October 16, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode, Meech opens up about taking leave, returning to the MACE, and why he decided to create a second Instagram — not to escape Meech Speaks, but to reconnect with Demetrius Thigpen. From the grind of recruiting duty to the constant pressure of being “on” as a creator, Meech shares how easy it is to lose yourself in the mission — and how stepping back doesn’t mean quitting, it means coming home to yourself.
This one’s for every service member, leader, and driven person who’s been giving everything to the mission but nothing to themselves.
IG & TIKTOK: meech.speaks or meech.thinks
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Your job, your rank is just one aspect of you.
A lot of y'all are present in this aspect.
A lot of y'all are full time Marines.
A lot of y'all are full time gunnery Sergeant full time,
staff Sergeant, full time Sergeant full time, whatever
billet rank it is. But you barely show up as a
father. Always say something.
(00:39):
This episode is sponsored by Better Help.
What's going on, everybody? As we all know, mental health is
a huge piece for me. And recently, as I become a
better version of myself, I've decided that it's time for me to
go to therapy because I understand how life can be a
little overwhelming and we all need help navigating through the
trenches of military service in and out of uniform.
Better Help connects you with a licensed therapist who is
(01:00):
trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. 1st
all you got to do is go to theirsite.
Matter of fact, you can use my link right here.
Answer a few questions and Better Help will match you with
a professional who has years of experience in helping people
with struggles just like yours. You can do it all from your
phone or computer, via phone call or video chat or messaging
(01:20):
however you feel most comfortable.
It's the easiest possible way tostart talking to a therapist.
You will be matched to a therapist usually within 48
hours, so you can get started fast.
Let Better help connect you to atherapist who can support you
all from the comfort of your home.
Visit betterhelp.com/meech Speaks and enjoy a special
discount on your first month. What's going on everybody?
(01:43):
It's that ordinary podcaster with the extraordinary thoughts
that tells you to stop being great and be extraordinary.
I'm Demetrius Thickpen, also known as meet speaks and welcome
back to another episode of the talking Crazy podcast.
Now, before we get started with this podcast, don't forget to
head on over to your favorite streaming platform, whether
that's Apple podcast or Spotify podcast, and leave this podcast
a honest review because this podcast deserves actually look,
(02:04):
I'm gonna just say this real quick.
So that way everybody understands, especially the ones
that are listening. All right, in order for the
podcast to actually bro, you see, I'm saying that means that
you you have to head on over to your favorite streaming
platform, whether you're listening to this on Apple
podcast or Spotify podcast and you got to leave this podcast on
(02:24):
honest review. That means that you got to leave
it either five stars, 4 stars, three stars.
Don't play with me and try to leave it two stars, all right.
Or if you really fucking with me, go ahead and actually write
a review of what this podcast isor what you thought of this
podcast. You can actually even do that on
Spotify now. So stop playing with me and head
(02:46):
on over and leave this podcast ahonest review because this
podcast deserves to grow just asmuch as we do.
Now on to today's episode. So one thing that I love the
most about doing 2 episodes a week now is is that Monday's
episode, Monday's Episode's always going to be raw.
You know what I mean? It's going to be raw.
It's usually things that I have been thinking about Friday,
Saturday, Sunday. So I'm coming in to the week.
(03:09):
Hot, heavy, ready to rock. However, Thursday's episode,
right? Thursday's episode is a Part 2
or almost a shadow Part 2 of what Monday's episode was.
And if you pay attention to Monday's episode, you could
almost hear Thursday's beginningstarting.
(03:30):
You know what I mean? And what I mean by that is, is
that I was listening to Monday'sepisode, I want to say
Wednesday, and I said something in the episode that stood out to
me and it actually helped form this week's episode.
So with that being said, let's just go ahead and jump straight
into it now, coming coming off of the 25th anniversary of
(03:52):
MCMAP, going into this week, when I first made Monday's
episode, I had just got off the plane.
You know what I mean? I'm still high off of a door
fins, you know what I mean? I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm relishing in
the memories. I'm relishing in the love I'm
relishing and all that. I have not stepped foot in my
office yet, you feel me? I have not officially went back
to being a recruiter man yet. And I say that because as I
(04:17):
start this episode and as we talk going into it, I cannot
tell you how happy I am that I took fucking leave.
I cannot tell you how happy I amthat I went back to the place of
my O, of one of the places of mybeginnings.
You know what I mean. I cannot tell you how happy I am
(04:39):
that has sit back and laughed and sparred and sweated.
Hell, I'm even happy about the knee injury, to be honest with
you, because it allowed me to reconnect with myself.
And I bring that, I bring that piece up, man, because it's so
easy to disconnect with yourselfwhen you're so focused on the
(05:01):
thing at hand, you feel me? When you get so caught up in the
mission, you will disconnect from other things about
yourself. So that way you can send more
power towards the mission. So that way the mission is
successful, you will shut other things down.
