Taking the Leap inside Your Business with Sam Tardif

You're listening to the PT Profit podcast, episode number 206. Today I'm sitting down with coach Sam Tardif and we are talking about taking the leap in your coaching business. Are you ready? Let's get started.

Hi, I'm Beverly Simpson, former fitness manager turned online personal training business owner. And this podcast is where smart fitness professionals, including trainers and clinicians, discover how to increase client performance in movement, package and position their products and services and get out of their own way so that they can increase their revenue to live a life that they love without sleazy sales. Welcome to the PT Profit Podcast.

What's up coach? Thank you so much for joining me in another episode of the PT Profit Podcast. I'm your host, Beverly Simpson and today I have a very special special guest sitting with me today. I have coach Sam Tardif and we are talking all about really powerful things. He shares a lot of his own personal story to talk about how he implements power skills. He talks a lot about how he masters the art and science of coaching, building rapport and connecting with his clients and how you can actually do it as well inside of your own business. We break it down and work it out inside of this episode actually. And it's really cool to hear and listen because if you've been listening to the show for any amount of time, you probably know that I am very linear and I like step by step processes. I really love to like, okay, well how do you do that? And oftentimes there is an art to coaching, there is an art to connecting and building rapport and actually moving the dial. And so we actually work out together based on what he said, a four step process that you can start building rapport and really connect with your clients and and help them see results. Because what you share is that he actually does not use a periodized programming approach and he still gets his people results and talks about how he actually measures the performance when you're not using a periodized programming approach. So this is a very powerful episode. Sam is a full time strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer. He is a former athlete in soccer which he talks about inside of this episode. Now he is a rec sport enthusiast and loves to engage in all sports, not just soccer. And he is fights time each week to play volleyball, curling, drop and squash, bouldering and he will be adding in snowboarding and when summer hits, of course all the other sports in addition to snow snowboarding. So I'm really excited for you to dive into this episode. There are some really powerful key takeaways for you. So if this episode has any impact on you, this or any other episode in the show, please share with us on social tag, both Sam and I on your Instagram and of course submit a review. And when you do, please screenshot it and email the review to Chrisimpsonfitness.com because we are donating $20 for every review November to Children of the Night. So help us help more people, both children and other strength and conditioning coaches and personal trainers, physical therapists and other health and wellness professionals. So when you share a review, it will help get our message out to more people. So without further ado, let's go ahead and roll that interview. What's up, Sam? Thank you so much for joining me on the show today. How are you?

I'm doing well, Deb. Thanks for having me.

Oh, I'm super pumped for today. So for those of you who are listening and you have not heard the pleasure of Sam's work, Sam, I'd love for you to share with us a little bit about who you are, who you serve and how you got there.

Yeah, so I'm a strength conditioning coach and personal trainer. I actually mostly work with gen population, so I work with your everyday person just trying to make them healthier, stronger, better, just so that they can enjoy life with their kids and their family and so on. I am a private trainer out of a private studio. So I took that, that leap about a year and a half ago working just in a very much kind of like structured system based gym that for me as a, as a trainer, I felt like I was kind of going nowhere with my career, just working for another guy. I didn't like that because I knew I had more to give. Right. So that's where I took that leap. And now I'm renting space, starting my own little practice and I'm just absolutely loving it.

So I love that. So, you know, it's very interesting because I remember when I was a trainer and I was working in a gym and one of my coaches, because I was a fitness manager at the time, he asked me, he said, is this it for you? Like what, what happens next? And I remember the question was very impactful because I thought to myself, well, I have choice, you know, I can continue to build someone else's dream or build my own, you know, and that can be a very scary experience, especially when there are a lot of pros to working in a gym, especially when you're new because you get, you're with colleagues, you learn stuff, you test things out, it could be really powerful. So my question for you is, you know, how have you been able to continue your education and growth as a coach on your own?

