Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - NO MATTER HOW HARD IT GETS || Morning Motivation || Wake Up Positive

Episode Date: September 21, 2022

"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up" - anonymous

Life is perspective. So during the good times, find gratitude. And during the difficult times, find the opportunity. When you have the answers, when you know, be proud of your knowledge. And when you don't celebrate all the wisdom to come. When the sun is shining, cherish the warmth on your skin, and when it's not, learn to run in the rain. When you're focused, appreciate the clarity.

And when life feels chaotic, embrace the chance to manufacture order. When people come into your life, value the ride that you'll share. And when they leave, take note of all they gave along. the way. When you win, reflect back on all the hard work that made it possible, and when you lose, take in the lessons that even winning can't provide. When things go as planned, revel in your ability to execute. But when your plans and life's plans diverge, remember that some things are simply outside of your control. And now, this moment, is a chance to identify and utilize the things that are in your control.

Henry David Thoreau, it's not what you look at, it's what you see. So see the world as you'd like it to be. Never turning a blind eye to reality, but realizing how much control you have over making reality your own. We are the builders. The world around us merely provides the components and the components. and the pieces. And if one were to live as though there were value in every moment,

they would inevitably find themselves looking for that value, perhaps even when it was difficult to find, most elusive. When most would hang their heads and walk right by it, I look out my window and see a world that is neither valuable or valueless. I see a blank canvas in which we are tasked with making that decision. Life is a roller coaster ride. It has ups and downs,

the obvious and the unexpected. And while some think nothing of the high points and dwell on the low points, there are an abundance of resources, of beauty, of joy reserved for those who understand how great the highs are and how valuable the lows.

who take what comes, not as walls to live within, but as parts to assemble. Not as antithetical to their hopes and dreams, but as the very foundation they will build those hopes and dreams upon. This world is not for you, just as much as it is entirely yours. It calls for you to be that arbiter. For what you decide will inevitably take. That thing that gives you butterflies, that lights you up, that world you see when you close your eyes,

chase that. With all of your soul, chase it. It's easy to brush off life's potential. It's just out. outside the realm of possibility. To see the ideal is some form of window shopping that you can almost touch. A fantasy to be explored when you sit back in your office chair

or pass time in the doctor's office waiting room. But I think these aspirations mean more than that. Not distractions, but a North Star. Not a diversion, but the path. And by the way, I'm not naive about this pursuit. And all that it entails, the truth behind it, I'd never advocate that what's possible or meant to be is somehow easy. In fact, I'd argue the only way something is meant to be

is if you're willing to commit to the difficulty in bringing it to life. Otherwise, it wasn't meant to be anything but a missed opportunity, because it surely will be a difficult road. And here's what we come to learn. Everything of value is difficult. You know, in an attempt to oversimplify, I often break life down into the easy thing versus the difficult but meaningful thing,

and in some ways, sure, that's true. But I can also honestly say it would have been more difficult for me to have stayed where I was, not moved at all, to not have pursued what I believed in. It would have been more difficult thinking about that life I could have lived, the doors that could have opened. And that's just it. Life is about choosing your difficult. The difficult you seek out intentionally, or the difficult you come and, and let take control, render you helpless.

And I think when we find ourselves in routines, or we've built for ourselves, the world we know we don't want to live in anymore, or we've outgrown, it's not that the current is real and the future is not. It's that we, somewhere along the way, decided to face the wrong opponent. Some adversaries make us strong. They force us to be more to grow.

Other adversaries or opponents, they sit back and they let us defeat ourselves. And that's what we don't want. See, when the world knocks you down, you get to rise again. Wiser, tougher, stronger. But when you keep yourself down, well, there's nothing to be. gained from that. Those two opponents, they are not the same. I referenced my speaking career because for me, it's where that transformation is most evident. It's where it all began. My opponent was very much me. Avoiding opportunities, hiding from failure. I didn't give life a chance

to knock me down. And so it didn't. How could it? I'd already placed my myself in chains. And because of that, guess what? I stayed the same. I couldn't evolve. My ideal future was an idea that would briefly entertain me from time to time and move right on. It wasn't until I found the courage to switch my opponents.

