Next Level University

#1608 - Why Are People Villainizing You?

Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

When embarking on a journey of personal transformation, it’s not uncommon to find oneself at a crossroads between self-empowerment and the perplexing reactions of those within our social circles. In today’s episode, Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros deeply dive into the introspective journey, differentiating between villainizing others due to toxic behavior and doing so out of our insecurities and jealousy. This conversation is a guide through self-reflection, helping listeners differentiate the source of their feelings and how to turn them into constructive change.

Links mentioned:
Next Level Dreamliner - https://a.co/d/f1FWAQA
Next Level Live - Saturday, March 23rd, 2024 (10:00 am to 4:30 pm)
https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/next-level-live/
Next Level Book Club - Every Saturday (12:30 pm EST) https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkcuiupjIqE9QlkptiKDQykRtKyFB5Jbhc#/registration

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NLU is far more than just a podcast, and we have so many more resources to help you achieve your goals and dreams.

For more information, please check out our website at the link below. 👇

Website 💻  http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

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We love connecting with you guys! Reach out on Instagram, Facebook, or via email.

Instagram 📷
Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/neverquitkid/
Alan: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88/

Facebook ✍
Alan: https://www.facebook.com/alan.lazaros
Kevin: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.palmieri.90/

Email 💬
Kevin@nextleveluniverse.com
Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

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Show notes:
(1:59) A pattern emerging: Unused tools yet
(5:18) Rooting for underdogs
(6:33) How much do you get villainized? Insecure and Competence
(9:02) Feelings of inadequacy and the importance of self-belief
(11:42) Embracing one’s uniqueness over the lure of emulation
(14:59) Villainizing: High achievers and low achievers
(17:39) Next Level Dreamliner: the planner, agenda, journal, and habit tracker to rule them all. Get a copy: https://a.co/d/f1FWAQA
(20:16) Bigger, better, brighter futures
(23:51) Villainizing others and self-reflection
(27:46) Know your truth
(33:06) Outro

Send a text to Kevin and Alan!

Speaker 1:

Next level nation. Welcome back to another episode of Next Level University, where we help you level up your life, your love, your health and your wealth. We hope you enjoyed yesterday's episode, episode number 1,607. Do you start with yes or no? Today for episode number 1,608, happy Saturday.

Speaker 1:

If you are listening to this, live, why are you oh sorry, first of all, if you're listening to this on Saturday, not live? You can't listen to it live. Why are people villainizing you? The reason I wanted to do this episode is because we have noticed a pattern where, when you start evolving and when you start growing and when you start becoming more confident and when your self-worth starts to raise, oftentimes those become tools that you do not know how to use yet. And a really good example of this Alan and I went to a Brenda Bershard event several years ago back in the day, and my fear going into that event was I was not going to fit in, I was going to be on the outside, I wasn't going to meet anybody, I wasn't going to belong.

Speaker 1:

I was just scared. I was scared that I was going to be left behind in that room. And it was quite the opposite I fit in really, really well and I left there thinking I found my people. I found people who care about growth. We can have some weird conversations about ego and about hyper-consciousness and confidence and all this stuff. Alan, on the other hand, went in thinking that going and seeing Brenda Bershard would be motivational, of okay, we're going to go see this world-class speaker, it's going to show how close I am to being a world-class speaker.

Speaker 1:

And it was kind of the opposite. When we went home, I was really, really confident. I was arrogant and I think Alan was lower than usual. On the drive to five, you were riding the struggle bus a little bit. Now there are some undertones of that which we can talk about, but here's the point I came home with a higher level of self-belief than I had ever had and a higher level of self-worth than I had ever had, and I didn't know what to do with it. I was definitely a little bit arrogant. I don't know why you're talking to me with that tone. I was at an event not two weeks ago with 3,000 people and I made six friends. So I'm kind of a big deal. So I suggest you lower your tone when you talk to me.

