73. This Man, From Victim To Victor

The man, the myth, the legend.

Hawkeye, mate, welcome.

G', day, G'. Day, welcome.

Thanks for one of the originals of rdm. Welcome to another episode, obviously, Zell. And I've got Rick with us. Hawkeye, mate, I'd love to start. I don't know if I've ever asked you, actually, where does that nickname come from? Talk to me, man.

Okay. It's very interesting one. It comes from when I was a Cub Scout leader or training to be a Cub Scout leader. And you had to pick a name from the Jungle Book, like Mugwai and Bagheera and all those. And then there's an extra list you're also allowed to use. And Hawkeye was in there. And at school, I was always the one that noted the behaviors and the personalities of kids that people didn't quite see. And I just thought, oh, that's an appropriate name. But the funny thing was, it turned out when I was growing up, my first ever job, a bloke called me Kemo Sabi in the factory I first worked in when I was about 15. Growing up, my dad called me Jeronimo. Then when my hair got longer, your name became Apache. These are just names that people gave me, all my Indian name. So when I saw Hawkeye, I just thought, well, that's got to be that one, doesn't it?

That's got to be the one. But yeah, what do you do, mate? You work with kids in pretty tough situations as well, I guess with some of them and trying to handle and help and mentor them as well. Share a bit about that, mate, like what you're actually doing and the kids that you work with and help.

Yeah, working as an integration aide in primary schools. So that's foundation to grade six in Victoria. And it's basically the asd, the autism Spectrum kids. So it's mainly autism. It could be Asperger's, but you know, these days the kids have got quite a range of conditions and labels, but just about helping them focus. So the teachers can focus on the rest of the class as well. But the kids don't get left behind. So it's basically just trying and using their strengths. So I'm not your pen and paper kind of guy or a. So I'm more of the hands on creative side, having grown up with ADD myself. So I've also got a very creative mind. So when these kids picture things that they want to invent, somehow my mind can just go, well, I can get this and I can get that. We can put that together and this will do this how's that sound? So then I just somehow throw education and their curriculum in with that. So how are we learning? What do we get from that? You know, and just remind them of maths. Oh, we've got two of those, you know. So we did throw the learning in, but it's basically for my, from my angle, just supporting them and trying to find their strengths. And that's the beauty with the. The kids that need to help is they got these remarkable strengths that just the nine to five kids sort of don't have. And I kind of call them like a survival kit that they have. You know, they have these things that just make them who they are and then they.

Yeah, this is a fascinating man. Like, you look at that and people perceive that as a weakness in the world. But for me, I think that's phenomenal, man. And I fucking love what you do, what you said just then, because for me, conformity and putting someone in a box and making it so that everyone fits into that, or else there's something wrong with you, just doesn't make sense. I don't know if you posted it or one of the other dads in rdm, but I remember seeing it. There was a lineup of different animals and there was a safari man, or whatever you want to call him, sitting there. He's like, okay, we're all going to do this test. Everyone needs to climb. Climb the tree. Just talking to the animals. And obviously there was a fish in a bowl and there was an elephant and it was like. And then there were animals that would do it in a heartbeat and they look confused. And the point of it was. And this isn't. I mean, my teachers are primary. My wife's a primary school teacher. It's not about hacking on the industry and the education industry, but a lot of times this fucking bullshit because they think kids have to do it this way. If they don't, there's something wrong with them.

Where.

What you said, mate, I was horrible in school, very smart, what I wanted to be, but didn't align with their approach and methods. And I love how you talk about the creative side and how that helps. And do you think that's something that should hold value as an adult as.

Well, even with fathers like you say you're in rdm, you've been with us since day Dot. Like there are different ways to learn and different horses for courses, so to speak, on what's going to help the dad and the man win as well, not just as a child, but the modern world, you know, as an adult and father.

Yeah, that's right. That's what I've discovered. There's many ways to take things on board and you do have your kinetics, you know, what is it in your visuals? Seeing, feeling, touching. We all have different ways of learning and some of us have. Not just with the different ways, but we also have different strengths. And I think within rdm, it highlights those strengths that you can discover about yourself. Maybe you knew you had, but you were too not confident of having. But the beauty is we all have strength. Look, now, one guy might be a great in weights and strength and strong, and another guy might be a great thinker and another guy might be a great runner. We can't have it. You know, he might be a rare one that has all accountability, you know, facets, but that's the same thing. We have different strengths and we have different ways of learning them. And I've watched a few guys take off phenomenally just by discovering how they. Whatever it is that makes them tick, but they've discovered it and I watch them just go bang.

