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The Moonshots Podcast goes behind the scenes of the world's greatest superstars, thinkers and entrepreneurs to discover the secrets to their success. We deconstruct their success from mindset to daily habits so that we can apply it to our lives. Join us as we 'learn out loud' from Elon Musk, Brene Brown to emerging talents like David Goggins.
[Music]
thank you
hello and welcome to the moonshots
podcast it's episode 209 I'm your
co-host Mike Parsons and as always I'm
joined by the co-host the legend himself
Mr Mark Pearson Freeland good morning
Mark good morning Mike good morning
listeners and members and subscribers we
have something pretty magical in store
today as show number 209 don't we Mike
in indeed we are just continuing in the
wisdom well there is so much there isn't
there mark yeah I quite like the wisdom
well that's that's a that's a nice
little phrase yes you're right Mike we
are deep into our wisdom series and
today listeners we are diving into a
pretty well-known and well-consumed book
that's actually celebrating it's 35th
year anniversary very very soon and that
is poor coelhos The Alchemist which I
think Mike is fair to say a mysticism
comes through maybe a bit of magic but
also this idea of wisdom the wisdom of
looking at your things in your life and
determining what matters to you and
these are all pretty important Concepts
and themes that I think we've come
across on the show before but really
never diving into quite in this depth
have we yeah I I think Mark this is
almost
the book before all the other books
perhaps
um as we dive into the wisdom world we
are going to find a book that is all
about
not
living a life where you dream of doing
things and not doing any of them this
book originally it's written through two
characters is written as a fictitional
story a bit like Socrates and Dan
millman's way of the Peaceful Warrior
but this is all about our path our
Legend and doing the things we were born
to do and so Mark I think before we get
into growth mindset brene Brown you know
James Clear Ryan holiday before all
those other moonshots classic
comes books like Paul Coello and The
Alchemist
comes the books that are all about
challenging you and inspiring you to do
the things you were born to do and not
to live the life that others would have
you live but to live your life it's
pretty good stuff Mark it's pretty good
stuff and I think there's a reason why
it is uh Paul Coello actually has the
Guinness world record for the most
translated book by any living author so
I think if we have listeners thinking
well you know Mike and Mark they've done
Dom Miguel Ruiz and The Four Agreements
we've just heard Dan Millman with the
way of the Peaceful Warrior now they're
talking about this brand new book that's
all about wisdom it is truly one of the
most consumed and enjoyed as well as
translated books globally so I think
Mike it's got to have some
tips themes lessons that we can all
learn from in order to try out and
create that Foundation that enables us
to utilize the work of you know James
clear with atomic habits with the work
of maybe McConaughey encouraging us to
journal all these tips that we've
learned through the moonshot show
without the foundation of getting
ourselves right getting ourselves into
the headspace of being
um you know true to ourselves and being
authentic I think it's it's a bit of a
struggle to then authentically deliver
on the the journaling delivering on
being the best version of yourself so
you're right this is almost like a like
a precursor or a foundation to build on
for the rest of the moonshot shows yeah
I mean absolutely this this really is so
you know what I what I would really
encourage all of our listeners and
subscribers and members to get ready for
is it's such a great time of the year
it's the end of the year you're going to
start reflecting and asking yourself
what are you going to do next year is
this is an opportunity to explore what
we really dream of doing all those
moments where we feel natural I mean
whatever we're doing so comfortable or
maybe there's just something calling you
and you don't know quite what it is well
this is the show that is going to help
you unlock that because we all dream and
this book will tell us show us and teach
us how to make those dreams become
reality all right Mark where should we
start well I think with a setup like
that Mike we can only have words from
two other dreamlike individuals so let's
open our show with Paul Coello talking
to none other and Oprah about how to not
be a part-time Dreamer
you know it took me years I knew that I
want to be a writer since I was young
and have this megalomanic things about
being the most famous writer in the
world but
it's not enough to know what you want
you have to to do what you want to be
what you want you know so a writer
implies in writing books yeah a gardener
implies in gardens
you know but if you I don't know about
today but if you talk to your father
your mother
if you are from a middle class
I want to be a gardener
your father said oh my son
please go to the university yeah
get a diploma and you can do your
gardening during the weekend you know
but you love plants you love the soil
you love you know but at the end of the
day you are convinced and this is not
good for the person who is being
convinced and for the person who is
trying to convince you are creating this
order of frustration
around them
frustration Mark I mean this this one's
really big and and you know I cannot
begin to tell you how much I experienced
this
in my life particularly you know around
high school and in College of not doing
what you were born to do but rather
following the path that others expected
of me this Mark is why I only lasted for
seven weeks at University
can you imagine the look of my family's
face when I'm like yes so about that
University thing I think I'm going to
quit anyway that's a whole nother show
but the the thing here is it's not good
to put our expectations on others people
have to find their own path but also as
individuals we must hold on to that
feeling you know Paul was talking about
if someone is really compelled by being
out in the garden to being amongst
plants and grass and animals if this is
the thing it calls you like even when
