Transcript
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Dr William T Choctaw:
Okay, welcome everybody.
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Welcome to the Health and Wealth
and Wives podcast with Dr.
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William Choctaw.
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We have an exciting guest with us today,
a friend of mine, someone that I've grown
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up with to some extent, John Natividad.
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And John's going to share
some of his experiences and
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some of his words of wisdom.
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One of the things that we've
learned is that you don't have to
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be 80 years old to become wise.
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You can become wise at 30.
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And John is in his 40s, and so he's, he's,
he's learned a lot and has traveled a lot.
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And so we're absolutely delighted
for him to be with us today.
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Good morning,
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John: John.
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Good morning, Dr.
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Choctaw, and good morning
to all your listeners.
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First and foremost, thank
you so much for having me on.
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I'm very blessed and honored to
be able to speak with you today.
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It's always great to
talk to you and catch up.
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Great, thank
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Dr William T Choctaw: you.
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So, you know, I, and let me say
that I've known John for years.
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John and his family are
very close to my wife.
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And so, John, tell me what you've
been doing since high school.
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Oh, sure thing.
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John: So since high school, of course,
I went through the, you know, went to
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college, but I had a circuitous route.
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You know, I think in high school,
there were times where I didn't do
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as well or I wasn't as effective.
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You know, I was a bad student, frankly.
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So the one thing, at least, I would say.
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Is that I had an opportunity to explore
different things at an early age that
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not everything was a linear path.
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High school for me wasn't a linear
path, but eventually I was on the
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path, went on to get my undergraduate
degree from Cal Poly Pomona close by.
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Started yeah, started into
consulting working for KPMG in Los
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Angeles before moving to New York
with the Boutique Consultancy.
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And that's where my
career really took off.
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I started working with
much larger clients.
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And it was a much leaner organization.
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Dr William T Choctaw:
That's an accounting firm.
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Yeah, it
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John: was an accounting firm, but I
was doing more data strategy, I would
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say, from a very high perspective.
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And so the clients were very similar.
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Of course, if you're an accounting firm,
who's the first person you talk to?
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It's your, your auditors.
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Hey, I have a problem.
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Do you have anyone in your
company that can help us?
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And so that was certainly,
certainly were my career.
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Ha has blossomed.
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I, I
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Dr William T Choctaw: find it
interesting that you mentioned
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that you didn't take a linear in
terms of high school and college.
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What, what would you advise students
who are not who may be listening now,
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who are not taking a linear route?
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What, what lessons you, you know, you
don't have to go into detail if you
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don't want, but just in general, what
type what, what did you learn from all
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John: I, learned that.
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Education happens in many places on many
dimensions, you might, you might not be
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the best students in a classroom, but
there's other avenues for you to really
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learn you can learn and whether it's a
trade school, whether it's learning from
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your mentors, and, you know, there's two.
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Two lessons that I've learned
that have stuck with me that were
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not from teachers at Cal Poly
and not from teachers at Kellogg.
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I went to Northwestern for my MBA and
two of the biggest lessons in my life
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that stick with me till this day.
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One is from a priest, someone
we both know, Father Tony.
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So he mentioned to me years
ago that relationships matter.
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So at any time when, when, when
you're, when you're dealt a bad hand
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or the chips are down, you can lean
on those relationships if you've, if
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you've taken the time to build those.
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Right.
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And I think that to me
is one of the key things.
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The next lesson I've learned was from
someone that was from, I guess you
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could say, not, not Not the brightest
individual and, and frankly, he was, he
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was a member of, of certain nefarious,
he was a gang member, I guess, I
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could just, without tiptoeing around.
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He said to me, everyone has a plan
until you get hit in the mouth.
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I know that's attributed to Mike
Tyson, but as an impressionable young
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man, that lesson stuck with me and
I will always attribute it to him.
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And I think having a diverse
education, really, your education
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just doesn't happen in the classroom.
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It could be from anyone.
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It could be from anyone,
regardless of their background.
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And so that's, I think, key with,
especially with the way that the
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world's going, that we hear now
a lot of operations and firms are
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bypassing the need for a degree.
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Really?
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Yeah, there's if you can show that you
have the skill set, you know, whether
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it's in technology or whether it's in
strategy, if you have a skill set that
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can really make up for the lack of a
degree and you have that experience.
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I think that's you know,
an avenue for people.
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However, I will say that education
is still still key, especially
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for your listeners who might be
in different parts of the world.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, to give you a bit of, to
give you a bit of additional color
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I'm currently based in Tokyo.
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The last 10 years of my career, or
the last 10 years of my life, frankly,
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have been in split between Hong
Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore.
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And that's where I've learned a
lot of, yeah, yeah, I would say
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that I've traveled quite a bit.
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And it really started from
being flexible, right?
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I think being flexible and understanding
that just like education, your
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career is not a linear path either.
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Like, if you take advantage of the
situation and you have a certain set of
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base skill sets that you really believe
in, and you know you can deliver with,
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being flexible on, okay, can you, can
you, can you head over to Tokyo first?
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For six days and help a client out.
