WEBVTT
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On this journey, would you have changed anything with that if you could do it again?
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Looking back, maybe starting smaller, not starting with like a whole phone line, like a whole apparel line, and maybe like just one or two pieces and just be like more niche and more specific with what I was creating.
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How do you simultaneously have an open heart and an open space for people to style and the way they do things, but yet still carry that high level of standard that you carry and expectation of getting the results?
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I know what I expect of myself as far as how much I'm gonna at least put effort or energy towards my work for them.
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They could go about their work differently.
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Not to say that it's right or wrong.
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How you manage your own brain around watching other people not really step up to the plate like you would, whether that be somebody you're coaching or other coaches around you.
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I can't expect, you know, it's not fair to them, it's not fair to me, it's not fair to anyone to almost have that mindset of like, I'm gonna expect this because that's how I am.
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All right, I got my really good friend Brandon League here.
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He was a client at one time, and now I consider him a very close friend.
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Welcome to the show, brother.
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How are you doing, man?
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Good.
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Thanks.
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Thanks for having me.
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Absolutely, absolutely.
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Maybe you can uh tell the audience a little bit about yourself so they know actually who the hell we're talking to right now.
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For sure.
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I'll try to keep it brief.
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Oh, here we go.
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I grew up I grew up in Hawaii, grew up on Oahu, um, went to uh all-boy Catholic high school.
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That was primarily like a football school, played three sports football, basketball, and baseball.
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You know, really excelled at baseball.
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And growing up uh single parent, just my mom, my sister, and I wanted to help her with uh beginning a scholarship.
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I saw baseball as a possibility.
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Uh ended up getting a full ride to Pepperdine, but got drafted uh by the Toronto Blue Jays.
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I got to the major leagues with them, then traded to the Mariners, then traded to the Dodgers.
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So I played professionally for 17 years in the major leagues, parts of 12 years, finished playing, being married with uh with four daughters, uh really took the time to get to know myself, get to know you know what it's like to actually be home full time with my wife and and and kids, and you know, almost uh get to reinvent myself in a way.
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And that's where that's where you came in.
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Yeah, I mean that's it's such a big thing, right?
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Like you have this identity for what I think you were in the league for what almost 16 years, is that correct?
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Well, I mean, like professionally from like 01 to 17, uh I mean like that's more than half of my or all of my adult life was just as identified as a baseball player, a pitcher, and you know, also a husband and a father.
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But after that, I was like, well, that's done.
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Now what?
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Like, who am I?
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Who is Brandon other than the previously mentioned?
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Yeah, so that being such a big transition.
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Yeah, so I mean like no not even knowing where to start, not even knowing what to do, uh, who to talk to, who to re who could relate.
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But I knew that there was like work to be done.
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Uh it it took like help and support from you and like others, my family, to like really push me and challenge me, but also support.
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Yeah, I think one thing I'd like the audience to maybe hear a little bit about is you really went hard on um, so you know, you're this this fell player, you're an awesome pitcher, and then you're like, but I really like fashion, which it just doesn't seem like they go together, right?
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Like fashion and baseball.
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But like you went really hard, you know, when you finished baseball and you dropped into being an entrepreneur and you built an entire clothing line and you went at that for quite a bit.
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I mean, that was a definitely a big venture for you.
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I'm just curious if you want to share a little bit about that, because that's a whole new identity, a whole new undertaking.
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And you were at that for what, I think three years.
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Yeah.
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So I mean, a little backstory on that.
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Um, you know, growing up with just my mom in the picture, she worked for Gucci, you know, high-end fashion company for, you know, as long as I can remember.
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So I remember, you know, the store was in Waikiki.
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I remember like going to Surf Waikiki and like coming in with just board shorts and a board and sandy feet to this like high-end fashion Gucci store, you know, just had in my mom.
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So just being around that, inspired by, you know, back then it was Tom Ford being the lead designer.
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Um, and then also just, you know, being around that type of like lifestyle was like, all right, yeah, I I love love fashion, love expressing myself through through fashion.
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And at the end of my career, I was like, you know, maybe I it's something that I could like create on my own, right?
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That could be something that could, you know, support like a hobby, but also maybe make a little money, but you know, mostly just explore that creative side and what does that look like?
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So when I got done playing, like you know, I dove headfirst, like I typically do, go all in and you know, created this line from scratch, this men's line from scratch, and you know, not knowing anything about the industry, not knowing anything about like where to make things, how to make things, how to sell things, you know, looking back, it was I think I bit off a little bit more than I could chew, but I think that's just the way I go into things and and almost like that's how I learn is just you know being really hands-on and and going all in.
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So that yeah, that went on for about three years.
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Unfortunately, we launched like right before COVID.
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So the whole plan of like, you know, brand awareness, um, you know, getting the getting the pieces into the stores and creating that awareness like almost went right out the window with COVID, everything shutting down.
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So we pivoted and went to like more of like a direct to consumer online, but then quickly realizing that you know our budget didn't really match and compete with the other large companies that we're going against to create advertising space and like you know, tag, you know, going after like social media targeting and stuff.
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But uh, you know, looking back, like it was it was fun, it was exciting, it was challenging, there was a lot of failure.
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Um, but I learned a ton about business.
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I learned a ton about myself.
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It also led me to what I'm currently doing now, which is which is coaching, coaching baseball pitchers specifically.
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It started as uh, you know, gradually wanting to like watch baseball again, you know, because after I was done playing, I wanted nothing to do with baseball.
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I was almost like angry at it.
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It was almost like looking back like a morning, that morning process that I had to go through, with that part of me almost like being the death of me, right?
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The death of Brandon, the major league pitcher.
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So I was angry at baseball and didn't want to watch it, didn't want to talk about it, and gradually wanted to watch it again, talk about it, being around it, and almost like help the younger me that I saw with these like these amateur players, right?
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These high schoolers, these guys that were almost fulfilling their dream to either play in high school, college, or beyond.
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So I started helping volunteering, you know, seeing the seeing the demand for for that in my area with the kids, and then having that almost organically start another business with me as a coach, trainer, you know, mentor, um, you know, coaching high school, high school baseball, and then really like seeing the path of like, all right, uh all I knew was uh the professional level, right?
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Like, you know, I I can remember high school, but it was so long ago.
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I didn't go to college, so I don't know that space.
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How can I, how can I help, you know, in that realm?
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But you know, that kind of came with a cost, right?
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If I if I go that route, then I leave home.
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That I kind of was getting used to and like realizing that this is what where I need to be, you know, home with the family.
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But I also wanted to like go explore that path of like how can I be around that professional pitcher, that younger me, and almost support them and and help them on their journey, you know, on their dream.
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So, you know, started volunteering, started like uh you know, doing some things with the Dodgers, and then just getting my name out there and just emailing every every team, you know.
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And you know, a year later I I you know I I get hired by the Cleveland Guardians.
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I spent last year in AAA as a pitching coach uh in Columbus, Ohio.
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You know, that was a little too far from home.
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So this year we'll be based out of Goodyear, Arizona, a little closer to home in San Diego, and we're here.
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I love it, man.
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Thank you for sharing that.
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I'm curious, I want to rewind a little bit back to just you know, back to parallel, you know, the clothing line.
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And I'm just curious on this journey, would you have changed anything with that if you could uh do it again?
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See if I like think about that, like if I change anything, I'd change who I am now, and I love who I am now.
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So I mean, I don't think I would have changed anything.
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I think like specifically, like small, that looking back, maybe starting smaller, you know?
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Are you not starting with like a whole line, like a whole clothing line, like a whole apparel line, and maybe like just one or two pieces and just be like more niche and like more specific with what I was creating and who it was for and you know how to separate myself in a very saturated market space, right?
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Like men's apparel or just apparel in general, you know.
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So maybe take more time in the creative process versus I need to get my name out there, I need to start selling things, I need to like, you know, almost start start the button to like, you know, be a business, you know, have have things out there, you know, maybe just take more time in the in the beginning phase.
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Yeah, I mean, it's so funny because when I'm dealing with founders now and like we're really just slowing them down and being like, okay, like what's the strategy?
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What what do you want to get to?
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Because we're like these, we just, you know, we have this aggression, this grit, this shiny ball syndrome, like let's move, let's do it.
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And it's it really benefits you to slow down and just go step by step.
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And I think, you know, but the other side, Brandon, is like you don't really know what you don't know.
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And so now you're talking, you know, years down the line, like, oh, I would have done this, but you had to kind of go through it to do that.
