#370: From Grief to Global Impact: The $8K Gamble that Turned Pain to Purpose & Now Inspires the World - podcast episode cover

#370: From Grief to Global Impact: The $8K Gamble that Turned Pain to Purpose & Now Inspires the World

Feb 25, 202529 min
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Episode description

CLICK TO RECEIVE KEVIN'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Have you ever felt like life was trying to hold you back, only to realize it was actually pushing you forward? Today’s guest, James Brackin IV, knows that feeling all too well. In his early 20's, James is the perfect example that wisdom comes with experience, not age. He has lived through immense loss, bet on himself, and built a life of purpose—all while inspiring others to do the same.

If you’ve ever questioned your path in life or felt unsure of what’s next, this episode is for you. Whether you’re struggling with fear of failure, looking for motivation to chase your dreams, or just need a reminder that your past does not define your future—this conversation will hit home. James shares how he transformed his pain into purpose, and his story just might inspire you to do the same.

Looking for the Links?

An Inspiring & Heartfelt Story

When James Bracken lost three pivotal male figures by age 13, he could’ve let grief define him. Instead, he became a certified life coach at 17, launched a globally recognized podcast, and now helps others rewrite their stories of struggle into strength.


In this raw, uplifting conversation, James reveals:
  1. How to shift from “Why is this happening to me?” to “How is this happening for me?”
  2. The $8,000 gamble that changed his trajectory (and why self-investment matters)
  3. Why suffering only stays suffering if you refuse to find meaning in it
  4. Practical strategies to silence self-doubt and embrace curiosity over fear


If you need an inspirational boost wrapped in a powerful story of resilience, this is the episode for you.


Powerful Takeaways:
  • Your past does not define your future – James explains how loss shaped him but did not limit him.
  • Betting on yourself pays off – Learn why investing in personal growth is the key to unlocking potential.
  • Your mindset is your superpower – Discover how reframing your challenges can turn obstacles into opportunities.


Hit play now and let James Bracken’s story remind you that if he can do it, you can too!


Today’s Featured GuestJames Brackin IV

James is a life coach, podcaster, and content creator dedicated to helping people step into their full potential. Despite experiencing deep loss at a young age, James refused to let his circumstances define him. Instead, he transformed his pain into purpose, building a coaching business and launching his podcast You Can Too, where he interviews top minds in personal development and shares his own journey of growth. His story is a testament to the power of mindset, resilience, and taking action toward the life you truly want.


Hey, it's Kevin!


I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!


  • I would LOVE to hear from you!

Transcript

00:00:00.817 --> 00:00:06.217

Kevin Lowe: They say wisdom comes with age, but if that's the case, then how do you explain

00:00:06.217 --> 00:00:08.817

Kevin Lowe: today's guest, James Bracken?

00:00:09.037 --> 00:00:14.237

Kevin Lowe: He's in his early 20s, and yet he has more wisdom to share inside of the next

00:00:14.237 --> 00:00:16.397

Kevin Lowe: 30 minutes than you could ever imagine.

00:00:16.657 --> 00:00:22.057

Kevin Lowe: I'm talking about immense wisdom in overcoming loss, in choosing your own path,

00:00:22.237 --> 00:00:24.317

Kevin Lowe: even if it seems uncertain at first.

00:00:24.477 --> 00:00:29.697

Kevin Lowe: And maybe most importantly, the importance of you being willing to bet on yourself.

00:00:30.017 --> 00:00:34.397

Kevin Lowe: If you could use a motivational boost wrapped up in a heartwarming story,

00:00:34.797 --> 00:00:40.177

Kevin Lowe: all brought to us by a young man who's experienced all the pains of life.

00:00:40.437 --> 00:00:43.877

Kevin Lowe: And yet standing here today, encouraging you to never give up,

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Kevin Lowe: to never stop trying, to never stop pursuing your dreams.

00:00:48.277 --> 00:00:52.477

Kevin Lowe: Then my friend, this is exactly the conversation you need to hear.

00:00:52.657 --> 00:00:56.597

Kevin Lowe: And in case you could also benefit from something to read. Well,

00:00:56.917 --> 00:01:00.277

Kevin Lowe: I want to be sure that you are signed up for my weekly newsletter.

00:01:00.277 --> 00:01:02.417

Kevin Lowe: It's called Where Grit Meets Grace.

00:01:02.797 --> 00:01:08.097

Kevin Lowe: It is the best friend to the podcast. It's the weekly newsletter hitting your

00:01:08.097 --> 00:01:10.077

Kevin Lowe: inbox each Friday morning.

00:01:10.277 --> 00:01:13.477

Kevin Lowe: They are to be sure that you end your week on a high.

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Kevin Lowe: There is a link at the top of today's show notes, also known as the episode

00:01:18.297 --> 00:01:23.077

Kevin Lowe: description, where you can easily get signed up and start receiving my weekly

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Kevin Lowe: newsletter called Where Grit Meets Grace.

00:01:26.017 --> 00:01:30.317

Kevin Lowe: And with that, my friend, as inspired by the name of James' own podcast,

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Kevin Lowe: I want to remind you, if he can do it, you can too.

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Kevin Lowe: I welcome you to episode 370.

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Kevin Lowe: Hey, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and you are listening to Grit,

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Kevin Lowe: Grace, and Inspiration.

00:01:45.137 --> 00:01:50.357

Kevin Lowe: What is up? This is Kevin Lowe back again in the studio with another amazing guest.

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Kevin Lowe: This time, it just so happens to be a guy named James Bracken.

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Kevin Lowe: James, welcome to the studio.

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James Brackin: It is so great to be with you, man. Thank you for having me.

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Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. Well, well, James, I'm excited for us to get to explore your story.

00:02:05.737 --> 00:02:11.417

Kevin Lowe: And I guess I always love to kind of start us off. And I figure the question

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Kevin Lowe: I want to start off today with is,

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Kevin Lowe: You know, I feel like in life, like when we achieve things, but we're either

00:02:18.375 --> 00:02:21.015

Kevin Lowe: driven by one of two things.

00:02:21.295 --> 00:02:25.975

Kevin Lowe: It's either the dreams that we have, the desires, or maybe it's the fears,

00:02:26.135 --> 00:02:27.795

Kevin Lowe: anxieties that we're running away from.

00:02:28.275 --> 00:02:31.795

Kevin Lowe: What do you feel like has been that that driving force for you?

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James Brackin: Yeah, I mean, that's a great question, because I think more than ever this year, that's really changed.

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James Brackin: Honestly, I think for the beginning and I think for a lot of people in the beginning,

00:02:41.275 --> 00:02:44.015

James Brackin: the thing that pushes them is they don't want to be where they are.

00:02:44.015 --> 00:02:48.075

James Brackin: So it's that fear of, I mean, we're going to be driven a lot more from going

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James Brackin: away from something than we are to go towards something. I at least find that for a lot of people.

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James Brackin: So for me, when I first started, it was definitely a fear of staying where I

00:02:55.515 --> 00:02:59.115

James Brackin: was at, going toward what I saw people were at in their lives,

00:02:59.275 --> 00:03:02.475

James Brackin: not enjoying what they were doing, just kind of coasting through life, really.

00:03:02.715 --> 00:03:06.555

James Brackin: And this year, I've got to a point where I feel it's kind of the opposite now.

00:03:06.755 --> 00:03:10.075

James Brackin: It kind of feels like more than ever, I'm just trying to figure out what excites

00:03:10.075 --> 00:03:14.075

James Brackin: me each day. And how can I continuously be excited about life?

00:03:14.195 --> 00:03:16.795

James Brackin: Because I mean, if we're not excited to wake up in the morning,

00:03:16.915 --> 00:03:20.855

James Brackin: what are we doing here? Because this life is so quick, but we kind of live like

00:03:20.855 --> 00:03:21.955

James Brackin: we're not going to die sometimes.

00:03:22.375 --> 00:03:29.495

Kevin Lowe: Yes, exactly. No, I agree. And it's if you're like me, too, it can be so easy

00:03:29.495 --> 00:03:31.575

Kevin Lowe: if you're not intentional to

00:03:31.575 --> 00:03:37.015

Kevin Lowe: fall in that trap of just monotony with one week blending into the next.

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James Brackin: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, especially when you work for yourself,

00:03:41.015 --> 00:03:44.095

James Brackin: it's kind of like, oh, now I make my own hours.

00:03:44.535 --> 00:03:47.355

James Brackin: And I think for a lot of people, they think that they want to be self-employed,

00:03:47.415 --> 00:03:49.395

James Brackin: but what they really want is just like choice.

00:03:49.615 --> 00:03:51.955

James Brackin: I don't think they really want to be self-employed. They just want choice to

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James Brackin: be able to do what they get to do with their day.

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James Brackin: And if that means working under somebody else, but still having,

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James Brackin: you know, the clarity of what they get to do with their day and kind of deciding

00:04:00.235 --> 00:04:02.915

James Brackin: what they get to do, I think a lot of people would be just in a much happier position.

00:04:03.495 --> 00:04:08.295

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I agree 100%. Well, James, I would love to explore a little

00:04:08.295 --> 00:04:13.275

Kevin Lowe: bit more of your story to kind of how you got to this point in your life. And.

00:04:13.695 --> 00:04:18.635

Kevin Lowe: Would you mind talking with me about, because I know that I read that you actually

00:04:18.635 --> 00:04:22.455

Kevin Lowe: had three losses in your family at a young age.

00:04:22.575 --> 00:04:24.595

Kevin Lowe: Would you talk to me a little bit about that?

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James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. So my father, my uncle both passed at 37.

00:04:28.495 --> 00:04:31.835

James Brackin: And I honestly did not realize how young that was until, you know,

00:04:31.895 --> 00:04:35.775

James Brackin: I got a little bit older and started really just realizing how young that was.

00:04:35.875 --> 00:04:37.315

James Brackin: I mean, I really couldn't comprehend it.

00:04:37.515 --> 00:04:39.815

James Brackin: Then my grandfather passed away a few months before his retirement.

00:04:39.995 --> 00:04:43.195

James Brackin: And that was what really hit me because I was a little bit older at that point.

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James Brackin: And I see my father, my uncle both passed away.

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James Brackin: All three were unexpected, by the way. So we weren't expecting any of this to

00:04:48.955 --> 00:04:52.215

James Brackin: happen. It wasn't something that had happened and we were like, yeah, this makes sense.

00:04:52.355 --> 00:04:55.735

James Brackin: It was just more so life kind of feeling like, why is this happening to me?

00:04:55.815 --> 00:04:57.135

James Brackin: It's what it felt like for a long time.

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James Brackin: And then I kind of started asking the question, how is this happening for me instead of against me?

00:05:01.335 --> 00:05:04.435

James Brackin: And my life really started to change because those things that were once the

00:05:04.435 --> 00:05:08.035

James Brackin: thing that felt like life was pushing me down, they were the exact things that

00:05:08.035 --> 00:05:09.795

James Brackin: kind of helped me move forward in my life.

00:05:09.915 --> 00:05:12.955

James Brackin: So yeah, three of the most important men passed away really young in my life.

00:05:13.195 --> 00:05:15.515

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. How old were you when that happened?

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James Brackin: My father, I was six. I think my uncle, I was around 10 or so.

00:05:20.295 --> 00:05:23.355

James Brackin: And then my grandfather, I was probably 12, 13, something like that.

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James Brackin: So I was still young for all of them.

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James Brackin: I mean, I know when my father passed away, I don't even think,

00:05:28.175 --> 00:05:30.235

James Brackin: like, I couldn't tell you what his voice sounded like. I've never really,

00:05:30.315 --> 00:05:32.095

James Brackin: I don't feel like I've ever really met the man, to be honest.

00:05:32.595 --> 00:05:38.035

Kevin Lowe: Wow. Wow. Maybe from your perspective now, when you kind of look back,

00:05:38.135 --> 00:05:41.275

Kevin Lowe: because I think when we kind of go through life. It's just, it's our own norm.

00:05:41.435 --> 00:05:46.675

Kevin Lowe: But when you look back on it now, like, can you see how maybe your life was

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Kevin Lowe: impacted by those losses, your childhood?

00:05:51.095 --> 00:05:57.275

James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think for me, growing up, I didn't really have a role model, I guess.

00:05:57.395 --> 00:06:00.575

James Brackin: And I think that was a blessing more than anything, because it helped me create

00:06:00.575 --> 00:06:03.835

James Brackin: my own identity, kind of step into figure out what I wanted to do.

00:06:04.015 --> 00:06:07.575

James Brackin: It wasn't having anyone's kind of expectations of what they wanted for me out

00:06:07.575 --> 00:06:11.115

James Brackin: of life. It was more so me just being open minded about what could come of life.

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James Brackin: And I think for me that that was such a blessing. And I didn't see it at the

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James Brackin: time of just stepping into what I wanted to do.

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James Brackin: And now I look back and I think, I mean, becoming a quote unquote life coach

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James Brackin: at 17 years old, starting a podcast at the same time, going down a path that

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James Brackin: I mean, was a complete left turn from what everyone else was doing when I graduated high school.

