The Secret To Success Podcast is your weekly jolt of truth, strategy, and conviction from Eric Thomas (ET)—the world’s #1 motivational speaker—alongside CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips, and Jemal “9-to-5 Millionaire” King. No fluffy theory here. We talk mindset, money, relationships, leadership, faith, health, and execution—and we do it with straight talk, real stories, and proven playbooks you can run today.
From locker rooms and boardrooms to classrooms and living rooms, we break down how high performers actually win consistently—and how you can too. Expect hot seats, uncomfortable truths, practical frameworks, wild behind-the-scenes moments, and the accountability you didn’t know you needed.
If you’re ready to stop collecting information and start adopting the mindset that changes your life, you’re in the right room. Tap in, take notes, and let’s execute.
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Most People Are Trapped Waiting for an Apology That's Never Coming | S2S 538
2026/04/23
Most people who feel stuck, angry, or burned out are not dealing with what they think they are dealing with. That is the throughline of Episode 538, a conversation that starts with the aftermath of the 1% Conference in Chicago and goes somewhere much deeper.
CJ's wife Candis Quinney walks in fresh off one of the most powerful 1% Conferences the S2S family has ever put together, and her presence immediately changes the energy in the room. Candis is not here as a plus one. She is building something, a movement for women who are done performing, done pretending, and done settling for a version of life that looks good on the outside and feels hollow on the inside. Her story, including a moment of sitting in a closet with everything she was supposed to want and still breaking down, is the kind of honesty that most people spend their whole lives avoiding. It is also exactly why we named this episode what we named it.
Before the episode even gets rolling, Karl opens with a reframe that sets the tone for everything that follows: God does not always allow the pain. Sometimes it is just our decisions. What is remarkable is that He works through it anyway.
ET's conference debrief becomes one of the most honest moments in recent S2S memory. He traces his lifelong anger back to its real source, being uprooted from Chicago as a kid, losing his cousin-brothers, resenting a stepfather he never asked for, and spending decades needing to control everything because nobody was ever in control for him. The breakthrough comes when he finally connects the dots and realizes the plan he spent years fighting against was actually the plan that made him who he is.
The episode also goes deep on DeDe's gift, her ability to see what no one else sees, illustrated through the story of Donovan, a child in their church navigating an impossible situation while his younger brother fights kidney failure. It is a quiet masterclass in what it looks like to show up for people with your actual gifts, not just your checkbook.
If you are a woman who has ever smiled through something that was breaking you, this one is going to meet you exactly where you are. And if you have ever chased a life that looked right on paper and still felt empty behind closed doors, pull up a chair. This conversation was made for you.
In this episode:
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: God's Plan Despite Our Decisions
00:00:55 Welcome and Team Introductions: Post-1% Conference Reflections
00:02:49 Conference Takeaways: Building Your Own Table With People You Trust
00:04:18 Behind the Scenes: The Real Work of Live Events That Nobody Sees
00:16:02 The Commonality of Humanity: We All Want the Five Pillars
00:17:17 Candice's Mission: The Off-Ramp for Women Who Have Everything But Aren't Enjoying It
00:05:18 DeDe's Role: The Eye That Catches What Everyone Else Misses
00:09:49 The Phone Detox Challenge: Too Much Access to Everything
00:21:58 Candis' Story: Forgiving Her Father and the Optical Illusion of Life
00:27:09 The Wedding Day Decision: Moving As If You Already Have the Relationship You Want
00:30:36 The Truth About Candice's Father: When the Answer Still Isn't What You Hoped For
00:36:58 Eric's Story: I Still Don't Have Good Parents
00:38:32 The Joseph Revelation: God Allowed This to Happen So You Could Save Others
00:39:15 The Bruce Banner Effect: When Unresolved Trauma Makes You Someone You Don't Like
00:43:13 The American Dream Versus the Divine Calling: Stop Comparing Your Life
00:53:25 Losing Control and Finding God: When DD Took Over the Conference
00:55:00 The Healing Begins When You Realize Your Parents Were Broken Too
00:57:49 Closing: You Don't Want to Be Me, You Want to Be on Stage
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Secret to Success is hosted by Eric Thomas, Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King.
