16 Powerful Life Lessons from 600 Podcast Episodes #600

Mentioned On Today's Show:
🤝 Embrace change and don't fear the shift in your life.
🤝 Challenge yourself and learn something new to appreciate the journey and grow.
🤝 Don't rely on temporary escapes like alcohol, but instead focus on personal growth and self-reflection.

In this episode, Lachlan announces the rebranding of the Man That Can project to Man That Can with Lachlan Stuart. He reflects on his personal growth and the lessons he has learned over the past 600 episodes. The 16 powerful lessons include embracing change, the complexity of knowledge, the importance of documenting memories, the power of writing, the value of mentorship, the significance of relationships, the importance of focusing on the right things, and the need to stay fit and do hard things. Lachlan also emphasises the importance of open communication about sex and money.

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https://www.themanthatcanproject.com/strong-men-of-value

Chapters

• 0:00 Rebranding and Life Lessons
• 13:15 Personal Growth and Mentoring
• 27:29 Life Lessons and Personal Growth
• 33:49 Evolution of Man That Can

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:39

Welcome to episode 600. Today is the marking of a new beginning. A new beginning for the man that Can project, which I'm about to announce, a new brand name and the direction that it's heading in. I want to quickly share, before we dive into this episode, why, what it's come to and what I'm most excited about. So over the last 600 episodes in the last seven years, I have evolved as an individual. I have been seeking answers and doing my best to become the man that can, the man that can be a great husband, the man that can be a great business owner, the man that can be a great athlete and the man that can be a great athlete and filling the rest of those sentences, I have been trying to lead by example and document the journey. Recently, I started feeling like that time had come to an end in regards to not wanting to have my name as part of the brand. So what I have now decided to do and the rebrand is not too different, but it's just a little bit more clear. The man that Can project is now going to be called man that Can, with Lachlan Stewart, as I mentioned. I've been really seeking out answers, learning from people around what it means to be a man, and now I feel I have the answers that I need to continue and evolve into the next chapter, and now it's my job to express that and to share what I've learned truly, and the processes, which is why we are now the man that Can with Lachlan Stewart. So I'm nervous, I'm excited, but I definitely am ready for that new chapter. So I just wanted to say quickly thank you for supporting me for the last 600 episodes and for those of you who have been around since 2017, when the first episode dropped, it means a lot. I've learned a lot, as I said, I've made a heap of mistakes, but, most importantly, I'm still standing. I'm still here, and that's one of the biggest keys. So thank you, guys, for being here. I know that the conversations and the direction that we're heading with this episode and this podcast is going to allow you to become the man that can in your own life in the way that that matters most.

Speaker 1: 4:00

So, as it's episode 600, like I did with episode 500, I wanted to share some powerful life lessons that I've experienced over the last 600 episodes and, more importantly, it's 16 powerful lessons. So, every day we live, our life should be getting better every day we live. Our life should be getting better. I truly believe that, because each experience offers us the opportunity to learn and to grow. But the data is telling a different story, right.

Speaker 1: 4:32

Despite the potential for improvement, many people are still struggling. They lack confidence, community and are left unhappy, underpaid and unhealthy Sleepwalking through life. They're waiting for the break, counting down the days to the next paycheck and living for the weekend to escape reality for just two days. That, for me, doesn't seem like a great way to live anymore. I used to do that, but when you think about it, you're working five days to live two. That just doesn't sound fair. Online connection has become the band-aid for growing loneliness that plagues our society. It saddens me because I genuinely believe that everyone has a potential to live a great life. I've been told I couldn't do things and I've spent my life proving otherwise. I am the man that can.

