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 Guest

James 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!

    Show Notes

    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 Guest

    James 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!




    Stay Awesome! Live Inspired!

    © 2025 Grit, Grace, & Inspiration

    Show 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,



    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,



    00:01:30.317 --> 00:01:34.057


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



    00:01:34.257 --> 00:01:36.857


    Kevin Lowe: I welcome you to episode 370.



    00:01:37.877 --> 00:01:41.717


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



    00:01:41.837 --> 00:01:43.237


    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.



    00:01:50.537 --> 00:01:54.017


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



    00:01:54.317 --> 00:01:55.857


    Kevin Lowe: James, welcome to the studio.



    00:01:56.017 --> 00:01:59.437


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



    00:02:00.117 --> 00:02:05.277


    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



    00:02:11.417 --> 00:02:13.197


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



    00:02:14.235 --> 00:02:18.375


    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?



    00:02:32.855 --> 00:02:37.335


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



    00:02:37.595 --> 00:02:41.015


    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



    00:02:48.075 --> 00:02:51.775


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



    00:02:51.895 --> 00:02:55.515


    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.



    00:03:37.755 --> 00:03:41.015


    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



    00:03:51.955 --> 00:03:53.795


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



    00:03:54.035 --> 00:03:56.975


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



    00:03:56.975 --> 00:04:00.235


    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?



    00:04:25.055 --> 00:04:27.995


    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.



    00:04:43.195 --> 00:04:45.835


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



    00:04:45.975 --> 00:04:48.955


    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.



    00:04:57.535 --> 00:05:01.175


    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?



    00:05:16.315 --> 00:05:20.195


    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.



    00:05:23.435 --> 00:05:24.675


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



    00:05:24.795 --> 00:05:27.895


    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



    00:05:46.675 --> 00:05:50.655


    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.



    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



    00:06:39.895 --> 00:06:42.835


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



    00:06:43.095 --> 00:06:45.015


    Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I love,



    00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:52.540


    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


    <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,



    00:01:30.317 --> 00:01:34.057


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



    00:01:34.257 --> 00:01:36.857


    Kevin Lowe: I welcome you to episode 370.



    00:01:37.877 --> 00:01:41.717


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



    00:01:41.837 --> 00:01:43.237


    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.



    00:01:50.537 --> 00:01:54.017


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



    00:01:54.317 --> 00:01:55.857


    Kevin Lowe: James, welcome to the studio.



    00:01:56.017 --> 00:01:59.437


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



    00:02:00.117 --> 00:02:05.277


    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



    00:02:11.417 --> 00:02:13.197


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



    00:02:14.235 --> 00:02:18.375


    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?



    00:02:32.855 --> 00:02:37.335


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



    00:02:37.595 --> 00:02:41.015


    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



    00:02:48.075 --> 00:02:51.775


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



    00:02:51.895 --> 00:02:55.515


    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.



    00:03:37.755 --> 00:03:41.015


    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



    00:03:51.955 --> 00:03:53.795


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



    00:03:54.035 --> 00:03:56.975


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



    00:03:56.975 --> 00:04:00.235


    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?



    00:04:25.055 --> 00:04:27.995


    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.



    00:04:43.195 --> 00:04:45.835


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



    00:04:45.975 --> 00:04:48.955


    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.



    00:04:57.535 --> 00:05:01.175


    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?



    00:05:16.315 --> 00:05:20.195


    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.



    00:05:23.435 --> 00:05:24.675


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



    00:05:24.795 --> 00:05:27.895


    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



    00:05:46.675 --> 00:05:50.655


    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.



    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



    00:06:39.895 --> 00:06:42.835


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



    00:06:43.095 --> 00:06:45.015


    Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I love,



    00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:52.540


    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


    <v Music>



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