“Everything happens for a reason” is meant to comfort — but does it actually help? In this episode of the All-In Podcast, John Michael, Jose, and Clayton unpack why this common phrase often ends up hurting more than healing, especially when someone is walking through deep suffering.

Through honest stories about dementia, disability, and the struggle to make sense of real tragedy, the guys explore why we reach for clichés when we feel powerless — and why presence, empathy, and listening often speak louder than theological explanations.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

💬 Why “everything happens for a reason” often becomes a coping cliché

🧠 The human need for control — and how uncertainty makes us grasp for meaning

❤️ Vulnerable stories of suffering: dementia, disability, and family hardship

✝️ What the Church means (and doesn’t mean) by “redemptive suffering”

🤝 How to support a grieving friend when you have nothing helpful to say

🪑 Why showing up — not fixing — is the most healing response

If you’ve ever walked with someone through pain, wrestled with your own grief, or struggled with what to say in hard moments, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a far better alternative to the clichés we tend to reach for.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

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Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

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HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

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All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

Have smartphones quietly taken over our lives — and were old phones actually better for us? In this episode of the All-In Podcast, Jose, John Michael, and Clayton dive into the rise of digital dependence and whether the nostalgic simplicity of flip phones offered more freedom than today’s “smart” devices.

From Apple’s ecosystem pressure to the green-text stigma, to the heated debate over voice memos, the guys explore how modern technology shapes relationships, communication, and even anxiety. They also look back at the legendary Motorola Razr and discuss new tools (including “The Brick”) designed to help people reclaim control from their phones.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

📱 Have smartphones made life better — or more anxious?

🍏 How Apple’s ecosystem pressures shape group chats and friendships

🎙️ The great voice memo debate: efficient or infuriating?

📞 Why the Motorola Razr was “goated” and what we lost when flip phones disappeared

🔒 How “The Brick” helps lock down distracting apps for digital freedom

🧠 The difference between the flip phone generation and the “Anxious Generation”

If you’ve ever considered ditching your smartphone, miss the simplicity of old-school phones, or just want a laugh about how our digital habits got here, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠allin@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

“New Year, New Me” is dead — and in this episode of The All-In Podcast, John Michael, Jose, and Clayton explain why most resolutions collapse before January is even halfway over.

Instead of trying to reinvent yourself overnight, the guys unpack the science (and spirituality) behind small, stackable habits that actually last — and why tiny daily wins beat big flashy goals every time.

They also break down the subtle pressure of social media, the dopamine hit of announcing resolutions too early, and how habit-building becomes easier when it’s tied to routines you already have.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

🎯 Why New Year’s resolutions fail within the first 10–15 days

📉 How announcing goals publicly hurts motivation

🔄 Why small habits stack better than big reinventions

🙏 How to attach habits to routines you already do (like praying the Rosary on the drive to work)

🌙 The impact of consistent sleep, morning routines, and phone boundaries

💡 How to design a New Year that fits you — not the internet

If you’re tired of burnout, hype culture, and false starts, this episode will help you build a New Year that’s actually sustainable — spiritually, mentally, and practically.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠allin@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment!

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For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

Why does Christmas feel like it ends as soon as it begins? In this episode of the All-In Podcast, John Michael, Jose, and Clayton dive into why Christmas burnout is real — and why embracing a longer season might be exactly what your soul needs.

From the chaos of holiday expectations to the beauty of Advent, the guys explore how modern culture rushes past Christmas while the liturgical calendar calls us to slow down, savor joy, and actually celebrate longer than one frantic morning.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

🎬 Our Mount Rushmore of Christmas movies (and the Die Hard + Harry Potter debates)

🕯️ How Advent prepares us differently than secular holiday hype

🌞 Why St. John the Baptist’s feast day falls on the summer solstice — and what it reveals

🎉 Why Christmas is an octave (8-day feast!) and why the celebration shouldn’t stop on the 25th

👑 The cultural and spiritual meaning behind Epiphany and Three Kings Day

🌲 Why keeping your decorations up longer is good for your mind, your home, and your faith

If you’ve ever felt overstimulated during the holidays — or wished Christmas didn’t disappear overnight — this conversation will help you rediscover the warmth of the season.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠allin@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

In this episode of The All-In Podcast, John Michael, Jose, and Clayton break down the art of big purchases — from spotting unbelievable deals to convincing yourself that your biggest wants are actually needs.

