Episoder
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After a year of gambling I am none the wiser of understanding probabilities.
In Episode #523 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: probabilities/gambling/arbitrage, how my brother first found ways to exploit betting promotions, using sports betting apps in conjunction with Polymarket, how markets set probabilities, whether AI will become genuinely better than humans at predicting future outcomes, complexity making exact prediction almost impossible and the future of livestreaming and personal data.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:33) How betting promotions can tilt the odds
(00:05:52) Getting gubbed and the limits of beating bookies
(00:07:28) Casino systems, card counting and roulette stories
(00:12:29) Polymarket, lay bets and online arbitrage appeal
(00:15:17) Bots, algorithmic trading and speed advantages
(00:20:56) A human edge in clunky betting markets
(00:23:04) Probability confusion and betting both sides
(00:27:36) How do you build probabilities from scratch
(00:35:52) Weather, complexity and what probability really means
(00:43:58) Can AI actually predict the future
(00:54:30) Why the betting edge disappears over time
(00:57:15) Live data, streaming and future tech habits
(01:03:26) AI music, data ownership and universal compute
(01:09:04) Human judgement, long bets and future projects
(01:15:22) Podcast updates, yoga training and closing notes
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
The main question I have received is .... why do it in the first place?
In Episode #522 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the behind the scenes of our first official marathon, why âfinishingâ can be its own kind of win, the three layers of marathoners you meet on race day, solo marathon attempts compared to the buzz of an organised event, tips (racing lines, shade-hunting, aid stations), where the wheels came off (cramps and blistered feet), reflect on why we choose hard things, what it would actually take for us to go subâ4 and why halves and 10ks might be our sweet spot.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:15) Placings shock and expectations vs reality
(00:03:59) Cut-offs, DNFs, and what "winning" really means
(00:07:50) Atlas Events series and the gamification of running
(00:13:02) Race day atmosphere: fun, roads and course quirks
(00:17:16) Course difficulty matters: elevation and flatter options
(00:19:14) Post-race reflections and future distance preferences
(00:22:06) How their race unfolded: pacing, packs and turning points
(00:25:28) The wall arrives: hills, slowing and first walks
(00:29:29) Fuel, fluids, and the underrated racing line
(00:33:34) On-course coaching with AI? Ethics and usefulness
(00:38:03) Juan's rocky prep, surprises, and recovery week
(00:41:04) Kyrin's near-perfect prep and where sub-4 slipped
(00:45:02) Why do a marathon at all? Choosing hard things
(00:48:12) Mental vs physical barriers: running vs lifting
(00:51:09) What it takes to go faster: sub-4 and beyond
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
Manglende episoder?
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After a mini break we're back and tired as hell.
In Episode #521 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: being very busy versus truly tired, how priorities shift as life gets more complex and why sometimes the smartest move is pruning commitments instead of optimising them, reminisce on the âend of an eraââpinpointing a final carefree night with friends before marriages, kids and tighter schedules reshaped everything & maxing out your skills to learn what truly fits.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:32) Todayâs loose topics: busy, tired, and ends of eras
(00:04:29) Work surge, funding cycles, and context switching
(00:07:14) Time slipping: dating, late nights, and sleep debt
(00:10:52) Merging habits: training with podcasts, dropping networking
(00:13:20) Reducing decision fatigue, going with the flow (kids)
(00:18:18) Meal batching as an antidote to micro decisions
(00:21:24) The Springwood night: last carefree gathering
(00:25:56) Complexity vs difficulty: why coordination gets hard
(00:31:04) Revisiting UQ: inner child, fear and growth
(00:35:00) Wisdom with age and limits of advice to your younger self
(00:39:37) Practices over time: identity, social media shifts
(00:44:21) University credential vs building âmonstersâ
(00:47:20) Purpose can wait; in youth, max your stats
(00:51:01) Generational shift: job hopping and portfolio lives
(00:53:38) Looksâmaxxing influencers and the price of attention
(00:55:57) Capping off: embracing the thirties era
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:31) Juan May 2026 Review
(00:14:18) Kyrin May 2026 Review
(00:22:27) Juan June 2026 Goals
(00:29:51) Kyrin June 2026 Goals
(00:40:16) Fitness
(00:45:06) Wrap-up
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
At some point, the body sends you the invoice.
