Latest / The Black Sheep Leadership Podcast / LOCK IN & LEVEL UP Activate Your Optimus Prime Mode

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LOCK IN & LEVEL UP Activate Your Optimus Prime Mode · The Black Sheep Leadership Podcast

0:39
SPEAKER_00: Black sheet, let me ask you something.
0:42
SPEAKER_00: What if the reason you haven't reached your next level isn't because you were lacking talent, opportunity, or potential?
0:48
SPEAKER_00: What if it's you've simply been giving too much of yourself to things that have absolutely nothing to do with where you're trying to go?
0:55
SPEAKER_00: Too many distractions, unnecessary commitments, people that got restricted access to your time, energy, and your personal business.
1:03
SPEAKER_00: Meanwhile, the life you're trying to build keeps getting whatever time and energy that you have left over.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: Well, fam, I think it's time to change that.
1:12
SPEAKER_00: Because while everybody else is waiting on January 1st to start over, you've got an opportunity to get a head start.
1:18
SPEAKER_00: And today, we're talking about exactly how to do that.
1:20
SPEAKER_00: I want to welcome you to the Black Sheep Leadership Podcast.
1:23
SPEAKER_00: I'm Athena Renee, and this is where the underdogs, Ms.
1:25
SPEAKER_00: Fizz, and the Black Sheep come to turn painting to power so that they could build a life by design and leave a legacy behind.
1:31
SPEAKER_00: Now, if this is your first time tapping in, welcome in, family.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: Pull up a chair.
1:35
SPEAKER_00: We're glad you're here.
1:36
SPEAKER_00: And if you back again, welcome back, fam.
1:38
SPEAKER_00: I want to thank you so much for trusting me with your time.
1:41
SPEAKER_00: I don't take that lightly.
1:42
SPEAKER_00: Now let's get into this vibe chat.
1:44
SPEAKER_00: Because if you're easily offended, sensitive, entitled, waiting on somebody to come save you, or you're allergic to accountability, get your ass up out of here.
1:52
SPEAKER_00: Go find you something safe to do because this ain't it.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: But if you're ready to think bigger, move smarter, and you refuse to lose and live beneath your potential, stay locked in, my friend.
2:02
SPEAKER_00: Because by the end, you're gonna walk away with something that you can execute immediately.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: Now let's get to work.
2:08
SPEAKER_00: Black Sheet family, this is your Sunday reset, a special edition of the Black Sheet Leadership.
2:14
SPEAKER_00: This is where we take time to reflect and reset our thinking and get ourselves together before another week begins.
2:23
SPEAKER_00: And you know, I was thinking with seasons changing, the weather's getting colder, and the year winding down, I think this is the perfect time for the conversation that we are about to have.
2:34
SPEAKER_00: Today's reset is called Lock In and Level Up.
2:38
SPEAKER_00: It's time to activate your Optimus Prime mode.
2:40
SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, if you grew up watching Transformers, you already know Optimus Prime wasn't just some ordinary robot.
2:48
SPEAKER_00: He was a leader, a protector, and somebody who understood that power comes with responsibility.
2:55
SPEAKER_00: But what makes his story interesting is who he was before he became Optimus Prime.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
3:02
SPEAKER_00: And we're going to get into that.
3:03
SPEAKER_00: Because some of you are sitting on a level of potential that's so powerful.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: But what you don't understand is your current lifestyle, it isn't prepared to support it.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: So let's unpack it.
3:15
SPEAKER_00: Part one, it's time to lock in, family, and enter into what I like to call a strategic solitude.
3:22
SPEAKER_00: Family, there's a season for everything.
3:24
SPEAKER_00: And I'm not talking about summer, spring, winter, and fall.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about the seasons of your life.
3:29
SPEAKER_00: There are seasons when you're planning, seasons when you're building, harvesting the results of your work, and then there's seasons when you need to slow down, rest, and recover so that you can figure out what's next.
3:42
SPEAKER_00: Now, here's something fascinating.
3:44
SPEAKER_00: Thousands of years ago, a wisdom writer observed that there's a season for everything and a time for every purpose under heaven.
3:53
SPEAKER_00: Now that's interesting because we live in a culture that constantly tells you to move faster, accomplish more, and stay visible.
4:00
SPEAKER_00: But ancient wisdom reminds us that different seasons calls for different things.
4:06
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
4:08
SPEAKER_00: And that's why I believe some of you need to recognize the season that you're actually in.
4:13
SPEAKER_00: Now, that doesn't mean every season is going to be easy or that every change will arrive on your preferred schedule.
4:22
SPEAKER_00: But it reminds us that life has different seasons, and wisdom includes recognizing what the moment requires.
4:30
SPEAKER_00: See, I believe some of you, you are entering what I call your lock-in season.
4:36
SPEAKER_00: This is when you become more intentional about your life.
4:39
SPEAKER_00: You are locked in and laser focused.
4:42
SPEAKER_00: You're starting to pay closer attention to what you're doing, where you're going, and who or what has been consuming your time.
4:49
SPEAKER_00: You're not disappearing because you're defeated.
4:51
SPEAKER_00: You're not stepping back because you have some things you got to get in order, right?
4:55
SPEAKER_00: You are stepping back because you got some things you need to get in order.
4:58
SPEAKER_00: Think about Bruce Wayne.
5:00
SPEAKER_00: When Batman goes to the Batcave, he isn't necessarily running away from Gotham.
