January 11, 2025 • 17 mins
This episode highlights the significance of maintaining dignity and self-worth in a chaotic world, discussing strategies for staying positive and surrounding oneself with supportive individuals. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their circumstances, gain perspective, and recognize the strategies that will lead them toward personal growth.
• Emphasizing the importance of personal dignity and self-worth
• Discussing the impact of external factors on one's dignity
• Focusing on the positives and inner self-awareness
• Gaining a realistic perspective on personal goals
• Recognizing actionable strategies for advancement
• The role of supportive relationships in fostering success
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello friends, welcome to your Motivational Gen
Z and Millennial Expert Podcast.
I am your host.
My name is Dr Jason Wiggins.
Thank you very much for beinghere.
We have been doing this forquite some time now.
We are now this is our 164thepisode, so please feel free to
(00:22):
review the previous episodes anddrop a like if you're
interested in getting to knowmore.
So, thank you very much.
This motivational podcast is forGen Z's and millennials
specifically.
However, most of the contentthat we provide is applicable to
all the different age groupsbaby boomers, traditionalists.
(00:44):
You know, you have your alphas,so therefore we have the
ability to strike for allaudiences.
So it is great to be here and,as we get started here, it's the
first of the new year 2025.
We have been doing podcastssince probably 2020.
(01:05):
And the one thing that standsout still to this day is
perspective, and when you startthe new year, it's about
perspective, it's about clarity.
Well, in Southern California,unfortunately, we have had a lot
of clarity recently.
We've had the wildfires justnorth of where I reside, in the
(01:26):
LA area, los Angeles.
There's been numerous fires,unfortunately Catastrophic
results Houses burning, somepeople have died, and it really
is a shame, and our heart andsouls go out to these
individuals that have lost theirhomes, and souls go out to
(01:47):
these individuals that have losttheir homes, and we will
continue to reach out to themand try to help any way we can,
and I hope you would do the same.
So, again, thank you very muchfor being here and let's get
started.
As I mentioned, it's the newyear.
It's a time to really getpositive, get motivated, and
there is nothing better thanyour motivational Gen Z and
Millennial expert to help youget where you want to go.
(02:10):
And as we start the new year,I'd like to kind of bring some
insight to what we're going totalk about today.
We're going to talk aboutfocusing on the positive,
gaining perspectives,recognizing strategies to get
ahead and surrounding yourselfwith great people.
These four aspects revolvearound one significant
(02:35):
characteristic trait that we allhave, that others can
unfortunately impact at timescan unfortunately impact at
times, but the other four thatsurround this will help us get
through that and not let that bea detriment.
And I was talking to a gentlemannot too long ago about dignity,
(02:58):
somebody and how they canaffect your dignity.
And now, in 2025, we have tothink about you know, how can we
control our own well-being, andwhat's the impact of others
(03:18):
when it comes to our impact oncontrolling ourselves?
Well, let's look at it yourdignity.
How can people affect yourdignity?
Well, simple, they can trashtalk you, they can cyber bully
you, they could be a boss, theycould be a subordinate, they
could be many different folksthat can affect your overall
well-being.
And this gentleman I wastalking to.
(03:40):
He said the one thing that weall have, regardless of money,
how successful we are, where wego from here and what we've done
in the past, is our dignity.
And I thought about that andit's resonated with me since.
Why?
Because if somebody can impactthe way you feel about yourself,
(04:03):
which, in essence, is whatdignity stands for, then how
does that affect your futureapproach?
So, how important is it to keepyour dignity intact?
And that's what the fourrevolving discussions we're
(04:25):
going to talk about today, thattalk about focusing on the
positives, gaining perspective,recognizing strategies to get
ahead and surrounding yourselfwith great people.
So, for me, I feel my dignitycan't be shaken.
Well, why is that?
It is because I have a profoundsense of who I am, what I can
(04:51):
accomplish and what I'veaccomplished.
Now, as Gen Z and millennials.
You could be in the heart ofyour career.
