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"Mick Unplugged" is a transformative podcast that challenges listeners to move beyond the conventional 'Why' and embrace the empowering realm of 'Because.' Hosted by Mick Hunt, the voice of Modern Leadership, this podcast is designed for leaders, doers, and anyone aspiring to create meaningful impact in both their personal and professional lives.
Each episode delves into the principles of Modern Leadership, focusing on discovering your 'Because'—your core driving force—and how it can turn dreams into reality and aspirations into actionable steps. With practical advice, real-life stories, and forward-thinking insights, you’ll learn to make your 'Because' a daily focus, fueling your journey toward success and fulfillment.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your motivation, set meaningful goals, or apply modern leadership theories to overcome challenges, "Mick Unplugged" provides the tools, strategies, and insights to guide your path. Subscribe now and start transforming your life with purpose and modern leadership principles.
Are you ready to change your habits, sculpt your destiny, and light up your path to greatness? Welcome to the epicenter of transformation. This is Mick Unplugged. We'll help you identify your because so you can create a routine that's not just productive, but powerful. You'll embrace the art of evolution, adapt strategies to stay ahead of the game, and take a a step toward the extraordinary.
Intro:So let's unleash your potential. Now here's Mick.
Mick Hunt:Ladies and gentlemen, welcome And today, I have an amazing guest who has a story of incredible resiliency and triumphs. From navigating personal tragedies to becoming a renowned ESPN reporter, Her journey is 1 of inspiration and empowerment. She's a keynote speaker, an Emmy award winning sportscaster, author of the new upcoming book Shatterproof, but more importantly, she's my friend. Join me in welcoming the amazing miss l Boogie herself, Lauren Sizzler. Lauren, welcome to the snowman, Gary.
Lauren Sisler:L Boogie. I love this. I am so pumped about this nickname. This is great.
Mick Hunt:L Boogie. You can keep all the trademarks and everything.
Lauren Sisler:It's alright. I love it.
Mick Hunt:So, Lauren, let's go into it. You know, seeing you, ESPN, doing a lot of things. And then all of a sudden, I got to hear about your story. And I was captivated. Like, so captivated that I started digging deep into your website.
Mick Hunt:I started looking at the things that we probably didn't know about more. Do you wanna talk to us a little bit about your journey and how you got to where you are today?
Lauren Sisler:Well, I appreciate that. Great introduction. Means a lot. I'm always humbled by these opportunities and just thankful to get to chat with you today and share some insights, with the listeners. You know, it's been a wild journey.
Lauren Sisler:You know, as you mentioned, I'm a sportscaster, ESPN, primarily covering college football. I got the chain back here to to to prove it right, the the turnover chain. But it's been a wild journey. It's had a lot of ups and downs. And I think that you mentioned that.
Lauren Sisler:Right? You know, I'm on TV. I'm covering sports. I'm covering college football, bringing people that are at home watching to the game, telling those stories, and ultimately recognizing that we all have a story. And so, you know, I think that's become the kinda centerpiece for my messaging, right, is letting people take ownership of their stories, encouraging them to take ownership of their stories because I believe that we're all shaped by those stories and we're shaped by our experiences.
Lauren Sisler:And I have seen that more and more as I continue on this journey in sports broadcasting. As I'm talking to the players, getting to know their why, what fuels them, what motivates them, what gets them out of bed every morning to go out there and compete and perform. And so that recognition for me is seeing that impact. Right? The impact of story and then recognizing that, wow.
Lauren Sisler:I have a story to share as well. And so, you know, it has not always been easy. As you said, you see me as the sports reporter on TV, but behind it all, there has been a journey, and that journey has certainly been trying and challenging, and it it has certainly made me who I am today.
Mick Hunt:I love it. And, you know, I want you to be able to share this, and and I know you're writing the book about it, and the title is there with Shatterproof and and all that. But losing your parents to opioid addiction. Right? And and I love how you put the shame of that because we all have a thing.
Mick Hunt:And this is what I love about you, l boogie. I'm just gonna keep calling you l boogie all day. Yeah. This is what I love is that you're open, and I think you recognize, right, that there there are a lot of people that paint this perfect picture of how they got to where they are. But for most of us, it never was perfect.
Mick Hunt:And I think a lot of us have that shame of opening up about certain things. Right? And and so the fact that you were being honest and transparent, I salute you for that.
