Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - THIS ADVICE WILL LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS | Best Motivational Speeches

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

A compilation of powerful wisdom for anyone ready to step into their potential. We open with a message about walking into every room like you were sent; trusting yourself, owning your identity, and carrying unshakable confidence in your convictions.Each segment builds on that theme, reminding you that belief isn’t optional, it’s the foundation for everything you’re about to create.More from Eddie Pinero:Wear the mindset - agns.lifestyleMonday Motivation Newsletter: https://www.eddiepinero.com/newsletterYour World Within Podcast: https://yourworldwithin.libsyn.com/Stream these tracks on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2BLf6pBInstagram - @your_world_within and @IamEddiePineroTikTok - your_world_withinFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/YourworldwithinTwitter - https://www.twitter.com/IamEddiePineroBusiness Inquiries - http://www.yourworldwithin.com/contact#liveinspired #yourworldwithin #motivation

So I wake up, my feet hit the ground, I get out of bed, walk into the bathroom, turn on the sink. I look up, you stare at the reflection in the mirror. It's time to rise, the voice says. I stop, I think about it for a second. The reflection continues to speak, so I listen. It says, Eddie, life has placed some obstacles before you. Some valleys. Some of it was your doing.

Some of it's just life. But all of it is yours now. We get in life what we allow. And pain, the internal turmoil, that's a sign that you may just be letting the wrong things live alongside you. The wrong thoughts, actions, ideas, stories, people in places. That reflection he continued to share. So I listened. Eddie, here are some reminders. Take note. One, time is the most valuable currency you have, period. Bar none. Be more

methodical about how you use it. This is not new, but rather a recalibration. That little thing in your pocket, that phone, that portal. Yes, the same one you use to share, conduct business, get your thoughts out into the world, the same one that's changed your life, it's also crushing you.

If you don't reel in your time on that little device, the consumption, the mindless scrolling, the time that you do have, you'll be fighting for mere adequacy. Shut it off, go reread, Cal Newport's deep work. Re-read Relentless by Tim Grover.

Remind yourself what greatness truly requires, the concentration, the focus, the effort. Go. Remind yourself. Number two. There are seasons of life. There are times to sprint and there are times to pace yourself. Times to explore and times to plant a stake in the ground. times to tear down and times to build up.

Don't define yourself by the season you are in. You just walked away from a lot. You in many ways are restarting. You, as the saying goes, step back to leap forward. And now you're here. So remember, you are not the struggles of the past month or two months. You are where you go from here. You are your very next step.

you are all of the opportunity. Number three, ambitious people tend to look forward. Often, they live in that gap between where they are and where they want to be. Sometimes they only see the road ahead, and this can be good because it's a motivator, contributes to one's growth and mastery of a craft, that competition in the soul,

that mastery of self that pushes one forward. But it can, if left unchecked, Be just as dangerous as it is valuable. Look over your shoulder. Remind yourself how far you've come. Compare yourself to that. Compare yourself to eight years ago and how bad you wanted to be where you are now.

See what happens when that's the focal pole. Number four, when you're frustrated about an outcome or how far you have to go, Remember, you're never as far away as you think. It's about reworking the minor details. No wheels need to be reinvented here. Breathe. Collect yourself.

Ask yourself which dots need to be connecting. Because you're closer than you think to recapturing momentum. You're always an arm's reach away from that light switch that will illuminate the path you need. Just reach out and find it. Number five, simplicity. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. Stop making the simple things complex. You'll find yourself pulling your hair out

about problems that are tangential at best to what really matters. The right things are simple. A happy, healthy, effective life is minimalist. Protecting. Preserve it. Keep the complexity out. Remove the clutter in your environment. Clutter in your thoughts. Revert back to what's simple because there, everything of value will emerge.

And number six, it can be right, but wrong for you. That means, in your case, it's wrong in totality. Look, there will always be available off-ramps. There will always be he did this and it worked. She did that and it worked. Stay true to you, in your world, your North Star. Even the people trying to help you, right? They can only advise on what they know.

Their experience, their experience is not yours. This is the evolution of insanity. It calls for one to be crazy until they are quote-unquote experts, to be lost until they are found. And if you avoid pointing to other people for the answers and find the courage to carve out your own path, eventually people will point to you for the answers. And number seven, as a friend of mine once said,

walk into every room like God sent you. You are there for a reason. You have something to offer, something to give, something precious. The world won't know that until you know that, until you live and breathe that, until you operate with conviction. Give yourself the respect you hope to be granted by other people. The reflection pauses.

One more time looks at me through the mirror and says, it's time to rise. Life has given you some obstacles. It's placed some valleys before you. Some of those were dictated by life. Some of them are your fault, but they are all, all of it. Every single piece, yours now. We get in life what we allow.

And pain, the internal turmoil, that's a sign that you may just be allowing the wrong things to exist alongside. The wrong thoughts, actions, ideas, stories, people, and places. So Eddie, I hope those reminders provided some clarity. I hope they reminded you who you. are and that you already have what you need. It's time to rise. So go. Hey gang, Eddie here.

So I've been building something alongside your world within. It's called AGMS, always grateful, never satisfied. If you've been listening to the podcast, you know exactly what that's referring to. That duality of appreciating the present moment, but also not being afraid to ask the world for more, for diving full. into your potential and I'd love for you to be a part of this journey as we build and build and build I have a free newsletter a GNS newsletter.com where you'll get daily motivation monthly challenges as well as updates on all the exciting things we have coming around the corner so if you're so inclined and you'd like to be part of this journey I'd be honored

for you to sign up link will be below look forward to seeing you there I was taking a walk a few days ago, and was listening to an audio book called 10X is easier than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy. And this is a book essentially about how exponential growth requires a reframing. A change to the way we think about ourselves and the journeys that we're on. And in it, Sullivan states, and I'm paraphrasing, the things that brought you to the current moment will keep you there. Powerful. In a lens through which I hadn't really looked at my personal growth or journey before, I've

always thought of progress as a stacking of repeatable habits over and over again. And while this may not be wrong, Sullivan and Hardy make a pretty effective argument that it's only part of this story. See, if you show up and you do the exact same thing every day, you'll get growth, no doubt, but it will be linear in nature. Exponential growth requires instances of self-recreation, of evolution as we make our way forward. It's a continuous pushing aside of things we don't need to be doing and a simultaneous deep dive into the things that bring us the most return. They use the example of the famous Michelangelo, who was known for his painting.

And then some time goes by and he produces a 17-foot statue of David. And then he pivots again, as he's commissioned by Pope Julius II, to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and then moves on to direct even larger project. And each example here is a 10x evolution. Certainly not a road that could have been mapped out from day one. How would he ever have known? But it's a series of sometimes even lateral moves.

Instances of following your intuition, your strength, doing what felt right, instances of breaking down and building back up the self. Same foundation of talent and skill, same general competency. But he continuously stacked new and enhanced versions of himself on top of one another. Sometimes reminders hit you exactly when you need to hear them. You know, personally, I loved everything about this message. The idea that there should be more emphasis and courage, for that matter, on one's 10-X trajectory, multiplying my strengths,

on taking the value I bring to the world and putting it through some stressors, seeing what comes out the other side. Because the danger in playing it's safe, which the second we stop being intentional about things is ultimately what we tend to do, it's that you don't experience that transformation. It was not safe, using the same metaphor for Michelangelo, a painter, to create David. The safe thing would have been to keep doing the same thing every day. But you have to trust your skill, your heart,

your intuition. There's immense value in all of us understanding that and to some degree emulating it. There's value in all of us finding our David. Stepping into that, which is a little unclear, makes us a little nervous, but at the same time allows us to take the skills and talent to parts of us that are most meaningful and inject them into the world in a bigger way, which would never have been possible had we stayed the same. The things that brought you to the current moment will keep you there. Well, here's defining your 20%, that which matters and using it as the template with which you paint.

