1 00:00:05,670 --> 00:00:08,560 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ Ed Watters: To overcome, you must educate. 2 00:00:09,950 --> 00:00:15,969 Educate not only yourself, but educate anyone seeking to learn. 3 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,350 We are all Dead America, we can all learn something. 4 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,730 To learn, we must challenge what we already understand. 5 00:00:27,780 --> 00:00:31,180 The way we do that is through conversation. 6 00:00:32,619 --> 00:00:39,750 Sometimes we have conversations with others, however, some of the best 7 00:00:39,910 --> 00:00:42,870 conversations happen with ourselves. 8 00:00:44,210 --> 00:00:51,470 Reach out and challenge yourself; let's dive in and learn something new right now. 9 00:00:55,535 --> 00:00:58,355 Today, we are speaking with Alan Lazaros. 10 00:00:58,705 --> 00:01:04,424 He is the CEO of Next Level University, he is a speaker, a 11 00:01:04,425 --> 00:01:06,964 podcaster, and a business coach. 12 00:01:07,164 --> 00:01:09,694 Alan, could you please introduce yourself? 13 00:01:10,095 --> 00:01:12,354 Let people know just a little more about you, please. 14 00:01:12,915 --> 00:01:15,905 Alan Lazaros: Okay, so first and foremost, gratitude first, always. 15 00:01:16,635 --> 00:01:18,835 Thank you for having me, I appreciate it. 16 00:01:18,985 --> 00:01:22,460 I started listening to podcasts nine years ago, and they really helped me 17 00:01:22,460 --> 00:01:27,110 sort of reorient my life in a much more constructive, transformative, 18 00:01:27,110 --> 00:01:29,380 as we'll talk about direction. 19 00:01:29,410 --> 00:01:34,015 And, uh, as for a little bit more about myself, I'm a computer engineer 20 00:01:34,275 --> 00:01:38,755 who has his master's in business, who had a lot of adversity growing up. 21 00:01:38,785 --> 00:01:42,235 I lost my father, uh, he passed away in a car accident when I was two. 22 00:01:43,035 --> 00:01:46,374 I had a stepfather from age three to fourteen, my stepfather 23 00:01:46,374 --> 00:01:47,684 left my family at fourteen. 24 00:01:47,704 --> 00:01:52,365 And then I sort of bootstrapped my way to trying to achieve 25 00:01:52,365 --> 00:01:53,494 many, many goals and dreams. 26 00:01:53,494 --> 00:01:56,645 Then I had my own car accident at twenty-six that really had me face 27 00:01:56,645 --> 00:01:59,525 mortality in a really meaningful way. 28 00:01:59,525 --> 00:02:02,794 But that was my big transformational moment where after that I went all 29 00:02:02,794 --> 00:02:05,655 in on self improvement, I turned my passion into purpose, into profit. 30 00:02:05,655 --> 00:02:09,504 And now I have a business that, essentially I lead a twenty-one person 31 00:02:09,505 --> 00:02:11,135 team now at Next Level University. 32 00:02:11,135 --> 00:02:12,815 It's a podcast, but it's also a business. 33 00:02:12,815 --> 00:02:17,930 And we help people who have, no matter how hard your past has been, no matter how 34 00:02:17,930 --> 00:02:21,540 hard your present is, you always have a next level and you have a spotless future. 35 00:02:21,540 --> 00:02:24,970 And so you can take more personal responsibility right now and 36 00:02:24,970 --> 00:02:25,950 you can improve yourself. 37 00:02:25,950 --> 00:02:28,129 And the only way your life improves is if you improve. 38 00:02:28,129 --> 00:02:31,814 And so that's really what I've built my, not only career, but my life around. 39 00:02:32,244 --> 00:02:36,265 Ed Watters: Well, I sure do want to take the time to commend you and Kevin. 40 00:02:36,334 --> 00:02:41,614 Both do excellent work as podcasters and the content that 41 00:02:41,614 --> 00:02:45,374 you provide, it's priceless. 42 00:02:45,844 --> 00:02:51,994 So I want to start here, What do you define as success, Alan? 43 00:02:52,795 --> 00:02:55,484 Alan Lazaros: So that's actually the, the question. 44 00:02:55,484 --> 00:02:58,024 And thank you for the compliment about Kevin and I's work, 45 00:02:58,024 --> 00:02:58,734 I really appreciate it. 46 00:02:59,795 --> 00:03:01,174 It's the most meaningful work in the world. 47 00:03:01,174 --> 00:03:02,575 So how do we define success? 48 00:03:02,584 --> 00:03:04,765 So my job as a business coach, I have twenty-eight 49 00:03:04,785 --> 00:03:06,114 people on my roster right now. 50 00:03:06,765 --> 00:03:09,865 The youngest is sixteen, wants to start a YouTube channel. 51 00:03:09,865 --> 00:03:14,624 The oldest is 63, been in business for decades, wants to grow and scale. 52 00:03:15,744 --> 00:03:17,704 All different walks of life, all different countries, all different 53 00:03:17,715 --> 00:03:18,915 backgrounds, all different industries, 54 00:03:18,924 --> 00:03:19,845 so it's been fascinating. 55 00:03:19,845 --> 00:03:24,525 But what I think matters most is, success looks different for all of us. 56 00:03:25,989 --> 00:03:31,470 To me, specifically just me, my unique version of success, I have 57 00:03:31,470 --> 00:03:33,489 it written in the corner of my office, it's on a whiteboard. 58 00:03:33,489 --> 00:03:37,049 It says, You are here to maximize your own unique potential and 59 00:03:37,049 --> 00:03:38,299 to help others do the same, 60 00:03:38,789 --> 00:03:40,389 everything else is secondary. 61 00:03:40,420 --> 00:03:44,474 And so for me, success is number one, reaching my potential, 62 00:03:45,095 --> 00:03:46,554 my own unique potential. 63 00:03:47,435 --> 00:03:49,315 And number two, helping other people do the same. 64 00:03:49,405 --> 00:03:54,585 And of course, profitability and quality of life, and being in love 65 00:03:54,585 --> 00:03:56,345 and healthy, wealthy and in love. 66 00:03:56,374 --> 00:04:00,944 But ultimately my main mission, my main purpose, my main focus, my main 67 00:04:00,945 --> 00:04:04,790 calling is reaching my potential and helping others do the same. 68 00:04:05,010 --> 00:04:07,440 Ed Watters: Yeah, that's, that's a good definition. 69 00:04:07,910 --> 00:04:15,390 Uh, a lot of people, they seek success, but they don't like to reflect. 70 00:04:15,390 --> 00:04:22,415 And I really feel that reflection about where we came from is truly important 71 00:04:23,125 --> 00:04:26,445 to reach the ultimate level of success. 72 00:04:27,035 --> 00:04:32,004 What's your take on reflection of where you've been? 73 00:04:32,605 --> 00:04:35,924 Alan Lazaros: We have this thing called the success loop and it's five 74 00:04:35,924 --> 00:04:38,394 steps and it's simple but powerful. 75 00:04:38,835 --> 00:04:40,075 The first one is believe. 76 00:04:40,655 --> 00:04:42,835 So you believe in a person, place, thing, or idea. 77 00:04:43,585 --> 00:04:44,625 Second one is implement. 78 00:04:44,635 --> 00:04:46,675 You do something, you take some action. 79 00:04:47,275 --> 00:04:48,495 The third is reflect. 80 00:04:49,075 --> 00:04:50,235 And you mentioned reflection. 81 00:04:50,775 --> 00:04:55,465 So after you implement something, you have to review and reflect, 82 00:04:55,474 --> 00:04:56,795 even this podcast episode. 83 00:04:56,795 --> 00:05:00,314 So when you send me this, when it launches, you know, I'll review it 84 00:05:00,314 --> 00:05:01,844 and I'll reflect on our conversation 85 00:05:01,844 --> 00:05:03,604 and hopefully I'll learn something. 86 00:05:03,604 --> 00:05:04,745 So number four is learn. 87 00:05:05,644 --> 00:05:07,314 And then number five is improve. 88 00:05:07,825 --> 00:05:11,025 And it has to be in that order because if you don't reflect and 89 00:05:11,025 --> 00:05:12,305 learn, you're not going to improve. 90 00:05:14,010 --> 00:05:16,080 A lot of people don't stumble upon improvements. 91 00:05:16,620 --> 00:05:19,460 And then you go right back, if you improve, hopefully 92 00:05:19,460 --> 00:05:20,900 you go right back to believe. 93 00:05:20,939 --> 00:05:23,410 Which is, now you believe in yourself even more. 94 00:05:23,410 --> 00:05:27,039 Now you believe in your abilities even more, that's the success loop. 95 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:32,629 The, the doom loop is the, the one that you gotta be careful of. 96 00:05:33,149 --> 00:05:35,929 And in my coaching, this is essentially, I just try to keep 97 00:05:35,929 --> 00:05:36,770 people out of the doom loop. 98 00:05:36,780 --> 00:05:39,989 The doom loop is, I don't believe in something, so I don't take action, 99 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,289 so I don't get results, which makes me believe in it even less. 100 00:05:43,909 --> 00:05:46,360 And that can be such a vicious downward spiral. 101 00:05:46,780 --> 00:05:49,960 And so the success loop is the opposite, which is believe in it, 102 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,260 implement it, reflect on it, learn from it, improve it, rock and 103 00:05:54,260 --> 00:05:55,760 roll momentum, momentum, momentum. 