Beyond 80%

Beyond 80 Percent is a podcast that delves into critical thinking, shifting perspectives, and deeper discussions around self-growth and societal narratives. Join us as we interview interesting, everyday people who share their personal journeys, the experiences that shaped them, and the missions that drive them today. We invite you to awaken your consciousness and explore the world with a deeper perspective. Each episode encourages you to think critically, push beyond the surface, and engage with the ideas that shape our consciousness. Ready to awaken your mind? Let’s evolve together.

Beyond 80% is a society podcast hosted by Ryan Olexson, with 50 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Ryan Olexson hosts Beyond 80%, a society show with 50 episodes published.

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  Beyond 80%

  Waking up: The Whole Point Was Each Other

  Jul 22, 202617 min

  In the finale of the Waking Up season, Ryan sits down solo to connect the dots across four very different conversations: Scott & Heidi, Marc Defant, D. Paul, and Chris Baron and finds the same thread running under all of them: we've forgotten how to connect with each other. Weaving in the data behind America's loneliness epidemic, Ryan makes the case that the season's inner work was never the destination; it was preparation. Waking up to yourself and to the systems around you only matters if you bring it all back to the person in front of you. Beyond 80% is taking a short break to plan the next season (and while Ryan relocates to a new state). We'll be back in the fall with a brand-new season — more to come. Got a topic you want explored next season? Email Beyond80percent@gmail.com Watch: Companion videos for many of this season's episodes are on YouTube Follow: TikTok & Instagram Most importantly: If this show has ever made you think or feel something real, share it with one person. These conversations spread one person at a time. Subscribe and follow Beyond 80% so you never miss an opportunity to think, question and evolve.  If you have an idea for an episode, drop us a note at Beyond80percent@gmail.com       HGQENO5SDZH7M2SP

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  Beyond 80%

  BONUS EPISODE: Breaking Bread in a Fast-Food World with Aran Goldstein

  Jul 15, 202645 min

  Food has become something we rush through, outsource, and barely think about. But what if food isn't just nutrition? What if it's one of the deepest expressions of being human? In this episode, Ryan sits down with chef, educator, and father Aran Goldstein to explore why cooking is about so much more than what's on your plate. Together they unpack how modern life has disconnected us from food, why convenience has quietly replaced culture, and how reclaiming the act of feeding ourselves might also reconnect us to our families, our communities, and even ourselves. This isn't a conversation about diets. It's about slowing down. It's about questioning the systems we've normalized. And it's about remembering that some of the most meaningful moments in life happen around a dinner table. In this episode: Why food is much more than nutrition What we've lost by outsourcing cooking The emotional connection between food, family, and belonging How convenience slowly changed our relationship with eating Why cooking may be one of humanity's oldest forms of connection The psychology behind feeding the people we love Grocery stores, consumer culture, and questioning what we've normalized How small changes can reconnect us with our health and community Why food may be one of the most powerful ways to shape the future If you've ever felt like life moves too fast, meals have become another task, or you've wondered why so many people are craving a return to simpler living, this conversation will leave you looking at your next meal very differently. Learn more about Aran here: https://chefarangoldstein.substack.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/@chefarangoldstein Subscribe and follow Beyond 80% so you never miss an opportunity to think, question and evolve.  If you have an idea for an episode, drop us a note at Beyond80percent@gmail.com       HGQENO5SDZH7M2SP

