093: True Dedication that Lead to Being a Star with Bijan Williams

Hi, I'm Natalie. Jill, fat loss expert turned high performance coach. When odds are stacked against us, how do we shift and create everything from nothing? How do we level up when we aren't feeling it yet? Or we've had a big setback? On this podcast, I'll be talking to some of the most inspiring and courageous men and women on this planet who, at their worst, learned how to achieve success greater than they ever dreamed possible. Leveling up and creating everything from nothing. We all have those skills we were born with, and those skills we were not born with, right? Well, Bijan, he was not born to dance, let alone choreograph with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. So how did a young kid with no moves learn to achieve success in the creative space that most never even dream of? Listen today and learn exactly how Bijan leveled up and created everything from nothing. Today on Leveling Up, I've got Bijan, and he's a creative director, and I cannot wait to get to know him better and for you to get to know him better. In fact, before we started chatting, I realized that we both came from the same school of personal development, so we got a little club of people that we know together. So I'm even more excited to dive in and chat with him. Bijan, thank you so much for being here. I am so excited to dive in because I know now you're known as this amazing creative director, but that's not always who you were. So thanks for being here and take us back to who you were before all of that.

Yeah, super excited to be here. Thank you for having me. I'm a big fan of leveling up. I think it's super important to keep that in the framework. You know, always growing and always learning and always kind of leveling up. And part of my story is getting stuck in not leveling up. I achieved, you know, some success early, and then I got complacent and comfortable, and then, like, my whole world collapsed upon me. So we'll get to that in a little bit. But, yes. So starting out, I was a nerd kid who was in college to be pre med.

Okay, you don't look anything like a nerd kid. So I can see him. You guys can't see him, but he doesn't look like a nerd kid. He looks like a cool kid.

So you can definitely check me out on Instagram. It's Bijan is music. Bijan is music. So you can. You can kind of see me as. As you're listening. But, yeah, I was definitely not in the arts at all. Growing up, I was the kid who had braces on his feet because I walked pigeon toed. Okay, so total overcoming obstacles from literally day one. Born with umbilical cord wrapped around my neck a few times as I was coming out of like the birth canal. It was like my whole life has been about like rebounding from opposition.

Wow.

From birth. And so I went to school to be a doctor. My parents were very much like grooming me to be having a doctor son, you know?

Okay.

Math, science, engineering really came naturally to me. Move into being in medicine. So I was in school to be a doctor, pre med. And I just happened. I just so happened to meet this girl who was in the arts. She was like a dancer. And we were at like one of those, you know, teen club, college club type things, like the under 21 club. And you know, she came over me and she was like, flirtatious and I was like, oh, cool. Like, she likes me, blah, blah, blah. She's like, oh, are you a dancer? And like, I was sort of like the token black kid in my neighborhood. Like a little Will Smith at 5.

Okay.

So I thought that I was. And I was like, yeah, I'm a dancer. Like, what? You know what I mean? And she was like, oh, perfect. She's like, yo, I have this like dance company. You should come with us to rehearsals and you should come dance with us. And I was like, in my mind, I'm thinking she's just flirting and wants to get my number. And she's just using this as like a means to an end to like. She calls me the next day and she's like, okay, cool, so rehearsals at 7. See you there. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, pump the brakes. Like, what are you talking about? And she's like, no, the thing I thought it was. And I'm like, you want to go to the movies? You want to go to dinner? Anyway, long story short, I wound up going to this. To this dance class and being the absolute worst one in the entire room. I was just awkward. And I didn't know there was like a skill needed to dance.

You just wanted to be cool. Like say I danced.

Yeah, I just wanted to get a workman. And that was it. You know what I mean? Anyway, so really, long story short, I went to that first dance class. Me and her actually never hung out romantically. And it was like she was a catalyst for my life because I wasn't okay with being bad at something that I enjoyed. I really loved dance. I just didn't know that there was an art to it. And so I was the worst one in that dance class for a year straight. And I kept going every single week to that advanced level. I never went backwards and was like, oh well, maybe I should learn from the beginning. If I'm going to do something, I want to be the best at it. So I went to that same dance class and made myself a complete, complete idiot for literally 364 days. But on the 365th day it like I tasted blood because I wasn't terrible on that day. I was not. I was not good. But on day 365 I was like, oh, I think I understand how this works. And that was like the beginning for me. I went from dancing to choreography to choreography and doing music videos and, and being on sets and getting an agent and flying to like different cities and countries.

And so you weren't born with musical talent. You really just like one of those fake. Till you made it, like studied it.

Yeah, yeah. I just failed forward continuously.

So do you believe anyone could do that with that? With music? Especially when you think about music, it's like so artistic. You think some people are born with it, some people aren't. Do you think that that is like literally anybody can learn to dance or have that ability?