From myself to the world, I let life humble me. I gave talks where I was I was nervous and had cold feet, keynotes where my delivery was mediocre at best, where I barely got by. But with these battles came metaphorical riches, came that trust that had to be manufactured, that confidence that had to be earned. When I got out of my own way, I was able to let the trials and tribulations of life create a new foundation for me to stand on, to redefine,

And the good news is that anyone can do that. Anyone can ask that question. Is something external in my way right now? That I need to figure out, that I need to solve? Or am I in my own way? Am I not even giving myself a shot? Have I settled for right now as truth? When right now is just the less I do.

less ideal difficult. When I was little playing action figures with my buddy up the street, we used to think it was cool to see around corners, to see through walls, to know what was coming before it arrived. For action figures, absolutely. In superhero movies, why not? But in the journey through life, you don't need to see around corners. In fact, it's counterproductive because it is the interaction with the unknown that matters. It's adjusting amidst life's uncertainty that comes to make you who you are, transforms

you and your reality. As far as I'm concerned, the only way to lose is to remain behind that corner. Hearing out every now and then, hoping to get some kind of advantage or shortcut, willing to let life pass you by while you wait for the stars to align, thinking that that vision of an ideal life will stroll along the sidewalk, see you and reach out a hand, that weight will be a long one. Unproductive and difficult, more difficult than trusting yourself to face whatever lurks around that corner.

So remember that who you are, is built and every time you do something a little bit scary or unsettling, every time you wander a step or two outside of your comfort zone, the reward is not just the short-term triumph you feel as you leapfrog that obstacle and carry on. No, you are investing in a new you, a new reality. You're investing in something changing before your very eyes, putting a little marble in a jar that is your potential, and you can't see it. Not now. No one's going to announce it to you.

You might not even realize or understand until you look back years down the road. But those little acts of courage, they matter more than you know. They're not trivial, and they are certainly not insignificant. When that movie plays in your head and you think, to yourself, I wish, or if only. And the delta between that image and the reality on the ground disappoints you, gives you a little knot in your stomach or dissatisfaction that floats around in your thoughts. Remember that that feeling is transferable.

That difficult can be exchanged for one that actually changes things. You can get off the merry-go-round and towards a new North Star. Difficult, yes, but we've seen the goal is not to avoid difficult. It's to pick the difficult that will transform your life. It's to find meaning in a world that if you do not pay attention, will paint your landscape with routine and obligation. And today can certainly be a continuation of that. script, a box that's checked, a calendar square with an X, or it can be the beginning of something

that gives you butterflies, that lights you up, that brings you one step closer to the world you see when you close your eyes. You're not here just to get by to check a box. No, you're here for something different. Maybe it's your desire to chase down that sunrise while the rest of the world sleeps, to embrace the difficult, the inconvenient in exchange for that little bit of glory you'll soon feel as you pour your morning coffee and start your day. Or maybe it's your fascination with the fact that every,

Every time you ask yourself, if there's more, if you have anything left, the answer always seems to be yes, and maybe that's it. That what you're capable of in a world of finitude and constraint and limitation seems to be the only thing with absolutely no bounds. The human soul undergoes a sort of transformation, if you will. Every time we look around at what currently is and decide it will soon be the gateway to something more. And that's life's best kept secret.

The word decide. The idea that we choose whether to accept things as they are or to change them. That we have within us the ability to part push further than we've ever pushed to find what was once only existent in our imaginations. And this will always be true. You get what you seek, what you're willing to endure. And while some see this trade-off as too much as a cost far too expensive, others see it as the chance of a lifetime.

The opportunity to give some of you so that you can grow and improve all of you. See each footstep is far more than a point on the earth. It's a declaration, a commitment to give more than most would give so that you can feel what only a few will feel. So remember that when things seem trivial, when it's easier to to call it a day or turn it around, that the simple act of continuing forward puts you in the minority. It's positioning you to experience life as it should be lived. You're here to both cherish the now and cash it in.

