Habits and Hustle - Episode 189: Zion Clark – Motivational Speaker, Author, and Athlete

Episode Date: October 18, 2022

Pre-order Jen’s New Book: Bigger, Better, Bolder today: https://amzn.to/3hvtqYp Zion Clark is a motivational speaker, author, and athlete. Zion was born without legs, was in and out of foster homes, was bullied, beaten up, and thrown out over and over again growing up, and has still made it out on the other side as an All-American athlete, wrestling champion, musician, and inspiration to so many. Zion tells his miraculous story and explains the mindset he’s had to get him through it all. Looking for some personal motivation, or just want to hear from someone who’s succeeded through it all? Give this one a listen. Youtube Link to This Episode Zion’s Website – https://www.zionclark.com/ Zion’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/bigz97/ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Did you learn something from tuning in today? Please pay it forward and write us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 📧If you have feedback for the show, please email [e-mail]  📙Get yourself a copy of Jennifer Cohen’s newest book from Habit Nest, Badass Body Goals Journal. ℹ️Habits & Hustle Website 📚Habit Nest Website 📱Follow Jennifer – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter – Jennifer’s Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hi guys, it's Tony Robbins. You're listening to Habits in Hustle. Fresh it. Today on the podcast, we have Zion Clark. Zion is an extraordinary man. He was born with outlegs, but that did not stop him from becoming Guinness World Recordholder for walking on his hands and becoming successful wrestler winning national championships. If you want to hear somebody that doesn't take any excuse or use any excuse

to hold you back, this is the guy for you to listen to. He is inspirational, he's motivational, he does motivational speaking across the country. His story is extraordinary. Like I said, he was born without legs. Bullied, he was unfed. And with every single obstacle, he was able to persevere. And I really love this conversation. I really believe that you will as well. Enjoy. We have today one of the,

I think you're just like a crazy inspiration to like everybody. Zion Clark, if you guys don't know who Zion is, Zion and I pronounce your name even correctly. I mean, you are wearing sunglasses. I mean, did you have a hard night last night? Is why you're wearing those sunglasses? No, I got this sleep last night.

Slept in this morning actually. Oh, really? I took a shower and came here. Oh, okay, so you just like, it's more of a look then, right? Yeah. I like I like to dress like swag. Yeah. Do you wear your dress really swag and you're really fit. How do I tell like what do I how do you describe yourself? If you're a motivational speaker, you are someone who's like a pro wrestler, but like in your if I if you were to

say your bio yourself, what would you say it is? I just have something to say. I'm an entertainer and I'm motivated. Okay, that sounds good, actually. That's much better than what I have written down over here. That's amazing. What I think is amazing about you, and that's what I was so desperately wanting to have you on, is that I think you're so inspirational to everybody because no matter what you you basically are the definition of someone who doesn't play victim, doesn't let things that of adversity stop you from

going after something. I mean you obviously, I mean you don't have any legs and but your arms make up for it and you know and times a million. Can you just kind of talk about like just the origin of like who you are, what your life was like you know your beginnings of you basically before you became you. I think you being yeah. I know you mean. Yeah. I'm from Masalha, originally born Columbus. And I spent the first 17 years of my life in the foster care system. And I was living in the streets, like in the ghetto. So, you know, life was really rough with all the gang violence.

And on top of that, going through the system, jumping from different homes throughout the area. And turn that, a lot of, a lot of things happened that really tested the temperament of my mentality. And it just, I had to grow up and probably grow up a lot earlier. I started thinking more matured by the time I was like 15, 16 to the point where I was time I got to college. I was living by myself paying my own rent, really just working a job, laying brick.

It was like a thing I had to get, like, work towards from my experiences of growing up rough, and it kind of built, either it's going to fold or it's going to consume you, or you're going to take it and build off. And that's what I also ended up doing. And somewhere in there, I started wrestling. Somewhere around there, okay. So even before that, so like you were born without legs, right? What is it called?

Like can you talk about like that? Like where your dad or your biological? Yeah, so I don't know my biological parents, but I was born with, it's called a Codal Regression Syndrome. It's a very rare disease, or syndrome, I guess, disease. I don't get the terminology completely. That's okay. But, in short, it's like a lot of, if you're born with it,

a lot of kids, if they are, they can have different things, wrong with their body as they come out depending if they're missing if it could be you could be missing a finger or You could be like me and be missing both legs I mean so what what causes that it did a lot of drug abuse. Is that what does that really what causes it? It could be it could be at random or it could be caused by drug abuse And was your mom and drugs. Yep Yeah, my so when I was born I was born with every party drug That was available back in the 90s

Every party drug being like cocaine I guess yep. I had cocaine Molly meth Perks Zanz all of my system. And I had that, what's that alcohol deficiency called? Oh, you know what I mean? When a mother drinks, what's that called? The Dio alcohol. Yeah, I have a little brother. He was born with it, too.

So we made life really hard, because so we were, so we were born, and sometimes we're born early, which is my case, I was born two and a half months early. So then I was really underdeveloped already. So then I had to like Wow, I was just really really small. And people thought I was people thought I was slow too. Because I was I was developing at a little bit of a slower rate. I was really behind the rest of the kids

at the point where they were gonna put me in those special classes they had. Really? Yeah, and I did not wanna go there. Cause in my head, I knew I wasn't like that, but I just had that block where I couldn't. I even had an assistant, like a helper, following me around.

And it was, I never liked it because I was that kid that always liked to do things on my own, but at the time, I was still a little too weak to do anything. So. I'm talking about like five, six years old. And you remember in your head, you're like, it's just like a first grade.

And it was just terrible because I really had such a problem learning. Even learning how to walk on my hands was like I show I didn't start walking until I was about four. I used to just drag myself around four or five. My finally got enough strength to stand up. Do they put you through some type of program for the field for the fetal alcohol syndrome or to get rid of a tear for drug? Me, I don't remember too much of that part because I also had two surgeries right off of Ripon.

I was born. I have a giant scar on my stomach and a giant one going up my back. What kind of surgery? One to remove one of my rib bones, I was like impeding into my intestines and then wanting to correct my spine on my back. I have these two tiny little pins on my back.

So you've been a fighter literally from like day one in every way, shape and form. Like you've always had. Something like that, I mean, still breathing. But you know, you don't let anything stop you. Like it doesn't matter. Whatever, like any type of like negative thing that comes your way. It seems like you've like fought through all of it, even from such a young age. So, well, I mean, even with the, so how did you get rid of the,

how did they get rid of the, how do they get rid of the fetal alcohol syndrome? It's a just. I don't really know the details of it. I've talked to my little brother as he was like grown up and named Sam, by the way. Are you guys close? Yes, we play Call of Duty all the time every day. And did you guys stay together? Yeah, he, well, no. I got in contact with him when I was a little kid and then I lost contact until I was like a senior in high school and then I've been in contact every day since.

So it's like for how many years? Yeah, I think he just like texted me like just now because I saw little PlayStation I can't pop up. That's how he texted. He's still in school. He's a sophomore in high school. Really? Yeah, he's a wrestler like me.

So how did you define them? Same on? Oh yeah, no, same on. I just looked, I went to the agency because I was like, I need to find my little brother. And you never found me like, no, I know she's that she's in prison, but my little brother, it's like it was, I was only brother, you know, I mean, so I had to go totally I had to make sure I really established that connection. And I have, you know, I'd be bragging to his friends and shit about like

Oh, dude look at my big brother. This is my big brother Cuz mom his mom be telling me his foster mom be telling me so Good, it's like it's like having an impact like on somebody like that especially my little man I really like want to spread that to everywhere else That's amazing so you have a relationship with your brother. Yeah. And so how did you go from, when you say you're living on the street, though, like, how was that?

