Direct Your Life

Tony Suriano
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

Stop the reruns. Take back control. Make your life better than any movie. That's the mission of "Direct Your Life," a weekly show hosted by film director and author Tony Suriano. Each episode fuses story, psychology, and mindset mastery to keep you directing your next scene with purpose—and live a life worth watching.

  1. Aug 29

    60. Jake Staley — Be Aggressive With Your Habits: Why Two Hard Weeks Can Change Everything

    What if the secret to conquering creative burnout isn't resting more—but doing the hard things that scare you? Jake Staley is a hit television and film composer who has created music for major projects like The Five-Star Weekend on Peacock, ABC's number-one network show High Potential, and the highly anticipated upcoming season of The Last of Us on HBO. We discuss why waiting for inspiration is a trap and how true creative freedom is built through aggressive self-discipline. We also break down the concept of the "Buffer Period" and "Doorway Triggers" to help you shut off the noise of your work so you can stay fully present with the people who matter most. We discuss: ▪️ Projecting the Placebo — How acting with confidence before you actually have it builds the momentum that makes success a self-fulfilling prophecy. ▪️ The "Hard Two Weeks" Rule — Why slow, incremental habits often fail and why aggressively stacking multiple hard challenges rewires your brain faster. ▪️ Controlling the Controllable — How taking ruthless ownership of your physical health, diet, and movement builds mental armor against professional rejection. ▪️ The 50% Battle — Why doing the exact things you absolutely hate (like hitting freezing water or lacing up for a run) is the ultimate victory over your mind. ▪️ The 4:45 AM Routine — How Jake structures his mornings so he can be completely present for his family by 3:00 PM. ▪️ The Buffer Period — A tactical 5-minute decompression transition to prepare your brain for "not working" before you walk through your front door. ▪️ Decisive Vision — Why "indecision is the only wrong decision" and what working with top Hollywood showrunners teaches you about leadership. ▪️ Self-Awareness vs. Woo-Woo — Why "thinking about what you are thinking about" is the ultimate adult superpower. This conversation is part creative masterclass, part mental conditioning system, and part reminder that when you take control of what you can—you rewrite the script of your life. TIMESTAMPS (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:38) Show Bumper (00:01:00) Meet Jake Staley (00:02:40) Creative Burnout & Staying Enthusiastic (00:06:50) Projecting Confidence — Turning false confidence into a self-fulfilling prophecy (00:11:15) Desktop Drumming — How failing to sit still in school paved the way for a 19-year music career (00:18:30) Controlling the Controllable — Shifting habits aggressively to break a cycle of defeats (00:24:10) Stacking the Hard Stuff — Why Jake advocates for a brutal "two-week rewire" over tiny habit changes (00:32:45) Defeating the 50% — The mental victory of doing the physical things you absolutely hate (00:41:15) The 4:45 AM Routine — Organizing your workday so you're fully available for your kids by 3:00 PM (00:47:20) The Work-Life Transition — Using buffer periods and Brendon Burchard's doorway triggers (00:53:10) Thinking About Your Thoughts — Why self-awareness is the differentiator of a true grown-up (00:57:45) Lessons from Hollywood Showrunners — Why indecision is the ultimate wrong decision (01:01:20) What does it mean to direct your life? Jake's definition Direct Your Life: ▪️ Download the free One-Page Direct Your Day Sheet — tonysuriano.com/directyourday ▪️ Get your copy of Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will book here — directyourlifebook.com ▪️ Direct Your Life Weekly: Mindset tools, real stories, and weekly fuel to direct your life: tonysuriano.com/newsletter ⭐️  Follow the show so you never miss an episode, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for being here, Tony   Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL 🎵 Tiktok: tiktok.com/@tonysuriano   Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  tonysuriano.com/speaker