Yeah. So I would have to say right away that I was super fortunate to land where I did in the sense that I had a great mentor in my boss that I had. As much as I was building his dream, you know, he, he would give us books to read, you know, almost as assignments. So that was part of the growth then.

Right.

So what I did was I carried that over. So in my own growth now it's like I, I still read every day, whether it's personal development, books, strength and conditioning stuff. And I find Instagram is actually a great place that I found so many amazing coaches. Right. So that the Internet and the online world has allowed me to really like branch out and exceed all the kind of education that I ever thought I could get. Because I learned more through all these online courses with Kyle Dobbs and like just following the likes of like Alex Epper, who I'm very interested in. His course I'm going to be taking in the new year probably here, but just like minded people just pushing the industry so kind of the sky's the limit as far as it goes to our growth and so on. So that's just kind of where I've been going with my own development and then, yeah, I love it.

So, you know, I love this because I, Kyle Dobbs and Alex, they're both incredible humans. Kyle Dobbs taught me everything I know about lifting, if we're going to be honest. But my question for, you know, is how in the information age where we're inundated with, you know, information that can sometimes be conflicting, how do you navigate and practice discernment in terms of what is for you and what is not for you?

You know, you have to have your own filter as a coach.

Right.

The biggest thing is if I, if I tried every, everything that every coach ever put out there, I would be completely lost. Right. So as you said, Kyle has taught you everything you know about lifting. And I think he was and is on the right track really. Like, like setting the way for, for training and so on. But for me that's, that's where I learned the most, was through that mentorship and just kind of they set my biomechanic understanding and then from there I built off of it just with the application that works for my people and what doesn't. Right. So I think it's the most important thing as coaches to have your own Filter and just apply the things that work. Try it for yourself. I, that's another thing that I really believe is if I can't do the exercise myself, I probably shouldn't be teaching it or trying to teach it to someone else. Right, so that makes sense to you?

Yeah, for sure.

But, yeah, and then in the industry, it's. You'll get a lot of junk, a lot of flashy stuff, and then it's just knowing that the basics is what is really going to drive and move the needle forward for most people.

Yeah. So good in your application to your gen pop. Right. Because this is really where the magic is, is that we could all, you know, a lot of people get stuck in theory, they get stuck in research, and they get set in study. And then the true magic is when we can actually apply it to our clients. So what are some of the ways that you have navigated sometimes the process? Right. So you apply something and it doesn't go the way that you want it to go. So what is your process and how you apply the, your education to your clients?

Okay. It won't be about exercise per se, but it's more so building rapport. So, you know, if I'm taught, let's talk completely gen pop, the, the strength conditioning world might not apply so much. It still does, but you still need to build rapport in a different way. But, you know, you have to really dive deep into, you know, making sure that they know that you care. Build that trust. You have to earn their trust, really. So once they know how much you care, then you show them how much you know.

Right.

That's a simple expression that you, I'm sure you've heard before, but that's, that's ultimately what's led me to so much of my success with my gen pop people. Because then it's like, yeah, okay, I trust this guy with my training. I trust this guy with, with all the coaching. And then it's like, let me show, let me show you this and let me show you why. Why I'm going to progress you to this. Or I don't like the words progress, progress, progress, and regress. But still, just let me, let me show you this and let me show you why this is beneficial. Right. So I hope that's where you wanted.

Me to go with it.

But like, yeah, no, sure.

First thing I thought of, yeah, honestly.

I had, I have no agenda. This is you just sharing a little bit about how you, you know, how you think your process, you know, telling us, sharing with us a little bit about how you, you apply it and how you see results. Right. So because it's interesting, you know, I think that we all back, you know, it kind of goes back to the question of discernment is that we have to be able to, to really look at a paradox in the sense that we have to trust the process and know that it's going to have a compounding tipping point effect as well as being able to self reflect and ask ourselves is this truly moving the dial or are we just, you know, practicing insanity and doing the same thing over and over again and you know, expecting a different result? And it's a nuanced paradox. My coach talks about, my coach talks about living on the razor's edge where it's both if everything and nothing at the same time.

