The Miracle Mentality with Tim Storey

Welcome to True Grit and Grace, a podcast designed to empower you to claim your resilience and thrive through life's challenges. I am Amberly Lago, a mindset coach, fitness expert and bestselling author. Each week, I'll dive deep with the world's brightest thought leaders and elite performers to share tangible tools and practical advice to inspire you to keep your eyes on the prize and forge ahead. So get ready to conquer your fears, heal any trauma, lead with your heart, and elevate your life with grit and grace. Hi, I'm Amberly Lago, and I want to say thank you so much for being here. I've been so excited about having this guest on the show. It's been one of my favorite conversations, not just for the podcast, but that I've ever had. I have Tim Storey with us today, y'all. He says there's no better mentality than a miracle mentality. Tim Storey, also known as the Comeback Coach, knows Exactly what you need to do to overcome any setback. He's an acclaimed author, speaker, and he's a life coach who he's worked with celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr., Vidal Sassoon, Kanye West, Oprah Winfrey, and in fact, you may have also seen him with his good friend Oprah on Super Soul Sunday. He's traveled to 75 countries and spoken to millions of people. So if you're longing for deeper meaning, bigger adventures, and more opportunities in your life, Tim will show you how to tap into the miracle mentality. We talk about everything from lessons from adversity and hard times to dancing and how to find magic in the madness. We share lots of laughs and even a few tears. And this is truly one of my most favorite conversations with one of my most favorite people in the world. And I know you're going to love him as much as I do. So let's welcome Tim Storey to the show. Hello and welcome to True Grit and Grace. I have a legend on the show today. Tim Storey is with us. Thank you so much for being here. I'm so grateful and so honored to have you here.

What a privilege. And I told you I'm on vacation.

I know. And you took the time to, like, from your hotel room connect. And I'm going to make sure I reach out to Tara and tell her. Tara Mackey, our mutual friend, introduced us, and I'm gonna just send her a thank you card. And I should probably send her some flowers too, to thank her.

She's amazing. Let's just talk about the fact that she really is amazing. Great story. So thank you for connecting us.

Yes, yes, thank you. Well, I have your book. I, I told you before we started recording that I not only, um, No, I'm serious about this. I've got so many highlighted pages you wouldn't believe. But I told you before we started recording, I was like, yeah, some people were looking at me like I was crazy the other day because I was in my car and I was crying when it came to one of the parts in your book.

Yeah.

I just related to so much. You say there's no better mentality than a miracle mentality. And you really live that. And you show others how to have that kind of mentality in your book. And so before we start diving into your book, I actually didn't know when you grew up that your father died in a motorcycle accident. And I, I barely survived a motorcycle accident. And your father was hit by a policeman.

Yes.

And you were only 11 years old. That must have been so traumatic. Do you feel like that moment was the first traumatic moment of your life that you really started to notice that you had a miracle mentality?

No doubt about it. And I think that, you know, we came from a challenged background as far as lower income. Compton, California, very small apartment with 7 people, 5 kids, and then the mother and father. But, you know, when my father went to go get my mother food, uh, I actually remember the discussion that he was saying, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take the motorcycle, because she didn't like him riding the motorcycle very much. And so he went to go pick her up food. So he was going through a green light, and bless this person's heart, He ran a red light, no siren, nothing, hit him, and then he passed. My father passed. So we obviously had never been through anything that drastic. So that was like a— such a shock.

Mm-hmm.

Like that this could happen, that this man with all this energy could be here one minute And the next minute he was not there. Yeah. So that was a, that was a big setback that made us have to find a way to survive. And part of it was to find the miracle mentality.

Well, how did you? Because I know your mom, didn't she work at a donut place?

Yeah, you're good. I like you. And she worked at Winchell's Donut Shop.

Yeah. I mean, how did she put food on the table for so many kids? I come from a big family too. There were 7 of us altogether. And, you know, I know my mom, some sometimes worked 3 jobs at one time, and she somehow managed to do it even when she was a single mom. And so I just wonder, did your mom pick up an extra job, or how did you get through those times?

So here was a very interesting thing, is that we struggled more while my father was alive because something we didn't know is that he had insurance for things we never knew the man had insurance for. Like, for instance, He had bought all these plots at a nice cemetery. So, because you gotta understand, we were— went from lower income to lower middle. So now we're lower middle when he passed. But also he had insurance for death on the house.