Not getting so stuck in the routine that you forget, the routine is a means, not an end. You have the ability in your own unique way to change. change the world around you. The question is, do you have the courage to reach for it? No, is the most dangerous word in your vocabulary. Because while it's a symbol for hope, it can just as easily be the reason that your dreams remain little images in your head. Tomorrow diminishes the significance of the air that you're breathing right now. It tells you that someday you can begin your journey,

and that you can just wait and make yourself comfortable until then. Tomorrow masks itself as an escape. For those held down by fear, those resistant to change, it encouraged you to be content where you are, stating that you have your whole life to get where you want to be. And for some, tomorrow lasts forever. It evolves into regret into immobility, into an excuse to never really do what you were meant to do.

Tomorrow can be worse than failing, because often it implies that there was never a beginning, there was just a vision, just an idea being put off for a better time that never came. There will never be a moment in your life more precious than the one you're living in. Your heart beating in your chest, the air in your lungs, the blood in your veins. They're giving you an opportunity to make a change, to become who you want to become, to live, to inspire, to achieve. Who really knows how many tomorrows you'll get? And the last thing you want is to look back on your life thousands of days from now and wish you had the courage to do what you wanted to do.

To wish that you understood how fast tomorrow's come and go. And that all you will ever have is the present moment. Every journey starts with a step. That courageous act of moving forward, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Only knowing that you'll be further along then than you are now. That you'll be stronger, wiser, smarter. Because you didn't wait for tomorrow. You didn't wait for anything.

And that is the difference between I am and I wish I was. It is the difference between dreaming and truly living. You can only exist within the walls you've placed around yourself. So question. Where have you placed them? Think of the concept. You can only hit targets that you can only hit targets that you're. you aim for and expand it out because my point here is you can only exist in the plane that you have

deemed to be real for you that you have decided is reality and if we think about that just on a common sense basis it's it's pretty apparent right people don't do things that stretch beyond their perceived identity if i don't think i'm capable of accumulating wealth for example i'm I'm simply not going to do the things or take the necessary steps required to accumulate wealth. Why would I? If I don't think I can help or add value to others, I'm not going to do things in an attempt to help or add value to others. Using that example, that stuff would exist on the other side of those walls I've placed around myself.

That's why deciding what those targets are is so important. Deciding what's real matters. Because if you set the scope too small, if your reality is void of all possibility and imagination, even if you win, you've conceded too much. The premise you've been basing your entire existence and your decisions on is so limited that you can win there and still lose overall, still leave everything on the table.

And there's, you know, a ton of examples. of this you know I commonly hear people refer to it with their work I'm not crazy about what I'm doing but how do I fix it how do I learn to like this job how do I exceed expectations in my role how do I get a promotion so that I can bring in more income all all valid questions certainly valuable questions if it's where you should be and I can tell you I remember asking those same questions to myself and the conclusion I finally came to was know what you need exists on the other side of those walls in this part of your life

it's critical that you move beyond those parameters that's not what lights a fire in everyone but it's what lit a fire in me i was asking the wrong questions right was go over there and start your own business, start your own journey, start sharing the things you want to share. So what Alex Hermosso refers to is playing a different game altogether. And it's kind of a weird concept to grasp. You know, that you can win the game you're playing and still end up losing.

You know, because you never thought to look for more. You never ventured to peer out over what was directly in front of you. This is a matter of self-reflection at its finest. because you'd never see those walls unless you really took the time to think about it, to be alone with yourself and ask those questions. It's the fun what ifs. What if I stopped doing those things I don't like and started doing what I love? What if I didn't accept this as what I have to do?

And instead took a different path altogether. What if I was capable of playing a different game? And what we find is that we're capable of some pretty incredible transformations. We're capable of taking what matters out of a less than an ideal environment and recreating it somewhere that is ideal, that is conducive to our success in our growth and our evolution and our contentment. Instead of conceding so much and asking so few questions, Why accept those limitations?

So again, I ask, where have you built your walls and why? And what if you push them back? Like lines in the sand meant to be redrawn? See, perhaps the income coming in is a direct result of you feeling like, hey, that's just what I make. Perhaps your fitness level is the result of you thinking, that's just how I am. Perhaps your friends and the people you surround yourself with are a result of you saying,

it's just who I know. But there comes a point when new targets must be set and new lines drawn. At least if any type of evolution is going to. You don't have to perpetually navigate the revenue streams, fitness levels, and friend groups you have now. You can play a different game. Again, it's not always asking, how do I live within these walls, exist within these circumstances? Sometimes the question is, how do I step into a new arena entirely? Perhaps the most important mental shift completely changed my life is this.

Stop looking for answers and become the answer. So before I unpack this, I want to give you a little context. I, over the last 10 years, have lived in a few places. I've lived in Boston. I've lived in South Florida. Love them both. Currently, last year, I moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, and you follow your intuition. Sometimes you just get it right.

Like, I love this place. I love the weather. I love the hiking. And I think most importantly, the people, the community, the network, the friends I already have. I mean, it's just a beautiful place. Everyone's warm, welcoming. It's very transient, right?

So it's not very clicky. It feels like people are just accepting and always trying to meet new folks. And it's just, it's awesome. With that, it would have found interesting is there is a culture of, like, pop-up networking events. And I separated a little bit. from like, you know, some groups that I'm involved in with the same people where we're meeting regularly, you know, once a month or whatever. But there are just sort of an, there's an influx of, like, there's a networking event here, everyone come, networking event here, everybody come.

And it's, it's kind of sporadic. There was one that happened in a conference room below where I live, right? Same building. I had some friends there. So I thought, you know what? I'll go down. and some incredible people doing some incredible things. And one of the conversations that was being had or the message that was being expressed was essentially this. It was you're one handshake away from your life changing. You're one relationship away from your business taking off.

That thing you need just might be the accountant or videographer or editor sitting. in this room, right? Which on the surface, sure, why not? You always benefit from having talented people in your life, from having killers on your team and great, you know, working relationships, absolutely. But I couldn't help but think that that idea could be deceptive, that in a way it's missing the mark, because I'm looking around the room, myself included, by the way, and I'm thinking, I bet every single person in this room, that's not. Every single person in this room, room would be better off if they took these four hours, right, the two, two and a half to be in the

room and then I'm sure, you know, people had to drive to the meeting room. So let's just say a full evening. They'd be better off if they took that, went home by themselves, asked themselves, how can I be better and worked on being the one percent at what they do? And the reason I think that's so important is because I want to say societally, but I just think perhaps it's just an algorithm thing online, the content were pushed, the stories were told. It's outsourcing value. So it's, here's how you get rich online. Here's how you have an amazing network of people that will change your life. When in reality, all of those things are lagging indicators, meaning they come secondary. And they come secondary to becoming more valuable.

When you ask yourself consistently, how can I be better at what I do? How can I be the 1% of what I do? How can I be so exceptional? Or as the quote says, so good, people can't ignore you. All those things come. When you're a killer at what you do,

people with talent want to be a part of it. You get calls and emails. You get DMs. Because you're adding value. When you're adding value in a meaningful way, you're making money because you're contributing to a marketplace. It seems so obvious that we forget. You know, and I'm certainly not saying I am the 1% of what I do,

but I can tell you I'm locked in on that. And I understand that. And there are hours spent in this very room every day writing and speaking so that I can become closer to that. because I know when you have achieved that in your world, all that other stuff accompanies it. Period. So don't interpret this as networking bad.

