How To CREATE Your Life With Your MINDSET - Shape Your Reality With Your Thoughts & Feelings | Eric Thomas

25:58Why would you sit here and all the stuff that you said was absolutely right? My daddy wasn't there. My mama did this. This person did to me. Why would you let them destroy your life? Let's go. Why would you let them own you? Why would you allow that thing they did to hurt you now define the rest of your life? It's like, no, I was in pain. It's real, but get a reward for it. So for me, walking into, first of all, driving here in a car service, getting to L.A., walking in this beautiful facility, seeing the other businesses that are here. I'm like, I'm proud of you. You made it. You could have stopped.

26:35That's the homeless boy. And nobody would have tripped. Your daddy wasn't there. Your mom was 17 when she got pregnant. All the negative that happened to you, Eric, we understand. Bob understand. Let me tell you, one of the things that just blew my mind the other day. So, you know, we were fortunate to own a home in California on the hill. Right. So we got this property. We got the basketball court with the logo, all the companies that whatever. And I go outside yesterday and I see my wife and my son playing basketball. And I'm thinking to myself in California on the hill, looking at all these beautiful properties.

27:11My wife and my son are outside hooping. Dream life. proud. My wife was like, I want to work out. My son was like, I didn't even know. She was like, I'm going to play basketball. I'm like, I can't do it right now. And I'm listening to a voice. He came home, heard the basketball, went out with his mom. I'm like, yo, my son, 29 years old, is spending time with his mom as an adult male. He could be anywhere doing anything. He's with his mom, her firstborn. They got this bond that I don't have. And they're out here hooping. And And as I look at the property, I'm like, yo, what if the 16-year-old Eric Thomas would have stayed the 16-year-old Eric Thomas?

27:50So I'm saying for those who are listening, get a reward for it and then do me a favor. Don't just think about you. Like, do you know that my son, in his mind, this is where you start. Like, he got the son of the pool to work on. He's starting somewhere I never started. The cars, the Rolls Royce, the Escalade. Like, he started somewhere I didn't start. Why? Because I didn't stop where I started. I didn't stop. I was like, okay, this is where we started, but this is not about to be my end. And so his beginnings looked dope. My man went to Michigan State and was a general manager for Izzo. He traveled the world.

28:27He's got a Final Four win in the Elite Eight ring. He's got the jack. He sat under Coach Izzo, Hall of Fame coach for four years. Coach OG. He sat under these guys. Like, his boys, some of his boys went to the league. There's some of them still in the league. Like, he got that because I didn't go. I quit because my mom, my dad did. So I quit. I give up. This is the worst thing ever happened. I was like, mm-mm, you get a reward for it. And so to see my son, I'm coming to a concert tonight with my daughter. Listen to me. Like, I didn't give up. And so I'm saying to everybody, we all go through pain.

28:59Some of us go through pain, and it becomes our tombstone. Some of us go through pain, and it's a scar. And we live a life of reward. So I'm just going to say again, 2025, do me a favor. Check you. So you're in the ballot box and you're looking at all these options. Doctor, lawyer, teacher, whatever you see, president, mayor, governor. Do me a favor before you check off any of that S &P 500 real estate. Before you check any of that, check you. Yeah. Before you check anything, check you and go look yourself in the mirror and go, yo, I'm my lottery ticket. I'm my ticket out of the neighborhood or, you know, I'm the broken curse.

29:41Like whatever you want to call yourself. But the day I stopped saying my mom, my dad, this person, the police, the cops, the day I stopped doing that, the day I said you. Do you think anyone can have a beautiful, amazing life if they live in a blaming mindset? No, no. You know why? Because what I didn't realize as a young adult is that when you say it to somebody else, whether you mean to do it or not, you give them the keys to your life. You give them power over you. They got your whole life in their hand. Because you said it. You said it. They didn't do this. And because they didn't. They got the keys.

30:16Now, I'll be honest. The reason why we don't want to take the keys is because we got to drive. We got to drive. And I told you. Today, I was like, I got too much to do. I normally drive. I'm like, I got too much to do. And it felt good to be in the car driven. It felt good. Yeah. Like, I'm going on the phone, talking to my wife. We having worship, doing our thing, making a couple business calls. Like, I don't have the responsibility of the traffic. Paying attention. I got paying attention. He moved over. I was like, why is he stopping in the middle of going on the crowd? But it was a fire truck.

30:46So he had to move over. I didn't know what was going on because it was the first time in my life that I wasn't really, like, responsible. Because I normally drive. And that's why people don't want to drive in their lives. They don't want to be responsible. it's so much easier to say my life is messed up because you did this and you did that once you take the keys now you gotta go anything but I'm gonna tell you this this is why I like it while it's more responsibility it's more freedom it's more independence it's more control opportunities it's more opportunities they limit it but the limit is when you take the keys and so I took the keys in my life and said my thanks dad thanks for not being there for me you gave me a dog you gave me a passion You gave me resilience.