Right.

And that can be hard. And I think that especially when someone is, you know, new to the industry or you know, learning and, and you know, educating in now in this or you know, get being taught in this day and age, you know, it, it's, it's a skill to practice discernment. Because back in my day I'm so old. Not really, but back in my day we didn't have the Internet. It wasn't like you had to wait for certifications to open and you had to learn everything from a book. You didn't get practical components like we do now.

Yeah.

You know, so it's, it's interesting. I like to hear coaches stories in that regard. Right. So in terms of your gen pop, right. What are some of the biggest things that you have seen in your practice that the gen pop face that strength and conditioning coaches miss?

I think that strength and conditioning coaches are always diving deep. Like we were talking into the research aspect of it.

Right.

And so focused on getting those little details right. As an ex athlete myself, sometimes you think what you're, you're giving your program is so perfect, but you're missing the mark. You don't realize that, that these people strength and conditioning in gen pop. So you think that you're, you're building this perfect program. People focus so much on that, but we're still humans as athletes and we'll miss the mark. As a strength conditioning coach, being, you know, an athlete's stress is different than a gen pop stress. But as a gen pop coach, I can be like, okay, listen, you're caught up with your kids, you're not sleeping enough, you're not eating enough like because you're stressed. And we acknowledge the stressors in our gen pop lives. But what Happens and we miss. The mark as strength and conditioning coaches is we're not looking at. The reality is these, these athletes are also facing different stressors and we're just hammering home all this strength and conditioning work. And sometimes they just need to breathe, sometimes they just need to recover, and sometimes they just need, like, you know, a little bit lesson to be heard as well. Right. So I think that's what I apply well to my strength and conditioning that people kind of often miss. The mark is I apply my gen pop kind of care first and then show them what, you know, after.

So as a, as an. Exactly what sport did you play?

I played soccer to into college, so, yeah.

Are you still playing?

I don't play soccer anymore. I play every other sport, though.

Oh, really?

Something about it, yeah. The World Cup's got me all revved up though. But hey, Canada hasn't made it in so long. So as Canadians, we're. We're watching today, we're cheering. Yeah, absolutely.

That's cool. That's cool. So, you know, what are some of the biggest differences in terms of your training that you did as an athlete or, or the training that you did for your athletes versus your active gen pop people now? Like, what are you started to go into it? Can you expand more in terms of what it is that you do differently for the population?

Well, I would say gen pop, I just need to give them a task. It's as simple as give them a different task, make them work on different things, get them moving in different ways. But I would say it's not as structured because you think you can structure their program. But then they come in and say, oh, I've been gardening for what come spring, summer, they're gardening and their low back and hamstrings flare up, or they're chipping ice for us, or it's snowing all the time, so they're chipping ice or they're, they're doing yard work and then they come in and there's always something that isn't going right with their bodies. And you're always adapting, so the last thing you need to do is try to periodize their program. Right. So as far as gen pop goes.

I was gonna say that is contrarian because we're all preordizing programming. So how do you program for your gen pop?

I think what I give them is, yeah, it is contrarian, but I, I just give them a mix of push, pull legs. Because, say gen pop, I get two to three hours a week with these people. This might be the Only lifting that they do, if they make it to all three or most people, it's even just two sessions because I'm working with, you know, mostly busy businessmen and women.

Right.

So get their leg. Yep. Get them moving. Right. So it's legs, push, pull, overhead, whatever they, whatever they can. Some rotation, anti rotation, mix in, sprinkle in some cardio, some conditioning and so on. But the thing is, is you can't. Life just hands them all kinds of different things. Some people, yes, I see a lot of success. You might try to periodize it for a while, but then life happens. So all that work of trying to make the program perfect, I'd rather focus less on the program and focus more on the person. And that's pretty much the difference.