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James Brackin: I think the thing that really gave me that, that ability to step out of my comfort

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James Brackin: zone and step into things that, you know, felt most in alignment with me was

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James Brackin: not having anyone ahead of me kind of saying, this is what you should do or

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James Brackin: this is what you need to do. And I really look back at that as a blessing.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I love,

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Kevin Lowe: I love and appreciate that mindset tremendously. Now, you just said you became a life coach at 17.

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James Brackin: Yeah.

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Kevin Lowe: Talk to me, where did that even come from? Because that is not the typical thing.

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James Brackin: Yeah, I know. Even now, like I'm 21 now and I feel like I've been,

00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.760

James Brackin: I feel like I'm a veteran, but also a beginner at the same time.

00:07:05.860 --> 00:07:08.940

James Brackin: Like I've been at it for so long, yet also so early on in my journey.

00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:12.380

James Brackin: And I think for me, I mean, I was listening to podcasts, reading books,

00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:14.620

James Brackin: stuff like that, just getting into the self-improvement industry.

00:07:14.960 --> 00:07:17.260

James Brackin: And I was listening to a podcast. At the end of it, they were talking about

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James Brackin: a coaching program. I had no

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James Brackin: idea what that was. Didn't even know what a coach was. I just knew that.

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James Brackin: Kind of felt really right. Like the way that they were explaining it,

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James Brackin: what they were talking about, the past few years of like my transformation,

00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:31.320

James Brackin: I really been able to, you know, transform myself with no external help outside

00:07:31.320 --> 00:07:32.960

James Brackin: of, you know, books, audiobooks, stuff like that.

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James Brackin: I thought, well, what could really happen if I stepped into hiring my own coach?

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James Brackin: Like having someone outside of me that's ahead of me, that's,

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James Brackin: you know, in a place that I want to go.

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James Brackin: What would life look like if I could step into that? And so I invested more

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James Brackin: money than I had in my bank account.

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James Brackin: I mean, like I had about probably $3,000 in my bank account at the time.

00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:52.780

James Brackin: And the coaching program was about $75,000, $8,000.

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James Brackin: So didn't know how I was going to make it happen, but I put the down payment

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James Brackin: on it. And man, my life really changed from that moment because when you pay, you pay attention.

00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:07.720

James Brackin: And I realized the value of just investing in yourself. I really can't emphasize it enough.

00:08:07.880 --> 00:08:11.320

James Brackin: And I became a coach from that point on. I mean, I took a couple of weeks of that.

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James Brackin: I think it was a 10 week course of really just to learn how to become a coach,

00:08:14.780 --> 00:08:18.540

James Brackin: how to help people get out of their own way and what coaching really is at the core of it.

00:08:18.580 --> 00:08:21.320

James Brackin: Because a lot of people think it's just giving advice when I'm a 17 year old,

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James Brackin: what advice do I have to give?

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James Brackin: Because I barely lived a life is what a lot of people would see.

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James Brackin: And the thing that I really came down to when my first mentor really taught

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James Brackin: me was that I don't have to.

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James Brackin: The answers, I just have to have the questions. And I think that that's where

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James Brackin: through the podcast and through coaching, I've really been able to excel is

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James Brackin: just kind of help people access a part of themselves through just asking really

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James Brackin: intentional questions.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, if you think about it, it's kind of like,

00:08:42.537 --> 00:08:48.117

Kevin Lowe: if we want to do sports analogy, I mean, the best coaches, they've never even played football.

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Kevin Lowe: You know, I mean, yeah. Now, so when that happened at 17, were you still in high school?

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James Brackin: I just about graduated high school. And that was the funny part was I just graduated high school.

00:09:01.497 --> 00:09:04.237

James Brackin: I was getting into real estate thinking that that was going to be the thing for me.

00:09:04.357 --> 00:09:08.317

James Brackin: And then I realized in getting into real estate that I hated doing that.

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James Brackin: And I didn't, that was not going to be the path for me.

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James Brackin: And so it was like this, I was at home and I didn't have anyone,

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James Brackin: all the judgment that I was fearful of and wouldn't allow myself to step forward.

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James Brackin: It was kind of like that moment in time where I realized, Hey,

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James Brackin: this is like the perfect time because I'm not in school and all the people can

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James Brackin: judge me, but I'm at least not going to be around them.

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James Brackin: And it's just going to be kind of me in this, I guess, like monk mode,

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James Brackin: that idea of just for a long time, right after high school.

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James Brackin: I mean, that's all I did for six years or six months to a year straight was

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James Brackin: just intentionally figure out how I can make this thing happen.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Now, while you were in school, so say, you know,

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Kevin Lowe: teenage years going into high school and stuff, did you ever have any ideas

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Kevin Lowe: at that point, like what you thought you would want to do as a career?

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James Brackin: You know, what's funny is when I was growing up, like a really,

00:09:56.577 --> 00:10:00.137

James Brackin: really young age, my mom and my sister told me that I told them that I wanted

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James Brackin: to be a motivational speaker.

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James Brackin: Now, I don't remember ever saying that. I don't remember ever that being a thing that I wanted to do.

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James Brackin: But to step into podcasting and coaching and definitely speaking might be a

00:10:11.897 --> 00:10:14.257

James Brackin: thing in the future, but right now it just doesn't really excite me.

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James Brackin: I'm still in that pathway. And it's funny that I ended up where I'm at right

00:10:17.277 --> 00:10:19.457

James Brackin: now because I could have never predicted it. Because no, I mean,

00:10:19.497 --> 00:10:21.097

James Brackin: when I was in high school, I just knew I didn't want to struggle.

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James Brackin: I didn't want to think about money.

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James Brackin: And I wasn't really thinking about making an impact. And then when I graduated

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James Brackin: high school, that was the only thing I really thought about because I,

00:10:28.097 --> 00:10:31.637

James Brackin: a coach told me, and this has stuck with me ever since, is that you do a disservice

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James Brackin: by not bringing your unique gifts into the world.

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James Brackin: I think everyone has something here on this earth and we're here for a reason,

00:10:37.377 --> 00:10:41.217

James Brackin: but most of us aren't able to access that reason or most of us aren't able to believe in that.

00:10:41.497 --> 00:10:44.177

James Brackin: And so having someone believe in me more than I believe in myself really helped

00:10:44.177 --> 00:10:45.577

James Brackin: me access that for myself so

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James Brackin: that I could, you know, help other people do that for themselves as well.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

00:10:50.353 --> 00:10:56.373

Kevin Lowe: So my next kind of like one of the other last questions in regards to the life

00:10:56.373 --> 00:11:03.973

Kevin Lowe: coaching thing is, how did you even come to that idea of this is the path I want to take?

00:11:04.273 --> 00:11:08.113

James Brackin: It wasn't really. I mean, it wasn't. It's kind of like something like a path

00:11:08.113 --> 00:11:12.353

James Brackin: that chose me more than I chose it, I guess, because I think for for many people,

00:11:12.733 --> 00:11:14.573

James Brackin: opportunities show up in their life.

00:11:15.113 --> 00:11:19.613

James Brackin: Right? So opportunities, synchronicities, things that if you were to really

00:11:19.613 --> 00:11:21.033

James Brackin: look out for them, you'd notice them.

00:11:21.173 --> 00:11:23.753

James Brackin: But I think for a lot of people, we're looking for all the things that reinforce

00:11:23.753 --> 00:11:25.773

James Brackin: where we are rather than where we want to go.

00:11:25.973 --> 00:11:29.413

James Brackin: And so when I was at the end of listening to one of the podcasts I was listening

00:11:29.413 --> 00:11:32.353

James Brackin: to and they were talking about a coaching program, again, I had no idea what

00:11:32.353 --> 00:11:33.813

James Brackin: that is. I have done a sales call.

00:11:34.073 --> 00:11:36.713

James Brackin: They sold me. It just happened really quick. And from there,

00:11:36.813 --> 00:11:38.993

James Brackin: it really changed my life because I put in the work from that point.

00:11:39.313 --> 00:11:42.613

James Brackin: And so it wasn't really something that chose me. I just knew I wanted to start

00:11:42.613 --> 00:11:45.013

James Brackin: a podcast. that definitely always felt in alignment with me.

00:11:45.253 --> 00:11:48.993

James Brackin: I mean, at least from like my later ages, but that always felt in alignment.

00:11:49.113 --> 00:11:51.953

James Brackin: And so I thought, well, if I'm gonna invest into a coaching program to become

00:11:51.953 --> 00:11:54.653

James Brackin: a coach, I'm gonna have to start posting on social media. So I might as well

00:11:54.653 --> 00:11:55.953

James Brackin: start a podcast at the same time.

00:11:56.133 --> 00:11:58.493

James Brackin: And everything kind of just started from there, really, it wasn't really something

00:11:58.493 --> 00:12:02.193

James Brackin: that I chose, but it was more so something that I felt chosen for.

00:12:02.393 --> 00:12:06.293

James Brackin: I mean, I think the distinction I like to use is most people feel pushed in

00:12:06.293 --> 00:12:08.593

James Brackin: their life, pushed towards something, and I felt pulled towards it.

00:12:08.713 --> 00:12:09.793

James Brackin: And so it wasn't really my choice.

00:12:10.113 --> 00:12:15.433

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, oh man, I love that so very much. Now, I want to ask you something,

00:12:15.753 --> 00:12:21.613

Kevin Lowe: and I mean, I hope you take it the way that I mean it, is the fact that I learned

00:12:21.613 --> 00:12:26.293

Kevin Lowe: in my own life, my own situation, that I kind of came up with this idea that

00:12:26.293 --> 00:12:28.573

Kevin Lowe: things in our life that are bad,

00:12:28.793 --> 00:12:32.773

Kevin Lowe: they're only really bad if we can't figure out how to make good come out of them.

00:12:33.433 --> 00:12:39.953

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but wonder for you taking this path, getting into coaching

00:12:39.953 --> 00:12:43.413

Kevin Lowe: and then podcasting in this whole realm that you're in.

00:12:43.733 --> 00:12:50.953

Kevin Lowe: Do you feel like you are here and are the person you are because of experiencing

00:12:50.953 --> 00:12:53.753

Kevin Lowe: those three losses as a child?

00:12:53.953 --> 00:12:58.253

James Brackin: I mean, I don't know if it's directly like causation correlation kind of thing.

00:12:58.373 --> 00:13:02.153

James Brackin: I don't know if it's exactly why, but I definitely know that I took that meaning

00:13:02.153 --> 00:13:04.513

James Brackin: from it. I think, I heard something recently and I don't remember,

00:13:04.613 --> 00:13:08.193

James Brackin: it might've been Viktor Frankl, whoever it was, but suffering is only suffering

00:13:08.193 --> 00:13:09.353

James Brackin: if you can't find the meaning in it.

00:13:09.573 --> 00:13:14.233

James Brackin: And so for me, I found the meaning in it. And for so long, I didn't find the

00:13:14.233 --> 00:13:16.313

James Brackin: meaning in it. I mean, it was the exact opposite, really.

00:13:16.433 --> 00:13:19.413

James Brackin: It was, why is life coming after me? Why is life pushing me down?

00:13:19.633 --> 00:13:21.773

James Brackin: Why is this happening to me? Just why, why, why questions.

00:13:22.393 --> 00:13:26.513

James Brackin: And then I started asking how questions. So why is this happening to me versus

00:13:26.513 --> 00:13:27.773

James Brackin: how is this happening for me?

00:13:28.013 --> 00:13:30.713

James Brackin: And so then I just started to look forward in my life. And when you start to

00:13:30.713 --> 00:13:32.973

James Brackin: look forward in your life, you start to see it because it's always there.

00:13:33.093 --> 00:13:34.293

James Brackin: You just, you're not looking for it.

00:13:34.473 --> 00:13:38.713

James Brackin: And so absolutely, I think everyone's pain turns to purpose if they are able

00:13:38.713 --> 00:13:41.053

James Brackin: to turn it into purpose. And I just went out of my way to do so.

00:13:41.633 --> 00:13:44.813

Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. You said that you have a sister, correct?

00:13:45.353 --> 00:13:45.573

James Brackin: Yes.

00:13:45.893 --> 00:13:50.233

Kevin Lowe: Did your sister handle things similar to you or differently?

00:13:50.933 --> 00:13:54.893

James Brackin: It's funny. We kind of went down a similar path, but different approaches.

00:13:55.133 --> 00:13:58.093

James Brackin: So she became a social worker, master's degree, social work,

00:13:58.193 --> 00:14:01.533

James Brackin: went down that approach. And I went down the approach of, you know, coaching, podcasting.

00:14:01.653 --> 00:14:05.793

James Brackin: So we're both trying to help people through our, I guess, the trauma that we went through.

00:14:05.973 --> 00:14:08.673

James Brackin: And so that was the kind of approach that we took was just more so like,

00:14:08.753 --> 00:14:11.413

James Brackin: how can I help people through what I went through, I guess.

00:14:11.653 --> 00:14:17.213

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, I love that so much. So podcasting, we talked about coaching.

00:14:17.553 --> 00:14:20.933

Kevin Lowe: So you said that you had thought about wanting to start a podcast.

00:14:21.333 --> 00:14:26.413

Kevin Lowe: So at what point in this kind of journey did you decide, you know what,

00:14:26.513 --> 00:14:29.073

Kevin Lowe: I don't have enough on my plate, let's add podcasting?

