Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT | Powerful Motivational Speeches | Morning Motivation

Episode Date: October 19, 2022

"Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her." - Lao Tzu

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which anyone who's flown before knows creates turbulence. The plane starts to shake. for a brief moment, can't see anything outside the window, only white. And no matter how many times I've watched this happen, and at this point probably in the hundreds, I can't help but feel a little uneasy. Heart rate increases a little bit. It's just an uncomfortable thing, and here's the deal. Not only is a plane going through turbulence safe,

A quick, you know, Google search will explain to you that no plane was ever brought down by turbulence. They were built specifically for that to endure it. And I know that. I understand it. I believe it. I guess that, you know, faint nervousness, I feel, highlights the divide between my mental capacity to understand something and, you know, my physiological reaction to it. It shows, to put it simply, that often what's necessary will be uncomfortable. We'll get easier over time. But the point is, there's a very real biological resistance associated with doing what's necessary.

Even when we know the necessary thing is the right thing, even when we know we're capable of enduring the journey, right? Just like that plane was built specifically to endure turbulence. Well, in your own world, so were you. And yeah, that world might shake. Yeah, you might look around and see an unknown providing no clarity or visibility, at least in the moment. But that feeling of discomfort

should not be interpreted as negative. A sign to stop or turn back. Has a signal that the world is too much. No, it's where you close your eyes and remind yourself how much you can handle, despite life trying to make you feel to the contrary. You were built to overcome, made to push into uncharted territory,

to take your losses and uncover the hidden away value within them. Sometimes to grow, it's required that we learn not to resist that trembling, but to see it as the courage to say yes when it would have been infinitely easier to say no. And that's what this is about. Nothing groundbreaking, no secret formulas,

just the reminder we often need, but don't hear enough. That during the ascents and descents of life, and there are and will be many, know that you were built for the turbulence. You can harness the chaos, you can get through to the other side. What's required is simply that you remember who you are and what your care.

capable of. Because again, when visibility is limited and our world's shake, it's easy to forget. You will not lose because of the challenge. You will win despite it again and again and again. And sure, stepping up to face that adversary, you may never detach from that nervous feeling in your stomach or the shaky hands, but that's okay. That's your indicator, that you're alive, that you weren't tricked into submitting to a very beatable opponent, that you didn't turn away from the things that meant the most. Don't think so much. You might overlook the obvious. You might see past all that you've achieved.

Don't move so quickly. You might overstep the moment. You might miss all the beauty. be your creating. One can wake up, get dressed, walk out the door thinking that they're on their way to a someday achievable, brilliant finale, and simultaneously fail to understand the miracle of the now. It's in what you're doing now, who you're helping now, what you're becoming now, your

miracle is now. And you can't see your impact because it materializes behind you as your back is to it and you step toward those distant horizons. There's a direct link between always wanting to be better and never feeling like you're good enough. If you don't properly compartmentalize the two, you'll always be chasing something you can't obtain. While you walk right by the brilliance you're piecing together in real time. That carrot just outside of reach for the runner on the treadmill. And I'm not saying your goals and aspirations aren't incredible. I'm not saying you aren't one in a million.

I'm not saying you won't shock, change, add unparalleled value to the world. No, that's most certain. possible. But I'm saying you're doing that now too. Like right now. You're not on a trajectory to someday be one in a million. You are one in a million on a million on a trajectory to live life fully, to further expand, explore as you should. But let's not lose perspective along the way. It's hard to watch someone who has changed your life feel like they're not good enough. It just is. It's hard to watch something so beautiful, feel like they must first evolve before they're worthy. And it's like, sure, I get it. We celebrate visible,

tangible successes, the innovators and CEOs, world-class talents. People who have built the present and will build the future, but notice there are no ceremonies for the ones who lift others up every day. who lead by example, who show up again and again when they're going through their own private hell. There are no record books for them. But I'll tell you what, if there were, you'd be there. And if I could remind you of that every day, I would. The small things you do do not feel so small to those around you. In fact, your mere existence changed.

