The Advice I Finally Listened to That Changed Everything

I’ve been blessed with many mentors in my life. But it’s only recently that I’ve started to really think about who shaped me and how—and I’m deeply grateful for that. My parents, without a doubt, are my greatest mentors. They poured lessons into me from a young age—into my subconscious, into my soul. I still take those lessons for granted sometimes. And honestly, I’ve fallen short of the expectations they had for me more times than I’d like to admit. But those expectations weren’t just about success—they were about becoming the best version of myself. I’ll be working toward that for the rest of my life.

But outside of my parents, I’ve had people step into my life at the right time, offering advice when I needed it most. One of those people is Leonard Trojan. Leonard isn’t someone who stands above all the rest, but he was the person I needed in my early adult life. Funny enough, he’s actually my peer—just a year older than me. But when we reconnected years after school, something about him was different. The way he thought, the growth he’d experienced—it was magnetic. I couldn’t ignore it. And that’s when I realized something important: the right advice often comes from unexpected places.

We first reconnected on Facebook back in 2009. At the time, I was in a bit of a fog. I’d stopped playing sports five or six years earlier, and without that, I felt lost. Those years between college and reconnecting with Leonard were filled with uncertainty. What was I supposed to do next??Who was I supposed to be? I think a lot of people feel that way in their 20s, but I was more off track than I realized.

When we finally met up, it was at a small coffee shop in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The kind of place where you think you’ll grab a quick cup of coffee, but you end up talking for hours. We started with the usual catch-up stuff. How’s life? What have you been up to? But as we talked, I saw how much Leonard had changed. He’d been through a lot—hardships, mistakes—but instead of letting those things break him, he’d learned from them. Mistakes aren’t failures if you turn them into lessons. And Leonard had turned his lessons into a beautiful life.

But what really stood out to me was how much he cared about people. Leonard had a deep relationship with his father, who has since passed, and the way he talked about him showed me what it meant to truly care, to lift others up. And that was something I needed in my life at that moment.

Leonard didn’t just give me advice. He introduced me to personal development in a way that made sense. I’d heard about self-improvement before, but Leonard showed me how to apply it. He recommended books, talks, and ideas that I’d never thought to explore. He didn’t just say, “You should improve.” He showed me how to improve. I started reading authors like Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, and Earl Nightingale. Those voices stuck with me, and over time, I added more - Mel Robbins , Gary Vaynerchuk , Alex Hormozi , Robert Greene, Ryan Holiday .

And here’s the key: this was the first time in my adult life that I didn’t just hear advice—I listened and took action. Before Leonard, I thought I was a good listener. But I wasn’t really keeping the lessons people shared. I’d hear advice, maybe even agree with it, but I didn’t always apply it. Leonard changed that for me.

Listening means nothing if you don’t apply what you’ve learned. And when I started applying what Leonard taught me, everything shifted.

If I hadn’t listened to Leonard, if I hadn’t taken his advice, I honestly don’t know where I’d be today. Less than a year after those conversations, I got married. I was still rough around the edges—and I still am in many ways—but my wife has been patient with me. We’ve grown together, and 15 years later, we’re still learning from each other. Growth isn’t a one-time thing—it’s a lifelong process.

The lessons Leonard shared with me weren’t just for that moment in time. They’ve become part of the foundation I’m building for my family. I hope I can pass those lessons on to my kids in a way they’ll understand and appreciate. Because this wasn’t just a friendship or mentorship. It was a life-changing moment that shaped my future and the future of those I love.

Now, why am I telling you all this? Because I know I’m not the only one who’s struggled to really listen and apply advice. Maybe you’ve had people pour into you, and you didn’t realize the value at the time. Or maybe you haven’t met that person yet. But when you do—when the right advice comes at the right time—don’t let it slip by.

So here’s what I want you to take away: keep your antennas up. Be open to the lessons that are meant for you. Sometimes the advice you need comes from people you don’t expect. Sometimes it comes when you least expect it. But when it does, don’t just listen—act on it.

Because at the end of the day, the better you become, the better you are for the people around you. And that can change your life in ways you can’t even measure.

Stay the course.