a rainy day. I decide to go about two hours north of Tokyo into the hills of Okutama, where there’s a lake, hiking, and a charming town.
I stand on the platform, waiting for the train. Rain is coming down beyond the roofs of the station. I have coffee warming my hands, and an adventure in store. I feel like me. Happy. I don’t need much else.
We’re struggling t...2024-11-0536 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#189 - Lori Wallace - Collaborating with Chance, Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone, Illustrating Healthy Masculinity, and Using Depression as a Tool For Self-TransformationLori is the founder of Career Ecology and BuzzLink, two platforms dedicated to fostering authentic connection in the world.
With over 20 years of experience as an executive recruiter, Lori blends ecology and psychology to dismantle barriers to human connection. Her work centers on liberating authenticity at critical touch points in everyday life.
In this episode expect to learn:
- How Gregory's workshop helped Lori take BOLD action toward getting her poetry book published
- What biomimicry is and why Lori believes in mother nature
- How you can use depressive episodes as tools for...2024-10-291h 18The Dare to Dream Podcast#188 - Unlocking Our Soul's Greatest Treasure Through SufferingWhat is the meaning of suffering? It isn’t something we ask for, yet suffering afflicts every human being in some capacity, whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or existentially (perhaps it’s all the same). It’s how we respond to what we can’t control in life that defines our time on planet Earth.
“You desire to know the art of living, my friend?” said Henri Frédéric Amiel, the 19th-century Swiss philosopher and poet.
“Make use of suffering.”
In this episode, Gregory and Vincent discus...2024-10-2257 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#187 - Danny Herlihy - From Zero to Hero: How Daring to Dream Saved Danny's LifeDanny Herlihy is a professional chef and a total badass. He went from a tortured childhood and having no drive, no purpose, and no will to live to becoming an inspired father, partner, and business owner.
Expect to learn:
How to "mise en place" every aspect of your life (including your children)
The heartbreaking reason Danny's arms are covered in tattoos
How sports helped him escape bullying but inadvertently led him down a dark path
How Danny turned his life around and went all in on his dreams
And much more.
Shownotes:
2024-10-161h 12The Dare to Dream Podcast#186 - You're Not Supposed To Have It All Figured OutVinny here. I’m back in Japan after a life-changing trip back home to California this past month.
I’m feeling it all, both the darkness and light. In this episode I reflect on these profound experiences and the need for fierce self-compassion amid the uncertainty of life. We don't need to have everything figured out. I certainly don’t. We don’t need the answers.
Live the questions.
Keep digging deep, trust your intuition, and take one step after another. If we do, I have fait...2024-10-1240 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#184 - Playing It Safe Won’t Make You Happy. Be Uncommon; Go All In On YOUIn this solo episode, I (Vincent) share my recent experiences navigating a transition period in my life. I don’t know what the hell is going to happen next—yet, I feel a peace I haven’t had in a long time.
My recent Burning Man experience taught me to go all in on me—my style, my passions, my calling to be uncommon. We all hear that call in ways big and small. Do I stand out, or fit in? Be me, or play it safe and do what I’m “supposed” to do? The call is...2024-09-2450 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#182 - Rock Bottom, Routines, Peak Experiences, Healing, and Vinny's First Burning ManHow does one bounce back from rock bottom? How do you re-enter your life after a life-changing peak experience? We dove into both of these questions on a special IN-PERSON episode where Vinny was in The Dare to Dream studio!
Expect to learn:
Where ideas come from
What Vinny's first burning man experience was like
Why you should break your routine every once in awhile
How to integrate peak experiences into everyday life
And much more.
It was so much fun getting to record this one in-person with Vinny and you guys are...2024-09-111h 03The Dare to Dream Podcast#179 - The Beautiful Destruction: What If Everything's Happening Exactly As It's Meant To?On this episode, Gregory and Vince discuss a concept known as the beautiful destruction, where sometimes our lives need to blow up, collapse and fall apart to be rebuilt that much stronger from the ground up.
That is indeed what it feels like Vince is going through. A beautiful destruction indeed; we might ask ourselves: what should I have done? Why is this happening? What am I supposed to do? Should I be further along? Etc.
So many shoulds—we’re just should-ing all over ourselves!
What if i...2024-08-141h 11The Dare to Dream Podcast#177 - Everything Is Changing As I Learn To Love Myself, Flaws, Regrets, Faults and AllVinny here.
I've realized that I couldn't move forward with my life and heal the chronic back pain that I've dealt with for the past six years until I learned to love myself, here, now, exactly as I am. I've felt guilt. Shame. Anger. Sadness.
I thought they were all due to the chronic pain, but the pain was just a mask for the underlying emotions. I felt unworthy of certain things; these feelings simply don't help us. We all feel them. We're human. It's not always as easy...2024-07-3044 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#175 - The Boys Catch Fire Discussing Spirituality, Self-Love, and Transcending Our Own RulesGreg and Vinny hash it out on an epic episode, where they discuss topics such as our favorite monk; a Zen parable; what it means for Vinny to live "belly out"; how there's somebody out there in a faraway galaxy just like you gazing into the night sky; and the beauty of transcending rules.
