From Rock Bottom to Viral Success: A Digital Redemption | Michael Molthan DSH #965

Summary

Digital Social Hour Podcast Summary

Episode Title: From Rock Bottom to Viral Success: A Digital Redemption | Michael Molthan DSH #965
Release Date: December 9, 2024
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Michael Molthan

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Introduction

In episode #965 of the Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly welcomes Michael Molthan, a former PGA Tour golfer turned successful luxury home builder, who shares his profound journey from battling addiction to achieving viral success through digital redemption. Michael's candid and heartfelt narrative offers listeners deep insights into overcoming personal demons, the power of vulnerability, and the transformative impact of spiritual awakening.

Michael’s Early Life and Struggles with Addiction

Michael Molthan begins by recounting his upbringing in a wealthy home in Plano, Texas, where appearances often masked the underlying turmoil. Despite a life of privilege, Michael faced significant challenges, including physical abuse and sexual trauma inflicted by his grandfather. These early experiences laid the foundation for his later struggles with addiction.

“I grew up in a well-to-do home, I mean a wealthy home in Plano, Texas... my entire childhood was sexually abused by my grandfather.”
[12:17] – Michael Molthan

Michael’s battle with substance abuse began as a means to cope with his past trauma. He became a professional golfer, achieving notable success, but his addiction to alcohol and drugs persisted, leading to multiple arrests and a descent into homelessness.

Hitting Rock Bottom and the Turning Point

After 27 mugshots and a tumultuous period marked by relapse and legal troubles, Michael hit his ultimate low. During this time, he found himself living behind a bait shop by the lake, a stark contrast to his previous affluent lifestyle.

“I had real trauma as a kid. And once alcohol and drugs came into my life, I started to feel like everybody around me, like I had arrived...”
[14:27] – Michael Molthan

His turning point came in prison, where a profound spiritual awakening transformed his perspective. Isolated in a harsh environment, Michael experienced a deep connection with his faith, which propelled him towards redemption.

“I finally realized that God was all I needed because he was all I had. And then I had a spiritual awakening... [that] was a life changer.”
[17:53] – Michael Molthan

Spiritual Awakening and Redemption

While incarcerated, Michael engaged in meaningful conversations and spiritual readings that fostered his transformation. His interactions with fellow inmates and a pivotal encounter with an elderly Bible study leader catalyzed his change.

“On July 7, 2017, I woke up on my top bunk and couldn't breathe... I felt all this love. I didn't know this feeling.”
[19:39] – Michael Molthan

This awakening not only freed him from his destructive habits but also ignited his passion for helping others. Upon his release, Michael dedicated himself to paying it forward, becoming a motivational speaker and author.

Rebuilding and Current Endeavors

Michael’s journey of recovery led him to develop M2 the Rock, a platform focused on inspiring men to overcome addiction and embrace their roles as fathers and leaders. His work emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, forgiveness, and community support.

“The solution is talking about it. It's real simple. That's why dads... I can never sit with my dad and say, hey, man, I'm scared.”
[48:32] – Michael Molthan

He is currently preparing to release his book, 300 Miles, and a forthcoming film that chronicles his life story and the lessons learned from his struggles and triumphs.

“The book will be out October 2024, and we're working on a film as well.”
[43:26] – Michael Molthan

Family Reconnection and Personal Growth

A significant aspect of Michael’s redemption story is his reconciliation with his children from a previous marriage. Despite past mistakes and abandonment due to his addiction, Michael has reestablished relationships with his sons, fostering healing and mutual support.

“I have four kids. Two from a previous marriage that I abandoned, and they're back in my life.”
[36:58] – Michael Molthan

His renewed relationship with his children underscores the importance of accountability and the profound impact of making amends.

Impact on Others and Community Engagement

Michael’s vulnerability and honesty resonate deeply with his audience, particularly men struggling with addiction and personal challenges. His engagement with inmates through prison programs has been transformative, providing hope and a pathway to recovery for many.

“This show here will be on it. And they hear every episode of what we do... I get thousands of emails weekly from inmates all across the country.”
[34:27] – Michael Molthan

His efforts extend beyond speaking engagements to creating supportive communities that encourage men to embrace vulnerability and seek help.

Concluding Insights and Takeaways

Throughout the episode, Michael emphasizes the critical role of spiritual health in personal well-being. He advocates for addressing the root causes of addiction, such as trauma and unresolved emotions, rather than merely tackling the symptoms.

“Feeling is okay. Stuffing it not okay. Because what happens is the more and more I stuffed my feelings in the past, my solution to make those feelings go away is to seek visible things.”
[31:02] – Michael Molthan

Sean Kelly and Michael Molthan collaborate to highlight the importance of redefining addiction, promoting mental health, and fostering authentic connections in the digital age. Their conversation serves as a powerful reminder that true success and fulfillment stem from inner peace and meaningful relationships rather than material achievements.

Notable Quotes

• “Addiction is a person, place, thing, or a thought that has become my source.”
  Michael Molthan - [04:03]

• “Being vulnerable is very attractive to a woman. Being vulnerable is actually being brave.”
  Michael Molthan - [30:35]

• “The more and more I stuffed my feelings in the past, my solution to make those feelings go away is to seek visible things.”
  Michael Molthan - [31:02]

Conclusion

Michael Molthan’s episode on the Digital Social Hour is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of embracing vulnerability. His journey from addiction to recovery, underscored by spiritual awakening and a commitment to helping others, offers invaluable lessons for anyone striving to overcome personal challenges and achieve meaningful success in the digital era.

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For more inspiring stories and actionable insights, subscribe to the Digital Social Hour Podcast and join Sean Kelly and guests like Michael Molthan on their journey to personal and professional excellence.

Transcript

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[Michael Molson]

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[Sean]

Right?

[Michael Molson]

Okay. And once again, it's a person, place, thing, or a thought that has become my source. And for me personally, I had to reach for the invisible to fix my visible problems.

[Sean]

All right, guys, got a crazy story for you guys today. We got Michael Molson here today. Made the drive all the way from Dallas. Thanks for coming on, man.

[Michael Molson]

I appreciate you. What an honor.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

So good to meet you. And I love what you do.

[Sean]

I love what you do. I saw you on Stevo, and I was like, who is this guy?

[Michael Molson]

Now, that was a good show.

[Sean]

Yeah. So first of all, how did you get on that show? Because that's crazy.