104 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:02,489 And so, and just stay humble because if you don't stay humble, a lot of times 105 00:06:02,489 --> 00:06:05,380 you'll, you'll get hubris, you'll get cocky, you'll get arrogant, and then 106 00:06:05,380 --> 00:06:09,479 you'll stop doing the reflection, to your point of what reflection means, 107 00:06:09,479 --> 00:06:10,590 you'll stop doing the reflection. 108 00:06:10,590 --> 00:06:13,725 If you don't, if you lose your humility, you'll stop reflecting. 109 00:06:13,725 --> 00:06:15,445 And if you stop reflecting, you'll stop learning. 110 00:06:15,445 --> 00:06:18,945 And if you stop learning, you mentioned your listeners are lifelong learners. 111 00:06:19,605 --> 00:06:22,035 And if you aren't a lifelong learner, who's reflecting and 112 00:06:22,035 --> 00:06:25,804 learning and contemplating, you're probably on your way to a downward 113 00:06:25,804 --> 00:06:27,194 spiral, even if you don't know it, 114 00:06:28,894 --> 00:06:29,585 Ed Watters: That's right. 115 00:06:29,754 --> 00:06:35,095 You know, and bargain basement have, the, it doesn't really have a meaning 116 00:06:35,095 --> 00:06:38,925 until you have hit rock bottom basement. 117 00:06:39,295 --> 00:06:42,325 And I've been there quite a few times in my life. 118 00:06:42,635 --> 00:06:49,330 I'm close to fifty-nine looking at that sixty mark now, and I reflect 119 00:06:49,409 --> 00:06:53,279 back often to Why am I here today? 120 00:06:53,289 --> 00:06:55,239 Why am I podcasting? 121 00:06:55,249 --> 00:06:56,980 Why am I talking to Alan? 122 00:06:57,490 --> 00:07:03,360 And that journey of transformation for me was outstanding. 123 00:07:03,794 --> 00:07:05,734 It was hard, it was difficult. 124 00:07:05,854 --> 00:07:08,145 I went through drug abuse, 125 00:07:08,145 --> 00:07:10,484 I went through alcohol abuse. 126 00:07:10,854 --> 00:07:18,234 My marriage was tanked so many times because of my decisions. 127 00:07:18,455 --> 00:07:23,525 And I reflect back on the choices that I make often. 128 00:07:24,265 --> 00:07:28,185 Choices are a big part of that transformation and if we don't 129 00:07:28,745 --> 00:07:34,705 surround ourselves with the people that help us make the proper choices 130 00:07:34,924 --> 00:07:40,625 and hold us accountable, life really is going to be in that bargain 131 00:07:40,625 --> 00:07:42,705 basement we, we just mentioned. 132 00:07:43,214 --> 00:07:51,415 So what is the best way to really climb out from that desperate 133 00:07:51,424 --> 00:07:54,634 need for whatever it might be? 134 00:07:55,125 --> 00:07:57,655 Because I know you've been there also. 135 00:07:58,184 --> 00:07:59,244 Alan Lazaros: Yeah, thank you. 136 00:07:59,255 --> 00:08:05,935 So thank you for, uh, that question because I have been there. 137 00:08:05,935 --> 00:08:09,034 So I used to, pre car accidents. 138 00:08:09,055 --> 00:08:12,555 My car accident was at twenty-six, pre car accident, I drank too much and too often. 139 00:08:13,294 --> 00:08:17,095 I had high school friends and college friends and corporate friends. 140 00:08:17,095 --> 00:08:20,125 And the company I worked for was called Cognex and they used to, their 141 00:08:20,125 --> 00:08:21,534 slogan was Work hard, play hard. 142 00:08:21,534 --> 00:08:23,235 And I used to say, Work hard, play harder. 143 00:08:24,305 --> 00:08:33,664 And I've, I've definitely been in that loop of, how do I have as much fun as 144 00:08:33,664 --> 00:08:38,005 possible, alcohol, drugs for a short time. 145 00:08:38,025 --> 00:08:44,444 I, I have been to a place where I had very low self esteem when it came to that. 146 00:08:44,454 --> 00:08:50,125 And I, I remember, I don't struggle a ton with self doubt, I never really have. 147 00:08:50,875 --> 00:08:54,505 But I remember when I was trying to quit drinking, I remember thinking, Am 148 00:08:54,505 --> 00:08:55,935 I actually going to be able to do this? 149 00:08:56,985 --> 00:08:59,595 Which for me is very weird, and I just want to be honest and transparent. 150 00:08:59,595 --> 00:09:02,545 I think a lot of people listening can probably tell that I'm not someone who 151 00:09:02,545 --> 00:09:03,805 struggles with a ton of self doubt, 152 00:09:04,394 --> 00:09:05,594 but I did with this. 153 00:09:06,364 --> 00:09:11,235 And I knew I could do it, I knew people do it, but it was definitely one of 154 00:09:11,235 --> 00:09:14,185 those moments of, Am I seriously not going to drink at my own wedding? 155 00:09:15,405 --> 00:09:20,914 Drinking alcohol was so ubiquitous, so commonplace where I grew up. 156 00:09:21,905 --> 00:09:28,384 Where I grew up, it was so normal to drink alcohol and to have alcohol 157 00:09:28,384 --> 00:09:30,194 be a part of every social gathering. 158 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,420 And it took me, I playfully joke, I say it took me five years to quit drinking. 159 00:09:35,420 --> 00:09:38,870 I would, I would quit for a while and then I'd go to a wedding and, uh, the 160 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:43,199 social anxiety would come up and it'd be open bar and then one would turn 161 00:09:43,199 --> 00:09:47,089 into two, two into four, four into eight, and it would be off to the races. 162 00:09:47,100 --> 00:09:48,879 But so I haven't drank now, 163 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,930 I used to count the days, I stopped counting the days when I felt free of it. 164 00:09:53,460 --> 00:09:58,285 Uh, I want to say my last, I know my last drink was in the summer of 2019. 165 00:09:58,905 --> 00:10:02,665 So that means I'm coming up on five years, I'm, I'm actually past five years. 166 00:10:02,725 --> 00:10:05,954 That's, that's awesome, uh, yeah, thank you. 167 00:10:05,955 --> 00:10:06,945 So that's cool. 168 00:10:07,305 --> 00:10:10,204 But yeah, so I've been there and that's the doom loop. 169 00:10:10,225 --> 00:10:15,674 I doubt myself therefore I don't take action and therefore I 170 00:10:15,744 --> 00:10:18,444 don't get results, which then makes me doubt myself even more. 171 00:10:19,044 --> 00:10:22,854 And, and, or you try to quit and then you fail and then that 172 00:10:22,854 --> 00:10:25,204 makes you feel even worse, which makes you want to do the thing. 173 00:10:25,214 --> 00:10:27,935 And so you got to be careful, the doom loop. 174 00:10:27,945 --> 00:10:30,365 The doom loop is, I don't feel good about myself 175 00:10:30,365 --> 00:10:33,245 so I surround myself with other people who don't feel good about themselves. 176 00:10:34,064 --> 00:10:40,645 I feel like a failure so I numb it with alcohol or drugs or escape or whatever 177 00:10:40,645 --> 00:10:42,655 addiction, all the vices, right? 178 00:10:42,655 --> 00:10:46,870 You, you've got gambling, you've got, uh, pornography, you've got, uh, 179 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,410 drugs, you've got alcohol, all the things that feel good in the moment, 180 00:10:50,410 --> 00:10:51,810 but are not what's best for you. 181 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:56,899 So after my car accident at twenty-six, I flipped the script and I really looked 182 00:10:56,900 --> 00:11:02,139 in the metaphorical mirror and I really, more than anything, I just got humble. 183 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:04,569 I got really humbled. 184 00:11:05,490 --> 00:11:08,490 I have this really cool framework that I call the three circles of 185 00:11:08,490 --> 00:11:11,890 the ego, and I think all human beings have all three, but, but the 186 00:11:11,890 --> 00:11:13,690 size is different and I'll explain. 187 00:11:13,690 --> 00:11:16,809 So the outer circle is what you want others to believe 188 00:11:16,809 --> 00:11:18,369 you are, that's your persona. 189 00:11:18,370 --> 00:11:20,909 That's what you post on social media, everyone does it. 190 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,470 The next inner circle is what you want to believe you are, meaning the stories 191 00:11:25,470 --> 00:11:26,790 you tell yourself about yourself. 192 00:11:27,940 --> 00:11:31,040 And then the last, the last circle, the inner circle, this is the 193 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:32,470 important one, is who you really are. 194 00:11:33,235 --> 00:11:35,775 This is who and what you really are when no one's watching. 