Yeah, 100%. I think that you can totally do whatever you decide. I think that people let things get in the way of their decision making process. Right. And that's where we fail. It's not about like whether you're born skill or, you know, of course there's like some natural look or talent that comes.

Yeah.

It's about the work that ensues. Right. Because it's not as we know. Like there's people who are massively successful that are not talented and are not the most like, look, right. So it has nothing to do with what you're born with. It has everything to do with like the mindset and the belief system, like, this is the thing that I'm going to do. And then the universe starts to conspire for you and things are falling. Has nothing to do with like whether you're born with two left feet or not.

Wow. Okay, so how did your parents. Because your parents wanted you at medical school, they had this whole path planned out. How did that go?

It was a big disappointment to them. My mom was very upset. You know, she. We had like fights and arguments and she would have people call the house, like, what are you doing? Like, you know, why are you dancing in the streets? You need to be, like, going into med school, you know, and passing. Yeah. These standardized tests for medicine. And it was a tough time, honestly, because when you're first starting out in something, there's not evidence of success. Right. There's not evidence that, like, you have to move forward in faith, not in, like, evidence. And so I would be excited about doing this, like, free gig in the park. And for her, there was nothing to be excited about it. She's like, you just wasted 10 hours of your week.

Oh, wow.

And you didn't even get paid. Like, go study. Like, that's going to be a secure financial future for you.

She's treating it almost like you're just goofing off, like, you're not.

And so we were disenchanted for a few years because I didn't want to tell her about the things that I was doing because she clearly wasn't excited for me.

Yeah.

And so that was a tough time for me because I am very family oriented and we are close and we're very close now. But it wasn't until her friends saw me, like, on social media or saw me on a commercial on TV that they were like, oh, is that your son, Dijon? Yeah, on tv. Like, oh, cool. And then they would call her and like, hey, Sharon, is that your son? And then. And then she would be like, were you on tv? Yeah.

So now she's starting to get impressed.

Right? And now she's in. Her friends are impressed. So it's okay for her to kind of be on board. Right. And honestly, like, I don't want to throw her under the bus. It really is a mother's concern to be like, this is a safe path for you. Like, if you study law, you study medicine, like, you're guaranteed to make excellent stuff per year and live a comfortable lifestyle.

And why do you think your parents were. Because other parents pushed that? Is it. Was it their own hardships that they had been through? Why do you think they wanted that so much for you?

You know, education is really important in my family. I mean, like, my grandmother was the first one to go to college in our family. Her name is Jesse Banks. And so much so that we started a charity where we give college scholarships to kids to go to college. It's called the Jesse Banks Foundation.

Wow.

J S S I E Banks Foundation. And she passed away, like, 20 years ago from cancer. In order to keep her legacy alive, we started a charity where every year we have a black tie dinner dance and we give away 10 to 20 college scholarships. So in our family, like, education is huge. And so for me to not move forward in the sense of like, I'm going to use my education for my success was very troubling for her.

When you found that this was your passion, that you had this creative bug and you're learning it and you were feeling good in it, did you know that you could end up making money doing that or were you just following your heart as this feels right? What was your thought process there?

Yeah, I will say if you are ever motivated singularly by money, it's going to take you a long time to get there. It's probably the lowest tier of motivation possible. So yeah, it wasn't unnecessary. It wasn't money by any means, because like I said, I was doing gigs in the park. It was more a passion driven thing. And if you can wrap your head around being passionate about something, it will bring you success.

Yeah. Well, you and I were a little bit talking about this before we started recording. I'd love to dive a little bit more into that because one of my visions and missions, I have a community called Aging in Reverse, where I really love speaking into this idea of getting back to your authentic self. Because, you know, you look at a child, most children, and they remember a time where they felt free and like anything was possible and they were being creative and they were dancing and singing. They didn't, they weren't doing it on agenda. It just felt right.

Yeah.

And I believe that creativity and empowerment, so much good comes when you're on your authentic self. But so many people don't know how to get there.

Yeah, well, I mean, the thing is they don't know how to get back there. I just want to, I want to correct that word because you are there, Right. We start there. And every morning when you wake up, you have the opportunity to be there, but you let yesterday's turmoil define your thought process. Right. So as soon as you wake up in the morning, you are your authentic self. And then you remember about your bills, you remember about your situation, remember about your trauma, you remember about your past. Like your brain puts you back into those situations on a daily basis. And so that's why morning meditation and stillness is so important, so that you can use that theta to really focus on who you are and remind yourself that yesterday is not today. Because whatever your thoughts are is what your future will be. Right. So if you're thinking of the past and the past is a negative experience, you're going to continually create that negative mindset and negative experience in different Ways, Right. Let's just say that somebody, somebody punched you in the face yesterday and it hurt, right?