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Um, I'm curious, you gave some really good advice there, like slowing down and being strategic, finding the niche.
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Is there any advice you would give to any young entrepreneur kind of starting out in a and going to to start a business?
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What would you tell them?
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I think like for me, looking back, like what I was selling, I wasn't selling clothes.
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I wasn't selling a brand.
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I was essentially selling myself, right?
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So, like, but in order to in order to like do that, I really needed to like know myself, everything in and out about me, and to even like tell a story, to even like have that be the thing.
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I'd have to almost like again slow down and not not get to know the product, not get to know the the the the brand, anything like that.
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It's just like getting to know me and and then going out there and and creating something, you know, that's coming from me.
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Dude, I I totally know.
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I mean, that's all the work that I do, right?
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Like it's like really slowing down enough to kind of be aware of who you are.
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And I think somebody like it's all of us, but you're a prime example.
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I mean, you put your head down, started throwing a baseball since you were a kid, and you get on that path, and it's just like it's very singular focused.
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And so you never get an opportunity to slow down and get to know who you are and what you're all about.
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And I think we'll talk about that a little bit later on, but I I wanted to discuss a little bit of, you know, we've had some discussions, and I'm not gonna call anybody out, but you have really high standards and um, and so do I.
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And I think we find it challenging in the business world, maybe in the athletic world in general, we find it challenging to, you know, deal with that with other people that just don't really think the way we do.
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And I'm just curious your take on this, because obviously, like, you know, you everything you do, you go all in and you have a very high standard of yourself.
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And I'm curious how you manage your own brain around watching other people not really step up to the plate like you would, whether that be somebody you're coaching or other coaches around you or just people in general.
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I think that's like one of the yeah, I think that's like one of the main things I realized this year with coaching and being in it, like the trenches, right?
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Because like in the private sector, which where I came from coaching, you know, you have these guys for an hour, maybe two hours, uh, a session, right?
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Maybe you're only seeing them once a week, but like you know, in the professional realm, like I'm seeing them every day, all day, every day, right?
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The only time I'm not seeing them is when they leave the field to go home to sleep, you know?
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So you're really seeing everything, almost everything.
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And the biggest thing I realized is like, yeah, I I know my career, I know myself, I know what worked for me, I know what didn't work for me, but at the end of the day, it's just what that's me, you know?
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That's not them, that's not anyone else.
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Like, you know, that's what made me unique, that's what made me special.
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And you know, they have they have things that make them unique and them special, and like I can't compare, I can't expect, I can't, you know, it's not fair to them, it's not fair to me, it's not fair to anyone to almost have that that mindset of like I'm gonna expect this because that's how I am, that I'm gonna or I'm gonna like I'm gonna think this is the only thing that works because this is what worked for me.
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It's like, no, that's not that's not true, you know?
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You know, until I realized that, then like I almost like couldn't like develop these the trust and the relationship with with the players I was working with, you know, which was big.
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I want to dig in on that.
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Yeah.
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Because that's a really well that's a b huge breakthrough.
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One, I know you well enough to know how much of a breakthrough that is for you.
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And then also I'm really curious to know how do you simultaneously have an open heart and an open space for people's style and the way they do things, but yet still carry that high level of standard that you carry and expectation of getting the result.
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That's an interesting dichotomy, right?
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It's a paradox there.
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Yeah.
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So I mean, like I know how I like to work.
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I know how I what I expect of myself as far as like how much I'm gonna at least put effort or energy towards either my work or you know, a relationship with someone.
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But you know, for them, they could go about their work differently.
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Right, not to say that it's right or wrong, it's just that's the that's just them, you know.
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Same thing with uh their relationship, right?
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Like they could put more effort, less effort, the same effort, you know, and that's that's just them, it's neither right nor wrong.
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But like, you know, as far as work goes, right, it could work, it couldn't work, right?
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It could be it could be the thing, it could not be the thing, right?
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But as far as relationships, like if you're if one person is, you know, doing feels like they're doing more and not getting enough, you know, that's where the the the the give and take kind of happen, where like you have either have a healthy relationship or you don't, you know, and that but that's where like communication comes in, right?
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You know, one person has to be you know willing to put themselves out there and be vulnerable, right?
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And like, yeah, you know, this is what I'm this is what I'm seeing, this is what I'm hearing, this is what I'm feeling, you know, just kind of go from there.
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But going back to your point, like, yeah, like I just know myself, I know what to expect from myself.
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I try to, you know, not have a certain expectation that's similar to mine for someone else.
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It's just like they're they're them.
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They are them, you know?
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That's them.
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Like, that's not me.
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They are exactly where they need to be.
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They are perfect how they are, but it's gonna be up to them to like, you know, need like to know or to come to me and be like, yeah, I I see this or I feel this.
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Otherwise, they're not ready to hear something or listen to something, you know, or work on something, and then we're back at square one, you know, because it's it's for me then it's not for them, it's for me.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You know, it's really interesting because I mean I've just watched you grow so much over God, it's been almost, I don't know, at least six, seven years.
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And like I it's just wild to me because there's just such a level of surrender in your approach.
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And I think that as coaches, because you are a coach, you know, you really do like I think we want things for people sometimes more than they want it for themselves.
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And I think that you have mastered, I'll really say that.
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I mean, I'm proud of man, you've mastered that level of surrender, which is like, I'm here, I will give you all of myself, but you gotta want it.
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And if you don't want it, I'm absolutely wasting my time.
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Yeah, I mean, it took me a whole eight months, like being every day on the job, you know, to realize it because you know, being in a new organization, being in a new role, being a new job, like it's only normal, I feel like, to want to impress and like want to like show your value or prove your value, you know.
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But you know, doing all the hard work up until this point, right?
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It's just like I'm so thankful for it that I'm able to like realize myself, but also have people in my corner that are like, hey, snap out of it.
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Like, who's this for?
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This is not for you, you know, even though like it's normal for us to want to have that like reward or like that recognition, or you know, hey, they're like good hey, good job, you know, or hey, thank you.
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This is uh this is because of you, you know?
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Like that's that's to feed our ego, like you know, stroking stroking our ego, but you know, then it becomes about us and it's not, right?
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It's it's about it's about them.
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You know, but it took me a minute because I got sucked in because I was like, fuck, I'm trying to I'm trying to be the best coach, you know?
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I'm trying to show this organization that they did not make a mistake by hiring me.
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I'm gonna prove my value, prove my worth, I'm gonna show everybody how good of a coach I am.
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And I'm like, wait, it's fucking I'm I'm I'm being selfish.
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I'm this is trying to be about me.
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It's not about me, right?
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Time's past.
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Bro, that's I mean, give yourself I'm sure you already do, but you deserve a pat on the back for that.
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That's fucking amazing.
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I mean, to have that level of awareness and that level of selflessness that I think does go into coaching.
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I even remember one of my coaches talking to me about fighting, and he's like, listen, you can have you can fight or you can teach, but you really can't do both.
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Like if you want to be a great teacher and run your own school, you really because you because you got to be selfish on either end.
00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:15.440
One selfishness is towards you, and one selfishness is being selfless and and just literally like pouring yourself into your students.
00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:18.720
And I think that that's uh that's a really powerful epiphany.
00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:29.519
You know, I'm curious as you as you as you rotated back for a lack of better words, or transferred out of the league, when you came home, I remember you had struggled quite a bit being in a completely different environment.
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:33.440
Um I'm sure you struggle with some of these egoic situations that we're discussing right now.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:44.400
And I'm just listening to you, and it's like if people were listening to this podcast, they might think you were talking about your wife or your children, not like another player, because there's so much empathy and kindness and grace in there and selflessness.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:49.839
And I'm just curious like how much of that was curated with your own family, you know, just building that through.
00:18:50.000 --> 00:19:00.160
Yeah, because I mean, like, remember, like we were we were like having our conversations and work together, and like I really struggled with like let's let's get into it, like the the scheduling, right?
00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:13.279
Remember how much I push back I would give you on like scheduling shit and like sticking to the schedule and like writing shit down and you know what I mean, like journaling and like calendars creating a calendar.
00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:16.880
Remember all that stuff that I used to push back and like why are you pushing back?
00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:30.960
And like I didn't have the answer because I was like still so like so close to the work, you know, that I couldn't like I I didn't have the tool then to like at least take as many steps back to like see the big picture.
00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.440
But I mean, look at where I came from, right?
