Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - 40 MINUTES TO FIND YOUR PURPOSE | Powerful Motivational Speeches

Episode Date: March 18, 2024

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” - Theodore Roosevelt  

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just grabbed some stuff, was moving through the parking lot. And I paused for a brief second and just looked at my car. Now, a little bit of a preface here so that you know I'm coming from the right place, right? I think those of you have been listening to me for a while. You know, I really don't delve into like money or material things. not because I think they're bad, right? Or because I don't like them, money is great, it makes life a lot easier,

but more so because they're not really what lights me up, right? And in fact, I think they're a byproduct of the important things, right? It's like if you do the important things right, then the money usually follows. And so I like to spend my time talking about the quote-unquote important things. But for the first time, I spent a little bit of money on my car. I'd been investing everything back into the business for about 10 years now. And the convo with myself went like this.

Eddie, you're in your mid-30s. When are you going to live a little bit? Right? It's like, what are you saving for? And so I did. And back to the moment, I'm standing there in that Walgreens parking lot, looking at the car and something dawned on me. And I think this is where the magic.

is 10 years ago, I was worried about rent. I had very little other than a laptop and an old dynamic microphone that I would take with me into bars when I was playing my set with my acoustic guitar. And it's like, think about what you flipped that mic into. because that little mic was your starting point. And here's, you know, where I think the value is. You can take that little mic and see it as a piece of equipment,

an amplifier of your voice, something used to record, a tool, right? Or you can see it as a portal to the universe, as something that can transform your role. reality as you currently know it. That mic was flipped into a recorded speech. My recorded speeches were flipped into a YouTube channel and a brand. The YouTube channel evolved into speaking opportunities. The speaking opportunities evolved into creating a supporting staff,

placing incredible people around me. right those people that team has helped me create scale and reach hundreds of thousands of people every day and on and on and on and from that continued evolution right that continued leveling up comes the car that I'm staring at in that parking lot a reminder of where I started I can draw a direct line from that cheap dynamic mic that you'd have to hit against the table to get to work to turn on to that moment in the parking lot. Growth is seeing value where you are and trading up. It's looking around you

and seeing not what is but what all that can become. See, I've used this metaphor before. But I think it applies perfectly here, right? Fantasy baseball. I'm going to nerd out on you. After college, my friends and I played for a few years to keep in touch. And believe it or not, I learned a ton from it. So in a nutshell, this is how you win.

You see the value where you are. Value that hopefully your opponents do not see. You find that value. You highlight it. And ultimately, you trade up. Every player is an opportunity. A little dynamic microphone. The question is, can you turn each one into your dream car?

So, quick example, player on your team is wildly overperforming. This person hit eight home runs in two weeks. But you know, you know, this guy isn't a home run guy. He has a nine-year track record of not really hitting home runs. So sure, there's a chance that he suddenly, improved, possible, but more than likely it's an outlier, right? So you seize the opportunity. You shop the guy to everyone around you while his values high. You try and trade him. See if you can get three players for him that are currently underperforming, right? Squeeze the value from the moment.

Take what surrounds you and trade up. And I won't go too far down the road on that example, because I know how niche it is, but I want the concept to be clear. There's always an opportunity. around you to identify value and transform it into the next stair of the staircase. It's always there. What you need is always around you. We just don't recognize it. We forget to look. I heard Gary V. say years ago, or posed the question years ago, what is the ROI of a basketball? Gary said, well, for me, it's not very much, right? I'm a pretty short guy. I'm not a basketball player. What's the ROI or the value of a basketball to LeBron James?