Let the value of your courage compound. Let your resilience remind you just how much control you have and how much control you have and how much is waiting for you. If only you say yes when it hurts, move forward when the path is unclear, believe when the possibility only exists in your head. You're here, because while it may be easier to watch life go by from the cheap seats,

the risk, the sacrifice, is worth being able to look back someday down the road, and know that at least you have the courage to play the game. You're right where you need to be. Sure, you have your doubt. Perhaps you feel tired, alone, fearful. Maybe you're trying to make sense of a world that feels too complex. Or all you see and here are reasons to turn back,

to find shelter, to run. don't, regardless of how hard it seems, don't. You are right where you need to be. Turning thoughts to things, making life from dreams, what makes change so interesting. So powerful yet deceptive is that it comes to us in small doses. Not a tidal wave of transformation, but a slow steady rising tide of progress. No one feels the tug of erosion, yet it chips away. And so do you. Removing piece by piece be old you.

The world you're moving away from, and piece by piece you unveil the promise of your becoming. You may not see the whole picture. You may not understand the whole story, but right now, in real time, it's being told. And you are right where you need to be. We just weren't equipped to understand what that looks like. It's never been what you see that makes you uneasy.

It's what's missing. That's what hurts. The solutions you wanted, the changes you expected, the finish lines you envision. It's the wondering. How long must I wait? Did I make a wrong turn is the joke on me? But it's this line of questioning that causes so many to stop.

Unaware of how close they were, ignorant to the foundation they were standing on. What you need is not a miracle. It's to simply carry on. to keep laying those bricks because not a one is wasted. And sometimes you don't realize you're on the 80th floor until you look down. That climb can be frustrating, exhausting. It isn't always glamorous, but it's necessary. And strength comes from understanding that truth.

You are right where you need to be. where you need to be. The world, it can't take what you refuse to give it and self-belief is non-negotiable. It's off the table, your most prized possession. So hold it tight because it'll be needed when the journey feels long and the road impossible. You'll know that you can always take one step forward

and that is the essence of life, of growth, of progress. Think about the steps, the lessons, this is the lessons, the self-discovery that led you to this intersection of now and forever. This beginning of whatever you decide comes next. You are right where you need to be because you are armed with the decisions that brought you to today and the courage to let them carry you into tomorrow. You could be anywhere, but you're here.

And as you strap up and settle in, you'll see that right here, is everything can life change in a day well what if we made today a day of action of being decisive of promising ourselves that our goal or objective is to make a single move however small what if today action is king and we live by the notion that whether the results of our courage is good or bad Whether it's the result we hoped for, the one that we didn't, at least now we have something to work off of.

And that means we've moved beyond where we started. What if today we live by the notion that a vision can change our lives? But a vision without that small step is powerless. And today we take that small step. It's easy to forget how good progress feels. How incredible it is to know that we're moving towards something meaningful in our lives. Something that we chose that we're building. We had the courage to break life down so that piece by piece we could build it back up.

We are our happiest when we are progressing. We're designed to map out the unknown, unexplored territory to make it our own. We're not just flesh and bone, but travelers with godlike capability of seeing that which is not yet there. And with an idea and courage, there's nothing we can't do. And that's why when we stop seeing infinite opportunity, when we protect, We pretend that settling is okay, that the status quo is enough. We know deep down in our souls that something's missing. We need the next door to unlock.

So today, let's find just one door that we can open. It reminds yourself of the shock wave that goes through your system when inspiration guides an idea and progress turns that idea. that idea into reality because momentum connects every aspect of life. Not hitting the snooze button can mean seeing the sunrise, which can mean you read three pages in a book you wouldn't have read, which could mean your day improves, which could mean you make a call that you've been meaning to make,

which could mean a dozen wheels start turning, not because you did everything, but because you did one. Today can be the day that changes your life. And you don't even need the miraculous to make that happen. You just need to push back against the normalcy of your everyday. Create little microcosms of chaos that you can tame, you can understand, make your own, and then stack on top of each other. Today, treat that little voice of uneasiness or nervousness in your stomach as assurance

that the path before you is the right one. Remember that almost all decisions are reversible, but that a decision at least puts you somewhere right or wrong. It moves you along and shows you more of life, the things, the people, the places you've never seen before. And the only bad decision is no decision. Some folks never moved towards meaning, towards the things that they want in, well, their entire lifetime. Because they didn't realize it wasn't an earthquake they needed to shake the old world at its foundation. They needed to make one decision.

