The Highly Effective Man

Guided by the Invisible: Faith, Redemption, and the Power of Belief

• JP Bolwahnn

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Can one act of belief change a life forever? This episode of The Highly Effective Man podcast reveals how it can—and how you can be that change. JP Bolwahnn takes you on a deeply personal journey of faith, resilience, and the unseen forces shaping our lives.

From his troubled youth in Albuquerque—where chaos and juvenile detention seemed to define his future—to a pivotal moment with Major Barker, a stranger who chose to believe in him, JP shares how this single act of kindness became the spark for a life of impact and purpose. Through this powerful story, JP invites listeners to explore the moments that define us, the challenges that forge our character, and the people who guide us when we falter.

This isn’t just a story—it’s a call to action. JP challenges you to reflect on your own journey, recognize the unseen forces at work, and become a catalyst for someone else’s transformation. Imagine the legacy you could leave, the ripple effect of faith, gratitude, and bold action in your own life and the lives of those around you.

Whether you’re at the gym, commuting, or taking a moment to breathe, this episode will inspire you to reflect deeply, take action, and share the message. Don’t just listen—be part of the movement. Let’s create a ripple effect of highly effective men living with purpose, gratitude, and impact.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Highly Effective man podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL turned life and fitness coach. I'm your host, jp Bolwan. This podcast is your resource for unlocking the healthiest, most productive and highly effective man within you. Let's go. What's up, guys. Welcome back to the Highly Effective man podcast. I'm your host, jp Bolwan, and this is where we break through limits, challenge mediocrity and craft lives of meaning and impact. So, whether you're driving, hitting the gym or just catching your breath in a busy day, I'm super grateful you're here. So today I want to talk to you guys from the heart.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so this isn't going to be my typical episode, but, with Christmas on the horizon, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on faith, purpose and the invisible forces that shape our lives. My hope is that this episode gets you thinking, lights a fire under you and just helps you pause and make you think about where you are and where you're going. So let's dive in. So a few days ago, I was out watering my lawn and, honestly, it's probably more weeds than grass right now. Okay, we're finishing up a house and the lawn is. You know, it's growing, but it's something I'm working on. Okay, but as I stood there with the hose, I noticed how the wind was pushing the water right, in different directions. It was pushing it left, pushing it right. I had to keep moving from where I was standing because one my hose is not long enough, so I'm trying to reach these like corners where I'm trying to get the grass to grow, okay, but I noticed how the wind was was pushing the water in different directions and it just got me thinking. So, like I can't see the wind, but I can see what it's doing, I can see the effects. It's. You know it's pushing the water left and right. I can see the wind is pushing the trees and it's it's changing everything that it touches and for some reason it hit me.

Speaker 1:

We all believe that there's wind, right, we don't even question its existence because we see what it does, we feel it, we know it's there, even though we can't see it. So why is it so hard for us to believe in God? Why do we struggle to trust that? You know, maybe there's something bigger out there that's guiding us, even when we can't see it. So before I go further, I want to pause for a moment and, if you're in a place where you can close your eyes, if you're driving. Please do not close your eyes, okay, but think about all the challenges you've overcome in your life, who helped you during those times and who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself, and how have those moments shaped the man that you are today. So just take 30 seconds and let those memories sink in now. Hopefully you have some time, or you had enough time, to think about those people or those, I guess those memories.

Speaker 1:

But let me tell you something that I don't talk about often. It's my past and, to be honest, I wasn't always the man that you see sitting here talking to you about purpose and belief. Growing up in Albuquerque, I was surrounded by chaos. I had friends as a teenager. I had friends that were locked up for murder, others that were selling drugs. That could have been my story too. I ended up in juvenile detention when I was 15 years old. Honestly, that should have been the end of my story, but it wasn't.

Speaker 1:

When I was in juvie, there was a man named Major Barker from my high school ROTC program and he came to see me. I wasn't even in ROTC, okay, but he sat across from me in the visiting room and, as we're talking, you know he's just, you know there's a bunch of people there and you know families. It's like visiting day and he says to me look around you. He's like you don't belong here. And I looked around, I saw some of the other guys and you know I had talked to some of the other guys. You know, in brief, you know moments that we were talking and it got me thinking like I don't belong here. Right, and he didn't have to do that, he didn't have to take time out of his life to show up. For you know some punk kid, you know this kid that was lost, a troublemaker, but he did, and sometimes I wonder you know what? What drove him to do that? Was it God working through him? You know it's hard for me to believe that it wasn't, but that conversation stuck with me.

Speaker 1:

After that visit, you know, I made it a mission that I was going to start doing better in school. I was going to get involved with sports, a mission that I was going to start doing better in school. I was going to get involved with sports and for the first time I started to see a different future for myself. Major Barker didn't just give me advice, he gave me belief. What if he hadn't shown up. What if he decided that I wasn't worth it? And I don't even want to think about where I'd be? But he did show up and that choice that he made to see something in me when I couldn't changed everything. So here's my question for you who's been your major Barker? Who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself? Have you reached out to thank them? And if not, why not do it today? So that moment planted a seed in me, okay, and it's probably because of him that I ended up, you know, joining the Navy. And you know I I made one of the biggest decisions of my life that changed my life, and that was to become a Navy SEAL. And the rest is history.