The Public Was Never Supposed to See This | S2S 537
2026/04/16
This episode was never meant for the public. It was recorded exclusively for our Patreon community — the people who are already in the inner circle. But we're pulling the curtain back and letting you see what S2S really looks like when the pressure is off, the cameras are still rolling, and nobody is performing for anybody.
This is the crew unfiltered. No script. No agenda. Just ET, Karl, CJ, and Jemal being exactly who they are.
From 80s hip-hop debates to the first game they ever ran, to ET getting real about why he stopped giving his expertise away for free — this episode has everything the highlight reel never shows you. And then Pops pulls up and drops the origin story of how ET and CJ found each other — the moment that started all of this.
If you've ever wondered what S2S looks like behind closed doors — this is it.
In This Episode:
The 80s hip-hop playlist that shaped who they became — LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Babyface and more
The first piece of game they ever ran (ET's Babyface line on Dede is legendary)
Why ET stopped giving his time and expertise away for free — and why you should too
The "selfish vs. self-focused" conversation that will change how you think about your time and money
A special visit from the Cooking with the Cooks family
Pops pulls up and tells the untold origin story of how ET and CJ connected
Timestamps:
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: The Public Was Never Supposed to See This
00:03:39 Throwback Music Session: LL Cool J and the Golden Era of Hip-Hop
00:09:58 Baby Face and Early Game: The First Piece of Wisdom
00:15:00 The Football Team Get Naked Story: When Confidence Was King
00:17:18 The Michael Jordan Clip: Being Selfish Is How You Win
00:18:05 The Shift: How ET Stopped Giving Everything Away for Free
00:22:02 The Mastermind Testimony: When People Pay, They Apply
00:24:16 Valuing Your Time and Expertise: The CJ Partnership Model
00:32:59 The ETA Records Story: Giving What's Earned, Not What's Expected
00:37:35 Pops Enters the Building: The Man Who Started It All
00:41:04 The Origin Story: From Prison Visit to Twenty Years of Partnership
00:43:43 Closing: Behind the Scenes Access and What's Next
Key Takeaways:
The difference between being selfish and being self-focused — and why it matters for your money and your time
Why giving your expertise away for free is a disservice to yourself and the people you're trying to help
The unplanned moment that created one of the most influential mentoring relationships in the world
What the S2S Patreon is really about — and why this content exists
🔒 This Is What Patreon Members Get Every Week Unscripted conversations. Behind the scenes moments. Live Q&As. ET's speech streams. This is the version of S2S where nothing gets cut. If you want in: 👉 Join the S2S Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @s2spodcast
🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
About the Secret to Success Podcast
The Secret to Success (S2S) Podcast is hosted by Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), Karl Phillips, CJ Quinney, and Jemal King. For over a decade, S2S has been one of the most authentic voices in personal development — not because of polished scripts, but because of real stories, real conversations, and real results.
Every episode pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build wealth, sustain relationships, grow businesses, and become who you were created to be. No hype. No filters. Just four men who've lived it, telling the truth about how they got there.
New episodes every Thursday. Patreon drops every Tuesday and Wednesday.
Most People Were Talked Out of Their Dream Before It Started | S2S 536
2026/04/09
Somebody talked you out of your dream before it ever had a chance. Maybe it was a parent. Maybe a friend. Maybe someone you trusted. And the worst part? They didn't even know they were doing it.
CJ takes his son Trey to a skateboard store and watches a 6-year-old fall twice in front of a crowd, get back up, and look at his dad like it was nothing — because CJ realized he was about to pass his own fear to his son. Fear of something he'd never even tried.
ET traces his version, leaving comfort in Huntsville to chase something bigger when everyone said he already had enough. Jemal gives a raw testimony — real estate, the daycare, the businesses — every significant venture required blind, childlike faith. The one that didn't? Becoming a police officer. His whole family was already there. Everything else? Trust God with nothing upfront. And Karl brings the financial lens: your side hustle doesn't just need to make money. It needs to make sense.