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And then for me, that turned that for me,
that turned into six years and a wife.
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So I packed, I packed the
suitcase, I packed the suitcase.
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And the next thing I know
I'm there for six years.
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And of course I had a lot of
different stops in between.
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I'd say one of them being Singapore,
I think that that to me was a very
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big point in my life because while I
was in Singapore I had moved in 2019.
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Really from the from Hong Kong on
the back of the things that were
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happening in Hong Kong at the time,
there was a lot of capital flight.
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I had seen that, okay, this is, I
see where the next opportunities
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in Asia are going to be.
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For me, that was Singapore.
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I saw the money was
flowing into Singapore.
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Let me go ahead and follow that.
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The minute I move into Singapore
about three months later it's
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January, 2020 COVID hits.
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Yeah.
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And for, for all of you guys are Who
are in Asia, you, you would understand,
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you understand that the, a lot of
the lockdowns in, in Asia were much
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more fierce than they were in other
parts of the world, like the U.
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S.
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You know, I had a a 30 square
meter apartment, 400 square
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foot flat in Singapore.
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And for six months, I was
there alone by myself.
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Really not.
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The lockdowns were so serious that
you couldn't meet with your friends
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or these types of things and as an
expat in Singapore, if you leave,
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you wouldn't be able to come back.
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So I decided to tough it out,
where the only person that I would
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speak to in person was my Uber
delivery driver for six months.
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Yeah, I think that gives you
a lot of perspective and it
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forces you to readjust your.
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You know, to kind of readjust
your what you want in life.
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And that's, that's what led me to,
you know, kind of revisit what you
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knew me as really just spending a lot
of time with family and really trying
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to give back and do things that way.
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So after COVID, you know, I reassessed
I decided, okay, it's, if I, if, if
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for some reason I passed away in my
apartment, The first person to find
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me would have been my assistant, and
that was a very sobering thought.
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I miss that.
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I miss that.
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Yeah.
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Dr William T Choctaw: Well,
you know, I hadn't thought
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about the whole COVID thing.
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It's interesting that the thing about
relationships, every podcast that
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I've done, we've done 40 so far, I
always end with my lessons learned.
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And one of those is what
you just mentioned, that
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everything is a relationship.
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A relationship based on mutual respect,
mutual trust, good communication.
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And if you have that,
then you're in good shape.
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And if you don't have that,
then you've got some work to do.
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Yeah.
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John: Yeah, no, absolutely.
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And I've had so many of those
experiences where I had a relationship,
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of course, with a, at the time, a
subordinate of mine at my last firm.
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We were good friends.
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I brought him on to my
firm when I was in Asia.
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And then, I took some time
off after Singapore, and guess
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who hired me into his firm?
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The guy that I hired, seven years before.
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So, it's, it's cyclical,
and he, it did work.
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And so, it's, those relationships
were, it's, it's, it's,
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it's a two way relationship.
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You put in what you take from it,
and, and really genuine empathy.
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And understanding it's like,
Hey, I want to help you.
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My, my goal is for, you know, for,
for my, the people that I have these
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relationships with to get some sleep
at night, you know, we work, we have
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a very, we work in a global economy.
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Work is being done everywhere.
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People are, people are working
at all hours of the day.
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What I really want to focus on with my
friends, it's like, Hey, I just want
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to make sure that you guys get what you
need for me as a colleague, as a friend.
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What comes of it may come, and for me
that ended up being hired by my previous
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subordinate, which is, which is fantastic.
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Oh, that
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Dr William T Choctaw: is fantastic.
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Yeah.
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Going back to your experience in that,
that small apartment for six months, how
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did you, how did you get through that?
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I, I, I, I just, how did that work?
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John: So that, that was, that was up I
guess logistically, lots of food delivery.
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Singapore was very serious about it.
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Lockdown.
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So I got through it that way.
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The other way was really keeping in touch
with friends and family digitally, you
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know, FaceTimes and Zooms and watching,
but watching them get older over FaceTime
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was, was kind of heartbreaking for me.
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So I, it really helped me get through
that time knowing like, okay, at the
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end of this, I will be able to see them.
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Yeah, and so it's, I would say I
would not wish that on anybody, but
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I was, I did have a lot of spare time
in the hours that I wasn't working.
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I picked up, I picked up pottery.
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I picked up Python.
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You know, I, I started watching
cricket cricket is a major sport in
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Singapore so I picked up cricket.
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And so, you know, I, I tried to
make the most out of you know an
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ideal situation, you know, just
to have extra time and I'm alone.
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I was alone at the time I was not married.
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So I certainly tried to do as much
as I could to keep myself busy.
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Dr William T Choctaw: And so you
use that time to actually to grow.
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Yeah.
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John: Yeah.
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I think the idea of lifelong
learning to me is key.
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I like to try to learn
something new every day.
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You know, whether it's reading a
newspaper I still like to read the tactile
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newspaper when I can get my hands on it.
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You know, I could be a Luddite at
times, even though I work in tech.
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And so I just try to learn something
new every day, whether or I'm
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learning from something from the
grocery at the grocery, whether it's
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from someone or something, right?
