EP05: Catching up with Mister Motivation (Shaun Murphy)

This conversation with my high school classmate, Shaun Murphy, aka Mister Motivation, was a powerful and deeply personal reunion. Having just finished his book, *Unbreakable Valor*, I immediately knew I needed to share his profound insights. I came away with four pages of notes, recognizing so many parallels between our journeys—from growing up in Brooklyn to navigating the military and both being college dropouts before finding our purpose.

Shaun’s story is the definition of turning setbacks into triumphs. He detailed his own path from being “promotable to broke and unemployed” to becoming a college professor, a Global Book Award-winning author, and an artist who fuses motivational speaking with music. His core message is an essential truth: “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” He wrote the book because he saw too many scholars and veterans, people like we once were, lacking clarity, confidence, and direction. He wanted his story to serve as a blueprint for global impact.

The conversation kicked off with a powerful quote from his book that immediately resonated with me: “Define your fears instead of your goals.” Shaun, inspired by his mentor Tim Ferriss, explained that procrastination often stems from fear. If we identify the fear and calculate the cost of inaction, what we lose by not pursuing our goals, we can build the courage to tackle what makes us uncomfortable immediately.

Our shared connection truly intersected when we discussed the Five M’s of Success: his operating system for life: Mindset, Motivation, Money, Management, and Massive Movement.

1. Mindset: The critical switch from a victim mentality (blaming and complaining) to one of extreme ownership. As he noted, you can’t build an empire with an employee mindset.
2. Motivation: This is your “why”—the fuel that keeps you going when you want to quit. He gave a significant challenge: text five friends and ask, “Why are we friends?” to find the common thread that grounds you in your purpose.
3. Money: Stop chasing money; chase mastery and purpose. He emphasized that the secret to success is giving, encouraging anonymous giving to receive tenfold in return.
4. Management: Being the CEO of your life means protecting your energy and building a “Seal Team Six” of support (the Doubter, Cheerleader, Connector, etc.) to ensure accountability and growth.
5. Massive Movement: His call to action: “Don’t shrink your goal, increase your action.”This means applying “massive action”—Commence, Commit, Be Consistent, and Complete—to overcome average results.

Shaun’s ultimate definition of success—doing what you want, when you want, how you want—is the ultimate freedom. He concluded by addressing the struggles we all face, including his own periods of homelessness and money issues. He taught me that when life “beats you down,” it’s not random; it’s a necessary process of “hazing” that sharpens you and makes you mentally tough, equipping you to lead from a place of genuine experience. The struggle is the sharpening of the saw.

My Key Takeaways from Mr. Motivation
Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals (The Cost of Inaction): Shaun, inspired by his mentor Tim Ferriss, explained that procrastination often stems from fear. The key is to calculate the cost of inaction—what you stand to lose by not pursuing your goal. By identifying the fear and confronting the price of avoiding it, you build the necessary courage to tackle what makes you uncomfortable and move forward.

Stop Chasing Money; Chase Mastery and Purpose (The Secret to Success is Giving): When discussing the “Money” M, Shaun emphasized a profound truth: wealth is not acquired by chasing dollars, but by chasing mastery and purpose. The secret to success, he stated, is giving. He encouraged giving anonymously, noting that leading with giving—the law of receptivity—will ensure success returns to you tenfold.

Don’t Shrink Your Goal, Increase Your Action (Massive Movement): This was a powerful call to action. When you face setbacks and losses, the natural inclination is to scale back your ambition. Instead, Shaun urges us to maintain the vision and apply massive action. This “Massive Movement” involves the four C’s: Commence, Commit, Be Consistent, and Complete—an intentional execution strategy to ensure you consistently operate at a 10x effort level.

You can find more from Mister Motivation:

Website: www.Mister-motivation.com

Instagram: @MisterM0tivati0n

YouTube: @mistermotivation492

Spotify: MisterMotivation

Book: Unbreakable Valor: Triumph through the Soul of Resilience [Link: https://a.co/d/eRKyyOA]

Did you know? I was a guest on Shaun Podcast, The Breakthrough Bunker – You can catch the replay here.

Stay Connected and Never Miss a Post!

Did you find this recap helpful? If you know someone who needs to refine their approach to success, please share this newsletter!

Listen and Learn More: I dive deeper into these topics on my podcast, “Catching up with Corey.” You can listen on corey-stokes.com, where I also provide a more in-depth summary of the conversation and key takeaways. You can also watch the episodes on YouTube at @CoreyLStokes.

P.S. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to the newsletter and ensure you never miss our deep-dive reflections on personal and financial growth by visiting: https://corey-stokes.com/never-miss-a-post-2/.

