What’s Your Growth Mantra? (2258)

What happens when you chase success without a personal philosophy strong enough to hold you steady? In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan reveal the core mindset that has carried them through years of unseen work, delayed validation, and relentless consistency. You’ll learn why identity-driven mantras matter, how they protect your focus when progress is invisible, and why serious growth only comes from serious standards.

If you’re committed to long-term improvement but feel stuck in the gap between effort and results, this will give you the clarity and fire you’ve been missing.

Learn more about:
Your first 30-minute “Business Breakthrough Session” call with Alan is FREE. This call is designed to help you identify bottlenecks and build a clear plan for your next level. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Join our private Facebook community, “Next Level Nation,” to grow alongside people who are committed to improvement. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700

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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:
(3:12) Another nail in the structure: Building what no one sees
(11:46) Visible success Vs. Real success
(14:00) The discipline behind hard things no one wants to do
(17:43) The flywheel: Compound growth in real life
(22:53) Why serious standards lead to serious results
(28:45) Outro

🎙️ 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

• 3:12 Another nail in the structure: Building what no one sees
• 11:46 Visible success Vs. Real success
• 14:00 The discipline behind hard things no one wants to do
• 17:43 The flywheel: Compound growth in real life
• 22:53 Why serious standards lead to serious results
• 28:45 Outro

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) Alan has said this to me, I don't know how long the things we're going to say today, the three things, he has said it to me for years at this point, and at the beginning I was super annoyed, and we'll get into why.

Alan Lazaros

(0:14) I think everyone needs a mantra. (0:17) We talk about core values, but there's mantras that go with those core values that keep you on track and keep you aligned.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:26) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:29) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:31) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus.(0:34) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:40) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:47) 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

(1:03) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:09) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:15) Next Level Nation, today for episode number 2258, what's your growth mantra? (1:21) Yes, that does sound out there. (1:23) Yes, that does sound pie in the sky.(1:25) Hopefully, we will be able to make it land today. (1:29) So after every one of these episodes, so after we finish this episode in 14 minutes, Alan is going to say three things that he has been saying for I don't know how long. (1:37) He'll know better than I.(1:39) And that has become our growth mantra for NLU. (1:43) I will let you go into it since they are yours.

Alan Lazaros

(1:45) Way back 11 years ago now, I was 26 years old, 37 now, wild. (1:53) Alan version 3.7. But 11 years ago, I got in that car accident and I started listening to a motivational fitness speaker slash model slash influencer named Greg Plitt. (2:07) Kevin knows of Greg Plitt.(2:09) And he used to say another nail in the structure. (2:12) After his workouts, another nail in the structure. (2:16) And I just loved that.(2:18) And there was this one quote that I loved from him. (2:20) I'm going to see if I can do it. (2:24) Champions are not found on the podium with their hand up.(2:27) They're found in the lab studies, the thousands of hours of hard work when no one's watching. (2:32) That's what makes the will unstoppable. (2:34) And I used to just think to myself like, there's no one who's going to outwork me.(2:39) There's no one who's going to outfocus me. (2:41) There's no one who is going to put in more effort and time into becoming better than me. (2:46) And I just cultivated this mindset.(2:49) There's a morning mindset workout that I started doing called ode to excellence. (2:53) And it's this really motivational thing. (2:57) And another nail in the structure is something that I started saying to Kev.(3:00) I don't. (3:01) So we started the podcast in March of 2017. (3:03) We teamed up not long after that.(3:06) And I behind the scenes after this episode, when we stop hitting record, I'm going to say three things to Kevin. (3:12) I'm going to say another nail in the structure, keep doing the hard things no one wants to do and keep cranking the flywheel. (3:19) Excuse me.(3:20) So another nail in the structure, I think I've been saying for coming up on nine years.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:25) That's the longest one. (3:27) Yeah. (3:27) I remember we would work, Alan and I would work like super long days in the studio and we had the studio and we would all, if we left at the same time, we would walk out together.(3:36) And that was the last, the last thing we said, we would either handshake and hug or whatever. (3:40) And it was, that was always the thing. (3:41) And there were some times where you had to drive over to my car when I was getting ready to leave because you forgot to say it.

