Loading summary
Les Alfred
The following podcast is a Dear Media production.
Welcome to Sheets so Lucky. My name is Les. I am your host and this show is all about the ways that we can create our own luck. I often sit down with incredible women who create their own luck and talk to them about how they did it. And I pop in with the occasional solo. And today it is just you and me and me. And we are having a conversation that is near and dear to my heart that I have with myself very often. And that is when my motivation is wavering, when I am not sticking through with my habits or doing the things that I know I need to do to reach my goals. I will often say to myself, what would Beyonce do? And that is the theme of today's conversation. WWBD what would Beyonce Beyonce do Now? I was recently in Portugal with my friend Christina. We had a girls trip in Portugal and it was such a good time. And honestly, we were just in Portugal for a week, vibing out. We did have an agenda with different itineraries of things, but it was mostly just us chilling and walking around Portugal. And every two to five business seconds I would find some way to bring up Beyonce. And we got a few days into our trip and she was like, les, I know that you like Beyonce. I know that you go to the concerts and all the stuff, but I didn't realize how much you love Beyonce. I feel like you don't talk about that as much on the podcast in your content. And people who just follow you online may not know how much you love Beyonce because these past three days you can't stop talking about her. And I'm like, yes, that is the IRL experience of me. And I thought I should bring more of my love of Beyonce to the podcast because it is something that is actually very important to me and I would not consider myself influenced much by people. I often get asked who my favorite influencers are and things of that nature, and I sometimes have a hard time answering just because a lot of the creators that I love to follow I'm also friends with. And I see it less as being influenced and more of, you know, supporting and keeping up with the online lives of my friends. But I would say if there is somebody who does influence me, it is indeed Ms. Beyonce Giselle Knowles Carter, for many, many reasons that I want to talk about in this episode today that all have to do with motivation and trying and honing in our craft. Now, I don't know if you have seen people talk about online this idea of not being afraid to be Seen trying. It is something that has been a very popular sentiment over the past few years with people who either want to try new things, whether that's a new hobby, whether that's a new business venture, whether that is putting themselves out there online or launching a business of some sort, just this idea that it is okay to try, that it is okay to potentially fail, that it is okay to be a beginner no matter what stage of life or business or whatever that you are in. And I am a firm believer of that. I'm a firm believer that it's never too late to try something new, to pivot, to change course, because there's so much that is potentially available to you that may not exist yet. I often use this podcast as an example for me where so many people feel like if they have not achieved something by the age of 25, that it is too late, or if they have not reached some sort of height of something by a certain arbitrary milestone, it is too late. And if I would have listened to that, that idea that, you know, by 24 or 25, that's the pinnacle of success for you. Podcast would not exist. Because when I happened to be born as a geriatric millennial, podcasting just wasn't a thing then like it is now. There were not as many opportunities for business and to have a platform and to make a full time living podcasting for people who are not already broadcasters or journalists the way that there is now. I started this podcast when I was 29 years old. I took it full time when I was 34 and have been doing it ever since. But if I would have said, oh no, I didn't achieve this when I was 25, I can't do it, that actually would have made no sense because the opportunity literally didn't exist. And when you think about how quickly things are rapidly changing in the world, there is so much that could be available to you that doesn't exist yet. So are you going to stop because you didn't do it straight out of school, or because you didn't do it in your early 20s or because you're a certain age? No, you should just sees it and you should do it, because why not? And often the people who will criticize you the most for trying and for doing are the ones who are not trying or doing anything whatsoever. Because anybody who has actually tried to do something respects those who also try. Okay, so after that pep talk, we are all not afraid to be seen trying. How does this relate to Beyonce? I believe Beyonce is not afraid to be seen trying personified. Because there is often this idea that in order for something to be valuable, it needs to be effortless. In order for something to be successful, you need to not try. And it needs to just be this magical special sauce that you just have. And it's not on you, it's in you. And I do think that there are some truth to that in the sense of each of us has our own unique essence. I think we all have certain gifts that we may be naturally inclined towards, and we do all have kind of our own space, special sauce that we can apply to different things. And so much of what you want to achieve or have or move through the world with also needs to be learned. And it is a matter of taking your own special sauce, applying the reps to really strengthen it, to have something special and putting that out into the world. And I think that Beyonce is a really great example of that, that she is someone who did have, obviously a natural talent when it came to singing and performing. But the level of excellence that we see her at today and for the last two, three decades has really been from putting in the reps and from putting in the work and from trying now for those who are younger, who are not around. In the early days, the early aughts of her career, the early days of Destiny's Child, in the early days of her being solo, people used to talk so badly about that young woman. She was called extra. She was called everything but a child of God. Not because she was super extra, but because she was trying. She would go all out. She would try different creative things and different forms of artistic expression to figure out who she was and where she wanted to be in her artistry. And oftentimes there is this idea that if you are trying, that if you are putting effort towards something, that if your effort is out loud, that it's being seen as extra. But again, nobody whose opinion actually matters is going to call you extra. Nobody who is maybe doing better than you or who you're looking up to is going to say that about what you're doing, because they know what it takes to get to that point. And I often feel so inspired to try and to put in the reps and to practice and to rehearse and to stay on my zoom from seeing that progression in real time. As somebody who