Behind The Human with Marc Champagne

Marc Champagne
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  • MENTAL HEALTH
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Unpacking the stories and mental fitness practices of people living at the top of their game personally and professionally.

  1. Why Deep Breaths Might Be Making You Feel Worse (Ft Patrick McKeown)

    5 DAYS AGO

    Why Deep Breaths Might Be Making You Feel Worse (Ft Patrick McKeown)

    What if mental clarity, emotional regulation, and better sleep weren’t about adding another practice—but undoing a hidden one? In this conversation, Patrick McKeown reveals how chronic over-breathing quietly drives anxiety, rumination, poor sleep, and brain fog. Drawing from decades of research and lived experience, he explains why breathing less (not more) can improve oxygen delivery, blood flow to the brain, and nervous system balance. This episode challenges modern breathwork myths and offers practical, science-backed ways to retrain your breathing for everyday life. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 01:20 — Living out of the head vs. living life 03:10 — How stress, sleep, and breathing patterns intersect 05:00 — Discovering breath as a path to presence 07:40 — Why The Power of Now actually worked 10:15 — Walking away from the corporate world 12:30 — The origins of the Buteyko Method 14:40 — Why breathing more air can reduce oxygen delivery 17:10 — Nasal breathing and brain function 19:50 — Rumination, CO₂, and cerebral blood flow 22:30 — Why slow breathing isn’t always good breathing 25:10 — Everyday breathing vs. breathwork sessions 28:00 — Practical exercise: calming the nervous system 32:10 — Clearing a blocked nose naturally 36:40 — Breathing for performance and public speaking 41:30 — How to retrain your breath throughout the day 46:00 — Measuring progress: the BOLT score & breath mastery 50:10 — Final reflections on calm, clarity, and control * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 4m
  2. The Art of Not Knowing: Creativity, Naivety, and the Courage to Begin (Ft Platte Clark)

    1 FEB

    The Art of Not Knowing: Creativity, Naivety, and the Courage to Begin (Ft Platte Clark)

    Why is it that the stories that change our lives rarely begin with certainty, but with curiosity and risk? Marc sits down with author, ghostwriter, and screenwriter Platte Clark to explore why storytelling isn’t just an art form—it’s a survival tool. From abandoning law school for philosophy, to writing bestselling fiction, to ghostwriting more than two dozen books for thought leaders, Platte shares what he’s learned about creativity, courage, and the quiet mental practices that make meaningful work possible. This episode dives into the tension between art and business, the myth that creativity must be strategic to matter, and why naivety may actually be the greatest creative advantage we have left—especially in the age of AI. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 02:10 — Discovering the identity of a humanist 04:20 — Leaving law behind for philosophy and meaning 07:30 — Falling in love with learning (and being a lifelong student) 10:15 — Writing the first book without knowing the rules 13:40 — Why quitting your job to write is usually a bad idea (and why he did it anyway) 17:00 — The bird and the sword: a metaphor for creative balance 20:45 — Why writing the book is the easy part 24:30 — Ghostwriting, abundance, and unexpected opportunity 28:10 — Advice to first-time authors: protect your naivety 31:40 — AI, storytelling, and what machines can’t replace 34:50 — Mental fitness, breathwork, and creative recovery 38:30 — Music, movement, and engineering the creative environment 41:20 — Who reads the first draft (and why honesty matters) 43:10 — Why every human has a story worth telling 45:00 — Final reflections on humanity, story, and meaning * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    45 min
  3. Designing Your Own Mental Fitness Blueprint, A 90-Day Plan for Your Mind