Money, bad, right? Of course not. But they're secondary. They're lagging. If you focus on how do I become exceptional, what do I do every day that makes me different, stand out, that makes me great, you're positioning yourself to go to the moon.

You're positioning yourself to have all these other things. The network should supplement the greatness. Just don't forget to work on the greatness, right? Life changes when you stop looking for answers and become the answer. As many of you know, the great Charlie Munger recently passed away. And a friend of mine sent me a video

of his most powerful quotes, sound bites. And as I was listening, one stood out to me that I really wanted to share. Charlie Munger said that the acquisition of knowledge is a moral duty. Basically, it's our responsibility to capitalize on the opportunity presented to each and every one of us. We owe that to ourselves, and we owe that to the world. And it just so happened that this particular message was saying,

during a commencement address, talking to an audience of students who weren't ending, but rather were beginning the greatest undertaking of their lives. They'd be released beyond the confines of the campus to go navigate the world. I remember being in that position, right, asking myself the question, well, what do I do now? It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and actually, beyond that point, I've found myself at that crucial. crossroads many a times. But being that there are really no right answers in life, I find Charlie Munger's advice here even more meaningful. Because it's not about what you're supposed to do, at least not when we zoom out. It's about a willingness to step forward and continuously pursue

knowledge, your personal evolution. It's to try things you've never tried. It's to try things you've never so that you can learn from them. It's going where you've never gone so that you can stretch beyond the boundaries you previously existed in. You owe it to yourself and the world to find what you love and shake that tree

until all its fruit is gone. And that's an adventure. Not a right or wrong question. Life is not a checklist. It is one great. journey, a journey in which we acquire knowledge we never had and become the people we knew we could be. It's a moral duty not to get it right, because again there is no right.

It's a moral duty because you have it within you to change things, to make an impact, to better the people around you. It's a moral duty because you will be. a difference maker in whatever arena you choose to step into. And just imagine forfeiting that. Imagine the greatness that would be wasted. If you looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, I don't know what that future looks like, so I'll stay here.

I don't understand, so I won't go. I'm not where I want to be right now. So, hey, this is where we'll close the book. See, endings are just beginnings in disguise. Because they set you free to start writing a new chapter. To adjust and reimagine the impact that you can have on the world. Those students, the ones that Charlie Munger was talking to, they aren't done learning.

They're merely at an inflection point. And by the way, I think that's why it's so painful to feel stuck to feel lost. Because our souls want growth, but don't know where to go. We feel confined because the target is uncertain, but I can tell you this. Sometimes knowing that the current chapter is over

is enough, is all you need. Sometimes knowing that you no longer need to be where you are is plenty. Because it prompts movement. One who is willing to keep their feet going, who's willing to try, make educated guesses and adapt. That is someone who is constantly learning. Someone who's realized that the only way to assure success is not achieved is by standing still. Worrying so much about losing what you currently have that you disregard the infinite upside.

It is a moral duty to grow because you are a game changer. You have perspectives and ideas and abilities that will make this place better. And when you look around and think, me? No, you've got the wrong guy or gal here. That just means it's time for you to walk, to move, to create momentum, to stumble into life until you find a little, portion of it, you want to put a stake in and call your own. And please, this isn't a life is

rainbows, butterflies, and everything's magic message. This is a find your thing and give it to the world message. This is a, you can always be evolving message. And most importantly, this is a progress is happiness message. Because a life lived to the fullest. is one where we are stretching and exploring. We're stepping out into the vast unknown and mapping it for ourselves and others. It's your duty to acquire knowledge and allow that acquisition to propel you into the ether.

It's your responsibility to not sit on your gifts, but bring them to life and create that ripple effect that will change the world. Sometimes we convince ourselves that right now isn't quite right. It's not the wrong time necessarily, but soon. We'll have that thing that will make the perfect launch point soon. So we'll wait.

You hear it a lot with hopeful creators. As soon as I get the camera, I'm going to start the point soon. podcast. As soon as they feel inspired, I'll start writing. Or how about this one we can all relate to in some way? As soon as it's January 1, I'll start taking care of myself and my health. And I'm not talking about this because I read about it. I'm talking about it because I live it. It's an adversary I'm always up against. The allure of waiting for that perfect moment. But here's the deal. When you start now, the imperfections become part of the value. People see imperfections and become inspired by them. He started getting in shape in his garage with two dumbbells. Look at that. She started writing

her novel in a notebook waiting to pick her kids up from school. Going now, not only destroys that enemy that is procrastination, it also gives you something of value. in return. It lets the very fact that you found a way become a narrative in your story. It allows your imperfections to become your greatness. I recently relocated my studio to Scottsdale, a move that, according to the moving company, would take seven to ten days. 24 days later, I realized that there are places in life where you can attempt to cut costs. Moving companies should never be one of those things. I found myself with the recording equipment in my camera bag that I travel with and some empty boxes.

I'm waiting for my stuff to show up one week, two weeks, three weeks, soon. Soon it'll arrive. And I'll be able to record then. Because right now there's no lighting. Right now I don't have my tripod. I don't have anything to put behind me in the set. It's like wait, wait, wait. Or, how about this? You take the empty shelves and you make them intentional. You lean boxes against the wall. You have a life transition set, right?

And not only can you make that work, not only will it look sufficient, but it's like you have a story now. We like to hear about the times others made something out of an apparent nothing. It's relatable. And that's actually where the fun stuff is in any conversation. I'm recording this in a hotel room, doing what I can with what I have.

And so when you find yourself feeling not quite ready and the temptation is to wait, rather than hold out hope for a fake perfection that never comes, why not unpack the beauty contained in the present moment? Or put a much more practical way, the opportunity contained in the present moment. Why not begin with less and tap into something that no other time in your life will have but now? Start your podcast using your phone. Mediocre visuals and echo-e-offer. Let this be the beginning that you look back on and smile.

Remember how fun those episodes were? That mediocre at best equipment and stories about where we were in life? You start working out now. Can't get to the gym, do it in your garage, in your living room. Then you can point to where it would have been easy not to, but you built your physical foundation on the third floor of an apartment building in New York. building in New York. People ask you, you know, what it took to get into the shape you're in now. Wait and a floor. Just start. I find repeatedly that it's not about perfect. It's about who we

become in making progress with far less than the perfect we'd hoped for. That's what makes you realize, you know, how much of what we tell ourselves is just rationalization. We're scared to not look good. That's all. We're scared of new things, worried about beginning. And so we convince ourselves that the camera angle will make all the difference. The expensive lens will be the differentiator. Again, I've lived this. And then you get it, and it's like, in truth, the new camera just sits there. You're still the person in front of it.

And what you say in front of your phone versus $2,000 Sony, is still entirely dependent on you. Surprise. The Sony doesn't have much say. And so, I call you to think less about the set and more about what's going on within it. The amount you can do with what you have now will astound you.

How little we need is truly magical. You know, in these last three weeks, have emphasized that for me. Two pairs of shoes, two pairs of jeans, some T-shirts, and a camera. I didn't miss my. much because my ability to think and share ideas didn't get packed away and put in the truck with everything else.

That stayed with me. And we all have some version of that in our own lives. That's what matters. You are LeBron at something. So cherish that. Bring that to the world, regardless of the circumstances. You can put LeBron on a broken down court with no nets. He'd still be pretty good.