I mean, I think that that is very, that's, that's amazing. So now when you're focused on the person and less on the program, which is a powerful, that's a powerful statement. And not many coaches operate this way. And I'll admit to you that I am a very linear type of person. I approach my business very linearly. Which is actually part of the reason why I love having Chris be part of our team is because he is, is brings a lot of the intuition and a lot of the, of the opposite approach. And I think that that is you, you need to have both personally. So I'm curious for you, how do you navigate performance? Like how do you measure progress or how do you measure. You know, this is working when you're led by intuition without saying you're led by intuition. But when you are led by person as opposed to program, how do you measure performance?

So it's, it's not going to be as measurable in the numbers. It's going to be measurable in how they feel and how they carry themselves. And it's very much going to be the intuition side of it. Okay. I'm talking about people that come in the door, shoulders rounded, you know, tired, low energy, maybe carrying extra, extra pounds that they wanted to lose. You'll start to see the numbers on the scale. You'll start to see the shoulders or change. You'll start to see the shoulders open up. You will start to see the quick really quickly. You'll start to see their numbers going up in the gym as well. Don't think I don't track that.

Right.

But even just two to two to three hours a week, take a trap bar, deadlift, their numbers are going to go up just out of confidence building, building them up from a 95 pound trap bar, 115, 185 into the two hundreds. It's still linear progression, but there's less focus on their numbers and more on how they're feeling, on building their confidence. No one's ever believed in them in this aspect. So that's. That's kind of how I see. And then I'm still tracking their progress, but it might not be to the T, Right. Because not everyone operates by the numbers, by the book like that.

So, so good. Now, do, do your. Do you have to do any perspective shifting for your clients when they are like, do they come in with, like, a very linear approach? Because I also think that that's part of the industry. The industry teaches them and us all to be linear when sometimes the truth is the growth isn't linear. Never happens.

Right.

In. In any capacity.

But yet we are.

We are under this, like, linear approach. So I'm curious, like, do you have to do perspective shifting for them?

Yeah, absolutely. I think that people, you know, the people that they have that expectation it's going to be perfectly linear. You. You do have to be like, listen, the reason, the reason that it's not going exactly as it was is you skipped two workouts because you had this event, that event, this. And it's like, so everything that I laid out, because I was quite rigid before, everything that I laid out was going this way. You came back frustrated because you couldn't do the weight that you wanted to do. So it was like, listen. And then you start to explain that to them, express it. It's like, you're going to progress over six months or over, let's say three months, but week to week, let's change your perspective on it, right? You're going to be stronger by the end of this, but you're not. Maybe you have too narrow of a view right now. People want that result instantly, and maybe they can't get it like, just like that. So that's where you do have those tough conversations and be real with them and explain to them that, yeah, you know, I think you understand what I'm saying is it's like, it's not going to come instantly, and it's. It's only going to come from putting in the reps and making the change.

How do you navigate the crucial conversations? Like, what are some of the hardest crucial conversations that you've had to have with clients? Like, and how do you navigate that? Because I feel like for a lot of new traders, at least there's a sense of like, I don't want to lose this client. Like, there's a sense of, like, gripping and control. At least there was for me. So I'm curious how you've been able to navigate that and how, you know, what are some of the hardest things and lessons that you've had to learn that you could share with someone who might be listening to the show.

Having the conversations is tough, but people, people will thank you for having those conversations after you've had them. So you get so caught up in, I don't want to have this conversation because I don't want to lose the client. But once you have that conversation, they're almost more drawn to you and the fact that you were real and raw and vulnerable with them, despite the fact that you might lose them. Right? So it's like having that conversation of, oftentimes it's weight loss. People are like, well, I can't, I can't lose a single pound even if I'm trying. And they have, maybe they have a 30, 40 pound weight loss goal or a fat loss goal. Having that conversation of, listen, are you moving enough? What does pretty good mean in regards to your food? Oh, we eat pretty good. It's like, no, what does that mean? Like, and then diving in deeper and you, you know, you have to, you draw a line on. You're not a therapist. And yeah, that's an important line to draw. But, like, you have to get real. Be like, hey, you have to check all the boxes and like, how is your stress? Why are you stressed? And why is the needle not moving?

