Shawn Stevenson: Welcome to The Model Health Show. This is fitness and nutrition expert, Shawn Stevenson, and I'm so grateful for you tuning in with me today. You know, we talk a lot about all kinds of aspects of health and fitness, but at the end of the day, none of it matters if we're not going to actually do it, alright? It really boils down to what's going on in our inner game, right? So that inner dialogue, and the motivation behind it, and also transforming that into inspiration. You know, something that's a catalyst from within, and the best motivation in the world can help you to tap into that, and that's what I have for you today. Now before we get to our topic and our special guest, I want to give a quick shout-out to greens, alright? Listen, greens are so important; the green family of the plant kingdom, and here's why. We have something called hemoglobin, it's about 35% of our blood construct, but 95% of the dry weight of our blood construct. Alright? Now, hemoglobin is the transport system for oxygen to get everywhere it needs to go in your body, and oxygen is your number one nutrient, alright? Even more important then water is air, alright, and oxygen is incredibly important. So getting the oxygen where it needs to be, hemoglobin is the catalyst. Now if you look at plants, and what's going on specifically with green plants, it has a blood similar to ours. So hemoglobin is a part of our red blood cells, right? The plant blood is green, chlorophyll. And guess what? It's literally the same. The plant blood and human blood, except that center molecule which for us is built around iron. For the plant, the plant blood is built around magnesium, alright? That's the only difference, and this is why utilizing high concentrations of chlorophyll can actually help to build your build, it can help to improve detoxification, circulation, and increase the number of red blood that you actually have in your body. So it's really, really powerful and important, but we want to get the best sources. Not just any random like, 'I'm going to eat a piece of grass.' Alright? We're not designed that way. What have we been using for the greatest amount of time? We've got some documentation on what's effective. How about the highest chlorophyll food that we know about, which is chlorella, right? Chlorella / chlorophyll. And chlorella is going to be found in Organifi, alright? Chlorella is also clinically proven- there's something called chlorella growth factor that's found to help your body eliminate heavy metals, alright? So we can get the good stuff in, eliminate the stuff that's not supposed to be there. Alright and that's just one of the green superfoods that are in this green juice blend with Organifi. They also have spirulina, moringa, it's just powerful. It's a powerful blood builder. Alright, this is another reason why I want you to make sure you're getting on Organifi on a daily basis, alright? Let's go. So head over to www.Organifi.com/model. That's www.Organifi.com/model and you get 20% off your entire purchase every time. Alright it's exclusive, so make sure to head over and check them out. And on that note, let's get to the iTunes review of the week. ITunes Review: Another five star review titled, 'Inspirational, motivating, and comforting,' by TheNewAgeDoc. 'In my greatest time of mental, physical, and emotional need, this show has given me the tools to continue to strive on and break through all of my current obstacles. Share this show with as many people as possible. This show is all about the truth. A huge thanks goes out to Shawn and his team. You guys are incredible human beings. Keep on doing what you guys do best.' Shawn Stevenson: Alright, thank you so much for leaving me that review. I truly, truly appreciate it. And everybody, make sure to pop over to iTunes and leave that review if you've yet to do so. It really, really means a lot to me. So thank you so much. And on that note, let's get to our topic of the day and our special guest. Our guest today is the one and only Dr. Eric Thomas. And you know, we have the great fortune of being here together, I'm at his crib. We've got the impromptu gym back here behind us. Eric Thomas: Of course. Shawn Stevenson: The ambiance. And man- Eric Thomas: Should be at least five, six more years. You know? Shawn Stevenson: Right there. So I'm going to share a little bit of his bio, but also listen, my wife and my kids are here. My wife was just sharing with E that I actually found out about E through her, and you know, she's been- and this is a little fun fact, I've shared this before on the show. I met her in a gym, but she was tricking me. She was trying to get in shape for a trip she was going on in college, and I was in college at the same time, and that was about it man, for about ten years. Eric Thomas: Wow. Shawn Stevenson: And until she started listening to you, and it just really motivated her to get on her game, man. Now like she pushes me. You know, it's like the tables have turned. Eric Thomas: Wow, that's a beautiful thing. Shawn Stevenson: You know, you have the ability to really reach into people's soul and get them activated, you know? I truly believe that. And so Eric Thomas PhD, critically acclaimed author, world renowned speaker, educator, pastor, www.Audible.com Audie Awards finalist, and ET as he's better known is taking the world by storm with his creative style, high energy messages. His words continue to impact the lives of tens of millions- I say at least 100 million at this point, probably more, being the number one motivational speaker in the world. Through a significant social media presence as well, make sure you follow E on social media, you're going to love his stuff, man. Love it, love it, love it. He's also known as ET the Hip Hop Preacher, and has become a global phenomenon. And he's the CEO of consulting firm ETA LLC, and he's led his team through the doors of dozens of reputable organizations, Fortune 500 companies, so he's the guy they call in to share, to teach, and train their employees. General Electric, Quicken Loans, AT&T, Nike, Under Armour, New Balance, UPS, and also works with the NFL, major universities, NBA, Major League Soccer as well. I didn't know you was into that as well. Eric Thomas: Yeah a couple voiceovers for them. Shawn Stevenson: That's tight. And Major League Baseball. So he's your favorite speaker's favorite speaker, he's the greatest in the game, and I'm just really grateful to have you on the show, man. Welcome to the show again. Eric Thomas: It's good to be here. Man, good to be on. Good to be home. You know, you do shows- and I don't do a lot of them, and then you do it with people who you have a relationship with. So it makes it a lot easier, you don't have to think. Shawn Stevenson: No doubt. No doubt. So you know, you being one of the greatest speakers that's walked the planet, you know, an orator, and a motivator, I want to know what motivates you, man. So what's- for you, what's the motivation to do what you do each day? Eric Thomas: You know it's a lot of stuff, but I'd say right now because Jalin is finished with school. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: You know, Jalin is murdering the game in terms of completing school. You know, he's retired or whatever. Now man, it's literally to have the opportunity to do what you've seen your icons do, you know? To see what Mother Teresa did, like how she changed lives. To see how Martin Luther King saved lives. Like yo, you are in that space, you know? Definitely not on their level, but like a LeBron who has the potential of being the GOAT. You know what I'm saying? Shawn Stevenson: Right. Yeah, it's powerful. Eric Thomas: It's like LeBron has an opportunity. You know, you talk about Michael Jordan, and I always do the 'Mike is better' thing, but the reality is LeBron is still playing. You know what I'm saying? Like LeBron hasn't written his history yet. Like it's still- Shawn Stevenson: Yeah he's only 33. He turned 33. Eric Thomas: And I think, what? Jordan stopped at 40? You know, so LeBron's got at least seven more years to try to- I don't know what to try to do. I mean other than win three more championships, but I'm saying in terms of stats, he's done it all. And while I'm not on LeBron's level when it comes to sports or whatever, I'm just saying that to say like I'm in a space where - you know, like you said, millions of people are listening, people are being inspired, and you know every day people are taking their lives to a whole other level because of the words that we put together. So to me, that's