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:37.440
I from 18 years old till when when did I get done?
00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:38.720
35, right?
00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:47.119
From 18 to 35, I lived in this unpredictable, volatile game where I didn't know what was gonna happen tomorrow, you know?
00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:50.319
Like my job was to be ready, right?
00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:53.440
Like I knew that there was a seven o'clock game every day, right?
00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:57.519
And I knew that if we were up three runs, I was gonna pitch, right, in the ninth.
00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.640
That's that's all I knew.
00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:01.599
Everything else was, well, this could happen or that could happen.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:08.880
But even like when we're up three runs and I'm warming up to get in the game, we could score more runs and they could send my sit my ass down, and I don't pitch.
00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.160
I don't work that day, right?
00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:14.720
And I go home and I'm like, yeah, blue balls, like I get dry humped, we call it.
00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:23.359
No, or I think I'm not gonna pitch and I'm sitting down having a good time, just watching a major league game, and then all of a sudden we score runs, right?
00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:30.160
Because we're losing, for example, and and I'm chilling, and we scored, you know, a bunch of runs, and it's a it's a it's a tie ball game.
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:32.000
Boom, I gotta get ready to pitch.
00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:37.119
So like that, like that switch of like not knowing, and then now now I gotta get ready, you know?
00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:40.640
And then so anything like structured was like, well, fuck.
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:44.720
I'm so used to, and everyone's telling me that I shouldn't be structured, right?
00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:48.480
Like I need to be fluid and like be ready on the drop of a hat.
00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:55.599
And like, but wait, you're telling me now that like I need to have structure, I need to like have a plan, I need to write shit down.
00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:56.640
It's like, why?
00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.359
Like, it's it's worked for me up until this point.
00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:02.799
Now you're telling me the complete opposite is what is gonna work for me now.
00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:06.640
You know, I think looking back, that's why I fought so much, right?
00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:13.920
That's why I pushed back so much because I was used to the crazy, unstructured, not planning life, you know?
00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.440
And then now this guy's telling me I gotta fucking do that.
00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.920
You're like, fuck this guy, I'm not doing shit.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:22.720
I'm like, no way.
00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.000
I remember you're like, nope, I'm not planning nothing, I'm not doing it.
00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:26.480
No way, dude.
00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:26.880
No idea.
00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.079
I'm like, dude, how are you gonna do it?
00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.599
He's like, nope, no way, we'll figure it out.
00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.200
We're just gonna go off the cuff.
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:31.920
Yeah.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.200
Now I'm like planning.
00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:37.039
You know, it's funny because something I no, no, no, go ahead.
00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.359
Well, no, I just I think that you learned a lesson.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:44.960
No, no, I was just thinking that you learned this lesson that we all learn, which is I use a very extreme analogy.
00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.160
You know, I like a string analogy.
00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.559
I'm like, if whatever worked in prison, right, that's their own set of rules, probably doesn't work out here.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.039
But what works out here probably doesn't work in there.
00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:59.200
And it's an extreme example, but it's the idea that I tell people like every environment's different.
00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:06.799
Just like if you're building zero to a one million dollar business, it's not the same set of skills and tools that's going to go from one to ten or the same CEO.
00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:10.240
Now I was talking with uh a partner about this just before this call.
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:20.640
You know, you build this business right to a certain level, and then you have to fire the guy that got you to that level because they can't get you to the next one, even though they did an amazing job.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:31.839
And you look at like, you know, with basketball, like when they brought on, I forget who it was with the Golden State Warriors, we were talking about this, but you know, when they let go of whoever and they brought in Steve Kerr and like now all of a sudden they got what they wanted.
00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:36.240
But not that they didn't do great with the other guy, but that guy was good at this part of the game.
00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:41.039
And I think that for you and all of us is learning that we have to grow and change.
00:22:41.200 --> 00:23:04.240
Like what works out with your boys running around is going to be different than when you get a wife and have four daughters and you you come home to that, you know, I remember you telling me like bro we're on a fucking plane we're you know drinking chewing tobacco like playing poker like you know whatever else the other guys were doing and and now you know that's a completely different environment than like lullabying like three little girls to sleep with like two dogs and a cat.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:04.880
You know what I mean?
00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.480
Yeah completely different.
00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:58.720
You know like your your only concern is all right I got to do my job every night and get three outs right um as far as like being a closer right and then that ends and now I'm like all right you know instead of getting ready to work at like 945 every night you know um and and preparing all day for that like I gotta wake up you know at this time I gotta get get the kids ready for school drop them off at school pick them up from school take them to and from sports every day manage a house you know manage a relationship with my wife you know take care of myself my health you know we've got fucking four dogs like all of this all of the stuff and just completely different right and that's just that's just what you gotta do you know if you want it to work.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:08.319
Otherwise it's easy to be like all right I want to do what I want to do and you know no one else fits in but you know how that goes that's that's really lonely.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:08.720
Yeah.
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:44.960
I love that you said that that's really lonely because that's what I think that the athletes and entrepreneurs and and the leaders they all suffer with the most is you go from this environment where you have this entire crew with you like everyone has just got your back and you're just built around you and your team and then you're you're kind of on your own you know and I even remember I was talking to um I was talking to Greg Foster he he played for the NBA and he was a client of mine and and we did a podcast and he was just like I had to learn at home that the way I was on the on the on the field or on the on the what do you call it in basketball on the court you know he's like I that wasn't going to work at home.
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.640
I couldn't just approach people like that.
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:53.839
He was aggressive and violent and he handled things in a different way and he's like you can't go bring that type of type of mentality back home.
00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:00.960
He's like you you're gonna just literally your family's gonna hate you but that's just how you're used to being all the time an aggressive warrior athlete.
00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:02.640
So it's just an interesting dynamic.
00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:09.599
What do you think you know I remember when we when we got together one of the biggest things that we were working on was you know your family dynamic.
00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:14.319
What do you think was the most challenging part about all of that for you?
00:25:14.880 --> 00:26:06.079
I think the most challenging part was like having to actually deal with it not having a game to go disappear to or run away to or a 10-day road trip to go on and you know have everyone forget about what you were kind of dealing with and then you know you just miss each other so much that everything goes back to normal before the circumstance or event and you know you don't really actually get to the root of anything right so hardesting was like actually adjusting to like being home all day every day you know and like hey if you're dealing with something whether it house or relationship or kid or school whatever like you don't you have to deal with it.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:28.799
You know like grow the fuck up like you gotta deal with it and not like put it off to the side or have like baseball or a game to think like that's a priority to like disappear to you know yeah I feel like what I see the most from athletes entrepreneurs founders is that inability to want to just face the music.
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.240
Like it's crazy because if you look at like special operators that I work with, they're able I mean they face some crazy stuff, right?
00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:56.799
You look at athletes they're gangsters I mean they face some crazy stuff founders too entrepreneurs but sometimes the hardest person to face is ourselves and just looking in the mirror and saying hey what I'm doing right now is not going to get me the outcome I actually want and like if for example for you is you want it to be you know you're such a family guy like it's crazy like you I know your family is like so important to you and also they're a huge source of your strength.
00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:07.119
And like you said, nobody wants to be alone and I think if I could give any wisdom to anybody listening is sometimes you just got to look in the mirror and just really face yourself and be like am I really being a fucking dick?
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:12.319
Am I doing what I I should be doing or am I you know like how should I be treating the people around me?
00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:37.839
And that's that's a tough one especially when you're used to everybody kind of catering to you right and even your family they had to cater to you when you were traveling and all the things you know yeah they definitely you know not knowing it at the time right because I was so self-absorbed and so hyper focused on my job and and the game that you know they they sacrificed a lot.
00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:56.319
And you know it's just like recognizing that and realizing that and being appreciative of that and like now it's just like all right how can I not like repay them right because I don't want to look at that as like a like I I'm in debt to them but like almost like how how can we like move forward together, you know?
00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:16.160
Like so that it's not so much like me just taking because they're giving so much you know like how can I give just as much as they're giving you know I'm curious like that you yourself said it you were self-absorbed and you made a transition to be much more selfless and realize that you were moving together as a team and there's a unit there.
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:25.519
Was there any epiphany moments or anything, any tools any anything that just helped you kind of go maybe I need to be a bit more of a team player here and it's not all about me with this family.