In this episode of the Mere Mortals Podcast, I sit down with Chris Ryan, former Division 1 runner, fitness coach, Menâs Fitness cover model, former Mirror coach and founder of Chris Ryan Fitness, to talk about what it actually takes to stay strong, durable and fit as you get older.
The core lesson: fitness is not just about effort. It is about intelligent effort, repeated long enough to become identity.
Connect With Chris Ryan
Website: https://chrisryanfitness.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisryanfitness
YouTube: Search âChris Ryan Fitnessâ
App: Search âChris Ryan Fitnessâ in the App Store or Google Play
00:00 - Welcome to Mere Mortals
00:24 - Who is Chris Ryan?
00:42 - From sport to Division 1 running
01:26 - Why the 800m teaches toughness
02:26 - From athlete to fitness coach
02:48 - Menâs Fitness, NBC Strong and Mirror
03:15 - Mirror, Lululemon and building an app
04:41 - Why men learn about tendons too late
06:00 - Prehab beats rehab
07:09 - Why tendons need smart loading
08:16 - Marathon training mistakes
09:30 - The hidden cost of running on hard surfaces
10:00 - Why elite runners avoid too much pavement
11:19 - Zone 2 training and managing intensity
13:07 - Body checks and relaxed running
14:12 - What a coach sees that Google cannot
15:27 - Consistency as the foundation
16:10 - How to recover from a missed workout
17:05 - Heavy lifting after 40
18:39 - Pull-ups, grip strength and longevity
20:12 - VO2 max training and Hyrox
21:31 - Dumbbells, bands and simple home training
23:15 - Teaching people why they train
23:54 - Why people avoid hard intervals
25:37 - Run your fastest mile first
27:12 - Running form, heel striking and efficiency
29:13 - Four-minute intervals and VO2 max work
30:34 - How to raise active kids
32:15 - Making fitness fun for children
34:09 - Home gyms, pull-up bars and accessibility
36:27 - Building a fitness community
37:20 - Why community questions matter
38:53 - Members empowering members
40:36 - Chrisâs expensive business mistake
42:04 - Why TV apps failed
43:36 - Let the marketplace tell you what it wants
45:01 - The overlooked power of rest and recovery
45:56 - Protect your bedtime
47:37 - Programming recovery into training
48:03 - Muscles grow when you recover
48:44 - Why 80% consistency still wins
49:43 - The habit most disciplined people neglect
51:07 - Where to find Chris Ryan
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:40) April review (Juan): running ramp-up, Achilles issues
(00:06:09) April review (Kyrin): energy, social push and AI chats
(00:20:55) Podcasting 2.0 update: AI slop, indexing, and curation challenges
(00:24:51) Setting May goals (Juan): body, mind, soul focus
(00:30:14) Setting May goals (Kyrin): energy, courageous conversations
(00:37:31) Streamlining podcast workflows: thumbnails, uploads, automation
(00:42:31) Thumbnails by AI? Tools, costs and what to keep
(00:44:54) Interviews vs effort: where the time really goes
(00:48:00) Always-on media: "Monitor the Situation" and live nuance
(00:50:12) Fitness wins: 2-minute handstand and one-arm progress
(00:56:41) Life admin rant: hail damage, insurers, and time trade-offs
(00:59:30) Wrap-up and next weekâs plan
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
Can you succeed without setting expectations & goals to hit?