31:28You taught me how to make it when the very thing that's supposed to be there for you isn't there for you. And I tell people what I want. Some kid asked me the other day. He's like, man, wouldn't you say your son is lucky because you're in his life and his mom is in his life? I said yes and no. I said yes, he's blessed to have his mom and dad, but he ain't got that dog. He doesn't have the hunger? He ain't got that dog. Oh, man. My son is a great kid. But he doesn't have the drive. He ain't got the same drive I got. And that drive came without some stuff that I like. That stuff came from lack. And so I say to anybody, you got to understand it could go either way.

32:08But when you take the, you take the, it's like I walk into a school and I ask, how many of y 'all? 50 kids. How many of your kids in here? A thousand kids. How many of your dads, one in your life was not living in a house? 90 % raised in here. Wow. And guess what? I automatically can relate to him. that's the that's the that my daddy wasn't there that's the it factor if my father had been there I might not be able to go in here and relate or my videos and go viral people are like okay maybe if I just had aired voice or if I just scream and I just look past you bro that's not what it is it's when I speak you hear it because I've been through what you've been through and so you recognize that voice you recognize the pain you recognize the struggle but you recognize I overcame it.

32:54And that's why you're like, I want to rock with this dude. Because this one ain't some kind of way. Eric ain't the one that's making us feel like, oh, it's okay that you went through this. And it's okay that this, and it's okay if you don't want to grow. And it's okay if you don't want. No, what you hear from me is a coach that's saying, Jordan, you got six rings in you, but you got to stop playing this way and you got to start playing this way. Kobe, you got great, but you got to do it this way. Serena, you got Venus. You got that. Richard Williams is saying he's not out there just. He's teaching, training, but he's also correcting.

33:30And so for me, they hear my voice. I'm not letting you get away with murder because greatness is in you. The greatness is in you. And now it's time to go to school. It's time to go to work and bring that greatness out of you. So just anybody, anybody could be successful. But as long as you're playing the blame game, you have given permission, the license, registration, the keys, you give it all over to somebody else. And the day you take it is the day that you can start deciding which direction you want to go. Wow. So it sounds like step one, take the keys back to your life. Take the keys back.

34:05What would steps two and three be for setting people up for their ultimate life? What would that beginning process? Is it get clear on a goal? Is it start with motivation? Start with discipline? Like, change your habits? What would the next couple steps be to set up the mindset for success? I would say step two, and I don't know why they don't teach this in school. Like, be your first best friend. You know? Like, get to know you. We're so busy wanting to be in a community that we don't realize we are a community. Right? And look, I'm not trying to be deep. You know, people, you know, you believe this, you don't believe in this.

34:45But what I was taught, you know, in school, especially Catholic school, it seemed like Adam was by himself first. It doesn't seem like it was like somebody else. It's like Adam was first and then whatever happened after that. So the first man was by himself. And I think that's important for those of us who study that. Why? Because all of us think we have to have somebody to be somebody. And this guy started his journey on his own before he connected with somebody, whatever. He knew his purpose. You know, he walked in his confidence. And a lot of us are going, I hear people say all the time, well, I'm not doing good in life.

35:22Why not? I don't have nobody. I'm not in a relationship. I'm saying, you're telling me? No, listen to me very closely. Do you think for one minute that getting in a relationship with somebody, it can't be the key because so many people have gotten in relationships and gotten out of it. So that can't be the key. Now, two healthy people, not perfect, but two healthy people coming together. Oh, no, that's different. It's expansive. But guess what has to happen? You got to be healthy with you. You can be healthy with you. You can be with this. So we even messing each other up when we have two dysfunctional people trying to connect with each other because we think two functional people don't come together and make each other.

35:55It's not going to work. So I just think the first step after the first step is you got to figure out who you are and love you and feel good about you and show up in the ring. You and not care what nobody think about you. And that's why this relationship has worked so well for me over the years, because when we're together, it's never been a thing of E, why you do that? Why you do that? Or E, why you do that? It's always been like, E, you have a unique set of skills that make you great. You have a unique set. And so we've always focused on what's our unique skills and what do you know that I don't know and how can you help me get there?

36:30And so a lot of these young kids are joining things they shouldn't join and being with people because they think their happiness is going to come from being with somebody else. And I just think if you be, if the Eagles aren't trying to, they just are, they're not trying, Lions aren't, what do you think about me? What do you think about my roar? You think I'm too loud when I roar? They're not concerned. And so I think step two, figure out who you are, love you. And step three, figure out your North Star. And wake up every single day going after your North Star. Because when you have a North Star, you know, and the people that you love and you spend time with have a North Star, have a purpose.

37:14And their purpose might be we both have people whose purposes help us with our purpose. Yes. They don't necessarily have a individual person. Right. Like they felt like they were called to help us to serve our mission. That's it. So we need a North Star so they can know what they're North Star. Yeah. So that would be my third one. It's like you've got to figure out what makes you happy. And again, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with first time I did a behind the scenes coming in here just because I was like to my Patreon community. Like, yo, you all need to understand where I am and what's going on.

