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

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

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Because transformation matters more than information.

Everyone’s talking about the Chicago Bears right now (or at least Jemal thinks so), and while a new coach matters, the real shift runs deeper.

This episode breaks down a powerful truth about real turnarounds: the players didn’t change — the perspective did.

Same roster.
Same city.
Same pressure.

What changed was how the game was being seen, understood, and approached. And once that shifted, the results followed.

Using the Bears as a real-world case study, this conversation explores why so many people stay stuck year after year. Not because they lack ability or effort, but because they keep trying to do more instead of learning to see differently.

This isn’t about starting over.
It’s about building on what’s already there.

🎯 In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Why turnarounds don’t require new talent, just clearer perspective

How guidance and coaching change what you notice and how you move

The difference between repeating a year and actually creating a new one

What happens when you stop chasing more and start maximizing what you already have

Whether it’s your life, your career, your finances, or your faith — this message applies far beyond football.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: Can You See Me Now? The Chicago Bears Energy
00:01:26 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Helmet Comes Out
00:05:16 Bears Fever: From Last Place to First in the Division
00:08:45 The Ben Johnson Effect: Why Coaching Changes Everything
00:20:17 New Year or Another Year? The Choice Is Yours
00:26:56 Don't Start Over—Keep Building: The Skyscraper Mentality
00:32:00 The Coaching Conversation: Carl's Real Estate Transformation Begins
00:33:45 From Crisis to Clarity: Carl's COVID Real Estate Story
00:36:34 The Equity Revelation: Money in the Bricks
00:43:05 The Six-Figure Check: Carl's First Major Real Estate Win
00:46:00 Why We Talk About Money: ET's Passionate Defense
00:50:04 Stop Listening to Broke People: Reading the Coverage of Wealth
00:51:26 Outro and Call to Action

👉 Register for the ET One Percent Solution Summit (Chicago)
Real perspective. Real tools. Real turnaround conversations.
https://etonepercent.com

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Most people don’t fail because they lack talent, intelligence, or opportunity.
They fail because no one around them tells the truth.

In this episode of the Secret to Success, Eric Thomas, CJ, and Karl break down why success becomes dangerous when accountability disappears—and why many people collapse after they start winning.

This conversation hits hard:

Why discipline alone eventually fails

How “yes-men” quietly sabotage your future

The role appetite plays in self-destruction

Why unchecked power and money expose character

How to build a circle that protects your purpose, not your ego

This isn’t about cutting people off out of pride.
It’s about protecting your life, your family, and your future.

If no one in your life can correct you, challenge you, or stop you when you’re wrong—you’re not free. You’re exposed.

🎯 Takeaway

You don’t need more motivation.
You need one person who won’t let you lie to yourself.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: The Power of Accountability and Appetite Control
00:02:14 Welcome and Team Introductions
00:05:42 Building Legacy Through Systems, Not Just Hard Work
00:08:52 The Chick-fil-A Lesson: Identity Over Everything
00:12:00 Technology Went Too Far: The Amazon Christmas Story
00:16:28 The First Directive: Stop Having Sex
00:20:34 Why Most Successful Men Crash and Burn
00:24:18 Accountability Is Not Discipline - It's Your Circle
00:34:23 The Diddy Documentary and Complicit Silence
00:45:49 Second-Hand Smoke: Why Your Circle Determines Your Future
00:47:38 Praying for Your Tribe and Leaving to Level Up
00:52:44 Be, Do, Have: Getting the Order Right
00:53:27 Your 9-to-5 Should Fund Your Exit, Not Trap Your Future
00:52:01 Closing: Join Us at the 1% Solution Experience
00:55:28 Outro and Subscribe

🔗 Important Links & CTAs

🎟️ The One Percent Experience
An immersive 3-day experience for leaders, families, and teams
📍 Chicago | April 16–18, 2026
👉 https://etonepercent.com

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🧠 Final Reminder

Transformation requires truth.
And truth only works when someone is brave enough to speak it.

This year doesn’t need more motivation.
It needs clarity, discipline, and intention.

In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, Eric Thomas breaks down 7 rules that actually matter if you want to win this year — not just stay busy, not just feel inspired, but make real progress.

These aren’t trends.
They’re principles.

You’ll learn:

Why delusion keeps people stuck longer than failure

How choosing what’s good beats choosing what feels good

Why boredom is a requirement for mastery

How to become unreplaceable in any environment

The difference between playing defense and playing offense

Why responsibility beats loyalty

How to decide the meaning of whatever this year brings

No hype.
No shortcuts.
Just truth you can build on.

Happy New Year. Let’s work.

Chapters

00:00:00 Opening: This Is What They're Not Telling You
00:00:52 Rule 1: Get Out of Delusion and Into Reality
00:08:05 Rule 2: Choose What's Good, Not What Feels Good
00:16:05 Rule 3: Boredom Builds Champions
00:24:45 Rule 4: Become Unreplaceable Through Diversification
00:30:44 Rule 5: Stop Playing Defense and Learn to Play Offense
00:39:32 Rule 6: Responsibility Beats Loyalty
00:48:06 Rule 7: Do Dark Different
00:54:01 Closing: Decisions Define You, Not the New Year
00:55:07 Outro and Call to Action

If this episode challenged you,
make sure you subscribe and share it with someone who needs clarity this year.

👉 Subscribe to S2S:
https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1

👉 Join the S2S Patreon for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access:
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As 2025 comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to look back.

This episode is a collection of some of our favorite moments from the Secret to Success Podcast this year — real conversations, honest questions, unexpected laughs, and truth-filled discussions that stayed with us long after the microphones were off.

From relationships and communication…
to mindset, reality, and self-awareness…
these clips capture the heart of what S2S has always been about: growth through real talk.

Whether a moment makes you laugh, reflect, or pause for a second longer than expected, our hope is that it reminds you how powerful honest conversations can be.

Thank you for listening, sharing, and being part of the journey with us in 2025.
We’re grateful for you — and excited for what’s ahead.