Speaker 1: 5:27

In this episode, I want to share with you those 16 powerful lessons from 600 episodes, and I've made a conscious effort not for it to be generic advice that you would normally get on these episodes or hear from people. It's genuine for me, so sometimes a title isn't as catchy as I guess marketers want you to make it, but this is legit lessons for me. So, number one, let's dive in. Don't fear the shift. Your transformation is part of the journey. So the biggest fear I had was letting go of who I was so that I could step into who I wanted to become. The fear of losing friendships, changing careers and moving towns held me back for a long time, but holding on to the past limits your ability to move into the future, and I feared the shift so many times in my life, even up until recently when I moved to America. I'm even experiencing it right now. From the rebranding of the man that Can project, I feel I've transformed since starting the journey in 2017, as I mentioned, and now the project needs to reflect that change.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Back then, my goal was to save men's lives from their own hands, which it still is, but the narrative's changing right. I was trying to save myself. I was struggling with money, I didn't know who I was and I did not know where I fit in. But over the years, I've changed my life and I've impacted thousands of men in the process, and I've always backed myself and trusted my gut, and I chose a different example. Really, I chose a different high school than my mates. I ventured into network marketing when everyone ridiculed it. I moved my business online and I rode 30 marathons in 30 days. I have been on the journey to figure out what it means to be a man. Now I want to express that.

Speaker 1: 7:19

Number two with knowledge comes complexity. Now most people think with knowledge comes understanding. And yes, but hear me out here. So I have read hundreds of books, attended countless courses and invested over $125,000 in my personal and professional development. Yet the more I've learned, the more complex my life has become. The journey has made me believe that there's always a deeper reason for things. I've come full circle and then some, and I want to clarify here I may not be in the position I'm in right now had I not gone full circle. So as much as what I'm about to say may challenge what most people believe and what most people think, I do not want to discredit the fact that going down the rabbit hole on a lot of things really benefited me, but now that I have those learnings, now that I have that understanding, I feel the way that I'm about to share. So the more complex something appears, the less likely I'm going to give it a go. Complex something appears, the less likely I'm going to give it a go. I don't like complexity.

Speaker 1: 8:30

Over the past two years, I've spent so much of my time trying to simplify things, which has brought me back to what I originally knew. Example is to have savings. Spend less than you earn. To have a loving marriage. Continue to date, to enjoy life. Make time for the things that you love. When I first started trying to make money, I knew that I needed to add value, but as I studied more about making money and studied more about business, I went down the rabbit hole, built complex systems and lost focus on sales the thing that actually generated that and I got distracted by pointless things. The same happened for my marriage, guys. I got caught up in exploring past trauma, polarity and boundaries and don't get me wrong, like I was saying, the full circle was. That was very beneficial, but why I was able to get back to the full circle point was because I did the work. I didn't spend time just sitting there a lot of the time, which I feel had I still been sitting there marinating it, trying to always figure things out, I may not have been able to go.

Speaker 1: 9:35

What do I need to do to make progress here, to get to what I actually want, which is to live a good life and I think that's an important point for you is everything that you decide to do. That requires a lot of time and energy. I don't want you to think about this with everything, or you'll never get anything done. But anything that's significant, ask yourself what is the purpose of it. What is this leading me to? Because quite often you'll get stuck in a rut with things that sometimes you can just go. Hey, I don't need to know all the answers. I just need to know what I need to do to start living my ideal life, whatever that looks like for you. So it happened with my marriage, as I was saying, and now I'm just back to dating, treating her with respect. We set goals together, we have lovely dinners together and we just hang out like we originally did when we were getting to know each other, and that's made life so much better.

Speaker 1: 10:35

Life is no different. Right Vision setting, overcoming trauma, managing time are all important, but they aren't everything. I'm now focused on 12-week efforts. That's, taking life one day at a time and simplifying it. Where I can, I put out a. I should know, next week, the episode building your life one day at a time is coming out, because that's what I'm thinking about, that's what I'm curious about at the moment, because I want to challenge the narratives that have got me to this point, and I think if you aren't challenging how you live, you're never going to see the full picture and really figure things out and really understand things. So, number three document and keep everything. Life moves fast, sometimes so fast that I struggle to remember what happened last week, let alone four years ago right, let alone 2020, even though COVID was a big point there.

