Real with Rocky

106: You are Good with Guest Lucia Simek

In this episode, Rocky sits down with artist and museum professional Lucia Simek for a reflective conversation about creativity, identity, and the courage to choose oneself. Together they unpack the tension of leaving a high-profile career to reclaim an "origin story," the difficulty of being a "hyphenate" person in a culture that demands linear identities, and the transformative power of vulnerability. Lucia shares how her history of caretaking shaped her leadership, why she is walking away from the "nonprofit machine" to prioritize her essential self, and her vision for creating a hybrid space that truly represents her multifaceted creative heart. This episode challenges listeners to rethink success, embrace uncertainty as an instructor, and recognize the value of staying true to one's core morality.Episode Highlights with Timestamps:00:00:43 — Why choosing a "crazy but healthy" exit from a major museum role was necessary for self-preservation.00:01:10 — The challenge of being a "hyphenate" person with multiple identities in a culture that prefers clear career paths.00:01:52 — Reclaiming an "origin story" as an artist and prioritizing essential happiness over financial security.00:02:39 — Defining "non-negotiables" and shifting focus from fundraising to building genuine community.00:07:38 — Embracing a "revolutionary heart" and the desire to create spaces that benefit the next person.00:10:38 — The vision for a hybrid physical space for art and film that reflects a multifaceted identity.00:13:34 — How deep moral care for a community can be both a leadership strength and an art world barrier.00:20:45 — Reflections on a life of caretaking, from raising seven siblings to bringing those instincts into the workplace.00:30:42 — The speaker challenges Lucia on the fear of asking for help when you are used to being the problem solver.00:45:20 — Why pain and trauma are the "best teachers" and instructors for future choices and personal growth.Get to Know Our GuestLucia Simek is an artist, writer, curator, and museum professional with an MFA in sculpture from Texas Christian University. She spent eight years at the Nasher Sculpture Center leading communications and international programs. In 2022, she joined Dallas Contemporary as Director of External Affairs and was later promoted to Deputy Director, overseeing public programs, publications, and education. She launched initiatives like DC Empty and the NTX Graduate Student Program to support regional artists. After serving as interim director, she was named Executive Director in February 2025. She stepped down in December 2025 to focus on her independent art, curatorial work, and writing, including her upcoming book Occiput through Deep Vellum Publishing.Learn more about Lucia's workLucia as a museum curator:Best in Class: Dallas Contemporary exhibitHeni News: Lucia SimekGlasstire: Lucia Simek to step downPatron Magazine: Doomscrolling by Cheryl DoneganLucia as an artist:Glasstire: Occiput at The Reading RoomDallas Observer: From her eyes to yoursDallas News: Artists tackle issues of identity in CleaverJoin Rocky, LIVE on Zoom, in conversation about leadership, humanity, and everything in between: http://rockygarza.com/confidence

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The In-Between: The Beautiful Boundary

3w ago00:05:48Tap to summarize

Most of us don't need more advice; we need clarity. We build inner walls to survive, believing that being the strong one who never needs help is what success looks like. We outwork and outlast everything until we stand at the top alone, in a silence we rarely talk about."The Beautiful Boundary" is a pushback against the isolation of the castle. It is not about keeping the world out, but about the quiet, intentional decision of what belongs inside the gate. It is the honest truth that you cannot protect everything, and trying to do so only creates another wall. You are worth protecting, not just your image or your capacity to perform, but your integrity and your ability to be present.In this In-Between, the speaker sits with a challenging question: What if the highest form of love isn't self-sacrifice that leaves you hollow, but the courage to finally put yourself on the list of things worth protecting?What you'll hear: The difference between walls and boundaries: Why walls isolate out of fear, while boundaries invite in with clarity.Being needed vs. being loved: Why confusing the two leads to being useful to a relationship rather than actually being in it.Availability vs. Accessibility: How to move from a defensive posture of being always open to an intentional posture of deciding what moves through your channels.The reminder: Protecting what you love requires the courage to include yourself in that protection so you can better love those who matter most."A life you want is not built by carrying more. It's built by protecting what you love."Once a month, Rocky hosts Somewhere in the Middle, a gathering for people who are done performing and ready to be real. Link in show notes. Come be human with us.Get To Know RockyRocky Garza is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and host of Real with Rocky. He helps leaders trade performance for presence and to lead like themselves, not someone else.Connect with RockyCome be human with us at Somewhere in the Middle: https://www.rockygarza.com/confidenceFollow Rocky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockygarza/Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockygarza/Visit the website: https://www.rockygarza.com/

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105: Permission to be You with Guest Rambo Elliott