00:14:29.893 --> 00:14:34.153

James Brackin: Yeah, I think it was honestly, man, it was about probably a few days after I made the investment.

00:14:34.393 --> 00:14:37.993

James Brackin: So I think I'm a 17 year old. I have no idea what a coach is.

00:14:38.193 --> 00:14:39.513

James Brackin: I don't know how I'm gonna make this work.

00:14:39.893 --> 00:14:43.393

James Brackin: I just invested more money than I had in my bank account. So I have to figure out a way to do it.

00:14:43.613 --> 00:14:46.753

James Brackin: And so, and I'm still thinking about, you know, I just graduated high school

00:14:46.753 --> 00:14:49.573

James Brackin: not too long ago. So I'm still thinking about what other people are gonna think of me.

00:14:49.693 --> 00:14:52.413

James Brackin: I mean, the biggest fear is where, you know, what are other people going to

00:14:52.413 --> 00:14:55.073

James Brackin: think? What if I fail? What if I look like a, like silly?

00:14:55.373 --> 00:14:57.253

James Brackin: And, you know, all the fears that most people have,

00:14:57.736 --> 00:15:00.796

James Brackin: For me, it was like, okay, if I've already invested, it's up to me.

00:15:00.896 --> 00:15:04.496

James Brackin: Now it's like, now there's no way I can go against this because I put money

00:15:04.496 --> 00:15:06.056

James Brackin: down on it and more money than I had.

00:15:06.136 --> 00:15:09.436

James Brackin: So I literally had to find a way to make money just to pay it back,

00:15:09.556 --> 00:15:11.736

James Brackin: just to even make even on my investment.

00:15:12.156 --> 00:15:16.076

James Brackin: So at that point, I'm thinking, well, if I have to start posting online to attract

00:15:16.076 --> 00:15:19.936

James Brackin: clients and start helping people through that way, might as well start the podcast

00:15:19.936 --> 00:15:21.356

James Brackin: because I've always wanted to do that as well.

00:15:21.516 --> 00:15:25.416

James Brackin: And so it was kind of like an indirectly the exact thing that allowed me to

00:15:25.416 --> 00:15:28.516

James Brackin: just get out of my own way and start showing up for the thing that I know I

00:15:28.516 --> 00:15:29.416

James Brackin: always felt called to do.

00:15:29.856 --> 00:15:35.916

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Now, did you ever think, was it always just podcast or I mean,

00:15:36.076 --> 00:15:39.556

Kevin Lowe: a lot of people immediately tend to think, you know, oh, YouTube channel.

00:15:39.896 --> 00:15:41.736

Kevin Lowe: Was it always just podcasting?

00:15:41.836 --> 00:15:45.416

James Brackin: I think for me, they go hand in hand, really. I mean, my YouTube channel has

00:15:45.416 --> 00:15:48.576

James Brackin: is where most of my podcast, I guess, listenership comes from.

00:15:48.836 --> 00:15:53.576

James Brackin: But I think, yeah, it was just more so an approach of I'm learning so much from

00:15:53.576 --> 00:15:56.276

James Brackin: these books, from these podcasts, from this kind of stuff. Like over the past

00:15:56.276 --> 00:15:59.936

James Brackin: couple of years, my life has changed dramatically. I feel like I've lived two separate lives.

00:16:00.236 --> 00:16:03.436

James Brackin: And my second life really started when I started realizing that the first life

00:16:03.436 --> 00:16:04.816

James Brackin: I was living wasn't really my life.

00:16:04.916 --> 00:16:07.716

James Brackin: It was more so an attachment to my thoughts or who I thought it was,

00:16:07.756 --> 00:16:08.856

James Brackin: not so much who I actually was.

00:16:09.076 --> 00:16:13.236

James Brackin: And so I thought, what would be the coolest thing in the world if I could read a book?

00:16:13.356 --> 00:16:15.716

James Brackin: I still have a lot of questions about the book and then I can interview the

00:16:15.716 --> 00:16:20.116

James Brackin: author about the book or entrepreneurs that I found really fascinating from

00:16:20.116 --> 00:16:21.696

James Brackin: building massive companies.

00:16:21.796 --> 00:16:24.276

James Brackin: Like what could we learn from them? And so, especially from my perspective,

00:16:24.436 --> 00:16:28.596

James Brackin: I mean, not many people at 17 years old have a podcast, let alone are interviewing people that are,

00:16:29.235 --> 00:16:33.195

James Brackin: in the trauma, anxiety, mindset, personal development kind of space.

00:16:33.355 --> 00:16:35.875

James Brackin: And so that was the approach I took. I just thought it would be the coolest

00:16:35.875 --> 00:16:37.455

James Brackin: thing ever. And to this day, it still is.

00:16:37.975 --> 00:16:42.835

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. 100%. Now, talking about books and reading and stuff,

00:16:42.975 --> 00:16:44.835

Kevin Lowe: when did you really get into reading?

00:16:45.515 --> 00:16:49.715

James Brackin: Yeah, it's funny because I grew up thinking that I would never read a book.

00:16:49.955 --> 00:16:51.815

James Brackin: I mean, I remember my mom, my sister would always tell me like,

00:16:51.895 --> 00:16:53.195

James Brackin: you'll eventually start liking books.

00:16:53.255 --> 00:16:57.395

James Brackin: And I went through my entire schooling life just taking a lot of pride in never

00:16:57.395 --> 00:16:59.675

James Brackin: reading a book, to be completely honest. Like I'd still passed the grade,

00:16:59.795 --> 00:17:02.635

James Brackin: but I didn't read anything kind of perspective on things just because,

00:17:02.855 --> 00:17:05.455

James Brackin: I mean, I think most of the books that I read gave me no value.

00:17:05.655 --> 00:17:09.595

James Brackin: And so when I left high school, like I said, I started listening to podcasts

00:17:09.595 --> 00:17:13.115

James Brackin: and started, you know, surrounding myself with different kinds of people.

00:17:13.795 --> 00:17:18.875

James Brackin: And from there, it was, I don't know, I think it was probably similar books

00:17:18.875 --> 00:17:22.375

James Brackin: that most people come across where it's, you know, Think and Grow Rich and Rich

00:17:22.375 --> 00:17:24.535

James Brackin: Dad, Poor Dad, that kind of stuff that came into my life.

00:17:24.535 --> 00:17:29.675

James Brackin: And then from there on, I just went down a rabbit hole of just wanting to get

00:17:29.675 --> 00:17:33.415

James Brackin: more of a gist on the challenges that I was trying to overcome in my life and

00:17:33.415 --> 00:17:35.675

James Brackin: all of that kind of stuff. So it was around that same time.

00:17:36.035 --> 00:17:42.575

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Okay. Okay. Amazing. So I guess I'm curious to understand a little bit

00:17:42.575 --> 00:17:46.515

Kevin Lowe: is, you know, we talked at the beginning about like kind of what drives you.

00:17:46.515 --> 00:17:53.215

Kevin Lowe: Do you feel like it's still the same thing? Or do you feel like as you're continuing

00:17:53.215 --> 00:17:57.115

Kevin Lowe: to evolve as a person, evolve in your career, what you're doing,

00:17:57.475 --> 00:18:00.235

Kevin Lowe: do you feel like that driving force changes?

00:18:00.855 --> 00:18:05.355

James Brackin: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think when I first started, it came from a place of lack.

00:18:05.675 --> 00:18:10.115

James Brackin: And so trying to get to a place of not having to think about money,

00:18:10.255 --> 00:18:14.135

James Brackin: not having to think about just the basic needs that most people need in their

00:18:14.135 --> 00:18:18.035

James Brackin: life. Like just knowing that I can step into this path, this route and have

00:18:18.035 --> 00:18:20.135

James Brackin: full certainty in myself that I'm going to make it work.

00:18:20.375 --> 00:18:24.195

James Brackin: That was kind of like the fear from the beginning. And that was what was driving me from the jump.

00:18:24.878 --> 00:18:29.778

James Brackin: Nowadays, I think it's just more so continuously trying to find outlets of impacting

00:18:29.778 --> 00:18:34.078

James Brackin: people that excite me because there's a lot of ways of making money.

00:18:34.178 --> 00:18:36.498

James Brackin: There's a lot of ways of building businesses.

00:18:36.658 --> 00:18:39.538

James Brackin: There's a lot of ways of impacting people as well. I mean, there's podcasting,

00:18:39.638 --> 00:18:43.818

James Brackin: there's retreats, there's group coaching, there's one-on-one coaching, there's events.

00:18:43.958 --> 00:18:46.618

James Brackin: There's so many ways and things that we can do.

00:18:46.898 --> 00:18:50.038

James Brackin: And so for me right now, it's just continuously experimenting,

00:18:50.358 --> 00:18:54.318

James Brackin: trying things, having interesting conversations, hopefully impacting people,

00:18:54.458 --> 00:18:58.158

James Brackin: giving people a space to be vulnerable and open and work through the things

00:18:58.158 --> 00:18:58.978

James Brackin: that they need to work through.

00:18:59.258 --> 00:19:03.238

James Brackin: And just finding things that excite me and make me want to get up in the morning.

00:19:03.358 --> 00:19:06.558

James Brackin: Because I think for a lot of people, they get to their work and it's something

00:19:06.558 --> 00:19:08.098

James Brackin: that they want to get done with.

00:19:08.298 --> 00:19:13.618

James Brackin: I mean, the idea of retirement in general never really jibed well with me.

00:19:13.758 --> 00:19:16.758

James Brackin: I never really want to say that I want to get away from work because then I

00:19:16.758 --> 00:19:19.558

James Brackin: would lose my purpose in life. And so I think for me right now,

00:19:19.698 --> 00:19:23.938

James Brackin: it's just really finding ways to continuously be excited about what I do and

00:19:23.938 --> 00:19:25.338

James Brackin: not overcomplicated in the meantime.

00:19:25.818 --> 00:19:30.598

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, 100%. All the guests that you've interviewed on your podcast,

00:19:30.998 --> 00:19:36.678

Kevin Lowe: obviously the podcast, I mean, we do it for our audience. We want our audience to get value.

00:19:36.978 --> 00:19:42.838

Kevin Lowe: But talk to me a little bit about the value that you've received by interviewing the people you have.

00:19:43.498 --> 00:19:49.558

James Brackin: Absolutely. I'll even go a step further by saying that my first 105 episodes were solo.

00:19:50.058 --> 00:19:54.538

James Brackin: So you see it now and you see, you know, amazing guests, Seth Godin,

00:19:54.738 --> 00:19:59.218

James Brackin: you know, Tyler Henry, so many other amazing people that I've had the opportunity to speak with.

00:19:59.318 --> 00:20:03.918

James Brackin: But my first 105 episodes were in my car, no microphone, like just completely

00:20:03.918 --> 00:20:06.018

James Brackin: doing it with my computer, just kind of like a public journal,

00:20:06.238 --> 00:20:09.458

James Brackin: honestly, just going over things that I was learning, things that I was working

00:20:09.458 --> 00:20:13.778

James Brackin: with clients on, and hopefully giving some kind of just perspective based on my life.

00:20:13.778 --> 00:20:17.178

James Brackin: I mean, I never want to come from a place of I'm giving advice like I know things,

00:20:17.318 --> 00:20:20.718

James Brackin: but more so just from a place of, yeah, I don't know, but hopefully this is

00:20:20.718 --> 00:20:22.378

James Brackin: helpful to you because it was helpful for me.

00:20:22.638 --> 00:20:25.398

James Brackin: And so through the podcast and then through interviews as well,

00:20:25.538 --> 00:20:29.498

James Brackin: I think more than anything, it's just really allowed me to expand my mind.

00:20:29.718 --> 00:20:33.398

James Brackin: I mean, what it's done for me is what I'm trying to do through the podcast of

00:20:33.398 --> 00:20:37.238

James Brackin: you can too is just helping people reframe what they believe is true,

00:20:37.658 --> 00:20:40.358

James Brackin: reframe what they believe is possible for themselves by questioning what they

00:20:40.358 --> 00:20:44.018

James Brackin: believe and expanding their mind on what is possible by showing and sharing

00:20:44.018 --> 00:20:46.678

James Brackin: stories from expansive people that have done it themselves.

00:20:47.278 --> 00:20:51.058

James Brackin: And so continuously doing it week after week of just inspiring stories that

00:20:51.058 --> 00:20:55.098

James Brackin: people have done that have overcome amazing things and done astounding things,

00:20:55.098 --> 00:20:59.978

James Brackin: it continues to remind me that I need to, as soon as I think that I've reached

00:20:59.978 --> 00:21:01.818

James Brackin: a certain place or I've done enough,

00:21:02.038 --> 00:21:04.078

James Brackin: it just continues to expand my mind of what's possible.

00:21:04.338 --> 00:21:10.658

Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. You said that your dad and your uncle, you said were 37 when they

00:21:10.658 --> 00:21:12.738

Kevin Lowe: passed away. You are how old now?

00:21:13.118 --> 00:21:13.778

James Brackin: 21.

00:21:14.038 --> 00:21:14.978

Kevin Lowe: 21. Okay.

00:21:15.813 --> 00:21:21.373

Kevin Lowe: I am 38, and I can tell you, I still feel way too young to be this old.