what inspires me, man. Is like I legitimately- and I don't say the Nobel Prize because I covet that, but to me, you know, LeBron trying to win three more championships. You know, you've got Brady is going after the Lombardy or whatever. So for me, like in my realm I see the Nobel Prize is that tangible evidence that I'm changing the world, you know? So that's what inspires me. I can help schools, you know I can help- like yo, I'm literally helping people to do what they dream of doing, and just giving them that push to take- Like you said, I just talked to you wife for the first time and she's like, 'I'm working out.' And so to me, I didn't even hear 'work out.' I heard her family is together, like her husband are all one accord. That's what I heard. I didn't really get caught up in the what she's eating or working out. I'm just like, 'Yo, you've got two humans on one accord. You've got a family, and if a family is strong, then our country is going to be strong.' Shawn Stevenson: Yes sir. Eric Thomas: So that's kind of what's pumping me up and getting me motivated right now. Shawn Stevenson: That's powerful, man, because it starts with that micro level, you know? And I think we forget that. We try to make these big changes, you know? It's still important of course to get out and do the picket thing, and make a stand, but also we need to work on the micro level stuff. Eric Thomas: Absolutely. Shawn Stevenson: Because I really feel that hurt people hurt people, and how can we create healing? How can we create conditions where we have more healthy, sovereign, compassionate humans that were developed in the first place, you know? So I want to know when did you realize that this is what you wanted to do? When did you realize that you have a gift or a drive to want to be able to speak to people? Eric Thomas: It was college, I remember doing my first presentation. 'Pimpin' Ain't Easy but Somebody's Gotta Do It,' that was my first signature speech. Shawn Stevenson: You heard it here. Come on. Eric Thomas: That was my first signature speech, you know? Just coming from Detroit. You know what I'm saying? That's the kind of stuff that I was exposed to for when I became- I drew from my experiences, but it was more so saying that there's this evil force. There's all this negativity and people are being led by that negativity. It's like almost when you don't have control, you're being pimped, you know what I'm saying? And you need to take control of your own life. You know? And so it was weird because cats who like didn't go to chapel service in college, didn't go hear motivational speakers, like they would come hear me and be like, 'Yo E, I don't even do that. Like I don't even get into that kind of stuff. Like I grew up in church, or I grew up hearing speaking. Like bro, I'm tired of it.' You know, but I would speak and it was the cool thing. They wouldn't come all the way- you know what I'm saying? But they would kind of be- because I would do it outside, so they would be like in the distance listening, and they would see me later like, 'Yo E, I'm too cool to be seen in that kind of environment. But bro, what you said changed me.' It was there I knew I've got something different. I'm going to be honest though Shawn, you know how it is, it wasn't necessarily popular back then. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: It was underground. Like underground cats loved it, but it wasn't like faculty and staff and older people embraced my second speech was, 'How Many Licks Does it Take to Get to the Center of a Sucker?' You know what I'm saying? So it wasn't like the older community embraced the hack in the gym shoes, but I knew I had something because the younger generation, people who didn't necessarily feel that were filling my stuff. And I was like, 'Yo I think I've got something.' I ended up taking it to the community, I started doing a GED program so a lot of young ladies who got kicked out of school because it wasn't popular to have babies back then, so they got kicked out, they would come to my program and loved my little fifteen minute thing I do before we start class. And then the drug dealers were all- who dropped out, all of them came to my program, and it was one of those things where it was like, 'Yo E.' Like I was the man, and I remember- and I'm not bragging, you know, but I would get like speeding tickets, or like one time I didn't have my license and I got picked up. And every time I'd go to jail, I don't know how they would find out, but they would bail me out. You know what I'm saying? It's like, 'Yo E in jail, ya'll.' And they'd come get me out, pay the ticket or whatever. And like I said, I'm not saying that that was cool for me to get that ticket and do that, but I was nineteen or twenty, and just wasn't where I am now in terms of maturity. And when they would come bail me out, I knew like they're dear to me. Like they love what I do for them. And I was like, 'Yo E, you're onto something, and you just need to keep doing this and perfect it.' Shawn Stevenson: Man, that's powerful. That's exactly what I want to talk about next is perfecting it, because I know there's 1,000 people listening right now, and they- everybody has a dharma, a path, and there's probably something that you're interested in doing, and even if you're working on giving yourself permission to actually do the thing that you love as far as giving your gift, there's a difference between being average and being great. Eric Thomas: Yeah. Shawn Stevenson: You know, there's a difference being average and being phenomenal. And so I want to know for you, what can people do, and what did you do to take yourself from 'I'm pretty good at this' to being world class? Like what does it take to do that? Eric Thomas: I think for me, you know, it's three components. I think the first one is you want to get your credit up in whatever you're doing. You know what I'm saying? I think Shawn, if you and I both sat here and talked about health, you'd blow me out the water. You know what I'm saying? And not just the information, but you've been doing it in terms of the physical working out for years. You also had an ailment that you studied and was like, 'I've got to get through this.' You know? You actually help thousands and thousands and thousands of people do it, so there's a credibility that you have because you've become one with what you're doing. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: Where somebody who read a book and then says like, 'Ah that's good information but in some kind of way, it's not coming across the right way. Shawn Stevenson: Right. Eric Thomas: So I think the first thing you need to do is like literally live what you're talking about, and I think a lot of people- you know, like I hear people, Shawn, 'How to make a million dollars.' I'm like, 'Bro, you're in debt. You know what I'm saying? Like what do you mean, 'How to make a million dollars?' Like what does that mean? Like you're making that up. You don't really believe that, you know? Or you haven't lived it.' So I think one, you know live the experience is always the best one. Number two, I did it every day. Every single day, you know? I was either teaching a GE class, or I was going to the hospitals and speaking. You know, not necessarily in front of people, but like I said my GED class, you know? Church, I would get an opportunity. You know, go speak to an elementary school, you know? Go and serve at a shelter, and not necessarily in front of everybody, but I'm one-onone with this person, and I'm perfecting my skill. And then the last one, which I think is the biggest challenge, people do what they do outside of the people they're doing it for. You know? It's the weirdest thing. It's like people self-proclaim. Like, 'I'm a great speaker.' Who told you you were great? Like was it the people that you were talking to? Did they tell you you were great, or did you just make up in your own mind you're great? And so I've spent a lot of time, what do the people want to hear? What are their challenges? What are they going through? So when you see me out at Michigan State still, you know, when you still see me at a prison or at a shelter, I'm doing that because I need to know the pulse of the people that I'm talking to. And there are a lot of people, they get- like they do it, Shawn, outside of the people that they're doing it for. And that's one of the things I appreciate about you. When I was talking to you about my wife's health, you know, it was an 'Okay E, let's talk about-' like not some just, 'Alright E, MS...' It's like, 