AHA Moments Only Matter If You Do Something With Them (2177)

Quick fixes do not create real success. In this episode, Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros unpack why boring fundamentals beat flashy hacks, how to think about net worth versus cash in the bank, and why conscientiousness is a predictor of long term results. We break down common money misunderstandings using clear examples like Jeff Bezos’s ownership stake in Amazon, talk about leverage and financing, and share recent aha moments that actually change behavior. If you want practical personal development that helps you level up love, health, and wealth without fluff, this one is for you.

What you will learn
 • Why most quick fixes fail and how to spot them
 • The difference between being rich on paper and liquid cash
 • How leverage and financing really work for cars and big purchases
 • Why conscientiousness correlates with real world success
 • How to turn an aha moment into daily action
 • Books and ideas that stand the test of time

Learn more about:
📅Next Level University Monthly Meetup #45: “How to Design Your Life & Environment for Success” - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XAKkZd2DSw6G3NMlxL67vA
📔Next Level Dreamliner is a productivity journal designed to help break down dreams into goals, milestones, and daily habits. Grab your copy 👉  https://a.co/d/9fPpxEt

Free 30-minute Business Breakthrough Session with Alan -https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-free-breakthrough-session?month=2025-04
Free 30-Minute Podcast Breakthrough Session with Kevin -https://calendly.com/kevinpalmieri/free-30-minute-podcast-breakthrough-session-with-kevin

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NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, check out our website and socials using the links below. 👇

Website 💻  http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

Instagram 📷
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

Facebook ✍
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email 💬
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn ✍
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

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Show notes:
(2:34) Boring content often holds the truth
(4:10) The Jeff Bezos net worth myth
(7:13) If you want to start, grow, scale, or monetize your podcast?

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Chapters

• 2:34 Boring content often holds the truth
• 4:10 The Jeff Bezos net worth myth
• 7:13 If you want to start, grow, scale, or monetize your podcast? Join our Next Level Podcast Accelerator.
• 9:13 Fear as a driver for success
• 10:29 Why conscientiousness is key to growth
• 13:30 Outro

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) After we got off the last episode, I said we have to do a part two on that because I feel like there was a lot of unearthed stuff, and I have a really good example and a really good analogy to make it land. (0:12) Let's unearth some shit. (0:13) Welcome to Next Level University.(0:16) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:18) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus. (0:21) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven, but no-BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dreamchasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:27) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:34) We bring you a new episode every single day on topics like confidence, self-belief, self-worth, self-awareness, relationships, boundaries, consistency, habits, and defining your own unique version of success.

Alan Lazaros

(0:50) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (0:56) Welcome to Next Level University. (2:01) I don't think I've ever listened to anything like that in my life, ever.(2:04) Well, you're very hard to pull the wool over.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:08) Look, there is a certain type of person out there right now who's riding the struggle bus, and they've tried a bunch of different shit, and nothing has really worked out, and they see a post like that, and they say, fuck, all right, I'll give that a shot.

Alan Lazaros

(2:23) What if the reason nothing's worked out is because they're looking for the quick fix? (2:25) I think that is. (2:27) Yeah, there are no quick fixes.(2:28) I think that is it.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:30) At least reliable ones. (2:32) You can't rely on it. (2:33) No, no, it's not sustainable.(2:34) My thought process is the less sexy the content, the better it probably is. (2:40) Agreed.

Alan Lazaros

(2:41) That's why Brian Tracy's so good. (2:43) Boring as shit. (2:43) Somehow he made it through, though.(2:45) Yeah, because he's 80, dude.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:48) Yeah, but even today, I think even the younger generation still listens to him, even though he's boring as shit. (2:53) No, no, I meant because he did it for so long. (2:55) I know, but his content's still boring as shit.(2:58) Yeah, of course. (2:58) It's never not been.

Alan Lazaros

(2:59) But it becomes cool later on because he's so old. (3:03) He's been doing it... (3:06) You ever see those young videos of him?

Kevin Palmieri

(3:08) I'm like, yeah, but I feel like he's always looked the same when I see him.

