Beyond Curious ®

Brandon Fong
  • 5.0 (153)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Curiosity alone won't change the world, but going Beyond Curious® will. The people that shape society are the explorers — the brave adventurers willing to take a voyage into the unknown to satisfy their curiosity, fulfill their purpose, and bring their ideas to life. This show is for those people. The ones that are relentlessly curious about themselves, their impact, their potential, the people they love, and the world around them. The ones who CONSTANTLY ask themselves, “What if…”, “I wonder…”, “Why not…”, -- pushing the boundaries of what is possible for themselves and for society at large. Join me (Brandon Fong) as every week I interview pioneering adventurers who have dared to go Beyond Curious®. Past guests have included NYT Bestselling authors, main stage TED speakers, unicorn founders... ... and even an occasional Olympian, NFL player, FBI hostage negotiator, former gang leader, decorated air force pilot, illusionist, world-record setting mountaineer, royal Knight, Hollywood legend, Shark from Shark Tank, and even the man that invented the cell phone! I'm grateful to say that the show holds a top 1% global ranking out of the 3.5M+ global podcasts indexed by Listen Notes. To hear the full story of how Beyond Curious® was born (show was formally called 7-Figure Millennials) and learn about the vision for the brand, listen to episode #140!

  1. #272: The Fourth File: The Power Up That Reveals Your “Unforgettable” Big Idea… w/ Michael Roderick

    5D AGO

    #272: The Fourth File: The Power Up That Reveals Your “Unforgettable” Big Idea… w/ Michael Roderick

    Today we’re opening up The FOURTH 4% File — part 4 of an 11 part Beyond Curious series where I surface the most powerful, high-impact insights buried inside the 334+ hours of published episodes on this show. In this file, I’m introducing you to someone that has impacted my life in a BIG way… the brilliant Michael Roderick. I could spend several hours telling you about how awesome Michael is. In fact, I actually did do that earlier this year… In September, I reached out to 300+ people to throw him a massive virtual surprise party, just to say thank you: Turns out I’m not the only one that’s been deeply impacted by him! Anyways… This interview may very well be the most I’ve EVER invested in terms of “preparing” for an interview. I’m talking 100+ hours. How could that even be possible? Well, I’ve known Michael for over 5 years now and have not only invested significantly to be a part of his programs… But our relationship has evolved to the point where we talk once a week, and he’s become a truly transformational thought partner in my life. So this interview is unique from the perspective that EVERYTHING we talk about, I’ve implemented and gotten BIG results from. And now it’s time for you to get the best of the best! In The Fourth File, you’ll learn: Michael’s Thought Leader Triple Threat Framework: Discover which of the 3 thought leader types you naturally embody, and why knowing the order of your archetypes is the key to making your messaging memorable, and your ideas unforgettable.How to craft your “Unforgettable Big Idea” by doing what Michael calls challenging the dominant narrative.How to use Pre-Marketing to make your ideas so compelling that you stop knocking on doors and start opening them for the people already knocking on yours.How to use the power of Indirect Asks to turn your ideas into keys that unlock powerful relationshipsHow to use what Michael calls “Windows Thinking” to come up with innovative and original ideas At the end of the day, it’s the quality of your thinking and the way you communicate your thinking that will unlock the biggest opportunities for you. This episode is the masterclass for that! 00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Michael Roderick Brandon Fong kicks off the fourth installment of the 4% Files series, diving into high-impact insights from past episodes. He introduces today’s guest, Michael Roderick, someone he credits with a massive influence on his life. Brandon sets the stage for a deep-dive into frameworks that bridge identity, connection, and idea development. 01:06 - The Architect vs. Player Operating System Framework Brandon recaps the foundational files and introduces today's theme—a “power-up” focused on revealing your unforgettable big idea. He explains how today's episode ties into designing a game that supports your highest-impact self. 02:47 - Choice Mapping and the 4% Humans Who Change Everything Brandon shares a transformative choice-mapping experience from Kim DeYoung that spotlighted Michael...