It's awesome. And mate, you've been one of those who's done that. But it's taken time to get to that stage and that's what I love to share with you. And obviously the dads, the guys listening to this, sharing your journey with us, man. You've been with us for a few years now and yeah, talk us through it, man. I mean, you've changed physically, mentally, even how you look. Everything, mate, you've changed, man. Far out. You change. It's amazing. And again, I think I've said this to you before. Shannon Brenton, who helps me with. He's in one of our other podcasts. He helps me with the nutrition side of things. And he's a guy who formulates our supplement and he's almost a bit of a mentor to me. I'd say he's a great guy. And I remember telling him, like, I.

Was like, I don't know how exactly.

We said. Then I'm like, I don't know how I can try and help Rick. Shannon's like, he'll be your greatest subject, mate. You'll be your greatest, your greatest. One of your greatest learning lessons because you'll find a way to connect with him and you'll need to. And this is at a time when.

Like, what you said then I was.

Guilty of the opposite.

Like, I'd think, like, nah, they all.

Have to do it this way. But now it's like, just even I've changed And man, you've been a large part of helping me with that. I want you to know that Rick, because fuck, here we are man. Share with, share with the guys your journey like a couple of years ago, where were you? What were you doing like with you with your environments, your alcohol, yourself, your self esteem like what you were doing like man I'd love for you to.

Share like where you were a couple of years ago to obviously and we'll move through to where you are now.

Yeah, yeah we spend. It's quite a copy, quite a contrast. Where I was a couple of years ago wasn't a very good space. Heavily dependent on alcohol. I've been dependent on alcohol since the early teens really growing up with ADD in a dysfunctional family and some not pretty good stories there and no role models and I had no.

Role models.

Male leading leaders in my life. So basically anything I learned I have pretty much taught myself in life that I got lost because I didn't know where to go. So I just went and traveled for 20 years and had a great time. But I was always drinking and just partying and trying to escape life. Settled down in Melbourne 13 years ago when I met the missus, I moved down here and just a big difference for me having to jump into a relationship being 10 years single and partying in the outback, that's a big change. And I just kept drinking more, drinking more. City pressures, life pressures. I was just too though I'm a very strong person, I still weak in a way because I just let it get the better of me, the addiction, the dependence. And I fell into a trap of depression for probably 10 years but only was aware of it for about 6. I'd say life has fallen apart with the ADD. My head was rambling, racing, running. I couldn't get any plain thoughts out. I did neurotherapy, which is a biofeedback with computers on your head. Did that for 18 months to try and retrain my brain because I didn't want to take medications. But then anyway, yeah, changed jobs, did rehab jobs that burnt me out. But I was just an angry, angry, pissed off of the world person. And I was working two jobs and I just get home burnt out, get on the piss, g', day, straight in, not even have dinner with me family nearly for two years it was just getting home and drinking, just hiding. And then when the RDM sort of popped along, I always had a dream of being fit and every time I've had a couple of attempts in my history in life I'd do Injuries. I'd be at the gym for a month, shoulder injury. Six years later, I go to the gym for a month, shoulder. Oh, I'm not meant to fit. I had that depressing outlook. But, yeah, then with rdm, it sort of took on a gamble. You know, being the original guys we know, we were like, you were new and we were all new and it was a whole new concept. I thought, I've got to give this a go because I've had some sort of inner wisdom about me. That's one of my strengths. I don't know where it comes from, but I do have an in and wisdom and it guided me to say, this is where you've got to go. And so we hit the ground running, doing the first month challenge and then just doing all the other exercises. We didn't really have little challenges then, but we're all getting to know each other. And the shift had happened within me because I remember being on the holidays and searching for a gym and going to a gym while we were on holidays, camping. Now, that's not me. That's not me, you know, But I was trying to get out of it.

And.

This was probably the darkest part of me depression. The last two years of the 10 years of depression was the darkest, horriblest turmoil. And just started getting a bit of faith and belief in myself with rdm. And then that's when I had that accident of snapping me wrist. And when I broke the wrist at.

The pub or something. I remember you were one of our coaching calls and you were telling us about it. Was that the one?

