Tom Effs Around

Tom Houpt
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Education

I try things I'm bad at and report back: building an online business, writing, fitness, and whatever grabs me next. tomeffsaround.substack.com

Episodes

  1. 4h ago

    My Back Broke My Identity

    I've had back pain since I was a freshman in high school. For most of my adult life I've been 225 pounds and one of the biggest guys in the room, and I tied my self-worth to that. Now I'm rehabbing my back again, and I keep skipping the stretching and the PT work. Every time I get a little smaller, I rush to get back to what I think is my "true self." So I'm trying an experiment: picture myself at 205 and be okay with not being the biggest guy in the room anymore. If you know someone whose body has changed, or who's going through body dysmorphia or any kind of identity crisis, send this to them. I want to hear their take. I'm trying to broaden my perspective here. 0:00 Back pain since high school 0:30 Always the biggest guy in the room 1:50 Why I skip my rehab 2:36 Rushing back to 225 3:15 The experiment: picturing 205 3:43 Send this to someone Show notes written with AI help. Get full access to Tom Effs Around at tomeffsaround.substack.com/subscribe

  2. 1d ago

    What Mother Teresa Knew About the Words We Use

    Mother Teresa was asked to attend an anti-war rally. She said no, but if you ever hold a pro-peace rally, sign her up. That line has stuck with me since I was a teenager. Here's what I think she understood: your head knows "anti-war" means peace, but your emotions only hear "war." Same with a coach yelling "don't drop the football." Say the outcome you want instead. Did I read her right? Tell me in the comments. I want to know what I missed. 0:00 The quote 0:44 Picture both rallies 2:50 Don't drop the football 3:12 Why your emotions skip "don't" 3:58 Aim at the outcome you want 4:20 What do you think? Show notes written with AI help. Get full access to Tom Effs Around at tomeffsaround.substack.com/subscribe

  3. 6d ago

    Here is Why I Suck

    GaryVee said to make a video telling the world exactly what you suck at. So at 2am, unable to sleep, in sweatpants and slippers, I hit record. It comes down to two things. One, I care way too much about what other people think of me. Two, I don’t stick with things. I go back to the earliest memory I have of it: pretending not to know my first-grade crush because I was trying to play it cool. Then one joke in high school that I let define me. Then college, where I only went out if I was drunk. Then playing football I hated because my big brother said I should. Then the follow-through problem. There’s the graveyard of business ideas. There’s being laid off twice in 12 months. And there’s the time I quit my own series, which was about not quitting. So this is my mark in time. I’m going to keep posting, keep messing around and see what sticks, for as long as it takes. One minute of piano a day for 10 years. That I can handle. Tom Effs Around is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Tom Effs Around at tomeffsaround.substack.com/subscribe

  • 3 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

I try things I'm bad at and report back: building an online business, writing, fitness, and whatever grabs me next. tomeffsaround.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Houpt
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tom Houpt
  • Show Website
    Tom Effs Around