4w ago00:48:02Tap to summarize

In this episode, Rocky sits down with creative director and photographer Rambo Elliott for a deeply honest conversation about identity, permission, and what it actually takes to stop performing your way into belonging. Rambo opens up about her autism diagnosis at 36 and how getting that word didn't mean something was wrong with her. It meant she'd needed different accommodations.Together they dig into why curiosity requires rest, safety, and community before it can grow, why so many of us have learned to cry fine while everything's falling apart, and what radical self-acceptance actually looks like when you stop chasing people who can only handle you once every three months. This episode invites listeners to examine the stories they've inherited about who they are, challenge what's actually theirs to carry, and consider what becomes possible when you decide to let you.Episode Highlights with Timestamps:00:01:00 – Intensity and sincerity as a way of life00:02:00 – Getting stuck without knowing it00:02:30 – Autism diagnosis at 36 and the permission it gave00:16:00 – Curiosity as a ripe environment00:19:00 – Performance vs. genuine connection00:22:45 – Emotion as information, not the enemy00:28:22 – Crying fine, the lie we keep telling00:35:38 – Radical self-acceptance and moving on faster00:46:00 – What it means to be humanAbout Our GuestRambo Elliott is a creative director and photographer with a decade of work documenting music, art, fashion, and celebrity. Her background as a neuromuscular massage therapist shapes everything. Her work puts a deep emphasis on connection and vulnerability, and it shows. She's been featured in GQ, Vogue, Rolling Stone, the NY Times, Billboard, Vanity Fair, Essence, and more. She's created album covers and videos for Leon Bridges, done documentary work with Jon Batiste and Takashi Murakami, and shot campaigns for Stetson, Dickies, Lucchese, and Tecovas.Follow Rambo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rambo/On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ramboelliottWebsite: https://rambophotography.com/Join Rocky, LIVE on Zoom, in conversation about leadership, humanity, and everything in between: http://rockygarza.com/confidence

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The In-Between: Just Be Human

May 600:03:44Tap to summarize

The pressure to perform your way through being alive is real. And most of us have been doing it for so long, we don't even notice anymore.We optimize. We refine. We show up steady. We process the grief privately. We hide the confusion because clarity is mandatory and doubt is weakness. We believe, somewhere beneath the surface, that we have to arrive at some perfected version of ourselves before we are worthy of belonging.Just Be Human is Rocky's pushback against all of it.Not a lowering of the bar. Not settling. Not pretending things don't matter. Just the honest, grounding truth that you are a person before you are a performer. And that who you are, in the tension, in the mess, in the tired, is enough to take the next step.In this In-Between, Rocky sits with the question most of us are afraid to ask: What if the goal was never to outperform being human but to finally stop trying?What you'll hear:Why the world's reward for polish comes at the cost of wholenessThe difference between indulgence and honesty and why Just Be Human is neither an excuse nor an escapeWhat it looks like to feel the grief, admit the confusion, and take the next step anywayThe reminder: Be there. Be honest. Be present. Be imperfect."Who you are, even in the tension, even in the mess, is enough to take the next step."Once a month, Rocky hosts Somewhere in the Middle, a gathering for people who are done performing and ready to be real. Link in show notes. Come be human with us.Get To Know RockyRocky Garza is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and host of Real with Rocky. He helps leaders trade performance for presence and to lead like themselves, not someone else.Connect with RockyCome be human with us at Somewhere in the Middle: https://www.rockygarza.com/confidenceFollow Rocky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockygarza/Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockygarza/Visit the website: https://www.rockygarza.com/

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104: Rewriting Your Story with Guest Hance Taplin

Apr 2900:35:11Tap to summarize

In this episode, Rocky sits down with entrepreneur and creative Hance for a deeply honest conversation about identity, belonging, and the stories we carry about ourselves. Together they unpack the tension between wanting connection and avoiding vulnerability, how childhood experiences shape present-day behavior, and why many of the narratives we believe about ourselves aren’t actually ours to carry. Hance opens up about feeling like an outsider in everyday environments (from youth sports to community spaces) and the internal battle between comfort and growth. This episode invites listeners to examine the stories they’ve inherited, challenge what’s actually true, and take small, courageous steps toward connection and authenticity.Episode Highlights with Timestamps:00:00:03 — The stories told about us vs. the stories we tell ourselves—and where they collide.00:02:21 — Navigating social anxiety and feeling like an outsider in everyday environments.00:03:54 — The tension between comfort in isolation and pressure to connect with others.00:07:58 — The internal narrative of not belonging—and how it shapes behavior.00:10:04 — What do you actually want: connection, comfort, or control?00:12:25 — Recognizing when your thoughts about others aren’t rooted in reality.00:15:14 — Why you can’t expect an invitation if you never put yourself in a position to receive one.00:17:24 — The difference between being needed vs. being wanted—and why it matters.00:19:43 — Taking small, intentional steps to create connection and rewrite your story.00:29:33 — Reframing your past: separating your identity from the stories others placed on you.About Our GuestHance Taplin is a Dallas-based designer, photographer, and creative director originally from Denver, Colorado. He is the founder of By Way of Dallas, a creative platform focused on connecting communities and reshaping the city through design and culture. His work has led to collaborations with brands like Nike, Neiman Marcus, The Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, D Magazine, Dallas Market Center, 7-Eleven and The Dallas Mavericks, making him a distinctive voice in the Dallas creative scene.Follow By Way of Dallas @bywayofdallasFollow Hance @hancetaplinJoin Rocky, LIVE on Zoom, in conversation about leadership, humanity, and everything in between: http://rockygarza.com/confidence