37:45But I don't if you follow me on Instagram or or TikTok, wherever I'm on, you don't see behind the scenes. I think that's a phenomenal tool to show other people what. But my wife is private. So so for us, that does not work. She does not want to be seen in the line. She doesn't want to be in Dubai and stop and go. Let's take a let's document what she doesn't like that. So for some people it works, but I don't have to do that to still find a space. Right. There's some people, you know, they do tours. Right. I don't do tours. That's not my thing. I used to do them. I don't do them now. There's some people that write books.

38:23Some people don't write books like it doesn't matter. But what matters is you have to find a thing that wakes you up at three o 'clock or six o 'clock or 10 o 'clock. Like you got to find a thing that brings the life out of you, the joy out of you, the happiness out of you. And you can't do that following somebody else's North Star. So my last one would be, man, figure out what you was put on this earth to do. And I mean, every single chance you have to do it. Do it. And when you're not doing it, enjoy your life. My son was like, Dad, I'm tired. I said, you tired? You burnt out for what? Look at your mom and dad.

38:57You work for the family. What are you doing? Well, I've been up the last six days working 10, 12 hours. I said, for what? What would you be doing that for? Like, why wouldn't you take advantage of the... You said, what should I be doing? I said, you should figure out what it is you do. He's a designer. You should be designing clothes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, whatever, five, six hours a day. And then Saturday, Sunday or Friday, Saturday, because of your family, you should get a trip somewhere and go spend it with a friend. You should go see. You should go to Italy. You should go to Rome.

39:31You should go to South Africa. So you should go to the Gold Coast in Australia. Son, what are you doing? You should work. But a part of work also is, where is your play? You should play. We worked hard so you could be balanced. So don't be like us. We grew up in a working class home. We grew up in Detroit. We grew up blue collar. You're not blue collar. So go enjoy your life. Be balanced. So I'm not just saying find your North Star in terms of what you've been called to do for others. but there should be a healthy amount of time that you spend enjoying your life, you know, and enjoying the little time that you have here.

40:09We both know we won't be doing this podcast 100 years from now. Sure. We don't know how much longer we have, but I won't be 154 sitting down talking to you. So however much time I have left, I need to work hard and I need to enjoy that time. Absolutely. Those are beautiful, man. I've heard you talk about a concept I want to share in a second, but I feel like there's a group of people we've been talking to, you've been talking to that are the people that have maybe don't have the opportunities they want. They don't have a life they want. They feel like people are holding them down. That's one group.

40:43Then there's another group of people, which I feel like is a majority of people that have a good life. It's okay. It's good, but they don't, they're not living a great life for themselves. Maybe they got a good job and they're pretty healthy, got a decent relationship, but something, there's like something missing. I think if you can, if that resonates with anyone listening or watching, comment below or leave a like if you feel like, yeah, my life is good, but I feel like something's off. You have this great concept called creating a mental rock bottom to push yourself towards your goals. Can you share more about kind of some practical steps of creating your own mental rock bottom so that you can go to the next level in your life okay i want to use the term that you use and you said create and i just think so many of us have stepped into careers that group we have worshiped create create our careers more than we worship create so the first thing i would say to that group is what would life look like if you did it on your terms because right now you're really not doing on your terms what you've done is say yo if i want to survive if i want to strive this is what i have to do.

41:53And you have allowed people to tell you, okay, you need to be an engineer or you need to be a, and you need to move in. So you've done a phenomenal job in, in being obedient. You've done a phenomenal job in, in complying. Like you've done a phenomenal job. You follow the rules. Yes. Congratulations. You know what I'm saying? Like you didn't rob a bank. You know what I'm saying? Like you haven't done anything illegal. You did exactly what a good child should do. And I have a daughter that I have to get on her sometimes because she's that child that's like, your dad, what do you guys want me to do?

42:23And I said, she's obedient. She's never messed up. I said, do me a favor. Don't always be obedient. You need to sit down and ask yourself if you weren't thinking about the family's name, if Eric Thomas, ET the hip hop preacher, was not your father, what would you be doing? What would you be doing if you didn't have to worry about honoring the dynasty? And you're doing a phenomenal job of honoring this dynasty. I'm not saying anything. Went to school, handled your business. You've never been in trouble before. We've never had to spend money doing anything. You've been a phenomenal child. But what would you do if you lived life on your terms and you were able to go where you even want to do it?

43:01And so that's the first thing I would ask them to do. I want you to think about your life instead of the life. Because that's what you've been thinking about, the life. Now, think about your life. And I want you to start putting it everywhere. Now, the next thing I want you to do is I want you to know that if you have the ability, like I'll never forget. CJ was like, okay, you know what you're missing that the big boy, all the big boy speakers, you know what you're missing? I was like, no. He was like, the New York Times bestseller. Now, I'm not telling you got to do it, but I'm saying that's what's missing.

