1 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: It's been a week since Thanksgiving, and in having conversations 3 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: with friends and acquaintances about their experiences, I realize that 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: there's a level of misunderstanding of what people mean when 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: they talk about focusing on the family or family meaning everything. 6 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: I think there's an expectation that everything in those families, 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: the ones made up of people who prioritize family in 8 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: their lives, is perfect. Everyone always gets along with their 9 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: entire family. Everyone loves their in laws. No one ever 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: argues or gives a cold shoulder or silent treatment or 11 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: anything like that. I'm here to assure you that that's 12 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: not so. Family is everything to me. But it's hilarious 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: to imagine that means we're some kind of sitcom family 14 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: that never has strife. My mom traveled from New York 15 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: to Florida, got to my house. We had missed each 16 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: other so much, and we're so happy to see each 17 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: other after several months apart that we got directly into 18 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: a fight. Families get on each other's nerves and they 19 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: irritate each other. They argue about politics, and they argue 20 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: about who makes the best stuffing, and they argue about 21 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: nothing at all. They ask invasive questions and know just 22 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: the right sensitive spot to probe to annoy each other. 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: That's a typical family. The idea that there exists a 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: perfect family out there somewhere that never has any of 25 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: that is deeply unrealistic. But if you do it right, 26 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: then you love each other and you have fun together 27 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: despite all that, and look, families break apart. I know 28 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: a lot of families who have, so when I talk 29 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: about family first or prioritizing family, I get that it's 30 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: not quite as easy as that. You may want to 31 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: pray orize family, but you have a crappy relative who's 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: just terrible and you have to cut them off. That 33 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: doesn't mean you have failed at prioritizing family. I also 34 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: know people who have had terrible parents but are building 35 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: their lives anew with their spouse and children, and they're 36 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: prioritizing that family. We get caught up in the perfect 37 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: that we don't focus on the effort. We imagine that 38 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: other people are living up to the ideal that we've set, 39 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: but that we ourselves are not. You could have the 40 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: right values and they don't line up with the reality 41 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: of your situation. I'm far more worried about the people 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: who openly say family doesn't matter much, much more so 43 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: than the ones who say family matters a lot but 44 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: don't have a perfectly intact one. Keep trying to live 45 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: that fulfilled life and don't give up because of the 46 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: roadblocks you face. Coming up next and interview with Nick Fretis. 47 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: Join us after the break. 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on 49 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 2: the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton podcast Network on iHeartRadio. 50 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 2: My next guest, Nick Fratius, is a member of the 51 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: Virginia House of Delegates representing the thirtieth district. But that's 52 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 2: somehow the least interesting thing about him. Prior to being elected, 53 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 2: Nick served in the Army with the eighty second Airborne 54 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: twenty fifth Infantry and served two tours in Iraq as 55 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 2: a Green Beret with first Special Forces Group. He's also 56 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: the host of Making the Argument and the Y Minutes. 57 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 2: Nick lives in Culpeper with his wife, three children, two dogs, 58 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: three cats, twenty chickens, one peacock, four pea hens, and 59 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: four goats. Hi, Nick, thanks for being here now my pleasure. 60 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 3: Thank you. I think We're way past twenty chickens now. 61 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: But oh really, I guess you got to update your bio. 62 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 3: That's not chicken math words. It's always defacation. 63 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: What's a pea hen? I have never heard of a 64 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: pea hen break? We didn't have pea has there? 65 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 3: So P Cox of the mail and P hands of 66 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 3: the female. 67 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 2: I see, Okay, I really I already learned something from you. 68 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 2: So I usually asked this question towards the end of 69 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: my interviews, but I'd like to start with a big 70 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: question for you. And I feel like I've been following 71 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: you for a while and I think you covered so 72 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,119 Speaker 2: much ground in your videos that I'd like to start 73 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: with what do you think is our largest cultural or 74 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: societal problem in America? And is it solvable? 