Speaker 1: 11:33

Reminiscing on memories with friends is something that I deeply cherish, and I found that having photos, videos and even my podcast is a powerful way to recall events that have shaped my life. Now I'm so excited by the idea that my children one day will be able to watch my YouTube channel or listen to this podcast, or go through my Instagram and see what I was like throughout different phases of my life. I think it's so important because I grew up not really knowing my parents like I knew them, but not knowing what they were like, so when I went through things in my life, I felt alone. I think we're so lucky now that we can search things on YouTube or on Google and realize and recognize that, hey, I'm not the only one with this problem, or I'm not the only one who has experienced this, which then gives us that sense of belonging that a lot of people lacked. So I think that's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 1: 12:26

And Jim Rohn says there are three treasures of life that help shape who we are. That's our books, our photos or now videos and our journals. Right, it helps people and also us understand what has influenced who we've become, how we've lived and what we've thought. And it's a powerful thing to be able to read that, because if people like who you are or like the results that you have or how you live your life, you can give them the inside scoop. Hey, these are books that have made me who I am today. These are podcasts that have made me who I am today. These are experiences who have made me who I am today. These are experiences who have made me who I am today. Or these are thoughts that I've really struggled with or tried to make sense with over the time that have made me who I am today.

Speaker 1: 13:15

Now you don't need to document your life in public, maybe as much as I do, but it's definitely worth doing for yourself. So what I would recommend and just see how this works grab your phone out, go to the photos app and swipe back a few times. I'm going to do this now. Actually, let's just do this live while I'm on here. So I've got my photos app open and just scroll back like I've got a lot of photos, but I'm going to go a couple of swipes, we go back a couple of swipes, don't even look and just when it stops, click, see what photo comes up.

Speaker 1: 13:47

All right, for those who are watching on YouTube, you can see this is Las Vegas in Fremont Street. So when I think about this like this was such an exciting time because the NRL was in Vegas and it was the first time we'd all been, my family had been to Vegas collectively and the energy was insane because Shepard were playing and all down Fremont Street it's promoting NRL. Their faces are there and obviously Vegas in itself is the city that never sleeps. So it was just such a fun time Like all of us were carefree and just stoked to be there because we knew we had. I think we were there for five days and then we were flying back to Australia after that, so we're pretty pumped about that as well. So that's just one of the examples. Guys, you can reminisce on memories like and it's such a fun time to just go back and reflect on life, how you were feeling. Sometimes it makes you recognize how far you've come, like it is such a cool experience, but you can do that. And then when a memory pops up, what does it bring up for you? What is that experience like? Play around with it, have fun with it.

Speaker 1: 14:55

Number four writing solves a lot of problems. It's no secret that I battle with my mental health. That's one of the reasons why I started this podcast back in 2017. I've battled with depression, anxiety and shocking mood swings have all been a part of my journey, but these challenges have often impacted myself or the relationship that I have with myself and others, and over the years, I've always aimed to solve problems, and one of the most underrated methods I found to solve a lot of my issues is writing. Writing allows me to dump my thoughts, explore ideas and make sense of my mind. I do it most days now. Literally I've been doing it. This is how I wrote this newsletter that I'm reading and I feel so much better for it. But if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend giving it a go.

Speaker 1: 15:49

And I don't have a special formula. Look, you can get prompts. You can go and chat to your PT and say ask me a question that I should understand today. But what I do, that works really well. I guess I do have a special formula, but I just use the notes section on my phone and whenever I have an idea or something, a question pops in my head and I don't have time to answer it now, I'll just write it down. And I've got a huge list in my capture section. And then when I pull out a book or write on my computer, I'll just go to that and browse and I'll go which one jumps out at me that I want to think about today or I would like to write about. And that's my process. And I dive deeper into this, into the life design blueprint, which, if that's something that interests you, head over to the manthatcanprojectcom and get involved with that there. That'll be awesome to get involved with. Now.

Speaker 1: 16:38

Number five be mentored, be the mentee and be equal. What does this mean? And be equal? What does this mean? To truly understand something, you must teach it. I have been fortunate to have so many incredible mentors in different stages of my life and I'm incredibly grateful for their guidance. In return, I like to pay it forward by mentoring young men and others wherever I can, and I also have peers that are in the same line of work but also wanting the same things, that we share similar challenges and we grow together. It's a really cool experience, and this balance between mentored, mentoring others and growing alongside peers has been invaluable. Right, it really helps you, or helps remind you, of all sides of the coin what it's like to be the beginner, what it's like to be the expert, what it's like to be growing with other people, and it's such a really cool experience. So the beauty of having mentors is that you can learn from those who have already walked the path you want to take. Some great mentors in my life Troy Morgan, darren Bain, dan Jancy, to name a few that just come to mind but they've all had significant impacts on the man that I've become today.