Literally billions of dollars. But what's the value or ROI of a piano to LeBron? Not much. What is it to Alicia Keys? Again, a lot. Right? And so in our own world, it's looking around and identifying what those things are and attacking them.

capitalizing on them, right? The mic, the basketball, or the piano. Maybe in your world, it's Microsoft Word. It's a paintbrush. It's the gym, right? Could be an infinite number of things. But can you see it as not just minor detail in the great play of your life,

but as your ticket to a reality you dream of? Microsoft Word becomes where you tell your stories, which becomes your vehicle to connect with an audience, which becomes your incentive to write a book, which brings you to a speaking tour on and on. Like, you get the idea. It's trading up from the little fragments of value that surround you. Because if you can recognize them and give them the respect they deserve, you'll see transformation happen. That little Mike and the courage to pick it up drove me home from Walgreens that day. It's the reason I'll be speaking in multiple

countries over the next few weeks. It's the reason I get to share stories and pour into others with the hope that they do the same in their world. Look around you. There is value. But the question remains the same, right? Are you willing to, one, identify it, and two, capitalize on it? Because a future you,

walking out of Walgreens in a few years, will be grateful that you did. The sunrise is not the best. part. I want to explain something I've tried to articulate over the years, but at least in my mind, have never quite captured how I feel or what I mean, because I think it's important. Now, a tad trivial, or could be seen that way. In fact, I picture one of those memes where the top says nobody, and the bottom would say Eddie's screaming about the sunrise for 10 years. years.

Whereas a buddy of mine recently said, you know, a bird flies over my right shoulder and I want to go home and write a novel about it. But, you know, truth be told, there's beauty in the mundane. And I think when looked at correctly, some of our greatest lessons about ourselves, about the world, and about how those two things often aren't as different as we might be inclined to think, shine through. So we're going at this again one more time.

The beginning, 4 a.m., I couldn't sleep last night. So I got up, I got dressed, went to the Dunkin' Donuts, drive through around the corner, and I was sitting there, right as it opened at 5.30. Got my French vanilla coffee

and headed to the beach to see night turn today. And here's an interesting thing. If you were to search sunrise, Pompano Beach, on that particular day, it would have told you 6.28 a.m. I got to the beach around 5.40. And this will become more and more relevant as I sort of progress here.

But when I arrived, it was dark. It was not a soul outside, except for a man with a dog, who for some reason warned me that he had a dog, and another man twirling around a glow stick. Listen, Florida's the best place I've ever lived by him. far, but it keeps you on your toes, man. So I walked by them and found a spot by the water. I sat down, and it was truly theatrical. It's almost hard to find the words for the South Florida sky in the morning as night turns today. And as I'm sitting there looking out over the Atlantic, you can see

right where the ocean and sky touched these little patches of teal and orange and paint. And that starts to slowly break up the darkness. Almost like someone's dipping their brush in paint and just flicking it at a canvas. Random assortments of colors and it's very interesting because it happens subtly and somehow all at the same time. Piece by piece, these little neon strips

start making their way over the horizon. I just sat back with my coffee and I watched the world around me come to to life, birds start flying over the water. The sand rake, if that's what it's called, started driving around, preparing the beach for everyone that would come visit that day. You start to hear voices and laughter infiltrate,

you know, the beach around you. And here's my thing. Here is that thought that I truly feel is important but have a hard time with the water. It's how people show up at 615 and make their way to the sand to watch the sun come up. Obviously, understandable. It is an incredible sight. To see that giant ball of fire emerge in the distance seemingly make its way up into the sky, I get it.

I just can't help but feel like in some way. way, you know, it's similar to fast forwarding a movie to the point where the villains already been defeated, where the problems already been solved. It's like, it's the post-game interview after the Super Bowl. The magic in my eyes is the before. Before the sun rises, it's watching something so dark, so empty, so hopeless, replaced by a masterpiece that takes your breath away. It's seeing out in the distance the light that was coming. It was always on its way.

Make itself known to you for the very first time. And as that extravagant march from nothing to something takes place above and all around you, suddenly you can see your hand in front of your face. It's like you blinked and night became day. that type of transformation, that journey from one extreme to the other, it's so incredible, so emotional, it screams hope. It makes it that much harder for me to say, I can't, I can't change, I can't let go, I can't build. It's like, look, you just watched the black of night become day. It's a reminder that things are always dark until they're not.

We can never see until we can. It's just make-believe until it's real. It's a process of holding on. Sometimes it's just holding on. Until that paint begins to color in the world around you. So it's not that the others are wrong. Again, I totally get it. I get the appeal of putting the beach chair down at 615.