43:30That's what's missing. You got it. We got it. So he was like, first of all, do you want it? Do you want it? Don't do it because I'm saying you need it. But do you want it? And he could elevate you, but do you want it? And I was like, yeah, I want it. The next question, because what does it take to do it? And then am I willing to do what it takes to get it? That's it. Because it's a lot. It's a lot. But here's the thing. I believe if you think about it, it is only because somewhere inside of you, you have what it takes. Now, capacity is there. Willingness is something totally different. Yes. That's different.

44:07But I want every human to know. So you wouldn't be watching the school of, you wouldn't be watching or listening to the school of greatness if you didn't believe you were great. I'm just, I'm just, for real. You wouldn't be spending time with this man on the regular basis. I'm telling you, I wouldn't be going to Columbus. Bruh, I drove to Columbus. Bruh, it's not a, trust me when I tell you, it's not a, you don't get off the freeway. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not 65 to get up. Why did I go? because this man is great and greats want to hang with greats. I need y 'all to understand. Look, y 'all may not know.

44:41Listen to me. I've got nomad suitcases that I still carry this day because he gave them to me. I didn't buy a new one. I carry the exact same ones that he gave me and my son bought a set because I had a set because it reminds me of him when I travel. It's like greatness. So you wouldn't be watching. You wouldn't be locked in. Something in your spirit has you tuned into this band because you know you're great. Now you got to say to yourself, am I willing to cooperate with the greatness that's in me? And then once you do and you start consistently operating in that, you're going to feel good about it.

45:19Here's what you have to do. You have to understand, Andre DeShields I think said the top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. Wow. So you get to the top of the mountain but you understand the GED was just one the four degree was just one the master just after the phd was the new york time after that it's the assessments it's the training it's the coaching i i'm i'm in masterminds i get coached right and so it's this idea of yesterday's greatness can't be enough because i'm alive today so if i'm alive today it must be some more greatness in me and it's my job like the toothpaste is my job not to just lose.

46:00I don't know about you, but I would just use a little bit up and get another one. He's getting the last drop. I'm squeezing. I got money. I'm squeezing that toothpaste. Why? Because I'm trying to get everything out the tube before I go to another. And with my life, before I get out of here, which is why I could murder myself, that I didn't realize at 12 that I was great. And that's why I say you got to check in 2025, you 2025, right? Because I didn't know I was great. And once I checked in and realized how great I was, I was like, bro, we going to keep doing this until the day we die. And so I would just say to you, you're watching, you're in this space, you're reading his books, you're going to his conferences because you know it's in you.

46:45And it's time to stop being lazy. And it's time to activate it. I love that, man. Well, here's the thing why I think a lot of people might stay stuck is they allow their feelings to keep them in a place of frustration. You have this great example that you say execution should be fact-based, not feeling-based. But people feel the overwhelm of the economy or the government or their parents or their partner or whatever the responsibilities of the world. They feel anxious, avoidant, overwhelmed, burnt out, like doubtful, insecure. And they allow feelings to consume their inaction. So what's an example of how someone can shift from being driven by emotions into fact-based actions towards their goals?

47:36It wasn't what you teach, man. The meditation thing. People don't take it serious. This is the time to get control of your mind. And for most of us, our mind is in control of us. So when you talk about meditating, it's like this is a habit of the greats. and one of the habits of those individuals who are not where they want to be is I'm not trying to be funny but it's like lazy to absolutely meditate regularly is a discipline it is man it's not easy it's not easy to get control of your I'm like where did that thought come from right so guys let's go back to the 12 year old that found the birth certificate right we found the birth certificate we found the birth certificate in the emotional state we found it in an emotional state listen to me I'm not the first kid who has ever gone through this experience and you know what I had to ask myself in that mirror at 16, 17, 18 I had to keep asking myself when you saw it why did you see it that way why did you not call your mom and say mom you wouldn't talk about this why didn't you go hey mom the counselor can we go sit down and talk to the counselor hey mom call dad can we just sit down and listen to me.

48:54I went from, I can't believe that you would do me like this. I went from a ball of emotions to living in abandoned buildings. It was the stupidest decision I had probably ever made. I put myself in so much danger as a 12-year-old, 13-year-old homeless. Based on emotions. On emotions. So the same document, nothing changed about it. But if I could go back as this adult and look at that, I would look at it as facts and go, wow, Wow, your mother protected you. Wow, your mom loved you so much that she didn't want you with your biological father because she thought he could be a threat. Right, wrong, or indifferent.

49:31Your mom didn't do this because she was trying to hurt you. Your mom did this because she was trying to protect you. Your mom brought you into a family. Your mom didn't try to hide the identity. She wanted this man to be your father. He changed your name and gave you his last name. Wow, he treated me as if I was his own. Wow. He didn't lie. He made his family treat me as if I was and don't ever say anything about my past because my past has nothing to do with him making a decision at the courthouse to be my dad. It's the same document. What emotional? The other one is factual. Your mother loves you.

50:08Your mother cares for you. Your mother's trying to put you in a healthy environment. Your mother has a job. Your mother married somebody who was a foreman at GM. He has a job. He has a college degree. He played basketball. He's a responsible man. He protects his family. Take care. But emotion wouldn't let me be rational. Emotional wouldn't let me think rationally. It had me irrational. So I would say when you make emotional decisions, you get emotional consequences. Yes. But it takes meditation. It takes controlling of the mind to say, how should I behave? How should I think in this situation?

