1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: I don't train as hard as I do and do 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: all these little things, make sure I'm taking care of 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: every little detail. To go out there and wrestle somebody 4 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: that I know I can beat, that's superrazy. I want 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: to go out there and compete against the absolute best guys, 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: the guys that I don't know if I'm gon winner lose, 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: and I think that's what being a competitor is. This 8 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: is the Reformed Sports Project, a podcast about restoring healthy 9 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: balance and perspective in all areas of sports through education 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: and advocacy. Hi, this is Nick Bonicore from the Reformed 11 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: Sports Project podcast. Joining me today is wrestling legend and 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: mixed martial artist Bow Nickel. Bow is one of the 13 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: most accomplished collegiate wrestlers of all time, winning three n 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: c a A Division One national championships and earning the 15 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen Dan Hodge Trophy, which is awarded to 16 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: the nation's most outstanding collegiate wrestler. He recently transitioned to 17 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: mm A, earning a win in his professional debut last month. 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: But when I discussed how and when he decided to 19 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: specialize in wrestling, how failure and competition motivate him and succeed, 20 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: and how his mental approach gratitude enables him to handle 21 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: the big moments. Man, I am fired up beyond belief 22 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: once again. I have another Just he's a freaking stud 23 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: I've been watching this dude for years, my sons and 24 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: I a lot of you know, my son's vessel, big 25 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: fans of the sport love it. But I got a 26 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: legend on man. He's one of the greatest American wrestlers, 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: certainly collegiate of all time. He's just made his professional 28 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: m m A debut as well. Three time national champ 29 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: from Penn State now you know kicking butt and mixed 30 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: martial Arts Bow, Nickel Bow. Thanks for hopping on man, absolutely, Nick, 31 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: thank you so much for having me. And I'm excited 32 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: you well. I appreciate you man. And and there's one 33 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: thing that stands out to me Man, and uh, this 34 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: is kind of where I want to start with you. 35 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: And it's your energy. Man. It seems like you are 36 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: you know, I've watched it, you know, when you're in college, 37 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: My sons and I would watch and just high octane man, 38 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: high energy. You've reached the pinnacle collegiate sport and what 39 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: it's you going, man? Like, what is it? Where's the 40 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: juice come from? Where'd the energy come from? How do 41 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: you get so high octane right away all the time? 42 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: I think, Uh, it definitely just starts with the fact 43 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: that I feel so blessed to be able to do 44 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: what I do. I just feel um really passionate about 45 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: UM my my pursuits, that being and maker currently and 46 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: you know, in my history when it was wrestling, So 47 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: you know, I think God just kind of put that 48 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: on my heart and put that in me, you know, 49 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: blessed me with some skills and a lot of great 50 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: people around me, and it's just so fun. You know. 51 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: I feel just really grateful to be able to um 52 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:30,839 Speaker 1: train each and every day, and then you know, when 53 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: I do get to compete, that that opportunity is just 54 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 1: like it's amazing to me. And so yeah, that's uh, 55 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: the gratitude and appreciation for you know, my opportunities and 56 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: just knowing all the hard work that I put in 57 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: every single day and all the people that really pour 58 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: into me and uh want to help me become the 59 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: best I can be. You know, that just really fires 60 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 1: me up. It seems like it's times man, and I know. 61 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: I told you so. I've six kids, and several of 62 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: my kids, almost all of them except for the young ones, 63 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: are all playing sports. But in the culture youth sports today, man, 64 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: it's not hard to go to a baseball field or 65 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: a wrestling tournament or soccer event and kind of see 66 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: some overbearing parents, man, you know, overbearing coaches, you know, 67 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: pushing six seven eight year olds really really, really hard. 68 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: And then you know, from my experience as as a 69 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: college athlete and such like, I've been around guys who 70 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: played in the big leagues, and and from my experience 71 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: of being around elite level athletes, it seems like a 72 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: lot of those people, man, they were intrinsically motivated. And 73 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: when I hear you talk and it sounds like that's 74 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: where it came from. How did you get that intrinsic motivated? 