Alan Lazaros

(3:46) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:46) So I remember that. (3:47) I remember that at the studio.

Alan Lazaros

(3:49) It's a ritual and I, it's a routine ritual habit. (3:54) It's a mantra and a mantra is nothing more or less than a philosophy, a philosophy that means something to you. (4:00) We did an episode.(4:00) I'm not sure which three or four ago about what does it mean to be next level? (4:05) I think that was last week.

Kevin Palmieri

(4:08) It's hard to know at this point.

Alan Lazaros

(4:09) Of course. (4:11) On my whiteboard downstairs, there's a star at the top of it that says meaning. (4:16) I try to orient my life around meaning.(4:18) I think things that are meaningful matter a lot to me. (4:20) I've also realized that some people really don't orient their life around meaning. (4:25) I have one client who, uh, the family is extremely vain.(4:29) We've been talking about that a lot and they like really care a lot about a bunch of bullshit. (4:37) It's really hard for me to see. (4:39) It's like, can you imagine if they put that time and effort towards things that are like a value in the world?(4:45) There is, there's a lot of horseshit out there that's just really meaningless. (4:49) But anyways, so these mantras mean something to me so much that I've said them to you every single time for, there have been times where I've called Kevin afterwards. (4:58) Hey, I forgot to say it.(5:00) Another nail in the structure. (5:01) Keep doing the hard things no one wants to do. (5:03) Keep cranking the flywheel.(5:04) And I think we should go into each and what they mean. (5:08) All right. (5:08) So the first one means another nail in the structure.(5:13) It means we are building something bigger than ourselves. (5:17) We're building something that is going to outlast us. (5:21) Another nail in the structure means we're building something that isn't just about us.(5:31) So another nail in the structure. (5:33) So Kevin and I go to the studio, we build a structure. (5:35) You know, one thing that's really fucking annoying is in the 21st century, this has been really hard for me, brother.(5:41) I want to share this sort of with everybody. (5:45) Back in the seventies, eighties, nineties, me growing up, I was around in the seventies. (5:51) So let me rephrase that.(5:53) I was born in 1988, but I studied a lot of the post-industrial revolution and the dot-com era and all that stuff. (5:59) I've studied all of it, honestly. (6:00) So one of the things that really is hard for me, let's say you and I go to a holiday with family and there's a bunch of people there.(6:14) Let's say we're at someone's wedding. (6:16) Okay, cool. (6:16) Well, instead of a holiday at someone's wedding, there's a hundred people there and they say, what do you do?(6:22) And you don't really have a lot to show. (6:25) This is really actually an issue for us, brother, all of my, if you were to go on YouTube and you were to type in Alan Lazarus and Kevin Palmieri, there would be probably a thousand plus hits. (6:39) There'd be actually probably thousands plus hits.(6:43) If you type in my name on YouTube or Kevin's name on YouTube, how much it's called digital real estate, but we don't have a mansion to show like we can't go to a building and a headquarters and say, Hey, this is, this is look at what we've something of a business owner right now who has a headquarters near where we live. (7:01) And he showed me his building and it is, it's very impressive. (7:04) It's like, Whoa, look what you've built.(7:06) And not you obviously, but him and his team and his company and all this stuff, you and I don't have anything to show. (7:11) We don't have nothing to show obviously, but we don't have a lot to show because on the internet it's invisible. (7:18) So when I say another nail in the structure, what I'm saying is we are building something and we're building something big, even though nobody can see it yet.(7:25) And that is really hard for me. (7:27) I remember I went to a wedding years ago and I remember I was getting no respect. (7:33) I was getting no love, no respect because I was an engineer and computer engineer and I had all that.(7:39) And, and now you're a podcast. (7:41) Like I just get made fun of. (7:43) And it's like, you have no idea what's coming.(7:45) You have no idea what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. (7:49) I just have nothing I can show you. (7:51) I could tell you to go Google my name and that would definitely show you a little something.(7:56) I'm not going to make any friends that way. (7:58) Yeah, but you can't say that. (7:59) But the truth is, is another nail in the structure means something to me.(8:03) It means we are actually building something real. (8:06) We have a 20 person team, but no one can see them. (8:10) We have a, we are heard and listened to in over 180 countries out of 195 on planet earth.(8:16) We've been heard in 180 of them, but nobody can see it. (8:21) If I'm at a holiday party, no one can see that. (8:24) Well, I'm not on, I'm not on the news.(8:26) I'm not on CBS. (8:28) You don't have anything tangible. (8:29) That's changed though.(8:30) Hasn't it? (8:31) A little bit.

