Keep It Positive, Sweetie – "Activate Your Greatness with Alex Toussaint"

Release Date: January 9, 2024
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Alex Toussaint

Episode Overview

This episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie is a raw and uplifting deep-dive into the journey and mindset of Alex Toussaint—renowned Peloton instructor, Puma athlete, and founder of the Do Better Foundation. Host Crystal Renee Hayslett and Alex explore themes of purpose, faith, self-worth, overcoming adversity, and the power of movement as therapy. They reflect on Alex's upbringing, transformative moments, and how he uses his platform both to inspire and to bring about positive change.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Activating Greatness: Alex’s Philosophy

• Signature Quote:
  “Feel good, look good, do better.” (00:49, Alex Toussaint)
  • Crystal opens with this mantra as a guiding principle throughout Alex’s life and work.

2. Early Connections, Community & Support

• Their Bond:
  Alex and Crystal recall their first virtual connection during the pandemic and how it turned into a supportive friendship.
  • “There’s people who come into the community and become members, but there’s some people who come in and become family members outside the platform. And obviously you’re one of those people…” (02:19, Alex Toussaint)
• Lesson: True community sometimes grows from unexpected platforms and shared experiences.

3. Family, Upbringing & Childhood Adversity

• Parental Influence:
  • Alex credits his parents—Haitian immigrants, a Navy engineer father and educator mother—for their constant sacrifice despite his struggles with authority and rebellion as a youth.
  • “I just never understood it and always took it as resistance versus assistance.” (03:41, Alex Toussaint)
• Discipline & Pain:
  • Sent to military school at 12, which Alex describes as one of his darkest, most formative periods.
  • “I felt as if I wasn’t...I don’t want to use the word abandoned...But it did feel like a sense of, I’m not even worthy enough.” (05:14, Alex Toussaint)
  • He now reframes this pain as fuel for achievement and validation of his parents’ sacrifices.

4. Processing Dark Moments & Using Movement as Therapy

• Therapy and Movement:
  • “From mopping floors to cycling...movement of the mind and the body has allowed me to have a new perspective of life.” (06:44–07:38, Alex Toussaint)
  • Alex emphasizes that cycling became a form of healing, helping him develop purpose and emotional resilience.
  • Notable memorable moment: "Sometimes I don’t teach for y'all. I teach for me. You just happen to be there." (07:25, Alex Toussaint)

5. Career Breakthrough: From Janitor to Instructor

• Beginnings at Flywheel:
  • Lost, broke, and sleeping on a friend’s floor, Alex started as a janitor. The company CEO, Ruth Zuckerman, noticed his dedication.
  • He asked for the opportunity to instruct:
    "Closed mouths don’t get fed." (12:10, Alex Toussaint)
  • Ruth gave him two weeks. He rose quickly, teaching up to 25 classes/week.
  • Message: Every day is an audition for greatness. Honoring “mopping season” set the tone for future success.
    “You can’t shrink yourself in environments you’ve outgrown.” (17:40, Alex Toussaint)

6. Breaking Barriers: The First Black Peloton Instructor

• Representation & Responsibility:
  • At first excited to be the “token,” Alex felt a growing sense of burden and realized the importance of authenticity and honesty. Having other Black instructors (Alli Love, Tunde, Jess Sims) lessen the weight and add richer perspectives.
  • Crystal highlights the importance of seeing instructors who reflect her — “I always wanted to see something that reflected myself.” (18:56, Crystal Renee Hayslett)
  • The gravity of his role sharpened after George Floyd’s murder:
    “That was the point where I realized how important this job was and I had to take it that much more serious at that point.” (22:08, Alex Toussaint)

7. Turning Career into Business & Broadening Scope

• Success & Visibility:
  • Alex discusses brand partnerships (e.g. Movado, Smartwater, Puma) and celebrity fans (LeBron, Steph), expanding from cycling to Peloton Tread.
  • “We made it to a billboard at Times Square before we made it to the police blotter in our local town.” (24:35, Alex Toussaint)
• Entrepreneurial Spirit:
  • “It all working the way it’s supposed to work. And it never feels like actually work. That’s the best part.” (25:51, Alex Toussaint)

8. Mindset, Identity & Vulnerability

• Learning from Failure:
  • “To succeed and grow, you gotta fail...Fail fast, fail now, fail here, fail forward.” (29:34–30:55, Alex Toussaint)
  • Alex stresses the role of vulnerability, especially for Black men, and the importance of trying new things even if failure is likely.

