I'm convinced we don't simply choose our dreams —our dreams choose us. They come during the quiet moments of life through nudges and whispers and desires...until they're what we can't stop thinking about. But then what? For Mateo Askaripour —he had all the markers of success: making over 6 figures at a start-up, leading a big team, and rising up the ladder. Until. Until he faced reality: his dream was to become a writer, a novelist, and he'd do whatever it take to bring it to life. But it wasn't working as he faced rejection after rejection and had to face himself: Does he still chase his dream —or go back to safety? Enter the latest Academy guest, Mateo Askaripour, the New York Times Bestselling Author of Black Black and a 2018 Rhode Island Writers Colony writer-in-residence. Mateo's writing has appeared in Entrepreneur, Lit Hub, Catapult, The Rumpus, Medium, and elsewhere. His book is has been named: A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick, An Indie Next Pick, Apple's Best of January, Amazon's Spotlight Best Pick of the Month, One of Barnes & Noble Reads "Most Anticipated for January", One of Entertainment Weekly's "Best Books to Keep You Warm this January", One of Washington Post's "10 Books to Read in January" and tons more. In today's podcast, Mateo and I deep dive into what it takes to chase your dreams, how to handle rejection, doubt, and pressure  —and wh you should have fun during your process. Ep. 206 | Your Dream Will Humble You with Mateo Askaripour "I had to get honest with myself." —Mateo Askaripour Make sure to follow Mateo's on Instagram here and let him know what you thought of the episode. 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $597 OF BONUSES 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

It takes courage to own your desire, to put yourself on the line, to get radically honest about what you want. Why? Because it's easy to "drift" through life instead of choosing what you really want —and 95% of people would rather deny their inner desire and live in a world of generalities. In this Quick Hit, I'll share with you why owning your desire takes courage and why it'll make you feel most alive as you pursue the life that's for you. Otherwise, the consequences are dire: a life you and I can't wait to escape from. That's not quite living at all. P.S. You can now pre-order Hustlers and Seekers and claim $597 worth of bonuses here. 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $597 OF BONUSES 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

Most people would rather live in the illusion of possibility —always dreaming and manifesting, yet avoiding what comes next: the real work, the courageous work, the transformative work. Why? Because let's face it: Possibility is easy. Possibility is sexy. Possibility is safe. In this Quick Hit, I'll help you identify 7 common symptoms of what I call the illusion or comfort zone of possibility —so you can avoid this land of missed opportunities and half-hearted dreamers. 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

What are the keys to sustainable happiness —and what gets in the way of bringing that to life? Let's face it: Happiness can seem to escape us, especially if we believe in a framework that doesn't actually make us happy. However, there's a problem: if our definition of success and happiness isn't clear and based on our entire being —we may arrive at some benchmark of success...only to realize we're not happy. Enter our latest guest, a world-renowned expert who taught the most popular course at Harvard —Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar. He is the co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, as well as the creator and instructor of the Certificate in Happiness Studies. Tal Ben-Shahar is also a best-selling author whose books have been translated into more than 25 languages. Tal is also a certified yoga instructor whose work bridges Eastern and Western traditions, ancient wisdom and modern technology, science, and art. Don't miss this episode where you'll discover the truth around happiness —and how to integrate it into your daily life. Ep. 205 | The Secret To Unlocking Happiness with Tal Ben Shahar 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

During the last 11 years, I've gone all-in on my personal and professional growth —and today I'm excited to share the biggest lessons along the way. 1. Growth is messy, chaotic, unpredictable AF. 2. You’ll never feel “ready” to pursue what matters. 3. Fear of judgment is a reflection of your own doubts. 4. Transformation starts with staring nakedly at ourselves. 5. Discipline is easy when you’ve amplified your desire daily. 6. Success is about small steps no one else sees, compounded. 7. You can’t run, hide, or achieve enough to escape the inner work. 8. Success is an emotional state of aliveness —that can be created. 9. Not everyone has earned the right to know your deepest dreams. 10. Indecision is a momentum killer and creates an overthinking habit. Don't miss this episode —and I'd love to hear from you @tommy_resistaverage on the one you need the most today! 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1. Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2. DM me a screenshot of your order. 3. I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

