

Mere Mortals Conversations
Kyrin Down & Juan Granados
What is Effective Philosophy? Juan and I simplify hard to grasp concepts into pragmatic takeaways that can be applied to every day life (fitness, goal setting, work, parenting, travel, hobbies, finances, etc.,).
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 29, 2021 • 29min
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - April 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Introduction(0:30) - Juan's March recap(2:33) - Kyrin's March recap(4:47) - Fear of dancing(8:21) - Setting a goal that is 100% achievable(10:43) - April goals(22:30) - The problem with daily goals(26:00) - 2021 Fitness challenge(28:43) - Share with us some of your goalsConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 27, 2021 • 33min
A Week Of Being Humbled (Episode #169 - Musings)
When was the last time that you were humbled in your day to day life? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's changing opinion on free will and how he has been influenced by Sam Harris, the three levels of consciousness and why they matter, Juan's theory on how emotions are the basic motivation for every action we take, how I was repeatedly humbled this week (in a good way), people like JBP or Naval Ravikant who are unbelievable smart/clear thinkers, the 5 best thinkers (dead or alive) who we would invite over for dinner and the intense/full of glory (should be worshipped) humbleness that exudes from the Mere Mortals.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:09) - Free will and the opinion of Sam Harris(4:30) - Unconscious, subconscious and conscious levels(8:52) - Emotions drive your thoughts which drive your actions(14:15) - My week of humbleness(18:13) - Jordan Peterson is a smart dude(24:05) - 5 smart people to invite to dinner(27:20) - Exercising in the morning sucks(29:12) - Being so great at humble so no need to practice humbleness(30:37) - Mere Mortal Moments(32:05) - Some feedback pleaseConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 25, 2021 • 29min
Gymnasts & Gymnastics People Are Crazy (Episode #168 - Meanderings)
My recent experience attending a gymnastics class has convinced me that gymnasts are a different breed of people. In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: just how dangerous it is to be moving through the air without control, first-hand account of people getting hurt doing flips, the point behind using swear words, substituting swear words for silly made up things, whether we would choose eating over sleeping and our desire to one day become animated!As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Why we enjoy these Meanderings(0:50) - Mere Mortal Moments(3:25) - Made up words instead of swearing(6:50) - Using swearing for emphasis(11:08) - Gymnastics people are crazy(16:55) - Moving through the air is dangerous(23:02) - Eating or Sleeping(25:01) - What would the Mere Mortals look like animated?(27:39) - We'll pay you to animate us!Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 24, 2021 • 48min
Would You Actually Want To Be Young Again? (Episode #167 - Youth)
No-one ever talks about the downsides of being young so the Mere Mortals are here to change that! In this themed episode on 'Youth' Juan and I discuss: the ages between that someone could be called a youth, having less freedom and the turbulence of being in your teens, some things we would personally love to have again, the concept of 'The Fountain of Youth', some tips that we can all follow to maintain a youthful body/mind and the worst age to lose a child as a parent.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:47) - Definition(2:15) - What are the boundaries of youth?(4:04) - Would you actually want to be back in your teens?(9:00) - What do we wish we could recapture?(15:30) - Healing like an 18 year old and not scarring(19:08) - The Fountain of Youth(23:00) - Statistics on dying while young(25:49) - Anti-aging tips(36:07) - Losing your youth and increased responsibility(40:49) - Will youth rights ever be a hot button issue?(41:44) - The worst age to lose a child(44:17) - Mere Mortal MomentsConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 22, 2021 • 53min
MATT WARD | Minimalist Shoes, Outback Queensland & Ethical Investing: Mere Mortals Conversation #45
Did you know that there are specially designed shoes just for CrossFit? Matt Ward is a long-time friend of both myself and Juan, harkening back to our days on the wild prairie of the high school playground. In this conversation we chat about: Matt's conversion to the barefoot/minimalist shoe lifestyle and the benefits he has gotten from it, how someone can get into CrossFit and know whether they have joined a good gym, what it was like to live in a rural(ish) town during the pandemic and the basics of using your money to do more good through ethical investing.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:45) - Born To Run by Christopher McDougall(2:24) - Barefoot running and foot injuries(8:08) - Comparing shoes(12:48) - Getting into CrossFit(16:46) - The good & bad of CrossFit(21:36) - What is a CrossFit box?(26:17) - Grey eyebrows, fluffy beards and thick leg hair(28:21) - Emerald in Central Queensland(29:58) - Lockdown in a rural area(32:30) - Loose rules in the country(34:30) - The world is a small place(38:50) - Eating weird foods(41:06) - What is ethical investing(47:07) - A 'Just Cause' and dematerialisation(52:01) - Matt's photographyConnect with Matt:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wandering_mountain_photography/Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 20, 2021 • 34min
Learnings From A 5 Day Fast (Episode #166 - Musings)
