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#22 - LEVELS TO THIS SH*T: The Truth About Why You’re Still Stuck
45 Plays4 months ago
Every level you reach demands more. More discipline. More sacrifice. More resilience. Most people want the rewards without the work, the success without the struggle. But here’s the truth—you don’t level up just because you want to. You level up because you earn it.
In this episode, I break down what it really takes to advance in life. No shortcuts. No skipping steps. Just the raw, unfiltered truth about why most people stay stuck at level one while others keep rising. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels, if you’re ready to stop making excuses and start dominating, this episode is for you.
So ask yourself—are you grinding through the levels, or are you just pretending? Because in this game, you either commit or you get left behind.
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Transcript
Introduction and New Beginnings
00:00:22
Mike Ivanov
Welcome to the Mindset Mutiny. I am your host, Mike Ivanov. Join me as we challenge the status quo, break free from self-imposed limits, and redefine what's possible.
00:00:33
Mike Ivanov
Welcome back, everybody. just want to take a quick minute to mark an occasion.
00:00:41
Mike Ivanov
Today, I'm recording in a brand new studio. First time any podcast has ever been recorded in this studio, and it is not mine. And I want to mention that because somebody in my circle, somebody very close to me that has been working with me tirelessly
00:01:01
Mike Ivanov
decided to invest in me and give me a place where I can come to do this and to pursue what I'm trying to do with the podcast.
The Role of Supportive People
00:01:13
Mike Ivanov
It's nice to have somebody believe in you and push you way outside of your comfort zone, but at the same time, put in the work to help you get there.
00:01:24
Mike Ivanov
This is why I talk about curating your circle. This person is very special to me. They have not been in my life a very long time, but the way my life has changed and the way my mind and the way I think of things has changed is a direct reflection of this individual's energy in my life.
00:01:47
Mike Ivanov
So we're going to get started, but I wanted to mark the occasion because it's very special. And it's something that you need to consider too when you have this opportunity to be around certain people and the energy that you put out to attract those people.
00:02:04
Mike Ivanov
It's just so great. And I never thought that I'd be here in life with this type of momentum.
Embracing Discomfort for Growth
00:02:12
Mike Ivanov
So I hope you've been listening. And if you haven't, go back.
00:02:16
Mike Ivanov
I'm charting out the entire way forward for everybody to listen to. All the things I wish somebody had told me sooner. So today, I find myself in uncharted territory.
00:02:31
Mike Ivanov
New levels, new demands, and absolutely new pressures. The evolution that I am in right now is absolutely testing me in ways that I've never been tested before.
00:02:46
Mike Ivanov
But I can assure you, I am completely locked in, fully committed as always. But the fear, it's right there. I can feel it every day. And it's trying to block me.
00:03:02
Mike Ivanov
I don't know what's coming. I don't know the struggle ahead. I just know that I'm stepping into something bigger, something unfamiliar. And the weight of it, it's real.
00:03:18
Mike Ivanov
But that's how it works. You have to understand that every time you level up, the game changes a little bit. The challenges, they absolutely get harder.
00:03:29
Mike Ivanov
The stakes, they get higher. And the resistance gets stronger. And that's why most people stop.
00:03:41
Mike Ivanov
They hit that wall of uncertainty, that overwhelming feeling, and they retreat. They convinced themselves they weren't ready. I was there.
00:03:54
Mike Ivanov
It's been holding me back for years.
00:04:00
Mike Ivanov
Don't let it happen to you. It's taken me time to learn what that means. To understand my mind and why it's trying to convince me not to do it. But now...
00:04:14
Mike Ivanov
I know better. I'm aware of it. I know that discomfort is the sign I'm growing. I don't freak out about it now. I push into the discomfort. I know that feeling overwhelmed is not a signal to stop.
00:04:28
Mike Ivanov
It's proof that I'm in the exact right right place. It's where I should be. When I'm not feeling the discomfort, when I'm not feeling overwhelmed, that's when the demons come to get me.