Yeah.

And thinking about that today, you could literally be punched again by a different human because you're like, if I go to this place, I'm going to get punched, or if I hang out with these people, I'm going to get injured. And like, you keep continually meet people that injure you or offend you in the same type of way because your brain is your thought creating that future sense.

My listeners have heard with so many interviews that so many people that have leveled up and create everything for nothing, they practice meditation. But I know listeners are still like, I don't have the time or I don't know how to get, get there. Can you speak into that? Like, was it always easy for you to do that? And why does that work so well?

No, I mean, again, like I said, my whole life has been overcoming turmoil. And this sounds crazy, but like the universe was telling me to meditate for like two to three years.

Oh yeah. Mine's been telling me like 100 times a day. And I still, I'm asking for me too.

No, no, like literally, like, I've heard so many people and so many interviews and so many things be like, you need to meditate. And I heard my core tell me that.

Yes.

No, it wasn't something that I've been doing for a decade. It's something that I've started doing for the last year or so and my life is literally u turned.

Can you walk us through that a little bit? And I know that you're not, not your thing, you're not like this meditation expert, but I'd love to know from you because I can relate to so much of what you're saying and I want to know how someone like you made that.

So I'll expand on what I was saying. Again, when you wake up in the morning, morning and you are your authentic self. Right? Yeah. Like you're always going to be pure, but it's the thought process. It's like the chaos. Let's use the word chaos. Right. It's the chaos that, that pulls us from being in a positive space. So it's like things that have happened in your life are chaos and thoughts. And so if you can get to a place where you're going to be able to still those thoughts, even for two to three minutes, your, your, your energy allows itself to recalibrate and then lift you. So like you're create what the level of energy is in your, in your aura. Or in your life. Right. So if your energy level is really low because of stress and because of anger and because of trauma, you're always going to be at that low vibration, right?

Yeah.

So when you meditate, you're. You're allowing your body to, like, repair energetically. It's not about sleep. Like, sleep repairs your body. Meditation repairs your energy level. And when you're. When you're vibrating at a high energy level, magic happens in your life, and things happen that are like, oh, coincidentally, no. Like, that's like being in vibration universe that, like, I'm in stillness, I'm in peace. And then the positive thoughts that you have are able to skyrocket because you've. You've lifted your energy level to that place. And it takes meditation to still the mind and allow. It's like a battle. Right. You're being pulled negative. And when you still everything, the positive wins all the time because light is always going to win over darkness.

So, Bijan, how did you do it? Would you just sit the first day and you could do 20 minutes or what did you start with? I find out to trick myself, I have to, like.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think that everything is a pattern, and, like, everything that's outside of your pattern is uncomfortable.

Okay.

Interrupting that pattern because it's not comfortable for many people to be. To sit down for even five minutes. Yeah. And the more you say that I can't do meditation is the more that you need meditation.

Yes.

Let's just start there. If you feel like, oh, there's no way I could sit still for 20 minutes. Like, God bless your soul, like, stop listening to this podcast right now. Okay. Don't stop this after this podcast. Meditate for an hour.

If you say that right.

Yeah, but I mean, again, like, there's. Don't be extreme because you know that you can't commit to doing an hour every day. So what I do is I make it a part of my morning routine, and I'll speak on this, too. A morning routine is going to be essential to leveling up.

Okay.

You wake up in the morning, first thing you do is, like, jump into your shower, do your meditation practice, do your 10 minutes of exercise or your gym or whatever it may be. Make that all a thing that you do continuously every morning when you wake up outside of checking your phone and your emails. And then you get into this pattern of like, oh, I need to brush my teeth and my deodorant and meditate for 10 minutes or 20 minutes and do 20 pushups and 20 sit ups.

Do you ever fall back and make the mistake? Because I think morning routine is powerful and that's great advice, but do you ever find yourself like, whoops, I checked my phone.

Yeah. Yeah, 100%. And that's why it's great to have, like, a team. It's great to have other people in your circle. I reckon I just said this yesterday and it was like, blew my own mind. I said that. Like, I literally realized that my strength is knowing that I'm not strong at all on my own. And so recognizing that, like, I'm. I do fall back, I am, I do have weaknesses. And being in a reminder space of knowing that is like, cool. What do I need to support me? Like, I need to listen to podcasts. I need to be on YouTube every day and like, listening to these motivational speakers. I need to be in a training program. I need to be in an accountability buddy system. Like, call a friend and be like, hey, every morning call me at 9:15 and make sure I did X, Y and Z. Right? Or you can even set parameters on your cell phone that like, don't allow you to open certain apps. Or you can.

