Underdogs Bootstrappers Gamechangers
Welcome to the "Underdogs Bootstrappers Gamechangers" podcast, where we celebrate the relentless spirit of those who defy the odds, challenge the status quo, and make a lasting impact in their fields. Join us as we dive into the inspiring stories and strategies of bootstrappers, underdogs, and gamechangers from various industries.
In each episode, we'll explore the remarkable journeys of individuals who have built their success from the ground up. From starting with limited resources to overcoming obstacles, these entrepreneurs have mastered the art of creating something extraordinary out of nothing. Get ready to be motivated, learn valuable lessons, and gain insights into what it takes to make a difference in your own endeavors.
Through engaging interviews and thought-provoking discussions, we'll delve into the mindset and strategies that fuel the success of bootstrappers, underdogs, and gamechangers. Discover how they turned their disadvantages into advantages, harnessed their unique perspectives, and disrupted industries with their innovative ideas.
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a business professional seeking inspiration, or simply someone who appreciates the power of human resilience, this podcast is for you. Our goal is to empower you with actionable tips, practical advice, and a renewed sense of determination to pursue your dreams fearlessly.
Join us on this exciting journey as we explore the untold stories of individuals who have redefined the rules, shattered expectations, and left an indelible mark on their industries. Get ready to be inspired, uplifted, and motivated to unleash your own potential as a bootstrap, underdog, or gamechanger.
Tune in to the "Bootstrap, Underdog, Gamechanger" podcast and join our community of like-minded individuals who believe that anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can create meaningful change. Together, let's celebrate the underdogs who rise, the gamechangers who innovate, and the bootstrappers who make their dreams a reality.
In every podcast we produce, we stand by our "content for good" principle. This means that if we ever earn money from this or any of our other podcasts, we will donate 100% of the proceeds to charitable causes. Specifically, any revenue from "Underdogs" will be used to financially support new small business startups.
Underdogs Bootstrappers Gamechangers
HOW NOT TO QUIT ON A DREAM!
Norman Towns on Outworking the Odds
Let’s be real, success isn’t sexy at the start. Norman Towns knows that better than anyone. Before he hit the screen, he was doing all the jobs no one brags about: spinning signs on the sidewalk, washing dishes, pulling overnight security shifts. Whatever it took.
In this episode, Norman keeps it raw and real about the grind behind the dream. We talk about pushing past fear, staying disciplined when no one’s watching, and why the people who win are usually the ones who just don’t quit.
He shares wild stories (like Mark Wahlberg’s 2 AM workouts) and drops some serious wisdom: talent’s cool, but work ethic is what gets you paid.
If you’re chasing something big and wondering if it’s all worth it, this convo is your reminder to keep showing up.
No fluff, just straight-up motivation with a few laughs along the way. Tap in, and get ready to feel fired up.
I did a movie called the Gambler with Mark Wahlberg. Acting has to be tough. Right, it's never been tough for me because, like it's always been something that I want to do. You don't realize what hard work is until you see hard work.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to underdogs, bootstrappers and game changers. This is for those of you that are starting with nothing and using business to change their stars, motivating people who disrupted industry standards. This is for those of you that are starting with nothing and using business to change their stars, motivating people who disrupted industry standards. This is the real side of business. This isn't Shark Tank. My aim with this podcast is to take away some of the imaginary roadblocks that are out there. I want to help more underdogs, because underdogs are truly who change the world. This is part of our content for good initiative. All the proceeds from the monetization of this podcast will go to charitable causes. It's for the person that wants it. Hello and welcome to another episode of Underdogs, bootstrappers, game Changers and my good friend, norm Towns is here today, how you guys doing.
Speaker 1:I don't know which camera to look at, but I'm here.
Speaker 2:That's your camera there.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2:So I always have an underlying theme with every episode and you and I Norm and I are friends. We have some stories that we're going to share today, but there's a lot of people out there that think things are impossible, right, and they come up with all the ways not to do something or like the excuses not to get there. And, um, norm does acting right. It's like there is probably a lot of people in this world that would wish the actor's life right. They'll want to be one or, you know, admire acting, and a lot of people would say, impossible, I can't try. You know, like, there's nothing I can do to leverage that.
Speaker 2:And you have, and that's why I wanted to bring you on today and we'll have some discussions around. You know, kind of like, what you've done that I really admire and none of the other people can take from that, and so, um, let's start here. Okay, tell me, like, the first thing that inspired you to want to like, like, what was your mind saying when you were like I want to be an actor? And then the whole world's telling you it's like, impossible, like, how did you, like first beat that hurdle?
Speaker 1:Uh, you know what I feel like I I never obeyed um my fear or what someone else said to me. Okay, you know, and I think that it's like a lot of times we have these fears or we allow people to put press fears upon us. Yeah, and it's not the fear that stops us, but it's our obedience to that fear. Sure, it's that movement. It's like we don't do anything Right, and I've felt like, just even growing up, I've always attacked like fears, challenges, things that I felt like were hard to do. I've always attacked it and I've always felt like I've always noticed more success from attacking my fears than allowing them to affect me. Gosh, so well put.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and one thing that I noticed that I've done that other people I've never based my worth off of my accomplishments and a lot of never based my worth off of my accomplishments. Yeah, and a lot of people base their worth off of their accomplishments. They walk into a room If they have something more like that, that is always like led them to feel a certain way, was like something externally. I've always like based my worth off of who I was internally. Yeah, so it's like, even if I have nothing, I move the same. If I had everything, I move the same.
Speaker 1:And I think that a lot of people, like even in, like, entertainment field, they don't feel like they're worth anything because they don't have the accomplishment, they might not have the credits, they might not know the right people and they've allowed it to hinder them. Like I'm the type where I've never based my worth off of a resume, off of things that I've done, like I've never. If I've done a lot or if I didn't do anything, I'm still the same person, I still have the same mindset, I still move because, like my worth was based off of me. But I feel like a lot of times, like even I guess, even in a sense where it's like hard or people tell you that I've never allowed it to affect me because I never embraced that as my reality. People would be like yo, that's hard for you, that must be tough and for me. That was never tough for me and I think that I realized what I was good at early or what came easy to me or natural to me, because being an accountant for me would be tough.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm saying, like people say acting's tough and I'm like, yeah, it's tough if you're not good at it or if you naturally don't have it, because drawing wasn't tough for me. You know what I'm saying. Like there's just certain things that weren't necessarily hard for me that I gravitated towards and I was able to cultivate, as opposed to going against doing something that was tough for me.
Speaker 2:Did people support you in that dream initially? Or did they like, hey, yeah, get a real job.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I never. I never really had support in that way. But I like I say like I never base my worth off of what other people thought.
Speaker 2:How do you do that, though? How do you stay motivated when the world's telling you you can't do something, but you know you can't?
Speaker 1:Well, because I never the world, never the world didn't make me, you know, like the world never, I've never like. I even hear people sometimes they're like, yeah, this person doesn't share, this person doesn't like like my stuff. I've never thought of other people to impact who I was as a person. It's never. I'm telling you, I've never. And it might be weird, it might be strange, and I've thought about it Like like where did that come from? But like, even early on, like no one can do anything that that has been able to like affect how I thought about myself or what I wanted to do, yeah, you know, like no one you know that has been able to like affect how I thought about myself or what I wanted to do.