This one will make you think about who you've been taking advice from. And whether they've ever actually been on the skateboard.
📌 TIMESTAMPS
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: Karl's Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Deal and the Five Pillars
00:01:44 Welcome and Team Introductions: One Week Until the Chicago Conference
00:05:47 The Skateboard Story: How Trey's Childlike Faith Teaches Us to Get Back Up
00:08:45 Most People Were Talked Out of Their Dream Before It Started
00:12:33 Who Is Your Skateboard Instructor? The Importance of the Right Mentors
00:35:59 Unless You Become Like Little Children: The Scripture That Changes Everything
00:40:15 Show Up to the Conference as a Child, Not as an Adult
00:44:03 ET's Stone Mountain Story: Choosing to Be a Shepherd, Not a Competitor
00:51:15 For I Know the Plans I Have for You: God's Spiritual 529 Plan
00:56:45 Why This Conference Is Different: Three-Exing for God's Work
01:02:33 Jamal's Testimony: From Audience Member to Keynote Speaker at His Own High School
01:07:17 Make Your Side Hustle Make Sense: The Million Dollar Uber Ride
01:09:24 Closing Prayer: Lazarus, Come Forth—Breaking Free from the Weeds
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS
→ The person who talked you out of your dream probably never tried it themselves
→ A child sees what's possible. An adult only sees what's impossible
→ You're not afraid of the risk, you're afraid of what people will think when you fall
→ Show up as a student, not a teacher
→ Your side hustle shouldn't just make money, it should make sense
⬇️ Kalm Down with Karl When something is coming at you, you slow down. But when you have something to run toward, you speed up. What are you running toward?
💰 Mal's Millionaire Moment Jemal breaks down every venture he's ever built and the one thing they all had in common. Zero evidence it would work when he started. Just blind, childlike faith.
🎟️ 1% CONFERENCE, CHICAGO APRIL 16-18, 2026
Eric Thomas and world-class speakers including
- Sarah Jakes
- Jameis Winston,
- Inky Johnson,
- Wallstreet Trapper,
- Earn Your Leisure, and more.
3 days. 12,000 people.
Total transformation.
Day 1: Women's Day,
Day 2: Men's Day,
Day 3: VIP Family Day Tickets: https://etonepercent.com
🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Instagram: @s2spodcast
Patreon: Behind the scenes access, live recordings, exclusive Q&A, and ET speech streams. If you're serious about this, this is where you need to be: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, this is the podcast for you.
Most People Have No Idea What They're Actually Capable Of | S2S Ep. 535
2026/04/02
What if everything you've built so far — your career, your
income, your wins — happened without you even really trying?
That's exactly what Jemal King discovered in 2006. Four daycare
centers. Real estate. A millionaire — completely by mistake. And
the question that hit him harder than the money itself: if I
could become a millionaire by mistake, what could I become on
purpose?
Jemal breaks down his full story — from building without a coach
to discovering the value of community, to realizing most people
quit the moment they start seeing results. ET closes with his
challenge: stay 365 days. Then three years. Then five. Because
the levels you haven't seen yet only unlock after the time is paid.
Karl brings Kalm Down with Karl and Mal drops the Millionaire
Moment — the rebar that holds everything together, and why your
degrees and hustle aren't working without it.
Most people have no idea what they're actually capable of. This
episode is the proof. It's not about talent or luck. It's about
going on purpose.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
- Jemal's millionaire by mistake story — daycare centers, real estate, and the moment everything clicked
- Why most people quit right when they start seeing results
- Grinding alone vs. grinding with the right community
- Kalm Down with Karl — Do you see what I see?
