Celebrating Your Sandwiches - Episode 26

Summary

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The Musers The Podcast

Episode 26: Celebrating Your Sandwiches

Date: January 7, 2026
Hosts: George Dunham, Craig “Junior” Miller, Gordon Keith

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Overview: A New Year, New You?

In this lively, reflective episode, The Musers kick off 2026 by sharing laughs and insights about New Year’s resolutions, personal growth, and the nature of change. Listener stories, especially from a struggling nursing student, provide a springboard for both banter and deeper conversations about accomplishment, fear, and the tricky business of self-improvement. As always, the dynamic between George, Craig, and Gordon delivers equal doses of humor, honesty, and warmth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Letter of the Week: Macy’s Story

• [01:00–03:43] Gordon reads an email from Macy, a junior nursing student who referenced episode 24, “How to Eat a Mountain.” She details an extremely stressful exam week but ultimately passes, crediting the podcast for timely motivation.
  • Macy’s Reflection: “That feeling of accomplishment is truly amazing. The struggle and stress was what made my most hard thing even more precious to me. Still, three more semesters left, but that encouragement and drive to be a nurse is stronger now more than ever.” — Macy [03:25]
• This sparks discussions on difficulty, success, and inspiration.

Notable Banter

• [04:12] George: “All I could think about was us taking one of those medical exams... Any of us get above an eight?”
• [04:27] Gordon jokes, “What if she stitches up the next Hitler, right? And saves his life and then he goes on to do bad stuff.”

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2. Education Journeys and Academic Struggles

• [05:32–06:07] The hosts share candid stories about their own winding paths through college, formative failures, and self-doubt.
  • Gordon: “I think I went for 10 years and never finished.” [05:34]
  • “My primary grade was W. I swear, man, you look at my transcript … I was always withdrawing from my classes.” — Gordon [05:45]
• They joke about modern students entering college with so much credit, they “enroll as college graduates.” [06:20]

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3. New Year’s Resolutions: Aspirations, Failures, and Progress

• [07:13–13:35] Gordon shares deeply personal journal entries and old lists of goals, ranging from “Learn French” to “Sell used cars.”
  • “This is the year. This is the year that wonderful things will happen. This is the year to begin my life, the life I’ve always wanted... I wrote that January 6, 1997. Still trying to get around.” — Gordon [08:54]
  • The group affectionately ribs Gordon about his goal to “Always be early” [13:05], given his reputation for lateness.
• Discussion of distinguishing between “goals” and “resolutions;” the value is in trying, not just achieving.

Insights:

• Craig: “We don’t make so many decisions based on fear. And it’s not always the fear of failure, but it’s the fear of the reaction of the world around us when we fail.” [15:44]
• Gordon on Fear: “Fear of failure is bigger. But the fear of success was always also there.” [19:50]

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4. The Psychology of Fear in Self-Improvement

• [14:35–21:20]
  • Gordon admits to fears of both failure and success, describing how even anticipated achievements provoke anxiety about losing control or adequacy.
    • “If I became successful, then I would get more work that I just can’t do … so if… I got successful and then was given a... show, then I have to write 10 episodes... I can’t do all that work.” — Gordon [20:00]
  • Craig and George reflect on common fears—fear of the unknown as they grow older and deal with life transitions.

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5. The Power of Teams and Long-Term Partnerships

• [21:36–23:20]
  • The strength of the Musers’ trio is highlighted as key to withstanding careers’ ups and downs.
    • “There’s something that’s been so great about being part of this three-member team that when one of us is low, the other two pick up for a while... It becomes much more of a bulwark and an insurance policy against the vicissitudes of life.” — Gordon [22:44]

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6. Habits vs. Goals: What Makes Change Stick?

• [24:40–35:14]
  • The hosts advise listeners to focus less on “massive” goals and more on building steady habits.
    • “The lesson... is that some people get self-conscious writing things down and having goals, because if you write them down and don’t reach them, that marks you as a failure... But the lesson is: No, you were a success because 70% of us didn’t write anything down.” — Gordon [24:41]
  • “Life is about progress, not perfection.” — Gordon [31:15]
  • They discuss the importance of “stacking days,” making daily habits more manageable, and “embracing the process.”

Memorable Quotes

• George: “If someone says, ‘I’ve got to lose £50 this year and they only lose 15,’... it’s not a failure. You lost £15. That’s pretty good.” [30:41]
• Gordon: “Every great novel, the person who sat down didn’t sit down and write a great novel. They sat down and wrote a word, and then a word after that.” [33:36]

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7. The Ritual of Resolution and the Strength in Trying

• [35:03–38:46]
  • Why wait until New Year’s? The symbolic “calendar flip” motivates many, but any day can be a start.
  • Craig shares his most successful resolution: to read a book a month.
    • “That’s the best resolution that I’ve ever made... and I know I’ve stuck with that.” — Craig [38:01]
  • Gordon commits to trying the same reading goal. [38:33]

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8. Handwriting, Habits, and Generational Shifts

• [25:39–29:02; 39:13–40:12]
  • Spirited discussion about handwriting, deteriorating penmanship, and the practical fading of cursive in the digital age.
  • “I found something out this Christmas break that my youngest son cannot write, and he has a hard time reading cursive.” — George [26:39]
  • The banter includes comical attempts to write in cursive, with recurring inside jokes about “George’s balls” appearing in their practice notes.

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9. Expert-Backed Advice on Making Resolutions

• [41:12–47:18]
  • Gordon shares findings from Pew Research and Psychology Today about the obstacles to sticking with resolutions:
    • Tips:
      1. Set the bar low and expectations manageable.
      2. Be patient and willing to adjust.
      3. Kill perfectionism and the “all or nothing” mindset.
      4. Silence your inner critic; give yourself grace.
      5. (Controversial): Have an accountability buddy.
    • Gordon is skeptical: “I think I’ve ghosted every accountability buddy I’ve ever had.” [45:22]
  • The hosts agree that accountability systems help some, but privacy works for others.

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10. Self-Reflection, Focus, and Accepting Limitations

• [48:45–51:57]
  • The trio jokes about Gordon’s tendency to “go in 50 directions,” and the reality that with age, narrowing focus becomes necessary.
    • “I don’t know that I have enough life left to really become a master mechanic or a puppeteer or whatever it is... I’m starting to think about getting into.” — Gordon [49:13]
  • Jokes about puppet shows, Kermit’s left-handed banjo, and the quirkiness of New Year’s aspirations.

