Made for More
Made for More
Christian Dyer: High Performance Living, Professional Rugby, and Growth Mindsets
In this inspiring and moving episode, listeners are invited to delve into the mind of professional athlete, Christian Dyer. Christian, esteemed player for the Houston SaberCats, graciously shares his remarkable journey from his beginnings in Sacramento to his professional rugby career and how his lifestyle and priorities have changed. His narrative serves as a testament to the virtues of perseverance, growth, and high performance living.
What you'll find in this episode:
- Growth Mindsets
- Morning Routines
- Sports Nutrition
- Boundaries in Health
- Creating Non Negotiables in Your Health
- And So Much More...
This episode will leave you wanting to show up for yourself better and inspire you to be a better and more whole version of yourself!
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Hello friends, welcome to this week's episode of Made For More, the podcast. I am Regan if we have not met yet and I am so excited that you are tuning in to this week's episode, whether you're getting ready in the car, at the gym, on a walk I am so grateful that you're here today. I missed you guys. Well, I took one week off last week from the podcast game. I was traveling for two Hirox competitions. So I did a solo one in Miami and then I went to DC and did a doubles competition with Erica James, and let me just say I think I like the doubles competition better than the individual. So with Hirox it's the same workout, every single race, and there's eight 1K runs followed by a station, and so when you do the individual, obviously you do them all by yourself and you pass away, and whenever you do doubles, you both have to run together. But you can split up the stations, like the sled push, sled pull the 1000 meter row, like you can split them up. However, you just have to run together. So I obviously go so much faster and my competitive side definitely came out more when I had a partner. So I think that's going to be my new jam. It's going to be Hirox doubles for fun. Like who signs up for that for fun, I don't know, but anyways, missed you guys last week and we are back this week with such an incredible episode.
Speaker 1:I've had I mean gosh since the past two months, amazing people on the podcast. I mean, every single guest I have had is amazing. But this episode with Christian Dyer fun, easy conversation I kind of forgot we were doing a podcast at one point. But it's so encouraging, so motivating, so inspiring. And Christian is a professional rugby player with the Houston Saber Cats and whether you're an athlete or not, like you are going to take so many little nuggets from this episode that you're going to want to prioritize yourself, prioritize your health, cultivate a growth mindset in areas inside and outside of your health and truly want to be better. After we did this episode, like I just felt so inspired, I felt so motivated and I and so grateful that Christian was on the podcast and that you guys get to hear from him as well. So let us know how you liked the episode and I hope you guys love it and let's get into it. All right, hello, christian, thanks for being on the podcast today.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm excited. We were chatting a little bit before this and I was like wait, when do we need to record the conversation and get all the good stuff? But how? How are you Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you're at what you're doing?
Speaker 2:Yep, yep, no, I'm well. I think the start of 2024 beat me because I went to Miami for water polo's. I came back I started getting sick. I was sick for three weeks, I got COVID and I was just like, okay, january, you beat me. But now we're in February, life is a lot better than it was in January and I'm three weeks into preseason. So it's a grind, but I'm so ecstatic to be back into the swing of things, have a structure back in my life and get ready to play some rugby games.
Speaker 1:That is awesome, yeah, halfway through February crushing it. I feel like a lot of people kind of said that about January, of like it kind of just knocked it down, oh my God.
Speaker 2:I had such big goals, I was like, all right, january 2024, let's get it. And I guess God just had different plans for me. He said, hey, let's take a detour and pull you back a little bit. But no, it was good. Sometimes that just happens in life, so we're on the come up.
Speaker 1:What were you in water polo's before, or what did you go for?
Speaker 2:I was actually just there hanging out my manager was there, who reps a few CrossFit athletes, and I was just having fun watching some CrossFit events and enjoying the city of Miami.
Speaker 1:That's so fun, that's cool. Okay, so obviously you play rugby, but your social media you crush it Like your day in the lives. I love watching those.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you. I'm doing my best and I mean the goal is just to share what I do in my life, try to be as authentic as possible and hopefully, if someone can take away a tidbit of what I'm doing in my life and it can better that their life, that's a big win for me. But it's been fun. The coolest thing about social media is just the amount of connections I've made through it and I just ran my first marathon. What was it Like two and a half months ago and there's people I follow on social media for years now and I was running and I ran into two people that I've only known through social media and it's just like the coolest thing when those synergies just come together in real life and it's like, wow, this is actually special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, social media I think it's a lot of hate, obviously, but I think it's such a blessing too, because it allows you to connect with people. And I mean, I don't know if you feel this way, but I swear, some of my best friends and the greatest people that I know have come from social media.
Speaker 2:I've tapped into networks and met people from all over the world that never would have happened without social media, and so, if you use it in the right ways and it aligns with your values and your authentic, with portraying a lifestyle that is true to yourself, it's a powerful tool, but the caveat to it is people can portray a life that is nowhere close to what the reality of their life actually looks like, and that's when I think you got to take some social media and some things you see on your phone screen, just with a bit of a grain of salt, and maybe ashselt all right, is this real Like? Are they just throwing this out there because it looks good and they're trying to get likes? But honestly, I think it's a cool tool. If you use it, you know in the right way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I saw you met Bronson.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was one of the guys I was talking about, and just that marathon story like we're running mile? I don't know 19 and we're just dying because it was this one mile uphill and I see this guy was like holy crap, bronson, and then we just ran for like four miles together after and then I was at their house doing sauna and cold plunge in the next week. So it's pretty cool connections you can make.
Speaker 1:That's so funny. Yeah, I worked with them with powders and I was like yeah that like, that's so funny.
Speaker 2:It's great because when I went to the house I saw all the powder stuff and obviously I just knew it through social media and then to see it in real person and then met Kylie and how all of the stuff is happening behind the scenes, it was pretty unique.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like they're real, just genuine people.
Speaker 2:They're just real people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like we need more of that, so that's awesome.
Speaker 2:We need more good people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we do, and like a lot of times with social media, like you can kind of get this feeling in your gut, like this, not conviction, but just like a little bit of feeling in your gut of like, okay, like this person's real, like they're, you know.
Speaker 2:I totally agree. I totally agree.
Speaker 1:Do you so outside, because we'll talk about rugby and what you do. But do you do social media as a job or work with any brands?
