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Apogee Strong

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Sep 18, 2023 • 1h 17min

Mastering Distraction: Nir Eyal on Becoming 'Indestructible' and Unlocking Your Full Potential

For a lot of individuals, managing distractions and attention is a challenge that they confront on a daily basis. However, this problem is largely influenced by our own behavior and mentality, which means that we can overcome these barriers and control our own time and attention. Meet Nir Eyal, a father, author, and behavioral designer who assists business owners and individuals in developing positive habits. Join us as Nir shares his insights, guidance, and learnings on overcoming bad habits, transforming distractions into tractions, and unlocking our full potential. Quotes: “the world is bifurcating into two kinds of people: people who will allow their time and attention to be controlled by others. And people who say no, I will decide where I spend my time and attention because I am indestructible.” – Nir Eyal “The difference between traction and distraction is one word. And that one word is intent.” - Nir Eyal “You can fill your kid's heads with knowledge. But if they can't harness the focus and the attention to do what they want with that knowledge, it never becomes wisdom; they can't apply it.” – Nir Eyal Takeaways: Being “indestructible” is a powerful skill as it helps us stick to our own intent without being controlled or influenced by external factors that could hinder us from doing our plan and motives. To achieve being indestructible, one has to master internal triggers, make time for traction, hack back the external triggers, and put a firewall against distraction. Distraction is the action you take, that pulls you away from becoming the person you want to become. However, traction is an action that pulls you toward your intent, aligning closer to your values and helping you become the kind of person you want to become. It’s important for parents to raise their children to be "indestructible" when it comes to distractions. But in order to raise an indestructible kid, it's essential that parents strive to be indestructible as well. to give the kids a set of good examples as they constantly observe and adapt to the environment around them. Conclusion: We possess the ability to be in control of our time and attention, making us "indestructible" if we stay true to our intent. By putting ourselves in control, we can better harness our full potential and make us more resilient. Furthermore, it is our responsibility to pave the way for future generations to make them “indestructible” from distractions – creating a better version of ourselves, and the next generations to come.
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Sep 17, 2023 • 46min

Focus Like a Pro: Craig Ballantyne's Secrets to Achieving More

Focus is crucial for success in any endeavor. It involves directing your attention and energy toward a particular goal or task, while minimizing distractions and external interruptions. Some key strategies for improving focus include setting clear priorities, breaking tasks down into manageable steps, and minimizing multitasking. By developing better focus habits, you can achieve greater productivity, efficiency, and overall success. Craig Ballantyne imparts his life's lessons, wisdom, and counsel to everyone listening today. Achieving your goals requires both focused attention and intentional action, so make time for what matters and stay committed to your dreams! Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, and more! Quotes: “You don't find time, you make time. Make time for those things that matter.” – Craig Ballantyne “Our bodies are really meant for routine. You'll feel great if you follow one and then all the other aspects of your life tend to fall in place.” – Craig Ballantyne “It's the removal of negative influence that can make you more successful without having hardcore discipline.” – Craig Ballantyne Takeaways: It's important to prioritize the things that matter in our lives, and to actively create time and space for them rather than waiting for free time to magically appear. By making time for the people, activities, and goals that bring us joy and fulfillment, we can live more authentically and meaningfully. Creating and maintaining a consistent routine can have a positive impact on overall well-being and success. Establishing healthy habits and routines for diet, exercise, sleep, and other aspects of daily life, we can achieve greater energy, focus, and productivity, as well as greater overall satisfaction and fulfillment. By identifying and eliminating negative influences such as distractions, toxic relationships, or unhealthy habits, we can create a more positive and conducive environment for achieving our goals and living a more fulfilling life. Conclusion: Making time for things that matter to you is essential for personal fulfillment and well-being. It's important to prioritize the people, activities, and goals that bring you joy and purpose, even in the face of busy schedules or competing demands. This may involve setting clear boundaries, learning to say no, and carving out time for self-care and reflection. By doing these, you can live a more authentic and meaningful life.
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Sep 15, 2023 • 41min