5:06
SPEAKER_00: He's reviewing information, he's examining what happened, he's repairing equipment, developing strategies, and he's preparing for the next mission.
5:15
SPEAKER_00: And sometimes, black sheep, you need your own Batcave season.
5:18
SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, y'all, not a literally cave, of course, right?
5:21
SPEAKER_00: It might be your man cave or your she shed.
5:23
SPEAKER_00: But some of y'all, you probably won't even last 45 minutes before asking where our Wi-Fi is, right?
5:29
SPEAKER_00: So we're not talking about a little cave.
5:31
SPEAKER_00: All I'm talking about today is strategic solitude.
5:35
SPEAKER_00: This is a period where you deliberately, you just disappear.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: You reduce unnecessary noise so you can hear yourself think.
5:43
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you spend less time scrolling through social media.
5:46
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you stop explaining every plan you've you've doing before you even started working on it.
5:50
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you turn down a few invitations and spend that time studying, getting your finances together, or building something that you've been putting off.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: And yes, you may need to reevaluate some relationships because not everybody around you is bad, but because not every relationship deserves the same level of access, family.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: Some people are wonderful to spend time with occasionally.
6:14
SPEAKER_00: That could be every holiday season, right?
6:17
SPEAKER_00: But that don't but they don't need to know your private business.
6:20
SPEAKER_00: Some relationships deserve more investment, though, because they're healthy, they're reciprocal, and they're supportive.
6:27
SPEAKER_00: And quite frankly, some situations have been draining you for so long.
6:31
SPEAKER_00: You need to ask yourself why you're still participating.
6:34
SPEAKER_00: Here's the thing separation isn't isolation.
6:40
SPEAKER_00: It's not isolation, family.
6:42
SPEAKER_00: You can protect your peace and still love people, you can set boundaries and still have meaningful relationships.
6:47
SPEAKER_00: See, even Jesus withdrew to solitary places to pray.
6:51
SPEAKER_00: We see that in Luke, he didn't stop caring about people, but he made room for what was necessary.
6:57
SPEAKER_00: And I want you to consider something else.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: Why are we so quick to wait until January 1st to get serious about changing our lives?
7:04
SPEAKER_00: We start about New Year's, we talk about New Year's resolutions as a calendar has some magical power.
7:09
SPEAKER_00: Listen, family, January 1st is a date, is not a rescue team.
7:13
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
7:13
SPEAKER_00: If you know something needs to change in April, change it.
7:17
SPEAKER_00: Why wait another two and a half months to address it?
7:19
SPEAKER_00: If it needs to change in October, let's get to it.
7:21
SPEAKER_00: Because while other people are planning their resolutions, you could already have, you have already built the habits, developing the skills and making the adjustments that will give you a head start.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: But here's what's so powerful, family.
7:34
SPEAKER_00: When you go ahead and get started making those small incremental changes, by the time people start to talking about January 1st, family, by that time, you already two months down the line.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
7:51
SPEAKER_00: So that's the advantage of looking and locking in before the crowd.
7:57
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to announce it.
7:58
SPEAKER_00: You don't need a dramatic social media post explaining that you're entering into your villain era.
8:03
SPEAKER_00: Just do it.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: Just get to work.
8:05
SPEAKER_00: Because strategic purpose, the purpose of strategic solitude isn't to make people wonder where you've been.
8:13
SPEAKER_00: It's to make sure you're actually going while you're there.
8:17
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
8:18
SPEAKER_00: It's to make sure that you're actually growing while you're in solitude.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: It has nothing to do with other people.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: It's about you and your growth.
8:28
SPEAKER_00: All right?
8:29
SPEAKER_00: Number two, level up from Orion Pax to Optimus Prime.
8:35
SPEAKER_00: Now listen, y'all, let's talk more about Optimus Prime, okay?
8:37
SPEAKER_00: Here's something that people may not know.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: In the classic Transformers, the animated storyline, Optimus Prime then began as the powerful leader of the Autobots.
8:48
SPEAKER_00: He was originally known as Orion Pax, a dot worker on the planet Cybertron.
8:53
SPEAKER_00: And after being seriously injured, Orion Pax was rebuilt or reinvented into Optimus Prime.
9:00
SPEAKER_00: Now, Transformers, it has different versions of this order story, family.
9:04
SPEAKER_00: So listen, don't jump on me, okay?
9:06
SPEAKER_00: Don't jump on me if you've been in the game with Transformers and you heard it a different way.
9:11
SPEAKER_00: There's multiple versions, but this is one of them, okay?
9:14
SPEAKER_00: And that's the classic storyline that we're drawing from today.
9:17
SPEAKER_00: And here's what I find powerful about it, okay?
9:20
SPEAKER_00: Before the legendary leader, there was an ordinary worker.
9:23
SPEAKER_00: Before the transformation, there was another identity.
9:26
SPEAKER_00: And before he could take on greater responsibilities, he needed to be equipped for them.
9:31
SPEAKER_00: Black Sheep family.
9:33
SPEAKER_00: Don't overlook that.
9:34
SPEAKER_00: See, your current position doesn't have to be your final identity.
9:38
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are working jobs that don't even fully reflect your abilities.
9:42
SPEAKER_00: You know you're a badass, and you work in a job you're working because that's the stage you're in right now.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: You're taking care of your family, you're paying your bills.