Speaker 2:I mean now, yeah, it's kind of a job, just because it's gone to a point where, yeah, I've worked with brands, I'm with an agency and so there kind of is like a structure and, I guess, a routine that I try to stick to in regards to social media but, I don't really look at it as a job. It's a passion thing. It's for inspiration and education more than anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. So where are you from and where are you living now?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so originally grew up in Sacramento, california, we call it the 916, but now I'm back in Houston. I was living in Dallas for the last four months for my preseason training up there, even with my best friend in life, but now we're back in H-town because the season's coming up.
Speaker 1:That is cool. So where, like grew up in Sacramento, do you go to college? Close to there too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I went to UC Berkeley, which is about an hour and 20 minutes just west of Sacramento. So it's nice to be close to home, because I literally would drive home on Saturday nights or Sunday nights to go do laundry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, get free dinner, yeah, free dinner. Exactly it's the best, oh, that's so good. Have you always said rugby? Because being from this, is that a big thing out west? Because in the South I don't feel like it is really.
Speaker 2:No, no, it's definitely bigger west coast, especially like where I'm from, sacramento and then Southern California, I'd say San Diego is like the next hotspot for youth rugby and just rugby in general. But no, I started playing when I was 13 or 14 years old at this youth program in Sacramento. But, like, football was always the focus in my sporting life. So I started football when I was eight or nine years old. Call it Pop Warner, you know when every young little kid starts putting on the pads and playing the sport. But football is a fall and and like summer sport. So I had to fill the winter and spring months with another sport and I was always bouncing around from, just say, basketball to baseball to soccer, tried lacrosse one year. It wasn't for me and thankfully someone approached my dad and was like, hey, my son's playing this sport called rugby. I think Christian would really enjoy it. So I went out, started playing in full, like transparency.
Speaker 2:I was horrible when I started, like where I'm at today versus where I was when I was 13 or 14, you would never, ever see me doing what I'm doing today If you saw me play when I was that young.
Speaker 2:I was, yeah, I was just running around. But the freedom of the sport attracted, like, attracted me to it so much just because it's not like football, where you're either playing, you know offense or defense, you get the best of both worlds. With rugby you get to do everything, even the big, big boys who, just saying football, are those linemen. They get to catch the ball or run with the ball, kick the ball I mean, hopefully they don't kick it because they're probably atrocious at it. But just the freedom of the sport is something that I really really cherished. And then I went to a private boys high school. So rugby is kind of this I don't know, I'd say posh is the right word to describe it. And so going to a private boys school Jesuit rugby always has had a really strong history. At the school I was just in this high performance environment with some high caliber rugby coaches and that thankfully accelerated my development.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Did your parents push you to go there or were you like? I want to focus on this and pursue this.
Speaker 2:I didn't go to Jesuit because of rugby. I went there. Best friends were going there. Obviously, school wasn't like my number one priority, even though my dad was this military guy, so I didn't get straight A's. Yeah, I was some form of punishment awaiting for me, but now the camaraderie, the brotherhood, everything about the school attracted me to it. At the end of the day, it was my decision to go there.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Okay, so walk us through college. Did you play in college?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I played in college but I was originally going to go to either West Point, the Military Academy or the Naval Academy. But then, once rugby became this epicenter in my life, I represented the US at the under 18 and under 16 levels, which took me over to England when I was a young boy and that kind of exposed me to the realities and the opportunities that rugby can give me in my life. And that's when I was like all right, I'm all in. So I made a pivot from going the military route. And then we had to figure out, all right, well, what's the best university in America that can have the, you know, like a world-class degree complimented with some high-level rugby? And that was Berkeley. And, yeah, I went there for years. Covid put a little hiatus in the plans, was going to do five years, but expedited the graduation and then moved down to San Diego to go full on with the USA team.
Speaker 1:Wow, when did you graduate college?
Speaker 2:I graduated in 20.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you're 26, 27.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm 20. Yeah, I'm 26. It's weird, I keep thinking I'm 25, but no, now I'm you know, I just turned 27.
Speaker 1:I'm like I'm 22. Oh, I'm like I'm 22. You're?
Speaker 2:not 30 yet.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I feel like when it's 30, everything changes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know. I've heard 30s are like the best years of your life, though, but I hope. I don't know. I'm like if it gets better from here, like I mean, life's going to be great.
Speaker 2:Life's going to be great. Cause 25 for me was a sick year, like so many different things happen, yeah, so hopefully 26, besides that month of January, can can you know, get better.
Speaker 1:Your birthday is today before mine. I remember.
Speaker 2:Cause I'm the 26. I'm the 26.
Speaker 1:So you're the 25th, I'm the 27th 27th.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, we kind of got chipped with the Christmas birthdays.
Speaker 1:We did. It's like everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's like Christmas, birthday, new Year's, like you can it happens so fast? It's like when people have birthdays. It's like, oh, what's your goal for this year, for your birthday? Ours is like what's your goal for the year and for your birthday?
Speaker 2:And it's that time from like Christmas to the new year where, like I don't know, it just feels like life's on pause, like people who work in business they're not doing business. Yeah, I don't know, it's kind of a weird time, but it's also a good time to just chill.
Speaker 1:Yeah, christmas babies, whatever. Christmas babies 26 was my favorite year, so we'll put that out there Okay. That it's going to be.
Speaker 2:Well, it's all up hill for for me from here.
Speaker 1:So with you, USA team with rugby.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I like, honestly, don't know much about rugby. I've seen your stuff and it looks sick, so that's pretty cool, manly, you're like very manly sport. Nothing. So when is the season for like, when is in season for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so there's kind of two seasons for me Professional rugby, which is the MLR, which is the league I play here in the States. That will go from March to about July and then basically from July throughout. The rest of the year is when I'm back with the USA team traveling the world, going to different countries, representing the US playing against another country. So I've got a lot of air miles on me.
Speaker 1:Wow, do you ever just like, reflect and can you believe that this is your life, like that you're traveling?
Speaker 2:I it's a great question because young me would die if he knew what I was doing today, cause I had a couple, you know, mentors and couple of inspirations in my life who all I wanted to do is fill their shoes. And now I'm at a point where I think I'm actually like living that reality, but I'm so bad at looking back and reflecting and being like, wow, so now I need to be better at that. I'm good at reflecting and being grateful for like the day to day stuff, but I'm never really good at reflecting kind of in that longer term perspective and being grateful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that makes sense. That's, that's great, like that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Good for you. I appreciate you.