Right?

And the thing is, you know the answer, but they don't know it yet. Or they're not willing to, they're not willing to tell you the truth about it. But you just have to navigate the conversation until they'll give you something like, oh, you know what, we've been really busy. Then they'll give you a little bit more real of an answer. And then maybe even the third, like, superficial question I ask, then the real reason comes out and they'll just break down. Not necessarily break down, but I've had so many tears. Like, it's just people are willing to be that vulnerable, right? And then the real, the real conversation comes out. And that's when I really have seen the most change, is when you can actually get them to be real with themselves and with me.

You alluded to something that is powerful and important. And I think it was Richard Bantler. Richard Bantler that said quality of your life is determined by the quality of questions that you ask. And you said that it's like asking those digging deeper. You didn't say digging deeper, but you talked about the questions that you asked them to help them self realize. To help them self realize. So I'm curious, like, what is your questioning process that you use to really get to the root cause of your client's awareness? Like, what are some of the questions that you ask. Ask to dig deeper.

One that I've been using more recently. It's just like you're having the conversations, you're getting in there and then you start to ask that, like, how are you really. Like, like, you know, you have to, you build up to the conversation and then it's like, listen, but how are you really doing? You know, and then from there I honestly, it's more. It's an art form. Almost like it's not like I have a strategy. I just want to be. Be clear with that. It's. I can't tell you. I have eight different questions. I don't have a system, right? That's, that's what everyone wants for an answer. But the thing is, is I think we need to learn to listen better. Because when I let really, really listen and understand what someone's telling me, then all of a sudden I can ask the right question. But, you know, leading with love and leading with caring, like a caring heart, you know, then you're going to get the answers and you can ask the right questions.

It's so powerful and you are answering it in the exact same way that I anticipated you to ask. But as. Or to answer. But you know, as someone who is, you know, so linear, I'm. My masculine energy is very strong. I'm like, well, how do you learn? You know, it's like, you know, I read this book called A Happier you and I actually give this book for my accelerator clients because it's like I want the step by step process on how to be happy and it just doesn't, it doesn't exist. Right. So, you know, when it comes to practicing the skill of listening better, what would you recommend to someone like me who is very linear? How would you help someone navigate these, these power skills? You know, how do you pre. It's not soft skills because these are very powerful skills. How would you help someone learn? Learn to listen better or how would you help someone practice the skill of listening?

First, slow down.

Right?

Because we always have an opinion. People don't need to hear your opinion, right? They need, they need you to so that you can reflect. So you just finished saying something. You can reiterate say, say one or two things to finish off what they said. So repeat something in their sentence so that they know they felt heard and then ask an open ended question pertaining to what the conversation is about and where you want to navigate the conversation. Because you know they might not know it, but you're in full control even if they're the ones speaking.

So. Right.

So they think, they think that like they're the ones because they're talking, they're saying everything. They, they think that they're telling you where the conversation is going. You actually are in the captain's chair and you're, you're navigating it. Right? So just ask questions open ended and then don't interrupt.

Right.

If they pause, you can lead them through, but that's it. And then you'll be surprised how far it opens up. How many steps is that too? That's it. It's a, it's a two step approach, maybe three. And then kind of closing in on it. Make them felt heard again. Just, just acknowledge, even show some appreciation at the end and be like, thank you for sharing because you will get deep with as simple as that, just listening and then just be like. And then if they feel, they feel heard, they're then and be like, listen, thank you so much for sharing that. Like you have no idea, you have no idea like how much closer or, or how honored I am, depending on this, the subject, right? That you, you're willing to trust me with this information. And then you, then you go from there.