[Michael Molson]

Well, we, you know, M2 the Rock is our platform and our show, you know, just like yours, where we have, you know, inspiring stories from, you know, inspiring people. And he was on his Bucket list Tour and the PR team that was, you know, running M2 the Rock at the time just took a stab and reached out to him to see if he'd be a guest on the show. And he literally flew a red eye in and wow. And came in and he was real quiet, kind of reserved. And I came in, it was cold at the time. I had a jacket on, and he was kind of sizing me up, you know, and then once I took my jacket off, I saw the tats and, you know, and we started the show. He was kind of reserved, but then there was a connection that we could relate to each other as far as drug addiction, alcoholism, and party and all that stuff. And it popped. I mean, we couldn't go to commercial breaks. I mean, he just would not stop talking. He was. But he's such a good dude. Very passionate about surprising.

[Sean]

He was introverted. Because when you think of steo, you think of just huge extrovert.

[Michael Molson]

Yes. Yeah. And. And I'm that way too introvert. You know, off the screen, I'm. I'm pretty quiet. But yeah, he's. He is a good dude. I highly endorse him. Ye.

[Sean]

Yeah. You struggle with addiction early on, right?

[Michael Molson]

I did. I did. You know, I am. You know, my story is no different than any other drug addict, alcoholic. I drank, I did drugs, I fell down. I said I was never going to do it again. I meant it, and I did it again. I didn't know why I was doing it, but, you know, I've learned today that, you know, we. We're taking our focus off the. The word addiction and, you know, addressing why the addiction, and we've even broadened it know further. And when I speak in tour, you know, everyone's an addict. Everyone is an addict. And so what is addiction? You know, addiction is a person, It's a place, it's a thing. And a scary one, Sean. Or a thought that has become my source. There's a stigma to drug addiction and alcoholism because the consequences are so severe. Thank God for me. And we're radical. But it frustrates a lot of people who are drug addicts and alcoholics. And the reason why it has a stigma is they get frustrated because they actually see their behaviors too. But their relief for pain and suffering is something different. It could be shopping, it could be gambling, it could be work, it could be golf. It can even be service work, you know, that becomes their source. And they think that's what defines a money, you know, and power. Power is another one.

[Sean]

It's a big one.

[Michael Molson]

It's a big one there.

[Sean]

So you're so right, though. Everyone is addicted, which is a total mind shift. Right. Because before, when you thought of addiction, it was just negative.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. I mean, you think of the man underneath the bridge or the woman underneath the bridge, and you think of a drug addict and alcoholic and a $2 needle junkie, and, you know, that's. That has what's been. You know, that's the stigma, and it's not true. I mean, for me. I mean, the difference between me and the man underneath the bridge is one thing. It's the bridge. Um, but we are all addicts. And that's what I love when I speak and engage, where I see everyone's head doing this because they can relate.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

Okay. And once again, it's a person, place, thing, or a thought that has become my source. And for me personally, I had to reach for the invisible to fix my visible problems.

[Sean]

So you've just shifted your addictions towards positive, more positive ones. Right?

[Michael Molson]

That's correct. Yeah, that's correct. And so it's. You know, and I always tell people that when I wake up in the morning and my eyes are open, I'm in full blown relapse, you know, because I'm seeking these visible things. But the great thing about my life today is I recognize the behaviors. And, you know, my. My fiance, if she calls me out on something that she recognizes it. I don't get angry, mad, and all that stuff. I'm all. I'm grateful that she sees it go, man, you're right. You know, you. Thank you for checking me, because I need to look at what the root of the problem is.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, because for so many years, I mean, we keep watering the leaves on the tree, wondering why the tree is dying, and we have to get to the root of the problem.

[Sean]

Absolutely. That's cool. I just met your fiance. Wonderful woman you picked.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, she's amazing. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. Wow. Yeah.

[Sean]

How'd you guys meet?

[Michael Molson]

We met, you know, three years ago. And she's a.

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[Michael Molson]

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[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. For the first time, I'm not taking a hostage.

[Sean]

That's awesome. You didn't go on a date?

[Michael Molson]

Not yet. You know, we, we, we never went on a date.

[Sean]

Three years later.

[Michael Molson]

It just form we've been working so hard the last three years and, you know, we got the book coming out and, you know, in a film and.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And so it has been, it has been something else. You know, just flew in from LA to meet you here.

[Sean]

So crazy. Well, once that comes out, hopefully you guys can get on a date, man.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, we need to, we need to.

[Sean]

Go on one little vacation.

[Michael Molson]

But she's behind the scenes and she's the. The voice that's not heard, but wouldn't be here without her.

[Sean]

Absolutely. So right now, people are addicted to this. Phones.

[Michael Molson]

I talk about that a lot.

[Sean]

Like, it's bad. My. Even my screen time. Well, granted, I'm working on it, but still my screen time is like eight hours a day. Isn't that crazy?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. It's so funny you said that, because when I speak to prove my point that everyone is an addict, I have everybody raise their hand who has a cell phone. Every hand goes up. Right. And when I speak to kids, you know, that, you know, haven't been introduced to drugs or alcohol yet, when I educate them on addiction, you know, they have their. Their phones. And so I educate addiction as a mental obsession. It's what it is. And so can you. And I'll ask you this. Can you go 24 hours without your phone and not think about it?

[Sean]

No, not right now.

[Michael Molson]

Right. And so that's the mental obsession. And what it is is that it's like every hour goes by like, okay, I wonder if someone texts me or like if someone commented on a post I made, you know, what, what's. What's going on and all that stuff. And we become literally what's called a dry drunk, where we're actually just miserable just sitting there because we are mentally obsessed over this visible thing that's got a hold of me.

[Sean]

It's bad.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah. I remember growing up because I grew up without phones. I didn't get one till high school. And I just feel like now it's. It's really tough to fight it off. I. I see the kids growing up now with phones and they're glued.

[Michael Molson]

They are. And it's scary because, you know, Lee and I were actually talking about this. You know, I'm 55 years old, so I grew up. I remember the rotary phone. I remember it went to a push button phone. I remember the. The phone on the wall in order to have privacy, you bought the real long cord so you could walk, you know, around. And then the cordless phone came out. And then TV grew into cable and all that as it, you know, really morphed. And then computers happened. And so I've gotten to see all this, you know, grow before my eyes. But I remember as a kid when there was no phone and everything like that, man, you went outside and played and you rode your bike without a helmet and see how many, you know, see how many people you could jump on your bike.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And so I just don't see that anymore.

[Sean]

Today, No, I don't see kids playing outside anymore, which is crazy because that was a big part of my childhood.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And I think it's important for kids to play outside and learn that way. Dude. Yeah. Schools are banning phones. It's pretty crazy.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. And that's good that they're, they're banning them.

[Sean]

Must be tough to be a teacher right now with the attention span so short.

[Michael Molson]

It's got to be tough. And I mean, do kids still write in cursive? You know, are kids still, you know, being taught to write? Incursive.