Speaker 1:What does a so walk us through a normal day in season, just like with rugby training? And then I want to ask about just your personal normal day too.
Speaker 2:Well, I'll give you like a day like what I'm doing. Just say tomorrow what the day will look like. Typical day starts around 6am. I try to wake up at the same time every day, give or take a few minutes. Then I've kind of got this extensive morning routine that I found fits me the best and makes me feel you know the best, mentally and physically where.
Speaker 2:Wake up, I hydrate, take a cold shower, do my breath, work in front of a red light panel, Then it's breakfast time. Then I head to the same cafe coffee shop every single morning, get a coffee and do my journaling. Then I'm off to practice for a lift and a field session that usually starts at 9am, goes till about noon. Then it's lunchtime, eat some lunch, do some work, computer stuff, social media stuff, everything that I got going on outside of rugby. Then we're back to team meetings and another field session which starts around probably like 130 or two. Then I'll get home probably 4.30, have a smoothie. Some days I record a podcast on those days. Sometimes I just relax, eat dinner around 6am and then start unwinding because I typically get a bed around 8.15, 8.20. Most people call me a grandpa.
Speaker 2:Like dude you go to bed way too early. I'm like dude I love sleep.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Don't be mad at me because I'm sleeping eight or nine hours a night.
Speaker 1:Early morning is over late nights.
Speaker 2:So good yeah. Then I wake up the next morning and kind of do it all over again, Unless it's game day. So the schedule will shift a little bit, but that's typically what it's days like.
Speaker 1:Have you always been someone that's been very routine and had this extensive setting the boundary and taking time for yourself in the morning, or is that something that you recently kind of come into?
Speaker 2:I'd say, within the last two years. It was when I really started prioritizing it Basically, reading books, having people on my podcast, like there's this kind of like constant quote where it's like how can you be at your best for other people if you're not at your best for yourself? And so that's when I really realized that getting up an extra 30 minutes or 45 minutes earlier every morning to really give myself the time to focus on me, give myself a prime for the day, is when I bought into like taking care of myself first. But now college, high school, I'd try to sleep as late as possible, even though when I was in high school, if I didn't wake up early my dad would pour cold water on my face. Oh my God. So I've always been an early riser, but I never really understood the power of like setting boundaries, setting time for myself, having a morning routine, except for the past two years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good to hear, because I think a lot of people I mean even like I struggle with this too. There's always such a big to do list and it's so easy to jump into that first thing in the morning.
Speaker 2:But like you said, you can't show up for other people as your best self if you're not pouring into yourself 100%, but it's always evolving, like there's new things I learn every week, every month, where it's like all right, let's try it out in the morning, let's see if I feel good, let's see if it like resonates with me and then maybe I implemented it. So it's always like this trial and error thing, and what works for me may not work for you and it may not work for someone listening to this thing. So it's like there's no right or wrong. There's not this perfect manuscript to have the best morning possible. It's truly just trying to figure out what works best for yourself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, even if it's just 30 minutes sometimes.
Speaker 2:I know people that can wake up, get on their phone first thing in the morning, have their coffee and then they bowl out all day. So it's like, whether it's this super high-performing morning routine or it's this kind of lackluster, just go with it flow. There's no right or wrong.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what do you do? You have journal prompts that you journal about, or is that gratitude journaling?
Speaker 2:Yes, every day there's always three things that stay the same. I write down three things I'm grateful for, three people I'm grateful for. I write three goals for the day, so three things that I need to focus on for that day. And then this year I've kind of started to implement this thing where I kind of just write down a couple sentences of where my head's at, how's my body feeling, just kind of doing this little self check-in and then hopefully over time I can start understanding different periods of my life and I can always tap back into the journal and figure out maybe that's why I was feeling that way, or maybe that's why I didn't have the best week or the best game. So kind of just giving me some data to look back on.
Speaker 1:I love that. I think I love journaling like how I'm feeling and then I can be like, wow, you are really emotional. Ever that for nothing, but it's like a cool full circle moment, honestly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how about you? What's your prompt?
Speaker 1:So I don't have a set journal prompt Usually it's gratitude and then I'll just kind of write how my head's at Like I'm feeling really grateful today, or I'm feeling a little sad today about this and just kind of like brain dumping at most.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's so good.
Speaker 1:But it feels good. I think a lot of times because I'm like I'm going to journal, I want to be this girl that journals and put so much pressure on it of like I have to have this perfect prompt and it has to be gratitude. But there's no right way to journal because it's your journal, no one's going to see it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, I mean I hope not, yeah, seriously. Hopefully I don't leave it at practice one day. And then the whole team is just going through it and I'm like oh, oh jeez, he was not supposed to see that.
Speaker 1:It really is like one of those little diaries that you had when you were lit, with a lock on it. I'm like I need a lock.
Speaker 2:Yep, oh, I need a vault.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. It's encouraging, though, just hearing you talk about this as a guy, because I feel like a lot of guys are moving more into this, though, of the self-care and being more in tune with their emotions and how they're feeling, so it's just encouraging to hear you talk about that.
Speaker 2:Like in my world. Just say, five years ago, if you were seeing, say, a sports psychologist, right, people would kind of look at you and be like, oh shit, Excuse my language, Something's wrong with him. We're like he's soft just for a lack of better words. But now I've got a coach for everything in my life. I have a rugby coach, I have a strength and conditioning coach, I have a nutrition coach, someone that helps me with rugby, I've got a mentor and it's like, if I have all these coaches for all these things in my life, why don't I have a coach for my mind and my mental health?
Speaker 2:And it was just like it was. The biggest breakthroughs I've ever made was when I made the decision to work with a sports psychologist, to start unraveling some of these things in my life and the way I think, and sometimes when I get performance anxiety like where is that all coming from and to unpack the layers and a lot of it comes from childhood and maybe playing for some of the wrong reasons there's more clarity in your life and I think that's the biggest thing you can do is start understanding why. So any guy and it doesn't even have to be gender taking care of your mind is one of the single most important things you can do for your life.
Speaker 1:Do you see it? Obviously through your sports, but does that show up in relationships and other? Aspects of your life too 100%.