it's rainy you go out into the garden
even when it's too hot you go out in the
garden button if you have something like
that in your life be IT professional or
personal anything in between and you
have this I I would describe it like if
if there is a feeling of magnetism you
are drawn to something another good way
of thinking about it is if you are
prepared to do something
and not be paid for it and still find
satisfaction in it some joy in that act
that's a huge signal Mark that you're
doing something that you deeply enjoy
you get a sense of fulfillment like we
don't get salaries for this show we've
been recording a show every week for
four years because we just love it like
that is that magnetism that I'm talking
about do you have moments Mark in your
life where you like feel that magnetism
where you're aware that something's kind
of calling you yeah it's that feeling of
you know being alive
it's the idea for me that I think mihai
chick sent me high really encapsulated
in his in his book flow the idea of
getting into something with such
attention
and focus and being able to be
completely immersed in it yeah and not
be too distracted by other things which
are you know maybe pulling your
attention away you lose yourself right
you lose yourself exactly you get fully
into into that flow
but those moments I find a pretty rare
mic I think you're right those are only
really reserved for moments that I would
traditionally call Hobbies or passions
maybe it's a bit of exercise that then
sets me up for the day maybe and that's
for me you know a good long swim
maybe a nice run outside something that
gets the blood pumping
so so you know it's interesting I think
we all have this uh compelling magnetism
um to some sort of hobby maybe a sport
maybe something creative but you know I
think the the message in Paul coello's
book The Alchemist is that can be in as
many parts of your life as you choose
and particularly when we talk about work
and career
I believe we have a right to fill this
magnetism this Flow State to be doing
work
that truly satisfies us makes us feel
good I think that's a right I don't
think that should be the exception I
think for most people we don't feel that
deep compelling sense about the work we
do and that's why I think if you're a
listener to the moonshots podcast you're
sort of trying to find a way to align
the things that you love what you can
get paid for and to find a mission or
say differently just shoot for the moon
I think we're all on a mission to do
that and I think it's interesting when
what Paul Coello does is he kind of
calls us out on it all right don't be a
part-time dreamer don't be dreaming in
that little anecdote that he gave don't
be dreaming of going into the garden but
not doing it I think if you can tune
into these message ages I think
fulfillment and purpose are on the other
side of that don't you Matt well yeah
absolutely and this is really reminding
me of our series on happiness so with
talben Shahar and his book happier
learning the secrets of daily Joy I
think he was really touching upon this
this idea of Happiness being a little
bit of a paradox something that's always
just Out Of Reach something that we're
always striving towards whether it's
success at work or maybe it's just
getting up in the morning and feeling
good about yourself it's always
something that's just a little bit Out
Of Reach but really I think what we
learned from Dalai Lama and the
happiness series and I think where Paul
Coelho is taking us with the Alchemist
is it doesn't always have to be
something that is mythical
it can be something that if you approach
it in the right way you can either
retrain yourself to feel happier when
you're out and doing stuff feeling
content but also more importantly as we
heard in this intro clip on today's show
this idea of finding what's authentic to
yourself and really structuring your
behavior your actions as well as your
mindset around it in order to try out uh
and Achieve or stay true to that
authenticity
it's a it's a big Chestnut to crack
isn't it Mark I think if you want to
find your true self and you know a big
part of that you know the word on the
street is and in his next book poor
coella is going to talk about becoming a
member of the moonshots podcast is a
guaranteed way of unlocking your purpose
and finding your Legend So Mark I think
it is only appropriate that we tip our
hat to our members well what has become
a brand new uh
method of Celebration every single week
day in day out Mike is our roll call of
members so please welcome
Bob John Terry candietmar Byron margin
Connor and Yasmine all of whom are now
celebrating over 12 months as members of
the year I think yeah it's mean uh has
formally gone into the one year
anniversary Club so we are just so
grateful Yasmine to your support and
thank you ever so much but there's
plenty more other Members Mark there are
plenty more members who are hot on
yasmeen's trail and that includes Lisa
said Mr bonjour and Paul Burke Cowman
David and Joe Crystal Ivo Christian and
hurricane brain samuela Kelly Barbara
and Andre Matthew Eric Abby and Chris
Deborah lasse Craig and Daniel on Andrew
Rave Yvette and LGV Raul PJ nikwara Ola
Ingram Sarah Dirk Emily Harry and our
brand new two members Karthik and
venkata welcome guys and thank you so
much for your support of the moonshot
show yes thank you indeed and if you are
thinking to yourself gee this becoming a
member sounds pretty great lots of
others are doing it head over to
moonshots.io click on the members tag
you're gonna get a whole new podcast the
moonshots Master Series that's only for
our members you can only get it from our
patreon site but you know what Mark you
get lunar-powered good become I mean
lunar powered I mean that sets you up to
go live your personal Legend I reckon
yeah it really does lunar-powered good
wishes from us but also you get access
to the Master Series an entirely new uh
as well as separate show where we Deep
dive into some of the themes and the
topics and the insights that we learn on
the moonshots weekly show so we really
recommend if you want to dive into the
work on
stoics as well as the idea of Happiness
as well as uh real practical tips like
rapid prototyping or managing people
become a member and you get access to
all of that good stuff
all right well now let's turn our minds