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11. Cars, Humility, and Letting Go

• [51:12–53:26]
  • Gordon updates the group on his “humble” 2004 Buick Park Avenue and the seemingly eternal repairs of his old car.
  • “That car is like the ship of Theseus right now. It’s had every part replaced on it.” — Gordon [53:18]

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Memorable Quotes

• “The journey is, of course, another way of saying process or another way of saying habit. It’s the thing that you do every day.” — Gordon [33:52]
• “Celebrate your sandwiches.” — George [44:25], a tongue-in-cheek, repeated phrase representing small victories.
• “Practicing cursing... No, he’s not. That’s all he’s doing.” — Gordon, on Craig’s cursive writing joke [54:25]
• “Thanks to our producer, Peter Welton, who’s producing the hell out of this thing.” — Gordon [54:33]

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–03:43: Intro & Listener Letter: Macy’s Nursing Challenge
• 05:28–06:07: Tales of Higher Ed (and many withdrawals)
• 07:13–13:35: Gordon’s New Year’s Lists and Honesty about Failures
• 14:35–21:20: Fear, Success, and What Holds Us Back
• 21:36–23:20: Power of Teams
• 24:40–35:14: Habits, Progress, and the Truth about Resolutions
• 35:03–38:46: Reading Resolutions and Making Time
• 25:39–29:02/39:13–40:12: Decay of Handwriting and Cursive Comedy
• 41:12–47:18: Research-based Resolution Tips & The Myth of the Accountability Buddy
• 48:45–51:57: Focusing Goals & The Realities of Aging
• 51:12–53:26: Gordon’s Car Chronicles

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Episode Tone & Takeaways

Expect trademark Musers chemistry—part sentimental, part satirical, always authentic. The core message: Trying (even if you fail), embracing the process, and finding humor in your struggles makes the journey worthwhile. Whether you write it down, share it, or keep it to yourself, any step towards growth—no matter how meandering or small—is cause for celebration (and, apparently, sandwich-making).

Progress, not perfection. And maybe, just maybe—celebrate your sandwiches.

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Transcript

[Craig]

If that happened, would we then become the most important podcast in world history?

[Gordon]

We're back. It's the Musers the podcast. Episode 26, celebrating your sandwiches. Hello and welcome to the Musers the Podcast. I'm Gordon.

[George]

I'm George.

[Craig]

I'm Craig.

[Gordon]

Three lifelong friends. We grew up together. Shared the same womb. No, as a matter of fact, we're born two minutes apart. Even though I'm like five years younger.

[George]

And your voice is flangy.

[Gordon]

Yeah, I know. I don't know what's happening with my voice. It's getting a little weak, pal. This is our first pod of the new year. 2026 is here. Very excited about 2026. This is going to be a huge year. A huge year.

[George]

You keep saying that.

[Gordon]

What do you mean?

[George]

I keep saying that makes me nervous.

[Gordon]

It's the first time I've said it on the podcast.

[Craig]

Yeah, what does it mean?

[George]

Yeah, what does that mean?

[Gordon]

You just wait. I've got big things planned for the two.

[George]

You don't.

[Gordon]

I tell you, the first big thing that I got planned is Letter of the week. Letter of the week from our pod listeners, by the way. Thank you. Dear listener. We had so many people email us and say they listened to every single episode of 2025.

[George]

Yeah, every single one. Caught up in the holiday season.

[Gordon]

Yes. So if you're a pod listener and you have not joined that exclusive club, the entirety of the 2025 Catalog Listener Club, then you need to do that. All available to you. Okay. Our letter of the week this week comes to us from Macy. And by the way, the letter of the week is sponsored this week. It's brought to you by Georgia sense of entitlement. Number one in the industry for 14 years.

[George]

That's right.

[Craig]

Hey, we finally got a sponsor.

[George]

Thanks, George.

[Gordon]

So Macy talks about. She's referencing episode 24, which was called how to Eat a Mountain. She says episode 24 of the podcast couldn't have dropped at a better time. Currently, I'm a junior nursing student and this past week was final exam week. It was the absolute roughest week I've ever been through. My exam averages weren't where they needed to be, and I had the thought of having to stay an extra year or even drop nursing entirely. That was looming over my head as I tried to study for the hardest exams I've ever faced. I sacrificed time with my husband and any idea of a social life just to survive. And I've never been under more physical, mental, or spiritual stress. Gordon addresses me personally.

[George]

Whatever.

[Gordon]

Especially what you said about how people make hard things look so easy really stuck out to me. That was when I was talking about how we've all had this feeling, right, that life looks easy for other people and you always assume that things are easy for other people that you struggle with. But she says that really stuck out to her as I've had many friends in my classes who partied away and still got all A's. And that's probably the most frustrating part of all. As I write this and as I listen to the tail end of episode 24, I have just today passed by one point, my last exam, and I'm able to move on to the next semester.

[Craig]

Okay, congrats.

[Gordon]

I know you all mentioned this multiple times in your episode, but that feeling of accomplishment is truly amazing. The struggle and stress was what made my most hard thing even more precious to me. Still, three more semesters left, but that encouragement and drive to be a nurse is stronger now more than ever.

[George]

Okay, Macy.

[Gordon]

She said the podcast means so much to her and she likes our realness, our stories and our encouragement.

[George]

That's great.

[Gordon]

She said it always seems to come at the right time, that she needed it. So there you go, Macy. You are our listener letter of the week.

[Craig]

All right.

[George]

All I could think about was us taking one of those medical exams. We had to do that, like take a final just to see how low we would score. Any of us get above an eight?

[Gordon]

No. No. And you know, you guys seem to take this letter as a letter of inspiration. I take it as a letter of an under qualified nurse somehow is getting a degree here. So I'm worried about it.

[George]

I don't want to go to that hospital.

[Gordon]

No. You know what I think is going to happen as I zoom out in the movie of our lives? She ends up saving a very important person's life that goes on to cure cancer. All because we said the right thing at the right time on a podcast.

[George]

Why don't you write that movie?

[Gordon]

Really? We're the heroes here in her saving the President's life someday.

[Craig]

If that happened, would we then become the most important podcast in world history? If we led to the cure of cancer?

[George]

We would call it that. Yeah.

[Gordon]

But then again, what if she stitches up the next Hitler, right? And saves his life and then he goes on to do bad stuff. So it's a real, real double edged sword here we're dealing with.

[George]

We're just glad she passed and is moving on.

[Gordon]

Anyway, congratulations.

[Craig]

Pass the exam, not passed away, right?

[George]

Yeah, she passed away. No, she didn't pass yeah, she still.

[Gordon]

Got three semesters to go, so we'll keep an eye on it.

[George]

Oh, man, she needs motivation.

[Gordon]

Yeah, I don't know that. So you guys finished college?

[George]

Barely.

[Gordon]

But you finished. Yeah, five years. Four years.

[George]

Five.

[Gordon]

See, I never finished. I went for probably double the amount of time you guys went. I think I went for 10 years and never finished.

[George]

Yeah, but you only take a class here and a class there, though. I mean, you didn't take like 15 or 18 hours.

[Gordon]

I think, though, I would start off every semester with a full load. But my primary grade was W. I swear, man, you look at my transcript. Yes, I got W or wd, depending on which institution was. Yeah. Scoring it. But, yeah, I was always withdrawing from my classes.

[Craig]

Yeah, we took five years to finish four years of college. And I don't know how people finish four years in four years.

[George]

I know. Well, I tell you now, kids get a lot of college credit in high school and they enroll as, like, sophomores.

[Gordon]

Yeah, they. They enroll as college graduates.

[George]

In the college. Yeah, basically.

[Gordon]

It's insane.

[Craig]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

You know, I looked up. I just saw this recently. I found out my class ranking in high school, and I even me, I was appalled when I read it again.