75 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 3: That's a good question, I think. I mean, if I 76 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 3: had to nail it down to one thing, I think 77 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 3: it's an identity crisis. And I mean that obviously on 78 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 3: an individual level, as we're seeing this question right now 79 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: with respect to the concept of identity, but I also 80 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 3: think it's on a national level as well. We've gotten 81 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 3: to the point where we don't have a shared understanding 82 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 3: of our history. Now you have to say that we 83 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 3: all have to think exactly the same way about it. 84 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 3: We don't even have a shared understanding of the events 85 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 3: or the motivation behind them, or anything of that nature. 86 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 3: We don't have a shared understanding of the concept of logic, 87 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 3: we don't have a shared understanding of the concept of, gosh, 88 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:13,119 Speaker 3: the scientific method. In addition to that, yeah, that's right. 89 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 3: And then addition to that, that's led to once you've 90 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 3: kind of disconnected people from their past, from a shared 91 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 3: past or a shared understanding of the past, then it's 92 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 3: it's manifested itself and a lack of understanding of even 93 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 3: about the present. And you see this all the time, 94 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: and things that would be considered just casual conversations or 95 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 3: questions or observations now they're microaggressions, and there's some sort 96 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 3: of unconscious bias, and there's some sort of an assault 97 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 3: on the humanity of another person if you disagree about 98 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 3: any aspect of reality. And I think what that leads 99 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 3: to is a is a lot of just a lot 100 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 3: of concern and fear with respect to what the future holds. 101 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 3: Because as much as everyone likes to talk about diversity 102 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 3: is our strength, well, it is under the right conditions. 103 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 3: Diversity is certainly our strength if we're talking about people 104 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 3: that have some semblance of a common goal, that want 105 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 3: to work together and therefore bring a you know, bring 106 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: to the table various capabilities and skills and assets and perspectives. 107 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 3: But but all of a sudden, when diversity becomes this 108 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: within this identity crisis, when it becomes this idea of 109 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 3: we don't agree on where we're going, we're going to 110 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 3: rip each other apart trying to figure it out, all 111 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 3: of a sudden, it's it's not a strength anymore. And 112 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 3: so that identity crisis, which again is starts with the individual, 113 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 3: but works out to I think the country as a whole. 114 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: I think that's the biggest cultural problem that we're facing 115 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 3: right now, and I think it's absolutely solvable. The problem 116 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 3: is is how much damage is going to be done 117 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 3: on the way to solve it, because obviously people are 118 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 3: pulling in a lot of different directions right now, and 119 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: the advocates of postmodernism and critical theory and you know, 120 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: secular atheism, they certainly have a path they would like 121 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 3: us to go down, and they've been very very confident 122 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 3: that that is the direction that we're going to go 123 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 3: and then there's several other methods out there, but the 124 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 3: one I subscribe to is obviously I'm a Christian, so 125 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 3: that forms the foundation of my worldview. But what it 126 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 3: means is that I do believe that there's such thing 127 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 3: as an objective reality, there is such a thing as 128 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 3: objective truth, and I'm subject to that too. By the way, 129 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 3: it's not as if my side wins because I learn it, 130 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 3: But I think more and more what's going to decide 131 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 3: who wins is who is the most faithful in actually 132 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 3: living out their worldview and what they believe, and whether 133 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 3: or not they're willing to argue for it, not just 134 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 3: in what they say or the politics they subscribe to, 135 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 3: but in how they actually live their lives. How do 136 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,559 Speaker 3: they treat their wives, how do they treat their husbands, 137 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 3: how do they raise their children? Did their kids get 138 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 3: to see the values represented in actions instead of just 139 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 3: commands or ultimatums. And I think if we do a 140 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 3: good job of that, the reason I think will win 141 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 3: is because it isn't our side winning your reflection of reality, 142 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 3: it's truth. And so yeah, so what would you say 143 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 3: it's step one? 144 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: Like, is it just on a personal basis we model 145 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: for families, you know, what we'd like to see happen 146 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: in the world. I just it's kind of a negative 147 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 2: moment right now, very pessimistic moment, and uh, you know, 148 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: I'm just wondering how we crawl out of this identity crisis. 