Would you rather change 100 lives —or get 10,000 clicks and random followers? Sounds like a trick question...but it's not.  Why? Because we're living in a world where surface-area influence in terms of likes, clicks, hearts, and "fake" bots is becoming more important than the actual real-world impact you're bringing to the table. And that's a problem. In this episode, I was featured on my good friend and brother Jay Nixon's podcast —where we discussed this crucial mindset shift between impact and influence. This is absolutely essential for any business owner, side hustler, or even anyone who simply wants to share a message...to ensure you don't fall for the gimmicks all around us. We also give you a sneak preview of my new book, Hustlers & Seeker's in an inspiring, can't miss convo that's designed to fuel your growth from the inside out. Ep. 204 | Chase Impact Over Influence with Tommy Baker & Jay Nixon "Always begin with the end in mind." —Tommy Baker "The dark side of only chasing influence is you focus on the wrong things." —Tommy Baker "Look at longevity. If you look back at an influencer's feed, you want to see consistency." —Jay Nixon 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

Discipline is a result. Discipline is a reaction. Discipline is a consequence. And guess what? It comes from two places: DESIRE + URGENCY = DISCIPLINE. Let me break these down for you: ➡️ DESIRE —amplify and expand your desire towards your dream, North Star, and feel it in every fiber of your being at least once per day. Push yourself until you're emotional. ➡️ URGENCY —get radically honest about the cost of staying the same, imagine a future where it never happens, set deadlines to wake you up and surround yourself with A players. The end result? 👇🏼 You show up when you don’t feel like it. You show up when the “high” has faded. You show up when you swing and miss. On today's Quick Hit with Tommy Baker of Resist Average Academy, you'll learn how to merge these two worlds to create a level of discipline unlike ever before. 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

On today’s Resist Average Academy episode, I get to welcome my wife Taylor —yes I get to say that now —back on the show for the third time. We wanted to create this special episode as a way of breaking down one of the best moments of our lives —and distill the principles and lessons —from a dream experience where we got married on beautiful Maui. In this episode, you’re going to discover how to give yourself permission to dream, why desire and urgency are crucial, how to avoid using language that negatively impacts your world, and tons more. Along the way, we’ll share stories from a captivating Wedding experience we haven’t shared anywhere else. Ep. 203 | This Is What You Used To Dream Of with Taylor Stone "Only be available for possibilities." —Taylor Stone "Give yourself permission again to dream up whatever your dream is once again." —Tommy Baker 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

It's not happening fast enough, Tommy —where are all the results and why can't I seem to get ahead? If you've ever said these words, then this Quick Hit Episode is for you about re-framing the challenge of your pursuit. The question is: What if the fact that it was challenging —meant you were exactly on point? 🎟️ PRE-ORDER & CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/

Everyone loves the idea of accountability until they’re punched in the face with it —and the ego starts to come up with random excuses. Here’s the deal: Accountability is a form of caring. Accountability is a form of respect. Accountability is a form of real talk. And if you do it right —accountability becomes the secret sauce to following through on your word. But guess what? The ego will do anything in its power to run away, avoid and ignore accountability. Why? Because it doesn’t want you to grow. Because it doesn’t want you to expand. Because it doesn’t want you to flourish. In this Quick Hit, I'll share how to double down on accountability in your life and business for massive results. 🎟️ PRE-ORDER HUSTLERS & SEEKERS TO CLAIM YOUR $200 INSTANT COURSE 🎟️ I'm excited to announce my brand new book, Hustlers & Seekers: How To Crush It and Find Fulfillment Without Losing Your Mind. When you place a free pre-order on Amazon (the price will go down on launch day) or a pre-paid one on B&N... You’re going to get my 7-12 Formula Course where I teach you how to create a week’s worth of results...in less than half a day. Here’s how to claim yours: 1️⃣ Pre-order on Amazon or B&N. 2️⃣ DM me a screenshot of your order. 3️⃣ I’ll send you a coupon for instant access! If you’ve gotten any value from my work —this is for you. LIKED WHAT YOU HEARD? There are countless podcasts out there. If you have ever gotten any value from the Academy… Please take 60-90 seconds to tell the world why. What is it about the Academy that makes you tune in? Head over to iTunes, search for the Academy, click 'write a review' and submit...it would mean the world! Our new website is live! Ensure you don't miss a thing and join us on this platform by grabbing your special audio training (this can't be found anywhere else) right here: ASK US A QUESTION AND BE FEATURED: Have a burning question, challenge or issue you want to be coached on? Be featured on the Academy with our Quick Hit Q+A here: https://resistaverageacademy.com/ask-a-question/