It's powerful. So you said it's like 2 to 3, but I heard 4 and I'll repeat what I heard, right? This is what I heard. I said slow down, right. So that is like number one, especially for people like me. Okay. My brain goes like, well, not since COVID Covid is like to took a hold of my brain and taken it over. But slow down. And then you said reiterate so you repeat something that you heard back. Step two. Then I heard step three, ask an open ended question. And then step four, you acknowledge what they said. Right. And appreciate and, and actually receive it. And I think that that is very, very hard for people like me who are very linear and very like, no, no, we need to do this. It's hard for us to receive. We just want to give. And I think that that is that, that we miss the yin and yang. Right? You have to be able to receive what they heard. And, and I, I want to just go ahead if you're listening to this. Like I want to also acknowledge that if you are like me, I know this doesn't come from a place of. Of. Of power. Right. It comes from a pla. You are wanting to give and pour into someone from. Because you love and because you want to serve. But sometime we have to be able to pay attention, to serve in the way that the person is ready to. To receive it. And that sometimes means stepping back and sometimes means taking on receiving. Right. In a safe way. Right. Just like you said earlier. You said, listen, you're not a therapist. There's a line.

That's.

Right, Right. Sure. And I. And I just think that. And I also say to Sam, like, I'll share that the fastest way I learned some of this stuff was becoming a parent.

Right.

Because this is the stuff I do with my children.

Right?

Right. They're my biggest teachers.

I believe it. Oh, that's amazing. Yeah. And they have so many lessons to teach you.

It's cool.

Oh, my gosh. It's every day, every, every moment. It's amazing. So now I'm curious, you know, how do you navigate? Because this. Some of this stuff is heavy. Right. Some of this stuff and some of the stuff that people will bring to you when you can create the safe environment can be very like, whoa, I can't hold that. Right. So how do you navigate? You know, this. But also, like, let's get to work and move. Like, how does this all happen in a session for you?

It sure happens, but it's. It is a challenge. I'm going to say that right away. Movement is first.

Right.

I think that if anything, it only. It comes out on their bad days, and they're not going to get much out of their session anyway if they're. If they're that strung up like, you can. You can help them release. Sometimes that's all they need. And that's. That's where the art comes into it.

Right.

You have to know when the conversation doesn't need to happen and they just need to, like, sweat it out, you know, lift the weights and so on. And most times that's when it happens. Like, you know, that's. Or, sorry. That most times that's all they need. These conversations. This is 2% of it. But that 2% is what's made the difference for some of my clients.

Right.

Is knowing that they can have those conversations and feel comfortable. But most times they're coming in and I'm just kicking their butts and giving them a good workout. So when it happens, it's like, listen, I like, you've been heard. Your rest time is up. Let's go. You, you know, you're doing, you know you're doing bicep curls, right? And then you just, you know, and you just, you bring them back and you just remind them. It's like, hey, you're here to work. You're here to work on more than just this. Like we have, we have two hours in the week together. Let's make the most of it, right? So I think that the conversation, it's just, it's just communication and that's it. It's as simple, as simple as that.

So communication and boundaries, I would add that.

And that's where, that's why I said it's 2% of it. Don't, don't go on thinking that that's, that's what a typical session looks like. Your session is. Your session is going to be conversation during your rest time. Yeah, that's about it. And then maybe during your warm ups and so on, but that's about it.

That's good. So what are some of the hardest cases or some of the hardest experiences? Learning lessons that you have received in your career that you would want to share with somebody who's maybe new at the beginning in the hopes to save them from the pain you experience?

You're going to start out, you're probably going to start out at working for someone at like at a box gym. This was like a, more of a private gym that I was at. I had a lack of communication. You know, I thought the communication had to come from the top, from my boss. But if I didn't like something, I, I would just talk to my co workers about it and we make each other feel better about it just by venting about it. But talk to, talk to your manager, talk to your boss, talk to build, build a connection with them. Because when, when they know that they're, you're bought in and when they, they want to hear that you have a problem or that you have questions. Right. So I, I just, I took the pride. I said, you know what? No, I can't go, I can't show weakness. I can't ask my boss for help. I can't ask my boss. But when I thought I was doing a good job, I couldn't ask for a raise because, you know, I thought that should be given to me, not asked for. So I would say a big tip is just like swallow your pride, ask for help and talk to, and don't, don't go talking kind of like, and asking for something behind Someone's back or wishing for something, I guess, is what it would be. Don't wish for it, ask for it and communicate to get to the position.