- Mal's Millionaire Moment — you've been building without the rebar
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📍 CHAPTERS
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: Character Chasing Over Clout Chasing
00:01:45 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Real Cost of Proximity
00:02:45 Most People Don't Want the Smoke: The Accountability Circle
00:04:44 The Five Pillars Aren't Easy: Why Character Beats Entertainment
00:06:13 Twenty Years Together: The Power of Longevity and Consistency
00:08:01 Managing Power: When You Were Little in Your Own Sight
00:14:29 The Tobe Story: When Accountability Feels Like Warfare
00:17:09 Tom Izzo and the Transfer Portal: Why Most Coaches Are Scared
00:17:54 The Responsibility of the Circle: Carrying Each Other's Names
00:20:00 Conference Reveal: Why This One Is Intentionally Different
00:26:06 The Jemal Story: From Millionaire by Mistake to Millionaire on Purpose
00:24:58 The Value of Information: Would You Come for a Thousand Dollars?
00:32:41 Community Over Solo Grind: The Dubai Yacht Energy
00:35:48 I Don't Go to Red Carpets: ET's Intentional Isolation
00:37:49 Character Chasing vs Clout Chasing: The Pillar vs Sand Analogy
00:52:52 Wall Street Trapper Joins Live: The One Percent Money Mindset
00:56:00 Kalm Down with Karl
00:57:53 The Rebar Principle: What's Missing From Your Foundation
01:00:45 Closing: ET1% Conference Final Call and Patreon Family Shoutout
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🎟️ 1% CONFERENCE — CHICAGO
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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 more. 3 days. 12,000 people. Total transformation.
- Day 1: Women's Day
- Day 2: Men's Day
- Day 3: VIP Family Day
Tickets: https://etonepercent.com
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Instagram: @s2spodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET),
CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most
impactful personal development podcasts in the world. Each week
the team breaks down real conversations around success,
discipline, wealth, leadership, relationships, and
entrepreneurship. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to
breathe — this is the podcast for you.
You Can See Exactly What You Want. So Why Don't You Have It? | S2S Ep. 534
2026/03/26
You can see exactly what you want. You probably always could. So what's actually stopping you?
This episode opens with a story CJ wasn't sure he should tell. A 4-hour TSA line. Atlanta airport in complete chaos. And a woman with no badge, no uniform — just the nerve to say: get out of that line. What followed wasn't just a funny airport story. It cracked open one of the most honest conversations this crew has had about why people stay far from the rooms that could actually change them. Not because they don't have access. But because they know exactly what comes with it.
The crew gets real about the price of true accountability — what it costs to be in this circle, what it felt like when ET was going in on CJ, and why that fire is exactly what separates the ones who last from the ones who fall off. ET closes Part 1 with a warning from the life of King Saul — when you forget where you came from, the power you worked so hard to get becomes the very thing that destroys you. You can see exactly what you want. The question this episode answers is why you still don't have it.
Part 2 drops next week — Jemal reveals how he accidentally became a millionaire, Karl brings Kalm Down with Karl, and Ma drops the rebar moment.
If you can see it but you still don't have it — this episode is your answer.
🔥 IN THIS EPISODE
- CJ's wild TSA story — and the stranger with no badge who changed everything
- Why the people closest to greatness are usually the first ones to walk away from it
- "You want the perks, not the accountability" — the hard truth about circles
- Character chasing vs. cloud chasing — ET's 20 year philosophy
- The Saul Warning — what the Bible says about power outgrowing character
- Why the next level won't unlock no matter how hard you work
- ET's surgical analogy — why God has to separate you from
everyone you love first
📍 CHAPTERS
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: Become the Savage Before You Attract the Savage
00:01:30 Welcome and Team Introductions: The TSA Miracle Story
00:11:17 Ask ET: The Wandering Eye Dilemma
00:20:12 The Chicago Conference Reveal: Why We're Separating Men and Women
00:24:49 The Becoming Principle: Why Maul Is Sitting at This Table
00:36:09 Personal Development Is the Price of Admission
00:39:37 Don't Be a Two, Be a One-in-Waiting: The CJ Partnership Model
00:41:57 The Homework Assignment: Go Back and Watch the Growth
00:49:48 The Surgery Analogy: Why God Separates You Sometimes
00:52:44 The Hard Truth: Proximity Without Accountability Means Nothing
🎟️ 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 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
🔔 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
📲 Subscribe to the YouTube channel for weekly episodes that transform, not just inform:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
Follow on Instagram → @s2spodcast
🔥 Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access:
👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
🎙️ ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development and mindset podcasts in the world. Each week, the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, belief, financial growth, leadership, relationships, entrepreneurship, and personal development. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe — this is the podcast for you.