No, no, it was a snatch strap at the front. I had a snatch strap on a car and the lady took off before I could even undo the snap straps. It just took my feet out and cracked me ribs, smashed me head into the road and snatched me wrist, smashed it. So. So then that put me out for a little bit and that's. I was still in my depression stage. That didn't help. And then not long after that, I had some seizures, which were unexplained. And they took me car off me. Now I had me seizures first. Sorry. Had me seizures first. And they took the car off me for six months. So I couldn't get to a gym, couldn't get to anything. And that was the beginning of, oh, this is gonna be hard. Then I'll snap your wrist. And so then I even. This is gonna be ridiculous. So I just started drinking, you know, and that's when I was in a horrible dark place that I can't Even describe to anybody. It was just hideous. But then a few months later did me ankle, you know, it was a mixture of injuries. Remember in the hole, went down me back on the chuck pan and put me. I was at the nail through me wrist building the chokepan. So I just had a calamity of errors like going on. And so I just kept drinking and hiding from the truth and hiding from it. But then upon nearly losing my family, I guess so I had to change and personally I went to a reiki session. That sort of opened up a lot of bad energy for me. Never been to anything like that. That opened up a lot of just like a flushing. I just, I can't imagine, I can't imagine the feeling I had after that. I was a whole new person and I had clarity that I wanted to be better. So I jumped back into RDM with you guys on the thousand steps and felt like a fish out of the water because it was like, oh no. I'd been communicating with the group for a couple months prior but not active. And then that day, even though I felt like a fish out of water, I felt like I belonged and I was proud as fuck to be wearing a T shirt that day. And that was the kickstart. And then just like, well, I'm going to do this. And so now why do we quickly fast forward eight months later or something? You know, like it's phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. You know, in January I couldn't run 500 meters. Now I can run 5Ks without stopping.

This is a log on your shoulder.

Pardon?

With a log on your shoulder, mate. You post videos in the group where you're walking and running with big fucking pieces of tree.

Yes, yes, that's it. You know, I can only do 10 push ups and now I can work out 50 like that. You know, just my strength and my belief and my clarity, my meditation has helped as well. But being in the tribe has been the big ball of inspiration that's made me change. And it's hard to get across to people just how much I've changed. But I know and I'm proud to say that I've changed like 360 degrees. You know, I've full circle and the tribe has really helped me come along. You know, I'm not a person that just jumps into a group. I'm not a person likes to be a part of something. I call those people plebs. Look at the plebs. But yeah, but I just love this is like I don't know the tribe of Brotherhood is just amazing. It's just inspires me.

It's very special, man. I mean like the originals would know.

What you've gone through.

Rick, obviously some of the newer dads in rdm and obviously the dads listen to this. You know, they don't know you, but might not have as much of a grasp. But for me, man, yeah, like that first 12 months was a really to and fro. It was a bit of a tussle. I mentioned that before the pub fight. Cause I remember I was. One of our coaching videos you jumped on and you spoke about how you got in a fight with your mate. I don't know if it was at a pub, mate. Might have been somewhere else. Sorry if I got it wrong, but like you just. And when you're breaking the whole story down, a lot of it revolved around if you weren't drinking alcohol or like you said before, like your outlook. And it's not that I throw the words like victim and that stuff around, but there was a period when you were going through the shit, man. You were like, that's the hard part. You were going through tough stuff. Like you said with your wrist, your hand, the chook pen that the pole hitting you on the back or your issues with your shoulder. And it's almost like we saw a shift. When I caught up with you in Victoria at the start of this year, he turned it around from, I'm just unlucky. Everything bad happens to me. Which guess what, you know now that's the pattern that we then continue to attract to. Fuck, look at this bloke. Like he's got a sore ankle, but he's rehabbing it through movement. And here we are, we had a good chat, we went and did the thousand steps. I mean, as we were walking down, you and me had a great catch up. And it was like, even since then, man, you've changed so much in the last eight months to where it's now a couple of years where I've just seen this journey of real growth and change, Rick. Like your physical appearance, your mindset, everything, your performance, your energy levels, you are like the energizer Bunnyman inside RDM. And didn't you just turn, did you just turn 50? Not too long or earlier in the year.

Yeah, in April.

Yeah, yeah. You know, like, it's like, fuck, man, people think of 50, you should be slowing down. Like, mate, you've the man who was. Yeah, for the man who was 48, 49. Coming, coming into the group, mate, you've 10x that, you know, it's. It's insane.

Yeah. 50 has been a remarkable year. Like, this has been my best year personally, ever in history. But even though Covid and lockdown has been a tough year for everybody, I knew what I was. I knew I could go two ways. I could go with the rest of society and feel, oh, depressed and get on the piss and drink. Or I could say, what's this going to give me? And I had enough of that shit. I wasn't going backwards. So I said, what's. What's lockdown gonna give me? Well, it gave me time to focus on myself and get fit.

Imagine how much the change is.

Yeah, it is remarkable, to be honest.