Wow, he's smart.

So he was somehow thinking ahead And then unfortunately, because of the way he passed, then the city settled with us.

Oh, well, thank goodness for insurance.

Yeah. So I do remember that about a year and a half after he passed, we were now moving to a nicer neighborhood. And when my sisters questioned my mother, she just said, your dad had good insurance. But also there was a settlement took place that she never divulged at that time. But the major thing though was the devastation that I call a life interruption. But we've all been through life interruptions. For some, it's an illness as a child. For some, it's their parents' divorce. For some, it's terrible things that happened to them, of people abusing them in certain ways. But we've all gone through life interruptions. And then the key is What are you going to do once it happens to you?

And I think that's where people get stuck, or as you say, they kind of stall. And man, I, I've actually been both. I've been stalled and I've, I've been stuck for a little while, and it took every ounce of energy. And by the grace of God, I got out of that. But so many people feel stuck and they're not sure how to get out of that. But I feel like you have such From a young age, there was always something different about you. And you have this mentality that you share that allows people to see in the bigger, brighter future, even in how you dressed as a kid. Because I heard about the moccasins and the afro.

Yeah.

And you were an incredible athlete. And the part of the book where I cried was the part where you discovered why you know, your hair. You would go to this one barber who was Spanish, and they would like, oh, your hair just doesn't want to lay down. And then when you discovered you were different and you went to the barber who, he made you feel like something special. Like you realized you felt a part of. And I feel like that's what we all really want is to feel a part of and heard and understood and seen.

Yes.

And so I love when you share that part in the book. But when you learned about your aunt telling you that this family secret— can you share a little bit about that?

Yes, and I love the way you frame that because I can see that you're connected to the story. So, you know, what happens is, you know, we're, we're kids and we're growing up and we're finding our way. The way I was built is very happy-go-lucky. I see things through the eyes of imagination, creativity. Comedy. I was a funny kid. And so, but I always felt like there was something wrong that was going on in my house as far as like there was a disconnect. So what happened to me is when I was 12, my aunt came and she says, Timmy, I gotta tell you a secret because I may not ever see you again. And I thought, well, why not? And she said, because it's hard to explain, but me and your uncle are going our separate ways. And you've always been like a favorite of mine. And she said, I want to tell you because I feel like someday you're going to be very well known. She literally said this to me.

Wow. She said that to you?

She said, she said this to me. And so I just listened. She said, have you ever noticed that your father— because remember, now he's been passed for about a year— that he didn't spend time with you by yourself? And I said, yeah. She said, do you— did you ever notice that when the 4 other kids would go, you would stay home? And I go, yes. And she says, she goes, I don't know how else to say it, but that's not your father. Your, your mother and your father were separated for a period of time. And your mother ended up being with a Black man. And so your father is Black. So it was amazing that I think she expected a different reaction. I just smiled at her and I said, okay.

In your head, were you thinking, oh, well, that That's what it is. It all makes sense now.

100%. Because again, I have an imagination, so I was already trying to figure this out. So when I was really little, my mother used to say, Timmy, you don't want to go with the rest of the kids because it's going to be boring. Because I was the youngest by about 4 years, okay? And then some of my sisters are as old as like 8 years older than me. So that was my mother's excuse, that you don't want to go because it's going to be boring. So now when she tells me, it all comes together. And the feeling of being disconnected, the feeling of it looks like they're having a party that I'm not invited to, and the feeling of at times my house feeling like a cold garage. Now that's very different because I'm a very warm human. But I felt like I was living in a cold garage sometimes because there was a disconnect, because there was this family secret that was going on.

Yeah.

So kids at school would always say, Timmy, that's not your brother. He's got green eyes. He's got straight hair. He looks— they look Spanish. My mother's from Spain. And so my aunt that told me, I think she thought there was gonna be A different response, as I said. But here's an interesting thing. I never said anything to my mother from age 12 all the way to age 18. Not one word.

Nor 12 to 18, you never—

Never said a word. Never say it to my brother. Never say it to my sister. Slept in the same room as my brother. Never said, hey, Aunt So-and-so said— never. This is how disciplined I was in my mind already.

Wow.

At 18, I was very mature. I come to my mother with respect. So I first come to her like this. I respect her. So, Mom, I want to tell you about this thing. So, you know, now that I'm going to college, I want you to know that a lot of people see me as a Black person, um, as an African-American. Aunt so-and-so said to me when I was 12. So immediately my mother flared up. How dare she? It's not true. It's, it's a lie. So my mother was concealing the matter and still has never said what really happened to this day. And she's 90. She's 90.

