The Max Effort Podcast
Hosted by Christian McGahan (Personal Trainer, Writer and Frontman of Virtue)
The idea behind this podcast is to act as an ongoing resource of encouragement for anyone embarking on the path of self improvement, fitness, music and entrepreneurship.
Episodes
29 episodes
Moving An Internal Mountain
In Today’s episode, I reflect on the difficulties I faced in 2023. Battling financial turmoil, feelings of identity crisis, failure, and almost reaching a point of giving up and waiving the white flag. But like any difficult season, there’s opp...
The Burden Of Passion
In today’s episode, I share a personal story about growing up, struggling through school, and feeling like I wasn’t “smart enough.” From failing classes and missing graduation— to trusting in myself and forging my own path altogether. All becau...
Resistance Changed Everything
In today’s episode, I reflect on how powerful some of the hardest seasons of my life were. How pushing back against resistance didn’t break me the way I thought it might, but how it actually open doors for some of the best outcomes yet. <...
There’s Still Time
In today’s episode— I talk about what it’s been like over the years of chasing down goals in music, writing, training, etc. How I went from always being fearful that those goals may never come to life, to now being more focused on doing the wor...
What Will It Take To Get There?
In today’s episode, I reflect on the last 8 years of being a personal trainer— specifically in terms of pursuing after something I feel to be a calling in my life. I share some key points for what’s kept me concrete in that role, despite the ma...
Conquering The Low Points
In today’s episode, I dive into some of the recent challenges I’ve been facing, growing within those experiences, and the unexpected perspective changes that eventually led to powerful insight. Hope this episode encourages you!
Give Yourself Permission To Succeed
In today’s episode— I share some insight into what it’s like working as a personal trainer, navigating the ins and outs of how individuals view themselves in the face of intimidating fitness goals. I dive into my own personal battles on t...
What Will It Look Like If You See It Through?
In today’s episode, I dive into what my training in both the gym and in baseball has been like in the last couple months, facing physical and mental battles, and more importantly, some powerful questions to ask yourself when you’re in the guara...
Be Willing To Bet On Yourself
In today’s episode I talk about my unique journey into playing baseball, dealing with performance anxiety, the obsession of getting better, and getting comfortable taking risks.
The Intersection Of Doubt And Moving Forward Anyway
Part 2 of recent episode “Leaving No Doubt” I dive into some key moments in my personal training career where I truly believed it was over. And yet— I moved forward anyway.
Going Where Your Feet May Fail
In today’s episode— I talk about the beginning phase of what it was like losing 130lbs. Knowing full well, it was the biggest risk of my life at the time and why it was the greatest thing I’ve ever done. Hope this message enco...
Your Ceiling Has Yet To Be Determined
In today’s episode, I discuss the importance and frankly, life changing process of developing better beliefs about your life.
Leaving No Doubt
In today’s episode, I discuss my own experience in battling doubt— with my career, goals, and just about everything else in my life. As well as some powerful ways that helped me overcome it! I hope this episode encourages you if you...
Why Is Today That Day?
A short, but straight to the point episode of asking yourself a powerful question— “Why is today that day?”This is an episode for anyone battling a difficult season, discouragement, or any feeling of hopelessness about an area of their l...
It’s Not Over Yet
In todays episode, I chat about the harsh period of the “backslide”. The part of the journey where we regain the weight back, where we fall out of routine, where we struggle find the spark we once had— if that’s you, I encourage you to take...
Navigating Setbacks
In today’s episode, I touch on some key points I’ve implemented for navigating setbacks I’ve faced in prior years as well a current one I’ve been dealing with the last couple weeks. How asking the right questions and changing perspecti...
Learned By Doing, Earned By Doing
Doing more research, being a “perfectionist”, waiting for the right time— are all forms of postponing the initial discomfort of just starting. In todays episode, I dive into some of my own personal experiences of just taking the first step and ...
What Is Really Holding You Back?
Todays episode is about taking the internally journey. A necessary quest of the growth process, in where we learn about the ins and outs of why something might be holding us back from taking that next step. Going further than just surf...
The Path
In the peak of working on a lot of projects and having multiple irons in the fire, I felt todays episode would just work better as somewhat of a “motivational speech”, if you will. To act a message to myself and to any other individual who i...
The Gift Of Today
So much of the journey of self-improvement is a mental and emotional game. It’s understanding and learning more about ourselves from the inside out. And how we deal with shame, guilt, and failure ultimately determines whether or not we...
Playing To Your Strengths
Working a 9-5 taught me one very important thing about myself... That I don’t ever want to work a 9-5 ever again! In all seriousness, a good episode for anyone who is struggling at their current job, feeling unhappy happy, lack o...
Committed To The Vision
It all starts with a vision. In today’s episode, I dive into some key defining moments for me in my journey of fitness and seeing massive breakthrough, as well as dealing with anxiety, doubt, and the outside perspective of others w...
Keeping Momentum Alive
Finding momentum is hard, keeping momentum is even harder. This episode is for anyone who feels like they’ve lost steam in their creative projects, in their fitness journey— or whatever other venture you’re choosing to purs...