Speaker 2:I used to look at myself as just a rugby player, like just an athlete, and now I've made the pivot of trying my best to become the best player, the best teammate, the best son to my mom and dad, the best brother to my brother and sister and just the best person I can be, and so it's really shifted the focus of my life from just myself to how can I use myself as a beacon of light for other people. But I really honestly, I probably never would have thought of it like that until I worked with someone and started to really hone in on the mental side of life and sport.
Speaker 1:That's amazing Good for you. I mean, I need to hear that and I think other people listening need to hear that too, because, like you said, there has been such a bad stigma around therapy or working with someone, and especially from the older generation of my parents are in their 60s you don't need a therapist. What's wrong with you? Do you need to talk about this? And it's like no, I just want to figure out why this triggers me or why I am the way that.
Speaker 2:I am.
Speaker 1:And it does go back to childhood.
Speaker 2:And you also. You don't have to wait to just seek help to go, or you don't have to wait for something to go wrong or for you to feel a certain way to then tap into that side of you and to go work with someone. It's like what happens if you're just trying to become the best version possible and you're actually doing well in life, yeah well, there's probably a way that you can do even better, and a lot of it has to come from hearing it from someone else. So it's like you don't have to wait till you're feeling a certain way to seek help. It's like it just needs to. I think the conversations need to be more open and we need to take a lot of pressure off our verse self from waiting until we hit some roadblock to then go seek out help.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that With. Since you kind of live this high performance lifestyle now. Has that created because obviously you have your teammates and your number one priority. But have you found that since you've started taking better care of yourself and your help, that it's pushed some people out and have you had to create boundaries inside of your life?
Speaker 2:Yeah now it's a great question. Short answer is yes, because I think I'm at a point now in my life where I live a life very, very aligned to my true values and I've got like five values that I try to adhere to every single day. And within that I have to say no to things that I know aren't going to fill those value cups. And sometimes it's saying no to going out on, just say, a Friday night and hanging out with friends that they may mean dearly to me and I do want to see them, but I've got other plans or I've got bigger goals and ambitions to chase and I know that that night is probably not going to get me one step closer to reaching that lifestyle that I want to live.
Speaker 2:So sacrifice is definitely a word that I would say encompasses this question, but it's also a matter of choice. Like everything we do in life is a matter of choice, and when I hear people talk about it in sport it's like, oh, I've sacrificed so much to get here. It's like, dude, you've made the choice to get here, don't victimize yourself that you're making sacrifices, because we all do, but at the end of the day it's a choice and if it really means something to you, then you're going to make that decision for yourself and you're not going to allow the opinions and the voices of others, who have different values and different goals, to influence you from staying true to yourself. And so it's taken a lot of pressure off myself from living this life to always make other people like me and to do things that fit their goals. But the more I get to know myself and the more that my values and my goals are written down, they're ingrained and they're what I want to do. They make the decisions easier.
Speaker 1:I've never heard it put that way before. It's not as a sacrifice, as a choice. Like you, don't want to.
Speaker 2:Everything in life is a choice. I firmly believe that.
Speaker 1:That's really good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you also have to give yourself some grace, thank you. I've been so bad in the past about beating myself up for just saying making this choice versus this choice, or say having a bad game, like we're all going through life for the very first time and there's no expert in this life and so I've understood the power of grace and to give myself some freedom when things don't go to plan or maybe I hurt someone's feelings, like hey, I'm going to screw up many more times in my life and I'm okay with that and I'm just going to try to get it right the next time.
Speaker 1:Do you see? You have your roof on.
Speaker 2:I got my whoop.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what is it? Garmin and a whoop, or just what do you have on another one?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm double fisting. I got the whoop and the Garmin. The Garmin because I started running, obviously prepping for the marathon. But the whoops been in my life for like probably five years now. I love it.
Speaker 1:Do you drink alcohol?
Speaker 2:I do drink alcohol, but I don't drink that much once a month.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I'm not I wouldn't say I'm like an avid drinker. I just obviously it hurts performance. There's that argument, but it just it kind of takes me away from my, my goals, my systems and my discipline and so I do my best to stay away from it. But there's also we have a big win, we have a big game. I'm going to have some beers with the boys and celebrate. So I'm not super, super rigid about it and I'm not an anti alcohol guy or I'm not a you need to drink a lot alcohol. It's personal choice. I just I don't drink that much, yeah.
Speaker 1:I was just curious. You, I would say maybe once a month, like a glass of red wine, maybe I did. I did have to drink this other night and I was fine like sober after, but my sleep was so bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like it's just.
Speaker 1:And then I wake up and I'm like, okay, it's just, it's not worth it. I think in the moment and like the um. Yeah, Like in the moment and enjoying glass of wine with someone that you enjoy their presence, Like I love that. But yeah, I'm usually like, okay, I'm good for another month, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, you have more self control than me, because when we go big with the boys, we go big with the boys. I'd say that actually, the only good thing about that sometimes is it kind of obviously it takes me away from like my normal day to day and my systems. And like when I wake up the next morning and say obviously I'm going to have a hangover, then I'm like all right, let's get right back on track. Sometimes it's a good reset for me and I think some people need it. Maybe some people like definitely agree.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just try not to dwell on it.
Speaker 1:It makes you realize, like how you don't realize how good you feel until you feel bad at one time.
Speaker 2:And I hate not sleeping well. Oh my gosh, dang it.
Speaker 1:That's so funny, are you? Um, are you pretty big on your roof, like? Do you look at the stats every day and yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, I'm not a guy that would be like all right, I'm in the red, I'm not going to train hard but, I do use it for heart rate, um, hrv, 100% my sleep, like I definitely keep track of my sleep and then just start to use the data to like understand what I did during the day whether it's nutrition, hydration, supplementation or training to then understand, like, why I'm feeling a certain way or why I'm sleeping bad or good, and just just use it as, like this anchor of data.
Speaker 1:Do you ever listen to their podcast?
Speaker 2:I've listened to, I think, one episode. Okay, is it good?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's really good. You should get Kristen Holmes, the girl that um Kristen Holmes what she do for them. She's the one of the re. Like the main researcher, she does their podcast, but you should totally connect with her. She's awesome.
Speaker 2:It's a sick company.