my life and I know I'm not alone, not even close to alone. It's a tough world we live in. Tough enough to bring even the strongest amongst us to our knees. Yet you think you're flawed and insufficient. I ask, compared to what? A lot of people would have folded a long time ago. Wouldn't be fighting for a dream or standing for anything. A lot of people wouldn't be giving so much of themselves. Again, I continuously run into this question. Why is it that the ones who are changing the world, not with their social media follower account,

but with their actions, so often fail to see their own value? Perhaps they're using the wrong measuring sticks. Maybe their sights are set so high they don't realize all that they're making better along the way. Maybe they don't know that every soul they light up puts in motion a ripple effect, an exponential value add. But if you just lift your head

up and look around, you would see quite the ripple effect. You would see quite the chain reaction. You would see that you are not just working towards change. You are actively embodying it. Don't be the only one who can't see that. Why do I say this? Why spend the time? Well, because one, I think it's not something we say enough. The ones who truly change us or make our lives better need to be told that. There's just something tragic about keeping it to ourselves. And two, because you don't give yourself enough credit. You're blind to the path you've traveled and the dragons you've slayed.

I couldn't believe my ears when you apologize for being weak. Weak? Weak is retreating. Weak is being selfish. Weak is forfeiting your gifts. Those descriptors are antithetical to who you are. And sure, we all slip into them once in a while. We're human beings.

We all endure our valleys of despair. But to fight with everything you have on your way back up, that is not weakness. That's courage. I think our definitions might be crossed here. See, I'm a firm believer that absolutely we have to be our own greatest critics, no doubt. But the value in that, the expectation, is that it's coupled with a commitment

to also be our own greatest ally. Are you? Are you your own greatest ally? Because sometimes I'm not so sure. Do you see how much light you bring to the world? How much better people around you are when you enter a room and smile, when you listen to them in their problem,

when you inspire them by making decisions with so much at stake, when you don't let the hardship of your past keep you down. And I know how hard it's been. I'm telling you this because maybe you don't know. Maybe you talk so much about what the future will be and how big and incredible things will be that you overlook the parallel worlds you are creating with each step along the way,

a pilgrim, a wanderer in search of an impact you are already making. So look, keep your head up and your expectations high. You will do remarkable things. But don't be afraid to look over your shoulder and see that you already are. Don't beat yourself up for not yet arriving at an imaginary place while you change the world along the way. Give yourself the same grace and compassion you would give to me. Allow that for yourself. Don't think so much that you overlook the obvious.

You just might see past all that you've achieved. And don't move so quickly that you overstaffed. the moment you might just miss all that beauty that you're creating this isn't a pep talk this is me holding up a mirror so that you can see the value at you're not merely an I owe you to some future self you are all the people around you whose lives you make better every day the lives you touch by being the hard thing brought me through hell, but also to that which exists on the other side. The hard thing prompted me to question and doubt,

but also provided the pieces I used to build my confidence little by little. It made me ask the tough questions, the ones maybe I didn't want to hear the answer to, but also gave me the power to transform those answers I didn't like. The hard thing meant forfeiting being the expert in my world in exchange for the role of student in a foreign arena. It gave me new ladders to climb, new possibilities to reach for.

It showed that true growth requires a willingness to be the beginner. It took some people out of my arms, my circle, my work, my work, and in some cases my life altogether, but always seem to open the door to those souls better aligned, to those conducive to the journey and the process. Let's remember what the hard thing is. Beyond the pain, because we all know it does bring that, beyond the challenges, because there are certainly many.

Beyond all that exists the hope and the change and the promise. Robert Frost says the best way out is always through. Through because it's the chaos, the haze, the darkness of night that shapes us. It's in being broken that we learn to rebuild our world with the pieces and perhaps most importantly. We learn that such a rebuilding process is possible to begin with, that the now is not mandatory or permanent. The hard thing, as it turns out, is nothing more than a transaction. Turbulence for the view above the clouds, fear in the moment for confidence in the future. It's learning that although life sometimes appears to paint a picture of conformity,

normity and helplessness, there's always a path leading to the very place we need to go. It just asks we find the courage to walk it. Churchill has said the pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. And this beautiful message rings true because from the difficulty, it's a difficulty is the advantage. And sure, our first instinct is to see the problem. Our eyes tend to initially fix it on that which is unfortunate.