75 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 1: Like when did you along your path when you were 76 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: wrestling at a young age. Tell us a little about 77 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: your journey, how it was, like, what was your experience 78 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: like as a youth athlete? For sure? For sure. So 79 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: it really starts out for me with my dad. My 80 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: dad wrestled his whole life. My grandpa actually wrestled his 81 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: whole life. Too, and wrestling college, and he coached wrestling, 82 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: so my dad got into it, and then my dad 83 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: coached wrestling, so I got into it. So it's it's 84 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: really a family thing for me and um So there 85 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 1: was never really a time in my life where I 86 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: wasn't involved with the sport. And I think that for me, 87 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: at a young age, I knew where I wanted to 88 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: be um at, like you know, in college and and 89 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: even post collegiately, I'm talking like six seven, eight years old. 90 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: I remember thinking that I wanted to be a state 91 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: champion in high school, and I wanted to be a 92 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: national champion in college, and I wanted to be Olympic 93 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: goal medalists. And so I think, like you said, that 94 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: intrinsic kind of fire and motivation that I don't really 95 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: ever remember a time where I didn't have that, and 96 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: then I didn't um I really want to pursue that. 97 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: And so for me not to say that there wasn't 98 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: hard times, there wasn't times where I wasn't like loving 99 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: what I was doing, but I always had that on 100 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: my mind, you know, those goals and those things that 101 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: I wanted to achieve an accomplish, and luckily for me, 102 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: I had a great support system and my parents and 103 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: especially my dad were there with me every step of 104 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 1: the way to kind of get where I was going. 105 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, there was I feel very fortunate 106 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: because I always had my dad as a coach who 107 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: he was never more invested in what I was doing 108 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: than I was. Like it was always a conversation for 109 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: us of hey, like, what do you want what do 110 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: you do? You want to do this tournament? Do you 111 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: want to you know, train extra this week? Do you 112 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: want to know instead of go and rest in practice? 113 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 1: Like you want to go to football practice. It was 114 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: always an open dialogue and open conversation between us, and 115 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: I really knew like he just wanted it for me, 116 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: not for him. And and so I think that I 117 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: never really felt I never felt a negative pressure like 118 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: I felt pressure of course, like and I don't think 119 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: that's a bad thing. And you know, we put a 120 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: lot of time into what we were doing, so you know, 121 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: obviously when you put a lot of time into something 122 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: and you care about it, you want to do well. 123 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: But I never felt like I was valued based on 124 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: wins and losses. And you know, even when I would 125 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: go through a tournament, and have a tough loss in 126 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: the finals or something like that. My dad would be 127 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 1: the first one that was there for me to pick 128 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: me up and hug me when I was, you know, crying. 129 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: But he he was always there for me in such 130 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: a hell the way I think, and I'm just eternally 131 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: grateful for that to just haven't had a great role 132 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: model like him. You know, man, I love how you 133 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: pointed that out, because I think that at times get 134 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: lost and you said you think that there is a 135 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: good there's a healthy pressure. I happen to agree with you. 136 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: You know, there's kids out there who really put their 137 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: heart and soul in their sport, and you know their 138 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: parents are invested in and they're all investment. But there 139 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: is a healthy pressure, right because at the same time, 140 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 1: as a parent, I know, for me, like I gotta 141 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: keep my kids on the on the you try to 142 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: help steer them in the right direction. Can you talk 143 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: a little about like a healthy pressure or a healthy 144 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: push versus like and overbearing like Have you been around 145 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: any other kids, and of course enough to speak of 146 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: them in particular, but I've seen situations where maybe an 147 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: overbearing parent may have pushed to get away from the 148 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: sport Oh my gosh. I mean in wrestling, you see 149 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: it so much where it's just like it's a hard 150 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 1: sport already, and then you know there's this extra like 151 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: my dad's watching me, like, oh, I better be doing 152 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: this because my dad is, uh watching me type of thing. 153 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: And I see it all the time where I'm I 154 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: just feel bad for the kids because they're like scared 155 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: almost go out there and compete when it should be 156 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: like the most fun thing they do. And so I think, 157 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,559 Speaker 1: like to balance it with as a parent, there always 158 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: needs to be a conversation had when you find that, uh, 159 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: you're making all the decisions for your kid and you're 160 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: not asking them really what they want. I think that 161 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: that's where it can kind of turn to an unhealthy thing. 