Joel & Yerasimos This Is Your Reminder

Joel 00:00:01.040 - 00:00:13.600 What's up everybody? Welcome to the Here for the Truth podcast. I'm Joel Rafidi. Got my co host Rasmos with me as always. Here he is flexing those weak ass 45 year old arms. Yerasimos 00:00:16.240 - 00:00:23.200 Yeah, I could get a little bit more strength in there, but I feel, I feel good for how I'm living and feeling and looking at 45. We just got to keep it going. Joel 00:00:23.520 - 00:00:30.140 Yeah. For those that weren't privy yours must. I engage in our first ever arm wrestle at Confluence 2025. Yerasimos 00:00:30.140 - 00:00:38.100 And Joel took me down, I gotta say, you know, we'll see what happens next. Confluence, but you know, down for the. Joel 00:00:38.100 - 00:00:39.940 Old man in his place. Yes. Yerasimos 00:00:40.740 - 00:00:44.260 That's all right, dude, you could take the, the Braun. I'll keep the mind. Joel 00:00:48.100 - 00:00:51.620 Guys. Well, there is no guests with us here today. Yerasimos 00:00:52.340 - 00:00:54.580 Yeah. So every now and then, hope you still listen. Joel 00:00:54.930 - 00:01:12.690 Every now and then we like to pay homage to our roots and that is really just us two wrapping on what it means to live this life, to walk the authentic path, to be on this journey of self discovery and just experience. Experience whatever the hell this is. Yerasimos 00:01:13.890 - 00:03:44.100 I know it's pretty wild when you think about it. You know, it's like there's so much mystery in the world and we're trying so hard to like find certainty and I get to some degree, I'm all for that. But I think the thing I'm seeing more and more, especially in like the self development space and the personal development space is like, we're like, sure, Joel and I, you know, we created something and we have a program and we're here to support people and, and I think we do a pretty great job at it. And like, the reality is we're on our journey, we're continuing to evolve, we're just continuing to grow, we're continuing to face new challenges in our life, you know, as entrepreneurs, as, you know, thought leaders, as, you know, brothers as children, as like just what it means to be human and like we're on that path. Every phase of life brings something new to face and deal with and you know, that's where we're at. And so we just, we want to stay humble to that fact. Not really feel like we have it all figured out and at the same time be really confident in what we do have to offer and what we can provide. And I feel really good about that, especially the journey that I've been on the last 20 plus years in this, you know, personal development, truth seeking space that has led me to where I am today, which ultimately I just want People to live the best lives they can live. I want people to really know themselves on the deepest levels, to get out of the compare and contrast game, to get very clear on who this unique gift is that they are in this world, to get clear on that, to dissolve away conditioning from family, from culture, from priests, from teachers, and really take ownership of the fact that you are an individual, unique, that has never existed before, that will never exist again. Like this. And how do you, you know, you like that? It's one of our lines. I think it's my line. But you say it and then now we both say it, you know what I mean? Like, how do you take advantage of this? How do you relish the fact that you have life force running through you, that you've been given this gift? And do you see it as a gift or do you see it as a burden? That doesn't mean that life isn't filled with burdens and challenges and things are rough. But ultimately how do you meet life? How do you meet challenges? And ultimately I think that's what we're about and is one of the primary main things of what we offer with, you know, even with the podcast and the work that we do in rise above the herd and even within our community. Joel 00:03:44.900 - 00:08:41.650 Yeah, well said man. Like what is the nature of your engagements with self, life and reality on like a day to day basis? And you, you, you speak to it very well, man. And it's like the deeper thing as always. And, and for me it's like it's, it's beyond a belief that each soul is born unique. Each soul is incarnated, bearing gifts and bearing a unique path that intends to unfold. And that word intention is like, for me, I feel like we all intended to become someone unique at what that is, even pre coming to whatever this experience is. And if that's the case, if we can I guess come to the same page and hold for a moment that potentially that might be a fact, then do your actions and does the way that you prioritize your energy on a day to day basis, does that speak to reverence for the sacredness of that possibility? And I think it's so important that each and every single one of us take a stark look at our lives. And for me it's about recognizing and acknowledging more so where I'm not making decisions that honor that fact. And for me it's like some people can get really over overwhelmed in like, what is my calling, what is my purpose, who am I meant to be? But I think for that calling to speak to us in increased decibels, first and foremost, you have to create space for that calling. And the initial question for me on my journey always was, where am I not living in alignments? Where am I living out of truth? Where am I agreeing to offers that don't serve me and don't resonate with the deeper self that exists within me? And on my personal journey, it began with, obviously, agreements, family agreements, agreements in careers, agreements in businesses, agreements in relationships, agreements in friendships, agreements in my living environments that I realized weren't resonance with the deeper calling of my soul. So bit by bit, it was questioning those agreements and then creating new agreements based on that blueprint that is coming forth. And it's like I came to know that blueprint, and I still am, and I will forever be coming to know that blueprint. But I came to know that blueprint through these