195 00:11:36,295 --> 00:11:40,365 After that car accident, all three circles became the same. 196 00:11:41,945 --> 00:11:44,944 And I've been working really hard for the last nine, almost ten 197 00:11:44,944 --> 00:11:48,805 years now, since twenty-six, I'm almost thirty-six in November, to 198 00:11:48,805 --> 00:11:50,445 keep those three circles the same. 199 00:11:51,735 --> 00:11:56,435 I want who I want others to believe I am, who I want to believe I am, and 200 00:11:56,435 --> 00:11:57,955 who I really am to all be the same. 201 00:11:58,625 --> 00:12:02,935 And that, I, I always say the distance between circle three and 202 00:12:02,935 --> 00:12:04,685 circle one is the size of your ego. 203 00:12:06,355 --> 00:12:09,435 And if you haven't been humbled yet, life is going to come and smack you down. 204 00:12:09,785 --> 00:12:14,225 And that's the metaphorical Phoenix, burn down ego, death, rise anew from the ashes. 205 00:12:14,225 --> 00:12:18,314 So for me, it was my car accident and I work really hard to try 206 00:12:18,315 --> 00:12:21,495 to stay in the truth and try not to kid myself about myself. 207 00:12:21,934 --> 00:12:25,430 And when you do that, here's the cool thing, if you are delusional, I call 208 00:12:25,430 --> 00:12:29,740 it delulu, and you tell yourself lies, and then you, you know, put on this 209 00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:33,800 persona, you pretend to be fulfilled when you're not, what happens is you, 210 00:12:33,810 --> 00:12:35,949 you're like a GPS with inaccurate data. 211 00:12:37,059 --> 00:12:42,510 You're like a self driving car that has low self awareness, meaning an 212 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,520 inaccurate current location, and inaccurate destination address, and, 213 00:12:45,530 --> 00:12:47,600 and inaccurate data on the terrain. 214 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:52,790 So you keep driving off a cliff and then not knowing why, when in reality you just 215 00:12:52,790 --> 00:12:56,290 don't see yourself, others in the world accurately, because you don't want to 216 00:12:56,290 --> 00:12:58,359 face unpleasant truths about yourself. 217 00:12:58,430 --> 00:13:02,320 And I think that all of us, whether it's divorce, or a car accident, or 218 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,190 mortality, or the death of a loved one, or the death of a pet, or whatever 219 00:13:06,190 --> 00:13:11,335 gets you that humble pie, you've got to eat humble pie proactively. 220 00:13:11,365 --> 00:13:13,425 Because otherwise you're going to have to eat it all at once 221 00:13:13,815 --> 00:13:16,465 and that's, uh, really traumatic. 222 00:13:17,319 --> 00:13:19,780 Ed Watters: Yeah, being authentic is very important. 223 00:13:19,860 --> 00:13:26,370 And, you know, uh, I went all the way back to number twenty-five of your episodes. 224 00:13:26,500 --> 00:13:30,050 I was trying to get to number one, but I couldn't find it. 225 00:13:30,370 --> 00:13:32,829 I'm gonna keep finding, searching. 226 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:40,339 But, you know, that, that natural ability to be a podcaster in this 227 00:13:40,349 --> 00:13:47,519 case, uh, you, you guys really tend to be natural at it and that, 228 00:13:47,569 --> 00:13:52,069 that comes from confidence, really. 229 00:13:52,070 --> 00:13:58,105 I, I really believe that's confidence that drives that ability to step 230 00:13:58,105 --> 00:14:03,575 up to this microphone, this camera, and really share your innermost 231 00:14:03,635 --> 00:14:09,015 secrets, desires, and feelings to the world, this is very difficult. 232 00:14:09,015 --> 00:14:10,335 I know this firsthand. 233 00:14:10,335 --> 00:14:11,134 I'm here with you. 234 00:14:13,874 --> 00:14:19,075 How did you acquire the skills so young? 235 00:14:19,974 --> 00:14:24,354 To become what you are now. 236 00:14:25,865 --> 00:14:27,355 Alan Lazaros: Yeah, thank you for that. 237 00:14:27,375 --> 00:14:29,785 Again, I really, I mean, my goodness. 238 00:14:29,795 --> 00:14:32,824 The fact that you went all the way to episode twenty-five is wild to me. 239 00:14:32,844 --> 00:14:36,284 Uh, I would say we've improved, we've improved a lot. 240 00:14:38,205 --> 00:14:39,584 Um, we've improved a lot. 241 00:14:39,585 --> 00:14:45,685 But I do feel like Kevin and I, we coach a lot of podcasters, we produce 242 00:14:45,685 --> 00:14:50,615 fifty podcasts, including three of my own and, technically two of my own, 243 00:14:50,625 --> 00:14:51,965 because one of them is kind of on pause. 244 00:14:51,985 --> 00:14:58,560 But the point is, is we didn't know we were good, it's almost like we 245 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,450 didn't think we were that good, but we kind of thought we might be 246 00:15:02,450 --> 00:15:05,729 good while also thinking we kind of suck so that we could get better. 247 00:15:06,060 --> 00:15:07,700 It was all of that kind of all at once. 248 00:15:08,179 --> 00:15:10,689 And 1800 episodes in we better be decent, right? 249 00:15:12,199 --> 00:15:17,620 But ultimately, how did we get to a place where, I listen to old content, 250 00:15:19,115 --> 00:15:23,055 and you mentioned authenticity, and vulnerability is a part of authenticity. 251 00:15:23,135 --> 00:15:27,635 I think it's vulnerable and courageous to make those circles the same. 252 00:15:29,124 --> 00:15:32,935 And that means that you own your successes, and you own your 253 00:15:32,935 --> 00:15:37,384 strengths, and, and you also own your weaknesses, and you own your failures. 254 00:15:37,415 --> 00:15:42,705 I think that true humility, I think, is living in whatever's 255 00:15:42,715 --> 00:15:44,095 accurate, whatever's true. 256 00:15:44,655 --> 00:15:48,365 So you don't pretend you're the man when you're not, and you don't pretend 257 00:15:48,365 --> 00:15:49,775 you suck when you're actually awesome. 258 00:15:49,785 --> 00:15:51,464 It's, it's just owning what is. 259 00:15:52,305 --> 00:15:54,265 And it's taken me thirty-five years to figure that out. 260 00:15:54,305 --> 00:15:57,375 But how did we get to where we are? 261 00:15:57,375 --> 00:15:59,825 I would say it was the success loop. 262 00:15:59,825 --> 00:16:02,785 It was, we believed in the podcast, we believe in self improvement, 263 00:16:02,795 --> 00:16:04,905 we believe in acute awareness. 264 00:16:04,905 --> 00:16:07,535 Hyperconsciousness is what it used to be, The Hyperconscious 265 00:16:07,554 --> 00:16:08,755 Podcast is where we started. 266 00:16:08,755 --> 00:16:13,814 And then we rebranded to Next Level University 600 or 700 episodes later. 267 00:16:13,855 --> 00:16:17,140 But ultimately, it really was that success loop. 268 00:16:17,140 --> 00:16:23,260 We just stayed consistent, and we always reflected upon these concepts, 269 00:16:23,260 --> 00:16:26,719 and we contemplated ourselves, and we contemplated other people, and we got 270 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,449 to know our listeners, and we learned how to communicate more effectively, 271 00:16:29,450 --> 00:16:33,710 and we learned what humility is, and what belief is and how to build it, and 272 00:16:33,809 --> 00:16:38,630 self worth versus self belief, and we, self awareness, and over time we just, 273 00:16:39,060 --> 00:16:43,130 we focused on getting a little bit better each episode, not 274 00:16:43,140 --> 00:16:45,280 just better at podcasting. 275 00:16:45,450 --> 00:16:48,550 We tried, we used to say, Character over everything. 276 00:16:49,260 --> 00:16:51,040 So Kevin and I both grew up without fathers. 277 00:16:51,620 --> 00:16:54,390 Uh, my father passed away as I mentioned when I was two, and then I 278 00:16:54,390 --> 00:16:56,029 had a stepfather who left at fourteen. 279 00:16:56,409 --> 00:17:00,945 He grew up without his, he never met his dad until he was twenty-seven. 280 00:17:01,555 --> 00:17:03,715 That was the first time he ever met his dad was when he was twenty-seven. 281 00:17:04,025 --> 00:17:07,815 So I think unconsciously we were trying to become the male 282 00:17:07,815 --> 00:17:09,395 role models that we never had. 283 00:17:10,165 --> 00:17:13,575 And then ironically, paradoxically, we, most of our listeners are actually 284 00:17:13,575 --> 00:17:15,194 women, so that was fascinating. 285 00:17:15,884 --> 00:17:19,545 But ultimately it really came down to every single episode 286 00:17:19,545 --> 00:17:24,740 we would show up to the microphone as the best, what, what we wanted to 287 00:17:24,750 --> 00:17:29,980 be the best version of ourselves and we failed forward and every single 288 00:17:29,990 --> 00:17:32,529 episode had some mistakes, filler words. 289 00:17:32,530 --> 00:17:34,120 I remember we had an, um, jar at one point. 290 00:17:34,130 --> 00:17:36,889 Every time I said, um, I had to put a dollar in the jar. 291 00:17:37,340 --> 00:17:40,249 And we just tried to get a little bit better each time. 292 00:17:40,260 --> 00:17:44,145 And now he's done 1800 on our show. 293 00:17:44,145 --> 00:17:48,295 He has a podcast, Growth University Podcast with 130, I think. 