00:28:25.759 --> 00:29:08.160
Yeah like it took like help from you like help from like Sasha to like not really feel like you're gonna hurt my feelings if you call me out or let me know or share with me like what you're seeing or what you're noticing you know because like you know you're afraid to hurt my feelings you're afraid to upset me or afraid to like anything other than like just letting me know that I'm slipping, you know, or letting me know that this is you know me moving backwards versus forwards you know and it's just it just takes that time to and that extra energy and that effort to like all right that's not where I want to go or that's not where I'm trying to you know stay.
00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:16.640
This is where this is how to move forward you know this is how to evolve how to be the better you know better me version of me.
00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.599
It takes a lot of trust too though man like on both sides.
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:27.839
Like you gotta like you've got to have a deep trusting vulnerable relationship for you to even absorb what someone's telling you and to know that it's coming from a good place.
00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:42.720
And so I think you know that's one thing that I do pride myself on is taking my time to really develop a deep relationship with the clients because I mean like you said earlier like if you if that person's not open to receive when you were talking about the pitchers like it's just it's not going to land very well.
00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:49.599
It's not going to matter so I would just also give yourself credit too that you were very open to feedback and a lot of people aren't.
00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:55.519
And I think especially I've noticed athletes really struggle with feedback about themselves.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.880
You know it's it's a big challenge.
00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:36.480
Well I think too like another tool whether people realize it or not and I didn't realize is like you know I thought I was open and ready for feedback but I wasn't you know so like developing the tool on like how to receive feedback you know because the the normal response is to be defensive because you're someone is challenging you know challenging you and you say that you can say that you're not taking the take it personal you're not gonna attach emotion to what they're telling you to take it objectively but no not when you have this idea or this thought of yourself in this head and someone is someone is challenging that and telling you like that's wrong.
00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:44.079
You know and you know it's like totally taking like taking feedback for what it is just like no someone's just trying to help you get better.
00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:49.599
You know and if and if you and if you say you're ready but you're getting defensive and you're getting upset by the feedback then you're not ready.
00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:56.640
You know like that's the thing that's like one of the totally an indicator is like hey you're not ready for that feedback.
00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:02.640
So let's dive into like why why you're getting upset why you're getting defensive when someone is trying to help you.
00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:13.039
Yeah it's uh I remember specifically asking you like hey if you um you know I was trying to expand the business at the time and I was like if you know any other baseball players or anybody that's looking for this and you're like bro these motherfuckers aren't ready.
00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:16.400
They're like they're just not they're not open to it at that point yet.
00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:22.480
And I think you know working with Greg Foster too we were working with the NBA Retirement Association Retired Players Association.
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:42.640
And a big part even there is a lot of the guys are still even in retirement not ready to hear the truth not ready to look in the mirror and you know what I want to stress to everybody listening and I just also still want to commend you bro because I've watched your path like it's really it's really honestly inspiring to see how much you've grown and the reality is you've got to be ready for that feedback.
00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:46.640
You've got to be willing to face the hard truth and look in the mirror and that shit's not easy.
00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:51.920
That is a very challenging and when you do it enough like me and you have you're like oh yeah why would you have it any other way?
00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.640
I want to get better.
00:31:52.720 --> 00:32:00.319
I want to grow but it just rubs up against every little wound and trauma and I'm not enough and insecurity and I got to defend myself.
00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:07.200
It's a really challenging thing to do that me and you have have I've gotten pretty good at and I think uh I think sometimes I forget how hard it is.
00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:10.480
I get like why can't you just look in the mirror and it's like do you know how hard that is for people?
00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:30.079
Yeah feels easy everybody would do it you know it's like what we say as far I don't know what the percentage of the population could you know are major league players for a day or even you know smaller for after a year but like it feels easy everyone would do it you know feels easy everyone would evolve you know but we know that that's not true.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:34.720
So it's like you know yeah no no shit it's hard you know what I mean?
00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.880
No no shit a lot of people aren't ready.
00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:43.359
I mean look at look at the state of the world today you know would you say there's more love or more hate whole podcast on that.
00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:54.240
Yeah would you say there's more love or more hate and like you know it's it's sad but you know we can only control what we can control and we can only look at ourselves in the mirror and go from there.
00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:54.880
I agree.
00:32:54.960 --> 00:33:07.920
And I would say there's a lot of polarization a lot of hate right now and you know I think what we can do though is carve out our little plot of life whatever wherever that is whatever that is and just be the best versions of ourselves and try to bring as many people up with us as we can.
00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:19.119
You know, I just um I wanted to finish it up a little bit with just you know I watched you go from the major leagues to a clothing line to getting into pitching and now you're you're coaching again.
00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:23.119
Your family dynamic seems amazing from everything I see online and talking to you.
00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:31.279
Maybe you could just share a little bit about where you're at in your life now compared to maybe five, six years ago and like uh how much peace you have because you seem like you're far more at peace.
00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:36.400
I feel like the family dynamics kind of got its rhythm now, you know like maybe you can just share a little bit on that.
00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:38.480
Yeah I mean business coaching.
00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.319
I feel I feel content.
00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:46.240
Like I feel more fulfilled now than I have in a long time.
00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:49.119
It wasn't easy at all.
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:57.519
Like it was very challenging we could probably have another podcast on like my plant medicine journeys you know it took like let's do it.
00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:06.079
We'll do it next time it took like you know me looking in the mirror and being like what is important to me like what's important to me is my family.
00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.559
Right?
00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:35.920
All right from there what do I need to do to be a better father right what do I need to do to be a better husband you know and learning learning myself right learning how to communicate you know not taking not taking things personal which which was really really difficult for me you know and you know just knowing that I want to help right I want to help people I want to support pitchers that I see myself in.
00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:36.719
You know what I mean?
00:34:36.800 --> 00:35:22.639
Like I I I I can relate to that 18 year old that you know is leaving home for the first time and is in this new new industry being a pitcher and like having having failures after failure and like I can relate you know let's let me help you on that journey right let me help you like let me lift you up help you lift you up you know but you know it's still not perfect right now with like me being gone as much as I am like I I I don't want to be gone right like but I know if I want to work with this particular in this particular setting or this particular athlete it's like I I have to leave home you know and I know this is not the end right this is not you know I don't know where I'm gonna be like a couple years from now but you know this this feels good right now.
00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:25.760
You know I know this is necessary on my for my path right now.
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:44.000
Um you know like it's it just feels good right to to help and it feels good to still be home um parts of the year and it feels good to you know reconnect with with friends like you and you know that's that's that's all I got.
00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:44.800
I love it man.
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.239
I think that's a great place to leave it.
00:35:46.320 --> 00:36:01.519
I just I just want to say thank you because I think that believe it or not you're an inspiration because for me I look at it like this is somebody who can be the very best at his choice of craft and still show up as an honorable man, a great husband, a great father.
00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:03.599
And I think that that's just a beautiful thing man.
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:07.360
I just want to thank you for sharing that and I hope people can really see that we can do both.
00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.719
We're multifaceted.
00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:13.119
We don't have to give up all the things that really bring us fulfillment to chase our dreams.
00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:15.039
We can manage both you know I appreciate that.
00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:15.679
Thank you bro.
00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:16.320
Appreciate you
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.240
On this journey, would you have changed anything with that if you could do it again?
00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:17.039
Looking back, maybe starting smaller, not starting with like a whole phone line, like a whole apparel line, and maybe like just one or two pieces and just be like more niche and more specific with what I was creating.
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:29.120
How do you simultaneously have an open heart and an open space for people to style and the way they do things, but yet still carry that high level of standard that you carry and expectation of getting the results?
00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:36.799
I know what I expect of myself as far as how much I'm gonna at least put effort or energy towards my work for them.
00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.200
They could go about their work differently.
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:41.200
Not to say that it's right or wrong.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:49.520
How you manage your own brain around watching other people not really step up to the plate like you would, whether that be somebody you're coaching or other coaches around you.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:59.359
I can't expect, you know, it's not fair to them, it's not fair to me, it's not fair to anyone to almost have that mindset of like, I'm gonna expect this because that's how I am.
00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.079
All right, I got my really good friend Brandon League here.
00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:04.560
He was a client at one time, and now I consider him a very close friend.
00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:05.599
Welcome to the show, brother.
00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:06.400
How are you doing, man?
00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:06.879
Good.
00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:07.280
Thanks.
00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:08.079
Thanks for having me.
00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:09.120
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:14.319
Maybe you can uh tell the audience a little bit about yourself so they know actually who the hell we're talking to right now.
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:15.040
For sure.
00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:16.640
I'll try to keep it brief.
