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The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

421. Fitness, Motivation, Mentorship, and Life's Calling | Derek (More Plates More Dates)

Thu Feb 08 2024
social mediacallingwritingmentorsinterestscommunication skillsaudience feedbackmedical oversighthealthcare

Description

This episode features Derek, a social media influencer who shares his journey to success and discusses men's mental and physical health. The podcast explores topics such as search engine algorithms, finding a calling, the interplay of calling and desire for attractiveness, writing as a means of sharing information, seeking mentors, the evolution of interests and priorities, the importance of articulation and communication skills, the power of audience feedback, and providing medical oversight through Maric Health.

Insights

Success in social media can open up opportunities in the marketplace

Derek's success as a social media influencer led to new opportunities beyond social media.

The voice of calling pushes individuals to leave their comfort zones

The desire to be attractive to women is a major motivator for men

Writing is a challenging endeavor but can be fulfilling

Writing allows for formalization of thoughts and deeper thinking

Finding mentors and building relationships is crucial for personal growth

Offering something of value and demonstrating competence can increase the likelihood of being given opportunities

The evolution of interests and priorities shapes personal growth

Initial focus on physical appearance can lead to a deeper interest in health and performance

Articulation and communication skills are important for success

Being articulate is seen as a sign of general competence and attractiveness

Paying attention to audience feedback is crucial for content creators

Transitioning from writing to video content can accelerate growth on platforms like YouTube

Providing medical oversight based on scientific literature is valuable

Maric Health offers medical oversight based on cutting-edge literature for preventative healthcare

Maximizing efficiency and quality in healthcare is a goal

The speaker aims to raise awareness and provide education in the field of health enhancement

Chapters

  1. Derek's Journey to Social Media Success
  2. Discovering a Calling and Pursuing a Different Path
  3. The Interplay of Calling and Desire for Attractiveness
  4. Writing as a Means of Sharing Information
  5. From Weakness to Fitness Goals
  6. Seeking Mentors and Building Relationships
  7. The Evolution of Interests and Priorities
  8. The Importance of Articulation and Communication Skills
  9. The Power of Audience Feedback
  10. From Interest to Providing Medical Oversight
  11. Maric Health: Preventative Medicine and Optimization
  12. Maximizing Efficiency and Quality in Healthcare
Summary
Transcript

Derek's Journey to Social Media Success

00:03 - 07:43

  • Derek is a social media influencer and runs a famous YouTube channel called "More Plates More Dates". He transformed himself and became successful starting in 2016.
  • Derek started as a blogger and then transitioned into a YouTube career. His success in social media opened up opportunities for him in the marketplace.
  • Derek discusses men's mental and physical health, including performance, fitness, motivation, enthusiasm, and confidence.
  • He flew in from Vancouver for the interview.
  • Derek began his journey by writing blog articles about his fitness journey while injured from bouncing downtown. His blog evolved into popularity, especially his YouTube channel which started in March 2016.
  • Victor Pride, a trusted authority in the niche, advised Derek to publish everywhere and replicate successful paths. Derek found efficiency in YouTube compared to writing articles. He was motivated to publish on every medium to get more eyeballs on his content.
  • Bloggers who only focused on written articles have been phased out of relevancy due to changes in online communication environment and search engine algorithms.

Discovering a Calling and Pursuing a Different Path

07:22 - 14:36

  • The speaker discusses how search engine algorithms have become more opaque and difficult to identify, allowing unethical practices such as ranking for terms without expertise. They mention the challenge of staying ahead of malevolent individuals who exploit these algorithms.
  • The speaker explains that they pursued a business administration degree without a clear career path in mind. They had entrepreneurial tendencies but lacked knowledge on how to start a business.
  • The speaker stumbled upon publishing online through someone who was popular on YouTube and became their business partner. They reflect on their ambition as a teenager and feeling like something was missing in their life, leading them to pursue a different path.
  • They discuss the concept of a calling or an independent spirit that guides people towards certain interests or paths, which may be beyond their control.

The Interplay of Calling and Desire for Attractiveness

14:12 - 21:14

  • The podcast discusses the interplay of two guiding forces in traditional stories: calling and the desire to be attractive to women. The voice of calling pushes individuals to leave their comfort zones and embark on challenging adventures, even if it leads to catastrophe.
  • The desire to be attractive to women is a major motivator for men, as it is linked to socioeconomic success and the sharing of responsibilities. Society often tries to suppress the voice of calling, but some individuals are able to preserve it.
  • The podcast highlights a personal story where a catastrophe provided an opportunity for self-reflection and the pursuit of new interests. The guest turned to writing during this time due to his passion for researching topics like supplementation, human biology, and performance enhancements.
  • Mentoring others and guiding them on a pathway of improvement can be deeply fulfilling, similar to the instinct for fatherhood.
  • Writing is a challenging endeavor, but the guest's strong interest in his chosen topics likely contributed to his facility for it.