You could be a successfulentrepreneur or CEO, or you
could be towards the tail end orthe beginning of your career
and the tail end.
But what defines us asindividuals is the perception of
(05:12):
our own well-being and how wesense our own dignity and the
characteristics that aresurrounding us and how people
have a detrimental impact if youlet them Now that's the key
focus that we're going to talkabout today.
If you let them and if you'reunstable or you feel insecure,
(05:37):
then, yes, your dignity can beshaken, and if it has been
shaken, that's okay.
So let's start looking at howwe can move past if our dignity
has been shaken.
First is focusing on thepositives.
Regardless of who we are, whatwe do, what our background is,
(06:02):
what our monetary social statusis, those should not impact who
we are and what we believe.
That is important to us.
It's that impact on us.
So if you look at it in aretrospective way, if you're
looking, you know, from thehighest mountain and you're
(06:26):
looking down on yourself, whatdo you see?
Is it somebody you're proud of?
If it is somebody you're proudof, then guess what?
Whatever anybody else saysabout you, what everybody try.
If they try to reduce thedignity you have, it doesn't
matter.
It doesn't matter because yourown self-perception of who you
(06:53):
are and focusing on thepositives is going to raise you
up, raise you to a point of noreturn.
Why?
Because you feel good aboutyourself.
You feel good about what you'veaccomplished.
You feel good about what you'regoing to accomplish.
Maybe you're a successfulbusiness person.
Maybe you're a successfulbusiness person.
Maybe you're a great familyperson.
You put your friends ahead ofyourself.
(07:13):
You continue to provide tocharitable organizations, you
volunteer.
Whatever it is that you haveachieved and the possibilities
that are lying ahead of you,then if you're focusing on the
positives, you understand theimpact you have made while
(07:34):
you're on this earth and that iswhere nobody can take that away
from you.
We all have positives, nomatter when the lows get too low
and the highs get too high.
You have to keep things inperspective.
You have to continue to gainperspective clarity and that's
(07:55):
the number two focus arounddignity.
We talked about focusing on thepositive.
The second is gainingperspective perspective about
who we are, where we're goingand understanding the clarity of
our mission, the motivationbehind us, our success rate.
Success is in the eyes of thebeholder.
(08:19):
So who is the beholder?
You, me, what we think aboutourselves, that's the beholder.
You can blanket out the noise.
You can get off social media.
You can turn off the news andhave your own inner focus about
(08:40):
gaining a perspective that isreal.
Yes, a perspective that is real.
So in 2025, we all have what wedeem.
This is what we want to dobetter.
Maybe this is our quote NewYear's resolution.
Some don't make resolutionsanymore, and that's fine.
(09:00):
Why?
Because maybe you never adheredto them or you just continue to
be the very best person you canwithin each and every day, hour
, minute of the week of the year, and that is okay.
And for me, I have a simpleresolution every year Continue
(09:23):
to get hydrated, drink morewater.
Why?
Because water is healthy foryou and, honestly, I don't drink
enough.
So that is my new year'sresolution, if anybody is asking
.
But if you can gain perspective,you can gain realistic insight
in who you are, what your goalsare, what's your perspective
(09:44):
about yourself is, then guesswhat?
Nobody can rain on your paradeand nobody can review and damage
your dignity.
Only you me can focus on thepositives while gaining a clear
clarity, perspective, and that'swhat I want to ensure that
(10:07):
everybody leaves today, thispodcast, this YouTube, wherever
you may be listening or watching.
The key is about finding waysfor you to get ahead the right
way.
So we talked about focusing onthe positive, gaining
perspective, strengthening yourdignity through yourself.
(10:28):
But the other aspect is alsorecognizing strategies to get
ahead.
What does that mean?
It does not mean in business.
Does that mean in life?
Is that as a family person?
Is that in monetary value,whatever it may be?
It's about what is in yourperceived ability today to do
(10:51):
what you need to do.
Is that getting out of debt?
Well then, we got to take thesteps to get past that and
that's about recognizing thosestrategies to get ahead.
Example it was 15 years ago.