00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:19.280
Oh, here we go.
00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:26.079
I grew up I grew up in Hawaii, grew up on Oahu, um, went to uh all-boy Catholic high school.
00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:30.239
That was primarily like a football school, played three sports football, basketball, and baseball.
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:31.680
You know, really excelled at baseball.
00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:37.680
And growing up uh single parent, just my mom, my sister, and I wanted to help her with uh beginning a scholarship.
00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:39.439
I saw baseball as a possibility.
00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:44.879
Uh ended up getting a full ride to Pepperdine, but got drafted uh by the Toronto Blue Jays.
00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:48.560
I got to the major leagues with them, then traded to the Mariners, then traded to the Dodgers.
00:01:48.719 --> 00:02:10.719
So I played professionally for 17 years in the major leagues, parts of 12 years, finished playing, being married with uh with four daughters, uh really took the time to get to know myself, get to know you know what it's like to actually be home full time with my wife and and and kids, and you know, almost uh get to reinvent myself in a way.
00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:12.800
And that's where that's where you came in.
00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.360
Yeah, I mean that's it's such a big thing, right?
00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:19.120
Like you have this identity for what I think you were in the league for what almost 16 years, is that correct?
00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:35.439
Well, I mean, like professionally from like 01 to 17, uh I mean like that's more than half of my or all of my adult life was just as identified as a baseball player, a pitcher, and you know, also a husband and a father.
00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:38.240
But after that, I was like, well, that's done.
00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:39.199
Now what?
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:40.879
Like, who am I?
00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:44.159
Who is Brandon other than the previously mentioned?
00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:46.479
Yeah, so that being such a big transition.
00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:53.360
Yeah, so I mean like no not even knowing where to start, not even knowing what to do, uh, who to talk to, who to re who could relate.
00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:57.280
But I knew that there was like work to be done.
00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:06.479
Uh it it took like help and support from you and like others, my family, to like really push me and challenge me, but also support.
00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:18.319
Yeah, I think one thing I'd like the audience to maybe hear a little bit about is you really went hard on um, so you know, you're this this fell player, you're an awesome pitcher, and then you're like, but I really like fashion, which it just doesn't seem like they go together, right?
00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:20.080
Like fashion and baseball.
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:29.599
But like you went really hard, you know, when you finished baseball and you dropped into being an entrepreneur and you built an entire clothing line and you went at that for quite a bit.
00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:31.520
I mean, that was a definitely a big venture for you.
00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:35.520
I'm just curious if you want to share a little bit about that, because that's a whole new identity, a whole new undertaking.
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:37.199
And you were at that for what, I think three years.
00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:37.599
Yeah.
00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:39.840
So I mean, a little backstory on that.
00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:49.840
Um, you know, growing up with just my mom in the picture, she worked for Gucci, you know, high-end fashion company for, you know, as long as I can remember.
00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:51.919
So I remember, you know, the store was in Waikiki.
00:03:52.240 --> 00:04:01.280
I remember like going to Surf Waikiki and like coming in with just board shorts and a board and sandy feet to this like high-end fashion Gucci store, you know, just had in my mom.
00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:06.639
So just being around that, inspired by, you know, back then it was Tom Ford being the lead designer.
00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:17.600
Um, and then also just, you know, being around that type of like lifestyle was like, all right, yeah, I I love love fashion, love expressing myself through through fashion.
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:23.519
And at the end of my career, I was like, you know, maybe I it's something that I could like create on my own, right?
00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:34.399
That could be something that could, you know, support like a hobby, but also maybe make a little money, but you know, mostly just explore that creative side and what does that look like?
00:04:34.560 --> 00:05:03.360
So when I got done playing, like you know, I dove headfirst, like I typically do, go all in and you know, created this line from scratch, this men's line from scratch, and you know, not knowing anything about the industry, not knowing anything about like where to make things, how to make things, how to sell things, you know, looking back, it was I think I bit off a little bit more than I could chew, but I think that's just the way I go into things and and almost like that's how I learn is just you know being really hands-on and and going all in.
00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.759
So that yeah, that went on for about three years.
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:09.360
Unfortunately, we launched like right before COVID.
00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:24.079
So the whole plan of like, you know, brand awareness, um, you know, getting the getting the pieces into the stores and creating that awareness like almost went right out the window with COVID, everything shutting down.
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:42.959
So we pivoted and went to like more of like a direct to consumer online, but then quickly realizing that you know our budget didn't really match and compete with the other large companies that we're going against to create advertising space and like you know, tag, you know, going after like social media targeting and stuff.
00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:50.319
But uh, you know, looking back, like it was it was fun, it was exciting, it was challenging, there was a lot of failure.
00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:52.959
Um, but I learned a ton about business.
00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:54.720
I learned a ton about myself.
00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:02.240
It also led me to what I'm currently doing now, which is which is coaching, coaching baseball pitchers specifically.
00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:09.839
It started as uh, you know, gradually wanting to like watch baseball again, you know, because after I was done playing, I wanted nothing to do with baseball.
00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:11.439
I was almost like angry at it.
00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:19.360
It was almost like looking back like a morning, that morning process that I had to go through, with that part of me almost like being the death of me, right?
00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:22.480
The death of Brandon, the major league pitcher.
00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:35.839
So I was angry at baseball and didn't want to watch it, didn't want to talk about it, and gradually wanted to watch it again, talk about it, being around it, and almost like help the younger me that I saw with these like these amateur players, right?
00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:42.560
These high schoolers, these guys that were almost fulfilling their dream to either play in high school, college, or beyond.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:07:09.839
So I started helping volunteering, you know, seeing the seeing the demand for for that in my area with the kids, and then having that almost organically start another business with me as a coach, trainer, you know, mentor, um, you know, coaching high school, high school baseball, and then really like seeing the path of like, all right, uh all I knew was uh the professional level, right?
00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:12.639
Like, you know, I I can remember high school, but it was so long ago.
00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.959
I didn't go to college, so I don't know that space.
00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:18.319
How can I, how can I help, you know, in that realm?
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.319
But you know, that kind of came with a cost, right?
00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.879
If I if I go that route, then I leave home.
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:29.920
That I kind of was getting used to and like realizing that this is what where I need to be, you know, home with the family.
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:42.319
But I also wanted to like go explore that path of like how can I be around that professional pitcher, that younger me, and almost support them and and help them on their journey, you know, on their dream.
00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:52.560
So, you know, started volunteering, started like uh you know, doing some things with the Dodgers, and then just getting my name out there and just emailing every every team, you know.
00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:57.040
And you know, a year later I I you know I I get hired by the Cleveland Guardians.
00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:01.680
I spent last year in AAA as a pitching coach uh in Columbus, Ohio.
00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:03.279
You know, that was a little too far from home.
00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:08.959
So this year we'll be based out of Goodyear, Arizona, a little closer to home in San Diego, and we're here.
00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:09.839
I love it, man.
00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:10.720
Thank you for sharing that.
00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:15.839
I'm curious, I want to rewind a little bit back to just you know, back to parallel, you know, the clothing line.
00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:22.079
And I'm just curious on this journey, would you have changed anything with that if you could uh do it again?
00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:29.439
See if I like think about that, like if I change anything, I'd change who I am now, and I love who I am now.
00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.159
So I mean, I don't think I would have changed anything.
00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:39.200
I think like specifically, like small, that looking back, maybe starting smaller, you know?
00:08:39.440 --> 00:09:01.360
Are you not starting with like a whole line, like a whole clothing line, like a whole apparel line, and maybe like just one or two pieces and just be like more niche and like more specific with what I was creating and who it was for and you know how to separate myself in a very saturated market space, right?
00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.120
Like men's apparel or just apparel in general, you know.
00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:22.480
So maybe take more time in the creative process versus I need to get my name out there, I need to start selling things, I need to like, you know, almost start start the button to like, you know, be a business, you know, have have things out there, you know, maybe just take more time in the in the beginning phase.
00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:30.480
Yeah, I mean, it's so funny because when I'm dealing with founders now and like we're really just slowing them down and being like, okay, like what's the strategy?
00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:31.919
What what do you want to get to?
00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:38.080
Because we're like these, we just, you know, we have this aggression, this grit, this shiny ball syndrome, like let's move, let's do it.
00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:44.000
And it's it really benefits you to slow down and just go step by step.
00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:48.799
And I think, you know, but the other side, Brandon, is like you don't really know what you don't know.