50:46And what's going to give me the best outcome? And I'm going to be honest. I've learned we can save the emotions for when I'm looking at the nomad bag and going, man, that's my boy. Thank you. Why would you even buy me? Like what would make you think of and this is a perfect gift? You know what I'm saying? Like I didn't think to buy suitcases for myself. That's where the emotion should be. Me coming in and seeing you, hugging you. What's up, fam? But when it comes to business, when it comes to being a leader and a decision maker, we're not doing emotions. We're doing empirical evidence. We're doing facts.

51:16What does the facts say? What does the research say? What does the evidence say? Okay, and based on the research and the evidence, this is the game plan. Let's go. It doesn't matter how you feel. Yeah, it don't matter how you feel. Man, I love this. Yeah. Again, if we're talking about really developing kind of a bulletproof mindset when the last five years for a lot of people has been a lot of stress, overwhelming anxiety, as we move into 2025.

51:46In order to have a more powerful, resilient mindset, how important is it for not just me and you, because I already know the answer for me and you, how important is it for everyone to have mentors in their life? It's everything, man. Listen to me. I never even thought about being a multimillionaire or a billionaire until I was in the room with Warren Buffett. I never even, I didn't even know how much it was worth when I was in the room afterwards. And then this all started making sense. Okay, now that I know who I am, you, 2025, like, check, I know who I am. Now it's, oh, real estate is a way?

52:24Oh, so you mean to tell me that being a blue collar, okay, that's what my parents knew, but you don't make a whole bunch of money working. You make more money when you put your money to work. Oh, that's real estate? Oh, helping kids who are talented figure out their talent and taking a percentage? Oh, okay. I didn't even know this stuff existed. Got it. And so it is important. Bob Proctor pulling me to the side. How much do you charge? You should be charging. Les Brown calling me and said, I'll meet you in Orlando. Les Brown sitting me down, talking to him. Listen to me. Coach, it is everything.

52:58Why? Because I just said, think of Michael Jordan without Phil Jackson. Right. Think of Venus in Serena without Richard Williams. Like, yo, I just want you to picture Kobe without Phil Jackson. Think about Tim Brooke without Mike without. You know what I'm saying? Tim Groy. Come on, now Tim. So coaching is critical, and here's what's going to blow your mind. When you get to our level, you really need more coaching. Because we didn't exhaust all the stuff. You really need coaching. After Jordan won his first championship, he didn't say, I think I've got it figured out on my own. I don't need a coach.

53:36He said, let me find Tim to train me. Let me find the mindset coach, the recovery coach. Come on. You know, make sure we're getting to the next level. They said – They said – I read it, but it's research. I'm almost sure it's true that LeBron – Look at LeBron, what he's doing right now. It's amazing, man. Bro, let me check it out. 40, a 40 chicken dunking on 20-year-olds. Whoever had the arguments, you know what I'm saying? Because there were those of us who was alive. Yeah. We watched Jordan do his thing. But, bro, what LeBron is doing right now, but when I do my research and not emotional about, oh, how is he doing this?

54:07No, when I do my research, he's spending$1.5 million on his body, in recovery coaches, meaning dietary coaches, meaning mental and emotional coaches, acting coaches. He got all. And so you see the decision he made, and you see, okay, yeah, he was great. But that investment that he made in himself, and now look at his son, and then he got another son. These are decisions that he's making. He's not emotional. these decisions are based on facts of experts and then we're seeing the outcomes of yeah we're seeing the numbers they putting up at this age versus the and nobody's ever put these kind of numbers up at this particular age so we all need coaches you know and so that's why i've made the decision that e the one area that you need to step up in speaking is good traveling the world talk but you got to, the same way people open up doors for you and walk you through, you have got to do the same thing.

55:07And I've literally, the last two years, have had a small group of people that every morning I wake up with and I train them for an hour every single morning. It's amazing. And what's amazing about that is to see the difference between people I coach and people who watch me online. Wow. It's a difference. You're watching me online. You're getting the motivation, but you're not getting the daily schedule. You're not getting the things to do list. You're not getting the mindset. You're not getting the analytics. You're not getting the blueprint. So it's like you're watching and then you are interpreting.

55:38And this is why I think audio books are good. But I think training with our books are good because people will read our books and interpret them in a way that we didn't intend for it. They're interpreting. So when we do the training or they get to come to a conference where they get to watch the podcast, they're really investing more to what was he really saying? And if they can do what you're saying, that habit, they can get the outcomes of me and you get. Yeah, and it's also being around other people who are in that mindset, who are pushing and you're seeing them grow and it's influencing you to grow.

