THE DREAM IS AWESOME, THE PROCESS IS DIFFICULT | Mindset Mastery w/ A.Z. Araujo
Release Date: 01/05/2026
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I talk about what it really looks like when life starts to feel chaotic even when everything on the surface appears to be moving forward. I share how easy it is to drift off track without even realizing it, not because we lack discipline or desire, but because we allow unchecked thoughts, comparison, and distraction to slowly take control. This episode is about awareness, responsibility, and learning how to bring order back when everything inside feels like it is sitting at a ten. I start by reflecting on how common it is for people to...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I open up about something I wrestle with constantly and that is the tension between pressure and gratitude. Running a business, leading a household, being a husband and a father all come with responsibility. That responsibility can quietly turn into suffering if I am not careful about where my mind goes. I talk about how easy it is to get trapped in comparison, future goals, past mistakes, and the weight of everything I think I should be doing. My mind moves fast. Too fast at times. When I let it run unchecked, it creates pressure that...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I want to talk about something that weighs heavier than most people realize and that is the responsibility and guilt that can come with leadership advice and influence. There are moments where my mind feels full because leadership is not just about business decisions. It is about people. It is about hearing their struggles, their finances, their marriages, their health, and still being expected to show up strong. For years I tried to avoid leadership because I thought it was easier to just tell people what to do. What I learned is that...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I found myself slowing down and paying attention to something that has shaped every area of my life and business over the years. Self awareness. I walked into the studio a little wired, moving fast, thoughts racing, and it reminded me how easy it is to lose control when you are not grounded. That moment pulled me back to a principle I wrote down years ago. My responsibility is to lead myself, lead my family, lead my team, and lead my business. None of that happens without awareness. As I reflected on what I see every week inside the...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I came into the new year fired up because momentum does not magically appear on January first. Momentum is built by the hours you put in before anyone is watching, by the systems you commit to, and by the discipline to do the work even when it feels repetitive. I have spent decades learning this lesson the hard way, and I am more convinced than ever that systems and consistency are what separate real growth from wishful thinking. I talked about why I am so passionate about building plug and play systems for our agents and why I...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I want to slow things down and really take stock of what this past year has looked like. We are in the final stretch of 2025, and if you are anything like me, it feels like it flew by. A lot changed this year. Not just in business or the industry, but personally. Wins, losses, pressure, doubt, growth. Different stories, same emotions. That is the human experience, and it is something we all share whether we talk about it or not. What stood out to me most this year is how extreme the outcomes have been. I have seen people thrive in...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I talk about momentum, certainty, and why the next level of growth always demands a higher standard from us. As we head into a new year, I can feel it clearly. This organization is not slowing down. We are just getting started. After years of grit, hard decisions, and building when it was uncomfortable, everything is beginning to align. And that alignment comes from one thing above all else. Internal certainty. Over the last decade, I have learned that confidence does not come from positive thinking or hoping things work out. It comes...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I take a moment to reflect on the powerful lessons learned from witnessing a marathon a true test of endurance, not just physically but mentally and emotionally. This wasn’t just any marathon; it was a moment of transformation for so many people, a reminder that sometimes life requires us to push through pain and discomfort to discover what we’re truly capable of. Over the weekend, I had the privilege of seeing many of our agents and their loved ones cross the finish line of a 26-mile marathon. These individuals willingly chose to...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery I found myself reflecting on how much can shift in a single weekend. What started as a quick one day trip to see a UFC fight with my daughters turned into a reminder of why I do what I do and why the pressure I carry matters. Being in that arena, watching my girls take it all in, seeing their excitement, their curiosity, and their joy brought me right back to when they were little and would sit next to me watching fights on television. Those were our moments. And now to experience it at this level with them reminding me of our past and showing...
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In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I walk through a simple weekend that turned into a powerful reminder about standards, responsibility, and what it really means to live with ethics in your business and in your life. I talk about family time, climbing Camelback, and getting invited into a world of supercar owners and high level business players. But the heart of the message is not the cars or the scenery. It is the internal battle we face when we know we are not living up to who we say we are. I tell a story about driving through winding mountain roads with people who had...
info_outlineIn this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery, I want to slow things down and really take stock of what this past year has looked like. We are in the final stretch of 2025, and if you are anything like me, it feels like it flew by. A lot changed this year. Not just in business or the industry, but personally. Wins, losses, pressure, doubt, growth. Different stories, same emotions. That is the human experience, and it is something we all share whether we talk about it or not.
What stood out to me most this year is how extreme the outcomes have been. I have seen people thrive in ways they never imagined, and I have seen others barely hanging on. Some are healthier, stronger, and more confident than ever. Others are exhausted, disconnected, and avoiding hard truths. Marriages strengthening, marriages breaking. Businesses exploding, businesses stuck. When you step back and look at it honestly, there is one common denominator in all of it. Us. Personal accountability is unavoidable. When multiple areas of life feel off, it is not the market, the timing, or other people. It starts with me.
I have always had a soft spot for new years. Not because a calendar magically fixes anything, but because it gives people permission to begin again. I know the jokes. The gym fills up. People talk about goals and resolutions like they are pointless. Maybe some people fall back into old habits. I was that person for years. I would promise change, see a little progress, then sabotage it and end the year right where I started or worse. Big wins followed by bigger self destruction. That cycle is exhausting and it limits long term growth.
Back in 2014, everything was on the line for me. My marriage was strained. My finances were tight. My health was declining. My mindset was dark. I was not showing up as a husband, a father, or a leader. I was going through the motions, and when you do that long enough, you feel the gap between who you want to be and how you are actually living. That gap is misery. What changed was not motivation. It was responsibility.
I learned something critical during that season. Doing the right things today does not erase the consequences of yesterday. You still have debts to pay, relationships to repair, habits to rebuild. Progress does not show up instantly. But it does show up consistently if you stay the course. That is where the idea of the 300 Empire came from. Small daily actions compounded over time. Hours in the gym. Hours studying. Hours sharpening skills. Over time, it changes everything. Not overnight, but permanently.
That lesson still applies today. Year after year, the investment compounds. When you put that much time into your mind, body, and craft, it becomes nearly impossible to stay the same. You move faster. You gain confidence. You operate with clarity. The same applies to business. Systems, processes, coaching, repetition. None of it is accidental. It all starts with taking care of yourself first.
As we move toward 2026, here is the truth. A new year does not fix anything on its own. Doing the right things occasionally does not either. The difference is doing the right things consistently. When you see people far ahead, it is not because they are smarter or luckier. It is because they are willing to do things others are not. The real question is not what you want. It is what you are willing to do.
Peace comes when you stop comparing and start deciding. Decide what you truly want. Decide what success looks like for you. Then commit to the actions that support it. There is no bottom to how bad things can get if you avoid responsibility. But there is also no ceiling on what you can create when you take ownership and stay disciplined. Today is always a good day to begin again.
Reader reflection questions
What patterns from this past year do you need to take responsibility for instead of avoiding
What are the daily actions you know you need to commit to but have been resisting
What version of success would actually bring you peace rather than comparison
Notable quotes
“Rarely does someone destroy their life in a single decision. It is usually a series of small moments ignored over time.”
“Doing the right things today does not erase the consequences of yesterday, but over time it changes everything.”
“There is no ceiling to what you can create when you take ownership and stay disciplined.”
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