Lauren Sisler:Well, I appreciate that. And honesty and transparency has been very freeing for me, but it wasn't always that way. And I think that I was imprisoned to the shame that I felt for so many years because of opioid addiction being attached to my parents' name. Right? I felt it was up to me to preserve their legacy at all costs, and I felt like I did everything I could to mask the truth of what happened to them because I think that's what they would have wanted.
Lauren Sisler:Or in that time, that's what I thought they would have wanted because they did the same thing, right, when they were here with us doing everything they could to mask the truth of what was happening as they're drowning in their addictions. And, ultimately, I believe that their silence and their shame, you know, was a product of what they were going through and just the the stigmas that are associated with it. Right? And so I recognized that they must have felt that pain and that shame, and I wanted to I use this word, and I think it's a very powerful word, exonerate myself from that shame. Right?
Lauren Sisler:Exonerate. You hear that word a lot when people are exonerated from their imprisonment. Right? When they are given a chance to release themselves, to go out into the world and get a second chance or a third chance or a 4th chance or whatever that is. And to me, I believe that's so powerful because I do feel there's so much freedom that comes with honesty, with truth, with vulnerability, transparency, and owning my story, owning the truth of it all.
Lauren Sisler:Because, yes, I go on TV, and on the outside, I look like, oh, this sports reporter that's out here having a great time, l boogie shimming on the sidelines, all the good things. But it has taken me a long time to get to this place to be able to feel confident and feel open to sharing all of me to the world. Right? Because of that shame that I felt losing my parents within 5 hours of each other to fentanyl overdoses. You hear the word fentanyl in the headlines now.
Lauren Sisler:It is sad. It's devastating. It's heartbreaking because people are losing their lives to this epidemic that we've been under for many years now. And my parents were at the beginning of that, right, when fentanyl was just now being prescribed. So they were kind of at the beginning of that pathway as, you know, the OxyContin and some of these other opioids had hit the market and were being prescribed at, at an extreme level, and then they become addicted.
Lauren Sisler:And then my mom can't manage her medication with the OxyContin, so then she gets prescribed Fentanyl in a patch form, and eventually she becomes addicted to that. And both my parents begin taking it, misusing it, abusing it, and, ultimately, it takes both of their lives because it is an extremely powerful drug. And, you know, I think that that is to me what is so important is, you know, number 1 is is education. Right? Understanding how this can happen.
Lauren Sisler:Right? And that nobody here is exempt from it. I think that it's easy for us to kind of get into this mindset of like, oh, that's not me. That'll never happen to me. That'll never happen to my family.
Lauren Sisler:Without the education and understanding of what's out there and what is possible and what these drugs are capable of doing to us, it would be easy to get steered in that direction. You get an injury, an accident, something happens, and next thing you know, you wake up and you feel like you've gotta have this drug to help you function.
Mick Hunt:That's wild. And hearing that, number 1, thank you for sharing that depth with us. I actually really appreciate that. And, you know, I don't care when loss happens in your lifetime. Like, I believe, as humans, we never stop growing up.
Mick Hunt:Right? Like, some people say you never stop learning. I like to take it a little bit deeper and say you never stop growing up. Right. You never stop maturing.
Mick Hunt:How did losing your parents shape your life and career? Like, what's changed for you since that moment?
Lauren Sisler:I love that. I love that idea of we're always growing up because I think that our growth and our healing are always evolving. Right? We're always growing. We're always healing.
Lauren Sisler:Right? And so I would say that my experiences after losing my parents that have shaped me tremendously have been in that process of growth of realizing, like, wow. Like, this awful tragic thing happened, but now I can use it for good. And, you know, getting to that realization obviously takes a lot of time, so I'm not gonna mask over and gloss over the fact that, like, we are 21 years removed from the passing of my parents. And I'm still growing.
Lauren Sisler:I'm still healing. I'm still learning. I still cry. I still laugh. I still find joy.
Lauren Sisler:I there's there all those things work in synergy together. Right? And I think that's the beauty of this life, the ebbs and flows. Right? You're never gonna be on a high.
Lauren Sisler:You're never always gonna be happy. But also those trying times, the storms will pass. And I think for me, really, just how I got to this place, you know, again, I'm giving you the very condensed footnotes version of it, But being able to really just kind of step out of my fears and own my story. And I think really where it came from is I get into sports broadcasting thinking, wow. Like, I get to interview coaches and athletes and be on the field and confetti's falling on the field and this so exciting and all these wonderful things, but then realizing it's more than just a game.