[Sean]

Useless.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, I mean, so I remember, you know, writing I always had really neat handwriting and I remember I'd win the handwriting awards for, for cursive and wow, you know, this is. The world has really changed and you know, there's still 24 hours in a day and, and you know, we all had that tick tock attention span, that 13 seconds, you know, and, and it's sad.

[Sean]

It's really sad, man. So for those that don't know your story, we probably should have started with this, but could you briefly tell people your story?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, I mean, I just real quickly. I grew up in a well to do home, I mean a wealthy home in Plano, Texas and I grew up in country clubs and I grew up playing golf and you know, behind closed doors. It was a very physically abusive, you know, family. It was all directed towards me. It was confusing.

[Sean]

Was your dad an alcoholic?

[Michael Molson]

No, he wasn't. I've spilled more alcohol, you know, in one day than he's drinking his whole life.

[Sean]

And he was still abusive without.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, he was, he was. And he, you know, was a workaholic. That's that, that's what defined him. And then my mom, on the other hand, you know, she came from a very, very broken home, very, very abusive alcoholic family. And, and she has those traits too. And I have to emphasize this, is that alcoholism and drug addiction is the only disease that has to be self diagnosed. So I can't hear sit here and say she's an alcoholic, you know, or they're an alcoholic. That's up to them. You have to. This episode is brought to you by Amazon. The holidays are here. And you know what that means. It's time to get your friends and family the gifts they deserve. Take the stress out of shopping with Amazon's great deals and low prices on a huge range of items from toys to tech and much more. Whoever you're gifting for, Amazon has great prices on everything you need this holiday season. Shop Amazon for all Your gifting needs self diagnose it. But she portrayed all the traits of it. So it was very confusing because when we go outside the home and you know, go to the country clubs, we look like this perfect family. So it was very confusing. And so alongside of that, her father, my grandfather, my entire childhood was sexually abusing me. And so, yeah, and it was, it was really tough and confusing. So I would stuff it and I would keep a secret. But I was real outgoing. I wanted to make everybody laugh. And I was just really driven to always relieve my parents pain and suffering. I wanted their acceptance. So I literally, you know, was sent to my room. I grew up in my room. I mean, I literally watched a tree grow.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

So I had real trauma as a kid. And that's. I love to talk about trauma because that's where addiction comes from. Any sort of addiction is we seek these visible things to try to ease the pain and suffering and the trauma. But I had real trauma. And then once alcohol and drugs came in my life, you know, I started to feel like everybody around me, look, you know, I'm like, wow, I've arrived. And in order to keep that same feeling, I would do more and more and more until I was drinking and using drugs to feel good about the bad decisions I was making. And now it's creating self inflicted trauma on top of the trauma. Multiple suicide attempts, but you know, you know, tending, you know, I kept it together. I mean, I went straight from. I was a good golfer. You know, the men in the locker room raised me. These wealthy, successful men, golfers, they taught me how to drink, they taught me how to gamble, taught me how to play golf, and they also taught me how to die. And so went straight from high school to the pro golf tour and kind of for the best golfer in the world at the time, Lanny Watkins, you know, for five years on the PGA Tour and got off and got into real estate and home building. And I became one of the most well known high end luxury home builders in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

[Sean]

Crazy.

[Michael Molson]

And married a girl from. We were best friends since kindergarten, but she didn't know who I was really. I had, I was in character all the time. No one knew the darkness.

[Sean]

You never told her any of this?

[Michael Molson]

None of it. Wow. Yeah. And so, you know, I just had this darkness. And then in 2009, she had a massive brain hemorrhage. And my whole life changed. And the families came in, they were fighting over money and I was scared. And then I twisted off and literally lost everything. And you know, in 2011, I got my very first arrest mug shot. And I was drunk and high, had a lot of cocaine and I went to a place, I said, maryland's jail, you know, and Dallas, Dallas County Jail, the largest jail in the country.

[Sean]

Wow. Dallas is the largest. Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

Loose dirt justice center. They house 7, 500 people. Holy.

[Sean]

Why is it so bad out here?

[Michael Molson]

It's just, I don't know, it's just such a large town. And in fact, there's a tower called the north tower and the second floor is called the jungle and it's one of the most dangerous floors. And they misdiagnose me, you know, they categorize you when they arrest you. They put the chomos together, they put, you know, the misdemeanors together and the drugs and then the murderers. And they put me in that tank and in that tank after my. So after my first arrest, you know, I literally say, you know, Sean, man, this, I'm never doing this again. I meant it. And I got bonded out on a second degree felony and got bonded out, got back to my, you know, apartment and I said, you need to knock the edge off. Remember I said I was never going to do it again. I meant it. I took one sip of alcohol and I was drunk and high again that night.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

26 mug shots later, total of 27 mug shots. I finally realized on the 27th mug shot that homeless had nothing. Living in a stolen Suburban behind the bait shop at the lake. You know, you know, alcoholics, we always end up at the lake for some reason, but the water is calming. Yeah, I guess, but, but so, you know, I ended up there and you know, after my 27th mug shot and Judge Jennifer Bennett, who chased me all over the state of Texas.

[Sean]

Oh, you were on the run.

[Michael Molson]

I was on the run, yeah. And so, you know, after my 27th mug shot, May 29, 2017, I finally realized that God was all I needed because he was all I had. And then I had a spiritual awakening, you know, in prison on July 7, 2017 as a result of a 75 year old man. I was in a two man tank. Four by nine. We didn't get to move around, only like three hours a day. And I'm losing my mind, you know, and they called me Rabbit because I couldn't sit still. And this book was given to me, it's called detours by Dr. Tony Evans in Oak Cliff. I didn't know who he was and this old man asked me to read to him. I'm like, it was so Weird. I mean, I'm like, read to you. It's weird. Now I'm the only white guy in the tank, you know, and so I mind my own business because they thought I was gay or a cop because I'm white and proper, you know? And so.

[Sean]

So they pull you with all the.

[Michael Molson]

All the murderers, all the murders I was in the tank with, you know, it's called an aggravated assault tank. So everybody in there, they weren't going home.

[Sean]

Holy crap.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. And so you couldn't tell anyone? Well, I mean, I knew I was in the wrong tank, okay? But at the end of the day, I was in the right tank, you know? And so when I started reading to this old man uwi, I started feeling that four days went by and I wasn't anxious or paranoid, freaking out. I started feeling at ease and comfort. And on July 7, 2017, I woke up my top bunk and I couldn't breathe, dude. I mean, it's like tightness in my chest and I just took this deep breath out and I breath, you know, breathed out all this anger, resentment, and just all this rage is coming out of my body. Like the movie Green Mile.

[Sean]

Have you ever seen that?