294 00:17:48,995 --> 00:17:54,384 I have a podcast called Conscious Couples Podcast with, I think we're at 135, 136 as 295 00:17:54,385 --> 00:17:56,284 of this week with my girlfriend, Emilia. 296 00:17:56,925 --> 00:18:00,205 And he's been on about a thousand other shows. 297 00:18:00,205 --> 00:18:01,825 I think I've been on about 400. 298 00:18:01,855 --> 00:18:04,385 But ultimately the reason I say all that isn't to brag, 299 00:18:04,405 --> 00:18:08,265 what I'm saying is we just got a tiny bit better each and every time. 300 00:18:08,894 --> 00:18:12,445 And so if I seem like a strong order who has a lot of confidence, I think 301 00:18:12,445 --> 00:18:15,655 there's two types of confidence, I think there's confidence in your abilities 302 00:18:16,104 --> 00:18:20,140 and then external achievement and then I think there's confidence in who you are. 303 00:18:20,710 --> 00:18:25,170 My therapist, Carol, she said to me, It's amazing the work we're doing together, 304 00:18:25,530 --> 00:18:26,880 you've become so much more confident. 305 00:18:28,250 --> 00:18:31,700 And I said to her, I said, No one's ever said that to me before. 306 00:18:31,700 --> 00:18:35,040 I've never, I've never, my confidence has never been questioned. 307 00:18:35,550 --> 00:18:37,160 I said, Most people think I'm arrogant. 308 00:18:37,169 --> 00:18:38,340 So she said, No, no, no. 309 00:18:38,340 --> 00:18:39,660 Confident in who you are. 310 00:18:39,690 --> 00:18:43,330 And I was like, Oh, interesting. 311 00:18:43,340 --> 00:18:44,560 Those are two different things. 312 00:18:44,570 --> 00:18:46,430 I've always been confident in my abilities. 313 00:18:46,470 --> 00:18:50,094 I'm good at stuff, as arrogant as that sounds, I'm not as 314 00:18:50,094 --> 00:18:52,074 confident as who I am as a man. 315 00:18:52,715 --> 00:18:55,795 And that's the courage piece, the social courage piece in particular. 316 00:18:55,795 --> 00:18:58,465 Cause I realized in hindsight, I was an absolute social coward. 317 00:18:58,465 --> 00:19:00,004 That's one of the reasons I used to drink so much. 318 00:19:00,985 --> 00:19:04,684 But anyways, so, so one percent better every single time we 319 00:19:04,684 --> 00:19:05,634 try to get a little better. 320 00:19:05,634 --> 00:19:10,985 And back to the reflection piece that you had mentioned, we reflected 321 00:19:10,985 --> 00:19:12,575 each time on how to do better. 322 00:19:12,575 --> 00:19:14,995 We have something called Most important win, most important improvement. 323 00:19:15,975 --> 00:19:17,864 What was the, okay, that episode, awesome. 324 00:19:17,875 --> 00:19:19,304 Okay recording done. 325 00:19:19,905 --> 00:19:21,175 What was the most important win? 326 00:19:21,355 --> 00:19:21,705 All right. 327 00:19:21,705 --> 00:19:24,074 Well, I think we really had a good topic there and I think we were 328 00:19:24,074 --> 00:19:25,304 really pulled to talk about it. 329 00:19:25,885 --> 00:19:27,085 I thought, I think we were really authentic. 330 00:19:27,085 --> 00:19:27,405 Okay, good. 331 00:19:27,435 --> 00:19:28,335 Most important improvement. 332 00:19:28,625 --> 00:19:33,425 Alan, you say you know, like, and, um, sixty times in an episode. 333 00:19:33,455 --> 00:19:35,045 Cut the crap, right? 334 00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:37,684 So even there, right, question mark. 335 00:19:37,684 --> 00:19:38,965 I always say right at the end. 336 00:19:38,975 --> 00:19:43,635 I'm trying to use less filler words and use more powerful pauses. 337 00:19:43,925 --> 00:19:46,985 And so that's just one example of one thing that I want to work on. 338 00:19:46,985 --> 00:19:50,435 But when you do that thousands and thousands of times, eventually you end up, 339 00:19:50,945 --> 00:19:53,035 what other people think are really good. 340 00:19:53,635 --> 00:19:55,114 Ed Watters: Yeah, and, and it does. 341 00:19:55,114 --> 00:19:59,655 It takes a long time to actually train your mind to be consistent 342 00:19:59,684 --> 00:20:06,144 in removing those little, um, uh, because they're really just there to 343 00:20:06,194 --> 00:20:08,924 pause long enough to grasp a thought. 344 00:20:09,484 --> 00:20:17,290 And as you podcast longer and you talk with more people, those ums do come less 345 00:20:17,290 --> 00:20:25,110 often because you're cognitive more often when you're in constant discussions. 346 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:31,550 And I, I love, that's where podcast has brought me, you know, I was a very 347 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:41,720 unsecure, unaware individual that was mad and through podcast conversations, 348 00:20:41,750 --> 00:20:44,469 it's brought this awareness to me. 349 00:20:45,310 --> 00:20:47,579 We're all in the same boat together. 350 00:20:48,220 --> 00:20:55,485 And that has made me dive onto this discovery ship with so many 351 00:20:55,555 --> 00:20:58,445 interesting people on this ship. 352 00:20:59,225 --> 00:21:06,185 And I really think that the waters is a boat taking you to a journey 353 00:21:06,830 --> 00:21:09,240 that you have no clue where you're going. 354 00:21:09,310 --> 00:21:15,629 And if you find it interesting, you're a very deep theoretical 355 00:21:15,639 --> 00:21:17,520 thought type of person. 356 00:21:17,590 --> 00:21:24,140 And if you're worried, I, I think you're a different layered 357 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:29,510 individual with many complicated things that you haven't figured out. 358 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:36,100 So that confidence comes in many different ways. 359 00:21:36,509 --> 00:21:44,300 And once we do find that, it's a gift that, nobody's taking it from me, 360 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:46,490 I know this for a fact. 361 00:21:46,580 --> 00:21:51,360 I want to spread love, light, and hope to the world. 362 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,790 And podcasting is, given me that power. 363 00:21:56,330 --> 00:22:04,449 Now, I haven't had the high success rate yet, but I, I am on a trajectory 364 00:22:04,590 --> 00:22:08,470 to overcome all these difficulties. 365 00:22:08,870 --> 00:22:14,020 And that's where we really have to remember, we're on a ship 366 00:22:14,110 --> 00:22:17,769 and we don't know where we're going with whatever it is. 367 00:22:17,779 --> 00:22:19,379 For me, it's podcasting. 368 00:22:19,649 --> 00:22:23,324 Because that, right now, is what my life is about. 369 00:22:23,394 --> 00:22:27,165 I want to make something of podcasting. 370 00:22:28,894 --> 00:22:36,485 What is the journey for you in the coming days with your 371 00:22:37,014 --> 00:22:39,864 podcasting and your partnerships? 372 00:22:40,545 --> 00:22:43,525 Alan Lazaros: So the vehicles, you mentioned a ship. 373 00:22:43,904 --> 00:22:46,594 I have three vehicles, I call them trains. 374 00:22:46,594 --> 00:22:49,994 And the reason I use a train is because when you have momentum on a 375 00:22:49,994 --> 00:22:51,664 train, they're kind of unstoppable. 376 00:22:51,715 --> 00:22:54,205 But in the beginning, they, it's really hard to get them going, 377 00:22:54,405 --> 00:22:55,195 really hard to get them going. 378 00:22:55,195 --> 00:22:58,134 So I think a train is a good metaphor, but I like the ship metaphor as well. 379 00:22:59,044 --> 00:23:02,425 Because with the ship metaphor, you've got the storms and the tide 380 00:23:02,425 --> 00:23:05,254 and you still got to try to find a direction and all that stuff. 381 00:23:05,564 --> 00:23:12,585 But anyways, so the three trains for me are podcasting, training and coaching. 382 00:23:13,345 --> 00:23:16,125 Podcasting and the purpose underneath that. 383 00:23:16,135 --> 00:23:17,475 So what's the point of the trains? 384 00:23:17,755 --> 00:23:21,985 It's not about the podcast, the training, and the coaching, it's what are you doing? 385 00:23:22,014 --> 00:23:25,064 And so underneath that, the purpose is what I mentioned earlier of the, 386 00:23:25,074 --> 00:23:27,254 maximize my own unique potential and help others do the same. 387 00:23:28,235 --> 00:23:29,564 So that's underneath these trains. 388 00:23:29,564 --> 00:23:32,254 But the way I deploy that purpose is through these trains, 389 00:23:32,294 --> 00:23:34,465 podcasting, training, and coaching. 390 00:23:35,595 --> 00:23:37,115 Podcasting is one to scale. 391 00:23:38,304 --> 00:23:41,195 Training is one to many, so we have a group coaching program we do every 392 00:23:41,195 --> 00:23:45,735 quarter with ten individuals, so one to many, and then coaching is one on one. 393 00:23:45,745 --> 00:23:50,835 So I just got off with my client, Cole, right before this and we do 394 00:23:50,855 --> 00:23:54,115 essentially, so I have this goal achievement system, it's really simple. 