Elevate Leadership with Mindfulness: Lessons from Ben Pakulski

Practicing mindfulness provides a priceless resource for calming our racing minds, refocusing our attention, and savoring the present moment in a world that constantly demands our undivided attention. It serves as a timely reminder that our lives are happening right now and that we may face adversity with more perspective, appreciation, and resiliency by living in the moment. Ben Pakulski shares his life experiences, lessons, and advice with future leaders. Mindfulness addresses fear and worry, emotions that often arise from concerns about the future or dwelling on past mistakes or regrets. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more! Quotes: "Everything that happens in our life is always subject to our interpretation. The meaning you put on it is what you carry with it." – Ben Pakulski "No matter what story you have about the past, you can change it. Every story is just a story." – Ben Pakulski "To become an effective, happy, fulfilled human, you need great people in your life. The way you'll ever draw those people in is if you become one yourself." – Ben Pakulski Takeaways: Understand that the only thing guaranteed to you is life itself. The interpretation of everything else is up to you, allowing you to navigate your journey with a sense of personal agency. Your past and the challenges you face do not define your future. With commitment and determination, you can turn your perceived weaknesses into strengths. Let go of the fear of being hurt or betrayed by others. Focus on becoming the best version of yourself and trust that you will attract positive and supportive individuals into your life. Paying attention to the sounds and sensations in your environment can help you cultivate mindfulness and deepen your connection to the present moment. Conclusion: Mindfulness teaches us to embrace the fullness of each moment, savoring the richness of our experiences and finding gratitude and contentment in the present. By cultivating mindfulness, we can navigate life's challenges with greater resilience, clarity, and inner peace.
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Sep 14, 2023 • 47min

The Battle of Authenticity: Overcoming Challenges on the Path of Passion w/ Akira The Don

Pursuing one's passions often comes with numerous challenges and temptations that can put one's resolve to the test. Staying true to oneself can be difficult in a world dominated by external validation and fleeting opportunities. Individuals may compromise their authentic voice and artistic vision in pursuit of instant success, recognition, or financial gain. It takes enormous courage and unwavering conviction to resist conformity and remain committed to personal values and creative integrity. Akira the Don shares his life experiences, lessons, and advice with future leaders. Remaining true to oneself can be challenging, particularly when faced with tempting opportunities that may deviate from one's core values and personal vision. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more! Quotes: "I knew what was out there, and I wanted to go find it. It was my responsibility to go do that, no one was going to give me what I wanted." – Akira the Don "I recognized the limitations of my thinking and realized I had to go and live, so I just stopped rapping for a while." – Akira the Don "People who are morally policing everybody and telling people how to behave are not living exemplary lives themselves." – Akira the Don Takeaways: Self-awareness and clarity about one's passions and beliefs can provide a strong sense of direction and purpose in life. Returning to creative pursuits, taking breaks, and experiencing life outside of one's primary art form can lead to personal growth and a broader perspective. Children have a keen sense of observation and can detect discrepancies between what people say and how they act, influencing their perception of authority figures and societal norms. Individuals in positions of influence or leadership must align their words and actions to demonstrate integrity and authenticity. Conclusion: Pursuing one's passions is rarely easy, often filled with setbacks, rejection, and self-doubt. On the other hand, those who persevere and stay true to themselves overcome the obstacles and emerge stronger and more genuine in their artistic expression. The seeds of authentic creativity are sown in these moments of steadfastness, allowing individuals to create work that resonates deeply with their journey and connects with others on a profound level.
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Sep 11, 2023 • 55min

