Is Saying No More Important Than Saying Yes? (2379)

Growth needs better decisions. In this episode, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros break down why real growth does not come from saying yes to everything. It comes from knowing where you are in your journey, which opportunities matter, and what your decisions are actually costing you. Drawing from years of coaching, business experience, and thousands of episodes and client conversations, they unpack self-belief, opportunity cost, focus, and the difference between building momentum and protecting alignment.

If you have been confusing motion with progress or availability with ambition, this episode will help you think more clearly about your next move. The right decision at the wrong stage can still hold you back. Listen before your next choice starts shaping your future without you realizing it.

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

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Show notes:
(2:43) Why early growth requires reps
(5:12) Finding the right balance of yes and no
(7:03) Saying yes to one path means saying no to others
(13:36) Why discernment comes later
(17:49) Build demand before you expand
(20:29) When self-belief changes the rule
(25:22) The real rule for saying yes or no
(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.

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) This is something I have said a bunch. (0:03) I think one of the hardest parts of success is working so hard to get an opportunity and then having to say yes to an opportunity that literally scares the shit out of you. (0:12) I had so many opportunities that I didn't want to do, but I knew I had to do those opportunities if I wanted to get the next opportunities, and when I got those opportunities, I didn't want to do them either and then rinse and repeat that cycle forever, et cetera.

Alan Lazaros

(0:24) Is success about figuring out what you need to do or is it learning what to say no to? (0:32) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:35) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:37) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus. (0:40) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:46) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:53) 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

(1:09) Self-improvement in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:15) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:21) Next Level Nation today for episode number 2,379 is saying no more important than saying yes. (1:27) I just want to start with a question to you. (1:29) What do you think is more valuable, a to-do list or a to-don't list?(1:33) To-don't, baby. (1:34) You think that's more valuable? (1:35) For sure.(1:35) Okay, why?

Alan Lazaros

(1:36) Yeah, a give up list is critical. (1:39) It's unfortunate. (1:40) And the reason why it's a give up list is because it sucks.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:43) Nobody wants to give up stuff. (1:44) Yeah, it's not great. (1:45) Would you say, again, blanket statement, because in the prep for this, we were literally talking about it, and it's like, well, saying no is more important at some point.(1:56) Not always, though, when it comes to success. (1:59) In the beginning, you kind of say yes to a fault, most likely. (2:04) So how has that...(2:06) Yeah, I'd like to ask you, how has that changed for you over the years where... (2:10) I think in the beginning, we said yes. (2:12) We said yes to anything.

Alan Lazaros

(2:15) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:15) We one time, and if this person is listening, I don't mean anything negative by this. (2:19) I love this. (2:20) I appreciate the opportunity for sure.(2:22) We gave a speech to, I believe, two children. (2:26) And when I say children, they were children. (2:28) I believe they were like seven and 13 or something.

Alan Lazaros

(2:31) Yeah, I coached them.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:32) Alan did a pre-coaching call. (2:34) I coached them for free. (2:34) Love it.(2:35) I love it. (2:36) That is heart. (2:37) That is NLU in a nutshell.(2:38) That's just one time, though. (2:40) We did shit like that all the time.

Alan Lazaros

(2:43) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:43) Just unsustainable, losing money to go speak. (2:48) And honestly, I'd rather be that way than the other way, honestly.

Alan Lazaros

(2:51) Putting in the reps. (2:52) That was the phase of putting in the reps. (2:54) Remember we used to say, you got to put in the reps.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:56) If you're trying to get good at something, the best way to do it is to do it. (2:58) And the best way to do something often is to do it for free, right? (3:01) Yeah, you know it.(3:02) But what has that been like for you as somebody who now is nearing 30 clients and you can't... (3:09) And I feel like you've been saying yes to the most aligned clients and not yes to clients that aren't aligned. (3:16) I've been trying to do that as well.(3:17) What's that been like?