00:04:44
Mike Ivanov
There's some sort of peace that comes over me when I'm in the fight. And if you're not in the fight right now, that's why I'm sharing this with you.
00:04:54
Mike Ivanov
Pick up your sword and go to battle.
00:04:58
Mike Ivanov
That'll fix everything you're dealing with right now.
00:05:03
Mike Ivanov
Don't talk about it. Don't think about it. Just do it. So right now, I am deep in the process of learning this new series of levels that are facing me.
00:05:18
Mike Ivanov
I don't have all the answers. I don't know all the angles yet. But I do know one thing. I'm here to master this
Discipline, Hard Work, and Avoiding Shortcuts
00:05:28
Mike Ivanov
level. Like I've done before. This is what Mindset Mutiny is all about.
00:05:33
Mike Ivanov
There are levels to this shit. Whatever game you're playing... whatever goal you're chasing, there is no skipping the steps.
00:05:47
Mike Ivanov
There's people out there, a large majority, just watching others succeed. They want the results without the work. They see the highlights, but ignore the blood, sweat, and setbacks it took to get there.
00:06:04
Mike Ivanov
I promise every level demands something from you.
00:06:11
Mike Ivanov
Discipline, sacrifice, repetition.
00:06:17
Mike Ivanov
You got to fucking pay up and that's the currency. You don't just level up because you want to.
00:06:26
Mike Ivanov
What's not going to fucking get you there. You level up because you've earned it. So you either commit to the process or you stay exactly where you are.
00:06:38
Mike Ivanov
If you cannot master level one, there is no way in hell your level will be level 10. No way. You're never going to be ready for it.
00:06:48
Mike Ivanov
But people still want to jump levels. Shit, I used to want to jump levels. I'd get into something and then I'd say, all right, yep, cool. I started it. i want Why don't I have all the success? It's the same thing with a podcast. I record two episodes and nobody listens. And I'm like, oh, you know, why why have I blown up yet?
00:07:04
Mike Ivanov
Because they haven't fucking earned it. I'm on level one, man.
00:07:09
Mike Ivanov
And it's the best place to be because this is where the shit gets real. This is where you start to forge that person, where you change things, where you develop, you understand the process, you respect it.
00:07:22
Mike Ivanov
Stop that shit with thinking just because you start on level one, tomorrow you'll be at level 10. So let me ask you a question. How do you think... that you're going to play at level 10 when you're struggling to even show up at level one. Better yet, how do you think you deserve a shot at level 10?
00:07:42
Mike Ivanov
That level, I promise you, requires more than talent or ambition.
00:07:48
Mike Ivanov
You're not just going to get there because you showed up.
00:07:53
Mike Ivanov
It demands skill, discipline, resilience.
00:07:59
Mike Ivanov
And those are the things... That you will earn. By grinding through the process. And that process. It's not just a checklist.
00:08:11
Mike Ivanov
I think it's a filter. It filters out the fucking posers. The people who are halfway in. Who want that reward. But not the work.
00:08:23
Mike Ivanov
You know people like that. Shit. Maybe you're like that. I was. I'm not afraid to admit it. I wanted all the rewards. goes all the way back to when I graduated from college.
00:08:36
Mike Ivanov
figure, hey, I got a college degree. First day out, I should be making $100,000.
00:08:44
Mike Ivanov
My first job out school, I made $38,000 a year. Talk about a fucking adjustment. Right? That was me thinking I could skip the levels.
00:08:58
Mike Ivanov
Started way back.
00:09:02
Mike Ivanov
And I finally kicked that shit to the curb. It is so hard to skip steps. And if you're stuck, if you can't make it to the next level, it's because you're skipping something important.
00:09:18
Mike Ivanov
Maybe it's an essential skill you failed to pick up. Maybe you neglected to build a strong circle of people who push you forward. Maybe you haven't built your base.
