1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: I got our team. I hope you're bloody terrific. Welcome 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: to another installment of the show. You Project, of course, 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: is the name of the show. Craig Anthey Harper is 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: my name, but nearly all of you know that. But 5 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: there might be one or two ring ins, one or 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: two newbies, one or two debutantes. To you people, Hello, Hello, 7 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: nice to cyber meet you. I hope you're bloody terrific. 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: For those of you who would like to get a 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: little more involved, if you wanted to, you could go 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: to my Facebook or our Facebook page, which is just 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: called the You Project Podcast. It's a group. There's no 12 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: hook catch agenda, there's no on sell upsell side cell. 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: In fact, we don't let anyone sell anything. I don't 14 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: sell stuff on there. We just post the podcasts that 15 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: are up. We have discussions around what's going on at 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: typ Central, and you are all free to ask me 17 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: a question or suggest ideas or topics or theme for 18 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: shows or potential guests and all of that. So the 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: new Project podcast page is on facing. You can do 20 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: that now. I wanted to talk to you about the 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: idea of why taking the easy option is often not 22 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: a good idea. And in a world where easy is 23 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: very popular and comfort is very popular, and convenience is 24 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: very popular for understandable reasons, because who the fuck wants 25 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: hard when we can have easy? I think the question, though, 26 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: is what is the consequence of choosing easy over the 27 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: long term if I keep hitting the easy button, If 28 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: I kept pressing the easy button. I want quick, I 29 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: want easy, I want comfortable, I want familiar, I want 30 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,279 Speaker 1: no pain, I want no risk. I want to choose 31 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: the shortest route between me and the outcome that I want, 32 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: the one that involves the least effort, the least energy, 33 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: the least risk, the least courage. I want that. And 34 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: while we probably don't say that out loud, that is 35 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: true for many of us. Of course, of course, if 36 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: there are two ways to get their one as easy, 37 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: one as hard, we'll take the easy one. Now. So too, 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: if there's a hard option and an easy option for 39 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: me and they both produce the same outcome, of course 40 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to produce I'm going to choose easy as well. 41 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: But the truth is that it's in all the choosing 42 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: of the easy over the long term, choosing the easy 43 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: and the short term that over the long term becomes 44 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: problematic because when our focus and our attention and our 45 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: energy is all about finding the shortcut, the quick fix, 46 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: the magic pill, the instant gratification, the panacea, you know, 47 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: the top of the mountain without the climb, to speak metaphorically, 48 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: then one we tend not to really get there. We 49 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: might get there temporarily, but to also what we do 50 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: is we deprive ourselves. We deprive ourselves, I should say, 51 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: of the opportunity to learn and grow and evolve and 52 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: adapt and develop resilience and understanding and awareness and confidence 53 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: and competence which comes through doing hard things, consciously choosing hard, 54 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: and consciously choosing not reckless hard, not stupid hard. We 55 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: don't want to put ourselves in harm's way or do 56 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: something that is incredibly risky, a little bit riskier, and 57 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: they're not bad. But we're not talking about being reckless 58 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: or stupid. We're talking about an intelligent or a smart 59 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: hard where I know, for example, I'm going to go 60 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: to the gym and I'm going to do these hard things, 61 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: and I might have some sore muscles and every now 62 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: and then I might get a minor injury, hopefully not, 63 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: but I'm going to go to the gym, because I 64 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: know that there is a huge amount of evidence and 65 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: data that suggests that if I go to the gym 66 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: consistently and I work against resistance and I do hard 67 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: things in an intelligent and structured and systematic and consistent way, 68 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: over time, I will build strength. I will build fitness, 69 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: I will build confidence and competence. I will improve my health. 