Speaker 1:Let's talk. Let's talk about your nutrition and it's like day to day. Walk us through a typical day of eating. I'm assuming you probably eat the same thing around about every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's pretty similar. Um, no, but I think nutrition is everything and I really believe it can be like the first step in changing someone's life. Like you always hear people say that this is your. I'm going to work on myself, for 2024 is going to become the I'm going to become the best version of myself. I've learned that nutrition can play such a pivotal role in this because it can have a huge impact on your mind, your energy, your body and and and all of that influences your confidence as a person. So I found what worked for me.
Speaker 2:Um, I I stick to as close of like an animal based diet as possible, within reason. Um, I eat some white rice, I eat some sweet potato and little bit of veggies here and there, but I'd say the key components to my nutrition is grass fed cuts of beef like pasture raised, organic chicken, chicken um, pasture raised eggs, raw milk, a lot of organic fruits, raw honey, and then I prioritize carbohydrates around my training, so as minimal ingredients as possible. And like there's this saying it's like if your grandma wouldn't recognize the food, then stay away from it, and that's kind of my approach. It's just simple.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's the biggest thing. I was like it is. Nutrition is very simple and I think a lot of people make it too complicated because there's so many recipes on tick tock and Instagram and like who wants to spend 30 minutes making a meal? Not me, Like.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:Um, so, keeping it simple and obviously, like you are someone that performs at a high level, like great body composition. You train hard, you. You're very athletic and fit. So it always tell people I'm like the people that you look up to and you're like. I want that their lifestyle, want to look like them they're. What are they eating? How are they training?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:They're not doing the fancy macro friendly 10 ingredient recipes, like just eating the basic of.
Speaker 2:Like I don't track macros, I don't track calories and, honestly, one of the worst things about like nutrition in today's world and this is particular within the USA but you have all these experts claiming that this diet is the best and eating this foods is the best and you need to intermittent fast for X amount of hours if you want to lose this much body weight, and then it's like it's just creating so much added pressure on people when they're approaching food.
Speaker 2:And it's not a game, it's just fine. Food that works for you and food for me also is this beacon of like community and interacting with human beings and having fun cooking with friends or going out and enjoying a good meal. Yeah, we just need a better relationship with food because we're so fixated on the number on the scale or our body composition or how we look in the mirror, and then that plays a huge influence on the way we approach eating. And I just think it can be so detrimental to people and their mental health when they use food as just this tool to look a certain way or to see a different number on the scale, when in reality, it's like eating foods that make you feel good, make you feel good about yourself and that tastes good and like oh yeah, I could go on and on about this, but Is that something that you've ever?
Speaker 1:struggled with like body composition or is. Have you always just kind of seen food as food?
Speaker 2:I'd be lying to you if I don't if I said I didn't care about how I look, because I do. But I've also realized that when I'm down to seven or 8% body fat super, super lean and shredded my performance on the field suffers and I'm also prone to more soft tissue injuries. So now I'm kind of finding a good balance between being careful about what I eat and how I look in the mirror and whatnot, but rugby and performance on the field is the priority, so I'm gonna do everything I can to optimize that. Now, that's not to say that when rugby is out of my life and I don't have to care about the performance as much, I may suffer on the other end of that. Who knows? I haven't been there, but I do have a good relationship with food. I love food so much and I'm getting less and less fixated on numbers and the way I look. I just if I feel good. That's my number one goal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, feel good, perform good. I like that you brought that up too because, yeah, a lot of people, if you're at your highest performance, you're not gonna be your leanest self, and if you're like your leanest self, like you're not gonna perform the best, like you can't have both. But I do think that there is a place that you can sure. It's okay if you wanna change your body a little bit or lean out.
Speaker 2:But these are your number one priority right now and it's your job 100% 100%, and when I get super light and super lean, I sleep poorly or not as good as I typically do. I've seen my blood levels, testosterone hormones, all that those go down, and so I've realized that just because I may look the best, that doesn't mean I feel the best or on the inside I'm actually at my best, and so, yeah, that was actually a big learning curve for me is understanding that there needs to be balance in the whole approach.
Speaker 1:Yeah, with your question. This is kind of a deep question but, changing subjects. What do you feel that your purpose is in life, like why, yeah? What do you feel your purpose is?
Speaker 2:What's my purpose?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's funny because growing up like I was always written off as a kid. I was the shortest kid. In my eighth grade of class both boys and girls I wasn't the most athletic guy growing up, so that initially gave me this huge sense of motivation to prove people wrong and I kind of was always afraid of failure or letting people down, which drove me to depths to outwork people Like I was a kid Friday night in the gym when there's a party going on and we had to work out in the morning and practice in the afternoon. Well, after that afternoon practice I'm going to go back and train a little more, which in a sense was super good for me because it got me to where I'm at and it kind of gave me an edge over other people.
Speaker 2:But now that, like I told you, I worked with sports psychologists and I'm getting older and I'm maturing and I'm understanding who I am a little more and the impact I can have in this world, the purpose now is to inspire someone else to chase their dream and become a better version of themselves and fortunately I have a sport in my life. That's my job. Being a professional athlete definitely gives you some sort of clout or recognition just having that title. So it's about using that platform and that opportunity to make someone else better and to change someone else's life, whether that's one person or a hundred thousand or a million people. So the focus is less on me, more about what I can do with what I've built and what's been given to me, and so, yeah, that's where my head's at right now.
Speaker 1:So how tall are you now? Are you taller, or I feel like you're pretty tall.
Speaker 2:Hey, the doctor told me I'd be five, nine.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:I went home crying to mom and dad Like I was devastated. My dad and mom because now we kind of joke about it. They're like shit. I really hope he's not like this is going to kill this kid's dreams. And now we're standing at six foot one and a half. We made it. We made it. So I'm happy with my height? Okay, five, five, nine. Oh, my God, I'd be lucky to touch net. Yeah, probably wouldn't be playing sport.
Speaker 1:Is rugby. Is it an advantage if you're a little bit taller, or does it matter?
Speaker 2:There's certain positions where it'd be advantageous to be taller and there's certain positions that it work in your favor to be shorter. Okay, I would say like my frame fits the position I'm playing pretty well.