9:49
SPEAKER_00: And some of you are rebuilding after setbacks.
9:51
SPEAKER_00: Others are learning new skills, starting businesses, you're going back to school, or you're trying to create opportunities nobody in your family has ever experienced before.
10:00
SPEAKER_00: And I need you to understand something.
10:03
SPEAKER_00: Just because your beginning looks ordinary, it doesn't mean that your purpose and your life is insignificant.
10:10
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
10:10
SPEAKER_00: Think about a seed.
10:11
SPEAKER_00: I talk about the analogy of your life and your business being a garden.
10:15
SPEAKER_00: Well, listen, we're back at it again.
10:16
SPEAKER_00: Think about a seed.
10:18
SPEAKER_00: You can hold a tiny seed between your fingers and have absolutely no idea how much potential is inside of it.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: But that potential doesn't become visible overnight, right?
10:27
SPEAKER_00: Think about an apple seed.
10:29
SPEAKER_00: It could become a whole apple orchard, it but it needs the right conditions, time, and development.
10:34
SPEAKER_00: Your purpose can begin in a small place too.
10:36
SPEAKER_00: You may not have the money, resources, knowledge, or connections right now.
10:40
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't mean your beginning is worthless, and that doesn't mean that you want development.
10:44
SPEAKER_00: It means you have some developing to do.
10:46
SPEAKER_00: And this is where I want to talk about the name Optimus Prime.
10:49
SPEAKER_00: The word Optimus comes from the Latin, comes from Latin, and it means best.
10:54
SPEAKER_00: And prime carries an idea of being first foremost or of primary importance.
10:59
SPEAKER_00: Now I'm using that as a black sheet wordplay today, but think about those two ideas: best and first.
11:06
SPEAKER_00: First, your best.
11:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm not telling you to be perfect or compete and compare with everybody you see on the internet, right?
11:12
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about giving your next season a better level of commitment than you've ever done before, than you've ever given in previous seasons.
11:20
SPEAKER_00: Your best effort, your best judgment, your breast, your best preparation.
11:24
SPEAKER_00: And then there's the word first.
11:26
SPEAKER_00: This is so powerful, family, because some of you aren't just trying to change your own lives.
11:30
SPEAKER_00: You are on your way to becoming the first example of what possible is in your family.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you will be the first to graduate from college, the first with a business, the first to own a home, the first that's a millionaire, the first to break destructive patterns that's been passed down for generations.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: Here's what you must understand: being the first isn't always comfortable.
11:49
SPEAKER_00: If you're a firstborn, you already know.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes there's no family blueprint, nobody around you has done what you're trying to do.
11:56
SPEAKER_00: You're learning as you go.
11:58
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
11:59
SPEAKER_00: You're learning as you go.
12:00
SPEAKER_00: But don't confuse being inexperienced with not being capable.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: See, that's what people always do when you first start off.
12:06
SPEAKER_00: You know, they'll act like you're incapable because you don't have the experience.
12:10
SPEAKER_00: You're like, well, if I don't get a chance, how can I get the experience, right?
12:13
SPEAKER_00: But don't put pressure on yourself to become everybody's savior either, family.
12:18
SPEAKER_00: Your responsibility is to take ownership of your choices and develop the abilities you need for the purpose you're pursuing.
12:25
SPEAKER_00: That's why I want to talk about, that's what I want you to take from Orient Packs.
12:29
SPEAKER_00: He wasn't worthless before his transformation.
12:32
SPEAKER_00: He was equipped for a different level of responsibility.
12:34
SPEAKER_00: And that's where a lot of you are right now.
12:36
SPEAKER_00: But check this out.
12:37
SPEAKER_00: Your reinvention should work the same way.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: You're not trying to erase everything that you've been through, you're using that as the field to propel you and reinvent you to and for your next level.
12:48
SPEAKER_00: You're taking what you've learned, what you survive, and what you've developed, and you're preparing for what comes next.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: Here's what I want, here's where we have to get practical, family.
12:58
SPEAKER_00: Because knowing who you want to become is only part of the equation.
13:03
SPEAKER_00: Your life has to support it.
13:05
SPEAKER_00: And that's where optimization comes in.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: All right?
13:09
SPEAKER_00: Optimize.
13:09
SPEAKER_00: This is all about getting your life in alignment.
13:12
SPEAKER_00: Now, Black Sheet family, I want to introduce you to this word that gets thrown around a lot, specifically in business and in technology all the time.
13:20
SPEAKER_00: Optimization.
13:22
SPEAKER_00: Optimization.
13:23
SPEAKER_00: Optimization is the process of making a system, a design, or a procedure as effective and functional as possible.
13:30
SPEAKER_00: In plain English English, it's about getting the best possible results while reducing wasted time, money, and energy.
13:37
SPEAKER_00: Here's the interesting part, fam.
13:39
SPEAKER_00: The word optimize traces back to that same Latin word optimus, meaning best.
13:44
SPEAKER_00: Sounds familiar, right?
13:45
SPEAKER_00: Optimus prime.
13:46
SPEAKER_00: See, Ley's, this is why I love this analogy because activating your prime mode isn't just about looking different or announcing that you're on some new level.
13:55
SPEAKER_00: It's about making the adjustments so your life can operate more effectively for the purpose that you are going to fulfill.
14:01
SPEAKER_00: And it starts with you.
14:03
SPEAKER_00: You cannot optimize a life that you refuse to examine, family.
