Overcoming Trauma with Nick Prefontaine: The STEP System
Harnessing Limitless Potential After Trauma with Nick Prefontaine
Real Men Feel host Andy Grant chats with Nick Prefontaine, a three-time bestselling author, top motivational speaker, and CEO of Common Goal. Nick shares his harrowing story of surviving a life-threatening snowboarding accident at age 14 and overcoming massive odds to walk, talk, and eat again.
He discusses his STEP system (Support, Trust, Energy, Persistence) that he used to recover and now teaches others to navigate trauma and life challenges. Nick emphasizes the importance of having support, maintaining personal energy, and trusting the process. He also reflects on the societal perception of trauma survivors and the resilience required to keep moving forward.
Tune in to discover inspiring insights, practical advice, and a free download of Nick's S.T.E.P. system.
00:00 Welcome to Real Men Feel
00:20 Introducing Nick Prefontaine
00:33 Nick's Traumatic Snowboarding Accident
08:30 The STEP System for Overcoming Trauma
18:03 Nick's Journey to Motivational Speaking
24:50 The Importance of Support and Taking Action
37:09 Nick's Reflections and Final Thoughts
40:48 Conclusion and Resources
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Martin Luther King Jr.
Links
Nick's STEP System -- https://nickprefontaine.com/step
Follow Nick on LinkedIN -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickprefontaine/
and Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/nick.prefontaine.7
Connect with Andy and the Real Men Feel Podcast:
Interested in a Clarity Call with Andy? - visit https://theandygrant.com/talk
Instagram | @realmenfeelshow & @theandygrant
Personal Website | https://theandygrant.com for coaching, healing, and book info!
Podcast Website | http://realmenfeel.org for all things podcast-related!
RMF Facebook Group | http://realmenfeel.org/group
YouTube | https://youtube.com/realmenfeel
#RealMenFeel ep 326
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Hello and welcome to Real Men
Feel.
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I'm your host, author, coach and
healer, Andy Grant.
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Please visit theandygrant.com to
learn more about me.
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Real Men Feel exists to remind
men that they are human beings
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and have the right to experience
and express all of their
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emotions.
We have conversations that most
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men are not having, but that all
men can benefit from.
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My guest today is Nick
Prefontaine.
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Nick is a three times best
selling author and was named a
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top motivational speaker of 2022
in Yahoo Finance.
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He's also the founder and CEO of
Common Goal.
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At age 14, Nick suffered a life
threatening snowboarding
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accident.
His parents were told he
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probably wouldn't ever walk,
talk or eat again on his own.
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Today, he helps people make it
through any trauma, crisis or
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life challenge using the very
system that he lived to get out
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of that hospital.
On the other side of trauma is
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our limitless potential.
Nick and I discuss the problems
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people have when facing major
life challenges and the simple
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ways to navigate them.
Nick shares the benefits of
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being open to alternative
therapies and caring for your
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personal energy.
Stay to the end and you can
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download a free e-book of Nick's
step system and discover if he
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returned to snowboarding.
Let's do it.
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Hello Nick, and welcome to Real
Men Field.
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Hi, Andy.
I'm very excited to be here.
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Nick, you helped lots of trauma
survivors not merely survive,
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but to thrive.
And I know that all kicked off
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with your own traumatic
accident.
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So why don't we start there and
tell me?
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Tell me your story.
Sure.
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So my, my story begins.
And I know we're in a similar
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area, so usually I refer to the
mountain, but I, I can, I can
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like be more specific here.
So I grew up in Shrewsbury in
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Massachusetts, and I was
actually at Ski club with my
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friends and it was always
exciting.
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Ski Club day was always really
exciting because we got released
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a little bit early and anyone
that's that remembers leaving a
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little bit of school, When you
get released even a little bit
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early, it's always a very big
deal.
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So we got released a little bit
early and we headed to Ski Club
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and that was at Wachusett
Mountain right there in
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Princeton.
So on the way to the mountain,
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my friends and I had all brought
our snowboard gear onto the bus
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to get ready so we wouldn't miss
a precious moment once we got to
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the mountain.
And we got to the mountain,
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headed right for the top.
When the rest of the class went
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inside to get ready, we were all
ready to go.
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We didn't want to waste any time
there.
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So on the way up on the chair
lift and we noticed that it was
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very icy because it had been
raining early in the day.
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People were wiping out
everywhere.
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However, that didn't, that
really didn't phase us.
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We were, we were ready to go And
actually the chair left went
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right over the terrain park
where all of the jumps were.
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And I knew as soon as I saw it
that I had to go off the biggest
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shop in the terrain park.
It wasn't, wasn't even a moment
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of thinking, oh, should I,
should I, should I not do it?
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Or should I do it like I was
definitely that was what I was
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doing.
So got to the top, sparkled in
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my snowboard, took a breath of
that crisp wizard air, and
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confidently charged towards that
jump with all my speed and going
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up to the jump, I caught the
edge of my snowboard and that's
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the last thing that I remember.
So I was told that I landed over
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my head.
I wasn't wearing a helmet, and
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there were three things that
really enabled me to be able to
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do the work that I'm doing today
and share this story with you
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and your listeners.