This was one for the books, a soul-nourishing hour between two best friends who hope that their conversation, wading through the existential soup, can light a fire in you.
For more Dare to Dream content...2024-07-171h 00The Dare to Dream Podcast#173 - Santana Vega Yturralde - When You Honor Your Weirdness and Gifts, You Give Others Permission To Be Themselves, TooI (Vinny) am honored to record another podcast with Santana, who is one of my very best friends, a mentor, a spiritual guide, and just a rock in my life.
We met last year in Osaka, yet it feels like we’ve been friends for decades, and even longer, perhaps in a past life. On this episode of DTD we explore the themes of presence, personal growth, and the importance of authentic human connections—topics that are integral to this podcast and to our friendship.
We touch on the fear o...2024-06-251h 17The Dare to Dream Podcast#172 - Are You Afraid Of Your Own Greatness?“It’s our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.” — Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love
In this conversation, Gregory and Vincent discuss the deep-seated fear that reigns in all of us: that of embracing our true greatness. To embrace our own greatness, we must admit to ourselves that what we want isn’t normal, nor is it what everybody else seems to want.
What we want isn’t secure or realistic, but it’s ours—our dream—and we owe it to ourselves to entertain that dream.
We...2024-06-191h 04The Dare to Dream Podcast#171 - Brett Wheeless - Becoming Worthy of Respect and The Value of Escaping Your Comfort ZoneThe journey of following your dreams is never a straight path. There will be difficult, annoying, and painful experiences between who you are today and who you wish to become. "If it were easy, everyone would do it."
Today's guest is the king of one liners, Brett Wheeless. Brett is co-founder of Wheelesss Fitness, a personal training company he runs in San Diego with his wife Chelsey.
Expect to learn:
What most people are getting wrong in the gym
How to become worthy of respect
What the most powerful force in the world is
...2024-06-121h 04The Dare to Dream Podcast#166 - Matt Meredith - Living Like a Champion, Starting a Company With Your Spouse, Adding a Documentary Twist to Life, & Unpacking Greg's ChildhoodThis episode marks Dare to Dream history. It was the first video episode recorded in person in Gregory's new office shot with two cameras. If you are listening to this on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, make sure to check out the video on YouTube because it is BEAUTIFUL!
Matt Meredith is a friend, a fellow dreamer, and an incredible documentary film maker. He and his wife Leah are the founders of Sundoc Studios, the production company they run that makes documentaries.
In today's episode we weave Matt's journey into filmmaking...2024-05-151h 06The Dare to Dream Podcast#164 - Discover Your Ikigai To Add More Purpose and Joy In Your LifeWhat would it be like to jump out of bed each morning, excited for the day ahead? Ikigai is a Japanese concept that encourages you to discover what truly matters to you and to live a life filled with purpose and joy.
In this episode, which originally aired on The Mankind Podcast, Gregory and Brandon dispel the notion that passion, purpose, and income must always align perfectly. Instead, they advocate for a more holistic approach to finding meaning in life.
Gregory guides Brandon through the Ikigai exercise that changed his life and you can follow...2024-05-0150 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#163 - Passion, Talent, Insecurity, and Finding Your Life's Task (Robert Greene vs. Scott Galloway)In this episode, Vinny and Gregory go deep into exploring the contrasting advice from two of their favorite authors, Robert Greene and Scott Galloway. Both are prolific in their own fields, and each shares helpful ways for young people to find their path in life.
Expect to learn:
Professor Scott Galloway's take on focusing on your talents instead of searching for passion
Robert Greene's instruction to follow your passion to find your life's task
Why you must listen to your inner voice
Why it's only a sad story if you give up
The balance between doing...2024-04-241h 12The Dare to Dream Podcast#162 - Michael Phelps - How Jiu Jitsu Changed His Life and Showed Him He Didn't Need to Be Scared AnymoreMike is the owner of Del Mar Jiu Jitsu Club and is one of the nicest people I've ever met. He could also kill me in approximately 10 seconds. I choose to focus on the former.
His Jiu Jitsu journey began 17 years ago when he saw one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history but in the episode, he shared a more personal reason.
Expect to learn:
Why you should focus on what makes you happy
What sound your brain makes when you get put to sleep from a choke hold
How Jiu Jitsu is...2024-04-1749 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#160 - Matt Winkley - Overcoming Self-Doubt, Embracing Loneliness, and Putting Your Dreams Back on The TableMatt Winkley is a an entrepreneur, real-estate investor, coach, and Sufi teacher. At age 26, with a broken heart and a burning desire to be his own boss, he started a multi-million dollar company out of his apartment. Since then, he has built a real-estate empire with his amazing wife and taught many others how to use passive income to create their dream life.
Matt is one of Gregory's great friends and mentors and this episode captured an amazing conversation about having the courage to go after your dreams.