Really?

But don't worry. She won't watch this podcast.

But yeah, my mom doesn't really even understand what podcast is, I don't think. I'm like, Mom, you can just listen to it. And she's like, now what is a podcast? So yeah, I get it.

No, no, no. But the reason, the reason she won't watch it is because my sisters will make sure she doesn't see this part. So what happens is I tell her at 18, and I let her get away with this. Because I don't, I don't push her on it. I just know she's not telling me the truth. So you gotta understand, I still don't go to my brother and my 3 sisters and say, you'll never believe what Mom just did, she lied to me. Never.

Mm-hmm.

I wait now to age 30, and at that age I was very successful as a speaker and book writer and traveling the world speaking to a lot of people at one time. I come to her as Tim Story, 30 years of age. Mom, people see me as a Black leader, and so I think we should discuss this because, listen, I don't have a problem with this situation, and I won't even go look for the man, but tell me the story.

Yeah.

Because it's my life, right? Tell me the story.

Yeah.

She goes right into the same verbiage as when I was 18. And that's when I really, really knew that she was not telling the truth. And we've never brought it up again.

Okay, I have to ask, though, did you feel like getting one of those? You know, they have all— you got the test?

No, of course, I got them all. And it said everything that my aunt said. Exactly.

Wow. Well, when I read that part in the book, actually, and I was listening to the part in the book in the car when I was crying. And it said, no wonder you liked Soul Train. You were saying about you liked Soul Train and dancing. And you came home with one of those combs in your hair, the fork.

Yes.

And I was like, I was laughing because I was like, yeah, you were like, you had permission to be you. But later on in life, you did have someone ask you a question that really hit you hard. You said, how does it feel to be not you? Or something like that. How does it feel to not be you? Is that what they asked?

100%. So that was, that was my therapist. And so what happened is that life got complicated because I had a gift. And my gift was my mind. And my gift was my ability to communicate, and it took me to big places. I was speaking to crowds of 3,000, 5,000 at age 22, 23. I had already hit crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 at age 25. I was speaking to the U.S. Congress at age 28. I spoke to 85,000 people at age 29. And so my gift just took off. So now we have a challenge because, like, who is this guy? And I had this swag about me. I had an energy about me. I was gifted in ways my family was not gifted. And so you're exactly right. I remember the first time I watched Soul Train with my cousin who's Spanish. And she goes, you've never seen this? And I go, no. And I remember now figuring out it was on Saturday, like at 1 o'clock. So I then started watching it at my house. Then I would practice. I'd say, okay, let me watch that dance as they go to the Soul Train line.

Oh, I was watching it every Saturday too. I was like, yeah. My, my first music video when I moved to Los Angeles, I got to dance in MC Hammer's music video. And I was like, I have made it now. I'm dancing with MC Hammer. Oh yeah. I was like—

I didn't know that about you.

Oh yeah. I couldn't wait to get out of Texas. That's, I mean, so much of your story about how you were like, you had big dreams and big plans and you knew it. And that's how I felt at a very young age. So I was right there with you watching Soul Train every Saturday. I loved it.

This makes me like you even more. So, okay, so yeah, so from Soul Train to, uh, meeting my cousins and being around my cousins more, because I had half cousins in Seattle, Washington, who is my mother's sister, Spanish, but she married a Black man, so they knew, they knew they were half Black, and They would always say like, Timmy, you're one of us, there's something going on. I go, I don't know, because I was always protecting my mother. I don't know. So they're the ones that took me to the local like CVS type thing and got me everything that I saw on Soul Train, because they used to say this, watch Soul Train, the hippest trip in America, brought to you by Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, and Ultra Sheen Cosmetics. So I remember seeing that they had this big gel that they sold, and you could put it in your hair and it texturized it, made it nice. And then they had this thing that you talked about, the fork. They called it either the fork or the rake. And they, they started combing out my hair and texturizing it. And then I remember I wanted to stay longer, so I called my mother and said, can I stay longer? Because I was a young teenager then.

Mm-hmm.

And she said, yes, it was during summertime. And then they braided my hair. So all of a sudden, I started to like get into that side of my culture, which I never understood before, because I was raised predominantly in a Latin family with Latin food and with Latin music. Yeah, this is interesting, right?