Alan Lazaros

(3:18) Well, I'm glad we're having this conversation because I think that a lot of people farther in the journey, we're nine years in now, say you got to say no. (3:28) But I'm glad we're making it clear that in the beginning you can't be this way. (3:35) But now I'm definitely more focused on what I need to say no to than what I need to say yes to.(3:43) And we're going to do an episode tomorrow on the quality quantity sweet spot, which is right now I'm definitely over on the quantity. (3:52) In other words, the amount of reps I'm doing is affecting the quality of the reps. (3:58) Less so on this podcast lately, which is nice.(4:00) But occasionally we'll have like a short episode because of my schedule. (4:06) What was the original question?

Kevin Palmieri

(4:08) How has the saying no more than saying yes evolved over nine years? (4:16) And like, I don't know, vulnerably, is there any piece of you that struggled with it? (4:21) Because you're so used to saying yes to a fault at times.(4:27) Mm hmm. (4:28) And then again, but like, not really, though. (4:31) Like, I think that's an important nuance is, yeah, that it's a funny story.(4:35) Like we spoke to two kids. (4:37) It was supposed to be more. (4:39) I know, but it's always supposed to be more.(4:41) And they had no idea what we're talking about.

Alan Lazaros

(4:45) Yeah. (4:45) And to this day, the hardest, one of the hardest speeches I've ever given.

Kevin Palmieri

(4:48) It was not. (4:49) It was not easy. (4:50) But how many how many conversations did we have about like, hey, we have to know our audience better.(4:55) Yeah, I know. (4:55) That was like a huge lesson for us because we never would have had the opportunity to be so far outside of our audience's understanding and us not understanding the audience. (5:04) So a lot of good came from it.(5:06) So I don't want to make it seem like it was negative.

Alan Lazaros

(5:08) Yeah, I know. (5:12) It's been very difficult to find the optimal amount of yes and no. (5:21) That's what I would say.(5:22) That's been a constant challenge for nine years in the beginning, because even in the beginning, you have to say no to snowboarding or basketball or whatever. (5:36) So one example I've used in the past is pickup basketball. (5:39) Love it.(5:40) Absolutely love it. (5:41) Used to play all the time. (5:43) It got to the point where it's I'm getting injured.(5:46) I'm putting a lot of time and effort into getting good at something that I'm never going to be that good at. (5:51) And it's never going to build my future for my family. (5:56) I'm not going to build my future on basketball straight up.(6:00) And a lot of people have a hard time with this. (6:02) And I actually think this is one of the reasons they won't be as successful. (6:08) And I coach everyone from a 23 year old right now, all the way to a 63 year old.(6:13) And it's so fascinating to see how different they need to approach things. (6:18) Like the 63 year old, she's like, okay, I've got at least another 12 years of my career by choice, by choice. (6:24) She's still very healthy.(6:25) Great. (6:26) She has to play very differently than someone with who's 23. (6:31) But what I will say is the principle applies to everybody.(6:34) So saying yes to this is saying no to everything else. (6:42) Saying yes to Emilia is saying no to every other girl. (6:50) I'm not sure what that was.(6:55) You're in my throat. (6:56) You got a little something coming up here. (6:58) A little something, something.(6:59) A little something, something. (7:01) Saying... (7:01) I was supposed to be a banger too.(7:03) So saying yes to the next level university company and business is saying no to every other career. (7:11) I'm sorry. (7:12) I'm sorry.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:15) I've worked with Alan for a long time. (7:17) Sometimes he accidentally burps and it's just... (7:21) It was one of those weird things.

Alan Lazaros

(7:23) That was a weird one.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:24) You ever open your mouth and your stomach's like, I'm going to digest something really quickly, audibly right now. (7:31) That's what's going to happen. (7:32) I have a question.(7:35) What is the equation? (7:37) I've tried to teach this before because people... (7:39) Supply and demand.(7:40) You got this. (7:41) Yeah, but one of the most... (7:42) Hold on, hold on, hold on.(7:43) Take it easy. (7:44) Pump the brakes. (7:45) One of the most common questions I get from podcasters is, hey, how do I know how much to charge for X, whatever, X blank, whatever it is.(7:51) And I say it is an equation based on supply, demand, and importance of said thing. (8:01) If you want to be a speaker, I say this. (8:04) What is the most amount you'd be willing to charge and risk losing it?(8:10) It depends on how important the opportunity is. (8:12) If you don't care, it's like, I don't really want to fly from here to here and, okay, charge a bunch for it, you most likely won't get it. (8:18) But if you really want it, you have to do whatever it takes to increase the probability that happens.