And that was although I wasn't
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wearing a helmet, the pair of
goggles that I had on
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snowboarding goggles were very
thick with a lot of padding.
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So later I learned that not only
did they brace my fall as I
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continued to roll down the
mountain, they continued to hit
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my head.
My goggles mysteriously moved to
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cushion each blow.
So really the goggles part of
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which saved my life.
Secondly, they wanted to bring a
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helicopter to the mountain to
rush me to the hospital.
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They couldn't because it was too
windy.
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So they had to send in an
ambulance and out of all the
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paramedics in the area, there
was only one who could intubate
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on the spot and I needed that to
be able to breathe.
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And lucky for me, another
another thing breaking the right
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way for me.
I believe everything happens for
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reason.
He was one of the paramedics
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that showed up to the mountain
that day and really they're
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there.
As I was alluding to.
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There are several things that I
still can't explain because of
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the accident, and now I know one
of them is the reason why I'm
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able to be with you today and to
tell this story.
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So after that, the third thing
that happened when I was resting
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in a coma in the intensive care
unit, unable to communicate with
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anyone.
The only people who were allowed
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in my room were my parents.
And it was so important early on
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because even though I was out,
out in a coma, the doctors
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wanted to share the information
of like my prognosis.
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And I'm sure you can imagine,
especially at the beginning of a
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traumatic injury, the news is
not so positive, not so
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positive, not so positive.
So they, the doctors, no fault
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of their own.
They were just doing their job.
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Went to share the news with my
parents right in front of me.
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They figured out he said, well,
call me, he can't hear.
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My mom stopped them and she said
no, no, not in front of him,
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because she understood that even
though I was in a coma, I was
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still taking in information.
So she made the doctor step
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outside the room and once they
were there, that's where they
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shared that I was in a
snowboarding accident and they
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had to partially induce me into
a coma because I already had
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swelling in my brain.
They were worried that if I woke
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up and panicked, the swelling
would increase and I would have
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died.
So they had to induce me into a
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coma.
And they said to my parents that
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we're not sure how long he's
going to be in and even if he
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comes out, he's probably not
going to be able to walk, talk
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or eat on his own ever again.
And what what my parents said
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was very important.
They thank the doc, they took
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the information, thank the
doctors.
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And then because none of this
influenced my subconscious mind,
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it didn't get through to me.
I just treated it like any other
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situation.
So I was in a coma for three
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weeks.
I really don't remember a month
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because it was a partially
induced coma.
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And a month after my accident I
was transported to a rehab
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Hospital in Boston.
And once I got my wits about me,
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I guess you could say I it just
allowed me to treat it like any
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other situation.
So this is no different than any
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other challenge that I faced up
to this point in my life.
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I got up, did the best that I
could, and it kept getting
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better every day.
And was at this point that I
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unknowingly started to use a
system to not only make a full
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recovery, but run on the
hospital.
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So I overheard my parents
talking with the doctors and
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they would meet with them every
week.
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And they said, all right, what
do we have to do to make sure
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Nick makes a full recovery?
Even though I couldn't talk, I
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heard a voice in the back of my
head that said, no, you're going
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to run out of the hospital.
So that running out of the
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hospital and he became our
common goal.
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I was able to communicate that
to my parents and the rest of my
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team.
But it was at that time that I
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started and I'll, I'll come back
to the boys in the back of my
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head because it's, it led me to
what I'm doing today, really.
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I unknowingly started to utilize
a system to not only make a full
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recovery, but run out of the
hospital.
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That's a STEP system.
STEP is an acronym.
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It stands for support.
Make sure you have the support
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of your family and friends right
from the beginning.
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This is going to have you
falling back on relationships
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that you built prior to your set
back.
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T is trust.
Trust that once you take your
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first step, your next step is
always going to be available to
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you.
Follow it.
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And then E is energy.
Maintaining your energy allows
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your body's natural ability to
be able to heal itself, and
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medication has the potential to
get in the way of that.
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So after, after coming out of
after coming in my coma and
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being transported to the rehab
hospital, my parents knew that
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they wanted to get me off of the
medication as soon as possible
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because they knew of the body's
natural ability to be able to
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heal itself.
And it was so important that I
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had an advocate that was part of
my that's part of support.
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What I talk about in step, my
ebook, my free ebook that I'll,
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I'll give you a listen as a way
they can download that in the
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end.
But I talk about it's important
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to have an advocate because
without an advocate, they would
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just to illustrate this.
So after being transported to
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the rehab hospital, I still
wasn't cleared to walk and I got
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up in the middle of the night
and I had to use the bathroom.
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I, I would always have either my
dad or my grandfather and uncle
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stay with me at night and I
leaned over, I forget who it
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was, I think it was my
grandfather and leaned over my
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bed.
I tried to get their attention.
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I couldn't.
So I had to hobble my way to the
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bathroom and I nothing happened.
It was fine.
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But then the hospital found out
the next day and they freaked
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out and they said, Oh, we're
going to give him this one CC
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the of that medication, that
many CCS of the subtle
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medication, and that should
really calm him down on so he's
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ready to go to sleep.