[Michael Molson]

I'm not a movie watcher, but I remember watching that. All the flies coming out of his mouth, same thing. That's what it felt like. And I just felt all this love. And I didn't know this feeling. And I'm like looking around, I'm like going, man, I see the guards walking. I'm like, I love that dude inside. I'm saying it. And I didn't know what was happening, but some. Something happened. And as a result of me reading to ui, I was out of self for the very first time. I was serving somebody and I was expecting nothing in return.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

And then I caught chain, you know, and I went down to Central Texas. I was on my way to prison. And on October 3rd, they put me in the same tank. Rock and roll. And went in there and the same thing happened. The tank starts coming closer together. I was tank boss, you know, and I wasn't this jailhouse preacher. I didn't know what I was reading. I didn't know anything about the Bible or anything like that. I was just learning.

[Sean]

So you were just reading to people?

[Michael Molson]

I was just reading. They would ask me and then they saw my handwriting. I'll write your name when we're done.

[Sean]

Yeah. Super neat.

[Michael Molson]

It's. Yeah. And. And so people always ask me to write their name and. And so I would write their name for them. And they say, what are you reading? And I would read out of the book Detours or, you know, out of the Bible. And I always said, this is how it's affecting me. I wasn't preachy, you know, Then they asked me to get up and speak at dinner. And so I would read a quote.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. So holy crap. And I wasn't preaching because I was in this jailhouse minister. And so I would say, man, I can really relate to this. This is really helping me, you know, And. And it created a lot of hope, and it helped me. And that's how I started my speaking career, was in prison. Wow. So this is what's cool is on October 13, 2017, they came over the loudspeaker and they said, you know, Michael Moulton, bunk and junk, and everybody's freaking out. They're like, what's going on? I'm like, that's gotta be a mistake. And they set me free, and they released me, and they literally had to physically push me out of prison.

[Sean]

They didn't want you gone.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. And I was 300 miles away, and that was the first time when the gas of the world hit me, you know, I just said, okay, God, we've been talking. And I said, God, what do you want me to do? And just through thoughts and feelings, you just said, walk. So I made the journey 300 miles back to Dallas and turned myself into Judge Bennett. And she had heard what I've been doing behind the walls. I'm bald, sunburned. And she says, I don't want to get in the way of it. And she set me free, and she says, go pay it forward. And here I am with you today.

[Sean]

Holy crap.

[Michael Molson]

Paying it forward.

[Sean]

So you were supposed to go back.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, I went to turn myself into. They made a mistake. There was a technicality. I thought, Oh, I mean, literally, I was having cops run my driver's license number. I had it memorized. I didn't have any id. Yeah. And they would run it. They said, you don't have any charges.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

It was just all wiped.

[Sean]

Oh, my God.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. So it was just. Yeah, that's right. Oh, my God. That's what it is. And so. But the. You know, I'm a. I'm a huge believer in Jesus Christ. I'm a huge believer in the Bible. It works for me. That's not my platform. You know, I just want to show the world who God is not. Tell them, you know, respect. Yeah.

[Sean]

Some people are a little too pushy with that.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. I just want to show Them?

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

Because I remember seeing men when I was growing up, you know, like going, there's just something about that guy. You feel a man walk in. That's a good spirit, energy. Like, I'm with that guy's guy.

[Sean]

Agreed.

[Michael Molson]

And that's what I want to be.

[Sean]

I love that. Do you still talk to who we.

[Michael Molson]

He's still locked up.

[Sean]

Oh, he is, Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

I don't know his free world name, and I don't know, but he. God used him to. To save a lot of people's lives. And what's interesting is, is when he was a young man walking down the streets of Oak Cliff in Dallas, which is South Dallas, Dr. Tony Evans used to pick him up and go to church, and he'd be detoxing off heroin.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

And that book, you know, crossed our path.

[Sean]

That's beautiful, man. I'm a big believer in energy. I think you were just putting out so much good energy that the universe rewarded you for doing that. For real.

[Michael Molson]

Well, it was a result of true surrender and true forgiveness. You know, I truly forgave the ones that, you know, had done me wrong. And when you read the book 300 miles and you get finished with it, you're going to see that I'm not demonizing anybody. I look at life today through God's perspective, not the world or the cultures. And I look at stuff like, why did this happen? Why is this happening? You know, and what's interesting, we just finished proofreading the last chapter of the book, 300 miles. It was on July 7, 2024. Seven years to the day. Wow. That I had my awakening.

[Sean]

Crazy.

[Michael Molson]

Isn't that amazing? Yeah.

[Sean]

Numbers always fascinating.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, me too.

[Sean]

Seven.

[Michael Molson]

Seven. Like in the Bible, it's the number of completion.

[Sean]

Yep.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and I believe in that.

[Sean]

I do, too.

[Michael Molson]

Wow.

[Sean]

300 miles. How long did that take?

[Michael Molson]

Well, that's a story behind story. You know, I. You know, I went in the book. Yeah. I went to parole and. And I've worked. I walked about 75 miles to the bus station, used my mug shot as an ID to pick up. To pick up a ticket that a benevolence fund bought for me.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

And got back to Dallas.

[Sean]

That is insane, dude. And here we are, six years later, completely sober now.

[Michael Molson]

Right? Completely sober.

[Sean]

Beautiful. Beautiful. 27 arrests. Were they all drug related?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, they were, you know, drug related. Bond forfeiture, probation violation. I never put hands on anybody, but it was a lot. And I learned so much out of six years. I was incarcerated four years. Wow. And so. But I learned so much. And these people, these wrecked men saved my life. And here's what's interesting, Sean. 100% of the inmates I did time with had little or no relationship with their father.

[Sean]

Whoa.

[Michael Molson]

So our crisis today is the missing man.

[Sean]

100% of them.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

You can't argue with that number.

[Michael Molson]

Our crisis today is the missing man. And it's time for men and fathers to take the dinner table back, you know, to play that role. We have women today that are playing the roles as men. It's tough. It is. So that's. That's my mission and passion of sharing.

[Sean]

No, that's so important. I mean, I. My parents got divorced when I was 10. But not having that father figure, I could definitely see it affecting me.

[Michael Molson]

Absolutely.

[Sean]

You know what I mean?

[Michael Molson]

Absolutely.

[Sean]

Yeah. I went down a very lonely route and, you know, I was tough making friends. I didn't even know how to tie a tie. I didn't know how to do manly things.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I lacked confidence.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

It's a major thing on a kid.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. But it's our responsibility to not repeat the behavior.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and have that mentor in your life, you know, a man in your life that you look up to and go talk to that man that you've always seen, saying, I want what you got.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

So I strive to do that. I'm not perfect, you know, I know it. I mess up, but I recognize it and I make my apologies and not repeat the behavior.

[Sean]

Yeah. We got to get back to that traditional. Traditional family. Yeah. Because right now, the divorce rates are at an all time high.

