Wake Up Early, Start Your Day Right – Morning Power

0:00Freight rail does more than move goods. It drives America's economy. Every dollar invested generates another $2.50 in economic activity spurring growth from farms to factories. And here's the best part. Freight railroads fund their own infrastructure, saving taxpayers' billions while powering the economy forward, from reducing highway congestion to delivering goods safely and efficiently. Freight rail keeps America moving. Learn more at AARC.org, such America's engine. Few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports. And nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Exfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just watching. We're cheering together. This winter, we're all on the same team. Comcast, proud partner of Team USA. This is a simple reminder.

1:03One that I personally cling to often, and who knows, may just be exactly what you need right now. The reminder to keep going. To simply pick your head up and carry on. Here's the reality. Life is peaks and it's valleys. And for the most part, we know this. But what we forget is that sometimes the space between peaks is long enough that we may not remember why we're walking. We may lose faith in the next summit. When right now hurts to the extent that it becomes forever in our minds, we must remember why it is we move forward and that we are capable of the journey. The path you're walking is no one else's. It is yours. Your prize position. What if it's weight-ingled? You get to stumble through the unknown, push through the chaos,

2:07and come out the other side stronger. You don't have to. You get to. But please, with all the strength you have, remember that your view is weighting. Don't let a temporary pain become a permanent mistake. It happens to so many. And I'm asking you to not let it be you. It's funny. People so often talk about statistics. The percentage that make it. The fraction of a percentage who obtain glory. But upon hearing this, they look at the statistic the same way they do a jar of marbles. Okay, one red 99 blue. Therefore my chances of getting a red are 1%. And while life is jam-packed with variables and unfortunately void of guarantees, these things are not the same. Life is not a jar of marbles.

3:12If 1% of the population can compete in an Iron Man, this isn't because of chance. It's because that 1% A deemed themselves worthy. B changed their lifestyle accordingly. C found time to get the workouts in. D continued through the hurt, the pain, the body breaking down. E invested in recovery. And you get the idea. With all those checkpoints, what's the likelihood that the average person would hit one of them and decide, you know what? I don't want this enough. It's incredibly high. And that's why few people do incredible things. But that's not reflective of a scratch-off lottery ticket. That's a mere question of how bad one wants it. So perhaps the framing for things like this should change from only 1% can do X to only 1% was willing to do what it took to get there.

4:18There is a tremendous difference. Which brings me back to the path you're walking, the discomfort you're in, the pain you're feeling, the anxiety of a lapsed time void a result or recognition. See, there's a time when being screamed at to simply shut up and keep going is valuable. And I'm telling you there are days when I need that. Just go. Perfect. But this is a little different. I want to give you here a perspective shift you can keep in your back pocket for the rest of your life when you feel you're at a breaking point, when you want to give up. I want you to say to yourself, someone else was once at this point. Others are at this point now. And most because of this discomfort that I'm feeling in this moment would turn around. In fact, most will turn around. So what type of statistic do I want to be?

5:25See, pain is not a punishment. It's a filter. It separates those who want it from those who merely enjoyed the idea of it. I believe it was Robin Sharma who said, if you want but only the 5% have, you need to be willing to do. It's like, think of everything in life as a series of trade-offs. If you want comfort now, listen, who am I to say you're wrong? You do you. But I want you to understand the repercussions. I want to make it clear comfort doesn't become greatness. So when choosing your comfort now, you're forfeiting excellence and all the things associated with it. You are settling into that 99% category, not because of luck, but because of a decision you made. On the other hand, if you can forego comfort now,

6:29you put yourself in position to delay that gratification and live a life so spectacular down the road that it's beyond comprehension. When it hurts, it is life placing you at a checkpoint. When you're so unsure about what's next that your visceral reaction is fear, that's the world placing before you an opportunity to obtain that which you've never had. Refrain difficulty. It is the price associated with the best things life has to offer. That's all. And listen, when I say I've wandered through the desert between those peaks of victory, I'm not exaggerating. Extractions of years. And I'm a pretty practical person, right? My lizard brain often cries out, enough is enough. There are easier ways. This is pointless, useless, all in vain.

