Episode 1 - Universal Life Principles #1 (The 5 P’s)
Mar 28, 2024
Juda$ X
Episode 1 is the introduction to the Universal Life Principles Series, that will be the building blocks for the next few episodes. The focal point of the series is to highlight the life principles that functioned as a guidepost throughout the journey of Juda$ X. The three pillars for this episode are Self-Actualization, Universal Life Principles & Universal Life Principle #1 (The 5 P’s). The topics covered in the episode as are as follows:
00:00:09 - Podcast Introduction
00:00:47 - Universal Life Principles Series Overview
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear https://tinyurl.com/4cp8wtsv
The Renaissance Files Podcast is hosted by Juda$ X and your episode guide is Juda$ Hendrix!
Follow us on Instagram so you don't miss the daily gems, YouTube for to access the video podcast, TikTok & Twitter! https://linktr.ee/the_renaissance_files_podcast Remember that the distance between you and your higher self is just information! Our goal is to provide you with some useful tools that you can utilize to continue taking your life to the next level. You're exponentially more powerful than you think you are so never place limitations on your ability!
Episode 1 is the introduction to the Universal Life Principles Series, that will be the building blocks for the next few episodes. The focal point of the series is to highlight the life principles that functioned as a guidepost throughout the journey of Juda$ X. The three pillars for this episode are Self-Actualization, Universal Life Principles & Universal Life Principle #1 (The 5 P’s). The topics covered in the episode as are as follows:
00:00:09 - Podcast Introduction
00:00:47 - Universal Life Principles Series Overview
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear https://tinyurl.com/4cp8wtsv
The Renaissance Files Podcast is hosted by Juda$ X and your episode guide is Juda$ Hendrix!
Follow us on Instagram so you don't miss the daily gems, YouTube for to access the video podcast, TikTok & Twitter! https://linktr.ee/the_renaissance_files_podcast Remember that the distance between you and your higher self is just information! Our goal is to provide you with some useful tools that you can utilize to continue taking your life to the next level. You're exponentially more powerful than you think you are so never place limitations on your ability!
Juda$ X:
Greetings and welcome to the Renaissance First podcast. I'm your host, Juda$ X, and I'm broadcasting to you live from the RFP headquarters. It's such a pleasure to have you here with us today and it's important for me to mention that here at the Renaissance First Podcast, we aspire to inspire until we expire. Shouts out to Les Brown. That's the only phrase that I feel could encapsulate the very essence of this podcast. I personally believe that the distance between you and your higher self is just information. So the objective of this podcast is to provide the listeners with new perspectives, ideologies and conceptual frameworks to aid in the self actualization process. This is the very first podcast episode and the introductory episode to the Universal Life Principles series. In this series, I'll be exploring a relevant topic, giving some context around one of my life's principles and then closing with an illustrative story to demonstrate that principle at work. The title for this episode is Universal Life Principles the Five P's. I invite embark with me on this lifelong journey of elevation, enlightenment and personal development so you can start building a better self today to handle the challenges of tomorrow.
Juda$ X:
I like to open every episode with a quote, as it sets the tone and the premise for the current episode, and I also like to close with another quote, as it leaves the listeners with another jewel to consider until next time. Seeing as this is the first episode, I felt like it was only right to open up with a quote from none other than yours Truly, Juda$ X. And the quote goes A brilliant idea that lacks action is a wasted thought. One more time A brilliant idea that lacks action is a wasted thought. That's actually one of my life principles that I'll be exploring in episode 2, so definitely do look out for that next month. In today's episode I'll be covering self actualization as a concept and its importance to living a fulfilled life as a human being. Then I'll explore what I consider to be universal life principles, using Ray Dalio's definition as my premise, taken from his book Principles. Ah, greetings and welcome to the Juda$ Jewel$ Corner.
