Finding Freedom

John Odermatt
  • 5.0 (21)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Finding Freedom is a long-form podcast focused on entrepreneurship, health, and politics, featuring in-depth conversations with independent thinkers, business owners, researchers, and cultural critics. Hosted by John Odermatt, the show explores how centralized institutions, corporate power, and political narratives impact personal freedom, health, and economic opportunity. Episodes cover entrepreneurship and financial independence, health and wellness, medical freedom, government overreach, media bias, culture, and faith. Guests range from entrepreneurs and medical professionals to academics and journalists. Finding Freedom is designed for listeners who value long-form discussion, intellectual honesty, and practical insights into building a healthier, freer, and more resilient life.

  1. 9h ago

    Why Some Rise Above Their Circumstances While Others Fall to Them

    In this solo episode of Finding Freedom, John breaks down what positive thinking really means—not vision boards and mirror affirmations, but the deliberate, disciplined practice of directing your mind toward what's possible rather than what you fear. Drawing on Carol Dweck's growth mindset research, Martin Seligman's work on learned optimism, and the neuroscience of the reticular activating system, he makes the case that positive thinking is a learnable skill backed by science, not a personality trait. He explains how the brain's built-in negativity bias—supercharged by modern media and social media—keeps most people tethered to anxiety and self-doubt, and why overriding that default requires consistent, intentional effort. Five practical steps are laid out: auditing your inputs, monitoring your self-talk (including the trick of naming your inner critic), practicing gratitude, using forward-focused language, and surrounding yourself with people who elevate your thinking. The episode closes with a reminder that two people can face the exact same circumstances and get radically different outcomes—because the difference begins not with what happens to them, but with what they tell themselves about it. Video Chapters 0:00 — Welcome & Introduction 1:27 — What Positive Thinking Really Means 3:30 — The Balloon Analogy: Cutting the Ropes 6:15 — Pop Culture vs. Real Positive Thinking 8:23 — The Science: Growth Mindset, Optimism & Neuroscience 11:35 — The Negativity Bias: Why We're Wired This Way 13:55 — Positive Thinking Is a Skill, Not a Trait 14:19 — Five Practical Steps to Practice Positive Thinking 18:51 — Final Thoughts: Same Circumstances, Different Outcomes 20:39 — Outro & Support the Show Support us on Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/lionsofliberty⁠ Support us on Locals: ⁠https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/⁠ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Why Some Rise Above Their Circumstances While Others Fall to Them

  2. Oct 6

    Defunding the Indoctrination Machine: How Trump's Student Loan Rule Could Break Progressive Control of Academia and Beyond

    The progressive left spent decades building institutional control over American academia, using it as a pipeline to reshape corporate culture, HR departments, and public policy. The fuel that kept that machine running was the nearly unlimited flow of government-subsidized student loans—now a $1.7 trillion portfolio—regardless of whether graduates could actually earn a living. The Trump administration's new Earnings Accountability Rule threatens that foundation by tying federal loan eligibility to post-graduation income, forcing programs whose graduates don't out-earn high school diploma holders to lose funding. This episode breaks down how cutting off the money could cascade beyond student debt into the entire progressive institutional infrastructure, from DEI offices to corporate hiring mandates. The takeaway: the most durable response to institutional capture is to build an income and a life that doesn't depend on gatekeepers whose power is built on your tax dollars. Video Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: The Threat to Progressive Institutional Control 01:14 — Welcome to Finding Freedom & Show Updates 02:57 — How Institutions Maintain Control: Money & Credentials 04:52 — The Earnings Accountability Rule Explained 06:41 — Which Programs Are Getting Hit Hardest 09:10 — What American Academia Actually Became 12:59 — The Campus-to-Corporate Pipeline & the Rise of DEI 15:52 — Broader Actions Against Institutional Capture 17:36 — What Happens When the Money Stops 19:16 — Key Takeaways: Build Your Own Table 22:00 — Closing Thoughts & Final Question Support us on Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/lionsofliberty⁠ Support us on Locals: ⁠https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/⁠ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Defunding the Indoctrination Machine: How Trump's Student Loan Rule Could Break Progressive Control of Academia and Beyond

  3. Sep 29

    Your Body Is Not Broken: Dr. Sage Wolfe on What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You