Lauren Sisler:It's more than just a championship. It's more than just the trophy that is being hoisted in the air. Right? It's the stories, the layers of stories, the people that bring this championship to fruition. Right?
Lauren Sisler:It's not just the player himself and her herself. It's the coaches, the assistants, the academic counselors, the, you know, nutrition staff, the medical staff, the community, the parents, I mean, everybody that makes this possible. And I think what I realized in this journey is that we are all shaped by those experiences and losing my parents the way that I did has certainly shaped me. And I could have done 1 of 2 things. Right?
Lauren Sisler:I could have let it own me and take me down and take me in a different direction to a different pathway, Take that step forward and say, you know what? I'm not gonna let this own me. I'm gonna use this to shape me and make me a better person and guide me in those steps. And so that was really instrumental for me because when I would see the impact that, you know, a player comes to me, shares their story, I have the opportunity to share it with the audience, and then I see the response and the residual impact, the ripple effect that it has, I'm like, wow. Like, that's amazing.
Lauren Sisler:There's something special about this. And so I realized, wait a sec. Why silence myself and silence my story when my story too can also have a tremendous impact? And so I think things have really come full circle in that regard, and it really took seeing that impact firsthand as I'm delivering it and recognizing like, woah. Like, we're onto something here.
Lauren Sisler:And now not only do I have this opportunity to go out and share stories, find purpose in doing that and giving people maybe that key to unlock the pain that they're feeling, the shame that they're feeling, and help them to move past that point in their lives and to find joy again.
Mick Hunt:Totally agree. And, you know, what I love about that is you're providing not just the story, which can be somewhat easy, but you're giving insights of how to improve and and the things that you're gonna go through. Right? And and that's what I love about the things that you speak about, what is going to be in the book and just following you on social. It's not just, hey.
Mick Hunt:Here's my story. It's more of you're almost like that guide, right, of let me tell you some things you can be doing, or let's talk through this together. So I appreciate that from you as well too.
Lauren Sisler:Yeah. And and that's the biggest thing. I wanna meet people where they're at. Right? Because a lot of people have experienced addiction, whether it's individually as themselves or in their families' loved ones.
Lauren Sisler:It is a universal issue and something that more people experience than people realize because, again, people don't wanna talk about it. But meeting people where they're at because whether it is addiction, everyone experiences shame. Everyone has gone through something, made a decision, lost a job, went through a divorce and infidelity. It deals with addiction in all shapes and sizes. It doesn't have to be substances.
Lauren Sisler:Everyone knows the feeling of shame. And I wanna meet people where they're at and help to encourage them that they don't have to stay there. They don't have to stay, you know, tucked away in the in this this prison of shame that they can they can come out and they could they could own their story. They can own their circumstances and say, you know what? I'm not gonna live like this anymore.
Lauren Sisler:I'm gonna push forward and and develop that shatterproof mindset. Right? And so that's what, you know, I really talk about in my book, shatterproof, is really outlining obviously the story of how things really happened with my parents and the understanding the depths of it because it wasn't as simple as, oh, they're in pain, and now they're going to a pain management doctor, and now they're medication, and now they're addicted to it. There's so many layers to it, and that's humanity. Right?
Lauren Sisler:There's so many layers to who we are and how we become who we are and what we're going through. And so I just wanna encourage people on that journey and help them to build that shatterproof mindset.
Mick Hunt:Love it. So the shadowproof mindset, what are some of the pillars or principles of having a shatterproof mindset?
Lauren Sisler:So the shadowproof mindset to me, you know, comes in many different, I guess, forms again depending on what circumstances you're in. Right? And so what I kinda like to sort of talk about is a shatterproof mindset is really developing that mental and emotional strength, right, to face adversity. Right? Because you can become as physically fit as possible.
Lauren Sisler:I I think about back to my gymnastics days. Right? There's a major physicality to gymnastics, but there's also a massive mental capacity. I mean, you've got to train yourself mentally just as much as you do physically to be able to perform at a peak level in gymnastics. And so to me, the concept of a shatterproof mindset is developing the mental and emotional strength to face adversity head on.
Lauren Sisler:Right? It's bending without breaking. It's finding resilience even when we are faced with some of the toughest times. And I think that that's something that, you know, we all have to grab onto. It's embracing the struggles, leaning into them, not leaning out, learning from them, using them to fuel us, to drive us forward.
