It’s Not Really You VS You… (2284)

Growth gets real when effort meets reality. In today’s episode, Kevin and Alan strip away a comfortable idea in self-improvement that sounds right but quietly caps results. Consistency matters. Personal development matters. But progress stalls when discipline disconnects from real-world decision-making.

This is a grounded conversation about long-term growth, identity, and what actually drives performance over time. No hype. No shortcuts. Just a clear look at how serious self-improvement works when pressure, competition, and standards are real. If you care about building consistency that lasts and making decisions that compound, this episode will sharpen how you think. Listen closely. This one separates intention from execution.

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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

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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:
(3:37) Discipline internally, competition externally
(7:45) Overswinging from competition to comfort
(9:58) Identity conflicts that drive growth
(13:55) Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic motivation explained
(17:58) Competition as a performance multiplier
(21:11) Long-term effort creates inevitable results
(24:38) 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

• 3:37 Discipline internally, competition externally
• 7:45 Overswinging from competition to comfort
• 9:58 Identity conflicts that drive growth
• 13:55 Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic motivation explained
• 17:58 Competition as a performance multiplier
• 21:11 Long-term effort creates inevitable results
• 24:38 Outro

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) This is probably another egg on my face that I've quote-unquote lied about, not really, but we've said this before, it's you against you. (0:08) And there are certain things, I think the gym is you against you because you have to get up and get your butt there and all that, but now more than ever I don't think success really is you against you because this is all competitive. (0:20) Yes, there's plenty of money to go around, yes there's plenty of clients to go around, but if you don't understand there is somebody else that's working harder than you, I think it's really hard to be successful.

Alan Lazaros

(0:31) Competition versus collaboration. (0:34) Selfishness versus selflessness. (0:36) Let's talk about it.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:38) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:40) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:42) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus.(0:45) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:51) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:58) 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

(1:14) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:20) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:26) Next Level Nation today for episode number 2284, Alan Says Words. (1:32) It's not really you versus you. (1:35) So we just had the Next Level Podcast Accelerator, and it was the final coaching session.(1:42) And you were talking about how if somebody is working four hours a day versus us combined working some days 24 hours a day, which is insane. (1:54) I said four hours a week. (1:56) Four hours a week.(1:56) Well, let's say it's four hours a day.

Alan Lazaros

(1:57) I was making fun of the four-hour work week. (1:59) Yes. (2:00) The concept.(2:01) The book actually has some value.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:02) I still don't like it, nor will I ever— I think the title is horseshit. (2:05) That's my truth. (2:06) It's good marketing, though.(2:07) Again, I've gotten a lot of Big Macs. (2:10) I've never gotten a Big Mac that looks like it does in the commercial. (2:13) Nope.(2:13) Because that's not even real. (2:14) It's not even actually a Big Mac. (2:16) There's people out there that get paid a lot of money to make food look good.(2:20) Yes, there are.

Alan Lazaros

(2:21) That's wild. (2:21) I used to work with—this is totally random—but I used to work with the photographers that took pictures of the Roomba. (2:28) They had some legit subs.(2:31) I believe it. (2:31) Legit. (2:32) I want to share this with you.(2:34) I have not had any McDonald's. (2:37) Him and I quit. (2:40) We watched The Founder, found out Ray A.(2:42) Kroc is a real asshole.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:43) Kroc is shit. (2:44) Yeah, Kroc is shit.

Alan Lazaros

(2:45) And we were like, you know what? (2:46) I think we're done. (2:47) We're conscious consumers.(2:48) So Domino's has fallen.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:51) McDonald's— Not because of any reason other than a lot of calories and a lot of sodium. (2:56) What hasn't fallen yet? (2:59) Raisin Bran.(3:00) Raisin Bran is what you're at now? (3:02) You still have your—didn't you have some sort of chocolate snacks? (3:07) Oh, the best.(3:08) The best.

Alan Lazaros

(3:10) Yeah. (3:10) They are Whole Foods Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. (3:14) Minis.(3:14) In the freezer. (3:17) God, this is where we start to drift apart here. (3:20) Brother, it is what it is.(3:21) You don't have to come with on this.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:23) I don't know if I can do it.

