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How to Stay Strong During Difficult Times (S5) S32:E4 Tuesday · Inspirations for Your Life

0:25
Well, hello there, everyone, and welcome to Inspirations
0:27
for Your Life.
0:27
I'm glad you decided to join me here
0:30
today on the show.
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It is so great to be with everybody
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here, and if this is your very first
0:37
time here, I want to take the opportunity
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to say thank you, and I want to
0:40
say the words welcome.
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If it's been your one time, five times,
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ten, a hundred, or maybe even more, I'd
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like to say welcome and thank you, but
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I also want to say the words welcome
0:49
back, because you really are welcome here.
0:52
I have a delicious cup of hot decaf
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tea, good, very refreshing.
1:01
Okay, so let's kick this show off, all
1:03
right?
1:04
Don't forget to check out BelieveMeAchieved.com once
1:06
the show is over.
1:08
This is Inspirations for Your Life, ladies and
1:10
gentlemen, if you didn't know that, and the
1:12
master weekly topic is Series 5, Show 32,
1:16
Build a Life that Truly Matters.
1:19
And today's granular topic is How to Stay
1:21
Strong During Difficult Times, Series 5, Show 32,
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Episode 4.
1:27
Welcome everyone to Inspirations for Your Life.
1:29
I am John C.
1:30
Morley, a serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video
1:35
producer, podcast host, coach, keynote speaker, a graduate
1:40
student at Montclair State University, a passionate lifelong
1:44
learner, and now so gratefully, gentlemen, to be
1:47
a published author.
1:49
Yes, very, very grateful for that opportunity and
1:53
to have all you guys here and just
1:56
listening and, you know, being able to soak
1:58
up all this great knowledge and become, like
2:00
I said, better versions of ourselves.
2:02
I think that's really the key that's there.
2:07
So let's dig right into the show, shall
2:09
we?
2:09
Life, ladies and gentlemen, isn't measured by the
2:11
number of challenges we avoid.
2:14
It's measured by how we respond when those
2:18
challenges arrive.
2:22
Every one of us will experience some disappointments,
2:27
uncertainties, setbacks, and moments when it feels like
2:32
the road ahead is harder than what we
2:34
initially expected.
2:36
Those moments don't have to define us.
2:39
In fact, they often become the very experiences
2:43
that shape our strength, our character, and our
2:48
future.
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Today, I'm going to explore 30 principles that
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will help you remain strong during life's most
2:57
difficult seasons and continue to build a life
3:00
that truly matters.
3:01
And I think that is one of the
3:02
most important things I can share with you
3:04
guys.
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Number one, challenges build strength.
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Every challenge you overcome leaves you stronger than
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before.
3:15
Difficult moments stretch your abilities and prepare you
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for opportunities you couldn't handle yesterday.
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Number two, stay calm, everyone.
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When life becomes overwhelming, your greatest advantage and
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asset is a calm mind.
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Clear thinking leads to better decisions than emotional
3:36
reactions.
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Number three, focus on solutions.
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Problems deserve attention, but solutions deserve your energy.
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Ask yourself what you can do instead of
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dwelling on what already happened.
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Number four, guys, keep perspective.
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One difficult day doesn't mean you'll have a
4:02
difficult life.
4:04
Remember that life circumstances are only one chapter,
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not the entire book or the complete story.
4:12
Number five, please don't quit.
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The temptation to give up often appears just
4:18
before meaningful progress.
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Stay committed to your goals even when the
4:23
journey becomes, well, difficult.
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Number six, learn from adversity.
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Don't turn away from that.
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Every setback contains lessons that success alone could
4:36
never teach you.
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Look for the wisdom hidden inside the struggle
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because it is there if you look deep
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enough.
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Number seven, please build resilience.
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Resilience isn't about avoiding hardship.
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Nope.
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It's about learning how to recover, adapt, and
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continue moving forward with confidence.
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Number eight, stay hopeful.
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I know that seems hard for a lot
5:09
of people, but if you stay hopeful, your
5:11
life will change sooner than you actually imagine.