The guys dive into family budgeting, credit card hacks, and the psychology behind the stuff we buy. They also debate everything from car obsession to whether a man cave is a harmless escape… or something deeper.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

💰 How to tell a want from a need — and why “car-olatry” (aka car obsession) gets so many men in trouble

🚗 Clayton’s legendary car negotiation story: 8-months-pregnant wife, broken AC, and scoring a used RAV4 at his exact max price

✈️ Travel hacks that actually work: how the guys use credit card rewards to fly to Italy and Cancun for free

🏠 The great man-cave debate: is it a healthy retreat or an escape from your family responsibilities?

📚 Why the classic “study” might be making a comeback — and what it says about modern life and masculinity

If you’ve ever talked yourself into a big purchase, justified an upgrade, or wanted to level up your financial decision-making, this episode is packed with stories, strategies, and laughs to help you spend smarter — without killing the fun.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠

Use Promo Code FOCUSAI for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠allin@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

What are the real rules of pickup basketball? In this hilarious episode of All-In, Clayton, John Michael, and Jose break down the unwritten laws every guy follows on the blacktop — from calling your own fouls to why “ones and twos” is the only acceptable scoring format.

The guys roast the most iconic pickup archetypes (yes, including “AirPods Guy” and the backwards hat dude who thinks he's Kyrie), share outrageous blacktop stories, and deliver the definitive list of what actually counts as good basketball etiquette.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

• 🏀 The official rules of pickup basketball (and the fouls you should NEVER call)

• 🎧 The most accurate player stereotypes — AirPods Guy, Backwards Hat Guy, and “Mr. 401k”

• 😂 Wild pickup stories: unbeatable streaks, chest-shaving incidents, and men taking rec ball way too seriously

• 💪 Why pickup basketball brings out real competitiveness, discipline, and masculinity

• 🔥 The biggest etiquette debates: ones vs. twos, checking up, calling travels, and more

If you’ve ever hooped at a park, gym, or church league, you’ll laugh your head off — and definitely recognize these people.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ

Listen on Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/

HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at allin@focus.org or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → seekreplay.com

For more original content and early releases, please visit seekreplay.com

All In is a production of FOCUS. www.focus.org

Is doubt a threat to faith — or the doorway into it? In this episode of All-In, Jose, Clayton, and John Michael unpack why the moments when faith feels weakest may actually be the moments God is doing His strongest work.

From the hidden spiritual struggles of Mother Teresa to the difference between Thomas’s honest questioning and Judas’s despair, the guys explore how men can confront uncertainty instead of running from it — and why taking action in seasons of doubt is often the one thing that leads to deeper, unshakeable belief.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• 🔍 Why doubt and faith aren’t opposites — they form a cycle that can strengthen conviction

• 🙏 The surprising truth about Mother Teresa’s decades-long battle with doubt

• ⚔️ The difference between doubt (Thomas) and denial (Judas)

• 🧭 What to do when your feelings and intellect don't match your beliefs

• 🚶‍♂️ Why spiritual growth happens when you take action before you feel confident

If you’re wrestling with questions, feeling spiritually stuck, or wondering how to move forward when belief feels hard — this conversation will give you clarity, hope, and practical steps toward deeper faith.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use Promo Code FOCUSAI for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

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HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

Email us at ⁠allin@focus.org⁠ or leave a comment!

Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org

In this Thanksgiving episode of the All-In Podcast, John Michael, Jose, and Clayton build the perfect Thanksgiving plate — one hilarious draft pick at a time. From first-round pie selections to deviled eggs as mandatory starters, we break down the food battles that define the holiday.

But it’s not just about the plate. We also dive into the real Thanksgiving essentials: navigating family conversations, handling tension with grace, and leaving the table in peace (even if someone brings canned cranberry sauce).

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

🦃 A three-round Thanksgiving “snake draft” and our most controversial food takes

🥧 Why pie belongs in the first round — and the case for deviled eggs

🥫 The cranberry sauce debate (yes, straight from the can)

📺 Football vs. the Macy’s Parade: which tradition wins?

🗣️ How to handle tough family dynamics with empathy and confidence

✨ Why you won’t change anyone’s mind at the dinner table — and what to do instead

If you want laughs, practical advice, and a better way to approach Thanksgiving this year, this episode is for you.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hang Out With Us at SEEK26: ⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠

Use Promo Code FOCUSAI for Exclusive Pre-SEEK Content, and a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers to shopfocus.org

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LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

Listen on Spotify → ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts → ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-in/id1831854757⁠

Listen on YouTube→ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@All-In-focus-c⁠

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CONNECT WITH FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram → ⁠https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/⁠

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HAVE A QUESTION OR GUEST SUGGESTION?

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Join Our Email List → ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠seekreplay.com⁠

All In is a production of FOCUS. ⁠www.focus.org