Alan Lazaros

(8:24) Yeah, agreed. (8:25) So let's say you have 100 opportunities. (8:28) You can raise your price because you can lower the percentage.(8:31) So if you have 100 speeches that are offered to you, it's metaphorically, you can charge 10 grand and the chances, 70% of them will say no, and you'll book 30 of them. (8:44) Maybe not, maybe three of them, right? (8:47) But it is that.(8:49) The price you charge needs to be in proportion to the amount of opportunities you have and or how badly they need it, which is what you mentioned.

Kevin Palmieri

(9:03) What's a parallel for price though, in this example?

Alan Lazaros

(9:06) Because not price necessarily.

Kevin Palmieri

(9:07) It's saying no, so just opportunity in general.

Alan Lazaros

(9:10) But you have to understand the value of the opportunity. (9:12) The reason why it was a yes for those kids is because, one, we want to help kids. (9:18) What you'll never learn in school, but desperately need to know.(9:20) That's part of the mission. (9:21) That's part of the brand. (9:22) That's who we are.(9:23) That's who I am. (9:24) That's who we are. (9:25) And you also, we thought there'd be more than two kids, right?(9:30) Would we still do it if it was two kids? (9:32) Yeah, back then, but we wouldn't now. (9:34) We wouldn't now.(9:35) And the reason why is because we can do more good. (9:39) I always say, aim at the highest good you can conceptualize and believe in. (9:43) But that's also an optimal stopping problem.(9:48) So how do I explain this? (9:56) Let's say you have level 10 demand. (9:58) Then you can charge level 10 price.(10:02) And level 10 price is based on a bell curve of what is charged. (10:05) It's not like you just throw a number out of a hat. (10:08) Throw a number out of a hat.(10:09) Pick a number out of a hat. (10:12) If that beanie that you have on right now was $150, you wouldn't have bought it. (10:18) This was a gift.(10:18) I didn't buy this. (10:19) Okay, whoever gifted it to you wouldn't have bought it. (10:22) Sure as shit hope not.(10:23) Here's why. (10:25) Of the bell curve of all beanies ever created, what percentage of them do you think are more than $150? (10:31) A very, very, like less than 1%.(10:34) Agreed. (10:36) And how many people do you think buy beanies that are $150 plus? (10:39) Less than 1%.(10:41) Exactly. (10:42) So everything is based on that and it's hard to explain. (10:45) But for the people that are out there listening, you kind of have to, it's almost whatever keeps you on the train.

