The Journey with Josh Valentin

The Comeback Starts Before Anyone Can See It

The Holistic Life Project

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this week we're going to be covering the comeback starts before anyone can see it. So for those of you who are in a season where you're rebuilding your life, you're in your comeback season, you're in that season where, you know, maybe you've gone through a very difficult storm in your life, or a very difficult chapter, and you're now in the process of just rebuilding, this, this, uh, Breakfast Club session is definitely going to be a really great one for you. So let's jump into it Now, everybody wants the comeback story, but nobody talks about the lonely chapter before the comeback. The part where nothing has changed yet. The part where you are still trying to believe in yourself. The part where you're praying, rebuilding, healing, learning, and fighting battles that nobody else can see. But I want you to understand something today. The comeback doesn't start when people notice. The comeback starts the moment you decide you are not done. So today, once again, is going to be a really great session for, uh, those of you who are just, you know, maybe sick and tired maybe you've reached, as my mentor would say, your day of disgust, where you're just looking for change. And I know I've gone through many different seasons in my life, and there's something about that comeback energy. There's something about just that excitement, and maybe your comeback is, is fueled by frustration. Maybe it's disappointment, maybe it's heartbreak. Maybe it's, it's, you know, success being the ultimate revenge in a sense from, uh, maybe you've had some, some relationships that didn't go the way you expected. But today we're gonna go into so many different aspects of what a comeback actually looks like. And I know a thing or two, especially being an entrepreneur over the years. Uh, I've, I've gone through my own comeback seasons and, um, I know that a lot of you guys are going to be able to get a lot of value from this morning's episode. So, uh, here we go. Uh, today's episode is going to be for the person who feels like they're in the middle of a silent battle You're trying to rebuild your life, rebuild your confidence, maybe rebuild your finances, your faith, your health, your peace. But from the outside looking in, it may not look like much has changed yet. And that can be one of the hardest parts of the journey. Because when you're in the middle of your comeback, people may still see the old version of your situation. They may still see the struggle. They may still see the loss. They may still see the setback. They may still remember who you were, what happened, what failed, what fell apart. But what they don't see is that something inside of you that has already shifted. They don't see that you're waking up with a different mindset. They don't see that you're making different decisions, that you're choosing faith over fear, that you're slowly becoming dangerous again. And when we're talking about dangerous, we're not talking about it in a negative way. We're talking about dangerous to your old patterns, dangerous to your limitations, dangerous to your excuses, dangerous to the version of you that almost gave up. So let's jump into it. The private side of the comeback. Before we jump into the meat and potatoes, I just wanted to share three life hacks and fun facts that you guys can take away from today's Breakfast Club episode. And the very first life hack is going to be create a p- private winning streak. So before the world sees your comeback, you need to prove to yourself that you can keep promises privately. And this is a big, big part of the process. I would always hear my mentors over the years say that you are praised in public for the work that you do in private. And usually the work that you're doing in private isn't so glorious. It isn't so glamorous. It, it, it's not always pretty. And And you know, there's a lot of, of things that go on behind the scenes when you're, you're working to rebuild your life and you have to build that private winning streak So a private winning streak can ultimately be let's just say waking up on time. Maybe you're gonna make a new commitment to yourself to wake up on time, maybe go for that walk. Maybe it's prayer, meditation, cleaning your space, making those sales calls or reaching out to those prospects. Maybe it's working on your body for those of you who are on your fitness journey. Maybe it's reading 10 pages of a really good book a day, recording content, drinking more water, going to sleep earlier. And this is super important because I, I remember learning the idea of winning the day. This, this concept of just focus on winning the day, especially for those of you who are currently in a storm and y- you know, life just seems like it's, it's coming at you from all different angles and it's so easy to get caught up in the anxiety of what's-- what, what, what has to be paid or what has to be done. And what I find helpful has always been just focusing on winning the day and specifically winning the morning. You guys hear me talk about this all the time for those of you who hop on the Breakfast Club all the time, and the idea of winning the morning, what does that look like? What are those commitments that you can set for your mornings to build that momentum, to get those early victories early in the day and get that momentum needed to do the bigger task later on in the day? And remember, the key is not to make it dramatic. It's to make it consistent. So what can you integrate? What can you change or enhance as, as part as-- of your daily schedule and, and make it consistent where it's something that you can do on your worst day? Now, confidence comes back when you start keeping promises to yourself again. I don't know about you all, but I most certainly have had seasons in my life where things were just so out of control to the point where you don't even feel like you can trust yourself anymore. I'm not sure how many of you can relate to that. You get to a point in your life where, like, you don't even know whether or not you're going to do what it takes to participate in your own rescue, do what it's-- it takes to change your circumstances. Now- A big part of this whole process is stop announcing every move. Some people feel like they have to announce every single thing or, or even mention or publicize the fact that they're in their comeback season right? Sometimes it's better to just like go, go dark in a sense, and I don't mean dark in a, in a negative way. I mean dark in the sense where people don't even know what you have going on right? You, you go silent in a sense. You just really focus on and humble yourself and focus on the work, the work necessary to really change your circumstances. Now, uh, sometimes when you're rebuilding, you don't need, right, the public validation. You need private execution. Big, big difference because there's a season where silence is protection, not because you are hiding, but because you are incubating something Think about that. In this season of your life, what do you have currently incubating in your life? Whether that's a specific business, it could be something maybe that you're healing from, right? Overcoming an addiction. It can be overcoming a breakup or a loss or financial setback, but what is it for you? Remember, some dreams need silence before they need exposure. Really good takeaway. Now, next we have track evidence of progress. When your life has not fully changed yet, your mind can lie to you and say nothing is happening. So you need to see evidence. It's-- It, it is important. Uh, we call it lead indicasa- lead indicators and lag indicators when it comes to just progress and things that you're currently working on. So you wanna be able to really inspect what you expect, as my mentors would oftentimes say over the years, and really see, like, things that you can quantify, things that you can measure. You wanna track your vital statistics, m- as we would, uh, bring up in business over the years as well, right? So you wanna track, for example, the better decisions you made, right? Uh, you need, you need some type of evidence on, let's just say, the des- the decisions that you made for the day or for the week, the emotional reactions you may have controlled. Sometimes these things aren't quantifiable. Sometimes it's