Yeah, it's massive, man. It's. Imagine how much those liquor stores. I'd love to see the numbers.

Hey.

On what their income was this year compared to last year. It would be insane. Oh, the answer though, is it, mate. Like, this is what you've learned. The external environment and external factors can.

Influence, but they ultimately can't create a change which must start from within. I mean, is that your experience, mate? There's a spark. Something happened. Like, something happened. Here you are now, like, what, what was that? What? Like, if you're gonna help guide or give some advice or things to dads listening to this, like, why? Why change? What? Yeah, what'd you do? What, what happened?

Well, there's no written format for it. I do have an in inbuilt fighting ability. The fighter in me. Look, I do have that as a stubborn Taurus trait, I suppose, but I'd had enough and I was getting sick of the way I was. And for me to change what it was just purely timing. It's. Oh, you know, what I can say to people. Oh, you know, when you're ready, you know, but it sounds cliche, but for me it was just. The timing was right. I'd had enough. Everyone had enough. But I saw it. For once, I was the one seeing it. And when I saw it, made that decision, I said, right, you know who you are, you know what you are. Let's. Let's show people, you know, let's stop the. And the excuses. Let's try it and prove it to yourself and prove it to everyone else. And because, you know, being stuck down for 12 months out of the RDM was a bit. Bit of a blow mentally in the. And it shouldn't matter. And I know now with my recent teachings, it doesn't matter. But back then it made me feel inadequate, you know, and this is no good you know, I want to prove. I wanted to come back and say, hey, I wasn't bullshitting. I'm here, I'm going to prove it to you. And that's. That was not my driving force. Was basically saying, you know, I'm not taking long doing nothing here I am. Yeah.

The amazing thing is about energy, man, is I saw that. I saw. When you saw it. But then on the, on the flip side, like, what do you think it is that leads to other men or fathers not seeing? Like, why don't they see mate for themselves? Maybe others can see it, maybe we can see it. Maybe their family can see it. How come they can't see it? Is it because they don't create space and time, take time out? They don't have that awareness? They don't stop and breathe, they don't reflect on their life. Like, why do you think?

Because.

Oh, man, there's way more that don't see it than do. Why, like in your opinion or like your beliefs, why.

That's a lot of what you just said. But I think it comes to conditioning and we've become. We become conditioned to how we live by past experiences. So we. This is. Oh, this has happened to me for. This has happened before. So you're going to predict your future by going, oh, this has happened before. This is, you know, I've done that once for. Oh, yeah, that's not good. So you're attracting that line of thought because that's all, you know, so that's where you feel comfortable. And I think it is a level of comfort is will, I know I'm here, I'm safe here. If someone comes along that line boundary, I can see it, I can push it out, or someone's going to climb over from the back fence. I can see that I'm comfortable here. You know, it's all about comfort, I think, and not pushing boundaries to go, well, what is on the other side of the fence? What is on the other side of that line? You know, go on adventure. It's becoming adventurous. I think it's just living in a preconceived notion that this is. This is what life's done to me. This is what it is. This is all I deserve. And that's how I thought, oh, well, I just didn't draw a lucky ticket. And that was a defeatist attitude. But I didn't. I don't know. I just had no one to teach me in any other different ways.

That's an amazing way that you put it, though, man. That's a really, that's a really good eye opener. You know, like your past patterns position you to go, you know what? I think I know what's going to happen anyway, so that becomes my fucking security blanket, doesn't it?

Like it.

And it still might not even happen. It might get worse, but that becomes a security blanket. And on the flip side, like you said, adventurous growth. Yeah, man, look, I can't. I would be severely depressed, Rick, if I didn't continually grow. It's why I got rid of my gym for a seventh of what I bought it for at the start of this year. But for me it was like it was liberating because I, man, this, this gym is holding me back. There's nothing against the people or even the format of being a gym owner. Good for them. But for me, I was like, man, there are so many other different ways that I want to experience life and express the energy I can and this is not one of them. And shit man, like security blanket. Yeah, I could have stayed there and done what I knew. There's always going to be the unknowns, isn't there, Rick? It's, it's always there, isn't it? You know, none of us are different.

Life is an unknown, you know, so it doesn't matter if you think you know and you're comfort in that little zone still. It's unknown what's going to happen the next day. So branch out basically and go and look for it. Because if you look for it, you're going to find it, aren't you? If you're not going to look for it, you're not going to find it basically. But, but yeah, it's just that comfort zone. I think people just get stuck into.

It.

And with that becomes, what do you call it, like self imposing limits and beliefs. Oh yeah, I don't deserve it.