162 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: Or I've had experiences where I've been at clinics teaching. 163 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: You know, I'll teach kids as young it's like five 164 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: six years old, or you see a kid that's you know, 165 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: I had a lot of success at a young age, 166 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: and I'll be like trying to talk to the kid 167 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: and the parent will answer every single question for him, 168 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: will be like, oh, well he's done this, or oh 169 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: he wants to do this, and I'm like, oh, this 170 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: isn't good, Like I'm not asking your kid and you're 171 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: you're telling me all of his goals and dreams and 172 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: what he wants to do, and he doesn't even he's 173 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: not saying a word. So for me, I think that 174 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: it was always a big thing to have that conversation 175 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: with my dad. He knew all the things that I 176 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: wanted to accomplish, and he was gonna do whatever he 177 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: could to help me get there. But there was never 178 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: anything that he wanted to accomplish through me that was 179 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: like prioritized. You know what I mean? Do you obviously 180 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: wanted me to win, but if I didn't wanna, like 181 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: if it wasn't from coming from me first, it wasn't 182 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: something that was forced on me. And so I think 183 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: more parents need to just have that conversation with their kids, 184 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: don't treat them like they have no voice. That it's 185 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: important just to you know, as a young kid six, seven, 186 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: eight years old, like, hey, what do you want? And 187 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: if they say, like I just want to like eat 188 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: candy and ice cream and sit on the couch, like 189 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,679 Speaker 1: all right, that's a problem. But it's also a problem 190 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: on the other end if You're like, we're going to practice, 191 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: We're going to thirty five tournaments this year, You're gonna 192 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: wrestle two hundred fifty matches, and the kids like, I 193 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: don't really want to do that, you know. So, I 194 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: mean there's definitely a healthy, healthy part of the spectrum 195 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: where you know, you're you're talking to kid, asking them, 196 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: making sure that this aligns with with their goals and stuff, 197 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: and uh yeah, I just think that conversation is really important. 198 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: Did you ever have because obviously you're talking about intrinsic motivation, 199 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: how was something that you knew at a young age 200 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: what you wanted to do. Did you ever have a 201 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: time where your dad had to like literally stop you, 202 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: you know, say hey man, we're shutting it down for 203 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: a little bit, or you know, was that ever conversation 204 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: like burnout type thing? Well, for me, I was pretty 205 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: fortunate because I didn't just do wrestling growing up. So 206 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: I played football, I played baseball, I was on swim team, 207 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: I ran track, you know, so I did so many 208 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,359 Speaker 1: other things and it was almost like there was automatically 209 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: built in downtime because for me, I love wrestling so 210 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: much and it was always my number one but I 211 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: still love football and baseball and playing games and doing 212 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: all those things as well. And so when I was 213 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: in football season, that was what we focused on. When 214 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: I played baseball, like, that was what we did, you know, 215 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: when I ran track, like you know, that was what 216 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: we did. And and for me, it was almost to 217 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: a point where I'll be like, Dad, like when can 218 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: I go back to wrestling practice. I I'm in football season, 219 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 1: but like, you know, can I get another wrestling practice 220 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: in this week or something? And so it was like 221 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: almost built in where I had to take downtime because 222 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: I was doing these other sports that I really enjoyed 223 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: and I really liked. Actually, there was a time in 224 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 1: my life and like the probably like late middle school, 225 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: seventh eighth grade, where I was like, maybe I'll play 226 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: football in college. Maybe I'll you know, go and do 227 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: that because I really loved it. But wrestling was always 228 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: just a more real thing to me and those other 229 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 1: things where like I said, kind of downtime and kind 230 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: of take a break. So yeah, I mean that's something 231 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: that I definitely push your parents to do, is to 232 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: give your kid options. You know, don't say because you're 233 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: a wrestler, Hey, you're gonna wrestle, and you're gonna wrestle 234 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: twelve months a year, like, you know, it can definitely 235 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: be something where it's like, hey, like do they want 236 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,199 