Excellence Above Talent Podcast

Aaron Thomas
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

The State of Man Is in Crisis—It’s Time for a Conversation.  The Excellence Above Talent podcast was born from pain, loss, and a deep need for change.  - Men are 3.6 times more likely to die by suicide than women.  - Men commit the majority of violence in the U.S., including domestic abuse and sexual assault.  - 90% of the prison population consists of men.  These are not just statistics—they represent broken families, lost lives, and a cycle of harm and abuse that must end.  As a BIPP (Batterer’s Intervention and Prevention Program) Director for four years, I’ve had countless conversations with men—men who believed abuse was necessary, men who didn’t even realize they were abusers. What I learned is that men want to talk, but they have no safe space to do so.  Society teaches men to suppress their struggles, to avoid vulnerability, and to uphold a toxic version of manhood. But silence is destroying us.  The Excellence Above Talent podcast is here to challenge the status quo. We’re redefining what it means to be a man—one conversation at a time.  Join me. Let’s fight for the future of manhood. Our sons are watching.  #ExcellenceAboveTalent #MensMentalHealth #RedefiningManhood #BreakTheCycle  

  1. 20h ago

    You Are Already Enough For What God Called You To Do

    Send us Fan Mail That “I’m not enough” feeling can show up on your best week, right when everything looks fine from the outside. We sit with that tension and name what a lot of men carry in silence: the fear that your success is fragile, that people are just being nice, and that one mistake will prove you never belonged. If you’ve wrestled with imposter syndrome, anxiety, or the pressure to constantly perform, this conversation is for you. We dig into how men are taught to attach identity to performance and why that’s a dangerous way to live when life inevitably fluctuates. We also talk about the mental loop where your mind keeps hunting for proof of an old story, then treats every delay, critique, or bad day as “evidence.” The goal isn’t to deny emotions or pretend you’re strong. Real strength is learning how to process emotions without letting them control your decisions, and we get practical about what that can look like. Faith is central here, especially the story of Moses. God calls Moses and Moses answers with excuses, which sounds a lot like how many of us respond to purpose when we’re scared to fail or be exposed. We also address shame and the question, “Why would God choose me?” and land on a freeing truth: God isn’t surprised by your past, and your history doesn’t disqualify you from being used for good. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more men can find honest conversations about men’s mental health, self-worth, and identity in God. Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    14 min

  2. Jun 19

    What If Honesty Is The Real Measure Of Manhood

    Send us Fan Mail Some of the most broken men you know look like the most reliable ones. I’m talking about the veteran who shows up, the coach who keeps encouraging others, the husband and leader who gets it done, and the friend who always says, “I’m good.” I’m also talking about what people don’t see: the internal battle, the pressure to perform strength, and the pain that gets carried alone. I share why men’s mental health became personal for me, including two low points that still shape how I speak, coach, and mentor today. One is my own season of not being okay, when I felt overwhelmed, trapped, and unseen. The other is losing a buddy I served with in Iraq, someone who brought light into a scary place but struggled hard after we got home. I offered help and even sent money, but I didn’t ask the question that mattered most: “Are you okay?” That loss is a permanent reminder that men can suffer silently until it’s too late. We talk about the lies men absorb early: asking for help is weakness, struggling means failure, real men don’t break. We also get real about how pain leaks out sideways through anger, isolation, addiction, emotional shutdown, depression, anxiety, and sometimes suicide. My core takeaway is simple: healing doesn’t begin when we get tougher, it begins when we get honest, then we build awareness, accountability, and growth from there. If you’re struggling, you don’t have to carry it alone. Listen, share this with a man you care about, and subscribe, rate, and review the show so more men hear they’re not alone. Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    14 min

  3. Jun 12

    What If Obedience Matters More Than Being Understood

    Send us Fan Mail We step back from the noise and talk to the man who feels alone, pressured, and unseen while trying to grow into his best self. We break down why chasing approval crushes men’s mental health and why obedience matters more than being understood.  • taking a reset after a long run of heavy topics  • recognizing when persuasion stops being productive  • spotting the hidden cost of chasing validation  • asking who you are without performance  • using Joshua and Caleb to contrast fear with faith  • remembering past wins when fear narrows your focus  • choosing honesty as the start of healing  • protecting peace by dropping expectations that are not yours  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And for daily, motivational, and up-to-date content, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Excellenceabove Talent. Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    14 min

  4. May 29

    You’re Not a Victim of Everything!!

    Send us Fan Mail We close the 24-week series with a blunt truth: ego turns accountability into a threat and keeps men stuck in blame. We break down how ownership creates freedom, why victim mentality weakens manhood, and what it takes to actually change.  • the difference between accountability and taking all the blame  • why ego interprets correction as disrespect  • how victim mentality blocks healing and growth  • a reframed way to think about high-profile domestic violence allegations  • why staying with obvious red flags is still a choice  • coaching middle school boys on responsibility and decision-making  • shame versus accountability and why the wording matters  • Aaron’s personal story of cheating, validation-seeking, and finally owning the damage  • why “performing innocence” protects image but kills character  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And for daily, motivational, and up-to-date content, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at ExcellenceAbove Talent. And remember, keep moving forward, never give up, and you are never alone in this battle.  Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    32 min