The environment becomes something different, something enjoyable because of its novelty. Too often we miss the value because of the details. So I'll end with this. Don't seek perfection. Seek to start now with what you have so that you can give more of yourself to the world. You can give more of yourself when you're unsure. give more of yourself when you're lost give more of yourself when you're starting

give more of yourself when you don't have all the tools you wish you had give more of yourself at the beginning give more at the middle and at the end anything that suggests you need some miracle in the mail before you can begin or tap into what matters is fear it's nothing more and nothing less

So start. Start for the world and for the story you'll be able to share by simply initiating the climb. There's a mental shift that's provided me with some clarity, particularly when things don't happen right away. As we all know, the good things don't. Validation is stubborn. It'll take its time. So, positioning for that, putting yourself in the right mental state as you chip away is huge. And the idea is, every day you move forward. It's not about the revolutionary life-altering change in the now.

It's about the continuous building up and positioning of oneself for an opportunity to come. In other words, the monumental opportunity, is out there. It does exist and you will inevitably cross paths with it. The question is, will you have grown as a person? Will your skills have been sufficiently developed? Will your overall competency have been elevated enough so that you're ready to receive it when you do? That's the thing about opportunities. They only matter. if we put ourselves in position to receive them. And part of what motivates me every day is the fact that I'm chipping away at those opportunities

to come at some point in the future. Opportunities I can't even, you know, understand or fathom in the moment. But the reason I'll be able to capitalize on them is because of today's groundwork. And that's the point here. That's often when life feels heavy. what pushes me through. One of the most spectacular things about human beings is that we can delay gratification.

And I don't mean in order to live a miserable existence. I mean putting in work, knowing that one, three, five years down the road, you know, there's going to be things available to us that otherwise wouldn't be. That's why one of my favorite conversations was, you know, around my friend Evans saying, he hates being asked what his five-year plan looks like.

What will life look like, Evan, five years from now? It's like, I don't know, right? I have a direction I'm pointed at. And I'm working every single day to bring that to life, but who knows how many twists and turns life will take? Who knows about the opportunities that will present themselves when they align with my goals and my competencies at a future date? I'm not going to limit myself or deprive myself of those.

You build the man, build the woman, hour by hour, day by day, and know that life rewards capable individuals. That means the power is in making yourself more capable. Probably my favorite quote, Nietzsche, those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who couldn't hear the music, is about that very idea. Trusting that if you build yourself up, you stay focused.

You take an axe to the tree that is your purpose every day, by the way, to the sound of no applause, to no awards or pats on the back, you will ultimately succeed. Because in doing so, you position yourself to receive opportunities, opportunities that otherwise would have passed you right by. Sure, they would have been there, but they would have been beyond the scope of what you could handle. That's just a reality. building oneself up is like an all-access pass to the show that is life. In becoming more, you can see more. You can do more. You can access more.

That's why, as the saying goes, it's not about getting what you want. It's about the person you become along the way. Becoming the type of person who can do those things, who is deserving of those things. So when you're frustrated or down, when you're looking around and saying to yourself, you know, there's still a substantial gap here between where I am and where I'd like to be. Know that you showed up. You did the work. You stacked another sheet of paper on that pile. At the time, right, not enough to make a visible difference.

But over time, sufficient to stand on. You win the day by stacking that sheet and moving forward. You win the day by understanding that you are more capable, more knowledgeable than you were yesterday. You've taken another step forward in positioning yourself to receive those opportunities that will come. If you hang in long enough, they always do. And when they do, you'll think back to all those days of frustration, those seemingly anti-climactic occur. And you'll be grateful that you saw it through, that you weren't frustrated or discouraged by the now, but rather saw it as the bridge to infinite opportunity. When you look at erosion, like say dunes on a beach, what you see is something giving itself away little by little.

deteriorating. Sure, there will be events that expedite the process, but generally speaking, it's lost a little bit at a time, day by day, right in front of our eyes. Until the time comes when we realize that what we have is no longer recognizable, it's sort of redefined. And I think in a lot of ways, we find ourselves in a similar, situation. The concessions we allow every day slowly redefine who we are. You know, and it doesn't seem like much, that's the thing. It never does. Quietly detaching from what you believe. Taking on an identity that doesn't quite align with who you are, doing things, being places that causes something in your gut to protest. Toning down the color in the color

in your life so that you blend in. These are not epic, monumental decisions. It's the drawn-out erosion of what makes you who you are. It's the chipping away of what makes you spectacular. See, the idea that now isn't permanent. So I'll just suck it up now. What's the big deal? I'll just settle for now. Let me tell you, if that's your rationale, you're forgetting how easily tomorrow becomes never and now becomes forever. We operate under an illusion that things will become easier. That change will be less strenuous down the road. We'll make things right, get back on track, be happy then. But the harsh reality is that things don't get easier than they are at the present moment.

And it's quite the opposite. And to disregard or ignore this is to let yourself wither away at the hands of procrastination. If you're planning to wait for that, get comfortable. And see, conceding day in and day out, it alters your understanding of who you are and what you're capable of. Our actions reinforce our beliefs.

Imagine a straight line, a simple, straight line drawn on a piece of paper, right? You're in the middle. And on one end is who you are, in your heart, in your soul, and on the other end is everything you're not. Every time you sacrifice your principle, your beliefs, every time you say, that's not me, but fine, that's not where I want to be, but okay, it's only temporary, you take a little step toward what you're not. And another step, and another step. And one day you look in the mirror and you have, have no clue who's looking back at you because you've conceded one small decision at a time you've given away your sense of purpose sure the situation is difficult but the best things in life

are the things that are not easy you have to fight for those things you have to stand up in the face of struggle adversity the narrative that others want to write for you We stay within guidelines because we think the outside is scary. No, what's inside is scary. What's outside is what you need. And when you stop banking on the anticipated miracles of tomorrow and manage the reality of today, you succeed.

It's life's greatest test. Are you brave enough to be you? Are you strong enough to fight back when you're tempted to hide, to blend in? Every time you summon the courage to stay true to yourself, it gets easier. The difficulty lessens, you become free of the mental chains you've placed around your ankles. There are certain things in life worthy of compromise, but your identity, your journey, what makes you feel alive, that is, sacred ground that is worth defending until your last breath no one can take that because it's yours

and when you look back on your life and the amazing people in it a life live fully will always supersede marching through your days wearing a mask and following someone else's agenda it's your life it's your gift live it There's a Latin phrase pronounced Amor Fatih. It's one of the more powerful ideas I've come across. Its translation means love of fate. It implies everything that happens is good, with the very least necessary. And I think we need that reminder from time to time.

Because funny enough, it is one of the first sentiments to leave us when we're in trouble, we're down or lost, the idea that everything has its value. And sure we don't always understand it in the moment or when we're fighting through it, but that circumstance or even tragedy and the great play of life has a crucial role. Someone recently sent me a beautiful clip from Stephen Colbert interview. I want to dive in, but there's a caveat. I ask that you listen to this in a vacuum. For our purposes, I'm not going to be the Stephen Colbert who mocks half the country on live TV every night. This is the wise Stephen Colbert with a lot of value to add because he can be both. To frame the interview, he's sitting across from Anderson Cooper,

and Anderson's asking him about something he said a while back. Anderson reads the quote, I've learned to love the things I'd most wished had not happened. What punishments of God are not gifts? Anderson then looks up from the paper, looks over at Stephen, and asks, Do you really believe that? To which Stephen responds, yes. It's a gift to exist, and with existence comes suffering. There's no escaping that.

You can't pick and choose what to be great. grateful for. A truly incredible emotional moment. It is the realization of amorphati. Even the most trying of times are a bridge to something. Even that which is taken away creates a space for one to ultimately find what they need. A couple years ago I did a keynote in Hollywood Beach talking about those difficult situations. Some of them are external, but some of them we create. like chaos, self-induced, that opens the door to the most precious of occurrences. Things that I never would have had or arrived at, if not for the pain, the sadness, the confusion.