00:21:23.173 --> 00:21:27.233

Kevin Lowe: But what does that do for you is just a mindset?

00:21:27.573 --> 00:21:32.373

Kevin Lowe: Because, I mean, the fact is true is, I mean, none of us know how long we're here on Earth.

00:21:33.093 --> 00:21:38.253

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but think that with all that you're doing, and I mean,

00:21:38.313 --> 00:21:42.553

Kevin Lowe: I think I need to just say that listening to you,

00:21:42.853 --> 00:21:48.533

Kevin Lowe: to your mindset, to what you say, you're so much wiser than than your age.

00:21:48.873 --> 00:21:56.393

Kevin Lowe: It's absolutely amazing. And I guess my question is, is does that age of 37,

00:21:56.393 --> 00:22:02.493

Kevin Lowe: does it weigh on you thinking of how short life really is?

00:22:02.933 --> 00:22:06.033

James Brackin: Yeah, it's a big question. I think for a long time it has.

00:22:06.193 --> 00:22:10.613

James Brackin: And I think it's like we all have those things where we have mental blocks or

00:22:10.613 --> 00:22:13.773

James Brackin: perceptions, preconceived notions based on our past experiences.

00:22:13.773 --> 00:22:17.613

James Brackin: I definitely think for a long time, it's, and I still think to some extent of

00:22:17.613 --> 00:22:20.793

James Brackin: when I, when I hit 38, it's going to be cool because it's just going to be this

00:22:20.793 --> 00:22:25.153

James Brackin: like mental breakthrough of, man, I, I passed that milestone kind of thing.

00:22:25.293 --> 00:22:28.833

James Brackin: But I think just like anything else, it's the, the anticipation of it is more

00:22:28.833 --> 00:22:32.793

James Brackin: so the thing that really kind of gets in your head more than the actual event itself.

00:22:32.993 --> 00:22:37.013

James Brackin: So definitely reminds me how short this life is when I think of it,

00:22:37.093 --> 00:22:38.773

James Brackin: but I don't think it holds me back in any way.

00:22:39.193 --> 00:22:42.973

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, absolutely. You know, when you were saying that, I kind of helped

00:22:42.973 --> 00:22:48.933

Kevin Lowe: but think of my own situation story is I remember when it had been the 18-year

00:22:48.933 --> 00:22:50.773

Kevin Lowe: anniversary of when I became blind.

00:22:51.033 --> 00:22:56.053

Kevin Lowe: And I remember that was kind of weird, kind of how you talk about turning 38

00:22:56.053 --> 00:23:01.553

Kevin Lowe: when I hit that 18-year, because that meant I had been blind one more year longer

00:23:01.553 --> 00:23:02.813

Kevin Lowe: than I had been able to see.

00:23:03.093 --> 00:23:06.273

Kevin Lowe: And I remember always thinking that that would be really weird,

00:23:06.553 --> 00:23:10.333

Kevin Lowe: even the 17, to think that I had been blind as long as I had been able to see. Yeah.

00:23:10.745 --> 00:23:13.285

Kevin Lowe: You know, it's always kind of funny is exactly what you said.

00:23:13.425 --> 00:23:18.525

Kevin Lowe: It's the anticipation for something is a lot of times the best part of it all.

00:23:18.705 --> 00:23:21.965

Kevin Lowe: Because once you reach it, you realize, well, yeah, it's just like any other day.

00:23:23.765 --> 00:23:27.625

James Brackin: I had a conversation with a guy named Daniel Lieberman earlier this year.

00:23:28.825 --> 00:23:32.565

James Brackin: Incredible, incredible author. He wrote the book. I'm blanking on the name of

00:23:32.565 --> 00:23:34.085

James Brackin: the book right now, but incredible guest.

00:23:34.245 --> 00:23:38.045

James Brackin: I would definitely recommend. And he was talking about how, I mean,

00:23:38.165 --> 00:23:42.825

James Brackin: dopamine in itself, like the anticipation of things is more than the actual event.

00:23:43.005 --> 00:23:46.845

James Brackin: We get dopamine from the anticipation, not so much of the actual thing itself.

00:23:47.165 --> 00:23:49.665

James Brackin: Great example that I like to use and something I experienced this year.

00:23:49.905 --> 00:23:52.225

James Brackin: The number one place in my bucket list was Hawaii.

00:23:52.625 --> 00:23:55.325

James Brackin: And this year I got to spend four months on the island of Kauai,

00:23:55.445 --> 00:24:00.525

James Brackin: which was a dream of mine. I always grew up watching Hawaii Five-0, the second version.

00:24:00.765 --> 00:24:04.325

James Brackin: And it was always a dream of mine to go there. and then I spent four months on the island.

00:24:04.605 --> 00:24:07.725

James Brackin: And to say it was a dream is an understatement. It's still, still is amazing

00:24:07.725 --> 00:24:08.845

James Brackin: that I had the privilege to go there.

00:24:08.985 --> 00:24:11.185

James Brackin: But, you know, after two months, after three months, you kind of get,

00:24:11.305 --> 00:24:15.645

James Brackin: it's just normal at that point. And so just like anything, the hedonic adaptation is going to come in.

00:24:15.905 --> 00:24:19.445

James Brackin: And so that's why I never like to put too much emphasis on something in the

00:24:19.445 --> 00:24:22.685

James Brackin: future because it's never going to live up to my expectations because the expectations

00:24:22.685 --> 00:24:25.585

James Brackin: is what makes the feeling more than anything.

00:24:26.166 --> 00:24:32.026

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, I agree 100%. I love that. Do you have anything for somebody listening

00:24:32.026 --> 00:24:40.886

Kevin Lowe: today who, whether they're young or young at heart, and they feel like there's more for them,

00:24:41.666 --> 00:24:43.566

Kevin Lowe: would you have any advice for them?

00:24:43.666 --> 00:24:47.946

Kevin Lowe: I mean, because, again, I mean, you're a young guy, and I look at what you've

00:24:47.946 --> 00:24:53.186

Kevin Lowe: done. And you went against the quote unquote norm of, you know, after high school.

00:24:53.506 --> 00:24:58.746

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but find just great inspiration in that and wonder,

00:24:59.026 --> 00:25:02.046

Kevin Lowe: you know, what would you say to that person who's thinking, wow,

00:25:02.466 --> 00:25:05.106

Kevin Lowe: I kind of wish I could be a little bit more like James Bracken.

00:25:05.626 --> 00:25:08.106

James Brackin: Yeah, I mean, I would look at the name of my podcast, right?

00:25:08.206 --> 00:25:09.266

James Brackin: I mean, it's the whole core of

00:25:09.266 --> 00:25:13.026

James Brackin: what I do is I'm trying to be a living representation of what I'm saying.

00:25:13.606 --> 00:25:16.646

James Brackin: And through the conversations that I have, through the life that I'm trying

00:25:16.646 --> 00:25:18.846

James Brackin: to live, I mean, I think it's the same thing goes.

00:25:19.106 --> 00:25:22.186

James Brackin: And so if I would say that if that feeling is inside of you,

00:25:22.286 --> 00:25:25.406

James Brackin: that there's more here, that there's more for me to do, I would say that your

00:25:25.406 --> 00:25:27.346

James Brackin: intuition isn't lying to you, you're just lying to yourself.

00:25:27.746 --> 00:25:30.466

James Brackin: That you've been lying to yourself for so long, saying, you know,

00:25:30.526 --> 00:25:34.526

James Brackin: kind of living in alignment with what you don't want more so than what you do want.

00:25:34.626 --> 00:25:38.306

James Brackin: So if you keep pushing down that intuition, the choir that intuition is going

00:25:38.306 --> 00:25:41.206

James Brackin: to get and the less that you listen to it and the less that it'll show up in

00:25:41.206 --> 00:25:45.466

James Brackin: your life. And so I would just say, say yes to the things that your intuition

00:25:45.466 --> 00:25:49.526

James Brackin: is saying yes to, because you'll start saying yes to yourself and life will start saying yes to you.

00:25:50.146 --> 00:25:55.326

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, I love it. One hundred percent, man. Dude, James, you're such an awesome

00:25:55.326 --> 00:25:57.806

Kevin Lowe: guy, man. Such a killer story.

00:25:58.226 --> 00:26:02.766

Kevin Lowe: Honest to goodness. I mean, you as a child, let's face it.

00:26:02.926 --> 00:26:06.226

Kevin Lowe: I mean, you went through the unthinkable. Even though you were young,

00:26:06.486 --> 00:26:12.626

Kevin Lowe: it obviously has an impact. and the fact of where you are today, what you're doing,

00:26:13.374 --> 00:26:18.794

Kevin Lowe: And just the person that you've become, I mean, I have to say,

00:26:19.034 --> 00:26:24.674

Kevin Lowe: I mean, anybody listening has to feel just honored to meet you and proud of

00:26:24.674 --> 00:26:26.554

Kevin Lowe: what you've been able to do.

00:26:26.734 --> 00:26:32.614

Kevin Lowe: Of overcoming the challenges, overcoming these bad circumstances,

00:26:32.614 --> 00:26:38.994

Kevin Lowe: to be here today, just kind of blowing all of our minds with the amount of wisdom

00:26:38.994 --> 00:26:41.714

Kevin Lowe: you have to share. It's really amazing.

00:26:41.714 --> 00:26:45.314

James Brackin: Man, you're doing the exact same thing just through a different lens,

00:26:45.614 --> 00:26:47.454

James Brackin: right? I mean, so I really appreciate that immensely.

00:26:47.714 --> 00:26:51.114

James Brackin: You probably experience this sometimes too, where you forget the impact that

00:26:51.114 --> 00:26:53.514

James Brackin: you're having because you're just trying to do the best that you can.

00:26:53.734 --> 00:26:57.434

James Brackin: And so there's a lot of times where I completely forget that anyone listens

00:26:57.434 --> 00:27:03.074

James Brackin: to my podcast or anyone that I've ever coached ever got value from working with me.

00:27:03.174 --> 00:27:07.274

James Brackin: I mean, it's really easy to forget how far you've come when you're looking at

00:27:07.274 --> 00:27:08.734

James Brackin: about how far you want to go.

00:27:08.914 --> 00:27:11.434

James Brackin: And so I really appreciate that. It means a lot. But I mean,

00:27:11.534 --> 00:27:15.094

James Brackin: I almost died when I was born. So to even be here to begin with is just a blessing.

00:27:15.514 --> 00:27:20.854

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. Just another layer to this onion that we've been unpeeling, man.

00:27:21.474 --> 00:27:26.434

Kevin Lowe: Well, James, tell me where's the best place, easiest place to find your podcast,

00:27:26.694 --> 00:27:31.474

Kevin Lowe: plus anybody who either wants to see about working with you as a coach or just

00:27:31.474 --> 00:27:32.754

Kevin Lowe: getting plugged into your world.

00:27:33.174 --> 00:27:37.434

James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. Main points is Instagram and YouTube is where I'm most present.

00:27:37.434 --> 00:27:41.334

James Brackin: You can find my podcast, You Can Too, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube,

00:27:41.634 --> 00:27:43.194

James Brackin: Instagram, everything that you can think of.

00:27:43.314 --> 00:27:45.854

James Brackin: But those are the main platforms that I'm on. I'm on LinkedIn and everything

00:27:45.854 --> 00:27:47.614

James Brackin: else as well. But those are where I'm most at.

00:27:48.354 --> 00:27:52.114

Kevin Lowe: Well, fantastic. Well, I'll be sure that all of that is in the show notes and

00:27:52.114 --> 00:27:54.254

Kevin Lowe: it will be on the webpage for today's episode.

00:27:55.074 --> 00:27:58.894

Kevin Lowe: James, man, dude, it's been a pleasure to meet you, a pleasure to get to hear

00:27:58.894 --> 00:28:02.574

Kevin Lowe: your story. And I thank you for spending a few minutes with me today.

00:28:02.914 --> 00:28:05.874

James Brackin: You are incredible, man. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.

00:28:06.114 --> 00:28:08.454

James Brackin: You have such an incredible story. You're such an amazing host.

00:28:08.594 --> 00:28:09.834

James Brackin: You have the perfect voice for it.

00:28:10.034 --> 00:28:13.114

James Brackin: I thank you for taking the time to speak with me and give me this privilege

00:28:13.114 --> 00:28:14.614

James Brackin: to speak with you and talk to your audience.

00:28:15.094 --> 00:28:22.134

Kevin Lowe: Oh, man, you bet 100%, dude. For you listening today, hopefully you're smiling as big as I am.

00:28:22.714 --> 00:28:27.134

Kevin Lowe: Hopefully you're also feeling a little jacked up right now because I feel like

00:28:27.134 --> 00:28:31.014

Kevin Lowe: we just got a shot of a little James Brackett in our life, something that maybe

00:28:31.014 --> 00:28:32.634

Kevin Lowe: you didn't even realize you needed.

00:28:32.854 --> 00:28:38.354

Kevin Lowe: And now you realize you can't live without. So go ahead, enjoy today's episode.

00:28:38.734 --> 00:28:42.294

Kevin Lowe: Well, hopefully you did enjoy today's episode. Share it with a friend.

00:28:42.294 --> 00:28:44.794

Kevin Lowe: And hey, maybe you need to hear it all again.

