Inner Monster Podcast

When a trip goes awry, something demonic emerges and convinces someone to make a fatal choice..

To celebrate the 50th episode(!) as well as mark the end of Season 1 of the Inner Monster Podcast, I take a look at Satan himself. I dive into both his etymological origins, as well as his role around tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. This leads me to talking about knowledge and learning, and I dive into my issues with the current educational system as well as some ideas on how to make it better. 

I'm hiking through a foggy forest, when I encounter a patchwork creature that is very angry at humanity...

We go literary this episode and dive into Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, the origin for the pop culture icon of Frankenstein's Monster. I clear up some common misperceptions about Frankenstein, and then we dive into the decision that the good doctor makes that changes his life forever - reanimating a giant humanoid with secret science. We'll then dive into both the evaluation of decisions, as well as how to get better at making decisions. 

I find myself bruised and battered, in a place altogether unfamiliar to me. And then a shocking discovery is made...

This week's episode explores the Maori mythology of Matau, a giant, kidnapping, supernatural jerk and the aftermath of his murder. This somehow turns into an exploration of resilience towards failure and rejection, and I dive into some practical tips on building more of it. Fun for the whole family!

I'm finally on vacation, when a scuba adventure goes horribly, horribly wrong...

This episode we're diving into deep underwater holes to explore the Caribbean mythological dragon-octopus creature known as the Lusca. I then explore the need for deep conversations, and why they're sometimes to difficult to have. Finally, I'll leave you with some propelling questions to explore how you might create more connection in your life in a way that doesn't set you up for failure.

I'm visiting a friend in Dublin, when I come across a woman in a green dress with bloodshot eyes, and she begins to wail...

This week, we jump across the pond to the rolling green hills of Ireland and its own keening ghost, the banshee. I dive into the background of his very sad spirit, and then we'll go into the ineffective postures that leaders might take, even if well-intentioned. This episode covers four ineffective postures of leadership, and is the third part of a three-part series about leadership.

I'm diving in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Cambodia, when I discover something rather unexpected on the walls of a cave...

This week, the Naga, the snake-people/dragons from Southeast Asia (and mortal enemy of the Garuda) makes their appearance, and they're not all what they seem! I focus on the naga from Cambodia mythology, and that leads me to the various postures of leadership that are effective in today's work culture that you can take no matter what your formal role. This episode covers six of the seven postures (the first being in last week's episode), and is the second part of a three-part series about leadership.

I'm swimming at the base of a waterfall, when something emerges from a cave, and something even more surprising comes from the sky..

This week, the Garuda, a giant bird-like creature from Hindu mythology swoops in and makes an appearance and inspires me to talk about the role of a support. You might recognize this as a common video game role, and I both go there as well as use it to examine how our society functions, how we define leadership, and a way forward to make supporting others better for all of us. 

I'm out on a scientific expedition in Greenland when I realize my research partner is missing. And then I find him...

In this week's episode I bring the Inuit tale of the Disembowler to the podcast, a malevolent being that lives up to its name. She has, however, a very quirky alternate way of murdering folks, and this contrast spurs me into the realm of what it means to be "authentic" these days. I also share my thoughts on how to build more authenticity into your life as well as personal details about how I behave when no one is watching.

I'm in the desert of Utah on an archaeological dig, when I see someone emerge from a rocky outcropping...

This week we'll look at two things from the Great Basin region of the United States, a dinosaur, and the cannibalistic monsters known as the Siats that inspired the dinosaur's name. We'll look at the Siats' weakness, and how it inspired me to think about simple solutions. I'll go into some simple solutions for common business problems, and then we'll dive into parsing what the real problems are. 

I'm on vacation at a cabin rental when something completely unexpected flies out of the sky..

The port's a mess, an whole fleet of government dogs are after me, and the only way out I can see is through the ritual...

In this week's episode, experience a bad pirate accent as we dive into the hierarchy of Hell. I'll introduce you to the 42nd spirit in the Ars Goetia, and dive into some ancient demonology texts that explain the organizational structure of demons. We'll then dive into a reframing of hierarchies in general, and the three main reasons they get a bad name. I'll of course also offer some practical insights into making them better. 

Visiting a museum with a mummy, I notice something strange about the bandaged corpse, and then things get interesting..

I find myself chilling in my room in Tokyo, when a knock comes at my 7th floor window...

A swim in New Zealand takes a turn for the worst when something really, really big emerges from it's cave...

This week's episode looks as Hotu-Puku, a supernatural giant lizard-like thing hailing from Maori mythology. After we talk about the myth of Hotu-puku, I dive into fighting shortsightedness in decision-making through humility, systems, and a few other strategies that widen the lens at which you might look at problems. 