Kevin Palmieri

(8:32) I get so much love. (8:33) I think people just assume I'm a loser. (8:36) I think I would say you exceed expectations.(8:38) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(8:39) People are blown away. (8:39) It's awesome. (8:40) I love it.(8:41) What do you do on podcast? (8:41) You don't have anything to show other than your BMW.

Kevin Palmieri

(8:45) There's not a lot to show, but people either assume you're more successful than you are, or you're less successful. (8:50) I think people assume I'm more successful. (8:51) I went to the doctors the other day and she said, what do you do?(8:53) And I said, I'm a podcaster. (8:54) And she was like, oh my goodness for, I'm going back to nursing school for my RN and I had to do a podcast episode. (9:00) I was like, that's awesome.(9:01) She's amazing. (9:02) She's like, I didn't know what I was doing. (9:03) And I said, we have 2,256 of those.(9:06) And she's like, what?

Alan Lazaros

(9:08) I was like, yeah, yeah. (9:08) We've been doing it for a long time. (9:10) Yeah, but there's nothing.(9:11) Okay. (9:11) Let's assume that she didn't actually give you the time of day to talk about it. (9:16) You, you have nothing to show for it.(9:18) There's nothing visible. (9:20) Like this is important. (9:22) That, that business owner who has a huge building.(9:25) If me and a bunch of business owners get together, they're going to all choose him to work with for sure. (9:32) That is the issue because I am far more capable than that man in the 21st century online business space. (9:40) And so, and, and also you're used to being, I mean, your past we've talked about, you know, used to clean floors at a hospital and being looked down on and stuff.(9:47) At the end of the day, a lot of times the people who are seen as the most successful are the people with the biggest homes, the best cars, the nicest clothes. (9:58) When in reality, there's some of us who are building things that no one else can see that are actually bigger and a bigger movement, a bigger brand, a bigger, bigger impact, bigger profitability than anyone knows. (10:11) Like if you were to look and we were to care, I mean, just real, real quick, think of someone we were just, we were just thinking of from the past.(10:19) Her social media shows every indicator of success. (10:23) I was on with a client not two days ago, and we were going through the Instagram and the Facebook of someone just to study them. (10:33) This person's on food stamps.(10:35) Every other photograph is at a high rise or a bar in front of nice luxury cars with nice luxury suits. (10:44) I mean, this person, you would think they are a multi, multi, multimillionaire. (10:50) They don't do anything but have a great social life, popping bottles with models.(10:55) I'm not joking, dude. (10:57) It is ridiculous. (10:58) I believe it.(10:59) I told this client, I said, look, isn't it interesting how much he's trying to look successful? (11:06) She's like, yeah, it wasn't that long ago he was on food stamps. (11:10) I said, I know.(11:11) Isn't that alarming? (11:12) Isn't that alarming? (11:13) I don't look that successful online.(11:16) I'm way more successful than that person. (11:18) It's not even close. (11:19) The problem is when you want to teach people success like me, you don't have anything to show it.(11:24) You said this. (11:25) You said, doesn't matter how much you know, it only matters what you can show. (11:28) In the 21st century, there's not a lot we can show, brother.(11:31) Oh, I understand. (11:32) I've been pulling for that for years.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:35) It's just so unfortunate. (11:37) It is. (11:38) It is.(11:38) All right. (11:38) Connect the dots because we only have four minutes. (11:40) Okay.(11:40) Another nail in the structure. (11:41) We're building something behind the scenes. (11:42) Most people don't see it and we have put a lot of nails into that structure.