Like, so did you leave the foster care and be like, screw this? I wonder if I'm going to go to the street. And some families were just locking me out of the house. And then I would just have to figure shit out. And so then I made friends. So how did you find this wonderful woman that you at 16? I that at that point, I was fighting all the time and I was in a really shitty foster home. And when you say shit, what happened to that?

Like, everybody, every other foster boy in that house was out from my head. And I was looking out for theirs too. What do you mean? Like, what does that mean? Like if I caught you sleeping, I'm going to punch you in the back of the head. Or? If I caught you sleeping, I'm gonna punch you in the back of the head. Or if they catch me sleeping, they're gonna punch me in the back of the head. Like, it gets so bad, like, I'd be in my sleep.

And I wake up to somebody punch me in the face. But what's the purpose? Like why? Because we hated each other. But why? I don't know. You guys are all in the same situation. I know, and I never understood that.

I remember beating in and I've been recognized. I already didn't like these guys because in school we weren't the greatest friends. Oh, right. But I've always been the type of dude. I was like, I'm just gonna mind my own business. Yeah. And go do whatever I do.

And somehow they always ended up in my face about some stupid thing. And in the last time we fought, somebody got hurt and the chair got stuck in the ceiling. In the ceiling? Yeah. Okay. And for some reason it all got blamed on me. So then I got thrown out and I was about to get shipped to Cincinnati to a group home and if the group home and take me that I was that was it I'd be homely said 16 17 So that's what was happening and then they asked my mom because like I said they didn't have any option So they asked my mom and she was only fostering girls at the time and they asked her she could do like an emergency placement And she said yeah, and then boom

Wow, things actually worked out and I've been constantly working out ever since. And you're close to your close with the... Yeah, that's my mom. Like... Vitamin water just dropped a new zero sugar flavor called with love. Get the taste of raspberry and dark chocolate for the all warm. All fuzzy, all self-care, zero self-doubt you.

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back with, I think it was on Ellen, maybe. I don't remember. She seemed like a really lovely nice woman. Oh yeah, my mom from the streets too, shit. My mom grew up rough. That's why she is the way she is today. Right, exactly. You know growing up a harder life,

you can still come out really kind on the other end. There are a lot of people I know that have like the craziest backstories, and they're the nicest people. Isn't that always the way it is? It's like either it's one way or the other, right? Yeah. It's never like in the middle. What I find interesting is that like all these other foster homes, even yours or otherwise, like why are they even taking kids if they're such, like, if they're so brutal with them? Like, I don't know if it's dead. But I mean, yeah, but like, you can make a good money having five to 10 foster kids in a house.

Doesn't mean you have to take care of them. It means that money's getting put back into the kids. Right, but isn't there, I guess my question is, isn't there supervision around it? Like isn't there someone overseeing it? Not really. And if the kids have something most parents, you know, their adults, they're not alive.

That's so terrible to hear. And yet, so this woman took over and you became a family. How did it change your life? Like how did it start to change your life? It was fun. We but it has so many times. Really?

Yeah, I had a bad attitude. At that point, I didn't say I'd given up on life, but I definitely hated everything and everybody. And I just minded my business mess with my music and kept in my sport and my few friends I had. And I was it, like aside from that, if you stepped to me wrong, something was going down. And that's just how it was cuz like

Yeah, I think going through you experience almost seven about 17 years of just pure shit For the moment you open your eyes for the first time. Yeah You know what I mean? So like what you experienced that like it like for in my at least for me I had I was I just give like not, but like, I had just lost hope for any type of piece. So I was always ready for action all the time. And my mom kind of told me down. And then the rest of my family, they told me down. Because like my family, I mean, now they're like, do we have musicians?

We have rappers. We have, we have gangbings. I'm not missing a name. But like, you know, I mean, they, like, we got my family, like, we're, we have rappers, we have gangbangers, I'm not missing a name. Like, you know what I mean? I got my family, like, we're here, I would say your average African American family. You know what I mean? I know you mean like, you're being a full good family good, but like when it's time to step up and step for real, we all step together. And

I didn't have that type of sense. My thing was, if you go and step, I'm just going to step because you step it. You know, and I saw my whole mentality change. Now, only time I actually do step is when it's about people. I actually care about people that have meaning and value in my life. So that, were you ever into drugs at that young age or because of what happens to you when you were born, you stayed away from them? I kinda actually stayed away except for smoking weed honestly.

And that's the only thing. Do you do that still or is that still? Oh, absolutely. But everything else you don't do. No. Okay, is that why you're wearing sunglasses? Are you high right now? No, I'm not.

No, I'm not. I smoke while I'm not high. You are. So I can tell wearing the sunglasses? Are you high right now? It's okay. No, I'm not. I smoke, I'm not high. You are. So I could tell your eyes look a little like happy right now. What? They do. And that's why you're wearing those sunglasses. Don't lie to me, it's okay.

I don't care. It doesn't affect me in any way. But not, yeah, not like I grew up around like weed and like cocaine and all these like hard, like hard drugs. Like where I was at, like when I get locked out of a house, yes, there's house I'm going to. Been home me down the street that got the trap house because he has an extra room.

Yeah, we're kind of house, a trap house. With the trap house. A drug house. I was called a trap house. Yeah. We're gonna teach me some stuff now, okay. And so you went to the trap house. And then you did the drugs at the trap house.

Yeah, and I started that like 13, it was just crazy. But can I ask you a question and like, okay, so let me ask you this, how are you gonna be living on the street? Like, you know, you don't have legs. Like it's not like you're like so tough, even at a young age.

I was taught how to fight. I was taught. I was taught how to street fight when I was young, and then I learned how to fight for real. With no legs, even. Yeah. Like you were, I used to hear, I used to, when I was 16, I would hit somebody in the chest

and I knocked the air out of them. But your arms and I was like that. I want you to, like, I want, they didn't. That's the thing. I'm stronger now. But like, they didn't. That's the thing. I'm stronger now. But I hit somebody. It's like I was already, I was forever

been doing damage. No kidding. Yeah. And it was, I don't know, they messed with me because of that. It was like, oh, it is strong. I have to do that. Yeah. But you were never scared.

Like, were you ever fearful of your life? Or do you ever feel scared? Because the fact that you didn't have legs and this one did have legs or you couldn't run? No, I had been punched in the face so many times and just had to crack beat and out of me to the point where I was like, shoot, they hit me, I'm still hitting them back. I'm used to this, let's go. It wasn't that, but until like,

unless somebody pulled a gun or something, and that's happened a couple of times too, coming up, I remember the first time I was 15, dude, I thought we were taking, we jipped them on a pack of weed. We're like, high school, freshman in high school. And he pulls out a little pocket rocket and points it right in my dump. And so I'm going to give him more weight. And I was like, no, like,

you know, I mean, I was like, you need to just chill out. That's how I said, if you want me to go away, I'll go wait. Like, it was like, I've really one of those like real situations where, you know, you don't want to upset nobody or stay the wrong day because one wrong where it could mean of you're in a hurry. You know what I said it was like those real moments really taught me how to stay calm and really tense situations right because I've been in some tense situations like the tense situations I get it now and I want even sweat you know, so I'm just sitting there chilling Even my fighting like I'll get put in a choke or something and I don't get choked out because I'm calm

And I'm still digging your shit up I'm still getting out of your move countering it to get to what I want because I'm calm being calm It's like key important thing for me because when I'm calm. Being calm is like a key important thing for me. Because when I'm not calm, I mean, it can be good, but like more times it's not. I think it's with everybody, right? Like when someone like loses their cool or shit, like that's when real problems happen, right?

