Behind The Human with Marc Champagne

Marc Champagne
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  • Mental Health
  • Updated weekly

Unpacking the stories and mental fitness practices of people living at the top of their game personally and professionally.

  1. 1 day ago

    The Iron Chef Who Prepared for a 97% Chance of Losing (Ft. Mark Tarbell)

    Chef and Iron Chef America winner Mark Tarbell opens up about nearly drowning, spending the next three decades sleeping only two to four hours a night, and eventually learning to use breath, meditation, service, and the pause to make better decisions. He also reveals the obsessive preparation behind his Iron Chef victory, why he refuses to live in past glory, and how saying no can become a gift. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 00:14 — Mark Tarbell on having the heart of a servant 00:45 — Where Mark’s generosity and humility began 01:33 — The grandmother whose home was always open 02:03 — Nearly drowning and realizing we are one breath away 02:46 — When a high achiever discovers he is not in control 04:30 — Sleeping two to four hours a night for 30 years 05:29 — Why the breath became deeply personal 06:45 — Using breathwork to regulate a driven mind 08:56 — Teaching restaurant teams the power of the pause 09:23 — The three-option method for making decisions under pressure 12:27 — The Jacques Pépin book that changed Mark’s life 14:16 — Fighting for an apprenticeship in Amsterdam 15:41 — Calling a Paris culinary school until they finally said yes 17:22 — Why chaos makes Mark feel calm 18:09 — The real role of a chef, server, or restaurateur 20:56 — How to stop other people’s emotions from sticking 22:59 — Cooking for the Dalai Lama and struggling with meditation 24:28 — Finding stillness inside chaotic environments 25:10 — How preparing food can become a meditation 27:22 — The unexpected call from Iron Chef America 28:48 — Preparing for a 97% chance of losing 30:51 — Recreating the competition before ever entering it 32:28 — Why Mark has never watched his Iron Chef victory 32:58 — Refusing to live in the glory days 34:23 — Creating filters for new opportunities 34:49 — Recovering from “yes-itis” 35:39 — What happens during Mark’s three-day decision pause 36:09 — Why no is the most underused word 36:29 — The gift of goodbye 37:11 — The advice Mark would give his 14-year-old self 37:30 — Living from the inside out 37:49 — Why love anchors everything 38:09 — Discernment versus judgment 39:40 — What Mark hopes his children see in him 41:18 — The ripple effect of following an authentic calling * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Photo credit: @phensimms   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Iron Chef Who Prepared for a 97% Chance of Losing (Ft. Mark Tarbell)

  2. 4 days ago

    The Blueprint (EP 2 of 7): Set the Season - One 90-Day Outcome Beats a Dozen Good Intentions

    Marc breaks down why 90 days is the right container for real change, then walks you through the two-layer exercise that actually anchors a season: your one professional outcome, and how you want to show up while you work towards that outcome. That second layer is the one almost everyone skips, and it's exactly why hitting a goal doesn't always feel like winning. This is episode two of a 7-part series teaching you how to build your own 90-Day Mental Fitness Blueprint by hand. Start with episode one if you haven't yet — this one builds directly on your baseline scores. Have your plan built for you in 15 minutes → blueprint.mchampagne.com Use code POD50 for 50% off while this series airs. Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Blueprint (EP 2 of 7): Set the Season - One 90-Day Outcome Beats a Dozen Good Intentions

  3. 19 Jul

    The Longevity Trap: When Optimizing Your Health Backfires (Ft. Dr. Nasim Afsar)

    We were promised that more data would give us more control. Somewhere between the sleep score and the blood panel, many of us stopped asking how we actually feel. After stepping away from the demanding executive career that had shaped much of her identity, physician and healthcare leader Dr. Nasim Afsar was forced to confront a deeper question: Who are you when the role, schedule, and story that defined you are suddenly gone? In this conversation, Nasim and Marc explore identity beyond achievement, the danger of trying to fix every uncomfortable emotion, and the growing anxiety surrounding wearables, supplements, testing, peptides, and longevity protocols. They also examine how unified health data and artificial intelligence could create a more personalized and human healthcare system—provided that people remain the owners of their information and the centre of every decision. This is a conversation about becoming whole, trusting how you feel, and remembering that no technology can replace sleep, movement, purpose, community, and a life you genuinely want to live. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 01:41 — Leaving the career that had become part of her identity 04:23 — What story are you telling yourself about who you are? 06:32 — Becoming a more whole human being 08:21 — What a Valentine’s Day disappointment taught Nasim about pain 11:14 — Why fixing the problem can prevent us from understanding it 13:16 — Letting discomfort teach you instead of managing it away 15:38 — How medical training conditioned doctors to disconnect emotionally 18:36 — Feeling difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them 20:03 — Why high-stress professions must teach people how to process trauma 22:17 — The connection between human context and intelligent health 23:47 — The patient labelled “non-compliant” whose real story was being missed 26:06 — Why clinical care represents only part of what shapes our health 26:44 — The three pillars of intelligent health 28:53 — Why modern health optimization has become overwhelming 30:12 — When wearable data disconnects you from how you actually feel 31:58 — The psychological cost of forcing yourself through “healthy” routines 33:34 — The anxiety and stress hiding inside the longevity movement 35:33 — A healthier, seasonal approach to wearables and tracking 37:56 — The simple fundamentals shared by people who live well 39:12 — The dangerous side of rushing into unverified health treatments 40:32 — Returning to the fundamentals before chasing the latest protocol 42:01 — Why fragmented health data prevents personalized care 45:15 — Where to begin when health information feels overwhelming 46:06 — Baseline testing, trusted practitioners, AI, and health-data privacy 47:38 — Why no peptide can replace the foundations of health 48:18 — The personalized health future that may be closer than we think 49:55 — Reclaiming autonomy without chasing every health trend * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Longevity Trap: When Optimizing Your Health Backfires (Ft. Dr. Nasim Afsar)