7:38But I think of that fork in the road. The aforementioned scenario. Others have stood right here, are standing right here and will stand right here until the end of time. Right at this spot. And this spot has killed so many dreams. This spot has stopped so many people who wanted it, maybe even wanted it badly, but not badly enough. And now, as I stand here, I am going to be one of the few who choose differently. Not because I'm special, but because I can, because I'm capable of deciding it so and so are you. So I'll leave you with this when it hurts. Do not run. Don't misinterpret the situation as the universe striking you down.

8:44Don't see the pain as a stop sign. See it for what it truly is. The chance to live a life beyond your wildest imagination. A gift. An opportunity. The reason that you will ultimately stand amongst the one person who decided you know what I can't see the future. I can't see around this corner, but today, here, now, I will push through. The other day, I was sitting in Miami traffic, looking out the window, and it dawned on me. How interesting that human beings haven't solved for this. Like, this is a major annoyance in a lot of people's lives.

9:45Now, we put human beings on a rocket ship. We've navigated them beyond the earth's atmosphere. We've landed them on the moon, but still are unable to effectively get around between 4 and 7 p.m. on weekdays. It's just kind of interesting to realize. Now, there are very practical reasons for this. Sure, not to mention people studying and invested in the problem. And I think most know where they I'm not even saying one is more valuable than another. This is merely a thought experiment. We get the results where we place our attention. We valued going to the moon because of this human's walks on the literal moon. And we're so used to this having happened that it's shock value isn't quite there, right? But for a species who 100 years ago is traveling by horse and buggy, it's pretty impressive.

10:50Now, I just think it's a cool reminder that where we place our focus is where we'll get our positive results. We can change. Freight rail does more than move goods. It drives America's economy. Every dollar invested generates another $2.50 in economic activity, spurring growth from farms to factories. And here's the best part. Freight railroads fund their own infrastructure, saving taxpayers billions while powering the economy forward, from reducing highway congestion to delivering goods safely and efficiently. Freight rail keeps America moving. Learn more at ar.org slash America's engine. Few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports. And nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Xfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just

11:52watching. We're cheering together. This winter, we're all on the same team. Comcast, proud partner of Team USA. That begs the question, where are you placing your spotlight? As John Maxwell said, nobody ever went up a hill on accident. There was intentionality, which gave life to focus and action, planning, growth. We only evolve or we shine that spotlight, or as I've said in previous episodes or videos, what you water grows. I've certainly spent my fair share of time, angry, annoyed by things that have, by no coincidence, given zero effort to fixing. And when you do nothing to solve a problem, all you can cling to is the ability to complain about it. If you're not putting energy and resources there, you most likely won't win.

12:55Some of the best advice I got from a friend a few years back was to highlight the things that matter to you and measure them, because this allows you to be aware, to be intentional with your action. It's deciding which handful of things are going to be your, quote unquote, moon landing, and then watching over them like they are precious. Now let's say a goal of yours to increase your net worth. If you're looking at your bank account every day, you're much more likely to make better monetary decisions than someone who keeps their finances in the dark, because they hate thinking about it. There are deliberate actions that must take place to bring about that change. When I look at, say, YouTube, I tend to know a substantial amount about my metrics, because I really care about the channel and its growth and its impact. I watch it and monitor it. Things dip. I need to know why. If they took a sudden up swing and they're great, I need to know why.

