1 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I am dramas. This is a street stoic podcast. 2 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 2: Bringing your daily dose of timeless stoic philosophy remix for 3 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: the hip hop generation. Now, with that in mind, let's 4 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: get things started with your daily shot of inspiration. Now 5 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 2: today we are going to be focusing all around the 6 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: stoic idea of diminishing your ego, and a lyric that 7 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 2: I've been looking to put to use as of late 8 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 2: has to. 9 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 1: Be from Lauren Hill. 10 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 2: I've been just re listening to the Miseducation of Lauren Hill, 11 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: and there are so many bars and gems in there, 12 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: so be on the lookout. 13 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: Throughout the course of the season. 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: I'm probably using so much laur In Hill, but this 15 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: one in particular, I've been wanting to use, and I 16 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 2: think this is a perfect example of diminishing your ego. 17 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: Even if this isn't what she intended when she wrote 18 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: the lyric, but it's a line that we've all heard 19 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 2: before from the song du Wop That Thing, and she says, 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 2: don't be a hard rock when you really are a gem. 21 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 2: To me when I hear this line, it's celebrating your softness, right, 22 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 2: It's about being okay with being vulnerable, rather than thinking 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: you have to be hard and put together at all times, 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 2: you know. I think a lot of shedding your ego 25 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: is about embracing vulnerability right, and understanding that vulnerability is 26 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 2: not weakness, right, that there's beauty in being vulnerable. There's 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 2: beauty in not having it all figured out right. You 28 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: are a human being at the end of the day. 29 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: And I think it's also about learning to be okay 30 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: with being judged and looking silly at times, and understanding 31 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: the fact that the only way you grow is by 32 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: being humble enough to know what you don't know. And 33 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: this leads perfectly to a quote from one of the stoics, 34 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 2: Marcus Aurelius, and he says, if you wish to improve, 35 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 2: be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous manners. 36 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: Don't wish to seem knowledgeable, and if some regard you 37 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: as important, distrust yourself. I think this speaks to the 38 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 2: idea that our ego oftentimes gets in the way of 39 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: us becoming better. Right. We feel the need that we 40 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: always have to appear a certain way, and we can't 41 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: let our guard down. That if somebody knows something that 42 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 2: we don't, we're going to appear lesser than them. And 43 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 2: I think, you know, all of this is nonsense at 44 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 2: the end of the day, if we're being honest with ourselves, right, 45 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: Because at some point in time we had to go 46 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 2: and learn the information that we know now the job 47 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: that we do. Somebody had to take us under their 48 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: wing for a little bit and teach us the ins 49 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 2: and outs, right, And none of that meant that we 50 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 2: weren't capable of the job that we were about. 51 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: To take on. 52 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 2: It meant that we were new at this and somebody 53 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: had to show us how things were done. 54 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: And I think for me, I relate to. 55 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: This deeply, especially as of late. What I've learned is 56 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 2: that no matter where I am in my life, and 57 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 2: no matter where somebody else is in their life, everyone 58 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 2: has something that I can learn from. My little nine 59 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: year old nephew has something he could teach me about life, 60 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: just like an intern or a high up CEO or 61 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: executive could teach me something about business. 62 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: Right. 63 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: I have a brand that I had recently launched, a 64 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 2: wellness brand called just Be, and my business partner she 65 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: went from basically being like my intern to now being 66 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 2: my equal. And originally when we started working together, and 67 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 2: it was under this premise of her helping me out 68 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: and working for me and learning from me. I would 69 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: have this thing in the back of my mind where 70 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 2: I felt like I always had to appear like I 71 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: was coming from a position of authority right and not 72 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 2: being like a jerk or abusing power, but making sure 73 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: that the power dynamic was recognized right. And when she 74 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: would suggest things at times, originally i'd have this sort 75 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: of internal dialogue where in my mind I would start 76 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: pushing back against some of her suggestions. But one thing 77 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: that I'm really grateful for is the fact that in 78 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 2: those moments, even though I was thinking it, and even 79 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: though I was pushing back in my mind, I was 80 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: in control of it in the physical sense. Where I 81 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: didn't shoot her ideas down right, or I didn't say no, 82 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: or I didn't just run with my idea and assume 83 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: it was the best idea right. I sort of gave 84 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 2: that space for myself to digest it and for my 85 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 2: ego to sort of move to the side and then 86 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 2: allow me to really look at what she was suggesting. 87 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: And the beauty of it is as a result of 88 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: me being open minded, even though I had far more 89 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 2: experience from business to the world of media. Me listening 90 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: and being open minded to her ideas and empowering her 91 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 2: to make decisions and to feel like she can bring. 92 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: Ideas to the table. 93 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: All of that resulted in my business growing and expanding 94 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: to the point that I felt I had to make 95 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 2: her my business partner because she was bringing so much 96 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: to the table, and without that lack of ego, the 97 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: brand wouldn't be doing probably any of the things that's 98 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: doing right now. All of that comes with pushing egos 99 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: to the side. And trust me, just like anybody else, 100 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: I had an ego about it, and at times I 101 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: still do, and I have to check it. 102 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: Now. 103 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 2: We have heard the words of the great Lauren Hill. 104 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: We've heard from one of the Stoic's Marcus Aurelius. You've 105 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: heard from myself. Now let's talk about how you can 106 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: make it your mantra for today. But first to take 107 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: a quick break. 