1
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,720
Speaker 1: Yes, Yes, I am Dramas and this is the Street

2
00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,239
Speaker 1: Stoke Podcast bring to your daily dose of timeless stoic

3
00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,320
Speaker 1: philosophy remix for the hip hop generation. We are combining

4
00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,280
Speaker 1: and ancient philosophy with lyrics, some quotes from some of

5
00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,360
Speaker 1: the greatest whoever breaks a microphone? Now, with that in mind,

6
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,760
Speaker 1: let's get things started with your daily shot of inspiration.

7
00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,960
Speaker 1: Now today we're really talking all about the stoic idea

8
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,120
Speaker 1: of focusing on what you can control. And I pulled

9
00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,320
Speaker 1: a quote from just one of the goats man J Cole,

10
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:55,880
Speaker 1: which I'm not gonna lie to y'all. I was never

11
00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,560
Speaker 1: like a huge coll fan, like you know, when everybody

12
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,680
Speaker 1: was losing their mind over him. But it's been over

13
00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,039
Speaker 1: time that I've really appreciated him as an artist and

14
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,360
Speaker 1: his music and man, just all that he has to say,

15
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,160
Speaker 1: it's just like next level. So he's definitely become one

16
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,319
Speaker 1: of my favorite artists as of late. Now, this quote

17
00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,399
Speaker 1: from Cola, I think really brings up a great perspective

18
00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,440
Speaker 1: when we talk about this idea of focusing on what

19
00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,080
Speaker 1: we can control. Right, so Cole says, I always feel

20
00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,360
Speaker 1: like it's two ingredients when it comes to following your dreams,

21
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,840
Speaker 1: making something happen that the average person deems difficult if

22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,240
Speaker 1: you truly believe it. That's step one. Step two is

23
00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,200
Speaker 1: you know the hard work that goes along with it.

24
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,080
Speaker 1: And I love this quote from Cole, you know, talking

25
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,840
Speaker 1: about how to make your dreams come true essentially right

26
00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,080
Speaker 1: following your dreams. And I love the fact that both

27
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 1: of these sort of two ingredients that he gave us

28
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,000
Speaker 1: are internal ingredients. Right. There are both things that we

29
00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,480
Speaker 1: ourselves have control over. Right, the idea that we have

30
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,120
Speaker 1: to first believe in ourselves, believe in our ability to

31
00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,680
Speaker 1: make whatever crazy idea comes to mind. And step two

32
00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,280
Speaker 1: is just putting in the damn work, right. And this

33
00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,280
Speaker 1: leads perfectly to a quote from one of the Stokes,

34
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:14,600
Speaker 1: Marcus Ralius, where he says, the impediment to action advances action.

35
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,800
Speaker 1: What stands in the way becomes the way. I love

36
00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,640
Speaker 1: this as a sort of want to punche the cold quote,

37
00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,200
Speaker 1: and then Marcus Hurelius, because what Marcus is talking about

38
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,399
Speaker 1: is that the things that stands in our way, right,

39
00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,959
Speaker 1: the excuses that we make, the negative beliefs that we

40
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:38,760
Speaker 1: decide to adapt, right, all of that becomes our reality. Right,

41
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,240
Speaker 1: the excuses that we make, the lack of action that

42
00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,760
Speaker 1: we take, the belief system that we need to rely

43
00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,240
Speaker 1: on someone else, all of that becomes our reality. It

44
00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,840
Speaker 1: becomes our norm, and it becomes the habits that we adapt. Right. So,

45
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,720
Speaker 1: if you are continuously telling yourself that there is so

46
00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,600
Speaker 1: much work to be done, right, and you're so far

47
00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,840
Speaker 1: away from where you want to be, and it's going

48
00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,480
Speaker 1: to be so hard to get there, then yes, your

49
00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,960
Speaker 1: reality is going to be there is so much work

50
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,520
Speaker 1: to be done, it's so hard to get there, you

51
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,960
Speaker 1: are so far away from where you want to be, right.

52
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,359
Speaker 1: And I think I relate to this on so many

53
00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,120
Speaker 1: levels because I'm human, just like anybody else. Right, I

54
00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,560
Speaker 1: at times will second guess to myself. I will convince

55
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,160
Speaker 1: myself that something is more difficult than it actually is.