[Michael Molson]

All time high. You know, if we have a messed up man making his contributions to a messed up family. Yep, we got a messed up family. And if that family is making its contribution to the. To the neighborhood, now we got neighborhood, church, city, state, country, world. So the solution is it's time for men to become men.

[Sean]

Trickles down everywhere now because of social media. Trickles down even faster than it used to.

[Michael Molson]

Yes, it does.

[Sean]

And now they're pitting men and women against each other on social media.

[Michael Molson]

That's right. And that's why I love what you and I are doing, because we're using social media for the good.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, to provide hope for the hopeless.

[Sean]

Yeah. I hate when. Yeah. There's all these shows that debate and stuff. Like, it's called red pill movement.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I don't know if you see it, but it's. It's really bad, man.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. Creating controversy to create engagement. That's a luxury. I don't have.

[Sean]

I'm not a fan of that model.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. It's too easy.

[Sean]

And it's going to come back on the person creating it, too.

[Michael Molson]

Right.

[Sean]

That negative energy that you're putting on.

[Michael Molson]

Right. And it's usually an angry person.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and at the end of the day, I feel for them, you know, and it's. That's why, you know what I do. It's hard to get engagement and following because we get a lot of views. But as far as engagement, people don't want to step out there and make a comment because they're too scared that someone might see their name on there going, oh, man, they may think I'm this way.

[Sean]

No. 100%. I can relate. All my most positive content doesn't get as much engagement as.

[Michael Molson]

And here's what's interesting. On into the Rock, I actually looked at this. You know, people were making assumptions that we had a more female following. We actually are 65, 45 male, female. So we actually have more men following him to the Rock than women. But they don't engage.

[Sean]

Yep. On the same wife.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah. 70, 30 men to woman. But women engage way more all the time.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah. Do you still have emotional control, like, issues controlling anger and stuff?

[Michael Molson]

I do. I do. I. I am. When I get angry, when Lee checks me and, you know, holds me accountable, I feel old behaviors coming back. I get in fear. So when I get in fear, I get angry. But you know what? 100 of the time when I'm angry at what she's saying, it's because she's right.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

Is because she's right. And so I've gotten a. And the anger is different. My anger is within. I get quiet. Real quiet. But also, you know, what I'm working on, too, is when I get accused of something that I didn't do or say. Yeah. Anybody in the world could say it. But if you're in my little, bitty, bitty small circle, my circle is very small. You know, if someone were to say something in my circle that accused me, something I didn't do. Dude, I can't get out of bed. I mean, it. I'm better at it. I mean, it just wrecks me.

[Sean]

Damn.

[Michael Molson]

And I try so hard to, you know, prove myself, but I have. I'm at peace. Because I know truth. I know. I know my side of the street is clean.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And if they. And if I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

[Sean]

I'll fill that.

[Michael Molson]

But, man, I have to work on myself not to beat Myself up with the bad and try feather.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, it's a little better, dude.

[Sean]

It's something I've been working on. Because when my mom would walk into the room when I was growing up, my reaction would be to tense up and to argue.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, I can be late.

[Sean]

So I would take that on. On my fiance. Even though when she was coming with the best intentions, my immediate reaction is to argue and fight.

[Michael Molson]

Right.

[Sean]

And it's. It was tough to get out of that, man.

[Michael Molson]

Well, you bring up a good point. I talk about, you know, it's fear, you know, and fear is. I mean, the acronym for fear is False evidence Appearing Real. It's not real. If I don't do anything with that emotion of fear, it turns into resentment, then it turns into anger, then it turns into rage, and then isolation, paranoia. So what's the solution to fear is we talk about it. That's the solution. It's not medication. It's not all.

[Sean]

Definitely not medication.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. So it's. It's. You know, it's as we talk about it.

[Sean]

Yeah. And as men, we need to be more open to doing that because vulnerable. We keep it bottled in.

[Michael Molson]

Yes. Being vulnerable. If you're a man watching this, being vulnerable is very attractive to a woman. Being vulnerable is actually being brave. It's okay to say, I feel this way, you know, If I was watching Lee and I were watching a deal with Jay Shetty about, you know, about love and relationship. Yeah. And if. If, you know, if a woman, you know, doesn't like you being vulnerable and honest, it's not the right woman.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and that's where Lee comes in. She. She really, really thrives when I'm vulnerable.

[Sean]

That's awesome.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I used to hold back tears.

[Michael Molson]

Me, too.

[Sean]

And then my dad passed, and that was probably the first time I cried in 10 years, maybe.

[Michael Molson]

Wow.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And it's okay to cry.

[Sean]

Yeah. I let it out. But even when that happened, I was, like, trying to fight the tears. I was like, what the hell? Like, my dad just died.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

You know what I mean?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Because we're so programmed to, like, hold it in.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Crazy.

[Michael Molson]

So I cry at movies now. You know what I mean?

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

Same.

[Sean]

Now I can tear up at movies.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. So we're. We're allowed to do that. We are allowed to feel. Feeling is okay. Stuffing it not okay. Because what happens is the more and more I stuffed my feelings in the past, my solution to make those feelings go away is to seek visible things, to try to fix this invisible problem. When the solution is so simple. And that's to talk about it.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, with a trusted source.

[Sean]

Absolutely. Yeah. You and Steve O. Bonded over that, right?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, we talk. Yeah, absolutely. And he's very vulnerable, and. And we really connected.

[Sean]

That's why I like his platform a lot, because he used to be crazy, obviously. That's what he was known for. But now. Is he completely sober now?

[Michael Molson]

Oh, yeah. He's been sober 16, 17 years.

[Sean]

And I see him talking about that, and it's great message.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

You know.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, he is. He is. But he doesn't wave any flag, you know, neither do I. I don't wave a flag for any support group, you know, anything like that. But, you know, people's anonymity is very important to me. Obviously, I'm not anonymous. I mean, my bottom was so low. I mean, you can. You can Google all my lies, and so. But. But I'm okay with.

[Sean]

That was prison year, Rock bottom moment.

[Michael Molson]

It was. I mean, it was. You know, I finally realized we hear the word rock bottom all the time, you know, And I finally realized that every time I kept hitting rock bottom, I was using my same tools that got me to rock bottom to get out. I mean, I would use anger, resentment, rage, the comeback. I'll show you, you know, the Rocky music playing and all this stuff. And I would use. They call it the cycle. You know, we see it coming, Michael. It's a cycle. And, you know, I would use those same tools. This last time I stayed at the bottom, I stayed next to the rock because I realized that all these times that the rock at the bottom for me was God. So I stayed there and I let men like Ooey and these prisoners that God used to bring in my life to pull me out.

[Sean]

I love it. Did you get any visitors when you were in there?

[Michael Molson]

Not one. Not one.