56:12And you're the community aspect of we're getting coached together. We're growing together. We're working our goals together, all that stuff. You've got an amazing challenge coming up. It's U2025.com, where you're going to put people through a lot of what we've been talking about and more. 21 days. 21 days, every day, coaching, teaching, mentoring. Schedule, what I actually do, not just the passion and stuff you hear online, but the actual, and for free. I'm going to walk you through how many steps I take a day, what I'm drinking. Why did I decide to wake up at this time? Why am I doing this? So that you can start the year off.

56:55And I used to do it in like January-ish. And I'm like, E, you're from Detroit. The 2025 come out in September, October. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of 2024. Yeah. They don't wait to bring. Sure. They don't bring 2025 out in January. They bring it out. And so I was like, E, don't do that. Let's start in November. Let's take it into December. and let's give them the energy and the strategy to go into the new year. That's right. Knowing that they are their greatest asset and they need to tap into their greatest. There should be like in class, especially if you go to college, it should be like UOU 101, UOU 215, UOU 312.

57:35Literally, you get to sit down and go, who am I? What are my skills? What are the things that I'm challenged with? What industries would I be best in? We spend so much time trying to get that. I don't think we spend enough time who we are. Who should we become? That's beautiful, man. So they can go to U2025.com to register for that. That's powerful, man. I feel like I could talk to you for a long time on this. But I wanted to ask you a couple more questions before we wrap up. Again, we're going back to the 12-year-old you who's down and out, figuring about your dad's not your biological dad in your life, your mom lied, you know, challenges in life.

58:21And we're talking about where you're at now. Where do you think you'd be without a spiritual relationship with God in your life over the last 30 plus years with all the ups and downs? Where would you be in life right now, the ETU with no spiritual relationship? I'd say either dead. I'd say dead. Really? Yeah, because I was an extremist. You know, everything I did, I did it to the fullest. You know, so I think I would be dead, honestly. I would say this to simplify for people, because sometimes when you talk spirituality, it's just, for some people, it's just too deep. I would say to you, what happened when I, you know, made a commitment to God is that I connected with the person that made me, that knew me like nobody else knew me.

59:02And he coached me from the 12-year-old to God. He coached me. Wow. He's like, bro, I know you. I made you. inside and out. I know what's the best environments for you. I know who's good for you, who's not good for you. I know your temptations. I know your vices. I know your good habits, your bad habits, and just let me teach you. It was maybe five, six years of fighting. Resisting. Resisting. Because he introduced himself to me at eight. I guess maybe it was too young, but homeless. I was at 16. I'm ready to get coached. Where's that coaching program you said you had i'm ready for that coach and so from 16 to maybe 25 you know it was like okay i'm gonna come to coaching some days some days i'm not some days i'm going in some days i'm not and then my son was born i was almost 25 years old jaylen was born and um jaylen was born in 1995 i turned um 25 in september he was born july 20th and when jaylen was born it was the day coach said to me this is why i've been trying to train you because i wanted you to be the best father you could be yeah and so you miss him you miss some classes you miss some lessons your son is here now he needs the best version of you wow we can't we can't we can't repeat the mistakes of the past and so i need you to hurry up and so when jalen was born from that day full.

1:00:30I remember when he was born, I held him. It was kind of like he looked at me like, you're the person that's going to take care of me. And that was the day. And this is what a lot of you are running from. It's the R word. And I get it because it's tough. Responsibility. That was the day where it was like, you got to be responsible for somebody else. You cannot. I've never played a video game since Jaylen was born. I've read more books since Jaylen was born. That first year or two that I ever read in my life, I took my career seriously speaking. I start, you know, Zig Ziglar, you know, Nightingale, you know, Ogmund Dino.

1:01:05Yeah. Bob Proctor. Oh, bruh. You name them. Dennis Kimbrough. Like, I went deep. I went heavy. You know, Arthur Ashe, you know, Days of Grey. And I read everything. I was in the library like an addict just studying and studying and studying. And it was because I didn't want some of the consequences of the past to come in this generation. you know and so for me it was like yo your son's here you got to handle your business and i just heard i was more attentive i started getting up at six and then i'd play this game daylight saving times would come i would okay say don't follow it stay up at five is the new and then the next year to four and then i got started getting up at three and i started getting up at three o 'clock in the morning because it was still there was no dogs outside nobody was driving around the family was asleep and i was like okay coach i'm sorry let's go back over the lessons I didn't get.

1:01:57And let's go over the new lessons. Coach me. Show me. Nobody knows me. And I tell people I had a brand new Cadillac. Man, it had 10 ,000 miles and the engine blew. And I immediately took it back to Cadillac. I didn't take it to BMW. I didn't take it to Honda. I took it straight to Cadillac. And I went right back to the creators. Yo, you made me. And I'm tearing this car up. I'm not putting oil in it. I'm not changing the, rotating the tires. I'm not putting fluid in it. Show me how to take care of this. And he began to show me how to do it. This is like amazing to see when we're on one accord and I'm following the he told me he's like yo it's time I think I called you maybe last year I'm like yo I need to and he was like no no you're just supposed to call and say what's up you know and then this time it was like yep you need to do it you know I was like all right I got it Brandon I think I was like all right you know I'm saying so just listening to him doing what he's telling me to do and let him coach me so I would say you know don't spiritualize it and make it too repetitive it's the coach and just get a relationship with the coach.