Speaker 1:

I didn't say anything like that, but that's kind of the energy I was holding at that time. I didn't know how to use the newfound confidence I had. I didn't know what to do with it. I had no idea how to use it. That's one reason, potentially, you're getting villainized. One of the reasons you might be getting villainized is because you're working so diligently on yourself but you don't know how to handle the rewards of that yet.

Speaker 1:

And here's the other thing yes, I know there's people around us rooting for us to change, but there are a lot of people around us that are okay with us changing, but not if we change too much, if we change to the point where there's too much contrast. If you have a level 10 belief, now after level 10 is really really high. Let's say you have a level seven belief. You used to have a level five, now you have a level seven belief in your own ability to create external results. Well, I know I could start a podcast. I know I could do this photography thing. I know I could be a personal trainer. I know I could pass that test.

Speaker 1:

But you're used to spending time with people who, in that group, you're the person who doesn't believe in themselves that shift, that contrast. That's another way you can get villainized by those people. They might not think it's real, they might think it's fake, they might think it's ego, they might think it's arrogance. So there's a lot of different reasons why this can happen. Last one, alan, and then I'll kick it to you. I think people really enjoy rooting for underdogs. Being an underdog is really cool. People like to root for the underdogs. But if you think about I'll use a sports team as an analogy Alan and I grew up or we live in New England and for those who don't follow football or for those who are international listeners, we used to have the best football team for like 20 years. Like 20 years in a row, our football team was pretty close to the top.

Speaker 2:

Okay, 10 years.

Speaker 1:

And we won what? Six Super Bowls, seven Super Bowls, seven. I think, yeah, they were really, really really good to the point where nobody liked them. The only people who liked that team was New England. Everybody else absolutely hated the team and villainized the team. Because they were always so good. They were always so good. When you're an underdog, you're really easy to root for. You're really really easy to root for. When you start winning and you start getting results, I think it's a lot harder for people to root for you because they can't see themselves in you anymore. So that's another potential of why, unfortunately, you might get the most out of it, why, unfortunately, you might get villainized.

Speaker 2:

So Kev knew that this would be a tough one for me. I guess the value that I would add on this is asking yourself how much you get villainized. Are you someone who gets villainized often? Are you someone who typically doesn't get villainized?

Speaker 2:

There's like a lot of different reasons why people villainize. Kevin just went through several of them. I think one of them is you're insecure and you're around someone who's actually confident and then you have to realize that you've been pretending to be confident. The other one would be you know, maybe, maybe you're and, by the way, I mean preferably you, not like you the listener, not I just mean you as in the person, whoever's, whoever's doing the villainizing. So the first one is this person. I'll refer to it as a person. This person is insecure deep down, but pretending to be confident. So when they're around someone who actually is confident, it's, it's a big mirror and they either have to admit that they're not actually confident or they have to think the other person's arrogant. That's very common. The second one is competence. So and Kevin kind of mentioned this you know the football team that's always so good. Oh, it must be nice. Or you know it must be so hard to be so great, so good looking, so smart, so whatever.

Speaker 2:

I remember we had a valedictorian. Her name was Julianne and a lot of people didn't like Julianne and a lot of people did. But I remember thinking to myself like good for her. But I now understand that I was also really smart and I didn't. I wasn't intimidated, I wasn't as a matter of fact. Everyone used to say Julianne is so smart, julianne is so smart, and I used to say, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

I think she's pretty smart, and now I realize that most people who maybe aren't as smart are like well, geez, you know. And so I think that when you feel less than, there's two ways to handle it. You either use humility and emotional intelligence to say you know what I am less than I remember. One time Kevin and I had this discussion and I said dude, I have no problem with you being a better communicator than me. I have no problem with that at all. Genuinely, I mean honestly, I'll still work forever to become better and better and better at communication, but you could be a better communicator than me for the rest of your life and I really wouldn't mind that much. And you said but yeah, alan, but that's because you're such a strong communicator. Like what if you weren't? And I don't know, I don't know if it would bother me or not, but what I would say is that there's the first reason is it stems from feeling less than it stems from feeling not good enough, not capable enough.