And my mom said, no, you're not.
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Just ask him not to do that
again.
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Will ever respect all the people
that that work in the hospitals.
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And I'm I'm like, I'm thankful
that I was able to have that
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care.
However, if I didn't ever have
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get there, they would have just
drugged me to to make their jobs
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easier.
Right.
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Yeah, every, every aspect of you
didn't need treatment, though
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they were attempting to give it
some.
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Yeah, exactly.
And then P is persistence.
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So persistence, once you take
your first step, keep getting up
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every day and taking your next
step, no matter how small.
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And by continuing to move
forward every day, you are
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building an unstoppable
momentum.
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So if you Fast forward a little
bit less than 60 days later
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after being transferred to the
rehab hospital, I was able to
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realize my goal and run out of
the hospital.
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And that wasn't an end.
That was that was really a
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beginning for me, if anything.
And that's really how I look,
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how I look in my life now as
well.
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I had to be tutored all summer
long, five days a week in order
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to continue on to high school
with the rest of my classmates,
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along with getting outpatient
therapy for another six months.
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So I wasn't done.
Like I said, it was just the
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beginning, if you will.
So.
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So this happened when you were
in high school.
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So what was your exact age
during when the accident
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happened to you?
I was 14 so I was in 8th grade.
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Wow.
And it it sound your parents
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sound amazing to have navigated
this, you know, with you and for
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you were they always just
positive, optimistic people?
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Yes, they were.
Yeah, I grew up in a very.
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So this whole, this whole step
system that I didn't even
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discover it until later in life,
like like recently over the last
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several years.
This whole, where this whole
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came from is just the way that
I've always approached any kind
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of challenge in any kind of
situation in my life.
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And I had a mentor that was able
to pull this out of me, if you
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will, and be able be able to
share it with everyone.
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And that's that's what I'm doing
now and keynotes and went along
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work with people.
Yeah, that's awesome.
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And you know, we had talked
previously and I grew up in
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Leominster, MA, you grew up in
Shrewsbury.
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And I, I kind of, I was guessing
that this incident happened at
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Wachusett.
And and I recently moved.
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I'm now in Gardner, Mass, and I
am less than 10 minutes from
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Wachusett.
Oh wow.
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The only place I've ever
attempted to snowboard was at
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Mamachusett as well.
And I could only turn right, my
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wife could only turn left.
And we kept slamming into each
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other.
And so that was my one attempt.
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But yeah, your story is amazing.
And you know, I find that, you
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know, amazing upbeat people that
take control of their lives like
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you, you, you do live by a
system.
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You do have this, this guidance,
you have this divine
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intervention always happening
and you kind of take it for
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granted or just like this is
everybody lives.
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And it's not till someone helps
pull it out of you that you
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realize, oh, here are these
steps literally for you, the
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step system that can help
anybody else that isn't as aware
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of of the best ways to navigate
and and control their own lives.
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My heart swells with admiration
for you in your again ability
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not just to survive, but to
thrive and then to share.
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Thank you.
Yeah, it was, it was quite the,
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it was quite a journey.
And it really it was, it was.
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It took me because that was
something that happened when I
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was younger.
I was like, yeah.
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What A couple of things to
highlight what you said, that
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you just feel like everyone does
this.
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So I talked, talked to like
several people later in life and
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I'm like, I don't know, I just,
I just got up and did the best I
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could and I kept getting better
every day.
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And I was like, anyone would do
the same.
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And like, I'm not abnormal.
And everyone looks at me and
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they're like, no, Nick, that's
not normal.
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Like a lot of a lot of people
would would have given up.
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And it took me later, like a
little later on in life to
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really realize, OK, I have
something here that I have to be
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sharing, like sharing my story
and sharing with individuals
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across the world that are going
through life challenge, crisis
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or trauma themselves and to help
them thrive with the rest of
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their lives.
So if you, it's amazing to me
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that only 18 months later, I got
my start.
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And you know, when you're
younger, when you're a kid, time
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is compressed.
So something like six months, 12
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months, 18 months seems like a
lifetime away.
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However, 18 months is not that
long.
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It's really not that long.
So only 18 months after
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finishing rehab, I got my start
in real estate and I was door
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knocking, free foreclosure doors
or homeowners that have received
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a notice to default letter from
the bank, meaning they missed
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several payments all the way up
to 11:50 and the bank still
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hadn't foreclosed on their home.
So I would go to the cities
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where because I had to go to
school during the week, I was
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only 16, I would go to cities
where I could be most efficient
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and hit the most amount of doors
in a day.
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And it's really it took that
mentor that pulled the step
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system on me to reflect back to
me.
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She said, well, wait a minute,
you only 18 months after
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00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,200
finishing your rehab from being
in a coma on your snowboarding
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accident, you're you're going
into not so great areas of
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00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:01,840
cities and knocking on knocking
on doors of distrust salads.
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And I was like, Oh yeah, that's
that.
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That is kind of like that is
kind of a big deal.
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00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:13,240
And she said, well, I think
going door to door like that was
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part of your recovery, going
door to door and helping people
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00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,440
out of their unfortunate
situation.