1:02:54Let the coach get a relationship with you and just do what he tells you to do when you're going to love the results. You alluded a little bit about, you know, this version of you is kind of speaking to your 16-year-old self and saying like, here's what you need to do. Stop doing that. Start doing this. Like whether that was you in the future or God speaking to you in the future, in the future, like, Hey, this is what your higher self needs you to do right now. Yeah. What do you feel like God is speaking to you now or your future self is saying to you now? The wisdom you need to hear to take you to the next.

1:03:29This, this, this, this, this is what God is saying. You spent all of your mature life pouring into people who can't do a whole lot for you. You spent some kind of way in your soul. You feel like because of where you were and all these people that help you get to where. So it's like you feel like you owe people to not be in mutual relationships. Like you feel like you're so blessed and you have so much. It's almost a survivor of guilt. And now you just got to be with people who you got to pull. And you got to be with people that you got to beg to. And you got to be with people who you just got to bless and you may not get nothing back.

1:04:05He's like, no, no, no, no. In this season, these relationships have always been there for you. But you haven't taken advantage of them because it's like, I got to help and I got to fix. and I got to be a, I got to save your complex. I got to help you, help you and help you because somebody helped me and I wouldn't be over here. And it's like, and CJ said to me, Eric, no, the only reason it worked is because you wanted it to work. Those mentors didn't do nothing for you. They did, but you had to want it. You're helping people that don't even want to be helped. They want a handout. Yeah. They don't want to be helped.

1:04:39Now, the rest of your life, so being in relationships where it's mutual, just, bro, this might seem insignificant to you. But, you know, they called me and was like, yo, let us know when you get here. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, all right, I'll be there, you know, whatever. And they was like, no, no, no, tell us, you know, when you pull up. I'm like, tell you when I pull up. Like, I can get upstairs on my own. They're like, no, no, no, tell us when you get there. We're going to put you downstairs. Oh, and you want anything from Starbucks? No. I'm like, no, I'm good. I didn't say anything to him.

1:05:08I was like, no, I'm good. I can get my own Starbucks. He said, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm trying to teach you something. She didn't ask you if you had money to buy Starbucks. Do you want something? She asked you, did you want something from Starbucks? And I said, you know what? I even texted her and said, you know, I normally say no. I don't say yes to this kind of stuff. But you know what? Yes, I'd like a grande medicine ball with no honey but three agave. Wow. You know? And she was like, OK, you want to get it? You need to use the recipe. You need to do whatever. And he was like, yo, this is the season.

1:05:43you've poured out receive get something get in these mutual relationships and get something so that's what I'm hearing him say you know as I come today it's like you these relationships have been there for you and you've done your part to make sure you stay alive but you don't always you don't always allow people to reciprocate you know so that's the season for me is like hey bless the world and hey if you don't ever put out another video there's enough videos and All kind of content for people to now look out for Eric Thomas. Now put Eric, now go to the weddings. Stop working all the time. Now go to the events.

1:06:21Stop just working all the time and stop just you and your wife or your little. No, no. There are other communities that are waiting to bless you in the way you've blessed others. And it's time for you to enjoy that. Yeah. So that's what he's telling me. You deserve to receive, man. I would acknowledge you, Eric, for being in this season of life. because I've known you for 10 years, but you put so much focus on giving in a big way, which is a beautiful blessing. But I think you can also give and receive at the same time. It doesn't have to be mutually one way. Just give, give, give, give, and like exhaust yourself to like serve, serve, serve, serve, and then you can give nothing back to self.

1:07:01So I really acknowledge you for being in a season of like, how can I give and receive? How can I deepen these relationships with people who, because I know people try to pour into you. Absolutely. But you're always too busy or you're trying to give, give, give or you're traveling nonstop. I got to help save the kids and teenagers. Of course, dude. And so I acknowledge it for, you know, acknowledging this season of life for you and saying like it's time to like, and I can even see it in your face and your chest, even just energetically when I saw you today. I was like, man, you look healthy. Healthy you're.

1:07:33And I think it's because you're allowing yourself to receive. And so it's really beautiful, man. It is. I'm glad you're in that space. You and me both. You look younger, too. You and me both. You know what I mean? And you know what? I've got people in my life who have, you know, my guy Chuck at church. E, what do you need? I have people who've been there and I haven't even allowed. And so it's like, no, there are a few people already in your circle who try. You got to let them fully. 100%. And then there are other people not in your circle of influence who have been trying. Sure. And you got to receive.

1:08:05Yeah, yeah, yeah. Receive. Receive, man. I love this, man. Okay, so you can email it. Yeah, exactly. Well, if people want to learn more, they can go to u2025.com. They can also go to, I think it's erictomas.com or ETTheHipHopPreacher on Instagram, YouTube. Obviously, lots of great free content if you're not able to sign up for the challenge right now. It is free. Yeah, yeah. The challenge is free. There you go. u2025.com. Make sure you guys check that out. Leave a comment of the thing that spoke to you and resonated the most with you below on YouTube as well. and always make sure to share that with a friend that you think would empower them to step up in their life in a powerful way.

