The Fit Perception

Breaking the Ozempic Lie

Thomas Belliston Season 5 Episode 100

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Celebrating 100 episodes with some hard truths about our culture of quick fixes and shallow beliefs. I dive into how the Ozempic craze exposed the body positivity movement as largely performative - when given an easy way to lose weight, many of its biggest promoters abandoned their "fat positive" messaging overnight. This pattern reveals our tendency to virtue signal rather than embrace authentic values and personal responsibility.

I tackle the dangerous trend of blindly believing information we consume online, from fitness influencers claiming protein drinks contain no protein to others asserting humans don't need water. Developing healthy skepticism isn't cynicism - it's intellectual responsibility in an age of agenda-driven content.

A fascinating 25-year Duke University study debunks one of fitness's biggest myths: your metabolism doesn't naturally slow down until after age 60. That weight gain and energy loss in your 30s? It's your changing habits, not biology. This revelation empowers us to take responsibility rather than accepting "inevitable" decline.

In this episode's Devil's Advocate, I explore whether seeking mentorship or forging your own path leads to greater success. While mentors help you avoid mistakes, there's profound value in making your own errors. As I suggest, "You don't get to have the success without the mistakes" - borrowed success isn't fully your own.

The final takeaway challenges you to examine whether you trust your thoughts about something more than what those thoughts are actually about. This simple but profound shift in perspective could transform your approach to fitness, relationships, and life itself.

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Speaker 1:

All right, whatever. Welcome to episode 100. Sorry, I had to readjust the mic a little bit. It's your boy T. This is crazy. We've done a hundred of these. That's wild to me. I don't know what you guys are getting out of this to tune in to a hundred times of me talking shit. You know what I mean. But it's all good, baby, we're here. We're here, I've got my sparkling water. What is happening? Well, too much actually. That's what I haven't really.

Speaker 1:

I mean, I wanted to do this episode and I was like thinking, oh, should I do something really cool? Try to get a really awesome guest? Should I do something special? Should I do? You know, I was just thinking and thinking and thinking about what I do and then it hit me. I was like, hey, man, that is not part of how you live your life at all. Like like, not even a little bit. You never, you never celebrate the massive things like that. You never go like I don't know, the big things aren't that big to me, I guess. Um, so I was just like no, I'm just going to treat it like another episode. So, yay, it's a hundred, baby, and nothing changed. Um, anyway, um, so okay.

Speaker 1:

So I don't remember when I said this last, but there I was like really kind of trying to play both sides when we talked about the Ozempic episode. And now I'm not, I just am not. It's bad for you, don't do it. How about that? Okay, cool, unless you have diabetes or a reason other than you just want to be skinny. Hey, if you want to be skinny, go the long route, do the hard thing, don't, don't be a beep and and take the easy way out. Right, because that's what losers do and we don't want to be a loser. No, that's really harsh, that's mean. But I've been studying more about the Ozempic stuff and the shots that are like Ozempic, and none of them are good for you. None of them are good for you. They all have insane side effects, they're almost impossible to get off of and they just ruin the rest of your life and, let's be real, they don't actually make you look or feel good. Okay, so you lost some weight on the scale and now you look like a saggy sack of skin. That's it, that's all, and I don't mean to start this podcast on a negative note, but this is one thing that I was thinking about in regards to what and why and where this whole obsession with being skinny and losing weight and where this ozempic stuff came from and all that other good jazz and it.

Speaker 1:

It dawned on me after listening to scientists and doctors and people that are way more well-versed in these things, that this just shows what I've been saying for years that the body positivity movement was a giant lie and scam. Lie and scam. Giant lie and scam that targeted empathetic and emotional people. That's what that's what it was. It was people that were super huge, out of shape, unhealthy people and and that just wanted to keep living how they're living without being told that it was bad for them. Right, and I'm all for people living how they want to live. As long as you're not stupid and say it's good for me, you can live how you want, I don't care, but don't be an idiot and say that it's good and healthy and okay, cause it's not right. Um, let's live in real world, okay, not fantasy land here. Um, and what this Ozempic shot did is it proved that that that was a big lie, a big scam, and it's anybody who that that promoted the fat positive movement, cause that's what it turned into.

Speaker 1:

It started out as body positive. It started out good. It started out as yeah, let's not shame people for their bodies, I'm on board. Say less fam. And then it quickly turned into I weigh 450 pounds and you're not allowed to say that that's unhealthy. That's where we went to. And's insane, that's crazy. Um, and and the reason I say that it it proves that it's a scam and that it's a massive lie is you have these, these people, celebrities that were extremely overweight, right, musicians and artists and celebrities that were massively overweight. And the second, that it was made known that you could take a pill to lose weight. Boom on it immediately.

Speaker 1:

No more talk about you need to accept me for being overweight. Nope, gone gone. I'm skinny now. Hey, if you were so fat, positive, why did you want to be so skinny so fast? Hmm, explain, I'm all ears. You can't, because it was a lie and you know it was a lie.

