2 Steps Forward And 1 Step Back Is Still A Win (2508)

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Fitness is forever, it's a lifestyle. Join the Next Level Fitness Accountability Group. Reach out to Kevin or Alan on Instagram:
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Why does real progress sometimes feel like you are losing ground? In this episode, Kevin and Alan break down why growth requires trade-offs, temporary setbacks, and a willingness to stay consistent when the results are not immediate. They explain how to assess the return on a new habit, set clear priorities, and stop confusing short-term discomfort with failure.

The goal is not perfect execution. It is building a stronger long-term trend line in your health, wealth, relationships, and personal growth. Choose the trade-off you have been avoiding. Frictionless plans are usually filed next to unicorns.

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NLU is more than a podcast. From the Next Level Dreamliner to Group Coaching, we provide tools and communities to help you grow with more clarity, consistency, and accountability.

Visit our website and socials through the links below. 👇

Website: http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

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

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

Email:
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

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

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Show notes:
(2:16) Every new priority requires a trade-off
(4:41) How to assess the return on a new habit
(7:22) Building systems that make consistency possible
(12:07) The optimal stopping problem
(16:02) Accepting the cost of meaningful change
(20:03) Clarity, long-term consequences, and the trend line
(29:50) 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) The problem with progress is it almost is never as fast as you want it to be, and while you're making progress, you're also unbelievably hyper-focused on the shit you're not doing well.

Alan Lazaros

(0:12) Two steps forward, one step back, damn. (0:16) Two more steps forward, and yet again, one step back, damn.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:21) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:24) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:26) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazaros.(0:29) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:35) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:42) 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

(0:58) Self-improvement in your pocket every day, from anywhere, completely free.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:04) Welcome to Next Level University. (1:10) Next Level Nation today for episode number 2,508. (1:13) Two steps forward and one step back is still a win.(1:16) Shout out to...

Alan Lazaros

(1:17) Damn.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:17) Damn. (1:18) Shout out to Andy. (1:19) Our buddy Andy is in all the things.(1:22) Group coaching. (1:23) So many places. (1:24) Fitness group.(1:24) In the Next Level universe. (1:27) Sent me a message the other day. (1:29) Said, hey, buddy, can I ask you a question about something?(1:32) And I said, yeah, man, of course. (1:34) What do you got? (1:35) Let me know.(1:36) He said, how do you get up early? (1:39) How have you gotten to the point where you get up early and go to the gym? (1:43) And I said, you know, the tough part about that is you're going to transition from whatever you're doing to waking up earlier than you want, and you're probably not going to get enough sleep for like two weeks and it's going to suck.(1:56) And it's going to seem extremely detrimental. (1:58) And it's going to seem like you're taking two steps back when in reality you're taking two steps forward and one step back. (2:04) And I just think that's a really hard concept to grasp because we're talking about me and my longevity.(2:11) We were talking about that. (2:12) That's like my new, my next focus, like let's focus more on longevity. (2:16) But this trip right now is not good for that at all.(2:20) But are the benefits going to bring more progress than detriment? (2:26) What can I do for you? (2:27) How much can you hear the playlist going on in the background?

Alan Lazaros

(2:31) I don't know what's going on with your Alexa. (2:32) I can't hear anything. (2:33) Hey, Alexa, stop playing everywhere, please.(2:38) We're good. (2:39) It's got me putting, so we have a, normally I close the store by 830 normally. (2:45) Okay.(2:46) And we have an automation that comes on with what's called spa lounge playlist. (2:54) Yeah. (2:54) Look it up on Spotify.(2:56) Spa lounge playlist. (2:57) Legit. (2:58) Legit.(2:59) Very good for relaxing. (3:00) Not good for the next level university podcast. (3:03) I'm over here.(3:04) Yeah. (3:05) Okay. (3:05) That's, that's real nice.(3:07) You know, sorry about that.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:08) Is that why you're smiling? (3:09) Yeah. (3:10) I thought you could hear it.(3:11) No, but I also, again, I can't really hear anything. (3:15) So. (3:15) Okay.(3:17) You can go. (3:18) I'm done. (3:18) My point was made.(3:19) That was it. (3:19) That was all I had. (3:20) All right.(3:21) Well, thank you so much for tuning into another very special episode. (3:25) What would you, so when you're coaching somebody, it doesn't feel like, so we'll use this example of getting up early. (3:32) It doesn't feel like I should not be getting enough sleep.(3:35) The, the collective you, I'm not talking about me specifically, but okay. (3:39) I want to start exercising in the morning, but I'm going to get six hours of sleep for a couple of weeks. (3:43) Isn't that detrimental?(3:45) Shouldn't I just find a way to get eight hours of sleep and get up early and make sure I have my nighttime routine and, and, and, and like, I just don't think it's reasonable.