Snapping some pictures of the sun in its magnificence. I get it. It's real. It's tangible. It's the shiny object. Theoretically, it's what we should be looking at. But let's not forget that magic in its infancy. Because for everything that is, for every sun that rises,

its origin was once darkness. It's beginning so convoluted and so bleat. that it's only logical one would look around and fail to see reality stretching beyond those desolate confines. The world seems to like pointing out the shiny things and the obvious spectacles. But if you ask me, the power precedes that sunrising. The power is navigating through nothing, knowing that things will not only be different, But that a light show is soon to emerge. That the line between possible and impossible between heaven and hell is showing up.

It's settling in and hanging on as the darkness fades and gives way to mourning. It certainly reminds me to hold on. It reminds me that amidst every storm, I'm living moments that when zoomed out, comprise the masterpiece. It reminds me to hold on, to find color, to see the beauty, to appreciate

the journey, because the sunrise is not the best part. Tired of the winter cold? Don't worry, spring break season is right around the corner. And at cheap Caribbean vacations, it doesn't matter if you're

traveling as a family or going on and adults only getaway, they have beach deals for all types of all-inclusive vacays. Just book your spring break travel in March or April to unlock an extra $250 off your package price. This offer is valid through February 27th on vacation packages of four nights or more. Don't wait. Book now at Cheek Caribbean.com. Hey there, it's Ryan Seacrest for Safeway. Now through February 25th, stock up on your favorite self-care items and save up to $3. Shop in store or online for items like Old Spice Deodorant.

always ultra-thin pads, Gillette fusion razors and refills, Old Spice, Total Body Spray, Tampax Pearl, and Gillette Mach 3 razors and refills, and save up to $3. You won't want to miss out on these deals. Offer ends February 25th. Offers may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit safeway.com for more detail. So you've made a decision. Congrats, you're 3% done. Now I'm paraphrasing, but that's an idea from author and entrepreneur Lee Benson. Belief and execution, the duo that will change your life. First, believe. Why? Because nothing happens without belief.

Nothing begins without an understanding and a trust that the future contains something of value. That the seeds of discomfort being planted will bear fruit. We simply don't walk through doors if we don't believe something of value exists on the end. other side. And then there's execution. The doing. Congrats, you gave yourself permission to begin. That was a big step, right? But now you have to deal with life, and life, my friends, is no picnic. It's in the doing that success is either obtained or not, that a new reality is birthed or not. In the book, your most important number, Lee Benson has said, so you're, you. you've made a decision, congrats, your 3% done.

Why? Because, well, now comes the implementation, the execution. Now the feet are on the ground and the wheels, the road, and we must transform the thoughts into things. Thinking can be so much more convenient than doing. Execution is trying things. It's recognizing the attempt. that didn't work.

It's moving forward only to realize wrong path or wrong approach. Or maybe what's required of you is not yet something you're capable of producing, and so you must evolve. It's seeing setbacks as data point. It's understanding that to not know is okay because we collect our answers as we go. It's seeing the journey is an experiment, one in which we seek to understand ourselves and the world,

there is so much contained in that 97%. It's a write your own ending storybook, an infinite number of paths and outcomes, but ultimately only discoverable by you. And I think that's one of the most beautiful things about life. And once you give yourself permission to walk a certain path, once you believe in something greater than the world as it currently exists, you become an artist. Painting something that was not there before.

Using the highs as little benchmarks to remind you why you started to begin with when your landscape becomes gray. It's using the lows as fuel that turns the ordinary into extraordinary that slingshots the old you to the new you, adding brightness and vibrance to the overall scene. You're encapsulating all of it as you move through that great unknown. As you push further and further into the abyss, you're playing the role of Maker. Not because you knew how it would all turn out, but because you didn't and still you executed.

Recently in an interview, I heard Alex Hermosie and now accomplice entrepreneur in his own right, talking about some of his failings, consulting gyms in the fitness industry, the moment when things went south, and he lost it all. Now for a moment he thought he had. Money, assets, and perhaps even the pride, gone. But came to learn that money and those assets, they are lagging indicators. They aren't the value that's obtained. The value is. The value is, is who you become. The value is learning how to be someone who can obtain those things in the first place.