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The In-Between: Yes and Grow

Apr 800:05:41Tap to summarize

There are two voices most of us have heard our whole lives.One says: Be content. Be grateful. Accept who you are and stop reaching for more. The antidote to hustle culture is stillness. Just be happy with what you have.The other says: You're not enough. Do more. Fix yourself. Optimize. Rest is falling behind, and the moment you stop growing, you start dying.In this episode, Rocky makes the case that both of those voices are lying and that the good life isn't found in either camp. It's found in the tension between them.“Yes and Grow” isn't a self-help concept or a rebrand of perfectionism. It's a discipline. It’s the daily decision to honor who you are while refusing to believe you're finished."Authenticity without accountability is just stagnation with a good story."What’s inside:Why "be content" and "always be growing" are both incomplete and what each one produces when believed aloneThe person stuck in yes: how authenticity without accountability quietly becomes stagnationThe person stuck in grow: why growth without acceptance is just self-rejection at a faster paceWhat it actually looks like to hold both at once and why that tension is the point, not the problemThe discipline of “Yes and Grow” is honoring who you are while refusing to believe you're finishedJoin us once a month as Rocky hosts Somewhere in the Middle, a gathering for people who are tired of doing this alone.Get To Know RockyRocky Garza is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and host of Real with Rocky. He helps leaders trade performance for presence and to lead like themselves, not someone else.Connect with RockyCome be human with us at Somewhere in the Middle: https://www.rockygarza.com/confidenceFollow Rocky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockygarza/Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockygarza/Visit the website: https://www.rockygarza.com/

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103: Creating with Community with Guest Jonathan Morris

Apr 100:51:12Tap to summarize

In this episode, Rocky sits down with entrepreneur and community builder Jonathan Morris for a reflective conversation about creativity, identity, and what it really means to build something that matters. Together they unpack the tension between living in the future versus being present, the loneliness that can come with vision, and the power of bringing others along in the process. Jonathan shares how community has shaped his entrepreneurial journey, why your greatest resource might already be inside you, and how creating for yourself—not just for the market—can unlock a deeper sense of purpose. This episode challenges listeners to rethink success, redefine resources, and embrace the kind of humanity that builds both businesses and people. Episode Highlights:00:01:36 — Why focusing on the present instead of future outcomes creates clarity and momentum.00:08:14 — The hidden loneliness of entrepreneurship and building before others can see it.00:04:41 — How community accelerates growth and turns ideas into real impact.00:26:00 — Why your greatest resources aren’t money—but time, relationships, and proximity.00:25:45 — The dangerous lie that you have to succeed on your own—and how to break it.00:32:05 — How identifying gaps in the market reveals your next business opportunity.00:38:29 — The power of creating for yourself—not just for profit or validation.00:29:10 — Shifting from external validation to recognizing your internal value.00:31:10 — Why paying attention is the most underrated skill in business and creativity.00:46:18 — Building businesses that create belonging, connection, and meaningful human experiences.Get to Know Our GuestJonathan Morris is a Fort Worth-based entrepreneur known for spotting what’s missing in a city and building it. He founded Fort Worth Barber Shop in 2014 and later co-founded Hotel Dryce, a boutique hotel rooted in community, culture, and local connection. Jonathan is also the host of Self Employed (streaming on Max and Magnolia Network), where he highlights the real stories behind entrepreneurs building something from nothing. His work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, hospitality, and creating spaces people genuinely want to be part of.Hotel Dryce @hoteldryceWebsite hoteldryce.comFort Worth Barber Shop @fortworthbarbershopWebsite fortworthbarbershop.comCherry Coffee Shop (my wife's store) @cherrycoffeefwWebsite cherry-coffee.comInstagram @JonathanDFWJoin Rocky, LIVE on Zoom, in conversation about leadership, humanity, and everything in between: http://rockygarza.com/confidence

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The In-Between: Somewhere in the Middle