was old enough to remember the early aughts and to be a fan who throughout this whole span of time, and it's something that I'm so grateful to have had a front row seat to but when I really learned to truly take inspiration from Beyonce, when it went from just like, I'm a fan, I like the music, I like going to the concerts, to, oh, this is genuine inspiration for how I want to run my business and dedicate myself to my creative endeavors and move about the world, particularly professionally, is what I'm talking about about here. Just because that is the context that we know her in best. The switch happened for me around the Homecoming Coachella time frame. I remember watching the Coachella live stream that first weekend in the yellow outfit. I think I was watching it on Facebook. It was being live streamed on Facebook because I unfortunately was not at Coachella in the spring of 2018, which for me, 2018 was really big turning point year in my life. I entered my Saturn return that year. I had a really significant breakup that year. I started this podcast that year. I had some big career changes that year. My grandmother passed away that year. Like, that was just a moment in time where I was so badly seeking something that I could look forward to and something that I could look up to. And it was also a time in my life where I was going through hard things and I was really learning how to believe in myself. Because oftentimes the ways that we build confidence and the ways that we build self belief is through experiencing things and getting to the other side of it. So I remember being in this season that was the thick of all of that, and watching this live stream of the Coachella performance in 2018 and feeling like it was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. And I was thinking, didn't this woman just have twins? And she was in her, I think, mid-30s at that time. And because I was still in my 20s, I had this very warped perception of the 30s. And I thought that the 30s were so old, as a lot of people in their 20s think, until they entered their 30s and they realize, oh, it actually isn't. And it's very similar. And I just remember being in awe. Being in absolute awe. Fast forward a year later to the spring of 2019 and homecoming was released on Netflix. And I remember having a watch party with some of my girlfriends when Homecoming dropped on Netflix. And so that was when we got to not only relive that amazing performance, but we also got to see those behind the scenes element because it's that kind of documentary concert vibe that we all know and love. And seeing the behind the scenes of what really went into that performance and the grit and the dedication and the things that she was saying around the sacrifices that she was making the things that she was saying around the importance of rehearsal and of being willing to try and of messing up the choreography and of feeling weak and rebuilding your strength and being a student and not being afraid to be seen trying truly unlocked something in my brain. And I remember after the watch party for Homecoming, going home that night. It was literally late at night, probably like 11 o', clock, and I went home and I recorded a podcast episode about it to be released the following day. It was a Thursday. I used to do these short Friday episodes back then. I would do interviews on Tuesdays and I would do short solo episodes on Fridays. That Thursday night, I immediately recorded an emergency Friday episode, bumping whatever I had initially had planned for the following day about what I had learned from Homecoming. And I published it the next day. And it's still up. If you want to go all the way back to the archives, you want to go Back to, like April 2019, it's still back there, so you can go listen to it. I don't fully remember what I said. I probably some something similar to what's here because I haven't listened to it since then. But I talked about what my takeaways were, and I talked about how inspired I was to jump in and to be more creative and to just try things that I knew I was going to be bad at. And that was such a pinnacle point of my career as a creator. I'd been about six months into this podcast. I was beginning to put myself out there online more. I was contemplating moving to Los Angeles at the time, which I did ultimately end up doing a few months later. And it was just laid the groundwork for all of these things that ultimately changed my life in so many different ways, because it made me less afraid to take risks, because I realized that risks are just a form of trying. And sometimes when we try, it can be hard. But I started believing that I could truly rise to the occasion. And so from that point on, from that first rewatch of Homecoming on, I would then implement this idea of what would Beyonce do? And I say it to myself, when I start wavering for something, when I know I have a podcast script and a prep that I need to work on, and I'm being lazy and I kind of want to scroll on TikTok instead of preparing for my podcast recording, what will get me into into gear real fast is I'll think, what would Beyonce do if Beyonce had a podcast? Do you think Beyonce would go to the studio unprepared for the conversation that she's about to have. Do you think Beyonce is unprepared for anything? No ma'. Am. She would get her notes together, she would get her questions together, she would rehearse. She would do the best that she can to be as prepared for this moment.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
After having my hair in braids all summer, I've officially entered my hair rehab era. And I think you know what I mean. Giving my scalp some tlc, minimizing breakage and just trying to get my hair back to its healthiest state. And one thing that's been a huge part of that process for me is Nutrafol. You've probably seen a million ads for hair growth products and thought sure, like that actually works. I did too. But Nutraful is different. Nutrafol is the number one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand trusted by over one and a half million people. I take the women's formula and after a few months I started noticing a lot less shedding and more thickness overall, especially around my hairline, which always takes the biggest hit post braids. It's been a confidence booster just seeing my hair feel stronger. Nutrafol is the first and only hair growth supplement to be NSF certified for sport, which means it's been tested for over 290 banned substances and meets some of the highest quality standards. I also love how easy it is to stay consistent. There's no prescription required and with a subscription it just shows up at your door. You even get access to free one on one naturopathic doctor consults and a Headspace Meditation membership. See Stronger, thicker, faster growing hair with less shedding in just three to six months with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you go to nutrafol.com and enter the promo code Balanced Less Find out why Nutrafol is the best selling hair growth supplement brand@nutrafol.com spelled n u t r-a f o l.com promo code balanced less that's neutropul.com.