It's emerging from the old restriction and limitation, the old narratives, because that cannot be taken away. When we execute, we're making ourselves something we otherwise could never have become. And so Alex learned that what he lost was insignificant compared to what he gained, and why is this such a common theme? with industry leaders, folks speaking on their accomplishments, I think the answer is simple

because you don't get there without the doing and the execution. And if to execute means to step forward without having all the answers, after all, we are only human, life will humble us. Excellence must be a game of trial and error. We can't escape those lost everything stories.

Because choosing the right path every time, well, that only happens when you choose no path at all. We have to act and be okay understanding that action brings with it mistakes and lessons and setbacks. You know, all those little

annoying things that become greatness. 97% is left because the path before you is unwalked. But know that it contains everything. everything you need. So believe it. Decide because nothing starts without that initial 3%, but nothing changes without the subsequent 97. That's where we are

shaped. And when you come face-to-face with the inevitable adversity, know that life might take the material gains. It might demand a price you deem to be steep, it might collect as a toll assets you've been accumulating along the way, but it can't take what you know or who you've become. And that is why you execute. To build the world around you, yes, but most importantly, to build yourself into someone who can thrive in such an environment. It's in doing that the man is built. And as was said in Gary Keller's book, the one thing. Build the man, and the world falls into place. If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.

Charles Bukowski. So last week I was in Utah, and while I was there, I did some guided breathwork, which had never done before. And honestly, it was a little skeptical at first. But I try and keep an open mind and gave it a shot. happy I did, it ended up potentially being one of the most important things I've ever done. And I want to share why, because this breakthrough or aha moment, if you will, was exactly what I needed when I needed to hear it. So this episode's going to be a little different than usual,

but I feel compelled to pass it along. So to set the scene, I arrived with a friend of mine to the instructor, Jen's location. She gave us an overview. kind of explaining what the next hour is going to look like and handed me a notebook to write down my goal for this session. And the notebook becomes pretty important as the story goes on. But I opened it and I wrote what I'd like to use this session to reflect on. It happened to be the walls that I have a tendency to build around myself. That day, that felt like the most pertinent obstacle of my life.

I saw it as an opportunity to push back. against that reality that human beings love to create normal and then latch onto it. And that's not ideal because when we do that, we stop looking for places to grow. We stop pushing, we stop seeking to live life to the fullest. In other words, we settle. And so I wrote that down.

I closed a notebook, laid back on this incredible fuzzy blanket and the music got turned on. We began the breathing pattern. in, in, out, in, out. Jen started guiding us, verbally taking us back to a conversation with our younger selves. The journey had begun. And this is the part where things get really interesting

because my thoughts really did feel like some strange mix of dreaming and hallucinating, just from breathwork. But at some point, she referenced the need to let go and said the words, you know, we weren't meant to suffer or hold on to suffering. And that really cut deep because I know there are so many places where I've rationalized continuous suffering in my life. I'd speculate that in some way we all do.

when the hard thing or the uncomfortable thing, you know, when they stop being stepping stones and instead just become the way things are. Becomes a concession. Hey, this doesn't feel good, but it's my life. This person holds me down, but it's how things are. I don't like doing this every day. It eats at me, but hey, life, am I right? That's learned helplessness.

It hides in the corners and the nethered. nooks and crannies of life, subtle enough that we don't give it much thought. And I imagined very vividly climbing down a ladder placed on the edge of this dark canyon that went straight down, down, down. Everything. My entire landscape was black and white. There was zero color, except for the rays of light barely visible at the bottom. All the way down as I descended into the canyon. The colors that get a little stronger, a little brighter, as if every step put a little more vibrance into my life.

Each move down made things a little clear, the latter becoming quicker and quicker, eventually turning into a slide that brought me down to the base of the canyon, where upon landing and standing up, everything was illuminated. Fields of sunflowers, waterfalls, birds chirping, the sunshining, and it was there in that moment I realized my intention for the class. The one I wrote down in that little notebook, well, it missed the mark.

