How to be a Superstar

Hello and welcome to the Soul of Innovation podcast. I am the host, Thomas Anglero, and my mission for this podcast is to share with you those private thoughts and reflections that I have being one of the top keynote speakers around the world on technology, motivation, and innovation. I hope you truly enjoy all the lessons I share, all the dots I connect that sometimes are just really difficult to get out but it's all for you. I truly hope you enjoy this episode. Welcome to the Soul of Innovation podcast. I'm your host, Thomas Anglero, and I'm fired up. Let me ask you a question. Are you a person who's always wanted to be the superstar, the head of a project, the person on stage?

If you're on a team, you wanted to be the superstar on the field, on the basketball court.

You want the person to be the person who carried the whole team.

But for years, months, whatever, you've always been that bench player. You've always been the person in the background of the project, just, you know, doing the stuff that needs to be done. But you weren't the person who was able to shine and be in front of the customer or in front of your bosses. And you always complaining, you know, it's like, someday it's gonna be my turn. Someday I'm gonna be the person to kick that field goal or score that goal or make that basket someday. Someday. Is that— have you— are you in that position now? Are you, are you one of them now? Let me ask you this: what do you think you would do if you were given your opportunity? I bet your first reaction says, oh, I would kill it. I would jump out. I would be a superstar. I would look great on stage presenting the project. I would be great out there being the, um, a star on the foot— on the football field, basketball court, or whatever have you. Let me tell you something. Bullshit. Right now I'm in a situation, I am coaching a basketball team and this is what I got. And at work, not just at my work but other places that I'm consulting with and people I talk to, I see the same thing and I connect to the dots. This is what the universe has taught me right now, and that is that many of us, many of you people listening to me, you've never been the superstar. You've always been the person in the background, right? You listen, I'm calling you bullshit. You've always been the person in the background. You've always complained. Let me teach you a life lesson right now. Those that you've been complaining about your whole life, those people that you haven't gotten an opportunity, you become it. Not the opportunity, but you, you, you, you marbleize yourself into being that complainer, that low-level That subpar performer, stop complaining. I'm seeing this over and over again. I'm coaching a team of players that for all their, their basketball career, they've always been the bench players. Now all the superstars have left and they have their chance to step up and they can't. They cannot because for years they complained because they were on the bench. They weren't the stars. They were the people in the background. And now it is their chance to step up. They can't because they created their own universe, their reality. And they're stuck in it, and so are you. I'm calling your bullshit right now. How many of you have been in the background in your project, in your team, in your job, and when you do have a chance to step up, you don't step up? Matter of fact, you don't even see it as that your chance to step up because you're so used to complaining about other people, about how you don't get your chance. You did it to yourself. I'm seeing this Worldwide. Adults, kids, all over the place. The more you complain about other people, the more you create that reality for yourself. So the secret is stop complaining about other people and focus on yourself. You want to be a superstar? Then be the superstar right now. If you're on a project and you're given some menial task, then you be the superstar of that menial task. You overdeliver on that menial task. You do things that no one's ever done with that menial task. That is how you become a superstar. A superstar isn't a superstar only when on stage. That's the end byproduct of years and years of work, years and years of grinding. A superstar isn't a superstar when they get on some football field, on some basketball court, and they score a goal or score a basket. That's after years and years of work, years and years of work of nobody seeing them by themselves practicing, doing that hard work, sitting at their desk at work, grinding away, doing that little stuff to absolute perfection. And then after that, after years of doing that, you eventually, you get your moment and you're already ready because you've been a superstar for years. You're a superstar at sharpening pencils. You're a superstar at walking across the halls and getting people a cup of coffee. You're a superstar at getting people a cup of water. Think about that. Are you a superstar at getting people a cup of damn water? If that sounds insane to you, then you're not gonna be a superstar. You're not a team player. You're not a leader. A leader gets everybody a cup of water better than anybody's ever given somebody a cup of water before. That's not crazy. That is a standard. Do you set the standard for everyone else that comes after you? And the people came before you go, damn, I wish I was like him or her. Stop putting yourself and creating a reality that puts you behind and keeps you buried down there. And then you drag everybody down with you. You take everybody around down with you. This is a hard message, but I'm calling again. I'm calling you bullshit. I'm done with this. You should be done with yourself. You want to make that money? You want to be rich? You want to be liked? You want everybody to talk about you? Fantastic. I'm behind you. I want you to get there. Then be it now. Don't complain.

Don't think negative thoughts. Don't say anything negative about anyone.

See the image of yourself being that amazing person and then be it.

Dress it.

Talk it. Walk it.

That's it.

But if you're a bench player and you complain like a bench player, uh, my boss didn't give me the job where I could shine, I don't like what I'm working on, I'm only working on this little piece of the project, I want the bigger piece, I want to be— you serious? Seriously? That's the person that we're gonna put in front of the customer? That's the person who's gonna represent our company? That's the person we're gonna give the ball to in the clutch and end of the game? Seriously? Would you? I'm being serious. Would you give you the ball? Would you give you the, uh, the clicker to go on stage in front of a couple hundred thousand people, huh? Think about this. This is your moment. This is your life. Your company gives you the opportunity to step on stage in front of the customer. If you fail, the company goes bankrupt. You know why you probably don't care? Because it's not your company. But if it is your company, and if you fail on that damn stage, not only will you not eat, but your kids and your family. And if your parents are still around, nobody's gonna eat. Not just tonight, nobody's eating. That's it. It's done. Can't be a reality is true. Look around the world today. People ain't got food. People have no opportunities. It is about this moment right now that you create, that you go for it, that guarantees your family will eat, that you will excel. But stop freaking complaining. Stop being a bench player. Stop being somebody who's in the background who all they're doing is whining. This is the key. This is the key to success. This is it. This is your moment. You've created a reality. If you're one of these people— if you're not, I apologize. Matter of fact, I don't apologize because everybody needs this yelling. I need to be yelled at like this as well.