14:07
SPEAKER_00: You must optimize, you must examine your life.
14:10
SPEAKER_00: You have to look at what you're doing, how you're spending your time, what you're investing it in, and what you're allowing to distract you.
14:17
SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself, what's working and what's wasting my resources and time?
14:21
SPEAKER_00: And then ask yourself, and what's missing, right?
14:24
SPEAKER_00: Because we don't flex in front like we got it all together.
14:27
SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself, what is truly missing?
14:29
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've been saying you want to build a business, but you spend most of your free time entertaining everybody else's emergencies.
14:35
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want to improve your finances, but you never actually sat down and looked at where your money is going.
14:41
SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you want peace, but you constantly give people access to your life that disrespect your boundaries.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: At some point, you've got to stop calling these things bad luck and start looking at the patterns you have the power to change.
14:54
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
14:54
SPEAKER_00: And this brings me to one of the most important announcements of my of the Sundays reset.
14:59
SPEAKER_00: The season of people pleasing is over.
15:01
SPEAKER_00: It's over.
15:02
SPEAKER_00: Black Sheep family.
15:04
SPEAKER_00: The season of people pleasing is finito.
15:06
SPEAKER_00: It's over and it's never coming back.
15:09
SPEAKER_00: I say what I said, okay?
15:10
SPEAKER_00: Because some of y'all have been working overtime trying to make everybody else happy.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: And that's family included.
15:15
SPEAKER_00: Don't get it twisted, right?
15:17
SPEAKER_00: But you've been trying to make everybody else happy, comfortable, and satisfied.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: Meanwhile, your own priorities have been sitting on the back burner.
15:23
SPEAKER_00: You're available for everybody else's plans, dreams, problems, last-minute requests.
15:28
SPEAKER_00: But when it's time to invest in yourself, suddenly you don't even have the energy left to do it.
15:32
SPEAKER_00: Or you're so busy with everybody else.
15:34
SPEAKER_00: Black sheep, that arrangement is not sustainable.
15:38
SPEAKER_00: Now, don't misunderstand me.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying to stop helping people neglect family or become somebody who only cares about themselves.
15:45
SPEAKER_00: What I am saying is stop confusing being a good person with a good heart by being endlessly available for people.
15:52
SPEAKER_00: There's a difference.
15:53
SPEAKER_00: See, you can be generous without abandoning your own life.
15:57
SPEAKER_00: You got to secure your own success first family.
15:59
SPEAKER_00: See, you can be compassionate without allowing people to repeatedly take advantage of your kindness and black sheep family.
16:05
SPEAKER_00: You know they'll do it.
16:06
SPEAKER_00: You can say no without providing a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: No is a complete sentence.
16:12
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the answer is simply, I can't commit to that right now.
16:15
SPEAKER_00: No is no, and that's it.
16:16
SPEAKER_00: You don't need an opening statement, a closing argument.
16:19
SPEAKER_00: Hey, listen, court is adjourned.
16:20
SPEAKER_00: Here's another thing, family.
16:22
SPEAKER_00: If it's not aligned, you don't have time for it anymore.
16:26
SPEAKER_00: All right?
16:26
SPEAKER_00: If it's not aligned with where you're going, you don't have time.
16:30
SPEAKER_00: Alignment doesn't mean every minute of your day has to produce money or move a business for it, right?
16:34
SPEAKER_00: Rest matters.
16:35
SPEAKER_00: Joy, healthy relationships, all of those things matter.
16:38
SPEAKER_00: But alignment means your choices, they're going to reflect what you actually value.
16:42
SPEAKER_00: If you're building a healthier life, then protecting your sleep is aligned.
16:46
SPEAKER_00: If you're strengthening your family relationships, spending meaningful time with people and loved ones that truly care about you and not trying to humble you and not trying to compete and compare with you, that's what you need to do.
16:55
SPEAKER_00: That's what it, that's what alignment looks like.
16:57
SPEAKER_00: If you're preparing for a career change, developing those skills, that's alignment.
17:02
SPEAKER_00: But constantly entertaining drama, insecurities, making people comfortable because your light shines too bright, it's done.
17:08
SPEAKER_00: It's over with.
17:09
SPEAKER_00: If it don't align, you don't have time.
17:12
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
17:13
SPEAKER_00: That's where we need to make some adjustments.
17:15
SPEAKER_00: And let's talk about access because everybody does not need unrestricted access to you anymore, family.
17:20
SPEAKER_00: Some of these folks, they have been nothing but the type of people that will poke holes in your boat while you're trying to get from one side to the other.
17:27
SPEAKER_00: We have to just face it.
17:29
SPEAKER_00: We have to get to a point as a black sheep where we face it because I know we don't have a lot of support and we hate cutting people off.
17:35
SPEAKER_00: And we are some of the most loyalist people out here.
17:38
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna represent us because I know I'm not the only one.
17:40
SPEAKER_00: And I always, I'm gonna always represent for the black sheep, black sheep family.
17:44
SPEAKER_00: We so loyal, and we be loyal to like a dead dog, just dragging it, just dead weight, just dragging it with us, and it ain't doing nothing no more.
17:52
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you gotta bury the past and leave things where they need to be, because everybody does not need to have unrestricted access to you when you loving the way you are, when you loyal the way you are, you kind, you support people when you down.
18:05
SPEAKER_00: If you can resonate with any of those four things, you have to start gatekeeping your energy.