00:09:31
Mike Ivanov
You're not taking care of yourself. You're not sleeping. Your diet's not locked in. Your exercise isn't right. All that shit matters. So whatever it is, just know the process will expose your weaknesses.
00:09:50
Mike Ivanov
And that's great, but that's why it's so important to lock in every step. You have to see the beauty of the process. There is no top. It's limitless.
00:10:03
Mike Ivanov
That's why we do this shit. The levels don't end. You just keep climbing. It's about what you learn along the way. Each level teaches you how to balance it all, how to handle the weight of responsibility, how to deal with the pressure, and most importantly, how to make success sustainable.
00:10:27
Mike Ivanov
Success that isn't built on a solid foundation. We'll crumble the second life gets hard. I've seen it. I've lived it. So let's be fucking real.
The Impact of Your Inner Circle
00:10:37
Mike Ivanov
Change doesn't happen overnight. So stop expecting that it will.
00:10:42
Mike Ivanov
You can't undo years of bad habits or weak discipline in a week or even a month. Fuck it, even a year. Progress takes time, consistency, and a willingness to embrace the grind when nobody's watching.
00:10:58
Mike Ivanov
And let me tell you something else.
00:11:02
Mike Ivanov
And this is hard for people to hear. And it was hard for me to recognize in the beginning.
00:11:13
Mike Ivanov
Most people around you don't want to see you level up.
00:11:18
Mike Ivanov
Yeah, I said it. Most people around you, they don't want to see you win. It's just the reality. They're comfortable. They like where they are.
00:11:29
Mike Ivanov
And the idea of you rising above them That's a threat. Let's just fucking call it what it is. If you really think about it, like really think about it, you're really honest with yourself, you'll identify people around you that when you tell them good news or you start to want to do better, suck you back down.
00:11:48
Mike Ivanov
And that's why you got to curate the circle. Kick those motherfuckers to the curb. Don't let them take success from you. Don't let them hold you back. Just be aware of it.
00:12:03
Mike Ivanov
So there's signs that you're on the right path. Trust me on that.
00:12:10
Mike Ivanov
When you get people questioning everything you're doing, thinking you're crazy, telling you to stop, slow down, rest, all that bullshit. Well, my friends, that means you've arrived.
00:12:23
Mike Ivanov
You are in the right place. And this is where curating your circle becomes even more important.
00:12:31
Mike Ivanov
When you're on this mission, you can't afford to have people in your life who want to hold you back.
00:12:37
Mike Ivanov
In fact, the people in my life, they can tell they tell me things that I never dreamed of. like They're like, hey, Mike, you should do this. I'm like, what the fuck?
00:12:50
Mike Ivanov
Really? They challenged me to do the shit that scares the fucking shit out of me, man.
00:12:58
Mike Ivanov
It's like when I'm talking them, they expect me to do it. Like they, hey, Mike, you can do it. And because I have this part of me where I don't want to let them down, or they force me to see that I have these potentials that I need to use.
Personal Growth through Overcoming Insecurities
00:13:23
Mike Ivanov
I have to do it. And I feel like that's the fee I have to pay for being around them. When they challenge me, I have to live up to the challenge. And you do that enough and it starts to become second nature.
00:13:36
Mike Ivanov
So when you have these people around you, when you sit with these people and all you talk about is getting better and pushing through your limits, those are the people you want around you.
00:13:47
Mike Ivanov
I don't sit down with anybody that's going to sit here and just talk to shit. You know, what's the weather look like? What's the most current events? don't give a fuck. I sit down with people and we get right to it. We talk about our emotions.
00:14:02
Mike Ivanov
We talk about how we're feeling. We talk about what we're doing, what the next challenge is, where we're getting stuck. If you're just sitting around with people, talking drama, not trying to talk about your weaknesses, you got the wrong people around you.
00:14:20
Mike Ivanov
So I need you to surround yourself with people who will push you, who will challenge you, who won't let you settle, and people that call you on your bullshit.
