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Iron & Infrastructure

Iron & Infrastructure

Written by: Jacob Emery
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About this listen

The Iron and Infrastructure podcast, hosted by Jacob Emery. Each episode is a dive deep into the world where blue-collar work, weightlifting, and personal development intersect. In each episode, we discuss the connection between the physical strength built through labor and lifting, and the mental and emotional growth that comes with it. Whether you're a seasoned worker, a fitness enthusiast, or simply curious about the transformative power of these elements in everyday life, this podcast is your go-to source for inspiration, insight, and practical tips. Tune in and discover how the iron and infrastructure in our lives can forge not only physical prowess but also a resilient, empowered self.2023 Economics Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Ep 229 | From Addiction to Discipline | How Standards Create Freedom With Kody Rostofer
    Jan 19 2026

    In this episode of The Iron and Infrastructure Podcast, I sit down with Kody Rostofer, a manufacturing engineer who transformed a life marked by addiction, self-destruction, and inconsistency into one built on discipline, structure, and purpose.

    We talk about what it really takes to rebuild yourself from the inside out - why discipline beats motivation, how standards create freedom, and why investing in yourself is the turning point most people avoid. Kody shares his journey through addiction, sobriety, physical transformation, and the mindset shift that helped him stop living reactively and start living intentionally.

    This conversation dives deep into personal development, entrepreneurship, truth vs tradition, leverage over labor, and why most people stay stuck — not because they're incapable, but because they never commit. If you're trying to break destructive cycles, build confidence, or stop settling for a life that looks fine but feels empty, this episode is for you.

    Key Topics:

    • Discipline over motivation: why standards matter
    • Turning addiction and destruction into structure and growth
    • Truth vs tradition in life, business, and manufacturing
    • Why investing in yourself changes everything

    Follow Kody @rostofer99

    Follow along @jacobemery44

    Ready to UNLOCK YOUR GREATNESS? ⬇️

    Download the Free Break Barriers Blueprint and learn more at jacobemery.com

    #IronAndInfrastructurePodcast #DisciplineOverMotivation #PersonalDevelopment #SobrietyJourney #MentalToughness #StandardsCreateFreedom #EntrepreneurMindset #SelfInvestment #GrowthThroughAdversity #UnlockingGreatness

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Ep 228 | The Only Way Is Through | How to Break Through When Nothing Is Working
    Jan 16 2026

    There are seasons where you're working harder than ever… and nothing feels like it's working. I've lived that. Late nights, early mornings, pressure stacking up, and no clear way out.

    What most people don't realize is that struggle doesn't mean you're failing - it often means you're getting close to a breakthrough. But effort without direction is just motion. That's why I use a simple framework: push, pull, or pivot.

    Sometimes you have to push when it gets the hardest. Sometimes you need to pull back and reflect. And sometimes you need to pivot - not because you're quitting, but because you've outgrown the goal.

    In this episode, I break down how reflection creates results, why systems matter more than goals, and how real progress is built when you keep showing up - even when the weight feels unbearable.

    If you're feeling stuck, exhausted, or questioning whether what you're doing is worth it… this episode will give you clarity, direction, and the mental strength to keep going.

    Key Topics:

    • Why hard work without direction keeps you stuck
    • The Push, Pull, Pivot framework for clarity
    • How reflection creates real breakthroughs
    • Why progress only exists on the other side of pain

    Follow along @jacobemery44

    Ready to UNLOCK YOUR GREATNESS? ⬇️

    Download the Free Break Barriers Blueprint and learn more at jacobemery.com

    #TheOnlyWayIsThrough #BreakthroughSeason #IronAndInfrastructure #JacobEmery #EntrepreneurMindset #MentalStrength #DisciplineOverMotivation #KeepGoing

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    8 mins
  • Ep 227 | How to Stay Disciplined When Motivation Disappears
    Jan 12 2026

    There was a moment where everything I worked for almost disappeared. A torn pec. An 18-month knee rehab. No meet. No timeline. No motivation. But that season taught me something I couldn't have learned any other way — discipline is what carries you when motivation is gone.

    In this episode, I walk you through what it was like getting injured three weeks before my first powerlifting meet, being forced to step back, and rebuilding from nothing. I share how rehab exposed my imbalances, how delayed gratification changed the outcome, and how I still showed up when I had every reason not to.

    This is the story of squatting 410 and benching 410 in the same meet after injury — but more importantly, it's the story of learning that you don't have to feel ready to do what you're meant to do. You just have to show up and give what you've got. Discipline over motivation. Every time.

    Key Topics:

    • Discipline when motivation is gone
    • Rebuilding after injury and setbacks
    • Delayed gratification and long-term growth
    • Why following the plan beats following your feelings

    Follow along @jacobemery44

    Ready to UNLOCK YOUR GREATNESS? ⬇️

    Download the Free Break Barriers Blueprint and learn more at jacobemery.com

    #IronAndInfrastructure #JacobEmery #DisciplineOverMotivation #DelayedGratification #MentalToughness #NoSnooze #PowerliftingLife #ResilientMindset #ShowUpDaily #UnlockingGreatness

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    12 mins
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