    1h 27m
  2. #271: The Third File: The Power Up That Solves the ONE Problem Blocking 1,000+ Opportunities… w/ Alexandra Watkins

    12/23/2025

    #271: The Third File: The Power Up That Solves the ONE Problem Blocking 1,000+ Opportunities… w/ Alexandra Watkins

    Two weeks ago, I launched The 4% Files -- an 11-part series where I'm surfacing the most powerful, high-leverage insights buried inside 334+ hours of Beyond Curious episodes. The First File revealed how to uncover your 4% — the magical zone where your greatest impact meets your greatest joyThe Second File revealed an Operating System to help you to architect a game completely based off of your unique strengths In the Third File and beyond, we’re shifting into “power-up” territory. I’m surfacing the “80/20 of the 80/20” of Beyond Curious content that led to a disproportionate impact on my life. And the first power up is a strange one. Naming. Yes, naming. Today I’m re-surfacing an episode I recorded with my friend, Alexandra Watkins. Ever heard of the Wendy’s Baconator? Yep, Alexandra named that. She’s the author of one of my favorite books, Hello My Name Is Awesome, and has created love-at-first sight names for companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Disney, Google, Twitter, and Colgate. Of all places, why start here? Here’s the embarrassing truth: For 139 episodes, my brand and podcast was called 7-Figure Millennials 🤮 That brand was the PERFECT example of me “playing a game” I didn’t consciously choose. It was what I thought I needed to be, inspired by copying others. And while that name helped get me started… it quickly became a straightjacket. Every time I saw it, spoke it, or shared it, I felt a wave of emotional resistance. Because it didn’t reflect my truth. Through the deep work that eventually became the Find Your Four™ framework, I knew who I was… But I didn’t yet know how to express it. So I hired Alexandra, handed everything I’d uncovered about myself to her and said: “Please please please help me find a name that will let me be me.” What came out on the other end was not only Beyond Curious®, but also Curiosity Island™… two core pillars of my world. These two brands bridged the gap between who I knew I was and how the world saw me. Which is why I truly believe: Unlocking the right brand name is a single decision that solves a thousand problems. Because the moment your brand clicks into alignment, everything gets easier: You attract the right people.You get invited into the right rooms.You show up with more confidence and clarity.span class="ql-ui"...

    1h 47m
  3. #270: The Second File: Become An Architect

    12/16/2025

    #270: The Second File: Become An Architect

    -- To Access All Bonus Material Mentioned In This Series, Visit gobeyondcurious.com/files -- Last week, I released the FIRST ever 4% File -- the first of an 11-part series where I'm surfacing the most powerful, high-leverage insights buried inside 334+ hours of interviews with some of the most curious minds out there. Quick recap (if you didn't listen yet, or you want a refresher from last week): In the first file, we started by asking a big question: What game am I currently playing in life, and did I choose it consciously? We talked about how society hands us these "default games", and just how easy it is to trick ourselves into thinking we're playing our own game... ... when in reality, there may still be elements of the default games we're playing that no longer serve us. . . . The blessing and curse of living in 2025 is that exponential technology is causing more and more of those "default games" to freeze, and some to stop working altogether. And instead of seeing that as a threat, it’s a HUGE opportunity for us to pause, remove any fragments of the default game that may or may not have been handed to us… and design one that’s truly ours. That’s where the Player vs. Architect idea comes in. You have a Player — the version of you running around inside the game — and you have an Architect, the version of you who can step outside the game, see the whole thing, and consciously create it. In File One, we focused entirely on understanding your Player using the Find Your Four™ framework refined within my Curiosity Island™ community. It's the 80/20 of the 80/20 where you find just 4% that creates not only the greatest impact but the greatest joy. In the SECOND File we step into Architect mode. Here's what's on our roadmap for the Second File: For the first time ever on the podcast, I'm taking you inside Curiosity Island by sharing a raw, unscripted conversation that happened earlier this year. You’ll hear the exact breakthrough that completely reframed how we approach goals, accomplishment, and identity evolution… and why the traditional, default ways of setting big visions often don’t serve people like us — people who are using our game as a vehicle to become the next, truest version of ourselves. Then from that conversation, I reveal the core structure of what I now call The Operating System. This is a framework developed out of hundreds of hours of testing and evolution for the Architect version of you to design a game that fits your unique Player. And of course, I'll be giving you some powerful tools to help you as an Architect to design your own game. And finally, you’ll get the tools to start designing your own game. READY PLAYER ONE! Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s exploration of the Architect Operating SystemBrandon Fong welcomes listeners to the second installment of the 4% Files series, designed to surface transformational insights from 334+ hours of Beyond Curious content. This episode moves from understanding the "player" (from File 1) to designing the game itself—as the "architect"—through a framework inspired by co-creation on Curiosity Island. 00:51 - Recap of File 1 and introduction of the Architect conceptBrandon recaps the major theme of File 1—consciously choosing your life's game—and...

    1h 33m
  4. #269: The First File: Know Your Player

    12/09/2025

    #269: The First File: Know Your Player

    -- To Access All Bonus Material Mentioned In This Series, Visit gobeyondcurious.com/files -- Last week, I announced a new series being released on Beyond Curious® called The 4% Files. In this 11-part series, I’ll surface the most powerful, high-leverage insights buried inside 334+ hours of interviews with some of the most curious minds on the planet. The inspiration? The 80/20 rule… but on steroids. Because 80/20 is fractal, you can 80/20 the 80/20 — which means just 4% of efforts are responsible for over half your results (64% to be exact). So this means the same is true for my podcast… Buried within the 267 previously released episodes, there lies 4% of the content that is the most valuable and potent. AND… because I love you… Within this series, I’m going FAR beyond simply replaying my most powerful episodes. I’m sharing it within an overarching framework and pattern I’ve developed that took me THOUSANDS of hours to develop. In The First File, I reveal this mega framework, and how we’ll be exploring it through the theme of video games. To say I’m excited to share this with you is a massive understatement… As I started poring over all of my content, it's almost as if suddenly the thousands of hours I've invested into creating this show all began to click into place. I can’t wait for you to open the first file! Stay Curious, Brandon P.S. Not only am I creating this series, but I’m also giving away EPIC bonus material to help implement it all. If you truly want to make the most out of this series, you’ll want to check it out here.  P.P.S. If you want to see the mini 8 Bit Brandon series I had too much fun creating using Sora (in that GIF you see above) it’s also on that link :)  Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 – Introduction to Beyond Curious with host Brandon FongBrandon introduces the "4% Files" — a special 11-part series within Beyond Curious. He shares that this series distills the most impactful insights from over 334 hours of published episodes to help listeners surface their own unique brilliance and consciously design their lives. 00:36 - Growing up Zillennial and the video game metaphorBrandon reflects on being born in 1996 and feeling like part of a unique "zillennial" generation. He shares nostalgic stories of playing Super Nintendo with his brother and friends, humorously recalling their odd method of fixing cartridges, then connects it to a powerful metaphor: the “game” of modern life is freezing — and it’s time to choose whether we’re playing consciously or unconsciously. 02:02 - Why the “game” of work and life is freezingBrandon explains how linear societal programming prepares us for predefined roles — or “games” — such as doctor, lawyer, or entrepreneur. But with AI rapidly transforming industries, even entrepreneurs aren't immune to unconscious patterns like chasing success for external validation. The key is choosing to play consciously. 03:57 - Are you playing your own game… or someone else’s?Brandon dives into the importance of playing a game you’ve intentionally chosen. He warns against blindly following the frameworks of “gurus” and emphasizes a new paradigm: you’re already whole, and the growth journey should come from your truth, not a place of lack. 05:43 - Learning to listen to your own wisdomBrandon highlights how many external programs subtly suggest you’re “not...

    52 min
  5. Announcing: The 4% Files — The most potent wisdom from 334+ hours of Beyond Curious®

    EPISODE 268

    Announcing: The 4% Files — The most potent wisdom from 334+ hours of Beyond Curious®

    Two days ago, a question randomly popped into my head: “What if I applied my Find Your Four™ framework to the entire Beyond Curious library?” If you’re new here — Find Your Four™ is a framework I developed inspired by the 80/20 rule (aka Pareto Principle).  At its core, it’s about identifying the smallest actions that create the biggest results. It turns out that if you apply 80/20 on the 20% — you get to something even more potent: 4% of your efforts = 64% of your results. So I ran the numbers. There are 267 episodes before this one… 4% of 267 = 10.68 → round that up = 11 episodes And this is how The 4% Files was born. Over the next 11 episodes, I’ll be digging through 334+ hours of Beyond Curious conversations and surfacing just the 4% — the most potent, high-impact ideas I believe can change your life. For more details, listen to the announcement here. Stay tuned for the first episode being released next Tuesday! Stay Curious, Brandon

    4 min

  6. 11/25/2025

    #267: Building a World With Trauma Free Children & The Power of Returning to the Wisdom of Your Heart… w/ Keith Hodge

    In his 20s, Keith Hodge was the last person you’d ever expect to become a transformational healer. He spent his nights DJing in clubs, his days snowboarding, and followed the well-worn societal script straight into becoming a tax professional.  Life looked “normal” from the outside… until everything collapsed. Within months of starting his corporate career, Keith hit rock bottom after he walked into a doctors office feeling completely drained… and walked out with a chronic fatigue diagnosis and a note excusing him from work for an entire year. Out of pure desperation, Keith followed a friend’s advice and visited a 70-year-old psychic named Mari.  He walked into her room skeptical, agnostic, and absolutely not the “spiritual type.” She took one look at him and said words that changed the entire trajectory of his life: “You’re going to be a healer.” Keith’s first reaction was, “What’s a healer?” Fast-forward to today, and Keith has worked with 10,000+ people across the world, dissolving emotional patterns at their root and now helping them step into what he calls “True North Alignment.” Here’s what specifically resonates with me about Keith’s work: Keith helps people shift away from a “you need fixing” paradigm into a transcending paradigm — where transformation happens not through doing, but through being. And if that wasn’t inspirational enough, I’m truly magnetized by Keith’s vision of creating a world of Trauma-Free Children. Imagine: A world where kids are taught how to feel, process, and regulate their emotions instead of suppressing them. Keith believes that by holding children in presence rather than trying to fix or rush their feelings, we can end generational patterns at their root and raise humans who grow up centered, connected, and emotionally whole. This is a beautiful conversation where explore: Why trauma forms in the first place—and why it’s not the “event,” but the unfelt emotion and story created underneath itHow our children can learn emotional regulation as naturally as they learn language.Why boredom, procrastination, anger, and anxiety aren’t “problems”… they’re protectors. (Keith walks me through an example in real time on something I’m working through now related to boredom!)How to make decisions from your heart’s intelligence instead of excitement, fear, logic, or conditioning.Why it’s completely normal to outgrow something that used to be true for you, and how to step forward into a new truth Especially as a parent, I left this recording with a completely new understanding of what it truly means to raise emotionally healthy children. Whether or not you have kids, this episode will change the way you see your own emotional patterns, your past, and your potential. Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Keith HodgeBrandon welcomes listeners and introduces Keith Hodge, a transformational healer whose mission is to help people reconnect with their true state of being. He outlines three powerful themes explored in the episode: seeing boredom and anxiety as protectors, making heart-led decisions, and creating a world of trauma-free children. 01:40 - Exploring boredom, procrastination, and emotional triggersKeith and Brandon begin their deep dive by examining how emotions like boredom and procrastination are not problems, but protective mechanisms. Keith shares how becoming aware of where these emotions are stored in the body is the first step in healing. 04:30 - Grounding in presence before storytellingThe conversation kicks off with a moment of grounding, setting the tone for presence. Brandon opts to start by diving into the idea of uncovering and removing limiting...

    1h 19m

  7. 11/18/2025

    #266: The Single Most Important Thing I Did at 21 That Changed My Career Forever

    I turn 30 in just about 3 months.  As I sat down to reflect on what’s changed my career trajectory the most over the past decade, one thing stood out above everything else. I call it Slipstreaming. It’s a strategy I first used when I was 21 that helped me go from “broke college student” to working side-by-side with one of my mentors, traveling the world, getting flown into $25K mastermind rooms, and ultimately building the life I live today. In today’s episode, I’m finally breaking it all down. And instead of just telling you what it is, I show you — by weaving together audio from: A course I created 8 years ago with my mentor Jonathan LeviClips from past Beyond Curious guests like Todd Herman, Jessica Von Innerbrenner, and Lee Holden — who each used a similar method to create transformational opportunities in their lives Whether you're a teen, twentysomething or thirtysomething, or you’re further along in your journey and want to empower the next generation — this one is worth a listen. Here’s a peek at what you’ll learn: Why “learning from someone ahead of you” can shortcut years of trial and error (and how I still do this today)The psychology behind why the slipstream technique works (hint: IKEA furniture has something to do with it)When I realized that even though this strategy changed my life, I needed to let go of it in the way I originally learned to do it In a world changing so fast that many of tomorrow’s most important jobs don’t even exist yet, I’m excited for the right people to hear this. If you know someone navigating their career path, I hope you’ll consider sharing this with them — it completely changed my life. Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Brandon FongBrandon opens the episode with a deeply personal reflection: with just 99 days left before turning 30, he takes listeners on a unique solo journey into a strategy that completely transformed his life — one he calls the “Slipstream Technique.” He sets the stage by reflecting on speaking engagements with incoming college freshmen and the overwhelming uncertainty facing today’s youth in a rapidly evolving world. 00:56 - The spark that changed Brandon’s life at 21Brandon introduces the moment that shifted his life trajectory in his early 20s and how it became a repeating pattern among many high achievers he interviewed. He introduces the “Slipstream Technique” as a powerful, unconventional method for career acceleration — one that doesn’t rely on traditional education or job applications. 03:53 - Flashback: The original Slipstream course intro with Jonathan LevyBrandon plays the introduction to the original “Ultimate Advantage” course recorded in 2018 with his mentor, Jonathan Levy. Jonathan shares how Brandon reached out using the strategy and ended up becoming an integral part of his company, Superhuman Enterprises. 06:07 - A day in the life: How Brandon’s strategy created dream opportunitiesBrandon recounts his then-current daily life in Tel Aviv — traveling, working alongside thought leaders, and helping shape educational programs that impact hundreds of thousands. Jonathan highlights how Brandon became one of the most valued, trusted, and highly paid members of his team — all without a traditional job application. 08:26 - Defining the Slipstream Technique: A...