Lauren Sisler:Right? What's the motivator? If we were to win every single game we went out there and played, then we wouldn't we we lose our gratitude. We become entitled. We become, we you know, there there's there's so much work that goes into it.
Lauren Sisler:And so sometimes the setbacks are what drives us closer to success because it's what teaches us. It's what learns us. It's what helps us to grow. It's like you said, we're always growing up. Right?
Lauren Sisler:And I think that mindset is so important. So instead of avoiding challenges, we face them. We rise above them, and we say, wow. Okay. I did that.
Lauren Sisler:Now I have gratitude. Now I saw how I did that. Now I take this situation and learn from it and grow from it and use some of the resilient toolkit that I have created for myself. Right? And, honestly, I think that the mindset of a shatterproof mindset is living a life full of purpose.
Lauren Sisler:Right? Living a life full of purpose, living a life full of purpose of joy regardless of the obstacles that we're gonna encounter. Because when you find that joy, when you find that purpose, it gets you up in the morning. It's what drives you. It's what it it is what ultimately motivates you to continue pushing forward and to continue being your best self.
Lauren Sisler:And so, you know, 1 thing I like to tell people is leaning in to adversity, go after it. Don't run from it. Attack it. And I think that is something that I encourage people to keep in mind because you can use it as fuel for your day.
Mick Hunt:You know what, Elle Boogie? We should just cohost this podcast because everything that you're about is exactly what I talk about when I go do my keynote speaking. Those are the same topics that I talk about as well.
Lauren Sisler:I love it. I know. And then She's
Mick Hunt:the cohost that's moving forward. It's the l boogie and Mick unplugged podcast.
Lauren Sisler:I know. I love it. Well and that's the thing. Right? Because and what I love about that is, you know, your message and my message might be similar, but your experiences and how you deliver it are very different.
Lauren Sisler:Right? And will resonate with people. And you and I could literally stand on the same stage, give the same keynote or at least some of the same principles, and it will be received from people in different ways and they can relate to it differently. And I think that's what the beauty of being a voice is. Using your voice make you're using your voice to influence and empower others.
Lauren Sisler:Right? And I think that is so important, and that's where I want people to be bold and courageous and to use their voice. And that doesn't necessarily mean that you gotta go grab a microphone and stand on stage or be on TV. But what that means is that you're using your voice to encourage others, to enlighten others, to empower others, to help others grow, to get out of the situation they're in, and to have the confidence to say, you know what? This isn't forever.
Lauren Sisler:If I stand up, put 1 foot in front of the other, I can get past this. I can move past. This does not have to be my life forever. And I think that's so important to realize and understand because I think especially in the world of addiction, people get stuck in that mindset or people fall under hard times. A lot of times drugs, alcohol, addiction, those things lead to incarceration.
Lauren Sisler:Right? And people find themselves imprisoned in in real life, in reality, and think this is my life. Like, there's no way out. No. There is redemption.
Lauren Sisler:Everybody has a chance for redemption. And, you know, for me as someone that's, that's a woman of faith, I know where my redemption comes from. But every single person here has the opportunity to be redeemed. And whether that's the first chance, second chance, 3rd chance, there is that opportunity. And so I wanna encourage anybody how low you feel, how bad you feel, how bad you've screwed up.
Lauren Sisler:In your mind, if you think you've just screwed things up thoroughly and there's no way out, that is false. There is a way out. There is a redemption story for you. Your story is currently being written. Setbacks are not the end of the story.
Lauren Sisler:They're just the turning point. And I want to encourage people no matter where you're at right now to realize that and to know that you will overcome. You will take that next step in the next direction. You've just gotta recreate that mindset and know that you deserve it and that you belong here and that, ultimately, you take whatever it is you've gone through and use it to fuel that fire. Don't let it drag you down.
Lauren Sisler:Use it to pick you up.
Mick Hunt:The doors of the church are now open. I feel like there needs to be a collection plate passed around somewhere because you just took us to church right there. So I'm gonna get you out of here on a couple of things. Right? We're gonna go rapid fire with l boogie.
Lauren Sisler:Alright. Bring it, baby.
Mick Hunt:Sideline shimmy. When that become a part of your brand and why?