Speaker 1:

That's the thing that drives me absolutely out of my mind is when people lie to themselves and lie to people around them. I don't care how you live your life, live your life, I don't care. But stop lying and living in fantasy land, demanding that other people tell themselves your lie. That's crazy and that's what. That's what this whole ozempic insanity really brought to the surface for me Is just how surface level and fake most of these idealistic trends are, that nobody actually believes it. They're using it as a way to virtue signal. They're using it as a way to make themselves feel good about how they live their life, without having any responsibility for how they're living their life.

Speaker 1:

And and the second, that there's an easy way to to have what's better, then they're going to take it immediately. Oh yeah, I'm super overweight and you need to make seatbelt extenders and you need to provide bigger things for people that are overweight and you need to make this for us because I'm so into it. Okay, well, here's a pill that you can lose weight really fast. Okay, thank you. Oh, I'm sorry. What? Where'd all that energy go for your, your positivity movement? Oh, it was bull crap. Okay, yeah, yeah, that's what we thought. That's what we thought. Now, please shut your mouth on anything else, because you're a liar. Shut your mouth on anything else because you're a liar. You're a liar. Anyway, sorry, super aggressive, super aggressive way to start the pod. Whoa might cut that out. No, I won't. I never do that. I don't know. I just got.

Speaker 1:

I got so frustrated because I really I want people to be genuinely happy and genuinely healthy and genuinely the best version of themselves. Like, really, really, really, I do want that, and so it drives me crazy when people lie to themselves that they're living their best life when they know they're not, when they know they're not. It drives me so crazy, it drives me nuts, it makes me. It actually makes me very, very sad. It makes me very sad. I just wish people could be real with themselves and not lie and accept that there's some hard things, that if you'll go through those difficulties and you'll push through the difficult stuff, you can actually live your best life and you can actually be the best version of yourself and not have to be fake and lie about it and lie to yourself.

Speaker 1:

Anyway, um, there's so much that's been happening since the start of the year and I have like a ton of stuff written down to talk about, but there's just some. There's some things that that need to be addressed addressed Not in a sense of like it's vital to your existence, but there's some things that I think are big happenings that need to be talked about, and one of them is this, and one of them is this I've brought it up before on multiple occasions but this way of living where we automatically believe what we hear, like immediately and I'm talking about from any source, like any social media posts, any, um, you know, uh, modern media, newspapers, like any anything CNN, fox, msnbc, cbn like any news source I don't understand why we're so quick to immediately just trust that they're telling the truth, because that's insane. Insane, like I like, when I see things on social media mostly because that's where I I never watch the news ever. Like I don't, I cannot tell you the last headline. I don't know what the headlines are, I literally don't know what they are. I have them blocked on my phone. I don't because they're all just, they're all bought and paid for by people and that's not like a conspiracy thing. Like you can track numbers wise where their money comes from. So anyway, that's beside the point. The point is that we shouldn't just take things that we hear and run with it because that's insane. So like, for example, there was this video that was circulating and it got sent to me on social media by a bunch of people because they knew it would piss me off.

Speaker 1:

But there was this kid that was in I don't Costco, I think, who. He went up and he got and, mind you, this kid looks like he's like maybe 19, maybe 20. Like he's a young kid, he's a fitness influencer, quote unquote. And he goes up and he's like this is why you shouldn't drink Fairlife protein. And he goes up and he's like look, it says 30 grams of protein on it. And then if you look at the actual things that are in it, I see carbs, I see fats, see some sugars, I see all these ingredients and there's no protein. They're lying to you. They're lying to you on the label. There's no protein in just a made up thing to get your money.

Speaker 1:

Okay, dude, I don't know if you just didn't ever like have a class in basic health or you know, um, any sort. Maybe you were raised in a cave, um, maybe maybe you're just a troll, I don't know. But hey, dude, fair life is milk. Do you know what the number one and number two ingredients of milk are? Protein and fat. Dude, they probably didn't list protein because it's milk Shouldn't have to say there's protein in milk, dude. And yet all these people are like hey, dude, there's no protein. Fairlife can't drink it. Hey, all of you need to be locked up and have all of your, all of your access to the internet taken away forever because your IQ is in the gutter, dude.

Speaker 1:

It's so infuriating that people that don't have any any way to just go oh, that guy's lying because he's a stupid person, that's bad. And we're at that point, I feel like in society where we just see something that's shock value, we're like whoa cool, didn't know that. I'm a run with it, instead of just being like whoa, whoa, hold on what, and then stopping and going well, that's incorrect. Let's not support or push that. Let's not do that because that's not beneficial to anyone. And these are all over the place. Like. That was an example of just pure lunacy. And then there's another guy who freaking oh my gosh, dude. Oh, it made my stomach turn.