different systems of self knowledge. My journey very much, when I decided to really walk away from the crowd, started with studying tarot. I joined Michael Dasarian's Taroscopes Mystery School. And I learned and I discovered my personal decanate, a single card of the minor arcana that represents me and represents my birth, which was the seven of cups. And I read Michael's meaning of the seven of cups, and I was like, wow, there is something really divine in my personal map, in my personal blueprints. Because these were things I already knew about myself. And if I already knew them about myself, then that means that these are things that I'm here to give. I'm here to lean on, I'm here to leverage in my life. And I met Erasmus, introduced me into human design. I studied astrology, I learned about the source cards. And the amalgamation of information that we have about who we are can kind of point us and even lead to greater remembrance of what, of what that is. And I feel for so many people, it's like, who am I? What am I meant to be? Who am I in relationship to different people? Like, I feel like a hodgepodge of all different things just morph together, floating in the fucking breeze, floating in the wind. And I think that we can begin to chip away and refine who we are, what we are, and what that calling is by being sincerely curious. And it's like I feel extremely grateful in my life that I've found purpose, that I feel like I've answered the call to heroism. I've answered the call to embark on this journey of really bringing manifest what it is that I'm here to give. And who I'm meant to serve. And so, like, introspection in that sense has lessened a bit for me because I feel like now I see the path and I want to pour as much creative energy into that path as possible. And that feels, that feels good. But the journey is far from over. It's really only just begun. Yerasimos 00:08:43.090 - 00:09:05.650 Dude, I like that. We just need to cut that, record that and share that. No, man, I, I totally hear what you're saying. And while you were talking, I was trying to look for this quote I think you shared. I don't know if it was like a naval tweet. Did you share it recently? Some naval tweet. I don't know what it was, but I think it related to something that was going on in my head while you were talking, which is like, you know, how do you, you have to be become radically honest with yourself and that the proof is in the pudding. Like, you're not content. Joel 00:09:05.970 - 00:09:10.290 The, the quote is, the only real test of intelligence is if you get what you want out of life. Yerasimos 00:09:10.690 - 00:11:11.110 Yeah. So what made me think of that was something I say often, which is like, the proof is in the pudding. So it's like, what is your life reflecting back to you? What is the state of one, your relationship to self when you look in the mirror? How do you feel about yourself? What is the state of your life? What is the state of the work that you're doing in the world? What is the state of your relationships? Primary romantic relationships? Relationships. What's the relationships with the friends and colleagues in your life? And so if they aren't what one part of you or a deeper sense of your essence, if they aren't what that essence of you wants, you know, that you, you know, you dream about that, you visualize that when you're alone at night, before you go to bed, when you wake up in the morning and you're thinking like, I want this in my life or I want to experience this, I'm not experiencing this. You get, this is where you have to be so honest with yourself. And like, what are you doing about it? What? What? Instead of pointing the finger and being like, absorbed into this victim consciousness that comes from so many different angles and that has been programmed into us in society through religion, through, through, through culture, through, you know, schooling, through media and Hollywood, it's like, what are you doing about it? Yeah, and like, what? Everything you're talking about, these systems, human design, the source cards, astrology, etc, like, they aren't there to give for you, to give your power Away to them like you would to any other person. A teacher, a mentor. You. They are there. And you used a great word. It's like, to inspire this remembrance, this knowing, this affirmation of things. Hopefully you. You intuit within yourself, like, you have a. An idea of, like, the things you're into, the strengths you have, the things you're drawn to, the challenges that you may face. I would say most people, especially if you're listening to this podcast, you kind of have an idea and a sense of. Joel 00:11:11.260 - 00:11:11.660 Of that. Yerasimos 00:11:11.900 - 00:11:30.940 And I find that these systems, they just come in and it's like, boom. There's like a. A deeper staking in the ground of, like, I am this unique being, this. This individual that is on this planet at the time with something unique to offer. Joel 00:11:31.340 - 00:11:31.780 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:11:31.780 - 00:12:03.920 And the question is, are you going to live up to that potential and are you going to get very clear about the role fear plays in your life and how to not let those fearful parts of you take over the wheel and make decisions for you? Okay, and we're talking about irrational fears. We're not talking about, like, oh, like a car is coming in front of me. We're talking about those fears of, like, you know, fears of, you know, success, fears of failure, fears of, you know. Joel 00:12:04.250 - 00:12:09.850 Not being liked, fears of being judged, fears of being questioned and outcasted. Yeah. Yerasimos 00:12:10.330 - 00:12:38.480 You know, like, oh, you. You feel a connection with someone. The fear of, oh, they're not going to like me. Like, why should I even go up to them and say hello to them? The fear of reaching out to someone on social media and being like, hey, I. Your work really inspires me, and I just want to let you know that. And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, whatever. Like, what's