1. Why NOW is the Time to be ‘Alive by Design’
“Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75.” – Benjamin Franklin About This Episode: There’s a huge difference between being alive, and really feeling alive. Benjamin Franklin once said that some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75. Those words are even more true today than ever before.
“Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75”
Benjamin Franklin
About This Episode:
There’s a huge difference between being alive, and really feeling alive. Benjamin Franklin once said that some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75. Those words are even more true today than ever before. When was the last time you felt fully alive, passionate, fulfillment or excitement? So many of us feel the exact opposite and are stuck on autopilot, while living the same day over and over again and calling that life. Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, it never feels enough? You’re not alone. Right now, self-doubt and insecurity seem to be at an all-time high. Why is that? In a time when there is more opportunity than ever before, why don’t more of us feel fully alive?
I spent the last 20 years of my life obsessing over these questions, and I think I know the answer why…
Meet ALIVE by Design.
In Episode 1 of ALIVE by Design, I share a bit of my back story in terms of why I created this show, as well as give my perspective on who this show is for and what kind of value listeners can expect to find in subsequent episodes.
Welcome to the first episode of my “ALIVE by Design” show. For the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of speaking to tens of thousands of people across 14 different countries primarily through building my brands and companies. And yet, I’m more nervous speaking to you all from my office microphone, mostly because this conversation has been years in the making. If I’m being honest with myself (and you) it’s probably rooted in my desire for this show to be as good as it can be.
So, why now? Simple answer: a feeling that it’s the right time to start this. We’re currently in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and a time of uncertainty, and while I don’t want to minimize the real realities and struggles associated with COVID-19, I also don’t want this show to dive down the rabbit hole into specific conversations about it.
I’m a firm believer that sometimes in the face of the greatest obstacles, can come the greatest opportunities. And, I do believe one of these opportunities is a forced pause: time to slow down everywhere. One of the gifts that can come with this time is an opportunity to reevaluate what we value and prioritize in life.
Before I give perspective on who this show is for and what kind of value you can expect to find in subsequent episodes, let’s start with a fun pop-quiz:
Living a good life is simple; just follow the steps (fill in the blanks):
Around five years old, you go to _______.
Get good _______.
Attend a good _______.
Get a good ________.
Make good ________.
Fall in ________.
Get ________.
Start a ________.
Save your ________.
So you can eventually ________.
And be ________!
How did we all have the exact same answers? And how did I know you’d give those answers? I’ve now told that story to thousands and thousands of people worldwide, and everybody answers in the exact same way.
What is this ‘thing’ we all recited together? I call this “The Script,” because it feels like a perspective we’ve been given for how to live our life. This script builds our belief system around everything we’re “supposed to” do. It’s the same reason why we feel like we’re “failing” if we don’t get certain letters on our report card or don’t get married by a specific time. We all have a script.
Being aware of that script, and then learning how to intentionally design that script, is part of the answer on how we can intentionally feel fully alive. Why do we follow a script? That question changed everything for me.
I grew up with parents who told me I needed to follow the script—and I followed it to a T. I earned the accolades, got the professional pedigree and became law school bound. One college summer everything shifted for me while interning for a district attorney. Miserable while filing folders, I had a conversation with a mentor who sensed my frustration. He asked, “Blake, WHY are you doing all of this? Studying so hard, getting the grades, building the resume? The only answer I had at the time was, “Isn’t this what I’m ‘supposed to’ do?” That answer weighed on me. It’s then when I realized that everything I had done was because that was what I thought I was supposed to do.
As soon as I acknowledged my script and elevated my consciousness, I was able to change the trajectory of my life and become who I was ‘meant to’ be. Recently I was invited to do a TED Talk where I talked more about how to shift the script. I’d love for you to check it out.
Fast forward to where I am today. I share the following only so you can understand how shifting the script changed everything for me and gave me the perspective I have now.
I made my first million dollars by age 25. I started my own health and nutrition company with the right partners and the right team at the right time and grew it into a global $1.6 Billion dollar brand in my early 30s, and had to learn and lead at the same time. I experienced the ups and down of business and have recently seen huge growth of the brand all throughout Europe. Right now, at the time of this conversation, we’re about to finalize a new partnership with an even bigger nutrition company that we truly believe will enable us to be better together and create a whole new chapter.
I plan on bringing the mindset, insights and practices I learned along the way into my future conversations with you. Some will be based on my wins, and some on my losses, for I believe there’s no such thing as a peak without a valley. And just as much as I look forward to sharing victories, I’ll also be talking about the valleys.
There’s been seasons when I’ve felt truly alive, and there’s some when I felt totally stuck. But, the one realization that consistently remains true: You need to stop being the person you’re told you’re ‘supposed to’ be so that you can become the person you’re ‘meant to’ be. So many are stuck in ‘supposed to.’ Moving towards your ‘meant to’ comes down to aligning your potential, passion and purpose.
So, that’s my mission: To wake people up so they can move towards their ‘meant to’ in order to feel fully alive. Therefore, this podcast is for anybody who feels stuck and wants to ignite their purpose, passion and potential. Plan on me talking mindset, sharing personal experiences and stories, and diving into the peaks and valleys of business and entrepreneurship that cross various themes and subjects. I’ll do my best to bring on amazing guests, experts and thought leaders who will share their own stories on how they made that shift towards their ‘meant to’ and created impact.
Expect variety from me in terms of episode duration and location, whether it’s a formal studio setup or in the hills just walking with you. The intention will always be the same: I’m here to help you identify, deconstruct and distill down both the principles and the practices with the goal to help you align your passion, potential and purpose so you can shift the script from the person you think you’re ‘supposed to’ be, to the person you’re ‘meant to’ be so that you can feel fully… ALIVE.