It’s Never Going To Be Perfect, EVER (2361)

Hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros challenge a belief that quietly derails progress. Many people assume consistency requires perfect conditions. It does not. Some days are rushed, imperfect, and far from ideal. Those are often the days that reveal your real standards.

After thousands of podcast episodes, years of coaching, and building a business around personal development, they have watched the same pattern repeat. The people who grow are not waiting for perfect circumstances. They keep moving anyway. Press play and keep this in mind. The rep you almost skipped today might be the one holding your progress together.

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Learn more about:
Track the Work. Earn the Results. To know more about the "Next Level Fitness Accountability Group," reach out.

• Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
• Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

Book Alan’s Business Breakthrough Session. Your first 30-minute coaching call is FREE. Learn how to prioritize success and let your quality of life become the byproduct. - https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-breakthrough-session

Where learning turns into action. Join “Next Level Book Club”  every Saturday:
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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

Facebook:
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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:
(1:07) The power of minimum standards
(3:12) Effort and intention vs results
(5:58) Why most people quit when conditions are not ideal
(8:00) Consistency comes from small daily actions
(11:25) The long-term power of maintaining the streak
(12:38) 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.

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) Today, we are going to do an episode on exactly what we are going through because I don't think there's a better thing that we could do at this point.

Alan Lazaros

(0:07) Yeah, so the only way to remain consistent is to be okay with constantly missing the mark without missing the mark.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:18) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:21) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:22) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus.(0:25) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:32) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:38) 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

(0:54) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:01) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:07) Next Level Nation today for episode number 2,361. (1:11) The only way to be consistent is to do the minimum at times, and that is really what we are doing today. (1:17) So we have a 10-minute episode.(1:19) It's going to be 10 minutes. (1:20) That's all we have available. (1:22) Things got moved all over the place, but most likely, here's the thing, most likely, you won't remember this episode in a year.(1:32) You won't remember that we did a 10-minute episode. (1:35) You might actually like the fact that we're doing a 10-minute episode because it might be an easy listen. (1:41) Nobody's going to remember the minimums usually.(1:44) And the minimums are the best way to build up to the maximum. (1:47) I love the fact that when you start something, like go to the gym for five minutes. (1:52) I love that.(1:53) I think that's awesome. (1:54) And I think Amy's a really good example. (1:56) Amy hurt her knee, and she's like doing her dumbbells, I don't even know where, in bed.(2:03) Is that going to create the greatest physique of all time? (2:07) No. (2:08) Is that going to continue the streak?(2:11) Yes. (2:11) And I think too many of us are worried about getting everything perfect as opposed to just getting it done.

Alan Lazaros

(2:22) I just recreated the group coaching program, the first business session of the Next Level Podcast Accelerator, and I got deep into flow, and I lost track of time. (2:35) I've been using the Remarkable, and I went back to Canva presentation style. (2:41) And I don't think I've ever done a Canva presentation where it was not 100%, but it was always close.(2:50) You just get close. (2:51) You better your best. (2:52) And it has to be a principle.(2:54) I think that one of the things that I'm learning is how principle-based I am. (2:57) It's not about having a perfect episode. (3:02) It's not.(3:02) It's about making sure that no matter what happens, you do your best. (3:08) I think intentions and effort matter.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:12) What's the opposite of bettering your best? (3:15) Because we're not bettering our best in this episode.

Alan Lazaros

(3:18) What's the opposite? (3:19) You know what I mean? (3:20) Well, let's challenge that because we have a challenge now to try to get group coaching done, get off here within 10 minutes, add value in 10 minutes.(3:33) It's a constraint that we're not used to, and we have to deliver value in a short amount of time. (3:39) So is it bettering our best? (3:41) Yes.(3:42) Yes, it is. (3:43) It's not bettering our best, meaning the outcome isn't going to be a better episode. (3:47) This isn't going to be the best episode we've ever done.(3:50) However, we will get better. (3:51) Both of us will leave this better. (3:53) And certainly, we would leave this better than if we didn't do it.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:56) Well, that's my point. (3:58) I think there's bettering your best, and there's continuing the streak, which is bettering. (4:04) It's allowing you to better your best, but it's not going to show up in the newspaper.(4:10) They got it done. (4:12) They hammered out a 10. (4:13) That's not what's going to show up.

