The Right Pressure Makes You, The Wrong Pressure Cooks You | POP Podcast Ep. 6

Well, like we always say, it's popping! I'm out. Pressure is a part of God's process of making you or progressing you into who you're supposed to be. Life includes pressure no matter where you are. People don't burn out from the actual work of the thing, but it's the pressure that they put on themselves. I believe that God uses things that are uncomfortable to literally create us into who we're supposed to be. Number two, to keep us dependent on him. How's your week, what's going on? I crashed a couple weeks ago on my bike. Wait, wait, wait, wait. My first calibration is just like, let me check my body. Like, can I feel my legs? Are my legs here? Yes. Are my toes here? Okay, cool. My whole butt was out, just slid. Oh, you was, oh, absolutely, yes. So then I just rode my bike back to my car, you know, just a little breeze, and it's just kind of like. So a righteous man falls seven times. Come on! And he gets back up again, even if his cheeks are out. Oh. Pop Podcast episode six closing. Well, I hope you're doing good today.

I wanna welcome you to the Pop Podcast. This is progression over perfection, where if you dropped in on this conversation today, we believe that this conversation is gonna elevate your mind, your heart, your mood, and it's gonna help you learn how to live in real life. This is the only podcast that literally claims to not be perfect. Like, we're not trying to be perfect at all, and my name is Michael, and I am here joined with one of my brothers, my friends, my partner in crime, not my cartner in crime, my partner in crime, brother, pastor, friend, Charles Metcalf, how you feeling, baby? I'm great, bro, I'm doing good. We both locked in on the red, we got the vibe today. I think that the memo came through that we are definitely locked in. I'm doing great. I feel like today's podcast is going to be a game changer for every person who is living. Yeah, absolutely. Like, if you got sent this podcast, or if somebody is literally telling you to watch it, you did the right thing, because we're gonna share some things that are gonna help you win if you feel like you're under pressure. But I'm not gonna give too much away yet. PC, I just wanted to check on you.

How's your week? What's going on? How you feeling? Man, my week has been good. It's been a busy week. We are in the throes of just little kid city, man. That's gonna be our answer every week, honestly. We're gonna have to really expand because our whole world is little kids right now. It's good, man. Everybody's doing good. I crashed a couple weeks ago on my bike. Hold on, wait. But I'm all right. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Now, this is, for those who do not know, the Pastor Charles, Charles Metcalf, is now a professional cyclist. And the one thing that you have to know about Charles is this comes from his white side of the family. Let me just say that. Because black kids ride bikes to the corner store. He rides 50 miles every morning, okay? And so, but I've watched you take on this hobby now semi-profession. I don't know what you're doing, but you are in a actual competition, right? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell us what happened. Yeah, so I was in a race.

There's a local race that happens here in Tulsa on Tuesday nights for the next couple weeks. And so I was doing it last lap, last corner. I'm in third. About to cook, honestly. I felt great. I was in third position, which is great. There's a guy on the front. He's breaking the wind, doing all the work. And we went into the corner, and the dude in front of me went down, and there was nowhere for me to go, man. So you didn't just fall? I didn't, no. I was locked in. You were made to fall. There you go, just for the record. Okay, just for the record, it wasn't like, oh, I'm riding my bike really fast, and I don't know what I'm doing. Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. No, the guy in front of me went down, and, which is a whole sermon in itself, sometimes you gotta know just to lay it down. So you gotta just, it's like, I'm either gonna hit him and go over the front of my, yikes, I got my sound effects back, we back. I'm either gonna hit him and go over the front of my handlebars, or I'm just gonna kind of lay sideways.

And so my whole leg was all skidded up. People probably saw that in maybe one of the last episodes and were like, what is wrong with him? But I'm good, man, I'm doing well. That's my, it's my, it's a beautiful thing because we're similar. We're very competitive people. Completely. But I need to be competitive in a way that is not, Detrimental. Detrimental. So it's like me right here running my bike for no reason. It's just for me and it keeps my brain clear. Got you. So when you fail, let me just ask this. How do you get up? Like, what I'm saying is, is it a quick jump up? Or is it kind of like, God, and like, how do you, do you like take your bike and just go to the side? Like, I'm not exactly sure how that happens after you're traveling 25, 30 miles an hour. So we, so it was four of us that fell. So the guy in front of me fell, I fell. It was a collision. Because we're all in a line going 30 miles an hour into the last car. So it's like, you know, the race was 60 people. It was probably 20 of us in a line. So. We go into the corner, the guy goes out, I go out,

the guy behind me, poor dude, he's a great guy, I know it, but he hit me and he went flying over the front of his head. Oh, he flipped. Yeah, it was tough cookies for him. But, so. So anyways, honestly, because we kind of slid off the road a little bit, so like if it was in another race. Slid off the road, okay. In another race, I would immediately panic because it's like, oh, there's a ton of people coming. That's just gonna run over you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so you kind of like braced, but it was like we were kind of off. So this is a funny part of the story. So I'm kind of laying there and I'm just like, my first calibration is just like, let me check my body. Like, do I feel my legs? Are my legs here? Yes. Are my toes here? Okay, cool. So I do all of that and I'm like, okay, and I look and it's just my leg is really, you know, my leg and then RIP, man, my whole little Lycra suit, my whole butt was out. Just slid. Dang, oh, you was. Oh, absolutely, yes. Full moon. Because it's just, I mean, I'm wearing like an underarm.

Embarrassing, embarrassing. That is, you sounded, where is he getting the sound of it? We gotta, where is that? Hey, hey, listen, I'm just prepared. You understand what I'm saying? Okay, go ahead. So yeah, so my, because my joint just ripped immediately open on the asphalt. Dang. So, so anyway, so I'm kind of laying there, like, just like, okay, am I okay? Am I all right? And then I'm about to get up and the poor brother who had fallen, who had hit me and flipped, you know when people get the wind knocked out of them? Yeah. He, so I'm quiet and I'm kind of like, oh gosh. And then I just hear, oh no, oh no. So then I'm trying not to like laugh because it's like, hey, my brother's really going through, like, because he had knocked out the window. So it's, okay, he's trying to figure out how to breathe. Okay, I'm not laughing at that. You just slowly stand up and then, you know, by that point, you know, the race had ended and so a bunch of my friends came over and they're just checking on you and you're like, yeah, man. So then I just rode my bike back to my car,

you know, just a little breeze. It's just kind of like, little breeze. Just a little breezy, you know what I'm saying? And then you like, just get in your car and go home. Pack up your bike, send a voice mail to Abby. Hey, babe, I'm fine, but I did whatever. And shout out to Abby. She's done so much work with my crazy self that she didn't even, she was like, okay, do you need anything? And I was like, no. She's like, all right, I'll see you when you get here. We're going to have to do a whole episode on crashes. Yes, yeah, I have a long history. You have a long history. Shout out to Abby for not getting worked up over this crash. Well, I'm glad you're okay. I'm okay, I'm okay. All of the people who support Pop are glad that you are a living example of progression over perfection. The righteous man falls seven times. You know what I'm saying? Come on! And he gets back up again, even if his cheeks are out. This is going to be a great episode. What about you? How's your week been? Man, this week has been full. I'm just learning new rhythms.