It truly all fits together. And so I basically take a trip down memory lane, talking about the physical duress of a cold morning run. Wouldn't you know it? Strengthens one's conviction and belief in themselves. Or the sadness in leaving someone, you know. you care about, someone you love, knowing it's no longer what's best for either of you, but was necessary. Touched on the fear. The physical resistance I felt walking onto stages in 2015 and 16, dreaming of off-ramps, thinking of excuses in my head all the way up until the mic was in my hand

on stage and words came out of my mouth that propelled me to comfort and confidence in sharing. sharing my voice. Again, it's all one big puzzle. Every piece matters. You don't get ups without downs. And as you push forward into the next thing and the next, as you see the breadth of the unexpected and the power of the unknown, you learn. You learn that the so-called lows aren't the exception. They're not a problem to be solved. And as I sit here now, I even view them less as a cost than I once did, a pain that must be endured. No, it's all worthy and deserving of our gratitude. It all matters.

It's all precious. I talked about on a recent episode getting migrants. And one of the days I remember more than any other in my life, and I'm 36 now by the time this episode's released. I have a few days under my belt. This one was truly memorable to me. I was having a debilitating headache and a ton of pain finally able to fall asleep. And I remember waking up, opening my eyes and realizing that the night had finally slipped by.

Morning arrived. And I felt good again. I slowly got up, kind of tilted my head back and forth, testing the waters, all clear. I walked outside, down to the beach, and as the sun came up, I sat on the lifeguard stand and just looked out in awe. The sand, the waves, the seagulls, the sky. It all meant more in that moment than it ever had. I was just beyond grateful to be there. And so you talk about the lows being gifts.

You know, I get it. It sounds cliche. maybe even ridiculous. But those lows, I swear by it, always seem to give me the things I'm most grateful for. It's a pattern that constantly repeats itself. They always remind me that the magic is the stuff I walk right by. They put me in hell for a period of time so that I understand to exist beyond that space is a mirror. Without Lowe's, life's beauty becomes a baseline. When something is a baseline, it's definitionally average, or regular, it's mundane.

I've learned to love all the things I'd most wished had not happened. What punishments of God are not. It all matters. It all brings you somewhere. And if you're at a point where you're so deep in the weeds or so far in the trenches that you've forgotten. I hope this finds you and lifts you above it all. I hope it reminds you that you will arrive at the place you most need to be. And it will be not despite but because of this path you walked that you arrive there. Some people live their entire lives

waiting for miracles. And some people realize they're already in one and act accordingly. I hope today you choose the latter because it is a gift. One of my favorite ideas by legendary author and speaker Jim Rohn was, it's not that it costs too much. It's that you can't afford it. And whoa, what a flipping of this script. It doesn't cost too much to someone else out there. There are people who can afford it.

You're just not one of them. At least not right now. Why has this had such an impact on me? Well, it's my reminder, first and foremost, to take that finger pointing out at the world, turn it around and point it directly at my chest. It says, maybe the variable here in need of change is me. Maybe if they can afford it, so can I. Maybe it's not the price that needs to come down.

Maybe it's that my value in the marketplace, my skill set, my abilities need to rise. That's not too expensive. I just need to level up. There's nothing like taking what would be a gripe with the world and transforming it into the very reason you're going to be better. Because really, we always have that choice. We can project out and complain about the ones who scratched and clawed their way to the top, who have more than us, or we can join them. Option one keeps you down, on your back, looking up at the sky.

Option two places the world in the palm of your hand. So given the choice, don't complain about the price, become someone who can pay. Don't envy their success. Drive yourself to stand atop a podium of your own making. Don't throw stones, stack them, and make them your foundation. Life is a game of bettering yourself, especially when it's not easy to. You know how much easier it is in the short term to put your feet up and list off all the people who slighted you along the way?

Refer to them as the problem. You know how easy. it is to find reasons you can't. To paint worst-case scenarios into the sky? Incredibly easy. It's temporary weight off your shoulders. It's, oh, I can't get to the moon, so, hey, no need to build that rocket ship. What's for dinner?

Yeah, that's what we call the easy way out. And while it may feel good in the short term, it doesn't bridge that gap between the cost of what you want and what you can afford to pay. What it does is justify and rationalize not enough, because when you fight for your limitations, as the saying goes, you get to keep them. And in a world where victimhood is becoming currency, the more and more people are falling for the illusion of short-term gratification. The temporary peace of mind we get when we deflect. When you call yourself a victim, it's not your fault.

But when it's not your fault, it's not yours to fix. And there lies the issue. The name of the game is betterment. It's progress. That's not too expensive. I just need to increase my worth. I need to put myself in a position where I scoff at what was once considered too expensive. I need to build myself up, not wish the world around me was pulled down.

And when this switch occurs, life changes. You realize the fluidity of things, that everything is relative. You can't change the price, but you can change you. And you can do so in a massively substantial way. You can build yourself up so high that the old you becomes, unrecognizable. But the first step is realizing that personal agency opens the door. Accountability and dedication push you through it.

That's where the magic is. Becoming so valuable that the externalities are minor details, observers of your assent. It's time to take the ideal and chip away at it like an axe to a tree. It's time to look at the world less from a lens of what am I allowed to do. And more from the perspective of it's all mine if I find the courage to grow into my potential to capture and cash in on my value. Every day you choose to become more valuable and skilled, every time you do the hard thing today for a greater you tomorrow,

expensive means less and less. The price tag is fixed. Your potential, your greatness is not. So rise to the occasion. Tap into you 2.0 and prove just how relative cost really is. So today I want to share a topic with you that I think is pretty cool. It's fun for me to reflect back and think about information or perspective that could have changed my life

at a particular point in time, made it potentially easier to navigate. And so what I want to share with you today is 10 things that I wish I knew in high school, 10 things that I learned along the way that being decades removed now would have made life easier, simpler, and just put me at ease,

Right? So much of, you know, growth is learning, hey, right, everything's fine. We figure things out as we go. So I'm going to dive right into it. Here are 10 things that I wish I knew in high school. The first one is no one has all the answers. And that's a big thing to learn to uncover, right? Because there's so much uncertainty. There's so much unknown when you're younger that it's almost like we want. to assume that these people over here have all the answers, or these people we look up to, or follow, or surround ourselves with, like they have it all figured out. No one has it all figured out. Life is a game of adjustment. It's learning as you go, right? We're all perpetual students.

And that should make you feel better, because it's not like there is some great depth you're lacking. you're just playing the game of life and each chapter is going to have its lessons and teach you valuable things no one has all the answers you pick them up as you go but i like to think of advice as a buffet where it's like people can offer their suggestions or you can even from afar watch and observe doesn't mean it will directly apply to what you do or what you want right now take the pieces that you think are And give them a try. Charlie Munger says you are your own experiment. Explore, right? Give yourself the grace of one, understanding no one has it all figured out and you won't either, right? Step into it and learn as you go.

Number two, few opinions matter. Particularly in this online world, right? I'm lucky enough that this is going to sound crazy to say, when I was in high school, we weren't very online. So now it's even easier for criticism and people to say things and, you know, criticize their opinions, all these things, right? And they make the world feel heavy, complicated. But the reality is none of that matters. I'm going to say something that is 100% true. And I don't know if it'll surprise you or not.

There are zero opinions in high school that matter today, that I care about today. None. But going through it, I didn't know that. Going through that, I really cared what people thought. I cared how people felt about me. I wanted to be cool and impress and the stuff we all do. None of that matters. Right?

You realize life is about you, your pursuit, and the people you love. Someone told me who wants this sort of scenario, right? And it's a little dark, but you'll see the point here. It's, you know, a hospital bed scenario. Let's say, God forbid, you're sick. And you're in the hospital. Who's going to visit you? I know in my situation, there's a select group of family and close friends.