00:14:32
Mike Ivanov
You know, cool story.
00:14:36
Mike Ivanov
was invited to an event and I was very nervous about it. I don't know why. And this is, you know, obviously hard for me to tell you because I have this kind of buried in my subconscious where didn't want to address it.
00:14:53
Mike Ivanov
So this person's very close to me and has been challenging me over the last couple of years. And they said, hey, when you were at that event, you know, um you weren't yourself.
00:15:06
Mike Ivanov
but You weren't the Mike Ivanov that I expected to show up. And, you know, you have two options at that point, right? Or you can let your ego win and be like, well, what are you talking about? No, whatever. Make an excuse. I didn't feel good. Or I did. Everything was fine. I talked to people, blah, blah, right?
00:15:24
Mike Ivanov
I showed up at this event and I was in a shell. That's not who I am. I own the room. I socialize with everybody.
00:15:35
Mike Ivanov
That stuff's important to me. But for some reason that night I didn't. And he called me on it. And I'm sitting across from why he's calling me on it And I'm like, this is, this is why he's in my life.
00:15:49
Mike Ivanov
Because i brush past that. I just looked, I got to survive this event. And then and once I get out here, everything will be fine. But I didn't show up and give 110%.
00:16:01
Mike Ivanov
I let my doubts, my fears, my insecurities change how I showed up. So when he called me on it, I was just sitting there like, fuck.
00:16:14
Mike Ivanov
And in my mind, I just had nothing to say because he was right. And you want people around you. that are going to tell you things that are the truth because we're not really good at telling ourselves the truth.
00:16:27
Mike Ivanov
So looked at him. I said, message received. I thought about it. And he's like, Mike, you need to find out, you know, where maybe that, um, that issue started because it started somewhere in your childhood.
00:16:45
Mike Ivanov
And, you know, at first I was like, yeah, okay, no problem. But because this person is important to me, i force myself to think about it. And um that night, I tried this app that he suggested to me called Higher Self.
00:17:01
Mike Ivanov
And it's like a meditation, hypno hypnotization type of app. And I just said, I'll give it a shot. You know? And I hit it. And that's what I had been thinking about my mind. Like, why did I act that way?
00:17:15
Mike Ivanov
Why do I get anxiety when I go to these... events, right? Where this is fun stuff. I should be excited. this is what I enjoy. Why am I not enjoying it?
00:17:30
Mike Ivanov
So I'm going through this meditation and it hits me and it's fucking crazy. Um, I'd never thought about it before, but as a kid, you know, uh, I'd always have to go to all these family gatherings and listen, family's important.
00:17:46
Mike Ivanov
And, um,
00:17:49
Mike Ivanov
it's It's a great thing, right? But I didn't like doing it as a kid. I'm not sure exactly yet why i didn't like it. I felt like forced that I had to go to all these events and do all these traditions.
00:18:01
Mike Ivanov
And I fucking hate tradition, right? um For some reason. I don't know. It's just who I am. So being forced to do it all those years and then, you know, have to dress up and wear, you know, nice clothes for pictures and then talk to people and, you know, and talk about shit you really weren't interested in and whatnot. And um I think that played a role in it.
00:18:22
Mike Ivanov
So I identified that and it was helpful to look back and see like, hey, this influenced how I show up today. But I identified it and then I cleared it from my mind, right? So what was so great is there was an event at the same place couple days after we had that discussion, couple days after i had addressed like what was holding me back.
00:18:49
Mike Ivanov
So I went into this event with a totally new mindset, right? I'm going to show up. I'm going to meet everybody. I'm going to bring value, okay, to others' lives when I attend this event.
00:19:02
Mike Ivanov
And I went in with the right mindset. And you know what? Everything I just said happened. I met great people. I shared some stories that are very deep to me with others.
00:19:14
Mike Ivanov
And I believe it changed some parts of their life. I had a great time. I felt zero nervousness, felt zero anxiety. ah was in the moment.