But beyond that is where we get the most incredible things life provides, as if one is removing the shell or outer layer in order to get to the nutrients in the center, the ingredients required for growth, the pieces necessary to experience life at its full And so we must be reminded that those opportunities, they're not rare, they're not reserved for everyone but you. They just tend to disguise themselves as the things we're most inclined to disregard or walk by. But if one finds the courage to move into them, through them, if one can see the difficulty

not as a deterrent but as a bargain, they'll be given everything on the other side. Reality is not changed with the magic wand or the granting of a wish. It's from staring down the heart thing and moving directly into it one little step at a time. Ready to prioritize yourself in the new year? Your skin is a great place to start. Dime Beauty, founded by a master aesthetician, is more than just a skincare company, With four skin-conscious categories, skin care, beauty, body care, and fragrance,

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That's dime beauty co.com. Your best skin awaits. 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 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. What if I fall, the man asks, looking nervously over the edge. Oh, but my friend, a voice responds back. What if you fly? A little quote heard not too long ago demonstrating our proclivity to maintain, to preserve, to protect, to move away altogether from the risk for fear that we might lose our grip on the status quo. Completely forgetting to think about what life could be common.

if things worked out. Forgetting that life is a game of trade-offs. And to fixate on never losing what you have means forfeiting the possibility. It is that simple. To stay is a refusal to go. We need to constantly reinforce the idea, the truth,

that what we aren't doing is a decision. And while we place our energy and efforts on minimizing the falling and the failure, someone else is stepping into it. They're capitalizing on it, falling again and again and again until they can fly. Because the danger is not in falling, it's in never taking to the sky. It's becoming only a fraction of the person you are capable of becoming with the required sacrifice and courage. It's an understanding that we're not wrong for initially thinking small, playing to not lose,

thinking only to protect, protect, protect. That's how human beings arrive out of the factory, right? Stock. And you can think millennia of evolution for that. You're not weak for being scared. You're not less than for shaking when you stand face to face with the adversity of life. Again, this is what being human is. But what we also possess is the ability to understand these default limitations and transform them.

To understand being scared of the world around us was incredibly valuable forever ago, right? When we roamed around hunting and gathering, it made sense not to inquire further when there was a shaking in the bushes. It made sense not to rashly run into the cave. It made sense to fear deeply. the prospect of being abandoned by your small tribe that was the only reassurance separating you from the vast unknown lurking in the darkness, the wilderness. But anyone listening to this today must also understand

that these biological drivers are outdated. The lions in the bushes are no more. The caves are generally metaphorical and one's quote unquote tribe should be carefully and methodically chosen. Civilization provides that cushion, and what a luxury. So when life pushes back, and it will, and you feel like you're on that ledge,

you will want to turn back. Not because you're weak, but because you've forgotten that the voice in your head screaming in fear can't see the upside. It's blind to the possibility it only sees downside. It only says, hey, this might bring about discomfort.

There are things out there you don't know, foreign entities, possibly adversaries. Why would you even contemplate taking that leap? And that's where you step in and provide reassurance. Yeah, things could go wrong, but the wrong steps are, one, usually reversible, and two, provide the wisdom that I need. It gives you a chance to be wrong.

to inject into the conversation that if things go right, your life changes. That this could be the beginning. And that we don't live until the excitement about what life can become if things work out is greater than the fear of what life would regress into if they didn't. Without upside, there's no hope. Without hope, there is no purpose. And as Victor Frankel has said, life is never made unbelled. bearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.

