Video summary
Lewis Howes shares his evolving philosophy on success at age 43, emphasizing that true greatness now requires integrating personal life with professional ambition rather than seeking a perfect balance between them. He explains that while he previously prioritized networking and attending industry events as a single man, marriage and fatherhood have shifted his focus toward energy management and showing up fully for his family when possible. This shift involves making difficult choices to return home quickly after business trips or adventures so he can pour into the internal empire of his relationships, acknowledging that while breakdowns happen, it is essential to serve his wife and children with intention during this specific season of life.
To sustain high performance across multiple roles as a husband, father, pro athlete trainer, and business owner, Howes has adopted strategies focused on longevity rather than just pushing harder. He now prioritizes recovery through sleep, massage, saunas, and ice baths to maintain his health while training like an elite athlete for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. A significant milestone in this journey was taking over the Los Angeles Handball Club within a year of starting dating his wife, where he successfully raised nearly $100,000 from supporters who believed in his dream to return to the USA National Team. He notes that surrounding himself with masters and mentors, such as top handball teams and elite athletes like Mookie Betts and Jeremy Lin, provides an environment of excellence that helps him apply lessons back home without burning out.
Howes also highlights the profound impact of connection and shared experiences on his mindset, drawing inspiration from events ranging to FIFA World Cup watch parties with Olympic legends to playing pickleball tournaments in Los Angeles. He recounts a powerful moment during a speech where he taught attendees to self-soothe by hugging themselves when feeling anxious or overwhelmed after hearing a false fire alarm, illustrating that life often presents "false alarms" of stress and uncertainty that require us to pause and remind ourselves we are safe. This practice of returning to inner calm allows him to navigate chaos with peace while remaining open to synchronicities, such as frequent appearances of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe in his path, which he interprets as signs encouraging him to keep moving forward toward his Olympic goal.
Ultimately, Howes concludes that failure is not a reason for regret but rather an opportunity for growth and new experiences if one has gone all-in on their passion. He urges listeners to embrace the uncertainty of life's journey, whether it involves traveling across time zones or managing complex schedules, knowing that even if they do not achieve every goal, having pursued them with full commitment ensures no regrets later in life. As he looks toward the 2028 Olympics and continues his adventure-filled path, his message is clear: stay positive, keep showing up for your dreams, and trust that good things will happen when you align your actions with your deepest desires while maintaining harmony within yourself and your relationships.
Read the full video transcript
This is just how greatness moves. You've
seen Lewis and his growth journey over
his career.
But you've seen it in real time. He's
going for the Olympics.
He's having, you know, two children.
He's just getting married.
He is in this epic huge personal brand
reaching hundreds of millions of people
all the He's in it.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO YOUR FEET, MR.
LEWIS HOWES IS IN THE HOUSE.
>> [music]
>> Unless I'm traveling and I'm on an
adventure or something, okay, I've got
some time, but at home it's like, no,
I've got to serve my wife and my kids.
>> [applause]
>> And it doesn't mean
I'm perfect and it doesn't mean I'm not
going to have breakdowns, but it means I
got to be showing up the best way I can
at this season. But I didn't think that
way when I was single. You know what I
mean? It was like, no, I'm going to
network and go out and it's going to be
my life, but it was like, I don't have
the time to do that now.
I'm going right back on a plane after
this. I got to be home.
If I'm not working to build an empire
for us, I need to be home building the
internal empire for us.
Normally I would just kind of go from
one thing to the next thing. We went to
Europe a few days later, but I came back
to LA cuz I wanted to be with [music] my
kids and my wife.
I know the value of pouring in and
investing in those relationships. Now
I'm really just thinking about, okay,
what is the work that I need to get done
on a trip? And then what's the quickest
I can get home so I can see my wife and
my kids. [music]
>> [music]
>> Füchse Berlin is one of the top teams in
the world in handball.
>> How do you say it?
>> Füchse.
>> Füchse?
>> Füchse.
>> Füchse?
>> Füchse.
>> The letter is an U.
>> Füchse.
>> Yeah.
>> Füchse.
>> Yeah, let's go.
>> Füchse.
>> Yeah.
>> Let me just fly to Germany and go for a
full day with this team and see what
it's like playing with one of the top
clubs in the world. Can I really play
and keep up with one of [music] the top
teams with the best players in the
world?
>> [music]
>> I got up early and I train. And so
that's a lot of energy just that I'm
training like a pro athlete. And then I
got to go be a full-time business owner
and then be a husband and then be a
father. You know, it's like which I'm
not complaining about. It's more of just
energy management. It's learning how to
manage my time, my energy
to the maximum to be able to give my
best at everything so that I can be at
this practice and give my best and then
go home and be the best for my wife and
then I can be the best for my team when
I go back to the office and
>> to my team right here in the office.
