Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - FOCUS ON YOURSELF EVERYDAY | Powerful Morning Motivation | Wake Up Positive

Episode Date: October 23, 2023

"You owe it to yourself to become everything you've ever dreamed of" - Anonymous

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You owe it to you. To that 10-year-old version of you staring out at a world of infinite possibility. You owe it to the person you can become inside your soul waiting for permission to emerge. Because who cares about the externalities? What he'll say or she'll do, this isn't about them. This is about that feeling that arises from asking the world for more and then stepping out and answering the call. See, we talk a lot about life without actually experiencing. We're here, we're breathing, but life isn't something guaranteed to materialize.

Life is the product of a deep breath in, a head nod. It's a willingness to take a step forward into that adventure that awaits. Life is fighting for that which is meaningful to you. When it's hard, when it hard. hurts when you could look around and easily justify the comfort of the mediocrity that surround you. Life is asking for the road less traveled and finding the courage to walk down it. That's life. And see, many will attempt to tell you what's right, to sit you down, explain to you what's meaningful, to point and show you where you belong. But this is your

which means it's up to you to identify that North Star. It's up to you to find the courage to carry forth into the night. Not because you owe it to them, but because you owe it to you. And in a world where people so easily outsource personal agency, where they outsource strength, outsource heroism, you owe it to you to become your own hero. And in the process, embark upon the greatest story ever told. Before you can ever get to where you're going, you have to decide to begin.

You have to acknowledge that what you're chasing means more to you than what you are leaving behind. And then begins the greatest adventure. greatest adventure you will ever experience. Knowing that you have turned someday into right now. That the road beneath you is waving you on, the wind at your back, it pushes you forward. There are no guarantees in life. But that just might be what makes it so incredible. You'll only go as far as you allow your imagination to take you.

Whether it's the end of your driveway or where the sun and the ocean intersect. That to find ourselves requires we must first lose ourselves is I believe life's greatest paradox. Leaving that carousel of comfort comfort, the predictability of what we know, the certainty of who we believe ourselves to be. For a promise with no real guarantee of being kept, well, it's nothing short of irrational. Are the odds in our favor, perhaps not? But by stepping off, by placing our bets on a different track with a different prize at a different time, we have increased those odds from zero. Zero to, well, I guess we decide.

And see, the world teaches us that it's advantageous to spin. A spinning carousel is predictable. It can't be cheated. There's very little room for loss or humiliation or setbacks or even life to get in the way. You know where you start and you know where you end. And that's just the thing. This spinning world is so easy that people don't want to leave.

In fact, it's not until you walk away from the crowd that you even face the unknown. And that's precisely why it's so hard to walk alone. It's hard, it's challenging because of the now. Not because the now can't be measured or understood. No, we get it. But because there's this little whisper in the back of our heads that the now might go on and on and on forever, that that check will now will never. never be cached, the summit never reached.

No, just footsteps down a perpetually long, windy road. And that's, you know, when maybe, just maybe we miss that carousel. We miss the safety and security. And that's what sometimes makes it such a stressful thing to walk alone. We think about all of ourselves, our mind, our heart we've left behind along the way. Truths, we now have to face things. They never taught us on that carousel. We had to learn that we were wrong about who'd be by our side through it all.

We could no longer hide behind the notion that when things got tough someday, everyone, everything would be there, would be the same. We learned to swim by jumping into the deep end, seeing in real time that people only believe it already exists. What's put in front of them. that ideas are empty, that a dream is a language only spoken by its creator. And if you want it to mean anything,

you must dedicate your life to translating it. We learn how much is backwards, how much of life is reactive, that success is being one of the few who don't react, but build a world to react to. And in the thick of it all to internalize the process, because talking while talking does nothing, Plans are just potential energy confined to your pocket.

You have to be okay growing that seed by yourself, like a runner making her way past a crowd, right? The crowd sees calm, sees peace, sees the finesse of an athlete gliding over the pavement. They have no idea the war being fought behind her eyes. The silencing of constant whispers to slow down to do less, It's the repression of pain that consumes her to such an extent. It can't even really be pinpointed.

It just kind of floats over her body. They'll never know that. And what we learn is that they don't need to. It's the truth. And see, it's also what makes it quite lonely to walk alone. Walking alone, well, it's a lot of things. But it's never boring. It's never dull, and if you can hang in there long enough, without even noticing the headwind you've been fighting, it becomes a tailwind.