Juda$ X:
I'm Judas Hendrix and I'll be your guide throughout the episode, providing background information about a topic or person that was mentioned in the episode, because Mr Renaissance, , tends to communicate under the assumption that everyone already knows what he's talking about. Could you believe the nerve of this guy? So the fact that you're here communicates to me that one of those instances has come up, but before I go any further, I'd first like to thank you and also cheers to you for taking this journey with us, because around here we believe that personal development pays exponentially more dividends than professional development. Just give me 2 seconds. Let me check these sticky notes to make sure this information is correct. Yes, ray Dalio. If you don't know who he is, raymond Thomas Dalio is an American investor and hedge fund manager for the largest hedge fund in the world. He is currently the co-chief investment officer for Bridgewater Associates. He's been that since 1985 and he founded this entity in 1975. He wrote a New York Times bestselling book Work and Life Principles about corporate management and investment philosophies. You'll hear a lot about principles throughout the duration of this episode, so it's important that you understand what principles mean from his perspective. He considers principles to be fundamental truths that serve as the behavior to get you the desired outcome that you want out of life. I'm sure we'll see each other again before this episode is over. Until then, stay safe and now back to the episode. Then I'll explore the 5 Ps, give my perspective on it, coupled with an illustrative story to tie it all together. Now.
Juda$ X:
I've mentioned Self-Actualization quite a few times in this episode and I'm sure you're wondering what is Self-Actualization? What does it even mean? What is this guy talking about? Well, actualization, by definition, means to make real or right the appearance of reality. Using Abraham Maslow's definition, self-actualization is simply becoming everything that you are capable of becoming. Welcome back to the . Jewel$ corner, I figured I'd see you again before the conclusion of this episode. Happy to still have you here with us. Abraham Maslow was just mentioned in the episode so just in case you had no idea who he was, he was an American psychologist who came up with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling human needs in an order of priority. He culminated the idea of Self-Actualization and he also taught at one of my alma mater, Brooklyn College. I felt like it was imperative for me to provide that background information for you to understand why it's important for us to take his perspectives and definition into consideration. Now back to the episode.
Juda$ X:
I believe that the only limitations on your trajectory is your imagination and the only thing that's going to dictate your trajectory is your works. There's no substitute for the work. Some things you can only learn by doing. For instance, if I was talking to you about learning to ride a bike. I can talk to you about learning to ride a bike all day, but until you get on the bike and actually try to learn to ride a bike and get into the process, there's certain nuances that you just won't be able to grasp and understand. That's why it's important to start so, now that you have a high level understanding of what Self-Actualization means, why is it important and why is it relevant? Well, self-actualization allows people to align their goals and values with their actions and behavior, which leads to a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It's recommended as a useful tool to help in achieving psychological well-being, which ultimately makes it very important for you to strive for Self-Actualization so you can continue to grow and develop throughout your lifetime and combat that feeling of stagnancy.
Juda$ X:
Human motivation is closely tied to the concept of Self-Actualization. Just imagine the carrot in front of the donkey to keep it moving forward. It's essentially the same concept. When you're working towards something, the targets and the markers help keep you motivated and keep you on track. Fortunately for you, you have the God-given ability to materialize whatever version of yourself that you desire, while the donkey stuck on the same channel, chasing a carrot that it can never actually attain. So definitely do make it a point to exercise your imagination as often as you can. Word to Dame Dash when you dream, everything is supposed to be perfect, so make your dreams as marvelous as your imagination allows you to.
Juda$ X:
I think that the most beautiful thing about Self-Actualization is that it gives you an opportunity to relish in your individuality, because the real reality is only you can be you. There's no substitute for embracing yourself, but, more importantly than achieving your goals, you develop a deeper understanding and acceptance for yourself, including both strengths and weaknesses, and that's something that I think is extremely important and must not be overlooked. Plus, if it's one thing you were born to do, it's be yourself. So why not curate the best version of yourself? Sounds like a no-brainer to me. For me personally, I find that it's exponentially easier for me to stay committed to healthy habits when I assume the identity of the person I'm trying to become. James Claer refers to this as an identity shift. So instead of saying I want to go running on a regular basis, I just assume the identity of a runner, because if it's one thing that a runner does, it's to run.
Juda$ X:
Shout out to Kim Collins, like I couldn't shout out Kim Collins and not play this right here, so we can just insert this real quick. Me first, kim Collins. Wed, are you sleeping? I will sing us out on the gym. Run Kim Run, marcus Chee Run. Kim Run. Village Run Kim Run, magnite Run Kim Run. New Top Run Kim Run Buckleg Run. Kim Run. New Face Run Kim Run Sexy Run Kim Run. Welcome back to the Juda$ Jewel$ Corner.
