1 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I am dramas and this is the Street 2 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: Stole Podcast, bringing your daily dose a timeless stoke philosophy 3 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: remix for the hip hop generation. We are combining ancient 4 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: stoic philosophy with lyrics and quotes from some of the 5 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: greatest to ever grace a microphone. Now, with that said, 6 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: let's get things started with your daily shot of inspiration. 7 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: And first and foremost happy holidays to everybody. I know. 8 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: We are in the holiday month. Things are a little 9 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: bit slower right now. You have some time to maybe 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: think a little bit more and just get some clarity 11 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: on what exactly you want. And it is the perfect 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: time for this episode to drop, right. We are talking 13 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: all about the stoic idea of focusing on what you 14 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: can control. And we're going to go to my cheat code, 15 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: which is the late great Nipsey Hustle, because he is 16 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: an endless supply of quotes, particularly on this topic, and 17 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: I love this one right here from him where he says, 18 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: I'm about seeing long term, seeing a vision, understanding nothing 19 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: really worthwhile happens overnight, and just sticking to your script 20 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: long enough to make something real happen. The thing I 21 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: really want to focus in on is him talking about 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 1: seeing long term and seeing a vision, right, And this 23 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: is what made Nipsey Hustle so incredible and what allowed 24 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: him to sort of defy the odds of his situation 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: but also sort of rewrite the modern day artist to 26 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: a degree. Nipsey was playing the long game, and his 27 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: path towards success and recognition was far longer, probably than 28 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: it would have been had he have just taken the 29 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: e sort of short term gratitude of easy money and 30 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: a lack of independence. Right, if he wasn't sort of 31 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: holding the torch of wanting to be an independent artist 32 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: and wanting to really have control of his career, he 33 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: probably would have found some greater success earlier. And this 34 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: leads to a quote from one of the Stokes Epictetus, 35 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: where he says the world turns aside to let any 36 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: man pass who knows where he is going. I love 37 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: that quote so much. It's like the world opens up 38 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: for any man who knows where he is going, right, 39 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: And it doesn't mean it's going to open up easily, 40 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: doesn't mean it's going to open up quickly, but at 41 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: some point it's going to open up for any man 42 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: who knows where they are going. And I think we 43 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: are at the end of the year. It's the holiday season, 44 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: right We're probably not working as much or maybe for 45 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,839 Speaker 1: some of you, depending on what you do, but there's 46 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: not as much going on right now. Right things are 47 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: a little bit slower as everybody's kind of in vacation 48 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: mode to a degree. And I would really sort of 49 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: challenge anybody listening to to get into the mindset of 50 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: thinking about what they really want. I don't mean some 51 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: like asinine goal that really doesn't have an end day 52 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: or doesn't have anything specific. I mean really get clear 53 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: on it. Right Like for me, I have been prepping 54 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: for the new year. I know exactly what I want 55 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: my twenty twenty four to look like. I know exactly 56 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: what I'm going to be prioritizing in twenty twenty four. 57 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: I've begun putting in the team in place. I've begun 58 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: putting all the pieces to the puzzle in place to 59 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: be able to act on the vision that I have 60 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: for twenty twenty four. And I think that's sort of 61 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: what a lot of people are missing when it comes 62 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: to why you're not getting to where you want to go. 63 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: And we're talking obviously about what you can control, and 64 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: you can control your vision and the plan that you 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: put forth to bring your vision to life. And I 66 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: don't mean this in terms of like a new Year's 67 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: resolution like we all have, like oh, I want to 68 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: lose weight, I want to go to the gym, and 69 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: like it's something we fall off of, but really having 70 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: a theme for your year. Somebody told me a while 71 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: ago a really great practice that they do every year 72 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: that I'm gonna share with you, and their practice is 73 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: setting an attention, like two words that you want to 74 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: define your year, And just to give you a sake 75 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: example of what this looks like in a real practical 76 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: sense right for me twenty twenty four, is how do 77 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: I actually scale my business into being something that you 78 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 1: know is going to last for years and that I'm 79 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: not having to constantly be on my grind right, that 80 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: I'm not constantly having to be the person driving every 81 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: single day. I've literally now been reading books basically only 82 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: that are on scaling businesses and then figuring out how 83 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: to apply them to my own personal brand. I have 84 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: been resetting all of my goals and scaling down and 85 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: just focusing in on things that are going to help 86 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: me build a long term business vision rather than something 87 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: in the short term, some sort of short term validation 88 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: that I probably would have done a year ago. Right, 89 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: But again, like I have it all laid out, like, 90 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: this is our focus this year. We are figuring out 91 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: how to build a tangible business this year. And that's 92 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: what twenty twenty four is. This is our make or 93 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: break year, basically, right, That's what I've set for myself. 