In Episode #520 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: riff on dreaming big: how our topâlevel life aims can stay steady for decades while the reasons and execution evolve, whether you truly need a âbig dreamâ to reach elite performance, how to cultivate direction in your twenties by chasing curiosity and I tease a 20âyear outâofâthisâworld goal thatâs resurfaced from childhood.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:03:22) Decades, seasons of life and planning horizons
(00:07:56) Hinting at a 20-year goal out of this world
(00:10:29) Belief, luck, and the role of drive
(00:14:29) Stumbling into success and the power of effort
(00:18:14) Visualisation that works: mindset vs magic
(00:23:01) Aspirations shift: presence over prestige
(00:29:56) Massive Transformational Purpose and skill discovery
(00:32:01) Follow your obsession? Benefits and pitfalls
(00:36:00) Meaning, contentment and age
(00:40:13) Small dreams, goals, and purposeful practice
(00:45:26) Wrap-up and value-for-value sign-off
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
When does training become trickery become manipulation?
In Episode #519 of 'Meanderings', Juan and I discuss: the messy art of celebrating wins, the difference between admiration and genuine celebration, how expectations can warp our enjoyment of milestones, how to separate rewards from celebrations, why minimum thresholds matter, and how to design simple, sustainable rituals that create real memories and why routine can quietly erase the impulse to recognise achievements.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:00) State of the podcast: cadence, book reviews, life updates
(00:03:45) Milestones hit but rarely celebrated: listens, views, totals
(00:06:50) From optimisation to ease: audio quality, AI cleanup, and routines
(00:10:40) Gratitude for better gear versus big milestone parties
(00:13:44) Tiny rewards after effort: beer in the shower and habit loops
(00:16:56) Longâterm mindset: willpower, running mileage, and durable rewards
(00:21:58) Birthdays, experiences, and lowâkey celebrations for others
(00:24:52) Do milestones create memories worth keeping?
(00:30:00) Expectations shape feelings: two athletes, same silver, different joy
(00:32:14) Should celebration be separate from expectations?
(00:35:15) Rewarding effort vs outcome: half marathon thought experiment
(00:40:05) Positive manipulation, parenting and intent behind rewards
(00:44:45) Overblown rewards backfire: the doughnut race cautionary tale
(00:47:56) Ritualising postârun rewards without overdoing it
(00:51:41) Wrapâup: goals for next week and tongueâinâcheek yacht plans
(00:55:18) Closing thanks and signâoff
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
What do Michael Gerry, Big Brother and Clavicular all have in common?
In Episode #518 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: broadcasting everyday life (potentially 24/7), how feasible it is to capture more of life with minimal setup, early backpack rigs to Michael Gerryâs 2019 year-long life stream, the pull toward performative behaviour, the appeal of using life streaming as a mirror for self-improvement, why human interest in real humans wonât vanish in an AI-simulated world, predictions on âlife mediaâ/consent challenges/audience capture risks and why intent matters more than ever if youâre thinking about streaming your life.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:06) Wearables and the dream of frictionless livestreaming
(00:05:56) Social impact: cameras change behaviour and relationships
(00:08:46) Predicted effects on relationships and self-discipline
(00:14:56) NSFW pivot: audience shift, consent, and consequences
(00:17:38) Costs, logistics, and why fame is unlikely
(00:20:55) Community, new friends, catfishing, and fallout
(00:24:56) Why even boring streams get views
(00:27:50) Motivations: fame, money, connectionand a private pensive
(00:31:02) The sexual attention problem and why lines matter
(00:34:39) If we did it: gyms, runs, handstands, and zero-edit streams
(00:38:53) The consent minefield and protecting loved ones
(00:41:04) Audience capture and changing your life later
(00:45:25) AI editors, multimodal search, and the end of manual cuts (00:47:18) AI characters vs human messiness: what viewers really want
(00:56:00) Forecast: life media expands; humans keep watching humans
(00:58:16) Try-before-you-go: real-time looks at venues and events
(01:06:01) Housekeeping: Boostagrams paused, V4V still valued
(01:09:18) One-person unicorns and why wed watch their day
(01:11:23) Wrap-up and Easter sign-off
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:33) Juan's March 2026 Recap
(00:03:32) Kyrin's March 2026 Recap
(00:10:46) Support Overview
(00:15:55) Juan's April 2026 Goals
(00:23:17) Kyrin's April 2026 Goals
(00:38:35) Fitness
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
The mindset of a poker pro can now be applied outside of a narrow game.