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So after graduating high school,
I started starting to get my
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real estate license.
And when I was 19, I, I got my
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real estate license and then was
working as a realtor helping
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00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,960
buyers and sellers.
And then I actually ended up
288
00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:40,200
letting my real estate license
go in January of 2016 to help my
289
00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:45,920
dad to join my dad full time as
an investor, helping, helping
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00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:50,000
him with the properties that he
was getting under contract to
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00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,520
find buyers for those properties
and put them into a house and
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00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,240
everything like that.
And Andy, all throughout my
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00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:01,800
life, I've always had this voice
in the back of my head that's
294
00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,480
always been saying to me,
regardless if it's door
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00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:08,880
knocking, say any kind of sales
as a real estate agent, it's
296
00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,520
always saying, yeah, OK, that's
great.
297
00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:15,160
I'm glad you're like living your
life and everything.
298
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,839
But what you really need to be
doing is telling your story from
299
00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:23,800
stage and helping trauma
survivors thrive with the rest
300
00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,720
of their lives.
And that voice has always been
301
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,520
there.
And then with my dad's, with my
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00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,920
dad's company and now a company
that I'm partners in as well,
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00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,640
Smart Real Estate Coach, one of
the one of the companies that
304
00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,880
I'm partners in.
I've had the opportunity since
305
00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,800
2016 to get on stage and tell my
story.
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00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,600
And it's really allowed me to
scratch that itch, if you will,
307
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,640
and be be able to speak and tell
my story.
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00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,560
So I could rationalize with
myself that, OK, I'm doing it
309
00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,840
like I'm telling my story from
stage.
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00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,280
However, there was this woman
that approached me after one of
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00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:08,080
our events a little over five
years ago in 2019 before COVID.
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00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:13,520
And she said to me, I'm not
trying to steal you from your
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00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,920
family company.
But if you're ever looking to
314
00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,320
fine tune your message and to
bring it to another level so
315
00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:25,040
that it has maximum impact, I
can introduce you to a few
316
00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,840
coaches and mentors that have
helped me out on my path.
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00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:33,960
And I always on our card.
I still wasn't ready.
318
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:39,560
I, I was still going through a
voice challenge and in 2012 I
319
00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,960
developed a voice challenge and
I was looking everywhere and I
320
00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:45,720
couldn't figure out what was
wrong with me.
321
00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,840
And I finally wound up in a
voice specialist office in
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00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:54,320
August of 2013.
And that was in Boston.
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00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,840
And I guess they're only 35 of
these specialists and the whole
324
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,160
continent.
And one of them was right in
325
00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,120
Boston, a 2 hour drive for me.
So I went into his office after
326
00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,640
stressing out and building it up
like such a big deal in my head
327
00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,840
for a year.
And I sat down and this guy
328
00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:13,680
walked in the room and heard me
speak.
329
00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,120
And right away nonchalantly
goes, oh, that.
330
00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:18,840
Yeah, we deal with that all the
time.
331
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,640
Go get scheduled for a Botox
injection in a couple weeks.
332
00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,880
And I was like, my mouth was on
the floor.
333
00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:31,520
I was like, I'm I'm soul hook,
line and sinker and I started
334
00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:36,400
getting Botox injections along
with their higher level voice
335
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:41,600
speech pathologist and I had to
get that for seven years.
336
00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,440
So in combination with
developing the issue in 2019 and
337
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,120
getting the treatments, the
Botox injections into my vocal
338
00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:53,720
folds, I had to deal with that
for eight years.
339
00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:59,600
And my last one, my, my last
treatment was February 13th of
340
00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,920
2020.
So obviously that has worked its
341
00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,360
way out of my system now
however.
342
00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:10,800
It was the intersection.
There's so many like
343
00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,720
intersections of the story
because when that woman
344
00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:18,000
approached me, Sharon Spano, she
approached me after hearing me
345
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,440
tell my story.
I was still tight, like you
346
00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,600
could hear it.
I was still like, it was almost
347
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,400
like it was hard to get the
words out.
348
00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,000
She approached me anyway and
shared, gave me her card and
349
00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,240
shit and the information.
So I still wasn't ready.
350
00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,560
However, a little over a year
and a half later, after I had
351
00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:39,480
this voice issue fully out of my
system, I reached out to her and
352
00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,680
I said, OK, I'm ready.
And she introduced me to her
353
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,840
mentor, one of her mentors who's
become my mentor.
354
00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:54,360
And ever since I call in May of
2021, there, Andy has been no
355
00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:59,040
voice in the back of my head.
So what that's evidence to me is
356
00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,400
that I'm doing exactly what I
was put on this earth to do.
357
00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,840
Right, There's, there's that
inner wisdom, that guidance.
358
00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:07,960
You're not being course
corrected anymore cause 'cause
359
00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:09,320
you're doing it.
Yeah, you're on the path.
360
00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:10,480
Yeah.
Beautiful.
361
00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,280
And when we first talked
briefly, you said something that
362
00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,520
that stuck with me that, that
you saw that trauma survivors
363
00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,920
are shunned by society.