00:19:26
Mike Ivanov
I was enjoying the people around me. i was adding value.
00:19:30
Mike Ivanov
But if this person hadn't called me on that shit, I would have showed up in the same way. I would have been in my little nutshell. I would have talked to maybe one person, maybe not shared anything deep, would have been all surface level.
00:19:46
Mike Ivanov
So the point of the story is, is that I'm not afraid to admit my insecurities. I'm not afraid to sit with somebody and have them tell me things about myself that maybe I haven't acknowledged yet. Then I'm not afraid to go back and look at why that's happening.
00:20:01
Mike Ivanov
Address it, move forward, create a different identity around this type of shit.
00:20:10
Mike Ivanov
You can do the same thing. And it doesn't happen right away. I've had a lot of practice.
00:20:18
Mike Ivanov
But it was very moving for me because it was literally within a week I had changed every bit of this situation. But I have to keep doing it.
00:20:28
Mike Ivanov
So it's very, very interesting. And there's a lot more that goes into that. Maybe
00:20:35
Mike Ivanov
we can discuss it you know further later. But let me ask you a question.
Starting from Level One
00:20:42
Mike Ivanov
What's your level right now?
00:20:46
Mike Ivanov
Are you dominating it? Or are you stuck spinning your wheels, frustrated because you think you should already be at the top?
00:20:58
Mike Ivanov
Understand this. Nobody, nobody wants to start at level one. It's fucking uncomfortable. Nobody likes to be uncomfortable, but we keep talking about this.
00:21:13
Mike Ivanov
The more uncomfortable you become, the deeper you can push. the more you can achieve. You can rewire your brain to enjoy the discomfort.
00:21:26
Mike Ivanov
That's what I was doing going to this event. I had to be uncomfortable. And then when you get into it, you realize that fear, it's only an inch deep.
00:21:38
Mike Ivanov
Step the fuck in and you realize it's all good.
00:21:43
Mike Ivanov
Being a beginner starting at level one, it's humbling. And that's why most people avoid it. Because it doesn't come with a bunch of recognition, no rewards.
00:21:55
Mike Ivanov
That's it. so you have to decide what you' you're like doing it for. Are you doing it because you want recognition? Are you doing it because you want rewards? Are you doing it to become better?
00:22:09
Mike Ivanov
To build the person you are today into something unrecognizable. So here's the thing. Level one is the most important stage of everything. Level one is where you set the tone for everything else moving forward.
00:22:25
Mike Ivanov
So I have a saying that I live by.
Consistency in Effort and Personal Philosophy
00:22:29
Mike Ivanov
And I didn't always live by this, but once I started looking at everything this way, everything became very simple. How you do anything is how you do everything.
00:22:40
Mike Ivanov
Facts. How you do anything is how you do everything. I live by that fucking shit.
00:22:47
Mike Ivanov
You can't just do something great in one part of your life and do something shit in another part of your life and expect to be the full human being. Because the shortcuts you're taking in the other parts will bleed into the rest of your life.
00:23:02
Mike Ivanov
How you do anything is how you do everything.
00:23:06
Mike Ivanov
So think about that. And the next time you try to take a shortcut, realize you're only fucking yourself. And by taking that shortcut in one part of your life, it's going to bleed into the other parts of your life.
00:23:18
Mike Ivanov
I promise you.
00:23:22
Mike Ivanov
Try it. Level one is where you build the discipline. Consistency. The habits that are going to carry you forward. So if you can't commit to showing up every single day, whether it's the gym, it's your career, it's your relationships, you can't do that.
00:23:42
Mike Ivanov
consistently over time, how do you think you're going to handle the bigger, bigger challenges like later?
00:23:51
Mike Ivanov
I'll save you some time. You can't, that's the truth. You got to earn it.
00:23:59
Mike Ivanov
Other things that happen at level one, one of the most important that this is where the mindset shift starts to happen.