I was extremely high in debt.
I lived in downtown San Diegoin a mid-rise living life, going
(11:15):
to San Diego Padre games and ifyou're not a Padre fan, that is
fine.
If you're a Yankee fan, a RedSox fan or you're from you know,
a different country and youlike soccer, whatever it.
It was an experience, but I wasspending more money than I was
(11:36):
making.
I was getting in debt.
I had a new car, I had a newplace to live.
I was spending season ticketson sporting events, but I was
living above my means, so Iwasn't being someone that was
gaining realistic perspective atthat time.
So what I ended up doing wasrecognizing strategies to get
(11:59):
ahead.
So I got out of the, I left themid-rise apartment, I gave up
the season tickets and I moved.
I moved across town where therent was much cheaper.
I could start paying off my car, start paying off my debt and
becoming debt free, and that'stook strategy.
(12:23):
And what is that strategy is?
Some people call it thesnowball effect with David
Ramsey.
That's another topic for adifferent day.
But the way that works is, asyou get ahead ahead, you
continue to pay off the smallestcredit card and then you pay
off the amount of the nextcredit card and you keep rolling
all that money until your finalcredit card, your final
(12:45):
payments, are made, and that'scalled being financially secure.
So that is just one strategy toget ahead within the financial
market.
But if you're looking to get anew job, start a new career,
then what is it going to take toget you there?
It's going to take hard work,dedication, and that starts with
(13:10):
recognizing the positives thatyou have right now, in the
realistic time frame, with thefinancial well-being to get you
where you need to go.
And again, as I talked aboutfinancial insecurity issues, I
was still going to school.
I was in my doctorate programand I ran out of money.
(13:31):
So I had to take a differentroad.
And I ran out of money, so Ihad to take a different road,
and that road included goingback to community college,
studying drama and forbearing mystudent loan because I couldn't
pay it, and then, when Ifinally was in the position to
start paying back my loans, Ipaid back just the interest, and
(13:51):
then I also continued to payfor my doctoral program at the
same time.
So I had to prepare financiallyto get to that point.
And that is the same thing aboutwhere you may stand right now.
Maybe you want to go back toschool.
Maybe maybe you're currently ina, in a you know, a custody
(14:13):
battle with maybe an ex-spouse,whatever it could be, and maybe
that's currently.
Maybe your, your priority isgetting your kids back and
that's again that's a strategyto get you to your end means.
And that is what do I dream ofwanting to be.
And a dream is nothing but adream unless you have a strategy
(14:39):
to back it up, to find the endto the mean, and the end to the
mean is this is where I seemyself in the next two years,
three years, five years.
There is no certain amount oftime that you have to allot.
You have to look at the strategyto get ahead Now.
A key, important part of thatstrategy is the fourth attribute
(15:05):
around dignity.
We talked about focusing on thepositive gaining perspective,
recognizing strategies to getahead perspective, recognizing
strategies to get ahead.
The last one, but by far notthe least, is surround yourself
with good people, with peoplethat want you to succeed.
(15:25):
They look at your well beingand they know what you can
achieve.
They believe in you.
They don't try to get you to dothings that are
counterproductive, and those arethe people that can be mentors.
Those are the people that maybeyou mentor you.
You scratch your back, youscratch their back, and that way
(15:48):
is everybody can be successful.
And if you have true friendsthat are looking after your
overall well-being, they seewhat's the good in you, they are
focusing on the positives aboutyou, they have perspective
about who you are and theybelieve in you.
(16:10):
They understand that, whateverstrategies that you need to do
to move forward.
You can focus on that, becausethey are going to support you,
and the people that support youwill make or break your success,
and that is why, in 2025, wehave to have a clarity, we have
(16:36):
to wipe the fog out of themirror.
We have to look and say I mean,this is going back to a Disney
Mirror, mirror on the wall.
What can I do to be successfulof them all?
Well, it starts with focusing onthe positives.
(16:58):
Don't worry about what peopleare saying about you.
Social media it doesn't matter.
Get off social media.
