The Secret To Success with CJ, Karl, Jemal & Eric Thomas

💇‍♀️ She cut her hair SHORT without warning. He feels blindsided. Who's wrong?

When does a "personal decision" stop being personal in a marriage? A husband writes in after 13 years together: his wife cut her hair really short without mentioning it, and when he brought it up, she said it was a personal decision that didn't require his input. Fair or foul?

This question sparked the BIGGEST debate we've had in a while - and we didn't just debate it ourselves. We called THE WIVES in live on the podcast. Dede, Camile, Candis, and Tamesha weigh in with perspectives that might surprise you. Plus: Jemal & Camile's Bobby Brown and New Edition concert experience, why "becoming a savage" matters more than wanting one, Karl's six-figure real estate confidence shift, and a powerful conversation about God wanting more for you than you want for yourself.

This is Part 1 of 2 - Part 2 (Episode 530) drops the most powerful generational wealth story we've ever shared. You don't want to miss it.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- "Fair for her own personal womanhood, but foul for the marriage"
- marriage requires consideration beyond individual rights
- After years of marriage, you should know what matters to your spouse
- it's not about permission, it's about partnership
- In order to attract a savage, you gotta become a savage
- stop waiting for someone to blow you up
- Iron sharpens iron - your growth elevates everyone around you
- God has already blessed you with jobs, relationships, opportunities - you lost them because you didn't become
- You can't be done with Michael Jordan - become irreplaceable in every area of your life
- The 1% Conference: One day for men, one day for women to build yourselves up, then one day together to build each other up

CHAPTERS:
Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: When Your Circle Is Killing at the Highest Level
00:00:59 Welcome and Team Introductions: Dr. King and the Barefoot Bruce Lee
00:03:00 The New Edition Concert Experience: Front Row With Your Bride
00:08:45 Concert Legends: From Maxwell to Celine Dion and the 3D Hologram
00:12:46 Fair or Foul: She Cut Her Hair Without Asking
00:14:10 The Men Weigh In: Permission, Communication, or Her Body Her Choice?
00:25:23 Calling the Wives: Candis, Camille, DeDe, and Tamesha Sound Off
00:35:50 The Marriage Blueprint: Know Your Person and Pick Your Battles
00:43:45 Don't Worship Silence: The Difference Between Peace and Avoiding Conflict
00:45:00 The One Percent Conference Vision: Men, Women, and Unity
00:49:00 The Two-Man Versus the One-in-Waiting: CJ's Platform Philosophy
00:51:15 Iron Sharpens Iron: Becoming a Savage to Attract Savages
00:52:23 Closing: The Conference Is About Becoming, Not Being Saved

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💎 JOIN THE S2S PATREON COMMUNITY Get behind-the-scenes access, live recordings, Q&A sessions, random pop-up dialogues, and exclusive content with ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal. Plus access to Eric's speeches as we go live. 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

🎟️ THE 1% CONFERENCE - CHICAGO | APRIL 16-18, 2026 Don't just attend. Ascend. Eric Thomas & world-class speakers including:
- Jameis Winston,
- Inky Johnson,
- Wallstreet Trapper,
- Earn Your Leisure, and much, much more.

3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation.
- Day 1: Women's Day
- Day 2: Men's Day
- Day 3: VIP Family Day

Tickets on sale now: https://etonepercent.com

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🏠 ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST:
Join Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jemal King as they share their real lives, real struggles, and real wins. This isn't just another motivational podcast - it's raw, unfiltered conversations showing you that if we can do it, you can too. From real estate to marriage, business to family, faith to finances - we're living it and sharing it all so you can learn with us and through us.

The mission? To help you realize that YOU CAN DO IT. Life throws wrenches at all of us, but with vision, belief, and the right community, success is possible.

Hosted by:
- Eric Thomas (@etthehiphoppreacher) - #1 Motivational Speaker in the World
- CJ Quinney - Strategic Brand Architect
- Karl Phillips - Producer, Creative Director
- Jemal King - Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur

New episodes every week. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.

