Grit Meets Growth

Grit Meets Growth

Chris Cathers and John Gamades bring you Grit Meets Growth... The podcast where we explore the power of getting uncomfortable, making things happen, and creating a magnetic life. Are you ready? Chris Cathers is the co-founder and CEO of Octellient, an information security expert, advisor and coach, and a cancer survivor. John Gamades is a co-founder and partner at the marketing agency OrangeBall Creative and the author of the Depth Not Width blog. Both are proud husbands, dads, and leaders in all they do. Having experienced adversity, challenges, the pressure of being entrepreneurs, Grit Meets Growth is the authentic and raw sharing of their journeys.

Episodes

October 8, 2025 39 mins
We talk a lot on this podcast about grit, about living on the edge of your comfort zone, about pushing yourself through the uncomfortable to grow. Today, we’re going deeper. 

We’re talking about what happens when the hustle and performance become masks, when we hide behind being “fine” instead of being seen for who we really are. This episode is about vulnerability, authenticity, and the courage to take that mask off. Growth doesn’t...
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In this episode of Grit Meets Growth, we dive into the power of open dialog—not the surface-level kind that stays safe, but the kind that creates space for honest reflection, real accountability, and genuine connection. We explore how conversation becomes a tool for grit and resilience, challenging us to admit when we’re struggling, to call each other out when excuses creep in, and to carry one another’s burdens when life gets heav...
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We’re back, and today we’re diving into a subject that sits at the core of Grit Meets Growth—comfort. It’s been nearly a year since we dedicated an entire conversation to it, but if you’ve listened for a while, you know this theme surfaces often. We believe growth begins at the edge of your comfort zone, and while the world tells us to chase comfort, the truth is it comes with a hidden cost. Comfort feels safe, but it can quietly r...
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Every time we hit record on this podcast, there’s always that half hour before—the raw, unfiltered conversation—that feels like the best part. This time, it was about seasons changing, kids heading back to school, routines shifting, businesses rolling into budget season, and all of us feeling that turbulence. In the middle of that swirl, we started talking about purpose, fear, and what it means to actually go for it—not just coasti...
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In this episode, we’re taking last week’s conversation on why staying the same is easy and why it’s killing your growth, and pushing it further. We’re diving into a powerful, uncomfortable question: What are you tolerating in your life?

From toxic relationships to weak boundaries, from bad habits to the excuses you’ve made a dozen times, these are the silent drains on your energy, purpose, and potential. We’ll talk about the cost of...
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Staying the same is easy. It’s cozy, it’s familiar, and it doesn’t ask much of us. But what if that comfort is quietly holding you back from who you’re really meant to be? In this episode of the Grit Meets Growth podcast, we’re diving into the tug-of-war between comfort and growth. From personal stories about stepping out of the air-conditioned house into the heat, to breaking old habits that no longer serve us, we’re talking about...
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This episode is all about priorities—how they shift, how they shape us, and how we sometimes get them wrong before we get them right. We unpack what it means to live with intention, why peace and purpose matter more than hustle and grind, and how redefining success can change everything. From fatherhood and marriage to leadership and legacy, we take a raw, honest look at what it means to grow as a man—and why action is the bridge b...
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In this episode, we dive headfirst into one of the most important (but often overlooked) ingredients of growth: taking action. From gut-level realignment to stepping out of your comfort zone, we unpack what it looks like to stop thinking and start moving. 
 
Whether it’s your health, your relationships, your work, or the dreams you’ve kept on the shelf for too long, this conversation challenges you to stop waiting until you “feel rea...
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On today’s episode, we’re hitting record on a Friday—our favorite day to sit down and reflect—and we’ve got a lot to unpack. With June being Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, this conversation goes deep into what it really means to be strong, to wear the mask, and more importantly, what it looks like to take it off. We’re talking about the internal battles men face daily, the lies we tell ourselves, and the need for real convers...
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In the last episode, we talked about the importance of betting on yourself — showing up with boldness, taking risks, and owning your story. But after we wrapped, something kept tugging at us. There’s a shadow side to betting on yourself: going it alone. 
 
This episode is all about the lone wolf mindset — the belief that strength means isolation, that you have to carry the weight on your own to earn respect. It’s a lie we’ve been sol...
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This episode comes straight from the heart. No filters—just real conversation about what it means to show up. We talk about the power of giving without expecting anything in return… and the humbling experience of learning how to receive. We explore purpose, faith, taking bold steps into the unknown, and the kind of seeds we all plant with the way we treat people. If you’ve ever wrestled with what it looks like to bet on yourself, l...
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Today we’re throwing down a challenge: growth without purpose is just movement. We’ve both lived seasons where we were grinding like hell—busy, burned out, and headed in the wrong direction. Titles, hustle, long days on the treadmill… all of it looked like success from the outside, but inside, we were drifting further from what actually mattered. In this episode, we talk about what happens when you stop chasing empty goals and star...
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Welcome back to the Grit Meets Growth podcast. This week, we’re diving into part two of a conversation we kicked off last episode: removing distractions and getting clear on the path forward. But this time, we’re taking it further. Because knowing what to do is one thing… taking action is another. From unexpected clarity and hard decisions to owning both your wins and losses, we’re talking about the difference between standing stil...
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Energy is everything. That simple bumper sticker lit the fuse for this conversation—and it couldn’t be more accurate. Because in a world drowning in noise, distractions are coming at us from every angle. News. Social media. Endless opinions. Even “good” things that quietly pull us off course. The mission gets blurry, the focus fades, and suddenly we’re just surviving the chaos. This episode is all about clearing the clutter, cuttin...
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Let’s be real—life isn’t getting any easier. If anything, it’s getting louder, more chaotic, and more uncertain by the day. You can’t open your news feed without being hit with fear, frustration, and negativity. And the noise? It’s deafening. In this episode of Grit Meets Growth, we’re talking about building mental resilience when the world feels like it’s spinning out of control. Because the truth is, uncertainty isn’t new—it’s al...
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Who’s in your corner?

The people you surround yourself with shape your mindset, habits, and growth. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the power of tribe—the people who challenge you, push you, and make you better. We’ll share personal stories, lessons learned, and the importance of both adding the right people and subtracting the wrong ones. If you’ve ever questioned who’s in your tribe—or if you even have one—this conversatio...
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Episode 100. Here we are. A hundred episodes deep into this journey—one built on resilience, consistency, and a commitment to showing up no matter what. When we kicked off Episode 1, we didn’t know exactly where this would go. We just knew we wanted to have real, unfiltered conversations about growth, purpose, and pushing through the hard stuff. Now, looking back on the last four years, we’ve built something bigger than just a podc...
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Sometimes, we build invisible walls around ourselves—barriers that keep us stuck, playing small, and feeling like we’re not capable of more. But here’s the truth: everything in life was created by people no smarter than you, no more talented than you, and if they built it, so can you.

In this episode of Grit Meets Growth, we’re tackling limiting beliefs—the stories we tell ourselves that hold us back. We’re unpacking where they come...
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In this episode of the Grit Meets Growth podcast, we dive deep into the art of setting and achieving goals effectively. We explore the challenges of staying focused and motivated, the importance of aligning activities with priorities, and the value of evaluating relationships and habits to ensure they support personal growth.

From cutting out distractions to embracing change and discipline, this conversation is packed with practical...
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As we kick off 2025, we’re diving into something that matters now more than ever—building deep, meaningful connections. In a world that’s increasingly digital, true connection can feel elusive, but it’s also never been more vital.

Today, we’re talking about nurturing your network, investing in relationships, and surrounding yourself with the right people who challenge, support, and push you to grow. Whether it’s about being that per...
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