So that way you have nothing butfocus on the thing that's
directly in front of you. You will cut off moments,
(05:24):
memories, opportunities. So that way you have no other
distractions but the thing that's in front of you.
And when I tell you, I was so happy that I actually took that
leave because I was beating myself up about that, Oh man,
should I, should I really take leave?
Ha ha, man. Like I think I got two more
contracts. Dang man.
(05:47):
And now that I've come back, I realize the mission will be
there when I leave. The mission was there when I was
before I got there. And guess what?
This year and a half, the mission is still going to be
there. So I cannot stress this enough
how happy I am. Now.
Another thing happened this week.
And if you've been paying attention to social media, once
(06:09):
again I meet Speaks. OK, Dimitrius Thick fan, also
known as me speaks. Everybody knows this, OK?
I've had that account, I want tosay about five years.
I've had that account for about 5 years and I don't know, maybe
it's the leave, I don't know, maybe it's probably a
concussion, I don't know, Maybe it's just me thinking about
other things now in my life. But I decided to create a second
(06:31):
account and the reason why I created a second account, it
really came of honestly from thefact that I took a break from
just recruiting duty. I'm not taking a break in the
sense of I'm stepping away from anything, but I took a break as
in I put a break in the the lineof what I'm doing and, and how.
(06:54):
And the best way that I can explain that is is this every
single day I'm showing up as meet speaks.
I'm creating content. You feel me?
I'm making videos. If I don't like the video, I
delete the video. I remake a video, I edit that
video. I can't even like shit on social
media. I can't even like shit on social
media. So when I tell you that I
(07:17):
decided to create a second account, I could just.
I created that second account not to get away from Meet
Speaks, but to get closer to Demetrius, you feel me?
To get closer to the person who likes other things.
So with that man, let me just goahead and just break all this
down. So First things first, I don't
know who needs to hear this. OK?
(07:38):
But recruiting duty, Hell, I don't think I understood how bad
recruiting duty was until I actually came out here.
You feel me? I don't think I understood it.
This job takes 90% of your time,OK?
You got a monkey on your back and it's called the mission.
And every month you are trying to make that OK.
(08:00):
You are on phones, you are smiling on days where you don't
want to smile. You're showing up for people.
You are doing so many things andyou are literally the guy in
behind, all right? You are you're the last person
that you were thinking about throughout the entirety.
And when I say you're the last person that you're thinking
about, your family's also the last person people that you're
(08:20):
thinking about. Your personal time is usually
the last thing that you're thinking about.
Why? Because you're trying to fucking
make mission. All right.
And I bring that up because of the simple fact because that's
exactly where I'm at. You know, that's exactly where I
was at. So when I tell you that it took
me to take that leave to realizelike, yo, if you don't start
taking leave, if you don't startbeing present with yourself, if
(08:43):
you don't start showing up more for yourself, you're not going
to be able to do this job. This job will take you and put
you on autopilot. And by the time that you realize
what's going on you, it's three years now, you'd have missed
every moment, opportunity and memory and memory that you could
have been utilizing. So I tell you when you're in
(09:04):
positions like this, right? Like when you're in positions
like this, take a step back, bro.
Like take a step back, all right.
And remember, like the mission may be in front of you, but you
still have other things around you.
Now, going back to that Meech Speaks situation, OK, Meech
Speaks creates content. He's a podcaster, he's a author,
he's a lot of things and he's a great guy.
(09:27):
However, it's very one-dimensional.
All right, now once again, my second account, Meech thinks.
And yes, it's Meech. It's called Meech things.
It's called Meech things. And the reason why is because
I'm not going to be speaking there, all right?
I want to show you glimpses of my life.
I want to show you things that I'm doing on a regular basis or
just things that I normally wouldn't show, y'all, because of
(09:49):
the simple fact that I wanted to.
I don't want it to mess up the way that my page is set up.
I don't want to mess up my algorithm.
I don't want to confuse my audience.
Meech thinks doesn't have a fucking audience.
OK, There, you're going to see me boxing with my son there,
you're going to see me eating there, you're going to see me
dressing there, you're going to see a couple of pictures of just
random things because that's what I'm encountering on a
(10:10):
regular to regular basis. I say that because of the simple
fact that does it seem like I'm stepping away from me?
Speaks to some people, yes, But at the exact same time, I'm not
necessarily stepping away from anything.
I'm just stepping closer to myself.
So why am I bringing up meets things?
Why am I talking about recruiting duty?
I say that to say all it is. A lot of us are very
(10:33):
one-dimensional, OK? And I will say that right now a
lot of us are very one-dimensional.
Like when we dive into something, that's all we are.