Speaker 1: 17:57

The beauty of mentoring others is that it reminds you of what it's like to start out and gives you the opportunity to give back. Now I wouldn't say I'm old, I'm 33. But I get to chat with a lot of blokes who are around 18 to 23 and being able to mentor them, tell them what I was experiencing, what I was thinking, and just be able to be a sounding board for the things that they're going through, is a really cool experience, because the curiosity that they have, the drive and ambition to figure out life, reminds me of what that was like in my, I guess, that stage of my life and to know that that's just a normal thing. Right, we can't do it any other way. I don't believe Now. Finally, the beauty of having those that grow with you is you share the journey together with people who truly understand what you're going through at the moment. So definitely find ways to be mentored, mentor others and grow with people. We need community. It's such an important part that I've now realized.

Speaker 1: 18:56

Number six we're flying through these. What are we at for time? We're going well. We are going well. So less is more when you do the right things. This is a lesson that only experience can teach. Early on, what you lack in knowledge and experience, you make up for effort and quantity, but over time you learn to identify what truly delivers the biggest return, so this allows you to achieve the desired outcomes with less efforts. For example, when I started out in business, I poured countless hours into every aspect of my work, often without seeing the results that I wanted, and that was frustrating. Now I've learned which actions and strategies work best for me and I focus on those actions, while saying no to everything else, to everything else. Now this shift has allowed me to work less than I ever have. I still work a lot, don't get me wrong, but while earning more than I ever have before, and it's an incredible experience, and I want more people to discover this for themselves. And it probably takes me back to a newsletter I wrote a couple of weeks ago around the power of leverage right Allowing one unit of time to deliver more results. Similar like Jeff Bezos has done.

Speaker 1: 20:13

Elon Musk anyone that you know that seems like they're playing golf every day of the week, but they're still driving around in their nice cars and have time for their family, etc. I want you to encourage sorry, I want you to encourage yeah, encourage people, but I want to encourage you to reflect on your own journey. What are the key actions that drive the most significant results in your life? Focus on those, you might find that less truly is more. That is why the Strong Men of Value Academy adds so much value to so many men's life. You track what you do and you get the feedback from other men and you continue to refine, and it's such a powerful thing.

Speaker 1: 20:51

So now, when people ask me, they're like Lockie, your days like my calendar. Even and I was saying this at the most recent workshop my calendar is nowhere near as structured or full as it once was, and that's because I've realized one I don't need to do all of the things that I needed to do. I don't have to prove myself. There are only a few important things in my life that I want to dedicate time and energy to, and that's my family, that's my friends, that's my business and that's my training at the moment and an adventure. So as long as I'm allocating time within my schedule each week to that, I feel content and it must be positive. Firstly, I don't always get it right, but secondly, it's like it's not always positive, and if it's not, don't do more of that. Just find the things that do bring energy to your life.

Speaker 1: 21:42

I'm one of those people. I don't know whether you guys can relate. But if I find a song I like, I'm going to listen to it until I don't like it anymore, because if it makes me feel good, I'm going to keep bloody doing it. My wife doesn't get it and doesn't want to get it, which is fine, but for me, I'm like. That works well, it makes me feel good. I'm going to keep doing that. So less is more right. You don't always need to do more, but I do believe that I had to do that when I was younger. I'm probably doing and focusing on more things now than I will when I'm older because, as we gain from experience and I believe it is the only way to gain it you don't have to keep the same workload and keep doing everything and saying yes to everything like you did when you were younger. Right, the new experiences bring feedback. The feedback then allows you to make better decisions around what you want, what you don't want.

Speaker 1: 22:31

Number seven if the washing basket is on the bed, it's a bloody test. Don't laugh at this one. This is serious. Well, mostly Relationships require constant work and sometimes both sides are doing these little cheeky, subtle tests. And if there's a clean washing basket on the bed, let me tell you. It's a bloody test. I used to ignore it until I learned the hard way. Right, amy would be like man, I keep putting your clothes on the bed, put them away. I'm not your mother. I didn't help around the house as much. I left my bloody clothes everywhere and Amy didn't want to mother me. I realized that by not stepping up I was sending the wrong message. So if there's a basket there, step up and put it away. Your wife wants a husband, not another child. Number eight competition always changes, so enjoy the moments. This was huge for me.

