#219 - A million-dollar decision can look a lot like a random pop-up ad and a quick, messy “why not?” Alex Boylan went from being a preacher’s kid on the North Shore of Boston to winning Season 2 of The Amazing Race, and that victory didn’t just change his bank account, it rewired his definition of work, purpose, and adventure. We talk through the early travel experiences that shaped him, the real dynamics of racing with his best friend Chris, and the pressure-cooker moments where relationships, strategy, and grit matter more than perfect plans.

What sticks with me most is how Alex turns discomfort into a skill you can actually practice. He shares the behind-the-scenes realization that opened a whole new career path: travel producing and storytelling. From moving to Los Angeles with no roadmap, to betting on mentors and the right environment over job titles, his journey is packed with practical lessons for anyone navigating a career pivot, chasing a creative dream, or trying to feel alive again after getting stuck in routine.

We also dig into Around The World For Free, the early interactive travel series that helped pioneer web-based travel storytelling before social media made it easy, and how that project evolved into bigger opportunities. Then we shift to what he’s building now with The College Tour on Amazon Prime, a show designed to help families explore colleges and higher education options without the cost of constant campus travel, plus his book The Miles That Make You and the life lessons he wants to pass on.

If you care about adventure, personal growth, mindset, travel, human connection, and building a meaningful life through calculated risk, hit play. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review so more people find the show. What’s one small discomfort you’ll choose this week?

To learn more about Alex and get a copy of his book you can visit www.alexboylan.com and if you want to follow Alex on Instagram check out @boylanalex.

To see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. You can also watch full length on YouTube @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#218 - At 92, Jim Paulk doesn’t sound like someone looking back. He sounds like someone still chasing the next idea, the next project, the next person worth learning from. Our conversation starts with a dream delayed, how a kid from Brunswick, Georgia missed his Naval Academy appointment, kept pushing, then got the call that changed everything. From day one at Annapolis, Jim learns what many of us learn the hard way: you don’t need a perfect plan, you need the willingness to keep choosing forward.

We follow Jim through a life of service and reinvention, from qualifying on submarines to building a second career at Procter & Gamble. Then the story swerves into marine conservation in Southern California, where he’s asked to take over a struggling gill net initiative and turn it into a winning campaign. Jim breaks down what leadership looks like when the clock is real: rallying volunteers, creating momentum, earning media, raising money, and building programs that actually last, including fish hatchery work that produces measurable results decades later.

The heart of the conversation is storytelling and relationships. Jim’s book, Shaking Up the World, collects 80 true stories by 59 Naval Academy classmates from the class of 1957, from “janitor to admiral” to survival through WWII internment camps to astronaut Charlie Duke’s Apollo 16 memories. Jim also shares how he met his wife Pat and why love and friendship are the ultimate measure of a life well lived. He donates all royalties to charity, because giving back is the point.

Subscribe for more human stories, share this with someone who loves leadership and history, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

To get a copy of Jim's book, Shaking Up the World, check out Amazon.

Get connected with The Human Adventure. Check out my website www.thehamanadventure.net and give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#217 - What does it take to leave one life, build another, and then wager it all on saving a species? We sit down with Nigel Mason, whose path runs from blitz-era London to the beaches of Bali, from music PR to pioneering “armchair rafting,” and finally to a 30-year fight to protect Sumatran elephants. His story blends grit, heartbreak, and stubborn hope as he turns a sanctuary into a living classroom and proves that hands-on adventure can fuel real conservation.

Nigel opens up about the early wins and the gut-punch losses: a government order that shuttered his booming rafting business, the grind of rebuilding, and the shock of seeing elephants wasting away in Sumatra’s deforestation crisis. He shares the rescue convoys behind Operation Jumbo, the science and care that guide his team, and why he ended elephant rides while doubling down on close, ethical encounters—hand feeding, bathing, guided walks, and deep education. Along the way, we meet the true heartbeat of the park: mahouts who know each elephant by mood and memory, including a reunion after five years apart that says everything about trust.

This conversation goes beyond slogans. We talk palm oil and pulpwood, tourism that pays for welfare and veterinary care, and the tension between online outrage and on-the-ground responsibility. Nigel’s sanctuary is a designed jungle with lakes, treetop paths, and a museum that makes conservation tangible. COVID nearly erased it; debt and determination kept the herd safe. Through it all, Nigel’s focus is legacy—family ready to lead, a local industry he helped ignite, and a sanctuary built to outlast controversy.