Expect to learn:
...2024-04-0352 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#159 - Timing Will Never Be Perfect; Do What You're Meant To Do NowWe often lose perspective of just how good everyday life is until it’s taken away and we’re dealing with something unexpected.
It can happen to us at any moment, any time.
So before that happens, open your eyes to see just how good life is, even in the difficulty. It’s not easy—yet what we’re dealing with now will soon be a memory; take a moment to look around and just be in it.
Gregory and Vincent are both undergoing significant changes in life, changes that are both exciting and demandi...2024-03-2639 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#153 - Mike Enos, PhD - Fear, Leadership, Power, and Doing Hard ThingsMike Enos is a former Chief Operating Officer, Chief People Officer, and Managing Director. He had a highly successful career in consulting, climbing the corporate ladder from analyst to partner.
But in this next chapter of his life, he is Daring to Dream—No more corporate dress code or punching the clock.
Mike decided to pursue his passion for helping people and recently launched his executive coaching business. He now partners with consultants to help them unlock their potential as trusted advisors.
In this ep...2024-02-1349 minThe Dare to Dream Podcast#151 - Eva Spigt - From Burnout to Dream Life, Nature is the AnswerIf you take a look at Eva’s Instagram, you’ll likely ask: How is she living this incredible life?
It’s a fair question, but Eva’s dream life didn’t come easy.
As a PR professional in her late twenties representing the top brands in the sports world, Eva experienced extreme burnout which lead to a dire sickness.
It wasn’t until Eva started spending time in nature that she gained her sanity, her health, and her purpose.
After such a...2024-02-011h 06The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #150: It Doesn't Matter What You Do, It's Who You Do It With, w/ Greg and VinnyThe boys are back together for an epic one. At this foundational season in life, we’re both seeking, searching, exploring who we are and what sorts of lives we strive to lead. Through it all, we’ve realized one thing above all else:
Friends are everything.
People are why we’re here.
We could strive and toil for years on end, finally reaching the finish line and getting the gold star, the job, the acclaim, the life of our dreams.
But what the hell does it matter if we have nobody...2024-01-2650 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #148: 15 Life Lessons From Reading My Journal Cover to CoverAt the end of every year, I (Gregory) read my journal cover to cover.
I reflect on everything I wrote and compile the biggest life lessons and insights into a list.
This is one of my favorite practices to do because I learn so much about myself, from myself.
These insights help guide me going forward and maybe they can do the same for you.
Expect to learn why:
Meditation is essential for well-being
We become the stories...2023-12-2931 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #147: How to Cultivate Your Life Energy, the Constellation of Stars That Shines Within Each of UsIn this episode, I (Vinny) discuss cultivating our Life Energy, the unique constellation of stars which shines within each of us.
We’re here on this planet to bring our Life Energy to fruition, making the constellation of who we are shine as brightly as we possibly can.
To understand our Life Energy, we must look to who we were before the world tried to make us what we’re not; this is difficult, as playing a role may often result in an overt display of success.
2023-12-2037 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #146: How Confidence, Gratitude, and Hope Will Level Up Your Self-LoveIn this solo episode, Gregory breaks down some of the fascinating lessons he has been learning about. Expect to learn:
How to increase your confidence and self-love
The Latin meaning of confidence
How to use your funeral to set virtue-based goals
Gregory's daily gratitude practice
How gratitude affects the brain
Two great ways to think about humility
How hope is linked to survival
What we can learn from drowning rats
The win-learn mindset
The tension of Being vs. Doing
And much more.
Listen to more episodes of The Dare to Dream Podcast...2023-12-0914 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #145: Where You Are Today Was Once Just a Dream with Greg & VinnyThis past weekend Vinny and I (Gregory) were reunited in LA! After three days full of laughter, ice baths, and bro hugs, we sat down to record an episode centered around a powerful dinner revelation:
"Where we are today was once just a dream."
In this episode expect to learn:
The challenges of constantly pursuing the next goal.
Why jobs are not a bad thing
How timing is never going to be perfect
The importance of staying in the game
Ways to slow down and appreciate the now
Vinny's journey from dreaming of living...2023-11-3058 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #144: The 25 Year Approach to Building Relationships That LastIn this solo episode, Gregory dives deep into the art of cultivating meaningful relationships. Drawing inspiration from the wisdom of successful coach and entrepreneur, Rich Litvin, Gregory explores the concept of a 25-year relationship mindset.
Key Takeaways:
The 25-Year Approach:
Slow down and cultivate connections with a long-term perspective.
Move beyond transactional thinking and focus on authenticity in both personal and professional relationships.
Navigating Dating Apps:
Gregory discusses the challenges of dating apps, emphasizing their short-term nature.
Explores how these platforms can hinder genuine connections by fostering an instant-gratification...2023-11-1915 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #143: How to Live a Story Worth Telling"My dad just turned 65 and he's made his yearly intention to be more like you."
This is the text Gregory received in response to this episode, part two of the 100 Days of Living Boldly and Talking to Strangers interview series that he is doing on the Mankind Podcast.