Because the only time I think that's okay, like it's happened, like it's during competition. Like during competition, if I accidentally break something or like mess you up really bad, I'm still scoring points. So it's okay. So you know what I mean? So it like if it's not that situation, then I stay away. Okay, so so how did you get serious about wrestling? And what is the title? What's the title called that you hold or what you have? What's the in wrestling? Like what's the

What's the title called that you hold or what you have? What's the in wrestling? Like what's the? I'm an all-American. All-American, like, is it, what category? Is it just? 125 pounds. Overall, like what's the, give me the other categories. Is that like the way classes?

Yeah, yeah. So the 125, 133 pounds, 141, 147, 157, once. So you're just in the, you're the, 33 pounds, 141, 147, 157, once... So you're just in the, you're the, you're the, I'm the smallest weight class. But you're the, but you are the champion in that weight class. No, I actually wasn't a champ. I was among the top 10. Oh, is this what I saw on the Netflix special?

Like you lost it by something. Oh, that was no, that was high school. Oh, that was high school. High school on everything made it to the state championships. College have made it to the national championships. So are you fighting people with legs? Yeah. All the time.

Yeah. Every day. But you have like, I mean, don't think, isn't that like a disadvantage if you- I have a six, I have a six five arms fan. Like I can still punch you in the mouth you're standing straight up. Oh my god. And if you go to kick me, I have a six five arms fan. Like I can still punch you in a mouth you're standing straight up. Oh my God.

And if you gotta kick me, I can still just grab your leg and get you to the ground and still punch you in the face. Well, you're hitting the ground. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? It's like there's like, it's just like wrestling is what really gave me the groundwork for all of this because I had to figure out how

my body works, not how yours works and coloration might know how mine works to dominate you. So I'm able to go select punches, select picks. Like sometimes if somebody goes to kick, I will get out the way of the kick and as I pull their leg back, catch the ankle. Grab the ankle. Grab there is. Very just. Wow. So how did, when did you start to take this more? So by the way, can I ask you a question?

So you don't have legs. Where does it stop and start with you? Like, oh, I just don't have legs. Can you go to the bathroom? Yeah. Like do you go to the bathroom like, like, not like me, because I'm a girl, but like any other guy goes to the bathroom. Yeah. So you have like all your parts. Yeah. Like do you go to the bathroom like like not like me because I'm a girl but like any other guy goes to the bathroom. Yeah. So you have like all your parts. Yeah. Everybody always gets that mistake and it's been it's been so hilarious. I remember I remember a while ago

hey you remember that man skate thing I did. Tell me tell me tell me I want to know. Tell me, tell me, tell me, I want to know. I have men's scape offered to pay me for just like a little promotion thing. So I did it and I like everybody lost their shit because everybody just been constantly asking. So they're like, yeah. That's what I want to know too. But not like I pretty much shut the internet up on that one.

Nobody's really set it. It's set it set. So wait, so Mascate paid you like a sponsorship thing to do like to do that? I'm a size there fucking reason. Right, and you wait, did you show your, your past? I was like, I just saved my chest. I don't, I fucking saved about this long thing of chest here.

And that's what they paid you for? Mm. Okay, but that, so they didn't pay you just shave anything else or do anything else or. But you so you have all of your parts intact. Yeah. And so when you go at the bathroom, when do you do? You just toilet just like anybody else does like anybody like both. Yeah. And yeah. And yeah. And everything. Yeah. everybody completely always gets that misconception about me.

My thing is, if I can eat and drink, that's true. And you're not wearing a costume. And I don't have a costume bag. Yeah, where's it going? That's what I was curious. I wanted to know, I wanted to know that. And so is it like normal, like when I say normal,

that's not the right word. Normal being like how I would do it or your Craig would do it or will or whoever yeah That and so can you have sex? Yeah, do you have sex? Yes? Like on the regular But I'm not working Do you wait to have a girlfriend? I do not okay? Do you have lots of girlfriends? Do meet girls once in a while? Everyday.

And like, are girls like sometimes like fascinated by you? And like, yeah, I mean, I don't know what it is. Ever since I was like young, it's kind of like... So girls are not a problem. No. Never been a problem? Like getting girls are... I remember, I'm my been, I've been a most like getting girls are I remember I'm my been I've been a most like person

At my school. I was always pulled up with these sexiest chick at like homecoming and prom really Everybody will want my girl every time Really? Yeah, so I was that dude. Okay, but I didn't like nobody so nobody like me. He's only had a couple friends So I was okay. Are you serious? So what's your type? What kind of girl do you like? I'm waiting. I want to know Craig's not even paying attention don't look at Craig. He's he's on his phone Craig is Craig is his manager who's sitting here Yeah, Craig's not even paying attention. He's the he's probably texting some girl right now also. He's not even listening to your stories with girls. Well, there you go. Okay. Do you like young, old, fit, voluptuous?

I want another detail sign. I'm not here to fuck around. I don't want to hear about all the people wrestling with all hearing this. Yeah, you're real, you're real. I am real. I don't want to talk about the other, you know, the weather. Yeah, all right. So, I like a nice butt.

But, okay, that's okay. That's not why you're so shy about that. That's like everybody. No, no, no, it's just like, that was like a slacker. Doesn't everybody like a nice butt. But okay. That's okay. That's like that's not why why are you so shy about that? That's like everybody. No, no, no, no, it's just like that was like a slag. Doesn't everybody like a nice butt? I thought that was like kind of a known thing, right? Yeah. I like I like I like fit girls. Fit girls. I wouldn't imagine because you're fit. I don't like lazy people. Yeah. Well, exactly. Join the club. So you like that. And then so when was the last time you had a girl? Have you had a girlfriend? Because you're girlfriend because you're young you're 24? Yeah, like

two months ago Two months or so for a long time or That I kicked right like totally go kick rocks go get crocs. Oh, like kick rocks. Oh go hit kick rocks But so you have no problem meeting girls and going out with girls and I was one out like last weekend But so you have no problem meeting girls and going out with girls and I was one of them last weekend. That's amazing. I love it. I love it. And it's you who's the one who's like, well, I'm not so crazy, but this one or that one or the other. Well, I mean, I'll pull up to the drawing.

I'm the band. I pull up. Anytime I pull up, people get excited. Well, of course, because you're different. But you drive also. I saw like I saw in one of these videos. So you, because you're different, right? But you drive also. I saw like a song on these videos, so you just drive with your arms, right? Yeah, mug, that's my car in the driveway. So what's interesting is like, there's nothing really, you've like worked your life out and we're gonna get to this whole part soon,

but like, it feels like everything that someone would do with legs as a everyday person, you figured out and managed a way to do it also, that someone would do with legs as a everyday person, you figured out and managed a way to do it also, and yet do other in Excel at so many things as well. Yeah, you know, it's not even like Excel, but if I wanna drive a car, I have to figure it out, or I'm not gonna drive a car.

If I wanna ride a bike, I have to figure it out. Cause no one's gonna be able to teach me how to ride a bike, but I can ride a bike. I have to figure it out. The thing's so... Are you riding a bike? Yeah, I can ride a bike I would be next bike back in Ohio How are you riding a bike? It's easy. I just Post the bike up put on put my arm in the handlebar

kick the bike up Like I said, I got long arms pedal with one arm steer the other So you're using your arm to pedal yeah, and I have like really insane balance. So it's like easy. You never seen the video me doing it. You have, I have a, would you pride my bike afterwards? No, I like my bike and only my bike. That's why you don't see me ride bikes.

