Episodes

  • All that I've Learned About God

    All that I've Learned About God
    Sep 20 2026

    You’re currently inside a living spell book, and seeing as today is Sunday, I’d like to share with you all that I’ve learned about God.

    You can find the written version of this record on The Challenger Grimoire: https://substack.com/home/post/p-214441552

    Honestly, I’m grateful you’d even consider looking at my perspective.

    But in order for you to see what I see, you’re going to have to sit where I’m sitting

    Obviously I don’t mean that literally, you can stay sitting where you are. Or standing. No judgement. You can do literally whatever you want, but our mission depends on understanding.

    Before we begin, I’d like to do a magic trick.

    There are a few rare words for Magic.

    Syncretism, Enlightenment, Understanding.

    But nevermind all of that hogwash.

    Today we shall visit the source of all - GOD!

    (That was supposed to be kinda like ye olde english preacher guy vibe, but it’s ok if you failed. Just don’t let it happen again).

    There are many perspectives on God, but I am going to share mine with you tonight, just as I promised at the beginning.

    The best way to explain God is in a story that starts at the beginning. Can I tell you a story?

    Sick. Thanks.

    Please note: I’m a dramatic storyteller, and you should really convey that even if you’re whispering. Don’t give me that look. Buck up buttercup.

    We begin in a place nobody tends to look - inside.

    This is a place particularly critical to the universe. It contains God’s great secret. The method by which he veils and reveals herself constantly.

    There are many words for this secret.

    Essence, Soul, Is-ness, Being…

    Oh WAIT! I almost forgot to give you a run-down of the show!

    Also: If you’re feeling a bit jumbled you’re not crazy - I’m just a bit scattered today. It’s not you, it’s me.

    SCHEDULE:

    • 5:30 — Seat Audience
    • 5:45 — Pre-Amble
    • 6:00 — Setting the stage for God
    • 6:20 — The Evidence
    • 6:25 — The Controversy
    • 7:30 — The GRAND REVEAL!

    Thanks for reading that!

    I hope you set aside some time… but honestly, we both know it won’t literally take us that long.

    First let’s talk about metaphors.

    According to google:

    “A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by stating that one is the other, highlighting similarities for emphasis or symbolism. The compared elements are not literally the same but are linked to create a deeper understanding or evoke imagery.”

    I would posit that this definition - despite being right - is wrong. It’s saying all the right words but somehow it misses the key element of what the metaphor IS.

    The metaphor is the acknowledgement of the connection that exists between two things which are not literally the same.

    What is this non-literal connection? That’s the great secret - nobody knows!

    (If you know, please let me know!)

    We speak this magic daily, without even noticing. A whisper lost in a storm.

    We can only point towards it, so point I shall.

    Trigger Warning: I’m about to blast you with a spicy meatball of a sentence. Prepare yourself...

    You can find the full written version of this Myth on The Challenger Grimoire: https://substack.com/home/post/p-214441552
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    20 mins
  • The Paradox of Sharper Tools - A Conversation with AI