That's probably it. Right? And so outside of that, why would you care? Why would you give any energy to what anyone else thinks or says? Life is simple. Keep it simple. Focus on what matters for you and your path and the people that you care about. Number three, fear is an invitation.

This one took me into my mid-20s to fully understand. The things that scare you push you to be better. Right? I used to think when I was scared or my body physically, you know, rebelled against me doing something that, okay, then that's a no-go. We'll find something a little easier, a little bit more, you know, conducive to what feels right in the moment. But the reality is nothing of value comes without fear. Growth does not come without fear. Change is innately scary. And we all want to change, right? We all want to be. that sort of best version of ourselves, we're always perpetually recreating ourselves. And so understanding, being able to flip that switch when you're scared to do something, it's not an alarm. It doesn't mean stop. A lot of the times it's a pat on the back. It's an invitation. I often cite, you know, my first YouTube video, changed my life. If you think I wasn't terrified to be vulnerable on camera, you're crazy.

I was 100% worried about what people would think or how it would go, and you name it, right? Speaking in front of a large audience, hands were shaking, knees were shaking, just playing through different scenarios of even how to not do it. That's how internally terrified I was. But I did it, and it changed my life. Put me on track for just a trajectory I couldn't have even imagined. And so you get the idea. Long story short, when it scares you, it's not a no.

It's often a yes and an invitation to step into that better version of yourself. Number four, start now and adjust. One of the biggest myths we run into is perfection. We need to be perfect. We need to have it all figured out. Perfect is just another variation of fear in disguise. If you wait for perfect, then I can point to a lot of people who do, you'll wait forever. And those people are still waiting forever.

For everything to be right, everything to be aligned. I'm going to go when? I'm going to start if. As soon as the moment's perfect, I'm going to, no. That doesn't exist. You start today. Now, in this moment, and you adjust and you evolve, and you pick up the pieces along the way. Then, as time passes, you look over your shoulder and you go, wow, look how far I've come.

I don't even recognize the person I am now. Don't wait for perfect. Go now. Number five, this is a fun one. Life is a game. It's not that serious, right? It's just not. And this is important for me. If you're similar in sort of world outlook, I'm very tightly wound, right?

I really want to do well and be better and improve and help as many people as I can. I'm constantly stressed and setting high expectations for myself. I know so many people watch. do the same. I know so many of my friends family do the same. So many of my business partners do this same. It's such a breath of fresh air to realize, hey, do this because it ignites your soul. It's your purpose. It's your passion. But at the end of the day, being here is the gift. It's not that serious. There's no checklist or test or right or wrong. Live your life. I said this once like six years ago and I'm I'm coming back to it because in a different context, I need the same message.

You can close shop. You can go away for two years, live on an island, come back. Everything will be the same. You'd pick right back up where you were. It's just not that serious. So make sure you're spending time on the things that matter that light you up. You're having conversations with the people you care about. You're doing things that are meaningful.

You're finding ways to be inspired. It's a gift. Not an obligation. Number six, less is more. I scream this book from the mountaintops, Greg McKeown, Essentialism. I used to think growth was acquiring. What can I get? What can I add?

What can I build? Sometimes. But most of the time, freedom is cutting away. It's us carrying around too much. And so when we can free ourselves of the things that are unnecessary, There's a level of just beauty in simplicity that is otherwise unobtainable. It's the pursuit of less. Identify the things that matter most and start cutting away those things that aren't that.

Identify where you want to go and anything that's not taking you there, right? If it's not one of the most important things, the pillars in your life, feel good letting it go, letting that ship sail. It's been attributed to everybody, right? That quote, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I don't know who really coined it, but it's everything. There's beauty and simplicity, power in simplicity, and freedom in simplicity. Number seven, we unknowingly limit ourselves all the time.

It's instinct. We want to make things simple. We like stability. We like routine. But here's what you have to remember. Your potential is limitless. It does not end. Your growth stops when you stop,

when you put a stake in the ground and say, okay, I'm done. Otherwise, you will continue to grow and evolve. So you have to remember that. You limit yourself. It's funny to think about, you know, like running. I'm a big runner, and I tie a lot of, you know, my life experience is too running.

It's like if I run 10 miles and I'm running at a, let's say, a 750 pace, who says it couldn't have been a 749? Right, there's always that little space for more. And sometimes that doesn't matter. Sometimes it does, right? There's always more to reach out and grab. So just know that you're always dancing with the infinite. There's always more available for you should you choose.

to pursue it. Number eight, depersonalizing is freedom. As someone recently put it to me, you know, when people say things to you, it's not about you, right? It's projection of them onto you. And we come across various degrees of this in life, right? Whether it's people or just unfortunate things. It's like we take it personally. It's him against us or life against us or the situation. against us. No, it's no one against you. Life just happens. And if you can smile and see it as just, you know, life occurring before your very eyes, providing you tools to build with, always, it's another form of freedom. It's an advantage that most people don't have because most people do take things personal. In reality, in truth, it's not. Number nine, not all who wander are

lost. There's going to be pressure as you move through life to feel like you have to know everything. You have to have it all figured out. There's going to be pressure to feel like you need to know what you're going to do for work 20 years from now. This is a derivative of a previous point I just made, right? Life is not that serious. The most important year of my life, you know what that was? I quit my job and I explored. I made videos with the camera. I wrote music. I did some creative writing, I produced other artists. I just went out and I tried things. I played acoustic guitar around Boston and in bars.

You know, it was just amazing. And yeah, I learned what I loved. I also learned what I didn't like. And that progression brought me to this incredible creative outlet where I can enjoy what I do, where I can love what I do and also help others. I couldn't have planned that. I found that.

And the reason I say that is because I invite you to do the same. I invite you to explore and try and find the magic in your life. It's there. But you have to look for it. You have to seek it out. It won't knock on your door. At number 10, the finale here, growth is a lifestyle. And what do I mean by this?

The big change in life, the biggest of life, change, I should say, comes from immersing yourself in it, wearing the shoes, becoming the person you want to be before you are that. You know, I like to use health as an example. I used to think working out three days a week would make me fit. And, you know, going to the gym three days a week definitely is better than not going. But you know when my life really changed, when I really felt fit and in shape is when I saw myself as a healthy person. That's not just going to the gym. That's sleeping right. That's eating right. That's being active, being out in the sun. That's being around people who are healthy and share the same values. When you do that, you transform. Because it's not

just something you do from 12 to 1 every day. It becomes a lifestyle. And I share this. because maybe it's not health, maybe it's something else you're aiming for. Once you completely immerse yourself in that world, it is inevitable. It will become your reality. Growth is a lifestyle. It's not something you do from 12 to 1. So whether you're in high school or, again, far beyond it, I hope there's something here for you that can help you gain some perspective or it's

relatable, pertains to what you're going through now, and you know, you can use for some armor as you're navigating. Thanks for listening. Have an amazing day. So I recently came across a quote that says, I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. It made me think about sort of an undervalued aspect of growth or progress. it is the idea that we're not supposed to have the answers. We're not supposed to know. Life is more about the ability, right, the mental fortitude to be able to take what comes at you, the highs, the lows, the ups, the downs,

understand them, adjust your strategy, and move on, right? Because there are things about the world that you can't change. There are things about the world that we're not going to like. It's no secret. There's a lot of suffering in life. And it's the ability to take that and rise above it to create something of substance that ultimately defines us, right? That makes or breaks us. I can personally look back and think about the times that perfection was my enemy.

