Hacks and Hobbies with Junaid Ahmed

If your life feels successful on the outside but empty, chaotic or exhausted on the inside, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Irina Alexander – a high-performance coach who blends neuroscience, leadership, and ancient wisdom – to unpack what it really takes to stop living on default and start living by conscious choice. Irina shares how she burned out as a driven business owner and mother, the moment she realized her “normal” was actually toxic, and the exact inner work she used to rewire her brain, heal from autopilot patterns, and build a life that feels aligned at a soul level. You’ll learn her 3P method (pause, pull back, physical scan), how to integrate what you know into how you actually live, and why small 1-degree shifts can completely change the trajectory of your life. If you’ve ever felt like you’re smart, capable, and high-performing—but still not at peace—this episode will show you a new way forward. 5 Big Takeaways Awareness is the real starting line – Change begins when you honestly admit, “This isn’t working for me,” without judgment or shame. The 3P method to break old patterns – Pause, Pull Back, Physical Scan gives you a simple, in-the-moment way to stop reacting and start choosing. Knowledge isn’t power without integration – Reading books and collecting insights is useless unless you practice them in the messiness of real life. Small shifts create massive life reroutes – A consistent 1-degree change in your habits and beliefs can lead you to a totally different “destination” over time. Community can make or break your growth – Surrounding yourself with people on the same path is essential if you want to escape the “crabs in a bucket” effect. Timestamps [00:00] Rewiring your brain: living by choice, not default [02:15] Is this really a problem for you? The first honest question [08:26] Burnout disguised as “normal” – Irina’s breaking point [14:48] The 3P method: pause, pull back, physical scan (do this today) [20:28] Communication that doesn’t backfire: what people actually need [21:39] Afraid of change? Why 1-degree shifts are more powerful than “radical” moves [25:21] Anything is possible: rewiring belief systems, science and soul Guest Links – Irina Alexander Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/irina.alexander.7Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/your_favorite_russian_/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/irinaalexander/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Life-By-ChoiceWebsite – https://motivaction.academy/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@motivaction.academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if 95% of your life is being run by programs you didn’t choose? In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid Ahmed sits down with Irina Alexander, professional mental trainer and founder of the Academy of Motive, Action. With 20 years in neuroscience, entrepreneurship, and global wisdom traditions, Irina has helped hundreds of high-stress professionals step out of autopilot, dismantle hustle culture, and rebuild a life that actually feels like their own. Irina shares the moment she broke down on the highway, called her mother, and realised the successful life she’d built… wasn’t actually hers. From selling a thriving business to redefining success as soul-aligned living, she walks us through the inner rewiring required to move from obligation, burnout, and busyness into clarity, courage, and conscious choice. If you feel like you’re doing “all the right things” yet still feel empty, this conversation is a wake-up call. In this episode, you’ll learn: How your subconscious is programmed before age seven—and why it’s not too late to change it The single most powerful parenting shift Irina made to raise conscious, connected kids The breaking point moment where she realised her “successful” life was silently burning her out Why motivation is never enough—and the “choice, change, action” framework she uses with clients How to start saying yes to yourself, your soul, and your curiosity without burning your life down Timestamps [00:00] The Setup: Why Your Life Might Be Running on Default SettingsJunaid opens the episode and introduces Irina’s work on subconscious programming, burnout, and mental mastery. [02:11] How Your Childhood Wires Your Adult Life (And What That Means for Your Kids)Irina explains how subconscious programs are installed before age seven—and why awareness still gives you power as a parent. [04:58] “You Can’t Parent Your Kids, Only Yourself” – Radical Parenting ReframeIrina shares her philosophy on modelling over lecturing, quality over quantity, and the monthly “dates” she takes with her daughters. [07:46] The Breakdown on the Highway: When Success Stops Feeling Like SuccessIrina recounts calling her mother, walking away from 60–80 hour weeks, and realising she was living for obligation, not desire. [10:06] What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?The terrifying questions Irina asked herself before deciding to sell her company and rewrite her life. [12:15] Choice. Change. Action. The Framework for Rewiring Your LifeHow Irina blends neuroscience and soul work into a simple, brutally honest process for real transformation. [13:10] Saying Yes to Life Again: Curiosity, Self-Investment & Letting Go of JudgmentFrom personal development training to reconnecting with friends, Irina shares how she rebuilt her life from the inside out. Key Takeaways We live 95–97% of our lives on autopilot, driven by subconscious and unconscious programming formed in early childhood. Your kids don’t do what you say, they do what you do—the most powerful parenting is self-parenting and self-awareness. Burnout often hides behind “success”: external achievement can mask deep misalignment, exhaustion, and a lost sense of self. Motivation fades—discipline and aligned action don’t. Irina’s “choice, change, action” model turns awareness into transformation. Curiosity without judgment is a superpower: giving yourself permission to explore, question, and invest in yourself is where rewiring truly begins. Guest Links Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/irina.alexander.7Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/your_favorite_russian_/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/irinaalexander/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Life-By-ChoiceWebsite – https://motivaction.academy/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@motivaction.academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the only rule you followed was to never have a 0% day? In this powerful conversation, host Junaid Ahmed sits down with high-performance coach and entrepreneur Jake Smolarek, who arrived in the UK with just £150 and went on to build multiple successful businesses. This isn’t about hacks or hype. It’s about the brutal honesty, discipline, and obsession required to build a life you’re proud of. Jake breaks down his core frameworks — No 0% Days, the 10-80-10 rule, and a preview of his Vision GPS system — and shows how ordinary