00:24:12
Mike Ivanov
Your mind holding you back. It's the gatekeeper to every single level.
00:24:21
Mike Ivanov
And if you don't force your mind to evolve, you'll stay stuck. Period. I see it all the time.
00:24:33
Mike Ivanov
People are stuck. I tell them how to get unstuck. But they just can't do it. And I'm telling you, it's simple shit.
00:24:41
Mike Ivanov
People don't like how their body is. Okay. Eat less. They can't do it.
00:24:49
Mike Ivanov
I'm sad. All right. Write down why. They don't write it down. I feel stuck. Okay. What are you doing to challenge yourself?
00:25:01
Mike Ivanov
They're not doing anything.
00:25:04
Mike Ivanov
And they want i ask them to, you know, what do you want to do? They can't answer the question.
00:25:10
Mike Ivanov
the mind gets locked into these circuits that just become self-destructive. And then you can't even think outside of that.
00:25:23
Mike Ivanov
So when I challenge these people to write these things down, let's look at them, let's go through it together. let's Let's map the way forward.
00:25:31
Mike Ivanov
The mind is gatekeeping. It won't even let you start to write down what you don't like about yourself.
00:25:40
Mike Ivanov
But if you can't do these things, you'll never truly hit the next level. You can lie to yourself all you want, but that's not going to get you anywhere either.
00:25:55
Mike Ivanov
Your body, your habits, your skills, they won't move forward until your mind does.
00:26:07
Mike Ivanov
Level one isn't just about showing up physically.
00:26:13
Mike Ivanov
It's about rewiring your thoughts. It's about breaking those patterns of comfort, which we all love. Breaking those patterns of doubt, which we all allow in.
00:26:27
Mike Ivanov
Breaking those habits of fear that has stopped us from leveling up our entire fucking lives.
00:26:36
Mike Ivanov
Here's the thing.
00:26:40
Mike Ivanov
People love the idea of leveling up. They fucking talk about all time. I'm going to do this. I've been thinking about doing that. Can't wait to achieve this.
00:26:52
Mike Ivanov
They don't fucking do anything to to get there. It's just talk. And we all know the old saying, talk is cheap, motherfucker.
00:27:02
Mike Ivanov
I love that. If I say something out loud to somebody, I'm going to fucking do it.
00:27:11
Mike Ivanov
Shit, I do it on purpose. I say shit that's way out there because I know that I'm not going to let my word
00:27:22
Mike Ivanov
turn into nothing. I put it out in the universe because I know that if I say it, I'm going to do it. I trust in myself that much. Try it. Stop fucking talking about it.
00:27:35
Mike Ivanov
Take some action. One little step. forward, right? It's better than a step you'll never take.
00:27:45
Mike Ivanov
Now, the problem is people like to talk about it, right? Because they don't want to do what's required, but it makes them feel good. They get a little shot of dopamine talking about what they want to do.
00:27:59
Mike Ivanov
But guess what happens when you don't do it? That's when that depression starts to kick in. When you say you're going to do all these things and you don't do it, you realize you can't even fucking trust yourself.
00:28:10
Mike Ivanov
And if you can't trust yourself, who the fuck can you trust?
00:28:15
Mike Ivanov
Do what's required.
00:28:18
Mike Ivanov
Everyone loves the thought of success, the accolades, that sense of accomplishment. But they don't love the grind. They don't want to sacrifice.
00:28:32
Mike Ivanov
They don't want to exercise sheer willpower.
00:28:38
Mike Ivanov
It's needed to stay the course.
00:28:42
Mike Ivanov
And most people, they tap out because the price that is required, they don't want to pay. I'll tell you right now today, you can't tap out on your life.
00:28:57
Mike Ivanov
You can't tap out on your goals.
00:29:01
Mike Ivanov
When things get tough, when the pressure builds, when you feel like you can't breathe, you don't get an option to quit.
00:29:13
Mike Ivanov
Jiu-jitsu teaches you that.