keeping you from taking action? We have big actions in our life. We have little micro actions that happen within 24 hours in a single day. Joel 00:12:38.880 - 00:12:39.440 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:12:39.840 - 00:12:49.440 What is impacting your decision to make those actions that are going to guide you towards more fulfillment, more play, more fun, more joy, more excitement, more money. Joel 00:12:50.960 - 00:16:46.230 Yeah. Yeah, man. And it's like, again, don't get overwhelmed by the. By, like, my potential, my purpose, this big thing in the future of whom gonna be. I think the micro is so important, man. It's like, your interests are not random. And the more that we go down this path, the more that we are realizing that the next key and the next step is simply, what are the thing. What is the thing that interests you most next to do? And like, by following that thread, by teasing that out, by stepping on those stones, consequentially like doors open where doors didn't exist, relationships form where relationships had no potential of forming. When you are a lit up, inspired individual human being that feels deserving of the right to pursue your own interests. This is reality creation, in my opinion. Reality isn't going to mirror back to you, your stagnancy, your fear, your laziness, your refusal to answer the call. It's not gonna, it's not gonna come and provide you with the goods and provide you with the opportunities and provide you with the juice and provide you with the possibility if you're not giving it the source material to build upon that and to enhance upon that. And it's. I don't care. I don't care if you're 50 years old, living in your mum's basement, you know, like with all these burdens around you with, you know, multiple kids, I don't give a fuck how heavy it is for you. It is never too late for you to take a stark look in the mirror and be like, who am I? What do I want? What do I need to do next? And this conversation and everything that we're talking about in terms of like walking away from the crowd, not falling victim to one's fears, it requires a base level of self esteem. And this is why self esteem has been such an important conversation to us over the course of so many years now. It's why self esteem is the crux of everything that we teach, right? It's the crux of rise above the herd in many ways. Because unless you've developed that relationship with oneself, of respect, of reverence, of, of care, of enjoying one's own company, of believing in one's own efficacy to execute on the things that one are interested in, then nothing else is really possible. And we really have to come back home to what is our relationship to self. And there have been many incredibly successful entrepreneurs over the year, over the years, who probably never even asked this question, right? But the reality is, is that through their actions, through their work, through their engagement with reality, they got feedback about who they are, about what they're capable of. Their self belief was enhanced over time and self esteem was built. And but for many of us in this world, I think that are more like introspective oriented primarily. We need to do that dance. We need to do that dance of where am I at really? And also really actively engaging with reality and affecting the reality principle and taking real tangible steps forward in the world. Yerasimos 00:16:49.910 - 00:16:51.030 Yeah, well said, man. Joel 00:16:53.030 - 00:17:06.200 I mean, I just lifted up my mug and I'M looking in the reflection of the zoom camera right now, and it says here for the truth. And I mean, it's simple, man. Yeah, it's simple. It's hard and it's simple. Yerasimos 00:17:06.920 - 00:17:07.400 Yeah. Joel 00:17:07.480 - 00:17:33.580 What is the truth that you are here for? Where are the lies that are still festering in your life? Where is the inauthenticity that still exists? Have you built a world around you based on agreements that aren't truthful to who you really are and what you really want? And if that's the case, please don't expect to lead a life of fulfillment anytime soon, because the truth has to be the bedrock. Yerasimos 00:17:35.180 - 00:22:21.390 Yeah, I agree. It has to be the bedrock. And I think we talk about here for the truth, and I think many people in our world can get lost on the external world. And first and foremost, it has to come within. You really need to put the time and energy to know yourself. And you have to get out of the compare and contrast game. Not in a sense of, you know, looking out and being inspired by people. You can, but like, you know, another person's life is. May not be meant for you. You know, your path is unique. Maybe your path isn't to start Amazon.com you know, it's like, it's like you have to get very clear on the things that you love and that you value and what you want to build and what you want to create. Whatever. It doesn't mean, doesn't even need to mean you're going to be an entrepreneur. Like, if you really get so much value out of being a mother, you know, how can you be the best mother that you can be? You know, do you catch yourself being, you know, maybe yelling more and being triggered and you go, oh, man, like, I want to really work on this. I don't want to behave this way around my, my children. Same thing if you're a father. Same thing if you're, you know, in partnership, you're, or you're in the workplace or you, you have a business and you have employees, you know, how are you treating your employees? You know, you know, what is the state of your business? You know, what's the state of your psychological and emotional health? This kind of stuff, looking inwards and getting real with who you are. And like you said before, you know, the world, the external world is going to give you feedback, and it's up to you to not rationalize and justify that away. But do you have the capacity and the capability to sit with it and go, oh, yeah, that's. There's Some truth there. I need to shift, I need to change. That wasn't cool how I spoke to that person. Wasn't