The whole self sabotaging, mate, it's, it's incredible, isn't it? A lot of times we don't even know like it's all popping ourselves. We don't know because we truly believe that's what we're, you know, that's what we're deserving of. Where it's like, man, that's not, shouldn't have to be. You shouldn't be settling for that. And you and a lot of the dads, Marty's been awesome. Tony Noyes, all the dads have been on this podcast, all the dads currently in rdm, they do say it at different levels. Like you said, we all have different chapters. But I've really noticed in you. And Tony, who was one of our later or most recent podcasts, but noticed it in you. But that's that self belief rising up with that with weights, with your performance, doing hundreds and hundreds of push ups and squats and thousands of squats. It's fucking amazing, man. Like, you know what's the greatest gift you've gotten? A couple of years with rdm. What's the greatest thing that you now have? Like yes, you've got physical ability, energy, better health. Is it some sort of mindset angle or some even a mantra or an affirmation that you feed yourself? Like what's the best thing out of all this? You go like, man, this is my jam now. This is the greatest thing I've gotten out of this from net. Now I can carve out my future even more.

I think the number one thing which I've seen a lot of other dads develop as well, watching their journeys is the self belief. I was touching on it before. You believe certain things about yourself, well, that's where you get stuck. But now I've got this self belief that anything's pretty much achievable and it's up to me. If I want to do it, I do it. You know, no one else can do it. And they're the two biggest words I got from this year was belief and choice. Belief and choice. And how strong those two words really are when you strip them right back. It's your choice on how you react, your choice what you do, and it's your choice on how you believe. So belief and choice. If you've got self belief and you've got an understanding of life's choice, you know, your bags are packed, ready to go.

Yeah, great, great points man. When I think of that as well. And you know, it's been a, been a great session with you and I hope a lot of you dads listening to or watching this on YouTube or listening on the different platforms have got really understanding the simplicity but the depth of it, belief and choice. And when I hear those things, you know what I actually hear? I hear ownership. Because when I compare that I'm like, was Rick taking full ownership over all aspects of his life? Even things were happening to him. Okay, my family's doing this, you know, I take ownership over that is the way I'm going to choose to see it. Even though they're doing that, it might be right, it might be wrong, who knows? But for me, I can own and control what I can. And that's what comes to mind. How do you then juggle that? I'm just curious as well, mate. To make sure that you don't let the past muddy the waters of the present and the future. That's possible because a lot of people do that, man. They continue to drag the shit through the mud. You look like someone who, from what you've told us and share with us so far, had some pretty muddy and messy ways physically and mentally that you've completely transformed. There's a lot of guys who'll be that way. They'll still let the path they shackle and they still fucking cut themselves short. Like they get a little bit of change or success, then they fucking cut themselves short. How do you combat that?

Like, well, I've got that doggedness, you know, that bit of fodder about me that I said, you know, and I've always loved a challenge and a physical challenge. Even when I was young I used to play footy. I used to run 10k's daily back then and used to burst my heart. But it made me feel, oh, you're challenging yourself. So I love that push and that challenge. So for me, I refuse to go anywhere back to where I am and it's come to a point now and it's only taken me this week to sort of realize it then. I'm a clean slate now. If you went really deep, there might be some childhood traumas in there that need some flushing out. But I'm a clean slate. I don't have rely on anything. I don't blame anything from the past. I'm not carrying any baggage at the moment. So at the moment I'm a blank canvas and I'm ready to create what my future is. And it's up to me now. And I was only thinking this morning that how much I personally have changed and view the world now, how different it is. I can't wait for each year to take over. You know, I didn't want to get old, but now I just can't wait for each year to tick over to see because I know I'm going to get better and, and better and better. Just level up all the time. And I'm excited to see what those level ups consist of. So I don't want to go backwards. There's no going back for me. There's nothing in the past, you know, that's gone. That's gone. Done.

Yeah, great way to put it, man. You know, it's a case of. And I only swear every now and then obviously because I'm Passionate or pushing the point. But I say it to myself, when these 50 50s come up where it's like, could go one way or the other with something, I'm like, fuck you, Little Al.

Don't.

You told me what to do. Big Al's here. You know, the older version, the greater version, the lesser version, you know, the wiser version, the foolish one, that stripping with ego or fear or other moving parts.

I'm like, no, no, I don't want to go there.

I don't want to become you again. I've already lived you. I've already been you there. I'm done. You know, that's how I relate to what you're saying there, man. Just don't no backwards step on yourself and yeah, that grip, that fight to.