149 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 2: You're I think that's you know, you you accurately describe 150 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: what's what the problem is. I just is there a solution. 151 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 3: I what I would like people to start to think 152 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 3: of is that, yes, this is this is not ideal. Like, 153 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 3: regardless of where you are on the side of this argument, 154 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 3: no one thinks it's ideal. Everybody wants something different. The 155 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 3: thing that I would suggest is that whenever you, whenever 156 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 3: a civilization comes to a crossroads like I think we 157 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: are right now, you actually have the ability to take 158 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 3: the best things that you've learned from the past and 159 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 3: actually build upon it in a positive way. And a 160 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 3: lot of times those those opportunities don't come until you 161 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 3: hit that crossroads. And so what I would tell people 162 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 3: that maybe share my worldview is as frustrating as it 163 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: might be at times, I think we should also feel 164 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 3: a little bit blessed that we have this incredible opportunity 165 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 3: to have a disproportionately large impact on what the future 166 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 3: looks like. Because, let's face when things are going along 167 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: and things are just coasting, it's really sometimes it can 168 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 3: be difficult to wake people up to certain problems that 169 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 3: still exist and be able to make positive changes in 170 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 3: the right direction. When the crossroads are there and you 171 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 3: are going to have to make a decision, it forces 172 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 3: you to really look internally first and figure out, Okay, 173 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 3: what do I believe? Why do I believe it? And 174 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 3: what am I willing to do to actually protect it 175 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 3: to pass it along to my kids? And so the 176 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 3: first things first is recognize that this is actually, this 177 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 3: is not just a problem. It's an incredibly unique opportunity 178 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 3: because these moments don't always come around in history. The 179 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: other thing I would tell people is that it does 180 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 3: start with again, I get frustrated by things that are 181 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 3: going on, but I'm not sure you've noticed that. 182 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:03,719 Speaker 2: I've seen it on your social. 183 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: Media especially, But I'm never fearful. Yeah, we have people 184 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 3: like are you afraid? What's going on? No? Well, can 185 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 3: do you ever wonder know why? Because I know who 186 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 3: I am, Like I know who I am in Christ? 187 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 3: Right that's my foundation. I know that I know what 188 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 3: my purpose is with respect to have a I have 189 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 3: a wife that I have responsibilities to. I have children 190 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 3: that I have responsibilities to. I have principles and beliefs 191 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 3: that I believe are honorable and noble and good, which 192 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 3: I have a standard to live up to. Doesn't mean 193 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 3: I always achieve it, but I'm always better for striving 194 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 3: for it. And so because because I feel very very 195 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 3: secure in my identity, my purpose, my meaning, then when 196 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 3: things happen that are frustrating, I'm frustrated, but I look 197 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: at what is my responsibility within this situation. And that's 198 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 3: the point where I tell people, Look, you know everybody 199 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 3: focuses so much on politics, politics, policy. Yeah, Can I 200 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 3: just say politics are important? Of course, They're not the 201 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 3: most important thing. The cultural fight is so much more 202 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 3: significant than the political fight because politics is downstream from culture. 203 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 3: And so when you are if you're like a if 204 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 3: you're a single person right now that that's looking to 205 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 3: get married, Okay, what sort of capabilities are you developing spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, professionally, physically, 206 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 3: start focusing first and foremost on the things that you 207 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 3: can control within your life, which, by the way, we 208 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 3: are still predominantly a free country with a great deal 209 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 3: of opportunity, yep. And instead of focusing on all the 210 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 3: you know, maybe areas of diminished opportunities, start focusing on 211 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 3: what do I have control over and what what can 212 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 3: I change? And what you start to notice is that 213 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 