ideal, you know. And so like we talk about self responsibility. It's a world word that gets thrown out there all the time. But it's like radical self responsibility. It is the most empowering thing that you can embody. Point the finger towards yourself instead of continuing to point the finger externally. Control what you can control instead of focusing on so much out there that you cannot control. So it's like, man, like I just, I'm thinking. And again, we're sitting here talking. We started a podcast, we're doing our thing. That doesn't mean that like everyone listening. Why aren't you starting a podcast? Why aren't you starting a group coaching program? Like, we're living our life as best as we can at this stage in our lives. You know, I think about my, my past. I grew up in a, you know, first generation Greek, you know, Greek household. I was first generation Greek American. My parents were like, you know, had expectations of me to maybe be a doctor or a lawyer or like something of that nature. But there is something in me. I don't know where it came from. I don't know. It's because of my astrology or my human design. Probably to some degree these things play on us in terms of what your unique nature is. But like, there's a moment in time. There are choice points in life where you may know something about yourself, but do you act on that? There was something in me that was like, no, I'm not going to go down this path. I'm not going to just do what my parents want me to do. You know, I don't want to stay in my hometown. I want to move away, you know, and that was like an initial thing of following that interest. I'm going to move away and go to school. Okay. Then you have a whole bunch of experiences in life and then you're living from there and you go, you know, I don't want to just get a job right after college. I want to go on an adventure. And so like, what is that thing within you that is this compass that, you know, is more aligned with the, the essence and truth of who you are and are you honoring that? Obviously we talk about human design. It's a system that I'm into. And I think authority within human design is your unique decision making process. I found value in that over the years. And even before I knew about human design, I realized I was making decisions that way. And so do you. Do you take this information and this knowledge that you learn from the books you read, from the workshops you have, from the systems you get exposed to, and how do you apply them into your life? Great knowledge is power. Amazing. It's great to know things. It starts there. But ultimately, how are you applying these things in your life, and how are you taking action in your life towards these things? You know, what's keeping you from leaving a relationship that you don't want to be in? What's keeping you from leaving the office job that is draining your soul? What's keeping you from not speaking the truth of who you are to the friends in your life that maybe don't even really know who you are because you're not using your voice to express who you are? What is that? This is where the introspection has to come in, in these instances to really get clear on why are you doing the things that you're doing? Why are you behaving how you're behaving? Why are you saying the things that you're doing or saying? Joel 00:22:21.950 - 00:22:22.430 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:22:23.070 - 00:23:21.590 And then like, you know, this is where, like, again, knowledge and understanding the. Your inner world, understanding the architecture of your psyche, which is. Which has laid the foundation for. For my work and my first foray into personal development work was being exposed to parts work, you know, which. Which had a huge impact on me and how I understood myself and the multiplicity within myself. And then also the dance of relationship. You're dealing with another person that has this multiplicity and the multiplicity within you. So how do you navigate that? We are these. These beings with so many aspects to us, you know, do you understand that? Can you self reflect? Can you take ownership for behaviors that maybe are less than ideal? And then with knowing this stuff, then how do you build? How do you create? How do you go after the stuff that you really want in life? You know, and if you don't know what you really want, something Joel and I say often, then get very clear on what you don't want. I believe it's called the apophatic process. Joel 00:23:22.310 - 00:23:23.630 Yeah, sometimes. Yerasimos 00:23:23.630 - 00:23:24.550 What don't you want? Joel 00:23:24.550 - 00:23:25.990 The. The anti vision. Yerasimos 00:23:26.310 - 00:24:12.210 Yes. What don't you want? Cool. Start there. Okay. You're in an abusive relationship. Get the out, do what you have to do to get the out, and then go from there. Because right here we're dealing with this dance of polarity, of certainty and uncertainty. And so, so many people will stay in situations, careers, relationships, living in the same place, because there is a sense of Certainty and even safety within that, even if on another level it's not safe. And so this. Do you have the capacity within yourself to live with uncertainty, to, to, to live in the unknown, to say, you know what, I'm going to make a decision because I know for a fact this is not what I want, but it's going to move me closer to something. Joel 00:24:12.850 - 00:26:09.870 Yeah. And the thing is like the more that you prolong avoiding those decisions that you know, actually more, more, more aligned to truth. This, these are incredibly blowful. Blowful. These are incredible blows to your self esteem each time you deny the truth of the matter and you refuse to act upon it. And you stay inside the toxic abusive relationship for way too long. You stay in the dead end job or career for way too long. You are signaling to yourself on a deep unconscious level that you are not worthy, that you are not deserving, that you are not capable. And you just settle deeper and deeper into this quiet desperation, into, into this mark. And