Podcast Summary: What Are You Made Of? Host: Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
Guest: Eric Zimmer
Episode Title: How Small Changes Create Big Transformation
Release Date: February 9, 2026

Overview

In this episode, C-Roc sits down with Eric Zimmer—podcast host, coach, and author—to explore the transformative power of small changes in the journey of personal development and recovery. The conversation delves into Eric’s own tumultuous past with addiction, his philosophy on lasting change, the creation of his new book, and the practicalities of building a life and business rooted in intention and meaning.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are You Made Of? (00:43)

• Eric's Perspective:
  • Eric views himself as "made up of all the experiences that I've had, all the people I've learned from, good and bad, the conditioning that I grew up with" (00:43).
  • Emphasizes intentionality: "I can still be very intentional about what parts of that makeup I want to encourage" (01:10).

2. Mission and Current Projects (01:49)

• Eric’s primary focus is his new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life, which distills his experience into a practical guide for positive transformation.
  • "The heart of what I teach I wanted to make accessible for really anyone" (02:08).
• Discusses the long journey—12 years of podcasting and coaching—before feeling ready to write the book (02:47–04:00).

3. Recovery & Addiction Story (05:17)

• Early Substance Use:
  • Began experimenting with alcohol and drugs as a teenager.
  • Notable self-awareness: “I reacted very strangely to them from the beginning … that’s just not normal, like, second time you ever drink behavior” (05:17).
• Descent into Addiction:
  • Substance use escalated from alcohol to marijuana, psychedelics, and eventually heroin.
  • "Lost is probably an understatement for where I was" (05:17).
  • Pivotal band practice moment: "They seemed higher than me. At band practice. I'm like, what are these people on? ... And someone said, do you want to try it? And I was like, sure. And off it went from there" (07:01–07:10).
• Awareness & Struggle:
  • Eric recognized early on that his behavior set him apart: “There just seemed to be a difference in the way that we were using substances … for me, it felt, I don’t know, there was a desperation in me, I think, that I … not everybody else had” (08:13).
  • Attempted and failed to quit multiple times over nine years.

4. Changing Behavior: The Power of Small Steps (09:54)

• Key Insight: Change as a skill to be learned
  • "Learning to change anything is a skill. ... That’s what this book is about. It’s about teaching those skills" (09:54).
  • Emphasizes keeping commitments to oneself as the bedrock of trust and sustained change.
  • "We have to make it small, right? So that we can do it. But when we do it, we feel better about ourselves … it’s an upward spiral in the right direction" (11:01).
• Overcoming Overwhelm:
  • Eric and C-Roc agree that focusing on the enormity of change is counterproductive; instead, chip away with manageable steps.

5. The Critical Low Point & Recovery (12:33)

• Recounts the catalyst for real change:
  • Homeless, physically ill, with serious legal trouble: “I had been arrested, I’d been charged with five grand felonies. I was jaundiced with hepatitis C. I weighed 100 pounds. I had been living in the back of a van and that van had just gotten taken away” (12:45).
  • Admits to facing a desperate lack of options that pushed him into detox and eventually a successful diversion program, avoiding prison.
  • “That turned out to be fairly motivating in my case” (13:42).

6. Root Causes & Early Influences (15:20)

• Eric is wary of assigning a "tidy narrative" to addiction but recognizes:
  • Both parents were depressed; volatile home environment.
  • “I think I was a sensitive kid … I think I had learned to numb myself really, really well. … Drugs … connected me to the world. ... Over time … it started to be a little bit about escaping that shame” (15:20–16:29).