9. Navigating Scarcity Mindset & Trusting the Journey

• Letting Go:
  • Early in his career, Alex clung to roles out of fear of loss; mentor support enabled him to move forward.
  • “When it’s never been done and you’re the one doing it, it’s so scary...I have to create [the path].” (32:33, Alex Toussaint)

10. Parallel Experiences & Social Justice

• George Floyd, Race & Law Enforcement:
  • Alex recounts growing up as one of the only Black kids in a predominantly white area, being profiled, and how military school ironically equipped him to survive police encounters (33:26–37:33).
  • “I’m not exempt from this. Just because I ride a bike, just because I’m on a platform, because people know me, does not mean I’m exempt from the everyday struggles of black men in America.” (35:51, Alex Toussaint)
  • His message to allies: “I need you to move within your household...If I could reach one, I could teach one.” (37:06, Alex Toussaint)

11. Giving Back: The Do Better Foundation

• Purpose:
  • Inspired by family roots and social justice events, the foundation provides underserved youth with access to wellness, mentorship, resources, and opportunities.
  • “Those who can, must...Within those overflowing gifts and blessings, you got to provide it to other people. Otherwise, they go wasted.” (38:12–39:18, Alex Toussaint)

12. What’s Next for Alex?

• Openness to Possibility:
  • “I don’t know what’s next...But I can tell you that my aperture has opened up for me to test new things...I just want to take time to accept those blessings.” (40:15, Alex Toussaint)

13. On Relationships & Protecting Inner Peace

• Qualities Sought:
  • Integrity, alignment of values, ability to care for herself and others, inner strength akin to his mother.
  • “In order to be present with me, you got to be present with yourself.” (42:23, Alex Toussaint)
• Privacy:
  • Alex shields personal life to protect his peace.
  • “What you give people, they can take away.” (42:47, Alex Toussaint)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Closed mouths don’t get fed.”
  — Alex Toussaint (12:10)
• “You can’t shrink yourself in environments you’ve outgrown.”
  — Alex Toussaint (17:40)
• “Gratitude cancels out my negativity and fear.”
  — Alex Toussaint (07:51)
• “Break down to break through.”
  — Alex Toussaint (44:59)
• “If I could reach one, I could teach one.”
  — Alex Toussaint (37:06)
• “In order to be present with me, you got to be present with yourself.”
  — Alex Toussaint (42:23)

Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Alex’s Arrival: 00:09–01:14
• Philosophy – "Feel Good, Look Good, Do Better": 00:49
• Upbringing, Parents & Military School: 03:00–06:18
• Therapy & Movement for Healing: 06:33–07:37
• Path from Janitor to Instructor: 08:40–14:51
• Outgrowing the Past & Growth Mindset: 17:22–18:11
• First Black Instructor at Peloton, Race, & Representation: 18:26–22:14
• Dealing with Grief, George Floyd, & Social Responsibility: 22:46–23:38, 33:26–37:33
• Brand Success & Entrepreneurship: 24:08–26:44
• Vulnerability, Failure & Identity: 29:27–31:34
• Do Better Foundation: 37:33–40:05
• On What’s Next: 40:15–41:05
• Relationships, Privacy & Inner Peace: 41:09–43:05
• Listener Letter & Advice – Self-Esteem and Healing: 43:42–46:46
• What We’re Going/Growing Through: 46:46–48:31
• Final Positivity & Outro: 48:52–end

Listener Letter: Healing, Self-Esteem & Finding Balance

(43:42–46:46) Host Crystal reads a listener letter about struggling with self-worth, weight, and overwhelming responsibilities.

• Alex’s advice:
  • “Break down to break through...Identify the feel good aspect before the look good."
  • "Find accountability partners that are going to help uplift you and not outshine you.” (45:59)

Final Thoughts: Growth, Faith, and Keeping it Pushing

• Both Crystal and Alex reflect on embracing uncertainty with faith, the power of breakdowns leading to breakthroughs, and moving forward with gratitude and purpose.
• Closing Mantras:
  • “Keep it pushing, sweetie.”
  • “Keep it pure.” (48:52–48:57)

Summary Takeaways

• Embrace the process: Accept the challenges, appreciate humble beginnings, and honor every “season.”
• Be present, be vulnerable: Open up to failure and seek growth through discomfort.
• Use what you receive to uplift others: Acknowledge responsibility, give back to community, and be intentional with your platform.
• Protect your peace: Guard certain aspects of your life as sacred, and choose your inner circle wisely.
• Gratitude is grounding: Start each day with thankfulness to dissolve fear and negativity.

Books, Foundations, and Social:

• Alex Toussaint’s book: Activate Your Greatness — available everywhere.
• Do Better Foundation: Supporting wellness, opportunity, and mentorship for underserved youth.
• Connect: @alextoussaint25

Closing encouragement:
“Every day is an audition for greatness. Move with intent. You may be saving lives and not even realizing it. But you got to save your life first.” (31:34, Alex Toussaint)