[George]

You still have that information?

[Gordon]

Yeah, yeah, I do. Let me see if.

[George]

Would you have a class of 600?

[Gordon]

500, I think it was. No, no, no, it was probably about 800.

[George]

Wow. Okay.

[Gordon]

Yeah, it was a pretty big class. Let me see if I can find this here. Oh, I'm not gonna find it. It was. I graduated, like, I'm guessing it was 660 out of 800.

[George]

Okay.

[Gordon]

And my 700. My grade point average was a 72 something.

[Craig]

Not bad.

[Gordon]

Just above passing.

[George]

Passing. That's the key.

[Gordon]

So passing. I would have. I would have thought I would have done a lot better in college. All right, so on to today's podcast, and boy, do we have a great one for the P1s. Now, you thought. You thought that Macy one was inspirational, this podcast. Oh, because we're going to talk about a new year, a new you, New Year's resolutions. I don't know if you guys participate in this charade.

[George]

Not every year, but I have, and I am this year, as a matter of fact.

[Craig]

I would say that I casually participate in my life. I've probably made three or four very firm New Year's resolutions and tried to stick to those, and some of them have stuck, which we'll talk about. But the rest of the time I just kind of casually say, yeah, I'd like to do this or that in this year when someone asks, because everybody does when. What's your New Year's resolution? So I always kind of have an answer, but it's not like I'm that.

[Gordon]

So it's a fake answer. Yeah.

[Craig]

I'm not dug in about it.

[George]

Yeah. And I don't even think about it. Every year you have brought it up to us every year that we've known you.

[Gordon]

Yes. Because you're very active. I firmly believe. No, I just firmly believe that you two guys should get better.

[George]

Well, there's no question about that. But I do wonder about you, though, because you always bring it up and. And you seem to be into it. But at the same time, do you practice it every year?

[Gordon]

I'm certainly glad you asked me that, George.

[George]

Okay. Because I don't know the answer.

[Gordon]

I wrote this and I'm going to read it to you.

[George]

Okay?

[Gordon]

It's very sensitive. It's very vulnerable. This is the year. This is the year that wonderful things will happen. This is the year to begin my life, the life I've always wanted. Time to break free from the ghost of the past, the insecurities, the doubts, the paralyzing fear, and move forward into the bright future of my one and only life. I wrote that January 6, 1997. Still trying to get around. Okay, but making good.

[George]

I think you accomplished some of that.

[Gordon]

You know, it's crazy.

[George]

You didn't drop out of radio. You stuck with it. And you didn't, you know, try to do your worst. You, at times, try to do your best. And you succeeded.

[Gordon]

I found my 2003 list. Some of these learn French. I don't know why.

[George]

That's.

[Gordon]

C, I think.

[George]

Spanish.

[Gordon]

Learn to touch type. I still don't know how to touch type.

[Craig]

What do you mean by that?

[George]

Teach that. Where each finger, instead of just being a chicken pecker, mean.

[Gordon]

Yeah.

[Craig]

Oh, okay.

[Gordon]

I hunt and peck, as they say. Rather than, you know, be able to look at the screen and not look at your fingers.

[Craig]

I'm a touch typer. I learned that in high school.

[Gordon]

I know. I tried to take typing and failed miserably.

[George]

Yeah, I know how to do it.

[Gordon]

Sell used cars. For some reason, that is on my 2003 goal list.

[George]

You're trying to get rid of what?

[Gordon]

I don't know.

[George]

That you have.

[Gordon]

Yeah. I don't know whether I owned a couple used cars or whether I watch. It's very unexplained. I made no notations on this list.

[George]

That's good. You wrote them down.

[Craig]

Though I'm impressed.

[Gordon]

Yeah, this makes sound like I'm about to go rent a place off of Ross Avenue in Dallas, Texas and start selling used cars. Save money, make budget, dress.

[Craig]

Well, what happened there?

[Gordon]

That sounded like an insult. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm sensing some subtext in what you said.

[Craig]

We had a friend who once saw you and said, is that Gordon? And we said, yeah, man looks like a ragamuffin.

[Gordon]

Why? He speaks like he's from the 1500s or something. This is my. Continue my 2003 goal list. That's the thing. I would make goals. Not resolutions, just goals. Do new things. Create a ten year career plan.

[George]

Back up, back up. Do new things. Could you put anything more generic than that? Hey, do new things. Okay, okay. I'm sorry, I'm shaming you and I.

[Gordon]

Why are you shaming?

[George]

I'm not, I'm not.

[Gordon]

I was trying to improve.

[Craig]

I want to hear more about the ten year career plan.

[Gordon]

I'm telling you, I never made one. I never made one. Although they say that is a great thing to do is to make a five year plan. A ten year plan. Like make a series of plans. Not just a one year plan, but a five year and a ten year. And some people can actually stick to that and it gives them a sense of order and direction and purpose.

[Craig]

I want to be to this level of management in three years, this level in six, and ultimately in 10.

[George]

Okay.

[Craig]

By the way, I support all of this. I support New Year's resolutions, but it's.

[Gordon]

Just fun to make fun of. Thanks, Craig.

[Craig]

Great to make fun of.

[George]

Especially ones from 2003 and 1997.

[Gordon]

2003, I wrote do voice work, which. That one.

[George]

You've done some of that?

[Gordon]

Yes, I think I did some animation voice work back in 2003 or so around that time. So I made good on that one. And then of course, there is a big project coming up on Adult Swim where I do the voice of Jerry Jones. Very mysterious with the Joneses.

[Craig]

That's very big for all of us here.

[George]

Yes.

[Craig]

On this podcast, you take no credit.

[Gordon]

You can't take any credit.

[Craig]

No, I'm not taking credit. I'm just very excited.

[George]

We're excited about it, but we still have no information about it.

[Gordon]

I like release that. Like, what is this chart? How do I watch this write every day but Sunday? It's the Lord's time.

[George]

Indeed.

[Craig]

Okay.

[Gordon]

And then got a pause for laughter after I say this one. Always be early.

[Craig]

Oh, my God. What happened there?

[George]

We can all laugh at that one. Even Gordo could laugh at that one.

[Craig]

So you didn't even start with always be on time. You started with always be early.

[George]

You thought you'd just be Nick Saban. Show up 15 minutes early, that's on time.

[Gordon]

Yeah, if I'm not 15 minutes early, I'm late.

[Craig]

Yet since writing that down in 2003, you have been chronically late to everything.

[Gordon]

Yes. Okay, and then about the idea of being self conscious for making New Year's resolutions. I think I even commented on this in my journal in 2009. January 4, 2009. I said, I do this every year and I won't stop doing it. I'm going to proclaim my intentions of doing things right and well in a new year, I will become what my fear heretofore has left unrealized. Too long I've conflated fear with self awareness, worry with thinking and attachment with love. I'm tired of desire.

[George]

Okay, that's great.

[Craig]

I'm also tired of George and Craig laughing at me.

[Gordon]

It's strange, when I went back and looked at a lot of my old list, how many of them mentioned fear? Like, I would not have predicted that. If you had asked me what my to do list or, you know, New Year's resolutions list were three years past, I would not have predicted the word fear came up so often.