70 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: I will lower my blood pressure, I'll boost my immune system, 71 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: I'll build more muscle. I'll be physiologically stronger, and also 72 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: I'll be mentally and emotionally stronger because I've voluntarily done 73 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: this fucking hard thing that at the time quite often 74 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: is not much fun, and I've kept doing it, and 75 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: I've kept varying the program and progressing the workloads so 76 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: that I'm forcing this adaptation to happen. And I am 77 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: consistently and consciously choosing to get uncomfortable and do something 78 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: hard on a pretty regular basis now. And I'm just 79 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: using the gym as an example, But that same kind 80 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 1: of adaptation, that same principle, that same protocol of doing 81 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: a hard thing and growing and learning from doing the 82 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: hard thing that happens at the gym, that happens in 83 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: business that happens in relationships, that happens with finances, that 84 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: happens in academic settings, that happens in sporting context in 85 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: training contexts. The same principle is that if I intelligently, systematically, 86 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: methodically do something that's hard, with a plan, with a structure, 87 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: with a reason, with a purpose, then we tend to 88 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: produce better results, typically in terms of just the outcomes 89 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: that we produce, but also we become better along the way, 90 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: become we become a better version of ourselves. I know 91 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: that for me being the morbidly obese kid and then 92 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: starting the whole process of doing shit, that for me 93 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: was incredibly hard. You know, going for a run the 94 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 1: first day that I ever consciously, voluntarily without anyone trying 95 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: to coerce or coax me to go for a run. 96 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: I was fourteen years old and I was morbidly obeseent 97 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: it was fucking horrible and hurt, and I think I 98 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: covered about five kilometers. I think four kilometers of that 99 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: was walking. One kilometer was a horribly slow jog. I 100 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: was probably carrying thirty five kilos more than was suitable 101 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: for my body at the time. But I do distinctly 102 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: remember getting home and feeling fucking great mentally and emotionally 103 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: that I had done this thing. And do you know 104 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: the other thing was and I don't know if I 105 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: did this intentionally or just happened to do it, but 106 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 1: I didn't tell anyone. I didn't tell anyone because I 107 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: didn't want to draw attention to it. But I didn't 108 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,239 Speaker 1: tell my parents, didn't tell my mum, dad, I didn't 109 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: tell my school is for quite a while. And then 110 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: and then I just kept doing it and every day 111 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: and you know, and this is no revelation, and there's 112 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: nothing like mind blowing in this, but just the consistency 113 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: of every day doing something that for me was hard. 114 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: You know, I knew that I ate too much food. 115 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: I knew that I ate the wrong food, and I 116 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: knew that I ate too much food. And we're talking 117 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: about in the late seventies here, And of course I 118 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: didn't fucking understand anything about anatomy or progressive overload or 119 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: exercise or nutrition. In fact, not a lot of people did, 120 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: but I definitely didn't. But what I did have a 121 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: vague grasp of was energy expenditure. You know, what I 122 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: was putting in energy intake, energy outs, and that balance, 123 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: and I knew that if I moved more and ate 124 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: less whatever, that looked like that very simple model that 125 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: I had, that very simple, uncomplicated idea that I had 126 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:58,119 Speaker 1: in my head. So it was not that it was complicated. 127 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: It was a very simple concept move more, eat less, 128 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: but at the same time not easy to execute. Like 129 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: you think about walking up a steep hill. It's not complicated, 130 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: but it's hard as fuck sometimes. So you know, we 131 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: take one step after the other, we head in a 132 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: certain direction, we can see the top. We know it's 133 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,559 Speaker 1: going to be two hours till we get to the top. 134 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: It's going to require eight or ten thousand steps or 135 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: whatever it is. It's going to be hard, it's going 136 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: to hurt, it's going to be painful, it's going to 137 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: be uncomfortable. We might get some sore feet, we might 138 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: get out of breath, we might strain a muscle. We 139 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: might not enjoy the process, But what we will enjoy 140 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: is the outcome, which is we did this thing. We 141 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: got to the top. So it's a lot of the 142 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: shit that we need to do in terms of growth, 143 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: personal development, improving success learning, developing, evolving in business. In 144 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: the personal growth space, even I think, and this sounds weird, 145 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: but even spiritually, you know, with that discipline of meditation, 146 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: if that's part of your practice or prayer or service, 147 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: you know that having a purpose bigger than you, you know, 148 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: being of value, being of service to others, like a 149 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: lot of the stuff that we need to do, you know, 150 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: when we talk about self transcendent self actualization, which is 151 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: becoming the best version of us, you know, or a 152 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: much better version of us, moving on that part to 153 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: self actualization where now I'm really using my talent and 154 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 1: my potential and my gifts and my genetics in an 155 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: optimal way. But now I'm moving beyond that, where I'm 156 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,319 Speaker 1: using all of that stuff to serve others. Well. While 157 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: that is, while that is great, and that is a 158 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: very noble aspiration, at the same time, that actual journey 159 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: is often anything but fun. It's not