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So I try to, I try to take the time
and I think about that actively.
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It's like, okay, have I learned,
have I learned something new today?
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Dr William T Choctaw: And that's really
very smart to, to consciously be aware of
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where you are mentally and physically and
to, and to have, have, have a plan, you
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know, to have standards or things that
you want to achieve as compared to being
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passive, you know, to be more active and
to be more involved and to take charge.
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Interesting.
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Tell me more about the work that you do.
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I was fascinated by the terms of Data
analytics and and dispute investigations.
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Now, I think legal when I
do that, but I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure what all that means.
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John: Sure.
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Thanks.
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So from a very, from a very high.
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You know, as, as a attorney,
you would need to understand the
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kind of the discovery process.
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And you can imagine the discovery
process now with the amount of data
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that's being generated on a daily basis
when we're thinking of items like your
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iPhone or your Apple watch that gives
GPS locations where, okay, where was
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this individual at this time of day?
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So there's this real law, huge
amounts of data that need to be.
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Thought of in lit in litigation.
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So as you can imagine, there's not
too many lawyers with that background.
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And so I found this niche about 10 years,
10 or 15 years ago, early on in my career.
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And it's really just around large
amounts of data in a dispute between two
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parties and investigation by, you know,
the Department of Justice or the SEC.
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And so this, this Is the problem,
not just in the US, but for
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American companies abroad as well.
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Or any foreign company that's publicly
traded in the United States still has to
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adhere to the regulations here in the US.
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And so as you can see, that's a very,
that can be a very portable skill set.
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Yeah, so that's me was important.
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I would say when I made the
decision to move into this,
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I understood it was a niche.
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I, I, I enjoyed the
strategy of things more.
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But for me, strategy is
different in different countries.
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What can get what, what can I leverage?
256
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Into a career that allows me
to move to different countries.
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And that was really important to me at
the time being able to see the world
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frankly on someone else's dime but,
and being able, but also being able
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to help clients in different parts
of the world and build relationships
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with people that I would not have.
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Met if I did not move out
of the United States, so
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Dr William T Choctaw: there was
an element of intentionality.
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But with you, you wanted to find
that niche and make sure that you
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had a skill set that was marketable
that that and marketable and
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John: yeah, there's.
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You know, I can, I can move back and
saying early on my career when I started,
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I, I knew that I wanted to be in Asia.
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I had taken a backpacking trip
right before I started working and
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I realized, okay, this would be
great if I can make it out here.
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And if I could work here and, you know,
do some good, you know, in my spare time
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while also being able to grow my career.
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And so what I really thought
about is, number one, like you
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said, the marketable skills.
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But, but number two, once I was at a
large, a firm that has that global reach,
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I thought, okay, who do I need to talk to?
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Who do I need to build relationships
with who can help me get to Asia?
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And so, you know, just being
very deliberate in your plan.
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being very deliberate and
working towards your plan.
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You might not take 10 steps a day,
but you might make half a step.
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And that's still, that's
still progression.
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Why do you think
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Dr William T Choctaw: that your plan
work and others who I'm sure they
283
00:15:13,438 --> 00:15:17,428
may have had similar ideas didn't
work, but what, what do you think was
284
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unique about the way you did whatever
that allowed you to be successful?
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00:15:24,348 --> 00:15:27,188
John: I would say the
two, two major things.
286
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And really one, it goes back
to relationships as well.
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One, the person the first, person
that I worked with that once I started
288
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looking, making a deliberate effort
to, Hey, I want to be based in Asia.
289
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I want to move to Hong Kong.
290
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I want to move to Tokyo.
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The first person who I looked towards
was the person who I've worked with for
292
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the past 10 years at different firms.
293
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We might do business together,
but she, she, she's one of my
294
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mentors and she was really key.
295
00:15:57,843 --> 00:16:01,753
And me being able to show all of
that thought and effort beforehand
296
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was like, Hey, you know what?
297
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You're serious about this.
298
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You don't want to just come out and,
and kind of you know, just party.
299
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You really want to come
out and do some good work.
300
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And so I think that made such a, made
such a impression on her that she's been
301
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my mentor since Yeah, so relationships.
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00:16:17,823 --> 00:16:20,143
I know I keep on harping on
that, but it's certainly for me.
303
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That's been it.
304
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And number two is willing to take risks.
305
00:16:25,253 --> 00:16:27,463
Willing to take risks
and be uncomfortable.
306
00:16:27,593 --> 00:16:32,853
You know, it's certainly before moving
out to before moving out to Hong Kong I
307
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was taking Chinese or Cantonese lessons.
308
00:16:36,133 --> 00:16:37,443
I was taking Mandarin lessons.
309
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But I wasn't only, but six months in,
I get a call from a client in Tokyo.
310
00:16:42,003 --> 00:16:43,723
Hey, can you come over for six days?
311
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Next thing I know, I
have to learn Japanese.
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And of course, that's not a, that's,
that's not an the easiest situation.
313
00:16:50,793 --> 00:16:53,853
It's a very volatile moving
from one country to another.