Speaker 2:You know, like no one, you know you can't hurt my feelings Is there a magic trick to that, like something you could give somebody to like feel, like, know that. Because we both know, yeah, what's that phrase? Whether you can or you cannot, you're right, right. Or whether you say you can't or I can't, you know you're right. So how do you give people that like tool? Because I believe anybody can do anything they want to do. Right. It's just pushing this thing around in here to believe it too Right, you know it's funny.
Speaker 1:I is like I was telling one of my friends so much like slumdog millionaire in a way, where it's like there's been so many things where, like I never had, like I was never pressed to go to college. Okay, I was never pressed to go to college, I never had an expectation on my life. I don't think if I brought home bad girl, it wasn't the end of the world. I remember this girl that I was talking to. Once her friend got stood up and they were going crazy over it and she was like how would you feel? And I knew I wouldn't feel, like it wouldn't matter to me. And she's like, why? And I was like I don't know if I've never felt important enough. When someone stood me up it would feel like if you showed up, I was like, feel like if you showed up, I was like, wow, you showed up. But like I never.
Speaker 1:I never came from a place of like having things to where I could lose it. You know like it's like if you don't have anything, you can't lose anything, you can only gain. You know I'm saying you could. It's easy to take a risk when you don't have nothing. You know I'm saying what are you gonna lose? But then when you start acquiring things, that's when, like the real test is there, where it's like, okay, shit, I, I can't lose this, like I don't want to mess this up or I can't, you know, and I think, now that you have, do you have any of that creeping?
Speaker 1:no, but but I've, I've cultivated, I've practiced something for so long that it became part of my identity. Yeah, like a lot of times, like there's things that you have to do to keep you in the same place, but like I've, I've practiced it so much. See, we only see like the finished product of stuff, totally only see like, oh, you're doing this or you're good or you're successful, but we don't see, like I knew we could do it when they finally do it everything that goes into it.
Speaker 1:And even like my hard times like, even my hard times I've always like, made the most of it and it was never like a hard time until I look back and I'm like, oh yeah, money was tough. But even when people are like like the acting has to be tough, right, it's never been tough for me because, like it's always been something that I want to do, it's always been true. Like I've always lived in my truth. Yeah, you see what I'm saying. Yeah, so like for me, even if the money wasn't there, like I wasn't doing it for the money, yeah, I wasn't doing it for, like I never had a preconceived idea about how it's supposed to go. Yeah, I just did what I would like to do in the moment. Yeah, you see what I'm saying I do. Yeah, it's almost like a kid playing a video game. It's like you didn't think about, like the, the. It's like I just like playing the video game.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know what I'm saying I just like doing it, I just enjoyed it.
Speaker 2:Well, one thing I thought that was great is you like you took control of it, so like we're friends, you know I know you well and so I know your story and it's like you know. Talk to me a little bit about, like, where you started to do like those jobs that nobody else wanted to do, just to get in the environment, and how that like helped. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Just to get in the environment, I would um, I've done everything from sound to um production. I've like there's not one thing I haven't done. And I remember like early on I used to take a lot of jobs that were very like, I guess, embarrassing to many people, like I guess a lot of my friends would be like, like, I flipped signs, yeah, I watched dishes. Yeah, I've worked at kids camp. I did after school programs. Yeah, I've worked at the night shift. Yeah, I've done security at hotels. I've done like. I've had like two or three jobs at one time. There was one time where I was working at fitness by the sea with kids and then then I would go to Adidas and I would work at Adidas and then at night I would go and work at their Hollywood Roosevelt as security and this was like my schedule, right, and my whole thing was like to be like an actor, but I was like I needed money. So these are things that like no one I know would do.
Speaker 1:You know there's a lot of people that were like, ah, I'm an actor, I look too cool. Like I've never. I've never had one of those complexes where I thought I was seen or looked at as something special, like I've never had a problem doing these things. So like I think, when I started to see like the fruits of my labor come about, or things that I've done, like I've always been proud every step of the way, yeah, and, and I got to see it pay off, and I was. I've also seen people that were really good and had a lot of pride and it never worked out. It never worked out and like like a lot of people don't realize like how like special and one of my teachers said this to me too once where it was like the power of being brave yeah, power of being brave, yep can separate you there's people in the same yeah, the same place.
Speaker 1:yeah, but just being brave, being hungry, like can, can, can separate you from everyone else, like there's so many times there are people in the room and they're scared to talk to somebody, or they can't, like they're like oh man, this is so-and-so. Like just being brave to talk to somebody and to separate yourself can change your life, I agree you know and like and and and a lot of times people aren't necessarily successful and they, they.
Speaker 1:They think that, like they're not successful because of their work ethic or like I give an example, being hard An actor is being hard, Right, they say acting is hard. I always say everything is easy. It's just easier not to do something.
Speaker 2:Right, that was always like my motto.
Speaker 1:Everything is easy. It's just easier not to do something to do something. But a lot of times, like when we don't work hard or we don't put in the work, we don't realize, like we think, that we're not putting in the work for there's numerous reasons, but a lot of times we're not putting in the work because of our belief system. You see what I'm saying. It's not that like we're only working towards our belief system, because if I told you that you would be a successful this or that and you believed it, how you work would be totally different than how you would work if you didn't believe it.
Speaker 2:Well, it's like if I told you you could go work at Adidas for a year and then you'd be a famous actor, would you do it? Oh, yeah. But to go to work for Adidas for a year and not knowing your future, some people like, well, I don't want to do that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there's something I want to bring back really quick as a message to you guys. It's like have you noticed over and over again, the guests I have on here have all had multiple jobs at the same time there is a key component to people that actually make it in things.
Speaker 2:You know and it's like and I know it's not popular I've made a video recently Like the first thing I think you should do to practice for business is go out and get two jobs. Oh yeah, literally. You know it's like, but nobody wants to hear that. They want to hear you know, like oh, here's the secret hashtag hack to being successful in business, the secret hashtag hack, and you've seen 20 people say they've had multiple jobs and that's the way they started and and started and, and I think everyone should, I think every single person should, try to open up a business of their choice for one year, agreed.
Speaker 1:because then I, I feel like you would realize, like okay, like either two things, you're just gonna shut up and work, yeah, and be like all right, like yeah, or and you're gonna know, like everything that comes with running something, yeah, and you're gonna be blown away because, like, even being an actor, a producer, like I'm an entrepreneur, and a lot of the jobs that I've had have been way easier yeah, right than doing my own thing because, like, I have to be disciplined. Let's see, when you have a job, it handles the discipline like you have to be there. See, when you have a job, it handles the discipline Like you have to be there.
Speaker 2:You'll get ridden up. Yeah, it frames you in when you do your own thing.
Speaker 1:the consequences aren't right away. Yeah, you see what?