13:57If success on a platform is my metaphorical moon landing, I'm locked into every up and down. I have to understand what's going on, so I can make the necessary adjustments to grow. And then when the growth happens after time has elapsed, I can think, in my own little world, that was space trouble. I was driving that metaphorical horse and buggy, not all that long ago. But I stayed locked in. And this may seem simple, and it is. But for what it's worth, my biggest breakthroughs always tend to me. I've exhausted a lot of energy, and in some cases, even paid a decent amount of money to learn the simple things. Nothing is that complicated. We just think it is, which is why we do nothing and then complain about the delta between the real and the ideal. But I'm here to tell you that if you decide

15:00on a few things that matter to you, and then measure their progress, allocate the energy to moving along with them, where you'll be in months or years from now will astound you. It will be breathtaking. But you have to be willing to peel back the curtain and immerse yourself in it, prove to yourself that sure it might feel big and complex. But once you give something that time and attention, it becomes clear pretty quickly how simple it all is. What's one thing you can do every day, in each meaningful category in your life that will get you closer to where you want to be? If you watch over that process and you adjust along the way, the amount of opportunity available, the amount of change you'll create is unbelievable. And someday, to others, on the outside looking in, your progress will seem out of this world larger than life. It will appear a moon landing.

16:07But you'll know it wasn't the miraculous. It was just a simple decision to give it time and attention. You watered it, and so it grew. Someone once told me that no one further along than you will ever try and bring you down. That it's the people who see you pursuing your dream and are reminded that they've given up on theirs that usually make the most noise. And knowing this essentially invalidates all criticism. Who cares? It's the metaphorical dog nipping at your ankles. One, it's to be expected and two,

17:12often best ignored. The question is, are you able to separate it out as just part of the process? Can you ignore all that stuff that's sort of hovering around you as you walk your path? Or do you let it in? Do you personalize it? Do you make it bigger than it is? Imagine a world where you protected dearly the things you let into your mind. You understood that things don't happen to you, they merely happen, and you get to choose what they'll mean. Imagine if you lived with enough conviction to do what excited you, what felt right, knowing that, sure, some folks might have something to say, but that's just a tiny variable in the great play of life. It's rain on a summer day. You pick up the umbrella and you carry on.

18:20It's hard to describe, but we never really understand how little these social variables will mean until some time has gone by. I often think about being younger and caring so much. As a kid about being, quote, unquote, cool or uncool. I didn't say where or do certain things because fitting in was so important. I cared about my friends or classmates might think we all did, and looking back now, it's like, what would I tell that version of me? It's pretty easy and pretty clear now, actually, as years have passed. I'd say, do what feels right. We'll be often filled to realize is that that very same concept applies to the present day. The things that feel big now probably aren't, right? They're little details masquerading as life or death decisions, just like they were when I had to have, you know, that power

19:25range or backpack or my life would be over. It's fear of judgment. But I learn again and again, what really matters, you know, was I good to the people around me. Did I do what mattered to me and did I do it with conviction? I think it can be that simple. Hold tightly the meaningful things and don't let the other noise infiltrate your peace. In early 2020, I decided I'd go to North Carolina for a little bit. And I wasn't exactly sure how long, but I knew that I needed to go. I felt right. I had a friend up there, some work I wanted to do up there, and so basically I got rid of so many things I owned that what was left fit into my little two-door Cadillac. That's not a lot of things. And, you know, spent some time up there, enjoyed it, got a lot done.

20:29When it was time to go back to Florida, you know, I'm planning my trip and I realized, oh my god, I have a you-haul full of things. Having a little place to stay, right, eating basic things, some cheap furniture, some technology. And not because it was intentional, but because it was unintentional, right? Because when you don't pay attention, our natural inclination is to pick unnecessary things up. I think our personal lives are similar. We collect things without protecting the core that matters most, allowing life to ultimately become so cluttered that we can't differentiate. How can you tell what's important when you have a you-haul full of things? What's important when you let too much into your life? You end up with shelf space for the opinions of those who wouldn't even come by and visit if you were in the hospital. The words of people who don't have your best interest in heart,

21:32the fears of what could go wrong, the ego not allowing vulnerability. These things have no teeth when life is simple and protecting your world is one of the most powerful things you can do. Being the gatekeeper for your mind is strength, criticism, haters, skeptics. It's not that these things don't exist. It's that they will fall around you, like rain as you move on to better. Few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports, and nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Exfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just watching, we're cheering together. This winter, we're all on the same team. Comcast, proud partner of Team USA. With its two juicy beef patties, three slices of melted cheese and tangy big ox sauce,