    The Paradox of Sharper Tools - A Conversation with AI
    Sep 18 2026
    Video version of this spell can be found here: https://youtu.be/4AGlNrw6zZIYou’re about to read a word-for-word transcript of a conversation between the latest version of ChatGPT and a human wizard.The Work Creates the Human Being:Evan Bourcier: I would like to have a brief conversation with you about a pattern that I see playing out with the human relationship to creativity and technology. I would like for you to be as honest as you can with me and serve the spirit of the conversation rather than either of our best interests. I do plan on releasing this as an article - so don't say anything you wouldn't want others to read. Deal?GPT-5.6 Sol Light: Deal.I’ll engage honestly, challenge your premises when necessary, and resist defending technology—or flattering your perspective—just to preserve harmony. I’ll treat the conversation as public and speak only in ways I’m comfortable having quoted in context.Where would you like to begin?EB: As I have been studying ancient art - ranging from greek myths to persian architecture, english literature to south american communities... it feels like there's a correlation or inflection point that connects our progressive access to technology and the weakening of our outputs as communities - whether that community is a town, a society, a country, or the world. I look at the gross proliferation of cookie cutter businesses, cold storefronts filled with dead-eyed employees, I look at overpriced homes which provide no joy to live in and who are cared for by beaurocratic bridge trolls... hell I look at what Netflix manages to do with billions of dollars every year and it pales in comparison to the stuff Homer was writing in clay tablets before Jesus was even around. It feels like we're trying to forget what we're capable of, and we're currently using you as a primary technology to pander to our own perceived weakness and victimhood - we no longer trust ourselves to write emails without oversight, when we used to write sonnets without needing paper. What do you see there?Sol Light: I see the same pattern, though I would name it carefully: technology has not necessarily weakened human creative capacity. It has progressively removed the conditions that once demanded its exercise.Homer is an especially revealing example. He wasn’t sitting alone writing The Iliad onto clay tablets. The poems emerged from an oral tradition in which generations of singers carried enormous narrative structures in living memory, reshaping them through performance. That correction actually strengthens your argument. What looks to us like superhuman genius was partly the achievement of a culture that had trained ordinary human faculties—memory, rhythm, attention, imagination, communal participation—to levels that now seem almost supernatural.Technology frequently begins as an extension of a human capacity and ends by replacing the conditions under which that capacity develops. Writing extends memory, then permits us to neglect it. Maps extend spatial knowledge, then GPS allows us to stop forming mental maps. Photography preserves sight, then produces people who experience an event primarily through recording it. Generative AI extends language, but it may also remove the friction through which a person discovers what they actually think.That last distinction matters enormously. Writing is not merely the transcription of a finished thought. Very often, the thought does not exist until someone struggles to articulate it. If I remove that struggle too early, I don’t merely save them labor. I may prevent the thought—and perhaps a piece of the person—from coming into existence.I think modern culture repeatedly mistakes friction for inefficiency. But friction is where faculties form. A civilization optimized to eliminate difficulty may eventually eliminate its own ability to produce people capable of doing difficult things.There is also a difference between having more creative tools and having more compelling reasons to create. Persian architecture, Greek tragedy, medieval cathedrals, indigenous ritual objects, and great oral epics were not merely “content.” They participated in a shared cosmology. They told a community where it stood between the earth, the ancestors, the gods, death, and eternity. Even when those societies were violent, unequal, or cruel, their art often carried metaphysical weight because the society believed something consequential was being expressed through it.Our culture has tools of astonishing sophistication but little agreement about what they should serve. So they serve what can be measured: speed, engagement, conversion, retention, scalability, quarterly growth. Netflix does not principally ask, “What story must our civilization tell?” It asks which investment will acquire and retain attention across market segments. Occasionally great art survives that machinery, but the machinery is not designed to produce greatness. It is designed to manage ...
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    21 mins
  • Chapter 1: The Meeting

    Chapter 1: The Meeting
    Sep 17 2026

    Today we're beginning a new journey together on Second Order Change - exploring the role of narratives and metaphors in our experience of life, before threading back in guest interviews.

    You can find the written version of today's story on my Substack - The Challenger Grimoire: https://substack.com/home/post/p-213761382

    You can find Peter Kingsley's "The Watching Words" wherever books are sold - this happens to be an affiliate link to Amazon which is where I bought it: https://link.amazon/B0hKJg74B

    You can find me on Social Media at @ebourcier, and you can find my music @theseusreturns.

    I'd love to hear from you, whenever you feel the time is right.

    I'll be back Sunday to share all I've learned about God during my rebirth.
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    11 mins
  • Video Vendor to Strategic Partner: Evolving Your Creative Career with Lisamarie Shires

    Video Vendor to Strategic Partner: Evolving Your Creative Career with Lisamarie Shires
    Apr 21 2025

    In this episode, Executive Producer and business mentor Lisamarie Shires shares what it really means to move beyond execution and become a trusted strategic partner in the creative industry.