I told you I did five days of intense counseling, just me for the first time. That's three hours every day. Nobody to be like, so what do you think? You know what I'm saying? And probably one of the most life-changing experiences, but I'm in the process of transforming. And I don't even talk about it a lot because part of my- You're not doing one of those posts where it's like, just because you don't see the movement, don't mean there ain't no motion. No, no, no, no, no. Because that's innately, naturally what I would want to do. All of the changes that I'm making in my life right now for me and my family. That's beautiful. And it's been a beautiful, beautiful, hard, but rewarding process that only a few people are getting to see. And I believe that many people reap the benefits of the changes, but I'm not doing this to lead anybody. I'm doing it to lead myself. That's great. And I think that's been, not to go super deep, but that's been my mode for 10 years to do this because somebody's following me. Do this because it's going to help the whole thing. Do this because it's going to help the organization or people are going to be helped. And I don't want that to be ever my motivation.

I want it to be the by-product. Very good. And so, yeah, man, it's been full. It's been full of check-ins and meetings and habits and different things, but I feel great. I am the most alive I've ever been spiritually, even if nobody can tell. Yeah, absolutely. I know it. And so, yeah, I feel good. One thing I think of Pastor Greg O'Shea, he says, when the leader gets better, everybody gets better. And I think that's such a true thing that it can't be so easy. I think it connects so much to what we're talking about today that we can do a lot of things for a lot of different reasons. And so, yeah, I think it's a beautiful thing. Well, on this podcast, progression is the point. And we want to talk about it. We want to talk about leading under pressure. But you said you had a question for me that you was going to ask me before. Oh, I do have a question. I do have a question. And then we're going to get into it. Well, our amazing producer, shout out to producer Steve. Steve!

We need a producer tag. We need to get you a producer tag. Oh, that's what we're going to do. Yes. I'm going to make him. Steven is the most like chill person in the world. But we're going to get him a rapper producer tag. And I'm putting it on my thing. Yes, man. It's going up, Steven. Absolutely. Absolutely. OK, so Steven, you have a question for us. And I'm going to let you, I'm going to throw it to you. Yeah, OK. What's something people. Y'all see that? Y'all hear that? Y'all hear the buttery voice? That silky smooth voice. It's going smooth voice. Smooth Steve. 1,000 Egyptian cotton sheets right there, man. Smooth Steve. Smooth Steve. With some smooth jazz and smooth Steve. That's crazy, bro. All right, here we go. All right, here's the question for y'all. What's something people assume about you that's completely

wrong? Oh, that's a good one. Wow, producer tag Steve, man. Something people assume about me that is completely wrong. I have so many. You have so many. This is great. Fire him off. Fire him off. I think I have so many. I think one thing that people assume about me that is completely wrong is that I spend a lot of money on jewelry. Bro, this is incredible. Yes, because I know you. So I have a philosophy. I have a couple of really nice pieces. I'm not going to cap on it. There have been some milestone things. I have a couple of really nice watches. I have a couple of really nice rings that were given to me. I have all this stuff. But jewelry breaks. Yes, 100%. Glasses break. Everything that, and me, I'm tough on stuff. So if it's not built out of platinum or vibranium, it's going to literally break. And so people, I saw somebody do a YouTube video that analyzed how much money I had on jewelry-wise preaching. And they said it was like $250,000.

When I tell you, it may have been $60. It may have been $16. $16. I hit up every little kiosk in the mall in every city I go into. And I give jewelry a four-week lifespan. I have four kids. I got a dog. I work out. And so I spend barely, I mean, you know it. Yes, 100%. But literally, if you see me shining, it is turning my wrist green. Like, for what? Exactly. I'm putting money into life insurance policies and retirements. And I would never do that. That's incredible. I think that's something that people, look at him. Look at Sean. Like, do not spend. I'm at your local kiosk buying jewelry. Talking about, can I get two for $20? Hey, and I'm bargaining, too. Absolutely. Oh, you already know. Because those things will cook you. Oh. And I remember my dad taught me that one time.

We went up there. I wanted a little gold necklace like I got now. I wanted one. A hilarious story, the first story of getting a gold necklace, my mom said no. And then my grandmother snuck back and got it for me. Shout out to Granny Estelle. Which is like, now as a parent, I would definitely be mad if my grandmother did that. But it was so good. But yeah, my dad, I remember explaining, like, bro, those bracelets he has in a bag under that drawer? Literally 7,000 of them. Yes. 100%. So I will say that shout out to Shields. I don't know if you have a Shields anywhere near you. Shields, like the big what? Yo, check this out. I bought this necklace. I don't know if you can really see it. But this necklace, like the chain, it's like an actual thing. It doesn't rust. It doesn't fade. It doesn't do anything. They got gold and silver, $16.99. I'm just going to put you on game. Put you a nice little charm on that thing. Bling, bling. Every time I come around your city.

OK. I guess, I mean, it's just something that people would assume about me. I've never, again, disclaimer, I have a few really nice pieces. But for the majority of the stuff, forget that. Brother, that is amazing. Shout out. What is something? I've tried to think of what would people assume about me. I feel like, oh, man. I don't know. You help me with that. I may be bugging right now. I feel like, you my friend, you know me. Yeah, I know a lot of things. Something that, ask the question again, Smoothsty. Come on, Smoothsty. What is something people assume about you that's completely wrong? Something that people assume about Charles that is completely wrong is that, I mean, OK. See, I don't want to derail the podcast. But something. that people would assume about Charles that they have really wrong yeah is that he actually um now I think I'm gonna derail the podcast okay okay I think that okay I'm gonna bring it up go ahead fashion is a creative outlet for you yeah let's go here and a lot of people assume that it's something that's defining like it's something that defines your manhood yeah yeah and I went on a podcast yes and we will leave the name out of it but they were basically trying to equate you having on a dope all pink outfit which was a part of the uh landscape of what we were doing in the thing and trying to question your masculinity absolutely any man in 2026 that