    In this episode of Finding Freedom, host John Odermatt sits down with Dr. Sage Wolfe — a doctor of natural medicine, former professional gymnast, and certified Wolf Non-Surgical Master Trainer — to challenge the assumption that surgery and pharmaceuticals should be the first resort for chronic pain and joint issues. Dr. Sage explains how the body has an innate capacity to heal when given the right conditions, from rehydrating "bone on bone" cartilage to addressing the root causes of inflammation through gut health, proper mineralization, and parasympathetic nervous system activation. The conversation dives deep into the gut-brain connection, how emotional trauma gets stored in physical tissue, and why the standard medical approach of cutting out joints and organs often creates more problems than it solves. Dr. Sage also shares practical daily tips — from salting your water to the order in which you eat your food — plus resources for anyone ready to take their health into their own hands. Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, limited mobility, or just want to age without limitations, this episode makes the case that your body isn't broken — it's trying to tell you something. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro & Welcome to Finding Freedom 2:22 - Dr. Sage's Philosophy: Be Your Own Doctor 4:54 - From Pro Gymnast to Natural Medicine 6:14 - The Body's Innate Healing & Leaky Gut 8:20 - Can You Rehydrate "Bone on Bone" Cartilage? 10:12 - Traditional Medicine vs. Natural Healing 11:38 - Thermology Testing & Seasonal Joint Pain 13:50 - The Gut-Pelvis Connection: Why Your Hips Hurt 16:53 - The Gut-Brain Connection & Body Longevity 19:09 - "Issues in the Tissues, Secrets in the Joints" 22:42 - The Dark Side of Joint Replacements & Cobalt Toxicity 24:31 - Nutraceuticals vs. Cheap Supplements 26:42 - Baby Steps to Health: Getting Started 30:03 - Emotional Trauma Stored in Your Tissues 33:20 - Practical Daily Health Tips 37:18 - How to Work with Dr. Sage & Free Resources 38:24 - Outro & Support the Show Links: Brave Heart Nation App (free health info & videos): https://bhnapp.com Brave Heart Nation University (trainings): https://bhnuniversity.com Doc of Detox (nutraceuticals & gut health): https://docofdetox.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Your Body Is Not Broken: Dr. Sage Wolfe on What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You

  4. Sep 22

    Accused of Terrorism, Detained at a Black Site: What Danial Jiwani Learned About Wealth When Everything Was Stripped Away

    Daniel Jiwani moved to Saudi Arabia to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, but eight months later he was abducted by Saudi authorities, taken to a black site, and falsely accused of terrorism based on a coworker's joke found on his phone. After three weeks in a black site and over a month in a maximum security prison alongside Al-Qaeda and ISIS members, the FBI and State Department secured his release—only for him to endure six more days in a nightmarish deportation facility where he contracted COVID and slept on a concrete floor. He returned home to find his assets frozen, his career destroyed, and his employer potentially complicit in covering up his disappearance. Rather than succumb to despair, Daniel rebuilt his life using the same wealth principles he'd spent years researching—positive thinking, relentless action, and learning to handle pressure. In this episode, he shares his full story and the key lessons from his new book, The 52 Laws of Wealth, on what real financial resilience looks like when theory meets the worst possible reality. Chapters 0:00 Cold Open: Accused of Terrorism & Detained at a Black Site 1:10 Welcome to Finding Freedom 2:53 Abducted in Saudi Arabia 5:49 Inside the Black Site 6:37 Did PwC Help Cover Up His Disappearance? 10:08 Inside a Maximum Security Prison with Al-Qaeda & ISIS 12:47 Release & the Deportation Facility Nightmare 15:40 Returning Home: Homeland Security Debrief 18:06 Coming Home Jobless and Broke 19:28 The Power of Positive Thinking 23:27 From Dreaming to Doing: Taking Action 25:04 Handling Setbacks & Pressure 27:32 Financial Independence & the 52 Laws of Wealth 35:34 The #1 Lesson & Where to Find Daniel Get Daniel's book The 52 Laws of Wealth on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jgwAgb  Support us on Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/lionsofliberty⁠ Support us on Locals: ⁠https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/⁠ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Accused of Terrorism, Detained at a Black Site: What Danial Jiwani Learned About Wealth When Everything Was Stripped Away