22:36the big ox is what happens when you start making a McDonald's burger and never stop the big ox. The most McDonald's McDonald's burger yet for a limited time. For things, you don't stop because of them, just like you don't go because of them. You simply exist with and move alongside them. You understand why they're there. She don't give them the luxury of infiltrating your inner peace. You do not let them in. Your world within is precious. And as you navigate the external world, we have to choose wisely what gets permitted. I was in Arizona last week. Got a chance to interview Joe Polish,

23:46best-selling author and founder of the Genius Network. As I was sort of making my way around the Genius Network office with my coffee that morning, I noticed in one of the meeting rooms there were some quotes hanging on the wall. One of them was Joe's that said, be willing to destroy anything in your life that is an excellent. That's certainly a big statement. I started thinking about my little corner of the universe, running through all the things that might not meet that standard of excellence in my life. And a few certainly came to mind. It was freeing to think about, but could excellence really be a standard for everything? I mean, that's a high bar. And so I wrote it down, a little reminder to bring it up later during the interview. A few hours go by, mics are rolling, and I asked the question. So be willing to destroy

24:51anything in your life that is an excellent. Beautiful quote. But how? And Joe smiled, kind of pause for a second. It says, willing, right? The key word there is willing. And I'm paraphrasing, but his point was essentially, it's an acceptance of what is and a willingness to be rigorously honest with yourself. Because look, there's not an athlete, entrepreneur, parent or student who didn't have to at some point play broken. We all do. But to live like that, that's not a life well lived. That's learned helplessness. And that quote on the walls about taking a stand. It's the moment you say, I want a new standard for my life. I'm going to be more assert, more caring, more aware.

25:56Excellence is not a requirement, per se, because human beings can't be excellent all the time. We are flawed. We are trying. We are growing. But what you can do is look around you and start moving towards that version of yourself. Start cutting away the metaphorical chains around your ankles. In his book, what's in it for them? Joe highlights British Olympic Roar Ben Hunt Davis, who had one standard for the men in his boat, one question that would be asked every time they were confronted with the decision. The question was, will this make the boat go faster? If no, then it's not for them. And this framework guided their journey. This contributed to their success, this clarity, this line of sight. It's an awareness we can all learn from. Understanding that we're

27:00not shackled to yesterday. We're not tied to the old stories, the old relationships, the old ways of living. No, our paths are not dictated by what was. But rather, our willingness to be aware to ask the questions that position us towards our North Star. And as the conversation was winding down, Joe pointed to a quote from the movie Vanilla Sky. States every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around. Change doesn't happen without the understanding that more is possible. That perhaps you've been conceding too much while asking too little of yourself. Perhaps you've been surrounding yourself with inadequate resources. Maybe you've been building walls that without your knowing it became self-induced limitation.

28:01And yeah, excellence in every single aspect of the life is unobtainable. But what a beautiful standard. What a journey to embark upon, a horizon to chase down. And the point is not to recklessly destroy your current reality, but to build a bridge connecting what is to what can be. It's loving the reflection in the mirror enough to know you are better. You can be better. You will obtain better. You need not be perfect or flawless, but you must be willing. willing to destroy anything in your life that is an excellent.

29:03Here's to going even when you don't want to go. To moving forward when you're uncomfortable, to stepping up when you're fearful, here's to courage. I was talking to a friend of mine earlier today about understanding the difference between two things. On one hand, the fear that presents itself when we're growing, leveling up. We've all felt nerves before a big event or an important life change, things like that. And then on the other hand, the emotions that arise when we start to feel like something isn't right for us. Similar discomfort, but not quite the same. We feel nervous or uneasy because we know we're misaligned. And what we landed in our conversation was that when you were on the edge of that metaphorical cliff and your body's pushing back, your heart's pounding, your mind is racing, your nervous,