fun. It's worthwhile definitely, 160 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 1: it's transformational, definitely, but in the mind it's not quick, fun, easy, sexy, 161 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: or painless. And this is the this is the idea 162 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: you know, of choosing hard. I've said to I've said 163 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: to you before on this show. You know, I loved 164 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: the idea of doing a PhD and if not for 165 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: almost really, if not for like some unexpected events, you know, 166 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: me going to Monash University Brain Park, which is the 167 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: neuroscience neuropsych lab that I'm doing my PhD, and meeting 168 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: some people there, and I actually, before I'd even thought 169 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: about doing my PhD, I was asked to come there 170 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 1: and talk to the group, talk to the lab, talk 171 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: to the PhD students, talk to the you know, the staff, 172 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: the team, a faculty, the profs, you know, and I 173 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: just shared to them about my work and my my 174 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: job essentially, which was at that stage and still is 175 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: helping people change, helping people think better, do better, create better. 176 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: And obviously I was coming originally from an exercise science 177 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: point of view, and I was coming from a very 178 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: hands on experiential point of view. I was coming from 179 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: a space of you know, nearly well at that stage, 180 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: I guess thirty five years of training, coaching, teaching based 181 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: to face conversations, and so a lot of my ideas 182 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: and habits and protocols and practices were self taught and 183 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: evidence based in that sense that my my gyms were 184 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: my classroom, you know, my athletes and my clients were 185 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: the students, you know, and it was. It was all 186 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: that and anyway, that was awesome and that was beautiful. 187 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: But then so I got this opportunity to do a PhD, 188 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: and my ego loved that idea. My self esteem didn't 189 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: know if I could do it, but my ego thought 190 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: it would be amazing. And of course, other than just 191 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: my ego, I really wanted to do it because you know, 192 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: I thought I would learn and I would grow, and 193 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to be a 194 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: doctor of neuropsychology or psychology. It wouldn't probably hurt the career. 195 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: I can't remember exactly because it was over five years ago. 196 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: Now November one is my five year mark. My PhD 197 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: so a minute away. Oh wow, only a few days away. 198 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: Interesting November one, twenty twenty four. This is October the 199 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: twenty seven, twenty twenty four, as I record this. My 200 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: long winded fucking point is this. I started my I 201 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: started November one, twenty nineteen, and I remember going into 202 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: the university. It's a separate the brain Park is not 203 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: on the main campus. It's a separate area, a whole 204 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: separate area. It's across the road from the main university. 205 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: And what looks like a scientific lab building CSIRO, A 206 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: part of that, the Turner Institute Brain Park, a whole 207 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: bunch of a whole bunch of smart people doing smart shit. 208 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: Almost almost on day one, I wasn't regretting it, but 209 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: I was absolutely doubting, absolutely doubting and fearful, and part 210 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: of me thinking what the fuck have I done? And 211 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: I'll be one hundred percent honest and say that for definitely, 212 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: for the first three or four months, I one hundred 213 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: percent believed I couldn't do it. I struggled to read 214 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: academic papers, you know, that kind of level of research, 215 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 1: to understand the language of the vocabulary, to understand certain concepts, 216 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: because I just wasn't It's just like, you know, I 217 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: knew I wasn't dumb, but I knew that I didn't 218 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: know that language. Like I literally finished my last degree 219 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: in two thousand and two, which was what is that 220 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: seventeen years earlier, and I did an undergrad degree in 221 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: excise science, and the the chasm between that degree and 222 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: what I started, I can't adequately explain to you how 223 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:13,359 Speaker 1: big that gap is. And so no one was the problem. 224 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: I was gonna say I was the problem, but not 225 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: really the problem. I was just overwhelmingly inadequately ready and 226 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: prepared for that. But you know, you can't get good 227 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: at what you won't do. You can't get good at 228 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: what you won't own up to. And so I spent 229 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: three four months, you know, kind of reading, kind of planning, 230 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: kind of writing bits and pieces, trying to map out 231 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: what would be the next four or five years of 232 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: my PhD journey, but really oftentimes trying to figure out 233 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: how I could get out of it without being shamed 234 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: and embarrassed because I just I was terrified. And I 235 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: don't say any of this to impress you at all, 236 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: because I've just told you how unimpressive I am. You know, 237 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: it just for me, it was such a steep learning curve. 