Kevin Palmieri

(10:52) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(10:54) It's hard. (10:54) It's hard to explain because it's momentum over everything. (11:08) Recently, we just stopped trying to get speeches.(11:11) If someone comes to us and says, Hey, will you come give a speech? (11:15) We're going to ask two questions. (11:17) Number one, how many people?(11:21) And number two, how much? (11:24) And based, if it's 10,000 people and $0, we'll do it. (11:29) Assuming it's an aligned organization.(11:31) Okay. (11:32) If it's 10 people for $10,000, we'll do it. (11:37) But if it's 10 people for $0, we probably won't at this stage because you and I don't have any time available anymore.(11:45) Whereas before, if it's between Kevin watching Netflix or speaking, you got to choose speaking for your goals and dreams, right? (11:54) But you get to a point where you're maxed out. (11:56) That's the supply and demand.(11:57) You don't get any more supply with time. (11:59) I'm very grateful to be in demand. (12:01) I have 112 waking hours a week.(12:03) It's actually less than that because I spend more time in bed. (12:04) But let's say it's a hundred. (12:07) Let's say we have a hundred waking hours per week just to make it easy.(12:11) How many of those are taken right now of mine? (12:14) Most of them. (12:15) I mean, dude, all of them.(12:17) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:17) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(12:18) The only, I would say what's seven. (12:20) Yeah. (12:21) So seven hours per week.(12:23) Yeah. (12:23) That's probably more than that. (12:24) Probably 10 hours per week is R&R.(12:26) Minimal. (12:29) But so I probably have a hundred hours. (12:31) I'm probably working.(12:32) But if you include fitness, right? (12:35) So, and this is the cost value analysis we all have to do. (12:40) Every moment that I'm on this podcast is a moment that I'm not doing anything else.(12:45) What do I mean? (12:46) I'm not in the gym. (12:47) I'm not getting great sleep right now.(12:49) I'm not with my beautiful girlfriend and future wife. (12:52) I'm not making my house better. (12:54) I'm not coaching right now.(12:56) Everything has an opportunity cost. (12:58) Everything has a, it's one of my dominant questions. (13:01) What's the most valuable use of my time right now?(13:03) Right now, the answer is this podcast. (13:06) It's very challenging. (13:10) I'll give you an example.(13:11) I was on a podcast the other day. (13:12) They didn't have a microphone. (13:13) They didn't have a good internet connection.(13:16) And I said, Hey, do you have a mic? (13:19) And she's like, no, I'm on my iPhone. (13:21) I said, do you have a connection?(13:23) You're like breaking up. (13:24) And she didn't have a wifi connection. (13:26) And I was like, you know what?(13:28) I think I should fucking go. (13:30) I should go. (13:31) Now I didn't.(13:32) I was respectful. (13:32) She actually lagged out. (13:34) So I left after that, obviously.(13:36) And then I messaged my EA and I said, Hey, we need to be more discerning. (13:39) We need to figure out who we need to look at these podcasts more carefully and see who takes it seriously enough to invest in their podcast. (13:48) Because I'm going to go on less shows of higher quality now.(13:51) But if I started there, you can't start there. (13:55) You can't start out discerning in the beginning. (13:58) Imagine if you're like, well, you know, uh, I'm a high school basketball player.(14:03) And you know what? (14:03) I don't really feel like going to UConn. (14:06) I don't really, you know, it's UNC or nothing.(14:09) I'm going to North Carolina like Michael Jordan, baby. (14:11) It's like, well, if you don't get into North Carolina, you should probably go to fucking UConn, you idiot. (14:18) Like people get so entitled so quickly.(14:21) It pisses me off. (14:22) And I've been entitled too. (14:22) So I'm not, I'm not perfect on that either.(14:24) But entitled is, I mean, if you don't pay me 50, geez, I'm not speaking. (14:31) You and I went to Milwaukee. (14:33) Shout out to Bobby Joe.(14:34) And we found out how much the other speaker got paid.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:38) And it was like a lot more than we did for a high school. (14:42) Yeah, right. (14:43) I realized that was in the budget.(14:45) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (14:45) Seriously. (14:46) So it was great.(14:48) It was great. (14:48) It was great. (14:50) It's, I think the hard part about all this is in the beginning, I don't know, I, technically we made money on the first speech I ever gave.(15:01) But I think that's like the hard thing is it doesn't feel real. (15:05) It doesn't feel successful if there isn't something attached to it. (15:09) Outside of reps.(15:11) You know me, I'm all about the reps now, for sure. (15:13) But like, I've worked with so many people who they say, hey, I want to start getting on podcasts. (15:18) But like, they have to be like top 100 shows.(15:19) It's like nobody knows who the fuck you are. (15:21) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (15:22) What is that about?(15:23) I think they just think that's the way it goes. (15:26) It's not going to happen. (15:27) I don't know if they know.(15:29) It's like, there's no way. (15:31) There's no way. (15:33) It's either naive or arrogant, right?(15:35) I think it's mostly naive. (15:37) Because again, a lot of people are told like, hey, one of the things I can't stand is when I hear, if you're like a coach out there, don't ever work with anybody except for your ideal clients. (15:47) Like in the beginning, number one, you don't even know who your ideal client is in the beginning.(15:50) And by the way, how do you find out? (15:53) Right, by working with human beings. (15:55) Yeah, work with people.(15:56) And then you'll be like, ah. (15:57) I remember talking to Alan and saying, dude, I think one of the reasons I hated coaching is because I was coaching this person. (16:03) Yeah, the wrong people.(16:04) Not that I didn't like the person. (16:05) It was just like, I didn't realize how much of, yeah. (16:08) I didn't realize what that coaching was actually entailing.(16:10) I didn't, I had a call the other day with somebody. (16:14) My favorite, like amazing. (16:16) I love, I love those coaching calls.(16:18) So if I started and said, I only work with this type of person, I might've ended up, because this is, in the beginning, these are the type of people I wanted to work with. (16:25) And I remember thinking like, I don't know if I like coaching. (16:28) No, I didn't, I didn't like coaching necessarily certain people.(16:32) How do you know?