One decision that might be wrong, but at the very least would reassure them that wrong decisions aren't fatal. A decision allows you to remap a new reality and take another step and another and another. You can change your life today by picking your arena and simply stepping into it. You don't need to be the best or the greatest or the most innovative. No, that's for another day. Today, if you want to change your life, open the door. and step in. You'll be amazed at what transpires. There's a point for everybody

where, you know, life tells you directly or indirectly that it's time to level up, right? And I think that's a good thing. You know, life is a staircase where, you know, the climb to that next step is uncomfortable. But then you get there and things sort of normalize. And you know in your soul, It's time to take that next step, right?

Step up again. And that step is going to be just as uncomfortable as one before. It's going to be different. It's going to be bigger. You'll have evolved. But change is always uncomfortable. And that's just the way it works. And I want to share with you something that a friend of mine, Evan, told me.

And it helped me see that process differently. He was talking to me specifically in terms of, of being in front of a camera, which will make sense when you hear the metaphor, but I think it's applicable to, you know, everything. Any situation, you know, I was talking about that need, that feeling, that want to take the next step and a very basic question, you know, what do you want to do? And I wasn't exactly sure how I saw things evolving, right? And so the metaphor was, well, you've been Mickey Mouse for so long that you've been sort of neglecting the Walt Disney side of things.

And maybe that's intentional. Maybe that's how it should be. Maybe someone else should be Walt Disney. Maybe you should be Walt Disney and Mickey less. Like however you want to, you know, you can bend that and reshape it a million ways. But the idea was, you know, when you are so focused on being in front of a camera, telling your story, writing, creating. Sometimes you lose sight of where the ship is going. And I just thought that was such a powerful metaphor.

If it makes you think, and I've spent weeks thinking about it, it's the right message. It's what you need to hear. And I've been talking to people who are doing things that have nothing to do with speaking or content creation, anything like that. And when they talk about their situation, It's funny, I find myself relaying the same message because it's like, you know, you are so in the weeds of your day-to-day doing things that, you know, are important, but they're smaller details. They're more technical things. They're more day-to-day operational things that you don't know where that metaphorical ship is sailing. And it's because you haven't been able to step back and really think about.

it. You know, really assess where you're going and why and why it matters to you. And so one of the answers that I've found, well, it's a two-part answer. It's finding a way, and this is not rocket science, but it's sort of step one, to take the smaller things and get them off of your plate. but the other thing is to make intentional time to just think, to really reflect on life and where you're going and understand, like really try to deeply understand where you are now, where you want to be, and how you can bridge that. You know, that's a powerful thing to be able to comprehend.

And it's very easy. When I talk about this, the thing that drives me crazy is it feels so obvious and feels so intuitive. I could have spent another two years neglecting that. You just get so caught up doing what you do in the day to day, right? Falling behind, catching up, you know, managing the pieces, moving the widgets around, trying to stay afloat, that you don't have time to ask a big picture question. And so that's what this is all about.

It's are you so busy being? Mickey Mouse in your life, that the Walt Disney side of things is being neglected. Need some love. Need some vision and some understanding. And if that's the case, beautiful. Because now you're thinking about it. Now the wheels are in motion. And, you know, you can point that ship where you need it to go. If life is truly what we make it. And what we make it depends on the answers. We've, we've find along the way, then one might be left to wonder as they make their way through the world, the ups, downs, the highs and the lows. Am I asking the right questions? Like not how many steps are left, but how do I make this step count? And maybe it's not about what's over my shoulder, but the road

road untraveled. Perhaps the question isn't the whys, but the why not. Not how do I get around the obstacle, but how do I push through it? Not how do I avoid the unknown, but how do I make it mine? See, there is a one-to-one correlation between the questions you ask and the answers you get. Every competitor knows asking, can I get there? And asking how quickly can I get there will put you in far different places when the day ends. It's been said that it's not what's in front of you, but what you see. It's not the materials but what you build with them.