Alan Lazaros

(3:14) I saw a video of him recently. (3:16) Like, Brian, good for you, man, still going. (3:19) I respect it, too.(3:20) Yeah, I do, too. (3:21) He's still going. (3:21) Man is grinding.(3:23) But if you were to look at his career and research it, I mean, he's been doing this for 60 years. (3:28) Let me ask you a question.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:30) Yeah. (3:30) Let me ask you a question. (3:31) What's the most recent aha moment you had?(3:35) And what's the value of it? (3:41) One that you feel comfortable sharing. (3:42) I'm sure you've had some behind the scenes, but...

Alan Lazaros

(3:51) Aha moment meaning brand new information, like... (3:55) Yeah, new awareness, whatever. (3:56) For me, a lot of mine lately have been a little different.(4:00) They've been more of what other people think than of what I think. (4:07) So, okay, here's an aha moment. (4:10) So I did a BGU episode yesterday, and I explained that Jeff Bezos owns 8.6% of a $2.44 trillion company. (4:19) So his net worth is $250 billion. (4:21) And I realized recently that people actually think he has $250 billion. (4:26) So whenever you hear someone say he's rich on paper or she's rich on paper, what they're saying is he doesn't have $250 billion.(4:36) He has 8.6% of a company that's worth $2.44 trillion, aka, if Amazon were to go out of business, he would have zero dollars. (4:47) And my aha moment is people actually think he has $250 billion. (4:54) That is what is reported.(4:56) So yeah. (4:56) Why would anyone have $250 billion? (4:59) You know, that's not like...(5:02) It's not a thing. (5:03) No one has $250 billion in a bank account. (5:06) No one on earth.(5:08) No one. (5:10) Because it's... (5:11) They own something worth that much.(5:13) Because by definition, if you were to have $250 billion, you couldn't...

Kevin Palmieri

(5:17) It's impossible. (5:18) Own the...

Alan Lazaros

(5:19) Yeah, it doesn't work. (5:21) You understand that? (5:22) Can you explain that?

Kevin Palmieri

(5:24) Let's say, let's say Alan and I do an episode, and I don't know how this would ever happen, but... (5:31) And I say Alan has a net worth of $10 million. (5:36) Because our company is valued at $20 million.(5:38) And Alan has 50% ownership. (5:40) I have 50% ownership. (5:41) Let's say that's the case in this example.(5:44) Alan does not have $10 million in the bank. (5:47) No, of course not. (5:48) Probably very little in the bank, honestly.

Alan Lazaros

(5:50) Yeah, yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(5:51) Probably very little. (5:52) But since our...

Alan Lazaros

(5:53) When you say very little, how much should I have in the bank in that case?

Kevin Palmieri

(5:55) I don't... (5:56) I mean... (5:57) Probably a hundred grand.(5:57) I was gonna say probably a hundred grand. (5:59) Yeah, at least. (6:00) And that's just for like a...

Alan Lazaros

(6:02) That's a safety net type thing. (6:04) So people actually think these rich people, quote-unquote, have like money sitting there? (6:09) Yeah.(6:09) No wonder why they ask, like, why don't you give that to people who need it? (6:12) Because they don't have it.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:13) Yeah, they don't have it.

Alan Lazaros

(6:14) They don't have it. (6:14) It's not real. (6:15) So that's my aha moment.(6:16) I don't know if that's of any value. (6:17) But my aha moments have been what other people don't understand. (6:20) What are you gonna do with that?(6:21) What do you do with that aha moment? (6:23) Oh, I teach people. (6:24) Way more.(6:25) Now that I know people don't know that, I can actually unpack it. (6:28) Like what we just did. (6:30) I would never have done that in the past, because I would have assumed everyone knows that.(6:33) Well, I think... (6:34) Most of my jeffings in life is assuming people know things they don't.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:37) I would definitely... (6:38) I remember seeing people that would buy like 30, 40, 50 million dollar mansions. (6:42) Because I was...(6:42) I loved watching mansion tours. (6:45) And I always thought they just bought it. (6:47) With cash?(6:48) Yeah. (6:49) No one would ever do that. (6:50) I assume...(6:51) So in my mind, it was like, well, if you have... (6:53) I mean, you're a fucking billionaire. (6:55) What's 50 million?(6:56) But again, you can see it starts from... (6:59) It starts from the top awareness down.