Can can you expand on that?
364
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:30,440
I think still to this day, if I
see like any kind of a any kind
365
00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:35,160
of a disabled person or like
anyone dealing with it, like
366
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,760
walking with a, with a challenge
like I can, I can tell has a
367
00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:45,200
challenge or someone who's going
through an issue and is not just
368
00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,560
like everyone out like, Oh yeah,
everything's great.
369
00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,920
I actually commend them for
that.
370
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:56,080
And I, I say good for good for
that person to, to be out to, to
371
00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,800
be like continuing to take their
next step in life.
372
00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:06,040
And I, I think what society does
is it's, it shuns people that,
373
00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,120
that have any kind of a
traumatic event that that was
374
00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:13,200
what we were talking about
briefly before, before I had
375
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:18,840
this opportunity to be here.
So I really, I mean, I believe
376
00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:20,480
that in my.
Heart, I think you nailed it.
377
00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,520
And yeah, so it's the the the
notion of general society sees
378
00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:29,520
someone struggling through some
traumatic injury or accident and
379
00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,920
you know, at best ignores them,
might might mock them, might not
380
00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,440
assist them.
And but you see them, and you
381
00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,160
will you applaud them.
Absolutely.
382
00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,000
And and you know what, it's kind
of coming back to me too.
383
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,400
We can go, we can go in a little
bit more depth here.
384
00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,320
So there are so many people that
haven't, that haven't had that
385
00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,960
opportunity to go through a
traumatic event, a life
386
00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,720
challenge or crisis or anything.
And they say, oh, that's so sad.
387
00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,120
Look at that.
I say the opposite.
388
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,480
I was like, look, look at that.
They're they're out.
389
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,560
They're, they're not, they're
not being held down by this.
390
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,240
They're, they're continuing to
move forward in life.
391
00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,720
They're not letting, they're not
letting their traumatic
392
00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,640
experience, their life challenge
or crisis hold them back from
393
00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,560
living their best life.
Yep, and you know one thing I I
394
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,080
that's that sticks with me too,
from the step system of support,
395
00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:31,640
trust, energy and persistence.
Everything except support is is
396
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,280
up to you.
So it really seems that that,
397
00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,640
you know, perhaps reclaiming
ownership of your life is such a
398
00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:40,560
powerful aspect of all those
steps.
399
00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:42,200
Is is does does that make sense
to you?
400
00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,080
Absolutely.
And it does make sense.
401
00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,320
And just to provide a little
color to this.
402
00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,760
So something that I go into
detail within step and we only
403
00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:56,840
had I only had a the opportunity
to show like a 10,000 foot view
404
00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,280
of it.
Something that I go into detail
405
00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:04,800
within there is support is
something that's that's within
406
00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:09,960
your control 100% because a lot
of people and this comes up,
407
00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,320
this comes up like every
interview or every other every
408
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,080
other interview I talk about it,
people say, oh, well, you know,
409
00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:22,560
lucky for you, you had family.
I don't have family now.
410
00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,720
One of the things I talk about
within step is your support
411
00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:28,760
doesn't necessarily have to be
your failed.
412
00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,480
It can be a close friend that
you share everything with.
413
00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,520
It could be a neighbor or not
really above.
414
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,360
It can be just someone always
checking on you and always
415
00:24:39,360 --> 00:24:41,600
wondering if there's anything
that they can do.
416
00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,280
However, you're you're closed
off to it.
417
00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,680
You're ignorant to it because
you have this in your mind that
418
00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,160
it can only be failing.
Support can come from
419
00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:56,120
everywhere, everywhere,
everywhere in society.
420
00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:01,000
In, in one of your talks, I saw
you speak about kind of the, the
421
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,840
dangers of overwhelm that can
lead to people kind of giving
422
00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,400
up, giving in fall into that,
that victimhood sort of thing.
423
00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,120
Do you do you find that there's
a root source for for overwhelm
424
00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:17,840
today?
I think that it's very easy to
425
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:22,000
be overwhelmed when you look at
anything, especially at the
426
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,240
start of a start, at the start
of anything.
427
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,960
So you can call it life
challenge, crisis, or trauma, or
428
00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:35,200
you can call it a starting a new
business, or in your case,
429
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:39,200
moving, doing, moving to a new
house.
430
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:44,160
You can think to yourself, Oh my
God, that's so overwhelming
431
00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,000
because I have to do this, this,
this, this, this.
432
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,160
However, the the best thing,
yeah, overwhelm is it, it's
433
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:52,720
everywhere.
It's it's around us.
434
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,600
However, the best thing that you
can do to cure that is to take
435
00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,840
action.
Just take your next step.
436
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,760
Just take one step.
And it doesn't even have to be a
437
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,120
big step.
However, just by taking that one
438
00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:08,920
step, your next step's always
going to be available to you.
439
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:15,920
So you must have had doubts,
some brief point, you know,
440
00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,080
waking up, just finding yourself
in the hospital.
441
00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,080
But so did did you ever have
doubts and did they have
442
00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,920
developed into longer periods of
of, you know, victimhood or
443
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:28,880
depression?
