Podcast Summary: Miracle Mentality with Tim Storey

Episode: Tim Storey: How to Soar From Setback to Comeback | Bonus Episode
Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Tim Storey

Overview: From Setback to Soaring – The Miracle Mentality

In this powerful solo bonus episode, Tim Storey, internationally-acclaimed comeback coach and life strategist, unpacks his signature process for turning setbacks into comebacks—and beyond. Speaking directly to the audience, Storey weaves personal stories and actionable frameworks for recognizing and recovering from life’s interruptions. The central message: You are meant for a “miracle mentality”—a mindset of the extraordinary, not the ordinary. He urges listeners not just to return to baseline after adversity, but to discover new possibilities and soar to greater heights in every area of life.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. The Reality of Setbacks and “Life Interruptions”

• [02:00] Storey introduces the concept of "life interruptions": events that happen unexpectedly and disrupt our momentum (death in the family, illness, career obstacles, etc.).
  • Quote: “You have this amazing momentum, and then something will happen in your life that I call a life interruption.” (Tim Storey, 01:00)
• Everyone, regardless of their background or success, has experienced at least one major interruption in the past 12 months.

2. The Eight Buckets of Life – Taking Honest Inventory

• [05:00] Storey identifies the “eight buckets” of life where setbacks may occur:
  1. Mindset (mental clarity and strength)
  2. Spiritual life (connection to God or Source)
  3. Physical body (health and resilience)
  4. Career/job
  5. Finances
  6. Relationships with significant other
  7. Extended family
  8. Social life
• He encourages listeners to rate themselves 1–10 in each area for an honest self-assessment.
  • Quote: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how are you doing with your children? … How are you doing in your relationship to your wife?” (Tim Storey, 07:00)
• Notably, he's less interested in celebrity guests’ surface achievements and more focused on how they navigate these life buckets.

3. How Not to Handle a Setback: Sit, Settle, Cement

• [10:20] Storey warns of the dangers of "sitting in your setback," becoming immobilized by adversity, or letting it define you permanently.
  • Quote: “I’m coming in on purpose to ask questions about those eight buckets of life so that you do not sit in your setback, settle in your setback, or cement yourself in the setback.” (Tim Storey, 08:45)

4. The Comeback Process: Sit, Stand, Walk, Run, Soar

• [12:00] Storey outlines his five-step comeback process:
  • Sit: Learn and get educated about your situation.
  • Stand: Apply and internalize what you've learned.
  • Walk: Begin to take actionable steps.
  • Run: Move forward with passion.
  • Soar: Reach new, sustained heights—not just “back to normal,” but beyond.
  • Quote: “You got to sit, you got to learn, you got to stand in what you’ve learned. You got to walk it out. When you walk something out … if you are fortunate, you will run … I’m not [just] happy with running. I want to soar.” (Tim Storey, 13:15; 15:20)
• Passion and persistence are key—he urges listeners to aim not just for a short-term run, but a lifetime of soaring.

5. Recovery and Discovery: The Two Parallel Paths

• [20:00] Storey emphasizes that everyone is simultaneously recovering from something and discovering something new.
  • Recovery: Healing from loss, setbacks, or disappointment.
  • Discovery: Seeking new opportunities, adventures, or facets of yourself.
  • Quote: “Every one of us is going through recovery and discovery at the same time.” (Tim Storey, 20:40)
• He warns against getting stuck only in recovery mode—discovery is where growth and joy happen.

6. Personal Story – Loss, Resilience, and Mom’s Triumph

• [22:30] Storey shares the formative trauma of his father’s sudden death when Tim was ten, and his mother raising four children on her own.
  • Quote: “A man ran a red light … hit my father, and my father died. So my mother now had to raise four of her five children working at Winchell’s donut shop.” (Tim Storey, 24:00)
• Despite profound setbacks, his mother didn’t “sit, settle, or cement” in her suffering; she found joy, peace, and even prosperity in the decades that followed.
• Memorable moment: Storey’s mother, now near age 95, is thriving—a living testament to overcoming adversity.

7. The Power of the “Discovery Zone”

• Storey encourages listeners to embrace discovery, to let serendipity and openness enhance their journey.
  • Quote: “Some things you decide and some things you discover, man. I want you to be so excited about your life in the next few months that everything is not just a decision … but some things are discovery.” (Tim Storey, 28:10)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On comeback vs. soaring:
  “To have a comeback is to return to a place of significance. It's not where I want you. I want you to go beyond.” (Tim Storey, 03:10)
• On setbacks:
  “I want to make sure you don't get so caught up in the recovery zone that you do not pay attention to your Discovery zone.” (Tim Storey, 26:25)
• Encouragement:
  “You may not be what you want to be, but thank God you’re not what you used to be.” (Tim Storey, 34:00)
• On passion:
  “If you could ever get to a passionate life where you’re running … for your whole life, that’s powerful.” (Tim Storey, 14:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–02:00 | Introduction: Miracle Mentality & Purpose
• 02:00–05:00 | What is a “life interruption” and how does it trigger setbacks?
• 05:00–09:00 | The Eight Buckets of Life; practical inventory exercise
• 10:20–12:00 | How not to get stuck: “sit, settle, cement” trap
• 12:00–17:00 | The pathway: Sit → Stand → Walk → Run → Soar
• 20:00–22:30 | Recovery and Discovery – how to balance both
• 22:30–27:00 | Personal story: Loss of father, mother’s resilience
• 28:00–31:00 | Discovery Zone and embracing life’s unexpected joys
• 34:00–End | Final encouragement; reminder to cultivate a miracle mentality

Conclusion: Takeaways and Call to Action

Tim Storey’s episode is a motivational roadmap for anyone feeling stuck, helping listeners:

• Identify which “bucket” of life needs recovery
• Understand the process from sitting in a setback to soaring past it
• Balance recovery with discovery, and
• Refuse to let tough times define them.

With equal parts candor and encouragement, Storey’s voice serves as both a coach and companion, inspiring a community to live with courage, faith, and an unwavering belief in miracles.

“A miracle is something uncommon, not regular, not normal. That’s who you are meant to be.” (Tim Storey, 04:30)

For further inspiration, connect with Tim Storey on Instagram or visit timstorey.com.