What is the experience of fasting for 5 days and how should you prepare for this? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my recent experience of fasting, the reasons behind intermittent (and longer) fasting and the necessary preparation, the disappearance of hunger pains, potential hurdles and pitfalls that can arise, the mental fortification required to do things that are uncomfortable, why fasting might not be great for weight loss, a sum up of my learnings and a little bit about how to make yourself healthier by examining your family history.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Sucking down air & intro(1:33) - Fasting for 5 days(2:23) - Why would you want to fast?(6:25) - Prepping for a long fast(10:05) - Hunger pains out of 10(11:21) - Things to watch out for; excessive exercise, dehydration & routine(15:11) - Thought processes and fortifying the mind(18:23) - Practice doing hard stuff(20:00) - Your contacts will influence you(21:54) - Fasting is not great for actually losing weight(24:39) - The keto flu(25:37) - A sum up of the whole experience(26:49) - The importance of ancestry for health(29:42) - Mere Mortal Moments(32:34) - Gorge on the Mere MortalsConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 18, 2021 • 25min
The Shittest & Most Disappointing Books (Episode #165 - Meanderings)
Which are the most disappointing books that you have had the displeasure to read? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the discrimination in the children's romance section, how the Mere Mortals would keep the Earth safe from potentially hostile aliens, what are our sensory triggers for recalling memories, Juan's story of playing Monopoly with a hidden cockroach, recreating our most disgusting rum cocktails, a list of the shittest or most disappointing books we have read and the theory of 'panspermia' with the bat on a comet.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Dying sheep scream & intro(0:32) - Mere Mortal Moments(1:20) - Kyrin's curly golden locks(2:53) - 1 year to prepare for the hostile aliens(4:56) - All guns blazing & mole people(6:38) - A risky nuclear strategy(9:15) - Memories from youth & sensory triggers(11:20) - Monopoly & cockroaches(14:57) - Rum & the worst cocktail in history(16:49) - Shit & disappointing books(22:10) - The plague bat on the meteor(23:24) - We're going to hellConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 17, 2021 • 35min
Stranger Danger & Australian Race Riots (Episode #164 - Xenophobia)
What are some examples of xenophobia in Australia and is the word actually useful? In this episode on 'Xenophobia' Juan and I discuss: how rare it is to hear the word being used correctly and why that makes it kind of pointless, why it often gets confused with 'racism', the Australian immigration system and the open/closed border dilemma, the comparatively tame race riot of 2005 in Cronulla, personal experiences of feeling xenophobic, steps that one could take to reduce xenophobia and the poor advice of 'stranger danger' and phase out of the Safety House Program.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:12) - Definition & Etymology(5:55) - Examples and how it differentiates from 'racism'(12:45) - Immigration policies in Australia(16:59) - Broadening your experiences(18:35) - 2005 Cronulla race riots(22:19) - When we have felt xenophobic(25:55) - Combating xenophobia(29:19) - Stranger danger(33:36) - Mere Mortal MomentsConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 15, 2021 • 43min
SARAH NEWPORT | TwentyTwo Digital, New To Leadership & Neuromarketing: Mere Mortals Conversation #44
Sarah Newport is the Founder & Managing Director at TwentyTwo Digital, a Brisbane based digital marketing agency, offering SEO, Paid Media, Design, Web Development, App Development, Data Analysis and Holistic Marketing. Sarah is a highly motivated and driven individual, and in this conversation her passion for marketing/growth in all aspects of life were open for discussion.The convo starts off lightly with Sarah's athletic regime and her personality traits that drove her to start her own business. She chose digital marketing over other options as this was where she felt that she could really excel. Leadership can be a tough gig and Sarah provides insights on how to hire, setting expectations for the team (and herself) and how she creates her goal structure. The final portion revolves around neuromarketing and the funny story of where TwentyTwo got its name from.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:50) - Athletics(2:22) - TwentyTwo Digital(4:25) - Being Driven(8:00) - The 10 year old moment(10:20) - A Support Network(14:00) - How to Hire(16:50) - Science and Intuition(19:25) - Open to Being Wrong(22:00) - Setting Expectations(26:30) - Don't Hate Being at Your Job(30:12) - Random Day as an Owner(33:00) - 10 Steps Ahead and Being on the Tools(33:45) - 10 Year Planned Out(37:15) - Neuromarketing(41:30) - Lucky 22Connect with Sarah & TwentyTwo Digital:Website: https://www.twentytwodigital.com/TwentyTwo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/twentytwodigital/Sarah LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-e-newport/Sarah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahenewport/Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Mar 13, 2021 • 31min
How To Practice & Find Comfort In Being Uncomfortable (Episode #163 - Musings)
What is there to be learnt from putting oneself in situations that are uncomfortable or cause discomfort? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my learnings from living the vegan lifestyle for a month, why most of the time things just appear in the mind to be harder than they actually physically are, Juan's encounter with a flying spider, my coming to the end of a 5 day fast and the utility to be gained from being uncomfortable, taming the dragons of the mind, the myth of 'finding' happiness and some topics that we find to be unbelievably, mind numbing, soul destroyingly BORING.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Coooooeeee Guy(1:04) - I was vegan for a month!(3:48) - Shit that's more hard mentally then physically(7:36) - A spider attacks Juan (lol)(8:39) - Fasting & practicing being uncomfortable(16:38) - Taming the dragons(19:40) - I'll be happy when ....(24:10) - What we DON'T care about!!!(27:42) - Mere Mortal MomentsConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show