  5. Sep 14

    Liberty and Security: Ross Ulbricht on What Prison Taught Him About Freedom

    Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, spent over 11 years behind federal prison walls — sentenced to die as a first-time, non-violent offender. Pardoned by President Trump on his second day in office, Ross took the stage at the 2026 RNC midterm convention to deliver a speech that cuts to the heart of what government power can do when turned against its own people. In this episode, John Odermatt breaks down Ross's speech — the parallels between Ross's imprisonment and the government overreach ordinary Americans experienced during the Biden years and COVID lockdowns, the false choice between liberty and security, and the growing list of pro-liberty actions from Trump's second term. Whether you're a skeptical libertarian or a committed supporter, this is a conversation about the nature of power and what happens when the machinery built to protect us gets pointed at us instead. Video Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: Ross Ulbricht at the RNC 1:16 — Welcome Back & Mixed Reactions 2:07 — Libertarian Backlash Over Trump Endorsement 4:06 — Ross's Story: Silk Road & the Injustice 5:38 — Trump Keeps His Promise: The Pardon 6:34 — "Freedom Is Like Air" 8:45 — Government Machinery Turned on Americans 10:12 — How a Free Country Falls to Tyranny 11:40 — Liberty vs. Security: The False Choice 13:34 — Control Masquerading as Security 14:14 — Libertarian Frustration: Ross Pushes Back 15:40 — Trump's Wins for Liberty 20:13 — Not a Perfect Record & Restoring Law & Order 22:04 — Ross's Closing Words 22:26 — Remembering COVID Lockdowns 23:53 — Addressing Libertarian Pushback 24:58 — The Core Message: Power & Government 26:25 — Outro & Call to Action Support us on Locals: ⁠https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/⁠ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Liberty and Security: Ross Ulbricht on What Prison Taught Him About Freedom

  6. Sep 1

    Sandusky: The Recantation, the Hearing, and the Truth with John Ziegler

    The Jerry Sandusky case is back in the national spotlight after reports that "Victim 10" Ryan Rittmeyer plans to recant his trial testimony at an upcoming evidentiary hearing. Journalist John Ziegler, who has spent over a decade investigating the case and is the only person to have interviewed Rittmeyer since the trial, argues that the alleged recantation is deeply compromised and that the hearing could backfire disastrously on Sandusky's defense. Ziegler reveals that investigator Frank Parlato developed a deeply conflicted relationship with Rittmeyer — including housing him, arranging a documentary contract, and introducing him to a girlfriend — fatally undermining any credibility the recantation might have had. The episode also covers why accusers who knew Sandusky well are less likely to recant, how to open skeptical minds to re-examining the case, and why federal court may be the only remaining path to justice. Chapters: 0:00 — Intro & Why the Sandusky Case Is Back in the News 3:52 — The Media Frenzy Around the Alleged Recantation 9:05 — Who Is Victim 10? Ryan Rittmeyer's Story 12:30 — The Prosecution's Flawed Strategy 18:21 — Jerry Sandusky Is No Criminal Mastermind 21:26 — The Chad Dubin & Frank Parlato Recantation Effort 28:07 — Inside Ziegler's Bizarre Interview with Ryan Rittmeyer 44:17 — Best & Worst Case Scenarios for the Evidentiary Hearing 52:45 — How to Open People's Minds About the Case 59:49 — The Path Forward: Federal Court & Closing Thoughts With the Benefit of Hindsight Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/with-the-benefit-of-hindsight/id1562078872⁠ Link to All Finding Freedom/Felony Friday episodes on Jerry Sandusky scandal: ⁠https://www.lionsofliberty.com/sandusky-scandal⁠ Support us on Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/lionsofliberty⁠ Support us on Locals: ⁠https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/⁠ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Sandusky: The Recantation, the Hearing, and the Truth with John Ziegler