Speaker 2:

And I remember when I was in high school, I was prepubescent little boy, five foot three, red faced, chubby, awkward phase, and I didn't hit puberty until way, way, way later. And everyone else, you know had beards and could dunk a basketball, and I remember it was so hard, it was so hard to be so overlooked. I do remember that and I try to remember that because you know I was so insignificant, you know I had tough stuff going on at home and all that. So I try to remember what it felt like to feel super insignificant. And I remember all the athletes that bullied me or made fun of me or had all the girls or whatever. There was a part of me that wanted to villainize them. I don't know if I ever really did, but now I think one of the reasons is because I just had a lot of self belief and I figured long term I'd still be able to be whatever I wanted to be. And if you don't have that, if that didn't resonate, maybe it is going to require an extra level of humility and emotional intelligence to sit with your emotions and be okay with being less than and I know that sounds really weird for a personal growth podcast, but I've actually done some of this work with my clients behind the scenes. That's been really cool, and I actually said something to a client earlier today.

Speaker 2:

It was I would much, instead of you saying, hey, I'm going to be a future billionaire who's going to change the world. I'm going to be the best at this. Why not? Just in this context? By the way, this person doesn't actually believe any of those things are possible for her. She's just saying that and she now realizes that she was saying that, not knowing what she was saying. So I got to provide some context. I said I would much rather you just say who am I Like? Who am I Like? All right, let's have this conversation. I know I'm saying like a lot. Can we have an honest conversation about all of us being different for a second? Of course, not all of us are created equal. We are intrinsically, spiritually equal, but we don't all have the same capabilities. Kevin, you're always going to be stronger than me. That's okay, I don't care, I just it. Just, you were born with genetics that I don't have.

Speaker 1:

And.

Speaker 2:

I could work my whole life trying to be as strong as Kevin or I could just be the best Alan, and that's totally fine. And so I think that what we need to really sit down with is all of us are different. We're all unique. Some of us are stronger, some of us are faster, some of us are smarter, some of us are better looking. Some of us had have curves, some of us don't. Some of us are skinnier, some of us are bigger, like.

Speaker 2:

We're all different shapes and sizes and for some reason, we develop this, this need to want to be like other people, and I've always observed this my whole life. I've always been kind of a scientist that it's like tall people want to be shorter and short people want to be taller. I had an ex-girlfriend who was five seven. She like wanted to be shorter, like why You're beautiful, you're, you're amazing. Like why want to be different than you are, why not? Just I mean it'd be understandable if you weren't dropped at gorgeous, right. But I've met I've met some of the most beautiful people, some of the most smart, incredible people that still don't like themselves, they still don't love themselves, and I think that one of the reasons people get villainized is because People are deeply insecure about who and what they are. They feel like it's unfair.

Speaker 1:

That's what I was gonna say is you feel like a victim. You feel like a victim. I think that's a really big line in the sand. If you are really good at stuff and you're excelling. Anybody who feels kind of like a victim and I don't mean that maybe you're listening or watching and you feel like I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm not making that wrong. I've definitely felt that way in the past. I used to be the guy who would see somebody with a nice car or a nice house and say it must be nice, because in my mind I can't get that. How dare you get?

Speaker 2:

Can we go through that for a second? Why couldn't you get that?

Speaker 1:

I didn't have belief. I didn't believe it was possible for me. Okay, but it was. It's not. If you don't believe it, that's the problem, right, because I wouldn't do the necessary things, but you did get it, you did get it.

Speaker 2:

You did get a nice car.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, but never, never the ones. I mean. Yeah, that was my dream car at the time, but I've always wanted really nice things and I never knew how to get it. I never believed I could get it, so I did. There was a lot of times where I felt like a victim. I would see. I mean, think about it.