Writing as a Means of Sharing Information

20:48 - 28:10

  • The speaker discusses how their interest in writing and content creation was influenced by their fascination with topics that others were pursuing. They admit that their writing skills were not initially great, but they improved over time through practice and learning from mentors.
  • The speaker's business partner funded their entrepreneurial endeavors through blog articles and product recommendations. Overcoming psychological obstacles such as self-doubt and lack of knowledge was necessary for the speaker to develop a regular writing habit.
  • The style of writing for SEO purposes on WordPress blogs differed from academic English, with a focus on keywords and reader-friendly formatting. The speaker was conscious of the relationship between their writing and its online distribution, considering factors like time investment and readership.
  • Having a mentor who had achieved success with a WordPress blog inspired the speaker to pursue writing as a valuable means of sharing information. Technological challenges were faced when starting a WordPress blog, requiring coding knowledge to customize the appearance of the site.
  • Content mills, which prioritize quantity over quality, are criticized for polluting the informational environment online. AI is expected to exacerbate this issue.
  • The importance of finding a balance between artistic integrity and accessibility to effectively communicate one's work is emphasized.

From Weakness to Fitness Goals

34:22 - 41:07

  • The speaker discusses his transformation story from being physically weak to achieving fitness goals.
  • They started weightlifting around the age of 17, influenced by friends who were already in the gym. Being younger than their peers due to skipping a grade put them at a disadvantage in sports participation.
  • Positive peer pressure played a significant role in motivating them to start weightlifting. They became addicted to the results and enjoyed the process of weightlifting as it became integrated into their life.
  • Their positive experience led them to write about what they had learned and share their knowledge online. Even if someone doesn't know everything or is still learning, sharing their current knowledge can be valuable for others who are in a similar stage of development.
  • Having mentors within reach of achievable goals can be more beneficial than idolizing high achievers who are far beyond one's current capabilities.
  • Following someone's education journey in real time can provide insights and inspiration for personal growth.

Seeking Mentors and Building Relationships

47:14 - 54:29

  • Acton Academy is a school that helps young people develop self-motivation and business skills. One exercise at Acton Academy involves writing a letter to someone in a domain of business they are interested in, explaining why a mentoring relationship would be useful.
  • When seeking mentors, it is important to offer something of value in return. Demonstrating existing content or projects related to the mentor's field can help establish credibility and make the mentor more likely to engage.
  • To stand out when reaching out to potential mentors, it is advisable to offer something of value or show insights from their content rather than just asking for time or assistance.
  • Developing relationships with professors in university is crucial for proper mentorship and guidance. It is necessary to be cautious when choosing who to work with, as one bad apple can have a negative impact on the entire experience.
  • Providing solutions or research on problems presented by potential mentors can demonstrate competence and increase the likelihood of being given opportunities.

The Evolution of Interests and Priorities

54:06 - 1:01:01

  • The podcast discusses the evolution of interests and priorities as one grows older. The host mentions that the initial focus on physical appearance and attracting women can lead to a deeper interest in health and performance.
  • Symmetry is considered an indicator of biological health and attractiveness in humans, similar to butterflies' ability to detect symmetry deviations. Sexual selection plays a significant role in determining beauty and drives evolution.
  • Conversations with attractive women can improve cognitive function and communication skills. Physical exercise is emphasized as a way to sustain and develop cognitive function.
  • The ability to articulate thoughts is highly attractive to women, similar to the charisma displayed by poets and musicians.

The Importance of Articulation and Communication Skills

1:00:39 - 1:07:53

  • Young men are not taught the importance of being articulate and intelligent to attract women. The ability to be articulate is seen as a sign of general competence and attractiveness.
  • Russell Brand and rappers like Ben Shapiro demonstrate charisma through their articulation. Writing helped improve verbal articulation and communication skills for YouTube videos.
  • Writing allowed for formalization of thoughts and deeper thinking, while video provided a more intimate connection with viewers. Writing helped identify valuable content and understand audience interests, while video required more focus on articulation.
  • Before speaking or writing, it is important to have a problem or question in mind that the content will address. Market testing through writing allowed for feedback from the audience to shape content creation.
  • Paying attention to audience feedback helps in understanding what they want and adjusting content accordingly.