  4. 16 Jul

    The Blueprint (EP 1 of 7): Are You Functioning or Thriving? The 7 Numbers You Need To Know

    Most people are functioning but very few are thriving and we all deserve to thrive more days than not. In ten minutes, Marc walks you through the 7 pillars of the Mental Fitness Assessment — Clarity, Adaptability, Emotional Agility, Focus, Sleep & Recovery, Rumination, and Stress Load — and shows you how to self-score honestly across all seven. More importantly: what the relationship between your highest and lowest pillar actually reveals. Not a weakness to fix but your single biggest opportunity for the season ahead. This is episode one of a 7-part series teaching you how to build your own 90-Day Mental Fitness Blueprint by hand. Or — if you'd rather have yours built for you based on your actual answers — that option takes about 15 minutes. Have your plan built for you in 15 minutes → blueprint.mchampagne.com Use code POD50 for 50% off while this series airs. Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Blueprint (EP 1 of 7): Are You Functioning or Thriving? The 7 Numbers You Need To Know

  5. 12 Jul

    Why Gratitude Outperforms Hustle (Ft. Barrett Ersek)

    How would your life change if every setback wasn't blocking your path—but redirecting it? A devastating warehouse fire. Years of uncertainty. A company that nearly didn't survive. For Barrett Ersek, CEO & Founder of Holganix those moments became the foundation for a mission that's now transforming agriculture, helping farmers regenerate soil, improve profitability, and remove carbon from the atmosphere. But this conversation goes far beyond business. Barrett shares the deeply personal experiences that reshaped how he leads—from a life-changing lesson on gratitude to an extraordinary psychedelic journey where he believes his late mother revealed a completely different way to build companies, lead people, and live. Together, Marc and Barrett explore entrepreneurship, purpose, family, resilience, regenerative agriculture, leadership, intuition, and what it truly means to live in "flow." Whether you're building a company, raising a family, or simply navigating uncertainty, this episode offers a refreshing reminder that your greatest obstacles may be preparing you for your greatest contribution.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — "Who are you?" beyond the title 02:15 — Building culture instead of hierarchy 06:10 — The 80th wedding anniversary vision 07:00 — Annual entrepreneurial family retreats 08:45 — Family board meetings and raising entrepreneurial kids 11:30 — Why Barrett believes entrepreneurs can change the world 13:00 — Healthy soil creates healthy people 15:45 — The warehouse fire that changed everything 20:00 — Choosing gratitude in the middle of disaster 23:30 — How losing everything accelerated innovation 27:00 — Betting everything on a new idea 30:00 — Why overnight success actually took 17 years 32:30 — Staying mentally strong through years of uncertainty 34:30 — The psychedelic journey that changed his life 37:30 — Meeting his late mother 38:15 — The lesson of "Flow" 40:15 — Why leaders must focus on what they're FOR 42:00 — Becoming the dolphin 44:30 — Richard Branson unexpectedly enters the story 49:00 — The unforgettable Necker Island moment 51:30 — From pushing rocks uphill to effortless growth 54:00 — The dolphin appears at his son's wedding 56:00 — Gratitude, pilgrimage, and living in flow 59:00 — Why entrepreneurship is one of the world's noblest professions * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Why Gratitude Outperforms Hustle (Ft. Barrett Ersek)

  6. 5 Jul

    He Worked With Fleetwood Mac, The Who & Brian Wilson. Here's What They Taught Him About Life (Ft Leo Rossi)