Of course I had doubts.
444
00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,560
I mean, come on.
Yeah, Everyone, people.
445
00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,880
People hear my story and they
think, oh, yeah, OK, you got an
446
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,000
accent, You're in a cold and you
ran out of the hospital.
447
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,560
Good for you.
Must be nice.
448
00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:44,480
But of course, I had doubts.
There was there was a point and
449
00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:48,680
there are there are a few points
both within my snowboarding and
450
00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,680
then with my voice issue that I
had doubts.
451
00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:56,560
And because I had an advocate
with me at all times, I was able
452
00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,920
to keep moving forward.
So my mom who was doing me every
453
00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:03,640
day, going to every therapy and
doctor's appointment with me, I
454
00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,880
was in between therapies and I
would have double sessions of
455
00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,680
physical occupation on speech
therapy, after which you broke
456
00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,960
for lunch.
So is that one of these lunches
457
00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,800
in my hospital room where I was
in a wheelchair just looking
458
00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:24,000
over my situation and I just
couldn't figure it out for
459
00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,880
whatever reason.
I remember turning to my mom and
460
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,040
asking, am I ever going to be
able to walk again?
461
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,480
She didn't even hesitate.
She said, of course you are.
462
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,640
That's what we're doing here,
seeing get everything back and
463
00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:42,720
me and go home step.
So what this allowed me to do
464
00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:48,160
was that moment of doubt that I
had was to keep moving forward.
465
00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,800
And that was the only from my
snowboarding accident.
466
00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,280
That was the only moment of
doubt that I can really
467
00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,000
remember.
And it was during my going
468
00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,040
through my voice challenge
because it was, I think I'm more
469
00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,080
proud of that Andy, because it
was eight years that I had to
470
00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:09,200
deal with that.
And once I, once I, once I got
471
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,000
through it, I was like, all
right, I, I have something here
472
00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:14,680
because I've used this twice
during my life.
473
00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,280
So I, I really have to be
sharing this with everyone.
474
00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:21,320
But it was really in the
beginning of that.
475
00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:26,080
And I was always looking for and
reflecting and looking, reading
476
00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,120
my journals from 10 years ago
because that's, that's a thing
477
00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:31,800
that I do just to see where I
was and what I was dealing with.
478
00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:39,400
So I, I was having a hard time.
I was looking for, OK, every
479
00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,440
Botox treatment, this is going
to be it.
480
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,760
This is going to be the thing
that is going to fix everything.
481
00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:49,920
I'm going to be fine.
And I just had that the wrong
482
00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:55,000
mindset at the beginning.
And I can remember on one of my
483
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,920
trips to Boston with my mom,
because she would always go with
484
00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,520
me to be my supporting and be
there and like take notes and
485
00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,040
because you have a lot of stuff
going on in your head.
486
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:10,880
And I, I said to her, while, you
know, the, the therapist
487
00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,480
wouldn't, couldn't tell me the
answer I was looking for.
488
00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,360
I, I like kept asking, kept
asking, kept asking.
489
00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:20,840
And she said, no, you, you just
have to look at it from the
490
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:26,280
mindset of I'm going to keep
doing this and I'm going to keep
491
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:30,240
getting better every day.
And as long as you keep
492
00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:34,320
improving, which I believe my
voice is still improving to this
493
00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:38,680
day, as long as you keep
improving, there's there's
494
00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,160
nothing that you're doing wrong
necessarily.
495
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,360
As as long as you keep moving
forward and keep getting better,
496
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,440
there's really nothing that can
stop you.
497
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,880
Yeah, it reminds me of AI.
Think it's a Wayne Dyard quote,
498
00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,160
but the only, the only person
you should compare yourself with
499
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:55,840
is you.
Yesterday.
500
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,600
Yeah.
So I I know you've gone on to do
501
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,160
a number of half marathons and
10 KS.
502
00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,920
Did you ever tour, return to
skiing or snowboarding?
503
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,680
Yeah, yes, I have.
And I actually think it was to,
504
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,800
I don't know.
I, I mean, I, right after my
505
00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:19,520
accident, I said, I said, I
convinced my parents said, Oh,
506
00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,960
no, I, I'm not going to, because
I was a snowboarding instructor
507
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:28,120
before the accident at Ward
Hill, a much smaller hill, not a
508
00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,520
mountain, but I was a
snowboarding instructor.
509
00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,880
So I convinced them that, oh,
it's a good idea for me to like
510
00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,040
be around snowboarding and, and
to help and everything like
511
00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,200
that.
Well, temptation proved to be
512
00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:44,200
too much and I ended up stealing
my friends or borrowing, let's
513
00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,600
put it that way.
My friend snowboys and sneaky or
514
00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,240
run in here or there.
And up until that point, my
515
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,800
friends are like, Oh no, Nick
can't snowboard on.
516
00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,360
He can't do it.
If not, if he does, he's going
517
00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,360
to hurt himself.
Once they saw that I could do
518
00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:01,200
it, they're like, oh, Nick's
back.
519
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:09,520
However, my mom found out and I
came home one night and, and
520
00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:14,040
from being at the mountain and
she was in tears, crying.