5:16
So I think that's a very important thing
5:18
to realize is you have more power than
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you think.
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Stay hopeful.
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Hope allows us all to believe that better
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days are ahead even when you can't see
5:32
them yet.
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Having blind faith, basically.
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Never underestimate the power of hope.
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It's very powerful.
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Number nine, protect your mindset.
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What you allow or choose to allow into
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your mind influences how you respond to life's
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setbacks and challenges.
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Feed your mind with encouragement, learning, and positive
6:02
influences.
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And I think when we do that once
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or twice, it's like, oh my gosh, I
6:06
actually get this.
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This makes so much sense to me.
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Yeah, I get it.
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Number 10, please keep believing.
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Believe in your ability to overcome obstacles.
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Confidence grows every time you refuse to let
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circumstances control your future.
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Number 11, stay patient.
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Growth takes time.
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Healing takes time.
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Progress takes time.
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Give yourself permission to move forward one step
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at a time.
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So take your time.
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Number 12, choose courage, guys.
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Courage isn't the absence of fear.
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It's making the decision to move forward despite
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it.
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Number 13, adapt quickly.
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You see, life changes.
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And successful people learn to adjust, to adapt
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without losing sight of their purpose.
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They're like a chameleon.
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They blend into their environment.
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Flexibility is one of life's greatest strengths.
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So why don't we learn how to use
7:14
it and what we can do?
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I think that's a very key thing.
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And when we learn that, our life has
7:20
so much potential.
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But we have to first figure out what
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it is.
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And how do we embrace that?
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And it can be so hard for a
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lot of people, right?
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So very difficult for a lot of people.
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And I'm going to tell you that that's
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something that a lot of people, again, just
7:43
don't really understand.
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They don't understand what's happening or why things
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are happening, okay?
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I think the most important thing I want
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to tell you is that you can make
8:01
so much difference in your life and others
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when you embrace it.
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Number 14, guys, keep improving.
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Even during the difficult seasons, continue learning and
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growing.
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Whether it's raining, whether the snow is out
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there, whether the sun is out there, you
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need to do it anyway.
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So we need to operate not on feelings
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and emotions.
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We need to be operating our principles of
8:28
life on discipline because motivation does fade, guys.
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Small improvements today will prepare you for greater
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opportunities tomorrow.
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I think a lot of people today don't
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realize that, you know, what you're doing today
8:45
is setting the future for tomorrow.
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That's probably one of the biggest things that
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I can tell you.
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And if you respect that, you're going to
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grow so very much, okay?
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So very much, more than maybe you actually
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imagined.
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But this growth does not happen overnight, guys.
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It takes actual time.
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Time when you can decide, you know, what
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you want to do or why you're going
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to do something.
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I think that's an important thing for a
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lot of people to understand.
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Like, you know, why does that happen or
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how does that happen?
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And I know a lot of you are
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saying to me, John, I've been there, I've
9:28
done that, but it hasn't worked.
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And the reason it hasn't worked is because
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you've been so much into, like, what you're
9:35
trying to do and you're not into the
9:37
real concept of it.
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That's probably the most important thing I can
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tell you.
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And it's something that you have the ability
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to do if you can be all you
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want to be.
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But that doesn't happen overnight, guys.
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You have to first embrace the truth.
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You have to embrace the core, okay?
10:00
You have to stay strong.
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I'm not going to tell you staying strong
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is easy because sometimes you've got to put
10:06
the hard time in, right?
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And that's important, guys, okay?
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A lot of people don't get it.
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They don't get it because what's happening is
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people are so into the W-I-I
10:28
-F-U, what's in it for you?
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Not as much, no.
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They're into W-I-I-F-M, what's
10:35
in it for me.
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Interesting, right?
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Crazy, though, how people act.
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And I'll tell you that you can make
10:59
a difference.
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The difference comes from your ability to recognize
11:09
that you can make a change, okay?
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You can make the change if you want
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to make the change.
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I'm not saying, again, it's going to be
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easy for you, but I'm saying that you
11:26
can actually do this every day of your
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life if you embrace it.