Speaker 1:I'm saying yeah, like if I'm showing up late to the job, the consequences are right away. I get ridden up or I get fired. If I go out and have a Still got to wake up in the morning and pretend to be there. So like when you know, when you do your own thing, the consequences aren't right away. Yeah, but then you look up and you're like whoa, like I have to be on top of this, this, this, this, this, you're behind in this, you're checking to eat. Like it's a lot, yeah, you know, and a lot of times having a job, like they say, how you do anything is how you do everything Totally, and a lot of people don't realize that work ethic, the things that you need to be successful in anything you do, it takes a lot.
Speaker 2:It's astounding to me that people think they're going to be a half-assed worker in somebody else's company and then be an amazing worker the second. They open their own doors. And not only that, but then they open their own doors to get an employee and they expect them to be an amazing employee, even though they would never work.
Speaker 1:You know it's like so you don't even deserve it.
Speaker 2:You were a half-assed employee in the company I could.
Speaker 1:I've been around so many people um and worked with people in environments. I could tell it, no matter where you are, if you're, if you, if you could really be successful.
Speaker 2:Sure, and a lot of times people don't realize.
Speaker 1:This is like buildings are built before they're built. Yeah, you see what I'm saying. Oh, yeah, it's like there's a blueprint your success happens before success. Yeah, you see what I'm saying. Yeah, like the way that someone moves with nothing will show you how they'll move with everything. And it's so true, clear, because I've seen people that have gone on to have like amazing careers and and and start off from here to here and like the one difference it wasn't the talent, because a lot of times the most talented people don't really go that far, which is interesting.
Speaker 2:and there's a lot of people that have a lot of people that got it early.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I got it early, or there's a lot of people that have a lot of vices, especially people that got it early yeah, that got it early. Or there's a lot of vices, but a lot of times the people that end up getting there. You know, and see, it takes two different things. To get somewhere, it's different than staying somewhere. Even in relationships, to have a relationship takes one thing, to get someone, but to keep them is something else. You know, it's like two different things, right.
Speaker 2:Maintaining something versus getting it is two different things, and most guys will put in all the work at the front. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's like two different things, but it it takes. It takes a lot. You know there's a, there's a. You know how you move like it's going to show.
Speaker 2:It's going to show, well, and I know like you to be like a really good-hearted person and I know like people love you immediately, you know, and like that's never. It says a lot for your character, you know, and your heart, but then also encourages people to like, join you in like things in life. You know, and so and and like we met because you came into the studio and you're like Tyler, I want to open a podcast, I wanted to make a decent chunk of money in the first year and I told you yeah, I don't think so.
Speaker 1:Right, you sure did.
Speaker 2:That kind of like I'm not. I'm like I believe in you. I'm not not that I don't believe in you, but historically you're not going to make a killing the first year, right, and you have a name and you know traction, so that's a little bit different than some people starting and so. But at the end of the day we developed a friendship over it, ended up helping you with your business opening and that sort of stuff. You know, podcast is still in the works at some point, um, but I want to use this as a quick segue to say why I'm wearing my orange shoes today. So I had just gotten back from after a month of filming and my shoes were so beat up that they were hanging and I actually think I've even worn them on this set before. And so Norm sees this and he comes in a couple days later and he brings me a whole bag of Converse shoes, and so that just shows his heart you know that I needed some shoes and brought me a whole bag of shoes.
Speaker 2:And you know like you and I have been great friends ever since.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cause I, you know, and that's the thing is, like I always show love and and I, and so much has happened in my career that like it's it's not, like I can't take credit for so many good things that have happened, but all like, all I can do is control me and where I'm going towards.
Speaker 1:You know, I can't control anything else. Yeah, you know, especially in our field, like we can't, you can't control when someone gives you an opportunity. So I've always tried to just do the right thing and do right by people and massage like good relationships. I've always had great relationships with people and I've never been afraid to like have good relationships with people. Yeah, like there's times where I would join like soccer leagues or football leagues and I would just sign up to just meet new people, to join leagues and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:And I remember one of my friends like this is the weirdest thing, like you don't know anybody on the team. You know, I was like nah, I just I wanted to like join a a league. I just wanted to join like a flag football league or like a soccer league, because I haven't, I've never played that. I was just like I want to do it and then I'll meet people and I'll have like the best friendships or like just like it's just crazy how it works, but like it just happens for me putting myself in positions that, like most people are scared to do. Like the same way with this podcast stuff, it it's like I came to Arizona. I was like I want to look at podcasts. So I just Googled podcasts and I just started calling. I was like yo, I want to check out the space, you know, and you were so welcoming and such a like a good person and encouraging and honest and it was like it was so refreshing Cause I was like I'm the same way, like you weren't someone that was like trying to sell you on something or to like make you buy it, but you were just like what are you trying to do?
Speaker 1:Okay, well, that probably won't work like this unless you do this. But like you never gave a criticism without a suggestion, you know, you were like, well, maybe you could do this, or maybe this is another avenue, like, and that's how I think, that's how I moved to where it's like, okay, if this isn't a possibility, like maybe I could take do this, this, this to get to this, or maybe I have to do this or that to get to this point, and like that's why things happen for people. I'm telling you things that happen for people like that. Like I hate to say it, but it's like one of those things where it's like it starts there. That's that's where it starts, and a lot of people I agree, you know you know it's like you've hit on a couple of key things.
Speaker 2:It's like working hard and, you know, like controlling the things you control, which was your work ethic Right, and then loving people to the point that you even get involved. You know it's uncomfortable for somebody to go and meet a bunch of random people, but those are two key components of being successful. Component, you know it's like. So in my MBA class one time they asked this question. They put Warren Buffett, I think, on the TV and he asked he's like in this room right now and I'm in this room with all these like illustrious MBA students, right, it's like a lot of them were CEOs of companies and things like that. It's like, okay, I'm going to give you an opportunity and you can invest in any one of the students in this room. Okay, as to their future potential, right, just like a business. And then they leave you quiet for a minute and you sit there and you ponder that thought and I'm thinking about this thought and I'm like I'm sitting next to all these people.
Speaker 2:I was really intimidated when I first got into my MBA program and I was like the answer, I think, is me of all these people, like they're great, you know it's like, and they'll work hard and they excuse me, they're great, they're smart, they've done amazing things, but nobody's going to work harder for me. Nobody has the plan I have, you know. And so I thought in my mind I would invest in myself. Right, and like.
Speaker 2:That key notion has come about in my life quite often because, secondarily to myself, who's the first investment? I look for people in my life that I would also investment, given the second opportunity, and you're one of them, like I. Like I see your star rising all the time, I love supporting what you do, I love watching you win and then, but I think, like the, what the audience can take out of those key components is work ethic, once again, and your ability to give and love people and try to connect with people in environments that aren't always comfortable. Right, and then even taking the little job, because you never know where it gets you to next.
Speaker 1:It never.