Alan Lazaros

(16:36) How do you know? (16:37) You can only be as discerning as the level you're on. (16:41) I think if you're at level one, you can only be level one discerning.(16:45) If you're at level two, you can only be level two discerning. (16:48) And the irony is, how do you know what level you're at though? (16:51) I know, I know.(16:53) It's all Jeff. (16:54) It depends on if your calendar's full. (16:57) Okay.

Kevin Palmieri

(16:59) Does it depend on that or does it depend on the, does it depend on the output equaling the result you want? (17:06) Because it's not always full calendar necessarily, right?

Alan Lazaros

(17:10) Doesn't have to be. (17:11) It doesn't have to be. (17:12) And by the way, I don't mean full calendar, like, but you, Well, it's hard.(17:18) Like, okay. (17:18) If you're, if you're a video editor, you should video edit at least five days a week. (17:24) Like that should be the goal.(17:25) I'm not saying you start there.

Kevin Palmieri

(17:27) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(17:27) I have a client. (17:28) She's a coach. (17:30) We figured out what her one thing is.(17:31) And then we try to get more of that. (17:33) There's always got to be something you're maximizing for sure. (17:35) Like you're maximizing NLPS.(17:37) I'm maximizing my own coaching.

Kevin Palmieri

(17:38) But you do mention your calendar. (17:40) So I just wanted to make sure there was an understanding that it's not necessarily like, hey, your calendar quote unquote has to be full. (17:45) Your demand in given.(17:47) Yeah. (17:48) Specialty needs to be full.

Alan Lazaros

(17:49) Yeah. (17:49) So let's say you open three days a week. (17:52) Your first goal.(17:53) Well, let's start here. (17:55) You open one day a week for whatever it is. (17:57) Video editing, coaching, therapy, whatever.(17:59) Whatever your thing is. (18:00) Podcasting. (18:01) And then you fill that.(18:04) And then once you get good at filling that. (18:08) Now you open up a second day. (18:10) One of the mistakes you and I made is we opened.(18:13) It was like, let's just max out, baby. (18:15) I didn't realize how. (18:19) Unintelligent that was.(18:21) So we've done nine. (18:22) This will be a ninth live event. (18:25) And we had open ended.(18:29) Let's just try to get as many people as we can. (18:31) That's actually much less intelligent based on my new awareness. (18:37) I would much rather you say I'm going to do an event and try to fill it with five people.(18:42) And then succeed at that. (18:44) And then do 10 and succeed at that. (18:46) And then do 15 and then succeed at that.(18:48) And then build it from there. (18:49) Because of how much I now realize it affects people. (18:53) Like when we would shoot for 100 only get 87.(18:56) It didn't stop me or affect me that much. (19:00) And I realized that for most people, that would be like devastating. (19:05) They don't lose as well as I thought.(19:08) People don't like losing. (19:09) No, losing sucks.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:12) It's necessary.