back to the work of Paul Coello and The
Alchemist let's now tune into some
thinking from conscious originals and
they've broken down some tips and advice
on how you can live your personal Legend
you must follow your heart your
heart-centered dreams and your
heart-centered desires those are your
natural interests there are the things
that make you feel alive inspired
energized excited and the things that
spark curiosity within you too many
people discard their dreams because
they've managed to convince themselves
that they are not reasonable and that's
because most of the programming that
society and or education implanted in
our minds was to prepare us to live an
ordinary life not our personal Legends
but your heart-centered desires are not
childish fantasies they are breadcrumbs
guiding you to your most authentic and
most fulfilling life plus as Palo CUO
wrote you will never be able to escape
from your heart so it's better to listen
to what he has to say the second step is
to not fall for the ego's ones or the
shoulds of society one of the main
difficulties in pursuing your personal
Legends is differentiating our heart's
desires from the ones of the ego or the
ones that come from conditioning the
ego's wants are rooted in fear or
feelings of lack or need for example
when I was a teenager I wanted to become
a famous actress and live in Hollywood I
did theater at the time and I did enjoy
acting but the reason I wanted to be
famous was not a heart-centered dream or
desire it was my ego I wanted to feel
important and be popular as for the
desires of the ones that come from
conditioning there are the things that
are Society or education or maybe our
parents told us we should do or should
want for example I went to University
because I was told growing up that smart
people get college degrees of course
that's not true and for me it ended up
being a waste of time and a waste of
money so to help you differentiate your
heart centered dreams and desires from
those from your ego or conditioning you
can write down what you want and then
for each thing ask yourself why do I
want it is it to receive praise or to
obtain a certain social status or maybe
to feel Superior to others then that's
the ego is it because you were told that
it's something you should do then that's
conditioning and if it's because it
makes you feel inspired and energized
and Alive then that's your heart step
three is to commit to pursuing your
personal Legend So pursuing your
personal Legends require commitment I
would say even devotion if we keep
putting our dreams on the back burner
then we're not committed and we're
probably not going to achieve them to
commit to your dreams you can start by
writing them down and reading them often
like daily you can also create a vision
board that kind of a collage that
illustrates your dreams or you can also
visualize them but most importantly you
need to make room for them in your life
if you feel curious about salsa dancing
then take a class or if you love animals
then maybe you can volunteer at a
shelter once a week or if you feel drawn
to deserts maybe plan a trip to visit
one
these are three big
meaty sometimes difficult tips on how to
live an authentic life everything
Michael which one do you think is the
hardest the the writing down
the evaluating of the committing I I
think it's actually being honest with
yourself
so it's a little bit of a I think the
act of writing it down
helps so for me in fact Let me let me
take you through a recent example Mike
I had a situation at work where I was
thinking a little bit a little bit
um nervous or anxious I wasn't quite
sure whether I'd made the right decision
about something and I was thinking okay
well
if it works out great if it doesn't no
problem that's fine let's let's just
write it down let's see whether this is
something I should be getting upset
about whether this is indeed something
that's worth my uh bandwidth and whether
it's something that actually I should
rethink as a an authentic area to spend
a lot of time on and and therefore
energy to try and rectify or whether
it's not that big a deal
and the actor of writing it down
journaling
and I I wrote it down in a few different
places one in my journal but also as as
more of like a second order thinking uh
framework in order to try and determine
what the right step forward was
and building on what we were just
hearing from conscious Originals in that
um clip just then was the idea of being
honest with yourself and evaluating
whether the decision that I'm
considering maybe it's to save face
is an ego thing or not so there's
obviously a a great benefit from raising
a hand and and asking for help at the
same time maybe it's not needed maybe
it's only my ego that is playing in and
that it's
using that as an opportunity to try and
you know be seen or be heard and
actually running it down
was somewhat easy I would say because I
needed to to sort of get it out but
actually the hard or difficulty became
we're trying to be really focused and
honest with how I was responding to that
situation does that make sense yeah
because I think that it is
not common to be taught to express
to communicate to write down to
acknowledge the things that you truly
love to do things that bring you Delight
fulness satisfaction well-being when you
are in that flow State and sometimes the
things that make you feel great
are a bit different to what others have
and then you're like oh you know maybe I
don't want to go to university maybe
that doesn't make me feel great maybe to
use Paul coello's example maybe I love
being a gardener and well it's not a
lawyer or a doctor I mean it's a bit odd
that I really want to be a a gardener
how quirky and silly is that but what
we're seeing here is that in the work of
Paul Coelho The Alchemist
true paths are to follow
these moments your heart desires what we
just heard your heart's desires are
breadcrumbs to your personal Legend your
purpose your mission on this planet
you need to acknowledge and pursue those
otherwise you're living a life as a
part-time dreamer you're sort of
occasionally indulging feelings of oh
gee I really love this but it feels
natural I'm feeling like I'm born to do
this but I'm only going to do it once on
the weekend like that doesn't like the
logic of that actually doesn't sound so