would think somebody is feminine or effeminate because of a color actually has deeper issues that they need to talk about 100 and um I went on to this podcast and just basically told him I was like yo like you have him completely wrong like yes and and it's a prejudice or a pre-judgment yes I was like you never heard him talk you've never been around him but by literally the color that he has on you're pre-judging the and I was like yo it made me really realize how far people go to justify their own um convictions absolutely yeah like and that's just something like you've been one of the flyest dudes I ever met I mean there's one of the things that connected absolutely that was just like yeah we on the same flyway like we get it we we share things even though we have different styles and all the different things like that and so I think that's something that people get completely wrong is like an expression is a definition very good like yeah I mean your hair color changes every six weeks almost and it's part of just your creative expression absolutely but it's not a definition yeah and that's really good I don't you know that's just one that that's so good well I think a lot of that too is like to me it's it's so important because it's all relative to your exposure so it's like yikes some of that is like oh you just don't know anything you have no idea you've never been outside of where you like and specifically with that why I even love that you bring that up is that outfit shout out to my boy Micah killed it it was a custom canvas dyed he literally bro you can't even see him but he stitched crosses like up the leg it was just it was beautiful because it was funny it was a great moment of learning for me because there was a boba or a video was go to tiktok all this stuff but all my friends who were in fashion who I send sermons to all the time they never listen all of them hit me up about that yes and said yo what was that blah blah and I was like how did you see it they were like well I saw the outfit I didn't know where it was so I had to go watch the sermon and so I watched this and then some of them I ended up having conversations about the actual sermon yeah and that's the beautiful thing I think me and you both know is like this is this is first it's just an expression of creativity yes but I also am wise enough to know it's also a net and there's a lot of people that they see you before they hear you yep and the reality is even that scripture talks about that God looks at the heart but man looks at the outward appearance I'm aware of that so when God looks at my heart he knows but I'm also aware you're looking at the outside come on so some of you you ain't even gonna look this way but you see somebody like whoa what does he do is I can tell you how many conversations and relationships I build how many

people have gotten saved gotten like this is what people don't understand 100 fashion and I'll I'll move it even up further connection yes whatever you can connect on beautiful is a gateway to somebody's transformation yeah and I think that we have fully embraced that within our authenticity yeah and that's the thing like you could get in in ninth grade I bought baseball t-shirts and every color of chucks and wore the set like you know so this is authentic authentic to you and it's anybody it's relative to anybody because there are people who if I went to where I was born Boulder, Kentucky and got up on a stage and they didn't see me in John Deere and overalls they'd be like who is this guy yeah so it's like the guy there who's in that city that his natural outfit is where he's around yeah he attracts people that they would never listen to me because they don't relate to the external packaging yeah so which is okay yes absolutely and most people aren't okay with authentically being themselves because it means that somebody will have an opinion that's not favorable and one of the things that Jesus teaches us is that no matter how much good you have in your heart you will not always be liked that's beautiful yeah like yeah it is it is part of it that's not our our episode today but I think it leads into it because part of what we have to do is lead under pressure Yeah. And I think that is something that everybody has to do at some form, at some level. I mean, if you're a mother right now, you're leading raising those children. You're trying to figure out how to get your hair done, still work out, still not have your quiet time, connect with God, and still raise these beautiful children that are sometimes, let's be honest, crazy. Like, like it's pressure. And I just think that me and you have had a very public platform that none of us, neither of us knew was coming. Not at all. And we had to lead under pressure that was known and unknown. Yes, 100%. And I just want to encourage you that if you're watching this right now and you're experiencing pressure in your life, you're not in a bad place. You're actually in a place that has the ability to transform you into a person and into purpose you may not even know was available to you. 100%. Like, pressure is a part of God's process of making you or progressing you into who you're supposed to be. Yeah. And today we're going to talk about it. Absolutely. We're going to talk about pressure. And I think you said it right, that you have to realize that life includes pressure no matter where you are. It doesn't matter. And pressure is something that you have to learn to deal with and how to navigate. And a lot of people even are suffering from burnout or feeling overwhelmed or feeling

like they can't carry the pressure. But many times I've learned, I think we've had to navigate in our own experience, that people don't burn out from the actual work of the thing. Sometimes they can, but it's the pressure that they've put on themselves. It's the pressure of who they feel like they're supposed to be. It's the pressure of the mom who feels like, oh gosh, these kids need this. Or I saw this other mom. And the idea, we were talking about it earlier, but is we all have pressure points. I don't know if you, there was this movie, I can't remember what movie it was, but it was Jackie Chan and he had the yellow joint on. But he walked up to this dude who was like, beep, like just like hit him with a, I don't even know where. And the pressure point was, is this one point can neutralize your whole situation. And I think in life we have to be aware, we all have pressure points. We all have areas in our life that are vulnerable, areas in our life that cause us to walk differently, talk differently, to show up differently. And if we're not aware of those things, we can't progress in those things. So if you were to tell somebody, like there are pressure points that we all have, like that are innate to whatever space we are in, they all look different. Like I remember at a season in my life, like a pressure point was just like getting to work on time. Like, you know what I'm saying? And I just think everybody needs to be able to calibrate, but just because it's not pressure for somebody else does not mean that it's not pressure for you. And I think one of the things that we have to do is calibrate what brings us the pressure or the squeeze or the uncomfortableness in our sphere of influence. And I want you to literally think about it because pressure is inevitable as well as pressure is relative and everybody is going to experience. And so what I want to give you the permission to not do is compare your pressure. That's so good. Like I think about like me and Natalie's pressure is completely different. Yeah. Yeah. But not exclusively different intensities. Yeah. Yeah. Like my pressure, I got to get up every seven days and talk to hundreds of thousands of people. That's a unique type of pressure. That is a unique pressure that my wife would literally die under. Like Nat, public speaking, talk to you like this and I count all day. Yeah. Matter of fact, she says she wants to do the podcast. Oh, has to. Oh my gosh. Like she's going to come do the podcast. That might have to be five episodes. But like this, she loves it. But like getting up and doing that for me, like the pressure to do my daughter's hair. I have three daughters and one son with hair. Yes. Like all of them, the pressure to make sure their edges are slicked down and that they get to school on time and I'm sitting there with all the

products and stuff. That pressure, I would rather speak to two million people. Do you understand what I'm saying? Like a hundred percent. And I'm saying that because they seem like two very, most people would say, no, you speak into all the people that like, that's real pressure. Like that's that. But the truth is the pressure is relative to where you are called to. That's very good. What thing is in front of you at the time. Yeah. But the intensity and even the impact can still be the same. A hundred percent. And so I think about what are some times in your life before we dive into like practical, how do you work through this pressure? But where are some times in your life that you. you felt pressure that was like, how am I gonna get out of this? Or like, is this necessary? Or maybe I just wanna stop. Absolutely. Think about it. Well, I think Metcalf DNA is pressurized from the moment you get going. I think my earliest memories are around competition in sports. Like it was just this intense, unreasonable from playing cards to playing football. Like it's just like a, well, you can only play if you're gonna win. Yeah. And you can only win if you're the best. And you can only be the best. And so I think early on, I remember in sports, like from playing on the playground to where it's like, I'm gonna do this thing

and I'm gonna do this. And then that girl will see and then she'll come over here. And they're like, it was just in my brain all. Nope. Literally. Oh, let me tell, this is a great pressure story. So I am in sixth grade. I crazy, I don't even know why my crazy self was doing this, but I watched a video. I saw a video somehow and something of how to run up the wall and do a back flip. So like two steps back flip. And I'm at youth, shout out to youth for this moment. And the truth that after like three or four tries, I figure out how to do it. So I could run up, take two steps, boom, I have an old video on my Facebook. I have to find it. But so I would do this. So I was like, oh, this is the coolest thing ever. Look at me, blah, blah, blah. So the next day at school,

I am walking outside. I'm going between classes and I'm walking across or going somewhere. And I look in the hallway from outside and there's this girl I really liked right there. And so she's standing there, she's looking and I'm like, watch this. There's like a wall right here. I'm like, watch, watch, watch. Boy, this is different pressure. Because when I'm in front of my homies, it's not a big deal. It's like, yo, I'm just chilling or whatever. Bro, I go to do it. I take one step. I didn't see the sprinklers had been on. Oh Lord. So I take a step, I slip, but I'm upside down. I land on my head. Oh Lord. I land on my head, I get up, my eye is like bleeding and the girl's like, are you okay? I'm like, I'm fine. I'm literally okay.