00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:53.840
And so now you're talking, you know, years down the line, like, oh, I would have done this, but you had to kind of go through it to do that.
00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.879
Um, I'm curious, you gave some really good advice there, like slowing down and being strategic, finding the niche.
00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:06.240
Is there any advice you would give to any young entrepreneur kind of starting out in a and going to to start a business?
00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:07.039
What would you tell them?
00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:13.120
I think like for me, looking back, like what I was selling, I wasn't selling clothes.
00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:15.440
I wasn't selling a brand.
00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:18.159
I was essentially selling myself, right?
00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:29.440
So, like, but in order to in order to like do that, I really needed to like know myself, everything in and out about me, and to even like tell a story, to even like have that be the thing.
00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:36.879
I'd have to almost like again slow down and not not get to know the product, not get to know the the the the brand, anything like that.
00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:44.080
It's just like getting to know me and and then going out there and and creating something, you know, that's coming from me.
00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:45.440
Dude, I I totally know.
00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:46.960
I mean, that's all the work that I do, right?
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:50.480
Like it's like really slowing down enough to kind of be aware of who you are.
00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:53.519
And I think somebody like it's all of us, but you're a prime example.
00:10:53.600 --> 00:11:00.879
I mean, you put your head down, started throwing a baseball since you were a kid, and you get on that path, and it's just like it's very singular focused.
00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:06.480
And so you never get an opportunity to slow down and get to know who you are and what you're all about.
00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:16.799
And I think we'll talk about that a little bit later on, but I I wanted to discuss a little bit of, you know, we've had some discussions, and I'm not gonna call anybody out, but you have really high standards and um, and so do I.
00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:29.120
And I think we find it challenging in the business world, maybe in the athletic world in general, we find it challenging to, you know, deal with that with other people that just don't really think the way we do.
00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:36.720
And I'm just curious your take on this, because obviously, like, you know, you everything you do, you go all in and you have a very high standard of yourself.
00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:46.879
And I'm curious how you manage your own brain around watching other people not really step up to the plate like you would, whether that be somebody you're coaching or other coaches around you or just people in general.
00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:57.600
I think that's like one of the yeah, I think that's like one of the main things I realized this year with coaching and being in it, like the trenches, right?
00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:06.480
Because like in the private sector, which where I came from coaching, you know, you have these guys for an hour, maybe two hours, uh, a session, right?
00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:15.360
Maybe you're only seeing them once a week, but like you know, in the professional realm, like I'm seeing them every day, all day, every day, right?
00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:20.399
The only time I'm not seeing them is when they leave the field to go home to sleep, you know?
00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:23.360
So you're really seeing everything, almost everything.
00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:34.399
And the biggest thing I realized is like, yeah, I I know my career, I know myself, I know what worked for me, I know what didn't work for me, but at the end of the day, it's just what that's me, you know?
00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:36.559
That's not them, that's not anyone else.
00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:40.159
Like, you know, that's what made me unique, that's what made me special.
00:12:40.240 --> 00:13:01.840
And you know, they have they have things that make them unique and them special, and like I can't compare, I can't expect, I can't, you know, it's not fair to them, it's not fair to me, it's not fair to anyone to almost have that that mindset of like I'm gonna expect this because that's how I am, that I'm gonna or I'm gonna like I'm gonna think this is the only thing that works because this is what worked for me.
00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:04.799
It's like, no, that's not that's not true, you know?
00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:15.279
You know, until I realized that, then like I almost like couldn't like develop these the trust and the relationship with with the players I was working with, you know, which was big.
00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:16.720
I want to dig in on that.
00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.120
Yeah.
00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.240
Because that's a really well that's a b huge breakthrough.
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:23.120
One, I know you well enough to know how much of a breakthrough that is for you.
00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:39.679
And then also I'm really curious to know how do you simultaneously have an open heart and an open space for people's style and the way they do things, but yet still carry that high level of standard that you carry and expectation of getting the result.
00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.440
That's an interesting dichotomy, right?
00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.240
It's a paradox there.
00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:42.559
Yeah.
00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:44.559
So I mean, like I know how I like to work.
00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:55.919
I know how I what I expect of myself as far as like how much I'm gonna at least put effort or energy towards either my work or you know, a relationship with someone.
00:13:56.080 --> 00:14:00.480
But you know, for them, they could go about their work differently.
00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:05.919
Right, not to say that it's right or wrong, it's just that's the that's just them, you know.
00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:08.799
Same thing with uh their relationship, right?
00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:15.039
Like they could put more effort, less effort, the same effort, you know, and that's that's just them, it's neither right nor wrong.
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:20.320
But like, you know, as far as work goes, right, it could work, it couldn't work, right?
00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.360
It could be it could be the thing, it could not be the thing, right?
00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:42.240
But as far as relationships, like if you're if one person is, you know, doing feels like they're doing more and not getting enough, you know, that's where the the the the give and take kind of happen, where like you have either have a healthy relationship or you don't, you know, and that but that's where like communication comes in, right?
00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:48.480
You know, one person has to be you know willing to put themselves out there and be vulnerable, right?
00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:54.720
And like, yeah, you know, this is what I'm this is what I'm seeing, this is what I'm hearing, this is what I'm feeling, you know, just kind of go from there.
00:14:54.879 --> 00:15:01.200
But going back to your point, like, yeah, like I just know myself, I know what to expect from myself.
00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:08.080
I try to, you know, not have a certain expectation that's similar to mine for someone else.
00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:10.399
It's just like they're they're them.
00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.840
They are them, you know?
00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:12.799
That's them.
00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.159
Like, that's not me.
00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:17.200
They are exactly where they need to be.
00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:27.679
They are perfect how they are, but it's gonna be up to them to like, you know, need like to know or to come to me and be like, yeah, I I see this or I feel this.
00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:38.559
Otherwise, they're not ready to hear something or listen to something, you know, or work on something, and then we're back at square one, you know, because it's it's for me then it's not for them, it's for me.
00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:40.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:48.399
You know, it's really interesting because I mean I've just watched you grow so much over God, it's been almost, I don't know, at least six, seven years.
00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:54.159
And like I it's just wild to me because there's just such a level of surrender in your approach.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:16:02.240
And I think that as coaches, because you are a coach, you know, you really do like I think we want things for people sometimes more than they want it for themselves.
00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:05.200
And I think that you have mastered, I'll really say that.
00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:12.000
I mean, I'm proud of man, you've mastered that level of surrender, which is like, I'm here, I will give you all of myself, but you gotta want it.
00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:14.639
And if you don't want it, I'm absolutely wasting my time.
00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:34.799
Yeah, I mean, it took me a whole eight months, like being every day on the job, you know, to realize it because you know, being in a new organization, being in a new role, being a new job, like it's only normal, I feel like, to want to impress and like want to like show your value or prove your value, you know.
00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:38.000
But you know, doing all the hard work up until this point, right?
00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:47.519
It's just like I'm so thankful for it that I'm able to like realize myself, but also have people in my corner that are like, hey, snap out of it.
00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.039
Like, who's this for?
00:16:49.200 --> 00:17:00.559
This is not for you, you know, even though like it's normal for us to want to have that like reward or like that recognition, or you know, hey, they're like good hey, good job, you know, or hey, thank you.
00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.120
This is uh this is because of you, you know?
00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:13.119
Like that's that's to feed our ego, like you know, stroking stroking our ego, but you know, then it becomes about us and it's not, right?
00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.039
It's it's about it's about them.
00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:21.920
You know, but it took me a minute because I got sucked in because I was like, fuck, I'm trying to I'm trying to be the best coach, you know?
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:26.559
I'm trying to show this organization that they did not make a mistake by hiring me.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:32.720
I'm gonna prove my value, prove my worth, I'm gonna show everybody how good of a coach I am.
00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:36.640
And I'm like, wait, it's fucking I'm I'm I'm being selfish.
00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:39.279
I'm this is trying to be about me.
00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:40.880
It's not about me, right?
00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:41.759
Time's past.
00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:46.960
Bro, that's I mean, give yourself I'm sure you already do, but you deserve a pat on the back for that.
00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:48.240
That's fucking amazing.
00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:53.920
I mean, to have that level of awareness and that level of selflessness that I think does go into coaching.
00:17:54.160 --> 00:18:03.039
I even remember one of my coaches talking to me about fighting, and he's like, listen, you can have you can fight or you can teach, but you really can't do both.
00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:08.400
Like if you want to be a great teacher and run your own school, you really because you because you got to be selfish on either end.