New episodes drop weekly.
You’re Focused on the Result, That’s Why You’re Still Losing
2026/03/19
You’re not losing because you lack talent.
You’re losing because you’re focused on the wrong thing.
Most people obsess over results — the money, the body, the relationship, the success.
But winners don’t worship outcomes.
They build systems.
In this episode of the Secret to Success Podcast, we break down why focusing on the result keeps you stuck — and how shifting to solution thinking changes everything.
If you’ve been:
• Starting strong but falling off
• Setting goals but not seeing progress
• Working hard but not moving forward
• Believing… but still stuck at the 6-yard line
This conversation is for you.
We dive into:
• The difference between victim thinking and architect thinking
• Why belief determines your level of commitment
• How focusing on solutions restores power over your life
• Why consistency without the right system is rehearsed failure
• The mental shift that separates dreamers from disciplined winners
You don’t rise to your goals.
You rise to your systems.
If you’re tired of chasing results and ready to start designing them, this episode will shift your focus.
Chapters:
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: Evict the Thoughts That Aren't Paying Rent
00:01:27 Welcome and Team Introductions: Five Pillars Fitness Challenge
00:07:00 Fair or Foul: The Airplane Snoring Incident
00:20:52 The Conference Difference: Solutions Over Information
00:25:20 The Three Types of People: Which One Are You?
00:24:41 From Victim to Architect: The Power of Solutions
00:33:32 The Intentionality Factor: Accidentally Broke vs Intentionally Wealthy
00:37:49 The Middle Part: Why Commitment Is Everything
00:39:49 Chemistry Class: The Solution Formula
00:41:24 Focused on the Answer Instead of the Solution: The Math Lesson
00:52:22 Belief Comes Before Action: Do You Really Believe?
01:01:55 Leverage: Knowing Who You Are Opens Every Door
01:04:49 The 1% Conference: Invest in Yourself
🎟️ TAKE ACTION
🚨 Get your ticket to the 1% Conference:
👉 https://etonepercent.com
Join us live and learn how to build the systems that produce lasting results.
🔥 Join our Patreon community for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access:
👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/S2SPodcast120
📲 Subscribe to the YouTube channel for weekly episodes that transform, not just inform:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@S2SPodcastChannel?sub_confirmation=1
🎙️ ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST
The Secret to Success Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eric Thomas (ET), CJ Quinney, Karl Phillips and Jemal King, is one of the most impactful personal development and mindset podcasts in the world. Each week, the team breaks down real conversations around success, discipline, belief, financial growth, leadership, relationships, entrepreneurship, and personal development. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe — this is the podcast for you.
New episodes drop weekly.
Your Gift Already Opened The Door - You Got Lazy And Let It Close #532
Being Almost Successful Is the Most Dangerous Place You Can Be | S2S Ep. 530
2026/02/26
Being close isn't the same as being there — and ET knows exactly what that feels like. In this episode, CJ and ET get raw about the "almost zone": why being talented, dedicated, and almost at the top might actually be harder than starting from zero. ET shares the real story of having the greatest motivational speech in the world and still not being able to get booked — and what finally changed everything.
They break down why getting to the top and staying at the top are two completely different skill sets, the whispers of self-doubt that are quietly killing people's dreams, and why proximity to the right people matters more than talent ever will.
