Podcast
Acta Non Verba
Hosted by Marcus Aurelius Anderson · EN
ACTA NON VERBA is a raw and real podcast with hard hitting interviews featuring people that live by the Ethos of “Actions, not words.”
Join TEDx speaker, Bestselling Author, Veteran, and Leadership & Mindset Coach Marcus Aurelius Anderson as he goes inside the minds and experiences of the world’s most successful Warriors, Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Experts to give you the Philosophies, Concepts, Tactics, and Strategies they use to turn Adversity into Victory and live an EXTRAORDINARY life based on ACTIONS not words.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Warrior Wisdom: Why the Greatest in the World Have Coaches (Replay)
2w ago00:10:19Tap to summarizeThis week I’m breaking down why those who want to be high performers find a coach. If you’ve ever considered hiring a coach or mentor to help you accomplish your goals, you won’t want to miss this episode. Listen in as I explore the most compelling reasons athletes and leaders keep coaches close, and how consistent coaching could impact the average person’s time and revenue potential. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dr. Grace Firestone How She Went from a Coma to Summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, Her Unlikely Path to Becoming a Doctor, and How She's Turned Her Adversity into Her Greatest Purpose
3w ago00:50:55Tap to summarizeMarcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Dr. Grace Firestone, a family medicine physician, athlete, and cardiac arrest survivor. Dr. Firestone shares the story of collapsing at 18 years old, spending 10 days in the ICU, and waking up with documented brain injury and compromised heart function. Rather than accepting the limitations placed on her, she pushed forward into college, medical school, and competitive bodybuilding. This conversation covers her early drive rooted in gratitude, the mindset she developed through adversity, her philosophy of practicing what she preaches as a physician, and her work with legendary trainer Charles Glass. Episode Highlights: 0:05 – Dr. Firestone explains why switching to 6:00 AM training at Gold's Gym transformed her efficiency as both an athlete and a physician. 4:22 – She shares the origin of her drive, tracing it back to gratitude, financial aid, and a high school nonprofit she founded called Let the Kids Play. 6:14 – Dr. Firestone recounts the night she suffered sudden cardiac arrest at 18, the CPR her brother performed, the AED shocks, the medically induced coma, and waking up uncertain of her cognitive future. 27:58 – She describes her decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro despite her defibrillator and medical uncertainty, writing in her journal that she might die on the mountain, and what reaching Uhuru Peak meant for her identity going forward. Dr. Grace Firestone is a board-eligible family medicine physician practicing at UCLA Santa Monica. A cardiac arrest survivor at 18, she rebuilt her life through cognitive therapy, collegiate athletics, and medical training. She specializes in nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle medicine, and trains under world-renowned bodybuilding coach Charles Glass in competitive bodybuilding. Her work as a doctor is grounded in a personal commitment to modeling the habits she prescribes to her patients. She can be found on Instagram at @Dr.Grace_Firestone. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Steven Pressfield on his new novel "The Arcadian", How Resistance Shows Up in His Life now, and questions he's never been asked before
4w ago00:50:32Tap to summarizeMarcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with bestselling author and creative legend Steven Pressfield in Santa Monica for a wide-ranging conversation centered on Pressfield's new historical fiction novel, The Arcadian. The two explore the novel's ancient mercenary protagonist Telamon, the philosophy of resistance, the role of vulnerability in transformation, and what it means to keep doing the work — even after losing everything in a wildfire. Episode Highlights: 9:55 — The Magical Horse and the Hope of ReleasePressfield unpacks the inciting incident of The Arcadian — Telamon spotting a horse he recognizes from the year 70 AD bearing the brand of the 10th Roman Legion. The horse, appearing 1,400 years later, becomes a symbol of potential redemption and drives the entire story forward. 10:35 — Westerns, Vulnerable Characters, and Human TransformationPressfield reveals that The Arcadian is structurally a Western — like Unforgiven or Shane — and explains why the genre's conventions (a man of violence, a lawless landscape, a vulnerable character) are the perfect vehicle for stories about overcoming emotional isolation and finding humanity. 28:38 — Resistance, the LA Fires, and the Work That Saves You Pressfield opens up about losing his home in the 2025 LA wildfires, including a 40-year-old handwritten copy of the Empedocles quote. He reflects on how devotion to the work — and an acorn from Thermopylae returned by a Special Forces friend — helped hold him together. Steven Pressfield is one of the most influential American authors of the past three decades. Best known for The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, Pressfield has built a body of work that spans historical fiction, nonfiction on creativity, and screenwriting. A former Marine and advertising copywriter, he spent years living in a Chevy van before finally breaking through as a writer. His concept of "Resistance" — the internal force that blocks creative work — has become a touchstone for artists, entrepreneurs, and warriors worldwide. His newest novel, The Arcadian, was released May 26, 2025. He publishes a weekly blog, Writing Wednesdays, at StevenPressfield.com. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dr. Megan McElheran On Before Operational Stress, Applying Stoicism Not Just Talking About It, and Why I Cried During This Interview (Replay)
May 2700:45:58Tap to summarizeIn this episode Dr. Megan McElheran, a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with uniformed service personnel delves into Dr. McElheran's development of upstream training programs aimed at preparing military and public safety professionals to manage stress before it becomes overwhelming. Marcus and Dr. McElheran explore the concepts of post-traumatic growth, the importance of action-oriented stoic philosophy, and practical steps for emotional regulation. Dr. McElheran shares her journey into psychology, the creation of the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program, and data-backed evidence of its effectiveness. Episode Highlights: 12:45 The Role of Stoicism in Uniformed Services 24:28 The Importance of De-escalation and Self-Care 25:26 Training Gaps and Operational Stress 26:15 The Duality of Tactical Skills and Trauma 32:43 Facing Fear and Taking Action Dr. Megan McElheran is a dedicated trauma therapist specializing in helping first responders, active-duty members of the Canadian Forces, and community members navigate the aftermath of traumatic events. With expertise in evidence-based practices such as Prolonged Exposure, EMDR, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Megan provides a safe, structured environment for clients to process and heal. Her work emphasizes resilience and the profound capacity for change, as shared in her 2011 TEDx talk, Trauma, Change, and Resilience. Megan’s compassionate approach empowers individuals to rebuild their lives, transforming the impact of trauma into growth and strength. You can learn more about Dr. McElheran here: https://www.wayfound.ca/dr-megan-mcelheran Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Sara McMann: The Multifaceted Warrior (Replay)
May 2000:49:27Tap to summarizeResilience develops through experience over time. This week Sara McMann reveals how her time spent as a wrestler, Olympian, and MMA competitor prepared her to be successful in the UFC. Listen in as Sara and I discuss how to identify and capitalize on natural skills, why being stubborn is a trait for success, and how being selective when having a competitive mindset can help you hone your abilities. Sara also explores how raising your personal standards attracts a higher caliber of people into your circle. Sara McMann is an American Mixed Martial Artist who currently competes in the bantamweight division of the ultimate financial championship, the UFC, and is currently ranked number nine in that division. McMann is a former Olympic wrestler and the first American woman in history to receive a silver medal at the Olympics, which she won in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of wrestling. She's also a world silver medalist and two-time bronze medalist as well as a brown belt under the legendary Marcelo Garcia. Follow Sara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saramcmann Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Christopher Sommer Part 2: Kicking Cancer's Ass, Logic, Building Gymnastic Bodies, and the Momentum of Excellence (Replay)
May 1301:11:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode Christopher Sommer shares how language impacts logic, the biggest complaint with CrossFit and athletes, how to understand what you actually control. Listen in as we explore what he’s learned from top business professionals, serving his ideal client, and how he’s taking his mission to the next level. Coach Christopher Sommer is a world-renowned gymnastics instructor and long-time US Jr National Team Coach with nearly 40 years’ experience at Regional, National and Olympic level. He is known for building his athletes into some of the strongest, most powerful gymnasts in the world. Coach Sommer is the founder of Gymnastic Bodies, a hugely popular gymnastic strength training system. His book, Building the Gymnastic Body, is a groundbreaking training guide designed for non-gymnasts to improve their strength and mobility with routines used by world-class athletes. You can learn more about his work at https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/ Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Christopher Sommer Part 1: Kicking Cancer's Ass, Logic, Building Gymnastic Bodies, and the Momentum of Excellence (Replay)
May 601:09:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode Christopher Sommer shares the science behind building a gymnastic body, how he helps individuals perform at a world class level, and how to stop waiting for others to confirm your success. Listen in as we explore what gets him excited about a challenge and how he motivates his team and himself. Coach Christopher Sommer is a world-renowned gymnastics instructor and long-time US Jr National Team Coach with nearly 40 years’ experience at Regional, National and Olympic level. He is known for building his athletes into some of the strongest, most powerful gymnasts in the world. Coach Sommer is the founder of Gymnastic Bodies, a hugely popular gymnastic strength training system. His book, Building the Gymnastic Body, is a groundbreaking training guide designed for non-gymnasts to improve their strength and mobility with routines used by world-class athletes. You can learn more about his work at https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/ Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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WARRIOR WISDOM: 5 Lessons from 5 years in Arete Syndicate (Replay)
Apr 2900:13:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Acta Non Verba, Marcus shares his experiences and the lessons learned from being a part of the Arete Syndicate, a group composed of successful warriors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts. Marcus was awarded the 'Arete Syndicate Create a Positive Impact Award' for his contributions as a speaker, leadership coach, and author. He highlights five key lessons he learned from the Syndicate and shares anecdotes from his unique journey. He emphasizes the importance of actions, pushing boundaries, maintaining a state of blissful dissatisfaction, and not overlooking the 'last 10 percent' in any endeavor. Episode Highlights: 03:01 The Impact of Being Part of the Arete Syndicate 05:30 Lessons Learned from the Arete Syndicate Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Stephen Scott AI Implementation, AI Resume Optimization Strategies, The Future of AI, and Authentic Information in the Digital Age