18:10
SPEAKER_00: Every and any and everybody does not deserve unlimited, unrestricted access to your energy or your presence.
18:17
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
18:18
SPEAKER_00: You need to look at people in your life and ask who respects my boundaries, who respects me, who truly wants to see me win, who supports my growth, who challenges me in ways that make me better, even when I'm uncomfortable, but you can tell that it's coming from a place of love.
18:31
SPEAKER_00: And where have I been given more access than the relationship has earned?
18:35
SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, family, that doesn't automatically mean you're cutting everybody off.
18:38
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the adjustment is simply changing how much time you spend together, how much time you on the phone with them, what you share with them, and what you're willing to participate in.
18:46
SPEAKER_00: What I need you to understand is this, family.
18:48
SPEAKER_00: Everybody doesn't deserve a backstage access, a backstage pass to your life.
18:53
SPEAKER_00: Some people they need to be able to appreciate the performance from the audience.
18:56
SPEAKER_00: And some people, baby, they need to be in the nosebleed.
18:59
SPEAKER_00: Some people need to be outside.
19:01
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
19:02
SPEAKER_00: Now, that's not because you're better than nobody else, because they love trying to bring that, trying to bring you down and bring us down.
19:08
SPEAKER_00: They love saying they try to humble us.
19:09
SPEAKER_00: No, it's not that I'm better than anybody else.
19:10
SPEAKER_00: I'm just better than who I was yesterday, okay?
19:13
SPEAKER_00: And it's because trust and access are not the same thing, family.
19:16
SPEAKER_00: You know, some people just think they're entitled because they've known you for a long time, or they're entitled because they helped you at one point in your life.
19:22
SPEAKER_00: So what, Black Sheet family?
19:24
SPEAKER_00: You've helped people too.
19:25
SPEAKER_00: And when you're serious about optimizing your life, you become more deliberate about everything that you're doing.
19:30
SPEAKER_00: You start redirecting your time towards what matters.
19:33
SPEAKER_00: You put more energy into things that are actually producing growth.
19:36
SPEAKER_00: You improve the habits and systems that need work.
19:39
SPEAKER_00: You stop adding more responsibilities to a life that hasn't been properly assessed.
19:43
SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes the upgrade isn't about what you gain, fam.
19:46
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's about what you finally decide to change.
19:50
SPEAKER_00: And once you've made those decisions, there's only one left, one thing left to do with it.
19:55
SPEAKER_00: Activate.
19:56
SPEAKER_00: Y'all, it's time to activate when you've done those things.
19:58
SPEAKER_00: Now it's time to activate your prime hole.
20:01
SPEAKER_00: Now, black sheep, this is where we stop talking about what needs to change and we actually start living the change.
20:07
SPEAKER_00: Because you can spend an entire weekend reflecting, journaling, you know, singing songs, playing the guitar, organizing your goals and making beautiful vision boards and plans.
20:16
SPEAKER_00: But if Monday comes and you go right back to the same habits, nothing has changed.
20:21
SPEAKER_00: That's not transformation.
20:22
SPEAKER_00: That's just a beautiful organized wish list.
20:24
SPEAKER_00: And activation is where you begin putting your decisions into action.
20:29
SPEAKER_00: That's why it's called prime mode.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: You didn't change the setting now.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: You're out of planning, you're ready to start practicing it.
20:35
SPEAKER_00: And the first thing I want you to do and understand, excuse me, is this your calling was between you and the creator.
20:42
SPEAKER_00: It was not a conference call.
20:43
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
20:44
SPEAKER_00: Listen to me, family.
20:45
SPEAKER_00: When you begin to activate into your calling, everybody isn't going to understand the direction you're taking.
20:51
SPEAKER_00: And that's okay.
20:52
SPEAKER_00: Everybody won't understand why you're going back to school.
20:55
SPEAKER_00: Everybody won't understand why you're changing careers and starting a business and starting your podcast and setting boundaries or deciding that that earl, that old version of your life it no longer fits.
21:04
SPEAKER_00: Guess what, fam?
21:05
SPEAKER_00: They don't have to.
21:06
SPEAKER_00: They don't have to understand it.
21:07
SPEAKER_00: Why?
21:07
SPEAKER_00: Because your calling was between you and the creator, not a conference call.
21:11
SPEAKER_00: It was not a Zoom meeting or a Teams meeting.
21:14
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
21:14
SPEAKER_00: Now listen, that doesn't mean every idea is automatically a divine assignment.
21:20
SPEAKER_00: You still need wisdom, preparation, and discernment.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: But you cannot spend your entire life waiting for everybody around you to agree with what you believe you've been called to pursue.
21:30
SPEAKER_00: No, it's just not going to happen.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: Here's something interesting, family.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: Nearly 2,000 years ago, a man named Paul raised a question about whether he was seeking human approval, human validation, or was he trying to serve the creator?
21:44
SPEAKER_00: Okay, now that question appears in Galatians, in the book of Galatians, chapter one.
21:48
SPEAKER_00: And whether you're religious or not, there's practical question.
21:51
SPEAKER_00: There's a practical question worth asking yourself.
21:54
SPEAKER_00: How much of your life are you spending trying to win the approval of people who aren't even?
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Responsible for living the life?
22:01
SPEAKER_00: Are you seeking approval from people that's not even going to be walking in your shoes?