Every single time you complain about someone, you become that person that you complain about.

That's the key.

That's the reality, period. It's a universal rule. Oh, I can't stand that person because of this. You're that then. Boom, you just became it.

It's the way the universe works. It was like, like 1 1 2 according to our basic math that we know now.

You just did it to yourself. Step up, be the superstar. Of every moment that you're in. Dress like a superstar. Talk to your colleagues like a superstar.

Matter of fact, be the leader. If you're in the— if you're, if you're on a project at work and you're in the background, be the leader of the background team without your boss telling you, without looking for freaking financial compensation. The compensation is that you know that you are a born leader. Then be a leader, a leader doesn't complain. Step up. We need more people to step up. Look around you. Who can you lift to be a leader just like you? It is a hard message, but this is the key to success. The key to success is that you don't complain, that you visualize yourself being someplace, and then you be it. And then when it's your moment, you go beyond the picture, the imagination you had, and you, you explode, and you achieve your destiny. But if you a single moment having an image in your head of anything negative, you become that what is negative. Life doesn't need any more complainers, any more bench players. It's okay to begin on the bench. It's okay to begin on a project where you're only working on some sort of basement or drawing doorknobs or, you know, just crunching numbers in Excel spreadsheet. It's okay to begin there. We all begin someplace, but that's not your final outcome. Just be the best ever Excel spreadsheet person that's ever existed. The best person to ever draw a basement or doorknobs. The best person to ever sit on the bench and cheer for their teammates.

And then immediately you are the superstar. That's the way it works. I'll end with one, one story.

I was in— I went to a private school and I was way out of my league.

It was a private school for very wealthy kids and I came straight out of the projects. I was overwhelmed and everything.

I was uncomfortable. I didn't—

was nowhere near the level of everybody around me, their education, their financial status, the way they dressed.

I was so out of my league. And one of the teachers came up to me and asked me a question.

This was like my third day at the school.

I was trying to hide a bit.

Does this sound familiar?

When you're out of your league and you're trying to hide and nobody noticed that you're scared or intimidated? Yeah, I was right there. And the teacher came up and he asked me a question, stopped me in the hallway, called me out, asked me a question in front of 2 or 3 of my classmates. And I hesitated.

And I thought to myself in that moment of hesitation, I said, either one, I try to bullshit this man or two, I'd be damn honest with him. And I said, this is the moment. I actually knew this. I was 13 years old.

I actually knew this moment was a defining moment in my life.

I could feel it at 13. And I looked up to him, I said, Mr. Nelson, I do not understand the words you use. What you just asked me, but I think if you meant this, then I will honestly try to do this, this, and this. But I apologize, I didn't understand what you just asked me. I don't understand those words. Mr. Nelson looked down at me because he was taller than me, smiled, changed his tone. And said, Thomas, I meant to say this, this, this. He said it in another way with words that I would understand, massively appreciated my honesty and had insane respect for me. And for the next 4 years of my high school, Mr. Nelson knew that I was giving everything I got and I would never let him down. And I would never fake being myself or being someone else. Don't fake being someone else. Just be you. Be the superstar. You don't know the answer? It's okay. You don't— you're nervous in a moment? It's okay. Tell people you're nervous. It's okay. It was okay. That moment defined me. That moment I still think about now, and that's why I bring it up now, because being insecure, being scared, not knowing an answer in front of other people is powerful. It's powerful for you because you release yourself and you exist. Exist in your greatness, and your greatness is being you. Sounds hokey, but it's true. Don't say negative things about anybody. Don't put anybody down. Don't wish to be anybody else. Just be yourself. Be the superstar every single moment. Be that amazing person every single moment, and you will get your moment. And then your moment will be every single moment. And that's the way it works. That's the way the universe works. I love all of you. I believe in all of you. I truly do. I believe life is about sharing lessons. Tell your stories to other people. Motivate people. People want to be like you. You just have to share you. Go forth and spread beauty and light. Think about what I've said, and if it hurts, you have images in your mind when you have memories, it's okay. Spend some time thinking about that stuff.

Release it.

The more you think about it, the less power you give that memory. And then you go on from the next moment on being a greater person. It's okay to make mistakes in life. It's okay for the past to not be the perfect person. It's all right, it's part of growing up.

You grow up and you're 80 years old, 85 years old, people still growing up. Life is a lesson.

Remember, life is about love. Love yourself first, and then you'll be the superstar of loving others. I promise. Until the next time, take care. Thank you for listening to that episode. If you want to contact me, you can contact me on my website at anglero.com, and you can also subscribe to the newsletter, or you can find me anywhere on social media with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from you very soon.