In Episode #517 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: Annie Dukeâs 'Thinking In Bets' book and how the poker mindset can reshape everyday decision-making, why focusing on process over outcomes matters, how using AI as a sounding board revealed hidden risk-taking in my own finances, testing assumptions in small experiments before going all-in, how arbitrage opportunities appear with prediction markets and why clarity on desired outcomes should drive bet-sizing.
No support for this week so no beanie either. Also my laptop died suddenly hence the rather curt cut off at the end. Luckily we were almost done anyway phew.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:03:22) Outcome vs process: luck, good decisions, and post mortems
(00:09:16) Poker as repeated high impact decisions and learning while folding
(00:12:45) Symmetry, asymmetry, and spotting obviously bad bets
(00:18:34) Focus on decision quality, not results: lessons from early poker hands
(00:23:34) Plans that fail from wrong models: refining sell strategies
(00:28:15) Designing a simple, robust framework: time, percentage, and mean reversion
(00:31:28) Support break and playful side bets (brief interlude)
(00:31:59) Defining enough: goals, asymmetry, and chasing deltas
(00:35:18) Context is king: life design vs maximising returns
(00:38:56) Lifestyle upgrades vs status buys
(00:42:39) Comparing lives you don't want
(00:45:14) Test your dreams: mini retirements and truth over fantasy
(00:48:25) Prediction markets 101: from politics to Eurovision
(00:51:08) Arbitrage basics: finding edge across bookmakers
(00:56:24) Overconfidence, Dunning Kruger and too much information
(01:01:02) Avoiding tilt: energy, time, and knowing when to walk away
(01:03:27) AI flights of fancy: unified physics and healthy scepticism
(01:05:01) Wrap up: from thinking in bets to betting on ideas
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
As much as it sucks, more volume is almost always the answer.
In Episode #516 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: volume versus form (sparked by a YouTuber/runner known as Ran to Japan), what extreme running volume really looks like when youâre fast enough to compress a marathon into a couple of hours per day, how training load evolves across years, why sheer reps often trump optimisation, steadily ramping the volume to match your goals and importance, why novice gains come from doing more before optimising, how soreness can signal meaningful work done and when âworking dumberâ (less overthinking) can paradoxically deliver better outcomes.
No support this week.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:00) Train Harder Not Smarter Mantra
(00:04:44) Ran To Japan: marathons, ultras and doing wild challenges
(00:08:16) Efficiency, pace, and why elite volume takes less time
(00:11:16) Shifting volumes over years: weights, tonnage, and time
(00:17:20) Handstands as a case study: years of reps beat tweaks
(00:23:52) Wind, conditions and noticing small effects with mastery
(00:26:45) Finding and fixing true failure points
(00:28:47) Treadmill tales: the mental game of sticking it out
(00:30:00) Nose breathing, footwear chat and beginner priorities
(00:36:01) Boosts, Brisbane rain and a segue back to effort
(00:36:34) The anterior mid cingulate cortex and doing hard things
(00:41:14) Loving the soreness: goals, injuries, and form trade-offs
(00:46:01) IQ, overthinking and why volume still wins
(00:51:04) Reps over tech: golf, tennis, and learning by doing
(00:55:11) Today's takeaway: do more, then do it smarter
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:45) Juan's February 2026 Recap
(00:08:34) Kyrin's February 2026 Recap
(00:17:49) Support Overview
(00:18:48) Juan's March 2026 Goals
(00:22:58) Kyrin's March 2026 Goals
(00:35:41) Fitness
(00:41:14) V4V
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
Why is iterating hardware so difficult and what would we do if it came time to start a business.