Alan Lazaros

(3:54) It's not. (3:57) The priorities have to be the syntax matters so much, so much. (4:03) Let's say you and I had the same top three priorities of health, wealth, and love.(4:08) If yours is health, wealth, and then love, and mine is love, wealth, and then health, both of our lives have to be completely different. (4:17) I don't think we talk about that enough. (4:19) And in some ways we talk about it all the time, prioritization, but syntax is absolutely everything.(4:25) Are you a, you're a podcaster who also coaches. (4:27) I'm a coach who also podcasts. (4:29) Our lives are completely different.(4:32) Just that one tweak.

Kevin Palmieri

(4:33) Not necessarily from the outside though. (4:36) Right?

Alan Lazaros

(4:37) Like, yeah, that's fair. (4:38) If we, which is why it's so confusing probably.

Kevin Palmieri

(4:41) I know. (4:41) I know.

Alan Lazaros

(4:41) Yeah. (4:42) Because to Andy's thing, sleep will take a hit no matter what. (4:51) Everything will.(4:53) Whenever you add something new in your life, everything around it takes a short-term hit. (4:58) How do you know if it's a net W? (5:00) You calculate the ROI in advance and that's very hard to do.(5:03) And it has to be based on awareness, right?

Kevin Palmieri

(5:05) So what would be a good example? (5:09) Well, like, okay. (5:09) If somebody said, it's going to take you two months to get back into a normal sleep cycle.(5:14) Still worth it? (5:15) That's an L. (5:16) That's too low.(5:18) So they're not worth it. (5:19) So you just don't work out early?

Alan Lazaros

(5:21) Yeah, probably. (5:22) I mean, or do better than that.

Kevin Palmieri

(5:24) I mean, yeah. (5:25) I mean, I'm just saying, I don't know. (5:26) I'm just saying as an example, like, yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(5:28) I mean, that would be, everything's arranged. (5:31) That's another thing that's really hard to explain. (5:34) Engineering principles, everything's arranged.(5:36) Nothing's like, oh, it's going to take two months to ROI. (5:38) No, it's based on probabilities. (5:41) So it could take anywhere from two days to two months.(5:44) That's a little too broad. (5:46) Two weeks to two months. (5:47) If it's two months, it was a dumb idea.(5:50) Can that shit. (5:51) If it's two weeks, awesome. (5:52) Strong work.(5:54) So every ROI is based on a prediction and a prediction is based on your current awareness.

Kevin Palmieri

(5:58) And it also depends on how far you are the other way. (6:01) So like if you're, if you're a night owl and you go to bed at one o'clock and sleep till 10 every day, it's going to take you drastically longer to get back into the normal flow of things.

Alan Lazaros

(6:11) So in an ideal world, what you would do is you do instead of one o'clock, go midnight. (6:17) And then once you get the hang of that, go to 11. (6:20) And once you get the hang of that, go to 10 and you'd, you'd slow build it.(6:24) There's two ways to make change. (6:25) You can cold Turkey or all in, which is your preference for sure. (6:31) Might as well, quite frankly.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:33) Yeah.

Alan Lazaros

(6:33) Uh, but I used to go to the gym at night. (6:39) You mean I switched that and that was a big overhaul for sure of our schedule.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:44) It's not like what, okay. (6:45) What took it? (6:45) What are the, give me a list of the things that took a hit.

Alan Lazaros

(6:52) Uh, having a fucking life. (6:55) No, I'm kidding. (6:56) What took a hit?(6:58) Working late, which is probably a good thing since we tend to do that anyway.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:03) What else took a hit? (7:04) Sleep took a hit for sure.