>> [music]
>> If you want to improve in any area of
your life, you've got to surround
yourselves with the masters of that
thing. You've got to find a mentor,
you've got to find teachers, experts who
are excelling more than you. So, it's
great being around the number one
manager, the number one [music] player,
and one of the number one teams in the
world. And that environment, I'm able to
take that in and that experience and
apply that to the Los Angeles Handball
Club which we have as well.
It was another anchor moment that, "Hey,
[music] you're not at their level right
now, but you can play. You can keep up
with them. So, keep going."
And I'm thinking about integration of my
personal life with my business. I'm not
thinking about balance. I'm thinking
about harmony and integrating them. So,
it's not about how do I manage them? And
really I'm thinking about constantly,
how do I continually show up without
burning out?
Luis and I started dating on a 13.
>> Happy birthday.
>> [laughter]
>> Yeah.
>> Happy birthday to you.
>> The biggest lesson I've taken away on
the School of Greatness in the last 13
years is relationships matter. It
doesn't matter what accomplishments you
have or how many followers you have.
What matters is the quality of the
connection you have with other human
beings and the ability to show people
how much you appreciate and care for
them and your ability to show up for
other people.
13 YEARS.
>> [applause]
>> AND I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHO'S IN
MY CORNER. You know, I don't know if
anyone else did this when you got
married. Like I have like four friends.
>> [laughter]
>> I mean, I have lots of acquaintances and
lots of people I'm friendly with, but I
spend time with four people outside of
my wife [music] and my twins. I'd never
thought I would be this way cuz I was
the guy that would like hang out with
everyone and go to all the events and go
to industry stuff.
And for a season of my life, that was
important because it allowed me to
create possibilities, connections,
[music] but then when I got married and
especially when I had kids 7 months ago,
it was like, "Oh, I can't do that
anymore." Like I've got to protect my
energy with my marriage, and my kids,
and my health.
So, my trainer comes to me in the
morning.
I train in the backyard. I go to my
office, it's 8 minutes away. I'm with my
team all day. I come home, I'm with my
wife and my kids. I put them to bed and
then I'm exhausted. The only time I see
my friends is when I play pickleball.
I'm like, "We have to work out if we're
going to hang out."
>> [music]
>> We're here at the Griffin Country Club
in Los Angeles for a pickleball
tournament, which is celebrities and pro
pickleball [music] players teaming up to
play against each other.
Last year I lost in the quarterfinals to
Mookie Betts, actually. No big [music]
deal. He is a you know, world champion
in baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Last year was a lot of fun. I'm excited
about this year. There's going to be
some big names, some great players,
hopefully some good networking, and some
great pickleball.
>> [music]
>> Lewis Howes here, looking strong as
ever. Have you been in the gym a lot, or
what's going on?
>> You never know who you're going to meet
at these type of events in LA. Sometimes
it's some of the, you know, most
inspirational people in the world.
Sometimes some other business comes out
of it, or sometimes you just have a good
afternoon. Either way, I'm excited to
see how my game has developed since the
last year.
>> Now we got against the New York Knicks
legend, Jeremy Lin.
>> LIN FOR THE WIN!
GOT IT!
>> LINSANITY coming up.
Just won that game.
Jeremy Lin, we didn't lose a game yet.
We
Julio Santana.
>> Andre Ethier is here.
>> Great.
>> Lewis is an animal. The guy has nothing
but positivity and strokes.
>> Quarterfinals, let's go. Mookie Betts.
World Series champion.
It's going down.
>> [music]
>> And just recently, World Series
champion, Mookie Betts.
>> I feel like the Knicks right now.
>> From Linsanity to Mookie Betts, [music]
next up.
>> And Lewis Howes and Julio Rivera.
>> Let's go.
>> Ah, so close. It was down to one point
to win.
We turned it over for them to score at
the end.
They beat us in the semifinals,
unfortunately. Next year I'm going to
have to come back.
>> See you. I'm going to miss you and the
babies.
>> You know that one
>> video concept that's like, if you buy a
ticket
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> get in this car
>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> and you go on this plane and you go 13
hours here. You know that type of a
concept?
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know where we where we started.
>> If you get in the car
then you drive to the airport
and take an 11-hour flight around the
world
>> and rushing to catch the next flight
>> then get on this plane.