Empowering Education: The Bridge to Entrepreneurial Success w/ Jeff Hoffman

Traditional educational approaches lay the groundwork for knowledge but frequently need to prepare students for the dynamic and complicated realities of the professional world. As people progress through their careers, developing an entrepreneurial mentality and utilizing their education becomes increasingly important. However, success in these endeavors is dependent on one's capacity to keep focus and direct efforts toward certain goals. Individuals may unlock their full potential, create meaningful influence, and succeed in a continuously changing landscape by exploring the connections between education, career, entrepreneurship, and focus. Jeff Hoffman shares his life experiences, lessons, and advice to future leaders. Views of successful people on overcoming challenges to achieving success, the traditional educational system, the importance of applied knowledge and problem-solving, and the significance of focus and dedication in building businesses can be a steppingstone for aspiring people. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more! Quotes: "Be thankful for what you have in life and focus on what you can do, rather than what you don't have." – Jeff Hoffman "Start where you are, use what you have, and work towards your goals with determination and resourcefulness." – Jeff Hoffman "Gratitude is powerful, even towards those who didn't believe in you." – Jeff Hoffman "Learning is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about constantly adjusting and improving things around you." – Jeff Hoffman "Doing a million things is not the way to build a business. Focus is key." – Jeff Hoffman Takeaways: The level of success we achieve is often directly proportional to the effort and dedication we invest in pursuing our goals. Don't let others' doubts or limitations define your potential. Trust in your capabilities and be willing to take risks to achieve your dreams. Instead of dwelling on the criticisms or doubts of others, use them as fuel to propel yourself forward. Turn your detractors into motivators and let your success speak for itself. While academic knowledge is valuable, soft skills such as conflict resolution, effective communication, and relationship-building are crucial for success in the professional world. Seek opportunities to develop these skills and understand their significance in various aspects of life. When building a business or pursuing a goal, prioritize and focus on the most critical tasks and avoid getting distracted by unrelated ventures. Concentrated effort and attention on one thing at a time can yield better results. Conclusion: Education should evolve to provide practical skills and real-world experiences, careers should be driven by personal passion, entrepreneurship offers opportunities for innovation and impact, and focus is instrumental in achieving success in any chosen field. Embracing these principles can empower individuals to create fulfilling and purposeful lives.
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Sep 9, 2023 • 37min

Leading with Integrity: The Role of Accountability in Effective Leadership w/ Leif Babin

Accountability is a key aspect of leadership. Effective leaders understand the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and decisions and are willing to be held accountable for the outcomes, both positive and negative. This requires a high degree of integrity, self-awareness, and a willingness to learn from mistakes and make improvements. By modeling accountability and creating a culture of responsibility and transparency, leaders can build trust and credibility with their team members and foster a more positive and productive work environment. Leif Babin imparts his life's lessons, wisdom, and counsel to everyone listening today. Great leaders are willing to suffer for their beliefs. After all, hardship is the price of leadership. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, and more! Quotes: “If you have the discipline to work hard, you’re going to have the freedom to succeed in life at whatever you’re trying to do.” – Leif Babin “You have so much more control over your life and every interaction with other humans than you think is even possible.” – Leif Babin “When you realize that there's a lot of stuff that you don't know, open your mind. Listen and learn.” – Leif Babin Takeaways: Discipline and hard work are essential ingredients for success in life. By cultivating the self-discipline and work ethic necessary to achieve our goals, we can create a sense of freedom and fulfillment that allows us to thrive in all aspects of our lives. We have the power to shape our own lives and influence the world around us more than we might realize. By recognizing and embracing our own agency and potential, we can create a more fulfilling and meaningful life for ourselves and make a positive impact on those around us. Having an open mind and being willing to learn is essential for personal growth and development. By acknowledging our own limitations and being receptive to new ideas and perspectives, we can expand our knowledge and understanding of the world around us and become more effective and compassionate leaders and individuals. Conclusion: Understanding hardship is crucial for effective leadership. Leaders who have experienced hardship can empathize with their team members and foster resilience and adaptability. However, each person's response to adversity is unique, and not all hardships are the same. By honoring the challenges faced by ourselves and others, we develop emotional intelligence and a more compassionate workplace culture. These qualities are essential for navigating today's unpredictable business landscape.
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Sep 7, 2023 • 55min