Like I run. But man, I could not, I couldn't do it. The pressure, it got to me. The pressure. Well, I think the story is funny, but it also is relative to you talking about people being who others think they should be. Yes. Like, and I think that one of the biggest areas of that is when you're leading. Yeah. And I think what I want to make sure that we help our listeners, our poppers, our, I don't know what y'all are called yet. We're working on it. We're working on it. We're workshopping. Yeah, we're workshopping this. Something might stick. You know what I'm saying? I think we may have episode six in, we may have our logo and creative package. Yes, 100%. But again, the whole purpose of this is that nothing has to be polished or perfect. It has to be perfect.

It has to be started. And this whole journey of doing this podcast is to show you what that looks like. And part of that for us is leading under pressure. And there is no type of pressure like knowing somebody's following you. Yep, 100%. There's no type of pressure like knowing somebody's watching you, that somebody's looking to you, that somebody's dependent on you, somebody's counting on you. And leading under pressure is unique because I think that it always, number one, either cooks you or bakes you. And I don't mean that in like, it either makes you, you know what I'm saying? Or it cooks you. And I have developed, and this is unique to me, like you know it, like I like pressure. I do my best work under pressure. I've had to learn how to be better without pressure, which is a whole nother topic of conversation. But when the clock is running down and when there's no other option, it's like something else kicks into me. It could be a result of many years of procrastination. Like, no, I'm serious.

Like it could be, but literally I'm having to reverse engineer so that I can get what's in me out without the outrageous deadlines and the crazy, I wanna do everything in health. But pressure literally is something that all of us are experiencing right now. And if you're watching this, I want you to just think of three areas right now that you're experiencing pressure. Like it could be in your family. It could be in your job. It could be, and specifically where you're leading. It could be with your team. It could be with your church. It could be with your business, your company, at your gym. Like it could be with your son or your daughter. Where is there pressure? What does that feel like? And the question I have for you is, are you trying to escape it? Because avoiding pressure is sideways energy. Like trying to get away from the pressure is actually going to create more pressure. for you in the long run because you're avoiding watch the inevitable yeah I believe that God uses things that are uncomfortable to literally create us into who we're supposed to be percent number two to keep us dependent on him

yep cuz most of us would not be people of faith if we were completely comfortable all the time yep let's just be honest yeah most of y'all don't pray yeah until something is not working yeah yeah and the truth of the matter is God knows our nature and he he desires and it designed us to be dependent on him and sometimes pressure trouble um hard things hard situations disappointment point us back to him not to the things that cannot fulfill us and so again I don't want to I want to give pressure a new PR package of positive hmm yeah I want to reframe pressure as something that can actually be used in a good way yeah to continue to form you or allow you to progress that's so good and and for me I've seen it do that like I never would have found out finances hmm had I not got married yeah like yeah realize like Oh monthly there's a mortgage there's mortgage insurance and there's a different thing smooth Steve it look like you got something to say what you about to say Steve I just think that positive pressure should be the point oh I feel like yeah I mean yeah it should be it should be defining and making sure I like that though because a lot of people pressure has a negative connotation percent and and pressure usually is a associated first with being overwhelming yeah yeah but what if we could form a perspective of positive pressure what up well you think about a pressure cooker mmm sometimes you can take your time and cook real good dishes but sometimes you just want to throw it in a pot yeah put the seal on turn it off come on let it cook you that beautiful meal yeah but what ends up happening in those type of situations is you get something that there is no time that you experience pressure that you don't get something different than what was there beautiful yeah and so for me I think I have had to take a different perspective vantage point on pressure since becoming a pastor yeah um since becoming a father yeah since becoming a husband yeah and I see a lot of my friends family counterparts running from the very thing that God wants to use to make them yeah most of us would not be consistent in a job if we didn't have the pressure of providing yeah most of us would I mean just think about it but the frame has to yes well I think you know we talked about my cycling journey

the beginning of the pod connection is is that you know it your your bike as it has two tires on it and the pressure in those tires changes it completely so I was talking to the producer Steve about this earlier but you know depending on how much you weigh depending on the type of bike you're on and how long and far you plan on going all changes your pressure so if I'm gonna be going 50 miles between a hundred miles it needs to be a certain pressure did y'all hear what that fool just said he said he bout to ride his bike 50 to 100 miles just wanted to pause for the cause just to recognize how I will not be doing it hey listen man I don't lift weights I just pedal it now that is true now we will we'll lift weights all day and then you'll be like yeah I'm done with it oh yeah I'm gonna ride home yeah but it's all different depending and this is even the thing you were saying about comparing pressure is because the pressure I need in my tires is not the pressure you need in your tires come on and if I try to ride with that pressure or try to go my race with that pressure it'll throw me off so I have to be aware of I was telling my was it even depending on the environment I'm in so if I'm riding on a smooth road that's paved and perfect I can I can put a little bit more less pressure in my tires because it can grip the corner a little better if I'm on a different I'm out of some crazy country I need and I'm saying that to say there's a difference between avoiding pressure and appropriate pressure yes so we all have that's good out what is the appropriate pressure for this job I have because if I put too much pressure I'm gonna explode from the pressure it's gonna be too if I don't have enough pressure you've ever gotten a flat tire yeah you can't move nowhere you can't go anywhere without that pressure and so I think even right now there's even this idea that has seeped into our culture culture of I just I don't want no pressure I don't want no commitments I know it's too much I don't want to contract I don't want to I don't want even this idea of working at what I mean there used to be a time where you would meet somebody and say what do you do and they said oh I've worked at General Motors for 40 years yeah and there was something beautiful about this commitment