Yeah. So how did that feel? Did it just feel like, ah, it felt like home? When, when you got to— well, I know when you got home to your mom, she was like, take the fork out of your hair.

Yes. So that's what happened. And then like, like, in a degrading way. So I think though, in fairness to her, a lot of people face this in their lives where they're hiding all these secrets. And Stevie Wonder who's my great friend, has a song called Skeletons in Your Closet Waiting to Come Outside. I think a lot of people are afraid of the skeletons in the closet. My mother feared that in the worst way, right?

It sounds like your mom and my mom are a lot alike. And in fact, when I wrote my book, I let her read it before I sent it to the publisher. And I said, if there's anything you want me to change, let's talk about it. And I did change, take out a few things, a lot of things that she was embarrassed about that kind of surprised me. Like she didn't want me to say that, you know, she worked for an orthodontist at the front desk. And she didn't want me to say that we were blessed that all of her kids got 3 free braces because, or we probably would have crooked teeth. Yeah.

Yeah.

Because we didn't have the money to pay for braces. So I took that part out. And sorry, Mom, if you're listening to this.

Exactly. But thank you for the nice teeth, Mom.

But thank you for the nice teeth. And she also, it was hard for her when I wrote about the sexual abuse from my stepfather. And she said, well, if you're going to write about that, could you please write, if I would have known, I would have done this. And I said, but Mom, this isn't a book about coulda, shoulda, woulda. Yeah, it's a book about this is what happened. And this is what you can do about it, which is basically a roadmap to what you give people in their messes to turn their life back to magical.

Yeah. Well, when you think about— and number one, thanks for telling me part of your story. I find you intriguing. I almost want to interview you right this second. But could you imagine that So Timmy's story from Compton, California, born in Compton Hospital, ends up later in life hanging out with Jack Lemmon, my friend Walter Matthau, Charlton Heston, Oprah, Vidal Sassoon. But great friends with Oprah, not just kind of friends, great friends. Dinner parties, speaking for her everywhere, in her new book. inner documentaries, etc. So that's what I find interesting. So, you know, I'm glad that I didn't let like this news like destroy me or give me a life detour for the rest of my life or take away my joy. I promise you, I maintained my joy in the midst of my pain, and that's That's what shocked my aunt. She was waiting for this reaction, like, oh my goodness, wow, oh, this makes me angry, because she was a little bit like that. And the fact, again, that I held it from 12 to 18, and then 18 to 30, and then 30 to this day. just said something. I knew I had a higher purpose and a higher cause. I really knew I was going to be Tim Storey. Yeah.

And the fact that you held that in, that you had the discipline and the respect and the love for your mom, that you didn't want to hurt your mom, says so, says so, says so much about your character. And also, One of the things that I'm so blown away by you is just, I mean, you've got such huge success from an early age to now. You know, hanging out with Oprah, hanging out with, you are connected. I mean, y'all should see who has written all the testimonials in his book.

Yeah.

The biggest motivational speakers, thought leaders have all like said how amazing your book is. And through all of your success, you're so kind and you're so generous and you have a humility about you that you're so kind and you connect with people everywhere. Through your highly successful career, how do you stay so grounded? Is it a spiritual practice that you do every day? Is it something that you do every day, or is it the people that you surround yourself with? How do you maintain that, that's that being grounded that you have?

Well, thanks for the compliment first. And I think for me, I think sometimes we put too much of an emphasis on effort to get something. Where I think that when you plant the right seeds and you, you know, cultivate the soil and you water the seed and you take care of the seed, it grows in a proper manner.

Mm-hmm.

And so I think for me that, you know, I put myself in an environment where I could grow. And that is with education. My 3rd grade teacher, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. I remember how close I was to all my teachers. And I was like a good student. I wanted to learn. I wanted to grow. I wanted to be disciplined. I wanted to show up early. I wanted to have respect. Even though I was a gifted athlete, I was not, uh, full of myself. Uh, I just wanted to be a servant. And when I started going to church at an early age, I remember asking one of the pastors, like, who vacuums this place? And they said, we have volunteers. And they said, how old are you? I said, 12. And he said, well, would you like to volunteer sometime? I go, definitely. So true story, at 12 I was vacuuming like the foyer of the church. At 13 I was doing the tape ministry, doing tapes. So I always wanted to like roll up my sleeves and like serve.