314
00:16:54,238 --> 00:16:58,738
Over the course of a month, essentially
just on the drop of a you know, just
315
00:16:58,738 --> 00:17:02,208
basically at the drop of a hat, I
would say being opportunistic when
316
00:17:02,208 --> 00:17:06,508
you see that opportunity, you smell
that opportunity, you see that you
317
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might, you're going to have to put in
the work, but at the end of the day,
318
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can, can you do some good work there?
319
00:17:11,868 --> 00:17:12,918
And sure.
320
00:17:12,948 --> 00:17:16,623
And so I think taking risks for me was
the And the relationships are the two
321
00:17:16,623 --> 00:17:18,023
of the biggest things that propelled me.
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00:17:18,933 --> 00:17:20,973
Dr William T Choctaw: I would think
that it's certainly to be able to
323
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take those risks and to be able to
324
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open up, requires a certain
degree of confidence.
325
00:17:31,443 --> 00:17:33,523
Where does your level
of confidence come from?
326
00:17:33,763 --> 00:17:36,723
How did you, you know, because
a lot of people want to do those
327
00:17:36,723 --> 00:17:40,643
things that you've done, but
they may and probably never will.
328
00:17:40,943 --> 00:17:45,863
Why, what, what, where did you
get that that made you think
329
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that you could actually do it?
330
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So you went ahead and
331
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John: did it.
332
00:17:49,378 --> 00:17:53,178
It's, it's, it's, there's no magic
answer, but I would say preparation.
333
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I was, I was prepared.
334
00:17:55,768 --> 00:17:57,938
I prepared myself at
every step of the way.
335
00:17:57,938 --> 00:18:02,098
I, I, when I, when I chose my
university for undergrad, I picked a
336
00:18:02,098 --> 00:18:05,913
university that was very That fit me.
337
00:18:06,083 --> 00:18:09,763
Not because it was a big name, it's
because their program was something that
338
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I could see myself being successful in.
339
00:18:12,253 --> 00:18:12,563
Right?
340
00:18:12,863 --> 00:18:14,533
They would give me the tools to succeed.
341
00:18:15,173 --> 00:18:18,843
I was prepared once I started
my career because I knew who
342
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the players were on day one.
343
00:18:20,783 --> 00:18:23,193
You know, I did my research, due
diligence, whether you're using
344
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LinkedIn, whether you're looking
at whatever anyone's published.
345
00:18:26,363 --> 00:18:29,743
And, you know, this is, this is some,
something that I tell a lot of you know,
346
00:18:29,743 --> 00:18:33,623
when I speak at schools and these types of
things, is know who, know your audience.
347
00:18:34,113 --> 00:18:38,183
You know, LinkedIn, read anything
they've ever published, read their
348
00:18:38,183 --> 00:18:39,953
books if you can, if they have.
349
00:18:40,313 --> 00:18:44,823
And that really gives you an idea
of the steps you can take next.
350
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And so, that, for me that,
it was just the preparation.
351
00:18:47,933 --> 00:18:51,523
Preparation and Yeah, I would love to
say that I'm a big gambler but I'm not.
352
00:18:51,533 --> 00:18:54,083
I'm, I need, I need data.
353
00:18:54,173 --> 00:18:58,343
I'm a data guy so I need to ingest as
much data as I can to make a decision.
354
00:18:59,203 --> 00:19:02,713
Dr William T Choctaw: And that makes a
lot of sense that that you prepared for.
355
00:19:02,773 --> 00:19:04,063
This wasn't an accident.
356
00:19:04,423 --> 00:19:06,093
You, as you said, you did the work.
357
00:19:07,223 --> 00:19:10,303
When you picked out your school,
it wasn't just because of the name,
358
00:19:10,303 --> 00:19:14,053
but you knew what you wanted, and
you wanted to see and wanted to make
359
00:19:14,053 --> 00:19:18,773
sure that school was compatible and
would help you along with your goals.
360
00:19:19,093 --> 00:19:23,413
And, and I think that, that, again,
that level of intentionality is, is
361
00:19:23,413 --> 00:19:27,553
a lot of times something that, that
we, we don't do as much as we should.
362
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We sort of wait for that magic
moment, and indeed you create
363
00:19:31,253 --> 00:19:32,633
the magic in your own life.
364
00:19:35,113 --> 00:19:36,773
John: Yeah, that's that's
certainly the case.
365
00:19:36,773 --> 00:19:41,203
It's when you see that opportunity sees
that you really only if you let it pass
366
00:19:41,203 --> 00:19:46,293
you by, you know, and we've we've all done
this where you see an opportunity and you.
367
00:19:46,653 --> 00:19:49,973
You're thinking about it months and
years later, what if I did this,
368
00:19:50,313 --> 00:19:53,803
did this differently, you know, I
think my goal is really by being
369
00:19:53,803 --> 00:19:56,013
prepared is that I won't have it.
370
00:19:56,043 --> 00:19:58,283
I'll have I can minimize
my regrets later on.
371
00:19:58,613 --> 00:19:59,393
Dr William T Choctaw: Right, right.