Why is it, could you have, you figured out your bike? Cause I have the handlebars twisted to a certain angle and shit so I can rest my arm across and then my pedals like I like sanded them down so they're soft so like they don't have that grip on them so I don't destroy my fingers. That's amazing and Craig you didn't know this? Yeah dude you should ask bro next time I'm on the phone my mom bro be like design's bike in the garage you'll be like yeah you should ride that thing everywhere every day bro, be like, designs, bike in the garage, you'll be like, yeah, you used to ride that thing everywhere, every day, bro, I would ride my bike

two miles down the street to my boy's house, just to hit that. What? Yeah. And you can't ride my bike, though. But then he had to take me back home because it was all back up hill, so. Why can't you ride mine, though?

Is it because you haven't configured it yet? Well, no, because I'd have to break your bike down just to fix it, right? Yeah, to my specific thing. Like, size and all that stuff. Yeah. Because I did see... So, my bike is not like a big bike. It's like probably about...

Oh, shit, what's that? My bike is not a big bike. It's like a... Like I said, it's like a big bike. Yeah. But still it's a bike for crying out loud. Like you're using your arms to pedal. I mean,

I'm gonna explain how you use any further girls. Oh, I'm gonna go, Oh, don't cry, we're not there yet. Don't ruin it. Don't ruin it, the climax. Everything we haven't done to that yet. I don't know if you're gonna get there. Of course, we're gonna get there, Craig.

We're gonna talk about all of this. This is just like like it's like a that's a crescendo right like we need to get to all the other stuff like the sax and the and the parts of the body and then we get to that stuff. You're jumping ahead Craig please. This is my little brother by the way he's big it's big itself. and so. Oh wow. Yeah, he's a big kid. Really a really big kid. He is a big kid. Are you going to show me to be a Mexican?

That's what I'm doing. Oh my god, he's a big kid actually. That is almost six feet tall. 16. Wow. I think, yeah, I think he's probably not going to stop growing for a few years. Might be six six.

You might be, maybe you would have been six six. Oh yeah. Because you know what I'm looking at your arms, a few years. It might be six six. You might be, maybe you would have been six six. Oh yeah. Because you know what I'm looking at your arms, right? Like the way they are in terms of the proportion to your body, I mean, they are pretty long and big. Yeah, I'm gonna, my phone's being slapped. Okay, you don't wanna show it to me right now. So then, okay, so let's get into the rest,

let's just talk at first about like, how did you become serious with the wrestling? And how did you start to like build, did you really have, you already had like the adversity down where you were never playing a victim, you were always kind of like, you were always kind of playing defense.

So what happened then with the wrestling? Like at what point were you like, you know what, I want to try doing this more seriously and I want to become more like what did you do? I was never that I was like, I'm trying more seriously. I just, I was still learning. You know, going up to the sport, I was getting my ass kicked because I was still progressive learning.

And each match, even though I was lose, first match, like I was, say like first match, get blown out. Second match, don't get blown out as much. Third match, like, get a top of the table. But why wrestling? What made you even think of wrestling? Oh, my friends are doing it.

Oh, okay. I'm gonna take, no, no, that's the end. Let's say, honestly, sometimes it's that easy. Like, my friends are doing it. My coach at the time gave me a fly because he's my art teacher. It was just literally just things worked out. That's why.

So then you just kind of practice and practice to become better and better at, right? Yeah, it's only like 10 years. That's a lot. I mean, how much were you practicing and how much? I was wrestling every day, every season. So when you moved in with your mom at 16, what was your schedule like for wrestling? Were you just hours a day? Like, I mean, I'm still going to high school at the time

and practice would be like from two 45 to 5 30. And that would be that. And then we go do the same thing the next day. And then on Saturdays, we'd have a double practice. On Sundays, we'd have a practice if you weren't at church at the time we had practice, you had to be at the restaurant. So yeah, we were just always getting it in.

Then me and my best friend, Jake, who was my coach's son, one of my best friends, this dude, would always invite me to be like, hey, do you wanna come wrestle? My dad will come pick you up and drive us there. And I was like, yeah, I'll be always be like, yeah. Dude, you wanna, if you can pick me up, hey, do you want to come wrestle? My dad will come pick you up and drive us there. And I was like, yeah, I'll be like, yeah. Dude, you want to, like, if you can pick me up, yeah, that'd be fucking awesome every time.

So then me and my boy, like in his coach, everything is coach Donnie here. He would take me and Jake to these tournaments and stuff as we're like all through elementary school, middle school, and it's had a good time and like we were building experience, Jake was obviously the complete superior wrestler to me. Growing up, but then as time got on and I got older,

I've definitely closed the gap. And now we're on the same level, doing both doing really extreme big stuff at a very high level. And so that went into then after high school, you did what? Like you kind of did you go to college? Yeah, I went to Kent State University for two and a half years

and I dropped out. Oh, why did you drop out? Because I thought it was bullshit. Why? I mean, here you are. We got a scholarship. Yeah. And you still dropped out?

Yeah. So not to be like your mother, but why did you do that? Oh, my mom was mad. Oh I'm mad and I Mads, oh I never I'm about told her that within 30 minutes the college is like 50 minutes away Why was my mom there in 30 minutes? Yeah, I'm like pounding on my door Telling me like I'm not and I okay it it, like, filled out the stuff to like,

not go back. Why? Cause I was taking a gamble. But you did take a gamble. Yeah, but did you not like it at all? No, I mean, it was cool. No offense to Ken State, but I didn't really like some of my teammates.

And I was one of the captains on the team. And it's, I just, I just, I had enough. And there was one of the captains on the team. And I just had enough. And there was so much opportunity presenting itself in California at the time. And all through me going to college, I was a college athlete, and then I'm at the same time, I'm like at the beginning of my professional track

and field, like my professional track and field career. So I'm like always flying to California, always flying to Phoenix, always going to Colorado, like always going to all these different parts of the country. And I'm missing out on school and then professors get mad, but I'm like, I'm a pro athlete,

fuck you want me to do. But like just how Olympic athletes when they get to, when they gotta go race they got to go race Yeah, what was the difference from me doing that and Ken state had a little thing about it So I was the only pro athlete that was actually going to the school could you you don't mind or no Because if I did it online, I just cheat and then I worry when nothing I just be paying the waste my time so Please you would have had a nice I know I should be honest

I appreciate that but like at least you would have had a piece of paper, I guess, right? Like, there were things for it anyway. Yeah, but you can tell him like, I was studying business management. I was studying business management. And why? Like, I still don't have a degree but I'm working with a lot of these companies,

like helping with development and ideas alongside Craig Like to point where like at some point we're gonna be part owners of a lot of these different companies Why and without without a fucking degree? Well, yeah, well, wait, and that and it drives me crazy because my mom was always telling me she was like By the way my mom, I'm not she understands that now. It's like she understands what I'm doing now because I took that chance and I actually made some. And you're actually doing something with it. Yeah, I got it. And by like that, at that moment, making that decision, I have $50 in my pocket.

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guaranteed to keep you cool. The savings are coming from inside the house. Ultimate Summer Path, energy savings, and the self so cool. The FU energy, energy for everything. Captain Banner now to learn more. So who is paying for you to go back and forth to school? And all these events. And all these events.

Team USA. So team USA was doing it. So wait, so, okay, that's this, because I want to make sure people understand this all. So basically, you do the wrestling, you're at KED State, you're doing, you're like a college athlete doing that. Where are these opportunities,

where people started to get to know who you were, like how did you start getting all these off? Like what did that part happen when you started to become like more well-known? Oh, like so to get to college? In general, like it mean like, Oh, no, it was just, No, I mean, I mean actually in college

when you were going, you said college opportunities in California. Oh, yeah, because in college, my Netflix thing dropped. Oh, that dropped while you were going, you said, all these opportunities in California anywhere. Oh, yeah, because in college, my Netflix thing dropped. Well, that dropped while you were in college. So, 2018, right? Yeah, that was, what happened to Netflix come to you?