Alan Lazaros

(19:13) That is the paradox.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:14) That is the paradox for sure. (19:15) I would rather. (19:16) That's the other thing I see.(19:17) I've seen this before. (19:18) It's like this is such a big L. (19:20) I've seen people online that will post about something.(19:26) It's like I'm having this. (19:28) We'll just say it's a retreat. (19:29) Hypothetically, I'm having this retreat coming up.(19:31) We're taking 10 people. (19:32) Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. (19:33) And then like a month later, when it's three weeks out from the retreat, you'll see a post.(19:38) Due to lack of demand, the retreat is not happening. (19:43) It's almost like they put it on the people that didn't want to attend. (19:46) Not the fact that they couldn't fill it.(19:47) Slash, do it with three people. (19:51) Don't just cancel it because you didn't get 10. (19:53) How many times did we do a live event and not get the amount of people?(19:56) Every time. (19:58) Every single time we got less people than we wanted.

Alan Lazaros

(20:01) I would try to find the center point of that. (20:07) Based on demand. (20:08) But we also were ignorant to that too.(20:11) We co-hosted an event. (20:12) We thought they could bring people. (20:13) They didn't.(20:14) We brought more people than them. (20:15) So a lot of this is just the school of hard knocks of just fail forward. (20:19) And you've got to make sure you don't quit when you're failing.(20:22) Because and that's another conversation. (20:23) But let's go back to saying no. (20:29) I believe saying no is more important than saying yes for someone who has high self-belief.(20:36) Saying no is more important than saying yes. (20:38) Yes, I would agree with that. (20:39) If you do have really high self-efficacy, high self-belief, you have to learn how to say no.(20:45) Because everything feels like an option. (20:49) So I feel like I could be a runner. (20:51) I feel like I could be a basketball player.(20:52) I feel like I could be a snowboarder. (20:54) I feel like I could be a pro gamer. (20:55) I feel like I could be a weight trainer.(20:56) I feel like I could be a powerlifter. (20:58) I could. (20:59) Just because you could doesn't mean you fucking should.(21:03) And so I have to say no to most of those things. (21:07) You have to say no to good to go for great. (21:10) That is a saying that is for people who have very high self-belief.(21:14) If you have low self-belief, you have to pick the one thing that you actually are good at. (21:21) Pick something that you are already in the top 20 percent. (21:25) If you walk into a room of 100 random people and you're not in the top 20 percent, do not build a career on that.(21:31) Do not. (21:32) I don't care how much you love it. (21:33) You're going to fucking fail.(21:35) You do not build a career on a fucking weakness. (21:40) Because there's people who are good at everything. (21:43) There are some people that are so good at everything and you're competing with them.(21:49) So you gotta like you line up 100 podcasters without a question. (21:53) You were top 20. (21:54) 100 percent.(21:55) Even in the beginning, even in the beginning, just like rap. (21:59) You were top 22 even in the beginning with words and titles and all that kind of stuff for sure. (22:05) I've coached enough podcasters at this point to know that even you at your worst was pretty strong all things considered.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:12) I appreciate it.

Alan Lazaros

(22:13) Of course.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:13) But the problem is. (22:15) Well, that's the thing is like top 20 is top 20. (22:18) Top five is exponentially harder to be than top 20 is for sure.

Alan Lazaros

(22:21) And one in 100 is not even enough.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:24) Right.

Alan Lazaros

(22:24) Because there's a lot more than 100 people on earth.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:26) Yeah, yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(22:27) It's a lot more than 100 podcasters. (22:28) If there was only 100 podcasters, you'd be good, baby.