372
00:19:59,503 --> 00:20:01,283
That's that's perfect.
373
00:20:01,633 --> 00:20:02,093
Absolutely.
374
00:20:04,033 --> 00:20:06,383
As you travel around the world.
375
00:20:06,403 --> 00:20:09,033
Well, let's let's just
say in Japan and Tokyo.
376
00:20:09,638 --> 00:20:13,818
But what have you learned as some
of the major differences between
377
00:20:14,138 --> 00:20:15,938
Tokyo and, say, California?
378
00:20:17,168 --> 00:20:20,728
John: So I'd say the culture
is drastically different.
379
00:20:20,728 --> 00:20:26,348
I would say that you know, it's, the
work culture is it's, it's less of a
380
00:20:26,348 --> 00:20:31,118
meritocracy, like it is here in the
United States, and more of seniority.
381
00:20:31,478 --> 00:20:36,248
And so having to understand that
and coming in as the, coming
382
00:20:36,248 --> 00:20:37,528
in as the guy from America.
383
00:20:37,953 --> 00:20:40,303
Or as that, you know, kind of
like that expat from the U.
384
00:20:40,303 --> 00:20:44,373
S., I, I had to understand, like, I'm
not here to reinvent the wheel, I'm just
385
00:20:44,373 --> 00:20:46,283
here to make sure that it's less noisy.
386
00:20:46,833 --> 00:20:51,193
Right, and it's, and under, having a good
understanding, coming from California,
387
00:20:51,193 --> 00:20:55,313
where we're really blessed with huge
diversity I had grown up with Japanese
388
00:20:55,363 --> 00:20:58,093
friends, and I had grown up with Chinese
friends, I've grown up with European
389
00:20:58,093 --> 00:21:02,863
friends, and so, when I made it out to,
you know, all the stops that I've made
390
00:21:02,863 --> 00:21:08,813
it to, I wasn't surprised because I
spent time around my friend's parents.
391
00:21:08,813 --> 00:21:11,763
I spent time around you know,
first generation immigrants.
392
00:21:11,773 --> 00:21:14,833
So when I got back to, when
I got back to Asia, it was, I
393
00:21:14,833 --> 00:21:16,683
wasn't surprised by anything.
394
00:21:17,323 --> 00:21:23,233
And I was really cognizant of
Respecting the values, the cultural
395
00:21:23,233 --> 00:21:28,023
values, but understanding where I
can add, where I could add my value.
396
00:21:28,333 --> 00:21:30,093
Dr William T Choctaw: Right,
right, where you would fit.
397
00:21:31,093 --> 00:21:32,163
Where I would fit in.
398
00:21:32,413 --> 00:21:33,783
Right, you did your homework.
399
00:21:34,643 --> 00:21:35,643
I did my homework.
400
00:21:35,993 --> 00:21:41,233
Your experience and that, and that's,
that is so important because I think what
401
00:21:41,453 --> 00:21:47,568
it does is it sets one's expectations
appropriate, at an appropriate level.
402
00:21:47,948 --> 00:21:52,648
And it allows you the opportunity to
reach those expectations by having a plan.
403
00:21:52,658 --> 00:21:53,478
You had a plan.
404
00:21:54,368 --> 00:21:54,668
Yeah.
405
00:21:54,668 --> 00:21:54,908
And,
406
00:21:55,268 --> 00:21:58,598
John: but, but at the same time, and
this worthy getting, getting punched
407
00:21:58,598 --> 00:22:01,768
in the mouth, everyone has a plan until
you get punched in the mouth, right?
408
00:22:01,768 --> 00:22:03,128
Until you get punched in the mouth.
409
00:22:03,128 --> 00:22:04,168
Until you get punched in the mouth.
410
00:22:04,338 --> 00:22:07,528
And you will get punched in the
mouth no matter how prepared you
411
00:22:07,528 --> 00:22:10,208
are, no matter how brilliant you are.
412
00:22:10,743 --> 00:22:14,183
You will get punched in the mouth and
recovering for that, from that is key.
413
00:22:14,303 --> 00:22:18,863
And I would say that's actually one
of the differences I've seen in the U.
414
00:22:18,863 --> 00:22:19,153
S.
415
00:22:19,183 --> 00:22:21,483
versus, you know, parts of Asia.
416
00:22:21,863 --> 00:22:23,693
I can say, we're in the U.
417
00:22:23,693 --> 00:22:29,743
S., we have the SATs in
various parts of Asia.
418
00:22:30,428 --> 00:22:33,548
There's the, the, the
university entrance exams.
419
00:22:34,268 --> 00:22:35,098
If in the U.
420
00:22:35,098 --> 00:22:35,438
S.
421
00:22:35,448 --> 00:22:38,938
you don't get perfect scores or the
scores that you want in your SATs, you
422
00:22:38,938 --> 00:22:43,118
can go to a community college and you can
transfer into the school of your dreams.
423
00:22:43,538 --> 00:22:47,428
In Asia, if you, you have a one
shot at that, you have one shot.
424
00:22:47,578 --> 00:22:50,288
If you don't make it in,
there's fewer avenues.