395 00:23:54,165 --> 00:23:55,524 It's not easy, but it's simple. 396 00:23:56,245 --> 00:23:58,585 What's your goal, top three goals for the year? 397 00:23:58,594 --> 00:24:01,865 Break it down into the quarterly goals leading to the ultimate mission 398 00:24:01,865 --> 00:24:02,934 statement, the goals and dreams. 399 00:24:03,295 --> 00:24:06,944 And then there's this, the four things that you really need is, number one, you 400 00:24:06,944 --> 00:24:09,185 need a clear, specific, measurable goal. 401 00:24:09,415 --> 00:24:11,474 Number two, you need metrics that you track. 402 00:24:11,944 --> 00:24:14,204 Number three, you need habits that you track. 403 00:24:14,504 --> 00:24:15,654 I'm a big habit tracker. 404 00:24:15,984 --> 00:24:17,444 And then number four, you need the identity. 405 00:24:18,675 --> 00:24:25,600 So a lot of people, unfortunately, they don't identify as the type of 406 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:26,960 person who can achieve the thing. 407 00:24:27,030 --> 00:24:32,339 So I went to Kev not long ago and I said, I realized this, I'm reading 408 00:24:32,339 --> 00:24:36,200 a book called Identity Shift in book club right now by a man named Anthony 409 00:24:36,210 --> 00:24:37,370 Trucks, who's actually a friend of ours. 410 00:24:38,259 --> 00:24:42,509 But anyways, so I came to Kev and I said something along the lines 411 00:24:42,510 --> 00:24:44,490 of, Do you identify as an achiever? 412 00:24:45,870 --> 00:24:48,350 And he said, No, not really. 413 00:24:49,700 --> 00:24:53,270 And I said, Isn't it interesting how you came to me all those years ago and you 414 00:24:53,270 --> 00:24:56,460 wanted to achieve all these things, but yet you don't identify as an achiever? 415 00:24:57,795 --> 00:25:02,075 And I had this moment and I said, Do you think, do you think that if 416 00:25:02,075 --> 00:25:05,445 you identify as an achiever, you would be more likely to do achiever 417 00:25:05,445 --> 00:25:06,955 stuff and then achieve more? 418 00:25:07,585 --> 00:25:08,565 And he said, Yeah. 419 00:25:09,224 --> 00:25:10,585 Here's the conundrum though. 420 00:25:11,674 --> 00:25:14,214 Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want 421 00:25:14,214 --> 00:25:15,584 to become, aka the identity. 422 00:25:15,584 --> 00:25:17,485 That's a James Clear quote from Atomic Habits. 423 00:25:18,785 --> 00:25:22,710 I identify as an achiever, so I'm more likely to achieve than someone 424 00:25:22,710 --> 00:25:24,110 who doesn't identify as an achiever. 425 00:25:24,110 --> 00:25:26,129 I used to identify as a drinker now, 426 00:25:26,129 --> 00:25:26,950 I'm not a drinker. 427 00:25:27,659 --> 00:25:32,780 Instead of, if you offered me a drink, I wouldn't say Uh, No, thank you. 428 00:25:32,780 --> 00:25:33,539 I'm trying to quit. 429 00:25:33,659 --> 00:25:35,010 I would say I don't drink. 430 00:25:36,179 --> 00:25:39,879 I don't identify as someone who drinks alcohol that's why I don't 431 00:25:39,879 --> 00:25:41,089 have to count the days anymore. 432 00:25:41,315 --> 00:25:42,995 Whereas in the beginning, I had to count the days. 433 00:25:43,295 --> 00:25:45,835 So the identity piece is the piece that I think a lot of 434 00:25:45,845 --> 00:25:47,495 people don't have figured out. 435 00:25:48,365 --> 00:25:50,764 And unfortunately, if you don't have the identity, you 436 00:25:50,764 --> 00:25:52,215 probably won't take the action. 437 00:25:52,215 --> 00:25:54,455 And if you don't take the action, you'll never get the identity. 438 00:25:54,455 --> 00:25:57,035 So it's this weird conundrum that you get stuck in. 439 00:25:57,804 --> 00:26:00,854 And a lot of times, the reason I figured this out is because I would set up metrics 440 00:26:00,924 --> 00:26:04,764 and habits and track metrics and habits toward goals and dreams with clients. 441 00:26:04,774 --> 00:26:06,864 And then when they would leave my coaching, they would go, 442 00:26:07,205 --> 00:26:08,425 they would lose the results. 443 00:26:10,195 --> 00:26:15,524 And I realized, Oh, I'm not their, their, don't have the identity to uphold 444 00:26:15,524 --> 00:26:17,065 those metrics and habits without me. 445 00:26:18,679 --> 00:26:21,419 I'm not, I'm giving them a fish, I'm not teaching them how to fish. 446 00:26:22,590 --> 00:26:24,680 And more importantly, I'm not just giving them a fish. 447 00:26:25,750 --> 00:26:28,610 I'm not, I need to be not just teaching them how to fish, I need 448 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,480 them to teach themselves how to fish. 449 00:26:31,730 --> 00:26:34,790 Now you'll always be better off with a coach than without, if it's a good coach. 450 00:26:34,989 --> 00:26:42,529 However, I can't have you relying on me, as your coach, to actually 451 00:26:42,529 --> 00:26:43,749 be able to coach yourself. 452 00:26:44,735 --> 00:26:48,395 Because I coach myself, I am always looking and reflecting, 453 00:26:48,395 --> 00:26:49,445 What do I need to do? 454 00:26:49,985 --> 00:26:52,655 Uh, What am I not doing that I know that I need to be doing? 455 00:26:52,655 --> 00:26:56,044 What am I telling myself a story I'm above doing that I know would help? 456 00:26:56,375 --> 00:26:58,534 I'm asking those questions all the time, that's what coaches do. 457 00:26:58,545 --> 00:27:00,685 They ask compelling questions, they hold you accountable. 458 00:27:01,114 --> 00:27:04,384 They help you track metrics, habits, and they help you build the identity 459 00:27:04,385 --> 00:27:05,935 necessary to actually achieve the thing. 460 00:27:06,294 --> 00:27:08,094 If you don't identify as a football player, you're 461 00:27:08,094 --> 00:27:08,884 never going to be in the NFL. 462 00:27:11,014 --> 00:27:11,655 Ed Watters: That's right. 463 00:27:11,985 --> 00:27:12,355 Yeah. 464 00:27:12,735 --> 00:27:17,514 You know, it's, it's really important to track our habits. 465 00:27:18,214 --> 00:27:20,935 You know, you mentioned tracking habits. 466 00:27:22,225 --> 00:27:28,685 That's, that's really what brought me awareness to my habits is when I started 467 00:27:28,754 --> 00:27:34,704 paying attention to them and noticing when they, how frequent they came up. 468 00:27:34,864 --> 00:27:39,455 It is really telling in many ways. 469 00:27:39,655 --> 00:27:48,254 A lot of that comes from framing the right mindset for each and every day. 470 00:27:49,024 --> 00:27:54,424 So how do you start the day and frame your mindset for the day? 471 00:27:55,185 --> 00:27:58,564 Alan Lazaros: So I try really hard to have a good morning routine. 472 00:27:58,615 --> 00:28:02,165 I have this system, so I break my day into thirds. 473 00:28:02,205 --> 00:28:04,314 And I got to say this, too, I'm, 474 00:28:06,905 --> 00:28:13,135 I'm an achiever who is not, uh, normal in, in, in, how do I phrase 475 00:28:13,135 --> 00:28:14,514 this without sounding pretentious? 476 00:28:15,764 --> 00:28:19,594 I'm nuts and obsessive and I have really big goals and dreams. 477 00:28:19,594 --> 00:28:21,754 So take what you want from this. 478 00:28:21,764 --> 00:28:24,324 It's like a buffet, you don't have to eat it, eat all the food. 479 00:28:24,855 --> 00:28:25,105 All right. 480 00:28:25,115 --> 00:28:26,314 So I break my day into thirds. 481 00:28:26,314 --> 00:28:29,175 I work six days a week, technically seven, but I do front 482 00:28:29,175 --> 00:28:30,995 facing stuff six days a week. 483 00:28:31,004 --> 00:28:34,035 So I work Monday through Saturday from 10 a. 484 00:28:34,035 --> 00:28:34,395 m. 485 00:28:34,425 --> 00:28:35,805 to 7 p. 486 00:28:35,805 --> 00:28:36,055 m. 487 00:28:36,075 --> 00:28:37,015 is front facing. 488 00:28:37,635 --> 00:28:38,370 Really 6 p. 489 00:28:38,370 --> 00:28:38,540 m. 490 00:28:38,580 --> 00:28:40,350 because I have an hour of back office after that, but 491 00:28:40,750 --> 00:28:41,740 I break my day into thirds. 492 00:28:41,750 --> 00:28:44,260 The first third is for me, the second third is for service, 493 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:46,880 the third third is for fitness, food, and family. 494 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,759 And so when I wake up, I don't set an alarm, I'm very grateful at 495 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:53,750 this point to be able to do that. 496 00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:54,610 I don't set an alarm. 497 00:28:55,170 --> 00:28:56,899 Emilia and I, we're in the bedroom at 10 p. 498 00:28:56,899 --> 00:28:57,109 m. 499 00:28:58,450 --> 00:29:01,560 We hang out, we do our thing, we, we go to bed. 500 00:29:02,580 --> 00:29:05,330 I wake up when I wake up and it's always before ten 501 00:29:05,530 --> 00:29:07,060 so I'm not gonna miss a meeting. 502 00:29:09,310 --> 00:29:13,139 Depending on when I wake up, I, I take the pets out, I do that kind of thing. 