Speaker 1:Okay If you're shorter than six foot one. We still love our short kings too.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, no. There's still a place for them in this world, oh my God, that's so funny, okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, what drives you purpose inspiring other people? So it sounds like from when you've grown up, you've kind of always had a growth mindset with things.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And kind of using it and to cultivate, like where you are now? Is there any points throughout your career that have been like a turning moment or a point that you wanted to quit, like where you were forced to kind of make?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, no, that's a good question. I think it depends on, like, the lens I'm looking at, because, just say, for school for example, like I never liked school that much, nor did I really feel like it was my place, and so I probably didn't have a growth mindset towards school. But when it came to sport or to training or to really all other things in life, like I've kind of always had this growth mindset and I think it like it begins with an understanding and belief like you really have to buy into it that almost everything in our life is temporary and where you start today won't be where you're at in the future and in our current abilities, that anything in life can grow and develop if we just put time and effort into it. So is it frustrating, as it can be, where we feel defeated, we got to just focus on where we can be tomorrow versus where we are today. And so, like there's Carol Dweck who writes a book called Growth Mindset.
Speaker 1:Have you read it? Yeah, she's like the energy psychology.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's incredible. She talks about like you're not good at something yet, and it's that word yet right, that can give us the confidence to adopt this growth mindset. And it's crazy because when we buy into this and we get outside of our comfort zone and we start being uncomfortable trying new things, our brain creates more neurons and stronger connections that, over time, allow us to become smarter and better at the given task. And so for me, it's all about understanding that things are temporary, and I kind of take this stoic approach when things aren't going my way, Like I just take it for what it is. This is reality, it's not going to last forever, and so to take the emotion out of the situation and just figure out ways I can get better and use failure and setbacks as data to drive better decisions, that's kind of where my growth mindset comes from and how I approach it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm sure you feel a million times better after, like on the other side of it, and so glad that you've pushed through it.
Speaker 2:But I feel every day, especially in a world where everything I do is measured so how much weight I have on the bar, everybody knows it's all written down how fast I run on the field, how many times I touched the ball, how many times I score, and then, from a team perspective, did we win or lose? Like it's all measured. And so I think I've just through through failing a ton of times in my life. I just I'm cool with it, like I'm confident to get it wrong. It's like it's only a failure if you don't learn anything. That's the easiest way to sum it up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think rugby, because I played softball through college and obviously, like you know, a 350 batting average is good. And it's you failing 750 percent of the time. Is that right, 650.
Speaker 2:We're not math majors 650.
Speaker 1:But like you fell more than you succeed. Is that kind of how it is in rugby as well?
Speaker 2:Well, if you were to lose more games than you were to win games, you're probably not going to the playoffs winning a championship.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But it is in a sense that there's going to be a lot of failures, and that's totally okay, because we're never going to have a perfect game and I'm never going to play a perfect game. So I guess, with the growth mindset, it's just like chasing progress, not perfection.
Speaker 1:Because it's okay If that's not stupid, but it's a it's a very quick sport, right? So like you're going to have a lot of failures or missed opportunities in the game, but like in that moment you have a chance to turn it around super quick rather than like that, yeah, right. Like you miss a shot, but then you can, you know, next time down the court.
Speaker 2:Yeah, russell Wilson has a sports performance coach who unfortunately passed away a few years back, but he describes it as just like neutral thinking, so like just taking the situation for what it is and not allowing what happened in the past to influence the future. And it goes back to what I said just taking emotion out of the situation and understanding that, say you missed two shots in the first quarter, that has no impact on the shots you take in the second, third and fourth. It's easier said than done. It is, and I'm the first person that can admit that, because I've gotten it wrong a lot of times. But the more I do it, the more I understand that I'm going to get it wrong a hell of a lot more times than I get it right, and I'm okay with that.
Speaker 1:Do you have a mantra or anything that you say before games?
Speaker 2:Are we allowed to curse on here?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I just say, let's fucking go.
Speaker 1:I like it.
Speaker 2:And then in the field, when I don't have as much time, I just remind myself LFG, lfg and kind of like my switch If something happens.
Speaker 1:I love that. Do you want a hype song? Anything like any one song a hype song if you're just trying to go hard.
Speaker 2:Okay, so before games. My playlist is very chill, like the greatest showman playlist, which is a sick playlist from the movie that's in there, justin Bieber's in there, coldplay. It's pretty chill.
Speaker 1:Old JB.
Speaker 2:I'm not a big old JB. Okay, yeah, old JB. Okay, there's a couple of new ones in there, but it's definitely more older. Justin Bieber. Okay, got it. I don't need a hype song to get me ready. When I'm getting ready for a game, I'm just, I'm chill, I'm calm, I'm composed and, honestly, there's games I don't even feel like playing until the whistle starts. So, like besides, probably like seven cups of coffee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just so it's fine.
Speaker 2:Overcaf it.
Speaker 1:When do you so? How long is the average professional rugby Like, how long is that career usually and when did you get into it? Say it again when did you get into it, like, how long have you been playing professionally?
Speaker 2:Oh, four years.
Speaker 1:Oh, so it's like right after college.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, right. Like when I graduated in the summer of 20, what is that? May or June. I moved down to San Diego in August and started Okay. But I'd say the average career probably is up until 30. Average. Some positions you can play a little longer and there's some positions that require, like, such a high level of like knowledge and technical skills that you really don't even reach till you're about 30. So for those positions they'll go until 33, 34. But I'd say someone my, my position 30, 31. Injuries is the biggest thing that that'll take you out of the game. So, as long as your, as long as your body's healthy, and then you'll hit a point where your body can't do what it used to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're like it's time to retire.
Speaker 2:I'm hanging the keys on.
Speaker 1:Get a family, do all the things, yeah.
Speaker 2:That, that, that's the that's the goal.
Speaker 1:What do you, what do you enjoy outside of rugby, like outside of sports and training? Do you have any other hobbies? Is that something that you struggle with?
Speaker 2:Um, I think it's tough only because there's so much of my life that's dedicated and geared towards playing, playing a sport for a living. But off days time off, like I love finding the best cafe in whatever city I'm in. Obviously, I love working out um cooking foods with, like friends and family. I'm eating steak like every single day, so it's it's always a challenge between me and my brother who can cook the best steak. Um, I love fishing. Fishing something that brings back so many good memories between me and my dad and my brother. Um, growing up, I was kind of this like adrenaline junkie I would race dirt bikes, I would do backflips on wakeboards, I would, I would do everything I could. That was kind of like this high risk type of thing which I can't do anymore because then I'll be out of a contract. Um, but for me, I think the the thing that brings me the most energy and happiness and just content in life is being active with friends.