Alan Lazaros

(3:25) I don't know if I can. (3:25) We get Whole Foods frozen pizzas. (3:28) Super legit.(3:29) Okay. (3:30) Yeah, they're very good macros.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:32) All right. (3:32) And they're also delicious. (3:33) Enough about this shit.(3:37) I think it helps me tap into a healthy amount of ego when I compare myself to somebody else from a competitive perspective. (3:49) I think you versus you is great, and I think that's a level. (3:53) It's always you—discipline is you versus you, right?(3:56) It's not you versus anybody else. (3:58) But there are other people in the same boat as you that are trying to accomplish the same thing as you that might be working harder than you, and I think that is really important to understand. (4:08) I say this all the time on podcasts, and I say this to podcasters.(4:12) If you're a pod—I understand there's a big enough audience, but you're competing with Alan and I, and if we both work a 12-hour day, that's a 24-hour day. (4:22) And we're probably working twice as much because there's two of us, and I'm not saying that to talk down. (4:27) I'm not saying that as a suggestion that you shouldn't try, but I think it's important.(4:32) When I—I went to the gym with Taryn the other day, and I did legs. (4:37) Got up to 385. (4:38) There were people watching me when I was squatting.(4:40) You better believe there was a little part of me that said, I'm gonna show you something. (4:46) I don't think it's a coincidence that I was stronger that day than in the past.

Alan Lazaros

(4:51) Yeah, there's a book called The Talent Code that talks about talent hotbeds. (4:56) And there's like this small town where the majority of amazing female tennis players came out of. (5:03) Soccer players in Brazil tend to be better because the—there's the Renaissance period, Paris.(5:09) There's a whole bunch of them. (5:12) I do think that you become who you're around. (5:17) And I think if you don't have a competitive drive, because I compete with my potential, but I also compete with people around me.(5:25) I remember I would lift with people way stronger than me. (5:29) And I was stronger. (5:32) Way stronger because of it.(5:33) Yeah, it's very important. (5:35) It's really—there was a gym called Impact Fitness in Auburn. (5:38) And the equipment is legit.(5:40) I love that gym. (5:41) Some of the stuff in there is just amazing. (5:45) And there were some people in there that were so freakishly strong and in shape.(5:49) And a lot of them are on steroids, too. (5:51) But I do miss the competitive environment, not in a negative way. (5:55) And the other thing that I loved about that gym, too, is there was no football on or basketball.(6:02) They had, you know, Arnold and The Rock, and they had inspiring shit on the TVs. (6:07) I can't stand when people are watching TV in between sets. (6:10) I get it.(6:11) I go to a family-owned small-town gym. (6:15) I turn that shit off. (6:17) I do, dude.(6:18) I do the—you can't see. (6:21) I'll articulate it if you're on audio only. (6:23) But I'll give the signal of eyes and say, are you watching this?(6:27) I don't say anything, but eyes. (6:30) And they go, no. (6:31) And I'm like, turn it off.(6:32) I want to be respectful, but also, what are we doing watching TV? (6:35) I'm here to lift weights. (6:37) I understand, though.(6:38) That gym is a tough one. (6:40) Of course. (6:40) And if there's a bunch of people watching it, I don't.(6:44) But if it's just us and a couple other people, I need to turn that shit off. (6:48) But the competitive spirit, I think, is something that—I was on a podcast three weeks ago, four weeks ago, and it was a debate podcast that I thought was actually really cool. (7:00) And it was a respectful show.(7:03) There was a three-person interview, and the host pit us against each other in a live debate about the merits of cooperation versus competition.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:12) Yeah, I remember you said that.