Speaker 1:

I think I brought this up a while ago. There was a podcast again. These are young people Like why are we taking advice from them? It's insane to me, um, that they're making obviously tons of money cause they're they're doing social media and they're doing content creation and they're doing all this stuff, but I don't understand why people trust them. That's what's crazy to me, Um, is this dude was talking about how we don't need to drink water and it's a scam because, um, what was his reasonings?

Speaker 1:

It was like um, there's no protein in it, there's no calories, there's no fats, there's no carbs. Um, um, there's no micronutrients, there's no macronutrients, so it's just, we don't need it in our bodies. There's not, there's nothing for our body to burn, so we don't need to have water. It's a big scam and it like. I literally was speechless. I was like, oh, and this dude had hundreds of thousands of followers on his social media accounts. I was like, oh, no, the world is screwed. Like people actually follow and believe what this dude says. That's insane, bro. Like what do you mean? We should have water because there's no macronutrients in it. Are you out of your mind, dude?

Speaker 1:

If you didn't have water, you would die in three days. Did you know that your body can survive 72 hours without water? Like that's bonkers, bro. That's it. And that's if you don't have food or water. Right? Let me clarify If you're fasting, you have to have water or you will die in three days. Like that's it. That's how important water is. Do you know? You can go without food. You can go without food for weeks. If you have water, you can go without food for like it's almost. It's insane. Like I don't know the actual number, I read it one time but like you can go without food for weeks on it, like almost months, but if you have water your body will survive. Not great like you won't be in shape, but you can survive on just water. If you take water and food out of the equation, you die. In three days You're gone. Like that's how important water is.

Speaker 1:

And yet some schmuck on social media just got in front of a microphone when he shouldn't even be allowed to talk out loud and is like there's no macronutrients and water is bad for you, like whoa bro. And and people are like oh, there we go, I can't drink any more water. It's like no, no, no, no. Number one if you get on social media or if you listen to anybody in front of a microphone, including me, you should have the first instinct is distrust. That's what you should have is I don't believe you? And then you go do more research and then you go figure out if you should believe them. I do that all the time. I'm like, oh, that's interesting. I don't believe you, but I find it interesting. And then I go and look at it and I go, oh, okay, now I can believe you because all of this is lining up and pointing to that and there's numbers and there's all these things that have been researched.

Speaker 1:

But, man, this lack of just distrust, like you need to have a healthy distrust, I think it's really healthy. Like I think you should trust people. I'm not saying that everybody's bad and everybody's a liar, everybody's out to get you. But, like, if people are telling you to do something or not to do something, your first reaction should be distrust Period. Because if you just go with it, like to me that's crazy, that is absolutely wild. Crazy to me that you're just like, okay, cool, yeah, that's it. Water's bad for me and there's no protein in milk, so like, well, no, that's wrong, that's not good. You need to have a healthy distrust to everybody that's trying to tell you to do something or not to do something, oh, anyway, um, I just I've been I guess I've just been frustrated with how aggressive people are now in their beliefs and what they think is correct and their opinions.

Speaker 1:

Like it's so crazy that we're at a point now where People will literally not talk to family anymore or lifelong friends if they have a different opinion. That's absurd. That is absolutely absurd because ever since the world began, humans began there's been differences of opinion, and that's what makes the world beautiful and that's what makes the world better and that's what makes the world progress and improve is differences of opinion. So we've gotten literally everything worth having. That's how technology has advanced. That's how everything literally has advanced is because somebody had a different opinion and went and figured it out.

Speaker 1:

If people weren't allowed to have opinions and they were different and that got shut down, we would still be in caves with no fire, in caves with no fire. And that's like I can see us backtracking hard, hard. If we can't be okay having differences of opinion and not getting our way and and not just saying no, all of these things have to happen, it's all progress. Well, that's not true. You're not right all of the time. Sorry, I'm not right Most of the time, doesn't bother me. Like we need to be okay with not being correct. Like your opinions probably aren't correct A good chunk of the time. And and yet we're ready to fight people over incorrect beliefs and opinions. Like what, dude? That's crazy.

Speaker 1:

We all need to go locked up away from the internet for at least six months and then come back and see if we can handle life. Um, like, I read, like I really do, like it makes me worry. It keeps me up at night thinking about where JJ, my son's life is headed. Because of what I see in the world. I'm like, oh my gosh, dude, we need to go get a ranch in Colorado and cut off all ties with everyone but family. Um, like it's insane to me.

Speaker 1:

I read a, uh, a stat the other day where Gen Z, this generation below mine, I think I don't know, I don't know how to keep track of the generations. I literally don't know how, I don't know who it is, I don't know what generation I am. I don't know. I don't know because I don't care. Um, but they, they are getting fired from their jobs after a few months. Like, not even like, oh, they were here for like three or four years and they went and tried something. No, they're getting hired and fired after a couple months. Um, because they can't. They can't show up on time, they can't focus, they can't do their jobs, they stay, they can't, um, just like, do what you would think is like the logical thing to do Be dressed well, be on time, speak respectfully to your bosses.