and long-term thing where now it's just like oh I just kind of do all these different things but there's an appropriate pressure of commitment. There's an appropriate pressure of, I need some people to depend on me. Me and you have talked about this like, I am a much better version of myself when there's someone depending on me. Completely. And I think that idea of appropriate pressure is a part of reframing. This is why some people don't get married. Because the pressure to stay faithful. There you go. There is an appropriate pressure to not entertain things that could potentially derail your covenant or your commitment. And so a lot of people are like, hey, I just, you know, I'm saying we're exclusive, but I don't want the pressure of, and it's like, yo, no, no, no, no. That pressure makes you into something that is to be modeled after. That pressure protects you. Come on. Think about, think about an airplane. Yes. If the airplane loses pressure, let's go. Everybody is in jeopardy. Yes, everybody is. Let's be very clear. But you got to think about it. Here's the whole connection and the whole thread. If you are going to go to a certain elevation, you have to have an appropriate amount of pressure. So if you're staying on the ground, if you're staying what you've always known, if you're staying and you're leading like everybody else, if you're acting like everybody else, maybe you don't need that pressure. But if you want to elevate, if you want to grow, if you want to progress, there's going to be a necessary pressure. So let's talk about this. Let's talk about making sure that the pressure is appropriate because a lot of people put a lot of pressure on things that don't matter. Very good. Let's be very clear. There are certain things that I see people obsess over. People literally lose sleep over. And they may, by culture standards or world standards, be very important. But because we are men of faith, we have to go back to the thing that gives us the playbook, the Word of God. And there are certain things that we put pressure on that God is kind of like, yeah, that'll work itself out. And has there been any times that you have put the wrong amount of pressure on something and then you had to literally pivot and transform the amount of pressure you put on yourself, the appropriate pressure? Yes. I think the big connection here is I think a lot of people, the pressure that they feel, the pressure I've felt, is this pressure of expectation of who I'm supposed to be. So it's the internal pressure.

It's this internal pressure that nobody else knows about. But I have taken, okay, I have this title of pastor. And then I ideate and create, okay, what does that mean? And how do I want to be perceived? And what do they expect? And I create this whole internal world. Nobody knows about it. But I'm getting up on a stage and I'm holding myself to the standard of, oh, I got to do it this way and I got to look like that person but not be like this. It creates this internal, and it's really about identity. It's an identity crisis. It's identity crisis, and it's the pressure of whose people think I am, who do I think I am. And because I don't know, I'm allowing all these different things to determine that. So I'm taking in, oh, they made that comment, or I'm taking in, they didn't look this way. But that's one of the first, we talk about pressure points, is internal pressure, is the ideas that you have generated, that you have tolerated, that you have created, you've borrowed from family members, and now you have this whole internal world. And that's what people don't realize about pressure, is just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not affecting you. Yikes. There are so many people that on the outside, they look fine, but the truth is, internally, there is a pressure that is crushing them. And that's been a huge part of my journey, is this internal pressure that always shows up on the outside. And that's where, this is why you can't always assume and judge immediately. Because people will have things that are showing up that is the symptom, but it's not actually the cause. There is a symptom that I have of anxiety, and worry, and depression, but the cause of that was internal pressure. It was something that was an idea or an ideal that was initiated by you. 100% made up, just completely fabricated. I need to be this. And if I'm this, then this will help me in this way, this way, this way. I just really think we got to pause right there, because there may be somebody watching

this as you're working out right now, or you're doing dishes, or you're at work, and part of the progression over perfection is to identify the awareness part of it. Are there any pressures you're experiencing that were literally made up, that you made up? Because right now, we got to identify those things, because those are silent killers of your purpose. I think that that pressure point can be released today if you would just acknowledge it. If you would just literally say, like, oh my God, me being the best at this is something I made up, and it makes me go to sleep anxious, or it makes me compare myself. It makes me not even... You know what internal pressure does? It makes you not connect with people. I have watched people... be in comparison because of their own insecurities and the very people that God placed them around to actually be community with. They can't even connect with them because of the internal pressure that they made up. The identity crisis, well, like, if they like that and I like that and I want to be better than them, then I can't. Like, if we hadn't dealt with some of our eternal pressures, we couldn't even be connected the way we are. That's so true, man. That's so real, 100%. Because this is an environment where we lift each other up and we promote each other and we help each other. But if the identity crisis on the inside was like, well, you know what I'm saying? Like, I do things by myself. Like, I get it out the mud. Like, this is my thing. Yeah. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I wouldn't have been able to call you and be like, bro, I need you to preach after Easter. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, they gotta hear my voice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What? Yeah. Like, those are all things. I think when I bring it to my pastoral hat, when I first started the church, I was 27 years old. That's crazy. That's crazy, bro. I was 27. I was taking over a church that was predominantly African-American in attendance. The pastor was white. It was in the hood. And I mean, when you came to church, you wore suits on Sunday. Like, that's what it was. And I'm like,

man, okay, I like suits. Yeah. But like, do I need to do this to preach God's Word? And for three years, all I wore is every color suit that could be made in a color wheel. Like, I was trying to be what they wanted me to be, not just in the suit. The suit was the external expression, which we'll talk about in a second. Yeah. But it was because of the internal battle of me feeling like an imposter. There you go. So my internal battle of feeling like an imposter is like, bro, like seven months ago, I was planning to be in New York producing for Beyonce. And now I'm here as the pastor of these people, and somebody's yelling at me, amen. But I know I'm called, but like, how do I do this? Well, I guess successful people do it like this. There's not many 27-year- olds I can look around and be like, they're running a successful church. Like, how can I do this? And it took probably three years for me to shed not the suits. It was the internal suggestions. Very good. Yeah. It was the internal suggestions that they only will hear me like this. Wow. Or it only sounds... And when I actually let that go, the amount of... nothing changed. Yeah. On the outside. Yep. Nobody came, nobody left. Yeah. But it felt like a million pounds got up off of me. Yeah. Because I decided, this is not my identity. Yes. This is not who God created to me. This doesn't make me more holy or not. Yep. Like, right now, if I dress like the disciples, y'all would think I was crazy. Like, right now, if I came to church and preached in a burlap situation and a thing, you'd be like, that's inappropriate. But somehow, that's what Jesus and Paul and all of... So I just went down to the literal... So I can be in jeans and a hoodie and I can preach the gospel. And again, in that time, it was not as popularized. Like, now everybody is like that. But like, that was a thing for me. And so, again, I think the internal pressures... I'd use that one example, but there are internal pressures that I believe that are making people paralyzed. And if you are literally walking in that unaware, today, I think there's freedom in just acknowledging like, I made that up. Yep. What's the internal pressure that I have to be married by this time? Come on. Yeah. I mean, that's an internal pressure that people literally, after a certain age, feel depressed every day. Yeah. Because

they are not married by a certain time. What if the right relationship is one year away? And you live a year miserable because of something you made up. You made it. You made it up. Who told you that you have to be living in that house or with that number or that net worth? And I just think that you gotta eliminate those internal pressures that are really fueled by comparison many times and lack. Yep. It's a poverty mindset. Like, God doesn't have enough for me. That's so good. And you're enough. Yeah. Well, I think about, you know, the first ever, maybe, indicator of internal pressure we feel and see in Scripture is Adam and Eve. They make a decision. They go against God's plan. And the Bible says that they're full of shame or this internal pressure. Come on. And they run and hide and they sew up fig leaves. God shows up and he says, what are y'all doing? Where'd y'all get these clothes from? And they said, well, we were afraid and we were ashamed because we were naked. And the question he asked is, who told you you were naked? Where did that internal shame and this guilt to cover up and hide Where did that come from? Because he knew, it didn't come from me. I didn't put that on you. I didn't design you that way. I didn't make you that way. In all of us, we have these internal things, and the truth is, it didn't come from God. He didn't put that pressure on you. He didn't say you had to be. They didn't say, if you're gonna be the pastor, you better be wearing suits, or if you're gonna do this, you gotta be the best. And I think the evaluation and the awareness is to go back and think, where did that come from? Oh, that came from, maybe not even a bad place.