Speaker 1: to play soccer? Like do they want to you know, 237 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: play tennis? Like whatever it is? Give them, give them 238 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: a chance to see what they like, and then as 239 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: a parent, you know, just kind of facilitate ways to 240 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:32,839 Speaker 1: help them be the best they can be at whatever 241 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: it is. Why did you shut it down? Like, you know, 242 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: specialization is a big piece now. Everyone wants, you know, 243 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: the kids time every sport overlaps and I'm a big 244 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: proponent of kids sampling and trying different things. But I 245 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: also understand, like you get to a certain age, you know, 246 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: particularly in high school, you know you want to you 247 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: want to lock in and you know, go to college 248 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: or whatever. You know, there's a time and place for that. 249 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: When was it your time where you're like, all right, 250 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 1: I want to wrestle a year around? Did you continue 251 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: playing different sports through high school? Yeah? So I played 252 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: football all the way up through myself were high school 253 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: and at that point, um so my football team in 254 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 1: high school was We're the number one team in the country. 255 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: So yeah, like we'd have twenty thousand people at a 256 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: high school football game. So like it was, it was nuts. 257 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: And I always like love football, loved it a lot, 258 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: but it was like coming to a point where I 259 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: was I knew that wrestling was what I what I 260 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: really loved, what what was like in my heart, and 261 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't devote the time and I couldn't I couldn't 262 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: basically like just find my mind devoting as much time 263 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: to football as I needed to to be able to 264 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: perform the way I wanted to. And at that moment, 265 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, I have to wrestle. I just 266 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: have to, you know, continue to uh just do wrestling now. 267 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: And and it was hard. It was It was tough, 268 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: you know, because like I said, I mean, I played 269 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: it for the majority of my life, and I loved 270 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: the game and I still enjoy watching and um or 271 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: even like playing a pick up football game with my friends. 272 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: But I just knew that wrestling was my real passion. 273 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: And uh yeah, I mean I definitely feel like it 274 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: was a good time for me too, because I was 275 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: maybe like sixteen and I was kind of maturing. So 276 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: it was actually a rougher for my football coaches because 277 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: as soon as I quit, I gained like three inches 278 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: of height and like forty pounds. So they were like, 279 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: what the heck, Like, now you're not Now you're gonna clit. 280 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: And I'm like, hey, sorry, Like it is what it is. 281 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: But uh, I think that my playing other sports as 282 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: long as I did was was a good healthy thing. 283 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: And I was able to kind of make that decision 284 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: on my own two where I just told my dad. 285 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: I was like, hey, Dad, I'm just gonna focus on wrestling. 286 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: He was like, Okay, I think that's, you know, a 287 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: wise choice. So yeah, what is it about? Like you 288 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: pay high school football in front of people? I mean, 289 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: like there's there's professional sports teams that don't draw that much, right, 290 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: I mean you're talking about a part of the country 291 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,599 Speaker 1: that's known for high school football, and then you're in 292 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: an individual sport like wrestling where all the lights are 293 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: on you. Right, you go to Penn State, you're wrestling 294 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 1: at the Pinnacle, you're wrestling for national titles, and now 295 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: you're one on on you know, in the cage or 296 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: and mixed martial arts. How do you lock in? Like, 297 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: I guess that's what I want to know. Was there 298 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: something from football. Was there something How do you get 299 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: yourself locked in? Was there mental training that you had 300 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: to do? Like how did you get to that point 301 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: where you feel confident and locked in, you know, when 302 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: you were stepping on the mat or you know, in 303 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: front of twenty thou people are now in your professional career. Yeah, yeah, 304 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: that's a great question, and I think that I was 305 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: very blessed with the way I grew up and being 306 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: in high pressure situations from a young age. Like I 307 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: remember being you know, seven eight years old at wrestling 308 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: tournaments and I would have a crowd of like fifty 309 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: people around my map to watch me, like people I 310 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: didn't know, like they would kind of that was just 311 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: the way that it went. You know, I would be 312 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: at a tournament and then you know, all of a sudden, 313 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: there would just be a crowd that would watch me. 314 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: So like there was kind of I think I had 315 