I need to learn. I have said that.

Yeah, you can put time limits on certain things or you can download applications that don't allow you to go to certain website. If you know that you're always on your, like, X, Y, Z, you can do things to fight it. Because again, I recognize that I fall backward all the time and it's the awareness to know that, like, I'm not powerful enough on my own. I need these things to support me.

Yeah, that's good. So if somebody wanted. They're listening to you. I know this was not about meditation, but I'm curious asking you this. How did you get yourself to do it first? Did you use an app? Did you just. What was the first way that you guys started?

There's a few apps that you can use. Obviously, like, Headspace is the main one that most people use because it's sort of like a guided meditation where there's like a voice that's like talking to you and reminding you what to do and breathe deeply. But I think that, like, use the app for sure if it helps you. But I think that outside of meditating for 20 minutes in the morning or in the evening, whichever you choose, or you can do both. I think that, like, taking still moments in the day is really.

I like that.

Like, if you can remember that, like, when you get in the car, first thing you do when you get in the car. Sometimes people check the mirrors. If you can just be still and take, like, 10 deep breaths. Doesn't even have to be for 20 minutes. Like, that's a. That's.

That's really good.

If you're. If you're at. On the line to the bank, just like, maybe just close your eyes or something or just take a deep breath. Like, six of them will, like, reset your system. Really good. Back to stillness.

That's really good. Okay, so back to choreography and all the creatives that you do. You're, like, uber successful with that. So it's not like you just took the dance class, you learned this stuff, and now you're. You're good at it. Like, you're uber successful with it. How did that happen? Was it a vision that you had to create that? Was it accident? What happened?

Yeah, I mean, it's tough to say the word accident, right. Because again, I was talking about, like, that mindset and that dedication and the vision. Yeah. So I gained success relatively quickly because of my focus on what it was. Right. I really. It was like, I want to become successful at this thing, and I'm gonna go to the place where successful people are. I think that's the one thing that people tend to lack, is that, like, okay, well, I'm not ready for that place. I've heard a lot of people in my industry, if you're in entertainment and you're listening, you've heard this story before. People say, you know, don't move to LA until you're ready. So get good in your small town. If you live in New York or Orlando or the Midwest or in the south, wherever you are, get good in your town. Let the local casting agents know you gain your skill, and then go to Hollywood. Well, why the heck would you do that? Because then you're gonna do the same thing again when you get to LA and re. Meet people and relearn the new skill, because different cities, different vibes. Like, go to the place where people are doing what you do and look like an asshole for as long as needed until someone in the room is like, yo, you're dope. Yo, you're talented. We like you. And then you gain success in the place where you're going to be successful. Like, that's what I did. Like, I never went to any other studio besides the best in the world.

Did you ever have to talk the voice out of your head about, like, comparison or, these people are good. I don't belong here. Did that ever come up for you?

For me? No. It doesn't really come up often, but I know it does for a lot of people. And of course, like, once you're, like, in the audition space, right, you're like, watching people. But what I do is I let that fuel me. Right. I actually. I'm so happy you brought that up because I did see other people move in a different way than I did. Once I got to a place where I was like, I was decent. Like, I wasn't good, but I was decent. I recognized that people started. People were moving in different ways and I was like, oh, got it. Like, I need to do what they're doing in order to make myself better. So as opposed to being like, oh, shoot, like, I'm not good enough to be in this room, I was like, ha, he just did something with his hand or he just used his. His body in a certain way. Got it. Like, I just use everything as a learning phase as opposed to, like, and, like, inspiration.

And I love that it's like a shift in perspective. So. Because a lot of people choose to look at it as I'm not good enough or jealousy or comparison. And you're looking at it as inspiration.

Yeah, I think it all comes from joy too. Right. You have to be excited about what you're doing, what you're creating, and, like, the joy will override the disappointment. So I was like, oh, damn. Like, I didn't get the job. Not like, oh, man, I didn't get the job. This sucks. The industry sucks. And I'll speak about this too. This is super important. Whatever you want to create in your life and whatever industry you're in doesn't have to be entertainment. If you speak negatively about that industry in any way, shape or form, it will remove itself from you. Oh, literally. So people will talk about, like, people will move to LA and be like, oh, I hate the traffic. Let's just say something really simple and silly, right? I hate the traffic. Or this place. Like, people are so fake and phony and then nothing in their life begins to develop. They don't get the job they wanted to do, do. They don't book the movie role they wanted to book. And then they move back to a different town and they just live their very box simple life because it didn't. It didn't work out for them. But that's because you're. You're. You're speaking negatively about the space that you're in, Right? Like, you can only create in a space that's a positive space. So if you're speaking negativity Into a space.