Speaker 1:And see, and there's so many things that like I've I've seen people do and I've learned from where, like when I go on set, like I'm nice to like the, the sound person, the AD, like I talk to everyone, I say goodbye, I have a conversation and and and this goes back to where I was telling you like so many of my blessings or things that have happened have been because, like the photographer that I talked to is working on another set and they needed somebody and he was like oh, I know, norm, like if I could tell you how many times opportunities have came my way from kindness, kindness yeah, you know, like I love that you it would blow someone's mind to where, like most people, they just want to talk to the person at the top or they'll set up a meeting to sell a show, setting generals.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I started doing generals and I remember a few of like my friends were like this is like why are you doing a general if you don't have nothing to talk about? Like this is crazy. And if I would have listened to that, I would have been like you're right. Like why am I doing a general? I don't have nothing to talk what's the?
Speaker 1:general, sorry, like where you just have a general meeting.
Speaker 1:Oh okay, so like you could have like a general meeting with, like, say, I want to have a general meeting with Tyler so we could just talk, yeah. So I was like, man, maybe you're right, but I didn't realize, like having these general meetings allowed me to know someone, to meet them. Then when I have an idea for a project, they're like Norm, that's your idea. Oh, man, well, you know what, maybe we should do it. You know what? Um, let's do this and do this and do this, and this is how we can do it. And that's how I got this project called the Dumbbell Heist off.
Speaker 1:But it was one of those things where it's like it started from just having a general meeting. I got to know somebody. Then I got to know like what they were looking for or where they were at, and then when I had an idea that fit in their realm, then it was like, oh, it made sense, or they gave me some new advice. But if I came up to them and was like, hey, I got this idea. Now it sounds like a pitch. Now, there's no common ground. Now, earn it. There's no, yeah, you don't earn it. And a lot of things that, like I've done, have been because of like jobs that I've had or things that I've learned like throughout life that have helped me so much in this life. I remember going door-to-door selling knives and stuff. There's so many things with rejection and I think that Another one.
Speaker 2:door-to-door sales, Another successful trait.
Speaker 1:But it's like I've learned rejection early to where it's like you cannot like. You're not going to hurt my feelings by saying, no, I'm gonna figure out another way. Sure, you can't like. You'll be surprised at how many people cannot take a loss. They can't take an l. Yeah, they cannot take a loss. Like I could live in a loss. You know I'm saying like I could. I could go through l's losses like all the time until I get to where I know I need to get to, because I know it's coming, but like there's a lot of people that can't do that.
Speaker 2:You, you learn a lot more in the loss, oh, you learn. Oh, I hate to lose. Honestly, you know like I hate to lose, but you learn a lot more in the loss and I always look. The greatest strides they made in life is because of the losses.
Speaker 1:Right the mistakes I remember Mark I think it was Mark Cuban saying, like he does business with people that have failed. Yeah, like, because they know how it feels and they bounce back. It's like they know how to like deal with losses. And a lot of people, if they get it earlier, they win, win, win. When they take an L, they go like you know how to bounce back from something. A lot of people that have been successful, they know how to bounce back and they've faced resilience somewhere in life.
Speaker 2:They've overcame something. The number one trait of successful people is the ability to overcome adversity. And so it's like I feel horrible for kids that deal with bullying and stuff in their youth, right, and so it's like I feel horrible for kids that deal with bullying and stuff in their youth. But actually it it sucks, but that bad stuff, it actually prepares you to be more successful?
Speaker 1:Yes, it does. And it's like how you overcome it. A lot of people don't teach people how to overcome. You know things like that, or give them like, like ways to deal with it, ways to overcome it, like ways to deal with it, ways to overcome it. You know like hey, and then once you it's funny, it's like once you face it, you're like man, my fear of it was way greater than the reality of it.
Speaker 2:Always right.
Speaker 1:My fear of something was way greater. I remember, I think Will Smith was saying how when he was about to go skydiving like the whole week up to it he was scared, he was dreaming about fire, and then when he did it, he was like man. My fear of this was way greater than the reality of me jumping out of a plane.
Speaker 2:You know everything that. And I have a famous phrase, on this show especially. It's like um, there's two um ways to tell if you should do something and if you're going to truly grow from it. Number one is if you fear it, and number two, you check that your heart's in the right place. If those two answers ring yes, you have to do it, because that's where you'll grow the most as a person, right?
Speaker 2:And so, like I've done a lot of things in life that I'm afraid of, when we first went over to do the docu series in Cambodia, like I'm like I'm beating myself up for a month. You know, you're the actor, not me. I'm beating myself up for a month. I'm so nervous, I'm sick to my stomach for a whole month. And I'm like Tyler, you're not fucking Barbara Walters, why are you going over? And not only that, and I'm telling myself this in my head I'm like, not only that, but you have to choose the hardest one always. Why do you got to choose the guy that literally worked in Hollywood as president of Fox Films as your first, first episode that you're going to interview, right?
Speaker 2:It's like couldn't you have chose something a little easier? And like I'm sick to my stomach over it, you know, co-host backed out at the last minute and it's like I go over there and it fucking changed my life, change your life in every single way, right, and it was all that sickness and fear that I needed to really get there to the next level, right.
Speaker 1:And so, like that fear overcoming that completely changed my life, completely changed your life and it's like see, I never put anything on a pedestal, like I never was. Like I wanted to be a famous actor or I wanted to like. You know, you hear people like, hey, you just want to get your big break or your big this. Yeah, I've never thought like that. I've always just said I want to do what I enjoy doing. You know, I want to do what I like to do, what I enjoy doing, and if there's something that I can enjoy doing that I can pay my rent and bills with, even better. But like, I've always yearned for something that I enjoyed doing and I never was like, oh, because I used to hear people like, oh, you got to get your big break. And and I was just like in my head I was like I, I do have my big break, like I had to.
Speaker 2:like you've done some cool stuff already, but I wonder around even before cool stuff everything was cool stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you see what I'm saying. Yeah, everything was cool stuff. I've never taken a project to where it was a big deal, or I put it on a pedestal Because I remember somebody was like. You know, I just did that film with Jordan Peele him.
Speaker 1:And they were like how did it feel? And it felt just as good as doing a short film called uh, cereal for breakfast and this and this. Like they all felt amazing. Nothing was like. Nothing was like oh, this is yeah. Oh my god, this is bigger. This is like. I've met amazing people at every single thing I've done. If it was a short film, I've done. If it was a short film, I've taken it like it was an Oscar worthy film. If it was a commercial, it was just as fun. If it was this, whatever it was, it was a big deal for me and I treated it all the same. So now, when I have a big situation to other people, they're like oh my God, were you nervous? And I was like no other people. They're like oh my God, were you nervous? And I was like no, because, like, everything was the same, everything just felt good, there's such a like I think there's a lesson there.
Speaker 2:It's like and I used to like think about this when I was employing people it's like when we would work in a horrible job, right. Who would keep a good mood? Right, because I don't care what the job is, if you're around good people, it's fun, right.
Speaker 1:It could be 125 degrees and you're moving furniture.
Speaker 2:If you're working with the right people in the right environment, it is fun and like. What I see from you is like you're on these sets and, no matter what it is, you're not down in the dump. People love working with you, which is another key component. So keeping a good mood is like a huge skill in itself and people want to be around you in those cases they want to bring you to the next thing, cause you're so much fun to be around and work with, you know.