503 00:29:13,150 --> 00:29:16,630 But then I, I need to feed my mind, I need to. 504 00:29:17,140 --> 00:29:20,609 So I grab a protein shake and a, I have these protein pop tarts that 505 00:29:20,609 --> 00:29:22,950 are, have high fiber, they're awesome. 506 00:29:23,369 --> 00:29:26,720 And I do that and I, I, earlier this morning, I'm taking a course, 507 00:29:26,729 --> 00:29:31,370 it's called Relentless and I just feed my body and I feed my brain. 508 00:29:34,310 --> 00:29:37,830 Then I transition into sort of taking self care. 509 00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:43,230 So shower, brush my teeth, get my morning routine going, get dressed, get ready 510 00:29:43,230 --> 00:29:44,590 for my first front facing meeting. 511 00:29:44,990 --> 00:29:48,420 Then my first meeting is at 10am and my last meeting's at six. 512 00:29:48,489 --> 00:29:52,709 I do podcasting, training, coaching, department meetings, that kind of thing. 513 00:29:53,189 --> 00:29:55,460 And then at six, I immediately shut off, 514 00:29:55,770 --> 00:30:00,200 I go downstairs, I get into gym gear, I put my hat on. 515 00:30:00,250 --> 00:30:04,250 I have two modes, really, I have fitness mode and, I have a relaxing fitness 516 00:30:04,250 --> 00:30:06,560 mode and I have work front facing mode. 517 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:07,770 I don't really have any in between. 518 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:09,620 And again, I'm kind of a nut case. 519 00:30:09,629 --> 00:30:10,969 So understand that. 520 00:30:11,930 --> 00:30:13,529 Instead of nut case, I'll use obsessive. 521 00:30:13,609 --> 00:30:15,170 I'm an obsessive individual. 522 00:30:16,255 --> 00:30:20,795 Okay, so the moment from six to seven, I have an hour to crank out my back 523 00:30:20,795 --> 00:30:25,094 office work to prepare and close out the, close the store, so to speak, so 524 00:30:25,095 --> 00:30:28,874 that I can actually, from seven to ten, focus on fitness, food, and family. 525 00:30:29,365 --> 00:30:32,165 And by family, I mean my girlfriend, Emilia. 526 00:30:32,335 --> 00:30:33,905 We live together and we have three pets. 527 00:30:33,905 --> 00:30:35,154 So we have two cats and a dog 528 00:30:35,645 --> 00:30:36,704 and it's wonderful. 529 00:30:37,015 --> 00:30:37,585 It's wonderful. 530 00:30:38,855 --> 00:30:44,055 And then I hit the bedroom at ten every night, we're twenty-seven days in a row 531 00:30:44,055 --> 00:30:46,425 right now of hitting the bedroom at 10 PM. 532 00:30:46,565 --> 00:30:49,775 And then we do our thing and we go to bed and then I rinse and repeat. 533 00:30:50,375 --> 00:30:51,994 Sunday is adventure day. 534 00:30:52,145 --> 00:30:56,394 So Sunday I do work, but it's not any front facing work. 535 00:30:56,395 --> 00:30:58,665 So we have a rule of no front facing on Sunday 536 00:30:58,665 --> 00:31:00,835 so you couldn't schedule this podcast on Sunday. 537 00:31:01,155 --> 00:31:02,925 Now, one thing I also want to mention to everybody, 538 00:31:05,725 --> 00:31:07,055 I didn't start here. 539 00:31:07,805 --> 00:31:11,365 Uh, you can't start a business and dictate your own schedule. 540 00:31:11,635 --> 00:31:16,325 Like, I now have twenty-eight clients, I've got twenty-one team members. 541 00:31:16,385 --> 00:31:19,425 We've been doing this for a long time, we have enough demand. 542 00:31:20,004 --> 00:31:23,575 I can kind of dictate my own schedule now, but I didn't start there. 543 00:31:23,575 --> 00:31:24,725 I used to have to do 6 a. 544 00:31:24,725 --> 00:31:24,975 m. 545 00:31:25,025 --> 00:31:26,055 whether I'm on the road or not. 546 00:31:26,095 --> 00:31:28,905 I didn't get to, you can't just, Oh, I'm going to start my own business 547 00:31:28,905 --> 00:31:30,115 and then dictate my schedule. 548 00:31:30,125 --> 00:31:31,705 That's, you can't start there. 549 00:31:31,975 --> 00:31:36,065 Eventually through massive earning it and hard work and work ethic, you can 550 00:31:36,065 --> 00:31:37,715 eventually create your own schedule. 551 00:31:38,035 --> 00:31:39,934 And so I just want to make that as clear as possible. 552 00:31:39,935 --> 00:31:41,275 But yeah, Sunday is adventure day. 553 00:31:41,275 --> 00:31:44,004 So that's when we plan these mini trips and stuff like that. 554 00:31:44,364 --> 00:31:46,965 When we travel, I do the same thing. 555 00:31:47,710 --> 00:31:51,900 And I still work Friday and Saturday front facing because my calendar is always full. 556 00:31:52,270 --> 00:31:56,180 And then Sunday we're, we were at the lake, uh, her, her family 557 00:31:56,180 --> 00:31:57,870 has a lake house that's amazing. 558 00:31:58,319 --> 00:32:01,500 And we still worked all day Saturday and then we cut it at six. 559 00:32:01,500 --> 00:32:04,610 We spent the evening with them and then all day Sunday we kayaked and 560 00:32:04,610 --> 00:32:05,549 we did all kinds of cool stuff. 561 00:32:05,549 --> 00:32:08,009 So people ask me, How do you have a life? 562 00:32:08,549 --> 00:32:11,660 Uh, the truth is, most of my life is my career. 563 00:32:12,090 --> 00:32:13,260 That's by choice. 564 00:32:13,660 --> 00:32:17,180 And you don't have to do that, but you can learn from some 565 00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:18,439 sort of systems and structure. 566 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:22,010 Because I think most people don't have enough systems and structure. 567 00:32:22,629 --> 00:32:25,929 Everyone wants to be successful, but very few people want the 568 00:32:25,930 --> 00:32:29,240 disciplines and systems and structure necessary to actually sustain it. 569 00:32:30,010 --> 00:32:31,340 Ed Watters: That's so true. 570 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:37,060 You know, and you have to step into that framing your mindset to achieve that. 571 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:38,840 So, you know, 572 00:32:41,110 --> 00:32:49,699 a lot of people, they, they find happiness with money and success. 573 00:32:50,810 --> 00:32:58,500 Could you be happy with just you and your gal and just being the two of you? 574 00:33:00,450 --> 00:33:00,930 Alan Lazaros: Yeah. 575 00:33:00,930 --> 00:33:09,585 So, uh, Emilia, Emilia is the best thing that's ever happened to me. 576 00:33:09,645 --> 00:33:11,145 She says, Happened for me. 577 00:33:12,375 --> 00:33:16,265 Uh, she said, You became the man that, that could attract me, that kind of thing. 578 00:33:16,345 --> 00:33:18,134 But ultimately greatest gift of my life. 579 00:33:18,585 --> 00:33:23,574 And in some ways, and this might be weird, but I, and I've never really 580 00:33:23,574 --> 00:33:28,865 shared this publicly probably but, at least not to this extent, I put 581 00:33:28,875 --> 00:33:31,295 human beings in these two main camps. 582 00:33:31,335 --> 00:33:34,285 And I don't want to put anyone in a box so understand that I'm doing this, 583 00:33:34,585 --> 00:33:37,300 uh, just, just to explain a concept. 584 00:33:40,150 --> 00:33:42,100 So I grew up in a really tough environment. 585 00:33:43,500 --> 00:33:45,630 Now, I was born in the U. 586 00:33:45,630 --> 00:33:47,760 S., which is the largest economy. 587 00:33:47,820 --> 00:33:48,840 I understand that. 588 00:33:49,300 --> 00:33:53,420 Uh, most people see me now and they assume I had a silver spoon. 589 00:33:53,959 --> 00:33:57,630 Uh, you know, well educated, articulate, blonde hair, blue 590 00:33:57,630 --> 00:34:00,610 eyed, tall, male, Caucasian. 591 00:34:01,490 --> 00:34:06,050 I mean, most people just assume that I was a silver spooner. 592 00:34:06,270 --> 00:34:08,530 And I understand why they do, and that's whatever. 593 00:34:08,630 --> 00:34:08,790 It's fine. 594 00:34:08,790 --> 00:34:11,030 But that wasn't the case at all. 595 00:34:11,490 --> 00:34:14,900 I had three main advantages in life, and I can give you them right now. 596 00:34:14,979 --> 00:34:16,659 Number one, I believed in myself a ton. 597 00:34:17,929 --> 00:34:19,860 I always have, no matter how dark it was. 598 00:34:20,740 --> 00:34:22,510 Number two, I do feel gifted. 599 00:34:23,625 --> 00:34:26,705 And I used to never share that because if you are gifted, you're scared as 600 00:34:26,705 --> 00:34:29,395 hell of sharing it because everyone thinks you're an arrogant a-hole. 601 00:34:30,275 --> 00:34:32,565 Um, and, but I am, I definitely am gifted. 602 00:34:33,314 --> 00:34:37,655 Particularly mathematical intelligence, um, reverse engineering finish lines. 603 00:34:37,675 --> 00:34:39,915 I could party all night, still get straight A's on all the 604 00:34:39,915 --> 00:34:41,075 calc exams, type of thing. 