Host: Zack Knight

Guest: Gary King — Navy veteran, speaker/author, creator of the St. Pete HAPPINESS signs, subject of The Happiness Experiment film

Episode vibe

A candid, hopeful conversation about trauma, perspective, and building everyday interrupts that keep people here. Practical tools. No fluff.

Timestamps

00:00 – 06:00 Cold open + Centre Club welcome, Monday-night football slander, Marine banter.

06:00 – 12:40 ATLVets updates: Elite Rewards monthly travel voucher, Clearwater wellness workouts, Atlanta Center of Excellence coming online.

12:41 – 14:10 Gary takes the mic: why this room matters to him.

14:10 – 18:50 Background in fast-forward: Navy, VIP security (incl. Gen. Schwarzkopf), speaking/author work across the globe.

18:50 – 23:40 The weight: 36 traumas, the loss of his son Jason at the Skyway, and the near-death experience that reset his lens.

23:40 – 27:00 Perception vs. perspective: the “circle and the ant.”

27:00 – 33:30 PTSD reframed as post-traumatic trigger disorder; the “hard drive (subconscious) + RAM (conscious)” analogy; the wallet story.

33:30 – 38:30 Autosuggestion 101 and the twine-and-20-knots practice.

38:30 – 44:30 Birth of the HAPPINESS signs (Nov 2019), first takedown, then liftoff; why simple words in public space matter.

44:30 – 48:10 The Happiness Experiment film; the woman who turned around at the sign.

48:10 – 55:30 The Happiness Formula book: F² H² = H (forgiveness of self/others; honesty with self/truth with others; self-worth).

55:30 – 1:01:30 Quick exercise: your Top 5 partner traits, and why “emotionally available” rarely makes the list (but should).

1:01:30 – 1:06:30 Self-acceptance vs. chasing approval; how we’re taught to outsource worth.

1:06:30 – 1:10:55 Q&A: faith, discipline, and why Gary still climbs the ladder.

1:10:55 – end Wrap, selfies with the signs, Gary’s open offer: “If I can help a vet, I’m in.”

Key ideas & takeaways

Triggers work like algorithms. If you can spot the pattern in real time, you can choose a different next move.

Perspective is a practice. Get above the moment; don’t let the moment run you.

Short beats clever. The brain remembers simple, repeated lines—use them on purpose.

Public words change private minds. A six-inch sign can be the inch someone needs.

Notes & care

Gary shares personal methods and beliefs. They’re not medical advice. If you’re struggling, talk to a qualified professional, reach out to a peer, or call/text 988 (in the U.S.) for support.