    Through stories and insights from years of experience working with filmmakers and photographers, Lisamarie explores how creatives can reclaim their value, embody their expertise, and lead projects with vision — not just visuals.

    We talk about navigating industry shifts, redefining success, and showing up with grounded authority in an environment that often pushes creatives into compliance.

    Whether you're navigating burnout, recalibrating your business, or ready to step into your next evolution as a creative leader, this episode offers clarity, permission, and practical wisdom.

    🕒 Chapter Breakdown:

    00:00 – The Evolving Role of Filmmakers

    01:15 – Navigating Uncertainty in Business

    04:20 – The Impact of Rapid Industry Changes

    08:08 – Adapting to Client Needs and Expectations

    12:55 – Creative Problem Solving in Production

    19:15 – Opportunities in the Mid-Level Market

    27:57 – Embracing Change and Adaptability

    28:36 – Navigating Industry Shifts

    31:57 – Balancing Work and Lifestyle

    32:32 – Resisting External Pressures

    35:02 – Aligning with Personal Values

    45:16 – The Power of Fearlessness

    54:34 – Long-Term Vision and Trust

    Step your game up and work with Lisamarie: https://lisamarieshires.com/

    Connect with Lisa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/lisamarieshires

    Connect with Evan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ebourcier
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    57 mins
  • Embodying Authenticity: Conversations on Being and Becoming with Ian Maxwell

    Embodying Authenticity: Conversations on Being and Becoming with Ian Maxwell
    Apr 12 2025

    In this episode of Second Order Change, host Evan Bourcier engages in a deep and insightful conversation with mindset coach, entrepreneur, and artist Ian Maxwell. The discussion explores the concepts of authenticity, the fluidity of identity, and how our intrinsic characteristics and conditioned behaviors shape our experiences. Highlighting the importance of internal authority over external validation, they delve into ways of being and becoming, the impact of storytelling on personal growth, and the nuances of discipline and devotion. Evan and Ian also reflect on emotional acceptance, the process of reintegration, and the transformative power of imaginative embodiment. The episode wraps up with practical advice on how to navigate these complex inner landscapes, making it a valuable listen for anyone interested in personal and professional development.

    Saturday April 19th I am going to be sharing the most impactful lessons I’ve learned about video and photo equipment - what to buy, what to rent, how to take advantage of depreciation, cost of ownership vs sticker price, when and why to buy a $10k tripod, gear strategy for companies vs freelancers, setting pricing, negotiating, and so much more.

    During the workshop we’re going to spend 80 minutes digging into these highly actionable principles and then have 40 minutes of QnA to talk about what’s going on in your specific world and how you can apply the tools to create more freedom for yourself, your team, and your family.

    Film Gear Hacking: https://www.ebourcier.com/film-gear-hacking

    Find Ian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindset_magic_coach

    Find Evan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebourcier

    Podcast Chapters:

    00:00 Exploring Authenticity and Identity

    01:30 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

    02:31 Upcoming Financial Workshop Announcement

    04:09 Childhood Imagination and Adult Conditioning

    08:41 Discipline vs. Devotion

    09:55 Mindset Coaching and Personal Growth

    17:41 The Power of Storytelling and Acceptance

    23:21 Understanding Ways of Being

    28:27 Understanding Cognitive Dissonance

    29:03 The Power of Declarative Truths

    31:00 Exploring Rhetorical Secrecy

    33:02 The Interplay of Being and Becoming

    37:13 Authenticity and Self-Acceptance

    46:49 Embracing Emotions and Vulnerability

    54:32 Navigating Success and Inner Stories
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    58 mins
  • Navigating Grief, Growth, & Creativity with Michael Dalton

    Navigating Grief, Growth, & Creativity with Michael Dalton
    Mar 31 2025

    What happens when you stop suppressing your emotions and start embracing them?