Mastering Resilience: Strategies for Bouncing Back and Thriving w/ Mike Glover

Resilience is the ability to cope with adversity, overcome obstacles, and bounce back stronger than before. It involves cultivating positive emotions, having a sense of purpose, and developing healthy coping strategies. Resilience is a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time through intentional practice and effort. With its ability to provide emotional stability, motivation, and growth, resilience is an essential factor in leading a fulfilling and successful life. By building resilience through self-care and seeking support from others, we can navigate life's challenges with greater ease and emerge stronger and more capable than before. Mike Glover imparts his life's lessons, wisdom, and counsel to everyone listening today. Remember that while the world is filled with suffering, it is also filled with stories of people overcoming hardship and adversity. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, and more! Quotes: “Don't allow people to control how good you can be.” – Mike Glover “The best perspective is a worldly perspective, understanding how human beings operate and live all around the world.” – Mike Glover “Resilience is about bouncing back through adversity and bouncing back through adversity’s adaptation.” – Mike Glover Takeaways: It's important to trust in your own abilities and not let others dictate what you're capable of achieving. By believing in yourself and your potential, you can overcome self-doubt and limiting beliefs, and achieve great things. Having a broad, worldly perspective can help us better understand human behavior and the diversity of human experience. By seeking out new experiences and perspectives, we can expand our knowledge and understanding of the world around us and cultivate greater empathy and compassion for others. Resilience is not just about bouncing back from adversity, but also about adapting and growing stronger because of it. Conclusion: Overcoming adversity is a challenging but essential aspect of personal growth and development. By cultivating resilience, fostering a positive mindset, and seeking support when needed, individuals can overcome obstacles and emerge stronger and more capable than before. With time, practice, and a willingness to learn and grow, anyone can overcome adversity and achieve their goals.
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Sep 5, 2023 • 29min

From Victim to Victor: Rafa Conde's Journey of Overcoming Bullying

Bullying can manifest in various forms, from physical intimidation to verbal harassment and emotional manipulation. Such experiences can leave lasting scars, affecting self-confidence and overall well-being. However, they can also serve as catalysts for personal transformation and the development of resilience. Through martial arts training or other means of self-defense, individuals can gain the skills and confidence necessary to protect themselves and others from bullies. Rafa Cond shares his life experiences, lessons, and advice to future leaders. Encounters with bullying can have a profound impact on individuals, shaping their mindset, values, and actions. It is not uncommon for people to develop a strong aversion to bullying, driven by a desire to protect themselves and others from such mistreatment. Tune in as young leaders ask questions about life, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more! Quotes: "I started training at a very young age, and it was something much deeper than just going out and training at a school. It was really about the mind, learning to become better in every way." – Rafa Cond "At nine years old, a bullying incident where I was threatened with a knife became a catalyst for me to develop a mindset against bullies." – Rafa Cond "What I saw there I can't even explain. It would take 10 hours to explain what I've seen in my career." – Rafa Cond Takeaways: The commitment to continuous learning and personal development through consistent reading. Reflecting on the importance of following one's true passion and purpose, even if it means making sacrifices in terms of income and career path. The importance of having a supportive partner who stands by your dreams and is willing to face challenges together. Conclusion: Bullying experiences may shape a person's values, instill a desire to protect others and motivate them to create positive change. We can work towards a society where empathy, respect, and personal growth prevail by fostering inclusive environments and promoting anti-bullying initiatives. Let us stand together against bullying, empowering individuals to embrace their inner strength and create a safer, more compassionate world for all.
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Sep 3, 2023 • 28min