Speaker 1:And I really I really try my best to like always, like live in my truth and like, I hear it all the time Like some people are like who's your favorite actor or this, and I just named these like random people that they've never heard of, that I've been in class with, that I thought were amazing.
Speaker 1:They just never got their opportunity. And I'm like naming these people and people are like who are they? And the next thing you know, they start blowing up and people start seeing them and I was like because I'm answering honestly of like what I've seen and who I see as good, and sometimes people that are really good aren't in the position yet, or they might never't in the position yet or they might never be in the position, but I know talent when I see it. Or I see people and I'm like man, like they're, they're special and whether they they get to be seen on a level that people can admire them. Because, see, a lot of times it's like when you get your praise, that's when people start congratulating you and da, da, da, but like, but like I'm honest enough to see people that like haven't got their opportunity yet and I know it's coming, or even if it doesn't come like. I'm like, wow, they're good. What do you think?
Speaker 2:So, like I would guess there's a high let's not call it a failure rate, but quit rate. Right, it's like, okay, this thing's not for me, I'm not making it, or whatever. I would guess there's a really high quit rate in trying to be in entertainment. So what do you see in the people, the key undertoning notes that you see of those that make it.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of things. There's a lot of variables, um, sometimes like a lot of variables, um, sometimes like a lot of. A lot of times it is resilience or it's positioning, but like there's, it's everyone has. So many people have gifts, lots of gifts, sure and how, what they do with those gifts or how they use it. It's, it's very it's like like we're diving into like like their surface level answers and then there's like depth, because there's some people like that take acting like a job and they've got opportunities and like I remember Ashton Kutcher said this once where he was like he grew up like on a, a farm and stuff, and they were like, well, what about acting? Is it like this and this? And he was like I literally am a hard worker. So when I got an opportunity, like I took it. The same way I would get an opportunity if I was like working here here here, like I took it serious and I just worked hard.
Speaker 1:You know, it wasn't that like it was something that like I wanted, like I was just like how do I do the best job I can do and and that's like so. So there's so many things. Like some, some people are just really good business people and they're entrepreneurs, but like I think what it comes down to is like these people that are successful, like they're hard workers and you don't realize how, like you don't realize what hard work is until you see hard work. Yeah, that that is one thing that I think a lot of people don't like you. You you see someone at the top and you could change at the top because you're there, you see what.
Speaker 1:I'm saying you could, you could party a little more, you could like it's like. It's like me going to your celebration and being like man, he's celebrated, you know, but like to get to that point, like if you got around someone, if you got to see what hard work really looks like, yeah, either you're going to say like, okay, I know what I need to do, or you're going to say like I'm not going to do this anymore. Yeah, you know, cause like hard work. And see, a lot of people think hard work is one dimensional, where it's one thing, no, like. Let me tell you something. When I wanted to like act right, yeah, like man, I'm not getting the breaks I'm getting, I'm not this and this.
Speaker 1:And I had a coach. Uh, tell me he was like well, how many meetings are you setting up a week? Yeah, how many. How many workshops are you going to? How many classes do you go to every week? How many that? And, like I was like well, how many people do you call? How many people do you email? How many? Week? How many of the? And, like I was like well, how many people do you call? How many people do you email, how many? And I'm thinking like how many agents do you set up like lunches? How many generals are you having a week? How many? How many? Um, how many people are you talking to? What directors are you meeting up with? What? Uh, how many classes? Oh, did you do the masterclass? Did you do the?
Speaker 1:Was like man, I. And he was like you're expecting these outcomes, right, and you're not putting and you're not putting in the work. But I was like, oh well, this is because, see, a lot of people want it. Yeah, so many people want stuff. Yeah, but very few are willing to put in the work to get the things that they want and and and. See we, a lot of times we're mad at the results. Yeah, we're mad at the results of, of of the outcomes that we put in. I'll give you a great example. Right, what you're looking at is the results of something that I've done. Sure, you see what I'm saying. It's like, if I look at your body, I'm like I can't see you working out. I might not, I might not like see, but I'm looking at the results of somebody that works out. Right, like I'm looking. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Like I might not see you working out I might not know when you work out, like you might even say you barely work out, but the results that you're showing me is like you're doing something that somebody else isn't doing. Sure, you see what I'm saying. Yeah, like you're doing something that not a lot of people are doing. Yeah, so, like, a lot of times we don't realize that, like you're seeing the results of a lot of things that I've done or someone else has done, yeah, right, but you might not be seeing me do them. Sure, you don't see me waking up at 5 am working out, so that way I can do X, y and Z and Z, z, z. Yep, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Like, but taking the bad job taking the bad job, taking the heartbreak, going back out doing this being an extra.
Speaker 1:I did extra work for a long time. I did, like you're seeing the results of a lot of work, and this is the thing. This is why, like, I don't really like I judge like someone on a curve Because, like I know how much it takes to be decent, yeah, not good, yeah, not great, yeah, like I know, because someone say how'd they? Do I go oh, they did great, they did really good, they did really good. So how do you like watching a film that was decent, that was good, that was good? Because, like, I just know how much it takes to be decent, so true, and if you knew how much it took to be like, like I look at things and I'm like, if you try to do that, yeah, do you know? Like I did stand up comedy, yeah, do you know how hard it is not just to make somebody laugh, but to get on a stage and say your name. Just go up there and say hi, I'm Norman, hi, I'm Tyler, hi, you know. Like, just get up there and say your name, like do you know how tough that is? And then, when you get up there, hi guys, you know so, to tell a joke.
Speaker 1:So, like I know, I put myself in positions where I know what it takes and you have a different outlook when you know what it takes and I have a different outlook. When someone comes up to me and they say, yeah, you want to get into acting and stuff like that, there's no doubt about it. I don't think someone could be successful. But, like, my mindset is like are you willing to do what it takes? Like, are you willing to do what it takes? Yeah, are you willing to? You know, audition thousands of times and never. And maybe book two jobs, sure do you know? Do you have what it takes to? Like, oh man, get a little side job so that way you can say you have a toothache to leave, to go do an audition? Yep in the valley and try to make it back and try like, do you have what it takes to?
Speaker 2:go through.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how bad do you really want it? Do you have have what it takes to show up at an event that you weren't invited to? Or show up to a commercial audition that you you weren't even invited to but you heard they're doing commercials here, so you're just going to show up and sign your name in and then they say they can't find you and you're like, oh man, my agent must've messed up. And then you make up an agent or you call somebody or you you know what I'm saying Like, like, how bad do you want it? Yeah, I've done things that like these. Nobody who's doing that.
Speaker 1:I used to email my headshot to like agents and managers it didn't matter who they were Like I would, you know, like I would take the bus places I would take the bus. I've audited so many classes under different names so that way I could come back and take the class and I try to like, not say nothing. So that way people don't remember me because you get a one-time audit. So I'd come in there and audit as Romeo. That I come back and audit is Jeff, and they'd be like you look so familiar. You know what I'm saying?
Speaker 1:No-transcript, want to learn how to like you think you want these things, and and until you like I used to say this all the time like people that want to be an actor or this, just spend, like, spend a few hours with me. Yeah, you're going to be either bored, tired, frustrated. You're going to be like yo, this is like wake up, like meet me at the gym at 4.30. Yep, that's what I tell people. I'm like yo, yo, they go. Oh, I'm trying to keep. I mean, we hit the gym at 4.30.