And where we may have felt alone, the idea pops into our heads that maybe that's not quite right. If anything, the wind at our back is now momentum. It's a partner along the way. That carousel, yeah, it's still spinning, but somewhere else. Some far off place beyond our field of vision. And no, things don't ever become easy. We wouldn't want that. But difficulty is interpreted differently now.

Not a burden, but a cost. And one we'd gladly continue to pay. And that space that once felt so empty, so desolate, so helpless. Well, now it's made up of people who see what you see. Who hopped off their own carousels and wandered through the desert, they too navigated through the impossible and the never been done. It's funny how, at some point, we always find each other.

And I suppose now, having traded the carousels for the adventure, we can walk alone together. Us against the world, standing up in defiance of the odds, chasing that glimmer of hope, all in on a pursuit to find what most won't and see what most can't, not because we were made different,

but because we chase down the idea of different. It gets a tough rap. walking alone. And in so many ways it's a fight. It takes all of you. But you don't come out the same person you were when you step in. The same person you'd still be today had you stayed on that carousel. So if you are still spinning, step off. And if you have, if you're still adjusting to the discomfort of reality. If you're making your way through the hell of uncertainty or questioning whether you have what it takes or have the strength to commit, I promise. In fact, you're right where you need to be. So don't be distracted by those screaming

of their successes or communicating, capturing every small win as they make their way around the carousel. It's the quiet ones. who change themselves, the ones who take life one step at a time, one battle at a time, who redefine reality. And I'm sure you can't see it now. No one can.

No one can see the sun amidst the storm, but you'll emerge. Stronger than you ever were. You will navigate towards the ideal and away from that life you once settled for. It's a long path, but it's worth it. So get up and let your feet guide the... Let's go walk alone.

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Restrictions apply. Visit safeway.com for more detail. There are always barbarians at the gate. And I mean this in the sense that the second we give less than our best, the second we let up. It's not just that we allow the important things. to fade. No, we let the outside world infiltrate our existence. In the history of civilizations by Will Durant, he said something that I found incredibly interesting. He's talking about the fall of the Assyrian Empire, and he says barbarism is always around civilization, emit it and beneath it,

ready to engulf it by arms or mass migration or unchecked fertility. Barbarism is like the jungle. It never admits its defeat. It waits patiently to recover the territory it has lost. See, in those civilizations Durant speaks of, they knew they were always living with a threat of an attack by outside forces that oppose it, knowing that calm and quiet wasn't the rule, but the exception to the rule. And in its weakest moments, it crumbles. In fact, Durand says societies are born stoic and they die a peculiarian, right? Created from discipline, but fall apart when people take what they have for granted,

when pleasure and leisure become the standard. It's almost like society is a submarine keeping out the ocean of human nature, constantly putting pressure on it, right? And why does this matter? Well, this is what's interesting. Compare it to this idea that I found in Jim Rohn's collection of lectures, where he's talking about life's concessions. He says even small compromises with regard to your goal matter. Giving in, even a little bit, can be dangerous.

Saying, oh, it's just one time, is a wolf and sheep's clothing. Because it begins the process of the downfall. plants a seed, it cracks the door for those barbarians waiting patiently outside the gate. The ones who know discipline is not guaranteed. Discipline is built, manufactured, it must be protected. It is the exception to the rule, and they are chomping at the bit. Given the slightest opportunity, they will bring it to ashes. And this matters because it's up to you to protect that which is worth protecting.

You ever have one of those days or weeks that are insanely productive or enjoyable and you just think this is great, I need to do more of this, I need to sustain this. And then time goes by, the outside world sneaks in and the prospect of continuing that routine slips away. Crashes. Because parameters were not created. Because you let it slip once. And once doesn't mean you'll pick up where you're not created. you left off. No once is whispering to your subconscious that it's okay to concede. It says, oh, it's all right. I'll stray from my path just for the important things. I'll only