7. Identity, Recovery, and 12-Step Programs (17:42)

• On the ‘alcoholic’ label in AA:
  • Grateful for the effectiveness and community of 12 Step programs.
  • “Labels and identities should be carried when they’re useful and set down when they’re not. … For a long time, alcoholic felt fine for me. I eventually moved away … because a lot of people, when they said alcoholic, they meant more than a person who should not drink alcohol.... I’m no different than anybody else. Right. We all have things we wrestle with." (17:45–20:32)

8. Life After Addiction: Career Path (20:49)

• Post-recovery, Eric’s career trajectory:
  • Started in the restaurant industry; transitioned into tech at CompuServe, then a career in software.
  • “I worked really hard and I got promoted and I worked harder again.… that’s really where all my career was until I started doing this full time” (20:49).
• Transition to entrepreneurship, podcasting, coaching:
  • Early podcasting (since 2014) was an experiment for personal growth, not a business plan (21:50).
  • Took five and a half years to become a full-time endeavor, with coaching and sponsorships providing initial revenue (23:04–25:48).

9. Coaching Philosophy & Ideal Clients (25:53)

• Prefers “behavioral coach” over “life coach”—focuses on making concrete changes in people's lives.
  • “People would want something to be different in their lives and they were having trouble doing it. ... I really focused on that: how do people change?” (25:53)
• Current focus: entrepreneurs and business owners seeking to have their business serve their life, not the other way around (27:06).
• On balance: “I’m the sort of person who’s going to work with me as somebody who is interested in having a meaningful, happy, productive life, not just crushing it in business” (28:10).

10. Looking Forward: The Next Chapter (29:35)

• Excited to pursue more speaking engagements and continue writing.
  • “I just love speaking. I don’t know why. It’s just the place that I feel happy.… that’s my real hope, is to do more speaking” (29:35–30:27).

Notable Quotes

• On intentional self-construction:
  “I am made up of all the experiences that I’ve had, all the people I’ve learned from, good and bad, the conditioning that I grew up with. ... I can still be very intentional about what parts of that makeup I want to encourage.” — Eric Zimmer (00:43)

• On the power of small steps:
  “That’s why I call the book How a Little Becomes a Lot. ... When we do [the small thing], we feel better about ourselves, and [then] we can do more … It’s an upward spiral in the right direction.” — Eric Zimmer (11:01)

• On overcoming rock bottom:
  “I was jaundiced with hepatitis C. I weighed 100 pounds. I had been living in the back of a van and that van had just gotten taken away. ... I just saw like I was going to die or go to jail really soon.” — Eric Zimmer (12:45)

• On personal labels:
  “Labels and identities should be carried when they’re useful and set down when they’re not. ... For a long time, ‘alcoholic’ felt fine for me. ... But I’m no different than anybody else. ... We all have things we wrestle with.” — Eric Zimmer (17:45–20:32)

• On building a life in alignment:
  “I prioritized a quality of life over … money. And I get to make that choice. ... Little by little I kept working and getting closer and closer. And then the day came.” — Eric Zimmer (23:36–24:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:43 – “What are you made of?” question and Eric’s philosophy
• 02:34 – Introduction of Eric’s new book
• 05:17 – Eric’s backstory: descent into addiction
• 09:54 – Change as a skill; learning to trust oneself
• 12:33 – Details of Eric’s rock bottom and critical turning point
• 15:20 – Discussion of childhood influences and root causes
• 17:42 – Discussion of recovery identity and 12-step programs
• 20:49 – Transition from recovery to business/career
• 23:04 – From podcasting to coaching and entrepreneurship
• 27:06 – Ideal clients and philosophy on work-life balance
• 29:35 – Aspirations: speaking, writing, and further impact

Memorable Moments

• Eric’s reflection on how “doing what you say you’ll do” is key to change resonates throughout the conversation.
• Honesty about how he needed intervention and support systems, and that meaningful change can and should be approached incrementally.
• Realistic discussion about labels—both their usefulness and their limits as people grow beyond their pasts.
• Encouragement for listeners to “chip away” at overwhelming tasks with small, achievable steps.

Where to Find Eric Zimmer

• Website: oneyoufeed.net (30:53)

This episode offers hope, empathy, and practical tools for anyone facing personal transformation—especially those wrestling with big changes, addiction, or self-doubt. Eric’s story and expertise provide both inspiration and a tangible roadmap for how a little really can become a lot.