30:04you're fearful. The question worth asking is, will I be disappointed in myself if I don't go through with this? Will I be letting myself down here by turning back? You have to jump into the future and imagine, you know, future you sitting at the table reflecting on this. If you see yourself as regretful, wishing you pushed through, then it's not an alignment issue, it's a matter of courage. And when you think about it, it usually feels obvious looking back. Like I can easily recognize in hindsight the things I stopped doing because they weren't aligned with who I wanted to be. When you stop doing the wrong thing, it feels like a breath of fresh air, like a step back to leap forward. Those decisions create a more filled life. But those times I stopped because, you know, I let the moment get bigger than my end goal. Those times I caved and decided I didn't want to pay the price solely because of the temporary

31:09discomfort. I remember those two. That's a different feeling altogether. A not so good feeling, is we all know. Jim Rohn says it like this, there's a pain of discipline or a pain of regret. Choose your pain. One of the things that makes life challenging is that we have to be open to some level of discomfort in our lives. That's just what it is to be human. Now our powers, that we get to choose where we let that pain in and what it means, what it will do for us, will it be the type of pain that grows us or the type of pain that reminds us what could have been. And I really think most of the time we stop, not because the path was wrong for us. But because we somewhere along the way forgot that most of life's best experiences and circumstances and opportunities come with a hefty price tag, they demand a lot of us.

32:11And in those moments when the lights shine the brightest, when we feel the weight of the world coming down on us, it's easy to misdiagnose that discomfort as a stop sign. It's like, oh, I feel alone, I feel unsure, I don't have any validation, my pride hurts, my confidence is shaken, whatever it may be. These things just, you know, even as I'm saying them out loud now seemed awful. When in reality, few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports. And nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Exfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just watching, we're cheering together. This winter, we're all on the same team, Comcast, Proud Partner of Team USA. With its two juicy beef patties,

33:17three slices of melted cheese and tangy big-oaks sauce, the big-oaks is what happens when you start making a McDonald's burger and never stop the big-oaks. The most McDonald's McDonald's burger yet for unlimited time. They're just the cost of admission, right? Like, you have to not know before you can ever know. But try telling yourself that as you're wandering around feeling nothing but pressure, right? It's a different story altogether. It's a challenge, but here's the goodness. It's a challenge you're capable of handling and overcoming. Life is about stepping into things we don't feel ready for, and then learning repeatedly that we can piece together the knowledge along the way. It reminds us that fear is going to show up regardless of what we do in life, but to grow into the people we are capable of becoming, we have to understand that fear is in

34:22its own unique way, an invitation. The discomfort doesn't mean something's wrong, often the opposite. It's letting you know that more is available, that you are right where you need to be, but you have to change in order to become worthy of what's on the other side. Life is not saying no. It's merely demanding of you courage and courage you have. There's a quote that states, whatever you are, be a good one. The pride you take in your work

35:23and the quality you're looking to obtain throughout, well, it's just as important as the direction you are heading. And I spent some time thinking about this. It was recently on an 11 hour flight home from Japan where, you know, I got to see a lot, I learned a lot, a few things I want to share over the course of the next couple of weeks, but there was one that stood out to me above all, right? One that I felt I needed to inject into my personal life. And so let's start there. It's the apparent pride that the Japanese take in their culture. Now admittedly anecdotal, right? Based on a relatively quick experience, I was only there for about a week, but also it was the thing that was most evident, right? That jumped out at me. It felt sacred. From the way they talked about being Japanese, at least

36:26those few short conversations I was able to have to the clonliness of the cities and buildings. I mean, the subway in Tokyo was so clean that it felt like a simulation to every car that drove by being washed and waxed. And I mean every car. I saw no trash on the street. There were no homeless people out, which given that I was in the busiest part of Tokyo, seems to be quite the feet. The bottom line is these folks across the board take tremendous pride in themselves and their communities. Now I can't speak nor am I going to attempt to speak to the socio-economic impact of that type of standard. But I can tell you that in many ways, from a personal standpoint, there was something powerful about it. I can tell you that my first instinct was again to inject that mentality into as much of my own world as I can. The taking pride in your surroundings and