Like, what was the, I know, I worked with these producers from New York City and they submitted this thing we filmed for about a week to the Sundance Film Festival, ended up winning short documentary at Sundance in almost every film festival across the planet. And it was absolutely just blew everything out the water and Netflix, one of their hands on it.

And for the last five years, it's currently been on Netflix have the one of the longest running short documentaries on Netflix up to date. So that's how it happened. So these producers did a thing with you and it went to Sundance and went to everywhere else. Yeah, but like that wasn't that wasn't even it.

Oh, no, I don't even want to talk about all that. I got a true source taking that deal because I was an idiot kid. Well, if you went to school and finished your degree, maybe you would have been able to like, to go better. There wasn't there was a time to finish the degree when you're a sophomore in college and you're at Sundance and you're in the middle of fucking Salt Lake and the outside Salt Lake City in a car and you're signing a piece of paper without not

even a parent or a mom or agent or a lawyer. So you had nobody representing you for that? No, I didn't know what I was doing. And so you never made a dollar off of that. So now what, like it's on Netflix and you're just not getting anything from it. Because I definitely took the opportunity from that to build my own thing. Not for any.

And now I'm making money doing other things because I have that no matter how I do it. Even without Netflix, shit was starting to blow up anyways. Like what? Because like I said, I'm a two-time all-American. Right. And like I was born like when it came to, when you heard like the top guys in the country, my name was one of the ones that popped up every time.

I'm on ESPN, I'm on sports center, Mossin cats. What's it called? Mossin cats. Oh, that means just beating them up. Oh, oh, oh, okay. Yeah. You're gonna like give me the English version of that. I don't know what that means, but okay.

Okay. But, you know, I was doing so well for myself. I just, like, going against Ohio State, going against Michigan, going against all these different schools. Right. And you were all over ESPN anyway in all these places. Yeah. But that's even more wise, it's weird that you never had an agent or someone, a lawyer

to even look at a concert. Yeah, you can't because in college, at the time, on an NCAA rules, you weren't allowed to get paid nothing from anything. Not for the Netflix is separate. I know it's separate, but like, all like most things like the colleges, they didn't really support all that other stuff. Yeah. Could they wanted you to be 100% right? Like that's what happens, you know,

unless you have different activities. Yeah, we had a little dispute with, I'm not gonna say a name, but we had a little dispute with old bumpy ass. And now what? Like I guess, can you, so basically leverage that opportunity? Oh no, we had to get the,

we had to fight for the rights back to my own name and likeness son of film. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Are you able to do, I heard you ever thought of doing your own like documentary, like documentary series? Oh no, that's already, that's already something that's potentially in the works. I don't know how much I can talk about it, but I'm really excited.

And this time, like I said, bumpy I think is, and his hands on it, but I'm really excited. And this time, like I said, bumpy assing is, and his hands on it because... Bumpy ass is calling it. That was called the game. Yeah, just short, because I really don't like this too. Oh, okay, apparently not. He tried to say he made me famous, let's just say that. Oh, man.

And I really care about that, but you're trying to say you made me, bro. Right. You know what's interesting about you? This is what you hung out with me for a week. You didn't make shit. See, this is what's good about you, Maddett. And that you're your best quality

is also probably your worst quality is because how you were raised and grown up, you had to be like, have like a chip, not a chip on your shoulder, but like have like some kind of like, toughness built into you, right? Where you're not afraid of anything.

You're not afraid of anything or say anything. Or sometimes it could really be bad. It could like, but I can bite you in the butt sometimes. I was on TMZ or Dibo Sam, or like, was who? He's a really big, really good football player. Okay, what's his name, Dibo? Dibo Sam.

Oh, Dibo, okay, okay, yep. and yeah, every other word was like bleat down. Yeah, you couldn't understand what I was saying, like the whole time. But because I was actually really excited. Yeah, I was like, I was like, oh shit, you're fucking D-bow. Yes, remember, by the way, we're gonna edit this part out too, Will. That's gonna, that's gonna. Well, that's real like, it's like, you gotta learn when and when, like when, right and wrong places are certain things.

Well, especially if you want to be like, you do a lot of motivational speaking. Who are you speaking to? I mean, you know, I was, if I speak to kids, obviously I'm going to speak different than I'm speaking to you right now. Well, yeah, I'm, I mean, if I'm speaking to high schoolers, I'm going to speak a little bit different from those kids, college students, when I say, oh the fuck I want. Right.

You're not like, are you doing a lot of that? Are you doing a ton of the kids stuff? I'll be more professional, huh? Yeah, no, do you do a lot of the circuits for kids? Like for, everything I do for kids is for free. Like colleges and,

no, colleges pay me. Colleges pay me. Yeah, they got money. A lot of them do. But when you go into... But like, when you're high schools. And... High schools, depending on what kind of high school it is,

would be depending on how I go about it. But to me, high schoolers are kids. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, so if it comes down to like my high school, I want to go back and speak there for free. I just want them to give me the time, you know, right right? So like they like stuff like that It's not about the aspect of going somewhere speaking making profit

And it was actually about going somewhere and making an impact and sharing your story to inspire somebody else to do something great Right, so you do so how often are you doing? I do do do a lot of corporate? No, I mean, I've been get I've been definitely building up my speaking. I've been from, I've definitely like, building it over the last couple of years. COVID really put it on the back burner. Yeah, with everybody, right? Because I started off with a bang

speaking at the F-45, Royal Convention. And I was going around to all these different colleges flying. I was, I'd all these different colleges flying. I was, I'd be on, I'd be in Arizona one day, and then I'd be in Rhode Island one day. And then next day, I'm in Los Angeles. It would be, it was going crazy.

And then COVID happened. So I went back to Ohio and played Call of Duty for you. I'm like six months straight. Wow, are you kidding? It was really nothing to do. No, yeah, that was very much nothing to do. Yeah, so I was like, if I can't do, if I really can't do anything,

I'm gonna get really good at this video game. Did you get good at it? Yeah, now I'm in the video game. You're in the video game? Yeah, I'm in Call of Duty. What do you mean? I'm in the game. How did you become a person on Earth?

How did you get in the game? So I help with the zombie animations and some of the So they're gonna be releasing a wild animal. I'm not gonna say which but like This was I was like this animal ripping people apart and stuff Are you serious? Yeah, I work with Activision Studios like and they paid you a summer. Yeah That's cool. That's a big game to be in. I know, right? Wow, your brother must be super impressive.

Oh, you play it all the time. Yeah, that's all he plays. Every time I say his name, his username is GLG. I would be like, GLG is playing called, GLG is playing called, dude, you like, if I look at the last 10 notifications of him, just on the game, it's called, or Fortnite. He's a kid.

Kids like Fortnite. So you play a lot of videos. So wait, so then when you got after, so when COVID kind of started to open up a little bit more, is that when you came back to Los Angeles, you came back to LA and start. Yeah, I came to LA and I moved to San Diego and I just recently moved back up to LA.

Oh, you moved to San Diego? Yeah, I was down, I don't know, it's quiet, I like to. It was quiet. Beautiful women. More beautiful in San Diego. Yeah, I was down. I don't know, it's quiet. I like to. It was quiet. Beautiful women. More beautiful in San Diego than in LA. LA, you gotta be careful. Some of them are super fake. They have ratchet nasty ass attitudes. A lot of them do. Yeah. That's true. And not so much in San Diego. No. So why did you move back? Because I don't care about that. I came, I got work to do. So what, so we're gonna work good. Okay, that's good. What kind of work are you move back? Because I don't care about that. I got work to do. So what kind of work? What kind of work are you doing now?

Like, give me a day in the life of you. What times you wake up? What's your, give me exactly what you do. I wake up at 6am. Every day. Okay. I smoke a joint. Every day.

That's where, like, either six or the type that I wake up. It's sometime early morning. Okay, six a.m. And then I'll go take my dog outside, I have a little blue nose pit bull named Kana. So I take her outside, she's like, she's six months old, so she's still a baby. Oh, really? So yeah, take her out for a walk. I'll sit there, let her do her business for like 20 minutes or so.

And then I take her back up, and then I'll either, I will not mean Craig stand to say spot, but I will call Craig really, really as fucking the morning be like, Craig, what do I got to do today? You guys live together now? Okay. Yeah. He's my homie. But I'll be like, Craig, fuck, we got to do today. He'll be like, he'll be telling me, he'll be like, oh, you know, it's time. And this is what time you're calling Craig yet? Sometimes early, early, depending on what time I get started. Okay. And I know how to bypass it.

So I'll just call him anyway. It's like, okay, look at this. I don't know what I got to do. I love it. Okay. But then like, for example, the other day, woke up pretty pretty early did the same thing I just told you is the start And then hung out I went to watch Mike Tyson and Bobby Smyr to smoke a joint hit a joint with Bobby Smyr to like Time now we're talking this is like 10. Okay. Yeah, and then so for all you've done so far

This is like probably a little earlier than 10's like nine. Okay, so. Yeah, but I guess real good connections, like Bobby's like, you know, Bobby's some of it is, right? Yes, I do. And I know. Bobby's it. Yeah, I know this is, and my Tyson who's like, I think that would be, yeah, I wanted him to be on the podcast actually.

Go on. But, yeah, Uncle Mike is dope, super dope. He actually gave me this. And the day is like the day before that, three, four days, five days ago he gave me this. I saw that, that's cool. Yeah. But it's a Tyson necklace for those of you just listening.

Okay, go on. But then we went to some of like some event like this Instagram thing we got invited to, because we're working directly with Meta. Oh, you are. Okay, we're gonna hear about this. Can I give a face of fitness, what you're really gonna do for me? Oh yeah, I forgota. Oh, you are. Okay, we're gonna hear about this. Oh, yeah, forgot. Oh, wow. Okay, so I'm gonna write that down. We're gonna get that. So finish your

day in the life and then we're gonna get to all that stuff. But I went to this Instagram event held by Meta because we got invited to it. And then we just, what do we do after that? it. And then we just, what did we do after that? Smoke another joint? We did actually. Yeah, yeah, I swear. I'm not even in California, I'm from the hood in Northeastern Ohio. But I like at least you're honest and you're real, right? There's no like, I do that. And about like, I don't know, top of that sometimes, if I don't have something to do in that morning, I'm training under my coaches. Oh, okay, so wait, so wait, so you finished it, okay, you did the joint, blah, blah, blah, another joint, another joint, and then the vent, whatever.

And then do you go to bed at a certain time, or for an year? I go to bed, I like the party, but I go to bed when I'm tired. So it doesn't matter to you, because you're like still 24-year-old young guys. So, yeah. So, when are you okay?

So can you train and smoke joint to this like get the same because those you get tired like yeah Well, I don't get tired by move slow and my sweat feels thick Yeah, and then by like you can like you can feel it when you finally sweat it all out It's like you can't I just can't do it. You can't do it So that's basically good day so you know prior like if you have if you're in a training it's like, I just can't do it. You can't do it. So that's basically your day. So you know prior, like if you're in a training, like how often are you training a week?

I train usually at 10.30 every single day and Monday through Thursday. And then between Friday and Friday, Saturday and Sunday are your days off? Yeah, for the most part, and I'm able to get a lot of work done. Or like, I'll get extra training in if I go to like craft boxing. Or if I go down San Diego, go to the arena, or go or like I'll get extra training in if I go to like craft boxing

or if I go down San Diego, go to the arena or go somewhere where I can get extra training or being a cracker, go to dog pound too. And I like using the sauna and conditioning my body and stuff while I'm there too just to get that extra boost for every week as we lead up to competition. So. And then so, okay. So then basically, that's kind of like a day. How do you eat? What's your, what kind of training do you like the best and what's your, like, what do you like to eat? Do you care? I love rice.

Rice? Yeah. Like white rice or rice? Yeah, like white rice with a little bit of sugar. And I like, um, anything, I like any Chinese Japanese Japanese, or Korean food. Okay, so you're not like- And it's actually pretty healthy too. Like I like it in ramen and all this other stuff.

Occasionally McDonald's and Wendy's. Okay. Yeah, we're gonna- No, not, okay. We're poor will. I hope you're making notes here. No, it's good. So basically then you are,

you're not a vegan or a vegetarian. Oh, no, you just eat meat. You saw what happened to Wetsis face. Which one? The box that I lost the fight, because you weren't vegan for his whole great cut. Remember who just lost out of something, you know the box from Cuba, the Mexican dude.

Is that why he lost? That's what he's been mixing from Cuba. That's what I know. I know. I thought it was Cuba, but then I was like, no, he's Mexican. He's high, that's why he went to the last day. No, no, I'm really, I'm really thinking, I'm hot.

I know, I'm hot too. It's very hot in here. Very hot in here. Come on. Canelo Alvarez lost. because he switched his diet and his weight cut to a vegan diet. I mean, I'm a fighter. Don't switch to vegan, but you need that energy.

Did you ever watch game changers on Netflix? First of all, they picked like a couple of athletes who were like doing well. I mean, for every athlete who's a vegan, I can give you a thousand athletes that are not, right? Like, I know. I know. I am 100%. I'm a big, I agree.

So then let's talk about meta then. What, who are your deals with? Give me some, let's talk business now. Now that we know that you can have sex like a beast and you train like a beast when you're not high. Let's talk about meta and all the other, like how you conduct business stuff. So meta did a deal with you. What kind of deal is that?

I'm currently the face of FedExR on the Oculus Rift. Okay. It's a virtual app you can get on, so you put the headset on, and then there's me walking you through a martial art class, like a boxing class. And then I just released a cool down session class where like, you know, you can help you stretch, help you recover. Right. Because like these things, there's levels to them.

There's beginning, there's intermediate, and then there's heart. You know, so, you know, you can, you're able to virtually like get a workout in. And it's all for me, it's a lot about inclusion. It's where anybody can put the headset on, anybody can get a workout in. All you gotta do is just give yourself a little bit of space and you can move around. And all the movements that I've give, I've helped me and FedEx are together have put into this program. It's all about movements that you wouldn't, you don't necessarily need ways for that.

You can still activate your sweat glands and get your blood on. Right, like no gym required. Yeah. And then how did that come about? Did Metacontact you? Shhh, I forgot, Craig, how was it? I forgot how these people reach out. You know

me people I meet and don't you? I mean probably a lot. Do you get a lot of like incoming requests or do you do a lot of outreach? Like how aggressive are you? I don't I don't like to go I don't like to go ask people for stuff unless it's something I really want and if it's something I really want I tell Craig. And then he does. Yeah. So I want to be guys. We even rock them like five years four years. Like oh wow. That's a does it. Yeah. Well, I want to be nice. We've been rocking for like five years, four years. Like, so.

Oh, wow. That's a long time. But yeah, but like, for real, like, like, we do things that are best circulated, that's best like circulated towards what my mission is and what I want to do with my life and how I want to live and how we're going to live most comfortably and live the most successful and still get back the most we can and be as motivating and inspirational as we can. And part of that is like the way we do things. We're not, we're not going to jump on a bandwagon just because somebody said to jump.

Great. What is your mission? Become one of the most decorated athletes. Uh, which I'm on my way there. You ready? Want to get this? Well, you didn You ready to want a Guinness world? Didn't you win the Guinness world? Yeah, I'm the world's fastest man on two hands. I said at nine point four miles per hour.