3: the more the more you stack up on that win column, 214 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 3: the more of a position that puts you to influence 215 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 3: other areas as well. I think a lot of people 216 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 3: you know, are looking at their lives they don't feel 217 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 3: they have much control over, and so they go on 218 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 3: social media and they complain about the president. Right, Okay, well, 219 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 3: you know, I'm not saying you shouldn't do that at all, 220 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 3: or I'm not saying that you shouldn't, but what can 221 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 3: you do over the things that you control that actually 222 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 3: put you in a position and not only be not 223 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 3: only prove that what you believe is successful, but to 224 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 3: also be in a position to be able to influence 225 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 3: the thing you can toward a positive direction. And I 226 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 3: think when people focus more on those things, what they 227 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 3: end up fighting out is they start developing in a 228 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 3: capabilities that they had based off of what they like, 229 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: what they're passionate about and that ends up that ends 230 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 3: up being a lot of fun. Right, This is not 231 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 3: all supposed to be drudgery as we fight your good fight. 232 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 3: So that's what I would say. Focus first, don't be 233 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 3: unaware of what's going on around you. Don't be unaware 234 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 3: of the things that are beyond your control, but start 235 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 3: operating from a standpoint of what can I control and 236 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 3: how can I make that better so that I'm in 237 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 3: a position to be able to influence larger things. 238 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 2: Absolutely so. I first discovered you on Instagram, where, you know, 239 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: let's be real, it's not common to come across any 240 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 2: politician must let much lesser Republican politician who's utilizing the medium. 241 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 2: So well, so how did you get into it? You 242 00:12:58,880 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 2: do these like perfect video. 243 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 3: I was offering. 244 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: Excellent advice in a slightly sarcastic tone before taking a 245 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 2: sip of your coffee. It's very mesmerizing. My thirteen year 246 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: old daughter watches you, and you know, everything else I 247 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: like is cringe. 248 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 3: So thank you. I appreciate it. One of the things 249 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 3: that I used to we started doing more on social 250 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 3: media because during the congressional race in twenty Tony COVID 251 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 3: was going on, and so I'd always been somewhat involved 252 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 3: on social media, but i'd kind of used it like 253 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 3: a lot of other people in political office. It was 254 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 3: always an extension of your campaign office. And during COVID 255 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 3: that was still pretty much the norm. Right we were 256 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 3: doing a lot more of like town halls on Facebook, 257 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 3: but I really loved the interaction where we could take 258 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 3: questions from people, we could respond to them like on 259 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 3: the spot. We really let the audience drive what the 260 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 3: conversation was going to be on and we did that 261 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 3: like every Tuesday for gosh, like five months, and it 262 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 3: was great. And then we started a podcast because that 263 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: was another way that we could talk to people, let 264 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 3: them know what we were thinking about, where we stood 265 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 3: on policy positions. And then the race was over and 266 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 3: it kind of all went away for a little bit, 267 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 3: and a good friend asked if I would take over 268 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 3: a show called the Why Minutes, and these were these 269 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 3: kind of three minute, three minute episodes where we would 270 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 3: explain some sort of concept, but we would try to 271 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 3: do it through something that was culturally or historically relevant, 272 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 3: maybe you know, economically relevant. We try to tell a 273 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 3: neat story and at the same time we started doing 274 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 3: more on short form contents, on Instagram reels and things 275 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 3: like that, and what we found was is that the 276 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 3: more we focused on the cultural side, right, the more 277 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 3: we were able to connect with people on a level 278 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 3: that was far more relevant to their day to day 279 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 3: life than just discussioning discussing the you know, the top 280 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 3: rate on the marginal income tech sprising. Yeah, I still 281 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 3: consider it a great compliment when someone will come on 282 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 3: my Instagram now, I'll be like, I didn't even realize 283 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 3: you were a legislator. I don't politics, and I think 284 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 3: that's what's That's what we found