425
00:22:50,778 --> 00:22:54,158
From from educational standpoint
to then get into your dream school.
426
00:22:54,688 --> 00:22:56,848
And so I would say that's the
biggest difference where in the U.
427
00:22:56,848 --> 00:22:57,048
S.
428
00:22:57,068 --> 00:22:59,958
we second chances are easier to come by.
429
00:23:00,418 --> 00:23:04,078
So that's, that's one of the bigger
differences I've seen, but at the same
430
00:23:04,078 --> 00:23:09,258
time, you know, if you're prepared,
you know, there's no, it's no fault
431
00:23:09,268 --> 00:23:10,638
of anyone else's except yourself.
432
00:23:10,758 --> 00:23:12,308
And so I would say just.
433
00:23:12,748 --> 00:23:14,038
That's how I live it.
434
00:23:14,198 --> 00:23:18,008
If I, if I know that I'm going to run
into something bad, I know that it was
435
00:23:18,698 --> 00:23:20,838
my fault because I wasn't prepared.
436
00:23:21,168 --> 00:23:22,538
I like to think about it that way.
437
00:23:22,558 --> 00:23:22,848
Right.
438
00:23:22,898 --> 00:23:25,158
And so those are, you know,
looking at that, those are
439
00:23:25,168 --> 00:23:26,388
some of the bigger differences.
440
00:23:26,808 --> 00:23:31,428
Aside from the public transportation,
which I miss dearly, I, I
441
00:23:31,428 --> 00:23:32,808
am not a fan of driving.
442
00:23:33,468 --> 00:23:37,858
so I like my hour on the bus or
the train where I can read a book.
443
00:23:37,888 --> 00:23:40,178
I can read, you know, I
can listen to your podcast.
444
00:23:40,228 --> 00:23:43,398
I can do something, you know,
productive rather than being in a car
445
00:23:43,398 --> 00:23:47,458
for an hour to go 20 kilometers or
10 miles and thinking, okay, this is.
446
00:23:47,923 --> 00:23:48,523
This is awful.
447
00:23:50,693 --> 00:23:52,133
Dr William T Choctaw: That is fascinating.
448
00:23:52,383 --> 00:23:57,683
You know, going back to the whole, I
like your analogy about getting punched
449
00:23:57,683 --> 00:24:03,883
in the way I think about that is I tell
myself that I need to stay relentless,
450
00:24:04,743 --> 00:24:08,523
that bad things are going to happen in
terms of me not getting what I want,
451
00:24:09,553 --> 00:24:13,463
certainly not getting it when I want
but if it's important, if it's my
452
00:24:13,463 --> 00:24:15,563
goal, then I need to stay relentless.
453
00:24:15,563 --> 00:24:20,593
And I tell myself no matter what happens,
I'm, I'm, I'm moving in that direction.
454
00:24:21,278 --> 00:24:24,998
So it's, I think it's sort of
anticipated again that you may get
455
00:24:24,998 --> 00:24:26,998
punched in the mouth, but that's okay.
456
00:24:27,198 --> 00:24:30,948
You know, you learn from that
and you, you adapt and you move
457
00:24:30,968 --> 00:24:31,328
John: forward.
458
00:24:32,968 --> 00:24:34,838
You know, to echo your thoughts, Dr.
459
00:24:34,838 --> 00:24:38,028
Choctaw, I think it's really
learning from your mistakes.
460
00:24:38,798 --> 00:24:41,378
And that's, you know, that
lesson I hope we all learn at an
461
00:24:41,398 --> 00:24:45,038
early age, and it's something,
something that will never change.
462
00:24:45,038 --> 00:24:47,478
If you can learn from your
mistakes, you will make progression.
463
00:24:47,548 --> 00:24:50,318
One step, you know, two steps
forward, one step back, hey,
464
00:24:50,318 --> 00:24:51,788
that's still one step forward.
465
00:24:51,818 --> 00:24:52,718
So I'll take that.
466
00:24:53,238 --> 00:24:54,078
Dr William T Choctaw: Exactly.
467
00:24:54,158 --> 00:24:54,818
Exactly.
468
00:24:55,218 --> 00:24:59,018
And I think another part of that is just
being grateful for how you're blessed.
469
00:24:59,038 --> 00:25:02,558
You mentioned earlier about you
know, advice that Father Tony had
470
00:25:02,568 --> 00:25:05,083
given you, that God is sort of Yeah.
471
00:25:05,273 --> 00:25:11,003
Taking care of us and and has a plan
also for us and even if our plan doesn't
472
00:25:11,003 --> 00:25:17,763
always work out our plan may not be the
only plan that's where there's Yeah,
473
00:25:17,763 --> 00:25:21,193
John: no and that's you know, that's
that helps me get through the day just
474
00:25:21,193 --> 00:25:27,413
understanding that you know, there's
there's We're all on this journey, and
475
00:25:27,413 --> 00:25:31,233
there's going to be off ramps, there's
going to be on ramps, but at the end
476
00:25:31,233 --> 00:25:34,533
of the day, you know, our goal is the
same, and the goal is to really live
477
00:25:34,533 --> 00:25:36,813
a fulfilled and healthy life, right?