    60. Jake Staley — Be Aggressive With Your Habits: Why Two Hard Weeks Can Change Everything

  2. Aug 18

    59. Sergeant Major Steve Balczo — Lead From the Bottom, Find Your Coordinates & Earn the Next Rank

    What if the best leaders aren't at the top of the pyramid—but underneath it? Steve Balczo is the Executive Director of Veteran Services and a retired Marine Sergeant Major whose leadership perspective was forged over a 29-year career in the Marine Corps. We discuss why true growth isn't about waiting for a promotion—it's about demonstrating the skills of the next level before the "rank" ever changes. We also break down the military concept of resection: finding your true coordinates on the map so you can stop drifting and start directing your life with military precision. We discuss: ▪ Leadership vs. management — why great leaders eventually work themselves out of a job. ▪ The Ladder of Hope — why growth requires finding a new ladder to climb, regardless of your age or success. ▪ The Life Resection — a Marine navigation technique Steve uses to figure out where you actually are when you feel lost in the current scene. ▪ The Director's Window — how Steve's 4:15 AM ritual creates stability before the rest of the world starts making demands. ▪ Turning setbacks into coordinates — how two major layoffs eventually led Steve to his next opportunities instead of becoming the end of the story. ▪ The upside-down leadership pyramid — why leadership becomes less about being seen and more about removing barriers for the people around you. ▪ The Bulletized Reset — a ridiculously simple technique for protecting your flow and getting back into deep work after interruptions. ▪ Editing your life without deleting the bad scenes — why mistakes, potholes, and setbacks may contain some of your most valuable material. This conversation is part leadership lesson, part life-navigation system, and part reminder that no matter where you are on the map—you can find your coordinates and call the next shot.   (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:25) Meeting Steve — The power of presence, humor, and a clean slate (00:04:05) Rapid Fire Fun Questions — Breaking the ice and getting behind the "Sergeant Major" exterior (00:06:15) Leadership vs. Management — Why true leadership means working yourself out of a job (00:11:00) The Ladder of Hope — Why humans crave growth and age is never a limiter (00:20:45) The Resection Technique — A Marine method for finding exactly where you are on the life map (00:28:10) The Director's Window — Steve's 4:15 AM ritual for building hope and stability before the world breaks in (00:36:00) The Oracle Shift — Turning two major layoffs into opportunities by staying present and open (00:46:20) The Upside-Down Pyramid — Shifting from "look at me" leadership to removing barriers for your team (00:59:15) Editing Your Script — Why the potholes and mistakes in your past are teaching moments worth keeping (01:11:30) Protecting the Flow — Using white noise and a "bulletized format" to resume deep work after interruptions   Direct Your Life: ▪️ Download the free One-Page Direct Your Day Sheet — tonysuriano.com/directyourday ▪️ Get your copy of Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will book here — directyourlifebook.com ▪️ Direct Your Life Weekly: Mindset tools, real stories, and weekly fuel to direct your life: tonysuriano.com/newsletter ⭐️  Follow the show so you never miss an episode, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for being here, Tony   Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL 🎵 Tiktok: tiktok.com/@tonysuriano   Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  tonysuriano.com/speaker