Alan Lazaros

(11:46) I want to hear from you. (11:46) What is it like for you to have another nail in the structure for coming up on nine years and nothing to show for it? (11:53) And again, we have a ton to show for it in real life.(11:56) I don't feel that way.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:57) I don't feel that way. (12:00) I don't feel that way at all. (12:02) If anything, the first five years were fucking terrible.(12:06) I'm telling you that me saying I'm a podcaster is my wedding trick. (12:10) It works every time. (12:11) People love to hear it.(12:12) They're so curious. (12:14) It works every time because nobody knows a podcaster that has 2000 and something episodes. (12:21) And I like, for me, I feel successful.(12:23) So I don't really give a fuck anymore.

Alan Lazaros

(12:25) I don't know how to explain it for most of my life. (12:28) Your job is your, this is the problem. (12:30) You're not focused on leading those people.(12:32) They're not podcasters, brother. (12:33) I know, but, but that's the reason why this is easier for you. (12:37) A hundred percent.(12:38) You have podcast success and you're helping podcasts. (12:41) So that's what I'm saying. (12:41) It's different.(12:42) So, so, but if you were trying to lead those people at the wedding and coach them on how to be more successful, how much harder would it be?

Kevin Palmieri

(12:49) It would be way harder, but I've also been saying that to you for years. (12:53) I know. (12:53) Of like, Hey man, it doesn't matter.(12:55) I know, you know, a lot of shit, but nobody else knows how much shit you know. (12:58) And they never will until you have stuff that they don't. (13:01) And they're like, how did he get that?(13:03) That's all.

Alan Lazaros

(13:04) And so for me, The stuff, the stuff is physical, tangible things.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:07) The stuff is the, the stuff that people value. (13:10) Which is physical, tangible things. (13:12) Yeah.(13:12) I would say, I would say materials, possessions, abundance, abundance.

Alan Lazaros

(13:17) Right. (13:18) Okay. (13:18) Well, another nail in the structure, it means we're building something in the virtual world, in the online world that is beyond what is tangibly noticeable to anyone who's not really paying close attention.(13:30) And I do know that that will flip and it is flipping. (13:33) I live in a, I mean, gorgeous neighborhood. (13:35) I'm doing much better.(13:36) It's not about that, but the early years were so hard for me because I was so much more successful than anyone would ever be able to possibly deduce. (13:43) And that's really hard when you're a success coach. (13:47) It's not easy.(13:47) That's why I was a mindset coach. (13:49) I had a pretty nice mindset. (13:50) That's why I was a fitness coach.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:51) Because you could see it. (13:52) Makes sense. (13:52) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(13:53) All right. (13:53) Second one. (13:55) And by the way, we want every listener to be thinking of their mantra.(13:59) What is your mantra? (14:00) Go, go sit down with your journal and think to yourself, what are the things that you need to be saying to yourself and to your team and to your family all the time? (14:09) Emilia and I have mantras.(14:10) Kevin and I have mantras. (14:11) These things are hashtag whatever it takes and a commitment to constant and never ending improvement. (14:19) These mantras keep you going when times are tough.(14:21) So the first one is another nail in the structure. (14:23) Obviously we've unpacked the hell out of that. (14:24) Second one is keep doing the hard things no one wants to do.(14:29) That's a newer one. (14:31) Yeah. (14:32) Newer, you mean for the last four years?(14:36) I don't know if it's been that long. (14:39) I don't think it's been that long. (14:41) Brother, I just saw this, did the math.(14:44) Amy Lennie, as we've known for 4.8 years. (14:47) I think you're off on time. (14:49) I don't.(14:49) No, I don't. (14:50) I remember when you said it the first time, I was like, you're going to fucking say that every time. (14:53) I don't think it was that long ago.(14:55) Was there another one then? (14:56) Because I used to say two things and then we added the flywheel. (14:59) I thought- I think you switched it.(15:02) Another nail in the structure has always been it. (15:03) I think there was something else. (15:06) And then I think- That was like along with another nail in the structure.

Kevin Palmieri

(15:07) Yeah, and then I- No, I don't.