Alan Lazaros

(7:00) Yeah, yeah, it does. (7:01) Yeah, they're not a... (7:02) Okay, I'm not trying to laugh at you.(7:04) I'm sorry. (7:04) No, you gotta learn finance. (7:06) That's the lesson.(7:07) If you don't know that, you gotta learn it. (7:08) Because your entire mental map is wrong.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:13) Next Level Nation, what is happening? (7:16) If you've thought to yourself, I want to try coaching. (7:19) But you don't really know where to start.(7:22) Group coaching would be a wonderful place for you. (7:24) That's really why we created it in the first place. (7:26) We start a new round every 90 days.(7:29) So if you're hearing this, go to the website. (7:32) Nextleveluniverse.com. (7:33) And we have the landing page where you can actually hold your spot right now.(7:37) Even if there's a group going on right now, you can still lock your spot for the next one. (7:42) The biggest thing that we've seen is as we get closer and closer to the date, unfortunately, some people end up missing. (7:48) The group fills up and they can't do it.(7:50) And then they end up regretting that. (7:51) So please head over to the website. (7:53) The link will be in the show notes.(7:54) And we would love to see you there.

Alan Lazaros

(7:58) It's like... (8:01) Good metaphor. (8:01) I need a good metaphor.(8:02) Yeah, okay. (8:03) Imagine I was blind and deaf and I was running through the forest looking for Kevin. (8:09) Yes.(8:10) Okay, that's what it's like to not know finance and business. (8:12) You just are running into trees and wondering why life sucks.

Kevin Palmieri

(8:17) Well, I just think of it this way. (8:18) Most people are not paying cash for their vehicles. (8:22) No, of course not.(8:23) Some people do, right? (8:25) Like older people.

Alan Lazaros

(8:26) Certain people do. (8:27) Some people do. (8:29) Most people don't.(8:31) Even my really rich mentor, he didn't find it in cash. (8:33) Why would he? (8:34) He'd just get a 0% APR and...(8:37) Right, right. (8:37) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(8:38) So I think it's that. (8:39) It's the misunderstanding. (8:40) And we'll have to do an episode on this.(8:41) It's leveraging capital that no one...

Alan Lazaros

(8:43) We'll have to do an episode on that. (8:46) Can I ask you this? (8:47) Because I know we got to jump.(8:50) There was something that I wanted to ask you at the beginning of the episode. (8:55) What was the last episode about again?

Kevin Palmieri

(8:56) Success isn't really about the aha moments.

Alan Lazaros

(8:58) It was the title of the last episode. (9:00) I ask you the same question. (9:02) What is an aha moment that you've had recently?(9:04) And what are you going to do with it? (9:06) Man.

Kevin Palmieri

(9:09) I mean, you and I have been having a lot of deep conversations behind the scenes. (9:13) I operate really well from the fear of being left behind. (9:17) I do.(9:17) I just operate really well that way. (9:19) And my aha moment is that is not sustainable and or what's best for anybody. (9:25) So I have to learn how to not do that anymore.(9:29) And I don't know how to yet. (9:30) I'm not 100% certain how to. (9:32) But that was my latest.(9:35) So I think honestly, a lot of times aha moments are the things that shake us to our core. (9:41) Agreed.

Alan Lazaros

(9:42) That's why it's so hard.

Kevin Palmieri

(9:43) Holy shit. (9:43) Everything I thought I knew is not accurate at all. (9:46) I think that's the most valuable.(9:49) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(9:49) And those are the most valuable aha moments. (9:51) Yeah. (9:52) That's what I would say.(9:53) That's why I always tell people. (9:54) And I know we got to jump here. (9:56) Anyone who comes up to me and is like, oh, personal development, personal growth.(10:00) Oh, this is the best thing ever. (10:01) This is amazing. (10:03) There's a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F.(10:06) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. (10:08) I, again, for people who worry too much, it's good to give a little less fucks. (10:14) I get it.(10:15) But beyond that, you're in trouble if you have an attitude of not giving a fuck. (10:19) You're in so much trouble. (10:19) Imagine if I was the CEO of this company.(10:21) I was like, yeah, I really give a fuck. (10:23) The dumbest advice ever. (10:26) Conscientiousness.(10:27) Everyone, please research this. (10:29) Conscientiousness is the quality of success. (10:31) If I were to pick one term that embodies a successful man or woman, it's conscientiousness.(10:38) Conscientiousness is basically, you're not a wrecking ball. (10:40) You actually think about your actions, what you say, think, do, and feel, and believe. (10:44) And you actually care about other people's feelings.(10:46) And I don't really give a fuck what you think. (10:49) It's like, well, okay, that's a little over swing. (10:52) And then there's, well, I'm so afraid to offend everyone.(10:55) You can't. (10:56) There's a center point there. (10:58) So conscientiousness is how to actually succeed.(11:01) But I digress.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:02) You know what would make a really good episode? (11:03) If we did our opinions on the top 10 most successful books in the personal development industry. (11:09) Yeah, that'd be fire.(11:10) Problem is, I'm willing to bet I've probably read none of them.