just like, "You know what? I really showed up for myself today," or, "I really stayed true to my boundaries." It may be the workouts you completed, the money you saved, the conversations you handled maturely, the habits you are rebuilding, the old temptations you resisted. So again, a lot of these things are quantifiable, but then there's a lot of just things that you have going on throughout the day that maybe it's not something that you can measure, but you can look back at those, those critical decisions and be proud of yourself because you're like, "You know what? I stayed true to my commitments. I stayed true to doing the very thing that I said I would follow through on." Now, progress becomes powerful when you learn how to recognize it before it becomes obvious. Very, very important part to take away. So with progress, for example, sometimes it's, it's the things that you don't do, the things that you don't engage in. So for example, if I find myself sometimes, you know, e- especially living in Florida, there's always reasons to hang out and be outside, be by a pool, be by a beach, and, you know, have a few drinks with friends, especially if you're around, uh, a, a group of friends that, you know, love casually drinking. And sometimes for me, what progress looks like is just being sober for a long stretch of time, right? Or maybe you, you went three or four days drinking back to back, you're like turning up. And I know we're about to go into the Fourth of July. A lot of people are celebrating the 250th, uh, Independence of America, and, you know, people are just naturally gonna party, gonna hang out, and sometimes you can go on this downward spiral. And it is super beneficial to be able to really identify, like, okay, I need to, I need to cut back on certain things. Maybe it's like not watching television. Sometimes it's not engaging in social media for a period, period of time, and that's what progress looks like. But you, you have to be able to recognize it and, and identify and, and leverage it in a sense. Now, here are three fun facts. Number one, bamboo can spend years growing underground before shooting up rapidly. You guys hear me talk about this analogy all the time. So certain bamboo plants build their root system underground for years before dramatic visible growth happens above the surface, and it's the same with life. A lot of the times when you're working on specific things, you don't really see these things coming into fruition. You don't really see the progress like that, and you're just planting seeds, or you're nurturing the ground, nurturing that very thing that you're working on. And y- it may take years before you see any kind of evidence, and th- that's the case for a lot of things that you're working on that, that, that are big. Things that are, that you're working on, that are ultimately legendary things. It could be your dream, right? Maybe you got this big dream and you've been working at it for two, three, four years, and you don't really see the, the progress because there's a germination process happening underground. There's, there's c- a cultivation process, and that may be the cultivation of your character. That may be the germination of Your resilience, the, the way you persist throughout certain seasons, maybe the wisdom that you accumulate, the relationships that you're silently building behind the scenes, and it, it, it's super important to also identify those wins because they're also wins. The wins may not come monetarily. They may not be in things that you could quantify or measure, or things that are, let's just say praised. But maybe the wins, for example, like with your body, you may have to lose 60 pounds, and the win was literally just burning a certain amount of calories for the day. And you may not have lost a bunch of pounds, but the, the, the calories is a step in the right direction. It's what's building the momentum. And it's the same even with your finances. Maybe you're not necessarily making a bunch of money right away, but you're putting things in place to change your financial situation. Now, your life can work the same way. Sometimes the foundation is growing before the fruit is showing. Big takeaway. Next, we have muscles grow during recovery, not during workout. The workout breaks the muscle down. The recovery period is where growth actually happens. So how do you show up when you're not necessarily seeing the growth, but you know that, again, the, the work that you're doing, there's-- it's, it, it may be breaking you down in a lot of different ways, stripping you of things that no longer serve you. And you, you do this long enough, and then when you finally look back, it's like, "Wow, look at the progress I've made." Right? Big, big takeaway. Now the season that feels like breaking you may actually be the season where you are being rebuilt stronger. Really great takeaway. Next we have diamonds are formed under extreme pressure. So diamonds form deep within the earth under intense pressure and heat over long periods of time. And isn't that the case for just even rebuilding our lives? I- isn't it the case for things that you're working on that, that are worth fighting for? Things that you're working on that- that, you know, are ultimately going to be what, what changes your circumstances? It's the same. You, you may have to be put under pressure. You may have to be refined. And pressure does not always mean destruction. Sometimes pressure is part of formation. Now, the comeback starts with an internal decision. The first sign of a comeback, for example, is not always visible action. Sometimes it's just a simple decision, and I always love the explanation of the word decision. The, the original root origin of the word decision means to cut off, and think about that. Whenever you've had moments of your life where you just said, "This is it. This is it. I'm never coming back here." I know I've had seasons of my life, for example, where, you know, maybe it was a financial setback, and it was just like never again. And there are many moments in life where you just have those never again moments, and those are the days of dec- the decision that, that really change your circumstances. It's the moment you say, "I cannot stay here," or, "I refuse to let this be the end of my story," or, "I may be down, but I'm not done. I may have made mistakes, but I'm not my mistakes." Right? This is major, major because many people are waiting for external proof before they believe they are coming back. They're waiting for the money to change, for example, or their, their, their weight to go down, their relationship to change, the opportunity to show up, the audience to grow- The business to recover. But the comeback begins before the evidence. It starts when something inside you wakes up again. Really, really important to understand on, on the journey because again, a lot of, a lot of things that require, let's just say change, something in your life that you really, really wanna change is it's so easy to get caught up in, "Well, I don't see the progress. I don't really see the results." And for many people it can be discouraging sometimes. Sometimes you feel like there's no end in sight, and you're just like, "What's the point of even continuing on?" So the, the biggest focus, again, it should always be in those daily wins. It should always be focusing on the inches. You may have a goal line and maybe you have to go 100 yards just to score that goal, and it may seem insurmountable in terms of the obstacles and what you have to go through, but when you focus on the inches, it, it takes away from the overwhelm. It takes away from the magnitude of the o- obstacles and the way that you perceive it. So sometimes, again, it's like in, in the movie, I believe it was, um, Any Given Sunday with Al Pacino, if I'm not mistaken, where he talks about life being a game of inches, and it's so true. It's the inches in front of your face. And, and sometimes those inches look like maybe going for that walk, and maybe from the walk you finally muster up the strength to get into the gym, and then maybe muster up the strength to start going jogging, right? And, and maybe you start with one mile and then kinda work your way from there. Maybe it's cutting back on certain expenses. Maybe it's going through your eviction season, as I oftentimes talk about with, you know, who you evict from your life, who you love at a