Ben Pakulski, a renowned bodybuilder turned high-performance coach, delves deep into personal growth and self-mastery. He reveals the four crucial pillars that often hinder fitness progress and discusses the psychological battles within bodybuilding. Listeners will discover how trauma shaped his journey, the healing power of psychedelics, and the importance of aligning personal values with fitness goals. Additionally, Ben shares insights on maintaining long-term wellness by adapting training to one's genetics and prioritizing ambition alongside inner peace.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Character Built Through Hardship
Ben Pakulski recalls sitting in his car for 20 minutes not wanting to enter the gym but pushing himself to go.
His character built through hardships is valued more than the muscle he gained from bodybuilding.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Boost Your Functional Capacity
Identify which of four areas limit your performance: physical ability, energy, stress tolerance, and mindset.
Improving these areas lifts your functional capacity and success potential predictably.
insights INSIGHT
Align Goals with Values
Misalignment between values and goals causes failure more than lack of motivation.
Unconsciously, people pursue what aligns with their highest values over set goals.
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Ben Pakulski is widely known for his success in bodybuilding, but what sets him apart is how he thinks. In this episode, Ben breaks down the mental frameworks, lifestyle protocols, and deep internal work that drive high performance – physically and mentally.
We go beyond muscle and talk about how to build a system for self-mastery. From testosterone optimisation and training efficiency to breath work, fatherhood, and identity, Ben lays out a sharp, structured take on what it means to grow with intention.
00:00 Reuniting with Ben 01:40 Reflecting on brutal past workouts 04:09 How bodybuilding became therapy 07:56 The tension training revolution 11:27 Building MI40 from necessity 15:41 Four pillars that limit fitness progress 19:14 Why energy crashes and motivation dies 21:05 Travel routines and staying consistent 23:44 Making training sustainable for life 27:38 Training beyond just looking good 31:13 The psychological warfare of bodybuilding 33:23 Learning to embrace discomfort 37:37 Shoulder mechanics and coaching philosophy 40:07 High-performance habit optimisation 44:15 Why people unconsciously abandon goals 47:13 How trauma shaped Ben's character 50:19 Healing through psychedelics and therapy 55:08 Balancing ambition with inner peace 58:34 Finding fulfilment versus chasing happiness 1:04:35 Business evolution and future gym plans 1:08:04 Training for athletic longevity 1:11:31 Personalised health through supplements 1:13:36 Using genetics and blood work for peak health
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