I hear a noise in my son's bedroom, and find something very, very wrong...

I'm on a nice hike in the English countryside, when a very upset cow decides it's angry with me...

In this week's episode, we dive into the mythology behind the Dun Cow (cue how now brown cow jokes), a magical, milk-producing, rampaging beast. From there, we'll explore how clarity could have helped the cow survive, and the need for clarity in communication. I'll share three of the biggest barriers to clear communication, as well as how we might think of improving our clarity. 

I'm on the scene of a huge car crash, when something unexpected pops out of one of the cars...

Today I'll introduce you to Uath Mac Imoman, a side-character in Irish mythology that has a very special power that a very well-known Arthurian story you may have read in English class was based upon. I talk about honor, what it looks like today, and why we should strive to have it. I also raise the question around whether or not others have it and when we should be honorable and when we might want to bounce.

I'm just trying to get home to eat my pizza when a garden-variety creature turns out not-so-garden-variety..

Big thanks to Greg Knox for the suggestion of doing an episode of Ratatoskr, the unicorn-like squirrel messenger hailing from Norse mythology. This week's episode dives into this smack-talking rodent, which leads me to discuss how to deal with online trolls and general things that provoke you. I share my own history with angry verbal sparring matches online, and share the practical steps I've taken to get better at taking control over not only if I engage but how I do so. 

Gather round the campfire, as I've got a story to tell that, cross my heart, is 100% true, and I barely lived to tell the tale...

In this episode, I look at the fearsome critter known as the Hidebehind, which, no surprise here, hides behind things. I dive into the origins and the larger collection of fearsome critters and the magic of storytelling as a transition into the topic of today - finding happiness in the process. I share my mindset around being an elite Skee-Ball competitor and how I stay positive even in the face of defeat. From there I look at all the ways focusing on the process can improve happiness in life.  

Someone killed my dog, and I've got a rifle and anger to deal with it. Then, I find who's to blame, and things get ugly..

In this episode, I dive into the Scottish mythology of the Nuckelavee, a terrifying horse-human hybrid from your nightmares. We'll look at this frightful spirit as well as its weakness, which brings me to the topic of boundaries. I'll share how my lack of boundaries has hampered my life, and why boundaries can be such gifts - even when you're telling people no. We'll look at the importance of boundaries in our lives, and I'll share a framework about how to think about boundaries with those you're seeking to serve. 

I'm wasted after my bachelor party, and my friend is filling up with gas when I hear something in the tree line..

I don't know why I'm drunk again in this episode's story, but today I explore a monster from the Philippines, the manananggal. It's another take on belonging, but more so how by separating ourselves into compartments, we're actively attacking spaces of belonging. I dive into what it means to code-switch, when it might be necessary, and how we can create a world where everyone can be their whole selves.

It's late, I'm drunk, and I'm lost in Greece when I stumble upon a stranger who looks a bit off..

This episode I explore the minotaur, the half-man, half-bull creature from Greek mythology fame. Not only do I dive into the myth and potential origins for this creature, but I use it to frame the theme of exclusion. I differentiate between bad exclusion and potentially good exclusion, and how clarifying who and how you're excluding people can be beneficial as a company or brand.  

I'm out hiking in the forests of Japan, when I come across a BBQ that I don't want to be a part of..

This episode I take a peek at the stock villain from Japanese mythology, the oni. I think oni are generally misunderstood, which brings me to the topic of the day, which is empathy, especially for those who you might disagree with. I differentiate between empathy and sympathy, and talk about why empathy is so hot in the personal development sphere these days, and how powerful it can be. 

Exhausted from the concert, I drive my friends home on a deserted highway late at night when something appears in my headlights...

This episode I share a true story about my run in with something mysterious, and we dive into the realm of uncertainty. I share some background on why uncertainty scares us, as well as new ways we can think about uncertainty, decision making, and running experiments. 

Exhausted, I crawl into bed, but find a sinister surprise waiting for me in my closet..

This week we take a look at the long line of bogeys - the creatures that inhabit scary stories told to children to scare them into good behavior. I share some of my favorites and then dive into the very essence of why these stories are so pervasive - fear. I then talk about the evolution of fear, how it plays out in our day-to-day lives, and explore one of my greatest fears and how I got over it, and what courage might look like. 

It's time for a different type of horror story - one that's real...

In this week's episode, in celebration of International Women's Day, I'm encouraging you to go listen to podcasts or other media by women creators. Dudes, if that's too much of a lift for you, you're going to have a BLAST with my rant if you stick around. Seriously, go support women and donate to great causes linked below!

Your standard Inner Monster Podcast will return next week.