[Sean]

Not family, friends, nothing.

[Michael Molson]

My last arrest, when I filled out my card, I didn't have a cell phone I like for an emergency contact number and a name. I couldn't write anybody down.

[Sean]

Whoa. Because they all had given up on you.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. I mean, but my whole life, I never let anybody close, you know, I never had a best friend. Okay. And the role I played in that is I didn't seek one.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

I didn't want anybody close to me. I mean, I fought shame, you know, from all the sexual abuse. I mean, I. I mean, to this day, I still. You know, before. I still lock bathroom doors behind me, even in my own house, and it's these things. And, you know, in A men's wall, urinal, you know, if there's one open or the guy next to it, I have to wait for the deal to open. These are little symptoms of sexual abuse, but I share that. And I shared that one time when I was speaking and a guy came up to me crying. He says, dude, you just talked for me. And little did I know that he was connected to a bigwig at Securus Technologies, which is government, you know, communication. And as a result of that, they put into the rock on every single tablet in every prison and jail in the country. So this show here will be on it. And they hear every episode of what we do. And I get thousands of emails weekly from inmates all across the country.

[Sean]

Dude, that's so important because as a.

[Michael Molson]

Result of being vulnerable, transparent. And forgiveness.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

So when I look at it through God's perspective, he's using my grandfather, okay. To speak through me to help other inmates.

[Sean]

That's so important because these inmates are not going to admit if they got sexually abused to someone else.

[Michael Molson]

That's right.

[Sean]

Like they're not going to want to be vulnerable. But to hear it happen to someone, you know, that's. That could give them some faith.

[Michael Molson]

And when I was locked up, me being vulnerable, okay, because it felt good. It put me in the safest place in the world. And that was right here, right now. Because that's where God's at, you know, and, and being vulnerable, they all started becoming vulnerable. And this, I mean, this rock and roll tank, I mean, I saw a guy get killed in front of me. I saw a guy jump off the second row and hang himself. And then within a month, this tank came together and it was so tight. In fact, when they, they, they. When I was released, they were crying.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

You know, bangers, I'm talking bangers.

[Sean]

I've never heard of, like a community in prison. Like usually there's a lot of conflict in prison.

[Michael Molson]

Yep, a lot of conflict. And I saw it, you know, and it was rock and roll. Very tense. Very tense.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And. But it was, it was one of the best experience of my life. There are days where I miss it.

[Sean]

You miss prison.

[Michael Molson]

I do. I, I miss it. And what I miss the most about it is it was just God and I, I was so spiritually connected because it was all I had.

[Sean]

Yeah. No other distraction or anything. Right.

[Michael Molson]

That's all I had.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

There'd be times I'd be in the chow line, Sean, and I would feel my, my back right. Butt cheek vibrate. Being so used to having my Phone in my back pocket for so long. It was just weird. But it was. It was. You know, it was. It was a absolute life changer.

[Sean]

Wow, that's great to see, man. Because a lot of people in prison end up going back.

[Michael Molson]

Oh, yeah, they do.

[Sean]

I think, like, over 80%. Something crazy.

[Michael Molson]

They become institutionalized, and it's all. It's all they know.

[Sean]

And that's what they want, too, because they're making money off each prisoner.

[Michael Molson]

That's right.

[Sean]

So they just see them as a business.

[Michael Molson]

That's right.

[Sean]

Which is a shame.

[Michael Molson]

It's a lot of fear when they get out. They don't have that drive of, you know, getting a job and all of that. But a lot of them do, you know, and those are the ones that. That are great stories.

[Sean]

Yeah. Yeah. My opinion on them has changed. Honestly, I used to, like, really look down on prisoners.

[Michael Molson]

You got an incredible man in Las Vegas. I'll hook you up with.

[Sean]

Oh, yeah.

[Michael Molson]

It's called Hope for Prisoners. He's got an incredible story. I was on his platform, and what he does for prisoners today is unbelievable.

[Sean]

Nice.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah. No, I think everyone can really turn things around.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I mean, look at you.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And now look at your kids. You show me your kids out there.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. You know, so proud of. You know, I got four of them. I have two from a previous marriage that I abandoned, and they're back in my life.

[Sean]

Wow. You abandoned them?

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, I abandoned them. I was. I left because of my, you know, drug use and got away, and they're doing great. And I have a son that, you know, from that marriage that's three. Three years clean now. And out of the clear blue, as a result of M to the Rock, watching the show, my daughter reached out to me and said, hey, you know. You know, Brandon really needs some help. And I dropped everything, and I went out there just to listen to him.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

And his mom literally said, never my wildest dreams, that I think that, you know, I'd be seeing you, but for the first time, I have faith in you. And our son needs your help. Whoa. And so I literally. I literally just read to him, and that's what I'm doing today, you know, is reading to people.

[Sean]

Dude, that's incredible.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

So he didn't talk to you for all those years, and then he had.

[Michael Molson]

A right to have all the people in the world to sue me and. And take me down. Was. Was their mom, and she did the complete opposite.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

How old were they when you left?

[Michael Molson]

They were probably. Let's See here, I'm guessing 7 and 5.

[Sean]

Damn. That's when they need you.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. Yeah. And I lived my whole life after that just. Oh, killing myself. And so when I had my other boys, Hudson and Hogan, I was so focused on not to repeat that behavior. And, you know, I was a good father.

[Sean]

I love that.

[Michael Molson]

But as a result of a really. When Stacy went down and had the brain hemorrhage, you know, her parents came in and basically just wrecked everything. And I haven't spoken to him since.

[Sean]

Oh, yeah, kids are.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, yeah. So I haven't spoken to him since. But I'm okay with that because I get to show the world and show them this is what I'm doing today. And, dude, I'm not killing it financially. I'm not. I mean, this is. This is full blown. I'm using church word. This is full blown ministry.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

You know, because that's what God told me to do. Walk. And that's what Judge Bennett told me to do, is go pay it forward. And that's what I do every time, Sean. I try to quit every time. I mean, this, like, burning bush moment happens where someone will call. I mean, I literally had. I quit. Took all the lights down in my studio and everything like that and. And went outside to go for a walk, and a white Denali pulls up and they rolled the window down and they go, are you M2? And I said, well, yeah, I'm Michael. And they said, this is my husband here. You saved his life. He watches your show.

[Sean]

Whoa.

[Michael Molson]

And I was like, went back up and put the studio back together.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

And so. And I just remember that God said, you know, hey, I set your bond and I gave Jesus the key, and you put it in the lock and set you free. He says, you don't mind somebody, you gonna mind me. Dang. And so that's what I'm doing.

[Sean]

Crazy.

[Michael Molson]

But it's hard.