You feel me? And I've said this before and a
lot of y'all try to like tear meapart, misconstrued the message,
throw another Riddle into it. But I don't know who needs to
hear this, but you are not a Marine 24/7, OK?
(10:54):
Your job, your rank is just one aspect of you.
A lot of y'all are present in this aspect, and a lot of y'all
are full time Marines. A lot of y'all are full time
gunnery Sergeant, full time, staff Sergeant, full time
Sergeant full time, whatever billet rank it is.
But you barely show up as a father, you barely show up as a
(11:17):
husband, you barely show up as aspouse, you barely even show up
as a person. If it does not have anything to
do with your mission, you're noteven there.
If it does not have anything to do with the organization, you're
never even there. And I say that, man, because
it's, it's, it's very one-dimensional and it's never
(11:37):
even good for you. And I understand a lot of us
were never taught anything outside of that.
That was something we had to figure out.
But the thing that I say, I the thing that I just want to just
bring home, man, it's because ifyou don't learn how to step away
from things so that way you can get closer to yourself, I
(12:00):
promise you, man, you're going to lose yourself in that and all
of this madness. As soon as one mission is over
with, you're going to immediately try to find another
one because you don't know how to sit with yourself if you
don't learn to start opening up the other avenues of you.
I promise you, when this Ave. finally closes off, you are
going to be fucked, okay? You are going to be lost.
(12:21):
You are going to be trying to find yourself again when the
whole time you actually had timeto actually find yourself.
And when I say this Ave. will eventually close, please
understand this is a very short term thing in our lives.
Some of us will do this for fouryears.
Some of this. Some of us will do this for
eight years. Some of us will actually make it
to 20 years. But to be honest with you,
(12:41):
you're not going to be doing this shit for a fucking
lifetime, OK? You're not retiring at 65 years
old, all right? That's not how this plays out.
So I say this, and I mean this, you're not a Marine 24/7, all
right? And it's time for you to start
acting like that. I need you to start showing up
in other aspects of your life because this one thing, right?
(13:02):
Like this one thing is not the only thing that you are right.
So I've already said what it wasalready explained why this is so
important. But I have to say, how do we do
this? OK, first thing that I will say
is that we really need to redefine what being productive
means. A lot of us feel like we're not
productive if we're not at work.A lot of us feel like we're not
(13:25):
productive if we're not accomplishing the task.
I don't know who needs to hear this, but being productive can
come in many forms. Being productive can also look
like spending time with your fucking family.
You know what I mean? You know the ones that you try
to rush through the conversationbecause you have other things
that you're thinking about. Let me rephrase that.
You're the ones who you barely even hear because you're still
(13:46):
thinking about the shit that's going on at your job.
Being productive may look like spending time with your family,
bro. Being productive may actually
mean spending quality time with your spouse.
Being productive can also look like spending time with
yourself. Whether that's playing the game,
whether that's going to the gym,whether that's just going for a
(14:09):
drive, whether that's going for a run, whether that's it does
not need a fucking Tasker, bro. Like it does it.
It does not need a wicked. It does not need a deadline.
Being productive could look likecatching up on some sleep.
(14:34):
Being productive could actually look like not doing anything at
all. And the reason why I say that,
man, is because we all we, we get this mindset, we get into
this mindset that I'm not being productive because I have not
accomplished anything. But in reality, that pro, that
pro, that being productive, thatproductivity, that could
actually mean a lot of things. So what you need to do is just
(14:55):
redefine what being productive is.
If you can walk away feeling good from the situation and
congratulations, bro, you were productive.
Another way of how this could look, revisit your roots.
OK, for some of y'all that may look like going back home, you
feel me. And you know, I'm not really big
on taking leave to go back home,but to be honest, sometimes it's
(15:15):
needed. You feel me?
Sometimes when you getting caught up in the hustle and
bustle in the day-to-day and youacross the country or you just
somewhere where you know it's constantly you feel like you
stuck in this role, you stuck inthis identity, you stuck in this
billet. Sometimes being sometimes being
productive, sometimes getting closer to who you are may look
(15:37):
like revisiting your roots. For me it was going back to
Virginia. Being a recruiter man and being
on recruiting duty is so easy toget away from.
The whole Marine mentality. You feel me like that a type
personality. It, it, it, it could, it could
get you away for me to go back there to Virginia.
It allowed me, man, like it really allowed me to disconnect
(16:00):
from one thing and connect to another thing.
All right? And it allowed me to connect
with other people who thought the exact same way that I did,
who challenged me in a certain way, who pushed me in a certain
way that allowed me to be able to do that for others.
That may be that, you know, going home on leave, it may be
going to a favorite spot that you haven't been to in a while.
(16:21):
It may be going somewhere that always used to bring a spark to
you, going back to those roots that nourished you.
That could look like that, man. Another way where you could
reconnect with yourself is separating the role from the
person. All right.
