when you believe it, you will see it | vol. 24
Hey there,
No, I didn't write the subject line incorrectly--you read it right.
We're so used to saying "I'll believe it when I see it" but really it should be "I'll see it when I believe it." It's amazing how a simple swap of two words can have such a drastic change in meaning. If you wait to see something before you believe it, then you are putting limitations on your Pursuit. It's hard to become someone or build something if you don't actually believe you can do it--waiting to believe until you see it. When you believe you can become another version of your Self or create the life you want, then and only then, can you actually be able see it.
without belief "it" cannot be.
Earlier this week, thanks to a few conversations and not one but two bald eagle sightings in one weekend, I had a shift in mindset that has elevated my excitement, productivity, creativity, and focus. I realized I had been placing limitations on myself for building PRST, my brand, and ultimately my impact. I explain this some in this week's episode of The PRST but the long story short is I've always been afraid of striving to have a "big" audience (or even make a goal of mine to make more money). My fear (False Evidence Appearing Real, I know) was that if I made growing my audience my goal that my creating would become about my ego and not about educating and expressing myself--I told myself if I focused on the size of my audience (or income) that the Universe would check me and something "bad" would happen. So, I've just operated with the mindset that if I do a good job people will find it and my reach will grow.
In some respects this has been true, but if I'm being honest, I'm nowhere near where I should be given the amount of content I have created over the last 7 years and it took me a long time to realize it was because despite my desire to impact as many people as possible, I was limiting myself because I didn't fully believe in my ability to do so. There was enough self doubt to hold me back.
So beginning this week I committed to treating any content I put out as if it were in the top 10 of its category. Better pre-podcast research. Better production and editing. Intentional distribution. Surrounding myself with great creators by joining Jay Clouse's Creator Science Lab, a community for creators. And embodying the version of myself that is creating on a level with the best creators.
I even created a visual:
Believe it and I will eventually see it.
And thanks to some encouragement from a friend, I've gotten past the mental block of asking for and encouraging people to subscribe, leave comments, and share my content--if I believe in my message, then I should have no shame in promoting it and asking for help from those who enjoyed it.
Before we get to the podcast I wanted to share with you, I want to encourage you to share encouragement or feedback to the people who create content you enjoy. Many of you are creators and know that while you don't create seeking the feedback and support, it's nice to get from time to time. So if you read a post that moves you or listen to a podcast that inspires you drop a quick note to the creator--it will mean more than you know.
Dr. Tara Swart Bieber
I listened to Dr. Tara Swart Bieber on Lewis Howes' The School of Greatness podcast last weekend on the way home from a soccer tournament in Cincinnati (why there wasn't an email last week). She is a Ph.D neuroscientist, a former MD, the author of The Source (I have not read it yet but after the interview it is on my reading list), and uniquely positioned to merge science and medicine when it comes to the power of our mind.
This conversation explains why visualization, creating visuals like the one l I created above, and visions boards have such a positive impact when pursuing goals and making changes.
Your mind has more power than you probably realize and if you believe what you hear in this episode, you have the ability to change it to help you on your Pursuit, instead of allowing it to hold you back.
Let's get to The PRST...
On Our PRST with Austin Keen
The much anticipated episode of On Our PRST with Austin Keen dropped on Monday and the feedback has been some of the best to date. I've hyped this episode up for a few weeks now so I won't take much time here telling you why you should check it out. I will say I rarely listen to my own podcast episodes (full disclosure: I do let each episode play all the way through on mute to make sure I do my part with the streams 😀) but I actually listened to this entire episode while working Monday. During the recording I was "in the moment" and listening to Austin to see where I needed to take the conversation--I wasn't listening to take in his story and learn from him. I'm glad I kept the volume up because Austin shared a lot of great wisdom and lessons learned in the episode.
A few of my favorite parts:
Hearing him share his beginning in Savannah, GA and how he ended up making it out wet
The odd jobs he worked to afford him the lifestyle to fully commit to skim boarding and how those jobs didn't define him
When he used the term "fuck-ton" because I knew I had him comfortable enough to be his authentic self with me--we'd never talked beyond the quick airport interaction.
His impression of Steve-O
I highly recommend checking out the YouTube version because I challenged my video team to take the production up a notch; like I shared earlier, if this the PRST channel is going to be a top podcast and YouTube channel it needs to be treated as such today---believe it and then I'll see it! They knocked it out of the park with the in film editing and clips they included. If you make the trip to YT, please consider leaving a like so they can see the support for their work (and so Austin knows his message was heard).
Listen:
Spotify
an unexpected PRST Short
I made a quick trip this week to my favorite city to visit, New York City, to record a podcast at the headquarters for Nasdaq. I was excited to catch up with a friend, chop it up with for a bit on his new podcast, and spend some time walking around the city with him. The view of the studio did not disappoint and the conversation about how financial advisors should be helping clients pursue the lives they truly want was outstanding--bringing PRST principles to finance:
And yes, those are two PRST shirts being worn for the show and my kicks are from former On Our PRST guest Duane Gordon Jr.'s Originally Distinct.
You'd think being at the Nasdaq HQ for the podcast would have been the highlight of my 26 hours in NYC, but as good as it was, the couple of hours I spent in the cab to and from LaGuardia were easily the highlight of my trip. I skipped the Uber and elected to go the cab route Thursday morning and I'm so glad I did because I met Salah--a 25 year old Algerian immigrant who just celebrated his first year in the US. We had a great conversation on the way to my hotel and I asked him if he'd be able to pick me up in the morning to take me back to the airport so we could spend more time together. That evening the idea to record some of what we talked about earlier in the day for a PRST Short came to me and the video above is the end result. As you can tell, I shot it from the back seat of the cab and used my iPhone's voice memo app to capture the audio...it ended up being about 8 minutes of the ride that I captured--I wanted to make sure he and I could continue to have a genuine conversation that wasn't for the video, so I kept it short but Salah delivered with wisdom, perspective, and inspiration. While I waited for the my flight I quickly took care of some RLS Wealth work so I could use the flight to edit the film--I was so excited about what I had captured that I didn't want to wait to get it out. By the time I landed the Short was ready for YouTube.
I'm going to make the same ask here that I did on social media--I want Salah to be overwhelmed with support and I'm asking for people to leave comments sharing how his words inspired them or to leave him a message of encouragement. I'll be staying in touch with Salah and the next time I am in NYC I am going to see him...I hope he is not able to pick me up in a cab because he's moved on to the next opportunity to keep moving forward.
something to meditate on...
Keep Pursuing,
JC
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