'Oh okay, what's Deedee going through right now? What is she experiencing?' You know, because there would be people talk to me about MS, I'm like, 'Yo, my wife's not in a wheelchair.' You know what I'm saying? Like you're talking to me, like my wife's like- and I know people who are, but like you're talking to me like my wife is in a wheelchair. Like you have not gotten to know my wife yet, so you're giving me some information not based on what she's going through right now. So we need to talk about- and I just think a lot of people, when they do their work, Shawn, they don't care about the people that they're actually working for. They're so consumed with the work itself, and speaking, they're just like, 'Yo it's so easy for me to do what I do because I spend thirty or forty hours with people, and then when I talk, I only talk about what they told me they wanted to hear.' You know, so I think if you do those three things, that's going to help you to get to that next level. Shawn Stevenson: You know what? You just pointed out something really important. I think that questions are the answer in many aspects, you know? And that's where I did immediately start asking questions first to see how can I serve? Instead of like, 'Here's my thing.' Right? And if people would do that more often, no matter what line of work you're interested in, that's how you're really going to get- and you also don't waste a lot of time. I think because we're so short on time, we think, 'If I just give my thing and do my service, then I'm going to actually save time,' but it's the opposite. It takes longer to figure it out instead of just actually asking questions and paying attention. Now I want to ask you about something else important because I know that you've met a lot of opposition in this path, and a lot of opposition in your growth. And it's not the form necessarily of people, or whatever the case might be, but there's going to be things that come up as barriers on your path to greatness. So let's talk about what- again, average versus phenomenal when people are met with opposition. What do you do? What do you do if you're average? And what do you do if you're phenomenal? Eric Thomas: I think if you're average, you play into the situation, you know what I'm saying? So like let's say it's perceived as negative, like you go there, you know? You go with, 'Oh he's hating on me, or she's hating on me.' I'll give you a prime example. When I was average, I saw my wife's treatment of my gift as opposition like, 'Yo she ain't supporting me.' You know what I'm saying? Like yo, I'm out here speaking, you know what I'm saying? Like every time I speak she's critiquing me. You know? She never said nothing positive about my presentation. Like every time I'd get off stage, if it's the best that I thought I ever did, she was like, 'Well you should have done this. You shouldn't have said that. Like come on, you know better than that.' And I'm just like, 'Yo what's up? Like where's the support?' You know? That was average, you know? Great was she's going to work when I'm working on becoming a motivational speaker. She's going to work every day. So she's supporting you. You got health insurance because she has health insurance. She's got a 401k, she's built up a bank account, she's got a phenomenal credit score, and got us a house with her credit score. You understand what I'm saying? You know, but when I was average it was like, 'You're not doing what I want you to do.' But when I became great I realized, 'Yo I already got forty people that just said that was a phenomenal message.' You don't get better by people telling you what you did right. You get better by watching the fail. You get better by critiquing yourself. So here's a person who's brave enough to critique me because somebody else might have thought the same thing, but they wasn't going to say nothing to me about it. You know what I'm saying? So just looking at the situation like don't look at it- average people look at what it is, they don't critical think, they don't analyze, they don't unpack. You know what I'm saying? Like they just see that's blue, and not go deeper into, 'Well actually that could be whatever it is, yellow and purple, whatever colors make blue. Like this is what this really is.' So for me, average, taking everything as it was. You know, victim. Phenomenal, victor. And seeing possibilities, seeing beyond what surfaced. To me that's one of the characteristics that determine a person who's average versus somebody who's great. Shawn Stevenson: I love that. Another thing that I was- I'll share a little bit more about it, but your process of getting to where you are, you know? And the getting the Bachelor's degree. Was it twelve years? And I can identify with that, man. It took me like seven, you know? And it was because when I went to school, a mostly A student, but I kept getting into trouble, you know? I got kicked out. I literally got kicked out of college for fighting, you know? It was like who does that? Eric Thomas: Wow. Shawn Stevenson: And you know, when you take a semester off, it turns into more. And then also I did the- I come in with nine, and I keep dropping classes because I'm not showing up and doing the work. I would still have bad dreams about this, you know? Even a couple years ago just like, 'Man my biology, man.' So I can identify with that. But you went from that to a PhD, and maybe struggles in school, but you have a bestselling book now. So what was the drive specifically with using that medium? Like how much does that matter to you? Do you even think about how powerful that is that you actually have a bestselling book and you were somebody that was like- you know, dropped out of high school? Like what do you think about that? Eric Thomas: Yeah, you know for me, you know I had to be honest with myself, Shawn, and say that, 'I have a gift.' You know and there are things that- now people have to understand I think we all have something that we're good at, and we need to work at it. But there are some things, let's just be honest, that may be natural for you. So speaking is natural for me. Speaking the King's English, you know what I'm saying? And then understanding the culture that we live in, because I think a lot of it is cultural. Like somebody might say they're dumb. You're not dumb. If you were in another culture, a culture that was an art culture, and you were into art, you'd blow up. You just live in America and there are certain things- and culturally and the time that we're in, art was something. I remember coming up as a kid, art was like phenomenal. Like you could spend $20,000, $30,000 on a piece of art. I don't know with technology now, because people have Photoshop and things of that nature, art is not what it was, you know what I'm saying, thirty years ago. Shawn Stevenson: Right. Eric Thomas: So I realized, 'Yo E, you've got a gift. Well culturally you are part of the minority, you're not a part of the majority. So if you're going to dominate in the speaking arena, then everything you've learned from Detroit, that's not majority. That's minority. So you're going to have to go to college now to understand majority, because you're competing against- you know what I'm saying, like the individuals you're competing against, they don't come from Detroit. They don't use that slang or that language, so you have to become a lot more linear in your thinking.' And I'll never be- you know what I'm saying? I'll never be what some people are, but I knew, 'You need a Master's and a PhD so that you have a clear understanding of the game.' Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: You feel me? Like right now ET, and no disrespect, you might be like Air One basketball. You might be like Globetrotters basketball. You know what I'm saying? You need to get NBA, then after NBA, Shawn, European because European basketball is on a whole other level in terms of fundamentals. And so I had a gift, but I was like in the culture, I don't have the skills or the tools to be able to dominate in this industry. So I need to go to school because by getting a Master's and the PhD, and you don't see none of them hanging on my wall, which there's nothing wrong with it. I personally accomplished them but I wasn't doing it for that. I needed to know the language, so every Master's class I was picking up the language, the codes, the rules. You know what I'm saying? Like I was picking up, 'How do you tell stories?' You know? 