Alan Lazaros

(7:14) And I was on the cooperation side, and she was on the competition side, and it was about business. (7:20) And I had to chime in like six times and say, just a reminder, obviously it's both. (7:27) And the truth is, dude, you can't just be competitive.(7:31) Yeah. (7:32) That's the worst idea ever of all time. (7:35) You need to be on a team that's collaborative.(7:38) If you're competing against each other on a team, that's a good way to— I was on sales teams. (7:42) It's a good way to destroy it.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:43) I think it starts on the other end, though. (7:45) I think it used to be all about competition, and then it was like, no, it's you versus you. (7:49) I think we've just overswung.(7:52) Agreed. (7:53) When I go on—I've said this before, and I don't mean it from a place of ego. (7:57) I think it helps me unlock a piece of myself.(8:00) I did a speech one time on relationships, and I literally was like, whoever is after me is fucked. (8:05) I'm going to give it everything I have, and this is going to be the best presentation I've ever done. (8:10) I could be the last person.(8:11) It doesn't matter. (8:12) I don't want to make whoever is up after me's life harder. (8:17) I don't want to hurt their feelings.(8:19) I don't want that. (8:20) But I think it helps you tap into— Of course. (8:23) —an extra layer, an extra gear that you don't normally tap into.(8:28) That's part one. (8:29) And then part two, I think you versus you is like, that's layer one. (8:36) And then understanding that it's you versus the world, too, is layer two.(8:40) But then when you get to layer three, it's you versus you at a greater scale. (8:43) And then rinse and repeat that forever. (8:44) What can I do for you?(8:46) I told Kev about storytelling in literature. (8:49) Here we go.

Alan Lazaros

(8:52) Every—I don't like this because it's man and woman, by the way, so when I say this, but back in the day in English class, we learned about storytelling. (9:01) And there's four sort of types of stories. (9:04) There's man versus man or woman versus woman.(9:07) There's man versus society, man versus self, and man versus nature. (9:13) Man versus nature would be you're either you're out in the woods and you've got to survive, find a way, like the movie The Edge or something like that. (9:25) They get lost in Alaska.(9:27) Man versus man is there's a villain that I have to face. (9:32) Man versus self is Harry Potter facing the parts of him that he—his ego and Voldemort inside of him, that kind of thing. (9:40) Harry Potter people will know what I'm talking about.(9:42) Respect. (9:42) And then man versus society is Rose in Titanic when she is fighting against the fact that no one takes women seriously in the early 1900s. (9:51) And I don't like—mankind, not man.(9:54) Man versus man. (9:55) It's woman and man, okay? (9:57) I need to make that as clear as possible.(9:58) That said, there is a reason we resonate with those stories. (10:04) It's not just you versus you. (10:07) I'll give you mine.(10:09) Me versus my true potential. (10:11) Man versus man. (10:12) Me versus society.(10:14) Spoiled brats that are entitled as hell and bullies who put other people down to make themselves feel bigger. (10:19) Okay, that's also man versus man, but that's more societal. (10:24) I'll give you—that's man versus man.(10:25) Let me give you the societal one. (10:28) Us giving people an out. (10:30) Learned helplessness.(10:32) Handouts. (10:34) Us not teaching what you'll never learn in school but desperately need to know. (10:41) I had to struggle and suffer to achieve.(10:45) That is what built me into someone of value. (10:49) So what you'll never learn in school but desperately need to know. (10:51) I didn't learn anything about personal development or fitness or nutrition or finance in school.(10:57) I didn't take my first finance course until grad school. (11:00) So that's man versus society. (11:02) Why are we not teaching kids about finance?(11:03) We use money every day of our life. (11:05) We eat food every day of our life. (11:06) We exercise every day of our life.(11:07) And we don't know shit about or learn anything about any of those. (11:10) I don't want to say nothing, but not a lot. (11:11) Not enough.(11:12) Certainly not enough. (11:13) Habits, character, humility, vulnerability, courage. (11:16) Where was all this?(11:17) Next level university and my mission, our mission was built on me trying to reach my full potential. (11:23) You trying to reach your full potential. (11:24) That's man versus self.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:28) Mine's different than yours for sure, but yes, go on.