238 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: I was so bad at it. I was so bad. 239 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: I wasn't afraid of asking questions. I just didn't even 240 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: know what questions to ask. But it's in the middle 241 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: of that where you just, you know, well, I met 242 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: some really good people who were amazing, and I humbled 243 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: myself and I went, I've got no fucking idea, I 244 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: don't know, can you help? What do you think of this? 245 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: I'd show them what I'd written I'd show them my plan, 246 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: my rough kind of plan for the research that I 247 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: needed to do. I didn't really even understand, honestly, I 248 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: didn't even really understand what a research project, a PhD 249 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: research project meant. But guess what, So you jump in, 250 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: you either sink or swim up. You step up or 251 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: you step away. You step up or you step down, 252 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: you roll up your sleeves, you fuck up. You know, 253 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: you be okay getting embarrassed, and it's okay. You know 254 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: this is But I can honestly say the last five years, 255 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: you know, when like I started, it's fifty six, and 256 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: this is one of the things I talk about a lot. 257 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: How typically now I'm just saying typically, not that it 258 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: needs to be this way, but typically most people at 259 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: fifty six, when I started my study, most people at 260 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: that age are on the slide. Most people are cognitively, 261 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: perhaps creatively, and definitely physiologically declining at a reasonably rapid 262 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: rate compared to say, when they were thirty or thirty 263 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: five years old. Things have started to accelerate. But as 264 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: I've said to you many times before, while the chronological 265 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: fact of aging is inevitable until we don't age, which 266 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: is when we die. And while chronological aging is an 267 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: unavoidable constant, what is not an unavoidable constant is the 268 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: rate at which our body and our brain and our 269 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: mind and even our creativity ages in inverted commas. And 270 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: so you know, as I'm sitting here recording this to you, 271 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 1: I'm I feel better. I feel physically, mentally cognitively that 272 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: is more. My brain feels like it works as well 273 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: as it ever has. I mean, I don't feel like 274 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: it works well for sixty one. I feel like it 275 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: just works well. And it's very hard, borderline impossible, of course, 276 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: have objectivity around that because it's me assessing me, which 277 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: is kind of fucking ridiculous. Nonetheless, but as as objective 278 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: as I can be, which I admit is not very 279 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: because it's the Craig experiences subjective. But I feel like 280 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: my brain works well. I feel like I'm as creative 281 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,199 Speaker 1: as ever. I know that I'm more productive. I know 282 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 1: that I'm getting more done. I know that I'm still 283 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: learning and growing and evolving. I know that as a speaker, 284 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: I know that as a creator, I know that as 285 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: a podcaster, I know that as a writer, I know 286 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: that as an educator, I am better. I'm not hanging 287 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 1: in there, but that better In inverted commas, that only 288 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: happens by choosing hard, That only happens by optimizing. What 289 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: I have to work with. What I have to work 290 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: with is the genetics I was given. What I have 291 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: to work with is the resources I have at my disposal. 292 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: What I have to work with is twenty four hours 293 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: a day. What I have to work with is the 294 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 1: knowledge and the skill that I have, and the competence 295 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: and the confidence. They are the things that I have 296 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,239 Speaker 1: to work with. Now you have the same You have 297 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 1: twenty four hours a day, you have a certain level 298 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: of skill and competence, and you have particular genetics, and 299 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 1: you have things that you have at your disposal to use. 300 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: Now you and I are similar in that. But what 301 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 1: really matters is not we have what we have to 302 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 1: work with, but rather what will do, what we will 303 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: do with what we have, and what gets in the way. 304 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: I truly believe this that what really gets in the 305 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: way of people optimizing their talent, optimizing their time and 306 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: resources and potential and skills and all that shit, and 307 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,959 Speaker 1: optimizing their body and optimizing their brain is just that 308 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: they won't fucking do the hard things that create those 309 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: awesome outcomes because we live, You and I live in 310 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: a world that is predisposed to look for fucking comfort 311 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: and convenience. If you're listening to this anyway, not the 312 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,919 Speaker 1: whole world, I don't think, but certainly, certainly those of 313 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: us who live in a world in inverted commas where 314 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: we're lucky enough to have iPhones and the like, and 315 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: computers and tablets and to be able to listen to 316 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: old bastards like me just bang on. I could be 317 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: wrong specifically about you, but most of my audience, you know, 318 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: we have we have, you know, so much potential, so 319 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: much possibility in terms of the things that we have 320 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: to work with. But also we are so enamored with, 321 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: we are so in love with convenience and instant gratification 322 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: and magic pills and quick fixes, which is why all 323 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: of that shit sells like hotcakes pun intended. You know, 324 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,479 Speaker 1: when when you choose to go to the gym and 325 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: do something hard, that's you leaning into the hard. That's 326 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: you saying, well, look this is what i've got to 327 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: work with. I've got this time, i've got these resources 328 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: at the gym, and I live in this body. I'm 329 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: going to go to the gym and I'm going to 330 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: do something that's both smart and hard. And the byproduct 331 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 1: of that, if I keep doing the thing at the 332 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: gym that is both smart and hard, my body will change. 333 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: And when I change my body, and this is what 334 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: people don't think about too much. When I change my body, 335 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: I'm also changing my habits and my behaviors, and my 336 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: thinking and my confidence, and my emotional state and my 337 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: brain health. My cognitive function improves when I lift weights, 338 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: when I do cardio, when I changed my busiology, there's 339 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 1: a psychological and an emotional benefit. But that only happens 340 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: when I do the hard thing. When I started. If 341 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: you get bored of my stories, just tune out. But 342 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: when I started Harper's, which was my personal training centers 343 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: that I had for twenty five years. My first one 344 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: was in nine and nineties, so thirty four years ago 345 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: and I was twenty six years old, and I remember, 346 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: you know, getting up every day. Firstly, firstly, everyone nearly 347 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: everyone who I spoke about the idea of setting up 348 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,439 Speaker 1: this standalone personal training facility when there weren't any. There 349 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 1: weren't any in Australia. There there were people doing bits 350 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: and pieces of training or coaching, but in terms of 351 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: a standalone, commercial, appointment based personal training facility, there weren't any. 352 00:22:55,680 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: To my knowledge anyway. Nine ninety and nearly every body 353 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,199 Speaker 1: that heard about it or that I spoke to or 354 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: sought advice from you regarding business stuff, regarding marketing and 355 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 1: branding and you know, just setting it up. I didn't know. 356 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: I was just a twenty six year old gym employee 357 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: at the time. My business knowledge how to turn something, 358 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 1: how to take an idea in my head and turn 359 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: it to a real thing in the world. There was 360 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: about a million steps missing that I didn't really have 361 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: a grasp of. So I asked a lot of questions, 362 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: and while some people were quite encouraging and supportive, even 363 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: those people were kind of I could tell they doubted 364 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: that it would work. And I don't blame them. They 365 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: weren't actually negative. It's just that here's this twenty six 366 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: year old ex fat kid who's trying to create this 367 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: thing that doesn't exist. And by the way, there was 368 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: no personal training industry. There was no regulation, there was 369 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: no qualification, there was no insurance, Like it wasn't even 370 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: a fucking thing like there was no personal training profession, 371 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: and so I'm trying to create this thing. Of course 372 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: it would have happened. I'm not saying I invented personal 373 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 1: training globally, but I didn't. I'm trying to create this thing. 374 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: I'm trying to build my own business and brand and thing. 375 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 1: And I made more mistakes in the first year of 376 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: operation that I'd probably made in total in my whole 377 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: life up to that point. When I say mistakes, just 378 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: things that I tried that didn't work. But the beauty 379 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 1: of trying things that don't work, and being okay with 380 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: trying things that don't work, and being okay with fucking 381 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: up and being embarrassed and looking silly, all of those 382 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: things that are hard, all of those things that are uncomfortable, 383 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 1: is if your ego can deal with it. And by 384 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: the way, my ego had to deal with it because 385 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: I'd signed the lease, i'd bought all the equipment. I 386 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 1: couldn't fucking go anywhere. I didn't want to go anywhere, 387 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: but I'd backed myself into a corner, which for me 388 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: made me just work my ass off. But if you're 389 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: prepared to fail, fall down, look silly, be embarrassed, not 390 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: get the result you want periodically, and then keep stepping up, 391 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: keep stepping up. Then guess what, In the middle of 392 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 1: all the fuck ups and failure, you learn and grow 393 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: and evolve and adapt. Then you become a fucking superior 394 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: version of what you were before you went into that process. 395 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 1: And this is the gift. Like the gift is not 396 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: what you get at the end, the gift is who 397 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: you become along the way. That's truly what I believe. 