    59. Sergeant Major Steve Balczo — Lead From the Bottom, Find Your Coordinates & Earn the Next Rank

  3. Aug 3

    58. Chandler Bolt — The Half-Built Bridge Trap (and the One Question That Changes Everything)

    What if the secret to scaling your life isn't doing more, but doing much less? Chandler Bolt is a 7x bestselling author, the founder of SelfPublishing.com, and a mission-driven entrepreneur who has helped over 8,000 authors—myself included—bring their books to life. In this episode, we discuss why "going wide" is the ultimate drifter trap and how true success requires the discipline of depth. We break down the "half-built bridge" metaphor: why starting a dozen projects ensures you never reach the other side of your goals. We also dive into the tactical mindset shifts needed to clear the bottlenecks in your business and your relationships. We discuss: ▪ Depth vs. Width — why building "half-built bridges" is the primary reason most people feel frustrated and stuck. ▪ The Bottleneck Question — the one obsessive question you must ask daily to identify what is actually stopping your growth. ▪ The 80/20 Principle and "Stop Doing" lists — how to raise the level of your "no" so you can finally raise the power of your "yes." ▪ Relational Deposits — why calling your peers to a higher standard is a selfless act of love, not a conflict to be avoided. ▪ Success as Stewardship — redefining success as maximizing your God-given gifts rather than following a one-size-fits-all lens. ▪ Be a Lighthouse, Not a Flashlight — a tactical strategy for dealing with skeptics by showing them what's possible instead of trying to force them to change. ▪ Controlling the "Ocean" — why wasting energy on politics or the economy is like being mad at the waves for crashing. ▪ Scaling with Immersion — how to "nerd out" on your weaknesses until they become your greatest strengths. This conversation is a masterclass in focus, a reminder that your thinking is often the biggest bottleneck you face, and a call to stop letting society direct your script. (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:05) Rapid Fire Fun Questions — Getting to know the "ADHD college dropout" behind the success (00:07:15) The Business Author Mastermind — Why you should never water down your mission or your product (00:09:30) Depth vs. Width — Why "half-built bridges" are keeping you from your destination (00:12:45) The Bottleneck Question — The single most important question to ask if you want to scale (00:17:10) 80/20 and the "Stop Doing" List — Auditing your calendar and bank account to reclaim your energy (00:20:15) Relational Deposits — How to move from being a "peacemaker" to a "challenger" with love (00:26:10) Maximizing God-Given Gifts — Why success means "blooming where you are planted" (00:30:45) Lighthouse vs. Flashlight — How to stay focused on your vision while the haters watch from the shore (00:35:15) Controlling the Controllable — Why you need to stop being mad at the "ocean" of external circumstances (00:37:50) The Director's Chair — The butterfly effect of our "bad" scenes and why in-person beats remote (00:42:00) Directing Your Life — Why the road less traveled is the only way to be authentically you   The Map: Need help with your book? Check out Chandler's program: https://selfpublishing.com/directyourlife   Direct Your Life: ▪️ Download the free One-Page Direct Your Day Sheet — tonysuriano.com/directyourday ▪️ Get your copy of Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will book here — directyourlifebook.com ▪️ Direct Your Life Weekly: Mindset tools, real stories, and weekly fuel to direct your life: tonysuriano.com/newsletter ⭐️  Follow the show so you never miss an episode, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for being here, Tony   Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL 🎵 Tiktok: tiktok.com/@tonysuriano   Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  tonysuriano.com/speaker

    58. Chandler Bolt — The Half-Built Bridge Trap (and the One Question That Changes Everything)

  4. Jul 5

    57. The Sleep-Deprived Director: How to Care When Your Nervous System Is Cooked

    What happens when life completely wrecks your routine? After 12 days of newborn sleep deprivation, I found myself running on micro-naps, snapping more easily, and realizing something important: Your character isn't revealed when life is easy. It's revealed when your nervous system is fried. When you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and stretched thin, it's easy to drift into autopilot—to stop caring, stop creating, and start merely surviving. But those are the moments when you need to step back into the Director's chair. In this episode, I share the practical mindset shifts and daily tools that have kept me grounded while navigating new fatherhood, caring for my wife after a C-section, and trying to remain the person I actually want to be. If you've been feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or like life has knocked you off course, this episode is for you. In This Episode Free resource: Download my free One-Page Direct Your Day Sheet: tonysuriano.com/directyourday Why caring is a conditioned skill—not simply an emotion. The surprising lesson a retired bridge builder taught me about the two types of people. What becoming a new father revealed about patience, identity, and leadership. How to shrink a two-hour morning routine into five minutes without losing momentum. The science behind the D.O.S.E. chemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins) and how to naturally trigger them. Why sleep deprivation doesn't have to steal your direction. How to stop drifting and reset your day—even when life feels chaotic. Practical Takeaways The Direct Your Day System — My one-page framework for creating intention before life creates it for you. Micro-Rituals — Why consistency beats perfection during stressful seasons. The Patience Trigger — The simple phrase I repeat every time my baby cries to become the father I want to be. My Sleep Deprivation Stack — The supplements and habits I've been using to stay mentally sharp despite interrupted sleep.   📕 Ready to stop drifting?   Get my book: Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will: directyourlifebook.com Download my free One-Page Direct Your Day Sheet: tonysuriano.com/directyourday Direct Your Life Newsletter for exclusive mindset tools, real stories, and the weekly fuel to Direct Your Life. tonysuriano.com/newsletter  Thank you for being here, Tony   ⭐️  Follow the show so you never miss an episode, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for tuning in!   Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  tonysuriano.com/speaker    Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL 🎵 Tiktok: tiktok.com/@tonysuriano