00:28:45.014 --> 00:28:49.354

Kevin Lowe: Hit rewind. If that's a thing in podcasting, rewind and listen again.

00:28:49.714 --> 00:28:55.454

Kevin Lowe: This guy is amazing. You get out there and enjoy the day. Stay awesome. Be inspired.

00:28:55.760 --> 00:29:14.855

<v Music>

00:00:00.817 --> 00:00:06.217

Kevin Lowe: They say wisdom comes with age, but if that's the case, then how do you explain

00:00:06.217 --> 00:00:08.817

Kevin Lowe: today's guest, James Bracken?

00:00:09.037 --> 00:00:14.237

Kevin Lowe: He's in his early 20s, and yet he has more wisdom to share inside of the next

00:00:14.237 --> 00:00:16.397

Kevin Lowe: 30 minutes than you could ever imagine.

00:00:16.657 --> 00:00:22.057

Kevin Lowe: I'm talking about immense wisdom in overcoming loss, in choosing your own path,

00:00:22.237 --> 00:00:24.317

Kevin Lowe: even if it seems uncertain at first.

00:00:24.477 --> 00:00:29.697

Kevin Lowe: And maybe most importantly, the importance of you being willing to bet on yourself.

00:00:30.017 --> 00:00:34.397

Kevin Lowe: If you could use a motivational boost wrapped up in a heartwarming story,

00:00:34.797 --> 00:00:40.177

Kevin Lowe: all brought to us by a young man who's experienced all the pains of life.

00:00:40.437 --> 00:00:43.877

Kevin Lowe: And yet standing here today, encouraging you to never give up,

00:00:44.157 --> 00:00:48.057

Kevin Lowe: to never stop trying, to never stop pursuing your dreams.

00:00:48.277 --> 00:00:52.477

Kevin Lowe: Then my friend, this is exactly the conversation you need to hear.

00:00:52.657 --> 00:00:56.597

Kevin Lowe: And in case you could also benefit from something to read. Well,

00:00:56.917 --> 00:01:00.277

Kevin Lowe: I want to be sure that you are signed up for my weekly newsletter.

00:01:00.277 --> 00:01:02.417

Kevin Lowe: It's called Where Grit Meets Grace.

00:01:02.797 --> 00:01:08.097

Kevin Lowe: It is the best friend to the podcast. It's the weekly newsletter hitting your

00:01:08.097 --> 00:01:10.077

Kevin Lowe: inbox each Friday morning.

00:01:10.277 --> 00:01:13.477

Kevin Lowe: They are to be sure that you end your week on a high.

00:01:13.737 --> 00:01:18.297

Kevin Lowe: There is a link at the top of today's show notes, also known as the episode

00:01:18.297 --> 00:01:23.077

Kevin Lowe: description, where you can easily get signed up and start receiving my weekly

00:01:23.077 --> 00:01:25.397

Kevin Lowe: newsletter called Where Grit Meets Grace.

00:01:26.017 --> 00:01:30.317

Kevin Lowe: And with that, my friend, as inspired by the name of James' own podcast,

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Kevin Lowe: I want to remind you, if he can do it, you can too.

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Kevin Lowe: I welcome you to episode 370.

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Kevin Lowe: Hey, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and you are listening to Grit,

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Kevin Lowe: Grace, and Inspiration.

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Kevin Lowe: What is up? This is Kevin Lowe back again in the studio with another amazing guest.

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Kevin Lowe: This time, it just so happens to be a guy named James Bracken.

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Kevin Lowe: James, welcome to the studio.

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James Brackin: It is so great to be with you, man. Thank you for having me.

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Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. Well, well, James, I'm excited for us to get to explore your story.

00:02:05.737 --> 00:02:11.417

Kevin Lowe: And I guess I always love to kind of start us off. And I figure the question

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Kevin Lowe: I want to start off today with is,

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Kevin Lowe: You know, I feel like in life, like when we achieve things, but we're either

00:02:18.375 --> 00:02:21.015

Kevin Lowe: driven by one of two things.

00:02:21.295 --> 00:02:25.975

Kevin Lowe: It's either the dreams that we have, the desires, or maybe it's the fears,

00:02:26.135 --> 00:02:27.795

Kevin Lowe: anxieties that we're running away from.

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Kevin Lowe: What do you feel like has been that that driving force for you?

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James Brackin: Yeah, I mean, that's a great question, because I think more than ever this year, that's really changed.

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James Brackin: Honestly, I think for the beginning and I think for a lot of people in the beginning,

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James Brackin: the thing that pushes them is they don't want to be where they are.

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James Brackin: So it's that fear of, I mean, we're going to be driven a lot more from going

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James Brackin: away from something than we are to go towards something. I at least find that for a lot of people.

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James Brackin: So for me, when I first started, it was definitely a fear of staying where I

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James Brackin: was at, going toward what I saw people were at in their lives,

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James Brackin: not enjoying what they were doing, just kind of coasting through life, really.

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James Brackin: And this year, I've got to a point where I feel it's kind of the opposite now.

00:03:06.755 --> 00:03:10.075

James Brackin: It kind of feels like more than ever, I'm just trying to figure out what excites

00:03:10.075 --> 00:03:14.075

James Brackin: me each day. And how can I continuously be excited about life?

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James Brackin: Because I mean, if we're not excited to wake up in the morning,

00:03:16.915 --> 00:03:20.855

James Brackin: what are we doing here? Because this life is so quick, but we kind of live like

00:03:20.855 --> 00:03:21.955

James Brackin: we're not going to die sometimes.

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Kevin Lowe: Yes, exactly. No, I agree. And it's if you're like me, too, it can be so easy

00:03:29.495 --> 00:03:31.575

Kevin Lowe: if you're not intentional to

00:03:31.575 --> 00:03:37.015

Kevin Lowe: fall in that trap of just monotony with one week blending into the next.

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James Brackin: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, especially when you work for yourself,

00:03:41.015 --> 00:03:44.095

James Brackin: it's kind of like, oh, now I make my own hours.

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James Brackin: And I think for a lot of people, they think that they want to be self-employed,

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James Brackin: but what they really want is just like choice.

00:03:49.615 --> 00:03:51.955

James Brackin: I don't think they really want to be self-employed. They just want choice to

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James Brackin: be able to do what they get to do with their day.

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James Brackin: And if that means working under somebody else, but still having,

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James Brackin: you know, the clarity of what they get to do with their day and kind of deciding

00:04:00.235 --> 00:04:02.915

James Brackin: what they get to do, I think a lot of people would be just in a much happier position.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I agree 100%. Well, James, I would love to explore a little

00:04:08.295 --> 00:04:13.275

Kevin Lowe: bit more of your story to kind of how you got to this point in your life. And.

00:04:13.695 --> 00:04:18.635

Kevin Lowe: Would you mind talking with me about, because I know that I read that you actually

00:04:18.635 --> 00:04:22.455

Kevin Lowe: had three losses in your family at a young age.

00:04:22.575 --> 00:04:24.595

Kevin Lowe: Would you talk to me a little bit about that?

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James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. So my father, my uncle both passed at 37.

00:04:28.495 --> 00:04:31.835

James Brackin: And I honestly did not realize how young that was until, you know,

00:04:31.895 --> 00:04:35.775

James Brackin: I got a little bit older and started really just realizing how young that was.

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James Brackin: I mean, I really couldn't comprehend it.

00:04:37.515 --> 00:04:39.815

James Brackin: Then my grandfather passed away a few months before his retirement.

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James Brackin: And that was what really hit me because I was a little bit older at that point.

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James Brackin: And I see my father, my uncle both passed away.

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James Brackin: All three were unexpected, by the way. So we weren't expecting any of this to

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James Brackin: happen. It wasn't something that had happened and we were like, yeah, this makes sense.

00:04:52.355 --> 00:04:55.735

James Brackin: It was just more so life kind of feeling like, why is this happening to me?

00:04:55.815 --> 00:04:57.135

James Brackin: It's what it felt like for a long time.

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James Brackin: And then I kind of started asking the question, how is this happening for me instead of against me?

00:05:01.335 --> 00:05:04.435

James Brackin: And my life really started to change because those things that were once the

00:05:04.435 --> 00:05:08.035

James Brackin: thing that felt like life was pushing me down, they were the exact things that

00:05:08.035 --> 00:05:09.795

James Brackin: kind of helped me move forward in my life.

00:05:09.915 --> 00:05:12.955

James Brackin: So yeah, three of the most important men passed away really young in my life.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah. How old were you when that happened?

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James Brackin: My father, I was six. I think my uncle, I was around 10 or so.

00:05:20.295 --> 00:05:23.355

James Brackin: And then my grandfather, I was probably 12, 13, something like that.

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James Brackin: So I was still young for all of them.

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James Brackin: I mean, I know when my father passed away, I don't even think,

00:05:28.175 --> 00:05:30.235

James Brackin: like, I couldn't tell you what his voice sounded like. I've never really,

00:05:30.315 --> 00:05:32.095

James Brackin: I don't feel like I've ever really met the man, to be honest.

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Kevin Lowe: Wow. Wow. Maybe from your perspective now, when you kind of look back,

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Kevin Lowe: because I think when we kind of go through life. It's just, it's our own norm.

00:05:41.435 --> 00:05:46.675

Kevin Lowe: But when you look back on it now, like, can you see how maybe your life was

00:05:46.675 --> 00:05:50.655

Kevin Lowe: impacted by those losses, your childhood?

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James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think for me, growing up, I didn't really have a role model, I guess.

00:05:57.395 --> 00:06:00.575

James Brackin: And I think that was a blessing more than anything, because it helped me create

00:06:00.575 --> 00:06:03.835

James Brackin: my own identity, kind of step into figure out what I wanted to do.

00:06:04.015 --> 00:06:07.575

James Brackin: It wasn't having anyone's kind of expectations of what they wanted for me out

00:06:07.575 --> 00:06:11.115

James Brackin: of life. It was more so me just being open minded about what could come of life.

00:06:11.315 --> 00:06:14.455

James Brackin: And I think for me that that was such a blessing. And I didn't see it at the

00:06:14.455 --> 00:06:16.835

James Brackin: time of just stepping into what I wanted to do.

00:06:17.135 --> 00:06:20.975

James Brackin: And now I look back and I think, I mean, becoming a quote unquote life coach

00:06:20.975 --> 00:06:24.535

James Brackin: at 17 years old, starting a podcast at the same time, going down a path that

00:06:24.535 --> 00:06:28.535

James Brackin: I mean, was a complete left turn from what everyone else was doing when I graduated high school.

00:06:28.935 --> 00:06:33.615

James Brackin: I think the thing that really gave me that, that ability to step out of my comfort

00:06:33.615 --> 00:06:36.775

James Brackin: zone and step into things that, you know, felt most in alignment with me was

00:06:36.775 --> 00:06:39.895

James Brackin: not having anyone ahead of me kind of saying, this is what you should do or

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James Brackin: this is what you need to do. And I really look back at that as a blessing.

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Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I love,

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Kevin Lowe: I love and appreciate that mindset tremendously. Now, you just said you became a life coach at 17.

00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:53.380

James Brackin: Yeah.

00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:58.620

Kevin Lowe: Talk to me, where did that even come from? Because that is not the typical thing.

00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:02.980

James Brackin: Yeah, I know. Even now, like I'm 21 now and I feel like I've been,

00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.760

James Brackin: I feel like I'm a veteran, but also a beginner at the same time.

00:07:05.860 --> 00:07:08.940

James Brackin: Like I've been at it for so long, yet also so early on in my journey.

00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:12.380

James Brackin: And I think for me, I mean, I was listening to podcasts, reading books,

00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:14.620

James Brackin: stuff like that, just getting into the self-improvement industry.

00:07:14.960 --> 00:07:17.260

James Brackin: And I was listening to a podcast. At the end of it, they were talking about

00:07:17.260 --> 00:07:18.540

James Brackin: a coaching program. I had no

00:07:18.540 --> 00:07:20.820

James Brackin: idea what that was. Didn't even know what a coach was. I just knew that.

00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.940

James Brackin: Kind of felt really right. Like the way that they were explaining it,

00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:27.080

James Brackin: what they were talking about, the past few years of like my transformation,

00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:31.320

James Brackin: I really been able to, you know, transform myself with no external help outside

00:07:31.320 --> 00:07:32.960

James Brackin: of, you know, books, audiobooks, stuff like that.

00:07:33.080 --> 00:07:36.940

James Brackin: I thought, well, what could really happen if I stepped into hiring my own coach?

00:07:37.080 --> 00:07:39.660

James Brackin: Like having someone outside of me that's ahead of me, that's,

00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:41.020

James Brackin: you know, in a place that I want to go.

00:07:41.200 --> 00:07:44.860

James Brackin: What would life look like if I could step into that? And so I invested more

00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:45.920

James Brackin: money than I had in my bank account.

00:07:46.100 --> 00:07:50.020

James Brackin: I mean, like I had about probably $3,000 in my bank account at the time.

00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:52.780

James Brackin: And the coaching program was about $75,000, $8,000.

00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:56.500

James Brackin: So didn't know how I was going to make it happen, but I put the down payment

00:07:56.500 --> 00:08:01.220

James Brackin: on it. And man, my life really changed from that moment because when you pay, you pay attention.

