Best Motivational Speeches Of 2024 (So Far) | Morning Motivation | Start Your Day Right

foreign what makes human beings different from Birds cats dogs and chimps is that we understand the finitude of life we get it how temporary how fleeting it all is but we do however as we get caught up in the the trivialities of our day-to-day need to be reminded of that fact that there is no forever in this world because sometimes we wait like we can afford to wait and we drag our feet like there will be a next time there are no next times for me especially when it came to doing the things I knew I needed to do but was worried about or nervous to begin I had to adjust my mindset I had to learn to see missed opportunities as tangible as though they're real and that's the hard part and it's easy to dismiss something that never happened oh I didn't go end of thought end of story it's easy to rationalize that as insignificant how could something you didn't do be important that when you view what you need to do or where you want to go as an already existing path than to not walk down that path is very real it's a decision foreign the next question is well what if I'm not ready to walk down that path I'd catch myself thinking that all the time right well here's the deal for the big things in life we simply never feel ready there is no fully prepared there will never be a fully prepared [Music] as we learn as we go how could we know all there is to know and understand all there is to understand when the path is the teacher it's like expecting a seed to grow without ever having planted it life is about being in motion letting the world shape you it's less about being handed a map as it is about being the Lewis and Clark of your own story understanding that what awaits is intimidating it's unknown sometimes terrifying but simultaneously the adventure that thing in your heart and your soul that pulls at you that asks you to be a little Bolder a little stronger ask you to unshackle yourself from the worry and begin your Pursuit that is your Frontier ensure some will simply watch that clock take away they'll never set out on the journey they'll stay where they are citing the difficulty maybe the irrationality of that which they don't know it's all crazy right Paul said they'll spend their days a little safer every step a little more predictable but they'll also never truly see the show they won't understand how beautiful those views are and how the darkness of those valleys become our strength time should have been their reason to go and instead it was the story that never came to be like Jim Rohn has alluded to you think going is expensive wait until you see the cost of not going of not trying of not walking down the path that will unlock your mind and change the way you see the world you know what that is for you let's be honest we all do [Music] it's not about answers it's about commitment to willfully embrace that which we do not understand we don't get how those pieces stack up but it's about letting yourself be the student and life the teacher this I believe when our finite time is up on this rock rotating around the sun will be what makes us smile makes it all worth it the memories we made the adventure the times we thought we were done but somehow kept moving thought we'd lost but somehow found a way that's our power and if we're the authors of our own Stories the only thing truly unimaginable is the refusal to pick up that pen and open the book don't deprive yourself of the opportunity to explore the depths of your imagination don't hide from your greatness don't let what could go wrong keep you out of all that can go right the saying goes You Only Live Once but if you live it right once is enough so don't stay because of the clock go because of the clock live because of the clock its hands are pointing you to that place you most need what if I fall the man asks looking nervously over the edge oh but my friend a voice responds back what if you fly a little quote heard not too long ago demonstrating our proclivity to maintain to preserve to protect to move away all together from the risk for fear that we might lose our grip on the status quo completely forgetting to think about what life could become if things worked out forgetting that life is a game of trade-offs and to fixate on never losing what you have means forfeiting the possibility it is that simple to stay is a refusal to go [Music] and we need to constantly reinforce the idea the truth that what we aren't doing is a decision and while we place our energy and efforts on minimizing the falling and the failure someone else is stepping into it they're capitalizing on it falling again and again and again until they can fly because the danger is not in Falling it's in never taking to the sky it's becoming only a fraction of the person you are capable of becoming with the required sacrifice and courage it's an understanding that we're not wrong for initially thinking small playing to not lose thinking only to protect protect protect that's how human beings arrive out of the factory right stock you can thank Millennia of evolution for that you're not weak for being scared you're not less than for shaking when you stand face to face with the adversity of life again this is what being human is but what we also possess is the ability to understand these default limitations and transform them to understand being scared of the world around us was incredibly valuable forever ago right when we roamed around hunting and Gathering it made sense not to inquire further when there was a shaking in the bushes it made sense not to rationally run into the cave it made sense to fear deeply the prospect of being abandoned by your small tribe that was the only reassurance separating you from the vast unknown lurking in the darkness the wilderness but anyone listening to this today must also understand that these biological drivers are outdated the lions in the bushes are no more the caves are generally metaphorical and ones quote unquote tribe should be carefully and methodically chosen right civilization provides that cushion in what a luxury [Music] so when life pushes back and it will and you feel like you're on that ledge you will want to turn back not because you're weak but because you've forgotten that the voice in your head screaming in fear can't see the upside it's blind to the possibility it only sees downside it only says hey this might bring about discomfort there are things out there you don't know foreign entities possibly adversaries why would you even contemplate taking that leap and that's where you step in and provide reassurance yeah things could go wrong but the wrong steps are one usually reversible and two provide the wisdom that I need it gives you a chance to inject into the conversation that if things go right your life changes that this could be the beginning and that we don't live until the excitement about what life can become if things work out is greater than the fear of what life would regress into if they didn't without upside there's no hope without hope there is no purpose and as Victor Frankel has said life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose [Music] we're all operating within the same parameter same playing field but the difference is we have different soundtracks interpretations and narratives playing behind our eyes he may see the world collapsing and spend the rest of his life mourning what is gone while she may see the same Devastation and bring herself to wonder well what can I build in its place what can arise from the wreckage same circumstance different storyline different result I often cringe when I hear mindset it misinterpreted as this magical thing that becomes reality the second you close your eyes and make a wish with the law of attraction as far as I'm concerned is not Magic I think this whole song and dance is much simpler than that we act in accordance to the things we believe and if you believe you're not good enough if you believe you're not worthy if you believe more is out of the question what incentive do you have to change none it's much easier to default to hating the world when that's your perspective but when you can find the discipline even for a moment to pause and ask well what if things got better what if my life could be more that spark has suddenly given you a reason to take another step forward it's made an argument as to why that discomfort just might be worth it the magic isn't that you wished for it and so it was the magic is that you saw it as a possibility and in doing so incentivize yourself to move towards that outcome hard to gravitate towards something that has not yet been built it's hard to stand with conviction in defense of a life that hasn't yet materialized but that my friends is the beauty and mystery of life you don't get what you want until you start living like you already have it like you can touch it taste it like it's real so when the journey feels impossible know that you are on the right track you're competing against some very formidable adversaries your very DNA you're competing against the people around you that don't understand you're competing against the obstacles that make you question whether that conjured up castle in the air existing only in your head could ever come to fruition that is some resistance but as you step forward into the haze your single solitary acts of courage will begin to tell a story to take shape the ones make believe will become tangible you'll see the pieces coming together and you'll see yourself as the one capable of assembling them an architect of sorts a designer one with courage and self-belief the truth is you will never completely mitigate fear with you forever it's par for the course just need to remember that the power of purpose of meaning the value of upside and opportunity is greater than that nagging voice of fear it's not about closing your eyes to who you are or where you've been there's beauty in all that it's merely about opening them to all you can become [Music] one of my favorite quotes is sometimes success is simply hanging on when others would be letting go the reason is that it reminds me how frequently the advantage is in not stopping it's in consistency it's in showing up [Music] when I run particularly long distances almost like clockwork I can break it down to feeling good at the beginning usually a little rough stretch in the middle and then somewhere in the second half uh I'd catch a second wind or a second blast of energy the question just becomes when you hang in long enough to capture it because you don't know when it might be where it will show up you don't know when you'll find that nice rhythm again that makes your sport so enjoyable to me and when I say you know you can pull an infinite amount of life lessons from running this is one of them a depiction of trusting that the road ahead has everything you need to cross your Finish Line even when the short-term chaos is all you can see and feel even when it's hard to look up and imagine right because it's easier said than done when you're tired and worn down to continue on right when you're in the trenches there's no uncertainty to the road ahead but each footstep is a shot on target each step forward is saying I'm worn down but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere and life can present an almost eerily similar narrative right whether personally you're at a low Point whether you've been working and working and working and haven't seen the result you're looking for whether you're uncomfortable and starting to wonder whether this reward is really worth the high price tag you need to remember that second win that second blast of energy just enough momentum to ease your worry and recalibrate your journey it's there it's waiting but you know the rules of life it won't come to you you must go to it through the Storm Into the Night beyond the Comforts of home most sadly don't arrive not because they couldn't but because they ultimately let go they look too far down the road at the distance to be traveled and forgot that their only job was to hold on through the doubt the pain the worry no miracle just a willingness to fight each battle as it presented itself to let time stack up to let the distance over your shoulder a accumulate see the thing about stopping is that you never know when that much needed second wind will arrive there's a saying that many of life's failures had no clue how close they were to success when they gave up when they turned around now I'm not suggesting the road will be perfect or that it won't come with its adversity mistakes and lessons but what we always have control over is the ability to push forward until we finally come face to face with that which we so desperately needed it's there I could say it a million times and it wouldn't be enough the pieces exist will you hang in long enough to collect them when the road is intimidating will you hold on when you run into those moments of self-doubt will you hold on when you feel small navigating the ups and downs of life will you hold on because if the answer is yes you'll find yourself Crossing some Finish Lines that will blow your mind you'll get from life that which most can only dream of and again not because of the miraculous but because you knew that the second wind was coming you knew it would be there for you so long as you kept moving forward holding on when most would be letting go there's a haze that circles around our most important moments and I say Haze because often the things that will be most meaningful in our lives or that will best position us for future transformation or success they don't accurately depict the value that they ultimately provide in fact a lot of the time we get the opposite impression the answer is deceptively masked as the problem the thing we are most inclined to run away from it's often unclear to us that the pain we're experiencing will become the purpose the loss will become the strength we can't always see that losing the job will become our reason to find ourselves and the work that will be most meaningful we don't always understand that losing someone that was a big part of our Lives will ultimately create a little space that will bring about connection with others who will lift us up and make us better we aren't always aware that falling short is incredibly powerful because it's what most often prompts us to look in the mirror and ask that magical question how can I be better again we see it in a million different ways different contexts the solutions masquerade as problems or as has been famously put the way often presents itself as the obstacle [Music] which means we have to operate with a sense of awareness and understanding that often eludes us sometimes the reality is