1 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: Yes, Yes, I am Dramas and this is the Street 2 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: Stoic podcast, bringing you your daily dose a timeless stoic 3 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: philosophy remix for the hip hop generation. Now, with that 4 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: in mind, let's get things started with your daily shot 5 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:40,480 Speaker 1: of inspiration. Now today we are going to be focusing 6 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: around the stoic idea of taking action and specifically when 7 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: it comes to the people that you surround yourself with. Right, 8 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: and for me, when I think about this concept of 9 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: thinking about your inner circle and making change is as 10 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: as needed to it. A quote that always comes to 11 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: my mind is from from the late great Nipsey Hustle. Now, 12 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 1: nipp said, if you look at the people in your 13 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: circle and don't get inspired, then you don't have a circle, 14 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: you have a cage. And I love the idea of 15 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: him calling it a cage. I think that that's such 16 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: a powerful metaphor for the point that we're trying to 17 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: get across today, right, because the reality is, you know 18 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: you are trapped by those around you if they, in 19 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: fact do not inspire you, you can't expect to make 20 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: waves in this world hanging around people who find it 21 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: hard to think of a world beyond their own. You know, 22 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: hometown or beyond their own little bubble. Right, Like again 23 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: that idea of the cage, you know it is, is 24 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: this this you know, aspect of having people around you 25 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: who maybe they only talk about local gossip or you know, 26 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: you share your ideas with them and they think you're 27 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: crazy that can't ever possibly happen. You know, they they 28 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: don't have any real big dreams for themselves, and it's 29 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: not just enough to kind of say, okay, well these 30 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: are my friends, but I'm the you know, the hardest 31 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: working one and of all of them, so I'm gonna 32 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: make things happen regardless, like sure that that may be 33 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: in fact the case. You may be the hustler out 34 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: of your group, but you're not going to be finding 35 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: the consistent inspiration that you need to keep ongoing when 36 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: times and nevitly get tough. Right. That's why you have 37 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: to have a salad crew of people around you, because 38 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: eventually their ideas and the way that they view the 39 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: world will begin to poison your mind in some sort 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: of way if you don't make the changes that are needed. 41 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: And this reminds me of the stoic quote from Epictetus 42 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: where he says the key is to keep company only 43 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 1: with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your 44 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: best and even beyond, like your friendships and your inner circles. 45 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: Like to me this also it also extends into our 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: romantic relationships as well. Right, Like everyone that is a 47 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: part of your life, they should be bringing out the 48 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: best in you in some sort of way. Like you 49 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: can't have a partner who doesn't believe in you, uh, 50 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: you know, being able to achieve your dreams and not 51 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: expect your road to be harder as a result. You know, 52 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: like if you are in a relationship with someone generally speaking, 53 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: when you are you know, romantically evolved in someone, that's 54 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: the person that you're sharing your deepest, darkest secrets, your desires, 55 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: you know, your your your goals, your views on the world, 56 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: what you want for your future. This is a person 57 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: that you are entrusting all that information and and if 58 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: they are continuously telling you that you're crazy, that you'll 59 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: never be able to do that to think realistically, um, 60 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: you know that that is only going to drag you 61 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: down with them. Right, you can't possibly grow by having 62 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: somebody who is constantly kind of being deadweight. That is 63 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: is putting doubt in your head. And at the end 64 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: of the day, we all have enough self doubt, you know, 65 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: more than enough, more than than is healthy, and to 66 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: have anybody else as a part of our lives, you know, 67 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: adding even more of that is just incredibly counterproductive towards 68 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,119 Speaker 1: us actually being able to achieve all that we want 69 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: for ourselves in this life. And for me, I relate 70 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: to this on so many different levels. And I know 71 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: that we've we've talked a number of different times on 72 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: the show about the importance of the people around you 73 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: and being careful of of you know, your your peace 74 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: right essentially at the end of the day. But for me, 75 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: a story that stuck out that I haven't shared before 76 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: is something that I learned as a DJ. You know, 77 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: I was coming up in the New York New Jersey area, 78 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: primarily New Jersey, and I would look at the local 79 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: guys who were playing the you know, quote unquote big 80 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: clubs in the area, and I would be in all 81 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: of them, you know, and of course most of them 82 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: acted like they were the ship. They acted like they 83 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: were these uh, you know, big dogs. And then you know, 84 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: luckily for me, I began to get opportunities to start traveling, 85 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: and I got to go to places like Vegas and Miami, 86 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: and it opened my eyes to just how small that 87 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: bubble was back home, right and and quite honestly, how 88 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: insignificant that bubble was back home to the greater you know, 89 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: the bigger things that are happening outside in the world. 