Alan Lazaros

(7:05) Late took a hit. (7:06) Yeah. (7:07) Yeah.(7:08) We used to work also here. (7:12) Let me, let me unpack it. (7:13) It's good.(7:14) So in order to work out in the morning, I have to be up by a certain time. (7:22) I like to get a 90 minute jam session when I first wake up. (7:25) So my first, we need at least, I need at least three hours prior to noon.(7:30) My first calls at noon in order to get my 90 minute jam session and get my ass to the gym and get home and be ready for my front facing at noon and front facing means I'm presentable, right? (7:40) I can't show up in a goddamn Under Armour shirt. (7:44) I mean, I can, but I'm not, I'm not gonna.(7:46) Okay. (7:47) So in order to, that means you have to wake up by nine minimum. (7:53) And I sleep a lot, dude, like a lot.(7:56) We're doing an Evolve Sleep Challenge. (7:57) We, Emilia is doing an Evolve Sleep Challenge with Bianca and I'm in there. (8:01) I have slept better this last 27 days than ever before in my life.(8:07) And I track total time in bed, total sleep. (8:10) This is why we don't ask me questions. (8:11) Cause there's like a whole thing, total time in bed, total sleep.(8:15) Then there's deep and REM sleep. (8:16) And then there's lowest heart rate. (8:18) And then there's heart rate variability, dude.(8:21) I'm, I'm averaging nine plus total time in bed, eight plus total sleep. (8:29) And my DEM scores are three plus most of the time. (8:34) And my trend lines up for the 27 days too.(8:36) So it's very good. (8:37) But anyways, my point of this is the only reason why that is, is because we had to backtrack it. (8:41) So if we're not in the bedroom by 11, we're jeffed.(8:46) And, and if we're, and honestly, if tonight, okay, awesome, Alan, sweet. (8:52) I can't wait to go run a mile and then cook and then go to fucking bed. (8:58) Awesome.(8:59) Right? (9:00) Dude, what the hell? (9:01) Right?(9:01) So I have the close the store by eight 30, meaning we have to get our asses downstairs by eight 30. (9:06) And we have a separation of like upstairs is work downstairs is home. (9:10) And that's the separation for us.(9:13) And we're not allowed to go downstairs until we close the store. (9:15) And there's a whole routine to do that. (9:16) Track your metrics, numbers, KPIs, the whole nine.(9:19) And then you get your ass downstairs by eight 30. (9:21) If we do that, then you have two and a half hours. (9:26) Essentially.(9:28) Yeah. (9:28) Two and a half hours to get to the bedroom, but we still have mobility. (9:31) Gotta get mobility done.(9:33) So my, I would like to believe that I could get an hour of R and R per day on average. (9:40) And it's been really hard to do. (9:43) I'm probably averaging about an hour a day.(9:45) And sometimes I'll catch up on Saturday night, like Saturday night, it's the one F off night where it's like, when I close the store at eight 30, I don't give a shit. (9:55) I'm not, not going to be in bed by 11, not a chance, but we also don't have to wake up in order to hit our first session. (10:01) Cause Sundays are back office.(10:03) So we did a really good restorative day yesterday and I still worked in the morning. (10:07) And then I released myself, released myself from the crack and is what we call it. (10:12) You know, the cracking is like the crack in the whip of just make sure you're always on the ball.(10:17) Right. (10:17) As a CEO. (10:19) But anyways, and it's playful, we're fine.(10:21) But that whole thing has been iterated upon for five years since we started living together. (10:30) And it's pretty good now. (10:32) And we have an entire SOP.(10:34) It's called a house SOP with a lot of things that if we don't get them done on Sunday, the week won't go well. (10:40) So like we have all the shit that we didn't do throughout the week. (10:44) Cause we're back to backs.(10:45) We do all on Sunday. (10:46) And I made sure yesterday I got all of it done. (10:49) I mean, all the towels are changed, clean, clean, everything, recycling, everything.(10:54) And so that all throughout the week, Monday through Saturday, there's nothing else due to the point where I've prepped Tucker's food. (11:02) Cause if it's too big of chunks, he's my dog. (11:07) He's a little Pomeranian Chihuahua.(11:09) And if the chunks are too big, he could joke. (11:12) So I've like prepped and cut it all up in advance so that all we have to do when we go down there is just put it in the bowl. (11:18) Cause he does raw dog food, but it's pretty insane.(11:22) We do run this house like a military base, but to your original question, that's how, that's how on point you have to be if you want things to go smoothly.