Speaker 1:

Here I am, I'm getting up at 5.30 every day, I'm going down to the gas station, I'm pumping gas and all of my friends are away at college and I see all the pictures they're posting on Facebook and they're partying and hanging out with people, and I'm working 40 hours a week. That's it like. I just work. That's all I do. I work and I go to the gym and I work and I go to the gym and I work and I go to the gym. And it's like it's that piece. Now, I did that, I made that decision, so nobody else made that decision for me. But I think when you have regret, you look at people who don't seem like they have any regret and you say, how dare you? How dare you live some form of a life that I really would love to have? That was my experience.

Speaker 2:

What would you do? Like, let's put you back and again. I wanna just be very transparent on this show. I'm trying to be more transparent in everything in life.

Speaker 2:

So, whatever this villainized thing is, I do not have it. I just don't. I will say that I don't like bullies. I don't like bullies and I would say I villainize bullies. People who are toxic, who treat people poorly, who are disrespectful and who think they're better than other people and who put people down and destroy their dreams and shit on people. I villainize bullies. I always have, I've always hated bullies and I've been bullied a ton a ton, a ton a ton. But anyways, other than that, I don't really have this like oh you know that must be nice to have that car or whatever. I just don't. Okay, I never have. But Kevin has said what Alan, you think you can get that car if you want, and that's true. I do believe if I want a Ferrari, I would build a wealth that would create a Ferrari. I don't care about a Ferrari, but if I did, I do believe wholeheartedly I could get one. Even saying that out loud is like scary. Yes, I could get a Ferrari if I wanted.

Speaker 1:

It's like sounds, it's like scary to say Even that I was gonna say this is a really good episode where if you're villainizing Alan right now for saying that, there's a reason for that and I know at times it's because he seems so certain in things. That might seem, I know, for some people again early Kev that might seem arrogant, because it's.

Speaker 2:

I don't know, it's almost like how could you how do you know exactly?

Speaker 1:

how to do it. I know you do now, but it's taken me seven years to figure that out. Nobody else will, but if I had one I wouldn't be arrogant, because then I would have already proved it or whatever.

Speaker 1:

Maybe it might even be more arrogant. I don't know. There's layers to it. It depends. It really depends on the audience you're talking to. You know who really, really, really likes high achievers, High achievers. You know who really tends not to like high achievers, Low achievers and again, I'm not making either of those wrong, I'm not trying to make this a different bucket. You're in this bucket. You're in this bucket. All I'm saying is there is people in our lives that have always rooted for our success.

Speaker 2:

Definitely.

Speaker 1:

But there are a few in my opinion.

Speaker 2:

For me? I don't think there's a lot.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's fair, and for me it's because I was an underdog, but I sent an email to someone today. You and I were talking about a gentleman before before this episode.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, yeah, Big fan.

Speaker 1:

And we were having a conversation and he said I would love to stay connected with you and Alan, you guys are awesome and you're doing great things and there's no villainizing there at all.

Speaker 2:

No that's why I liked the interview. He didn't villainize me I know.

Speaker 1:

So this is a very, very deep. There's a lot of things that go into this, but the point I just wanted to make with that is if you resonate with Alan when he says stuff like that, which I would argue is probably the just less people.

Speaker 1:

The smaller amount, the smaller amount of people, most likely because that requires a ton of belief or requires a ton of self-worth that masks itself as high belief and that's maybe. That's a different episode, but you're probably also getting villainized If you're the type of person I'm scared to say I know, if I can weigh any amount I want, if you give me enough time, I know exactly how to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. I know exactly how to do it.

Speaker 2:

For me it's not that hard You're scared to say that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, because I know it can sound potentially arrogant. So because that's some people's biggest problem.

Speaker 2:

So if you said I can easily lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks, which we've done several times, yeah, yeah, yeah, you think that sounds arrogant?

Speaker 1:

I think it will to some people. Yeah for sure, if somebody is making light of your biggest problem here's the interesting thing For us.