[Sean]

Yeah, no, it is podcast. It's not easy.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. It takes a lot of faith. And. But with the book coming out and Krishna Lee Perez, incredible writer, and we got some great people behind us, Seven years later, we are starting to feel the light and see the light.

[Sean]

Here we are.

[Michael Molson]

And it's not a train.

[Sean]

Peaks and valleys. That's life.

[Michael Molson]

It is. And that's. But. But the Valleys is where. When we see life through God's perspective, that's where we learn, you know, why did God allow. Why would God allow my grandfather to sexually abuse me? Okay. Looking at it today through God's perspective, I look at it's a gift. It is a gift because I get to share my personal experience and this. And forgiveness to help others like this man who heard it. And now it's on all the tablets.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and all the prisons and jails. And so to be vulnerable like that and to share that provides people hope.

[Sean]

Absolutely.

[Michael Molson]

That they can do it.

[Sean]

Yeah. Look at all the lives you're going to save, man.

[Michael Molson]

And that's not medication.

[Sean]

No, definitely not. I think you'll reconnect with your kids one day, too.

[Michael Molson]

I do, too.

[Sean]

I believe it.

[Michael Molson]

I do, too. And people say that all the time, and I truly believe it. The problem is God doesn't wear a watch. You know what I mean?

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

So I want what I want what I want it, but I am. I know that I'm.

[Sean]

I'm.

[Michael Molson]

I'm powerless. I'm powerless over. Wow. Yeah.

[Sean]

That must be tough on you, man. I'm sorry to hear that.

[Michael Molson]

I appreciate it, but.

[Sean]

Yeah, I can't imagine that sounds like a tricky situation.

[Michael Molson]

Geez, I'm grateful. I'm really grateful. You know, we're at. But you know what? Today, you know, we hear the word acceptance. And, And. And what is complete acceptance? And complete acceptance is when I have absolutely no resentments, because that's what's killing our human race, is resentments. A lot of that's what's killing our human race is resentment. And how do I get over resentment is I accept the role that I play in it. Wait a minute. You played a role in your grandfather sexually abusing you? Absolutely, I did. And the role I played, it was. I chose to hold on to the resentment.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

I chose to hold on to the resentment.

[Sean]

Right. Damn.

[Michael Molson]

I don't have. I don't have any resentments today. Now, the day's not over, but I don't have any resentments today. When I. When I coach, coach people and help people, they said, I don't have any resentments. I said, oh, really? I said, okay, well, write down on a piece of paper everyone who owes you an apology. And they, like, man, it's just, like, tons of people. And I said, there's your resentment list.

[Sean]

Yeah, everyone has them.

[Michael Molson]

No one owes me an apology.

[Sean]

Could be a high school bully. It could be anything.

[Michael Molson]

Sure.

[Sean]

I saw my dad live with it his whole life. His. His father beat him up physically growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania, and it ate at him. Dude, like, for real, I can relate. Yeah, he. I could see him, like, being affected by it.

[Michael Molson]

I can relate. Yeah, it's not okay. It's not okay what they did, but it's my responsibility to change the behavior.

[Sean]

Yeah. It's not healthy. I. I know people want to have, like, enemies and stuff, but long term, it's just. It's bad for your health. You know, they don't even realize it's eating at them.

[Michael Molson]

Well, you know, I went to prison, okay. I got 27 mug shots. And let me tell you why. Because I didn't know how to process fear. And it was because of anger and resentment when drugs and alcohol. That's just a symptom, you know? And that's why I went. And now that I see it through that perspective, I'm at peace.

[Sean]

Wow. Yeah. Because the anger and resentment led to the alcohol. Right? That's how it worked for you.

[Michael Molson]

That's right. You know, I hear people say, I'm a functioning alcoholic. There's no such thing. Okay. If you have to announce you're a functioning alcoholic, it means you're an alcoholic. You know, it's like a. It's like being half pregnant. You know, you can't. You can't be that.

[Sean]

Absolutely. When does the book. And you said the film's coming out, too.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah, we're. We're working on that. The book will be first, and so we. The book will be out October 2024. You get it anywhere. And then we'll be doing book. A book tour across the country and speaking tour. And, man, I'm just. I'm just. I might. Bernie. Remember that movie, Weekend at Bernie's?

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, I'm like, bernie. They're just gonna prop me up and I just talk.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and so. And I let you know, I never know what I'm gonna say. I just simply go in the bathroom and say, God, put the words in my mouth. Because if I make up. If I make up a script, everybody's going to prison. We're all going to prison, Sean.

[Sean]

So it's not as good when it's. You could tell when people are giving, like, a PowerPoint slide or whatever.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah.

[Sean]

It's not as authentic.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. I don't do that. I can't do that.

[Sean]

You got to feel out the crowd.

[Michael Molson]

Yeah. I just go.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And I can. I could speak to anyone about any. I can speak to. I can speak to kids. I could speak to prisoners, and I can speak to corporate America.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

All about self improvement.

[Sean]

I love it, man. What's your advice to parents where their kids are dealing with addictions right now?

[Michael Molson]

Great question. I'm glad you asked that. Is for the parents to get help. What happened, Sean, is that the parents actually become more sick than the addict. Okay. And their drug of choice is actually the kid. Okay. And they don't realize it, but they start co signing on the behaviors and they start acting like it. Like I said earlier, they're frustrated because they're seeing their behaviors live on stage. They're just not doing drugs and alcohol, and so they start co signing on it. So for them to reach out and find another family that has gone through this, all right, and lean on another family that can relate. So when they talk to that family, that. That when they're talking to them and then they're listening to the family that has recovered from this, they start doing this and they start looking at the role that they play in it, and they start working a program of themselves. You know, a child or a family member that's in active addiction of anything. Okay. It's like throwing a hand grenade into a family reunion. The whole family jumps on the hand grenade.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and so that's where the family has to do. And we. We address everybody who reaches out to us on into the rock, our loved ones.

[Sean]

I love that.

[Michael Molson]

Everyone that reached out, and it's never the addict, you know, and when they do reach out and I don't talk to women, but if it's a man that reaches out and I do talk to them, I do this simple thing. I just simply say, why do you drink? Why do you do drugs? Why are you addicted to porn? Gambling, work, anger? You know, anger is a drug and all this stuff. Why do you do it? And they start explaining, and I cut them off. I said, wrong answer, wrong answer, wrong answer, wrong answer. And I said, you're going to get frustrated with me because no one's ever gotten it right. And they keep saying it and say it, and they finally get frustrated. They go, I don't know. Right answer. That's the right answer. Why do you drink? Why do you do drugs? I don't know. No one taught me that. That's what I remember saying after my 27th mugshot, when I truly surrendered and I told Judge Bennett, I don't know why I'm doing the things I'm doing, and I'll do whatever you tell me to do.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Michael Molson]

If you send me to prison for 25 years, I'm down. I don't ever want to feel this way ever again.