Alan Lazaros

(11:30) Okay, go on. (11:31) Man versus society is what you'll never learn in school but desperately need to know. (11:37) Man versus nature is us facing our own ego.(11:41) And us getting after it in the gym. (11:44) And us making sure that we can have enough resources to grow the company. (11:48) And us, I don't know, being physically fit.(11:57) It's man versus nature. (11:58) And then you've got man versus man is entitled people that want to shit on us and villainize us. (12:04) And who want to work four hours a week and sell courses, taking pictures in front of rented cars and Ferraris.(12:12) And hoodwinking people. (12:15) Liars. (12:16) Liars, like people who are full of shit and taking money from people.(12:23) That's at an all-time high. (12:25) I would love to see the stats on that. (12:27) For sure.(12:27) With the last 15 years of social media, I would love to see. (12:32) And I don't know if they have the stats on that. (12:35) They probably don't.(12:35) I'm sure I could get ChatGPT to do something for me. (12:38) But the increase of people taking advantage of others on the internet must be, I think.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:45) Oh, yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(12:47) 2005 to 2025, it must be crazy.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:50) I think it's going to get worse for a while, too.

Alan Lazaros

(12:54) And so that's, we are living that hero's journey. (12:57) That's what the hero's journey is. (12:58) And we're all on that journey.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:02) And it requires a competitive edge, for sure. (13:06) I think me versus me is proving myself wrong. (13:09) I think yours is proving yourself right.(13:11) Agreed. (13:12) Because for me, it's like, I just. (13:13) Mine is proving others wrong.(13:14) Others wrong. (13:16) There's a little piece of me that is that, but not really. (13:19) I'm proving myself wrong, for sure.(13:21) The thing that really motivates me, maybe more than anything else, is there's so many people out there that are like more, quote unquote, successful and have more to give, but don't. (13:31) Like financially. (13:33) There's just so many people out there that are like, just so selfish with money.(13:37) Yeah, for sure. (13:38) And that's like, that's always been a thing that's motivated me. (13:41) Always, always, always.(13:42) I can't stand that when I see that. (13:43) I cannot stand that. (13:44) Now, again, I like nice things and I want to have a nice house and I want to have a nice car and I want to have all that.(13:47) Most of the stuff that I do will never be seen and I don't care and I don't need to be seen and I don't want to be seen. (13:52) But I need to know. (13:53) I need to know that I'm doing it.

Alan Lazaros

(13:55) I think the other piece of this that came up for me when you were talking at the beginning of the episode is intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivation. (14:04) Intrinsic motivation is you versus your potential. (14:06) You versus you.(14:08) Extrinsic motivation is town hotbed. (14:11) You're in a gym. (14:12) Let's go.(14:13) Big fish in a small pond. (14:14) Little fish in a big pond. (14:16) And I think that ideally you need to be around...(14:19) I think if you have high self-belief, you need to be around people that make you feel uncomfortable at the ego level. (14:25) I would love to speak on stage with Michael Burt and Tony Robbins and the top speakers. (14:31) I would love that.(14:32) I would absolutely love that. (14:33) Even if I get my ass kicked. (14:34) I don't think I would, but even if I did, whatever.(14:37) It'll make me better. (14:38) And I think that you mentee people, you are a mentor to people that are behind you on the journey. (14:45) And then you look up to people that are ahead of you.(14:48) Not necessarily their character. (14:51) Unfortunately. (14:52) Unfortunately.(14:53) And then you mastermind with your peers. (14:57) We don't talk about the five buckets often, but I think this comes into it too. (15:00) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.(15:02) I think of it like there's apparently three intrinsic motivators and three extrinsic motivators. (15:11) Main ones. (15:12) I think his name is Daniel Pinker.(15:15) He has a book. (15:15) I forget the title of it off the top of my head. (15:17) Honestly, I'm not even going to recommend it.(15:19) The point is, is think of it like a six cylinder car, but you're only running on four. (15:23) You and I have the five Ms of motivation. (15:25) One of them is mission.(15:26) So it's you versus society. (15:28) One of them is mastery. (15:30) You versus you.(15:31) One of them is materials. (15:32) You versus status. (15:36) One of them is marriage.

