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Why do so many people feel lost today — even when life looks good on the surface?

In this episode of Rule of Reason, I sit down with Dan Paterson from Questioning Christianity to unpack one of the biggest questions of our time: why modern life feels empty, and what might actually fix it.

We live in the most comfortable, advanced society in human history… yet anxiety, confusion, and a lack of purpose seem more common than ever.

So what’s going on?

This conversation goes beyond surface-level answers and explores:

• Why people feel lost despite having “everything”
• The difference between feeling meaning and grounding it
• How modern culture shapes our desires (often without us realising)
• The role of suffering, purpose, and responsibility in a meaningful life
• Whether it’s possible to live a truly meaningful life without God
• Why doubt isn’t the enemy — and how questioning can lead to truth

Dan shares his personal story — including tragedy, doubt, and the journey that led him to dedicate his life to helping others wrestle with life’s biggest questions.

This isn’t about religion for the sake of religion.

It’s about truth, meaning, and how to actually live well.

If you’ve ever felt like something is missing — this conversation is for you.

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What would you sacrifice for your family?

In this episode, I sit down with Jack Capewell — a young father of three — to talk about responsibility, faith, and the cost of choosing what truly matters.

Jack had the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing American football overseas. It was everything he had worked towards. But when the reality of leaving his family behind became clear, he made a decision that many wouldn’t have the strength to make.

He walked away.

We talk about:
• Turning down a dream career for family
• The silent sacrifices men make every day
• Becoming a father at a young age
• The reality of FIFO work and providing for a family
• How faith changed the direction of his life
• Why responsibility gives life meaning

This conversation isn’t about fame or success — it’s about what happens when you choose purpose over self.

If you’re trying to build a meaningful life in a world that often pulls you in the opposite direction, this one is for you.

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World champion. Paralympian. And one of the toughest people I know.

In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Parker to unpack the full arc of her story — growing up in Newcastle, chasing Olympic swimming dreams, the unexpected pivot into triathlon after the Spark Helmore Triathlon, and the devastating 2017 training crash that left her paralysed.

Lauren opens up about neuropathic pain, the shock of her first wheelchair, the moment she realised she couldn’t even swim anymore — and the mindset shift that helped her rebuild her life through sport.

We also talk about:

• Learning to control nerves under pressure
• Kona, going pro, and the mental battle of endurance racing
• Rebuilding as a para-athlete and winning world titles
• Tokyo’s brutal finish and the pressure of expectations
• Paris Paralympic medals and what it takes to keep rising
• Why she’s now chasing the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics in Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing

If you’re searching for perspective, resilience, and proof that purpose can be rebuilt — this conversation will stay with you.

Listen / subscribe for more real stories that restore hope.

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In this episode of Rule of Reason, I sit down with Trent Aquilina — an aviation professional, mentor, and marathon runner — to talk about resilience, hard work, and the power of starting again.

Trent was once told he’d amount to nothing.

Years later, after building a 35-year aviation career, he found himself at 156kg and experiencing a panic attack that changed everything.

What followed wasn’t motivation.

It was discipline.

He lost over 80kg, ran marathons, and now dedicates his time to mentoring the next generation — teaching young people that failing isn’t failure, it’s learning.

We talk about:
• Being told you’re not good enough
• Hard work vs entitlement
• Resilience learned from parents
• The panic attack that changed everything
• Losing 80kg and running a marathon
• Why “It’s not never — it’s just not now”
• Mentorship and helping the next generation
• What gives him hope for the future

This conversation isn’t about hype.
It’s about responsibility, discipline, and choosing to move forward — even when it’s hard.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, behind, or written off — this episode is for you.

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🎙 Rule of Reason is about sharing real stories from real people — stories that remind us we’re not alone and that meaning is built through responsibility, service, and perseverance.

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If this conversation helped you, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who needs it.

Because hope spreads person to person.

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In this episode of Rule of Reason, Zac sits down with Graeme Irwin OAM — educator, founder of St Philip’s Christian College, and national advocate for teachers — to explore how a life shaped by responsibility, faith, and service leads to lasting impact.