great doesn't matter no it doesn't
because it's really trimming down the
amount of time that you are or all of us
are living a version of ourselves that
we're quite comfortable with you know
when you're limiting your let's let's
call it passion or Hobbies the things
that make you really truly happy
to just one day a week maybe at most two
it's it's a very small amount of time
isn't it and yes it is fractional and
you know
one of the things that's really
interesting here is you can go and fast
forward it and say imagine that you're
on your last days
could you ever imagine yourself saying
well I'm glad I you know had this dream
of being a gardener but I never
fulfilled it and I'm glad that I went
off and I was a lawyer instead you'll
never say that you will always be
haunted by this
oh I was always compelled by being a
gardener now here's the thing bring it
into today if you feel sort of storm
clouds or an air of discontent and you
can't put your finger on it invariably
if you're not getting energy from the
things you do each day if you're not
getting to the end of the day and say
that was great and I'm going to get
stuck into it tomorrow
even you know of course there's there's
hard times and rough times and things
aren't going to plan but if you're not
experiencing over the course of of days
and weeks a sense of I'm on the right
track I'm feeling good about this if you
are feeling
a level of discontent dissatisfaction
and you can't quite put your finger on
it read this book ask yourself what is
my personal Legend write it down and
evaluate why do you want these things
and if you can find the things that
really speak to your heart's desires and
they're not about your ego but they
really speak to you through Delight
fulfillment and satisfaction then you
know these are the things you need to
pursue and you should commit to them
so Mark here's my question is there
something in your life that you have
found really is part of your personal
vision is there something a small thing
that you really love to do that you've
made a commitment to
well I think for me it's come in a more
recent experience you know over the last
let's say six months where I've actively
tried to
um
Embrace and get comfortable with being
uncomfortable as we've heard a lot on
the show with Open Water swimming
so the impact of waking up very early
well actually no sorry the impact of
being prepared the night before
packing your kit putting your your
running shoes out packing a bag whether
you're swimming with your swimming staff
and your goggles
then waking up very early running to the
beach or running to the water going for
a nice long swim
having that discipline
as we would have heard from Brian
Holliday
to maintain that that as a as a habit I
suppose
has benefited me quite a lot much more
than I would have anticipated at least
at the beginning where I would have
thought okay I'll Open Water Swimming
great bit of Fitness
fun yeah a bit of social time fantastic
really the benefit has come from the
practice of you know being exposed to
asking myself is this making me happy do
I enjoy going because if I don't enjoy
going why what's the point how good is
it to swim in in those beautiful
Australian oceans but I just tell us how
beautiful is it I mean it's it's
it it's frankly uh pretty tricky to to
put into words but the cold water the
clarity of the water when you've got a
good day even when it's a bit wavy it's
kind of fun it puts a lot of joy into
into my mornings and I I notice a
physical difference in myself for the
remainder of that day because I've had
uh such a joyful moment at the start so
similarly to what we might have heard
from you know Cal Newport or Ron holiday
who encourage us not to have our phones
beside us so they're not the first thing
that we reach for in the mornings
instead it's replaced by getting up
early often at dawn getting down into
the water being exposed to something
that to be honest can be a little bit
uncomfortable particularly for me as a
as a British guy who's who's a little
bit soft Mike
let me hit you with this question though
all right so you've you've overcome all
of the organization the discipline the
resilience you've swum you get out on
that golden Australian sand early in the
morning and you've just um how does that
feel
their sense of accomplishment yeah is is
the key it's like a fast track for doing
something at work and seeing the result
I think the benefit that I've found
through being able to
um practice that resilience but also
patience you know swimming can be you're
kind of in your own head from the time
that's definitely benefited me with
regards to work as well because now I
have that little bit more patience when
I'm waiting on other people or even when
I'm waiting on myself you know allowing
the ego to calm down a little bit I'm
not the fastest swimmer I'm certainly
probably not the best but enabling
yourself to do something where you know
you're maybe not the best at it but
still finding great joy and enjoyment
and satisfaction it has been really uh
fantastic as well yeah I totally hear
you you know I'm I'm far from the
world's greatest Runner but I get out
there and I do my kilometers
um and it's very similar process another
one that comes to mind that is really
interesting is when I did quit
University and and gave my my parents
heart palpitations
um I was delivering the great news that
I was going to be a professional
full-time DJ
in 1994 and
um I had been DJing for a couple of
years before that and working in radio
long story short is that still to this
day
I have a studio and I go and mix and
the opportunity uh to play records and
to create DJ mixes still 30 years later
brings me so much joy and a lot like
your swimming program I have to get
organized I have to work on it I have to
prepare music put it all together
produce it mix it edit it post it and
all of that good stuff and it is such a
joy and one of the greatest things is
that I've kind of Gone In and Out of
DJing over 30 years but to just just a
weekend ago I did a a whole new mix
album and it felt
fantastic to do and the great little
kicker when you have a creative practice
is that you often have an asset at the
end of it so mark this is just blending
all worlds then there is nothing better
than going for a nice long run and