that it hurts to let go but if it's not right for you it hurts to hold on as well the difference is when you do find the strength to let go you simultaneously create space for the things that will make your life better and I've noticed you know as I've navigated this crazy Place well into my 30s that the discomfort I've experienced in the past yet rarely utilizes my future as its Benchmark right when I'm uncomfortable it's because something has gone awry in the now this moment hurts in this moment I feel less than in this moment I feel lost in this moment I am X Y or Z it's all generally immediate emotive responses to what's happening which is why I advocate so strongly for pausing pulling back taking a breath and assessing the whole picture in totality see I've made decisions in my life that have set me back a year right that destroyed me emotionally totally altered my plans and I look back on some of those decisions now with all the pain they brought and I think you know was there another way did I make the right move did I need to endure all that and I'm not going to pretend you know I know how some parallel universe would have unfolded if I acted differently but as I reflect back I still think that I made the right choice I see another way sometimes there are no easy decisions sometimes life is about choosing the least bad option and I've talked about having to step back in order to Leap Forward or stepping sideways in order to ultimately advance sometimes the thing we need just looks like discomfort the sheep in wolves clothing where you have to seek out monsters in order to destroy the ones that live inside of you the reason one I think this is so important and two I'm so passionate about sharing it with others is because again our instincts drive us away from the things we need most that's just how it is humans are more uh emotional than we are rational and there have been plenty of times where you know just being reminded you know Eddie I get that this is challenging but where do you most want to go Eddie you're playing defensive which I'm sure minimizes problems now but will never Propel you forward with your career Eddie you're dragging your feet and calling it perfectionism could it in fact be fear right I've had a lot of these little uh and sometimes not so little epiphanies over the course of the last decade and when people ask me about speaking which being that I do it for a living would make sense right tips or insights whatever it is I'm being completely sincere when I say that I wish I had some formula I could propose right that would make you go from zero to sixty in three months but the truth is the biggest bang for your buck is stepping right into the terror the thing you're most inclined to run from and that was it for me right sheer Terror actually shaking nights where I stayed awake reciting Keynotes into Hotel mirrors couldn't he and I'd you know wrap up the event would be over I'd just go back to the room and collapse in bed because I hadn't slept the night before right that's how it started and the more times I didn't give myself away out the more I saw past the fear put emotions aside and reiterated to myself that underneath all that discomfort was value the better I became the less dramatic each speaking engagement became and the terror evolved into excitement Eddie please get through this eventually evolved into Eddie how can you make this speaking engagement more exciting more fun more captivating than the last one I recently spoke at the MGM Grand Arena and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and I'm sure you can imagine not necessarily because of the event but it prompted me to think back to all those times I wanted to say no so badly with all my heart with every fiber of my being but didn't it was just a proud feeling like you get those moments from time to time where everything becomes a single snapshot it all makes sense right because there were times I truly didn't understand why I was moving forward I just did I just knew I'd burn the boats there were no other options and when you collect that W you quickly remember and so all this to emphasize the very important point that it may not be speaking at the MGM Grand Arena that's your North Star maybe it's something totally different but I want to remind you that the road to wherever you most want to be is not perfectly paved and decorated with flowers It won't always be sunny with clear blue skies and to take it even further the paths that are paved with flowers and clear blue skies are often the wrong ones in a world of trade-offs we know that the best things often require the greatest sacrifice the Beautiful things are often derived from a willingness to endure prior turbulence and should you find yourself amidst all that in the thick of it it's essential to know that should you choose to do so you can transform the chaos into something incredible realistically that pain of loss we can't do anything about right Nature has made it so that we feel every sense of what's been taken away but nature doesn't do such a good job of reminding us of the infinite value that can now move into our souls be used to open our eyes so that we may see the world as we've never seen it before there is such power and the ability to view that fleeting emotion the discomfort of now in terms of what it will ultimately become as the saying goes the hardest thing and the right thing for often the same thing so be your own judge your own critic decide what best points you to that place amongst the Stars you long to be just understand that the road won't be pain-free and those who try to make it so miss out on a lot of the Brilliance available to us [Music] that tries to conceal what's most important is only effective if we keep our eyes closed if we aren't honest with ourselves but if you know one what's most important and two are committed to one day arriving there the short term obstacles become a relatively small price to pay [Music] 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 [Music] 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 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 value less 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 foreign 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 parks to assemble not as antithetical to their hopes and dreams but is 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 shape [Music] the most important promises are the ones you make to yourself of all the people on planet Earth it's most critical that you believe you that when you commit you show up when you make plans you follow through [Music] when you tell yourself you'll do something you actually do it here's what's interesting thing that this is I believe the North Star I'm consistently chasing down this standard right trying to be better and better and better at following through I clearly think we all should but keeping promises to yourself is different than keeping promises to others when you let other people down especially those close to you you feel the social repercussions and for human beings negative social repercussions are painful We Care greatly about our reputation don't want to let others down don't want to be known as the person who doesn't show up and that's incentive enough to push us towards following through with others but with yourself [Music] where do the repercussions go what are the consequences [Music] you tell yourself today is the day I'm starting beginning trying something new and then you don't there's no phone call with someone on the other end saying hey where were you hey you promised hey you owed me this no when we break promises to ourselves it seems like the situation after maybe a second or two of disappointment just floats away Into The Ether it feels as though there is no substantial cost [Music] actually think those broken promises stick around I think we wear them we feel them we see them when we look in the mirror and sure maybe there isn't that friend or family member uh staring us down with disappointment in their eyes yourselves free broken promise to yourself reinforces the idea that not having high standards is okay every time we let ourselves down it supports a narrative that being let down is normal par for the course if you don't show up for you it begs the question why should others show up for you why should others follow through when you wouldn't even do it for yourself I've always believed that so many facets of Life start internally and are projected out how you see yourself treat yourself is the sun around which all that other stuff revolves right like the world will notice and act accordingly it will conform to the standards you create for you so let's work on those standards let's make it so there's skin in the game so that when we break promises to ourselves say ah not today or this is good enough for now do we understand the magnitude of those decisions because they're not insignificant they're crucial and sometimes we have to highlight the consequences of what we don't do sometimes we have to make ourselves truly feel the opportunities we let slip away as though we did actually hold them in the palms of our hands there is a price to letting yourself down and perhaps there's power in quantifying it [Music] there's an idea that you know life isn't really you versus anyone or anything else it's you versus you and just like you would never let a stranger talk down to you or tear you apart why would it be okay for you to talk that way to yourself for coffee [Music] and never shows up in what world would you keep driving there sitting down waiting brushing it off and you know rinse repeating of course not you'd look around and go this is crazy I don't deserve this I'm better than this your defenses would kick in you'd make adjustments and just as you shouldn't tolerate it from someone else and tolerate it from yourself because you're better than that growth is a game of one identifying what's important two creating small steps that move you in that direction and three following through on those steps right that's the formula being there for yourself when you fall hey get back up right falling is an indicator of progress courage and strength there for yourself when you don't want to hey I know you're tired I know this doesn't seem fun right now but you committed and think about how good it's going to feel when you're done there for yourself when you know there's more in you but that voice in your head is tempting you to pack it all in or call it a day hey it doesn't matter what that voice in your head says there is no negotiating you already made up your mind power and simplicity find a Target Aim Shoot and although life is turbulent there are certainly highs and lows we are at our best when we decide what's important initiate the journey and show up when I set the alarm clock it can't be about rationalizing sleep that beeping can't be about X many hours no it merely signifies a promise it cries out hey remember what you said right before you closed your eyes last night well time to bring that to life so sure that means be careful of the promises you make to yourself don't take them lightly but once they are etched into the universe they must be law and I'm not talking about failure to adapt or try things I'm not talking about being stubborn I'm talking about the initial follow-through that precedes all that will we do what we said we would do and I'm not emphasizing you know making this the standard because life should be some Perpetual boot camp but rather because discipline is freedom because when we go to bed at night knowing we set goals and meet them we see ourselves as winners people follow through on who they believe themselves to be it's an endless feedback loop see yourself as a winner you carry yourself as a winner you yourself as a winner and other people see it they treat you as such and around and around it goes so when you feel like skipping or procrastinating or quitting on yourself remember that it's not just that immediate moment at stake it's not a little thing it's one brushstroke on the mural that is your current reality it becomes you [Music] and again you wouldn't let other people talk down to you so stop doing it to yourself you wouldn't allow being stood up by others so stop doing that to yourself become the king or queen of your own Empire rule over yourself like it all matters because it does to keep the promises you make to yourself is playing offense it's essentially building a bridge to the outside world so that you may go shape it as opposed to merely putting up your hands and living at life's Mercy never forget how much control you have how powerful you are and that you don't need to convince others you need to convince yourself during the highs the lows the ups and the Downs the sun and the rain you need to be there for you foreign [Music] recently tell me consistency is more important than intensity interesting I thought right put in my back pocket and moved on with my day but the more I thought about it the more I realized how valuable those words are how necessary I think because typically my brain Associates the acquisition of more with an increase in intensity it's like you want more okay find a way to give more to be better that's the equation my brain was familiar with and while not necessarily wrong what it can do is diminish the power of showing up it neglects The Compound Effect the reality is that consistency over time becomes intensity a snowball rolling downhill doesn't just increase in size it increases in speed intensity is second to consistency because consistency creates intensity consistency is the material from which everything else is made and we forget that thinking about how much bigger better stronger we'd like to be why can't I just leap a mile well my friend it turns out you don't have to miles are comprised of single steps [Music] I wanted my run yesterday to be about three-fourths intensity decided the goal would be to land just under eight minutes per mile 759 would put me in a good spot for my plan for the week but as happens from time to time the sun the heat my body weren't about it right even halfway through the run I'm a little higher than I wanted to be averaging about 801 802 per mile a little above my Mark and I thought to myself you have to be better you have to make a move right now you have to find something in there [Music] but did I did I have to find anything because it turns out I was right on track and didn't see it what I needed to do was simply hold the eight minute pace 801 just hold it that keeps me in the game then we kick it up at the home stretch and the last Sprint will be enough to get my cumulative average down to 759 per mile no Miracles here forget the intensity all the world is asking of me is