"I am ___."
How you finish that sentence determines everything. When Mark Papadas, "The Be Great Guy," asked fifth graders to complete it, 50% wrote: "I am fat," "I am stupid," "I am ugly." Adults? 80% just said their name and job title—labels that have nothing to do with who they really are.
After training adults for over a decade working with Tony Robbins, Mark discovered his true mission: teaching people how to create confident, empowered identities using just two words—"I am."
What You'll Learn:
- Why "I am" is the foundation of confidence (and how most people get it wrong)
- The shocking discovery: 50% of kids think they're fat, stupid, or ugly
- How parents accidentally program negative identities without realizing it
- Mark's powerful 2-minute morning practice (he shares his complete version at 17:44)
- The 5-step process to build unshakeable confidence
- Why "wrong means right" and how to make fear fun
- The 3 traits kids have that adults need back: persistence, curiosity, and ingenuity
Mark's Journey: After being beaten regularly by his older brother as a child, Mark became hungry for personal development. He ran operations for Tony Robbins' Chicago franchise before his epiphany: teach these tools to kids BEFORE they develop baggage.
His "I Am For Kids" program is in 37 schools across 9 states, producing 40% grade increases and 60% reductions in disciplinary problems.
Connect with Mark: 📚 Book: "10 Secrets to Empower Kids and Awaken the Child in You" 🌐 iam4kids.com 🎤 thebegreatguy.com
#Confidence #Parenting #PersonalDevelopment #TonyRobbins #GrowthMindset
0:00 - Cold Open
0:29 - Introduction: Meet The Be Great Guy
1:14 - Where "Be Great" Came From
2:30 - The Shocking "I Am" Discovery in Schools
4:52 - Why Kids (and Adults) Think They're Fat, Stupid, or Ugly
6:57 - Mark's Difficult Childhood: The Brother Who Beat Him
9:24 - How Pain Led to Personal Development
10:43 - From Earl Nightingale to Tony Robbins
11:50 - Running Tony Robbins' Chicago Office
13:00 - The Epiphany: Teaching Kids Before They Get Baggage
14:52 - The Five-Step Identity Process Explained
17:44 - Mark's Complete 2-Minute "I Am" Statement (MUST LISTEN)
20:31 - How "I Am" Statements Should Work
22:45 - The Neuroplasticity Connection
24:09 - Step 1: Write It (The Honest Starting Point)
25:00 - Step 2: Revise and Improve It
26:15 - Step 3: Anchor and Believe It
27:30 - Step 4: Share and Synergize It
28:00 - Step 5: Live It (The Lifelong Project)
29:15 - Secret #2: Make Fear Fun
31:20 - Secret #3: Wrong Means Right
33:53 - The "What Else?" Question That Changes Everything
35:10 - How Parents Accidentally Hurt Kids' Confidence
38:00 - Don't Let Them Win (But Give Fair Advantages)
40:36 - The 3 Traits Kids Are Born With (That Adults Lost)
42:00 - Persistence: Kids Never Quit Learning to Walk
42:45 - Curiosity: When You Lose It, Horizons Become Walls
43:30 - Ingenuity: Why Kids Prefer the Box to the Gift
44:20 - Cellular Regeneration: Every 7 Years You're New
45:15 - Mark's Programs: Schools, Academy, Family Coaching
46:21 - Where to Find Mark and Final Thoughts
47:55 - Outro
📱 FOLLOW US:
📲 Connect with Our Hosts:
Stacey: https://www.instagram.com/staceymgrant/
Mark: https://www.instagram.com/mark_lubragge_onair/
⭐️ Watch/Subscribe to Gurus and Game Changers on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GurusAndGameChangers
⭐️ Listen on any podcast audio platform
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