Chasing A Life You Actually Want | #665

We reflect on a defining year, the risks that clarified purpose, and the choice to prioritize a life that feels true over a business model that no longer fits. We share the plan to lead visibly, from training and events to a forthcoming framework for building a stronger 2026.

• shifting formats and why today is unscripted
• 2025 as a hinge year and growing confidence
• finding purpose through trying and feedback
• choosing identity over easy money
• closing the academy and honoring energy
• 58 marathons, touring, book, documentary
• business as a vehicle, not the destination
• helping men build body, mind, purpose, confidence
• sharing training programming with the community
• learning to say no and protect focus
• quantifying goals and planning 2026
• inviting listener goals and questions

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Chapters

• 2:56 Why Today Is Unscripted
• 4:15 A Defining Year And Untapped Potential
• 5:47 Finding Purpose By Trying Things
• 7:11 Choosing Identity Over Money
• 8:18 Shutting Down The Academy
• 9:56 Walking The Talk And Taking Risks
• 10:52 Redefining Success For Men
• 11:44 Training Plans And Bigger Events
• 13:05 Make Decisions That Move You Forward
• 14:18 Overwhelm, Clarity, And Saying No

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 1:58

I've been walking around for the last hour thinking about what sort of episode I'd do today. I've done many changes of directions with the podcast over the years, from interviewing incredible guests, you know, I've interviewed over 400 people, learning about their life experiences, tools and frameworks that have helped them build a better life, and I do believe that that's valuable for you guys. Other ones have been me just telling my story as I'm going through it, and more recently I've just focused on specific problems or ideas and tried to deliver frameworks that you can implement in action. And I guess I don't really know what is right. I get feedback and you see views and all of that, but it's also equally as important to be like, well, what do you actually feel like talking, Lockie? Because as I have gone more into these frameworks, which I've definitely loved, it's also put a lot of pressure on me to continue delivering that every week, where there's some weeks, just like today, where I just want to talk. Because the podcast not only is a resource for you, it's a tool that I get to come back on over the years and see what I was curious about, the challenges that I was dealing with, even how well I was communicating, right? So that is such a valuable tool, which is why today I just want to share what's on my mind, what the year I guess this isn't a recap year, because I will do a more structured one with a framework to give you legends an opportunity to recap your year in a similar way to which I do, and then also how do you build towards a bigger year in 2026? Because 2025 has been insane for me. Like, I probably will go down as a life-defining year, a year where I really feel like I stood up and took control of my life and put everything you know, everything out on the table to be like, let's let's rip it, let's see what we're capable of. And now that I've done that, I'm like, whoa, like the more you push yourself and chase your capability, the more you realize there's so much unp untapped potential. Do you ever feel like that? Where you take a risk and it pays off, and you go, Wow, that's just giving me a little bit more confidence, and that is you know, definitely what has happened. I've run 58 marathons, I've toured Europe twice, I've been around Australia twice, I have written a book which is going to be released in March. We've got a documentary on the way, all things that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have achieved. And it's all been pulled out of me or drawn forward by this purpose. Purpose to me is something that I have found through trying new things. People talk a lot about purpose. Like you must find your purpose, you must make your purpose your career, and all of those things. And there's some truth for some people, but there's also not for others, because there's two two types of people, maybe even three. Let's go three. One type is the individual who is so happy and so content with where they are, and I'm envious of them. Like, how good. And if you're there, well done. You're probably not listening to this, though, if you're there. The second is is the person in the middle who's very unclear, they don't really know what they want, they want a bit more, and that's where I was for a long time. And then thirdly, there's the people who have found what they love to do, and every day they're jumping out of bed, and that's where I am now. And without making the whole podcast about that, I went from number two to number three just by trying new experiences, different jobs, saying yes to different things and using the feedback to gain a deeper understanding around what I did like and what skills I would need to learn in order to make an improvement until I found myself in a career where I'm like, well, I like this enough to want to be able to do this daily. I can find a way to make a career out of it. Awesome. And it it generally feels like I'm it's bigger than me. You know, I'm helping people in a way that I didn't think was possible, and that is pretty cool. And so without making a whole episode about purpose, that to me has what has made me want to write the book and do the 58 because I love challenging myself and I've battled with do I need to be a business owner and that's all I do and earn millions of dollars, or do I be who I feel like I am, which is a guy who uh loves sport, loves challenging himself and maybe sacrifices money, but to have stories that I and experiences I genuinely love. And I probably battle with that every single day, if I'm being honest. I I guess I've made the decision on which I want to be, and then the battle comes down to okay, well, are you gonna choose the option that moves you towards that or away from that? And it doesn't need to be more complicated than that. I guess in my head, definitely a lot more chaotic, but out on paper, it's like, well, which is moving me towards that? And I have decided, a big decision, is that I want to be the guy who continues to chase the things that I'm interested in. It's business for me is a vehicle. I shut down the Strong Men of Value Academy earlier this year. It was such an incredible, you know, five, six years of my life, met plenty of great people, had great transformations, but I didn't feel like it was serving me anymore. It was starting to get to the point where I jump