We're all operating within the same parameters, same playing field. But the difference is we have different soundtracks, interpretations, and narratives playing behind our eyes. He may see the world collapsing and spend the rest of his life mourning what is gone, while she may see this same devastation and bring herself to wonder, well, what can I build in its place? What can arise from the wreckage? Same circumstance, different storyline, different result. I often cringe when I hear mindset misinterpreted as this magical thing that becomes reality

the second you close your eyes and make a wish. The law of attraction, as far as I'm concerned, is not magic. I think this whole song and dance is much simpler than that. We act in accordance to the things we believe. And if you believe you're not good enough, if you believe you're not worthy, if you believe more is out of the question,

what incentive do you have to change? None. It's much easier to default to hating the world when that's your perspective. But when you can find the discipline, even for a moment, to pause and ask, well, what if things got better? What if my life could be more? That spark has suddenly given you a reason to take another step forward. It's made an argument as to why that discomfort just might be worth it.

The magic isn't that you wished for it, and so it was. The magic is that you saw it as a possibility, and in doing so, incentivize yourself to move towards that outcome. It's hard to gravitate towards something that has not yet been built. It's hard to stand with conviction in defense of a life that hasn't yet materialized. But that, my friends, is the beauty and mystery of life. You don't get what you want until you start living like you already. have it, like you can touch it, taste it, like it's real. So when the journey feels impossible, know that you are on the right track. You're competing against some very formidable adversaries,

your very DNA, you're competing against the people around you that don't understand, you're competing against the obstacles that make you question whether that conjured up castle in the air existing only in your head could ever come to fruition. That is some resistance, but as you step forward into the haze, your single solitary acts of courage will begin to tell a story, to take shape. The once make-believe will become tangible. You'll see the pieces coming together and you'll see yourself as the one capable of assembling them, an architect of sorts, a designer, one with courage and self-belief, the truth is you will never completely mitigate fear.

That will be with you forever. It's par for the course. You just need to remember that the power of purpose, of meaning, the value of upside, and opportunity is greater than that nagging voice of fear. It's not about closing your eyes to who you are or where you've been. There's beauty and all that. It's merely about opening them to all you can become. The miracle isn't that I've finished.

The miracle is that I had the courage to start. John Bingham. We all share a commonality. The runner on the starting blocks. blocks, the one at work, the one studying, the one trying to create the best life possible for their families. See, we are all at a beginning, looking up at an idea. Nothing given, nothing to adjust or react to no just an idea. And ideas when we are at the bottom looking up, they're deceptive in nature, their size, their weight, their breadth. They like to bring to. They like to

present themselves as much more than they actually are. And so to turn ideas into things one needs see themselves, not as some descendant of Mount Olympus tasked with lifting that 2,000-ton boulder before them, but as one armed with an understanding, the awareness that the 2,000-ton boulder before them can be broken down piece by piece that it is nothing more than a facade. And while it may stop most in their tracks, you are simply not most. Not because the world treats you differently, but because you see the world differently. By knowing you are bigger than the sum of its parts, you have defanged this wolf, you have

put yourself in position to do that which makes the world tremble. That which causes even the most confident to doubt, you have put yourself in position to begin. See, there is a time to look at the top of the mountain, breaking through the clouds, powerful and majestic. And then there is a time to look at your feet. And right now is the latter. You're not concerned with the big things. No, not right now. Your job is to move forward. into this haze, to not see but adapt, to not know but trust. Things will materialize, and you know that, but at the same time, you can't control the future. Your battle is right now, and it's with the space immediately in front of you. It's with the thoughts attempting to deceive you. It's with the

things the outside world will tell you, but forward motion is the antidote to all of that. And so forward you must go. The beginning is always the hardest because our thoughts are a mightier foe than life's obstacles. Thoughts take on lives of their own, they become monsters, demons, dead ends, obstacles. On the other hand, just ask that we adjust. There is no obstacle that can't be addressed by stepping into it. And so while the temptation is to sit thinking, speculating about how challenging the road ahead. This is where you think less and move more. Harness the world as it