listening to one of those mixes for 60
90 120 minutes and that is just
to me that's where you lose yourself
it's Flow State it's joy and I'm so
happy to have held on to this and for
example I think because I've held on to
that that's a little bit of my personal
Legend but I think that makes me happier
more satisfied I think that makes me a
better co-worker a better father a
better husband I think all of the
goodness that I get from
pursuing something that really is my
heart's desire which is music
and it's makes me
more well-rounded more at peace more
just a better guy and that's what's on
offer if we follow our personal Legend
don't you think Mark yeah I think you're
totally right that's where you start to
see that heart-centered desires really
kicking in when you can dismiss the ego
when you can commit to your Legend and
those dreams that you want to try and
Achieve as Paul Coello would call out I
think this is really the the magic stuff
of the wisdom series isn't it and if
you're really getting into this head
over to moonshots.io where you can get
the transcript you can get all the links
the show notes and you can see related
episodes all around wisdom and really
just working out figuring out life
because man Mac wife is a hard thing
isn't it it's full of obstacles it's
full of obstacles and fundamentally the
challenges that we all face it's
probably the case that somebody's been
through it for burst so and and that we
are often the biggest obstacle and that
we our minds our voice in our heads are
the things that slow us down too much oh
they are indeed so let's now turn our
mind uh back towards Paul Coello and The
Alchemist he's got some thinking on
goals in overcoming all the things that
we're going to face if we're going to
pursue our personal religion so let's
start with some thinking from four
minute books summarizing Paul coelho's
thoughts on how to reach your goals if
you want to reach your biggest goals and
feel fulfilled you must follow your
personal Legend The Story begins with a
young Spanish shepherd having a
recurring dream it happens each time he
sleeps under a sycamore tree outside of
an old church building in the dream the
boy hears from a child that he must go
to the Egyptian pyramids to seek a
treasure after meeting with a gypsy
woman to find out what the dream means
the boy is surprised when she says he
needs to go to Egypt to make matters
even stranger an old man named
Melchizedek tells the boy the same thing
this time however the man uses the word
personal Legend to explain what the
young man must do after some
deliberation the boy decides to follow
his personal Legend and head for the
pyramids he sells his sheep and begins
his journey by going to Tangier
throughout the remainder of the book he
is constantly running into obstacles to
his personal Legend but at each step
overcomes them to find success and
fulfillment you have a personal Legend
too it's as unique as you are you may
already know what it is and simply need
the courage to pursue it whether it's a
career family health or other aspiration
you must overcome everything holding you
back so that you can pursue your biggest
dreams once you begin the whole universe
will conspire to make it happen but that
doesn't mean you'll be without
difficulty
I like the call out that we've just
heard uh In that clip mic the idea that
a personal legend or a dream is very
very unique so the idea of you and I for
me it might be um letting swim well or
running or leaving Legacy as we're
hearing that clip it can be a career
Avenue it can be family it can be Health
maybe another aspiration maybe something
more creative
and at the end of the day every single
person is very very unique similarly to
Elizabeth Gilbert with big magic the
idea that even though something has been
done before maybe it's a book maybe it's
a podcast the point is you have not done
or I have not done the journey that I
would go on to go and create it and I
find that this is quite
a reassuring clip a reassuring idea from
The Alchemist which is all of us are
able to go out and start that Journey
whether it's Santiago leaving his
village and selling the sheep or whether
it's you and I starting something new
it's me taking on a new challenge at
work as long as it aligns with the
ambition that I might have to go out and
you know work hard achieve something in
life then it feels pretty empowering
doesn't it it certainly does it reminds
me of an episode that we did on Napoleon
Hill Think and Grow Rich and where Paul
Corella and surprisingly uh the work of
Napoleon Hill intersect it's about this
intention and about giving voice to the
intention writing it down so what I like
to do is I like to daily
make make a statement about who I am and
what will I do every single day so
for you mark you could say things like
every day you could Journal I am a
swimmer
I am a long distance swimmer my plan is
I will swim 25 kilometers that is what I
will achieve now the interesting thing
here is there's a lot of manifestation
practices where you need which kind of
bring you back to this basic idea of if
you have a goal you should have it clear
and Center in your conscious and
subconscious for example when I did the
marathon earlier this year gosh our
listeners are going to be sick of me
talking about my Marathon but I'll keep
going so so check this out I uh would in
the lead up I ran a couple of really
long not full marathons but really long
30 35k runs and I would put that number
on a poster right in my study right in
front of me so it was always reminding
me and on the month that I ran the 42
kilometer Marathon there was a big 42 on
a poster right in front of me and part
of my manifestations part of my mantras
where I am a runner I would say this
every morning I will run 42 kilometers
I would say that every single morning so
so Mike the best thing I can do is tell
you when I was out there on the course
and I was like running the marathon I
went back to that well of intention of
pursuing my heart's desires to run this
race because I needed that
because I was naked and I went there and
I got that energy it is so important to
remind us of our goals and to be clear
on them isn't it I think that's a lovely
uh build actually I think you're totally
right and that reminds me of our series
on goal setting
that's right achieving your goals with