Tune in for:
The story that started it all, which belongs in a movie
Gregory's "Can I drive this" phase
Tips on how to cook chili with a stranger
The Six Pillars of Living a Story Worth Telling
Inspiration, motivation, and a path forward
And...2023-11-0342 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #142: Don't Give Up“In the midst of winter,” wrote philosopher Albert Camus, “I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.”
Vinny here.
It’s been a difficult season, man. Not the promise of autumn nor the memory of summer, but this season of my youth. I wouldn’t ask for it any other way.
I know my obstacles, while o...2023-10-2530 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #141: Improving Your Relationships and Cultivating Clearer Communication with Cody GouldCody Gould is a lecturer at Texas State University, a personal development coach, and a communication consultant. This episode will teach you core communication principles, how to improve your relationships, and why communication is the key to a happy life.
Listen in to learn:
What everyone gets wrong about communication
The five principles of communication
Why communication is non-reversible
The difference between hearing and listening
How to be masculine and feminine in your communication
A conflict resolution model to start using in your life
What to say to people who are always late
And much...2023-10-1143 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #140: When the World Seems Dark, You Can Be the LightLife is a continuous exploration while struggling.
That’s what a friend wrote to me in a book which she gave me as a gift.
Trial and error.
Failure and Success.
She didn’t know I needed that message, didn’t know that I was hurting on this day and that her words would open up my heart and bring tears to my eyes as the book fell open to the first page on my bed, as if she held my t...2023-10-0432 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #139: Escaping The Prestige Pipeline and Revealing Your Most Authentic Self with Sophie HamiltonIt's not every day that you get a text saying: "If you ever want to talk about leukemia / near-death experiences, modeling/body image, mental health stuff, and going for my dream, let's chat."
This is the text that Sophie sent me and I knew I needed to bring her on The Dare to Dream Podcast. Sophie is an extraordinary human who has lived an incredibly unique life. From interviewing A-list celebrities like Sam Smith, Adele, and Dakota Fanning to being diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia during college, her life has been everything...2023-09-2559 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #138: 100 Days of Living Boldly & Talking to Strangers (Part 1)23 days ago Gregory decided to embark on a 100-day challenge. Each day, he is tasked with making a bold or outrageous request to a stranger.
On day four, he knocked on a stranger's door and asked if he could cannonball in his pool. To his surprise, the man said yes and filmed a video of his perfect form.
This video went viral on Instagram and has over 270,000 views. It seems the idea of being bold and talking to strangers is gaining attention and Gregory was recently interviewed on The Mankind Podcast. This episode is that...2023-09-1929 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD#137: Our Greatest Gift Is Being Our True Self, With Jesse Van PattenMy younger brother Jesse Van Patten is one hell of an individual. Greg, Jesse and I caught up on Jesse's current ambitions at twenty years old as an exceptional collegiate runner, and what the sentiment is like in his generation.
We discuss societal pressures and what it takes to be ourselves, the benefits of facing discomfort voluntarily, and most importantly, why the greatest gift we've been given and can give back to the world is to honor, tap into and embrace who we truly are inside.
Listen to more...2023-09-101h 02The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #136: We can't go at this alone. On friendship, deep feels & capping one year in Japan by summiting Fuji-San.Yo! Vinny here.
This weekend marks one year of living in Japan; when I had this dream of moving to a foreign country, I pictured me against the world. In a way I hoped for that adventure. The lone wolf in a foreign country.
I couldn’t have imagined that I’d immediately make lifelong friends, that we’d have countless memories and experiences together all over this country, and that we’d cap off our first year watching the sunrise atop Mt. Fuji, which we did last weekend.
2023-08-3127 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #135: Difficult Goodbyes, Beautiful Beginnings & Our Favorite BooksGreg and I (Vinny), love to read. Fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, your grandma’s cookbook—nothing’s off limits. Not merely for entertainment, but because stories help us understand reality. They help us better know ourselves.
Integral to a meaningful story is conflict, revelation, courage, fear; love.
The purpose of our young lives, we’ve found so far, is to live a story worth telling. That is why we’re here. That is why we pump out this podcast and continue, because we hope to inspire you to live a purposeful...2023-08-2244 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #133: Life Happens In Waves—How To Stay Grateful Through It AllLife is one heck of a roller coaster. It’s the ups and downs that shift our perspective—the seasons, the waves—which contrast one another and help us understand what life can truly be.
We need the lows; it’s in those difficult seasons that we prove to ourselves who we can be; that we can make it through; better yet, that we can make it through in style without losing the love in our hearts.
What gets me through is gratitude.
If you’re listening to this, odds are you have much to be grateful for. But we’re all human...2023-08-0125 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #132: We're On This Earth To Feel LoveThe boys are back together!
You know it’s an episode full of laughs and epiphanies whenever that happens.
On this episode of DTD, Vinny discuss’s how he’s been reclaiming his peace of mind through a fresh morning self-reflection technique, as well as why letting go of expectations and exterior pressure has provided for a beautiful, peaceful week.