00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:07.720

James Brackin: And I realized the value of just investing in yourself. I really can't emphasize it enough.

00:08:07.880 --> 00:08:11.320

James Brackin: And I became a coach from that point on. I mean, I took a couple of weeks of that.

00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:14.660

James Brackin: I think it was a 10 week course of really just to learn how to become a coach,

00:08:14.780 --> 00:08:18.540

James Brackin: how to help people get out of their own way and what coaching really is at the core of it.

00:08:18.580 --> 00:08:21.320

James Brackin: Because a lot of people think it's just giving advice when I'm a 17 year old,

00:08:21.380 --> 00:08:22.280

James Brackin: what advice do I have to give?

00:08:22.440 --> 00:08:24.580

James Brackin: Because I barely lived a life is what a lot of people would see.

00:08:24.700 --> 00:08:27.700

James Brackin: And the thing that I really came down to when my first mentor really taught

00:08:27.700 --> 00:08:28.700

James Brackin: me was that I don't have to.

00:08:29.297 --> 00:08:31.957

James Brackin: The answers, I just have to have the questions. And I think that that's where

00:08:31.957 --> 00:08:34.777

James Brackin: through the podcast and through coaching, I've really been able to excel is

00:08:34.777 --> 00:08:38.357

James Brackin: just kind of help people access a part of themselves through just asking really

00:08:38.357 --> 00:08:39.197

James Brackin: intentional questions.

00:08:39.697 --> 00:08:42.457

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, if you think about it, it's kind of like,

00:08:42.537 --> 00:08:48.117

Kevin Lowe: if we want to do sports analogy, I mean, the best coaches, they've never even played football.

00:08:48.397 --> 00:08:55.397

Kevin Lowe: You know, I mean, yeah. Now, so when that happened at 17, were you still in high school?

00:08:55.937 --> 00:09:01.057

James Brackin: I just about graduated high school. And that was the funny part was I just graduated high school.

00:09:01.497 --> 00:09:04.237

James Brackin: I was getting into real estate thinking that that was going to be the thing for me.

00:09:04.357 --> 00:09:08.317

James Brackin: And then I realized in getting into real estate that I hated doing that.

00:09:08.397 --> 00:09:10.057

James Brackin: And I didn't, that was not going to be the path for me.

00:09:10.217 --> 00:09:13.797

James Brackin: And so it was like this, I was at home and I didn't have anyone,

00:09:14.037 --> 00:09:18.317

James Brackin: all the judgment that I was fearful of and wouldn't allow myself to step forward.

00:09:18.397 --> 00:09:20.697

James Brackin: It was kind of like that moment in time where I realized, Hey,

00:09:20.717 --> 00:09:23.317

James Brackin: this is like the perfect time because I'm not in school and all the people can

00:09:23.317 --> 00:09:24.997

James Brackin: judge me, but I'm at least not going to be around them.

00:09:25.337 --> 00:09:28.497

James Brackin: And it's just going to be kind of me in this, I guess, like monk mode,

00:09:28.617 --> 00:09:31.837

James Brackin: that idea of just for a long time, right after high school.

00:09:32.017 --> 00:09:36.597

James Brackin: I mean, that's all I did for six years or six months to a year straight was

00:09:36.597 --> 00:09:39.017

James Brackin: just intentionally figure out how I can make this thing happen.

00:09:39.517 --> 00:09:44.197

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Now, while you were in school, so say, you know,

00:09:44.357 --> 00:09:48.837

Kevin Lowe: teenage years going into high school and stuff, did you ever have any ideas

00:09:48.837 --> 00:09:52.197

Kevin Lowe: at that point, like what you thought you would want to do as a career?

00:09:52.697 --> 00:09:56.257

James Brackin: You know, what's funny is when I was growing up, like a really,

00:09:56.577 --> 00:10:00.137

James Brackin: really young age, my mom and my sister told me that I told them that I wanted

00:10:00.137 --> 00:10:01.637

James Brackin: to be a motivational speaker.

00:10:01.877 --> 00:10:07.317

James Brackin: Now, I don't remember ever saying that. I don't remember ever that being a thing that I wanted to do.

00:10:07.737 --> 00:10:11.897

James Brackin: But to step into podcasting and coaching and definitely speaking might be a

00:10:11.897 --> 00:10:14.257

James Brackin: thing in the future, but right now it just doesn't really excite me.

00:10:14.537 --> 00:10:17.277

James Brackin: I'm still in that pathway. And it's funny that I ended up where I'm at right

00:10:17.277 --> 00:10:19.457

James Brackin: now because I could have never predicted it. Because no, I mean,

00:10:19.497 --> 00:10:21.097

James Brackin: when I was in high school, I just knew I didn't want to struggle.

00:10:21.257 --> 00:10:22.137

James Brackin: I didn't want to think about money.

00:10:22.397 --> 00:10:25.417

James Brackin: And I wasn't really thinking about making an impact. And then when I graduated

00:10:25.417 --> 00:10:27.937

James Brackin: high school, that was the only thing I really thought about because I,

00:10:28.097 --> 00:10:31.637

James Brackin: a coach told me, and this has stuck with me ever since, is that you do a disservice

00:10:31.637 --> 00:10:33.637

James Brackin: by not bringing your unique gifts into the world.

00:10:33.897 --> 00:10:37.377

James Brackin: I think everyone has something here on this earth and we're here for a reason,

00:10:37.377 --> 00:10:41.217

James Brackin: but most of us aren't able to access that reason or most of us aren't able to believe in that.

00:10:41.497 --> 00:10:44.177

James Brackin: And so having someone believe in me more than I believe in myself really helped

00:10:44.177 --> 00:10:45.577

James Brackin: me access that for myself so

00:10:45.577 --> 00:10:48.197

James Brackin: that I could, you know, help other people do that for themselves as well.

00:10:48.537 --> 00:10:49.877

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

00:10:50.353 --> 00:10:56.373

Kevin Lowe: So my next kind of like one of the other last questions in regards to the life

00:10:56.373 --> 00:11:03.973

Kevin Lowe: coaching thing is, how did you even come to that idea of this is the path I want to take?

00:11:04.273 --> 00:11:08.113

James Brackin: It wasn't really. I mean, it wasn't. It's kind of like something like a path

00:11:08.113 --> 00:11:12.353

James Brackin: that chose me more than I chose it, I guess, because I think for for many people,

00:11:12.733 --> 00:11:14.573

James Brackin: opportunities show up in their life.

00:11:15.113 --> 00:11:19.613

James Brackin: Right? So opportunities, synchronicities, things that if you were to really

00:11:19.613 --> 00:11:21.033

James Brackin: look out for them, you'd notice them.

00:11:21.173 --> 00:11:23.753

James Brackin: But I think for a lot of people, we're looking for all the things that reinforce

00:11:23.753 --> 00:11:25.773

James Brackin: where we are rather than where we want to go.

00:11:25.973 --> 00:11:29.413

James Brackin: And so when I was at the end of listening to one of the podcasts I was listening

00:11:29.413 --> 00:11:32.353

James Brackin: to and they were talking about a coaching program, again, I had no idea what

00:11:32.353 --> 00:11:33.813

James Brackin: that is. I have done a sales call.

00:11:34.073 --> 00:11:36.713

James Brackin: They sold me. It just happened really quick. And from there,

00:11:36.813 --> 00:11:38.993

James Brackin: it really changed my life because I put in the work from that point.

00:11:39.313 --> 00:11:42.613

James Brackin: And so it wasn't really something that chose me. I just knew I wanted to start

00:11:42.613 --> 00:11:45.013

James Brackin: a podcast. that definitely always felt in alignment with me.

00:11:45.253 --> 00:11:48.993

James Brackin: I mean, at least from like my later ages, but that always felt in alignment.

00:11:49.113 --> 00:11:51.953

James Brackin: And so I thought, well, if I'm gonna invest into a coaching program to become

00:11:51.953 --> 00:11:54.653

James Brackin: a coach, I'm gonna have to start posting on social media. So I might as well

00:11:54.653 --> 00:11:55.953

James Brackin: start a podcast at the same time.

00:11:56.133 --> 00:11:58.493

James Brackin: And everything kind of just started from there, really, it wasn't really something

00:11:58.493 --> 00:12:02.193

James Brackin: that I chose, but it was more so something that I felt chosen for.

00:12:02.393 --> 00:12:06.293

James Brackin: I mean, I think the distinction I like to use is most people feel pushed in

00:12:06.293 --> 00:12:08.593

James Brackin: their life, pushed towards something, and I felt pulled towards it.

00:12:08.713 --> 00:12:09.793

James Brackin: And so it wasn't really my choice.

00:12:10.113 --> 00:12:15.433

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, oh man, I love that so very much. Now, I want to ask you something,

00:12:15.753 --> 00:12:21.613

Kevin Lowe: and I mean, I hope you take it the way that I mean it, is the fact that I learned

00:12:21.613 --> 00:12:26.293

Kevin Lowe: in my own life, my own situation, that I kind of came up with this idea that

00:12:26.293 --> 00:12:28.573

Kevin Lowe: things in our life that are bad,

00:12:28.793 --> 00:12:32.773

Kevin Lowe: they're only really bad if we can't figure out how to make good come out of them.

00:12:33.433 --> 00:12:39.953

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but wonder for you taking this path, getting into coaching

00:12:39.953 --> 00:12:43.413

Kevin Lowe: and then podcasting in this whole realm that you're in.

00:12:43.733 --> 00:12:50.953

Kevin Lowe: Do you feel like you are here and are the person you are because of experiencing

00:12:50.953 --> 00:12:53.753

Kevin Lowe: those three losses as a child?

00:12:53.953 --> 00:12:58.253

James Brackin: I mean, I don't know if it's directly like causation correlation kind of thing.

00:12:58.373 --> 00:13:02.153

James Brackin: I don't know if it's exactly why, but I definitely know that I took that meaning

00:13:02.153 --> 00:13:04.513

James Brackin: from it. I think, I heard something recently and I don't remember,

00:13:04.613 --> 00:13:08.193

James Brackin: it might've been Viktor Frankl, whoever it was, but suffering is only suffering

00:13:08.193 --> 00:13:09.353

James Brackin: if you can't find the meaning in it.

00:13:09.573 --> 00:13:14.233

James Brackin: And so for me, I found the meaning in it. And for so long, I didn't find the

00:13:14.233 --> 00:13:16.313

James Brackin: meaning in it. I mean, it was the exact opposite, really.

00:13:16.433 --> 00:13:19.413

James Brackin: It was, why is life coming after me? Why is life pushing me down?

00:13:19.633 --> 00:13:21.773

James Brackin: Why is this happening to me? Just why, why, why questions.

00:13:22.393 --> 00:13:26.513

James Brackin: And then I started asking how questions. So why is this happening to me versus

00:13:26.513 --> 00:13:27.773

James Brackin: how is this happening for me?

00:13:28.013 --> 00:13:30.713

James Brackin: And so then I just started to look forward in my life. And when you start to

00:13:30.713 --> 00:13:32.973

James Brackin: look forward in your life, you start to see it because it's always there.

00:13:33.093 --> 00:13:34.293

James Brackin: You just, you're not looking for it.

00:13:34.473 --> 00:13:38.713

James Brackin: And so absolutely, I think everyone's pain turns to purpose if they are able

00:13:38.713 --> 00:13:41.053

James Brackin: to turn it into purpose. And I just went out of my way to do so.

00:13:41.633 --> 00:13:44.813

Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. You said that you have a sister, correct?

00:13:45.353 --> 00:13:45.573

James Brackin: Yes.

00:13:45.893 --> 00:13:50.233

Kevin Lowe: Did your sister handle things similar to you or differently?

00:13:50.933 --> 00:13:54.893

James Brackin: It's funny. We kind of went down a similar path, but different approaches.

00:13:55.133 --> 00:13:58.093

James Brackin: So she became a social worker, master's degree, social work,

00:13:58.193 --> 00:14:01.533

James Brackin: went down that approach. And I went down the approach of, you know, coaching, podcasting.

00:14:01.653 --> 00:14:05.793

James Brackin: So we're both trying to help people through our, I guess, the trauma that we went through.

00:14:05.973 --> 00:14:08.673

James Brackin: And so that was the kind of approach that we took was just more so like,

00:14:08.753 --> 00:14:11.413

James Brackin: how can I help people through what I went through, I guess.

00:14:11.653 --> 00:14:17.213

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, I love that so much. So podcasting, we talked about coaching.

00:14:17.553 --> 00:14:20.933

Kevin Lowe: So you said that you had thought about wanting to start a podcast.

00:14:21.333 --> 00:14:26.413

Kevin Lowe: So at what point in this kind of journey did you decide, you know what,

00:14:26.513 --> 00:14:29.073

Kevin Lowe: I don't have enough on my plate, let's add podcasting?

00:14:29.893 --> 00:14:34.153

James Brackin: Yeah, I think it was honestly, man, it was about probably a few days after I made the investment.

00:14:34.393 --> 00:14:37.993

James Brackin: So I think I'm a 17 year old. I have no idea what a coach is.

00:14:38.193 --> 00:14:39.513

James Brackin: I don't know how I'm gonna make this work.