398 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: I know now that while I'm not a genius and 399 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: I'm not the best at anything, I know that I 400 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: could almost go into any environment and figure it out 401 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: because I've been figuring it out for the last thirty 402 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: five years. I'n't had a boss for thirty five years. 403 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 1: I haven't had a regular income for thirty five years. 404 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: For thirty five years, I have had to solve problems 405 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 1: on a daily basis. And that first year for me 406 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 1: in my own gym, where I had no management skills, 407 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: I had no leadership skills. I was dealing with the counsel. 408 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 1: I didn't know how to have a conversation with the 409 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: bayside counsel. I didn't know what questions to ask, I 410 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: didn't know how to answer their questions. I didn't know 411 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 1: how to have a conversation with a lawyer or a 412 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: real estate agent or an accountant without looking like a 413 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: fucking idiot and without being scared of looking stupid. But 414 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 1: I had no choice. I had to do all of 415 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: those How do you get good at those conversations? How 416 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: do you become a black belt in communication in that context? Well, 417 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: you start by being a white belt and being real bad, 418 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 1: real bad. Did I look in competent? Yes? Did I 419 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 1: fuck up things? Yes? Did I probably look like a moron? Definitely? 420 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: I probably did well. Definitely. Did Did I know how 421 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: to market myself? Did I even undertand what that meant? No? 422 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: I didn't. Did I have any concept of customer service? 423 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: Not really. I was a bit cheeky, I could have conversations. 424 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,199 Speaker 1: I was a little bit likable. I guess that was 425 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: maybe my saving grace. Not everybody liked me. Of course. 426 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: I didn't know how to employ staff. I didn't know 427 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: how to structure a business. All of these things that 428 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 1: I learned, all of these things that I got wrong, 429 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: And then I did better, and then I did better, 430 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: and then I did better, and then I eventually got right, 431 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 1: and then I eventually got a level of confidence and competence, 432 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: and not in all of those areas, but in some 433 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: areas close towards mastery, where you go, oh, this thing 434 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: that I was fucking terrible at, I dived into the 435 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: deep end of the hard pool, and now I'm pretty 436 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: fucking good at this. And I'm not good at this 437 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 1: because I've got a big ego. I'm not good at 438 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: this because I'm a genius. I'm not good at this 439 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: because I'm more talented or better than anyone. I'm good 440 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: at this because I did hardshit NonStop for fucking ever, 441 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: and now here I am. And you and I live 442 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: in a time getting a little bit on my soapbox, 443 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 1: aren't I? But I truly believe you and I live 444 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: in a time where people just don't fucking persevere. People 445 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: do a little bit of hard and then go it's 446 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 1: too hard, or they go, I tried, it didn't work. 447 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:28,880 Speaker 1: You didn't fucking try. You didn't really try. You did 448 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: three days or three weeks or three months of something 449 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: in the context of your life. That's not trying. That's 450 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: opening the door and then shutting the fucking door. Trying 451 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: is just getting back up day after day and month 452 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 1: after month, year after year, and just and yes doesn't 453 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: mean you're doing the same thing that doesn't work. But 454 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: you're grinding, you're making decisions, you're learning lessons, you're unlearning 455 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: things that hold you back. You're choosing your own beliefs, 456 00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: you're choosing your own operating system. You're courageously and consciously 457 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: identifying your own values and then building a life around 458 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: the values. That is, the things that you say matter 459 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: to you. And that is hard as fuck. It is hard, 460 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: It is uncomfortable, it is not fun. Many times, even 461 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: on this show, I've had to do things that were 462 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: hard because of my values. I've turned down well over 463 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: one hundred thousand dollars in advertising and advertisers on this 464 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: well over probably towards two hundred thousand dollars in potential 465 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 1: sponsorship on this show because they were brands or products 466 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: or services that didn't align with who I am. And 467 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: that's okay, you know, but that shit is hard because 468 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: you go, well, that money would be good because I've 469 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: got a pative. I've got to pay my lise, I've 470 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: got to pay me, I've got to pay bills, I've 471 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 1: got to go to you know, I've got some expenses, 472 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: and in the moment you go, well, what would be 473 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: easy is I just say yes, thanks, I will advertise 474 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: for that our Coho brand. I will, sure, I will, 475 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 1: but I can't. Well, I can, but I won't, you know, 476 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: and so and again. Then it's in that living like 477 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: we talk about living an aligned life. If I'm in 478 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: a room with one hundred people or one thousand people, 479 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: put up your hand. If your values matter, every hand 480 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 1: goes up. Of course, put up your hand. If you 481 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: want to live a life that's in alignment with your values, 482 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: every hand goes up. Put up your hand. If you're 483 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: actually doing that, fucking nobody and the hands that do 484 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: go up are probably bullshitting some hands. Maybe maybe I'm 485 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: being a bit harsh, but you know what I'm saying. 