crack the door for the barbarians when I need to. But now you're in an interesting situation. How do you measure when it's important enough to quit or stop or cheat? And trust me, I understand that life is complex. It's not black and white, but the areas we grow the most are the same areas where we leave no room for negotiation. X, Y, or Z is going to happen because it is who you are. In that door, it stays shut to the outside world, the mediocrity telling you your plans don't matter to the barbarians outside looking for any excuse to infiltrate or destroy. And see, the point is not to avoid fun or leisure or the enjoyment of life. No, of course not. What I'm advocating is that we highlight the aspects of life that are non-negotiable,

the things that mean a lot and are therefore subject to the ever-reaching arm of retreat. You don't have to do this, the barbarians will tell you. Once isn't the end of the world, but what life shows us is that greatness isn't one crazy or monumental action. It's keeping the intruders out where they must be restrained, remaining diligent in one's pursuit towards something more. Yes, there are always enemies at the gate, but there is also within you the ability to keep them in check,

to tame them, to differentiate between your world and theirs. And in your life, your world, your empire, you are the gatekeeper. If you're lucky enough to be different, don't let go. I spend a lot of my time and energy exploring the power of perspective. How our reality is determined by how we interpret what's in front of us. How one person can look at one thing and see pain or a problem or a barrier and another person can look at that exact same thing and see opportunity or a future win or a bridge to something better. And I think one of the best examples of this is how we perceive those qualities that

make us unique, those things that put us in a different category. Maybe we're a little hesitant to fully embrace because they're not common. And when it comes to that which separates us from everyone else, well I believe we have a decision to make. I'm going to go back to Robert Frost's fork in the road, right? He says two paths diverts. emerged in a wood, I took the one least traveled by and that made all the difference. On the surface you could easily brush this off as trivial. It's like, oh, nice, that's cute. He took the path less traveled by.

But what does that mean? As it turns out, it means a lot. It means instead of burying what makes him different, he made it his battle cry. of slipping under the radar and sneaking through life like so many of us do, he signed the dotted line for the pain of being a beginner, the struggle of being uncertain, the discipline and sometimes torturous road that is turning a passion into excellent, trading peace of mind for the pursuit of meaning in life. Exploring what makes you unique, it takes courage.

And in that message, he chooses courage. Because it's not just that you're alone. Taking that path means every step of the way, your mind screams at you reminders that you're alone. It's not just fighting traffic patterns, it's fighting your DNA. It's resisting that impulse to please sit down, shut up, and blend in. So is it a trivial decision? I'd say not really.

even the most important decision you can make. Because I promise you it's not your commonality with those around you that will bring fulfillment. That will leave a mark on your life and the world that surrounds you. No, it's that thing that's unequivocally you. That's a little out there, that's somewhat strange, that you don't know why, but it's gravitational force

pulls and pulls and pulls. A tug of war where one side begs you to just relax, conform, do less, begs you to never be laughed at or criticize, to take the easy road. Then you have the other side, poking, prodding, asking you, hey, yeah, but what if? What if you sacrifice the comfort of right now? What if you explored? What if you took that which you love and you ran with it? What if you worked for a delayed payday?

What if for a moment in time when people ask you what the plan is, you have to look back and say, you know what, I'm not quite sure what I'm building. But I'll keep pivoting until it's so clear you can see it from the moon. Those are the paths that pull us apart. And every time I've lost my way, it's because I've doubted my unique path. And I mean that every time. It's when I become impatient with the journey or look around and see someone else winning in a different arena using different methods, different strategies, see the latest trends and success formulas. Hey man, I want part of that, right?

I'm human. I want to win. I want to succeed. But just like a little opening is enough to let in the outside water that sinks the boat. Well, a little bit of doubt is enough to derail your process. a process that you have to believe in, protect, nurture, a process that I've come to separate into two pieces. Number one, believing that the exploration of that thing that makes you unique, it's valuable. That your abilities mean something.

They're not inconsequential. They're not stupid or trivial or unnecessary. If it means something to you, it will most certainly mean something to others. And you bringing it to life not only helps yourself, evolve, grow, flourish, it helps the world. You just have to believe that enough to bring it to life. That's number one. Number two, trusting that as long as you don't stop in pursuit of your unique self, you can't lose. You can't lose.

And I don't mean continuing to ram a square peg into a round hole. I mean growing, learning, experimenting, seeing what works. There's a saying that when you hit a dead end, it's not that the goal or the dream should be abandoned. It means the plan needs to be changed or adjusted. And as you get better and more experience and continually work to work to adjust your strategy and your plans, learn from your mistakes, it becomes a matter of time.