The Power of Audience Feedback

1:07:24 - 1:14:05

  • The podcast guest discusses the importance of paying attention to audience feedback and using it to pivot in a different direction if necessary.
  • Transitioning from writing to video content was the catalyst for the guest's accelerated growth on YouTube. The guest realized that increasing the frequency of content output was crucial for gaining more influence over time.
  • The videos were around 20 minutes long on average, addressing specific topics and providing detailed information. Initially, the guest focused on standard fitness questions but later expanded to cover various topics related to self-improvement and optimization.
  • The guest identified with their target audience by addressing questions they had recently asked themselves, appealing to a demographic similar to their younger self.
  • Genuine interest and expertise in a specific topic helped gather an audience aligned with the guest's interests rather than someone else's.
  • The podcast host emphasizes the importance of aligning one's motivations and interests when working with others or pursuing personal goals.
  • The guest mentions that his initial motivation was driven by wanting women to like him, which served as a disciplinary strategy for personal growth.
  • Online dating provides quick feedback on one's appeal or lack thereof, leading individuals to either face reality or develop resentment and bitterness.
  • The guest deepened his interest in self-improvement by exploring topics such as cognitive performance enhancement, hormone optimization, neurodegeneration prevention, aging prevention, vitality, strength building, etc.

From Interest to Providing Medical Oversight

1:20:36 - 1:27:16

  • The speaker values transparency and bases their content on scientific literature. They have spent years learning how to read and evaluate scientific papers.
  • Their content covers various areas of discipline, such as hair loss prevention, performance enhancement, hormone optimization, and diagnostic analysis.
  • They have gained recognition from experts in the field, including Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia. The speaker acknowledges their initial imposter syndrome but has gained confidence over time through education and association with knowledgeable individuals.
  • They provide educational information rather than medical recommendations, pointing to worthwhile resources based on their own knowledge base.
  • The speaker's pursuit of learning about health and helping others sets the framework for evaluating scientific literature.
  • They mention Maric Health, a service they offer that provides medical oversight based on cutting-edge literature for preventative healthcare.
  • Access to medical oversight was difficult in Canada, leading the speaker to seek lab work from US-based companies due to limitations in Canada's healthcare system.

Maric Health: Preventative Medicine and Optimization

1:33:45 - 1:40:56

  • In Canada, the limitations on autonomy and ability to pay for medical services led to frustration and seeking lab work from US-based companies.
  • Canadian doctors often refused to accept payment for blood work, even when offered in cash. The cost of free healthcare in Canada is the inability to buy necessary medical services regardless of one's financial means.
  • Hospitals would function better with fewer patients, but access to services in the US was limited and clinics focused more on prescriptions than quality care.
  • The lack of serious attention from Canadian doctors motivated the speaker to start their own company focused on preventive medicine and optimizing performance.
  • Maric Health, the speaker's company, has a rigorous vetting process for medical providers who are passionate about further education and preventative medicine.
  • Medical professionals allied with Maric Health are connected with clients based on their expertise and commitment to ongoing education.
  • Maric Health acts as an intermediary between clients and doctors, ensuring the right match is made without playing doctor themselves.
  • The diagnostic process at Maric Health involves a comprehensive intake questionnaire to gather information on lifestyle practices, diet, medication, supplements, and family history.
  • Comprehensive blood work is conducted using validated markers that reflect organ function accurately. Advanced metrics like apolipoprotein B are used for assessing atherosclerosis potential.

Maximizing Efficiency and Quality in Healthcare

1:40:38 - 1:42:36

  • The speaker is passionate about the products and services they offer, as well as the education they provide for free at scale.
  • They aim to maximize their efficiency and quality of output in order to feel satisfied with their work.
  • In five years, the speaker wants to continue on the same pathway but with further differentiation and development, while also raising awareness and providing education.
  • The best platforms to follow the speaker are YouTube, More Playtime More Dates, and Maricilt.com for high-quality medical oversight, diagnostics, analysis, etc.
  • The speaker discusses career development and switching from a diseased cure orientation to a health enhancement orientation.
  • There are promising signs of the entire medical establishment moving towards a health enhancement orientation.
  • The conversation will continue on the Daily Wire side for another half an hour. Viewers are encouraged to join and support the Daily Wire in their fight for free speech.
  • The guest traveled from Vancouver for this conversation and appreciates doing these things in person.
  • Thanks are given to everyone watching and listening, as well as to the Daily Wire for facilitating these conversations.
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