605 00:34:41,775 --> 00:34:45,054 And then, and then the third thing, uh, that I'm very grateful 606 00:34:45,064 --> 00:34:49,715 for is I was born in a country that invests in powerful minds. 607 00:34:50,415 --> 00:34:55,135 And so when my stepdad left, my dream was to go to WPI, which is kind of a mini 608 00:34:55,135 --> 00:34:56,855 MIT, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 609 00:34:56,855 --> 00:35:00,455 It's one of the best engineering colleges in the world, and it was 50, 610 00:35:00,455 --> 00:35:02,405 000 a year, and this is back then. 611 00:35:03,604 --> 00:35:08,265 So I went from, I can't wait to get in, to holy crap, even if I do get in, I 612 00:35:08,265 --> 00:35:09,685 can't go because we don't have the money. 613 00:35:10,985 --> 00:35:13,684 And fortunately, I got tons of scholarships and financial aid. 614 00:35:13,724 --> 00:35:17,885 And so luckily, Massachusetts invested in me, and I got no interest loans, 615 00:35:17,885 --> 00:35:21,025 and I got scholarships, and I got financial aid, and I wouldn't be the 616 00:35:21,025 --> 00:35:22,195 man I am today if it wasn't for that. 617 00:35:23,230 --> 00:35:25,330 So, those are the three advantages that I had. 618 00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:28,940 Now, the interesting thing, and this is, I've reflected on this a lot, 619 00:35:28,940 --> 00:35:31,250 I started doing therapy a lot in my thirties, I've re watched the movie 620 00:35:31,250 --> 00:35:32,950 of my own life a hundred times. 621 00:35:34,845 --> 00:35:37,045 Kind of, those are the only three advantages. 622 00:35:39,005 --> 00:35:42,075 The rest of my life was pretty freaking terrible. 623 00:35:43,015 --> 00:35:44,995 Particularly my childhood, okay? 624 00:35:45,015 --> 00:35:46,905 So, back to the two camps. 625 00:35:49,095 --> 00:35:54,135 I think there's two main camps that we all adopt unconsciously. 626 00:35:55,105 --> 00:35:57,255 And I'll tell you mine, and then I'll tell you the one that other people 627 00:35:57,255 --> 00:36:00,050 have, and I'll tell you a brief story about me and my ex girlfriend, 628 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:00,930 okay. 629 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:06,680 I was born into a very adverse situation. 630 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:10,689 Father died when I was two, stepfather and mom did not get along, and 631 00:36:10,690 --> 00:36:11,880 that's a polite way to put it. 632 00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:14,790 It was adversity. 633 00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:18,599 There's something called an ACE score, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and if you 634 00:36:18,820 --> 00:36:24,830 take the ACE score or study any childhood trauma stuff, you, you'll find where 635 00:36:24,830 --> 00:36:26,530 you fall on the statistical bell curve, 636 00:36:26,540 --> 00:36:26,900 okay. 637 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,160 And I was on the, I'm on the very, very, very, very high end 638 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:31,530 of Adverse Childhood Experiences. 639 00:36:32,860 --> 00:36:36,250 Now, I am fortunate in this. 640 00:36:37,100 --> 00:36:39,380 People say adversity is your advantage and I don't agree with that, 641 00:36:40,220 --> 00:36:41,580 unless you have high self belief. 642 00:36:42,150 --> 00:36:43,810 Adversity was always my advantage. 643 00:36:44,709 --> 00:36:46,989 Because if you have high self belief, you'll take that adversity 644 00:36:46,990 --> 00:36:49,450 and you'll transform and you'll be stronger and smarter than ever. 645 00:36:49,789 --> 00:36:52,380 My trauma response was aim higher, work harder, get smarter. 646 00:36:53,735 --> 00:36:56,245 But I know some people who don't believe in themselves and trust me, 647 00:36:56,245 --> 00:36:57,715 that was not their trauma response. 648 00:36:57,785 --> 00:37:01,405 Their trauma response was escape, disassociate, drugs, 649 00:37:01,405 --> 00:37:03,924 alcohol, you name it, okay. 650 00:37:04,265 --> 00:37:05,534 And I did a little bit of both, right? 651 00:37:05,535 --> 00:37:06,255 There you go, okay. 652 00:37:06,724 --> 00:37:09,785 I did a little bit of both, but mostly it was achieve, achieve, achieve. 653 00:37:10,104 --> 00:37:13,825 It was aim higher, work harder, get smarter, mostly with a 654 00:37:13,825 --> 00:37:14,935 little alcohol along the way. 655 00:37:14,935 --> 00:37:16,255 I'll tell you what, okay. 656 00:37:17,485 --> 00:37:23,040 The main camp that I'm in, I actually think life is supposed to suck. 657 00:37:24,690 --> 00:37:30,950 I was born in a situation where life was adverse and unconsciously I created this 658 00:37:30,970 --> 00:37:36,690 narrative of life is suffering, life is hard, life kind of sucks by default. 659 00:37:38,159 --> 00:37:41,719 But despite that, you can make it meaningful and you 660 00:37:41,720 --> 00:37:42,820 can make something of it. 661 00:37:43,019 --> 00:37:43,899 That's camp one. 662 00:37:44,930 --> 00:37:47,610 I think that's very empowering, I think that's more accurate too. 663 00:37:47,850 --> 00:37:51,810 I think life is inherently adverse, some more than others, okay? 664 00:37:53,425 --> 00:37:58,805 There's this other camp that I've always had trouble with and my ex girlfriend, 665 00:37:58,995 --> 00:38:00,785 one of my ex girlfriends had this camp. 666 00:38:01,195 --> 00:38:04,755 She grew up in an environment that was very spoiled and she had everything 667 00:38:04,755 --> 00:38:06,105 handed to her and that kind of thing. 668 00:38:07,755 --> 00:38:13,544 Some people, that other camp is, I think life is supposed to be good and every time 669 00:38:13,544 --> 00:38:16,195 it's not I think something's wrong with me or something's wrong with the world. 670 00:38:17,485 --> 00:38:19,685 To me, I think that's a very dangerous attitude. 671 00:38:20,455 --> 00:38:24,825 And the reason why is because those people, when things aren't good, they 672 00:38:24,825 --> 00:38:26,725 get, they kind of throw hissy fits. 673 00:38:27,565 --> 00:38:30,255 They, they, they don't, they don't transform. 674 00:38:30,945 --> 00:38:33,455 They think something's wrong with the government or something's wrong 675 00:38:33,455 --> 00:38:36,685 with the, the world and they don't take as much personal responsibility. 676 00:38:36,685 --> 00:38:39,074 And here's the thing, there's a lot wrong with the government and the world, 677 00:38:39,085 --> 00:38:39,735 I get that. 678 00:38:40,094 --> 00:38:42,584 It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. 679 00:38:42,584 --> 00:38:45,855 I didn't want my dad to die, I didn't want my stepdad to leave, I didn't 680 00:38:45,855 --> 00:38:48,325 want these things, it doesn't matter. 681 00:38:49,185 --> 00:38:52,445 And there's a little bit of suck it up buttercup, it's your responsibility. 682 00:38:52,455 --> 00:38:55,565 Your life is your fault and it's your responsibility. 683 00:38:55,565 --> 00:38:56,445 It's not your fault 684 00:38:56,675 --> 00:38:59,005 you had an alcoholic parent, it's not your fault you were beaten, 685 00:38:59,005 --> 00:39:00,305 it's not your fault your dad died. 686 00:39:00,495 --> 00:39:01,604 It's not your fault. 687 00:39:01,765 --> 00:39:06,534 But it is your goddamn responsibility to make a meaningful life out of that. 688 00:39:06,824 --> 00:39:10,665 And so that for me, I think is the most empowering thing in the world and it 689 00:39:10,665 --> 00:39:12,985 definitely saved my life in many regards. 690 00:39:13,435 --> 00:39:19,025 And I, whenever bad things happen, I always find a way to take 691 00:39:19,045 --> 00:39:20,895 personal responsibility for it. 692 00:39:21,305 --> 00:39:24,365 And then, although that's massively painful and ridiculously 693 00:39:24,365 --> 00:39:29,315 challenging, I do end up better off statistically in the long run. 694 00:39:29,694 --> 00:39:33,754 And I think that that victimhood thing, I have this quote that I've 695 00:39:33,754 --> 00:39:35,094 been contemplating a lot lately. 696 00:39:35,094 --> 00:39:37,494 What happens when the victim never plays the victim? 697 00:39:39,944 --> 00:39:42,745 When the victim never plays the victim, I think they become 698 00:39:42,745 --> 00:39:44,045 the hero of their own story. 699 00:39:44,465 --> 00:39:46,705 And eventually they become the guide and the mentor. 700 00:39:47,085 --> 00:39:51,950 But if you play the victim of poor me and feeling sorry for yourself, you need to 701 00:39:51,950 --> 00:39:59,530 watch some movies like Hotel Rwanda, or, uh, Blood Diamond, or Slumdog Millionaire, 702 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:01,090 and you need to get some perspective. 703 00:40:01,090 --> 00:40:02,800 I call them perspective resets. 