Alan Lazaros

(11:14) I've probably read none of them. (11:15) Atomic Habits is really good. (11:16) So I think there's going to be a couple on there.(11:18) I do. (11:18) I do, actually. (11:19) In the top 10?(11:20) James Creighton has broke the game.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:21) I hope so.

Alan Lazaros

(11:22) That's a great book. (11:23) Very rarely is there a great book that's on the top 10 anything. (11:26) That's true.(11:27) Yeah, we'll do that in the future. (11:29) James Cameron and James Clear, usually the top movies are very surface level. (11:36) And Titanic is amazing.(11:38) And same with Avatar. (11:39) I love those. (11:40) But they're a lot of times what the masses like are not actually of deep value.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:44) I'd have to do some research on what you'd probably know better than I. (11:46) What the top movies were before, like Titanic. (11:50) What was before Titanic?

Alan Lazaros

(11:53) Are we talking grossing or ratings? (11:56) Gross box office. (11:57) Okay.(11:58) That makes sense. (11:59) But I don't know the answer. (12:00) I think it might have been Terminator 2 or something.(12:04) Maybe. (12:04) I honestly don't know. (12:05) But I'm pretty sure James Cameron has been at the top for most of his career.(12:10) Yeah. (12:11) And then he beat himself with Avatar. (12:14) That's wild.(12:16) Yeah, it is wild.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:17) All right, we get a hop. (12:18) Yeah, we get a hop. (12:19) Oh, also real quick.(12:21) The Bermuda Triangle. (12:22) Remember we were talking about this one time? (12:24) It's statistically far less likely to be in an accident.(12:26) It's not real. (12:28) None of it is real.

Alan Lazaros

(12:29) Also, what's the thing about Spring with the gopher? (12:32) What is it? (12:34) I'm not joking.(12:35) Straight up. (12:36) Paxitone, Phil, he's a... (12:37) What is he?(12:38) Groundhog. (12:38) Groundhog. (12:39) Yeah, Groundhog Day.(12:40) That's not real. (12:42) Scientifically, not accurate. (12:43) I know, I agreed.(12:44) I just... (12:44) Hey, I know, but other people don't. (12:47) I feel like way more people believe in the Bermuda Triangle than this fucking Groundhog.(12:53) Emilia's grandma, Mima, she messaged us like, Hey, did the... (12:56) And I was like, sweetheart. (12:58) No, of course not.(12:59) Science. (12:59) Science is everything. (13:00) Okay, Meetup.(13:01) The Meetup, click the link to register. (13:04) It's totally free. (13:04) It's going to be a hardcore training on creating your environments for success.(13:07) I promise you, you will leave that better. (13:09) And here's the deal. (13:10) You'll leave it more likely to succeed.(13:12) I promise you that. (13:13) And you're not going to like a thing I say, but that's okay. (13:15) You're going to leave with a higher probability of statistical success.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:18) And if you want to fly through the Bermuda Triangle, I'm going to be flying the plane and we'll do it. (13:21) We'll talk about life and all that stuff. (13:23) Next Level Dreamliner, we'll have the link in the show notes.(13:26) Journal your way to success a little bit every single day. (13:29) You know, that is how we do it. (13:30) As always, we love you.(13:31) Appreciate you. (13:31) Grateful for each and every one of you. (13:33) And if you are as committed as you say you are to getting to the next level, make sure you tune in tomorrow, because we will literally be here every single day to help you get there.

Alan Lazaros

(13:40) Keep reaching for your full potential. (13:42) Next Level Nation.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:45) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (13:48) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(13:51) We mean it when we say family. (13:53) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (13:57) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(14:00) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.