00:29:17
Mike Ivanov
You're trapped. You're pinned underneath someone's trying to choke you the fuck out. And if they can't get that choke, they're going to try to rip your arm off your body. So now you got two problems to deal with.
00:29:30
Mike Ivanov
And then here's problem three. They're grinding their sweaty face into your forehead.
00:29:37
Mike Ivanov
Pushing on your rib cage. They have their knee on your stomach. They're fucking smashing you. And your mind is just sitting there screaming for an escape.
00:29:50
Mike Ivanov
Begging you to quit.
00:29:54
Mike Ivanov
Forcing you to panic. But you can't do that.
00:30:00
Mike Ivanov
Why? Because if you tap too soon, you never grow. up You never adapt. You never learn how to fight your way out. Life works the same way.
00:30:16
Mike Ivanov
The pressure will come. You will feel trapped. You will feel like there's no way out.
00:30:25
Mike Ivanov
Maybe you're there now. I've been there. No matter what's going on, you feel like there's no way out.
00:30:36
Mike Ivanov
The difference is I put myself in situations like that now. I put myself in the situations where I feel like there's no way out. And because I trust myself and because I've been there before, I know that there is.
00:30:51
Mike Ivanov
There is a way out. If you keep thinking, if you keep working,
00:31:00
Mike Ivanov
If you keep problem solving instead of surrendering to the pain and the panic.
00:31:07
Mike Ivanov
The best in Jiu-Jitsu don't just survive under pressure. They become come calm in it.
00:31:15
Mike Ivanov
They find the space where others see none. They shift their weight, change their angles, fight for an opening. That's how you need to approach your goals.
00:31:28
Mike Ivanov
That's how you stay in the fight. Breathe through the discomfort. Keep moving. Keep working. If you refuse to tap, if you refuse to give in, eventually you find your way out.
00:31:43
Mike Ivanov
And when you do, you're not the same person who was stuck.
00:31:50
Mike Ivanov
You're stronger. You're sharper. And next time, you won't break. You'll be the one applying the pressure.
00:32:02
Mike Ivanov
So think about fitness for a second. Talk about this a lot. Everybody wants that six pack, right? And if you don't, I mean, I don't know what the fuck's wrong with you.
00:32:15
Mike Ivanov
I've wanted that shit my entire life. But you know what most people don't want?
00:32:23
Mike Ivanov
They don't want to count calories. They don't want to lift consistently. They don't want to give up their comfort food. They don't want to make time for the gym when life gets busy.
00:32:35
Mike Ivanov
They want to make excuses as to why they can't do it.
00:32:39
Mike Ivanov
That type of shit, that's wanting the results without the work. And that's exactly why they stay stuck.
00:32:48
Mike Ivanov
But here's the thing. This is not just about fitness.
00:32:56
Mike Ivanov
Because I know you might be sitting there like, hey, Mike, life's not all about working out. Fair.
00:33:03
Mike Ivanov
But the gym, exercise, movement, I can promise you that fixes everything in your life.
00:33:12
Mike Ivanov
Because that fitness mindset plays out in every area of life. People want the dream job, but they don't want to grind through the long hours. They don't want to face the failures, the learning curves.
00:33:26
Mike Ivanov
They want financial freedom, but they don't want a budget. don't want to sacrifice. They don't want to build a business. They don't have the discipline to save or invest.
00:33:38
Mike Ivanov
They want great relationships, but they don't want to put in the effort to communicate. They don't want to address their ego. They don't want to listen. They want to be fucking right all the time.
00:33:51
Mike Ivanov
They don't want to show up when it's inconvenient.
00:33:56
Mike Ivanov
You see how this shit is all throughout your life? The pattern's everywhere. People desire the outcome without respect for the process.
00:34:09
Mike Ivanov
The expectation of success without the willingness to endure the struggle that creates it.