704 00:40:03,290 --> 00:40:07,279 Every time I think my life is hard, Oh, poor CEO Alan with this 705 00:40:07,290 --> 00:40:09,830 awesome education, who went to one of the best schools in the world. 706 00:40:10,190 --> 00:40:12,320 Like, I can't even feel bad for me. 707 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:16,030 Even though there's a lot of adversity. 708 00:40:16,030 --> 00:40:17,620 Seriously, my life's not that easy. 709 00:40:17,620 --> 00:40:20,240 Honestly, it's actually gotten harder when I was, I've gotten more successful. 710 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:21,010 It doesn't matter. 711 00:40:21,410 --> 00:40:26,639 I got interviewed once by someone who was born in Rwanda during the genocide, 712 00:40:27,140 --> 00:40:29,750 and it was the coolest interview ever. 713 00:40:29,750 --> 00:40:32,370 And I just realized, Alan, you are soft, man. 714 00:40:32,479 --> 00:40:38,860 Like you're, and so again, I don't want anyone to feel bad about feeling 715 00:40:38,870 --> 00:40:40,500 bad because now you met a feel bad. 716 00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:43,360 And I'm not trying to say there isn't depression and all that stuff. 717 00:40:43,790 --> 00:40:46,625 What I am, and I'm not a therapist, so I'm not a therapist. 718 00:40:47,075 --> 00:40:52,275 Here's what I am saying, I think personal responsibility of what you 719 00:40:52,275 --> 00:40:55,014 say, think, do, feel, and believe and what you say, think, do, feel, and 720 00:40:55,014 --> 00:40:58,924 believe in response to what happens to you is the most empowering thing in the 721 00:40:58,924 --> 00:41:03,555 world despite the fact that most things in life are probably not your fault. 722 00:41:03,655 --> 00:41:07,619 But they are your responsibility and that's the only path upward, I think. 723 00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:09,430 Ed Watters: I agree. 724 00:41:09,460 --> 00:41:14,230 You know, that's, that's probably the highlight of this podcast episode. 725 00:41:14,750 --> 00:41:20,220 If you cannot take responsibility, you'll never propel forward. 726 00:41:20,709 --> 00:41:26,119 Because we all mess up, I mean, I'm, I'm one of the biggest mess ups. 727 00:41:26,750 --> 00:41:32,490 But just because I was stuck at one point doesn't mean that I can't 728 00:41:32,570 --> 00:41:38,709 rearrange, readjust, and make my life something I need it to be. 729 00:41:38,710 --> 00:41:42,470 Not what Henry, or Joe, or Mary wants it to be. 730 00:41:42,850 --> 00:41:44,910 And that's very important to remember. 731 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:48,360 We all have something to give. 732 00:41:49,139 --> 00:41:53,150 What is your gift and how are you going to make it happen? 733 00:41:53,410 --> 00:41:54,589 That's what it's about. 734 00:41:55,010 --> 00:42:01,760 When I got injured, I thought my life was over and I was dead. 735 00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:10,750 And then I found podcasting and now I realize the world is limitless 736 00:42:11,115 --> 00:42:18,625 and all I have to do is readjust, re evaluate, and then make it happen. 737 00:42:18,705 --> 00:42:23,355 Baby steps work, it doesn't have to happen overnight. 738 00:42:24,090 --> 00:42:29,240 And this is one of the things you highlighted earlier, those baby steps. 739 00:42:29,530 --> 00:42:34,360 Taking little short jumps, and it really matters a lot. 740 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:39,359 You know, Alan, our time is running short, and I could speak with 741 00:42:39,359 --> 00:42:41,340 you for hours on this subject. 742 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:47,005 I really want you to highlight what you do, how people can get in 743 00:42:47,045 --> 00:42:52,125 touch with you and have your offers that you offer available to them. 744 00:42:52,635 --> 00:42:53,664 Alan Lazaros: Thank you so much. 745 00:42:53,665 --> 00:42:55,654 Again, start with gratitude, end with gratitude. 746 00:42:55,655 --> 00:42:57,585 I really appreciate it, thank you for this interview. 747 00:42:58,015 --> 00:43:01,075 Also, the, the tiny courageous moments that you mentioned, 748 00:43:01,665 --> 00:43:02,515 that's what it's about. 749 00:43:02,850 --> 00:43:08,060 The tiny, courageous moments that, that despite adversity, and, and in the face 750 00:43:08,060 --> 00:43:13,500 of adversity, and in the face of fear, and in the face of obstacles, and someone 751 00:43:13,500 --> 00:43:17,620 rising above difficult circumstances is the most inspiring thing in the world. 752 00:43:18,230 --> 00:43:19,620 I think that's what we all need. 753 00:43:20,089 --> 00:43:24,425 And so, you know, kudos to you overcoming your challenges and, and trying to be 754 00:43:24,425 --> 00:43:28,165 a more virtuous, better man, I think is ultimately what's underneath all this. 755 00:43:28,165 --> 00:43:29,235 So that's awesome. 756 00:43:29,715 --> 00:43:32,224 I used to say, I want self improvement to spread like COVID. 757 00:43:33,044 --> 00:43:36,075 And I don't say that anymore because that comes off wrong. 758 00:43:36,755 --> 00:43:39,545 Uh, even though my engineering brain does want that to happen. 759 00:43:40,095 --> 00:43:45,895 Uh, what I say now is COVID spread 2, 4 , 8, 16, 32, it spread exponentially, 760 00:43:45,895 --> 00:43:48,315 and I, and I hope that same thing happens with self improvement. 761 00:43:48,445 --> 00:43:50,534 So, um, thank you for being a part of that. 762 00:43:51,325 --> 00:43:56,075 As for where you can find me, nextleveluniverse.com, spelt just 763 00:43:56,075 --> 00:43:58,145 like it sounds, nextleveluniverse.com. 764 00:43:59,315 --> 00:44:02,545 The podcast is actually Next Level University. 765 00:44:03,055 --> 00:44:06,705 So the person with that URL was charging too much money, so we decided 766 00:44:06,705 --> 00:44:11,250 to do nextleveluniverse.com, which encapsulates all things next level. 767 00:44:12,500 --> 00:44:16,250 And the podcast is one percent improvement, holistic self improvement, 768 00:44:16,260 --> 00:44:19,850 health, wealth, life, and love in your pocket from anywhere on the planet, 769 00:44:19,870 --> 00:44:21,770 every single day, completely free. 770 00:44:21,770 --> 00:44:26,590 And the idea is no matter how hard your past has been, no matter how 771 00:44:26,599 --> 00:44:30,709 hard your present is, you have a spotless future that you can take 772 00:44:30,709 --> 00:44:32,579 personal responsibility for right now. 773 00:44:32,580 --> 00:44:36,610 And, and, no, you might not be a billionaire, but you can make it better. 774 00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:39,990 You can make it better with what you say, think, do, feel, and believe. 775 00:44:39,990 --> 00:44:44,490 And if you want some guidance, or some help, or to just go on that journey with 776 00:44:44,500 --> 00:44:47,970 other people trying to get to the next level, we have a community, we have a 777 00:44:47,970 --> 00:44:51,570 podcast, we have private Facebook group, we have WhatsApp accountability groups, 778 00:44:51,570 --> 00:44:52,520 we've got all kinds of cool stuff. 779 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:55,030 So you can check out the website, you can check out the podcast. 780 00:44:55,480 --> 00:44:59,255 And I know that being a part of a community that's all trying to 781 00:44:59,255 --> 00:45:01,815 get better is much less lonely. 782 00:45:01,855 --> 00:45:03,405 And I can tell you that from experience. 783 00:45:05,215 --> 00:45:05,495 Ed Watters: Yep. 784 00:45:05,995 --> 00:45:11,134 You know, the, the main theme is transformation and you really 785 00:45:11,134 --> 00:45:15,355 have to suck it up buttercup because it happens to all of us. 786 00:45:15,660 --> 00:45:22,080 And once we do suck it up and we start doing those baby steps, 787 00:45:22,510 --> 00:45:27,180 the world is wonderful and you will find that out for certain. 788 00:45:28,460 --> 00:45:32,690 Alan, I want to say thank you for being here today and being 789 00:45:32,710 --> 00:45:34,569 part of the Dead America Podcast. 790 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:37,020 Alan Lazaros: Thank you for having me. 791 00:45:37,020 --> 00:45:40,180 I really appreciated this conversation and, uh, it was an honor. 792 00:45:40,620 --> 00:45:40,890 Thank you. 793 00:45:44,790 --> 00:45:46,550 Ed Watters: Thank you for joining us today. 794 00:45:47,130 --> 00:45:53,380 If you found this podcast enlightening, entertaining, educational in any way, 795 00:45:54,149 --> 00:46:00,530 please share, like, subscribe, and join us right back here next week for another 796 00:46:00,539 --> 00:46:03,850 great episode of the Dead America Podcast. 797 00:46:04,230 --> 00:46:09,760 I'm Ed Watters, your host, enjoy your afternoon wherever you might be.