Speaker 1: 23:31

I remember the first time someone became like a direct competitor and they were in my programs and then they just took all that I built and I was like, oh fuck, you make me angry and I very much dislike you. And it made work not enjoyable because I thought I was competing. I was competing for business, I was competing to burn this person and what I realized was running a business and life in general in most things means you're always going to have competition, because people are trying to take what you have, whether it's your job title, the amount that you earn, your reputation. They want that. So how you view them can significantly impact that journey, I used to see competitors as enemies. Trust me, it's not fun living like you're constantly at war, fighting for every piece of business. But after nearly 10 years in business, I've watched competitors come and I've watched competitors go and I've come to realize that the competition isn't about enemies Sorry, competition isn't about enemies. It's about raising the standard of the industry that you're in, or raising the standard of yourself. I've learned that I enjoy meeting my competitors and embracing the friendly rivalry. It makes the day-to-day experience more enjoyable and reminds me that, at the end of the day, it's not life or death. We're all here trying to do the best that we can with the information we have. Why not have fun and enjoy the journey? So, number nine we're nearly there, guys.

Speaker 1: 25:06

Maximize family time. When I was in my early 20s, everything was about my mates and chasing girls. As I've gotten into my 30s, I've appreciated building better relationships with my family. I speak to them more than I do anyone else, to be honest, and the relationship has changed to where I approach them as friends now more than family. They're still family, but the relationship we have, how we talk to each other, is like friends and it's so much different to what it once was. And I do believe, at the end of the day, when things are all said and done, that all that will matter is the quality of the relationships that we have with people. So one thing that I do believe you know I personally learned this through time and through experience but I do believe you know I personally learned this through time and through experience but I do believe that if you're listening to this right now, regardless of the age, you could do this right now. Start investing in the relationships with your family. Seek to understand them, treat them like friends, really invest in those relationships, because they care about you more than anyone else. As much as you think they don't, they do. And as soon as you start becoming friends with them, you guys get more invested in each other's lives, even though you didn't think that was possible. It's a really cool experience.

Speaker 1: 26:23

So, number 10, make as much money as you can in your 30s. In my late 20s I didn't stress too much about money. I wanted to earn a lot, but I wasn't stressed about it. I didn't have a heap of responsibilities like I do now. But now, in my early 30s, I'm focused on making as much money as I can during my prime working years. I believe 30 to 40 is the prime working year for me personally. Right, use your own timeframes but I've built great skills, credibility, a solid network and have plenty of opportunities. But I don't have kids yet. So even if I have kids in the next 12 months, they'll be 10 by the time I consider my prime working years over, which is cool because I can set myself and my family up for a future that is going to be rich and full of time and not having financial stress. So by maximizing those next 10 years, I aim to secure financial freedom that will allow me to be fully present for my kids and families as I grow up. I want to enjoy life.

Speaker 1: 27:30

Number 11, stay fit, stay focused. The fitter I am, the better my life is. I am more confident, I have more energy, my mood improves and I'm more productive in everything that I do. Fitness isn't just about physical health. It's a foundation for a much better quality of life. Look, I don't always feel like exercising as much as you guys may think I do, but I've made it a habit, just like brushing my teeth every day. I have a program to follow and I just get up and I simply get it done. I've allocated time to it. It's a non-negotiable because I know that the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Consistency is key here, and it's not about the intensity of every workout but the commitment to showing up every day. Whether I'm lifting weights, going for a run or practicing mindfulness through yoga, I stay focused on the big picture a more healthy and vibrant life.