56
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,000
Speaker 1: I will, you know, sort of scare myself into thinking

57
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,880
Speaker 1: that I have so much work to do, and then

58
00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,959
Speaker 1: I become sort of paralyzed by procrastination. Right, And I've

59
00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,840
Speaker 1: recently been dealing with this, man, I'm almost ashamed to

60
00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,760
Speaker 1: admit it, for like the last year with this studio

61
00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,080
Speaker 1: that I've been building, right, And I'm blessed that, you know,

62
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,320
Speaker 1: I have built it out, and I've been recording out

63
00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,600
Speaker 1: of it, you know, almost every day for the last year,

64
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,360
Speaker 1: and it's been functioning for me beautifully. But my goal

65
00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,040
Speaker 1: when I built out this studio was to also make

66
00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,480
Speaker 1: it a place for other creatives to come and do

67
00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,160
Speaker 1: their projects, to be able to record podcasts and do

68
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,040
Speaker 1: video and do photography and all these different things. And

69
00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,240
Speaker 1: my goal was to have this thing opened last year

70
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,160
Speaker 1: at the time top of this year. Three months after that,

71
00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,520
Speaker 1: I keep putting off the opening dates. I've had business

72
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,560
Speaker 1: cards for like a year. I've had a website for

73
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,200
Speaker 1: like a year, right, I've had all of these things

74
00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,560
Speaker 1: in place, but I keep making excuses as to why

75
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,479
Speaker 1: it's not ready for me to officially open, right. And

76
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,960
Speaker 1: I was working on something in here last night, you know,

77
00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,320
Speaker 1: I was just getting little things together, and once I

78
00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,279
Speaker 1: finished it, I realized, Man, the studio is pretty much done.

79
00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,159
Speaker 1: It's crazy to me that I had this realization for

80
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,279
Speaker 1: like the first time, which I should have had so

81
00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,440
Speaker 1: long ago, that there's not really much left for me

82
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,000
Speaker 1: to do. I just keep making excuses, right, And maybe

83
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,120
Speaker 1: it's fear of failure. Maybe it's you know, the idea

84
00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,039
Speaker 1: of perfection, whatever it might be. But I keep putting

85
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,279
Speaker 1: these blockages in the way that tell me that I

86
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,280
Speaker 1: need to be doing something else, that caused me to

87
00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,520
Speaker 1: not take action, that tell me that I need somebody

88
00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,839
Speaker 1: to help me with something before I can really open

89
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,240
Speaker 1: the studio up to the public. Right, I keep on

90
00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,600
Speaker 1: making excuses for it, you know. And it's not always right.

91
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,520
Speaker 1: It's just the way our mind thinks at times. When

92
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,720
Speaker 1: we set off on some grandiose idea, it is completely

93
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,320
Speaker 1: normal that our mind begins to play tricks on us

94
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,320
Speaker 1: and tell us that we have so much further to go,

95
00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,400
Speaker 1: and that causes this, you know, analysis paralysis, this procrastination

96
00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,240
Speaker 1: that ends up happening. Right now, we've heard from Cole,

97
00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,480
Speaker 1: we have heard from Marcus Aurelius, one of the Stokes.

98
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:23,599
Speaker 1: I've giving you some insight into my own situation that

99
00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,160
Speaker 1: I'm trying to push past. Right now, now, let's talk

100
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,520
Speaker 1: about how you can make it your mantra for today, right,

101
00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,800
Speaker 1: the idea of focusing on what you can control. Well, first,

102
00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,120
Speaker 1: let's take a quick break and then we'll be right now.

103
00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,200
Speaker 1: All right, So today we've been focusing around the stoic

104
00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,480
Speaker 1: idea of focusing on what you can control. We have

105
00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,719
Speaker 1: heard the words of j. Cole, we have heard Marcus Aurelius.

106
00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,920
Speaker 1: I've given you some insight into my own life. Now

107
00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,320
Speaker 1: let's talk about how you can make it your mantra

108
00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:59,640
Speaker 1: for today. Now, I think first and foremost the thing

109
00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,760
Speaker 1: that I think sums up all that we're talking about today.

110
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,520
Speaker 1: Stop over complicating things right, Stop telling yourself that you

111
00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,520
Speaker 1: have all this weight on your shoulder, and that the

112
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,880
Speaker 1: steps are hard, that they're difficult. All the work is

113
00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:12,800
Speaker 1: going to be so hard, so difficult, you have so

114
00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,960
Speaker 1: much further to go, And listen, all of that may

115
00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,400
Speaker 1: be true. The work is going to be difficult. There

116
00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,479
Speaker 1: are a lot of little steps involved in making a

117
00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,279
Speaker 1: dream happen. But the more that you live in the

118
00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,320
Speaker 1: reality of you not being able to bear the weight

119
00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,080
Speaker 1: of these obstacles or bear the brunt of the work

120
00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,960
Speaker 1: that you have to do, the more that you're going

121
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,360
Speaker 1: to live in the reality of not doing anything right,

122
00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,560
Speaker 1: of these things being too big for you to handle.