with John Deere Christina woodkey as
well as Michael D Watkins
this idea of setting goals as well as
intentionality and holding yourself true
to those I think the the build that you
just did them like is is a really nice
one utilizing uh whether it's journaling
or to-do lists or just Post-it notes
around vision boards I don't I I don't
care if it's interpretive dance whatever
it takes to manifest those goals you've
got to say them every single day I mean
honestly do you think Elite athletes are
not thinking every day before they train
every time before they pay I will be the
best like there is just no way you can
imagine them achieving without that so
we've got to do the same we can't be
part-time dreamers we've got to like
remind ourselves of our goals because
human nature wasn't a little bit lazy we
just need to survive who wants to push
themselves across the Comfort Line we've
got to be a little bit David Goggins
here and if you don't do that
the crumbling moment comes when we have
to meet our fears and self-doubt isn't
it that's right sometimes the thing
that's holding us back is the fear of
failure or the fear of other people so
let's hear now again from four minute
books who continue this these lessons
that we're learning from The Alchemist
with an idea around beating fear stop
being afraid if you want to remove the
barriers that keep you from progressing
the boy soon arrives in Tangier the
culture and the language which he cannot
speak Amaze him this leads to someone
stealing all his money even worse he
fears he's made the wrong decision and
almost heads back for Spain but
remembering what melchized edict taught
him the young man pays attention to the
Omens all around him he recommits to his
personal Legend and begins working for a
local Crystal Merchant the merchant
recognizes the boy's presence as a good
omen and listens to his counsel that the
man should take more risks with his
business this pays off and the two
avenge actually become rich the merchant
knows what his personal Legend is and
recognizes that the boy's presence is an
omen that he should go after it but he's
too afraid to follow it and stays where
he is in contrast the young man uses his
money to courageously continue on his
journey to Egypt you also must follow
your dreams even when you're afraid of
the unknown path ahead fear is the
biggest thing in the way of you living
the life you want and only by beating it
can you live life to the fullest
fear and self-doubt oh I lay bad news
Mark I mean the amount of
challenges uh that every single one of
us face whether it's you and I making a
podcast whether it's Elon Musk taking
over Twitter uh it could be any person
in the world there will be moments in
life when fear holds you back so let's
let's do a quick inventory when are the
these moments I'll do some easy ones and
you see if you can do some builds here I
think when we're feeling like really
indecisive like uh I don't know left or
right I just don't know or oh well what
does it matter I don't really have much
say in this or frankly we just avoid we
just say decision what decision I don't
need to be a decision gold book God I
don't know about it
or blame blame other people so yeah oh
yeah I'm afraid of this situation
whether I'm gonna look bad uh I'll blame
somebody else how can I find the blame
game
yeah blame is a big one and and judgment
um when like let's say you're not aware
of you you know you're doing some of
these things
um I I'm I'm wondering like uh there are
some feelings uh that we that we might
have like apart from being indecisive I
I would say like for sure
um when you're starting to feel anxiety
and stress
this is often a proxy for like uh you're
really scared of the failure that may
result around whatever the issue is
um be it personal or professional I
think that's a big thing what else Matt
I would say uh the uh feeling of
you're not worthy enough imposter
syndrome that's a good one why am I in
this job or this role what am I bringing
to it that's that voicing that's the
monkey mind isn't it making it you doubt
yourself
yeah and just feeling kind of pretty
helpless in the whole thing right you're
just almost giving up right
just wanting to to run you know yes this
is certainly a uh feeling or emotion
that I've run into before you know in my
career when something happens uh maybe
it's uh something very small and
innocuous are you going to be late well
you haven't delivered something or maybe
something more substantial
and you're worried about what it's going
to affect how it's going to impact
everybody
you know what uh David Goggins talks
about is having a cookie jar which is uh
to remind yourself of times where you
faced adversity and you've overcome them
so we've all had times in our lives
where we've done amazing things and he
advises to keep a cookie jar and so you
write them all down and you can actually
go back to them when you are feeling
some of those emotions you can actually
go back to them going oh actually there
was this time and I really kick some ass
and did the right thing I think the
other thing you can do is remember all
the good things that you already have
and I mean if you really want to get in
an argument with someone about this you
can always say well the fact that you
can take a breath right here right now
is a win right you don't have to doubt
yourself you can take a breath you can
be here and now you can get up and go
for a walk for 20 minutes and feel
better you have that control you don't
have to give in to fear and self-doubt I
think the other thing that we touched
upon with Dale Carnegie and how to stop
worrying and start living life this book
talked about ask yourself if you really
are
experiencing fear and self-doubt what
really is the worst that can happen here
and invariably when we confront that
that relieves the anxiety because you
know the worst case scenario is so
highly unlikely to happen and think
about all the things we've worried about
in life and how many of them didn't even
occur
which is one of the greatest wisdom
truths ever of like we just worry about
so many things that never even happen I
think these are the way we can embed
some of the practices of Paul Coelho and
The Alchemist map what do you think any
other thoughts well I think as we
reflect on the clip we've just heard