It's not what happens, but what you do about what happens. So when the road is long, when you want to stop, When the mere idea of carrying forward seems like a burden, here's to those who have no interest in asking why, because they're too busy chasing down. Why not? They say heavy is the head that wears the crown. That with the ability to influence comes a burden,

a worry not felt by the masses. that power like anything has its costs. And I don't disagree. But I can't help wondering what value lies in the alternative. See, today is my empire. Each action, my subject, I rule this kingdom with an iron fist because it is mine. Because I will not let my life be dictated

by foreign aggressors. Not because of the crown on my head, but because of the life that I lead. Because when you govern your own beliefs and expectations, you bow to no man. My thoughts are loyal. My decisions comprise the greatest army this world has ever seen. And unless I say otherwise, it will conquer to the ends of the earth. My world is simple. Rule or be ruled, do or wish, act or hope.

It's always easier to be the subject, to be directed, to take orders, to complain about the decisions made up, the chain of command, but easy will never change your life, will it? Heavy is the head that wears the crown because to have control is to take on risk. It's dangerous, it's vulnerable, It's vulnerable, but you'd be hard pressed to find another soul who didn't want to be king or queen, who didn't envy the crown.

It wasn't a matter of desire, it was a matter of courage. And when it came down to it, when things gravitated outside of their comfort zone, they simply cowered. Everyone has a crown at their feet. Everyone. The question is will you pick it up? No decision is more consequential than the decision to take control. To rule over your life, the universe does not control you, it empowers you. Too many people complain about being locked inside a room of limitation when they have a key in one hand and a map in the other.

No one can make you take the first step. take the first step. No one can push you out the door. Potential is never guaranteed to materialize. Royalty must decide to rule. To differentiate themselves from everything else, from the excuses, the difficulty, and the odds. Rain over your life. Conquerable. Be brave enough to wear that crown the possibilities always outweigh the risk life is built by quiet believers those who see what is not and transform all that is who poke holes in truth and embrace the absurd the ones who dream while awake and cherish every. See, for the quiet believers, it's not about talking.

There's nothing to really talk about. Words are just noise. It's footsteps that inspire. It is the journey that tells the story. And what quiet believers understand is the subtle line that separates truth and perception. They get that dancing to a beat means sometimes you dance alone. And as Nietzsche points out, sometimes they're even thought to be crazy by those who can't hear the music. In this life, no one comes up, places a hand on your shoulder and pronounces that your future is great.

No one looks you in the eyes and says they can see the life you'll be. money you'll make or shape you'll be in. No, that doesn't happen until the next life. The one you've yet to create. So patience. Patience, quiet believer, the abstract is just as real as the hand in front of your face. Just with a little more road to travel.

The sun is as real at night as it is when it rises. Things are simply not always what they see. The impossible, the unimaginable, their stories, stories that need to be transcribed from one's mind to the paper in front of them. They need a delivery mechanism and quiet believers. They quietly scream with a megaphone so loud the world can't help but listen, And because ready or not, it will be shaped and reshaped again. Every moment is a new beginning.

They are the wizards that flew around in a young author's head before she courageously shared the magic. The feeling of that game-winning shot, making its way through the basket after school in a North Carolina driveway. An entrepreneur starting a bookstore in his garage. but seeing not books, but accessibility, time a better way. See, the truth about life is some created and some merely react to it. And while you, you hold the pen.

So dream away, quiet believer. Because you have a world to construct. Mountains to climb. Oceans to cross and stories to tell. Quiet believer, today is yours. And those changes they'll propel you. The naysayers will inspire you, the stars they will guide you. Shining bright is a reminder that you are made

of the very elements lighting your path. You are an architect. Not talking or explaining or but simply showing, leading, earning respect from yourself, attention from the masses, and a place in history. Because quiet believer, looking back, if you found the courage to change even one thing, every sec will have been worth the fight. Your existence is derived from how you choose to look at the world around you. Your outlook is either creating you or destroying you. And we have to be cognizant of the reasons, the explanations, the stories we tell ourselves.

We have to be aware of how we rationalize everyday occurrences. We have to ask, am I seeking out solutions to the right problems? What's the root cause? What's the actual reason? And we all find ourselves in ruts from time to time, right? We all have low points. For me, when I'm struggling, it's usually creatively. Drawing a blank or writer's block or whatever the case is.

And it's funny, my mind always goes right to the external excuses. Instinctually, I start to think, well, maybe I don't have the right technology. Maybe I'm not in the right place. Maybe the right circumstances aren't occurring. But when I force myself to step back, right, and dig deeper and really ask myself, What's the reason? Which is sometimes an uncomfortable thing to ask. I always come to the same conclusion.