so courage, you know, it requires courage, it requires you to turn and face those demons and to stake that flag into the ground and to have those moments of heroism where it's like, enough, I'm done and enter into the unknown and walk into the abyss and see what is possible on the other side. It's like you need to value your right to differentiation, to be genuinely fucking different. Right. I don't mean different by blue hair and a Ukraine flag. I mean different by the fact that you have unique purpose. Right. It's like there is something that you can give and that wants to unfold for you that no one else is currently doing and that no one else can do. Like we sound like a broken record sometimes saying this stuff, but it's like there is a calling there and the calling keeps on calling. The CO and the calling can come in varying degrees at any time in your life, regardless of what stage you're at. Yerasimos 00:26:11.790 - 00:26:48.510 Yeah, and I think this is also too like where like substance abuse can play in is that that calling is knocking on the door. And it's like I don't want to listen, I don't want to listen. I want to keep distracting myself from some deeper thing within. And when I say calling, I'm not just saying like, oh, your life's calling, your life purpose. I'm saying the calling of something deeper within you that knows what needs to be done, the actions that you need to take in your life, in your relationships, etc. And so again, that's another area to take a look at. You have 24 hours in a day, how are you spending those 24 hours? You know, probably seven or eight of them. You're sleeping. Joel 00:26:48.750 - 00:26:49.190 Hopefully. Yerasimos 00:26:49.190 - 00:27:08.240 But how? Hopefully, but you know, many people not, you know, they can't sleep, they have insomnia issues. And so that's another thing. Well, how can you, let's focus on that first. How can you support your sleep? Because you need that. You know, what's like the, what's the phrases of the lowest hanging fruit? Is that it or is it something? Anyways, so it's like, yeah, I lost my train of thought there. Joel 00:27:08.240 - 00:29:41.460 But that's all right, that's all right. And like the other thing that I wanted to say is like this word entrepreneur. It means the one who takes risk. And so for me, even the mother who is deciding to raise their kids differently to the status quo is calling upon some essence of that entrepreneurial spirit in taking a risk to do things differently, to do things a little more aligned. And we can all call upon this spirit at any given time. And all this is asking of us is to really embody that courage and to stand on your business, so to speak. And it's like the world is going to tell you and culture is going to tell you time and time again that this is the wrong way. It's going to try shame you, it's going to try gaslight you, it's going to try guilt you. The other people who have eaten the forbidden fruit, they're going to try to tell you like, oh, just, you know, put them in a government school or just, you know, offload them here or there. And that's fine if people choose that path, whatever. I'm just using this example. But it's like it requires uncommon courage to be able to stick to one's values in the face of adversity, in the face of judgment, in the face of fear. And that is one definition of heroism is being able to persevere in the face of one's values even when all this hardship comes about. But most people, they cannot stand the truth. Like, and this is just the fact of the matter. And even within this so called truth, the movements, you still see how externally oriented most people are just absorbed in the narrative, just absorbed in the story, just looking so desperately for any piece of information that's going to confirm their bias, so then they can share it and be like, look, I was right, I was the one that had the truth. But what is the state of their lives? What is the state of their conviction to their values? And it's like the person That I admire. The person that I review is the person who understands their bedrock of values and lives it. They probably properly live it. It's embodied even when things are difficult in the home, even when it's difficult raising kids, even when kids are fighting and you're trying to grow yourself and grow a business and all the rest of it like that perseverance. That's the power right there. Yerasimos 00:29:42.420 - 00:31:37.220 Yeah. And when you, we talk about uncommon courage, what goes along with that too is you have to be okay with disappointing the people closest to you in your life. Very often, you know, the ones that are projecting how they think you should live your life, how you should raise your kids, etc, and so this is why self esteem is necessary. Because if not, then are you gonna stand up for what you believe in, for your convictions? When the world goes to in 2020, how are you gonna act? How are you gonna behave? This podcast, this working relationship, what we've built, what we've created, would not have existed if both of us weren't clear on who we were and how we were gonna act and behave at that time. Yep. You know, the people that I have, I mean, I can't even tell you the number of friends that unfollowed me, that came into my DMs, you know, that were insulting me based on the things I was sharing, the things that I was posting in 2020. Now I was blessed that a few of those friends, we've reconciled. And that's great. But again, it's like you have to be okay with that. Can you be okay with not being liked? Can you be okay with being so sure on this is who I am. This is my mission. This is my person. I, my my. This is my purpose. I know what I'm about. I like who I am. I'm going to live my life unapologetically. And again, not. Not in a place where like, the, the rebel takes over your psyche. The like fuck, everyone takes over your psyche. You have no discernment. It's just, I'm pretty matter of factly going to do my thing and hey, you, you can do your thing. Just, you know, if you're gonna try to encroach on my freedom to be myself