521
00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,560
And once I saw that I was like,
no, I, I, I can't do that.
522
00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,840
I, I just can't do that.
Talk about your heart and
523
00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,840
nothing.
But I was just like, I can't, I
524
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:25,720
can't do that.
So that was that was the last
525
00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,960
time that I had the last time
that I did that.
526
00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,000
Well, it's great that it it's
not your own.
527
00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,400
It wasn't your fear keeping you
from doing it.
528
00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,640
It was your choice after.
After you've proven to yourself
529
00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:40,040
that you could do it.
But then you chose.
530
00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,160
You chose not to run, as
Seinfeld would say.
531
00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,760
Yeah, I love that show and she's
so happy.
532
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,440
What happens to someone that's
going through some trying,
533
00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:53,880
challenging times, doesn't have
the support or doesn't doesn't
534
00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,160
believe they have the support
might be the better way to say
535
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,080
that.
But what happens to someone who
536
00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,560
doesn't believe they have
control of their own life?
537
00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,000
This is what we were talking
about earlier.
538
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:09,720
So I think it's very easy for
those people to shut down, to be
539
00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:13,720
overwhelmed and to feel like no
one, no one's there to help them
540
00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:17,000
and support them because they've
closed themselves off and they
541
00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:21,760
put themselves in this box that
my support only can come from my
542
00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:25,080
family.
However, it can come from
543
00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,360
anywhere.
They shut down to that and they
544
00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:31,120
go within, they go inside of
themselves.
545
00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:35,520
And that that's really the the
hardest thing for people is
546
00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,880
because when that happens, they
become stuck.
547
00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:44,200
So the best way to get out of
that is to look, look outside of
548
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,800
yourself and look who's willing
to help you, who is your
549
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:52,960
support, and then just take that
step and just continue moving
550
00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,160
forward and continue taking your
next step.
551
00:32:55,440 --> 00:33:01,400
Is there always a next step?
Of course, yes, that, that's,
552
00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:05,640
that's literally what I found.
And actually, if we have time, I
553
00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:06,960
can talk about this a little
bit.
554
00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,880
So after three years, after my
accident, three years after
555
00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,680
running out of the hospital, I
started seeing a naturopathic
556
00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:20,480
Dr. to rid my body of all the
toxins and I went to him
557
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,480
consistently.
I would it was all based on your
558
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,440
blood type.
He was a naturopathic Doctor Who
559
00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:26,640
was all based on your blood
type.
560
00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:31,240
I would take supplements, I
would get a specific diet based
561
00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:33,840
on my blood type.
And along with getting all of
562
00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:39,720
these treatments, so foot bath,
hyperbaric chamber, colonic
563
00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,920
acupuncture, fango therapy, like
all those, I would go and drive
564
00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,960
an hour, an hour and 20 minutes
and get those every two to three
565
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,440
weeks.
I can remember in early 2009, I
566
00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:54,400
was sitting for review with one
of those doctors and they were
567
00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,200
saying to me, you've done such a
great job with sticking with the
568
00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,080
programs, sticking with the
diet, and more.
569
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:04,520
Most importantly, getting all
these treatments to rid your
570
00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,000
body of all the toxins.
There's not much we can do for
571
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,120
you.
You can continue to come here
572
00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:15,480
for maintenance, however, kind
of like the end of the line, so
573
00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:17,520
to speak.
It was right around that time
574
00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:21,800
that I was introduced to Doctor
Ming.
575
00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:26,360
Wu and Ming worked on me right
at the dinner.
576
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:32,000
He gave me Tweena right at the
dinner that I had with him in
577
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:36,560
March 2009 in Boston.
And as soon as I had him work on
578
00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:39,840
me a little bit, I was hooked.
I just saw him last week.
579
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,120
I still see him weekly, a
monthly.
580
00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:46,840
Excuse me, I still see him
monthly for to keep my energy
581
00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,639
and truth from able to impact
and affect the most certain
582
00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:53,639
people possible.
Long, long way of answering
583
00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:56,600
that.
Once you're at the end of your
584
00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,560
step, your next step is always
going to be available to you.
585
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,600
Yes.
Nick is Does anything stand out
586
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:04,800
as one thing that you wish more
men knew?
587
00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:10,720
It's been a journey.
It's been a journey for myself
588
00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:18,640
with to be to be in touch, I
guess you could say with my
589
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:24,240
emotions and it's OK.
It's OK to to feel.
590
00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:29,200
And I've done I've done so, so
much work one-on-one with a
591
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,840
coach.
I I've had the same like a
592
00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:36,040
different coach.
I really, I really refer to her
593
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:40,760
as more my energy coach.
I've just done so much work with
594
00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:45,360
her for the past gosh, coming up
on five years.
595
00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:47,720
So next month it'll be five
years.
596
00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,720
I've done so much work with her
and without her.
597
00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:56,840
I really cool.
Who could say I I'd be here
598
00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,880
today?
And that's because I've gotten
599
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:05,280
vulnerable with myself and I've
gone really deep on like all
600
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,960
these little things, all these
little issues in that from my
601
00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,000
past, like my childhood and
everything like that.
