Simplifying Your Success

In this episode of the Making Bank podcast, We welcome guest Cole Rodgers, who sits down and talks about his organization, School of Man, and what being vulnerable has done for him in his life.

Cole is a family man, Minister of Impact, Coach, and the founder/CEO of School of Man, a training organization meant to help men find their why. Cole understands mental toughness and uses it to make dreams a reality. However, his life wasn’t always pretty; he battled with substance abuse, and he was on the brink of divorce, and that’s when Cole realized that he was just existing rather than truly living.

In the episode, Cole talks about fitness and sports and its impact on getting him where he is today. He overcame injury and took part in a 90-mile triathlon, Spartan Races, and was also one of nine out of a total 50 civilians that completed a 50+ hour Navy SEAL Hell Week simulation, known as SEALFIT Kokoro. Cole recognized the importance of being vulnerable and being able to open up about it, and that’s why he founded School of Man, to make men realize their potential and change their outlook on life and the way they think in order for them to develop the skills they need to be successful in every aspect of their life.

Listen to Josh and Cole discuss vulnerability and success:

(10:38) Death and Its Impact On Cole’s Life
Cole talks about his experience being a part of SEALFIT Kokoro, one of the most challenging and brutal events a person can put themselves through. Cole recalls his own experience where he witnessed his teammate’s heart give out on him and pass away. This experience was pivotal in Cole’s life, and he regards it as the fabric on which School of Man was created.

(15:15) Who Is School of Man For?
Cole explains how more and more men don’t have environments where they can be vulnerable and open up about the things in their lives. There isn’t a particular type of man that is better than others; Cole shares that School of Man gets men from all backgrounds — every man has their own reason and purpose for being there. It’s not the background that matters but giving men an environment to be vulnerable regardless of who they are and their reason for being there.

(17:01) How Vulnerability Affects Your Mental Toughness
He mentions that the absence of vulnerability in a person’s life is just the absence of trust in their life. People that can’t talk about the issues in their life — the stuff that really hurts them those people will never be able to reach their potential. Being able to account for your pain and then use it as your purpose allows you to not only love and know yourself but also channel that energy into the best version of yourself.

(19:09) Men Finding It Difficult To Open Up
What makes it so hard for men to be vulnerable? Cole explains that it’s how things have been set up for men. Their upbringing and relationships have played a role in them being able to open up. There might have been things that have scarred these men mentally, and the men define themselves by those scars.

(21:44) Cole’s Top Three Successful Traits
A common trait amongst the successful people that Cole has worked with is that they’re all Go-Givers, who aren’t selfish but are willing to help others succeed at their highest level. The second trait is that they don’t lead with their resume and accolades but their actions. They operate with impact rather than showing the rest of the world that they’re successful. Lastly, Cole mentions immortality; if that person’s impact goes further than what they did in the world while they were alive — being able to leave a dent in the world that’ll stay even after they’re long gone.

(24:42) How Do You Do It?
How do you reach your full potential and become successful? Cole says it’s not about how you’ve done it but, more importantly, who you do it with. Many people end up being stuck where they are because of the people in their circle. You need people who are better than you — someone who can lift you up rather than hold you back.

Links mentioned:
https://schoolofman.live
https://linktr.ee/schoolofman