If it's negative news, don'tturn on the news.
If's negative people, tune themout.
Remember the best cure forbeing sad, the best cure for
(17:23):
negative feelings, is a smile, alaugh, a clear view of maybe
you're not where you want to betoday, but maybe what you want
to be tomorrow is right in frontof you.
Hello friends, welcome to your Motivational Gen
Z and Millennial Expert Podcast.
I am your host.
My name is Dr Jason Wiggins.
Thank you very much for beinghere.
We have been doing this forquite some time now.
We are now this is our 164thepisode, so please feel free to
(00:22):
review the previous episodes anddrop a like if you're
interested in getting to knowmore.
So, thank you very much.
This motivational podcast is forGen Z's and millennials
specifically.
However, most of the contentthat we provide is applicable to
all the different age groupsbaby boomers, traditionalists.
(00:44):
You know, you have your alphas,so therefore we have the
ability to strike for allaudiences.
So it is great to be here and,as we get started here, it's the
first of the new year 2025.
We have been doing podcastssince probably 2020.
(01:05):
And the one thing that standsout still to this day is
perspective, and when you startthe new year, it's about
perspective, it's about clarity.
Well, in Southern California,unfortunately, we have had a lot
of clarity recently.
We've had the wildfires justnorth of where I reside, in the
(01:26):
LA area, los Angeles.
There's been numerous fires,unfortunately Catastrophic
results Houses burning, somepeople have died, and it really
is a shame, and our heart andsouls go out to these
individuals that have lost theirhomes, and souls go out to
(01:47):
these individuals that have losttheir homes, and we will
continue to reach out to themand try to help any way we can,
and I hope you would do the same.
So, again, thank you very muchfor being here and let's get
started.
As I mentioned, it's the newyear.
It's a time to really getpositive, get motivated, and
there is nothing better thanyour motivational Gen Z and
Millennial expert to help youget where you want to go.
(02:10):
And as we start the new year,I'd like to kind of bring some
insight to what we're going totalk about today.
We're going to talk aboutfocusing on the positive,
gaining perspectives,recognizing strategies to get
ahead and surrounding yourselfwith great people.
These four aspects revolvearound one significant
(02:35):
characteristic trait that we allhave, that others can
unfortunately impact at timescan unfortunately impact at
times, but the other four thatsurround this will help us get
through that and not let that bea detriment.
And I was talking to a gentlemannot too long ago about dignity,
(02:58):
somebody and how they canaffect your dignity.
And now, in 2025, we have tothink about you know, how can we
control our own well-being, andwhat's the impact of others
(03:18):
when it comes to our impact oncontrolling ourselves?
Well, let's look at it yourdignity.
How can people affect yourdignity?
Well, simple, they can trashtalk you, they can cyber bully
you, they could be a boss, theycould be a subordinate, they
could be many different folksthat can affect your overall
well-being.
And this gentleman I wastalking to.
(03:40):
He said the one thing that weall have, regardless of money,
how successful we are, where wego from here and what we've done
in the past, is our dignity.
And I thought about that andit's resonated with me since.
Why?
Because if somebody can impactthe way you feel about yourself,
(04:03):
which, in essence, is whatdignity stands for, then how
does that affect your futureapproach?
So, how important is it to keepyour dignity intact?
And that's what the fourrevolving discussions we're
(04:25):
going to talk about today, thattalk about focusing on the
positives, gaining perspective,recognizing strategies to get
ahead and surrounding yourselfwith great people.
So, for me, I feel my dignitycan't be shaken.
Well, why is that?
It is because I have a profoundsense of who I am, what I can
(04:51):
accomplish and what I'veaccomplished.
Now, as Gen Z and millennials.
You could be in the heart ofyour career.
You could be a successfulentrepreneur or CEO, or you
could be towards the tail end orthe beginning of your career
and the tail end.
But what defines us asindividuals is the perception of
(05:12):
our own well-being and how wesense our own dignity and the
characteristics that aresurrounding us and how people
have a detrimental impact if youlet them Now that's the key
focus that we're going to talkabout today.