Les Alfred
Promo code balanced less so I have two friends who are amazing, grounded women who both happen to be in the happiest, healthiest relationships I have ever seen.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
And do you know what their relationships have in common?
Les Alfred
They both met their husbands on Bumble. And they don't have just any husbands. They have kind, supportive, emotionally intelligent partners. But here's the thing. It wasn't because they were just mindlessly scrolling through profiles while on the app. It was Bumble's whole approach that made the difference. Bumble really guides you through the dating process. It's not just here's a profile.
Good luck.
They have an in app dating advice hub with expert backed tips that actually help you feel more confident navigating modern dating. Whether it's how to craft your bio, what to say first, or how to stay grounded while dating, Bumble's got you. They've also introduced tools like photo verification, ID and phone number verification so you.
Can feel safer connecting with people.
That layer of security matters and makes it easier to open up. Plus, their profile prompts and shared interests give you a real sense of someone's personality up front. It's not about scrolling endlessly, it's about connecting intentionally. Start your love story on Bumble using their guided tools to aid your dating process. The good people are out there and you never know. Your next great chapter might just begin.
With one thoughtful match. Now what is a little bit trickier for the work that I do and for the work that I know a lot of us do is we don't necessarily have as much control over the space in between projects, right? Obviously, Beyonce is much more well, resourced than all of us and she has a lot more control over the work that she puts out and when she puts this work out. So Coachella was that snapshot in time and she had that eight months before to prepare for the performance of her life. And then she had a little bit of time after that before preparing for the next tour, before preparing for the next album, you know, Renaissance. And that tour was like this beautiful, masterful piece of work. And then she had about two years in between before Cowboy Carter came. Now I'm on the hook for doing this podcast every week. So I can't give y' all Coachella every week. I can't give you all Cowboy Carter every week because that level of artistry does require the ability to have more time and breathing room to rest and generate new ideas and to make things grander and to make things bigger. And I even think if you have a normal everyday job or you're just showing up for things where it's like you are showing up nine to five and you have that presentation that you got to do every Tuesday and there's all these things again, that's not necessarily going to lead to a Coachella level performance. But what is your version of that? What does that look like for you? So, yeah, me showing up on this podcast every Tuesday, I can't necessarily give grandiose Coachella, fantastic, amazing, never been done before But I can be prepared. I can show up, and I can do the best I can on the mic each time that I'm here. And no, it's not Coachella, but it's my version. It's my version doing the best that I can with what I have. But if I were to procrastinate, if I were to be unprepared, if I were to not think it through, that's not giving my version of Coachella. You know what I mean? I don't think Beyonce would do that. Now, I don't know her personally, but I don't necessarily think that she would show up that way when you go to one of her concerts. And I was thinking this recently, when I went to Cowboy Carter a couple months ago, I was amazed at how many things are happening at once and how aware of all of them that she is, because she is obviously singing, she's obviously doing the choreography. But you better believe she knows exactly what's going on with every single person on that stage, every single person in the crew. She knows every mark to hit. She knows what's happening with everything, but she also knows exactly where that camera is so that the people who are just watching on the screens feel like she's performing directly for them. But then she's also engaging with the people in the audience, and that's so many things happening all at once. And when I think about what I'm overwhelmed with, which is like getting this podcast out every week and answering some emails and maybe booking some studio time and posting some brand deals, and then, yes, there also is life stuff where it's like, I'm showing up as a friend and a sister and a daughter and an aunt and a this and a. I'm trying to work out and I'm trying to sleep. It is a lot. It is a lot. And it makes me believe that I can juggle what I'm juggling as well, because I'm not really juggling as much. And no, I don't have as much help, but I'm also not juggling as much as publicly all at once. And it makes me feel empowered to know that these different pieces of my life that are moving, I can handle it, because it is part of my job, too. It is part of my job to be able to look into the camera and to speak directly to you while understanding what's happening on YouTube and our promos on Instagram go out the right way. And