© 2026 Eric Thomas & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

Most people don’t fail because they lack effort.
They fail because they follow rules and advice that were never designed for their real life.

In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, the conversation challenges one of the most common traps in personal growth: living by general advice instead of personal strategy.

This episode breaks down why:

What works for others often fails for you

Generic advice ignores context, timing, and personal tendencies

High performers don’t just work hard — they study patterns

Rules, stats, and analytics are useful… but dangerous when followed blindly

Real growth requires a personal “scouting report” for your life, marriage, money, and leadership

Through stories from sports, business, relationships, and real life, this episode shows why winners don’t just follow instructions — they observe, adjust, and execute based on their specific situation.

If you’ve been doing “all the right things” but still feel stuck, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do differently.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Stop Negotiating With Fear
00:00:52 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Q1 Focus Energy
00:01:28 Back in My Day: From Arcade Games to Roblox
00:08:31 Analytics vs The Scouting Report: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All
00:09:58 The Dan Campbell Effect: When to Go For It on Fourth Down
00:12:38 The Gazelle Mentality: How ET Learned to Observe and Survive
00:33:03 Brian Cox and the Film Room: The Cheat Code to Success
00:48:11 ET's Two-Home Challenge: Creating Unity in Unique Circumstances
00:50:20 The Mother-in-Law Revelation: Understanding What Really Matters
00:53:45 Millionaire Moments with Karl: Your Side Hustle Becomes Your Main Hustle
00:55:55 Closing: Hit Fear in the Mouth and Do Your Scouting Report

👇 Next steps:

Subscribe for weekly conversations on mindset, leadership, and performance

Share this episode with someone who keeps following the rules but isn’t getting results

Stop copying success. Start studying what actually works for you.

Transformation beats information — every time.

Most people don’t fail because they lack talent.
They fail because they can’t sustain excellence.

In this powerful episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, the conversation goes far deeper than motivation—into parenting, accountability, discipline, and what it actually takes to become the best version of yourself every day, not just when you feel inspired.

You’ll hear:

A raw voice message from a father breaking generational cycles

Why most people only visit greatness instead of living there

The difference between talent and autopilot discipline

How accountability separates role players from legends

Why your children should inherit more than memories—they should inherit momentum

This episode isn’t comfortable.
But it’s necessary.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: The Walmart Adventure and Living on the Wild Side
00:01:54 Welcome and Team Introductions - What ET learned from Ben Johnson
00:09:00 The Village is Broken: When You Can't Intervene Anymore
00:21:42 Jayda's Breakthrough: When Your Daughter Becomes Your Therapist
00:31:00 What Does Your Best Self Actually Look Like?
00:39:15 Know Thyself: Being the Best Version of YOU, Not Someone Else
00:40:50 The Jayda Thomas Reveal: Hidden Dialogues Podcast Launch
00:48:00 The Chris Paul Lesson: Why People Reject Accountability
00:53:30 Hall of Fame Mentality: When Your Practice is Harder Than the Game
01:05:57 Closing: Kalm Downwith Karl, Millionaire Moments and Building Generational Momentum

👇 Take action:

👉 Register for the ET One Percent Solution Conference https://etonepercent.com

👉 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

👉 Follow S2S on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast

👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content & live conversations - https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

Because transformation matters more than information.

Most people think belief is a feeling.
This episode makes a different case.

Your beliefs are visible — not in what you say, but in the results you keep producing.

In this continuation of last week’s conversation, we break down why people can have information, opportunity, and effort — yet still see the same outcomes year after year. The issue isn’t hustle or knowledge. It’s what you truly believe is possible, allowed, or worth fully committing to.

This episode explores how partial belief leads to partial commitment — and how that shows up everywhere: finances, relationships, faith, confidence, leadership, and decision-making.

We talk about:

Why belief always leaves evidence

How effort without full belief creates cycles, not progress

The difference between participating and fully stepping in

Why your environment reinforces what you believe

How results quietly reveal where commitment stops

This isn’t motivation.
It’s a mirror.