consistency show up step by step keep myself in the game it's amazing that when you're hurting the Mind plays highlight reels of everything you lack everything you're not doing right it's reaching we get so uncomfortable or impatient that we think we need uh to perform magic tricks and it's like no keep showing up keep yourself in line the intensity is the derivative of the consistency and it will make its presence known so during those first seven miles I showed up I committed and I held on right understanding the assignment big picture not only about consistency staying calm and then as planned picked it up at the last mile hit that goal see these little mental games are packed with value they reinforce bigger picture truths show up put in the work find your Rhythm and hold don't stress yourself out looking at Finish Lines you have not yet crossed don't let the Delta between where you are and where you want to be intimidate you like that's precisely the reason people quit and walk away they get so caught up in where they are not that they forget Little Steps over time are what bring about change they don't understand that the snowball is increasing in velocity as well as it rolls down the hill that by staying focused their output becomes the Avalanche so when you have to when you feel like the world is increased in size and its obstacles in number know that there is value in holding the eight the 801 the 802 know the power of Simply getting on base of getting up again and again and again of putting yourself in position to succeed because your time to Sprint will arrive and when it does you'll be battle tested and prepared but the Sprint only matters because you stayed steady stayed consistent throughout step step step so remember when the rest of the world is talking about the shortcuts the life hacks and the secret solutions that will change your reality they're missing the mark because one brick at a time one step at a time one day at a time you're building something that can't be manufactured overnight you're committing to the process and will ultimately experience that which can only be experienced by those who paid the price those who didn't Panic or over analyze but put one foot in front of the other consistently every single day [Music] foreign there's vulnerability that comes with risk I'm not sure we can get the full extent of it from a book or a video rather we only understand it once we experience it firsthand where you step further out into the world the short distance beyond what was once the the status quo whatever that looked like for you and suddenly you become susceptible to criticism and rejection you feel things you've never felt see things you've never seen sometimes it feels like you're taking off your armor and marching directly into battle makes sense in the beginning [Music] but there is always a point during the heart of the storm where we look around and ask why it's like a hangover right where there's this internal tension frustration knowing that the whole thing was self-induced you could be comfortable right now Comfort was always an option but you chose differently and as you push through something becomes evident it takes time but all things of value do you realize that life is now offering you things previously unavailable there's no your ticket now permits you to relocate from the bleachers to court side the lock has come off the door and immediately you see why there was a cost associated with leveling up after all what is value if not scarce If This Were easy what would it mean if it were always accessible where would the significance exist if everyone could snap their fingers and arrive here what would be special about it what's remarkable is that it is reserved for the few willing to make the trip I know the things we learn about ourselves along the way [Music] in the book Unbroken hillenbrand tells the story of Louis Zamperini a runner who went to fight in the second world war his plane is shot down and almost the entirety of the book navigates the horrors he endures right first being rescued in the Pacific then tortured in Japanese POW camps where he sees uh many around him die and even comes within inches of losing his own life on a handful of occasions and when he's finally rescued at the end of the war and I'll never forget this he's asked about what he went through when he says he'd rather die than go through it all again and I'll tell you why that's so meaningful to me because it shows you what human beings can endure when we take things one day at a time an almost unfathomable amount of pain and suffering and sacrifice we are so strong and so powerful when we as Louis did take the battle day by day and sure looking at the Horizon it's an ocean to Traverse but broken down merely droplets of water certainly manageable now of course we are not pows and I'm certainly not equating our adversity to his but the reality is we are in our own context in our own ways fighting our own battles we're all navigating personal obstacles and it's critical to know that one you are capable and to the other side is worth it we forget because it's easy to forget because we are wired to avoid discomfort because no one wakes up and intuitively thinks man I'd love to do the hard thing today but what we learn is to love deeply is to take off the armor and allow the heart to be vulnerable out the adventures to embrace the possibility of losing one's way to dream of a place amongst the stars is to risk falling short and being reminded of our imperfections our mortality [Music] one might understand this and think only of the adversity of what can go wrong perhaps create lines in the sand that they refuse to cross and sure they play conservatively their hearts won't be broken their Maps won't be necessary their pride won't be crushed but for what what kind of existence is one where you never play the game because there was a possibility of defeat we can all endure what is required to live fully every single one of us yet so many will never leave the harbor because we struggled to see the journey as a collection of manageable pieces you deserve more and you're capable of getting more don't deprive yourself of it 1 000 heartbreaks is worth finding that someone who lights you up in 1 000 miles in the wrong direction is worth uncovering that place you were meant to be one thousand swings and misses is worth finding your place amongst the Stars vulnerability is not a burden it's a staircase to the Moon why not make today the beginning of your ascent [Music] as you open your eyes your feet hit the ground you step out of bed maybe as you sit and reflect with your coffee the kitchen table I want you to do me a favor this is something that brings me substantial peace of mind and I'm thinking it could be a value to you as well I want you to take those things that you consistently think about right the ones that have been bothering you or troubling you consistently come up in your mind the ones that you thought about yesterday and the day before and the day before you know this so-called problems not so positive narrative stories about why you can't [Music] and instead think about each one's corresponding ideal what the perfect situation would look like if you could turn each quote-unquote problem around the perfect Story the most exciting narrative oh what can you do today to move one step closer to the place you want to be how can you make those ideals real the reason this is valuable is be is because it reminds us that we are not powerless quite the opposite it shows you how new and exciting and untapped your future is this is your opportunity to remind yourself that you are not yesterday you are not your past you are not your mistakes you're not any of those things even though our minds often trick us into believing itself it's kind of like running around the same block over and over again you become so accustomed to it that you forget you can take a right out of your street and go anywhere you want to go see anything you want to see every morning is a fresh start an opportunity to connect new dots and you can point that Compass any direction you choose you are Shackled to nothing Bound By no one and admittedly that can be hard to hear right I remember the first time I had that realization that most of my limits were self-imposed that I was complaining about the work I did the places I spent my time and who I was spending it with [Music] it bothered me from the second I opened my eyes in the morning until I closed them at night until I realized that I had more control than I could even imagine and that detaching from the past yeah it would hurt it would be scary sure I would lose some things but what a world to gain what a story ahead for some reason things seem so messy and complex that we Overlook our ability to simplify and change them if it doesn't bring value to your life you have the power to fix it and maybe not overnight but human beings are resourceful resilient if you have an outcome in mind and you believe in it a step in that direction every day will come to mean everything it's defining so no this is not just an ordinary morning this is the beginning this is where you are blessed with the opportunity to move away from the old and towards the ideal [Music] [Music] [Music] we sat around in a circle on a beautiful fall morning to build dream catchers something to be honest I never saw myself doing in a million lifetimes the feathers and strings and Beads and glue stretched out on a blanket in the middle of the circle as we built we took what we needed piece by piece it was safe to say mine was Far and Away the least let's say aesthetically pleasing of the group black and bright yellow string wrapped around the top above which an assortment of random beads sort of dangled carelessly below it wasn't the most beautiful dream catcher ever made but it was mine after a quick Google search I learned that some Native Americans believed that the air at night is filled with dreams both good and bad and that the purpose of the dream catcher to protect from the bad ones the nightmares and the evil spirits interesting I thought putting it away expecting that to be that and Life to move on but a few days later on the flight home I got up made flight to grab a charger out of my carry-on overhead and the same side pouch was you guessed it that little black and yellow dream catcher one of the dangled strings had snapped my sloppy craftsmanship already was causing the top to loosen up but something compelled me to grab it along with my charger and I sat back down I had 8.5 hours to kill put my chair back and closed my eyes the previous week had been an important one a complete break from you know my typical day-to-day routine and probably more important some forced introspection I like to think of the trip as briefly leaving the heart of a city which when you're in a city you obviously know you're there but you can't really grasp the magnitude and scope of the place not until you leave it and see it from the outside the gorgeous Skyline with the lights and buildings that extend into the clouds a picture you only get from a distance that Skyline from five miles away just doesn't feel like it could be the same place you live in you navigate every day Street by street with car horns and cafes and people talking coming and going it just kind of flips life upside down for you presents New Perspectives and questions and I felt like that's what I'd done stepped outside that metaphorical City and I picked up a solid handful of new questions there were plenty of Firsts for me met some incredible people tried new things went new places explored new foods [Music] all made me realize that you know my world view had slowly over time it tends to happen when unchecked collapsed in on itself that there was so much more so much hope and opportunity so much left to the extent that the flight back didn't feel like the end of a trip it felt like the beginning of something new like I wasn't leaving these things I was taking them with me but here's the deal beginning only matter if you make them matter things only change when you make them change when I was in junior high one of my teachers would sometimes joke that the road to hell is paved with good intentions serious but the point is important it's not what we intend to do it's what we breathe life into it's what we allow to take shape [Music] let's say that little dream catcher in my hand was a magical entity that sucked out of the sky all the bad dreams and nightmares and left me with only the good stuff let's say it was the gateway to all that was powerful meaningful and important because removing what I don't want is critical but what I'm then left with is mere opportunity not guarantee dreams are only potential and life is only what we make so growth must be a team effort between me and there's little black and yellow defender of Worlds Watchmen of the night a Duo and we agreed it reminds me of what truly matters and I show it that I'm not afraid to make something of what remains of those ideals granted passage to the space behind my eyes have to live up to my end of the bargain foreign shaky sloppy ungraceful but that isn't a problem it's par for the course plus my lack of Elegance will get no sympathy for my unraveling black and yellow ball of string and disordered beads right the goal is not perfection it's organized chaos it's a commitment to the unknown to taking the pieces and building something with them even when we don't understand what it will become [Music] voice interrupted my sleep through the intercom letting us know to prepare for landing I realized the magic of where I just been and how it would evolve into the road ahead when we know in our hearts life is pointing us a certain direction when we've separated the good dreams from the bad we are halfway there now we must have the courage to realize what's possible [Music] end up when we have something to say to embrace what calls to us to explore where our paths may lead to get up and dance when the music plays to stop holding back tears when they must fall to smile when our hearts intend to leave the old stories and narratives behind and to step beyond our egos and towards our authenticity [Music] sure but the dream catcher's work is not in vain how we make the most of this gift we've been provided and so we sat in a circle on a beautiful fall morning to build dream catchers maybe not to collect the bad dreams but to remind ourselves that it was okay no necessary no everything to let ourselves make the good dreams reality [Music] we are in some ways helpless to what occurs around us there are things that are beyond our control possess our power if you will is the ability to determine what we let in how we internalize the externalities we are responsible