Lauren Sisler:2019, it became a part of my brand accidentally because oh, by the way, I dance on the sidelines because people say, do you still get nervous on TV? Wouldn't you when you flip on the camera and you've got 2, 000, 000 people staring at you in the in the lens on the other side? Yes. So that was a way to really move the nerves through my body. What I didn't realize is the cameras are always rolling.
Lauren Sisler:So I was always dancing around the field acting silly. And so in 2019, the inception of the sideline shimmy was born.
Mick Hunt:Who is your favorite college team and coach, and why is it UNC and Mac Brown?
Lauren Sisler:Ah, loaded question. Hey. Look. I'm a put it this way. I'm Scarlet Knights forever.
Lauren Sisler:I went to Rutgers. I wear Rutgers on my sleeve. I live in Alabama. There's a school here that has a color that's similar to scarlet, little more crimson. So I have to remind people when I wear red, it's not to crimson, it's scarlet, which by the way, Mick, just keep in mind, Rutgers, we invented college football back in 18/69.
Lauren Sisler:So therefore, comma, they are my favorite team. My favorite program always will be because, a, I went there and I the blood, sweat, and tears are smeared all over that floor in that gymnasium where I used to compete day in and day out and practice in the hard work of the gymnastics. Rutgers is where it started, the birthplace, babe.
Mick Hunt:I just learned something new. I didn't know Rutgers still played football.
Lauren Sisler:Oh, bird. Hey. Greg Siano is
Mick Hunt:Totally joking. Rutgers sports don't don't me. I I love Rutgers. My my son my oldest son is a college coach now, so I support us.
Lauren Sisler:Where is he coaching at?
Mick Hunt:He's at Texas State. So he was at UCF for the last 3 years
Lauren Sisler:as ASK and GA,
Mick Hunt:and now he's out in Texas State.
Lauren Sisler:Oh, fun. Okay. Yeah. Very cool. So he got to spend some time with, Gus Malzahn over there at UCF.
Lauren Sisler:Yeah. That's where that's where
Mick Hunt:I saw you for the first time live. I was out there.
Lauren Sisler:Was I dancing around the sidelines?
Mick Hunt:Of course. That's when you became l boogie.
Lauren Sisler:Oh, I love it. What a full circle moment. This is great.
Mick Hunt:Absolutely. Alright. Last question, and I'm gonna say this for the listeners. Number 1, definitely go get the book. Lawrencedibsall.com.
Mick Hunt:There's a page for the book that you can go put your information in, get insights, get updates, everything. Definitely do that. Do that for me, please. All the midpoint followers and listeners, do that for me. It will mean a lot to me.
Mick Hunt:But then, Lauren, where can people follow you, find you aside from ESPN?
Lauren Sisler:Yes. So laurencesler.com, thanks for plugging that. Would love for you guys to jump in on my mailing list so I can update you. The book drops October 1st, but we'll have all the updates on where you can buy it, where you can get it, where you can share it, all the fun things. But also social media.
Lauren Sisler:Right? At Lauren Sissler on all the social channels, and I'd love to hear from y'all. My DMs are open, and I know some people are like, that's cray. Why why you keep your DMs open. And I'm like, I'm a grown woman.
Lauren Sisler:I know how to siphon through the junk. Right? Okay? But I've had some great conversations and just I love to hear from people what they're going through, maybe how something I've said has encouraged them, inspired them, maybe they've got questions, or just wanna share what they're going through. I'd love to just hear from you all, and I appreciate you.
Lauren Sisler:Mick, this is amazing. I feel like I gotta come up with a nickname for you. Do you have a nickname that, that you go by?
Mick Hunt:Mick.
Lauren Sisler:K. So if I'm l boogie I don't know. M jiggy? Okay. Let's go.
Mick Hunt:M jiggy it is.
Lauren Sisler:L boogie and m jiggy. Getting jiggy with it. But I I do appreciate it, and I just appreciate the work that you do and just being a voice and a platform and a place for people to go and learn and grow. We're always growing, baby.
Mick Hunt:It's all about growth. El Boogie, I appreciate you more than you know. Can't wait to do this again. Make unplug. Lauren sisler.com.
Mick Hunt:The book is right there. Sign up for the email list. Again, do it for me. I need you to do that. And, again, remember, your because is your superpower.
Mick Hunt:Go unleash it.
Intro:Thanks for listening to Mick Unplugged. We hope this episode helps you take the next step toward the extraordinary and launches a revolution in your life. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast, and be sure to check us out on YouTube at Mick Unplugged. Remember, stay empowered, stay