Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the podcast. Thanks as always
for tuning in. Today we're going to be talking about
the cages we often don't see, the ones we build ourselves,
and more importantly, how we can find with these. You've
likely checked many of the boxes. Haven't you built a career,
supported your loved ones, strived to be a dependable partner,
(00:33):
a dedicated parent, a reliable colleague. You've played by many
of the unwritten rules, shouldered responsibilities, and by many external measures.
Perhaps you feel like you've made it. Yet in the
quiet moments, perhaps when the house is still, or during
the solitary commute, does a different feeling sometimes creep in,
(00:54):
a sense of an invisible cage, its bars forged from duty,
expectations and the relentless march of time. It's the subtle,
gnawing awareness that, while you've given so much to others,
the landscape of your own aspirations, perhaps even your own
physical and mental well being, feels inexplicably hemmed in a
(01:16):
horizon you can see but feel powerless to reach. This
isn't necessarily a cage built by malice or obvious external forces.
It's often more insidious. It's the quiet voice that says
it's too late for that, or that's not for someone
like me. Or it's that feeling of resignation, that heavy
(01:37):
sigh when you just accept that certain personal achievements are
off limits. Maybe it's about reclaiming your health, wanting to
feel truly energetic and strong again. Or perhaps it's a
specific fitness goal you've already dismissed, thinking, oh, that that's
only for elite athletes or actors or people with endless money,
So you tell yourself it's simply out of reach. But
(01:58):
what if the strongest bar of this cage aren't actually
part of the structure of your life, but rather beliefs
you've anchored deep within yourself. This sensation of being trapped
of perhaps sacrificing personal goals for noble reasons, yet still
feeling unfulfilled or limited in your own potential, while profoundly real,
(02:20):
often stems from a cage largely of our own making.
We are, in many ways the unwitting architects of our
own confinement, especially when it comes to our personal potential
and well being. This exploration leads us to crucial understanding. Ultimately,
most of our significant limitations are self imposed, as we
(02:43):
are primarily restricted by the boundaries we consciously or unconsciously
agree to and set for ourselves, even as we navigate
the genuine demand of our lives. The most pervasive limitations
we encounter, the ones that truly hold us back, are
those we construct and agree too in our own minds.
Think about it. How often has a belief like I'm
(03:05):
not good enough or I could never do that stopped
you before you even started. These aren't physical walls, but
they might as well be. We internalize fears, fear of failure,
fear of judgment, even fear of success, and these fears
become the architects of our boundaries. We accept certain constraints
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without ever questioning their validity, perhaps they were handed down
to us, or because they offer a strange kind of
comfort in their familiarity. By simply identifying these self imposed
beliefs in unquestioned agreements, we take the first crucial step
towards dismantling them. Now, it's important to acknowledge that we
don't exist in a vacuum. Societal structures and our nature
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as social beings do impose certain limitations. There are laws,
of course, necessary for a function in society, but here's
a key distinction. Our reasons for refraining from harmful acts
should ideally spring from a deeper well of ethical principles,
from empathy, from conscience, rather than solely from a fear
(04:10):
of punishment. This reflects an internal locus of control. Even
when operating within external frameworks, we also face societal role
expectations and systemic pressures that can sometimes feel limiting. The
challenge isn't to reject society, but to learn to navigate
it with greater personal agency, clearly distinguishing between necessary societal
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boundaries and the additional self imposed restrictions we often adopt
in response to them. So how do we actively reclaim
our power and agency within this complex picture. A crucial
step in dismantling those self imposed limitations is to actively
cultivate self reliance, starting with the very foundation of our existence,
(04:54):
our physical and mental well being. And many people feel
trapped by perceived dependence on a medical system that often
feels inadequate, or they feel chained to a dissatisfying job
solely for the benefits that it provides. This feeling of
dependency can be incredibly disempowering, and it becomes a self
imposed limitation. When we accept it as an unchangeable reality,
(05:17):
but you can take that power back. Proactive health management
is key. For my decades as a strength coach, my
background in martial arts, I have seen first hand how
discipline and physical training translates to empowerment in all areas
of life. This isn't about fad diets or extreme measures.