has been the most 285 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 3: relevant is is don't have your social media be nothing 286 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 3: more than an extension of your campaign. It's actually a 287 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 3: way to connect with people and talk with people and 288 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 3: learn from people and in order to talk about things 289 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 3: that again are relevant to them and are meaningful to them. 290 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 3: And if you can do that, you can kind of 291 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 3: build a connection. And one of the things that's been 292 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,479 Speaker 3: really exciting for us on the podcast, which our podcasts 293 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 3: go for like two to three hours every time we 294 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 3: have one, is we have a community now which has 295 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 3: probably and that this is aside from the people who 296 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: just watch the podcast. The people who watch the podcast, 297 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 3: I don't. I mean, it varies from one hundred thousand 298 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 3: to you know, twenty thousand people fifteen depends the episode. 299 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 3: But we have a whole separate community of somewhere around 300 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 3: between seven and eight hundred people that are part of 301 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 3: a separate community chat that isn't like public or out there. 302 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 3: It's just our community chat, and they are constantly giving 303 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 3: us feed about, Hey, I really love this. Can you 304 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 3: talk about this issue? Can you talk about this issue? 305 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 3: We you know, we I had somebody reach out the 306 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 3: other day on one of her videos and say, you 307 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 3: know what, you talk a lot about raising raising sons 308 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 3: and a father's responsibility. I'm a widow and I am 309 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: doing my best to raise my teenage boys, and I 310 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 3: need is there any you know, advice you could offer me. 311 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 3: And so the next thing that we're doing is, you know, 312 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 3: obviously I can't speak from her perspective, but I can 313 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 3: certainly speak from the perspective of a of a son 314 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 3: that was raised, you know, largely by a single mom, 315 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 3: and and share that and hopefully provide something that's that's useful. 316 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 3: And so I think the biggest problem with politicians on 317 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 3: social media, is that ultimately, regardless of how they put it, 318 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 3: it's primarily about the them. Yeah, right, and when if 319 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 3: you really want to, if you want to connect with 320 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 3: people's it's not that it's all about the audience either. 321 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 3: I think that's also a misnomer. The relationships you enjoy 322 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 3: the most are not the ones where you're doing all 323 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:04,719 Speaker 3: the giving. Are not the ones where you're doing all 324 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 3: the receiving. Just the ones where there's back and forth 325 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: where you receive benefit and you can give benefit in return. 326 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 3: And that's kind of what we've tried to accomplish. 327 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 2: I love that, you know, I remember that coming out 328 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 2: video where you tell people that you're a legislator and 329 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 2: you know, embraced for blowback. 330 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, but it was really good. 331 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 2: Do you get recognized? 332 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, we're at a point now where we do 333 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 3: I think the I I yeah, I mean it's Look, 334 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 3: it's always very nice when somebody comes up and tells 335 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 3: you that something that you said either made them laughed 336 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 3: or really had an impact on them. I think the 337 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 3: part where we realized the stuff that we were doing 338 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 3: on Instagram and on YouTube was rising to, you know, 339 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 3: a level where you started to get recognized as I was. 340 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 3: I was doing a trip out of town in Charleston, 341 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 3: South Carolina, and and somebody came out of a restaurant 342 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 3: and you know, are you the coffee mug guy? The 343 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, I love your videos, you know, and 344 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 3: and so that you know, stuff like that is it's 345 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 3: very encouraging. 346 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, which one's your favorite coffee mug? You're killing me, 347 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: Smalls or. 348 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 3: I don't know if I could we We've actually got 349 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 3: a new one. I only used it once, and uh, 350 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: I think we're gonna I think we're gonna actually roll 351 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 3: it out that one. That one is one that I 352 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 3: like a lot, but I'll kind of hide the reveal 353 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 3: on that one. But yeah, the zero Days without sarcasm. Uh, 354 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 3: you know this one right here? I saw that God, 355 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 3: you know, and you're killing me, Smalls, You're killing me. 356 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 3: Smalls is very versatile with a lot of the things. 