Brian JohnsonChairman & Philosopher in Residence at Heroic

Coming Alive by Barry Michels and Phil Stutz (Heroic Wisdom Daily)

17 Dec 2025 · 1 min

Episode

17 Dec 2025 · 1 min

0:00

A short podcast episode (Heroic Wisdom Daily) in which Brian Johnson summarizes Coming Alive by Barry Michels and Phil Stutz. The episode presents the book's core claim that people are not broken but blocked, and introduces the four primary tools/forces (Grateful, Flow, Active Love, Inner Authority and Jeopardy) as daily practices to reconnect with life force, embrace pain for growth, and repeatedly choose to 'come alive.'

Chapters

Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to Heroic Wisdom Daily. Today's book Coming Alive by Barry Michaels and Phil Stutz. The dynamic duo behind the Tools returns with a deeper look at the four forces that can wake you up, heal you and help you fully come alive. Here's your one minute summary. You're not broken, you're blocked. Life force is always available. The key is learning to reconnect with it. Use your tools. The four tools Grateful, Flow, Active Love, Inner Authority and Jeopardy are powerful gateways to transformation. Growth begins with pain. Don't run from discomfort. Use it to wake up and move forward. Fear feeds on avoidance. Face what you're afraid of and your life force starts flowing again. Bring it on is one of their mantras. Coming alive is a daily choice. It's not a one time breakthrough. It's a moment to moment decision to engage fully. You don't have to wait to come alive. Use the tools. Feel the fear. Take the leap. What's one way you'll activate your life force today? As always, check out the notes on Coming Alive and the Tools and Phil's newest books as well. Hope you enjoy.