people with families, full-time jobs, and limited time can still build something extraordinary. From why we keep promises to others but break them to ourselves, to how to treat your side hustle like a plane taking off at 100% thrust, this episode will challenge the way you think about discipline, success, and what you’re truly capable of. You will not see your “busy schedule” the same way after this. Key Takeaways: Why moving to the UK with £150 forced Jake to redefine risk, ownership, and what really matters The mindset behind never having a 0% day and what a real 1% win looks like on your worst days How we lie to ourselves about “passions” like travel, and the brutal truth your calendar reveals Why everyone needs a coach, and how mentors and even unsuccessful people can speed up your success The difference between having a business and building a profitable one, and why obsession is non-negotiable Timestamps [00:01:45] The £150 leap – Why Jake left everything behind and moved to the UK with almost nothing [00:03:44] Discipline is not a mood – The real reason we keep promises to others but not to ourselves [00:07:01] Why everyone needs a coach – The power of outside feedback and learning from failure [00:12:34] No 0% Days explained – How to win even on your worst days and why “wishes” aren’t goals [00:16:27] What a 1% win looks like – Turning “I did nothing” days into small but crucial progress [00:18:23] Obsession, madness, and being number one – Why you must dominate your niche, not just participate [00:20:30] Side hustles, families, and time – Applying No 0% Days when you have a job, kids, and a full life Guest Links https://jakesmolarek.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakesmolarek/https://www.instagram.com/jakesmolarek/https://www.facebook.com/jake.lucas.smolarekhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jakesmolarek Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people don’t fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they get lost in the middle. In this raw and practical conversation, Junaid sits down with high‑performance coach Jake Smolarek to dismantle the myths around success, discipline, and “luck.” Jake introduces his powerful 1080/10 framework and Vision GPS, revealing why the middle 80% of any journey—the boring, lonely, repetitive part—is exactly where champions are made and everyone else quits. If you’ve ever felt stuck, started strong and faded, or secretly feared both failure and success, this episode will give you a new roadmap. You’ll learn how to think in decades, build systems that work when you sleep, and develop the kind of discipline that quietly turns you into “the lucky one” everyone talks about. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why the first 10% and last 10% are easy—and how the messy middle 80% actually creates your future The 1080/10 sequence: learn → practice → master → become a legend (and why you can’t skip steps) How to build a Vision GPS using vision, goals, a planning process, and systems that run 24/7 The truth about fear of failure vs. fear of success and how they lead to self‑sabotage Why discipline is a muscle, and the small daily actions that create long‑term freedom Timestamps 00:00 – The real reason most people stay stuck 01:00 – The 1080/10 Rule: where success is actually built 05:35 – The dark tunnel: surviving the hardest 20% of the 80% 10:14 – “You’re so lucky”: the story that exposes what luck really is 15:06 – Vision GPS: vision, goals, planning process and systems 20:26 – Fear of failure vs. fear of success and self‑sabotage 24:40 – Discipline as freedom: how to start when you’re scared and stay consistent Guest Links https://jakesmolarek.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakesmolarek/https://www.instagram.com/jakesmolarek/https://www.facebook.com/jake.lucas.smolarekhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jakesmolarek Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most entrepreneurs are not failing because of their product… they’re failing because of their numbers. In this episode of Hacks and Hobbies, Junaid sits down with Paden Squires, founder of Squires Tax Planning, who has quietly helped business owners save tens of thousands of dollars and rebuild their relationship with money. This isn’t a “tax tips” episode. It’s a deep dive into identity, behavior change, and the simple financial habits that separate stuck founders from those who compound wealth year after year. Paden shares how Ray Dalio’s “Principles”, radical transparency, and his own philosophy of integrity and alignment shape the way he coaches entrepreneurs. From saving a client $30,000+ in taxes with a few structural moves, to spotting patterns in thousands of tax returns, Peyton reveals how the real unlock isn’t a secret loophole—it’s the willingness to face your numbers, do the work, and change who you are as a business owner. If your finances feel overwhelming, confusing, or “not your thing,” this conversation will show you where to start, what to focus on, and why tiny daily decisions with money are the real superpower. 5 Key Takeaways Radical transparency beats guesswork – borrowing from Ray Dalio, open dialogue and honest feedback lead to better financial decisions. Identity comes before strategy – real financial growth starts when founders decide to change who they are, not just what they do. Emotion drives most money decisions – childhood money stories often control your financial behavior more than spreadsheets do. Small daily wins compound into wealth – tiny, consistent actions with your finances matter more than big, one-off moves. Avoiding your numbers is the real risk – sticking your head in the sand with money only delays the pain; transparency and feedback are the way out. Timestamps [00:00] The boring secret behind business success: why principles matter more than tactics [01:06] Ray Dalio, radical transparency, and how hedge fund thinking applies to small business [03:31] Peyton’s core principle: integrity, alignment, and being the same person in every room [04:23] Why smart people make “illogical” money decisions (and how childhood shapes your finances) [06:02] The $30,000 tax win: a simple structural shift that most accountants never look for [08:21] The identity shift of a founder: from chain-smoking construction worker to ultra-runner and 4x revenue [10:52] Small daily financial habits, using AI on your statements, and where to start when you feel overwhelmed Guest Links Website: https://www.squirestaxplanning.comPersonal Site: https://www.padensquires.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/padensquiresFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089855132002LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paden-squires-cpa-cfp-19681a1aYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PadenSquiresApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-their-success-advice-for-entrepreneurs/id1723352366Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2sXtqL6QHmDykXRJRFX71W?si=1760bcbc08dc4130&nd=1&dlsi=a1622ac901c2497a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices