Podcast
BeTempered
Hosted by dschmidt5 · EN
We believe that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness, and that the key to unlocking this potential is through personal development. Our podcasts are designed to help you cultivate the skills and mindset you need to achieve your goals and live the life you want.
43episodes
Episodes
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BeTempered Episode 87 - What It Really Means to Be 'Tempered' with Mike Derringer
Jan 901:13:25Tap to summarizeSome stories do not get easier with time. They shape who you become.On this episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Superintendent and educator Mike Derringer. What begins as a conversation about leadership in education quickly turns into something much deeper. Mike shares a life marked by early momentum and purpose-driven work that was later shaped by unimaginable loss. He and his wife buried two daughters, years apart, and still found a way to lead, love, and serve with integrity while carrying grief that never fully leaves.Mike walks us through his journey from agricultural education and FFA leadership into county-level service, where his Educational Service Center exists to reach students who often fall through the cracks. MD units. Nonverbal autistic classrooms. Behavior coaching. Alternative placements. Speech therapy. Mental health supports. He also names a quiet crisis many do not talk about. When kids cannot access pediatric care, they cannot attend school consistently. When they cannot attend, they cannot learn. His vision is clear. Invest locally. Build partnerships. Treat education, health, and community as one system with kids at the center.The heart of this episode comes when Mike speaks as a father, not an administrator. He describes grief not as something you conquer, but as something you carry. A sharp rock that never disappears, but one you learn to walk with. He refuses to hide it. Instead, he honors all four of his daughters by choosing to live fully in the middle. The space between birth and death. The daily choice to stay present.He talks openly about marriage as an action, faith when anger would be easier, and the strength found in what he calls a strand of three. That same belief shapes his leadership. Titles are tools, not identities. Kindness is a decision. And service still matters, even when your own heart is healing.This episode is for anyone walking through loss, leadership, or quiet perseverance. It is a reminder that resilience is not born in comfort. It is forged.Listen now, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs hope.Visit https://betempered.com Support the show at https://patreon.com/betemperedAnd tell us this. Where has your life asked you to be tempered?Send a textSupport the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 86 - Built Through Consistency, Not Applause with Jeff Schmidt
Jan 201:11:47Tap to summarizeWhat happens when the plan you built your life around stops working, and you choose not to walk away?This week on BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Jeff Schmidt, Dan’s brother, for a real conversation about discipline, identity, and staying grounded when life forces a pivot. Jeff’s story begins on the farm and carries through football, education, and leadership, shaped by hard work, humility, and learning to serve when recognition disappears.Jeff talks about chasing a college football dream at Dayton, embracing his role on scout team, and the moment a simple question from his dad gave him permission to step away from the family farm and chart a new path. He opens up about leaving college the first time, returning years later with clarity, and finishing strong with a 3.8 GPA.The conversation moves into leadership and education, where Jeff shares what it was like stepping into administration, facing doubt, and learning to lead by focusing on the one student who needed him most. That same discipline carried into his personal reset through 75 Hard, dropping weight, building structure, and committing to challenges like the RAIN Ride and the Air Force Half Marathon.Faith runs through the entire episode, especially through the “coffee bean” principle Jeff lives by. Do not let the environment change you. Change the environment. From family routines to daily habits, this episode is about staying grounded, choosing discipline, and becoming who you are called to be.If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you were and who you’re becoming, this conversation will hit home.🎧 Listen to BeTempered: https://betempered.com🔥 Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/betemperedIf this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs a push forward and leave a review to help more people find the show.What hard thing are you choosing next?Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 64 – Why Vulnerability Changes Everything
Aug 1, 202500:17:08Tap to summarizeStrength isn't pretending everything's fine—it’s having the courage to be real about what’s hard. On Episode 64 of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr open up about how this podcast has become a journey of transformation through vulnerability—for themselves and for the community it’s building.From a young age, especially as men, we’re taught to suppress emotion, to “man up,” and to keep going no matter what. But that kind of emotional isolation can be a heavy burden. In this episode, we challenge that narrative head-on—because the truth is, vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s a doorway to healing, connection, and real strength.We dig into powerful biblical truths like Galatians 6:2 ("carry each other’s burdens") and 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ("when I am weak, then I am strong"), and we share stories that prove how honesty changes lives—from Kevin Love’s mental health advocacy to a recent men’s rite of passage event where Dan witnessed how 18 men sharing their stories led one man to seek help and enter rehab.If you’ve ever felt unsure about opening up—or wondered if your story matters—this conversation is for you. Your vulnerability might just be the permission someone else needs to begin their own healing journey.Learn more at www.betempered.com Let’s keep choosing courage over comfort—together.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 63 – A Nurse, A Mother, A Survivor: Susan’s War Behind the Smile
Jul 25, 202501:30:40Tap to summarizeHow do you find strength when your world is crumbling from the inside out?In this powerful episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Susan Preble, whose story of perseverance through hidden trauma, heartbreak, and healing will leave you breathless and forever changed.Susan’s journey began with tragedy—when she was just 18 months old, her family car was T-boned, leaving her mother in a coma and shifting the course of her life. As she grew, the trauma deepened: childhood sexual abuse, isolation from scoliosis treatment during her teens, and a painful family move that triggered a years-long battle with anorexia.But her most painful battle came later—a 20-year marriage to a man struggling with severe pornography addiction. Susan shares how she lived in two realities: the public image of a functioning family and the private chaos of emotional pain. “I often felt like an imposter in my own life,” she confesses, navigating life as a registered nurse, a cancer survivor, and a mother of two—all while her marriage unraveled behind closed doors.Through every chapter, Susan’s faith became both a lifeline and a battlefield. She doesn’t offer easy answers—only raw honesty about what it means to question, wrestle, and cling to hope in the darkest of seasons. “It wasn’t just about knowing Christ came and died,” she explains. “It became about a personal relationship.”Whether you’re navigating addiction in your family, carrying unspoken pain, or struggling to reconcile your faith with suffering, Susan’s story is a testament to the power of bringing hidden wounds into the light—because once exposed, they lose their power to define us.Listen now at www.betempered.com or find us on all major platforms. You’ll be challenged. You’ll be moved. And you won’t walk away the same.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 62 – Jeff Swanson: Finding Fire in the Fog of Depression
Jul 18, 202501:03:41Tap to summarizeSome friendships are built on shared victories, bruises, and sweat—on long bus rides and harder losses. But the deepest friendships aren’t just remembered; they return when we need them most.In this deeply moving episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr reconnect with Jeff Swanson, a former University of Dayton teammate and roommate whose story is both heart-wrenching and hope-filled. What begins as a conversation between old friends quickly transforms into a profound exploration of grief, resilience, fatherhood, and the transformative power of mental toughness.Jeff opens up about one of the darkest chapters of his life: losing his father to cancer and the silent storm of depression that followed. On the outside, he appeared strong—working, functioning, pushing forward. But internally, he was unraveling. The moment that snapped him out of the spiral wasn’t some dramatic intervention—it was something bizarre, almost absurd. In the middle of a therapy session, his counselor fainted, and Jeff had to help him. The moment of role reversal jolted something inside: “If I can help someone else while I’m at my lowest, maybe I’m stronger than I think.”That realization sparked the beginning of Jeff’s transformation. He made the decision to stop relying on medication, not out of recklessness, but out of a renewed commitment to taking ownership of his mental and emotional healing. He leaned into gratitude. He embraced daily discipline. And over time, he began rebuilding his life from the inside out.But this isn’t just Jeff’s story. It’s also the story of how one man’s decision to change himself ended up changing the lives of many—including Dan’s. At a high school football game, Jeff casually mentioned a program called 75 Hard. That brief conversation planted a seed. Dan took on the challenge, pushed himself mentally and physically, and ultimately, that experience became the foundation for the Be Tempered podcast itself.Together, the three men reflect on how discipline and vulnerability walk hand-in-hand—how strength is born not just in lifting weights or showing up every day, but in daring to be honest about where you are and what you’re struggling with. Jeff's journey illustrates a core theme of Be Tempered: the idea that pain, when faced head-on, becomes purpose.One of the most powerful moments in the episode comes when Jeff reflects on being a father—something he almost couldn’t imagine during his darkest moments. “I look at my son… I put him down to sleep and I’m like, I can’t believe I’m blessed to have this child.” It’s a moment of clarity, of awe, of deep and quiet joy that only comes after walking through the fire.Throughout the episode, Ben offers sharp insights that ground the conversation, reminding listeners that we are never the only ones going through something. And Dan, now years removed from that high school football game conversation, speaks from a place of gratitude—thankful not only for the friendship but for the chain reaction it caused. The podcast itself, this community, this movement—it all began with one vulnerable conversation.As Ben reflects, “You never know who’s watching you. You never know who you’re going to impact by one decision you make.” That one decision—choosing vulnerability over silence, courage over comfort—can ripple into lives you may never see.This isn’t just an episode about football or mental health or personal transformation. It’s about what happens when we stop pretending we’re fine and start showing up as we are. It’s about how true strength is forged—not in comfort, but in fire.Listen now at BeTempered.com or wherever you get your podcasts. And remember: your toughest challenges might be theSupport the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 61 – Breaking the Walls of Selfishness: Dan’s Rite of Passage Experience
Jul 11, 202501:41:44Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to break through the walls of selfishness we’ve built around ourselves? For Dan Schmidt, it was a brutal 24-hour journey through the mountains of Georgia that stripped away every comfort and convenience of modern life.In this powerful episode, host Ben Spahr leads a raw conversation with host Dan Schmidt about his experience in The Rite of Passage, an endurance challenge led by former Navy SEAL Chad Wright. This wasn’t just another test of grit—without electronics, timepieces, or any knowledge of their route, nineteen strangers walked non-stop through punishing terrain and sweltering heat. The rules were deceptively simple: keep moving, keep eating, keep drinking. But within that simplicity, something extraordinary unfolded.Dan arrived carrying the same anxieties any of us would feel before such an ordeal, quietly sizing up his teammates and wondering who might falter first. His assumptions were turned upside down when Ray, a tattooed artist from Manitoba battling a bad knee, was appointed team leader. What initially looked like a disadvantage became their greatest blessing. Ray’s visible struggle and unwavering determination became the beacon that pulled everyone forward. “If Ray keeps going, there’s no way in hell we’re not going to keep going,” Dan reflects.Over roughly 46 miles of mountains, rainforest-like paths, river crossings, and technical terrain, the team faced relentless mental challenges—propaganda blaring through speakers for hours, yelling instructors, and the constant lure to focus on personal discomfort instead of shared success. In the end, Dan came to a profound realization: “Ray was Jesus,” he says, voice trembling. “I thought I could do it, but could I have done it without seeing his pain, his struggle?”What started as a personal mission to prove something—to himself and to others—became a humbling lesson in selflessness, faith, and the power of community. As ROP Team 12 became only the second group ever to finish with no quitters, they discovered that true strength is never just about individual capability but about collective commitment to a shared purpose.Whether you’re facing your own mountains or simply need inspiration to take that first step toward change, this conversation about pain, perseverance, and purpose will remind you that growth doesn’t happen in comfort—it happens in the fire.Listen now at www.betempered.com and take your first step forward today.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 60 – Real Freedom Isn’t About Doing Whatever You Want—It’s About Becoming Who You’re Meant to Be
Jul 4, 202501:03:06Tap to summarizeWhat does true freedom really look like in our daily lives? In this thought-provoking Independence Day episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr welcome guest Brian Ballenger for an intimate, wide-ranging exploration of how personal discipline—and the courage to confront our own weaknesses—shapes genuine independence.Freedom, as the trio discovers, isn’t simply about doing whatever we want or escaping life’s responsibilities. Instead, it’s rooted in self‑regulated integrity: the quiet resolve to make and keep commitments to ourselves when nobody’s watching. Brian explains, “Habits are developed through routines, routines create patterns, and patterns become lifelong habits,” reminding us that our true character is revealed not by what we say, but by what we consistently do—moment by moment.Dan, Ben, and Brian offer candid, often humorous stories about their personal journeys. Dan opens up about overcoming his ice cream addiction—joking, “I was like a crack addict, except it was pints of vanilla bean.” Ben shares how he turned down a lucrative job opportunity in Texas to maintain his children’s stability and connection. Brian draws from decades of experience guiding men toward purpose, illustrating how small daily disciplines can lay the foundation for a life marked by calm rather than chaos.Their conversation reframes what freedom really is: the greatest threats to our independence often aren’t external, but internal—our own lack of discipline, aversion to discomfort, and misaligned priorities. It’s a powerful paradigm shift: recognizing that the oppressor we most often need to overcome lives in our own excuses and comfort zones.They also challenge the popular idea of “work-life balance,” arguing instead for a mindset of alignment—making decisions that honor your deepest values in each moment, rather than trying to evenly distribute time and energy. This shift offers a more sustainable and meaningful approach to living in sync with what matters most.Brian also brings a faith-based perspective on perseverance, drawing on his work at Brighter Path, Inc. and his leadership role at Whisenhunt Construction, Inc. in Richmond, Indiana. He emphasizes that discipline isn’t just a tool for self-improvement—it’s about stewardship of the life, talents, and relationships we’ve been entrusted with. As Brian powerfully states, “We have a fight before us every day—are we going to run from it, or realize that yes, it’s here, but by God’s grace, I’m going to run into it and overcome?”Whether you're struggling with self-control, feeling stuck in harmful habits, or longing for a deeper sense of independence, this episode provides practical insights and encouragement to live with intentionality.Explore more compelling conversations at betempered.com, and discover Brian Ballenger’s mission to help others build healthier, purpose-driven lives at Brighter Path, Inc. (www.brighterpathinc.com) and through his work at wcirichmond.com.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 59 Part 2 - Jeff Travis on Special Needs, Spiritual Warfare, and Surrender
Jun 27, 202501:12:41Tap to summarizeIn Episode 59 Part 2 of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Jeff Travis for a raw, unflinching conversation about faith forged in the fires of real life. Jeff opens up about his remarkable journey—from a struggling student to a reluctant pastor and, eventually, a missionary in Thailand. What begins as a familiar story of answering God’s call soon unfolds into something far deeper—a father’s desperate fight to protect his family amid cultural isolation, special needs parenting, and relentless spiritual warfare.After years of battling infertility and enduring painful adoption setbacks, Jeff and his wife Elizabeth finally became parents to three beautiful children. When they felt called to the mission field, they sold everything and moved to Thailand, believing they were stepping into their greatest adventure. Instead, they found themselves in a harrowing struggle as their oldest son developed severe behavioral challenges in a place with almost no resources or support.With brutal honesty, Jeff dismantles the myth of the bulletproof spiritual leader, sharing how God often works through our most broken places. When bombs from a nearby civil war literally rattled their home while their son was in crisis, Jeff faced the hardest question of his life: Was God asking him to sacrifice his family for ministry, or was caring for his family the ministry itself?Whether you’re a parent navigating a child’s special needs, someone wrestling with feelings of failure, or simply searching for authentic faith in life’s messiness, this conversation will both comfort and challenge you. Jeff’s story is a powerful reminder that sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is admit when we need help—and that vulnerability, not perfection, is the true path to healing.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 59 Part 1 – Battling Insecurity, Answering God’s Call, and Moving to One of the World’s Most Dangerous Places
Jun 20, 202501:41:34Tap to summarizeWhat happens when following your faith costs everything? In this powerful episode of the BeTempered podcast, Pastor Jeff Travis joins hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation that traces his extraordinary journey—from childhood struggles in suburban Detroit to anti-trafficking work along the Thailand-Myanmar border.As a young boy, Jeff battled severe reading difficulties and depression, feeling like he didn’t belong in traditional academic settings. Competitive swimming became his outlet, but it wasn’t until college that everything changed. A miraculous healing experience not only restored his ability to read but ignited a spiritual awakening that would alter the course of his life.During the conversation, Jeff opens up about the lingering effects of his early coping mechanisms—avoiding failure, hiding insecurities, and performing to gain approval—and how those patterns followed him into adulthood, ministry, and marriage. With honesty and humility, he recounts the gradual unraveling of those habits as he learned to listen more deeply to God’s call.That call would take Jeff and his wife Elizabeth from Michigan to small-town Ohio, and eventually, in 2022, to one of the world’s most dangerous regions. Now partnering with Life Impact International through New Life Commission, they work on the Thailand-Myanmar border, offering hope and healing to displaced families and survivors of human trafficking. Jeff describes this leap of faith not as a heroic act, but as a daily choice to trust, to serve, and to go where the need is greatest—even when the road is uncertain.What makes this episode especially moving is Jeff’s willingness to share the messy, often painful parts of his journey—his battle with self-doubt, the grief of miscarriage, marital challenges, and the weight of leadership. His mix of vulnerability and humor makes his story both accessible and deeply resonant for anyone wrestling with purpose, identity, or fear of the unknown.Whether you’re navigating a personal crossroads, feeling called to something outside your comfort zone, or simply seeking a story of authentic, faith-driven courage, Jeff’s testimony will challenge and encourage you. His conversation with Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr on the BeTempered podcast is a powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest transformation happens when we stop playing it safe and start listening to that still, small voice—even if it leads to places we never imagined.Support the show
Transcribe →BeTempered Episode 58 – Answering the Call: Why Tim Pierson Left Corporate America for the Streets
Jun 13, 202501:20:14Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to walk away from a successful 23-year career to serve those society often overlooks? In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, guest Tim Pierson joins hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr to share the story of how an unexpected calling turned his life upside down—and ultimately right side up. Tim’s journey from insurance executive to full-time advocate for the homeless and addicted is a reminder that purpose often begins where comfort ends.Tim grew up in a middle-class household where faith, family, and hard work shaped his worldview. For more than two decades, he built a thriving career in the insurance industry—successful by every traditional measure. But when he unexpectedly lost both his father and his business mentor within a short span of time, he found himself at a crossroads. In the silence left behind by grief, Tim began asking bigger questions about meaning, purpose, and legacy.One of the first seeds of change came during a routine event: a drug prevention presentation at his children's school. What began as simple curiosity quickly turned into a deeper realization. He started volunteering with a local anti-drug coalition and eventually began walking the streets of Richmond, Indiana late at night, handing out coffee and snacks to people in need. What he discovered was staggering: a hidden crisis of homelessness, addiction, and despair happening just blocks from his comfortable home.“I was just blown away,” he recalls. “I had no idea people were living like this in my own community. How could I not know that it was this bad?” That moment of awareness became the catalyst for action.Tim founded Bridges for Life, a nonprofit organization focused on building real, sustainable pathways out of homelessness and addiction. Rather than offering short-term fixes, Tim’s team invests in long-term solutions—programs that restore dignity, provide stability, and build real skills. One such initiative is the Building Together program, which teaches carpentry and construction skills to people in recovery. Participants rehabilitate condemned or abandoned homes—gaining not only job training and a sense of purpose, but also housing and extended sobriety support.The model is innovative, efficient, and deeply personal. Each renovated home becomes a stepping stone to a new life. “We’re not just fixing up buildings,” Tim says. “We’re rebuilding people.”Tim also sheds light on a sobering reality: Wayne County’s homeless population is far larger than official counts suggest. Without visible tent cities or encampments, most homeless residents remain out of sight—living in vehicles, abandoned structures, or couch-hopping in temporary situations. And while the cost of homelessness to society is estimated at $38,000 per person annually—through emergency services, healthcare, and lost productivity—Bridges for Life can transition someone into stable housing for about $1,100.It's not just about housing. It’s about hope. It’s about showing someone that they’re seen, valued, and not beyond redemption.Tim’s story is a testament to the power of saying yes—to discomfort, to uncertainty, and to something greater than yourself. It’s a challenge to all of us to consider where we might be called to serve, even if the path ahead looks nothing like the life we imagined.If you’ve ever wondered whether one person can really make a difference, Tim Pierson’s journey offers a resounding “yes.”Ready to learn more or get involved? Visit mybridgesforlife.org to support their work through donations, volunteer efforts, or simply by spreading the word. You don’t have to change careers to change lives—but you might be surprised where your own next step leads.Support the show
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