90 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: You know, like you had these guys who were thinking 91 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: that they were someone because they were playing a random 92 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: club in New Jersey, and they were missing out on 93 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: the fact that there was a far bigger world out there, 94 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: and they were actually giving themselves an incredibly small ceiling 95 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: by never thinking beyond their home base, you know. And 96 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: for me, that led me to to, you know, start 97 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: focusing less on being locally known and more so, you know, 98 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: on the the bigger picture, you know, like what things 99 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: did I need to do to break into the bigger markets, 100 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: you know, where the real action was, where the real 101 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: money was. And that's what began to happen, you know, 102 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: for me, as I really made that my focus, you know, 103 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: and even though I did eventually pivot from djaying being 104 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: kind of my main focus, I still did end up 105 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: getting to play in those big markets like Vegas and Miami. 106 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: You know, I got to play a festival, and when 107 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 1: I was back home, I was getting invited to play 108 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: you know, legendary clubs and concert halls in New York 109 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: City because I had created brand awareness, you know, about 110 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: what I did beyond my local bars, right. But had 111 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: I have just kept hanging around the same spots in 112 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: New Jersey and rubbing elbows with the people who ran 113 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: in those scenes, I would have stunted my own growth, 114 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: right because again, like back to what nip says, I 115 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: would have been trapped in the cage of that small 116 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: town thinking that was so prevalent in the people that 117 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: I met on my way up. And I think that's 118 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: just something we have to again keep in mind. It's 119 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: it's hard to not get poisoned by those around you 120 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: when they, in fact are telling you that anything beyond 121 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: what they are doing is impossible. And for me, luckily, 122 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: I was able to adapt something outside of that. And 123 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: that's what I'm hoping for you as well in listening 124 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: to this. So with that in mind, you know, we've 125 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: heard words from Nipsey Hustle, you've heard from one of 126 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: the Stokes. Epictetus talked about how this principle, this idea 127 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: has you know, really been applied in my life and 128 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: in my career. Now let's talk about how you can 129 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: make it your mantra for today. But first let's take 130 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: a quick break and then we'll be right back. All right, 131 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: So we have heard the words of Nipsey Hustle, one 132 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: of the stoics Epicteitis. I've talked about how I have 133 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: applied the idea of taking actions, specifically when it comes 134 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: to the people that you surround yourself with. Now let's 135 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: talk about how you can make this idea your mantra 136 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: for today. So I think, you know, first and foremost, 137 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: the big takeaway is to recognize just how big the 138 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: world is, right and as a result, just how many 139 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: opportunities are out there for those who dare to go 140 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: after them, you know. And you can't expect to be 141 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: inspired to dream big if the people you're surrounded by 142 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: don't have the same big picture view as yourself. Right, 143 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: I've talked about surrounding yourself with the right people before. Again, 144 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: I know we've covered this and how you need to 145 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: take control of this. But I think that the bigger 146 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: idea around this episode in the point I'm trying to 147 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: get across is to challenge yourself to think beyond what 148 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: you can see or touch right now. There are opportunities 149 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: that are beyond you know where you currently live, that 150 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: are beyond your current job or your career, and are 151 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: beyond the people that you grew up with. You know, 152 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: you just have to have the courage to take action 153 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: and go out in search of something new as well 154 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: as in search of people who actually inspire you to 155 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 1: do your best now. To recap you know, straight from 156 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: Nipsey Hustle, if you don't have people in your circle 157 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: that inspire you, you don't have a circle. You have 158 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: a cage. Right You are trapped within the limitations the 159 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: ceiling that these people have placed on life. It inevitably 160 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: will poison your mind and make you doubt what you 161 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,719 Speaker 1: can actually achieve in this life. And the word epictetus. 162 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: The big takeaway from that is that you want people 163 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: in your life who bring out the best in you. Again. 164 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: You don't want friends that tell you can't do something, 165 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: a relationship where your partner is giving you shit every 166 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: time you have to do something for your goal or 167 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: your career that they don't quite believe in or understand. Again, 168 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: all of those people are not actually adding to your life, 169 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: nor are they bringing out the best in you. And 170 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: again from my story, you know, it's easy to get 171 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: caught up in being the big fish in a little pond. 172 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: And it's a concept we've talked about a bunch before 173 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: that I'm sure we've all heard growing up. But you 174 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: have to challenge yourself to think beyond your own little 175 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: bubble and recognize the gigantic world and the big opportunities 176 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: that are out there for you if you choose to 177 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: take action on your interests. And with that said, thank 178 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: you so much for checking out the Street Stoic podcast. 179 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 1: Do your best to apply these concepts that we've discussed 180 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: today and see everyday life, and I would catch you time. 181 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: The Street Stoke Podcast is a production of Ihearts Michael 182 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: Dura Podcast Network