🔑 IN THIS EPISODE:
Why the "almost zone" is more frustrating than starting from nothing
The formula ET used to go from unknown to #1 motivational speaker in the world
Getting to the top vs. staying at the top — why most people fail at both
The whispers of self-doubt nobody talks about (and how to silence them)
Why you can't build your dream with imaginary people — use your family
The 1% Event: April 16–18 in Chicago | etonepercent.com
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening: There's a Formula to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
00:00:57 Welcome and Team Introductions: The Varsity Game Is Back
00:01:56 The Crown Jewel: Doing It Together for 20 Years
00:05:07 Why ET Came Back Outside: The 10% Who Are Almost There
00:07:02 The Almost Zone: Why the Red Zone Is Harder Than Being Homeless
00:10:40 It's Not More Talent, It's Proximity: The New York Times Bestseller Formula
00:16:15 Nobody Cares: The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Write Down
00:22:32 Becoming Before Attracting: Why You Met ET at the Right Time
00:23:48 The 1% Conference Lineup: Wall Street Trapper, Inky Johnson, Earn Your Leisure and More
00:32:09 How Wall Street Trapper Walked Through the Valley: From Solitary Confinement to Success
00:35:34 Field Goals Get You Beat: The Mental Battle of the Red Zone
00:36:42 Rashad and Troy from Earn Your Leisure: How Brothers Stay Together and Win Together
00:37:56 Stop Working With Imaginary People: Build With Your Family
00:40:07 The Family Reunion: Everyone's Going to Be in the Building
00:41:22 Closing: April 16-18 in Chicago—ET1Percent.com
🔴 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE:
💎 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.👉
🎟️ 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 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
📱 FOLLOW S2S ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/s2spodcast
🎧 LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-to-success/id123456789
ABOUT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS PODCAST
The Secret to Success podcast is hosted by CJ, Eric Thomas (ET, The Hip Hop Preacher), and Karl Phillips — a team who've built something rare: a 20-year friendship, business partnership, and movement that has impacted millions of lives worldwide. Joined by Jemal King and their families, S2S goes beyond motivation to deliver real conversations about marriage, business, wealth building, and personal development. New episodes every Thursday on all platforms.
Don't Start a Business Until You Watch This - Wrong Partners Will Destroy You | S2S Ep. 529
👉 Most People Fail Because They Follow the Rules (That Weren’t Made for Them) #527
2026/02/05
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:
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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.
Every Result Has a Belief Behind It #525
2026/01/22
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
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Why Everyone’s Talking About the Chicago Bears Right Now — And What It Shows About Turnarounds #524
2026/01/15
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
👉 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast on YouTube
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👉 Follow us on Instagram for daily perspective shifts & behind-the-scenes moments
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Why Most People Fail After They Start Winning #523
2026/01/08
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
🎧 Subscribe to the Secret to Success Podcast
New episodes every week—real conversations, real growth.
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⭐ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts
Your feedback helps us reach more people who need this message.
📤 Share This Episode
Send this to someone who needs accountability—not applause.
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🧠 Final Reminder
Transformation requires truth.
And truth only works when someone is brave enough to speak it.
Podcast reviews
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Make it difficult 135 2026/04/15
Sabbath
How do you sabbath? I appreciate the grind mentally but along with His grace, sabbath is one of the greatest gifts He has given us. How do you practic...
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Huge Fan
This podcast found me right on time,
Dropped truth in my heart and rhythm in rhyme.
When life felt heavy, loud, and unclear,
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SGKBang 2026/03/02
Motivation or just an ad for the conferences?
I used to really enjoy this podcast to start my days. Now instead of hearing motivation I find myself having to skip forward minutes at a time because...
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Podcast is life changing. I am making it a priority to go back and listen to every single episode.
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Awesome Podcast
This podcast feels like being in a true man circle and I’m surrounding by strong, positive, uplifting men!
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I’m new to The Secret to Success with CJ, Karl, Jemal, and Eric Thomas, but even in 2025, this podcast is pure gems. Their honesty, humor, and real li...
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I love this podcast. Been rocking with the guys for years. This podcast is not only a bit of entertainment but actionable steps to get to the next lev...
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