Mm-hmm.

But I think it was part of the way I was educated. So we learned 3 ways, I'll tell you real quick: education, Conversation, observation. So through my education, I said, I want to be this kind of guy. Through observation of seeing how other people serve, I said, that's me too. I want to be that kind of person. And conversation, by hearing people talk about changing lives, I said, that's me. So the reason I don't really get so excited about all this success, whatever type of success I have, is because I feel like I am a piece of the puzzle. But I'm an important piece, but I'm just a piece of the puzzle. That's how I see myself.

Well, you're a very important piece of the puzzle for sure. You're like the, the unicorn part of the puzzle. Um, and you also discovered mentorship at a very young age, and I am a firm believer. Thank goodness at a young age, I discovered mentorship too.

Yes.

And that's how I became a dance teacher and a fitness trainer. And then every career or job I've ever had, I've always had a mentor or coach. And I think that's so important. And you learned through baseball at a young age, like what that actually was from a kid who just saw you throwing a ball on the in your yard and decided to work with you. Do you mentor a lot of people?

You have such a good memory.

Oh, I am like, I read a lot of books. Your book, I'm going to tell you the truth. I hadn't finished it yet. And I was at the gym last night. And I was at the gym a little bit longer. My husband was like, where the heck is she? All of a sudden, I'm listening to your book. So I'm at the gym longer. I get in the car and I'm like, okay, I'm still listening. And he pulls up in his car and he was like, what are you doing?

And I'm like, oh, busted.

I'm like, okay, I got to get out of the car.

That is super funny. And tell your husband I said hello.

Well, he knows. He knows that I went and told him. He was downstairs. I said, I get to interview Tim Storey. I'm so excited. I told him all about you. He's seen your book. He hasn't had a chance to read it yet. But I said, I said, and I was just going on and on about you. I said, well, wish me luck. And he goes, oh my gosh, just go have fun. He's a great guy.

And you're so good at what you do. So let me just tell you this story about this guy riding by on his bicycle that mentors me. His name is David. So I'm throwing the baseball with another kid that's 3 years older. And at this time, I'm only About 7, I think. And he sees that I, I got the ball back here and I'm throwing it and I'm snapping it. Well, I saw that on TV. So this guy rides by on his Schwinn bike and he's much older than me, David. And he says, hey, he goes, you play baseball? I go, not yet. He goes, how old are you? I said, 7. And he goes, yeah, baseball starts when you're 8. He goes, Uh, can you ask your mother if— is this your house? I said, yeah. He goes, can you ask your mother if it's okay if I teach you baseball? I could teach you to get really good in baseball. I said, I'll ask her right now. So I went in and my mother said, sure. So this kid goes and gets his baseball glove. So he was a phenom in baseball. So he's teaching me how to throw the ball. When I'm catching the ball, glove on the ground touching the grass.

He's age 7.

How to swing the bat, how to come through the ball. Okay, at 7. So when I go to 8-year-old tryouts 6 months later, these guys are going, where did this kid come from? Because look, they're throwing the ball like this, like, hope he hits it because it's tryouts. And I'm going smack.

Oh my gosh, that must have felt so good.

So it did. So I loved the fundamentals. So, but you take that, there's David teaching me at 7. Now let's fast forward and, and go up in my life and take me to like age 29, Lee Iacocca teaching me about business. So he says to me, Now, Tim, you want to know one reason I like spending time with you? This is Lee Iacocca. He says, oh my gosh, you're such a good listener. He goes, you pay attention. I go, I do. He goes, you see, you pay attention. So every one of these older guys, from Vidal Sassoon, Iacocca, Jack Lemmon, Matthau. Listen, these were my buddies. Could you imagine that I got to spend all this quality time? I had Coca for all the way to his death, since my late 20s, because I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn. I wanted to be mentored. I wanted to be tutored. I wanted to be instructed.

And now, you know what, you're so— I can see you're so appreciative though. Um, you're that— people want to teach and help other people when it's really appreciated, and I'm sure they could see the, the gratitude that you have.

It changed my life, and I, and I, and I had a lot of gratitude. And it's amazing though how life is, because I got so much from them But what they would tell me later on in life, because a lot of them had passed but I was with them to the end, is they would say to me— wow, I'm about to get emotional— a lot of the guys, and I won't name the names, would say, damn, Tim, I didn't know you'd be one of the last voices I wanted to hear.