  7. Aug 25

    The Lost Generation: How DEI Drove Men Out of the American Workforce

    This episode examines the declining male labor force participation rate in America, which has fallen to its lowest level since 1948, with roughly one in three men no longer working or seeking work. While mainstream explanations point to manufacturing decline, an aging population, and the opioid crisis, host John Odermatt argues that a decade of DEI policies has systematically pushed men—especially white men—out of industries across corporate America, academia, media, and tech. Drawing on Jacob Savage's viral Compact Magazine article "The Lost Generation" and survey data from hiring managers themselves, the episode presents sector-by-sector evidence of documented hiring discrimination. Odermatt shares his own experience of being pushed out of corporate America and reframes the crisis not as a story of victimhood, but as a call for men to build income streams they control—through entrepreneurship, skilled trades, and commission-based work. The episode closes with a challenge to listeners: stop building your life on a foundation someone else can pull out from under you. Video Chapters 0:00 - The Hook: One in Three Men Are Not Working 1:10 - Welcome to Finding Freedom 2:09 - The Mainstream Explanation: Manufacturing, Opioids & Aging 3:03 - The DEI Explanation: What the Media Won't Say 3:32 - The Raw Numbers: Labor Force Participation Data 6:42 - Jacob Savage's "The Lost Generation" Article 8:18 - Sector-by-Sector: TV, Medicine, Academia, Tech & Media 11:22 - What Hiring Managers Admit: The Survey Data 13:45- The Fallout: Opioids, Video Games & Walking Away 16:07 - The Real Lesson: Build Your Own Escape & Closing Sources: The Lost Generation — Jacob Savage, Compact Magazine: ⁠compactmag.com/article/the-lost-generation⁠ What's Really Going On With Men and Work — American Institute for Boys and Men: ⁠aibm.org/research/whats-really-going-on-with-men-and-work-7-facts⁠ 1 in 6 Hiring Managers Have Been Told to Stop Hiring White Men — ResumeBuilder.com: ⁠resumebuilder.com/1-in-6-hiring-managers-have-been-told-to-stop-hiring-white-men⁠ DEI and the Lost Generation — Christopher Rufo: ⁠christopherrufo.com/p/dei-and-the-lost-generation⁠ Men's Falling Labor Force Participation Across Generations — San Francisco Fed: ⁠frbsf.org/research-and-insights/publications/economic-letter/2023/10/mens-falling-labor-force-participation-across-generations⁠ Schedule a 15 minute Gut Health Audit with John: https://calendar.app.google/B9fcGdSFjC5caTVu5 SUPPORT LIONS OF LIBERTY: Help keep this podcast going! We rely on listener support to continue bringing you content on freedom, political reform, and personal empowerment.  Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/lionsofliberty Support us on Locals: https://lionsofliberty.locals.com/ Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen – it makes a huge difference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Lost Generation: How DEI Drove Men Out of the American Workforce

  8. Aug 17

    No Family Should Have to Cross an Ocean to Save Their Child with Kendra Riley

    Kendra Riley's two daughters were diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare terminal genetic disorder. With no FDA-approved treatment available in the U.S., Kendra's family had to raise nearly half a million dollars and relocate to Italy so their youngest daughter could receive a life-saving gene therapy. While that treatment succeeded, their older daughter's disease had progressed too far — she is now in hospice care at age eight. Kendra joins Finding Freedom to advocate for Right to Try 2.0, federal legislation that would give rare disease patients access to individualized gene-based therapies at home without crossing an ocean. She also shares advice for families navigating rare disease diagnoses and resources that can help along the way. Video Chapters: 0:00 — Intro & Guest Introduction 3:19 — The MLD Diagnosis 4:55 — Moving to Italy for Gene Therapy 6:43 — Right to Try 2.0 Explained 8:07 — Two Daughters, Two Outcomes 13:53 — Advice for Rare Disease Families 17:32 — How to Help & Where to Follow Links: Kendra's family blog: rileysroad.com Instagram: @MrsKendraRiley Right to Try 2.0 — introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN) Goldwater Institute — lead organization behind Right to Try 2.0 MLD Foundation — resources for metachromatic leukodystrophy Armer Foundation for Kids — financial assistance for families of children with life-threatening illnesses Contact your representatives: House.gov | Senate.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    No Family Should Have to Cross an Ocean to Save Their Child with Kendra Riley
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5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Finding Freedom is a long-form podcast focused on entrepreneurship, health, and politics, featuring in-depth conversations with independent thinkers, business owners, researchers, and cultural critics. Hosted by John Odermatt, the show explores how centralized institutions, corporate power, and political narratives impact personal freedom, health, and economic opportunity. Episodes cover entrepreneurship and financial independence, health and wellness, medical freedom, government overreach, media bias, culture, and faith. Guests range from entrepreneurs and medical professionals to academics and journalists. Finding Freedom is designed for listeners who value long-form discussion, intellectual honesty, and practical insights into building a healthier, freer, and more resilient life.

Information

  • Creator
    John Odermatt
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    270
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Finding Freedom

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