In Episode #515 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovatorâs Dilemma' book, why incumbents like IBM and Blockbuster struggled with disruptive shifts, how spin-outs can help large firms explore new markets, whether todayâs tech giants (NVIDIA, Amazon, Alphabet) are genuinely pivoting faster than past eras, the trap of singleâthesis bets (e.g., x402 via Coinbase/Circle), the difference between wealth and money via Paul Grahamâs classic essay, my slowâship shift toward building something around livestreaming/value-for-value/OpenClaw-style agents, Juan's practical plan to buy and streamline existing local service businesses and the enduring challenge of measuring value in a world awash with AI-generated content.
No boostagrams but we do appreciate the streaming!
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:36) The Innovator's Dilemma book
(00:05:20) From hardware to software: DiSASSter
(00:10:58) CapEx arms race: Nvidia up, Apple lagging
(00:15:04) Incumbents can't buy their way out every time
(00:19:13) Is AI truly disruptive? Capital, energy, and hype checks
(00:24:50) Business cycles repeat: pivots, exits, and getting left behind
(00:29:34) Investing today: concentration, tech dominance, and copper
(00:34:05) Investing is prediction: outcomes vs decisions
(00:38:02) Finding exposure: beware tiny bets inside behemoths
(00:41:01) Boostagram Lounge and supporter shout-outs
(00:42:04) Micropayments, value, and streaming money
(00:45:19) Why Lightning may not fit continuous payments
(00:49:53) Two paths: analogue community vs full-tilt AI grind
(00:53:41) A niche edge: 'human-made' as a selling point
(01:03:31) A creator's plan: livestreaming with OpenClaw automation
(01:08:02) Work futures: lifestyle businesses and human uniqueness
(01:14:58) Zero-to-one vs sustainment: knowing your role
(01:20:04) Juan's near-term play: buy, streamline, and bundle SMBs
(01:23:40) Wrap-up and sign-off
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
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Will the lowering returns on violence along with digital wealth storage lead to an exodus?
In Episode #514 of ' Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: The Sovereign Individual book (1997) highly recommended by Bitcoiners, early chapters bogged in Y2K angst versus strikingly prescient calls on digital money, decentralised media and the emerging cyber economy, how portable digital wealth might change the return on violence, what sovereignty means when nation-states still control critical infrastructure, historical arcs the book frames well (church cohesion and bloat, the rise of nation-states, industrial-era labour leverage) and where its predictions remain wavy, why megapolitics is way more interesting than regular politics and whether we will eventually see the demise of the nation state.
No boostagrams or support for this week, the beanie remains off!
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:12) Why this book is famous in Bitcoin circles
(00:03:21) A shaky start: Y2K anxiety and dated worries
(00:07:24) Did they really predict Bitcoin? Tech hits and misses
(00:11:14) Core thesis: becoming sovereign and limits of the nation state
(00:13:32) What the book mostly covers: history and the rise of states
(00:16:05) Have nation states fractured? Power, wealth, and timelines
(00:18:39) Tech predictions vs social change: flying cars to hoverboards
(00:22:45) Numbers vs life: the underestimated intangibles of place
(00:25:01) Mobility is hard: visas, citizenship, and places that want you
(00:28:58) Libertarian reactions and margin notes in the library copy
(00:35:03) Evolution, brutality, and who loses in a sovereign-first world
(00:39:41) Public goods dilemma: bins, buses, roads, and who pays
(00:41:07) Free market hopes vs missing pure libertarian examples
(00:45:15) Effective vs efficient government and outsourcing to markets
(00:50:50) Boostagram Lounge and live chat banter (skating and humour)
(00:53:02) Key idea 1: Returns on violence across societal stages
(00:56:54) Key idea 2: The churchs early positive role and later bloat
(01:00:48) From fiefdoms to nation states: merchants, money, and armies
(01:05:09) Tech stacks of state power: cannonballs, printing presses, ledgers
(01:10:14) Can states still crush you? Blacklists, access, and workarounds
(01:17:12) Anonymity needs crowds: mixing, privacy coins, and cash claims
(01:20:19) Verdict on portability: harder to police digital than physical
(01:25:59) The Jenga tower of ideas: keeping what sticks
(01:27:55) New vocabulary: Megapolitical and thinking above politics
(01:31:14) Final thoughts, sign-off, and when to listen live
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
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What makes a bun dance?