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If you embrace it, then people will realize
11:39
that there is more to life than just
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what appears on, let's say, the surface.
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I think that's an important thing that, again,
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a lot of people will say, well, I
11:56
don't know if I can do that.
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And the reason people say that is because
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they're doing something that's not true to who
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they are.
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I think that's probably one of the most
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important things, is that they're not being true
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to who they are, okay?
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They're not being true to who they are.
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And so what does this really mean?
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It means that you can make a big
12:25
difference in your life and others' lives, okay?
12:32
But sometimes it's trying to figure out why
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things are working.
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And then you can decide, do I want
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to make a change or not?
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Or do I want to do something else?
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I think that's something that many people have
13:00
to realize.
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It takes time, but you can grow.
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You really can grow.
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Number 15, guys, don't be afraid to ask
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for help.
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Seeking guidance isn't a sign of weakness.
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It's a sign of wisdom.
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Strong people understand they don't have to face
13:20
every challenge alone.
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Number 16, encourage others.
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One of the most powerful things you can
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do during your own difficult season is this.
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Encourage someone else.
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Your words may become the hope another person
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needs.
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And the process, you'll often strengthen yourself as
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well.
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So why not give that a try?
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There's gonna be naysayers out there, and let's
13:50
be completely honest about it.
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But you can do more than you think
13:58
if you just apply yourself.
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If you apply yourself.
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If you don't apply yourself, then you're just
14:04
gonna be back in the same old place
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you were before, right?
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You're back in the same place you were
14:13
before.
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I think if you understand some things, maybe
14:23
you'll realize some stuff.
14:26
But you won't get this.
14:27
You won't get this overnight.
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And I'll tell you that maybe you're gonna
14:39
say to me, John, we don't need to
14:41
do this.
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But I'm here to tell you that you're
14:49
not doing this because you have to.
14:50
You're doing it because you want to.
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And I'll tell you this.
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I'll tell you if you keep showing up
15:07
in life and you keep coming back, the
15:12
people that show up are gonna win.
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So keep showing up.
15:21
People won't like it when you show up
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because they're gonna realize that they're not being
15:26
authentic.
15:29
And with you being around, you're actually gonna
15:32
expose the fact that they're not authentic.
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Not directly, but indirectly you are because it's
15:39
gonna cause them to realize that they're just
15:42
being a phony.
15:44
Number 17, stay disciplined, folks.
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Difficult times can tempt you to abandon good
15:51
habits.
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Discipline keeps you moving forward when motivation disappears.
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Stay committed to the routines that help you
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grow.
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Not the ones that are gonna put you
16:06
on a pedestal.
16:07
Not the ones that are gonna get you
16:09
a pat on the back or even get
16:11
you a reward.
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The ones that are gonna help you grow.
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That's the key, guys.
16:25
That's really the key.
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The key that many people don't wanna share
16:32
or even see.
16:40
Why do I say that?
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I say that because people just, they go
16:44
through this different transformation.
16:49
One that maybe isn't even that great, but
16:52
one that maybe is gonna get you to
16:54
see that you actually have so much potential
16:57
in your life.
16:58
So much potential.
17:01
And I know, ladies and gentlemen, that you
17:04
can be all you wanna be if you
17:07
keep showing up, if you're authentic, and if
17:11
you realize that our first mission in life
17:15
is to help others.
17:16
Yes, we have to take care of ourselves,
17:18
but we do wanna help others.
17:21
Number 18, please focus on progress.
17:25
Don't measure your success by how fast you're
17:28
moving.
17:30
Measure it by the intentional fact that you
17:34
are still moving.
17:35
You see, every small step forward is proof
17:39
that you're refusing to give up.
17:41
And that is probably one of the most
17:43
priceless things in the world.
17:44
So I don't care how people are telling
17:45
you, saying, oh, you can't do this, you
17:46
can't do that.
17:48
You're showing up.
17:49
And because you're showing up, you can make
17:52
a very, very big difference.
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A very, very big difference.
18:00
A difference that can change your whole life.
18:04
I will tell you that most people will
18:10
try to get you to drop your core
18:16
and get people to gravitate to them.