'When do you start and when do you stop?' Because what you do at a church is not what you do for Corporate America. And if I'm going to dominate in Corporate America, I need to understand the language. So for me, every teacher, for me was giving away- they were giving away the clues. Every presentation they would put together like, 'There go the clues.' Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: Like this is what I need to do, you know? I need to make a statement, and then I need to have empirical evidence, I need to have data to back that up. You feel what I'm saying? And so you can do the passion boy, but the passion is not going to make you the money you want to make, it's not going to give you the influence you need. So for me, school was, 'Yo I need to go pick up the patterns. I need to learn the patterns of this culture and for this time,' and I went and did that and made it happen. So that's why I'm saying like for each person, you have to be careful. What are you going to school for? What are your goals? So it was easy to- not easy meaning the coursework, but the 'why' was given when I realized, 'Yo I'm going to blow this company up if I go get this PhD and learn all of this stuff. If I don't, even my staff, they're going to be limited to me Air one.' You look at a LeBron, he can go anywhere he wants right now, you know what I'm saying? He can go to any team once his contract is over, he can play for anybody. But there's another guy playing, he can't go- let's just say it may be a Carmelo who's a good player, but he can't necessarily go to any team he wants to go to. And I was like, 'I will not serve my company well if I'm limited in any way. So this PhD is going to put me in a position where man, we'll be able to dominate the industry.' Shawn Stevenson: Man, that's- I didn't even think about that, man. That's like- wow, that's really powerful to even have that perspective, and to still- it just opened doors, you know? That's what you use it for, where there's like for other folks, and there's nothing wrong with this, but it's like that's the pinnacle. Eric Thomas: Yeah. Shawn Stevenson: You know what I'm saying? I have this, and like my world revolves around it. And so I just want to point our attention to the fact that, you know, these different degrees and certifications, this doesn't indicate greatness, alright? So there are many paths to your goal, and he knows this intimately, but we're also working on some things that you guys can get involved with to get the best training. Because it's really about- it's about your ability to serve, it's about your ability to communicate, right? And your style, your unique style, your quirky style, weird style, all of those things can play into your favor, you know? And so- and actually, man I just listened to your audiobook, you know? And I didn't even know you had an audiobook until I knew I was coming up here, so I was checking it out. And so audiobooks, this is a great tool for everybody to get involved with, and helping you to be a better you, especially going into this New Year, I think that you really need to get on that platform. Because you know, we're all trying to assimilate this knowledge. Podcasts are amazing obviously, but this is another tool that you can get some education. And so whether you want to get healthier, if you're motivated, you can try these different audiobooks. And you can also get E's audiobook, and I'm going to tell you how to get it for free- he don't even know this probably, but you can get it for free or you can get my bestselling book 'Sleep Smarter' for free as well. Eric Thomas: Wow, I didn't know. Shawn Stevenson: And this is through Audible who helps you to listen to more books by letting you switch seamlessly between your devices. This is what I love about Audible, is that if I'm listening on my phone, or if I pop over to my computer, it's like it knows where to start and stop, and I can pick up anywhere. Amazon Echo, so you can get it all through that. And by the way, he's an award nominee for his audiobook as well. Eric Thomas: I think Dolly Parton will beat me. Shawn Stevenson: Hey, what can you say? What can you say? And also, now here's the thing, your membership credits that you get each month, they roll over. So you accumulate them if you happen to not use them by getting yourself another audiobook, because you get one free each month. And plus, your books are yours to keep. And by the way, if you don't like a book, you can tell them like, 'I don't want the book,' and they'll give you your credit back. And so what I want you to do when you get a thirty day free trial- free, okay? My favorite price, alright? Is thirty day free trial, and your first audiobook for free, which I encourage you to pick up E's book, 'The Secret to Success.' You're going to love it! I had no idea that it was that good. So go to www.Audible.com/model. Alright? That's www.Audible.com/model, free thirty day trial, free audiobook, and keep the membership because it's just awesome. I use it and I love getting that credit each month. I see it show up and I grab myself an audiobook. Or right now you can text to 500500, alright? Text to 500500 the word 'model,' alright? And you can access that free thirty day trial that way as well. Alright so again, www.Audible.com/model or text to 500500 the word 'model' and get the hookup. Another thing I want to talk with you about is what's next for you? You know what I'm saying? I know that you've been talking to me before the show just a little bit about as you're growing older, just your perspective changing, and like not having time for just a lot of BS, getting right to the point, getting right to the message. And you know, I think you're distilling things down and focusing on smaller groups. Is that correct? Like what's the mission moving forward? Eric Thomas: Well I mean one of the missions moving forward for me, and just give me a quick second, I definitely need a professor. But you know, at the end of the day- at the end of the day, you know what I'm saying? I've got one as bad as I want to breathe. So the next thing for me is Spanish, you know what I'm saying? Like going to school was good with the PhD, but now I feel like that structural piece, I don't want that. Like I don't want to have to turn papers in, be in somebody's class from 5:00 to 10:00. But I still need to learn, so for me right now it's learning languages because I feel like when I'm talking to people who don't speak English, I feel like, 'Man, like we human. How is it that humans, we can't.' You know what I'm saying? Draw a blade, you know what I'm saying? We can't speak to each other. We can't talk. Like I don't understand you. You know what I'm saying? Like we human, like but the one thing that's keeping me- the one barrier, you know what I'm saying? So for a long time, you know Spanish was a theory for me. I talked about it, you know? But now it's alive. You know what I'm saying? It's alive. Now it's like something like every single day, I'm reading, you know? I'm writing, I'm listening. So that's what's next for me is like in a year or two years, like mastering language. Not Spanish, but mastering language as a whole, you know? And so that's for me- like I want to travel. Like we've traveled the world, but like we go- I've been to San Juan, we've been to the Dominican Republic, and I'm there and it's just like, 'Yo you can't communicate.' You know? So that's really what's next for me in terms of the community. I think that's us. I think C, Carl, myself, ETA, we realize now that we have a tribe. Like we're not out here just putting out information anymore. They're a group of people who speak our language, a group of people who we're responsible for, and now having you here it's like time to take it to the next level. Because we don't have everything for the tribe, you know what I'm saying? Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: Like I'm passionate about professional development, but I'm not- I'm just getting passionate about health because of our communications and what's going on with DeeDee. That's not my thing, you know? Rob with finances, like I understand how important money is, but for me personally, it's like I want the gift of language. I want to be able to speak. Like I know- we had this one guy that was a part of Michigan State, he was running with us once, he was from Africa. This dude spoke seven languages. And it was like, 'Yo, how do you do that?' Because he wanted to, you know what I'm saying? He wanted to learn, you know what I'm saying? He wanted to learn and I'm like, 'Yo E, you've got to get there.' So- and I'm going to be honest, you know Shawn, for a lot of people out there who are listening, I think it's- I don't think it's difficult for us to do things. I think the process of being stripped. I know for me, the hardest part about Spanish was like yo, I speak well, like that's what I do. And to learn a language, like it's embarrassing to try and you're not on that level, you know what I'm saying? You're trying to speak to people who speak a language, and you don't really- and I just remember the first part of just saying like, 'Yo, which one do you want more? To actually be fluent one day, or not to be embarrassed?' Like which one? Not to be vulnerable? Which one? And so I can say from 2000 when I first took classes to now, it was more not wanting to be vulnerable because I didn't learn the language. Whereas my 100 day challenge, I'm going to be honest, the health one, that was about 82% or 83%. Like I did it probably about- out of 100 days, about 80 straight days. I mean 80 days. The Spanish? 100 straight days, and got better in terms of like did more. You know what I'm saying? So for me, man, it's just like there are those of you out there who you listen to Shawn, you know it's right, you want to do it, but there are some other things that you don't want to do more than the things that you want to do. You know what I'm saying? Whatever that is, whether that's spending money on food. You know, whether that's getting up early and working out. Whatever it is. Like you really do want to lose weight, or you really do- because I'm not into weight right now, I'm into wellness. There are those of you who want to be well, but there are some other things that are just as high on your priority list as maybe sleep. 'I want to sleep more.' You know what I'm saying? 'I want to watch more TV.' I don't know what it is that's stopping you from getting on that treadmill or taking Organifi. I mean we just talked, I just told you like yo for real, for me it's difficult for me when it comes to supplements to do something every day. Like that's just challenging. But at the end of the day, Shawn, that's an excuse. If I put a strong enough 'why' to it- because I got a PhD, so taking supplements every day, that can't be that deep, you know what I'm saying? But I've got to really ask myself, 'Yo E, what is it about it? Do you feel like you don't really need them? You're doing good without it and you'll wait until you feel like you need it to do it?' So I just want to make sure I speak to the people and say like, 'Yo there are things that we all say we want to do, but there is something, that barrier that's deeper than the thing at the end that you've got to push through to get to that.' So I'm no longer afraid of- you know, when I meet people, there used to be a time where my wife would be like, 'Yo they don't speak English at the hotel. Like-' And I'm like, 'I ain't going to say nothing.' You know what I'm saying? She's like, 'You've been studying though, try.' I'm like, 'I know it's not going to be right.' And she's like, 'I know it's not, but maybe it'll be right on the 1000th try, but if you don't do the first try, of course it ain't going to be right. But if you do the first try, and then the second try and the third try, by the fourth try.' So now I can at least have a decent conversation and let them know to the extent that I have to stop, and then I don't feel bad because it's like, 'Yo you're not even trying to- like you're not trying to learn English.' So at least you're trying, you know? So I would just say to people, man for real, don't let that- whatever that fear or anxiety is stop you from getting to that next level. Shawn Stevenson: Man, I had no idea you was going to say this and break out the D'esposito. Eric Thomas: Yeah, no question. Shawn Stevenson: Because I remember at the start- and people are like, 'What is this 100 day challenge?' This is a part of our Breathe U University. Eric Thomas: Okay, I'm sorry. I'm just assuming that everybody knows. Shawn Stevenson: Hey no, people need to know about this now. So right now, even we're in the midst of a 30 day challenge, a fitness fat loss challenge that we're all doing collectively. So guys, make sure to go to www.BreatheUniversity.com and get involved with this community. I mean the- and I'm going to let you talk a little bit about what people can find there, but it's just going to be a game changer for you. I'm telling you to be a part of this growing community. So we did 100 day challenge leading up to the holiday, and your challenge for you was to work on Spanish every day. And it just like popped out right now because of the execution, like making that a part of your curriculum for that 100 days, and having the accountability. Every time we'd talk I heard about the guys were checking in with each other, and you know I was doing my thing as well. I broke my rib along the way, you know what I'm saying? But you know, I've been on my task as well which was working on my mobility. And so- but Breathe U, so right now guys again, if you jump in now you're still going to get access. And I'm even here recording courses. Eric Thomas: Yeah, right here. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah we're doing- we've got a Nutrition 101 course, foundational. Everything master class on all the foundational pieces. And a lot of times that's what we need, you know? It's the fundamentals, that's what creates championships. It's not like the extraordinary thing over here. You can grab those things when you have the fundamentals down. And so we get to have the sleep master class, the exercise and training, social intelligence, all kinds of good stuff for you guys. And so you've got in there exclusive events, right? They're recording your live events in speaking, which are just out of this world, and courses that you've designed specifically for the family in Breathe U. And it really is a family. So let's talk a little bit about what you guys have got and built already in Breathe U. Eric Thomas: So you know, when people ask me like, 'Yo what is it, E?' To me man, it's not theory. You know what I'm saying? Like for real it's alive, that's why I say it's alive. You know what I'm saying? 'What do you mean by that, E?' It's not your make money. Like this is like- you know, it's alive. And one of the things, Shawn, you and I talked about, there's a guy named Charlie that I've been talking to because Charlie went vegan. He had a tumor and so he had to make some changes in his diet. Me and Carl have been talking about it. Yo, I'm learning now through my cousin, it's not about vegan but what she's showing me is like these foods are alive. Like when we talk about the kale. Like, 'Yo E, that's going in your body, and it's helping to bring like life to your body.' Whereas you eat a Snickers bar, you know what I'm saying? You eat a Snickers bar, I ain't trying to be funny, but there's nothing about- you know what I'm saying? That artificial stuff that's bringing my body to life. So when you come to BU, bro, it's about life. If your relationships aren't healthy, we're about to teach you how to like bring those relationships to life. Bring your marriage to life. Not just you and your wife are in the same space, ya'll have the same last name, ya'll got rings on. You know what I'm saying? Like ya'll pay bills together. Like we want you to go from glorified roommates to like life. Like when ya'll touch each other, just- you know what I'm saying? Like she comes in and smiles, you're like, 'Oh!' You know what I'm saying? Just like we were playing Uno yesterday, me and my wife and my daughter, bro, and it was like you would have thought we were in the Bahamas, you know on a cruise. Like it's the best of five. You know if my wife was like, 'Okay well if I won the first one, why are we playing to elimination?' Because I'm like, 'Yo, I want to see that you can really, really win.' You know what I'm saying? So I mean it was just- the house was alive. So for us, it's alive. It's like stop just going to work. We want you to learn how to take your money and make your money add value to your life. You know? Like stop just buying what the Joneses are buying, and trying to keep up with the Jones. Like you have a life. You have your own DNA, you have your own makeup. So for us, it's about life. So Shawn, when you do your thing for our community, it's not going to be about lose twenty pounds for the high school reunion and gain thirty after it's over. We want to teach you how to be well, you know? How to live, you know? How to make this a part of your everyday experience. And so that's what it's all about. You're