  5. May 22

    Congratulations, You Played Yourself Today

    Send us Fan Mail You can be “the strong one” and still be falling apart. When we keep performing confidence, toughness, success, and even spirituality, we may look put together but feel strangely numb, lonely, and tired. We’re not always exhausted because life is hard. We’re exhausted because acting is hard, and our nervous system was never designed to stay on stage 24/7. We dig into how the mask gets built early, especially when praise only shows up after achievement, emotions get ignored, or vulnerability feels unsafe. I share why men often learn to perform masculinity instead of understanding it, and how that turns into “don’t cry,” “don’t ask for help,” and “don’t look weak.” The hidden trap is brutal: you can receive love for someone you’re pretending to be, while the real you stays unseen. We also talk about people pleasing as performance, the fear underneath it, and why resentment grows when we trade authenticity for acceptance. Then we pivot to what real healing looks like: truth over image management, alignment between your public and private self, healthy boundaries, and the courage to ask, “Who am I when no one is around?” The goal isn’t to impress people. The goal is peace. If you’re ready to stop pretending and start healing, listen now, then share this with a man who needs it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what mask are you ready to put down? Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    12 min

  6. May 15

    You Can’t Blame Your Past And Keep Hurting People

    Send us Fan Mail We wrap our series with a blunt look at how unhealed pain turns into patterns that damage relationships and get handed down to kids. We challenge ourselves to stop confusing “normal” with “healthy” and to take full responsibility for the work of healing.  • why unhealthy behavior can feel normal when it is familiar  • how unhealed pain leaks into relationships, parenting, and friendships  • swearing “I’ll never be like that” while still repeating it without healing  • the difference between explanation and excuse in personal change  • how cycles spread through learned behavior, including racism and hate  • practical steps like emotional regulation, boundaries, therapy, and apology  • why legacy is behavior and emotional impact, not just money  • choosing to build people up instead of becoming a hurt person who hurts people  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.  And for daily, motivational, and up-to-date content, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at ExcellenceAboveTalent.  Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    17 min

  7. May 8

    Habits Build Futures

    Send us Fan Mail Your future isn’t waiting for one big break it’s being built by what you do on an ordinary day when nobody is watching. We’re talking about habits, discipline, and the quiet choices that shape a man’s direction over time, for better or worse. If you’ve ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or frustrated that nothing is changing, this conversation is a straight shot of clarity. We dig into why small habits don’t stay small. Skipping one workout, avoiding one hard conversation, one more night of escape or distraction can feel insignificant in the moment, but repetition turns it into momentum, and momentum turns into identity. I share a simple framework that makes it real: every action is a vote for the person you’re becoming. Over time, consistency beats intensity because your life changes when your daily system changes. We also separate comfort habits from growth habits. Comfort habits bring quick relief but long-term damage. Growth habits usually feel uncomfortable at first: communicating instead of shutting down, reading instead of scrolling, budgeting instead of impulse spending, showing up to the gym when you don’t feel like it, taking accountability instead of blaming. We close with practical steps to interrupt bad patterns, start small, and build one habit consistently until it becomes normal, plus reflection questions you can use this week. If this hit home, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share it with someone who’s trying to change their life, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    9 min

  8. May 1

    You Will Always Fall Back To Who You Believe You Are

    Send us Fan Mail You can grind for a month, hit a goal, and still end up right back in the same old habits the moment pressure hits. That’s not because you’re broken or “just not disciplined.” It’s because your identity is doing exactly what it was built to do: pull you back to what feels familiar. We talk about the real difference between behavior and identity and why behavior always follows what you believe about yourself. If your internal voice keeps repeating “I always mess up” or “I’m inconsistent,” you’ll eventually act that out, no matter how motivated you felt last week. We dig into the uncomfortable parts too: the fear of becoming someone new, the ego that defends who you’ve been, and what happens when growth starts shrinking your circle because certain relationships, jobs, and environments no longer fit. Then we get practical. We share the mindset shift from “I’m trying” to “I am,” why speaking life into yourself matters as an adult, and how small wins become proof that slowly rewires your self-image. You’ll also hear simple reflection questions you can use right away to decide who you are becoming and how that version of you shows up this week. If this hit home, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck in the same loop, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What identity are you ready to stop living from? Support the show #excellenceabovetalent #EAT #dontgiveup #youdeservethebest #youareenough ...

    12 min
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The State of Man Is in Crisis—It’s Time for a Conversation.  The Excellence Above Talent podcast was born from pain, loss, and a deep need for change.  - Men are 3.6 times more likely to die by suicide than women.  - Men commit the majority of violence in the U.S., including domestic abuse and sexual assault.  - 90% of the prison population consists of men.  These are not just statistics—they represent broken families, lost lives, and a cycle of harm and abuse that must end.  As a BIPP (Batterer’s Intervention and Prevention Program) Director for four years, I’ve had countless conversations with men—men who believed abuse was necessary, men who didn’t even realize they were abusers. What I learned is that men want to talk, but they have no safe space to do so.  Society teaches men to suppress their struggles, to avoid vulnerability, and to uphold a toxic version of manhood. But silence is destroying us.  The Excellence Above Talent podcast is here to challenge the status quo. We’re redefining what it means to be a man—one conversation at a time.  Join me. Let’s fight for the future of manhood. Our sons are watching.  #ExcellenceAboveTalent #MensMentalHealth #RedefiningManhood #BreakTheCycle  

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Thomas
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Excellence Above Talent Podcast
  • Show Website
    Excellence Above Talent Podcast