    29 JAN

    Designing Your Own Mental Fitness Blueprint, A 90-Day Plan for Your Mind

    You Don't Need to Try Harder. You Need to Understand the Patterns Running Your Mind. In this solo episode, Marc breaks down a pattern he’s seen across 500+ conversations, boardrooms, and personal turning points: capable, intelligent people who know what to do, yet still feel overwhelmed, stuck, or out of alignment. This episode introduces a practical framework for designing a Mental Fitness Blueprint. A system that helps you understand your mental operating pattern, align your practices to what you’re actually building, and recover faster when life gets messy. Think of this as a blueprint for your next 90 days, not just what you’ll do, but how your mind will support you along the way. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Connect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagne Timestamps: 00:00 — Why this solo episode needed to be said 01:40 — The pattern Marc kept seeing across 500+ interviews 03:10 — Why insight alone never creates change 04:40 — The hidden cost of running life without a mental system 06:30 — Why most mental fitness advice doesn’t work 09:00 — The three things every mental fitness system must do 10:50 — Mental operating patterns (and why none are “wrong”) 13:40 — Designing your next 90 days from the inside out 15:30 — Daily rituals that actually match how you work 16:40 — The reset protocol: Pause, Reset, Re-enter 18:10 — How this expands your operating range over time 19:40 — Why self-knowledge is becoming the ultimate advantage 21:00 — Building your own system vs. using the Blueprint 23:00 — The real risk of doing nothing * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    25 min
  4. The Space After Loss: Learning to Live in the After (Ft Michelle Murphy)

    25 JAN

    The Space After Loss: Learning to Live in the After (Ft Michelle Murphy)

    What if grief isn’t something you heal from…but something that teaches you how to love differently? Marc sits down with medium and spiritual guide Michelle Murphy to explore grief not as a problem to solve, but as an experience that reshapes identity, presence, and love itself. Michelle shares what she’s learned from over 20 years of guiding people through loss—why grief lives in the body, why time doesn’t “fix” it, and how moments of joy after loss often arrive wrapped in guilt. Together, they unpack the difference between missing someone and missing their presence, the danger of spiritual bypassing, and how love continues even when form disappears. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal 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 — Being a medium: why it’s not something you can turn off 04:30 — Grief as an embodied experience (lungs, breath, nervous system) 07:15 — Why grief isn’t linear—and never really ends 10:30 — The isolation of grief and the healing power of being seen 13:45 — The four-year cycle: anniversaries, acceptance, and new reality 17:20 — “Grief is the price we pay for love” 20:10 — Why joy after loss often brings guilt 23:40 — Missing someone vs. missing their presence 27:00 — Spiritual bypassing and toxic positivity in grief 30:15 — What actually helps people who are grieving 34:50 — Love as continuity, not absence 38:30 — Final reflections on patience, presence, and living forward * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    52 min
  5. The Hidden Cost of Certainty (And Why It’s Breaking Us)

    18 JAN

    The Hidden Cost of Certainty (And Why It’s Breaking Us)

    What if the thing you spend your life trying to avoid (uncertainty) is actually the skill that determines whether you thrive or collapse? Before the success, before the book, before the impact — there was a moment where certainty disappeared, and Scott Stirrett had to decide whether to retreat… or step forward anyway. Scott shares his journey from leaving a high-certainty career at Goldman Sachs to founding Venture for Canada, raising over $80M, and supporting nearly 15,000 young people across the country. The conversation goes deeper into Scott’s lived experience with uncertainty during his OCD diagnosis, the 4:00am walk that marked his lowest point, and how learning to stop seeking certainty transformed his relationship with fear, ambition, and identity. Show Partners: Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Get in Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehuman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/ Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 02:45 — Leaving certainty behind at Goldman Sachs 06:30 — The emotional paradox of excitement and anxiety 09:50 — Why uncertainty holds so many people back 13:20 — OCD, anxiety, and fear of the unknown 17:40 — The 4:00am walk and hitting rock bottom 21:30 — Exposure therapy and learning to stop certainty-seeking 26:10 — “The only way out is through” 30:45 — Relationships as a resilience system 35:20 — Strong ties vs. weak ties in an uncertain world 38:50 — Designing recovery after intense life sprints 42:10 — How Scott wants to feel in his next chapter * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    39 min
  6. Why Self-Doubt Isn’t Your Problem — Your Odds Are (Ft Kyle Austin Young)

    11 JAN

    Why Self-Doubt Isn’t Your Problem — Your Odds Are (Ft Kyle Austin Young)