It's not the camera in my hands or the recording software or the mic. It's simply the temporary disappearance of self-belief. Temporarily, I forget that I can make magic, that I can change the world with what I have right now. And so can you. That is the actual reason. But I have to peel back the surface. Because the truth is, if you don't have a good story to tell a $10,000 camera is not going to help you.

You got to learn what captivates, what inspires, learn how to articulate your thoughts and ideas, learn how to bring what's in your mind to life. See, people want to put band-aids on bullet wounds, and that's not going to fix a thing. An interesting thing people come to me with. You know, they're building brands, creating social platforms, building businesses online, which is great because it means exposure. but it also means you're susceptible to negativity and criticism and haters. And how particularly initially it's emotionally taxing, seeing that stuff, right?

Seeing people criticize your creativity. And they come to resent the comments. They come to resent that interaction. But again, I always go to what is the reason? And I ask because if you don't go deep, if you don't find the root cause, you don't fix a problem. The problem is not the 53 year old in his mother's basement trashing your work or your ability. He has nothing to do with this.

The problem, when you're really honest, is confidence. It's the ability to understand that a life of no risk or criticism is a life of very little reward. And with that realization, the solution changes. It's not what can I do to avoid the criticism. It's how can I stay true to myself and have that be enough, where I can rise up? above shatter, where I can be indifferent to naysayers because look, expectations don't matter. What matters is your happiness. What matters is your progress.

So fix that. You know, we spend a lot of time adjusting our sails, worried about catching the right breeze, getting the logistics right, when there's a hole in the center of the boat that's taking in water. Let's find out where that is. Let's fix that. Figure out what the actual area of the area. of improvement is what's the actual reason for not being where you want to be? And sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's humbling, but guess what? It creates the long-term solution. Last year was one of the most challenging of my life. Spread very thin, trying to do a lot,

write speeches, give keynotes, capture video, create music, make marketing content to the point where I just felt lost for a while. And an easy escape, right? The way I rationalized it was, Well, you feel like this just because you're doing too much, right? It's a great thing. You're ambitious. No, that's a mask. When I became vulnerable, when I asked myself the difficult question, when I humbled myself, dug deeper, realized that maybe you're not doing the right thing.

Maybe you're doing more of what you already know because recreating yourself is absolutely terrifying. Because you need to take that next step and subconsciously you don't want. You're scared to. Now I know what to address. Reasons help shape answers. It's not more and more and more of what's been done, but it's reshaping your life. Not once or twice or three times, but constantly.

That creates bigger targets. That changes things. You know, always dive deeper than the surface level. Because usually your problems are not not the world's around you. It's not what you don't have. It's not externalities holding you back. It's a refusal to look yourself in the mirror

and ask difficult questions. You are not a victim. You are equipped with every single thing you need. You just need to zero in on your actual inhibitors and eliminate them one by one. I've always said success is three steps. It's recognizing there's better out there, recognizing you're worthy of pursuing it

and taking the leap. So what's keeping you from leaping? What's keeping you grounded? It's not money, it's not tech, it's not where you started, it's your mindset. So change how you see the world around you. Some build, others tear down. Some take risks, others critique the risk takers. Some pursue the infinite, others settle for a life of limitations.

Some make change, others complain that things are no longer the same. Some help people grow, others think that your loss is their gain. Some learn from misfortune, others become held down by it. Some turn fear and opportunity, others avoid the unknown. Some never stop learning. Others think they have all the answers. Some do, others talk. Some give, others take.

Some live, others wish. Some see an opportunity, others see an obligation. Some work toward the possibility of excellence. Others run from the possibility of defeat. Some fall and get back up. others stay where they are so that they never have to worry about leaving their feet. Some embrace the elements, others take shelter, some search, seek and discover, others wait to be. Some perform, others watch.

Some persist, others stop. Some make the most of every single day. And others watch those very same days go by. Go by. So which one are you? What will you create with the pieces presented to you? Not tomorrow or the next day, but right now and every second moving forward. Will you build or tear down? Take the easy road or the road less travel. When all is said and done and you've come to the end of your story, what will it say? So you're stepping onto a rocket ship, leaving planet Earth, and you have one message to give to the world before you take off. What is it? For me, it's an easy one.