Speaker 1:

Like you know, basic stuff, really basic stuff that's like been normal work norms forever. That's like been normal work norms forever. Like it's not. Like you know, this isn't like a situation where, like it's outdated, you know, like there's some things that like, oh yeah, I'm not going to do what the generation behind me did, because that's outdated, that's dumb. I'm not going to do that. Of course I'm going to use an indoor restroom because an outhouse is outdated and it's not as good, but these things aren't things that are outdated.

Speaker 1:

Going somewhere, if you're getting paid to do something, the normal thing to do is to show up on time when you were requested to be there and not look like you're homeless. Those are pretty standard, right? And maybe don't talk bad about your boss in front of your boss and try to get it on video so you can go viral. That's not good either. Viral that's not good either. And then don't cry about why you were let go when you weren't doing what you were being paid to do. Like these are just normal things or they're supposed to be normal things in the workplace and yet Gen Z doesn't know how to handle it because they're so used to just being on their phones and not actually interacting with people in a real world way, that when they are forced to or required to, they fall apart.

Speaker 1:

Now I said it freaks me out for JJ's future because that's where it's going. But, however, it also gives me a lot of hope, because I won't allow that from my son. Like, I'm going to raise him the way he should be raised properly. And if there's less and less and less of those people, guess what? They run the world, they're going to be the ones in charge, because they're the only ones that are going to know how to get things done. And that's how it's always been. And it drives people crazy that those type of people get things done, because most people are lazy and they don't like when they see that people know how to get things done. But that's all good, it's all good. Those of us that get things done live better lives. Um, anyway, uh, um, the world, the world's a little bit crazy. Right, the us? I'm not going to get political. Um, maybe after episode 100 I'll, I'll change the podcast and we'll do the fit political podcast. That'd be exciting. Um, but I did, I, it's me when. Okay, we are going to get a little political.

Speaker 1:

It's weird to me, when people aren't like us, like if you're, if you're, a resident of the United States, to have pride in your country, like every other country has pride, like to a point that they can be vicious, right, and yet in the United States, we're kind of ashamed because of like, okay, whether or not you're Republican or Democrat or center or or libertarian or whatever, there's this like apologetic, I guess, because of the history of the United States, where we've made mistakes and we've we've, uh, you know, done all these things that aren't super great, um, and so we like don't allow ourselves to have, like, uh, us pride, you know, because of who's in charge, or because of something they've said, or the progressive movements that are not progressing as fast as we'd like, or whatever the reason is. It's like, no, I can't wave the flag, I can't have pride in my country because there's all these things that are happening, which is crazy, because every country has things that are happening. Every country is messed up, every government is so bad, like just evil people. I don't care who you are, I don't care what you think. Every government is gross, like they're all gross, um, and the fact that we're just like, no, I can't have pride. It's I'm. I'm going to boo the United States or I'm not going to wave the flag or like, hey, don't you have any hope for anything? Don't you want this to be a better place? Don't you want this to be a beacon of hope? You, not having pride doesn't accomplish anything positive. It doesn't, because everything will always be a work in progress. There will never come a point where everything is perfect. There won't be like it just were imperfect beings that are running other imperfect beings, beings that are running other imperfect beings. Nothing is going to be perfect. So this, this lack of pride, makes me so sad.

Speaker 1:

Like I'm, I am very proud to be American. I'm very proud of it because I I think this is a beautiful chance and a beautiful place to do beautiful things, more than most places in the world. Um, I don't know how often you've traveled outside of the United States, but it's really hard not to be happy to come back here Like I've been all over the world. I've been almost to. I've, yeah, I've been all over the world and it's beautiful and I love it and it's great and I love traveling. I think it's the best education. But every time I come back to the United States. I'm like, oh, even with all of our garbage that we deal with, this is the best, this is the best, and not in like an arrogant, like, suck my like. Not like that. Like I'm just very grateful to be here and I think it's very sad when people aren't proud of that, where they're like, oh, I'm just ashamed to be American today.

Speaker 1:

Why? Because the president made a stupid remark. Okay, so he's stupid, I'm still proud to be American. Like that's insane, that you're like nope, what he said just pissed me off. So now I'm ashamed of where I am. What the fuck, dude? You're? You're crazy, and I know you're. You're doing it maybe out of like an empathetic way of other people, but like that's not empathy, that's, that's a lack of hope, that's fear. That's what that is.

Speaker 1:

And and the whole reason I bring this up is because of the, because of the this is the craziest thing because of the um, the canadian usa hockey um event that happened, and you guys know that I'm not a proponent of violence, but hockey is a violent sport. That's what happens in hockey. So they were playing in. I don't know if it's the championship game or if it was in the semifinals or something.