And I will say that again. The best way that you can
(16:46):
reconnect with yourself is separating the role from the
person. All right, I cannot stress this
enough and I don't know who the fuck needs to hear this.
OK, and when I say this, please understand.
I am not telling you to get rid of your core values.
I'm not telling you to not utilize honor, courage, and
commitment. I'm not telling you to not use
JJ to dot buckle or your leadership principles or just
(17:08):
just disregard the cloth in the uniform.
But I don't know who needs to hear this.
But you are not a Marine 24/7, OK?
You got to be able to separate that role.
You got to be able to separate that occupation.
You got to be able to separate that mentality from the person
who you are. OK, All right.
A lot of y'all coming home and you still Gunnery Sergeant so
(17:29):
and so. A lot of y'all still coming home
and you Staff Sergeant so and so, you Sergeant so and so, you
Corporal so and so, you somebodyelse at your job.
And I'm not taking anything awayfrom you, but can you, when you
cross that threshold into your house, can you show up as that?
When you cross into that threshold, can you show up as
(17:50):
your, as as wife, as husband, asmother, as father?
When you cross that threshold? You know, I understand that
you're taking the uniform off, but are you taking the uniform
off? A lot of y'all man like you,
you, you're coming home. And when I say y'all, trust me,
(18:10):
this ain't your captain. This is this.
This Amy speaking from a high horses captain flying in from
experience Airlines, you're not a Marine 24/7.
A lot of y'all are multi facetedindividuals.
You have other aspects about yourself.
So I need you to separate those two, OK?
When you show up, I need you to show up as you, not the Marine,
(18:35):
all right? And the next one.
And I feel like this one right here is just very important and
it really just helps me just ground myself, all right?
Reconnect with people who knew you before the rank, who knew
you before the ballet, who knew you before the duty, who knew
you before you started creating content hell.
(18:56):
Reconnect with people who do notcare about any of that, they
care about you. Reconnect with people who only
there it is, right there, There it is.
Reconnect or connect with peoplewho know you.
That's it right there. I think the biggest thing that
(19:19):
really, really made me feel goodwhen I went back to the Mace is
that I connected with people whodid not see me as Meech speaks.
They don't they, they don't, they don't know Meech speaks.
You know what I mean? They like, they know who he is,
but they don't really that's, that's not my demographic.
They not listening to my show. They don't care.
You feel me? They know Demetrius, they know
(19:41):
Meech, they know the father. They know the things that I
talked to them about, like my personal life.
They know that guy. So when I was talking to them,
when I was connecting with them,I wasn't connecting with them as
me speaks. I was connecting with them as
Demetrius. When I was talking to them, I
wasn't packing these people out.I wasn't asking them, Hey, do
(20:02):
you have any, any illness like depression, anxiety, ADDADHD or
autism? I'm, I'm, I'm not.
When I was looking at them, I wasn't checking to see if they
had any tattoos on their neck, hands or face.
I wasn't doing that. I was present with them as
Demetrius and that may be something for a lot of y'all man
(20:24):
like you, you get off work and you hang around people who also
work with you. But the problem is, is that
neither one of you 2 motherfuckers know how to take
the uniform off even when y'all in civilian attire.
So guess what? Y'all still talk about work.
So that's why y'all still exhausted when y'all walk away
from each other because y'all never left work.
It's 16. It's 1630.
(20:45):
Y'all still there? Let me rephrase that.
It's 18, 1930. Y'all supposed to be chilling,
relaxing, but y'all mentally, you're still there.
So when I tell you to connect with people who know you, not
your rank, not your Rd. not yourbillet, not your I, that
identity that you created, they know you.
(21:07):
I promise you man, like you'll walk away feeling a little bit
more rejuvenated. You'll walk away feeling a
little bit more happier because you're not necessarily yet
you're connecting back with yourself.
So as we come to a close of thisepisode, 1 of the biggest things
that I will I, I will say, and Icannot stress this enough, it's
so easy for us to get caught up in the day-to-day grind.
(21:29):
And as we focus on the thing that's right in front of us,
like we're so focused on the mission, we lose sight of the
thing that really matters. We lose sight of the moments
that really matters. We're trading lifetime moments,
you know what I mean? Once in a lifetime
opportunities, once in a lifetime memories for day-to-day
taskers. And that's not acceptable.
(21:50):
Because at the end of the day, when all this is said and done,
what will you have? And I cannot stress this enough,
you are not a Marine 24/7. It's time for you to connect
back with yourself. And just like that, another
extraordinary thought left this ordinary mind, I hope.
You enjoyed this episode half asmuch as I enjoy.
Making it don't forget. To head on over to your favorite
(22:11):
streaming platform, whether that's Apple Podcasts or Spotify
podcasts, and leave this podcaston honest review because this
podcast deserves to grow just asmuch as we do.