I looked up to that person until I thought they were important, and I put that on myself, that I have to be like them to be successful. But I love that question of the Bible, is who told you that? And that's what would be my question, is who put that internal pressure? Come on, bro. And if it was you, if you put it there, here's the beautiful thing. You can remove it. You can remove it. Just as powerful as you decide, I know you're cooking, go ahead. I got a revelation, dawg. Literally, man's propensity is to create from a place of insecurity. The first time we see man create something, is he's sewing together the man goes and becomes a seamstress or a tailor out of trying to hide after they had an identity crisis. And I think that many of us need to evaluate where the actual motive is coming for us to create. All the output that you have, all of the things that you're crushing, all the awards, all the achievements, how your family looks, all that other stuff. Is that because of an internal pressure that was created out of an insecurity? That is so good.

And I have never seen that before. It's so true. They create nothing else except a mess. They create a mess, and then their first act is to go become America's next top fashion designers because they were trying to hide from an insecurity or an internal pressure. This is what you just said. If you made it up, you can remove it. Beautiful. So give them another pressure point. We got internal pressure, and I think all of us, we have external pressures. We have the, and this one really is about the idea of expectation. This is, there's the internal pressure, which is my identity and who I am, but then there's external pressure again, and we're trying to reframe some of this for people. Appropriate pressure. Yes, appropriate pressure is, but there's a reality of there's external pressures of life, of expectation, of there's the external pressure of when I get home, I know Arlo's gonna be like, hey, dad, I spent eight hours using this tape, and I got wood and a sword, and I'm at the pressure. I'm like, okay, I gotta sit down and be present and make sure I hear him even though I'm exhausted and I'm tired, and that's external pressure.

It's the external pressure of, oh, I got bills to pay, and so I gotta make sure I'm aligning that, but I think all of us, we have internal, but then we have to acknowledge there is something externally that is moving me, and this is where we have to be careful. One massive external pressure is the opinions of others. It is the external pressure from mom and dad that said I have to go to this college, and this is what our family does, and so that external pressure, and what can happen is that external pressure, we take that and make it an internal pressure. We internalize it, and it fuels us, and it moves us, and I think we all have areas that we have to acknowledge. That's an external pressure. I am carrying the pressure of, I know this is a big one. Me and Abby have had to learn in marriage, carrying the pressure of my wife's and my spouse's health and being okay, and some of that is healthy, but some of it is like, I can't control. There's nothing you can do about that. And so that's a pressure that like, oh, gosh, my whole life, I have to make you happy, and what if I don't make you happy? And some of her external pressure is if you're gonna ride your bike and get hit, get hit by a car, which has happened several times.

But I feel what you're saying, and then I wanna even bring it up because we're acting like it has to be a deep thing, but I think like an external pressure, just like one that a lot of people don't acknowledge, but is a real thing, is like what to do with family around holidays. Very good, yep. I mean, bro, some of the craziest things is what we have to be here, and it's like, you're not even enjoying your family or the season because of a tradition we've done for 17 years that nobody likes doing, the food ain't good, and then it's like, but if you don't come, or if you don't, and I've just think about, I've seen how that's affected even me and Natalie in having to like decide like, hey, this year we're not doing Thanksgiving with either of our families. Now that one, boy, you wanna talk about some pressure? But again, if I'm thinking about everything that's going on in my life, I got a preach deal on Sunday, and I got a da-da-da-da, and this year we just don't have it. We do not have the capacity to entertain, get dressed, Or if we come and we come in here what we slept. Yeah, did you say what like but again? I think about those external pressures that then ruin people's

moments of literal Joy, yeah. Yeah because of external pressure and I just think about it. I want to I want to make it like Tangible for yes, 100% like it's not just Existential things. Yes. It is like the pressure of people's opinions. Yeah can literally try to Cripple you. Yeah, well external pressure will have you doing stuff You don't want to do to prove something to someone you really don't even know if you care about what they think Yeah, so it's like you it's the it's the beautiful example. You said about the thing It's like we're all coming to this thing. We don't none of us really want to be here We all know it's bad, but it's like you came so I got a good like and that's the thing about external pressures You have to be honest about the thing that that I think of with this one is Unreasonable expectations. Yeah, so there are areas where it's like, okay, I have to acknowledge. Is this an unreasonable expectation? Like what is the reality of and the beautiful thing about external pressures is the solution to those is communication There it is. It is about to say it is communication. It is most people continue to Subject themselves to whatever that pain is because they won't talk won't talk about it They won't talk they won't have the conversation because it's gonna be uncomfortable and they think that pressure is worse than the pressure I'm just going through it. That is the truth of the matter is that we don't go around things we go through them There we go, and that's how God makes us better. So you're either gonna trade one pressure for another pressure There you go But there is going to be a pressure that actually relieves the pain or there'll be a pressure that you just have to put On your back and carry Wow And I think a lot of times the pressure that we need to with husbands and wives with a business partner Even with your children, you need to have an honest conversation You need to be humble open and transparent and you need to say hey, listen I may not even know how to do this, right? But this is what this is causing for me and whatever their reaction is. Let them have it. Yep But at least I'm eliminating any Unnecessary. Yeah external expectation. That's so good. I think one of the things that I want to bring this up again I feel the pastors and the ministers and the leaders and the CEOs like I've had to release the external pressure of people's opinions of my sermons. Mmm. Yeah of The way I do ministry. Yeah of like, yeah

First off. I don't know you Let's let's please start with the fact that we've never met. Yes, like and and and I don't know how to contact you Yeah, like like even if I did want to have a conversation with you like don't know you yeah Yeah, but the truth of the matter is in the profession and in the calling that I am in in 2026 I See many of my counterparts being crushed Because of somebody's opinion of them that is outside of what God called them to do Wow, that's so real and I think this is where I have to always go back to like nobody was there when I was walking the neighborhood 7425 on Garnett when God was calling me into ministry and what he told me I was supposed to do to represent God to The lost and found for transformation Christ. Nobody was there. None of those people were co-signing my calling. Yeah So like the the the thing that God told me to do. Mm-hmm. I can now not go to them. Yep for praise or The opinion neither. I can't go to it. I cannot get external watch this We're talking about external pressure, but external pressure also comes from the opinion and it comes from praise Very good because a lot of people is like you did good at that one do that one again Yep, everybody I work in music. And so a lot of times like will you do another song like that? That becomes if you don't Put put it in its appropriate place. It becomes another pressure Wow Yeah that you did one thing good. And so now everybody wants you to do that one thing again Yeah, and it's like no like yeah, and that's why you got to go back to who called you What the purpose was what the vision was what did God say because then that Automatically. Yeah appropriates. Yeah the pressure you're supposed to apply to a certain thing Let me ask you this because this is such a real thing that I think I've seen you navigate in such a real honest vulnerable way But I think it's it's unique to you in that the scale of opinion and ideas and all these different things But I have I think of the idea of a pressure valve and being able to really I think some of us we have Unhealthy pressure valves. So when I feel the pressure of opinion the outlet is something that's detrimental or something That is a bad habit or or it how have you learned to form? appropriate

