Want to make bank without the bank breaking you? Anglo-Saxon poetry enthusiast Nick Pell weighs trades against degrees on this week's Skeptical Sunday!

• While college graduates earn more on average ($77,000/year) compared to trade school graduates ($67,000/year) and high school graduates ($47,000/year), this comes with significant student loan debt — averaging $37,000 for a bachelor's degree.
• There's a severe shortage of skilled trade workers in America, with examples like a deficit of 500,000 plumbers and an anticipated shortage of 1.9 million manufacturing jobs, suggesting strong job security and demand in these fields.
• Advanced degrees show diminishing returns — a master's degree costs an average of $65,000 and only provides about a 16% salary increase, while a doctorate costs $127,000 for grad school alone with relatively modest income gains.
• The college versus trade school decision isn't purely financial — it should factor in personal aptitudes, desired lifestyle, and how someone wants to spend roughly one-third of their adult life working.
• There are multiple paths to success, and you can make informed choices by: taking a "gap year" to work and explore interests, completing general education requirements at more affordable community colleges, researching program costs versus expected salaries, and considering apprenticeships which have doubled since 2013 and offer paid training opportunities.
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1102

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That slick businessman who bought your local church? His "art gallery" promises are looking more like a front for something sinister. It's Feedback Friday!

And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in!

• You live next to a historic church that was recently sold to a charismatic businessman with grand plans for an art gallery. But whispers of human trafficking and suspicious activities are swirling through your small town like autumn leaves. What's really happening behind those hallowed walls?
• You're locked out of your house, and the locksmith who finally shows up hits you with a bill that could buy a small yacht. But the real lock that needs picking? Your paralyzing fear of conflict. How do you build the backbone to stand up for yourself?
• Your neurodivergent 12-year-old son has been running a thriving business from your condo lobby, delighting residents with his entrepreneurial spirit. But now the building board is throwing bureaucratic thunderbolts his way. Can creativity trump red tape?
• You're crushing your career even on four hours of sleep with a six-month-old at home. But now you're caught in that classic new-parent paradox: how to keep climbing the corporate ladder while changing diapers? There's got to be a way to have it all, right?
• Recommendation of the Week: On Call
• A successful executive shares a story about dinner table epiphanies, early morning trains, and the cosmic calculus of how we spend our precious time. What he learned about the mathematics of moments will make you reconsider your own life's algorithm.
• Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com!
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger.
• Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1101

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider...

From advertising exec to America's storyteller-in-chief: prolific author James Patterson shares his blueprint for turning creative chaos into literary gold.

• Highly prolific author James Patterson maintains success through daily consistency — writing 350-365 days per year, getting up at 5:30 a.m., and viewing his work as "playing" rather than working. This dedication has led to over 400 million books sold.
• James' creative process involves extensive outlining (60-80 pages) but staying flexible within that structure. He keeps multiple projects (around 30) going simultaneously and moves between them if he gets stuck on one.
• James' breakthrough moment came when he realized he was "on the wrong side of the highway" — stuck in advertising traffic heading to a job he didn't want, while watching others freely driving in the opposite direction. This led him to leave his successful advertising career to write full-time.
• James' writing philosophy focuses on respecting the reader's time by following Leonard Elmore's advice to "leave out the parts people skip" and ensuring each chapter compels readers to turn the page. He emphasizes storytelling over showing off literary prowess.
• Anyone can improve their writing and creativity by breaking tasks into manageable pieces: if you're stuck, skip to another section and come back later; don't get too attached to any particular piece of writing; and remember that first drafts don't need to be perfect — you can always revise and refine your work as you go along.
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1100

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

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Assad fled, rebels took over, and Syria changed overnight. Intelligence analyst Ryan McBeth maps out who won, who lost, and what's next on Out of the Loop!

Welcome to what we're calling our "Out of the Loop" episodes, where we dig a little deeper into fascinating current events that may only register as a blip on the media's news cycle and have conversations with the people who find themselves immersed in them.

• After over a decade of civil war, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow when his regime collapsed following a rapid 10-day offensive at the end of 2024. The collapse was accelerated by Hezbollah withdrawing forces to fight Israel, leaving Assad's already weak army severely undermanned.
• The new controlling force in Syria is HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), led by Hamed al-Golani. While HTS was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, they have since distanced themselves and are showing potentially moderate tendencies, focusing on restoring basic services rather than implementing strict religious law.
• Turkey emerged as a major winner in this scenario, having strategically supported various rebel groups that helped bring down Assad's regime. Meanwhile, Russia and Iran are significant losers - Russia lost important Mediterranean naval access, and Iran lost a crucial supply route to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
• The Syrian civil war involved over 70 different factions, but they could be broadly categorized into three main anti-Assad groups: Islamist groups (like HTS), Kurdish groups (supported by the US), and moderate opposition groups. This complex web of alliances and conflicts made the situation particularly difficult to resolve.
• Despite the country's painful history, Syria has immense potential for rebuilding and renewal. The country was historically known for its rich culture, welcoming people, incredible food, and archaeological treasures. The current focus on restoring basic services and apparent willingness of different factions to cooperate suggests that with proper support and governance, Syria could begin healing and rebuilding its vibrant society.
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter, on Instagram, and on YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on an Out of the Loop episode, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!
• Connect with Ryan McBeth at his website, Twitter, Instagram, and on YouTube. If you'd like to stay on top of what's happening in the world, subscribe to Ryan's Substack!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1099

Your sister gave you permission to spank her son. Now she's calling you a child abuser and diving deep into conspiracy theories. Welcome to Feedback Friday!