    What if success isn’t personal at all — but mathematical? Kyle Austin Young reveals why so many intelligent, capable people fail to reach their goals — even when they do everything “right.” Drawing from his own experience of repeated layoffs, personal burnout, and rebuilding his life through consulting, Kyle introduces a powerful framework for rethinking success through probability rather than motivation. Kyle explains how overwhelm, survival mode, and mental clutter don’t just affect our wellbeing — they distort our ability to make good decisions. Together, Marc and Kyle explore how success diagrams, probability hacking, and intentional reflection can radically improve the odds of achieving meaningful goals — personally and professionally. This is a conversation about slowing down, reclaiming agency, and learning how to design success instead of hoping for it. Show Partners: A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Get in Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehuman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/ Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 03:10 — From layoffs to consulting: redefining security 07:05 — The treehouse moment: why we miss what’s right in front of us 11:30 — Presence, overwhelm, and the cost of survival mode 15:20 — What is a success diagram? 18:45 — Why motivation lies and math tells the truth 23:40 — The danger of averaging probabilities 28:50 — Probability hacking: reducing risk creatively 34:10 — Why most advice is actually harmful 39:30 — Designing goals instead of chasing validation 44:00 — Mental fitness, clarity, and decision-making 47:30 — Non-negotiable practices for a clear mind 50:00 — What makes life meaningful now * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    52 min
  7. What If This Is Exactly the Moment We Came Here For? (Ft Anna Severina)

    4 JAN

    What If This Is Exactly the Moment We Came Here For? (Ft Anna Severina)

    How would your life change if you trusted that consciousness itself is guiding this next chapter of humanity? Marc sits down with Anna Severina to explore motherhood, consciousness, ancient civilizations, AI, fear, and the future of human awareness. Together, they examine how raising conscious children, reconnecting with the Earth, and developing inner stillness may be the real preparation for what’s coming next. Show Partners: A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Get in Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehuman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/ Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 00:02 — Motherhood as a portal to identity and contribution 00:05 — Why homeschooling became an intuitive choice 00:09 — Teaching children discernment, not conformity 00:12 — Raising “polite rebels” in a structured world 00:15 — The documentary: consciousness, Earth, and ancient sites 00:18 — Pyramids, sacred geometry, and lost technologies 00:20 — AI, silica, and the evolution of intelligence 00:24 — Cycles of collapse, rebirth, and forgotten history 00:26 — Fear, health, and the splitting paths of society 00:29 — Mental fitness as a bridge through uncertainty 00:31 — Insights from Zach Bush 00:35 — Encounters, synchronicity, and soul recognition 00:36 — Conversations with Steven Greer 00:39 — Death as transition, not ending 00:42 — Children, DNA activation, and future leadership 00:45 — Why this moment in history matters 00:48 — Choosing curiosity over fear 00:50 — Earthlings, community, and what’s coming next * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    52 min
  8. Who Adapts, Who Freezes, Who Gets Left Behind — How to Equip Your Mind for What’s Next (Ft. Mike Schwarz)

    28/12/2025

    Who Adapts, Who Freezes, Who Gets Left Behind — How to Equip Your Mind for What’s Next (Ft. Mike Schwarz)

    Why is it that in the face of the most powerful tool humanity has ever created, so many capable people feel overwhelmed instead of empowered? Marc sits down with serial entrepreneur and AI consultant Mike Schwarz to explore what’s really happening beneath the AI conversation. This isn’t a discussion about tools or trends — it’s about fear, acceleration, mental overload, and the growing divide between those who adapt and those who freeze. Mike shares what he’s seeing inside the top 1–5% of AI adopters, why most people are stuck using AI at the surface level, and why mental fitness may be the defining advantage of the next decade. Show Partners: A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better Life Get in Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthehuman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-🧠💪-14767b17/ Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?” 00:02 — Mike’s journey from dot-com entrepreneur to AI founder 00:06 — Why most AI adoption is still surface-level 00:09 — The growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else 00:13 — Neurodivergence, hyper-focus, and rapid adaptation 00:17 — Fear, stress, and overwhelm as the real blockers 00:20 — AI as a change-management problem, not a tech one 00:24 — Automation, professional services, and job displacement 00:29 — The runaway train metaphor for AI acceleration 00:33 — Leadership responsibility during massive uncertainty 00:37 — Mental fitness as a survival skill 00:39 — Using AI to free time, not erase meaning 00:41 — Final reflections on adaptation and humanity * Special props 👇 Music: Clouds - Joakim Karud See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    41 min
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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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