Kevin Palmieri

(15:39) That's competitive to a degree. (15:41) I don't, I don't think we have one that's competitive enough. (15:44) Honestly.(15:45) Movement slash freedom. (15:46) Like the ability to do what you want. (15:48) That's you versus you and you versus nature.(15:49) I don't think we have like a question for you.

Alan Lazaros

(15:54) When we first started, you were, you were more focused on self-awareness. (16:00) You for sure. (16:01) Yeah.(16:01) Okay. (16:02) I was more focused as an engineer learning the world and the economy. (16:06) It's not fair because you were still super focused on that.(16:08) When I said, yeah, for sure. (16:09) I meant like, yes, I think. (16:11) No, no, I meant, I didn't even mean me versus you.(16:13) I meant you in general. (16:15) Yes. (16:15) Okay.(16:15) Yes, for sure. (16:16) I meant you in general. (16:18) I think now that you are a more successful business owner and correct me if I'm wrong.(16:24) I think you're starting to notice a bunch of shit that is like, oh, because you were never that focused. (16:33) You didn't understand the marketplace and how to compete in a business. (16:38) And I don't know if you really understood how much of a competitive marketplace business actually is like business is the most competitive sport on planet earth.

Kevin Palmieri

(16:46) I still don't know if I do. (16:50) Honestly, again, I don't know. (16:51) I don't have anything to compare it to.

Alan Lazaros

(16:52) You had a breakthrough on the group coaching. (16:54) We did the business this earlier, right before this, like what was, was there a connection of, oh shit, like this is way more competitive than people think. (17:03) Because in the beginning, I feel like you didn't know.(17:05) That piece for sure.

Kevin Palmieri

(17:07) Because people, I think it's like, it feels really good to say it's you versus you. (17:11) It feels good because it makes you feel like you're in total control, which you are. (17:15) I'm not saying you're not in control, but it's not just you against you.(17:18) It's you against you versus everybody else who's also them against them. (17:22) It's not, you're not in a vacuum because then you go out into the real world and you have to do, I think this is the thing. (17:29) It's yes, it's you against you.(17:31) But the people you're talking to are getting talked to by other people that it's not them versus them. (17:36) They understand there's competition. (17:39) That if I'm selling ice cream and you're selling ice cream, yes, me versus me.(17:42) I got to make sure I do everything right. (17:43) But I also have to be better than you. (17:45) A hundred percent.(17:46) Because if I'm not better than you, then why the fuck would you buy my ice cream? (17:48) You wouldn't buy my ice cream. (17:49) Which makes everybody better.(17:50) Which makes everybody. (17:51) So that, that is the piece for me that that was the breakthrough is you versus you gets you to a certain stage. (17:58) You versus the competition elevates the stage.(18:01) For real. (18:01) Yeah, always. (18:01) And then you have to get better.(18:02) And then the stage, that. (18:04) That's why the, the five minute mile got broken. (18:08) Somebody did it.(18:09) And then we were like, oh, you can do this. (18:11) A four minute mile. (18:11) Well, the five minute mile got broken at one point too.

Alan Lazaros

(18:13) Just a lot sooner.

Kevin Palmieri

(18:15) The four minute mile. (18:16) Exponentially sooner. (18:17) Exponentially sooner.(18:18) The four, the four minute mile got broken.

Alan Lazaros

(18:20) If anyone doesn't know the difference between a five minute mile and a four minute mile, try to run a six minute mile. (18:24) Yeah. (18:24) It's not just a minute.

Kevin Palmieri

(18:26) It's brutal. (18:27) I saw this. (18:28) And again, please, I could be off on this.(18:31) The best marathon runner in the world runs, I believe, like a five minute pace for the entire marathon. (18:40) How in the actual F is, is there a human alive that can essentially sprint for 26 miles straight? (18:48) That is insane to me.(18:50) I can't even, it might be less than five, five minutes. (18:53) I don't know. (18:54) We'd have to look it up.

Alan Lazaros

(18:54) I haven't looked it up, but I will say.

Kevin Palmieri

(18:56) It's Kipchoge?