Also, don't forget to head on over to TikTok or Instagram and
follow. Me at Meech.
Speaks. That's right.
Meech speaks. Meech is spelled M EE C.
H Stay motivated, stay healthy. I'm out.
Your job, your rank is just one aspect of you.
A lot of y'all are present in this aspect.
A lot of y'all are full time Marines.
A lot of y'all are full time gunnery Sergeant full time,
staff Sergeant, full time Sergeant full time, whatever
billet rank it is. But you barely show up as a
father. Always say something.
(00:39):
This episode is sponsored by Better Help.
What's going on, everybody? As we all know, mental health is
a huge piece for me. And recently, as I become a
better version of myself, I've decided that it's time for me to
go to therapy because I understand how life can be a
little overwhelming and we all need help navigating through the
trenches of military service in and out of uniform.
Better Help connects you with a licensed therapist who is
(01:00):
trained to listen and give you helpful, unbiased advice. 1st
all you got to do is go to theirsite.
Matter of fact, you can use my link right here.
Answer a few questions and Better Help will match you with
a professional who has years of experience in helping people
with struggles just like yours. You can do it all from your
phone or computer, via phone call or video chat or messaging
(01:20):
however you feel most comfortable.
It's the easiest possible way tostart talking to a therapist.
You will be matched to a therapist usually within 48
hours, so you can get started fast.
Let Better help connect you to atherapist who can support you
all from the comfort of your home.
Visit betterhelp.com/meech Speaks and enjoy a special
discount on your first month. What's going on everybody?
(01:43):
It's that ordinary podcaster with the extraordinary thoughts
that tells you to stop being great and be extraordinary.
I'm Demetrius Thickpen, also known as meet speaks and welcome
back to another episode of the talking Crazy podcast.
Now, before we get started with this podcast, don't forget to
head on over to your favorite streaming platform, whether
that's Apple podcast or Spotify podcast, and leave this podcast
a honest review because this podcast deserves actually look,
(02:04):
I'm gonna just say this real quick.
So that way everybody understands, especially the ones
that are listening. All right, in order for the
podcast to actually bro, you see, I'm saying that means that
you you have to head on over to your favorite streaming
platform, whether you're listening to this on Apple
podcast or Spotify podcast and you got to leave this podcast on
(02:24):
honest review. That means that you got to leave
it either five stars, 4 stars, three stars.
Don't play with me and try to leave it two stars, all right.
Or if you really fucking with me, go ahead and actually write
a review of what this podcast isor what you thought of this
podcast. You can actually even do that on
Spotify now. So stop playing with me and head
(02:46):
on over and leave this podcast ahonest review because this
podcast deserves to grow just asmuch as we do.
Now on to today's episode. So one thing that I love the
most about doing 2 episodes a week now is is that Monday's
episode, Monday's Episode's always going to be raw.
You know what I mean? It's going to be raw.
It's usually things that I have been thinking about Friday,
Saturday, Sunday. So I'm coming in to the week.
(03:09):
Hot, heavy, ready to rock. However, Thursday's episode,
right? Thursday's episode is a Part 2
or almost a shadow Part 2 of what Monday's episode was.
And if you pay attention to Monday's episode, you could
almost hear Thursday's beginningstarting.
(03:30):
You know what I mean? And what I mean by that is, is
that I was listening to Monday'sepisode, I want to say
Wednesday, and I said something in the episode that stood out to
me and it actually helped form this week's episode.
So with that being said, let's just go ahead and jump straight
into it now, coming coming off of the 25th anniversary of
(03:52):
MCMAP, going into this week, when I first made Monday's
episode, I had just got off the plane.
You know what I mean? I'm still high off of a door
fins, you know what I mean? I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm relishing in
the memories. I'm relishing in the love I'm
relishing and all that. I have not stepped foot in my
office yet, you feel me? I have not officially went back
to being a recruiter man yet. And I say that because as I
(04:17):
start this episode and as we talk going into it, I cannot
tell you how happy I am that I took fucking leave.
I cannot tell you how happy I amthat I went back to the place of
my O, of one of the places of mybeginnings.
You know what I mean. I cannot tell you how happy I am
(04:39):
that has sit back and laughed and sparred and sweated.
Hell, I'm even happy about the knee injury, to be honest with
you, because it allowed me to reconnect with myself.
And I bring that, I bring that piece up, man, because it's so
easy to disconnect with yourselfwhen you're so focused on the
(05:01):
thing at hand, you feel me? When you get so caught up in the
mission, you will disconnect from other things about
yourself. So that way you can send more
power towards the mission. So that way the mission is
successful, you will shut other things down.
So that way you have nothing butfocus on the thing that's
directly in front of you. You will cut off moments,
(05:24):
memories, opportunities. So that way you have no other
distractions but the thing that's in front of you.