22:06
SPEAKER_00: Are you seeking approval from people that's not even pouring into your life?
22:11
SPEAKER_00: They don't know you.
22:13
SPEAKER_00: Some of them don't like you.
22:15
SPEAKER_00: Why are you seeking approval from them if you are?
22:18
SPEAKER_00: And that's something worth thinking about.
22:19
SPEAKER_00: Are you making decisions because they reflected your values and calling?
22:23
SPEAKER_00: Right?
22:23
SPEAKER_00: Are you?
22:24
SPEAKER_00: Think about it.
22:24
SPEAKER_00: Are you making decisions because they reflect your values and your calling?
22:28
SPEAKER_00: Or are you making them because you're afraid that somebody else might be disappointed and mad?
22:33
SPEAKER_00: I need you to understand, family, that those two things they can lead you down very different roads.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
22:39
SPEAKER_00: Now let's address something else.
22:41
SPEAKER_00: That little voice that tells you that you're not qualified, you're not ready, you don't belong in the room.
22:46
SPEAKER_00: Uh, people often call that the imposter syndrome.
22:48
SPEAKER_00: And those are real feelings of self-doubt, okay?
22:50
SPEAKER_00: They are real, but they are not proof that you don't belong.
22:54
SPEAKER_00: See, you may feel like an imposter, but that feeling doesn't get to decide whether you're qualified to begin.
22:59
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you do need more training, maybe you need experience, maybe there's something you haven't learned yet.
23:03
SPEAKER_00: Fine, go learn it.
23:05
SPEAKER_00: Go learn it.
23:06
SPEAKER_00: But that but don't turn a temporary knowledge gap into a permanent idea and don't sabotage what you've already spent years preparing for.
23:13
SPEAKER_00: See, some of you guys don't know that you've already paid some serious dues.
23:16
SPEAKER_00: You've been through setbacks, disappointments, betrayals, financial struggles, seasons of drought when you had to figure things out without any support.
23:25
SPEAKER_00: You've had to rebuild your confidence, develop new skills, and learn lessons you wish you won't wish on anybody.
23:30
SPEAKER_00: And then opportunity finally shows up, and suddenly you're worried about whether somebody else is comfortable with your growth.
23:36
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not, black sheep family.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
23:39
SPEAKER_00: Don't spend years preparing for a door to open, then talk yourself out of it because somebody else is uncomfortable.
23:45
SPEAKER_00: And this brings me to another point.
23:47
SPEAKER_00: When it's your time to eat, family, sit down and eat.
23:50
SPEAKER_00: Break out the napkin, use everything that's on the table.
23:54
SPEAKER_00: Listen, family.
23:56
SPEAKER_00: When life was testing you, those tests didn't always ask whether you were comfortable.
24:00
SPEAKER_00: Those tests didn't get easier.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: Life brought the life test.
24:04
SPEAKER_00: When people betrayed you, underestimated you, or tried to humble you, they weren't concerned about how you was feeling.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: They weren't concerned about how it affected your confidence in your life.
24:12
SPEAKER_00: If you survived those seasons, learned your lessons, and you've done the work to prepare yourself for what's next, stop streaking yourself.
24:19
SPEAKER_00: That's a done deal.
24:20
SPEAKER_00: You've paid your dues.
24:22
SPEAKER_00: Don't hold back your effort because somebody else might think you're doing too much.
24:25
SPEAKER_00: If you were born with the talent and you're naturally good at it, do it.
24:28
SPEAKER_00: Apply the pressure.
24:29
SPEAKER_00: Don't apologize for developing your skills.
24:31
SPEAKER_00: You know, it was it was so crazy because two things I want to speak on really quickly.
24:36
SPEAKER_00: Number one, so many of you may or may not know, I went to a school that was in a gang-infested area.
24:41
SPEAKER_00: And what I used to always just flip out about was why, if you don't want to learn, right?
24:46
SPEAKER_00: If you're coming to school and you don't want to learn, you want to just jerk around, right?
24:49
SPEAKER_00: Okay, cool.
24:49
SPEAKER_00: That's what you want to do.
24:51
SPEAKER_00: But why are you messing with the kids that do want to learn?
24:54
SPEAKER_00: If you want to be a class clown, fine.
24:57
SPEAKER_00: But why do you interrupt the people that do?
24:59
SPEAKER_00: It's just like, have you ever seen?
25:01
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if this happens in your in the area where you went to school at or whatever, and it could have been a thing of the 90s or whatever.
25:06
SPEAKER_00: But check this out.
25:07
SPEAKER_00: People would drop out of school and then come up there and hang out at the school after school's over with.
25:11
SPEAKER_00: What in the stupid strategy is that?
25:14
SPEAKER_00: You might as well stay then and got free lunch.
25:18
SPEAKER_00: If you're gonna come to the school at two o'clock when school is out, here you are, but you dropped out.
25:24
SPEAKER_00: What type of bozo the clown crap is that?
25:27
SPEAKER_00: Well, anyways, family, what I want you to understand is when you lock in, you're not apologizing for how you study, you're not apologizing for developing your abilities.
25:36
SPEAKER_00: Listen, another one, you're not playing it small no more to protect somebody else's ego.
25:40
SPEAKER_00: If you say I'm gonna lose 50 pounds and you put in the work too, and you want to wear your dress, your slacks, you want to go to the beach, you carved out, guess what?
25:48
SPEAKER_00: Do it.
