Americans fear public speaking almost as much as death. In this solo Shop Talk, Bill shares how he learned to give keynotes and commencement speeches, and breaks down what actually works: be yourself, be prepared, and don’t be afraid to be a little funny. If you’ve ever frozen up at the thought of leading a meeting or speaking to a crowd, this one’s for you.

ARMY ACTIONS

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Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, “the hero’s journey for service” at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest here - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

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During COVID, Maryam Banikarim posted a photo of a long table full of neighbors sharing a meal and asked a simple question: what if we did this? 500 people showed up. In this episode, Maryam shares how that one potluck grew into The Longest Table, a movement that has touched over 150 communities, and how something as simple as a shared meal can restore our neighborhoods. 

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, “the hero’s journey for service” at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest here - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During COVID, Maryam Banikarim posted a photo of a long table full of neighbors sharing a meal and asked a simple question: what if we did this? 500 people showed up. In this episode, Maryam shares how that one potluck grew into The Longest Table, a movement that has touched over 150 communities, and how something as simple as a shared meal can restore our neighborhoods. 

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, “the hero’s journey for service” at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest here - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armyofnormalfolks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@armyofnormalfolks
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X: https://x.com/armynormalfolks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/an-army-of-normal-folks/

Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Shop Talk, Bill breaks down what a concussion actually is, why repeated hits on an unhealed brain lead to CTE, and why he believes today’s players - armed with the data his generation never had - aren’t victims when they choose to play. He makes the case for why football still matters, from the teamwork and sacrifice it builds to the toughness our culture needs more of, and lays out real solutions to play safely. 

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, “the hero’s journey for service” at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest here - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:
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In this episode, James Whitford, co-founder of Watered Gardens and True Charity, breaks down why most well-meaning charity accidentally traps people in dependency instead of helping them be self sufficient. He’ll walk us through what true charity looks like. This one will change how you think about giving, volunteering, and what it actually means to believe in someone.

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service" at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/an-army-of-normal-folks/

Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, James Whitford, co-founder of Watered Gardens and True Charity, breaks down why most well-meaning charity accidentally traps people in dependency instead of helping them be self sufficient. He’ll walk us through what true charity looks like. This one will change how you think about giving, volunteering, and what it actually means to believe in someone.

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service" at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armyofnormalfolks/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@armyofnormalfolks

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X: https://x.com/armynormalfolks

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1975, 42% of Americans hosted friends or family at home at least once a month. Today, that number has collapsed to just 12%. In this Shop Talk, Bill and Alex dig into Derek Thompson’s article on the decline of hosting and what it reveals about disappearing community. The fix is simple, invite someone to dinner this week.

ARMY ACTIONS

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Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, “the hero’s journey for service” at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest here - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:

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At 16, Sean Pica made a decision that landed him in a maximum security prison. Now he holds multiple master's degrees and serves as president of Hudson Link - the nonprofit whose prison education programs once gave him a reason to believe his life wasn't over. In this episode, Sean shares his story and tells us why fewer than 2% of Hudson Link's graduates return to prison. 

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service" at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armyofnormalfolks/

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Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 16, Sean Pica made a decision that landed him in a maximum security prison. Now he holds multiple master's degrees and serves as president of Hudson Link - the nonprofit whose prison education programs once gave him a reason to believe his life wasn't over. In this episode, Sean shares his story and tells us why fewer than 2% of Hudson Link's graduates return to prison. 

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service" at 10LevelChallenge.org

Record a testimonial or recommend a guest - https://army.storytap.com/906/start/anf-listeners?epdescription

Follow us on all socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armyofnormalfolks/

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In this Shop Talk, Bill and Alex take on the nine million self-help books promising to fix your life, from 4:17 a.m. ice baths to journaling and cutting carbs, and go back to the one that has stuck around for decades: Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Bill walks through all seven, from quitting the complaining about what you can't control to learning to listen to someone without preparing a rebuttal. His case is that your calendar is a more honest statement of your priorities than your mouth. That opens a bigger conversation about being a good neighbor: why generosity is a habit and not one check, why curiosity is becoming a radical act, and why character gets built in ordinary decisions, not giant moments. Plus Alex's idea for a yearly seven-habit scorecard and why he's heading to Vegas to sharpen the saw.

ARMY ACTIONS

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Join or start a local service club: https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take the 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service": https://normalfolks.org/10-level-challenge/

Have an idea for a Shop Talk or a guest for the show? Write Bill anytime at [email protected]

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—

0:00 Welcome to the Shop: 9 Million Self-Help Books

0:32 What Are Stephen Covey's 7 Habits?

1:25 How to Stop Worrying About What You Can't Control

3:03 Why Your Calendar Shows Your Real Priorities

6:24 How Small Habits Build Character

9:29 How to Avoid Burnout and Sharpen the Saw

Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Bill sits down with Rob Maaddi, senior NFL writer for the Associated Press and host of Faith on the Field, who partied with the athletes he covered and was divorced by 30, empty, broke and broken. After 36 straight days of drinking, a woman who told him she wasn't meant for him walked him to the front of Times Square Church. Today he plays softball in prison yards with the Deacons Prison Ministry, where an inmate who threatened to shank him came back to thank him. That opens a bigger conversation about where purpose comes from: why Super Bowl champions ask "now what" two days after the parade, why a pastor told him to take Jesus to his marketplace instead of quitting the AP, and what John Harbaugh's 95-5 rule teaches anyone raising kids. Plus Tony Dungy, the Hall of Fame coach who ushers at his church.

—

ARMY ACTIONS

Sign up for the newsletter: https://normalfolks.org/#newsletter-cta

Join or start a service club: https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take the 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service": https://normalfolks.org/10-level-challenge/

Listen to Rob's show, Faith on the Field: https://faithonthefieldshow.com/

Have an idea for a Shop Talk or a guest for the show? Write Bill anytime at [email protected]

—

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.