You increase the odds with every step forward. Being different is the most precious thing afforded to you. But to realize that miracle requires a combination of both the mythical and the practical, the imaginary and the real. Dream that dream, visualize that growth, create a world out of those ideas that don't exist yet. But also understand that the conversion process from dream to reality is a practical one. It requires repetition. Learning, losing, adjusting, and people don't like that.

It's much easier to blend in than spend years pushing. through the agony of setting yourself apart. But it's worth it. And the evidence is so obvious, so plainly pointing to the fact that we only celebrate the outcasts, the crazy ones. We sit around campfires, listen to lectures, watch movies and documentaries

about the people that had every reason to doubt themselves but kept moving forward. About the people who could have swept their unique, abilities under the rug, but instead use them as their foundation for everything. Not being distracted by what's popular or how anyone else lives or operates. Not seeking to be anyone but themselves, knowing that that is enough, knowing it's the seed to something precious. The only question is will you provide the right conditions and nourishment for that little

seed to grow. Will you do what so few people have the courage to do? Let their authentic selves shine through. Let who they are emerge. Emerson has a quote. He says, to be yourself in a world that's constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. He goes on to say, my life should be unique. It should be an alms, a back. a conquest, a medicine. And see, perpetual happiness is a fool's errand. Now, life is full of trials and tribulations and ups and downs. But fulfillment comes from that quest for meaning,

for more, for building something, for creating your unique self, a process, a pursuit that must be chiseled from stone. It's never given or provided. It has to be found. Take it. And as Emerson beautifully implies, now is the time. The question is, what are you going to make with this once in a lifetime opportunity?

What will you make of the possibilities that only you know, only you understand, that only you can bring to life? Never doubt yourself, or your gifts, or the things that set you? that set you apart. You don't need everyone else to believe in them. You just need to convince yourself. Everything else it falls right into place. Montesquieu once wrote that we received three educations. One from our parents, one from our schoolmasters, and one from the world. The third contradictions. all that the first two teach us. That thing called life, right?

And the more I think about this, the more I get it. The most important rules are the unwritten rules. The most significant boundaries are the ones we learn to ignore. The greatest tests don't concern what we know, but our ability to move forward when we don't. It's the real world that shows us we only get meaning through sacrifice and discomfort that shows us the homes we lived in

and the classrooms we learned in were meant to block out the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. They were meant to draw a line directly from effort to result and cause to effect, but the line that the real world draws, well, it isn't so straight, at least not all the time.

And it's this third education, that shows us how powerful we truly are. Sometimes I think back to the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, that first year, the writing, the recording, the producing, the editing, the beginnings of a pursuit that I believe to be so important. Looking around and just seeing no result, like none, and thinking, how could this be?

You know, I worked so hard, suffered so much, I put all of me into this. only to realize I had no clue what all of me meant. And what I thought constituted life was really just the tip of an iceberg that extended so far underwater that it would take a lifetime to uncover. The real world upon introduction always starts by showing you how much you don't know. And I look back and I don't really think about the financial concerns,

although they were very real. I don't remember much of the everyday worry and anxiety bouncing around in my head, although it was definitely there. I remember learning one of the greatest lessons I've ever learned that life is hard, but it's supposed to be. And it's not standing in front of you, hands on hips, saying you can't have this. It's extending its hand out, saying, my friend, if you want to be, you want to be. this, it's yours. But understand what that means. Understand that you'll spend a good portion of

your time unsure about your path. That you'll exhaust energy that will a lot of the time go unappreciated. That the easy road is fine, but it caps you way before your best. And if you want to take this on, this road before you, you have to pay a higher price. They can have predictability and peace of mind and comfort, but this path it takes you to purpose and meaning and an evolved self. And you may think you understand what it means to be proud now, but wait until you touch these things. Wait until you look at your reflection knowing that the person staring back at you could have said no time and time again, but didn't. Just wait, my friend, until you feel what that is like.

Your parents and grandparents can't tell you. No book can't explain it for you. It's the curriculum of life, the real world education. Where the tuition is temporary discomfort, and graduation isn't one, but a million little evolutions. It is the stage that's calling your name, the one you're ready for. Whether you know it or not.