In Episode #513 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the definition of abundance versus how futurists/technologists and everyday folks actually use it, the conflation of âlots of somethingâ with âzero friction access,â whether abundance must be global or can be meaningfully local, test the concept across water, food, intelligence and money, why more does not equal free (or even better), scarcityâs persistent psychological pull, whether a world of replicators (Ă la Star Trek) would make us healthier or simply more indulgent, Dyson spheres/Matryoshka brains/chess engines and why perfect performance is boring compared to messy human stories.
Huge shoutout to Cole for the support!
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:26) Defining abundance: frictionless access vs sheer quantity
(00:03:21) Is abundance local or global? Water as a case study
(00:05:23) Tech and food narratives: AI will make everything abundant
(00:08:46) Limits, time and space: why infinite abundance breaks down
(00:11:14) Air as the closest real abundance; distribution still matters
(00:14:29) Observer effects: meaning, colour and value are perceived
(00:20:29) Wealth, perspective and the abundance mindset
(00:21:45) Boostagram Lounge: Star Trek replicators and personal vs private property
(00:23:07) Is abundance actually good? Utopia, suffering and growth
(00:26:25) Replicators and diet: would unlimited food make us healthier?
(00:32:29) Health, sport and sameness: does abundance kill excitement?
(00:36:58) Scarcity still drives value: the mine effect
(00:40:00) Waste, recycling and shifting norms in abundant contexts
(00:43:27) Raising the floor vs widening the gap: distribution dynamics
(00:46:54) Utopian promises, isms and the risk of abundanceism
(00:51:58) More isnt always better: goals, dieting and selfcontrol
(00:56:57) Longevity, time perception and what remains human
(00:59:26) Closing thoughts and next weeks book review: The Sovereign Individual
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
Are there any downsides to taking part in upsides?
In Episode #512 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: how the internet moved from corporate networks to open protocol networks to blockchain networks, Dixonâs framing (read, write, own), why he thinks open protocols like RSS struggled against corporate platforms, where blockchains might change take rates, the real-world viability of tokenomics, if ownership will matter for in a future of AI, microâpayments and abundant digital goods, games vs music business models and whether people will actually care about on-chain ownership if everything becomes cheap and effortless to access.
No support for this week :'(
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:25) Book pick: Read, Write, Own by Chris Dixon
(00:04:16) Corporate vs protocol networks; email and the open web
(00:07:23) Owning the network: why blockchains change incentives
(00:13:25) Governance, take rates and platform lock-ins
(00:17:56) Music vs gaming revenues: models and innovation
(00:21:30) Protocol pessimism and the RSS debate in podcasting
(00:25:04) Value for value: Podcasting 2.0 funding dilemmas
(00:30:08) Could a blockchain fund open infrastructure?
(00:34:27) Designing a micropayments-first podcast app
(00:38:22) Do users care about digital ownership?
(00:41:48) Abundance thesis: free content and data trade-offs
(00:45:30) Will advertisers pay users directly?
(00:49:45) Will ownership still matter in an abundant world?