00:14:39.893 --> 00:14:43.393

James Brackin: I just invested more money than I had in my bank account. So I have to figure out a way to do it.

00:14:43.613 --> 00:14:46.753

James Brackin: And so, and I'm still thinking about, you know, I just graduated high school

00:14:46.753 --> 00:14:49.573

James Brackin: not too long ago. So I'm still thinking about what other people are gonna think of me.

00:14:49.693 --> 00:14:52.413

James Brackin: I mean, the biggest fear is where, you know, what are other people going to

00:14:52.413 --> 00:14:55.073

James Brackin: think? What if I fail? What if I look like a, like silly?

00:14:55.373 --> 00:14:57.253

James Brackin: And, you know, all the fears that most people have,

00:14:57.736 --> 00:15:00.796

James Brackin: For me, it was like, okay, if I've already invested, it's up to me.

00:15:00.896 --> 00:15:04.496

James Brackin: Now it's like, now there's no way I can go against this because I put money

00:15:04.496 --> 00:15:06.056

James Brackin: down on it and more money than I had.

00:15:06.136 --> 00:15:09.436

James Brackin: So I literally had to find a way to make money just to pay it back,

00:15:09.556 --> 00:15:11.736

James Brackin: just to even make even on my investment.

00:15:12.156 --> 00:15:16.076

James Brackin: So at that point, I'm thinking, well, if I have to start posting online to attract

00:15:16.076 --> 00:15:19.936

James Brackin: clients and start helping people through that way, might as well start the podcast

00:15:19.936 --> 00:15:21.356

James Brackin: because I've always wanted to do that as well.

00:15:21.516 --> 00:15:25.416

James Brackin: And so it was kind of like an indirectly the exact thing that allowed me to

00:15:25.416 --> 00:15:28.516

James Brackin: just get out of my own way and start showing up for the thing that I know I

00:15:28.516 --> 00:15:29.416

James Brackin: always felt called to do.

00:15:29.856 --> 00:15:35.916

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Now, did you ever think, was it always just podcast or I mean,

00:15:36.076 --> 00:15:39.556

Kevin Lowe: a lot of people immediately tend to think, you know, oh, YouTube channel.

00:15:39.896 --> 00:15:41.736

Kevin Lowe: Was it always just podcasting?

00:15:41.836 --> 00:15:45.416

James Brackin: I think for me, they go hand in hand, really. I mean, my YouTube channel has

00:15:45.416 --> 00:15:48.576

James Brackin: is where most of my podcast, I guess, listenership comes from.

00:15:48.836 --> 00:15:53.576

James Brackin: But I think, yeah, it was just more so an approach of I'm learning so much from

00:15:53.576 --> 00:15:56.276

James Brackin: these books, from these podcasts, from this kind of stuff. Like over the past

00:15:56.276 --> 00:15:59.936

James Brackin: couple of years, my life has changed dramatically. I feel like I've lived two separate lives.

00:16:00.236 --> 00:16:03.436

James Brackin: And my second life really started when I started realizing that the first life

00:16:03.436 --> 00:16:04.816

James Brackin: I was living wasn't really my life.

00:16:04.916 --> 00:16:07.716

James Brackin: It was more so an attachment to my thoughts or who I thought it was,

00:16:07.756 --> 00:16:08.856

James Brackin: not so much who I actually was.

00:16:09.076 --> 00:16:13.236

James Brackin: And so I thought, what would be the coolest thing in the world if I could read a book?

00:16:13.356 --> 00:16:15.716

James Brackin: I still have a lot of questions about the book and then I can interview the

00:16:15.716 --> 00:16:20.116

James Brackin: author about the book or entrepreneurs that I found really fascinating from

00:16:20.116 --> 00:16:21.696

James Brackin: building massive companies.

00:16:21.796 --> 00:16:24.276

James Brackin: Like what could we learn from them? And so, especially from my perspective,

00:16:24.436 --> 00:16:28.596

James Brackin: I mean, not many people at 17 years old have a podcast, let alone are interviewing people that are,

00:16:29.235 --> 00:16:33.195

James Brackin: in the trauma, anxiety, mindset, personal development kind of space.

00:16:33.355 --> 00:16:35.875

James Brackin: And so that was the approach I took. I just thought it would be the coolest

00:16:35.875 --> 00:16:37.455

James Brackin: thing ever. And to this day, it still is.

00:16:37.975 --> 00:16:42.835

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. 100%. Now, talking about books and reading and stuff,

00:16:42.975 --> 00:16:44.835

Kevin Lowe: when did you really get into reading?

00:16:45.515 --> 00:16:49.715

James Brackin: Yeah, it's funny because I grew up thinking that I would never read a book.

00:16:49.955 --> 00:16:51.815

James Brackin: I mean, I remember my mom, my sister would always tell me like,

00:16:51.895 --> 00:16:53.195

James Brackin: you'll eventually start liking books.

00:16:53.255 --> 00:16:57.395

James Brackin: And I went through my entire schooling life just taking a lot of pride in never

00:16:57.395 --> 00:16:59.675

James Brackin: reading a book, to be completely honest. Like I'd still passed the grade,

00:16:59.795 --> 00:17:02.635

James Brackin: but I didn't read anything kind of perspective on things just because,

00:17:02.855 --> 00:17:05.455

James Brackin: I mean, I think most of the books that I read gave me no value.

00:17:05.655 --> 00:17:09.595

James Brackin: And so when I left high school, like I said, I started listening to podcasts

00:17:09.595 --> 00:17:13.115

James Brackin: and started, you know, surrounding myself with different kinds of people.

00:17:13.795 --> 00:17:18.875

James Brackin: And from there, it was, I don't know, I think it was probably similar books

00:17:18.875 --> 00:17:22.375

James Brackin: that most people come across where it's, you know, Think and Grow Rich and Rich

00:17:22.375 --> 00:17:24.535

James Brackin: Dad, Poor Dad, that kind of stuff that came into my life.

00:17:24.535 --> 00:17:29.675

James Brackin: And then from there on, I just went down a rabbit hole of just wanting to get

00:17:29.675 --> 00:17:33.415

James Brackin: more of a gist on the challenges that I was trying to overcome in my life and

00:17:33.415 --> 00:17:35.675

James Brackin: all of that kind of stuff. So it was around that same time.

00:17:36.035 --> 00:17:42.575

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Okay. Okay. Amazing. So I guess I'm curious to understand a little bit

00:17:42.575 --> 00:17:46.515

Kevin Lowe: is, you know, we talked at the beginning about like kind of what drives you.

00:17:46.515 --> 00:17:53.215

Kevin Lowe: Do you feel like it's still the same thing? Or do you feel like as you're continuing

00:17:53.215 --> 00:17:57.115

Kevin Lowe: to evolve as a person, evolve in your career, what you're doing,

00:17:57.475 --> 00:18:00.235

Kevin Lowe: do you feel like that driving force changes?

00:18:00.855 --> 00:18:05.355

James Brackin: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think when I first started, it came from a place of lack.

00:18:05.675 --> 00:18:10.115

James Brackin: And so trying to get to a place of not having to think about money,

00:18:10.255 --> 00:18:14.135

James Brackin: not having to think about just the basic needs that most people need in their

00:18:14.135 --> 00:18:18.035

James Brackin: life. Like just knowing that I can step into this path, this route and have

00:18:18.035 --> 00:18:20.135

James Brackin: full certainty in myself that I'm going to make it work.

00:18:20.375 --> 00:18:24.195

James Brackin: That was kind of like the fear from the beginning. And that was what was driving me from the jump.

00:18:24.878 --> 00:18:29.778

James Brackin: Nowadays, I think it's just more so continuously trying to find outlets of impacting

00:18:29.778 --> 00:18:34.078

James Brackin: people that excite me because there's a lot of ways of making money.

00:18:34.178 --> 00:18:36.498

James Brackin: There's a lot of ways of building businesses.

00:18:36.658 --> 00:18:39.538

James Brackin: There's a lot of ways of impacting people as well. I mean, there's podcasting,

00:18:39.638 --> 00:18:43.818

James Brackin: there's retreats, there's group coaching, there's one-on-one coaching, there's events.

00:18:43.958 --> 00:18:46.618

James Brackin: There's so many ways and things that we can do.

00:18:46.898 --> 00:18:50.038

James Brackin: And so for me right now, it's just continuously experimenting,

00:18:50.358 --> 00:18:54.318

James Brackin: trying things, having interesting conversations, hopefully impacting people,

00:18:54.458 --> 00:18:58.158

James Brackin: giving people a space to be vulnerable and open and work through the things

00:18:58.158 --> 00:18:58.978

James Brackin: that they need to work through.

00:18:59.258 --> 00:19:03.238

James Brackin: And just finding things that excite me and make me want to get up in the morning.

00:19:03.358 --> 00:19:06.558

James Brackin: Because I think for a lot of people, they get to their work and it's something

00:19:06.558 --> 00:19:08.098

James Brackin: that they want to get done with.

00:19:08.298 --> 00:19:13.618

James Brackin: I mean, the idea of retirement in general never really jibed well with me.

00:19:13.758 --> 00:19:16.758

James Brackin: I never really want to say that I want to get away from work because then I

00:19:16.758 --> 00:19:19.558

James Brackin: would lose my purpose in life. And so I think for me right now,

00:19:19.698 --> 00:19:23.938

James Brackin: it's just really finding ways to continuously be excited about what I do and

00:19:23.938 --> 00:19:25.338

James Brackin: not overcomplicated in the meantime.

00:19:25.818 --> 00:19:30.598

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, 100%. All the guests that you've interviewed on your podcast,

00:19:30.998 --> 00:19:36.678

Kevin Lowe: obviously the podcast, I mean, we do it for our audience. We want our audience to get value.

00:19:36.978 --> 00:19:42.838

Kevin Lowe: But talk to me a little bit about the value that you've received by interviewing the people you have.

00:19:43.498 --> 00:19:49.558

James Brackin: Absolutely. I'll even go a step further by saying that my first 105 episodes were solo.

00:19:50.058 --> 00:19:54.538

James Brackin: So you see it now and you see, you know, amazing guests, Seth Godin,

00:19:54.738 --> 00:19:59.218

James Brackin: you know, Tyler Henry, so many other amazing people that I've had the opportunity to speak with.

00:19:59.318 --> 00:20:03.918

James Brackin: But my first 105 episodes were in my car, no microphone, like just completely

00:20:03.918 --> 00:20:06.018

James Brackin: doing it with my computer, just kind of like a public journal,

00:20:06.238 --> 00:20:09.458

James Brackin: honestly, just going over things that I was learning, things that I was working

00:20:09.458 --> 00:20:13.778

James Brackin: with clients on, and hopefully giving some kind of just perspective based on my life.

00:20:13.778 --> 00:20:17.178

James Brackin: I mean, I never want to come from a place of I'm giving advice like I know things,

00:20:17.318 --> 00:20:20.718

James Brackin: but more so just from a place of, yeah, I don't know, but hopefully this is

00:20:20.718 --> 00:20:22.378

James Brackin: helpful to you because it was helpful for me.

00:20:22.638 --> 00:20:25.398

James Brackin: And so through the podcast and then through interviews as well,

00:20:25.538 --> 00:20:29.498

James Brackin: I think more than anything, it's just really allowed me to expand my mind.

00:20:29.718 --> 00:20:33.398

James Brackin: I mean, what it's done for me is what I'm trying to do through the podcast of

00:20:33.398 --> 00:20:37.238

James Brackin: you can too is just helping people reframe what they believe is true,

00:20:37.658 --> 00:20:40.358

James Brackin: reframe what they believe is possible for themselves by questioning what they

00:20:40.358 --> 00:20:44.018

James Brackin: believe and expanding their mind on what is possible by showing and sharing

00:20:44.018 --> 00:20:46.678

James Brackin: stories from expansive people that have done it themselves.

00:20:47.278 --> 00:20:51.058

James Brackin: And so continuously doing it week after week of just inspiring stories that

00:20:51.058 --> 00:20:55.098

James Brackin: people have done that have overcome amazing things and done astounding things,

00:20:55.098 --> 00:20:59.978

James Brackin: it continues to remind me that I need to, as soon as I think that I've reached

00:20:59.978 --> 00:21:01.818

James Brackin: a certain place or I've done enough,

00:21:02.038 --> 00:21:04.078

James Brackin: it just continues to expand my mind of what's possible.

00:21:04.338 --> 00:21:10.658

Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. You said that your dad and your uncle, you said were 37 when they

00:21:10.658 --> 00:21:12.738

Kevin Lowe: passed away. You are how old now?

00:21:13.118 --> 00:21:13.778

James Brackin: 21.

00:21:14.038 --> 00:21:14.978

Kevin Lowe: 21. Okay.

00:21:15.813 --> 00:21:21.373

Kevin Lowe: I am 38, and I can tell you, I still feel way too young to be this old.

00:21:23.173 --> 00:21:27.233

Kevin Lowe: But what does that do for you is just a mindset?

00:21:27.573 --> 00:21:32.373

Kevin Lowe: Because, I mean, the fact is true is, I mean, none of us know how long we're here on Earth.

00:21:33.093 --> 00:21:38.253

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but think that with all that you're doing, and I mean,

00:21:38.313 --> 00:21:42.553

Kevin Lowe: I think I need to just say that listening to you,

00:21:42.853 --> 00:21:48.533

Kevin Lowe: to your mindset, to what you say, you're so much wiser than than your age.