And when I tell you, I was so happy that I actually took that
leave because I was beating myself up about that, Oh man,
should I, should I really take leave?
Ha ha, man. Like I think I got two more
contracts. Dang man.
(05:47):
And now that I've come back, I realize the mission will be
there when I leave. The mission was there when I was
before I got there. And guess what?
This year and a half, the mission is still going to be
there. So I cannot stress this enough
how happy I am. Now.
Another thing happened this week.
And if you've been paying attention to social media, once
(06:09):
again I meet Speaks. OK, Dimitrius Thick fan, also
known as me speaks. Everybody knows this, OK?
I've had that account, I want tosay about five years.
I've had that account for about 5 years and I don't know, maybe
it's the leave, I don't know, maybe it's probably a
concussion, I don't know, Maybe it's just me thinking about
other things now in my life. But I decided to create a second
(06:31):
account and the reason why I created a second account, it
really came of honestly from thefact that I took a break from
just recruiting duty. I'm not taking a break in the
sense of I'm stepping away from anything, but I took a break as
in I put a break in the the lineof what I'm doing and, and how.
(06:54):
And the best way that I can explain that is is this every
single day I'm showing up as meet speaks.
I'm creating content. You feel me?
I'm making videos. If I don't like the video, I
delete the video. I remake a video, I edit that
video. I can't even like shit on social
media. I can't even like shit on social
media. So when I tell you that I
(07:17):
decided to create a second account, I could just.
I created that second account not to get away from Meet
Speaks, but to get closer to Demetrius, you feel me?
To get closer to the person who likes other things.
So with that man, let me just goahead and just break all this
down. So First things first, I don't
know who needs to hear this. OK?
(07:38):
But recruiting duty, Hell, I don't think I understood how bad
recruiting duty was until I actually came out here.
You feel me? I don't think I understood it.
This job takes 90% of your time,OK?
You got a monkey on your back and it's called the mission.
And every month you are trying to make that OK.
(08:00):
You are on phones, you are smiling on days where you don't
want to smile. You're showing up for people.
You are doing so many things andyou are literally the guy in
behind, all right? You are you're the last person
that you were thinking about throughout the entirety.
And when I say you're the last person that you're thinking
about, your family's also the last person people that you're
(08:20):
thinking about. Your personal time is usually
the last thing that you're thinking about.
Why? Because you're trying to fucking
make mission. All right.
And I bring that up because of the simple fact because that's
exactly where I'm at. You know, that's exactly where I
was at. So when I tell you that it took
me to take that leave to realizelike, yo, if you don't start
taking leave, if you don't startbeing present with yourself, if
(08:43):
you don't start showing up more for yourself, you're not going
to be able to do this job. This job will take you and put
you on autopilot. And by the time that you realize
what's going on you, it's three years now, you'd have missed
every moment, opportunity and memory and memory that you could
have been utilizing. So I tell you when you're in
(09:04):
positions like this, right? Like when you're in positions
like this, take a step back, bro.
Like take a step back, all right.
And remember, like the mission may be in front of you, but you
still have other things around you.
Now, going back to that Meech Speaks situation, OK, Meech
Speaks creates content. He's a podcaster, he's a author,
he's a lot of things and he's a great guy.
(09:27):
However, it's very one-dimensional.
All right, now once again, my second account, Meech thinks.
And yes, it's Meech. It's called Meech things.
It's called Meech things. And the reason why is because
I'm not going to be speaking there, all right?
I want to show you glimpses of my life.
I want to show you things that I'm doing on a regular basis or
just things that I normally wouldn't show, y'all, because of
(09:49):
the simple fact that I wanted to.
I don't want it to mess up the way that my page is set up.
I don't want to mess up my algorithm.
I don't want to confuse my audience.
Meech thinks doesn't have a fucking audience.
OK, There, you're going to see me boxing with my son there,
you're going to see me eating there, you're going to see me
dressing there, you're going to see a couple of pictures of just
random things because that's what I'm encountering on a
(10:10):
regular to regular basis. I say that because of the simple
fact that does it seem like I'm stepping away from me?
Speaks to some people, yes, But at the exact same time, I'm not
necessarily stepping away from anything.
I'm just stepping closer to myself.
So why am I bringing up meets things?
Why am I talking about recruiting duty?
I say that to say all it is. A lot of us are very
(10:33):
one-dimensional, OK? And I will say that right now a
lot of us are very one-dimensional.
Like when we dive into something, that's all we are.
You feel me? And I've said this before and a
lot of y'all try to like tear meapart, misconstrued the message,
throw another Riddle into it. But I don't know who needs to
hear this, but you are not a Marine 24/7, OK?
(10:54):
Your job, your rank is just one aspect of you.