Speaker 1:

So, fast forward to now. My family and I are almost finished building a home, and it's been a journey Exciting, exhausting and, you know, probably more often than not just freaking, frustrating. But here's the incredible part. Okay, off the back of our lanai or out the back of our house, we have an ocean, a view of the ocean, and that's something I saw in my dreams, but I never knew if it would become a reality. So, standing on this property now, like I'm reminded that even things that I thought were out of reach are possible, and it's easy to get caught up in the weeds, literally and figuratively, and I'm driven by nature. There's no doubt that when I put my mind to do something, I'm going to see it through, but that drive can be a double-edged sword. I can get so focused on what's next and what I want to accomplish that I forget to appreciate what's already in my life, what's right in front of me. And here's what I've learned. My past struggles have shaped me into the man I am today. They've made me stronger, more focused and more grateful for the life that I've built, and I know there's still more to come. Okay, so the challenges I face now, they're not setbacks. They're the foundation for an even stronger future.

Speaker 1:

So ask yourself are you focused on chasing your next goal that maybe you're forgetting to appreciate what's already in front of you? Take a moment and look around. What do you already have in your life that you once dreamed about? Now, you know, metaphor you can think about is, like you know, think of a tree right, the storms that that batter its branches and tear its roots. Those are the same storms that make it dig deeper, make it grow stronger, reach higher. You are that tree, and every challenge you've ever faced, every struggle you've endured, has shaped you into the man you are today.

Speaker 1:

Now I'm not here to preach to you, because faith is personal, and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers. But I'll say this just like the wind, there are forces in our life that we can't see, but we can feel God's presence, if you choose to see it that way. Shows up in the effects that he creates, in love, hope, resilience and those moments where you felt like you just couldn't take another step, but somehow found the strength to keep going. So if you're struggling to believe, start small. Start by looking at your life. Where have you had second chances? Where have you found strength that you didn't know you had? Maybe those aren't coincidences. Maybe it's something that's greater that's nudging you forward. So here's what I want you to do this week Four simple steps to bring faith and gratitude into your life.

Speaker 1:

Number one reflect on your journey. Take 10 minutes, look back at your life and write down three times when you overcame something you didn't think you could Ask yourself, what got you through it and how did those struggles shape the man I am today. Number two shift to gratitude. Start your mornings with gratitude. Write down one thing you're grateful for every day. Even if it's just something small, gratitude will rewire your perspective for the day. You'll just start the day feeling better. Number three be the wind for somebody else. Reach out to someone who might need encouragement, just like Major Barker did for me. That small act could change everything for them. And number four take one bold step.

Speaker 1:

Do something this week that scares you but moves you forward. It could be reaching out to someone you've lost touch with, setting a boundary that you've been avoiding, or taking the first step toward a goal that you've been putting off. Trust that you're not doing it alone. You know the one bold step. I'm doing it right now, like talking about God, you know, and, to be honest, like part of me was like, do I share this stuff, do I not? These are, you know, but these are the things that I'm thinking. These are the things that you know that, honestly, I want in my life. I want men of faith in my life. I want to be a better person. Okay, and we're not meant to do this alone. Okay, we're, we're part of a brotherhood that lifts each other up.

Speaker 1:

Imagine the impact that if every man who heard this shared it with just one other, together, we can create a ripple effect of men stepping up, showing gratitude and making impact. You know Christmas is coming and it's more than just a holiday. Okay, it's a reminder of hope, redemption and the invisible forces that guide us. Whether you celebrate it for its spiritual meanings or its traditions, let it inspire you to believe in something bigger, to love more deeply, to give more generously and to live with greater purpose. So here's your challenge Before the day ends, I want you to do two things First, thank someone who's been your major barker and second, share this episode with a brother who you think needs to hear it. Together, we can create a ripple effect of change. And finally, imagine this what could your life look like if you fully embrace the belief that every struggle, every triumph, every nudge forward is shaping you into the man you're meant to be? That's the vision I want you to carry with you as we close out this year.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for being here. If this episode moved, you share it, send it to somebody who needs to hear it. Let's spread this message together and, as always, if you're ready to go deeper. Join us in the Highly Effective man community, because this is just the beginning. Until next time, stay strong, stay focused, keep moving forward. Let's go. Thanks for tuning in to the Highly Effective man podcast. If you found value today, hit that subscribe button and stay connected. I want to invite you to join my incredible community, the Highly Effective man. The link is in the show notes below. It's a powerful space where you'll find support, accountability and camaraderie with men who are committed to growth and living purposefully. And your voice matters, so leave a review and share your thoughts and help us reach more men just like you. Together, let's elevate our lives and become the best versions of ourselves. Stay highly effective. See you next time.