Kevin Palmieri

(22:31) Crushing it. (22:32) Yeah. (22:32) Crushing it.(22:33) This is a. (22:34) Well, we'll hop after this. (22:35) But this is a thought process for me.(22:39) If you're somebody who starts out with lower self-belief and lower self-worth, you have to get to a point where you understand why you're saying yes to stuff. (22:47) I got an email from somebody the other day. (22:49) And this is like new for me.(22:50) This is going to sound obvious to most people potentially, but this is like new to me. (22:54) I went on this person's podcast a long time ago. (22:56) They said, hey, since the podcast, this has happened, blah, blah, blah.(22:59) And that wasn't even it. (23:01) They emailed me and said, hey, I have this really cool opportunity. (23:03) I'd love to run by you.(23:05) Do you have any time? (23:07) And I was like, no, no, I don't have time to hear about your idea that I haven't. (23:14) I haven't spoken to in two years.(23:16) I have no idea what that what is this idea even. (23:20) Right. (23:20) I have no clue.(23:20) I said, can you give me some? (23:21) I can't give me some context and I'll, you know, be happy to add value if I can. (23:26) And this person's trying to buy businesses and they're trying to raise capital.(23:30) And it's like, I don't fucking know anything about this. (23:32) No, I can't help you. (23:33) I have no idea.

Alan Lazaros

(23:34) I don't want to buy it.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:35) No, no, they don't want to buy it.

Alan Lazaros

(23:36) I get emails about that all the time. (23:38) It's like, hey, are you looking to sell your company for? (23:41) No, no, I'm not.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:42) 200 gazillion dollars.

Alan Lazaros

(23:44) Hello, random stranger. (23:45) Would you like to buy my company?

Kevin Palmieri

(23:47) How about you stop emailing me? (23:49) But if I was, if I was going to do that, it would have probably been for significance because it would have made me feel important and valued. (23:58) It's like, oh, this person wants my opinion.(24:00) I don't want to miss that. (24:02) It's not every day somebody reaches out and says, hey, I really value your opinion. (24:06) I think that's so ironic.

Alan Lazaros

(24:08) It is. (24:09) Excuse me. (24:09) I don't know.(24:09) I just, my throat's weird today. (24:11) Uh, I know we got to get out of here, but you said, in my opinion, you said no too much in your early years. (24:18) And I said yes too much.(24:19) Like, if I look back at my life, I said yes to way too many persons, places, things, and ideas. (24:24) And I feel like you said no to too many opportunities. (24:27) Yeah, definitely.(24:29) I said yes to too many opportunities. (24:30) You said no to too many opportunities. (24:32) Makes perfect sense.(24:33) Drive to five. (24:34) You didn't believe in yourself.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:36) So you said no when you should have said yes. (24:38) Then I adopted your ideas and I was like, I'll just do anything. (24:41) In alignment.(24:42) But I just would say yes to anything. (24:45) You know, like whatever. (24:46) Sure.(24:47) Is it podcasting related? (24:48) Yes. (24:48) Sure.(24:49) I'm in. (24:49) Whatever. (24:50) That's some of the details.(24:51) I'm in. (24:51) Which I also think served me, but that's. (24:54) Yeah, but it wasn't optimal.(24:55) No. (24:56) No, we, we, we oversaw. (24:57) No, I was following your lead.(24:58) Yeah. (24:59) But if it was on my end, we would have done like three things.

Alan Lazaros

(25:02) Yeah.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:02) This seems good. (25:04) Give this a shot. (25:06) How much is it?(25:07) You know. (25:08) There's, there's how many kids? (25:09) There's going to be, there's going to be 600 kids.(25:11) Not enough. (25:12) Not enough. (25:13) Not enough for me.

Alan Lazaros

(25:14) 700.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:14) Did you know that I, you know who the- I don't get out of bed for anything less than a Jibo. (25:18) Everybody knows that.