357 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 3: Probably the one that I have that says my wife 358 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 3: is hotter than my coffee. 359 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 2: That one, Oh, that's a good one. 360 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: We're gonna take a quick break and be right back 361 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:54,360 Speaker 1: on the Carol Marcowitch Show. 362 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 2: One of the things that I love about your page 363 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 2: is out into your wife you are, and how like 364 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 2: openly you know, you're just openly into her and really 365 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 2: in love with her. I think so many people don't 366 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 2: talk about how awesome their marriage is, but you do. 367 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 2: And so I, you know, I really appreciate that. But 368 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 2: how long are you married? And when is the best part? 369 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 3: It'll be twenty five years in May. We got married 370 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 3: at nineteen and twenty wow, And and I was in 371 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 3: the I was in the eighty second everyone at the 372 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 3: time we had all of ourt we. 373 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 2: Got to travel and see the world, in the world 374 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 2: as long as there was a military war. 375 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, so yeah, we had all our kids in the military. 376 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 3: And yeah, but it'll be twenty five years in May. 377 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 2: What's the best part is really other than other than 378 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 2: she's really hot and hotter. 379 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I appreciate that. I I somebody asked me 380 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 3: so when I when I was a kid, I grew 381 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 3: up in kind of the same area, but you know, 382 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 3: there was there was divorce and stuff like that, a 383 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 3: couple divorces, and so, you know, I lived with my 384 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 3: grandparents for a while and then we lived in their 385 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 3: different apartments, and then I would go down and spend 386 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 3: the summers with my dad, and you know, home was 387 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 3: kind of my my grandparents' places as far as being 388 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 3: kind of like a consistent spot that was always there. 389 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 3: And then I remember my grandfather passed away and you know, 390 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 3: one of the one of the houses was sold, and 391 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 3: you know, I really haven't been back there the one 392 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 3: a long time. And then in the military, we moved 393 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 3: all the time, right, so it was like constantly, constantly 394 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 3: all across the country. And I in North Carolina, Hawaii, 395 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 3: back to North Carolina, Washington State, and I remember, I 396 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 3: remember we were living at our place. Right now, we 397 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 3: feel very blessed that we got to raise our kids 398 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 3: kind of in this under the same roof for most 399 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 3: of their lives. But even now we're probably gonna end 400 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 3: up moving again. And uh. And you know, somebody who 401 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 3: was asking, well, you know, how do you how do 402 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,439 Speaker 3: you feel about that? You know? And and so when 403 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 3: I asked you, like, well, what would you consider to 404 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 3: be your hometown? I was like, wherever Tina is, ah, 405 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 3: wherever wherever Tina is at, that's, uh, that's my home. 406 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 3: So I think that's that I appreciate the most about 407 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 3: it is that no matter where you're at in the world, 408 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 3: and no matter what's going on. I have someone that 409 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 3: is always on my side, and I'm always on her 410 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 3: side no matter what happens. And it's one of the 411 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 3: reasons why I tell people this idea that you know, 412 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 3: you got to live life before you get married. It's 413 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 3: oh man, now you get we get married, it really begins. 414 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 3: That's I love that. 415 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 2: Do you feel like you've made it? 416 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 3: You don't. You don't make it until you're here, well done, 417 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 3: good and faithful servant. And until then, there's there's a 418 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 3: lot of accomplishment, there's a lot of challenges, there's there's 419 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 3: a lot of things to overcome, and there's a lot 420 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 3: of there's a lot of great things like I I 421 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,919 Speaker 3: can't even tell you how wonderful it is to you know, 422 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 3: watch your wife walk down the aisle, to see your 423 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 3: kids be born, to in difficult times, to go into war, 424 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 3: going to war, coming home from it, being there for 425 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 3: for families of people who didn't come home for it. Uh. 426 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 3: There's there's any number of things that I can point 427 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 3: back to and experiences where I am just and incredibly grateful. 428 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 3: But you haven't made it until you hear well done, 429 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 3: good and faithful servant. 