I find some weird, creepy spiders in my basement, and I realize that those are the least of my problems...

In this week's episode, we'll look at the ancient Roman myth of Arachne, the first spider ever. After we go into the actual myth of Arachne, I'll dive into the idea of enrollment - getting others onboard with your ideas. With practical advice on how to get better at changing the minds of others, I'll also introduce something I call identity assets, which are key to understand when negotiating or selling or generally interacting with people. 

I'm awaken by the eruption of a volcano, which is even worse than it initially sounds..

In this week's episode, we'll venture into the myths and legends of Peru, where we'll look at the giant volcanic creature known as the cherufe. I talk human sacrifices, how hot magma is, and also why I hate summer as a season. This brings me to talking about how much our environment impacts us, and I offer up not only why thinking about our environment is so important, but some processes to start changing challenging environments into supportive ones. 

I'm on a yacht excursion this time (I guess I'm into boating or something) when I'm confronted by a new passenger..

In this week's episode I'll share the Japanese mythological tale around the samebito - aka sharkman, and we'll explore why it's human nature to judge things based on their appearances. I also take a jab at paying for marriage via bride price (I mistakenly refer to it as a dowry), talk about my own prejudices and shortcomings, and offer a simple first step in trying to eliminate our biases and assumptions.

I'm on a boat excursion, when suddenly, I hear some strange singing that's strangely irresistible..

In this week's episode we'll look at the classic creatures known as sirens, who enchant men with mind-controlling songs. I learn something new about them that I'll share with you, and then I'll dive into a simple way that we often dodge ownership, and the simple fix to take more control over our own lives.

As I float down the river, an unexpected encounter gets violent and bloody...

In this week's episode we'll take a trip north up to the mythological stories of Sweden for the backahasten, a creepster of a transforming water horse. After we dive into its origin (pun intended), I'll explore what it means to be honest - not only with others but with ourselves, and how feeling like we're enough is central to living a more honest life. 

A beautiful woman decides to go home with me, but all is not what it seems...

In this week's episode we'll go on a pan-Asian journey, looking at the tale of the nine-tailed fox myth and how it differs in China, Japan, and Korea. We'll focus on the Korean kumiho, and I'll veer quickly into K-drama territory before diving into the topic of how to create change in oneself. I'll go into some practical advice on making change and share a personal story about habit creation. 

I'm a bit early to a class fieldtrip to the tide pools, when I see a man being hit by waves. At least, I think it's a man...

In this week's episode I'll introduce you to both the monk fish and the bishop fish, two mythical creatures with interesting, religious-affiliated heads. After we go through the mythology, I talk about bad haircuts as a kid, feeling like an outcast, and how most of us go about finding belonging in all the wrong ways. 

On my super popular stream, I'm going to prove that werewolves are completely fictional - unless something goes horribly wrong..

After last week's episode on vampires, we're sticking with popular monsters and diving into werewolves! I dive into some of the earliest accounts of werewolves and lycanthropy, and then explore the most popularized weakness - silver bullets. As the topic of the show, I run some numbers on solving huge problems like homelessness, and offer some new ways of looking at the solutions to these gigantic problems society faces. 

I'm being followed by someone in a carnival funhouse, and the maze of mirrors is the worst possible place to be in..

Happy 2021!  For the first episode of the year, I tackle a mainstay in the horror genre: vampires! After diving into some vampire mythology, I talk about a lesser known trait that acts as a parallel to talk about procrastination, focus, and how they can work together for a great life. As per usual, there's lots of nuance, personal stories, and this time even rap lyrics. 

I take a peek at Santa, but it turns out that I was being visited by something else that's much scarier..

This last episode of 2020 is all about everyone's favorite yuletide demon, Krampus. It also features my first attempt at voice acting a little boy, which probably has entertainment value well worth the price of admission. Regardless, after a brief intro on Krampus, I dive right into generosity and focus on practical ways that we can be more generous with ourselves. 

Happy holidays everyone, and stay safe out there. I'll be back with more episodes the first week of January.

While conducting some biological surveys in the Japanese wetlands, I find myself face-to-face with an unknown creature...

Today's episode is all about one of my favorite Japanese mythological creatures, the Kappa.  We start with my own personal introduction to the creature via comic books, and then we dive into the nature of imperfect situations.  I then offer a few different ways to improve your creative problem solving skills for those times when things don't go as planned, and offer a new way of looking at these unideal situations.

After buying a new home(!) in France, I find myself in the rampaging path of a large, greenish creature..

In this week's episode, we dive into the story of the French creature known as the Peluda, both it's history as well as its slaying.  From there, we look into my painfully-sad love life from middle school (oh the emo-ness!), and then dive into the theme of the week that would be obvious to anyone who knew me in 7th grade: rejection!  