Hopefully this practice can help you declutter your mind as it’s helped him so you can focus on what’s important—your happiness.
We also discuss the ways we’ve been navigating...2023-07-2742 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #130: Making Social Media Not Only a Highlight Reel, But a Place Of Genuine Vulnerability and ConnectionLast week I (Vinny) posted two Instagrams: one that was a highlight reel of good things in my life, and twenty minutes later, one that showed me broken, hurting, vulnerable.
Both posts were an expression of who I am - yet the second one made an impact. It helped other people who were hurting, too. It shed some light on what I was struggling with. People reached out, and I felt so much love.
That’s the potential of social media. Yet, in its current state it’s a bree...2023-07-1124 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #128: The Remarkable Journey of Santana — Fighter, Lover, Student, Sage, FriendIf we’re lucky, we’ll come across certain individuals in our lives and there will be an immediate connection. Be it a new bromance or a romance, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to get deep, personal, real. These are the good ones. The relationships which satisfy our souls and make us better individuals.
Santana is one of those extraordinary human beings. Santana and I (Vinny) met recently and quickly realized we’re both writers, dreamers, doers—human beings who long to discover and embrace what it is we’re real...2023-06-2651 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #127: THIS is Where Most of Us Are Going WrongGregory is 17 hours into his conversational journey to speak with 100 people about their biggest dreams. He is quickly learning that nearly everyone is craving freedom. Financial freedom. Creative freedom. Lifestyle freedom. The freedom to do WHAT they want, WHEN they want to do it, with WHO they want to do it with. And when he asks about the plan to obtain this freedom, he is seeing the same formula again and again.Step #1: Sell time and personal freedom to someone else Step #2: Sacrifice and do work you don’t love to make lots of moneyStep #3: Use...2023-06-1915 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #126: Create For No Other Reason Than To Make Your Soul GrowWhy do we create? Why throughout history have artists painted, written, composed music, taken photos or performed dance routines in their rooms for nobody to see?
As creatives, we’re enticed by the prospect of turning our art, whatever that may be, into our livelihood. Some of us will be lucky enough to do so. But if the only reason we create is because of an illusory promise of success, we may wait a lifetime until we finally feel appreciated, seen, heard, understood.
Artists, which we all are, create to u...2023-06-1237 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #125: Fall In Love With The Process of Figuring Yourself OutWant to prove something? Prove that you are enjoying the process of figuring yourself out and chasing your current ambitions and curiosities.
These are words from the uber-successful entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk that he says applies to anyone under 40.
In this solo episode, Gregory expands on Gary's advice and shares the powerful life lessons he has been learning recently.
Expect to learn why:
"We teach best what we most need to learn"
Jumping from job to job isn't a bad thing
Stepping courageously into the unknown needs to be repeated over and over...2023-06-0513 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD#124: Your Intrinsic Curiosity Longs To Guide You—Let It. With New Zealand Based Artist, Élisabeth DenisVinny sits down with his friend Eli, an artist and creative soul who has allowed her curiosity to guide her life in fascinating directions. Originally from Montreal, Canada, there was a point in Eli's life when the mask of old had to come off to make way for something more genuine, more real.
After this realization, Eli traveled the globe garnering experiences while honing in on who she really is and what lights her up inside. Like every journey, there were hardships, peaks and valleys; that's what makes it a human endeavor. Both while traveling and at...2023-05-231h 08The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #123: Brothers In Life's Adventure - Funniest Stories & Greatest Revelations From Greg's Visit to JapanOver the past two weeks, Greg and I (Vinny) made soul-enriching memories in my home city, Osaka, Japan as well as sunny Fukuoka and a rain-drenched Nagasaki. Along the way, we often brainstormed on our biggest, most outrageous ambitions. One anchor of our trip was the following quote on the Rich Roll Podcast by legendary editor and founder of Wired Magazine, Kevin Kelly:
“Do something in your twenties that looks nothing like success. That experience, as unsuccessful as it might look then, might become the touchstone for your success later on.”
Greg’s back home to con...2023-05-1549 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #121: Follow Your Own Path and Let People Talk - The Japan ReunionThe boys are back together and it feels so good! It’s the morning of an adventure; before heading down south from Vinny's home in Osaka, Japan to Fukuoka, Greg and Vinny discuss some of the concepts they’ve been fired up on lately, revolving around this ancient wisdom:
“Segui il tuo corso e lascia dir le gente,” wrote the 14th-century Italian poet Dante Aligheri, (“Follow your own road and let people talk”).
Walking your own path is never going to be easy, but it’s the only sort of life worth pursuing. Vinny and Greg draw on f...2023-05-0128 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #120: Breathe Your Way to Emotional Freedom and Better Relationships with Guest Jonathan Van PuttenJonathan Van Putten has been on an incredible journey of transformation and healing through breathwork. After experiencing several business heartbreaks and years of battling various addictions, Jonathan's life was changed in a single afternoon. Four years later, he now has five different certifications in breathwork facilitation and coaching. Tune in to learn how he has used breathwork and cold plunging to kick his addictions, start feeling his emotions, and connect deeply to his biggest dream.