making sure that people are engaged via the newsletter and making sure that our guests, who I'M coordinating with are being properly communicated with. It empowers me to believe that I can do it and to also put the right people in the right places to support me to be able to do that, while also remembering, even if I'm not the person who is physically doing all of those things, I am still the boss who still has my eyes on all of these things, ensuring that they are happening to the level of quality that I expect it to be. And so when I think about how I want to show up in the world and I apply this, like, what would Beyonce do? Framework, it's about, no pun intended, like, full assing it, not half assing it, not half assing how I show up here at work, not half assing how I show up in the gym, not half assing how I show up for people in my personal life. Not in the sense of like, I need to do everything all the time and everything is so exhausting, but in the sense of am I fully showing up with what I have in that moment while also acknowledging that what I may have in that moment may be changing from day to day, depending on my capacity. But full ass, whatever my full ass looks like that day, am I showing up with that? And for me right now, the most important thing that I do have going on would be this show, because it is my priority. Growing this show is my priority. Making this show the best that it can be is a priority. And behind the scenes, I do have a lot of transitions that are currently happening with my business that I'm figuring out and mapping out. But if I were to use that North Star that, you know, that what would Beyonce do Framework, I'm really thinking about what is the quality that comes from this experience. When someone is experiencing the work that I'm putting out, how can they experience the highest equality if something has my name on it? Now, another lesson that I have learned when I think about what would Beyonce do? Is also the importance of giving things time when it comes to things maybe not being perceived as being successful straight out the gate. So obviously over the past few years, our good sis has expanded into other business ventures. We have seen her launch Sir Davis the whiskey. We have seen her launch the perfume. We have seen her launch Sacred. And that's another example of being willing to try and to do new things because those are all new business categories for her. I would assume she didn't know a ton about the whiskey industry before doing it and, you know, obviously having a team to help her do it. And same with all of these Other ventures. But when I think back to a year ago, when Sacred in particular came out, the north remembers. And I remember what a lot of y' all were saying about it, really wanting it to fail and talking bad about it before it was even out and calling it another cash grab. And people, like, wanted it to fail so badly in ways that I thought were really weird, because I'm like, okay, if you're not interested in the product, if you don't like it, don't buy it, you know? But all of these think pieces about how people wanted it to fail and then how shortly after it launched, people were calling it a failure. And I'm like, you don't even know enough to call it a failure. You don't even know know how. This is a privately held company. You don't know how much it sold, how much it hasn't. You literally don't know. And now we fast forward a year later, and I can't get but two videos down my for you page without somebody posting about Sacred and somebody being upset that the edge drops are out and somebody recommending the products. And it took about a year for people to really appreciate that line of products, because once people had it in their hands, again, speaking to that idea of quality, the quality really spoke for itself, and people now really love it. And now it has this cult following, and it's an ulta and it's selling out all the time. And I think that that is such a beautiful example of the idea of being willing to try, obviously, something new, but then also giving it time for people to catch up to what you're doing. Because now, all of a sudden, everybody loves Sacred. But again, I still remember y' all were talking bad about it last year, okay. And we're comparing it to Fenty and all of these things, and talking about how Beyonce wasn't as good of a businesswoman as Rihanna and all of these things. And I'm like, why are we pitting all these baddies against each other? First of all, I would argue both of them are better business women than me and better business women than all of us engaging right now. I mean, if we're calling it a spade. So it was just so interesting, you know, the ways conversations shift with. With all the keyboard warriors. But if we were to look at that objectively and look at the lesson there, it's that sometimes it can take a while for something to take off, even if you're the most famous person in the world. But it's okay to let the quality speak for itself. It's okay to give people time to catch up to what you're doing because the results can often speak for themselves. And that's very encouraging to me as somebody who has aspirations for other businesses that I haven't gotten into yet, that maybe it's okay if your first launch doesn't necessarily sell out immediately, or the second something drops, people get it and it's dropped to fanfare. It is also okay for the fanfare to come after people get to experience the goodness of what it is that you are putting out into the world.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