Kevin Palmieri

(11:31) It is rough because it does like, it's like an avalanche. (11:34) Yeah, exactly. (11:35) If one thing goes wrong.(11:39) Exactly. (11:40) Tomorrow won't go well. (11:42) A hundred percent.(11:43) Dude, this is the fucking issue. (11:46) I literally, so if you listened to yesterday's episode, we recorded that and then I went to the gym and I had a minute where I was like, I should not be in here right now. (11:55) Like I should be doing client work.(11:56) I shouldn't be at the fucking gym. (11:58) I should be doing client work. (12:00) And when am I going to work out?(12:02) What am I going to work out at midnight tonight? (12:03) Just stay up for 24 hours. (12:05) Is that good?

Alan Lazaros

(12:07) Well, let's talk about that. (12:08) So the optimal stopping problem, and I'm glad we're having this conversation. (12:12) When you say you shouldn't, you should be doing client work.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:15) When you say should, let's unpack that. (12:17) It's number one. (12:20) It's the most time-based I'm in Texas working with a client who I'm going to see in 12 hours.(12:25) It's the most urgent. (12:25) Okay. (12:26) It's the most urgent.(12:28) It's the most profitable. (12:29) It's the most profitable. (12:30) It is the reason for me being out here.(12:33) I'm not here to sightsee. (12:34) I'm not here to fucking, I'm here to work with this client.

Alan Lazaros

(12:38) And this is the other side of the coin that we're going to work with here. (12:43) Kevin and I, I like that we do this. (12:45) I want us to have debates because I think that that's when understanding is created, assuming people stay tuned.(12:53) You're advocating, so you debate why you shouldn't be in the gym and should be working on the client work, and I'll debate why you need to be in the gym. (13:01) And honestly, we'll find five, which is optimal. (13:07) Why I shouldn't be in the gym?(13:10) Why shouldn't, yeah, you were in the gym saying I should be doing client work. (13:13) So you argue for that. (13:14) And I'll argue for why you should be in the gym.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:16) I definitely walked. (13:19) I got a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio today, running around the fucking airport for sure. (13:24) Multiple airports for sure.(13:25) A thousand percent. (13:26) Sure. (13:27) I am running on very little sleep.(13:29) I am dehydrated. (13:30) I'm running on caffeine. (13:31) I haven't eaten all day.(13:33) My workout was dog shit. (13:35) It wasn't good. (13:36) It was a fucking waste of time.(13:38) Quote unquote, felt like a waste of time. (13:40) Sometimes it feels like I'm going to lose this debate. (13:44) Sometimes it feels like you're doing it more to keep the streak than you are to get the fucking, when you used to have a Snapchat streak, you just send somebody a picture of like a bottle.(13:51) Here you go. (13:52) Here's our fucking streak. (13:54) There's no substance to it.

Alan Lazaros

(13:55) Yeah. (13:56) So maybe this is one of the few instances where you actually shouldn't have gone to the gym.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:01) Well, the problem is I said I would, so that's the issue.

Alan Lazaros

(14:02) Yeah, exactly. (14:03) That's why you did it because you're trying to lead by example in a fitness group. (14:06) So that's what I would argue is like, you got to lead by example.(14:11) Health, wealth, and love. (14:12) What are you going to neglect your health every time you travel? (14:14) That's not leading by example.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:16) No, but maybe this one time.

Alan Lazaros

(14:18) Yeah. (14:18) Well, again, it does sound like the optimal choice. (14:21) Probably assuming that the client, like if you could cut this, like get off the episode, don't cut this team, get off the episode and then immediately eat your dinner and then go to bed.(14:34) Maybe going to the gym was optimal, but you didn't have that data until later that you were going to have to do more work, right? (14:43) I mean, yeah. (14:45) When you made the decision to go to the gym, things didn't pile up as much because you got some more client work between then and now, right?

Kevin Palmieri

(14:54) Ah, yes. (14:55) I got more clarity on what needed to be done. (14:57) I knew I was going to have to work, but here's the other thing I'm factoring in.(14:59) I'm also an hour behind, which means nothing effectively because it's the same time, but it's only eight o'clock for me. (15:07) So I can work until nine and then I have an hour of R&R and then I can go to bed.

Alan Lazaros

(15:13) Okay.