Speaker 2:What? 4.30 pm no am.
Speaker 1:That's crazy, yeah. And then go here with me. And then go here and then I got a class at 10. Come to my class with me here, Hit up the teacher and then you Like you don't want it, like you think you want it. Gosh, you know what I'm saying. You don't want to do what it takes to have what it, and I'm not even saying anything. This is the funny thing. Yeah, I'm not even telling you to do something to like shock you. Yeah, I'm not even doing something to like play a game to put you through it. Like. You know how someone say wake up at two and you wake up at two. I'm not even telling you to do something. That is extreme. I'm just telling you to do the bare minimum to meet me.
Speaker 2:What I love about what you're saying is I'm sitting here in my brain and I'm going, so it's possible, right. And if you're able to do that and say, oh man, I don't know if I can go all through that, so you're saying I have control of this right. And if you're able to do that and say, oh man, I don't know if I can go all through that, so you're saying I have control of this right. The second you can say, okay, I have control of waking up at four o'clock in the morning. I have control at auditing these classes. I have control of doing these things exceptionally over and over again, trying day in and day out. I can control all that.
Speaker 2:So the right mindset towards this is like I can make this a distinct possibility and have control over it, Not this mystery of luck, Right, and that's what I think is so inspiring. You're controlling it. So the wrong brain will look at that oh, you're doing all that stuff. That's hard, you know. It's like that's not the way my brain looks at it and that's not the way your brain should look at it. You're like I can control this. I can control this by waking up every day at four o'clock in the morning. I can control this by getting out there as many. You throw enough darts at the dartboard and you will make some shots Right, it's like, and that's what you're telling me.
Speaker 1:And I thought and it's what you want, yeah, see, see, like I'm blessed to have some, you know, I have some assets and some things that are cool, but like, if I had some money, it's going into class, it's going to meetings, like it's going into the things that I want, which is, in return, producing the things that I really you know what I'm saying yeah. Or it's like, oh, these things are so cool, but it's like my mentality is like these are the things that I like. I did a movie called the Gambler with Mark Wahlberg and when I tell you and I didn't know it was possible to work that hard Like this guy wakes up at like 2 am. He goes to church After church. This is daily. This is why we were on set for the Gambler. So it might be different, but then he would work out and run his lines with his friend from like 4 to 5.30. He'd be on set by like 6.30 is call time. He'd bring his kids with him so that way he could spend time with them. Yeah, from like 7 to like whenever he got done right, so that way he could spend time with them. He'd go home, I think, when he would wrap maybe around like 6.30, like whatever, and then he'd be in bed by 7 and he'd be up in the morning doing the same thing, you know. So that story, that's like seven to two, like he's sleeping, like I'm telling you like it was like, and this isn't like like.
Speaker 1:This is what people don't realize too. It's like like to someone that doesn't know that you would think that, like they're making it up, like it's a see, you don't just land on top of a mountain. No, you see what I'm saying. Like you don't just like. Someone would be like okay, yeah, right, like, I'm sure you're, like, I'm sure you're taking a day off, I'm sure you're like a day off, I'm sure you're not Even that mentality, that mindset, to even think that these people don't even have that. You see what I'm saying. If you were to tell someone normal, they'd be like yeah, right, no one is that disciplined. No, these people are that disciplined and that consistent that that's what gives them the outcome that they have.
Speaker 2:It's controllable, and you hear that over and over again, right, it's like you hear that with Michael Jordan, you hear that with the rock, you hear that with, uh, colby Bryant, you know everybody that has this optimal level of success. They're all putting in the effort and the work and they can control that, right, and so that's, and we're living in this internet resolution of like, oh, it's so easy, because guess what it's so easy makes a lot of money in this world right now. It's so easy. You just buy this thing, take my class, whatever it is, we'll get you there tomorrow. And the answer is it never happens.
Speaker 2:And that's what I was like so beautifully worded. You know, on everything you're you're saying, and whether you know it or not, folks, this is gold value. This will get you to anything you want. Have you ever read Will Smith's book?
Speaker 1:I haven't read it. I haven't read it.
Speaker 2:I heard it was amazing, though, so it was good and like one thing I loved about it like he has a different way of describing it than I do. I actually used a in my MBA class. We had a stats class and then we were studying decision trees right, and decision trees are basically we have these two decisions and what are the probabilities of those decisions? So I kind of bastardize this and say, if I make this decision, what is my probability towards success? Right, and Will Smith does this. Similarly, he calls like he talks about fight camp at one point.
Speaker 2:How can, uh, every decision I make in life, you know, like being in fight camp and focusing my whole life on acting and fighting before Muhammad Ali and that sort of stuff, it's like I can control. You know what's going on with my body, my progress, all these sorts of things. So our decisions every single day impact whether we're progressing towards a lofty goal or away from a lofty goal. Right, it's like Tyler can sleep in tomorrow and is that in any way, shape or form, even if it feels peripheral, going to get me closer to the goal? I don't have to work out for my job, but I do have to work out because it's my mind that needs it. So that's one decision I make at the very beginning of the day to progress me forward. If I want to start skipping that, then guess what? I'm taking my probability down on my success. And that's what nobody wants to do. They don't want to wake up and realize every single decision gets you closer or further away.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and, and there's a difference between knowing a path and walking a path. Yeah, you know, like there's a difference and you'll see the people that walk the path. Yeah, as opposed to knowing the path, cause it's like we know what to eat to get in shape. We know, what exercise is doing?
Speaker 2:You know that's bad, that's good.
Speaker 1:Everybody should be in shape. Yeah, you know what I'm saying Everybody should be at like, but that's not the case. You see what I'm saying, and a lot of times I'm telling you it's the discipline, it's the consistency. And I remember so when I did, I did a movie called the Dunbar Heist that we went to production with a guy named Caleb Pinkett, who is Jada Pinkett's brother, who worked for Will Smith in them, and before he could work for Will Smith, he wanted to like work for him.
Speaker 1:And Will Smith made him read like all these books and he said and you need a six pack. And he was like what? I need a six pack. This is crazy. He's like this is the dumbest thing in the world. He's like listen, if you want to work for me, you have to have a six pack, because if you can take care of your body and do this to your body like, you can get in shape, then I can trust you with my business. You see what I'm saying? Yeah, because if you're out of shape like, I can't trust you with my livelihood. Yeah, because you don't take care of you. Yep, so how would you take care of me and the things that I have Agreed? And he was like this guy's crazy. So he said he got a six pack.
Speaker 1:It was the hardest, hardest thing. His life still has a six-pack. But like it was just one of those things where I was like man, like that's so true, yeah, you know. Like, if you can't take care of you, yeah, how can you take care of me? And I have a lot. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:So I was like man, but it, but it's, it's, it's it. And like I say it's such a tailor fit, um success. Like like I say all the time, like it's one of those things where, if you really want it and you do it, like you do what it takes, like you'll always you'll be good Cause. See, that's how I've always felt is like I've never.