478
00:25:36,813 --> 00:25:39,933
And I think there's so many ways
to do that, it's not linear,
479
00:25:39,963 --> 00:25:42,743
there's not just one path, it can
happen in a lot of different ways.
480
00:25:43,093 --> 00:25:46,193
When I think about this, when I
thought of my career choices, and
481
00:25:46,193 --> 00:25:50,543
seeing you as a podcaster these days,
I, I'm just surprised how you talk.
482
00:25:51,763 --> 00:25:56,383
Well, I'm just surprised to see and
to see your transformation over the
483
00:25:56,383 --> 00:26:01,303
years, having, you know, as the at
your different stages and seeing that,
484
00:26:01,803 --> 00:26:05,383
you know, for, for me in my head,
it's like 10 or 15 years ago, I never
485
00:26:05,383 --> 00:26:06,993
thought that podcasting could be a.
486
00:26:07,403 --> 00:26:11,303
A career choice for many people where I
see I have friends around me now who are
487
00:26:11,533 --> 00:26:16,243
doing the same thing and really doing good
work and reaching out to a large group of
488
00:26:16,243 --> 00:26:18,473
people and, you know, doing great things.
489
00:26:18,473 --> 00:26:21,123
And who could have thought
about this 10, 15 years ago?
490
00:26:21,163 --> 00:26:21,473
Right?
491
00:26:21,473 --> 00:26:27,603
And so the world is constantly changing
and we just have to be prepared for it.
492
00:26:27,603 --> 00:26:32,573
If we're prepared or as prepared as we
can be, those punches to the mouth won't
493
00:26:32,573 --> 00:26:34,123
be as painful and you'll get up much
494
00:26:34,123 --> 00:26:34,633
Dr William T Choctaw: faster.
495
00:26:34,983 --> 00:26:36,343
Exactly, exactly.
496
00:26:36,573 --> 00:26:39,323
I, you know, and just to add
some historical perspective, I
497
00:26:39,323 --> 00:26:40,763
first met John when he was in.
498
00:26:41,243 --> 00:26:43,863
Probably in high school,
junior high and high school.
499
00:26:44,173 --> 00:26:51,223
And John basically was the individual in
our community who helped my wife and I in
500
00:26:51,223 --> 00:26:54,203
our home to upgrade our computer system.
501
00:26:54,503 --> 00:26:57,153
And so if you could imagine
this, this 10 year old.
502
00:26:57,518 --> 00:27:02,598
a computer genius, in our opinion,
coming in and saying, you know, Dr.
503
00:27:02,598 --> 00:27:06,188
Choctaw, I'm sorry, but I
can't fix this computer.
504
00:27:06,968 --> 00:27:12,098
You need to, you need to change it,
that they no longer make the parts.
505
00:27:12,708 --> 00:27:15,258
You need to just make
a decision to upgrade.
506
00:27:15,548 --> 00:27:20,758
So he taught us, my wife and I many,
many, over many, many years about
507
00:27:20,768 --> 00:27:25,218
improving our technology, how to take
advantage of the appropriate technology.
508
00:27:25,218 --> 00:27:26,778
It made our lives much simpler.
509
00:27:27,048 --> 00:27:30,508
So when he looks at me as a
podcaster, he's got to say,
510
00:27:30,518 --> 00:27:32,308
you know, that really is a guy.
511
00:27:35,568 --> 00:27:37,578
It's, it's amazing.
512
00:27:38,388 --> 00:27:42,028
This guy and then make
him a podcast at 76.
513
00:27:42,028 --> 00:27:42,778
Oh my lord.
514
00:27:43,218 --> 00:27:48,088
That's just that's just not supposed to
happen and so and we we talk about you
515
00:27:48,088 --> 00:27:53,938
constantly lorraine and i'm about how you
helped us And and that's why we take such
516
00:27:53,978 --> 00:27:59,148
pride In what you have done, you know,
we look at you as one of our children.
517
00:27:59,158 --> 00:28:04,683
I know you're the son of hanshi
and and and But, but we, we, we,
518
00:28:04,683 --> 00:28:08,493
we feel blessed that, that, that
you've been a part of our life.
519
00:28:08,503 --> 00:28:13,213
Thanks, thanks to your parents for,
for loaning you to us to help us out.
520
00:28:13,453 --> 00:28:15,283
And then to see you do so well.
521
00:28:15,323 --> 00:28:20,473
And, and, and, and the whole idea of not
being linear, I think is just brilliant.
522
00:28:20,743 --> 00:28:23,423
Because I think that's where
a lot of people get stuck.
523
00:28:23,853 --> 00:28:24,973
Young and old.
524
00:28:25,023 --> 00:28:27,533
I think a lot of times we older
people said, no, no, no, you got
525
00:28:27,533 --> 00:28:30,973
to go this straight line and one
to two to three to four to five.
526
00:28:31,403 --> 00:28:34,743
And some people said, no,
I go one to three to five.
527
00:28:35,243 --> 00:28:37,113
You know, I go every other number.