Speaker 2:

That is easy, that's OK. Yeah, I know. I know it's not logical, I'm very logical, so Kevin can do that very easily. By the way, I've witnessed it, it wouldn't be that hard. I mean it would suck. I mean it does suck, it would definitely suck, right? So maybe we add that so it sounds less arrogant. Definitely sucks.

Speaker 1:

But I can't dunk a basketball. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't dunk a basketball whenever I want. I can say that much. I've tried. But what if?

Speaker 2:

I could and it was easy. I can't, I can't, but there was a time in my life where dunking a basketball was a thing. Yeah, I've done it. I've done it. Put it this way, if you gave me 10 tries, I might get it once. Ok, fair, I've done it one time, but anyways, my point is what if that is easy for some people Like LeBron James could just dunk it? It's not hard, so do we think he's arrogant for that?

Speaker 1:

No, he's just a friend of nature. It's awesome. It's contextual, because he plays against a bunch of other people that can dunk. It's a really hard thing to unpack because there's so much that goes into it. It really depends on what the audience is. If you're someone who, it's hard, because it's really hard to take myself out of what we do and it's really hard to assume or project what you are doing, whether you're watching or listening. But OK, let's do this.

Speaker 1:

There are when you get your house maybe you've been saving up for a house since you graduated college and you paid off your college debt and you're married and you got two kids and now is the time and you found your dream home and your partner and you both got promotions and you're good to go. There are many people who will root for you and there are also some people who will villainize you and say why the hell do you need so much? You could have just got a smaller house. Why do you need such a big house? I think that's just. I think that's always going to happen.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, one thing that's very clear in this is, if you are desiring to be yourself, the best version of yourself and to be liked by everyone, you might as well play a game that's unwinnable. There is no. My biggest challenge in life is being able to be truthful. I do. I could lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. I've done it. Yeah, I mean, I don't think if I focused on it, I don't think it would be that hard, but I don't think I can get everyone to like me. I do know how to get a Ferrari. I could reverse engineer the numbers. I probably could get a Ferrari in six months. I just I know that probably does sound wicked arrogant, doesn't it A little?

Speaker 1:

bit, but it depends, I know. But truth is contextual. It's true to you, but what's true to you is not true to everyone.

Speaker 2:

All right, let's bring this back constructive to the listener, because this is a good one. I'm grateful we're doing this. It's not constructive for you to villainize. Let me just say that I villainize people that are toxic and that are liars and that are bullies. That is what I've always done. I mean, there are certain people I could mention right now that they're toxic, horrible bullies who lie through the goddamn teeth and they make money doing it. Screw those people straight up. Other than that, you winning is a good thing for the world. I want you all to win. You are wonderful, heart driven people. Most likely, if you weren't, you'd probably hate me, so you wouldn't be listening to this. But my point is that fulfilled human being who are happy, healthy and productive, who have hope and who are driving and building toward a brighter future, that's the world we need. Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Think about someone who okay that guy that we went on the interview. There was a man named Dan and we both went on an interview and it was a great interview and he sang Kevin's praises and I went on it and it was one of the best interviews I've ever done. He's so wonderful, he's such a good guy. Kevin and I reached out to see if we can help him, because we want to help him, we want to see him win. Him winning will be good for the world. So I just want him to win, because it'll be better for everyone when he wins. His future kids win. When he wins, the world's a better place. When he wins, the company that he buys things from will grow and he'll be ethical and he'll only buy from ethical companies. And so the world becomes a better place when better people win, and the world becomes a better place when better people become even better. And that's what NLU is built on. I mean, that's really all. The only reason we're doing this is because Kevin and I want to become better people and we want to help other people become better people, and the way you do that is helping them build bigger, better, brighter futures, and that's what we do for a living.