Alan Lazaros

(15:09) And then I think you added the keep doing the hard things nobody wants. (15:12) I think that's like- When did I add that? (15:13) It must have been when I noticed everyone trying not to do hard work or something.(15:18) I think so. (15:18) I think- Because I knew that Kevin and I, I think this is what happened. (15:21) Kevin and I, I saw, and by the way, we're good.(15:23) I'm going to have extra time. (15:25) Timewise? (15:25) Yeah, timewise.(15:26) It's important. (15:27) I started noticing that we weren't going to be able to win the way other people win. (15:34) Yeah.(15:35) There's a lot of people on the internet, an alarming amount that are winning just by being completely full of shit. (15:40) Like that person I was telling you about. (15:41) Okay?(15:42) And I'm not going to name any names. (15:44) It's not my job, but it's insane. (15:46) There are people that are broke as a joke acting like multi-millionaires on social media.(15:50) It is fucking crazy. (15:51) And it's alarming. (15:52) It's really unfortunate.(15:54) But when I found out Kevin and I couldn't really participate in any of that, and there were some people that we used to work with that were, I think I realized, okay, we can't win that way. (16:04) We're not going to win that way. (16:05) It's outside of alignment.(16:06) We're going to have to double down on the things that they won't do. (16:09) So I think another piece is, it was the, um, love, hate, want framework thing. (16:15) Want, love, hate framework.

Kevin Palmieri

(16:16) I think it was around that time.

Alan Lazaros

(16:18) Cause it was. (16:19) Okay. (16:19) If that's the case, it probably was only three, two or three years ago.(16:22) I think it was only, yeah, I do. (16:23) I believe it was two or three years ago. (16:24) Well, there was something else that we need to think of that I said, because I used to say two things, another nail in the structure and then something else.(16:30) And then I replaced it. (16:31) Yeah, I think so. (16:33) Okay.(16:33) Another nail in the structure. (16:34) Keep doing the hard things. (16:35) No one wants to do.(16:35) And then crank, keep cranking the flywheel. (16:38) Uh, keep doing the hard things. (16:40) No one wants to do came up because I noticed that we, that was our competitive advantage.(16:45) You and I were willing to just do things. (16:47) No one else was willing to do. (16:48) Everyone else was trying to work less, not more.(16:50) And I noticed that trend. (16:52) And I was like, oh, okay, well, if we can't show off a ton of material success, cause we don't have it, it's mostly on the internet and reinvesting in the company and snowball team tools, training, none of those things you can really show. (17:04) And we're not really willing to show it.(17:06) Like I have a Tesla, I have a half million dollar home. (17:08) Like I'm not trying to show that stuff off. (17:10) It's really hard for me.(17:11) I don't like that. (17:12) I can't stand it to be honest. (17:13) I don't want to be a part of that, but I do kind of have to a little bit at the end of the day.(17:19) That's why I said, keep doing the hard things. (17:21) No one wants to do, because I realized that that, that is going to be what we build this company on and this mission on. (17:28) And that's going to be what separates us long-term because all these other people that are trying to automate and eliminate and AI and not work are in so much trouble long-term.(17:39) And that will be very evident over the years. (17:43) The next one is keep cranking the flywheel. (17:45) The flywheel, I've been, I've had this book on my desk every day for the last more than year and a half, probably two years coming up on two years.(17:55) And the Jim Collins books, Built to Last, Good to Great, Great by Choice, Entrepreneurship 2.0. There's, there's a whole bunch of them. (18:03) I actually sent them to both Christina and Kevin this morning as required reading for being a chief officers on the company, a chief officer of the company, because they are, they're books that are actually about building a real company in the real world. (18:17) And they're the best business books ever written of anything I've ever.(18:21) And we're rereading Good to Great, both Kevin and I right now. (18:24) And Good to Great is a great book for anyone who wants to be more successful, even if you're not a business owner, it's principles that are sound. (18:30) But keep cranking the flywheel means the snowball effect, the compound effect, the flywheel concept.(18:35) It's this idea that tiny improvements in a consistent flywheel or snowball lead to massive results that are unbelievable and how to go from good to great. (18:48) So keep another nail in the structure, keep cranking the fly, another nail in the structure, keep doing the hard things no one wants to do and keep cranking the flywheel were three things that I knew you and I need to keep top of mind for the rest of our life if we want to change the world in our own unique way. (19:04) And we want to grow the company 41% year over year, double the company every two years, which means you impact more people.(19:10) I can't stand what's happening in the world where how many people are getting hoodwinked. (19:14) How many times have you heard someone gets sold? (19:17) I heard from someone yesterday, keep it anonymous.(19:20) She's like, yeah, I invested in a coach $20,000. (19:22) They taught me nothing. (19:24) How many times have you heard clients get taken advantage of?(19:26) Give me an actual number. (19:28) Um, I don't know. (19:30) Dozens, dozens of times and $10,000 plus, right?(19:34) Yeah. (19:34) Almost every time. (19:35) I can't stand that people on the internet that don't know how to build anything that haven't actually built anything are taking people's money, giving them little to no value just because they look successful online.(19:50) And then they're using that money to look even more successful to hoodwink even more people. (19:55) It bothers me so freaking much. (19:57) And so I just said, you know what?(19:59) Kevin and I are different. (20:00) We're building a real company in the real world with real people. (20:03) We're going to build a real community and we're going to be next level in real life, not on social media, in real life, health, wealth, life, and love.(20:11) 1% improvement in your pocket from anywhere on the planet, completely free. (20:14) That is next level university, next level university, podcast growth university, business growth university. (20:18) It's a real thing and we're never stopping.(20:21) So another nail in the structure, keep doing the hard things no one wants to do and keep cranking the flywheel and rant is over. (20:27) But anyone out there that is watching or listening, you gotta have philosophies and mantras that keep you going when times are awful. (20:35) And if we didn't say that, if I didn't say that to myself and you, there's no freaking way we would be here.