distance, who you create limited associations with, who you limit, let's just say, access to you. And, and sometimes you have to go through that process where you're raising the rent of who gets to occupy your mental space Now, the decisions come-- the decision comes before the transformation. Nobody else may know you made the decision. You may still look the same, for example, externally, but internally you're different, and that's something that the outside world can't really quantify either. They don't really know what's going on inside of you, but you know. You know when you've had your day of disgust. It's not something that other people just notice right away like, "Oh yeah, they're different." Sometimes it's just like you know in your heart of hearts that you're never going back to that circumstance. Your old self begins to lose power the moment you start agreeing with it. The comeback begins when you stop identifying with the setback. It's a big, big part of this whole process. Now remember, your comeback begins the moment your spirit says, "I refuse to die in this season." Powerful. Next we have nobody sees the first version of your comeback. So for example, people usually see version three, four, five of your comeback, but they don't see version one. Version one may look messy. Maybe it's not so glamorous. It may look like getting out of bed, for example, when you wanted to stay there, or making that one phone call, posting up that piece of content. Maybe it looks like going back to the gym embarrassed because you told everyone you were going to get fit, and six months later you look worse than when you initially went into the gym. Maybe it looks like praying through, through the tears. Maybe it looks like apologizing. Maybe it looks like asking for help or admitting that you've lost your way. That is still a comeback Again, it's not necessarily what the outside world sees. It's not always going to be what you can measure. Sometimes it's, it's the inner game. Sometimes it's what's, what's happening in private. Now, the beginning is usually unimpressive. You typically have to respect small beginnings, and do not despise the first step because it does not look like the final destination. Oftentimes people compare someone else's chapter 20 to their chapter one, and that's a big, big mis- mistake. You have to run your own race. Don't look left, don't look right. Focus on, on just staying in your lane, running your race. The comeback often starts with small acts of courage. You do not need a perfect plan to start moving again, and that's a big thing. Sometimes people have paralysis of over analysis, and they think themselves out of it. You're s- too smart for your own good, and it is important in different moments of your life to really shut your brain down. Now, do not disrespect the small step that God may use to rebuild your entire life It's not always gonna look glamorous. It's not always gonna be those moonshots. Really, really focus on, on, it like even the, the little details of your journey. Because sometimes those little details are what make the greatest difference. Next, we have the private war comes before the public victory. Every public victory has a private war attached to it. So before the successful business, for example, there were private doubts. Before the healthy marriage, there were hard conversations. For those of you who've been married, like myself, for many years, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Before the strong body or the fit body, there were workouts nobody saw. Before you had peace in your life, there were battles with anxiety possibly. Before spiritual maturity, there were prayers in the da- in the dark. Before the confidence, there were moments of insecurity. Before the wisdom, there were mistakes. So the private war is where your character is built. You can't skip the unseen season. What you defeat privately determines what you can carry publicly. Really great takeaways here. And the unseen season prepares your nervous system, right? It prepares your habits, your fate, and ultimately your identity. So the version of you that can handle the blessing is built in the season nobody claps for. Okay, heroes are often praised in public for what they do in private. That's the idea. Next we have, you have to rebuild self-trust. This is a big part of it because you may have let yourself down. Like, let's call it for what it is. How many of us, if you've ever let yourself down, drop a one in the comments for those of you who are hopping on live with us right now, if you've ever let yourself down Right? Drop in, drop a one in the comments because I, I've many, many times let myself down. I've said I was gonna do something, didn't follow through, and it's not about how many times you get knocked out, k- knocked down, as cliche as that sounds. It's, it's about how many times you can get knocked down and keep coming back, in the words of Rocky. Right? That's the idea. So you have to rebuild that self-trust, and a major part of the comeback is self-trust. When life knocks you down, you don't, uh, you do not just lose money or opportunities, relationships or momentum. Sometimes you lose trust in yourself. You start questioning, "Can I really do this? Did I miss my moment? Am I capable? Can I trust my decisions? Am I still who I thought I was?" That is why the comeback has to start with keeping those small promises. You build self-trust one promise at a time. Remember, self-trust is built through evidence. You need to become believable to yourself again. Every kept promise is a vote for your new identity. Every broken promise reinforces the old identity, and small disciplines rebuild internal confidence. So really great, uh, takeaway. Now, here's a really good practical framework that you guys can walk away with. The five daily comeback promises. Number one, move your body. You guys hear me talk about the triad, right? What determines your, your, your emotional state at any given moment, the first thing is typically your physiology, right? So number one is to move your body. Number two is feed your mind. So the second part of the triad is focus. What are you focusing on? What are you feeding your mind? Big part of what dictates how you feel at any given moment. The third thing is it could be pray, uh, praying, meditating, or just simply sitting in silence, spending time with your thoughts. For me, that's a big part of my day. I love just getting up in the morning. I'm not sure how many of you can relate to this, where you just get up, maybe you're having your coffee or your tea and just sitting there with your thoughts in silence. It could be reading scripture. Whatever it is, that's your thing. Number four is take one action toward your future. What can you do today, even if it's super small, that can benefit your future? Something you can do that your future self would thank you for. And number five is do one thing that restores order in your life. What does that look like? Maybe it's cleaning your home. Sometimes that's what you need to, to do to restore order in your life. Sometimes it's making that one phone call. Sometimes it's signing up for that personal trainer. Sometimes it's getting coaching, right? So shameless plug, and, uh, you guys already know, uh, pits, quick pit stop. I do complimentary coaching sessions with our community. So even if you're in a season where you can use some complimentary coaching, um, I offer a certain amount of slots every single week. DM me the word coach if that is the case for you. I love gathering with you guys one-on-one, just kinda seeing what you're up to, helping you on your journeys. So back to regular scheduled programming. Now, you do not think your way back into confidence. You prove your way back into confidence. That's what it's about. Again, building that self-trust. Next, we have You must stop needing people to understand the process. This is big, right? Because when you are in your comeback season, not everyone will understand what you are doing. Some people may still judge you based on your setback. Some people may doubt you. Some people may think that you are finished. Some people may not believe your vision anymore, right? And that's okay. And this is important because, uh, sometimes, for example, you may have not only let yourself down, but you may have let-- You know, maybe you let your spouse down, maybe you let your kids down, maybe those who were