with the uh with Santiago and the
individual that he's working with I
think those tips as you've just called
out Mike would have would have made
sense uh regardless of time you know
they are contemporary tips they are
Timeless aren't they the other of
committing yourself and having gratitude
and that's certainly something that we
were hearing within the happiness series
but we do have one more clip with
regards to some rules for success and
this is again from the four minute books
guys who are going to teach us with one
more little story about what to do when
you find yourself falling rise more
times than you fall and you will never
fail as the young man's Journey
continues he meets an Englishman who
tells him of an alchemist that can turn
lead to Gold eventually the two stop in
alphaeum as part of the Caravan they
travel with while there the boy uses his
Newfound ability to read Omens to
foresee an attack on the Oasis this
catches the attention of The Alchemist
the two eventually meet and he becomes a
mentor to the young man The Alchemist
also declares the importance of personal
Legends with what he learns from The
Alchemist the boy turns himself into the
wind when a tribe of Arab soldiers
captures them and threatens to kill them
The Alchemist continues to teach the boy
but eventually they must part ways
before the young man reaches Egypt when
he gets to Egypt he begins digging for
his treasure only to be immediately
beaten and robbed again one of the men
tells him of his own dream in which he
would find treasure under a tree in an
abandoned church in Spain the boy
recognizes this Omen and now knows where
his treasure really is he returns to
Spain to find it in the exact spot he
had his first Dream and uses it to
continue to fulfill his personal Legend
just like this young man you will fall
while on your journey but if you commit
to get up every time and keep going the
universe will once again conspire to
lead you to just where you need to be
just where you need to be I mean what's
so sweet about Paul coello's book The
Alchemist is there's a complete flip
side to this which I would say is you
can't hurt me David Goggins yes exactly
both saying the same thing in different
ways
um just get the hell back up don't give
in if you are living your Legend if you
are pursuing the true desires of your
heart to be the best version of yourself
you must not give in because like
technically the more times you fail it
means the closer you're getting to
really finding that Pursuit that
happiness that Wellness satisfaction
fulfillment whatever it is that you're
working towards you're going to get that
if you stick to it and if you don't
you've got to start again on a new
Pursuit right Mark like you just gotta
stay the course
just stay the course and avoid the
flight
feeling the idea of brene brown who
calls out that you need to enter the
arena yeah but ultimately you're gonna
have to Brave the Wilderness eventually
it is going to be it's going to be
inevitable in the hero's journey you
will run into times when things do get
tough yeah and we're hearing within this
obviously Fable by Paul carello uh of
the of this Shepherd but really I think
for you and I and our listeners it's
something that truly does happen so
regularly doesn't it we're not
necessarily in a new Village getting uh
mugged but there are days when we'll
maybe run into an individual or a
colleague
who you know grinds our gears just a
little bit maybe maybe it feels a little
bit unfair there's a bit of Injustice
and you what you want to do is uh you
know raise your fists or have a go at
somebody but I think calling back to the
first lessons that we were hearing from
uh from Polo cuello today in fact not to
put pressure on others I think he's is
coming back to me now much a dear of
having patience with other people as
well it's a big idea that we heard
within the stoic series yep what are you
what are you hearing as we continue
learning from The Alchemist I mean
resilience it's so great to see Polo uh
Coelho talking about because it is been
such a huge theme of this show I mean so
many different people from so many
different walks of life talk about the
need for resilience
I would say something that we did in the
finding purpose Master Series uh you
know we went deep on this idea of ikigai
and in that there's kind of four things
that can help you pursue your personal
Legend and I think this is what's really
important
it's like a checklist of if you're not
sure if you're on track or you're
considering giving up
I find these four things really
important to come back to you know are
you doing what you love
are you doing something that you're good
at
are you doing something you can be paid
for
and are you doing something the world
needs
and I think going back to those four
questions
can be confirmation that you are on
track or basically a preventative
measure to stop you from falling and and
stopping or you know what if you haven't
really unlocked your personal Legend go
to those four questions which are the
root of ikigai go to our finding purpose
Master Series you'll find everything you
need to know about icky guy there this
is how you keep going this is how you
pursue your personal Legend to go to
those questions what do you think Mark
well I think also we learned a lot of
advice and insights around uh passion
and natural Talent from Sir Ken Robinson
with yes yeah how passion fine how
finding your passion changes everything
I think this lesson around passion
Direction
authenticity melded with these stories
today that we're hearing with resilience
as well as grit you know Angela
Duckworth is really coming through in
that that clip we just heard around
Rising when you fall I think Mike we're
making the case as we put at the
beginning of the show without this
foundational
education or understanding It's tricky
to then build a lot of Our moonshots
advice without having this this
Foundation from The Alchemist isn't it
I think it really is and it's so
wonderful how this is like a parachute
across so many different ideas and books
and it comes at it from a beautiful
storytelling perspective A very wise
perspective and what's so really neat
about it is that deep inside of it Mark
you've got people like David Goggins
you've got people like brene brown
you've got people like Dale Carnegie and