If you care about ethical wildlife tourism, elephant welfare, or how adventure can drive conservation, this one will stay with you. Listen, share with a friend who loves travel or animals, and tell us: what does “ethical” look like to you? And if the story moved you, follow, rate, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

To learn more about Nigel and Mason Adventures be sure to check out www.masonadventures.com and check out their Instagram account @masonadventuresbali.

To see clips from past, current and upcoming episodes and to learn about me (Jake) on a personal level give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#216 - What does it really take to walk away from a steady paycheck and bet on your art? We sit down with singer-songwriter Nora Suknaic to trace the messy, exhilarating path from a corporate tour marketing job to a life built around honest songs, late-night writing sessions, and the small victories that keep a dream alive. Nora opens up about the moment she knew routine was crowding out purpose, the jolt of seeing “daylight” after quitting, and the tough shift from being told what to do to telling yourself the truth and doing it anyway.

Across our conversation, we explore the forces that shape a creative life—fear, faith, and mental health—without sugarcoating the hard parts. Nora talks about writing from lived experience, why her ballads lean sad, and how performing turns personal grief into shared healing. She breaks down the kindness-first approach that makes networking in Nashville feel human, the collaborative spark with producer Aidan Gray that brought 80s nostalgia to “Since I’ve Been Gone,” and the way friendship heartbreak sometimes cuts deeper than romance. We also get practical: routines that work, how to hold yourself accountable, finding rounds and collaborators, and redefining success as sustainable connection rather than stadiums.

There’s a vulnerable clarity to Nora’s story: confidence as practice, prayer as reset, and success as rooms where people lean in and say “me too.” If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too risky to chase the thing that won’t leave you alone, this conversation offers a map and a mirror. Listen, share with a friend who needs courage, and then tell us: what leap are you ready to take? Subscribe, leave a quick review, and help these stories travel further.

To learn more about Nora and her music check her out on Instagram @its_justnora and check out her website www.itsjustnora.com.

To see clips of my guests and to get to know me on my personal level check me out on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#215 - Some adventures test your legs; others test your soul. We sit down with D Paul Fleming—a Navy veteran, Native American healer, and self-described hollow bone—to explore a life spent between worlds: military discipline on one side, spiritual warfare on the other. What begins with a hard childhood and a near-death moment at sea unfolds into a candid look at gifts he didn’t want, a calling he couldn’t refuse, and the thin line where free will decides everything.

D Paul shares how he learned to stop blocking what moved through him and to trust intent as the engine of prayer and change. He describes clearing spaces and people, the day he dropped his protection and met a serpent-like presence that came for his soul, and the fierce lesson that followed. We walk through a startling healing story involving a couple, a malachite stone, and an ultrasound that turned despair into relief. We step into the haunted corridors of a New England inn, police logs stacked with centuries of sightings, and a writing process guided by voices that ask to be heard.

Threaded through is lineage and language: his great-grandmother’s walk back to ancestral ground, parallels he sees between Native cosmology and the Christian trinity, and a sober take on titles that feel more like duty than applause. D Paul holds the tension with humor and love, arguing those two are the best tools any healer—or human—has. He won’t rewrite his past; every scar trained him for work that requires courage, humility, and the refusal to flinch when darkness tests the door.

If stories of spiritual healing, Native American heritage, paranormal investigation, and the power of intent spark your curiosity, press play and join us. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find conversations that challenge, comfort, and surprise. What part moved you most?

You can get a copy of D Paul Flemings book, Mystery's at the Windham Inn, on Amazon.

To see some clips from the show and see who is coming up on The Human Adventure give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#214 - What if the lowest point isn’t a dead end but a doorway? That’s the charge at the heart of our conversation with ultrarunner and dance dad John Calabrese, who traded alcohol and anxiety for sunrise miles, grassroots races, and a community that made space for the mess and the miracle. John takes us from Navy service during 9/11 to the long, uneasy middle where divorce and two DUIs forced a reckoning—and how running became a daily anchor, not a quick fix.

We go deep on the mental game that defines ultrarunning: why DNFs can be teachers, how to crawl out of the pain cave when dark thoughts hit at mile 70, and the surprising ways anger can be channeled into forward motion. John opens up about balancing training with fatherhood, building a life around dance competitions and last‑minute race entries, and the unglamorous logistics that make or break 100‑milers—drop bags, headlamps, sleep deprivation, and the sacred joy of seeing another headlamp after hours alone in the woods. He shares strategies from the Wild Oak 100, lessons from finishing and failing there, and the rule of thumb that keeps him honest about cutoffs and recovery.