Speaker 1:I've always done what I had to do, you know, to do what I wanted to do, and I've always tried to do it to the best of my ability. I've always tried to like over deliver. I've always tried to be prepared, like I've always, you know, and I've never, I've never folded, I've never, I've never put my like, like I've always just worked hard and just said like I'm gonna do the best that I can do and be the best version of me and that's all I can control. Sure, I can't control if someone gives me opportunity, yeah, I can't control. If I don't do anything ever like, yeah, I don't control it, but all I can do is just be the best version of myself and move towards that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it gives you your best ability at approaching anything lofty right. It's like you build an avatar that's capable right Through your mindset, through reading, through education, through fitness, and then you take the avatar as far as it can go. You have to be healthy to be able to wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning. You have to be, you have to be feeling good to be able to be in a good personality on set that makes people want to be around you. It's like it all ties together Every single thing in your life, Everything.
Speaker 1:And and a lot of people that struggle with certain areas. There's no regiment of consistency in that area there's no regiment.
Speaker 1:I have a like. I have a regiment, I have a base. Like every morning I have to listen to something like positive or motivational. Um, I had to work out, I had to compete in something, at least like two to three times a week. So I'll join like a league because that gets that out. And then, like like there's certain things I have to be in classes. I have to like there's a base that I have to have to be me. You see what I'm saying? Because that's a keystone. Everything has a keystone. If we're building a house, there's a slat that holds everything together. My keystone has to be strong, to where I can perform or I can show up as me. You see what I'm saying? Because if my regiments are off, then I'm off Usually if my body, if I'm out of shape, usually mentally, my body is a reflection of how I'm doing. Mentally there's just so many things that I need to do to be me and there's people that struggle with consistency in areas and I'm just like that's because you don't have any regiments in place.
Speaker 2:And you don't want it hard enough.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you don't want it bad enough, but you don't have any regiments in place to even keep you consistent enough to have it.
Speaker 2:You know how easy it's become for me to pick out superstars. It's become so easy it's ridiculous.
Speaker 1:It's like I can ask them four questions and know whether they're going to make it pretty much. Either that or you've got to prove me wrong. And some people come from prove me wrong and they do. Well, there's always exceptions.
Speaker 2:I basically know these days it's that easy to tell right. It's like the people that really make it have a consistent group of things that you can notice in them and that's what I really try to teach in this like podcast. It's like these are the consistent things. Don't look for the magic trick. Start the hard work. That's the shortcut, and I know I'm like some crazy bearded dude that my friend has to buy me shoes because I won't even buy my own.
Speaker 2:Sometimes but, it's like, but it's like, listen to this, this is what actually works and that's what I try to dream friends on like, uh, uh, like you today, you know, and then like tell them so they're not just listening to me all the time. It's like you can have anything you possibly want. You know it's like, and I want your success more than you probably want your success, cause I could. I know how kindhearted you are too, and I know the impact you're going to make more and more as you get more in that success, you know, and so that's why one of my key phrases is I want to make more kindhearted badasses. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:You know you ever call me about a business question. I don't answer for you in every way I can possibly. Can you know it's like I'll support you until the end because you're an amazing person and I want to watch you go. You know and like by that I will have a hand in your success and the amazing things you're going to do in this world.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it, yeah, because it is one of those things where lot of good people that aren't in the right position, yeah, and there's a lot of bad people in the right position. You're like why does that work like that? Like, why like?
Speaker 2:and some of them get the breaks, and it's like you. Here's the other thing, though it's like you wouldn't even want it. If you would have like went right out and like got the lead part in the green mile yeah, right next to like like whatever. If you would have went out and got like the biggest part the world right away, that was the biggest movie I could think of in that moment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But you know, it's like look at how easy this was. It wouldn't even have felt that good. It wouldn't even have felt that good yeah. When you have to go out there and struggle and hurt and get there. You know it's like it feels so much fitness.
Speaker 2:We admire that because we know the hard work it took to get it when we see somebody with a Ferrari, we assume that they've worked hard to get the Ferrari Right. You know and like, and did you know there was a period in time where people admired people with rotten teeth? Why? Because it was hard to get. You couldn't afford the sugary things that would rot your teeth, so it was seen as beautiful. You know it's like, and so that's another point I try to get out all the time. It's like there was a. There was a time in life where if you had a tan, that was ugly.
Speaker 1:That meant you were a farmer right.
Speaker 2:What does it mean today?
Speaker 1:Right, it's like it means that you have time and luxury to be out in the sun, or even being like having a big belly, meant that you were wealthy Exactly Because you could eat whatever you want. Yeah, you could afford the food.
Speaker 2:If it was easy, nobody would want it anyways. It wouldn't feel a value, right? And so now all these things today, it's like, well, it's hard, yeah, well, it's hard, so you can appreciate it for one, you know, and it's a barrier to entry for those of you that don't deserve it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you're so. It's so true and it's so much about learning you. Yeah, spending the time to learn you. It's like there's this quote. My favorite quote was when I search for God, I find myself. And when I search for myself, I find God, yeah, and it's one of those things where it's like you learn you. Yeah, you learn like you learn what you're good at. You learn places that you can go. You have control over yourself, you know, because most people that are very successful, they're great listeners and they have control, yeah, of themselves. They have control. It's like nothing controls them. You know, some people they gotta smoke all the time, they gotta do this like there's no, they don't have any control. It controls them. But a lot of people that reach this level of success, they have control over themselves. They're in control of themselves.
Speaker 2:And quite often they use that thing that most people think would be a disadvantage as an advantage, Like in the acting world. Steve Buscemi right, Typically actors are really good looking, right, you don't even really think to be an actor if you're not really good looking. And Steve Buscemi is one of the greatest actors out there and he's cast in all these really interesting parts because he's different looking, you know, and so, or Danny DeVito?
Speaker 1:you know is like short and you know like funny guy.
Speaker 2:You know it's like there's a lot of talents in this world that, like, we don't think to utilize. We're like, oh, I'm not the typical and that actually, what's that could be what's more likely to help them make it? Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1:And there's just like, like, I'm telling you everyone that you see every success. I see the work that goes into that. Yeah, and I'm always like, like, even being a good act, that's work. It is being a entrepreneur that's work, having you know it, it's work. And I, and I admire work, I admire greatness, like I have this infatuation with greatness and I love, like, even through through history, great people in history, and I used to always say, like what makes this person great, like what makes you great? And I remember I had a conversation with one of my friends because I had, I was lucky enough to like, see so much and be around people, and that's one thing that I wish. I wish more people had the opportunity to see what good and great looks like Agreed, like I wish you know how someone could say, yeah, you know how.
Speaker 1:Someone could say like, hey, I want you to see this house. Yeah, you're like, yeah, I could get a house like this. Wow, now I know it's possible. I wish someone could hang out with like any entrepreneur for like a day or two and just see what goes into it, what they deal with, how they like go through it, how they like the fires that they put out on a daily basis, like how like they move through things that you would say like, oh, my, like, this is what it looks. Cause. Cause, either you're going to do two things. You're either going to say, okay, I could do this, yeah, or you're going to say, okay, I gotta, I gotta figure.