You want to be in.

Have you ever read the book Ask?

No, but I'm writing it down right now. What about it?

Well, it's a, It's a. It's an excellent point. And I think that so many people miss this. And to be honest with you, like, I'm gonna just share this with you in terms of, like, as people are building businesses, I think that one of the biggest mistakes that people get into personally is that they just don't ask and they assume. And it's this, this unspoken assumption that, oh, people already know that I have stuff for sale. People already know that I water raised. People already know. And that is one of the biggest traps that you can fall into because it's just simply not true. You're not the. The. If you are coming from a service place, a service heart, you cannot, in my opinion, over communicate.

Right.

And I think that there's this big industry push from people who are popular that are like, don't sell, don't sell, don't sell, sell. And I'm thinking to myself, well, if you're not asking or inviting the experience, then it's going to keep you broke. What we really need to look at is our relationship to selling, our relationship to our service, our relationship to our own products, and our relationship to helping our people. And when you look closely at that and come from a place of. Of service and communicate it over and over, then. Then you'll grow. So that, I mean, so the book Ask talks exactly about that. This point. Right. Which is ask more from a service heart and you will get what you want. As opposed to what happens to so many people is they'll just get bitter.

Right.

And resentful.

Absolutely. Yeah. And that I can say firsthand. And that that's what happened.

Right.

I mean, don't get me wrong, it's pushed me out of my comfort zone and it almost forced my hand to do something else. But, you know, you. I. I had amazing connections, amazing clients there, and a community built there. But it's. I was almost like I built so much resentment towards the place and my boss and so on, and it's like hindsight, I'm very happy where I am, but it's like all I had to do was ask, have the conversation. Instead of. We both pushed. Quick story. It's just. We both kind of just pushed away is like we didn't want to, we didn't want to talk. We didn't want to, we didn't want to ask, you know, so, and just have that conversation. It could be a whole different, whole different story. So that, that would be my simple tip there and then.

Yeah.

Then just trust yourself, right? Once, once you do take the dive, trust yourself.

Right.

Imposter syndrome. Everyone, Everyone deals with it. I, I, I almost canceled this podcast four times because no way. I was, I was, I was trembling at the start of the podcast because it's like, you know, you lead yourself to believe that you, someone else has better things to say than you. Right? So, and it's, and it's just how it is. And that's so many people deal with it. So I think it's important to say it because pts will be listening and so on. But it's like, listen, you are, you know so much. You are enough. And just, yeah, like, bet on yourself.

Right?

Oh, my gosh. Thank you for sharing that first.

Yeah, absolutely.

Because I'm like, oh, my gosh, that I wouldn't. That's crazy to me. Right. But it's something I talk about a lot because people will tell you it's new devil, like new level, new devil. Right. When I actually just, I actually don't think it's true, to be honest with you. To be honest. What it is is that it's new level, same devil with a different dress on, because it's gonna show up like the, the, the wherever you go, there you are.

Right.

Okay. And I know that's in a song. I don't know what song it is. I've never heard the song. But the truth is that the neural pathways in your brain are going to exist, so that level of imposter syndrome shows up no matter what level you're at. And it's not about trying to, to. This is, it's so interesting to me because, you know, it's not about being fearless because you cannot have courage without the absence, with the absence of fear.

Right.

You are courageous because fear is there.

Right.

You don't know courage without fear. That's why it's that it goes back to the razor's edge. Everything and nothing at the same time.

Right.