486 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 1: What I'm saying is the idea of having values, the 487 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: idea of living in alignment with my values, the idea 488 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: of being authentic all good, But the idea of it isn't. 489 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: The reality of the process. The idea of it is easy. 490 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:55,239 Speaker 1: The process of living that fucking life is hard. But 491 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: it's in the courage that we find to do the 492 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: hard thing that we be come fucking us two point zero. 493 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: If you are one of those people that is in 494 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: love with easy, comfortable, and convenient, I tell you you 495 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: are living in a self built prison because that comfort 496 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: one day, that comfort that we choose, that will bring 497 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: us undone choosing comfort, we think it's a good idea, 498 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: and it might feel like a good idea in the 499 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: moment and now and then comfort great, by the way, 500 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,240 Speaker 1: But when we are when our default setting is comfort, 501 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,479 Speaker 1: when our default setting is convenience, eventually that is going 502 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 1: to fuck us up. Because when the shit hits the fan, 503 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,719 Speaker 1: and the shit will always hit the fan, when the 504 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: bad things happen, when the hard thing happens, when the 505 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: catastrophe happens, you are fucked because you have no skills. Now. 506 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 1: You can't survive in the discomfort because you always choose comfort. 507 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: You can't thrive under pressure because you always choose easy. 508 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: It is so much about deciding what is the best 509 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 1: course for you, not only based on what you want 510 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 1: to do, be create, but mainly perhaps on who you 511 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 1: want to become and how you want to be. I 512 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 1: knew that I wanted to build a platform to do 513 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: what I'm doing now because I love the idea of sharing, connecting, 514 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: bonding through this, through this medium, and I wanted to 515 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: be able to, you know, share my thoughts and ideas 516 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: with people who wanted to listen. I know a lot 517 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: of people don't want to listen. I don't blame them. 518 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 1: It's all good. And if I have you know, obviously 519 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: I want thousands of listeners, because it's I need to 520 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: pay the bills. But you know what, if I add 521 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,239 Speaker 1: ten listeners and they got something from it, then in 522 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: a way, that's worth it for me. Right. So there's 523 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: that kind of that, you know, the practical reality. But 524 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: then there's my philosophical you know kind of and I 525 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: guess spiritual and psychological drivers. That is, I want to 526 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: do something where I'm connecting with people. And I knew 527 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 1: that and I was very clear on that, and I 528 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: started a podcast and it didn't work, and then I 529 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: started an another podcast. I had a podcast called The 530 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 1: Australian Fitness Podcast. Then I did another one with Francis 531 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 1: Leach and Bianca Chatfield called We Got Nothing. Then I 532 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: did another podcast with Tommy which is Tommy Jacka called 533 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: The Craig hub Show. And all of them, you know, 534 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 1: they were okay, the production, everything was okay, but I 535 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,479 Speaker 1: knew that I also needed to build something that if 536 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: I wanted to sustain it and grow it over time, 537 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: it also needed to be able to be financially viable, 538 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: because I can't do seven podcasts a week and get 539 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 1: all these people on board and create all these expenses 540 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: without at the very least breaking even. And so the 541 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: reality for me was three failed podcasts, which probably equaled 542 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: somewhere in the ballpark of two hundred episodes. And then, 543 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: as some of you already know what I'm going to say, 544 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: the first six hundred or so episodes of this I 545 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: lost money. And that's painful and that's choosing hard. And 546 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: after the first hundred you might go, well, fuck up, 547 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: you did one hundred and you did the shows before. 548 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: That's three hundred in total. Mate, you gave it a 549 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: good crack. Or after two hundred episodes of two ip 550 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: L three or four or five, you know, and fortunately 551 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: for me and hopefully you, depending on what you think 552 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,760 Speaker 1: of the show, it started to catch fire. It started 553 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: to work. We started to get listeners, we started to 554 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 1: get brand awareness, we started to have people talking about us, 555 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: We started to get sponsors, we started to attract more attention, 556 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,359 Speaker 1: which was great, and I'm eternally grateful. And there's no 557 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: ego in this. There's just awareness. There's awareness that I 558 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: had to fucking grind forever because I'm not that creative genius. 