18:20
But that's being selfish, being selfish.
18:24
Ladies and gentlemen, never, ever stop learning.
18:27
I know you might say, well, gee, I
18:28
finished high school.
18:31
I finished college.
18:32
I'm done.
18:33
So many people I talk to say, I'm
18:34
done.
18:35
I'm done with learning.
18:36
I'm not.
18:38
I'm gonna learn my whole life.
18:40
I love learning.
18:41
I'm back for another master's and I'm back
18:42
for my PhD.
18:43
And this is an amazing experience.
18:47
Every challenge has something to teach you.
18:52
I want you to please stay open to
18:54
new ideas, better strategies, and valuable lessons that
18:57
will prepare you for the future.
19:02
Now, the future will not only help you,
19:03
but the future will help others, okay?
19:09
And if it helps others, you're actually gonna
19:12
feel good too, okay?
19:19
If you realize that concept, you're gonna be
19:21
like, oh my gosh, I just made like
19:23
this huge change.
19:27
And it's gonna come to you as, I'm
19:32
gonna say an inspiration.
19:34
It'll come to you as a minor epiphany.
19:36
You're not gonna think of it as much
19:39
because the fact that you're getting control over
19:41
your life and the fact that you can
19:43
stay strong, that's powerful.
19:48
Number 20, guys, every setback teaches.
19:54
Failure doesn't have to become your identity.
19:58
Some people will say you're a failure, but
20:01
you're not.
20:04
It can become your education.
20:07
Every setback leaves behind knowledge that can help
20:11
you make wiser decisions and choices next time.
20:15
Maybe you don't have everything you need for
20:17
this time, but that's okay.
20:20
If you could just grow a little bit
20:22
each day, I think that is the piece
20:24
that so many people out there be like,
20:26
oh wow, I grew.
20:31
And you don't grow to impress people.
20:34
You grow so you can become a better
20:36
version of yourself.
20:37
You know, I wanna think about this like
20:38
a turtle, right?
20:40
When a turtle outgrows its shell, it leaves
20:45
its shell.
20:46
So let's talk about that for a moment.
20:47
So what happens and how does a turtle
20:52
outgrow its shell?
20:56
Well, let's think about this for just a
20:59
minute, okay?
21:00
So a turtle does not technically outgrow its
21:03
shell in the way a human outgrows clothing
21:05
because the shell is basically living.
21:10
Integral part of the turtle skeleton fused with
21:12
spine and ribs.
21:13
The shell grows proportionally with the rest of
21:16
the body expanding as the turtle ages.
21:19
However, turtles do outgrow the outer dead layer
21:22
of their shell leading to a process called
21:25
shedding or flaking while the underlying bony structure
21:29
expands.
21:31
So the internal living bone, the shell itself
21:34
grows along the jagged edges where the plates
21:37
meet.
21:37
Similar to how a human skull expands during
21:40
growth.
21:42
The scute shedding or aquatic turtles, the bony
21:46
shell is covered by the keratin plates called
21:49
the scutes.
21:51
As a turtle grows, these scutes become too
21:53
tight.
21:54
New larger scutes grow beneath the old ones
21:57
causing the old scutes to shed or peel
22:00
away often revealing brighter color underneath.
22:03
Now, instead of shedding their outer scutes, tortoises
22:07
often grow new rings of keratin around the
22:10
edges of existing scutes often leading to a
22:14
primating or raised appearance.
22:18
So this is pretty important.
22:24
When we say we've outgrown something, we basically
22:29
have not kept up with learning.
22:33
And what we've learned now does not come
22:38
close to what we need to move forward.
22:40
So we either stall or we go backwards
22:42
because we don't have enough knowledge.
22:44
Number 21, please keep your purpose.
22:47
When life becomes difficult, and it will, it's
22:50
easy to lose sight of why you started.
22:52
Remember your purpose.
22:54
It will give you the strength to keep
22:56
moving even when circumstances become uncertain.
23:00
In other words, know your core values.
23:03
Now, you might be younger and saying, John,
23:06
I don't know my core values or I've
23:08
had them and they change.