Juda$ X:
I'm sure you're wondering who is Kim Collins and what's the relevance of that previous video. Well, I'm from a small island in the Caribbean the size of Brooklyn called St Kitts. It's one federation, St Kitts and Nevis. Kim Collins was a former tracking and field sprinter who became the world champion in 2003 for the 100 meters dash. So at one particular point in time he was the fastest man in the world. He still currently holds the national record for St Kitts and Nevis and he also holds an M40 record for men over the age of 40. He represented the federation in the summer Olympic games on 5 different occasions, spanning from 1996 to 2016. At a regional level, he was a gold medalist in the Commonwealth games and a silver medalist in the Pan American games.
Juda$ X:
I wanted to highlight this information for two specific reasons. One to give him his flowers for all his amazing accomplishments and two, to articulate the fact that he's paved the way for many others who came after him. There are numerous stalwarts from our federation who have rose to prominence in different fields. I share this information with hopes of inspiring, because it's never where you start but where you finish. His story is a testament to the fact that you can overcome any obstacle with perseverance and consistency. As we say back home, we smile, but we talawa.
Juda$ X:
Now back to the episode. and If I want to read more, I just assume the identity of a reader and gradually start setting aside time to read on a regular basis, even if it's only 5 pages, because at that stage the focal point is fostering the habit. So it's less about volume and more about the consistency of the action. That's where you get the benefit. James Clear articulates these ideas ever more eloquently in his book Atomic Habits. I definitely do recommend. It's an excellent read with a whole bunch of resourceful tools to help with overcoming procrastination and developing consistency. I'll leave links to all the books mentioned in the description below. Consistently executing and performing the habits that align with your desired identity, reinforces that identity in your neural pathways and helps with programming the subconscious mind. Aristole once brilliantly said, we are what we repeatedly do.
Juda$ X:
In an effort to foster some coherence throughout the progression of this podcast, I like to explore some fundamental principles that I've created throughout my journey. They've served as a guiding light throughout the different phases of my life. Hopefully you can find some value in them. For any monumental structure to have longevity, it's imperative that you build on a solid foundation. Hence the reason I felt like it was imperative for me to open up the podcast with these life principles. Again, this thought process was inspired Ray Dalio's book Principles, and I find these principles to be very useful with keeping me on track while pursuing any worthwhile endeavors or just completing everyday tasks. They are also very multifaceted, as I sometimes use them as mantras to help me navigate the inevitably challenging times that always arise, cause what Popcaan say, every time you reach a new level, you got to conquer a new devil. So hopefully you could find some benefit in these principles and become inspired to create your own life principles to help you navigate your life on a daily basis.
Juda$ X:
I learned an extremely powerful lesson recently from Jim Rohn, and that is that everything matters. He explained that failure is a few errors in judgement practiced everyday, while success is a few simple disciplines executed on a daily basis. The subtlety of that difference is what makes this something important to note. Ray Dalio defines principles as fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for the behavior that gets you the desired outcome that you want. These principles can be applied time and time again in similar situations to help you achieve your goals and get your desired outcome. Universal Life Principle Number 1 is abbreviated as the Five P's Proper, Preparation, Prevents, Poor, Performance.
Juda$ X:
One more time proper preparation prevents poor performance. My first introduction to the concept of the Five P's was on the outro of a Kendrick Lamar song, Poe Man's Dream, off of the Section 80 album. When I heard the guy give the definition for the Five P's, it resonated with me a different way, and I've held on to it ever since then, and that was quite some time ago. To be completely honest, the focal point of this principle for me is captured in the first two words, which are proper preparation, because I've seen firsthand how consistently executing on proper preparation can set you up for continued success. As Benjamin Franklin once said, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Juda$ X:
Poor performance can often be tied to lack of comprehensive preparation. However, one important thing to note is that the plan never goes exactly how you plan it, but when you prepare, it's much easier for you to pivot and remain flexible when challenges inevitably arise. I consider my plan to be a measuring stick for my progress and a mechanism to keep me on track. It also helps me to determine when and if adjustments need to be made when new information becomes available. There's so much value in possessing the ability to rethink and re-evaluate situations when new perspectives are provided. Rethinking is an instrumental component when navigating the journey to your goals. So I'll give two instances of where proper preparation prevented poor performance at two pivotal moments in my life.