Kevin Palmieri

(20:40) I found a page that I don't follow it because if I did, I would just go down the rabbit hole and not get anything done all day. (20:46) But it's a, it's like a meme. (20:48) It's a guy who does like these comedy skits and it's when you invest your last $16,000 into, and it's just like, one is like a Bitcoin course.(20:57) One is a drop shipping course. (20:58) One is whatever.

Alan Lazaros

(20:59) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(21:00) And it's essentially him like watching the call and it's, hey, welcome to the Bitcoin course. (21:09) Thank you so much for investing in yourself today. (21:11) I'm going to teach you how to make $160,000 with your own course.(21:14) I only need nine more of you to buy the $16,000 course. (21:19) And then I will have done that. (21:20) And then I will teach you how to do that.(21:21) And it's just super funny, but yeah, it, there is a thing out there where you rip people, you rip people off and then you buy a nice car and then you run an ad with that car about how you sold a bunch of courses in order to get that car. (21:36) And then you can sell a course on how to make courses. (21:38) And then it's this whole fucking thing.(21:40) And it's, it's the hide the ball thing where there never really was a course in the first place.

Alan Lazaros

(21:45) Yeah. (21:45) It's a rip people off, make money ripping people off, then make it seem like you're even more successful, which gives you the opportunity to rip even more people off. (21:54) Make more money with the ripped off money from the people that you didn't help.(21:58) It makes me so angry. (22:00) And for our listeners, Kevin and I will never, ever be that. (22:03) We, we want to teach you how to actually be successful in, in real life.(22:07) I find it comical that I even have to keep saying that it's like, I know so many people that are not successful in real life that look more successful than me. (22:16) It's crazy.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:17) Well, the point in this episode is you have to make your own version of this because when times get hard or even when things are cranking, it locks it in a lot of what we're doing. (22:28) So another nail in the structure, every time we've done an episode, not every time, cause I don't think we said it in the very beginning. (22:33) I don't know.(22:34) I don't remember, but whatever that's been said thousands and thousands and thousands of times. (22:39) And that is just like the new thing. (22:41) We are trying to crank the flywheel.(22:45) Like that's why we do as many episodes as we do. (22:47) And Alan goes on a bunch of shows and I go on a bunch of shows. (22:49) I'm not going on as many now, but that's cranking the flywheel.