Speaker 2:

And so, if you are villainizing people, the only way to make this constructive is to look inside and say is this person toxic and awful and bad for the world? If so, keep villainizing, it's all good. Or am I just insecure and jealous? And if you can sit there and really sit there and look in that mirror, you might be able to turn that envy, that jealousy, into drive. Go read another book, go learn from me. Go learn from Kev. Reach out to a mentor. I've had dozens of mentors and coaches and that was through humility. I need help. I want to learn what he knows. We interviewed hundreds of people. That was to learn. We were taking notes Way more than we should have been, probably in hindsight. But my point is is that when you are villainizing, it's either because the other person actually is a villain or because it's something about you. Is this a me thing or is this a them thing? And if you can ask that question honestly and with integrity, I think you'll be better off, because then you can transform that pain into something that's empowering.

Speaker 1:

That would be. I don't want to steal your next level nugget, but that would be mine. Is this a me problem or is this a them problem? Any time I've wanted to villainize Alan because that's happened. We talked about it on a team call two nights ago. It's Friday already. My goodness, we're recording this on Friday. I thought it was Thursday. I have no idea where I am or what time. It's been a week, it's been a week. But any time I've ever wanted to villainize Alan, I ask myself is this a me thing or is this a him thing? And that's why I try to call that out every once in a while when we're doing episodes like this. Because, trust me, if Alan says something like I could get a Ferrari, I know how to do it. I'm not going to get one right now because I've chosen not to get one. I know the initial thought is what?

Speaker 2:

Is the thought. Why wouldn't you have one then?

Speaker 1:

No, maybe to some who value cars, but I just think it's such an audacious statement to say that a lot of people again, including myself. At times it's very hard. But I also believe you can get one too.

Speaker 2:

It's not like, I just believe that about me? Anyone. You could reach out to me and say how do I get a Ferrari? I could give you a five year plan to a Ferrari. I'm not even kidding, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Somebody just tuned into the podcast and they heard that for the first time and they don't know you, they don't know how much you care. It's just a passing by of, oh OK, that's all. That's all. I always try to make an example of that when we do episodes like this, because I empathize with you if you do villainize someone because they have something you don't have yet, because I've been there, so I've experienced it. I've dealt with that. I dealt with that a lot and I had a lot of opportunities to deal with that, because for most of my life I was riding the struggle bus and it always seemed like everybody around me was going to get way further in life than I was when I was working dead-end job to dead-end job, getting laughed at. Everybody else was getting real jobs with 401Ks and pensions and insurance, and here I am doing stuff that barely pays the bills. So, again, these are usually my favorite types of episodes because I feel like this is much more conversation with you.

Speaker 1:

Whether you're watching or listening, ask yourself why and say is this a me problem or is this a them problem? To Alan's point there is something hidden in there. Maybe that's the realization of oh, my goodness, my self-belief isn't as high as I want to believe. My self-worth is much lower than I thought it was. Whatever it is, whatever you land with, it's an opportunity for growth. It can be constructive. But if you go through your life villainizing people I don't want to say who have more than you, but who have what you desire but do not have yet you may never get the stuff that you want to have because you're villainizing that, you're villainizing the people, the behavior so long, long, long.

Speaker 2:

Next level nugget yeah, you're never going to aspire to something you villainize unconsciously. So if you can flip that script, it'll be a game changer. My next level nugget would be this no-transcript. If you are out there and you've been villainized, all of us have to some degree. Okay, we have a podcast that I think is really helpful and really trying to help people and it's I know our hearts are in the right place, but we still get bad reviews that are ridiculous.

Speaker 2:

I just don't want anyone to spend their life trying to get approval because you can't get everyone's approval. You give a speech in front of a thousand people. There's gonna be 10 that hate you. It is what it is, and you can spend the rest of your life in that cage. Trust me, I've spent too much of my life trying to get approval. I still am. It's so alarming to me how much I care about being villainized and it's never not gonna happen. You know what I mean. So there's this part of me that wants to just learn how to be okay with it, and so that's what I would say is I used to say I don't care what people think I was lying to myself.