A lot of y'all are present in this aspect, and a lot of y'all
are full time Marines. A lot of y'all are full time
gunnery Sergeant, full time, staff Sergeant, full time
Sergeant full time, whatever billet rank it is.
But you barely show up as a father, you barely show up as a
(11:17):
husband, you barely show up as aspouse, you barely even show up
as a person. If it does not have anything to
do with your mission, you're noteven there.
If it does not have anything to do with the organization, you're
never even there. And I say that, man, because
it's, it's, it's very one-dimensional and it's never
(11:37):
even good for you. And I understand a lot of us
were never taught anything outside of that.
That was something we had to figure out.
But the thing that I say, I the thing that I just want to just
bring home, man, it's because ifyou don't learn how to step away
from things so that way you can get closer to yourself, I
(12:00):
promise you, man, you're going to lose yourself in that and all
of this madness. As soon as one mission is over
with, you're going to immediately try to find another
one because you don't know how to sit with yourself if you
don't learn to start opening up the other avenues of you.
I promise you, when this Ave. finally closes off, you are
going to be fucked, okay? You are going to be lost.
(12:21):
You are going to be trying to find yourself again when the
whole time you actually had timeto actually find yourself.
And when I say this Ave. will eventually close, please
understand this is a very short term thing in our lives.
Some of us will do this for fouryears.
Some of this. Some of us will do this for
eight years. Some of us will actually make it
to 20 years. But to be honest with you,
(12:41):
you're not going to be doing this shit for a fucking
lifetime, OK? You're not retiring at 65 years
old, all right? That's not how this plays out.
So I say this, and I mean this, you're not a Marine 24/7, all
right? And it's time for you to start
acting like that. I need you to start showing up
in other aspects of your life because this one thing, right?
(13:02):
Like this one thing is not the only thing that you are right.
So I've already said what it wasalready explained why this is so
important. But I have to say, how do we do
this? OK, first thing that I will say
is that we really need to redefine what being productive
means. A lot of us feel like we're not
productive if we're not at work.A lot of us feel like we're not
(13:25):
productive if we're not accomplishing the task.
I don't know who needs to hear this, but being productive can
come in many forms. Being productive can also look
like spending time with your fucking family.
You know what I mean? You know the ones that you try
to rush through the conversationbecause you have other things
that you're thinking about. Let me rephrase that.
You're the ones who you barely even hear because you're still
(13:46):
thinking about the shit that's going on at your job.
Being productive may look like spending time with your family,
bro. Being productive may actually
mean spending quality time with your spouse.
Being productive can also look like spending time with
yourself. Whether that's playing the game,
whether that's going to the gym,whether that's just going for a
(14:09):
drive, whether that's going for a run, whether that's it does
not need a fucking Tasker, bro. Like it does it.
It does not need a wicked. It does not need a deadline.
Being productive could look likecatching up on some sleep.
(14:34):
Being productive could actually look like not doing anything at
all. And the reason why I say that,
man, is because we all we, we get this mindset, we get into
this mindset that I'm not being productive because I have not
accomplished anything. But in reality, that pro, that
pro, that being productive, thatproductivity, that could
actually mean a lot of things. So what you need to do is just
(14:55):
redefine what being productive is.
If you can walk away feeling good from the situation and
congratulations, bro, you were productive.
Another way of how this could look, revisit your roots.
OK, for some of y'all that may look like going back home, you
feel me. And you know, I'm not really big
on taking leave to go back home,but to be honest, sometimes it's
(15:15):
needed. You feel me?
Sometimes when you getting caught up in the hustle and
bustle in the day-to-day and youacross the country or you just
somewhere where you know it's constantly you feel like you
stuck in this role, you stuck inthis identity, you stuck in this
billet. Sometimes being sometimes being
productive, sometimes getting closer to who you are may look
(15:37):
like revisiting your roots. For me it was going back to
Virginia. Being a recruiter man and being
on recruiting duty is so easy toget away from.
The whole Marine mentality. You feel me like that a type
personality. It, it, it, it could, it could
get you away for me to go back there to Virginia.
It allowed me, man, like it really allowed me to disconnect
(16:00):
from one thing and connect to another thing.
All right? And it allowed me to connect
with other people who thought the exact same way that I did,
who challenged me in a certain way, who pushed me in a certain
way that allowed me to be able to do that for others.
That may be that, you know, going home on leave, it may be
going to a favorite spot that you haven't been to in a while.
(16:21):
It may be going somewhere that always used to bring a spark to
you, going back to those roots that nourished you.
That could look like that, man. Another way where you could
reconnect with yourself is separating the role from the
person. All right.
And I will say that again. The best way that you can
(16:46):
reconnect with yourself is separating the role from the
person. All right, I cannot stress this
enough and I don't know who the fuck needs to hear this.
OK, and when I say this, please understand.
I am not telling you to get rid of your core values.