It's about sustainable, science backed habits. Focus on nutrition with
(05:42):
whole foods, lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats. Studies consistently
show that these contribute to better energy, better cognitive function,
and disease prevention. Make regular physical activity a non negotiable
part of your life. The principles of progressive overload and
strength training, for example, teach us that we can systematically
(06:04):
increase our capacity. Even the CDC has recommendations of at
least one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate intensity aerobic
activity and two days of muscle strengthening activity per week
for adults. Start there. This isn't about physical appearance. It
is about building strength, stamina, mental toughness and resilience. And
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don't underestimate the power of sleep. Consistent quality sleep is
essential for physical and mental recovery. Skimping on it is
linked to a host of chronic health issues and impaired
decision making. By taking charge of these fundamental aspects of
your health, you reduce your reliance on external fixes and
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potentially gain more freedom in your life choices. This directly
challenges the limiting belief that good health or peaque fitness
is an unattainable luxury beyond physical self reliance. Forging a
resilient mind set is absolutely key to navigating an often
uncertain world and breaking free from limitations amplified by fear.
(07:08):
Recent global events in the constant barrage of political noise
have understandably heightened anxieties. This fear can be paralyzing, further
entrenching limiting beliefs like what's the point everything feels so unstable,
I'm so powerless. When it comes to building that mental resilience,
it is not a one size fits all approach, and
(07:29):
I'm not a doctor, so I can only share what
I've learned from my own experiences and what many find helpful.
It's about finding what resonates with you. For example, many
people find great value in practices like mindfulness or meditation,
and these can be powerful tools for managing stress, improving focus,
and getting a clearer perspective on challenging situations. In my
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own journey, particularly through martial arts, developing that kind of
focused awareness, that ability to stay present under pressure has
been incredibly beneficial. Another area of people explore is learning
to recognize and question their own thought patterns. It's often
said that our internal monologue is kind of a default
negative setting. It's a survival mechanism, always scanning for threats.
(08:16):
To reprogram that we often have to make conscious choices
to introduce positive thoughts. One of my favorite tools that
I've ever learned comes from my great friend Bobby Maximus
in his book Maximus Body. He suggests using green dots.
You get those little green circular file stickers, put them
everywhere your bathroom, mirror, your steering wheel, the back of
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your phone. Every time you see that dot, it's acute.
You have to force yourself to say something positive about
yourself and the efforts you're making. It's just one tool
in a huge toolbox of things that you can explore
to help combat self limiting thoughts and behaviors. Essentially, learning
to catch those automatic negative thoughts and asking is this
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thought actually true? Is it helpful. Just the act of
questioning them can start to loosen their grip. And I've
personally found immense wisdom and principles that echo through many philosophies,
including Stoicism and a lot of martial disciplines. A core
idea there is to differentiate between what you can control
and what you can't. Then you focus your energy intensely
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on your own actions, your efforts, your responses, the things
truly within your power, and learn to navigate or accept
the things outside of your control. For me, embracing this
has been a game changer and reducing anxiety about external
events and just staying grounded. Now, something we really need
to drill in on is how developing yourself as a
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physical being directly empowers you on the mental and emotional
side of things. This isn't just about looking a certain way,
It's about what happens on the inside. One of the
reasons I and many others who train walk tall and
confident is because of the deep lefs lessons learned through discipline,
physical practice like martial arts or dedicated strength training. In
(10:05):
these arenas, you actively seek out your limitations, and the
more importantly you learn how to deal with them, you
learn how to be stronger, how to be faster, how
to manage your fear when facing adverse situations. That training
provides an unbelievable benefit knowing how truly strong you are,
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knowing how much work you've put into improving your stamina
or a skill, acknowledging your own current physical limitations, but
also knowing full well that you are one hundred percent
capable of changing that situation. Of training specific attributes or
addressing specific weaknesses that gives you profound mental power that
gives you authentic confidence. And I've spoken before about the
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five tenants associated with martial arts, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control,
and indomitable spirit. These powerful qualities don't just magically appear.
They are forged in the crucible of dedicated training, arising
from the disciplined study of something as intense as self defense.
People absolutely should be taking the time to take care
(11:10):
of themselves physically because they deserve that level of confidence
and security. They deserve to feel empowered, They deserve to
be able to make decisions from a place of inner strength,
not dictated by external systems of control or their own
unexamined fears. This enhanced sense of self and capability built
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through both mental practices and physical discipline is what allows
us to truly engage with the world. When we talk
about preparedness, I'm not talking about isolating yourself or waiting
for an apocalypse. Far from it. The true goal, as
I see it, is to cultivate such a strong sense
of self, inner resourcefulness, and confidence from this mental and
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physical well being that you can engage fully and constructively
with the society actually live in. It's about having the
mental and emotional fortitude to build bridges with your neighbors,
even those who you may disagree with politically. It's about
having the confidence to stand your ground respectfully in your values,
and the compassion to be willing to support and protect
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one another. Fostering a stronger community because you, as an
individual are strong. Developing useful skills, whether it's effective communication,
problem solving, or financial literacy, builds this everyday confidence and confidence.
This preparedness, both mental and practical, isn't about succumbing to
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fear or shutting ourselves off, but about mastering our inner
world so we can engage more effectively and positively with
the outer world. It's about building a foundation of personal
stability so that external uncertainties don't dictate your internal state
or your willingness to pursue your best self. Ultimately, this
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entire journey is about becoming the architect of your best self.
True liberation from self imposed limits comes from consciously deciding
who you want to be and then taking consistent, deliberate action,
unconstrained by the limiting perceptions of others or even your
own past self. The discipline and goal setting inherent in
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pursuits like strength training, martial arts sports, they offer powerful
models for this kind of personal development. And please understand,
your best version is individually defined. It's not about conforming
to some universal, one size fits all ideal. Everyone can
strive for their peak health, their optimal vitality, their most
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authentic expression of self. A critical part of this is
to stop letting other people's thoughts, feelings, or perceptions about
the world limit who and what you are. There are
some proven strategies to help you on this path. Set clear,
smart goals, specific measurable, achievable, relevant time bound turn abstract
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ideas into concrete, actionable plans. Understand the science of habit formation,
learn how to create new positive habits, and break old
limiting ones. Actively seek discomfort by stepping outside your comfort
zone in small, manageable ways. This is where growth happens.
It expands your capabilities and systematically challenges those old limiting
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beliefs about what you can handle or achieve. Embrace continuous
learning and skill acquisition to keep your mind active, adaptable,
and open to new possibilities. This is an ongoing process
of self discovery and self creation. It's about aligning your
actions with your authentic values and aspirations, rather than with
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inherited or absorbed limitations. Yes, there are real systemic issues
in the world and we can't ignore their impact. But
even within those challenging contexts, we often retain more agency
than we realize, especially in our attitude, our responses, and
the internal limits we set for ourselves. This isn't about
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total isolation either. Strong communities and support systems are vital.
It's about finding the right balance being your best self
so you can exist within the world vibrantly and authentically
without letting the world diminish your light. So, as we conclude,
remember this, while societal boundaries exist and life will always
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present challenges, the most profound barriers to your growth, your
achievement and your fulfillment are typically those you erect yourself
unconsciously or unconsciously agreeing to be limited. You have the
power to identify these internal limits. You have the capacity
to build greater physical autonomy through taking charge of your health,
(16:00):
orgmental and practical resilience, to face an uncertain world with
confidence and engage with your community constructively. And most importantly,
you can actively define and become the best version of yourself.
I encourage you to take stock of your own invisible cages,
recognize your inherent power to dismantle the bar by ball.
(16:22):
It's time to stop letting outdated beliefs or others' perceptions
defining your boundaries. Start today by taking one small, concrete
step towards the more expansive, empowered life you truly want
and absolutely deserve, a life where you can contribute your
unique strength to the world around you.