That's so powerful. Right now, what you're saying.

Yeah, think of, like, think of like a petri dish, right? Like, like literally, scientifically, like, if you put certain elements in a dish, it will grow or it will kill bacteria. Right. So if you. Putting negativity in a space, whatever that space is, it could be in your job, it could be in your relationship, it could be in your. Whatever it is. Right. You're like, oh, I can't stand when he does this in a relationship. You keep speaking negatively about that person. All of a sudden you find out they cheated on you. All of a sudden they, like, want to get. They want to separate and you're. Where did that come from? It came from you because you created this negative space that couldn't grow anything beautiful.

That's so powerful. That's like, I think of so many times that people are starting to get on social media and they'll be like, oh, social media is so fake. Or social media. So they're there and then they're wondering why they're not growing, or, I can't. I can't find a good man. And then that's. They're speaking into that. You're right.

Yeah. You perpetuate whatever you're. Whatever you're feeling like if you put this negative space into social media. Right. Social media is very vastly changing. It used to be a thing where you just, like, stayed in touch with your buddies, and now it's an advertising platform, right?

Yes.

And so if you're in a space where you need advertising in whatever industry you are, you get to love Instagram, you get to love posting, you get to love the algorithms, you get to study it, you get to. Because that's what's going to allow you to move forward and excel in it. If you complain that, like, oh, it's so. It's only about likes, and I'm so much more talented that person, or I have so much more knowledge, information that person, and they're so much more famous than I am, then you're never going to reach level success because you're damning yourself. So you get to clean up whatever you want me to clean up and be like, great, this is what the kids are doing these days. I'm about it and I'm going to learn it, I'm going to study it, or I'm going to hire somebody that does get a social media manager if you don't want to be doing it yourself. And maybe you don't understand it or it's just like, confusing to you. Awesome. Don't. Damn it. Just get someone on your team that understands it, respects it, and will help you out with it. Right? So training is really important. I mean, I. I used to be really wrapped in my ego, where it.

Was like, I was just gonna ask you about that. That's perfect, because you. I saw that on your. On your bio about the ego.

Yeah, yeah. Ego will destroy you. So I. You know, again, like, I gained success early. I made a bunch of money when I was, like, 19 years old. I was, like, driving a Range Rover, and it was like, I just worked with Jay Z, and I was. I was really feeling myself. And it was like. It was great and bad. It was great because I was like, I overcome these obstacles. I was the worst one in the room. And now here I am on sets working with really powerful, influential people. Right? So there is a celebration that gets to happen, and you get to revert back to being a harmonious human where you can get along with people and not make it so about yourself. So I definitely, like, lost a lot of relationships and job opportunities because I was like, hey, look at me.

And did you know. You didn't know that that was an ego at the time, I'm assuming?

No, no, I just thought that was, you know. You know, I was like, oh, people don't get it. Like, they don't. Yeah. You know, but I recognize now that, like, you can create so much more when you have a team. Like, when you have people that are in support of your vision, it exponentially increases. And that's about the same thing that I was talking about before is, like, this negative or a positive environment and the energy, right? So if I'm focused on a goal and there's two or three other people that are focused on the same goal, the energy that's toward that goal is exponential, right? So the opportunities and the chances for achieving is going to be so much higher. So, you know, again, it's really important to have, again, like, an accountability buddy or a support system or a small team that you can enroll into your vision that will support you. Right? So maybe, maybe you don't have the finances to hire free assistants, but you can definitely call one or two of your friends and be like, hey, this is this thing, and can you talk to me once a week about what your ideas are, even if you're not in the same field, just, like, have someone to volley off of. And in their. Like, I've had people call me and be like, hey, Bijan, like, I have this thing for you. They're totally not in my industry, but I was talking to a guy last week, and he sounds like he could be really good for you. I got a phone call. Literally, I got a phone call from a friend of mine who is a dentist, and she was hanging out with a girl who happened to be a singer, and she was like, yeah, I need dancers and choreography. And that girl called me the dentist. Okay, not in my industry, by any. Set me up with this girl to do a meeting, and I made literally, like $30,000 from that phone call.

Wow.

We went to multiple cities on multiple tours, and I also hired, like, five to 10 dancers through the project, doing different music videos, photo shoots, traveling literally different countries in the world with just that one phone call. So it's about sharing your vision with people that support you and that care about you, that will allow you to move. So I did nothing. That had nothing to do with me, but it was about also enrolling people into my vision and sharing my story, which is what social media is, right? Yeah, same thing. Like, if you're putting together a bakery and you're posting every day about your bakery, at some point someone's like, okay, fine, I'm going to buy a cake. You know what I mean? Because it's like you're conditioning them to be. To be enrolled in your vision.