If you let them and if you'reunstable or you feel insecure,
(05:37):
then, yes, your dignity can beshaken, and if it has been
shaken, that's okay.
So let's start looking at howwe can move past if our dignity
has been shaken.
First is focusing on thepositives.
Regardless of who we are, whatwe do, what our background is,
(06:02):
what our monetary social statusis, those should not impact who
we are and what we believe.
That is important to us.
It's that impact on us.
So if you look at it in aretrospective way, if you're
looking, you know, from thehighest mountain and you're
(06:26):
looking down on yourself, whatdo you see?
Is it somebody you're proud of?
If it is somebody you're proudof, then guess what?
Whatever anybody else saysabout you, what everybody try.
If they try to reduce thedignity you have, it doesn't
matter.
It doesn't matter because yourown self-perception of who you
(06:53):
are and focusing on thepositives is going to raise you
up, raise you to a point of noreturn.
Why?
Because you feel good aboutyourself.
You feel good about what you'veaccomplished.
You feel good about what you'regoing to accomplish.
Maybe you're a successfulbusiness person.
Maybe you're a successfulbusiness person.
Maybe you're a great familyperson.
You put your friends ahead ofyourself.
(07:13):
You continue to provide tocharitable organizations, you
volunteer.
Whatever it is that you haveachieved and the possibilities
that are lying ahead of you,then if you're focusing on the
positives, you understand theimpact you have made while
(07:34):
you're on this earth and that iswhere nobody can take that away
from you.
We all have positives, nomatter when the lows get too low
and the highs get too high.
You have to keep things inperspective.
You have to continue to gainperspective clarity and that's
(07:55):
the number two focus arounddignity.
We talked about focusing on thepositive.
The second is gainingperspective perspective about
who we are, where we're goingand understanding the clarity of
our mission, the motivationbehind us, our success rate.
Success is in the eyes of thebeholder.
(08:19):
So who is the beholder?
You, me, what we think aboutourselves, that's the beholder.
You can blanket out the noise.
You can get off social media.
You can turn off the news andhave your own inner focus about
(08:40):
gaining a perspective that isreal.
Yes, a perspective that is real.
So in 2025, we all have what wedeem.
This is what we want to dobetter.
Maybe this is our quote NewYear's resolution.
Some don't make resolutionsanymore, and that's fine.
(09:00):
Why?
Because maybe you never adheredto them or you just continue to
be the very best person you canwithin each and every day, hour
, minute of the week of the year, and that is okay.
And for me, I have a simpleresolution every year Continue
(09:23):
to get hydrated, drink morewater.
Why?
Because water is healthy foryou and, honestly, I don't drink
enough.
So that is my new year'sresolution, if anybody is asking
.
But if you can gain perspective,you can gain realistic insight
in who you are, what your goalsare, what's your perspective
(09:44):
about yourself is, then guesswhat?
Nobody can rain on your paradeand nobody can review and damage
your dignity.
Only you me can focus on thepositives while gaining a clear
clarity, perspective, and that'swhat I want to ensure that
(10:07):
everybody leaves today, thispodcast, this YouTube, wherever
you may be listening or watching.
The key is about finding waysfor you to get ahead the right
way.
So we talked about focusing onthe positive, gaining
perspective, strengthening yourdignity through yourself.
(10:28):
But the other aspect is alsorecognizing strategies to get
ahead.
What does that mean?
It does not mean in business.
Does that mean in life?
Is that as a family person?
Is that in monetary value,whatever it may be?
It's about what is in yourperceived ability today to do
(10:51):
what you need to do.
Is that getting out of debt?
Well then, we got to take thesteps to get past that and
that's about recognizing thosestrategies to get ahead.
Example it was 15 years ago.
I was extremely high in debt.
I lived in downtown San Diegoin a mid-rise living life, going
(11:15):
to San Diego Padre games and ifyou're not a Padre fan, that is
fine.
If you're a Yankee fan, a RedSox fan or you're from you know,
a different country and youlike soccer, whatever it.
