Mere Mortals Conversations
Mere Mortals Conversations

Mere Mortals Conversations

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados

Overview
Episodes

Details

What is Effective Philosophy? Juan and I simplify hard to grasp concepts into pragmatic takeaways that can be applied to every day life (fitness, goal setting, work, parenting, travel, hobbies, finances, etc.,).

Recent Episodes

Catching Up On Busy Life | Missing The End Of An Era
JUN 6, 2026
Catching Up On Busy Life | Missing The End Of An Era
After a mini break we're back and tired as hell.<br /><br />In Episode #521 of 'Meanderings', Juan &amp; 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 “end of an era”—pinpointing a final carefree night with friends before marriages, kids and tighter schedules reshaped everything &amp; maxing out your skills to learn what truly fits. <br /><br />Stan Link: <a href="https://stan.store/meremortals" target="_blank">https://stan.store/meremortals</a><br /><br />Timeline:&nbsp;<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:01:32) Today’s loose topics: busy, tired, and ends of eras<br />(00:04:29) Work surge, funding cycles, and context switching<br />(00:07:14) Time slipping: dating, late nights, and sleep debt<br />(00:10:52) Merging habits: training with podcasts, dropping networking<br />(00:13:20) Reducing decision fatigue, going with the flow (kids)<br />(00:18:18) Meal batching as an antidote to micro decisions<br />(00:21:24) The Springwood night: last carefree gathering<br />(00:25:56) Complexity vs difficulty: why coordination gets hard<br />(00:31:04) Revisiting UQ: inner child, fear and growth<br />(00:35:00) Wisdom with age and limits of advice to your younger self<br />(00:39:37) Practices over time: identity, social media shifts<br />(00:44:21) University credential vs building ‘monsters’<br />(00:47:20) Purpose can wait; in youth, max your stats<br />(00:51:01) Generational shift: job hopping and portfolio lives<br />(00:53:38) Looks‑maxxing influencers and the price of attention<br />(00:55:57) Capping off: embracing the thirties era&nbsp; <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />V4V: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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56 MIN
Monthly Goals | June 2026
MAY 31, 2026
Monthly Goals | June 2026
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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />Stan Link: <a href="https://stan.store/meremortals" target="_blank">https://stan.store/meremortals</a><br /><br />Timeline:&nbsp;<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:00:31) Juan May 2026 Review<br />(00:14:18) Kyrin May 2026 Review<br />(00:22:27) Juan June 2026 Goals<br />(00:29:51) Kyrin June 2026 Goals<br />(00:40:16) Fitness<br />(00:45:06) Wrap-up&nbsp; <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />V4V: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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46 MIN
Fitter After 40: Strength, Tendons & Recovery | Chris Ryan
MAY 16, 2026
Fitter After 40: Strength, Tendons & Recovery | Chris Ryan
<p>At some point, the body sends you the invoice. <br />In this episode of the <strong>Mere Mortals Podcast</strong>, I sit down with <strong>Chris Ryan,</strong> former Division 1 runner, fitness coach, Men’s Fitness cover model, former Mirror coach and founder of <strong>Chris Ryan Fitness, </strong>to talk about what it actually takes to stay strong, durable and fit as you get older. <br />The core lesson: <strong>fitness is not just about effort. It is about intelligent effort, repeated long enough to become identity.</strong> <br /><br />Connect With Chris Ryan <br />Website: <a href="https://chrisryanfitness.com" target="_blank">https://chrisryanfitness.com</a><br /> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chrisryanfitness" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/chrisryanfitness</a><br /> YouTube: Search “Chris Ryan Fitness”<br /> App: Search “Chris Ryan Fitness” in the App Store or Google Play&nbsp;<br /><br /> 00:00 - Welcome to Mere Mortals<br /> 00:24 - Who is Chris Ryan?