Yes. I'm just listening to you right now. Like, you have such a contagious energy about you, which is a term that I'm going to use to describe you, because that's really what I see and what I hear, and there's a lot that you're not even giving yourself credit for that's really cool.

Like, you.

You really, truly have this contagious energy. So you're talking about I'm only people in your vision, but I think people just listening to or meeting you want to be a part of you because of your. Your way of being, how you're acting, your energy, how you have conviction about where you're going and what you believe in. And I want people to, because I think a lot of people, without even knowing they're doing it, are so stuck on what's wrong in their life that the people don't want to be part of their vision. They don't want to be part of it, because that's not an energy you want to be around.

Right? Yeah. Thank you for that. I really receive that. It's super important to me, too, to, like, be able to be someone that's, like, inspiring to other people. Like, I have A studio. It's called Legacy House Studios. I also have Instagram for that too. Legacy House Studios. Brand new. So no judgment. We're brand new. But I named it Legacy House Studios because it's my legacy to be able to have a space where people can create their creativity. Right? So whether you're a dancer, actor, model, photographer, video editor, singer, especially singers, songwriters, and music producers, like, I have a space where we can do all of those things in one. You can literally record the song and then go into another booth and record your music video. And what's cool about it is like, that's my legacy. But, like, what's amazing about it is that, like, people get to also create their own legacy from mine. That's what's special, right? Like, you get to come here and create some content that's gonna allow you to create your own legacy and inspire others to do the same. So it's super exponential.

That sounds amazing. I don't even have a talent on those things, but I wanna come.

We're also gonna be recording some podcasts and doing some, like, YouTube inspirational videos. I'm creating a YouTube called Legacy TV. I don't know if that's available. We'll find out.

Oh, my God.

But yeah, I just want to have a really cool space where people can, like, do their thing. Right. I think the entertainment is such a confusing place because there's no. There's no storefront to be an artist or a creator, right?

Yeah.

You want to. Again, I use the dentist thing. If you want to be a dentist, you go to dental school for two years, you go to your four year undergrad and then you become a dentist. Right? But if you want to be a recording artist, if you want to be a singer, like, where do you go? There's no place to go to. So I'm doing my part in the world to have a space where people can come sign up for package A, B, C or D. One song and one music video to get three songs and two music videos to get a photo shoot and your hair and makeup done. Right? Like, there should be a place where people in Los Angeles or all over the world who fly to Los Angeles come to Legacy House Studios and create the thing that's in their mind. Because there's so much beauty in our mind, but it never gets to develop or never gets to be seen on camera because it stays in our mind. And then we let our parents dissuade.

Us from pursuing parents, society, any other.

People, husbands, people that have our quote unquote, best Interests at heart will always say take the easy route because we.

Care about it totally. And I think they do it like you said, because they were hurt or they want to help. So they're not doing it of a place of wanting to hold us back. They're doing it of a place of caring because they don't. They've been hurt before and they think they are protecting you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you. Great word.

So, yeah, they think you're right. It's a thought. It's not true. But I feel like that people do the best they can. I don't think people are intentionally trying to hold people back from dreams. They just don't know better.

Yeah, yeah. I think that you get to dive, like take the leap of faith and anything that's like, like nerve wracking around what you want to create is the direction you should be going.

Okay, I have a few more questions for you. So I have to ask some of the obvious ones. Like when you've worked with a lot of celebrities, a lot, I'm in awe about that. Like, how did you even get into that? Like, how did that happen? Was that truly you being your talent? Were you, did you decide? Was that part of your vision to do that? How did that happen? Like, how do you meet Jay Z? How does that happen?

That's a great question. I mean, I don't know how it happened that I worked with a certain amount of celebrities. I think it just comes with the territory of entertainment. I'm not much more special than another human. Like, there's a lot of my friends who've worked with a lot of celebrities and we've all, we've all done the things I just have been. I've had more PR and stuff like that where people talked about it more. But I think that like, once you go into like, that's the profession, right? Like if you're a professional dancer, your job is to work with celebrities, your job is to dance in movies, your job is to commercials. So it just comes with being who you are in the industry. A lot of people that are quote unquote dancers or quote unquote singers, or quote unquote etc. That aren't really doing it professionally, they don't have the same type of resume because they just, they're not doing it professionally. And I ask you all the time is like, you're a singer, where's your epk, which is an electronic press kit? You should be able to send me an email with five songs and music videos and press and PR if you're a dancer, where's your reel? If you're a model, where's your portfolio? Where's your website? And I think that that's where people lack in the entertainment world, because again, there's not a structure for us. People don't even know what an EPK is, and they're the best singer in the world. It's about going to the same school that people go to when they want to be a dentist, doctor, or a lawyer. You do four years, you pay whatever it is, anywhere from five to $50,000 per year, and then you work in that field. But when it comes to entertainment, people are scared to spend 200 bucks.