Alan Lazaros

(18:57) I'm going to look it up right now. (18:58) It is wild. (18:58) I watched him.(18:59) I, it's the compound effect right there. (19:02) He's probably been running since he was a wee lad.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:05) Four minute and 34 second mile. (19:09) Average mile. (19:11) Yes.(19:12) For a marathon. (19:14) That's his marathon pace. (19:16) Kipchoge.(19:17) His name's Kipchoge.

Alan Lazaros

(19:18) I can't run one mile even close to that.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:22) That is honestly- He ran a sub two hour marathon.

Alan Lazaros

(19:26) Is that the first time in history that's ever happened? (19:28) I don't know, but that is absolutely- That's nuts. (19:30) That is beyond fathomably difficult.(19:33) That is crazy. (19:35) He's, I'm assuming very lean, like extremely small.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:38) Very lean. (19:38) And again, I don't know the statistics of this, but I believe he's Kenyan.

Alan Lazaros

(19:43) Yep.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:44) Kenya tends to have really good- That's the talent hotbed. (19:47) Marathon runners.

Alan Lazaros

(19:47) Yeah, for sure. (19:48) And it's because of elevation. (19:49) They've done research about it.(19:52) Because your lungs get more capable in higher elevation, all that kind of stuff. (19:55) Yep. (19:55) That's why some people wear masks in the gym.(19:58) Neither here nor there. (19:59) If you are out there and you want to master your thing and you want to dial in and you want to, I told Kev, I want to be the most dialed in in 2026. (20:07) I want to make what we accomplished in 2025 look like child's play.(20:11) If you're ready to ramp up next level, next level, next level, I will be in the pain in the ass that you thank one day. (20:16) I promise you, if you coach with me, it starts off monthly. (20:19) You can start small and build.(20:21) I promise you, you will be more successful in 2026. (20:24) I promise. (20:25) Your success will be my priority.(20:27) And you will do more under the scrutiny of a coach than you will for yourself. (20:31) That is, you can research it. (20:33) Look it up.(20:34) Google it. (20:34) Chat GPT, whatever. (20:36) If you have a good coach who's dialed in and leads by example, you will be on a whole nother level.(20:41) And reach out. (20:42) My email will be in the show notes.

Kevin Palmieri

(20:44) Yeah, if you're at the end, you're listening to this, it's at the end of 2025. (20:47) 2026 will not be better than 2025 unless you do something different. (20:51) Unless you elevate, you get to the next level, you try something new.(20:54) And again, coaching is one of the best things in the world. (20:56) Okay, wrap this with a bow.