Oh.

So imagine that, that those powerful guys That I stuck with them when they got old and got feeble, and a couple of them in wheelchairs— very famous people that I won't mention their names— that I would then be the kid that came back and spoke life into them. Yeah. Wow.

You know, when you're good to people, people are good to you, I think.

Yeah.

You know, and, um, you're a good man. Oh, I could, I could seriously talk to you all day. You just got me all emotional just knowing that.

But not on purpose. It's, it's, it's just who we are. I think, again, the— this idea that I believe that all of us have an assignment in life, all of us have a plan, a master plan. I think that even while you were in your mother's womb, that we were spoken over. And, you know, when you talk to Oprah, she'll tell you the story that she said to me in her backyard. She says, Tim, I love this idea that you keep teaching me that we've been spoken over. And then she ended up doing an interview with me, and she actually gets emotional when she says that because that was from a conversation we had been having. So I believe that you had been spoken over even when terrible things were happening to you as a kid. And you rose through things and you worked through things and you fought through things and you kept finding your way. And I was spoken over even though I felt like I was living in a cold garage.

Mm-hmm.

And that if I could find the right tutors, mentors, if I could find the miracle mentality, that I would be the person that I was called to be. And that's what ended up happening.

That, that really gives hope to everybody listening to that. And I love and I agree with something that you say that, you know, our, our purpose is downloaded on a— like, there's a purpose, and some people go searching for what's my purpose? What's my purpose? And I think that it's— we have purpose.

And no doubt about it.

You know? And I think too, a lot of times we know our purpose is connected to our joy. And if you think back to the things that brought you the most joy as a kid, that's usually what your purpose is connected to. And so I really—

That's awesome.

I thought about that and I thought, yeah, you know, I think that's true. I think that's really true. When I was a kid, I used to dance for people. My mom would say, do a tap dance for them. And I would dance and people would smile and laugh and clap. And every Friday night, I'd be at the Dairy Queen. And I was probably 7, 5, 6, 7 years old dancing on the tabletop at Dairy Queen.

Yeah.

And I loved bringing people that joy. And I still, I still love that. And so I love that.

In what, what state were you predominantly raised in?

Uh, I grew up in a small town in Texas.

What would be the— what would be the biggest city close to it?

Dallas.

Okay.

And then, and then I moved out to California when I was 18.

Wow.

Yeah, I was like, I, I was like, I'm graduating from high school and I'm out of here.

Yeah, but I think that, you know, back on the subject of being spoken over, like, you knew it. I mean, you, you, you knew that you knew that something was different about you. But at that point, early on in all of our lives, we're just unfolding. But then again, that's why mentors, tutors, and podcasts like this are so important, because some people are one conversation away from finding their path. One conversation.

Yeah, all it takes is one spark, one conversation, one song.

Yes.

One dance, one incredible book like this right here. For those that are watching on YouTube can see this. And so I just encourage everyone to really read this book because I love how you talk about how you get through the mundane, how you get through, you know, the messy and how sometimes you can, you know, even be in a place where there's madness and how you get through that. So if you could tell somebody who's struggling and they're like, oh, my life is a mess, I can't seem to see any miracles in my situation.

Yeah.

Because I know, man, when you're in the middle of it, it's hard. It's hard to see that there's anything good coming out of that situation. What would you suggest to someone who's in the middle of a mess or madness?

Yes. And so, I think that, as we said earlier, these life interruptions hit. And an interruption is a disturbance, an interference.

Mm-hmm.

But it's interesting, it's also an interception. And I feel like some people feel like somebody intercepted their life, almost like in a football game, and then their life went the other way. Okay, so now what do you do? Um, do you sit in your setback? Do you settle? Do you cement yourself in your setback? Um, when I first met Robert Downey Jr. in 1999 and we talked about his challenges, we didn't see in the future he is going to be Iron Man. He was a great actor. Tony Curtis told me that he still thinks Robert's one of the top 3.

But, you know, he's actually my favorite actor. Yes, he's incredible.

I'll tell him you said that.

Oh.

And so I think that, like, when anybody goes through a life interruption, it's tempting to sit, settle, and even cement yourself in your setback. I remember one really famous, um, agent who's one of the biggest today Said, Robert's done. I know you're helping Robert, but just know he's done. You're not done until God says you're done.

That's right.