depending on you. You've had a really difficult season, and you let a lot of people down, and you have to start with just proving to yourself. And then with those little steps, you can rebuild that trust not only with yourself, but with also people who once believed in you. Some people only believe what they can see, so it's important to not waste energy explaining what is still being formed. Again, just sometimes it's just being quiet. Sometimes it's not publicly announcing everything. It's funny how people will go on social media and just talk about what they're about to do. Just do it. Just do it. The world doesn't need to know. And quite frankly, most don't even care, right? So just do what you say you're, you're going to do to yourself. Whatever you're telling yourself that you're gonna do, just do it. Because your job is obedience, not explanation. Some people will only understand after the fruit shows. And you have to be okay with being underestimated for a season. So here's a great takeaway. Stop trying to convince people of a version of you that you have not finished becoming yet. So, uh, you know, I, I get around people all the time as well that just talk about that, that version that maybe they aspire, uh, to be like, right? And again, just work on your character and let your results speak for you. That's the biggest thing. Next we have the comeback requires a different environment. Sometimes your comeback requires a new environment or at least a new relationship with your current environment. So for example, you may need to change what you consume, what you listen to, where you spend your time, what you tolerate, what you watch, what you eat, right? It could be what conversations you entertain or what habits you normalize Remember, your environment can either pull you back into the old version of yourself or support the version you are becoming. Really great takeaways here. Now, you cannot heal in the same patterns that wounded you. You cannot build a new identity while feeding the old one. Environment is not just physical, it's mental, it's emotional, digital, and spiritual. Think about when was the last time you thought about your environment as your digital environment? What it is that you consume from the news that you may watch that's, like, very negative news, fear-based news, or, or sometimes it's just the certain, certain content that you're consuming on social media. But your digital environment is such a big part of it. Your phone is an environment, your friend group is an environment, your home is an environment. And think about this. Even your self-talk is an environment. The place where we live the most is in our heads. When you really think about it, you spend more time with you than anyone else in the world. And how do you nurture that self-talk? Because that is a big part of your environment. And if you are serious about your comeback, you have to stop giving your old life unlimited access to your new mind. Really powerful. There's so many gems here. If you guys are getting value so far, drop a V for value. So many gems, uh, in today's episode. Next, we have the comeback will test your patience. This is a big, big part of it because I know for me, you know, and it's interesting, God usually will give you opportunities to develop the areas of your life that you're possibly praying to improve. So if you're praying, for example, for, for more patience, you're probably gonna be tested with your patience. I remember when I got started in my first business, uh, you couldn't tell me that I wasn't gonna be making millions year one I, I thought I was gonna shoot straight to the top, and it took almost seven years to get to where I ultimately wanted to be in the business. Almost seven years. And I remember in my, in my younger years, I was just a lot more impatient. I, I, I wanted everything right, right then and there. And it's, it's so important to not have that microwave mentality because things that are ultimately great take time. It requires patience, right? And this is where most people quit So they start the comeback, but then they get frustrated because results aren't showing up fast enough. They work out for two weeks, right? And they don't see the body yet. They post content for one month, and they don't see the followers yet. They start the business again and do not see the money yet. They start praying again and do not feel different yet. They start healing and still get triggered. Hello. How many of you have been there? I have. They start changing and still have bad days, but that does not mean it's not working. This is, this is so, so important because, I mean, how many times have you said you were gonna change your circumstances? And maybe you're, like, on a three-day streak, and you have that one moment where you get out of character, and, like, you're beating up on yourself. But that one moment, you can't allow a bad moment to create a bad day, a bad day to create a bad month, a bad month to create a bad year. You, you have to recognize in that moment that, "You know what? I'm human. I'm gonna have my moments." And you have to extend grace to yourself. This is a big part of the process. Now, remember, progress is often delayed, right? You are not behind. You are building foundation. It's like a building. When you walk by, let's just say, the development of a building or skyscraper, typically, the foundation process is the longest, arduous process, and sometimes it don't-- it may al- also look like this building is never going to be erected. It's like, "What is going on? This has been, you know, a hole in the ground for two or three years." And then all of a sudden, within a matter of weeks or months, things just get built so fast because the foundation is ultimately the longest process. And you don't, you don't quit in the invisible stage. That is where the foundation is being built, okay? Now, remember, you are not behind. You are building foundation. Patience is part of maturity, and consistency is the bridge between decision and transformation Next we have you need to become proud of yourself again. This is a big one. I remember a mentor of mine in business, he, he had, had accomplished some major, major things after taking a lot of years just off. A lot of years of not being himself, a lot of years of not producing the results that he was known for producing. And I remember him sharing on stage, and it was such a huge takeaway from me. He said, "I just wanted to feel proud of myself again." And I remember thinking that, thinking to myself, like, "Wow," like how powerful is, is that? When was the last time you genuinely felt proud of yourself? When was the last time you even just were like, "You know what? Like, today I'm, I'm really proud of how I showed up today." And I remember when I went on my last, uh, business launch, you know, I remember that was, that was the idea. It was I wanted to go to bed every single night proud of myself, that I did everything that I possibly could to change my circumstances. So sometimes it's that. It's just, you know, you becoming proud of yourself again. Because a comeback is not just about impressing other people. It's about being proud of yourself. You don't need other people to necessarily be proud of you, right? Are you proud of yourself? There's a kind of pain that comes from knowing you are not living at your standard. There is a kind of heaviness that comes from knowing you have been out of alignment, but there is also a powerful feeling that comes when you start respecting yourself again. Not because everything is perfect, because you genuinely know that you're showing up for yourself and showing up for the people that you love. Remember, pride in effort matters. You need to respect the version of you that kept going. Stop waiting until the final result to honor your progress. Celebrate effort, discipline, courage, and resilience. Being proud of yourself is not arrogance. It is alignment. That's the biggest thing. Now, sometimes the first victory is being able to look in the mirror and say again, "I'm proud of you for not giving up." Very powerful Next we have faith is built in the unseen season. Faith is built in the unseen season. I know for me on my journey, one thing that I can tell you, and I don't even know like how people like are not faith-based being entrepreneurs because it, it really does require a lot of faith, right? Not, not only faith that things