    57. The Sleep-Deprived Director: How to Care When Your Nervous System Is Cooked

  5. May 8

    56. John Lentini — Engineering Character: The 6-Dial Framework of Determination & Trust

    In this episode, I sit down with leadership expert and author John Lentini to talk about why character—not talent—is becoming the rarest resource in modern leadership. And if your character drifts… your results eventually will too. John breaks down his "Engineering Character" framework and the six core dials that shape how we lead ourselves, lead others, and navigate pressure without losing who we are. 🎯 In this episode: The six "character dials" every leader should monitor Why discipline without empathy eventually breaks trust How resilience and mindset work together under pressure The power of honest feedback and the 360 process Why creativity still matters in the age of AI 🧠 Key Takeaways The Character Dashboard Visualize your life as a six-dial control panel. Which dial needs recalibration right now? Diverse Empathy Different people require different communication approaches. Stop leading everyone the same way. Ground Rules for Hard Conversations Before difficult conversations, create mutual agreement around honesty, openness, and intention. Learn more about John  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnjlentini/ Website: https://www.johnjlentini.com/ Book: https://www.johnjlentini.com/pre-order-book   📕 Ready to stop drifting? Download the One-Page Director's Sheet: https://tonysuriano.com/directyourday Get my book: Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will: https://directyourlifebook.com Thank you for being here, Tony ⭐️  Follow the show so you never miss an episode, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for tuning in! If you're ready to stop drifting and start directing your life—join the Direct Your Life Newsletter for exclusive mindset tools, real stories, and the weekly fuel to Direct Your Life. https://tonysuriano.com/newsletter    Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  https://www.tonysuriano.com/speaker    Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL

    56. John Lentini — Engineering Character: The 6-Dial Framework of Determination & Trust

  6. Apr 11

    55. Jacob Salem — The Good, the Pure, The Positive

    I sat down with Jacob Salem for a conversation about something most people quietly do…They shrink. They dim their light to fit rooms, expectations, or fear.  Jacob and I get into what it actually looks like to own your energy, stop playing small, and direct your life with intention. We talk about: Why dimming your light costs more than failing Using every ounce of energy and resource you have Making decisions that move your life forward—fast What it really means to step into the version of you that's waiting Because this's about expanding into everything you're capable of. If you've been holding back—even a little—this episode is your cue. 🎧 Tap in and start directing. 🤝 Connect with Jacob Salem 👉 Business: https://ezmetrics.com/ 👉 Book: Speaker Millionaire Secrets     🎤 Want to share your message on stages? If you're serious about getting booked and building a speaking career, check out Jacob's Speaker Bureau: 👉 https://tonysuriano.com/becomeaspeaker     📕 Ready to stop drifting? Get my book: Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will 👉 https://directyourlifebook.com/ Thank you for being here, Tony —— ⭐️  Follow the show, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for tuning in! If you're ready to stop drifting and start directing your life—join the Direct Your Life Newsletter for exclusive mindset tools, real stories, and the weekly fuel to Direct Your Life. https://tonysuriano.com/newsletter    Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  https://www.tonysuriano.com/speaker    Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL/