From there, I offer up some new ways of looking at rejection, including tips from some amazingly accomplished creative friends, and even how we might seek out rejection to improve our acceptance. 

When my truck breaks down on the way home, a dangerous encounter with a woman in white puts my sons lives in jeopardy...

For this episode I wanted to celebrate one of my favorite ghost stories of all time, La Llorona, hailing from Latin America.  After discussing the sociopolitical ramifications of this story, I dive into the idea of quitting something.  We often see quitting as a negative thing, but I dive into sunk costs and how quitting things might actually be the best thing you can do sometimes.  

I'm surrounded by hordes of the undead, my supplies are running low, and I make a terrible choice in this last recording..

In this episode, I veer off a bit from the mythology slant for a quick jaunt to talk about zombies..specifically the rage zombies from the film 28 Days Later.  We'll move on to the origins of the fast zombie to my bad temper and wall-punching to the way to express anger in a healthy way that makes everyone's life better. 

While traveling in Africa, my host's goats wake us up, and when we head outside, we find a deadly creature waiting for us..

In this episode, I'll explore the myth of the Catoblepas, a heavy-headed deadly creature in Greek naturalism.  From there, I'll go into my experience fracturing my spine, taking the altMBA, and how those two experiences changed both my physical posture, but also the posture that I take in life.  I'll also talk a bit about how you can change your posture without a trip to the hospital.  

I'm about to head to bed, when someone - or something - decides to knock at my door, and doesn't stop..

In this episode, I'll share the history of the myth behind golems, and the power of words.  We'll dive deep into how language affects our lives and others, and I make my argument about renaming "political correctness."  I also share some practical advice for dealing with your impostor syndrome.

A peaceful fishing trip on the docks soon gets crashed by a gigantic serpent, and all I've got is a pocket knife..

In this episode, I'll be telling the legend of the Lambton Worm (porcupines..kinda, curses, witches, and lots of milk!  Wahoo!) and then we'll dive into what it means to be wrong, and how we can both have more forgiveness for ourselves and others when we dig our heels in. I'll end with some practical advice on living a life that's more authentic and free.  PS - If you're in the US and reading this before November 3rd, please be sure to go vote!  

Continuing the experiment of having music with the entire podcast this time.  PLEASE let me know what you think!

While doing some contract labor, a seemingly unkillable serpent rears its ugly heads, much to my dismay...

In this episode, I'll bring you on an exploration into the history of the Lernaean Hydra from Greek mythology. We'll also dive into sustainability, why so many of us lean into unsustainability, and how focusing on long-term, process-based goals might be the key to living a long life.

Also! Trying out music with the entire podcast this time.  PLEASE let me know what you think!  

Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays for new episodes every week!

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Show notes:

Large, hairy feet?  Check.  Alone in the forest and encountering a giant creature who could rip you in half?  Check.

In this episode, I'll bring you on a cross-continental exploration of large, hairy hominids, from Nepal to Washington state. We'll look at what it means to be seen and we'll touch on my own story of being bullied as a kid.  Fun stuff!  Don't worry, we'll end with some practical advice on how to build spaces of belonging where people can truly feel like they're accepted and even celebrated for who they are.  

Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays for new episodes every week!

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Show notes:

When archaeologists go missing, and you hear the growl of a lion and the flap of giant wings, I hope you're really good at riddles...

In this episode, we'll look into the cross-cultural mythology behind the sphinx and the connection to a certain mother-loving king from high school English classes. We'll dive into how being curious can positively impact your life and a time-honored way to self-coach yourself to the root cause of your problems.

Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays for new episodes every week!

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I hope you never walk into a woman covering her mouth and holding  a pair of giant scissors, as you probably won't like what happens next..

In this episode, we'll dive into some of the socio-political origins of this modern Japanese ghost, and explore what we can learn from her tale of vengeance and hatred.  We'll talk about the narratives we tell ourselves, and the power that they have over ourselves, and look at this through the lens of me making a stupid mistake and what I've learned from it.  

Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays for new episodes every week!

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Sponsored by:

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Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays when a new episode drops every week.

Thanks for listening and enjoy!

-Rick

Deals with the devil are all fun and games and lifetimes of wealth and power, but eventually he'll come to collect...

In this episode, we'll look into the origins behind making deals with the demonic forces, from the oldest to the most famous.  And of course I'm going to work the film Crossroads in there as well.  

I'll also take you through a quick fun little experiment to get you thinking about value, how it impacts our success, the forms value take, and ways to think about how others perceive the value that you bring.  

Mark your calendars for Inner Monster Mondays for new episodes every week!

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