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: to that kind of instead of going zero to a hundred, 316 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: I kind of had a slow growth with that pressure, 317 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: and I was able to um manage it better than 318 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: most people because most people the first time they compete 319 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: in like a big environment isn't until they're you know, 320 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: let's say like eighteen or when they're in a college 321 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: program wrestling a big duel, so like you know, they 322 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: might have not never really had people watch them, But 323 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: for me, it was from a young age I had 324 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: that and it was like a slow, steady growth of okay, 325 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: a little bit bigger moment, a little bit bigger moment 326 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: all the ways through my college career. And that's actually 327 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: why I feel like I have a big advantage in 328 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: m M A two is because I've competed in Madison Square, 329 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: gardens sold out, I've competed in you know, all kinds 330 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: of arenas with fifty thousand people, and I've done it 331 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: since I was eighteen years old. And before that, I 332 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: competed in front of you know, thousands of people at 333 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: a young age. And uh, I think that for me, 334 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: that's it's just kind of natural at this point where 335 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: I'm at. But it took a lot of work to 336 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: get to there. And I know a big transition was 337 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: going from high school to college. Um, I was putting 338 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: a lot of pressure on myself early in my college 339 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: career to win, and I kind of changed my mindset 340 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: in the way that I approached competing and instead of 341 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: approaching in a way where like, Hey, this is all 342 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: or nothing. I gotta win or else all my work 343 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: was wasted. I'm more so approached it now where I'm like, Wow, 344 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: this is a this is an amazing opportunity that I get, 345 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: and regardless of whether I win or lose, like, I'm 346 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: gonna give my absolute best when I go out there, 347 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: because that's all God of me is to give percent efforts. 348 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: So for me, it's it's more tuning into my relationship 349 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: with God and kind of inviting him into that situation 350 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: and allowing and then thanking him for the opportunity, and 351 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: then just knowing that regardless of whether I win or lose, like, 352 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: my value is still the same in his eyes and 353 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: in my family's eyes. So I just gotta go out 354 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: there and compete freely. That's man, that's the humility in 355 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: that moment that you're talking about, And that's what I'm 356 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: hearing obviously your faith and the gratitude of it. And 357 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: you know, not a lot of people understand that it 358 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: takes a lot of maturity and a lot of experience 359 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: when we come back. But when I discussed the freedom 360 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: to fail and what competition means to him, welcome back, 361 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: where Bow and I left off. We were about to 362 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: dive deeper into how failure translates to motivation and how 363 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: true competitors pursue the hardest challenges. You talk about the 364 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: word freely and freedom, like the freedom to fail, the 365 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: freedom to make mistakes. A lot of kids feel that 366 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: pressure and they feel that wound up, uptight feeling because 367 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: they're getting that external pressure and all of a sudden 368 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: it's not free. And how much does getting pinned? Right, 369 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: I don't know how many times you've got pinned. You 370 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: may have never gotten pin in your life, but like, 371 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: how much does like you know, screwing up, failing, getting 372 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: beat help you in that process, that development process to 373 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: where maybe you know, kind of reset your mind. Like 374 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: I know for me, I've learned way more when I've 375 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: screwed up and then I've evaluated like, hey, this is 376 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: where I screwed up, but it wasn't because of a 377 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: lack of effort. Right, Sometimes you do lose because of 378 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: a lack of effort, But when do you go back 379 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: in inventory? That is that how you've kind of developed 380 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: that gratitude in that perspective, right, um, So I think 381 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: that to answer your question, the losses that I've taken 382 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: in my career have been absolutely huge for me in 383 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: that like learning about myself, about who I am, about 384 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: what motivates me and stuff, because you know, as you 385 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: can kind of guess, like I put a lot into 386 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: what I do, like I'm I'm really all in with it, 387 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: and so whenever I have lost, it's really crushed me 388 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: pretty bad. And I think that you learn a lot 389 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: about yourself in those moments because it's a real true 390 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: you know low It's not like, uh, it really hurts, 391 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: and um, it would be easy to puit or give 392 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: up or to decide, you know, maybe this is not 393 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: for me. But every time I've experienced that, what's happened 394 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: is just a complete bounce back and a complete shift 395 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: in my mentality where I'm like, no, like that's that's 396 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 1: not happening again. That motivates me a lot, and I 397 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: just I don't want to feel that again. So I'm 398 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,479 Speaker 1: gonna continue to work hard, continue to grind, and continue 399 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: to get up every day and pursue what I'm passionate about. 