Alan Lazaros

(25:19) Everybody knows that. (25:20) All right. (25:20) What's the takeaway from your perspective in this?(25:22) If you have high self-belief, you need to be more discerning most likely. (25:26) Cause you're overly optimistic and you need to, you need to focus. (25:30) Everything's an option.(25:31) You're probably running around. (25:33) Your quantity is too high for your quality and you're dumbing down your brand. (25:38) You're diluting yourself.(25:39) You're spread too fucking thin. (25:41) If your self-belief is low, you need to take more shots, baby. (25:46) Swing.(25:47) Swing away.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:49) I think the, the point you made, it's like you're, if you're sitting on the couch watching Netflix and you have an opportunity to get into the arena, get into the arena. (25:58) Even if you're not being paid to be, it doesn't matter. (26:00) You're not being paid to watch Netflix either.(26:02) And if you are, you got some weird fucking deal with Netflix, which like, good for you. (26:06) Shout out to you. (26:06) You know, that's, that's something.(26:08) But like that, if, if it is connected to the long-term goal and you have an opportunity to get a rep in, don't let your ego stop you from building momentum. (26:17) Don't let your ego stop you from really honing the process of mastery. (26:22) Why do you say ego instead of fear?(26:24) Because it can be either. (26:26) A lot of the advice out there right now is essentially saying like, have an ego. (26:30) You're valuable.(26:31) It's like, no, I'm not saying you're not valuable. (26:33) I'm not saying look in the, in the podcast land. (26:36) Again, please don't villainize me for this.(26:38) I am most likely more valuable than you, quote unquote. (26:40) But I have 4,000 podcast episodes in the, if you're a chef, you're 100% more valuable than me. (26:49) A hundred percent.(26:49) But that's most likely because you started small somewhere and you didn't make that much money and you worked your way up and you networked and you did all that stuff. (26:56) And I just think a lot of people in the interwebs are saying, Hey, no, you should never do it for free. (27:01) That's an, that's an L that's a bad look.(27:03) You can't do anything for free. (27:05) It's like, no, no, no. (27:06) You want to be the best version of you at anything.(27:10) I would bet on the person who starts it for free 10 times out of 10. (27:13) Yeah. (27:13) You just can't stay for free forever.(27:15) No, no, that's a good way to go broke for sure. (27:18) All right. (27:18) That would be my takeaway.(27:19) All right, cool stuff, man. (27:20) Good stuff. (27:21) All right.(27:22) Next level nation. (27:22) If you are looking for a group of amazing humans who are leveling up one freaking day at a time, we have a bunch of different communities, whether it's the fitness accountability group, whether it's book club, whether it's next level nation, we have a bunch of WhatsApp chats. (27:38) There is a place for you at NLU if you're trying to level up.(27:41) So reach out to Alan and or myself, email, Instagram, Facebook, whatever.

Alan Lazaros

(27:46) Shout out to my man Barrett. (27:48) We were on a coaching session today dialing in his system of success. (27:55) Q1 is over in 10 days.(27:58) We've got his most important skill, his top three priorities, his metrics and his habits dialed in. (28:04) I said, true, false, semi-true. (28:05) This is the most dialed in you've ever been.(28:07) And he said, true, if not, maybe semi-true. (28:11) And I said, when were you more dialed in this? (28:13) He's like, I was pretty dialed in back in the day in baseball.(28:15) And he, I know you're listening, brother. (28:17) He listens every day. (28:18) He said, yeah, probably not.(28:20) That's probably just my 11 year old version of this. (28:23) I'm sure I'm more dialed in now. (28:24) So the point I'm making is he's going to be very successful.(28:28) His trajectory is on fire right now. (28:29) I love it. (28:30) I love it.(28:30) The day-to-day is hard. (28:32) So his life's going to be easy. (28:33) If the day-to-day is easy, your life's going to be hard.(28:36) If you want a coach to push you, challenge you to reach your full potential, it is more affordable than you think. (28:42) We start small and we build. (28:44) Reach out.

Kevin Palmieri

(28:45) As always, we love you. (28:46) We appreciate you. (28:47) 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 day to help you get there.

Alan Lazaros

(28:55) Keep leveling up to reach your full potential. (28:58) Next elimination.

Kevin Palmieri

(28:59) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (29:03) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(29:06) We mean it when we say family. (29:08) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (29:11) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(29:15) Thank you again and we will talk to you tomorrow.