In this episode expect to learn:
About the inner pharmacy we all possess
How breathing properly positively impacts your mental health
...2023-04-2449 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #119: It Takes Courage To Be HappyOver the past year, I (Vinny) have been asked in different ways if I’m always happy. This has made me ask myself, why? This question of whether I’m always happy has made me wonder if it seems as if I’m putting on a front; if people think that who they see isn’t the real me.
Well, I can tell you I hurt; I feel just as deeply as anybody. That doesn’t mean the man you see with the unwavering smile is some fraud.
That person is one of faith. The smile isn’...2023-04-1718 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #118: How to Live an Artistic Life Regardless of Your ProfessionYou don't need to paint or write in order to live an artistic life. Creativity isn't just about creating tangible things in the world for others to see.
Rather, living artistically comes down to how you engage with each moment of every day. It's in the texture of your actions, the way you treat people, and how you respond to challenges. Regardless of your profession, Vinny and Gregory are here to tell you that you can live an artistic life!
In this episode, expect to learn:
How to live an artistic...2023-04-0935 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #117: Bring More Joy and Fun Into Your Life By Understanding Martyr vs. Trickster EnergyAfter a nine-day surf trip in Panama, Gregory reflects on a few powerful realizations that stemmed from having ample time for leisure, afternoon naps, and reading. The biggest epiphany came from Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic and has to do with the distinction she makes between martyr and trickster energy. Martyr energy is heavy, solemn, sacrificial, and rigid. Trickster energy is light, sly, playful, and flexible.
Gregory realized that he had been creating martyr energy regarding drinking alcohol for years. He had been putting immense pressure on himself to never drink again because he...2023-04-0315 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #116: What Japan's Cherry Blossoms (桜, Sakura) Teach Us About the Fleeting Beauty of LifeThis is my (Vinny) first spring living in Japan. What I love about this country is how each season is utterly unique. The autumn leaves (紅葉, kōyō) paint the hills in fiery red color, yellow and orange tints. The spring is delicate, renowned for its soft pink cherry blossom trees (桜, sakura).
While the fall foliage lasts for a couple of months, the cherry blossoms flower and remain for about a week. The anticipation builds until they bloom and cast the Japanese landscape in a light pink complexion; then, they fall and blow away.
The way they fall, l...2023-03-2720 min
The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #115: Why We've Felt the Need to Slow Down and Open Up While Navigating the "Messy Middle"Much of the time, we want this show to provide the insights that we've gleaned from facing our fears, dealing with a problem and coming out on the other side. But we don't always have the answers. In reality we rarely do. We're figuring it out as we go just as much as anybody.
We've both felt the need to slow down and take some of the pressure off that we put on ourselves.
On this episode of DTD, we discuss the importance of being vulnerable while within the "messy middle" when we don't yet...2023-03-2131 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #114: A Valuable Roadmap To Discover What You’re Truly Here To DoDare to Dream is a podcast to inspire you to embark on the adventure of your life. Some of us feel deep within our bones that we have this passion, this adventure, this life we long to pursue—however we're afraid. It's daunting to pursue a dream that goes against expectations. It's scary trying something with no idea if it will work. Even if you know what you are here to do, it's up to you to take that first step. Half of the battle is understanding that a different sort of life is possible.
This episode fo...2023-03-1441 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #113: Leap Before You Look - Why a Meaningful Life Requires CourageIt's easy to get attached to outcomes.
We hope life will unfold in a neat and orderly way. When it takes a hard left turn, however, we cling to the idea that we were supposed to go right.
Our attachment to the result stops us from enjoying an alternative scenic and eye-opening route.
What would happen if we doubled down our commitment while embracing the unknown? If we stopped assuming that we know what our path is supposed to look like?
That's what this episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast is a...2023-03-0636 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #111: Stay Light, Delve Deep - Our Philosophy For Dancing Through Life's ChallengesThere’s a life philosophy that sums up so much of what we’ve learned and hope to share here on The Dare to Dream Podcast: stay light, delve deep.
When it comes to life, we can't control most of it. We’re all going to struggle in some capacity. By no means is life a walk through the park, and we believe that to get the absolute most from this experience, we have to give everything we've got to dive deep below the surface to explore the treasure hidden in each day.
That means asking...2023-02-2139 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #110: Don't Let Fear Hold You Back - How to Expand Your Comfort ZoneFear and self-doubt are some of the most insidious forces we are up against. They are what keep us playing small, afraid to take action on our biggest dreams. We are often our own worst enemies as we let our inner critic tell us that we don't have what it takes to live an extraordinary life.
But what if there was a way to quiet our inner critic? To take action despite being scared about how things will go?
This special episode is an interview that Gregory did on his friend Stacey Lauren's podcast called D...2023-02-1345 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #109: Why We're Obsessed With Seeking Meaningful Life ExperiencesRealizing our potential is a daunting endeavor.