    Leo Rossi spent decades behind the scenes with legendary artists including Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Brian Wilson, Prince, Chaka Khan, and many of the musicians who shaped modern music. But this conversation isn't really about rock and roll. It's about purpose. Leo shares remarkable stories from inside music history, the lessons he learned from creative geniuses, how one decision at 15 years old altered the course of his life, and why losing his son ultimately led him toward a mission that's impacting children around the world. This is a conversation about legacy, generosity, faith, and living the magic of every moment.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — "I'm the luckiest guy on Earth." 02:00 — Why authentic conversations create deeper connections 04:05 — Accidentally finding a career backstage 06:15 — Touring with Black Sabbath, The Who and rock legends 08:05 — How working for free led to Fleetwood Mac 12:10 — Why he walked away from the music industry 13:00 — The real story behind Knights of Rock 17:15 — What people misunderstand about classic rock 20:00 — Why everything starts with the song 22:05 — Brian Wilson's extraordinary creative genius 29:45 — The one word that summarizes an unbelievable career 30:40 — Losing his son and discovering a new purpose 35:10 — Building bridges that change lives 38:30 — Why kindness compounds over generations 41:10 — Watching "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac being born 44:30 — Why he believes magic found him 46:00 — The biggest poverty in the world isn't money 49:00 — One small act can change everything * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    He Worked With Fleetwood Mac, The Who & Brian Wilson. Here's What They Taught Him About Life (Ft Leo Rossi)

  7. 28 Jun

    The Future of Work Depends on One Human Skill We Ignore (Ft. Jen Fisher)

    For years, we've been told burnout is something individuals need to fix with better habits, stronger resilience, or another meditation app. But what if we've been asking the wrong question? In this episode, former Deloitte Chief Well-Being Officer and author of Hope is the Strategy, Jen Fisher shares why burnout is often the outcome of broken workplace systems—not broken people. Together, we explore hope as a practical leadership strategy, why organizations continue admiring the data instead of changing behavior, how AI is reshaping humanity at work, and why the next generation may be our greatest reason for optimism. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: "Who are you?" 01:25 — Burnout forced Jen to redefine success 03:40 — Becoming one of the world's first Chief Well-Being Officers 08:00 — Why every large organization needs someone responsible for well-being 12:00 — We've collected enough data. Now we need strategy. 16:15 — Why AI can't replace hope 17:00 — Hope isn't wishful thinking 20:15 — The three components of Hope Theory 23:00 — Burnout is becoming a systems problem—not an individual problem 26:00 — What employees can actually control 31:00 — Building the business case for well-being at Deloitte 36:45 — Which industries are making progress 41:00 — Jen's non-negotiables for mental fitness 42:15 — AI, humanity and the future of work 45:00 — Why young people give Jen hope * Special props 👇 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Future of Work Depends on One Human Skill We Ignore (Ft. Jen Fisher)

  8. 21 Jun

    How to Find the Magic Moments That Change Everything (Ft. Colin Hodge)

    Why is it that some ideas spread effortlessly while others disappear, even when they're objectively better? Colin Hodge joins Marc Champagne to explore the psychology behind startup growth, customer behavior, identity transformation, and the lessons learned from building successful companies over the last decade. They discuss why empathy is the foundation of sustainable growth, how entrepreneurs become trapped by their identities, the surprising role journaling and reflection have played in Colin's success, and what separates products people try from products they keep coming back to. Whether you're building a business, launching a creative project, or simply trying to create meaningful change in your own life, this conversation offers a powerful framework for understanding how people think, decide, and grow.   Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas Personal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life   Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne   Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: "Who are you?" 02:00 — Entrepreneurship, humor, and surviving difficult seasons 04:30 — The versions of ourselves that must die to grow 08:30 — Identity, self-worth, and the danger of attaching yourself to your work 10:00 — Gratitude, journaling, and facing fear directly 12:30 — Why reflection creates clarity and better decisions 13:30 — The surprising journey from entrepreneur to author 18:00 — The psychology behind startup growth 21:00 — Empathy: the foundation of every successful product 23:00 — Why understanding your users changes everything 24:00 — The mistake most founders make when defining their audience 25:30 — Marc's Mental Fitness Blueprint and the challenge of behavior change 29:00 — Identity shifts that unlock lasting habits 32:00 — The power of daily questions and micro-moments 33:00 — Mapping customer emotions and finding "magic moments" 35:00 — Why frustrated users may be your biggest opportunity 38:00 — The reality of writing and launching a book 42:00 — Turning marketing into a game of experimentation 46:00 — What Colin would do differently if launching another book 48:00 — USA Today Bestseller lessons and book launch strategy 50:00 — The power of endorsements, relationships, and persistence 52:00 — Playing to your strengths when growing anything 54:00 — The concept of "magic moments" and why they matter * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    How to Find the Magic Moments That Change Everything (Ft. Colin Hodge)
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Unpacking the stories and mental fitness practices of people living at the top of their game personally and professionally.

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