Speaker 1:You hear about those kids that like play basketball or football and they think they're going to the league and then they play against like an all American and they're like, oh, my gosh, like whoa, like, oh, like, they get to see it right away. There's two choices. Yeah, there's two choices. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I remember I was talking to this guy this, uh, this football game and he was saying that like he thought he was gonna go to the NBA, and then he said that this, this kid came to their school to play him and they said he was like I didn't even know someone could be that good.
Speaker 1:And I was just like, all, all right, I'm going to jump into finance. He's like I'm a little white guy, I got to jump, but he was just like it just humbled me. I was like, wow, there's people out here that are this good. And I was just telling him I was like man life. It's funny how in sports, your body type or the position show you like where you are.
Speaker 1:Like in life, it's like here, yeah, it's not like as clear as like your physicality, like, yeah, you could jump on a football field. I said, oh, this guy's big and fast, he's gonna be good, but like in life, it's like up here it is, you know, and it's like I'm telling you I just wish more, more people could see. And that's why I'm like I'm so blessed because I've got to like I was exposed to, to not just like seeing people that are talented and good and like that's what this, even this podcast, does. It's it gives you like an inner depth or like an inner sight to seeing someone, but I got to see like what it looks like, yeah, and I'm just like, and a lot of times like, if you're not there, it looks crazy.
Speaker 2:That's why it looks crazy, tyler like I feel like you know what I'm saying it looks nuts like.
Speaker 1:You're like there's no way, like until you're exposed to it. Yeah, then you're like this is why you're there and this is why I'm here. Or this is why I'm here and you're there, like you see it, but it's controllable too.
Speaker 2:It comes down to discipline and how bad you want it. You know, and that's what I like. I like to open the window for people because it was open for me. You know, I worked at like really horrible jobs early on. You know, around really rich people and when I started noticing that they were normal but they had a certain set of habits and discipline and, honestly, in some ways the most successful ones were the ones that really did have those normals. It wasn't the people with the most breaks. They made an amount of success because they had some advantages and things like that. But this is all controllable and that's what I try to get people out there thinking about. And the second that they're thinking about giving up was probably the second they were about to make it like. Do you know the the story of the uh guy from breaking bad that he plays the villain?
Speaker 1:who, uh, uh, it's all goodman, or um, I can't. I can't, gustavo fring.
Speaker 2:Yes, thank you, I don't know if you know this, but like right before um like he was thinking about committing suicide and he was trying to figure out a way to make it so his family could get the money. He was a week away from doing this, wow. And he cast in the part of Breaking Bad, which I've seen him in a bunch of movies since then. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I loved his character, gustavo Fring, yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's just that crazy to me. People are so close to giving up. It's like it takes the discipline and the start and they're like motivation and then it keeps, like Mr Beast, I don't know, like 5,000 videos before he hit, 10,000 hits and he says don't come to me until you've made 500 videos. Right, he's like here's a kid that had no advantage in the world, he just wanted to make videos. Right, you know? It's like uh the uh comedian, matt riff, right.
Speaker 1:Right, right yeah, 10 years nothing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you too.
Speaker 1:A Tik TOK video blasts him off, you know me and him used to um, uh, we used to go ghost hunting and make, uh, yeah, yeah, we used to go ghost hunting the other and, um, yeah, just sketches and it's funny. I remember Matt like sleeping on the couch. Yeah, I would pick up Matt and we'd go do like comedy and stand up and stuff like that, but we would just like hang out all the time and Matt would sleep on like his friend's couch, yeah, for a long time, but he was always so like young, but he was always like super talented, super good, still a good friend of mine, like just a good person, but like that's what I'm saying. I got to see so much.
Speaker 2:Is he another one that worked hard and that got there Very, very hard.
Speaker 1:But that's the thing is like. I remember my sister called me once and she was like how are you so disciplined? For real? She was like you're the most disciplined person I've ever met. Like how? And in my mind I'm like, oh, you think I'm disciplined. Like this is what I'm thinking. I'm like, if you think I'm disciplined, I know some people that I'm trying to get to. Like there's levels I'm trying to get to and there's levels I'm trying to get to. And that's when I realized I was like there's a difference.
Speaker 1:There's like these, like I say all the time, where it's like you don't just land on top of a mountain, that's what people don't realize. Like you don't like not okay, even on on matt, like I've seen matt go through it. You see what I'm saying. Like have some bad shows like that feel and I'm like that's all right, it's good. Like like a lot, like me, everybody. It's like. It's like we see these success stories, we we see these people that are have this like level of success.
Speaker 1:But it's like I've seen people overcome so much and still continue to be great. I've seen Matt overcome a lot and still be great. I've seen every like a lot of people I've seen like overcome so much and still be great and, and a lot of people would have stopped. Yeah, a lot of people would have been like all right, you know what? How long am I going to sleep on this couch? Like this is like I'm not gonna, you know. So, like that resilience, that hard work, like it's a separate, it separates you. Yeah, like it's there's a difference between being okay, being good, being great, being like phenomenal. There's there's a difference and it's there's a difference between being okay, being good, being great being like phenomenal.
Speaker 2:There's, there's a difference and it's up here. Yeah, you know, it's up here.
Speaker 1:The wonderful thing, too, is like so much of the world is not willing to do it, so that's the advantage to those that are. So I do, even with podcasts, even with like, like, the information's out there, right, it's like we can listen to it all day.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of people that aren't willing to like do what it takes for what they want. No, you know, over and over again, I work with small business people all day. You know I work with podcasters a lot. You know it's like it all comes down to the same thing. It's just like going to the gym. You can't show up one day and expect abs.
Speaker 2:right, it's all the same with every single bit of anything you want, and the other part of that is like you wouldn't even want it. If it was that easy, anyways, right, so Wouldn't even want it. That's what set everybody apart. You gave to the audience exactly the value that I was hoping today.
Speaker 1:Thanks so much.
Speaker 2:And I think, folks, you can take a lot out of that conversation if you really will. It all comes down to discipline, desire and, you know, like doing a lot of things that a lot of people won't do daily for longer than you think at times you know it's like, but I hope you got a lot out of that today. Underdogs, can't wait to see you next time.
Speaker 1:Thank you, norm for coming in, of course, of course, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Do you?
Speaker 1:want to shoot out any Instagram social media, anything like that. Yeah, just you know my Instagram. Everything's my name at Norman Towns N-O-R-M-A-N-T-O-W-N-S. Yeah.
Speaker 2:All right, my friend, and we'll have Norman again sometime, and I'll wear a different pair of shoes than you brought me.
Speaker 1:See you next time. All right, take care guys.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to Underdogs, Bootstrappers and Game Changers. This is for those of you that are starting with nothing and using business to change their stars, motivating people who disrupted industry standards. This is the real side of business. This isn't Shark Tank. My aim with this podcast is to take away some of the imaginary roadblocks that are out there. I want to help more underdogs, because their underdogs are truly who change the world. This is part of our content for good initiative. All the proceeds from the monetization of this podcast will go to charitable causes. It's for the person that wants it.