I didn't want to start a new venture or release some content or, you know, you can feel in the blank. I didn't want to do it because I told myself it wasn't perfect. Well, perfect is really a mask you know, for insecurity. It's a top layer. It's being scared. It's being fearful. You don't have to know the answers. And in fact, the most beautiful things around us, the most important things around us, right, the creators of those things, their founders, they didn't know exactly how life would unfold. They didn't know that. They had a vision and most importantly they had belief in themselves to adjust. They knew that things wouldn't be perfect. They knew that life wouldn't roll out a red carpet, but they also knew that within themselves was the power and the strength to make the

most of any situation to learn and to move on. You know, life is about adjusting your sales. And I feel like it gets lost in the ether. Like people don't talk about adjusting as much as they talk about planning, consistency, right? All these things that are super important, but they're half the battle. Because things don't go the way we drew them up. And the ones who get discouraged and disheartened, well, as they're going through the process,

they look around and go, wait a minute, this is tough. This isn't what I planned. You know, it's in one's ability to understand that, of course, it's not, you know, how you planned it. That's not what it's about. Winning and losing is about finding a way to win despite the setbacks, the obstacles, the highs, the lows, the lows, and the ups and the downs.

So what does this mean, right? Where's the impact? Where's the value? Well, it means more focus should be on simply starting, simply putting yourself in a position to let life come at you so you can react to it, then sitting there waiting for the perfect launch pad. Because there is no perfect moment just like there is no perfect path. There is an individual and his or her ability to make the most of the situation.

Put yourself in that position. Allow life to happen. and believe that you're capable of managing those components because you are. And maybe it's struggle at first. You know, it's like the recipe doesn't change, the context changes. There will always be challenges.

You know, it's their magnitude and the context in which they happen that changed. But once you learn to handle that, once you learn that, hey, look, it's life. It really puts you in a place to live a more productive, healthy, happy existence. You have the power within yourself to do amazing things. Let it happen.

I woke up, put my coffee on the desk, opened my laptop, stared at a blank screen, and a little button popped up in the top right corner. Check for updates. Nope. Asked me again later. Why? Why not now? I don't know. I don't necessarily care about the improvements. I guess it's just inconvenient. It can wait. And that's kind of it.

Let's face it, the laptop doesn't matter. The update in this scenario is not important. But bear with me, because I think what it stands for, and when you apply it to the big picture, does matter. Our proclivity to take less because less is convenient. Our predisposition to sell ourselves short because it's safer to leave so much of ourselves on the shelf because, well, things don't break when they're on the shelf. But you can't be both flawless and live your life. Because life comes with wear and tear. The value is the experience.

And a flawless existence is void of experience, of stories of adventure. There's a little parable about two seeds being planted. And one of them just wants to grow. Wants to feel what the sun is like. Wants to see how high she can get. Experience the breeze, the cool air. And so she grew. And sure, she dealt with hard days.

She had her difficult times, but ultimately grew to live her best life. The other seed worried. Worried about leaving her home, the world that was the ground around her, worried about damaging her roots, worried about what could be waiting for her in the dark, about the sun being too hot and the breeze too strong,

and ultimately stayed right where she was, playing it safe until one morning, a chicken came wandering by and ate the seed off. the ground, and see, this spells out a few things. One, we can, at any moment, decide to step into that next level, evolve into that next chapter. But also, not doing so,

comes with a cost, sometimes a hidden cost. There's a tendency to think that preserving the status quo because it's safe is valuable. But understand, something, you are not a collector's item. You weren't made for preservation. You were made for growth. To expand. To reach out towards the heavens and feel that sun, that breeze. Ensure upgrading means vulnerability. It means accepting that the unknown is bigger than you, but also contains

within it everything you need. Whether it was people, things, money, resources, I used to think like that seat. Right? How can I hold on to what I have? Contain, play small, I can't lose this. I've come too far. I've worked too hard. What if everything goes wrong? I can't upgrade now. Maybe later. Maybe someday when the time is right, when it won't hurt or require that I step outside of this little world I've created. But guess what? Growth always asks of us that we leave the comfort of now. It always offers us the world in exchange for the courage to see the unseen and trust ourselves to bring it to life. And when I realized this, I saw how the act of trying to perpetually maintain the status quo is debilitating. It's looking at life through a lens of scarcity. It's only when you start to grasp how. how abundant life is, that you realize by simply stepping into that person you are destined to be,

you'll attract what matters. Some things will go, and you'll leave them behind. But those things no longer serve you. They played their part. They added their value and are now merely stepping stones as you move to something greater. and that's just it. Sometimes living means wishing you did things differently,

looking back and acknowledging that you need to be better. Sometimes living means losing the wrong people in your life to make space for the right ones. Sometimes it means spending days, months, even years wandering down the wrong path so that you can get a glimpse

so that you can realize what the right path looks like. Sometimes it means no reward, no validation until that compounding finally takes place. Finally, you see just how powerful those small steps were and will always be. It means seeing yourself as the person you know you can be. Maybe not necessarily the one you are today, but betting on yourself when no one else would. There's an idea that people are neither good. People are neither good nor evil, but they have both within them.

They choose through their day-to-day action, how they'll live, who they'll be. And sure, this is a tad oversimplified, but I think the duality is useful, right? Because in a different context, for everything that occurs in your life, you can find a reason to celebrate or a reason to grief. A reason to grow or a reason to hide. It all comes down to what one chooses. to see how they choose to look at the world. I'll never forget when Peterson talked about curtains, right? With tears or holes in them, same world on the other side.

But the opening that you choose to look through paints an entirely different picture, right? Contributes to an entirely different understanding. And look, I'm a pragmatist, I just am. I'd never ask people to close their eyes and pretend everything's perfect, to wander down the path before you, expecting everything to be easy. No, but what I am saying is that the path before you is where you'll uncover the meaning in life. And meaning requires that we are from time to time uncomfortable. To go where we most want to go, we must leave something behind. And the reality is that while it's scary, while it can be alarming and even painful, it is always worth it.

that what's on the other side is what makes life worth living. I want you to know that you don't need to be walking into the same rooms, talking to the same people, doing the same things. No, not if you've outgrown that reality. Not if you're ready for the next chapter. So let's make a pact to view life not as an obligation, but as an opportunity. Something challenging but beautiful, mysterious, but plentiful, let's view the challenges along the way, not as something going wrong or some

kind of alarm, but rather an indication that you are doing something right, that you're stepping into the controlled chaos of your day-to-day, finding the courage to meet new people, try new things, take risks, evolve, this is what life is about. And if you can find it within yourself to see it that way, to be grateful for the discomfort that makes its way in and out of our lives, you'll know that you are evolving, reaching towards that sky. Because the danger, as far as I'm concerned, is never what happens along the way. It's what doesn't happen because we never let ourselves accept what the world had to offer. So on that note, I think today is the perfect to upgrade.

The words I am are a spotlight used to highlight the parts of you that you want to illuminate. Those two words are a portal through which massive transformation can occur. I am strong, says the man in the mirror, as this newly crafted identity takes him by the hand and leads him to the gym to lift weights. I am talented, competent, relentless, says the woman over coffee before walking into work and moving one step closer to that promotion

she's been working for. One of my favorite ideas, people follow through on who they believe themselves to be. Always. But this power is a tool. And tools can be used for good or they can be used for bad. They can be used to build or they can be used to tear down.

It's up to the person carrying out the task. The words, I am, right, those beautiful life-altering words, they can also become a jail cell that surrounds the now and keeps it exactly as it is. And you know what I mean. I can't. Sorry, I am not a more. person. I am unathletic. I am slow.

I am not like those financially well-off people. They're different. I am simply not ready. Well, use that way, right? Those words, they're a sealed fate.