So my steps that I outline in the book is, number one, you have to become awake. You have to wake up because it's tempting to just keep pulling the covers over. You got to wake up and face the stuff. Secondly, you have to take inventory. Like, how am I? Where am I? Why am I?

Yeah.

Awake. Take inventory. Third, you better partner with the right people. You have to partner with power. Find mentors, tutors, books, communities, podcasts like yours that you could connect to. See, in this day and age, it's different than when I was a kid. We didn't have your podcast, so I couldn't learn from, you know, brilliant people like this. So you partner with the right people, but then you need the right principles.

Mm-hmm.

So I think a lot of people are trying to get through on the wrong principles. You need principles about honesty, character, integrity, Patience, faith, hope, love, right?

Oh yeah, that's why I love the, you know, the 12 steps of recovery. I think it would be great for everybody to, to take a look at because it just is good principles for, for life, or steps for life.

I'm a, I'm a big, um, advocate of 12-step program. I work with a lot of people in the program, and you're exactly right. So the, the principles— you got to have the principles, okay? So you have to have the partners and the principles. The principles will lead you to the plan. A lot of people are trying to make a plan without having the right principles. Now you see how powerful that is?

That is powerful. And thank you for saying that because I have a lot of people ask me about my healing journey. And they're like, they don't see the part where I was in bed for months at a time healing and get— because I wasn't even on social media back then.

Yeah.

I was just, I was like trying to get the principles. I had no plan. I was just really trying to get through each day and not die. And so it took a long time. It was a long journey before I could start to even share my story. And so I always tell people, you know, share from, it's, yes, it's good to have a plan. And it's also good to remember to share from a scar and not an open wound. So make sure you're healing yourself and you're getting the principles and then making the plan.

That's so powerful. So let's Stop there just for a second, because sometimes— this is a Tim Story message— sometimes you got to go left before you go right. And so the challenges that we face that took us left, which could be you got fired from a job or a breakup or something terrible happens to you, it's terrible, but you're left. But you could use that left, as you're saying, and use it as what I say, a library of learning and a sanctuary of getting deeper. So I, I use my left, my difficult times, as a library and sanctuary, and so did you. And it was during the left that it taught you how to get back right. So sometimes you got to go left before you get right. And, um, So I like what you said about the principles, and you got to get the principles in you long enough that they become part of you, that you know that you know that you know that you know. So I'm not like trying to be me, I'm like fully just being me.

Yeah.

And that's what's coming out of you too. Like, I love how you were having fun with your husband, like, like, where have you been? Like Like, you, you're fully you. Like, I, I can feel your energy. You're just— you're fully you. And I think when somebody is really themselves, it, it causes even children to respond. Like, you know, kids, they pick up on stuff. And when somebody is just full of joy and it's just really them, full of hope, full of faith, full of energy that's right energy, you watch kids just respond.

Kids and animals, I think.

Animals too.

Yeah.

Oh, you got that right.

Yeah, man, I'm a little worried when I see my dog gets a little freaked out with somebody. I'm like, what's up with that person?

Yeah, no, animals, you, you got that right. I learned that from my friend who's known as the Dog Whisperer.

Um, I used to watch that show. We love that. Oh wait, is real— the real Dog Whisperer Caesar? Of course it's Caesar. Of course it's the real Dog Whisperer.

No, but Caesar's— Caesar's a smart guy. And one time I saw him in the airport and he was like, like sniffing me out, and I was teasing with him. I thought, whoa. I go, you do that to people too? And he goes, you just caught me. This is a true story.

You are kidding me.

Oh my God. Telling you the truth. And what I'd heard from another person is that the whole idea is that people could change from one year to the next. And he's so good with animals and where they're at that, that he, he could do that to a person like Kind of sense their energy.

That is unbelievable.

Isn't that wild?

Yeah. Well, my, my daughter who was in here right before we started recording, she's 13. And she's like, you know, Mom, I could be in here with you for this interview. I'm like, no, that's okay. That's okay. She's a big fan. She's heard me talk about you. But she rides a horse and they call her the Horse Whisperer.

Hey.

Because she's so good with animals, dogs too. But I mean her horse was this— I posted a video on TikTok the first time we got the horse. It took off and threw her over a fence. And she took this wild horse and just kept— I said, Ruby. She cried. She's like, why can't we get a nice horse? We got a pasture horse and it's crazy. I'm like, You're going to love it more. You're going to get gritty. You're going to learn patience and compassion. And you guys are going to be a team. And guess what? Some girls made fun of her at the barn because her horse was a pasture horse and threw her off. Well, she went to the barn every single day, worked with that horse. She got champion of her school out of like 54 girls. She got first place on that horse.