going to come and get that motivation and energy from me. You're going come get knowledge from different individuals who've actually lived it. Like everything again we're giving you is lived, it's not a book. Is it a book? I'm sure we wrote some stuff down, but it's from our real lived experiences. So that's what you can find, www.BreatheU.com. So any area of your life. You'll hear me talk about Jalin, you'll hear me talk about the struggles of being a parent, and thinking that- you know, it's just like you raise them this way and boom, everything is just going to fall into place, and it doesn't work like that. He's a real kid who's going through real life with real challenges, and I'm a real father for the first time who didn't have his father in his life. Nobody gave me a manual, so you're going to learn- man for real, life. How to get through life, and how to live life at the fullest. And like Carl said, you know in one of our podcasts, not being one of those birds that are just barely flying. Because when you barely fly, boom you get hit by a car. But being that eagle that soars so high that nothing is up there, nothing can stop you because nothing else is up there. We want you to live that kind of life, man. Shawn Stevenson: Man, that's such a great analogy that Carl dropped too, man, about the bird flying past your window. It's like all of this space for you. Eric Thomas: All of it. Shawn Stevenson: And when he said that, I was thinking about- and Carl is back there watching right now. But I was thinking about how, you know, we think it's safe if we stay close to the ground, right? But it's really more dangerous, you know what I'm saying? Eric Thomas: Absolutely. Shawn Stevenson: It's just like that glass ceiling, and just our belief in us really getting up there and flying. And you know, I've got to tell you this guys, and of course a lot of folks listening, our family here at The Model Health Show are aware, you know, college educated, gone through different courses, programs, this kind of thing. And some folks, you know, that wasn't a path, but I can tell you this straight out. There was no Success 101. Eric Thomas: Yeah. Shawn Stevenson: In my conventional university. They did not teach me how to actually build a great life in my relationships, in my finances, in my career, none of it. There's this basic training on these different fields of education, right? To learn from within, right? We weren't really taught that, how do you actually learn how to learn? That's another thing that I was not privy to, you know? And I think it's a great experience with social development, and you know, the relationships that are built. Eric Thomas: Yeah, no question. Shawn Stevenson: But actually you turning your passion into your life, you need to learn from the best people in the world, and I truly believe that Eric is by far one of the best people in the world, and Breathe U is just- I mean it's unbelievable how much value that you have in that program. Like when Carl got me in, and I see all the courses, and the quality, and you know there's a lot- it's mainly video training, guys, so you get access to this kind of thing. And you know, if you see E's stuff online, you know the Instagram clips, and it's phenomenal. This is times 100, alright? And plus, you know, us all working together as a team. Eric Thomas: Yeah that's what makes it phenomenal. Yeah I'm saying though that's what makes it phenomenal, and that it's like a dream team, you know? It's a dream team. And here's the thing I have not spoken about yet, I don't even know because how these guys are, they like to have their stuff together first. They're like, 'E's just be saying stuff. You know what I'm saying? We don't got it together.' But one of the things, Shawn, that I'm going to really teach people this year- you know, you and I have talked about Deedee, and MS, and just the brain, and what you need to do, you know in terms of saturated fats, and things you need to do for the brain. Things- you know, that you need to eat to stimulate the brain, and just really bring that health to the brain. Because a lot of people, like you said, always think it's the gut, you know, et cetera. Shawn Stevenson: Right. Eric Thomas: Like building your chest out. But you're like, 'Yo that brain is our-' I think Shawn, when you look at birth, you look at animals are born with fangs right off the cuff to protect themselves. You look at claws. Humans- no human is born with that. And let's just be honest, the average human doesn't really get to the point of strength strength until they're really in their late teens. Like you're not five years old bench pressing 150. So what is the thing that God has given us to protect ourselves? It's the brain, to me. It's the brain. Like that's the one thing we have that other creatures don't have that allows us to really be progressive. And so what I'm going to teach, as you were talking about DeeDee and her brain with MS, and some of the things she can do to get healthy, bro I'm taking it back to the imagination. Like Shawn, ain't nobody on that no more. Nobody's talking about the brain and what the brain can actually do. You know? Like when you talk about meditation, a lot of people just hear it from, 'Oh I'm going to meditate to rest, to rejuvenate.' No, no, no. I want you to learn how to use the brain to create things that don't even exist, because that's the power we have. When you look at Walt Disney, like Walt Disney was teaching us like- yo the brain, you look at Disney World. Like he had people coming from France, and Germany, and Italy, and Africa, Spain, all over the world to come to Disney World, and when you finish in Disney World you're like, 'What in the world?' And while we have a lot of things, there's not a lot of things that have topped Disneyland and Disney World. So one of the things I'm going to teach this year is like, yo you can use your brain to fix some of the problems that you have in your life. You can use your brain to fix your marriage. You can use your brain to fix your relationships. You can use your brain to get a bigger house. I'll never forget when I told people I was moving to Cali. 'How are you going to have a house, and a church here?' You're not using your brain. Like what do you mean how? I'm not going to be the only person that has properties all over the place. You know what I'm saying? I won't be the first. But if you're not using your imagination, you can- surely you can't do that. So one of the things, man, I want to teach this year is you have one of the most powerful tools. Yeah the computer is great, yeah your cell phone is great, but man your mind can get you from being homeless and a high school dropout to where I am right now. So we're going to do some brain training this year. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah man, I can't wait, man. That's powerful. Eric Thomas: Yeah, we're going to do some brain training. Shawn Stevenson: Man, and again I want to reiterate this that it's called Breathe University, alright? So this is the real university that we need to get access to create the life we want. Eric Thomas: Oxygen. You said oxygen is important, right? Shawn Stevenson: Oh man, number one nutrient. Number one nutrient. Yes sir, take the breath in and out. I bet everybody's attention is going to their breathing right now. And so a little side bar, your breathing is part of your autonomic nervous system, right? Which means basically automatic. It's tied in with your heart, your digestion. You don't want the responsibility of beating your heart. Eric Thomas: Right. Shawn Stevenson: Alright? Because I would have died a long time ago. Eric Thomas: Right, right, right. Shawn Stevenson: Or digesting your food. Eric Thomas: Right, right, right. Shawn Stevenson: Your breathing is the same thing, but what's so interesting is that our creative force has designed us so that we can jump in and grab the wheel on our breathing whenever we think about it. And it's like, why would it do that? Why do we have that capacity? It's because our breathing controls our perception, right? Shallow breathing is tied into stress. It's tied into a weakened perception of solution, right? It's tied into fear. And we can change that by simply changing our breathing, and we can jump in. Because you know, historically we might be walking along with the family, and then something scares us, and it's a stick but we think it's a snake. And if we don't change our breathing pattern, we can carry that stress with us for hours afterwards. So it's a way to calm everything down, get back to a more 'reality,' and to perceive things correctly. Eric Thomas: It's a stick. It's a stick. Shawn Stevenson: False alarm. Eric Thomas: It's a stick. Shawn Stevenson: You know? So yeah, man, when I asked you what you had coming up this year, what you were excited about, I had no idea you'd jump to the language. That's really still sticking with me, and just being able to communicate, and having that drive. And I want to point something else out, because how old are you right now? Eric Thomas: I'm 47. Shawn Stevenson: 47, and he's learning languages. Like there's no barrier. There's no like, 'I'm too old,' 'I'm too young.' We have to stop thinking like that, you know? Use these things as an advantage, because with his experience- because that's what he can look at it as. 