Currently I'm running 13 miles per hour, so. Wow, really fun time. What was the speed before you broke the speed? Yeah, I don't think there was one. I think I said it, and then I'm gonna reset it. Oh, that's that, okay. Yep. But I'm the first one to ever move that fast.

It's not recorded in history, which is awesome. Wow, that is super fast. What other sports do you do basketball too? Little bit, I'm terrible. I was just shooting for fun. I'm a fighter. Yeah. But if you really, if you really wanna be,

if I wanna be honest, I'm terrible. At the basketball? Yeah, I can beat somebody up and I can knock somebody out or choke them out or drop them on their head because I'm an arrested. That's because I've strictly done those things for almost 20 years. I can see this now.

Now that I met you, I understand why you'd be a good fighter, though, because you're a fighter. Literally, it's like perfectly, it's exactly why you should be a good fighter. And so, is there any other sports that you do play that you like? I'm up parallel to Big Track and Field. I just took this past year off. I'm getting ready to, that time you know, I'll sit with you up here in LA.

Get ready to start, hit my training full swing again. And I'm going to try and make it to the world championships this year Then next year. Yeah, well, when you say track and field would you mean is that better than the big track and field? I race in a racing chair. Yeah back in high school. I'm a two-time state champ two-time state champ four-time place to three-time national champ One-time world trials runner up one-time team USA member Yeah champ one time world trials runner up one time team USA member. Yeah, done a lot of stuff.

Wow. Yeah. And I'm do you have any other spot like where are the companies besides meta? How long is the deal with meta for years? It's just going year. Meta. Yeah, they're two second. Oh, yeah, but fixDXR lives on got it But they're their own separate entities. Okay, what other what other companies are you working closely with legends? What I'm wearing right now. Oh, you're doing legends. Yeah, okay? Actually, we're about to start

We're about to release some really cool stuff coming out here soon So I'm excited to do that and we're there's a lot of cool things with legends that you should be able to look out for. Of course, because I don't know what I can technically say because I didn't really talk to Craig or Scott. Yeah, it's, um, so legends is another partner of yours. Oh, they're a huge partner. Okay. They have some of my favorite people I grew up listening to

and watching on TV. That's great. I get to work closely with and do cool things with. Yeah, that's a good one. Other ones that you are working with as well? What is the... We're working on partnerships with these different boxing companies. Yeah, I'm just figuring out what my types of gloves are that's best suit me.

Like, companies like Santa Bull or what was that other one, Craig? Hi, Abusa. Hi, Abusa. Really, like really good, good gloves and stuff, but there's a lot. I know I'm probably missing a lot. A ton of them. Yeah, because like my thing is, if you're with me, let's roll and run this shit. That's the guy that asks us.

Right, so basically Craig is like the business brain. Yeah, and I'm the guy that asks those questions. Right, so basically Craig is like the business brain being out of the brain. Yeah, and I'm the guy that goes in physically. And you're the physical beast. I'll go beat somebody up and I'll go speak and do it every time. Yeah, exactly. How is social media like played a role in your success

or your overall life? I don't give a damn about social media. You don't? I really don't. That's really surprising. I mean Oh, it's correct Good, so you're too big like that's interesting. So you're basically you don't care one way or the other You're not on there. You're not addicted to social media if somebody and I talked to them for three weeks and be like, oh, hey, sorry, I was busy. Could you just not like so?

Yeah, we have a fixed set. Yeah, well actually though, that's that that's refreshing to hear that you're not. Yeah, no, I did fix that. That was actually a really bad issue. I had one's like responding to people. Well, do you get a lot? Yeah, I would. Is there a lot of incoming stuff?

Yeah, all the time. Everything. Because I would admit, because you do such amazing fitness stuff on there. Yeah. I would think fitness people would be contacting you a lot. Fitness, fashion, athletic, women, trainers, everybody. Women, trainers, I love that you're sick.

I love that. So, I was being honest, it's like we get a multitude of everything going through like even artists painters Musicians. Oh, you're saying yeah, Greg was in that you could play drums really well. Yeah, I can play drums piano trumpet guitar bass guitar Session guitar. Oh You could play more than just drums. Yeah, so I'm good. I'm really good with my hands. Yeah, apparently you could do a lot with those hands. It sounds like, I mean, how did you learn how to play every single instrument? Is it just...

Toil myself since I was a little kid, I remember my first thing was a keyboard. I would hear something on the radio. And I've always had that year where I can, you can hear it and just do it. I find the bass notes, I find the relating chords and I would boom, got a whole song down and then I would start mixing it up. So you have like just musically very talented.

Some like that. So why didn't you lean further into that? Because I like to fight. Yeah, we know that yeah I can't I can't deny that about like like you know like though every time when I'm like out in injuries like right now I like I open wounds. I can't uh Can't train or nothing right now But like when it comes to times like these and I'm sitting there

I'm just watching my teammates go out here watching compete Pisses me off. Really? Yeah, like that bad. You're that passionate. There's that. I feel like when I get to fight and stuff, I'm no longer me.

You know, like it's like, and I feel like I'm a nice person. I try to be at least. But when I'm like on the mat, especially if it's a sparring day where we're allowed to cut loose because we're like, practically fighting for real, I just like, my I feel like my eyes gloss over.

I don't hear anybody. I hear like, I listen for one person's voice. And that's whoever said that they're gonna be in that corner. And my body just moves. Because like in a, like the sport of MMA or wrestling, it's gotta be in a state of fluidity. You gotta, or we call it like the flow state. It was almost like, I don't know if you ever heard

a dragon ball, but ultra instinct or whatever. You know how Goku has the ultra instinct? That's practically what the flow state is when you're a fighter. When you can just like how Anderson Silva used to do it, he leaned in the station, his move was head to the left, move was head to the right, nobody can hear them. fighter when you can like just like how Anderson Silva used to do it. He lean in space and his move is head to the right. Nobody can hear them. Yeah, his hands are now walking to hear them because he's in the flow state. Yeah, so like, wow, yeah, but then he would be like down here,

get out the way, get out the way, get out the way, get out the way, boom, crack you in your ship. Yeah, this is so this really is like your, this was supposed to Yeah, this is so, this really is like your, this was supposed, this basically was, is your passion and what you were meant to do, it sounds like. So the music thing was just something that you're just naturally good at. I did music first.

Right, but you were not as passionate about that. Oh, yeah, it was. Oh, you were? I was the head drummer at my church. I was the head drummer for the jazz work. It's, I was a head drummer for the choir performance group and all this other crap. I would play at clubs and stuff.

I would play there my trumpet at club or I get on the piano or I get on the guitar. You know, like I was like sometimes when you're doing, when you're doing music, it's not like you got to, it's not like you can't just stick in school for it. And in school, they only let you choose one. Right. I could play six. And you taught yourself everything?

Yeah, except for trumpet. I went to school for that one. Really? Yeah, I went into the school. I don't think I got, I just borrowed one from the school. Be it for the trumpet or the... The keyboard that I had coming up, I had it since I was a little kid. Where I got my first drum set from this one family, it's like the third family I was

ever at and I took it all the way with me to my mom's up in back in Ohio. And that's why I always had drumsticks. I would always break drumsticks. You go to my mom's house and you walk upstairs in my old room and you open a closet. There's a mountain of drumsticks. I've broken over 200 pairs of drumsticks, I would always break drumsticks. You go to my mom's house and you walk upstairs in my old room and you open a closet, there's a mountain of drumsticks. I've broken over 200 pairs of drumsticks. But you took that drum set from when you were a little kid. Yeah, I just kept replacing the heads. Wow.