And they're also thinking they're just going to be discovered. They're not thinking that they have to put in the work.

I think, oh, my God, it's you. Yeah. If you focus on spending your money on investing in your career as an artist, you could literally graduate from school at 17 and become super successful by 19.

I love that you just shared that, because I feel I would say the same in business. Like, I watch people starting a business online, for instance, and they, they don't want to invest in a mentorship or a mastermind. And it's like the same thing. Like, you have to do that. If you don't, it's like we're just thinking, why wouldn't we invest in ourselves like you said you would.

I. I try and I try and be somewhere in like, the 30% of the income that you make should go into an investment or advertisement because investing in yourself and advertising who you are and what you do, you exponential benefits. So, like, let's say again, you're the best dancer, singer in the world and nobody knows about you. What type of income are you going to create? And same thing in any genre. Thank you for mentioning the business because you have a diverse audience here, right? So if you are an amazing designer, clothing designer, and you don't want to spend money on your website or spend money on PR or spend money on whatever it may be, going to the New York Fashion Week. Right. Flying to town and networking, making cool business cards, you're never going to be as successful as you could be because the world doesn't know you and they're waiting to know you. So let us find out who you are and recognize again. And people, people damn that thing too. Like, oh, like, I don't want to spend all that money on X, Y and Z. And then they don't get the benefits from X, Y and Z. They never. They never become the name they should become because, again, we're speaking negativity into a thing that comes with territory. So true. If you want to be something, you have to do the things that are necessary in that industry. And then there's people that are like, oh, well, there's something to say about changing the game. Right. And here's a really awesome competition. We'll talk about this for another hour. But I won't. People that are creative especially, really want to be authentic to who they are, and they want to. They want the world to hear them as they are, and they don't want to conform to the trends of their industry. And this is a tough topic because I get it, and I understand why people want to be authentic to their brand or their craft or their message. And it's about earning your keep. So you kind of got to be like a sheep in wolves clothing, where you do what's being done and you sort of conform to what's happening so that you have so you're able to enter the playing field and then also get like a brand association. People respect your brand. People respect your line or your talent, your gift. And then when you're in that powerful position, then you share with them your message. Like, hey, I know that we've been doing this for a while, but this is really what we should do, right? So change from the top of the mountain as opposed to yelling from the bottom. I love that.

That's so good. Okay, Bijan, this is a question I ask every guest I have on the show, and I'm just dying to know your take on this. So if somebody's listening right now and personal rock bottom. So whatever that is to them, it could be financial, it could be a relationship, it could be business. During their own personal rock bottom, they don't know what to do. They're stuck. If you were to give them three pieces of advice on things that they can start doing right now, to start shifting and leveling up and creating everything from nothing, what would you tell them?

Wow. So that's great. I mean, first thing I would say is take action. I mean, I understand being on rock bottom. I was on rock bottom two years ago. This girl accused me of, like, sexual assault. And. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, it was a big. It was a big thing that happened. And she, you know, was like this underage girl, accused me of this thing. I was at this awesome event space, and I was with a celebrity that I won't name that night. And it was. It was a total Setup, like, it was, you know, XYZ happened and, you know, they. They tried to get me in all these different charges, and it was. It was a mayhem, but it, like, ruined my life for, like, a good.

I can't even imagine how scary that would be. You're, like, on top of the world, and then something like that happens.

Yeah. Yeah, 100%. And I was on my rock bottom. Right. And so. And I stayed there for a period of time because I was just operating in this, like, depressed state of, like, people are judging me and all these assumptions. I lost a ton of, you know, money and contacts. And so it was a really dark.

Because now your reputation is at stake on top of everything.

Oh, yeah, 100%. And as an entertainer, like, that's everything for you.

Yes.

And so I lost job opportunities, I lost friends, I lost connections. And so I just sat still for probably, like, six months. I didn't do anything. And that negative energy that I felt just begin to hold me more and more down where I felt like I was swimming with no limbs. And then you get to the point where you stop even trying to swim. You just give up. You just let life happen. And I get that a lot of people have been there or are there right now. And the thing that I'll say is to literally, like, take action and just move, physically move, get up and do a thing. Go talk to someone, get some help. If you need to speak to a therapist, enroll in a program, talk to friends. You have to be active because your brain is going to make you feel like the mountain is impossible to get over. Yeah. So being in action and making a choice to do something is really what's helpful. And again, like I said, be in the studying process. Like, be online and looking up motivational speakers on YouTube. Roll into a program. First step to do is, like, recognize that you're not broken and that you're able to heal and that we've all been through stuff. We've all hit our rock bottom. We've all had negative things happen to us. And to not let that thing define us, like, it's not going to hold me forever. That was then and this is now. And I get to operate in gratitude. Like, what are the things that you're grateful for? Like, I'm breathing. As simple as that. Like, I have a heart. Like, every morning I would wake up, I'm like, yep, I have a heartbeat. Yeah, cool. The world is beautiful. Am I breathing? Yes. So, like, you know, people live different types of lifestyles, and, like, people, you know, want Things in life. And I get it, I understand it. But if you can be at gratitude for like your core things, like life will give you more.