and to share what I need to share, then maybe we might have a. We have an issue. But like that level of comfort in self. Joel 00:31:37.780 - 00:31:38.260 Yep. Yerasimos 00:31:38.260 - 00:32:03.700 In mind and body is, is required. And when you lit the thing. This is the thing. This is the thing. When you live that way, like, you wonder why, like your life and your community and Your friendships aren't what they are. But when you live this way, you're using your entire being and your essence and your voice and the energy that you put out into the world to signal this is who I am. This is what I'm about. Where are my people? Joel 00:32:03.940 - 00:32:04.340 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:32:04.340 - 00:32:05.300 Where are my people at? Joel 00:32:05.700 - 00:32:06.260 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:32:07.460 - 00:32:45.840 And if you don't, people aren't psychic. People don't know who you are, where you stand, what's at the depths of your soul and your psyche if you're not expressing it. And so, like, man, I'm so grateful that, you know, we. We did what we did at the time. And the amazing human beings that have came across this podcast that are in Friends of the Truth, that we get to hang out with, that are, I consider dear, dear friends of mine. And that all just came from doing what we could at that time to just, hey, this is what I'm about. I'm. I have zero tolerance for the lie. Thank you, Michael Tazarian. And I'm not gonna go along just to get along. Joel 00:32:46.160 - 00:32:46.720 Yep. Yerasimos 00:32:46.720 - 00:35:19.209 So unfollow me. Curse me out to old friends. Tell everyone, oh, he's this crazy MAGA person because he's questioning vaccines and the COVID narrative. Like, okay, cool. I'm just gonna keep on living my amazing, beautiful life with my wife, with the community that I'm building with my business partner as best as I can. Great. Call me arrogant. Call me full of myself. Okay. The proof is in the pudding. I love my life. It's not always easy. It's tough and challenging, but all of it, I love it. I love that we met. I love that I consider you a brother and a. And a business partner and a dear friend. They didn't happen by magic. Okay, maybe magic with like, you know, in the other sense, but it didn't happen. Yeah, it happened because you get clear on who you are, you're not going to accept anything less than, man, I want to live my life according to who I am and my values. Yeah. And I'm going to act from that place. I'm not going to live in constant self consciousness and micromanaging. I just said that. I don't know, maybe I shouldn't talk here. Oh. And then all of a sudden, like, the moments passed, you're living your life. You're adjusting as you go. You're gaining greater and greater self awareness through that interplay of introspection and living in the world and taking action. And then, like, that's where I think the magic can happen in your life. That's why I love the source cards, too, that Alexander introduced me to. You know, it's like we all talk about, like, oh, you gotta play your cards right. You know what happens when you play your cards right? The magic happens. Oh, cards, they're associated with magic. Interesting. You know, and it doesn't have to be the cards. And also, even with these systems, you don't even need any of them. You know, they've worked for us. They're tools. There are a lot of people in the world that. That haven't ever come across this stuff, and they live fulfilled, awesome lives. But we live in this interesting time right now of so many more distractions, upheaval, conditioning, confusion. So some of these systems are coming more to the forefront. And they're tools. They're not things to get dogmatic about their tools. But at the end of the day, going, putting your phone down, putting your computer down, going and spending an entire day in the forest and being with yourself and feeling what you feel and getting clear and connecting to this. The greatness, the mystery that may bring you the essence that may bring you answers to questions that you have. Joel 00:35:20.569 - 00:35:49.300 Yeah. So nah, man. Mic drop. Mic drop for sure. And it's like, who are you here to Impact? I heard a great quote from Daniel Ek, the founder of Spotify, the other day, and it's like, I think he said, optimizing impact is more important than optimizing happiness. And like, in my personal experience, happiness is a byproduct of impact. Yerasimos 00:35:49.780 - 00:35:50.260 Yep. Joel 00:35:50.260 - 00:36:51.910 You know, and I think we're all here to serve someone. We're all here to give something of ourselves to someone else to lift them a little bit higher. I don't mean in the altruistic sense, which just breeds resentment and guilt and all this toxic bullshit, but in the genuine sense of recognizing and cultivating deeper value within oneself, being a person of value and sharing that to the world, giving that and impacting other people. That's the highest good, man. That's the highest good. And when you ignore the call each time you refuse to answer, when those moments that require deeper courage from you, you're doing a disservice to all of us. You're not just doing a disservice to yourself, you're doing a disservice to everyone. Yerasimos 00:36:53.590 - 00:37:14.560 Yeah. There's a quote when you were talking that made me think the Picasso quote, which is the meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. You know, and I. And that's definitely a quote that has inspired Me over the years. But again, it starts with the self. It starts with you. It starts. It's not sacrificing who you are, it's not being a. Not self. Joel 00:37:14.640 - 00:37:15.160 Yep. Yerasimos 00:37:15.160 - 00:37:31.680 And then just living in a people pleasing state and just serving and taking care of everyone else. It's really knowing who you are, giving, knowing what you value. Giving the gifts in the world from that place. You know, giving from an overflowing cup as opposed to an empty cup. Joel 00:37:32.080 - 00:39:01.720 Yeah, absolutely, man. And like real