Speaker 1:

But the United States was playing Canada and Canada, the fans started booing, uh, during the national anthem, which, like okay, cool, you have the right to do that, I guess, if you want to. Um, nobody really does that. That's kind of like a okay, like cool man, um. But so they booed during the national anthem and then the game started and the united states started three fights in nine seconds. It was wild, bro. The united states boys were like what did you do? All right, cool, I'm just gonna beat the crap out of you guys, um, which like I'm not condoning, but I find it hilarious that they were like oh, you're gonna boo our national anthem, cool, I'm just gonna beat the crap out of you, uh, which is like totally the MO of the United States, like that's, and whether or not that makes you sad, like I was like way to stand up for us guys Like cool, I'm glad somebody still believes in us.

Speaker 1:

Because if you don't have the mentality of like I still believe in this country, then it's going to fail. It's going to go down. All of of the, the idealistic movements will fail if you don't have a little bit of belief and pride in how it can be accomplished, because this is the only place that it can be accomplished. All the progressive movements. This is the only place. And if you don't, if you don't believe in that process and you can be as dramatic as you want to be, like it's over, okay, cool. But like this is the only place that we have hope for any of this to happen. And you might be fearful that those are going away. I know a lot of people are and I agree to an extent that there is room for fear for that, but at the end of the day, again, this is the only place where you can have that kind of hope and and because of that, you should have pride and you should defend it and you should want to defend it and you should want to believe in it and you should want to hope in it.

Speaker 1:

Um, but that was just a wild exchange where I was like Holy crap, dude, there is a little bit of American pride left Cool Way to go hockey. Again, I'm not condoning violence, don't, don't get it twisted. Love it when people twist my words. It's my favorite thing, not. But um, I was like oh, okay, cool. So hockey is still hockey and there's still some rough American pride. Cool, good to know what else is going on. Oh, there was a really cool.

Speaker 1:

I found this the other day and then we'll get into the devil's advocate. There was a really cool study and I'm going to see if I can pull it up because I think I saved the, the post. Um, there was a study that came up the other day from Duke that's been going on for a long time. Um, not not like a long time as in like, oh, it's been a couple of months, but like 20 years or like 25 years or something like that. Um, where it was, it was, yes, here it is Okay. So, um, it was a research study that was done on metabolism.

Speaker 1:

Um, from Duke university and, and you know how, like the, the, how the mindset has been like, as you age, your metabolism slows down. This is not true. Like, it's not correct the idea behind it, where it's like, oh, when you get 30, just wait, like that's what I heard forever, I heard it forever, just wait, t, just wait till you turn 30. Then it goes all downhill. Your metabolism slows down, you get tired, like all this other stuff, aches and pains, and that's not true. That isn't true at all. Um, where your metabolism does not slow down. Um, your metabolism does not slow down, um, until after you're get this 60 years old. Is there any research that shows that your metabolism slows down till after you're 60, dude, 60.

Speaker 1:

So then the question is okay, well, why do I gain weight? Why do I lose my energy? Why do I do all these things? And the reason is because, most of the time, your habits have changed. You're not doing the same things you were doing when you're younger. Your stress is higher. You're sitting at a desk, you're not moving as much, you're not interacting with your friends as much, which does have a big impact on your mental health and your physical health. You're not being as active, you're not doing the things that you did when you were younger, and so you've connected that to a slower metabolism. When it's no, your habits have changed. So you've connected that to a slower metabolism. When it's no, your habits have changed. Anyway, so it's it's I need to go through it more and read it but it's more so that you haven't kept doing the things that that kept your metabolism going strong.

Speaker 1:

The way that you keep your metabolism going is having lean muscle, and as you're going through puberty, obviously you're putting on lean muscle, your hormones are way super high and you're building muscle and you're producing testosterone and estrogen and they're working well together and you're probably sleeping deeper and you're doing all of these things that are keeping your metabolism burning. And if you don't continue to do that, then your metabolism gets harder to keep at a an elevated rate, where the the metabolism is still going, but now it has more stress on it. It's not that it's slowing down, it's that you have added more for it to do. You've added more stress, you've added more cortisol into the equation. You've added more or lack of physical activity. You've added more, I don't know. Like, there's just the the.

Speaker 1:

The things that you were doing are making it more difficult for your metabolism to be high, and that's why I said that, like, for me, my metabolism has not slowed down. My habits have stayed pretty much the same. In fact, they've probably gotten better. Um, since I've turned 30, where I focus more on sleep, I focus more on my water intake, I focus more on my exercise and how I do it and what I train and how I train, and because of that, I am sitting at a four and a half percent body fat, and I'm not saying that's healthy, I'm not saying that that's what people should try to do, but I'm saying it as a point of like, no, my metabolism has not slowed down and it won't. Like, I won't let it slow down and you can be like, oh well, this you know. Just wait, dude, all this stuff could happen. Okay, cool man, but like in my, and that's why it's going the way that it's going.