Alan Lazaros

(4:15) Can we talk about intentions, effort, and results? (4:18) I told this to Amelia recently, and we were on a Relationship Talks coaching session with two people last night. (4:26) I said, in a relationship, her family's been married for 35 years.(4:32) They're celebrating their 35th anniversary yesterday, I want to say. (4:36) We were at dinner. (4:38) I mentioned that, and we asked them, what do you recommend?(4:42) I did the stats. (4:43) 4% of people, only 4% of people have been married for 35 years or more on planet Earth, based on my statistical analysis. (4:50) Anyways, the point is, it's very rare.(4:53) That's only one out of 25 people. (4:55) It's not as rare as I thought. (4:56) I thought it was more rare than that, particularly for that generation.(5:01) My point is, I think intentions and effort need to matter more than results. (5:05) I do. (5:07) You can miss the mark with your partner.(5:10) You can miss the mark with your business partner. (5:11) You can miss the mark with your client. (5:13) You can miss the mark with everything.(5:18) But if you know that I'm doing everything I can to do the best I can, and then better my best, that's got to count more. (5:27) You're married. (5:28) If Taryn says she'll be somewhere and she's not there, don't you care that she tried hard to get there?

Kevin Palmieri

(5:36) Yeah, of course. (5:36) I literally hugged her today, and I said, I'm really proud of all the hard work you've been doing. (5:40) Everything we're doing right now isn't perfect.(5:42) The move.

Alan Lazaros

(5:43) Yeah, everything. (5:44) It's just me, 100%. (5:45) Right.(5:46) And to me, I think this is something that I think the majority statistically get wrong, is this will not be our best episode. (5:58) However, I think the fact that we showed up, and we're going to put time and effort into it, and we're going to do the best. (6:03) If someone is doing all they can with all they have, eventually they will be successful.(6:10) They will. (6:12) But unfortunately, the progress over perfection thing is not normal. (6:16) And most people are like, well, we might as well not do an episode then.(6:19) And by the way, we could easily record tonight at nine, if you want. (6:23) I could do that. (6:23) No problem.(6:24) And we would do it. (6:25) Eight, 8.15, whatever, because I have back-to-backs today. (6:28) We're going to get it done.(6:30) And so, you do have to have a minimum. (6:32) And yeah, of course, you want to do better than this.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:35) But at the end of the day... (6:36) That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this episode. (6:38) And I want to do it in the time we have, because I honestly think this is a good...(6:44) I think it's a good example. (6:47) I don't ever want to be the guy who's like, yeah, we could do it at eight. (6:53) Of course.(6:54) Right? (6:54) Of course we could. (6:55) And we also could do a 10-minute episode that is based in extreme relevance and is something that people are going to have to deal with.(7:05) If you're trying to keep up a fitness streak and you're traveling, your workout is going to suck, most likely. (7:11) It's not going to be as good as it would if you were in the gym. (7:13) Hotel gym.(7:14) Or you're trying to get your sleep in. (7:16) Awesome. (7:17) You've ever gone someplace where there's a bunch of people staying up late and you're trying to get your sleep?(7:22) Yeah, you've got your earplugs and you've got your mask and you've got your sound machine. (7:25) It's not going to be optimal. (7:27) I was watching Sam Sulek.(7:30) My boy, Sam Sulek. (7:31) He's competing in the Arnold Classic bodybuilding show. (7:35) The leaner I get, the more I watch bodybuilding stuff.(7:38) It's I don't know, for whatever reason. (7:40) And he did a Q and A. (7:41) Or is it the more you watch bodybuilder stuff, the more you get lean?

Alan Lazaros

(7:44) That's a great question.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:44) Well, no, because also the more I'm focused on strength, the more I watch bodybuilding stuff. (7:49) In between, I don't resonate with it enough, but on either ends of the spectrum, I become obsessed with it. (7:55) One of the questions was, what do you think most people get wrong about fitness and bodybuilding?(8:00) And he said, it's people are more worried about like getting there fast than just doing like putting one foot in front of the other. (8:10) And I think that's a really good way to look at it. (8:13) I think that did I have a perfect workout today?(8:16) No, no. (8:18) By zero stretch of the imagination. (8:20) Did I have a perfect day today?(8:22) No, I slept like shit. (8:23) I was on the phone with Eversource and I was on the phone with Comcast and I was on the, no, I got a lot of stuff done and I definitely made progress, but it's a fine line between beating yourself up to your point and saying, oh, I really fucked this up. (8:38) I'm not going to bother that.