comes because the truth is nothing is as big as it appears to be. Life is incredibly solvable. Every problem has a solution. Every bad chapter ends. Every setback is a chance to be more than you've ever been. But how would you know that if you bow down to the mountains in your head? How would you know that if you never began? So let today be the dotted line you sign with your future self. A promise to be aware that the mountaintop peers over you, but to not be distracted by its shadow. To take the climb one rock, one step, one second at a time. Let it be an acknowledgement that nothing light throws at you can't be broken down and conquered

so long as you don't get in your own way. Gone are the days of being held captive behind steel bars of self-doubt and fear. That road ahead is not the problem. It never was. Refusing to give yourself permission to travel down, it was the problem. So without constraints,

meet life head on. Let the trials and tribulations emerge because they will, but know that you will rise to meet them. Let the unknown highlight all that you don't know. You can't see. Fine. The one thing you are sure of is that you will, one by one, transform the unseen into strength.

And when those thoughts emerge, telling you that you've gone too far, that you're in over your head, that this isn't meant for you, know them, not as truth, but as the only obstacle that can derail and distract. You don't have time for make-believe monsters. No, not today. So onward you go.

To map the unknown, to tame the untamed, to live your life the way it was meant to be lived. Stay awake, long enough to capture the reality in front of you. But not so long that you forget to dream. of new realities. Stay who you are because your voice and your vision and your talents they're unparalleled but don't stay the same because to evolve is to breathe life into that authenticity stay away from those misaligned ventures

the broken places the empty relationships they're not you But stay close to those things that are. Stay in when it's time to invest in yourself. To chip away at our default ignorance, to turn that curious soul into a knowledgeable actor. But know that all that other stuff, the fun, the escapes, the distractions, they stay right where they are waiting should you need them.

Stay the course. not just when it's easy but when it's difficult when things for a moment in time feel impossible lose their glamour feel like a burden too costly for you to pay because hanging in there through the storm

it changes the way we look at life like being able to see the stars for the very first time and no storm stays forever Stay humble. Because knowing what you don't know is the first step in becoming who you might be. But don't stay so humble that you can't move with conviction into that great unknown.

Stay hungry, stay motivated, stay fixated on the next great adventure. But stay grateful for everything you have now. See, without that, the few people are you now. The future loses its allure and its relevance. Without that, the perpetual desire for more stays. But that all-important sense of purpose goes. And a life without meaning, well, it just isn't much of a life. And that, if anything, is what we are left to understand.

That fine line between staying and going, anchors down or sails of acceptance of all that is. but the pursuit of all that can be when the heart pushes and the brain pulls. Perhaps this little formula is what connects all the dots. Stay who you are and go where that truth leads you. Stay because identity is power. Home is our foundation and our reflection tells the story. But go because progress is happiness. Meaning is rooted in overcoming, dying and being born again, slaying dragons just to prove to

ourselves that we could. So go dream of new realities. Just make sure you stay awake long enough to remember why. Ready to prioritize yourself in the new year? Your skin is a great place to start. Dime Beauty, founded by a master aesthetician, is more. than just a skincare company. With four skin-conscious categories, skincare, beauty, body care, and fragrance, Dime offers simple, spa-worthy products that will help you enter 2025 with confidence. Whether

you're revitalizing your regimen with nourishing products or building one from scratch, dime makes it easy. The work system, our all-in-one best-selling routine, includes a cleanser of your choice, toner, serums, and moisturizers, taking the guesswork out of skin care for your healthiest, happiest skin yet. Dime's commitment to clean ingredients and sustainable packaging ensures every product is as gentle on your skin as it is on the planet. With thousands of glowing five-star reviews and a loyal community, the results speak for themselves. Revive your skin and give yourself the routine refresh you deserve by visiting dime beauty CO.com. That's dime beauty co.com. Your best skin awaits. 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 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. Why is this battle you versus you? With all the complexity, all the obstacles out there, why are you your greatest opponent?

Well, to put it simply, because all those obstacles and all that complexity still can't tell you no. They can't say enough is enough. They can't look back at you and say, let's just settle for what we have now. No, only you can do that.