Speaker 1:

So this whole myth people like to find excuses, right, people like to find all the ways that to explain what they're doing and and having excuses for what they're doing, rather than just saying like, oh well, I'm not doing the best I can, so obviously I shouldn't expect the best results. Like, I don't. That's really been on my mind lately and it's going to kind of lead into the final takeaway today actually about, like, your belief in yourself and your, your opinions and your thoughts and where they come from and how deep they go, where most people don't like to say that they're wrong about things and don't like to say that what they're doing is incorrect or how they're living is incorrect, and yet they really want the best things. Okay, well, if you want the best things, you have to do the best things? I guess pretty simple math, and yet people just don't like hearing that, they don't like doing that. They want the easy way out. Going back to the Ozempic thing they want the best body, and yet they want the fast way, they want the fast track. They don't want to do the hard work, they don't want to put in the effort, they don't want to to take the really long road, um, which never ends. Well, uh, and, and I don't know, I just feel like if people would would be more okay with admitting that their opinions might be incorrect and and admitting that the way that they've been doing things is incorrect great, dude, awesome, now let's do better, like it's pretty easy.

Speaker 1:

Uh, I, I just that's where I'm at in my life right now is I have no problem admitting that I'm wrong. I have no problem admitting that I was incorrect about something or that I messed up something, because ultimately, I want to be correct, and I understand that I cannot be correct all of the time. But the faster that I admit that I'm wrong, the faster I can be correct. So I'm constantly trying to find the places to admit that I'm wrong and constantly trying to find the places where I messed up so that I can correct it and be right. Like it's so simple to me, um, and I don't I, I just my brain, I don't process why people can't do that. Like I, I say I'm sorry, I say I'm incorrect all of the time because I want to be in the right.

Speaker 1:

Um, anyway, that that's uh, I don't know I, there wasn't a whole lot. There was a lot of stuff that I wrote down and then I was looking at. I was like I don't really need to talk about that. I had, like the Superbowl halftime stuff, I had the um, the I went to Disney and like all this other stuff and I just don't need to talk about it. Um, anyway, let's uh, let's get into the devil's advocate, all right. So the devil's advocate, this one I was actually thinking about because I have a lot of things that could possibly change quite dramatically for your boy in the next six months to a year, could I'm not saying they will, because you know life, but this devil's advocate has really been on my mind as I face these new things. So, if this is your first time, welcome to episode 100.

Speaker 1:

This is the devil's advocate, where I get to argue with myself. Yay, if I have somebody with me. Obviously I get to argue with them, but this is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. I love debate, I love arguing. I love not just like arguing, to argue, but like to reach a point of clarity, or to reach a new idea or a new thought process or a new opinion. This is how, going back to what I was talking about before, this is how I challenge my opinions. This is how I find out when I'm wrong, um, and I absolutely love doing this, uh, so the devil's advocate is a way for ideas to be discussed and opinions to be looked at from opposing sides with equal value.

Speaker 1:

The devil's advocate is kind of a, a mindset and an attitude, I guess, where, if you're facing a? Um, a goal, or you have something to achieve that you're going for, is it better to reach out to people that are like that, have done it before, or people that have, uh, that are professionals in that area um mentors, if you will to see, get their opinions and their views on it, or is it better to put blinders on, go down your own path, um, and figure it out on your own? Um, and this has come up because I have the opportunity to open a gym on my own. Uh, and and it's really been on my mind lately quite a bit of, do I reach out to other people that have done it? Do I reach out to um professionals, or reach out to those that that, uh, have kind of figured it out and done all these things, or do I do it myself, figure it out on my own, test the waters, go through all of those experiences on my own, um, you know, go through all of those experiences on my own, you know, and see where we go. And so I have been going back and forth, honestly, between these two ideas and I think that reaching out to people and being that reaching out to people and being open-minded to their ideas and their experiences and their viewpoints is the most valuable way to go forward.

Speaker 1:

Um, like, if you have these lofty goals, if you have these things that you don't know how to do, because you can, you can over, like, you can skip over their mistakes and get to their successes faster, because they'll be like, oh, I wish I had done this. If I had done it this way, then I wouldn't have had to do this and, you know, I could have saved this much money and I could have skirted over to this thing and I could have, you know, brought in so many more people with this or whatever the goal I'm just going off of my goal, you know. But whatever your goal is, they can show you how to not make the mistakes and just get the successes, which is so time saving and so valuable to get you farther ahead quicker. And and they can they can provide insight that you probably haven't thought about and that's that's the biggest thing is, you know, going forward, you have all these hopes and and this great vision, and you're super positive about things and they can be like that's really good, that's really great. But have you thought about it this way? Because that's what happened to me, you know, or whatever, and that's the that's to me, the most valuable thing is is you can talk to people. That, because there's no way for you to think the exact same way as somebody else, and that's the beauty of being human, and that's the beauty of talking to people is getting new ideas and getting fresh perspectives, um, and that that goes outside of goals, that just goes out like that's just interaction with people.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, I think that if you want to be the most successful, if you want to achieve something that you've never achieved before, if you want to get to the success quicker, if you want to have more success than you could possibly dream of, the best and most effective and efficient way to do that is to talk to people that have been there, that have done it, that have gone through the things that you are going to go through. Whether you reach out to them or not, you're going to be faced with these things and if you reach out to them and talk to them, they can give you advice. And obviously you don't have to take it, but at least you would have the thought of oh, I didn't, I didn't think about it that way before, I didn't, I didn't think about that at all. Um, you know, I didn't know that that was going to be something that came up and that is priceless. That is information that is incredible. Um, that I don't understand why anybody wouldn't want that information. I think that and those people can be very valuable as you go through, because they're always going to be there to talk to, whether or not you take their advice or not. That's not the point. The point is having the ability and having the access if you do want it. That is the most valuable, and I think, if you're trying to reach a goal like it's hard to do sometimes because you obviously have to swallow your pride and you have to admit oh, I was incorrect about that, but we just talked about that that's very good to do. I think that it's the most effective way to achieve a goal is by talking to people that have been there before, talking to people that that have a fresh viewpoint on it and and can give you a different, a different um mindset about what you're facing.