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  Beyond 80%

  Ep. 10: Walking Between Worlds with D Paul Flemings

  Jul 8, 202642 min

  What happens when someone's spiritual experiences don't fit neatly inside a single belief system? In this episode of Beyond 80%, Ryan sits down with D. Paul—a Navy veteran, Native American holy man, author, and spiritual investigator—to explore a lifetime of experiences that challenged conventional ideas about faith, consciousness, and the unseen world. D. Paul shares stories of childhood encounters, out-of-body experiences, spiritual warfare, house clearings, and his journey navigating both Native American traditions and Christianity. Along the way, he explains how he views the spirit world, the concept of being a "hollow bone," the relationship between darkness and personal growth, and why he believes spiritual development is ultimately about protecting and strengthening the soul. Rather than asking listeners to accept his beliefs as fact, the conversation invites a deeper question: how do we make sense of experiences that exist outside our current understanding of reality? About D. Paul D. Paul is a Navy veteran, author, Native American holy man, and spiritual investigator whose work explores the intersection of spirituality, healing, paranormal phenomena, and personal transformation. Through his books, speaking engagements, and spiritual work, he helps people examine questions surrounding faith, consciousness, trauma, and the unseen aspects of human experience. Learn more about D. Paul here Subscribe and follow Beyond 80% so you never miss an opportunity to think, question and evolve.  If you have an idea for an episode, drop us a note at Beyond80percent@gmail.com       HGQENO5SDZH7M2SP

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  Beyond 80%

  Ep. 8: Nature Vs. Nurture. Rethinking the Gender Debate with Marc Defant

  Jun 24, 202649 min

  What happens when evolutionary biology collides with modern cultural narratives? In this episode of Beyond 80%, Ryan sits down with geologist, researcher, and author Marc Defant to explore one of today's most controversial conversations: the relationship between biology, culture, feminism, and human behavior. Drawing from evolutionary psychology, Marc argues that many of the differences between men and women have deep biological roots shaped by hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution. Together, Ryan and Marc examine topics including attraction, parenting, leadership, gender roles, the feminist movement, and the growing tension between biological explanations and social constructionist perspectives. Rather than focusing on simple answers, the conversation explores a more nuanced question: how much of who we are comes from biology, how much comes from culture, and what happens when those explanations collide? Throughout the discussion, Ryan challenges assumptions from multiple angles, exploring where evolutionary psychology offers insight, where culture shapes behavior, and whether modern conversations about gender may be creating more division than understanding. This episode is an invitation to think critically, question deeply, and engage with difficult ideas without immediately choosing sides. About Marc Defant Dr. Marc Defant is a geologist, educator, researcher, and author whose work has expanded beyond earth sciences into evolutionary psychology, culture, and human behavior. After decades studying volcanoes and geology, Marc became fascinated by evolutionary psychology and the ways biology shapes human behavior, relationships, and social systems. His work explores the intersection of science, culture, and some of today's most debated social questions. Subscribe and follow Beyond 80% so you never miss an opportunity to think, question and evolve.  If you have an idea for an episode, drop us a note at Beyond80percent@gmail.com       HGQENO5SDZH7M2SP

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  Beyond 80%

  Ep. 7: Life Begins at the Edge of Your Comfort Zone with Chris Baron

  Jun 17, 202638 min

  What happens when curiosity becomes your way of moving through the world? In this episode of Beyond 80%, Ryan sits down with filmmaker, science communicator, and adventurer Chris Baron. From living inside a cave for a week and rappelling into an active volcano to filming wildlife across Africa and producing documentaries for National Geographic, Disney+, PBS, and the BBC, Chris has spent his career chasing questions most people never think to ask. But this conversation goes beyond filmmaking. Together, Ryan and Chris explore the relationship between curiosity and fear, how uncertainty shapes both our personal and professional lives, and why modern culture often pushes people toward judgment instead of understanding. Chris shares stories from some of the most extreme environments on Earth and reveals the mindset that allows him to stay calm when things don't go according to plan. At its core, this episode is about perspective. It's about learning to sit with uncertainty, embracing the unknown, and remembering that some of life's most meaningful experiences happen when we stop trying to control everything and simply stay curious. About Chris Baron Chris Baron is a science filmmaker, director, and producer whose work has appeared on National Geographic, Disney+, PBS, BBC, and other major networks. With a background in molecular biology and microbiology, Chris combines scientific curiosity with visual storytelling to explore some of the most fascinating places, discoveries, and questions on Earth. His work has taken him from active volcanoes and remote cave systems to wildlife sanctuaries and scientific expeditions around the world. Follow Chris Baron's Podcast here: https://www.noordinarymonday.com/ Subscribe and follow Beyond 80% so you never miss an opportunity to think, question and evolve.  If you have an idea for an episode, drop us a note at Beyond80percent@gmail.com       HGQENO5SDZH7M2SP

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