wealth creation, and I'm not talking strictly financial, like wealth as in love, as in joy, as in self esteem, as in friendships. Like you have the opportunity to cultivate wealth creation every single day of your life. Charlie Bunger has a great quote where he says trust is the most important economic factor in the world. And like, I just couldn't agree more. You know, it's like every single day you have the opportunity to sow seeds of goodwill and trust all around you. And those seeds of goodwill and trust over time will grow into oak trees of goodwill and trust. And it'll feed your life in ways that are actually immeasurable over time. So like when you wake up in the morning, you ask yourself, what can I do today? It's like, who can I extend goodwill and trust to? Who can I offer gratitude to? Who can I impact in a positive way? Just for the sake of impacting someone in a positive way? Because that's going to feed you, that's going to sustain you. The relationships that you build are the essence ultimately of the life that you're going to experience. Yerasimos 00:39:05.400 - 00:39:39.860 Yeah, I don't know. I don't like when I think of value like authenticity and trust, that is what is going to be required more and more as we move forward into this world. In the digital world, in the AI world, like how authentic can you be? And do people trust you? And do they want to, you know, work with you, do they want to be in relationship to you, etc. I mean again, you talked about wealth before. There are so. Yeah, there's so many types of wealth, you know, so many different types of capital. Like, great, you can make money. Awesome. You know, what are your relationships like? What are your networks like? Yeah, you know, how are you living? What's your body like? What's the health of your body? Yeah. Joel 00:39:39.860 - 00:41:29.230 You know, especially as the world becomes more AI and those moments of real human interaction become scarce, like leveraging, that is going to be so much more powerful going forward. You know, I think much of the economy of the future is going to hinge upon authenticity and real world human interactions. And as most people are throwing their minds into the, into the abyss, they're trying to, you know, find so many shortcuts into a dystopia which ultimately isn't going to serve them. Those who can attune and turn their attention to really building the right way, connecting in real authentic ways are ultimately going to see the fruits over a longer period of time. And we talk about this analogy a lot like with anything in life, like real prosperity happens when you pour love over an extended period of time. That's what ultimately yields fruit and yields results. You know, it's the same that goes for a garden, the same that goes for a business, the same that goes for a relationship. And so be willing to play the long term game. You know, as again naval would say play long term games with long term people and so find those people that they're probably around you already and build those connections and grow together and share your vision with those who are willing to offer the same trust and goodwill that you are willing to. Yerasimos 00:41:31.710 - 00:41:32.990 I love everything you said man. Joel 00:41:32.990 - 00:41:45.050 And be willing to tolerate discomfort, be willing to tolerate uncertainty in that process. Be willing for the vision and the objective to shift and change a number of times. Yerasimos 00:41:47.130 - 00:43:07.940 Yeah, I think that's also why, you know, we've been such advocates and I know I've spent some years training in nervous system work and that we brought Sophie on board and rise above the herd to lead a very intentional nervous system component. Because again, what is the state of your nervous system? The state of your nervous system is going to impact the way you think about yourself, the way you feel, the way you take action in life, the. If you even have the capacity to deal with discomfort. Yeah. You know, so again, are you building greater capacity to hold more of you in to, to, to have the nuance and the versatility to move through different states in your life which will support you in relationship or will support you in career and how you take action in the world and how you respond to stimuli in the world. And so again we, we, we do our best to look at things from a holistic level and it's what has inspired us to do what we do and create what we create. And I just don't. And I go and I know not everyone shares this but like what, what is, what is more spiritual than becoming who you were born to be? You know, if we were, if we've been given this gift of God, if God created us, then again what are we doing with that creation? Joel 00:43:08.100 - 00:45:36.790 That's right. That's right. Do you think you. Do you really think God is telling you to be a nothing, to become a nothing, to drop your interests, to not engage in the world, to not pursue, to not continue to, you know, carve Michael antlers, carve Adam out of stone as Michelangelo did, You know, it's consistent to continue to refine. That Nietzsche quote comes to mind. Become the master and the sculptor of yourself like. And there's so many traps and pitfalls along the way in terms of what is divine, what is sacred, what is spiritual. Yet we forget that this world that our senses are perceiving is obviously primary for a reason. It's primary because it's where our consciousness is being called towards. What God wants of you is to face reality, to turn your whole being, to turn all your consciousness towards reality. Not away from it, not into the afterlife, not to regress back into a womb like state where you don't want to think anything, you don't want to be angry, you don't want to feel anything, none of that. What is reality calling of you beyond being a quote unquote truth warrior, which is so ambiguous with everyone's different ideas of truth that exist today? Be a reality warrior. What is reality asking of you? Where are you being called to wield your short. At your, your sword and shield at this point in