Happy Holidays, and see you in the new year!

Reflections: The Year of Focus, Financial Freedom, and Frameworks.

Corey L. Stokes | December 2025

As the 2025 winds down, it’s a perfect time to step off the treadmill of daily tasks and look back at the ground we’ve covered. This year has been about intentional living, moving from the theoretical to the actionable, and building systems that allow us to succeed on autopilot.

So far, we’ve navigated 13 issues together, covering everything from the importance of finding joy to battling financial debt. If I had to summarize our collective journey, it would be this: We learned that massive results are simply the accumulation of disciplined, small steps.

1. The Three Pillars of Our Growth

Our reflections throughout 2024 and 2025 generally clustered around three critical areas: Mindset, Movement, and Money.

Pillar I: Mindset & Resilience (Jan, Sep, Oct 2025)

We started the year (Jan ’25) focused on Taking Action and overcoming inertia, emphasizing that strength is found in small steps. Later, in September, we explored the Unbreakable Spirit and the Power of Resilience, reminding us that setbacks are part of the process. Most recently (Oct ’25), we introduced the ultimate life inventory: The 5 M’s of Success (Mindset, Motivation, Massive Movement, Money, and Management). The takeaway? Without a strong inner game, the external victories won’t last.

Pillar II: Massive Movement & Sustainable Change (Apr, May, Oct 2025)

The journey of change is a long one. Our April newsletter on Sustainable Changes gave us the blueprint for Lasting Growth, emphasizing habits over short-term fixes. This was followed by reflections on The Long Road (May ’25), underscoring the need for patience and Deep Conversations to maintain relational health. The core idea here is that all movement—physical, career, or relational—must be built on consistent, healthy habits. This includes making space for joy and The Lost Art of Having Fun, which we know is crucial for long-term sustainability.

Pillar III: Financial Decisiveness (Mar, May, Jun, Aug 2025)

Money management requires both decisive action and cautious planning. We covered everything from Planning for the Inevitable (March ’25) to addressing Financial Autopilot (May ’24). In August, we tackled the heavy topic of Battling Financial Hurdles, linking financial stress to issues of bravery and belonging. Ultimately, we concluded that financial freedom starts not with budgeting hacks, but with Redefining Success (June ’25) on your own terms and then building systems to support that definition. The key is to stop the Spending Spree and use your money as a tool, not a measuring stick.

2. Looking Ahead: The Core 5 Framework

While the 5 M’s provided us with a great diagnostic tool this year, 2026 is about refining our execution and finding the bedrock principles that drive sustained success. We are evolving our approach to the Core 5 Framework—the essential pillars I’ve relied on throughout my military career and into the work I do today. This is the foundation upon which I have always built my most significant achievements, and I believe it can do the same for you:

  1. Clarity: Defining your target with zero ambiguity.
  2. Courage: Taking the first step despite fear or uncertainty.
  3. Consistency: The daily, disciplined effort that creates momentum.
  4. Capital: Managing your resources—time, energy, and finances—as strategic assets.
  5. Control: Focusing your energy only on what is within your sphere of influence.

We’ll be exploring each of these pillars in depth throughout the coming year, unlocking the principles that govern how we build lasting careers, create resilient finances, and lead intentional lives.

Stay Connected and Never Miss a Post!

Did you find this recap helpful? If you know someone who needs to refine their approach to success, please share this newsletter!

Listen and Learn More: I dive deeper into these topics on my podcast, “Catching up with Corey.” You can listen on corey-stokes.com, where I also provide a more in-depth summary of the conversation and key takeaways. You can also watch the episodes on YouTube at @CoreyLStokes.

P.S. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to the newsletter and ensure you never miss our deep-dive reflections on personal and financial growth by visiting: https://corey-stokes.com/never-miss-a-post-2/.

Happy Holidays, and see you in the new year!

From Lonely to Unbreakable: A New Code for Young Men in the 21st Century

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about two things: purpose and the power of connection.

Young men today are dealing with a world that feels increasingly lonely and unpredictable. I see it in my own house, and I recently listened to the Oprah podcast featuring Scott Galloway, in which they addressed the alarming truth that many young men are feeling lost and isolated, and that anger is often the only acceptable emotion they can express publicly. Galloway’s analysis focused on the crisis of loneliness, the struggle for economic viability, and the critical void of positive male role models. In my life, my mission is to showcase not just that positive male figure but that positive BLACK MALE FIGURE.

This robust, necessary conversation hits close to home, reminding me of my own journey—from growing up in Brooklyn to navigating the military and feeling lost searching for my own purpose.