I'm not telling you to not utilize honor, courage, and
commitment. I'm not telling you to not use
JJ to dot buckle or your leadership principles or just
(17:08):
just disregard the cloth in the uniform.
But I don't know who needs to hear this.
But you are not a Marine 24/7, OK?
You got to be able to separate that role.
You got to be able to separate that occupation.
You got to be able to separate that mentality from the person
who you are. OK, All right.
A lot of y'all coming home and you still Gunnery Sergeant so
(17:29):
and so. A lot of y'all still coming home
and you Staff Sergeant so and so, you Sergeant so and so, you
Corporal so and so, you somebodyelse at your job.
And I'm not taking anything awayfrom you, but can you, when you
cross that threshold into your house, can you show up as that?
When you cross into that threshold, can you show up as
(17:50):
your, as as wife, as husband, asmother, as father?
When you cross that threshold? You know, I understand that
you're taking the uniform off, but are you taking the uniform
off? A lot of y'all man like you,
you, you're coming home. And when I say y'all, trust me,
(18:10):
this ain't your captain. This is this.
This Amy speaking from a high horses captain flying in from
experience Airlines, you're not a Marine 24/7.
A lot of y'all are multi facetedindividuals.
You have other aspects about yourself.
So I need you to separate those two, OK?
When you show up, I need you to show up as you, not the Marine,
(18:35):
all right? And the next one.
And I feel like this one right here is just very important and
it really just helps me just ground myself, all right?
Reconnect with people who knew you before the rank, who knew
you before the ballet, who knew you before the duty, who knew
you before you started creating content hell.
(18:56):
Reconnect with people who do notcare about any of that, they
care about you. Reconnect with people who only
there it is, right there, There it is.
Reconnect or connect with peoplewho know you.
That's it right there. I think the biggest thing that
(19:19):
really, really made me feel goodwhen I went back to the Mace is
that I connected with people whodid not see me as Meech speaks.
They don't they, they don't, they don't know Meech speaks.
You know what I mean? They like, they know who he is,
but they don't really that's, that's not my demographic.
They not listening to my show. They don't care.
You feel me? They know Demetrius, they know
(19:41):
Meech, they know the father. They know the things that I
talked to them about, like my personal life.
They know that guy. So when I was talking to them,
when I was connecting with them,I wasn't connecting with them as
me speaks. I was connecting with them as
Demetrius. When I was talking to them, I
wasn't packing these people out.I wasn't asking them, Hey, do
(20:02):
you have any, any illness like depression, anxiety, ADDADHD or
autism? I'm, I'm, I'm not.
When I was looking at them, I wasn't checking to see if they
had any tattoos on their neck, hands or face.
I wasn't doing that. I was present with them as
Demetrius and that may be something for a lot of y'all man
(20:24):
like you, you get off work and you hang around people who also
work with you. But the problem is, is that
neither one of you 2 motherfuckers know how to take
the uniform off even when y'all in civilian attire.
So guess what? Y'all still talk about work.
So that's why y'all still exhausted when y'all walk away
from each other because y'all never left work.
It's 16. It's 1630.
(20:45):
Y'all still there? Let me rephrase that.
It's 18, 1930. Y'all supposed to be chilling,
relaxing, but y'all mentally, you're still there.
So when I tell you to connect with people who know you, not
your rank, not your Rd. not yourbillet, not your I, that
identity that you created, they know you.
(21:07):
I promise you man, like you'll walk away feeling a little bit
more rejuvenated. You'll walk away feeling a
little bit more happier because you're not necessarily yet
you're connecting back with yourself.
So as we come to a close of thisepisode, 1 of the biggest things
that I will I, I will say, and Icannot stress this enough, it's
so easy for us to get caught up in the day-to-day grind.
(21:29):
And as we focus on the thing that's right in front of us,
like we're so focused on the mission, we lose sight of the
thing that really matters. We lose sight of the moments
that really matters. We're trading lifetime moments,
you know what I mean? Once in a lifetime
opportunities, once in a lifetime memories for day-to-day
taskers. And that's not acceptable.
(21:50):
Because at the end of the day, when all this is said and done,
what will you have? And I cannot stress this enough,
you are not a Marine 24/7. It's time for you to connect
back with yourself. And just like that, another
extraordinary thought left this ordinary mind, I hope.
You enjoyed this episode half asmuch as I enjoy.
Making it don't forget. To head on over to your favorite
(22:11):
streaming platform, whether that's Apple Podcasts or Spotify
podcasts, and leave this podcaston honest review because this
podcast deserves to grow just asmuch as we do.
Also, don't forget to head on over to TikTok or Instagram and
follow. Me at Meech.
Speaks. That's right.
Meech speaks. Meech is spelled M EE C.
H Stay motivated, stay healthy. I'm out.
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