This episode is sponsored by Cotton. Now more than ever, I have been prioritizing wearing items made from natural fibers as much as possible. And cotton is that fabric that I come back to again and again because it feels good, it wears well and is so versatile. Especially now that the weather's warming up, I reach for cotton more than ever. Light, breathable tops, flowy cotton dresses, the sleeves, softest sleepwear. I love knowing that what I'm putting on my body is gentle and not trapping heat or irritation, and that it won't bother my skin. It really does make a difference when you're wearing something all day and you want to feel comfortable and put together. Whether I'm wearing denim or a simple tea, cotton based fabrics are a staple in most of my outfits. And as someone who is on the go a lot, I appreciate that. Cotton is also super durable. It doesn't fall apart in the wash, it keeps keeps its shape and it's just not the kind of fabric that you have to fuss over. It's really easy to take care of and that matters to me because I want my clothes and my linens to work with my lifestyle and not be another thing that I have to worry about. Cotton is the fabric of our lives. So next time you're shopping for clothes, bedding or home goods, check the tag and choose cotton. You can learn more at the fabric of our lives.com Again learn more at thefabricofarlives.com to learn more about cotton. You know, I'm in my simplify everything state of mind right now and that includes supplements. I don't have time for 10 bottles and Dusty powders that taste like regret. Enter Groons. These little gummy packs are kind of the MVP of my routine right now. Groons are a convenient, comprehensive formula packed into a snack pack a day. Now, it's not a multivitamin, a greens, gummy or prebiotic.
Les Alfred
It's actually all of those things and.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Then some at a fraction of the price and it tastes great. And I mean it. No holding your nose or chasing it down with water. These are genuinely delicious, which makes taking them actually doable and enjoyable every day. What makes them different is the formula. We're talking 20 plus vitamins and minerals, 60 ingredients including nutrient dense whole foods and 6 grams of prebiotic fiber that is three times more fiber than the leading greens powder and more than 2 cups of broccoli in a gummy yes please. They're vegan, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, no weird colors or fake flavors. And because it's in gummy form, it's actually more bioavailable so your body absorbs.
Les Alfred
More of the good stuff.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
I've been taking them for a few months now and truly feel like they've helped me stay consistent, which for me me is half the battle when staying.
Les Alfred
On top of my vitamins and supplements.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Visit Grooms Co and use the code Lucky at checkout for up to 52% off your first order. That's G R U N S CO and use the code LUCKY for up to 52% off your 1st order. So seriously, if your wellness routine needs a reset, this is the easiest place to start. So lately I've been trying to be a little more intentional about how I handle stress, not just powering through like a robot. And that's what led me to mood.com so let me tell you about the online cannabis company that's revolutionizing how we deal with life's challenges. From sleepless nights to stress filled days, Mood.com has created an entire line of functional gummies that target specific concerns with 100% federally legal THC blends and they'll deliver them discreetly to your doorstep. And you can get 20% off your first order@mood.com with promo code Lucky. Now I've tried a bunch of their gummies myself and honestly it is wild how well they work and how different each one feels. Their sleepy time gummies knock me out in like 15 minutes flat. No hangover, no grogginess. I just wake up feeling refreshed. And their epic euphoria gummies are game changers for those everything is annoying me kind of days. What makes these different is how they paired THC and other cannabinoids with herbs and adaptogens. You're just not going to find gummies like this in a dispensary or anywhere for that matter. And they have gummies for literally everything. Immune support, menopause relief, PMS symptoms, mental clarity, sexual arousal. And each one is crafted using federally legal cannabis grown on small family owned American farms. No pesticides, no BS and they ship to most states. But best of all, not only does Mood stand behind everything with a industry leading 100 day satisfaction guarantee. As I mentioned, listeners also get 20% off their first order with the code LUCKY. So head to mood.com, browse their amazing selection of functional gummies and find the perfect gummy for whatever you're dealing with. And remember to use the promo Code Lucky at checkout to save 20% on your first order.
Les Alfred
If you've been listening to this podcast for a while and you know the backgrounds of this show or you know the backgrounds of me, you know I tend to tie a lot of these things back to fitness. And if you are just now tuning into this show and you don't know much about it and you don't know much about me, the quick synopsis is that I actually got into content from doing fitness. I was a personal trainer and fitness instructor on the side of my corporate job. I got very burnt out of being in fitness spaces and so I started content by starting a fitness blog over a decade ago that eventually turned into this podcast that used to be very focused on wellness and fitness, but over time has become more of a lifestyle self help show. But because fitness is such a big part of my life, it is still something that I talk about a lot and that I relate things back to a lot because I think fitness is an incredible tool that helps us become the people we want to be. And that is not even about the physicality of it, it's more so the mental aspect of it. So if you know anything about fitness, particularly strength training, you know that you become stronger by put repetitions of an exercise. Repetitions are just how many of that exercise do you do? Repetitions often get shortened to reps. So if you do 10 push ups, then that would be considered 10 reps, you know, 10 squats. That's 10 reps of squats. So that is what I mean when I say repetitions or putting in the reps. How many times are you doing something to strengthen that muscle? Now if we were to think of excellence as a muscle and we were to think of how do we put in the reps to build the muscle of excellence, it is from doing the things. Whether that is from rehearsal, right? As we have seen in Beyonce's case, as we see when we rewatch Homecoming for Inspiration, we see how hard she rehearsed and how long she rehearsed and how much she talked about rehearsal, whether that is putting yourself out there. And let's say you know, you want to do content, and you are posting. You're putting posts out in the world. Every time you post, that would be considered a rep. Let's say you work in sales, and every time you do a cold pitch or a cold call asking for the sale, that is considered a rep. So in order to get to the point of of excellence that you want to get at, to be the Beyonce of whatever it is that you are doing, it is going to require action. It is going to require putting in the repetition. Now, sometimes what can be tricky about action is we can turn into busy bodies and we can sometimes do the wrong action. And I have absolutely been guilty of this. And it is why I think my journey as a creator and as an entrepreneur entrepreneur has not been as linearly successful as it could have been. And it's why it has taken me so long to build a sizable platform and why I've been in the building phase for so long. Because I was really good at putting in the reps of exercises that actually don't matter. Right. So it's also important not just to put in the reps, but to put in the reps to strengthen the right things. Because if you say you want your chest to get stronger, and then every day you're doing reps and reps of squats, that's not a bad thing, per se, but that's not strengthening what it is you want to strengthen. And so on your pursuit of excellence, as you go to take action on that thing, to rehearse for your Coachella, whatever that may be, it's really important to make sure that you are putting in the reps to strengthen the right muscles. So how are you putting in the reps and taking action towards the things that are going to actually help propel you forward? When I'm putting in the reps for things that are not propelling me forward, I actually call it productive procrastination. It's this idea that, you know your apartment will never be cleaner than when you have a deadline coming up that you need to do, where it's like you got a paper that you need to write or you have something that you need to submit. And so you're off doing this other thing like organizing your closet or organizing your kitchen. Instead of actually writing on the thing that you need to do because it is productive, you're doing something that does need to be done. But again, you're not strengthening the reps that you need to strengthen. If you're saying you want to be a writer, organizing your closet might help free your mind a little bit, but it's still not actually you putting in the reps to write. And I have talked so much about how action breeds confidence and the importance of taking action, because it is true. But a recent lesson for me is to make sure that I am really taking the right action. Because, listen, all movement isn't created equal. And just because you work hard doesn't necessarily mean that you're working smart. A hamster works so hard running on that little wheel, and it gets absolutely nowhere. And sometimes we can also misconstrue hard work for smart work. And that is a trap that I have fallen into so many times where it's like, I'm working so hard and I'm putting all of this time towards something, and yet I'm putting all of this time towards the wrong dang thing, right? I am putting all of this time towards social media in this way, when really I should be putting my time towards being a better podcaster or if you want to be a better writer, and you are putting all of your time towards organizing your kitchen cabinets and none of your time towards practicing writing, you're putting in the reps, but you're putting in the wrong reps. And so if there's any sort of homework that I would recommend you take away from this episode, it would be to take a good, hard look at the ways of which you are rehearsing in your life, take a good, hard look at the reps that you are putting in in your life, and say, are you putting in reps for the right thing? And this is something I'm still working on because, listen, if scrolling TikTok were a muscle, mine would be so strong. But is that helping me put in the reps to actually get to where I want to be? Probably not. And so, as I start looking at okay, what would Beyonce do? Beyonce's not going to rehearse a bunch of songs that she has no intention of performing. She's going to rehearse the songs that are actually on the set list, right? She's not going to, while she's preparing for Cowboy Carter, run the set list for Formation World Tour. She's going to run the set list for Cowboy Carter. So what is it that you're rehearsing for? What are you putting in the reps for? And is it actually helping you with the task at hand? For whatever it is that you want to do and whoever it is that you want to be and something that I'm currently doing is I'm going through an audit of how do I spend my time, and even looking at the different ways that I have kind of structured my businesses. And I am going through and I am fully rebuilding all of it. Everything from how does a podcast episode go from idea to publish, how is it promoted? What does the editing process look like? What does the production process look like? And I am completely cleaning house so that we can make it as strong as possible to reach as many people as possible. Because when I think about my objective and when I think about my goal of all of this, it is to reach as many people as possible. And I'm looking at, okay, what in my process is preventing me from doing that? What about how I'm putting this out into the world is stopping it from reaching as many people as possible? And how can I make sure that I'm doing the right thing? And it's something that we are all a work in progress with. Whether we have a certain goal, whether we're in a different season of life, or whether we are focusing on something new currently that we weren't focusing on before. We are constantly having to go back to the drawing board and strengthen different muscles to get to where we want to be. But the ability to do that is so important. You can wear yourself down to the ground doing all of these things that are not going to move the needle for you. Sorry to use that corporate speech week, but you can spend so much time like a hamster on a wheel, running and running and running and getting absolutely nowhere. So look at what is on your set list, right, for this world tour that you're preparing for, and are you rehearsing the right things for that set list? Are you putting in the right reps for whatever it is that you want to strengthen? The beautiful thing about being seen trying is that when you give yourself permission to try, you also give other people permission to try. When I think about being honest on this platform about all of the things that I'm doing, that is often the times that I get the best responses from this community. Like the episode that I did a few months ago where I was on the other side of the rebrand and the live shows, and I was in a really hard season, and I was talking about how hard that was. I got so many comments from people who said that they loved that episode, that it felt so real and that it felt so relatable. And that is because I think seeing others try gives. Gives us permission to try. And that is why so Many of us love Beyonce because she's always trying. And seeing her try makes us feel affirmed to try. So I think we've got to let go of this idea that something is more valuable if it's effortless and that being cool is effortless. I actually think it is really cool to try. I think it is really cool when people put themselves out there. I think it is really cool when people try something new, whether it works out or whether it doesn't. I think that the willingness to try is cooler than anything else, because I don't know about you, there's not a whole lot that I can do effortlessly. And so when I see people who appear effortless, I love that for them. But I'm like, okay, what's that got to do with me? Because everything that I'm doing is effortful. And I think that when we all give one another more space and more grace to be seen putting in effort to be seen trying, I think that it just. It creates a better environment for all of us to show up authentically and to try our hands at whatever it is that we want to try. Because I think that just the act of trying is where that level of excellence comes from. And you get to define what excellence looks like for you and where you want to apply excellence to your life. But I guarantee it is going to be really hard to reach your version of excellence without some sort of targeted learning effort, a little bit of failure, a little bit of hard stuff and getting to the other side of it. So if you are contemplating trying something new, if you are contemplating some sort of pivot or taking a new path or making something out of nothing, I really encourage you to go all in for it.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
To go all in to try to.
Les Alfred
Strengthen that muscle, to think, what would Beyonce do? You know what I mean? To go watch Homecoming for inspiration, to go down your. Your for you page and. And watch clips of the concert, if that's going to help move and inspire you to try and to do the things that have been placed on your heart to do. And just know that if you do, I will be somewhere in the world doing the same thing. So that is what I have for you today. I hope that you enjoyed this episode. It was a little bit different from the normal types of episodes that we do. Just me talking a little bit more about more personal interests, kind of off the cuff. And I hope that it helped really illuminate my love for Beyonce. That apparently is apparent irl, but is not as evident online now. Everybody online, at least, who listens to this episode got to hear firsthand for themselves. So I hope that this episode and my little what would Beyonce do Affirmation inspires you to not be afraid to be seen trying and to start putting in the reps to moving towards your version of excellence. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of she's so Lucky. My name is Les. I'm your host. If you are not already subscribed to the show, please make sure to that you do that. We are on YouTube.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
We're on Spotify, we're on Apple.
Les Alfred
You can follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok at she's so Lucky. Pod. You can follow me on Instagram at Les alfred or on TikTok at Balance Less. I know my username is still Balance Less there. They won't let me change it. I'm so sorry. I will have all of that information linked in the show notes and I would love to keep in touch with you in all of those places. If you enjoyed this show, please do us a favor. Please make sure that you share it with a friend because it's that's what helps grow our clover community here so that more of us can feel empowered to create our own luck. So share it with a friend who you think it would resonate with and who could use the encouragement and even drop us a rating and a review if you enjoyed the episode. If you didn't enjoy the episode, that is. Okay, we don't need to hear about it. Okay. If you think Beyonce is a witch, we don't need to hear about it. Okay, you can keep that separately, but the reviews are for the people who.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Enjoyed it and who want to spread.