And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in!

• You spanked your nephew once after he kicked your daughter, with your sister's prior permission. Now she's calling you a child abuser, your mother's caught in the middle, and there's a fascinating twist involving QAnon, church expulsions, and a high-profile abuse case. How does one find the way through this labyrinth of family dysfunction?
• Picture teaching 100 ESL students daily in a crowded hallway (yes, a hallway!) with no walls, while six precious years stand between you and a cushy pension. Your Etsy side hustle brings joy, but those morning tears on the commute tell a different story. What's the escape route from this educational pressure cooker?
• As a pastor and Army Reserve high-ranker, you counsel others through their darkest hours. But your 16-year-old daughter's bipolar diagnosis, self-harm history, and manipulative behaviors are testing your limits in ways no pastoral training could prepare you for. How do you help someone who refuses to be helped?
• Recommendation of the Week: Use AI in your everyday life.
• For 16 years, you lived in the shadow of narcissistic manipulation, watching your self-esteem erode like a sand castle in rising tide. Now that you've escaped, your ex-wife is spinning tales that would make Scheherazade blush, and you're left wondering: how do you rebuild your truth when someone else has been writing your story?
• Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com!
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger.
• Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1098

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including...

Between the corporate ladder and the stripper pole lies your husband's idea of networking. Time to redefine some boundaries? Welcome to Feedback Friday!

And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in!

• Your husband attended a "networking event" at a hotel that gradually evolved into something more...exotic. As the night wore on and clothes came off, he stayed for seven hours, claiming "this is just how men do things sometimes." Is maintaining professional connections worth the cost to your marriage? And was this event really as "surprising" as he claims?
• Your elder brother has a history of using you as his personal fall guy, and now he's sending bizarrely inappropriate gifts to your daughter — including items she's severely allergic to. When confronted, he laughs it off as mistakes and jokes. With shared power of attorney over your aging parents, how do you handle a sibling who might not just be clueless, but calculating?
• Follow-up from episode 973: After a lifetime of trying to be the perfect Indian daughter while falling in love with a British man, you've finally made your decision. With packed bags and a sedated cat, you're about to drop the bombshell on your traditional parents. How does one navigate the delicate dance between cultural expectations and personal truth?
• Recommendation of the Week: Tailored clothes.
• End-of-year reflections on the doozies, dumpster fires, and delights that came our way in 2024!
• Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com!
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger.
• Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1097

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including...

Feel-Good Productivity author Ali Abdaal breaks down the real keys to sustainable success and authentic relationship building! [Part 2 of 2 — find Part 1 here!]

• The Money-Time Paradox: The wealthiest people aren't always the happiest, especially when they become prisoners of their own possessions. As one billionaire demonstrated, owning 15 empty houses isn't freedom — it's just collecting very expensive headaches. The real wealth is having the autonomy to choose how you spend your hours.
• The Parenting Reality Check: Having kids changes everything in ways no amount of warning can prepare you for. It's like evolution has installed a cosmic memory filter that prevents parents from fully conveying just how intense it is — probably because if we truly knew, humanity would've stopped at cave paintings.
• The Two-Career Tango: Couples where both partners work intensely demanding jobs often face more stress than those where one partner has flexibility. It's not just about the money — it's about having someone with the bandwidth to manage life's endless parade of squeaky doors and donation runs.
• The "Freedom Investment" Principle: Financial freedom isn't about sipping mojitos on a beach — it's about having the ability to reinvest that freedom into what truly matters, like being present for your kids' early years or having the flexibility to take July off without asking anyone's permission.
• Here's something actionable you can do today: Run your numbers! Use a compound calculator to figure out your long-term financial runway. You might discover you're actually in a better position than you thought, and that knowledge alone can transform your relationship with work and time. As Jordan found out, you don't need to win the Powerball to feel secure — you just need to know your actual numbers.
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1096

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!

Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!

Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!

Feel-Good Productivity author Ali Abdaal breaks down the real keys to sustainable success and authentic relationship building! [Part 1 of 2]

• High performers commonly experience imposter syndrome, but awareness that it's universal and building genuine professional competency helps manage these feelings over time.
• Relationships and "winning work" often matter more than technical skill.
• When starting a business, keep your day job until your time becomes the actual bottleneck — don't "burn the ships" prematurely as this creates unnecessary pressure and can lead to poor decisions.
• Help others without attachment to getting anything in return, but do it in a scalable way (like making introductions) — even if 99 percent never reciprocate, the 1 percent who do can create outsized opportunities.
• We share powerful insights about following genuine curiosity versus chasing metrics, and balancing passion with practicality — with more valuable perspectives on financial freedom, happiness, and building a sustainable career coming in part two later this week.
• And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1095

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!

Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!

Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!