Alan Lazaros

(22:53) What has it meant to you? (22:54) I know we only have a few minutes here, but like, what has it meant to you? (22:57) Has it been weird?(22:58) Like, I think ultimately when you go to the tail end, like, you know, if you, in the future, it'll be obvious in hindsight that that was a big part of why we were successful.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:06) Um, but a lot of, I, I probably didn't, I probably don't think about it as valuable as it is, honestly, because I don't say it just gets said to me. (23:14) I'm like, fuck. (23:15) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(23:16) Did you ever know why I was doing it? (23:18) Like, is any of that new that I, that I just shared of like, no, that almost thought went into why the, no, no.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:23) I assume you think about everything more than I know. (23:27) I don't know. (23:27) I just think it was in my mind.(23:28) It was like, I don't think I knew how serious it was. (23:33) She's like, oh, okay. (23:34) We're going to sit.(23:35) That's cool. (23:35) Fuck. (23:35) Yeah.(23:36) I like that. (23:37) You got a little camaraderie. (23:38) That's cool.(23:39) That's cool. (23:40) That's going to be our little thing. (23:42) So I don't know.(23:43) I don't know if I actually valued it as much as you probably thought I did.

Alan Lazaros

(23:48) Maybe I feel like I take everything very, very, very much more seriously than anyone knows. (23:53) Well, back when you and I started working together, we didn't take almost anything seriously.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:56) It didn't seem like it didn't seem like it, but deep down we're watching friends eating McDonald's at midnight brotherhood.

Alan Lazaros

(24:03) I didn't know you didn't, I didn't know in your defense. (24:07) I think the reason you didn't know is because I didn't show it. (24:09) Well, I think my intensity scares people.(24:11) So yeah, for sure. (24:12) I mean, dude, it's ride or die every day. (24:15) I dig it.(24:16) And I don't know. (24:17) I wonder if I need to just show that more. (24:19) I think so.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:20) I think so. (24:20) You tell me I have to show it more. (24:22) It's like, well, why don't you fucking do it first?(24:23) I'm, what do you think I went on that rant? (24:26) 315 squat today for a set of nine. (24:29) Nice.

Alan Lazaros

(24:30) For the listeners. (24:31) Last thing. (24:32) Yeah.(24:32) If you don't take life seriously, it's going to, it's going to destroy you. (24:37) I'm all for fun and comedy. (24:38) I am.(24:39) I'm all for having fun. (24:40) Like you, you bring brevity and levity. (24:43) Brevity.(24:43) You bring levity and brevity. (24:45) You're, you're more concise than I am. (24:46) What are those even?

Kevin Palmieri

(24:47) Brevity means you're brief.

Alan Lazaros

(24:49) You're brief.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:49) Okay.

Alan Lazaros

(24:50) Levity means you make things lighter. (24:52) And I get heavy quick, right? (24:54) It's like, this is heavy stuff.(24:56) You're not going to succeed at building a company or succeed at life without taking life very seriously. (25:01) And you got to remember on the, on the surface, most people seem very fun and funny, but the people who win in life take life very seriously. (25:10) And yeah, I want serious students who, who want serious results.(25:16) And all my clients, they take their life very seriously. (25:18) Like you don't track metrics and habits every day because you're winging it. (25:21) I think it's arrogant to wing it and expect to be successful.(25:24) So I'm going to show, I think I'm going to, I'm ready to share more of my intense side in everything I do, because I think that it's doing everyone a disservice for me not being that way. (25:35) Because I do think that we make it seem sometimes like you can be this successful while being fun. (25:41) I don't actually think that's true.(25:42) Like, yeah, you can have fun, but you and I never miss and well, like that's, that's the foundation. (25:48) Yes. (25:48) Yes.(25:49) But I still like I'm funny.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:52) Yeah. (25:52) I'm a funny person. (25:53) I make people laugh, but that's not why we're successful.(25:57) I think it's a very small piece of it. (26:00) Yeah, it is. (26:01) It's not, it does.(26:02) It does help. (26:03) Of course. (26:03) It's not where the foundation came from.

Alan Lazaros

(26:04) Yeah. (26:05) No, it's something that adds value.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:07) But I think my assumption is if you're listening to us, we've recorded 2,258 episodes and we've recorded an episode every single day for the last like three years or whatever it is.