Napoleon Hill they're all intersecting
crisscrossing and you know weaving a web
really of how to to find purpose and
when we're on track living out our
Legend living our purpose we feel a bit
more satisfied with the day we get to
the end of the week and we feel a bit
more fulfilled and maybe along the way
there's a smile there's a laugh there's
some Joy maybe even a dash of happiness
but it all comes knowing that there's
going to be hard times too and I think
that accepting those are the terms of
The Game of Life I think is essential
don't you yeah I like that a lot
accepting that it's just gonna be part
of the course you're gonna have to go on
again whether you're a entering Egypt
and you've left your Shepherd your sheep
behind or whether it's you and I are
going out on our Tuesday afternoons
figuring out what else is out there
we're all gonna run into struggles and
challenges aren't we we certainly are
and I think it's only appropriate Mark
that at the end of the show we return
back to Polo Coelho for him to tell us
one last time about finding your
personal Legend my my personal Legend
was always to be a writer and and uh
finding your personal agent does not
mean fulfilling your personal Legend
because being a writer means writing
books I cannot address you just okay I'm
a writer so we write the first book it
means me or not be successful then
there's the next one there's a third one
and all of a sudden they realize that
you are your book your books are doing
very well and you your success you have
this moment that you think oh my God
should I write the next book do I need
to be judged Again by the critics Etc
and then you realize that your personal
Legend is about moving on
go if you if you if you had a dream of
becoming a writer write books don't be
paralyzed by either success or failure
so I'm in the process I'm on the Journey
of my personal Legend not to fulfill it
but to leave it as full as intensely as
I can
I think this is a really great summation
mic of this idea of your personal Legend
authenticity
as well as an admission that just by
understanding or realizing and noting
down that dream it isn't necessarily the
same as really going out and fulfilling
it you know that that requires action it
requires that resilience and grit and
we've heard from some of our other
moonshot Legends haven't we yeah and I
heard a little bit of it's not just the
destination it's the journey as well
what about you oh yeah big time I think
this is a really important call out
actually you're right that comes
throughout this book as well as a lot of
the lessons that we've recently learned
with regards to stoicism and other
authors even including brene Brown
entering the arena it isn't necessarily
that uh justification of the end you
know it's not making a million dollars
on the book that you've written it's
very much the journey that you take to
write that back isn't it yes so in that
writing a book or gardening or swimming
if you wrote well today you can find
fulfillment if you swam well today you
can find fulfillment and that makes it
all the more better because you're not
just hanging out oh I want to be like
the world champion swimmer no I swam
today and there's a build on that I did
my best today then you can rest easy and
be ready for a swim the next day right
yeah exactly and slowly through the
course of creating those habits those
practices you can get that one percent
better every single day you can start to
improve maybe that Improvement comes
with getting faster or alternatively
maybe it's just that little bit more
confidence yeah I mean you I'm almost
thinking of The Compound Effect where
people vastly overestimate what they can
do in one day but vastly understand what
they can do in a year you know yeah
exactly you're totally right but I think
one of the key call outs or behaviors
and and practices that we can put into
try and balance that situation is what
you were calling out earlier Mike I am
ex my plan is why yes and I think that's
a great uh little uh demonstration of
how manifestations can be used
productively in order to go out and
Achieve maybe it's something quite
simple maybe something small or
something that maybe takes a year or so
to achieve yeah yeah totally totally so
Mark now that you have uh officially
ticked off the study of The Alchemist
what is going to be apart from you know
just a lot more Swimming by the sound of
it what is going to be your big takeaway
from this work well I think the the real
call out from this book is the fact that
life can be difficult I think you know
we've heard about grit and resilience
before but actually I think the
different avenue or theme that comes
from uh Paulo coelho's book is the fact
that you you can't really predict it you
know and sometimes those things will be
a surprise so all you can do is prepare
yourself and your mindset to put up with
that challenge when it does come because
you know that you're living your
personal Legend your authentic uh truth
so therefore it becomes a little bit
easier to say yeah of course what about
you Mike what are you uh reliving at the
end of this show I definitely I I like
the reminder here of don't be a
part-time dreamer right yes you know uh
live the life you dream don't just dream
it live it and even if it's not 100 the
destination the fact that you're moving
towards it and working on it I think is
a deep well of satisfaction
resilience renewal I think it's way too
good it deserves a whole another podcast
if you ask me
all right Matt listen thank you so much
for joining me here on the show to study
the work of
and thank you to you our listeners
members and subscribers for joining us
here on show 209 where we studied The
Alchemist by Mr Coelho himself and that
Journey began with the Call to Arms the
one that I particularly liked don't be a
part-time dreamer and he then pushed
into the idea of living your personal
Legend you know you really have to do
the work to express it and reach your
goals and along the way you're gonna
face fear but as long as you rise more
than you fall you will find and live
your personal Legend and that is exactly
why we do this show the moonshots
podcast is here so you can learn out
loud together to become the best version
of yourself to shoot for the moon
alright everybody that's a wrap