The urgency of this crisis has led me to conversations with men who are living examples of a better path. I am incredibly excited about my upcoming episode with my high school classmate, Shaun Murphy, also known as Mister Motivation, the Global Book Award-winning author of Unbreakable Valor. Shaun, like me, is not a stranger to this struggle. He saw the same lack of direction and confidence in men and decided to create a blueprint for a D.I.Y. life.

For every young man struggling with where to go next or how to get started, this blueprint, which is now being reinforced by the wisdom of others, offers a new code built on three key principles: Clarity of Vision, Service-Minded Mastery, and Relentless Action.

The Three Voices of a New Code

The wisdom in this new code comes from three powerful sources: Scott Galloway (identifying the problem), Shaun Murphy (the blueprint), and my recent, profound conversation with my friend Nick Hewitt (the application and emotional wisdom).

1. Define Your Fears, Not Your Goals (The Power of Clarity)

Scott Galloway noted that a huge hurdle for young men is the fear of rejection, which keeps them from taking necessary risks. Shaun’s first central principle directly addresses this inaction.

In my upcoming conversation with Shaun, he challenged me to stop defining my goals and instead define my fears and calculate the cost of inaction. What is the price you will pay in 5 or 10 years if you don’t pursue that degree, launch that business, or ask for that opportunity? Procrastination is just fear in disguise. By identifying the real, tangible cost of standing still, you build the Courage and Clarity necessary to overcome discomfort. As Shaun says, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

2. Chase Mastery and Service, Not Capital

The Oprah podcast discussion highlighted the economic struggles and the importance of being an “economically viable” man in society. Shaun has a powerful, counterintuitive take on this: Stop chasing money. Instead, chase mastery and purpose.

Shaun broke down the “Money” M of his Five M’s of Success by stating that the true secret to wealth is giving. When you lead with giving, give your best work, your time, and your kindness. Success will return to you tenfold. This ties perfectly into Scott Galloway’s advice: kindness is a secret weapon and a key attribute of true, protective masculinity.

My recent conversation with Nick Hewitt demonstrated this principle beautifully. Nick explained that his purpose-driven work—helping people in civil service—found new meaning when he realized it aligned with his “love language” of service. For Nick, true success means knowing you have put your best effort into something, regardless of the outcome, because the real win is the lesson and experience gained along the way. When you focus on mastering a skill and serving others, the capital will follow.

3. Embrace the Hazing with Massive Movement and Grace

Galloway stressed that the ability to endure rejection is the true superpower and that “No is the path to wonderful yeses.”

Shaun calls the struggle, all of the No’s, a necessary “hazing” that sharpens your “sword” and prepares you to lead. When you face setbacks—a lost job, a failed relationship, or debt—the natural inclination is to scale back your vision. Shaun’s call to Massive Movement is the antidote: Don’t shrink your goal, increase your action. Apply the 4 C’s—Commence, Commit, Be Consistent, and Complete—and operate at a 10x effort level until you’ve punched through the wall.

This intense effort must be supported by self-compassion. As Nick Hewitt pointed out, this kind of relentless action requires two crucial habits: consistency and patience. Most importantly, it requires grace. We need to give ourselves grace, allowing room for mistakes and learning from our “screw-ups” without beating ourselves up. This shift in mindset, from focusing on the outcome to valuing the lessons learned, provides the emotional grace needed to sustain Massive Movement.

This internal work also highlights the need for safe spaces for men to be vulnerable, let things out, and not be judged as weak.

The code for an unbreakable life isn’t a secret formula; it’s a commitment to this internal work, being vulnerable enough to admit you’re lost, courageous enough to define your fears, and kind enough to lead with purpose. What is presented is a blueprint for taking extreme ownership of your life and moving from feeling like a victim of circumstances to becoming its architect.

This is the Massive Movement that Shaun Murphy stresses in the Five M’s of Success, freeing us from the mental constraints that prevent us from simply having fun—a theme I’ve been exploring. When we master these principles, intelligent automation enhances our freedom, rather than dictates our purpose.

To dive deeper into the blueprint for this mindset shift and the connection between personal growth and professional achievement, keep an eye out: my full, in-depth episode with Shaun Murphy, Mister Motivation, will be available soon.

The referenced conversation with Nick Hewitt: EP 04: | Catching Up With Nick

Why Young Men are Struggling Now with Oprah and Scott Galloway: https://youtu.be/E5l6sWqVpuw?si=GIhS2frXSSPEXe5r 

Extreme Ownership by Jakko Wilkins andLeif Babin: https://a.co/d/dzHGXy3