    38 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    #265: Beyond Curious Turns 5 Years Old — Curiosity, Consciousness, & Connection w/ Guest Interviewer Susanne Goldstein

    Five years ago, I hit “publish” on a wild experiment. (If you want a laugh, check out episode #1. I listened to it and was cringing like crazy) It wasn’t called Beyond Curious back then — but the mission underneath it was the same: To explore what it really means to live a rich life… not just financially, but emotionally, spiritually, and consciously. Fast forward to today, and this week marks the 5-year anniversary of this show. And here’s the funny thing — I didn’t even realize the anniversary was coming up until very recently. My first thought was, “oh shit, I should probably do something special for the anniversary episode.” But with a 2 week trip to Italy, my daughter’s 2 year old birthday party, and some live event planning, I didn’t really have time to think about it 😆 That’s when I realized something epic: I DID have a perfect episode to release for the anniversary — a conversation with my friend and Curiosity Island Castaway Susanne Goldstein where she turned the tables and interviewed me! I met Susanne about a year ago and am incredibly grateful for the awarenesses she’s brought in many domains, specifically around Consciousness and Energetics. So while I had NO idea what Susanne was going to ask me, in this episode, we explore: Why discovering your uniqueness is actually the path to realizing your oneness.How playing pool as a kid became a foundational vehicle for my curiosity & how my curiosity WORKS (I didn’t fully realize this until this conversation)How empathy and curiosity are intertwined — and why seeing the world through someone else’s eyes can dissolve separationWhy your “future self” isn’t someone you’ll meet later… but a version of you that already exists (and what this has to do with me manifesting two mirrors!) If you’ve been walking alongside me on this journey — whether since episode 1 or episode 260+ —  I can’t wait for you to listen! Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Susanne GoldsteinBrandon celebrates the 5-year anniversary of Beyond Curious, reflecting on the journey from its humble, cringe-worthy beginnings to an uninterrupted 265-week streak. He introduces a special episode where Susanne Goldstein turns the tables to interview him, diving into themes like curiosity, empathy, consciousness, and how his childhood shaped his mindset. 01:25 - The “Perfect” Unplanned Anniversary EpisodeBrandon shares how, despite a whirlwind trip to Italy and family events, he realized he had already recorded the perfect anniversary episode with Susanne. He previews key highlights: how discovering your uniqueness leads to realizing your oneness, pool as a metaphor for curiosity, and a wild story about manifesting mirrors. 04:28 - Susanne Kicks Off the Interview and Sets the ToneSusanne takes the reins, introducing Brandon as the mind behind the Beyond Curious movement and Curiosity Island. She celebrates his gift of conversational curiosity and tees up a deep, exploratory discussion on what drives him. 06:13 - The Octopus Story: A Symbol of CuriositySusanne recounts their first conversation sparked by a show about octopuses and how it signaled Brandon’s natural ability to dive deep into any topic. She probes how he navigates unfamiliar territory with others by focusing on their motivation. 08:22 - Why Brandon Is Obsessed with CuriosityBrandon explores the foundational role curiosity...

    1h 25m
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About

Curiosity alone won't change the world, but going Beyond Curious® will. The people that shape society are the explorers — the brave adventurers willing to take a voyage into the unknown to satisfy their curiosity, fulfill their purpose, and bring their ideas to life. This show is for those people. The ones that are relentlessly curious about themselves, their impact, their potential, the people they love, and the world around them. The ones who CONSTANTLY ask themselves, “What if…”, “I wonder…”, “Why not…”, -- pushing the boundaries of what is possible for themselves and for society at large. Join me (Brandon Fong) as every week I interview pioneering adventurers who have dared to go Beyond Curious®. Past guests have included NYT Bestselling authors, main stage TED speakers, unicorn founders... ... and even an occasional Olympian, NFL player, FBI hostage negotiator, former gang leader, decorated air force pilot, illusionist, world-record setting mountaineer, royal Knight, Hollywood legend, Shark from Shark Tank, and even the man that invented the cell phone! I'm grateful to say that the show holds a top 1% global ranking out of the 3.5M+ global podcasts indexed by Listen Notes. To hear the full story of how Beyond Curious® was born (show was formally called 7-Figure Millennials) and learn about the vision for the brand, listen to episode #140!

Information

  • Creator
    Brandon Fong
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    272
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Optimization Ventures LLC
  • Show Website
    Beyond Curious ®