Speaker 1:

Um, now, that being said, I have a tendency to always do things my way. That's how I've been since I was like five, maybe even younger, I don't know. I can't remember past five, so I'm going to say five, where I never really did things the way everybody else did them. I always did it a little different, and not as a way of like I'm different, but like I just did it the way I thought it should be done. Always, I just did things my way because I'm stubborn and because I don't know why, but it's worked out for me most of the time.

Speaker 1:

Lucky cross my fingers, but I think that if you want to be actually successful and this gets a little deeper, more philosophical, more personal than just like a successful business. If you want to be actually successful and come out on top and and achieve personal goals, the only way to do it is to shut other people out. And I don't mean like don't talk to anybody, but I mean like shut out the opinions of of others on what you do, um, to achieve what you're going for, because they only have their viewpoint. They don't know the way that you think, they don't have your, your personal belief system, they don't have your experiences, they don't have your thought process, um, and so they're going to give you an opinion based off of their experience. Their experience will never be your experience, ever.

Speaker 1:

You can go through some of the same not experiences. You can go through some of the same tests, I guess as far as like oh, you're hiring somebody, okay, cool, that's going to be the same. I'm not going to do it the same way as somebody else, though, like I like, my version of this will never be the same as your version. So why would I listen to what you did? Cause it's not what I'm going to do. It's not cookie cutter. Your goals are not like okay, if your goal is to make a million dollars, great, cool, that's a great goal. Go talk to a millionaire, sure. Or you can go do it your way.

Speaker 1:

And I think that that what I mean by success and and actual success and authentic success is you don't get to have the success without the mistakes. You don't get to be the best, most successful person without the the um, the wrong, if that makes sense, like if you make a mistake, that's just part of your success. It doesn't mean that you failed. Like you're going to keep going, you're going to keep doing things, you're going to come out on top, you're going to figure things out, and those mistakes and those learning experiences made you the success.

Speaker 1:

If you just take what other people say and you don't make those mistakes, you also only get part of the success. Like to me? To me, that's what that means. Is you only get part of the success. Like to me? To me, that's what that means. Is you only get part of the success. Um, so, because you don't know what would have happened if you hadn't have made that mistake. Maybe something else would have, would have come around, or or some other, or maybe even that mistake wouldn't have been made because you did something differently in that situation, instead of avoiding that situation completely, as somebody else had advised.

Speaker 1:

So I think that the best way to achieve your goal if you have a goal that's personal, that's specific to you, the only way to do it is the way that you think you should do it, and maybe you don't come out on top, maybe you don't achieve the goal, great Cool. You still had experiences, though, and that's success to me. So I think that, in regards to chasing these lofty goals and chasing these maybe new avenues to go down, the best thing you can do is do it on your own and keep people around. I'm not saying don't talk to people. I'm not saying don't interact with other people and don't listen to other people, but, like you, should make the choices that you want to make and and and think about things the way that you want to think about them, because otherwise you're just going to complete other people's goals. You're going to have the same success as somebody else rather than your own success, and rather than I hate the word changing the game or the phrase changing the game, but, like you, won't change anything, nothing will will be better, like, if I always go back to the the, the example of, like Thomas Edison making a light bulb, if he had listened to other people say like no, it's not possible or no, you shouldn't do it that way, you should do it this way, we wouldn't have electricity the way that we have it now. He went and did his own thing and guess what? He made hundreds and thousands of mistakes and it was great because he needed to make those. He didn't need to listen to other people, he didn't. If he had, who knows, maybe we wouldn't be where we're at. You know, I don't know because I don't know the possibilities right, because they don't exist. We are where we're at now.

Speaker 1:

So I always go back to that if I ever get like, oh, should I listen to other people? No, you shouldn't, you shouldn't. You can listen to them. Just don't take what they say as gospel and run with it because you should do things on your own. You probably have a pretty good chance of figuring things out because you're you. You have a better chance of getting through the events in your life better than someone else's opinion of your life. So that's where I'm at. Do I listen to other people and take their advice and go with it, or do I take what comes to me and handle my business, for lack of a better term?