37:30your outward appearance makes you feel better inside. Though in your world as messy and cluttered, so was your mind, that when you don't invest in your environment it probably diminishes your likelihood of succeeding in it. There's power in pride in caring and taking responsibility for that which is yours. I said something similar in an episode last week talking about identifying your North Star and acting the part. And someone commented under the video, agreed. How you do one thing is how you do everything. And I really like that. I think it sums it up beautifully. Now I'm not ignorant enough to think that Japan is perfect because I spend a week there in the subways we're clean. I'm sure underneath the hood it has flaws like every society does, like every individual does, but pride in oneself and surroundings doesn't appear

38:31to be one of those flaws. I think it's a source of strength and seeing this came at a time when I needed it most. Perhaps I may have even, you know, subconsciously been looking for it. And over the years I've realized this in different areas of my life without knowing in many cases that I was longing for consistency. Pride, not just in a few habits, but in the greater overall picture. Getting into shape, I think, is the easiest example to demonstrate because it's not just a habit change. It's a lifestyle change, right? To be truly fit, you have to raise your standards across the board, adjust many aspects of your life so that they essentially come together to create something new. It was pride and focus and attention on when I woke up, what I ate, obviously how and when I worked out, what I said yes to, what I said no to. My work and social

39:37lives were also inextricably linked to those decisions and in neglecting some aspects there diminished the stock of all the others. It's taking pride in how you do everything. It's not allowing yourself to fall short of a particular standard. When you don't let the little things fall off, it creates an environment where you can conquer the big things. That's why I think that quote is so impactful. Whatever you are, be a good one. Not in one area or in one aspect of who you are, but in totality. Set a standard, right? Don't allow yourself to fall below it. You will feel better, freer, healthier. If the car is dirty, the office space is probably cluttered too, which means so is the desktop, which means so is the mind and it's way of navigating and processing information. Nothing is completely siloed off. We're on the other hand, one thing is immaculate, odds are

40:45everything is, right? So that little trip was a beautiful reminder to raise the bar in all aspects in my life. The standard can't just apply to my work or my art, everything is intertwined. Greatness is holding on to the standard you set, the value system you de-meaningful, and accepting absolutely nothing. Bless. Sometimes we convince ourselves that right now isn't quite right. It's not the wrong time necessarily, but soon. We'll have that thing that will make the perfect launch point soon. So we'll wait. You hear it a lot with hopeful creators, right? As soon as I get the camera,

41:46I'm going to start the podcast. As soon as I feel inspired, I'll start writing. Or how about this one we can all relate to in some way. As soon as it's January 1, I'll start taking care of myself and my health. And I'm not talking about this because I read about it. I'm talking about it because I live it. It's an adversary I'm always up against. He, a lure of waiting for that perfect moment. But here's the deal. When you start now, the imperfections become part of the value. People see imperfections and become inspired by them. He started getting in shape in his garage with two dumbbells. Look at that. She started writing her novel in a notebook waiting to pick her kids up from school. And going now, not only destroys that enemy that is procrastination, it also gives you something

42:52of value in return. It lets the very fact that you found a way become a narrative in your story. It allows your imperfections to become your greatness. I recently relocated my studio to Scottsdale, a move that, according to the moving company, would take seven to ten days. 24 days later, I realized that there are places in life where you can attempt to cut costs. Moving companies should never be one of those things. I found myself few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports. And nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Xfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just watching.

43:53We're cheering together. This winter, we're all on the same team. Comcast, proud partner of Team USA. With its two juicy beef patties, three slices of melted cheese, and tangy big ox sauce, the big ox is what happens when you start making a McDonald's burger, and never stop the big ox. And most McDonald's McDonald's burger, yes, for a limited time. With the recording equipment in my camera bag that I travel with, and some empty boxes, and I'm waiting for my stuff to show up one week, two weeks, three weeks, soon, soon it'll arrive. And I'll be able to record them. Because right now there's no lighting. Right now I don't have my tripod. I don't have anything to put behind me in the set. It's like, wait, wait, wait. Or how about this? You take the empty shelves and you make them intentional. You lean boxes against the wall. You have a life transition set, right?