Like, and drum heads, all you need is just a little quick, screw thing and you just, you just tie, I'm loosening it all the way, take the, take the covering off, put a new one on, tie it back up, test it, tune it. You got to flick the side of it, you got to flick the side of the drum on the wood because whatever sound that resonates from it is the sound at the times, what the, the heads that you hit are supposed to sound like. So it's a process, but like if you're able to do that, you get a perfect sounding set consistently. And you taught, okay, so you taught yourself the drums, the guitar, everything except the trumpet. Yeah. But then where did you thought, like, did you pace

them for lessons? Like, yeah, I learned it in school with everybody else in band. Oh, that's what you meant. Yeah. But everything else was, everything else was like me doing it on the outside. And the outside, oh I see. Because so the trumpet was the one instrument that you did in school. Yeah, and I was like, pick one. Yeah, but like by the time I started playing trumpet, I already knew how to read music, because I taught myself how to read music. So do you think like when you're older later in life, like after fighting is kind of gone

and kind of been there when you're when you're older, do you think that you're going to maybe take music again much more serious thing? I'm taking it much more seriously right now. Oh, you are older. Do you think that you're gonna maybe take music again much more serious thing? I'm taking a much more seriously right now. Oh, you are. What are you doing with that? I can't, I'm not gonna tell you. Oh my gosh, why do I tell me everything else?

Now this is the breaking point. My music is like, I'm for the line. What I'm like trying to build right now, I don't wanna like tell everybody about it because like, you know, people do steal ideas. That's very true. Okay.

But you are doing something. Yeah, I'm doing something. I'm working on stuff right now. Okay. And you like, how good are you in the music world? Like, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, You know King Joelle is Nigerian rapper in Atlanta. Him and I was that out. Craig was that album him and big crit. Rick gets involved in it. Him and big crit produced an album and yeah,

me come out and I drummed for him, acted for him, like did a whole bunch of stuff. Like I did legit drum set for me to go ham on. I'm to be part of the video. So we got it. Okay, you're doing a music video. Oh, yeah, I did. Oh, okay, we got it. Okay, you're doing a music video? Oh, yeah, I already did. Oh, okay, I thought you're gonna,

I thought like you like to hang out. Oh, no, listen to me. This video is not, no. No, no, something different. Okay. Okay. I wish, okay, man. Okay, you left that one scene, bro,

at the dinner table, bro. You know, you remember me telling you about that, right? He's talking to you Craig in this podcast. He talks to you a lot. I'm sorry, you said a broad Craig on this. I was's talking to you Craig in this podcast. He talks to you a lot. I was like, you said you said you said a broad Craig on this. Craig here. He experienced most of these things.

I do. I was going to say, do you guys spend all time together? Yeah. When it comes like the work at the work in the work in in travel because he's my agent. So like when it comes to like the working stuff and all that cool. Like I'm going to I have my own life. I do my own thing. Are you sure? Do you guys spend 24 hours together?

You're okay. No, because I'll disappear for like 10 hours with like a whole bunch of women. 10 hours. Oh, I've done it multiple times. Oh, 10 hours without Craig. Oh, my God. What are you going to do? The other times we're like working. You know, I mean like because mostly when I'm with Craig, we're working on something and we're trying to get stuff done. Yes, but you rely on Craig. It looks like you have a very nice rapport with Craig. You like him very much. I don't mean like that.

I mean like you love him. You get it. You're a go getter. So how did you get Craig to be part of your pot? Like not only like your partner in crime. Like how did that whole relationship even transpire? I hear you in some quarters.

Quarters? You know, Craig, how did you get involved with this cat, this cat over here? I mean, like five years ago in my best friend, my best friend, my best teacher, the Helen and the junior, I showed. Yeah. My friends were working with Jason Lomo at the time. They recalled the episode the same day. We saw on a week before social media.

And we are under something company in our best friend. We're like, man, this guy is a freak. Like, out something company was all about promoting authenticity and being yourself. In a person world, you know, be yourself or this community driven, we're like, we'd love to get them apart in the community. And then next month, our friends are calling me, like,, Zion's here and Zion freaks out because I

command them. So it was super cool how it happened and that just progressed into like a friendship over the years and I saw the potential and started working with the part time. And then a little over a year ago I was like, you know, let's do things full time. I mentally was like, let's do things full time to my'm mentally, it was like, let's do things full time. To my head, I was like, I'm gonna help them level up. I'm just sort of from running a startup, what it takes to build a brand. Since you're in New York with talent, it's building a brand.

The same concept, same structures, same nuts and bolts. And then I figured that out through running a startup that failed. And I was like, all right, let's, you know, level up and use that experience to then build an experiment, which is I was brand. That was really great for people to give context of what we're talking about, right? But I'm sure we can, that will work. Is there anything else Zion that you wanna talk about

besides not talking about the project you have coming up with the music? Where do people find you? Maybe a five made Big Z97 on Instagram. And TikTok. Yeah, and TikTok. And then you can find me as big underscore Z1997 on Snapchat. Look up, Simon Clark on YouTube. But don't expect to respond because he doesn't go on Instagram. Just kidding. Yeah, I would expect me not to respond. Right, someone will get back to you.

Somebody will get back to you now. I'm a lot better. Just not him. A lot better. Sometimes it is me. Sometimes it actually is me. Okay. Especially if it's like somebody I really want to work with

or talk to. But then you know, because you're not on there to even check. Because I still get the notifications. I just don't answer my phone on purpose. So you look at the notifications. Yeah. Okay, okay, just make, I don't know. Well, it's like, to me, and less like Craig tells me

like, oh, this is actually really important. I don't spend, I don't spend time on my phone. I walk on my hands. Yeah, that just cheers my hands for everything. I don't like to get on my phone. That is so true. I might not talk to somebody for 10 hours. 10, but I'm actually active doing somebody for 10 hours.

But I'm actually active doing stuff. You're walking on my hands. And I'm on my skateboard and I'm lit. You're good for you. Listen, I am so happy that you came over and did this podcast. I feel honored that you did it. I know you said you didn't want to do many more podcasts.

So this is a fun one. Thank you. I appreciate it. You're showing your questions through me for a loop. That's good. Then I'm keeping you on your toes or your finger tips. I'm keeping you on your fingertips. But close enough.

Whoops. But I really love this podcast. You're like, I think that you're awesome. And I think what you're doing is great. And your attitude and spirit are just infectious. And so if anyone deserves success, quite frankly, it is you. In my opinion, and I'm sure in a lot of other people's opinions, I appreciate that. No, it's the truth. And Craig, who I feel like I know like very well now, just because every time anything happens, I hear I see a head go like, Craig, what do you think of this?

Because you were asking me to business questions. I like to stay out of that. You know that this is a business podcast, right? Yeah, well, I'm here for inspiration, not business. You are. And by the way, you gave inspiration. And sometimes it's not so much business, it's actually about leveling up your life.

Yeah, sometimes it's good to do this. And how to have a healthy, successful mindset and actually don't let limitations stop you and how, at the end of the day, it's about resilience. And you, my friend, are the poster child for resilience, seriously. Thank you. It's the truth.

You really are. That's the optimal performance in anything you do. That's business. Back to you, Craig, huh? and anything you do. That's business. That's you, Craig. Next time you're coming on the podcast. Yeah, I'm not a girl for it. Okay, so that's how you find Zion.

He also has a book coming up, but not for a year. And check out his documentary. And I currently have a book out right now called Zion Unmatched. It's currently still an editor's pick on Amazon. So if you want to go look up Zion Unmatched, I'd love and support thanks. There we go perfect. Alright and we're out thank you. Visionaries tune in, you can get to know. Re-inspired, this is your moment. Excuses, we in heaven at the Habitat and Hustle Podcast, Power by Habanest. This summer, go to the movies.

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