'I'm experienced so I can make a decision and decipher what works better right off the bat. And also I know about what it takes.' Right? 'Whereas with you, you know you've got all of this extra energy, and you can make more mistakes,' and it just really depends on your perception. So what advice would you give somebody? Again, they're up against those barriers? Because- and I really want to kind of end on this point because it's so important, that I know people go through challenges. I just went through one with my rib, right? I was like, 'I'm good, I've got this photoshoot, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that,' and life was like, 'Nope.' You know? 'You've got other plans,' and I realized that there was a lesson in it for me. So when people come up against those barriers in life, you know they're going on a good track, everything is going well, and something breaks down. What do we need to do in that moment? Eric Thomas: Well you need to understand the process, you know? We've talked about this before, but the process to create greatness, or the process- let's make it practical. We talked about a diamond before. The process of creating a diamond is that it has to go through an immense pressure. You know, I'm talking about- man, just a great deal of pressure, right? It has to go through fire, and then it has to be cut. You know? And it is the cut of the diamond that actually gives it its value. So what we have to be cautious of when we create a diamond, we just want to go through life and think that more diamonds are going to be created without going through that process again. You know what I'm saying? So you have to keep going through that exact process to create a diamond. So for me, the thing that I'm loving about learning Spanish is it's put me in touch again with being vulnerable in a way that success is not- you know? And so let me give you an example of what I mean. I spoke somewhere recently, and I could feel the vulnerability of Spanish coming out when I was talking. So when I was talking about like, 'Yo, we've got to be vulnerable. Like yo, you've got to be willing to be broken,' I was speaking from doing Spanish and being broken. You know what I'm saying? Like you know, saying a word to somebody like, 'No, that's not right. Okay, say it again.' Okay I'll say it again to my boy, Jorge. And I'm saying the way like him, and he's like, 'Okay E, I like the R's, you roll your R's, but the U's, you're still doing U like it's English.' You know? And it's just like going back and forth, and back and forth. And man, I literally had a dream in Spanish, you know what I'm saying? I woke up like, 'Yo I'm getting there. Like I'm dreaming in Spanish.' Then the other day I wrote 'but' in Spanish, but I was saying it- I was writing in English. And I was like, 'Oh small win, I'm thinking in this language.' So for me, it's saying, 'E, I know you don't want to be vulnerable.' I'm just being real. I don't want to be vulnerable. Like I don't want to go through what I went through when I was a kid, you know what I'm saying? But as I'm going through this language, it's teaching me things that I don't know is making me familiar with my weakness. But here's the thing, once I learn Spanish fluently, do you understand the worlds that will be opened for me, and the individuals that I'll be able to be a blessing to? Like low key, somebody was asking me yesterday, Nikki, she's my accountability partner. Like, 'Yo, I didn't get your stuff.' And I was like, 'I'm at church, I'm doing my thing, but I'm still practicing.' She's like, 'What are you doing today before you do your actual studying?' And I was listening to La Flor which is like the flower with Selena. You know what I'm saying? So I was listening to Selena's music and becoming familiar. I was like I want to do Selena because I know she was like a Tupac, you know what I'm saying? She was like a- what's her name? My wife is going to kill me. Oh come on, E. I can't think of her name. A popular black artist, she died at a very young age. Shawn Stevenson: Not Whitney? Eric Thomas: Whitney Houston. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Eric Thomas: So Selena was like a Whitney Houston in her culture, so you're not just learning the language, you're learning about the culture, somebody in the culture. You know? And so I'm watching Selena on video and listening, and I'm like, 'Yo I'm going to be able to-' oh you should see Selena, and she's saying buenos noches but you see her say adios. But you could feel her saying it. Hasta luego, but it wasn't like on an app. Like you see her to her fans, 'hasta luego.' You know what I'm saying? 'Adios, gracias.' You know? And she's doing her thing to her audience, and I feel the audience doing their thing, and I'm just like, 'Wow.' You know? So you know, for me man, yeah you know, going through the fire, going through the immense pressure, getting cut, it never feels good. And I'm not going to lie to you and sit here and be like, 'Yo this is the twentieth time I've been cut like a diamond, and it feels great.' It does not feel great. It's not a great feeling, but I know every single time immense pressure, extreme heat, cut, diamond. Every time. There's no way to get a diamond without going through that process. And so I think the one cool thing though about it, Shawn, is that I'm putting myself through it this time. Shawn Stevenson: Yeah. Eric Thomas: There have been times when I was younger, and I thought it, and I felt like the Creator had to make me go through it. Now I'm saying, 'E, just go ahead. You could make it a little simpler by just going ahead and doing it yourself.' So for me, language is the thing that I'm doing to go through that process. So I'll say to anybody that's going through it, all you're doing is recreating another diamond for yourself. You're adding value to yourself. So when you get- CJ called me about the business, and one of the things that I'm doing this year too guys, I want you to be careful, I'm talking about the diamond process differently. And so he called me and was like, 'Okay we're going into the New Year, we've got to- because last year-' and I was like, 'Praise God for last year, because had we did everything right last year, some of the people that are coming onto the company may not have come onto the company.' So it was the actual challenge of the company that made- you've been asking them forever to come, and they like, 'Nope, I'm not coming. I'm not interested.' But now that there's a challenge with their name on it, they're like, 'Yo where do I sign up? I'm ready.' So I'm saying, 'Yo I see it as a blessing because had everything gone according to plan, we wouldn't have Durant on the squad.' You know what I'm saying? Based on what happened, we just put Durant on the squad, and I'm already knowing that we're going to be ten times better with Durant being on. Are you not hearing me? Had Golden State won, they may not have added Durant. Shawn Stevenson: Right. Eric Thomas: But it was the loss that added Durant. So had they won, they might not have added Durant, and then end up consecutively. But by losing once and adding Durant, you might have just added two or three more championships in a row. So I'm looking at the diamond process differently, and I'm not looking at, 'I broke my rib.' I'm looking at, 'My current success got interrupted, so I can get to my next level of success.' That's how I'm looking at it these days. Shawn Stevenson: Oh man, I love it so much, man. Final question. Eric Thomas: Yeah? Shawn Stevenson: What is the model that you're setting with the way that you live your life personally? What is the example that you're setting for the rest of us with how you're living your life personally? Eric Thomas: You know that, Shawn, I think for me