are gonna work out, faith in your financial vehicle or your business or your dream, but also faith in yourself. Faith in yourself that you're, you're going to show up for you. You're going to show up for your dreams. You're going to show up for the people that you love. And faith is easy when evidence is obvious, but real faith is built when you are moving without seeing everything yet. Faith is when you keep planting even when the field looks empty. Faith is when you keep praying when nothing has changed. Faith is when you keep walking when you do not know how it will work out. Faith is when you believe the story is not over when the current chapter hurts. So remember, hidden seasons are not wasted seasons. Preparation often feels like delay. Faith means trusting what is being built before it is revealed, and your job is to keep showing up with obedience. So just because you can't see what God is doing does not mean that nothing is happening. Really powerful takeaway. Next we have the comeback is not about returning to who you were. A real comeback is about becoming, right, who-- Or, or not about becoming who you used to be, it's about becoming someone wiser, stronger, more resilient, deeper, more grounded, more faithful, more disciplined, and more aligned. Sometimes people say, "I just want to get back to the old me." How many times have you guys heard that? Like, "I just wanna get back to, to like the old me." But that's not what it's about because maybe the old you isn't the goal Right? Maybe the old you is what got you here in the first place. Uh, when, when I had originally read through, through, you know, today's content, you know, I was thinking about that. Like, how much we fail to recognize the fact that the old us is what really got us to where we are, and it's not about going back to that, right? Maybe the new you is being born through this. So you don't wanna romanticize the old version of yourself. The comeback is not a rewind, it is a rebirth. Powerful. The goal is not to return, but to rise. The new version has more wisdom. The new version has better boundaries. The new version has deeper faith. The n- the new version has clearer standards. Remember, the comeback is not about getting back to who you were, it is about becoming who the pressure was trying to produce. Okay? So, you know, one of the things that, that come to mind on my, on my personal journey, you know, especially, uh, through entrepreneurship, through being a father, being a husband, being a community leader, being a podcaster, uh, so many different just titles that I, that I wear, so many hats that I wear, uh, faith has been like a big, big part of it. Like really, you know, praying, meditating. You guys already know I always say for me, prayer is speaking to God, meditation is listening to God, and that's been a big part of the process, building up your faith. And sometimes building up your faith is, is also asking yourself the right questions. Like, "Why can I do this? Why can this work?" Why will I get to the other side? Sometimes it's looking back at your history with God and recognizing that, you know what? I got a lot of history with God, and I've, I've done this before. I know I can do it again. And there have been countless times, like I, I remember just even moments like where I was down and out. And sometimes in those moments, the most beautiful opportunities are born. Like my company, Dream Nation Media, came at a season of my life where I genuinely needed to just change some things. I needed to shake some things up. And in a state of despair, I was like, you know what? I could either sit here and feel sorry for myself, or I can stand up, dust myself off, and rise and, and do what it is that I need to do to really change my circumstances. Now, I wanted to, uh, add in some reflection questions in here for you guys, and, uh, really powerful. Here are five really good reflection questions. The very first one is where in your life are you already in a comeback but you have not given yourself credit yet? So maybe you're in a comeback with your health, but you haven't really given yourself credit. You haven't even allowed yourself to process like, "Wow, I really have been making progress here." Maybe it could be with your finances, maybe it could be with your boundaries, your relationships, whatever it is. But where in your life are you already in a comeback, right? Now, what private battles, this is the second question, what private battles are you fighting right now that nobody else can see? It may be financial, which for most people that may be the case. It may be maybe you're in the, the middle of possibly going through a divorce, and nobody can see it, and it's like things that are going on behind the scenes. Next we have number three. What is one small promise you need to start keeping to yourself again? It's one small promise. Maybe it's, it's to never allow other people to just treat you a certain type of way. Never allow yourself to revert back to those addictions or those environments. Number four is what part of your old identity are you being invited to leave behind? Powerful. And last question is, what evidence do you already have that you are not who you used to be? Really good. So those are the five reflection questions, and next we have a really great framework, the seven signs your comeback has already started. So maybe your comeback has started and you didn't even realize. Like, maybe you've made a comeback in a lot of different areas and, and just haven't really thought of it as a comeback, right? So for example, uh, number one, you may be in a situation where you're no longer comfortable with old patterns. You're just like, "You know what? That was the old me. I'm, I'm not..." Like, you, you've reached your day of disgust, and you know in your heart and soul that you're not going back to that. I know for me it was, uh, moments where, um, I, I let's say I, I wouldn't be locked in or I'd have too many distractions and, and not really putting in the time that I needed to put in with, with, with business, for example, or things that I, that I know had to be done for the day, and I allowed distractions to kinda get in the way. Or sometimes it's entertaining, things that aren't a hell yes. And my philosophy as you guys hear me oftentimes say, "If it ain't a hell yes, it should be a hell no." That's like one of the best things that you can do. Build your no muscle. Get comfortable with telling people no. It's okay, right? People will start to respect you for really setting certain standards for yourself, right? And, and no longer engaging in things that don't serve you. Next, number two is you are becoming more honest with yourself. That's a big one. You're not selling yourself on that BS anymore, that BS being belief systems, right? You, you've gotta stop selling yourself on your BS. You're not blaming everyone else, right? You're taking ownership of where you are. Number three is you are craving discipline again. That's a big one. I know for me it, it's, it's interesting. I'm not sure how many of you guys can relate to this. Maybe you could drop, drop a, a, a one in the comments if you can relate to craving discipline. Have you ever... Like I, I, it, it typically for me it happens where maybe I'm on vacation and I'm just living my best life, and I feel like I'm neglecting my dreams. I'm neglecting my routine, and I actually miss my routine. Have, have any of you ever had that moment where you just genuinely miss discipline, you miss your routine? There's something about just having structure in your life that, that brings a sense of order. It's like perceived control in a sense, and perceived control leads to happiness Next we have, uh, remember something in you wants structure, order, focus, and momentum. There's that deep n- that deep knowing that that's what you need. Number four is you are choosing silence over proving yourself. This is major too, right? You don't need to announce every move. You are learning to build quietly. That's a big one. Like, when you no longer need the validation, when you're not doing it for other people, you're just doing what's best for you and maybe your family. Okay, number five is you are starting to protect your energy. I know that there's a lot of you who can relate to this. Maybe you were in toxic relationships. Maybe you were hanging out with people who didn't wanna grow, people who are stagnant, people who are negative, gossiping, complaining, always talking about other people, and you've gotta protect your energy. Who are those energy vampires in your life? Sometimes, again, you have to love them at a distance. You are more careful with people, content, environments, and conversations. Number six is you are taking small actions again. Okay, even if they aren't perfect, you're still moving forward. Okay? So those small actions, those daily disciplines, those, those daily wins. And number seven is you are starting to believe again. It's a beautiful place to be when you genuinely are back to having hope. Remember, hope is a weapon. When you have hope, it's like you, you have so much working in your favor just by having hope. If you wanna be an amazing leader, for example, uh, I, I love the saying that a leader is someone who can bring certainty to an environment where there is none. But I would go as far to say a leader is someone who can bring certainty and hope to an environment where there is none. Not fully, not every day, but enough to keep going. That's the biggest takeaway. So remember, if any of those signs are present in your life, you need to understand something. Your comeback has already started. It's already started. It doesn't have to be this cataclysmic event, right, something that was super dramatic to, to be a comeback. It can just be those little subtle things that are signs. They're whispers on the wind, if you will, that change is happening and you're on the, you're on the brink of a new era in your life, a new season, a new chapter Next, we have the private comeback blueprint. Really great framework as well. Step one, when it comes to the private comeback blueprint, restore your spirit. So before strategy, restore your spirit. This could be, I mean, prayer, meditation, maybe it's going to church or a synagogue or, or a mosque, whatever's your thing, right? A place of worship. It can be just going into silence, nature, breathwork, or just an honest conversation with your creator, right? So you wanna ask, what is this season trying to teach me? What is this season trying to teach me? I know for me and the, the most difficult seasons, the, the biggest takeaways, and I'm sure a lot of you guys can relate to this, the, the biggest lessons, the biggest takeaways were often around resilience. It was often around maybe changing certain habits. It was often the wisdom that I accumulated, the belief that I could prevail, I can overcome, I can figure it out, the resourcefulness. Those were some of the greatest things that were cultivated in those very difficult seasons. And sometimes those seasons from, from my personal experience, uh, what they taught me was like in like very valuable business lessons. Like I, I was, I was sharing with, uh, two of my boys, I was having lunch with, uh, two really good friends of mine yesterday, and I was mentioning the, the business lessons that I had learned in the winter season. And one of those business lessons was to always stay in lead generation mode. So I had realized in business when things were good, I'd kinda slow down on landing new business. I'd kinda lose that scrappiness. I'd lose that, that hustle. And if there's anything that I know that I'll do different for the rest of my career, it's always staying in lead generation mode, always looking for new business, always looking for new opportunities, never allowing myself to get complacent because things are good. Really big takeaway. Step two is restore your body. Your body carries the stress of the setback Really big takeaway. So you wanna move, walk, stretch, breathe, sweat, hydrate, whatever it is, sleep. And, and self-care, as you guys oftentimes hear me say, is the best care. You have to take care of your self-care. You don't need to become extreme. You need to become consistent when it comes to your health. Step three, restore your environment, right? That may be cleaning your space or organizing your, your working environment. Maybe it's clearing your phone, reducing noise, removing distractions. Order outside Of, of you creates order inside of you, right? You guys hear me mention all the time i- if, you know, the African proverb, if there's no enemy within, the enemy outside can cause us no harm. And that, that enemy within, sometimes it's just the clutter. It's not even, like, what you're going on mentally or emotionally. It's just your, your inner world. Like, if the world saw your home, for example, like, what would they think, right? Sometimes that, that cluttered home is a cluttered mind. That cluttered mind is a cluttered life. So you have to declutter. You have to just get yourself organized again, okay? Now, number four is restore your self-trust. As we mentioned earlier, pick small promises and keep them. Think about three things that you can do today, small promises that you can make to yourself. So maybe that small promise is, you know what? I'm gonna get in the gym. You know what? I'm gonna reach out to that prospect or that, that potential customer, right? I'm going to cancel that subscription so I can save more money. Whatever it is. Like, you know, um, I'm going to book that trip. But what are, like, small promises that you can keep to yourself? Now, do not start with a giant life overhaul. Start with daily evidence, little things, little promises that you make to yourself. Step five, restore your vision. This is a powerful one. Sometimes you gotta get back immersed in the dream. Sometimes that's what it looks like. It's just like going back to the basics. For those of you who've been in personal development for a while, sometimes we lose the, the, the, the fundamentals. We lose sight of the fundamentals. I love the, the old Vince Lombardi story of how he would start with every single season. He would walk up to his players and hold up a football and say, "Gentlemen, this is a football." That's how he started every single season, and it was, it was symbolic for going back to the basics because we get so caught up in the mundane. We, we major in the minors, and sometimes it's just the fundamentals that really matter more than anything, right? So restoring your vision can be a big part of it, and a setback can make your future really, really blurry, right? You need to remember where you are going. Okay? Write the vision again. And, and for me, sometimes it's like going back to the vision board. Sometimes it's writing out my goals, right? The, like, the basic things. Sometimes it's going back to affirmations. What do you have to go back to when it comes to personal development? Maybe things that you've done years ago that worked for you in that season, and going back to the basics. I've been reading the book Awaken the Giant Within. Uh, Tony Robbins had released a, I, I believe it was the 35th ann- uh, 35th year anniversary, and he put a bunch of new content in, in the, the, the newly revised book. But it's so incredible to go back to something that I've read, concepts that I've gone through over the years, and genuinely like, wow, like, these are things that I already know, but sometimes they hit you in different ways, in different seasons, and, and it sticks in, in a way that it probably didn't stick before. Or maybe you stopped doing it, and just going back to the basics is everything. Sometimes it's not about reading 100 books. Sometimes it's about reading one book 100 times because it's the fundamentals. That's ultimately what you need. I remember, uh, when I, when I was first starting out in my entrepreneurial journey, like, I had read through hundreds of books, and I noticed that a lot of the books were just becoming repetitive. And these days... Like, during those days, I, I, I would, like, take a lot of pride in the idea of reading hundreds of books. These days, it's more about how can I read this one book and really master the principles and the fundamentals in this one book? And I can assure you, sometimes all you need is that one book and, and just focus on what's in that book as opposed to reading every new thing that comes out. Okay? Because success is fundamental. Step six is restore your execution. So take action before you feel fully ready. Sometimes it's the idea of fire, then aim, right? Like, some people wanna aim and then shoot. Sometimes you just gotta shoot and then aim while you're shooting. Okay? Make the call. Record the episode. Post the content. Apply for the opportunity. Build the offer. Have the conversation. Start the plan. Whatever it is for you, but take some kind of action. Step seven is restore your faith. Big part of it, right? How many, how many times we just get so overwhelmed with life, we get so inundated with, with the fact that life is lifing for us, bills are billing, and you lose sight of your faith. You, you, you kinda get disconnected from God. And if there's anything beautiful about very dark seasons is the fact that oftentimes people are led to their faith, right? They're more spiritual than they have been in a while. And, and that's one of the best ways to maximize a really, really tough season, right? So believe that this chapter is not the conclusion. You may be in the middle of the story, but you're most certainly not at the end Okay, now next we have, and I know this is a lot of value, but this is really great, great... These are great takeaways, and I'm, you know, as much as I'm sharing all of this information with you guys, it's also reassurance for me. You know, I- I always love going back and listening to the recordings of these Breakfast Club sessions because, um, it- they help me with my own life. And what, what's great about it is when you teach these concepts, when you teach these principles, what you vocalize, you ultimately internalize. So if you really wanna process information, if you want to assimilate something, like, teach it, teach it. That- that's the best way you can actually learn, uh, uh, concepts and, and have them stick. Next, what people misunderstand about comebacks. So people think comebacks, for example, are loud. They may, uh, you know, uh, they may, they may forget the fact that most comebacks are actually quiet at first, right? They may think that comebacks are even dramatic, but most are built through boring consistency. You may think that comebacks have to happen, let's just say, when life changes, right? But most comebacks happen when you change, not necessarily life, right? Um, now, you may think that a comeback is about proving others wrong. That's a big one, right? Like, "I'm gonna, I'm gonna get my revenge through massive success or prove this person wrong." And it can work, but the deepest comeback is proving to yourself that you did not abandon yourself. Because it's so easy to get caught up in your feelings and really just, you know, wanting to show the world that, that they were wrong, and that can only take you so far. It's, it's so much more powerful where you don't abandon yourself or your values or what you stand for, right? And you're just proving to yourself it's not about other people. It's about proving to yourself, right, that you can do it. People think comebacks are about getting attention again sometimes, as crazy as that sounds, but true comebacks are, are about getting alignment again. It's about being in alignment. That's the biggest thing. So the comeback is not about showing them. The comeback is about becoming you again, but a wiser, more resilient, more patient version of you Powerful. Next, the emotional side of the comeback. So when it comes to just comebacks in general, you have to understand that there are moments where it feels confusing. Sometimes you may be healing and still hurting. Sometimes you can be growing and still grieving. You can be disciplined and still doubtful. You can be grateful and still tired. You can have faith and still feel fear. You can be making progress and still have days where you feel like you're behind, but that doesn't mean that you're failing. That means that you are human. Give yourself grace. If there's any takeaway that is probably one of the most powerful takeaways today is just to be kind to yourself. It's a big part of it. We're human. We- we're-- You, you should be allowed to make mistakes, to fall down and pick yourself back up, no matter how many times it takes, right? Do not mistake emotional waves for a lack of progress, right? This is a big, big part of it because sometimes we beat up on ourselves. We're like, "Man, like I keep reverting back, you know, to who I was," or, "I, I, I keep going back to those habits, go- going back to that environment." Listen, s- just take it by the day. Sometimes it's just taking it by the day and making those adjustments. Give yourself permission to reset every single day. Now, as we get ready to bring the plane in for a landing- A few more, uh, takeaways. Why you cannot rush the unseen season, right? Some seasons can't be rushed because they're not changing your circumstances. They are changing your capacity. It's a big, big takeaway because you guys will oftentimes hear me talk about success is based on, like, your capacity, how much capacity do you have, or your responsibility, right? Like, like your responsibility being your ability to respond. What is your capacity for responsibility? Okay? So you're learning, for example, how to carry pressure, how to regulate emotions. This is a big part of it. I remember when I first started encountering just financial setbacks for the first time in my adult life, like it was a shock to my nervous system. Like what the hell is going on? I don't like this. And it was important for me to go through that. I had to like be humbled and learn those lessons and, and learn how to just navigate through those ver- really difficult, uncertain moments, okay? Carrying the pressure, how to trust God even more. In my moments of despair, I'm telling you, like there, there have been so many moments where I've had to lean on God because that was all I had. Like when you can no longer trust yourself, sometimes it's like, "All right, God, you take the, you take the wheel. I... Like I cannot do this on my, on my own." Right? Ha- I, I don't know how many of you have been through that, but it's, it's, it's, it's no joke when you find yourself in those moments where you just know like there's... You don't have it in you. You don't have the bandwidth, the capacity and it's like all you're left with is just, "God, you take the, you take the wheel from here." Okay? Sometimes you're learning how to lead yourself, how to s- stop self-sabotaging, how to make better decisions, how to protect your peace, and how to stay disciplined without the applause. I re- I remember on my journey, in the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, like it was all about the glory. It was about being on stages and, and being loved and, and valued by thousands of people all around the world. Then I got to a point where I had that. I was speaking on stages in front of tens of thousands of people. I was having the influence and then It, it, it got to a point where it no longer drove me It wasn't about that anymore Sometimes there are seasons of your life where it's not about the glory, it's not about just the, the status or anything. It, it's about the peace. It's about financial stability. It's about taking care of your family. It's about taking care of your health. It's about your relationship with God. Sometimes that's, that's... Those are the greatest seasons, right? Where you, you start to get centered on what truly matters. What are, what are the best priorities to have, right? That's what it's about. Because you can't microwave character. You've gotta go through the process, and your character, part of it is really getting rooted in what truly matters. Like, think about the idea of authenticity. You guys hear me oftentimes talk about how authenticity is the highest expression of self-love. Sometimes it's about taking off the mask, being authentically who you wanna be, redefining what success means to you. I know for me, initially, when I was growing up, you know, being a type A alpha type of personality, it was about the flashy stuff. It was about the material stuff. And then you get to a place where it's like, "Nah, it's about peace. It's about, it's about stability," right? "It's about making my family feel safe. It's about me being in alignment," right? With what I'm here to do. It's about service to the many. That, that's what it's about, right? So remember, if God gave you the platform or, um, if God gave you the platform before he built the foundation, the weight of it might crush you. It's a very powerful takeaway. Sometimes you, you have to, again, build the very foundation, right? That's, that's the biggest part of the process so that you can, right? The deeper you go with the foundation, the higher you can go up, right? And your attitude will