for being The Gatekeepers of our minds Protectors of our world there's a little saying that I aim to live by it's incredibly simple basically the idea is if something is not a net positive on your life start working to eliminate if there's a person that is draining creating more negative than positive then they don't deserve to be in your world stop letting them in if there's some place you're going that doesn't align with what you value start working to eliminate that destination from your day today stop letting it in if you find yourself constantly thinking about worst case scenarios it's always well what if this goes wrong or that goes wrong if you find yourself missing the opportunity and instead spotlighting the problem [Music] start working to identify and isolate those thoughts so that they can be eliminated stop letting that stuff in the great part about having so much control over our lives and our perspectives is that we get to choose what gets our time and attention the tough part though and it is tough is that it means we also have to ask ourselves questions that perhaps we don't want to ask we have to be honest with ourselves like truly honest and the reality is sometimes it hurts to do that to ask how am I contributing to this pain this struggle what am I letting in that needs to be kept outside the gate from now on and what we often find is that the answers are there the opportunity is there sometimes even in plain view but our attention is often diverted from it and instead allocated to the things that don't even serve us or align with who we are we've habitualized finding the problems and not the solutions now I can list examples of this uh over the course of my life all day right epiphanies where I realized I needed to defend the thoughts that enter my mind and better cultivate a world where I can succeed where I can be happy money for example to switch from seeing it as a scarce resource something that everyone's fighting over how to outmaneuver the guy to the right of me how to get my hands on this elusive object nope block that mentality at the gate and let in instead the idea that money is merely an exchange of value how can I be more valuable to more people where value goes wealth follows or as I've talked about before the injuries I deal with so frequently right keeping the poor me or I can't deal with this or whining I'm willing to put in the work why won't life let me succeed keep all that outside the gate and let in here is an opportunity to get better in other areas I can't lift maybe I'll take a month or two to crush cardio to eat better to build mental acuity find a way or maybe it's that person who made their way into my life that over time became a net negative that we've gotten to the point where our coexistence takes away more than it has they no longer belong inside the gate in my world right only let in people who do make your life better and we have control over all of this it's about accountability it's about personally understanding The Authority you have over what comes in and what stays out a very few things in life are just because things exist in our day-to-day because we have somewhere along the line allowed them to be there so take some time to see yourself as the gatekeeper of Your World audit what you're letting in and what you're keeping out to do so we'll set you up for a life on your terms A Life That's not wasted or even merely endured but one that's lived to the fullest [Music] foreign [Music] eliminate plans b c and d let the curtains close and the lights dim see the beginning of something new requires the ending foreign of something current so make life Propel you into chapter two let the doors slam and lock behind you throw away the key with the boats burned and turning back off the table we have to make it work we have to figure it out well how we might ask with only these pieces with only this circumstance with only these resources well it's funny how when walking away is no longer a possibility so many other possibilities are born when we're stuck between the wall and our demons we roll up our sleeves and do that which we have been let's face it running from we fight we become proactive we take initiative it was always there we just never had to so if you can't do it on your own make life make you because the bottom line is there are New Horizons that await your arrival they are always there but they require you to make the trip to look out over the vastness of what's before you and convince yourself that what's ahead can become your new normal you know how I wish we weren't biologically preconditioned to preserve to stay safe to stay the same how I wish we weren't constantly being pulled to stay right where we are our minds they love it here with the rest of the World to Change the hope the progress all on the other side of that window all outside All Foreign to us you don't need any of that it'll tell you or maybe after you conjure up a little courage it might compromise it might say fine it's worth a try put one foot out the door but don't forget you can always come back to me you can always Retreat it's warm here safe here it's predictable here the Mind wants you to know that when things get tough mediocrity and comfort are always right behind you ready to embrace you with open arms and it's for this reason that those boats must be burned that the door must be locked and that chapter must be closed the journey before you it's going to be difficult there's no question about that anything of value brings difficulty and when faced with the adversity the only way to defeat it is to know there is only one way one option available to you and that one option is forward it's through there is no backwards or compromise there is no safety not if you want from life that which is extraordinary not if you want the things we covet dream of whether they're interpersonal Financial career oriented health related maybe you just know when you're soul that right now ain't it any move to something better will present to you its obstacles and my advice if it's what you really want is to have decided before you started that there is no other way there's no negotiating with yourself [Music] because if you allow that door to be cracked life will kick it open so point the compass North and dismiss any notion that what's comfortable is more important than what's meaningful when you're cold nothing is more appealing than that warmth but warmth is deception a short-term Ploy for you to forget what really matters an illusion see cold subsides but Victory is forever knowing that you pushed forward when most wouldn't is forever transforming potential into strength when your knees shook is forever so burn the boat for no other reason that there is no way forward so long as there remains a way back [Music] make life make you win and where most would look around and see evidence of defeat you'll find again and again in the same quote-unquote evidence the tools to build ladders to New Beginnings and bridges to new worlds there's a saying that I love that most of life's successful people were too ignorant of the odds to know their accomplishments were considered at one point impossible and I love it because it highlights that there was never a fallback option a concern for the statistics there was no worry or exhausted energy on what if rather it was constant building and adjusting finding ways over through and around the walls that inevitably stand before us there was no way home so they pushed forward into their greatness and so can you whatever shape form or color greatness looks like in your eyes whatever Mountaintop appeals to you if you want it if you're willing to decide before you go that you will one day stand amongst the clouds peering out at that world you deemed wasn't against you but for you anything is possible [Music] had a Windows seat on the plane a few days ago and during The Descent I watched as we lowered into a thin layer of clouds which anyone who's flown before knows creates turbulence right the plane starts to shake for a brief moment can't see anything outside the window only white hey no matter how many times I've watched this happen and at this point probably in the hundreds I can't help but feel a little uneasy heart rate increases a little bit it's just an uncomfortable thing and here's the deal not only is the plane going through turbulence safe a quick you know Google search will will explain to you that no plane was ever brought down by turbulence they were built specifically for that to endure it and I know that I understand it I believe it I guess that you know faint nervousness I feel highlights The Divide between my mental capacity to understand something and uh you know my physiological reaction to it it shows to put it simply that often what's necessary will be uncomfortable will get easier over time but the point is there's a very real biological resistance associated with doing what's necessary even when we know the necessary thing is the right thing even when we know we're capable of of enduring the journey right just like that plane was built specifically to indoor turbulence well in your own world so were you then yeah that world might Shake yeah you might look around and see an unknown providing no Clarity or visibility at least in the moment but that feeling of discomfort should not be interpreted as negative a scientists stop or turn back as a signal that the world is too much no it's where you close your eyes and remind yourself how much you can handle despite life trying to make you feel to the contrary you were built to overcome made to push into Uncharted Territory to take your losses and uncover the hidden away value within them sometimes to grow it's required that we learn not to resist that trembling but to see it is the courage to say yes when it would have been infinitely easier to say no and that's what this is about nothing groundbreaking no secret formulas just a reminder we often need but don't hear enough that during the ascents and descents of life and there are and will be many know that you were built for the turbulent you can harness the chaos you can get through to the other side what's required is simply that you remember who you are and what you're capable of because again when visibility is limited in our worlds Shake it's easy to forget you will not lose because of the challenge you will win despite it again and again and again and sure stepping up to face that adversary you may never detach from that nervous feeling in your stomach with a shaky hands but that's okay that's your indicator that you're alive that you weren't tricked into submitting to a very beatable opponent that you didn't turn away from the things that meant the most I read something this morning that said at some point in your childhood you and your friends went outside to play together for the last time and nobody knew it it seems to me that many of life's last times elude us we aren't aware of the pages turning our chapters ending the phases of Life essentially blend into each other one Fading Into the next in fact we don't even realize the extent to which things have changed until we peer back over our shoulders see life is happening to us now while we plan hope and pray for better days 99.99 of Life consists of the time that exists between the so-called pivotal life events the average the ordinary the things that we pay no mind so what's the relevance why does this matter well because the sun coming up in the morning is life pouring your coffee is life small talk with your loved ones is life the art you're creating music you're listening to the workouts at the gym they are life and not in a so you better be grateful or else kind of way but in a if you don't understand this contentment will be incredibly hard to capture kind of way [Music] I have a lot of favorite quotes that this one tops them all character Andy Bernard from the office he says in an episode I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them [Music] and I can't get over how that statement proves itself to be true repeatedly over and over again how it's not until we peer over our shoulders that we realized how lucky you we were how much fun we had how much the time meant I recently went to a wedding for one of my best friends from childhood and funny enough we only lived in the same state for four years from fourth grade to eighth grade uh before I moved across the country to Massachusetts and I thought as I flew to the wedding you know what I should post a picture of us as kids together you know say congrats and I quickly realized on the plane ride that I don't think we have any right it's essentially only memories it's the stories that we still to this day laugh about those events that shaped our childhoods the things kids go through that change the way we look at the world and all that happens so fast [Music] I think it remains so precious because we were so fully immersed in it it was such a simple time pivotal and gone in a snap I had no idea it would mean anything 20 years later but that's life it seems to go by in an instant which is why I think we need to find that sweet spot respect for The Duality between sometimes sacrificing the present for a better future an ability that makes humans remarkable creatures and also enjoying and realizing how precious the ride how beautiful the now whether the current season is ideal a struggle or in between feel something at all in its own unique way is a miracle and if we look we'll find that there is good here there's growth here there are moments that you'll look back on and smile at knowing that they shaped you and played a role in who you're becoming so the point is as we make our way through life it's highs and lows perhaps look around and make an effort to see the beauty in the journey understand that nothing is forever the people you talk to places you go the things you do they will all dissipate and while sure the now may not be perfect and in some cases even a stepping stone along the way to a better wiser stronger you the idea shouldn't be too long for the enjoyable part but to realize you are in it to know that some of these things we take for granted will be missed when they're gone let's not fall into the Trap of letting life go by while we waited for it to begin let's this Andy Bernard stated remember that the good old days are right now and embrace today as the truly incredible gift opportunity and finite ride that it is [Music] when you're at your lowest point you are often without realizing it positioning yourself to arrive I at your highest point potential energy accumulating to propel you through an atmosphere of new beginnings [Music] see I believe our adversity is life asking that we submerge and dive deep sometimes very deep just to remember