Speaker 1:

Anyway, that's your devil's advocate, what? What is your view? Do you? Do you like to listen to the professionals? Do you like to listen to people that have gone before? Do you like to take that advice? Or are you the kind of person that just goes bullheaded into it Come what may? We're going to love it, we're going to get through this and I'm going to face things on my own. And I'm not saying there's any gray. There is gray in middle ground there. Those aren't the only two options, but those were the devil's advocate options today. So let me know what you think, let me know what you would like to hear on here. As far as, like possible devil's advocates, you can text the show and and and and give your advice, give your two cents, I will get those, and I love. I love getting those. Um and uh. Before we get out of here, let's leave you with the final takeaway, all right? So your final takeaway today is, uh, kind of what we were talking about before.

Speaker 1:

We's a, a philosophical agnostic. Um, and I love. I've watched so many videos from him. Um, and if you know me at all, you know that I'm an extremely religious person. Um, like very, very spiritual, very religious. It's a huge part of my life. I don't always put it out there. Most of the time people know a character that I've created as far as like my career and what I do, how I post on social media. But the people that actually know me my close friends, my family know that I'm a very, very deeply religious and deeply spiritual person. Those are the books that I read, those are the conversations that I love to have, those are the videos that I watch. Most of the time when I'm programming or doing work.

Speaker 1:

I have a philosophical or theological podcast on. I find it very fascinating. I've always been obsessed with it. I have a minor Well, I was one class shy of having a minor in philosophy when I went to school. Love it, always been obsessed with it, always love it, Um, but anyway, that's beside the point.

Speaker 1:

The point is this guy, alex O'Connor, is a fantastically smart person, um, and I love his viewpoints on things. Uh, we don't agree when it comes to God, necessarily, and who that being is or who that energy is and how it relates to life and that's okay. But he said something in an interview the other day that I was like hold, that is so good, my sir so good, and it relates to things outside of God. He was saying it in relation to the view of God. Is their God, but it applies to so many other things. And so what he said is is people trust and believe their thoughts about something more than what their thoughts are about? Believe more than what their thoughts are about, and that is the final takeaway is we have to if we want to improve, if we want to be better. We cannot believe in our thoughts more than what our thoughts are about.

Speaker 1:

And taking it outside of religion to a fitness perspective, is you cannot allow yourself to to believe what you're thinking more than what is true. Where, like, for example, I say this all the time and and it's meant to be funny Some people take it personally, whatever, like, I think it's hilarious. Hilarious that women say, oh, I don't want to lift weights because I don't want to get bulky, right, I've brought that up multiple times. It's hilarious. You won't, you won't. The science says you won't and my experience says you won't, and all of the data says you won't. All of the everything points to you will not. And yet the belief, the thought that you have is I will.

Speaker 1:

And so you're believing your thought more than what is actual and what your thought is about your opinion and your belief and your thought. You're believing what you think more than what is actual. And, and you know you'd be like, oh well, but that's just. You're trusting the science of the day. Okay, cool, but what about all of the other things in your life? What about all of the choices you make? Are you trusting your thought? Are you believing your thought about something more than what that thought is about? And and don't take things personally and don't get offended, um, by those like by your opinion being challenged. You will be an incredibly different person in a very short amount of time if, every thought and every and every thing that comes up, you challenge that thought and be like, okay, wait, am wait. Am I trusting just what I think? This, like what I'm thinking about this more than what the thing is actually about? And I would love to get into cause it's, it's perfect for an argument for the existence of God, um, but I won't get into that.

Speaker 1:

On the final takeaway, that's another another, a whole other episode, that on the final takeaway. That's another another, a whole other episode, um. But that is a way to really really progress and and improve. Is, if you go, oh, okay, wait, am I just believing my thought about this more than what the thought is actually about Um? And if I am, I'm going to change. And if I'm not, wonderful, wonderful, I'm on the right track. Um, but that is your final takeaway is to challenge your, your thought, uh, more than what the thought is about Um. Anyway, that is your final takeaway.

Speaker 1:

Thank you guys for tuning in for the hundredth episode.

Speaker 1:

I appreciate all of the support. I appreciate the love Um. Anyway, that is your final takeaway. Thank you guys for tuning in for the hundredth episode. I appreciate all of the support. I appreciate the love Um. Thank you for listening. As always, it blows my mind People that actually listen to this. But, uh, if you have something that you've really been moved by or something that's really um been thought provoking, let me know. I would love to share a final takeaway from somebody else or a devil's advocate, or an experience or any event that's been happening. I would love to talk about it and discuss it and review it or whatever, but just have more people involved in the show. That being said, I love you guys. I hope you're having an incredible week, an incredible month, an incredible year, and I hope that you know that you're incredible, that you are very special, that you matter, that you are needed by the people around you. I love you, thank you. This is the fit perception podcast. I'm your boy T and I am out. Out One night, one night.