We also explore the state of the sport: the pull between UTMB-era spectacle and the magic of low-cost, community-built events where a car trunk doubles as an aid station. John admits he has a road runner’s engine and a trail runner’s soul, dreams out loud about Badwater, Western States, and maybe one day Barkley, and makes the case that purpose beats pace every time. If you’re feeling stuck—whether with alcohol, identity, or the grind of daily life—his message is simple and fierce: don’t quit the thing you love, take one step, and run your race on your terms.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway—what mental trick gets you through your hardest miles?

Be sure and give John a follow on Instagram @breezytrailhead. You can also learn more about the Human Adventure by giving me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#213 - A hurricane on New Year’s Day, a shredded tent, and a sudden slide toward hypothermia at 1,600 meters—Belinda Coker’s Canary Islands traverse didn’t go to plan. That sharp turn, and her decision to bail out, reveals the heartbeat of this conversation: how true adventure balances awe with judgment, and how choosing safety can be the bravest move on the trail.

We walk back to Belinda’s roots in New Zealand, where tramping was part of school life, then through years of work and parenting that muted her spark. A pandemic mirror moment sent her back to dirt: sunrise hikes, then multi-day routes across Australia’s red centre, where Indigenous stories and women’s spaces shape how she moves through country. She takes us to Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail, tracing Inuit hunting paths from ice to sea, learning to read cairns, and soaking in a silence so complete it resets your nervous system.

Threaded through every mile is a practical guide to hiking safety and self-reliance. Belinda breaks down wilderness first aid, recognizing the danger of core shivers, navigating when electronics fail, and why snakebite treatment differs between Australia and the U.S. She also shares a smart, sustainable way to fund long seasons on foot: house sitting. By caring for homes and pets, she and her partner remove lodging costs, cook real food, and settle into neighborhoods from Scotland to Spain. If tents aren’t your thing, we explore hut-to-hut and inn-to-inn options across Europe and New Zealand’s hut network, including Camino routes that keep packs light and spirits high.

Come for the storm story; stay for the blueprint of a second act that blends grit, gratitude, and slow, immersive travel. If this sparks your feet and your planning brain, tap follow, share the episode with a trail-curious friend, and leave a review so more people can find these human adventures.

To learn more about Belinda be sure and check out her website www.soultreader.com and also her Instagram @soultreader. If House Sitting sparks your interest check out housesittingcollective.com.

To see some clips from past, current, and upcoming shows check out my Instagram page @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#213 - Growth doesn’t arrive with a trophy. It often shows up as friction, confusion, and the stubborn urge to fix other people. With therapist Casey Stevens, we explore why discomfort is the doorway to becoming, how the subconscious scripts our choices, and what changes when you stop rescuing and start taking radical responsibility for your life. Casey shares her own turning points—early marriage, a crisis that led her to therapy, the heartbreak of loss, and the identity collapse that followed—and how those crucibles reshaped her work and worldview.

We dig into the mechanics of the subconscious and why so much of who we are is formed before age seven. Casey breaks down how to reverse inherited programming by elevating lowercase-c awareness into capital-C Consciousness: clarifying values, ranking them in a true hierarchy, and living in alignment so anxiety and indecision lose their grip. She also names a trap many of us fall into—the rescuer pattern on the drama triangle—and offers a better path built on consent, dignity, and self-governance rather than control.

What might sound like opposites—science and spirituality—become complementary tools in Casey’s practice. Neuroscience explains patterns and plasticity; spirituality restores meaning, faith, and intuition. We talk about rebuilding trust with yourself after early fractures, listening for the quiet signal beneath fear, and transforming post-traumatic stress into post-traumatic growth. Pain becomes a teacher, not a life sentence. Comfort maintains; discomfort transforms. If you’re craving practical, compassionate guidance to move from autopilot to agency, this conversation will meet you where you are and invite you forward.

If this resonates, connect with Casey at shrinkbigger.com and on Instagram @shrinkbigger. And if you found value here, subscribe, share this episode with a friend who’s ready to grow, and leave a quick review—your support helps more people find these conversations.

To connect with me send me a message on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake