Stop Searching for Yourself — and Start Choosing Who You Want to Be - with Hussein Hallak Artwork

Joyfully You

Welcome to Joyfully You!

Think of this as your personal jungle gym where we get to playfully explore how to learn to love our lives from the inside out. The essence of everything we talk about here is:

How do we find joy along the journey that is this life?

How do we laugh alongside the big feels as we become our authentic selves?

Some days we’ll get raw and vulnerable, others we’ll laugh till we pee our pants. We welcome all of it here.

Come on in, get inspired to believe in yourself.

And leave feeling empowered with new perspectives and tools to actually understand how to create that change moving forward. And of course we’ll have a groovy time giggling our way through it all.

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Joyfully You

Stop Searching for Yourself — and Start Choosing Who You Want to Be - with Hussein Hallak

November 06, 2025 • Amy Dickens • Season 2 • Episode 22

Today I get to chat with Hussein Hallak — an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, and builder of communities who’s mastered the art of embracing failure, uncertainty, and play as paths to real growth.

This convo cracked my brain open in the best way. Hussein shares why joy isn’t the absence of pain and what it means to choose who you are instead of endlessly searching for yourself.

We dive deep into:
* What a choice really is — and how freedom plays into it
* The truth about failure (and why it’s your greatest teacher)
* How to know what you actually want in life
* Why “toxic individualism” keeps us disconnected
* And how to find joy — even when life feels messy

You’ll walk away remembering that joy isn’t found in perfect moments... it’s something you can create anywhere, anytime.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, afraid to fail, or unsure of your next move — this one will light you up.
Listen, laugh, and rediscover your power to choose your life.

Stay connected with Hussein:

https://www.husseinhallak.com/

Grab Hussein’s book “The Dark Art of Life Mastery”
https://husseinhallak.kit.com/products/dalm-book

Stay connected with me! Check out these links below.

Website: https://www.livejoyfullyou.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamydickens/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theamydickens

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theamydickens

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CE0VrhEkvi9O5w2WhabDd

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joyfully-you/id1727864750

Joyfully You with Hussein Hallak Amy (00:00:06):

Hello, hello everyone, welcome to Joyful you.
I'm your host Amy Dickens, and today I'm having Hussein here with me.

Someone who has had all kinds of hats on entrepreneurial, a writer who just wrote a book that's amazing, speaker, building of communities, lover of creativity.

I was just so excited to hear him reach out to me and would really excited me most was how he Embraces failure and uncertainty.

And like kind of play is all of these like paths to Mastery of your life?
And I can't wait to hear all of your perspectives on taking courageous choices in life.

And today, we're going to get all into how to navigate uncertainty and turning challenges into the opportunities.

In building a life with purpose,
so that you can all lead to a life that you love and live joyfully. So, so excited to have you here.

Hussein (00:00:59):

Thank you, that's an awesome introduction, very energetic. I'm looking forward to talking to you, Amy.

Amy (00:01:04):

A quick little chat before that sounds like I like your Vibe?

Hussein (00:01:09):

thank

Amy (00:01:09):

I'm really

Hussein (00:01:10):

you similar

Amy (00:01:10):

excited

Hussein (00:01:10):

similar

Amy (00:01:11):

for

Hussein (00:01:11):

feeling

Amy (00:01:12):

This sweet, all right?
So I just want to give you the floor of.
When someone asks you, like, what you do, what feels most alive for you? To answer that right now?
Like, What is this human?

Hussein (00:01:23):

You know, I'm still trying to answer that question for my mom.

When she asks, it's like, Okay, I get it like you, I heard what you said, but what is it that you do?

So, I I think what I'm landing right now is I'm a transformation agent and I've always been one.

In a way.

I like to think of myself that when you meet me, or one way, if you leave, you're another.

And it's really about transforming people to become who they really want to be in our lives.

We, we are asked to be different people when we're younger, you know, we, we want.

I wanted to become an engineer and a doctor, because that's what was appreciated in my culture.

In Syria, you're either engineer or doctor, or nothing.

Everything else, like, is kind of love together, okay, so you don't do anything or you can't make money.

So,

and I became many things, I pursued many things, many dreams that I wanted, and I found that that I.

I love each and every one of them.
And in different ways, and some might pursued continuously and some. I left, and I noticed that people love that as well.
And and that's that's why I decided became to be.
And that translates into entrepreneur, writer, and and also mentor.

Amy (00:02:43):

I love that, that's so beautiful. Answer that question

Hussein (00:02:46):

Thank you.

Amy (00:02:47):

A journey to, like, kind of, I think, get a little more fully-fledged idea in a snippet of Who are you we talking to?

Okay, so I got to read at least like half of the book that you wrote before this, and it was so creative first of all, like for the listeners, like, definitely go check it out.

It's called The Dark Art of Life Mastery.

And I was just like, Well, I love how just uniquely creative, it's just like off the back, like outside of even the content.

I was like, Oh, this is like so uniquely inspired.

And there's like pictures, and it's like Poetic, and it's beautiful, and it's easy to read and accessible.

And I think you're like, it was genius, cuz I'm like, people today don't read like giant ass books anymore, really, you know, like a lot of people, like, yes, wanted.

Hussein (00:03:40):

that's

Amy (00:03:40):

to ask

Hussein (00:03:40):

awesome

Amy (00:03:41):

you?

Hussein (00:03:41):

thank?

Amy (00:03:41):

what?

Hussein (00:03:41):

you?

Amy (00:03:42):

Is Life Mastery mean to you?

Hussein (00:03:46):

Life Mastery?

Is going through life with, I would say, full intention to live, to live, to live it to the max on,

I would say, completely released from the whatever I would say pressures that are that are demanded on you.

We go through life with many pressures and many demands on us to be something. And I think we Master life when we pursue many of our own choices,
so we're driven by what, what we want from inside,

rather.

Amy (00:04:15):

oh,

Hussein (00:04:15):

than

Amy (00:04:16):

yeah?

Hussein (00:04:16):

Let's say who we are.

Amy (00:04:17):

Hussein (00:04:17):

asked

Amy (00:04:17):

love?

Hussein (00:04:18):

to be and I think?

Amy (00:04:18):

that

Hussein (00:04:19):

that's that's

Amy (00:04:20):

it's

Hussein (00:04:20):

when you achieve?

Amy (00:04:21):

Hussein (00:04:21):

Life? Mastery? And

Amy (00:04:22):

Hussein (00:04:22):

it's

Amy (00:04:22):

feel

Hussein (00:04:23):

a dance. It's never.

Amy (00:04:24):

Hussein (00:04:24):

a stable

Amy (00:04:24):

beautifully

Hussein (00:04:25):

kind of thing a lot of people want want a very.

Amy (00:04:27):

sad

Hussein (00:04:28):

certain

Amy (00:04:28):

and

Hussein (00:04:28):

Defined Life

Amy (00:04:29):

Hussein (00:04:29):

that

Amy (00:04:30):

always

Hussein (00:04:30):

This is my life and like.

Amy (00:04:31):

call

Hussein (00:04:31):

everyday is the same?

Amy (00:04:33):

Hussein (00:04:33):

They think they

Amy (00:04:34):

living

Hussein (00:04:34):

want that, but then we want

Amy (00:04:36):

life

Hussein (00:04:36):

variety so I I

Amy (00:04:37):

without

Hussein (00:04:37):

Think of life master as a dance.

Amy (00:04:39):

the

Hussein (00:04:39):

between making

Amy (00:04:40):

shoulds

Hussein (00:04:40):

the choices that you really?

Amy (00:04:42):

you?

Hussein (00:04:42):

want and

Amy (00:04:43):

know

Hussein (00:04:43):

then?
Working through

Amy (00:04:44):

I was

Hussein (00:04:45):

life?

Amy (00:04:45):

Hussein (00:04:46):

Make them happen and

Amy (00:04:47):

the

Hussein (00:04:47):

That's how we

Amy (00:04:48):

sneaky

Hussein (00:04:48):

Define life, Mastery, and the joy.

Amy (00:04:49):

show

Hussein (00:04:50):

of
living through

Amy (00:04:51):

Hussein (00:04:51):

that as well

Amy (00:04:51):

really start to get in there, you know, there's

Hussein (00:05:02):

yeah?

Amy (00:05:02):

the obvious, or something that used to be something you love sometimes, then because it should, and then that's where, like the dance, like, Oh, not so easy today.

So you talk about Mastery through Uncertainty, and can you share a little more about that?

And like, a time we're not knowing, maybe was like a great asset or something and whatever feels alive for you to share about any of that.

Hussein (00:05:31):

Yeah, I love what you said.
I mean, a lot of times we do think that I want.
When we think of life, and and living life is the fullest we think of.

Let's say ultimate Freedom, doing what we want, being retired, sitting at a beach or something like that, you know, like the the typical, I would say, picturesque idea of life.

And I have a different approach, and that's why I I use uncertainty a lot, because life doesn't respond to you the way you want it.

You know, life doesn't care in the sense that

I usually kind of look at it as the ocean of life, where life will behave as life wants to behave.

You can't control it, you can't, you know, you can't change it or change how how it works.

But what will happen is what you can do is you can actually understand first what are the options that are available for you, and what can.

What are your, as opposed to what life, let's say, forces you to do?

And then navigate those, I would say, that terrain.

So this requires people first knowing themselves.

So you, you have to kind of be within and understand what, what is your choice in this moment?

As opposed to, you know, this is what you hear it all the time, people say, well, this is what I can do, or I didn't have a choice.

You hear that all the time.

I don't have a choice, and that is completely false.

You always have a choice, you can even choose.

Victor Fractal Franklin, who wrote Man Search for Meaning.

He was locked in in the Auschwitz, the concentration camp, and he noticed that he talks about that choice.

People choosing to live, I mean, those are like the extreme circumstances, and he, the choice to live and the choice to hang out to.

Life was the defining difference between people who survived and people who didn't.

And and it's it's a it's a very meaningful book, of course, but thankfully, not very few of us have have to go through these kind of conditions.

But in life, you need to First anchor yourself in what your choices are, and then look at life and see what's available.

Like an ocean, what can you navigate?

and then work to navigate whatever is available to you?

But these are the things we don't, we don't anchor ourself.

The first mistake is I don't have a choice, and the second mistake is I have to conform.

Or, like you said, I should do, I should do this, I should do this.

And we don't understand the difference between our obligations and things we're accountable for and our freedoms.

We.

So that confusion, and because we don't spend time, kind of makes Life Mastery Elusive and we can't grasp it.

Amy (00:08:31):

Yeah, absolutely wow.
Yeah, there's so much in there for the person, like, How do you bridge?

would you say to the person who's like, I don't have choices, and then they need to bridge the gap between becoming a person is like, I believe that I don't have any choices to.

Okay, now I'm changing.

Hussein (00:08:46):

Yeah

Amy (00:08:46):

my mind.
So I'm changing how I'm seeing the world.

Oh, I always have choices, there are always a big multiple choices setting out in front of me.

And how can I open to actually seeing that rather than just being in?
You know, maybe I think the mindset or whatever it is, that they're stuck in. What would you say to that person?

Hussein (00:09:03):

well, the first thing we have to distinguish what a choice is.

A choice is an internal kind of way of seeing the world and being clear on what matters to you.

So let's say if I offer you chocolate or vanilla, and I say, choose, you choose chocolate, or what would you choose?

Let's say, Amy, what would you choose? Why are you choosing chocolate?

Amy (00:09:27):

I love it, I think it's great. I think, yeah.

Hussein (00:09:30):

So, and and the end, the the answer?
I mean, like, that's a great answer, but the answer doesn't matter. That's that's how I presented to people.
Why?
Because it's your choice, you know, choice is a very personal thing. It doesn't depend.

It's not like decisions, you know, like, you know things that depend on data, or did you depend on data to choose?

Chocolate?

No, you, you taste the chocolate and you, you ate it, and you're like, Oh, I like chocolate, so I'm going to eat chocolate.

And when you're offered again, you may choose vanilla, and then you, and then you just strawberry.

And there is no, I would say significant impact other than how you feel towards that. So the first thing is to distinguish between choices and decisions.

Decisions have to do with data, for example, like where do you want to move? or where do you want to live?

That's usually not a choice.

That's the decision because you have to consider how far is it from your work.

You know the kind of environment that you want to live in and all of that.

So those are decisions and require collecting of data and understanding what are you like and standing the different choices that you want.

So, for example, you might say, I like to take to walk everyday because I like to walk, so that's a choice.

And based on that choice, you you decide where to live.

So first, understanding that difference, and the other thing is to understand that just because you choose something doesn't mean life.

Response accordingly.

So I choose to play basket, I choose to be the best basketball player in the world.

That doesn't mean I'm going to become one.

It requires a lot of work.

Choices introduce path to to walk on so you can choose chocolate, but you still have to eat the chocolate.

So there has to be followed by action, so choices are an internal kind of decision if you wish, and then you have to follow it by action.

And that action usually requires sometimes a lot of work, like choosing to become the best basketball player or to become a best-selling author, or simply eating something.

So a lot of people think, well, I don't have a choice because they're not getting the result that they want without work.

So that's why they say I don't have a choice.

I have to do this because they think that I don't see a path, because they understand Choice differently.

Choice is when you choose, path is open, but that path doesn't mean that it's less work.

So many people understand Choice as the freedom to be whatever I want and getting everything I want without work, whereas choice is basically an internal way of seeing things.

And once you see that path, you still have to do a ton of work, depending on the choice that you made.

Amy (00:12:10):

Yeah, absolutely, what a cool reframe of that, and and how that could be so liberating for people to see it in that kind of way.

I'm thinking about people who are maybe afraid of making the wrong choice, or they're afraid that, if I would, if I make this choice, and I fail, and, and you know, I think, failure.

Hussein (00:12:36):

yes.

Amy (00:12:36):

is like one of the things in this world. Like, it's like the worst wrath.

Hussein (00:12:40):

yeah?

Amy (00:12:40):

even though it's.
It's just part of the process and it's like,

Hussein (00:12:44):

yeah?

Amy (00:12:44):

The best kept secret?
That?
It's like, Oh, actually, failure is not a bad thing.
I'm just curious to hear, what do you have to say on failure?
And like, just where does it fit in your world of like along the path? And yeah.

Hussein (00:12:57):

Well, I absolutely hate failure, and I think everybody that says that says they don't hate failure are lying to you.

So I'm as a mentor, I love, I love being honest and very direct with the people I work with.

And it's okay to hate failure, it's okay to not want failure and understand that it's part of the process.

It's kind of like, you know, if you, if you eat an apple, you may not like the seeds, but the seeds are in the Apple, you know?

And so it's kind of like that, so you, you have to.

You have to understand that failure is part of the process, you don't have to like it, but it is part of the process.

Amy (00:13:32):

right

Hussein (00:13:32):

Now that the the issue is, can you avoid failure without impacting your path to success?

So, for example, can you?

I'll come back.

I love sports kind of metaphors because you always see Sports.

The reason I like them is because you're reminded of the example every time you see.

Let's say again, so if you think of, let's say Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players in the world.

And let's say he wants to get his shots in the hoop.

That's what he wants, you know, he wants to get it, and of course, he wants to get every.

Amy (00:14:05):

right

Hussein (00:14:05):

shot in hoop.

But he's the best basketball player and 70% of his shots or failures, and he's the best, like the best there is you.

Amy (00:14:14):

yeah?

Hussein (00:14:14):

know?

Even sometimes called one of the best athletes in the world, so, and if the best gets 70%, you know out.

So the idea is, it's not that, whether you like or hate failure, is that, what? How can you see failure in a way that allows you to achieve success?

So failure is a chance to learn, so that you can achieve success because it's going to happen anyway.

So you can use it to learn, or you can ignore it.

So you can shoot at the hoop and miss and then learn nothing and shoot the same way this next time and the next time.

And you continue wisely experience failure, whereas you can look at the first failure and say, what can I do better?

And then try again and continue to enhance until you get more success.
And then you, let's say, then failure or succeed in the things that matter most.

So if 70% of everything you try is going to be a failure, even if you're the best in the world.

Well, you better try a lot of things, right?
So that you can get, you can get the stuff that work.

And that is, that is a different mentality than coming back to your question, how can I make sure that you're making the right choice.

You

Amy (00:15:24):

yeah

Hussein (00:15:24):

can't

Amy (00:15:25):

yeah?

Hussein (00:15:25):

That's why you have to make a lot of choices.
In creativity, I ran a lot of creative agencies, five of them and the We. We have a saying I always teach my creative team.
The best way to get a good idea is to have a thousand shitty ideas.

Amy (00:15:41):

yeah?

Hussein (00:15:42):

That's so.

The best way to get a good choice is to have a thousand shitty choices.

And that's why there is no such thing as the choice.

There are choices that you're making with every moment, so you better be making choices all the time.

So the way I train people, as I say,

let's say you're choosing for your career instead of making the choice for a career that you're going to spend 20 years doing.

What you do is you make a choice right now, and in one day, two days, you can make another choice, or in another week, you can make another Choice.

Say, Hey, I'm trying this for a week, but it's not, or I'm trying this for a month or three months, and then you make a different choice and a different choice.

So the more choices you make, the more likely to make better choices.

And the more choices you make, the more likely you are to have more success and more choices that pan out for you.

Amy (00:16:30):

Yeah, absolutely, I. I was called.

Like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks, you know, it's just like, keep trying stuff, and like, sometimes, like, none of the spaghetti sticking.

why? Yesterday?

I actually had those moment I went to the office supply store and I was just getting some like, really specific, little like sticker thing.

That

Hussein (00:16:47):

yeah?

Amy (00:16:47):

I was looking

Hussein (00:16:47):

yeah

Amy (00:16:47):

for?
And I walked up down all the aisles, except for the last one, for some reason.

Last, when I saw backpacks and water bottles and I went, there's no way these stickers could be in the backpack and water bottle.

And then Something Turned, Maybe turn around.

I went and I said, Oh, there's the exact thing that I'm looking for, but I almost walked out of that store.

I just needed to try one more thing like that, one last thing.
And it was like the perfect example of, oh, we never know when the next choice.

Hussein (00:17:21):

we let's

Amy (00:17:21):

we make

Hussein (00:17:22):

say

Amy (00:17:22):

when

Hussein (00:17:22):

if? Because

Amy (00:17:22):

the next thing?

Hussein (00:17:23):

we share?

Amy (00:17:23):

we do

Hussein (00:17:24):

food

Amy (00:17:24):

is going

Hussein (00:17:24):

and we?

Amy (00:17:24):

Hussein (00:17:24):

Amy (00:17:24):

Hussein (00:17:25):

the

Amy (00:17:25):

the

Hussein (00:17:25):

Mediterranean

Amy (00:17:25):

thing that land, oh?

Hussein (00:17:26):

Olives,

Amy (00:17:26):

Yeah

Hussein (00:17:27):

is a big thing.

So let's say there's one Olive remaining in the dish and somebody's fighting to grab that Olive in the fork.

And he's.
And he's not catching it.

The other person goes in and for the first time and catches it, so the the first person says, Well, I actually.

Amy (00:17:46):

yeah

Hussein (00:17:46):

like worried out for you, you know?

Like, I made it tired so that you can get it so in that way.

Another, another example.

I, I remember, I can't remember the name of the story, but it's talks about somebody who was a minor who was mining for gold.

And he, he kind of dug that, that mine so deep, and he couldn't find the gold, so he sold the mine.

And then people came in and dug like one meter and found the gold.

So sometimes it's the last thing that you do, and this doesn't mean that you have to stick through with everything.

What is it?

The person who had the 10,000 Bitcoins and bought two pizzas with them, and if he kept that $10,000 Bitcoins, he'll be like a gazillionaire right now.

So in the same way, you never know, so you need to be compassionate with yourself and never kind of say, well, if I made, you cannot make, you cannot.

Look today to pass choices that you made 10 years ago or five years ago and evaluate them with the hindsight that you have today.

As Steve.

Amy (00:18:53):

hold

Hussein (00:18:53):

Jobs

Amy (00:18:54):

Hussein (00:18:54):

says that things or the dots, only connect when you looking backwards.

So all you have to do is make the choices, keep on going, make more choices and more choices, and you will stumble on a life of joy.

And at least if you don't, because there's no guarantees in life you've lived life based on your choices.

At least.

You pursue everything, that's how I, I live my life, I pursue everything that comes to mind.

It's like, let me try it, because I won't regret it, at least.

Amy (00:19:24):

I love that mentality, let me pursue everything that comes to.

Hussein (00:19:29):

I'm

Amy (00:19:29):

mind

Hussein (00:19:29):

Like a kid.

Amy (00:19:30):

How were you born that way? Did you become that way? Like, what?
What's the deal?

Hussein (00:19:35):

No, I, I actually.

I think I was lucky in a way to be born in Syria because my partner doesn't like me to say it that.

But the thing is, in Syria, you didn't have a career, as I said, you have you either an engineer or a doctor or nothing.

And I wanted I.
I like different things, I like music, I like the art, I like poetry. And none of those are viable careers.
In the sense that if you're growing.

Amy (00:19:59):

that's

Hussein (00:19:59):

up.
In Syria in the 90s,
what's the path for a music?

Amy (00:20:02):

incredible

Hussein (00:20:03):

career you, you have to be, you have to be either in LA or New York, or there's no way to make.

Amy (00:20:08):

Hussein (00:20:08):

it in

Amy (00:20:09):

mean

Hussein (00:20:09):

the music.
Oh, probably London, maybe.

Amy (00:20:11):

Hussein (00:20:11):

So there was no

Amy (00:20:12):

looks

Hussein (00:20:12):

path
for a young Syrian to go there and like

Amy (00:20:15):

Hussein (00:20:15):

traveling?
The Syrian passport? Is

Amy (00:20:17):

Hussein (00:20:17):

probably

Amy (00:20:18):

think

Hussein (00:20:18):

the third shittiest passport in the world?

Amy (00:20:21):

that's

Hussein (00:20:21):

so there's no way to to do that. So what that gave me?

Amy (00:20:24):

Hussein (00:20:24):

it kind of

Amy (00:20:25):

big.

Hussein (00:20:25):

Gave me permission to pursue

Amy (00:20:27):

key?

Hussein (00:20:27):

anything that I had because

Amy (00:20:28):

Hussein (00:20:29):

all of them

Amy (00:20:29):

Hussein (00:20:30):

had equally the

Amy (00:20:31):

it's

Hussein (00:20:31):

same outcome, which is no outcome.

Amy (00:20:33):

just

Hussein (00:20:33):

whatsoever.
So I, I pursued them.

Amy (00:20:35):

Hussein (00:20:36):

So I never looked at it as like.

Amy (00:20:38):

okay

Hussein (00:20:38):

the intensity of this is I either?

Amy (00:20:40):

Hussein (00:20:40):

have to make this Choice as a career?

Amy (00:20:42):

what

Hussein (00:20:42):

or not?
I was like, I have a chance.

Amy (00:20:44):

are

Hussein (00:20:45):

to be part of a band, so I pursue

Amy (00:20:46):

you

Hussein (00:20:47):

it and I and I see where.

Amy (00:20:48):

enjoying

Hussein (00:20:48):

It takes me as much like being on stage and playing with the band.

Amy (00:20:53):

what

Hussein (00:20:53):

was?
Like the greatest thing that

Amy (00:20:55):

you're?

Hussein (00:20:55):

I could hope at that time it wasn't like, Oh, my album.

Amy (00:20:58):

doing

Hussein (00:20:58):

you know, making whatever, cuz who, who will?

Amy (00:21:01):

whether?

Hussein (00:21:01):

listen to my album, There is no way I can make anyone listen.

Amy (00:21:05):

You're

Hussein (00:21:05):

to my album Being in Syria in the 90s. So I approach

Amy (00:21:09):

doing

Hussein (00:21:09):

things that way, and I enjoyed doing multiple.

Amy (00:21:12):

Hussein (00:21:12):

things?
I remember a certain.

Amy (00:21:14):

Hussein (00:21:14):

point I

Amy (00:21:14):

lot

Hussein (00:21:14):

had.
One time, I had five jobs.

Amy (00:21:16):

Hussein (00:21:16):

for like a year

Amy (00:21:17):

things

Hussein (00:21:17):

or two years?
I felt like five jobs. It was like one of

Amy (00:21:21):

Hussein (00:21:21):

the craziest time?

Amy (00:21:22):

Hussein (00:21:22):

I remember sleeping like three.

Amy (00:21:24):

it's

Hussein (00:21:24):

four hours.
And being like I, I played

Amy (00:21:26):

less

Hussein (00:21:27):

in.
In weddings, I had a I had a band.

Amy (00:21:29):

amount

Hussein (00:21:29):

I worked as an engineer, which is 36 hours a week.

Amy (00:21:32):

Hussein (00:21:32):

It was like the top

Amy (00:21:33):

things

Hussein (00:21:34):

of the where they had the broadcast.

Amy (00:21:37):

than

Hussein (00:21:37):

tower.
And I worked at a company.

Amy (00:21:39):

five

Hussein (00:21:39):

And I worked freelance in

Amy (00:21:41):

jobs

Hussein (00:21:42):

My own time at home on a computer.

Amy (00:21:44):

are

Hussein (00:21:44):

It was like five jobs.

Amy (00:21:45):

you

Hussein (00:21:46):

And I didn't get any.

Amy (00:21:47):

enjoying

Hussein (00:21:47):

sleep.
But I was having so much fun and making in Syrian.

Amy (00:21:52):

what?

Hussein (00:21:52):

money?
a lot of money. So that, yeah,

Amy (00:21:54):

you're doing or is it miserable?

Hussein (00:22:04):

It's helpful to take today.
At that time, we had like 1 hour of what is it, the children programming or animation. And, you know, like a few shows to watch.

But now our time is completely taken with our phones and Netflix and all of that.

And it's, and sometimes it's wonderful, like it's wonderful to be able to watch any show that I want.

But also we need that time where we we don't have anything to do, we were bored and we can reflect and we can check in with ourselves.

So that how do I feel and what do, what does it matter to me?

And and if I had the choice, how would I kind of pursue my life, and what would I, what, what choices would I make?

What is possible for me checking in with with oneself?

I don't think a lot of people do enough of that, I certainly don't do enough.

Like I want more time for me, more time for reflection, so I go on walks.

You have sometimes to connect from, disconnect from technology and intentionally do it.

Amy (00:23:25):

Yeah, I think you hit the nail right on the head with that, with how many people feel like maybe they don't know what they want or like.

Then this in between space.
But if you keep filling every second of your day

Hussein (00:23:37):

yeah?

Amy (00:23:38):

with news and scrolling and watching stuff, or working, or like, there's no, there's no chance for like, as often, like a quiet whisper, or it's like,

Hussein (00:23:46):

Yeah?

Amy (00:23:46):

It's not loud.
Often as those little things.
It's like, Hey, this matters, do this, it's.
It's just like, still, quiet voice, especially if you're not used to listening to it. It's like, and you got to like, chill out to like, let the Facebook to come.

Hussein (00:24:03):

It's

Amy (00:24:03):

forward

Hussein (00:24:04):

appreciation.
It's like, it's like, if you, if you're always eating, even if you're best food.

Like we talked about ice cream, I love ice cream and but I know like, sometimes, when, when we.

When my wife brings ice cream home and she's, sometimes she doesn't, but sometimes she does bring.

Like, one of my favorite Brands, and I'm like, so eager to eat it. It's like this, this big, so I would I would start eating it.
And the first few bites are like, so delicious.
I'm like, Oh my God, I can't wait to.

It's like feed it into my blood, but then the next bunch of bites are less.

And by the time I'm halfway through, even though I love this ice cream, I'm like, I can't eat anymore, or it's not having the same.

Amy (00:24:49):

yeah

Hussein (00:24:49):

Impact

Amy (00:24:49):

Yeah?

Hussein (00:24:50):

So, and and I can, that's not true, I can eat it, I can finish it, but it doesn't have the same kind of Joy.

It's the joy of the first few moments.
So I talk myself, because because I'm used to, like, you know, yeah, I do think that.

Amy (00:26:03):

Yeah, absolutely, the contrast, it's, it seems, so I'm challenging in certain moments. But it

Hussein (00:26:10):

challenges

Amy (00:26:10):

really is such a gift.

It's like the the lowest of the lowest.

Let you like, like you to have a cold and like, I can't breathing my nose.

This is Miracle, I can break.

You might nostrils again, and then just becomes this most like you foric moment that normally in like,

right now.
I'm like, I don't think about breathing through my nose and that being a gift. But there are many days in my life.

But without the contrast, that wouldn't even exist.

Oh, So, speaking of which, you have the ups and the Downs of life, you save her all of these Sweet Moments.

And we all have, you know, problems.

Hussein (00:26:53):

kind

Amy (00:26:53):

challenges.
However, we want to talk it.

And and I also am a big person of thinking challenges or opportunities they really are.

And I'm curious what that looks like for you now?
When you meet a challenge in life, and how do you move from? You know, like, fear.

Hussein (00:27:09):

Amy (00:27:10):

or doing and whatever kind of, I don't know, shit. Storm of challenge.

Hussein (00:27:19):

that it's in the in the name.

It challenges to to rise up, to be, to become somebody, the person that that kind of meet those challenges.

And and I think at the same time that that doesn't mean that life is supposed to be a challenge.

I think that's why I love, I love, to choose my challenges.
Like we don't have to address every challenge that that comes our way.

So, let's say, can be a challenging relationship or challenging business that you go into.

I think we should ask ourselves what matters most. Like I when I was.

I think in the late 2000s, I had this vision board and the biggest thing on that vision board is to climb Mount Everest.

Because for me, that was like the biggest physical challenge.
And to to become like Anthony Robbins, I, I really like his coaching.
At the time, I was like, that's the best coach, I have to be like Anthony Robbins. So I even took on his mannerisms.

When I coached and when I worked with people, I had the Mercedes SLS, the red one.

Like, if I, if I'm to be successful, I have to own that car, and if I don't own it, that's that's not success.

So I had these things that I wanted, and of course, those brought different challenges to my life because I had to make enough money and I had to pursue.

And then I remember asking myself the most important question.
I write about it in the book, where, what is it?
What matters to me most?
What is the one thing that, if I don't have right now, nothing else matters? And what?

I asked myself that question.

And I credit Brian Tracy, he's really good in his books, asking certain questions, that kind of challenge, the way that you see the world.

And my answer was a resounding that I need. I want a happy and healthy family now.

And funny enough, at the time, my wife was telling me that I wasn't spending enough time with my kids.

And I was always working because obviously these are the challenges that I wanted to solve.

So it meant that I'm spending most of my time working, most of my time networking. And when that it was, it was shocking to me.

The the kind of the the difference and the kind of the gap between what I really want and what matters most to me and how I'm living my life.

And once I started to align myself with what matters most to me.

Because I wanted a happy, healthy family now, not tomorrow, not the day after, and I started to spend more time with family.

I really felt far, much better and and these things didn't matter to me anymore.

They were like things that are nice to have, but they weren't the most important to have.

Because I align myself with what's most important internally, and I don't mean this is where I.

I work when I work with people, I Mentor them.

The idea is, and that's what the whole book is about, and you ask me about, like the artwork, and I'll get to that in a second.

But the whole point of that is to, for you, what matters to you will be different.

We we sometimes say to ourselves, like, you know, Family Matters more, or Relationship matters more, but every one of us is different.

And things that matter to you are different than what matters to somebody else.

And things that matter to you today are different than the person that you're going to be.

And the things that matter to you.
In a year's time, or a month time, or several years time.

So being in tune with that and continuously asking that question gives you answers, and then you have the choice to pursue that or not.

So I still had the choice to pursue my business.

I found a way to pursue my business and take care of the things that matter most to me, which gave me more alignment and more joy in life.

And I never lost track of what's important system.

Because I continue to ask myself the question, and every time I find myself a little bit lost, I ask myself that question.

Which is why I wrote the book, The Way I wrote it, because I wrote it in such a way that allows you to space to for your own thoughts.

So the reason I put art there is that, so that it's like walking in a gallery where with the art.

And that's kind of like how I, how I approached it.

Amy (00:32:04):

I love that.

I've never like, really, I didn't understand there was that much thought behind the art being in the book, and I think it's it's so beautiful.

Because we do need time to process.

Hussein (00:32:14):

Thank

Amy (00:32:14):

you know?

Hussein (00:32:14):

you?

Amy (00:32:14):

Even if you're, you know, speaking, say, on stage, you never pause, the audience is zero chance to, you know.

Hussein (00:32:21):

thank

Amy (00:32:21):

internalize.
Oh, what was that, like Mike drop moment that they just said?

Cuz they need the chance to internally process and integrate it for a sec before you keep like, feeling more things into their their sphere.

And yeah, that's, that's really a beautiful genius.

Hussein (00:32:40):

you?

Amy (00:32:40):

because there is so much like, interesting spaciousness of how the book is just organized.

I'm like, Oh, there's like, interesting intentionality or something. I'm loving hearing that.
That's what it was behind it, because so cool.
It's really, like, really cool and unique and like.

Also a great reminder that we get to make choices and create things like that. Whatever you want in between the two, you know, front and back cover.

Hussein (00:33:10):

yeah?

Amy (00:33:10):

basically,

Hussein (00:33:10):

I stumbled on

Amy (00:33:11):

nowadays

Hussein (00:33:11):

it. Because

Amy (00:33:11):

you

Hussein (00:33:11):

while

Amy (00:33:12):

know?

Hussein (00:33:12):

I was reading a lot of self-har books, I was reading them, what I was in Dubai, in Syria, and a lot of the things that they recommend.

Let's say, go join Chapter X in your local, that's a community. Those things existed in the US where the writer wrote and didn't. I didn't have access to those, so that gave me like, Oh, okay.

So they're making a recommendation, it's a very good recommendation, but I don't have access to it,

so there was a gap between what was recommended in the books and what's available to me.

So it gave me a chance to search for my own way of how to implement those things, and that's kind of gave me my own style of how I Implement those those things.

So I became much,

it gave me a path to my mentorship when I work with entrepreneurs, because entrepreneurs work with that GAp.

Where there is no information.

Most entrepreneurs are pursuing building a product or building a business where in the market.

That they're just kind of addressing so very little information, they don't know how things will respond.

So the the thing I struggled with became my superpower in a way where I can, where anybody can throw anything at me is like, how we going to address this, let's see.

So we don't know anything about that.

How can we make up?

So I had to discover and try different things.

So I'm comfortable, like in any my my partner or my phone.

That my co-founders always say.

This is like, we come to you with the biggest problems and like, the world is collapsing, and you're like, calm and like, Zen, how do you do that?

That's like, because that's what I was dealing with throughout all my life. So I'm like, when things are collapsing or things don't work out.
That's the nature, that's the natural state that I'm used to.
It's not that I like it, but that's

Amy (00:34:56):

that

Hussein (00:34:56):

what I got?

Amy (00:34:56):

Hussein (00:34:56):

used

Amy (00:34:57):

Hussein (00:34:57):

Amy (00:34:57):

total

Hussein (00:34:57):

so I kind of

Amy (00:34:57):

superpower

Hussein (00:34:57):

like when you bring me, that's?

Amy (00:34:59):

just

Hussein (00:34:59):

Amy (00:34:59):

Hussein (00:34:59):

okay

Amy (00:35:00):

Hussein (00:35:00):

So what's

Amy (00:35:00):

what?

Hussein (00:35:00):

new

Amy (00:35:01):

The world can be falling out around me.
Yeah, okay, let's figure out that's really like, is it all? is figure out whether you're?

Hussein (00:35:15):

yeah?

Amy (00:35:15):

like running around?

Hussein (00:35:19):

Yeah

Amy (00:35:20):

with your hair?

Hussein (00:35:22):

we'll figure out

Amy (00:35:23):

you

Hussein (00:35:23):

yeah, exactly?

Amy (00:35:23):

know

Hussein (00:35:24):

yeah?

Amy (00:35:24):

like on fire.

And I'm just like, really internalizing how simple but revolutionary almost is just really continually check it.

What matters most to like each individual person?
I went to a college campus the other day and I was just a little like.

All of these kids are like, seem really like stressed out and miserable, and like, not inspired about what?

They're spending so much money. And just like being like, well.

Hussein (00:35:55):

yeah?

Amy (00:35:55):

BUt there's like a part of them that really wants to, you know, make a choice. I think towards what they're like, excited and inspired about.
And they just have no idea what that means or looks like.
And also adults, too, and I think that there's a big hole in the world.

I want to live a life that I love and that, you know, feels right for me.

And and that maybe if people just literally checked in, okay,

what matters most to me today right now?

And actually being honest with himself about what that is, and then, on top of that, being honest about, okay, what needs to shift?

Where is my energy going towards?
We have a, you know, so much time, energy, money.
And is it going towards the thing that actually matters most?

Or because I think a lot of people are just channeling it towards, like something mindlessly, Oh, wait a second.

Hussein (00:36:49):

I'm so glad that you mentioned that, because you're so, you're so right.

When it comes to students right now, going to University and and the challenge, and I think that comes, I've been thinking a lot about that.

I, I Mentor.

A lot of, you know, either early graduates or people that are studying.

And they definitely have a worry about, you know, how they're going to pursue life.

Like, what's available, all of this, and I think I'm still figuring this out.

But I think the biggest problem that we have is that we bought into a promise, and that promise said.

That.

Let go of all your childhood kind of learning.

So when we are, when will children we learn?

If if we have the right environment?

We learned that it's okay to, you know, pursue different things.

Like if you look at a five year old, seven year old, they're playing with different toys or different things.

They will play football, they play basketball, they play.

They don't have a commitment to success in that thing, the commitment is for the moment and join the moment.

And if they don't enjoy it, they will just leave it, they'll leave it halfway.

They building less than I used to play Lego and and build Lego, so I'll be building like halfway through or not, according to the catalog.

And I don't care.

Amy (00:38:06):

Yeah?

Hussein (00:38:06):

and.

And I'm still having tons of fun because fun is on my own terms, not on the terms that are available.

But then we go into school and not to say anything.

I love education and I think it's very important, but I think there's nothing wrong with education, there's something wrong with the promise of Education.

We say, leave all of that, you know, leave all of the things that bring you Joy, art, culture, music, leave all of that shit, and you know.

Commit to the things that will give you a career, the things that will guarantee you a life and a possibility to earn,

which is?
And then, for several years, we plant that in your head.

To the point that by the time you're 15 or 16, you're stressed about a job.

Now, imagine a 15 or 16 year old stressed about a job like, What would be my job?

What career choice would I take?

And you are making that choice based on information that was given to you that was made up.

I'd like a 50, a half a century ago, if not a century ago, which is the your decision right now will govern your life for 20 years, which is not true.

Anybody who knows anything right now knows that most of the time,

people change careers every two years.

Even that is, if by the time you graduate, there is a career.

You know, right now, jobs are like disappearing, like nobody's business.

So so you you buy into that promise and then you go out to the world, it's like, Where's that promise?

I spent money, time, energy away from everything that makes me human, you know, away from my desires and talents and stuff like that.

Because we don't tell people that, you know, be a musician and your life is set.

But if you look at who's, who are the people that are making the most money right now?

Taylor Swift, you know, heard every concert is such a big business.

I always like her.

Every concert is a billion dollar business.

That that cities begged her to come to them, you know, and she got it, got engaged to Travis Kelsey.

I think his name

Amy (00:40:13):

yeah, something?

Hussein (00:40:14):

yeah?

Amy (00:40:14):

like?

Hussein (00:40:14):

Amy (00:40:14):

that

Hussein (00:40:14):

he's a football player. Like.

None of them are making their career based on, let's say, their college education or their schooling, not to say that those are not important.

But the promise is is faulty.

So that is the biggest challenge is what we're promising our kids, and they're they're seeing a mismatch between.

It's kind of like, if if a company sold you a brand and you paid the money for it. And then you, you pick up.

And they told you, Hey, this ice cream is going to taste well, you know, these Brands, some of them are healthy brand.

I was like, Listen, you're going to eat this ice cream, no, no calories. And it's going to be full with protein.
That's going to be tastier than the other ice cream.
And then you taste is like, this taste.

Amy (00:40:59):

yeah?

Hussein (00:40:59):

like, like, No, that's not, it's like, No, it comes, so what? What does that mean?

Life has risk, and what we said to kids, if you study in school and go to university, you reduce that risk, and that is a lie.

The same risk applies.

The second thing is, we didn't train them on the most important things, which is dealing with people.

You got college, kids who can't, who don't know how to talk to each other. Like, I see people like, What are you doing?
I'm going to train on how to talk to girls.
What are you talking about?

Individualism, where it's all about?

You know, the faster you are to separate from your family, from the people that's around you.

To build the life on your own and to be your own man or your own woman, and that is the ultimate thing.

So we promised them that life and that life is going to give you everything, but it doesn't.

So that is the biggest issue, the biggest issue is not education, the biggest issue is the promise that we gave.

If you do this, life will be sorted, and they're getting out and life is not sorted at all.

Because you can't de-risk life, you can't, you know, isolate yourself from the challenges of life.

You need to train your kids to do it from day one.

That's why you, you, you put out your kids, you don't protect them.

My mom used to last thing I would say is my mom, when I was very young.

Went to the doctor and said, Hussein is always sick.

And the doctor examined me, is like, and the doctor begged her, she said to her, please, when?

When any of his toys falls on the ground, do not wipe it, let him put it in his mouth again.

Now, it doesn't mean if it falls into a sewer, do this like, but if it was on the ground.

Because my mom was such a neat freak that she wiped the whole house, she made sure there are no germs in the house.

Amy (00:43:07):

yeah?

Hussein (00:43:08):

and that means my body, it was not challenged, I was vaccinated in all of that, but my body was not challenged.

And if you're not challenged, it doesn't develop the immunity.

And that is what we're doing.

We're we're not challenging our kids with life, we're not letting them.

You know, you want to pursue music, you want to do many, many, many games.

Go and figure out.

And if you don't like it, great.

You know right now what it feels like to not like something, to make your own choices.

No, we want the kids to choose hockey or football from the, you know, from whatever first grade.

And that's what they are and they have to pursue it. That is your your, preventing them from testing. And I have a lot to say about that, but I'll go back.

Amy (00:43:50):

Yeah?

Hussein (00:43:50):

to you?

Amy (00:43:51):

Yeah, No.
I'm like, there's so much like a whole another podcast. This is like, important?

Hussein (00:43:58):

I'm very passionate.

Amy (00:43:59):

stuff

Hussein (00:43:59):

about

Amy (00:44:00):

Hussein (00:44:00):

this thing?

Amy (00:44:00):

We need

Hussein (00:44:00):

because

Amy (00:44:01):

Hussein (00:44:01):

I'm very.

Amy (00:44:01):

have

Hussein (00:44:01):

frustrated

Amy (00:44:01):

These conversations the the term of toxic individualism particular, like, oh yeah, the whole loneliness epidemic and just people thinking.

Hussein (00:44:15):

100%,

Amy (00:44:15):

Hussein (00:44:15):

yes.

Amy (00:44:16):

Oh my God.
I'm not relying on other people and I can have control, cuz I'm just relying on myself. And then realizing, whoa?

Hussein (00:44:27):

the worst thing?

You?

Amy (00:44:28):

your

Hussein (00:44:28):

can do

Amy (00:44:28):

social

Hussein (00:44:28):

for yourself?

Amy (00:44:29):

beings

Hussein (00:44:30):

The worst?

We didn't, we didn't to develop to be like that for Millennia, we developed to rely on others.

Amy (00:44:35):

Yes, totally.
What do you say like in the the the way that you could?

You know, this huge topic, what do you think is like the way to bridge that Gap from toxic individualism?

Hussein (00:44:48):

yeah?

Amy (00:44:50):

into a more communal?

Hussein (00:44:51):

I would

Amy (00:44:51):

way

Hussein (00:44:51):

say Stop, stop believing the LIE of new Society.

This society that we're living in right now, or civilization that we're living in right now, has been around for what?

Half a century, a century, the way that we live right now.

But we, as human beings, as a species, we evolved over Millennia, even more, like tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, millions of years to develop the way we are.

So our brain cannot grass the way life is right now,

within, like, a few years,

we cannot change the chemistry and the buildup of how our brain operates and how our body operates.

We are meant to be challenged.

The.

For example, if you relax in life, like life doesn't require you to do a lot of exercise.

Right now.

We can sit in front of.

I can run a whole business on my computer.

But what's going to happen to my body?

It's going to this, it's going to be destroyed, like my back, everything, cuz that's wasn't.

We are meant to walk, we're meant to move, for example, I remember talking to a movement expert, he said, The more you move, that's the solution.

Because I was struggling from my back, I was like, I can't. I brought ergonomic chairs, I did all of the, he said.

Because your body is meant to move, you're not meant to sit for six, seven to eight hours, so you're destroying your body, that's an example.

The other thing about our minds, our minds are meant to protect us from death.

When we walked in nature, a Russell of a few bushes meant that might be a bear in the so you.

It's fight or flight right away.

Split Second and you run.

I'm learning about themselves.

We spend more time reading a catalog about the iPad or or the car that we're driving, rather than trying to understand how we operate as a species.

And if we don't understand ourselves and understand our chemistry, or spend time with ourselves and understand we have people showing up.

This is me and you have to deal with me as I am. It's like, No, that's bullshit.

You can, you can change who you are, you can evolve Who You Are by understanding who you are.

So we don't spend that time, we don't understand our behavior style, we understand with things why, things, why.

If I'm talking to you, I respond in certain way.
We don't spend time doing that at all, so we need to spend time with ourselves.

Understanding how our species evolved, who we are, how do we, how do we manage this?

And spend time on the most important aspect of who we are the species.

How we deal with each other, how we build relationships, how we build communities, how we can collectively work together.

Because that's the only way, if you think of anything in the world that is worth doing. It was done by the collective effort of people.
But we sold ourselves on this idea of the great man, of the great woman.
Usually it's a great man that one person innovated.

We think the iPhone was created by Steve Jobs, we think Tesla was created by by Elon Musk, we think Amazon was created by Jeff Bezos, which is complete bullshit.

There are tons of Engineers and tons of innovative people that came for something to happen that is worthwhile.

And once we understand that, we understand that we're meant to collaborate, we're meant to work together, we meant to build relationships.

And if we invest time in that, we become better and we calm down and we, we practice life in a far better way, and we have joy.

That's what's important you will enjoy doing.

Amy (00:48:40):

Yeah

Hussein (00:48:40):

that there's no joy in being alone.

Amy (00:48:42):

Yeah?

Hussein (00:48:43):

And you're alone because you chose to be alone, you chose to believe that. Like that,
you're meant to be alone, and you're meant to succeed alone.
And then you bring yourself, no.

We're meant to grow up in communities, and we're meant to behave around communities and and learn about ourselves from the interaction with many people.

So the more people you know, the more you learn about yourself and you. The more you interact with others and make different choices,
the better you are as a human being, and the more joyful you are in life.

Amy (00:49:09):

Absolutely, yeah.

I'm like, just thinking about.

I don't remember exactly what the core statistic is, but you know, they.

They talk to people who are like, on their deathbed and they're like, Oh, like, what did you regret most?

or like, What mattered most?

And, like most of the people saying,

Hussein (00:49:24):

yes.

Amy (00:49:25):

It was the relationships.
It was like,
I wish I had, like, you know, stressed about about work so much, and I wish I had, like, spent more time with my kids or my friends.

Hussein (00:49:33):

100%,

Amy (00:49:33):

or whatever it is.

And it's just like, Well, yeah, okay, that's what really matters to a lot of us.

Humans were just biologically hardwired to be social and communal.

And we're being, like, stripped from that and being like, Oh, okay, let's come back to it.

And it's a little crunchy and messy, but it's still so important, and it's even as it feels crunchy to be like, Oh, I'm.

Hussein (00:49:52):

Yeah.

Amy (00:49:52):

scared No. It's so good.

Hussein (00:49:55):

and that's so that's such a great point, which is we're so afraid to make mistakes that we end up not speaking to anyone.

Amy (00:50:02):

Yeah, yeah.

Hussein (00:50:03):

it boggles

Amy (00:50:03):

and

Hussein (00:50:03):

the

Amy (00:50:04):

it's

Hussein (00:50:04):

mind? It's like,

Amy (00:50:04):

Hussein (00:50:04):

Yeah, if you.

Amy (00:50:05):

Hussein (00:50:05):

haven't

Amy (00:50:05):

the

Hussein (00:50:06):

spoken

Amy (00:50:06):

end

Hussein (00:50:06):

to a lot

Amy (00:50:06):

Hussein (00:50:06):

of people

Amy (00:50:07):

the

Hussein (00:50:07):

you're

Amy (00:50:07):

day

Hussein (00:50:07):

going

Amy (00:50:07):

It's

Hussein (00:50:08):

to screw up

Amy (00:50:08):

Hussein (00:50:08):

when you're?

Amy (00:50:09):

that

Hussein (00:50:09):

talking to

Amy (00:50:09):

Little

Hussein (00:50:09):

people?
But guess what?

Amy (00:50:10):

blip

Hussein (00:50:11):

You can

Amy (00:50:11):

that

Hussein (00:50:11):

choose? You can?

Amy (00:50:12):

were

Hussein (00:50:12):

choose to

Amy (00:50:12):

scared

Hussein (00:50:12):

Fix it up like, hey?

Amy (00:50:13):

Hussein (00:50:13):

you know?

Amy (00:50:14):

making

Hussein (00:50:14):

What? Let's start?

Amy (00:50:15):

Hussein (00:50:15):

over

Amy (00:50:15):

mistake

Hussein (00:50:15):

I love this one, they

Amy (00:50:16):

Okay

Hussein (00:50:16):

say that in

Amy (00:50:16):

Does

Hussein (00:50:17):

The movies?

Amy (00:50:17):

Hussein (00:50:17):

it's like

Amy (00:50:17):

matter

Hussein (00:50:18):

Oh, okay, let's.

Amy (00:50:18):

two

Hussein (00:50:18):

start over

Amy (00:50:19):

days

Hussein (00:50:19):

Maybe I'd

Amy (00:50:20):

Hussein (00:50:20):

like you?

Amy (00:50:20):

not

Hussein (00:50:20):

know? I put?

Amy (00:50:20):

for

Hussein (00:50:21):

my foot

Amy (00:50:21):

Hussein (00:50:21):

in my

Amy (00:50:21):

okay

Hussein (00:50:21):

mouth and you?

Amy (00:50:22):

maybe

Hussein (00:50:22):

know I'm, I'm still.

Amy (00:50:23):

I'm

Hussein (00:50:23):

learning?

Amy (00:50:23):

Hussein (00:50:23):

but we're.

Amy (00:50:24):

I'll

Hussein (00:50:24):

so afraid?

Amy (00:50:24):

think

Hussein (00:50:25):

to do that? We want

Amy (00:50:25):

about

Hussein (00:50:25):

to get it right?

Amy (00:50:26):

itself

Hussein (00:50:26):

on the first attempt,

Amy (00:50:27):

maybe

Hussein (00:50:27):

that we don't.

Amy (00:50:28):

a week?

Hussein (00:50:28):

attempt at

Amy (00:50:29):

Hussein (00:50:29):

all

Amy (00:50:29):

2
years from now, it's like you're literally never even going to remember that one.

Hussein (00:50:40):

I'm

Amy (00:50:40):

thing that

Hussein (00:50:41):

Amy (00:50:41):

you

Hussein (00:50:42):

much

Amy (00:50:42):

said that you?

Hussein (00:50:43):

fun?

Amy (00:50:44):

Were like

Hussein (00:50:45):

baby?

Amy (00:50:45):

Oh my God.

Hussein (00:50:46):

I love, I love the voices.

Amy (00:50:54):

Oh yeah.

Hussein (00:50:56):

I love it.
This is how it's supposed to be, right, that's that's also how we show up.

Because we we have an idea you're kind of reminding me, or why you're doing that, we have an idea of who we're meant to be.

You know, it's kind of like a Neo and the Matrix, I don't know if you saw the Matrix, that's one of my favorite movies.

And it's like the our vision of ourselves and who we really are, and our vision of ourselves.

And we don't.
We will never live up to our vision of ourselves.

Like, because the thing is, we are never looking at ourselves, we never meant to look at ourselves.

They were no mirrors when we were, when we were, you know, evolving.

But now everybody is, like, obsessed with who they are and how they look and and how they show up.

And I can tell you, like, I, I'm a speaker. I went on TV.
I, I, let's say I take a lot of photograph. Recently we did like a photo session.

And I don't like how I look.

and I every time I look at myself, I find it very weird because my vision of myself, of how I look is very different.

So, and and actually, even the actors.

Amy (00:52:01):

yeah?

Hussein (00:52:01):

that.
We think.

Some of the people that I've, I've read this, and it was fascinating because some of the people we think they.

They show up on these magazine like The Sexiest Man Alive or something like that, you hear?

Amy (00:52:16):

all

Hussein (00:52:16):

them

Amy (00:52:16):

right

Hussein (00:52:17):

and say I don't like to look at myself acting, and I was very like, these are the people that we look up to.

It's like, Oh my God, he's so sexy, or he's like the epitome of like a male.

Let's say I'll talk about male and not female, but let's say, you know, the male, epitome of how people look at it.

Or sometimes I'll be sitting, let's say, with my wife and my daughter. It's like, Oh, you know, don't you think Brad Pitt is so handsome? and they're like, No, I don't think Brad Pitt.
Oh my God, my idea of what a handsome person looked like.

It's very different than somebody else.

Amy (00:52:51):

yeah?

Hussein (00:52:51):

But we have this idea that we need to live up to something.

And I'm talking about how we look, but also it shows up in how we speak and show up and how we dress.

But people have a very.
I learned this one when we started to learn teach.

Amy (00:53:04):

yeah.

Hussein (00:53:04):

people.

How to speak and stuff like that is that you don't have to live up to the highest ideal of speaking.

People just want, you know, for you, at least, not to be boring.

You know if you, if you certain things like there are certain simple things that you do and people would love, and you know what people want you to succeed.

When you go to talk someone, trust me, they're not going to. They don't want you to fail in talking to them.
They wanted to succeed because they want to enjoy the moment. So, but we act as if the world is expecting us to fail.

So,

Amy (00:53:36):

totally

Hussein (00:53:36):

it's it's such a.
it's such a like when we learn about this.
These are things that I learned.
These are not things like, Oh, I'm so smart and I figured this out. These are things I figured out after trying to do all of that.
You know?

Amy (00:53:49):

yeah?

Hussein (00:53:49):

and then looking back and doing that.

And I highly recommend, for people that you know, of course, read the book, but also because that makes me money.

But I would say for you, try to learn more about yourself and try to ask people around you like, what is it?

You will be?

I guarantee you you'll be very surprised when you ask the people around you, what do they like the most about you?

It's something you never thought about yourself.

Amy (00:54:26):

Totally I love

Hussein (00:54:28):

if not

Amy (00:54:28):

that

Hussein (00:54:28):

more.

And and once you enter.

And that's why interacting with with people is so important.

Because you will have people loving you for,

not because you show up and I want you to love for me.

But they love you for who you truly are and how you show up.

And the value at the relationship and how how honest you are, how caring you are, how much you uplift them.

Not because you have the the perfect look, or you dress up the perfect dress or stuff like that.

It's more about what you bring to the relationship, not the kind of person you are. It's because the kind of person you are, how it shows up.
It's through your actions, through your behaviors, through the value that you bring. We don't like Steve Jobs because he's Steve Jobs.

We like Steve Jobs because what he enabled and the kind of people he brought together and what they were able to accomplish.

Amy (00:55:18):

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I'm always like, I think people are just like moths to light, you know?

When they see whatever each individual person has of that like little moment of, oh, this is like who I am.

They're like, Oh yeah, I love that, that little part of you, whatever it is. And it's totally different for all of us, but, you know, it's.

It's no different that we each have that little like, amazing spark within us, or something like, love, that part.

Hussein (00:55:43):

yes,

Amy (00:55:43):

of you. It's

Hussein (00:55:44):

yes.

Amy (00:55:44):

incredible.
Like, Yes, more please.

And I think that's like where it's like, oh, that's like, things don't get boring anymore, you know?

It's like you could speak and write a million different ways, but it's like it feels boring. I think, when people feel really in their head.

Hussein (00:55:58):

exactly

Amy (00:55:58):

or just like, Inauthentic.
And I just want you to be you.
That's the fun part to me.
When you're amazing, well, I can sit here and talk to you all day. This has been such an amazing conversation.

Hussein (00:56:08):

even mutual.
Oh my God, it's such a good feeling to speak with you.

Amy (00:56:12):

Yeah, I'm just totally vibrant with you.

How can our sweet audience stay in your world, share anything you want here and will put it all in the show?

Notes below.

Hussein (00:56:20):

Absolutely so, go to say Hello.com.
We just launched the new website, so please interact with me there. I have.
I'm releasing some shirts of the artwork that you saw in color.

Amy (00:56:31):

cool

Hussein (00:56:31):

So it's so gorgeous, the t-shirts.
And yes, get the book and send me what you, what you think, ask me questions.

I'm launching a mentorship program because a lot of people ask for it, so I'm really excited.

Go to say hello.com.
I would love to hear from you and thank you very much Amy for having me.

This is such a great conversation.
I loved it, I loved every bit of it, thank you.

Amy (00:56:54):

Yeah, I had so much fun.
I am so enjoyed having you here.
You're an absolute Delight.
Just like, what a gift to my inbox.
Like, Oh yeah, I want to talk to this guy, this is so great, so love to talk to you.

Hussein (00:57:06):

Thank

Amy (00:57:06):

at any

Hussein (00:57:06):

you

Amy (00:57:07):

point in time.
And you're beautiful listeners, have amazing rest of your day. You're such a gift of this world just as you are.
And, you know, just keep making choices.