00:34:16
Mike Ivanov
And until you recognize that, Until you stop looking for the shortcut and start just fucking committing to the work in every aspect of your life, you will stay stuck.
00:34:29
Mike Ivanov
Just like the person who wants a six-pack but refuses to change their habits. Level one is the grind. It's the mornings when you're exhausted, the nights when the doubt creeps in, and the moments when nobody's watching.
00:34:47
Mike Ivanov
It's when you're out there showing up for yourself. even when it feels like no one fucking cares. And that's the beauty of it. Because in those moments, you're proving to yourself that you can do it.
00:35:01
Mike Ivanov
It doesn't fucking matter who's watching. It doesn't matter if anyone's acknowledging your effort. And if that's what you're doing it for, then you're fucked. This isn't about validation.
00:35:13
Mike Ivanov
It's about your transformation.
00:35:18
Mike Ivanov
You shouldn't be looking for approval.
00:35:22
Mike Ivanov
You're trying to build an unshakable foundation. What's it matter what everybody else thinks? You're proving day by day that you can rely on yourself. And that's the only shit that fucking matters.
00:35:35
Mike Ivanov
I've been there.
00:35:39
Mike Ivanov
When I started running, couldn't imagine running 10 miles. Hell, one mile felt like torture.
00:35:48
Mike Ivanov
But I couldn't skip that stage. Trust me, I tried. Ended with injuries.
00:35:57
Mike Ivanov
Poor mindset.
00:36:00
Mike Ivanov
Stopped running for a little while. But once I stopped trying to skip the stages, skip the levels, skip the process, and I decided to fucking earn it every step, every breath, every ache, those were my building blocks.
00:36:17
Mike Ivanov
And now, running 10 miles is not a challenge. It's just part of who I am.
00:36:25
Mike Ivanov
but I didn't get there by skipping those steps. I got there by owning that level one. I had to force my mind to evolve. And let me tell you, I could feel it happening.
00:36:39
Mike Ivanov
There were tears. There was doubt.
00:36:44
Mike Ivanov
There was anxieties.
00:36:49
Mike Ivanov
That quit, kept trying to creep in. I'd ask myself, what the fuck am I doing this for? I really want to fucking run.
00:36:59
Mike Ivanov
It's not about the running. It's about forcing the mind to stand in there when you don't want to.
00:37:07
Mike Ivanov
So I stopped focusing on how hard it was, and I started focusing on what I was building towards.
00:37:18
Mike Ivanov
Level one, in my experience,
00:37:24
Mike Ivanov
is where you learn what you're truly made of. It's that foundation for that resilience that's required, the grit that's required, the mental toughness that you will need to move through the levels.
00:37:39
Mike Ivanov
Because if you can't conquer the doubts and excuses that pop up in your head, you'll never make it to level two, let alone level 10.
00:37:51
Mike Ivanov
So I challenge you.
00:37:54
Mike Ivanov
Where are you right now?
00:37:59
Mike Ivanov
give you a second to think about it.
00:38:05
Mike Ivanov
Be honest with yourself. Where are you right now?
00:38:13
Mike Ivanov
Are you building that foundation?
00:38:19
Mike Ivanov
Are you trying to skip a step?
00:38:25
Mike Ivanov
Have you forced your mind to evolve?
00:38:30
Mike Ivanov
Or are you letting that motherfucker keep you stuck?
00:38:36
Mike Ivanov
Because if you skip this step, if you try to rust the process or avoid the hard work, you will come crashing down. Because life, life's going to throw fucking shit your way.
00:38:54
Mike Ivanov
We all get it.
00:38:57
Mike Ivanov
The process isn't just there to make you stronger. It's there to make you ready. And level one is where that readiness begins.
00:39:09
Mike Ivanov
So stop looking at where you want to be and focus on where you are. Master this level. Lock it in because if you don't, if you don't lock it in, you're never going to fucking move up.
00:39:29
Mike Ivanov
I promise you that.
00:39:32
Mike Ivanov
Let's go.