[George]

Okay, well, let's talk about how this started, where Macy was saying, you were talking about that before. You have witnessed other people doing something really well and it looks easy. I think people have that view of you, man. Gordo, he's got it all figured out. He's just. He's funny all the time. He's into a lot of different things. Little do they know, unless they've heard every episode of the podcast, at how some of these things absolutely torture you. But it's.

[Gordon]

That's what I fear is that putting out the podcast basically allows someone to build a psychological dossier on each of us. Brian knows how to exploit us because they know all of our vulnerabilities.

[George]

And yet you have the capability to, you know, fix a plumbing problem or an engine problem, or you can pick up a guitar and play a few licks and people, oh, my gosh, this guy makes that look so easy.

[Gordon]

Yes, but you want to know why I'm good at so many different things? Because they're all. I learn how to fix a plumbing problem in order to not write that day. So it's always everything I get done is done because I'm avoiding doing Something else.

[Craig]

I think the fear angle element is really interesting because I've always thought that our lives are more ruled by fear than we think. And some of that is a defense mechanism. And it's understandable. We're trying to keep ourselves safe or our family safe or something like that. But we don't make so many decisions based on fear. And it's not always the fear of failure, but it's the fear of the reaction of the world around us when we fail. And I don't think that's a great way to live yet. I think that's the way most of us live. We don't want to fill in the blank decision. We don't want to do that, to take that step, to go out on that ledge, because we're afraid that if it doesn't work, everybody will laugh at us. Just like we're laughing at your New Year's resolutions.

[Gordon]

Yeah, my closest friends are laughing at me. I can't imagine what my enemies are doing.

[Craig]

Can you imagine if we could all get past that, get past the not, you know, get past the caring what other people think about our actions and our decisions and just live our life? How much freer that would feel and better that would make us feel?

[George]

Yes, I think you're exactly right on the fear topic, but I don't always think it's. We were fearful on how people will react. We're just. At least personally, I'm very fearful of the unknown. And as we approach this new year, that's one of mine. As I've had some time to think over our break, I was thinking, man, there's just so many unknowns as we get older, like the ultimate death. I think I fear that so much more now than I did 10, 15 years ago.

[Craig]

That's actually a known. I know exactly when the two of you are going to die.

[Gordon]

He's got a plan out.

[George]

That's really creepy.

[Gordon]

That's really creepy.

[George]

I'm not too worried about the reaction of people. I'm just, how's this going to work out for me? I've always looked at it as, okay, this is my job and this is what I do, and these are the kids that I'm raising. Well, now those kids are out of the house. I'm late in my career, I'm late in my life. How is this all going to work out? It's a different question now than it was when we were 28. There were still a lot of unknowns there. What are my kids going to end up like where. Where Is my career going? Do I have a career? But maybe that's that fear thing that just hangs over us until we aren't here anymore.

[Gordon]

Well, I'll go you one further. Craig talks about fear of the reaction of others. You talk about the fear of the unknown. I think I had a really, I had one that ties in with what you're talking about, Giorgio, which I think I also had a fear of success. I had a fear of failure and a fear of success because I was always scared. Well, what if I actually applied myself and got what I wanted? What is, what will happen in my life then? Well, my life becomes something that's out of control. Like I didn't like the unfamiliar of if I do something and it becomes success. I don't know how to handle that either. Not like my life was really in control when, you know, at any given point. But there was something that was equally scary to me about if things started happening fast in my life, in my career. It's just I, I was never one that, that felt really comfortable. I always like a home base. I always like the home cooked meal. I always was a. Like being at home.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And to be the person who's on the go and can just handle any new variable that comes their way, that wasn't so much me.

[Craig]

That's interesting. I bet that's rare. I think the fear of failure is very common. The fear of what others think is very common. I bet the fear of success is very rare.

[Gordon]

Really?

[Craig]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

I don't, I don't know, maybe you're probably right because I don't know many.

[Craig]

People that had that.

[George]

But.

[Gordon]

Yeah, I mean, the fear of failure, make no mistake, fear of failure is bigger. But the fear of success was always also there.

[Craig]

Like you could handle it.

[Gordon]

Yeah. Like it would throw a monkey wrench in my life and I don't trust myself to know how to handle monkey wrenches. The other thing with me, and I think that the ADD aspect figured into it, was that fear of success also tied in with the add because if I became successful, then I would get more work that I just can't do because I feel like all the work that I do is patched together and faked and I'm not competent to do it because I can't work diligently like other people seem to be able to do.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And so if, if all of a sudden, let's say that I got successful and then was given a. I don't know, I'm totally making this up. Right. But like a, you're on a show now, then you have to come up. We have to write 10 episodes of a show. Well, I can't do all that work, you know, so if. Then why write the one thing that's going to get me something that I'm going to be saddled with that I can't do and I'm going to fail at? So it's kind of the success is what leads to failure, in other words.

[Craig]

I see that.

[Gordon]

So it's still a fear of failure.

[Craig]

You've carved out a very successful radio career for 30 plus years. Has that at all eased your fear of success? Because you know you can do that. You've succeeded at a high level in one particular aspect.

[Gordon]

I'm just now finding out that the radio career has been successful.

[George]

So this is. I think it has. You're still working, so I think that's good.

[Gordon]

Get ready for the Rush with Max Crosby. It's time. Don't miss the behind the scenes moments everyone's talking about. Regardless of what they say. I'll take the fine. I don't care. All pro defensive end Max Crosby takes you beyond the field with exclusive insights. I could say this because I play them. This is the Rush. You guys already know what time it is. It was fire. And we'll be right back on the pod and we'll be talking about it next week. The Rush with Max Crosby. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You know, the radio thing's been great because it's been part of a team. I, I think that there's a tremendous loneliness. If you were the only name on a show and you were doing that like, I like working with partners. Yeah, there's something. And we've experienced that over the years as we've looked back and I think we've had some personal conversations about this recently. There's something that's been so great about being part of this three member team that when one of us is low, the other two pick up for a while. And then it's like we all balance each other out so well.

[Craig]

Yep.

[Gordon]

And it becomes much more of a bulwark and an insurance policy against the vicissitudes of life. When you have three people on a team that can balance someone out. Because we all have ups and downs in life. We all go through bad periods of time. And to know that you have two dependable partners who are going to show up every day.

[Craig]

Right.

[Gordon]

And be there and can listen to you and know when in broadcasting form, we kind of know each other's moves and can help each other shine the best we can and give each other good feed lines and, you know.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And that's been incredibly valuable.

[George]

Oh, absolutely. No, I think that's helped me. I think that's helped all of us do whatever this has been for the last 30 years or so.

[Craig]

You do write these down every year.

[Gordon]

Yeah.

[Craig]

Okay, so you've done.

[George]

That's. That's great. Yeah.

[Gordon]

You're the only one that applauded.

[George]

Well, okay. I was hoping for more support. Okay, there we go. Two guys. That's part of it, isn't it, that you're at least addressing?

[Gordon]

Yes.