Pressure pressure releasers like because you deal with in a unique way But everybody listening has pressure opinion from their boss from their co-workers from their kids from other parents at the school how You developed healthy ways to relieve the pressure. The first thing that I had to admit that that pressure was creating something in me that probably shouldn't be there. And a lot of people won't even admit that. Like, how are you dealing with that? I'm cool. No, no, I want to fight. Yeah. Let me, let me, and I think my honesty in with my wife and my friends and my circle of accountability has allowed me to even just be able to be honest enough to say that. That's a pressure releaser. That's good, yeah. Like, just to be able to say the truth, and this is what people don't understand, you don't need some big intervention if you're always releasing the pressure. Beautiful, yeah. As it's coming. The only reason it's pressure is because it builds up. Mm, there you go, yeah, yeah, yeah. If it's released as soon as it comes in, it doesn't have the same level of impact. The reason why people implode or explode

is because they let the pressure build up. The reason why marriage is into divorce is because they let the pressure build up. The reason why somebody cusses somebody out because they got in front of them on the road is because they've been taking a whole bunch of other stuff, and that was just the thing that tipped it. And so for me, I try to acknowledge, let it come in, recognize it, and then release it. That's so good. Like, recognize, release it. Recognize, release it. You done made me mad. Hey, they done made me mad. What you wanna do? I wanna slap him. What you gonna do? Nothing. Like, recognize it, release it, and the quicker you can recognize it and release it, it doesn't build up. Yeah, that's so good. Like, I walk into every room, like, thinking everybody loves me. Yes. Because I recognize, and I know. I release it, yes. I know some people been talking to me, but this goes back to the concept that God tells us, how many times are you supposed to forgive?

Because one of the greatest pressure buildups is unforgiveness. So good. Yikes. Yep, yep. Like, you keep that poison on the inside of you, it builds pressure. And it doesn't just affect the person that you're trying to guard yourself against, it literally affects every relationship of your life. You can't trust anymore. You don't do anything. And so, again, how many times did he say to forgive? 70 times seven a day. Yeah, yes. Now, my question is, who are you staying around that long to need to forgive them 490 times? Yeah, yeah. But the truth is, it's acknowledge it, release it. That's so good. And so, I think for me, that has been a thing. And then the other thing is, like, therapy. Like, I talked about my five-day intensive and how much regular work that I do. It's like, therapy is truth with trusted people. That's great. Like, and most people can't tell the truth with trusted people. And it not affect their job and not affect their marriage and not affect the thing.

And so, I think for me, over the past five years, that has been a core practice to my health and being able to do it. Because pressure is not going nowhere. It's not. Yep. Like, if you desire to live on this earth with any level of effectiveness, life is not just happening to you, but you're happening to it. Yeah. You're gonna have pressure. That's so good. And so, for me, I think we talked about internal pressure, external pressure, but I think there also is, and it's kind of in the lane that I'm living in, there's a pressure to perform. Yep. There's performance pressure. Like, now you got the job. Yeah. Can you do the job? Obviously, there'll be, it's like when you completely lied on your application and it's like, you're just hitting buttons. You know what I'm saying? It's like, you don't know what you're doing. You have no idea what you're doing. But it's so real because it's, you pray for things, you work hard for things,

you try to get there, and then it's like, oh gosh, can I actually do, like, do I have the skillset to do this? I think, I never felt that like in such a way, having kids, it's like, it's so exciting. Some of our friends just had a baby and it's like, I walked up and I gave Ty a hug and you can see the appropriate pressure in his eyes. Like, it's different when it's like, oh, they're gonna be here, we're getting the room ready, and then it's like, wait, this is, I just, I have a human now? And I'm responsible for this thing? Is there a manual that comes with this thing? Absolutely not. And the doctors are just like, all right, day two? But I think that's a pressure to perform that we have to acknowledge. And again, it's important because it's separate from your own expectations that are internal, the other expectations are external. Now it's like, you actually have to do the thing. You gotta do the thing. You gotta get proficient, you gotta grow in your skill, you gotta grow in your craft, and that's, again, we gotta put that in an appropriate place. Because some people, without that pressure, it becomes laziness, and then with too much of it, it's performance, and both are bad. I think that people gotta understand is that like,

that is good to have an expectation to produce. It's good, very good. I mean, I think about Adam with God. He gave him performance pressure. Go name all the animals. That's so good. Like, well, what? Zebra, you look like a zebra. Like, he had nothing to compare it to. He had nothing to go off of. There was no, yeah, lion. Yeah, yeah, yeah, lion. Like, that was, but what comes out of the pressure to perform if it's done in a healthy way is beautiful things. That's great, yeah. I would have never created Relationship Goals, the book. I would have never created all of the music. I would have never created, if God didn't give me a mandate, hey, I want you to represent in other forms off of the platform. Yeah. Like, that was, and now it's like, okay, it's gonna be a movie? I don't make movies. Like, how do I make a movie? I've seen a movie. I've seen a movie. I know some good movies, but like, it was the appropriate amount of pressure

to where God was like, hey, you can do this, and if you listen to me, like, and acknowledge me in all your ways, I'll direct your path. And the fact that right now, like, I was going to watch House of David the other day and on Prime, and literally before House of David was Relationship Goals, the movie, and it shocked me. Like, whoa, that's my movie. Like, it's like, what are we talking about? But the truth of the matter is, there was a pressure to perform. There's a pressure to actually show up. And I wanna say, in its appropriate place, it's necessary. And I just need everybody to understand, some of y'all need a job, because you don't even know what's in you without the pressure to perform. Some of you need a goal, because without a goal, there is no thing on the inside of you that actually is going to perform. Or maybe we could've said, pressure to produce. There you go, yeah, very good. Like, some performance may be throwing some of y'all off right now, because you don't wanna perform, but you do need to produce. Like, be fruitful and multiply? That's God telling Adam and Eve, produce something. Do something.