94 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: I'm doing that because I can't control all of the 95 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: other outside things. I can't control who listens to my podcast, 96 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: how many people listen to it. Right, All I can 97 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: do is create the best possible product. All I can 98 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: do is try to elevate my personal brand so there's 99 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: more eyeballs on me. And then all I could do 100 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: is sort of enact the plan that I have laid 101 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: out in my mind and laid out on paper for 102 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: my team essentially. Right, So we've heard from Ncy Hustle, 103 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: We've heard from Epicteta's all about this idea of focusing 104 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: in on what you can control. Now we will talk 105 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: about how you can make it your mantra for today. 106 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: But first let's take a quick break and then we'll 107 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: be you, right, now all right, So say we are 108 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: talking about the stoic idea of focusing on what you 109 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: can control. And we heard from the late great Nipsey Hustle, 110 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: We've heard from one of the stokes Atpictitis. I went 111 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: off on a strange tangent to try to give you 112 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: some insight in tibout how my crazy mind works around 113 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: this idea. Now, let's talk about how you can make 114 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: it your mantra for today. And listen, I like being 115 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: practical more than anything. I'm not trying to sell you 116 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: some some dream or some you know, easy idea of 117 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: what this looks like, or that I can give you 118 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: the right answer all of a sudden boom, It's like 119 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: a light switch. I'm very practical. You have to just 120 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: start thinking about what you want your damn year to 121 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: look like ahead of time. Don't be in there, you know, 122 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: in the midst of twenty twenty four, and life is 123 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: just throwing punches at you, and you are just sitting 124 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: there playing defense all day, and then next thing you know, 125 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: it's December twenty twenty four. Because that's what so many 126 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: of us do, right, And even if you are happy 127 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: in wherever the hell you are, right now, Like you 128 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: love your job, you know you and your your boo 129 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: are like on the best of terms. Plan out how 130 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: the hell you're going to maintain that right? How can 131 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: you make it even better? What are the little hiccups 132 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: that you can adjust for? Right? Like, how do you 133 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: maintain that happiness that you already have? Right no matter 134 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: where you are. I'm not talking anybody who's like in 135 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: turnmoil and just hates their life. This isn't just for you. 136 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: You could love your life, but that takes maintenance, and 137 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: you have to make a plan of action for said maintenance. 138 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: You have to have a vision for what you want 139 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: your life to look like. And again, I think that's 140 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: where so many people go wrong. We just blindly walk 141 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: into our days, into our life and just think that 142 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: shit is going to fall in our laps. And that's 143 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: just not the way that it works. Of Course, we 144 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: get lucky sometimes the universe rewards us, and opportunity may 145 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: come our way that we didn't see, of course, but 146 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: we can't plan on that. We're not in control of that. 147 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: And that's what we're talking about. Focusing on what you 148 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: can control. This is like, I get frustrated because we 149 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: overcomplicate it so many people if they actually just figured 150 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: it out and sat down for a second. That's why 151 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: this is like the best time of year to do it, 152 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: because it's quiet. You're maybe like reminiscing on the year 153 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: if it was trash or if it was amazing, whatever 154 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: it might be. You are excited for the new year 155 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: and everything else. Right Like, there's just an energy in 156 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: the air that is amazing for figuring out exactly what 157 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: the hell you want and say that vision. Right we're here, 158 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: end of the year, almost twenty twenty four, make that plan. 159 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: Tell yourself, this is what you want your year to 160 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: look like, and figure out how do you live in 161 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: accordance with that? What things can you control in order 162 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: to bring that vision to life? Now the recap all 163 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: been talking about today, the late great Nipsey Hustle. Again, 164 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: what makes him so great is the fact that he 165 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: was always thinking with a long term vision in mind. 166 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: He wasn't giving in to the short term temptation of 167 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: the easy money or the easy accolades. He knew who 168 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: he wanted to be, how he wanted to live life, 169 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: and what actually made him happy. So he was holding 170 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: out for that. And epictetis talking about how the world 171 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: turns aside to let any man pass who knows where 172 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: he's going. Eventually, the world will open up for you 173 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: as long as you remain on your path and stay 174 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: clear with your vision. And me, I've been preparing for 175 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, probably for far too long. I've been 176 00:08:57,840 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: doing this for months of envisioning what i want my 177 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: year to look like, and now going into it, I 178 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: am energized, i am excited, and I'm ready to hit 179 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: the ground running because I've put in the work to 180 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: tell myself this is what the year is going to 181 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: look like, and this is what I'm in control of 182 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: and let's get to damn work. So I want the 183 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: same for you. Create that long term vision and start 184 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: building that life that you want for yourself here in 185 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: the new year. Now, with that said, thank you so 186 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: much for checking out the Street Stoke Podcast. Do your 187 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: best to apply these concepts we discussed into your everyday life, 188 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: and I'll catch you next time. The Street Stoke Podcast 189 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: is a production of Iheart's Michael Dura Podcast Network.