<br /> 00:42 - From sport to Division 1 running<br /> 01:26 - Why the 800m teaches toughness<br /> 02:26 - From athlete to fitness coach<br /> 02:48 - Men’s Fitness, NBC Strong and Mirror<br /> 03:15 - Mirror, Lululemon and building an app<br /> 04:41 - Why men learn about tendons too late<br /> 06:00 - Prehab beats rehab<br /> 07:09 - Why tendons need smart loading<br /> 08:16 - Marathon training mistakes<br /> 09:30 - The hidden cost of running on hard surfaces<br /> 10:00 - Why elite runners avoid too much pavement<br /> 11:19 - Zone 2 training and managing intensity<br /> 13:07 - Body checks and relaxed running<br /> 14:12 - What a coach sees that Google cannot<br /> 15:27 - Consistency as the foundation<br /> 16:10 - How to recover from a missed workout<br /> 17:05 - Heavy lifting after 40<br /> 18:39 - Pull-ups, grip strength and longevity<br /> 20:12 - VO2 max training and Hyrox<br /> 21:31 - Dumbbells, bands and simple home training<br /> 23:15 - Teaching people why they train<br /> 23:54 - Why people avoid hard intervals<br /> 25:37 - Run your fastest mile first<br /> 27:12 - Running form, heel striking and efficiency<br /> 29:13 - Four-minute intervals and VO2 max work<br /> 30:34 - How to raise active kids<br /> 32:15 - Making fitness fun for children<br /> 34:09 - Home gyms, pull-up bars and accessibility<br /> 36:27 - Building a fitness community<br /> 37:20 - Why community questions matter<br /> 38:53 - Members empowering members<br /> 40:36 - Chris’s expensive business mistake<br /> 42:04 - Why TV apps failed<br /> 43:36 - Let the marketplace tell you what it wants<br /> 45:01 - The overlooked power of rest and recovery<br /> 45:56 - Protect your bedtime<br /> 47:37 - Programming recovery into training<br /> 48:03 - Muscles grow when you recover<br /> 48:44 - Why 80% consistency still wins<br /> 49:43 - The habit most disciplined people neglect<br /> 51:07 - Where to find Chris Ryan&nbsp;</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />V4V: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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52 MIN
Monthly Goals | May 2026
MAY 4, 2026
Monthly Goals | May 2026
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.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />Stan Link: <a href="https://stan.store/meremortals" target="_blank">https://stan.store/meremortals</a><br /><br />Timeline:&nbsp;<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:01:40) April review (Juan): running ramp-up, Achilles issues<br />(00:06:09) April review (Kyrin): energy, social push and AI chats<br />(00:20:55) Podcasting 2.0 update: AI slop, indexing, and curation challenges<br />(00:24:51) Setting May goals (Juan): body, mind, soul focus<br />(00:30:14) Setting May goals (Kyrin): energy, courageous conversations<br />(00:37:31) Streamlining podcast workflows: thumbnails, uploads, automation<br />(00:42:31) Thumbnails by AI? Tools, costs and what to keep<br />(00:44:54) Interviews vs effort: where the time really goes<br />(00:48:00) Always-on media: "Monitor the Situation" and live nuance<br />(00:50:12) Fitness wins: 2-minute handstand and one-arm progress<br />(00:56:41) Life admin rant: hail damage, insurers, and time trade-offs<br />(00:59:30) Wrap-up and next week’s plan&nbsp; <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />V4V: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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59 MIN
Dreaming Big | Life Beyond The Average
APR 20, 2026
Dreaming Big | Life Beyond The Average
Can you succeed without setting expectations &amp; goals to hit?<br /><br />In Episode #520 of 'Meanderings', Juan &amp; I discuss: riff on dreaming big: how our top‑level life aims can stay steady for decades while the reasons and execution evolve, whether you truly need a “big dream” to reach elite performance, how to cultivate direction in your twenties by chasing curiosity and I tease a 20‑year out‑of‑this‑world goal that’s resurfaced from childhood. <br /><br />Stan Link: <a href="https://stan.store/meremortals" target="_blank">https://stan.store/meremortals</a><br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:03:22) Decades, seasons of life and planning horizons<br />(00:07:56) Hinting at a 20-year goal out of this world<br />(00:10:29) Belief, luck, and the role of drive<br />(00:14:29) Stumbling into success and the power of effort<br />(00:18:14) Visualisation that works: mindset vs magic<br />(00:23:01) Aspirations shift: presence over prestige<br />(00:29:56) Massive Transformational Purpose and skill discovery<br />(00:32:01) Follow your obsession? Benefits and pitfalls<br />(00:36:00) Meaning, contentment and age<br />(00:40:13) Small dreams, goals, and purposeful practice<br />(00:45:26) Wrap-up and value-for-value sign-off&nbsp; <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/K99e8fysBn</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />V4V: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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46 MIN