The world may create the landscape it may construct the terrain and those obstacles but you are the sole decider on where along the way you stop you decide how far you want to go and how much you are willing to endure when it comes to your advancement or limitation you are in the drivers I just picked up a copy of Will Smith's recent book. And one of the ideas that stood out to me was resilience. And this part in the book, it's actually kind of uncomfortable to get through, but incredibly powerful. He's talking about his childhood and the polarity of his father's personality. A man who would do anything to provide for his family, he took pride in that and saw it as his primary responsibility. But simultaneously

was their greatest source of pain. And he mentions his father, you know, hitting his mother from time to time. In one particular example, struck his mother in the face so hard that it knocked her on the floor. And as she stood back up, she said something along the lines of, you can hit me, but you can't hurt me. And that was the first time Will understood as a child, the difference between what the outside world inflicts upon us. and how we choose to react to that occurrence. That understanding is power. That's why you are the author of your story.

In this sense that every single thing dropped at your feet, every situation, every occurrence, they come with an implicit question attached, a question that you and only you are responsible for answering. The question is, what does this mean? And how you respond to that question determines whether you go left or right at that metaphorical fork in the road. Does the occurrence detract from your ambitions or is it a multiplier? Does it confirm your doubts and insecurities or is it your reason to rise to the occasion?

An opportunity to stretch, to evolve. That's a gift. That's an invite. not some sort of divine punishment. But the challenge is removing the layers until you arrive at the value. And it's hard. But you get there by saying yes.

You get there by choosing to see the value. And here's a quick example. My favorite thing about athletics, which was for me a ton of running. Now I throw more interval training in there, but the same concepts apply. It's a chance to remind myself that I don't negotiate with my weakness. I don't give myself an opportunity to rationalize with the voice that wants me to quit. That question, that fork in the road, I answered it.

I charted its course before the workout started, knowing this is going to be uncomfortable at times, but it's where I need to go. There will be no more thinking from here on out. And so today's workout, for example, switching deadlifts, burpees to squats, to core, you don't think. You see the next requirement, the next task, and you simply say, yes, you don't need your mind for this. In fact, you go before your mind even knows where it's going. because that dotted line has already been signed. And that was the breakthrough for me.

When you separate what you have to do with the hurt associated with doing that thing, you free yourself. After all, what's there to hold you back if you can't talk yourself out of doing things? See, we tend to think our greatest adversity is the pain or the confusion or the unknown. But it's like, no, those are the byproducts of doing anything of significance.

The adversary is the voice that begs you to slow down because of those things. And if you can figure out in your own life how to create space between the two, how to separate the task and the discomfort often brought about by the task, there's nothing that will ever be able to slow you down. And look, I'm not saying that you walk around without ever utilizing the power of that brilliant mind you possess. One's ability to think is everything. But what I am saying is there is a time to shut it off. There is a time in which to avoid overthinking we simplify.

Action, reaction. One more mile. Okay, end of story. One minute of jump squats next. Roger that. Period. It's taking the emotion out of the process, refusing to leave the door cracked for the inner dialogue that says, hey, maybe you don't do this, maybe you slow down, are you sure you can handle what's next?

No, all of that is tuned out. It's assignment, go, next go, next go, next go. You know this is the right thing. You did your thinking before grabbing the sword, shield, and stepping into the arena. Now guess what? It's instinct. It's doing what has to be done. And what has to be done hurts. And look, you didn't have to accept that. You didn't have to step in. You could have stayed home. But somewhere along the way, you looked in the mirror and said, the difficult path is the one with the value. And now here you are.

Face to face with hungry lions, clashing swords with your adversaries. There's no turning back now. Now is when you parse out pain from the objective. The pain is now part of the audience. It's not with you or in you. It's watching from above as you do what you came here to do. So yes, those swords clash, but the eyes. remain focused on what's ahead.