(00:53:01) Digital status, scarcity and beachfront reality
(00:58:48) Extreme efficiency futures: cars, housing and cost curves
(01:03:05) Human status, achievement and digital provenance
(01:08:33) Voice-first generation and app-less experiences
(01:14:47) Ownership vs access: memories, messages and guarantees
(01:16:54) Wrap-up: book verdict and sign-off
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:36) Juan's January 2026 Recap
(00:06:10) Kyrin's January 2026 Recap
(00:12:51) Support Overview
(00:13:27) Juan's February 2026 Goals
(00:18:24) Kyrin's February 2026 Goals
(00:24:01) Moltbot Sidenote
(00:32:21) Fitness
(00:37:00) V4V
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
You can't say yes to everything .... so where do you draw the line?
In Episode #511 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the âhell yes versus noâ decision-making lens and where it truly fits, opportunity cost/time constraints/certainty versus uncertainty, how emotion or rationality shapes decisions, stacking reasons to make a strong yes, a practical quadrant for choosing activities based on enjoyment and likelihood of meeting people.
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:03:39) Context matters: opportunity cost, age and life stage
(00:07:45) Replacing habits: when a simple yes is enough
(00:09:44) Decision heuristics: yes vs hell no for everyday choices
(00:13:14) Capacity fills the time: stacking commitments and hard trade-offs
(00:19:10) Workplace decision matrices vs personal life choices
(00:23:06) System 1 and System 2: training intuition with deliberate thinking
(00:27:49) Certainty vs uncertainty: when you need a hell yes to persist
(00:31:07) A practical framework: enjoyment vs meeting-people quadrants
(00:35:25) Boostagram lounge
(00:36:02) Listener input: lazy no vs instinctive no
(00:37:40) Upcoming moonshot gathering: why it's a clear yes
(00:44:31) Stacking reasons: VeeCon memories, serendipity and energy
(00:50:00) New tech temptations: why not every tool warrants a yes
(00:55:01) Where we're still weak at decisions: money and overcommitting
(01:03:17) Emotion vs reason: explaining feelings with rationality
(01:05:48) Wrap-up, live time and Brisbane Marathon team invite
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast -
We're destressing and just going over all the non-goal related things swirling around in the current moment.
In Episode #510 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: the old million dollar homepage and the new x402 version, experimenting with a cheeky oneâpixel squatting strategy to test rentâseeking dynamics, why some valueâforâvalue/Lightning initiatives plateau despite strong early communities, advertising economics from retro web banners to F1 liveries, if energy could become the unit of exchange in agentâtoâagent worlds and whether the current moment has the most amount of historical rate of change.
Huge thanks to Cole for the support!
Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortals
Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:49) Remembering the Million Dollar Homepage and link rot
(00:03:07) Hype cycles and the modern x402 Wall revival
(00:06:44) Domainâsquatting pixels: ethics and ROI debate
(00:12:45) Advertising realities: from F1 liveries to failed walls
(00:15:04) Old web ads versus brands and whatâs obsolete now
(00:19:10) Micropayments vision: beyond subscriptions
(00:23:56) Index decentralisation, AI spam, and niche podcasts
(00:28:20) Ads, ethics, and why âwall squattingâ targets advertisers
(00:32:03) Boomâbust buildâouts, block space, and critics
(00:36:54) Agents, moats, and access to compute
(00:39:02) Boostagram Lounge and community shoutâouts
(00:45:34) Agents doing business endâtoâend: Truth Terminal case
(00:50:07) Beyond attention? Energy, agency, and âcurrencyâ
(00:56:36) Speculating on rights for uploaded minds and AI
(01:00:24) Shortâterm goals, schooling, and planning in fast change
(01:05:03) Is todayâs change really faster? Mooreâs Law debate
(01:10:26) Exponential feels: compressing change into months
(01:16:22) Falling out of the loop: TikTok, crypto, and pace
(01:19:35) Can AI replace governments? Companies vs states
(01:23:46) Wrapâup, shoutâouts, and valueâforâvalue support
Connect with Mere Mortals:
Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts
Value 4 Value Support:
V4V: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast - Vis mere