Kevin Palmieri

(15:14) I'm also going to get up early. (15:16) I know I shouldn't, but I'm going to. (15:17) I'm going to get up at five probably or six.(15:20) I just don't feel like I have a fucking choice. (15:22) Wait, let me tell you. (15:23) To wake up.(15:25) You can't sleep in? (15:26) No, I got to be at the place at eight a.m. I have fucking work to do before then. (15:31) Like I have other shit to do too, you know?(15:33) And I have to fucking work out again. (15:37) We are really selling it, aren't we? (15:39) But I think this is important because like, dude, honestly, sometimes it's going to fucking blow and it's not, I didn't feel great going to the gym.(15:48) When I got there, I felt good. (15:49) Nice. (15:50) And I was glad I went.

Alan Lazaros

(15:52) Well, so syntax, let's go back to the point here and to Andy, if he were to be listening, does he listen? (15:59) I think so. (15:59) Yeah, I think he does.(16:00) Yeah, he does listen. (16:01) Definitely. (16:02) Yeah.(16:02) I don't know if he listens every day, but Andy, what's up? (16:05) So something's going to take a hit that there is no such thing as something for nothing is the best acceptance. (16:13) You have to accept that.(16:14) If you don't accept that, there's no such thing as something for nothing. (16:17) I would argue you have not grown up yet. (16:21) People who don't understand the law of trade-offs and want to pretend it's not real, dude, I don't have any friends.(16:28) Great. (16:29) Okay. (16:29) That was a choice.(16:31) Like I could have friends and I take responsibility for the fact that I don't, because I don't, I don't invest a ton into that. (16:40) Now, some of it is on them and a lot of it's on me and that's okay. (16:45) But I think it was immature for me to play the victim and, and don't get me wrong.(16:51) You can take that too far too. (16:52) I mean, I was treated very, very poorly. (16:55) Okay.(16:56) I was made fun of tremendously when I left corporate and started my own thing. (17:00) Who's laughing now? (17:02) I'm kidding.(17:02) All right. (17:03) But the truth is, is like, eh, I can kind of see why they're upset. (17:07) I don't spend any time with them anymore.(17:09) And I used to all the time. (17:10) And I chose to sail away from that. (17:14) And I chose to quit drinking.(17:15) And I chose to stop playing video games. (17:17) I chose to be with Emilia and I chose to move. (17:20) And I chose this, like I chose.(17:23) So while I don't think that treating me unjustly is appropriate, I do understand that maybe you could be a little upset. (17:31) And the way you handle that, I think is either mature or immature. (17:34) So yeah, if nothing else comes to this episode, have your cake and eat it too is childish.(17:39) It is. (17:40) Now it doesn't mean you can't mitigate the downside. (17:42) It doesn't mean you can't find a way to optimize, but there is no such thing as something for nothing.(17:49) And I think that someone who is wise and mature, immature, immature and sound too differently. (17:56) So I want to say much or someone who's mature understands that they understand that you only get one life and you, you have to decide. (18:06) And of course, there's going to be a month or at least a week or a couple of days that blow for sure.

Kevin Palmieri

(18:14) Yeah. (18:15) It's hard though. (18:16) Cause you don't know, like, I don't know.

Alan Lazaros

(18:20) You definitely don't know, but you do know more than you used to. (18:22) And you could be naive and think it's not going to change anything, but it is. (18:25) Yeah.(18:26) Yeah. (18:27) What's your main, what do you, let's ask this listeners out there. (18:32) What do you, what do you think they are struggling with most with this?

Kevin Palmieri

(18:36) Like, what do you see? (18:37) You're going to have to take, you're going to have to take an L in one category to improve the other.

Alan Lazaros

(18:43) Yeah. (18:43) A hundred percent. (18:44) And it's going to be for, it's going to seem like a net negative and or good, but long-term it will pay back because that's, if there's two people, we've talked about this and one is health, wealth, and love.(18:56) And one of them is just wealth. (18:58) The first one will be wealthier for the first 20 years. (19:02) But the second one, the one who focuses on health, wealth, and love can play the game longer.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:07) Well, that's the thing is you have to make it up to yourself by doing the new behavior for long enough. (19:11) Cause if you don't do it for long enough, it isn't, it's a net loss. (19:14) Exactly.