And so, like, I think that if you walk in those three and define them properly for your life, internal pressure, what am I taking on that I made up and I need to release? External pressure, acknowledging that there are a lot of things outside of me that I cannot control and I need to release those pressures. This is how you lead. And then, pressure to produce or to show up and perform what you're supposed to do. The appropriate amount of that will create things that have never been seen before. And then I think there's one last one, personal pressure. Talk about personal pressure. Is my life okay? Like, what is that? It's like one of those, sometimes these areas can feel like those old, like the plates spinning on different things. So it's like, you know, there's this idea, and I remember you gave a talk to our staff that the greatest disappointment, in theory, kind of what you said is the greatest disappointment that you'll experience is waiting for a day when life isn't difficult. Or another way you could say it is waiting for a day where there is no pressure. So I'm expecting that, like, okay, I'll finally get everything in order. And I think in my own life, I had to acknowledge

that we've said it, but the pressure's gonna be there. And so I get my internal pressures separated and settled. I get external pressure off. I'm performing in an appropriate way and producing an appropriate way. But then it's like, oh, I still just have my own, like, I'm trying to find my taxes right now. You know what I'm saying? I gotta take out the trash. Like, I gotta talk to my wife. And sometimes we have all these external things that it's like, I have to realize, like, oh, I'm raising these babies. I need to, what am I doing for date night? Yes, like just little personal things that, and again, I think the awareness part of it is, I think the beautiful thing I've accepted is like, okay, these are all gonna be here. And instead of the internal pressure to release all the pressures, I just have to realize there's gonna be a little bit of pressure somewhere. So let me just be aware. Let me be honest, and this is where awareness of seasons. So I can help adjust some of these pressures if I know the season. Are all your kids sleeping right now? Well-ish. Like, Sonny just had a little bit of a regression. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But you know that. And again, I'm saying that for all of the young parents out there, and any parent knows that like, especially you have multiple children, like, the season is different when you have kids that don't sleep all the way through the night. 100%. Like, and I'm using that, but that's a personal pressure because me and Natalie looking like, are you going or am I going? Because depending on. I can't tell you how many times I've been hearing the crowd just be like, let me act like I'm asleep. Is my eyes moving right now? Because you trying to stay. But again, that's a personal pressure that both of y'all chose, but you got to deal with. And I said that to even let people see that they may not even consider that a pressure. They consider it just a responsibility, but responsibilities can become pressure, and if you do not put them in their right place, it can become paralyzing. And what we want to do is put a positive spin on pressure. Like, if you actually put it in the right appropriation, it can change your life. Can I give one more? This is not on our talked-about list, but you know it's my thing. Like, most of the people I know who are burning out is because of manufactured pressure. And not just the internal pressure that you made up. I'm talking about you setting a goal that has nothing to do with God, nothing to do with your money, nothing to do with your wife, nothing to do with your purpose, just because. Like, no, I have to release seven episodes of a podcast by next week.

And it's like, bro, you're about to stay up every day for, I'm grinding right now. It's like, cool. But the way you're about to fry yourself, and I have had to see this in my life as a leader. And I think that is, if I'm honest, some of it does come from this idea that I could be further. That's really good. Like, when you are somebody who has momentum and can create momentum and can create motion and have put yourself in a place, then you start being like, well, if I'm here, then I can get there. And I think that there were seasons in my life, and still I fight it, there are seasons where I have made the motivation of momentum the thing that manufactures pressure. Let me just be hot, humble, open, and transparent. One of the things we just did this year, we did not do a live presentation of our big Easter production ransom. And it's because of the season we're in, and some of the things you know we're building behind the scenes and all the different things that are happening. And it's something that people love. Like, and we made a pivot. Because I felt like, I told you, I was like, we're about to manufacture pressure, we don't have to. And we're about to fry and cook the team and try to do all this. Why don't we just go ahead and release that pressure? Why don't we show it and put together an amazing experience that people can watch three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We saw thousands of people get saved, Steve. Like, all of these things happened, but it was because we decided to not bow down to the manufactured pressure. And I just think about how many people are listening to me right now that are literally, like, we have to do two vacations this year. Do you? Yes. Could one be a staycation? Yeah. Could one be just your kids going to grandparents' house? Like, the manufactured pressure, like, one that was small is like, you know me and Nat,

we like doing family pictures with our kids and stuff like that. This past spring break, we always usually take a picture with our family in matching swimsuits. The swimsuits weren't going to get here in time. And instead of freaking out and doing it, it's like, we're not taking a picture. We don't have the picture. The picture will be in different bathing suits. But, like, there was a time in my life where I would have driven to every Walmart in Target in the city until all of my kids had this multicolored, No, we're just going to go do it this summer. And I just want to encourage people, man. Kill that. If you made it up, if you manufactured it, if it's a deadline that is not designed by God, push it back. Change it. Because the right amount of pressure allows you to produce purpose. And if I could tell anybody anything, if I could tell myself something, like what God has designed for you will be there if you're healthy enough to hold it. So good. And a lot of people, because of pressure, aren't healthy enough to hold what God has for them. When they get to the season, it's time to hold it. That's so good. Man, our prayer, and even what I know, is this has been a blessing for so many people. It's been a blessing to me. I mean, just being able to get some of this in this context, this has blessed me. Absolutely. I'm about to go cancel some stuff right now. Relieve some pressure. And reprioritize it around the right things. I think a lot of times, I know the podcast is supposed to be over, but I know a lot of times because you're using the pressure, the energy, or the capacity in the wrong place,

you do not have it for the right place. Very good. Just think that like, yeah, like reprioritize. Okay, go ahead, do that. No, no, no. Well, listen, we're grateful you're a part of our tribe here, our crew. And I know that this has been a helpful tool for you. And I want you to think right now, if you know somebody that you know they're under pressure, they're trying to deal with the pressures of life, pressures of a business, pressures of leading, pressures of growing, man, take a moment and send this to them. And you could join and be a part of our crew. Make sure you like, subscribe, comment, do all the things. Charles, Charles, last thing, last thing, last thing. Jesus says, come to me. Every person who is under pressure, you feel heavy, you feel weighed down. And he makes you a promise. He said, I'm not gonna take the pressure away. I'm gonna give you rest. And I think you may need to go back a couple of episodes where we talked about the Sabbath and we talked about appropriate breaks and talked about actually resting. It might've been the last episode. But I want you to realize like God's plan for you to recalibrate your pressure

is that you come to him. Weary, heavy laden, full of pressure. He said, come to me and I'll give you rest for your souls. So I just wanna leave you with the word of God that will outlast any example or experience that we've given you. Like God wants to replace the overwhelmed nature of how you're living with a rhythm that allows you to rest. Yeah, absolutely. When you were just talking, I thought of this phrase, which I think can be a confession and a frame for everybody as you leave, which is I am not driven by pressure. I'm driven by purpose. I'm not driven by pressure. That pops. I'm not driven by pressure. I don't move under pressure. I move under purpose. And when you do that, you'll always get where you're going. That pops. There you go. We love you. We love you. Thanks for joining us. Episode six. Bro, we did six episodes. Come on, man. We're making progress. We're progressing.