Speaker 1: 28:27

Number 12, learn something new, get uncomfortable. I'm always putting myself in a position to be the beginner right, and I still find it awkward. And I still find myself being challenged with it. Where I have to put my hand up, ask for help, I have to stumble in front of people when I feel like a loser right. But there is something humbling and rewarding about starting from scratch. It makes me appreciate the journey even more, and over the years I've taken on learning the guitar, being Shepard's photographer, diving into plenty of other new skills, and one thing that I've realized is the only way to truly learn is to drop the ego. Ask the questions that you need to find the answers. That's it. Then you've got to put in the reps. For me, that means playing guitar most days for about 10 minutes. It's not record-breaking practice sessions or time, but it's just about the consistency. Those 10 minutes add up and over time that will lead to the progress that I'm proud of.

Speaker 1: 29:25

Do hard things. We talk about this a lot. Life can be hard. Curve balls always come in, financial stress gets us, relationships break down, and so much more. That is the experience of life. We have worked so hard to put ourselves in a comfortable position, and you probably have as well. While that's great, we have removed opportunities to train for adversity and we don't even sweat much anymore. We just put air con on. So how do we respond to life's adversity if we can't train for it? I choose to do hard things to test myself, and because of this I managed to respond to what life throws at me much better than I once did. So find ways to do hard things right and hard things are different for every individual. Just do something that challenges you.

Speaker 1: 30:25

Number 14, if you feel lost, you won't find yourself in the bottom of a beer. No, as much as all the country songs tell you, you will. I've tried it and you won't. So you won't find answers in the bottom of a beer. Beer is a temporary escape, not a solution. If you're feeling lost. The real journey begins by looking within. It's about recognizing the long-term changes that come from new actions, creating new habits and rewriting your story. When you're tempted to reach for the beer to numb the confusion or the pain, pause and ask yourself what am I really searching for? The answers you seek won't come from the outside. They'll come from the work that you do within yourself, and I had to learn that the hard way early on in my journey. I always turned to recreational drugs or beer to numb my current reality. So what I learned is start by setting small goals, making deliberate choices, taking consistent steps towards the life that you want to create, and over time, these new actions will build a new direction and one that aligns with your true self. And when you've done the work, when you've faced the discomfort and made the changes, that's when you can truly enjoy a beer in celebration for how far you've come. Number 15. Well, this is 15 and final. I didn't put a 16. Caught myself here. This is 15 and final. I didn't put a 16. Caught myself here.

Speaker 1: 31:53

Talk about sex and money. Sex and money are two of the most important yet often avoided topics in our life. They can bring immense joy. We all know that Bloody oath. But they can also be the source of frustrations and resentment. The more I've talked about these subjects, the better my finances have become and the more fulfilling my sex life has been.

Speaker 1: 32:17

And it's not just about the act of talking. It's about the honesty and openness that these conversations foster, the depth in the relationship with time, money and sex all of these things and I've seen resentment build up in myself and in other men who don't have the sex life they want or aren't financially secure. Now this often ties back to small, seemingly insignificant things like the clothes basket on a bed, a sign of an unspoken expectations or unmet needs. But there's always more to the story that needs to be discussed right. When you start talking openly about your finances and your sex life, you'll find that these conversations can improve many areas of your life. Communication breaks down barriers, clears up misunderstandings and allows both partners to feel seen, heard and supported. By addressing these topics head on, you're not just improving your financial and sexual health, but you're strengthening your relationship, reducing stress and building a more connected and fulfilling life. Who does not want that? That was a huge learning for me.

Speaker 1: 33:26

So thank you, guys for being here for the last 600 episodes or even if you're just tuning in for the first time. I hope those 15 powerful lessons from my 600 podcast episodes have come in helpful. They've really helped me learn with my life and I'm very excited for the next 600, as I document things that I'm going on. The 58 to 58 is about to be announced. I'm super excited to bring you guys along on the journey.

Speaker 1: 33:50

As I said, a lot of the guests that I'll be interviewing after episode 606, I think it is will be helping me get supported there, so that should be fun. So my podcast has continued to evolve and I'm excited to share this next chapter with you guys. What started as WellFit with Lachlan Stewart grew into the man that Can Project and now embarks on a new journey man that Can. With Lachlan Stewart, I've always strived to be the man that can, and now I'm on a mission to inspire men to become the man that can in their own lives. As always, do something today to be better for tomorrow. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you hit the subscribe button, share it on your social media and tune in next week. Thank you.