Not in the sense of being incorrect or wrong necessarily, but it simply wasn't enough. See, at the root of it all, or at the bottom of that canyon, existed life with the courage to love yourself. Not just accept yourself, not just be okay with your existence, but love yourself.

With all your faults and your struggle, with all your mistakes, and your history became clear to me how much changes when you love with all your heart the person staring back at you in the mirror. The opinions of others, they do not guide your decision-making. How could they? How could others know you better than you? In fact, those opinions are part of the black and white landscape to be left behind at the top of the mountain. The consistent suffering you've become accustomed to. The learned helplessness you endure.

That's not acceptable to someone who truly loves him or herself. Loving yourself means pushing away that which is not you. It's finding that ladder down to the beauty. beautiful world of authenticity and truth, the magic of being aligned with what really matters. And what's funny is, I can talk about breaking down barriers. They should be broken down. I can talk about stepping into fear because it should be confronted. I can talk about finding a way out when we're stuck in a way up.

when we're down. I can talk about all of that every day of my life. But none of it matters if you don't learn to fully love the reflection in the mirror more, more than you ever thought you could. Think about the gift you could give to that younger version of yourself. Think about what you could give to those close to you, your family, your friends. Just think about what you could do for the world if you left those black and white concessions behind you and lived a life true to yourself.

It is of course not always easy, but I learned that day that it is the North Star. It's what we build upon. So before we ask how to shape the world around us, maybe we should be asking how do we embrace the one within us. Maybe we should learn to love ourselves so deeply that those walls don't need to be broken down. Because in time, we'll learn not to build them up in the first place. We'll learn that in a world of black and white, it is acceptance and trust and confidence and love that gives it color. Tired of the winter cold?

Don't worry, spring break season is right around the corner. And at cheap Caribbean vacations, it doesn't matter if you're traveling as a family or going on an adult's only getaway. They have beach deals for all types of all-inclusive vacays. Just book your spring break travel in March or April to unlock an extra $250 off your package price. This offer is valid through February 27th on vacation packages of four nights or more. Don't wait. Book now at cheap Caribbean.com. Hey there, it's Ryan Sechrest for Safeway.

Now through February 25th, stock up on your favorite self-care items and save up to $3 shop in store or online for items like Old Spice Deodorant, always ultra-thin pads, Gillette Fusion Razors and Refills, Old Spice Total Body Spray, Tampax Pearl, and Jolette Mach 3 Razors and Refills and save up to $3. You won't want to miss out on these deals. Offer ends February 25th. Offers may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit Safeway.com for more detail. We spend a lot of time and we exhaust a lot of effort looking for that so-called edge.

Capturing the little changes or advantages that add value and ultimately pushes closer to where we want to be. These so-called life hacks are everywhere from, you name it, reshuffling daily tasks to activities, you know, exercises that enhance our performance, food, supplements, apps. the list goes on and on, and I'm speaking broadly here intentionally because that, quote, unquote, edge could mean a million different things to a million different people. Obviously, tremendous value there in finding ways to become better, faster, and stronger. But why this topic excites me, and what I'm specifically looking forward to exploring is what I believe to be the most important advantage there is. and that's consistency. Consistency, the unsexy, unremarkable answer.

But you can always distill everything else down into that simple art of showing up, being there every day. To me, that begins at all. That will always be the foundation we build everything on. Over time, it becomes the reason you win or you lose. believe that wholeheartedly. Like nothing matters if you aren't locked in and repeatedly making the daily effort. No pill is going to make you a starting point guard or a stellar performer at work or, you know, an amazing parent. That's dedicated, concentrated, consistent effort. A metaphor I like

that demonstrates this process to me is trying to get fit, right? Whether you run or go to the gym, whatever it is, it's much easier to stay home and take creatine, protein, supplements, than to actually show up to the gym every day, than to actually put in the miles every day, right? But without showing up, all that other stuff is meaningless. And that's the heart of what I'm getting at. It's the lifting that's transformative. Everything else is supplemental. It's even in the term, right?