25:48
SPEAKER_00: We're not playing small and covering up and all of this just because of somebody else's ego.
25:52
SPEAKER_00: Put your foot on the gas and smash it.
25:56
SPEAKER_00: Put your foot on the gas, no brakes.
25:58
SPEAKER_00: It's all green lights, family.
26:00
SPEAKER_00: It's all green lights.
26:02
SPEAKER_00: And you're not doing this to hurt anybody, you're not doing it to prove you're superior.
26:06
SPEAKER_00: But because you've worked so hard to keep abandoning yourself at the moment you're supposed to move forward.
26:12
SPEAKER_00: No, you give it all gas, no breaks.
26:16
SPEAKER_00: That's why I told you, family, when it's your time to eat, baby, pull up that chair and sit down and eat.
26:22
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
26:22
SPEAKER_00: Now listen, here's another important part about activating your prime mode.
26:27
SPEAKER_00: You cannot build everything alone.
26:30
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
26:30
SPEAKER_00: Think about Optimus Prime, family.
26:33
SPEAKER_00: He may be the leader of the Autobots, but he did not necessarily accomplish every mission by himself.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: He had a team, and different Autobots brought different abilities, perspectives, and strengths.
26:43
SPEAKER_00: That's why I love the Transformers, right?
26:45
SPEAKER_00: And that's a lesson that some of us independent black sheep, we need to hear it, family.
26:49
SPEAKER_00: Even Optimus Prime had Autobots.
26:52
SPEAKER_00: Stop confusing independence with having to do everything alone.
26:55
SPEAKER_00: See, family, I always tell you guys: just because you started alone, don't mean you're gonna finish alone.
27:02
SPEAKER_00: Just because you start building it alone, don't mean you're gonna finish it alone.
27:05
SPEAKER_00: Your lock-in season isn't supposed to turn you into a permanent hermit.
27:10
SPEAKER_00: Strategic solitude is about creating space to prepare, not eliminating everybody from your life, right?
27:17
SPEAKER_00: It's creating the space for the people that needs to be there.
27:21
SPEAKER_00: See, when you activate, you still need healthy relationships.
27:23
SPEAKER_00: You may need mentors, collaborators, new trusted friends, or people who can tell you the truth when you're getting off track.
27:29
SPEAKER_00: And yes, family, you do need to gatekeep your energy.
27:32
SPEAKER_00: I'm not playing about that, black sheet family.
27:34
SPEAKER_00: You need to gatekeep your energy.
27:36
SPEAKER_00: If you one of them people that will wake up at 2 a.m.
27:38
SPEAKER_00: in the morning and help somebody change some brakes on their car, oh yeah, man, come on by, man.
27:42
SPEAKER_00: You that type of person, you that homegirl that knows you have something going on on the weekend, a friend want to paint that room that they've been putting off now the holiday season.
27:50
SPEAKER_00: And guess what you did?
27:51
SPEAKER_00: You put all your time, you put your stuff on hold and ran over there and started helping her paint her room that she could have been had painted.
27:57
SPEAKER_00: Guess what, family?
27:58
SPEAKER_00: You need to gatekeep your energy.
28:00
SPEAKER_00: But don't become so guarded that you reject the very people who can help you grow.
28:04
SPEAKER_00: See, the goal is having discernment.
28:05
SPEAKER_00: This is why we talked about discernment in our previous episodes, not paranoia.
28:09
SPEAKER_00: Okay, and let me say this: when you start moving differently, some people they're gonna become uncomfortable.
28:15
SPEAKER_00: Again, family, maybe they're not used to you always, maybe they're used to you always being available and giving them unrestricted access.
28:21
SPEAKER_00: Maybe they don't understand about your new priorities or your boundaries and things that are changing.
28:26
SPEAKER_00: They just got comfortable with the old you.
28:27
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't automatically make them your enemy, but their discomfort doesn't automatically mean you're doing something wrong, fam.
28:34
SPEAKER_00: You can listen to reasonable concerns without surrendering your decision and your direction.
28:40
SPEAKER_00: You can be kind without returning to that people please and riffrath.
28:44
SPEAKER_00: You can be kind to folks, you can remain humble without shrinking what you've done.
28:49
SPEAKER_00: Stand your head up, like lift your head up straight, walk a down, walk around with your shoulders back.
28:53
SPEAKER_00: You ain't got a shrink for nobody.
28:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't care if you were sleeping in your car for six months, you ain't got a shrink down for nobody.
28:59
SPEAKER_00: Now remember, the seed that we talked about earlier, before everybody sees green shoot, right?
29:05
SPEAKER_00: Before everybody sees a green little sprout coming out the ground, development already started beneath the surface.
29:11
SPEAKER_00: The seed takes water and then roots begin developing.
29:15
SPEAKER_00: Growth begins before anything else is visible above ground.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: It's dark and it's ugly.
29:19
SPEAKER_00: Nobody sells roots, but eventually, under the right conditions, that sprout it shoots through the soil.
29:27
SPEAKER_00: Think about that.
29:28
SPEAKER_00: All the development was happening when nobody sees it, nobody could see nothing going on.
29:32
SPEAKER_00: They thought you weren't doing nothing, family.
29:34
SPEAKER_00: This is why this strategic solitude is so powerful.
29:37
SPEAKER_00: People think you just disappearing because you didn't fell off.