Alan Lazaros

(19:14) It is. (19:14) Yeah. (19:15) And then you never ROI.(19:16) And then you tell yourself a story. (19:18) It wasn't worth it. (19:18) And then you don't do it again.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:20) And I think on the opposite front, if I worked out, like I am working out every day, that's a loss once every couple of months, it's not the end of the world. (19:29) It's not going to kill me. (19:30) It's now, is it going to help me live to 120 years of age?(19:33) Like Alan, probably not. (19:34) No, I don't know. (19:35) No, it's not.(19:36) But I don't know if I want to do that anyway.

Alan Lazaros

(19:39) So well, that's something we got to talk about. (19:43) Clarity is the unsung hero. (19:45) You heard me say that a thousand times.(19:46) You got to get clear on that, man. (19:48) Cause if you don't have clear, and this is something I did earlier and I know we got to get out of here. (19:52) We still got time.

Kevin Palmieri

(19:53) We're all right. (19:53) I want you to be able to Z out the register. (19:55) You know what I mean?

Alan Lazaros

(19:55) Yeah. (19:57) Yeah. (19:57) Let's, let's stop the snowball rolling down the hill in the wrong direction.(20:03) The thing I did earlier is like, I redid someone's runway and a runway is just seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, quarters, years, decades, lifetime. (20:12) And basically I, I break down a quarterly runway, top three priorities, KPIs, goals, and then habits. (20:19) And then our most important skill.(20:21) And when we redo a runway before you do the runway, the peak performance tracking, just got a new client. (20:28) Shout out to you, brother. (20:28) Super excited.(20:30) I have to get clear on what you want. (20:32) And you're absolutely right. (20:34) Where does that start?(20:34) What you think you want? (20:37) 10 pounds in 10 weeks. (20:39) Awesome.(20:39) Congratulations. (20:40) You lost 10 pounds. (20:41) The effect of the effect we've talked about, it's, this is called a third order consequence or second order consequence and then first order consequence.(20:48) So if I drink a lot of water, the first order consequences, I have to pee. (20:53) The second order consequences, I'm hydrated. (20:55) The third order consequence is I am in better shape, which makes me more capable and more fulfilled.(21:01) So people aren't thinking about the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh order consequence. (21:05) And if they are, then they would do longevity first.

Kevin Palmieri

(21:09) Well, don't you think you have to do it for seven times the amount of time to get the seventh?

Alan Lazaros

(21:13) Probably.

Kevin Palmieri

(21:14) Right.

Alan Lazaros

(21:14) Like that's not necessarily that math is a little fucked, but yeah, you'd have to do it longer.

Kevin Palmieri

(21:21) I probably had a better workout, terrible with no sleep and dehydrated than most people have. (21:28) Yes.

Alan Lazaros

(21:29) That's your worst is better than their best.

Kevin Palmieri

(21:33) When I say I had investments prior. (21:34) Yeah. (21:35) When I say I had a terrible workout, like I still repped the heaviest dumbbells they had and I still left it in there and I gave it, I gave it what I had.(21:42) So like that, you said that, man, that's, I think that's an important piece.

Alan Lazaros

(21:45) Yeah, it is. (21:46) Because when you do put in the work, when it's hard, your new worst is better than your old best. (21:52) And I think that that's when you see people successful, unless they're completely full of it.(21:58) There's usually a bunch of that where they're like, what's a good example. (22:05) I got dunked on. (22:06) I told you many times in Venice beach, I got dunked on by a guy in sandals who played D one for Yukon.(22:12) And I was like pretty good at basketball in my town. (22:16) And he, on his worst day smokes me in sandals. (22:21) And I think that that I metaphorically in that way in coaching, but there is no coach off.(22:27) But my point is, is like in health, wealth, and love. (22:29) I want to, I want my worst to be better than my old best. (22:32) I did a post earlier today that made me very upset because I saw my best in fitness.(22:37) And I was like, I can't stand the fact that everything in my life has improved. (22:41) Everything, everything has improved except for that everything. (22:46) And I'm not given up I can't do it.(22:49) The only thing that has not gotten better in my life since you and I started this nine years ago, coming up on 10, the only thing that hasn't gotten better out of everything is probably my social life and my physical fitness. (23:08) You and I were goddamn animals, man. (23:11) It's different.(23:12) How dare we let that go?

Kevin Palmieri

(23:14) Yeah, it's rough, man.

Alan Lazaros

(23:16) Not, not letting it go.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:18) I've lost hope, but I will continue the pursuit.

