Client Won't Change? Maybe You're Missing This With Dr. Jae Koonce

Dr. Jae describes his recent Spartan Race, a 5K obstacle course involving walls, heavy carries, rope climbs, water wades, barbed wire crawls, and grip-intensive obstacles, emphasizing how he arrived late, used each obstacle to pass other competitors, and refused to stop even when he wanted to quit. He explains that his mindset during the race was driven by self-influence: focusing on the next person ahead, maintaining the identity of someone who “does hard things,” and feeling accountable to people he imagines are watching him, which keeps him from walking when others slow down. Anton highlights this as a powerful example of self-leadership and influence, noting that Dr. Jae is usually the one inspiring others, and uses this to transition into a deeper exploration of Bitcoin, how it is often misunderstood, and how Dr. Jae uses it to help people think about changing their lifestyle and mindset, setting the stage for a Bitcoin-focused discussion in the next part of the conversation.

Takeaways:

Self-influence and identity drive persistence: Dr. J uses challenges like the Spartan Race to reinforce the identity of someone who “does hard things,” which helps him push through discomfort in races and in life.

Bitcoin as permissionless, non-inflationary money: He frames Bitcoin as money outside government-controlled systems—capped at 21 million, resistant to inflation, and enabling people to store and move value without relying on banks or central authorities.

“Stack sats, get fit” long-term mindset: Dr. J’s coaching philosophy links health and Bitcoin: invest in your body and in hard money now so that in 10–20 years you have both the physical capacity and the financial resilience to enjoy the future instead of spending everything on rising healthcare costs.

Quotes:

"If I can do that, I can do this. You know, it just helps."

"Bitcoin allows you to move and exchange value outside of the rails of the government without having to ask permission for anybody. You can be your own bank, as they say."

"I say saving Bitcoin or stack sats get fit, because the two things you can control are your health and your money."

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro & Who Is Dr. Jae Koonce? 1:20 – From Pharmacy to Proof of Work Fitness 3:14 – What Is a Spartan Race? 3:34 – Inside the Obstacles & Strategy 5:30 – “I Can Do Hard Things”: Mental Toughness 6:38 – Self-Influence and Not Quitting 9:04 – Transition: From Mindset to Bitcoin 10:09 – Bitcoin Myths vs. Reality 11:30 – Bitcoin, Countries, and Game Theory 12:30 – Being Your Own Bank 13:30 – How to Get Started with Bitcoin 16:16 – The Bitcoin White Paper & Satoshi 16:28 – Inflation, Gold, and Broken Money 18:31 – Mining, Scarcity, and Energy 19:24 – Using Bitcoin in Fitness Coaching 21:54 – Scams, Reputation, and Real Adoption 22:14 – Wallets, Seed Phrases, and Security 25:03 – Lost Bitcoin and Fixed Supply 27:25 – Inheritance, Taxes, and the Ecosystem 28:47 – Volatility and “Stacking Sats” 29:40 – Health Costs, Bitcoin, and the Future 30:16 – “Bitcoin Is Dead” (Again) 32:30 – Transparency, Taxes, and Responsibility 33:43 – Bitcoin as Stored Time and Energy 34:41 – Outro & Where to Find Dr. Jae

Conclusion: Bitcoin, fitness, and mindset all point to the same underlying principle: choosing to do hard things now so life becomes easier later. Treating Bitcoin as long-term, permissionless money shifts focus from short-term price swings to accumulating durable value over decades, just as training and smart lifestyle choices compound into resilience and lower health costs over time. The discipline of finishing a Spartan Race when every part of you wants to quit mirrors the discipline of consistently “stacking sats” and staying committed to habits that don’t pay off immediately but change who you become. Health, wealth, and personal sovereignty stop looking like separate goals and start to feel like different expressions of the same decision: to own your choices, your energy, and your future instead of outsourcing them to systems that don’t necessarily have your best interests at heart.

Links:

Find Dr. Jae Koonce and his work at:

• Website: https://www.proofofwork.fit/

• Proof of Work Fitness App on apple (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/proof-o...) and android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...)

• Instagram: proofofworkfitness

• LinkedIn: pharmacistjeremiahkoonce