To also know the difference. But then that anticipation and excitement, like you said, like, for me, I don't. I don't want to wish my life away, mate. But I know I'm 35 now. I know when I'm 45, holy shit, I know what this is gonna be. I could already see it, man. Like, it's almost like for me. And I've got it written on my wall.

This is already written in history.

All that's left is to experience it. Because I know in the now, I've got the tools. I've got the men like yourself, the tribe, you know, the disciples. Mate, we've got such a good crew here where the message is pure. It's not dumping or venting or just shit and then nothing or jokes or memes. Like, it's. It's legit and it's life. But you're right, man. Like, it's. It's exciting because where there's so much unknown in the future of what can happen tomorrow, next month, next, next year, it's best to be armed to head into that direction with the right perspective, like what you've got right now. Then the other perspective of, well, fuck, you know, this has already happened to me. Who knows what else can go wrong? Or this will just keep happening. And they keep reliving the same pattern, but it gets worse because they get older and it gets harder.

I think an understanding, if people can get a bit of an understanding about energy, life energy, it's going to help them even more. You know, outside of rdm, I've done a lot of work looking, delving into energies. Now, I don't mean energy just by, oh, I have a hamburger and that's going to feed my body to walk for the rest of the day. Not that energy, just life energy. And I used to be the type of person that the voice in my head, we used to have great battles, you know, I'm the type of person that goes, oh, that's hot. If you pick it up, it's going to burn you. Well, I'll be. Used to be the type, well, let's see how hard it is. Oh, pick that up. But that's, but that's put us playing and wasting energy, you know, and that creative thought was so destructive and now I can see, like, I think, don't waste your energy there, boy.

Come on.

Yeah, we're going this way, you know, no rub, no time for rubber neck. And just look straight ahead, look.

Yeah, it's very valuable, man. Like when you talk about. And it's a science, like, you know, when you're talking, we've spoken about this before, everyone's at their own stage. But when you talk about frequencies and wavelengths and vibrations, like, that is a science, man. And what you're putting out there, it doesn't just happen with, like you said, your physical energy or physical output and input of a food or a burger. Your thoughts are creating their own life force. And that life force then ultimately a lot of you guys listening to this would know this. Your thoughts then become the action or inaction that you take. So the reality that you create in your own head becomes a reality you put out there in the world. This is science, man.

This is quantum.

We're looking at quantum mechanics and literally your frequencies and vibrations. I get that, mate, because so much of it can be bled and lost to things that don't serve your matter. Yes, you'll get more energy, but you'll never get it back in that window of time. You go and do that on the 20th of October, the 10th of October, the 5th of October, Rick. Awesome. You'll sleep, you'll get some physical energy back. But that window that literally that scope of life is gone. It's done. People don't realize how valuable that is, man. It's really valuable. Yeah, you might wake up tomorrow, but you might not as well. You know, like time and life is very valuable. But, you know, I guess to finish up, it's been awesome having you on, mate. But to wrap it up, what's some advice or just something that you'd love to give some of the guys out there that might be they're struggling or they're in a bad way or they're not quite sure how to break the cycle or the rut, or they do have that fear of failure which for me is baffling because that's exactly where you'll end up failing. Continue to live that. But I don't like when it just comes from me too man. Like with yourself. You've been with me since day dot. What's some food for thought or some advice you can give some of the dads out there?

Well, I think to be inspiring. Like I like to inspire people to say look, I want to be a proof that yes, you can do it. In, out. You're talking to a person that's got not much self esteem and has put a few bucket loads of that into myself. Now it's because I want to be proof that you can do it guys. And you just got to learn to believe in yourself. But how do you believe in yourself? You need to surrender and not surround. You need to be in the correct environment. Now not just RDM is the correct environment. Yes, the tribe, powerful, very powerful. But that's part of your environment. That's not your environment. So the rest of your environment, you know, you work, your sports, you know, are they idiots? Are these idiots your mates? You know I've got no, I've got no qualm in cutting ties with people. I've had a no dig head policy in my life since I was 30 and I had one dick in the last probably eight years that I took pity on and tried to help out and I gladly cut ties with him a month or so ago. Had one fuck with left in my life. But, but that's it. It's your environment and what can you get from that? Are they going to help you? You know, that's where you get your strength from your environment. Now I've got great mates all my life. They're all in a state, they don't do none of this but they're still my great mates. But I don't rely on them to drive me. It's my, my environment. You know, I'm on pages on Facebook and the Internet. I hate technology but I'm discovering technology is quite powerful for learning. And so I'm on a few pages where I douse myself in there and dive in and the people are on different wavelengths and I learn and pick up so much more and in that I pick up self belief. So one is just believe in yourself because you can do it. You're living, you're breathing. If you can walk and lift things then you've got, you know, if you're fully functional, you can do anything. You can do anything. Not fully Functional either. Not making sense, but it's, you can do it. It's just believing you can do it and then focusing on that belief and how do I create that belief? Belief to get bigger and bigger. You know, even I meditate, I've got add. I can't focus on things so long, but I still meditate because I know it'll help, it'll change, but just don't. Yeah, just believe in yourself, basically. Don't think I can't do it. Because what you tell yourself is what's going to happen. You can or you can't. It's as simple as that. I can, I can't. You know, and I pull myself up nowadays. You know, I was on a professional call yesterday and I said something about myself and I caught myself, oh, here I am. And I was gonna say something negative and I said, no, I don't do that anymore. I stopped saying I am. Because what you tell yourself is what you're gonna do. So tell yourself you're gonna do it. Dads, believe in yourself. There's no one there to believe in you. You'll find people to believe in you because they'll want to believe in you. And they say you start making the effort first. So it comes down to you first. No one can do it for you, but when you're doing it, there's going to be people there that want to chip in and help carry you.