Because we only act in ways congruent with how we see ourselves. Again, who we believe ourselves to be. See, a lot of these things come to me, at least initially, in ways I like to describe as woo-woo, right? I'm a pretty practical person. So when someone says something like, you know, Eddie, law of attraction, you know, put pictures all over your bedroom and, you know, it'll come true. What you see,

what you look at will materialize. That's scoff, right? Looking at boats, unfortunately, doesn't drop you onto the deck of one. But then, when I let my little ego chill out a bit, and I thought through the idea practically, it's like, well, maybe there's something to this. Maybe looking at those things simply remind you that they're possible. That boat, that mansion, the love of your life, that dream body, whatever it is, It's not some far-fetched narrative written for someone else.

No, that's obtainable. That's for you. Maybe I can have that too. And then maybe those results change the standard. They change the expectations I set for myself. And then, and this is the needle mover, because of that, I start acting in a way congruent with those standards. I bring it to life.

boots on the ground doing the work, creating the change. It wasn't magic. It was just a shift in narrative. I think we all understand at a deep level, people tend not to acquire things they don't believe are possible to acquire. That's why so much lack in our lives can be remedied by a mindset change.

You don't step out your front door if you don't believe there's anything worthwhile out there. Which brings me back to those precious words, I. And they're precious because they are a permission slip from you to you. To be that person you most want to be,

to create the change you most need to see. Being in and around the personal development space for so long, I've kind of seen a tug of war with the idea, fake it until you make it. A lot of people have different takes, different philosophies on it. Some people say, you know, do it, act like it.

Why not? Other people say, don't lie to yourself. Go earn that confidence. To which I say, they're both the same thing. The idea is not to deceive yourself. I'm going to paraphrase Tony Robbins again here. The idea is not to close your eyes and say, there's no weeds in my garden,

there's no weeds in my garden, open them and hope that the weeds are gone. It's about giving yourself a target to hit. It's about wearing the shoes so that every step you take in them becomes a little more real to you. Let's face it, right? You live with a healthier lifestyle if you say I'm a healthy person than if you were to walk around saying I'm an unhealthy slob, but I'm trying. You will act out who you believe yourself to be. It is that simple.

So we rig the game in our favor. be very methodical with the words you place after I am. They are precious. They are the gatekeepers. I am what?

Yeah, but Eddie, I'm not in shape and I want to be. You know, it doesn't make any sense to walk around saying I am in shape. Okay. How about I am healthy? I am working every day to get stronger. I am the type of person.

who finds a way. I am driven. I am focused. If you believe yourself to be those things, you've built a foundation more than strong enough to support the goal, to support you getting in shape. That's what this is about. Creating a foundation for you to evolve. The relationship you have with yourself, it sets the precedent for everything in your life. So cherish it, to respect it, See the power contained in the words you utter about yourself. I am on the journey of a lifetime. I am happy. I'm healthy.

I'm talented. I'm kind. I am grateful about you. I think a substantial amount of life comes down to self-trust. To believing in yourself. Right, but here's the thing, it's not blind belief. It's not toxic positivity where you close your eyes, cross your fingers, shut the world off and just assume things will work out

because you're entitled to a great result. No, what I'm referring to is an active and deliberate trusting of yourself to learn, to make the necessary adjustments, and to keep moving forward. When we have faith in our ability to step forward and improve simultaneously, there is no defeat. When you know you won't stop until you land where you want to land, then limitations become a choice. Success in any capacity is a you thing, not an outside thing. And this popped into my head a few days ago during, of all things, a game of axe throwing. So quick story from last weekend, a friend of mine and I, after a day of working on the podcast,

went down to Fort Lauderdale to this axe-throwing place, which is random, but it's a great time, simple concept. There's this giant target, and you take turns throwing little axes at the target, basically darts, right? If you think along those lines, and there were eight of us in the group. They divide you into two teams of four and you play various games until the end. The end, there's this final session where it's every person for themselves. It's like a free-for-all.

Each person gets three rounds to throw axes at the target and whoever has the best score wins. So think of the target just in a traditional way, right? the bull's eye or the little point in the middle is worth five, then the next smallest circle outside of that is four, then three, then two, and then the biggest circle along the edge is worth one. So whatever you hit with the axe, that's the points you get, except they put these two little blue dots on the top third of the circle. And they say if you can hit one of these blue dots, you get ten points. So high risk, but certainly high reward. And my My friend and I is super competitive, right?

He looks at me, starts telling me how he's already got this in the bag, and I'm like, all right, we'll see. And it's been arguable, but I probably had been the more consistent of both of us up to that point in the night. Nothing fancy, just straight away aiming at the middle, aiming for those bull's eyes and fours. Not even attempting to go for those hard-to-reach blue dots. No need straight up the middle. And here's why this is important.

out to take our first shots of the finale here. My friend goes first, immediately hits one of those little blue dots. Boom. Already, I'm down 10 points. So what do I do? I completely leave my strategy. And I start thinking, no, I'm behind. I can't let this happen. I spent my next nine shots, and the only nine shots I had, right, trying to hit those blue dots and missing every time, just get killed. Right? He won. And then I realized when the scores were read out at the end, that if I just ignored everything my buddy had done and stayed true to my game, aimed for the center of the board, average 3.5 or 4 points of throw, I would have won. And by a substantial margin. But I let the outside world impact my strategy.

I started chasing those long-shot blue dots when I knew they were a distraction. Now, I'm sure the last thing you expected to hear today was the recap of an axe-throwing contest. But if you bear with me, there's value here, right? So let's step beyond the axe-throwing. Let's take it up a level. Let's talk about when you know what's best for you, you know where you want to be, and what's working, but you're pulled out of your lane because of what someone else says or does. You hear him or her over there accomplish something great.

You look in the mirror and go, man, I haven't accomplished anything like that. Maybe I need to change what I'm doing, my approach. Maybe I'm wrong. See, and the beauty of that little game was that it reminded me that there will always be outside circumstances trying to redirect my course. but we have to trust in ourselves that we are doing what's best. We have to know our own game and our own strengths. Now, don't conflate this with a stubbornness.

It's not about never adjusting. No, we need to adjust. But adjust when it's best for you. Not simply because other people are taking a different approach. It's hard to stay consistent with the world pushing other options consistent. Right? People finding success in various ways, taking other paths, talking about their incredible strategies and how great X, Y, and Z is. But it's all noise. You have to trust you.

And again, not blind faith, but an understanding of who you are and a willingness to continue to grow with every step forward. There has to be some element of understanding that, sure, things will get challenging. Life will push back. But that doesn't mean you are wrong or in over your head. It's a compounding of little actions and trust in yourself. If you can do that, the world remains yours. It's day by day, or in my example, throw by throw, knowing your bull's eye and aiming steady up the middle.

We all know how hard it is to see results before they exist. The mind tries to find every example out there depicting why you're wrong. Why the finish line is too far away, life is constantly creating off-rams, saying, hey, if you don't want it that bad or you're unsure of yourself, here's a way out. Come with me. It's constantly sowing seeds of doubt, which is why we must dig deep for that strength. Life is a game of you versus you. If those around you win, good for them. And if they lose, well, hey, wish them well on the next go-around.

But none of it has any bearing on who you are and the race you're running. Are you going to show up for you? Are you going to be your biggest fan when it takes every single part of you to keep going? Don't let the loudest voices in the room dissuay you from what you know to be right. Don't let the blue dots hinder your direct line to the bull's eye. Block out that noise. Block out the distractions and do what is required of you. Win your race because that's the only finish line of value.

Walk your path because that will bring you where you need to be. And when you question the pursuit, remember what you've overcome, all the steps that brought you to right now and how, yeah, maybe they weren't flashier over the top, but they were consistent. They've given life to the present moment. What you do is succeed. What you do is overcome. Just don't lose your bullseye.