Okay, yeah, yeah.

So like being in. First take the action and heal, then be in gratitude because you're going to allow more to come to you when you're in gratitude of the things that you already do have. Right. And then make a plan. Like once you're. Once you're at your rock bottom, like you get to make a plan and execute, really operate in a clear vision. This is probably the most important, like, what's the word I want to use? The most important, like launch pad out of your despair is the vision. So if it takes you sitting home for a full week in a chair with a pen and a pad, literally write down the desires of your heart and just continue to write and then come up with a structured idea of what that vision is. Some people really get stuck in. And I want to clarify. Do not necessarily get stuck in. How do I get to a place?

Yeah. Not the how. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The how will allow you to be in a continual loop that gets you nowhere. Do not focus on the how. What I'm talking about is sitting down, really envisioning exactly what it is that you want to create. Don't focus on the how for right now. Just decide, I want to be this person. I want to create this thing. I want to have these experiences and in detail of those things. And maybe you can put in some by when since we're from the same community. I put in some buy whens and next year I want to do this, this time. I want to do that. Make a vision board if you need to put it by your bedside and then take a break. Don't worry about the how for right now. Maybe next week talk to some people about how I can get there or request help or request support. But it's just really, really important to focus on that vision of what it is you want to do outside of the experience that you're having now. And I'll add this as bonus, you get to also operate in the space of like internal value that I deserve these things.

So good.

Because what happens is like we have an internal program that says I don't deserve that thing. Right?

Yeah.

And that's. It's like there's a lot of millionaires that go to Vegas and hit and hit the hundred thousand dollar jackpot every time they go because their internal environment says I'm a person that creates wealth.

Right.

And they go to Vegas and they're already really wealthy and they keep getting more wealthy. And you have people that are in the negative mindset of like, I don't deserve money or I don't deserve or I don't need, you know, people, People. People will trick themselves and sound like they're being nice and be like, oh, those things. Right. Because it's not important. Right?

Yeah.

And then they win a million dollars, and then they. They lose a million dollars. How many stories have you heard about that?

Yeah, lots. Yeah.

And they lose all the money. Well, that's because the internal environment is not set for having that type of lifestyle or experience. You get to lift up your internal vibration that says, I deserve to have love, I deserve to have friends. I deserve to have these experiences. I deserve to be on a world tour with Beyonce. That's what I want to do in my life. Cool. I know that that sounds really large, but that's what I'm going to do. And it's not about one person being better than another. It's just you raising your own internal value system that says, I want these things and I deserve these things and they belong in my life.

So good. So good. Bijan, where can people find more? I know. I just followed your Instagram as I was talking to you, and you got the most visually appealing Instagram I think I' ever seen. I like that. Follow him for how to have a pretty Instagram for sure.

Thank you. My Instagram is Bijan. My name is a little funky Bijan. And then it's Is music. Is music.

So awesome.

I do some modeling work. I've done some acting work previously. I'm a songwriter. I've done some life coaching. Please send me a dm. If you need some help in your life and you want to, you know, elevate or level up or whatever it is you want to do. And especially if you want to create a legacy in art or entertainment, like, if you are just, you know, looking for someone to develop you and you have a budget, like, call your grandma and like, ma, can I get five grand to go to LA and get two songs done in a photo shoot? Right. I just. I want people to be able to, like, leave my environment feeling motivated that they can do a thing and having the actual so good do that thing, you know?

I love it.

Yeah.

So awesome. Thank you, Bijan.

Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm happy to be here and you guys stay tuned for more leveling up. It's an honor to be here and hope I have an opportunity to come back yeah.

Thank you. Thanks for leveling up with us today. Please share this episode if you found it helpful so others can join in. And don't forget to hit that subscribe so you don't miss out on future shows. And if you would leave me a five star review. I appreciate those so much. I read all of them and it's how I know that I'm giving you information that you find valuable. And come interact with me over on Instagram @nataliejofit. I read all the direct messages and comments over there. Make it a great day. Creating everything from nothing.