time? Maybe you're a medic, maybe you're not a fighter, maybe you're a medic, maybe you're a healer, maybe you're a lover, maybe you're an amalgamation of all of it, being called at different times in your life in different arenas. But what is reality asking of you? And where are you averting or avoiding reality again? I mean, I love these quote all these quotes, right? The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. Joseph Campbell, he said it. It's one of my favorite quotes of all time. But it's like, if you don't know what to do, if you're listening or you're listening to this and you're feeling lost, you don't know what your interests are, okay? Where are your fears? What are the conversations that you're afraid to have? What are the things that you're afraid of losing? Yerasimos 00:45:38.150 - 00:45:38.790 What are the. Joel 00:45:38.790 - 00:45:57.760 What are the. What are the. What are the weak foundations that are holding up this status quo that is just ready to crumble? Are you really willing to die to the inauthentic life to give the authentic life a chance of grounding itself? Yerasimos 00:45:59.760 - 00:46:18.970 Yeah. And are you using your imagination to move your Life forward, closer to that vision? Or is your imagination coming from deep places of fear that's keeping you away from what you really want deep inside? Again, another great quote. We suffer more in imagination than reality. Seneca. Joel 00:46:19.290 - 00:46:19.930 Yep. Yerasimos 00:46:23.530 - 00:47:17.220 Yeah, Well, I think I just. I love having these conversations. I just think they're so foundational. They're so important. They just cut to the heart of the matter of what does it mean to be an individual? What does it mean to have meaning and purpose in life? And what are you doing with the gift that you've been given, the miracle that you are? I mean, how many times do I need to say it? The miracle that you are, what did it take for you to be born? Just that. All your ancestors, what did they go through? All their struggles, all their choices, all their decisions. Pain, suffering, death. Joy, love, connections. Journeys across the world. Yeah. All these little choices that were made that led to your mom and dad meeting, that led to you being born. Joel 00:47:17.780 - 00:47:18.340 Yeah. Yerasimos 00:47:18.340 - 00:47:22.340 Your soul coming into this world in a body. Joel 00:47:24.340 - 00:47:34.760 Wow, man. The immensity. The immensity of that. The immensity of the gift that you've been given. And what do you. Yerasimos 00:47:34.760 - 00:47:47.520 It's overwhelming sometimes, man, like. Like when you really sit with that. What it took to be alive. Like, man, like. It's like goosebumps and, like, chills. I don't want. I don't want to waste this gift. Joel 00:47:48.560 - 00:49:50.040 I don't. And I don't want to offend anyone, but it's like, in hearing that. Can you really go back and sit in that cubicle? Can you really go back and sit, you know, just doing what everyone else is doing? Can you really stay in relationships that are eating away at your soul? Can you really. Is that the level of devotion that you have to God, to life, to the mystery? Is that what it is? Is that what you came here for? Take this as a reminder. Just take this as a reminder. We love you guys. Every single person over the last five years that has decided to put some time aside and listen to us and our guests. We love you. We appreciate you. We are so grateful. Because without you, without your attention, without your consciousness, without your existence, none of this would be possible. And we genuinely want the best for you. We want to inspire. Our mission is to inspire as many people as possible to live more authentic lives. And not in an overwhelming sense where everyone's called to be gladiator, to be patriot, or to be Aragon, or to be whatever it might be. But if you believe that your life can be more authentic than what it is now, and you walk away from this conversation, or you walk away from our membership communities, or you walk away from our programs, and you feel a little bit closer to that truth and through that authenticity than you did before you engaged with anything that we're putting out in the world. Man, that fills my fucking heart beyond belief. Yerasimos 00:49:50.760 - 00:49:55.760 Yeah. Yeah, me too. Me too. Joel 00:49:55.760 - 00:49:56.120 And. Yerasimos 00:49:57.960 - 00:50:30.320 And that's the world I want to see, you know, more people being who they are in all the glory and the complexity of what it means to be a human being, loving themselves, coming together with aligned community where you're not sacrificing who you are in order to get along, where you honor one another's individuality and uniqueness and genius and gift. That's how I. That's how I want to live my life. That's how I live my life. And that's where I put my time and energy. And that's why. Also why we created Friends of the Truth. Yeah. Joel 00:50:35.290 - 00:51:53.080 Like in, you were loved beyond belief and very often with the last people to really learn how to love ourselves. And it takes. It takes time. It takes time. But just speaking from personal experience, like, I'm so grateful for this unique incarnation. I'm so grateful for this unique blend of parents and circumstances and environments and divine blueprint of my being and of my soul through these different systems. Like, I love being a Scorpio. I love being a generator. I love being emotional. I love being a Jack of hearts. I love being like all this stuff. It's like, come on, you have unique skills. You have unique attributes. You were formed in a way that no one else is formed. And so, yeah, there is a hand of cards that is asking to be played a certain way. Learn to love yourself. Accept yourself on the deepest level. Cut away everything that you're not. Right. You don't need to have the gifts that someone else has. Yerasimos 00:51:53.220 - 00:51:53.380 You. Joel 00:51:53.530 - 00:51:59.610 You have the gifts that you have. Unwrap that and give it to the world. Yerasimos 00:52:00.570 - 00:52:01.050 Boom.