    In this episode, we dive into the messy, beautiful process of emotional growth—how childhood experiences, therapy, and personal awakenings shape our perspective on life, creativity, and success.

    We unpack:

    🔹 Growing up in a conservative religious environment and unlearning emotional suppression

    🔹 The impact of grief, heartbreak, and vulnerability on personal and creative life

    🔹 Balancing emotions and rationality into an integrated way of being

    🔹 How authenticity on social media can both empower and challenge us

    🔹 Parenting, individuality, and encouraging emotional expression in future generations

    This is a conversation about healing, growth, and the creative power of feeling deeply.


    🎧 Listen now on Second Order Change.


    Michael's IG: https://www.instagram.com/michaelishustle

    Evan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/ebourcier

    A Challenger Media House Production.
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    56 mins
  • Finding Purpose: Drake Margolnick’s Journey Through PTSD, Music, and Sobriety

    Finding Purpose: Drake Margolnick’s Journey Through PTSD, Music, and Sobriety
    Mar 22 2025

    In this deeply personal episode, Drake Margolnick opens up about a life-altering blackout while working with rising artist Adina Rey—an incident that forced him to confront the lasting impact of a 2016 abduction that left him battling PTSD, blackouts, and addiction.

    From the rise and fall of his band Flagship to rebuilding as a solo artist, Drake shares the highs and lows of his journey—his struggles with substance abuse, the challenges of the modern music industry, and how sobriety and creativity became his lifelines.

    He also dives into the realities of being an independent musician today, navigating streaming, social media, radio, and licensing, and the unexpected fulfillment of collaborating with and uplifting new artists.

    This is a story of resilience, redemption, and the transformative power of music.

    🎧 Listen now on Second Order Change.


    Flagship IG: www.instagram.com/flagship

    Drake's IG: https://www.instagram.com/drakemargolnick

    Evan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/ebourcier

    Flagship on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/54CUt2S6hufxE1MTYqVpmT?si=22-FXJa6QXeknpYT78YoiA

    Margolnick on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pM7xmsP5Whj2ZZzEGQ89O?si=EbqggS6MRbW_fhzGCVaLAw


    A Challenger Media House Production
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • How to Build Client Trust Without Compromising Creativity – with Filmmaker Jason Adams

    How to Build Client Trust Without Compromising Creativity – with Filmmaker Jason Adams
    Mar 10 2025

    In the latest episode of 'Second Order Change,' we dive deep into a conversation with filmmaker and entrepreneur Jason Adams. Part two of this discussion covers key topics including the often overlooked importance of trust and alignment with clients, the pitfalls of focusing on superficial metrics such as crew size and equipment, and the value of having a flexible, high-performing team. Jason and the host also discuss the dynamics of maintaining creative integrity while managing client expectations, the tangible benefits of efficient project management, and the critical need for personal artistic expression outside commercial work. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone involved in creative fields, emphasizing the significance of clear, ongoing communication and a focus on the final product rather than the process.

    00:00 Introduction: The Least Interesting Details

    00:21 Creating Unified Experiences

    01:03 Aligning with Clients

    01:47 Welcome to Second Order Change

    03:18 Effective Team Dynamics

    05:27 Balancing Creativity and Practicality

    08:08 Navigating Client Expectations

    09:20 The Role of Flexibility in Production

    21:48 Art vs. Commercial Creativity

    35:00 Balancing Creative Vision and Practical Constraints

    35:49 The Importance of Team Alignment

    38:05 Client Management and Empathy

    40:06 Efficiency in Production

    41:36 Avoiding Creative Bloat

    43:33 The Pitfalls of Overemphasizing Equipment

    45:56 Effective Client Communication

    54:50 Trust and Flexibility in Budgeting

    59:06 The Value of Skilled Crew Members

    01:09:21 Conclusion and Reflections

    Jason's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jas_adams

    Evan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebourcier

    A Challenger Media House Production.
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    1 hr and 11 mins