Les Alfred
The good word of what we're doing here at she's so Lucky. So thank you again for tuning in.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
And I will see you next week.
Les Alfred
Thank you for tuning in to this.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Week'S episode of she's so Lucky. If you're ready to create your own luck, hit that subscribe button wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube so you don't miss a episode and head to the show Notes for resources, links and discount codes. And if you are really feeling lucky, we would appreciate your rating and your review.
Les Alfred
It really helps us be able to.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Improve the show to get great guests and to understand what you want to hear more of. Thank you for tuning in and I'll see you next week.
Elizabeth Endres
Hi, I'm Elizabeth Endres, a wellness founder. For nearly a decade, my passion for feeling really good and commitment to the deep inner work have led me here where I'll be sharing all the modalities that have helped me and sitting down weekly for unfiltered conversations with healers, practitioners, founders, and dear friends. I truly didn't believe emotions caused chronic symptoms until I started healing and realizing that my Type A highly sensitive personality was very much linked to my skin and gut issues, pelvic pain, and more. If you were the sensitive one in the family growing up, the Wellness Process Podcast is for you. You can listen to the Wellness Process Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. I am so happy you're here.
Les Alfred
Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Or services referred to in this episode.
Host: Les Alfred
Episode Date: September 23, 2025
Duration: ~44 minutes (content)
Theme: Using Beyoncé's work ethic, resilience, and public persona as a model for motivation and creative excellence—embracing the power of showing effort, putting in the right kind of work, and creating your own version of luck.
In this solo episode, Les Alfred dives deep into the motivational mantra "What Would Beyoncé Do?" (WWBD), drawing personal and professional inspiration from the global icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Through stories from her own career, pop culture analysis, and practical advice, Les highlights the value of being “seen trying,” dispels myths about effortless success, and encourages listeners to chase their own ambitions with intention, practice, and resilience.
Personal Milestone: Les recalls the transformative impact of watching the Homecoming Coachella performance and Netflix documentary, especially during a period of personal upheaval in 2018.
Actionable Inspiration: After Homecoming, she began applying "What Would Beyoncé Do?" as a lens for her work ethic, especially when motivation lagged.
"It's never too late to try something new, to pivot, to change course... Are you going to stop because you didn’t do it straight out of school, or because you’re a certain age? No, you should just seize it and you should do it, because why not?"
— Les Alfred, 04:30
"Beyoncé is not afraid to be seen trying personified... In order for something to be valuable, it needs to be effortless. And that's not true." — Les Alfred, 06:25
"Seeing the behind-the-scenes of Homecoming... and of being willing to try and of messing up the choreography and of feeling weak and rebuilding your strength... truly unlocked something in my brain." — Les Alfred, 11:30
"Do you think Beyoncé would ever show up unprepared? No ma’am. She would get her notes together, she would rehearse." — Les Alfred, 13:00
"I can't give you all Coachella every week... but I can be prepared. I can show up, and I can do the best I can on the mic each time I'm here. And no, it's not Coachella, but it's my version." — Les Alfred, 17:45
"All movement isn’t created equal... You can be like a hamster on a wheel, running and running and getting absolutely nowhere." — Les Alfred, 36:30
"Trying is cooler than anything else, because I don’t know about you—there’s not a whole lot that I can do effortlessly. And when we all give more space and more grace to be seen putting in effort, putting in the reps, it creates a better environment for all of us." — Les Alfred, 41:10
| Segment | Timestamp | | ------- | --------- | | Introducing Beyoncé as Motivation | 00:12–02:30 | | The Value & Challenge of Trying | 03:30–06:00 | | Beyoncé’s Early Criticism & Embracing Effort | 06:00–09:30 | | Coachella/Homecoming as a Turning Point | 09:30–13:00 | | WWBD as Creative Fuel | 13:00–13:30 | | Adapting Coachella-Level Effort to Ordinary Life | 17:00–19:00 | | Criticism of Beyoncé’s Businesses & Lessons | 22:00–25:00 | | Reps, Productive Procrastination & Right Action | 33:00–38:00 | | Empowering Others by Being Seen Trying | 40:00–42:00 | | Final Call-to-Action & Affirmation | 42:20–43:30 |
Les’s solo episode is warm, candid, and encouraging. She blends humor and vulnerability, particularly in recounting personal anecdotes and in her self-aware “productively procrastinating” moments. Her language is accessible and motivational, with a distinctive conversational style.
This episode distills Beyoncé’s public journey into actionable steps for listeners:
As Les encourages, channel the WWBD mindset—show up, rehearse for the right goals, and embrace being “seen trying” as an inspiring act, not a liability.