Apr 2200:56:41Tap to summarizeMarcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with technology entrepreneur and AI strategist Stephen Scott for a candid, practical conversation about artificial intelligence and how everyday people can use it to improve their lives. Rather than approaching AI as a threat, Stephen reframes it as a personal force multiplier — one that can help anyone navigate job searches, manage finances, optimize health, and make better decisions. The conversation covers the emotional anxiety surrounding AI, the coming digital divide, deepfake security threats, and why the best time to start engaging with AI is right now. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Use AI to Future-Proof Your Career — 7:22AI doesn't take jobs — people who know how to use AI replace those who don't. Stephen breaks down a practical step-by-step method for using AI to build a custom resume and cover letter optimized to beat Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and land more interviews. Build Personal AI "Folders" for Every Area of Life — 14:09Stephen shares how he uploads personal health records, financial statements, and life goals into AI platforms to get highly personalized guidance — essentially putting the world's most knowledgeable advisor on call 24/7 for your health, finances, and relationships. Don't Seed Your Intellect to AI — Challenge It — 17:36AI wants to please you, which means its first answer isn't always its best. Stephen explains his "daisy chain" method — bouncing responses between ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini — to converge on the highest level of truth and avoid AI hallucinations. AI Security: Deepfakes, Scams, and Protecting Your Family — 47:33From phishing emails that look indistinguishable from your bank to deepfake video calls impersonating your loved ones, Stephen outlines the growing threats and practical defenses — including using a family "cold word" to verify real communications. Stephen Scott is a technology entrepreneur, author, and builder of practical AI tools with more than two decades of experience in digital platforms and business development. He has worked extensively helping companies strategize AI implementation at the enterprise level, and now dedicates much of his work to helping everyday people humanize AI — using it to simplify work, strengthen relationships, and make smarter decisions in daily life. He is also a committed advocate for closing the global digital divide, connecting underserved communities worldwide to technology and education. Stephen works closely with author Steven Pressfield and can be reached directly through his website at stephenscott.us. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Peter Maguire on His Close Call(s) with Death, Rickson Gracie, Therapeutic Legalism, and The Treachery of Academia
Apr 1502:42:38Tap to summarizeMarcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Peter Maguire — historian, author, surfer, black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and one of the most uncompromising truth-tellers working today. From firsthand accounts of the Khmer Rouge genocide to designing classified military watercraft, from the courtrooms of Nuremberg's legacy to the mat at Hickson Gracie's academy, Peter has lived the research most academics only read about. This conversation is raw, wide-ranging, and pulls no punches on history, accountability, power, and what it truly means to act with integrity. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS [0:05:40] Peter reveals his family's deep connection to the Nuremberg Trials — his great-grandfather was a judge — and how that legacy drove him to travel to Cambodia in 1994 to document the Khmer Rouge genocide firsthand, at serious personal risk. [0:06:55] Peter describes entering a civil-war-era Cambodia with a $5,000 bounty on Western heads, collecting testimony from survivors, guards, and perpetrators at S-21 prison — and how the experience permanently shattered his faith in international human rights institutions. [0:17:00] The story of Peter's classified military boat project: how a team of surfers and civilians earned three sole-source government contracts and passed all military testing, only to watch their vision get dismantled by the military-industrial complex — all while simultaneously writing op-eds critical of U.S. prisoner policy. [1:17:01] Peter opens up about watching Hickson Gracie's Parkinson's diagnosis unfold, the emotional difficulty of co-writing that book, and what Hickson's profound acceptance of his condition reveals about the nature of the ultimate fight. [2:24:31] Peter describes founding the Fainting Robin Foundation — an organization that steps in when governments and legal systems fail — including helping veterans denied cancer treatment, conducting civilian evacuations in Ukraine, and tracking down a murderer in Cambodia. Peter Maguire is a historian, author, martial artist, and adventurer whose work sits at the intersection of war, justice, and lived experience. He holds a PhD and wrote his dissertation under Brigadier General Telford Taylor, the chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials. His books include Law and War: An American Story, Facing Death in Cambodia, Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade, and two books co-authored with Hickson Gracie. Peter spent years in post-genocide Cambodia documenting atrocities, interviewing survivors and perpetrators at S-21 prison, and working on MIA/POW investigations. He also designed a military watercraft that received U.S. government contracts before being co-opted by bureaucracy. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Hickson Gracie's lineage, he is the founder of the Fainting Robin Foundation, which provides investigative and legal support to those failed by conventional systems. He publishes independently on Substack at Sour Milk. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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