There's no crystal ball which will tell us who we'll become if we do A, B and C. Yet that's what makes it the greatest adventure we can have. Without a clearly defined roadmap, all we really have is how we feel. Does it feel like we're improving? Does it feel like life is progressing in a way that's fulfilling and aligns with who we believe we truly are inside?
Often, it's difficult to know. That's life. It's mysterious and shrouded in a fog. But that's what imbues it...2023-02-0632 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD#105: Unmasked and Openhearted with Shannon Keating and Vincent Van PattenOn this episode of DTD, I (Vinny) sat down with Shannon Keating, host of the Unmasked and Openhearted podcast.
Shannon interviewed me, but this was indeed just an openhearted conversation between two curious souls. We touched on topics I haven't talked about this openly before, such as body image and dealing with pain. This was also my chance to discuss my greatest passions: writing and travel. We dove in deep on each topic, discussing the experiences which have defined me.
It's a vulnerable and beautiful episode, and after two and a half hours, I left fee...2023-01-092h 16The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #102: Make 2023 The Year of Systems, Not GoalsThis year, skip the New Years' Resolutions. There's a better way to set yourself up for success in 2023. Join Gregory in this solo episode where he explains why you should have a system instead of a goal.
To quote Scott Adams, "Goal-oriented people exist in a state of continuous pre-success failure at best, and permanent failure at worst if things never work out. Systems people succeed every time they apply their systems, in the sense that they did what they intended to do. The goals people are fighting the feeling of discouragement at each turn. The systems p...2022-12-1911 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #98: Becoming a Better Friend to YourselfWhen a close friend comes to you with a problem, how do you treat them? Do you tell them all the things they’re doing wrong? Or support them by offering encouragement to get through whatever issue they’re facing? Imagine how much better our lives would be if we were as nice to ourselves as we are to our friends.
Everyone has an inner critic, but sometimes the voice of our inner critic is so strong that it has a negative impact on our health and progression in life. Combined with the pressure that we put on o...2022-11-2131 min
The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #82: Embracing the Shadowed Soul with Melissa Jennewein“I wanted to live,” writes Melissa Jennewein in her book Shadowed Soul: Wandering to Find Your Inner Compass. “Not just live, but understand what living meant… Something has to happen, or I’ll never know my soul.”
Shadowed Soul tells the tale of Melissa's eight years traveling the world after two devastating, simultaneous life events.
With little planning and massive trust, Melissa quit her job, packed a backpack, and leapt into the unknown to better understand her past, her inner world, and the planet we share.
She shines as an example of what is possible...2022-07-2139 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #81: Live Like a Lion, Not an AntThe boys are back together for a quintessential episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast.
The discussion revolves around taking the pressure off and remembering that life is supposed to be fun. We also discuss how to determine which activities and actions are genuine and true to who you are.
The ideas of the great philosophers Emerson and Seneca are sprinkled throughout this episode, along with updates on what we are up to, grappling with, and cherishing in life.
Right now being playful, lighthearted, and real with ourselves and others, are paramount qualities...2022-07-1542 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #80: EPISODE SWAP from the Discomfort Theory Podcast: Uncovering Your Best Self with Gregory Russell BenediktThe Dare to Dream Podcast is all about showing up and doing the work no matter what. It's about staying consistent with your dream in the midst of the storm of life. We got to practice what we preach this week as Vinny navigated getting his phone and wallet stolen in Israel and Gregory finding himself on a trip without podcasting equipment.
Since recording an episode together was impossible, we are dropping a previously recorded interview Gregory did on the Discomfort Theory Podcast, hosted by Dan Wilkinson.
This episode is all about seeking voluntary discomfort t...2022-07-091h 00
The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #78: Visit Yourself and Have a Good Time, with Iris of Calabria, ItalyVincent spent three weeks working as a volunteer in Calabria, Italy, under the guidance of Iris. Iris is somebody that makes you smile, laugh, question and think. Mostly, for Vincent, about how simple and beautiful life can be.
Iris moved from her native Holland as a young woman and has lived in the south of Italy ever since, learning about the land, the people, and most importantly, herself.
Now, Vincent could undoubtedly tell that she’s a beloved part of her community, even as a non-native Italian. Her love of life is tangible, and every ti...2022-06-2439 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #76: The Value of a Good Cry (Our First Solo Episode)Today we made Dare to Dream history. Not because we cried live on the air, (we've already done that before) but because Gregory recorded our first solo episode.
This came out of necessity as Vinny is on a farm in Calabria, Italy with no wifi and an amount of cellular data that is running out faster than an ice cream truck on a hot summer day.
Join Gregory on this quick 10-minute episode as he gives a hilarious update on what the heck Vinny is up to. You'll also learn why it's important to have a...2022-06-1009 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #74: Life Can Only Improve When You Honor Your Word to Yourself and to OthersThere is much we can't control in life. But if there's one thing we can control, it's honoring our word.
On this episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast, Gregory and Vincent get down and dirty into the weeds of their continual journey to improve their own lives, and the lives of others.