602
00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:17,400
But without doing that, I feel
like I wouldn't really been
603
00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,600
eliminating myself.
And you mentioned being proud
604
00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,920
earlier, so I want to ask right
now, in this moment, what stands
605
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,880
out as as the thing you're most
proud of?
606
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:34,600
I'm doing exactly what I was put
on this earth to do that that's
607
00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:39,000
what I feel I'm I'm really
living in alignment with
608
00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:43,280
wouldn't lie purpose.
Awesome and as a coach, working
609
00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,320
people added that that out of
alignment that people that think
610
00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:51,160
they have no purpose is just
such a destroyer of life.
611
00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:55,560
So I, I, you know, I love that
you're putting your experience
612
00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,360
into service.
I I find time and time again
613
00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,960
with so many guests I talked to
that that anyone committed to
614
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,240
service that that that continues
your own healing as well.
615
00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:07,760
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah.
616
00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:12,960
Cool, I buy helping more people
and and every and I was talking
617
00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:16,320
to you that I don't know why
I've been on I've done
618
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,760
interviews before and everything
and one of your comments to me
619
00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,520
was, well, I don't want this to
just be like a kind of a cookie
620
00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:28,320
cutter interview.
And what's amazing to me is
621
00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:32,720
every time I share my story, it
always depending on the audience
622
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,480
and depending on the show, it
always comes out a little bit
623
00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:41,880
differently.
And I'm, I'm trusting that the
624
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:47,080
reason for that is because
that's exactly what that host,
625
00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,880
that show in that audience
needed to hear in that moment.
626
00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:54,360
I firmly believe that, you know,
life happens for us and the
627
00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,920
universe is on our side and that
you have had you've experienced
628
00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:01,840
countless miracles, divine
intervention, you know, things
629
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,400
to make sure that you follow
your path, that you serve your
630
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:09,560
calling and you're doing it.
And you know, that leads to, in
631
00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:13,000
my experience, leads to a much
more joyful life is you're
632
00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,400
finding that to be true.
Yes, absolutely.
633
00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,480
Awesome, awesome, Nick.
So I, you know, I love
634
00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,720
everything you shared and the
step system and I really
635
00:38:21,720 --> 00:38:23,520
appreciate the simplicity of
that.
636
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,280
I, I find that so many people,
it's almost like the ego wants,
637
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,320
it wants them to be a difficult
case.
638
00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:32,080
So they won't try the simple
things, but the simple things
639
00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:34,560
have the most benefit I find
time and time again.
640
00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:38,600
Absolutely.
And really, Andy, what we're
641
00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:42,600
able to cover today is just,
it's just a 10,000 worth view of
642
00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:46,680
the step system.
However, if you or your, your
643
00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,840
listeners want to want to
download the whole steps sister
644
00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:54,680
for free, then go to
nickprefontain.com/step.
645
00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:59,600
And that's going to cheat some
all about support, trust, energy
646
00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,320
and persistence.
And it's also going to help them
647
00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:05,280
take that first step today.
Because I realized one of the
648
00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:09,400
things that we talked about is
people feel almost like trapped
649
00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:13,560
or stuck buy overwhelm.
And that's a great first stop
650
00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,160
for anyone in that position.
Awesome, awesome.
651
00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:17,760
So yeah, we'll definitely
include that link in the show
652
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:21,640
notes and at realmanfield.org.
Is there any other best ways to
653
00:39:21,640 --> 00:39:24,400
to keep track, to learn more
about you, to follow you on on
654
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:28,200
socials?
I am on LinkedIn and and also
655
00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:31,080
Facebook at this time.
Yeah, but that's where I'm on
656
00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:32,080
all.
Right.
657
00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:33,400
Great.
We'll have links for those as
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00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:35,760
well.
Nick, I really appreciate you
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00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:37,120
taking the time to talk to us
today.
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00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:41,320
I I love everything that you
were doing, your personal story,
661
00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:42,880
your, your attitude, your
energy.
662
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,040
It's good and it's infectious.
Oh, thank you.
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00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:49,560
Right back at.
Unity cool.
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00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:53,760
So thank you listeners viewers
for joining joining Nick and I
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00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:55,480
today.
Wherever you're discovering real
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00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:58,400
men feel please give a like a
follow share this episode with
667
00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:01,440
someone that would have it would
make a big impact for you can
668
00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:04,200
always reach out to me at
realmenfeel@gmail.com.
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00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,920
Visit Real Men Feel that org for
the blog post for all the links
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00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:09,280
and tools and references
mentioned in this episode.
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00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:12,000
And until next time, be good to
yourself.
Coach / Speaker
Imagine being told your son is probably not going to be able to walk, talk or eat on his own ever again. Take a moment to sit with that. What would you do? Nick teaches the same system that he used to not only walk but run out of the hospital less than 90 days after his accident. The S.T.E.P. system. The STEP system will help you make it through to the other side of your trauma, life challenge or crisis so you can thrive with the rest of your life. Once you master this system there will be no limit to what you can accomplish and overcome in your life.