1 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: Put up. I am Dramas and this is the Street 2 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: Stoic Podcast. Let's get things started with your daily shot 3 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: of inspiration. Today's stoic principle that we're gonna be focusing 4 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: in on is the idea of diminishing your ego. Right. 5 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: And the song that I'm pulling from today is by 6 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: Lacrex and it's a song called Blessings. On this track, 7 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: Lacrai says, quote, I remember pushing Mama's little white honde 8 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: with no gas money. I just bought a car cash money. 9 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: I ain't even trying to brag on it. I just 10 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: tell it how it really is. I ain't tripping. They 11 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: ain't feeling this. I'm just trying to talk about the benefits. 12 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: I ain't tripping, they ain't feeling this. I ain't saying 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: I deserve nothing. I'm just trying to talk about the benefits. 14 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: I've been punching in the clock, trying to keep the 15 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: kitchen stocked. Man, it's a blessing because we ain't never 16 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: had a lot, but all we need is all we got, 17 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: And man, that's that's so powerful on so many different levels. Right, 18 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 1: I want to kind of talk about first and foremost 19 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: recognizing even though you've been working hard, right, you've been 20 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: putting in the hours right. You should never think that 21 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: something is owe to you, right, or or you should 22 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: never expect something to happen right like, at the end 23 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: of the day, no one owes you anything, right, and 24 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: when you begin to take action and do things solely 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: with the expectation of getting a specific thing out of it, 26 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: or even getting something out of it in general, I 27 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: believe that it cheapens the work that you're doing. Right. 28 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: Of course, it's great to strive for more, you know, 29 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: but you have to remain present to to what you 30 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: already have and make the most out of it and 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: understand that anything extra is in fact just a bonus. 32 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: You know. It really is all about the the idea 33 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: of bringing something to fruition, right like that is supposed 34 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: to be. I think the greatest reward for for the 35 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: things that we do, and we have to stop and 36 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: be present and take pride in our work. It's not 37 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: the outcome that that comes from, you know, our work, 38 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: but instead it's the work that we should be able 39 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: to stand upon proudly because we know we put everything 40 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: into it right, we're present to the needs of the 41 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: things that we're crafting and creating. Right. And this also 42 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: leads to, you know, a stoic quote from Seneca, right, 43 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: and he says, quote the greatest obstacle to living is expectation, 44 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: which depends on tomorrow and waste today. Right. And that's 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: what I was kind of referencing when I talk about 46 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: the idea of being present to what you're working on, right, 47 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: Because think about what Seneca is saying. You placing expectations 48 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: on some thing that you're doing, right, You having this 49 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: sort of result in mind, when you are creating something, 50 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: you're cheapening the moment, right, You are taking your presence 51 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: away from today and focusing instead on tomorrow. Right. And 52 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: and if we're too busy focused on the results of 53 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: our of our actions rather than making sure that we're 54 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,079 Speaker 1: taking you know, superior actions and truly caring about our 55 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: craft and all that we're creating, you know, it begins 56 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: to again cheapen our work and not allow us to 57 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: to put our best foot forward, right, not allow us 58 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: to truly focus in on what we're cultivating and what 59 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: we're crafting, which, again, at the end of the day, 60 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: your life's work, you know, the things that you put 61 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: your time and passion to those are the things that matter, right, 62 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: And I think for me it's about learning to again 63 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: focus on the work itself and and not fantasizing about 64 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: this projected outcome. And that's something that speaks so true 65 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: to me, and in various ways, I think for me, 66 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: the most sort of realistic thing I can kind of 67 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: think of when it comes to why this principle it 68 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: is something I'm holding so close to my heart. You know, 69 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: I think throughout the course of my life, I'd go 70 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: through cycles where you know, I would do everything quote 71 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: unquote right, and then I would sit back and you know, 72 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: expect all these things to happen right, Expect the red 73 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: carpet to be rolled out, Expect the powers that be 74 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: to recognize all of my hard work and to reward 75 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: me right. And it's not only reward me, but to 76 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: reward me quickly, right, to reward me in the time 77 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: that I saw a fit. And then what would happen. 78 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: I would end up watching as someone else got an 79 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: opportunity that I wanted, right, and and rather than learning 80 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: from it and and taking a lesson from it, and 81 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: sort of you know, thinking to myself, what is it 82 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: that they did that allowed them to get that opportunity 83 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: over me. I'd often just begin to you know, resent 84 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: those in charge right where I would resent my job 85 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: as a whole or my current situation, and that would 86 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: lead me to to start shutting down a bit, right, 87 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: and little by little, you know, putting less and less 88 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: effort into the things that I was doing, and then 89 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: finding excuses to justify it. Right, Oh, they don't pay 90 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: me enough to do this, what is matter? Nobody is 91 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: paying attention to these sort of things, right, And maybe 92 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: some of those things are true, Right, Maybe you're not 93 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: getting paid enough for the job that you're you're doing 94 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: or the work that you're putting into it. And at 95 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: the end of the day, that's that's how you do 96 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: to find something else that that fits that bracket for 97 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: you, you you know. But I think the main kind of 98 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: lesson from from this story that I'm talking about, and 