If you’ve been doing the right things but still seeing the same results, this episode may explain why.

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: The Practice Squad Mentality - You Don't Have to Be Perfect
00:01:50 Caleb Williams and the Ben Johnson Effect: Learning to See the Field
00:02:38 Stop Sleeping With the Enemy: Why Your Circle Is Keeping You Broke
00:03:09 It Burns My Heart: The Real Reason We Talk About Money
00:04:37 Let It Burn: When Your Credit Score Controls Your Destiny
00:07:42 God Said You Should Lend, Not Borrow: The Biblical Case for Wealth
00:09:46 Vengeance Is Mine: When People Owe You and God Is Teaching You
00:10:51 The Conference Invitation: Why You Need to Be in the Room
00:13:43 The $15 Million House Story: How Carl Made It With $30K and Good Credit
00:14:47 They Don't Want You in That Neighborhood: The Truth About Real Estate Gatekeeping
00:19:02 The Wizard of Oz Revelation: Everything You Need Is Already Inside You
00:21:27 Karl's Six-Figure Check Moment: When Belief Became Reality
00:23:51 The Dynasty Trust Attorney: When Doors Only Open at Certain Net Worth Levels
00:24:24 DeDe Said This Was the Best Christmas: When Communication Transforms Marriage
00:29:11 The Briefing to His Daughter: How Money Changed Karl's Family Language
00:31:01 Putting Money in Her Account: The Wisdom Jamal Gave Karl About His Wife
00:44:21 Just Believe: The Song, The Message, The Breakthrough
00:38:13 Every Result Has a Belief Behind It: Karl's Transformation Explained
00:49:56 Paycheck to Prosperity: The New System Mall and Karl Are Building
00:58:59 Work Your Work in the Morning, Evening Let Not Your Hands Be Idle
00:58:05 Turn the Light Switch Off: Carl's Million Dollar Moment
00:40:04 April 16-18 in Chicago: The 1% Solutions Gathering Announcement
01:06:15 Closing: Focus on This Opportunity With All Your Might

👉 Register for the ET One Percent Solution Conference
https://etonepercent.com

👉 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

👉 Follow S2S on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast

👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content & live conversations
https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120

Most people don’t fail because they lack talent.
They fail because they can’t sustain excellence.

In this powerful episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, the conversation goes far deeper than motivation—into parenting, accountability, discipline, and what it actually takes to become the best version of yourself every day, not just when you feel inspired.

You’ll hear:

A raw voice message from a father breaking generational cycles

Why most people only visit greatness instead of living there

The difference between talent and autopilot discipline

How accountability separates role players from legends

Why your children should inherit more than memories—they should inherit momentum

This episode isn’t comfortable.
But it’s necessary.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Breaking Generational Cycles of Parenting
00:01:43 Welcome and Team Introductions
00:02:58 Jemal's Vision Becoming Reality
00:05:00 CJ's First Walmart Experience: Living on the Wild Side
00:07:45 The Walmart Chronicles: $5 Rotisserie Chicken and Lost Leaders
00:15:40 Parenting in 2026: The Gentle Parenting Dilemma
00:17:57 ET and Jada's Therapy Session: Healing Father-Daughter Wounds
00:21:55 What Does Your Best Self Look Like Daily?
00:24:03 Karl's Excellence Standard: Whatever Your Hands Touch
00:35:59 The Autopilot Effect: When Excellence Becomes Natural
00:39:20 Becoming Your Authentic Self: The Carl and CJ Story
00:41:11 Jada's Hidden Dialogues: Introducing Her New Podcast
00:51:50 The Chris Paul Accountability Lesson
01:09:31 Your Kids Should Inherit Momentum, Not Just Memories
01:11:49 Closing: Concentration and Commitment to the Moment

👇 Take action:

Subscribe for weekly mindset and leadership conversations

Join the Patreon for behind-the-scenes and deeper breakdowns

Share this episode with someone who needs to hear the truth

Because transformation matters more than information.