Alan Lazaros

(23:21) I appreciate it.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:22) I refuse to lose hope, but even when I do, I'm going to continue as well. (23:26) I'm going to continue, but I don't, it's not going to happen. (23:28) I don't think, I don't know if it's even possible.(23:32) I'm going to keep trying. (23:34) I love it. (23:35) I want you to, I love it for you.(23:36) I do. (23:36) I'm going to keep trying. (23:37) I just look at some of the old stuff and it's like, Hmm, that's, that's never going to happen again.(23:44) 27 years old. (23:45) That's never going to happen again.

Alan Lazaros

(23:46) It was a, it was an interesting time, brother. (23:50) Our bank account looks better though.

Kevin Palmieri

(23:52) Well, yeah, for sure. (23:52) I mean, that was a struggle, but we were definitely in shape. (23:59) They do say health is wealth.

Alan Lazaros

(24:00) Did you know how in shape?

Kevin Palmieri

(24:03) I don't know. (24:03) I don't think we knew how in shape.

Alan Lazaros

(24:05) I don't think I did. (24:06) I knew I was top 1%, but dude, we were like 1% of 1% of 1% of 1% in fitness. (24:14) But I was looking at the best and they were all on natural.(24:18) So in terms of natural physiques, dude, like people not on steroids, like good for us. (24:24) I'm going to try to get it back. (24:26) Dude, let's keep going.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:28) Of course. (24:28) Yeah. (24:29) We're going to keep going.(24:29) Next level university. (24:30) This isn't give up university. (24:32) That's why the 10 pound 10 week challenge, which you should join if you're, well, you can't join the 10 pound and 10 week challenge.(24:36) We can join the next level fitness accountability group. (24:38) And whenever we do the next round, whether it's gaining 10 pounds or losing 10 pounds, you can then. (24:43) We'd love to.

Alan Lazaros

(24:44) I don't know if the gaining 10 pounds will ever work.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:46) It will not.

Alan Lazaros

(24:47) No, I think what we should do is refeed and then do another 10 pound and 10 week challenge.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:51) What do you mean?

Alan Lazaros

(24:53) I don't think we can do a gain weight challenge. (24:56) I don't think it'll work. (24:57) People are too afraid to gain weight, brother.

Kevin Palmieri

(24:59) Understandable. (24:59) But first of all, don't brother me. (25:01) I told you that wasn't going to work.(25:02) I said, this is not going to work at all.

Alan Lazaros

(25:04) I didn't mean brother as in like, no, you didn't know that. (25:07) I just meant, so I'm not interested in doing things that don't work anymore.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:10) We do a month three feet and then I just died again. (25:13) That sounds terrible.

Alan Lazaros

(25:13) No, no. (25:14) We're going to do more than a month for sure. (25:16) I'm going to refeed pretty much back to 200.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:20) So you're going to gain 10 pounds, but this time better body comp. (25:25) Yeah, I know. (25:26) Yeah.(25:26) Better. (25:27) But I'm telling you dieting cutting is way easier than bulking is in terms.

Alan Lazaros

(25:34) I don't agree in terms of discipline. (25:37) No, we mean bulking is easier for sure.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:40) It's not easier to stop. (25:43) Oh no, definitely not.

Alan Lazaros

(25:44) No, no.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:45) It's super. (25:45) No, it's the best. (25:46) Yeah.(25:46) It's like, yeah, I have dominoes.

Alan Lazaros

(25:48) You get stronger.

Kevin Palmieri

(25:49) Well, that part's awesome. (25:50) But you get to a certain point where it's like, well, I'm at one 99 and I want to keep going and eating. (25:56) I want to keep eating.(25:56) So I'm just going to do it.

Alan Lazaros

(25:58) But for me, it's not just about the eating. (26:00) Oh, I feel better. (26:02) Like I like the performance.(26:04) I don't like getting weaker. (26:06) It's the worst. (26:08) You don't mind it that much.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:09) I don't get that much weaker. (26:11) I don't get it, man.

Alan Lazaros

(26:13) Yeah. (26:13) It's, I don't know. (26:14) It's got to be an ectomorph thing.(26:15) I'm telling you tall and lanky is not the play in bodybuilding.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:19) I mean, I definitely get weaker, but again, like I'm still squatting 315 for reps. (26:23) So it's not, it's not terrible. (26:25) Right.(26:26) Like that's still good there. (26:28) But I did squat 425, I think in my, in my bulk.