[Sean]

That's crazy. Why don't you talk to woman? You said you don't talk to women.

[Michael Molson]

I don't you know, in. In a program, you know, men work with men and women work with women. And when you have a woman in recovery, we get so much engagement with women. And as I look at. Through God's perspective, what they're doing is they're searching for that spiritual leader of the household. They're searching for that father. Right. And so they're wounded, and so I can't relate to a woman. And so women, if we do, we direct them in the right direction. But a woman working with a woman is powerful. You know, I see it with Lee when she works with women and talking to women. I mean, there's conversations that they have that I can't have, you know, and I tell them if I'm on the phone with them, I say, hey, I'm putting you on speakerphone. And Lee's here because they're. They're wounded. And for people watching this, you know, they'll. They'll tend to go to men, and men, you know, will try to be the white knight. And now you have two sick people getting sick again. And they spin off.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and go back out, and it's deadlier.

[Sean]

My dad lost one of his kids to a video game addiction.

[Michael Molson]

That's a great topic.

[Sean]

Yeah. He played all day for years, and they just kept fighting. Eventually kicked him out. And they never rekindled.

[Michael Molson]

Wow.

[Sean]

Yeah. And then he ended up passing away. So they. They never rekindled that relationship.

[Michael Molson]

Once again, there's another visible thing. It was a mental obsession. So why was it the. Why was this person doing video games? The real root of it was, is he was trying to get relief from some sort of trauma, you know, some sort of, you know, of the feelings of trauma and suffering and pain. That's why we reach out for these things to. To get release of that. Yeah. And so instead of. The solution is talking about it. It's real simple. You know, that's why dads. It's so I can never sit with my dad and say, hey, man, I'm scared.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

Everybody around me is hitting puberty, and I'm not. I'm scared. You know what I mean? I couldn't have those conversations, you know, with them. Just didn't happen.

[Sean]

And I think parents are also scared to admit to other parents that their kids have some issues. Right. Because every parent thinks they have the best kids and they're scared to.

[Michael Molson]

Especially in upper class. I work with a lot of people in the upper class, you know, high net worth and, you know, it's their. It's their you know, it's. They want to keep that image. You know, I'm like. And their kids end up ODing and dying. You know, then the. Then the image is out there, and then the image is actually tarnished worse. It's like, how long do you know this? Well, we've known it his whole life. Well, why didn't you do anything about. Why didn't you talk to us about it? Our son's been clean, our daughter's been clean for 12 years. We could have helped you.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, and so that's what. Where it is, is to. Is to step out there and be vulnerable.

[Sean]

Yeah. You know, the pride and the ego gets in the way.

[Michael Molson]

That's exactly right.

[Sean]

Yeah. But everyone's got their. Their demons they got. They got a battle with. Right.

[Michael Molson]

That's right.

[Sean]

Like you said, how we started this, everyone's addicted to something. Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

And so, you know, we hear the deal. You know, you know, spirit, mind, and body. You know, when. For me personally, when the spirit, mind, and body is out of order, my life is in chaos because the spirit feeds my mind and the mind feeds my body. And it's proven because it was always out of order because of the chemicals I was putting. And when that's in order, this is what you get. And you see it, you feel it. If it's out of order and I'm feeding my body with visible things, a wreck, I look like it, I feel like it. You know, to be graphic, I mean, if I'm shooting heroin, and that is my God, that is my source. The external shows I look horrible. You know, I'm ragged out.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

So when I fill my body with the spirit, and the way I get the spirit is doing this, you know, helping others. When I feel it with the spirit, my mind is sharp and my mind feeds my body and I feel better and I look better.

[Sean]

100 agree. I used to neglect spirit. I used to just chase money and material things, but I never achieved all around success.

[Michael Molson]

It never felt that whole.

[Sean]

Never felt that hole. But these days when I wake up, I feel so fulfilled. Dude. It's crazy.

[Michael Molson]

And you know, one thing I'll challenge you to do that works really good every night is or during the day to hit your reset button. Just look at one thing, look at your feet. Take five deep breaths. Because when you look at your feet, that's where you're at. That's what's really happening. Nothing else is happening. All right? And then make a gratitude list.

[Sean]

I do that every morning.

[Michael Molson]

There you go. Make a Gratitude list. And it gets you at itself. And it's, it's, it's. It's. It puts you back in the safest place in the world. Like this show we're doing right now, let's just say we've been on here for 40 minutes already. All right. Have you once thought about the future?

[Sean]

No.

[Michael Molson]

Have you once thought about the past?

[Sean]

No.

[Michael Molson]

Have you once got anxious or depressed?

[Sean]

No.

[Michael Molson]

Because we're in the now.

[Sean]

Yeah. We're right here right now.

[Michael Molson]

We're serving each other. This is not about me. It's not about you. It's a connection. It's community. We can do that all the time.

[Sean]

Right.

[Michael Molson]

You know, so I. I challenge people that, you know, you get in the dump and you're driving, just text five people expecting nothing return saying, hey, man, I'm just thinking about you. I really appreciate you. That's it. And what it does, it increases dopamine, but nothing like serving other people.

[Sean]

Yep. Ken Joslyn does that to me. He'll send me a video once in a while. I'll be like, wow, I've never gotten up.

[Michael Molson]

Shout out to Ken, Jocelyn. I mean, he is so awesome. I mean, I remember meeting him and, I mean, he's been the base, the best age. And that's how I met you.

[Sean]

Yeah. He said he prayed for me. I was like, damn, no one's ever done this for me before. Like, I really appreciate you.

[Michael Molson]

I'm. I'm gonna do it.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

I really am. I feel a connection. I feel your vibe. You're a really good person.

[Sean]

I appreciate that. Me too, man.

[Michael Molson]

It's just. It's such a good deal.

[Sean]

There's. There's a lot of impact that will be made as a result of this episode.

[Michael Molson]

Absolutely.

[Sean]

Like the webs of lives that will be saved and information shared.

[Michael Molson]

Absolutely.

[Sean]

Can't wait to see the results, dude. Anything else you want to leave the audience with?

[Michael Molson]

No, I mean, we just. Just share this out for you. Hit the subscribe button for Sean.

[Sean]

Hopefully your book's out too, by the time this serves. Yeah.

[Michael Molson]

October 20th, you know, 2024 will be out and our website is, you know, M2 the number two, the rock r o c k dot com and just go right there and you. You can follow us everywhere.

[Sean]

Awesome. We'll link below.

[Michael Molson]

Thanks for coming on and thank you so much.

[Sean]

Thanks for watching, guys. That was an amazing episode, and I will see you guys tomorrow.