23:09
They'll generally change to you get into maybe,
23:12
I'm gonna say, maybe the end of your
23:16
college years or just after graduating college.
23:19
Then you'll be very certain by that time
23:21
of what your true core values are and
23:23
what you want to live from and be.
23:27
Number 22, stay determined.
23:29
Determination is choosing to continue even when the
23:31
path becomes difficult.
23:34
Many people quit too soon, stay committed because
23:37
persistence often separates success and disappointment.
23:42
Number 23, believe in tomorrow.
23:47
Today's struggles don't determine tomorrow's possibilities.
23:53
Better days are built by counting and continuing
23:56
to believe your efforts will eventually produce results
24:00
because they will.
24:02
Number 24, growth follows struggle.
24:05
Very few people today grow during comfortable seasons.
24:09
Growth usually comes through challenges that stretch your
24:13
thinking, strengthen your character and expand your abilities.
24:18
Number 25, guys, whatever you do, don't stop,
24:22
keep moving.
24:24
Don't allow disappointment to stop your progress.
24:28
Even one small step forward keeps you moving
24:32
toward a better future.
24:34
Reading one more book, watching one more podcast,
24:39
reading one more article, all can help contribute
24:42
to this.
24:43
Number 26, build confidence your whole life.
24:46
Confidence grows every time you overcome something you
24:50
once believed was impossible.
24:53
Every challenge you conquer reminds you that you're
24:57
stronger, that you realized there's a difference to
25:01
be made.
25:02
Number 27, guys, stay intentional.
25:05
Choose your response carefully.
25:07
You may not control every circumstance, but you
25:10
have the ability to decide how you'll respond
25:13
to it.
25:15
Number 28, your attitude matters.
25:18
A positive attitude won't eliminate every challenge, but
25:23
it will influence how you approach every challenge.
25:28
Your mindset often determines whether obstacles become roadblocks
25:33
or stepping stones.
25:35
Number 29, strong people keep growing.
25:40
Strength isn't measured by never struggling.
25:43
It's measured by continuing to learn, improve, and
25:49
move forward regardless of life's circumstances.
25:55
That's a hard one for a lot of
25:56
people to swallow.
25:58
Number 30, guys, resilience creates success.
26:04
Success isn't reserved for people who never fail.
26:08
Nope, it's earned by those who continue getting
26:12
back up, learning from every experience, and refusing
26:16
to let adversity have the final word, okay?
26:22
Many of you are wanting to give up
26:23
in life.
26:24
Don't believe them.
26:26
Don't follow them.
26:29
I wanna get ready to close the show
26:31
out today.
26:32
You see, ladies and gentlemen, life will always
26:35
include moments that are unfortunately gonna test your
26:40
patience, your confidence, your determination.
26:47
Your will, right?
26:50
Your stamina, your passion, your beliefs, your integrity.
26:58
Those moments aren't meant to stop you.
27:03
They're opportunities to discover strengths you never knew
27:07
you had.
27:09
Every challenge you overcome builds resilience.
27:13
Every lesson you learn makes you wiser, and
27:16
every step forward brings you closer to becoming
27:21
the person you're capable of becoming.
27:24
Remember, ladies and gentlemen, difficult seasons are temporary,
27:28
but the character you build while overcoming them
27:32
can last a lifetime.
27:35
I invite you, ladies and gentlemen, to please
27:37
stay hopeful, to stay disciplined, to keep learning
27:41
and never lose sight of your core values
27:45
and purpose.
27:46
The strongest people aren't those who have easy
27:50
lives.
27:51
They are the ones who keep moving forward
27:53
with courage, resilience, and faith in a better
27:56
tomorrow.
27:57
I thank you so much for joining me
27:59
for another amazing episode of Inspirations for Your
28:02
Life.
28:02
I am John C.
28:03
Morley, a serial entrepreneur, and please do check
28:06
out believemeachieved.com.
28:08
And remember, it's you and your mind that
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creates the path that you'll continue on.
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Have a great one.
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I'll catch you real soon, everyone.
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Be well.