528
00:28:37,373 --> 00:28:41,813
And I think just recognizing that
there is a diversity of approach.
529
00:28:42,183 --> 00:28:43,823
And you're exemplary of that.
530
00:28:43,873 --> 00:28:45,653
And, and, and how that could
531
00:28:45,653 --> 00:28:45,943
John: work.
532
00:28:47,078 --> 00:28:50,618
Well, thank you for the kind words
that it's certainly I've I've been
533
00:28:50,618 --> 00:28:53,948
blessed to have you in my life as
well as I remember our trips to Mexico
534
00:28:55,048 --> 00:29:01,978
for the mission and learning that
there's more more to life than that.
535
00:29:02,413 --> 00:29:08,003
Chase of whatever you want to take some
time off and and I remember this was when
536
00:29:08,003 --> 00:29:12,683
you were you've had your you had your
multiple practices, your civil service.
537
00:29:12,913 --> 00:29:13,973
Yeah, it's still on the weekend.
538
00:29:13,983 --> 00:29:17,603
We had an opportunity to go to
Mexico and bring, you know, help the
539
00:29:17,673 --> 00:29:19,383
help the folks there and it just.
540
00:29:20,293 --> 00:29:24,233
Making the most of your time, if you
can do it, why couldn't I do it, right?
541
00:29:24,233 --> 00:29:25,983
And that was lessons that
you taught me at a young
542
00:29:25,983 --> 00:29:26,273
Dr William T Choctaw: age.
543
00:29:26,733 --> 00:29:27,503
Oh, thank you.
544
00:29:27,763 --> 00:29:32,673
And I always remember what the
what the mother used to tell us
545
00:29:32,673 --> 00:29:35,453
when we would go to Mexico to help.
546
00:29:35,483 --> 00:29:39,383
She would say, you know, you come
here you know, thinking that you,
547
00:29:39,383 --> 00:29:41,433
you, you come here to help us.
548
00:29:42,108 --> 00:29:47,278
But you actually come here for us to
help you, and I, I never forgot that
549
00:29:47,278 --> 00:29:52,088
because all of us, whenever we would
leave, we were all exhilarated and we
550
00:29:52,108 --> 00:29:57,058
felt good and that even though we were
giving, we were also receiving, and
551
00:29:57,058 --> 00:30:00,278
we were probably receiving much more
than, than, than we gave, and I never
552
00:30:00,278 --> 00:30:05,138
forgot that that life is about being of
service to others, that that servitude
553
00:30:05,588 --> 00:30:10,463
is extremely important because, in
effect, that reflexly makes us better.
554
00:30:10,943 --> 00:30:13,383
and happier and more whole and everything.
555
00:30:13,993 --> 00:30:17,663
Well, I, I want to be respectful
of your time and I, I'm just
556
00:30:17,663 --> 00:30:22,013
extraordinarily grateful that, that,
that you've come to talk with us.
557
00:30:22,223 --> 00:30:26,193
In any words of wisdom that you would
like to leave with our audience?
558
00:30:26,633 --> 00:30:28,373
Especially the young
people in our audience.
559
00:30:29,543 --> 00:30:30,213
John: Sure thing.
560
00:30:30,273 --> 00:30:31,553
Just be prepared.
561
00:30:32,473 --> 00:30:34,043
Be prepared for the next day.
562
00:30:34,433 --> 00:30:35,663
Do put in the work today.
563
00:30:36,743 --> 00:30:38,353
And they'll be better tomorrows.
564
00:30:38,353 --> 00:30:39,273
I'll promise you that.
565
00:30:39,283 --> 00:30:40,773
We've been through, we've seen so much.
566
00:30:41,463 --> 00:30:45,493
I know how it is to be very, very down,
but I also know how it is where, hey,
567
00:30:45,493 --> 00:30:49,943
you know what, even when I'm down, try
to get that energy, put it into work
568
00:30:49,943 --> 00:30:51,303
today, and tomorrow will be better.
569
00:30:51,303 --> 00:30:54,273
And, you know, I've faced
that, and I think that's key.
570
00:30:55,083 --> 00:30:55,273
Keep
571
00:30:55,273 --> 00:30:55,723
Dr William T Choctaw: on getting up.
572
00:30:56,903 --> 00:30:57,493
Absolutely.
573
00:30:57,913 --> 00:30:59,403
I completely agree with that.
574
00:30:59,433 --> 00:31:04,713
And again, thank you, John, so
much for meeting with us today
575
00:31:04,903 --> 00:31:06,853
and sharing your words of wisdom.
576
00:31:07,293 --> 00:31:08,703
Keep doing what you're doing.
577
00:31:08,713 --> 00:31:12,143
You know, I think, you know, God
has a plan and you're a part of it.
578
00:31:12,983 --> 00:31:16,583
And I think your work and
your life is exemplary.
579
00:31:17,463 --> 00:31:21,293
aNd so with that we're going to
let you go and say, God bless.
580
00:31:22,203 --> 00:31:22,413
Thank you.
581
00:31:22,413 --> 00:31:24,213
Take care.