00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:15.440
One selfishness is towards you, and one selfishness is being selfless and and just literally like pouring yourself into your students.
00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:18.720
And I think that that's uh that's a really powerful epiphany.
00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:29.519
You know, I'm curious as you as you as you rotated back for a lack of better words, or transferred out of the league, when you came home, I remember you had struggled quite a bit being in a completely different environment.
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:33.440
Um I'm sure you struggle with some of these egoic situations that we're discussing right now.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:44.400
And I'm just listening to you, and it's like if people were listening to this podcast, they might think you were talking about your wife or your children, not like another player, because there's so much empathy and kindness and grace in there and selflessness.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:49.839
And I'm just curious like how much of that was curated with your own family, you know, just building that through.
00:18:50.000 --> 00:19:00.160
Yeah, because I mean, like, remember, like we were we were like having our conversations and work together, and like I really struggled with like let's let's get into it, like the the scheduling, right?
00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:13.279
Remember how much I push back I would give you on like scheduling shit and like sticking to the schedule and like writing shit down and you know what I mean, like journaling and like calendars creating a calendar.
00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:16.880
Remember all that stuff that I used to push back and like why are you pushing back?
00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:30.960
And like I didn't have the answer because I was like still so like so close to the work, you know, that I couldn't like I I didn't have the tool then to like at least take as many steps back to like see the big picture.
00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.440
But I mean, look at where I came from, right?
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:37.440
I from 18 years old till when when did I get done?
00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:38.720
35, right?
00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:47.119
From 18 to 35, I lived in this unpredictable, volatile game where I didn't know what was gonna happen tomorrow, you know?
00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:50.319
Like my job was to be ready, right?
00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:53.440
Like I knew that there was a seven o'clock game every day, right?
00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:57.519
And I knew that if we were up three runs, I was gonna pitch, right, in the ninth.
00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.640
That's that's all I knew.
00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:01.599
Everything else was, well, this could happen or that could happen.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:08.880
But even like when we're up three runs and I'm warming up to get in the game, we could score more runs and they could send my sit my ass down, and I don't pitch.
00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.160
I don't work that day, right?
00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:14.720
And I go home and I'm like, yeah, blue balls, like I get dry humped, we call it.
00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:23.359
No, or I think I'm not gonna pitch and I'm sitting down having a good time, just watching a major league game, and then all of a sudden we score runs, right?
00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:30.160
Because we're losing, for example, and and I'm chilling, and we scored, you know, a bunch of runs, and it's a it's a it's a tie ball game.
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:32.000
Boom, I gotta get ready to pitch.
00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:37.119
So like that, like that switch of like not knowing, and then now now I gotta get ready, you know?
00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:40.640
And then so anything like structured was like, well, fuck.
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:44.720
I'm so used to, and everyone's telling me that I shouldn't be structured, right?
00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:48.480
Like I need to be fluid and like be ready on the drop of a hat.
00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:55.599
And like, but wait, you're telling me now that like I need to have structure, I need to like have a plan, I need to write shit down.
00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:56.640
It's like, why?
00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.359
Like, it's it's worked for me up until this point.
00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:02.799
Now you're telling me the complete opposite is what is gonna work for me now.
00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:06.640
You know, I think looking back, that's why I fought so much, right?
00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:13.920
That's why I pushed back so much because I was used to the crazy, unstructured, not planning life, you know?
00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.440
And then now this guy's telling me I gotta fucking do that.
00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.920
You're like, fuck this guy, I'm not doing shit.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:22.720
I'm like, no way.
00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.000
I remember you're like, nope, I'm not planning nothing, I'm not doing it.
00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:26.480
No way, dude.
00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:26.880
No idea.
00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.079
I'm like, dude, how are you gonna do it?
00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.599
He's like, nope, no way, we'll figure it out.
00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.200
We're just gonna go off the cuff.
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:31.920
Yeah.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.200
Now I'm like planning.
00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:37.039
You know, it's funny because something I no, no, no, go ahead.
00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.359
Well, no, I just I think that you learned a lesson.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:44.960
No, no, I was just thinking that you learned this lesson that we all learn, which is I use a very extreme analogy.
00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.160
You know, I like a string analogy.
00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.559
I'm like, if whatever worked in prison, right, that's their own set of rules, probably doesn't work out here.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.039
But what works out here probably doesn't work in there.
00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:59.200
And it's an extreme example, but it's the idea that I tell people like every environment's different.
00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:06.799
Just like if you're building zero to a one million dollar business, it's not the same set of skills and tools that's going to go from one to ten or the same CEO.
00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:10.240
Now I was talking with uh a partner about this just before this call.
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:20.640
You know, you build this business right to a certain level, and then you have to fire the guy that got you to that level because they can't get you to the next one, even though they did an amazing job.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:31.839
And you look at like, you know, with basketball, like when they brought on, I forget who it was with the Golden State Warriors, we were talking about this, but you know, when they let go of whoever and they brought in Steve Kerr and like now all of a sudden they got what they wanted.
00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:36.240
But not that they didn't do great with the other guy, but that guy was good at this part of the game.
00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:41.039
And I think that for you and all of us is learning that we have to grow and change.
00:22:41.200 --> 00:23:04.240
Like what works out with your boys running around is going to be different than when you get a wife and have four daughters and you you come home to that, you know, I remember you telling me like bro we're on a fucking plane we're you know drinking chewing tobacco like playing poker like you know whatever else the other guys were doing and and now you know that's a completely different environment than like lullabying like three little girls to sleep with like two dogs and a cat.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:04.880
You know what I mean?
00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.480
Yeah completely different.
00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:58.720
You know like your your only concern is all right I got to do my job every night and get three outs right um as far as like being a closer right and then that ends and now I'm like all right you know instead of getting ready to work at like 945 every night you know um and and preparing all day for that like I gotta wake up you know at this time I gotta get get the kids ready for school drop them off at school pick them up from school take them to and from sports every day manage a house you know manage a relationship with my wife you know take care of myself my health you know we've got fucking four dogs like all of this all of the stuff and just completely different right and that's just that's just what you gotta do you know if you want it to work.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:08.319
Otherwise it's easy to be like all right I want to do what I want to do and you know no one else fits in but you know how that goes that's that's really lonely.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:08.720
Yeah.
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:44.960
I love that you said that that's really lonely because that's what I think that the athletes and entrepreneurs and and the leaders they all suffer with the most is you go from this environment where you have this entire crew with you like everyone has just got your back and you're just built around you and your team and then you're you're kind of on your own you know and I even remember I was talking to um I was talking to Greg Foster he he played for the NBA and he was a client of mine and and we did a podcast and he was just like I had to learn at home that the way I was on the on the on the field or on the on the what do you call it in basketball on the court you know he's like I that wasn't going to work at home.
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.640
I couldn't just approach people like that.
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:53.839
He was aggressive and violent and he handled things in a different way and he's like you can't go bring that type of type of mentality back home.
00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:00.960
He's like you you're gonna just literally your family's gonna hate you but that's just how you're used to being all the time an aggressive warrior athlete.
00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:02.640
So it's just an interesting dynamic.
00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:09.599
What do you think you know I remember when we when we got together one of the biggest things that we were working on was you know your family dynamic.
00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:14.319
What do you think was the most challenging part about all of that for you?
00:25:14.880 --> 00:26:06.079
I think the most challenging part was like having to actually deal with it not having a game to go disappear to or run away to or a 10-day road trip to go on and you know have everyone forget about what you were kind of dealing with and then you know you just miss each other so much that everything goes back to normal before the circumstance or event and you know you don't really actually get to the root of anything right so hardesting was like actually adjusting to like being home all day every day you know and like hey if you're dealing with something whether it house or relationship or kid or school whatever like you don't you have to deal with it.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:28.799
You know like grow the fuck up like you gotta deal with it and not like put it off to the side or have like baseball or a game to think like that's a priority to like disappear to you know yeah I feel like what I see the most from athletes entrepreneurs founders is that inability to want to just face the music.
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.240
Like it's crazy because if you look at like special operators that I work with, they're able I mean they face some crazy stuff, right?
00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:56.799
You look at athletes they're gangsters I mean they face some crazy stuff founders too entrepreneurs but sometimes the hardest person to face is ourselves and just looking in the mirror and saying hey what I'm doing right now is not going to get me the outcome I actually want and like if for example for you is you want it to be you know you're such a family guy like it's crazy like you I know your family is like so important to you and also they're a huge source of your strength.