on these calls and be in the group, and I just didn't really want to be there. And I feel like when those moments happen, you either can stay there and become bitter, become resentful, or you can go, hey, this is just another opportunity to catch and release. Like, where are we moving to from here? What feedback can you take and use that to move forward? And having had the 58 marathon experiences where I felt so alive, like every day, just waking up, being like, wow, we've got a big challenge ahead of us, we're seeing different places, we're meeting new people. That was elite. Like for me, I loved it. So I wanted more of that, and that's what I'm continuing to build towards. I found something that allows me to inspire people, and I'm you know, if you're listening here, I would hope that there's whether it's frameworks or stories that I tell or guests that I interview plays a small part in you building a better life, and that excites me. But I also know that I have to walk my talk. If I continue to just be the business guy and not pursue the things that I wanted to pursue, I wouldn't be that guy, and I couldn't, you know, stand up in front of you guys, I couldn't continue doing this podcast with true conviction that that's how we live. So it's important to me to take those risks. I'm learning a lot, I've learned a lot this year, know that I'm gonna learn a lot next year around well, how do I continue to make more of my income from helping men in a in a different way, not where I have to be continually coaching or running a group event, but more from bringing people together through bigger events. And at the moment I don't really have the answers, but I'm excited to find out, and it's it's a risk, right? It's a huge risk. You know, with the book, I just had to pay a big amount of money or what I consider a big amount of money, and doing that at a time when we're about to have a kid, like ballsy fucking move, Lockie. Like, wow, what are you doing? But I I back myself and I back the bigger mission of helping men like you redefine what success looks like so you can live a life that you're truly pumped about, and we do that through helping you build a strong body, calm mind, clear purpose, and a confident life. So that's how I and you know, in that order as well. I think if you get your body in order, you'll start to feel like you have greater capacity for more. So definitely start there if you haven't. Yeah, and I'm I'm actually gonna make my programming that I do for myself available to everyone here who listens, so stay tuned for that. And that's gonna be my way to I guess help the community without having to be constantly giving giving my time, I guess, in in terms of I want to be speaking on stages, I want to be chasing my events, and I'll be showing you what it's taken for me to live my best life. Geez, that sounds cliche and corny saying that, but like I have an idea of what a great life looks like, and I am yet to know whether it's real or not until I experience it. Just like I'm sure you have an idea of what a great marriage is, what a good amount of money is, what a great life is for you, and you can sit on that, you can dwell on that, or you can start chasing it and get feedback to go, hey, I was right about that, or maybe I need to fine-tune a few things. And I I do believe that I can I can inspire you guys to do that. I believe why I did this episode today was to also share that sometimes I don't, or a lot of the time I don't have it figured out, but I try to simplify it into making a decision that's gonna move me towards what I think I want, and I do have more evidence and awareness around that because I've tried so many different things, as I'm sure you have. So it's gonna be a good year for everyone, especially you if you decide to make it as such. But I'd love to hear from you, you know, whether you message me on Instagram, whether you drop a comment below. I think it's always great to hear from everyone and what you're working towards and how I can better serve because yeah, we got a big, big goal that's gonna be more challenging than I've ever put myself through physically, and I'm gonna share that story, document it along the way, even from now where I don't feel like it's possible all the way through to completion and whether we get the outcome we want or not. I'm not gonna be defined by it, but it will you know play a big role in my life, that's for sure. Another thing on my mind, I guess I've even actually started just from talking this out now. My mind's become a lot clearer. This morning I was definitely overwhelmed. I'm thinking, why not haven't done my podcast this week? Because it's been busy. I've been saying yes to things that normally wouldn't say yes to, and while they've been good, they obviously come with a consequence and a downside, and that means organization and preparation to achieve the things that I want. So looking at my calendar next year, it's just gonna be so important to prioritize those things, and the busier we get, the more successful you become, the more important it will be for you to learn to say no, and that is what I am learning. Really, really important to learn to say no because what I'm best at is getting neglected because I'm saying yes to things that you know I normally wouldn't say yes to, but you've got to go through that to experience it, you've got to go through that to uh make it be a little bit of a thorn in your side, so you go far out, no longer doing that. But that is where the growth comes, that is where the learning comes, and that is what allows us to be a better version of ourselves, right? And I think if you can make it all tangible, if you can quantify it, meaning show yourself what has to happen to deliver an outcome, your life's gonna get better. So I'm looking forward to seeing what 2026 looks like for you. I'm looking forward to sharing what it will be like for me. Get after it, have a crack, back yourself, and regardless of the outcomes, know that you're worth it, you're worthy, and you can make your life so freaking good. And maybe you're already there, maybe you got that life. And if you do, like I said at the beginning, envious of that. My life's amazing, but I still have this want for more, and I don't want to fight that. I think people try to tell you not to do that. If you have that feeling, trust your gut, get after it, make 2026 a good year. There will be an episode coming out in the next couple of weeks where I give you a framework that I use not only to review 2025, but to make 2026 your most successful year yet. My name's Logan Stewart. Do the whole comment, like, share, subscribe, all those things, and we'll see you next week.