it's character. Like all the other stuff is great, but have something that you live for beyond the money, beyond- because we all die. Whether we want to hear that or not, we all die, and what we leave behind is our legacy. And so we lost some great artists per say that we don't really talk about, but we still talk about Mother Teresa, because Mother Teresa had a philosophy that she lived by, and she actually walked that philosophy as much as she could to prove to the world that it is possible to live by something. And when I- you know, C used to tell me when he first hooked up with me, he was like, 'Yo E, I feel like some of the stuff you're doing is an extreme.' And absolutely. In this culture it is. But now, Shawn, with some of the stuff we're seeing on TV, C was like, 'Oh okay, E. You was talking about that before it was popular.' And I'm seeing how people have been great in one area, but because they compartmentalized it and they didn't really focus on this area, they're being asked to step down from some stuff that they're great at. You know what I'm saying? They're great at that, they're phenomenal at that art form, but some of their personal life challenges for areas that they didn't get strong in their character, now they're being asked to step down because their character don't match their talent. And all I'm saying is I don't want to just get there, Shawn. I want to stay there. I don't want to just be married, I want DeeDee to be the only one. I don't want to have to do marriage three or four times. I don't want to not have a healthy relationship with my children and my grandchildren. I don't want you to say, 'Yo, ETA, ya'll are killing it.' But four years from now, 'Man, they just fell off the mat.' I don't want that, Shawn. I want to have this for as long as I live, and I feel the only way to do it is to have something you stand for. And you're not perfect, and you're not always going to make the right decisions, you're not always going to do the right thing, but try your hardest to live up to that, and not just be free for all. And I told my son the other day, I was like, 'Yo son, I can't give you my playbook. But I'm asking you, have some boundaries.' Like have some- you know what I'm saying? Have some stuff that you say, 'I'm not going to go this far.' I said, 'You ain't got to be your father. I never drank or smoked. I'm not telling you not to do that, but I'm saying have some, 'I don't drink during working hours.' You know what I'm saying? 'I only drink on the weekend,' you know what I'm saying? 'And I don't drink to the point where I can't drive home.' Or, 'I don't drink to the point where-' I had a cousin who got drunk. Crazy, Shawn. Chicago teacher hit a trash can drunk, trash can flew up some kind of way, hit an older lady and killed her. And he spent like four or five years in prison, and of course lost his license to teach. You know what I'm saying? So I'm like, 'Yo, I know that that's- you know, you feel like it can't happen to you.' But I'm saying there's nothing wrong with him drinking, but maybe you shouldn't have had a drink and drove. Maybe you should have drank and then had- they didn't have Uber back then, but maybe you had a taxi pick you up. So I just told my son like, 'Yo, you can't be your father, but what do you live by? What do you live by? What's important to you? Know what it is, and then just do me a favor, never compromise on the standards that you say you believe.' And that's what I want to live- that's what I want to leave, is that success, Shawn, does not necessarily mean a $2 million house. It don't mean you not successful because you have a $2 million house. It doesn't mean that having a car is success. It's what do you define it as, and then are you waking up every single day? Because if it's money, Shawn, Mother Teresa wasn't successful. Shawn Stevenson: Right. Eric Thomas: You know what I'm saying? If it's a car, Dr. Martin Luther King, he missed the mark. You know what I'm saying? These people weren't successful. Gandhi, when he died, he had eight pieces of articles- clothing, that's all he had, and some glasses, and you know, his- whatever his Biblical truth was. And so I'm saying to people like have something deeper than clothes, and surface, and stuff. Have something that can outlast you, and that you can pass onto others and help make other people's lives better. Shawn Stevenson: Amazing. Amazing. E, can you let everybody know where they can connect with you online, website, all that good stuff? Eric Thomas: I want to get this right because Carl- I'm going to try to get this right. Of course www.BreatheUniversity.com is where you can go to be a part of our community. And then of course you have www.ETInspires.com which I think is all access, you know, ETA. But for those of you who are on like Instagram, and all that, ET the Hip Hop Creature. You know, go to Instagram. YouTube I think is Eric Thomas, you know what I'm saying? So just go www.ETInspires.com and you can find our app- you can go get our app online. I forgot to talk about the app, but the app is on Apple, I'm sure it's on Market for Android. But www.ETInspires.com is all access, you know, ETA. Shawn Stevenson: Man, appreciate you. Eric Thomas: Yeah, appreciate the relationship, you know? It's great going on the show once or twice before, great to see you at events, but more importantly man, great having you at the house, great meeting your family, you know? And I look forward to us- yo for real, the dream team, changing lives together. Shawn Stevenson: Oh yeah, no doubt. Eric Thomas: I know I can do more with you than I could do without you. Shawn Stevenson: Oh man, I hear you. I feel the same way. I feel the same way. I'm excited. Everybody, thank you so much for tuning into the show today. I hope you got a lot of value out of this. This is one of my inspirations, and please understand again, there's no Success 101 taught in school, alright? We have to get ourselves around individuals who are doing the things that we want to do, and I'm bringing on the top people in their respective fields and delivering them for you. Alright? And so I just want to reiterate something he said, which again, I had no idea he was going to say this, but being willing to be vulnerable. Alright? Being willing to be vulnerable. That can be a little bit of an oxymoron in a way, especially for a lot of men. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness, like some kind of way we perceive it is that. But it really opens us up for greatness. Be willing to be vulnerable, be willing to be great. Having that willingness I think is one of the most important qualities to try new things, and not be great at them at first, but sticking with it. Alright that stick-with-ability is something that you cultivate simply by taking action, and getting involved, and being willing to be vulnerable. Alright? Be willing to be wrong. Alright? I think one of the things that holds us back is we're constantly trying to find a way to be right, and we ruin relationships like that, we ruin our finances like that, we ruin our health like that. You know, if this diet isn't working, stop. Alright? We have to be willing to say, 'You know what? This is not- I'm wrong. I'm wrong. You know? I'm doing this cereal diet, you know? This Lucky Charms Diet. This guy said it works and it's not working. You know? Eric Thomas: But it tastes good, though. Shawn Stevenson: My kneecaps didn't turn into marshmallows, you know? So be willing to be wrong, and to start something else being vulnerable. Alright, guys? I appreciate you immensely again. Check out www.BreatheUniversity.com like yesterday, become a part of this community. It's going to change a lot of lives, and it's going to grow in a big, big way, but I want you to be a part of it. Alright? We've got some really cool stuff coming up, and great guests coming up on the show, great show topics, so make sure to stay tuned. We've got a big year ahead. I appreciate you immensely. Take care, have an amazing day, and I'll talk with you soon. And for more after the show, make sure to head over to www.TheModelHealthShow.com. That's where you can find all of the show notes, you can find transcriptions, videos for each episode, and if you've got a comment you can leave me a comment there as well. And please make sure to head over to iTunes and leave us a rating to let everybody know that the show is awesome, and I appreciate that so much. And take care, I promise to keep giving you more powerful, empowering, great content to help you transform your life. Thanks for tuning in.