123
00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,120
Speaker 1: When the reality is you can handle anything. You just

124
00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,320
Speaker 1: have to believe you can and then follow it up

125
00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,080
Speaker 1: by the work that it takes right. But it's all

126
00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,919
Speaker 1: the second guessing that happens in between. That is the

127
00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,800
Speaker 1: thing that generally holds all of us back from achieving

128
00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,240
Speaker 1: our goals or our dreams at the end of the day. Right,

129
00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,640
Speaker 1: And there's nothing wrong with admitting that something is difficult,

130
00:06:57,800 --> 00:06:59,839
Speaker 1: admitting that something is hard, that there may be a

131
00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,320
Speaker 1: lot of steps to get there, but you dwelling on

132
00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,240
Speaker 1: that doesn't help you out with anything, right, And the

133
00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,440
Speaker 1: reality is you taking action and focusing on the things

134
00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,640
Speaker 1: that are directly in your control. That's the only way

135
00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,600
Speaker 1: that's going to get you across the finish line. That's

136
00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,680
Speaker 1: the only thing that gets you across the finish line. Right.

137
00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,400
Speaker 1: And that's exactly what Ja Cole is talking about to

138
00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,480
Speaker 1: recap all we've been talking about today, where he says

139
00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,200
Speaker 1: it's two ingredients when it comes to following your dreams.

140
00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,600
Speaker 1: Step one is truly believing it. Step two is the

141
00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,320
Speaker 1: work that goes along with it. It is creating a

142
00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,280
Speaker 1: belief and following it up with action. You are very

143
00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,360
Speaker 1: much so in control of both of those things, and

144
00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,160
Speaker 1: someone successful like Jay Cole is saying those are the

145
00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,640
Speaker 1: two main ingredients that separate you from your dreams. Right.

146
00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:47,160
Speaker 1: And then kind of the one two punchs you've been

147
00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,120
Speaker 1: talking about today with Marcus Aurelius talking about that the

148
00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,360
Speaker 1: impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way

149
00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:59,160
Speaker 1: becomes the way, your negative mindset, your disbelief in being

150
00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,960
Speaker 1: able to achieve your goal, that will become your reality. Right.

151
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,240
Speaker 1: If you don't believe that you can achieve this goal,

152
00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,000
Speaker 1: guess what. You can't achieve this goal whatever you are

153
00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,280
Speaker 1: choosing not to do. Right, If you are sitting on

154
00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,160
Speaker 1: the couch and not putting in the work, that becomes

155
00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:13,880
Speaker 1: your reality. Right. If you think the work is too

156
00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,120
Speaker 1: difficult for you, if that's what your belief system is,

157
00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,120
Speaker 1: then guess what. Yes, the work is too difficult for you.

158
00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,600
Speaker 1: And again, even for me, I think in some sort

159
00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,320
Speaker 1: of way, I have that self doubt, that imposter syndrome

160
00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,240
Speaker 1: that says, who am I to be able to own

161
00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,120
Speaker 1: my own studio and operate it. I'm nervous that other

162
00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,760
Speaker 1: people may not love the space as much as I do,

163
00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,000
Speaker 1: that maybe they don't feel like they're going to get

164
00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,000
Speaker 1: the quality product that I hope they can. Right, all

165
00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,000
Speaker 1: of the above, all the judgment that comes along with

166
00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,199
Speaker 1: opening yourself up, opening up a business, and gifting your

167
00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,320
Speaker 1: talents to other people and hoping that they enjoy your

168
00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,680
Speaker 1: work and the product that you're able to produce. Right. So,

169
00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,160
Speaker 1: taking a page at a Cole's book, I have to

170
00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,440
Speaker 1: develop the belief system that I can do this. I

171
00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,280
Speaker 1: can open the studio and run a functioning business that

172
00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,480
Speaker 1: other people are going to find value in. Right, And

173
00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,559
Speaker 1: then I have to follow that up with action, which

174
00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,640
Speaker 1: again is something I've been procrastinating on or doing here

175
00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,480
Speaker 1: and there, little by little, but not enough to actually

176
00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,320
Speaker 1: make my dream come true. Right. And at the end

177
00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,440
Speaker 1: of the day, the only person to blame is myself,

178
00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,160
Speaker 1: because I am in control of the lack of belief

179
00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,720
Speaker 1: I may have in my vision and the lack of

180
00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,160
Speaker 1: action on taking as a result. But again, the beauty

181
00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,560
Speaker 1: is that it's in your control. It's a mindset shift

182
00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:28,199
Speaker 1: followed by action that matches that positive mindset and there

183
00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,880
Speaker 1: you are back on your path towards making your dreams

184
00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,800
Speaker 1: come true. Now, with that said, thank you so much

185
00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,360
Speaker 1: for checking out the Street Stoke podcast. Do your best

186
00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,439
Speaker 1: to apply these concepts that we discussed today. It's the

187
00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:47,480
Speaker 1: everyday life and I will catch you next time. The

188
00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,960
Speaker 1: Street Stoke Podcast is a production of Iheart's Michael Dura

189
00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:52,199
Speaker 1: Podcast Network,