One of the most essential ways to improve your circumstances is to do what you say you're going to do.
Tremendous change happens when you commit to something and don't give yourself the option to back out for a certain per...2022-05-2635 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #54: Health, Connection, and Pursuing What's Meaningful—Our Recipe for Happiness in 2022When it comes down to it, what do we truly need to make us happy?
This meaningful episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast puts a bow on 2021; we're looking ahead with our heads held high, our faces towards the sun, and our hearts blown wide open.
We've realized that there are three things which, when maintained, provide everything we need to be happy. It's not a surefire recipe for happiness, but it gets us moving on the right track and back to a harmonious state of mind more than anything else.
When cul...2022-01-0140 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #53: Outlasting Adversity and Prioritizing Happiness with Actor & Writer Duke Van PattenHanging out with Duke Van Patten is like drinking a cup of strong black coffee on a sunny day with Robert De Niro or Hugh Grant or perhaps Jimmy Fallon—bottom line—it’s energizing and damn entertaining. Vincent’s older brother Duke is an actor, writer, and entrepreneur who has had his fair share of knocks, but none could diminish his unique and optimistic perspective on life.
When Duke graduated from SMU with his sights set on becoming an actor, he felt it was only right to learn from the very best. This led him to hop acros...2021-12-171h 01
The Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #42: How to Find Your Way When the World Keeps Telling You No, With Vincent Van Patten Sr.Vincent Van Patten Sr. has paved his way in the world through perseverance, love, and grit.
On this episode of The Dare to Dream Podcast, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Vinny’s dad, Vincent, to discuss his continual search to find his edge in life.
It was never easy. No heartbreaking defeat could hold him back on his journey to becoming a top twenty-five professional tennis player in the world. From there, Vincent’s story takes various twists and turns that have made him who he is today. The only thing that rema...2021-09-2446 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #35: Your Problems Are Making You Grow—Why You Shouldn't Wish They Were DifferentThe Dare to Dream Podcast is our way to share what we’re learning, how we’re growing through challenges, and what’s inspiring us to think differently.
In this episode, we share our thoughts following a day of incredible wellness practices. Through breathwork, cold and heat exposure, and Qigong, we shook up the body and inspired the mind. Yes, we were those guys in the park doing Qigong.
We also discuss what it’s like for people to doubt your dreams, and why you shouldn’t wish your problems were different. This was a fun episode...2021-08-0336 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #34: Lessons from the Tao Te Ching to Help Us Ease Into the Flow of LifeIn life, there is a time for doing, often by pushing towards a goal with determination. There is also time for stepping back, reflecting, and letting our path naturally unfold. Like the forces of nature, they are both necessary for our growth.
The Tao Te Ching is the ancient Chinese text of Taoism and the forces of Yin and Yang, a philosophical concept that has become increasingly alluring as we seek guidance to help us find the flow between extremes.
As two young lads in the pursuit of meaning, we’ve found that there are inc...2021-07-2337 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #31: Stop Waiting For Permission to Change Your LifeIt’s been a year since the two of us joined forces, jumped into the void of uncertainty, and began living the lives we were born to live. While we certainly don’t have it all figured out—nothing, really—we have learned a great deal about what we love, what provides us with joy and meaning, and the change in ourselves we want to continue cultivating.
On this episode, we discuss what it means to tread our own path, which seems to unfold with every step we take. We don’t need to have every step of the way...2021-06-3049 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastDTD #23: Untangling Life's Preconceived ExpectationsIn this episode, we explore the concept of a "life ultimatum," the demand we put on ourselves to be a certain person or have specific things (like a family or house) at a defined time in our lives.
There's a tremendous amount of external pressure to hit these life milestones—but when was the last time you stopped to think whether your goals actually align with what is being expected of you?
Without careful introspection, we can feel burdened by the weight of "shoulds" and "musts." But what do you truly want? Is it a fami...2021-04-1649 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastEpisode 9: When optimizing our lives goes too farIn episode 9 of The Dare to Dream Podcast, Gregory and Vincent discuss how "optimizing" our lives can lead us to focus too heavily on accomplishments and checking off a to-do list. Gregory tells how he's shifted his mindset from optimizing life to slowing down and focusing on what's truly important.
Other topics include:
- Thinking about our lives in three years. What kind of person do you see yourself becoming, both professionally and personally?
- Making generosity a priority in every aspect of our lives.
- Treating everyday tasks such as er...2020-12-1031 minThe Dare to Dream PodcastEpisode 7: What will 2020 mean to you?In episode 7 of the Dare to Dream Podcast, Gregory and Vincent discuss the importance of solitude and scheduling time to be by yourself. As we near the end of the year, they reflect on their journey through 2020 and encourage all listeners to do the same. It may have felt like a wasted year, but there is undoubtedly much to take away. This week's challenge is to reflect on your own year and if you've been acting in alignment with who you truly are.
Other topics to note:
- Vincent's upcoming Pacific North West trip.
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