400 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: And so I keep all those losses in my mind. 401 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: I can tell you all the way back, probably like 402 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: if we really took some time to do this. I could. 403 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: I could go back and count every single loss I've 404 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: I've had since I was like seven, So you know, 405 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: those really sit with me, and uh, they they mean 406 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: a lot to me. But um, at the same time, 407 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: I don't feel like I'm a loser just because I 408 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: lost a couple of times. I know, like in my heart, 409 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,719 Speaker 1: I'm a winner and I know what I'm capable of, 410 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: and those losses they don't they don't define me, but 411 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: they just I just treat him as motivators because I 412 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: don't want to feel that her feeling that I had. 413 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: But at the same time, I know it's worth the risk. 414 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: It's always gonna be worth the risk to go out 415 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: there and uh and go for it. What does it 416 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: mean to you the word compete to be a competitor. 417 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: A lot of people associate competing with wins and losses, 418 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,360 Speaker 1: right success versus quote unquote failure. But to you, when 419 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: you hear the word compete, what does it mean? Man? 420 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: Because he's saying that like gets to me. It gives 421 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: me like a little tingle in my spine. It gets 422 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: me fired up because I feel like I'm a natural competitor, 423 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: Like I don't care what we're doing, like I'm competing. 424 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: We could be you know, wrestling then say finals, I 425 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: could be fighting for UFC belt for USC gamanship, or 426 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: we could be playing monopoly like in the living room. 427 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be I'm gonna be that person that competitor, 428 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: regardless of the situation. But to answer that question, I 429 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: think that being a competitor, I'll tell you a story 430 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: that then I think it'll kind of answer the question. 431 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: So one of my good friends, his name's Devon, So 432 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: I met him through Penn State. He was on the 433 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: wrestling team with me. And this dude is a is 434 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: a certified genius, Like right now, he's getting paid to 435 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: pursue a PhD in chemistry at Harvard. He's doing lectures 436 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: and stuff like he's creating uh new organic fuels and 437 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,120 Speaker 1: stuff like this. Due's a real like legit genius when 438 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: it comes to science and chemistry. And so I was 439 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: for his whole career in college. He had a four 440 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: point out like A in organic chemistry and physics A 441 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: and all these classes. And I was chatting with him 442 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: on a way to a trip a duel at Northwestern, 443 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: and he was telling me he's taking this class as 444 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: an elective and that it's really hard if he doesn't 445 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: know if he's getting gonna get an A in it. 446 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, dude, that sucks. Why wouldn't 447 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: you take like theater or you know, an easy class 448 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: to like get an A and and protect your four 449 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 1: point oh? Like you want to finish your career with 450 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 1: a with a four point oh? Like that's such a 451 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: cool thing. Why wouldn't you just take a easy class? 452 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: And then what he said really like it's still stuck 453 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: with me obviously, and it really hit me. But he 454 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: was like, I don't study as hard as I do 455 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: and put all this time in to my schooling to 456 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: take an easy class. And I was like, wow, that 457 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: really got me because like for him, his schooling was 458 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: the same as for me with wrestling, Like I don't 459 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: train as hard as I do and and put do 460 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: all these little things, make sure I'm taking care of 461 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: every little detail. To go out there and wrestle somebody 462 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: that I know I can beat, that's crazy. I want 463 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 1: to go out there and beat them and and compete 464 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: against the absolute best guys, the guys that I don't 465 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 1: know if I'm gonna win or lose. And I think 466 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,239 Speaker 1: that's what being a competitor is. It's not going in 467 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: and competing when you know you can win, or when 468 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: you have an easy matchup against somebody that's you know, 469 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: less talented or experienced or as skilled as you. It's 470 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: going in and and challenging yourself against the absolute best 471 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: of the best at whatever it is that you're doing, 472 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: and and through that like building belief in yourself that 473 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: you can win and you can accomplish whatever it is 474 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: that you set out to do. So to me, that 475 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: that's being That's what competing in and being a competitor is. Well, dude, 476 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 1: I haven't grown a decent strand of hair off the 477 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: top of my head in like twenty years, but like 478 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: any here that I have is standing up. I mean, 479 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: you got me fired up right now. That's a freaking 480 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 1: ridiculous story. I love hearing that. What would you say. 481 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:15,959 Speaker 1: You've got a lot of kids out there you know 482 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: that will listen to this. You know a lot of 483 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: youth wrestlers and youth athletes in general. Your message being 484 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: an athlete being a competitor resonates right, It doesn't matter 485 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: the sport you're playing. What would be some advice you 486 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 1: to give these kids. You know, let's say that their 487 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: kids that they look up to you bo man, they 488 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 1: want to be the next Nickel, but they just want 489 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: to put themselves in the best position to get to 490 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: the next level, whether that be to start on their 491 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: high school team, or if you're in high school and 492 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 1: your success and to win a state title, or to 493 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: get to college, whatever it is. How do they put 494 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: themselves in the best position to get to the next level, 495 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: whatever their next level is the first thing they need 496 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: to do. And I think the first thing anybody needs 497 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 1: to do is trying to accomplish anything, is you gotta 498 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: believe in yourself. And it might seem simple, and that 499 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: might sound cliche, but that's essential. You have to believe 500 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: in yourself and don't say, yeah, I believe in myself 501 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:03,239 Speaker 1: like wh rah, like try to get like hyped up 502 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: in loud for a second. Like you gotta believe in 503 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: yourself you alone, like, not in a moment where everybody 504 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:11,439 Speaker 1: is trying to hype you up. It's got to be 505 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: through and through, in your highs and lows, Like you 506 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: got to know in your heart that you can do it. 507 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: And I think the way you do that is and 508 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: some things that can be pretty powerful are one just 509 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: focused on gratitude, focusing on appreciating, you know, all the 510 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: different things that we've been given. So every single person, 511 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: you know, while you do believe in yourself, like we 512 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: know we can't we can't do it alone. Like, there's 513 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: a lot of people that are gonna pour into you 514 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: and they're gonna want to help you, and they're gonna 515 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: sense that, Like, if you really do believe in yourself, 516 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: there's gonna be people that want to help you achieve 517 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: your goals. And then I think that another thing that's 518 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 1: really important is to visualize yourself achieving whatever it is 519 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: that you want to achieve. And by that I mean 520 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 1: one knowing the end before before the beginning even starts. 521 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: So like, if you don't have a clear, a clear 522 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: idea of what you want to do and know what 523 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: you want, then you're never gonna get anywhere. And so 524 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: if you can visualize that, visualize yourself attaining that goal 525 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: and make it real visceral, so you can you see 526 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: it happening, you can you can hear the noises that 527 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: are going on when it happens. You can, you can 528 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 1: smell whatever the smell is you can taste that, you 529 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 1: can feel it. Whatever. If that's a gold medal, you 530 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: imagine what if it's gonna feel like around your neck, 531 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 1: like make it really real. And I think that if 532 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: you can do those things, if you put that energy 533 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,439 Speaker 1: out there, it's going to be given back to you. 534 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: And so anybody that wants to at you anything, whatever 535 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: it is, I think that all those things that I 536 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: said are are essential. Both freaking Nickel, dude. I cannot 537 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: wait to watch your career as an unfold man. Huge 538 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,719 Speaker 1: fan of what you've accomplished, and you're just getting started. Man. 539 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: I can't thank you know for coming on share man. 540 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: I truly appreciate it. I'm grateful for your time absolutely, Nick, 541 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 1: thank you so much for having me on. Man. That's 542 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 1: bow Nickel three time and see A a wrestling national 543 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 1: champion and m M a fighter. Thanks for listening to 544 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 1: the Reformed Sports Project podcast. I'm Nick Bonicore and our 545 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 1: goal is to restore a healthy balance and perspective in 546 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 1: all areas of sports through education and advocacy. For updates, 547 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check 548 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: out our website by searching for the Reform Sports Project. 549 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: H