And yes, those lions roar, but that's background noise. When you simplify your world into objective and action, objective, action, objective action, there is time for nothing but forward progress. And sometimes that is all that is required of us

in the face of adversity, in the face of pain, self-doubt, in the face of discomfort, Can you break your world down into nothing but one single step forward? One more set, one more rep, one more session, one more attempt, just one more. No rocket science, no negotiation. There's nothing to figure out here. It's walking the path before you.

It's the discipline to carry on. one more swing of the axe, audience or no audience. Lions are no lions. You are bound to the universe at your feet. And that simplified concentration is why you will succeed. Part of my morning routine every day is to listen to the commencement speech Admiral McRaven gave at the University of Texas, where he's talking about ten lessons that he learned during his time. as a Navy SEAL going through Bud's training. And he positions them in a way that will really help anybody through life if they implement these concepts.

It's an incredible speech. And my favorite lesson of the 10 is around what he calls the sugar cookie. And I want to delve into it a little deeper because it's such a perfect metaphor. It's so relatable. And so for a quick overview, basically during Buds, All the attendees were called to line up for uniform inspection. And the instructors would walk by and check out their uniforms.

They had to be perfect. As McRaven says, uniform press, belt buckle shiny, no smudges on the shoes. But the point of the exercise that a lot of people really didn't understand is that the uniforms were never going to be good enough. The inspectors or instructors would always find something. wrong. And the punishment was to go run down into the water with your clothes on, get soaking wet, then roll around in the sand, and you know, it sticks to you all day. That's why they call it a sugar cookie. And what he says is, you were never going to succeed. The perfect uniform was

impossible. The instructors wouldn't allow it. But the interesting thing is that some people simply couldn't handle that idea. They didn't understand that no matter how well you prepare or perform, sometimes you're going to end up a sugar cookie. That is life. It's such a powerful concept. It's a life lesson that must be understood before someone can effectively make their way in the world.

The idea that life simply isn't fair. And those who refuse to accept that are pulled into this void of projecting out and looking to assign blame as opposed to continuing a march forward and reshaping the odds, right? A tough lesson to learn. It's tough to work and work and work and not get that immediate validation you hope for.

It's tough that life drops obstacles before us that we weren't prepared for and don't feel equipped to take on. It's tough when people around you get rewarded or promoted or acknowledged for doing the same or less than you. And if you let it, it will eat you up. It will taint your view of the world.

It can close the door to your own self-improvement and open it up for comparing, contrasting, projecting, blaming toxicity. You know, it really hit home for me when McRaven says, look, some people just couldn't understand that no matter what they did, they were going to be a sugar cookie. They couldn't rise above the apparent unfairness.

They didn't realize that they were being prepared for the reality of life, not the gentle, predictable, fair world we often feel is owed to us. So the ones who made it out of the class, well, they took their hits, they dealt with their discomfort, they learned to expect more out of themselves. Right? There simply was no room for the victim mentality there. Those who wouldn't help themselves, they got weeded out, left behind. It really is the perfect metaphor for life. And as far as I'm concerned, the only way to ensure defeat is to divert responsibility to the outside world. The only way to remain powerless is to feel bad for yourself, to feel angry that life isn't what it is in the movies. Again, hard to hear. In a perfect world, hard work's always

rewarded. The correct actions always have positive consequences, but that's not always reflective of reality. As the saying goes, it's not your fault where you start, or when things you can't control present themselves and make your life challenging, you didn't choose that hand, not your fault. But guess what? Where you go from here is your responsibility. It is your responsibility to move beyond the cosmic injustice you can do nothing about and create a better situation, a better outcome, a better world. How many times in life do we find ourselves looking in the mirror and I was saying, hey,

I did everything I was supposed to do? Why am I being punished? Why is this happening to me? Why did I take that L? On paper, every box was checked. I've asked the question. We've all asked the question. And every time we do, we're placed at a crossroads of sorts.

Do we go one way? Let it derail us, distort our worldview. Do we let it alter how we perceive ourselves? Or do we go the other way? Do we acknowledge that life is a marriage of highs? And to make something of it, we shouldn't feel slighted by the challenges, but accept them. Let them make us better. I've learned this again and again.