Speaker 1:That seems like you're pretty just simple guy. The small things.
Speaker 2:Yep, I would like to say I'm a simple guy.
Speaker 1:I think that's a good thing, though, Cause I feel like a lot of times there's this pressure to be doing I mean, I don't know I think social media sometimes makes it that way and where you live, but just always doing these things and buying these things and spending a ton of money, but it's like I don't know. The simple things are the best.
Speaker 2:I would love a date that is filled with simple things. No money Going for a walk, I got to buy my coffee and I got to buy my steak.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but like I don't need to.
Speaker 2:I don't need to go shopping for, just say, clothes or I don't even I think in 2023. I bought one pair of clothes.
Speaker 1:That's impressive.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was incredible. I need an award for that, and I got some at Christmas, so I so I restocked the closet, but um yeah, just put it all together. But no, it's like just being active, being outside, having fun, creating memories, like it is a simple way of life. But I just found that that's what makes me feel my best and makes me feel joyful and content and happy, and it gives me the energy. And if there's a component of just say fitness in that day, yeah, it's a, that's a sick day.
Speaker 1:I think just from talking with you and people listening, like it's just been this reoccurring thing of keep it simple and do things that make you feel good. But also, I was a guest on a podcast yesterday and we talked about, or I said, that I'm kind of in my selfish season of like if I don't want to stay out late, like I will gladly go home and not have them, or like I will say no to things. But I think it's okay for people to hear that you have to be selfish and like it is selfish.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, now, you couldn't have said it better, because I think the minute you start living your your life just for other people and getting validation from other people's opinions is when you go down this bad, this bad route, because then you're always going to be like questioning am I doing this for the right reason, like you know what's best for yourself and you know what makes you feel you're your best? And on a Friday night, if staying home and cooking a meal or getting takeout and watching a movie, buy yourself and being asleep at nine is what you want to do, you better do that. I just described my perfect Friday night.
Speaker 1:It's literally me. I'm like a chill Friday night. I don't want plans. Like I want to get a bed, have a great workout Saturday morning, but it's okay. Like just because we're in our 20s does not mean that we have to be going out every single weekend and drinking, like there's nothing wrong with that. But I think there's so much like for me when I am attracted to friends or like attracted to guys in relationships, like I think there is so much power and someone being able to have that boundary, and like it's so attractive, even in friendships, but like it's so attractive to see that and I don't know. Like I think vice versa too, it's like someone will appreciate that about you. Like friendships, relationships.
Speaker 2:Someone that can, like, stay true to who they are and what they want in their values is 10 times more attractive than someone who's constantly seeking pleasure and validation and external things and living for the weekends. It's like no, I'm happy if you go do what you want, but the fact that you know kind of what you want and I know what I want, like that's gonna allow us to find the right person. That's gonna allow us to wake up Saturday morning and be really, really fulfilled and I think it just gives you another level of self-respect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, yeah, that was great Tell us. So you did your marathon. Yeah, it was your first marathon in Dallas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was hard, that was hard.
Speaker 1:It was a lot up-filled too right, like I totally thought everyone was like it's gonna be flat, but then after everyone was like this is not flat.
Speaker 2:No, there was a couple moments I was like I thought we're in Texas, I don't need hills, felt like I was climbing Mount Everest at one point. But no, first marathon checked it off the box, one of the coolest experiences of my life. I definitely got like that marathon itch to do another one, but it's just tough because I lost some of my top end speed from training for a marathon for so long where I'm slowly trying to get it back for rugby. So it's all about understanding at what point in the year can I do it, knowing that I'm probably gonna have to sacrifice some of my performance on the rugby field to do another marathon. So it's just finding the right time to do it.
Speaker 1:Do you have any more races or anything coming up, or will you try to do another something in off-season?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm working with a foundation. We're figuring out when in the year I can fit it in. But to run a marathon pushing someone with cerebral palsy, so that's on the horizon, that's awesome. That's going to be really challenging, yeah, but it's something I want to do because I met a guy running the Dallas one who's pushing his daughter and I was like, ok, this is freaking cool yeah.
Speaker 1:So like such a selfless act I mean that like just gives me chills, I that's incredible.
Speaker 2:I'm just worried about how my lower back is going to feel pushing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've never tried to push like a stroller and run.
Speaker 2:Now, I've pushed a lot of sleds in my life for rugby training, OK. But no kids, no strollers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was running with some friends like not too long ago and he was pushing his daughter and I was like, let me try it. Yeah so much respect like so much respect for that, so that'll be fun. Really have to put up your lower back there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're telling me. Yeah, I'm going to have to buy a stroller and put some weights in it and just run around the city and people are like, oh, are you a dad? I'm like no, far from it.
Speaker 1:Like can I borrow your kid for the day?
Speaker 2:Like let me babysit for a couple hours.
Speaker 1:That is great.
Speaker 2:OK, I just put one of my teammates in the stroller Extra weight. I'll be really, really ready and some dogs or something.
Speaker 1:That's OK, that's cool. Definitely like I'll link your Instagram and everything in the description, but that'll be really cool to keep up with that.
Speaker 2:I'm excited.
Speaker 1:Do you, since we're kind of at the beginning of the year, do you have a word for the year? Do you ever do that I?
Speaker 2:don't. I don't what's your word. Maybe I can get a little inspiration from it, while I think about it.
Speaker 1:Mine is curiosity. I'm curious and to approach things from a more childlike perspective, but not naive, but curiosity with, like some inhoats to gain wisdom.
Speaker 2:OK, so like anything you are curious about right now.
Speaker 1:I think, more deep, genuine, intentional conversations.
Speaker 1:So approaching curiosity, and not from a place of like someone talking and me thinking about what I'm going to say, but just like genuinely listening and actually listening. And then curiosity, I think in my own health is just like how far can I push myself? And then also from a curious place of trying to learn what drives me and why I am the way that I am. So doing a lot of inner child work and just trying to connect with the little 10 year old version of myself which I think has been so sweet and so special and like it's emotional to do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So yeah, just curiosity, and I think that leads to giving more grace to people too.
Speaker 2:That's a big one. That's a big one. Yeah, I don't know right now. You don't have to help me.