    55. Jacob Salem — The Good, the Pure, The Positive

  7. Apr 2

    54. Bob Burg — The Go-Giver Mindset: Why Giving Is the Ultimate Power Move

    A NEW SEASON OF DiRECT YOUR LiFE IS HERE I'm starting to bring prolific guests on the show! And there was no better place to begin than with my friend, Bob Burg: Hall of Fame keynote speaker, co-author of The Go-Giver book series (1M+ copies sold), and one of the leading voices on influence, communication, and value-based leadership. His perspective has impacted entrepreneurs, sales professionals, speakers, and business leaders around the world through his books, talks, and Daily Impact newsletter. In this episode, Bob and I break down why that shift isn't just nice… it's strategic—and it changes everything in your business and your life. Most people think influence is about pushing, convincing, or getting. It's not. It's about shifting your focus—off yourself and onto what actually creates value for others. Enjoy, lean in, and take notes. 🎯 Tune in if this is you… • You're grinding for results but feel like you're running on empty • You're a giver, but need to find balance • You want to lead—but keep getting pulled into self-focus • You struggle to say "no" without guilt or over-explaining • You catch yourself wasting time instead of executing • You're waiting to feel ready before taking action   🎙️ Episode Breakdown and Show Notes: The Influence Myth Why people only act for their reasons—not yours—and how to align with that instead of fighting it. Leadership vs. Human Nature How shifting from "me-focused" to "other-focused" creates real leverage. Action Precedes Feeling Why waiting to feel motivated is a trap—and how to move first. The Art of the Respectful "No" A simple, powerful way to protect your time without damaging relationships. Directing Your Awareness Why awareness—not effort—is the real unlock when you feel stuck.   🧠 Key Tools / Takeaways   The Efficiency Filter "Is what I'm about to do the highest and best use of my time?"   The Respectful Refusal "Thank you for asking. While it's not something I choose to take on, please know how honored I am that you would think to ask me."   Physiology Shift Don't wait to feel ready. Move your body first—your mind will follow.   This is what most people miss: Giving isn't passive. It's power. And when you learn how to use it, you stop chasing outcomes… and start attracting them.   🎧 Hit play.   🤝 Connect with Bob Burg 👉 Daily Impact Newsletter: burg.com  https://burg.com 📚 Books Mentioned in This Episode If you want to go deeper into the ideas we talk about: 👉 The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann https://amzn.to/3PLrBYo 👉 The Go-Giver Inflencer by Bob Burg & John David Mann https://amzn.to/3QhRRtt 👉 How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie https://amzn.to/4mdotAO 👉 The Magic of Thinking Big by Dr. David Schwartz https://amzn.to/4sKzuvD 👉 The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer—one of my favorites! https://amzn.to/4sSvE3M 👉 Living Untethered by Michael A. Singer—one of Bob's favorites! https://amzn.to/4tp6MjQ   Thank you for being here, Tony —— ⭐️  Follow the show, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for tuning in! If you're ready to stop drifting and start directing your life—join the Direct Your Life Newsletter for exclusive mindset tools, real stories, and the weekly fuel to Direct Your Life. https://tonysuriano.com/newsletter    Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  https://www.tonysuriano.com/speaker    Follow me around internet town @tonysuriano 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonySuriano  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonysuriano  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonySurianoDYL/

    54. Bob Burg — The Go-Giver Mindset: Why Giving Is the Ultimate Power Move

  8. Apr 2

    53. From Breakdown to Breakthrough — The Final 5 Beats That Change Everything

    📕 If you're ready to stop drifting and start directing your life, this is your book: Direct Your Life Or Someone Else Will 🎧 (Audiobook listeners—you're covered too.)   When things fall apart… this is where most people drift. In this episode, I break down the final 5 beats of the 15-beat system—and how to navigate the hardest stretch of your life without giving up or losing direction. This is the collapse → comeback phase. Show Notes: In this episode, I break down the last 5 beats of the 15-beat system—and how to navigate the hardest stretch of your life without drifting or giving up.     🎯 If you're in a tough season right now, this will help you: • Understand why things falling apart might be part of the process • Handle the mental spiral (the 2 a.m. thoughts) without losing yourself • Shift from reaction to direction in high-stress moments • Take action when you don't feel ready • Actually finish what you started     🎥 What I cover in this episode:   Beat 11: All Is Lost When the job, relationship, or identity disappears—and why this moment matters more than you think.   Beat 12: Dark Night of the Soul The internal battle. The doubt. The questions. Plus the It's a Wonderful Life reframe that shifts everything.   The Role Model Hat A simple tool: How would you respond if someone younger was watching you right now?   Beat 13: Break into Three The shift from stuck → open → ready to move.   Beat 14: Finale (Slaying the Dragon) Where you stop thinking and start proving who you are.   Beat 15: Final Image You don't just reach a new outcome—you become someone new.     🧠 Key tools you can use immediately:   The "Alternative" Sentence "I will persist in what matters to me because the alternative is ______." Conditioning Your Nervous System Why journaling both the good and bad prepares you for pressure. Annual Directing How to treat your year like a 15-beat movie so you stay grounded through chaos.     You don't need a new life. You need a new cut. 🎧 Hit play. —— ⭐️  Follow the show, leave a review/rating, and share this with someone who needs it. Thank you for tuning in! If you're finding value in this podcast, don't be shy—join the Direct Your Life Newsletter for exclusive mindset tools, real stories, and the weekly fuel to Direct Your Life.   Tony Suriano 🌐 Book Tony for speaking or podcast interviews:  TonySuriano.com/speaker   Follow me around internet town: 📺 YouTube: @TonySuriano 📸 Instagram: @TonySuriano 📘 Facebook: @TonySuriano

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About

Stop the reruns. Take back control. Make your life better than any movie. That's the mission of "Direct Your Life," a weekly show hosted by film director and author Tony Suriano. Each episode fuses story, psychology, and mindset mastery to keep you directing your next scene with purpose—and live a life worth watching.

Information

  • Creator
    Tony Suriano
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Direct Your Life