99 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: it's a cycle that I've kind of struggled with throughout 100 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: various times in my life, and it's still something I 101 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: kind of have to check myself on now. But the 102 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: thing that I've I've seen now being able to kind 103 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: of zoom out a bit from it, is that the 104 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: irony is that, you know, my obsession with the outcome 105 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: and it happening when I wanted it to and getting 106 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: what I quote unquote deserved, right, it led me to 107 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: becoming someone who wouldn't be looked at for that opportunity 108 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 1: because I checked out and my work was quite honestly 109 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: half asked at that point. And this is all because 110 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: I thought I was owed something, and then I would 111 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: allow all that anger to kind of bubble up and 112 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: sort of you know, come to the surface if I 113 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: didn't get it. You know, at the end of the day, 114 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: it ended up not producing my best work. And I 115 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: think that when you look back at your life, and 116 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: I'm sure so many people can relate to that, I 117 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: know for me in my career, you know, I think 118 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: these were sort of moments that stalled my progress in 119 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: my given industry. You know, I was shooting myself in 120 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: the foot because I wasn't you know, focusing on creating 121 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: quality work or showcasing you know, equality work ethic. I 122 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:24,919 Speaker 1: was more concerned with the outcome, right, So I was 123 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: just doing whatever I had to try and achieve that 124 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: outcome in the quickest way possible. And at the end 125 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 1: of the day, those are the moments that other people 126 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: got opportunities over myself, you know, and I had to 127 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: check myself. And again I still do and realize that 128 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: as long as I focus on the work, focus on 129 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: my craft, focus on putting my best foot forward, something 130 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: will come about that because people will recognize greatness. But 131 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: first and foremost, I have to dedicate myself to producing 132 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 1: said greatness. And I think that's the biggest lesson I've 133 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: learned from kind of these various cycles within my life, 134 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: me as an adult just a few years ago. You know, 135 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: if we're being completely honest, towards the end of my 136 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: time with the Breakfast Club, you know, I had checked out, right. 137 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: There have been so many different things that happened throughout 138 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: the course of me working there that I felt sort 139 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: of shunned, and not just necessarily in that job, but 140 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: other opportunities. You know that that existed within the company, 141 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: you know, within certain management situations, whatever it was. I 142 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: felt that there were people getting opportunities over me, and 143 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: it began to make me kind of go back into 144 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: that old programming of checking out and not putting my 145 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: best foot forward. Right. But the reality is, you know, 146 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: I got lucky in that that situation, that could have 147 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: been maybe the thing that stifled my career progress, and 148 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: I would have been stuck in that one job because 149 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: nobody would have had faith in me to be able 150 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: to consistently deliver at a high level. You know. And 151 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: even though it didn't get to that point, I still 152 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: see the lesson in that, you know, I still wish 153 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: I had finished up a little bit stronger in that situation. 154 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: So that's something I remind myself of and that I 155 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: always looked to kind of remember moving forward in my life. Now, 156 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: with that said, you know, we've heard from the Stokes, 157 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: We've heard from Seneca, right, we've heard from Lacre. Now 158 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: with that in mind, let's talk about how you can 159 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: make this your mantra for today. The first let's take 160 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: a quick break and then we'll be right that. All right, 161 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: So we've heard from Lacre, we have heard from Seneca. 162 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: I've given you my host feel and the personal attachment 163 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: I have to the topic of of your ego and 164 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: why it's so important to be in control of it. Now, 165 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,679 Speaker 1: would all that said, let's talk about how you can 166 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: make this your mantra for today. Now, at the end 167 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: of the day, I want to make sure that I'm 168 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: clear on this, and I think goals and plans and 169 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: ideas are all incredibly important, But my methodology with looking 170 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: at those things is that they are not, in fact 171 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: the focus, right, They are not the end all be 172 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: all right, the way I've begun to look at goals 173 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: and ideas, goals are simply just the light to guide 174 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: us in the dark. Right. They make us get out 175 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: of bed in the morning, they force us to show 176 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: up as our best self. They motivate us. Right, But 177 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, as in anything in life, 178 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: there is no promise that things will work out the 179 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: way that we want them too, So we have to 180 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: let go of that expectation and instead focus on the 181 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: work itself and the belief that that work. Right, if 182 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: you're producing quality work and giving it you're all, that 183 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: will always lead to some sort of payoff, be a 184 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: planned one or an unexpected one. But again, that's all 185 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: that matters. It is the time, the effort, the quality 186 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: that you're putting into your work that is what really 187 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: matters at the end of the day. You know, again, 188 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: it is the quality of the work that we put 189 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: into day. The goal, the long term plan, simply just motivation, right, 190 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: The real prize is the present moment and the work 191 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: that we create in it. Keep that in mind. Now, 192 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: with that said, thank you so much for checking out 193 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: the streets Stoic podcast. Do your best to apply these 194 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: concepts we discussed today and store everyday life, and I'll 195 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: catch you all next time. The Street Stoke Podcast is 196 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: a production of I Hearts Michael Bura Podcast Network.