{"podcast":{"title":"The Next Generation","slug":"the-next-generation-7040486","podcast_index_feed_id":7040486,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/107851968/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://substack.com/@elliotbewick","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/44111306/44111306-1753996735676-ffcbc51019e73.jpg","author":"Elliot Bewick","episode_count":113,"summary":"20 year old. I talk to anyone and everyone. The Next Generation is a place to be exposed to different opinions, learn lessons from the past & search your way to a meaningful and fulfilled life...","last_synced_at":"2026-07-12T20:18:14.542561+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-generation-7040486"},"episode":{"title":"Stop Choosing Safety, It’s Ruining Your Life - Michael Smoak | #70","slug":"stop-choosing-safety-it-s-ruining-your-life-michael-smoak-70","published_at":"2026-03-17T06:33:47+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-generation-7040486/stop-choosing-safety-it-s-ruining-your-life-michael-smoak-70","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-generation-7040486","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elliot-bewick/episodes/Stop-Choosing-Safety--Its-Ruining-Your-Life---Michael-Smoak--70-e3gi9r7","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/107851968/podcast/play/117040423/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-17%2F420175764-44100-2-3c5f92c6b33be.mp3","summary":"Michael Smoak is a fitness coach, content creator, and founder of @higherupwellness . Having personally been through his own 65lb weight loss transformation, he now shares practical, no-nonsense advice on how to build better habits, improve physical and mental health, and level up your life.Michael on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/higherupwellness/Find out more: https://higherupwellness.com/CHAPTERS00:00 “Your brain would rather live in a familiar hell than an unfamiliar heaven”05:24 Don’t grasp at things out of your reach, raise the floor11:25 How Michael accrued his knowledge14:13 Reframing your perceptions will change your life18:14 “Everything that happens to you is your fault”21:37 Authenticity is everything27:39 You have everything you need to be incredible32:09 “You’re cringe until is works”42:43 What makes exceptional people exceptional?48:03 Overcome by the power of your words52:37 The proxification of ancient wisdom55:15 Everyone should have a Mission Statement1:00:05 If you don’t chase what you want, you’ll be carried elsewhere1:04:01 Winners win, losers lose1:07:56 Face the fact: You’re going to die1:12:14 How do you deal with a parent dying?1:22:39 Surrendering control, finding peace1:25:22 Memento Mori1:32:52 “Let’s do an exercise…”1:38:21 Are you lonely?1:43:28 What would be your one piece of advice to a struggling person?Subscribe to my Substack to support the show and join the community! https://elliotbewick.substack.com/My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliotbewick/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliotbewickX: https://x.com/elliotbewickABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION: In a world saturated by social media and marked by skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD among Gen Z, young people are growing up in a landscape of chaos and contradic…","meta_description":"Michael Smoak is a fitness coach, content creator, and founder of @higherupwellness . Having personally been through his own 65lb weight loss transformati…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":6618,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-next-generation-7040486/episodes/stop-choosing-safety-it-s-ruining-your-life-michael-smoak-70/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-generation-7040486/stop-choosing-safety-it-s-ruining-your-life-michael-smoak-70.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}