[George]

Okay. I'm trying to get better at this and I'm trying to get better at that. I want to try that.

[Craig]

Even though you fail to follow through. 99.9%. It's really great.

[Gordon]

See, this is why. But this does point up. The lesson is that we're going to get to. When we start talking about our advice to others about making New Year's resolutions is that some people get self conscious writing things down and having goals, because if you write them down and you have the goals and you don't reach them, then that marks you as a failure in your own mind. Right. And then you feel bad about yourself for it. But the lesson that I would like to impart is that, no, you were a success because 70% of us didn't write anything down.

[George]

That's right.

[Gordon]

And just the fact that you try trying is such a huge part of life and living. And living a good life.

[George]

Absolutely.

[Gordon]

Even if you fail at everything you try at, if you were a trier, I think that you are the real winner in life. Yeah.

[George]

And what is it? 40% even make the resolution?

[Gordon]

30. I read 30%, but I'm sure it's.

[George]

40% somewhere in there. So at least, whether they write them down or not, at least they're trying. I've got to get better at this. Or I've. I've got to do this. It's something I've always wanted to do, to travel to that place. And 2026 is going to be the year. No, I appreciate that. I think. I think it's really good. And we've talked about this before on the podcast. I think it helps to write it down at least with me. It's probably different with a lot of people. Or put it in your laptop instead of just taking a pen to paper. I don't know.

[Gordon]

They say it's better to take pen to paper. Cognitive people.

[George]

Okay.

[Gordon]

That's kind of a placeholder term. For researchers here say that the physical act of writing something down with your own hand as opposed to typing it.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

Actually somehow reinforces it cognitively in your brain and you'll remember it more. You have more of a connection to the words that are on the paper. It's in your actual hand, you know, which is like a. Your fingerprint. So you really identify with it more. So it's probably best to actually write out a physical list if someone can still write anymore. I know so many people who don't know how to do handwriting anymore because they never do it.

[Craig]

I barely can. Writing a check a couple times a month because now all bill pays online, so I barely do that.

[Gordon]

Feels like someone going through physical therapy.

[Craig]

Yeah. Maybe writing a birthday card. And I look at what I've written, and I'm appalled.

[George]

Well, I know, and I. George has.

[Gordon]

Never had good handwriting.

[George]

No, it's always been terrible. But I found something out this Christmas break that my youngest son cannot write, and he has a hard time reading cursive.

[Gordon]

Yeah. Oh, there's a whole lot of young people can't read cursive because they didn't.

[George]

Have to learn it.

[Gordon]

So if you want to write a secret note to your spouse, just write it in cursive. Your kids can't decipher it.

[George]

I have no idea.

[Craig]

We have friends go to an elementary school. They're kids, and they are being taught cursive, and that's rare these days, but they're making them learn cursive. I think that's great. I don't know.

[George]

It'll be, like, good for our brain to learn.

[Craig]

It'll be like algebra or Latin. You'll never really use it in the.

[Gordon]

Real world, but I don't think I've seen either of your cursives. I did not know I was going to say that. It's not much better than my podcast.

[George]

My printing, it's not much better.

[Gordon]

Most guys always write in printing. They always print letters. And I notice a lot of my guy friends print all capitals, basically. Like, they don't do letters.

[Craig]

I don't do that. I've shifted away. Mine is. It's kind of like Spanglish. It's a combination of printing and cursive.

[Gordon]

That's called Spanglish to you.

[Craig]

Well, it's like a combination of Spanish and English. I'm just blending the two.

[George]

Is that a capital I in cursive?

[Gordon]

It looks like an and sign. That's an ampersand.

[Craig]

I would say that's an and.

[George]

Can you read what I just wrote.

[Craig]

I am the greatest podcaster.

[George]

No, I certainly didn't write that.

[Gordon]

Balls smell.

[George]

No. Okay. Says, I like hot dogs. You can't read that.

[Craig]

No, but what I do is start cursive, and then when I'm running out of steam, I switch to printing. So mine is a combination of cursive and printing. Like if I write somebody a birthday card, it's a combo platter.

[George]

Yeah. I think I print now because I clearly can't write cursive. How do you do the eye?

[Gordon]

Yeah. I have a hard time reading George's handwriting.

[Craig]

Yeah, so does he.

[Gordon]

So to say he.

[George]

Yeah, it's terrible. It's really bad.

[Gordon]

Combine that with failing eyesight and your handwriting and you trying to read it, that's a recipe for disaster.

[George]

You're just talking about some of my resolutions.

[Gordon]

Oh, no.

[Craig]

To improve your handwriting.

[George]

You know what? I'm gonna go now.

[Gordon]

No, no, George, come back.

[George]

No, no, it's. No. You're just laughing at everything that I wanted do.

[Gordon]

So do you really want to improve your handwriting?

[George]

No. I don't care.

[Craig]

That was an odd playlist.

[Gordon]

I've got podcast whiplash.

[George]

No, that's not one of my resolutions.

[Gordon]

What is?

[George]

I never reveal them. I can tell you about past failures, but I'd never reveal.

[Gordon]

Here's a secret.

[George]

Yeah.

[Craig]

What about past successes?

[Gordon]

There are.

[George]

I've had those. I've had a few. Had one last year. I got in better shape before I took a trip, a golf trip, and before the show, we would do the show. I would get on the stationary bike every day.

[Craig]

Okay.

[George]

So I mean, it wasn't. Obviously didn't give me that early in the morning. Yeah. I do it before I came to work just to make myself do it. And I did it for three months leading up to. And that helped me get through nine days.

[Gordon]

Yeah. You never told us that. You kept it secret.

[George]

So I kept it secret. And then now I didn't continue after I got back from Ireland so that I fail.

[Gordon]

You did it three months more than most people did.

[George]

That's right.

[Gordon]

And I think that's why it accomplished your task of getting you in shape for that trip of a lifetime that you took.

[George]

Yeah.

[Craig]

And you better shape competed in the European Order of Merit.

[George]

No, there was. We were just playing rounds. There was no competition involved in it.

[Gordon]

You misled me then.

[George]

But I think people should look at their resolutions that way. Whatever it is. Okay. I'm going to and seems like get in shape or lose weights at the top of the list every year.

[Gordon]

It's on everyone.

[George]

So if someone says, okay, I've got to lose £50 this year, and they only lose 15, and they think, gosh, that's what a failure, right?

[Gordon]

It's not a failure.

[George]

It's not. You lost £15. That's pretty good. That's really good.

[Craig]

It's a start.

[George]

But most people don't look at it that way, though.

[Gordon]

Yeah. Looking at my resolutions list, it's like starting in 2000, it was lose 15 pounds, 2001, lose 20 pounds, 30 pounds. Just watch my weight.

[George]

I know that's a tough one.

[Gordon]

That is a tough one. But, yes. And this goes back to one of the most important sayings you will ever hear. It's about progress, not perfection.

[George]

That's right.

[Gordon]

Life is about progress, not perfection. And if you are a person who's bitten by the perfectionism bug, that is one of the worst things to get over. It's a very difficult thing to get over, being a perfectionist, because you. You got to just get stuff done. You don't have to get it done perfectly. You just get stuff done. Yeah, that's the most important thing. And, yeah, you. George was the one who told me that. And it was some. Somebody you worked with that told you that. Somebody that you like.