00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:07.119
And like you said, nobody wants to be alone and I think if I could give any wisdom to anybody listening is sometimes you just got to look in the mirror and just really face yourself and be like am I really being a fucking dick?
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:12.319
Am I doing what I I should be doing or am I you know like how should I be treating the people around me?
00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:37.839
And that's that's a tough one especially when you're used to everybody kind of catering to you right and even your family they had to cater to you when you were traveling and all the things you know yeah they definitely you know not knowing it at the time right because I was so self-absorbed and so hyper focused on my job and and the game that you know they they sacrificed a lot.
00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:56.319
And you know it's just like recognizing that and realizing that and being appreciative of that and like now it's just like all right how can I not like repay them right because I don't want to look at that as like a like I I'm in debt to them but like almost like how how can we like move forward together, you know?
00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:16.160
Like so that it's not so much like me just taking because they're giving so much you know like how can I give just as much as they're giving you know I'm curious like that you yourself said it you were self-absorbed and you made a transition to be much more selfless and realize that you were moving together as a team and there's a unit there.
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:25.519
Was there any epiphany moments or anything, any tools any anything that just helped you kind of go maybe I need to be a bit more of a team player here and it's not all about me with this family.
00:28:25.759 --> 00:29:08.160
Yeah like it took like help from you like help from like Sasha to like not really feel like you're gonna hurt my feelings if you call me out or let me know or share with me like what you're seeing or what you're noticing you know because like you know you're afraid to hurt my feelings you're afraid to upset me or afraid to like anything other than like just letting me know that I'm slipping, you know, or letting me know that this is you know me moving backwards versus forwards you know and it's just it just takes that time to and that extra energy and that effort to like all right that's not where I want to go or that's not where I'm trying to you know stay.
00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:16.640
This is where this is how to move forward you know this is how to evolve how to be the better you know better me version of me.
00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.599
It takes a lot of trust too though man like on both sides.
00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:27.839
Like you gotta like you've got to have a deep trusting vulnerable relationship for you to even absorb what someone's telling you and to know that it's coming from a good place.
00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:42.720
And so I think you know that's one thing that I do pride myself on is taking my time to really develop a deep relationship with the clients because I mean like you said earlier like if you if that person's not open to receive when you were talking about the pitchers like it's just it's not going to land very well.
00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:49.599
It's not going to matter so I would just also give yourself credit too that you were very open to feedback and a lot of people aren't.
00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:55.519
And I think especially I've noticed athletes really struggle with feedback about themselves.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:56.880
You know it's it's a big challenge.
00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:36.480
Well I think too like another tool whether people realize it or not and I didn't realize is like you know I thought I was open and ready for feedback but I wasn't you know so like developing the tool on like how to receive feedback you know because the the normal response is to be defensive because you're someone is challenging you know challenging you and you say that you can say that you're not taking the take it personal you're not gonna attach emotion to what they're telling you to take it objectively but no not when you have this idea or this thought of yourself in this head and someone is someone is challenging that and telling you like that's wrong.
00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:44.079
You know and you know it's like totally taking like taking feedback for what it is just like no someone's just trying to help you get better.
00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:49.599
You know and if and if you and if you say you're ready but you're getting defensive and you're getting upset by the feedback then you're not ready.
00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:56.640
You know like that's the thing that's like one of the totally an indicator is like hey you're not ready for that feedback.
00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:02.640
So let's dive into like why why you're getting upset why you're getting defensive when someone is trying to help you.
00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:13.039
Yeah it's uh I remember specifically asking you like hey if you um you know I was trying to expand the business at the time and I was like if you know any other baseball players or anybody that's looking for this and you're like bro these motherfuckers aren't ready.
00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:16.400
They're like they're just not they're not open to it at that point yet.
00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:22.480
And I think you know working with Greg Foster too we were working with the NBA Retirement Association Retired Players Association.
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:42.640
And a big part even there is a lot of the guys are still even in retirement not ready to hear the truth not ready to look in the mirror and you know what I want to stress to everybody listening and I just also still want to commend you bro because I've watched your path like it's really it's really honestly inspiring to see how much you've grown and the reality is you've got to be ready for that feedback.
00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:46.640
You've got to be willing to face the hard truth and look in the mirror and that shit's not easy.
00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:51.920
That is a very challenging and when you do it enough like me and you have you're like oh yeah why would you have it any other way?
00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.640
I want to get better.
00:31:52.720 --> 00:32:00.319
I want to grow but it just rubs up against every little wound and trauma and I'm not enough and insecurity and I got to defend myself.
00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:07.200
It's a really challenging thing to do that me and you have have I've gotten pretty good at and I think uh I think sometimes I forget how hard it is.
00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:10.480
I get like why can't you just look in the mirror and it's like do you know how hard that is for people?
00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:30.079
Yeah feels easy everybody would do it you know it's like what we say as far I don't know what the percentage of the population could you know are major league players for a day or even you know smaller for after a year but like it feels easy everyone would do it you know feels easy everyone would evolve you know but we know that that's not true.
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:34.720
So it's like you know yeah no no shit it's hard you know what I mean?
00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.880
No no shit a lot of people aren't ready.
00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:43.359
I mean look at look at the state of the world today you know would you say there's more love or more hate whole podcast on that.
00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:54.240
Yeah would you say there's more love or more hate and like you know it's it's sad but you know we can only control what we can control and we can only look at ourselves in the mirror and go from there.
00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:54.880
I agree.
00:32:54.960 --> 00:33:07.920
And I would say there's a lot of polarization a lot of hate right now and you know I think what we can do though is carve out our little plot of life whatever wherever that is whatever that is and just be the best versions of ourselves and try to bring as many people up with us as we can.
00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:19.119
You know, I just um I wanted to finish it up a little bit with just you know I watched you go from the major leagues to a clothing line to getting into pitching and now you're you're coaching again.
00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:23.119
Your family dynamic seems amazing from everything I see online and talking to you.
00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:31.279
Maybe you could just share a little bit about where you're at in your life now compared to maybe five, six years ago and like uh how much peace you have because you seem like you're far more at peace.
00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:36.400
I feel like the family dynamics kind of got its rhythm now, you know like maybe you can just share a little bit on that.
00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:38.480
Yeah I mean business coaching.
00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.319
I feel I feel content.
00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:46.240
Like I feel more fulfilled now than I have in a long time.
00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:49.119
It wasn't easy at all.
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:57.519
Like it was very challenging we could probably have another podcast on like my plant medicine journeys you know it took like let's do it.
00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:06.079
We'll do it next time it took like you know me looking in the mirror and being like what is important to me like what's important to me is my family.
00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.559
Right?
00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:35.920
All right from there what do I need to do to be a better father right what do I need to do to be a better husband you know and learning learning myself right learning how to communicate you know not taking not taking things personal which which was really really difficult for me you know and you know just knowing that I want to help right I want to help people I want to support pitchers that I see myself in.
00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:36.719
You know what I mean?
00:34:36.800 --> 00:35:22.639
Like I I I I can relate to that 18 year old that you know is leaving home for the first time and is in this new new industry being a pitcher and like having having failures after failure and like I can relate you know let's let me help you on that journey right let me help you like let me lift you up help you lift you up you know but you know it's still not perfect right now with like me being gone as much as I am like I I I don't want to be gone right like but I know if I want to work with this particular in this particular setting or this particular athlete it's like I I have to leave home you know and I know this is not the end right this is not you know I don't know where I'm gonna be like a couple years from now but you know this this feels good right now.
00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:25.760
You know I know this is necessary on my for my path right now.
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:44.000
Um you know like it's it just feels good right to to help and it feels good to still be home um parts of the year and it feels good to you know reconnect with with friends like you and you know that's that's that's all I got.
00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:44.800
I love it man.
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.239
I think that's a great place to leave it.
00:35:46.320 --> 00:36:01.519
I just I just want to say thank you because I think that believe it or not you're an inspiration because for me I look at it like this is somebody who can be the very best at his choice of craft and still show up as an honorable man, a great husband, a great father.
00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:03.599
And I think that that's just a beautiful thing man.
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:07.360
I just want to thank you for sharing that and I hope people can really see that we can do both.
00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.719
We're multifaceted.
00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:13.119
We don't have to give up all the things that really bring us fulfillment to chase our dreams.
00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:15.039
We can manage both you know I appreciate that.
00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:15.679
Thank you bro.
00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:16.320
Appreciate you