00:21:48.873 --> 00:21:56.393

Kevin Lowe: It's absolutely amazing. And I guess my question is, is does that age of 37,

00:21:56.393 --> 00:22:02.493

Kevin Lowe: does it weigh on you thinking of how short life really is?

00:22:02.933 --> 00:22:06.033

James Brackin: Yeah, it's a big question. I think for a long time it has.

00:22:06.193 --> 00:22:10.613

James Brackin: And I think it's like we all have those things where we have mental blocks or

00:22:10.613 --> 00:22:13.773

James Brackin: perceptions, preconceived notions based on our past experiences.

00:22:13.773 --> 00:22:17.613

James Brackin: I definitely think for a long time, it's, and I still think to some extent of

00:22:17.613 --> 00:22:20.793

James Brackin: when I, when I hit 38, it's going to be cool because it's just going to be this

00:22:20.793 --> 00:22:25.153

James Brackin: like mental breakthrough of, man, I, I passed that milestone kind of thing.

00:22:25.293 --> 00:22:28.833

James Brackin: But I think just like anything else, it's the, the anticipation of it is more

00:22:28.833 --> 00:22:32.793

James Brackin: so the thing that really kind of gets in your head more than the actual event itself.

00:22:32.993 --> 00:22:37.013

James Brackin: So definitely reminds me how short this life is when I think of it,

00:22:37.093 --> 00:22:38.773

James Brackin: but I don't think it holds me back in any way.

00:22:39.193 --> 00:22:42.973

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, absolutely. You know, when you were saying that, I kind of helped

00:22:42.973 --> 00:22:48.933

Kevin Lowe: but think of my own situation story is I remember when it had been the 18-year

00:22:48.933 --> 00:22:50.773

Kevin Lowe: anniversary of when I became blind.

00:22:51.033 --> 00:22:56.053

Kevin Lowe: And I remember that was kind of weird, kind of how you talk about turning 38

00:22:56.053 --> 00:23:01.553

Kevin Lowe: when I hit that 18-year, because that meant I had been blind one more year longer

00:23:01.553 --> 00:23:02.813

Kevin Lowe: than I had been able to see.

00:23:03.093 --> 00:23:06.273

Kevin Lowe: And I remember always thinking that that would be really weird,

00:23:06.553 --> 00:23:10.333

Kevin Lowe: even the 17, to think that I had been blind as long as I had been able to see. Yeah.

00:23:10.745 --> 00:23:13.285

Kevin Lowe: You know, it's always kind of funny is exactly what you said.

00:23:13.425 --> 00:23:18.525

Kevin Lowe: It's the anticipation for something is a lot of times the best part of it all.

00:23:18.705 --> 00:23:21.965

Kevin Lowe: Because once you reach it, you realize, well, yeah, it's just like any other day.

00:23:23.765 --> 00:23:27.625

James Brackin: I had a conversation with a guy named Daniel Lieberman earlier this year.

00:23:28.825 --> 00:23:32.565

James Brackin: Incredible, incredible author. He wrote the book. I'm blanking on the name of

00:23:32.565 --> 00:23:34.085

James Brackin: the book right now, but incredible guest.

00:23:34.245 --> 00:23:38.045

James Brackin: I would definitely recommend. And he was talking about how, I mean,

00:23:38.165 --> 00:23:42.825

James Brackin: dopamine in itself, like the anticipation of things is more than the actual event.

00:23:43.005 --> 00:23:46.845

James Brackin: We get dopamine from the anticipation, not so much of the actual thing itself.

00:23:47.165 --> 00:23:49.665

James Brackin: Great example that I like to use and something I experienced this year.

00:23:49.905 --> 00:23:52.225

James Brackin: The number one place in my bucket list was Hawaii.

00:23:52.625 --> 00:23:55.325

James Brackin: And this year I got to spend four months on the island of Kauai,

00:23:55.445 --> 00:24:00.525

James Brackin: which was a dream of mine. I always grew up watching Hawaii Five-0, the second version.

00:24:00.765 --> 00:24:04.325

James Brackin: And it was always a dream of mine to go there. and then I spent four months on the island.

00:24:04.605 --> 00:24:07.725

James Brackin: And to say it was a dream is an understatement. It's still, still is amazing

00:24:07.725 --> 00:24:08.845

James Brackin: that I had the privilege to go there.

00:24:08.985 --> 00:24:11.185

James Brackin: But, you know, after two months, after three months, you kind of get,

00:24:11.305 --> 00:24:15.645

James Brackin: it's just normal at that point. And so just like anything, the hedonic adaptation is going to come in.

00:24:15.905 --> 00:24:19.445

James Brackin: And so that's why I never like to put too much emphasis on something in the

00:24:19.445 --> 00:24:22.685

James Brackin: future because it's never going to live up to my expectations because the expectations

00:24:22.685 --> 00:24:25.585

James Brackin: is what makes the feeling more than anything.

00:24:26.166 --> 00:24:32.026

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, no, I agree 100%. I love that. Do you have anything for somebody listening

00:24:32.026 --> 00:24:40.886

Kevin Lowe: today who, whether they're young or young at heart, and they feel like there's more for them,

00:24:41.666 --> 00:24:43.566

Kevin Lowe: would you have any advice for them?

00:24:43.666 --> 00:24:47.946

Kevin Lowe: I mean, because, again, I mean, you're a young guy, and I look at what you've

00:24:47.946 --> 00:24:53.186

Kevin Lowe: done. And you went against the quote unquote norm of, you know, after high school.

00:24:53.506 --> 00:24:58.746

Kevin Lowe: And I can't help but find just great inspiration in that and wonder,

00:24:59.026 --> 00:25:02.046

Kevin Lowe: you know, what would you say to that person who's thinking, wow,

00:25:02.466 --> 00:25:05.106

Kevin Lowe: I kind of wish I could be a little bit more like James Bracken.

00:25:05.626 --> 00:25:08.106

James Brackin: Yeah, I mean, I would look at the name of my podcast, right?

00:25:08.206 --> 00:25:09.266

James Brackin: I mean, it's the whole core of

00:25:09.266 --> 00:25:13.026

James Brackin: what I do is I'm trying to be a living representation of what I'm saying.

00:25:13.606 --> 00:25:16.646

James Brackin: And through the conversations that I have, through the life that I'm trying

00:25:16.646 --> 00:25:18.846

James Brackin: to live, I mean, I think it's the same thing goes.

00:25:19.106 --> 00:25:22.186

James Brackin: And so if I would say that if that feeling is inside of you,

00:25:22.286 --> 00:25:25.406

James Brackin: that there's more here, that there's more for me to do, I would say that your

00:25:25.406 --> 00:25:27.346

James Brackin: intuition isn't lying to you, you're just lying to yourself.

00:25:27.746 --> 00:25:30.466

James Brackin: That you've been lying to yourself for so long, saying, you know,

00:25:30.526 --> 00:25:34.526

James Brackin: kind of living in alignment with what you don't want more so than what you do want.

00:25:34.626 --> 00:25:38.306

James Brackin: So if you keep pushing down that intuition, the choir that intuition is going

00:25:38.306 --> 00:25:41.206

James Brackin: to get and the less that you listen to it and the less that it'll show up in

00:25:41.206 --> 00:25:45.466

James Brackin: your life. And so I would just say, say yes to the things that your intuition

00:25:45.466 --> 00:25:49.526

James Brackin: is saying yes to, because you'll start saying yes to yourself and life will start saying yes to you.

00:25:50.146 --> 00:25:55.326

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, I love it. One hundred percent, man. Dude, James, you're such an awesome

00:25:55.326 --> 00:25:57.806

Kevin Lowe: guy, man. Such a killer story.

00:25:58.226 --> 00:26:02.766

Kevin Lowe: Honest to goodness. I mean, you as a child, let's face it.

00:26:02.926 --> 00:26:06.226

Kevin Lowe: I mean, you went through the unthinkable. Even though you were young,

00:26:06.486 --> 00:26:12.626

Kevin Lowe: it obviously has an impact. and the fact of where you are today, what you're doing,

00:26:13.374 --> 00:26:18.794

Kevin Lowe: And just the person that you've become, I mean, I have to say,

00:26:19.034 --> 00:26:24.674

Kevin Lowe: I mean, anybody listening has to feel just honored to meet you and proud of

00:26:24.674 --> 00:26:26.554

Kevin Lowe: what you've been able to do.

00:26:26.734 --> 00:26:32.614

Kevin Lowe: Of overcoming the challenges, overcoming these bad circumstances,

00:26:32.614 --> 00:26:38.994

Kevin Lowe: to be here today, just kind of blowing all of our minds with the amount of wisdom

00:26:38.994 --> 00:26:41.714

Kevin Lowe: you have to share. It's really amazing.

00:26:41.714 --> 00:26:45.314

James Brackin: Man, you're doing the exact same thing just through a different lens,

00:26:45.614 --> 00:26:47.454

James Brackin: right? I mean, so I really appreciate that immensely.

00:26:47.714 --> 00:26:51.114

James Brackin: You probably experience this sometimes too, where you forget the impact that

00:26:51.114 --> 00:26:53.514

James Brackin: you're having because you're just trying to do the best that you can.

00:26:53.734 --> 00:26:57.434

James Brackin: And so there's a lot of times where I completely forget that anyone listens

00:26:57.434 --> 00:27:03.074

James Brackin: to my podcast or anyone that I've ever coached ever got value from working with me.

00:27:03.174 --> 00:27:07.274

James Brackin: I mean, it's really easy to forget how far you've come when you're looking at

00:27:07.274 --> 00:27:08.734

James Brackin: about how far you want to go.

00:27:08.914 --> 00:27:11.434

James Brackin: And so I really appreciate that. It means a lot. But I mean,

00:27:11.534 --> 00:27:15.094

James Brackin: I almost died when I was born. So to even be here to begin with is just a blessing.

00:27:15.514 --> 00:27:20.854

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. Just another layer to this onion that we've been unpeeling, man.

00:27:21.474 --> 00:27:26.434

Kevin Lowe: Well, James, tell me where's the best place, easiest place to find your podcast,

00:27:26.694 --> 00:27:31.474

Kevin Lowe: plus anybody who either wants to see about working with you as a coach or just

00:27:31.474 --> 00:27:32.754

Kevin Lowe: getting plugged into your world.

00:27:33.174 --> 00:27:37.434

James Brackin: Yeah, absolutely. Main points is Instagram and YouTube is where I'm most present.

00:27:37.434 --> 00:27:41.334

James Brackin: You can find my podcast, You Can Too, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube,

00:27:41.634 --> 00:27:43.194

James Brackin: Instagram, everything that you can think of.

00:27:43.314 --> 00:27:45.854

James Brackin: But those are the main platforms that I'm on. I'm on LinkedIn and everything

00:27:45.854 --> 00:27:47.614

James Brackin: else as well. But those are where I'm most at.

00:27:48.354 --> 00:27:52.114

Kevin Lowe: Well, fantastic. Well, I'll be sure that all of that is in the show notes and

00:27:52.114 --> 00:27:54.254

Kevin Lowe: it will be on the webpage for today's episode.

00:27:55.074 --> 00:27:58.894

Kevin Lowe: James, man, dude, it's been a pleasure to meet you, a pleasure to get to hear

00:27:58.894 --> 00:28:02.574

Kevin Lowe: your story. And I thank you for spending a few minutes with me today.

00:28:02.914 --> 00:28:05.874

James Brackin: You are incredible, man. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.

00:28:06.114 --> 00:28:08.454

James Brackin: You have such an incredible story. You're such an amazing host.

00:28:08.594 --> 00:28:09.834

James Brackin: You have the perfect voice for it.

00:28:10.034 --> 00:28:13.114

James Brackin: I thank you for taking the time to speak with me and give me this privilege

00:28:13.114 --> 00:28:14.614

James Brackin: to speak with you and talk to your audience.

00:28:15.094 --> 00:28:22.134

Kevin Lowe: Oh, man, you bet 100%, dude. For you listening today, hopefully you're smiling as big as I am.

00:28:22.714 --> 00:28:27.134

Kevin Lowe: Hopefully you're also feeling a little jacked up right now because I feel like

00:28:27.134 --> 00:28:31.014

Kevin Lowe: we just got a shot of a little James Brackett in our life, something that maybe

00:28:31.014 --> 00:28:32.634

Kevin Lowe: you didn't even realize you needed.

00:28:32.854 --> 00:28:38.354

Kevin Lowe: And now you realize you can't live without. So go ahead, enjoy today's episode.

00:28:38.734 --> 00:28:42.294

Kevin Lowe: Well, hopefully you did enjoy today's episode. Share it with a friend.

00:28:42.294 --> 00:28:44.794

Kevin Lowe: And hey, maybe you need to hear it all again.

00:28:45.014 --> 00:28:49.354

Kevin Lowe: Hit rewind. If that's a thing in podcasting, rewind and listen again.

00:28:49.714 --> 00:28:55.454

Kevin Lowe: This guy is amazing. You get out there and enjoy the day. Stay awesome. Be inspired.

00:28:55.760 --> 00:29:14.855

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