[George]

It didn't stick with you.

[Gordon]

Yeah, stuck with me.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

I mean, it's an old saying. It wasn't. He didn't originate it, but he was the first one that I heard it from.

[George]

So. Yeah.

[Gordon]

But yeah, it's about progress, not perfection.

[George]

That's right. And I still think about that, and I think we hear so much from coaches about process, and it makes everyone kind of glaze over and roll their eyes. But that is true. There is a process to go through to succeed in something, and a lot of it is repetition. Like a football team that practices every day, they do the same things over and over again to get better, or the guitar player, the piano player. And it's the process that I think people get tired of after three days, three weeks, whatever it is. And that's part of it. You've got to be a part of that process for a while. And that's where I have failed. When I have succeeded, it's because I followed that plan of this is a process, and you're not getting much better from day to day. But if you did this for six months or seven months, 21 days to create a habit, it will make a difference.

[Gordon]

And it's not just where you fail, George. This is where everybody fails is. Or everybody falters is because they don't. They. They're so focused on the goal that they're not paying attention to the journey of it, which the journey of it is everything. The journey is, of course, another way of saying process or another way of saying habit. It's the thing that you do every day. You know that really. And that this is the primary advice is that is that you need to adopt not goals, you need to adopt habits. Try to create habits that lead to those goals.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And if you do that, then it gets very difficult to fail. Because every great novel, you know, the person who sat down didn't sit down and write a great novel. They sat down and wrote a word, and then they wrote a word after that. This is similar to eating a mountain.

[George]

Right.

[Gordon]

You have to just do the process of it in order to get to that end point. And so maybe your goal shouldn't be lose 50 pounds. It's I'm going to eat. My goal is to eat right today.

[Craig]

That's it.

[Gordon]

That's all I'm going to think about. Because if I start looking at how far down the road I have to go to get to that goal, you're going to lose heart.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

But if you look and say, look, I only have to get six more hours of eating well in order to accomplish my goal, which is to eat well today, then it becomes much more manageable.

[George]

Stacking days.

[Gordon]

Stacking days. Embracing the process, creating habits. And there is different research on how long does it take to create a habit? Because once you create a habit, then you go on autopilot. That's the other magical thing about this. As hard as it is to establish a habit, it's become so that much easier once you have the habit to keep going. Yeah. Because inertia and momentum is everything.

[Craig]

And the more you do something, the easier it gets. Therefore it becomes more enjoyable. And it's not drudgery.

[Gordon]

Right.

[Craig]

Isn't it funny that the simple flipping of a calendar causes everybody to make these resolutions?

[Gordon]

This made up flipping of a calendar.

[George]

It's a natural reset. It's a new year. Just push the reset button.

[Gordon]

I know. It's a psychological reset. Becomes a time we all can reassess what's going well and what's not going well. And is this the way I want my life to go for forever and ever, or can I make a few adjustments here at halftime?

[George]

Do you have numbers on. Is it more successful to come up with a resolution on May 15 instead of January 1? If you don't have clarity that's the.

[Gordon]

Other thing is that I think that there is something to be said for the new year and starting when everyone has a sense of renewed purpose. But you don't have to let January 1st be your new year. There could be people who are listening to this on May 15th. Let that be your new year. Let this be your new year when you're hearing this and you can start again right then, your new year, you can go by fiscal year, that confusing term.

[George]

When is that again?

[Gordon]

I never quite understood.

[Craig]

You know, that's why I think I don't make New Year's resolutions, because I have a tendency to decide things throughout the year, like this is when I'm going to make this a goal or that a goal, because I enjoy that kind of stuff. I enjoy the pursuit, and so I don't need the January 1st calendar flip. The one time that I did make a New Year's resolution, a pretty firm one, I even talked about it on our radio show, was this is probably seven, seven or eight years ago, and I decided to read a book a month, and that was my stated New Year's resolution. And I did that for a few years until our daughter was born. And then I didn't for a few years because that took all my time.

[Gordon]

But then you're reading a book a night then, weren't you? Good night, man. Good night.

[George]

That's a great book.

[Gordon]

Jumping over the moon.

[George]

Love that. Don't discount that book.

[Craig]

But then a couple of years ago, once those first couple of years were. Were over, I got back to it and that's the best resolution that I've ever made of the few that I've made and maybe the one that really stuck. I love that. And it's made me read a book a month, and it's just helped me because I've gone into these areas that I wouldn't even think about reading. But because I was public about it on our radio show, people have sent me books or they've sent me suggestions, and I love it now. And I. I always had to force myself to read. I never really loved it. And I think that's one reason I made that resolution. And some of our friends, they read 50 books a month. I can't do that. It's hard for me to read one a month because I read them at night before I go to bed, and sometimes I'm two pages in and I fall asleep. But I love pushing myself to read because it's broadened my horizons.

[George]

Sure.

[Craig]

It just feels good to finish a book. And one a month is a good pace for me. So that's the best resolution that I've ever made of the few that I've made. And I know I've stuck with that.

[Gordon]

Boy, I used to read all the time, and now it's pathetic. I do the maybe one paragraph, two sentences right before I go to bed and fall asleep. And it's. And you're right. I'm going to put that on my list. Junior, read a book a month this year. What do you think about that?

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And look. Writing it down.

[George]

He's writing it down.

[Gordon]

Down in cursive that I can't quite read.

[Craig]

But.

[Gordon]

But yeah, because I think that when you read, your brain doesn't turn to mush so quickly.

[Craig]

Right?

[Gordon]

Yeah.

[George]

Isn't making a resolution in a lot of ways you're prioritizing. Because all these things are time. Whether it's right workout or reading or spending more time with friends or family. Are we really just trying to allocate our time for the upcoming year?

[Gordon]

Sure.

[George]

This is what I'm going to spend my time on. This is what I'm going to prioritize.

[Craig]

My time, which is good. That's all we have. Time is all we have. Might as well make the best of it.

[George]

Yeah.

[Craig]

Can I borrow a piece of this paper?

[Gordon]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Craig]

I'm going to try my cursive.

[Gordon]

Okay. Let's see what Craig comes up with. Okay.

[George]

Try to make it capitalize.

[Craig]

I can't even start with I forgot how to.

[George]

I think I figured it out.

[Gordon]

George's balls. No, don't. Weird. Okay. Okay. Look at that. That's. That's intelligible. Okay, that's.

[Craig]

But that's a combination.

[Gordon]

Happy New Year.

[Craig]

Yeah, but my capitals are not curses.

[Gordon]

Yeah, your capitals are.

[Craig]

I couldn't. I tried to do a cursive H and I couldn't. I don't know how I've forgotten.

[Gordon]

I write in nothing but cursive. I don't know. Ten years ago I decided, you know what? I'm going to get better at handwriting. And so I started writing in cursive. And now that's. That's all I'll write in. It's so much faster cursive once you're practiced at it. I mean, when I first started doing cursive again, it was painfully slow.