Mar 2700:04:32Tap to summarize

Rocky couldn't put down one idea: the good life isn't built at the edges. Not in hustle culture. Not in performative living. Not in the political certainty we cling to because the middle feels unsafe. The world rewards the poles, but Rocky makes the case that extremes rarely produce wholeness.This episode is for anyone who's been chasing a destination that keeps moving. It's for the people who are exhausted from performing. It's for the leaders who know deep down that presence matters more than spectacle and who need someone to finally say it plainly: the middle is not compromise. The middle is life. "Live at the edges and you perform. Live in the middle and you become."What's inside:Why the world rewards extremes and why that's costing you your wholenessThe difference between performance and becomingWhat it actually means to live somewhere in the middleWhy rest is not a means to an end; it's where becoming happensAn invitation to stop chasing the mountain top and find your footing todayJoin us once a month as Rocky hosts Somewhere in the Middle, a gathering for people who are tired of doing this alone.Get To Know RockyRocky Garza is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and host of Real with Rocky. He helps leaders trade performance for presence and to lead like themselves, not someone else.Connect with RockyCome be human with us at Somewhere in the Middle: https://www.rockygarza.com/confidenceFollow Rocky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockygarza/Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockygarza/Visit the website: https://www.rockygarza.com/

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102: The Rhythm of a Meaningful Life with Guest Robert Milam

Mar 1800:37:27Tap to summarize

In this episode, Rocky sits down with entrepreneur and creative leader Robert Milam for a thoughtful conversation about purpose, work, family, and what it really means to live a human life. Together they explore the tension many leaders feel between building meaningful work and being present for the people who matter most. Robert shares why he doesn’t believe in traditional “work-life balance,” how creativity reframes the way we think about everyday tasks, and why purpose often requires stepping outside comfort. The conversation moves through topics like parenting, leadership, brokenness, and relationships—revealing that the most meaningful moments in life are rarely the big wins, but the thousands of small interactions we stack up over time. Episode Highlights:00:01:32 — Navigating a new stage of life: balancing a thriving business with growing family responsibilities.00:05:41 — Why Robert rejects the traditional idea of “work-life balance.”00:06:31 — Reframing work as the act of creating something meaningful in the world.00:07:30 — Why great art—and great ideas—often come from imbalance rather than equilibrium.00:10:53 — Collapsing the divide between work and life into one unified purpose.00:13:37 — Comfort vs. safety and how comfort can quietly hold us back.00:18:16 — Seeing everyday responsibilities as opportunities to create meaningful moments.00:21:41 — The importance of showing your humanity—even on difficult days.00:27:46 — Why the most interesting relationships come from embracing differences.00:33:13 — The power of stacking thousands of small moments with your family.00:34:38 — Why relationships are what truly make us feel alive.00:36:41 — How owning mistakes can deepen connection and strengthen teams.Get to Know Our GuestRobert Milam is a creative director and brand strategist working at the intersection of culture, design, and business. He is the Founder and Principal of ModestWorks, an award-winning creative studio known for building enduring brands.Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmilam?igsh=MXJudGZuYmZodnd6Zg==ModestWorks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modestworks?igsh=OXZrZmpjZnVyYTR0Website: modestworks.comJoin Rocky, LIVE on Zoom, in conversation about leadership, humanity, and everything in between: http://rockygarza.com/confidence

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The In-Between: The Paradox of Fatherhood

Mar 1100:05:47Tap to summarize

Rocky couldn't stop thinking about a line,"We love deeply and show it poorly. And we called that fatherhood."In this In-Between episode, Rocky explores the gap between what many dads believe they're doing and what fatherhood actually requires. Providing and protecting are the floor; they always have been. But the floor was never meant to be the ceiling. And too many dads have been living there, believing the job was already done.This episode isn't about doing more. It's about being honest with yourself and with the people who are watching everything. "Be someone worth watching. Not perfect, just human."What's inside:Why providing and protecting are the baseline, not the finish lineThe difference between presence and proximityWhat your kids are actually building by watching youThe most dangerous thing a father can doWhat it looks like to be someone worth watchingJoin us once a month as Rocky hosts Somewhere in the Middle, a gathering for people who are tired of doing this alone.Get To Know RockyRocky Garza is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and host of Real with Rocky. He helps leaders trade performance for presence and to lead like themselves, not someone else.Connect with RockyCome be human with us at Somewhere in the Middle: https://www.rockygarza.com/confidenceFollow Rocky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockygarza/Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockygarza/Visit the website: https://www.rockygarza.com/

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All episodes

106: You are Good with Guest Lucia Simek

The In-Between: The Beautiful Boundary

105: Permission to be You with Guest Rambo Elliott

The In-Between: Just Be Human

104: Rewriting Your Story with Guest Hance Taplin

The In-Between: Yes and Grow

103: Creating with Community with Guest Jonathan Morris

The In-Between: Somewhere in the Middle

102: The Rhythm of a Meaningful Life with Guest Robert Milam

The In-Between: The Paradox of Fatherhood