29:40
SPEAKER_00: You ain't fell off, you fell back.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: You fell back, you didn't fall off.
29:44
SPEAKER_00: Real ones don't fall off.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: You just fall back to assess what's going on and rest and recover.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
29:51
SPEAKER_00: And so when that development was happening when nobody was looking at it and they were sleeping on you, and that little that sprout finally breaks through, it doesn't stop to explain the dirt or why it's growing.
30:00
SPEAKER_00: It just grows.
30:01
SPEAKER_00: The seed don't need permission to break through, and neither do you.
30:04
SPEAKER_00: You don't need nobody approval to begin growing into the person that you know you can become.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: People may not know how many nights you spent studying, how many times you had to start over, or what it took for you to get your confident confidence back.
30:14
SPEAKER_00: And guess what else, family?
30:16
SPEAKER_00: They don't need to know every detail.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: Let the preparation show up in your decisions, let your discipline show up in your actions, and let your growth show up in the way you live.
30:24
SPEAKER_00: That's how you activate your prime mode.
30:26
SPEAKER_00: Not through some dramatic announcement, through a different level of execution.
30:31
SPEAKER_00: All right?
30:32
SPEAKER_00: Now, here is your final reset.
30:34
SPEAKER_00: Transformation is a cycle, not a finish line.
30:37
SPEAKER_00: Okay, because Optimus Prime, he wasn't always walking around as Optimus Prime.
30:43
SPEAKER_00: He would transform back.
30:44
SPEAKER_00: It's a cycle, not a finish line.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: So there's one thing I want you to remember.
30:48
SPEAKER_00: Your prime mode isn't a permanent state of maximum intensity.
30:51
SPEAKER_00: It's not supposed to work at full speed every day until you burn yourself out.
30:55
SPEAKER_00: Because that's what a lot of you have been doing.
30:56
SPEAKER_00: You've been burning yourself out at companies, burning yourself out with people.
31:00
SPEAKER_00: Even the strongest people need recovery.
31:02
SPEAKER_00: And every new level comes with a new devil.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: Every new level comes with something new to learn.
31:06
SPEAKER_00: That's why I want you to think of transformation as a cycle.
31:10
SPEAKER_00: There will be times when you need to lock in and create strategic solitude.
31:13
SPEAKER_00: There will be times when you need to level up your knowledge and capabilities.
31:16
SPEAKER_00: There will be times when you need to optimize your life and get your priorities back in alignment.
31:20
SPEAKER_00: And times when you need to activate, execute, and put everything you've learned to work.
31:24
SPEAKER_00: Then eventually, you will have to recess it again.
31:26
SPEAKER_00: You'll rest, you'll reflect, and you will recognize what's changed and you will prepare for what's coming, what's next.
31:32
SPEAKER_00: Family, that's not failure.
31:34
SPEAKER_00: That's growth.
31:35
SPEAKER_00: So as you prepare for this coming week, I want you to do something simple.
31:39
SPEAKER_00: Take a little time today or tomorrow and look at your life.
31:43
SPEAKER_00: Identify one thing that's been taking more energy than it deserves.
31:47
SPEAKER_00: Identify one area where you need to become better prepared.
31:50
SPEAKER_00: And choose one action you're going to take this week that supports the person you're becoming.
31:56
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to be dramatic.
31:58
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to rebuild your entire life before Friday, but you do need to start because the clock keeps going, whether you're moving or not.
32:06
SPEAKER_00: And while everybody else is waiting on January 1st, fam, you've already got an opportunity to start right now.
32:11
SPEAKER_00: You don't need to announce your transformation.
32:13
SPEAKER_00: Let the preparation speak when the season change.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: All right.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: Now, Black Sheet family, if today's conversation has has you thinking about some making some serious changes in your life or career, I want to invite you to my free Black Sheet Reinvention Masterclass.
32:26
SPEAKER_00: It's designed to help you move beyond simply wishing things were different and start developing a practical practical direction for your next chapter.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: You'll find the link in the description, okay?
32:36
SPEAKER_00: Because you don't need another year of collecting motivational quotes, family.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: You don't.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: You already got the sauce, you already got the power within you.
32:42
SPEAKER_00: You already got it.
32:43
SPEAKER_00: You just need clarity and a strategy and the willingness to execute.
32:48
SPEAKER_00: All right?
32:48
SPEAKER_00: And one more thing, family.
32:49
SPEAKER_00: I want to tell you this.
32:51
SPEAKER_00: When you start growing, setting boundaries, and moving differently, do not be surprised if some relationships start changing.
32:58
SPEAKER_00: Because everybody is not going to celebrate and clap for the version that you're becoming.
33:01
SPEAKER_00: Because there's a difference between somebody that genuinely challenges you and somebody that's quietly resenting your progress.
33:06
SPEAKER_00: They're jealous, they envy because they know you done tapped into something they can't stop.
33:10
SPEAKER_00: And that's why we're going to unpack an upcoming intel briefing called Your Rise will create enemies, family.
33:16
SPEAKER_00: Trust me, we're going to have a conversation about it and you don't want to miss it.
33:19
SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, don't just hear today's lesson.
33:22
SPEAKER_00: I want you to run the play.
33:24
SPEAKER_00: Run the play.
33:26
SPEAKER_00: Because information is everywhere and execution is rare.
33:28
SPEAKER_00: I'll see you in the next intel briefing.
33:30
SPEAKER_00: Take care.