1:08:44Two final questions for you, Eric. I appreciate your time, man. Yeah, me too. I appreciate this opportunity. I think I asked you this seven years ago last time you were on, but I'm going to ask it again and see where you're at now. Okay, all right. You keep evolving as a human. This is a question called the three truths. So it's a hypothetical scenario. Say you get to live to 150. You get to live as long as you want. We got to come back and do it. Right, right, yeah, yeah, yeah. Before then, you get to live as long as you want, but it's the last day on the earth for you. You know, you're as old as you want to be.

1:09:15You get to create and accomplish and give and receive all the things you want, but it's the last day, very far in the future. And for whatever reason on this hypothetical scenario, you've got to take all of your content with you. So the world has no more access to ETs, content, books, challenges, YouTube. It's all, for whatever reason, hypothetically gone. is called oh i know right it's a hypothetical it's not gonna happen but let's just say let's just say this but on the last day god says you know what i'm gonna let you leave three things behind three lessons from all the wisdom you've gained and all the content you've created all your experiences you get to say three final things three truths and this would stay forever for people to watch here what would those three truths be so the first one is unplug unplug from everybody you know unplug from everybody i don't know if this is one but unplug from everybody and plug with the creator man like plug with the person that brought you into the space knows you loves you you know unplug number two man find love you know um dd man dd it's just been so rich being in a healthy relationship.

1:10:32It's beautiful. You know, because it shows you who you're not. Like, it's not what you think. It's not just this warm, fuzzy, you know, but Diddy has been like, hey, you're a great human, but you got to work on this, you know. And then the last one, man, love, you know, love. It's so easy to see our differences. It's so easy to, you know, the things that are, you know, polar opposite. You grew up here, you grew up there. I believe in this, I believe in that. You vote this way, you vote this way. I believe this, I believe it. It's so easy to let one or two things separate you when it's about a hundred things that you guys have in common, because you're human, you know?

1:11:14And so it's just like love. And I think of a lot of my friends who've never gotten to go out of our community, never meet anybody outside of our little world, and to be in Dubai or New Zealand or wherever, Travel in love. So that's the last one. Love, but don't love in your little pocket. Like get out and meet different people who come from different spaces and places and just see how dope the creator is by being around the people who he created. Because he created you and not like me. And so there's so much dopeness around you that I can get into, but I do. I have a lot of friends. you know the thing i love about you is i've done podcasts with people like it's dope because people are energetic but i always know when i'm with you it's not about energy it's about inward and you make me go inward in a way that i don't have to do with a lot of people so many people are surface they don't make you go inward whenever i'm with you it's like oh e let's let's have a meaningful We may only be together for an hour, but let's make it meaningful and deep.

1:12:27So when I walk out of here, my wife is about to get a new version of me. So I'll say love with travel and meet all the different people from all the different walks of life, eat different food, see the world different, live in different spaces and just see how good the creator is by introducing yourself to the ones he created. Wow, that's beautiful. I love those. Final question. What's your definition of greatness? man um i'll just say this verse

1:12:57well done thou good and faithful servant you've been faithful over a few i'll make you rule over many to me greatness is fulfilling the purpose of the manufacturer so if i made this cup i i want to put whatever i want to put in the cup i don't want the cup telling me i don't want to do that and so So for me, it's like, what is it that you want me to do? And there was a time you wanted me to save the world. Now you want me to save myself. Oh, my gosh. So if that's what you want now, if that's the new thing you're asking me to do, I just want to make the manufacturer go, I created this for this use, and I am utilizing it in the way that it should be used.

1:13:42And that's, you know, of course, you got to evolve and grow and do all the stuff you have to do. But, yeah, to me, that's what greatness is. the creator getting everything out of you not just you because i feel like if you're creating everything out of me i'm gonna have a great life too but it doesn't necessarily mean i've been married for a while i've been happy and my wife was like i'm not as happy as you are and i'm like what we happy she said no no you're happy but there's some things i need you to do that you're not doing i'm like when you're doing everything it's like that two things could be true you i could but you're not.

1:14:14And so I don't want to just be happy. I want the creator to go, yeah, I'm grateful that I created you. And I see you're doing in the world what it was that I wanted you to do. And now also for yourself, what I wanted you to do because I wanted you to be happy too. I didn't want your life to just be about work and being a blessing. I wanted you to be blessed as well. So that's it. My man, E.T. My brother. Appreciate you, man. Thank you. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and it inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a full rundown of today's episode with all the important links.

1:14:52And if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me personally, as well as ad-free listening, then make sure to subscribe to our Greatness Plus channel exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Share this with a friend on social media and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts as well. Let me know what you enjoyed about this episode in that review. I really love hearing feedback from you and it helps us figure out how we can support and serve you moving forward. And I want to remind you if no one has told you lately that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.