108 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: And then we'll leave up right back, all right. 109 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: So talking all about this idea of diminishing your ego. 110 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 2: We have heard from Lauren Hill, we have heard from 111 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 2: Marcus Aurelius. You've heard a bit of my own personal 112 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 2: story and personal journey with this. Now, let's talk about 113 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 2: how you can make it your mantra for today. And 114 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 2: I think it all starts with really small practices, right, 115 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: because our ego is such a natural part of ourselves 116 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: and it serves its purpose. 117 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: Right. 118 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: At times we do need to puff ourselves up to 119 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 2: be more confident, to be unafraid to take up space. 120 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 1: Right. 121 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 2: But I think the idea is to not allow your 122 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 2: ego to be the one in the driver's seat, right, 123 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: that you're the one in the driver's seat. Your ego 124 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 2: is a passenger and it helps out when needed, but 125 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 2: it's not the one steering the car or steering the 126 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: ship at the end of the day. Right. And I 127 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 2: think one thing that I've adapted that has really helped 128 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 2: me out a lot in sort of being okay with 129 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 2: the sting of at first not feeling like I know 130 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 2: something or I'm lesser than or that I'm the sort 131 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: of ignorant one in the group on a particular subject. 132 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: Right. 133 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 2: One thing I adapted is that I no longer pretend 134 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: to know things I don't know, right, Even something as 135 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: simple as like if somebody's like, oh, have you heard 136 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 2: this artist or this song, I'll admit it if I 137 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: haven't right, where before that I would pretend or I'd 138 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: make a comment like, oh yeah, I know them by name, 139 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 2: but I haven't delved too deep into it, right, and listen, 140 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: sometimes that's truth. 141 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: So if you hear me say that, I'm not lying. 142 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 2: But I would have said it regardless back then, just 143 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: to say face right, because here I am. I'm a DJ, 144 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: work in radio, I work in entertainment, and you, as 145 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: a normal person, have heard of something I haven't right. 146 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 2: There's this expectation and the times people would clown me 147 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 2: on something, right, But the reality is I learned to 148 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 2: swallow my pride there and exist in the discomfort. And 149 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: I think that is sort of the beginning practices in 150 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 2: your everyday life is just allowing yourself to feel that 151 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 2: embarrassment a little bit, right, that sting of not knowing, 152 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: of somebody holding something over your head, and learning to 153 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 2: be okay with it. I think that's where all of 154 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: this starts, right. And then little by little, as you 155 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 2: sort of work that muscle and the sting of the 156 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: embarrassment becomes less and less right, and you recognize the 157 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 2: value in that moment that you're getting. You're going to 158 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 2: find it easier and easier to take suggestions from other 159 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: people and to recognize where their strengths may lie and 160 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 2: where you have a weakness. And again, you having a 161 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 2: weakness doesn't make you a weak human being, doesn't make 162 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 2: you lesser than, doesn't make you dumb, it doesn't make 163 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 2: you unworthy. It means you are a human being just 164 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 2: like any of us, and you have things that you 165 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 2: can learn, just like anybody else out there does until 166 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: the day they die. Right. So to recap all that 167 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: we were talking about today, you got Lauren Hill saying, 168 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 2: don't be a hard rock when you really are a 169 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: gem It's the idea that while maybe a hard rock 170 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: is more durable and more susceptible to pain than a gemstone, 171 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, we pay high money 172 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 2: for gemstones, right. They're celebrated as a thing of beauty 173 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: that we wear on our body, right, rather than some 174 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 2: old hard rock. And I think that's a great analogy 175 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 2: for the fact that it's the softness of the stone, right. 176 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: It's the idea of it being impermanent, penetrable, all the above, right, 177 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: that makes it beautiful, And that's vulnerability at the end 178 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 2: of the day, right, And it takes vulnerability to admit 179 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 2: when you don't know something right, and knowing that on 180 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 2: the other end of that admission is going to be 181 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 2: a person who has grown, who is now more educated. 182 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 2: Even in the smallest way, right, you are better for 183 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 2: that moment because you admitted something that you didn't know, right, 184 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 2: And Marcus Aurelius talks about if you want to improve, 185 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: you have to be okay with appearing clueless or stupid. 186 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: Like at the end of the day, we're always talking 187 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: about thinking in terms of like the long term vision, Right, 188 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: So that small moment of feeling stupid or lesser than yeah, 189 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 2: it might stay a little bit, but in the grandiose 190 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 2: sort of idea of life, if you learned something from it, 191 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 2: if you became better, that's what's more important. Right, That's 192 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 2: more important than saving face in the immediate moment. And then, 193 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: even for myself in hard business practical terms, I would 194 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: not have the business that I have today, nor the 195 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: excitement for it that I have, if it wasn't for 196 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 2: the fact that I was humble enough to think to 197 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 2: myself that this person who came to me for guidance 198 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: might actually have something to offer that I can then 199 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 2: utilize right beyond just their ability to take orders and 200 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 2: take demands essentially, And I think that's the goal of life, right, 201 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 2: It's always about that progress. And with that said, thank 202 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 2: you so much for checking out the Street Stoke Podcast. 203 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 2: Do your best to apply these concepts that we discussed 204 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 2: today into your everyday life, and I'll catch you next time. 205 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 2: The Street Stoke Podcast is a production of Iheart's Micuthura 206 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: podcast network.