>> It's tough going from time zone to time
zone. I think the key is finding a
rhythm and harmony when I'm at home to
make sure I'm sticking to my routine.
>> Then you walk outside to this little
town
>> [music]
>> you walk toward this building.
>> Final part has to be like a whole crowd
like
>> [music]
>> We just traveled from Los Angeles,
California to Herning, Denmark to be at
the European Handball Championships.
Herning is a small town in Denmark. How
do you say the city?
>> Herning.
>> Not Herning.
Herning.
>> Herning. H e r n
>> Herning. Okay.
>> Herning.
>> Where Where are you from?
>> Los Angeles.
>> How are you?
>> I'm good. How are you?
>> All right. You have a spot.
>> Good.
>> You walked past my way.
>> [music]
[music]
>> Tonight, tens of thousands of people
will come to this arena to watch Germany
face Denmark in the European Handball
Championship.
>> How are you How often do you visit?
>> First time in this arena.
>> You did awesome, man. Good question.
>> Yeah, scratches are how you got those
scars, man.
>> You know, I'm not getting prettier, you
know.
>> [music]
>> But Americans still don't know what this
sport is. It's one of the most athletic
>> [cheering]
>> most electric sports there are, and it's
coming to the Los Angeles Olympics in
2028.
>> [music]
[music]
>> I straight up
>> Uh we are going to go live here in 2
minutes.
>> Luis House, for the people that are not
familiar with your game, you come from
the United States, former American
footballer. LA 2028 is the big goal, and
as we see it on your hoodie as well. Los
Angeles Handball Club. So, Luis, how's
it looking regarding your dream?
>> I said, let me create a real game plan
for 4 years,
step by step. Last year I was in Spain
in this guy's home country, and I was
learning from some of the best in the
world to see if I could actually keep up
with guys half my age. That was step
one. Can I get back in shape? Can I
still play?
>> And what's the answer?
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Okay.
>> We used to go the extra mile. It was
like, how do we go more than everyone
else? How do I get in the gym earliest
and leave the latest? I have to think in
a different way. I have to say, how do I
do the maximum with the least amount of
effort, and actually spend more time
recovering, more time sleeping, more
time getting rehab, massage, sauna, ice.
It's very hard for my mindset cuz I want
to push harder, but I actually need to
be thinking longevity. So, it's a
different switch that I need to turn on.
So, for me, it's been a journey and then
4 months ago I had the opportunity to
take over the Los Angeles Handball Club.
And within 48 hours of taking it over, I
raised almost $100,000. And I saw that
people wanted to support the dream that
I have. Uh they were invested in my
journey of trying to make
>> [music]
>> get back on the USA National Team and go
to the Olympics. One of the greatest
feelings is hearing your national anthem
having your country across your chest.
When I just thinking about it and
speaking it out loud, having USA across
my chest, it gives me chills.
>> Fair enough. Fair enough because uh he
is pursuing greatness as well.
>> Live at the European Handball
Championships
in Denmark. Let's go.
A lot of my journey with this dream of
the Olympics is
uncertain.
We don't know what's going to happen,
but I don't want to live with the regret
that I didn't go for it. And I think
that's one of the biggest lessons I want
to teach my daughters.
If you've got a dream, if you've got
[music] a goal, if you've got a passion,
go for it. If you fail, it's all going
to be okay. It's not the end of the
world. [music] The best thing is that
you accomplish it. The second best thing
is that you fail at it and you don't
have any regrets that you actually went
for it.
Cuz when you go for something and it
doesn't work out, you're going to meet
people that are interesting. You're
going to travel. You're going to have
experiences. You're going to have
lessons and you're going to grow. And
that is essentially what the key to life
is all about, experiencing, connecting
with people, learning. And failure is a
part of that growth. I recently went to
a FIFA World Cup watch party with
Airbnb.
>> So, here at the Airbnb Experiences watch
party for the FIFA World Cup hosted by
Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy, who are
Olympians and very accomplished US
women's soccer players. They also
brought their medals, their Olympic
medals, and their memorabilia.
>> gold, baby.
The medal.
>> Anytime I get an opportunity to be
around elite athletes who have
accomplished something at the highest
level at the Olympics or FIFA World Cup
[music] or World Championship, it
inspires me.
>> Me at the World Cup in 1994,
standing outside of the arena 32 years
ago. When I was a little kid in this
photo, I saw incredible things by these
athletes and it made me imagine and
dream about my life as an adult. What is
possible in my life for my athletic
dream? And at the time, I really wanted
to be an Olympian.
>> It activates something in me that shows
what is possible in the human experience
if you go all in and commit yourself to
something that you're dreaming about.