how badly we need that oxygen above so that when we again come up for air and we will we notice the warmth of the sun on our face and the calming sound of the Waves crashing on the beach you don't make the most of what's around you until you recognize that what's around you is the opportunity and so life reminds us a taxing reminder right it rarely gives without first taking away it rarely opens new doors without closing old ones and that to put it simply can hurt they don't teach you in school that growth is painful but as it turns out a life without growth isn't much of a life at all and so we must dive deep we're given no other choice without night there is no day without suffering there is no beauty without those depths below there is no surface above our submergence is our transformation the Cocoon that separates who we were from who we will be but unlike the butterfly it doesn't just evolve once our journey requires that we are continuously growing a new pair of wings life is chaos life is unpredictable life is hard but you were built to not only endure in its Arena you were put here to excel to learn the rules and then expand upon the rules sometimes break the rules you were put here to take the difficulty and provide meaning to it [Music] piece by piece as if it were the construction of a rocket to the moon little pieces of at one point frustration and confusion and Chaos combined reused and transformed into exactly what you need them to be emergent properties [Music] you just have to be willing to see beyond the now and Assemble to come up for air and soak in all that awaits at the surface like you've never done before the other day I was texting with a friend of mine out of nowhere she goes what's wrong [Music] and I'm thinking nothing right I haven't said anything you know what do you mean she's adamant right she goes something feels off I thought about it and realized yeah she's pointing out something I've known for a little bit here something is off I'm hiding from myself I feel a little burnt out a little tired certain areas of my life had become unevenly distributed in fact I was flirting with that thing I've always feared doing most simply going through the motions that scared me I don't want this right I've come too far to feel like this I'm better than this how do I fix it how do I solve it now figure it out now [Music] but eventually came to realize the now part just might be the whole problem fix the now like it's a headache and me shaking my fist at the sky will be ibuprofen no battling imperfection is a Fool's error it's setting yourself up for disaster we are humans not Gods we are perfectly imperfect and when something is off don't fight listen don't retract expand here is the opportunity I'm under the surface diving down into the depths of my own soul hear what it has to say so that when I come up for air and I will the sun will warm my face like it never has the crashing waves will offer a symphony to my ears that I've never heard and I'll see that the world I'm taking in is more a reflection of me than of it as that saying goes you don't see the world as it is you see the World As You Are and how lucky to have taken a step back a trip below the surface to realize again that I am the painter not the critic my world had become black and white not because we live in a black and white world but because sometimes we forget to put the color in sometimes we don't give ourselves permission to expand beyond the parameters we've created for ourselves so with the breath and the oxygen will come a new appreciation a liberating gratitude there's nothing so sweet as remembering that both the castles in the air and the chains at our feet are imaginary and hey you get to choose which one to believe in [Music] see what time has taught me is that there is strength in our vulnerability in the times we fall or lose ourselves and I know the inclination is to panic perhaps assess too quickly to not hear but talk to not listen but attempt to solve which leads to the application of Band-Aids on bullet wounds when we are low when we are lost it's our chance to better understand ourselves it's the metaphorical equipment room where we stock up prior to our next ascent and if I could emphasize one thing it would be that our perceived understanding of life it oscillates sometimes we feel like we get it we do and sometimes we feel like we're sprinting with our eyes closed it's a riddle we will never fully come to solve but I do know one thing we can't change the unpredictability of the world but by observing by listening by getting back up we can change ourselves by recognizing our strength we can utilize the down times as they are the education we've been longing for remember the world does not and will not ask Perfection of you so don't ask Perfection of it you were built to endure to overcome and to recreate yourself losing your wings will never be the problem it's forgetting that they must be regrown that is the problem so step out rise to the surface of your world and breathe take in the surroundings that will become your Resurrection story if you let them [Music] [Music] in a way the world is a mirror that reflects how you feel and if life is consistently mirroring back images that aren't ideal perhaps it's time to Chip Away not at the world but at yourself it's time to work and sometimes that's roll up your sleeves and be better work let's get up a little bit earlier work it's at the gym or study or give more work but sometimes it's acknowledging that if in this chapter of your life you find everything around you intimidating or too distant or Out Of Reach it's not because the world is too big but rather you've let your own image get too small it's the identity that needs the maintenance we do things because we see ourselves as doers of those things right soccer players play soccer writers write painters paint no one who's ever identified or introduced himself as a runner has ever broken a world deadlift record no Runners do Runner things bodybuilders do bodybuilder things people who view themselves as small do small things and people who see themselves as capable or strong daring adventurous Larger than Life well you get the point we're out there over analyzing all these details trying to decipher code without realizing that we've already won or lost you gave yourself permission to run 50 yards and then became Sherlock Holmes trying to figure out why the world wouldn't let you reach yard 51. we go as far as we allow ourselves to go we do as much as we allow ourselves to do we become who we allow ourselves to be they're not saying the other variables don't matter of course they do I'm saying over time those variables become blocks for us to build ourselves up or build walls around ourselves that keep us down in one place if the world feels Bland give yourself permission to seek out the beauty be someone who finds joy in life if the world feels lonely give yourself permission to connect with others be someone who brings people together if the world feels chaotic and confusing give yourself permission to break it down be someone who turns big things into small manageable things and if the world feels sad and disheartening give yourself permission to uncover what makes you smile be someone who in the darkness of night can find that light switch because for every reason to be sad there's one to be happy for every reason to be weak there's one to be strong so on and so forth of course it's not the easiest to remember when we look out and don't like what we see but knowing that the solution is internal knowing that you decide who you are where you're going and where you stop as much as humanly possible it puts fate in your hands which is right where it should be between stimulus and response there is a space in that space is our power to choose our response in our response lies our growth and our freedom Victor Frankl [Music] so much of Life comes down to how we arrange and internalize what we see our realities will always be comprised of what we choose to look at [Music] now that's not to say the unfortunate or quote-unquote bad things aren't present but whether or not you choose to keep them in your life in your field of vision that's on you here are two ways I like to explain this the first was explained to me as a curtain hung from a stage and this curtain has holes and tears all throughout on the other side of the curtain there's natatoriums from chairs aisles a few lights but depending on which hole or tear you chose to look out of you'd see a different piece of that picture it can be said that the curtain is life and the hole you choose to look through makes up your reality the little piece of information you choose to consume because life is certainly complex right there are too many images and variables for us to notice all of them that's impossible we'd collapse in on ourselves we have to pick a few which means that our entire existence from the time we're born to the time we die is dependent entirely on which details we choose to focus on which ones we use to tell our story which leads me to the second example let's say you decide you're going to walk to your car you open your front door you walk down your driveway right up to your car open the door and get in your story was I'm going to my car and so everything you experienced was related to that in the sense that you didn't notice the driveway of the person's seven houses down you weren't looking for that now you didn't notice the potholes across the street you weren't looking for that either you didn't think about the funny shaped cloud over your head that wasn't on your mind why would it be all these things weren't part of the story right and the idea is we are very selective of the things we pay attention to we use a small fraction of the world to tell our stories and this matters because when we are down or stuck or disappointed or whatever it is it's not that you don't have a reason to be where emotional creatures and things happen but it is true that you don't have to stay there that the little hole you are looking out of from behind the curtain may not be serving you your Viewpoint may not be the best viewpoint but it's in your control right you choose what hole you want to look through and then use life to create supporting details when you're focusing on the negative or why you aren't good enough you'll find things that support that narrative choose a different story and you'll start seeing different pieces that support it I'm sure you've all heard how when you're looking to buy a car you start seeing more and more of that car on the road it's not because they suddenly appeared overnight on 95. well they've always been there they've been in the mix but now it's become a part of your story you're looking through a new hole in the curtain Therefore your focus has changed and that's what I mean when I say reality is a choice the details will match your beliefs believe you are incredible you'll find evidence believe this is just the beginning of Something Beautiful and you'll find the details necessary to bring it to life you get what you focus on [Music] so focus on the things that will Propel you forward because trust me they're there use what you have Where You Are friend of mine at one point found himself in his mid-20s fighting his way back from what he refers to as a pretty substantial uh setback that had occurred he was basically rebuilding his life okay found himself looking up at an enormous mountain to climb unsure what he would do for a living how he would make ends meet very much lacking Direction and as he pondered he got a job as a pizza oven repair guy learn the ins and outs of The Craft as she showed up every day I still focused down the road still contemplating what would be the best move for his future and as some time passed he started to realize he was mastering the very Niche craft that he was showing up to do every day Wright was acquiring a very specific competency in quickly becoming great at after a little bit of time he started thinking hey I could Branch out on my own here I could start my own pizza oven repair business and he did and after not too long hired an entire team to work with him then progressed into delivering and installing new ovens all over the country and is currently working on some new technology as well to supplement the install and repair part of the business the guy's doing incredibly well and it's interesting because you're having a conversation with him about his success and it's like how on Earth did you find yourself doing what you do it's so specific and he'll tell you you know he worried he pondered he thought about business degrees and career trajectories and all that but the difference was that he didn't take the moment for granted he saw the value where he was with what he had where you know he could have seen it as a bridge job or a chapter in the story or whoever you want to describe it he saw it as an opportunity he saw the present as the answer show up and give everything you have to being great now because when you're competent in a craft and ambitious as he is that's a scary combo the world becomes yours use what you have Where You Are you are and you will because of this monster see doors unlocked that perhaps you never thought possible there are pieces around you now that will push you to grow and evolve the problem is we very often dismiss them what my friend turned into an Empire a success story [Music] could just as easily have been an obligation while he waited for the world to give him something different and sure I think it's important for me to uh emphasize the point isn't to stay where you are forever if you're unhappy of course not the point is that there's value in aiming to be exceptional at whatever it is you are to it whatever you are uh committing to even if it appears Monday the point is that so much potential is sewn into our day-to-day it just tends to blend in and not feel important at least at first glance you know doors open for people who are great at what they do and people who are great at what they do live with a curiosity consistency and intensity that others might not it's amazing how uh when we feel that we are gaining confidence in something or excelling in something it becomes enjoyable which highlights the fact that you know so often our stagnation is a byproduct of us standing in our own way choosing not to grow I mean I I can't explain how trivial what I do now felt when I first started in 2014. sharing my thoughts into a microphone making little three minute videos uploading them to the internet right to an audience of my immediate family for zero dollars you know how dumb my rational brain was trying to convince me that was you know how easy it would have been to move on and simply look back on that period of time as my little YouTube experiment but again there is this strange phenomenon that when you inject yourself into something and vow to get better at it it lifts you up it excites you it brightens your world I had as I've talked about uh so many times found that intersection of what I love and what adds value to others and that was everything and the solution appeared not because you know I bumped into someone that had some life-changing opportunity for me it wasn't because I found this shortcut or secret formula no I just used what was already sitting in my little apartment on Comm Ave in Boston it's incredible how often our answers are right where we are that's why as I've progressed through this journey I understand balance I understand the value of sure looking at that Horizon having big plans and ambition but also cherishing the opportunity at our feet now looking around because again and again and again the opportunity is disguised as triviality is the stuff we walk right by always remember that there's something around you that can be transformed into opportunity even if it's small and if you choose to look for it you will Empower yourself every day things and I can throw off examples for days the internet incredible resource leverage it whether it's connecting or sharing or creating or learning your day-to-day effort like my friend with the pizza oven installation repair company that world doesn't exist if he doesn't take the little things incredibly seriously show up to whatever you do with the tenacity that will Propel you to new heights whether it's in that same field or it carries you over to another or utilizing your network there are people you know today right now that could contribute to your momentum or seek them out time the 30-minute blocks that we deem insignificant or downtime between one event and another think of the compounding of turning that into a you know a push-up session every day or your 30 minute audiobook time I'm sure all of these examples are sort of sporadic they're contextually different but they have one very important common theme and that's opportunity being squeezed out of resources that we already possess it's instead of walking by the pile of bricks every morning picking one up at a time and beginning to stack them I'm a firm believer that the Difference Maker for so many is not IQ it's not going to this or that college it's not your background it's did you recognize the opportunities surrounding you did you find the value or the excuse because both will always exist and that's what we have to understand the details around you can be your reason for staying right where you are or for doing the unimaginable so understand the power of utilizing what you have Where You Are make a point to look for the tools within reach they say what's trash or junk to one man can be treasured to another we'll understand that your eyes are capable of seeing both you have to lead them to the value you have to become comfortable with pausing letting the emotions subside and asking how can I win here now with the pieces that are available to me because they are available [Music] and if you're willing to pick them up you can undoubtedly as Thoreau said build your Castles in the Air [Music] [Music] [Music] if someone were to tell you life is easy they'd be incorrect if they were to tell you there's a specified path contentment they'd be misinformed [Music] if they were to tell you there's a book of answers to every question you'll come across it'd be misled [Music] the point is not that life is easy predictable or defined the point is that despite the fact that it's none of those things you're capable of making something from it that from a seemingly endless barrage of unknowns exists the pieces to build something truly extraordinary I came across a quote a few years ago from Abraham Maslow and and a concept that was in Ernest Becker's book the denial of death and the idea is we are simultaneously gods and worms and every once in a while you come across an idea that changes the way you see things that's definitely one of them right a duality that is is perpetually under tension gods and worms we're animals we're flesh and Bone eroding by the day and we're given a temporary stay on a giant rock rotating around the Sun while simultaneously equipped with the power to not only be aware of that finitude but to transcend it to dream to see things that are not yet there our minds are miraculous we are both gods and worms so what do we do about this how about use the fact that we're going to die the fact that in many ways we don't have control the fact that life is messy and unpredictable and often a maze of complete chaos to rather than shrink because of it take off the guard rails and reach for the heavens things into existence that do not yet exist why not go all in [Music] after all the thing about living is the saying goes no one makes it out alive no one hops on the roller coaster to constantly look at their watch to dwell on its temporary nature now it's to enjoy the ride and what is our time here but a few short rides around the Sun [Music] animals like life is too big when the day overwhelms or disintegrates into chaos don't fixate on the rocky nature of the world around you but on your ability to take it all and make it mean something cherish the idea that although everything around you is dictated by natural laws and constraints your mind is bound by nothing and where you seek answers you will find them where you pursue more you will unlock it our finitude our challenges are essential to our existence they remind us that we have nothing to lose that the song will end so why not dance like it's your last time because sure in time we will be dirt for worms but that's exactly why as long as we're here we'll live to in our own unique way bridge the gap between the ground we walk on and the heavens above [Music] there are a handful of recorded lectures online by Jim Rohn who has definitely become one of my favorite thinkers over the years and I found this little nugget the other day that I wanted to share he says there are four emotions that will change your life disgust decision desire and resolve and I want to talk about the first one because I found the story to be incredibly powerful and also relatable right in various aspects of Life over the years so he he frames it by talking about a Girl Scout walking up to his front door to try and sell him some Girl Scout cookies when he's 25 years old and uh he's broke doesn't have any money at the time and tells her what I assume to be a white lie as to why he can't buy the cookies at that particular time right so he tells her that he can't she walks away he says after he closes the door and goes back inside he felt something that completely changed his life discussed an overwhelming feeling that he simply didn't want to live like that anymore he didn't want to lie he didn't want to be broke then I'm quoting him he says uh the day you can say I've had it may not be the day it ends but the date begins and that feeling which of course on the surface seems like a terrible thing right no one wants to feel disgust with their circumstance but it's ultimately one of the most powerful indicators life can present to us [Music] there has always been and I assume will continue to be that point in many different facets of my life where I say enough is enough I just never thought to categorize it and label it like he did but that's what it is you're getting to a point where you look around and realize you've conceded too much you've strayed too far beyond what matters to you you've left too much on the table that feeling again while uncomfortable is often what becomes the first step towards that which is truly meaningful a better version of yourself [Music] by the way it's not some denunciation of who you are right it's not saying I'm not good enough or I'm inadequate I would describe it as the exact opposite it's thinking enough of yourself to acknowledge that you're better than this it's saying yeah there's a reality where I stay the same where I don't change where I allow this to just be my life but that's not the reality I'm going to choose because I respect myself too much to continue living with that dissonance between my actions and who I know I truly am I think at a deep level we all understand this you know so many times in life funny enough we don't change until we have to until our backs are completely against the wall took me years in my previous professional life to say enough is enough but ultimately got to that point I've been there in relationships been there with my creative work been there with my finances and what's especially interesting is that as you grow evolve and your goals change what you expect of yourself changes grows along with you 'll find yourself at that place again and again and again and that's good listen to it right that's your intuition telling you you're ready for more that something else awaits that the status quo is no longer sufficient and there lies the opportunity right to recognize and Associate that feeling of disgust as Rome calls it with the need to change or an opportunity to change before things blow up or become more difficult than they need to be everything in your life has been allowed by you to some extent you know that's an important thing to understand if there's someone in your life that's making it hell you to an extent are responsible for that right no one gets your time without your permission if you're doing things that don't move motivate or inspire you well the reality is you're choosing those actions another circumstances may be specific to to you that may be difficult and I understand that but are you asking yourself how you can begin moving away from it how you can put walls between yourself and the things that drag you down because the bottom line is it's very easy to become accustomed to things that are a drain on our lives the old frog in the boiling water right you throw a frog in a pot of hot water it'll jump right out but you put it in a pot of cool water and you slowly but incrementally increase the temperature until it's boiling the Frog won't realize it's burning alive I think in the same way we learn to live with that situational disgust the things we're unhappy with just become the baseline or normal it becomes regular and what I love about this Girl Scout cookie story is that light bulb moment where it's like no I don't have to accept this I can take back control I dictate how I'm going to live and I know this isn't it now you don't need to have all the answers right away in fact you most certainly won't have them but every journey is the saying goes begins with the first step that's precisely why the moment is so powerful you don't start moving to that new place until you realize that you want to start moving away from where you are Rowan talks about disgust being a powerful motivator that's why it's the initial leverage you need to create that momentum to see the gap between where you want to be and where you are and this is ultimately a call to that realization do an audit on yourself and your contentment the places you find lacking they're calling for your attention and it's normal it's okay it's part of life but it's also your opportunity to begin making that change I like very simple very straightforward notes to help me parse through this simple list two columns on the left everything that brings me some level of anxiety or that is a drain on my piece and on the column on the right directly across from it simply what I plan to do about each item nothing major but a tangible manageable step because as Jim Rohn says you begin to utilize that feeling of disgust or discontent to act turn that message into something beautiful an adventure some variation of growth that's where the good stuff is by the way it also changes our relationship with those emotions when they emerge it's no longer poor me I'm stuck my life is hard and the list goes on and on no it's oh this doesn't feel good how can I use it to connect me to something that does let's listen to that I don't like the feeling of making excuses as to why I can't buy the cookies I don't like the feeling of not having the financial resources thank you obviously can't fix it overnight but let's make a plan let's allow the wheels to hit the road right we'll tell you who knows might be more than I've ever done this is the magic beginning he alludes to the confidence being earned the purpose the meaning and ultimately being that we only get results will replace our attention the outcome we've been looking for so when you find yourself at that point when you experience a repetition of disappointment or frustration with your circumstance let that be the gift it's trying to be let it be the reason you will soon wake up a different person moving towards that which aligns with who you are just one more day the power is in just one more day don't need to have the whole book written stories told or City built it's not about one universal solution to all your problems it's about continuing forward until the Breakthrough it's about knowing that when it feels most hopeless to go on that's precisely when it's most important to do so the world is not asking of you everything just something so give it something keep yourself in the game keep your head up and your eyes open keep your feet moving even if you don't know where they may be leading you you need not a billion answers but one breakthrough one breakthrough See We All Fall we all lose our footing life can be tough and being that this is par for the course the contract we signed before we breathed our first breath of air it's a Fool's errand to exhaust energy on the occurrence to be angry at the situation to feel bad about yourself for wandering there no it's about recognizing where you are and then finding it within yourself to step away one foot closer to the Breakthrough to recapturing what matters When Things become too big we simply shut down complexity is crippling but truth be told the path is not complex are manufactured interpretation is what's complex so simplify step forward one more time a little bit closer to the Breakthrough a little bit nearer to the light at the end of that tunnel remember there is no all-encompassing formula but there is is the strength that emerges from one's willingness two inch forward when all seems dark when temporarily you've forgotten what that sense of excitement feels like when the thrill of progress seems foreign shut off the mind this isn't the time to weigh Pros versus cons or this versus that move into the haze trusting that what you need will reveal itself as long as you don't stop it most certainly will find yourself again your path again things will make sense again but that right is earned now when we're tired worn in our solitude beaten down we might not be able to see it in the moment but that's when the beautiful things are made so trust that you are the designer you've been looking for all along [Music] [Music] quite some time has gone by since the last letter I wrote to my younger self a few years actually and I think we're due because older me continues to learn to both enjoy and be humbled by life to experience hello and endure goodbyes to win and to lose to acquire and to cut away the world is amazed of complexity to navigate and maybe we should start right there because look kid there are some fundamental ideas about life that you just have wrong there is no door that you walk through where you suddenly go from not understanding to finally having all the answers part of growing up is realizing how little human beings know about anything and that's okay what you'll understand is it's not a reason to run it's a source of courage to draw from oh but adults are wise you might think no adults are just children with mortgages you'll learn that and as we all become renters even that's changing right oh but him over there or her wait them they have it all figured out no they just walk with conviction into their individual unknowns that's all oh but there has to be some certainty we have to know some things for sure you might think well certainly we do or at least we think we do but you have to understand 150 years ago science said bleeding someone out would cure them of their illness right our Pursuit Of Truth is crucial but it's a work in progress life is a work in progress you are a work in progress so what am I talking about why does this matter [Music] because I don't want you to think that you are ill-prepared to venture further into your potential I don't want you to think that other people have what you don't that you're not enough the world around you is chaos it's a mess it's it's Clay some people use it to build and create and shape the reality in others well others don't the kicker here is that nothing is built if you don't first give yourself permission to take the unknowns and and make something with them once you understand that there is no secret code that must be figured out you free yourself to explore and capture the essence of being alive again life is messy so go flail around wander go get lost who cares you see what I'm saying you can watch from afar succumbing to the illusion that the world is some uh meticulously constructed Orchestra where everything's playing in unison or you can dive in and make your own music dance to your own Melodies because there is no perfect there are people who stand still and people who pick up the pieces as they go foreign closely related younger me give yourself a chance try things no more things bigger things terrifying things you see those posters the people you have hung up on your wall they're not of a different world they're people like you right but they decided along the way that they would try that they would step out a line break some rules push life and see how hard life pushed back younger me on my college essay I referenced one of my favorite quotes I attributed it to Mark Twain turns out wasn't even by him but hey life goes on right it said 20 years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did do so throw off the bow line sail away from this Safe Harbor catch the trade winds in your sails explore dream discover it's a beautiful quote and here's what I gather from it the biggest mistakes I've made over the course of my lifetime ended up being my greatest teachers leading me to something new to where I most needed to be I mean a lot of my mistakes are even funny stories right that I joke about With Buddies over a beer the vast majority of things you're worried about they either won't happen or they're reversible but what gets you younger me what truly hurts is wishing you had the courage to apply to that thing that you instead let the deadline slip away or talk to that person you walked right by or audition or train or travel or follow your intuition your heart to someplace new those are the things we tend to carry around the second you learn that not going is far scarier than stepping out into the unknown you'll possess a perspective that's incredibly valuable it will change your life and lastly this one's kind of hard to articulate but let me tell you it continues to resurface here it is if your intuition is telling you something listen trust it if something feels wrong Let It Go if it feels like it's where you need to be you're being pulled in that direction explore move towards it when you know in 30 seconds that someone isn't a good person don't give them your time when something doesn't align with your goals or objectives don't feel bad walking away when something excites you trust that feeling this is all intuition and I've come to find that initial response to be more and more valuable what that feeling is telling you matters don't turn your back on that [Music] now of course there's a line we have to walk or an element of pragmatism we have to hold on to sometimes when we're particularly upset it makes sense to let the emotions subside and allow rationality to enter but this is more about being aware of who you are and what you want right don't talk yourself out of what you know you want and into what you know you don't [Music] life gives Clues it's not always 4D chess sometimes it can be simple what's needed is right there but you have to look around you have to listen and trust yourself and no one will ever know you better than you foreign but if you tune yourself out then how can you have a shot at Living a meaningful life one on your own terms be impossible so younger me trust yourself beyond what anyone else tells you is best or most beneficial again those are answers only you know so listen to you one of my favorite messages is that you are your own experiment that as we move forward into the haze of the unknown we understand that at times we'll fall times we'll see our plans uh disintegrate right in front of us but this is when we step back and really examine not a cause for alarm but a chance to celebrate celebrate because the world pushing back at you implies that you are moving forward and that is strength as the saying goes in the broken places the light shines through younger me promise me you won't be scared of breaking that you won't fear leaving the harbor because nothing out there is bigger than you or too much for you to handle or navigate the funny thing is younger me that your journey is reliant on you giving yourself permission to go to see to explore all that starts with you green lighting your own adventure but remember what I'm telling you there is no rubric for life it's trial and error remember that if you don't give yourself a chance you simply watch the opportunity slip by and remember that you are the only one who knows what's best for you so trust that intuition world will be whatever you choose to make it and my hope is that you realize you are strong enough you're bold enough you're capable enough to make it whatever that might be so younger me go pave your path go Blaze your Trail and remember along the way as you navigate the ups and downs highs and lows remember to look up and enjoy the ride foreign [Music] said inspiration is perishable so act on it immediately and what he means is those fleeting moments of excitement where you have an idea a concept those must be cashed in they must come to life otherwise they're gone before they had a chance to change anything and see what we don't really talk about much is that inspiration is only as valuable as one's willingness to act upon just like a seed without the right nutrients can't grow or a wheel is only useful once it touches the ground it's the world able to act upon these objects that makes them powerful instruments and so with that inspiration that momentary jolt you've captured the faster you act upon it the more likely something comes of it inspiration transforms into action which creates momentum and then more inspiration and so goes the powerful cycle we must seek to create inspiration to action to inspiration to action I talk all the time about the myth of perfection the idea that the perfect moment is out there that someone or something will give you permission but no that green light is self-created and when it arrives don't waste it it's not about reaching a Mountaintop right away you don't need to create the perfect solution right now but give yourself a chance to see those Wheels hit the road allow that cycle of inspiration and action to propel you forward because so much of Life comes down to what you did when that fleeting moment arrived what you turned it into if you gave it life a lot of people out there think that the secret to life is having the right answers but I'm here to tell you it's the Courage the willingness the strength to move forward before you have them to take that little bit of inspiration into this Sunset let it mean something let it be a beginning foreign so when you look back years from now you'll see that single decision to act meant so much more than what it felt in the moment that single step you courageously took was everything [Music] foreign I find it interesting that what we want most is often brought about by the inverse of what we'd expect it's a paradox that's amazed me for much of my adult life and what do I mean well here are a few examples the best way to achieve freedom in your life is to be incredibly disciplined right two things that are seemingly opposite in a sense or the the worst of times often open the door to the best of times or it's from a position of strength that one is best able to ensure or from our suffering our pain comes our purpose and contentment right and you get the point I could go on and on and on but the reason this is so important why I think it's worth discussing is that it sheds light on the value hidden within our struggles you know when you realize the paradoxical nature of growth the discomfort makes a little more sense it's easier to wrap our hands around so let's say getting up early perhaps you weren't a morning person but you're trying you're trying because you think those few extra hours in the morning will add some lift all right the alarm clock goes off the last thing you want to do is open your eyes maybe you even start thinking who cares right this isn't that important you begin rationalizing ways you'll go back to bed and just make up for the time throughout the day but when you simplify the equation you realize what you have is an opportunity and you're either going to say yes and capitalize on that opportunity or say no and stay where you are discipline even with the small seemingly trivial stuff becomes freedom and if you want to position yourself for a life on your terms where you're at the wheel on your schedule it means facing demons just like this it means you fight your fight now so that you can mitigate it later rather than saying I wish or beating yourself up for not being a little bit tougher in the moment you instead get that sense of accomplishment you get the luxury of time and freedom and I think that's a simple but perfect example of how discomfort in one moment becomes contentment in future moments not a very intuitive trade-off or how about our low points we all know no one escapes low points I've always found them easier to handle and internalize when I know that it's bringing me closer to something valuable when I know that there's something good on the other side and that the pain I'm feeling the thoughts that are inevitably going to pass through my mind like clouds on a windy day they're obviously not ideal but they're not a waste either because something will come of them and the goal in that moment under the duress is not to move the immovable after all you can only control but you can control but it's just simply put one foot in front of the other until you emerge from the storm because we all eventually emerge from that storm that's when we get into the habit of trying to do what is outside the scope of our control that we do ourselves a disservice because look we're human equipped with human biology and human emotions navigating a tough world that is indifferent to how we feel or what we think and while we can certainly strengthen and fortify that emotional IQ the reality is no one is on a high all the time life is ups and downs and when we realize our superpowers not to fight the down times but to accept them take them in stride learn from them and extract the value we Empower ourselves we're giving ourselves permission to live life just a little Fuller after what we've experienced The Human Experience requires many seemingly contradictory puzzle pieces all working together in unison to create that final illustration we're looking for not just discipline and freedom not just low points and high points countless others Jordan Peterson of course famously discusses chaos in order and how both not only exist but are pivotal to a fulfilling life we are designed for chaos we must step out into unknowns situations that feel bigger than us the courage to do so ultimately becomes the pathway to order as we get used to the change we acclimate we find our answers and ultimately create a sense of fulfillment the challenge being that now we have conquered our demon we must prepare for the next because just like uh too much chaos isn't good too much order is equally destructive right another example of something we'd assume as negative chaos being the thing in actuality that paves the way for better days it's a staircase I've heard Tony Robbins say something similar when talking about our need for both certainty and uncertainty we must have some elements of everyday life mapped out but too much creates a mundane existence without the adventure and growth we've been looking for it's from the unknown we capture more of ourselves it's from the uncertainty we get growth this not just because I think it's fascinating in and of itself but because it's incredibly easy to forget especially in the thick of things that it's all essential to life working the way it should work those losses become gains the disappointment becomes growth the down times become launching pads to evolved experiences greater adventures and new chapters it's certainly not intuitive to look in the mirror when amidst life's chaos and say thank you to the universe I get that I'm not implying that you should but I am saying it helps to know it helps to be aware of the paradoxical nature of your journey I look back at the times I was most fearful or angry at myself and if I could go back and tell that version of me one thing it would be that all that adversity is going to push me forward that I'd never have the things I wanted most if I didn't step into all that discomfort that it's going to be okay that I'm going to be incredibly thankful for it all and so will you this is the push pull of Life the Chaos and Order of the day it is not in spite of but because of those moments you'll be more than you've ever been The Human Experience is a paradox and the quicker we get that the quicker we let it work for us no more fighting unwinnable Wars but rather taking all that we can control and using it to lift ourselves up to be our best selves to make tomorrow the miracle that it can be foreign [Music] what is the complex but an accumulation of that which is simple what are big things if not just a multitude of little things [Music] there's comfort in the understanding that all we have in life all there is is Simplicity easy to understand pieces it's just that sometimes we stack them so high that they start to take a new shape but like Greg McCune references in his book essentialism power isn't always an acquiring answers you already have them they're in front of you the power is in cutting away the things that don't need to be there removing all that stands between you and your ideal existence and I think that's one of life's great misunderstandings we don't need to find more we need to remove that excess until we're face to face with what matters and to adopt this principle it's nothing short of liberating chaos confusion disorder they don't imply that you lack the right things they suggest you haven't stripped life of the wrong things you have not simplified a thousand miles is intimidating when you look at it holistically it's a long journey but it's just a collection of steps and well shouldn't we find solace in the fact that anyone can take one step it's not a game of complexity it's a game of understanding what's in front of you and what's in front of you is always manageable so much of our stress stems from Forgetting what that journey is made of whether it's a change in career Mastery of an art some kind of personal transformation the result we want when looking at it from the starting line it's too complex to understand too many pieces stacked up so let's break it down let's find the foundation what's really there what are the one two three things we need to do what is that golden question what matters if you lose sight of that then you will stumble through life I've learned this I've lived it the time I take to myself every day is invaluable to me because I ask myself those two questions What mattered and what are the simple steps I need to take like what can I remove I was talking about this during an interview this week my personal growth and one of the most important aspects has been the understanding and there's zeroing in on what's important I used to take so much pride in composing the background music to these end to end right I used to love to be able to say I did it all that was so I thought the Great differentiator But ultimately I learned to take a step back and ask what matters here what do you care about it's the storytelling that I love it's the impact and let's be real no one cares who wrote the background music [Music] it's holistically how does the peace make you feel right in this understanding allowed me to cut away license the music save two days a week acquire clarity and realize my goal is not to be Mozart my journey is to be one of the great communicators storytellers of our time and if a day goes by where I'm not taking a little step towards that it's the wrong move small example in the grand scheme of things but right on point it's the power in understanding what matters that makes a difference that allows you to grow evolve and I'm confident that this not only applies to long-term Pursuits but also our challenging times the dark moments the periods of uncertainty and discontent same concept foreign [Music] how do you get there what's the simple thing you can do to close that Gap because you are never helpless [Music] you can always do something and my friends those little somethings ultimately evolve into everything [Music] and when we put our phone away Step Beyond the noise spend time with ourselves we can see how much of life is running in place stacking and stacking pieces that aren't even part of the Masterpiece we're trying to assemble if you want answers start with the understanding that they're buried under mountains of things you don't need so cut away cut away the people and places and things that convolute your story cut away the exhaustion of time that provides no value in return cut away the thoughts that make life more complex than your journey from where you are to where you'd like to be [Music] as you stand right now you have everything you need and there's nothing greater than that nothing more powerful than that understanding so why not step outside the complexity that you've manufactured that you're living in into a world of clarity simplicity and capture what matters [Music] there's an old idea that once you've started you're halfway there how does that make sense one might wonder once you've started you've only just begun and that's true technically but here's the thing the journey be ins and outs ups and downs trials and tribulations they can all be dealt with they knock us down from time to time no doubt but we learn we adjust and carry on as we move forward most success stories they're crushed not because of that adversity along the way but because they never begin they never take shape or materialize we can't make them real in our heads we can't convince ourselves that there'll ever be anything other than Fiction we think that's for someone else we look around and assume that reality is different than my reality and overcoming this mental constraint is always the most challenging step and that's saying the one I continuously find myself coming back to human being always follow through on who they believe themselves to be continues to be true if you don't believe you're worthy of something it's Pursuit is loss before it began so while the Mind tries to paint pictures of how scary that road is ahead how it's too different or big or complex understand that should you move forward you'll find all that complexity can be broken down one day one situation one little step at a time the only real demon here is the possibility of inaction because you couldn't make yourself believe it you couldn't see yourself at the top of that mountain and so the front door was never opened Emerson says hit your wagon to a star a beautiful reminder that that star is proof your dreams are real and only as real as the conviction with which you move towards them green light your own Glory your own contentment because contrary to what we might think no one comes up and be and bestows that upon us to live life fully is a decision decision Latin root words cut off it's removing and abandoning your restraint in order to be more authentically you in order that you'll give yourself permission to chase down that which makes you feel alive and soak up all that aligns with your heart and soul once you start you're halfway there and oh that first step often perceived as the beginning but in actuality a point if you ever give themselves the luxury of experiencing One Believes possible step two believe your worthy step three go everything else Works itself out you're capable of dancing through life's chaos of managing the world's unknowns so know that understand that but most importantly be one of the few who gives themselves permission to experience that and it starts now [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] looking back and understanding what you might have done differently is a source of strength awareness is a currency of sort but being sorry for yesterday dwelling on the days gone by that is a waste of time [Music] see those feelings of discontent the emotions that rise to the surface as our minds sort through that catalog of regret foreign you know the emotions that try and pull you back down into the very moment in which they occurred if you let them lead you by the hand back into a manufactured hell they will and down you will go reliving an expired pain that you can either prevent nor do anything about after all it is the past but alternatively if we can do one of the hardest things for humans to do which is de-personalize the occurrence remove the emotion and find the value you stand face to face with an advantage in life that is exponential not only are you refusing to be defined or tortured by yesterday but you're creating a framework by which you can actually use that pain to make a better right now you're acknowledging that your mistakes are not indicative of a current reflection in the mirror they're not metal bars keeping you closed in they're opportunities in disguise a friend of mine once told me from our pain comes our purpose from our despair comes our hope it's from the times we got it oh so completely wrong that we can now arm ourselves with the ability to get it right to be better and faster and stronger and wiser the reality or life in the big city as the saying goes is having to fall in order to rise again because if nothing Falls there are no ashes from which to re-build we change when we've lost we evolve when we're cornered we become more when life shakes our worldview there's power in this suffering that is if you choose to find it and that's always a decision that's ours to make again those same memories that can pull you down if you let them can also be used to elevate yourself higher than you've ever been [Music] there's a saying that life is ten percent what happens to you in 90 what you do about it [Music] and when you think about it it's obvious because knowledge is only as powerful as our willingness to put that knowledge to work [Music] yesterday's pain its lessons can be the very reason you transform evolve to a higher version of yourself but that's only if you stop using those lessons as an attack on your self-esteem and start seeing them as the gateway to tomorrow [Music] otherwise they'll remain that ball and chain around your ankle is the mistake that cost you your business maybe the inaction that fractured a relationship a swing and miss that hurt your pride somewhere along the way are they going to remain sources of pain in your mind mental images or reflections of where you fell short are they going to fuel the comeback this sequel when we fall we're given one of life's greatest gifts a part two armed with the knowledge we otherwise would never have had armed with an understanding that with the failures comes the strength [Music] grown I've placed more and more emphasis on thinking how do I perceive myself because when that slips life is never too far behind but when you capture and maintain a healthy perspective things seem to improve along with not because thinking makes it so but because how we think prompts how we Act and how we act changes Our Lives it's that simple [Music] so the question okay that happened now what does it mean to you will always be crucial what are you going to do about it now will always be imperative and if you look you'll find that opportunity everywhere I was thinking recently about all the books I've read all the podcasts I consume and there are a ton right but how valuable is that information if I don't act how much could any of it mean if it's consumed and then forgotten a memory with an image and a title I'd be better off reading one good book a year listening to One podcast and injecting that wisdom into my life immediately acting on it using it to manufacture momentum right if the acting is more important than the knowing why have I not placed greater emphasis on the action like 90 percent more emphasis and I think that's a question we should all be asking and so let's move from the book example back to the thinking reminiscing about our mistakes the times we let ourselves down what are our memories if not just little novels where we is the main characters Embark upon the hero's journey Warriors called to something greater leaving a previous world facing our demons learning about ourselves along the way perhaps cut short left without a conclusion only in need of an ending and these painful experiences are essentially us walking around with novels unfinished in our heads we've done the work we've learned the lessons endured the pain and rather than continuing to revisit that discomfort of the moment that stopping point rather than dwelling on how we shut the book after The Conflict occurred let's open it back up and integrate that value that lesson into the present let's grow from it let's evolve because of it that's what's so beautiful so exciting about the future it hasn't happened yet it's in your control [Music] you're painting that picture now in real time and so how convenient that you fell yesterday now you have an opportunity to be stronger today and how incredible that you learned what action or inaction was not in line with the person you want to be now you have an opportunity to root all that out and how beautiful that you felt the pain of quitting of stopping short of throwing the towel now as you push forward into that great unknown you have a reminder a benchmark to compare with the difficulty of the present moment you can sign voice in eternative looks like to put it simply you are not the same person you were yesterday specifically because of what you've been through you have those mistakes to thank for the meaningful Road you will travel and let that be the expectation we don't get through life without mistakes there is no perfect Journey and the ones who move courageously into the future know that more than anyone life pushes back the world has a say and sometimes that means we must be humbled along the way it means we swing and miss it means plans fall apart but you will prevail Maybe not immediately but eventually because you perceive the adversity as merely a cost of admission specifically because you don't let it run Loops in your mind rather you extract the value and transform it into momentum you are not your past you are what you decide to make of your past foreign [Music]

Channel: Eddie Pinero

Views: 927,331

Keywords: live inspired, motivation, your world within, Eddie Pinero, inspiration, running motivation, motivational speech, motivational video, best motivational video, best motivational speech, best motivation, morning motivation, speeches compilation, 2022 motivation, best motivational speeches compilation, motivation compilation, listen every day, motivational speeches, motivation for success, powerful motivational speech, best speeches of 2022, motivation 2 hours long

Id: do8WgKMsRYc

Length: 185min 10sec (11110 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 11 2022