[George]

Yeah.

[Craig]

Okay. So I just tried to write as fast as I could. Cursive.

[Gordon]

George's balls smell.

[George]

Okay, let's focus on that. Does that say Happy Birthday to everyone? I know.

[Craig]

Okay.

[George]

Everyone was confusing. But yeah.

[Craig]

Okay. I can still do that, though. Yeah.

[George]

Prime's exclusive wild card playoff game is Saturday night. Jordan Love and the packers take on Caleb Williams in the bench. Not a Prime member.

[Gordon]

Sign up for a 30 day free.

[George]

Trial to stream the game. That's going to be caught for the touchdown. NFC north rival square off in the latest chapter of the NFL's oldest feud, the packers and Bears. And Prime's exclusive wild card playoff game Saturday at 7:30pm Eastern.

[Gordon]

Only on Prime.

[George]

Sign up for a 30 day free trial today.

[Gordon]

Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details. So here's the research I have in front of us. 2024 Pew Research Survey. Why did they never change the name of that research company they love?

[George]

Jethro Pugh.

[Craig]

Should have changed it to Stink Research Company.

[Gordon]

No, they shouldn't. It says 30% of U.S. adults make at least, at least not egg least one New Year's resolution. Resolutions usually revolve around health goals, such as exercising more often or even healthier, reaching personal financial milestones or addressing interpersonal relationships. But it says the biggest downfall for people is because they get impatient. Because healthy habits don't yield immediate results, whereas unhealthy habits yield immediate results.

[George]

And we're getting more and more impatient.

[Gordon]

I know it. Yes. Now, we can't sit at a traffic light without having to. Oh, let's get on. Let me program my entertainment schedule here for this next two minutes by watching some reels on Instagram. But yes, and if you are reluctant to set New Year's resolutions because of previous attempts have failed, do not be discouraged. Here are their five tips. Is according to Psychology Today. Okay, so this is not yesterday. This is not a year ago. This is the current psychology. Set the bar low. Set your low bar for expectations.

[George]

Okay.

[Gordon]

And that's like what I was saying.

[George]

I've done that too much and said it way too high.

[Gordon]

Yeah, don't set it high. And, and set it. Like I said, do the I'm gonna eat well today. Don't do I'm gonna, I'm gonna eat well for the next 365 days and I'm gonna lose £50.

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

And then on day two, when you've already screwed that up, you go, well, I've already ruined my resolution. I said 365 days.

[George]

That's the thing, too. Once you. Just because you have a setback doesn't mean the whole thing's over.

[Gordon]

Right.

[George]

I've been really bad.

[Gordon]

I'm real guilty of that, too. As soon as I mess up it's like, oh, screw, I messed it up and everything. So, yeah, set your expectation bar low. Be patient with yourself because it takes time and you have to sometimes fine tune your resolutions to get it right. You know, if you find that your eating schedule is not realistic or your workout schedule is not realistic, then you can adjust it. No, don't strive for perfection. We've said it here before and you got to kill that all or nothing attitude that you have in yourself if you have it. And number four is something else that you have to kill, which is your inner critic. You've got to give yourself grace in this. So if you have an inner critic that is just constantly doing a monologue in your head, just running you down.

[George]

I think you have a big critic in your head.

[Gordon]

Oh my gosh. I have the biggest self critic that just lives with me, constantly chirping at me everything I do. Oh, you think that's making a sandwich? That's stupid. You're dumb. God, look at your hands. They look weird.

[Craig]

Why is that?

[Gordon]

I don't know. I don't know.

[Craig]

Your parents weren't like that. They seemed very supportive.

[Gordon]

No, they weren't that way.

[Craig]

Like, I know people who had non supportive parents and they developed that mindset. But where did you get yours?

[Gordon]

I was just born with a harsh judge inside my head.

[George]

Start celebrating your sandwiches. That's what you should do.

[Gordon]

Thank you, George. That is the worst New Year's resolution ever.

[George]

I think it's just advice. It's not a resolution.

[Gordon]

Start celebrating your sandwiches.

[George]

Yes, it's a creation.

[Gordon]

And number five is one that I've never done because I've always been too scared to do it. I think this is a little controversial. Have an accountability buddy.

[George]

He wants to take that on.

[Gordon]

I know.

[George]

Plus, you gotta.

[Gordon]

Someone you gotta call up at the end of every day saying, yeah, I failed again. Hey, I'm about two beers in.

[Craig]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

On my sober Monday.

[Craig]

I was gonna say that's very AA to have an accountability buddy.

[George]

Yeah, you know what? I don't know if that works for everybody. Some people, maybe it will keep them on track, but with some people, I think it's. It's almost like the inner critic that's too tough on them and then they start, you know, being tough on themselves.

[Gordon]

Yeah, I think I've ghosted every accountability buddy I've ever had.

[George]

Change your numbers so they can't get over.

[Gordon]

Move to a different town. Get away from my accountability buddy. Like, what happened? We were like best friends. Just don't worry about it.

[George]

What are you running from? Accountability buddy. It's driving me nuts.

[Gordon]

I'm the only guy that tried to join the witness relocation program just to get away from an accountability buddy. No, I. I've never really done this. I've never done the accountability buddy. And. And I. I don't know if that's good or bad. I know that. My psychology is I always liked doing things in private, whether it was. Yeah, me too. Like quitting drinking. I. When I first started quitting drinking, I didn't tell anyone about it. It's like, I didn't want to jinx it. I was just gonna do it myself, and I just. But other people are motivated the exact opposite way. It's like they know if they do make a. I say a production out of it, that sounds judgmental. I don't mean it that way. If they do make a proclamation. Proclamation about it. Right. Anyway, don't get distracted. Private joke there.

[George]

Anyway, he listens to the podcast, so keep going.

[Gordon]

All right, all right. So anyway, if you make a proclamation about it, that motivates some people. People like that keeps them on the right track. And with me, it always felt like it was the opposite. It would. It would just cause more problems than it solved by making a proclamation. So I would always like to do things privately until I built up enough days of doing something before I would talk about it.

[Craig]

Yeah, yeah, I'm that way, too. I do know a lot of people when it comes to the health and fitness or weight loss resolution, they need that accountability partner, and they get it in the form of a trainer, a personal trainer, and that's basically an accountability partner. Okay, I'm meeting you at the gym these three days at 9am and otherwise, if they don't have that, they wouldn't go.

[Gordon]

So I have a little story about someone I know who joined a gym gym and started paying on this gym membership, and they kept kind of bumping up the prices. The person would never go to the gym, never go. And I always, you know, say to them, you know, why cancel this? Why are you doing this? You complain about money and everything, and so why not cancel the gym membership that has gotten up to a ridiculous amount every month. I think it's like over a hundred bucks for this gym, some exclusive joint. I don't know. I don't even know how much gyms cost these days. See how much I've looked into. No, no, I'm gonna get back. I'm gonna get back. Going to get back. There it is 15 years later. They are still Paying on the gym. And they have not been there in probably 13 years.

[George]

Whoa.

[Craig]

But they know that if they were to cancel it, then there is no way they're working out. And as long as they pay, they feel.