Juda$ X:
Illustrative story number one just to set the premise, I failed accounting in high school but wanted to pursue an accounting degree when I got to university, Crazy right. So it was super important for me to feel very prepared before I actually got to school. So I went on the internet and I searched for introductory courses on accounting and found this course, taught by this guy called Dave Krug, who's a brilliant professor, by the way. It was 37 videos, 50 minutes a piece, with homework assignments after every class and three sectioned exams to test your understanding throughout the progression of the class. I did the whole set five times before I actually got to school. So when I got to my first accounting class I looked at the back of the syllabus and I could have completed everything in the back of the syllabus, but I decided to stay in the class to ensure that I did not miss anything. I could confidently say from the bottom of my heart this was the worst professor I've had in my entire university experience. This guy was so terrible. Quite a few people had to change their majors from accounting to something else because they ended up failing the class. Now, there's no way that I could have known that this would have been the case for this class, but by being proactive and exercising the concept of the 5 Ps, it enabled me to harlemshake through the pressure and circumvent the same fate as some of my other classmates. So it's safe to say that proper preparation definitely did prevent poor performance in this instance.
Juda$ X:
During the pandemic we were doing distance learning, so I was completing my degree from St Kitts and for some reason my economics professor was very adamant about students taking the final in person, not willing to take a chance and miss the final. I flew back to New York only to have the announce that that there was going to be an online version, but it was going to be more challenging. But at that point I was already in New York so I figured, hey, I might as well just go to campus and complete the in-person version, because who doesn't want an easier final? At the time I decided to stay in Yonkers, although it was 2 hours away from campus. I digress.
Juda$ X:
Upon arriving at the campus at 7.30pm for this 8am final, the security guy told me that I'm not eligible to get on the compounds and she was not very keen on explaining why I was not eligible to get in. All she said was you have a red bubble on your student app and you're supposed to have a green bubble to be eligible. After debating with her for about 5 minutes, I remember that there's a nearby Starbucks and I had everything that I needed to take the exam my laptop, scrap paper calculator. So I travelled to the nearby Starbucks, sat, took the exam and was able to get an A. But I'm not trying to impress you with the grade. It's more to illustrate the idea of the importance of executing the concept of the 5 Ps, because had I not been prepared, there's no way I would have been able to complete that exam and I would have failed, and that would have sent me back in terms of graduation. So that is the second instance where proper preparation definitely did prevent poor performance for me personally. So just to quickly recap the key points of this episode according to Abraham Maslow, self-actualization is becoming everything that you are capable of becoming. Principles, as defined by Ray Dalio, are fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for the behavior that gets you the outcome that you desire. And the 5 Ps proper preparation prevents poor performance. If you feel like any of these ideas or concepts can be useful in your daily routine, definitely incorporate them as you see fit so you can start setting yourself up for success today, because your future self will thank you, and we are now at
Juda$ X:
The conclusion of the very first episode of the Renaissance Files podcast. Hopefully you found some value in the information that we shared here today. If you did, please like, subscribe, share to help the channel grow and reach a much broader audience. Thanks in advance for your assistance and also thanks for sticking around to the end. In the words of the jigger man, you could have been anywhere else in the world today, but you're here with me and I appreciate that. One more thing I'd like to say before I get out of here is that please bare in mind that you're exponentially more powerful than you think you are. Everything is in the mind, and I heard a brilliant man say he's never seen a problem that an idea cannot fix. So the next time you're feeling stuck or you're going through a challenging time, definitely bare that in mind, because at this stage in your life, any difficult situation is just another corrective building experience.
Juda$ X:
I'll be remiss to end this episode without popping a bottle of Champagne to commemorate this monumental milestone. I'd also like to give a special thank you to the following individuals for their contribution to this episode Patrick Walters, Jabari Trotman, Chenel Deonje Lawrence, Leon Cassel, ya bpy Zu Keeping it True, Nick Casabianca, Claude Mulindi. But most importantly, I'd like to dedicate this episode to the late great Paulettle Lucinda Ward- Caines, for all your sacrifices and your contributions to get me to this point. You're my muse. You keep me inspired, even when times are tough, and I'll keep climbing to the top. So when I get there, I could shout your name, because you deserve nothing but the best. Cheers to you, queen.