Eric Zimmer – The One you Feed (Best of)

Eric Zimmer is an inspiration to me.  Listening to his podcast is like free therapy that I didn't even know I needed...so for sure "best of" material.  This conversation goes to the darker places of life, but manages to walk back up the stairs into more light-hearted chat as well.  You might need some tissues, but  you will be laughing along the way.

Eric Zimmer has built companies for 15 years, and work in technology longer.  He led major software programs for Fortune 20 companies and he started his own Solar Energy company.   The most cool project Eric is rocking now is The One You Feed podcast, named "Best of iTunes" in 2014.

Eric Zimmer On Vroom/Veering

Eric pointed out that increasing the frequency of moving from Vroom to Veer...like daily is a worthy goal.
In Eric Zimmer's experience, that longer the Vroom Vroom period, the more dramatic the VEER can become.
The Tim Ferriss podcast Episode #2 included a chat about a martial artist who likes to win in "transition" between moves and holds.

Addiction to getting Sober

24 years old
homeless, living in a van
sleeping on a couch in the back of the van that he picked up out of a dumpster
This went on for about 7 years of drinking and drugging.
Eric was too numb and was seeking highs from drugs and drinking.
Downward spiral of getting high, and feeling bad...trying to get sober.
He was dying and headed for jail.
One day he was arrested, lost his job, and his van and he didn't have anywhere else to go.
So he checked in to re-hab...
The treatment center suggested that he should do the 28-day treatment program...1st he said no...
Later he changed his mind because he had a moment of clarity and knew he would die if he went back out into the world.
The problem was his strategy of dealing with life.

Depression and Feeling bad

Eric was thinkin "I don't like the way I feel, I want to feel different" and using drugs to feel different.
Realizing that having a mood or feeling bad is ok and it's not an emergency.
When in reactive, addicted mode, there is a feeling of panic when one feels bad..one feels compelled to take some action, be that a cigarette, sex, tv, food, drugs, beer what have you.
Eric learned that emotions are not emergencies.
If we are not so afraid of emotions we can just let them be.
From Pema Chodron's book "getting unstuck" , "Shenpa" is like triggered into fight or flight mode.
Some awareness will help you steer back to a better state.

Did that detox Stick?

Yes, but after a relapse.  He went and got high...then he went back to 28-day treatment.
One day at a time, is the commitment in recovery.
Book called "The tools"
A concept of "exoneration"  The idea that the day will come where I have done what I needed to do and life will be easy moving forward.  Sort of wishing for a life without sadness or problems, but that will never be.
He will have problems but we don't need to struggle so much.
It's our resistance to problems that cause most of the pain and struggle.

All the Rage

Episode of One you feed talking with Michael Galinsky about the work of Dr. John Sarno

Job to layoff

He got a job at compuserve in customer service
He got promoted into corporate training.
AOL bought compuserve and Eric got laid off.
Invested severance pay into some IT training and he got into internet start ups.
This pattern of employment ending abruptly continued to the point where Eric started to welcome the changes.

What happened in the Dark Hallway between Door?

You act your way into right action
Emotions can't be directly controlled.
Thoughts and behavior can be directly controlled, emotions can only be influenced not directly controlled.
He learned to keep going and have faith.

Failing back into Addiction

Eric took a trip on Hedonistic Treadmill and started drifting away from recovery after his 1st wife le...