44:57And not only can you make that work, not only will it look sufficient, but it's like, you have a story now. We like to hear about the times others made something out of an apparent nothing. It's relatable. And that's actually where the fun stuff is in any conversation. I'm recording this in a hotel room. Doing what I can with what I have. And so, when you find yourself feeling not quite ready and the temptation is to wait, rather than hold out hope for a fake perfection that never comes, why not unpack the beauty contained in the present moment, or put a much more practical way the opportunity contained in the present moment. When I begin with less and tap into something

46:00that no other time in your life will have, but now, start your podcast using your phone, mediocre visuals and echoey audio. Let this be the beginning that you look back on and smile. Remember how fun those episodes were? That mediocre at best equipment and stories about where we were in life. You start working out, now, can't get to the gym, do it in your garage, in your living room. Then you can point to where it would have been easy not to, but you built your physical foundation on the third floor of an apartment building in New York. People ask you, you know, what it took to get into the shape you're in now? Wait in a floor, just start. I find repeatedly that it's not about perfect. It's about who we become in making progress

47:06with far less than the perfect we'd hoped for. And that's what makes you realize, you know, how much of what we tell ourselves is just rationalization. We're scared to not look good. That's all. We're scared of new things worried about beginning. And so we convince ourselves that the camera angle will make all the difference. The expensive lens will be the differentiator. Again, I've lived this. And then you get it and it's like in truth, the new camera just sits there. You're still the person in front of it. And what you say in front of your phone versus $2,000 Sony is still entirely dependent on you. Surprise. The Sony doesn't have much say. And so I call you to think less about the set and more about what's going on within it. The amount you can do with what you have now will astound you.

48:11How little we need is truly magical. You know, when these last three weeks have emphasized that for me. Two pairs of shoes, two pairs of jeans, some t-shirts, and a camera. I didn't miss much. Because my ability to think and share ideas didn't get packed away and put in the truck with everything else. That stayed with me. And we all have some version of that in our own lives. That's what matters. You are LeBron at something. So cherish that. Bring that to the world. Regardless of the circumstance, you can put LeBron on a broken down court with no nets. He'd still be pretty good. The environment becomes something different, something enjoyable because of its novelty. Too often we miss the value, you know, because of the details. So, I'll end with this. Don't seek perfection.

49:18Seek to start now with what you have so that you can give more of yourself to the world. You can give more of yourself when you're unsure. Give more of yourself when you're lost. Give more of yourself when you're starting. Give more of yourself when you don't have all the tools you wish you had. Give more of yourself at the beginning. Give more at the middle and at the end. Anything that suggests you need some miracle in the mail before you can begin or tap into what matters is fear. It's nothing more and nothing less. So start. Start for the world and for the story you'll be able to share by simply initiating the climb.

50:20We have so much to let go of. To dismiss ideas, narratives. They're not ours. Not in our best interest anyway. Yet we carry them around. Carry them around like we're perpetually tied to the lies they espouse, the fiction they propagate. We have to let go. Before we add a single thing, before we adopt another way, it all has to go. I don't remember where I've seen it, but I know I have maybe cartoons when I was younger, but I'm imagining that character that is taking off their jacket or shirt and there's always

51:21another one underneath it. And they're confused, frantically pulling off shirts and more and more to keep emerging. They had no idea how many layers they were carrying around with them. And funny enough, 20 years later, I'd be thinking that we are no different. There are so many layers and so many of them should be gone, should be left, should be confined to the dustbin of history. Those boundaries in your life, who set them? Who said this is as far as you can go? Who put that little fence around your world and ask that you stay obediently confined to its borders? Who said that what you have is all there is? Who said upside is too dangerous? Who said life is about predictability and routine so stop asking questions? No one. No one said those things. So hey, there's a start. Empty your pockets of the boundaries

52:29they're making life heavy. What about yesterday? Might as well take off that backpack, tip it upside down and pour out the yesterday. You made mistakes yesterday. But that's not today. You didn't like certain aspects of who you were yesterday. But that's not today either. Your friends, maybe family, maybe others in your life knew you to be someone. Someone you don't think you are or someone you wish you weren't. Well more breaking news that was yesterday. Did you even realize you're still carrying around who you were yesterday on your back? Your next step has a lot to do with now and very little to do with yesterday. So embrace and wave goodbye to those calendar pages you've already turned.