559 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: I'm not that uber talented dude. I didn't have a 560 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: big brand. I had a bit of a brand. I 561 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: had a bit of a profile, but I'm not and 562 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: have never been and will never be famous per se. 563 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 1: And so for me, getting bums on seats, as we 564 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:06,359 Speaker 1: call it in inverted commas, is just a matter of 565 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 1: being relentless and doing the hard thing over time. I 566 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 1: built a studio downstairs at my house. I'm upstairs now 567 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,319 Speaker 1: in my office with a different setup, but I've got 568 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:20,799 Speaker 1: a purpose built. Essentially, it looks like a radio studio downstairs, 569 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,839 Speaker 1: which I spent tens of thousands of dollars on and that, 570 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't recoup that for maybe I don't know, 571 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: six or seven or eight years. And all that's good, 572 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 1: and I'm not saying I'm not terrific. I'm not. But 573 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: there's just work to be done, and there's commitment to 574 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,359 Speaker 1: be made, and there's sleeves to be rolled up and 575 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: there's discomfort to be immersed in, you know. Same with 576 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: my first speaking gigs, My first speaking gigs, my first 577 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: paid one. I was twenty six years old, and I 578 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: won't bore you with the story game, but I was 579 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,800 Speaker 1: no good. It was in a timberyard. I got paid 580 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 1: fifty bucks fifty dollars to pay to talk for an hour, 581 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: thirty five years ago. So I was no good. They 582 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: didn't enjoy it. But I left there and I knew. 583 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: I didn't know, actually, but I thought I might be 584 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: able to get good at it. And even though it 585 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: wasn't an amazing experience, there wasn't great feedback, and I 586 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: certainly didn't kill it. I had an inkling that I 587 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: could get good, or that I could develop, that I 588 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 1: could be better. One of my next gig, second or 589 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 1: third gig, was at a gym in I think it 590 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: was High Street Paran called recreation. Was for a group 591 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: of Vic Fitz students or fitness students who were doing 592 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 1: I think a certificate three. It was called in fitness 593 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 1: like a gym instructor course. This is pre pt courses 594 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: and so for And I spoke to them and I 595 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,280 Speaker 1: was terrible. They couldn't get out of there quick enough. 596 00:36:59,160 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 1: I was terrible. I was terrible, and I did from 597 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,399 Speaker 1: then till I was about thirty, from when I would 598 00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: say twenty five twenty six, maybe my first gig was 599 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: twenty five anyway, mid twenties. But I would say for 600 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 1: the first five years, I was somewhere between terrible and okay, 601 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 1: somewhere between a one out of ten and a five, 602 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 1: never more than a five. But I saw growth, and 603 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: I started to figure it out a little bit, and 604 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: I started to understand how to build rapport with an audience. 605 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: So I started to learn how to get up and 606 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 1: be less terrified. I started to learn, you know, the 607 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 1: right combination or the right mix of stories and information 608 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:54,760 Speaker 1: and humor and interaction. And I realized there was a science. 609 00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 1: I realized there was an art to speaking. It wasn't 610 00:37:57,760 --> 00:37:59,839 Speaker 1: just about the shit that I said, but rather how 611 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 1: I said it. It was about timing, It was about 612 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 1: reading my audience. It was about can I make them laugh? 613 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: How do I create energy in this room that people 614 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:15,840 Speaker 1: don't necessarily want to be in. And you know, literally 615 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: hundreds of times where I was somewhere between uncomfortable and 616 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:29,279 Speaker 1: terrified hundreds of times, and I reckon, I reckon. It 617 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:32,840 Speaker 1: took me until I was thirty or a little bit older, 618 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 1: thirty one, thirty two before I wasn't terrible. I wasn't terrible. 619 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 1: But again, that's the whole white belts a black belt, 620 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:44,399 Speaker 1: isn't it. How do you become a black belt, either 621 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: a literal black belt or a merafot or a metaphoric 622 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 1: black belt. You you go and do hard shit. You 623 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 1: choose hard. You go and you hang out with people 624 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:56,319 Speaker 1: that are better than you. You go and hang out 625 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: with people that will drag you up. You train with 626 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,280 Speaker 1: the guy or the girl stronger than you. You play 627 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 1: tennis with someone that's better than you. You hang out 628 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,360 Speaker 1: in a group where you know that socially and or 629 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: intellectually they might elevate you rather than drag you down 630 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 1: with bullshit. Choosing hard is not the handicap we think 631 00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 1: it is. Choosing hard is actually one of the best 632 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:27,000 Speaker 1: decisions you'll ever make.