determine your altitude in life, and attitude is built through those character-building seasons Now, before we wrap up your comeback, remember this may offend some people who benefited from your brokenness. This is powerful, powerful, powerful. Think about that for a second. How many people in your life, or even think about the, the very difficult season that you were in, how many people benefited from your brokenness? How many people benefited from you engaging in the turn-ups or the toxic behavior, or engaging in the addictions, right? And, and partying and blowing through money, things that were leading you down a path of self-sabotage. How many people benefited from that? From the companionship? Remember, misery loves company, and they just want you around, and they want you to around because you kind of validate it. You, you kind of help them mask the pain of, of changing their circumstances, right? And your comeback may very well offend those people. Sometimes when you start coming back, not everyone celebrates. Some people liked you more when you were unsure of yourself. Some people preferred you when you were available for their drama. Some people were comfortable with the version of you that had no boundaries Hello. How many of you can relate to that? How many of you have been through that? I most certainly have as well. Right? Sometimes people will just, you know, they'll, they'll, they'll think like, "Oh, you know, you're a life coach, you're into all this personal development and stuff," and, and, you know, fail to realize that we're also human too. Like, we fall victim to th- these seasons or, or these, these chapters of our lives as well. And when you start rising, your growth may expose their comfort with your old identity, right? I remember a, a good friend of mine, he was on stage just kind- uh, he was, he was, uh, doing a training on stage, and he had mentioned that he wanted his friends to feel very uncomfortable with his growth. Like, he was intentional about that because he understood that he had to put the mirror in front of their face. Like, they had to see that he was, like, going to the next level. And sometimes it looks like that. It's the idea that you either have to change your friends or change your friends, and some people are not going to be ready for that change, and that's okay. You love them where they are. You meet them where they are, but you can't allow them to pull you back. I remember my mentor would oftentimes talk about the land of the common man and how so many people, when they see you, like, it's like being, being on a, on an island, and maybe there's a bridge to go to the promised land. And the island, you know, may be the land of the common man, right? And you're off to the promised land, and there are moments in your life where those people who are in the land of the common man will be calling you back. You know, "Come hang out, come chill, you know, come vibe, come have some drinks," right? And you're looking back and it's like, you've gotta get to a point, again, where you make that decision, decision meaning to cut off or to kill off any other possibility, right? And there will be those moments where as much as people try reeling you back to the land of the common man, you have to burn that bridge. And say never again. I'm not going back, right? I am not... You guys now have to take a little boat to the promised land because I'm burning this bridge, and I'm not coming back, right? You have to get to that point where you're just so dissatisfied, right? I, I oftentimes, uh, refer back to the words of Jim Rohn, when you're so disgusted with how you've been living, where you're just like, never again. Okay? So when you start rising again, your, your, your growth may expose your friend's comfort with their old identity. So, um, not everyone is gonna clap when you heal. Your boundaries may disappoint people who, who, uh, who ultimately benefited, right, from your lack of them. Your discipline may make others feel uncomfortable. Your comeback may actually require separation. So you don't wanna shrink to make other people comfortable. There's nothing that's gonna help your friends and family elevate by you just shrinking, okay? And remember, never apologize for becoming the version of yourself you prayed to become. There's no need to apologize for that. So the comeback requires both grace and standards. This is important because some people are too hard on themselves. Others are too soft on themselves. The comeback requires, again, both grace and standards, and grace says, "I'm human, I'm healing, I am learning, and I'm allowed to begin again." The standards say, "I am not going to keep using my pain as an excuse to stay the same." Grace helps you get back up. Standards keep you from lying down. How powerful is that? So a really great takeaway is to give yourself grace, but do not give your excuses leadership over your life. Really great, powerful line. So give yourself grace, but do not give your excuses leadership over your life. So as we get ready to wrap up, and by the way, if you guys have been getting value, drop a V for value in the comments. Appreciate all the love and the engagement from you guys who comment. It definitely helps. And don't forget to like, comment, share, tag, subscribe to the YouTube channel if you haven't already. Appreciate all the love. It's what keeps me doing this after so many years of, of doing "The Breakfast Club." And as we wrap up here, remember, the comeback is a daily vote. Every day you're voting. You vote with what you eat, what you watch, how you spend your mornings, the conversations that you entertain, whether you keep your word. You, you vote with whether you take action or avoid it. You vote whether you choose faith or fear, or you're voting for your comeback, or you're voting for your old pattern Right? So you kn- you don't ultimately, you know, you, you don't wanna make this, this heavier than what it needs to be, right? Because it is empowering to really vote for your future, right? You do not need to change your whole life today. You just need to cast the right vote today. That's the biggest thing. So as we close out, remember, um, I-- there's so many amazing takeaways, and I encourage you guys to go back to this episode as many times as you need to. There was a lot of great shares, and I just wanted to give you guys a closing challenge to walk away with. So the closing challenge is this: for the next seven days, I want you to build a private winning streak, right? Don't post it, don't announce it, don't look for the applause. Just pick three promises that you are going to keep to yourself every single day starting today. What are those three promises for you? Maybe you drop them in the comments. Three things that you can do. So, for example, I didn't work out yesterday, and over the last week I've only put in maybe three workouts in, so I'm like, "All right, I need to work out today." That's my promise for today. Another promise, there's other things that I gotta do business-wise, you know, that I'm gonna make to myself, but what are your promises that you're going to keep for yourself today? It could be one promise for your body, one promise for your mind, one promise for your future. Like, it could be a, a good book, whatever it is, right? Maybe it's a 20-minute walk or 10 pages of reading and one courageous act towards your goals, right? But seven days, quietly, privately, consistently, because the comeback starts before anyone can see it, okay? So don't quit because they can't see it yet. Do not quit because the results have not caught up yet. Do not quit because the evidence is still forming. You wanna keep showing up, keep praying, keep building, keep becoming, right? Because one day people will call it overnight success, but you will know the truth. You were being rebuilt in private the whole time. So my closing words are this: the comeback does not begin when people notice. The comeback begins when you decide that you are not done. Ladies and gentlemen, breakfast is served. God bless every last one of you. I'll be seeing you next week. If you got value, once again, drop a comment, like, comment, share, tag, all of that good stuff. And, um, if you would like a complimentary coaching session with me one-on-one, uh, just DM me the word coach, and I'll send you over my booking link. And till next time, take care, and I'll be seeing you all soon.