Supplements. Now, is this obvious? Sure. But man, do we forget the obvious, and there is a hefty price for doing so. It's like, yeah, we should look for advantages along the way. And this becomes more and more relevant, you know, the longer we've been immersed in the process. Those little details mean more and more, but they never mean more than having a goal and committing to it every single day.

Never forget that. Showing up is power. There's a few quotes I like by James Clear, who's considered by many to be an expert on habit building, that hammer down on the power of consistency. He says, improving by 1% isn't particularly notable. Sometimes it isn't even noticeable, but it can be far more meaningful,

especially in the long run. It goes on to say, If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up being 37 times better by the time you're done. And I think that's what gets me, right? That line 1% better every day means 37 times better in a year. Nothing can replicate that. There are no shortcuts to arrive at that type of progress or growth.

None. And sure, the environment can change. There are times with the landscape shifts right under your feet. You have to reach further outside your comfort zone than you ever have. But that's still a product of your commitment to improve every single day. The context changes, the details change, but you still show up. 1% is essentially a rhythm, it's automated. It says just like breathing air and drinking water, this is what I do, a dollar in the

bank every day. What you're doing is giving life to a compound effect. that will change everything. In my world, my showing up is every day, how do I become a little bit better at storytelling? How do I refine that intersection of personal development and entertainment so that we can enjoy and get the most out of the journey?

How do I make this brand matter a little more, mean a little more, be a little more effective? That's my Super Bowl every day. And funny story, I was driving this morning, listening to a podcast about AI. Everyone seems to be talking about AI right now, and for a good reason. I heard one of the guests say that in 10 years, there will be two types of businesses. Those that successfully leverage AI and those that failed that are no longer in existence.

It's a hypothesis, obviously, but it's eye-opening. AI is going to change everything. And I had to check my initial instinct that was honestly, oh, here we go, right? Another way for people to cut corners and cheat. And I had to pause and think about it. Like, that's just a terrible way to look at a new technology. That's a scarcity mindset. Instead, think about the opportunity.

Remind yourself that you show up every day with the same mission and the same goal. You'll earn that 1% every day. And this is just another. supplement to your growth. Utilized correctly, at least in the current moment, this is way protein or creatine for your lifting at the gym. So leverage it, that's all. Same with any new technology.

And there was comfort there. There was comfort in looking back at thinking, look at all the previous technology, it's evolution. Look at the social platforms, how we interact now. Through it all, the changes, the highs, lows, lows, ups, downs, you showed up. You held on to that North Star and over and over again made necessary adjustments. That commitment has been everything.

YouTube's algorithm changes did not kill me. It ended up making me a better storyteller, writer, speaker. COVID, you know, pushing my live speaking engagements aside for a while, causing me to further digitize my business model. That didn't hurt me. It made the brand bigger. Short form content, blasting off onto the scene, TikToks, IG Reels. That didn't hurt me. It forced me to be smarter and more thoughtful about how to integrate short-term content

into my long-form content, how to make them work together. It ended up being an advantage. The bottom line being, when you are consistent, when you show up for your thing no matter what, No matter what changes are occurring, no matter what's happening externally, when you're there for your mission, that allows you to make whatever little changes need to be made along the way. Being there for yourself, committing to the twists and turns is everything. And it may be extreme to say, especially in such a rapidly changing environment right now, but

my mentality is who cares? Who cares about all the detail and the minutiae and the minutia? externality who cares you know what matters you know what you're here to do so keep that front and center simplicity being the ultimate sophistication doesn't get simpler show up never let that 1% that James Clear talks about out of your site and then make the adjustments as necessary integrate the life hacks and the tech evolutions right fighting for that one every single day becomes 37 times better in a year.

Think about how powerful that is. Let the world argue over this and that. Let them be on this path versus that path. Your strength is entrusting yourself to adjust along the way. But knowing that through it all, you will be every morning when the sun comes up, the light moves through your window, you'll wake up committed to being a little better than you were yesterday. And that's why through it all, the turbulence, the highs, the lows, the ups and the downs,

you will still be standing there ready for whatever comes next.