Okay.

And I swear it's from love.

Congratulations to her, and that's a great story. Great story. And there is something about horses. So I have stables not too far from my house, and I go by the stables about once a month. I was just there 4 days ago. Why is Tim Storey doing this with my busy schedule? Because It does something for me. I go.

It does, doesn't it?

I see the guys that are running the place. I won't call their names out, and the lady that's worked the same stables for 26 years, and they go like, "Hey, Tim! Oh my God! You here to see the horses?" Da da da da da. Oh my gosh! There's something about those animals.

There is. Well, you can come to our place anytime. Ready is a sweet horse now. He just had a lot of love and he's so sweet. But it's beautiful horses there. Beautiful, you know. And it taught— it was a really hard process. It took a lot of grit on her part and getting back on.

I like this conversation. We've gone from Soul Train to dancing to horses.

To horses. And you, you know, you'll have to come to the barn with us sometime. And I'm excited. We're doing an event together soon. And hopefully, you know what would be a dream come true is to do an event in person together with you someday so I could give you the biggest hug. I just really admire your work and all that you do. And I appreciate you taking time to be— you're here, you're on vacation, and, and I appreciate you taking the time to be on the show. So thank you. So much. And I want to make sure people are able to find your book. Well, if they just Google you, if they don't already know you, they'll be able to find it. But, but, you know, I love seeing your Instagram posts. It's @TimStoryOfficial. You can check out his Instagram. He's always posting very inspirational, motivational, heartfelt messages. So check him out on Instagram. And if there's a part of the episode that really resonated, screenshot it and make sure you tag him @TimStoryOfficial and me @Amberly Lago Motivation. And tell us where we— where's the best place you would like for people to grab your book? Is it from your website?

Well, you know what's fun is that I'm in Walmart, which is not easy, and you see me displayed everywhere. I'm in Target. And some of the—

I'm going to go find you. I'm going to go find— do they have the big like cutout of you at—

Not the cutout, but let me go one deeper. I'm in 90 airports around the world.

You got in the airports? Are you kidding me?

Not, not just the bookstores. No. When you come in the airport, you know those big screens everywhere?

Oh my gosh.

No, me talking is— I'm in 90 airports around the world. 90.

So that is incredible.

I was in Houston and I turned like this and there was my face. So yeah, so a company Um, who's phenomenal. They have me in 90 airports doing these 3-minute motivational things with all the text underneath. Then I write every month for American Airlines Magazine and every month for United Airlines Magazine. But I'm gonna blow you away. I'm in over 1 million hotel rooms around the world. 1 million.

I just got goosebumps. I don't know.

1 million. 1 million talking just like this. Little Timmy, dysfunctional family, doesn't know who his dad is, don't know where he is right now. He could be alive, maybe he's not. I'm in over a million hotel rooms around the world. That's one reason to believe in the miracle mentality.

I am blown away. That is amazing. So next time that I'm at a hotel, I'll be like, oh my gosh, there's Tim Storey.

I'll be at the airport. It's gonna blow you away because it used to be just my buddy Mario Lopez. You turn on the thing and it's Mario's talking about the movie. Yes, yes, you'll see Tim Story.

I can't wait. Yeah, now I have a reason to turn on the TV because I want to see you.

Yeah, but timstory.com, and you guys will put it all there and you'll find what we're doing. But here's what I want to say to my people that are going to follow you even more now. Keep following everything she's doing and, um, tell more people and share, share, share because you care. Because what she's up to is changing people's lives.

Oh, thank you for that. Yes, and, and I'm just so grateful. I've been looking forward to this conversation for so long, and I just really appreciate you sharing your wisdom. And, and thank you, and come to the barn anytime you want. Yes, you're, you're our guest anytime. Okay, thank you. Thanks so much for joining us this week on True Grit and Grace Podcast. If you like it, please rate it or share it with your friends. That would help too. If you're not yet on the newsletter list, come over to amberlylago.com and And jump on it. While you're there, you can grab a free downloadable gratitude journal, and you might just want to check out my book or even check out my monthly motivational membership. Thanks again for tuning in, and we'll see you next week.

Bye.