Graeme reflects on growing up on a working farm in rural New South Wales, where hard work, accountability, and respect for creation were not optional — they were part of daily life. That upbringing laid the foundation for a vocation in education, eventually leading him to found St Philip’s Christian College in 1982 with just 18 students, no funding, and a clear vision.

The conversation traces Graeme’s journey from the land to the classroom, from local school leadership to influencing education policy at a national level. Together, Zac and Graeme discuss the current state of education in Australia, the challenges facing teachers today, and why relationships — not systems — remain at the heart of meaningful learning.

Graeme also shares what gives him hope for the future: young people, dedicated teachers, and the enduring importance of purpose, faith, and responsibility in education.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on leadership, vocation, and how education shapes not just minds, but lives.

🎧 Topics include:
– Growing up on a farm and learning responsibility early
– Finding purpose and calling in teaching
– Starting a school from nothing
– The state of education in Australia
– Supporting teachers and students in a changing world
– Why relationships matter more than systems

📌 Subscribe for conversations that explore meaning, responsibility, and hope.

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G’day everyone — welcome back to Rule of Reason.

In this episode, I’m in beautiful Samoa sitting down with Giovanni, the warm and unforgettable face behind one of the island’s most loved Italian restaurants, Paddles.

Giovanni’s story is one of identity, culture, and the surprising paths life takes when family makes a decision you don’t agree with — at least not at first. He grew up surrounded by hospitality, with an Italian father (from a village near Venice) and a Samoan mother (from Savai’i). After years living in Italy — studying, building a career, and living what felt like his “real” life — Giovanni was suddenly told the family was moving back to Samoa.

At first, he didn’t want to be there. He compared everything to Italy. He felt like his career had been taken from him. But over time, that resistance softened — and what began as frustration became a new home, a new mission, and a new understanding of what real wealth is.

In this conversation we talk about:

• Growing up Samoan–Italian and what that shaped in him
• Living almost three decades in Italy and thinking he’d stay forever
• The shock of being told: “We’re moving back to Samoa”
• How a family lease, a big risk, and a mother’s vision became a restaurant legacy
• Why Giovanni believes people are the real wealth — not money
• The power of gratitude, positivity, and choosing the next minute well
• A message to young people: don’t waste opportunities, and don’t miss real life by staring down at a phone

If you’ve ever felt torn between two places… stuck between who you were and who you’re becoming… or forced into a change you didn’t choose — I think you’ll get something out of this one.

If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a reminder that meaning is found in people.

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As we step into 2026, this episode of Rule of Reason is a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead with clarity.

In this New Year’s episode, I reflect honestly on 2025 — what I hoped to achieve, what I learned, and why laying foundations mattered more than numbers or growth. I also share what I’m aiming for in 2026, including more long-form conversations, more stories, and a continued focus on meaning and hope.

This isn’t a political podcast. It’s a space for thoughtful conversation, for sharing real stories, and for reminding people that they’re not alone — even when life feels busy, overwhelming, or isolating.

We close with a simple but important question as we enter the new year:

What’s one thing you could focus on that would genuinely make your life — and the lives of the people around you — a little better?

If you’re interested in reflection, responsibility, faith, relationships, and building a meaningful life in a noisy world, you’re in the right place.

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Your body already knows how to heal itself — most of us just never learned how it works.
In 2016, Nobel Prize–winner Yoshinori Ohsumi discovered the mechanisms behind autophagy, your cells’ natural recycling and repair system.

In this Rule of Reason short episode, Zac explains autophagy in simple, everyday language — no jargon, no overcomplication — and shows how this discovery connects to personal responsibility, gratitude, stress, inflammation, and becoming the best version of yourself.

In this episode you’ll learn:
• What autophagy actually is
• How your cells repair themselves
• Why Ohsumi’s research matters for ordinary people
• How movement, rest, fasting, and lowering stress activate cellular repair
• Why modern life works against your built-in healing systems
• How to use simple choices to let your body reset

Rule of Reason exists to bring hope and perspective back into everyday life — cutting through noise, nihilism, and social media chaos by helping you see what’s still good, what’s still possible, and what you can still change.

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If you found this helpful, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs a hopeful perspective today.