[Gordon]

They feel like their monthly payment is their accountability buddy here. That's going to somehow shame them into going. But clearly in this case that's not working. So you got to examine what's working for you and what's not. And maybe what's not working for me on some area of self improvement I want to do is not having an accountability buddy. So maybe this is the year I should try Psychology Today's fifth tip, which is get an accountability buddy.

[George]

Do you think you go in too many directions? Do you think we all go in too many directions that we ought to focus on like pick three kind of thing? Three or four? Yeah.

[Gordon]

Yeah.

[Craig]

With our resolutions, like we make too many.

[George]

Yeah. Resolutions are just anything. And I don't. I'm not picking on you, but you are good at a lot of different things because you. Oh, yeah. I've never done that before. Let me figure out how that works.

[Craig]

Like you.

[George]

I think you go in like 50 directions at once. Yeah, sometimes.

[Gordon]

I know. And this is going to be depressing and sad, but I've noticed in the past year and a half or so I've started doing the. Yeah. I don't know that I have enough life left to really become a master mechanic or a puppeteer or whatever it is that I'm starting to think about getting into.

[George]

Really?

[Gordon]

Yeah. I've started doing some calculations.

[George]

Okay. Well, I'm glad you've had it. Well, I'm not glad, but see, that's what I was talking about earlier. You start thinking about things like that.

[Gordon]

How many master mechanics are puppeteers, by the way? Is this an unusual combination?

[Craig]

I actually had puppeteer on my New Year's resolution.

[Gordon]

There's no way. There's no way. Do you know any puppeteers?

[Craig]

I've put on puppet shows for my daughter. We've got three or four puppets at home.

[Gordon]

I'm talking about more professional puppeteers.

[Craig]

No, I don't know any.

[George]

No, I don't. I'd gladly be one. I think it's a great gig.

[Gordon]

You would be a puppeteer.

[George]

Oh, yeah.

[Craig]

No, I think that's a beating after a while. I think you'd be really beaten.

[Gordon]

You're always standing below the stage with.

[Craig]

Your arm above your head doing some fake voice.

[Gordon]

Unstable. And every, every puppet has to play guitar left handed because that's the way they only work one of the hands.

[George]

That is true.

[Gordon]

Yeah. That always drove me nuts. I'm like, I don't understand this. What percentage of puppets are left handed that are musicians? It's all. It's 100% of puppets because most of the puppeteers are right handed.

[George]

We learn something new with every podcast. I never realized that.

[Gordon]

You didn't realize Kermit plays left handed banjo. Yeah.

[George]

How many left handed banjo players? You know one. Kermit.

[Gordon]

Kermit the Frog. Who sounds like Patrick Mahomes.

[George]

He does. He does a little bit. Yeah.

[Gordon]

A little bit. Yeah. So I, I've. I've had to edit down, you know, some of my life moving in a million different directions thing, which is good. You know, we should focus, right?

[George]

Yeah.

[Gordon]

Pick the things that are most important to you and focus on those things.

[George]

It was good. You dropped the used car lot. That would have been a poor use of your.

[Gordon]

Really? I have no idea. Can you imagine if I was still to this day saddled with a used car lot that I started in 2003 and can't get out of ours?

[Craig]

You'd end up just taking them all home because you like a big collection of old beaters.

[Gordon]

I do love old beaters. If I had my druthers, I would love to have like a Jay Leno type garage where I have 200 cars. Now, unlike Jay Leno, all my cars would be like, I don't know, junkers. Yeah, well, they'd all be, you know, 500 to $2,000. Like a high end would be a $2,000 car.

[George]

They'd all backfire when you started them up.

[Gordon]

It keeps me humble, George.

[George]

Okay, you got me there.

[Gordon]

The car I drive is a 2004. I think I talked about this on one of our last podcasts and since then there's been an update, I believe. Have I updated the podcast?

[George]

I just know you bought one.

[Gordon]

Yeah, so I finally went out and bought a 2004 Buick Park Avenue. An old Buick. I finally got one, so congrats. And yeah, I drove it here today. It's fine. Fine. I'm saving so much money. Oh, you guys are so jealous.

[Craig]

Except for the repairs that are coming.

[George]

Very soon and the tow. You're gonna need some sometime the next couple of weeks.

[Gordon]

And it's a gas guzzler and pod. Listeners will know there's that one car that's in the shop all the time because it's draining into the floorboards and all that. It's still in the shop right now the whole holiday Two months. I know. It's been in the shop for like a month.

[Craig]

Why don't you make that your New Year's resolution to get that out of the shop and in working order?

[Gordon]

They called me up and it's like another grand to fix it.

[George]

And what do you say?

[Gordon]

I swear, every time I think it's, every time rent is due over there at that fix it place, they say, yeah, you need another grand and repairs.

[Craig]

Sorry, I just bought an 84 Park Avenue. I can't do that.

[Gordon]

I'm telling you, man, that car is like the ship of Theseus right now. It's had every part replaced on it.

[George]

They can't fix it.

[Gordon]

All right, so New Year's resolutions, we don't have any specific, but we have New Year's resolutions of the heart intentions. We have, we have orientations towards change, self improvement. We're going to try and that's what we encourage HP1 to do. And by the way, if you want to be a candidate for the POD listener of the week, the letter of the week, you can email us at the Musers gmail. No, the Musers podcast.

[Craig]

No. The musers pod.

[Gordon]

The musersgov.

[Craig]

What? Themuserspodmail.com Hornymuser, yoohoo themuserspodmail.com hey, real quick. I wrote cursive. Check this out. What do you think of that? Is that pretty?

[Gordon]

Okay. See? Says George's balls smell like donkey's balls.

[George]

I work with two morons.

[Craig]

I'm just practicing my curse.

[Gordon]

Yeah, why are you getting on to him? He's trying to improve himself. Practicing cursing. No, he's not. That's all he's doing.

[George]

He doesn't care.

[Gordon]

All right?

[George]

He's giving up.

[Gordon]

Thanks to our producer, Peter Welton, who's producing the hell out of this thing. Thank you so much for that. And thank you to you, dear listener. We're going to have a great 2026. And thanks for being here on the Muser's pod. The Musers, the podcast. Now I'm Patrick Mahomes.

[George]

Like Patrick Mahomes playing banjo left handed.

[Gordon]

The end. Thanks for listening. Don't forget, there's an entire back catalog of episodes you can catch up on if you've not yet done so. Also, you can submit your email. Don't listen to Gordo. The correct email address is themuserspodmail.com New episodes each and every Wednesday. The Musers the podcast is a tired head production.

[George]

Hey, I'm Chris Van Fleet, host of.

[Gordon]

The number one podcast Insight with Chris Van Fleet. On the show, I sit down with.

[Craig]

The biggest names in pro wrestling, sports, film and beyond.

[George]

These are real long form conversations that.

[Craig]

Go behind the scenes and beyond the headlines. With people like John Cena, the Undertaker, Cody Rhodes and more. We talk mindset, motivation and what it takes to succeed. This is Insight with Chris Family.

[Gordon]

Follow and listen on your favorite platform.