Basically, yeah, 100%, man. Some great, great words of wisdom. You know, like that self belief, self esteem, what you spoke about, like enhancing.

That, you know, it's something that becomes enhanced and amplified with the right people, the right environment. And what Rick was mentioning then too, guys, is correct. Like RDM isn't here to save people. We are a part of your environment, which is a part of many environments, which is your, your ecosystem, isn't it like, you know, like I'm not, I'm not sitting and living in your house, but your entire ecosystem has a large chunk of men who fucking love you and want you to win. And you're a legend. And part of that, geez, mate, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong or to self sabotage or destroy yourself when you've got that, that can help you remember. Remember what you can do and what's possible, which is what you spoke about. And I get it, mate, you know, whether you have arms or legs or not functioning in the sense of mate, if you're awake and live and you're thinking it's possible, you can, you can do it, you Know the hard part is, mate, like when you, when we say this stuff, the alternative, regret, all this sort of shit, you know, I usually follow it up with saying, hey, you don't have to do anything. You can just accept it, it's life, it is what it is and just make sure you put your fucking hand up and take ownership over it. But even then it's like, if you don't want to, it's already too late, man. Like, even like, yeah, put your hand up. All right. I'm 75 years old, I've wasted the last 40 years of my life. I take ownership over. It's like, well, that doesn't do anyone any good either, you know, like, you don't want to be that person who takes ownership over the shit in your life when it's already after the fact. And it's been decades. I said this in that coaching video before, you know, I've had three or four big failures, big fuck ups and then a lot of the rest of it feedback, which a lot of that hinges around what you said. You commented on the video and saying your perception at the time. Fucking bang on, man. You know, I couldn't agree with that more.

So.

No, that's great, mate. It's really, really good to, I guess a call to arms on your end for fathers. Not necessarily to reach out to rdm. This isn't like where we try and sell, we don't chase people, but just to say, like, find your right environment, find the right people and find the right you inside that, that has that belief and backs it up with action.

That's it, you know, And I've said since I was about seven years old that I'm going to live to 100. I said that. Wow. Straight out, 100% belief since I was about seven, I'm going to live to 100 dot I kept that in my mind and I said that. And I still say it, but it was recently I said to myself, what are you going to do with 100? Going to be pretty stuffed up, man. You're going to be pretty up the way you're going. You know, you might reach a number, but Whoopi do. So that's been another driving force for me because, Yeah, I hit 50. All right, well, I want to be in bloody good shape when I'm 70, you know, when I'm hanging out camping somewhere, be 70 and be like, as young blokes will be like, oh, look at Rick, look at him, hey. Oh, he's a fit bastard. Hey. Oh, dude, he looks after himself, you know, but not out of ego and looks, just out of self respect, you know, they'll be like, you know, and that's showing down the line too, what you can do, I suppose. But you know, you can't rely on people to look after you when you're older unless you've got a big family and you're all loving. But, you know, I'm sort of gonna have to look after myself, I think when I'm older and I want to be able to. That's another driving force for me.

Massive, massively, man. You know? You know, I mean, the thing is too, like, you're not just talking about, like talking about quality and quantity. Not just the quantity of time, the quality of the time that you have in this world, but also the realization, man, like we're going to click our fingers.

It's been awesome.