It was an experience, but I wasspending more money than I was
(11:36):
making.
I was getting in debt.
I had a new car, I had a newplace to live.
I was spending season ticketson sporting events, but I was
living above my means, so Iwasn't being someone that was
gaining realistic perspective atthat time.
So what I ended up doing wasrecognizing strategies to get
(11:59):
ahead.
So I got out of the, I left themid-rise apartment, I gave up
the season tickets and I moved.
I moved across town where therent was much cheaper.
I could start paying off my car, start paying off my debt and
becoming debt free, and that'stook strategy.
(12:23):
And what is that strategy is?
Some people call it thesnowball effect with David
Ramsey.
That's another topic for adifferent day.
But the way that works is, asyou get ahead ahead, you
continue to pay off the smallestcredit card and then you pay
off the amount of the nextcredit card and you keep rolling
all that money until your finalcredit card, your final
(12:45):
payments, are made, and that'scalled being financially secure.
So that is just one strategy toget ahead within the financial
market.
But if you're looking to get anew job, start a new career,
then what is it going to take toget you there?
It's going to take hard work,dedication, and that starts with
(13:10):
recognizing the positives thatyou have right now, in the
realistic time frame, with thefinancial well-being to get you
where you need to go.
And again, as I talked aboutfinancial insecurity issues, I
was still going to school.
I was in my doctorate programand I ran out of money.
(13:31):
So I had to take a differentroad.
And I ran out of money, so Ihad to take a different road,
and that road included goingback to community college,
studying drama and forbearing mystudent loan because I couldn't
pay it, and then, when Ifinally was in the position to
start paying back my loans, Ipaid back just the interest, and
(13:51):
then I also continued to payfor my doctoral program at the
same time.
So I had to prepare financiallyto get to that point.
And that is the same thing aboutwhere you may stand right now.
Maybe you want to go back toschool.
Maybe maybe you're currently ina, in a you know, a custody
(14:13):
battle with maybe an ex-spouse,whatever it could be, and maybe
that's currently.
Maybe your, your priority isgetting your kids back and
that's again that's a strategyto get you to your end means.
And that is what do I dream ofwanting to be.
And a dream is nothing but adream unless you have a strategy
(14:39):
to back it up, to find the endto the mean, and the end to the
mean is this is where I seemyself in the next two years,
three years, five years.
There is no certain amount oftime that you have to allot.
You have to look at the strategyto get ahead Now.
A key, important part of thatstrategy is the fourth attribute
(15:05):
around dignity.
We talked about focusing on thepositive gaining perspective,
recognizing strategies to getahead perspective, recognizing
strategies to get ahead.
The last one, but by far notthe least, is surround yourself
with good people, with peoplethat want you to succeed.
(15:25):
They look at your well beingand they know what you can
achieve.
They believe in you.
They don't try to get you to dothings that are
counterproductive, and those arethe people that can be mentors.
Those are the people that maybeyou mentor you.
You scratch your back, youscratch their back, and that way
(15:48):
is everybody can be successful.
And if you have true friendsthat are looking after your
overall well-being, they seewhat's the good in you, they are
focusing on the positives aboutyou, they have perspective
about who you are and theybelieve in you.
(16:10):
They understand that, whateverstrategies that you need to do
to move forward.
You can focus on that, becausethey are going to support you,
and the people that support youwill make or break your success,
and that is why, in 2025, wehave to have a clarity, we have
(16:36):
to wipe the fog out of themirror.
We have to look and say I mean,this is going back to a Disney
Mirror, mirror on the wall.
What can I do to be successfulof them all?
Well, it starts with focusing onthe positives.
(16:58):
Don't worry about what peopleare saying about you.
Social media it doesn't matter.
Get off social media.
If it's negative news, don'tturn on the news.
If's negative people, tune themout.
Remember the best cure forbeing sad, the best cure for
(17:23):
negative feelings, is a smile, alaugh, a clear view of maybe
you're not where you want to betoday, but maybe what you want
to be tomorrow is right in frontof you.
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