Men's Fashion Beyond the Surface w/ Tanner Guzy

How we look, how we dress up, or how we style ourselves reflects on who we are. It shows our status and what we do that makes up our identity. However, with how our society and modern culture work, men have a hard time catering for their appearance. Modern culture dictates that men shouldn’t care about how they look or that it is less manly to care. But in reality, even in history, men are always concerned about their appearance, which is a huge deal. Tanner Guzy discusses his life knowledge of men's fashion and style, as well as the lessons he learnt along the way of his journey. As men, we are normal to be concerned about our appearance, which symbolizes our masculinity, strength, courage, mastery, and honor. And so, finding the proper way to dress and carry ourselves is crucial to be a true man. Stay tuned as they dive into topics about life, personal growth, and more topics! Quotes: “The perspective of how our aesthetics play into our masculinity is a major component of not only being able to signal masculinity to other people, but also to reinforce it in ourselves so that when you see yourselves in the mirror, or you see a post that you've put up on Instagram, you see someone who looks like the best version of himself. And so that's the reinforcement.” – Tanner Guzy “As someone who was pretty rash when I got a tattoo, I would recommend tearing away from it unless you really know that it's something that you want because the odds are that's not going to be the case.” – Tanner Guzy “The biggest trick to style and getting it dialled in is not in fit, It's not color, and it's not the pattern, but it's context. And when you know your context and what you are, who you are, who you're building yourself into, and then what your relationship is with the world around you. That's how you can start to piece it all together. ” – Tanner Guzy Takeaways: Instead of permanent tattoos, you can utilize jewelry to have something you can wear daily and know that it has significance and meaning ingrained in it. The most important thing about style and clothing is the context. When you know the context and who you are, that’s when you begin to style in a way that suits you perfectly. Lift and learn to fight if you want to have part of that warrior mindset and physical masculinity. Take up a fighting sport and see the effects of it on your body language. Watch how you conduct yourself differently and the aesthetic component, and then support it by wearing clothes. Conclusion: As men, we should care about our appearance and how we look. It signals our masculinity to other people and shows our strength and courage. Thus, in order to successfully dress and style will suit us, we need to focus on the context rather than anything else. Also, lifting and learning how to fight can boost the level of how we carry ourselves, adding more masculinity to our clothing.
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Sep 1, 2023 • 27min

Guiding Young Men: Navigating the Journey from Childhood to Manhood w/ Jack Donovan

From childhood to young teenager, we humans grow each day, moving away from the past towards the future. And so, as time goes by, we need to improve, be better, and level up to front any challenges we face. Especially young men, who will be future leaders, need to find the path towards manhood. In order to do so, one of the things they need to do is surround themselves with other men who can help them improve and excel. Jack Donovan shares his life experiences towards manhood and the lessons he learned throughout his journey. As a boy grows up and learns how to live in this complex world, he needs to be committed to getting better each day. Slowly transitioning from boyhood to manhood, capable of tackling life challenges. Stay tuned as they tackle topics about life, personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more! Quotes: “One of the big pitfalls of being a younger person is that things can become very negative. And so surround yourself with guys who are doing something that interests you and that is dedicated to your improvement.” – Jack Donovan “I think it's more important to focus on quality than quantity. Just hang out with as many good dudes as you can find.” – Jack Donovan “If you level up, the challenges get harder, it's like going to a video game, and there's a new boss at each level.” – Jack Donovan Takeaways: Boys have a tendency to waste time. Men are more disciplined when it comes to making the time to do what they need to do. Thus, removing some of the boyhood and the factors in your life that are pushing you towards that boyhood is vital. Investing your time to finish your project, even if they are boring, is vital for you to reach your desired goal. Whatever your project is, finish it until the end. And committing to that is a huge deal. Life is full of ongoing challenges, no matter what stage you are in your life. And so you need to level up or improve to be able to tackle those challenges and go to the next level. Conclusion: Young men can be in the negative things, leading to a lack of personal growth. Therefore, being with people that can help them improve and be better is crucial. It doesn’t need to be many; remember quality over quantity. And so focus on finding good guys and being with them.

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