53:30That's the best move for everyone. Oh and those concessions you make? You didn't think I'd forget those. You can't forget those unshackle them from your ankle. Those things you say, eh you're not ideal, but it's easier to live a lesser life with you in it than it is to go through the trouble of pushing you away. Perhaps the people that darken your light, the actions that you know are not you, the time exhausted living for someone else, gone, gone, and gone, it has to go. And look, we all know life is tricky. It's hard to walk away from things so ingrained into our daily lives for so long. But let's play a game. Let's pretend it was. Pretend life was that simple. Things I need to leave behind A, B and C. Well that's definitely simple.

54:31Perhaps not easy, but simple. And now through this simplified lens, you have a target aim for something to chip away at. You have your block of marble. Now comes the process of chiseling a little bit at a time. And that's the goal. Because to not carry these things ends up meaning everything. Space no longer occupied by the wrong things creates space for the right things. Knocking down what doesn't belong creates a platform to build what does. So onward we must go, not falling into the trap of pointing at externalities, blaming the world for our confinement. But instead understanding that we have been, perhaps without even realizing it, taking our confinement with us in our pockets on our back trailing behind our every step, a subtle resistance. And when it goes, we can finally grow. We can

55:41become more. So what can you do now to live a life that's more meaningful, that's more true to yourself? Well, you can start by doing less of what weighs you down. Imagine with me a world where you stopped segmenting out the difficulty in your life as other than where you stopped seeing the turbulence as an obstacle to your journey. Imagine with me life as a symphony, where everything works together to create the whole,

56:41where the high notes, the low notes, the pauses, the rest, the tempo changes, all contribute to the overall theme. None of it's unimportant or dismissable. How could it be? But without the low notes, the high notes don't mean anything. Without the rest, you don't get the satisfaction and the power of the moment that music re-emerges. In fact, it was the contrast that created the magic to begin with. All of it is needed. Even when you don't understand why. You don't know that this slow beginning, the breaks, the tempo changes, that it will all be the reason you are soon awed by the crescendo that awaits. And how could you? It's one flow, the journey points in one direction. You are in this for the ride. Seeing our lives, the obstacles, the chaos, the confusion, they hurt. They're unsettling. So the inclination is to dismiss them,

57:47to push them away. This isn't what I need. This is void of value. So get rid of it, we tell ourselves. When in reality, those things are integral components to your song. They are what culminate into your final piece. They're bringing you to that crescendo. Doesn't mean you have to love the challenging times. Of course not. But it does mean we should understand that even though we can't see it unfolding before our very eyes, it's all playing a role. My heart made me stronger. My struggle injected meaning into my life. It made the song richer, the sound sweeter. Today is what it is, because yesterday was what it was. And I know when I'm face to face with something that my gut instinct deems to be detrimental, that two things can in fact be true at once. That I need to work to write the ship, to re-point the compass, but also

58:54understand that the storm wasn't void of significance. The valley wasn't all for naught. It's gifted me new oceans to cross, new mountains to climb, and new perspective is that I peer out over the view. So as you move through the dark, as you navigate the chaos of night, know that the light you're chasing is only meaningful because of the depths you are emerging from. Life beyond these shadows is not where the world begins. It's a continuation of an already beautiful journey you're on. It's your symphony in total power. See, the time will come when you look back and you'll be grateful for the so-called inconveniences that surround you now. Your heart needs the contrast that this adversity creates. Your soul depends on the hardship to

59:59understand the magnificence of life. It's why now, when it hurts, you must keep going. You have to let the notes materialize into the beautiful song it will become. The masterpiece it was meant to be come. Few things are as uplifting as the greatest moments in sports, and nothing brings us together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBC Universal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Exfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, we're not just watching.

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