430 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 2: I like that, So I could talk to you for 431 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 2: you know, forever, because like I said, I'm a big 432 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: fan of yours, like one of the first people I 433 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 2: think I'm interviewing that I don't actually know in real life. 434 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 2: So it's you know, exciting for my last question and 435 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 2: with your best tip for for our listeners on how 436 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 2: they can improve their lives. 437 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 3: That's tough because everybody's at different points in their life 438 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 3: and facing different challenges. That the thing that I bring 439 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 3: this up every once in a while, and you know, 440 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 3: we'll have people on the comments sections say, you know, 441 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 3: oh that's cliche or that's you know whatever. But but 442 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 3: what I what I've gotten, what I've gotten in the 443 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 3: habit of telling people is like, look, if someone asked 444 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 3: me why what I think is key to success? Like 445 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 3: I can share, i can share the aspects of the worldview, 446 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 3: but I'm not going to do it without the creator 447 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 3: of it. And so the the relationship and this has 448 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 3: been an ongoing process because it's it's it is kind 449 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,880 Speaker 3: of a an ongoing process. The relationship that I've had 450 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 3: in my faith with Christ is something that has been 451 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 3: built on periods of skepticism, periods of contemplation, study, rebellion, 452 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 3: and and the only thing I can say is that, 453 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,639 Speaker 3: even from a purely practical standpoint, I don't know of 454 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 3: anything else that better explains the human condition. And that's 455 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 3: why when I when I see things, when I see 456 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 3: things that are going on in the world, and people 457 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 3: ask are you fearful or are you this or you that, 458 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 3: It's like, no, I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid because again, 459 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 3: I know who I am and I know what my 460 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 3: purpose is, and that necessarily begins in your life with 461 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 3: the foundation of your worldview. It's it's it's the lens 462 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 3: by which you see everything else. And if you if 463 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,199 Speaker 3: you haven't invested time and truly understanding about what you 464 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 3: believe at that foundation, the structure that you build upon, 465 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 3: it is constantly going to be swayed. It's constantly going 466 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 3: to be rickety, it's constantly going to be causing you 467 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 3: anxiety and fear. But but once you once you feel 468 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 3: secure in that. And I don't just mean you know, 469 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 3: this kind of blind faith where it's like, oh, it's 470 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 3: you know, it's it's it's adult Santa Claus like that. 471 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 3: I don't mean that. I mean once you've actually taken 472 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 3: the time to intellect actually, spiritually, emotionally understand what you 473 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 3: believe and why, and you feel secure and confident on it. 474 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 3: Then again, you can take the challenges as they come 475 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 3: because in each in each challenge, even if it's an 476 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 3: incredibly difficult one, in each trauma, you can see the 477 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 3: opportunity to achieve something that is meaningful and worthwhile. Because 478 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 3: if you don't have that, then the trauma becomes your identity. Yeah, 479 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 3: the problem becomes the thing that you dwell in as 480 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 3: opposed to overcome. And so I would just really encourage 481 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 3: people like, look, I'm I'm a big believer. I think 482 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 3: anybody that's seen me in the legislature or what I'm 483 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 3: a big believer. And I don't believe in imposing or 484 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 3: trying to legislate or require people to believe what I believe. 485 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 3: I want to be free to discover, you know, what 486 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 3: it is with their purposes and how they want to 487 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 3: go about living their life. But if I'm being asked 488 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 3: what's the single most important thing you can do, is 489 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 3: you need to figure that part out of your life 490 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 3: because it is the foundation of your entire worldview. And 491 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 3: if you don't want to live in a world where 492 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,959 Speaker 3: you were constantly divined by what happens to you as 493 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 3: opposed to what your purpose is and who put you 494 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 3: here for that purpose, then you're going to have to 495 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 3: answer that question. 496 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 2: So great. Thank you so much, Nick Fatis, You're amazing. 497 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 2: I didn't get to ask you how you have managed 498 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 2: to have not been canceled yet, but I guess next time. 499 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for coming on. 500 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining us on The Carol Markowitz Show. 501 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.