And so, and so that it's not about, like, trying to be like, oh, you know, imposter syndrome. Every person has that, oh, I could get into, like, oh, so and so has 2 million downloads. And I don't. Right, Right. It doesn't matter what level it is. There's always going to be someone ahead of you and behind you. And so I just think it's really powerful to. When you speak it into existence and acknowledge it, you're already lessening the power it has over you. I think.

Absolutely right.

So I think that that's powerful. And trusting yourself, going all in on you, that's one of the hardest, most important leaps you can make.

Absolutely, absolutely.

So I'm. I'm curious for you, right? I want to be mindful of your time, so I'll let this be the last question. So I'm. I'm curious for you. Okay, There's a moment, and I'm going to use an analogy and just give it some. To give it legs, but there's a moment where you get to, like, the edge of the cliff, and you're like, I need to take this leap. I'm either gonna do it or not.

Right?

Okay. How have you been able to navigate those moments and, and actually trust yourself? Like, what is it that you have said to yourself that you would recommend to someone like, that they were out on the ledge, what would you say to them?

I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Would be the first. But that's. You can't just say, what's the worst that can happen? And jump. It's built up from. Look back at your growth, right? So I can be like, what's the worst that can happen? But the reason I got to that. And then I can say, okay, yeah, you're right. And then you have that aha moment. You're like, yeah, you're right. You finally led yourself to, like, put the imposter away and then believe it. But it's, it's looking back at your growth and just reminding yourself. It's like, okay, this time six months ago, this time last year, and this time two years ago, where were you?

Right?

You have to. You have to have those conversations with yourself and be like, listen, you've come so far. It's like, if this, say, the jump was like, two years in the making, be like, then you don't just reflect, but you look forward. It's like, if I have had this much growth now, talk linearly, right? How much more growth am I going to have? Will this room allow me to grow that much? So are the people in this room, or is this establishment, whatever it is, allowing me to have that much growth, or do I need to go put myself out of a comfort zone, join a mentorship, learn from the best, take that leap? That leap happened. I, I did. I did the jump from the job that I had into doing my own training in the middle of the mentorship with Kyle.

Right.

So it was just like, I was like, I want to be in a bigger group, so I want to.

I want to.

I want bigger leaps eventually. So if I don't take this leap, I can't take the next leap.

Yeah. It's so good. You know, my dad and I were talking about this. And I'll just add to it, too, because my dad and I were talking about this this morning as well. Is that really, ultimately, at the end of the day, it's about mitigating risk. Right. It's about. It's about having courage, which. Which requires you to integrate fear, because fear is not going away. Right. So it's like, hello, Darkness, my old friend, is about integrating fear and courage and then mitigating risk, but making the risk manageable enough that it pushes you outside of your comfort zone, because that's where change happens. But it doesn't put you into a place of, like, scarcity and urgency at all cost. Right. Well, sometimes it's not like, let's. It's not about, like, being a toddler and learning to walk and then running a marathon. It's about taking the next best step.

Yeah.

And then trusting yourself, knowing that whatever that is. Because for people like me who are high achievers, I actually love that you said you have to be able to look back because it's so easy for us to focus on the gap and forgetting about how far we've come. Right. So I. I love that. And it's also about, like, you're not going to get it right, and that's okay. But what if you. What if you went into every decision knowing that I can't make a. I can't make a mistake. I can't get it wrong.

Great.

It's so powerful.

Yeah.

You'll be paralyzed and you won't move. Right. So. Yeah. You have to take action.

Right.

So you.

Absolutely. So good. Okay. Sam, you crushed it. Thank you so much for hanging out with me today. So for those of you who want to connect with you, learn more from you, where are some of the best places that I can send them?

Send my Instagram. So just at Sam. Underscore. Tardif. Underscore. That's. That's the best place.

Yeah.

Cool. So we'll send them your way. So thanks so much for hanging out with me today. I really appreciate it.

Absolutely. Thanks so much for your time. It's a great conversation.

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