Speaker 2:I was just curious. Yeah, like I just I have such like big aspirations to do so many different things and I think sometimes it can come to bite me in the butt because I want to do everything and sometimes I don't put enough time and attention into one of those things to actually make it a reality. But I'd say like one thing I'm really working on is growing my life outside of rugby. Just honestly, as the order I get, the time clock obviously is going in reverse with how much longer I can play. So it's about creating a strong foundation, strong relationships outside of the sport. So when the time comes that I do hang up the boots like I'm ready and I'm not guessing on what I'm doing. So I don't know if there's a word for that, but that's kind of where my heads up.
Speaker 1:No, I think that's great. I did have another question to kind of wrap it up. I heard this question somewhere and I just think it's a good question. So it is someone were to be like hey, this is my friend Christian. Like let me tell you about him. What do you, what would people say about you? I want to say about you Wow.
Speaker 2:I'd say at first, a thing that always, like, comes to attention is just kind of how relentless my, my passion and discipline is. You could probably tell through social media and whatnot. Like I'm just super motivated to get things done, like my life is very fast paced. But I think something that I really really pride myself on is my loyalty to my family and friends. You know someone my best friend in Dallas were to call me I'm there in an instant or a family call. Like I'm just always there for people that I care about.
Speaker 2:Not trying to look for that reciprocated and I just say that I'm this ball of energy. I do my best to change people's lives and I do my best to walk into a room and make people feel comfortable and happy and confident about themselves. And I'm probably not perfect at it, but it's something that I'm cognizant. Cog nescently trying to do is to be a light in someone's life and walking into a room and making people feel like they're actually supposed to be there or that they have like a true reason for being there and that they're worth it, and so yeah, that's that's how I describe him.
Speaker 1:I love that. Yeah, I was going to say don't be humble on this.
Speaker 2:It's something I learned from my dad. Like my dad's my best friend, biggest mentor in my life, but when I see him operate day to day, it's like somebody I want to be, because he's always making people feel like worthwhile, making people feel like they actually have a place in this world and making people feel like they're happy and confident with themselves, and so I do my best to try to emulate that behavior.
Speaker 1:That's such a blessing to be able to like visually.
Speaker 2:Unfortunate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is.
Speaker 2:Despite him pouring cold, cold water on my face.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but now I got you ready for your cold showers in the morning, so like cold.
Speaker 2:I need a cold, yeah, cold. The cold showers are good, they're tough, but there's nothing like a cold punch. Well, yeah.
Speaker 1:I would agree with that. Ok, last question because I just I'm curious for myself how do you set boundaries with social media, because you like have a pretty big following. Setting boundaries between like, do you scroll any, or do you have certain times that you do treat it like a job?
Speaker 2:No, I'm bad at it. I'm bad at it, I don't have good boundaries, but I'm also not like consumed in it. So I don't think I scroll like unconsciously or whatever all the time. Obviously I find myself doing it, but I'm cognizant with the fact that I don't want to be on it a lot. I try to be a creator rather than a consumer. I'm sure you've heard that quote before, but there's times, obviously, when you're on social media like sometimes I'm there trying to find inspiration for a video or trying to find, just, say, training on audio. Like sometimes I'm just using it as a tool to create my own stuff. But no, I could be better at the boundaries.
Speaker 1:OK, yeah, I'm just curious for myself.
Speaker 2:So I'm like do you have a? Do you have a timetable or structure?
Speaker 1:I don't, I did. I did download an app that blocks it off from 9 pm to 8 am.
Speaker 2:Fine, I'm going to sleep by then.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like that, I've been doing that, but I don't really. I don't really consume as much I like if someone's not in the top four people of stories, like I'm not watching it, kind of thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think message like messaging and connecting with people, it's you know you don't want to miss those things. But OK, last thing, what are some what's like something that you can leave this with, some inspiration, just some words of wisdom for people, Words of wisdom.
Speaker 2:Oh, whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right and it just goes to the power of self belief.
Speaker 2:And I think, like self doubt and not allowing ourselves to take the risk and the opportunity is is the biggest driver of not chasing our dreams. And like it goes back to what I was telling you beginning of the podcast was we're all going through life for the very first time. There's not a manuscript for a perfect life, and the people that we look up to in this world whether it's a guy like Steve Jobs or Elon or who you know in our world it's it's the fitness experts or the nutrition experts, like they once weren't an expert, but they had. They gave themselves the grace to get it wrong in the early stages of their pursuit, but they still believed in themselves, that, that they could achieve their goals. And so having belief in yourself and having confidence to get it wrong because you're going to get it wrong so many times, more times than you think, but that's what it takes is it takes having the self belief and it takes risk to achieve your dreams that was great.
Speaker 1:I was to get ending, get ending that I was off, I was off the top of the head. Yeah, that wasn't on the on the question list. This is great. This is awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you for being on the podcast.
Speaker 1:It was great conversation.
Speaker 2:I kind of 20 year olds just chopping it up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, two little Christmas baby mid 20 year olds. Just live in life, don't really know what we're doing, but we're far from it. But it's like, do you ever really figure out, like, is there ever a day like the 40 year olds, like they know what they're doing? I don't know.
Speaker 2:They act like it yeah but they don't. Yeah, she's like right. Like we're just on this journey. Like when you ask someone, like they're like oh, I just want to be happy. It's like, well, what is happy actually mean? And does it? It's not a place that you're at and then that's it, like that's the end goal. It's like this constant pursuit of doing things every day that give you happiness or give you some joy, like everything we do is this revolving cycle.
Speaker 1:Someone said that happiness is based on circumstance and joy is like from the heart and it's a posture. And I am such a believer in that because, like I could be happy in the morning and then someone could do something to me and I could be unhappy, like that's going to waver. But when you just have this joy of like you've said in your life, like doing things that make you feel good and just like being confident in that and being okay with that, I think that's where joy comes from, and your heart posture behind things and just that's my 2020 2024 word Joy, I love it, we got it.
Speaker 1:Yes, I knew we did this podcast for you, so you can have your word of the year. Well, you got it Well. Thank you for being on the podcast today and for everyone listening. I will link your Instagram and beauty things and we'll have to cheer you on for the rugby season Yep.
Speaker 2:Let's bring rugby to some more American people.
Speaker 1:Yes, all right, thank you, christian.
Speaker 2:You're welcome. Thank you so much.