Alan Lazaros

(26:32) Well, there you go. (26:35) Freaking 20% decrease.

Kevin Palmieri

(26:38) Well that, I mean, that was my two rep max. (26:40) I'm doing 315 for sets of six, seven. (26:43) Yeah.(26:43) I'm still, I'm still, yeah. (26:44) I don't know. (26:46) Who knows.(26:46) All right. (26:47) We're going to go. (26:47) What's your fucking last thing you want to say?(26:50) I got to get out of here.

Alan Lazaros

(26:52) Uh, if you listen to this, we appreciate it. (26:54) No. (26:54) So two steps forward.(26:57) One step back is fucking inevitable. (27:00) Grow, grow up. (27:02) I said this to a client earlier.(27:03) He, he is failing forward. (27:04) Good for him. (27:05) I know you're listening.(27:08) I said, get up, grow up, show up. (27:12) And he did. (27:13) And I keep feeling forward two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back.(27:23) That's still five steps forward. (27:24) I think if I did the math right. (27:26) Right.(27:27) Did I say it five times? (27:28) The point is, is you're still ahead of where you were. (27:30) The trend line is up.(27:32) And that's what we care about is the trend line. (27:35) Like next level university should be called next level university, then a slight back fall, then next level university, then a slight backfall, then next level university. (27:47) And you obviously it'd be the worst title of all time, but that's the reality.(27:52) That's the reality. (27:53) In order to get to the next level, you're going to have to slide back in something. (27:58) And we used to say health, wealth, and love is a tripod.(28:00) You need all three of them. (28:01) Otherwise the camera falls, but you can't increase them all at the same time. (28:07) You have to like do periodization.(28:09) It's like, I'm going to focus on health. (28:11) Then I'm going to focus on love. (28:12) Then I'm going to focus on wealth.(28:13) Then I'm going to let wealth feed the health and health feed the love. (28:15) We have some new supplements we're going to be doing that are expensive that we couldn't do before. (28:22) AGZ and AG1.(28:23) I'm not promoting that seriously, like whatever. (28:25) I'm going to give it a shot. (28:26) We've been doing AGZ.(28:27) AGZ is sleep aid and it's been good, but back in the day that was too much and it wasn't optimal. (28:34) So they can feed each other is my point. (28:37) Like when you build more wealth, you have the opportunity.(28:41) I have $120 shoes now. (28:43) They're really nice. (28:44) They're way nicer than the shitty shoes I used to wear.(28:47) So you can get better equipment. (28:49) They can feed each other. (28:50) You just have to be smart about it.(28:51) And you can't expect non-backsliding. (28:54) Backsliding is inevitable.

Kevin Palmieri

(28:55) Backsliding is inevitable. (28:56) All right. (28:58) Reach out to Alan for coaching.(29:00) Perfect example. (29:01) Next level fitness accountability group. (29:03) I'm going to go eat and I'm going to go to sleep because if I don't, I'm going to die.(29:08) Just don't backslide off a cliff, man. (29:10) I'm not going to, I'm on the ninth floor. (29:11) Oh, I did a video by the leaning against the window for you.(29:14) So if you want to take a gander at that, I don't know why. (29:18) I'm not afraid of that. (29:19) That's no, no, that's your thing for brother.

Alan Lazaros

(29:21) I just don't trust the civil engineers, man. (29:24) You know, one of those windows just blows out. (29:27) Well, I don't know.(29:29) The same with those manholes in cities. (29:31) It's like, I'm walking around.

Kevin Palmieri

(29:33) But Taren would get in a nice settlement if I flew to my death on the ninth floor, you know? (29:39) I told you I'd always take care of her. (29:40) I appreciate that.(29:41) Of course. (29:42) But dude, how about now? (29:44) You're not going to have anybody to travel anymore because I would have died here.(29:47) You are ridiculous. (29:49) Unfortunately. (29:49) All right.(29:50) We're going to go. (29:50) As always, we love you. (29:51) Appreciate you.(29:51) Grateful for each and every one of you. (29:53) 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 unless I fall out the window to help you get there every single day. (30:00) Keep leveling up to reach your full potential.(30:04) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (30:08) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(30:10) We mean it when we say family. (30:12) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (30:16) Everything you need to get a hold of us is in the show notes.

Kevin Palmieri

(30:19) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.