I've loved doing this for you today. Here we are at the time of doing this awesome, you know, back end of October, we'll blink and you will be 70, mate. Like it will go that fast. You will turn around, you'll turn the corner and then that present moment will be here and that present moment will be Rick, who's no longer 50, he's now 70. So like you said, man, investing yourself now and having that self belief will pay dividends down the track. When there are the people who. Well, before then, I've got friends that I don't think they'll live to see. 60, mate. Not friends, sorry. Old school mates, you know, I don't think they'll live to be 60, man. It's like, wow.

Like you could.

And then there are other people I've worked with. There's one of the dads who I've used to work with in my gym, Steve Cotton. I'll try and get him on for a podcast. He's in his 70s. Guys got fucking bricks for abs. And he's like, up until lately he was still water skiing, you know, 1 40, 1 50, 160 on the water. 70s. He's a beast.

Yeah.

You know, but who created that? He got the whole, you know, think and grow rich. He gave me the book, was falling apart, showed me it. Like he got that when he was a teenager, man. Like that's. Can you see the manifestation of 1% every single day? Those haven't. It's like a mindset and I guess motivational book. But him having that, going from rags to running his own business, you know, he's got his own painting business and it's like what did that come from? It stems from a seed that was just planted and then raising that self belief. And here he is, he's in his 70s. He tells me stories when he was a teenager when he got the book and went out on his own and.

Did all that shit.

But here he is now. It goes fast.

Yeah, amazing. Yeah. Yeah. And you take your head off to those dudes too because there's no technology out there. Then those days you had to read a book, you had to go to an encyclopedia or a library or something and find a book and read to learn, you know, so that's even more dedication and will 100%.

Absolutely, mate. Thanks for jumping on. It's been awesome having you. Long time coming. I've wanted to do this with you for a while, but I think like you said, timing's everything. It's an amazing time right now, especially start to head to the back end of 2020 for a lot of dads and fathers inside and outside of RDM to hear your story and yeah, some of the points and pieces where it's been pretty fucking hard for you, mate. And then, shit, look at you now. You've turned it all around, mate. Credit to you, Rick.

Yeah, and it's, you know, and it's, it's amazing. And you got to think, I've got to thank the guys in there. You guys of course are coaches, you know. Of course. But also, you know, I've got to think the guys in the tribe, you know, some of them, I've had messages, personal messages that I inspire people and that's not ever what I expected, you know, for me. Yeah, I get out there and video myself and all that because that's me fueling myself and that fuels others. That's great. And that's sort of why I'm always on the video or doing something like that, because it actually fuels me. I can do it, they can do it. Come on, let's do it. You know, and that sort of attitude. But in front of those guys, I wouldn't do that. So what people got to realize is everyone's an inspiration, you know. And I watch guys this year, Tony Noyes change around, you know, incredible. Ash Shields. Then you've got some guys who in and out, but it's constantly doing something on the outer, you know, and there's Michael, like Michael Leonard. You don't see a lot of him, but geez, he's growth and his change. So, you know, they all inspire me too, you know, and that's the thing, we all inspire each other. So don't ever feel flattened down, whether you're new, young, old, whatever. It's just remember that you do inspire sometimes. We might not tell you, but believe it. You all inspire each other.

So, yeah, great point to finish on, mate. It's possible. Continue to work on yourself. It's not an overnight thing, is it? That self belief also triggers. Takes time to continue to nourish and nurture it. Just like a plant, like anything, mate. And we're talking about veggie boxes that we got in gardens.

And you don't water it, you don't give it sunlight, don't give it love. You got to do the same with your own self belief because there's so much shit out there that'll try and pull you down, including yourself at times. The lesser version. Thanks again for joining us, mate. It's been awesome having you on.

Yep, no worries, mate. That's awesome. And fuck you.

The dads, absolutely. Those who are listening to this, we do have the same shirts. We've got our dad's strong shirts on. We're twins today.

My kid saw me at school the other day and said, oh, I like that shirt. Yes.

Good shirt, man. Looking good, looking sharp. Thanks again, Rick. And thanks guys who joined and listened to or watched this. Hope you got a lot of good value out of what Hawkeye was talking about because there's. Oh, man, the dude is a wealth of inspiration and knowledge and runs on the board. That's the big thing for me, Rick. That's what got me, you know, the highest respect for you, mate. Your actions doing, not just talking. And you should be bloody proud of yourself, man. So thanks again for joining us, guys. I hope you enjoy this. Tune in for another episode soon of Real Dad Moon podcast and we'll see you soon. Kick ass. Dominated. And don't ever lose that level of belief. And like Corpo was saying, it's there, it's possible. You just got to do it. Cheers, guys. Thanks, mate.