One of the great things about social media is how it exposes you to people you would otherwise never meet. We recently met @EdLatimore via Twitter, and got together for a wide-ranging, value-packed conversation with him.
Allow me to introduce Ed: a dual major in Physics and Electrical Engineering from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a man who grew up in the projects, an undefeated 9-0 heavyweight boxer, and a member of the Army National Guard, and I believe he also speaks French (although I didn’t ask him about that.)
I present some brief show highlights below, but there’s really no way to encapsulate all the good stuff in this conversation. Listen to the whole thing right now:
Highlights from the interview:
- What Ed learned growing up in the Projects
- The power of sobriety …and how there’s no place for alcohol if you want to be productive
- Time management tip: “emptying the bucket”
- Truism: “No matter how well you do, somebody is gonna tell you that you suck.”
- The truth about boxing: it sucks, and “you have to choose your sh!t sandwich.”
- You cannot do things because of other people.
- How important it is to be careful who you take advice from, especially as you get to higher levels of performance
- How healthy relationships are built on not becoming a guy who caters to your woman
- The path of mastery: “After 8 years, I’m just starting to understand boxing”
- Ed’s advice to young men: choose good people to be around (positive peer pressure)
- Being popular is unimportant
- Biggest advice to young men, guys age 18 – 25 – #1 spend time getting good at something and don’t b*tch out – and it’s going to suck, but stick with it and learn how to suffer, and #2 stand up for yourself.
- “It’s gonna be tough, but it’s gonna make you a better person.”
- “You’re gonna be in pain no matter what. So are you gonna be in pain because you’re chasing something you want, or because you’re avoiding something you don’t want?”
- “Athletes naturally understand that you have to suffer in order to get a thing.” (This is part of the reason that cutting athletics from our kid’s lives makes them weak and unproductive in adulthood.)
- “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
- Every man should live with a woman and experience fighting with someone you live with.
- Ed explains “Fear of success” and why it’s so debilitating
- Stop worrying about what people think about you: ask yourself, “What do I want that’s best for ME?”
Definitely follow this gentlemen on Twitter. He also blogs over at EdLatimore.com.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Ed — we’ll be watching you rise.
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Also published on Medium.