What’s your mindset when the battle chooses YOU?

Do you shrink back and start counting your losses? Or do you stand up, lock in, and fight like hell to WIN — no matter how unfair it feels?

Let’s be real…

Most guys crumble when in battles they didn’t sign up for — cancer, career setbacks, family struggles, you name it. They start seeing defeat as inevitable instead of optional.

That’s why I had to get retired Marine Corps Officer, C-Suite Executive, and battle-tested cancer warrior, Mike Ettore, on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show. Hands down, Mike’s story is a masterclass in resilience, grit, and leading a life with legacy in mind.

Mike’s faced real enemies on the battlefield…and now he’s facing one in his own body. But the way he’s handling it is beyond inspiring.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How to adopt a "World’s Greatest" mindset when facing battles you didn’t choose — and why it could save your life (and leadership).
• Mike’s powerful strategy for mastering internal vs. external friction — and how it can immediately boost your resilience and focus.
• A practical reframe to help you stop shrinking in adversity and start leading yourself and others with unshakable confidence.
• Why building a lasting legacy requires daily, intentional action — and how Mike writes and leads with his "grandchildren’s grandchildren" in mind.
• The secret to balancing leadership and management without losing clarity, impact, or mission focus.
• A life-tested reason why “as goes the leader, so goes the team” — and how your daily example multiplies across generations.

Key Quotes

• “Any single thing that you can do to stack the odds in your favor – even a slight odd increase – do it." - Mike Ettore
• "This cancer may in fact kill me, but I'll never die from it." - Mike Ettore
• "As a leader, you’re either getting better or you're stagnating." - Mike Ettore
• "As goes the leader, so goes the team — always." - Mike Ettore

Connect with Mike

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeettore/
• Website: https://www.fidelisleadership.com/
• Podcast: https://www.fidelisleadership.com/podcast
• Books: https://www.fidelisleadership.com/books

Connect with J.R.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesJRreid
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjrreid/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjrreid/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesJRreid
• Website: jamesreid.com
• Check out The Clutch Club™️: jamesreid.com/club (For Men Only)

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

You ever find yourself thinking, “Is this it? Is this all there is?”

Your career's in full swing. You're providing. You’ve checked the boxes. But now…something feels off.

The pressure isn’t letting up.
The fog won’t lift.
And deep down, you’re wondering if you’re in the middle of a midlife crisis.

I’ve been there. In my 30s — successful on paper, struggling in my soul. Dad in and out of hospitals. Business stuck. Mental fog everywhere. I started asking, “What’s wrong with me?”

But then a better question changed everything…and it turns out I wasn’t in a midlife crisis. I was in a midlife transition to something greater. That’s exactly what this week’s 5-Minute Drill on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show is about. I’m busting the cultural lie that “midlife = eventual meltdown” and giving you…

• The truth that squashes midlife crisis myth
• Biblical proof that you’re not breaking down — you’re being built
• A 3-step framework to help you move from fog to focus, and from pressure to peace

So if the success you worked so hard for is starting to feel more like weight than freedom — then lock into this episode.

Let’s get it!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why the idea of a “midlife crisis” is mostly a cultural myth — and what modern science and research actually say about it
• A powerful story from a member of The Clutch Club™ navigating grief, pressure, and purpose
• J.R.’s personal experience during a season when everything felt like it was slipping through his fingers
• How biblical figures like Moses prove that what looks like a breakdown is often just preparation for a bigger calling
• The neuroscience behind why your 40s and 50s are actually prime time for clarity, wisdom, and leadership
• A simple, but transformational 3-step framework to help you shift from survival to significance

Key Quotes

• “You’re not breaking down — you’re upgrading.” - J.R.
• “You’re not in a midlife crisis. You’re in a midlife transition.” - J.R.

Connect with J.R.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesJRreid
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjrreid/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjrreid/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesJRreid
• Website: jamesreid.com
• Check out The Clutch Club™️: jamesreid.com/club (For Men Only)

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

Ever have that feeling after a win that you’re still losing somewhere?

Crush your numbers at work, but you’re disconnected to your family

Train hard and eat clean, but you missed out on the social time with friends.
Say yes to one thing, and it feels like you’re saying no to something that matters more.

That tension? That constant low-key guilt and pressure?

It’s not a scheduling issue.
It’s not a discipline problem.
It’s a mindset issue.

That’s why I brought Dr. Nick Holton back on the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show. Nick’s one of the leading experts on human flourishing and anti-fragility, and he breaks down the real reason why high performers feel so pulled and so stuck (Hint: We’re wired for either/or thinking in a world that demands both/and leadership).

In this episode, you will hear:

• The trap of either/or thinking — and how to break free from it
• Why your biggest limitations are likely self-imposed
• The burnout–values connection no one’s talking about
• The 4% rule for building next-level resilience
• How to move through discomfort without tapping out

Key Quotes

• “Where do we do our dot connecting? We do it when our mind is wandering. How do you get your mind to wander? Turn it the hell off.” - Dr. Nick Holton

Connect with Dr. Nick Holton

• The Antifragile Athlete: https://theantifragileacademy.com
• FlourishFM Podcast: flourishfmpodcast.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.nickholton/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dr_nickholton
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-holton-maed-phd-8233a215/

Connect with J.R.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesJRreid
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjrreid/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjrreid/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesJRreid
• Website: jamesreid.com
• Check out The Clutch Club™️: jamesreid.com/club (For Men Only)

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.