Speaker 2:

I used to say I don't care what people think, except for the people I care about and what they think, and that was another layer. And now I think I'm actually starting to finally get to the place where I do care what people think, and I know it. But I know that's a losing game and I can't live my life that way. And so hopefully you can get there. Do not be caged by your parents' opinions. I mean, at this point, kevin and I have four podcasts between the two of us and, let's just say, a lot of our loved ones aren't thrilled about them, and these podcasts wouldn't exist if Kevin and I didn't have the courage to put ourselves out there. So if you've gotten any benefit from this show and our work that we've done in the world, you have work to do in the world too, and if you have the courage that we did to be villainized, the world will be a better place, assuming you're not a toxic bully.

Speaker 1:

And there'll be people out there who understand what that's like. That's the other thing too. You're not alone in that, you're not alone in it, so it's important. That's another reason to find your community, because I don't understand what it's like nearly as much as Alan, because I haven't been villainized for most of my life and I still don't really get villainized, because I still think a lot of people look at me as an underdog, which I still think I am.

Speaker 2:

I also think you're more aware of what will be seen as arrogant, you know, and what will?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's fair.

Speaker 2:

I think you're more aware of what will be villainized. I feel like I've been so naive to this, for sure.

Speaker 1:

But my goal isn't necessarily to live 100% in the truth, because I realize that truth is contextual to the room you're in and the person you're talking to and the topic you're talking on. So many layers, so many layers to truth. I want whatever I say to be as constructive as possible, without being destructive. That's fair, that's the balance I'm trying to find.

Speaker 2:

I would say that's a noble cause. I want the same thing, but I want to be me.

Speaker 1:

Well, you and I are very different, so that's why it's hard.

Speaker 2:

I want to be me first, and I want what you said in that order. We'll see how that works out.

Speaker 1:

We'll see how that works out. Next Level Nation as of March well, not as of, but March 23rd 2024 is Next Level Live Our I don't know how many. This is our third actual Next Level Live branded event. We are doing it at the Groton Inn in Groton, Massachusetts. We are having 30 people, so we're going to sell 30 tickets for in-person as well as 30 tickets for virtual. In-person, you will get a free Next Level Dreamliner as well as a very, very, very nice catered lunch. Alan is showing the Dreamliner on YouTube. It is in a beautiful venue near the mountains and it's just there's nature. It's awesome. So please, if you have not gotten your tickets yet, continue to do so, because it will sell out and once it sells out 30 people in-person, 30 people virtual that will be the end and you'll have to wait until next year, and we do not want that.

Speaker 2:

The tickets are rolling. The tickets are rolling, the tickets are rolling. I saw another one come through two days ago, yesterday.

Speaker 1:

Yesterday. Who knows what day it is. My nose is itchy. Anything you want to talk about before we go?

Speaker 2:

Oh, yeah, I hadn't thought about what it was.

Speaker 1:

No worries, no worries.

Speaker 2:

If you haven't heard, every Saturday, 12.30pm Eastern Standard Time, we run a Next Level Book Club, next Level Books with Next Level People, and if you want to get around a growth-minded community that is inclusive and toxic, belief-free Book Club is the place, 12.30pm Eastern Standard Time every Saturday. I think we're coming up on our 155th week. The link to register will be in the show notes and it will email you and you can add it to your calendar and we hope to see you there.

Speaker 1:

Tomorrow for episode number 1609, the three core wounds. Alan has been doing a lot of therapy lately and bringing back some really really good valuable nuggets. I figured we could do an episode on that.

Speaker 2:

That'll tie really well into this as well because one of the Some villainizing is just villainizing villains and toxic bullies and that kind of thing, but some villainizing is actually an overcorrection from these core wounds.

Speaker 1:

We're excited to talk about that, so we'll talk about that tomorrow. As always, we love you, we appreciate you, grateful for each and every one of you, and at NLU we do not have fans, we have family. We will talk to you all tomorrow. Talk to you soon no-transcript.

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