It's cool to be around this excitement
and this passion and this hunger for
becoming something greater. And it just
gets me inspired.
>> With the FIFA World Cup happening, fans
are traveling from all over the world to
experience it. And that's why I love to
list my space on Airbnb. It allows me to
earn some extra income, create a magical
place for fans to come and stay in a
place that feels like home, and also
experience the FIFA World Cup. It's
something you should be thinking about
if you have events in your city so you
can create the same magical moments for
other fans just like you.
>> There's something about experiences like
this that ignites something in the heart
of people all over the world. And I'm so
excited about this as we are 2 years
away from the LA 2028 Olympics.
>> Another sign, another signal, another
synchronicity. This is happening right
now in the world, [music] and the
Olympics are going to be happening in 2
years. Continue taking the actions.
Continue being inspired. Continue
creating these moments and these
memories to stay [music] motivated on on
path toward the Olympic dream and the
Olympic journey.
>> And there's no guarantees of what's
going to happen, but this is a reminder
to keep staying positive, keep staying
motivated, keep showing up and do the
right things, and good things are going
to happen. So, LA 2028,
here we come.
>> And you're all in New York City right
now, and I want you to open your mind to
possibilities, magic, synchronicities,
signs, whatever woo you want to think
of. What the world needs most is the
version of you that's on the other side
of self-doubt.
>> At this speech in New York, I had
probably a 20-minute conversation with a
woman who was feeling guilty about
moving on from the loss of her husband
about a decade ago. And at one point, I
said, "I want you to put your arms
around yourself and hug yourself [music]
anytime you feel anxious inside of you."
>> Say it one time. I am safe.
>> I am safe.
>> And it may sound a little cheesy or
corny thinking about that. A lot of
times we need to come back [music] into
ourselves. We need to bring energy back
into ourselves. Say, "I am worthy of
love."
>> I am worthy of love.
>> And within seconds after this,
a fire alarm.
Okay, how do I want to react? Are we all
going to run out of here?
>> This is literally an alarm waking you
up.
It's literally an alarm
>> [cheering]
>> waking you up.
>> [applause]
>> And so, whatever reason, I was JUST
LIKE, "YES! YES!"
>> I LOVE that we are safe in the alarm.
It's a literally perfect timing.
>> You want to be aware if there was a real
threat to get up and run out and and
take action.
>> And then no one running.
I looked in the room, you all just kept
hugging yourself.
>> But a lot of times in life, there's a
false alarm. Just like this was a false
alarm. And in 60 seconds, the alarm went
away.
>> You just kept hugging yourselves. You
said, "I am safe." And I'm telling you,
I mean, it's a perfect analogy.
You are going to be alarmed when you go
home and talk to someone on your team or
a family member. You're going to go back
to a place of feeling in your nervous
system. I'm alarmed. But we are always
alarmed by little triggers in our life
that is causing us to feel anxious,
stressed, uncertain, or overwhelmed. And
if we can take a minute and pause, and
just say,
"I am safe." And get back into a
centered place within ourselves. Now
remember what I said an hour and a half
ago. I said, "Look for the signs and
synchronicities."
I was like, "The signs and
synchronicities are strong." Last night
when he picked me up, across the street
was a store, and in the window was a
massive image of the Virgin Mary of
Guadalupe. Sure. Let me see.
I saw this from across the street as
Andre was telling me something about my
dream. Boom.
Virgin Mary appears. I've been seeing
the signs. I've been seeing the Virgin
Mary of Guadalupe a lot coming to my
life lately. Virgin Mary of Guadalupe is
from Mexico. It's been showing up more
and more in my life through Martha. And
then, when I'm at dinner with Bob,
talking about the next steps of my
dream, boom, right behind him, Jesus in
the Last Supper appears. So, this is
crazy. Synchronicities. It's
I don't know. There's some
synchronicities and signs that are
telling me, "Okay, keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward." So, it's just
weird. The
The signs are all around me right now.
So,
Hey, if you're ready, we can get
started. Oh man. Go ahead. I'm just I'm
just a I'm just a passenger. I'm
listening in. I said, "We change a thing
to qualify this."
Snowing. Oh my gosh.
Get me back to California.
I also like having an adventurous life
where, okay, we've got two interviews.
We got to run to the airport. We're
going to go play a handball game later
at night in another city. We got to
manage a team. We're coming back. We're
going to this country. We're going here.
It's fun. It's exciting. There's never
the same day twice.
But, it's learning how to navigate it
all and be peace and calm under chaos.
>> [music]