Alan Lazaros

(20:59) Well, so I would like you to, because when early on in March, it'll be nine years ago, we were a few years in and we started to win. (21:11) We started to do very well. (21:12) We started to be able to do this full time.(21:14) Okay, across the six figure mark, across the quarter million mark per year. (21:18) And I remember you said, like, how did you know? (21:20) Because you started telling people you didn't know you'd win.(21:23) Definitely not. (21:24) The reason I knew is because I knew we were competing. (21:27) I knew no one else was going to be willing to do what we did.(21:30) So I knew we had a competitive advantage. (21:32) I didn't, I wasn't just guessing. (21:33) I wasn't like, oh, we're better than other people.(21:35) Like we're going to win. (21:35) No, I literally used to say to you, you can't help that many people for that long and not eventually win. (21:41) I think I assumed everybody was doing it.(21:44) No fucking chance. (21:45) I have nothing to compare it to. (21:47) I don't know.(21:48) This again. (21:49) Well, now you know how many people are doing this. (21:51) Well, now we're doing it.(21:53) Yeah, it's very few. (21:54) Understandable. (21:54) It's fucking terrible.(21:55) It's again, it's the worst and the best. (21:57) But I think that's one of the reasons, last piece, and I don't mean to interrupt you, but that's one of the reasons why I think it's so frustrating when I see people that don't want to work. (22:05) It's like, you do realize you're competing.(22:07) You can't win and not work.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:09) I don't know if they know how much you can't. (22:12) You're competing with people who do work. (22:14) That's why I wanted to do this because I don't think people talk.(22:17) And I think when people do talk about it, it does come. (22:19) It seems like it comes from a place of ego and then it doesn't land. (22:22) It's like, well, no, you're just looking at it.(22:24) You're looking at it from that lens. (22:26) Sometimes it does come with ego, but at the end of the day, it doesn't make it not true. (22:29) Just because someone, I've listened to speeches that were all ego, but it was accurate.(22:33) When I did my bodybuilding show back in the day, I mean, I sound like an old man now because it's like back, I did one bodybuilding show when I was 25 years old. (22:40) I used to look like you. (22:41) No, I'm 40.(22:45) My coach was coaching somebody that I was going up against. (22:49) Oh shit. (22:49) And I would see him occasionally and I was like, I'm going to fucking stop you.(22:53) I'm going to stop you. (22:53) Did you really? (22:54) In my mind, yeah, I'm working.(22:55) There's no way you're working as hard as I am. (22:57) Yeah, nice. (22:58) I'm out here killing myself.(22:59) There's no way you are putting yourself through the ringer and he crushed it. (23:04) He did a really good job. (23:05) He came in, but I beat him.(23:07) I did better than him. (23:09) Got to. (23:10) And I was also super supportive of him, shook his hand and hugged him after.(23:15) Was buddies with him for a while. (23:16) There was no, it was not personal. (23:18) There was no hard feelings.(23:18) It was like, look, one of us gets a trophy and one of us doesn't. (23:21) I want it to be me. (23:22) And here's the coolest part of this whole thing.

Alan Lazaros

(23:24) I don't want your pity win. (23:27) I don't want you to let me win. (23:28) Let's go baby.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:29) Let's go at it.

Alan Lazaros

(23:30) I want, I want to compete. (23:31) It makes you better. (23:32) Makes me better.(23:32) I don't want. (23:34) Imagine if the guy was like, all right, I'm just going to let Kevin have this one. (23:37) Oh my God.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:38) How dare you? (23:39) You know? (23:40) Well, at times in my life, I would have appreciated if somebody just gave me a win.(23:43) They've been like, I'm not interested in participation trophies, man. (23:45) That ain't me. (23:46) I'm not anymore, but I was next level.(23:48) You not participation trophy. (23:49) You look at times. (23:50) The only thing I could do is participate.(23:52) Give me some fucking credit for that. (23:53) I'll take that for sure. (23:54) That's level one.

Alan Lazaros

(23:56) Congratulations level one.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:56) Well, now we're at the next level. (23:58) All right.

Alan Lazaros

(23:59) Have you seen the movie F1? (24:00) No. (24:01) I, it was, nevermind.(24:02) It was awesome. (24:03) I was, I think it was awesome. (24:04) Brad Pitt?(24:04) They did a really good job. (24:06) Brad Pitt? (24:07) Yes.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:08) Ah, real quick.

Alan Lazaros

(24:09) They did an excellent job.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:10) Real quick. (24:10) Christopher Nolan is making the Odyssey. (24:13) Did you know that?(24:15) No. (24:16) And it has a, it's like, this could be the one. (24:20) Nice.(24:21) You said that about Oppenheimer. (24:22) Oppenheimer also is critically acclaimed and one of the best movies of all time for sure. (24:26) That movie was not that good.(24:28) You oversold it. (24:29) You oversold it. (24:30) Well, I don't know about, I don't know about the Odyssey yet, but maybe we'll, I'm excited.(24:35) I'll definitely see it. (24:36) Yeah. (24:37) Okay, cool.(24:37) All right. (24:37) We got to go. (24:38) As always, we love you.(24:39) We appreciate you. (24:39) Grateful for each and every one of you. (24:40) And if you are as committed as you say you are to getting to the next level, which we talked about today, make sure you tune in tomorrow because we will be here every single day to help you get there.

Alan Lazaros

(24:48) Keep leveling up to your true potential. (24:51) Next level nation.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:52) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (24:56) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(24:59) We mean it when we say family. (25:01) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (25:04) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(25:08) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.