It's that life is not as serious as we make it out to be. It's the most important thing I've learned. And perhaps the simplicity of that message might make people a little uneasy or take them by surprise, right? How exactly is it helpful? Well, I'll explain. Waking up every day is not an obligation or requirement. It's not another test or make or break audition to impress those around you.

It's a gift. It's a challenge. It's something to be explored. If the odds of being alive, living, breathing, are one in 400 trillion, you've won. You have, as you sit or stand right now already done the murray. So why not cash in? Why not live? Push boundaries.

To live scared. To play safe or do nothing with your life is like winning the lottery and keeping that bag full of cash under your bed for the rest of your life because you're scared of what could happen to it. It defeats the purpose entirely. And I'm not exaggerating. This mentality has changed my life. If I lose, who cares? If people laugh, who cares?

Who cares? But I have to swallow my pride and be broke for a few years. Who cares? If I'm the unsure one, the one who doesn't know what the immediate future looks like, fine. Who cares? I'll take the upside. I'll take the fun, the hard work, and the adventure. I talk about this all the time.

I'll never forget. Walking into this bar with my friends six years ago now, I just left my job. I didn't I remember I'm talking to this girl at the bar. Storytime here. and she asks me what I do for a living, right? Because of course she does. And, you know, I tell her I just left my job. I got this really cool idea for a YouTube channel.

I think it's gonna be incredible, and I'll never forget how fast that convos shut down. Right, blink, and she'd walked away. And I thought, you know what, this is perfect. I'm gonna remember this probably for the rest of my life. Why? Because it's a symbol. It's a sign that the immediate is what stops us from the best things down the road.

Leaving my job, as hard as that maybe, one or two year stretch was, was the best thing I've ever done. I am living exponentially better than I was before I had the courage to make that move. See, if life is about not screwing up, then yes. I'm still in that cubicle getting yelled at for including too much color in my PowerPoint presentations. But that's not what life is. Life is opportunity. Not hiding so that you don't lose.

No, it's about making something where you are with what you have. And my friends, there is so much out there. There is a win on the other side of every door you walk through, even when it's hard to see. Right now, this is a perfect time to be talking about this. A little crazy coronavirus has people being quarantined, everyone freaking out. Guys, take a step back and find the opportunity. I just read the other day, Shakespeare wrote King Lair when he was being quarantined because of the plague. There is always a win.

Use the time, find solutions. Maybe you've always wanted to start a business. Great, take a small step, create the business page on Facebook, do something small, get the ball rolling. See, when life is a game, you're finding ways to win. Why do all these entrepreneurs talk about the hardship they've encountered before they found success? Because they knew that losses wouldn't define them. But in life, just like in a game, you win and you lose. But what happens is through repetition,

you get better and better and the winds start accumulating, becoming more substantial and consistent. See, most decisions, and let's say worst case scenario, you take the leap and things implode. Let's just be dramatic for a second. Everything goes wrong. Loss, loss, loss, loss. The reality is 99% of your decisions, they're reversible. If you don't get the intended result, you can backpedal and adjust. You know what's irreversible, though?

Inaction. You know what you can't improve upon? Steps you've never taken. You can't be propelled by dreams that are hanging out in your head. Living scared is looking at yourself in the mirror and saying, I hope nothing goes wrong today. Living fully is looking in the mirror and saying, I'm going to make something significant today.

I'm going to take risks. I'm going to find solutions. I'm going to propel myself forward. So that, as I make my way onto this, rocket ship would be my message. Stop playing to avoid losing and start playing to win. Life is not serious. It's not a standardized test.

It's a blank page waiting for a story. And stories are written by the bold, the risk takers, the ones who stop wishing and go out and make things happen. Wrong actions can be corrected, improved upon. But life through a lens of scarcity is a sealed fate. So how about living like this is the only life you have? Like each day is a metaphorical currency that you can't take with you to your grave. It must be spent, it must be cherished, and utilized fully.

So here's to not only dreaming, but finding the courage to delve headfirst into a journey so great that no stone is left unturned. No day is without the magic of your creation. Because if life is serious, it is a serious opportunity to live fully. And nothing less.