Alan Lazaros

(8:40) Did you, but this is it right here. (8:42) You put a ton of time and effort in. (8:45) You're proud of the time and effort.(8:47) I moved a lot of needles today. (8:49) Not ideal. (8:50) You got shitty results today.(8:52) Yeah. (8:52) Yeah. (8:52) I would say so.(8:53) You are proud of the time and effort that you put in. (8:55) For me, I can lose, I can fail, but I can't fail because I didn't put in the effort. (9:02) I cannot allow that.(9:03) That is unacceptable. (9:06) I was deep in flow doing that presentation. (9:09) It'd be different if I was effing off.(9:12) I'm preparing for something really important. (9:15) You know, hiking, hiking down, hiking up the mountains, you can snowboard down. (9:18) Dude, you're right there.(9:19) That's, I think the unacceptable part. (9:21) I really do. (9:22) I think that it would be different if I was effing off, not doing something really pertinent, really important.(9:29) I do. (9:30) I think if you want to succeed, particularly in relationships, you have to look at the time and effort. (9:34) Like if Amelia misses the mark on something she said she'll be able to do, am I going to be pissed that she didn't hit the results or am I going to ask her, Hey, like, is everything good?

Kevin Palmieri

(9:48) What about the self? (9:49) I want to have compassion. (9:50) Give me, give me the 32nd self version of that though.(9:54) Because in this case, it's not like take you and I out of the equation, right?

Alan Lazaros

(9:58) Well, let me, let me just talk about my micro failure here. (10:01) Cause that's what this is. (10:02) Kevin was ready.(10:03) I was okay. (10:04) This is, this is on me a hundred percent. (10:07) The reason why I, number one, I'm definitely not okay with it by any means.(10:11) That's not that. (10:13) But one of the things that I can be proud of amongst the failure is that I did a really good job revamping that presentation, like a really good job. (10:22) This is going to be the best we've ever presented.(10:24) This will be the best I've ever presented in business, hands down. (10:28) And after that, it better be right. (10:30) But it's not, to me, it's like, if I had like slept in or what's a good example of this.(10:39) I don't know if I was watching some movie or something and like on the couch or whatever, dude, I've been in flow for like hours. (10:49) So to me, time and effort, and this, this is genuinely how I operate time and effort matters to me more than results. (10:57) And if the time and effort is unrelenting every day, every day, every day, some workouts are out of nowhere.(11:06) Awesome. (11:07) Like out of nowhere, you'll be like, am I, what is this is today? (11:11) What did I do differently today?(11:12) Is it something special? (11:13) Okay, nice. (11:14) And then other times it's like, what is the deal?(11:16) Like I thought I got good sleep. (11:18) Why do I feel terrible? (11:19) This is bad.(11:21) And so, but the time and effort never changes. (11:25) The time and effort is unrelenting. (11:28) My main skill, we got to get out of here.(11:30) My main skill on my tracker, my peak performance tracker is unrelenting focus, relentless focus. (11:38) I had unrelenting tortoise for a second there. (11:40) But at the end of the day, I think the time and effort in, if you're proud of that and you're consistent with it, the results will come.(11:47) So no, this wasn't perfect, but the intentionality, the time and effort in that I've put in today, today, I am proud of today. (11:54) Not this, not this. (11:56) I am proud of today.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:58) And I think that that's a brick in the, I'm proud of this because again, we always aspire to talk about what we're going through. (12:04) And I feel like this is a really good example. (12:06) How it would, I just think it would be hypocritical of us to talk about how you got to do stuff and perfectly.(12:10) And then we show up every time we always have 30 minutes, you know, I like this. (12:14) I think this is really good. (12:16) I think it's super relatable.(12:17) And I think if you're out there, it gives you maybe the extra permission you need to go get the 10 minute workout or whatever it is. (12:23) Is that going to build the thing you're trying to build by itself? (12:27) No.(12:27) Is that going to be glue that holds together the beams that you're putting together? (12:31) Yes. (12:31) All right.(12:31) It will make progress. (12:32) It will make progress. (12:33) Next level fitness accountability group, Alan Lazarus, the coach book club, all the stuff we'll have the link in the show notes.(12:38) As always, we love you. (12:39) We appreciate you grateful for each and every one of you. (12:41) 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 every single freaking day to help you get there.

Alan Lazaros

(12:47) Keep leveling up to reach your full potential. (12:50) Next level nation.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:51) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (12:56) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(12:58) We mean it when we say family. (13:00) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (13:04) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(13:07) Thank you again.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:08) And we will talk to you tomorrow.