Alan Lazaros

(26:15) I assume that it's definitely more than that.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:18) I assume you already know. (26:19) I think it's 1,500 episodes in a row or something like that. (26:21) So whatever that four years, almost five years.(26:24) Let's do it. (26:24) Let's do it. (26:25) Let me guess.(26:26) Hold on. (26:27) 365 days. (26:28) That we're probably at like 1,560 episodes.(26:31) Five would be 15. (26:33) That would be 1800. (26:34) I'm gonna say 4.71 years.

Alan Lazaros

(26:37) That's 4.27. That's fucking terrible.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:40) No, I'm not. (26:40) That's not close enough.

Alan Lazaros

(26:41) So more than four years without a single day missed. (26:43) Yeah. (26:44) So I assume if you're listening, you know, we're relatively hardcore.(26:46) I also think it's more than that, brother. (26:48) I do. (26:48) Because we went from five to seven way back when we were still in those first studios.(26:53) I've done the math. (26:54) We were doing an episode a day in the studio.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:56) The one that we had. (26:57) I've done the math. (26:57) I've done the math.

Alan Lazaros

(26:58) We gotta find out. (27:00) I need proof. (27:01) I need to see.(27:02) It's in one of the Next Level Podcast Accelerator ones. (27:06) Did you go back and look on YouTube? (27:07) No, I went back and looked on Buzzpro.

Kevin Palmieri

(27:11) Oh. (27:11) I'm certain.

Alan Lazaros

(27:12) I'm certain. (27:12) I'm certain of it. (27:13) Okay.(27:13) So 4.3 years, really? (27:15) It feels like longer than that. (27:17) I don't think so.(27:19) We were doing five episodes a week before that?

Kevin Palmieri

(27:22) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(27:22) Because I know we started with one. (27:25) Then it was two. (27:26) Then it was three.

Kevin Palmieri

(27:27) Then we jumped to five. (27:28) I don't think we went from five to seven. (27:30) I think we went from five to six and I think we went to six to seven.(27:32) I think we still had one day. (27:34) Really?

Alan Lazaros

(27:35) Like Sunday.

Kevin Palmieri

(27:35) I think so. (27:36) There's no way. (27:37) I think so.

Alan Lazaros

(27:39) I thought we went from five to seven because we jumped from three to five. (27:42) I know that. (27:44) I remember scratching the surface.(27:46) Yeah. (27:47) We used to have small talks, scratching the surface, five-minute clinic. (27:50) We were onto something.(27:52) We were onto something. (27:52) Then we had Motivation Monday with music in the background and we would just go on a rant.

Kevin Palmieri

(27:57) You guys did not fucking like that at all. (27:59) Those did not do well. (28:01) I had a client ask, like, should we do that?(28:02) And I said, fuck no. (28:04) Definitely not. (28:04) No, probably not.(28:06) They did it anyway. (28:07) So shout out to them. (28:08) All right.(28:09) We're going to hop on out of here. (28:10) Make your own mantra for when times get rough or when you're crushing it. (28:13) When you're crushing it, you double down, you triple down, you quadruple down on the mantras.(28:16) We don't just say it when things are going bad. (28:18) Like do the hard, keep doing the hard things nobody wants to do. (28:21) Like that's even when we're crushing it, especially when we're crushing it.(28:23) That's how you keep crushing it. (28:25) That's how you keep the flywheel going. (28:26) That's how you keep momentum.(28:27) So cool. (28:28) All right. (28:28) If you're looking for more momentum, Alan has coaching slots available.(28:31) Reach out to him directly. (28:32) Alan at nextleveluniverse.com. (28:34) Facebook, Instagram, all that stuff.(28:35) You can DM him there. (28:36) And if you're looking for a Facebook group of amazing humans who are also, my goodness, are trying to get to the next level, Next Level Nation will be linked below. (28:45) As always, we love you.(28:46) We appreciate you. (28:46) Grateful for each and every one of you. (28:48) 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 be here every single freaking day to help you get there.

Alan Lazaros

(28:56) Keep reaching for your full potential. (28:58) Next Level Nation.

Kevin Palmieri

(29:01) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (29:05) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(29:07) We mean it when we say family. (29:09) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (29:13) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(29:16) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.