I learned this after I spent four months on a project in 2014 that essentially bombed. And it was the first time in my life that I felt that. It's like how? I put everything into this. How could I get nothing back? Well, it turns out I got the world back. I just didn't see it at the time. I learned one of the most powerful lessons to learn the universe is indifferent to your agenda.

All it does is present an obstacle course in front of you and allows you to navigate as you see fit. Will you focus on the negative? Will you have resentment towards life's injustices? Because a lot of people do. A lot of people can't get past it so they hide from the struggle that would ultimately become their strength. And see, I'd much rather work to be the type of person who finds the person who finds the person. positive, who carries on, who doesn't take hardship personal because it's not a personal thing. In fact, let's remove the emotion from it altogether.

Let's focus on getting through. As a good friend of mine says, if you're on a hiking trail and you get bitten by a snake, are you going to chase the snake into the woods so you can kill it and get your vengeance? Or are you going to go to the hospital and get the medical help you need? Are you going to focus on what's necessary for your betterment to move on, to grow? Every time you accept responsibility for a situation, every time you point at yourself as the one who can make something good happen, you move forward.

You stack the odds in your favor. You position yourself for something bigger and better, and it doesn't mean it will happen overnight or even that you are entitled to an outcome. But those who remain empowered through life's trials and tribulations, they usually find a way. Not because they deserved it, but because they simply did not stop. They did not waste time blaming the universe and instead created something of value. They got over being that metaphorical sugar cookie and started thinking about the big picture.

They accepted the defeats and they learned. They made a pact with the face looking back at them in the mirror that sometimes we don't get the ideal hand, but it will always be up to you how to play it. There is always a win, always a positive, and to remember that is to create a world of your making. Sometimes what you don't do is more powerful than what you do. Sometimes the answer is not the home run or some lifetime achievement award. No, sometimes the answer is simply hanging on. Realizing that the yes is they're important. But they're nothing compared to the noes.

No, to the faint whispering that you came. No to the feelings of inadequacy and no to the reflection staring back at you that just feels ordinary. As that feeling it's wrong. And what this means, as I was once told, is that success is not always the spectacular. Sometimes it is simply hanging on when others would let go. When the world would hear that same faint whisper and bow down because we all I'll hear it. Life is not a movie. There is no fixed ending. And where there are unknowns, there is fear. That's not rocket science. Unknown's equal fear.

But if I may, let me explain something. Because where there is fear, there is also something else. And that something is opportunity. Like a curtain that must be pulled back, an ocean that must be crossed or a toll. that must be paid while you dance to melodies of songs unwritten and are led by the characters in stories untold. This is not a game of the miraculous. This is a game of self-belief. A game of not personalizing the people that are going to let you down. The days that will bring you to your knees, it's not feeling inadequate when you swing

and miss because you will. And I hope you do. I hope you do because each swing makes you stronger and each loss makes it easier. Easier to say no to that ship that wants to bring you right back to the port you left from. How comfortable, how safe, how secure it would be. But just like fear and opportunity are one in the same, so are safety and regret. A concession, a wolf and sheep's clothing, and they are a love. lot of things but they are not you so forget about the grandios the

magic is not in the moon it's in the staircase that takes you there each step each battle each time you fall smile to yourself and carry on because the difference between average and exceptional is the ability to make a single decision. The decision to hold on. To stand firm when the people around you turn back, to believe in your foundation when the walls close in. It's running a race with eyes fixated on each step.

Not on the finish line. No, the finish line doesn't do anything, but distract. It reminds you of the road to be traveled. Your job is not to make a finish line appear. It is to say yes to the step in front of you and know to everything else. See, anyone can take one step. Anyone can progress one foot. Races, journeys, life is simply a culmination of those steps, a culmination of little decisions to not let go. So when your arms shake, in the voice in your head screams, when your thoughts beg you to stop, and your mind starts to rationalize the possibility of surrender, remember that big things

are broken into little things. Minutes are merely seconds, mountains are merely rocks. And success is simply hanging on when others would be letting go.